Dave Dondero * Woodblind * Dirtbike Boyfriend

David Dondero, an American troubadour, was born in Duluth, Minnesota in 1969. His love of music began with folk rock and country of the early 70’s and evolved to include punk rock and hip hop of the 80’s. He spent his formative years in suburban Chicago and northern New Jersey listening to pirate radio and heavy metal. As a young man, music molded Dondero’s life.
His style and ongoing narratives are hard to fit into a particular genre. He manages to tackle difficult subject matter with a wry sense of humor. The music is inspired by heartbreak, hopefulness, everyday work, and his never-ending state of flux. Dondero’s lyrics are influenced by the angst of Black Flag, the wanderlust of Bruce Springsteen, the sentimentality of Paul Simon, and the politics of Woody Guthrie.
He’s shared bills and tours with Pedro the Lion, The Mountain Goats, Darren Hanlon, Daniel Johnston, and Against Me! In 2006, Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton of NPR put David on their list of the top ten greatest living songwriters. Aside from multiple years at South by Southwest, he was invited by Mudhoney as a featured artist at All Tomorrow’s Parties in Rye, England. God Speed You Black Emperor brought him to The Sled Island Festival in Calgary and he’s played at the Bellow Winter Music Festival in Australia under the recommendation of Australian songwriter Darren Hanlon.
Woodblind - Jason Wussow and Veikko Lepisto have been playing stripped-down, acoustic ska as Woodblind since the tail end of 2013. Though they often perform as a duo, with just a guitar and stand-up bass, they also call on a wide cast of supporting players at times. For Homegrown, their expanded Woodblind “Jubilee Super Big Band” features Jimi Cooper on lead guitar, Eli Bissonett on fiddle, Eric Cyr on trombone, George Ellsworth on organ, Teague Alexy on harmonica, Jen West with some sweet harmonies, Tyler Dubla on drums, and Bryan “Lefty” Johnson on percussion.
Dirtbike Boyfriend - Bret Holland is a multimedia artist and folk-punk musician who also races dirt bikes. With an eclectic guitar in hand, his solo sets bring full-band energy. Singing original tunes at Duluth bars, basements, and public parks, he brings together the punk community to commiserate about the rising costs of living and state of policing. Holland’s comics, found online and at local stores such as Alt Creative Duluth, feature alien boyfriends and other characters expressing difficult emotions.
Tickets: $10 online advance / $15 day of show & at the door.
All ages!