Tristen’s band played as she danced her way onto the stage for her first song Saturday night at Big Grove Brewery’s Big Free Show.

Tristen was closing out the night after 6 bands played throughout the day making for a great excuse to spend a full Saturday listening to great music (for free!) and drinking great beer.

Big Grove is a popular place on any given Saturday night, so it was hard to tell who was there for the music and who was there for the drinks.

Tristen came on around 8 and pulled in a good sized audience around the stage, and by the middle of the show had grabbed the attention of others hanging out at the bar.

I don’t know if a brewery was the best setting for a show like this, the sound of everyone talking at booths and the game room made it hard to truly enjoy the music. For the last song, she even took time to ask everyone in the room to be quiet for about 3 minutes.

Tristen and her band didn’t need to say they hailed from Nashville, Tennessee because it was clear based on their folksy rock style alone.

With songs like “Glass Jar” there were definitely southern influences, and then in songs like “Got Some” the genre feels more like dreamy rock.

A good comparison of Tristen’s music would be to the Cranberries. What I liked most about her live show that I thought was different from her albums, was that a lot of her songs sounded more like blending of the folk and dreamy rock genres.

She’s clearly a talented guitarist, despite the steel guitar being as big as she was, but her lead guitarist may have outshined her during a few solos.

The guitars combined with the rhythmic drums and bass lines made for a great set and had everyone swaying or dancing along.

Her lyrics ranged from serious to funny, touching on topics like getting to married too young and for the wrong reasons to booty calls and being lonely, but a personal favorite of mine was about a psychic vampire who was very good at psychic readings.

My favorite part of this show was how into her audience she was. There were times when she walked in front of the crowd just playing her guitar making eye contact with the people in the front.

She also cared that people in the place were paying attention, or not ruining the experience for people that wanted to pay attention.

She told people to get off their phones, move into the front to fill the empty space or what she called “the horseshoe of death”, and asked the people in the front if she should tell the people in the back to be quiet again.

I hope Tristen comes back to Iowa City, or Mission Creek, to one of the better venues Iowa City has to offer so that more people can see and appreciate this artist not in what felt like a background setting.

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Going into this show I wasn’t too sure what to expect from the artists since they all had such diverse styles and came from different genres.

When Margaret Glaspy started her set after Sister Wife with my personal favorite song, “Emotions and Math, I knew it was going to be great.

The way that the stage was set up made everyone in the room feel relaxed. Glaspy and her current guitarist Julian Lage, were both seated in the middle of the stage with nothing but their guitars around them.

The mess of the instruments for the following band, Wye Oak, were halfway covered up, making the setting more casual and less like a huge theater.

Pair the intimate setting with Glaspy’s grungy yet meaningful lyrics and rock guitar, and everyone is in for a treat. The show lasted about an hour, but I could have easily sat there for the rest of the night listening to Glaspy effortlessly float from song to song.

I have a hard time describing what her voice sounds like exactly because there isn’t one person that I can compare her to.

Pitchfork describes her voice as a “nasally warble” but that would turn me away from her music, and I think that more people need to be turned onto it.

The singer-songwriter is a great lyricist, and in the intimate setting of the Englert, we are reminded of this. She has the sort of voice that makes you feel experiences you’ve never been through.

Though a lot of her music is relatable with not all of them being about a breakup or mushy love songs. “Somebody to Anybody” and “Before We Were Together” (which is from her new EP) are just two that come to mind.

Margaret Glaspy and Julien Lage compliment each other perfectly on their guitars, with Glaspy on electric and Lage on steel (mostly).

At one point in the show, Glaspy hands her guitar to Lage and they break into a few songs from the band they are in together called Rude Ruth.

It wasn’t the grungy simple rock that we were used to hearing from her but sounded just as good and I was glad to get a taste of more music of hers.

Like I said earlier, Glaspy has a new EP out featuring three great songs that sounded great live.

“One Heart and Two Arms” sounded off at times, but it was deliberate. After listening to it closer on Spotify, I realized that it’s subtle.

That’s another great thing about Margaret Glaspy, she puts on a great live show- from guitar playing to singing you know exactly what you are going to get, and it’s going to be good.

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Horse Feathers started their set to a slightly buzzed crowd shortly after 10, right after a very surprised Counterfeit Madison wrapped up their encore to the sound of “One more song!” from the audience.

The Mill was a perfect venue for this folksy country group. Dana T, opened the night and got the crowd going with a full 8 member band (including the horn section). After that was an impressive performance by Counterfeit Madison, a slightly heavier rock band, followed by Horse Feathers closing out the evening. Normally, bands at the Mill all have a similar sound or are rooted in the same genre at least, but not in this case. The variety of styles from jazz to rock to folk showing up from band to band kept the night interesting, and the audience from finding another way to spend their Thursday.

As someone who wasn’t very familiar with Horse Feathers going in, it’s safe to say that I am definitely a fan after this concert. Their folksy rock sound hooked me from the beginning. They had the perfect blend of slow to uptempo songs throughout the night and even got some tipsy fans out on the dance floor. They went across genres a few times sounding more country at times, and sounding like an indie rock group at others.

The instruments and talent of the band members were impressive as. Lead singer and guitarist Justin Ringle had a smooth country sounding voice that paired well with his acoustic guitar. Other members were a violinist that gave the band a different sound at times- southern? Irish maybe? Either way, he clearly had talent that went well with the easy going drums and bass (who sometimes switched over to strings). Another aspect that stood out to me about Horse Feathers as a whole, was the fact that it was clear they were doing what they loved, and at times you could see them getting lost in their own music, singing and playing so effortlessly.

Horse Feathers has a new album coming out in May (check out their two newest singles “Don’t Mean to Pry” and “Without Applause” for a sneak peek at what’s to come). Even though their last album, “So It Is With Us”  has been out since 2014, the audience was captivated by favorites like “Belly of June” and “Thistled Spring”, a song from one of their even earlier albums.

I can’t think of a better way to spend a Thursday night than at this show. The relaxed setting and music put out a vibe that was perfect for unwinding after a long day, while still knowing you have to get up for work tomorrow. Ringle has a voice that you could kick back and listen to all day.

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With a ton of great headliners like Roxanne Gay and Bassem Youseff coming to Mission Creek, it’s hard to carve out time to see some of the bands that may not be getting as much attention. One of those bands that shouldn’t be missed is Sister Wife.

The indie duo hailing from Rock Island, Illinois will be playing at the Englert alongside Margret Glaspy and Wye Oak on April 6th at 7:00pm at this years festival.

Sister Wife may not be the most popular band to hit the Englert Theatre this year, but they are still one to look forward to. This band has been gaining more popularity in the Indie community thanks to their most recent album “Trap House” with its popular hits like “Dirty Finger Nails” and the album’s namesake “Trap House”.

Don’t rule out Sister Wife because they are an indie band, they have some strong rock and pop sounds, especially on their most recent album, “Trap House” (deceivingly named), in 2017.

What really categorizes them as indie is their vocals, the variety from song to song is what makes them interesting and keeps you listening and the steady drums and electric guitar will keep you tapping your toe to songs like “Dirty Finger Nails” and “Shelter”.

What sets them apart is their guitar. You can hear a true indie tune like “Siamese” one minute, with its synths and out-there vocals, and the next song “Lumber” has a guitar hook that could rival any classic rock.

It can be argued that some may sound similar, but when you have almost every song opening with a catchy guitar hook, it can be inevitable. This doesn’t take away from the fact that these are talented artists making good music.

Along with “Trap House” the band has a couple other EPs and songs that will keep any audience entertained throughout the night, which is what makes them so perfect for Mission Creek.

Mission Creek is excited to have Sister Wife, as well as all of the artists, come to Iowa City to perform at this year’s festival. With a lineup like this, these are shows that you don’t want to miss.

Dedicating a whole week to art, literature and music makes a nice spring break for everyone, whether you had a real one as a student, or need one as an adult.

Come out to see this great indie band and their friends Margret Glaspy and Wye Oak on April 6!

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Nothing makes me happier than discovering new artists on Spotify. The Daily Mix and Release Radar playlists are true blessings to anyone who likes discovering new music. That is where I discovered how great Shakey Graves actually is.

I had heard the song “Dearly Departed” featuring Esme Patterson from their first album “And the War Came”, which is easily the most popular. However, as a fan of folksy alternative, Spotify led me to look more into them to find that they had a brand new album released in June of 2017.

Then I googled them to see what they looked like and found out it’s just a one-man band. Alejandro Rose-Garcia from Austin, Texas got his famous stage name from joking around with friends, and the nickname stuck. Although he isn’t well known and rarely appears on TV shows, he’s made appearances at many music festivals in Texas and even appeared at Hinterland in 2017.

What I like most about his new album is the number of instrumentals there are. There are a couple songs like “Wolfman Agenda” and “If Not For You (Demo)” that have long acoustic guitar filled intros, that create this nostalgic feeling. I should mention that “If Not For You” is actually a song from his first album and is probably my favorite version of the song, but it was cool to hear the demo or acoustic version.

His old-fashioned sound could keep me listening for hours, an easy thing to do considering there are 18 songs on this one album. This is great music to just put on in the background of whatever I’m doing since it’s not sing along type music (and he has a pretty impressive voice).

His voice isn’t really deep and not quite country sounding, making him the definition of a folk singer. For a great live performance of his music (if you have a little bit of time on your hands) and a preview of his new and old tunes check out this Youtube video.

Even though he is the perfect folk singer, some of his music borders on rock and roll, in my opinion. Songs like “A dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” appeal to more fans of the Americana genre.

It would be really interesting to see Shakey Graves live, just because I’m curious if his great instrumentals and vocals match up at in a live performance.

I’ve been kicking myself for not making it to Hinterland and now that I found Shakey Graves there’s another reason I should have gone.

Overall, I highly recommend this album. I think that Shakey Graves is definitely an underrated artist that deserves a listen.

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Saturday night, 15 minutes before the show started, The Mill was packed. Basically all the booths and tables were full anxiously awaiting the first of 3 acts to get on stage.

I was a little surprised at the turnout for the show, considering I thought Jak Knight was a little well known comedian.

Stephanie Weber was the first opener for Knight, who opened the show by asking if anyone else in the place was horny (which I thought was a little weird).

She was funny, but her best jokes were always followed by a “right??”. Her set was short and the next thing I knew the next comedian was up on stage.

Sarah Sherman was the second opener. Everything about her was interesting, from her Guy Fieri flame shirt and pleather pants to her imitating her fathers New York accent.

I thought she was really funny (and raunchy), but the fake New York accent bit may have dragged on a tad too long. She started talking politics and I was worried that was all the show was going to be about, but luckily she was able to crack some jokes at her family’s expense to win me back.

Jak Knight is a comedian most recently known for his appearances in (and writing for) Lucas Bros Moving Co. and the new Netflix TV show, Big Mouth.

He is an up and coming comedian in the Comedy Central world and Iowa City was lucky to snag him for this years Witching Hour Festival.

He started out with a lot of political jokes, which scared me into thinking that I wasn’t going to like the show too much.

But then he warmed up to the crowd and got more comfortable telling jokes about random things like Usher having herpes.

For being the main act, I thought Knight’s set seemed a little short and I would have liked to hear more from him. Then I remembered, this is Witching Hour and there were more shows coming up at The Mill.

Seeing Knight live will definitely make me check out his shows in the future.

The post Witching Hour: Jak Knight @ The Mill 10/21/17 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Luckily Tymika Lawrence, the speaker, informed the small group that we were waiting on an event to get out at the library so that people could attend both shows.

Tymika Lawrence is a coffee expert, and also considers herself not quite an activist, artist, or human. Her talk would be about her story, and making sense of the history that made who she is, and how we can do the same.

This event was interesting to attend because of decolonization and the reminder that this is a relevant topic. For those that don’t know, decolonization is when a nation maintains their power over a dependent territory. Think indigenous people or something like the Haitian revolution.

Lawrence read a few stories, or really personal essays. One relating to ballet and Trayvon Martin, another relating to “weaves” or hairstyles, and the last one touching on her life as the child of immigrants.

Even though she was talking about a dense topic to an unfamiliar audience she was comfortable and even threw in a little bit of humor to break things up.

I found it particularly interesting when she talked about being able to feel solidarity with the black community, but not really know what it’s like since her ancestors and family never really experienced the same hardships that African-American’s did, since she came from Belieze.

I found Lawrence’s talk very interesting, considering her credentials and the fact that she was was speaking to a mostly white audience.

Towards the end she mentioned that she had never really planned to talk about something so personal, then ended up writing this for Witching Hour. I thought that it sounded like she gave this reading or presentation regularly and was perfect for the event.

I would have recommended this show to a friend, and anyone just so we are able to better understand what makes us, us as well as educate ourselves on what life is like for someone else.

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I first learned of JD McPherson when I saw that he would be playing at the Hinterland Music Festival this past August. I immediately fell in love with his song “Let the Good Times Roll” from his second album and when I saw that he just dropped a new album I had to tune in.

For anyone that is a fan of anything new that sounds old, JD is the man for you. You can hear a lot of 60’s and 70’s influence from his band and he has somewhat of a soulful voice to match. For an album that was released so recently, it’s surprising to hear such rockabilly roots in his music.

JD first came on the scene with his first album Signs and Signifiers in 2011. The single “North Side Gal” really set the example for what his sound was going to be. Signs and Signifiers was followed by his second album Let the Good Times Roll, which earned him a performance at the 2017 Hinterland Music Festival in St. Charles, IA alongside artist like The Head and the Heart and Ryan Adams. A small music festival, but a festival none the less.

His third album is titled after the song “Undivided Heart and Soul” that appears at number 6 on the album. The song is great but doesn’t compare to a few others on the album. “Crying’s Just a Thing That You Do” takes the place of my favorite song from Undivided Heart and soul.  Check out what the Rolling Stone had to say about it here.

JD’s versatility is also noticeable on this album. Most of his sounds have a classic rock and roll vibe to them that makes me think of artists like Jerry Lee Lewis, but on songs like “On the Lips” you get a softer feel, without losing the catchy guitar.

Not impressed so far? Well do ya like jazz? Just listed to “Bloodhound Rock” with it’s simple drum beat in the background and the sound of the upright base you get a little bit of a jazz vibe that makes you want to start swing dancing (or more likely, start tapping your foot) before the vocals even come in, when it turns into another 60’s sounding rock and roll song.

If you’re looking for a more contemporary rock sound, songs like “Style is a Losing Game”. Some of his songs even have a hint of the Black Keys sound to them. The best example being the opening guitar hook of “Lucky Penny”. The first thought that came to my mind was the fact that it sounded so similar to their song “Gold on the Ceiling”. This little tidbit bothered me at first, but his music still has a unique sound to it and I soon forgot about it while listening to the rest of the album.

I recommend this album to anyone looking for some nostalgia in their life, or some new music to get lost in. The sometimes slow and rockabilly beats transport you to the 60’s where you can swing dance the night away.

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Foster the People’s third studio album, “Sacred Hearts Club,” was released in July of this year and similar to their last album, has pretty much flown under the radar. It’s surprising that a band with such a popular sound would fall victim to their sophomore album slump.

The band’s second album, “Supermodel,” didn’t have nearly as much airplay as “Torches.” Taking into consideration that “Sacred Hearts Club’s” first single, “Loyal Like Sid and Nancy,” was released in late June, it looks like the band is pretty much headed in the same direction.

There is still some consistency to their music.

For instance, they still care about their friends. “Supermodel” has “Best Friend” while “Sacred Hearts Club” has “I Love My Friends.” Both talk about the importance of friendship. Which, is kind of an interesting and uncommon message to have on two different albums.

But more importantly, there are a few songs that sound like the Foster the People I have come to love; like “Sit Next to Me” and “Pay the Man,” for instance.

What I think Foster the People is trying to do with this album is drift farther from the Indie Rock genre and more into Tech-Pop genre. Which, is becoming more popular. This is clear on tracks like “Orange Dream” and “Loyal Like Sid and Nancy”.

There is still a rock aspect to some songs like “Lotus Eater,” that contain relatable lyrics like, “I’m sorry I was late, I didn’t want to come (something we I’m sure we’re all guilty of thinking).” Overall, in my opinion, the song has too much of a tech vibe for my liking and I miss the catchy songs that were featured on their first album.

It’s still clear that Mark Foster is a talented artist.

There aren’t many vocalists like him. From his high notes (in the middle of “III”), to his low notes, alongside his keyboard playing, he is a force. If you ever consider seeing this band live, do it. The energy that he brings to the stage is insane and also endless. No matter what album you like more, this band honestly has something for everyone, and even if it doesn’t, it’s the type of music that grows on you and will have your head bobbing by the end.

Overall, “Sacred Hearts Club” is a decent album, but Foster the People has yet to live up to “Torches” in my opinion.

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One of my favorite bands of all time is the Alabama Shakes, so when I accidentally discovered Thunderbitch in the same bin at the Record Collector in Iowa City, I was beyond excited.

Thunderbitch is a solo project released by Alabama Shakes lead singer Brittany Howard. But you wouldn’t know that by the website, or anywhere else, because the whole band (or her?) is such a mystery. That is until you press play and hear the unmistakable, powerful vocals of Brittany Howard. To add to the mystery, they all wear wigs and sunglasses, and all they really have accomplished so far is produced one self titled album with an impressive rock and roll sound.

If you’re not into real garage type rock, then this album isn’t for you. Thunderbitch is everything you love about Alabama Shakes, kicked up a notch. The guitar. The drums. The vocals. The heavy rock sound hooks you with “Leather Jacket” (low quality video here) and continues on through in jams like “Eastside Party” all the way to “Heavenly Feeling”. You’ll be playing air guitar and kicking over imaginary mic stands the whole time.

Not only does the music give you the feel of what real rock and roll is, but it’s in the lyrics as well. “Leather Jacket” one of my favorites and the first song on the album, is about how putting on a leather jacket changed her life by making her look so cool. This song literally made me want to go out and buy a leather jacket. “My Baby is My Guitar” specifically goes on about how her guitar has everything that she’ll ever need, something a true rock and roll artist would feel. All the songs on this album follow this rock and roll theme so perfectly, if you ever had to introduce rock and roll to someone who had never heard it, this album would be on the list to play.

Brittany Howard is so authentic. As a songwriter you can tell she puts her whole self into the song, and her performing them is no different. The way she clings to her guitar playing for the Alabama Shakes, or strutting around the stage as Thunderbitch, Brittany Howard was made for rock and roll and I can’t imagine her singing anything else.

Most importantly, Brittany Howard isn’t just a singer, she is a force. Everything that this album is about fits her so unbelievably well, from the guitar riffs to the lyrics describing what it’s like to live a life of rock and roll, she embodies it. Her voice reminds me a bit of Steven Tyler, with the near screeching vocals at times, but remaining unique with a soulful sound at other times. In my opinion, this chick can hold a candle to any rocker shes compared to.

Whatever Thunderbitch is, if there’s more to come or not, rock and roll is lucky to have her around if only for a while, and Alabama Shakes in between.

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