Burger Paradox: Unlocking the Full Potential of National Hamburger Month

What does Hamburger Heaven smell, feel and taste like? You might catch a whiff of it at Burger Paradox in Duluth's Lincoln Park District. This article is second in a series of stories I wrote this month for The Reader as we celebrate National Hamburger Month.

The origins of the hamburger can be traced back to the late 19th century, with its exact birthplace still debated among historians. Whether it was invented in New Haven, Connecticut, or Seymour, Wisconsin, there's no denying that the hamburger has become deeply ingrained in American culture. Its simple yet versatile nature has allowed it to evolve over the years, adapting to different tastes and culinary trends while retaining its status as a classic American dish.

 

This week we tracked down Dan LeFebvre, a co-owner of Burger Paradox, which opened last May in the Lincoln Park district. An offshoot of Duluth Grill, LeFebvre has been with the company since 2006. As the name implies, Burger Paradox is a unique, and tasty, addition to the Twin Ports burger scene. After grabbing a few photos for this week’s Burger Month spotlight we shared a scrumptious Smashburger and talked about the roots of Burger Paradox. 
 

The building originally housed the first Burger King in Duluth. That restaurant preceded the arrival of the Burger King franchise which granted him the right to keep the name as well as expand it. A Mediterranean restaurant eventually replaced the Burger King here which then yielded to the familiar Mitch’s, a classic dive bar/burger joint.

 

Once the pandemic was in the rear-view mirror, the owners of Duluth Grill, Corktown and OMC saw the former Mitch’s as an opportunity to expand. Casting about for a name, they settled on Burger Paradox because of its hybrid character, a dive bar with class. Their mission: good food, good service and a clean environment.

 

For National Hamburger Month LeFebvre dished up these suggestions for creating your own memorable burger experience.

 

The Reader: What do you believe are the essential ingredients for a perfect hamburger patty?

Dan LeFebvre: I believe simplicity is best. Finding the right purveyors with clean ingredients. 

 

The Reader: Can you share any tips for selecting the best cuts of meat for hamburger patties?

DL: We like to use 100 percent chuck with a 75/25% fat ratio. Anything with a high fat content is best, chuck, brisket or short rib.

 

The Reader: What cooking techniques do you use to ensure juicy and flavorful hamburgers?
DL: We like to keep it simple with salt, pepper and garlic.

 

The Reader: Do you have any special seasoning blends or marinades that you like to use for hamburgers?
DL: More isn't better. Ensuring that each bite has each component and that the components compliment the beef rather than overtake it.

The Reader: Are there any unconventional ingredients or flavor combinations that you've experimented with in hamburger recipes?

DL: We do have an Asian style burger that we mix garlic, ginger, cilantro, sriracha, sesame beef and pork into. Those have a few toppings like carrot daikon pickles, pickled ginger, fried wontons, wasabi aioli etc.

 

The Reader: Can you share your preferred method for cooking hamburgers (grilling, pan-frying, broiling, etc.) and why you prefer it?

DL: We use flat top grills. At home I use a black stone grill to get the same result. I like them for the caramelization of the beef they provide and cooking them in its own fat. 

 

The Reader: How do you ensure consistency in flavor and quality when cooking hamburgers in a restaurant setting?

DL: We have a cook staff that only cooks burgers so they can focus on what's in front of them. The other guys in the kitchen have their own stations for toppings, fries etc.  We also invest in really high quality equipment that gives us consistent cooking and grilling. 

 

The Reader: Are there any additional tips or tricks that you've learned over the years for making outstanding burgers that you can share?

DL: When I was at Duluth Grill we had a hard time getting our burgers juicy because we were using lean grass fed beef at the time so we used to shred cheese and mix it into the beef to give us a juicy and creamy burger. That burger ended up being featured in Midwest Magazine.  

 

The Reader: What are your recommendations for achieving the perfect texture and doneness in hamburger patties?

DL: For smash burgers you want your grill set to 400 degrees, the grill needs to be dry (no oil whatsoever). Press the patty into the grill and allow to cook 75% of the way on one side to give it a caramelized crispiness, flip then cheese and remove right away so they don't overcook. The average cook time for a patty at Paradox is 3 minutes. 

 

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EdNote: You don’t have to wait till Memorial Day to fire up the grill. Gather your friends and join in the festivities as we honor the mighty hamburger throughout the month of May.

Flashback Friday: A 2009 Conversation with Twin Ports Writer/Editor/Publisher Ron Brochu

This is an interview I posted in 2009. While re-reading it recently it became apparent that the content here remains relevant, especially for the local writing and publishing scene. Ron is one of many local writers/publishers for whom I have high regard.

I'm still not sure how our paths first crossed, but it was our writing vocations for sure. What I do recall is that Ron Brochu was a journalist serious about his craft. Over the years we have met from time to time to compare notes on the writing life.

I'd like to imagine that all writers are like me, they respect anyone who writes and keeps writing even when it all feels so futile at times. Are we filling the world with too many words? Well, there are stories that still need to be told. And many that bear repeating to a new audience.

The original title for this blog entry was going to be "Journalism in the Internet Age and Other Adventures" because Ron has been in a perfect position to see the Internet's raw power as it has run roughshod over the newspaper industry. Take a minute and listen up.

EN: Can you briefly outline your career path as a writer?

Ron Brochu: It began at Denfeld High School and continued at UMD, where I became business manager, then entertainment editor and editor-in-chief at the campus newspaper.

I lived in Minneapolis after graduation, freelancing for the Southside Newspaper, then in 1978 took a trade magazine editing job at the former Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. During that time, I also freelanced for the Milwaukee Sentinel, Hermantown Star and Duluth Budgeteer. Using those bylines, I landed a part time reporting/photography job at the Superior Evening Telegram in 1984, where I eventually covered government and was assistant managing editor. Wayne Nelson recruited me to BusinessNorth in 1995, where I worked as managing editor but also learned pagination, graphics and a host of business software skills. Two years later, I moved to the Budgeteer News, where Murphy McGinnis Media moved us to a twice weekly, with dreams of becoming a daily. It became clear we lacked the resources to make that move, so I joined the competition when the Duluth News Tribune opened a Superior bureau in 1999. Worked there as a business writer for about two years, then moved to Duluth, where I covered education for a year before becoming city editor in charge of business, labor, health and environment reporters.

In 2005, the DNT sent me to the Telegram, which Knight Ridder had purchased two years earlier. My mission was to retrain and coach the newsroom staff until a permanent editor could be hired. I soon became that editor and remained in Superior until July 2008, when I was canned for exercising my right to free speech in a private e-mail to my bosses.

EN: Getting published is not that challenging for any determined writer producing sufficiently professional work. Getting paid for one’s writing seems a little more problematic. Why is this? Is it a supply and demand issue or something else?

RB: I think it’s more of a problem in Duluth than elsewhere. Compensation here is very low, likely because there are too many publications and they’re all strapped for cash.

As an HBJ editor, I was paying $250-$400 for trade magazine feature articles in 1978, and the Milwaukee Sentinel was paying me about $75 for features. At the same time, the Budgeteer was paying me $10 for each city council story. It hasn’t improved much since then. Last year, I was paying Telegram contributors anywhere from nothing to $50 for weekly columns – whatever they’d take. Contributors to the annual marketing supplement were getting up to $100 for feature stories, which still isn’t much.

EN: This (the overall economy) is just a very weak market. How has the publishing scene changed since the advent of the Internet?

RB: Print news publications have lost considerable advertising revenue. They’ve reacted by cutting staff and content, hurting their circulation revenue. Although many have developed a Web presence, few have developed innovative new products that generate sales comparable to advertising revenue. Newcomers have outsmarted print publishers on every front. A few examples include eBay, Craig’s List and Amazon.com. By having customers input orders, these web marketers have drastically reduced the cost of sales. Print publications, particularly newspapers, are strangled by high overhead.

Until they shed expensive labor and equipment costs, print will continue to struggle. The inexpensive Internet model is both a blessing and a curse. Although costs are virtually nonexistent, any idiot can launch a web page and pass off nonsense as truth. It’s extremely difficult to differentiate legitimate Internet journalism from rants and opinion.

EN: Sixties writers like Truman Capote and Tom Wolfe used fictional techniques to write about non-fiction themes. I remember a quote by Wolfe that the novel was dead due to reader interest in “reality” and “news.” He later wrote novels like Bonfire of the Vanities, and today bestseller novels continue to rake in millions. Do you think fiction will ever become obsolete?

RB: No. Even though truth can be stranger than fiction, it doesn’t flow as well. A good writer can always weave bits and pieces of truth into fiction that’s far more interesting. That’s not to say novels won’t go electronic, but they’ll definitely continue to exist.

EN: I spent a half hour trying to hook up my new HDTV box to a television set last night, and failed. Isn’t this move to digital television the craziest thing yet? Anything you’d like to add to what you have already written? What kind of feedback did you get to your story in the Reader.  

RB: For whatever reason, I don’t get much feedback to my Reader stories. The advantages of digital are overblown, in my opinion, at least for audio. I’m not a fan of unintelligible phone conversations, answering machines, MP3 recordings. We’re saving spectrum by cutting quality, then using the excess spectrum to broadcast more dumb sitcoms and even dumber reality shows. To me, the net gain is less than zero.

EN: As a former newspaper editor, what are the most shocking things you have seen that no one is talking about today?

RB: Governmental incompetence and waste top my personal list. Most of today’s reporters simply cover meetings and don’t take risks. For instance, they don’t dig into the early retirement benefit costs for police officers and firefighters. They haven’t revealed that Gary Doty has free lifetime medical benefits, even though they’re aware of it. They don’t write about the source of campaign contributions to Rep. Jim Oberstar or Rep. Dave Obey, and links between contributors and votes. In essence, they’re afraid to tackle beloved people and institutions. They’re as phony and incompetent as those they write about.
 

Renovation of the Alhambra and Other Stories

In June I was approached by Bob Boone, publisher of the Reader, a weekly alternative to the Duluth News Tribune, to do a story about the Alhambra, a forgotten theater that he discovered when he purchased the Interior Tomato building adjacent to the West Theater. My working title for the piece was Bob Boone Shares His Vision for the Alhambra. 

It's actually quite a story. The piece was finally published in August and it began like this:

The Vision for the Alhambra

One of the most exciting West Duluth developments in recent years has been the appearance of a number of classy new establishments. The Boreal House is two years old, Zenith Bookstore five this week. Jade Fountain, also new, has been a welcome addition to the neighborhood where Wussow’s Concert Cafe has served as an anchor for the past two decades.

Across the street the historic West Theater has also contributed to the magic of this neighborhood’s re-emergence. And when Reader publisher Bob Boone completes his current reconstruction project there will be yet another lost historic theater next to the West: The Alhambra.

READ MORE

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Re-creating the original sculpted design features.

It's hard to say what I found most interesting about this story. In part it's a story about serendipity. In part, it's a story about Duluth's lost history. What especially interested me was its tie to the Alhambra in Spain. Even if only in name only, there's something exotic about this famous landmark in Andalusia, the region where Cervantes' Don Quixote dreamed his own impossible dreams.

I attempted to suggest a parallel between Bob Boone and the famous knight of old. I didn't want to push it too far, lest someone believe Mr. Boone was similarly "tilting at windmills." Nevertheless, there's something to be said for dreamers. 

* * * 

For what it's worth, the Reader archives many of the stories written by its writers. If interested you can walk back in time and read some of my previous contributions to this local rag. For a little over three years I covered "the arts beat" and became quite immersed in the local art scene.   You can read find some of the interviews I did along with a few other stories here.

Meantime, if you are a writer, write on.

Photo top right courtesy Kathryn A Martin Library, Archives & Special Collections

Song from the North Country

The final pieces of this year's Duluth Dylan Fest puzzle have been theoretically finalized and a schedule will be shared soon, but you can mark you calendars for May 22-30 for a series of live, streaming and hybrid events as we celebrate the 80th birthday of Duluth's native son.

One of these events will be a variation on the traditional Singer-Songwriter contest, which is a highlight for many over the years. Essentially, competitors perform a Dylan song and a song of their own. Like Dylan, they are singer-songwriters. The judges vote on the best original song, and over the years there have been some fantastic winners.  (Here's my review of the 2018 Singer Songwriter Contest.)

ONE UNIQUE FEATURE of this year's contest will be that the competition will take place online. We'll still have judges, but songs will be recorded and shared from a distance. We won't all be gathered in one place for a show. 

A SECOND UNIQUE FEATURE is even more exciting. A group called Song from the North Country will perform the winning song or songs. (I will be corrected on this in a comment maybe.)

The Duluth Reader this week featured a story by Richard Thomas explaining what this group of musicians has been up to, comparing it to a campfire jam, using contemporary technology. 

"They’re not in the same room or even time frame," writes Thomas. "They’re all in their own living rooms, home studios and back yards. One drums on a woodpile, another tap-dances, another sings while stepping into an outdoor sauna. They’re miles apart but the music and harmonies beautifully blend."

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: Song from the North Country

Here's a link to their site onYouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIMxFqJmfffW8ygAOrsDuaQ

TOMORROW I aim to share the Call for Poetry instructions, deadlines and themes for this year's Duluth Dylan Fest Poetry Contest. 

And yes, Song from the North Country is a play on the title of Dylan's Girl from the North Country. 

The Reader's Best of the Northland Party and the AAMC's Winter Dance Party

Master of Ceremonies, Publisher Bob Boone

I got invited to two parties that were slated for this week. The Reader held a party to celebrate their Best of the Northland edition in which readers select their favorite romantic getaways, restaurants and even Best Cop. This event was Wednesday so you missed it, but it was a good first effort by the Bob Boone and the Reader team. The second is tomorrow night's Winter Dance Party celebrating the 56th Anniversary of the 1959 Winter Dance Party event that featured, among other stars, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper.

The Reader's Best of the Northland 1st Annual Awards Ceremony was held at the Dubh Linn Irish Pub in the back room where the pub's stand up comedy shows are held. It was a well-meaning attempt to honor some of the recipients of this year's reader-elected Best of the Northland people and businesses. The catered affair, which included drinks and was intended to be semi-formal, would have benefited from a rehearsal. The list of winners and runners-up was lengthy and winners were invited to "say a few words" on top of that.

Veikko and Jason of Wood Blind

Veikko and Jason of Wood Blind had been pressed into service to be the evening's entertainment, which should have preceded the award ceremony. As it was, the duo performed a couple brief numbers shortly after nine as a form of intermission. Considering the event was slated for 7-9 and the list of winners remained only cut by half, you knew this was going to be a longer night than planned. It wasn't till after ten when Wood Blind finally got to perform, but the room had fairly cleared out as most who were there had to go to work in the morning.

This won't be the case for tomorrow night's Winter Dance Party, unless you're pulling an early shift at Wal-Mart. You can stay as late as you like. Buddy Holly will not be there this year, but I just learned that there's a Buddy Holly Hologram that will be going on tour next year in Texas, and eventually the world. If Nelson French has his way, next year we'll be dancing to the real thing.

Tomorrow, however, will feature Todd Eckart, whose name has been popping up quite a bit lately. He puts on a great show and makes you want to move your feet. Or so I heard. Eckart will be followed by the Travelons, a team comprised of several of the featured performers from last year's Salute to the Music of Bob Dylan, which was a phenomenal show. Here's where you get your tickets.

Rumor has it that quite a number of folks will be on hand who were at that first Winter Dance Party here, including DNT columnist and local writer Jim Heffernan. If you're needing to catch your breath now and then, you'll find some good company to share nostalgic memories if so inclined. There will also be a dance contest, and a best 50's costume award.

Meantime... put your dancin' shoes on.

Drawing names for "must be present to win" prizes.

P.S. Be sure to pick up your copy of this week's Reader to see the Best of the Northland winners from all the categories. It's a great way to get ideas for where you might like to go on your next day, or your next adventure.

A Visit with Island Lake Artist Elizabeth Kuth (Part II)

THIS IS PART II OF AN INTERVIEW WITH ELIZABETH KUTH. Portions of this interview appeared this week in the Reader.

After examining the many canvases and resources in her studio, we walked up to the house where she shared books of drawings. Many of the drawings are with brush and ink or other various media. With a warm zeal she described the ideas behind her work.

In a statement at the Women's Art Resources of Minnesota website Kuth explains, "As an artist I believe the commitment and passion from yourself is essential to develop a high sensitivity for quality and meaning in your work. Only you have the power to do the work, endure the struggles and sacrifices it takes to translate your inner world into a medium of expression." You can read her full statement here.

While driving home after the visit I felt a surge of desire to get into my studio to paint. The following evening this wish was fulfilled.

EN: Who have been your biggest influences?

EK: A lot of my influences come from German abstract expressionism. That is kind of an intrigue to me.

EN: Where are your forms coming from?

EK: In your genes and who you are, and who your parents were and grandparents were. That’s one thing that started to come out. That interested me because I saw a lot of bones in my earlier work. These bones kept appearing, which was interesting, because my grandfather was a bone surgeon. He did drawings and did a book of illustrations of bones.

I think a lot about spaces, from early childhood. Whether it was the dock I was on or the lake,… even when I’m painting something would hit me from early on and I would go with that for a while.

Sometimes I turn a painting upside down and look at its shapes and forms and work on it as abstract design….

A lot of my images have a sense of falling. Those back there are about something falling down. By turning it upside down I might see something that ignites something in me, and I will see something different.

A lot of my things seem to have a downward position and by turning it I see a new meaning in it.

I am looking for something that hits me…. Ah! I like this better. I don’t think about what it’s going to be until it starts to become something.

(Referring to three large paintings that she is working on simultaneously.) Now these two are doing more for me than this one. This one is too still. I look for movement. Maybe this theme of falling has something to do with vulnerability.

* * *

I do feel a need to identify something in a piece. Most of my things are figurative, filling up the whole space. There’s a suspension… but also a dominant form.

These are a couple earlier paintings of mine. Less shapes and forms, but Paul Klee-ish, something I sort of see, a playfulness.

EN: Did you know Bill Morgan?

EK: Yes. He was my teacher and mentor. Went to UWS a while in art education, but knew that was not for me. Went back later and got a Masters in Art.

I may never exhibit these things but it’s influencing me… drawing horses, capturing movement. I also work with paper, oil paint on paper, and I’m really liking them.

These were early works of mine, these early forms. I see that in a lot of my shapes… I paint around suggested forms to find the forms. The more I superimpose something, that makes more of an illusion.

Another thing I do is integrate space… I see this over and over, these forms, like bones or faces. But these lines create the magic, building up the space that way.

EN: How much comes from within as opposed to replicating what you see?

EK: No, it’s just creating and moving forms. If you go through these you’ll see how they changed so much. This one is from 2012…. This was early on, and then see how they changed. Sometimes I go back into my sketchbooks and redo them, superimposing on what was once subtle, but now evolved, showing somewhat a development. That’s what I’ve been doing with all my paintings, going back into them, so there’s push and pull. It’s not about the subject, but about forms, forms that have an emotional quality.

That’s kind of what I do.

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SEE more of Elizabeth Kuth's paintings at symbolicart.org/

Featured eBook of the Day: The Breaking Point and Other Stories

A Visit With Artist Brent Kustermann

Kustermann in front of a portion of his piece "Surgery"

Brent Kusterman's paintings and prints have been making their appearance around town this summer. In May you could find some of his work at St. Luke’s Hospital in the new area set aside for artists. In June he was showing at the Red Mug Coffeehouse in Superior. In July you’ll find his work in the Atrium at the Zeitgeist Building in Downtown Duluth. This past Friday, July 11, more of his art went on display at the Washington Gallery which I wrote about in yesterday's blog.

Kusterman considers it to be the duty of an artist to bring a unique perspective to the world, a process "never fully mastered." He uses a variety of mediums to create his pieces, sometimes even found objects that others might discard to the trash bin. I found his art worth engaging. My guess is that he will continue to find venues for showing his art, and if you show up you may find it a worthwhile experience.

EN: Where did you grow up and how did you end up in Duluth?

Brent Kustermann: I have grown up in the Twin Ports area from Superior to all sides of Duluth. My family moved here when I was young from St. Paul. My parents were offered work here and they felt that the Twin Ports would be a good place to raise a family.

EN: How did you come to take interest in art?

Detail from "Surgery" 

BK: It's hard to pin point the moment when I took an interest in art. I feel that I have always been intrigued by the limitlessness of producing pictures. A portion of that appeal comes from a desire to communicate emotions and ideas with people while also remaining introverted, with respect to deeper questions about the world around us. A bigger appeal is the purity and honesty that comes from laying down colors and designs on a blank canvas or page. I am always interested in what people take away from my work. The freedom of interpretation is amazing. I love it when I have notions about what a piece might mean to me and what other people take away, it is usually completely different. That is the beauty of art; the direct and personal relationship with the viewer and the work. Without that symbiosis the whole thing is pointless.

EN: Where were your trained? Who have been your biggest influences?

BK: I have never really been formally trained. Yes, of course, I've taken classes in college and high school but my academic pursuits always formally fell short. I believe that after twenty plus years of producing paintings I have developed a relationship with the work I do that supersedes the rigid constraints of 'mastering' (per se) Art under the direction of the university. I have however had encouraging and artistic friends and people in my life that have really helped keep me focused when those tacit moments of insecurity and uncertainty have crept in. Nowadays I usually keep my long-winded diatribes about art on reserve for a really close friend who resides in Chicago. Influentially, I have always loved the allure of the German Expressionists. There is something that defies linguistics that is nostalgic and appreciable. Most certainly, the New York School of Abstract Expressionist are at the backbone of my love for painting. It would probably take a lifetime to get through all of them to fully understand the individuality and depth of each contributing member. And, my interest changes often; one day the intellect of Newman next, the seriousness and loneliness of Rothko.

EN: How do you balance career and creative pursuits?

BK: Making paintings is consumptive emotionally, physically, and spatially. I feel as though, if there were a balance that it happens naturally. I say this because I really don't force myself to make pieces. The work I do is a direct manifestation of the energy I feel I must exert artistically much in the same way a runner would feel unbalanced without the endorphin release of a run. At the end of it you feel great. You feel spent. My day job is a completely unrelated matter. I have to eat and I cannot imagine making a living off of art, as nice as that would be, it has never been that way. I am befuddled by the co-mingling of money and art. They are inherently unrelated matters. I don't even know how to price a piece of work. One dollar may as well be a million.

EN: What do you call your style? And can you explain your process of making pictures?

BK: My style? Well, I suppose would be Non-objective sometimes and Abstract the other times. The process for me is to spend time with the canvas (or whatever material) in the studio. Music has a great way of helping me focus and allow myself to sort of shake off outside noise. By noise I mean, all of those small annoying things that we think about through the day; schedules, bills, appointments, relationships, etc. and how we relate to them. Usually, I start without a plan... just an attraction to one color or another and I begin to lay out colors and see how they relate to one another and how they draw an emotional charge from me. This can take hours or months, sometimes completely annihilating a composition altogether or scavenging aspects of the work that should be saved. There is a great deal of time allowed for drying which affords me the ability to work on several paintings at once when things are going right. There are no limitations as far as materials used. House-paint, professional grade supplies, industrial supplies, dirt, found objects, linen; anything that I find intriguing will suffice.

Sometimes these things, compositional-wise, play out in my favor, other times they end in massive frustration. This is the ongoing process of all things, I suppose.

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Portions of this interview originally appeared in The Reader. 

A Comparison Between NFL Athletes and Musicians Like The Beatles

Last week I heard about Tony Dorsett and the sad news about yet another football pro with degenerative brain disease. It stimulated a whole range of thoughts, one of them being how the arc of a career for an athlete is so different from that of a musician.

For football players, you're fortunate to get fifteen years as a pro, and much less if unfortunate in a variety of ways. It's a rough game, even without the new rules. It takes a toll on the body.

On the other hand, look at a guy like Sir Paul McCartney. Sure, the superstardom of The Beatles lasted about the length of a so-so NFL career, but his life as a musician and performer was still in in its infancy. Dylan is still performing at 72. Leonard Cohen, CSNY, Yes and so many of the stars who filled cars, bars and auditoriums with their music way back when. Even Springsteen is going strong with (from what I hear) 4 hour shows in which he's shakin' and makin' it happen.

What do football players have to look forward to besides a lot of achin'? Especially those who have chewed through all their bacon. According to news reports, 78% of them also go bankrupt within five years of their leaving the game. Considering how much money they make, that is a heckuva lot of wasted capital being siphoned off to who knows where.

This is not to suggest that musicians never go bankrupt. Or never have injuries. Fame itself can be a dangerous experience, verified by the likes of Jim Morrison, Jimi, Janis, Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse and the short-lived brilliance of Basquiat.

Being a pro football player does seem to put you in a heady space. Cheerleaders and fans rooting for you from adolescence onward. If you're among the best you star in college, get huge signing bonuses and maybe even grab yourself a Super Bowl ring. You live for the moment, and get your heart broken in the moment. You usually have been working out while others were laid back, and you've made a lot of sacrifices for this adulation and the moola that comes with it.

Then it's over. You hang up your spurs. What next? The glory of those times will never return. With all that money you don't know who your real friends are and whose just hanging around to milk you. Your habit of "living large" is the only lifestyle you know. Now what?

Two Minnesota Vikings attended the church we went to when we lived in St. Paul in the early 80's. One of these was Wes Hamilton, starting guard for more than ten years. I asked him what he planned to do when he retired. He said he was going to buy a printing business and provide for his family. That's certainly a contrast from being on the field. I also remember him saying he's had his bell rung a few times. I'm hoping this hasn't taken a toll on him as it has for so many others.

Most guitar players never achieve the dream of record contracts and stardom, but most of the ones I know do keep making music, for the duration of a lifetime.


On the home front, there are a lot of music and performances happening this week here in the Twin Ports. Be sure to pick up a Reader, Transistor or today's Wave section of the DNT. And keep on keepin' on. 

Twin Ports Arts Scene: Tips for Staying in the Loop

River scene by Ken Marunowski

Over the years I've noticed that there is so much happening in the local arts scene, but no "single source" for staying connected to it all. When international sensations like Elton John or Dylan perform here in the Northland it's front page news and even has the broadcast media buzzing. But there are still so many other things happening in the visual, theatrical and film arts... how does one stay in the loop? How can people enjoy events and discover new artists when they aren't aware that there's been an opening or a show?

Well, here are a few places to look. It takes a little work, but like panning for gold in the Black Hills, if you know where to go and have the right tools, it really isn't that hard.

For years the first place I always looked in the past was in the Duluth News-Tribune's Wave section which can be found each week in their Thursday paper. It starts on the back page of the Sports section and is usually 2-3 pages of stories and "Best Bets." It tends to be strong on events by organizations that have a good PR system like the Duluth Playhouse, the Tweed and the Duluth Art Institute. It's weak when it comes to all those venues that don't have professional staff news-generators.

Tonight, for example, there will be a wonderful art experience at Trepanier Hall (202 W. Second Street, Duluth) with artists Duncan Konczak, Tom Konczak, Avery Makes Room and Mike Lemon and music by Jake Vainio (with possible surprise guests.) This is the American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) facility that hosted Al Hunter's evocative Beautiful Razor reading earlier this year. You probably would not know this without help from our newest resource on the scene: Social Media.

Facebook, Twitter and blogging have really changed the face of our community arts scene. Across the country there are vibrant local writers groups and arts groups connecting with one another. I learned about Friday evening's Art-Music-Food event through a posting on Twin Ports Arts Align this week. TPAA is a great resource for keeping tabs on what's happening here in our region. There is so much to see and do that you would not hear about if you only relied on the paper. You don't have to participate in posting or be making art in order to just lurk and get updates on events and arts related discussions. Lots of great ideas out there... a lot of smart and talented people. It's a vibrant FB community.

Ken M and Carrie at Lake Ave Cafe

The only place I saw reference to Ken Marunowski's opening last night at the Lake Avenue Cafe/Restaurant was there at the Twin Ports Arts Align. Ken does plein air (open air) painting and is part of Lee Englund's circle in that regard. I had a beer with Lee and Rosie and learned that there's a huge event this weekend with 70 plein air artists from all over gathering at the artist colony in Grand Marais this weekend. Sounds awesome. (Word of mouth is another great way to find out what's going on.)

Lee said he met Ken at an extreme plein air painting event a couple years ago and they became fast friends. They no doubt have mutual respect for one another's skills and attitude. If you get a chance head over to the DeWitt Seitz Building and check out Ken's work which will be on display now for a while this fall. His paintings of this summer's tall ships are getting a lot of attention and appreciation. (The food is equally stellar, by the way.)

Englund described for me the extreme plein air event where he and Ken met. It's held mid-winter 40 miles up the Gunflint Trail. The painters must cross-country ski into the area pulling their equipment on a toboggan. One year temps were 20 below zero. If you think artists are sissies, you have another thing coming when you consider this breed.

Tall Ships by Marunowski

For those of you who follow things on Twitter, a good way to catch a few events is to look for the #duluthart hashtag. It's not comprehensive but will certainly bring you a few things you won't find elsewhere. And if you're doing art yourself here in the Twin Ports, start using the hashtag for your own posts so we can see what you're up to and share it elsewhere.

For what it's worth tonight at Washington Gallery there's a photography exhibition called Lake Effect featuring  images of our great lake by Brett Grandson and Samantha Pranger. The opening will be from 6-9 and is almost certain to offer up some breathtaking images.

As for other methods for staying in the loop, get into the habit of picking up The Transistor and The Reader. The Reader's "arts" section is now in the back, but not hard to find once you know where to look.

Meantime, tomorrow there's a North Central Windows Project First Harvest Festival to in Central Park at 717 6th Ave East in Superior, with music and more. Like many music and arts events these days it's a fund-raiser for a good cause.

To the artists of our region: thanks for making it happen!

Momentum

One of the basic principles of marketing success is momentum. I think here, for example, of a giant concrete wheel with a tiny handle. To get the wheel turning takes a great effort. At first, it takes all your strength to simply get it to budge. But then, once you get it started, it takes less effort with each revolution until it seems to have a life of its own. To keep it spinning at a high velocity then requires a minimal effort on your part. You can't neglect it, of course, because it will eventually slow to a stop and you are back to where you started.

Well, companies have momentum, too. As do careers. It seems to take an inordinate amount of energy to get a brand established. The power and value that accrues can become startling to the one who initially invested so much to get that wheel turning.

Football players understand the psychological power of momentum. Last night when Alabama routed Notre Dame to take the national championship in college football, the Notre Dame head coach had one task at halftime, and that was to turn the tide, to reverse the momentum somehow. They failed and the outcome became a given. Likewise in football, the ability to assemble long drives can be more devastating than a chance long ball touchdown pass. Those drives show dominance, and instill respect. In baseball, a series of base hits can do more to damage the competition than a home run. The thrill of the rally ripples through the whole stadium. An error, or a fumble or a stupid penalty can upset the momentum and make the team wonder, "Uh, oh, what next?" The psychological edge it blunted.

Cities can have momentum, too. While watching leaders in our Twin Ports towns of Duluth and Superior these past few years, I have observed that there are a lot of people working hard behind the scenes to bring about change for the good in these communities. All cities have their tidal ebb and flow, but some towns have a more challenging time dealing with change. When a major employer leaves many small towns end up as ghost towns.

In 2005 a group of community leaders here in Duluth began a process of re-defining its vision for the future. One piece of that vision, based on the Richard Florida model, included the leadership role that the arts would play.

When I was a young artist in college I had a very political friend who wished me to become more politically aware and would tell me that "the artist is the vanguard of the revolution." In our cities here we're not seeking revolution, but we are seeking to strengthen our future, and the artists here have been on the vanguard of that change.

For a brief summary of activities in the arts in 2012 read my recent Reader column The Twin Ports Arts Scene: 2012. Let's work together to keep the momentum going in 2013.

Saturday in the Park

The energetic Vicci Martinez topped the bill.

That famous song by Chicago begins, "Saturday in the park, you'd think it was the Fourth of July." Here in Duluth yesterday there was no confusion as the Reader Weekly capped off a free concert for the city of Duluth called ReaderFest. Publisher Bob Boone was celebrating the paper's 15th anniversary by "giving back" to the city that made his paper possible. After a week of free events that included free Duluth Superior Zoo passes, free tours of the William A. Irvin ore boat, free Beer and Wine Tasting at the Depot, and other such events, he threw a bash at Bayfront Park for the city, with the first ten thousand people to get in Free.

As parties go, the music was great. Sadly the crowd did not come anywhere near emulating the sardine-packed Fourth crowd. Nevertheless, the bands all played their hearts out and the weather Boone dialed in was stellar. What a beautiful setting for concerts, a gift to the city from Lois Paulucci.

Headliner Vicci Martinez flew into town from the west coast and once she took the stage it was easy to see why she's a rising star. A runner up on last year's The Voice, she gave her heart to Duluth and everyone there appreciated the opportunity to hear her again after stealing their hearts last year during Blues Fest.

Those who think she’s an overnight sensation have it wrong. With more than a dozen years in the business, Martinez “is a testament to the power of perseverance, soul, and hard work,” according to the Seattle Music Insider.

Tuesday evening I spoke with her as she was about to catch a plane. Music has always been a part of her life. “Growing up around my house, my parents played all kinds of music. I’m a big fan of Michael Jackson, The Beatles.”

But two performers made a special impact on her when she was a young teen. “For me, someone that really triggered and inspired me was Sarah McLachlan. She was doing Lilith Fair here when I was twelve or thirteen.” Lilith Fair was a travelling music festival consisting of female solo artists and female-led bands. “And I said, ‘Oh wow! Look at these women, these musicians that I never would have heard of.’”

The second performer who made a life-changing impact was Dave Matthews. “I went to his concert when I was fourteen and just the experience I had there made me say, ‘I want to be on stage doing the same thing that that guy is doing.’ It was so much fun sitting there watching it, but there was this pull in me that said, ‘I want to just do that. I want to be on stage with great musicians.’”

How long did it take for the Dave Matthews experience to take root? “I think probably right then, that actual day. I started putting a band together.”

Martinez knew it would be a lot of work, but she was excited about the possibilities. Nine albums later and getting signed with a record label, Universal Republic, has been more than rewarding. But very early on she saw the road ahead and went after her dream. “I think recently getting signed and having my songs played on the radio… made me say, ‘Wow, this really is happening.’”

Knowing her audience is “having an experience,” while she’s performing on stage is important to Martinez. “I’m playing for them, not for me,” she said.

Her current album is called Vicci. Like her other albums the songs and music are all her own. “I’m the writer, it’s my music, but when you play live it’s all of us on stage, so it’s important to have a great relationship with everybody.” As I watched them perform last night you could see they were all very much into it. Vicci is the leader, “but I make it fun for all of us.”

And for the audience as well.

It was a beautiful day to be down at the Bayfront. The playlist included Brothers Burn Mountain, Hannah Rey, Ultraday, The Cutthroats, Bryan Olds Band, Uprising, Centerville All-Stars, Molly & The Danger Band as well as Miss Vicci. You missed something good if you weren't there.