Selective Focus: Last Week
Cheryl Reitan, “Oddio”
Both of this week’s (only) submissions are from Cheryl Reitan; so glad to have met Oddio with her, Hugh Reitan, and Oddio’s brother Dean on Sunday for a genial studio visit. Then on Tuesday I was also there for Tim Kaiser’s Monday Red Herring appearance. I’m fortunate to to have apparently seen all there was to be seen this week in Duluth. (more…)
Thank you, Mayor Ness, from Homegrown
Folks from the Duluth music and arts scene say thanks to the mayor for his role in improving the Homegrown Music Festival in specific and Duluth in general. Video by Dan Branovan.
Three more artists this week … Coldsnap, Koshinski, Dalbec
Three more artists to mention: (more…)
Missing Person: Helge Rohm
Update: The Duluth Police Department reports that Helge Rohm has been located and is safe.
The Duluth Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating 72-year-old Helge Rohm. He is a Duluth resident and was last seen in the area of Second Avenue East and Sixth Street on Saturday, April 19.
Rohm is a 6-ft.-tall, 190-lb. white male with blue eyes and white/grey hair. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or the Violent Crimes Unit at 218-730-5050.
Last Week: Living Large, Locally
Avoiding Homegrown until Friday, when I see my friend Emily Jayne play at Sir Ben’s… but still today enjoying Darin Bergsven at Dubh Linn. Time to reflect on the week.
Monday, I spent some time with Tim Jollymore, an author who arrived at UMD because of the hard work of Veronica and Mareesa and the awesome students in the Writing Club. Jollymore talked to the students about his craft as a writer — and it was an amazing afternoon for all of us. (more…)
Mayor Ness “Potholes Song” – 2015 Homegrown Proclamation
Video credit – Melissa Ginger
See the full Duluth Homegrown Music Festival schedule here –> https://goo.gl/svBlGe
The Best of Clyde at the 2014 Homegrown Music Festival
Here are highlights from the big Homegrown 2014 show at Clyde Iron Works, (via The PlayList) featuring Actual Wolf, Southwire and the Black-eyed Snakes with Charlie Parr.
Recommendations on short-term accommodations in Duluth
Perhaps someone can provide a bit of advice on short-term accommodations in our fair city. I’m currently in the process of finishing my thesis and am being seriously handicapped by my roommate situation. There’s no hard feelings, but the scale of work I’ve left to accomplish is simply too grand and requires an environment where I can devote some serious attention to my work. Of course, being a student, money remains a sizable obstacle. I can afford $375 for a month, but finding such a short-term lease has proven impossible. As such, I was wondering if you fine folks would happen to have any creative thoughts on the matter. I am open to just about any solutions.
I appreciate the consideration and a very happy Homegrown to everybody!
R.I.P. Verne Gagne
Wrestling icon Verne Gagne died late Monday night. In recent years he struggled with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Gagne was best known for operating the American Wrestling Association out of the Twin Cities. He was an accomplished amateur wrestler, 10-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion and trained the vast majority of the superstars of the 1980s and ’90s. (more…)
Northern Roots: Growing Food in the Western Lake Superior Region
A student-created documentary profiling regional food production in the Western Lake Superior region that includes a 15-county area in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. Students in an anthropology course called Ethnobotany filmed, wrote and edited four segments on local food producers.
Cabin season approaching– Free ice packs?
We have a massive surplus of ice packs due to our subscription to Plated (highly recommended). Every week we get two “Nordic Ice” packs— they are made out of some starch that you can put down your drain in perfect safety and they seem to stay frozen for almost a week. I’m not kidding. I could throw them out, but cabin and fishing season is upon us and it seems that nobody ever has enough ice packs. Except for us.
I’m going to leave them in a box on the bottom step of our apartment at 517 E 6th St. Please pop by and pick up as many ice packs as you like.
It’s a Little Free Ice Pack Chest.
This Week: the Homegrown Festival and other stuff
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
The Homegrown Music Festival is upon us, and that means that every single day is packed with music.
One could be forgiven to think that there’s nothing much else to point out, this week, but there is. For instance, there’s a ramp closure on the Blatnik Bridge coming up on Wednesday — locals are saying it’s going to be the ramp closing of the season. And, uh, that’s about it.
Just kidding. There’s author Tim Jollymore at UMD, a pow-wow dancers photo exhibit at the Depot, author Linda LeGarde Grover is speaking in Superior, the Kurt Weill opera Street Scene is at Marshall Performing Arts Center, the Zenith Social Media Marketing Conference is happening at Greysolon Plaza, unWINEd ’15 takes place at Duluth International Airport, there’s a Minnesota Ballet wine/cheese benefit at the Depot, May 1 is Law Day in Duluth and there’s stand-up comedy at Dubh Linn.
It’s a veritable smorgasbord for those who like giant music festivals, ramp closings and other things, too.
Homegrown Music Fest Hashtag Feed #hgmf15
Follow the Homegrown hashtag #hgmf15 on Twitter and Instagram.
Homegrown Music Festival 2015 Primer
The eight greasiest days of the year are underway. Here are the various links, hashtags and other tidbits to keep everyone moderately enlightened.
Homegrown website
Event schedule on Homegrown website
PDD Homegrown Chicken App (schedule optimized for smartphones)
Homegrown Facebook page
Homegrown Twitter page
Seasons 1 and 2 of Seth Langreck’s Duluth Band Profiles
(more…)
Trailer for Cloud Cult film Unplug
Minnesota band Cloud Cult, founded in Duluth by Craig Minowa, is releasing a video distillation of 12 years of songwriting that features acoustic performances at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis, along with interviews and behind the scenes footage. The movie is the product of an eight-year collaborative relationship between Minowa and co-producer Jeff D. Johnson.
There will be a screening on April 30 at the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis, with the national release on the following day, May 1. No word on a Duluth screening yet.
8-Bit Classic Collection brings back the oldies
Out with the old video-game shop, in with the older video-game shop. After a spur-of-the-moment decision to buy the Game Galaxy store at 28 W. First St., Jim Mattson changed the focus and the name, opening 8-Bit Classic Collection on Feb. 1, specializing in vintage video games. (more…)
Tysonette Auditions
Go in depth with Fred Tyson as potential Tysonettes audition for the coveted role. Video by Tomas Soderberg.
Fred Tyson & His Tysonettes perform at the Red Herring Lounge on Saturday, May 2, at 10:45 p.m. during the Homegrown Music Festival.
Selective Focus: Open Theme
Ann Klefstad, “Anclote bed”
Some new work this week, and favorites from seven months of moderating this virtual agora. Next week’s theme will be “whadya’ do last week” because I’ve heard there’s some sort of festival hereabout; “homespun,” “homeslice…” something like that. (more…)
Duluthians conquer Switzerland’s “Wall of Death”!
Congratulations to Rick Kollath and Dean Einerson who topped out this morning on the mythic North Face of the Eiger, one of the most sought-after plumbs in alpine climbing (even Clint Eastwood failed spectacularly here in The Eiger Sanction)! The Eiger has claimed more than its share in terms of sensational mountain tragedies, but you can’t keep a good team from the Great Plains down. This ascent is testimony to the physical and mental grit of these two paragons of Duluth climbing, not to mention the world-class local training facilities at Superior Kettlebell Gym and Casket Quarry. Well done, lads!
ARAC Individual Artist Awards
Your Legacy Sales Tax, with some money from the General Fund and from the McKnight foundation, makes possible these Arrowhead Regional Arts Council awards to individual artists in Duluth and the region. If you see a friend on this list, say “Woot,” would you? (more…)
Duluth Band Profile: Christine Hoberg
Christine Hoberg has never shied away from taking risks. On her album World Within, she shows her big voice in the big city. Click on the image above to hear the interview.
Finding Sarah Krueger
It’s been nine years since Sarah Krueger first auditioned for American Idol. Since then, she has been the lead singer of a funk band, become a solo singer/songwriter and captured the attention of music lovers all over the Midwest. More importantly, she has learned that making music is about honesty.
“It takes time to hone in on your craft and to focus on the aesthetics of your art,” Krueger said. “I feel like I wanted something authentic, and I didn’t want to be breaking any extreme boundaries or try to be different or stand out. I think sometimes art gets lost in that idea that you need to be different than everyone else. It’s not about being different, it’s about being honest.”
Krueger is a teacher at the Montessori School by day and also works as a waitress at Grandma’s Saloon and Grill. A normal day means waking up early, opening the blinds in her home, preparing coffee and reading and writing before she teaches. (more…)
Duluth Band Profile: Adam Sippola
Adam Sippola began an introspective journey with Rising Point. He explains how years of experimenting with looping technology became a full-fledged album. Click on the image above to hear the interview.