Minneapolis and St. Paul get most of the attention when it comes to Minnesota music lore, but Duluth has its own storied past. The cornerstone city of Lake Superior harbors tales of a scrappy pirate radio DJ, a very famous songwriter, and a thriving community of creatives.

For those heading up north to see the fall colors splash against the big lake, consider working some of these musical landmarks into the itinerary. 

Wussow’s Concert Cafe

First, fuel up at this spot where the coffee, food, beer, and music have been locally sourced since 1999. Located in the less-touristy West Duluth, Wussow’s bustles with study groups and chatting neighbors during the daytime and transforms into an intimate music venue in the evenings. Bands like Father Hennepin and Mason Jennings came up here, and you can catch the freshest local talent at open mic night every Wednesday.

The Armory Arts & Music Center

The 100-plus-year history of the Armory includes military training, presidential speeches, city maintenance vehicles, and most importantly, a stretch of iconic concerts. Johnny Cash, the Beach Boys, Diana Ross and the Supremes, and Louis Armstrong all played within these neoclassical walls — but none had a bigger impact perhaps than Buddy Holly. He performed to an audience that included a young Robert Zimmerman. Many years and a name change later, Bob Dylan described that night as “the dawning of it all” in his 2016 Nobel Prize acceptance speech. Unfortunately, decades of decay followed this heyday, and demolition of the Armory looked likely. But in 2001 a grassroots group bought out the building just in time, and are currently overseeing a $25 million restoration that includes a revamped stage area. 

Sir Benedict’s Tavern

A few blocks up the street, find some of the city’s best sandwiches at “Sir Bennie’s.” In addition to a lengthy lunch menu, the restaurant offers loads of small-scale shows and put on the very first Trampled by Turtles performance back in 2003.

Bayfront Festival Park

The bluegrass legends have remained loyal to their hometown with yearly appearances in Duluth, but now play to sold-out crowds at Bayfront Festival Park next to Lake Superior. The 15,000-plus-capacity venue hosts all sorts of events throughout the year from the recent Water is Life benefit concert to events connected to the annual Homegrown Music Festival, which started out small as the brainchild of Scott Lunt back in 1999. Lunt aka “DJ Starfire'' stirred up the Duluth scene in 1997 by launching a pirate radio station from his apartment. Random Radio broadcast an eclectic mix of national and local tunes from dozens of volunteer hosts. Duluth-based Low’s Alan Sparhawk once left a cassette tape at the top of Lunt’s staircase containing a demo of the song “Starfire,” which wound up on their 1999 album, Secret Name.

Fitger's Brewhouse

While the rogue radio station folded under the threat of fines from the Federal Communications Commission, Lunt soon landed a formal DJ gig at Fitger's. There, he spun tunes every Thursday for six years. Though you won’t find DJ Starfire there today, you will find Fitger’s famous wild rice burger, a favorite of Charlie Parr.

Bob Dylan Way

Stretch your legs with a stroll along Bob Dylan Way in downtown Duluth. The path spans 1.8 miles of Superior Street — from the Depot to the Armory — and features 30 historical placards along with a few decorative manholes in honor of the hometown folk hero. Find an exhibit about the path near the halfway mark at Fitger’s.

After being born in an unassuming yellow duplex on North Third Avenue — a designated stop on Bob Dylan Way — Dylan lived in Duluth for six years before his family headed north to Hibbing. The city has toyed with the idea of converting the house into a destination museum for visiting Dylan fans, but for now, you can only observe from the outside. Bill Pagel, who owns the house, supports the vision and happens to own a vast collection of Dylan artifacts himself, including photographs, posters, and baby Dylan’s high chair. 

For a full-fledged museum experience, fans must travel to Oklahoma, where some of Pagel’s memorabilia — along with Dylan’s own private archive — resides in the recently opened Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa.

Sacred Heart Music Center

Nothing quite compares to music echoing inside the Sacred Heart sanctuary. Dating back to the late 1800s, the cathedral features beautiful stained-glass windows, a Felgemaker organ, and countless connections to community outreach. It is also an idyllic performance space and recording studio that has hosted sessions featuring Trampled by Turtles, Low, Charlie Parr, and many other Duluth legends.

R.T. Quinlan’s Saloon

Wrap up the day with a cold one at this Irish bar. It’s a local institution dating back to the ‘90s which reliably has live music every weekend.

For even more musical resources in Duluth, check out this Visit Duluth guide.

This feature is part of The Current’s 89 Days of Fall series, helping you enjoy the best of the season with weekly guides to events, entertainment, and recreation in the Twin Cities.