PDDTV
The Slice: Emily Koch
Artist Emily Koch paints portraits focused on the surreal and abnormal.
In its series The Slice, WDSE-TV presents short “slices of life” that capture the events and experiences that bring people together and speak to what it means to live up north.
It Happened Right Here: Duluth & the Iron Range
This short documentary, written and produced by Dale Bluestein for the Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest‘s series It Happened Here, delves into the early history of Jews in the Duluth area, starting with the arrival of newlyweds Bernard and Nettie Silberstein in 1870.
Ingeborg von Agassiz – “Advent Hymn” (Lyric Video)
Duluth-based electro-folk artist Ingeborg von Agassiz shot this video in rural northwestern Minnesota while driving home for Thanksgiving. She does not recommended shooting video while driving, but sacrifices must be made for slow-motion Christmas-light art.
The song is from the artist’s new album of “original dark holiday tunes inspired by Victorian ghost stories and the winter blues.” Coventry Carols is available online at ingeborgvonagassiz.com/shoppe and various music sites.
The Slice: Nancy X. Valentine
Nancy XiáoRong Valentine‘s exhibition, “The Audacity to be Asian in Rural America: We Owe You No Apologies,” is on display on the second floor of the Kathryn A. Martin Library at the University of Minnesota Duluth and in Lake Superior College’s Erickson Library until Dec. 17. The exhibit is a series of 12 watercolor and Chinese ink scroll paintings on rice paper that visually tells the story of the Hao family’s Chinese American immigrant experience in rural western Minnesota.
In its series The Slice, WDSE-TV presents short “slices of life” that capture the events and experiences that bring people together and speak to what it means to live up north.
Heely Tricks with JamesG: November 2021
Another monthly installment of wheeled-sneaker stunts by former Duluthian James Geisler, also known as the hip-hop artist JamesG.
Rituals and Masks
“Ritual and Masks” is part of the 32-minute feature Masking, an experimental video by Joellyn Rock. The segment features Duluth artist Mary Plaster, artistic director of Duluth All Souls Night, who collaborated with Chris Lutter of Minneapolis to build the 17-foot-tall marionette skeleton that was paraded down Superior Street a month ago. (more…)
NCIS Duluth: Kathy Laster’s Happy Place
Twenty-eight minutes into episode 8 of the new CBS crime drama NCIS: Hawaii, characters start dropping the D-word. Before the 29-minute mark, Duluth is mentioned four times. It almost feels like the writers were peppering it in just for the sake of getting mentioned on the silly website in Duluth that catalogs such things. (more…)
Duluth’s Best Bread announces second location in soon-to-be former Blacklist space, crowdfunding campaign underway
Brothers Michael and Robert Lillegard of Duluth’s Best Bread say customers are eating faster than they can bake. The video for a new crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo includes the long-anticipated announcement that the Lincoln Park bakery is adding a second location in the Downtown Duluth space presently occupied by Blacklist Brewing. Blacklist is planning a move into the former Carlson Book building. (more…)
Video: Black Wolf in Voyaguers National Park
This isn’t the first time a Voyageurs Wolf Project trail camera has captured footage of a lone black wolf, but it’s still relatively rare and this clip is the best one.
The Voyageurs Wolf Project is focused on understanding the summer ecology of wolves in Voyageurs National Park, about 100 miles north of Duluth.
Trampled by Turtles and Caamp – “Alone”
Trampled by Turtles performed at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado this past summer with the folk trio Caamp. The groups joined together for this performance of TBT’s “Alone,” from the 2012 album Stars & Satellites.
Bits of Bly: August Sun
The five-part series of clips from a 1997 Robert Bly interview from KUMD concludes with the poet reciting his poem “August Sun.”
The Hermits – “Peel”
Duluth-based grunge band the Hermits released a debut music video this week. The song “Peel” is from the group’s EP titled If; the video was shot by Grayson Nolan.
Bits of Bly: The Time of Grief
In part four of the 1997 Robert Bly interview from KUMD, the poet talks about the future of American poetry.
Bits of Bly: Transfusions from Other Cultures
In part three of the 1997 Robert Bly interview from KUMD, the poet talks about Spanish poetry and other influences, including the Indian poet Ghalib.
Dusty Slay jabs Great Lakes Aquarium on Tonight Show
Last night comedian Dusty Slay appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallen and at the end of his monologue launched into a story about a visit to the Great Lakes Aquarium. The story, which begins at the 3:15 mark in the clip above, concludes with Slay asking a “fish expert” at the aquarium whether fish sleep. To not spoil the punchline, let’s just say he gets a Yogi Berra-style response.
Slay does not mention the Great Lakes Aquarium by name, but as a story on Mix 108’s website notes, “he’s certainly not referencing World of Fish.”
Bits of Bly: The Suburbs of Jerusalem
In part two of the 1997 Robert Bly interview from KUMD, the poet talks about nature as an influence and following a thread with words.
Beyondbliss – “Divide and Conquer”
Duluth rapper Beyondbliss divides the screen and divides himself in this video, rapping about the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, critical race theory and all the divisive divisiveness.
Bits of Bly: The Sibling Society
Poet and social critic Robert Bly, who penned many of his works from a cabin on Moosehead Lake about 30 miles southwest of Duluth, died on Nov. 21 at the age of 94. He was interviewed in the fall of 1997 on KUMD radio in Duluth, and a cassette of the interview survives in the Perfect Duluth Day archive. Consider the clip above to be part one of a short series.
The interview took place the year after Bly’s book The Sibling Society: An Impassioned Call for the Rediscovery of Adulthood was published.
Video: Elusive Northern Minnesota Lynx
Lynx sightings are fairly rare in Minnesota, but having one strut by a camera in daylight hours is a real catch. This brief slow-motion clip shows a Canada lynx in Voyageurs National Park, about 100 miles north of Duluth. The video was captured by a Voyageurs Wolf Project trail camera. The project is focused on understanding the summer ecology of wolves in the park, but its cameras record all kinds of wildlife.
Jeno’s Pizza Rolls Commercial with the Lone Ranger
Among the achievements of the late food magnate Jeno Paulucci is the launch of the pizza roll, a pizza and egg roll combination dubbed “Jeno’s Pizza Rolls.” Paulucci died in Duluth on Nov. 24, 2011.
The 1968 television commercial embedded above was created by Stan Freberg and was a spoof of the “Show Us Your Lark” cigarette commercials of the day, which also utilized “The William Tell Overture,” music that was, of course, the theme music to the television series The Lone Ranger.
Video: Wolf pack and pups walking old railroad grade
This clip from July shows the Wiyapka Lake wolf pack — which includes six pups — walking an old railroad grade in Voyageurs National Park, about 110 miles north of Duluth. At the end of the clip the wolves can be heard howling. (more…)
Exploring the Duluth Armory
Duluth Urbex was recently granted a tour of the Duluth Armory. Built at 1305 London Road in 1915, the armory served as a military training facility and also hosted concerts and events until 1978. (more…)
The Slice: Tim Kaiser’s Sci-Fi Musical Instruments
Tim Kaiser‘s instruments create drones and ethereal sounds that build layers of sonic texture.
In its series The Slice, WDSE-TV presents short “slices of life” that capture the events and experiences that bring people together and speak to what it means to live up north.