Reading for Ashraf Fayadh Shambaugh House — Thursday, January 14 at Noon As part of an initiative sponsored by the International Literature Festival Berlin, the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program (IWP) will be hosting a reading in support of Palestinian poet Ashraf Fayadh, who is currently in prison and under threat of death penalty […]
Genevieve Trainor
Genevieve Trainor lives in Iowa City, Iowa. Passions include heavy music, hoppy beer, and hidden rooms.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Make it an evening with FilmScene, Forbidden Planet and ‘The Thing’
John Carpenter’s The Thing FilmScene & Forbidden Planet — Sunday, January 17 at 5 p.m. Classic 1982 sci-fi horror film The Thing will be showing at FilmScene next Sunday, with a twist: your $18 ticket ($15 for FilmScene members) will not only get you into the 5 p.m. screening, but will travel with you for […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
100 years later, new audiences discover legendary outsider
In 1981, then-junior high history teacher Michael Zahs lucked into a treasure trove of relics from a Washington, Iowa basement. He took a chance on what might have been so many boxes of junk, because of their source — they had originally been owned by W. Frank Brinton, a man who had been known locally […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
The Outer Vibe are ready to make waves in Cedar Rapids
The Outer Vibe Parlor City Pub — Sun., Jan. 10 at 4 p.m. This self-described “cinematic surf disco” ensemble from Grand Rapids, MI takes the stage at Cedar Rapids’ Parlor City Pub for a Sunday afternoon set. These five musicians (Nick Hosford, lead guitar; Sean Zee, vocals; Lisa Kacos, trumpet, keys; Andrew “Wonderboy” Dornoff, bass; […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Halfloves: fresh name, familiar sound
Halfloves album release party Englert Theatre — Friday, March 4 at 8 p.m. This March, a local band familiar to many will get a verbal makeover. Once known as The Olympics (and, prior to that, The Happy Chromosomes), the newly-minted Halfloves are set to make some noise in 2016. The band, which has four albums […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Local politics shaken, not stirred
Policy on the Rocks Lion Bridge Brewing Company — Thursday, January 7 at 4:30 p.m. The Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance kicks off its 2016 Policy on the Rocks series today, at Lion Bridge Brewing Company in Czech Village on Cedar Rapids’ SW side. This first of the year’s monthly events slides in right before […]
Posted inAlbum Reviews, Arts & Entertainment
Album Review: Land of Blood and Sunshine – Lady and the Trance
Land of Blood and Sunshine Lady and the Trance www.cartoucherecords.com Lady and the Trance, the upcoming release from Marshalltown’s Land of Blood and Sunshine, is the kind of record that you don’t ever want to end. Coming close on the heels of LOBAS’ last release (last January’s Aeons), this new record, which drops Jan. 15, […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
JUST ANNOUNCED: Rachel Bloom and Bill Plympton to headline 2016 Green Gravel Comedy Fest
Green Gravel Comedy Festival Iowa City — Mar. 4–5, 2016 This time just two years ago, the folks at Green Gravel Comedy Festival were wrapping up an Indiegogo campaign to get their first event, in 2014, off the ground. Now they’re coming up on year three, and this fledgling fest is jam-packed with even more […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
‘Wit’ kicks off the new year for Giving Tree Theater
Wit Giving Tree Theater — Jan. 1–10, 2016 at 8 p.m. Fri. & Sat. and 2 p.m. Sun. Opening this Friday on New Year’s Day, Giving Tree Theater in Marion is producing Margaret Edson’s 1995 drama Wit (sometimes given as W;t), a transformative piece that will carry audiences into 2016. It follows the final story of […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Iowa City’s Younger lands spot on national chart
Iowa City band Younger made an exciting appearance this week at number 41 on the ABC News list of the 50 Best Albums of 2015. It’s always wonderful to see a local name pop up among such well-known fare as Janet Jackson, Local H and Alabama Shakes. The list’s author, reviewer Allan Raible, notes that […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Janelle Lauer set to music direct her 20th show at Theatre Cedar Rapids
On February 26, Next to Normal opens at Theatre Cedar Rapids. It’s the sixth show of their 82nd season. It won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 2010 and was nominated for 11 Tony Awards in 2009 (it won three). Most exciting for local music fans, though, is the fact that it will be the […]
Posted inUncategorized
Dance the night away at the Irish Christmas Céilí
Champagne Academy of Irish Dance Christmas Céilí Old Brick (26 E Market St.) — Saturday, Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. Kick up your heels in holiday spirit this Saturday at Old Brick! The Champagne Academy of Irish Dance will be presenting their 5th annual Christmas Céilí, an exciting milestone for what has become a local […]
