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Weathered Heads + Ed’s No Name Bar = Weathered Ed’s Weekend in Winona

by Michael Flicek

February 02, 2016

With warm Boats and Bluegrass memories fading and the Mid West Music Fest yet to blossom this spring, the Weathered Heads — along with the help of some friends, and Minneapolis’s Insight Brewing — may have just what Winona music lovers need to get through the remaining frigid winter months.

The rock-pop band will perform Feb. 18-21 at local music hotspot Ed’s No-Name Bar in Winona as part of a weekend lineup featuring husband-and-wife duo Todd and Megan Hanson of the Ultrasounds; Church Dads; Dan DiMonte and the Bad Assettes; Ali and the Scoundrels; Driftwood Bones; Ruben; General B and the Wiz; and Mike Munson. The curators are calling the festival the Weathered Ed's Weekend.

“We had played the same Saturday the past two years with our buds Gen B, Koo Koo Kanga Roo, and Ruben, and both shows have been a great time,” said Weathered Heads drummer Nick Novotny. “The music was good, the beer was good, and having a chance to share the stage with some of our favorite musicians was even better. With Ed’s blessing, we got the whole weekend to book.”

Insight Brewery will be holding a launch party on Friday night, which also marks the first time their brews will be available in the Island City.

“I've been friends with members of the Weathered Heads for many years,” said Insight co-founder (and former Winonan) Ilan Klages-Mundt, "so when they asked if Insight would like to be a part of their festival, I figured that was the perfect excuse to coincide with our Winona Launch.”

Thursday and Sunday’s shows are free, and Friday and Saturday’s are $5 each night. Here's the rundown.

Thursday, Feb. 18

Indie couple Todd and Megan Hanson of the Ultrasounds will kick off the weekend with an all-acoustic set, showcasing their versatile musicianship. Afterwards, Church Dads, a bluesy rock band from Minneapolis, will take the stage.

Friday, Feb. 19

Chicago native turned Iowa City resident, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Dan DiMonte will bring his band the Bad Assettes, who will make it difficult for concertgoers to stay off of the dance floor with their Latin, reggae/ska, jazz, and funk-influenced sound. Driftwood Bones, an Indie folk-rock band, will continue the night with toe-tapping tunes. Immediately following their performance will be R&B-soul band Ali and the Scoundrels — an energetic, Minneapolis-based group with an exceptionally tight three-piece horn section.

Saturday, Feb. 20

Reaching the halfway point of the weekend, rock ‘n’ soul band Ruben will waste no time getting the party started Saturday night. When it’s time for the blues, psych-rock group General B and the Wiz will perform. The band's vocalist Quincy Voris will be a departure from Ruben — reaching new heights in his falsetto, high above fast-moving, intertwined bass lines courtesy of Kevin Coughenour. Then the Weathered Heads, led by vocalist Craig Weatherhead’s catchy lyrics and reinforced by the rock-pop group’s tightly locked rhythm section, will take stage for the third consecutive year.

“It’s incredibly special that the community has taken to us so positively and supported us through the years,” said Weatherhead. “It doesn’t get much better than creating music, rocking out on stage, throwing a huge party with some of your best friends, and meeting great people by doing so.”

Sunday, Feb 21

Mike Munson, Winona-blues musician, will wrap up the weekend and local visual artists will display their work.

Michael Flicek is a student at St. Mary's University of Minnesota.

Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment
This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.