Music Posts

Selective Focus: Homegrown 2023 Opening Ceremonies

Select Instagram images from opening day of the Homegrown Music Festival.

Homegrown Music Festival 2023 Primer

The 25th annual Homegrown Music Festival is upon us. All the specifics are in a 116-page Field Guide available around town or online as a PDF. The most accurate version of the schedule is always at duluthhomegrown.org/schedule. And this here primer consists of the random last-minute bulletins that always spring up.

Every Single Homegrown 1999 Photo Available

Members of Ballyhoo performing at the inaugural Homegrown Music Festival in 1999. (Photo courtesy Leon Rohrbaugh; photographer unknown)

On the eve of the 25th annual Homegrown Music Festival we take a look at every single locatable image from the first Homegrown in 1999. It was a few years before digital photography became a common thing, a few years before social media existed, and a few years before Homegrown became one of the most photographed events in Duluth.

Beyondbliss – “Goodbye My Friend”

The new music video by Superior-based rapper David Kittelson, aka Beyondbliss, was made from a collection of old VHS tapes of performances. The song is the first single from the upcoming Beyondbliss release, which Kittelson has referred to as his final album.

Beyondbliss performs at Wild State Cider on May 1 at 7 p.m. as part of the Homegrown Music Festival.

Ill Fortune – “Third Eye Open” (w/ Lane Newman and Dane MD)

Grand Rapids hip-hop artist Hunter Fortune, aka Ill Fortune, has a new album — Ill Ol’ Me. The video for “Third Eye Open” features Lane Newman and Dane MD, and was shot by Olivia Newman and John Persons.

Ill Fortune performs at Pizza Lucé in Duluth on May 6 at 10 p.m. as part of the Homegrown Music Festival.

Big Sky Woody – “#70”

Free on Bandcamp.

Homegrown Music Festival Field Guide 2023 has arrived

The 2023 Homegrown Music Festival runs April 30 to May 7, and the annual Field Guide for the event was trucked into Duluth this morning. Piles of them will be available at local music venues within the coming days.

This year’s festival features 171 acts at 36 venues over the course of eight days.

MN Moder – “Shooting Star”

Presenting the visualizer for the new single by MN Moder. The Duluth-based hip-hop artist performs May 5, 8:15 p.m., at Legacy Glassworks as part of the Homegrown Music Festival.

R.I.P. Diona Johnson / Di Jay / AfroGeode

Diona Johnson, leader of the Duluth band AfroGeode and the Gemstones, died on Monday at age 35. The Duluth News Tribune reports that the cause of the sudden death remains unknown pending the results of an autopsy.

Sydney Hansen – “For Better”

Duluth native Sydney Hansen, who now splits time between her home town and Nashville, has a new music video.

Hansen performs at Duluth Cider on May 1 at 8:30 p.m. as part of the Homegrown Music Festival.

Video: Trampled by Turtles 20th anniversary at Sir Ben’s

Twenty years after the band’s first gig, Trampled by Turtles popped up at Sir Benedict’s Tavern on the Lake for an anniversary performance. This video of the song “Victory” was shot by Gina Nagler Smith.

Trampled by Turtles – “At Your Window”

Trampled by Turtles is celebrating 20 years as a band. In this new video the group performs “At Your Window,” a song from the 2004 album Songs from a Ghost Town. The video was directed and edited by Charlie Berg.

Steve’s Overpopulated One-man Band – “She Broke My Heart in Three Places”

The latest video from Steve Solkela is a one-man performance of a song originally released by the Hoosier Hot Shots. The song was written in 1944 by Al Hoffman, Jerry Livingston and Milton Drake.

Reco Daquon featuring Tren10 – “Wanna Ball”

Twin Ports hip-hop artist Reco Daquon released this music video last summer, shot in West Duluth on the basketball court at Memorial Park and Laura MacArthur Elementary School. The video was shot by Montclair Media.

Reco Daquon performs at Sir Benedict’s Tavern on the Lake on May 5 as part of the Homegrown Music Festival.

Damien – “Damien”

Duluth band Damien has released its debut music video. And it’s all for you.

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