Music
Superior Siren – “Last Christmas”
Duluth’s Superior Siren perform “Last Christmas” by Wham. Video by Michelle Bennett
The Latelys – “Hoping for the Sun” (PDD’s 2019 Holiday Video)
The days are short, the nights are long. It must be time for the annual Perfect Duluth Day Holiday Video. This year, enjoy the sounds of the Latelys, and a song from the Fall 2019 release Waiting for You, available on thelatelys.com and Bandcamp. (more…)
Trampled by Turtles Cover-song Explosion: “Ooh La La,” “Keep Me in Your Heart” and “Pocahontas”
Duluth-formed band Trampled by Turtles released an EP of cover songs today titled Sigourney Fever. It features five tracks — “Our Town” and “Fake Plastic Trees” have appeared previously on Perfect Duluth Day. The other three tracks were released today.
Above is “Ohh La La,” originally performed by Faces in 1973 and written by Ronnie Lane and Ronnie Wood. (more…)
Selective Focus: Michelle Truax
Michelle Truax has worked at TV stations, for the Duluth News Tribune as a videographer and journalist, and is now on her own doing advertising and documentary work for her own clients. Her videos are filled with gorgeous camera work. This week in Selective Focus Michelle talks about how she started and how she got to where she is in her career.
MT: I’d consider myself a visual storyteller with an emphasis on video. Most recently, I’ve been producing promotional video content for clients in the Twin Ports area.
I really love working in a short documentary style. As a kid, Thanksgivings were spent following my mom around the kitchen with a big Sony camcorder. She wasn’t particularly fond of this tradition, but I figured the drama made for better TV. I’ve always loved capturing all the little, human moments.
(more…)
Steve’s Overpopulated One-Man Band – “Iron Ore”
Steve Solkela shares the musical story of his great-great grandfather’s journey from Finland to Minnesota in search of a better life. “It was backbreaking work down in those Minnesotan mines,” Sorkela writes on the YouTube description. “Many were injured, and many died; but of course, many were successful in feeding their families countless times and watching them grow to live beautiful lives.”
The video was shot over the summer at various locations across northern Minnesota, and edited using a free iPhone app.
Good Knight – “Two Eighteen (Duluth, Minnesnowta Part II)”
Duluth-based rapper Good Knight unleashed part one of this song about a decade ago on MySpace. That version was simply titled “Duluth, Minnesnowta,” and appeared on Perfect Duluth Day in 2011. Part two, featured here, has not previously been posted on PDD. It contains a sample of “Drive” by Incubus.
Both “Duluth, Minnesnowta” songs are loaded with Duluth references and appear on the album Northern Exposure / 40 Oz. Below Zero.
Moments and Truth: Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank
Joshua Priestley’s 2009 documentary Moments And Truths follows the Duluth band Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank on a nationwide tour and into Brooklyn, N.Y. for the Traveling Show recording sessions.
Featuring Teague Alexy, Ian Alexy, Paul Grill and Marco Benevento.
Trampled by Turtles – “Our Town”
Another new song from the upcoming Trampled by Turtles EP Sigourney Fever, available Dec 6. The album features five cover songs; “Our Town” is an Iris DeMent cover.
Video by Mitch Peterson; photos by Banjo Dave Carroll.
Dylan Thomas – “Duluth Street”
It’s not easy to find reliable information online about musician Dylan Thomas, since he shares the name of a famous Welsh poet. But what seems to be the case is that in 2007 Thomas released the album Pieces of an Overhead View, featuring a song with Duluth in the title and the lyrics. (more…)
FeMN Fest scaling down before ramping up
Last year’s FeMN Fest organization team was made up of Diona Johnson, Jesse Dykhuis, Abigail Mlinar, Brittany Lind, McKenzie Howe and Melissa La Tour. Photo by Jes at Mad Chicken Studio.
Since 2017 “a team of womxn-identified bosses” have brought “an unapologetically feminist festival” to Duluth. In its first two years FeMN Fest featured womxn-lead music, art, workshops and vendors. The third annual event on Friday, Nov. 15, at Pizza Lucé is a scaled-down version featuring three musical acts: Me-N-Her, One Less Guest and Wild Flower. (more…)
Video Archive: Average Sun – “Good Night”
A 1997 video from Duluth band Average Sun for a track from the album Light and Shadow. Band members included Andrew and Scott Hauswirth, Bill Nelson and Griffin Vittone. The group was formed around 1994.
Vittone and Scott Hauswirth continued on into the next millennium with a revamped version of the band that included keyboardist Tim Shepard. By 2003 the group consisted of Hauswirth as the lone original member, joined by guitarist Corwin Pederson, bassist Ethan Thompson and drummer Chad Hulter.
Jim Hall chases time after five decades on stage
Jim Hall played a Halloween party at the Duluth Owls Club last month. On Saturday, he’s playing at Sacred Heart Music Center, a celebration of his 50 years on stage in the region.
Those familiar with the music of Jim Hall over the years would be right to do a double take when they hear one of his sets these days. The already basso troubadour has kicked his voice into even lower gear, and with a growl. That’s how Hall has been fighting an alarming and mysterious change in his vocal chords earlier this year. Even his talking voice changed. (more…)
The Richardson Brothers Podcast: Charlotte Montgomery interviewed by Jim Richardson
The first of a projected series of Duluth music scene interviews. Jim Richardson interviews the multi-talented Charlotte Montgomery: solo singer-songwriter, member of the band Red Mountain, and dancer in the Duluth Dolls. This interview features a performance of one of Charlotte’s original songs – “West” – and it is a barn-burner. Charlotte is leaving town after eight years; her farewell performance was at Blacklist Brewing, Saturday Nov. 9 at 8 p.m.
Dave Mehling – “Big Time Sadness”
Duluth native Dave Mehling has a new album on the way — Beach Boy. Here’s the video by Ben Abrahamson for the first single.
Emily Haavik & the 35s – “Take Me to the City”
Duluth native turned (Twin) city girl Emily Haavik has a new video, produced by AMPonStage, featuring a new song recorded at Underwood Recording studios in Minneapolis. The video also features another Duluth native, Dave Mehling, on guitar.
Haavik is opening for Matthew Mayfield at First Avenue’s 7th St Entry on Dec. 10.
Trampled by Turtles – “Fake Plastic Trees”
Trampled by Turtles tackle a Radiohead cover.
From Sigourney Fever, a Trampled by Turtles EP of covers, available Dec. 6.
Track list:
1. “Pocahontas” (Neil Young)
2. “Ooh La La” (Faces)
3. “Our Town” (Iris DeMent)
4. “Keep Me in Your Heart” (Warren Zevon)
5. “Fake Plastic Trees” (Radiohead)
Darling Drive – “At a Loss”
Darling Drive, the solo acoustic music project of Enrique Aguilar, released the song “At a Loss” on the 2014 album Shipwrecked. The song mentions Duluth, and depending on how one interprets it there might also be a reference to the city of Superior or Lake Superior. (more…)
Wild, a spoken-word musical tribute to weasels, inspired by an encounter in Chester Park
A celebration of the weasel family (mustelids) inspired by an encounter I had with a least weasel in the deep woods portions of Chester Park Ravine, which led to a re-reading of Annie Dillard’s essay, “Living Like Weasels.” (more…)
Atmosphere – “Say Shh …”
Minneapolis-based hip-hop outfit Atmosphere name-drops Duluth in a hidden track on its 2003 studio album Seven’s Travels. (more…)
“Duluth’s Song” by Charlotte Montgomery
Charlotte Montgomery, one of Duluth’s most inimitable singer-songwriters, is moving away. This also means the band Red Mountain is losing a vocalist. She has left us with this new song, a perfect example of her haunting sound.
You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Shot and recorded by Mikayla Haynes of Clyde Fox Creative.
Bullet – “Duluth Blues”
From the 1975 soundtrack album to the TV series The Hanged Man comes the short instrumental piece “Duluth Blues.” The band Bullet was a collection of session players assembled in Germany to play the soundtrack music composed by Alan Tew. (more…)
The Autumn Leaves – “Back to Me”
Minneapolis band the Autumn Leaves released the song “Back to Me” on the 2008 album Long Lost Friend. Duluth lands in the lyrics at the 1:26 mark.
The photographs we took in the photo booth
The trips we planned to take up near Duluth
Gaelynn Lea – “The Long Way Around”
The official music video for Gaelynn Lea‘s new single, “The Long Way Around,” was shot, directed, edited and produced by Dave Mehling in Duluth, with assistance in the shooting by Rachael Stigsell and Paul Tressler.
The line drawings are by Lee Zimmerman. The actor is Vlad Messing. (more…)
Twins done; Trampled by Turtles’ National Anthem video lives
The Minnesota Twins ended an historic season by bowing to the New York Yankees in three straight playoff games. But Duluth band Trampled by Turtles was able to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” before it was all over. Video via Jumbotron above.
Luke Redfield – “Ides of May”
In the song “Ides of May,” Luke Redfield lyrically implores, “If I’m the one for you, baby, meet me in Duluth.” (more…)