Josh Von Mink and the Heroic Dose @ The Terminal Bar, Dec 10th '09

Starring:
Josh Von Mink - on vocals and lead guitar
Matt Unga – on vocals and rhythm guitar
Jonathan Kramer - on bass guitar
Craig Larson – on percussion

That’s right! You are about to read (or possibly have read to you) an essay written about the performance of a musical group named for the bravado involved in imbibing a ridiculous, foolish, questionable, or otherwise dangerous amount of a given substance. (Be it animal….or mineral….maybe even vegetable….take your pick!) While this essay will be more closely tied to the performance given by the previously mentioned group, I feel it is only fair to give credit where credit is due....and I find that flying the banner of “JOSH VON MINK AND THE HEROIC DOSE” is due quite a large amount of credit indeed; provided, of course, that the band sporting such a brazen color is in some manner or another, ‘heroic’. And to be blunt…. “JOSH VON MINK AND THE HEROIC DOSE”’s performance on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 10th at The Terminal Bar, Minneapolis MN, turned out to be just that. Here’s why.

My favorite piece by “JOSH VON MINK AND THE HEROIC DOSE” is entitled “Vampire!”, and I thought it was the highlight of the set. Not just because it is my favorite piece by “JOSH VON MINK AND THE HEROIC DOSE”, but because during the performance of that song, the band (comprised of musicians both familiar and unfamiliar) treated the audience with an alternate version of the song, which I hadn’t heard prior to that evening. And I, in point of fact, was pleasantly surprised to find it actually superior to the original, boasting (quite fortunately) the feel or the vibe of the original (a haunting, Transylvanian sounding, “gypsy-esque” arrangement) and at the same time a fresh, live rock and roll sound; which earned it applause with both improvisational guitar solos and flashy showmanship.
Now, because some of the musicians in “JOSH VON MINK AND THE HEROIC DOSE” that evening were unfamiliar to me (and thusly new to the band), some of the parts were a mite altered (from what I was expecting to hear) in order to accommodate for play style and musical preference. Craig Larson, for example, was a new face, and so the percussion was adjusted accordingly. However, if the musicians (new or old) fudged a part here or there….I most certainly did not notice; whenever I attend a concert, whether it be large or small, I can’t help but listen critically, and “JOSH VON MINK AND THE HEROIC DOSE” did seem quite well rehearsed.

As for the sound quality, (aside from a few issues pertaining to the speakers) the band sounded great. Each instrument was audible in the mix; although, despite the fact that the sound guy was very attentive to problems that did arise, the speakers seemed to produce a slightly unpleasant crackle (which I assumed, of course, to be unwanted). As I said before, the problem proved to be a minute problem, and as such did not ruin the show; which in turn allowed “JOSH VON MINK AND THE HEROIC DOSE” to delight the crowd without stopping in the middle of their set to give the ubiquitous ‘we seem to be experiencing technical difficulties’ speech.

Lastly I will touch on appearance. “JOSH VON MINK AND THE HEROIC DOSE” is a four piece band, and unfortunately the stage at The Terminal Bar isn’t the largest stage that I’ve seen. I imagine getting every member ‘spot lighted’ is tricky at times, but I was able to see all of the players; so in my opinion The Terminal Bar staff did a good job with the lighting for the stage. Also, despite the stage’s less than generous size, the members of “JOSH VON MINK AND THE HEROIC DOSE” appeared comfortable occupying the space that each member had been allotted. On any size stage, a lot of playing room is taken up by gear; (and “JOSH VON MINK AND THE HEROIC DOSE” requires many pieces of musical equipment, often large and heavy) a drum kit or trap set, for example, often takes up most of the stage room available, leaving bits and pieces of the stage for band members to squabble over. This was not the case that evening. All players exuded an air of comfortability and musical prowess within the confines of their own individual spaces. Allowing “JOSH VON MINK AND THE HEROIC DOSE” to rock the house at The Terminal Bar on Thursday night.

And so, through all of the minor problems and roadblocks that seem to appear in any given musicians path for almost any gig, and in the face of adversity great and small, “JOSH VON MINK AND THE HEROIC DOSE” persevered, not missing a beat or stopping to let the audience catch their breath. A concert experience sure to be full of good vibes, and good old fashioned rock and roll, that is guaranteed to entertain even the most skeptic of viewers. If they are playing in your area, and you possess the means by which you might attend, I highly recommend and evening out with “JOSH VON MINK AND THE HEROIC DOSE”.

-Matthew Wiermaa