Duluth Band Profile: Wino, WI
Wino, WI drives hard rock back into Duluth. Greg Conley and Scott Millis explain how the band started as a reaction to folk. Click on the image above to hear the interview.
Three from LakeVoice: Crayon artist Tiona Marco, Mayor Don Ness and Giant Panda
A trio of highlights from the past week in Lake Voice News:
- Whatever happened to Tiona Marco?
- Duluth’s mayor in the eyes of friends and family
- Duluth Giant Panda ground for the rootless
Lake Voice News is a student-run publication focused on bridging the gap between UMD students and the Duluth community.
Ye Olde Duluth: Roller Skating Edition
Duluth's Frank Bryant (right) and Raymond 'King' Kelly after skating 348 miles to set a world distance record for a 24-hour two-man relay, 21-22 January 1915.
I ran across this on the Library of Congress’s Flickr Commons photostream today and got curious. Although the original caption suggests that Bryant and King’s record was set “on ice,” the wheels on the skates the men are wearing make me skeptical–as does the background material on the Frank Bryant collection at the Northeast Minnesota Historical Center.
So, here goes: From 1913-1916, Duluthian Frank Bryant was a dominant competitive roller skater, holding a world championship in speed skating. The photo here depicts the 25 year-old Michigan native with St. Paulite Kelly, with whom he set a world record distance of 348 miles for a 24-hour two-man relay event–the Minnesotan pair’s performance eclipsed the previous 203-mile mark set just two weeks earlier in New York. A knee injury in 1916 apparently ended his high-level skating career, but he continued skating competitively into the late 1920s. Bryant worked for Duluth’s Union Towing and Wrecking Company for 32 years, retiring in 1955; he died in 1961.
Duluth Man on the Street circa 1994
The low quality of this video is not just because it’s 20 years old; it’s also because I was the camera man and I probably neglected to white balance or something.
The low quality of the content is because it’s all made up on the spot. My then-UWS classmate Trent Jameson simply asked me to go shoot some video of people on Superior Street with him. (more…)
Helmet Cam: Shark Pilot, Diorama-rama
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbahU_ClTmw
What the Shark Pilot Helmet Cam saw.
Homegrown Documentary
I’m working on a Homegrown Music Festival documentary I started a few years back. I’m looking at getting some additional footage this year, including live performances and interviews. Anyone interested in being interviewed should let me know. Also does anyone have any pics from previous Homegrowns that I could use for this? Peace and happy Homegrown! Contact me at dandresser @ hotmail.com or Dan Dresser on Facebook.
A Northern Jewel
A Northern Jewel is a blog dedicated to adventures in the beautiful Northwoods and lake shores of Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin. Come inside to a Wonderland of creativity, tea parties, wanderlust and mindless banter.
Duluth Band Profile: Hanna Cesario
Hanna Cesario uses the ukulele to play jazz standards. In this clip she plays a live version of “Heavenly,” a track from her forthcoming album. Click on the image above to hear the interview.
Duke of Duluth Revisited
Back in June, 2010, PDD featured a post about the photo above, which was labelled “The Duke of Duluth.”
We have been digging into all things “Duke of Duluth” and “Duluth Duke(s)” over at Zenith City Online. The first of three stories on the topic posts today and discusses two literary dukes of Duluth: a 1905 Broadway play and a 1926 novel. And the story just may shed some light on that photo. You can read it here.
Homegrown Rawk and/or Roll: Eric Swanson’s Mix
Available now for free download on Bandcamp, 106 megabytes of rawk and/or roll selected by Duluth soundman extraordinaire Eric Swanson, brought to you by the Homegrown Music Festival. (more…)
This week: mystery, absurdism and eating
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
Eat Downtown Week (which actually goes for 12 days) starts today with $10 and $20 prix fixe meals at participating restaurants.
You still have time to get your car ready for the Pinewood Derby at Carmody Irish Pub on Tuesday.
Sam Cook is the keynote speaker at the Duluth Parks and Recreation Annual Meeting at Spirit Mountain on Wednesday.
The Hounds of Baskerville is a staged reading of a Sherlock Holmes mystery at Glensheen Mansion Thursday through Saturday.
Endgame, an absurdist play by Samuel Becket, opens at CSS on Friday and runs two weekends.
Drink beer and support the Jaycees at the Gitchee Gumee Brewfest this Saturday at UWS.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.
Ice Cutter on Lake Superior
Amazing images by Carl Sauer of an ice cutter takin’ care of business on Lake Superior.
Duluth Mystery Photo #11: 1891 Couple
This photo is dated 1891 and is from the studio of Lars N. Liden, 1619 W. Superior St. in Duluth’s West End, a location that is presently a parking lot. That’s all we’ve got to go on. It’s a long shot, but can anyone name these two 19th Century Duluthians? Or at least write some good fan fiction about them?
Nerd Field Report: Firefly, Nerd Nite, Icebox Radio Theatre, Arts Advocacy
It was a week for several varieties of Nerd for me. (more…)
Select Images from East’s 1974 Birch Log
“Moods” was the theme 40 years ago when Duluth East High School published the 1974 edition of its Birch Log, the school’s yearbook. Some of the many moods were captured by student photographers; we share select images here simply because a copy of the book was sitting in a crate at Globe News in Superior with the meager asking price of $8 on it.
Some of the photos have captions, which you can read by hovering over the image. You can also click on the images to see them larger and read captions, then use the left and right arrow keys to view them as a slide show. If the photo had no caption in the book it is simply titled by the page number it appeared on.
Duluth Band Profile: Duck Duck Punch
Duck Duck Punch uses infectious synthpop on its debut album Human Chemistry. Member Bryan Rudell opens up about the band’s forthcoming EP Take it Like a Man. Click on the image above to hear the interview.
Minnesota Workout: Shoveling Snow in Duluth — March 27, 2014
I decided to put on my boots and go out and get a little workout today as only a Minnesotan can. Here is a video of how to workout in Minnesota … with a little Minnesota accentuation.
Bliss – “The Most Important Things in Life are Invisible”
Video by Duluth rapper Bliss for a song from his new album, The Most Important Things in Life are Invisible, which will be released May 17.
Submit art for Superior Storm Drain project
Sidewalk areas next to six storm-sewer drains in Superior will be painted by local community artists. To submit a draft design by the April 17 noon deadline go to ci.superior.wi.us/stormdrainart for the entry form and more information. The artists must be residents of Superior, work in Superior, or go to school in Superior and be above 18 years old. Each of the six finalists will receive $200 once the art work is completed in May.
Homegrown flashback through one lens
Photographer Rich Narum strung together all of his 2013 Homegrown Music Festival photos — the good, the bad and the out of focus — for this silent video. Running time is well over an hour, so grab a beverage.
Duluth Superior Film Festival seeks volunteers
This is a very exciting year for the Duluth Superior Film Festival, as it is our fifth anniversary. We have some excellent films lined up (as usual), and some exciting guests. You might have read about Patty Duke’s planned attendance for our screening of You’ll Like My Mother, which was filmed in Duluth in 1972, as well as a return of Mackenzie Astin (Iron Will and Patty Duke’s son), who is attending this year as a juror. If not, here is the report from the Northland’s NewsCenter: Patty Duke expected at fifth annual Duluth Superior Film Festival
This is a big year for us, and because we value our volunteers tremendously and will be needing all hands on deck, we are excited to be able to provide lifetime film festival passes (and sweet access to special events) as a thank you to this year’s volunteers. We’ll also provide you with a T-shirt. What we ask in return is some of your time, and to pass along our request for volunteers.
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The Perilous Inlet (a short film)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWbO6j6_FDQ
Final, scored version of something I’ve released excerpts of over time.
Four harrowing stories from one of Lake Superior’s perilous inlets, as told through the magic of toys.
Open Position: Part-Time Merchandiser
Bimbo Bakeries USA is hiring. There are permanent employment opportunities for merchandisers at the Duluth and Virginia locations. Follow the link or call Robert Hill at 715-571-6981 for details.