You are browsing the archives of 2008 April.

Lifted directly from the Facebook Wire: “Miguel Soria returns to the newly re-opened Public Space One (basement of the Jefferson Building downtown) for a night of monologues, photography, and yes, music. Miguel (as Monadnoc) has toured the country with These United States, lived in Iowa City, and written books. He sings like a poet who [...]

The Flyentology DJs throw the best weekly dance party in Iowa City. Every Tuesday they get busy at the Yacht Club mixing some of the hottest beats in electronica, often featuring guest DJs or bands. This week, the Flyentology crew takes a turn for the jam-rock with guest artists Eoto making an appearance at the [...]

One of our favorite bands in the world is Bound Stems. These quirky, shape-shifting Chicago rockers charmed us with their schizophrenic indie-rock debut, Appreciation Night in 2006. Their live performances are like late-night house parties: the whole band parades around the stage singing to each other as much as they’re singing to us. One of [...]

Oooh, synthesizers! Do you like them? I sure hope so, ’cause on Sunday (along with some predicted precipitation), Iowa City will be awash in ‘em.
In fact, it’s a very specific species of synths: Midwestern. The Mill will be hosting a symposium highlighting three very distinct Midwestern breeds: Chicago’s Casiotone for the Painfully [...]

Saturday night is your opportunity to get out and get DIY-as-fuck at a house party/art show/rock show/extravaganza. Home Cooked is an art show - no, a happening that is being put on by a group of motivated local artists looking to provide an alternative space for Iowa City’s underground art scene. This will be the [...]

And now, a message from the former First Lady of the United States, the Junior Senator from New York, Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton:
Hello Mission Freak readers! I know it’s been a few months since I saw many of you last, but I wanted to catch you up on how things have been going for me [...]

For having a tag line like “Music, lit, and life in Iowa City,” missionfreak.com has been strangely devoid of lit for some time. I aim to fix that — with a vengeance (duh duh duhnn).
Literature is mounting a two-pronged attack on your solar plexus, and the first wave hits tonight at Prairie Lights. Duck and [...]

Let’s keep this simple: Stars of the Lid put out one of last year’s best records. Period. And Their Refinement of the Decline is an epic sprawl of ambient and lush textures, an album of numbing drones and glacial compositions, and a series of lengthy movements that both soothe and arrest the listener. In short: [...]

Shall we get our New Testament on? Hope about a little Christian rock, eh? And we ain’t talking about no cheesy emo Tooth n’ Nail band. We’re talking about John Ringhofer and his little pop project, Half-handed Cloud. While dropping their twee science all over the Bay Area these Asthmatic Kitty vets have helped pave [...]

Iowa City is home to one of the best eccentric pop songwriters in these United States. His name is Sam Locke-Ward and the obvious musical reference point would be Daniel Johnston, which is slightly misleading since Sam isn’t crazy — he’s viciously smart and well put together — though he does share an undeniable link [...]