Music
Selective Focus: Homegrown 2023 Opening Ceremonies
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130 likes, 0 comments - dhgmf on April 30, 2023: "UPDATE: everything is free today!
**^DAY ONE***
Happy Homegrown! It’s day one and here’s what you need to know:
- The dress up theme today is “wear your old Homegrown shirts or a band merch shirt.”
- The children’s showcase is ON for 11:15-3pm at @dovetailcafeandmarketplace featuring a ventriloquist, one man band, monkey man, a high school pep band and more. Bring the whole family down!
- Every year there are scheduling changes. Always check the website for the most up to date schedule.
- It’s time to get your wristband! Our hard working volunteers are ready to take your money and give you the best piece of “jewelry” you’ll wear all week. We take cash and Venmo. If you don’t have Venmo, please hit up an ATM on the way over to a venue.
- If you see someone in a red Homegrown jacket, feel free to stop them and ask any questions. The Steering Committee members are ready to help you.
#hgmf23".
instagram.com
Select Instagram images from opening day of the Homegrown Music Festival. (more…)
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. (more…)
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. (more…)
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. (more…)
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
Duluth musician, therapist and activist Diona Johnson dies at 35 - Duluth News Tribune | News, weather, and sports from Duluth, Minnesota
Well known as the leader of AfroGeode and the Gemstones, Johnson was a clinical therapist and a vocal advocate for Duluth's Black and LGBTQ communities.
duluthnewstribune.com
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. (more…)
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. (more…)
Steve Solkela’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.
Superior Siren – “Love Poem”
Laura Sellner of Superior Siren directs this new music video, produced by Illy Killy with cinematography by Chris Linder. The video was shot in Duluth at the Oliver G. Traphagen House and Jade Fountain Cocktail Lounge.
The song “Love Poem” is from the 2021 solo EP Kill Your Darlings.
Video Archive: Charlie Parr and Haley in 2002
By the power of grainy 20-year-old VHS, embedded above are performances by Charlie Parr and Haley from the short-lived WDSE-TV program Coffee House. The premiere episode featured three songs by each artist and aired March 12, 2003; the segment here contains just one each, and is from a sampler of the show that aired a week earlier. The footage was shot in 2002.
Gaelynn Lea’s video from Microsoft’s 2023 Ability Summit
Duluth’s Gaelynn Lea provided the opening keynote yesterday to Microsoft’s 2023 Ability Summit. Her video included a performance of the song “Watch the World Unfold.”
Al Church – “Into the Willows”
Duluth native Al Church has a new album, Party Sounds (From Another Room), due out March 18. The record is about post-pandemic socializing. “Into the Willows” is the first single.
The band features Mike Gunvalson on drums, Ryan “The Ripper” Rupprecht on keys, Izzy Cruz on vocals and percussion, Pete “The Boy” Lavoie on sax, and Evan Foxphace on bass.
R.I.P. Dave Hill
Legendary sound designer Dave Hill passed away recently. Driving by his humble-looking shop/studio in the East End of Superior, few would guess that an electronics genius was in there designing high-end audio equipment and selling it to the stars. More at fohonline.com.
JamesG – “Clingy”
Former Duluthian James Geisler, aka hip-hop artist JamesG, breaks out the plastic wrap and heads to the beach in his new music video.
Duluth Central High School 1975 Concert LP with Clark Terry
I picked up a box of LPs at a local estate sale a couple years ago. I was just going through them more closely and thought I would share this one. It’s a concert recording of the Central High School Jazz Ensemble with jazz great Clark Terry, recorded at Central High Auditorium on March 13, 1975. (more…)
The Slamming Doors – “Goddamn Duluth”
Last April the Current released the eighth edition of its Sounds Like Home virtual festival series, which featured artists from greater Minnesota. Duluth band the Slamming Doors performed a Duluth Song during its set, embedded above.
Torment – “Swallow Your Teeth” (Live at Pizza Lucé)
Duluth band Torment performed a sold out show at Pizza Lucé with By the Thousands and three other acts on Saturday. Above, the band plays the title track from its recently released album Swallow Your Teeth.