The first band was Sweet Chariot. This trio from Iowa City kicked off the night by playing an almost all-instrumental set. In the span of about 25 minutes, there were only two shouted verses. However, the lack of vocals were compensated with great usage of cowbell. Always need more cowbell.

The next band was another Iowa City trio, Blizzard at Sea. Although their extensive songs felt a little dragged out, their slick-mustached frontman was relentless on guitar. Also, his death metal resembling screams complimented their heavy music very well. Overall, I was really impressed with this band.

Big Box followed. I recognized their drummer as the same drummer for Nerv last night here at Gabe’s, and their vocalist also plays in Supersonic Piss. These guys played a more traditional hardcore, which seemed out of place considering the other bands’ progressive style. Rather than long songs with complex instrumentals, they play short and fast songs. I’m not saying that’s bad at all, but the seemed out of their element at this concert.

The doom metal of Little Rock, Arkansas – Pallbearer was finally up. First of all, these guys looked like they’d fit right in on Duck Dynasty. Secondly, they killed it. The duel guitar solos of Devin Holt and Brett Campbell were incredible. Joseph Rowland’s bass was simply entrancing, and Mark Lierly’s drumming kept it all together. Campbell also had a surprisingly soft-spoken singing voice. In a split second, they were able to go from slow to fast, and soft to heavy. These guys have a lot of talent.

The great part about progressive metal is that the genre is home to a lot of great musicians. If they weren’t any good, they wouldn’t chose to play 10 minute long songs with intricate solos. If you have the patience for their  lengthy songs, you can be rewarded with great music.

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Mission Creek Festival Announces Additional Artists

Featuring: Divine Fits, Mucca Pazza, Pallbearer, JEFF the Brotherhood, Mister Lies, Ital, Pete Swanson, Future Rock, Pujol, Container, and more

The Mission Creek Festival is excited to release the second announcement of artists performing at this year’s festival. New acts scheduled to perform include supergroup Divine Fits, 30-piece punk marching band Mucca Pazza, rising metal group Pallbearer, and rock duo JEFF the Brotherhood. Other new additions are Mister Lies, Ital, Pete Swanson Future Rock, Pujol, Container, and Iowa-based artists Har-di-Har, Gloom Balloon, Mirror Coat, Ex-Action Model, No Coast, and Gem Jones.

This new announcement accentuates the festival’s commitment to artistic diversity. Recently formed indie-rock supergroup Divine Fits is comprised of Spoon’s Britt Daniel, Wolf Parade/Handsome Furs’ Dan Boeckner, and Sam Brown from the New Bomb Turks. Underground metal band Pallbearer is touring in support of their critically acclaimed debut album Sorrow and Extinction (named Pitchfork’s #1 Metal Album of 2012). Mucca Pazza, a 30-piece circus punk marching band from Chicago, brings their wild and exuberant music to The Englert Theatre.

These new acts join a lineup that already features headliners Grizzly Bear, Deerhoof, Iris DeMent, Tig Notaro, and Killer Mike. Details for the festival’s literary events, food programming, and artists-in-residence series will be announced in the coming weeks.

Festival Dates:
April 2-7, 2013

Pass & Tickets Information:
All-Access Festival Passes ($125) are available now online at Midwestix and The Englert Theatre Box Office.

Confirmed Lineup Includes:
MUSIC/PERFORMANCE
Grizzly Bear, Divine Fits, Deerhoof, Iris DeMent, Tig Notaro, Killer Mike, JEFF the Brotherhood, Pallbearer, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, Owen Pallett, Exitmusic, Mucca Pazza, Ducktails, White Lung, Pete Swanson, Mister Lies, Emily Wells, Ital, Joe Pug, The Pines, Zammuto, Future Rock, Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, Frank Fairfield, Pujol, Snowblink, Container, Détective, Dave Moore, Wet Hair, Slut River, Douglas Kramer Nye, The Multiple Cat, Love Songs for Lonely Monsters, AWTHNTKTS, Har-di-Har, Gloom Balloon, Mirror Coat, Ex-Action Model, No Coast, Gem Jones, Chasing Shade, Big Box, Mumford’s

LITERATURE
Writers: Cornelius Eady / Roxane Gay / Amber Tamblyn / Patricia Smith / Jennifer L. Knox / Rachel McKibbens / Beau Sia / Matt Hart / Michael Kimball / Derrick Brown / M. Bartley Seigel / Matt Bell / Johannes Goransson / Aase Berg / Lindsay Hunter / Janaka Stucky / Lisa Wells

Presses: Granta / Cave Canem / n+1 / A Strange Object / Vice Magazine / Black Ocean / Write Bloody Publishing / Dzanc Books / The Collagist / Forklift, Ohio / [PANK] / Spork Press / draft / MAKE Magazine / The Iowa Review / Hobart / Rescue Press / Wag’s Revue / Perfect Day Publishing / University of Iowa Press / H_NGM_M / Futurepoem / Petri Press + more TBA

Festival Sponsors:
The 2013 Mission Creek Festival is supported by title sponsor University of Iowa Community Credit Union, and generous sponsorships from the City of Iowa City, Jim Beam, New Belgium Brewing, Iowa City / Coralville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Iowa City Downtown District, Little Village Magazine, M.C. Ginsberg, and New Pioneer Food Co-Op. Additional support provided by Catherine’s, Revival, and Aspen Dental.

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