Free Range Film Fest is fun
These kids are on the nice list because they came to the Free Range Film Festival last night. There is still time to get off the naughty list. Films start at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
PAVSA’s 856 Campaign: Final Days
Raising awareness and funds to keep our community a safer place. The 856 Campaign was conceptualized based on the 856 people in Southern St. Louis County that PAVSA worked with last year. This number can mean many things to different people: 856 victims, 856 survivors, 856 people with lives forever changed.
Mighty Ore Boats of Lake Superior
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]
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…)
Past is prologue
Wool: 1911 > Debt ceiling: 2011
Hey Tourists, Welcome to Our City
In the search for info on the song “Welcome to Our City,” for the list of “Songs with ‘Duluth’ in the lyrics or title,” PDD’s Fairy Research Spy found this 1910 Duluth News Tribune illustration (which has the same title as the song, but predates it by six years). Note that the Aerial Lift Bridge is not a lift bridge … it was the Aerial Ferry Bridge back then, with a gondola car carrying cars/wagons across.
Wanted: beach water temperature patrol
Maybe this is already somewhere on the webs, but wouldn’t it be nice to have somewhere to go to see how warm/cold the lake is before venturing down for a swim? I’m not talking exact temps per say, but a simple, yeah, the water off the point is “vagina aching cold” today, or, the water at Brighton is “just peed in the lake” warm, come on down. Of course, it’s never a bad idea to mosey on down to the lake and find out for yourself, but it would be way cool to have a temp update too.
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!
Learn photography the fun way
The Photography Fun!!damentals course will give you all the knowledge and techniques to start creating great pictures right from the start — all using your very own equipment so you can get out right away taking images that wow people!
This course is offered through the Duluth Photography Institute and is taught by the founder of the DPI (plus photographer and teacher) Brian Rauvola. The 6 exciting sessions are jam packed with information, examples, practice, and challenges all designed to increase your photographic talents as quickly and easisly as possible! For more information and to register for these classes, click here!
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.
Not Your Dad’s Willie Nelson
Whether you’re going to the Willie Nelson/Trampled/4onthefloor concert or not, you should still show up at Pizza Luce afterward to see the Half Hearts CD Release. Yester and Hot Ashes are also on the bill.
Saturday, August 6, is going to be a big day for Duluth music any way you sing it.
Gravity on display in Duluth
Yesterday I was driving down some side streets near Chester Creek Cafe with my family when we watched a soccer ball cross the street in front of us. At first, it just seemed to be out on a walk, or a roll, I guess, as it headed down the street and on its journey toward the lake. A few seconds later a young man appeared from behind a fence and ran — looking for cars and being careful — after his ball. It was a close contest but the ball was finally intercepted a couple of blocks down the hill.
It got me thinking about the other hill-related events I’ve witnessed over the years and thinking serious work should be done in documenting such events. (Plus, I’m procrastinating on a big project I should be doing.) (more…)
Songs about Duluth Places/Neighborhoods
Expanding on the post that lists “songs with ‘Duluth’ in the lyrics or title,” it seems appropriate to also list songs that might not mention Duluth directly, but reference Duluth neighborhoods, businesses, historical occurances or icons.
Here’s a running list from songs mentioned in the comments:
The Black-eyed Snakes – “Hillside Stomp”
The Boomchucks – “Hillside”
The Branditos – “Broken Hearts & Oxygen”
Crew Jones – “Memory of Me”
Bob Dylan – “Desolation Row”
Equal Xchange – “Superior Crimes”
The Fractals – “Woodland Boys”
Giljunko – “Gangsta Spur”
Giljunko – “Misbent Life”
Giljunko – “R.T. Quinlan’s Nine”
Giljunko – “Raised in the Ruins”
Giljunko – “St. Paul Caves”
Ingeborg von Agassiz – “William A. Irvin”
The Keep Aways – “Hillside”
The Little Black Books – “East Hillside Freeze Out”
Charlie Parr – “Jefferson Street Express”
Charlie Parr – “Adrift in Lake Superior at Sunrise”
Matt Ray and Those Damn Horses – “Locust Street”
Leon Rohrbaugh – “Michigan Street”
Al Sparkhawk – “How the Weather Comes Over the Central Hillside”
Swimming with Nancy – “Fourth Street”
Tangier 57 – “Moorish Room”
The Tisdales – “On a Swim”
Ryan Van Slooten – “Lakeside”
Yester – “Hunters Park”
Global Goes Local
After 32 years, the founders of Global Village (from Minneapolis) have passed the torch to a long time employee and hometown girl. Friday, we celebrate this new chapter for the old downtown icon and present the Lotus Center, our new community yoga and dance (and more!) studio on the second floor. (more…)
Archeology of Lake Superior
[This post originally contained an embedded video that no longer exists at its source.]
Poll: Should the PDD Calendar display or hide event descriptions?
Two weeks ago we launched the new PDD Calendar (in test mode) and asked you for feedback. Although we received good feedback in general, there was one specific area we asked about as an afterthought in the comments and didn’t get much response on, so we’ll ask again in a more obvious and simple-to-respond-to way (though it still requires some degree of explanation):
How would you like the entries on any given day to look? (more…)
Peace vigil for Norway at Enger Park
Come to Enger Park tonight, Wednesday, at 7 pm for a peace vigil to honor and remember the victims in Oslo, Norway. Speakers and Norwegian music are planned. The group will gather at the parking lot and walk up to Enger Tower together.
Nerd Nite #10
Nerd Nite 10 will showcase some of the favorite nerdy presentations from the past year and half. Come enjoy some midweek entertainment, learn something you didn’t know you didn’t know.
It’s like the Discovery Channel with beer.
Rummage for Solvay
New and old linens, books, Santas, kitchen, dishes, dolls, glassware, art, sewing machine, lamps, and lots of misc. 75% of profits go to Solvay Hospice House in memory of Nancy G. Snow. Friday, July 29, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday, July 30, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. 1204 South Lake Ave. Absoloooootely no early birds! Thank you!
A Brief Survey of the Bottom of Lake Superior
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYamuV4MTIg
He’s Back…
Tony ‘I Wish I Had My Life Back’ Hayward of BP oil ‘spill’ fame has landed his feet squarely in our backyard – as the Environmental Officer for GlenCore, the PI for the planned sulfide mining project near Hoyt Lakes.
Any dirty hippies/concerned citizens/people who simply love the Northland out there want to protest this thing?
Old can collection
During attic clean out I came across the remnants of an old beer and soda can collection put together during the 1970s. It is about 500 cans, mostly pull tab but also a few flat tops. Cool old Schmidt scenery cans, and the like. Anyone know any can collectors in the Duluth area that might be interested in looking through them for gems?
Summer Arts Festival, book sale by Friends of the Library
Meet us at the Summer Arts Festival! On Saturday, July 30, the Depot celebrates with a Summer Arts Festival, and you will find your Friends out helping. Michigan Street will be turned into a temporary pedestrian mall and you’ll find food vendors, live entertainment, fine arts and crafts, and the Friends selling books, media, and T-shirts reminding people that “Our Libraries are Essential.”