Videos
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.”
Indigenous Stories of Strength: Jessica Gidagaakoons Smith
The Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health’s Great Lakes Hub in Duluth, located at 1915 South St. near the Duluth Labor Temple, just sent out an announcement of Indigenous Stories of Strength, a website collecting stories of life under COVID-19. (more…)
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.
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.
Heely Tricks with James G: October 2021
Another monthly installment of wheeled-sneaker stunts by former Duluthian James Geisler, also known as the hip-hop artist JamesG.
Richardson Bros. House Swarmed by Cops
One of the hazards of living in a house full of props is getting cops called on your casket. (more…)
Video: Bobcat kittens pestering their mom
A bobcat and her two kittens put on a little show for a Voyageurs Wolf Project trail camera recently. Although the University of Minnesota research project has caught bobcats on camera numerous times, this is the first clip that includes kittens.
Lake Superior Aquaman media hits
Documenting all extant media coverage of my exploits since 2005. Sharing them here. Articles, interviews, TV, radio, all the things:
Steve’s Overpopulated One-man Band – “Ranger Things”
Straight from the Iron Range comes this Halloween medley by Steve Solkela. The music was recorded at Kaleva Hall in Virginia. The medley includes: “Ranger Things Parody,” “Ghost of John,” “Play that Scary Music Bite Boy,” “Pass the Witch’s Broomstick” and “Zombie Taylor Swift.”
Exploring Nopeming Sanatorium
A few week’s back Duluth Urbex slithered through Nopeming, the former sanatorium located west of Duluth in Midway Township. The resulting video is a perfect primer for the Halloween creeps.
Meredith from Duluth
The neo-noir film Lonely Hearts was released 15 years ago today — Oct. 21, 2006. In the clip above, John Travolta and James Gandolfini — as detectives Elmer Robinson and Charles Hilderbrandt, respectively — disregard a letter from “Meredith from Duluth.”
Charlie Parr – “817 Oakland Avenue”
Duluth’s Charlie Parr released a new album in July — Last of the Better Days Ahead. The video for “817 Oakland Avenue” features animation by Drew Christie.
Exploring Haddad’s Cave
Where is Haddad’s Cave? What is Haddad’s Cave? Well, in the world of urban exploration, such details are sometimes closely held. This video hit YouTube yesterday on the Duluth Urbex channel.
Reading Sinclair Lewis: Country, Critiques, City Satires
The Minnesota Historical Society produced this video dramatizing excerpts from two of novelist and social critic Sinclair Lewis’ breakthrough works — Babbitt and Main Street. Lewis, of course, went on to become a Duluthian and even kind of almost coined the phrase “perfect Duluth day.”
The program is created and hosted by Craig Johnson and features actors David Beukema, Anna Leverett, Damian Leverett and Melanie Wehrmacher. It was filmed on location in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sauk Centre.
Moors & McCumber – “There’s Always Something”
Moors & McCumber have a new album coming out Oct. 15 titled Survival. The Moors half of the duo is Superior’s James Moors, who has been performing with Colorado native Kort McCumber since 2005.
The video was produced and directed by Travis Bush.
Heely Tricks with JamesG: September 2021
Time once again to look back on the previous month’s wheeled-sneaker stunts with former Duluthian James Geisler, also known as the hip-hop artist JamesG.