Music
Hillfest Seeks Buskers
Hillfest is seeking musicians/performers who would like to arrange to busk, stationed farther down the street from the stage area.
If you don’t already know, this is the second year of Hillfest and will happen on Saturday, Sept. 17. Buskers will be able to perform between 3 and 7 p.m. Content of performance is open but performers should be aware that families will be present and Hillfest reserves the right to pull the plug if warranted.
If you happen to be an interested party, please contact Briana at 218.340.6333.
The Blasphemists at Teatro Zuccone, Aug. 25
The Blasphemists are playing Teatro on Thursday, Aug. 25, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5.
The Blasphemists interbreed rock, gutter punk and trashcan blues to form a bombastic, if not occasionally unsettling, musical experience that will make you bob your head and gasp for air. They consist of Adam Sundberg, multi-instrumentalist Joshua Herbert and percussionist Steve Hamlin. Their live shows include smashing glass, clanging trashcans and the occasional John Cage piece.
New Tangier 57 album now available
Our long-awaited Tiki Odyssey is now available in multiple musical formats. 18 tracks of Northwoods Exotica. Download it immediately from Bandcamp, or wait a day or so for a CD. There’s a big box of them driving around Duluth in a UPS truck right now. We should have them tonight.
The Local (5-6 pm Wednesday) on KUMD will be playing some tracks and talking to someone from T57 this week.
Matt the Electrician at Amazing Grace
Matt the Electrician is coming all the way from Austin, TX to sing to us Duluthians. He has toured with Erin Mckeown and the Weepies, and apparently his uncle publishes the Duluth Shipping News.
Sunday, Aug. 21, 8 p.m., Amazing Grace. $10 suggested donation. matttheelectrician.com
Piano teacher has a studio!
Hi all! I posted earlier searching for students, before I actually had a place to teach. Since I am completely aware of how important proximity is to busy families, I wanted to let all of you know that I finally have a studio.
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Ukulele Carnival?
Anyone going to the Silver Creek Ukulele Carnival on Saturday? If so, I’d pay for half the gas if you let me ride along. I might even pay for all of the gas if I eat garlic on Friday night.
The American North @ Sir Ben’s

Next Saturday, Sir Ben’s Tavern on the Lake will host The American North in their first appearance in the Duluth area. Joining them for the night are two locals; The indie-folk 4 piece Loup-Garou and solo sensation Breanne DeFoe.
Show is at 9pm // Free for your enjoyment // 21+ (sorry young music admirers) // Try the black bean nachos, they’re phenomenal.
The Crunchy Bunch – a DJ collective
Hello Duluthians of P.D.D. My name is Alexis and I am a member of The Crunchy Bunch. We are a DJ collective that is all about spinning funky and bangin’ tunes while having a good time. We have spun at a ton of different events; from small art shows to having a spot at the Rex during Homegrown. We are all down to spin where ever for whatever, whenever. We just love hearing loud music on big speakers. A couple of us also produce and remix on our own time. If you throw a party, event, or a get together of any sort that needs dance music, let us know! We are looking for any kind of business we can get. We really want to get our foot in the door of the Duluth music scene and possibly bring our part of the world of DJing to a new community. You can contact us via Facebook or Soundcloud.
Lower Chester Picnic Potluck and Play Day
The Lower Chester Picnic Potluck and Play Day will be held on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2 p.m., at Lower Chester, 15th Ave. E. & Fifth St.
Neighbors of Lower Chester Park is a new nonprofit with a goal to raise funds through rummage, plant and vegetable sales, as well as a spaghetti dinner fundraiser Oct. 8 at Chester Park United Methodist Church, 818 N. 18th Av.E.
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Dead Man Winter in the Current studio
[This post originally contained an embedded video that no longer exists at the source.]
Trampled by Turtles side project Dead Man Winter performs “Wasteland,” “A Long Cold Night in Minneapolis” and “Nicotine.”
Loaves & Fishes and Jefferson Street Neighbors Block Party!
Loaves & Fishes and Jefferson Street neighbors are throwing a block party and you’re invited!
Sunday, Aug. 14 · 4 to 7 p.m.
1700 block of Jefferson Street (in Duluth)
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The People Say Fox need some assistance!
The People Say Fox are recording a new album this September! It’s our second album, and we are over-the-top ultra excited to share it with any who are willing to listen. We estimate the cost of releasing this album to be $5,000+, so to help raise some of the funds we started our very own Kickstarter. It has been up and running for a couple of months now, and with only a week left, we are over half-way to our $1,000 goal! We are offering some nifty prizes in return for your generosity, so any and all contributions are greatly appreciated and hopefully worthwhile to you!
We have all the confidence in the world in what we’re doing, and if you can assist us in pursuing our dreams, we will be forever grateful. You lovely folks have given us so much support over the past few years, and we hate having to ask for more, but if you find yourself thinking “maybe I can help,” head on over to our Kickstarter and read more about our project!
We’ll see ya soon with some new jams,
Mike, Nate, and Nate
P.S. For those who are interested, our first album is streaming at thepeoplesayfox.com.
Community Concert
New Life Lutheran Church welcomes the community to a special outdoor concert Sunday, Aug. 21, in celebration of its one-year anniversary. Local gospel trio Hear By Faith will perform from 1-2 p.m., on the grounds at New Life’s facility at 4424 Venture Avenue in the Duluth Airpark. Root beer floats will be served by New Life youth following the concert.
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October 6 – Turtles! Parr! Ness. Clyde!
I’m hosting a concert to raise money in support of music programs in the Public Schools. We’ve got a few old friends who’ve agreed to play for a good cause. Tickets for this show go on sale on Friday and will sell out quickly – you won’t want to miss this show. Details here
I love the concert poster. Thanks to Vega Productions for pulling this together.
Shana David at R.T. Quinlan’s
Shana sings silly little songs and plays a tiny keyboard. Opening for Lincoln, Neb.’s Two Black Cats. (more…)
Tweed Museum showing 30 rare and collectable concert posters
This link — Poster Show — is to the article running this week in the Reader (the website article has many more pictures) that contains information about nearly every poster in the show and interviews with almost every artist. In the article on my site you can read about each poster from the artists’ perspective and how they viewed the art and the era. Print it out and walk through the show! (more…)
The Local Does Duluth on Demand
In case you missed the June 29th edition of the Local on KUMD hosted by me and Paul Lundgren and based on this PDD post, it’s now archived on our website here. It features an interview with John Berquist of the Moose Wallow Ramblers (pictured at left), who wrote “I Like it in Duluth,” and a medley of versions of that song.
You can also listen to my recent show featuring interviews and music from the Winnipeg Folk Festival, including interviews with Charlie Parr and Eric Berry of Trampled by Turtles, who were both playing the festival for the first time, here. (more…)
The Wild Party
Renegade Theater Company Presents The Wild Party
Book, Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa
Directed and Choreographed by Jenna Kase
Welcome to the Roaring Twenties. This is the story of one wild evening in the Manhattan apartment shared by Queenie and Burrs, a vaudeville dancer and a vaudeville clown. In a relationship marked by vicious behavior and recklessness that mirrors the time in which they live, they decide to throw a party to end all parties. As the guests arrive, we meet an assortment of people living on the edge. Queenie and Burrs set out to make each other jealous, but Queenie begins to fall in love with her conquest named Black. After a long night of decadence, Burrs’ jealousy erupts and violence rears its ugly head.
Sex. Violence. Sin … and Gin. These elements, along with show-stopping choreography and serious vocal fireworks, combine to fuel this bold, bawdy and mesmerizing musical.
August 4-6, 11-13 & 18-20
Tickets on sale now!
2104 Fest :: Music. Art. Friends.
The event that has been dubbed “Homegrown in July,” 2104 Fest will take place tonight at the notorious 2104 E. Superior St. The event itself begins at 8pm this evening and features live music from Two Beat Band, Big Wave Dave & the Ripples, 4onthefloor and Dirty Horse as well as new photography from Kip Praslowicz.
BradFest 2011
Here’s some just-released footage from BradFest 2010. BradFest 2011 happens Aug. 5-6 at the Earthwood, just south of Two Harbors. In the shadow of Pierre, the Pantsless Voyageur. A wild weekend of fun. All proceeds benefit young musicians in MN. Great lineup, including Grant Hart on Saturday night! Bands, brew, pie, belly dancing, robots, samba, 82 pairs of men’s briefs…
Silent Auction, 5-8pm on Saturday. Looking for an ash-top bar for your home? You’ll find that and more.
Donate now to get admission and a BradFest mug that gives you $1 off drinks all weekend.











