Ellefson Coffee Company Grand Opening Celebration Grows Again

Courtesy: Ellefson Coffee Company/O’Donnell Media Group

Next weekend’s grand opening of Ellefson Coffee Company’s first brick and mortar store keeps growing.

The festivities for next weekend’s grand opening of Ellefson Coffee Company’s Jackson, MN store now include performances by two more acts.  Kik Tracee/Zen From Mars vocalist Stephen Shareaux and Bang Tango/Zen From Mars guitarist Drew Fortier will perform at the store throughout the weekend.  The duo will perform songs from Kik Tracee and Zen From Mars over the weekend.

Also added to the weekend’s festivities is Bryn Arens, front man of beloved local Minneapolis-based band FLIPP.  Arens, Shareaux and Fortier are just the latest additions to next weekend’s grand opening celebration. Local Jackson, MN-based stock car racer Luke Sathoff’s Ellefson Coffee Company-sponsored car will be on display at the store throughout the weekend, too.

The newly noted additions to next weekend’s festivities join already announced celebrities That Metal Show co-host Don Jamieson and paranormal author and investigator Adrian Lee.

Jamieson will be at the store April 8 while Lee will lead Ellefson and others on an exploration of Loon Lake Cemetery, the local Jackson, MN cemetery that inspired Megadeth’s hit song ‘Mary Jane.’

The permanently displayed “Museum of Deth,” which features artifacts and memorabilia from Ellefson’s personal collection. The items that will be on display include Ellefson’s own high school marching band uniform and memorabilia from other acts including Korn, Machine Head, Max Cavalera and Coal Chamber.

Ellefson said in a recent interview he was looking forward to next weekend’s events.

“As the grand opening draws nearer, it’s amazing to see the excitement build and be able to announce some more killer things we have planned for the grand opening and beyond!,” Ellefson said.  “We have people traveling from all over the country to join us in this celebration of all things coffee and metal and we’re going to show them all a great time.”

Ellefson Coffee Company Marking Director Thom Hazaert agreed.

“The Ellefson Coffee Company store has turned out to be an amazing way for David to have a permanent face in his hometown, while being able to tie in EMP, Jackson, Dean, SIT and everything else in our universe,” Hazaert said.  “With the huge sense of Megadeth history in Jackson, we are excited to be able to create a really unique an amazing fan (and coffee) experience that, as predicted, is turning out to not only be a highlight for the people of Jackson, but a destination for Megadeth fans from around the world.”

Ellefson Coffee Company’s new brick and mortar store sells more than just coffee.  It also serves as an outlet for anyone looking to purchase products from Ellefson’s EMP Label Group, Jackson Guitars, SIT Strings, Puck Hcky, Dean Guitars and other companies connected with Ellefson and EMP Label Group.

Ellefson Coffee Company’s grand opening will take place Friday, April 7 – Sunday, April 9 at 404 2^nd Street, Jackson, MN.  The store can be contacted by phone at 507-847-4065.  More information on Ellefson Coffee Company is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.ellefsoncoffeeco.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ellefsoncoffeeco

 

 

 

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Ellefson Coffee Co. Store To Hold Grand Opening This Spring

Courtesy: O’Donnell Media Group/Ellefson Coffee Company

Ellefson Coffee Company’s first ever brick and mortar store will hold its official grand opening this spring.

The event will be held April 7 – 9.  It comes almost three months after the store held its soft opening, which was held Jan. 10.  The company is named after its founder, Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson.

The store is located in Ellefson’s hometown of Jackson, MN.  Ellefson will be on hand for the grand opening.  He will be joined by comedian and That Metal Show co-host Don Jamieson.  Jameson said in a recent interview that he gladly accepted Ellefson’s request to appear at the event, while also praising the power of one of Ellefson Coffee Company’s select coffee lines.

“He’s (Ellefson) a Grammy®-winning musician, thrash metal legend and now…Mega Barista!,” Jamieson said.  “When David and I spoke about this event, I was immediately excited to jump on board.  In fact, after a few cups of his Kenya Thrash blend, I may just run all the way to Jackson, MN!  So come raise a glass of java, and join us for this celebration of Ellefson coffee.”

Ellefson was also excited for his store’s official hard opening.

“This is our heavy metal spring break in Jackson!,” Ellefson said.  “We look forward to hosting some really fun events centering around my career’s roots and history in the area, as well as a chance to see some memorabilia from my friends in music, film and TV.”

Some of the memorabilia on display at the store will include Dave’s Jackson High School marching band uniform to see, and items from other bands including Korn, Coal Chamber, Machine Head, and others.

Along with memorabilia, the store will also offer products from Ellefson’s fledgling record label, EMP Label Group for sale and Ellefson Coffee Company products.

Ellefson’s ECC partner Tom Hazaert stressed the new store, while already having been opened since January, will be a special place for coffee lovers and for Jackson, MN’s metal community for the foreseeable future.

“Not only will Ellefson Coffee Company now have a permanent face in David’s hometown, but being able to tie in EMP, and everything else we do, and with the huge sense of Megadeth history in Jackson, we are excited to be able to create a really unique and amazing (and coffee) experience that we are sure will not only be a highlight for the people of Jackson, but a destination for Megadeth fans from around the world,” Hazaert said.

As part of the store’s hard opening, author Adrian Lee will join Ellefson and company as they take visitors and customers on a haunted tour of nearby Loon Lake Cemetery.  The cemetery is where one Mary Jane Terwilliger is said to be buried.  According to legend, Terwilliger, born in 1862, was beheaded by residents of Petersburg, MN in 1881 after being accused of being a witch.  However, research has debunked that myth, proving she in fact died at the age of 17 allegedly from diphtheria.

Due to the myth surrounding Terwilliger and her death becoming so popular, she became the topic of the song ‘Mary Jane,’ which is included in the band’s 1988 album So Far, So Good…So What!  Terwilliger’s headstone stands today at the Jackson County Historical Society office.

Ellefson Coffee Company’s store is located at 404 Second Street, Jackson, MN 26143.  More information on Ellefson Coffee Company’s store, its coffee lines, and more is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.ellefsoncoffeeco.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ellefsoncoffeecompany

 

 

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Coal Chamber Burns As Bright As Ever On Rivals

Courtesy: Napalm Records

Ten years ago, Coal Chamber front man Dez Fafara made it official that he and his then former band mates were done. He said that Coal Chamber was finished and that it would never get back together. Apparently nobody ever told Fafara to never say never. That’s because that “never” only lasted about six years. In 2011, he joined forces once again with guitarist Miguel Rascon and drummer Mike Cox and started up the fire in the chamber (bad pun fully intended here). The trio is currently joined by bassist Nadja Puelen, who also recorded and performed with Coal Chamber for a period of time after the departure of original bassist Rayna Foss Rose. Four years removed from Coal Chamber’s resurrection, the band has released an album in the form of Rivals that shows the band’s time apart did it plenty of good. That is because it sounds as strong as it did in its heyday. This is evident more than once through the course of the album’s thirteen total tracks including the album’s second track, ‘Bad Blood Between Us,’ its title track, and its penultimate song ‘Fade Away (karma Never Forgets).’ These are just a few examples of the fire that has been building inside the band since its breakup and subsequent reunion. Each of the remaining ten tracks that make up the rest of this record show exhibit just as much fire and fury in their own way. Whether for those tracks or for the compositions noted here, audiences will agree in listening to each work that collectively they make Rivals an album that *rivals* the band’s previous releases with ease. And because it does, it proves itself a record that long-time fans and newer fans alike should hear at least once.

Thirteen years have passed since Coal Chamber released its last full-length studio effort Dark Days. Who ever would have thought that upon its release that album’s title would be such a foreshadowing for the band? While well over a decade has passed since the release of that album and the band’s latest release Rivals, that span of time has clearly done more good for frontman Dez Fafara and his band mates–Mike Cox (drums), Miguel Rascon (bass) and Nadja Puelen (bass)–than bad. That is because Rivals shows through the course of its thirteen tracks that it is just as strong as it was in that album’s release if not stronger. Whatever bad blood was there so long ago has seemingly been healed at least to some extent. Interestingly enough that same bad blood has actually helped make Rivals the strong record that it is. It has helped in that it serves as the basis for one of the best of the album’s compositions; the aptly titled ‘Bad Blood Between Us.’ Fafara writes clearly of the emotions that he felt upon the band’s split and the time leading up to its split in this song. That is made crystal clear in the song’s chorus as Fafara writes, “There’s some bad blood that flow between us/That flows between us/Turning the other cheek just evens out the scars/Nothing drowns the sorrow.” He goes on to write in the song’s closing lines, “Say it/We’re out for blood/I’m out for blood/It’s time to unravel/This wrath is on you/Heed this warning/Take this message/I’m out for blood.” The message is clear here. There was obviously a lot of animosity both in the days leading up to the band’s breakup and the actual breakup at least on the part of Fafara. This is just a small part of the picture painted by Fafara, too. The rest of the song’s verses coupled with the fury of its musical side makes the picture in question even richer and clearer for audiences. And being so vivid, it makes for just one impressive example of what makes Rival an easy *rival* against the band’s previous albums.

The energy and emotion exhibited in ‘Bad Blood Between Us’ is a prime example of just how much Coal Chamber has to offer on its new album. While it does plenty to show just how much the band has to offer in itself, it’s just one example of how much Coal Chamber has to offer in its latest outing.  The album’s title track also makes clear that Coal Chamber still has plenty to offer audiences. The juxtaposition of the song’s more contemplative verses to its more impactful chorus in its musical side builds a strong foundation for the song. The lyrical content laid overtop each verse and chorus makes the song even more powerful. Fafara ruminates in the song’s verses, thinking about all the bad that has been done to the song’s subject, writing in the first verse alone, “You spit in my face/You reek all over this place/Try to bend my will just to get your thrills/After all this time/You’d think it would all be fine/But it feels out of line/It’s so hateful/Jealousy reigns/It causes so much pain/But it helps to eliminate/The unfaithful.” This could apply to a marital situation. It could point to a friendship gone wrong, too. It could even relate to another situation entirely. Regardless, these straight forward lyrics and Fafara’s delivery of said lyrics set opposite the song’s chorus make for a song that hits listeners just as hard as any other piece on this record. the same can be said of the song’s second verse set against the song’s chorus, too. It makes the song just as hard-hitting as ‘Bad Blood Between Us’ and in turn just as solid an example of how much Coal Chamber has to offer audiences in this record.

Both ‘Bad Blood Between Us’ and ‘Rivals’ show in their own way that despite thirteen years between the release of Rivals and Coal Chamber’s last album, the band has lost none of its edge. If anything they show that the fire burning beneath the band’s members is burning as bright as ever. If those examples are not enough for audiences, then the album’s penultimate composition ‘Fade Away (Karma Never Forgets)’ should do the trick. This song proves just as strongly as the previously examined works what makes Rivals worth at least one listen by long-time fans and newer fans alike. This song is a full on assault both musically and lyrically. Puelen, Rascon and Cox are the driving force behind the song from beginning to end. Fafara’s fury in his no-nonsense lyrics and vocal delivery add the proverbial icing to the cake. He lets listeners know he means business as he screams in the song’ chorus, “Fade away/Karma never forgets/It’ll be one hell of a war/Before you rise against me.” Fafara makes no bones about it here. He is saying to someone, “Want some? Come get some.” As if there was any room for doubt, he goes on to sing in the song’s lead verse and refrain, “Stripped me apart/Left me in the dark/Because you took it too far/Now I keep your heart locked up/With herbs and bone in a black mason jar.” Whether this is aimed at a former romantic interest or the result of very hurt feelings from the band’s original breakup, the one thing that can be said of these lyrics is that they leave little to question other than the subjects(s) at whom the song is aimed. The fury in the song’s music and lyrics is very real. And being so clearly real it makes this song yet another example of what makes Rivals such a strong return for Coal Chamber. Together with ‘Bad Blood Between Us’ and ‘Rivals’ the trio of songs noted here show without a single doubt that Coal Chamber is back and in a big way. In fact together with the remaining ten tracks not noted here, the album in whole proves once more why it is a solid *rival* to Coal Chamber’s previous releases and any other hard rock record released so far this year.

‘Bad Blood Between Us,’ ‘Rivals,’ and ‘Fade Away (Karma Never Forgets)’ are all excellent examples of the strength of Coal Chamber’s new full-length studio release. That is not to take away from the album’s other songs not noted here. Each of the remaining ten songs that make up the rest of the album’s body could easily be cited as examples of the album’s strength, too. All things considered, Rivals presents Coal Chamber as a band that is just as strong today as it was in its heyday and a band that is ready to make its mark on the rock and metal community again. Rivals is available now in stores and online. More information on the album is available online now along with all of the latest news and tour updates at:

Website: http://www.coalchamberofficial.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/coalchamberofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/COALCHAMBEROFFI

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SOiL Announced As Support Act For Upcoming Coal Chamber Reunion Tour

SOiL is heading back on the road.

Courtesy: Pavement Entertainment/Muen Magazine

The veteran Chicago, IL-based hard rock band announced this week that it will hit the road this spring and summer as a support act for the recently re-united Coal Chamber as it tours in support of its new album Rivals (Napalm Records). SOiL will join Dope and The Defiled as support acts during the May/June leg of Coal Chamber’s upcoming tour in Europe and the UK. When the bands return to the US in June and July, they will be joined by Powerman 5000 and 3 Years Hollow for that leg of the tour.

While it will be touring as a support act for Coal Chamber, the upcoming dates will actually make up the third leg of SOiL’s latest tour schedule. For

Courtesy: Pavement Entertainment/Muen MAgazine

SOiL, the dates are in continued support of its latest full-length studio effort Whole. Whole marks the first time since the release of 2004’s Redefine that front man Ryan McCombs has recorded and performed with his band mates. McCombs left SOiL in 2004 and joined Drowning Pool as its replacement for Jason Jones, who left the band in 2005. McCombs parted ways with Drowning Pool in 2011, and would eventually be replaced by Jasen Moreno as the band’s new front man. More information on SOiL’s upcoming dates is available online now along with all of the latest news from the band at:

Website: http://www.soiltheband.com

http://www.pavementmusic.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/soilmusic

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.