News & Articles

Climes on the pier at Glensheen. Photos by Jill Fisher.

Now that the summer music season is drawing to a close, it’s been tough to attend everything I would have liked to see. Those performances I did get to this past week were excellent end-of-summer outings, beginning with the Fish Heads at Lincoln Park on Tuesday, Aug. 19. 

It was a warm, sunny evening, perfect for hanging out and listening to the trio’s selected covers. Paul Jones, who has been absent for a while, rejoined Mike and Kim Munson to augment their acoustic guitars with pedal steel guitar on most of the numbers and banjo on others.

Beginning with a timely and heartrending rendition of Dion’s 1968 hit, “Abraham, Martin and John” written by Dick Holler, listeners got a musical journey back in time. This included the Herman’s Hermits number “I’m Into Something Good,” which was a strange juxtaposition with the first song. 

Of all the covers, I most enjoyed “Home,” a Bonnie Raitt hit, and Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic.” And of course it’s always fun to hear and sing along to “I Like it in Duluth!”

Glensheen’s Concerts on the Pier are nearly always a must-do and on Wednesday, Aug. 20, I wasn’t about to miss Boss Mama & the Jebberhooch. The temperature was only 73 degrees when I arrived, but it was sunny and felt hot in the sun. 

The surprise discovery, however, was Climes which opened for Boss Mama. While I had seen Climes’ leader Drew Anderson play solo at the Fitger’s Brewhouse (not a great venue for listening to music) this was the first chance I got to hear him with a backup band. 

On this occasion Drew played a lute dulcimer and his group included Clifton Nesseth (fiddle and flute), Rebecca James Alsum (cello), Steve Dalager (bass guitar) and Zach Baltich (drums). It was a delightful show of seven original songs with wonderful lyrics and melodies: “LTK,” “American 500,” “Magnolia,” “The Stream,” “Broadway Blues,” “Chattanooga” and “Othering.” 

I hope to hear of an album release from Climes one of these days.

By the time Boss Mama & the Jebberhooch took their places on the pier, a breeze had come up, the sun dipped below the hill and it cooled off considerably, requiring some dancing to stay warm. 

As usual, the band was hot, playing many of our favorite original tunes. What made this performance especially cool though was the addition of three talented female backup singers, which Boss Mama called “the Jeberhoochies.” They were Brook Anderson, Jocyelyn Mickelsen and Sonja Martin. In my parlance they were the Hoochie Coochie Jerbberhoochies! 

One of the fun aspects of these concerts on the pier is the ritual of performers jumping in Lake Superior at the conclusion. Only the bravest souls took the plunge (but the water was pretty warm).

Swimmers at Glensheen

On to other matters of musical interest. 

Generally I eschew tribute concerts, probably because I’ve never been a rabid enough fan of any one band that I’d want to see their doppelgangers attempt to recreate the music of their chosen group. Thus I did not attend the Rumours concert at the West Theatre a couple weeks ago that imitated Fleetwood Mac. 

Neither did I make the trip up to Silver Bay to hear Sherwin Linton & The Cotton Kings when I realized it was billed as a Johnny Cash tribute. (Not that I don’t like Cash’s music.) 

Nor was I tempted to take in the Bayfront Tribute Fest, despite the fact it raises funds for the good cause of addressing veterans’ issues with homelessness and health care. 

However, the Curmudgeon and I took in a performance by Rustic Moon at Duluth Cider on Friday evening, Aug. 22. This Neil Young tribute band hails from Lanesboro, Minn., and was scheduled to play the next afternoon at Tribute Fest. 

Disappointingly, Rustic Moon reinforced my basic antipathy toward tribute bands. After one mediocre set we bailed and headed over to Havana’s in Superior to hear the reliable Shane Nelson play both original tunes and requests. He’s the one musician who will play Little Richard tunes for me. For the Curmudgeon he played a sweet acoustic rendition of Dire Straits’ “Sultans of Swing.”

It was the next evening, Saturday, when we ran into friends who had been to Tribute Fest and found out that there were a number of good bands playing 90-minute sets. One of the bands they singled out was Chained Lightning, which played Lynyrd Skynyrd’s music, noting that its members were all outstanding musicians. 

They also mentioned that Tribute Fest had a small secondary tent set up to accommodate less well-known groups in addition to the main Bayfront stage (something that has been eliminated from the Bayfront Blues Festival). 

Based on their report I will consider attending next year.

It’s true that I have attended and reported on several tribute concerts these past few of years. Most recently I attended two performances by Tired Eyes, an excellent Neil Young tribute group comprised of top area musicians (reviewed in the July 17 issue of the Reader). In this case, I made an exception based on the outstanding musicians involved — Rich Mattson, Alan Sparhawk, Kraig Jarret Johnson and Glen Mattson — who freely interpreted Young’s songs, as you might expect.

Another tribute concert I attended was “Diamond in the Rough” on July 13 that covered John Prine’s compositions. Several area musicians participated, along the lines of the Duluth Does series of concerts organized to benefit Sacred Heart Music Center. But these musicians weren’t imitating the look and sound of the famous bands in question, which is a horse of a different color. 

I also confess to having seen the Elvis Christmas show as well as the Prince tribute show, Marshall Charloff & The Purple xPeRIeNCE, both at the West. Those were fun but, when it comes right down to it, I would prefer to spend my time taking in shows that feature musicians’ own talents. 

So this all makes me wonder why I don’t mind cover bands whose repertoire includes a range of popular songs. It’s an interesting bias I really can’t account for, except that they are typically great to dance to. 

Also, I am very taken with all the talented players based right here in the Northland who often add their original compositions into the mix. Father Hennepin is a good example of such a band.

And speaking of musicians who cover other’s music, the C and I got over to the Alhambra Lounge on Saturday, Aug. 23, to hear Laurie BoeDee in a solo gig with both acoustic and electric guitars. She was singing some good old timey and classic songs — Taj Mahal’s “Cakewalk Into Town,” Wilber Harrison’s hit “Kansas City” and “La Vie en Rose” by Edith Piaf, among others. All the selections fit the ambiance of this space perfectly. 

Laurie BoeDee at the Alhambra

Although I’ve been to this posh lounge (attached to the West Theatre) on several occasions, this was the first time I heard anyone play here. There are two stages, one in the lounge itself, the second at the rear of the building. The small stage at the front of the bar area is a cozy space that can accommodate duos and trios as well as solo artists. 

The sound was good. I look forward to attending a concert in the larger 60-seat space in the back sometime soon.

That same evening we drove across the bridge to Jack’s in Superior. It has been quite a while since I’ve seen the rock and roll band Darling Danger, featuring lead singer Susie Q. They truly rock and are a great dance band. Their cover of Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” is trippy and fab. 

Finally, after missing it all summer, I got over to hear the Sunday evening “not just blues jam” at R.T. Quinlan’s on Aug. 24. From what I hear, this jam session has really taken off over the past few months. 

And sure enough, after a late start due to technical sound issues, well-known musicians — Israel Malachi, Bill Whelan, Marty White, Daryl Scott, Greg Nelson, Jeff Peabody, James Hunter, et al — began arriving. 

Trading off with the mainstays (on this evening Mel Sando, Jim Palumbo, Corey Hulst, Kerry “Halsey” Holleman and Glen Thomas) the arriving jammers promised good music to come. 

An additional treat was a young lad, 16-year-old Liam Larson from Bemidji (his mom, Brandy, accompanied and drove him over) who joined the house band to blow us away with his already advanced guitar chops (“Johnny Be Good” indeed!) and confident stage persona. 

Liam Larson at RT Quinlan's

If you are intrigued, you are in luck as the jam takes place on the second and fourth Sundays every month, beginning at 5 pm, for the foreseeable future. Check it out.

UPCOMING: One of the summer outdoor venues I have yet to experience is the SS Wm. Irvin. This Thursday, Aug. 28, the band Shelter From The Storm (a Dylan tribute band! – but then covering Dylan is in an entirely different category) will be playing the last of those gigs. 

Another outdoor venue, Silver Bay’s City Park will host Tina and the B-Sides on Friday, Aug. 29. This is a free concert and, barring very bad weather, I have a feeling this is a show not to be missed. 

Plus one more the C and I are planning to attend: The Driftless Revelers at Rugged Spruce Golf Course’s Long Iron Stage in Mahtowa on Sunday, Aug. 31, at 6:30 pm. 

See you out there!