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Miss Georgia Peach at Earth Rider. Photos by Jill Fisher.

How many of the readers of this column have taken in a music festival or two in the past several years?
Festivals are great for enjoying live music and discovering new bands and musicians. I am amazed at the proliferation of them throughout the Midwest during the summer months, not to mention those that are much farther afield.

The main ones that come to mind for me are the upcoming Bayfront Reggae & World Mustic Festival (Saturday, July 18) and Bayfront Blues Fest (Friday, Aug. 14, through Sunday, Aug. 16), both of which I plan to attend.

Of course there’s Fourth Fest at Bayfront coming up this weekend which, for some reason, has been one I’ve skipped for years.

I missed Rock the Park on Saturday, June 20, put on by Grandma’s Marathon to celebrate the participating runners. Boxcar kicked it off this year with a 9 am time slot.

Besides these are the numerous festivals put on by Earth Rider Brewery in Superior (more on that below). This is enough to provide anyone’s fill of live music but there are so many others scheduled throughout the summer, typically dominated by particular genres or themes, that could be fun to attend.

This past weekend was the Blue Ox Music Festival in Eau Claire, Wis. Our Duluth-based trio, Cigarette Picnic, performed there this year amongst many top acts from across the country as well as some favorite regional bands (Pert Near Sandstone, Them Coulee Boys).

Then there is the long-standing favorite of many — the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Some pals of mine make it to that almost annually and in fact met there (since married).

This year it takes place Thursday, July 9, through Sunday the 12th.

Several other festivals that are tempting me: The Rhythm of the River Festival in Jackson, Minn., (way down on the Iowa border) on July 10-11, is being heavily promoted on Minnesota Public Radio and includes two of our favorite Duluth bands: Saltydog and Teague Alexy and the Common Thread along with Pert Near Sandstone and Erik Koskinen.

Three festivals, each of which I would love to attend, run the same weekend, July 30-August 2: To the east of us is The Mile of Music Festival in Appleton, Wis., which highlights bands with all original music, while the 20th annual Vintage Band Festival in Northfield, Minn., features 30 brass bands, including two from Europe! And it’s free.

Another festival that’s been on my to-do list for a few years is the Bix Biederbeck Jazz Festival, now in its 55th year, in Davenport, Iowa, which takes place July 30-Aug. 1. How can one begin to choose?

One of the issues with outdoor music festivals is the weather. And boy have I ever experienced how it impacts them — from threatening storms that lead to cancellations, to rain and/or unpleasant temps that keep people away.

On the other hand, beautiful sunny and warm weather can keep patrons away from indoor concerts.
A couple weeks ago I wrote about the Festival Rialto in Grand Rapids, which was far too cold to stay to hear the entire lineup.

Similarly, Earth Rider’s Summer Fest this past Saturday, June 27, had two bands new to me along with one favorite, all of which I was looking forward to hearing but was cut short due to the 63-degree temperature that, with the wind off Lake Superior, felt like 56 degrees.

The Mud Puppies with Rich Mattson subbing on drums.

It didn’t help that the last band, Rich Mattson and the Northstars, didn’t take the stage until 10 pm.
Up first at this concert was the Mud Puppies, a relatively new group in our midst that I was particularly interested in seeing since I missed them during Homegrown Music Festival this past spring. Led by Jacob King Downs (acoustic guitar, lead vocals), on this evening it included Scion Jordon (lead electric guitar), Rusland Johnson (electric guitar), Roland Struckman (bass guitar) and Rich Mattson on drums (!) substituting for regular drummer Lachlan Hartley.

These guys were quite accomplished for being so new. Their original songs “Teeth,” “She Loves Me So,” “The Shame,” “Dancing in the Kitchen” and six others were all danceable. Their one cover, the Rolling Stones’ “Dead Flowers,” was also very well done. This is a band to keep on our radar!

As the evening grew colder, the St. Paul-based band Miss Georgia Peach took the stage at 9:05 pm and, unfortunately, the crowd diminished, missing some original rockin’ music.

Like others, I needed to take some warm-up time in the adjacent Earth Rider tap room, Cedar Lounge. However, I got to hear “Just As Long As You Love Me,” “Shut Up and Drink Your Beer” and “Who Throwed Dat Rock” plus a few others. This six-piece band was also new to me. Its members include namesake vocalist Miss Georgia Peach along with Travis Ramin (drums), Mike Bennett (bass guitar), John Ewing (guitar, vocals), Baby Grant Johnson (electric guitar, vocals) plus a female vocalist whose name I didn’t catch. The band got started back in 1991 and has toured widely, including overseas. I’ll try to see them again sometime when they’re playing at Twin Cities venue.

I was sorry to have to leave before hearing all of Rich Mattson and The Northstars’ set on this chilly evening but there you have it, sometimes the weather is in control.

Earth Rider hosted another Summer Fest earlier in the week on Thursday, June 25, that was actually put on by the nonprofit Mentor North. In this case, sunny weather cooperated.

This festival was not just about music but involved small businesses, crafters and other organizations that foster community. Mentor North’s mission is to provide support to youngsters who can benefit from a caring adult in their lives. Volunteer adults offer needed mentoring for those they are paired with. I was informed that there are 80 children awaiting adults to mentor them. If interested, check out this worthwhile organization at mentornorth.org.   

The Gemstones got the music started at 5 pm, playing for an hour and a half many of the covers they have perfected, including the fun and rousing “Ghostbusters.”

Courtney on keys sang Elton John’s hit “Bennie and the Jets,” which showcased her vocal power and versatility, including a bit of “vocal fry.”

What makes this group special is that all four members sing well and take the lead on various songs, keeping their sets engaging from start to finish. Manny’s falsetto was a gas to hear, Josh sold Bill Withers’ tune, “Use Me Up” and Ian provided some bluesy vocals. They’ve become quite a favorite band of mine even if they do play mostly covers.

The Mentor North festival also included Nur-D, fronted by Matt “Nur-D” Allen a hip hop musician based in the Twin Cities. This was the first time I saw him in action and I discovered he is a very animated showman. He has a backup band of rotating members that included on this evening a trumpeter, saxophonist, keyboardist and a “wax scratcher.” All were fine musicians who gave us a range of danceable, funky sounds that complemented Nur-D’s raps. Most of their music is original, as is generally the case with a rapper like Nur-D.

Gregg Inhofer playing at the Alhambra Lounge.

As the Mentor North festival wound down, I decided to head over to Alhambra for a drink and a brief respite. Surprisingly (to me anyway), singer-songwriter Gregg Inhofer (famous for his contribution to Dylan’s Blood On the Tracks album) was in the lounge tickling the keys of the upright piano there. What a thrilling serendipitous solo concert this was as he entertained us with both covers and original compositions, interspersed with backstage stories.

The song “If I Wore A Hat” was a tribute to Jeff Hill and extended the thought with “I’d take it off to you.” When Lance, the bartender, mentioned it was global Beatles day, Inhofer sang his original song “Beatleitis,” which concluded with a medley of Beatle song lyrics.

Inhofer was delightful. He demonstrated a polyrhythmic song that included some great scat. His work also promotes love and understanding, which is greatly appreciated by this listener.

The Silver Lining Serenaders with Veikko Lepisto on bass at Wussow’s.

The next evening, Friday, June 26, I made it out to Wussow’s in time for the Silver Lining Serenaders’ gig there. I’ve written about this New Orleans-based duo before (Oct. 2, 2025 Reader), so I had an idea of what I was going to hear — great tunes from the 1920s, 30s and 40s.

Ella Thomasine Ingebret (fiddle, vocals) and her partner Scott Stobbe (acoustic guitar, vocals) tour quite extensively, including periodic gigs in her native Duluth.

As during last October’s show, Veikko Lepisto joined them with his fabulous standup bass playing, which adds a nice weightiness to their sound.

Ella began with a cover of Ella Fitzgerald’s “Into Each Life some Rain Must Fall.” Sweet! She is also outstanding with her renditions of both French and Spanish songs.

Afterwards she told me she’s learning some Portuguese and German to expand her repertoire of songs from foreign countries.

I look forward to their next show in Duluth!

The Foggy Memory Boys at Wussow’s.

I also got to see a band that calls Taos, New Mexico, home: The Foggy Memory Boys at Wussow’s on Tuesday, June 16. You can probably tell from the name that this is a bluegrass band and, as they put it, their bluegrass has a southwestern tinge. They were so good I bought one of their CDs.

An aspect of music at Wussow’s that is so appreciated is owner Jason’s wont to bring us music by folks we wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to. Thank you Jason!

UPCOMING: My must-see this coming weekend is Whiskey River Downstream. They are playing at Doc’s in Sturgeon Lake on Sunday, July 5, at 3 pm. Maybe I’ll see some familiar faces there?