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CONTENTS
cedar falls . cedar rapids . iowa city . waterloo
issue 131
10
08.15 An award-winning product of Courier Communications 100 E. Fourth St. | Waterloo, IA 50703
BIZZLE FOR RIZZLE Hear some sweet rhymes for a good cause at the God Over Money hip-hop tour stop in Waterloo, featuring Bizzle, No Malice and Bumps INF.
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Cut a rug to the biggest Jock Jams ever when C+C Music Factory headlines Cedar Valley Pride Fest in downtown Waterloo.
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Meta Hemenway-Forbes Editor 319.291.1483 meta.hemenwayforbes@wcfcourier. com Alan Simmer Associate Editor 319.291.1487 alan.simmer@ wcfcourier.com
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PULSE 3
IOWA STATE FAIR NOTHING COMPARES
Ten days of music, food and entertainment deliciousness. We’d love to give you a list of all the things you should eat, see and do at the fair, but there’s just SO MUCH, and we’re bound by the human need
for sleep. So here’s a list of the Grandstand entertainment the state fair folks have lined up. For a complete list of everything Iowa State Fair, including ticket info, visit iowastatefair.org.
Casting Crowns
Reba McEntire
Alabama
Justin Moore
Carrie Underwood
The Fray
with For King and Country Thursday, Aug. 13, @ 8 PM $32 with Easton Corbin Friday, Aug. 14 @ 8 PM $35
Def Leppard
with Styx and Tesla Saturday, Aug. 15 @ 7 PM $53
DEF LEPPARD 4 PULSE
with Caroline Kole Sunday, Aug. 16 @ 8 PM $45
with Michael Ray, Sarah Darling Monday, Aug. 17 @ 8 PM $60
YES & Toto
Tuesday, Aug. 18 @ 8 PM $35
CARRIE UNDERWOOD
with Chris Janson Thursday, Aug. 20 @ 8 PM $40 with Andy Grammer Friday, Aug. 21 @ 8 PM $38
Meghan Trainor
with Charlie Puth and Life of Dillon Saturday, Aug. 22 @ 8 PM $40
2015
AUGUST
13-23
CASTING CROWNS
MEGHAN TRAINOR REBA McENTIRE
THE FRAY
JUSTIN MOORE
COURTESY PHOTOS PULSE 5
MATTHEW PUTNEY | PULSE PHOTOGRAPHER 6 PULSE
JOHN MOLSEED | PULSE WRITER
T
he landscape of outdoor recreation in eastern Iowa could rapidly change. A new white-water course on the Maquoketa River in Manchester celebrated a soft opening recently. Other communities are now looking to get in on the current trend. “What this shows is what’s possible,” said Ty Graham, of Recreation Engineering and Planning, a company based in Boulder, Colo., that designs white-water courses. “If you have an example in front of you, that really opens up the vision,” Graham added. Officials from Cedar Falls visited the Manchester park. The group included Randy Lorenzen, city engineer. Lorenzen said the water was somewhat low during his tour, which offered a good view of the structures. “It was very impressive,” Lorenzen said.
“It looks like a very nice facility for Manchester.” The park makes it easier to imagine creating more recreational opportunities on the Cedar River, said Nick Taiber, a member of the Cedar Falls City Council. “That project kind of redefined how the city interacts with the river,” Taiber said. So far, work toward a white-water and paddlers’ course on the Cedar River in Cedar Falls is in its earliest stages, and Waterloo has commissioned a study on a course farther downstream. “It’s kind of exciting,” Lorenzen said. “We’re taking the first baby steps toward this.” Charles City opened a white-water course about four years ago. Manchester moved forward not long after, beginning with the removal of a low-head dam. “Manchester is a community that really had their act together,” said Shane
Sigle, of Recreation Engineering and Planning. “Manchester is one that really jumped on it.” As more communities show interest, Sigle and city officials aren’t concerned the white-water recreation opportunities in Iowa will become too plentiful. White-water courses are like golf courses: Each is unique and based on their environment. “On these different rivers you can have different flows and different experiences that attract different people,” Sigle said.
Citizens in Cedar Falls have already taken the initiative to raise money for a course. SingleSpeed Brewing created a Whitewater Black Beer, and one dollar of every pint sold goes toward the effort. PULSE 7
HEARD THAT
M
MILES DAVIS THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 4
y name is Chris, and I am getting tired of Miles Davis. I recognize this is a little like a food critic declaring they are sick of tacos, or — more specifically — a rock writer claiming they’ve had enough of the Beatles (guilty on that front too, I’m afraid), but this is the knee-jerk response when another lushly packaged dip into the archives arrives on the release calendar, which continued last Friday with The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Miles Davis at Newport: 1955-1975. This isn’t a knock on Davis, of course, whose catalog by any measure is a station of the cross for anyone hoping to understand jazz or, indeed, American music. It’s more of a nagging sense that the constant
repackaging and reappraising of artists whose work was released decades ago reinforces an idea that the music’s best years are long gone. As keyboardist Robert Glasper said in a 2012 interview, “I have to compete with Louis Armstrong every time I’m on charts.” The reselling of history is something of an annual tradition in the industry, and that’s not entirely a bad thing — least of all from the perspective of a given label’s bottom line. And yet, to be in the thrall of the music’s past — a natural, even unavoidable reaction with these recordings — is to an extent to be imprisoned by it.
CHRIS BARTON | LOS ANGELES TIMES Like many such releases involving a titanically influential heritage act, the music is basically unassailable. The weird alchemy of the right moment in time, creative genius and awe-inspiring collaboration yielded a period of invention that just might not be equaled, particularly for those fortunate enough to have been there while Davis and his charges rewrote the book on the fly every night. It was a revolutionary time, and collections like these testify to it. That said, if someone has only $40 or $50 to spend on jazz in a given year, I’m not sure this is the best use of it. I can recommend four or five CDs released this year — works from Kamasi Washington, Makaya McCraven and Vijay Iyer, just off the
top of my head — that prove the revolution goes on.
TAME IMPALA CURRENTS
FLO MORRISSEY TOMORROW WILL BE BEAUTIFUL
F
lo Morrissey wrote Show Me, the first song on her first album, when she was 15. “I need to learn to let it go,” she sings, as if waving goodbye to her youth. Tomorrow Will Be Beautiful is the sound of youthful optimism merging into adult uncertainty. Its sepia-toned cover depicts Morrissey, now 20, in period costume from some early ’70s bohemian commune, a nature girl from a sun-glazed dream. The album’s sonic details also pay homage to a long-gone era of Laurel Canyon folk-pop balladeers and British revivalists reconfiguring centuries-old songs for a new generation.
Morrissey sings, plays piano and guitar and writes all the songs on her craftsmanlike debut. Her lithe voice dances at its center, swathed in Noah Georgeson’s heavyhanded production, with its strings, harps and reverb. Morrissey does better with less. Her maturity as a singer and songwriter is most evident when Georgeson gives her more room, most notably on the relatively sparse If You Can’t Love This All Goes Away. Such restraint goes a long way toward affirming Morrissey’s promise, rather than merely prettifying it. — Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune
ALAN JACKSON ANGELS AND ALCOHOL
A
sk Alan Jackson about his career and he’ll likely say, “I’m just a singer of simple songs.” The modesty is genuine, seeing how Jackson stays away from the spotlight as much as a country superstar can. But his mantra also works as a goal. And on his new album, Angels and Alcohol, Jackson achieves it with a selection of deceptively simple songs that put all the way-too-clever jokes and all the bro-country littering the country airwaves to shame. Jackson sings like a man who knows what he’s doing. That’s not to say he doesn’t tackle many of the same topics as his country brethren: drinking, breakups and three-day holidays. But he does it better than almost anyone else.
The delightful first single, Jim and Jack and Hank, proves it, with Jackson balancing a clever run of images with the classic country trinity of Jim (Beam), Jack (Daniels) and Hank (Williams). He spikes the kiss-off, which should be a song of the year contender, with a cranking guitar solo and a litany of country touchstones at the end, ranging from Jose Cuervo to “Willie Nelson and Big John Cash.” In a less experienced singer’s hands, the song could come off as mean- spirited, but Jackson has the sense to inject it with enough humor and self-deprecation. On Angels and Alcohol, Jackson makes a difficult tightrope walk seem effortless and as naturally enjoyable as Mexico, Tequila and Me. — Glen Gamboa, Newsday
8 PULSE
Y
ou have to believe Tame Impala mastermind Kevin Parker when he declares “Yes, I’m Changing” early on in the band’s new album, Currents. Though Tame Impala made its evergrowing reputation on layer upon layer of woozy guitar rock on its first two albums, everything on Currents is much crisper and, well, danceable. Yes, I’m Changing sounds like a musical landscape born before the 29-year-old from Australia. The swooping synths and minimalist bass line would have been at home with the Thompson Twins on the soundtrack to Sixteen Candles, but, in this context, Parker makes it sound re-imagined and current. On The Less I Know the Better, Parker takes Michael Jackson grooves and filters them through rock attitude and indie sensibilities, which doesn’t necessarily make them sound better, but it certainly makes them sound different. — Glen Gamboa, Newsday
OUR PICKS, YOUR CLICKS Abrasive by Ratatat I was between this and Cream on Chrome for my favorite track off Magnifique. This one is, ironically, the lighter of the two. — Alan S. You Satellite by Wilco The gods of hipster dad rock prove they’ve still got it with their new album, Star Wars. This stand-out track is perfectly understated yet epic. — Christinia C. Random Name Generator by Wilco Did you miss them at 80/35 this year? I did. Do I regret it? Eh, maybe. Do I ask and answer my own questions? Yes. We done here? You bet. — John M. No Sympathy From the Devil by Public Enemy From their 13th album, Man Plans, God Laughs, this cut is classic, oldschool rap with modern funk edges. Chuck D and the boys still got it. — Meta H. Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road by Louden Wainwright III It’s dead. It’s in the middle. And it’s stinking to high heaven. Time for a hoedown. — Wes T. Haunted Head by Ezra Furman The lyrics and the music off Furman’s latest album, Perpetual Motion People, are quirky, fun and original. — Doug H. Merry Go ’Round by Kacey Musgraves Country music the way it was meant to be done -- plucky, smart and melancholy, but without the usual cliches. — Christinia C.
2401 Falls Avenue Waterloo, IA 40701
Monday-Saturday 11AM to 9PM
Grant Wood And So Much More
Run Away With Me by Carly Rae Jepsen You don’t have to ask me twice, CRJ. I love the sultry opening horn blast, and the whole song sounds like a hot day in the city with no AC. — Alan S. Nate by Vince Staples A soulful backing track and mellow flow belie the fraught emotion of this tune. — Wes T.
Fell in Love With a Boy by Joss Stone A sultry twist on a great White Stripes tune.
— Doug H.
Just a Touch of Love by C+C Music Factory So yeah, this girl can’t WAIT to see C+C Music Factory at Cedar Valley Pride Fest (see page 18)! While I wait, “just a touch of loooovvvvve…” — Meta H. Satin in a Coffin by Modest Mouse Maybe it’s the banjo lick that kicks the song off. Maybe it’s the dark lyrics. But this one sticks in my head from an album full of hooky songs. — John M.
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Clockwise from left: Grant Wood, Spring in the Country, 1941, 26 x 24 in., oil on Masonite, museum purchase 93.12 Emperor Caracalla, A.D. 212-217, marble, 11 in. (h), gift of Tom and Nan Riley, 96.22.15. Hannah Morris, Swamp Heat, 2015, oil on canvas, 50 ½ x 67 in., courtesy of the artist, L2015.034
Free Summer Admission July 1 - August 30 Sponsored by:
410 Third Avenue SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 319.366.7503 • www.crma.org Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday 12:00 - 4:00 p.m.; Thursday 12:00 - 8:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
PULSE 9
God Over Money, a Christian hiphop group, will spit some fire on the brimstone in late August in Waterloo. Featured performers are Bizzle, Selah the Corner, Datin and Bumps INF, along with special guest No Malice (former platinum recording artist Malice of the secular hip-hop duo Clipse.) A ticket will get you a night of
head-bobbing rhymes and the chance to do something good in the world. All proceeds from the concert go to Rapha House, a global ministry with safe houses for girls rescued from human trafficking. “We invited the God Over Money crew along with No Malice to Waterloo for several reasons,” Brion Martin, co-founder and president of Wa-
terloo-based Shout MO’ Records, said in a press release. “They have a sound that resonates with hip-hop culture and they speak unfiltered truth about topics like violence and social injustice. ... We anticipate this being more than a concert, but the beginning of a movement. We hope to not only shed light on the global injustice of human trafficking, but also inspire young people
to challenge different forms of injustice we see every day in our own community.” God Over Money
Saturday, Aug. 29 @ 7 PM Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center Waterloo $10 advance | $15 door shoutmorecords.com
BIZZLE
NO MALICE
BUMPS INF 10 PULSE
SHUTTERSTOCK, COURTESY PHOTOS
COURTESY PHOTO
Miss Christine
Iowa native bassist and singer Chris- the Mumford & Sons Gentlemen of tine Moad, now of Nashville, is re- the Road stopover in Waverly. turning to her home state for a handful of shows. The Allison native now fronts Nash- Miss Christine ville rock band Miss Christine. She left Aug. 17 — Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines Iowa to study electric bass at Berklee Aug. 18 — KUNI Studio One, Cedar Falls College of Music in Boston. Moad was in Iowa earlier this summer to play in Aug. 19 — Gabe’s, Iowa City
Undivided attention Field Division, a folkwave duo (Evelyn Taylor & Nicholas Frampton) from Des Moines and now based in Nashville, is back in Iowa for a pair of shows. Coming off of playing Des Moines music festival 80/35, the duo plays at Octopus on College Hill in Cedar Falls and at the Yacht Club in Iowa City. Taylor’s lush, full voice paired with Frampton’s tight harmonies evoke Rumors-era Fleetwood Mac – a band the Field Division
Thursday, Aug. 20 @ 8 PM Octopus, Cedar Falls $5 door Friday, Aug 21 @ 8 PM The Yacht Club, Iowa City iowacityyachtclub.org
duo lists as an influence. Their debut EP, Reverie State, features a range of light dream-pop to enchanting story telling with grandiose soundscapes featuring tribal drums and brooding guitars. The pair is currently working on their first full-length album.
FRIDAYS 5:30-9:30PM at the RiverLoop Amphitheatre
Featured Concerts
Galactic Cowboy Orchestra
8/14
Rising Lion
8/28
Savage Aural Hotbed
9/11
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a t t h e Wa t e r l o o C e n t e r f o r t h e A r t s 319-291-4490 | www.waterloocenterforthearts.org/riverloop W W W .T R A V E LW AT E R L O O . C O M S u p p o r t e d i n p a r t b y a C i t y o f W a t e r l o o H o t e l - M o t e l Ta x G r a n t .
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PULSE 11
STARRING: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Alec Baldwin Shall we start taking bets how long the 53-year-old Cruise can continue being an action star? I mean, I guess Liam Neeson is a decade older, but I don’t know. I don’t think Tom can do the gravelly, reluctant old badass in the same way.
JULY 31
JULY 31
ALAN S IMMER | PULSE
AUGUST 7
Vacation Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo are in this. If she doesn’t do her classic “Claaaaaaaark” whine, I’m boycotting the whole thing.
Masterminds Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Jason Sudeikis, Owen Wilson and Zach Galafianakis in a bank heist picture. Yes, yes, yes.
The End of the Tour The story of the five-day interview between a Rolling Stone reporter and David Foster Wallace. Sounds talky. And probably boring. Sorry.
Ricki and the Flash I’m a big Meryl Streep fan, but even I’m not sure about this one. She plays an aging rocker dealing with the fallout of her spotty parental record. And yes, that’s her real daughter.
A Lego Brickumentary Jason Bateman narrates things about Lego!
AUGUST 14 The Man From U.N.C.L.E. CIA agent Superman and the wonder twins from The Social Network fight a mysterious criminal organization in this update of the 1960s TV series. Straight Outta Compton The story of NWA’s rise as they popularized gangsta rap. Maybe you’ve heard Express Yourself or 100 Miles and Runnin’ or Appetite for Destruction or Always Into Somethin’. Underdogs Oh boy. The skinny nerd beats the village bully at foosball, so the bully comes back 10 years later to raze the town and steal our hero’s girlfriend. Then the foosball players come to life and save the day. Gag me.
ST 5 AUGU
12 PULSE
AUGUST 21 STARRING: Rupert Friend, Zachary Quinto, Hannah Ware The following is a dramatic re-enactment of my inner monologue from when I saw this trailer. “Is that Orlando Bloom? He’s fun. But he’s got such nice hair, and it’s all shaved, what a shame. Wait, something’s not right. Is that him? It has to be him, right? I mean, who looks that much like Orlando Bloom besides Orlando Bloom? I’ve never played any of these video games, but I think I have one in my library. Oh, it’s not Orlando Bloom, it’s Rupert Friend. Never mind.”
AUGUST 21 Sinister 2 Is “marked for death” something a seller is required to disclose about a house? If you survive the terror, maybe you can sue! American Ultra It’s hard to catch government agents who are so high they’re floating, I guess. Bring snacks. Grandma Lily Tomlin!
#FoundMarianne Contest | bit.ly/wheresmarianne
She’s Funny That Way Anything labeled “screwball comedy” seems suspect to me. So does the fact that Imogen Poots decided to keep that last name.
AUGUST 28 Regression Ethan Hawke’s trying to figure out what sort of satanic rituals are going on, and Emma Watson is being moderately helpful, I guess.
Thursdays in August 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. City Square Park
We Are Your Friends Zac Efron is a DJ trying to make it. Yippee?
AUGUST 7 STARRING: Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell Hulk smash! Oh, wait, no, it’s Thing smash. I’m torn between assuming this Fantastic Four has to be better than the Gruffudd/Alba/ Evans/Chiklis trainwrecks and lamenting the never-ending cycle of reboots and relaunches.
1001 7th Ave, Uptown Marion • • • •
August 6 – Bob Dorr & The Blue Band August 13 – Brass Transit Authority August 20 – Pork Tornadoes August 27 – 8 Seconds Thank you
Marion Chamber Platinum Community Partners
20TH CENTURY FOX, LIONSGATE, PARAMOUNT PHOTOS
PULSE 13
ALAN SIMMER | PULSE
Until Dawn Eight friends decide to go stay at a cabin in the mountains. What could go wrong? Oh, right, you could all be brutally murdered by some unknown terror in the night. No big deal, though, right? PS4; Aug. 25.
Madden NFL 16 I don’t know who’s on the cover, and I don’t really care. Sorry not sorry. I also fail to see the appeal of “innovative onfield cameras,” but I also fail to see the appeal of football most of the time. *shrugs*
FOR: 3DS
AUGUST 4 This is sort of two games crammed into one: a remake of Etrian Odyssey 2: Heroes of Laggard and a new story mode that features the titular knight. This series really appeals to my inner cartographer. I will make ALL the maps!
FOR: 3DS
AUGUST 21
PS3, PS4, X360, XB1; Aug. 25.
Disney Infinity 3.0 Here comes Star Wars into the Disney sandbox. Now you can find out who would win in a fight between Iron Man, Darth Vader, Buzz Lightyear and Mulan. I think the smart money is on the savior of China.
This game is based on the anime of the same name, which features kids who make their tiny robots fight each other. They’re made out of super-strong cardboard, which is invented in 2046. Setting a calendar reminder now…
PS3, PS4, Wii U, X360, XB1; Aug. 30.
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 This One Piece take on Dynasty Warriors is so popular that we’re up to No. 3. I find myself in that interested-butuninitiated place with both the anime series and these games. Maybe it’s time to dive in!
FOR: XB1
PS4; Aug. 25.
Garfield Kart Just… no. What’s the roster here? Irma from the diner? Doc Boy? 3DS; Aug. 11.
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AUGUST 4 Lunar Jetman. Underwulfe. Gunfright. Digger T. Rock: Legend of the Lost City. Classics! Oh, also Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, the Perfect Darks and Jet Force Gemini.
Gunpowder is full of mind-blowing puzzles JAMES FRAZIER | PULSE WRITER
I
magine moving Angry Birds to the Wild West, adding a heaping barrel full of gunpowder and you might come up with, well, Gunpowder, a new puzzle game from Rogue Rocket Games. It might lack the breakout cultural cachet of Angry Birds, but what it lacks in awareness it makes up for in delightful, enjoyable gameplay with style to spare.
that force you to put your analytical skills to a moderate test. Whatever the case, the game’s cartoonish visuals always offer a rush of thrilling pyrotechnics, as well as the satisfaction of besting challenges whose solutions aren’t necessarily instantly apparent. For: Linux, Mac, PC | Price: $9.99 | Rated: Everyone 10+ Pros: Fun visuals, thoroughly rewarding explosive level endings. Cons: Not particularly long.
Colorfully rendered in the vein of a Road Runner cartoon and with a story told through vividly drawn comic strips, the player takes on the role of a RobinHood-type bandit who robs a dastardly wolf and redistributes gold to the poor. Gameplay involves different Western-themed stages, each containing a steel safe and three piggy banks. To win, you must blow open the safe, while breaking open the piggy banks is more for bragging rights (think star ratings).
This feeds that magic “just one more round” sensibility
common to well-designed games. Gunpowder doesn’t offer a particularly lengthy experience as long as you don’t get hopelessly stuck on any particular level. It might be brief for you, but then again, nearly any game can be brief when it’s hard to put down.
This is accomplished through use of the eponymous combustible substance, gunpowder, which you’ll strategically place across the maps to detonate explosive barrels and set off cannons. It’s straightforward stuff at first, but the scenarios quickly move into trickier territory. You will find yourself meticulously timing cannon fire to hit a safe floating down a river, or carefully laying out a finite amount of gunpowder to set off a spectacularly explosive chain reaction. The difficulty ramps up as you advance, with creative challenges
Reading the tea leaves at Nintendo ALAN SIMMER | PULSE WRITER
I
can’t imagine a more uncertain period of time in the 126-year history of Nintendo.
The company is planning to launch mobile games. We still don’t know anything about a quality-of-life initiative. There’s not-reallyannounced hardware in the works. And CEO Satoru Iwata, who was steering the company into these new frontiers, died quite unexpectedly last month. Aside from the gaping hole Iwata’s death leaves at the company — and in the industry as a whole — the biggest unknown from Nintendo is the upcoming hardware code-named NX. It was announced at the same time as Nintendo’s foray into mobile games, lest anyone wrongly assume the company was ending its focus on dedicated gaming hardware, but its existence is all we were told we would hear before 2016.
My assumption is the NX, whatever form it takes, will be backward compatible with Wii U games because it is a solution like those that Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto strives to find: one that elegantly solves more than one problem. Problem 1: Nintendo must keep Wii U owners happy. Iwata recently mentioned the company is trying to make sure those who bought the company’s newest console are satisfied, which makes sense. If you burn your early adopters — often your most passionate fans — you’re encouraging them to sit on the sidelines at the next launch. And that’s exactly when you need evangelists talking up your product the most and building the install base. I should note here that between Super Mario 3D World, Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros., Hyrule Warriors, Captain Toad, Nintendo Land and Splatoon; the upcoming Yoshi’s Wooly World, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Super Mario Maker and
ATLUS, NINTENDO, ROGUE ROCKET, MICROSOFT, SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGES
Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem; and a personal backlog that includes The Wonderful 101, Pikmin 3, both Bayonettas and ZombiU, I’m feeling quite satisfied. (And a little light in the wallet.) But I’m encouraged Nintendo doesn’t want their customers to feel left out on a limb. However, this brings up Problem 2: Nintendo cannot afford a third consecutive hardware launch with a dearth of games. Splitting development teams between NX games, 3DS games and Wii U games sounds like a perfect recipe for nice long droughts between releases. Backward compatibility solves both of those issues. If you own a Wii
U, you continue to get new games without buying new hardware. If you get an NX, every new Wii U game is also a new game for you, in addition to the exclusives I’m sure are coming. It also provides a compelling reason for those who passed on the Wii U to get a new piece of Nintendo hardware, with that hitpacked back catalog at their disposal. And can you imagine if they get the Virtual Console fully fleshed out, adding GameCube games? The tagline writes itself. NX: IT PLAYS EVERY NINTENDO GAME EVER MADE. I’ll buy two! I look forward to E3 a year hence, when I assume we’ll be hearing a lot more details about the NX, including a real name. (Though I wouldn’t mind the one it’s got now, honestly.) Putting together the pieces of information Nintendo has offered up so far, I expect backward compatibility will be one of those details.
PULSE 15
Got you covered In 2012, Noah Guthrie’s bluesy cover of LMFAO’s Sexy and I Know It on YouTube went viral, reaching more than 8 million views in less than a week. The hype landed him time on the Today Show, Jay Leno’s Tonight Show, Dancing With the Stars and other broadcasts. Now, he’s touring and filling listeners’ ears with his own pop/ Americana/soul works. He’ll hit up the Blue Moose Tap House in Iowa City in August. Guthrie, 20, got his musical start as a child. He has opened for artists like Ed Sheeran, Neon Trees, Ben Rector, Cobra Starship, Matisyahu, Matt Nathanson and Selena Gomez. He released his debut album, Among the Wildest Things, in 2014. Noah Guthrie
Sunday, Aug. 16 @ 6 PM Blue Moose Tap House Iowa City $10 - $15 | bluemooseic.com
COURTESY PHOTO
Hearth Fest 2015
People are invited to have pie and party to live music for a good cause at the 11th annual Hearth Fest music festival and fund raiser Aug. 23. The event at Gateway Park features food, kids activities, an art auction and live music. All proceeds go to the Northeast Iowa Food Bank. Dylan Sires and Neighbors will headline this year’s event that also features other prominent Cedar Valley musicians. Raldo Schneider, Uncle Chuck Finch, Karla Ruth, Doug and Marty Nichols with Matthew Bancroft-Smithe also are on the lineup. Cover rock duos Phil and Travis and Newt and Zoot and other musicians from the Cedar Valley Acoustic Guitar Association will perform. Homemade pies and coffee will be
served for a free-will donation at the Karma Café. Various artists will donate work for a silent art auction. The Hearst Center for the Arts will have hands-on kids art activities. Hearth Fest 2015 Sunday, Aug. 23
2 PM Phil & Travis 2:30 PM Doug & Marty Nichols with Matthew Bancroft-Smithe 3:30 PM CVAGA showcase featuring: Uncle Chuck; Newt & Zoot; Karla Ruth & Deb Niermann and The Atomic Fireballs 5:30 PM Raldo and Friends 7 PM Dylan Sires and Neighbors
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19 ce
e
of
is never the same, which is why many audience members return again and again to the scene of the mayhem.
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Head over to Amana’s Old Creamery Theatre for “Shear Madness, a unique comic-whodunit set in a hair salon. During the course of the action, a murder is committed and the audience gets to spot the clues, question the suspects and solve the funniest mystery seen on stage. The outcome
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Iowa’s longest running live, Professional Theatre
experience the
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Waiting for the Parade SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO
By John Murrell
Aug. 20 Sept. 6 Struggling through life at home during WWII, five women brave unique battles.
Sept. 10 - 27
Written by Mark Bramble with lyrics by Michael Stewart and music by Cy Coleman COURTESY PHOTO
Barnum
Taylor Swift — The 1989 World Tour
to see our entire 2015 season check out our website
Time (by women) list and was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. Mostly, though, you should go because she sings super catchy stuff. So catch her October concert in Des Moines. You’ll be glad you did.
Thursday, Oct. 8 @ 7:30 PM Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines $39.50 - $129.50 | iowaeventscenter.com
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Taylor Swift -- The 1989 World Tour with Vance Joy
www.oldcreamery.com
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There are loads of cute ways we could tell why you should get yourself some tickets to the Taylor Swift 1989 World Tour stop in Des Moines. But really, do we have to? She’s only the mega star of her generation, people. Little Miss Swifty is the first artist since the Beatles (and the only female artist in history) to log six or more weeks at No. 1 with three consecutive studio albums. Need more convincing? OK, how about the fact that T.S. has an album on Rolling Stone’s prestigious 50 Greatest Albums of All
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39 38th Ave Amana, IA 52203 319-622-6262 oldcreamery.com
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EVERYBODY DANCE NOW! C+C Music Factory to headline Cedar Valley Pride Fest If the August heat doesn’t make you sweat, the music lineup for Cedar Valley Pride Fest 2015 will. C+C Music Factory (featuring Freedom Williams) performs at the event in downtown Waterloo Aug. 22. The original hip-hop and dance-pop duo penned the quintessential jock jam, Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) that blew up the pop charts around the world in 1990. Williams’s rapping is featured prominently on that hit and Things That Make You Go Hmmm … To go along with classic hip-hop and dance jams is progressive hip-hop group God Des and She at this year’s fest. The antithesis of some of the misogynist overtones of some mainstream hip-hop, God Des and She’s work features and embraces feminism, lesbianism and overall equality with danceable beats and hooky lyrics. They appeared on the
Showtime series The L Word performing their hit single Lick It. Minneapolis band Rebel Queens will bring their classic punk and rock sound to the event. Des Moines crooner and performance artist Christopher the Conquered will perform. His soulful singing and indy-rock sound gets even the most reserved crowds on their feet. The festival opens at noon. Breaks between bands will feature DJ and drag performances. People can also participate in the annual drag race. Cedar Valley Pride Fest Saturday, Aug. 22 @ noon W. Fourth St., Waterloo $9 cedarvalleypride.com
Cedar Valley Pride Fest lineup 12:15 PM False Indigo 1:45 PM Handsome Midnight q 3:15 PM Mouths of Babes q 4:45 PM Christopher the Conquered q 6:45 PM Rebel Queens q 8 PM House of Love q 9 PM C&C Music Factory ft. Freedom Williams q 10:15 PM God-Des and She q q
ROBERT CLIVILLÉS of C + C MUSIC FACTORY
COURTESY and SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTOS
A party on wheels RAGBRAI may have come and gone, but the party on wheels isn’t over for Cedar Falls. The Gran Fondo Cedar Valley rolls into downtown on Aug. 22, the first event of its kind in the area. Cool, but what the heck is a gran fondo? We’re glad you asked. A gran fondo a long-distance road cycling event in which a large number of cyclists ride a 18 PULSE
marked route, according to our Google machine. At this event, riders will have the option to bike a 30-, 60- or 100-mile course, all of which begin and end in downtown Cedar Falls, with stops in communities along the way. Riders should register at granfondocedarvalley. com Saddle sore from Iowa’s other big ride? Skip the wheels and head
over to the full-scale FondoFest street festival where you’ll find live music, craft beer, family fun and more. Local band Checker and the Bluetones will rock the stage starting at 7 p.m. There will also be a FUNdo Kid’s Area, featuring a Strider bike obstacle course and inflatables. granfondocedarvalley.com
in good CEDAR FALLS
Beck’s Sports Grill | American, Sports Bar 2210 College St., Cedar Falls 319-277-2646 Hours: Open daily at 11 am www.barmuda.com Featuring Beck's homemade microbrews, voted best burger, locally owned restaurant, sports bar and place to play pool in the Cedar Valley.
Soho Sushi Bar & Deli The Stuffed Olive | Deli, Sushi, Tapas, Martinis 119 Main St., Cedar Falls 319-266-9995 Hours: Monday – Friday at 6:30 am; Saturday – Sunday at 7:00 am www.barmuda.com Fresh made sushi and deli sandwiches, PRICING GUIDE (per entrée) | $10
WATERLOO
Bourbon Street | American, Cajun and Creole 314 Main St., Cedar Falls 319-266-5285 Hours: Monday – Saturday 4 - 10 pm www.barmuda.com Bourbon Street is a step off of Main Street into the French Quarter featuring Certified Black Angus steaks and delicious seafood complimented by an extensive menu and great wines. Ferrari’s Ristorante | American and Italian 1521 Technology Pkwy., Cedar Falls 319-277-1385 Hours: Monday – Friday 11 am - 10 pm, Saturday 4 - 10 pm www.barmuda.com Ferrari’s features only the finest steaks, freshest seafood and authentic Italian fare. Offering light, quick lunch options along with an extensive dinner menu and wine.
salads and paninis combined with globally inspired tapas dishes and over 100 different martinis.Also serving homemade breakfast selections and cookies made from scratch. Beck’s Sports Brewery Sports Bar | American, Microbrewery 3295 University Ave., Waterloo 319-234-4333 Hours: Open daily at 11 am www.barmuda.com Featuring Beck’s homemade microbrews and famous burgers, wings and pizza. Voted best burger (10 years running), best happy hour, best locally owned restaurant and sports bar in the Cedar Valley. Guerilla Brewing/Lava Lounge/Beer Hall | Microbrewery and Bar 2401 Falls Ave., Waterloo 319-234-5686 Hours: Monday – Thursday 5 pm - Midnight; Friday & Saturday 4 pm - Midnight Artisanal Nano Brewery is releasing limited run beer, producing 10 gallons of each new recipe.We produced 50 different beers in 2013. Brand new brew.
Hilton Garden Inn Garden Grille & Bar | 7213 Nordic Drive Cedar Falls 319-266-6611 HiltonGardenInn.com Hours: Breakfast Monday-Friday 6:00 am – 10:00 am Saturday-Sunday and Holidays 7:00 am – 11:00 am Lunch Monday – Friday 11:00 am – 2:00 pm Saturday-Sunday and Holidays CLOSED $20
$30
$40+
Dinner Monday – Sunday and Holidays 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm Full service dining with intimate atmosphere, exterior patios and fire pits. Open to the public for breakfast, lunch and dinner.A freshly prepared breakfast buffet is offered daily, Monday-Fridays our Personalized Pasta Bar Buffet is available along with our full lunch menu. Dinner menu with entrées from a great steak to yummy burgers and delicious desserts. Bar menu available for smaller bites, great beers on tap and selective wines.
Combines the comfort of a neighborhood bar and grill with the favorites of a steakhouse. Choose from the delicious pastas, sandwiches, salads, steaks, fish and desserts. Rudy’s Tacos | Mexican 2401 Falls Ave., Waterloo 319-234-5686 Hours: Monday – Saturday 11:00 am - 9:00 pm www.rudystacos.com
Our experienced staff and delicious menu selections are sure to make your dining with us a success.
Rudy’s uses local ingredients through the Northern Iowa Food and Farm Partnership’s Buy Fresh/Buy Local program.
The Lone Wolf | Bar, Restaurant 777 Isle of Capri Blvd., Waterloo 319-833-2157 Hours: Monday – Friday Breakfast 7:00 am - 10:30 pm Sunday – Thursday 11:30 am - 1:00 am Friday & Saturday 11:30 am - 2:00 am Karaoke – Wednesday 8:00 pm - Midnight Howl Hour 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Monday – Thursday Glass of Wine $1.50 Retro Beers $1.50 $2.00 off appetizers www.waterloo. isleofcapricasinos.com
Hurricane Grill and Wings American Restaurant and Bar 2027 Crossroads, Blvd., Waterloo 319-833-9464 Hours: Open daily at 11:00 am www.hurricanewingsia.com
Whether you feel like getting food to go or plan to stay a while,The Lone Wolf is sure to please. Otis & Henry’s Bar and Grill. | Bar and Grill 777 Isle of Capri Blvd., Waterloo 319-833-2241 Hours: Tuesday – Saturday open at 5 pm Closed Sunday and Monday www.waterloo. isleofcapricasinos.com
Hurricane Grill and Wings is a fun family restaurant with a tropical feel, specializing in wings that are “LIVE WITH FLAVOR” with over 30 sauces to choose from. Offering an outdoor patio with a super menu and specialty drinks.
Hy-Vee Market Café | 1422 Flammang Drive, Waterloo 319-274-0407 Hours: Sunday – Thursday 6:00 am to 9:00 pm Friday – Saturday 6:00 am to 10:00 pm www.hy-veemarketcafe.com Hy-Vee Market Café is a full-service restaurant where the goal is to serve great food at a great value in a great atmosphere. Offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and features delicious appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and a full bar. Every menu item is made-to-order with fresh ingredients and served by friendly wait staff. On Sundays join us for brunch, which includes an exceptional buffet with a Create-YourOwn Eggs Benedict and Omelet Station. PULSE 19
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