My descent down the stairs was dark, until I entered the basement which bathed me in red light. An increasing number of people stood in front of the stage area.  J. Heuermann, who creates many flyers for the punk scene in Iowa City, performed first.

I had never heard a noise band before that night. It was a new experience, and a pleasant one at that; though I admit, it felt confusing at first. I initially thought issues with the sound system blared through the speakers. After the show ended, I realized the “issues,” were the music. After the fact, I appreciated it, even if it didn’t match my desire to dance (which is constant).  J. Heuermann’s set lasted only a few minutes before the crowd headed back outside to wait for The Inheritance.

The Inheritance: a self-proclaimed industrial, new-wave, and electronic band out of Chicago.

The heavy sound of this band was different than the other electronic music of the night, mostly because they were the most “conventional.” However, the electronic aspect is present in their music. I felt that a basement bathed in red light was perfect for their sound.

Once outside again, I stood by myself, looking at my phone and feeling a bit awkward. I wasn’t feeling incredibly outgoing. The majority of the people huddled together in small groups, likely trying to get warm. It was freezing, and the fire had died out. This was a different feeling than I have had at other shows. Whether a result of my being shy, the space, or the small amount of people that I knew there, I don’t know and attributing it to one thing would be difficult and unfair.

Last for the night was the band Heavvypetting, which I loved. The band included the host for the night, Jack Dugan, and, and Paul Osgerby. During the performance, Jack Dugan hit a plastic bucket onto some floor boards on the ground, painted with symbols.  This produced one portion of their sound, which was something like an electronic noise band. In addition to the plastic bucket, their set included a step stool and sound board. Paul drummed on the step stool while the electronic beat from the sound board played in the background.

Their sound was something like an electronic noise band, which is unlike anything I’ve heard before. The performance of their set has to be seen while heard, considering the creation of the noise is art in its own way.

The short set ended and we all meandered into the cold for the last time. A lot of groups stayed to talk and sit around the burned-out fire, which stood as a symbol for the dying party as people ventured into downtown Iowa City. I left shortly after talking to a few people about the show and the others that were upcoming.

Though the house shows in Iowa City typically feature relatively similar audiences, a new space, of which I’ve never been, can cause a sense of anxiety and exclusion. I believe this is simply because I don’t know the details and “rules” of the venue. I didn’t really know what kind of music I should expect. I do admit that I am usually relatively nervous attending any house show, or any concert really.

However, considering my increased anxiety over a brand new venue, perhaps the same theme from my first installment of Home is Where the Art is persists: the idea that the literal home is a factor in the level of comfort. I already stated that the privacy of a home causes anxiety in an extremely social situation, like that of a show, but maybe it’s exacerbated by the frequency of attendance at the venue.

I left feeling thankful for the exposure to new styles of music and facing a crowd of mostly acquaintances. Perhaps, the courage to meet new people and venture outside of your comfort zone is the first step to being inducted into a scene or venue.

Unfortunately, two out of the three bands mentioned are rather unknown, as well as unconventional; I cannot provide links for you to listen Heavvypetting or J. Heuermann. I believe that simply listening is not enough anyway. The performance is incredibly important. However, J. Heuermann was featured in Little Village about his flyers, and you can check out that interview here.

The featured photo was taken by me, at this venue, and shows Heavvypetting’s set.

The post Home is Where the Art is: Iowa City’s House Show Scene appeared first on KRUI Radio.

On Tuesday night, Gabe’s played host to a trio of electronic and experimental musicians for the first night of Mission Creek shows. Countless beards were present.

Local musician Brendan Hanks kept the show’s first hour light with a string of bass-heavy, danceable tracks. An initial scattering of neck-bearded, middle aged men quickly diversified as the infectious beats lured in a larger crowd, with Hanks and his laptop pulsating at the center.

Hanks, a 31-year-old sporting neatly-trimmed stubble, has been playing with digital noise for well over five years.

“My music grew out of a failure of trying to start a band,” Hanks said before the show. “I was okay at guitar but I could never find a drummer. I started looking into electronic drums, and I really got into Nine Inch Nails…it kind of spiraled from there.”

He describes the Mission Creek gig as a comeback.

“I used to do stuff as Ex-Action Model. A few years ago I was more active than I am now, but I’ve got some ideas for a release later this year.”

John Bohannon took the floor as Ancient Ocean shortly after 9:00 pm.

The moderately-bearded Brooklyn musician’s extensive lineup of effects pedals showcased his talent at creating droning, spine-tingling soundscapes, bringing to mind strange creatures and primitive waters when coupled with his stage name. The crowd coasted along on shimmering guitar crescendos and otherworldly, but relatively-peaceful, vibes.

Then Ben Frost and his wild Australian beard took the stage.

Frost’s opening salvo sounded something like an electric guitar being thrown into a herd of angry elephants. The second floor of Gabe’s became a digital cradle, riding shockwaves of destructive bass and clanging scrap metal (metaphors hyperbolic, yet perfectly accurate).

Lighter gasps of electronic noise provided the occasional breath of fresh air, but dark vibrations ruled the night. Animalistic growls burst out unexpectedly toward the end of the set, causing many fans to recoil visibly before regaining position (direct description from my notebook: “audience shredded by tigers. Fused back together like Frankenstein’s monster”).

This show, like all others on Ben Frost’s current tour, was a complete performance of his 2014 album Aurora.

The music may conjure any number of mental images or themes, but after the show, Frost insisted that “there is no correct answer. I don’t want to dictate what people hear.”

“When you put something out, it’s not really yours anymore,” he said. “But that’s the beauty of it. Creating music is a job like anything else, and letting your listeners decide what they’re hearing is a beautiful thing.”

Frost has toured the United States before, but Mission Creek was his first show in Iowa City.

“Your bookstores are incredible,” he said. “You often hear things about certain cities that are greatly exaggerated, but not this city. It’s a very literary place and I’ll definitely be taking some extra cargo home with me.”

One last, unexpected artistic connection surfaced as Frost packed up his gear.

“The highlight of my career is when Eric Wareheim came to one of my shows in LA and we hung out together,” he said. “By far one of the largest influences on my work is the art of Tim and Eric.”

Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim are a comedy duo known for their Adult Swim productions and nightmarishly off-kilter video aesthetic. Wareheim, often seen with a shapely beard, has become an acclaimed music video director in recent years, having worked with artists including MGMT, Major Lazer, Charlie XCX, and Beach House.

“Eric told me he’s going to do a video for my next album,” Frost said. And perhaps with tongue slightly in cheek: “It’s a certainty. He has no choice.”

You heard it here first.

Check out Brendan Hanks and Ancient Ocean on Soundcloud. You can grab Ben Frost’s Aurora on iTunes. Here’s “Venter,” the sixth track on the album.

Keep it on KRUI 89.7FM for all of your Mission Creek coverage this week!

The post Mission Creek: Ben Frost @ Gabe’s 3/31/15 appeared first on KRUI Radio.