Music
Women Musicians in Homegrown
Did anyone notice the low number of female performers at the Homegrown Music Festival this year? I did. There seemed to be about eight male performers for every one female. If you don’t want to count just look at the steering committee, it’s pretty representative of the entire festival. There are a few wonderful women and a bunch of men.
The ladies are around performing with a variety of styles unique to themselves and Homegrown! They may be harder to find in that giant Homegrown Field Guide, but if you looked closely you’d find some on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, not peak days. Often these women have to be underground, persistent or be extra bad ass, which they are, to get noticed. They often try harder and get less recognition.
I don’t want to start a fight, maybe just a good discussion, I’m just saying we noticed.
Best Homegrown Surprise
Ultra Day at Amazing Grace. I didn’t know what to expect from a band with punk-rock roots at the Grace, but these guys were good! They matched their sound and volume to fit the venue, and even did a couple a cappella numbers.
Homegrown Art
As usual, the Homegrown Music Festival has generated huge quantities of buzz, and remains a real showcase for what’s happening in the Northland. I was especially interested in the Homegrown arts facet, caught every opening and even the Lake Superior College opening that was not part of Homegrown … and a little music as well. So much to see and not enough time to write about it all. I did sum up my Friday and Saturday evenings this morning on my blog at Ennyman’s Territory.
Kudos to all organizers, volunteers, bands, and artists who once again made this a very special week for the Twin Ports community.
Patron of the arts enjoying a set of images at Prove Gallery Saturday night.
Who won Homegrown 2012?
This poll is now closed. The results were:
Bratwurst – 13.6 percent
Gallus – 9.6 percent
Tangier 57 – 7.2 percent
The Blasphemists – 5.6 percent
The Surfactants – 3.8 percent
Big Wave Dave & the Ripples – 3.1 percent
The Keep Aways – 2.9 percent
Dead Guys – 2.9 percent
Sexhawk – 2.4 percent
Various other bands – 48.9 percent
Homegrown 2012 Memories
Huge thanks to Walt Dizzo, the steering committee, all the volunteers, and the artists for making the 2012 version of Homegrown one of the best. Now, for the sake of recording history, please post your favorite moments from the week – the best shows, the best overheard comments, the most memorable moments…
Teague Alexy – “Riding on a Ferris Wheel”
New video from Teague’s brand new album This Dance.
Kickball of the Living Dead
The 2012 Homegrown Kickball Classic has already been referred to as the “most pathetic in Homegrown history,” and if you were there you would know this as fact. There were beer bongs. There was a full-body chicken suit. There were children who may or may not have been scarred for life. Through it all, Saturday’s team came through with a 6-4 victory, but it wasn’t pretty.
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Homegrown 2012 Photo Retrospective
View the full set of 226 images from Homegrown 2012 on Flickr. (more…)
Homegrown Origin Mythology (part 1 of 3)
Our story begins in the year of our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety eight, A.D. in a city built upon a hill, overlooking the greatest of the Great Lakes, the Zenith City of the Unsalted Seas – Duluth!
For those too young to recall, these were dark days in our fair city. The musical landscape was largely barren – a virtual wasteland of yellow beer and cover bands. A dark cloud hung perpetually heavy upon the arts community. A fog of pessimism and oppression obscured the vision of what this city could offer and whispered a sinister, “move to Minneapolis.”
In this darkest hour, a small group of rebels were desperately fighting to establish a foothold for original live music and authentic culture. One dark and dreary night they gathered at Enger Tower. Among the rag-tag group of rebels – Bacigalupo, Monroe, Lindquist, Brewhouse Boys, The SparHawk, and Rick Boo.
Retribution Gospel Choir – “Maharisha”
New Retribution Gospel Choir video by Dan Dresser.
Homegrown at Clyde Iron Works Log
11:15 a.m. – Contrary to rumors, there is no sign of campers at Clyde. (Via: Christa Lawler @DNTAnE) (more…)
Bill Meier — “Katelyn”
Video by Tomas Soderberg, with Erin McConnell, Max Moen, Talia and Morgan Martens and Doug Odlevak.
The Little Black Books – “Kozy”
Director and editor: Joshua Carlon
Director of photography: Chris Hadland
Sarah Krueger download special
Homegrown Week Special: Download my latest full-length album for $4.99 this week, because I love you. Get it, share it, get out and support local music this week, and all year, and forever and ever amen. Pass it on!
The People Say Fox — “The Whaler’s Line”
Homegrown Music Video Festival entry by Emily Norton.
Two new albums from Dirty Knobs
Hello. I released two new albums today. I am so sorry.
You could call them “dark-ambient.” “Electro.” “Drone.” “Doom.” “Soundscape.” “Experimental.” Together they are almost six hours long. Listening to them will probably feel much, much longer. Ug.
You can listen to all of it for free. $1 each to buy them. That’s not very much, but probably enough.
I hope to release four more albums this year. They will not be anything like these. Thank god.
Calling All Community Builders
With a creative answer to the questions below (not actually required), not-for-profit organizations pay nothing to promote themselves and connect with people at this year’s Twin Ports Bridge Festival. And the admission is free for a member of the organization to staff the booth! Since vendors and exhibitors are located in the concert bowl with a view of the main stage, this means a free Jayhawks concert plus a full day of music from other great bands along with community yoga, inspiration and fun for the whole family — all while spreading the good word about the organization.
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The Surfactants — “Aussenseiter”
My son and I put this together at the last minute. As a result, it didn’t get shown at Zinema 2 last night during the Homegrown Music Video Festival and it won’t be shown at during the encore tonight … however, you can see it on Sunday at Chester Creek Cafe and you can watch the hell out of it on the web. Thanks to Annie Dugan for organizing another great event!
Aaron Gall and the Likely Story – “White Boy Drunk”
This is Eric Dubnicka and Jessica Hall’s contribution to the Homegrown Music Video Festival. There is an encore presentation of the video festival Tuesday night at Teatro Zuccone and a double encore on Sunday at Chester Creek Cafe.
Homegrown 2012 on KUMD
It’s a busy Homegrown week on KUMD, 103.3. We’ll have Homegrown bands Live from Studio A every day, a four-band blitz on the Local Wednesday at 5, and a Local Music Download of the Day on our website. Find all the details at kumd.org.
Dear Homegrown Diary
Sunday:
The mayor was late at Tycoons but, given his pre-proclamation speech involving the real/made-up story of Homegrown, which may or may not involve a story of fire-ring elves, makes sense and is forgiven.
Mr. Ness went on to win the Homegrown Pub Quiz at Carmody, leading to a who’s-who of wearing the chicken hat. Devon yelled well, and everyone got a prize.
For this old slag, the Repo Man-style back at Tycoons was worth an open-eyed listen after so many hemp-inspired ales.
There was much talk of slipping over to Luce, or back to Carmody. I’m sure readers can fill in.
Safe to say, it was a rowdy first night, leaving one to wonder if we all can hold out. I save my strength, it looks like Monday is here.
Homegrown 2012 Resource Rundown
Today, ladies and gents, marks Day One of Homegrown: The Apocalypse. Homegrown banners are in rotation here at PDD, and you can still submit new ones if you’re so inclined. (more…)
Homegrown Band Count, 1999 to 2012
“Ten bands, then 25, then 40 and 50. It would be nice to see it plotted out.” — Homegrown Music Festival founder Scott Lunt in today’s Duluth News Tribune
Here it is, plotted out:
