In 2010 I ... rocked Friday the 13th at First Ave.

Thirteen is actually my lucky number. Screen-printed on my favorite t-shirt, 13 is a number I prefer ... as much as anyone can prefer a number, I suppose. So while I've never gone so far as to celebrate Friday the 13th, I don't mind it either. And this year was notably fun as Jess and I headed off to dinner at The Depot followed by the Rogue Valley CD release show with openers Total Babe and Communist Daughter.

I can't say enough good things about the downright delicious Guinness Cheese Soup at The Depot, and while I didn't grab any snaps there will likely be some surfacing soon, as Mpls. St. Paul Magazine just happened to have a photog on site shooting for the mag. We also discovered that Depot is the perfect place to band stalk pre-show - multiple members of all three bands made appearances while we enjoyed numerous bacon dishes (me: grilled cheese w/bacon, J: inside-out burger stuffed with cheese and bacon).

The show was really enjoyable, too. I had yet to see Total Babe live and the lead singer is just so sweet and likable, Communist Daughter sounded great (significantly better than their show at Music & Movies in Loring Park a few weeks earlier) and Rogue Valley played until almost 1 a.m.

As the first night of a music-filled weekend, the show was a great lead-in to the Pizza Luce block party which consumed my entire Saturday with an awesome line-up including Caroline Smith (been dying to see them outdoors all summer!), Dessa, and Lookbook.

A pretty fantastic musical two days! Thankfully there's no shortage of block parties in Minneapolis - let the countdown to the Red Stag Block Party (next weekend) begin.