Day 6 of the 2024 Duluth Homegrown Music Festival sprawled from Sir Benedict's on 8th Avenue East to Wussow's in West Duluth. Local music fans mapped out their strategies; some chose to stick it out at one venue, others took advantage of the trolley or hoofed it up and down Superior Street to catch their favorite acts. It was another occasionally rainy night, but that didn't deter music fans, and venues were bustling all over town.
![A woman sings into a microphone while playing guitar](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/23e0493/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff0%2F7a%2F04806e6546949fb070d867fa6b2f%2Flexiskarlett-1.jpg)
The music downtown began at the Owl’s Club (as did many Homegrowners). Upstairs, Skarlett Woods performed before an audience wrapped up in the full sound of the singer/songwriter and the spirit that comes with the start of an eventful Friday night.
![A seated man playing an accordian and wearing a helmet with a cymbal on it sings into a microphone.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d7318ec/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fca%2F6a%2F7c0dadf84ef2a7d0f0c8e6a63d58%2Fbilliesolkela20240503-dsc03613.jpg)
The crowd at Zeitgeist was similar in its near unnavigability as Steve Solkela filled the stage with various sounds anchored by his typical trade tool, the accordion. Breaking the “one-man” moniker, Solkela was joined for a time by Shane Nelson, then by fellow Berserk Blond Kaylee Matuszak.
![A poster on a green wall reads "(un)OFFICIAL 'SCOTUM' AUTOGRAPH $20" and has a small white card at the bottom that says "SCOTUM Autograph Blowout Sale $3"](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0936cb5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x4032+0+0/resize/880x1173!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7f%2F4f%2F629abdf042adb17105bad0efe666%2Fkatelynscotumautographposter-owlsclub-kb.jpg)
The "Scotum" shenanigans continued (see Day 3 and Day 4), with a sign posted at the Owls Club (where Tyler Scouton, who's at the center of the joke, is a member) offering discount Scotum autographs.
![A rock band on stage performing bathed in blue light](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/30fde31/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff3%2F7f%2F946f05c644a780d955ef1cc29049%2Flexideadendfriends-2-2.jpg)
![A band performs on a stage in an old church with an altar and stained-glass windows behind them.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/940426d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6240x4160+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff6%2F16%2Fece508f34af09eee203e0a4b0f91%2Fstevieeldrisnowimg-0773.jpg)
At Sacred Heart, Eldri Snow's tender Americana set with her band Wintry Mix drew a standing ovation at the end.
![Black-and-white photo of a man in a suit playing guitar](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2187bd9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4160x6240+0+0/resize/880x1320!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fce%2F4a%2F805d52fb46bdb7f82c009e0fc6b1%2Fstevie-nevins-owls-club.jpg)
![A man on he left playing guitar and singing into a microphone and a man on the right playing drums](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0af6d67/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F07%2F94%2Ffad0bf8442e7918cbf49fdf977b0%2Fbilliebiginto20240503-dsc03679.jpg)
Up next at Zeitgeist was the two-man band Big Into. The crowd had been all-but razed after Solkela’s departure, but within two songs of Big Into’s indie/prog rock set, butts were back in seats and the audience was spilling into the aisles.
![A woman talking into a hand-held microphone stands on a stage.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a16d514/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4160x6240+0+0/resize/880x1320!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F9c%2F27f46c804b2390a2571d3c148866%2Fsteviedaniellethralowvarietyshowcaseimg-0951.jpg)
Over at Studio 4, a new Homegrown addition, the Variety Showcase, got started at 7:30 with shorter sets that required very little transition time. For those seeking rapid-fire samples of comedy (as well as poetry and storytelling) this was a comfy setting away from the elements and the rowdier, more tightly packed crowds. Included in the line-up was local comedian Danielle Thralow who took jabs at dating, TSA agents, and the depressing state of North Dakota.
![A man in a t-shirt that says "Monkey Business" on the front with a picture of a monkey plays a guitar and sings into a microphone.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a6c56e4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F07%2Fec%2F683651494951842aa228d24f782d%2Flexitheelements-1.jpg)
Improvisational electronic duo Anatomy or Ruminants was one of three acts at Wussow's Concert Cafe in West Duluth. Although the venue was far from the main action of the night, there was a respectable crowd on hand for their set.
![A man plays guitar and sings into a microphone on the stage of an old church. Behind him to the left is a man playing pedal steel. To the right is a drum kit.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e0a8fa7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x4032+0+0/resize/880x1173!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd3%2F5c%2F46241ce34ab5916421e41960b4a4%2Fkatelynrossthorn-shmc-kb1.jpg)
Ross Thorn made his Homegrown debut at Sacred Heart to a full house.
![A person in an owl mask plays an electronic device, seen from their right side.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e80f828/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3b%2Fbc%2Fce32e4eb45378dfb1abb8ba3f27c%2Fbillierawspace20240503-dsc03722.jpg)
![A man performs holding one electronic device and pushing a button on another device in front of him.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ae4bfb9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4160x6240+0+0/resize/880x1320!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffd%2F05%2Fdfa703284c9db77d1b7d35d43999%2Fsteviezetaimg-0972.jpg)
![A DJ wearing headphones twists a knob on the device in front of him. He is bathed in blue light.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4d352ad/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x6000+0+0/resize/880x1320!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcb%2Fc4%2F50951ce24a24a124ecc9c0b755ce%2Flexicrunchybunch-1.jpg)
At the Duluth Flame, long-running DJ collective the Crunchy Bunch kept the dance floor full and moving for their set.
![A man bends over an electronic instrument with lots of knobs and wires](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f6281b6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4160x6240+0+0/resize/880x1320!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa3%2Fd8%2F4073d0b5415eb62f34e5833df07f%2Fstevienatejmattsonimg-0976.jpg)
At Carmody, Nate J. Mattson performed his set using a modular synthesizer.
Back at Sacred Heart, family (and friends) band #theindianheadband went all in on the superhero theme for the night with everyone in costume. The Native American band specializing in re-imagining songs derogatory to Indians; one example was their version of The Sweet's "Wig Wam Bam," which they turned into a song about "Minnesota's favorite meat," according to frontwoman Lyz Jakkola, spam.
![Black-and-white photo of a band clustered together singing a capella into two microphones](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5b09f2a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5578x3719+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F30%2Faa%2F1d71b0e941949106ee180646042e%2Fsteviecyrcosmonautsimg-0999.jpg)
![A smiling man playing an electric guitar leans towards a microphone](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/50f0a8f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x6000+0+0/resize/880x1320!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff6%2F11%2Ff56be67a47918b2478c8a9e8edfa%2Flexibokufrequency-5.jpg)
![A band onstage performing bathed in green light as seen from behind and above the audience.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a4266fc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6082x4055+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2F1d%2Fac57633d46c399435d7befa15aec%2Fsteviewilburimg-1200.jpg)
![A band performs in a dark room as seen from stage left](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/31b7f65/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6240x4160+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6b%2Fc9%2Fdb7431b3419991cbc1057af58e69%2Fsteviebarkpointimg-1291.jpg)
![A smiling sweaty man holding a guitar tips the bill of his cap with one hand while standing in front of a microphone](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dadbd52/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x6000+0+0/resize/880x1320!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8e%2F08%2Fb9af755441f1a78fbb2861654225%2Flexilovehouse-2.jpg)
![A bluegrass band performs on a stage as seen from the side. The front of the audience can be seen in front of them.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3254c99/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x4032+0+0/resize/880x1173!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F9c%2F275951104d5bb97ed1e6d023c023%2Fimg-9882.jpeg)
![A man on stage playing guitar. A drummer is behind him at the back of the stage.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/bf3196b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x6000+0+0/resize/880x1320!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6b%2Fe4%2F728ab82f4edda4ad2a396f31c796%2Flexirickmclean-1.jpg)
The night ended at Pizza Luce with Rick McLean, who cut to the chase at the beginning of his set. "I'm Rick, that's Mike, that's Pete, let's go!" he said before immediately launching into a song. Some moshing started in the back, eventually rippling its way to the front.
Coming up:
The same venues as Friday will host music, with the DTA Trolley running between the downtown ones.
The official dress-up theme for the night is Seventies Saturday. If Star Wars is more your style, the unofficial theme is May the 4th be with you.
There's a Homegrown adjacent event, a Sensible Shoes Queer Dance Party, happening at the Jade Fountain from 8-midnight.
Duluth Homegrown Music Festival coverage is supported by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.