WHO: Musical Charis
WHERE: Uptown Bills’s 730 South Dubuque Street, Iowa City, IA 52240
WHEN: 7PM Tuesday April 17th, 2012
Uptown Bill’s is an Iowa City music venue that doesn’t get the same coverage as the bars in town that feature live music. But UB’s deserves special mention because it’s much more than a place to hear music. It is a bookstore, a coffee shop, and the outlet for the differently abled to sell their handiwork. Wild Bill’s is named after Bill Sackter, the mentally challenged man who for years ran the coffee shop in the University of Iowa’s School of Social Work. Whatever you’ve accomplished in your life, I bet you haven’t had two major Hollywood television movies and a documentary made about you.
But thankfully I’m now on the Wild Bill e-mail press release list, so I can inform you of events like this Wednesday’s performance by the Sacramento-based Musical Charis. Judging from their most recent album Ace of Space, they have their own unique sound based in Folk-Americana, but incorporating electronic and indie rock influences. They also run a music school for low-income students at home, which is a big deal in California where the public education system is cutting Arts programs because of dire budgetary shortfalls.
I might try to appeal to your better natures by saying going to a show at Uptown Bill’s (and donating generously!) is for a good cause, but in this case this looks like both a good cause and a great show.
