With May just around the corner, it means the Duluth Homegrown Music festival is here again. It's a live music lover's dream, and especially so for fans of the Minnesota music scene.
Plus more concerts in Grand Rapids, Bemidji and Crosby!
First up, it’s the Duluth Homegrown Music Festival in the Twin Ports, all week long with each night featuring a different neighborhood of the city. With staggered starts at multiple venues, there is constant music and around 15 or more bands every night. Although largely featuring bands based in the Twin Ports, groups from throughout Northern Minnesota are on the lineup like The Lonely Loons (Thursday, Main Club, 8:45 p.m.), ¡Radical Fun Time! (Wednesday, Wussow's, 7:30 p.m.), Brothers Burn Mountain (Thursday, Main Club, 10:45 p.m.), Underground til' Sundown (Friday, Duluth Flame Nightclub, 8 p.m.) and Iron Range Outlaw Brigade (Saturday, Carmody Irish Pub, 10:45 p.m.).
Other can't miss gigs are folk trio Cigarette Picnic (Wednesday, Wussow's, 6:30 p.m.), Fon Du Lac rapper Darren Sippity (Thursday, Superior Tavern, 8:15 p.m.), psych-jazz band Peat Boggs (Friday, Prøve Gallery, 7 p.m.), and funk band Jumpsuit (Saturday, Pizza Luce, 10 p.m.). Full schedule here.
On Friday in Grand Rapids, Kemari will be at Klockow Brewing. Kemari is a Bemidji-based R&B singer who will be leading the crowd in sing-alongs with high energy and fantastic stage presence. The event is hosted by arts collective Fire in the Village, with a frybread dinner beginning at 6 p.m. with music at 7 p.m.
On to Saturday, bluegrass quintet Monroe Crossing is playing at the Chief Theater in Bemidji, 7 p.m. The Minnesota Music Hall of Famers have over 25 years of performing experience and mix traditional and gospel bluegrass in the style of their namesake, Bill Monroe.
Finally, Merritt is playing at the Cana Wine Bar in Crosby, also Saturday at 7 p.m. He is a singer and fingerstyle guitarist who plays a mix of vintage blues, swing, rock and folk songs from the 1920s-70s, on guitar and banjo.
Wednesday, April 29
- Duluth Homegrown Music Festival - 6:30 p.m., multiple venues, West Duluth Night, $15 (weekday single), $40 (weeklong)
Thursday, April 30
- Duluth Homegrown Music Festival - 6 p.m., multiple venues, Superior night, $15
Friday, May 1
- Duluth Homegrown Music Festival - 5:45 p.m., multiple venues, downtown Duluth, $25 (weekend single), $40 (weeklong)
- Kemari - 7 p.m., Klockow Brewing, Grand Rapids, free
Saturday, May 2
- Duluth Homegrown Music Festival - 5:45 p.m., multiple venues, downtown Duluth, $25
- Monroe Crossing - 7 p.m., Chief Theater, Bemidji, $30
- Merritt - 7 p.m., Cana Wine Bar, Crosby, free
Sunday, May 3
- Duluth Homegrown Music Festival - 1:30 p.m, Canal Park Brewing, Duluth, free
Events this week include a production of "The Grapes of Wrath" in Brainerd, the First Friday Art Walk in Grand Rapids, and a student art reception in Bemidji.
The weekly live music spotlight is made possible by the citizens of Minnesota through the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
