Hey mates, down-under dweller and former Writers’ Workshop homeboy, Nam Le, returns to Iowa City tonight to read at Prairie Lights on the heels of his highly acclaimed book of short stories, The Boat (2008). While at the workshop Le defied the snotty stereotype one might conjure up of Northeastern, Ivy-adorned writers showing up in the IC and carpet-bagging the hell out of it while failing to spend time in places other than the Dey House and the Foxhead. By all accounts, mine included, Le was the coolest mofro to pass through the Workshop in many years. And on top of that, he is one of the best fiction writers to emerge from Iowa’s legendary literary halls in quite a long time. The Boat is just the beginning, we hope, of a killer career with words. We’d ramble on but the New York Times already did a much better job at filling in the particulars on this 29-year old scribe. Le reads tonight at Prairie Lights. 7PM is the start time. We suggest you arrive by 645PM at the latest.
Archive for the 'Literature' Category
Most of us know So Many Dynamos for their jerky pop licks but as it turns out, the band’s guitarist, Ryan Wasoba, also has a love for rock memoir. Wasoba recently launched a column for San Francisco music site Crawdaddy! Entitled “Livin’ the Dream”, the column chronicles the history of the band as well as Wasoba’s reflections about playing in an underground touring machine. You be the judge for whether it’s pulitzer material or not, but it’s undeniably interesting to see more writing about bands we know less about. For sure, it’s more difficult to write about a band that most people haven’t heard of because it puts more pressure on the actual writing and, in particular, the depth of the author’s insight rather than on gossip and dirt about your favorite band’s backstage antics. It offers the opportunity for music writing to become more universal and less of a nitch literary genre. So perhaps we’ll see more of this type of thing on Crawdaddy! and other music sites in the future. When the post-lunch lull hits you at work head over and check out Wasoba’s column.
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 the key foundations of this band is drummer Evan Sult (ex-Harvey Danger). Beyond his cut-throat pounding and vicious time-shifts, Sult is also quite the writer and talker. I caught up with him a couple years ago and we had a great conversation about what it means to be an independent artist. Now Sult returns with a new discussion on the ins and outs of indie-rock drumming. He’ll be reading tomorrow (Saturday) at the University of Iowa in the Adler Journalism Building (AJB) in room E146 at 1030AM sharp. This reading is part of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music Conference. We know 1030AM is a tough time for some of you night people but you’ll have to trust us that this will be a rad reading. Brian Goedde and Aaron Sachs will also be reading about hip-hop and college radio, respectively.
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 cover as a throng of Writers’ Workshop grads launch poetic volley after volley at your unsuspecting noodle. But this isn’t any normal verse here, all three poets — Kristin Kelly, Dora Malech, and Kiki Petrosino — have been selected for a publication entitled Best New Poets 2007: 50 Poems from Emerging Writers, which was curated by Pulitzer-Prize Winner Natasha Trethewey. These ladies are bringing somethin’ serious your way, so you best be ready.
Who: Kristin Kelly, Dora Malech, and Kiki Petrosino
Where: Prairie Lights Bookstore
When: Today (4/22), 7 pm
Cover: my favorite four-letter f-word: Free
Once you’ve licked your wounds and rested your bones, you can make the sojourn to the Shambaugh House (home of the IWP), on Wednesday night and match wits and weapons with the undergrads. I know what you’re thinking: undergrads? You mean those sweaty, nervous things stumbling around campus? Hey, watch it buddy, I’m one of those sweaty, nervous things (for about another month). Anywho, On Wednesday, you can be sweaty and nervous with us as we celebrate the release of our pretty (now in color!) undergraduate literary review: earthwords. Things get awkward at 7 pm.
However, if you miss the festivities, the fine folks at earthwords will be handing out these fine publications around campus in the coming days; keep your eyes peeled.
Who Else: earthwords
Where Else: The Shambaugh House
When: Wednesday at 7 pm
Cover: Oh yeah, more free
The Ben Marcus is employed by the HEAD CAVERN. The head cavern can either be self-supplied in nature or it is furnished, in larger numbers, by multiple ELDER BUREAUS, who, on behalf of the EMPTY VESSEL or INK STICK HOLDER, siphon large amounts of money to the Ben Marcus at THE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY.
When the self-supplied head cavern employs the Ben Marcus, the Ben Marcus delegates duties to the ink stick. Using the fluid from the head cavern of the Ben Marcus, the ink stick contorts characters to form instructional passages with which empty vessels may be filled. The collection of these instructional passages is called THE AGE OF WIRE AND STRING and the Ben Marcus has taken credit, like all good CATCHPOLES, away from the ink stick which constructed the passages.
Occasionally the Ben Marcus is called upon to empty his head cavern through the ORATION HOLE. This will sometimes consist of new head cavern fluid, this most often occurs when the head cavern is full and the fluid begins dripping out from the oration hole. However, most of the time the Ben Marcus will draw upon old fluid, shaped by the ink stick. The Ben Marcus will often have The Age of Wire and String in front of him, to either re-energize the head cavern fluid or when the Ben Marcus is lacking the fluid, simply for the oration hole to repeat. It will be this action that the Ben Marcus will undertake on Saturday afternoon at the Mill. The Mill is a place often reserved for things entering the oration hole when seated in THE PIT and for the SONG WORD to exit the oration hole when situated on THE LOFT.
What: The Ben Marcus w/ Robin Hemley, Andre Perry, and Mark Leidner
Where: The Mill
When: Saturday, April 5th
Doors: 2 pm
Cover: $5
It’s Sunday, the ultimate day of relaxation — a time to catch up on brunch dates and that stack of Netflix DVDs that’s been piling up next to your/yr TV. But the Freak never sleeps yo. We’re always looking for a cool way to feed our heads. Please join us: If you’re feeling like a little music, well there’s that Maritime/Hood Internet show we told you about a few days ago but if it’s the power of literature that you want to plug into we’ve got something hot for you. This evening at 7PM, local literary group Whenever We Feel Like It presents a reading of two young, outstanding writers: Mark Leidner and Shannon Burns. Leidner in particular has been a favorite of the Freak for years. His capacity for humor and poignant reflection make for accessible yet impressive poetry. The reading takes place in the Frank Conroy room in the Dey House, home of the Writers’ Workshop. The address is: 507 N. Clinton Street in Iowa City.
Hey Folks,
Things are mad-busy here at Mission Creek HQ. We’re planning like crazy for this year’s festival. We’d like to add a few more bands to the ever-expanding list of acts for this year. First off, we are ecstatic to have coerced wonderful Omaha/Saddle Creek vets, NEVA DINOVA, out of their lair to come and rock our socks off this year. It’s been a long time but my oh my we bet it’s been worth the wait! Apparently the band has a new album in the works for April so expect lots of new songs plus some old classics. We also just added BRIGHTON MA who for the past two years have delivered crushing, show-stealing performances at the festival. We cannot stress how exciting the Brighton MA live experience is (do not miss this band, please: these guys will quite literally knock you off yr proverbial feet!) Last but not least, we’d like to announce, with great pleasure, former Hawkeye and a current gem of the D.C. indie-rock scene: THESE UNITED STATES. Yes indeed, These United States will roll into this year’s festival with a new album under their belts and a performance featuring Iowa City’s SKURSULA as part of their backing band!
:: previously announced acts :: cursive, dan deacon, ben marcus, headlights, evangelicals
:: festival dates :: april 2nd - 5th, iowa city, (picador/mill/yacht club/java house)
Download: Neva Dinova - Ahh
Download: Brighton, MA - Bet You Never Thought
Download: These United States - First Sight
Oi Folks,
Things are shaping up here in festival land. In addition to previously announced acts CURSIVE, DAN DEACON, and keynote fiction genius BEN MARCUS, we take great pleasure in adding EVANGELICALS and HEADLIGHTS to the line-up for Mission Creek Festival 2008. If you have yet to hear the Evangelicals stunning new album, The Evening Descends (Pitchfork recommended), get thee to a record store now. With its space rock guitars and cavernous vocals warped over driving beats, this is certainly going to be one of the most exciting albums of the year (and it’s barely February!) But also keep your eyes out for the new Headlights record, Some Racing, Some Stopping due out February 19th on Polyvinyl. We’ve heard it and we can tell you it’s an indie-pop gem for sure, something to swoon over with your lover on cold wintry nights on Midwest couches.
A gentle reminder: the Mission Creek Festival takes place April 2nd - 5th in downtown Iowa City. Q: Why Iowa City? A: ‘Cause it don’t get any more intimate than this! We don’t claim to have the biggest acts (go to Chicago’s P-Fork festival in the summer for that) but we do have the best vantage point for sure… we are without a doubt the coziest festival of them all. This year’s central venues currently include the Picador, the Mill, and the Yacht Club. Who’s getting excited? Information on festival passes and more acts to come soon soon soon!
Download: Headlights - Cherry Tulips
Download: Evangelicals - Skeleton Man
Oh it’s beautiful. Iowa City is so quiet right now. No waiting in line for late-night eats or being harassed by Abercrombie & Fitch drunkards. Good times, good times. Too bad it’s FUCKING FREEZING outside. But don’t let the weather getcha down. You live in Iowa City for one reason and one reason only: you are awesome. If said description applies to you, grease up yr loins and get ready for a hot weekend of events.
Thursday
The Poison Control Center / The Mill - 9PM - $6
Hopefully you’ve already received the memo that the PCC is taking over the Mill tonight. This band has consistently been on-point with a style of indie-pop that is both angular and anthemic. There are a handful of Iowa bands in the indie-rock game that seem poised to establish a national presence, but with continued hard work and increasingly improved songwriting I put my money on the PCC breaking through before some of their Iowa-based indie-rock classmates. Catch them while you can. Renaissance Fair junkies and singers extraordinaire Twelve Canons open as well as the quirky and excellent Sam Locke-Ward.
Friday
Anthony Horowitz / Prairie Lights - 330PM - Free
Round up yr kids: Anthony Horowitz, author of the acclaimed Alex Rider detective series for young adults will be speaking and signing books at our local indie bookstore.
Saturday
William Elliott Whitmore / The Picador - 9PM - $8
Roots rocker Whitmore returns to town to road-test some new music before dipping back into the studio for his next record. Local fave Dave Zollo will accompany Whitmore in addition to playing his own set. Feel-good jug band revivalists, Escape the Floodwater Jug Band, open.
Yep, it’s time to think about Iowa City’s very own Mission Creek Festival. For the uninitiated, Mission Creek is a four-day arts explosion (produced by us) that takes over downtown Iowa City with concerts, readings, and film screenings. This year’s dates are Wednesday, April 2nd - Saturday, April 5th. We’re still in the process of programming but we got so excited we wanted to share some early confirmations!
CURSIVE will headline the festival on Friday, April 4th, bringing their beautiful and noisy indie rock to the wooden walls of the Mill. These Saddle Creek veterans are undeniable Midwest rock n’ roll heroes and we can’t wait for them to tear it up.
DAN DEACON will headline the festival on Saturday, April 5th at the Picador. Everyone who saw DEACON open for Girl Talk last October knows that he stole the show with a performance that was nothing short of religious. Dan, you bring on the beats, the skull, and the crystal cat. We’ll bring our dancing shoes and buckets of sweat. This will be a great party.
And for all of you literary folks — this is, after all, the “writers’ town” — renowned fiction writer BEN MARCUS is this year’s keynote writer. Author of the daring The Age of Wire and String and head honcho of Columbia University’s MFA program in creative writing, MARCUS will read on the afternoon of April 5th at the Mill.
There is so much more we want to tell you but trust me, we’re working really, really hard on making this the best Mission Creek Festival yet… more updates soon!!!
