"I'll Make You a Mixtape": Summer Concerts

by B Condon 5:38 PM

S. Carey at the Mill

May 13

S. Carey, more well known as the drummer and second voice to Justin Vernon's Bon Iver was a really busy boy this summer - starting his solo career with his first album "All We Grow" and heading back to collaborating with Vernon and the rest of the Wiconsians with Bon Iver's huge comeback for the rest of the summer. While Carey is like the Ringo of instrumentals, with a lot of help with friends, he is still able to make his own sound between Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, and even Iron and Wine.

 It was a fantastic concert despite the fact that both me and my friend was totally exhausted that night,  while our mutual friend which brought us to the Mill that night for her birthday had more energy than the both of us, which is a rarity. Despite that and between bites of the Mills kickass cheese bread listening to the soothing sounds of S. Carey. I was hooked and even looked up Bon Iver and immediately fell in love.

Here's Bon Iver's latest music video, "Holcene," just released today (filmed in Iceland... absolutely stunning!)

Crooked Still on Java Blend and Iowa City Summer of the Art's Arts Fest

June 3

Crooked Still at Arts Fest, Main Stage

 Like most bands who come through Iowa City, chances are NPR or Little Village Live will get you on stage first before you hit the stage the night or the week of your initial performance. Crooked Still was on Iowa City's NPR branch, otherwise known as Java Blend at the local coffee house (and only coffee house in my addicted mind) Java House Fridays at 2 and then Arts Fest about five hours later. 

I immediately loved them, probably because their style of bluegrass is the type that is mostly bearable and actually something that goes well with the Yeats poetry I was reading while watching them which I told lead singer Aoife O'Dononvan (who I saw pelting across Iowa Ave to get food before they got on the Arts Fest stage) for a quick three minute conversation. Embarrassingly she mentioned she had a new fan in "the girl with the hat" (me) and pointed my direction. *faceplant*

I have posted their version of Johnny Cash's "Ain't No Grave" which has appeared on the second season finale of True Blood, so here's another...

Alexis Stevens/Best Friends Forever at The Mill 

June 24

Best Friends Forever, Bree and Jessica on my crappy phone

Alexis Stevens, rocking my face the first time.

Whenever there is a familiar stage name in town, I will go. If you happen to be a twee band (one of the few that are still alive from the '90s) I will go to you indefinitely and find it more valuable than any concert I can usher at the Englert. Best Friends Forever was indeed worth it, having had their song "Back Pocket" on my ITunes forever, not knowing where I got it from. The sing-song quality got stuck in my head once more as Alexis Stevens was singing, Bree and Jessica were sitting at the next table next to me and my friends and I don't know what kept me from going over to them and squeeing over the fact they are insanely twee!

 

Alexis was insanely impressive, there was a quality of her voice in the Mills sound system that made her sound surprisingly haunting and I could not get enough! Which led me to "Little Village Live" yesterday in the -- as I like to call it -- hipster basement otherwise known as Public Space 1 yesterday where my face was blown all over again.

Holcombe Waller/Haley Bonar at The Englert; Intimate Series

July 1st

A very lo-fi night, I didn't get any pictures other than a love for Waller Holocombe, the unknown band for me. One of the few ushers on hand that night who actually knew who Haley Bonar was (through the power of last.fm), it was fun and I even got a little happy when she sang this - one of the few songs I knew of hers. The Acoustics that night was perfect! Especially during "May Day," I had chills.

Holcombe Waller (the man, not a band let me remind you) opened the show and I actually found myself loving it. A little Iron and Wine and a little Bon Iver with a violin, it was the most elegant lo-fi indie shit I've ever heard!

Lipstick Homicide at S.O.S. Save Our Spaceship

July 13

Kate on left, Rachel on the right. Hidden drummer, Luke Ferguson

I always have a soft spot for Lipstick Homicide... West High ex-students Rachel Feldman and Kate Kane as musical partners-in-crime ready to melt faces and take names with their punk-infused pop... or is it rock? One can't ever really tell nowadays. I always try to make time to go to their concerts if I have the cab money and finally Save Our Spaceship happened -- a high school event for and made by the local teens, a fundraiser to raise money for eco-focused efforts in both the high schools in the surrounding area as well as the University.

I sat behind the Gemini DJ and Karaoke booth with the owner I knew whose karaoke system is used Tuesday nights at the gay bar as well as through few a people. Between managing to get a great picture of the spastic Kate (Kate, if you're reading this I mean that with love) and checking my text messages almost insanely for a hook up. But after introducing myself to Kane, it seemed like my day was complete.

However, they are touring the west side of the states so keep your eyes peeled staring August 25th!

Have I mentioned they're adorable?

Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside/Jolie Holland at the Englert, Intimate Series

July 15

The concert that caused me to put Sallie Ford's video up on here at least two times because they are that in! (They played Dave Letterman a few weeks ago playing "I Swear.") Another Portland-import to the Englert's historical stage like Holcombe Waller, Sallie Ford opened and seemed to be the highlight of that night for ushering.

Jolie Holland

Jolie Holland, more popular for her collaborations with her band "The Be-Good Tanyas" that teeter between lo-fi indie and bluegrass (note: "The Littlest Birds" more popular amongst "Weeds" fans and "In Spite of the Damage" from "The L Word") took the stage and I was excited to hear a more subdued "The Littlest Birds." The Intimate Series holds 100 seats to be sold that are set up on the stage and at one point attendees came through the back stage door to get that sense of a small intimate concert. 

What was even better that she was sitting a few rows behind me in the house and was talking to the other stage usher. Holland actually asked if the theater was haunted by any ghosts without knowing that yes, The Englert is haunted by its original owners; William and Etta Englert. I knew a few staff members that had experiences that the usher did not know - as she was tempted to pull me over to talk to this fantastic musician. 

Holland's newest from her new album "Pint of Blood"

Alexis Stevens at Little Village Live 

August 17th

So the lady with the enigmatic voice that captured me two months prior finally got herself a seat at Little Village Live (Little Village the local arts/entertainment/event zine) at the "hipster's basement", something they have been trying to get to happen for awhile now. And in the midst of instructing the new incoming freshmen to "Never wear crocs... and please, wear pants. Not pajama pants, not shorts, just... just wear pants!" Stevens talked about the department she teaches in as well as playing new unreleased material that will be appearing on either an EP or LP to be released later this year. I'm totally for this.

Turns out that Sleepy Sun, Milk and Eggs (local), and even Rosi Golan (!!!) will be on Little Village Live in the coming three weeks at the hipster's basement five to six, if you can't make it, there's always the online podcasts. I am so excited for Rosi Golan because she's also playing the Mill that night with local and local favorite Jason Reeves so if you hear squealing in the background of that podcast, it's me because I've loved her songs for about a year now.

Not from Little Village or opening for Best Friends Forever, but here's a youtube link from playing The Mill a year ago...