In the 10 years since the release of The Big Lebowski, a few things happened. Cell phones overtook our public spaces. The internet colonized our private time. George W. Bush won once in the popular vote and twice in the electoral college. On a single morning, terrorists brought down the twin towers, destroyed part of […]
Public Space One
Posted inArts & Entertainment, Prairie Pop
Prairie Pop: Turn Off Your Radio
Copyright infringement, billboard “alteration,” an evil secret society known as the Illuminati, country music legend Tammy Wynette, the incineration of £1,000,000 in cash, and—most recently—No Music Day. These odd, interconnected events were engineered by Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty, an anarchic British pop duo who used several pseudonyms, including their most well known moniker, the […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Iowa City Weekender – October 24-26
The weekend schedules are filling up again. In no small part because a number of CR based arts orgs are back from the flood. Likewise, Parkview Terrace, where I’ve owned an unoccupied house for six months is filling up again. My house is almost done and I’m getting ready to move this weekend. IT feels […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Iowa City Weekender – October 9-11
When it rains it pours. As in the commitments I’ve had in the last two weeks. Other than a trip to see Kathy Griffin (hilarious) I’ve been in a cocoon. Thus, the weekender had to take a two-week hiatus. But, we’re back, and hopefully, we’ll never leave you in the lurch ever again. Let’s get […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
On the Beat: Spirited shows
Welcome to the War on Xmas, pt. II. If it were up to me, starting every Oct. 1st, every department store–and one random radio station–would start playing Halloween music all damn day and night. From the classics (Boris Pickett’s “Monster Mash”) to unheralded gems (Bob Marley’s “Dracula”) to the downright stupid (Zacherley’s “Dinner with Drac”), […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Iowa City Weekender – September 5-7
Well folks, sometimes you get so busy you don’t have a whole lot of time for fun, or in the case of this week, time to even think about the fun. This week was one of those weeks, so in abreviated fashion, here are a few options for your Friday and Saturday nights. Friday, September […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
On the Beat: Up and coming
Labor Day weekend: the end of white shoes, sure, but also the first school-day off–and the start of National Potato Month (seriously). Oh yeah, right here and now, the great month of September, National Be Kind to Editors and Writers Month. September, National ADHD Awareness month, and–wait–what was I talking about again? Just kidding. Celebrate […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Roll Tape!
Perspectives on the Iowa Filmscape The state of Iowa still struggles to prove itself as a cultural oasis, attractive to those looking for a well-rounded place to plant new roots. Iowa City is some kind of exception to this, but still lacks the entertainment options of a big city—even if it has that big city […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Iowa City Weekender: July 10-12
The weather has ruled my summer. The past month has been spent preparing for and recoiling from the floods…that one’s a given. But from rained-out softball games to the perfect-sky of the jazz fest, I’ve been watching the sky more than ever. This weekend will be no exception. Thursday, July 10 Bike-In Theater | PATV, […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Art on the Water
Compiling this month’s Little Village calendar of events and seeing so many flood-related closures provided a somber reminder of the serious blow suffered by many of our beloved arts and cultural venues. Much hard work and rebuilding lies ahead. Below is an overview of where some of these organizations stand now that flood waters have […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
On the Beat: At least the shows will be smokin’
As I write this, July 1 is creeping up like doomsday for many local smokers, and depending on your daily nicotine needs, shows are either going to be a lot more comfortable or a mild pain in the ass. The Mill has been experimenting with nonsmoking shows for some time now, on nights where the […]
