SEPTEMBER 2015
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MOHAIR PEAR FAIR
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09.15 An award-winning product of Courier Communications 100 E. Fourth St. | Waterloo, IA 50703
HE WASN’T READY? Oh, he’s ready alright. And you’d better be, too. Kevin Hart brings his What Now? tour to Iowa City in October.
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Brazilian 2win Wagner Caldas speaks openly about his battle with cancer and the support of family, friends and fans.
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MMusic usic to to the the MAX max Pardon the ‘80s vernacular in our headline, but we are STOKED about the fifth annual Maximum Ames Music Festival! Set for Sept. 10-13, the festival features more than 100 acts, more than 75 percent of whom are from our great state of Iowa. Like we said -- music to the max. From the beginning, the festival
has marked itself as a vehicle for promoting the arts in Iowa. There will be national headliners, top regional acts and a boatload of local bands. Shows will take place in a dozen different venues in downtown Ames, including the Octagon Center for the Arts, Ames Public Library, DG’s Tap House, London Underground, KHOI
Community Radio, Design on Main, the Iowa Music Store and more. All venues are within a three-block radius, making for a fully walkable experience of Ames’ historic downtown district. We’re giving you a mere tidbit of the lineup here, but you can find the complete festival bill and buy tickets at maximumames.com.
The Mountain Goats The Mountain Goats began life in a Norwalk employee-housing studio apartment that had awesome deco tiling on the bathroom floor but little more to recommend the place as a living space. Still, you take what you can get, and it was ridiculously cheap. In this room, equipped with a dual-cassette recorder, John Darnielole started setting some of his poetry to music, using a guitar he’d gotten for a few bucks at a nearby strip mall music store. His idea at the time was that eventually his day job would be poet. Young men have all kinds of crazy ideas about what
SHUTTERSTOCK AND COURTESY PHOTOS
Grandmaster Flash
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Grandmaster Flash is universally acknowledged as one of the founders of hip-hop and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The career of DJ Grandmaster Flash began in the Bronx with neighborhood block parties that essentially were the start of what would become a global phenomenon — the dawn of a music genre. He was the first DJ to physically lay his hands on the vinyl and manipulate it in a backward, forward or counterclockwise motion, when most DJs simply handled the record by the edges, put down the tone arm, and let it play. This show is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be faceto-face with a living legend of contemporary music as well as one of the best and most entertaining DJs in the world. with Varietease Thursday, Sept. 10 @ 9 PM DG’s Tap House $22
they’re going to end up doing for a living. The Mountain Goat’s new album, Beat the Champ, has won rave reviews and comes on the heels of a vinyl re-issue of his classic record All Hail West Texas. The Mountain Goats is one of the most widely known artists to ever have lived in Ames and was the headliner of MAMF’s first year. with Kate Kennedy Saturday, Sept. 12 @ 7 PM First United Methodist Church $22 advance | $25 door
Jon Wayne & The Pain Finding their niche in the reggaerock genre, Jon Wayne and The Pain began as a Minneapolis-based trio. Now a quartet, Jon Wayne, Chuckie Torgerson and Teeto Miller added Weston Schick to the band in May. Jon Wayne and The Pain creates an extraordinary psychedelic reggae sound by blending reggae-rock, roots, pop and ska with the heavy bass elements of electronic dub. with Dead Larry Friday, Sept. 11 @ 9 PM DG’s Tap House $15
Ex hex
In the early ’90s, many groups of young feminists made noise demanding space for girls in the punk scene. Ex Hex is a group of women who found space in their genre for having an unabashedly good time, and they found it without sacrificing a shred of punk credibility. with Annalibera & The Depaysement Friday, Sept. 11 @ 9 PM Deano’s $15
Charlie Parr 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. It’s the music of a self-taught guitarist and banjo player who grew up without a TV but with his dad’s recordings of America’s musical founding fathers, including Lightnin’ Hopkins and Woody Guthrie. Saturday, Sept. 12 @ 9:30 PM DG’s Tap House $7
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AZIZ SAHMAOUI
OTAVO YO
Musicians make Landfall Musicians from around the world will again descend WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16 upon Cedar Rapids for the eighth annual Landfall FestiKarolina Cicha (Poland) val of World Music Sept. 15-19 at various venues in Cedar at Cedar Rapids Public Library Rapids. Musicians at this year’s festival hail from Europe, Hailed as one of the most exceptional musicians the Caribbean, South America and the Middle East. of Eastern Europe, Karolina Cicha plays accordion, A full lineup and tickets are available at legionarts.org. harpsichord and horsehead fiddle (often at the same time); sings in Ukrainian, Belarusian, Lithuanian, Russian, Tartar, Yiddish and Esperanto (often in TUESDAY, SEPT. 15 the same song), and effectively merges stage singing Zedashe Ensemble (Republic of Georgia) at CSPS The Caucasus Georgian folk musicians and dancers with rock, jazz and traditionals. of Zedashe Ensemble breathe new life into the ancient chants of the Orthodox Christian liturgy, as well as Boogat (Colombia/Canada/Mexico) at CSPS field-songs, love songs, historical ballads, war dance Montreal-based MC, rapper and producer Boogat songs and ritual circle dances. Zedashe learned their blends hip-hop, electronica, nueva cumbia and dancerepertoire from relatives, village song-masters and hall to explosive effect. The son of immigrants from old publications; they collected songs and dances in Paraguay and Mexico, Boogat grew up in Québec and the highlands, and studied hymn singing in some of has lived 12 years in Montréal. He is joined live by a perGeorgia’s holiest monasteries. cussionist, drummer and trombone player.
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THURSDAY, SEPT. 17
Aziz Sahmaoui (Morocco) at CSPS
This poet-singer accomplishes a glorious harmony between Maghreb rock, jazz and gnawa music. With the full fire of his spellbinding voice, the co-founder of the Orchestre National de Barbès confirms his reputation as one of the foremost singer-songwriters of contemporary world fusion music. FRIDAY, SEPT. 18
Ester Rada (Ethiopia/Israel) at CSPS
Ester Rada’s cross-cultural sound is a deep reflection of this Israeli-born Ethiopian’s heritage. Growing up in a highly religious Jewish family in the roughest neighborhoods of Tel Aviv was a driving force behind her genre-defying music. With strong influences from early 20th-century soul power women Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald – as well as contemporary black divas Eryka
BOOGAT
MATUTO
Badu, Lauryn Hill and Jill Scott – Rada is bringing a new Slavic fire, the six-piece group features lyrical gusli, globvoice to global soul. al guitar, wailing bagpipes, expert dual fiddle-scraping, pumping bass and pounding drum. SATURDAY, SEPT. 19
[su:m] (South Korea) McGrath Amphitheater Korean multi-instrumentalists Ji Ha Park and Jungmin This New York City-based group combines the sound Seo compose and perform original compositions on traof a Brazilian Carnival with bluegrass, swamp rock and ditional Korean instruments like the piri, saenghwang, more. It’s a sound where dynamic percussion instruments yanggeum and gayageum. rumble beneath blues-drenched vocals, telecaster twangs, accordion acrobatics and folksy fiddle tunes. Described as “weird and wonderful … unorthodox and delightful” by Jazz Times Magazine. Matuto (US/Brazil) McGrath Amphitheater
ESTER RADA
Maarja Nuut (Estonia) McGrath Amphitheater
Estonian fiddler and singer Maarja Nuut enchants audiences with inventive arrangements of traditional songs from her homeland. Alone on stage, she blends her crystalline voice with violin and electronics, creating layers of haunting loops.
TREAT youRsElf To A holidAy gifT EARly!
Otava Yo (Russia) McGrath Amphitheater
Otava Yo turns Russian folk songs into powerful dance music. Taking concert halls and clubs with their singular COURTESY PHOTOS
Ask us how we can help you get the body you always wanted for the holidays.
KEVIN HART COMING TO IOWA CITY Comedian Kevin Hart will perform at Iowa City’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Oct. 3. The show, hosted by the UI Campus Activities Board, is at 8 p.m., with doors open at 6:30 p.m. Hart co-starred with Will Ferrell in the 2015 comedy film Get Hard, and has been featured in a number of cable comedy specials. Tickets for students are $25 for the first 3,000 tickets sold and $35 for the second 3,000 sold, and are available at the Iowa Memorial Union. Tickets for the general public are $75 and available at ticketmaster.com.
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Brazilian 2win Wagner Caldas determined to beat cancer JOHN MOLSEED | PULSE WRITER
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ess than two months into Wagner Caldas’ battle with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of cancer, the disease has already cost him some movement in his left hand. Chemotherapy has taken away entire days of activity. The disease could still cost him his arm and might even cost him his life. But the diagnosis hasn’t robbed him of his optimism and enthusiasm. Anyone who has seen the Brazilian2wins in concert knows the energy they engender. It’s an essential part of their shows, said Wagner, one of the band’s namesake twins born in Brazil. “It’s very important that our crowd have fun and not just listen to music,” he said. His unbridled joy and optimism on stage isn’t a performance – it’s who Wagner is. “I’ve never been down or sad or cried about the cancer stuff,” he said. “I’ve had nights where I’ve laid awake and thought about it.” If a cancer diagnosis at age 30 on the upswing of a promising musical career doesn’t dim his spirits, what would? “I’m still waiting for it,” Wagner said 8 PULSE
with a laugh. “I’m a blessed guy – it’s just cancer.” Wagner is quick to point out his blessings. Doctors are optimistic the cancer was caught early enough to treat, he said. He has family, including his twin brother, Walter, in his corner, and has seen an outpouring of support from friends, fans and strangers. Wagner said he has, by many measures, already beaten the odds against him. In the Brazilian neighborhood he comes from, less than half of the males born there can statistically expect to live past age 25. He has performed for audiences around the U.S. The group also toured his home country of Brazil about a year ago. “I’ve gone through a lot of adventures,” he said. “This is another one of my adventures.” For family, friends and fans, news of Wagner’s diagnosis was a shock. But for Wagner, it solved a year-long mystery. He’d noticed numbness and pain in his fingers on his left hand. It began affecting his playing. He eventually had surgery on a nerve in his elbow but that didn’t solve the problem. Wagner and his playing continued to suffer.
“There are videos of shows where you see me going like this,” he said, shaking his hand like he’s trying to shake off pain. “Or you see me just jumping around and not playing.” Wagner is undergoing chemotherapy, which will be followed by radiation treatment and possibly surgery. For most patients with Ewing’s sarcoma, surgery usually follows chemo, but doctors are trying to save his arm. The prospect of losing him arm scares Wagner, but he remains optimistic. “I think about it and I think about playing keyboard,” he said, tapping the table with the fingers on his right hand as if the surface were a keyboard. He calls out to Brazilian 2wins bass player, Riley Scheetz, during his imaginary jam: “Hey, Riley, I need you here, bro, I need some bass.” Wagner shares his optimistic attitude with his twin brother, who he said took news of his cancer in stride. After learning of the diagnosis, Walter immediately started planning to bring family to the area to help. “He didn’t cry, he didn’t get upset,” Wagner said. “He was cool about it.”
When the Brazilian 2wins played at the annual 80/35 music festival in Des Moines, Wagner made sure to keep the news just between him and his brother. “I didn’t want the guys to know and disturb the mindset of the show,” he said. The group put on a high-energy performance on one of the festival side stages. “We were competing with the big guys and we still got a lot of people to watch, Wagner said. Wagner wants his friends and band mates to continue to stay positive. “We’re going to keep being the same guys and put on the best shows we can,” he said. To help raise funds for mounting medical bills, the band set up a Go Fund Me page, Brazilian 2wins Fight Cancer. “I need help,” Wagner said of the medical costs. “I’m just a musician.” He said the outpouring of support and well wishes from people has been touching. “I know I’m not alone,” he said. “It makes it even harder to get sad or negative; they make me feel like I’m doing something right.”
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The Iowa Friends of Old Time Music annual fid- will also be on hand. Parking lot jams are encourdlers’ picnic is getting to be as old the music tradi- aged, so bring an instrument. tions it celebrates. Well, not quite, but 46 years of Workshops and instructors are subject to change fiddler’s picnics makes the event a long tradition. depending on availability of volunteers. It’s one of the few music festivals where attendees are encouraged to perform too. The event features workshops, lessons and stage 46th annual Fiddlers’ Picnic Sunday Sept. 20 @ 12 PM performances led by some of Iowa’s Johnson County Fairgrounds premier old-time and folk Iowa City musicians. The event fea$7 | Children 12 and younger free tures workshops on various instruments including guitar, fiddle, mandolin and banjo. People of all skill levels are invited to join but beginners and children are strongly encouraged to attend. Vintage instrument dealers and food vendors
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Iowa’s longest running live, Professional Theatre
See a h ort show w bout! ga talkin
Sept. 10 - 27
Written by Mark Bramble with lyrics by Michael Stewart and music by Cy Coleman
Rated PG
COURTESY PHOTO
Mohair Pear Fair
Oct. 1-4
by andrew edlin On the Studio q Stage
“fascinating, hilarious, dramatic... a truly remarkable play!”
to see our entire 2015 season check out our website
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Mohair Pear’s 5th annual open air indie craft fair happens on Saturday, Sept. 19, in Cedar Falls. As always, the event is familyfriendly with free admission. There will be local and regional crafters, artists, DIY-ers and makers of all sorts. This year the organizers have expanded the space to feature more vendors than ever before. Back by popular demand and for your listening pleasure is the annual vinyl spin. Spend the afternoon listening to the warm crackle of real records and maybe even find some new grooves at the Pear Record Swap. You’ll find the Pear Fair from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the same spot but with a bigger tent at the corner of 22nd and College streets. Find the Pear Fair on Facebook.
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PULSE 9
making plans? OUR PICKS, YOUR CLICKS
we’ll point the way
We’ve Got Love by Babyface Could this be the return of the slow jam? *crosses fingers* This track from his upcoming release indicates more smooth grooves ahead. — Meta H. Depreston by Courtney Barnett The sad day when you start to consider a long life in the suburbs put to song. It’s beautiful and oh-so-lonely. — Christinia C. Haitian Fight Song by Charles Mingus A noodly bass gradually gives way to screaming horns and tight grooves on this 12-minute jazz rebellion. — Wes T. S.O.B. by Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats This soulful jam is the funnest song about hope-crushing alcoholism you’ll ever hear. — Doug H. Stuck With Me by Timeflies “Is this song going anywhere?” I thought to myself. But the chill on the way is just as good as the destination. — Alan S. Jerusalem Ridge by The Blackberry Bushes Stringband A standard advanced old-time fiddle tune that has vexed many aspiring old-time players, the Blackberry Bushes old line up nails it. — John M. In the Pines by Jami Lynn & Dylan James Another old fiddle tune done by two of the upper Midwest’s best oldtime players. Good for getting in the mood for the Fiddler’s Picnic. — John M. Got Your Money by Ol’ Dirty Bastard feat. Kelis The musical treasure that was ODB is on full display in his characteristically weird — but awesomely catchy — song with a sing-along chorus. — Christinia C. Stranglehold by Ted Nugent I like the version from Double Live Gonzo! Ted loves guns, and he can really wield an ax.. — Doug H. I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Natalie Imbruglia From recent drop Male, all covers of male artists, Imbruglia’s lullabylike, breathy vocals on Death Cab for Cutie’s original are a perfect fit. — Meta H.
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star wars wcfsymphony presents
FANTASIA
The timeless music of Star Wars and the epic works that inspired it
April 25 // 7:30 pm
November 7 // 7:30 pm Great Hall, GBPAC
John Williams - Star Wars Suite and Music from the Star Wars Saga Selections from:
Elevator Operator by Courtney Barnett Hook-laden and angst-ridden, this bit of Aussie indie rock is a gem. — Wes T.
Gustav Holst - Planets Leonard Bernstein - On the Town Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake Richard Wagner - The Ring
Alive Tonight by Grace Potter This stomp-romp by my favorite drunk-on-the-couch artist is the best track off her new album, Midnight. — Alan S.
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Igor Stravinsky - Rite of Spring
wcfsymphony.org wcfsymphony.org // 319.273.3373 319.273.3373 PULSE 13
Grand gesture Setting out on tour for his new new album, Nate Ruess continues to capture audiences with his high energy, incredible vocals and ability to express what he’s feeling in his soul. He’ll capture an audience on Oct. 7 at the Gallagher-Blue-
dorn Performing Arts Center in The opening act will be Saint Cedar Falls. Ruess will be per- Motel. forming songs from his debut solo album, Grand Romantic, as well as music from his career as Nate Ruess front man of the Grammy-award Wednesday, Oct. 7 @ 7:30 PM Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts winning band fun. and acclaimed Center, Cedar Falls indie band The Format. $34 and up | gbpac.com
Romance, with a wink and a nudge Nate Ruess might actually be a romantic. Not in the generic, flowers and candlelight dinner definition of courtship romance, but romantic in the artistic philosophy that embraces humanity and imagination. That’s not to suggest Ruess’s solo album debut Grand Romantic contains deep lyrics or deserves a place among the works of great romantic artists of the 18th century. It’s a stadium pop rock album with heavy influences of Freddie Mercury. Mostly made of generic pop, the album also has moments of fun and imagination. In much of the album Ruess pushes his vocals high hard and loud and pairs that with the usual pop music devices to try to provide emotional dynamics. However, the most effective songs are when he doesn’t use cliché pop formulas. Although the anthemic song Grand Romantic is the title track, the song AhHa seems to capture the tone of the album best. It also has one of the more interesting arrangements of the album. Instead of relying on musical swells or key changes in a bridge to put an emotional charge into a song, Ruess rapid fires the staccato lyrics with machine-gun punch. The lyrics pack as much wallop as their delivery. In the song, Ruess sings of despair and contemplating suicide but overcoming all that for music, singing, “I think I’m ready to free this grand romantic in me.” Some of the grandiose lyrics and themes from the album are over the top. Great Big Storm contains some manic
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low-fi chatter that evokes recordings of cult leader Jim Jones’ diatribes. It Only Gets Much Worse provides a symphony of sounds with swelling cello but not much else. Love song What This World is Coming To offers some cheesy gems. However, the best line, in the ethereal and effects-laden pop song, Brightside, “I can see the Louvre shining in your eyes,” is too chintzy to be serious. In Great Big Storm, Ruess sings “Every black eye has some blue.” These lyrics, along with sprinkles of some xylophone hint that Ruess may not be taking himself too seriously despite the album being crammed with evocations of extreme emotions. But that seems to be part of the fun. Grand Romantic carries themes of love and despair somewhat competently. When it goes too far, Ruess shoots the listener a wink with a plink of a xylophone or a lyric that’s a little too ridiculous. That’s what really gives this album its humanity and imagination. — John Molseed, Pulse Reviewer
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VERTIGO Jorge Rojas | Oct 9
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Shannon Cochran | Oct 23
7:00PM at the Waterloo Center for the Arts
Free admission Sponsored by the UNI Department of Art Supported in part by a City of Waterloo Hotel-Motel Tax Grant
waterloocenterforthearts.org COURTESY PHOTO
PULSE 11
HEARD THAT
THE BLACKBERRY BUSHES STRINGBAND THREE RED FEATHERS
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he musical talents of some of the best musicians in a region of the country known for a deep pool of talent are on full display in The Blackberry Bushes Stringband’s Three Red Feathers. The Blackberry Bushes are a group of artists based in the Seattle area with deep roots in Iowa — fiddler Jakob Breitbach is a Dubuque native. The group makes regular trips through the Hawkeye State when they crisscross the country on tour. The title track has the jaunty mandolin and intricate fiddle riffs needed to carry a good bluegrass song. In any genre, but especially bluegrass, following a formula gets boring. With this collection of original
compositions (except for Out on the Western Plains), The Blackberry Bushes balance staying rooted in tradition in their instrumentation and arrangements with adding their own sounds and flourishes to make it not just interesting but impressive and enticing. Also pulling in two directions is the thrill of the mountains vs. the allure (or at least necessity) of urban life.
songs, turns this around. “Thought he was touching my heart, that was really just my chest,” Raymond sings in Around the Bend.
What also makes the Bushes unique is their original songs often offer a counterspin to the genre’s tendency toward male-centric songs. Women in bluegrass are often “sweet,” “little” or murdered.
From the fast and jaunty Same Mistakes to haunting and beautiful The Lady of the Mountains, the album is full of wisdom, whimsy and chemistry.
Jes Raymond, who pens most of their
JOHN MOLSEED | PULSE WRITER
Three Red Feathers features a rare combination of fitting well to a traditional genre while offering something new and interesting. This album will satisfy anyone wanting something different or those who are purists.
Three Red Feathers is a Bluegrass album keeping a long-lived genre fresh.
ASHLEY MONROE THE BLADE
CHELSEA WOLFE ABYSS
T
he first track on Chelsea Wolfe’s new album, Abyss, is Carrion Flowers, an incredible statement from the 31-year-old California wunderkind. It rattles with martial percussion like Low, it soars to melodic vocal heights à la Austra or Fever Ray, and, most surprisingly, it surges with gloom inspired by flavors of Mudhoney and Swans. Besides, the mesmerizing video for Carrion Flowers makes Wolfe look like Marilyn Manson. It’s essentially her fourth studio album (not counting various scrapped, unreleased or live sessions). Playing with metal has always been a fascination for Wolfe, but on several of these tracks she strikes a remarkable balance.
As an LP, it’s a little front-ended with the doom. Iron Moon and Dragged Out follow Flowers and are dazzling, haunting and delightfully metallic. Crazy Love has a distinct Mazzy Star vibe, echoing contemporaries like Sharon Van Etten, Grouper and Julianna Barwick. Working with white-hot producer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Baroness, the Thermals) was a great move: The album’s sound is full, sophisticated and rich. A little more of that metal edge could have been applied to the back end, but Color of Blood welcomingly spikes the finale with sludge. — Bill Chenevert, The Philadelphia Inquirer
RILEY ANN ENDLESS BEGINNINGS
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owa expatriate Riley Ann Schultz has taken a bold leap to concentrate on her music. It’s a major decision that comes with moments of uncertainty. When those doubts creep up, her debut album, Endless Beginnings, is a beautiful 28-minute reassurance. Endless Beginnings is an eclectic mix of genres. Schultz is a multi-instrumentalist and does much of the music herself with layered tracks or loop pedals. Some of the arrangements push the instruments she plays out of their assigned genres. Hide Your Love Away best represents the blending of sounds and genres. It features a funky bass (provided by Mike Ironside of Dubuque), some honey-sweet
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Endless Beginning is a work that shows Schultz not only made the right call for
ainstream country acts like to act tough. But fear of offending anyone whatsoever — country radio programmers in particular — turns almost everybody softhearted in the end. That’s what’s so refreshing about a song like Dixie, on Ashley Monroe’s The Blade — a sterling follow-up to her 2013 breakthrough, Like a Rose — where she has the nerve to commit the cardinal country sin of refusing to sentimentalize small-town values.
high, lonesome fiddle riffs and a hip-hop performance by Case the Joint. That might seem like a mismatch of sounds, but it works deliciously. It’s the mango and sriracha of music. The fiddle sound adds rich emotion to jazzy Find Your Own Way. The final three tracks have more of a traditional folk sound with swelling cello and tender vocals. How Far My Heart Bends features a dynamic beginning with Schultz’s plaintive voice and a banjo, building with drums, fiddle and cello. It falls a little short of its full potential only because the banjo sounds a little dull and the drums lack punch.
M
The Blade doesn’t peak quite as high as Like a Rose, but it’s a varied and effective songwriting display. A few Blade tunes, such as From Time to Time, are staid and predictable, but they’re the exception on the 13-cut album, co-produced by Vince Gill and Justin Niebank.
herself artistically, but also for music fans who want to hear something new and different. — John Molseed, Pulse
Blade ranges from the honkytonk ramble Winning Streak to the catchy pop-rocker On to Something Good to the quietly heartbreaking title cut. — Dan DeLuca, The Philadelphia Inquirer
OUR PICKS, YOUR CLICKS We’ve Got Love by Babyface Could this be the return of the slow jam? *crosses fingers* This track from his upcoming release indicates more smooth grooves ahead. — Meta H.
Win an
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Depreston by Courtney Barnett The sad day when you start to consider a long life in the suburbs put to song. It’s beautiful and oh-so-lonely. — Christinia C. Haitian Fight Song by Charles Mingus A noodly bass gradually gives way to screaming horns and tight grooves on this 12-minute jazz rebellion. — Wes T. S.O.B. by Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats This soulful jam is the funnest song about hope-crushing alcoholism you’ll ever hear. — Doug H. Stuck With Me by Timeflies “Is this song going anywhere?” I thought to myself. But the chill on the way is just as good as the destination. — Alan S. Jerusalem Ridge by The Blackberry Bushes Stringband A standard advanced old-time fiddle tune that has vexed many aspiring old-time players, the Blackberry Bushes old line up nails it. — John M. In the Pines by Jami Lynn & Dylan James Another old fiddle tune done by two of the upper Midwest’s best oldtime players. Good for getting in the mood for the Fiddler’s Picnic. — John M. Got Your Money by Ol’ Dirty Bastard feat. Kelis The musical treasure that was ODB is on full display in his characteristically weird — but awesomely catchy — song with a sing-along chorus. — Christinia C. Stranglehold by Ted Nugent I like the version from Double Live Gonzo! Ted loves guns, and he can really wield an ax.. — Doug H. I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Natalie Imbruglia From recent drop Male, all covers of male artists, Imbruglia’s lullabylike, breathy vocals on Death Cab for Cutie’s original are a perfect fit. — Meta H.
Elevator Operator by Courtney Barnett Hook-laden and angst-ridden, this bit of Aussie indie rock is a gem. — Wes T.
Alive Tonight by Grace Potter This stomp-romp by my favorite drunk-on-the-couch artist is the best track off her new album, Midnight. — Alan S.
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PULSE 13
SEPT 25
STARRING: Jake Gyllenhaal, Robin Wright, Keira Knightley, Josh Brolin, Jason Clarke
You know what’s a good way to not die on Mt. Everest? Don’t go to Mt. Everest. Ooooh, you climbed a mountain. Meanwhile, I watched three seasons of Workaholics. And I still have all my toes, so I think I win.
SEPTEMBER FILMS SEPTEMBER 4 A Walk in the Woods ”This Labor Day, take a hike.” A ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. HA HA HA HA HA. I see what you did there, marketing team! But for reals, Nick Nolte and Robert Redford hike the Appalachian Trail to reconnect with each other. (This is not code for slipping off to a mistress in Argentina this time.) Also: Emma Thompson! Before We Go Captain America directs and stars in this one. A trumpetplaying busker tries to Do the Right Thing and help a woman whose purse has been snatched in Grand Central Station. Misty eyes and deep conversations about life and love ensue as they traipse around the city.
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SEPTEMBER 18
The Perfect Guy A lobbyist (this is important, I guess?) breaks up with el boyfriendo and starts hooking up with a new guy. Then she’s torn between the two and has to “figure out who she should trust.” Um, if it’s not immediately clear, they’re both shady and you should find someone better. End of discussion. The Visit This is an M. Night Shyamalan, so it turns out the grandparents were dead all along and allergic to water. Saved you 10 bucks! About Ray Elle Fanning stars as Ray, a teenager transitioning from female to male. Throw in Naomi Watts and Susan Sarandon and you have a recipe for many tears. Sleeping With Other People Jason Sudeikis and Alison Brie can’t stop ruining their relationships because they can’t keep their pants on. When they reconnect, they vow to just stay friends, but that is also a challenge. Seems like Trainwreck, but better?
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials On yeah, that movie happened and they made a sequel. Fancy that. Black Mass An unrecognizable Johnny Depp is Whitey Bulger, the alleged mafia informant who was the No. 2 wanted man in America, right behind Osama bin Laden. Spoiler alert: He’s doing two consecutive life terms plus five years for good measure. Pawn Sacrifice Bobby Fischer! Where is he? I don’t know, I don’t know. Go ask your momma and make sure you listen. Cause one thing is for sure: Bobby Fischer’s missin’! Except this movie is about his match with Boris Spassky, so before the missingness. Sicario Something about the drug war, with Emily Blunt. Captive A recovering drug addict is taken by surprise when she becomes a hostage. Gonna guess most hostages are surprised by it.
STARRING: Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Nick Offerman, Steve Buscemi, Kevin James, Andy Samberg, Mel Brooks I never saw the first one of these, even though they’re both directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, the guy behind Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack and Star Wars: Clone Wars (the mercifully silent one, not the newer one), so he knows animation. Adam Sandler’s involvement sort of kills it for me, I guess. I CAN’T HELP HOW I FEEL, OK?
SEPTEMBER 25
ALAN SIMMER | PULSE WRITER 14 PULSE
UNIVERSAL, EUROPACORP USA, SONY PHOTOS
SEPTEMBER 25 The Intern Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway see who can out-cute the other, he as a retired widower fumbling through an internship at a fashion website, she as his boss who’s in over her head. The Green Inferno No good deed goes unpunished as treehuggers get picked off by monsters in the Amazon. Stonewall As you may have guessed from the title, this film is about the Stonewall Riots, a major turning point for gay rights in America. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is always a little unsettling, though. The Reflektor Tapes Remember when Arcade Fire won those Grammys?
SEPTEMBER 4 STARRING: Ed Skrein, Loan Chabanol, Ray Stevenson Introducing Ed Skrein: He looks just enough like Jason Statham on the poster to fool you into going to see this. Seriously, look at that picture up there. Not Statham-y at all. Look at the poster: totally Statham-esque. In fact, what is that face he’s pulling in that pic? Is he mid-indigestion? Am I supposed to be turned on? Frightened? Intrigued? I mean, that’s the image you want to use to promote this movie? If that eyebrow quirks any higher it’ll break free and start scurrying around his face like some sort of fuzzy caterpillar looking for a leaf to munch on.
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Make your own Mario courses. Isn’t that enough??
ALAN SIMMER | PULSE WRITER
Everyone wants to rule the world in Conquest
SEPT 29
First there was Persona 4, half high school life sim, half demonbashing RPG. That spawned two fighting games and a remake, and now we have a rhythm game, because why the hell not?
JAMES FRAZIER | PULSE WRITER
S
omewhere between Risk and Civilization lies Colonial Conquest, a new turn-based strategy title from Argonauts Interactive. It’s closely related to but not a direct remake of a 1985 strategy game of the same title, one that sees the player control one of the world’s great powers near the turn of the 19th century. Through a simple interface and straightforward game mechanics, players vie for the most victory points. These points are awarded based on territories controlled and battles won or lost, making every step of the game an important one. Wars are fought on a strategic scale, with military production consisting of armies and ships that are used to attack and defend territories. The player can control Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Japan or the U.S., all of which require drastically different strategies courtesy of geography, and terrain can yield different advantages. Turns unfold over seasons that cover the years, with the first season allowing the player to build, spy, bribe and attack. The three later seasons simply offer attack phases, making them somewhat less interesting. Originating with a Kickstarter earlier this year, Colonial Conquest provides a light but compelling gaming experience for those inclined towards conquerthe-world strategy titles. One won’t find
For: PC | Price: $9.99 Pros: Easy to learn, elegant visuals, lots of multiplayer potential. Cons: Not particularly deep, some phases of gameplay less interesting than others.
anywhere near the depth of the Civilization or Europa Universalis series, but it adds enjoyable complexity to the child-oriented gameplay of Risk. In fact, its multiplayer component may yet prove to be its strong suit among fans, as the ease of play and scale makes it conducive to games with friends. The design is modest but elegant, with the title running flawlessly on my embarrassingly slow laptop. One does come to miss the visual flair other titles can bring to the clashing of great armies across nations, but considering the title’s ease of use, it’s a minor complaint.
FOR: Vita
Might & Magic Heroes VII Heroes of Might and Magic II — before the name of the series got tweaked — is still the best. Not too complicated, not too simple, with great sprites that still hold up today. I’m sure this one has lots of great updates that make it drastically different. PC; Sept. 29.
Lego Dimensions Can you blame the legendary building block company for wanting to get in on the toys-to-life action of Skylanders, amiibo and Disney Infinity? You’ve got to get Unikitty, it’s pretty much a law. PS3, PS4, Wii U, X360, XB1; Sept. 27.
Danganronpa changes it up ALAN SIMMER | PULSE WRITER
E
ven though Monokuma, the black and white teddy bear, is just an avatar for the forces of despair in the Danganronpa series, I’ve always wanted to sock it to him. Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls is finally my chance to do that.
FOR: Wii U
SEPT 11
Sports! There are games about them! And it seems like this is the month for them all to come out, as you can see here. If you’ve got a PS4 or an Xbox One, you’re golden; otherwise it’s hit and miss.
Destiny: The Taken King
Hatsune Miku: Tearaway Project Mirai DX Unfolded
The latest expansion marks the end of “Year One” of Destiny, a marketing convention I in no way want to encourage.
I’m not sure what Project Mirai stands for, but my guess is “super cute J-pop music fun times galore,” given the adorable nature of this rhythm game.
This is a revamped version of a Vita game that uses the DualShock 4’s light bar and touch pad to control paper people.
PS3, PS4, X360, XB1; Sept. 15.
3DS; Sept. 8.
PS4; Sept. 8.
FOR: 3DS
SEPT 25 Decorate the homes of all your favorite Animal Crossing friends in this spin-off of the life sim series. You can use amiibo cards — sold separately in random packs, of course — to get a specific character’s house.
Komaru Naegi, sister of Makoto from the original title, is rescued from captivity by Byakuya Togami only to be thrown into the hellscape of Towa City. She’s marked as prey by a cadre of five brats going all Children of the Corn, determined to create an adult-free paradise by brutally murdering all the old folk. Their weapon of choice is an army of Monokuma robots, which come in a variety of flavors from standard to bomber to siren. Monokuma isn’t as fun when he’s not himself — he’s got such a killer personality — but that’s balanced against the chance to finally blast him in the face over and over and over again. The glowing left eye of each bear is a weak point, so I find the battles are best fought like Bunker Hill: Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes! Though in this case they’re red, not white.
I will admit I’m getting ready for a Danganronpa sequel with a protagonist we’ve already met, as this is the third journey from “None of this can be real!” to “I won’t lose here!” But Komaru’s disbelief is tempered by Toko Fukawa — and Toko’s a great character to spend more time with anyway, especially her manga-esque fantasies. I guess that should be characters plural, as Toko comes packed with her other personality, the serial killer Genocide Jill. Genocide Jill, aside from adding a dash of kooky, also acts as a difficulty modulator, providing a brief burst of invincibility as she shreds the bears with her trademark scissors. Ultra Despair Girls is definitely a different direction for the series, but it’s kind of refreshing. Just know you’ll be stopping frequently to read between blasting those bears away.
The first two Danganronpas were investigative visual novels, of a sort; this title stays rooted in a lot of text while blending in elements from third-person shooters, strategy puzzle games, RPGs and action-adventure titles. The result is less scattershot than it sounds, as the already-fantastical story — which has often broken the fourth wall — easily contorts and stretches to explain why there are arcade machines randomly dotted throughout the city.
For: Vita | Price: $39.99 | Rated: Mature Pros: KILL ALL THE TEDDY BEARS. Cons: No settings for aiming sensitivity.
NINTENDO, ATLUS, NIS AMERICA, ARGONAUTS INTERACTIVE IMAGES
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Ye lords and ladies, forgetteth not the pleasures of the Des Moines Renaissance Faire! Hath thou felt the thrills of the jousting field? Or partaken in the joy only a shank of lamb can bring to a hungry squire? Lay thine eyes upon the glass blowers, hear the chime of the smithy’s hammer, feel the whirl of the potter’s wheel as it tugs at the hem of your tunic! Partake in games of chance and skill, if thou hath coin to spare, or favor the merchants with a shilling or two. Your king demands it, knave! Be there or thou shall surely be rectangular in nature.
Des Moines Renaissance Fair Sept. 5-7, 12-13, 19-20 dmrenfaire.com
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EDMUND BLAIR LEIGHTON, THE ACCOLADE; JOHANNES VERMEER, GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING
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
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.
$40+
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