Nate Holte (left) and Mike Billig of The People Say Fox perform at Amazing Grace Bakery & Café on Friday evening as part of the annual Homegrown Music Festival. (Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com)

On Friday night I tried to cram in as much Homegrown as possible before deadline and only managed to see, actually see-see, four bands. I felt in order to make it count I had to be there for at least three songs. And the last band I planned to catch either ended early or didn’t play so I was skunked at my last stop. Curses.

But here is what I saw. (As reported in Saturday’s News Tribune):

FRIDAY

THEFT BY SWINDLE
A well-behaved rock show erupted at Beaner’s Central. While Theft By Swindle, a band from the “Headbangers Ball” generation, worked its growly vocals, some of the audience hinted at an interest in aggressive metal behavior. There were animated nods, shy of actual headbanging, but from a seated position. Things were yelled, but those things sounded like encouragement and also were done from a seated position. No one flipped a single bird.

The band features Bret Walczynski and Butch Greene splitting time on vocals. Jason Szumowski on guitar and Thomas Anderson on drums. They’ve got garage band grit to them.

“This song is called ‘Red, White and Blue,’ — named after the beer” Walczynski said.

He sounded dangerously close to a full Axl-ian yelp.

Greene, dressed in a Ramones T-shirt, took the lead on “I Can’t Take It Anymore.”

THE PEOPLE SAY FOX
The award for most radio-ready goes to The People Say Fox, a young alt-rock band fronted by Nate Holte. He’s got a pretty voice and a celebrity level of dishevel between his grey cardigan and wash ’n’ wear hair.

Holte sang with an eyes-closed earnestness, like his soul was being squeezed, and in between pushed merchandise: free stickers, the album they released at the end of 2012 and limited edition 7-inch records.

He charmingly bumbled the introduction to a song:

“This is a song that we kind of — it’s a song,” he said, singing lyrics about how you’re the queen of hearts, I’m the king of the aces.

The band, which has been around since 2008, includes Mike Billig on bass, Nate Adelson on guitar and drummer Rio Daugherty. A version of this group opened for Cloud Cult. Friday’s slot was an all-ages show at Amazing Grace Bakery & Café, but this band seems tuned in to the U-21 crowd anyway.

MANHEAT
Jay Whitcomb had worked himself into a sweaty T-shirt early in rock band Manheat’s set at Legacy Glassworks, a small store with a mix of glass art, T-shirts, tobacco and paintings.

It was fast, it was frantic, it was scream-y — on stage.

In between songs the packed crowd was silent.

“Man, it’s quiet out there,” Whitcomb said.

When technical difficulties ended one song early, fan Ryan Nelson, who would play later that night with Bradical Boombox, quipped from the crowd:

“I’ve always wanted to see Manheat do an acoustic set anyway,”

Whatever broke was fixed and Manheat, which includes Jake Larson on bass and Brennan Atchison on drums, ramped it up again — hard enough to knock a piece of art off the wall.

JACK CAMPBELL & THE SKELETON KEYS
Jack Campbell, 18, is seemingly cultivating his eccentric rock ’n’ roll look.

The young, albeit veteran-ish, musician played an all-ages show at Teatro Zuccone, barefoot, while wearing black sunglasses and long plaid shorts. He was backed by Nate Rendulich on drums and Jimmy Arroyo-Roppo on bass, according to the Homegrown Field Guide.

Campbell, who is playing his third or fourth festival, took a swig of a lemon-flavored soda and said: “This song is super overly dramatic in a hilarious way.”

Campbell told the full house that he had recently worked on a single with a member of The Fray and Dark Dark Dark.

SATURDAY

FEVER DREAM
If there is an opposite of banjo band, Marc Gartman has found it with his latest project Fever Dream. We’re talking nobs, keyboards, eccentric clothing, sweat bands. And Gartman has this smooth sounds of the 1970s voice. This is the soundtrack to your next key party. Eric Pollard added percussion for the set that included his now-familiar tunes. In the weeks before Homegrown (and the album release) Gartman was sharing music videos made by Nick Sunsdahl and, in turn, everyone else was re-sharing them.

SUNDAY

Here is a shorty I wrote about young music heirs who performed at Sacred Heart Music Center on Sunday.

So Superior night. What a weird scene, huh, what with Tower Ave. all shut down. If not post-apocalyptic, at least a little: Halloween night and a mass murderer is on the loose. Foggy, empty — yet the occasional revelers yelping, unseen, from side streets.

COYOTE
So the Thirsty Pagan was a little deceptive. All warm with that pizza-beer smell and people settled into booths. It looked cozy, like a scene in “St. Elmo’s Fire” before Billy’s big sax solo.

Then, wham. The bar area was clavicle to clavicle. Peeked through the doorway and realized it would be impossible to slither into the room. Worked my way to behind the stage, was allowed a quick glimpse, realized it was even more impossible than I previously suspected. Hoped this crush of peeps was at least giving the reason for the season — Marc Gartman and Jerree Small — enough room to make music. But I had to leave. Next year,  Coyote.

PRINCE PAUL & THE CONSCIOUS PARTY
This is about when I realized I wouldn’t be *watching* bands, I’d be simply listening to bands. This reggae show at Norms Beer & Brats was also well-attended. In the rare moments that I was able to sneak a look into the main room, I saw at least nine dudes — the Party in Conscious Party isn’t hyperbole — on stage having a heck of a time. Is there anything more fun-seeming than a reggae band? Although, I always wonder how they decide which Bob Marley song to cover. A: “Every Little Thing Gonna Be Alright.”  It all ended with a “I say Prince, you say Paul … Prince! Paul! … I say Conscious you say Party,” etc.

WINO, WI
I asked Greg Cougar Conley last night what happened to Bull Feathers — one of my favorites from last year’s New Band Night. I’d actually gone a little obsessive compulsive on the bandcamp site last Homegrown season. But, apparently, I was one of few, according to GCC. For Wino, WI, GCC and Marcus Matthews play with Scott Millis and Heather Dean (who looks so freaking cool when she plays bass) to make a rock band. Good news: GCC still sounds like GCC and that voice does not exist anywhere else in the world, although Ian Curtis of Joy Division is both close and not close at all.

ALSO
I wrote about Bratwurst for Friday’s News Tribune.
I also wrote about a musical revue now playing at The Underground that has absolutely nothing to do with Homegrown.

Tim Saxhaug of Trampled By Turtles performs “Swimming Alone” at Clyde Iron Works in Duluth during a show Tuesday, April 30, 2013, as part of the Homegrown Music Festival. (Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com)

Trampled By Turtles opened its Homegrown Music Festival set by paying homage to the band’s homies. The kept the lights dim and moody for “When I Got Deaf,” conjuring the spirit of the currently jet-set Low in front of about 700 fans on Tuesday at Clyde Iron Works.

There was a guest appearance from Erik Koskinen, who is in Dead Man Winter with a few of the guys from Trampled. Koskinen, who played Bayfront Blues Festival this past summer, didn’t stick around long. He sat in on steel guitar for “Widower’s Heart” and then disappeared into the night.

The crowd performed a big sloppy sing along to “Alone” and then danced like they were at the Prom after party in a barn on the edge of town to “Wait So Long,” which still seems to be everyonessuperfavoritesong.

There was crowd surfing — and not just from a huge yellow stuffed monkey (was that a monkey?). There seemed to be an actual body at some point. There were lit lighters in lieu of phone screens. Tim Saxhaug took lead on “Swimming Alone.”

There was little chatter from the band, aside from Dave Simonett thanking Homegrown organizers and Erik Berry agreeing to an encore, although, I think he said they weren’t supposed to, followed by “Codeine.”

It’s fun to look at Trampled through fresh eyes and think: What if I’d never seen this band before?  I’d be pretty sure that fiddle was going to start on fire and then the mandolin would start on fire and then WATCH YOUR BEARDS, EVERYONE!

The world-touring bluegrass band played Symphony Hall recently enough that someone somewhere must still have a crumpled ticket stub in her pocket. They are also booked to  play with Atmosphere on June 29 at Bayfront Festival Park.

AURORA & HER GOOD INTENTIONS
Confidential to Big Top Chautauqua: Is it too late to book Aurora Baer on your stage? This singer-songwriter needs an outdoor concert, preferably at night, and hundreds of barefoot fans holding keg cups. Aurora & Her Good Intentions opened Day 3 with a set on the Mezzanine at Clyde Iron Works. The crew of Baer, Mark Glen on bass, Andy Lipke on guitar, T. Bruce Bowers on fiddle and Tyler Dubla on drums played for a packed early audience. Baer has a big, triumphant voice with songs perfect for the dustiest of road trips. Her work as a heavy-gigging performer has paid off: She’s got a comfort on stage that matches that of Sheryl Crow or Lucinda Williams.

JASON WUSSOW & FRIENDS
There is something about the “& Friends” that lends itself to a good-time band. These bands are never just going through the motions. They grin, bring other friends on stage,  get silly. This band had a surf-reggae sound, obvi, there was Jimi Cooper of The Fractals. Wussow brought Homegrown gig-less Jen West on stage to perform “We Own the Night.” Mark Glen, who had just played with Aurora Baer, suddenly Houdini’d himself to the main stage for the set with Wussow. HOW DID HE DO THAT?

THE KEEP AWAYS
Every young woman should be required to watch The Keep Aways. The sooner the better. Singer-guitar player Mindy Johnson and bass player Nikki Moeller were once referred to by a News Tribune reporter as “rocket launchers for punk rock.” Seems about right.

BIG WAVE DAVE & THE RIPPLES
I wonder if Mr. D’s knew what it was getting itself into, hosting three bands on Tuesday night. The doors must have opened, the bartenders looked up from their prep work, and WHAM! CHAOS. Mr. Kickass, Iron Range Outlaw Brigade and Big Wave Dave & The Ripples played at the West Duluth bar — a scene that looked an awful lot like Spirit Valley Days.

This audience member grabbed a stool far from the action and caught a bit of a “Tainted Love” cover and little else. It is believed to have been a solid show.

NOTED HOMEGROWN TRENDS (so far)
Face paint.
High Fives.
Making out.

ONLINE
Here is a story about the Music Resource Center showcase at Sacred Heart Music Center. This four-act bill starts at 6 p.m.

Imagine this: In the weeks before Homegrown Music Festival, Brian Barber sends an email to your punk band that says he will be making a music video to go along with one of your songs.

It must feel like some sort of jackpot. The professional artist/animator/illustrator one time turned the Aerial Lift Bridge into a transformer and did amazing things with a cartoon version of Mayor Don Ness’s eyebrow and now YOUR BAND is his muse.

This year Barber turned his attention to The Keep Aways’ song “Over Your Shoulder,” creating part-animation, part live action video for the Homegrown Music Video Festival. He was one of 17 video-makers to take the challenge: Use someone else’s art to make a different art. YOU HAVE ONE MONTH.

The videos played for a full house Monday at Zinema 2 and get a replay at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Zinema 2 and at 2 p.m. Sunday at Chester Creek Cafe.

Barber’s result:

You’ll laugh-cry when bass player Nikki Moeller drives the vintage Keep Aways vehicle using her foot. You’ll also wish the song was about 3 minutes longer.

Other highlights include Kathy McTavish’s signature abstract painting-like images set to “Vandrovec, I Need Help” by A Winter Downpour, Edward J. Simon’s funny narrative about a man’s love for his magic hat set to Red Mountain’s “Beautiful Love” and Justin Sinks’ zombie-rific story set to “Hurts Like Hell” by American Rebels.

Perfect Duluth Day is posting them as they go live.

Here is a fraction of the other stuff that happened on Monday night:

TOTAL FREEDOM ROCK
This feels like a voyeuristic experiencing, watching this electronic band perform. It legitimately looks like a collection of guys who have gathered in a garage to tinker with things and make different sounds while sometimes paying absolutely no attention to each other and sometimes chatting while they work. Except they were on stage at Red Star and for some reason everyone was giving them a lot of room. The product: Sometimes they sound like being on a spaceship in the 1970s with a saxophone player. Sometimes they sound like Radiohead in the role of the orchestra that performed while the Titanic bucked and broke and sunk. You could sprawl on your couch, listen to Total Freedom Rock, and think weird thoughts.

PLANEMO
Meanwhile, Planemo is that good old-fashioned indie rock we all stayed up late watching on “Alternative Nation.” This band, which includes Jacob Swanson (guitar), Matt Donoghue (bass), Zach Anderson (drums) and guest-star Jesse Hoheisel is totally a band that would play at The Bronze. Buffy would do an oozy dance and purposefully ignore Angel, who would be sulking, alone, at a tall top table.

Online
Here is today’s story about Aurora Baer, who you will hear at 6 p.m. when she plays the Mezzanine at Clyde Iron Works.

A food fight at the David Moriera artist dialogue at the Duluth Art Institute. I’m told that, oddly enough, Jell-O has a particular not-so-awesome smell.

Mayor Don Ness covered Low accompanied by Tangier 57, then admitted that at least Sparhawk isn’t in town to hear it. (Low=out of the country).

Apparently the thrash metal band Wolf Blood (Mike Messina, Mindy Johnson, Brian Wells and Jake Paulsrud, according to the HG Field Guide) inspired a mosh pit and director Walt Dizzo’s Tweet: “Wolf Blood is a band handcrafted by Satan.”

Let’s remember that this is just Day 1, folks.

TANGIER 57
In addition to having a celebrity vocalist, the local space lounge band caused a bit of chatter when it dedicated the song “White Rabbit” to Last Place on Earth — while owner Jim Carlson was on site at Tycoons Alehouse. Aside from that, Chris Bacigalupo seemed to be channeling his inner David Byrne.

RED MOUNTAIN
This band brought back fond memories of Haus Meeting, who always created something visually interesting while making a good sound. Red Mountain, which has ties to Chaperone Records, crammed seven people on stage — a mix of face paint, sequins, Captain Merrill Stubing and clapping. Anton Jimenez-Kloeckl was positioned at stage left and sang with a sort of Jim James sound while playing keyboard. At one point Gus Ekstrand came out from behind the drum kit to perform “Walk on the Wild Side,” opening with some snaky Michael Hutchence moves.

I bet this band comes up with some super good ideas at about 3 a.m.

AMERICAN REBELS
This straight-up rock band of Kyle Maclean, Bob Olson, Heather Dean and Scott Millis played a super loud, super rock-y set at Tycoons. It was the kind of music you hear screaming from the speakers of a hot rod at a stoplight on an awesome summer day.

Online
Here is a little something on Three Song Sunday, who play today.

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