Music Calendar
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Listed times represent show start time. Doors will open at least one hour before the listed time unless otherwise noted.
| Date | Artist | ||
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| Fri 08.01 | Bradford Lee Folk & The Bluegrass Playboys | Bradford Lee Folk & The Bluegrass Playboys in | |
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with Seth Wenger
Southern native Bradford Lee Folk works hard and plays hard. By day he’s out on a John Deere tractor on an organic farm in Tennessee, tilling the land for a living. By night he’s back home in Nashville, tearing it up on stage with his Bluegrass Playboys, playing the rough-edged blend of bluegrass tradition and true country grit that’s his stock-in-trade. After years heading up the seminal young bluegrass band Open Road and then running a rural honky-tonk in Colorado, Brad Folk came back to Nashville determined to make his own music his own way. On his new album Somewhere Far Away, wIth burning fiddles and hard-picked banjo behind him, his new music flows out of the Americana bedrock of Music City, but bubbles with the intensity of modern life.
Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $10. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. |
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| Sun 08.03 | Pub Quiz | Pub Quiz in | |
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Every Sunday night with Tallgrass beer specials and prizes to be won.
Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $1 entrance fee. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. |
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| Thu 08.07 | Sidewalk Chalk | Sidewalk Chalk in | |
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w. ION With the release of its sophomore album, Leaves, Sidewalk Chalk continues to lead the contemporary evolution of hip-hop, soul, and jazz. The band’s roots are firmly planted in Chicago where all eight members bring their respective talents together to update a sound first heralded in the Native Tongues era but never so musically diverse. The group’s unique arrangement allows them to incorporate numerous styles seamlessly: an MC and female vocalist; a trio of keys, bass, and drums; a horn section with trombone and trumpet; and a tap-dancer. Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $8. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. |
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| Mon 08.11 | Chain & the Gang (ex-Nation of Ulysses, The Make Up) | Chain & the Gang (ex-Nation of Ulysses, The Make Up) in | |
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w. TBD Chain & the Gang is led by Ian Svenonius, the prime mover behind the bands Nation of Ulysses and The Make-Up, and author of two books, Psychic Soviet and Supernatural Strategies for Making a Rock ‘n’ Roll Group, not to mention online talk show host and auteur filmmaker. The band deals in a new genre called CRIME ROCK that updates rock ‘n’ roll, blues, and gospel music or vocal quartets from the late 50s /early 60s for the discerning few. As Ian himself puts it: “If asked about it by a prospective fan, I would say ‘Watch out; it might hurt your feelings.’ Or ‘Be careful…there’s no telling what might happen if you put it in your ear.’” Why? Because Chain & The Gang isn’t for everyone. It’s not designed for the victims of Ikea who rely on robots to choose their background muzak, but it can also prove to be addictive and has some disturbing side effects. Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $6 Advance / $8 Day of Show. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. Buy tickets |
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| Wed 08.13 | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band in | |
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The house band will typically include Al Murphy, Bob Black, Dale Thomas, Joe Petersen and other IC bluegrass giants.
http://www.myspace.com/theburlingtonstreetbluegrassband
Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $5. Age restrictions: All Ages. |
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| Fri 08.15 | Kevin Gordon | Kevin Gordon in | |
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Beloved Americana blues guitar poet, former Iowa City resident and writers workshop alum returns to the Mill. Peter Guralnick, acclaimed Elvis Presley and Sam Cooke biographer, says, “There’s nothing else around today quite like Kevin Gordon’s music. Think of John Lee Hooker tied to the hard, imagistic poetry of William Carlos Williams, and you get a little bit of the picture. It’s something like trance blues, I suppose – but then you encounter the tangled, complex story lines of ‘Colfax’ or ‘Trying to Get to Memphis’ or ‘Bus to Shreveport.’ There really is no way to sum it up neatly – you just have to listen. And listen again. For the pure emotional pleasure of it. For the unmistakable, hard-driving passion of words and music, rocking together in rhythm.”
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $12 Advance / $15 Day of Show. Age restrictions: 21+ After 10 pm. Buy tickets |
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| Sat 08.16 | Comedy Showcase: hosted by Daniel Frana | Comedy Showcase: hosted by Daniel Frana in | |
Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $5. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. |
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| Mon 08.18 | Open Mic with J. Knight | Open Mic with J. Knight in | |
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An Iowa City institution. So many great acts have played their first show at the Mill’s Open Mic. Many seasoned pros test out new material before a live audience. Come check it out – you never know when you’ll catch the next great Iowa City songwriter. To sign your act up, call J. Knight in advance at 319.338.6713.
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: always free. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. |
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| Thu 08.21 | Rational Anthem | Rational Anthem in | |
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w. Boys, Maiden Mars, Conetrauma An evening of excellent punk rock. Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $5. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. |
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| Mon 08.25 | Open Mic with J. Knight | Open Mic with J. Knight in | |
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An Iowa City institution. So many great acts have played their first show at the Mill’s Open Mic. Many seasoned pros test out new material before a live audience. Come check it out – you never know when you’ll catch the next great Iowa City songwriter. To sign your act up, call J. Knight in advance at 319.338.6713.
Time: 8:00am. Admission: always free. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. |
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| Tue 08.26 | Iowa City, Make Love to Me | Iowa City, Make Love to Me in | |
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Musical stylings of:
Pete Balestrieri (Violent Femmes, Ghostly Trio, Old Scratch Revival Singers, and Gory Details) Erik Whittaker (OSRS, Los Voltage, and Gimpy) Justin Baumgartner (OSRS and Brass Orchid) Douglas Kramer Nye (???) https://soundcloud.com/englert/peter-balestrieri-iowa-city Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $5. |
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| Wed 08.27 | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band in | |
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The house band will typically include Al Murphy, Bob Black, Dale Thomas, Joe Petersen and other IC bluegrass giants.
http://www.myspace.com/theburlingtonstreetbluegrassband
Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $5. Age restrictions: All Ages. |
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| Thu 08.28 | Bob Log III | Bob Log III in | |
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w. Samuel Locke-Ward & the Garbage Boys The legendary one-man garage/Delta-blues rock phenomenon returns to the Mill. Log’s music is pure energy and a fantastic display of guitar prowess. Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $10 Advance / $12 Day of Show. Age restrictions: 21+ After 10 pm. |
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| Thu 09.04 | Moonshine Sorrow | Moonshine Sorrow in | |
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Along with two-peckered billy goats and tits on a boar, Moonshine Sorrow rank among the lowest of life forms to have ever have existed. Lacking all respect for authority, and displaying an uncanny lust for violence, they seem to always lean toward chaos and destruction. Infusing their own blend of country-hell-billy Iowa folk rock, their greatest pleasure is rumored to be being too drunk to give a s**t about anything whatsoever…
Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $5. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. |
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| Fri 09.05 | The Recliners | The Recliners in | |
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Iowa City mainstays, the Recliners play such a wide variety of music that they are hard to classify. If there were a category labeled: contemporary Acoustic-Pop-Folk-Rock-Turkish, this group would certainly top the list.
Within their repertoire there is something for everyone, from classic ’60s and ’70s numbers to songs by contemporary singer-songwriters, from traditional Turkish tunes to American folk songs, Irish melodies, and bluegrass, from Van Morrison and the Beatles to the edgy rock and traditional ballads of Richard Thompson. Through it all there’s only one rule – everyone has to have a good time! Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $6. Age restrictions: All Ages. |
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| Tue 09.09 | Joshua James | Joshua James in | |
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James found his own voice while escaping the traditional confines of the folk genre. The elements of the confessional remain, but the music here breathes and moves with a life all its own. Songs like “Wolves” begin sparse and pretty before suddenly moving into the epically symphonic. “Ghost In The Town” is a poignant goodbye to youth in the form of a guitar strum noir. “Surrender” is existential angst hidden between piano waltz and doo-wop sway. The album’s lead off single, “Queen of the City”, came out of a late night, whisky-induced haze, depicting the internal paradox of good and evil, the id and the ego, faith and doubt.
“The writing and recording of this record has been a time of transition and realization for me,” says James, “and that set me free to explore other sounds and forms of expression. It’s been about finding a center and realizing that not everyone needs to see the world like you do. We all have differences. I love the fact that we are not all the same, nor should we be.”
Where Build Me This addressed the concept of rebirth, From The Top Of Willamette Mountain accomplishes a rebirth artistically. Whatever he found up there at the top of his imaginary mountain or in the Oregon studio, James now seems to be directing his questioning inward, rather than towards a hole in the sky, and the conversation is getting much more interesting.
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $12 Advance / $15 Day of Show. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. Buy tickets |
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| Wed 09.10 | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band in | |
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The house band will typically include Al Murphy, Bob Black, Dale Thomas, Joe Petersen and other IC bluegrass giants.
http://www.myspace.com/theburlingtonstreetbluegrassband
Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $5. Age restrictions: All Ages. |
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| Fri 09.12 | The 100s | The 100s in | |
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The “roots music” tent is a pretty big piece of canvas these days, stretching to encompass an assortment of traditional and contemporary performers, songs, and styles. Under this big top, eastern Iowa’s The 100s fit like a heat houser on a Farmall 460. Over the past decade—with two albums (2005’s Take the Gravel Home and 2008’s Echoes), several lineup changes, a hiatus or three, memorable (if sporadic) live shows and heart-on-their-sleeves performances—The 100s have cultivated a modest but loyal following. Their songs weave stories and explore themes across the rock-country-folk-pop genres: love and loyalty, drunkards and dreamers, last chances and church calendar skies.
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $8. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. |
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| Wed 09.17 | Shonen Knife | Shonen Knife in | |
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w. Habibi Shonen Knife, Osaka Japan’s legendary queens of indie sunshine, are back with a brand new album for 2014. Their newest release, “Overdrive”, is a tip of the hat to 70’s Hard Rock, and a continuation of Shonen Knife’s journey into the musings of food, fantasy and daily life in the Far Eastern metropolis of Osaka we’ve come to know and love. “Overdrive” features 10 new songs penned by founding member and principal songwriter Naoko who continues to grow the 30 plus year legacy of Japan’s most recognizable name in indie rock. The band is rounded out with 2 songs sung by bassist Ritsuko and drummer Emi, a lineup consistently rocking since 2010. Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $12 Advance / $14 Day of Show. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. |
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| Thu 09.18 | Charlie Parr | Charlie Parr in | |
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w. Ark Life Many people play roots music, but few modern musicians live those roots like Minnesota’s Charlie Parr. Recording since the earliest days of the 21st century, Parr’s heartfelt and plaintive original folk blues and traditional spirituals don’t strive for authenticity: They are authentic. Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $12 Advance / $15 Day of Show. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. Buy tickets |
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| Sat 09.20 | Dennis McMurrin | Dennis McMurrin in | |
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Dennis “Daddy-O” McMurrin, one of the finest and highly respected guitarists in Iowa, has been playing and singing for 45 years now, gaining a loyal following through his recordings and countless gigs. McMurrin’s biggest influences include James Brown, B.B. King, Johnny Winter, and Tower Of Power. In fact, the Tower Of Power Horns played on McMurrin’s first album. Daddy-O has developed a super-funky, soulful style of Blues that definitely gets the place jumping. Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $7. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. |
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| Wed 09.24 | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band in | |
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The house band will typically include Al Murphy, Bob Black, Dale Thomas, Joe Petersen and other IC bluegrass giants.
http://www.myspace.com/theburlingtonstreetbluegrassband
Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $5. Age restrictions: All Ages. |
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| Fri 09.26 | Jazz After Five | Jazz After Five in | |
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w. Blake Shaw / Grace Leong Jazz After Five was conceived by local jazz musician and University of Iowa music professor Brent Sandy. Sandy, who has played with groups all over the world, wanted there to be an outlet for jazz lovers of all ages and tastes so he came up with the idea of having an early Friday evening Jazz show. Iowa City residents, U of Iowa college students, and even interested high school students can now swing by and enjoy new and original jazz compositions within the cozy and intimate confines of the Mill. Local jazz collector, DJ, critic, enthusiast Craig Kessler took over the Jazz After Five curatorial duties in Spring 2014. He continues to uphold Sandy’s original vision of supporting a robust and captivating local jazz scene. MUSIC until 7:00 Time: 5:00pm. Admission: FREE. Age restrictions: All Ages. |
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| Wed 10.08 | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band in | |
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The house band will typically include Al Murphy, Bob Black, Dale Thomas, Joe Petersen and other IC bluegrass giants.
http://www.myspace.com/theburlingtonstreetbluegrassband
Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $5. Age restrictions: All Ages. |
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| Tue 10.14 | O’Death | O’Death in | |
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w. TBD In late July of 2010, New York quintet O’Death -Singer/guitarist Greg Jamie, Gabe Darling on banjo and ukulele, drummer David Rogers-Berry, bassist Jesse Newman, and violinist Robert Pycior — returned to the stage after a year-long hiatus to play a critically-acclaimed set at the Newport Folk Festival. In many ways it was the perfect start to a new era in the band’s existence, and a logical precursor to their upcoming third LP, Outside. Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $10 Advance / $12 Day of Show. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. Buy tickets |
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| Sat 10.18 | Brooks Strause & The Gory Details | Brooks Strause & The Gory Details in | |
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w. Land of Blood and Sunshine, Crystal City Brooks Strause was born in Muscatine, Iowa, in the United States of America, on the twenty-third day of January, in 1981. At age 14, he began to write and record songs using a guitar and his voice. This is a practice he has continued to this day. He plays a variety of musical instruments and tends to do his own arrangements. Brooks is an avid creature enthusiast. Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $7. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. |
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| Thu 10.30 | Reigning Sound | Reigning Sound in | |
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Reigning Sound’s principal songwriter/member is Greg Cartwright, who’s been leading the shifting cast of characters since 2001. You may be familiar with some of the band’s work, as this album is preceded by five studio efforts as well as numerous EPs and live records. Or perhaps some of Greg’s other projects have been on your musical radar: The Oblivians, Parting Gifts, Compulsive Gamblers, ‘68 Comeback, Deadly Snakes, Detroit Cobras.
Shattered will be Reigning Sound’s first album for Merge and the first full LP by the group since 2009’s Love and Curses.
Regardless, as far as Reigning Sound is concerned, this is as good a place to start as any because through many line-up changes and mood swings, the central, constant feature is the way Greg writes songs. This particular embodiment of the band includes longtime keyboardist Dave Amels, who joined the band seven years ago when Reigning Sound recorded an album, consisting mostly of Cartwright’s songs, with former Shangri-Las lead singer Mary Weiss.
The album was recorded at Daptone’s Brooklyn studio (where drummer Mikey works in the office) and masterfully engineered by Wayne Douglas. The recordings are warm and punchy, a mixed bag of rockers, ballads, and something in between. There are only 11 songs on the album, but the band reckons it’s just right.
Shattered is to be released by Merge on July 15, 2014.
Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $14 adv/$16 dos. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. Buy tickets |
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| Wed 11.12 | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band in | |
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The house band will typically include Al Murphy, Bob Black, Dale Thomas, Joe Petersen and other IC bluegrass giants.
http://www.myspace.com/theburlingtonstreetbluegrassband
Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $5. Age restrictions: All Ages. |
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| Sun 11.16 | My Brightest Diamond | My Brightest Diamond in | |
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The Englert Presents: My Brightest Diamond As impressive as her list of recent collaborators, Shara Worden/My Brightest Diamond’s voice and arresting live performances have left audiences thunderstruck from the Sydney Opera house to Lincoln Center to the House of Blues. She’s performed under the experimental-pop moniker My Brightest Diamond for the last seven years, and counts Bryce Dressner (The National), The Decemberists, Bon Iver, David Byrne and Laurie Anderson among friends and fans. They are just a few of the many who’ve fallen in love with Worden’s mystical voice and mythic storytelling. Having recently moved to urban Detroit, planted a garden and given birth to a son, Worden’s latest offering, “All Things Will Unwind,” draws inspiration from the Motor City itself. More folk inspired than much of her recent work the new album addresses the painful juxtaposition of life and death, class and race, art and politics — as heard through the mesmerizing lullaby of a new mother. Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $16. Age restrictions: 19+ After 10 pm. Buy tickets |
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| Wed 11.26 | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band in | |
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The house band will typically include Al Murphy, Bob Black, Dale Thomas, Joe Petersen and other IC bluegrass giants.
http://www.myspace.com/theburlingtonstreetbluegrassband
Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $5. Age restrictions: All Ages. |
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| Wed 12.10 | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band | Burlington Street Bluegrass Band in | |
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The house band will typically include Al Murphy, Bob Black, Dale Thomas, Joe Petersen and other IC bluegrass giants.
http://www.myspace.com/theburlingtonstreetbluegrassband
Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $5. Age restrictions: All Ages. |
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