Duluth Band Profile: Tender Ness
Peter Witrak’s Tender Ness blends lounge, soul, and vocal jazz. When he talks about the process of making Blues and Oranges, he explains how music transcends a sense of self and creates moments of beauty.
Peter Witrak’s Tender Ness blends lounge, soul, and vocal jazz. When he talks about the process of making Blues and Oranges, he explains how music transcends a sense of self and creates moments of beauty.
Chase Down Blue creates its own mythos with Red V. The group’s blend of spacey, post-punk links earnest emotions with the feelings of Lake Superior. Click on the image above to hear the podcast.
In honor of Homegrown Music Festival, which begins on April 30, this month’s quiz features a mix of Homegrown band names and fairy tales from around the world. Can you tell which is which? Take the quiz and see how well you know your field guide!
The next PDD Quiz will cover this month’s notable (and not-so-notable) news and will be published on April 30. E-mail question suggestions to Alison Klawiter at [email protected] by April 27.
Duluth-based bluegrass band Glen’s Neighbor releases its second album, Your Unknown, on April 21. The video for the first single, “Open Road,” was shot in October while the album was recorded at Pachyderm Studios. Shane Rock Nelson directed and edited the video; Dan Huiting handled the cinematography.
The band performs at Blacklist Artisan Ales on May 6 during the Homegrown Music Festival.
Kaylee Matuszak’s aspirations for music began on the playground. With the release of her debut Stirring Skies, she isn’t stopping anytime soon. Click on the image above to hear the podcast.
For a digital storytelling class in the journalism program at the University of Minnesota Duluth, junior Kevin Ott produced this short profile of senior Matthew Knudson.
Knudson is a music education major with an instrumental focus. From arranging his own music to working as a radio DJ at KUMD, het has immersed himself in music.
Ott and Knudson have been singing together in vocal jazz at UMD for two years. Ott selected Knudson as a subject because of his knowledge of music and the visually engaging environment in which he interacts with it.
Duluth band Gin Street released a two-song cassette in February titled Singles. The opening track, “High Life,” is featured in this new music video.
“We made it with an old box television set and no money,” says director Quentin Stille. “Also shouts out the titular beer, High Life, which we are all trying to live.”
Gin Street plays May 6 at Blacklist Artisan Ales during the Homegrown Music Festival and June 11 at Beaner’s Central during Pete Fest.
Kristoffer and Abby Jo Robin of Mama’s Stolen Horses steal the stage with their bend of folk and Americana. But, it’s how Abby Jo stole Kristoffer’s heart that keeps this duo alive. Click on the image above to hear the podcast.
Duluth’s Rachel Kilgour plays the Aster Café River Room in Minneapolis on April 8. She shared the story behind her new songs over tea and a light dinner in Uptown with Youa Vang for a story in City Pages:
Rachael Kilgour stands up for herself on ‘Rabbit in the Road’
The United States now boasts over 5,000 craft breweries as the thirst for quality beer continues. The Twin Ports are clearly part of the trend. Duluth and Superior are home to eight breweries, with two more planning to launch in 2017. Several others dot the north and south shores of Lake Superior. The great news for beer aficionados: there’s no shortage of local beer and opportunities to taste the latest batches. The next three major swillfests are highlighted here.
Jacob Mahon developed his songwriting skills playing bars and backyards across central Minnesota. Since his arrival to Duluth, he’s learned how a single compliment goes a long way. Click on the image above to hear the podcast.
Pizzaghost takes audiences to the ethereal plane of noise and punk rock. Keyboardist Jack Klander and bassist Ben Jacobson explain the anarchy of the group’s live shows.
From Kaylee Matuszak:
Hi everybody! If you know me, you know how much I love Brandi Carlile and what a huge inspiration she is to me. She’s running a contest in which I submitted a cover of one of the songs from her album “The Story.” If my video gets enough votes, I could be chosen to perform the song live onstage with her in L.A.! So if you’d please take a minute to vote for my video and share this around, I would be forever grateful to you. You can vote once a week! Voting ends on April 17th at 9am, so don’t delay! Thank you so much!
Vote at: Brandi Carlile Cover Stories Contest
“Don’t You Cry” video by Hunter Bjork.
The 19th annual Homegrown Music Festival features a block of Duluth hip hop on Friday, May 5, at R.T. Quinlan’s Saloon. The lineup features Willie Diction, Eddiedition, Dubz and Jaze.
Featured in this post are seven music videos from tracks off the debut Dubz album Westside Walk, released in March 2016. Take a step back and watch him work.
Because of security encryption issues, PDD can’t embed the Dead Man Winter performance of the song “Destroyer” from last night’s episode of Conan. The best we can do is offer a link to where it’s viewable on teamcoco.com.
