A.C. Hawley & Kent Williams
On the Beat few more dance and dubstep DJ nights announced; they’ve been a successful draw for the Moose. The Yacht Club (13 S. Linn Street) and Gabe’s (330 E. Washington)
Photo by Quintron
Summer in the Clubs! Live Music Venue GUIDE
Iowa City is what is known in the biz as a ‘small market.’ Acts on national tours book shows in Iowa City based on it’s geographical position within a half-day’s drive of Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis and Kansas City—it’s a great place to shoehorn a show in between bigger cities, to avoid a ‘dark night’ on tour. The local commercial live venues—The Blue Moose, Gabe’s, The Mill, and the Yacht Club—take advantage of this to bring Iowa City audiences shows that pass by more out-of-the-way cities. The summer music schedule in local bars is less hectic than it is in fall or spring, the traditional heavy touring seasons, but there’s still plenty of interesting events to choose from. Blue Moose Tap House (211 Iowa Ave.)
The Blue Mouse is in a nineteenth-century brick building that has been a music venue under different names and styles since the 1960s. When it became the Blue Moose they renovated part of the downstairs area into a concert room with a capacity of 600. The Moose books a variety of music, but is the venue most likely to host nationally touring indie-pop and hip-hop acts. It also features a separate venue upstairs, The Blue Room, which can be used
Scott Kading bought the Yacht Club building because when it had been open in the late '80s and early '90s it was his favorite bar. It’s not exactly the same—there are no peanut shells littering the floor, for one thing—but it has developed a passionate following. Kading says “Our vision for the Yacht Club has never changed—have as much fun as possible … we get to throw a party in a basement every night.” The Yacht Club features its regular lineup of dance parties QUINTRON & MISS PUSSYCAT w/ Solid Attitude, We Shave on Tuesdays and jam sessions The Mill | July 17 | 9 p.m. | $10/$8 adv. on Wednesdays. Local favorites like Dennis McMurrin (June 2), Dead Larry (June 16) and the Diplomats Of Solid Sound for smaller shows but more often functions as a green room for acts performing downstairs. (July 6) prove that music, like beer, is ofIn June and July the Blue Moose will pres- ten best when it’s fresh and locally made. Kading also bought Gabe’s recently. Gabe’s ent some interesting shows. Des Moines’ Parrenderos Latin Combo (June 9) bring South has been an institution in Iowa City for over American heat; Destroyer (June 11) who, de- 40 years, hosting countless memorable concerts in those years. Since 2009 it has changed hands three times, but Kading is committed to living up to its storied past. “The potential is amazing. We haven’t had a sold out show yet, but it’s coming.” Sadly, the regular downstairs cusVICTOR WOOTEN tomers—formerly w/ Uniphonics | Gabe's July 8 | 7 p.m. | $20 the best free show in town—have moved on. “The previous two ownspite the name, crafts carefully made, radio ers went out of their way to ensure the old friendly pop songs; Big K.R.I.T. (July 15), a regulars are gone” Kading says, “We have popular and critical success as a hip-hop MC, spent the last six months cleaning the place up representing Meridian Mississippi; two big and making it a nice place to hang out again.” Kading listed several upcoming shows metal shows (Motionless in White on June 13 and The Word Alive on June 26) are bound to he was looking forward to at Gabe’s: The appeal to the younger headbangers among us. Firecracker 500 Festival (June 28-30) reThe schedule will fill out more in com- turns with a stellar line up of punk and garage ing weeks, and there will probably be a June/July 2012 | Little Village
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