By all appearances, Collins’ show — one of the very last appearing on the schedule of Witching Hour — shouldn’t have felt as big as it did. Armed with only one backing musician, one synthesizer, and the forty or so patrons watching in the Mill, the show seemed destined to be a modest affair.

Nonetheless, Collins’ energy was quick to infect everyone in attendance. At 11:12, he literally leaped onto stage and remained in frenetic motion until the show was over.

The hundreds of blurry pictures that I had to take of Collins before capturing one clear enough to share is as good a testament as any to his hummingbird-like restlessness. From line to line, Collins buzzed from end of the stage to the next, all the while leaning into the crowd as if he was trying to share a secret with us.

It was this – his outsized personality, his extrovert’s eagerness to communicate with the crowd – that made the show feel like a much bigger event than I had expected it to be.

Collins performed as if he were before an audience of hundreds. The dark and narrow confines of the Mill faded away before the radiant self-confidence that Collins evinced on stage.

Neither did the sparse backing arrangement turn out to be a problem. The sounds that came out of that lone synthesizer – big and dirty synths, heavy organ samples, 80s honky-tonk keyboards – had a monolithic simplicity that only added momentum to the performance.

Any gaps that were in the arrangement were filled by the flexibility of Collins’ style. A fluid, nimble rapper with a flow often described as melodic, Collins switched up the performance by sneaking his offhand, oddball observations about the audience and the room in between the rhymes.

During one breathless moment between tracks, Collins took a pause to boast. “This is my job.” Beaming, he then dove into a new unnamed track with the same cool, accomplished assurance that had carried him through the rest of the show. “Can you believe I’m at work right now?” If he ever felt like he was, he never it let it show.

Later, he offered the audience a question. “So what have we learned tonight? Do you, take care of other people…” He began to answer, until a drunken audience member interjected. “And fuck Donald Trump!”

“And fuck Donald Trump,” Collins echoed with a laugh. “Do you, and fuck everyone else.” The politics might be up for debate, but by the time the show came to an end, Kweku Collins’ message of total self-assurance felt unassailable.

The post Witching Hour: Kweku Collins @ The Mill 10/21/2017 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

As the third annual Witching Hour festival nears us, we must prepare for all of the talented acts that are coming our way this weekend. All the events will be taking place on Friday, October 20th and Saturday, October 21st.

So many events, so little time? Don’t worry. We’re listing the top ten events we think you should see here!

1. Public Art: The Creative Confessional [Workshop]: (Friday 3-5p.m. & 7-10p.m., Saturday 10am-1pm) Do you have an idea you’ve been too afraid to voice? A poem you’ve never shared with anyone? A secret love you’d like to confess? Well, now’s the time to lift these things off of your shoulders. On Friday in the Ped Mall, Jami Milne is hosting a free public portrait booth where you can confess anything your heart desires, and have a beautiful portrait taken of you. Speak your ideas into existence or set your secrets free.

   

2. DJ Spooky [Performance]: (Friday, 7p.m. – Englert Theater) DJ Spooky is one of the most unique performances at Witching Hour this year. As a composer, multimedia artist and writer, his work blends genres, social issues and cultures together to create an experience unlike any other, surprising and exciting audiences. His name, of course, also fits the vibe of the festival and month of October.
3. New Voices in Comedy [Performance]: (Friday, 7:30p.m. – The Mill) Come see an intimate performance from six of the best and brightest comedians from the Midwest while eating some of Iowa City’s best pizza.
4. Beach Fossils [Performance]: (Friday, 11p.m. – Gabe’s) As the headliner for Friday’s lineup, Beach Fossils is a show that you do not want to miss. The Brooklyn-based Indie Rock band recently released their third studio album and introduced a more focused, refreshing sound that will sweep you away into airy summer nights. Read a more detailed preview here. 
5. Doorway to Intuition: Gong Bath and Sound Healing Meditation with Doug Mills [Workshop]: (Saturday, 10a.m. – Englert Theatre) In the fast-paced world of college where we hardly have time to eat lunch, let alone meditate with zen bowl tehniques, take advantage of this opportunity to destress and reconnect with your mind and body after a tough week of midterms. Doug Mills will immerse you in the beauty and power of the gong, while you lay on the Englert Theatre stage and allow yourself to get lost in the sound surrounding you. 
6. Finding Honey in the Rock: A Workshop of Obsession [Workshop]: (Saturday, 12p.m. – RADinc.) For experimenting and experienced writers alike, this workshop will ask you to consider your favorite topics of writing that you cannot seem to step away from. Here, you’ll learn how to overcome writers block and to find fresh ideas in areas of writing that you’ve always had an infatuation with.
7. Variations [Performance]: (Saturday, 5:30p.m. – Englert Theater) Enjoy a discussion and performance by Tricia Park, esteemed Korean violinist. Park has performed in many renowned venues such as the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall and was named one of “Korea’s World Leaders of Tomorrow”. Come listen to her “achingly pure sound” (The Toronto Star) and learn about her creative process.
8. Jak Knight [Performance]: (Satruday, 7:30p.m. – The Mill) Come laugh with Jak Knight, a comic on the

   

   rise, who has received high praise already in his young career. Knight was named a 2014 Comedy Central Comic to Watch and a 2015 New Face at the Montreal JFL Festival. Enjoy his hilarious bits and again, eat some great pizza.

9. Kweku Collins [Performance]: (Saturday, 11p.m. – The Mill) Armed with poetic lyrics and Afro-Latin instrumentals, Kweku Collins is a rising rap star. He has received acclaim from Pitchfork and Billboard and is just getting started. Read a more detailed preview here.
10. Yves Tumor [Performance]: (Saturday 12a.m. – Gabe’s) As the last performance of the entire festival, Yves Tumor is prepared to knock you off of your feet. Tumor’s whimsical dance music is entrancing and multi-layered, and he is known for his elaborate live performances. Get ready to dance during the whole thrilling performance.

This list of ten events is just to get you started – enjoy the endless exciting performances, workshops and interactive events that Witching Hour is the proud home of. Check out the schedule and if you still haven’t bought your pass! It’s not too late!

Happy Witching Hour week!

The post KRUI’s Must See Witching Hour List appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Following a widely successful EP in 2016, Collins’ second album “grey” is taking off, earning a 7.6 on Pitchfork and gaining respect in the music industry. Kweku Collins is a force to be reckoned with. You don’t want to miss your chance to see him live Saturday, October 21st at The Mill at 11pm.

Just three years ago, Collins was beginning his senior year of high school in Evanston Illinois, one of those Chicago suburbs that natives choose to disregard by simply saying “I’m from Chicago”. During

high school, Collins applied to colleges, but that was always his “plan B”. He’s been around music his entire life, learning from his musical family and joining his father onstage to play African drums at age four.

He decided to make his own mixtape his sophomore year of high school, when becoming a full-time musician turned into his dream. He went out on a whim and emailed the mixtape to the independent hip-hop label, Closed Sessions, and they quickly signed him. Now, instead of taking exams, Collins is writing, producing and performing for huge crowds.

But he’s still that Midwestern teenager at heart, staying grounded through his success – “It’s very humbling, because you can’t look at these opportunities as automatic” (Pitchfork).

Collins’ poetic lyrics stem from his experience in high school on Evanston High’s poetry team, which participated in impressive competitions. His extensive experience with poetry is what fuels his writing process, making lyrics the utmost important element. Many songs are introspective, posing

questions that many teenagers can relate to. Lyrics within songs can be chopped up to stand on their own as poems: “You had hair like the sun/A thousand souls set aflame/You had a name sound like fire/Feels like your eyes burn the same” (“Aya“), and “I was born/In a city of arms/A velvet teen sign/Doing the running man/From there, I evolved/As anyone does, who knows the other hand/And we’re one of the lucky ones” (“Lucky Ones”).

These clever and striking lyrics are what make Collins beautiful to listen to, because we are hearing him sing from his soul.

Songs you should know before the show:

“Youaintshit (Shine On) [feat. Sylvie Grace]” – this track is much softer than its title suggests. It is full of aching violin strings and trickling guitar melodies that’ll sweep you up in the story of the song. “When the rain don’t say much, yeah/And the sun don’t fall on you/It just ain’t no way around/Only love can restore you”.

“Lonely Lullabies” – as the single off of his 2015 EP, “Lonely Lullabies” is the song that Collins chose to break into the hip-hop world. With a melancholy piano melody and catchy chorus, this track is a crowd-pleaser that you’ll want to be able to sing along to.

Collins has landed gigs at several big festivals recently such as All Things Go in DC earlier this month, and Lollapalooza this past summer in Chicago, garnering a big homecoming. He had a streak of five shows with rock band, Whitney, expanding his reach over multiple genres.

His next stop is the Witching Hour Festival right here in Iowa City on October 21st. Take advantage of the opportunity to see this rising artist – get your ticket here.

The post Witching Hour Preview: Kweku Collins appeared first on KRUI Radio.