Face the Terrain by Stephanie Catlett Being tasked to write an album review can be fraught with emotions, but the opening slide guitar of Stephanie Catlett’s new EP, Face the Terrain, sold me immediately. The warm tones of the opening track are beautiful and evoke all of the ’70s-by-way-of-the-’90s alt country/indie I loved in college. […]
Darcie Hutzell
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Strangers of Necessity — ‘Vibe Theory’
Mission Creek Festival: Strangers of Necessity/Anthony Worden/Armand Hammer, Gabe’s, Iowa City, Friday, April 5 at 7:30 p.m., $65-215 Vibe Theory by Strangers Of Necessity I miss ’90s hip hop. A lot. And that’s no dig against today; I just miss that sound. Lucky for me, and you too, Strangers of Necessity have us covered. Their […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Children can experience shopping local, a little independence at the ICDD Kid’s Holiday Market
The Iowa City Downtown District has made this holiday season one of the most festive yet with the addition of the Kid’s Holiday Market. The market, located in Black Hawk Mini Park in the pedestrian mall, is a charming opportunity for kids to do their holiday shopping locally, without their caregivers and in a calm […]
Posted inBook Reviews
Book Review: ‘Run Home If You Don’t Want to Be Killed’ by Rachel Marie-Crane Williams
Local author and University of Iowa professor Rachel Marie-Crane Williams’ beautiful new book, Run Home If You Don’t Want to Be Killed (The University of North Carolina Press), is a tense work of graphic history. Many people are aware of the riots in Detroit in 1967, but fewer know of the earlier riot in 1943, […]
Posted inCOVID-19
During the HIV/AIDS epidemic, artists became activists. What will COVID inspire?
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. How do you measure, measure a year? In daylights, In sunsets, In midnights, In cups of coffee, In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife —“Seasons of Love,” Rent Jonathan Larson, who wrote the groundbreaking rock musical Rent, spent all of his time, money and effort creating this […]
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: William Elliott Whitmore — ‘I’m With You’
I'm With You by William Elliott Whitmore William Elliott Whitmore has been described as a folk punk country banjo soul singer, and his new album I’m With You (out Oct. 17 on Bloodshot Records) is a fine example of all of those things. The album, Whitmore’s eighth, and his newest collection of original work since […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Album Review: Jordan Sellergren — ‘Sweet, Bitter Tears’
Jordan Sellergren, local songstress and woman about town [Ed. note: and Little Village art director], has a new record out, titled Sweet, Bitter Tears. And I’m fairly certain that it’s the album we all need right now. It opens with “Get in the Woodshed,” which explores the idea of lacking time — or desire — […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Five questions with: Nnamdi Ogbonnaya
Nnamdi Ogbonnaya is a hip-hop artist, a drummer and founder of Sooper Records. While it might be tempting to draw comparisons to others, I’m going to refrain, because he’s just not like anyone else. A drummer for Monobody and a bassist for Nervous Passenger, this California-born Chicago transplant is performing Sunday, Nov. 4 at The Mill.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Holiday craft fairs are like real life Etsy — and benefit local artists
When we choose to shop small and local, we keep more of our money in the community, which encourages more business, more artists and more jobs. Small businesses and local artists depend on the holiday season, just like the big boxes do.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Album Review: Angle — Talkin’ Story
Angle Talkin’ Story angle1.bandcamp.com Longtime Iowa hip hop artist Angle (aka Jarid Catrenich) is at it again. Following on the heels of last year’s Definitive Bedtime Stories is his newest effort, Talkin’ Story. Angle is a storyteller, and uses his beats as punctuation for gritty tales that need to be heard. Unlike the happier vibes […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Album Review: Brendan Hanks — Through
Brendan Hanks Through soundcloud.com/brendanhanks Brendan Hanks’ new EP Through is a really intelligent record. It is measured and studied, and it’s obvious that Hanks has had a long love affair with electronica. It’s not showy. It doesn’t grab you out of your seat immediately and force you to dance, but it does worm its way […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
MidWestOne to promote community appreciation with Iowa City’s first-ever chalk art festival
Rock the Chalk Downtown Iowa City — Friday, August 12 at 4 p.m. Rock the Chalk, presented by MidWestOne Bank, is a celebration of the completion of its historic building renovations as well as construction of a new building. Amy Hospodarsky, the community relations manager for MidWestOne, said that they wanted to use the Aug. […]
