The fourth, expanded iteration of hardcore and punk festival Pokey’s Fest commanded three venues over three stormy nights in Iowa City, and saw the debut of a slick new band. There were last-minute revisions to the lineup and day-of venue changes thanks to uncooperative weather, but would it really be Pokey’s Fest if there weren’t […]
Iowa City music
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Review: Sharon Van Etten confirms she’s a witch leaning towards the light at Iowa City’s Infinite Dream fest
Sharon Van Etten wants to look into your eyes.
I know because she looked in mine when she came to Iowa City to play the first show of her US tour earlier this month. Before she took the stage at the Infinite Dream Festival with her band The Attachment Theory, she joined Nightbitch author Rachel Yoder in conversation at the Old Capitol.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Review: ‘Cello goblin’ Rushadicus and Iowa City’s Weapon X brought an electric circus to the Close House
The music that is popular, the artists that are famous and the commercial music industry that promotes them, exists in a completely different world from the music Public Space One presents.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Review: Third Coast Percussion and Jessie Montgomery let Hancher audience inside their cutting-edge collaboration
The plastic hose hangs from his mouth. It is plugged into the drum in front of him, like an oxygen line breathing life into the instrument. He beats the skin of the drum, eyes following the notes on the score in front of him, glimpsing the movements of the other percussionists on stage, the members […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Review: Younger previews upcoming album ‘Y3K’ in propulsive Mission Creek set
Iowa City band Younger closed their Friday set for Mission Creek Festival with a pitch-perfect cover of Le Tigre’s “Deceptacon.” The sound, energy and song choice were on point. Immediately after, an audience member threw up his hands and said what I suspect others in the crowd were also thinking. “From now on, I’ll think […]
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Rap mafioso Raekwon proves Wu-Tang is still for the children at Mission Creek Festival
Legendary Wu-Tang emcee Raekwon rocked a multigenerational crowd at the Englert during the final night of Mission Creek Festival 2025, where he performed his classic 1995 solo debut Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… The Englert is no stranger to members of the Wu gracing its stage, having welcomed fellow clansmen GZA last year (and in 2009’s […]
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Review: Sophie Mitchell brought CD stacks, Lana vibes, a Mitski cover and her mom to Gabe’s for a joyful album release show
Heading to Gabe’s in Iowa City in what felt like a positively balmy January night (every winter here makes me regret leaving London), I was pleasantly surprised by the early turnout for Sophie Mitchell’s album release show.
Posted inCommunity/News
In memoriam: Chris Wiersema, curator of the weird and wonderful
An obituary by Andre Perry Christopher (Chris) Wiersema of Iowa City died on Wednesday, March 13, unexpectedly, but peacefully in his sleep. A public memorial will take place on Sunday, April 7 at the Englert Theatre from 2-5 p.m. The Englert is located at 221 E Washington St in downtown Iowa City. Chris was born […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Making noise: Three Iowa musicians and trans activists discuss arrests, protest art and keeping the faith during a dire legislative session
Sarahann Kolder is an Iowa City-based artist working primarily with writing, music and video. She works at Prairie Lights. m (emma) denney is a sound artist, electronic musician, writer, and sometimes lies about being a composer. She makes noise, drone music, and long-form experimental art. Harry Manaligod (she/her) is a rapper, producer, painter, local fool, […]
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Ahzia Hester is still rendering
It is hard to say where someone will find Iowa City-based artist Ahzia Hester on any given day. Maybe he’s opening for GZA at the Englert Theatre, or Cautious Clay at the Iowa Memorial Union. He might be at Gabe’s, performing his own songs and DJing the artists that influenced them, all over the same […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Meet Sam Locke Ward, Iowa City’s pop music MacGyver
Since the time Samuel Locke Ward grew up in relative isolation on a family farm in Iowa, he has taken the road less traveled at every turn. With a preternatural talent for crafting earworm hooks and catchy melodies, the prolific musician could very well have beaten a path to Nashville or Los Angeles and developed […]
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‘Born into music’ and raised in a family band, River Glen is about to release one of the most ambitious Iowa music collabs ever
“I was born into music,” River Glen Breitbach said. “I’m my parents’ fourth child, and by the time I came to be, they already had an existing family band with my older siblings called The One Hat Band.” Less than a year after the Dubuque native began attending his siblings’ Suzuki method lessons around the […]
