Twenty years ago today — Feb. 6, 2001 — City Pages published a cover story on Duluth’s “tiny counterculture.” The Twin Cities alternative weekly paper ceased operations last fall and its online archive is on hiatus, but Perfect Duluth Day is here with the flashback goods.
Meet Steve Solkela. With his music career crushed by COVID-19 cancellations, he built up a robust YouTube following with his music videos, tandem-bike interviews and random stunts.
WDSE-TV‘s Making it Up North explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
Roughly 15 years ago, Minneapolis singer/songwriter Luke Zimmerman released his solo debut album Twilight Waltz, featuring this track called “Duluth.” Various release dates from 2005 to 2007 are listed on the internet, but allmusic.com reports Jan. 24, 2006.
The Homegrown Music Festival’s annual Winter Fiasco is digital this year. The four hourlong videos feature performances, interviews and archival footage of more than 30 local artists. Episode one features music by Mary Bue, Shadows of Me, the Slamming Doors, Dog Talk, Moriah Skye, Boogeymen, WNDY, and Isolation Band. It also includes words from festival director Melissa La Tour and an interview with Kala Moira about her unofficial 2020 Homegrown Scavenger Hunt.
Duluthian Sarah Krueger’s new music project is called Lanue. The album is available for pre-order on Bandcamp.
The video for the track “What I Love the Most” was filmed and directed by Zoe Prinds-Flash and edited by Lauren Josephine.
Ten years ago today — Jan. 18, 2011 — Los Angeles-based musician Haroula Rose released her debut album These Open Roads, which includes a cover of the Mason Jennings song “Duluth.”
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.
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.
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.
Duluth musician Gaelynn Lea performs “Bound by a Thread” from her 2018 album, Learning How to Stay.
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.
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.
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.
