In December, I drank my last bottle of 2009 Anchor Christmas Ale. That’s right: I drank a three-year-old beer—ceremoniously, too. I poured the ruby-brown brew into a gold-rimmed Christmas Ale pint glass that I reserve for drinking Anchor’s iconic holiday seasonal. I took notes and compared them to what I had written the first time […]
Iowa City Mill
On The Beat: Aesop Rock, White Mystery and more coming to Iowa City

Right now, Mountains may be one of the best in the business when it comes to ambient, experimental music. Longtime friends and bandmates Koen Holtkamp and Brendon Anderegg got together and released two albums in 2005 and 2006 under their own label, Apestaartje. […]
Mission Creek Festival Spotlight: Joe Pug
Iowa City Weekender: February 21-23

Hello and welcome to another edition of the Weekender. Starting with Thursday, Iowa City’s Home Ec. Workshop is putting on its fourth annual Craft Crawl this weekend. Attendees have four days (Thursday – Sunday) to purchase discounted items from 6 different local businesses, and participate in activities they have arranged… […]
Mission Creek Festival Spotlight: Ducktails
Photos(NSFW): Les Dames du Burlesque and IC Kings present Bow Chicka Wow Wow

This is an instance where the photos speak for themselves. I don’t really need to tell you much, and you may not even have read this far before heading right for the slideshow. I will say this: Les Dames du Burlesque and the IC Kings put on an eye-popping, swoon-inducing, show filled with humor, lust […]
Mission Creek Festival Spotlight: Deerhoof
Album Review – Yacht Club 10th Anniversary CD

Has it really been ten years since the Yacht Club opened? Really, the story goes back a few years before that. Owner Scott Kading bought the Yacht Club building and set about recreating his favorite college hang out. Renovating the building was only the first part of his journey. […]
UR Here: Valuing the Faraway
On the Beat: Paul Collins, Menomena and more in Iowa City

The next couple of weeks offer a diverse lineup of shows. There are remarkable rockers who influenced the sound of groups like Blondie while they were in their prime. There will also be shape-shifting indie rockers who continue to mature and grow as musicians, along with a trio of former rockers who have become one of the country’s major electronic dance music draws. […]
Iowa City Weekender: February 7-10
Music: King Pop – An Interview with Paul Collins

“One of the things I enjoy most about touring now is playing with up-and-coming bands.” This was one of the first things Paul Collins said to me when we recently chatted about his 2013 Midwest tour. It makes sense because thirty years ago, Paul Collins was in two up-and-coming power pop bands, The Nerves and […]