Ingeborg von Agassiz will perform at the Great Northern Radio Show in Bemidji, Minnesota, on March 3, 2018. Get tickets.

Hello, reader. It’s been a while since I’ve checked in with you. Somehow I’ve managed to keep a brisk output of posts here at MinnesotaBrown.com this year while still working on my other projects. That’s something to celebrate as I bring my Great Northern Radio Show to Bemidji State University on Saturday, March 3.

My Victor Power book project went on hold briefly so I could finish the script, but that work now continues. At some point I’m going to have to put the blog on hot idle to kick up the next phase of research, an arduous process of scanning three decades of 100-year-old newspapers. That’s not even counting the writing process, which will also require a dormant blog. I’m hoping to post lightly over the summer for research, kick it up for the election, and then shut ‘er down to write in 2019. That’s the plan, anyway.

All of this will be punctuated by a podcast project at Northern Community Radio and, of course, the Great Northern Radio Show. This next show on March 3 should be a lot of fun. We’ll be in an intimate setting at the Thompson Recital Hall at BSU. So our show features some excellent musicians who will sound great in that environment. Should be a great ticket; get yours now!

Here’s the info:

Great Northern Radio Show returns to Bemidji

North Woods live radio program features music & comedy

BEMIDJI, Minnesota — The Great Northern Radio Show will return to Bemidji for a March 3, 2017 live broadcast at the Thompson Recital Hall at Bemidji State University. The show will feature the folk duo of Ron Arsenault and Dave Pengra, new musical artist Ingeborg von Agassiz, and an exciting lineup of local music and comedy.

This traveling variety program is produced by Northern Community Radio, an independent National Public Radio affiliate covering a large part of Northern Minnesota. Through comedy, stories and music, the Great Northern Radio Show explores life in small towns and rural places.

Ron Arsenault

Producer and host Aaron Brown leads a diverse cast of performers, musicians, and storytellers through local legend and real life, highlighting the talent and culture of northern Minnesota. Each show celebrates a unique location and the people who make it special, sharing the experience with a much wider audience on the radio and online.

“I’m really excited to bring this show to Bemidji,” said Brown. “We’ll be in a wonderful acoustic hall at the Thompson Recital Hall, so we’ve put together a show that will sound great in that space. Wonderfully skilled musicians who make rich, layered sounds, coupled with the kinds of stories and jokes that bring a joyful sort of laughter. It’ll be like a good party down by the lake, only inside so no one freezes.”

The show’s Bemidji-based all star house band features Katie Houg on keyboard and vocals, Aaron Schnackenberg on bass, Doug Quance on drums and Kristi Miller on mandolin and vocals.

The March 3 program will feature the return to the area of the singer/songwriter duo Ron Arsenault and Dave Pengra, each accomplished musicians still touring the country with their clever lyrics and intricate guitar work. The show will also mark the Bemidji debut of Ingeborg von Agassiz, an up-and-coming Duluth solo artist who mixes layers of synthesized sound with her beautiful natural voice.

The Great Northern Radio Players include Jason Scorich and Louisa Scorich, both of Duluth; Brett Carter of Bagley, Katie Carter of Bemidji, C.J. Anderson of Pequot Lakes, Lauren Nickisch of Pequot Lakes on foley sound effects. Special guests include Red Lake student historian Autumn May and her teacher Marcia Roline, Beltrami County Historical Society director Gary Rozman, and Bemidji State students Ash Ullah and Spencer Knox.

Dave Pengra

“The Great Northern Radio Show is modeled after an old passenger train, full of crazy characters, chugging town to town,” said Brown, an author and college instructor from the Hibbing area. “We’re developing new ideas, new characters, and a sharper sound every time we take the stage. My mission is to show that great art and interesting people can be found right here in Northern Minnesota.”

The programs will air live from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday, March 3, 2017. Tickets cost $10 for adults, free for children and college students with IDs. Audience must be in their seats by 4:30. Seating is limited. Call Northern Community Radio to reserve tickets at 800/662-5799 or visit www.greatnorthernradioshow.org.

The March 3 program will air live on 90.5 KBXE Bagley and Bemidji, 91.7 FM KAXE in Grand Rapids, Aitkin and the Iron Range, 89.9 FM Brainerd and 103.9 FM in Ely. The live stream will also be available at www.kaxe.org. The show is also rebroadcast on independent public radio stations throughout Minnesota and distributed as a live stream and podcast at www.greatnorthernradioshow.org.

The Great Northern Radio Show is made possible in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund with additional support from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Culture and Tourism grant program and the Blandin Foundation.