G.B. Leighton: 'Time to get back to work'

There were a few warm, soul-stirring moments. Like when his parents showed up, when they should've already been at their winter hideaway in Arizona. Or when he and the band brazenly opened with Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" ("Don't worry about a thing...").

And then there were some irreverent and even crass bits. Like when I asked if he's "nuts" for returning so quickly ("No, just one nut"). Or when he warned the crowd about his, um, delicate situation.

"I don't know if I'll be crawling over any bars tonight or jumping out into the audience," he said onstage, a yellow wristband conspicuously dangling near the microphone. "I don't want any girls trying to cop a feel for 'the one.'"

As you can probably tell, last week's triumphant -- and perhaps just a wee bit maniacal -- return to the stage by Brian (G.B.) Leighton was hardly a solemn affair. The guy who makes a five-gig workweek seem as effortless as chewing doughnuts also made his bout with testicular cancer look easy. Call him the Lance Armstrong of rock 'n' roll.

Leighton returned to his regularly scheduled Wednesday program at Bunkers last week, just eight days after getting a tumor cut out, and only nine days since finding out for sure that he had cancer.

"People ask me if I was scared or freaking out, but I really didn't even have time for that," he said. "That's what's so scary about this kind of cancer. I felt no pain. That's why you guys really got to check those puppies out, because you never know."

Doctors will be testing his blood for the next few weeks, but for now, things look good. Not that he's waiting around to find out for sure. From here on out, Leighton plans to keep up his usual routine, including: gigs every Friday and Saturday on different ends of the metro area; the bimonthly shows at his namesake bar in Fridley (G.B. Leighton's Pickle Park); the random out-of-town gig, and, of course, the Wednesday shows in downtown Minneapolis.

Talking an hour before showtime out on Bunkers' back patio, Leighton was lying low to save energy and avoid the attention inside the club.

He said he was "kind of embarrassed" but "deeply touched" by what happened at Bunkers the previous week. His bandmates' decision to play without him quickly (and somewhat unintentionally) turned the weekly gig into an all-star fundraiser with guest singers such as Wain McFarlane, Mick Sterling and Kevin Bowe. Leighton is one of the lucky musicians who has health insurance, but we all know that doesn't get you off scot-free. Everyone from the Wild and Gophers to the Minneapolis and St. Paul police departments donated items to be auctioned off.

"It was a wonderful show of support for Brian -- especially since it really wasn't meant to be that big a deal," said the singer's dad, Jim Glodek, a retired Minneapolis cop.

Brian's mom, Peg, who stayed back the previous week to help with Brian's sons (ages 4 and 7), wasn't surprised to see her own son back onstage so soon.

"In Brian's case, keeping busy is much better for him than sitting around," she said.

Luke Kramer, Leighton's longtime guitar player, sounded just a tad more worried during the band's soundcheck.

"This is what we do for a living, so I'm sure Brian's thinking -- like anyone with a job -- it's time to get back to work," Kramer said. "We'll see how it goes, but he's a pretty tough bastard."

After the Marley cover, Leighton dutifully dug through the stockpile of original tunes he has amassed for close to two decades now, including "Most Important Night of My Life" and "Fly My Plane." His voice was a little raspy, but for a guy whose sound and style is so built on workingman singers like Springsteen and Mellencamp, rasp works just fine. He barely stopped between songs for the first hour and 15 minutes, until the band finally took its first intermission.

"I sort of have to lean into my guitar to fend off a little pain," he admitted during the break, "but I'll get through it."

Tough bastard, indeed.

Run for the border? Don't be surprised if you notice the young and gangly members of Quietdrive or One for the Team putting on weight or looking a little queasy in the upcoming months. The local emo-ish bands, who are labelmates on the Militia Group, are two out of 100 bands to be rewarded $500 in late-night food coupons at Taco Bell as part of the fast-food chain's Feed the Beat contest. They are now competing for a chance to record a single for the company and have their music advertised at Taco Bell stores, including -- get this! -- a promo spot on sauce packets. So, does the winner get "Fire" and the third runner-up "Mild"? You can vote for the boys (and one girl) at www.feedthebeat.com.

Blues hall of fame After Mojo Buford took top honors the first year, it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that either Willie Murphy or Koerner, Ray & Glover would be the next performer inducted into the Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame, which will host its second annual ceremony Sunday at that red-carpet mecca the Eagles Club, 2507 E. 25th St., Mpls.

Willie got the nod, which works out great because he's also leading an all-star cast of players in a jam after the formalities, which start around 6:30 p.m. Other second-year inductions into the hall -- organized by the Greater Twin Cities Blues Society -- include KR&G's "Blues, Rags & Hollers" as album, Dave Ray's "It's All Right" for song, Scottie Miller's "Blues Keyboard" as literature and photographer Tommy Asp as non-performer blues supporter.

CD parties Right down to its title, "EP" (yep, just "EP"), veteran pop/punk band Superman Curl keeps everything short and sweet on its new five-song collection, which it's promoting Saturday at Stasiu's. Echoes of the Buzzcocks, Soft Boys and early Elvis Costello are audible on the disc, recorded with Tom Herbers.

Minneapolis songwriter David Brusie, sort of a cross between Matthew Sweet and Loudon Wainwright III, lets the deep emotions and lighthearted observations fly on his thoroughly charming second CD, "Flyover State," on tap tonight at the Beat, 1414 W. 28th St., Mpls. (7:30 p.m.). The disc dwells on his dad's death and his travels to Minnesota from his native New England. "Somewhere between Ohio, I felt myself get old," Brusie sings in one of the poppiest tracks, "Fort Wayne." Some road trip.

One more party: Junebug, a new quartet that bounces between frenzied Built to Spill-ish rock and Pink Floyd-ian trippiness, will be at the Fine Line tonight plugging its debut, "Share."

Random mix Josh Wenck of the Get-Up Johns is keeping his Stanleys/Everlys-style acoustic duo alive following his split with singing partner Jake Hyer. He'll perform with a makeshift lineup of Darren Jackson (whose studio he's been using) and David Campbell at the Turf Club Saturday to promote a CD, "Romän ä kla Tennessee," which he and Hyer recorded in the Volunteer State last autumn. ...

St. Paul's Red House Records is wrapping up its 25th anniversary year with two biggies: A Nov. 22 concert at the Cedar Cultural Center with John Gorka, Eliza Gilkyson and Cliff Eberhardt, plus a three-CD, 64-track box set due out Nov. 11. ...

After reuniting with Semisonic last month -- and, not to mention, writing more songs with the Dixie Chicks over the summer -- Dan Wilson is back to playing solo gigs. He has one booked at the Pantages Theatre on Dec. 13 (tickets on sale now, $21.50-$24.50). In addition to laboring with the Chicks, who are working on a new album, Wilson has co-writes on new discs by Jason Mraz, James Morrison and the Gabe Dixon Band. ...

Saturday's Orpheum gig might be a little too early in the year for Mason Jennings to perform his latest recording: "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," which he sang for a Brushfire Records holiday/charity CD due out Nov. 11, with Jack Johnson, G. Love and more. ... The holidays can never come too early for some acts, though: The Blenders and Lorie Line are each deep into ticket sales for their multi-night stands in December. Joy to the world.

chrisr@startribune.com • 612-673-4658