Meet the band!

The Show'd Up Band had its inception in the summer of 1999 when Bob Douglas (mandolin) and Joe Kreitzer (hammered dulcimer) made a pact to play an hour of tunes every Thursday at noon.  As they sat under the trees that summer and built a common repertoire of American and Irish tunes, others would walk past, sometimes stopping to listen and occasionally asking if they could join in.  Within a year the core group had grown to 7, including three guitars (Tom Hodgson, Dan Gjelten and Paul Strickland), a second mandolin (Lief Johnson) and an Appalachian dulcimer (Mark Neuzil).  Over the years the group has at times included more guitars, more mandolins, fiddles, tin whistles, flutes, banjos, a bass, and even a washboard.  On a given Thursday you can find anywhere from 5 to 15 players in our circle - hence the name - the Show'd Up Band.  The repertoire has remained predominantly American and Irish fiddle tunes, but you can also hear an occasional bluegrass, gospel, country or folk tune.

The Show'd Up Band has been a fixture on the St. Thomas campus since its inception, still continuing with its now 90-minute weekly session starting at noon on Thursdays.  We have played for several events on campus, as accompanists for the University of St. Thomas Chamber Choir and Women's Choir, at commencement receptions, recognition events, and community gatherings.  The band has also played in a number of off-campus venues, including the annual LaPlant Music Festival in Grand Rapids, MN, the Mayo Foundation, at the Minnesota State Fair, local church festivals, the Coffee Grounds, the Dubliner, the Befriender Ministry, and other local benefits.