An interview with author Jim Arnosky about Bobby Die-lan

Dylan tune from 'Slow Train Coming' inspires children's book | Duluth News Tribune | Duluth, Minnesota

Jayhawks' Mark Olson to grace Minneapolis, Grand Rapids, Duluth and Madison

MARK OLSON ENLISTS BUZZWORTHY BANDS AS TOUR OPENERS

JAYHAWKS LEGENDARY CO-FOUNDER INVITES RISING ARTISTS TO JOIN VARIOUS TOUR DATES

US TOUR BEGINS END OF AUGUST AS NEW RYKO CD MANY COLORED KITE GARNERS ACCLAIM

OLSON TO KEYNOTE 23RD ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL FOLK ALLIANCE IN MEMPHIS 2011
"Mark Olson, founding member of the Jayhawks, has the autonomy and musical prowess to defy that unnecessary descriptive clause that often comes after his name..."--American Songwriter Magazine

Cory Chisel, Breathe Owl Breathe, Backyard Tire Fire, Vandaveer and Ivan & Aloyosha are among the buzzworthy bands invited to join renowned Jayhawks’ founder Mark Olson on his upcoming US tour beginning August 27^th in Los Angeles. Olson will perform songs from his just- released Ryko album, Many Colored Kite, the impressive follow-up to his solo debut Salvation Blues.  Both releases have garnered much praise from media and industry alike. The singer/songwriter will be joined on his acoustic tour by musical collaborator and girlfriend Ingun Ringvold, who co-wrote two songs on Many Colored Kite.  Olson is expected to perform songs from his Jayhawks’ years as well.

It was also just announced that Folk Alliance International has asked Olson to join David Bromberg as a keynote speaker at the 23rd Annual International Folk Alliance 2011 convention which will take place from February 16-20th 2011 in Memphis, TN. The International Folk Alliance conference is one of the largest annual music conferences in North America and draws together musicians and music industry professionals from around the world to share ideas, network, and celebrate traditional music and dance.   Past keynote speakers have included Byrds' founding member, Roger McGuinn and folk legend Buffy Sainte-Marie.

A musical innovator who began his career as part of the alternative rock and folk band scene from the Midwest, Mark Olson was an instant critics' darling.  His early work with the Jayhawks as well as with Victoria Williams resulted in some of the best musical moments of that era and earned him lasting respect within the alternative music community.  It is with this sense of community and commitment to helping bands that Olson chose to offer opening slots to these young artists as part of his tour.

“I’m really looking forward to playing with these bands. They’re all so good. I can’t wait to get started,” expresses Mark Olson.

Named one of Rolling Stone’s “Best New Artists” of 2009, Wisconsin folk-rocker Cory Chisel made his major-label debut with Death Won’t Send A Letter in the fall of last year with a dark and urgent rock and roll vision.  It takes a romantic albeit gutsy stance on the meaning of love and spirituality, as the songs seek to make sense of the world outside and human desires within C reconciling the call of the road and a longing for home, literally and figuratively. Death Won't Send A Letter, was produced by Joe Chiccarelli (The Shins, The White Stripes) and features members of The Raconteurs and My Morning Jacket.

In a Lincoln Log cabin in deep rural Michigan live and work Micah Middaugh, Trevor Hobbs, and Andréa Moreno-Beals. This is Breathe Owl Breathe. The trio's new album, Magic Central, is a timeless aural cartogram of feeling, souls, skill, and story, much of which was born out of experiences living at the cabin. (The cabin was built by Micah's grandfather, a radical preacher who traveled by dogsled.) For some time the cabin was Micah's home and print studio, but after Trevor and Andréa moved in, it slowly morphed into Magic Central - a place where there is no distinction between working, creating, songwriting, practicing and playing. Recorded throughout the winter in the cabin as Andréa traveled to and from Brazil (she is from Colombia), the album features themes of distance and proximity, chill and tropic, opera and grumble.

Backyard Tire Fire is building on the momentum of their new record Good to Be, which was produced by Grammy-winning Producer and member of Los Lobos, Steve Berlin.  For the band’s fifth full-length release, BTF have spread the stylistic court with a rich, ever-expanding palette of aural rock ’n’ roll colors and textures that tap into bouncy, Kinks-meet-Squeeze Brit pop-rock, Tom Petty-styled Southern rock, and Beatles-esque majesty. Good to Be has been the band’s most successful record to date, garnering coverage from a wide range of publications including Paste Magazine, Washington Post, PopMatters.com, My Old Kentucky Blog and Daytrotter.com.

            Vandaveer is Mark Charles Heidinger, a man who knows how to charm via the medium of song. His melodies are easy, welcoming and filled with splendor, and intelligent enough to be on the right side of radio-friendly. While humble, his folk is not twee or sappy. Divide & Conquer, Vandaveer's 2nd album, was released in 2009, aided and abetted by the angelic vocals of his good sister Rose. Here is the proof that you can be modest and commanding in the same breath.

Seattle's Ivan & Alyosha take their musical inspiration from vintage folk-pop. Formed in 2007, the band has gained traction following the release of their debut EP The Verse, The Chorus and a successful stop at SXSW 2010. NPR Music have been one of the first champions of the band. They picked Ivan & Alyosha as one of the Top 100 at SXSW and then selected the band's "Easy to Love" as NPR's Song of The Day in April. Most recently they invited I&A down to DC to tape an episode of their Tiny Desk Concerts, to be posted this fall. Ivan & Alyosha will release a new EP in October.

MARK OLSON SUMMER/FALL 2010 U.S. TOUR DATES08/27   Los Angeles, CA                    McCabe’s Guitar Shop w/ Ivan & Alyosha
09/07   San Francisco, CA                  Café du Nord w/ Ivan & Alyosha
09/09   Portland, OR                           Mississippi Studios w/ AA Bondy, Mike Coykendall, The Alialujah Choir

and Henry Wagons

09/10   Seattle, WA                            The Triple Door w/ Ivan & Alyosha
09/11   Bellingham, WA                     Green Frog Café Acoustic Tavern w/ Ivan & Alyosha
09/12   Minneapolis, MN                    Varsity Theater

09/13   Grand Rapids, MN                 KAXE Closing Tent              
09/14   Duluth, MN                            Pizza Luce w/ Cory Chisel
09/15   Madison, WI                           High Noon Saloon with Cory Chisel
09/16   Milwaukee, WI                       Club Garibaldi w/ Backyard Tire Fire
09/17   Chicago, IL                             Schuba’s w/ Cory Chisel
09/18   Louisville, KY                        The Rudyard Kipling w/ Vandaveer
09/19   St. Louis, MO                         The Old Rock House w/ Vandaveer
09/21   Easton, MD                             Nightcat w/ Vandaveer
09/22   Philadelphia, PA                     World Café Live w/ Vandaveer
09/23   Vienna, VA                             Jammin’ Java w/Vandaveer
09/24   New York, NY                        Joe’s Pub
09/25   Northampton, MA                   Iron Horse Music Hall w/ Breathe Owl Breathe

09/26   Cambridge, MA                       Club Passim w/ Breathe Owl Breathe
09/27   Portland, ME                          Online Longfellow Square w Vandaveer
09/28   Ithaca, NY                               Wildfire Lounge w/ Vandaveer
09/29   Brooklyn, NY                          The Rock Shop

The Boomchucks' video of the year

Trampled by Turtles at Madison's High Noon Saloon

Trampled by Turtles "Palomino" from ryan heraly on Vimeo.

Free download from Tony Rubin's new band, Theft by Swindle!

(For those of you without any game, Tony Rubin is the young whippersnapper behind AM rubin -- with his "pop," of course -- and Pacific Phonograph Co. Anyway, he tells me this early demo was recorded live in an "underground laboratory in Upper Smithville.")

Cloud Cult coming back to Duluth next month!

Cloud Cult Announce First US Tour Dates in Nearly Six Months;

Band Currently In-the-Studio Working on New Album for Fall 2010

New York, NY – Cloud Cult is thrilled to announce some US tour dates this February, March and April – their first in nearly six months.  The handful of 2010 US dates include a benefit show on February 26^th at First Avenue in Minneapolis where all proceeds will go to saving The Electric Fetus Record Store outside of $1 from each ticket that will be set aside for the American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief Fund.  In addition, this past fall Craig and Connie Minowa moved to a new home just West of Madison, WI where Craig has been writing and recording a new album set for release later this year.  The record will be the band’s first studio album in more than two years and is the follow up to the critically acclaimed Feel Good Ghosts (Tea Partying Through Tornados) (Earthology – April 2008). 

Despite not releasing a new album in 2009, it was far from a quiet year for Cloud Cult.  They put out a documentary DVD No One Said It Would Be Easy on April 21^st.  The film tells the unique journey of the group, serving as both an introduction and introspection meant for newcomers and fans alike.  The band followed up the release of the film with nearly two months of tour dates including their first performance at the annual Coachella Music Festival in Indio, CA.

In addition, Cloud Cult released a double-disc reissue of They Live on the Sun (2003) and Aurora Borealis (2004), two of their earliest albums which were re-envisioned, remixed and remastered. The reissues made these out of print and hard to find albums available nationwide for the first time.  And if that wasn’t enough, as a special treat for fans, an album of previously unreleased tracks was also released: Lost Songs from the Lost Years. 

With a new studio album in the works, Cloud Cult is thrilled to start playing out live again.  They kicked things off on February 6^th with a show in Lutsen, MN and as mentioned above will be doing a benefit concert at First Avenue on February 26^th.  In addition, for the first time ever there will be a Cloud Cult art show featuring works by both Connie Minowa and Scott West.  The art show is free and will take place from 4pm until 9pm in the VIP Room of First Avenue on the same day as the benefit! 

For the most up-to-date information on Cloud Cult, please check out the band’s website:

www.cloudcult.com

Cloud Cult Tour Dates:

Feb.       26^th         First Avenue Main Room                              Minneapolis, MN

                27^th         Gardner Lounge @ Grinnell Col.                 Grinnell, IA

Mar.       26^th         U. Minnesota Duluth-Kirby                         Duluth, MN

Apr.       15^th         Lincoln Hall                                                       Chicago, IL

                16^th         Majestic Theatre                                              Madison, WI


~Information courtesy Stunt Company

Hope I don't miss Side 1 of Van Halen's 'Van Halen'!

Vinyl makes return to the commercial radio airwaves in the Northland

December 3^rd marks the triumphant return of vinyl to the commercial radio airwaves in Duluth/Superior.

KHQG-FM “The Northland’s Classic Rock 102.5” has unveiled Album Side Thursday, a new feature that will debut Thursday, December 3^rd at 9am following The Bob and Tom Show. From 9am until Midnight, entire rock LP album sides will be played without interruption on a real turntable.

“It will be a thrill to dust off some of the greatest albums of all time and drop the needle on the record. I can guarantee the studio will be filled with folks young and old marveling at the fact that we are spinning records on the air”, said 102.5 Program Director Brian Wheeler. “We can’t wait to hear the reaction from rock fans and vinyl-heads alike.” Classic Rock 102.5 is taking listeners’ suggestions for album sides at www.northlandsclassicrock.com

This is the first Album Side Thursday , but there is a strong possibility for this to be a semi-regular feature. “It’s a treat for our listeners. Like any treat, you don’t want to make a steady diet of it”, said Brian Wheeler. “We’ll gauge the reaction and respond accordingly. I truly hope Northlanders enjoy listening to Album Side Thursday as much as we’ll enjoy providing it for them.”

~Information courtesy 102.5 and, yes, side one of Van Halen's self-titled debut was the first thing I requested for this cool new program

Matthew McCounaghey's Biggest Fans? Duluth's Dink Tank!

I'm glad this is getting the recognition it deserves -- funniest thing I've seen on YouTube not involving unicorns and Candy Mountain! (Reminds me of the time Jes and Bri from Best Friends Forever made me don a dinosaur mask for "Jurassic Park III"....)

Yep, and those nipples are pierced too!

"You said it, not us."

(Image courtesy Jana Peterson)

Brother Ali has new album, tour that launches in Duluth #dlh #aefyi

BROTHER ALI ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM US, ON RHYMESAYERS ENTERTAINMENT

MINNEAPOLIS RAPPER EMBARKS ON NORTH AMERICAN TOUR IN SUPPORT OF ALBUM

Brother Ali's last album, the critically acclaimed The Undisputed Truth, was a landmark in hip-hop, an album that carried weight equally with critics and fans alike, an album of bold statements and bolder beats, politically and socially aware without being preachy. His new album, Us (out September 22nd on Rhymesayers Entertainment), is a progression that will make Brother Ali one of the most enduring figures in hip-hop; while still aware, Ali has turned his gaze inward, and started examining the human condition from the outside in. A profound personal glimpse into a vulnerability seldom seen or heard in music, Us touches on the strengths and flaws of the human condition, exploring drug abuse, divorce, homophobia and many more topics that most people are scared to touch in their own lives, much less on an album for the world to see.

As with previous endeavors, the beats here are courtesy of Ant, whose production work seems to be getting more soulful and lush by the minute. The guest appearances only accentuate Brother Ali's strengths, with Chuck D, Freeway, Joell Ortiz and Stokley Williams of Mint Condition making strong appearances.

In support of the new album, Ali is embarking on a North American tour of epic proportions, enlisting the help of labelmates and collaborators Evidence (of Dilated Peoples, recently signed to Rhymesayers), BK One and Toki Wright.

Fan presale -Monday, July 27
Https://tixx1.artistarena.com/brotherali

National on sale - Saturday, August 1

Tour dates below.

SEPT 22 DULUTH, MN PIZZA LUCE
SEPT 23 MANKATO, MN WHAT'S UP LOUNGE
SEPT 24 IOWA CITY, IA THE INDUSTRY
SEPT 25 SIOUX FALLS, SD NUTTY'S NORTH
SEPT 26 OMAHA, NE THE WAITING ROOM
SEPT 27 LAWRENCE, KS GRANADA
SEPT 29 DENVER, CO OGDEN THEATER
SEPT 30 BOULDER, CO FOX THEATRE
OCT 1 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO THE BLACK SHEEP
OCT 2 SALT LAKE CITY, UT IN THE VENUE
OCT 3 BOISE, ID THE VENUE
OCT 4 MISSOULA, MT THE BADLANDER
OCT 6 SPOKANE, WA THE BOULEVARD
OCT 7 SEATTLE, WA NEUMO'S
OCT 8 VICTORIA, BC ELEMENT
OCT 9 VANCOUVER, BC VENUE
OCT 10 BELLINGHAM, WA THE NIGHTLIGHT
OCT 11 PORTLAND, OR HAWTHORNE THEATER
OCT 12 EUGENE, OR WOW HALL
OCT 14 ARCATA, CA HUMBOLDT STATE UNIV
OCT 15 RENO, NV THE NEW OASIS
OCT 16 SANTA CRUZ, CA THE CATALYST
OCT 17 SAN FRANCISCO, CA SLIM'S
OCT 18 SANTA CLARA, CA AVALON NIGHTCLUB
OCT 20 LOS ANGELES, CA EL REY THEATRE
OCT 21 SAN DIEGO, CA CANE'S
OCT 22 TEMPE, AZ CLUB RED
OCT 23 TUCSON, AZ CLUB CONGRESS
OCT 24 ALBUQUERQUE, NM SUNSHINE THEATER
OCT 26 LUBBOCK, TX THE FOUNDATION
OCT 27 DALLAS, TX GRANADA THEATER
OCT 28 AUSTIN, TX EMO'S
OCT 29 HOUSTON, TX WAREHOUSE LIVE
NOV 1 ORLANDO, FL THE SOCIAL
NOV 4 CARRBORO, NC CAT'S CRADLE
NOV 5 BALTIMORE, MD THE OTTOBAR
NOV 6 PHILADELPHIA, PA 1st UNITARIAN CHURCH
NOV 7 NEW YORK, NY IRVING PLAZA
NOV 8 BOSTON, MA THE PARADISE
NOV 9 BURLINGTON, VT HIGHER GROUND
NOV 10 PORTLAND, ME THE ASYLUM
NOV 11 NORTHAMPTON, MA PEARL STREET
NOV 13 CLEVELAND, OH GROG SHOP
NOV 14 COLUMBUS, OH SKULLY'S MUSIC DINER
NOV 15 LOUISVILLE, KY UNCLE PLEASANT'S
NOV 17 ANN ARBOR, MI BLIND PIG
NOV 18 CHICAGO, IL METRO
NOV 19 MADISON, WI BARRYMORE THEATER
NOV 20 MINNEAPOLIS, MN FIRST AVENUE

~Information courtesy Biz 3

New Spoon single, reminder of Austin group's love for Low

SPOON: GOT NUFFIN
NEW SINGLE OUT JUNE 30
SPOONX3 July 9, 10 & 11 at Stubbs Amphitheater

On Tuesday, June 30th, SPOON will debut its first newly recorded material since 2007's universally acclaimed Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga: Merge Records will release the three-song "Got Nuffin" single on CD and digital download beginning June 30, with 12" vinyl version following in July, exact date TBD.

"Got Nuffin" was recorded by Nicolas Vernhes at Rare Book Room. B-sides "Tweakers" and "Stroke Their Brains" were recorded by SPOON.

As previously announced SPOON will return to its birthplace to commandeer Austin's Stubbs Amphitheater July 9, 10 and 11 for SPOONX3, which will feature the live debut of new material from the band's forthcoming album as well as different special guests nightly, all handpicked by SPOON.

The lineup for the shows at Stubbs is as follows:

July 9 - SPOON, Quasi, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
July 10 - SPOON, Low, Dale Watson
July 11 - SPOON, Atlas Sound, the Strange Boys

For further information, check www.Spoontheband.com

~Information courtesy Nasty Little Man

Help get 'God Rocked' on Netflix!

4 Track Films, Duluth's independent film-production unit, needs your help getting its latest film on Netflix. The plea, straight from the 4 Track Films newsletter:

In order to get "...and on the 7th day, God Rocked" out to the world, we've submitted it to Netflix and need your help!

Please go to this Netflix webpage and fill out the title request email form. Simply fill in your email address, choose "title request" for your subject matter and in the body of the email say you'd like to see Netflix offer "...and on the 7th day, God Rocked" from 4 Track Films for rent! It's that easy.

Thanks for taking a few moments out of your day to help us spread the word!

Hillary Clinton, Cecilia Lieder, Yo Majesty, Tony Dierckins, Beloved Binge, Highway 61 and more!

Stories to keep you warm at night, like ... Michael Moore's favorite former first lady visiting my (kind of, sort of) alma mater:

"Hillary Clinton Visits Duluth" :: Hillary Clinton, New York senator and former first lady, stumped for fellow Democrats at the University of Minnesota Duluth's Romano Gym Monday evening. She was joined by U.S. Rep. James Oberstar, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Senate hopeful Al Franken. Prior to taking the stage, Clinton fielded questions from the local press, an event attended by Mayor Don Ness.

"Lieder: Printmaking Just as Rich as Any Other Medium" :: For one of the Northland’s most esteemed printmakers, Cecilia Lieder, Northern Prints Gallery proprietor (and member of the Northern Print Alliance), sure has a good sense of humor about her art. She’s also quite understanding when it comes to explaining her medium.

"Draw Your Brakes (aka 'A Simple Message')" :: A friendly (albeit 100 percent illegal) Railroad Street reminder of your civic duties Tuesday. <- Also known as THIS WEEK'S COVER!

"CD Reviews: Yo Majesty and Beloved Binge" :: Enjoyed this week: Yo Majesty’s “Futuristically Speaking … Never Be Afraid” and Beloved Binge’s “Blender Theory.”

"Book Reviews: Duluth's Aerial Lift Bridge and the Minnesota Stretch of Highway 61 Immortalized" :: The definitive book on “Duluth’s Eiffel Tower," Tony Dierckins' "Crossing the Canal: An Illustrated History of Duluth’s Aerial Bridge," and Cathy Wurzer’s Highway 61 roadtrip companion, “Tales of the Road."

Thus concludes THIS WEEK'S (BELATED) SHAMELESS BUDGETEER PLUG!

Duluth (Music) Hall of Fame: 'Seed Math'

SEED MATH - "SEED MATH"

{Cover art unavailable ... for now.*}

TRACKS

1. "Planet Earth"
2. "Piggyback Accident"
3. "Television, Alright!"
4. "Instrumental #1"
5. "Same Again"
6. "Instrumental #2"
7. "Two Two One Ten Two Two"
8. "Let it Begin"
9. "The Matthew Lesko Polka"
10. "Question and Answer Book"
11. "Bad Heart"
12. "Acoustic Midget Blues"

LINER NOTES

"Liner notes" were quite limited, as the Seed Math releases were just the CDs in color jewel cases. (This first release came in a blue case.) However, like the other installments, this first disc came with a small piece of paper denoting its volume number (out of four), edition number (out of 25 ... quite rare!) and that it was created by Tony Bennett of the Dames (now of Cars & Trucks). There was also text printed directly onto the disc: "Written, performed, recorded and mixed by Tony Bennett at Spirit Valley Studios, Duluth, MN. Mastered by Zac Bentz w/ TB. 'Artwork' by TB. seedmath@hotmail.com. All songs copyright 2003 SEED MATH. Thanks!"

ETC.

Tony Bennett's Seed Math discs were released jointly by Shaky Ray Records and Cutout Records in the early 2000s. Some songs from the series were later featured in "Broc," a documentary about ceramacist Broc Allen made by Steve Ash. Learn more about Bennett's career in "Speaking as a Child of the '70s," a feature I wrote about him for the Duluth Budgeteer News. A choice quote from the story: “I’ve always kind of compartmentalized [my songs] in my mind for some reason,” he said. “If I write a Beatle-y kind of song, you know, that will go in this pile. If I write a hard rock song, that’ll go in this pile. Then, if I write a weird keyboard song, that’ll go in the Seed Math pile.”

*Duluth (Music) Hall of Fame is by no means official. It's just a way to get information about all of the many wonderful Twin Ports music scene releases out there. You can help out by submitting any missing materials or, better yet, starting your own (read: better) Northland music database.

'Like a bunch of people sitting in a tin shack writing music'

That is Pennies for a Dime's Dustin Fennessey attempting to describe his group's peculiar (though, rest assured, very pleasing) sound. My attempt: "'Acoustic-based alternative rock' is probably the safest way to explain it, like latter-day Red Hot Chili Peppers without the funk influence." Or, as the multitalented singer/bassist (he also fronts Portraits for Judith) put it a second time ... well, that made it into the headline: "AC/DC Minus the Suck." This promising group also features Number One Common’s guitarist extraordinaire, Mikey Trifilette, and powerhouse drummer Faye Baron -- both of whom I spoke with for the feature.

Also this week, I interviewed Ben Clark, bassist for the innovative Twin Cities hip-hop group Mel Gibson and the Pants (read the Q-and-A, "Fearless Sonic Explorers," here). The group, which regularly collaborates with such hip-hop luminaries as Eyedea and various Doomtree members -- P.O.S., Sims, Dessa, Mictlan and Turbo Nemesis ... to name just a few -- will be playing a show up at UMD Wednesday with local favorites Kritical Kontact. My favorite quote from the interview? Why, I'm glad you asked: "I actually do not remember how to play the songs exactly as they appear on the album, so during a show I do enough improvising to turn whatever songs are in our set list into the kind of song that I would like to be playing at that moment."

Thus concludes THIS WEEK'S SHAMELESS BUDGETEER PLUG!