Music
The Little Black Books – “Buffalo Pit”
Former Duluthian Mark Lindquist has been busy in his basement in Baxter. A five-track EP by his one-man band the Little Black Books titled The Don’ts has been showing up in the mailboxes of some of Lindquist’s Duluth friends. It bears the famous Shaky Ray Records label, founded in 1995 on Duluth’s East Hillside. “Buffalo Pit” is the second track on the new EP.
Rachael Kilgour – “Rabbit in the Road”
Rachael Kilgour performed in KUMD’s Studio A this week in support of her upcoming album, Rabbit in the Road and her Sept. 11 performance at Sacred Heart music Center.
Charlie Parr – “Moonshiner”
An intimate performance by Duluth’s Charlie Parr for the Blue Chair Chronicles.
Jeremy Schwarze – “Duluth”
A new music video … clearly shot many months ago … that … just speaks for itself. Directed by Brad Lester.
Three of Kip’s Dumps
Above is Kip Praslowicz‘s latest memory-card dump video, a retrospective of his life in Duluth (largely spent at local music clubs) during the wet hot summer — July 1 to Aug. 9.
Kip’s dumps have been happening more frequently than we can keep up with at PDD. Below are his two previous dumps, spanning June 3 to July 1 and March 16 to June 3 (minus the Homegrown Music Festival, which was on a separate memory card. (more…)
Reflectivore – “7 77/March”
Director/DP: Kjell Kvanbeck
Written by: Allen Cragin, Ryan Rusch and Kjell Kvanbeck
“7 77/March” is the second collaboration between Reflectivore and True Norse Films. The first, “Red Looking Glass,” was released in December.
Kiss Meets the Phantom of Duluth
Kiss performed at Amsoil Arena in Duluth on Aug. 3, and … well, if you didn’t go, there are all sorts of videos shot by a guy named Tom. If you did go, and you didn’t care much for it, well, Paul Stanley thinks you are a miserable asshole.
Basement cacophony from Duluth’s Litterbox
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]
A “lightly edited, haphazardly shot little banger video” by Gags Gaglione from a July 29 basement show in Duluth featuring Pale in Comparison, Cat Fantasy, Trinity Test and Bonefire.
Bring the Sing Duluth – “Draw the Circle Wide”
Footage from MPR Classical’s “Bring the Sing” mass choral singing event held in April.
Lake Superior Magazine’s interview with Paul Shaffer
Thunder Bay native Paul Shaffer is bringing his “Late Show” band to perform in the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium on Oct. 7 to mark the concert hall’s 30th anniversary. Lake Superior Magazine’s Bob Berg scored an interview for the magazine’s Aug/Sept issue.
The audio embed is a slow loader, so it appears after the jump.
(more…)Charlie Parr – “Remember Me If I Forget”
This video is from a Skype session recorded during last summer’s Frendly Gathering festival in Vermont. In an interview at the end, Parr references the famous Proctor La-Z Boy DWI incident.
Upcoming gig: Parr plays on the pier at Glensheen Mansion on July 27.
On tap at Bayfront: a plethora of craft beer
Duluth’s beeriest festival, All Pints North, is coming up on Saturday. Organized by the Minnesota Craft Brewer’s Guild, the tasting extravaganza at Bayfront Festival Park will include more than 120 breweries.
All Pints North began in 2012 and has mushroomed each successive year. In 2015, an estimated 3,500 people attended. The beer fest primarily highlights the guild’s roughly 100 members, but some national breweries participate as well. (more…)
Kristy Marie – “Bernie Forever”
New video by Duluth’s Kristy Marie, in support of Bernie Sanders for President. Featuring instrumentation by Marc Gartman and Rich Mattson.
Video premiere July 20 at the Red Herring with Useful Jenkins, Devil’s Flying Machine and Adam Faucett.
Pizzaghost – “Someone Died”
Noise rockers Pizzaghost performed in KUMD’s Studio A on June 9, just before the band went on hiatus.
Bob and Joan
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]
Bob mentions a couple of northland towns at the beginning of their first song.
Music Shopping in Duluth
I am drained; I just want to appreciate things today. It’s almost Sidewalk Days in Duluth. Makes me appreciate all I can walk to downtown. Today, I am gushing about music.
I was walking downtown enjoying the summer and stopped in to Electric Fetus. There, I picked up the new Jean Michel Jarre CD (a double-disc, actually), Electronica 1&2. On the set, Jarre collaborates with hip, exciting new artists I have never heard of, as well as Cyndi Lauper, Laurie Anderson, Edward Snowden, Edgar Froese, John Carpenter … an eclectic batch of voices. I look at the disc and see the Orb as a collaborator and realize the Orb is already “old school” to today’s music what my parents’ music was to me. The entire package is a reminder that I am (approaching) middle age. I said “approaching.”
But it also reminds me how lucky I am that the Electric Fetus is around. And it got me thinking hard about record stores in the Twin Ports. (more…)
Glen’s Neighbor – “Destiny”
Drummer Pat Byrne produced this video for Glen’s Neighbor, utilizing practice session footage and some Duluth scenery. The song is from the band’s debut album Behind the Door.
Kraig James – “Ode to Joan”
Kraig James & the Campfire Stars are releasing a new song each month in 2016 for a project called Campfire Americana: Volume 1. “Ode to Joan” is an original song; the video includes photos and statistics from the Alzheimer’s Association to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Northern Isolation II
The three-day Northern Isolation music and art festival returns to Duluth Aug. 19-21 for a second annual showcase of punk, metal and experimental acts. Along with plenty of local talent are several traveling bands like Lumpy & the Dumpers (from Missouri) and Happy Diving (from California).
“Northern Isolation is the product of my frustrations with the overbearing amount of conventional thinking, trends, and egotism in the world,” says promoter Dean Berlinerblau. “It’s a positively manifested ‘fuck you’ to the world’s expectations.”
The fest will be primarily comprised of shows at the Carter Building, a new skatepark, music venue and art gallery at 214-1/2 E. First St. off the alley behind the NorShor Theatre. There will also be two ambient shows in the Red Herring‘s basement Red Room, and two after-party shows at locations to be announced. An art show will be featured at the Carter during the fest and Duluth Coffee Company will be serving free coffee to keep attendees energized.
Tickets to Northern Isolation II can be found online or purchased at the door.
“Minnesota Moon” Album Cover Design Contest
Local musician Matt Ray plans to release his newest album Minnesota Moon this fall and is seeking help designing the album cover. Submit photos, paintings, drawings, etc. of your “Minnesota Moon” to matt @ mattray.org by July 1. Ray will select one image for the album cover. The winner will be awarded promotional posters, and Matt will probably throw in some CDs and swag as well.
The Aly Aleigha Band
Catholic singer/songwriter Aly Aleigha moved to Duluth after recording her first EP, Jealous Love, in 2015. She put together the Aly Aleigha Band for her performance at the 2016 Homegrown Music Festival at Superior’s Red Mug Coffeehouse, where Max Haben shot this video.
Upcoming gig: Aug. 8-12 during Camp Survive in McGregor
Shaunna Heckman – “Wandering Girl”
Shaunna Heckman performed her electronica music in KUMD‘s Studio A prior to her appearance at the Homegrown Music Festival last month.




