A Second Helping of Saliva - Live at Pickle Park

Last night, I attended my second Saliva show in as many nights, this time at Pickle Park in Fridley, MN. I got to the show in time to see some familiar friendly faces while the first band Strange Daze were playing. I said hello and Happy Holidays to my friends before making my way to the stage where I greeted a few more friends. Strange Daze has played the St. Cloud bar circuit plenty of times before, but this was the first time I got to hear them play live. They did a good job of warming up the audience.

Next up were my friends in Ashes from Stone, in a festive mood for their last show of 2015. They played the familiar songs from their debut album, and unleashed a few new heavy songs that have yet to be recorded. It was great seeing so many smiling faces both in the crowd and onstage during their set! These guys have come a long way, and I'm proud of the progress they've made as musicians.

The final opening act, Downtread, was another band that I knew by name only. They were selling CDs for whatever price people wanted to pay at the show, and I bought a few discs and snagged a setlist and guitar pick at the show. I loved the dual guitar layers of their songs and people really dug their grooves onstage. Their positive energy was contagious, an addiction no one wanted to let go of until it was time for Saliva to take the stage.

By the time Downtread took the stage, I was standing on the right side of the stage, just where I was the previous night at the Red Carpet. Sure enough, I got to trade stares and fist bumps with Bobby Amaru and Wayne Swinny during Saliva's set. They started with "Black Sheep" again, but mixed it up a bit. A slightly shorter set than Friday night, they also played the song "Always" which got skipped the night before. It was fun seeing the crowd bounce up and down in rhythm to the Saliva classics "Survivor," "Click Click Boom" and their traditional closing song "Disease." I also got a few more of Wayne's guitar picks, keeping only one for myself and giving the rest to other friends and fellow Saliva fans.

Last night's show was an exclamation point on a busy concert season-by my count, that was the 50th rock show of the year for me! There may be another local show or two before the New Year rolls around, but that was probably the last national rock show of the year for me. Until next time, have a great week, and for all you Star Wars fans, may the Force be with you next weekend!