Broke college students rejoice, for Friday brings a bundle of fantastic free shows!

The Wheelers, The Western Front, and Complexes will perform for free at Joe’s Place, 5 PM.

WindFarm, Taser Island/Radius, Centaur Noir, and Candy Breaks will also play for free at the upstairs of the Deadwood, also at 5 PM.

This week’s series of free Public Space One shows also comes to an end with Gardens & Villa and Golden Birds at 6 PM for free.

Those looking for laughs on Friday and didn’t manage to secure tickets to the David Cross show are out of luck, as it sold out awhile ago. Cross (as well as Jon Benjamin, Jon Glaser, and Mary Lynn Rajskub) prepared a special, one-time-only variety show for the Mission Creek Festival. Nobody quite knows what will happen onstage during the performance, but the show has been six months in the making and it’s sure to be worth the wait.

SHOW DETAILS

• What: David Cross with Jon Benjamin, Jon Glaser, & Mary Lynn Rajskub
• Where: The Englert Theatre
• Time: 7 PM
• Cost: SOLD OUT

William Elliot Whitmore, Justin Townes Earle, and Grand Tetons at the Blue Moose Tap House also sold out. Whitmore, an Iowa native and local favorite, will bring down the house with his folky crooning, but the powerhouse Justin Townes Earle and the superb Iowa City folk/rock band Grand Tetons should not be missed, either.

Recommended Track: “Bury Your Burdens In the Ground” by William Elliot Whitmore

SHOW DETAILS

• What: William Elliot Whitmore, Justin Townes Earle, Grand Tetons
• Where: The Blue Moose Tap House
• Time: 9 PM
• Cost: SOLD OUT

Sharon Van Etten, Bowerbirds, The Lonelyhearts, and Alexis Stevens at The Mill is sure to be a big draw. Sharon’s album Tramp, which was released last month, is steeped in self-awareness. She’s direct about her vulnerability (which was so very evident on her previous releases) in a way that makes her seem fearless and open.

Recommended Track: “We Are Fine” by Sharon Van Etten

SHOW DETAILS

• What: Sharon Van Etten, Bowerbirds, The Lonelyhearts, Alexis Stevens
• Where: The Mill
• Time: 8 PM
• Cost: $15 Advance / $18 Door

Lulacruza, The Miles Kean Epictet, and Lady Espina will also play the Yacht Club. Those interested in South American music will enjoy Lulacruza, a Colombian band that combines found sounds and other modern electronic sounds with traditional music.

SHOW DETAILS

• What: Lulacruza, The Miles Kean Epictet, and Lady Espina will
• Where: Yacht Club
• Time: 9 PM
• Cost: $8-10

The post Mission Creek Daily Preview: Friday appeared first on KRUI Radio.

At 6PM on Thursday you already have a choice to make between American Dust at Public Space 1 and Kimya Dawson at the Blue Moose.
American Dust is dark garage rock straight out of Davenport featuring the former members of Iowa bands Mondo Drag and Quiet Bears along with some current members of White Zephyr and Idpyramid. Their debut EP was released as a cassette, so you know these guys are legit, or at least hipster. What’s more, it’s a free show! Joining them will be Ed Gray.

Recommended Track: “Protector” by American Dust

SHOW DETAILS

• What: American Dust, Ed Gray
• Where: Public Space One
• Time: 6 PM
• Cost: FREE

Battling for your attention during the same time slot is Kimya Dawson at the Blue Moose. You probably have heard of Kimya as part of The Moldy Peaches, the band that did that adorable song (“Anyone Else But You”) on the Juno soundtrack, but she also has had a prolific solo career. Her most recent album “Thunder Thighs” pairs her beautiful light and poignant music with artists like Aesop Rock, the Strokes, and the Mountain Goats.

Joining her at the Blue Moose will be Leslie & the Ly’s (crazy glam pop diva with gem sweaters from Ames), Christopher the Conquered (epic upbeat piano pop that often features a full horn section), and Weed Wolf (the band, not the famous graffiti artist).

Recommended Track: “Walk Like Thunder” by Kimya Dawson

SHOW DETAILS

• What: Kimya Dawson with Leslie & the Ly’s, Christopher the Conquered, and Weed Wolf
• Where: The Blue Moose
• Time: 6 PM
• Cost: $12 advance, $15 doors

Tim Hecker‘s unique brand of ambient electronic music has been described as “cathedral electronic music,” which makes him a fitting musician to headline at First United Methodist Church. He seems to approach his music as one would approach a piece of art, playing with songcraft, installation, and color. His most recent album, “Ravedeath, 1972” uses a set of recordings done at a church in Iceland, so Hecker is going to recreate the album experience on Thursday. Also at First United will be fellow electro artists Nathan Wheeler and Ex-Action Model.

Recommended Track: “The Piano Drop” by Tim Hecker

SHOW DETAILS

• What: Tim Hecker with Nathan Wheeler and Ex-Action Model
• Where: First United Methodist Church
• Time: 8 Pm
• Cost: $10 advance, $12 doors

If ambient electro isn’t quite your thing, check out Oberhofer at The Yacht Club with Mumford’s, Sudden & Subtle, and The Olympics. Oberhofer is Brad Oberhofer, a lo-fi pop musician who went from recording his own stuff to being a big name on music blogs with his single “Away Frm U” in 2010. His first full-length album just released on Tuesday, and I’m looking forward to hearing the glittery, joyful, and youthful stuff he comes up with. The kid isn’t even 21!

Recommended Track: “HEART” by Oberhofer

SHOW DETAILS

• What: Oberhofer with Mumford’s, Sudden & Subtle, and The Olympics
• Where: The Yacht Club
• When: 8 PM
• Cost: $8

Overlapping with Oberhofer and Tim Hecker is Mike Doughty at The Mill. Doughty is the former frontman of Soul Coughing. He left the band in 2000 and has since been a solo indie rock singer-songwriter. Fun fact: he used a capsule of duloxetine as a percussion instrument on some of the tracks on Yes And Also Yes by holding it close to the mic and shaking it.
Opening for Doughty at The Mill will be Death Ships, an indie folk band with roots in Iowa City, and my personal favorite, Caroline Smith & the Goodnight Sleeps. Which I guess makes me a wine-swilling-whooo-girl according to Max Johnson.

Recommended Track: “Looking At The World From The Bottom of a Well” by Mike Doughty

SHOW DETAILS

• What: Mike Doughty with Caroline Smith & the Goodnight Sleeps and Death Ships
• Where: The Mill
• When: 9 PM
• Cost: $12 advance, $15 doors

Capping off this magnificent Thursday night will be Black Milk at Gabe’s. Black Milk is one of the most well-known indie rap and hip hop producers whose solo career has recently taken off with the formation of his live band (drummer Daru Jones and vocalist/keyboardist AB). His most recent album—cheekily titled “Album of the Year”—mixes influences of reggae and afrobeat into his successful hip hop beats. Opening for Black Milk will be Rich Rok and Ion.

Recommended Track: “Welcome (Gotta Go)” by Black Milk

SHOW DETAILS

• What: Black Milk with Rich Rok and Ion
• Where: Gabe’s
• When: 10 PM
• Cost: $10 advance, $12 doors

The post Mission Creek Daily Preview: Thursday appeared first on KRUI Radio.

If you’re hard-pressed for cash this Mission Creek week, look no further than KRUI’s home base for the week, Public Space One. At 6 PM, Muscle will take the stage, followed by Olsen Twinns. Finally, Fairfield, Iowa brothers Dominic and Philip Rabalais will put on the happy heart attack/dance party/spiritual awakening musical act that they call Utopia Park.

Recommended Track: “So Long Silly Rabbit” by Utopia Park, as performed at the 2011 KRUI Mission Creek Lounge

SHOW DETAILS

• What: Muscle, Olsen Twinns, Utopia Park
• Where: Public Space One
• Time: 6 PM
• Cost: FREE

Recommended Track: “Andrew In Drag” by The Magnetic Fields

SHOW DETAILS

• What: The Magnetic Fields with Kelly Hogan
• Where: The Englert Theatre
• Time: 8 PM show
• Cost: $30 reserved seating in advance, $32 reserved seating at the door

After The Magnetic Fields, festival goers must make a choice. Though eager audience members should be able to attend both the Public Space One and Englert shows without much trouble, 9 PM presents a showdown between folk, metal, and electro-rock.

For the easygoing folk lovers, The Mill’s show with Douglas Kramer Nye, Denison Witmer, and William Fitzsimmons will be your best bet. Local Doug Nye will perform earnest, Dylan-esque compositions. Denison Witmer, followed by William Fitzsimmons will fingerpick their way into listeners’ hearts with each of their unique, “neofolk” tunes.

Recommended Track: “The Tide Pulls From the Moon” by William Fitzsimmons

SHOW DETAILS

• What: Douglas Kramer Nye, Denison Witmer, William Fitzsimmons
• Where: The Mill
• Time: 9 PM show, 19+ after 10 PM
• Cost: $15

Fans of hardcore punk will prefer the scene at Gabe’s, where Erase Errata will be playing. Heavy on energy and attitude, the San Francisco group is known for putting on jaw-dropping performances. And with a huge list of openers — T’Bone, Muscle Drum, Supersonic Piss, and Slut River — the show is sure to bring back memories of your high school punk bands, only better.

Recommended Track: “Damaged” by Erase Errata

• What: T’Bone, Muscle Drum, Super Sonic Piss, Slut River, Erase Errata
• Where: Gabe’s
• Time: 9 PM show, 19+ after 10 PM
• Cost: $8-10

Meanwhile, at the Yacht Club, Iowa City’s own electronic/jazz/rock quartet Slip Silo will perform with Fairfield, Iowa-based Surgery, a group which plays Depeche Mode inspired electro-rock. Rounding out the show, the awe-inspiring progressive rock of El Ten Eleven will captivate listeners.

Recommended Track: “Indian Winter” by El Ten Eleven

• What: Slip Silo, Surgery, El Ten Eleven
• Where: Yacht Club
• Time: 9 PM show, 19+ after 10 PM
• Cost: $8-10

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