Catching Up with Singer/Songwriter Mary Bue

Singer/Songwriter Mary Bue (Photo Darin Back)

This weekend I noticed that Mary Bue was performing at Sacred Heart later this month to launch her newest album The World Is Your Lover. It seemed a good time to reach out and catch up. She produced her first album in 2000 and has been a productive songwriter and steady performer ever since.

Her cover of "Desolation Row" on the album Bringing It All Back Home to Duluth Does Dylan, a compilation by local musicians that should be in any Dylan fan's collection, never gets old. As a performer she has an impressive resume. She's gained a notable following wherever she goes.

EN: I last interviewed you when your album Holy Bones was released in 2015. Since then you moved to the Twin Cities, but you're still making original music. Bring us up to date on the past three years.

Mary Bue: Wonderful to connect with you again, Ed, and I greatly appreciate your love of music! The Holy Bones era was a very pivotal time. I switched genres from playing mostly piano-based tunes to more grungy electric guitar indie rock vibes -- and even had a symbolic funeral for my keyboard! Ha! Now I've (sort of) returned to center and have found room for both.

I moved to Minneapolis in 2016 to follow an opportunity to open a yoga studio. It truly just fell into my lap -- a small space near Powderhorn Park which I called Imbue Yoga Studio. This was the catalyst to move down here, although I had been feeling the itch to move for awhile (I'd been back in Duluth since 2011 after a four-ish year stint in Seattle). I signed the lease for the yoga studio in February 2016. In March I broke my shoulder attempting to snowboard for the first time. In April I acquired the studio and my ex-husband and our friend Bob Olson started remodeling. April 7th my band went down to Nashville to record The Majesty of Beasts on some studio time I won from a Battle of the Bands scenario. In May, I moved and ... filed for divorce. June 11th Imbue Yoga Studio had its grand opening. In three months, I broke a shoulder, recorded in Nashville, moved, divorced, and opened a yoga studio. It was a wild time. LOL.

The yoga studio kept me sane in the midst of a very intense and emotional whirlwind. I met, worked with, and practiced with wonderful, caring, spiritual friends and teachers. I cried on the floor a lot, pretty exhausting. Musically, my band had blown apart, but I decided to still release the EP we recorded, The Majesty of Beasts. In it I had (finally) shared a song-story about a sexual assault which happened to me in 2006. I announced the song was coming and then BAM, #MeToo movement took off shortly after. Zeitgeist. I'm not sure why I waited so long to tell that story, but damn, it was apparent that I surely was not the only one, of course. Unfortunately. Horrifyingly.

Magically, around the time that I opened my yoga studio, I was notified that I received a three month Artist in Residence award to spend three months at the Helene Wurtlitzer Foundation of New Mexico to work on my craft. Of course I accepted, even though that was only six months after opening the studio. But how could I not? Music is my heart... and that experience in New Mexico changed my life.

Musically, I moved through a number of sweet band incarnations during this time, met a lot of music heroes I'd been following (for example, I took a few guitar lessons with Adam Levy who I'd been listening to since I was 14 in the REV 105 era) and then I met my former manager, Mike Buenting. He heard me supporting Tina Schlieske's (Tina and the B Sides) show at Icehouse for the holidays and was very genuine and almost apologetic for not having ever heard of me since I'd been doing music for so long. We agreed to work together and then he set me up with a new band formation to record some new songs. I wasn't entirely sure how this project would go, but I had a lot of songs in the hopper that never really fit anywhere, and had just written the title track The World is Your Lover and the writing in Taos on artist residency provided quite a few downloads from the universe while hiking along the Rio Grande River gorge (like Shit Storm--video and single were just released in July).

Mary Bue with her Gibson. (Photo Darin Back)

I was introduced to and began working with producer and bassist Steve Price (The Suburbs, Rex Daisy, former instructor at IPR), Jeremy Ylvisaker (who has played guitar with Andrew Bird, Haley, Jenny Lewis, John Prine to name a few), Richard Medek on drums (who drummed on Kevin Costner's rock albums! And plays with Molly Maher, Erik Koskinen, Chris Koza). We knocked a fourteen song album out in 4 months. I did TWO kickstarters to pay for it (ughhhhh!). Brought in the stunning cello of Julia Floberg (Delphia Cello Quartet), Shannon Frid-Rubin of Cloud Cult, my first touring partner Crystal Meisinger sang harmonies on Shit Storm, Stephan Kung of the Suburbs played trumpet. Both Adam Levy and Alan Sparhawk were special guests. Essentially, this was the album of my life. My life's work. So much love and money poured into this beast.

During the recording, I decided to close my yoga studio. It was making "negative money" as I like to say (with a sad, wry smile). I had always said, "if I close the studio after three years, I'm going to Bali. If I stay open after three years, I'm going to Bali."

So, I booked a freaking trip to Bali. I've been wanting to go for 15 years. More about that later. (Oh, and India, too.)

For the last three years, to return to your question, I've been making the world even more of a lover. Really getting intimate with it. Failure. Success. Relational, business wise. Taking risks. Crying on the floor. Stopping to smell the flowers as much as my monkey mind will allow. And really, feeling pretty damn good, considering.

EN: Covid-19 has put unexpected restraints on musicians this year. Dylan's Never Ending Tour was put on hold for the first time. How have you adjusted? And how are other musicians you know dealing with it?

Empty airport, Osaka Japan.

MB: I was traveling from late December 2019 to March 21st 2020, to India and Bali. I had to come home from my travels two weeks early due to USA issuing a "level four travel advisory" which basically said get home by whatever means possible or prepare to stay. Part of me wishes I would have stayed in Bali! But there is much to love here. My last minute flight re-book took me through Osaka, Japan. NO ONE was in the airport. It was very, very end-of-times.

Since returning home, I've been okay. I actually had a really wonderful two year relationship that ended mutually upon my return. So not only was I back sooner, but really alone-alone. I had to self-quarantine for two weeks after my trip, and then the stay at home order was issued. I went EIGHTY days without really seeing anyone except my neighbors or people out walking. Then I finally eased up for social distance hangs.

I feel so grateful to my meditation, yoga, mantra, and running routines. While I was in India, I received a certificate in Nada Yoga--the Yoga of Sound--where we explored the power of vibration, cleansing techniques to deeper experience sound, and deep discipline with which to listen and also practice (instruments, and voice). I fell in love with the sitar. I took 28 days of sitar lessons, bought one, and brought it home. I found a teacher here in Minnesota and am still taking lessons.

I had a feeling there would be a shift for me musically before I left. I couldn't put my finger on what it would be, but it felt like I wanted to perform fewer shows for awhile. I got my wish... but it has been financially not so happy. I lost quite a few well-paying shows. Many of my friends are struggling. Performing is a huge part of our identity. I've been performing my songs since 1998. I feel okay though, with the shift, and again, grateful to have other practices to balance it out with.

I'm not a huge fan of the live stream home concerts, mostly because I am not sure how it sounds to the audience. I did a show with Gaelynn Lea (thanks SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME, friend!), but my sound was shit! So I don't like that possibility of mortification... although that is a vestige of prior performing humiliations from my youth. I am so excited about live streaming from Sacred Heart, though! Eric Swanson will be at the helm mixing for us and oh my GODDESS I am so looking forward to performing with my band again, even if only the tech crew are in the room and everyone at home watching from their couches.

I truly do not know what the future holds for performing musicians, but I so look forward to hearing live music in a room with other people again!!!

EN: City Pages awarded you with Best Songwriter for 2020, which is pretty high praise in a major city filled with musicians and songwriters. Was this based on your 2017 release The Majesty of Beasts?

MB: Thank you so much and I am deeply, deeply aware of the weight of this honor. In the write up, the author said that the Majesty EP was "near perfect" (jaw drop!!), however my publicist sent City Pages my new album which is releasing Aug 21, so I'm pretty sure it is based off of that, and perhaps a deep dive into my last twenty years of work? I can't really say. It was an absolute shock and surprise and it's been only a week now and I'm still reeling. So grateful. So floored. So delighted.

EN: What are some of the themes you've been addressing in your newest album The World Is Your Lover? Is your upcoming Sacred Heart concert essentially an album release?

MB: The album is bookended with two rather apocalyptic numbers, Shit Storm and The Riverman. Shit Storm was one of those downloads from New Mexico... this low-to-high grade anxiety that the Earth is OVER IT. Fleeing the disasters, both natural and human-made. Watching Lake Superior turn into a desert before my eyes (a true story vision ...). The Riverman talks about the River Styx ... how one must have a coin under their tongue to give to the Riverman to cross to the other side. In between these little ditties are a whole lot of drama. Complex love gone wrong. Tons of longing and hope. Some real desperation in there. I like to find solace in the Anne Lamott quote: "If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better." Ha! The title track is very positive, though. A forgiving realization; a letting go of shackles, a purging of the past.

The Sacred Heart show was purely serendipitous! I wasn't planning on having a release show until October 23rd (Hook & Ladder Theatre & Lounge in Minneapolis with Turn Turn Turn & Alan Sparhawk supporting). However Sacred reached out and the day they booked us for was the day after my album officially releases! So, yes. It is the Duluth album release. And very fitting, since that venue is so special to me.

EN: Briefly, how long have you been teaching yoga? Can you tell us more about the retreats in Bali, Taos and Grand Marais.

MB: I've been teaching yoga for 11 years now, since 2009. I received my training in Seattle at Whole Life Yoga Studio with Tracy Weber. Tracy sold the studio a few years ago, but I just heard one week ago that it is closing. Heartbreaking! Another casualty of COVID. Been grieving that. But yeah, the yoga community and my master teacher Tracy is still in my life. I got further training here in Minneapolis at Yoga Center Retreat (formerly Yoga Center of Minneapolis) and then an additional 200 hours at Nada Yoga School in Rishikesh, India this past January.

I launched a small "Creativity and Yoga" retreat side-hustle just last year in 2019. I have chosen these three locations because they are extremely dear to my heart. Grand Marais is in November, at Naniboujou Lodge (it is tentative if they are opening this year due to the virus). Taos will be in June 2021. The 2nd Bali, Indonesia retreat is coming up in late February 2021, fingers crossed they will let Americans enter Indonesia! I am 100% there if so. And you all are welcome to join!

I have a deep love of travel, yoga, exploring creative practices -- writing, painting, poetry, music. Why not combine them all? And my past experience in running a yoga studio, albeit briefly, and like hundreds of years in food service has really sharpened my skills and heart to serve and offer luxurious, hospitable, friendly travel adventures. This truly feels, also, like my life's work. Both Grand Marais and Bali sold out. But then, COVID ruins the party again and things have had to be postponed. It's all good. I trust that we'll get a handle on this and travel will, hopefully resume with new caution, and awareness, and a deep reverence for how precious life is and how much there is to explore, learn, and love. We cannot take anything for granted ...

EN: Where can people learn more about you and follow your career?

MB: So much lives on my website marybue.com. I also have a Patreon -- Patreon is a "membership" or "fan club" where people subscribe with a monthly rate for different rewards like vinyl, yoga classes, and exclusive posts (patreon.com/marybue). I'm also quite addicted to instagram (@marybuemusic).

My music lives on most major streaming platforms, YouTube, and bandcamp.

EN: Anything else you would like to add?

MB: It's been a pleasure. Thank you for taking the time to ask these questions. I could go on and on, but I'll spare you. The music is revealing enough!


Related Links
MaryBue.com
Five Minutes with Singers/Songwriter Mary Bue
Bringing It All Back To Duluth Does Dylan -- Inspired Local Musicians Step Up Their Game

Cloquet Art Crawl: Opening Receptions for Kris Nelson and Adam Swanson

Thursday evening... Two Cloquet Artist Receptions you should be aware of.

From 4-6 pm. Kris Nelson will be at the Pine Knot offices at 122 Avenue C.

If you're not familiar with Cloquet it is easy to find in that section

down by the river. Use your GPS or Google Maps. 

Next head over to Magnolia Cafe in Carlton where Adam Swanson 

is the featured artist. 

Learn more about Kris Nelson's work here. 

Follow Adam Swanson's career at https://www.adamswanson.com

* * * * 

Friday May 17, come enjoy an evening with Alan Sparhawk at Sacred Heart

as an appetizer for the upcoming Duluth Dylan Fest. 

Good music for a good cause.

ALAN SPARHAWK

MUSIC RESOURCE CENTER BENEFIT CONCERT

MAY 17

TICKETS HERE

FULL DULUTH DYLAN FEST SCHEDULE HERE

http://bobdylanway.com/pdfs/DuluthDylanFest2019Line-up.pdf

Meantime, if you see me say hello...

Duluth Armory Becomes Stage for the CW Duluth Television Program

My first visit inside the historic Duluth Armory took place Memorial Day weekend in 2010, the closing event for Hibbing's Dylan Days that year. It had been a family tradition to attend to the Battle of the Jug Bands at the Amazing Grace Bakery & Cafe so we were already downtown. At some point I slipped away to grab this opportunity to get an inside look at the historic building. For safety reasons all entrances have been chained or locked. When I heard of this temporary lifting of the ban for a few hours I knew there might not be another chance to see the stage where young Bobby Zimmerman saw the legendary Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) perform just days before they were killed in a plane crash.

Getting an inside peek is rare, but it happens. This year KBJR 6 producer Keith Hopkins was driving past the boarded up historic building when it dawned on him that this might be just the ticket for a new production he was assembling. Concept: use the Armory stage as backdrop for a five-episode television series focusing on the robust Twin Ports music scene. The program would evolve to become Night at the Armory,

It came together quickly. Station Manager Jeanne Filkins bought in and reached out to Mark Poirier, Executive Director for the Armory Arts & Music Center (AAMC). Together Filkins and Poirier worked to secure permissions from the City of Duluth, and on January 3 -- one of our coldest days this winter -- filming began for a five part program loosely based on Austin City Limits.

Kudos to Christa Lawler and the Trib for the Pursuits page feature in Sunday's paper, which a lot of us had to wait till Monday to receive (due to weather.) Read Music Returns to the Armory if you are from out of town or don't get a newspaper.

The series was filmed in January in less than ideal conditions. There is no heat inside the Armory, so we have a photo of Charlie Parr making his own heat for the first show in this five-part series that will begin next Sunday, March 4 at 9 p.m.

Because of the demolition order that was placed in 2001, no one can technically make use of the building. Since that time the AAMC has been been raising funds to fix the five issues cited by the city, among them being no heat, no water, hard to occupy, windows need fixing or replacement, and a batch of other miscellaneous issues.

The building is deserving of its name, the Historic Duluth Armory, minted by the cast of celebrated names that have visited, spoken or performed here, including Harry Truman, Louis Armstrong, Dale Carnegie, Hank Williams, John Philip Sousa, Johnny Cash, Bob Hope, and Liberace. The list goes on an and on, with many in town here still remembering many of those occasions cemented in time.

The artists featured in CW Duluth's Night at the Armory series will be Charlie Parr, Superior Siren (Laura Sellner), Rick McLean, Ingeborg Von Agassiz and Alan Sparhawk of Low/The Murder of Crows/Retribution Gospel Choir. The series will be a nice way to showcase the richness of our local music scene,

Mark Poirier has been laboring for a very long time to see something special happening inside the Armory. "The Armory Arts & Music Center is thrilled to hear live music, once again, in the Armory. It feels like the beginning of a new era. We are very appreciative of the Duluth CW for undertaking this project and bringing awareness to the historic building." Yesterday he went on to say that "we've been this close" (thumb and forefinger almost touching) and they have been again talking with a developer that many hope can see it through. "We would love to see the building being used again," he said.

The AAMC is grateful to the local music community. Featured musicians Sparhawk and Parr have long been supporters of the AAMC Music Resource Center, the free after-school music program for area youth 6th-12th grade. The MRC is now in its 7th year and is open 4 to 6 on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons at Sacred Heart Music Center.

Tune in for Night at the Armory, the next five Sunday nights beginning March 4, 2018 at 9:00 p.m. on the Duluth CW (KDLH), Broadcast Ch. 3.1, Charter Cable Ch. 2, Direct TV Ch. 7, and Dish Ch. 11.

RELATED LINKS
Items of Note Regarding the Historic Armory
The Duluth Armory Website

One Too Many Mornings and Other Local Dylan-Related Items of Note

When it comes to all things Dylan, there's always more going on than there's time to write about it. Here are a few items of note that relate to Dylan and Duluth, in no particular order of importance.

1. WWDD bracelets are now available here in all the usual spaces where Dylan souvenirs are sold. As you walk down Bob Dylan Way from the Depot to the Armory, it will remind you to ask yourself, "What Would Dylan Do?" Proceeds from the sale of WWDD bracelets will go toward events surrounding Duluth Dylan Fest.*

Gaelynn Lea (L) with Alan Sparhwak, The Murder of Crows

2. One of the highlights of last year's Duluth Dylan Fest for me personally was the celebration of Bob Dylan's birthday at his former home on the Central Hillside, followed later by the Duluth Does Dylan CD release party at The Rex. This is a truly great CD featuring local bands that do Dylan covers. When I wrote my review of the CD last June, I noted many stellar features of the various renditions of the selected songs. One of these songs was One Too Many Mornings, recorded and performed by The Murder of Crows (Alan Sparhawk and Gaelynn Lea.) At the time I was impressed by the wholly different variation or spin they put on the song, totally unlike the original. My admiration for Alan Sparhawk climbed another notch for his innovations (I assumed that Alan designed the chord structures and new design of the song.)

Then, this past week, a video of Dylan performing One Too Many Mornings live during the Rolling Thunder Revue came across my path. And guess what? It was Dylan himself who had produced the new chord structure, tempo and design of the song. I copied the link to the YouTube page where I discovered it but today find that it has since been removed. (It must have been a bootleg.)

Dylan's continuous variations and reconfigurations of his songs have long endeared him to his fans. Let me add kudos to Alan and Gaelynn for choosing this rendition sharing it on this CD. To hear Gaelynn Lea become Scarlet Rivera and Alan squeezing emotional juice into the lyrics is quite satisfying, and worthy of accolades.

3. An finally, hey man, it's that time of year again. As we slide toward the end of January we call to mind Buddy Holly's Dance Party Tour that passed this way in 1959. This Saturday everyone is invited to put their dancing shoes on and celebrate the Winter Dance Party with us, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Music Center. Proceeds go toward the Armory renovation and restoration project that has been ongoing for many years, with some noteworthy progress being made this past year. Will we see you there?

*EdNote: I just made all that up. But while we're talking about Duluth Dylan Fest,  the dates and tentative schedule for the Seventh Annual DDF can be found here. Mark your calendars. 

Getting the Lowdown on Marc Gartman: An Interview

If you spend any time with Marc Gartman you will hear one recurring theme: the centrality of song writing. Over a period of ninety minutes the theme was referenced and underscored in a variety of ways. "As long as I'm writing and I'm able to get things done..." and "The more I do it, the more the tap is on..." and, "For me, it's all about song writing. Writing is what I do..." Even when we talked about Dylan, Gartman -- who had just finished reading Chronicles, Vol. 1 again -- found the parts about song writing to be what stood out for him. "Dylan's style of writing... interesting. To read about his indecisiveness, all the struggles he went through to get it right..."

IN 2004/2005 Marc Gartman became a Twin Ports transplant. His life now intersects with the Duluth music scene at multiple points. Like many here he's created or been part of a number of groups including Two Many Banjos, which had a five year run, and his Fever Dream project. He's found his work with Dave Caroll and Erik Berry of Trampled By Turtles to be stimulating, which includes performing with Dave Caroll as Glitterati, a creative and financially motivating undertaking. A Deadhead, Gartman will be putting on two upcoming shows titled Gartman Plays Dead later this year, one with TBT's Erik Berry and a December show with Caroll.

Currently free from the responsibilities of a day job, Gartman is able to focus on the writing that so motivates him. When we met for lunch this past week he'd been working on new material from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. "When creativity strikes, it trumps everything. I have to grab it when it happens."

All of us who write well understand.

EN: Where did you grow up and what other places have you lived?
MG: I grew up in Westchester County, New York. It's about 20 minutes North on the commuter train from Manhattan. My parents were born and raised in the Bronx and their parents are from Kolomyia which is (was?) in Poland. We're 100% Jew so they had to get out of there during WW2. They settled in NYC. I went to Boarding School in Northfield, Massachusetts and then got a Bachelor of Science in Film at Boston University. I moved back to NYC after college and made a documentary on my favorite band (at the time) Low. I had no idea I'd end up here but that was the first time I had heard of Duluth. I came and visited a few times when I was working on the Low doc and I also recorded some music on friends' records at Sacred Heart. I thought that studio was really cool so I wrote some music specifically to record at Sacred Heart as well. I ended up getting a job as a photojournalist at KBJR and then fell in love with the city. The main reason I stay is I have some very close friends and there's something in the water that makes me write a lot of music. As long as I'm writing songs I'm ok.

EN: How did you come to take an interest in music, and particularly in being a performer?
MG: I took an interest in performing music when Sean Flood picked up my dad's acoustic guitar when we were 14 and girls stopped and listened to him. I wanted to be in a band and write original music and tour the world and elsewhere. 25 years later it's still great to have girls dance to my music and I'm still writing original music so I'm content.

EN: How did you discover Low? What prompted you to make this documentary?
MG: A friend recommended I pick up their album The Curtain Hits the Cast. I didn't understand it at first and then I did in a big obsessive way. Their music was so spare yet it retained classic song structure which is important to me. I had a deep desire to know who was writing these songs. I reached out to them in '99 about making the doc and they were hesitant at first but eventually agreed. I followed them around for a couple of years and we became and have remained friends.

EN: What was the most interesting thing you learned about Low from doing this documentary? 
MG: The most interesting thing I learned about making the Low doc was that I was too in love with their music to be objective about telling a good story. I feel like It's mostly just a love letter to Alan. I put it on Vimeo last year because it showed at the DSFF but I'm not really sure where it is now. Richard Hansen might?

EN: Photojournalism must have some interesting elements. You get paid to develop your skills and also get to see your work shared with an immediate audience. How long were you doing this and what did you learn?
MG: I worked at KBJR for 2+ years and then briefly WDIO. I was a photojournalist (in video, not still) at both stations. It was in keeping with my college degree so I felt like it was the right thing for me to continue doing. When I was in school I learned to edit on real film though, using a Steenbeck, and I graduated right around the time digital editing was coming into play. That changed things dramatically and I never really recovered. I learned a couple of editing programs but I never got into it like some people do. I stayed in the game for a few more years because I couldn't figure out another way to make a living but eventually I quit and worked up at the Lakeview Castle. I was a server there for couple of years and that was when I decided it was time to take music seriously and see if I could make a living at it.

EN: If Watson were to sum up the themes of all your songs in one sentence, what would he say? 
MG: I think if Watson were to sum up the themes of my music it would be lyrically I sing about my romantic relationships and sonically I play in the pop song structure. I use different instruments to write with but the layout is usually pretty consistent; verse, chorus, bridge, under 4 minutes, etc.

EN: Can you share a few details about your Low documentary "Closer Than That"?
MG: The film was 66 minutes long. I followed them around when I could for a couple of years; touring (US and Europe), recording, home life. In the end Alan bought the movie from me and they included it in their boxset they put out in 2004. I don't think it's a bad film but it's amateurish and I don't think it tells a good story. It's an interesting snapshot of a particular time in their history and that has value but it lacked a real beginning, middle, end.

EN: And what was your own personal take-away? You sacrificed 2 years of your life for this project. What did you get in return?
MG: My personal take away was becoming friends with the Sparhawks. The documentary didn't lead me to make (or at least complete) any more films. Neither did it get me any closer to really understanding how they make the music they make but I enjoyed being accepted into their world. And since I live in Duluth now I can assume that's another take away, I fell in love with this town. I probably won't direct another film but I did produce this Fever Dream video.

Gartman On Dylan
EN: What has been your involvement with the series of Duluth Does Dylan CDs? When did you first take an interest in Dylan?
MG: A few bands I've played in have recorded tracks for the series but I don't really have any other involvement other than that. The Two Many Banjos version of 'If You See Her Say Hello' is interesting. I took an interest in Dylan in my early teens. My parents were fans so they had some early vinyl around. There was also a bootleg cassette store nearby that would sell some of his live shows. Formative stuff for me.

EN: On a scale of 1 to 10, with ten being the most intense, how do you rank yourself as a Dylan fan.
MG: I'd say up there, around a 7. I just re-read his Chronicles Vol. 1. Learning all the basement tapes tunes for a gig I did last year was incredibly fun.

EN: Being from out East, did it surprise you to end up living where Dylan was born?
MG: Not really. I think my dad searches for meaning in it more than I do.

EN: You're in the middle of the local music scene. In addition to the scenery and the scene, where do you see Dylan's biggest influence here?
MG: I don't see Dylan's influence that much on the musicians themselves but I do see that his connection to Duluth has affected certain people around here in a deep way.

* * * *
For now, Duluth is home for this driven songwriter performer. What's next? We'll have to wait and see, but my guess is that the creative well he's tapped into won't run dry any time soon.

Meantime, life goes on. Enjoy the music. 

Hard Rain Didn't Fall: One Fan’s Take on Dylan’s Duluth Show (Part 1)

Dylan’s AmericanaramA Tour in Bayfront Festival Park

The first big story here was the weather. The forecast was rain, with 60% chance of thunderstorms. Monday's meteorologists predicted 50% chance of storms but Tuesday morning’s paper increased the odds, and dampened a lot of enthusiasm. We’d picked up disposable ponchos at Wal-Mart for a $1.39 each, just in case, but this being an outdoor concert in an open field we weren’t real keen on lightning.

I drove home from the office shortly after noon, in a steady rain, but when I reached our home in Munger it had trickled to a marginal sprinkle. No sign of sun or blue skies here, but the satellite map looked very promising. At 11:00 a.m. it seemed like an H-shaped pattern with Duluth receiving the central cross bar, a narrow band of potential storms that would be soon past and all clear behind except a few scattered puffs.

In short, by mid-afternoon I was feeling a measure of optimism. (I’m a natural optimism, so I don’t always trust my feelings in these matters.) As it turned out, by the time Dylan was on stage the sky had opened and stars were twinkling bright, not even a hint of haze.

The gates opened at 4:30 and a very long line snaked around into an adjacent parking lot and back. They weren’t strip searching anyone so the crowd meandered in fairly efficiently as sunlight filtered through the shrouded sky. The Richard Thompson Trio was scheduled to kick things off at 5:30 and the time moved swiftly to that first set.

As I circulated the grounds and engaged people in conversation I found it interesting that many in attendance were there not necessarily for Dylan but for these other groups. Jeff Frey of Jeff Frey Photography said he wanted to see The Richard Thompson Trio. A local dentist said My Morning Jacket was his favorite group and that he had all their albums. There were at least a couple Wilco fans I spoke with who were looking forward to seeing Jeff Tweedy’s team shine. And then there were the many who arrived later and later in the evening because their only interest was to witness a legend perform, and perform he did.

When The Richard Thompson Trio opened, they reminded me a little of the rockabilly group David Allen and the Guilty Men who opened Dylan’s Duluth concert at the DECC in 1998. Not that they created the same sound, but they definitely created the same energy with a tight set that hit like a cannon shot and got you ready for more. Thomspon’s first comment to the crowd was, “How’d youd get off work so early?”

The pauses between sets were quite efficient. You could see a professional structure to the show with good execution as regards the details. I had slipped down to the area where the tour buses came in and watched as Dylan’s bus backed into a slot between the others behind the stage. I’d written a little note I hoped could be passed inside. The guards were trained to direct me to the “man-in-charge” who clearly carried the responsibilities for these practical details. “No notes,” he said. (I once did a drawing for one of the Beach Boys in 1973, and he came out of the back to let me hand it to him alongside the stage.) Nevertheless, I followed “the man” as he went to give instructions to the local police as regards the exit strategy. He said, “His last song will be All Along the Watchtower. He’ll exit the stage, then come back on for one last song. When he plays that you get ready because he’ll head straight for the bus and you’ll open the gate.” He could tell from their expressions that they weren’t certain what All Along the Watchtower was, and explained that wasn’t necessary. He’ll leave the stage, come back on and “four minutes later you need to be ready.”

My Morning Jacket is a much younger group with an impressive range. The five-piece band opened with a gentle acoustic tune. Like The Richard Thompson Trio they played with virtuosity. Once the acoustic was laid aside for a serious electric they produced some big sound with many orchestrated transitions from one song to the next occasionally using controlled feedback to feed into the next song.

As My Morning Jacket played on the sun hid its face and the threat of rain got its way to produce a very light rain or heavy sprinkle, depending on whether you saw the glass half empty or full. My Wal-Mart poncho came in handy. Fortunately the drizzle subsided quickly (five minutes or less) and a rainbow soon emerged, the pot of gold out on the bay behind Dylan’s bus. A sign? Indeed.

Wilco followed, opening with a Velvet Underground cover… Who Loves the Sun. Very nicely done, too. Last year Jeff Tweedy and company were handed the Key to the City by Mayor Ness, so there was a context when Tweedy exclaimed, “It’s good to be home.” Like My Morning Jacket, Wilco offered up an exuberant 75 minute set.

Personally, these longer sets may have been exceptional, but they prolonged the wait for why many were gathered here, to experience Dylan’s presence. It may be that the extra padding had other purposes.

Alan Sparhawk reads the words to Wreck, Jeff Tweedy left on guitar.

Up till Dylan’s performance the highlight of the evening came when Low, a local band with an international fan base (Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker), joined Wilco to sing Gordon Lightfoot’s The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, accompanied by Richard Thompson. This is a seriously good song written about a tragic event within memory of most Northlanders here. Lightfoot is a peer of Dylan whom Dylan respects so the intersection of song, songwriter, Northland history and local singer made for a powerful stimulant as I stood tight in close to the stage with an energized crowd.

When Wilco completed its set, the dark stage was re-arranged and a sense of quiet anticipation rippled through the crowd which streamed into an increasingly crowded “pit” in front of the stage, filling every vacancy and void with vibrant human flesh.

TO BE CONTINUED (This Weekend)

Can’t wait for the details? See a summary of the Dylan set at Boblinks.com
Photos courtesy various friends with cell phones. 

Bob Monohan of Chaperone Records Puts It On The Line

According to their website, Duluth-based Chaperone Records "is devoted to the promotion and enfranchisement of Northern Minnesota’s musically progressive community. In a world of cheap, plastic gadgetry, a product’s finest aesthetic can only be achieved through passion, insight and an honest commitment to quality. This is the foundation of Chaperone Record’s philosophy and the impetus behind its inception. The choice to produce skillfully-crafted, vinyl LPs, pressed by United Record Pressing in Nashville, Tennessee, coincides with Chaperone’s commitment to quality."

I met Bob Monohan at a PROVE Gallery art opening where Chaperone Records was showcasing Lion and Gazelle, one of the groups under their wing. Monohan is also a poet whose writing is seasoned with humor and laced with wit.

EN: What motivated you to start Chaperone Records? 
Bob Monohan: After being laid off from yet another seasonal serving gig, an intense fear of boredom and tediousness thrust me towards another hare-brained entrepreneurial adventure. Through my involvement with the local music scene over the past 10 years, and my kinship with a handful of bands -- many of whom happened to have recording projects under way -- I saw it as a golden opportunity. I felt, with their talent and material, they deserved a chance at doing something bigger than putting their stuff up on the internet for free.

EN: You are something of an entrepreneur who has started a number of other businesses. What have you learned through these experiences? 
Monohan: Perhaps the most obvious thing I've learned is that, no matter how bad things blow up in your face, you're still kind of a badass for going for it. The inevitability of failure, in one form or another, is the beauty of entrepreneurism. You get filthy rich in humility, if nothing else. And, at the end of the day/week/month, you can look back and think: "Damn, I did a bunch of crazy stuff this day/week/month." It's gratifying as hell. Energy and relentless enthusiasm are essential. The terms "nine to five" and "Monday through Friday" mean nothing.

EN: What is your process for selecting the groups you represent? How many albums have you produced?
Monohan: Okay, this is where it gets tricky. I don't so much select the groups. The groups seem to select Chaperone. There is an arbitrary nature to the so-called "selection process." Quite superficially, it comes down to selling records. Record sales are based on myriad factors, many of which are hard to predict. If I could predict which relatively unknown bands would sell a few hundred (or more) records -- either through touring or retail -- I would probably be the head A & R guy for a major indie label. At this point, the decision to put out a band's record or not comes down to taking a good hard look at: how many honest-to-god, record-buying fans they have, how many shows they're going to play this year, whether they plan on touring, do they have large families who will purchase multiple copies(?), do they have friends who work at record stores(?), etc.

EN: What is it that you like about making albums in vinyl? What is the biggest challenge with vinyl? 
Monohan: You can ask any vintage-loving, audiophile, hipster, vinyl junky why they like records and you will get a number of answers, most of which have to do with "the sound, man." It's true. Vinyl has a particularly nice sound. If they weren't so damn convenient MP3s could go back to cyberspace, for all I care. Vinyl is the anti-MP3. It represents that thing -- that aesthetic, quality, tactile-thing -- that has been lost since tapes and CDs took over, and were swiftly rendered obsolete by the ubiquitous (and perfectly piratable MP3). LPs, aka "vinyl records," come in a 12" paperboard sleeve with artwork on both sides. You put them on a turntable and set the needle on them to make them play. Need I say more? One big challenge of vinyl is that it is expensive to manufacture, thus it costs significantly more than CDs, and way more than MP3s, which can be downloaded cheaply (or freely) and easily. People need to be convinced that they are getting more than just music; they are getting a work of art; an experience.

EN: How did you hook up with Alan Sparhawk to produce his Retribution Gospel Choir "3"? 
Monohan: This story has an interesting twist, and a monumental one, in the lifespan of Chaperone. Alan and I have known each other, peripherally, for at least five years. When my band, Total Freedom Rock, was in full swing, Alan, a mutual friend of (bandmate) Brian Ring, came to a few shows and even sat in with us on occasion. I've kept him in the loop, and consulted him a few times, since Chaperone Records was just a name registered with the state. This past fall, when it was time for RGC (Retribution Gospel Choir) to decide what to do with their new record, a two song full-length follow up to their four song EP (The Revolution, 2010, Sub Pop), they opted to work with Chaperone; never mind that we had a mere four records in our catalog and no real distribution network. We said "yes."

EN: What was the most interesting part of this project? 
Monohan: Holy crap. It is probably the fact that we had pre-orders for more records than we had sold of all other releases combined. Granted, this included a mini distribution deal with a European distributor, Konkurrent, that has worked with Alan on distributing Low and other Sub Pop releases in Europe. But still... we had some ponying up to do if we were going to do this release right. To say we've learned/grown a lot from this experience is an understatement squared. The connections we've made; music/vinyl bloggers, radio DJs, record stores and journalists; are incredible. We've got some serious freaking cred, and all we did was say "yes."

EN: Where can people find Chaperone Records? 
Monohan: Our website is the most obvious: www.chaperonerecords.com.
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chaperonerecords and, of course, the ever-necessary Twitter: @chaperoneduluth. If you promise to be nice, our office is located above the Electric Fetus in omni-charming downtown Duluth.

A Brief Interview with Alan Sparhawk of Low

I first met Alan Sparhawk as part of the multimedia happening titled 3N6D (Three nights in six dimensions) in February 2010. On other occasions since I captured his performances at a Halloween event, Rock Out Autism at the Clyde, a performance at Sacred Heary and last May on the Blood On The Tracks Express during Dylan Fest... but I've not had the privilege of seeing Low, until last week. The performance at St. Scholastica’s Mitchell Auditorium January 18 was one of a number of events that will be showcasing local talent in the months ahead.

Low is currently comprised of Sparhawk, wife Mimi Parker on percussion and Steve Garrington on keyboards / bass. One is struck by Sparhawk’s ease and confidence as a performer. The vocal harmonies between Sparhawk and Parker are also a feature of the group. This particular show appeared to be a live rehearsal in preparation for an upcoming tour in support of their new album. The new songs were inventively presented but earlier material was also shared with an appreciative packed-house.

EN: Who have been your biggest musical influences? 
Alan Sparhawk: Been inspired by many, many things. As a teenager, The Clash and other punk bands, then expanding as independent music thrived, eventually reaching everywhere with reggae, Neil Young, Roy Orbison, Mavis Staples, Native American songs, etc. My parents both loved and played music. My father wrote songs. Seeing that real people make music was pretty crucial, and punk/indie went hand in hand with that.

EN: How did your first tour in Europe get arranged?
AS: Our record company at the time sent us over to London to do some interviews and a couple showcase gigs on our first record ('94), Then we went to Belgium and did a show in a bar. There were people there singing our songs back to us. After the show, the singers (who barely knew a little English) took us out to the edge of the city to see the view. Pretty exciting for a bunch of farmers like us. Things have just grown from there.

EN: What do you like most and least about live performance? 
AS: Playing live is to me the most honest and pure expression of music. There are magical things that happen in the moment if you let them. It is humbling and exhilarating. I can admit that I've come to love and crave the interaction with people. That relationship has many dangers and wrong turns, but nothing beats creating something then sharing it with people who want it. It feeds my ADD, but makes me want to be better. As for the down-side: 8 hours to get there is getting a little old...

EN: You have several different bands, each with different styles, but your fingerprint is on all of them. What are the key characteristics of your songs that make them a Sparhawk sound?
AS: As you would expect, from where I stand it's hard to get perspective to even try to see what I'm doing, much less control it. It's always just me -- no masks. I think if you put your true self into something for some time, you eventually find your own voice, then it's just a matter of if anyone is paying attention. Trust that you are always going to sound like you, then set yourself free.

EN: Sometimes you play what I call "trance music".... slowly building layers in a patient crescendo. Is there a name for this style of song? 
AS: I sometimes call those songs "drones". I've always loved long, repetitive music -- it's psychedelic, which to me means it tries to go beyond the surface of consciousness, perhaps digging in a little. It can be meditation or even self-therapy. Years ago, the Duluth music community did a 25 hour collective drone as a memorial. It can be very powerful. Over the years, we have tried to push the extremes, and sometimes that means coming back to simple and short. The song usually lets you know where it needs to go.

Sparhawk plays music with at least two other bands that he's assembled, the Black Eyed Snakes and the Retribution Gospel Choir. In 2010, former Led Zeppelin front man Robert Plant recorded two Low songs from their album Band of Joy. You can read more about Low on Wikipedia. For a ten minute closeup of Alan Sparhawk produced by Twin Ports Underground visit this Vimeo link.

And have a great weekend... If you're here in the Northland, think warm.

Sparhawk, DuSu FF, Celebrity Idol and Artist Kamikaze IV

"There's a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing." ~Eccles. 3:5

If you have been refraining (from embracing the arts), now is not the time. This week is a time to step forward with open arms and take it in. I'm referring here to the Duluth Superior Film Festival (DuSu FF) and all the other happenings here in the Twin Ports as we enter the month of June.

Alan Sparhawk, courtesy Andrew Perfetti

Last night was day two of the film festival, a night with two Sparhawk events. The first was a screening of the Alan Sparhawk film Low: You May Need A Murderer. At nine, Sparhawk and the Black-Eyed Snakes were setting up to perform at Tycoons, the former City Hall of this city on a hillside. Sparhawk and the Black-Eyed Snakes were a highlight of last week's Blood on the Tracks Express, generating so much energy that they nearly knocked the train right off the tracks. Literally. If you were there, you know what I mean.

As I reflected briefly on these things this morning, it seemed the Sparhawk name has something of a superhero quality about it. I can picture one of the Avengers being named Sparhawk. And it may be no coincidence that his name begins with an S and has eight letters like another famous superhero that our generation grew up fascinated with. "Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird... it's a plane.... faster than a speeding bullet... more powerful than a locomotive."

He also knows how to be a ham.

For what it's worth, tonight the first of two local short films programs will air at 9:00 p.m. at the Sons of Norway Hall, one of them being a ten minute documentary/interview with Alan Sparhawk, produced last year by Andrew Perfetti and Twin Ports Underground. Sparhawk's Retribution Gospel Choir contributed a gig for the 2011 Rock Out Autism event at Clyde Iron Works and the performer generously gave a piece of himself to the cameras. (This was my second encounter with the gifted musician whose group that night was comparable to a Hendrix experience.)

All the other short films on the docket tonight involve local film makers, directors or writers including  Kohta Asakura, Jaime Merideth and Brian Barber, Jon Bothun, Zach Anderson, Jerree Small, Kathy McTavish, Ethan Holbrook, Toby Thomas Churchill, Nicholas Sunsdahl and Ed Newman... most or all of whom will be present tonight. I suspect the evening will be followed by a lot of engaging conversation.

Preceding these creative short pieces will be director Michael Neelson's Last Day At Lambeau, also at Sons of Norway Hall, airing at 7:15. Around the corner the PROVE Gallery will also be hopping, a cinema celebration with many film makers and festival guests in attendance. This free event will be open from 7:00 till 10:00 p.m.

If music is your thing, the film festival includes three nights of music gigs at Tycoons. Tonight you can catch Cars and Trucks w/Planemo and tomorrow evening you will find BNLX w/Equal Exchange. Last night, in addition to the Snakes, the film Under African Skies screened to a full theater at Zinema 2. In this film, Paul Simon returns to South Africa 25 years after producing his stellar Graceland album. The documentary juxtaposes then and now footage to reveal the tensions and challenges that nation endured under apartheid. I'm sure this will air ago on HBO or some equivalent station in the year ahead, a worthy addendum to the Graceland story.

As for music, the Twin Ports scene really is a seven-days-a-week venue for performers of all types, but next Wednesday will be a very special kind of show that you will undoubtedly want to attend. It's a fund-raiser by the American Red Cross called Heartbeat Idol. Evidently patterned on the television model, Heartbeat Idol is a celebrity karaoke competition, except the celebs will be performing with a live band, the Bryan Olds Band. (It is a fund-raising event for AEDs, a piece of equipment that saved at least 31 lives last year in Minnesota alone.)

The host/moderator/MC will be radio personality exemplar Ken Buehler, local weatherman and president of the Duluth Depot. The judges for Wednesday evening's competition at Grandma's Sports Garden will be John Heino of the Centerville All Stars, Tessa Lenneman of the Duluth Playhouse and Mike Herrick of the Superior Chamber. Celebrities slated to perform include the ubiquitous Senator Roger Reinert, Linda Kratt of the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce, Congressional candidate Jeff Anderson, Ed Newman of AMSOIL, Christa Lawler of the Duluth News Tribune, Steve Greenfield of Greenfield Communications, and more.

I've been told that there are going to be two winners for this event, a Fan's Choice and a Judge's Choice. I also have it on good authority that there will also be one loser, whose body will be dropped through a trap door into a pit of vipers and whose anguished screams will be recorded for use in another local film maker's production tentatively titled Rattled By Adders, to air at DuSu Film Festival IV in 2013.

All that to say it will be pretty competitive, even if I am not myself the competitive type. (Oops, my nose just grew an inch.)

This is an sneak peak of my team's project.

Speaking of competition, you may want to mark your calendar for June 7 as well. Next Thursday will be Artist Kamikaze IV at Pizza Luce, curated by the Limbo Gallery. I will be writing more about this in a couple days but I wanted you to get it on your calendar now. Artist Kamikaze is also a competition in which aritsts who work in different media are paired to see what they come up with. I believe there are at least twenty artists involved this year, including myself. The opening night will include wine and the opportunity to vote for your favorite works. If you can't be there, be sure to grab a lunch or dinner at Pizza Luce during the month of June to check out what everyone has come up with.

Then there's an Ochre Ghost opening June 8 and.... wait... let's not get ahead of ourselves. Hope to see you on the town tonight. Spring really is a good time to embrace the arts. The weather is absolutely perfect. May your weekend be the same.

PS: Speaking of Sparhawk, let's not forget his two night stand at the Duluth Play Ground titled "A Murder In Silk" in which he joins Gaelynn Lea (violin/vocals) to produce music  while silk painter Lee Zimmerman does live painting. Maybe I should compare him to Superman again? Thanks, Alan, for all your contributions here.

Another Plug for the DuSu Film Festival

What a great month it has been here in the North Country, beginning with the Homegrown Film and Art Festival on through last week's Dylan Fest to this week's culmination the Duluth Superior Film Festival (DuSu FF). What a terrific way to usher in the spring.

The DuSu FF opened last night with a hilarious Norwegian film called King Curling. It was gratifying to see a full house at the Clyde Iron Works. It's also nice to watch a film for which a big Hollywood budget or screen star would add nothing to the caliber of the entertainment. There was much laughing out loud throughout the film which combined an original plot with original characters, chief of which was Truls Paulsen, an obsessive curling champion for whom "every millimeter mattered."

Tangier 57

Festival director Richard Hansen began the evening by welcoming all of us and thanking all the sponsors. He then gave a special acknowledgement to Riki McManus, who persuaded Richard to bring his Sound Unseen International Film Festival up here to the shores of Gitchee Gumee. He's never regretted the move. After the film we all moved upstairs for the opening night party with an accompaniment by the popular jazz fusion group Tangier 57.

Richard Hansen

A unique feature of this year's film festival is that it is much more directly tied into our Twin Ports community and its passions. Curling is a Scandinavian export to this region, few of us unaware of its importance to at least someone we know. Tomorrow night's Last Day at Lambeau is about Bret Favre's departure from the Green Bay Packers and the impact it had on that incredible devoted fan base. The other feature films chosen this year have similar tie-ins, such as Wildrose (a woman fighting for independence and identity on the Iron Range) and Northern Lights (about a bitter winter on the Dakota prairie), among others.

There will be two sets of short films with local tie-ins as well, including Andrew Perfetti's "Alan Sparhawk" documentary, Kathy McTavish's "Holy Fool/The Firebird" and a 20 minute film based on my own short story "Episode on South Street," about a troubled painter with obsessive compulsive disorder. Other films by UMD students and local film makers will be amongst those screening late Friday evening and Sunday.

Tonight's feature, "Low: You May Need A Murderer", will air at the Zinema 2 at 7:00. I'm fairly certain you need tickets in advance for this one. This is the only film for which your All Access pass (a steal at $20) does not work.

For more details, venues, times and places, visit DuSuFF.com

Caption top: L to Rt: Steve Larson (director, Holiday Beach), Dan O'Neil, Ian Harvey of Ireland (The Connection) and Peter Minns (director) 

Here's a link to my book The Breaking Point and Other Stories in the event that you would like to read my story Episode on South Street before seeing the film tomorrow evening. $1.99

Alan Sparhawk, Shaking Worlds

Last night I finally had a chance to hear Alan Sparhawk's Retribution Gospel Choir, one of several bands he performs with. First impressions: it's the reincarnation of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, but not. That is to say, the three piece band had that Hendrix structure, but put Lou Reed on bass.

The What Four opened the night with an acoustic set, followed by eeriearq and the rocking Reggae band Uprising. Then Sparhawk and team quietly plugged in and took over.

When that first bass note rattled the floor boards under my feet I knew something serious was coming down. Sparhawk followed with singular intensity, accompanied by an accomplished drummer who could easily have been Mitch Mitchell's stand in. Retribution Gospel Choir was the fourth band of the night in a benefit concert for autism at the Clyde Iron Works in West Duluth.

My first encounter with Sparhawk was through his participation in the 3N6D performance 14 months ago at The Venue. John Heino's collaboration brainchild brought together a film maker, dancer and musician for a Happening-like experience that he himself photographed. Sparhawk's eerie, subdued innovations helped carry the imagination for those who drank it in, a feast for eyes and ears. So I did not know what to expect. last night....

Sparhawk is part of several bands, perhaps most famously Low, which has recorded eight albums. In 2010 Robert Plant, former lead singer for Led Zeppelin, recorded two of Low's songs, "Silver Rider" and "Monkey," for his Band of Joy album. Sparhawk made headlines earlier this year when Plant's recording of "Silver Rider" was nominated for a Grammy.

Sparhawk also plays with two other bands, the Black Eyed Snakes (blues) and Los Besos. He's also recorded some solo guitar work.

Though born in Seattle (another Hendrix connection) his family moved to Utah where he was raised and ultimately married his childhood sweetheart. They are unabashed Mormons, now living here in the Duluth with their two children, contributing to a local music scene which seems to be broiling with vitality right now. I was told last night his band does a month in Germany each year. I can see from his willingness to be so poured out in a performance of even modest size that he could really rattle the rafters in any sized venue. His band held nothing back, and their fans drank it in.

It got kind of late for some who get up for work early, but it was a good cause, and a show many of us did not want to miss.


Lower right: Alan Sparhawk mugs for the camera.