Do you like that feeling that you have right now of being able to walk around town and go where you like or be able to eat breakfast without having to wait for a table? Yea? You better soak that up now because those times are swiftly leaving. Iowa City will get back its students, and the final push will begin for them all to leave again. It’s only another two months, so start your countdown clocks. Unfortunately, watching paint dry is more fun than watching that countdown go by, so put on a fake smile and check out some of the stuff that happening around town this weekend.
THURSDAY
Thursday is March 17th, which is also known as St. Patrick’s Day. This is the day that celebrates the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. He is regarded in folklore as being the man who chased all of the snakes out of Ireland. I don’t know how true the story is, but the man is real. Fake or real, does anyone actually care about the history of this event? Probably not. Instead, this day is known for, pretty much, one thing: copious amounts of drinking. Go anywhere in this town and you’ll find someone serving Guinness, green colored beer or both and a traditional meal like corned beef and cabbage. If this weren’t enough, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament starts in earnest today (First Four doesn’t count. It’s just that play-in game multiplied by four.). All of that together is a complex within itself. If you’re like me and don’t care about either the NCAA tournament or St. Patrick’s Day, fear not! I actually do have options.
St. Patrick’s Day Massacre // Iowa City Yacht Club // 3:30 PM // $5, All Ages until 10 PM
I know that posting an event based on St. Patrick’s Day after that dialogue seems strange, but a concert’s a concert and that’s what the St. Patrick’s Day Massacre is. From 3:30 until bar close, there will be someone rocking the stage of the Yacht Club, playing an hour-long set with fifteen minute breaks between bands. The first band up will be The Trollies with the following acts in order: Nebula Was, Mayflies, Ryan Persinger, White Tornado, Uniphonics, Mad Monks and 5 In A Hand closing. That’s a lot of quality local music for only five dollars.
Bitch w/ Lipstick Homicide & The Boone County Comedy Troupe // The Mill // 9:00 PM // $8 Adv, $10 Day of Show; 19+
Most musicians work mostly in music or at least come from such a background. Such cannot be said for Bitch as her career begins on the stage as an actress. After developing her own theater show Bitch and Animal, Bitch got the attention of many including Ani DiFranco as well as Andrew Bird, who gave her fiddling lessons. She mixed these new talents with her old ones to speak to a generation of youth that feel uncomfortable with the gender roles forced onto them by both society and their family. Playing ukulele, electric violin and bass along with singing, Bitch mixes this musical talent and political content to create a riveting performance. She is well known for her controversial stage presence as well as her spectacular singing and songwriting skills. With Lipstick Homicide and The Boone County Comedy Troupe in support, this show will be a nice capstone to your St. Patrick’s Day, or beginning if the first two parts of the day are a little hazy to you.
FRIDAY
Cory Chisel w/ Ernie Hendrickson & The Vagabonds // The Mill // 9:00 PM // $10 Adv, $12 Day of Show; 19+
A local favorite, Cory Chisel will be making an appearance here in Iowa City following his October visit to the Blue Moose. This time, he will be in the intimate confines of The Mill, playing his take on roots rock that this town knows all too well and loves all too much. He will be coming with Ernie Hendrickson, an artist making a lot of noise on the folk scene right now. His sophomore release Walking With Angels was very well received by the press and created quite the name for Hendrickson. While Chisel will always be Chisel, you should go to this show to see Hendrickson before he starts headlining shows of his own. In addition to these two men, the lovely ladies of The Vagabonds will bring some gender equality to the stage this night along with some old time music fun. A solid, rootsy night all around.
SATURDAY
Sophistifunk.03 // Gabe’s // 8:00 PM // $5, 19+
In another edition of their residency at Gabe’s, the Nuvibe kids are bringing house heat. This time around, the headliner is Kris Wadsworth. Based out of Detroit, he’s building off of the sound created in that city. Technical and filled with heavy basslines, Wadsworth is making really stylish, sleek house music, stuff that fans of electronic music should pay attention to because it will get bodies on the floor. Furthermore, he’s a vinyl DJ, so he knows how to mix it up and destroy a dance floor. With Cory Simpson and B. Tsunami spinning as well, this should be another lovely installment of this series and a fair reminder that dance music is always relevant and always awesome.
To end this Weekender with a small bit of self-promotion, I am playing at the Englert this weekend with my music project Wind Farm (I am one of three people). We are a part of an intimate concert show that involves Star City, The Gleaming, and Pete Balistrieri playing varieties of experimental music. If you’re interested in seeing what the Weekender actually does with his weekend, come to the Englert at 9:00 PM and find out.
If you see me there or don’t, have a lovely weekend and enjoy not having to wait for things for the last time before the summer. Also, it’s beautiful out. Get your bike right. I know I did.
~LV
What to see your event here? Email me at weekender@littlevillagemag.com with dates and a brief description.
