Soil Compilation

Music
Craig Finn Interview

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After discovering The Hold Steady at Riot Fest, Logan Melia sits down with Craig Finn to discuss his new solo record Always Been, the evolution of narrative songwriting, and finding meaning in modern American life. From faith and mental health to baseball heartbreak, the conversation spans far beyond music.

Online Content
Dancing Differently

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For nearly 40 years, Jhe Russell needed to be perfect. After all, his dance career demanded it. But when injuries and the chaos of life took him in a different direction, he found peace in a job he never expected.

Film
KRUI Staff Picks our Favorite Media of 2025

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KRUI is pretty special, not only do we like music, but we also enjoy other things! From movies, video games, a DJ set, and sports, here’s a list of some of our KRUI picks from all things media that we loved to see in 2025.

Sports
Iowa Wraps the Bowtie on 2025 with Bowl Win Over Vanderbilt

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No. 23 Iowa closed the 2025 season with a statement win, knocking off No. 14 Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl behind a clutch performance from senior quarterback Mark Gronowski. The victory snapped Iowa’s long skid against ranked opponents and served as a fitting sendoff for a senior class that chose loyalty and one last ride together.

Music
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Craig Finn Interview

By

After discovering The Hold Steady at Riot Fest, Logan Melia sits down with Craig Finn to discuss his new solo record Always Been, the evolution of narrative songwriting, and finding meaning in modern American life. From faith and mental health to baseball heartbreak, the conversation spans far beyond music.

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Best Songs of 2025: KRUI Staff Picks

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It’s December 29, 2025, and if you can believe it, we here at KRUI actually listened to music throughout the whole year! From pop superstars, to indie legends, to the fresh Bandcamp up-and-comers, we’ve picked out nine of our favorite songs released this past year to share and explore together.

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Festival Preview: Chicago’s New Year Transitions, Dec. 26–Jan. 1st

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Spanning 7 venues across 7 days, Transitions, the New Years Eve celebration by AURIS PRESENTS, in downtown Chicago has cultivated a lineup of the biggest names spinning records and electronica today. From December 26 – January 1st, Chicagoland will be ablaze as it welcomes the likes of 70 artists and a 21-hour marathon to ring in the new year at Outset. Here are the highlights coming this week to Chicago. 

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Interview: KRUI With The Plain White T’s

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At When We Were Young 2025, fellow Chicago area natives Plain White T’s sat down with me as we discussed how the local scene has changed, their tour with We The Kings, and how Las Vegas scares us all the slightest bit. We started the conversation out by sharing a mutual love of Death Cab for Cutie:

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Interview: Jano Rix of The Wood Brothers

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I sat down with multi-instrumentalists Jano Rix before his gig with The Wood Brothers at The Englert Theatre on November 12th. Taking a beat to touch on what shaped him artistically, his favorite illustrators, and the impact dancing has had in his adult life, Jano let us into how he makes a chaotic world feel focused and comfortable.

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Interview: Cecilia Castleman

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Born and raised in Nashville, Cecilia Castleman has spent her life surrounded by music. After releasing her first LP in January, this is only the beginning for the 24 year old singer/songwriter. We spoke about life on the road, the music that has shaped her, and her process for putting out her incredible tunes.

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