Walking into the Englert, I didn’t expect much from Ancient Posse despite my fruitless attempts at googling them beforehand.

Only being able to find one music video available to watch on YouTube to get a sense of who they were, I can honestly say that I wasn’t necessarily feeling their vibe. I didn’t let that deter me from having a good time this evening, however.

Once I got the go-ahead from one overbearing security guard, I walked into the dark theatre and found my home for the next hour in an end seat.

Which, if I may say, was not the best idea. I mean, how many people honestly get up during a show?

A lot. Whatever, that’s beside the point. Thanks, Nichole.

After a few minutes of everybody and their mama shuffling into the soon cramped theatre, the lights dimmed, and Ancient Posse took the stage.

To say the least, the show was quite interesting. Not being a fan of the particular genre – synth R&B gaze – I found the show quite engaging and stimulating.

With the lights and vocals, there was never a dull moment. Don’t get me started on the cool drum action and piano – I think it was a piano – it was dark – playing.

As I mentioned earlier, before I came to the show I did a little googling and found quite a few interesting facts about Ancient Posse that held true tonight.

Having been influenced by Erykah Badu, My Bloody Valentine, and Gorillaz, it was clear to see how those three distinct styles were smashed together, creating the Ancient Posse we saw perform tonight.

In a way, it was like seeing three of my favorite artist perform all at once tonight.

Chaotic good.

Knowing that Kamillah Jonaé – lead vocals – and Steven Bergeron – keys – both come from very dichotomous backgrounds, it was cool to see how they were able to harmonize with one another.

It was like they were soul searching and found one another through the music. I mean, if Tinder isn’t working for you, try soul searching. Not trying to be funny, but for a lack of better words, life is just better when you find someone that just gets you.

All too soon, the show came to a close and I will admit that I was a bit disappointed that it ended so quickly. In a way, it was as if time just flew by because I was so engrossed in the performance that I lost all concept of time.

The round of applause that came was one that was due because Ancient Posse did one hell of a job on stage.

Next time they’re in town, make sure to check them out.

If you haven’t already, stop by their webpage and buy some cool merch.

I know I will.

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Sister Wife kicked off Friday night at the Englert Theatre with a thundering performance ignited by Ajishegiri’s loud, sporadic drums.  He sat behind lead guitarist and singer, Carothers, as the flamboyant lead man kept the crowd energized with his swift guitar riffs and high pitched, reverberating voice.

Hailing from Rock Island, Illinois, this indie rock duo was eager to showcase their 2017 album Trap House.  They opened up a night full of indie music at the Englert Theater, with Margaret Glaspy and Wye Oak following the bombastic performance.

Though Sister Wife was not the biggest ticket name to hit Iowa City for Mission Creek festival, the indie rockers left the crowd standing and in awe after the performance.  First impressions are important for up and coming indie rock bands when performing in concert, that’s why Sister Wife started off the concert with some classics from their most recent album.

After getting the crowd off their feet, Sister Wife went back into their music catalog and played songs from their 2016 EP, 5th House of Wonder.  Songs such as “Arizona” and “Hands of the Watch” established Sister Wife’s early vision of indie rock with a twist: a sense of pop, reminding one of the popular Twenty One Pilots.

Even though the audience only got an hour with the indie rock duo, Sister Wife kept a consistent, raucous pace that made the experience even more intimate and fulfilling.  Towards the end, Carothers paused for a moment sensing he still had his most popular and powerful songs yet to play.

He turned back to Ajishegiri and the steady drummer pounded his snare signaling Carothers to jump into their last few tracks.

Carothers’ vocals echoed throughout the theater, as the indie rock duo sang the album’s title track, “Trap House.”  The fun, cheerful song was complimented with some guest help on stage by that of a xylophone.

Following “Trap House”, the crowd quickly glanced down at their phones hoping the hour hand had yet to strike 8 p.m.  Carothers retained their focus right back to stage, jumping into the swift and smooth opening guitar riff of their most popular track, “Dirty Finger Nails.”

Right after the guitar riff, Ajishegiri joined in on the fun by pounding his cymbals igniting Carothers’ vocals.  The crowd stood up for this song, heads bobbing back and forth; witnessing the power two musicians possess on a stage.

I left the Englert Theater wondering when Sister Wife will garner a larger following.  After one album, the ceiling is the limit for this funky, indie pop rock band.

The post Mission Creek Festival: Sister Wife @ The Englert Theatre 4/6/2018 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

She started off with her vocals echoing throughout the auditorium, the Englert Theatre being the perfect place for her performance. It is a seated auditorium and nuanced in a way that was fitting for Squirrel Flowers’ setlist. Being a rockstar can be overwhelming, no rockstar is abstaining from using any kind of drugs, well, you are not a rockstar and you are not on top of the world yet if you are not passing a drug test at work, there are products like gummies that will make you pass the test as if nothing happened.

All of her songs were very melodic, with mostly simple guitar riffs. It highlighted her beautiful vocals, that were angelic sounding with the added echo effect.

Her demeanor was sweet as she played through her music, mostly featuring songs that are on her new album, Contact Sports.

Halfway through her setlist, she welcomed her band onto the stage, fellow Grinnell College students who played bass and drums. I really like the rounded sound they got with the whole band. It added more dimension to the songs.

There was almost a storyline, where Squirrel Flower would start off with just her guitar and commanding voice, then lead into a buildup of sound that featured the bass and drums.

They always ended like the beginning, though, leading back into a soft vocal ending that showed you the meaning of these stories.

Some of my favorite songs played were: “Conditions”, “Not Your Prey”, “Daylight Savings”, and “Heavy”; All on her album Contact Sports. 

I think my favorite part of her performance, other than her inevitable incredible talent at singing, was the emotion conveyed in every line and note of her songs.

When she held out a note as she sung, and her guitar and vocals echoed, I felt like crying. The emotion sparked empathy in the audience where they were taken right into her shoes and could relate fully to her music.

Here is a live example of her sound:

I really appreciate the loud importance she wanted to display through the simplicity of her setlist.

She has a lot of musical talent that helps her get across her life and feelings through that act of art.

I highly recommend taking a listen to her music and also consider finding a way to see her live so you can feel that nostalgic, bittersweet emotion she portrays so well.

The post Mission Creek Festival: Squirrel Flower @ Englert Theatre 4/7/18 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

I got there around 11:00 because that’s when they were supposed to start, but they didn’t, so I got to silently observe for a while. The Yacht Club is definitely more of a bar scene. People were just hanging out at tables and drinking, not crowding around the stage like I expected.

The people there were what one would classify as “hipsters”, but I think that is typical for Mission Creek! I love hipsters, personally.They dress so stylishly, effortlessly. They also don’t seem to care what people think. Once Feel Free came on, people were dancing and swaying and moving their heads along to the beat. It was cool to see people just “feel free”!

Feel Free is made up of two guys. One has a beard, as shown above, and donned a black skull cap and a ying-yang sweatshirt. The other guy was just wearing a baseball cap and a hoodie. Nothing too special, which I like. Just do you, don’t wear a bunch of clothes to impress other people!

Anyway, the duo is from the Minneapolis / St. Paul area. They classify themselves as a “sound system”, and I completely agree with that categorization. When they first came on, I got Bassnectar type vibes from the sounds they were producing. They used a lot of “cartoon” noises. I don’t know, that’s just what I thought.

They had really solid beats in the background, then all of the sudden there would be a sound that reminded me of the Roadrunner running away from the Coyote, or bubbles and lasers. They also used a lot of tropical rainforest/animal noises. I honestly do not know a lot about electronic music or how it works. They just had a bunch of equipment set up in front of them! It’s cool that they’re so creative they can just make music out of literal sounds. I could never!

I don’t know exactly how many songs they played, because as I said, I don’t know anything about this genre of music and it seemed to me that they never completely stopped playing, so either they played one huge song or their tracks just flow together, one after another.

If you want to check out the duo’s Facebook, go ahead and click this link here.

These are my photos again, so if you want to look at more of my photography stuff, go to my photography Instagram here.

And lastly, if you wanna listen to some beats by Feel Free, here is their SoundCloud!

The post Mission Creek Festival: Feel Free @ Iowa City Yacht Club 4/8/2018 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

He spoke for 2 hours and captivated the whole audience the entire time. He even took questions at the end and I’m proud to say I got to ask him one myself. I asked who his influences as a comic were. He answered immediately with the names of such legends as George Carlin, Richard Pryor, and Eddie Murphy.

When writing the promo for this event I did a lot of research into his career and became very familiar with some of his material but the show he performed today was all new bits and jokes. It’s always a sign of a great comic when they don’t reuse jokes from years past. He rapport with the audience was great and I could see on his face he was enjoying himself in Hancher.

During the Q&A, he was asked some pretty tough questions and was even asked why he doesn’t make any more shows about the current political climate in Egypt. He response was intelligent, honest, and funny. He spoke about how he had the viewership of 44 million viewers each show yet when his arrest warrant was issued they all turned on him in a second. He spoke how he feels now if he makes shows about this topic from the US it would feel wrong and not complete.

His new plan is to create a career where the population can see a middle eastern man on stage and not have fears and stereotypes be brought to people’s minds. He hopes that in making more people aware of middle eastern entertainers in America, that the world will then look at the incredibly wrong things that are happening in Egypt and take action. Someone in the audience shouted that he has given up the fight against the military dictatorship of Egypt but Bassem was quick

with a retort. He called out the young man in the audience saying how he was exiled from his home, missed the death and funeral of his father, suffered many more emotional and financial repercussions due to his badass protest of the dictatorship when in Egypt. He said he didn’t mean call out the young man but Youssef’s shut down was awesome.

He was there promoting his book Revolution for Dummies: Laughing Through the Arab Spring. “Youssef recounts his life and offers hysterical riffs on the hypocrisy, instability, and corruption that has long animated Egyptian politics.

From the attempted cover-up of the violent clashes in Tahrir Square to the government’s announcement that it had created the world’s first “AIDS cure” machine, to the conviction of officials that Youssef was a CIA operative—recruited by Jon Stewart—to bring down the country through sarcasm. There’s much more—and it’s all insanely true.”-Amazon

Bassem Youssef is a political satirist that we need at this stage in history and I highly recommend looking into him. Whether it’s his TV spots, Web series, Live Performance, or reading his book. He has a mind that is made for this generation and I think truly is causing a change in the world.

To look at his book Click Here.

For more videos about Bassem Youssef See below:

CBS Interview

Putting Out the Unwelcome Mat • Democracy Handbook with Bassem Youssef

The Daily Show – An Egyptian Satirist in America – Bassem Youssef

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With their bassist stuck in England due to visa issues, Algiers managed to create an amazingly enjoyable sound. Standing in for the bassist was the band’s tour manager who proved to be no less talented than the other members of the band.

An exceptional element of the performance is lead singer Franklin James Fisher’s ability to effortlessly captivate the crowd through his movements. Fisher’s dancing and rhythm demanded attention. His footwork and spins are reminiscent of the styles of Michael Jackson and Prince combined.

In addition, the band is extremely versatile in their musical abilities. At one point in the show, guitarist Lee Tesche had a guitar strung across his back, a saxophone in front, and bells in his hand.

He later picked up his guitar and played with a paintbrush, which created a unique and gloomy tone so appropriate for their style of music. Fisher moved back and forth from the tambourine, piano, guitar, and vocals. The band also took full advantage of technology.

The group has a very alternative look with each member displaying his own style. Fisher wore a camo bandana tied around his head and a leather jacket. Drummer Matt Tong wore a see-through netted black shirt and glasses. Tesche sported all black. The stand-in bassist displayed a denim outfit and gauges.

Between songs one could hear background narration of various kinds, often touching on racial injustice and fading into the next song. This added to the seriousness of the set and touches on their political agenda.

A visual of the performance of the drums in “Death March” is very prevalent after the show.

The band benefited from drummer Tong’s animated style which employed everyone to dance along.

He often plays with his mouth open as if it helps him keep focused. It is common to see him flail his arms to dramatically beat his instruments. With his long, black hair and quiet disposition, he lets his musical talent speak for itself.

There was minimal verbal interaction with the crowd. After an intense first song, Fisher simply says, “hi,” and transitions to the next. Fisher later explains the visa issues with their bassist and continues.

Once the show began, the crowd began to filter into the front of the stage.

It became progressively difficult to see the band as the audience attempted to catch a glimpse of Fisher. He disappeared to the majority while playing guitar lying on the stage.

His energy exploded as he shot up and knocked the microphone stand into the crowd, who collectively laughed with the singer. After using an instrument, they would ungracefully toss them on the ground and pick up their next tool.

Algiers created a very comfortable atmosphere that felt like you were watching friends. Their unique style and undeniable talent managed to completely captivate the audience and surely won them countless new fans. The band’s newest album “The Underside of Power” is available on Spotify and iTunes.

The post Mission Creek Festival: Algiers @ Gabe’s 4/6/18 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

At The Mill, I witnessed someone singing while really bearing their emotions. Gordi is an Australian Singer/Song writer that has a powerful beautiful voice that will cause your ears to listen no matter how much you resist.

I did very little research into Gordi before the show because I like to be taken by surprise by what I’m about to witness but to call what I heard a surprise doesn’t seem enough. I was captivated by Gordi’s voice and musicality.

As she sung you could hear in her voice that she felt the music she was making and was truly causing the material to be elevated.

I truly felt as though I  just saw my first show where the band was feeling their music and not just performing it. I can’t recommend seeing Gordi live enough.

Her songs cause the listener to feel both melancholy yet also hopeful. Her use of acoustic guitar, electronic playback recorder, and powerful vocals are truly a music mix for the gods.

She spoke very earnestly between songs and seemed very sweet. She truly had a large stage presence for being only a one-member band but she truly rocked the stage tonight.

As she played, so many people attended that many ended up sitting on the ground in front of the stage cross-legged. I’m defiantly glad I got a chance to see her tonight.

She definitely has the talent that is remembered for years to come.

Her song “Heaven I Know” was a beautiful thing to witness.

The use of the looping audio of Gordi whispering and saying the word heaven was perfectly placed in the background of her melancholic lyrics about trying your hardest but still failing.

But the song that was my favorite of the night was a cover of another Australian singer Courtney Barnett’s “Avant Gardner”. Gordi’s version caused this amazing joy and sadness that tells a story. After seeing this concert, I will be listening to Gordi on Apple Music all week to find more gems that she has recorded.

In an interview by casualbandblogger.com, Gordi spoke about the best advice she has ever received about music,

“I guess, I always come back to the idea that the song is king. All of the peripheral stuff is important, but no matter what, just returning to the idea of that it’s all about the song. And that’s it for me, at the end of the day I just need to write good music, and that means writing it from a real place where I’ve felt something significant and authentic. Something that inspires something great – or at least something good. I think that’s one of the things that always stays with me.”

For the rest of the interview Click Here

Here are some of her songs that I really enjoy if you are wanting a good start on Gordi. Also, check out herrecentt Album “Reservoir”

Heaven I Know

On My Side

Nothing’s As It Seems

The post Mission Creek Festival: Gordi @ The Mill 4/6/18 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Being a fan of Moen since her self-titled debut album in 2016, I can honestly confess that her music has the capability of transcending you from your current place in the world to an environment that sings of nothing but pure nostalgia.

From the multiple genres – folk, indie, and blues to name a few – her voice contains a certain fluidity that just draws you in and holds you captive until the last note is sung.

While watching the show, even though I was mesmerized by her voice, it was quite an experience to see how her music affected those around me. Halfway through the set, it was simply amazing to see so many not only listening to her music but actually listening to the words of her songs as well.

In a way, it showed how much of an important role artist play in our lives, whether we realize it or not. For some, it was clear to see that the words Moen spoke were honest and relatable. Which, if I may say, is quite rare to see manifest in artists in today’s day and age.

One thing that I did not expect was holding a conversation with a young woman during her performance.

It started off as a simple excuse me as I scurried to my seat and quickly turned into an impromptu friendship where I learned many interesting things about Moen.

For instance, only a few years ago did she walk these same streets as I, as a student here at the University of Iowa. While that simple fact may seem not as a noteworthy one, I can tell you it is anything but irrelevant.

Being a student, I cannot begin to describe what it felt like to see someone who was in the same shoes as you follow their passion and become successful.

In a way, it was a subtle push of encouragement in regard to reassuring me – and all my fellow Hawkeyes – that it’s okay to follow your passion.

Being a college student on the verge of graduation, it can be quite fearful to imagine the world outside of Iowa City; however, seeing a former student come back and perform, is simply amazing.

I can sit here and rift for hours on how wonderful Moen’s show was but what I want to iterate the most is simply how amazing it is to see an artist in person.

I mean, listening to them via any streaming website is one thing, but actually seeing and hearing them is an entirely different thing.

Which is why, I am more than happy – pleased – to have reviewed Elizabeth Moen’s show tonight at the Englert Theatre.

Next time she’s in town, I’ll be sure to attend.

I hope to see some of you all there.

The post Mission Creek Festival: Elizabeth Moen @ The Englert Theatre 4/5/18 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Started initially in 2004 by singer/songwriter and bandleader Justin Ringle, the Portland, Oregon based band has changed several times throughout its existence.

After bouncing between several rock bands around his home state of Idaho, Ringle moved to Portland and fixated on the acoustic genre.

A year later, another musician named Peter Broderick heard some of Ringle’s demos and offered to help add some instrumentations to the songs and build them up. Horse Feathers was from then on a duo, and the two released their debut album, Words Are Dead, in September of 2006.

Bringing in more people, Broderick’s sister Heather Broderick joined the band the following year on cello and the band continues to feature new members as time goes by.

After releasing another album entitled House With No Home with the independent record label Kill Rock Stars, Peter and Heather Broderick left the band one shortly after another in 2008 to pursue other musical projects.

The band gained the new members of Nathan Crockett, Catherine Odell, and Sam Cooper as instrumentalists following Broderick’s departure. A few more transitions have occurred since then, and the band now sits at five members.

No matter the members of the band, their commitment to creating inventive acoustic music has stayed constant.

Horse Feather’s music features a wide array of instruments with an emphasis on strings. The band’s pieces typically contain guitar but aren’t limited to them, integrating folk instruments including banjo, mandolin, violin, and others that give their music a unique sound.

Intricate instrumental backdrops showcase the talent of the band members and set up a lovely contrast to Ringle’s calming vocals. While some certainly pick up speed and energy, the majority of their tracks focus on a quaint and emotional atmosphere which bring listeners to a pleasant reverie.

In an interview with Mission Creek Festival, Ringle discussed how Horse Feathers has evolved over the years and his experience with it. He says he considered leaving the music industry altogether after touring in 2012, but decided to focus on having fun with music.

After playing a show with the band and some of his closest friends, Ringle had a realization in conjunction with the feelings that resulted from the high energy performance.

“We liked it, and the unusual feeling that I had after that show – which I think is referred to as ‘joy’ – became something I wanted to experience again. I shared more. I stopped editing myself as much.

The joy of playing live became its own reward, and I dared myself to allow that joy to shape the songwriting. In the end, I was able to let it go, and I don’t own it anymore. Which also feels like joy. That’s the way it was, and so it is with us.”

After Iowa City, the band will continue on a tour around the U.S., details of which can be found on the Horse Feathers website. Check out Horse Feathers at The Mill on April 5th, and be sure keep up with the rest of Mission Creek Festival events.

The post Mission Creek Festival Promo: Horse Feathers appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Part of a series called “Big Free Show”, the brewery will host a wide selection of musicians and artists from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 7th.

Anderson will take the stage at 5 p.m. to showcase his two critically acclaimed albums.  The first being The Weaver’s Room, his 2014 debut produced by Andrija Tokic, who has worked on albums for the Alabama Shakes and Hooray for the Riff Raff.

It wasn’t until 2017 that the world got their next glimpse of Anderson, as he released his sophomore album, City of Vines, that continued his unique blend of grass roots and psychedelic rock.

Before Anderson’s solo career, he was heavily involved in the Chicago music scene.  Anderson partnered his vocals and songwriting into a beloved Chicago grassroots band named, Go Long Mule.

However, there were moments in Anderson’s career where he did not always call the shots, as he served as the guitarist for the Chicago garage rockers, Rambos.  During this time, Anderson also produced other bands’ work while working in and out of many other bands being a sideman.

By man critics and fans, Anderson’s vocals are compared to that of the famous and eccentric Tom Waits.  While Anderson’s albums have not garnered him the critical success he’s hoped for, many critics and Chicago radio stations frequently pay tribute to individual songs from his two albums, such as “Crooked Heart” from The Weaver’s Room  and “Shadowboxer” from City of Vines.

Either way, come and check out an aspiring midwestern artist with influences that span across the country and rock lore.

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