Just 15 minutes outside Iowa City is a beautiful new space that holds a lot of promise for the lively musical scene in eastern Iowa. At Centennial Park in North Liberty is the shiny Hy-Vee Ampitheater which has the space and scenery to be a must stop for bands and fans alike. Folks lined up with blankets and chairs to set up across the sprawling grass for a great evening of music in their backyard with Anthony Worden and The Illiterati and Gin Blossoms.

Anthony Worden is an Iowa City native who has been in the scene for over a decade. Recording his first album, Ideal Conceptions of the Beautiful and Good, at Flat Back Studios in Lone Tree, Iowa, it has been a homegrown adventure from the start. His unique sound rings up memories of yacht rock harmonies and touches of more classic rock contemporaries like The Hold Steady. Playing tracks off his latest album, 2024’s Plain Angels, Anthony Worden was a warm and welcoming sound as neighbors settled in.

Following the Iowa City local was the headliner, Gin Blossoms. Traveling back into Iowa after playing in Des Moines just three days prior, they were greeted with a rush of fans to the barricade during the second song. Hitting off strong with the duo of “Competition Smile” and “Learning the Hard Way”, their impressive catalogue was on full display. The Tempe natives played tracks spanning their whole career with showings from their earliest days like “Lost Horizons” up until 2018’s Mixed Reality’s lead single “Break” was spun out. It was a hefty 18 song set that featured everything you’d want to hear.. and then some. Gin Blossom’s hit a killer four song combo on their way out, which frontman Robin Wilson prefaced with “it’s time to play everyone’s four favorite Gin Blossom’s songs”. Although I understand Wilson’s sentiment, I think he’s vastly undervaluing “29” and the jam band-esque version of “Hands Are Tied” heard on September 13th.

This four song finale, “Found Out About You”, “Allison Road”, “Hey Jealousy” and “Til I Hear From You” was a worth any chill you may have felt. The band fled off stage for a brief moment but reappeared before anyone could’ve gotten scared that they’d be gone for the night. An encore is a treat, and a two song encore is a treasure. Coming back out with a duo of covers is an unexpected move that I quickly became a fan of. Striking the irons first with “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash that featured solos from both guitarists Jesse Valenzuela and Scotty Johnson brought country twang to the cornfields. It was followed up by “Just Like Heaven” from The Cure’s 1987 record “Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me”, which is the year Gin Blossom’s began. A beautiful finish to their set on a lovely night in North Liberty.

Robin Wilson was engaged and energetic the whole show, speaking his appreciation to the crowd for their enthusiasm on a Sunday evening. There were young fans front and center, college kids jamming out, and adults closing their eyes and finding themselves back with learners permits in hands and summer jobs to get to. There was a very real connection between the audience, Wilson, and the band. It was felt to the point where high fives were exchanged between himself and crowd almost every song, spending a good chunk of time in the pit, and returned to it after the show to sign records and thank the fans one more time. A lot of people walked away with a smile on their face and a real memory of this evening.

Gin Blossoms continue their final leg on tour with Blues Traveler and Spin Doctors this week but you can find tickets to all their future dates here. This show was put on in partnership with Iowa City’s Englert Theatre, you can click here for more upcoming shows in the area and stay tuned for next year’s gigs coming through Hy-Vee Ampitheater!

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