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The 2010 Iowa Pride Parade & Festival couldn’t have asked for better weather, and I think the turn-out was pretty good, comfortably filling the Ped Mall from Washington Street to the fountain. Check out audio, video and photos from the day’s festivities inside.
I’ve never seen a performance by this group, but I will try and hit one of the performances, if for no other reason than the fun title. The play is based on the book of the same name by Anita Liberty. Red Door takes what could be a one-woman show and has three actresses play the same woman. Intriguing, no?
The poet Marvin Bell has a favorite story he tells about a man dressed as a clown who robbed a downtown Iowa City Bank and then “fled on foot and melted into the crowd.” This, for Bell, was emblematic of the relaxed bohemian atmosphere of Iowa City. But that hippie dippie weird Iowa City has been in retreat for 40 years, and I wonder what sort of city will be taking its place.
The Iowa City City Council has passed some new ordinances (the 21-only ordinance and the anti-panhandling ordinance) that seem to be a direct attempt to control and channel the culture of downtown Iowa City. I can see how these two ordinances are meant to improve the safety and quality of life, but I have several problems with them.
Time to celebrate Gay Pride in the third gayest city in the U S of A!
Cutting broad gestures as though he’s channelling Freddy Mercury, with a slightly less svelte physique, Sam Locke Ward projected what can only be termed comical savagery.
On Wednesday Night, Grupo Fantasma made a great first impression on Iowa City. A sweaty, funky, irresistibly dance-able first impression. Playing songs in a variety of Latin American styles, anchored by a world class rhythm section, and topped off with a tight, funky brass section, Grupo Fantasma were muy caliente y muy picante!
I’d have to confess I haven’t seen a Iowa City Community Theatre production since my brother was in a couple of shows in the 90s. But I have no doubt they’re a worthy organization, and since it’s Community Theater, it’s only going to be as good as we in the community make it.
Few groups in recent years have had a larger footprint in the Iowa City music scene than Euforquestra. They are all monstrous musicians no matter what style they play. They manage to bring together Jazz fans, Jam Band camp followers, and people (like me) who think there’s nothing better than live dance music, no matter the genre.
A Facebook message showed up in my inbox the other day, from Stefanie Drootin, member of the well-known Omaha band The Good Life. It announced the availability of an album’s worth of songs she’d recorded with her friend Chris Senseney. No album title, no track order, unmastered. They went down into Stefanie’s basement and just had fun with writing and recording songs.
June/July 2010~ The Grateful Dead need to be rescued. Rescued from paunchy, balding nostalgia, rescued from the tribute bands, rescued from the scumbags who sold drugs in the parking lot at their concerts. Most of all, they need to be rescued from their hyper-recorded live career, spinning the same fifty songs again and again like […]
Grupo Fantasma will be appearing at the Mill this coming Wednesday Night, and if you have any love at all for the dance music of Latin America, you are commanded to attend. With members from all over the Southlands (from Texas to Nicaragua), Grupo Fantasma fuse musical styles from all over the Hispanic New World, […]
As Josh Carrollhach mentioned in the comments on the Weekender: “Don't forget Brooklyn's Shondes with Adobanga at the Blue Moose. Opening is Katie Roche and The Horse Will Drive Us Home.” I did a quick listen to The Shondes and they play serious rock with a violin. Sounds like fun! And they’re an attractive group […]
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