Music
Haroula Rose – “Duluth”
Ten years ago today — Jan. 18, 2011 — Los Angeles-based musician Haroula Rose released her debut album These Open Roads, which includes a cover of the Mason Jennings song “Duluth.”
Paula Gudmundson – “Partita in A minor”
Dr. Paula Gudmundson, associate professor of music at the University of Minnesota Duluth, performs J.S. Bach’s “Partita in A minor” in this music video shot throughout Duluth on Sept. 16 as part of the Bach Society of Minnesota’s Mini Mobile Concerts Series. (more…)
The Slice: Live Streaming Guitar Lessons with Darin Bergsven
Duluth musician Darin Bergsven has been performing and teaching guitar online since March.
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.
One Less Guest – “Breezeblocks”
Duluth band One Less Guest performs “Breezeblocks,” a song composed by the British indie rock band Alt-J.
The live rooftop performance is part of its 2021 collection of favorite cover songs.
Gaelynn Lea – “Bound by a Thread”
Duluth musician Gaelynn Lea performs “Bound by a Thread” from her 2018 album, Learning How to Stay.
MN Moder – “Day to Day”
Duluth native Zachary Moder raps his way across the city in a new music video for a song from the 2019 MN Moder album Modervation.
Superior Siren – “Trying Too Hard”
Eerie folk project Superior Siren has released a new music video for the song “Trying Too Hard” from the band’s 2018 self-titled album. The video was created by Killy Kay and Caelen Mars, and features Alison Peluso. (more…)
2020: The Year in Duluth Gig Posters
Obviously this past year has been about the lousiest live-music year ever, but nonetheless we continue our tradition at Perfect Duluth Day of looking back at a sampling of gig posters. Some shows really happened, with crowds of people, before the pandemic. Others were cancelled. Others were held outside in spaces that allowed physical distancing. And some were streamed online. (more…)
Merry Christmas from the archives …
On a cold Duluth evening back in 2013, a small crew gathered for a video shoot. Mark Lindquist wanted to give his children a Christmas video. Time got away. The footage wasn’t awesome. I set it aside.
It’s always bugged me that I never made that video for Mark and his children. Last night, I went searching through virtual piles and piles of material until I found what I was looking for. (more…)
Denfeld Jazz Band – “Up on the Housetop”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKZ0M8uzZC4
This video of the Denfeld Jazz Band’s arrangement of “Up on the Housetop” was created for the televised version of the Christmas City of the North Virtual Parade.
A Secret Garden: Demo tracks from northern Minnesota
Students and staff from Central Lakes College in Brainerd have put together a compilation album of regional musicians that features a bevvy of Duluth favorites, including Jerree Small, Low and Greg Cougar Conley. (more…)
Dance Attic “At Christmas Time” Special
Jimi and Suzi of the guitar/accordion duo Dance Attic partake in holiday hijinks with music from their 2020 Christmas song collection (featured in the PDD Gift Guide).
Video produced by Andrew Stern. (more…)
Tanner Zahn – “Little Things”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sobf_qfQLF4
Hermantown native Tanner Zahn, now of the Los Angeles group FuturePop, has released this Christmas music video. Locals will remember him as Tanner Zahn Hagen, performer in Duluth Playhouse productions and son of Jennifer Madill Hagen and Dusty Hagen, former owners of Madill Performing Arts Center in Duluth. (more…)
More of My Indie Rock Guitar Goddess She-roes
There is a vein of singer-songwriters I refer to jokingly as “weepy folk.”
Gaelynn Lea – “In the Bleak Midwinter”
Duluth’s Gaelynn Lea performs the Christmas carol “In the Bleak Midwinter” in this video shot live in her home. The song is on Gaelynn’s 2016 Christmas album Deepest Darkness Brightest Dawn, which features live-looped versions of traditional Christmas carols.
Rich Mattson and the Northstars – “In Flight”
Rich Mattson and the Northstars have a new album set for release on Feb. 5. This homespun video, produced by Reggie Pype, is for the first single, “In Flight.”
The upcoming album, Skylights, can be preordered at spartasound.bandcamp.com.
Steve’s Overpopulated One-man Band – “The COVID Pokie”
From the Iron Range city of Palo, Steve Solkela sings about … you know … what it’s all about.
Bailey is Short Rap
This is basically an in-joke between friends but local and fun enough to post. A diss track inspired by my short friend Bailey. She dared me to do this, is how I remember it.
Music: “Young Thug Type Beat 2018 – ‘Sippin’ | Trap Instrumental 2018” by MADEBYFLOWERZ
Highlights: UMD Choir and Vocal Jazz Fall 2020 Concert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2Jr-K6IIv4
Singers at the University of Minnesota Duluth overcame great odds this semester during the COVID-19 pandemic. They wore masks and rehearsed online, outdoors and in large lecture halls, ultimately sharing their musical talents in a virtual concert on Nov. 13. Some highlights are in the clip above.
An audience of more than 150 joined together on Zoom to hear the University Singers, Concert Chorale, Chamber Singers, Lake Effect and Chill Factor perform on location in Weber Music Hall, Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, and around Duluth and the UMD Campus.
Release of Sofia Logan’s debut album
Stillwater-based artist Sofia Logan has released her debut album, Waiting for You, Waiting for Me. The album was recorded in December 2019 in a home near the University of Minnesota Duluth that houses what is believed to be one of the city’s first recording studios. (more…)
Teague Alexy – “Christmas Bells, Holiday Drums (Jingle, Jangle)”
New Christmas music from Teague Alexy, featuring Brian Wells on bass.
Produced and written by Teague Alexy, mixed and mastered by Jake Larson, recorded at the Igloo in Duluth. Artwork by Heidi Feroe, art direction and graphic design by Joshua Priestley.
Some of My Indie Rock Guitar Goddess She-roes
My favorite musicians are women. Who’s the coolest member of the Pixies? Kim Deal! You don’t even have to think about it for a second. And my favorite genre is indie rock. Indie is not major label, and not pop enough to score strings of giant hits. The term is frequently applied to punk-lineage garage-y guitar bands, but not exclusively.
The past few years I’ve discovered many indie chick rockers and all-female bands. Here are some highlights. This (not comprehensive!) list showcases indie women who play guitar or bass, either solo or in bands, who have been active in the past five years. Therefore many of my classic faves have been excluded — for instance a suite of 1980s and ’90s rockers. I will write about them one day, but here the focus is on contemporary artists.
My descriptions are fleshed out with links to music videos, interviews, rig rundowns, and live performances. This part one of two, and I plan to give Duluthians their own essay in part three. Here goes — some of my indie rock guitar goddess she-roes: (more…)
James G – “No Pressure”
Here’s the latest from former Duluthian James Geisler, aka hip-hop artist JamesG.
Eric Thiegs – “Duluth”
There’s not a lot of info about musician Eric Thiegs available on the internet, but we do know a song called “Duluth” appeared on his 2005 album Distant & Clean. Maybe he’s “a boy from Duluth” singing with “a girl from the city.”