Music Posts

Paula Gudmundson – “Partita in A minor”

Dr. Paula Gudmundson, associate professor of music at the University of Minnesota Duluth, performs J.S. Bach’s “Partita in A minor” in this music video shot throughout Duluth on Sept. 16 as part of the Bach Society of Minnesota’s Mini Mobile Concerts Series.

The Slice: Live Streaming Guitar Lessons with Darin Bergsven

Duluth musician Darin Bergsven has been performing and teaching guitar online since March.

In its series The Slice, WDSE-TV presents short “slices of life” that capture the events and experiences that bring people together and speak to what it means to live up north.

One Less Guest – “Breezeblocks”

Duluth band One Less Guest performs “Breezeblocks,” a song composed by the British indie rock band Alt-J.

The live rooftop performance is part of its 2021 collection of favorite cover songs.

Gaelynn Lea – “Bound by a Thread”

Duluth musician Gaelynn Lea performs “Bound by a Thread” from her 2018 album, Learning How to Stay.

MN Moder – “Day to Day”

Duluth native Zachary Moder raps his way across the city in a new music video for a song from the 2019 MN Moder album Modervation.

Superior Siren – “Trying Too Hard”

Eerie folk project Superior Siren has released a new music video for the song “Trying Too Hard” from the band’s 2018 self-titled album. The video was created by Killy Kay and Caelen Mars, and features Alison Peluso.

2020: The Year in Duluth Gig Posters

Obviously this past year has been about the lousiest live-music year ever, but nonetheless we continue our tradition at Perfect Duluth Day of looking back at a sampling of gig posters. Some shows really happened, with crowds of people, before the pandemic. Others were cancelled. Others were held outside in spaces that allowed physical distancing. And some were streamed online.

Merry Christmas from the archives …

On a cold Duluth evening back in 2013, a small crew gathered for a video shoot. Mark Lindquist wanted to give his children a Christmas video. Time got away. The footage wasn’t awesome. I set it aside.

It’s always bugged me that I never made that video for Mark and his children. Last night, I went searching through virtual piles and piles of material until I found what I was looking for.

Denfeld Jazz Band – “Up on the Housetop”

This video of the Denfeld Jazz Band’s arrangement of “Up on the Housetop” was created for the televised version of the Christmas City of the North Virtual Parade.

A Secret Garden: Demo tracks from northern Minnesota

Students and staff from Central Lakes College in Brainerd have put together a compilation album of regional musicians that features a bevvy of Duluth favorites, including Jerree Small, Low and Greg Cougar Conley.

Dance Attic “At Christmas Time” Special

Jimi and Suzi of the guitar/accordion duo Dance Attic partake in holiday hijinks with music from their 2020 Christmas song collection (featured in the PDD Gift Guide).

Video produced by Andrew Stern.

Tanner Zahn – “Little Things”

Hermantown native Tanner Zahn, now of the Los Angeles group FuturePop, has released this Christmas music video. Locals will remember him as Tanner Zahn Hagen, performer in Duluth Playhouse productions and son of Jennifer Madill Hagen and Dusty Hagen, former owners of Madill Performing Arts Center in Duluth.

More of My Indie Rock Guitar Goddess She-roes

There is a vein of singer-songwriters I refer to jokingly as “weepy folk.”

Video Archive: Gap ad with Low’s “Little Drummer Boy”

Few would expect Perfect Duluth Day to present a Gap television commercial as content, but it’s pretty Duluthy. Twenty years ago the global clothing and accessories retailer featured music by Duluth band Low in its holiday ad. The song appeared on Low’s Christmas EP, released a year prior.

Gaelynn Lea – “In the Bleak Midwinter”

Duluth’s Gaelynn Lea performs the Christmas carol “In the Bleak Midwinter” in this video shot live in her home. The song is on Gaelynn’s 2016 Christmas album Deepest Darkness Brightest Dawn, which features live-looped versions of traditional Christmas carols.