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Band revives night
By Adam Johnson
Published:
Thursday, February 27, 2003
Media Credit: Jason Risberg
Tim Haussner (right) and Mike Miller play with Harry Kent (not pictured) Monday night at D.B Searle�s Bar in downtown St. Cloud. Mike, Tim and Harry�s acoustic melodies can be heard there every Monday night.
Monday nights are generally slow for bars. The small crowds they bring are anything but desirable for bands looking to make a few dollars.
However, if Mike, Tim and Harry are any indication, the tides of change are coming.
Perched atop D.B. Searle's new music loft this past Monday, the band looked reminiscent of one of those animatronic groups you'd find at an amusement park. But the trio's vibrant, earthy sound provided assurance that not only was this band alive, it could accomplish the nearly impossible: give life to a normally dead Monday crowd.
Mike, Tim and Harry have been playing together since June and since then have developed quite a devoted following in the St. Cloud community.
"When they started playing, the crowd wasn't even close to what it is now," regular Tobie Gozman said. "They're what fills this place up. It's all for them."
Even the members of the group were surprised at the crowds they've been drawing recently.
"It's unreal how many people come down every week," guitarist Harry Kent said. "We couldn't appreciate it more."
It's true, good bar bands aren't that hard to find, but fans of Mike, Tim and Harry accredit their popularity to the atmosphere they create as much as their talent.
"It's not like the normal bar scene when they play," fan Chad Olson said. "With them you can just hang out, have a beer and a great night."
The trio consists of Harry Kent and Tim Haussner on six-string acoustic guitars, with Mike Miller filling in the percussion. Their skill with the guitar is impressive to say the least, but it's their tight three-part harmonies that sets this group apart.
"It's just amazing," fan and fellow musician Aaron Lehman said. "They combine the harmonies of a professional choir with pure rock 'n roll music."
The group's fan base is expanding weekly, and it seems that everyone has their own favorite tune. A strong following has developed for songs such as the driving "Casey Jones" and the ethereal, bluesy tune, "For the Love of the Cocaine," as well as covers like "Gin and Juice" and "Me and Julio Down by the School Yard."
Watching this laid back but enormously engaging group, it becomes apparent that they share a love for music.
Haussner first recognized his musical passion at the age of four when his parents forced him to take piano lessons. Kent and Miller were likewise encouraged and all three have such talent that a simple jam session sounds like a polished studio record.
Fan and friend Brandon Johnson notes that the cohesiveness the band members possess stems from the tremendous rapport they have developed over time.
"Tim and Harry have been playing together so long, there's a real connection there that's very apparent in the music," Johnson said.
Haussner and Kent met in Grand Rapids eight years ago and have been playing together off and on ever since. It was at a show at D.B. Searle's last year that the duo, who were then part of a band called The Operators, happened to meet Miller, who was at that time a member of the group, Arcana.
"We got together and jammed a few times and just fell into something that sounded really good," Miller said.
The band sounds incredibly rich for a group with only three performers, but they've been known to raise the bar even further by having a number of guest performers, including Ted Manderfeld of Deuces Wild, sit in during their sets.
For now, the group's goals are simple: make a name for themselves. Besides their regular gig at D.B.'s, they've played many other bars in the area and hope to expand their repertoire and eventually play in the Twin Cities.
But until they make the big time, St. Cloud has the privilege of calling Mike, Tim and Harry its best-kept secret.
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