Palace Theater tour from 2002
The Palace Theater in Superior was torn down in 2006, but this video of a tour in 2002 has emerged on YouTube. (more…)
ARAC seeking new board members
I have been a board member at the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council for, like, four years now. It has enriched my life immensely. Immensely. Consider joining as an Duluth member, at-large.
ARAC is currently accepting applications for the upcoming term starting in June. Positions that will be available include a board representative from Koochiching County and at-large members from any of the seven Arrowhead region counties.
For more information on becoming an ARAC board member and how to apply, click here.
ARAC Organizational Grants Awarded
The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council awarded a total of $93,840 in two-year operating support grants in January. There were eight organizations awarded out of 11 applicants. The program awards up to $12,000 over a two-year period to established nonprofit regional arts organizations to maintain their ongoing operating needs and services. The following is a list of organizations granted:
- County Seat Theatre, Cloquet
- Lake Superior Community Theatre, Silvery Bay
- Matinee Musicale, Duluth
- Mesabi Symphony Orchestra, Virginia
- Nordic Center, Duluth
- North Shore Music Association, Grand Marais
- Northern Lights Music Festival, Inc., Aurora
- Twin Ports Wind Ensemble, Duluth
ARAC also awarded a total of $39,090 in rural and community art project grants. There were nine organizations awarded out of 10 applicants. The program provides grants up to $5,000 to nonprofit, regional arts groups to support community- or artist-initiated arts activities that will affect the group and/or the community it serves. The following is a list of organizations granted:
- Chalk.a.Lot, Two Harbors
- Cook Area Chamber of Commerce, Cook
- Friends of B’nai Abraham, Virginia
- Good Harbor Hill Players, Grand Marais
- Grand Rapids Area Male Chorus, Grand Rapids
- Grand Rapids Players, Grand Rapids
- Great River String Ensemble, Aitkin
- Itasca Choral Society/Itasca Community Chorus, Grand Rapids
- Minnesota State Old Time Fiddle Championships, Virginia
Duluth Album Releases in 2015
Moors & McCumber
Pandemonium
(Jan. 1)
Available on Bandcamp
Feeding LeRoy
Love is a Gamble EP
(Jan. 16)
Available on Bandcamp
Adam Sippola
Rising Point
(Jan. 24)
Single “How Do You Know” available on adamsippola.com
The Christopher David Hanson Band
For Another Year
(Jan. 26)
Available on iTunes
Four Mile Portage
Can’t Find Home
(Feb. 1)
Recorded by Eric Swanson at Sacred Heart Music Center
Available on Bandcamp
Electric buses, statewide bike plans and other transportation tidbits
The Duluth Transit Authority has been awarded a $6.3-million grant to purchase six electric buses and a fast-charge station. Duluth was considered an excellent test location for the development of electric vehicle technology because of its challenging cold weather and steep terrain.
The grant comes from the Federal Transit Administration‘s Low or No Emission Vehicle Deployment Program; the buses and charging station will come from Proterra, a South Carolina company that designs and manufactures zero-emission electric transit vehicles and systems.
The DTA was one of 10 grant applicants that will receive funding. A $1.1-million local share will bring the total project cost to $7.5 million.
The buses and charging station are expected to be available in 2016 and will be integrated into the DTA’s new Multimodal Transportation Center, which is under construction at Michigan Street and Third Avenue West and scheduled to open before the end of 2015.
In other transit news … (more…)
Steve O’Neil Apartments grand opening
That was then, this is now. The photo on the left is the old Union Block in 2010; the photo at right is Steve O’Neil Apartments today. (Apologies for not shooting from the same angle for this before/after comparison.)
A ribbon-cutting and grand opening was held today at the new 44-unit complex located at 115 W. Fourth St. in the Central Hillside. The apartments are providing supportive housing for families that have experienced long-term homelessness. it is operated by Chum, which provides 24-hour supportive services to those living in the facility. (more…)
Where in Duluth? #123
Time for another installment of Perfect Duluth Day’s ultra-thrilling photo-trivia sensation. Where in Duluth was this shot taken?
Blind Tigers, Zombie Robots, karaoke, acoustic guitar, trees in the dark
Tracing backward … (more…)
Seeking Homegrown Photographs
The Duluth Homegrown Music Festival is seeking 2014 festival photographs for inclusion in this year’s Homegrown Field Guide.
DVDs / thumb drives preferred. These will be for print, so they need to be large / high-quality.
Photographs of people and festivities and the spirit of Homegrown are much desired over a dude on stage with a guitar mid-guitaring with a guitar face.
To make arrangements, please contact adam [at] duluthhomegrown [dot] com. Thank you, fans!
Electric Snail: Fake Duluth Tour
Lucas, Andrew, Jack, Barrett and Non-lake-effect Jesse ski Spirit Mountain, Chester Bowl and Mont du Lac.
This Week: theater, rug-cutting, Russian axework and more
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
Tons of new theater and dance is going up in this first week of February 2015. The kids’ show Go, Dog. Go! opens at Marshall Performing Arts Center, Murder Ballad gets underway at Teatro Zuccone, the Celebrity Dance Challenge returns, Beyond Ballroom hits Mitchell Auditorium and 1959 Pink Thunderbird is in the St. Scholastica Theatre.
As if that wasn’t enough, how about the Randy Lee Ensemble playing Getz/Gilberto, the latest of the Tweed Museum’s Tweevenings, Russian romantic guitar music at the Mitchell or the Duluth Dolls doing their thing at Sacred Heart?
Perfect Play or Musical of 2014: Renegade’s Red
It was close, and it has to be considered an upset. Renegade Theater Company’s two-character biographical play, Red, staged in the roughly 100-seat Teatro Zuccone theater, was the winner in Perfect Duluth Day’s poll to name the best play or musical of 2014. It edged out the Duluth Playhouse’s centennial-marking, big-budget musical production of Les Misérables, which was staged in the 2,200-seat Symphony Hall at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center.
Where in Duluth?
Ok, this actually isn’t in Duluth, but I saw these today. And it’s pretty close to Duluth.
Seeing these was surprisingly moving for me and gave me an opportunity to consider all of my relationships and re-evaluate my life direction. And, I mean that in a good way. Actually, what I mean is that compliments are so free, and pleasant, and often inspiring, and life-affirming and I don’t give them out enough. This was a great reminder and I hope the idea spreads.
I didn’t notice this until I uploaded the pictures, but the bulletin board message credits kindovermatter.com so these may be appearing elsewhere as well. Perhaps we’re on the edge of a movement.
Cool Duluth Minnesota: Summer City of the Continent
This little item was recently unearthed by Michael J. Martens of Portland, Ore., and sent PDD’s way via Jess Koski. (more…)
Selective Focus: Hypercaffeinated
Hugh Reitan, untitled
Interpretations of our theme ran the gamut this week from loose to literal, from graphical to perfectly-banal. However, Hugh Reitan’s hyperkinetic take was irresistible as a feature photo (regardless whether caffeine, or pure glee was the stimulant responsible). Based on some tales swapped at Tycoon’s, next week’s theme will be “capers” (no, not the pickled flowers- stunts, escapades, pranks). (more…)
High School Hockey on Local Radio
Yes, I’m a sports fan, I enjoy ice hockey, and I go to the state high school tournament often. Now time for the whining. Why are two local sports stations broadcasting the same high school hockey game live (e.g., Jan. 29)? This is not the first time. Both 560 and 1490 have it and 1490 is the “home of the Minnesota Wild” in these parts. The Wild have a game this evening, which would be on 1490, that I assume will be preempted or joined in progress. One station for the high school game tonight is enough. My suggestion: Trade off or put Wild game on another station owned by whatever radio group. Looking forward to reading comments and other views on this situation.
Duluth Childcare Recommendations
I seem to be getting much closer to securing the ever-elusive employment (in my career field) in Duluth and I am just so excited. (Hopefully, I haven’t just jinxed myself!)
My next hurdle will be finding and securing childcare for my toddler. I’m hoping that someone here can recommend a few places or at least point me in the right direction (besides Google). I’m interested in, and open to, options such as structured/educational in-home care and the traditional childcare center. References required, obviously, as well as certification.
I appreciate the help!
Curiosity
Chuck Ilenda’s workshop in Duluth is the scene in this video by Level Visuals, inspired by a quote from William Faulkner.
History Mystery: Point of Rocks
Across from the M&H gas station at Point of Rocks Park, there is a gap in the rocks, a ravine, for which in the past appeared to have many buildings around it. Was this the location of Duluth’s Little Italy? It seems like it may have been. The big question, however, is what is with the ravine there? It seems to be man made, and almost as if they were attempting to continue Superior Street, as it lines up near perfectly. The buildings slowly disappear over the decades, until they all seem to be gone by 1989. Was this ravine an attempt to continue Superior Street, or was there some other reason for it? It’s been fascinating me for some time. (I’ve included links to historical aerial photos of the area). (more…)
Poll: Best Play or Musical of 2014 (Final Ballot)
From the list of 18 nominated plays or musicals from last year, our previous poll trimmed it down to the final two. Now it’s time to ask, once and for all …
[poll id=”79″]
This poll is now closed. The results were:
Renegade Theater Company’s Red – 51.1 percent
Duluth Playhouse’s Les Misérables – 48.9 percent
John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon 2015 Video
The PDD drone, piloted by Cory Fechner (liftoffaerials.com) was at the start of the 2015 John Beargrease Sled Dog marathon yesterday to shoot aerial footage. There were other drones at the starting line so we ventured out into the woods to capture the mushers a quarter-mile into the race.
Music: “Guit. Ditty” by Hattie Peterson from Twenty3 Years Into 4teen Songs.
This Week: films, Fiascos, Fever Dream and more
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
WDSE’s The Playlist is taping musical performances at Lutsen (where The Pines and Dead Man Winter will also play later in the week), Go, Dog. Go! is at the Mount Royal Library, short films about water are being screened at UWS and The Turn of the Screw opens at the Duluth Playhouse.
The Homegrown Festival’s Winter Fiasco goes down at three local venues, the 1959 Winter Dance Party tour is celebrated at Sacred Heart (while the 1980s and ’90s get a tribute at the Red Star), Hippo Campus and Fever Dream kick it at the Red Herring and there’s stand-up comedy at Dubh Linn.
Any way you slice it, there’s plenty afoot in this last week of January.
Bobby Aro: King of the Great Northwoods
WDSE-TV presents this one-hour documentary on Bobby Aro, the famed 1950-90s Northern Minnesota disc jockey, singer/songwriter and entertainer who put St. Louis County’s Highway 7 on the map. Aro’s Finn-glish novelty songs are well known throughout the Finish communities of the United States and Canada.