Music
2015: The Year in Duluth Gig Posters
Here it is, PDD’s annual gallery of gig posters. It’s not comprehensive, just a smattering of promo images that grabbed attention in 2015. (more…)
Video Archive: Christopher Halverson and Frank Nichols
Christopher Halverson performs “Rockcreek/Grantsville” at R.T. Quinlan’s Saloon during an open mic on Sept. 16, 1995. The video closes with a clip of Frank Nichols blowing his jaw blues harp.
Noon – “Duluth”
Noon, a band from Munich, Germany, has a song called “Duluth.” Anyone who can translate the lyrics from Italian to English or explain the existence or meaning of this song in any way is encouraged to do so in the comments to this post.
Poll: Best Album of 2015
There were a lot of potential nominees, so we used a runoff ballot. The options with the fewest votes slowly dropped out of the poll as the days went by, until it got down to the final four.
[poll id=”82″]
This poll is now closed. The results were:
Low’s Ones and Sixes – 34 percent
The Social Disaster’s Dark Side of the Roller Rink – 31 percent
Charlie Parr’s Stumpjumper – 19 percent
Mary Bue’s Holy Bones – 16 percent
Actual Wolf – “Christmas in Chisholm”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0cUIuMNJhI
Does anyone have a copy of Grassfire’s 45 from 1970?
We’re looking for the only album from Duluth-area band Grassfire from the late 1960s/early ’70s. It has the tracks “Smell of Incense” and “Aunt Morley’s Wheatcakes” and is from the label Steamboat. The only info on the internet is on the Opulent Conceptions website.
We’re trying to get it as a gift for one of the band members so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
The Boomchucks – “It’s Good to be a Rolling Stone”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2j7HCufuTc
New music video from Duluth band the Boomchucks. The ‘Chucks play the free party in the DECC’s Palucci Hall tonight at 9 p.m., after the big mayoral farewell concert.
The Current: Duluth’s musical all-stars to play Don Ness goodbye concert
PDD Videolab: 8mm Dance Party
A box of 8mm home movies discovered at a Piedmont Heights estate sale provides the content for this video mash-up. (more…)
Mary Bue – “Veal”
This weekend, Mary Bue held a premiere party for her latest video, “Veal” from her album, Holy Bones. Video by Jon Hain.
Video Archive: Jim Wilferling – “Don’t Let it Bring You Down”
Jim Wilferling covers Neil Young’s “Don’t Let it Bring You Down” during open mic night at R.T. Quinlan’s Saloon on Sept. 16, 1995.
Low on World Cafe
NPR’s World Cafe has been doing a “Sense of Place Minneapolis” series. Duluth band Low was featured yesterday, Dec. 10.
Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank – “Over And Back Again”
Video edited by Ian Alexy from footage shot by Dusty “Rhodes” Keliin, Truvio Del Sol and Ian Alexy.
Jaw Knee Vee – “Holiday Romp!”
One-man trash-blues explosion Jaw Knee Vee blasts out this year’s holiday greeting from PDD. Check out more of his lo-fi hijinks at the Jaw Knee Vee Facebook page and Bandcamp page.
A big thank you to the Homegrown Music Festival for sponsoring this video. Music fans hark this: The Homegrown Winter Fiasco will be staged at three West Duluth venues on Jan. 22. Musicians hark this: Homegrown band registration begins Christmas Day and ends Jan. 31.
Also, thanks to real estate developer Aaron Schweiger for letting us into the former Morgan Park School auditorium to shoot this special performance before a capacity crowd.
For more festive PDD video wholesomeness, check out the PDD Holiday Video Showcase.
The Lowertown Line: Cloud Cult
Twin Cities Public Television’s live-performance music show, The Lowertown Line, features Cloud Cult performing on the Minneapolis Convention Center Plaza for the opening of the 2015 Northern Spark art festival. The band’s new album, The Seeker, is scheduled for a Feb. 12 release.
Video Archive: Christopher Halverson – “Come Back Down” / “Walk on the Wild Side”
Christopher Halverson rolls out a medley of Toad the Wet Sprocket and Lou Reed at R.T. Quinlan’s Saloon during an open mic on Sept. 16, 1995.
Video Archive: Bill Flannagan – “In the Pines”
Yet another clip recorded live at R.T. Quinlan’s Saloon during open mic night on Sept. 16, 1995.
Video Archive: Fromunda Trio at R.T. Quinlan’s
The trio of Tina Ludwig-Laxen, Jay Johnson and James J. Myers Jr. performing at R.T. Quinlan’s Saloon during an open mic on Sept. 16, 1995.
Elvis – A Day in Duluth
A previous post on Perfect Duluth Day reveals a Led Zeppelin bootleg from the 1960s is incorrectly labeled as “Live in Duluth.” Well, it turns out there is an Elvis Presley album titled A Day in Duluth that has every indication of being authentic. (more…)
Duluth musician has fortuitous random connection in Norway
Via Vestnytt, a newspaper published in Straume, Norway, PDD reports: “Det magiske Kallestadmøtet i luften.”
Duluth musician Jamie Kallestad performed at the the Glesvær Kafe yesterday. Translators, sort that out and share your wisdom.
Kristy Marie and the Forget Me Nots Indiegogo Campaign
Duluth band Kristy Marie and the Forget Me Nots is working on a new album of “ethereal folk music” titled Maiden America. Contributions are being sought through an Indiegogo campaign to acquire a “mastering ear contributing to the completion of the sound” and to pay CD-printing costs.
Selective Focus: Editor’s Choice
One year of Selective Focus would be impossible to capture in a single post, so I’ve gleaned just a few personal favorites. I think we’ve accomplished together many of my initial desires to foreground the real people who live work and play here, and to build community through art, no matter how homely or grand. (more…)
Led Zeppelin Live in Duluth | Oct. 19, 1968
Don’t let the “Minnesota Blues” or the “Live in Duluth” on this album cover fool you, Led Zeppelin never performed in Duluth. But what is the story behind this Zep bootleg? (more…)
Low’s “Things We Lost in the Fire” on film
Just stumbled across this dark little film on Netflix and our pals Low provide some of the soundtrack.