Note: More events are sure to be added as the festival approaches.
Check the Mission Creek blog for updated schedule information.

THURSDAY

Papadosio | The Yacht Club | 9 pm | $6

From The Yacht Club website:

…with an amplified message of transcendence, unity, and universal understanding, Papadosio’s mission is clear: To combine eclectic musical traditions with modern Electronica to stir the heart and fuel the mind.

Hell yeah, hippies, I’m down with you.

FRIDAY

Red Door Shorts | Public Space One | 7:30 pm | $5

Before you go dancing, enjoy some theater.  Red Door Shorts is a collection of locally produced, never-before-seen short stories and monologues, making their debut this Friday night at PS1.  See write up in the DI

Hot Club of Davenport | Java House | 8 pm | FREE
Ever been at a bar wanting to dance, but found yourself numbstruck by a DJ that plays some high minded electronica, or some collection of top 40 hip hop tracks? Like utter dead horse tracks? Off an iPod? Without even bothering to add transitions between the songs? Ever found yourself in that situation and sighed, oh, to live in a different time?  How about transporting yourself to the hayday of Gypsy jazz?  The Hot Club of Davenport is playing a free show at the Java House, and dancing in the aisles, snapping your fingers up in the air, clapping your hands, shouting and wooping is absolutely encouraged.

SATURDAY

Coolzey with Raashan Ahmad | Blue Moose | 9 pm | $6

Iowa City’s own Coolzey plays a homecoming show after spending the last month touring the wild west.  Coolzey is out in support of his new album, The Honey, with Om Records’ Raashan Ahmad.  Last week I declared Javelin’s “NoMas” the official album of spring 2010, and this week I’m declaring this Saturday’s show at the Blue Moose the hip hop event of the century.  Yeah… The century. I like that.  Also, if you listened to our radio show, last night I declared Mission Creek week the future greatest week of my life.  Watch out world.  SuperlativeMan gonna get ya.  I’m serious by the way.  Most serious person in the history of the world.  Yeah.  The history of the world.

Coolzey – He did

Raashan Ahmad – If I

Have a great weekend!
~LV

Local Albums: January 2010 – Zachary Lint Aka Coolzey has taken time off from home renovation and starring in zombie movies, to drop another CD of profound silliness. Or silly profundity–I’m not quite sure. Full disclosure: I’ve done some post production and mastering work for Zack in the past. But hey if you want someone who knows something about Iowa City music to write reviews, they’re probably going to know half the people they review somehow.

Anyhoo, given my lack of objectivity, you’ll just have to take my opinions with a grain of salt, or maybe a spoonful of honey. Oh snap, segue to “The Honey” and watch a stereoscopic Viewmaster slide show of how Coolzey rules his little patch of hip hop. Goofy easy listening intro *click* floaty strange chorus “take off all your clothes…” *click* “you coulda been valiant/mounted on a stallion/advancing on the palace/at the top of that mountain/battling batallions/of paladin assassins/mighty like a falcon dressed in medals and medallions” *click* and really the song is about appreciating the present moment. In rhyme, with jokes.

Coolzey sings a lot more on “The Honey” than he has on his past hip hop joint. “Look” is entirely sung, to a beat constructed from cut up cop show themes, sounding a bit like Beck, if Beck still had a talent for surrealism, and, y’know, gave a shit. “Let’s Flip” is a straight up party jam that proclaims “it’s time to Mop and Glow.” While I’m rooting for Coolzey to hit it big, I hope he never gets so big he has to license samples, because “Let’s Flip” would cost big bucks to clear, based on two highly recognizable bites, combined to make something close to a perfect beat.

“The Honey” is, for me, Coolzey’s most fully realized hip hop record. Partly it’s the deep craft that’s gone into his verses, partly it’s the cast of Iowa City local heroes (Ed Gray, Will Whitmore, Luther the Geek and many more) he brings in to deepen the music. But for a guy who can’t rock half a verse with without cracking wise, who makes beats by jacking the goofiest, least soulful sample he can find and making them bump, Coolzey is no joke.

The Woes

Heaven Knows

(Self-released)

With the Woes’ latest release, Heaven Knows, the New York collective has woven a pastiche of dusty folk, bluegrass, Delta blues, New Orleans jazz, a pinch of punk and vintage R&B into a surprisingly cohesive whole.

“The Secret” opens the album marching on a staccato bass line. It’s a set of colorful costumes away from rocking the French Quarter. “The Secret” would be a complete wreck in the hands of an amateur, but bandleader Osei Essed keeps the sundry elements in line. Essed highlights individual elements by harmonizing with the horn section, giving the accordion a bar here and there to open up a bit, and letting the harmonica player tear into a fiery solo. The tight structure of the song adds a punch to the touch of punk which seeps in, after each refrain a team of backing vocalists gnash on some “yeahs” like a chorus of cackling hyenas.

Not everything on Heaven Knows thrives on a rollicking, kitchen-sink aesthetic. The Woes light a few stripped down torch songs. “A Heart for Dreaming” stands out as the strongest with a mournful, minor key violin and haunting rustles of pedal steel guitar. It’s starts off sounding a little tear in the beer, bare and taught, with Essed’s laments and the violin taking the lead, before the drums really kick in and the violin knocks off some violent staccato stabs while Essed gets some catharsis howling out the chorus.

Yet, like a dormitory mattres, Heaven Knows gets sags a little in the middle. The Woes stuck “Broke Again (An Improvisation)” smack in the heart of the record to help bolster a live feel. However, the shambling mess of “Broke Again” seems less affable and playful with the weakest composition, “For Nothing,” nipping at it’s heels. The Latin-tinged barn-burner of “Sranan” and the raucous, vengeful “Hanging’s Fair” wrap things up on a high, energetic note.

The Woes will be at The Mill with Shame Train on Saturday, March 13.

Flip through the official festival guide for Mission Creek Midwest, 2010 – included as an insert in our March issue.

Since 1981, Open Mic with J. Knight has been an Iowa City institution, a place where up-and-coming talent shares the stage with long-established local musicians, where dorm room crooners become seasoned stage performers, and self-conscious songwriters to lyric poets of the night.

The man behind the music is J. Knight, a native of Dayton, Ohio, who planned to stay here for “just a couple of years” while his wife, Marilyn, attended the Writers’ Workshop. In 1985 they decided to stay for good, and J. kept what was quickly becoming the Midwest’s best-known open mic night going “to give people the chance to get onstage and play a real set, and to really get comfortable up there.”

So, what compels a man to host the same gig on the same night for more than 20 years?

He’s not in it for the money, and he’s not in it for the notoriety–only the madness of true love could drive a man out of doors at 10 p.m. on a bone-chilling 13-degree Sunday night, in February, to hang 50 fliers on the ped mall, on the North Side, all throughout the downtown area.

“This thing’s over,” he notes, ripping down a poster for an event two days past. J. is not one to cover another venue’s advertisement, and in the battle for kiosk space in the ped mall’s never-ending poster wars, he is a valiant and courteous, eh-hem, Knight. Playing the role of Excalibur is his staple gun, which smacks a dull echo into the cold air as he walks along, sharing memories of open mics past.

“The style of playing has really changed over the years,” J. explains. “It’s gone from a lot of rockers strumming rock chords on acoustic guitars to now, when we have so many good players playing really great instruments.”

For many years, J. handed every player at his Open Mic a cassette tape of their recording.

“It got to the point where I had to ask some of the younger ones, ‘do you know what this is?’” he laughs.

There’s hardly an Iowa City musician who doesn’t have an Open Mic tape stashed in some drawer or tucked away on a shelf.

“J. is the man,” notes guitarist and songwriter Tim Krein. “Everybody who plays gets to walk out with this tape, with their name calligraphied on the spine. It’s unbelievable, and it’s an important thing that he is doing, encouraging people and making them comfortable. He’s even put up with a lot of the crap that I’ve tried to play here!”

In addition to being simple, cool badges of Open Mic honor, the tapes give novice players an opportunity to hear where they need improvement, and work on their sound. Though sometimes, this learning opportunity doesn’t have exactly the desired effect.

“We had one girl back in the ‘80s who would come in and play these campfire songs. She always brought a big crowd of her friends and would pass out the lyrics for everyone to sing along. But she was one of these people whose guitar was always out of tune and who wasn’t quite on key…I thought the tape might help her hear some of those things. But later, when I asked her how she liked the tape, she just said ‘Oh, I loved it, it was great!’ Some people just aren’t going to hear those mistakes no matter what!”

Aaron Schaefer has been playing J.’s Open Mic once a month for at least 10 years. “For me it is a great way to unwind. I joke that some people play golf…I play at the Mill.” Aaron has collected over 100 Open Mic tapes over the years, and when J.’s tape deck was recently on the fritz, Schaefer was right there to offer another he had squirreled away in his garage.

Whether he’s got his tape recorder rolling or not, J. is content just to observe the action.

“It’s fun to watch people develop,” he says, “you can tell when they work at it. You get better if you get up and play–you get better at using the mic and playing to the crowd.”

Knowing how to please the crowd is key to a successful open mic–and just being the best singer or guitarist isn’t necessarily the way to win an audience’s heart. “We had one guy come in who played all Hank Williams covers. He had to use a book, he had an out-of-tune guitar, and he was not a great singer, but he believed in Hank Williams. He was so honest, the crowd just loved him.”

Whether it’s an original or a cover, playing songs that you believe in–and that you really know–is another way to be an open mic success.

“I open almost every show with Big River by Johnny Cash. I’m comfortable playing it, and it helps get me warmed up.” says J.

Attending the Mill’s Open Mic, one feels a part of an inclusive community of musicians, where all ages and abilities are welcomed into the fold by this twinkly blue-eyed, soft-spoken man. Performing on the same stage, with the same Oriental rug backdrop, in the same spotlight as the local and touring bands you pay to see at the Mill, adds to the sense that it’s a “real” show, and gives the players a feeling of legitimacy. This familiar atmosphere, where so many legendary shows have gone down over the years, connects the amateur with the professional in spirit, and for at least one night, we’re all part of your rock-n-roll fantasy.

Nik Strait, a frequent busker on the ped mall and a 15-year veteran of Open Mic night, credits J. with encouraging him to continue playing music.

“J. was the only person that would support me constantly,” he said. “Open Mic offers a real sense of community, and it’s a great way to de-stress.”

At no time was this sense of community more apparent than at the Mill’s “final” Open Mic night back in 2003. With a line-up of notables such as Aaron Schaefer, Laura Kittrell and the band Half Fast, this farewell bash was sad and fun and, well, obviously not the farewell it was expected to be.

“I got word halfway through the show that we were going to be able to stay open,” J. remembers, “but I didn’t say anything at that point, because I didn’t want to interrupt a great show!”

Many an Iowa City legend has swayed upon a lone stool on the Open Mic stage, from Greg Brown to Dave Moore to Kelly Pardekooper. But J. doesn’t like to drop names. “There are just so many great players in Iowa City, and I wouldn’t want anyone to feel left out.”

A formidable musician in his own right, with mad picking skills that could flatten a three-chord wannabe in seconds, J. often steps onstage himself throughout the night, joining in on harmonica or guitar. If you really wanna get his feet to tappin’? “Sing harmonies,” he says, especially gospel harmonies, like the ones he heard his older sister sing on the radio back in Dayton–but that’s another story.

Every thriving music scene has its unsung heroes–be it the booking agent, the sound guy, the promoter, the lighting technician. Or, be it the man who does all of these things, scheduling 30-minute sets for eight performers a week, running sound and lights, distributing promotional material, and reminding us all to “tip our waitresses, they’re working hard out there,” every Monday night for more than 20 years.

Our grateful city salutes the man who “always likes to play a little something first, and make a couple of mistakes so everyone feels comfortable.” Who has made it his business to champion the beginner, the new-in-town, and the just-passing-through. Musicians whose voices may break, whose chords may not always ring true, but who’ve practiced real hard and need to voice their break-ups, their drunken one-night stands, and their renditions of all-time favorite songs before a live audience.

I tip my hat to the man who’s made that happen every Monday since 1981, Iowa City’s beloved master of ceremonies and welcoming minstrel. Thanks for never laughing at us, J. Knight.

For Everyone

SIGN-BY-SIGN

ARIES ~ Decision. You know what’s at stake. Things must change, and soon. Your input is pivotal and in many cases, your decision will be final. You have to move very carefully to avoiding stepping on toes. You are bound to surprise and upset someone, though. Many, maybe even some of your closest friends and allies, are still not ready for this. You have to go ahead anyway. But there is enough flexibility in your relationships. They will weather this change. Some bitterness could linger, but everyone will eventually adjust, forgive and forget.

TAURUS ~ Between the raindrops. You sense the strain and worry as others fight to protect what is important to them during this difficult transition. Things could get emotional. You’ll need to keep things moving forward, even though you know people are upset and worried. With a little effort, you can also keep your own plans on track. Your personal focus, though, will be on healing. In the past, some things in your life cost you more than you could afford to pay, emotionally and otherwise. You’ll want to change those things.

GEMINI ~ Hot-spot. If you were expecting to sit out the latest round of controversies, think again. You’ll find yourself in the middle of it all, somehow. Whatever the issue at a given moment, tread lightly around your boss. He or she is dealing intensely with the same issues and might take what you say the wrong way. Diplomatic evasions might be your best option. Despite the tensions, or because of them, there could be the occasional romantic overtone, or undertone. If you let a flirtation turn into something serious, be prepared for complexities.

CANCER ~ Realism. Financially, you’ll have a surprising amount of room to maneuver, despite the economic challenges faced by key associates. Your economic initiatives will bear immediate fruit and enhance long-term prospects. However, you must be patient with employers, partners and other influential figures who are struggling mightily with tough issues that affect everyone, including you. There’s also a lot of garden variety confusion over what is to be done. A disciplined, patient approach is best. Efforts to resolve financial problems could stimulate romantic involvements and/or add complexity to existing relationships.

LEO ~ Charisma. You have an almost uncanny ability to make progress where others find obstacles and get answers when others are stymied. And while worry and struggle wear others down, the stuff going on just seems to enhance your personal appeal. Your seemingly magical ability to cope in these tough times adds to your charisma. That could easily attract romantic overtures. But new romantic ties could bring unforeseen responsibilities that you might find overwhelming. Try to remain romantically detached. Help others tap the power of new ideas in addressing their challenges.

VIRGO ~ End run. Avenues that seem blocked early in March will begin to open up by the end of the month. Progress could still be slow, however, and discussions lengthy. Your bargaining position is not as strong as you might hope and conditions on the ground are very complex. Fortunately, certain powerful figures are sympathetic to your cause and seem willing to lend a hand, although you might need to work through intermediaries. This will allow you to stay in the running while the really big issues get sorted out. Slowly.

LIBRA ~ The generosity of others. You don’t have much room to maneuver. Others do, but there’s a lot of confusion about which way to go – and a lot of the so-called options are unrealistic. You can benefit others, and increase their generosity toward you, by helping them sort through the possibilities in a realistic way. In the process, you can further your own goals and perhaps increase your income. In the immediate future, your well-being will depend increasingly on cooperation with others. Conditions on the job will continue to improve.

SCORPIO ~ The big picture. You have a broad understanding of events. You have friends on all sides of the issues. To win, you need everyone to come out ahead. You have to keep working at it until everybody feels the same way, and you have just enough influence to make that happen. Benevolent planetary influences are affecting your social life generally and your relations with youngsters in particular. Financial pressures will ease, too. A personal interest in unusual phenomena or unconventional ideas will soon attract the interest and support of others.

SAGITTARIUS ~ Outreach. Tighter finances are leading to changed expectations. Family, friends and community are also being affected. It will take extensive and repeated discussions to get to the bottom of all this. Participation in social events will help everyone manage needed changes. Renew and strengthen vital personal ties with family, friends and neighbors. Personal alliances will help you make the adjustments required by new circumstances. Your mind is becoming a fertile source of new and sometimes unconventional ideas. A new romantic attachment is possible. It would dramatically expand your personal horizons.

CAPRICORN ~ New foundations. This is just the beginning of a long cycle of change in many areas of your life, personal and professional. The powers that be are laying the groundwork for a whole new way of doing things. They are changing the basic rules of the game and that is always a slow, painstaking process with lots of unintended consequences. New, unconventional and innovative ideas will soon become the norm. It could put a strain on important relationships. You’ll need to be especially careful to keep family, friends and other loved ones updated.

AQUARIUS ~ Breakout. Aquarians are preparing for a big transition. Slow and gradual, at first, it will eventually pick up speed. It will get fully under way during the next year or so. For many years, now, privacy, often deep solitude, has been your preference. That is ending. You will re-emerge into the life of your community as a source of new ideas and an active agent for change. You can expect abundant support during this dramatic shift. In fact, it corresponds with a new cycle of personal growth, professional expansion and prosperity.

PISCES ~ Due date. You’ve enjoyed a great deal of freedom and independence in recent years. For the most part, everyone in your life has gone along, or let you go your own way. However, during that time, you’ve quietly incurred some obligations. It will soon be time to start fulfilling those obligations. The rapidly changing world around you is about to start making demands that you must meet, too. Socially, as well as romantically, possibilities are also emerging. There must be room for your your new responsibilities in any new relationships.

Welcome to a special ‘Blue Moose Rising’ edition of the Weekender.

For the last couple of months the newest venue downtown has been making a pretty big splash booking acts like Saint Vincent, Hyper Crush, Motion City Soundtrack and of course Iowa City’s prodigal son William Elliott Whitmore (just to name a few).  This weekend we honor their dedication to live music with a special all Blue Moose edition of the Weekender.  We do this not only to thank them for working hard through these first few months, but also because, this weekend, they’re bringing it harder than anyone else in town.

THURSDAY

David Daniell and Douglas McCombs | Blue Moose | 9 pm | $7

Perhaps it is as simple as our proximity to their hometown of Chicago, but whatever the reason, Thrill Jockey has been throwing some meaty lob balls down the pipe for us live music lovers in Iowa City.  Tonight David Daniell (of San Agustin) and Douglass McCombs (Tortoise, Eleventh Dream Day) are coming to knock us out of Blue Moose park with their live weaving of dual-guitar tapestries.

Watch out for Javelin coming to Public Space one with These Are Powers, March 25. I got a sneak peek at their debut LP “NoMas,” and I’ve already named it the official album of Spring 2010.

Also of note: HipHop show + Spiritual Tenderness | Starlounge | 9 pm | $5

Did anybody notice that the Green Room/Verde/Iguana bar at 509 S Gilbert is now The Starlounge?  Me neither.  Tonight see what it’s all about as some local hiphopsters (including some that were featured on the LV/WFKU local hiphop mixtape released this Monday 3/1 – free download here) will show you some spiritual tenderness and probably get creepy in many other ways while they’re at it.  Satisfy your burning curiosity for only $5, tonight at 9.

and… Summercamp Battle of the Bands | Yacht Club | 8 pm | $5

Lick It Ticket, Porch Builder, The Uniphonics, Dead Larry and Jumbies compete for a spot on the bill for this summer’s Summer Camp Music Festival (which, technically, takes place during the Spring – May 28-30, in Chillicothe, Illinois).

FRIDAY

Ms. Jezebel’s Finishing School for Girls ft. music by Surf Zombies | Blue Moose | “round about late” | $6

This is the first official show that I’m personally aware of by Les Dames du Burlesque du Iowa City.  Stop by for the artistry, or stop by because it’s the closest downtown will ever get to a strip club in this puritanical police state of ours.

SATURDAY

JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound | The Blue Moose | 7 pm | $6

This show is going to have something for everyone – rock, soul, jazz, dance, whatever – get yourself dressed up and prepare to get loose with the Uptown Sound!

also of note: Dave Zollo and the Body Electric with Sad Iron | The Mill | 9 pm | $7

SUNDAY… Yes, Iowa City, your venues now love you 8 days a week

State & Madison | Blue Moose | 6 pm | FREE/All ages

All ages indie-pop for your sunny sunny Sunday!

Watch out for the March edition of Little Village – it will be hitting 200+ news stands in the Iowa City area later this afternoon (hopefully) or tomorrow (definitely)

Thanks for reading,
~LV

Did we miss your sweet event?  Sorry!  Send Weekender suggestions to Matt@LittleVillageMag.com