Three great acts of midwestern variety shook the walls of The Mill Tuesday night on the opening eve of Iowa City’s Mission Creek Festival of 2012 during the KRUI Pizza Party.

Shows at Gabe’s and The Mill fired the opening salvo for the six-day long event featuring speakers, musicians, writers, and artists from around the country spread around Iowa City like Oasis hummus over the course of the festival.

The Parlour Suite, Like Pioneers, and The Poison Control Center divided and conquered the crowd.  The Mill provided the pizza.  It was indeed a party.

After delicious foodstuffs, Minneapolis-area trio The Parlour Suite kicked off the tunes with its set of retro surf rock and floating vocals, performing a few tracks off its upcoming (April) release of the “Everyone’s Looking” album.

Among the happily brooding jams was the upcoming album’s title track, “Everyone’s Looking.”  Joel Roberts on guitar and radiant wife Inga Roberts on vocals (and keys) sounded like they came right off a Quentin Tarantino movie soundtrack, and by jov they might have!  The Parlour Suite takes Tarantino-favorite and surf rock legend Dale Dick as a heavy inspiration for their sound.  And drummer Josh Perez moves the tunes standing up while delivering rhythm with emphatic body movement.

Later on in the night the crowd welcomed Like Pioneers, a Chicago-based pop rock ensemble that likes to “come to [the song’s] hooks from the back,” says guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist Jesse Wohgin.  The group of Wohgin, guitarist and vocalist Bobby Gallivan, bassist and vocalist Janie Porche, drummer Matt Holland, and bassist Dan Radzicki aspire to find a pop rock sound while taking unconventional musical avenues in their songwriting to get there.

Despite some technical difficulties with the band’s amps and guitars at a few points during the show, this was my favorite act of the night.  Some of their melodies are memorable even to first-time, casual listeners.  My opinion now or then does not and did not matter, however, as the high majority of the audience leaned toward the night’s featured group, waiting for a chance to break into The Poison Control Center.

The Iowa-rooted and Ames-based group took the already lathered attendees of the night onto more unstable ground with its energizer rock creation of frenetic guitar solos, loud and intense vocals of sometimes dark, humorous lyrics, and impatient, bullish drumming that seemed to keep the chaotic operas moving toward a sinister fever pitch.

By the time the group got to its super extended encore of hit “Magic Circle Symphony,” lead man Patrick Fleming’s gray shirt had taken on another color of sweaty stank.  Clearly, these veterans of the Iowa music society put their passion into the mics every time they take the stage.  Please stay hydrated, guys.

What better way to start Mission Creek 2012 than with a buzz in your ear on a Tuesday night, plenty of upcoming shows to froth over, and having already endured some serious seismic seizures of musical fun and stimulus?  That question has no answer.  Welcome to the week!

The post Show Review: KRUI Pizza Party with The Poison Control Center, Like Pioneers, and The Parlour Suite appeared first on KRUI Radio.

On Tuesday, March 27 at 2 PM, Like Pioneers stripped down two songs and performed them for KRUI in the Mission Creek Lounge at Public Space One. The Chicago group discussed their forthcoming album, Oh, Magic and talked about their future plans.

Listen to Like Pioneers’ performance here:

The post In-Studio: Like Pioneers — 3/27/12 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Tuesday marks the beginning of Iowa City’s version of the everywhere, every sound, and every taste Mission Creek Festival lasting through Sunday, April 1.  Get your fill of eclectic spill. The Mission initiates in no better way than with shows at Gabe’s and The Mill!

Mosey on down to The Mill (120 E. Burlington Street) at 7 p.m. Tuesday night for the KRUI Pizza Party with great decoration as chair covers and linens, featuring The Parlour Suite, Like Pioneers, and The Poison Control Center.

$3 buys you:

• Pizza from The Mill starting at 7.
• •The graceful, floating vocals and throwback guitar playing of The Parlour Suite at 8 PM!
• •The carefree, jubilant ballads of Like Pioneers at 9 PM!
• •The fun and funny rocking anthems of The Poison Control Center and its extended instrument ensemble at 10 PM!

The post KRUI Pizza Party Kicks Off Mission Creek appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Minneapolis band The Parlour Suite‘s Joel and Inga Roberts describe their sound as “vintage surf-rock”. The husband and wife duo will be releasing their latest effort, Everyone’s Looking, on April 13.

Like Pioneers are a seven-piece indie pop/rock band from Chicago. Their forthcoming release Oh, Magic (out May 22) explores “a year spent collectively dirtying a clean slate”.

The Poison Control Center are Iowa rock royalty as well as pros at winning fans over with the enthusiastic energy of their music. The group has been together in some capacity for more than a decade, and their Midwestern charm paved the way for many younger bands in the state to become successful on a national level. Their latest album, Stranger Ballet, is a perfect introduction to the band’s carefree, DIY musical aesthetic.

Recommended Track: “Porcelain Brain” by Poison Control Center

SHOW DETAILS

• What: KRUI Pizza Party with Poison Control Center, Like Pioneers, The Parlour Suite
• Where: The Mill
• Time: 7 PM pizza, 8 PM show
• Cost: $3

The show begins at 9 PM with Iowa City punk band Solid Attitude, which was formed by members of Viking Fuck.

Jeff Witscher has been recording electronic music under the moniker Rene Hell for years. He’s put out dozens of CDs and tapes on a number of different labels and under a variety of names. While his older projects used to focus on harsh noise elements, Rene Hell is a move toward more ethereal, airy drone and ambient pieces.

Recommended Track: “E.S. Grauens in Fifths” by Rene Hell

Finally, avant-garde composer Rhys Chatham will perform. Chatham, an American composer best known for his 100-guitar orchestra compositions, has lived in France since the late 1980s. He has written music for New York City’s Lincoln Center, La Nuit Blanche Festival in Paris, and more.

Recommended Track: “Un Chanson Si Vielle” by Rhys Chatham

SHOW DETAILS

• What: Rhys Chatham, Rene Hell, and Solid Attitude
• Where: Gabe’s
• Time: 9 PM show
• Cost: $10 in advance, $12 at the door

The post Mission Creek Daily Preview: Tuesday appeared first on KRUI Radio.