Homegrown Music Festival bridges the Twin Ports with music

With more than 170 acts at nearly three dozen venues, the Homegrown Music Festival is the Twin Ports’ largest music event of the year.

The week-long fest begins Sunday, April 26, with Superior hosting the acts on Thursday night, starting with a proclamation from Mayor Jim Paine. But planners say a single day for Superior isn’t a dis or afternote.

“It’s not one night for Superior and the rest is all Duluth,” said Kala Moria, a member of Homegrown’s steering committee. “It’s because we count the Twin Ports as a whole, and each night is in a different neighborhood. Monday night is Lincoln Park night in Duluth, Wednesday night is West Duluth. It’s so that it’s easier for people to travel to everything.”

Moria joined singer-songwriter Gavin St. Clair, whose Gavin St. Clair Quartet will be appearing on the Superior stage, to talk about the upcoming shows with WPR’s Robin Washington on “Morning Edition.”

The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Robin Washington: Before we talk about the acts, I understand you two haven’t met each other.

Gavin St. Clair: Yes — who are you, Kala?

Kala Moria: I’m one of the members of the Homegrown Steering Committee. I’m also the tuba player in the polka punk band Winzige Hosen.

RW: Gavin, has your group ever needed a tuba player?

GSC: We’ve never said, “Man, we could use a tuba on this one.”

KM: Very few people have.

RW: How do you decide who plays in Superior and who in Duluth? Gavin, you live in Duluth, but you’re playing in Superior. Did you get the short straw or the long one?

GSC: Superior nights are really fun. I’ve actually played Superior night before at Izzy’s BBQ, and it was one of the best Homegrown shows we’ve played.

RW: What’s a Superior audience like versus Duluth? Not trying to pit the cities against each other, but they do have different personalities.

KM: It’s a lot of the same people on both sides of the bridge. I think Superior just gets a little bit more feisty because the Thursday night shows are close to the weekend.

RW: Superior can get a little feisty on a Monday night! The performances are all short sets in order to fit them all in. Gavin, that means you’re free to enjoy the other shows after your own. Who do you want to see?

GSC: On Superior night, I’m really excited about harp player and singer Nikki Lemire, and also Babie Eyes, who are both playing over at Average Joe’s.

RW: Kayla, when you’re not planning events, what’s been your most memorable Homegrown moment?

KM: My most memorable would probably be my first time getting to play Homegrown, which was back in 2019. I had attended for years.

RW: Was it because there’s not a lot of call for tuba players?

KM: There’s pretty much one band in the area that needs one and I’ve got the monopoly on it.

RW: Gavin, you could do something about that. Your quartet could be a quintet.

KM: I don’t think they need a tuba. They do pretty well on their own. 

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