Music
Perfect Outdoor Concert Venue: Bayfront Festival Park
Duluthians aren’t shy about loving Bayfront Park. Asked in PDD’s poll to name the best outdoor concert venue, 71.5 percent gave their nod to the 10-acre harbor-side multi-purpose park that has hosted Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Trampled by Turtles, Wilco, the Monkees, the Doobie Brothers, Willie Nelson, Steve Martin, nearly three decades of Bayfront Blues Festivals and a long list of others.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune also named Bayfront the state’s “Best Outdoor Music Venue” in 2014, noting: “It has the Aerial Lift Bridge, hilly city skyline and occasional passing ore boat for a backdrop, the cool breeze off Lake Superior for natural air-conditioning and a huge grassy lawn for stretching out. … Coolest of all: Families can bring kids under 12 to shows for free, as is dictated by the city.” (more…)
Poll: What is the best outdoor concert venue in the Duluth area?
What is the best outdoor concert venue in the Duluth area? It’s is an all-things-considered poll — acoustics, aesthetics, parking, lavatories, etc.
Note: This is PDD’s first runoff poll, which means instead of having an elimination round and a final round of voting, the options with the fewest votes will simply start dropping off of this poll. So check back, because if you vote for something and it drops off the list, you can vote again for one of the remaining options until we have a winner.
This poll is now closed. The results were:
Bayfront Festival Park — 71.5 percent
Big Top Chautauqua — 19 percent
Leif Erikson Park — 9.5 percent
Eliminated during run-off vote: Barker’s Island Pavilion, Billings Park, Chester Bowl, DeWitt-Seitz parking lot, First Street, Glensheen Mansion Pier, Lake Place Park, Lake Superior Plaza, Lincoln Park Pavilion, Lucius Woods Performing Arts Center, Northwest Iron parking lot and Wade Municipal Stadium.
Agassiz Oscillation Ensemble – Workplace Democracy
Workplace Democracy, the debut album by Duluth’s own Agassiz Oscillation Ensemble, is now available for pre-order from Chicago label 1980 Records.
What is the best place for outdoor concerts in the Duluth area?
It’s been a while since we’ve done a poll on PDD, and this post leads us into the next one. Before we publish a ballot on Saturday, we have to ask the question and make sure we aren’t missing any good nominees.
What is the best place for outdoor concerts in the Duluth area?
Barker’s Island Pavilion
Bayfront Festival Park
Big Top Chautauqua
Billings Park
Chester Bowl
Glensheen Mansion Pier
Lake Place Park
Leif Erikson Park
Lucius Woods Performing Arts Center
Anything else that should be on the ballot?
Sarah Morris – “You Still Have Me”
Minneapolis’ Sarah Morris shares the bill with Duluth’s Rachael Kilgour at the Red Star Lounge on Friday, July 17, 10 p.m.
Three Tunes for Five String Banjo by Kyle Ollah
Kyle Ollah plays at 10 p.m. every Wednesday night at Fitger’s Brewhouse.
Max Dvorak – “Honey”
Max Dvorak is a Madison native living in Boston and touring the United States and Canada this summer. He plays the Redstar on Saturday night, July 11.
Low song “No Comprende” from upcoming album Ones and Sixes
Ones and Sixes, the new album by Duluth band Low, is scheduled for worldwide release on Sept. 11.
Stereogum previews the album:
A Low Profile: Alan Sparhawk & Mimi Parker on their new album Ones And Sixes (more…)
Agassiz Oscillation Ensemble – “Shoulders in Heavy”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7PIFvvV7DM
Cinematography – Allen Killian-Moore
“Shoulders in Heavy” is a selected portion from side A of the forthcoming Agassiz Oscillation Ensemble album Workplace Democracy, to be released on Chicago-based 1980 Records in July.
Charlie Parr’s Stumpjumper Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW5pT89lgys
Phil Cook, producer of Charlie Parr’s new album Stumpjumper, narrates this video that follows Parr from the North Shores of Duluth to the hills of North Carolina. The footage was shot by Cook, Maxwell McGruder and Adam Heathcott.
The Keep Aways at Tom’s Burned Down Café
.. and then the woman with the green hair appears.
The Hoot Owls – “Flippin’ Bird”
Duluth band the Hoot Owls released this song in 2007 on the album Alien Scrapyard. Now a delightful video has emerged.
Perfect Duluth Day Outdoor Summer Concert Primer 2015
Summer will soon be upon us, and with summer comes live music galore. Venues like Bayfront Festival Park and Big Top Chautauqua host major touring acts throughout summer, along with a number of smaller summer concert series put on by Lucius Woods Performing Arts Center, Bayside Sounds, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College and Chester Creek Concert Series. There are also a handful of weekend festivals around the region, from Sturgeon Lake on over to Rhinelander and Cadotte. Here’s a look at some of the summer 2015 highlights.
June 9
The Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank
Chester Bowl Park
The Chester Creek Concert Series continues with brothers Ian and Teague Alexy playing songs from their new album American Shuffle.
June 12
Hip Hop Fest SJ1
Embassy Bar
A weekend long hip-hop festival will take place in Sturgeon Lake, with artists such as Prof, Rittz, Twista and Mystikal performing throughout the weekend. On-site camping is available.
June 13
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Big Top Chautauqua
Michael Franti & Spearhead hits the stage under the Big Top with hits such as “The Sound of Sunshine” and “Say Hey (I Love You).”
June 19
Grandma’s Marathon Big Top Opening Night
Canal Park
County band Gloriana comes to Duluth to kick-off opening night of Grandma’s Marathon weekend. Fellow country act Hitchville is also on the bill.
Rich Mattson and the Northstars album out
Youa Vang has the story for City Pages: Rich Mattson & the Northstars channel Iron Range on new LP
Here is the iTunes link and the CD Baby link for the album.
Duluth release party is Friday, June 5, at the Red Herring.
Here is the link to PDD’s list of local albums released in 2015.
The Farsights – “Heaven” (Live at Homegrown)
Duluth band The Farsights perform at Tycoons Alehouse during the 2015 Homegrown Music Festival in this clip from the May 21 episode of WDSE-TV’s The PlayList.
Feeding LeRoy – “Telluride Song” (Live on The PlayList)
Duluth band Feeding LeRoy performs a song from the Love is a Gamble EP on the May 21 episode of WDSE-TV’s The PlayList.
Mary Bue – “Cheribum”
New video by Mary Bue from her recent album, Holy Bones.
Charlie Parr: guitar virtuoso, friend, barefoot prophet
Charlie Parr is one of the most unusual and fascinating individuals I’ve ever met. He has lived in my neighborhood for years, but for some reason I hadn’t summoned the courage required to knock on his door until only recently. Finding him to be as accessible as an open book, I unexpectedly encountered a kindred spirit while making a friend. I don’t come across many kindred spirits, so this is worth writing home about.
Read more about this fascinating, one-of-a-kind soul here.
Adam Booker – “Unraveled Rival” (Live on The PlayList)
Duluth jazz bassist Adam Booker performs a track from his new album Unraveled Rival on the May 14 episode of WDSE-TV’s The PlayList. Booker’s band features Ryan Frane on keyboard, Tim Stratioti on trombone and Ben Ophoven-Baldwin on drums.
Monster Mob – Human Centipede
Duluth punk band Monster Mob has announced it will accept donations for Safe Haven Shelter at all of its shows in 2015. Upcoming gigs are May 22 at Sclavi’s Italian Restaurant and May 30 at the Red Star Lounge.
The band released its debut EP in March.
Homegrown 2015 Slideshow Retrospective
View the full set of 124 images from Homegrown 2015 on Flickr. (more…)