In 2019, frequenters of Goosetown Café mingled with friends of John Rapson to delight in the new band he had assembled: MEKTOUB. It was a trio, initially — Rapson on the keys, Ryan Smith on woodwinds and Nielo Gaglione on vocals and mandole. Together, the three produced a distinct style of improvisational music they describe […]
Daniel Boscaljon
Posted inArts & Entertainment
John Rapson’s final work to premiere at Englert Theatre
On Sunday, Oct. 3 at 3 p.m., the Englert Theatre will host an exclusive performance of John Rapson’s final work, Esteban and the Children of the Sun. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $10 for students, with masks and proof of vaccination/negative COVID test required. Esteban is a suite of 14 songs performed by 13 […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Sara Thomsen, David Abram and more help kick off Prairiewoods’ 25th anniversary year with a weekend conference
One lesson many people learned during COVID was the small grace provided by overlooked miracles. Things once taken for granted became essential — like the joyful explosion of color in the leafing oaks, maples, lilacs and redbud trees, coinciding with the scientific wonder of a vaccine that allows us to move with greater ease through […]
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Awful Purdies — ‘The Great Unraveling’
The Awful Purdies’ new release, The Great Unraveling is a defining statement for these accomplished musicians who combine their strengths, with wearied joy, to perform miracles. The songs are timely and timeless. The album is proud but not boastful, strong but not brutal, both wise and playful. The sheer quality of the material and the […]
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Album Review: Stephanie Catlett — ‘Caught Under Glass’
Caught Under Glass by Stephanie Catlett Stephanie Catlett surprised listeners with her 2019 EP Meet Me in the Dream, and fans of her initial work will be delighted to know that her 2020 LP Caught Under Glass (available today, Dec. 11) holds intricate poetic depth and a melodic sensitivity that expand on her initial promise. […]
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Album Review: Bernemann Brothers Band — ‘Gone West’
With the Nov. 1 release of their debut album, Gone West, the Bernemann Brothers Band finally provides their fan base with a set of songs that show how far they’ve come in the past five years. The band started with a single performance, when musical brothers and veteran musicians Matt (drums) and Ryan (guitar and […]
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Beatrice Thomas returns to Witching Hour to guide us through the apocalypse
Over the past five years, Witching Hour has become an innovator within festival cultures. While many festivals are stops on a circuit of touring bands that parade spectacles for passive participants, Witching Hour, like the Englert’s Mission Creek Festival, has created a different tonality, celebrating the arts as an expression of community. But its core […]
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Album Review: Vanek/Yager — ‘Ghost Actions’
Ghost Actions by Gabi Vanek & Will Yager What can you do during quarantine, when nothing you read or hear seems to suit the mood that hovers around the margins of panic? Something like this. What happens when ASMR stops working, and you need to give a voice to the strange background anxiety that bubbles […]
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Album Review: The Aircraft — ‘Dust is Dust’
Dust is Dust by The Aircraft The Aircraft, a three-piece band from Sioux Center, Iowa released their first full length album, Dust is Dust, on May 15. The indie-rock debut features a set of songs that summon a summertime spirit, ranging from earnest, higher-tempo songs that would sound quite excellent blasting on a stereo while […]
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Ageless Art program at PiX FiZ gallery offers artistic expression to dementia patients and more
As one of the newest art galleries in the greater New Bohemia area of Cedar Rapids, PiX FiZ (located at 1136 9th St SE) is working to distinguish itself as an event-based destination for those interested in innovative art experiences. Xene Abraham, who opened the gallery on April 20, 2019, hopes to provide an alternative […]
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Stephanie Catlett — ‘Meet Me In the Dream’
Meet Me in the Dream by Stephanie Catlett Stephanie Catlett’s EP Meet Me In the Dream was launched into the world on Dec. 18, 2019. Coming at the end of a year in which the corruption and hatred in the world at large augmented acts of courage and hope at the smaller scale, it is […]
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Alyssa Limperis, mom impersonator and mental-health podcaster, to perform at Floodwater Comedy Festival
Alyssa Limperis frequently uses the word “joy” when she speaks of performing. That coincides, for her, with focus, presence and aliveness. “[It’s a] runner’s high, a feeling of no doubt, no pain, doing something that feels right, good and not doing anything else. That’s a rare feeling, with phones and everything else: to know I’m […]
