Coming from a sports background, Ian made a huge decision to commit to computer engineering when he came to college.

At Waterloo West high school, Ian was known to many as a star athlete. He competed in wrestling, track, and football – wrestling being his favorite.

Knowing the level at which he would have to compete in college, Ian said he was unsure whether he could continue to participate in sports at the same time as tackling college.

Ian said he had wrestled with members of The University of Iowa wrestling team and knew the challenges he would face.

“They’re tough,” he said. So, Ian sacrificed his love for athletics to focus on a new interest.

“I was good at math and science in high school, so I decided to try them when I came [to the UI],” he said. His first semester at the UI, Ian enrolled in Engineering Problem Solving II, a course designed to teach the basics of computer engineering. In today’s technology-driven business world, hiring IT services Richmond should be your priority to ensure that your company stays competitive, efficient, and secure.

“I really liked the course material, so I decided to go into computer technology,” he said. “I like the engineering side too because you get to figure out how a computer works.”

From this course, Ian went on to become the technology director at KRUI Radio.

Upon first meeting Ian, I could tell for certain that his dedication didn’t stay on the field when he came to college. This may come from the many good influences Ian had in sports. Ian said his track coaches, for example, were encouraging and helped him achieve many things you don’t expect someone who joins track his senior year to achieve – going to state in the 4×800 meter relay and the 4×200 meter relay.

And even with a college student’s busy schedule Ian said he still keeps up with sports. “I still watch high school meets when I come home and I like going to Iowa meets when I get the chance,” he said.

The post The KRUI Rambler: A Sitdown with IT Director Ian Brauer appeared first on KRUI Radio.

If you are a University of Iowa student looking for an exciting new challenge, we have just the thing for you!

Student Broadcasters Incorporated is currently accepting applications for all KRUI director positions for the 2013-14 academic year.

GO HERE for position information and applications. Applicants may apply for more than one director position. The application deadline for General Manager is Tuesday, March 15th. The application deadline for all other positions is Monday, March 25th. Interested parties are encouraged to discuss these positions with current directors for further information.

Being on KRUI’s Directing Staff is a great way to get more involved with the station, and to contribute to KRUI’s impact in the local community. It is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of the greatest student organizations on campus in a large way. Many KRUI directors move on to bigger and better things when they’re done at the station — just in the last two years, graduates have gone on to work at ESPN, WGN, 93 XRT, and other great companies.

About the Interview Process

Interviews will last roughly 15 minutes, and will include SBI members and the applicant. Following the hiring procedure used in previous years, SBI as a group which decide which people will be appointed as directors. These positions will start May 1st, and will run through April of 2014.

About the Application Process

Any and all students are encouraged to apply for a director position, but in order to be considered for a position the applicant must be enrolled as full or part time student at the University of Iowa for the Fall 2014 semester. Directors are expected to commit 10 hours per week to the station, and a small monthly stipend is offered to offset the cost of spending your time working at the KRUI.

About SBI

Student Broadcasters Inc, a nonprofit group incorporated through the State of Iowa, is composed of graduate students, professors, and stake-holders from across campus and acts as an advisory board to the KRUI Board of Directors. SBI holds the station’s FCC license to broadcast, is tasked with interviewing and hiring department directors, and works to ensure long-term station continuity. For more information about KRUI’s mission and goals, visit the About page.

Questions?

Contact sbi@krui.fm.

The post Apply to be a KRUI Director appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Under a bushy black beard, short hair, and thick specs AJ looks as inconspicuous in passing as the next guy. But when he talks, he has a way of subtly commanding attention.

“I oversee everything at KRUI,” he said. This includes all the departments that make KRUI tick – such as music, KRUI.FM, and programming.

At times pensive and at other times utterly direct, AJ told me about how he arrived at the life he has now.

A graduate student working on his second master’s degree, AJ says being a student has helped him learn more than just course concepts.

Over the course of his career, AJ has learned much about himself.

AJ had humble beginnings of the sort that many students have when they step up to the plate for their first year of college.

“Coming out of high school I was majoring in nuclear engineering at the University of Wisconsin in Madison,” he said. “Then I realized it wasn’t for me and switched to political science and, later on, liberal arts.”

By his sophomore year of college, AJ was working at UW’s radio station and soon enough had obtained the manager position there.

Throughout all his life AJ said he has just been riding the wave – nothing too hard in his life worth complaining about.

“I think the most challenging thing is yet to come,” he said.

As AJ continues to pursue his studies, he acknowledges that the most valuable thing he has learned has been the need to keep learning.

“You should always be learning,” he said. “I’ll never have life all figured out.”

In the ever changing currents of a student’s life, AJ seems to have found his own niche where most of us would be uncomfortable.

“I learned from my parents that you need to do what you love,” AJ said.

And, though a ways away from settling on a definite choice, AJ takes comfort and even joy in the search to figure himself out, content with no immediate answers.

“You have to be comfortable with ambiguity because life is always changing,” he said.

The post The KRUI Rambler: A Chat with AJ Honore appeared first on KRUI Radio.

What show, you ask?  Fools!  Surely you know!  No Shame Radio!

“No Shame Radio?”

Yes!

No Shame Radio is run primarily by  Sean Burnham, and most frequently co-hosted by Craig Martin and Noah Brown, and occasionally starring any other friends/enemies who wander into the studio. The show is a mass of 90’s nostalgia, pop- and cult-culture, frequently-disgusting jokes and puns, and know-it-all-ism that swirls around a chunky core of apathy, nerdery, and friendship.

Each week’s show has a specific topic or two (ranging from scariest memories to dreams to random encounters to etc.), and the conversation runs away from there (to superheroes and Yu-gi-oh and Ray Bradbury and [censored]).

Furthermore, they also pay tribute to their estranged parent, No Shame Theatre (no relation), by performing submitted theatrical content, as well as reading through old radio dramas. No Shame Radio isn’t for the faint of heart or mind, but it should have a little something for everyone. Especially you, ladies.

Is your sense of art aroused?  (yes, it is very aroused)

The post The Least Shameful Lab Show of All Time: No Shame Radio appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Perhaps it was a random decision; an accidental mis-click.  We’d prefer you think of it as FATE, but if you’re disinclined to those sorts of notions, we won’t press you.

But admit it: it was fucking awesome, was it not?  Was it not the most open, the most expressive, the most wonderful listening experience you’ve ever had (or at least a close second)?  If we’re all capable of being honest adults, I think we know what the answer is: “Sort of”.

Fair enough.  But it was certainly interesting, unique, and honest.  That you must concede.

And surely, in the aftermath of this sonic awakening, one question remains:  who the fuck was I listening to?

Well, toil in ignorance and uncertainty no longer!  For here is an ongoing and ever changing synopsis of every show on our dear Lab (a Labclopedia, if you will).  Learn of our dynamos, our heroes, our anti-heroes, our champions- our raison d’etre!

A gallery of rogues; a roll of honorables:  The Lab’s life blood and squishy organs!

The least hyperbolic series of show spotlights in all of human history!

The post Introducing The Greatest Lab Shows in All of Human History: An Introduction appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Happy College Radio Day!

Founded in December 2010, College Radio Day is an annual, non-profit event aimed at raising awareness of college radio and celebrating the important creative contribution of college radio to American media.  By promoting the event nationwide, both online and on the airwaves of over 350 registered stations, the hope is that people who may not normally listen to college radio will tune in today and like what they hear enough to become regular listeners.

As the organizers of College Radio Day say, “College radio is one of the last remaining bastions of creative radio programming, free from the constrictions of having to be commercially viable, and a place where those involved in its programming believe passionately in its mission… together, for one day, we can lift the national profile of an important form of North American media: college radio.”  KRUI is proud to be a part of this great event!

To learn more about College Radio Day, check out its website – and be sure to tune in to KRUI 89.7, your sound alternative.

The post Happy College Radio Day! appeared first on KRUI Radio.

A figure both elusive and reclusive, Dino Mannone is a man who has just missed his big break throughout is career- just missing out on an opportunity to perform on “The Tonight Show” in 1983 being one of his more high-profile ‘almosts’. Blessed with a natural inclination to piano and voice, Dino got his start in 1978 as a keyboardist and backup singer for Crystal Grass’s debut album “Dance Up a Storm”.

His tenacious and bold style caught the eye of several executives, and a solo album was soon in the works, only to fall apart for lack of funds, lack of a band, and Dino’s struggles with addiction- a severe drunken spectacle at the set of “Tonight” scuttling any remaining sliver of hope for a ‘break out’ performance. He has bounced around the lounge and club scene, stints on Mississippi steamboat tours, choral director positions at various grade schools, for the better part of the last 20 years- until now!

There is something different about Dino now. The old fire seems to have returned, and we will be treated to a blazing and electric performance!

Jesse Marks, Lab Director at KRUI, has known Dino since he was a young saxophonist doing side-gigs at malls and restaurants in Sioux Falls.

“Dino ran a jazz ensemble at one of the clubs where I’d fill-in from time to time. He became a mentor to me and taught me a lot about swing and life. I really wanted to repay all the care and dedication he showed me with this concert; I hope he really goes for it and enjoys himself on Wednesday!”

The show begins at 10 and will feature the budding sensation Max and Kendall After Dark as an opening act, along with the Italian Futurist Robot Sextet. Admission is free, and, as per Dino’s request, “respectable threads” are preferred.

The post Show Preview: Dino Mannone at PS1 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

If you want to get started in the music business, write news stories, cover sporting events, or DJ, KRUI is the place for you. We have twelve student-run departments covering everything from administration to marketing. KRUI is a great place to get hands on, professional experience. At KRUI you’ll learn everything you’ve ever wanted to about broadcast, business, and journalism, as well as meet some really great people.

We’ve been expanding over the years and are now ready to start some new projects to help create content for our website. We’re looking to hire photographers, writers and video producers to cover music, news and sports. We’re also looking for DJs, staffers, and developers for our website and staff software.

Existing DJs and Staffers
All-Staff meetings were on Monday 8/27 at 7 p.m. and on Tuesday 8/28 at 6 p.m. in the Illinois Room (348 IMU) of the Iowa Memorial Union. Please contact a director if you did not attend.

Prospective Staffers
If you’re interested in joining our team, please take a moment to join our mailing list for prospective staffers. Fall Introductory Meetings for all new staff were held on the evenings of Monday 9/10 at 6 p.m. and Tuesday 9/11 at 8 p.m. in the Nebraska Room (335 IMU) of the Iowa Memorial Union. Please contact a director if you did not attend.

The post Now Hiring For Fall 2012 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The episode features an interview with DJ Kevin, who hosts a show on The Lab, as well as footage of KRUI’s ninth Low Frequency Series Show, the Night People Records Showcase.

KRUI-TV Fall 2011 A3 Premiere from uiowaSVP on Vimeo.

The post KRUI + SVP = KRUI-TV appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Can’t wait till Mission Creek Week? Listen to KRUI’s exclusive Mission Creek Mix for 2012 and get a preview of some of the bands that will be playing in Iowa City from March 27-April 1.

If you use Spotify, you can listen to the 2012 KRUI Mission Creek Mix right here. Or, if you’d prefer not to download the Spotify program in order to listen, the playlist is available for streaming here on 8tracks.

1. “Andrew In Drag” by The Magnetic Fields
Boston-based band The Magnetic Fields may best be remembered for their ambitious 1999 release, 69 Love Songs. On this brand new track from this year’s Love At The Bottom of the Sea, however, vocalist Stephin Merritt’s sardonic baritone is as pitch-perfect and comically morose as ever. Fans can look forward to the release of the group’s 10th record, Love at the Bottom of the Sea on March 6, 2012.

2. “Away Frm U” by Oberhofer
Brad Oberhofer is a former Matador intern from Tacoma, Washington turned lo-fi legend. His free o0Oo0Oo EP blew up in 2010, and he will follow that effort with his debut full-length Time Capsules II on March 27.

3. “E.S. Des Grauens In Fifths” by Rene Hell
Jeff Witscher has been recording electronic music under the moniker Rene Hell for years. He’s put out dozens of CDs and tapes on a number of different labels and under a variety of names, like Rainbow Blanket, Roman Torment, Impregnable, Secret Abuse, and Deep Jew. While his older projects used to focus on harsh noise elements, Rene Hell is a move toward more ethereal, airy drone and ambient pieces.

4. “Best Night” by The War On Drugs
Founded by Kurt Vile and Adam Granduciel in 2005, the Philadelphia-based band The War On Drugs released their debut album, Wagonwheel Blues in 2008. After guitarist Kurt Vile exited in late 2008, the lineup significantly changed. Nevertheless, the group’s sophomore effort Slave Ambient, which was released in 2011, received wide praise from music critics.

5. “Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out” by The Antlers
The Antlers are a Brooklyn-based indie rock outfit. Frontman Peter Silberman formed the project in 2006 and self-released one album, Uprooted, before recruiting drummer Michael Lerner and multi-instrumentalist Darby Cicci. The group’s 2009 album Hospice found its way onto many “Album of the Year” lists, and its follow-up Burst Apart, was released in May of 2011.

6. “Bury Your Burdens In The Ground” by William Elliot Whitmore
William Elliott Whitmore requires no introduction for Iowa Citians. Nevertheless, this is Whitmore’s first time playing the Mission Creek Festival. His latest album, Field Songs, covered his familiar thematic territory – namely, death and nature – in his familiar whiskey-soaked voice. Yet his lyrics and sound have grown only more nuanced, proving that Whitmore is maybe more Leonard Cohen than Johnny Cash.

7. “Eagle’s Nest” by Caroline Smith & The Good Night Sleeps
Minnesotan indie folk songstress Caroline Smith is a local favorite. In September 2011, she released her sophomore album Little Wind, which displays a new, more mature sound that Caroline herself describes as “post folk.”

8. “Warsaw” by Sharon Van Etten
Sharon Van Etten was a late-comer to music. Though she performed in choirs growing up, it wasn’t until her 20s that she started to really get involved with the craft. And thank goodness she did. Her songs are emotional. They’re innocent, biting, sad, and joyful all at once, but her raspy alto always roots these feelings in strength. Her latest release, Tramp, was released on February 7, 2012 and was produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner.

9. “Harlem River Blues” by Justin Townes Earles
Names can be curses and blessings. Take Justin Townes Earle, for example. He’s the son of Steve Earle and the namesake of the legendary Townes Van Zandt. Unfortunately, there was a point in Justin’s life when he had seemingly inherited their troubles more than anything else. Fortunately, he also gained their strengths and it shows in his songs – whether it’s the rough-and-tumble rockabilly of his father’s early work or the everyday philosophizing of Van Zandt, his name now seems to be more of a blessing.

10. “Cannons” by Little Scream
Little Scream‘s Laurel Sprengelmeyer makes music at the intersection between major indie music and the classic DIY aesthetic. Though her first album, The Golden Record, does feature major players from the booming Montreal music scene (members of Silver Mt. Zion, Stars, and Arcade Fire all make appearances), she still maintains a unique, idiosyncratic approach to making music. “Cannons,” for instance, finds her syrupy sweet voice in a background suitable for an Animal Collective song.

11. “The Piano Drop” by Tim Hecker
Tim Hecker is an ambient artist in name only. After all, ambient music is supposed to fade into the background. It’s best when you barely even notice it, right? Ravedeath, 1972, his latest and greatest album so far, is anything but background music. It’s clear by the first track, “Piano Drop”, with all of its violent, distorted organ sounds – this is music that demands your attention and never lets it go.

12. “True Blue” by Dirty Beaches
Whether it’s their set of influences, the sound of the songs, or even just when and where they were recorded, Dirty Beaches is almost impossible to really pin down. Ultimately, their songs are mysterious, but in an inviting way. At times on their debut album, the critically-acclaimed Badlands, it sounds like you’re hearing someone blaring old Sun Records 45s through the wall. “True Blue” is perhaps the most accessible track on the album, replacing that rockabilly influence with doo-wop.

13. “Damaged” by Erase Errata
Sure, Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore have separated, and Sonic Youth’s future is uncertain at best. But have no fear, Erase Errata is still bravely exploring the No Wave sound that Sonic Youth pioneered. “Damaged”, a single the San Francisco-based group released in 2010, and knowingly titled as a reference to Black Flag’s classic debut, shows the band at their best – with a good dash of idiosyncratic improvisation inside a solid punk song.

14. “Porcelain Brain” by The Poison Control Center
Iowa’s own Poison Control Center is one of the best rock bands in the country— and one of the nicest. The group has been together in some capacity for more than a decade, and their Midwestern charm has paved the way for younger Iowa bands to become successful on the national level. “Porcelain Brain”, off their latest LP Stranger Ballet, perfectly encapsulates their lighthearted, energetic sound.

15. “Tight Pants/Body Rolls” by Leslie Hall
Leslie Hall is the bejeweled sweater aficionado and craft-wave musical goddess of Ames, Iowa. Her most recent release, Destination Friendship, includes 9 new songs and 2 catchy remixes by Utopia Park and Titus Jones. The dancey track “Tight Pants/Body Rolls”, which is from her last release Back 2 Back Palz just about sums up what Leslie (and her mystical lady band of Ly’s) are all about.

16. “Tire Swing” by Kimya Dawson
Kimya Dawson is probably best known for contributing music to the soundtrack of Juno, both as a solo artist and one half of The Moldy Peaches duo. Though Dawson is now approaching 40, she still has a goofy, adolescent charm that is evident in both her songwriting and her singing style. On Thunder Thighs, her most recent release, Dawson skillfully harnesses that charm in order to make political statements on songs like “Same Shit/Complicated”, about anti-consumerism, and “Driving, Driving, Driving”, about environmental damage caused by oil dependence.

17. “Rio contento” by Lulacruza
The electro-folk duo Lulacruza effortlessly mixes the hypermodern with the historic, employing traditional South American instruments with their own found sound recordings, spellbinding female vocals, and electronic embellishments. The finished product is an “electro ethnic ritual,” according to Rolling Stone magazine. Lulacruza has performed compositions their most recent release Circular Tejido throughout the United States.

18. “The East Coast” by The Daredevil Christopher Wright
The Daredevil Christopher Wright is a band from Eau Claire, Wisconson made up of brothers Jonathan and Jason Sunde, and Jesse Edgington. The band toured the US and Europe in support of In Deference to a Broken Back in 2010, and they’re no strangers to Iowa. The group recorded
a new record at futureappletree studio in Davenport, IA with Patrick Stolley, who also engineers at Daytrotter.

19. “Tuck the Darkness In” by Bowerbirds
Bowerbirds has covered the same territory on their new album, The Clearing, before. But never have they been so powerful and moving. If you were a fan of their previous work, the orchestral folk sound is still there, but whereas their previous songs were noted for a certain degree of minimalism, songs like “Let The Darkness In” are now more about catharsis than calmness. For the members of Bowerbirds, the last year was a tough year. Listening to The Clearing will be enough to make you believe that this year is going to be theirs.

20. “Rise” by Seun Kuti
Nigerian musician Seun Kuti is the son of the late afrobeat legend Fela Kuti. Seun leads his father’s former band, Egypt 80, and their debut album was released in 2008. On Seun Kuti & Egypt 80’s latest LP, From Africa With Fury: Rise, Seun contines to champion his father’s political causes and expand upon his music.

The post KRUI’s Mission Creek Mixtape 2012 appeared first on KRUI Radio.