Music
Duluth-area bands ready to do the Dead
Traxx and Rokkyn Nelson-Kavajecz of Born Too Late, seen here playing at Duluth Does David Bowie show in 2025, are part of the lineup at Duluth Does the Dead at Sacred Heart Music Festival on Sept. 26. (Photo by Michael Anderson)
When the pioneering jam band Grateful Dead rose to counterculture stardom in the 1970s, upcoming Minnesota musicians like Israel Malachi and Paul Metsa were listening and learning. Malachi recalls having a fondness for the 1969 album Live/Dead when he was 12 years old. Metsa turned 18 in 1973, the start of what he feels were the Deads’ peak years.
Five decades later, Traxx Nelson-Kavajecz of the band Born Too Late is in the same shoes Metsa and Malachi wore in the 1970s at the start of their musical journeys. At age 19, he’s only familiar with a few Grateful Dead songs, but will join his elder counterparts and a lineup of about two-dozen acts on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Sacred Heart Music Center to pay tribute to the iconic rock band famous for fusing rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, country and jazz improvisation. (more…)
Charlie Parr – “(What’s So Funny About) Universal Healthcare?”
“(What’s So Funny About) Universal Healthcare?” is from Charlie Parr‘s new conceptual folk opera and 19th album, Rooming House, set for release Oct. 16. (more…)
Breanne Marie & The Front Porch Sinners – “I’m Gonna Bend”
The latest video from Breanne Marie & the Front Porch Sinners was shot in Duluth’s Central Hillside neighborhood and directed by Breanne Tepler with assistance from Evan and Anya Tepler. “I’m Gonna Bend” is from the band’s 2025 album Two Trees.
Pronoya – “Paranoya”
Pronoya‘s latest music video is for the track “Paranoya” from the 2025 EP All for the Sun. The video was shot at Blacklist Brewing during the 2026 Homegrown Music Festival and was directed and edited by Cristian Pastrana of D/E Design & Studio.
Berzerk Blawndz – “Runnin’ Into Scott”
The latest video release from Berzerk Blawndz pays tribute the Twin Ports’ own Scott Lillo, who is rather easy to run into. Each year Berzerk Blawndz release a song about someone they know; Lillo was the 2024 selection.
Duluth Album Releases in 2001
Compiled here is an incomplete list of 25-year-old Duluth music releases. The year 2001 is prime Shaky Ray Records era, and featured the first albums from Cloud Cult, The Dames, The Black-eyed Snakes and more. (more…)
Emily Haavik – “Wingspan” (Live at Icehouse)
Duluth native Emily Haavik and her band perform “Wingspan” live at Icehouse in Minneapolis. The video was shot in April by Carly Danek. The audio mix is by Duluth native Dave Mehling, who is also playing keys.
Charlie Parr – “Rooming House”
Charlie Parr has a new album, Rooming House, set for release Oct. 16. Comprised of seven songs, the conceptual narrative draws listeners into the lives of ordinary people navigating hardship and finding strength within a fragile-yet-vital sense of community. The video for the title track is animated and illustrated by Drew Christie.
Rafe Carlson – “Blowin’ Smoke”
Hermantown native Rafe Carlson performed at Two Harbors Heritage Days on July 10 and sat down for a private session for KTWH Two Harbors Public Radio. He wrote the song “Blowin’ Smoke” in 2024; it is about blowing figurative smoke and has nothing to do with recent air-quality issues related to wildfires.
Sydney Hansen – “Blue Side of the Mountain”
Duluth’s Sydney Hansen opened for country music superstar Dwight Yoakam at Black Bear Casino Resort in June. The song in this video is a cover of The SteelDrivers’ 2008 hit “Blue Side of the Mountain.”
Eveleth Clown Band – “America the Beautiful”
Always a hit at the Two Harbors Heritage Days Parade is the Eveleth Clown Band, seen here performing “America the Beautiful” this past weekend.
Three Songs by Container (Rich Mattson for Attention)
Eminent Minnesota musician Rich Mattson plays bass and drums on these tracks. They were recorded at his Sparta Sound studio somewhere in the pine trees of northern Minnesota. They are works in progress, with plans for an album in 2027. The videos are comprised of still images.
Sincerely,
Container (more…)
Sophie Hiroko – “Ashes” and “Cashmere Candles”
Duluth native Sophie Hiroko and her bandmates — bassist Kara Hageman and drummer Skye Sutherland — performed two songs during a live taping of The Local Show on the Current, recorded in the Forum at Minnesota Public Radio.
Between Howls – “Wascott Waltz”
Duluth band Between Howls has a new video for the instrumental track “Wascott Waltz” from the 2025 album Cabin Fever.
The video is directed by Megan McGarvey of Beyond the Birches Productions and shot by Luckie Ann Diamond and Ansley Fleming. It features Ricky Francois in the role of “The Illustrator”
Gaelynn Lea on That Show With That Midwestern Mom
Duluth musician and author Gaelynn Lea is the musical guest on the premiere episode of That Show With That Midwestern Mom, a web-only variety show hosted by Amber Estenson, aka That Midwestern Mom. The full episode is embedded above; the Gaelynn Lea segment begins at the 29:09 mark.
Northern Lights Music Festival returns to the Range
Every July, something remarkable happens just north of Duluth.
Musicians arrive from around the world. Conservatory students rehearse alongside internationally acclaimed artists. Historic auditoriums come alive with chamber music, orchestra concerts and opera. For three weeks, communities across Minnesota’s Iron Range become one of the state’s most unexpected destinations for classical music.
The Northern Lights Music Festival returns July 1–21 with a season that celebrates both artistic excellence and community tradition. (more…)
Making it Up North: Ursa Minor Brewing
From a high school teacher’s garage experimentation to launching the beloved Lincoln Park taproom in 2018, Ursa Minor Brewing has always been about more than just great beverages.
Making it Up North is a PBS North series that explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
Ashe Berton – “Hello Minnesota”
Duluth folk musician Ashe Berton‘s new album Fill My Soul includes the track “Hello Minnesota,” which mentions Duluth at the start of the second verse. (more…)
Perfect Duluth Day Outdoor Summer Concert Primer 2026
Charlie Parr, sparkler in hand, travels far and wide this summer, hitting the Twin Ports Aug. 21 for a show at Earth Rider Brewery in Superior.
Large outdoor shows by traveling bigshots seem to be trending down while local bands in parks and courtyards are on an upswing. Nonetheless, there are still some heavy hitters passing through the region this summer. Perfect Duluth Day’s annual list spotlighting 15 outdoor shows mixes up a few of the big-ticket acts with highlights from free shows on the piers, porches and patios of Duluth and surrounding communities. (more…)
New NLMF season honors founder Veda Zuponcic
Following the recent passing of founder and artistic director Veda Zuponcic, the Northern Lights Music Festival board of directors announced that the 2026 festival season will continue as planned, honoring her vision and more than four decades of dedication to music education and performance. (more…)
Lee Clark Allen – “S.I.I.T. (Said I’m in Trouble)”
Duluth’s Lee Clark Allen has a new music video for a track from his 2025 album My World is Yours. It was shot primarily in Downtown Duluth and Canal Park.
Alan Sparhawk with Trampled by Turtles at Fitzgerald Theater
Alan Sparhawk and Trampled by Turtles celebrated their 2025 collaborative album with a performance at Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul on Dec. 11. The Current captured the entire show on the video embedded above. (more…)
Alan Sparhawk with Trampled by Turtles — “Stranger” (Live at Fitzgerald Theater)
Clean those dashboard cup holders, the Current has released a video of Alan Sparhawk performing “Stranger” with Trampled by Turtles during a Dec. 11 concert at Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul. Video of the entire show will be released on Friday, May 29, to mark the one-year anniversary of Sparhawk’s second solo album, With Trampled by Turtles.
Toby Thomas Churchill – “The Bridge by the Crib”
“The Bridge by the Crib” is the third video release from Toby Thomas Churchill’s new album Nighttime.