I was riding my bike to get my car registration tags this week, and I came to the painful realization that school starts far too soon. While the summer has been enjoyable, the young kids are prepping to go back to their schools while the yearly influx of students back to the friendly confines of Iowa City picks up speed exponentially. This may be one of the last weekends in which you can enjoy yourself fully, so take advantage of it while you still can. The town is busy with events this weekend, so let’s get started with this whole deal.
THURSDAY
Six Organs of Admittance w/ Alex Body & Lwa // Englert Theatre // 8:00 PM // $10, All Ages
Six Organs of Admittance is just one man named Ben Chasny. While he is only one man, Six Organs of Admittance has been rather prolific, releasing 13 albums since starting in 1998. His music shares many characteristics with members of the New Weird America movement that was prevalent in the early 2000s and featured artists such as Devendra Banhart and Animal Collective. Like both of the aforementioned bands, SOOA pulls from the psychedelic and folk sounds of the 1960s to create an updated sound that is just as trippy and dreamy as the original. This should be a good night for the psych fans as Alex Body and Lwa will open this Intimate (read: on the stage) show at the Englert.
Ex-Action Model w/ Binary Marketing Show, Chaircrusher & Dream Thieves // Blue Moose Tap House // 8:00 PM // $5, 21+
While the Six Organs of Admittance show will get you dreaming on a psychedelic level, this show will bring the cleanliness of the electronic machine into your dream space. Little Village‘s Kent Williams will get the night started with a Chaircrusher set then it moves into the blissed-out dance inducing dreams of Dream Thieves, the Solaris style space groove of The Binary Marketing Show and the menacing beeps and clicks of Ex-Action Model. If you want dreams about empty prairies full of flowers, girls in flowing dresses and maybe a visual or two from Picnic at Hanging Rock, you should definitely go to the Six Organs of Admittance show. If you want to have dreams about floating in space and hi-fiving robots, this is your show.
FRIDAY
New Wave Summer // Englert Theatre // 8:00 PM // $5-20, All Ages
This weekend, The Englert will be showing three legendary films of both French cinematic and world cinematic history. On this Friday, there will be a screening of Jean-Luc Godard’s 1960’s classic Breathless, a film that brought the talent of Godard and the dynamics of the French New Wave to international prevalence. Along with Breathless, New Wave Summer will feature Francois Truffaut’s masterpiece The 400 Blows as well as Godard’s Band of Outsiders on Saturday. There is an opening party for the screenings at this month’s First Friday at hotelVetro, which is sponsored by the University of Iowa Museum of Art. Along with drinks and French mustaches, LV Contributor Craig Eley will be playing 1960’s and 70’s French Pop, getting the mood right for an excellent weekend of French film. For more information, visit the Englert website.
April Verch Band w/ The Beggarmen // The Mill // 8:00 PM // $10 Adv, $12 Day of Show; 19+
I’m going to keep this short: if you like bluegrass or traditional music on any meaningful level, go to this show. While I’m not a bluegrass expert on any level, I was blown away by the music and stage presence of April Verch. She’s a sweet, engaging Canadian woman who is one of the best fiddle players I’ve ever seen. Verch travels with a two-piece backing band of guitar and bass, both of whom can hold their own against the fiddling heroics of Verch and can maintain that down-home feeling in the music. If the musical skills were not enough, Verch can also sing excellent melodies and is an excellent stepdancer. If you are into traditional music, this show should be the main part of your Friday night.
SATURDAY
American Meat // Illinois Room, Iowa Memorial Union // 12:30 & 6:30 PM // $10, All Ages
If you have not been paying attention over the last few years, there has been a great emphasis on where our food is grown and how it is produced. One of the industries that has been struggling with this shift the most has been the meat industry. Americans love meat, and the system is representative of that. The problem is that the system is, literally and morally, disgusting. You can read Fast Food Nation to learn more about the feedlot system. As people have began to learn more about feedlots, agri-business and the dangers that both pose to the society, citizens have demanded changes in how things are produced, leading to the rise of sustainable agriculture. American Meat asks whether or not this new sustainable movement can actually provide enough food for all Americans by focusing on the production of meat at both large and small scale farms. Each screening will feature a panel discussion involving members of local food groups as well as the director Graham Meriwether. Additionally, your admission will get you a free burrito at Chipotle, a place that is investigated in the film.
If you have moved, I hope you’ve got your place where you like it. If you’re new to town, welcome and enjoy what Iowa City offers. As always, have an excellent weekend.
~LV
If you have an event that you would like to see here, please email details and dates to Weekender@LittleVillageMag.com!
