Music
Tin Can Gin — “Coming Home”
Tin Can Gin has been playing around the Duluth area for 3 years. They’re heading back to Sacred Heart Music Center this weekend to record their second album, Coming Home. The band could use support in funding the album and has set up a Kickstarter page. There are some great incentives, so follow the link and see how you can help.
“Tin Can Gin is happy, heart warming, fun, and playful with a steady bass beat to anchor the banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and guitar in their fast paced melodies. Their unique North Shore flavor permeates every song, just like their lightheartedness.” — Destination Duluth
Video: Charlie Parr Live at the Paramount Theatre in Austin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6kFgXnT4ew
KSMQ, the public television station for southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, captured Duluth musician Charlie Parr performing a concert in his hometown of Austin, Minn. last month. Next Thursday Parr performs in Duluth with Alan Sparhawk at Sacred Heart Music Center.
Duluth Homegrown: Classical Music Registration
Now opening submissions for the newest showcase of Duluth Homegrown: Classical Music! Open to all classical musicians, from Bach to Bartók, soloist to chamber group. Do you sing an aria from your favorite opera, or have this quartet piece you’ve been dying to perform? We want to hear from you! You have until Dec. 15 to submit your information. Performance time for this showcase is Saturday, May 2 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart. Any questions, please contact us at classical@duluthhomegrown.org. For submissions, go to duluthhomegrown.org/classical-registration.
Dad’s Acid – “We Fucking Love You”
New video by Duluth band Dad’s Acid, featuring TV Land footage of all the heroes and villains of Gotham.
The Fabulous D-Bags, live in Pete’s garage
Halloween night mayhem.
Video Archive: Low – “Fear”
Ten years ago Starfire posted this video he made for the Low song “Fear,” from the 1994 album I Could Live in Hope. The video was produced as part of the Crash Ballet Contest put on by Coudal Partners, a design, advertising and interactive studio in Chicago. Participants were asked to edit original NASA footage to music. Starfire’s video was named a runner up in the contest.
Aerial Tour of Fall on the North Shore of Lake Superior
Aerial Footage by Liftoff Aerials. Music by Sarah Krueger.
Charlie Parr music in “Town of the Living Dead” TV show trailer
The song “Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down” by Duluth musician Charlie Parr is prominently featured in this trailer for the new TV series Town of the Living Dead, which premieres Oct. 7 on the Syfy cable network.
Robert Plant and Mike Simonson
Hey Duluth. It’s been awhile.
Two radio-related things happened today I heard here in Madison and thought you might be interested in.
1) Robert Plant gave a nod to Duluth’s own Low in a CBC interview on their show Q (it’s towards the end).
2) WPR announced the death of Mike Simonson, a journalist for whom I have the utmost respect and enjoyed hearing on the statewide news whenever his stories showed up. He cared about reporting what needed to be reported and unpacking the news in a very authentic way. Looks like Final Edition has had its final edition. He’ll be greatly missed.
Fred Tyson – “Free Man”
Sometimes larger creative projects beget smaller ones. Here is one such instance. Submitted for your viewing pleasure, a music video for Fred Tyson’s “Free Man,” captured on a cross-country road trip while shooting for the feature film Half Super. What’s captured in the tag at the end can only be explained as the late-night result of three guys punch-drunk from a dozen days together in a small car. Enjoy.
Oh, and Fred has no idea about this. So happy birthday, Fred! What?? It’s not Fred’s birthday you say? Nonsense, every day is your birthday when you’re Fred Tyson!
Fever Dream – “I Give Up”
New album Hey, What’s Up is out now on cassette.
Wood Blind’s Veikko Lepisto, back in the day
Duluth band Wood Blind plays Sept. 25 at Beaner’s during the week-long “One Week Live” celebration. We dug into the shallow end of the PDD archives and dusted off this Royal Crown Revue video circa 1997, which features Wood Blind bassist Veikko Lepisto doing his thing with the old crew.
Lepisto was born in Duluth and studied bass with Billy Barnard at UMD. He lived in Los Angeles during most of his music career, but has been back in Duluth for over a year.
Adam Sippola launches Kickstarter for live looping album
Adam Sippola will be live looping it up at the Red Herring Lounge on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. There will be food, drinks at the bar, of course, and sounds provided by Sippola.
The purpose of the Kickstarter is to gather support and raise funding to record a live looping album at Sacred Heart Music Center during the fall and winter, and to create an album release concert event, also at Sacred Heart.
Driving Away with Bone Appetit
The band Bone Appetit rests between a parody and an homage to 1980s hair metal. Ahead of the reunion show Saturday at R.T. Quinlan’s, members Ryan Van Slooten and Cory Ahlm discussed the band’s signature song, “Drive Away,” while Tony Bennett of Cars & Trucks and Alan Sparhawk of Low share their thoughts on Bone Appetit’s place in Duluth music history.
Homegrown Steering Committee Openings
The Homegrown Music Festival is looking to add new members to the Homegrown Steering Committee – the nonprofit committee responsible for the nuts and bolts of the eight-day festival. Ideal candidates have a love of local music and our community, and an eager commitment to continuing to improve the 16-year celebration of local music and culture. Committee terms are two years, with the opportunity to renew.
Deadline for application is Friday, Sept. 26.
The Kid and Nic Show – “Little Darlin”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYhoAoJSTUg
A little doo wop on Duluth’s hillside, performed by the Kid and Nic Show.
Venus DeMars embraces Sacred Heart
Venus DeMars has been busy. After finishing a national your with Against Me!, DeMars returns to her hometown on Saturday for a concert at Sacred Heart, where she will record her first acoustic album. In this interview, she explains how her new album will be a culmination of her musical experiences.
Preston Gunderson with Jillian Rae – “Night”
Video by Peter Jamus and David Kasyanyuk
Shot at East Medicine Lake, Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles — all near Minneapolis
Actors: Laura Blak and Vinny Balbo
Preston Gunderson is a singer/songwriter from the Iron Range. His album While I was Gone cracked the top 200 on the iTunes pop charts, and his EP The Recluse peaked at no. 25 on the iTunes Singer Songwriter Music Chart. He was a casting finalist on NBCs The Voice, but did not appear on the TV show. He was also named the 2014 Bob Dylan Singer-Songwriter Grand Champion during Dylan Days.
Jillian Rae is known in Duluth for her days lending fiddle skills to the band Two Many Banjos. She performs solo shows and in a number of bands in Minnesota.
Trap God featuring Lil Mikee – “Dumpin Back”
I’m interested in hearing comments about this music video shot in Duluth. Do you think it portrays our city fairly? Does it make you want to visit Duluth? What do you think?
Chris Belich – “Stars”
Duluth’s Chris Belich plays a mean steel pan.
Record Stores on Highway 53: Deaf Ear Records in La Crosse
Manager Tina Melvin describes how Deaf Ear Records became a landmark in La Crosse’s downtown, and how collecting records can fill a void in a person’s life.
Fun Fact: Deaf Ear’s best-selling used record is the same as Revival Records in Eau Claire’s best-selling used record — Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours.
Part One: Vinyl Cave in Superior
Part Two: Revival Records in Eau Claire
Deaf Ear Records
112 Fourth St. S.
La Crosse WI 54601
608-782-7829
Record Stores on Highway 53: Revival Records in Eau Claire
Owner Billy Siegel opens up about how Revival Records started with liquidating his personal record collection. He mentions how selling the collection allowed the store to become an integral part of Eau Claire’s music scene.
Fun Fact: Revival Records’ best selling used record is Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours.
Part One: Vinyl Cave in Superior
Part Three: Deaf Ear Records in La Crosse
Revival Records
128 S. Barstow St.
Eau Claire WI 54701
715-514-4202