This week’s Weekender is brought to you by ECO Iowa City
THURSDAY
Live from Prairie Lights, ft Daniyal Mueenuddin |Prairie Lights Bookstore | 7 pm | FREE
Prairie Lights Bookstore kicks off its Spring 2010 series with a reading and discussion with Pakistani fiction writer Daniyal Mueenuddin.
Mueenuddin’s acclaimed story collection, “In Other Rooms, Other Wonders” – a finalist for the 2009 National Book Award in fiction and included in top 10 lists by several publications — was recently released in paperback. In eight interconnected stories, this book explores a network of families, business associates and servants in feudal relationships surrounding a wealthy landowner in Lahore.
Mueenuddin spent his early childhood in Pakistan, then lived in the United States, where he attended Dartmouth and Yale Law School, and he has now returned to his homeland to manage a Punjab farm. His stories have appeared in The New Yorker, Granta, Zoetrope, “The Best American Short Stories 2008” and the forthcoming “PEN/O.Henry Prize Stories 2010.”
After the reading…
Belly Dancing party | Red Poppy Tea & Hookah Parlour (341 E College) | 6 pm-12 am | $12 (18+)
Join Farida of Kahraman for a night of authentic belly dancing! $12 cover is for all you can smoke hookah + all you can dance dancing… BYOWine is cool ($5 corking fee).
FRIDAY
Friday’s my birthday, so I get to have it all, musically.
Caleb Engstrom | Java House | 8 pm | FREE
I know I talked about him a couple of weeks ago, but I’m a big Caleb Engstrom fan, plus when you want to see multiple shows in a night it always helps when one of them is free! I just learned Caleb has taken a job at PS 1 and will be moving to New York next month, so this might be our last chance to see him for a little while. Long story short, I’m recommending Caleb again, at the Java House.
Datagun CD release party w. Lizz King, Living Ghost, Coyote Slingshot| Picador | 9 pm | $5, 19+
In the last couple of years, no two individuals have done more for live music in Iowa City than Craig Eley and Andre Perry. Craig books and promotes for Public Space One, Andre for The Mill. Craig also writes The Haps, the live music highlights in your monthly print edition of Little Village. On top of all this, Craig and Andre have been instrumental in the growth of the annual Mission Creek music festival, which just announced its (amazing) lineup for 2010.
Somehow they’ve also found time to record an album as Datagun. I’m familiar with Andre’s other band, The Lonelyhearts, whose latest Disaster Footage at Night has been keeping me company on recent statewide holiday-family-fun-time tours. It’s a lush, filled out sound that’s a real treat, especially upon close headphone inspection. I can only expect a similarly pleasurable ride from synth-heavy Datagun’s new album, so I’m eager to get a hold of it.
The show is at The Picador, which is now open again after taking most of winter break off. Its regional ownership can apparently use all the local help it can get — according to their website there are approximately 62 dark days between now and the beginning of April when Mission Creek brings Xiu Xiu and Acid Mothers Temple. Props to Datagun for giving them Friday’s party.
SATURDAY
Free Yoga Marathon | Heartland Yoga | 8 am – 6 pm | FREE
In celebration of Yoga Day USA, free yoga classes will be taught all day at Heartland Yoga.
Q: Could you use that?
A: Yes.
8:00AM – Kundalini yoga with Jennifer
9:00AM – Vinyasa Flow yoga with Trina
10:00AM – NIA with Jessica
11:00AM – Kids yoga with Dana
12:00-1:00PM – LUNCH BREAK
1:00PM – Brand New Beginners Class with Betsy
2:00PM – Ashtanga yoga with Janelle
3:00PM – Anusara yoga with Rachel
4:00PM – Gentle yoga with Kathy
5:00PM – Kripalu yoga with Jeanelle
6:00PM – Vinyasa yoga with Abby
7 Year Anniversary w…7 bands | Yacht Club | 4 pm- 2 am | $…umm… 7
Time to honor another institution for consistently doing its part to keep Iowa City on the map.
A line-up of seven funky bands + 75 cent pints from 4 pm- 7 pm makes for yet another fun little Saturday night there at the Yacht Club.
Performing:
Bumpus 12:00 – 2:00 AM
Dead Larry 10:40 – 11:40
Mad Monks 9:20 – 10:20
Flavor Savers 8:00 – 9:00
The Workshy 6:40 – 7:40
Clean Living 5:20 – 6:20
Lick It Ticket 4:00 – 5:00 PM
and at the Mill…
HOTT w/ Lipstick Homicide and Old Panther | The Mill | 9 pm | $6
Time to check out Arts Editor Kent Williams’ new favorite band, HOTT
Funk show, check. Rock show, check. Hmm… Pop show!
School of Flyentology w. Porno Galactica and Beast Wars | The Blue Room at the Blue Moose Tap House | FREE (19+)
Nothing like an upbeat free show at the end of the night to keep you chasing the dragon much later than you might have planned. Iowa City’s newest venue brings a big party this Saturday night as Beast Wars returns from a recording hiatus, Porno Galactica comes up from Fairfield, and Flyentology come down from whatever cloud they hang out on.
Who could ask for anything more?
Have a great weekend!
~LV
Did we miss your sweet event? Sorry! Send Weekender suggestions to Matt@LittleVillageMag.com
