Heather and Nick Leo form the core of the Des Moines-based tropical pop band, In Rooms. While they describe their sound as a mash-up of dub legend King Tubby and Argentine singer Mercedes Sosa, their new album The Night Has Come does not reference either of these artists. The Leos instead reference those artists’ musical regions. The eight songs on this brief, very gentle album pull from Latin American genres like Música Popular Brasileira (MPB), cumbia and bossa nova as well as reggae—but rocksteady rather than dub…
A.C. Hawley
A.C. Hawley is around town. He rides a red bike. If you need him, he's reachable.
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On the Beat: Jon Batiste and Stay Human bring jazz to the Englert this Thursday
Jonathan Batiste heads to The Englert Theatre alongside Stay Human this Thursday at 8 p.m. for an evening of uplifting, free-flowing jazz. Batiste comes from a…
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Quiz show quest: What does it take to be a contestant?
This past August, I was on Jeopardy!, wearing all blue from the waist up and looking for a way to be faster with the signalling device (if you call it a buzzer, the producers will hit you with a ruler). Getting to the point where I was standing on a soundstage at Sony Studios in […]
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On the Beat: Bonnie “Prince” Billy heads to the Englert
Bonnie “Prince” Billy is the recording name of Will Oldham, a Kentucky-born singer-songwriter. Oldham has been a fixture of the independent folk and country music since 1993 thanks to his various Palace projects (Palace Brothers and Palace Music are the best known), which have risen to legendary status over the years.
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On the Beat: Rubblebucket take the stage this Friday at the Blue Moose Tap House
Rubblebucket are not strangers to Iowa City. The Brooklyn-based band have made multiple appearances here in Iowa City since their first visit during…
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Show Review: James Blake lights up the stage at the Englert Theatre
Unlike some other concert-going experiences, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting into Saturday at the Englert. Outside of my…
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On the Beat: Live music picks for mid-November
This month, Iowa City gets visits from an indie rock institution, a soulful British man and a band of misfits from Memphis led by a charismatic man who may or may not be allergic to pants. If the suggestion of a pants allergy can’t get you to read on, I need you to check your […]
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Rory Block to visit CSPS Hall Saturday
Rory Block did not start out playing the blues. Growing up in New York City’s Greenwich Village during the rise of folk in the 1960s, Block started out by playing classical guitar. Her path changed when, at age 14, she met guitarist Stefan Grossman who introduced her to Mississippi Delta blues. Block quickly grew fond of the style and focused her life on the music. She left home to find the major players of the style — legends like Mississippi John Hurt, Reverend Gary Davis and Son House — and further hone her craft.
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On The Beat: Live music highlights for October 2-15
The first half of October brings a wide variety of music to Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. Standing out are two duos and two full fledged bands: We have a pair of songwriting ladies from opposite ends of the world.
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Live music preview: Mobb Deep, Coolzey, Bleached and more
The duo Prodigy and Havoc are legendary rappers from the golden era of hardcore hip hop. Hailing from the Queensbridge Projects in New York City, Mobb Deep’s seminal sophomore album The Infamous was a realistic tale of the street gangsta. Rather than glorifying the lifestyle, Prodigy’s poetic rhymes and Havoc’s minimalist, bleak production presented a life full of misery, violence and paranoia. This album cemented their legacy as one of the great hip-hop groups to come out of the New York hardcore scene and built a legacy for the area’s future rap crews like Dipset. Anyone who has an interest in hardcore rap or likes the grittiness of New York rap should be at this show.
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An Interview with Rob Garcia of Bleeding Rainbow
Over the past couple of years, the married couple of Rob Garcia and Sarah Everton have undergone some changes. The fundamental things are still the same. They are still married. They also still call Philadelphia, PA their home. The music is where many of the major changes can be seen. Following the release of their […]
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So Many Dynamos, El Ten Eleven and Bleeding Rainbow this month in Iowa City
There are few things more enjoyable in the summer than putting on a pop album, rolling the windows down and going for a cruise—even if you aren’t going…
