Videos
Blindfold
From surviving cancer to inspiring others with his beautiful origami creations, Duluth’s Todd Olson has shaped more than just the paper at his fingertips.
The Slice: Looking Up from Below
“Looking Up from Below” was a video mural designed by Tom Moriarty and Daniel Benoit that was projected onto the side of Zenith Bookstore in West Duluth during the Homegrown Music Festival. The temporary art installation was meant to showcase whimsy in times of troubles.
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.
Cities Never Sleep – “Kokomo”
Duluth band Cities Never Sleep has taken a musical trip off the Florida Keys to the magical fictitious land of Kokomo. Joined by saxophonist John James Ryan Jr. from Keep Flying, the band perfects its chemistry by turning a Beach Boys hit from 1988 into a post-pandemic, pop-punk chroma-key party.
Heely Tricks with JamesG: April 2021
Another monthly dose of wheeled sneaker stunts by former Duluthian James Geisler, also known as the hip-hop artist JamesG.
Steve’s Overpopulated One-Man Band – “Oatmeal Raisin”
Just in time for prom season, Steve Solkela and his Iron Range friends have a new music video for those left feeling alone on the shelf, like an oatmeal raisin cookie. Hey, sometimes the healthiest option gets picked last.
Driftwood Dan from Duluth
The 1999 movie Los Enchiladas! drops references to both Duluth and Superior. It’s not clear whether the character Driftwood Dan lives in Duluth or merely collects driftwood in Duluth, where his mother resides. (more…)
Charlie Parr – “Last of the Better Days Ahead”
Charlie Parr‘s next album, Last of the Better Days Ahead is due out July 30 on the nonprofit record label Smithsonian Folkways. The video for the first single is directed by Parr himself.
The Life and Times of Ignatius Donnelly
Silver Brook Township’s Mike Scholtz has a new documentary, produced for the southwestern Minnesota Pioneer PBS series Postcards.
The subject is Ignatius Donnelly, an American congressman, populist writer and amateur scientist known for his writings about the lost continent of Atlantis. The story begins near the town of Donnelly, roughly 200 miles southwest of Duluth, and takes viewers on a wild ride exploring the amazing legacy of the man.
Duluth actor Jody Kujawa plays the role of Donnolly in reenactment scenes.
Homegrown 2021 Unofficially Unofficial Recap Video
The pandemic put the kibosh on official in-person events during the Homegrown Music Festival, but with restrictions easing up a bit there were numerous unofficial events accompanying the hours upon hours of online video content put out to avoid a superspreader.
In addition to the slaptogether kickball game, outdoor video art installation in West Duluth and the scavenger hunt, there were little bits of actual live music happening with limited attendance. The video above captures clips of some of the unofficial activities, with a note that nothing is officially unofficial, it’s all unofficially unofficial, really. (more…)
Videos: Homegrown 2021 Day Seven
Saturday’s online Homegrown Music Festival content begins with the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra‘s season-ending show, From Beethoven to Milhaud. At the 2:18:43 mark a big blawk of local rawk begins. (more…)
Plume
Duluth’s Gaelynn Lea composed the music for this video, which features 21 acrobats from around the world performing movements layered with animation. (more…)
Videos: Homegrown 2021 Day Six
A bit more than two hours of local rawk and/or roll comprise the Homegrown Music Festival‘s Friday content. (more…)
Video Archive: The Black-eyed Snakes – “Chickenbone George”
From the days when digital video quality was horrific, we present the Black-eyed Snakes at the Red Lion Lounge during the Homegrown Music Festival … two amazing decades ago.
Shot by Chris Bacigalupo on May 4, 2001.
Videos: Homegrown 2021 Day Five
Thursday’s Homegrown Music Festival content is three and a half hours of livestreamed music from 2104. (more…)
Video Archive: Fred Tyson & the Tysonettes – “Pop that Thang!”
May 7, 2011 — Freddie Tyson and his beautiful backup singers perform “Pop that Thang” at Pizza Lucé during the Homegrown Music Festival.
Dave Mehling – “Will Bloom”
Duluth native Dave Mehling has a new ambient album, Tired Fruit, out tomorrow, May 7. “Will Bloom” is one of five tracks on the digital release.
Bandcamp waives its revenue share on the first Fridays of the month during the pandemic to help support artists who have seen their livelihoods disrupted by the pandemic.
Videos: Homegrown 2021 Day Two
Monday’s Homegrown Music Festival video content includes the annual showcases of poetry, photos and music videos … along with a short movie starring Teague Alexy. (more…)
Video Archive: Movie “White Palace” too racy for Duluth
This clip from The Tonight Show features guest host Jay Leno showing the evolution of an ad in the Duluth News Tribune for the 1990 film White Palace at Superior’s Mariner 4 Theatres. Watch as Susan Sarandon’s dress expands up her torso. (more…)
Elliot Silberman: Duluth’s Five-minute Sketch Artist
He’s a one-man band and a five-minute sketch artist. Presenting Elliot Silberman.
Torment – “Drown in Piss” (Instrumental Playthrough)
Submerged in urine once again, Duluth band Torment continues to fine tune for the day when rock shows resume in full force.
Kweluude – “Bases,” “My Life” and “The Message”
Duluth artist Kwe Perry, aka Kweluude, has three tracks on the new Mixtape Project 6.0 release from DanSan Creatives. (more…)
The Slice: Homegrown Music Festival 2021
Duluth’s Homegrown Music Festival will be online again in 2021, due to COVID-19. In the clip above, festival director Melissa La Tour explains that musicians have submitted pre-recorded material that will be curated into daily releases on the festival’s YouTube channel.
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.
Gaelynn Lea: Three Performances for MPR
Duluth’s Gaelynn Lea was the Current‘s Minnesota Music Month featured artist of the day on April 23. This video is part of a series the singer-songwriter and violinist contributed as educational videos to YourClassical MPR. (more…)
“Things We Lost in the Fire” 20th Anniversary Visual Album
Duluth band Low has released a visualizer marking the 20th anniversary of the 2001 album Things We Lost in the Fire. Artists Shane Donahue, Julie Casper Roth and Allen Killian-Moore provide the visuals. (more…)
Video Archive: Norway’s royal couple given stirring welcome
Although Crown Prince Olav and Princess Martha of Norway did visit Duluth in 1939 for the dedication of Enger Tower, the footage in this silent film seems to all have been shot in Los Angeles a month earlier. Nevertheless, images of Duluth News Tribune stories are splashed across the screen at the start of the film. (more…)