If anyone has fun memories of going to a Suburbs show especially in Duluth please post them in the comments. I want to read them on my radio show today between sets of awesome Suburbs music.

R.I.P. Bruce Allen.

Friday Dec 11, 2009 7:00 pm
Sacred Heart Music Center

Concert to Benefit the Damiano Center
$10 suggested donation at the door/children under 16 free

A new wrinkle on the Duluth Does concert series. Come hear local artists do their take on traditional and modern holiday themed music in the confines of the beautiful Sacred Heart Music Center.
Styles run the gamut from choral groups to jazz to Finnish folk music to classical pipe organ pieces. Scheduled to appear include Bill Bastian, Sara Thomsen, The Duluth East Women’s Select Choir, Kanteleen Soittaja, Sam Black, Ellie Schoenfeld and more.

All proceeds to benefit the Damiano Center.

I just drove from the West End to the East Hillside. Here’s what I observed/experienced:

• Visibility is very poor. This has improved quite a bit since I first set out, since the sun has come up. Mainly your enemies today are wind and blowing snow.
• I-35 is quite clear, but slow going. I had to completely stop twice. I think the top speed was about 45, though it might have reached 50 for a moment.
• Mesaba is a traffic jam. No surprise.
• Second Street has a lot of snow on it. Also people are having difficulty finding their lane. There are three lanes on Second Street, and even in the best conditions it is wise to choose one. Thankfully, no one is doing that thing where you blow through the lights just as they change green. That would be stupid on a day like today.
• Fourth Street is worse than Second Street.
• The avenues are slippery and difficult to negotiate. As you’re spinning your wheels up them or sliding down them sideways, please take a moment to realize that this is why your house with an incredible view is affordable.
• No matter how bad it gets, there’s always someone who is in a big effing hurry and thinks that tailgating will help. You will encounter that person today. Please try not to be that person today.

Please post your experiences and the road conditions for your part of the region in the comments. If you are somewhere that’s warm and doesn’t get snow, and feel the need to point that out in the comments, please realize that the rest of us are rolling our eyes and making the “jerk-off” gesture with our dominant hands

A coalition of student activists from LSC, UMD and CSS have called for an anti-war protest in Duluth on Thursday, the day President Obama is scheduled to receive his Nobel Peace Prize. “You’ve got your prize, now earn it!” is the theme… they’ll be calling out the new Nobel Laureate on escalating the war in Afghanistan, as well as his recent decisions to launch more drone attacks inside Pakistan and station hundreds of US troops on the other side of the globe in Colombia.

No dreary speakers at this protest, just a little noise and fun street theater. Meet up at 4:30 PM at Lake and Superior in front of the Christmas… um, Holiday tree. Bring drums or buckets to bang on, and reflective clothes if you’ve got ‘em for safety’s sake. And be ready to take it to the streets.

Suburbs guitarist and Mpls. graphic designer Bruce C. Allen seriously ill, taken off life support. The Suburbs were the seminal new -wave, skinny tie dance band of the early ’80′s. I have so many good memories of them playing the main room of the NorShor, Showcase and Warehouse. Many many more…. This will be a true loss for the Minnesota creative scene….here’s a taste.

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I just learned that this section of the Lakewalk is open. Does anyone know when it opened, or the story about volunteers working on it to meet a deadline? The Private Property signs are on 23rd Ave East. The other signs are at the beginning of this section of the Lakewalk,at the end of 23rd. How about a sign that says ” Public Welcome”?

I took this picture at about noon yesterday … What’s wrong with this picture? I noticed about 5 things right away, maybe there are more.

Anyone have experience with fuel oil companies in the Twin Ports? We’ve been using a company for the last several years, and when we had our chimney cleaned recently, the guy who did the cleaning pointed out there was a huge build-up of sulfuric acid in the pipe and even inside the furnace. He attributed this to the quality of the fuel oil we have been getting from the company we have been using (a company he says he has heard/noticed other such problems with).

So, my question–anyone have advice on a local company that delivers as clean a fuel oil product as possible?

Thanks

RIP Jack Rose

Jack Rose, guitarist extraordinaire, died yesterday of a heart attack. He was only 38. In September 2007, he played a rare show with Charlie Parr at Pizza Luce. Only a musician like Charlie could have gotten him to play a show like that. Besides his incredible talent, I will never forget how genuinely nice he was. His unexpected passing is our loss and the music community gains yet another deep hole. More info (as well as music/videos) is available at

http://pitchfork.com/news/37302-rip-jack-rose

Check out this short trailer for the upcoming documentary, The Main! It takes place in the Duluth/Superior area.   The doc should be screened in Duluth in the Spring.

http://themaintrailer.blip.tv/

If you’d like a free Perfect Duluth Day sticker, there is a stack on the counter at the Electric Fetus store downtown. Grab one before they’re gone. Merry Christmas.

UPDATE: They’re gone. Read comments for details on alternate methods of getting a sticker.

Since I wrote a post last summer about rickety old bridges, I thought it was only fair to note that some new boards showed up recently on this little creek overpass in West Duluth. I’m not sure if the city is responsible or some industrious snowmobiler took things upon himself. Either way, I appreciate it.

I called the Duluth News Tribune a couple of weeks ago to ask if I could give them some money. They said no.

Since then I’ve sent a couple of emails and made more phone calls. The poor folks in the circulation department think I’m a crank. I’m not. I just want to pay for the local news I consume.

I told them I don’t want a paper edition of the News Tribune any more. I told them I’m no longer willing to stuff pounds and pounds of newsprint and glossy ads into paper bags each week.

I don’t want you to bring the paper to my door, I told them, because I read the paper online now. I want to pay you for that, I said.

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The Rez will be playing at the Twins Bar on Saturday, Dec. 12. If you haven’t heard us yet, surf on over to

http://www.archive.org/details/therez2009-11-21.flac16

And Click play to hear our latest show! We are funky, we are jammy, come check us out. You will Dance!

http://www.facebook.com/rezmusic

Light and Love and Healing to you all,
-Patrick Arden McNally

Drawings and Paintings by Kathleen Pattison and Kathy Anscomb. Come on down to Bohemia Arts at 22 N. 1st Ave. W for some snacks and great local art.

On Saturday, December 5th Washington Studios Artist Co-op will host their annual holiday show, featuring an entire days worth of local entertainment and a member’s exhibit in the Washington Gallery. Handmade art and crafts varying from stained glass and jewelry to crocheted hats will be for sale from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm.

The entertainment schedule includes many of the performing artists who live at WSAC, featuring The Procrastinators, Russ Sackett and the 412 Band, and belly dancer Anna Ferguson. The show will also include co-op children’s artwork and an art raffle.

This event is a longstanding tradition for the community and fourteen-year-old artist co-op that resides in the renovated Washington School. More than 40 artists and their families live, work, and play at WSAC. Washington Studios Artist Co-op is located at 315 N. Lake Ave. in Duluth.

Duluth nature photographer Ryan Tischer is hosting his 2nd Annual Open Studio on Dec. 4,5,6 (Fri, Sat, Sun) from 10 am – 5 pm at Washington Studios Artist Co-op. 315 N. Lake Ave. – Studio # 403

Free drinks and appetizers are available for those who attend. He is featuring a scratch and ding sale, which means great deals on almost perfect art (up to 80% off). All other artwork is at least 15% off…this deal is only available if you attend the Open Studio.

Visit www.ryantischerphoto.com for more info.

My wife got this in a mass forwarded email today. I’m still trying to figure out who took the picture, someone at SMDC was the first to forward it as far as I can tell. Anyone who knows anything else please post it here or contact me so I can credit the intrepid photographer. I’d really love to congratulate the intrepid ATV-or-bust-redneck who managed to strap the vehicle to his car car, (and yes, I know it was a he) but that might be asking too much. I think this image has got some real PDD banner potential …

The short film “Precious Waters” which takes a hard look at the sulfide mining industry’s history of failed predictions and the potential impacts it will have on northeastern Minnesota will be showing in Duluth this week and next.

Thursday, December 3
Duluth League of Women Voters Forum
US EPA Conference Center
6200 Congdon Blvd, Duluth
Showing of Precious Waters at 6:30 p.m. followed by a panel discussion and audience questions

Monday, December 7
Teatro Zuccone
222 E. Superior St.
Movie showing at 7 p.m., followed by a panel of local speakers

Tuesday, December 8
Teatro Zuccone
222 E. Superior St.
Movie showing at 7 p.m.

The film is also available in it’s entirety for viewing online along with more info regarding this important topic at http://preciouswaters.org.

Duluth Publishers Holy Cow! Press and X-communication have teamed up for this very special sale and author signings

Date: Sunday, December 6, 2009; noon to 4 p.m.

Location: Spiritual Deli, 3 West Superior Street, Duluth

Details:

• 10% of proceeds go to the Duluth chapter of C.H.U.M.

• All prices greatly reduced—up to 66% off!

• Refreshments will be served

Special: Spend $20 on X-Comm titles and receive a free book or historic art print of the Aerial Transfer Bridge, Incline Railway, Enger Tower, or Old Central and Minnesota Point from the top of the hillside (scroll down to see examples on flyer).

(Note: We do not have credit card capability at these events, so please bring cash or checks.)

Author Signing Schedule:

Chuck Frederick • Leatherheads of the North: The Duluth Eskimos • 12 – 1 pm

Duluth Poet Laureate Jim Johnson • Dovetailed Corners • 1 – 2 pm

Denny Anderson • Good Night, Everybody…and Be Kind • 2 – 3 pm

Jim Heffernan • Cooler Near the Lake: Collected Columns • 2:30 – 4 pm

Anthony Bukoski • Twelve Below Zero • 3 – 4 pm

Jim Perlman • Beloved on the Earth • 12 – 4 pm

Tony Dierckins • Crossing the Canal: Duluth’s Aerial Bridge • 12 – 4 pm

A wedding photographer I know is giving away a 2010 wedding photo package this Christmas season.  If you or anyone you know is getting married in 2010 please forward this on to them. -Bully

Go west to Mohaupt Block at 2024 W. Superior St. for paintings by Adam Swanson. Beer, live bluegrass music and paintings of bikes, robots and various animals living the dreams of our forefathers. Thursday, Dec. 3, 5-8 p.m.

In 1998, Dick Cheney made this statement. “I cannot think of a time when we have had a region emerge as suddenly to become as significant as the Caspian. But the gas and oil there is worthless until it is moved. The only route which makes both political and economic sense is through Afghanistan”

Feb. 28, 1998. Unocal states that the Taliban government should be removed and replaced by a government acceptable to his company. He argued that the creation of a 42-inch pipeline across Afghanistan would yield a Western profit increase of 500% by 2015.

There is much more history but it certainly appears our newly elected Republican president has bought into this, otherwise we certainly would be doing a green energy revolution, the change that I voted for.

The West Duluth Memories page on Facebook has a bunch of old West Duluth photos, including some of Shoppers’ City, posted by Roger Nesje.

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