I love a lot of things in this world. I love people, places and things. But I realize I love one city in the world, and at a very specific time in its history. I love Minneapolis in the late 90’s. And I’m going to tell you why.

Minneapolis in the 90’s was special. I hate to be one of those people who say you don’t understand unless you were there, but you just don’t. It was in the middle of the boom bust cycle we have in this country, and all the people being priced out of Chicago were moving in, but hadn’t crushed the rent prices yet.

Minneapolis in the 90’s has it’s own soundtrack. Bands who went on to be one hit wonders, like Semisonic and “Closing Time”. Soul Asylum blew up, thought never quite as big as they should have. But my favorite Minneapolis band of all time will be Boiled in Lead.

Boiled in Lead could have been described as world music, I describe it as an Irish band and a Romany band get drunk and have a sing off. I’m very particular about my BIL. Antler Dance is their finest hour, followed by the soundtrack to the book Gypsy as a close second. Whoever decided that Adam Stemple didnt belong must not have wanted success. They never sounded as good before or after him. Yes, I did propose during a Boiled in Lead show. Their last with Adam, as I recall.

But Minneapolis in that time, there was something magic in the air. A magic best captured in the book War for the Oaks by Emma Bull. My favorite Xmas urban fantasy, and the first book I’d make into a movie when I win the lottery.

A lot of my favoritism runs into places that are no longer there. Shinder’s books is gone. Uncle Hugos got burned down in the George Floyd riots. That was the last place I saw my mother smile at. Uncle Hugos and its twin, Uncle Edgars are back, I hear. I hear the Saloon is gone, the gay bar I worked at for a while. I went back a few times since I left in 2000 and more and more of it is gone. I dont’ recognize the place.

But maybe that’s all for the best. I’m certainly not the guy I was then. I’m better now, in ways I can’t explain. But the city held me in its bosom for a while, so while I shed a tear every time I go past First Avenue(RIP Prince) I also cant help but smile at thoughts of Melissa, who truly taught me to dance like a free human. Or of all those Tuesday nights, where all the real deviants hung out. Weekends were amateur hour.

IF living in Minneapolis taught me anything, it taught me to live life while we can. To dance while we can still hear music, to love people while they’re here. And yeah, I can cast a misty eyed look back at a place and time when I was poor, and drunk(a lot), I can’t think of a better place I could have been at that time. Now if you excuse me, I’m going to go to bed, while “Unmarked Helicopters” by Soul Coughing(Biggest non Minneapolis band in the city at the time) sings me to sleep. Good Night