Yes, you heard me right, spring snow. Good ol’ April in the midwest.

As cold and blustery as it was outside, the serene music of Jamila Woods made the Englert a warm space to spend the closing night of the 2018 Mission Creek Festival.

I hadn’t really known much of Jamila Wood’s work before going to this concert, other than her captivating vocals on the chorus of “Sunday Candy” by Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment, a band featuring Chance The Rapper.

Even just the small snapshot of her unique voice that I got from that song immediately made me want to hear more.

During the concert, Jamila treated the audience at the Englert to “Sunday Candy,” but with her own personal twist.

The song was transformed from its lighthearted mood to one of deep emotion with a connected melody and underscoring drums and guitar that only enhanced the piano backing of the original version.

Collaboration between Woods and Chance has stayed strong, with Chance being featured on the song “LSD” from her new album HEAVN, released last year.

LSD can certainly undertake another, hallucinogenic meaning, but in the song’s case it stands as an acronym for Lake Shore Drive.

The well-known road stretches along the shore of Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago, where Jamila, the members of her band, and Chance The Rapper all hail from.

Much of the lyrics in Woods’ music originate from events in her own life.

Ranging from nationwide issues such as race, gender, social injustice, to more personal interests like Chicago, and even as specific as the mild sauce at Harold’s Chicken, as she divulged during the concert, inspiration can truly strike anywhere.

Chill songs with swanky beats may seem like an odd description, but I feel as though it pretty much encapsulates the tone of Woods’ music. The layering of sounds play a big part in HEAVN, with many of the tracks containing a dreamlike background of drums,  keyboard, and guitar that underscore the soulful timbre Woods’ voice.

Even though many of her songs are easy-listeners, they don’t come without intricacies. Woods plays with syllables, splitting words in several of her songs into interesting rhythmic breaks.

On stage, Woods was just as smooth as her vocals. Moving freely to the beats of the music, she infected the crowd with her calm vibe and graceful presence.

She even paused between songs to say goodbye to one of the members of the “amazing squad of girls dancing in the front,” as she called them, who had to leave the concert early.

Everything looked and sounded effortless. Behind that ease is a very powerful woman who spreads a message of love and equality through lyrics and the written word.

Woods has also gained a following through her poetry.

In fact, she read as part of the Mission Creek Keynote Reading at The Mill alongside authors Hanif Abdurraqib and Alissa Nutting the day before her performance.

Often, her written poems are integrated through lyrics or spoken word, as was the case with one song during the night that started with her reading out her original poem, Blk Girl Art.

The poem takes a meta approach, analyzing the meaning and effect of poems themselves. Words have endless power, and Woods takes that power into her work.

The post Mission Creek Festival: Jamila Woods @ The Englert Theatre 4/8/18 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Hailing from Chicago, singer-songwriter Jamila Woods will be in the Englert Theatre at 9:15 on Sunday, April 8th as a part of Mission Creek Festival. General Admission tickets are $15 and the ticket includes access to Ancient Posse at 7 PM and Psalm One at 8 PM.

Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, Woods used her love of poetry to launch her music career. Woods attended an online University and graduated with an online bachelors degree and Performance Studies.

Woods has published multiple poetry anthologies and is currently the Associate Artistic Director of the non-profit youth organization called Young Chicago Authors.

Woods’ inspirations include everyone from Erykah Badu to Kendrick Lamar. Woods’ beginnings singing in her church choir and her love of hip-hop influenced her musical style which incorporates traditional R&B with sampling and layered choral arrangements. All of this just serves as background to Woods’ beautifully smooth voice and crafty lyrics, however.

Woods is perhaps most well-known for her collaborations with Chance the Rapper on the songs “Sunday Candy” and “Blessings” from the rapper’s 2016 mixtape Coloring Book. Woods has also been featured on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ song titled “White Privilege II”.

One of the biggest songs of 2015, “Sunday Candy,” features Woods’ iconic hook interspersed between verses from Chance the Rapper as she says: “I’ve been waiting for you for the whole week/ I’ll be praying for you you’re my Sunday candy”.

Heavn, the debut solo album from Woods was released in 2016 to rave reviews from critics.

The way that Woods delves into heavy and political topics while maintaining the message through finely produced and upbeat songs is incredible. Woods’ voice is unmistakably unique and cuts through each track like a hot knife through butter.

The title track from Heavn features sputtering piano and drums that open the song until an upbeat and beautiful rhythm is unveiled and Woods opens the song with an interpolation of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven,” by saying:

“Show me show me show me how you do that trick/ the one that makes you love someone”. The song, while upbeat and catchy is actually about slavery, black history, and black love.

“Heavn,” is a quintessential example of how Woods can balance catchy songs with heavy-hitting lyrical topics. Her voice allows her this freedom and the contrast in her songs is stark.

The show at the Englert is sure to be a must-see for everyone, from hardcore fans to those that may have only heard one of her features on a song. She’s that great of a talent and is sure to impress.

The post Mission Creek Festival Promo: Jamila Woods appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Featuring: Built to Spill / Wye Oak / Jamila Woods (Reading + Performance) / Carrie Brownstein + Roxane Gay + Amber Tamblyn (In Conversation) / Julien Baker / Lidia Yuknavitch / Quinta Brunson and Friends / Margaret Glaspy / Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith / Algiers / Cakes Da Killa / Laurel Halo (Live + DJ Set) / Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib Xylouris White / Deb Olin Unferth / The Weepies/ Horse Lords / S. Carey / ONO / Alex Zhang Hungtai / Horse Feathers / Current Joys / Gordi /Kundiman / Lambda Literary / VIDA

IOWA CITY, IA – We are proud to announce that Mission Creek Festival will return to Iowa City April 3 – 8, 2018 for its 13th year, produced by The Englert Theatre. Join us for a week of performance, literature, and community-minded programming across downtown, stretching south to Big Grove Brewery & Taproom and north to Hancher. Full week passes for all six days of events will be available for $150, and — new this year — festivalgoers can purchase a weekend pass ($75 for access to events Friday through Sunday). Individual tickets to select shows will become available in January 2018. The lineup will be released and passes will go on sale simultaneously this Friday, December 8 at 12:30 p.m. CT.

The lineup reflects Mission Creek’s commitment to exploring and showcasing live performance, the literary arts, and radical community happenings.

Headlining this year’s festival are Carrie Brownstein + Roxane Gay + Amber Tamblyn (In Conversation) at The Englert Theatre. All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Girls Rock! Iowa City, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering creativity and self-esteem in young girls and trans-identified youth through musical instruction and expression. This event is co-presented by local literary speaking agency, The Tuesday Agency.

Mission Creek’s 2018 musical programming boasts a characteristically diverse range of artists and groups, weaving into the week many fast-rising and genre-defining artists across indie rock, singer-songwriters, electronic and experimental music, rap, and spoken word.

A feast for indie rock fans, this year’s music program will include Built to Spill, who have been at the forefront of the genre for more than twenty years; rising singer-songwriter Julien Baker, known for a confessional style landing her on multiple “best album” lists since her surprise debut album in 2015; and returning festival favorite Margaret Glaspy, who performed with Andrew Bird and Bridget Kearney at Mission Creek in 2017. Mission Creek will partner with University of Iowa student group SCOPE Productions to present soul singer-songwriter and poet Jamila Woods (performance and reading) and dream-pop duo Wye Oak.

In 2018, Mission Creek Festival will also feature avant-garde composer and master of the Buchla synthesizer Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, who paints “warm, absorbing and gorgeous” music ( Rolling Stone ); groundbreaking gay rapper Cakes Da Killa ; Atlanta post-punk/gospel/blues outfit Algiers ; World-music party band Xylouris White featuring Cretan lutist Giorgos Xylouris and Australian drummer Jim White (founder of chamber-rock band Dirty Three); and Bon Iver member S. Carey. The lineup will also have deep Iowa representation, including Iowa City-based, nationally-known indie pop outfit The Weepies, performing at Mission Creek for the first time; Extravision (Des Moines), Squirrel Flower (Grinnell), Sister Wife (Rock Island), Paul Cary, Purcha$e, Collidescope, Peanut Ricky & The Fiends, Elizabeth Moen, Jack Lion, Younger, and Hot Tang (all Iowa City). Comedian Quinta Brunson will perform with a roster of comics,comedian/satirist Bassem Youssef, who will perform, and Chef Dave Wieseneck (formerly Motley Cow Café) will return to prepare a special meal on the opening night of the festival (details forthcoming).

This year’s literary programming will be led by best-selling essayist Roxane Gay ( Bad Feminist, Difficult Women, Hunger); Carrie Brownstein, who chronicled her life in riot grrrl band Sleater-Kinney in the memoir Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl ; poet Amber Tamblyn. Friday and Saturday’s literary programming will now reside under Litscape , which includes the Lit Walk (formerly Lit Crawl), a book fair hosting independent writers and presses, ICE CREAM comics and zine fair, and readings and conversations. 2018’s Saturday keynote reading (sponsored by The Iowa Review) will present Lidia Yuknavitch, whose lyric memoir The Chronology of Water gained an online cult following; poet and singer-songwriter Jamila Woods, and poet/essayist/culture critic Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib ( They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us ,The Crown Ain’t Worth Much ). Additional readings from Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program graduates Sarah Viren, Lina Maria Ferreira Cabeza-Venegas, and Sandra Allen; and many more.

On Saturday, April 7, the festival will offer a series of free, daytime community events, including its Art + Life + Tech (ALT) speaker series, a book fair featuring literary magazines and small independent presses, the ICE CREAM comics and zine fair, a free rock show at Big Grove Brewery & Taproom, and other community happenings taking place downtown.

Festival Dates:
April 3 – 8, 2018

Pass & Ticket Information: 

Festival passes will be available for purchase beginning Friday, December 8 at 12:30 p.m. CST, online at missioncreekfestival.com or at the Englert Theatre Box Office. Individual tickets to select events will go on sale in January 2018.

Full Week Pass – $150
Our usual full week pass, granting access to all Mission Creek Festival ticketed performances (music, comedy). Entrance to ticketed events at The Englert Theatre and Hancher is guaranteed at all times. Entrance to other venues is subject to capacity. Special programs like culinary events are not included in the festival pass and require the purchase of additional tickets.

Weekend Pass – $75 (NEW THIS YEAR)
Introducing the weekend pass, friendly to folks with busy schedules or those traveling from afar. The weekend pass grants access to Mission Creek Festival ticketed performances (music, comedy) Friday through Sunday, subject to capacity at all venues. Special programs like culinary events are not included in either festival pass and require the purchase of additional tickets.

Confirmed Lineup Includes:
Performance – Music
Built to Spill
Wye Oak
Jamila Woods (Reading + Performance)
Julien Baker
Margaret Glaspy
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
Algiers
Cakes Da Killa
Laurel Halo (Live + DJ Set)
Xylouris White
The Weepies
Horse Lords
S. Carey
ONO
Alex Zhang Hungtai
Horse Feathers
Current Joys
Gordi
Paul Cary
Squirrel Flower
Younger
Peanut Ricky & The Fiends
Hot Tang

Collidescope
Extravision
Jack Lion
Mission: Beat
Sister Wife
Purcha$e
Dana T
Bstar
Elizabeth Moen

Performance – Comedy
Quinta Brunson and Friend

Bassem Youssef

Literature
Roxane Gay + Carrie Brownstein + Amber Tamblyn (In Conversation)
Lidia Yuknavitch
Jamila Woods
Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib
Deb Olin Unferth
Sarah Viren
Lina Maria Ferreira Cabeza-Venegas
Sandra Allen
Jesus Carrasco
Lyz Lenz
Brandon Taylor
Stephen Ira
Hafizah Geter
William Johnson
Cathy Linh Che
Helene Achanzar
Melody Gee
Kundiman
Lambda Literary
VIDA
The Believer
The Rumpus
Dorothy, a publishing project
Forklift, Ohio: A Journal of Poetry, Cooking, & Light Industrial Safety
The Iowa ReviewTwo Dollar Radio

Iowa Youth Writing Project

Rescue Press

Title Sponsor:
University of Iowa Community Credit Union

Little Village

General Festival Sponsors:
City of Iowa City
SCOPE Productions
Iowa City Downtown District
The Tuesday Agency
Iowa House Hotel
Big Grove Brewery
Iowa Public Radio

Event-Specific Sponsors:

The Tuesday Agency (Carrie Brownstein + Roxane Gay + Amber Tamblyn [In Conversation])
SCOPE Productions (Jamila Woods, Wye Oak)
The Iowa Review (keynote reading with Lidia Yuknavitch, Jamila Woods, and Hanif
Willis-Abdurraqib)

Grant Support:
Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

About Mission Creek Festival:

Mission Creek is dedicated to delivering a riveting 6-day artistic experience for our community that builds on the cultural geography and capital of downtown Iowa City. Programming focuses on music performances, literary readings, film screenings, public lectures, local food culture, and educational outreach. Nestled in the heart of downtown Iowa City, with most venues within a five minute walk of each other, Mission Creek thrives on intimacy and cross-medium experiences, turning music lovers on to new literature, writers on to new music, and expanding
appreciation of arts, community, and culture. Our focus is on quality, independent-minded sounds, words, and events. We are keen on emerging artists and embrace renegade spirits who have been around for years. Intimacy is integral to the Mission Creek experience: Our smallest festival venue fits 30 people and our largest holds 1800; but most rooms are in the 200-300 capacity range, allowing for visceral connections between artists and audience. The festival is presented and produced by The Englert Theatre, Iowa City’s 105-year-old historic
performing arts space.

Website: http://missioncreekfestival.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/missioncreekfestival
Twitter: http://twitter.com/missioncreekic
Instagram: http://instagram.com/missioncreek

The post PRESS RELEASE: Mission Creek Festival announces 2018 lineup appeared first on KRUI Radio.