The proceeding live performance easily explained the pre-show excitement, as powerhouse vocals and rocking guitar chords ripped through the café’s stained glass windows. OHMME has steadily made a name for themselves from buzzy collabs like the one with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and the successful, anthemic single “Icon.”

Their established song catalog is already impressive, but OHMME proved to be even better live. The vocal elasticity and intricate harmonization ping pong between Cunningham and Stewart served as an electrifying game of musical pinball. 

The standout song performance of the afternoon was “Fingerprints” from their 2017 debut album. Building up to the chorus, the duo broke into a chorus of alternating wordless vocalizations that climbed to harmonious heights and were flawlessly executed. The vocal feat was so impressive that audience members turned to each other with wide eyes as if to say, “How did they do that?” 

As the dizzying harmonies ebbed and flowed against dynamic guitar rhythms, the song culminated in the final repeated lyric, “I want to be better,” which gradually increased from a whisper to a roar with each repetition. In the crowded lineup of Mission Creek, OHMME made a single song stand out and stick with me days later. 

The duo showed incredible dynamism and range with some songs beginning with hushed instrumentals and isolated, soulful vocals while others fully dove into full, wailing guitar. They basked in the strength of vocal runs as much as they leaned into rocking the stage. OHMME demonstrated standout musical ability in their live set, fully sealing the duo’s exciting future in the indie space as talented musicians and badass rockers. 

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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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Sunday November 2, Atmosphere brought their “North of Hell Tour” to Blue Moose Tap House.

Emcee Slug’s highflying rhymes more than pleased the eager Iowa City crowd—one that felt like home for the Minneapolis bred tandem. DJ Plain Ole Bill joined the group on stage, trading off tweaks & scratches with DJ/producer Ant.

The Rhymesayers extravaganza bill included Dem Atlas and Prof, both Minneapolis born, as openers for the legendary hip hop act.

Dem Atlas was the first to hit the stage. Positivity, screaming, and flailing dread locks created an electric energy on stage. The 22 year old emcee’s material consisted mostly of his Charlie Brown EP, culminating in a passionate performance of “All We Got”—a call to arms to today’s youth to stand up and fight for all that’s good and just in the world.

Rhymesayers Entertainment’s second act of the night was Prof who made sure to bring the party. Dressed in a honey badger t-shirt, his tenacious demeanor reflected that of the vicious mammal. Playing his energetic tracks “Farout” and “Me Boi,” his passionate storytelling meshed with DJ Fundo’s mixing were nothing short of hype. 

Wasting no time at all, Ant and Plain Ole Bill spun the crowd right onto Lake Street, literally. The house lights went black and a piano-driven beat dropped. Slug emerged from the corner of the eerie lit stage–stepping into Hell possibly? Or maybe a little North of it? You be the judge:

Atmosphere didn’t pause to chat it up with the crowd as Slug jumped quickly into their lyrical history. Covering everything from their days before Rhymesayers Entertainment with “God’s Bathroom Floor,” to their latest single “Kanye West,” Slug’s poetic lyricism meshed with the cohesion of Ants classic mixes created an exciting evening. 

Rooted in northwest hip hop culture, Atmopshere’s music consists of heavy lyrical content over alternatively influenced beats. No better example would be the track “Flicker,” from their eighth studio album Southsiders. Written in memory of label mate, fellow rapper, and close friend Eyedea, Slug’s emotional performance was met with a see of flickering lighters and cell phone screens. While the rest of the show Slug is backed by Ant and Plain Ole Bill on the 1s and 2s, Slug is left alone for this one with just the background track playing. This choreographed move makes for a meaningful tribute to their lost Minneapolis brother.

Closing the night, Dem Atlas joined Slug center stage to trade off freestyles–A signature move that is the mark of this true hip hop legend.

Checkout some photos from the show below.

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