A new band has organized in Cook County. Unnamed Stream plays a blend of old-time to contemporary alt-country songs and covers a variety of artists as well as plays original tunes. Band members include (front left) Eric Frost (guitar & vocals); Jessa Wallendal (fiddle); Barbara Jean Johnson (banjo. viola, fiddle & vocals) and Bill Hansen (dobro). Not pictured: Bump Blomberg (bass & vocals). They're playing at the the Gunflint Tavern on Thursday night, June 17 and the Hovland Art Festival at the Hovland Town Hall from 10:30 - 11:45 a.m. Saturday, July 3. They'll play Papa Charlie's in Lutsen at 6:30 p.m. that evening as well.
There are lots of things happening in the arts and music scene in Grand Marais this week.
First up is Stephan Hoglund, who will be one of the featured artists on The Playlist, WDSE’s weekly show about arts in the Arrowhead region. Karen Sunderman, who hosts the program, focused on Hoglund’s fashion photography, although he is also a landscape photographer and makes award-winning jewelry with local stones. Here’s a sneak preview of some scenes from the show. (click here). The show airs at 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 10 on WDSE-PBS 8. It is rebroadcast at midnight on Friday, June 11. Here’s a link to The Playlist Web site where you can watch earlier shows.
This weekend boosts some interesting events.
The Classic Car Show is at Artist's Point this Saturday.
The annual Grand Marais Classic Car Show is Saturday where vintage cars from all over the region, including Thunder Bay. Ontario and the Twin Cities, converge on Artist’s Point for one of the North Shore’s favorite family events. There’s a Classic Car Parade through Grand Marais beginning at 2 p.m., too. To read about some of the people who are planning to bring their cars to the show, click here.
The Pines
Another fun event is a concert by The Pines at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts on Saturday night. Native Iowans David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey are based in the Twin Cities and have produced two critically acclaimed CDs: “Sparrows in the Bell”and “Tremolo,” both released on Red House Records. The duo play a blend of Indie rock, folk and blues. To listen to their music, click here. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and Bingham and Thorne will open the show. It should be a good concert. Tickets are $15 adults and $10 students and are sold at the door. The Pines are brought to us by the North Shore Music Association.
Also on Saturday, Cook County Master Gardeners will hold their annual Plant Sale at the Cook County Farm & Craft Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Here’s a great chance to get perennials, herbs and annuals grown by Cook County’s finest.
And Michael Monroe will play at the 8 Broadway Stage behind the 8 Broadway Gallery on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m.
Patricia Hampl
And finally, for writers and book lovers, contemporary American author and memoirist Patricia Hampl will featured at a Salon at Drury Lane Books on Saturday at 5 p.m. reading from and discussing her latest book, “The Florist’s Daughter,” a memoir of her years in St. Paul.
There’s other good music this weekend, too.
On Thursday night, you can catch Pete Kavanaugh at the GunFlint Tavern. Music starts at 8 p.m. Then Tim Haus and Jef Cierniak play on Friday and Saturday nights at the Tavern. Music starts at 9 p.m.
Singer/songwriter Nancy Casteele will be at Antler’s Lounge at the Grand Portage Casino on Saturday night from 9 to 10:30 p.m. The concert is free. To hear her sing, click here.
Also on Saturday night, Max Bichel plays for diner at the Pine Place from 6:30-9 p.m.
On Sunday, the Sivertones play at the Tavern starting at 6:30 p.m. and Tres Amigos plays for the dinner crowd at Devil Track Resort. To find out their complete summer schedule, click here.
And here’s a heads-up: the Wooden Boat Show and Summer Solstice Festival is at North House Folk School next weekend, June 18-20. For the complete schedule of events, click here.
The cover for Layne Kennedy's next book: Paddle North.
In other art news, photographer Layne Kennedy has finally decided on the photos which will be on the cover of his next book: “Paddle North: Canoeing the Boundary Waters/Quetico Wilderness.”
He writes: “It is a wonderful overview of the BWCA/Quetico wilderness with chapters on topics like canoe history, forest fires, winter, rock and portages. Greg Breinings’ words are descriptive and alive. He makes you want to toss the canoe on the car and head North. From my side, it is my hope the photographs will offer you new insights and familiar moments while cruising the visual poetry of this amazing wilderness.” The book will be sent to the printer in mid-June and be availabe late October, early November.”
Here's a snapshot from the Acoustic Jam at Chicago Bay Marketplace earlier this week. Pictured (front row) Russ Viton and Jim Spry. Back row, from left: Ryan Bottger, Tom Hoy, Art Bjorngjeld, Sue Maijala
You might have missed it, but add it to your calendar on the first Monday of every month — the Acoustic Jam at Chicago Bay Marketplace in Hovland. Musicians from all over the area gather for a singer/songwriter circle and the public is invited. The next one is July 5.
Also on the horizon, Celtic Thunder will be at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium at 8 p.m. Monday, June 21. For tickets, click here. ZZTop is coming this week, but the concert sold out. According to a fan in Thunder Bay, the tickets sold out in record time— four hours after the box office opened.
Oh, and the Grand Marais Playhouse’s spectacular production of “Treasure Island” will hit the stage again starting Thursday, June 24 through the July 4th weekend. If you missed it the first time, put it on your calendar. It’s a show not to be missed. It might be fun to see it again, too. For tickets, click here.
Boreal Access has launched a new site for local videos. It’s pretty neat. Take a look at it here. There are locally made videos as well as videos of local people made by others posted on the site. Here’s a link to a cute one when the kids at Birch Grove Community School unveiled their mosaics to the community recently.
There’s also a video of the Pincushion Warblers playing on WTIP radio.
Nancy Daley was featured on The Playlist last week and a link to that video about her making paper is linked to the Boreal video site, too. Look at it here. She will be teaching a class in papermaking at the Grand Marais Art Colony June 19-20.
Hint: It might be fun to bookmark the Boreal Video Labs to see what turns up everyday. It’s at www.video.boreal.org. There’s also a live link at the Boreal Access home page.
The Art Colony continues its summer program with lots of other classes.They include a beginning plein air painting class with Neil Sherman, (June 11-14); a children’s art class with Sandi Pillsbury Gredzens, (June 15-17), Wood-fired Raku with Dorian Beaulieu (June 19-20). To read more, click here.
Here’s an interesting new grant opportunity. The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council has announced it is taking applications for a new Community Arts Learning program. It will provide up to $5,000 to artists and/or arts organizations for creating activities with clearly articulated learning objectives. Targeted audiences will have interactive contact with artists, as well as a public performance or presentation.The projects may take place in public schools, community education sites, parks and recreation properties, or other community venues. The grant deadline is June 25. For more info, call (800) 569-8134, or email at info@aracouncil.org.
Have a great weekend. Gardens should be thriving with this recent rain! Let’s end with some music from Michael Monroe.
