Crowdsourcing for the people’s pulse

Elsa Krantz

 Gochujang at The Jade Fountain. Photo by Brandon Parker. 

It is over. The time we all waste is over. Summer is gone. Let it all be shed and ridded now for the dying season ahead. I decided to do a little crowd sourcing and ask around town about what’s got people feeling inspired, attentive and on the pulse of music Duluth and beyond as of this present moment in time. I asked any ole body and here’s what the people had to say. Some names are aliases for my anonymous comrades. 

I am standing on one side of the counter and he on the other as he tells me, “It’s been the animal crossing the road in front of me in a nearby field, bear, bobcat, fox, rabbit, turkeys, sandhill cranes and deer.” He mentions all things that pertain in no way to music. “It’s all those in their sounds. Their being is music.” I stand corrected. 

I am taking the dog out walking and give a ring to Skippy Rodriguez. Here he was about to leave me a voicemail, but I tell him it’s me in real time and that’s just even better he says. “I want Duluth Does Gram Parsons or Duluth Does Woody Guthrie,” and I shake and nod through the tele. “The music just speaks to me, for the rights of others and the land and bringing light to injustice in the world.” Who or what else might Duluth Do? 

Friday night I went to Jade Fountain for a moment and upon the in and out, I got to see Gochujang as a cluster of players picked from bands all around town. It was groovy and the low red lights and carpeted floors welcomed our boogieing briefly. It was off to Caddy Shack and in passing caught some metal waves from Wussows: Eudaemon, Ashbringer, Corridorè, Anatomy Of Ruminants. Metal and punk are thriving in Duluth. Ask and you shall receive, you sweet sweet Duluthians. 

At Caddy Shack, we got some Baharat with opening from Chutes and Junior Choir. I sat at the bar and talked with Starr. She said, “God’s Holy Blood yo. November 2nd. Keep going out because the local bands don’t stop. Roadside Casino is just doin it for me. And I love Baharat because the personality just comes through.”

At the bar with us, our comrade Brandon Parker (AKA Mr. Meatball) says, “Music creates a sense of locality and placeness. Music this summer made me long to be even more connected.” Marshall Dillon chimed in and said open tunings, Cory Wong’s podcast “Wong Notes” and math rock are what he is paying attention to right now. Math rock is what it sounds like: it involves math. Or you can just listen to it and not wonder about the out-of-pocket rhythmic choices. Math does not have to suck. You can listen to it, too. 

This same night over at Curlys, shoulder to shoulder at the bar with me, Coldstone Jenkins said, “Don’t tell anyone this, but Chappell Roan. Boys like me aren’t supposed to like that shit.” Well, I am glad boys like you do. Go listen to Roans “Femininomenon.” Goddamn that was hard to spell. Anyway, get feminized. Duluth’s beloved Swerty also plugs the icon and says, “This summer was a big ‘Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess’ Chappell Roan summer for me. It tangibly caused me to change my life.” Swerty also wants the people to know that “Over the Garden Wall” has an exciting soundtrack and many other musicians and artist friends are stoked about it too. Autumn event related to this spooky children’s TV series coming soon. 

Bruce Woodman is feeling blessed for how D-Town showed up and threw down for his 52nd Timeout Tuesday at Carmody’s back in August. “I’m also really proud of Burnstone down in Sandstone.” Dusty Keliin hosted the fest for the first time and folks are stoked for it to remain. “I like to see how our music community keeps supporting each other. That is what this is all about. Duluth is a hotbed of talent.” 

Ross Thorn took some time for a thoughtful response on this and said, “It was a sweet summer around the Twin Ports.” Ross is grateful for the conclusion to his touring with The Spine Stealers in Superior at Earth Rider. “Playing Glensheen in August was kind of a dream. Perfect day. Perfect weather…” Ross offered an intimate space alongside Cliff Nesseth, Jen Krussow, Jacob Mahon and Nate Hynum, however intimate you can be on a stone pier off the cool rocks and with the full water and landscape packed with people. He adds that he was inspired by Kristi Olson’s “On The Record” zine and show at Earth Rider this June. Kristi put together a wildly diverse array of musicians, including Ross and his band amongst Mara Lovejoy, Baharat, Dre AKA Jamaican, Roadside Casino and more. Ross got to hit the pit for the first time during the Torment set. Kristi has been killing it as audio engineer at Bent Paddle. Female vocalists in town have reported that Kristi is awesome to work with and knows how to mix “loud ladies.” She’s got a great ear for many different sounds. Kristi says, “I love that queer music and art has entered the mainstream in a big way. I love that hyperfemininity not aimed for the male gaze is becoming mainstream.” I could not agree more. She adds to that, “…experimental/avant garde music and art” is the “…wild unprecedented art” that we need right now. “Life is hard; might as well dance, right?” The verdict is metal is here, girliness is cool and you better shake your booty about it. 

Russ Sacket stepped away from the football game to chat with me and said, “Playing outside for me is one of the best. Duluth allows so much outdoor music.” Russ has been playing in Duluth for quite some time and is so pleased to see, “...all these kids out here playing and listening and achieving in their craft so fully. I am so inspired by these kids.” Me too, Russ. 

I took the bus last week and a woman next to me said, “My alibi is the horns. We will commit together forever, myself and a horn. Wherever they are, may they find me and my ears.” She seemed rather aroused by the question and distantly in lust with horned instruments. 

I asked another fella what he thinks about music in Duluth right now. He is an average slow-walkin man of the town who calls himself Porkchap Montgomery. All he had to say was, “Rock and roll is dead.” 

I went for a coffee and a couple of gals at The Back Alley talked about reclaiming music from love affairs. Songs that get sad cuz your heart hurts from a lover gone can be reclaimed and enjoyed in time, or so they say. “The songs don’t stop being good and cool cuz he’s gone.” 

On my walk home, Jilly Bones told me over the phone from the  Hudson Valley, “I just have to be able to dance to it.” And it’s true. Jilly Bones puts it down. 

In my walking, I passed Lincoln Park community garden and paused to let a guy pet my dog. He wore a wide cowboy hat and t-shirt with “Robbie” dang Robertson on it. I asked him if he’d talk to me about music. He told me he doesn’t get out as an “older feller” but that when he was driving trucks round the U.S., he’d listen to classic country tunes on the radio. These days he curates playlists from other conglomerations online. He says he gets sick of it though and wishes he was on the road again with fresh new tunes always. He is tired of the classics from way back then. “I already heard it all.” He had gentle eyes and seemed pleased to be wondered about. I was delighted to make his acquaintance and listen to his sweet southern drawl. 

Please enjoy this selection of commentaries and go on wondering who some anonymous characters are. What am I inspired by, you ask? Well, I am smitten in this town because I don’t ever run out of listening.