Author Archive

We Built This City

I’m leaving Iowa City. For the vast lot of you who don’t know me, this means little. But after the most important six years of my life--and as an active community member in whatever journalistic and cultural outlets I could tap into--it’s kind of a big deal. Cue the nostalgic montage...

100 Percent

100 Percent

Henri Harper filled a difficult position at Iowa City's City High School for the last 11 years as the juvenile court liaison, helping students transition back into the classroom after personal and legal problems instead of letting them become part of a drop-out statistic. But in December 2007, after a series...

Antlers/Phantogram: Blue Moose Tap House, 4/21/10

Antlers/Phantogram: Blue Moose Tap House, 4/21/10

Photos by Zak Neumann If you’re going to make an album like Hospice, you have to deal with the consequences. The Antlers debut held a place in my top five records of last year, and for good reason: it’s one of those increasingly rare albums, you know, the kind that must be absorbed in full,...

Art w/o Borders

Features: April 2010 - Let’s talk about frames. Because if we start discussing “art,” many will picture rectangle frames bearing painted and processed works, stuck on the static walls of galleries or museums. A display, well defined. And in this part of a story about art, as we’ve learned to expect from journalism, the readers...
The Way of Tack

The Way of Tack

Features: March 2010 - There’s a disconnect between meeting Tim Tack–an Iowa City hip hop producer and PATV’s Assistant Community Programmer–and seeing Tack Fu, his alter ego, host of channel 18′s “85 dB TV.” But not what you’d assume. The former brims over with outsized energy for his professions, which he takes very seriously. And...
Drug Rug live on Little Village Radio 10/7/2009

Drug Rug live on Little Village Radio 10/7/2009

Drug Rug Live Performance + Interview, Little Village Radio, KRUI - Iowa City, October 7, 2009
Oasis Falafel's 5 Year Anniversary on LV Radio.

Oasis Falafel's 5 Year Anniversary on LV Radio.

Naftaly Stramer and Ofer Sivan, co-owners of Oasis Falafel, visit the studio to talk hummus hummus hummus... oh, and giving away 500 free sandwiches through their 5th anniversary blood drive with the UIHC. [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Little Village Radio 9/30/09 [...]
UI Breakers on LV Radio: 9/23/09

UI Breakers on LV Radio: 9/23/09

I.O.W.A. – the UI Breakers’ second annual break dancing jam – takes place Oct. 3 at the IMU, but Little Village Radio had founding member Chuy Renteria on last week for a discussion of b-boying’s past, present and (they hope) future. It also features a hidden Sprite Remix reference, if that entices you further. [Audio clip:...

Little Village Radio: The Blue Calendar (7/29/09)

Little Village friend Tara Atkinson, aka The Blue Calendar, was on LVRadio this week to play an in-studio track and talk about the plight of the basement-tapey upstart musician. (Other great tunes by singer-songwriter types were also enjoyed). Check it out below! [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Little Village Radio 7/29/09 (mp3 download)...
Little Village Radio: Pitchfork Edition!

Little Village Radio: Pitchfork Edition!

Okay, so it’s a little late. But LV-ers Paul Sorenson and John Schlotfelt’s discussion of the Pitchfork Music Festival still contains ageless tunes and wisely wise wisdom (they would hope). Check it out here: [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Little Village Radio 7/22/09 (mp3 download)

Euforquestra on Little Village Radio

A sneak peak at Euforquestra's new album "Soup" on Little Village Live
LV Radio Podcast - Ben Hansen - 7/8/09

LV Radio Podcast – Ben Hansen – 7/8/09

[Audio clip: view full post to listen] Little Village Radio 7/8/09 (mp3 download)

LV Radio Podcast – Steve Grismore and Jazz Fest – 7/1/09

[Audio clip: view full post to listen] Little Village Radio 7/1/09 (mp3 download)

Man with a Plan

Here’s what promoter Tanki Nyane wants out of IC: Local hip hop pinned down, weathered posters of emcees competing with indie rockers, people strolling down Clinton Street on their iPods listening to Animosity and his future brethren. Nyane wants to clog the Iowa rhyme drain, build a scene worth cultivating, drop “Iowa” and “hip hop”...

We Can't All Be Snappy Dressers

I’ve never been able to dress myself. I know the singsong directions about which limb goes in which hole, that the tag goes on the inside of your shirt, and all those other Puritan rules. I get it, okay. But when people talking about clothing as an extension of power, of a critical element of...