I saw him read a couple of times since I first learned about his writing 15 years ago. Always captivating, always fascinating. Sometimes hilarious. Other times poignant.
He’ll truly be missed.
If you’re like most Americans, I imagine few of you are familiar with Paul Kelly but I have a dozen of his cds and think he’s great. I’m seen him referred to as Australia’s version 0f Springsteen. From an email to his mailing list about an Australian May tour:
Joining him on the road is Charlie Parr from Duluth, Minnesota, whose style bears the influence of hours spent listening to country blues records and Smithsonian/Folkways field recordings. Charlie’s finger picking, freewheeling tune, ‘1922 Blues’ is the soundtrack to the recent, hugely successful Vodafone TV campaign. Charlie plays original and traditional folk tunes, plus blues covers by the likes of Mississippi John Hurt and Charley Patton, favouring National resonator guitars, 12-string guitar and banjo in his performance.
His self-taught mix of slide, finger-picking and quasi-frailing technique come together with a voice that’s low on drama and high on impact. Dignity, and the struggle to keep it, are central themes in Parr’s songs. The gamblers, the union workers, the criminals and the sinners that wander around his songs come straight from real life observation. The stories he tells get into some dark spots; that place where regret and remorse part company.
As an Alien Anthropologist I think it’s worth pointing out that the original “cliffdwellers” were actually really advanced, built really amazing houses, and had some fairly sophisticated technologies and social structures. The term “cliffdwellers” doesn’t really work as an insult–it’s like saying “you advanced people who know how to build really cool houses, make great pots and baskets, feed yourselves using your own knowledge, and know how to keep mice outta the corn bin.”
Here’s some info:
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/northamerica/anasazi.html
…and other folks creatively using e-technologies.
The Blandin Foundation and E-Democracy.Org are bringing an “unconference” to Duluth, April 3-4, 2009.
The unconference is supported through an online discussion for people using new media technologies to build community across Greater Minnesota.
Learn more and join from http://e-democracy.org/mnvoices
Any bets on who Saturday Night Live skewers this week?
This trail struck me a little strange. I’m referring to the roughly 20-inch-wide path that’s been cleared in the middle. As if tracking some strange beast, I’m trying to figure out what cleared that path.
Economist Edward Glaeser recently wrote in the NYT Economix blog about the declining population of the Rust Belt. I found the accompanying graphic entertaining.
Crispy Kale Productions (aka Michael Latsch) is premiering his new documentary “from Duluth to Balad.” The video is sponsored by Veterans for Peace, Chapter 80 and the Northland Anti-War Coalition. It goes up Thursday, March 5th at the Friends Meeting House, 1802 E. 1st St at 7:30 PM. Admission is free, and the showing will be followed by Q+A with the producer.
The documentary uses historic photos and modern combat footage to tell the story of how the wing started making deployments to Iraq in 2005. It examines the costs of that deployment, asks if Duluth can find a different way to sustain its economy.
see the trailer at crispykale.blogspot.com. Questions, contact [email protected], 218-260-7047
print by nick brakel
Nick Brakel will be displaying Spirit Boxes and Prints of recent work for the month of March at Bohemia Arts.
There will be an artists’ reception held Saturday, March 7th from 6-9pm. Join us for refreshments and speak with Nick about his work. Music by Dan Dresser, Stephanie Dykema, and Dave Mehling.
Hope to see you there!
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Bohemia Arts
Fine Art Supplies*Gifts*Gallery
22 N 1st Ave W Downtown Duluth
722.2919
*Though we are clearancing the store, there are more art shows to come, through May 2009. We hope you’ll help us go out with a bang by coming out and supporting your local artists!
Online registration for the 25th anniversary Mother’s Day Walk/Run is now open at http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1694010
This year’s Homegrown Music Festival will feature a night of locally produced music videos using songs by local bands.
If you are interesting in creating a video for the festival, there are some things you should know.
21+ at the Lakeview Castle ^CLICK FOR DETAILS^
A UK Border Agency spokesman said: “The home secretary has excluded both Fred Phelps and his daughter from the UK. Both these individuals have engaged in unacceptable behaviour by inciting hatred against a number of communities.”
“At Lake Superior’s Head: The Rival Cities of Duluth and West Superior, NYT, 5 October 1891.
Among other things, we learn that “cliff-dwellers” was a term of abuse for Duluthians.
