It’s 10 p.m. on a Friday night, and the party’s just getting started at the Mug-Shot Saloon. Bartenders hustle to fill drink orders and the smoke-filled bar is alive with the laughter and chatter that releases the pressure of a long work week.

On stage, the house band warms up the crowd with a driving cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama.” The music’s loud, driving and is liberal with guitar solos.

The Connection has made another connection. The band has been rocking Friday and Saturday nights at the Mug-Shot for 20 years and in October marked its 25th anniversary of rocking in the Mat-Su.

(Use arrows above to view more photos)

“Honestly, I can’t believe we’ve been going that long,” says Bill Hixenbaugh, who plays guitar and bass. “It seems just like yesterday we started. Oh, we’re old, don’t get me wrong. Sunday mornings are a lot worse then they used to be.”

After a quarter of a century, The Connection has become more of a family then a band. Hixenbaugh, Dave Stanberry (guitar and vocals), Mike Grimes (drums) and Dave Robinson (bass) came together as The Houston Connection in 1984 and has changed little. The group got its name when it showed up for a gig at the Houston Lodge and, having not chosen a name yet, found a sign on the bandstand announcing The Houston Connection. About five years later, Houston was dropped from the name.

Enjoying a round of pre-gig beers before Friday’s anniversary performance, the band’s expanded family laughs and loosens up. Dean Mingus has been drumming with the group for 11 years, and lead guitarist Murel Kidd has been playing with the band “off and on” for 20 years.

“I love working with these guys,” Kidd says, adding the Mug-Shot is a the perfect local venue. “It’s party central. It’s crazy every Friday and Saturday night. There’s nothing you won’t see here.”

When asked for some examples, Kidd snickers and says, “Well, I don’t think you can say that in a family paper. Let’s just say it’s a good time.”

Bittersweet reunion

Mingus revs the crowd on drums on the set’s first song. Following a recent stroke, it was the first time he’s been able to play in several weeks. Original Connection drummer Grimes takes over for the rest of the night, but Mingus returns to sing lead vocals on an encore of “Sweet Home Alabama.”

That the reunion of the original Connection members on-stage would coincide with the anniversary is “a little bit eerie,” Hixenbaugh says.

“It’s awesome playing with Mike again. That’s really cool,” he says. “But it’s a bittersweet thing.”

Behind the bar, the Mug-Shot manager — who only goes by Smiley — says he can’t imagine the bar without The Connection on Friday and Saturday nights.

“They’re unbelievable,” he says. “They’re the best band in Alaska, and they still rock. You’d think you’d get sick of them after awhile, but you don’t. They’re the best.”

The crowd seems to agree, swaying, singing and dancing to loud cover versions of primarily ‘80s rock and country.

Grimes takes his seat at the drum set for “Keep Your Hands to Yourself” by the Georgia Satellites, then an early request comes in — Pink Floyd’s “The Wall.”

On stage, the musicians look more like their fathers than the young pups featured in a 1984 issue of the Frontiersman. Receding hairlines and a couple of paunches have replaced the mullets.

But the music is better than ever, says Stanberry.

“This is what I’ve always done for my pastime,” he says. “Some people ride snowmobiles or go fishing. I play guitar. For me, it’s like I get paid to move my equipment around, but I play for free.”

The sounds are straight-forward, full of volume and solos.

“We do mostly covers, but we do them our own way,” Stanberry says. “We do lots of guitar solos, lots of drum solos. We like all that.”

There’s plenty of the former for Kidd in the first set, and he warms up his voice singing lead on “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” by Joe Nichols. It also fills the dance floor, as does the band’s next song, “What I Like About You” by The Romantics.

‘We’re family’

Adam Williams has been coming to the Mug-Shot for 10 years. On Friday, he sits contentedly at a table near the stage, tapping his toes, slapping his thigh and singing along.

“They bring the soul,” he says, adding he can’t imagine the watering hole on the Parks Highway without The Connection. “Wouldn’t be the same.”

Playing local club gigs may not be what the band members dreamed of 25 years ago, but they’re happy to work their day jobs and rock on the weekends.

“We had that dream of being superstars,” Stanberry says. “Who doesn’t? But then we had kids and lives and families. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. We’re part-time guitar heroes, I guess.”

He also has a soft spot for Mug-Shot owners Ted and Marilyn Anderson. Marilyn recently passed away.

“They’re just great people,” Stanberry says. “They’ve been loyal to us for so long.”

Rock history is replete with stories of flash-in-the-pan bands that don’t have any staying power. That’s not true for The Connection.

“We love each other,” Hixenbaugh says. “We’ve known each other for so long, we’re family. There’s no way we could do it this long if it wasn’t like that. I wouldn’t play with anyone else. There’s not another band I’d play with.”

In addition to the regular weekend performances, The Connection has also played the Trappers and Miners Ball in Anchorage and backed up Elvis at the Alaska State Fair this past summer.

“Yeah, that’s my memorable moment,” Stanberry says about playing with the Elvis impersonator. “He was a fat Elvis, too, the old Elvis. But he was great.”

Weddings have also been a staple for the group over the years, Hixenbaugh says, adding, “I think one of the couples is still married.”

Birthday party

The drinks are flowing and The Connection leads the bar in a toast to Chastity, who was celebrating a birthday. Then the first set of the night continues with a blaring cover of Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl.”

It’s now 11 p.m. on a Friday night, and the party’s just getting started at the Mug-Shot Saloon.

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.