“I kicked my guitarist out of the band like, two days ago… so f*** it! Let’s do it,” lead vocalist Lindsay Jordan cracked before her set. “And I got a new guitar! All for you guys.” She flashed her Fender with a glossy wood body.

After playing two familiar tracks, “Heatwave” and “Ben Franklin”, she remarked that she “felt like [she] was just in Iowa, [but] it’s been 2.5 years!” After a couple of slight hiccups, the band reached their full stride. Jordan kicked, shimmied, and grooved around the stage, interacting with bandmates, but always making it back to the mic on cue for her next line.

“This one is brand new, you haven’t heard this before,” Jordan quipped before starting the riff to “Thinning”. Her guitar strap snapped during the song. She continued to play the riff with no interruption someone from Englert’s production team swiftly replaced it. The audience cheered at the feat. The guitarist was without her strap for a few seconds, but when something goes wrong at a show, each second matters. Jordan and the stagehand’s combined experience ensured the show went on without interruption.

Banter was common between songs. After “Sailing (Forever)”, an eagle-eyed fan noticed the keyboardist using a banana as a shaker. Jordan squinted at the patron’s phone. “Guy… banana?” She asked. The audience member replied, “Nice banana!” The keyboardist told Jordan that “They’re talking about me.” “Oh,” Jordan replied dryly. “They’re talking about you at my show?” Laughter rippled through the audience. Jordan continued. “[The keyboardist] is my friend now. He didn’t used to be, but this next track is about him.” The song “Full Control” played next.

The keyboardist kept up. After the track, he challenged Jordan. “She can’t do pushups.” Jordan shook her head. “That’s bullshit. You wanna see?” Led by the keyboardist, the crowd counted as Jordan did ten pushups.

After playing “Headlock”, Jordan added a new twist to “Valentine”. Her pedal effect on the guitarist had a slashing sound to it reminiscent of the questioning chorus. Then they left the stage, never to be seen again.

A lone barstool stood on stage when Lindsay Jordan returned for the encore. “This is a song about friendship,” she said. “I rewrote this, like, 40 times so sometimes I don’t remember the right lyrics.” Her solo rendition of “c. et. al.” was a somber reflection embedded in a lively set. After the song, her backing band returned and unleashed a double track of “Dirt” and “Slug”, seamlessly connecting the songs into each other. To end the show, she played the crowd-pleasing “Pristine”. Unlike the lyrics, “It just feels like / The same party every weekend”, Snail Mail mixed up the city’s routine with a late-night concert at the Englert.

The stage is a playground for Lindsay Jordan of Snail Mail. She radiates an infectious bubbly energy that won over the audience during Mission Creek. Problems sprouted during the show, but the group was able to roll through them and connect with the audience. The group ran with the buzz Sudan Archives created for an impressive double feature Friday night.

The post Snail Mail brings guitar straps, friendship, and bananas to Mission Creek 2023 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Sunday November 2, Atmosphere brought their “North of Hell Tour” to Blue Moose Tap House.

Emcee Slug’s highflying rhymes more than pleased the eager Iowa City crowd—one that felt like home for the Minneapolis bred tandem. DJ Plain Ole Bill joined the group on stage, trading off tweaks & scratches with DJ/producer Ant.

The Rhymesayers extravaganza bill included Dem Atlas and Prof, both Minneapolis born, as openers for the legendary hip hop act.

Dem Atlas was the first to hit the stage. Positivity, screaming, and flailing dread locks created an electric energy on stage. The 22 year old emcee’s material consisted mostly of his Charlie Brown EP, culminating in a passionate performance of “All We Got”—a call to arms to today’s youth to stand up and fight for all that’s good and just in the world.

Rhymesayers Entertainment’s second act of the night was Prof who made sure to bring the party. Dressed in a honey badger t-shirt, his tenacious demeanor reflected that of the vicious mammal. Playing his energetic tracks “Farout” and “Me Boi,” his passionate storytelling meshed with DJ Fundo’s mixing were nothing short of hype. 

Wasting no time at all, Ant and Plain Ole Bill spun the crowd right onto Lake Street, literally. The house lights went black and a piano-driven beat dropped. Slug emerged from the corner of the eerie lit stage–stepping into Hell possibly? Or maybe a little North of it? You be the judge:

Atmosphere didn’t pause to chat it up with the crowd as Slug jumped quickly into their lyrical history. Covering everything from their days before Rhymesayers Entertainment with “God’s Bathroom Floor,” to their latest single “Kanye West,” Slug’s poetic lyricism meshed with the cohesion of Ants classic mixes created an exciting evening. 

Rooted in northwest hip hop culture, Atmopshere’s music consists of heavy lyrical content over alternatively influenced beats. No better example would be the track “Flicker,” from their eighth studio album Southsiders. Written in memory of label mate, fellow rapper, and close friend Eyedea, Slug’s emotional performance was met with a see of flickering lighters and cell phone screens. While the rest of the show Slug is backed by Ant and Plain Ole Bill on the 1s and 2s, Slug is left alone for this one with just the background track playing. This choreographed move makes for a meaningful tribute to their lost Minneapolis brother.

Closing the night, Dem Atlas joined Slug center stage to trade off freestyles–A signature move that is the mark of this true hip hop legend.

Checkout some photos from the show below.

The post Show Review: Atmosphere @ Blue Moose 11/2/14 appeared first on KRUI Radio.