Brule River by air and underwater
Go Pro video with P2 Drone by Sam Alvar of Seaquest Productions.
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.
It’s always warm at Victus Farm
A recent story on American Public Media’s Marketplace program — “How to grow lettuce and fish indoors, all year long” — explores the wonders of aquaponics. Victus Farm is profiled for growing produce fertilized by fish grown in the same facility. The project is a partnership between the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Center for Sustainable Community Development and the city of Silver Bay. UMD Geography Professor Mike Mageau and a former student, Baylor Radtke, are also building a smaller fish-and-vegetable operation in Radtke’s yard in Duluth.
Howie Hanson vs. Don Ness – Are Duluth politics getting interesting again?
After a fairly long period of dormancy in mayoral politics in Duluth, Howie Hanson announced that he would be running for mayor in the next election, 14 months from now, prompting Don Ness to invite him to debate, even though he isn’t sure he’s running.
And now, just a few minutes ago, Hanson on Facebook publicly called out Ness to make his intentions known on whether he will run or not.
All of this is being done in a very public way.
After a long period of holding hands and singing “Kum Bah Ya” are we finally getting back to the down and dirty local politics Duluthians seem to love?
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.
Pride of the Twin Ports Area Game
From the heyday of Monopoly comes … Pride of the Twin Ports Area Game! It doesn’t appear to be something local marketing geniuses came up with, but rather a product of a company called Citipride of America, which probably made different versions of the game for different cities across the country. Perhaps the local Chamber of Commerce sold sponsorships on the game board to various businesses to raise money to have the game made, and then sales of the game raised money for the chamber … or something. That’s all conjecture; there doesn’t seem to be any info online about the game or the company.
So, does anyone else have this game? Can anyone put a year on it? It’s no older than 1978, because the instructions contain historical info about the sponsoring local businesses and mention that Northwest Office Supply expanded in 1978. It’s no more recent than 1982, because the Normandy Hotel was taken over by Holiday Inn & Suites that year.
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Lost Siamese Cat in Lower Chester
We foolishly let the cat outside Saturday morning (Sept. 20) and she took off. Conveniently she is not ours. Her tag says “Rosie” or possibly “Billy” and has an 847 landline phone number which no longer exists … greaaat. She’s white with black paws and a black face, she’s pretty small, we like to say “fun size.” She’s very cherished by my father-in-law and brother-in-law and we need to get her back. Please call me as soon as possible at 575-741-1054 if you have her, or even think you spotted her somewhere, otherwise we are in deep s&%$.
This week: making fun of Twilight and Bone Appetit returns
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
The place you recently chose as the best coffee house in Duluth will be celebrating our music scene all week by recording local musicians playing live. This is the 13th year of Beaner’s doing One Week Live, celebrating the shop’s 15 years in business. Festivities run tonight through Saturday.
Also celebrating 15 years is the Lester River Rendezvous at Lester Park on Saturday.
The folks from Renegade Improv heckle the movie Twilight at Zinema 2 for your amusement on Thursday.
In the theater scene, The Elephant Man opens at the Encore in Cloquet on Friday and runs two weekends and Wise Fool’s production of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing at the Teatro Zuccone and the Playhouse’s production of One Man, Two Guvnors are both in their final weekend.
Bone Appetit is back for one night only in a reunion show at R. T. Quinlan’s on Saturday.
And if, after reading this, you think you can do this better, then please, take my job. No, really.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.
Upset Firefly Fans
Lawrence Lee, Duane Rieck and Kay Rieck join the Upset Duluth ranks. (Photo by Clint Austin)
‘Firefly’ fans unite: Shindig for Joss Whedon show on tap this weekend
The End of Salsafication in Duluth
Sept. 19, 2004 — Chi-Chi’s Mexican Restaurante in Duluth closed following corporate bankruptcy. It had been located in the Fitger’s Brewery Complex for 20 years. Baja Billy’s Cantina and Grill replaced it in 2005, but closed four years later. Mexico Lindo opened in April 2010 and remains there today.
Job Opening: PDD Calendar Editor Version 3.0
Mr. Lawrence Lee, superhero editor of the PDD Calendar since April 2012, has announced his desire for fewer responsibilities. He is resigning his position, and will step down in October, when a qualified intrepid soul will be anointed to continue the mission. We promise not to turn the job interview process into a reality TV show, but we can’t say it won’t be competitive.
Follow this link to the PDD Employment page to read the job description.
During what will end up being a two-and-a-half-year stint, Lawrence will have presided over the publishing of more than 20,000 events in the calendar — and he didn’t even start getting bug eyed until a couple months ago. He plans to stay on as a contributor to the calendar, so the next person to join the ranks of PDD’s sterling staff will benefit from his wisdom and his ongoing efforts. That said, we will not accept a mere mortal taking over the reins. The bar has been set too high.
R.I.P. Irving Recreation Center
Demolition of the Irving Recreation Center has been taking place this week. Above is a photo of the rubble. Below is a shot from February 2013.
Duluth Firewood Delivery
Does anyone have a firewood deliverer recommendation? Oak, birch or maple. We’ve had spotty luck the past few years.
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.
Found Anthropological Artifacts from a Summer Beach Culture of Leisure
What strange, rock-skipping culture of leisure inhabits these Duluthian shorelines in the Lake Superior summers? This is a brief survey of structures and artifacts discovered in my anthropological investigations of 2013-2014.
PAVSA Art Auction seeking donations
The Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault is seeking artwork for its annual Art Auction. PAVSA serves victims/survivors of sexual violence throughout southern St. Louis County, offering free services like advocacy, medical-forensic exams, therapy and support groups. The art auction, held every fall, is PAVSA’s largest fundraiser of the year. A wide variety of local art is auctioned off, with proceeds going toward PAVSA programs, which provide crucial services to the people the organization serves.
Painters, potters, jewelers, knitters, or those who would like to donate a gift certificate for a gift basket are encouraged to call the PAVSA office at 218-726-1442 during office hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., for more information. The deadline for art to be collected is the end of October.
Folks interested in attending the auction should mark their calendars for Friday, Nov. 14, for an elegant evening of art, dinner, live entertainment, community ally awards and more. All proceeds benefit PAVSA’s programs and the healing services they provide for survivors of sexual violence.
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.
This week: bamboo blasting, browncoats and balloons (maybe)
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
Summer isn’t over yet! Know how I know? Road construction is still going on! There are bridges out and roads closed. And while I’m on the subject, does anyone else who sees these construction signs marked “ITS” start humming Sousa’s “Liberty Bell March“? No? Just me?
On Tuesday you can join the Parks and Rec folks for Invasive Bamboo Blasting, which needs to be a band name or a game I can play on my iPhone. Someone get on that now.
Always wanted to learn to speak Norwegian? You can get your start at the Nordic Center this Wednesday.
Wise Fool Shakespeare opens its season with Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing on Friday at the Teatro Zuccone. The show runs for two weekends.
And there is plenty of festing to be done this weekend with the Chester Bowl Fall Fest, Oktoberfest, Hawk Weekend Festival at Hawk Ridge and Le Festival des Montgolfières à Duluth (otherwise known as the “Where are the damn balloons?” festival).
And, for all you Browncoats out there, there’s gonna be a gorram Shindig at Glensheen mansion on Sunday with dancing and the world premier of a Firefly-themed spaceship bridge simulator. Shiny.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.
Getting to Fall Fest
Saturday, September 20th is the date for the 30th annual Fall Fest in Chester Park. Rain Date is Sunday the 21st. With construction happening right outside the park entrance, getting to Fall Fest will be a little different this year.
Click the map to see it larger.
If you’re not walking to Chester Bowl that day, everyone is strongly encouraged to park and take the free shuttle buses from UMD’s Lot B, next to the Administration building, at College & University. (See map) Road and bridge repairs continue immediately west of the Chester Bowl Park entrance thereby limiting access to just the eastern entrance. Pedestrians can enter from the east side, but Skyline Parkway will also be closed to cars from the east starting at Kent Road on the day of the event. Parking is prohibited along Skyline Parkway after Kent Road.
PDD will be at Fall Fest again this year in our luxurious canopy, giving away stickers, selling t-shirts, and whatever other shenanigans we devise between now and next Saturday. Look for us next to the playground.
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