Though I generally try to be as close to the stage as possible, I decided to sit up in the balcony which was designed by UK based specialists. The bird’s eye perspective was a nice change, and I welcomed the personal space of a seat rather than a sweaty mosh pit. This show pulled the biggest crowd of any I attended. It wasn’t hard to find a seat when the doors first opened, but practically every seat was filled by the time Kurt Vile and the Violators came on.

The backdrop on the stage was created by crinkly tan fabric, or at least that’s my best guess; when hit by different lighting effects, it looked a bit like a Colorado mountainside. The varied lighting throughout the show created some really awesome visual moments. I also noticed how balanced the band sound was, which was impressive in such a large venue.

Purling Hiss usually performs as a three-man band, but for this tour the lead man Mike Polizze worked alone. With the help of a looping pedal, he created the set with three instruments and many distortion pedals. Purposeful feedback made for some unique, white noise-style music–as someone programmed to wince at feedback, it took a very open mind to enjoy some of the squeakiest moments. The amp was cranked up incredibly loud; his performance was the highest volume I’d encountered all week.

Before changing instruments between songs, Polizze would record a short riff and let the looping pedal create a transition. The repeating clips reminded me of the phenomenon of repeating words over and over until it takes on a new meaning; strange, but artistic. Everyone sat through the set, which included songs like “Run From the City” and “My, My, My” from Purling Hiss’ new album.

Polizze either wasn’t very invested in the Iowa City show, or sensed that everyone was anxious to hear the headliner, so he nonchalantly added, “all right, I’ll get this over with” and shortly left the stage.

Kurt Vile & the Violators sauntered onto the stage with red solo cups in hand. Vile used the microphone for strange “yip” and growling noises over trippy synthesizer, so I really didn’t understand what was going on. Everyone was still sitting through the first song, which definitely created a low-energy vibe. Vile picked up on this and said dryly, “oh please, just make yourself comfortable.” The floor crowd then stood and people filled the pit.

Vile was a very quirky performer, but I really enjoyed the laid-back, chill vibe of the music. He kept his long, brown curly hair in front of his face for most of the show, somewhat like Sia, but with a 80’s grunge twist. I was excited to notice a whammy bar in real life for the first time, rather than just in Guitar Hero.

As soon as Vile finished each song, he would practically jump rope out of his guitar strap, hold it out, and switch with the tech guy into a new instrument. I was very impressed by Vile’s guitar technique; his vocals weren’t anything crazy special, but he was a solid, honest performer sounding almost exactly like his recordings.

My favorite moment of the concert was during a long instrumental break: the lights were flashing between many different effects, the crowd was moving and grooving, and you could just feel the performer’s passion in their music–it was the kind of moment I wish I could live in forever.

After the encore set, Vile gave a subtle wave and walked off. See you next year, Mission Creek.

The post Mission Creek: Kurt Vile & The Violators @ The Englert Theatre 4/10/16 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Most of the tables were enjoying dinner when I arrived, so I decided to order some nachos; they were awesome. As a vegetarian, it was lovely having a wide selection of menu items for once! The organic, vegan nachos were delightfully flavorful and fresh. I also appreciated the mason jars used for water glasses. No surprise that Trumpet Blossom was featured for one of the Mission Creek dinners!

Paul Metzger took the stage and played a 12-string banjo for about 45 minutes–without stopping. He used many of his own creative techniques to pull interesting sounds out of the instrument. The timbre he created was often similar to a sitar, especially when he used a violin bow.

Since the set was straight music on a simple, intimate stage, the focus was entirely on the music. Metzger had raw, innovative talent; I’ve never seen anything like his banjo technique. During extremely dissonant notes, he would often shake his head quickly back and forth so that his beard would dance with the music. It was easy to tell how passionate he was in his free-form playing.

Since it was such a serious, focused performance, there was not a word spoken during his entire set. The only other sounds were occasional clinks from the bar or rustling of chairs. Overall, people were intently focused on Metzger’s rapid fingers. He thanked the audience with a quick word, and left the stage.

After a short intermission (where I could finish my crunchy snack with disrupting my neighbors), Glenn Jones took his place center-stage. Right off the bat he showed his incredible technique on acoustic guitar. As someone in the beginning stages of learning guitar, I was completely blown away.

When Jones switched to banjo, he explained that he had been scared of Appalachian-style playing rules for so long that he had not attempted banjo; after watching Paul Metzger awhile back, he decided to get a banjo and “do whatever the hell [he] wanted with it.”

However, he also remarked that banjo is not a well-loved instrument. While looking for a banjo mute on tour, a man in a Michigan music store said, “I think a sledgehammer is the best mute for a banjo.” That man should’ve heard Jones’ performance; I bet he’d change his mind.

An emotional moment during the performance came about with a song called Mother’s Day. Jones revealed his disgust for “Hallmark Holidays” created to take advantage of consumers, but Mother’s Day is now a mournful reminder of his mother’s passing. He was writing the song when he got the call that she had passed, so he knew that particular song “would always be evocative of that moment.”

Jones complimented the Mission Creek sound tech, saying this was one of the best shows of the tour. The show was mellow, but I was incredibly impressed by both of the performers’ talent.

One of Jones’ last songs was a banjo piece, dedicated to Paul Metzger. After Metzger’s set, he sat in the booth directly in front of me, so I snapped a cute picture to highlight their friendship. It was a good show with expressive, pure music–now I’m going to go practice guitar so that maybe one day I can be half as good as Glenn Jones.

The post Mission Creek: Glenn Jones @ Trumpet Blossom 4/8/16 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Maron’s show was opened by Odinaka Ezeokoli, a Chemistry major gone rogue. Ezeokoli opened with some funny stories about growing up in a super traditional Nigerian family. In a particularly witty line, he discussed the genetics of taxi driving that must run in his family, since his father is a typical taxi driver, and he now drives for Uber on the side.

Ezeokoli was candid and open, describing his time driving party busses full of bachelorettes, who he called “tipsy pterodactyls.” In fact, much of his set described the various odd jobs that he has taken to support himself while in pursuit of a career in comedy.

A few of Ezeokoli’s jokes fell flat– the very beginning of his set was unpolished and extremely racially charged. Some jokes felt like they went too far. However, throughout his bit his confidence grew and by the time he was bringing Marc Maron to the stage, the crowd was enraptured with him.

At Ezeokoli’s first mention of Maron’s name, the crowd in the Englert went absolutely wild. Some people stood up and started clapping, and others started to shriek like preteens at a One Direction concert. The sound of clapping and cheering when Maron took the stage was deafening.

Maron entered the stage calmly, with nothing but a Diet Pepsi and a Notebook in hand. He sat down on a solitary stool and just waited for the crowd to fall silent. When the theatre finally was quiet, a woman in the back shouted, “I LOVE YOU, MARC!” Maron graciously replied, “Aw, I love you, too.”

This was perhaps the most defining feature of Maron’s performance– his interaction with the audience. Whenever someone shouted towards him, he always had a witty retort. When anyone would get up to go to the bathroom, he would shout, “Hey, don’t be so sensitive! I could be so much worse!”

Maron’s set was brutally honest and raw. He talked about the life of a comic trying to get a start, and about failed marriages and relationships. “You know when you trust somebody? Why?” he said laughingly. It was dark and often depressing, but Maron put his satirical spin on it all and made it truly hilarious. In the same self-deprecating fashion, he had the running joke of pretending to be an online blogger who critiqued himself during the performance.

Maron’s best story was about the taming of the feral cats that live around his Southern California home. He weighed in on the futility of loving a feral cat and the prevalence of human denial in our daily lives. He recalled his near-death experience while running, and screaming “Not here!” at death.

Maron is wildly honest and self-deprecating to the point of embarrassment. He remained up close and personal with his audience throughout his performance, and his openness with his crowd made the set bold and truly hilarious.

Check out Marc Maron’s podcast and other endeavors on his website.

The post Mission Creek: Marc Maron @ The Englert Theatre 4/8/16 appeared first on KRUI Radio.