Paul Lundgren, Author at Perfect Duluth Day

Paul Lundgren Happy Hour

Feb 09, 2010 11 Comments

No, I haven’t formed an angry heavy-metal band, although this photo might suggest otherwise.

I’m hosting three happy hour events at Teatro Zuccone. Each show features a special guest performer (or member of my angry band).

All three shows are on Wednesdays. They all start at 6 p.m. and will be over by 7 p.m. so you can socialize at the Zeitgeist Arts Cafe afterward and still be home well before bedtime.

Admission is free. Don’t thank me, thank ARAC.

The first show will be Feb. 10 and will feature musician Rachael Kilgour. The Feb. 17 show will feature actress Christa Schulz and the Feb. 24 show will feature poet Ryan Vine.

Did I mention I have a book now? It’s called The Spowl Ribbon. You can purchase it at any of my various performances, or rip me off and read the PDF for free.

My name is Paul Lundgren; I’m here for your amusement.

Art, Events

NorShor Centennial

Feb 07, 2010 69 Comments

A post from Feb. 3 about the Ripsaw’s history featured some comments about the NorShor Theatre’s history, which led to an interesting point:

The NorShor Theater turns 100 this year.

And so I put this question to PDD’s history detectives: What is the exact date the NorShor–then the Orpheum Theatre–first opened its doors?

UPDATE: As Gea reports, the magic date is Aug. 22, 1910.

Three Nights in Six Dimensions

Feb 05, 2010 No Comments

Multimedia performance art in the Venue at Mohaupt Block – Feb. 26-28

Adams School in Duluth’s West End

Feb 05, 2010 6 Comments

School faculty must have thought this was a major pain, but I think in the long run it proves worthwhile to drag an entire student body out to pose for a photo in front of the building.

Adams School was built in 1885 at 1721 W. Superior St., serving children in Duluth’s West End neighborhood. Architects of the building were McMillen and Stebbins.

The school closed in 1951, and was demolished in 1960.

History, Photos Duluth Public Schools, Lincoln Park Neighborhood / The Friendly West End

Uptown Boys at Pizza Luce Feb. 5

Feb 03, 2010 7 Comments

Uptown Boys * The Acceleratii * Anthony Bennett
Humanoid (Solonoid) and DJ Horsefist
Friday, Feb. 5, 10 p.m.
Pizza Luce, $5
Proceeds benefit Clubhouse Studios

Events, Music

Remembering the Ripsaw’s Transition

Feb 03, 2010 37 Comments

It’s been 10 years since the Ripsaw published the last of its monthly scandal sheets and converted to an “alternative newsweekly” format. Here’s a look back at the old monthly editions of Duluth’s most infamous rag.

Duluth KCWV-TV Channel 27

Feb 01, 2010 17 Comments

Have any of you noticed Duluth has a new broadcast TV station? Is anyone able to get decent reception of it?

The station runs programming from the My Family TV network, which features “programming to entertain, educate and edify,” including “uplifting spiritual” shows. In other words, a bunch of preaching and paid programming with some Andy Griffith and Bonanza mixed in.

Random Media

Moon Over Old Central

Jan 29, 2010 7 Comments

Not that my photo (from Tuesday) is special at all, but the moon has been kind of impressive this week, hasn’t it? Must be how clear the skies have been. Full moon action is tomorrow. Get your werewolf on.

Outdoors, Photos

Andrew Hudgins at St. Scholastica

Jan 26, 2010 No Comments

The College of St. Scholastica’s Warner Reading Series presents:

Andrew Hudgins
Friday, Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m. – Free
Somers Lounge, College of St. Scholastica

Author of six collections of poetry, including the National Book Award finalist The Never Ending: New Poems and the Pulitzer Prize nominated Saints and Strangers, Andrew Hudgins is an indispensable voice in contemporary American letters. His awards and honors include the Witter Bynner Award for Poetry, the Hanes Poetry Prize, fellowships from the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, the Ingram Merrill Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Hudgins holds an M.F.A. from the Iowa Writer’s Workshop and teaches at Ohio State University.

Funding made possible by the Lee and Rose Warner Foundation.

Art, Events College of St. Scholastica

Minnesota video producer’s contest-winning commercial won’t air during the Super Bowl

Jan 21, 2010 3 Comments

Despite being re-cut CBS ruled the spot, featuring a couple cubical clowns breaking wind, broke the barrier of good taste.

News and Current Affairs, Videos

Old Francis is sticking to his guns

Jan 20, 2010 7 Comments

“I didn’t like it then — he’s a Green Bay Packer — and I don’t like it now.”

—Fran Tarkenton on Brett Favre

Sports

Skijoring the Munger Trail

Jan 20, 2010 7 Comments

Last winter I must have went jogging on the Munger Trail 70 times and never once saw anyone skijoring.

Today I went jogging on the Munger Trail for the first time this winter and saw two different people skijoring.

Was it a coincidence that I saw two today and none before, or does it mean something — like the activity is growing in popularity or maybe there’s an event people are preparing for?

Outdoors

Benefit shows for Haiti earthquake relief January 26 and 27 at the Looch

Jan 19, 2010 36 Comments

On Tuesday, Jan. 26, and Wednesday, Jan. 27, Pizza Luce will host a two-night benefit show to raise money for Haiti earthquake relief efforts. Music starts at 10 p.m.; cover is $5.

Tuesday’s bluegrass lineup
Two Many Banjos
Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank
Rich Mattson

Wednesday’s hip-hop/reggae lineup
Crew Jones
2 one 8
Prince Paul
Miss Mae
DJ Horse Fist

Both Tuesday and Wednesday nights will begin with a silent art auction, featuring local paintings, photographs and jewelry. There will also be a raffle each night for gift certificates to over twenty local businesses, such as Electric Fetus, Jitter’s, New Scenic Cafe and more. Raffle tickets are $5 each.

All money raised will go to Wyclef Jean’s Yele Haiti organization, a grassroots organization providing relief aid to Haiti. UPDATE: Due to the recent allegations against Wyclef Jean’s organization, referenced in the comments to this post, the organizers of this event have decided to instead donate 75% of proceeds to Oxfam and 25% to the Kako Foundation.

Events, Music

From the Photo Archive: One Man Gang wrestling in Duluth on Oct. 8, 1987

Jan 15, 2010 14 Comments

This photo by Barrett Chase is from a World Wrestling Federation card at the Duluth Arena. The badass in the foreground is George Gray, wrestling that night as the One Man Gang. In the match he defeated Koko B. Ware via count-out.

The show is clearly being stolen here by the guy in the Pabst hat and the middle-finger sign in the background. And that’s what makes professional wrestling so special.

More Duluth wrestling photos can be seen in the post: “Duluth Arena Pro Wrestling Photos from the 1980s – Killer Khan and so on.”

Below is a shot of the One Man Gang as he enters the ring. Later in his career, by the way, Gray changed his gimmick and became Akeem the African Dream.

Photos Pro Wrestling, Weird

MidgetPalooza 2009 World Tour in Duluth — Micro Wrestling Federation @ NorShor — Hot Meatball Action

Jan 15, 2010 2 Comments

I have my tickets; now I just have to work on my sign.

Events Pro Wrestling, Weird

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