Even though getting through today will require at minimum three disco naps (mostly just to mitigate the perpetual hangover I’ve had since Wednesday) it will be worth it. So, what will I be checking out this weekend? let’s start the insanity…
11 a.m. (ongoing)
Presses and magazines from around the country will be at The Mill for the Fifth Annual Small Press and Literary Magazine Book Fair, including [PANK] Magazine, POETRY Magazine, and Wave Books. Plus, New Belgium Brewery and Jim Beam will be handing out samples, and we might as well get this party started early.
3 p.m.
Seriously, everyone should go to the Iowa City Public Library for the ChicAGoGo taping (“Chicago’s Dance Show for Kids of All Ages”), which is one of several youth activities happening today. The taping will feature guest lip-syncing appearances by Samuel Locke Ward, Katie Roche, Dave Zollo, and Lipstick Homicide. Show up in a costume! Dance to your heart’s content! Or not. I’m not your boss.
4 p.m.
Free Mission Boutique events run today from 3-6 p.m., so I plan on at least catching poet Tarfia Faizullah and Golden Birds at Catherine’s. Check out the full schedule here.
5 p.m.
The Tech + Innovation Conference officially starts today, too, and while I am not attending as much as I’d like, I plan on seeing Matthew Israel (Director of the Art Genome Project) at The Englert, who will deliver his keynote public lecture about technology and making art accessible to people around the globe.
6 p.m.
Angry Hour at Deadwood (which starts at 5 p.m.) is always one of my favorite parts of Mission Creek. This year features not only local favorites Los Voltage, Viet Cong Man Son, and Teen Daad, but also Spray Paint (noise-punk, post-punk, no-wave, something-something, out of Austin, Texas). Their 2013 S/T album was great, but I considered Rodeo Songs (2013) one of my favorite albums of that year. Check out the song Yawn Factory if you’re unfamiliar. And, as usual, Angry Hour is FREE!
8:00 p.m.
In my opinion, the Englert is the place to be early Saturday evening as The Pines (folk-rock) and William Elliott Whitmore (folk-country) will be playing to a sold-out crowd (hopefully you snagged some tickets!) …
8:30 p.m.
… and then Gabe’s is the place to be later on Saturday, which is Mission Creek’s night of fuzzy, garage-y, rock ‘n roll presented by Nashville’s Third Man Records. Ultras S/C will perform some experimental pop/psychedelic music followed by Iowa City favorites Paul Cary and the Small Scaries, Samuel Locke Ward and the Garbage Boys, Brooks Strause and the Gory Details and more.
Sunday, April 6
11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
If I make it out of bed in time, you will find me at The Mill’s Carnivore Brunch drinking a bloody mary and eating ALL the bacon.
7 p.m.
And if I also make it out of bed following my post-bacon nap, I plan on going to Was the Word at The Englert (note: this is not an official Mission Creek event). Was the Word brings together storytellers, poets, and community members to share their works/words and be generally awesome in support of area nonprofits.
8 p.m.
Then it’s back to The Mill for locals Sweet Chariot and ex-pats Foul Tip, opening for Chicago psych-rockers Dead Rider (you can stream their most recent album out on Drag City Records, Chills on Glass, here). Immediately following is the official Mission Creek After Party, featuring DJ Situps & K-Mart Dump spinning only the most slamming tracks!
