ISSUE 295 June 2021
A L W A Y S
The l Lyrica l Critica Money
P.22
hes p Searc o H ip H CR age P.28 for a St g for Breakin s P.34 r Beginne p DSM Ra P.38 Battles
F R E E
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NEWS & CULTURE FROM IOWA CITY Since 2001 littlevillagemag.com
10 - Advertising Partners 12 - Letters & Interactions 17 - Brock About Town 21 - Cortado 22 - TheZeffsterr 28 - Rap in CR 34 - Learn to Break 38 - Prairie Pop 42 - Bread & Butter 44 - A-List 48 - Events Calendar 63 - Dear Kiki 65 - Astrology 67 - Album Reviews Jason Smith / Little Village
69 - Book Reviews 71 - Crossword
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Iowa City’s TheZeffsterr puts
Cedar Rapids is a city packed with
Stretch your muscles and get
Let’s Get Critical
Ready and Waiting
Groove Is in the Art
his heart and soul into his
talent. So why isn’t the hip-hop
ready to get down with this
label, Critical Money.
scene there exploding?
breaking tutorial.
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NEWS & CULTURE FROM IOWA CITY Since 2001 littlevillagemag.com
EDITORIAL
PRODUCTION
Publisher
Web Developer
Issue 295, Volume 30
Matthew Steele
Adith Rai
June 2021
matt@littlevillagemag.com
adith@littlevillagemag.com
Managing Editor
Digital Director
Emma McClatchey
Drew Bulman
Hip hop is alive in the Hawkeye
emma@littlevillagemag.com
drewb@littlevillagemag.com
State. Meet TheZeffsterr, head of
Arts Editor
Photographer & Videographer
Dancer Chuy Renteria shares an
Genevieve Trainor
Jason Smith
intro to breaking, and Kembrew
genevieve@littlevillagemag.com
jason@littlevillagemag.com
McLeod dives into the world of
News Director
Marketing Automations
Paul Brennan
Malcolm MacDougall
paul@littlevillagemag.com
malcolm@littlevillagemag.com
Art Director
SALES & ADMINISTRATION
Jordan Sellergren
Marketing Director &
Rob Cline is a writer and critic
Baby Isaac Powell is an MC,
jordan@littlevillagemag.com
Copywriter
who would gleefully give
photographer and co-founder
Celine Robins
the current state of things a
of the battle rap group Get You
celine@littlevillagemag.com
negative review.
Some in Des Moines. Instagram
Advertising
Dr. Dawson is the founder of
@BabyIsaac GotBigDreams
Nolan Petersen, Matthew Steele
@hiphophealing, a local business
Snapchat @btfufamily
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dedicated to cultivating hip hop’s
Cover by Emma Gray
an IC hip-hop label on the rise.
Iowa rap battles. Plus: Dissecting
Staff Writer & Editor
CR’s scene and a brewery review.
Meet this month’s guest contributors:
Izabela Zaluska izabela@littlevillagemag.com Copy Editor
@Krzy91bby, Facebook
Celine Robins celine@littlevillagemag.com
Creative Services
elements through mind, body and
Chuy Renteria is an author
soul.
and dancer. He is the public
Website design
engagement coordinator for
Spanish Language Editor
Email marketing
Sofia DeMartino is a writer,
Angela Pico
E-commerce
photographer, and nonprofit
Videography
leader based in Cedar Rapids.
Calendar/Event Listings
Hancher Auditorium.
creative@littlevillagemag.com Emma Gray (she/they) is a
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freelance illustrator and graphic
Corrections
Distribution Manager
designer in Iowa City. Find
editor@littlevillagemag.com
Brian Johannessen
Emma’s work and contact info
June Contributors
Terrance Banks, Charlie
Eloy Barragan, Audrey Brock, Lev
Cacciatore, Elizabeth Georges
at emmanandesigns.com. Avery Gregurich is a writer living and working at the edge
Cantoral, Alex Choquemamani, distro@littlevillagemag.com
of the Iowa River in Marengo.
Gregurich, John Martinek,
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University of Iowa will no longer be relocating the Sanxay-Gilmore
Despite pandemic deficit, Kirk Ferentz collected full salary, bowl-game
House, leaving the historic home’s future uncertain
bonus for 2020
By Izabela Zaluska, May 5
By Emma McClatchey, May 17
The University of Iowa will not be moving forward with plans to
As the University of Iowa Athletics Department was facing a massive
relocate the Sanxay-Gilmore House due to “unforeseen costs of the
financial shortfall due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the summer of 2020, a
project.” The house, located at 109 E Market St, is believed to be the
number of the department’s employees accepted, voluntarily or otherwise,
oldest remaining house in Iowa City.
reduced salaries and bonuses, including head coaches Fran McCaffrey, Lisa
Cost estimates for relocation and renovating the home were estimated at $1.23 million. The university designed the project and
Bluder and Tom Brands, according to a report from the Gazette. But the state’s highest-paid public employee, UI head football coach Kirk
secured $1.6 million in funding, with $1.3 million of that being private
Ferentz, not only didn’t volunteer for a pay cut, but accepted his contracted
gifts. But the project bids came in almost $1 million over the estimate,
salary increase of $100,000, in addition to his bowl-game bonus. In fact, no UI
according to the city’s senior planner Anne Russett.
football coaches took the voluntary pay cuts or declined raises in 2020.
Iowa City and Coralville lift their mask mandates
More than 100 rally on the Pentacrest in support of Palestinians
By Paul Brennan, May 18
By Paul Brennan, May 17
Iowa City and Coralville announced on Tuesday an end to their city-
More than 100 people gathered at the edge of the
wide mask mandates. In written statements, both cities cited the
Pentacrest on Saturday afternoon to show support for
revised guidance issued by the CDC last week stating that people who
Palestinians as the Israeli military continued attacks on
are fully vaccinated no longer need to wear masks or engage in social
the Palestinian territories in response to rockets fired by
distancing even while indoors to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
the militia Hamas into Israel. The Protest for Palestine,
The federal government still mandates the use of masks on
organized by students affiliated with the University of
WATCH Protest for Palestine
public transportation, so people riding city buses will still be required
Iowa Middle East and North African Students Association
to cover their faces.
(MENASA), came after a week of the most intense fighting since a two-month-long conflict in Gaza during 2014.
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RECENT READER SURVEY DATA MEDIAN AGE: 37 25-34: 26% 35-44: 22% 45-54: 17% 55-64: 14% 65+: 10% 18-24: 9%
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MEDIAN PERSONAL INCOME: $55k 26%: $40k-60k 18%: $60k-80k 17%: $100k+ 17%: $20k-40k 12%: <$20k 11%: $80k-$100k
GENDER Female: 63% Male: 34% Nonbinary/other: 3%
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Letters LV encourages community members, including candidates for office, to submit letters to Editor@LittleVillageMag.com. To be considered for print publication, letters should be under 500 words. Preference is given to letters that have not been published elsewhere. IOWA CITY AND JOHNSON COUNTY
THERE IS NO PLACE exhibition by R.C. Tibbott & Cody Hilleboe June 5-27
will be receiving $54 million dollars from the American Rescue Plan (ARP). There is enormous flexibility to help disproportionately impacted populations and communities. We can use the funds to promote a stronger, more equitable economy. Public money should be for the public good. The Excluded Workers Fund is a coalition of 15 local groups asking the city council and county board of supervisors to direct this money to the people most impacted by the pandemic. Helping the most vulnerable and marginalized is not just the moral thing to do, it makes good economic sense. Putting money in the back pockets of those who need it most will keep consumer demand
high and the local economy moving. Please contact your city council member and supervisors to ask for transparency, such as town halls to include the public in decision-making of how to allocate these federal funds. —Pat Bowen, Iowa City IN RESPONSE TO TOWN: An Apology”
“BROCK
ABOUT
Brock about Town has nothing to apologize for—her feature is one of the best and most entertaining of the publication. Just another aspect of living in today’s world is everyone going out of their way to be “harmed” about something. Annoying. Get over it and move on. —Steve Siglin
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HAVE AN OPINION? Better write about it! Send letters to:
Editor@LittleVillageMag.com
How UI grad Liz Crokin became one of QAnon’s biggest influencers (May 4) Dangerously delusional. —Glenda O. I think my journalism degree is devalued now. —Maria K. Saw her on the HBO special. She literally admitted to not following Q directly but following Q drops by another source. She was also surprised when the documentarian told her the platform that hosts Q is a cornucopia of inappropriate child content. As she spews her save the children propaganda. —Brooke E. “To date me, you need to be woke on Pizzagate.” -Liz Crokin. Unfortunately, had to cut this line along with most of her subplot in #QIntoTheStorm. But good news! Here’s a mind-bending article unpacking her transformation from Tribune gossip columnist to prominent QTuber. —Filmmaker Cullen Hoback, via Twitter (@CullenHoback)
Iowa City Transit
Summer changes arriving soon! VENMO @littlevillagemag PAYPAL lv@littlevillagemag.com
Effective August 2nd
Effective July 6th
New routes, stops & schedules Now with Saturday service on most routes, improved reliability, and on-time performance. Look for the new schedules late June/early July!
Changes to fares and passes
Passes/tickets accepted on Iowa City and Coralville buses • Free transfers at any stop, and between IC/Coralville • Free rides any time for seniors (65+), disabled passengers, Medicare and SEATS card holders • Youth fare reduced to $0.50 • 31-Day Youth Pass reduced to $16!
Maps and service details at icgov.org/transitstudy
ICTransit@iowa-city.org
319-356-5151
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I N T E R AC T I O N S University of Iowa will no longer be relocating the Sanxay-Gilmore House, leaving the historic home’s future uncertain (May 5) Sigh. Another historic building we may only see in photographs in the future. —Randy P.
Puck yeah: Coralville’s still unnamed hockey team releases schedule for its debut season (May 11) The Coralville Strippers? The Fossils? The 242er’s? —Craig A. Coralville Crusaders. Coralville Comets. Coralville Caribou. Coralville Hockey Team. Coralville Lucky Pucks. The choice is yours. —Doak W.
‘We can steer ourselves to a better, more equitable future’: Jon Green on why he’s running for the Johnson County Board of Supervisors (May 14) He seems like a great guy! I don’t know him personally but live in Lone Tree and he once flagged me down to tell me my tail light was out which was really nice! —Elaine C. Is he single? lol! —Lora F.
Despite pandemic deficit, Kirk Ferentz collected full salary, bowlgame bonus for 2020 (May 17) You should be able to live very comfortably in Iowa City on a couple hundred thousand dollars. Million dollar salaries are ridiculous! Multi-million $ salaries are just GREED! —Ann D. Meanwhile every single doctor, nurse, therapist, psychologist, etc at UIHC took a mandatory pay cut or furlough. Imagine what a difference just a minuscule cut to his salary could have made? —Nicole K. I have no problem with this. I wouldn’t have taken a pay cut either. —Matt B. it just feels wrong that almost all other university employees got no raise, while he did… —Amanda M.A.
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I N T E R AC T I O N S
/LittleVillage READER POLL: 50 %
What is the coolest vice you’ve ever given up? Smoking
21.4 % 28.6 %
ways. The problem is most employees are
motivated laws. Nicely done. —Stephen V.R.
not on multi-year contracts. I also think he especially gives more to the University
Surprise surprise, the anti-racial profiling that
in charitable donations than the salary
Reynolds wanted IS NOT in the bill.
reduction. —Joseph N.C.
—Kenny W.
Has donated $100,000/ year for 9 years and $1.4 million to Children’s Hospital. But it’s never enough for your type, is it? —Andy M.
Gov. Reynolds signs bill making it illegal for schools to require face masks, further eroding authority of local governments (May 20)
Well, of course he donates thousands to charity. Because he CAN. There are also
Small government tho right. —Sergio F.
people with far less money who go out
Drinking/drug use Casual sex Gambling (0%)
of their way to help individuals support
Pretty obvious publicity stunt from a governor
themselves. —Ariane P.
who is desperate to excite her republican base by “owning the libs.” Though, in her quest to
Iowa Legislature passes bill that increases penalties for some protest-related offenses, protects drivers who hit protesters from lawsuits (May 19)
stop all forms of government responsibility, I’m sure the prospects of making a disaster of public schools (to later justify privatizing them) was on the back of her mind. Although, it’s also possible Republican governors, in general, see a fairly decisive economic
I agree it feels wrong. But I think the University should honor all their salary
Nothing says you’re not racist like reacting
recovery in the works and are just scrambling
contracts and make up for shortfalls in other
to anti-racist protests with new racially
to do anything at all to coincide with it so
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SINCE 2001—ALWAYS FREE
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they can claim some credit. —Jason A.
B R O C K
A B O U T
T O W N
AUDREY BROCK
GENTLE READERS, for the first time in over a year, Brock About Town is living up to her name. Having gotten my “Fauci ouchie” (and
LITTLE VILLAGE ASKED: Iowa students, teachers, administrators, parents: What was your experience on Thursday adapting to a sudden ban on school mask mandates?
muted all my Facebook friends who call it that), I have ventured outside of the nuclear fallout bunker that I’m beginning to worry was a waste of money to find a summer like any other. The ice cream truck is making the rounds; college students who live two blocks away from the police station are flagrantly smoking weed on their front porches; and many of our town’s beloved summer traditions, like the farmers market
My kids were doing great, they have never complained about the masks, not even once.
and blowing things up in the middle of the night, have resumed. I was at said farmers market, buying some of my favorite hypoallergenic foot cream,
They knew why masks were necessary and
when it suddenly occurred to me that people have pretty much stopped wearing masks. Even
went on with life. But as soon as it became
there, in the spiritual home of the crunchy IC mom! A month ago, these women were making
optional, masks were off. And now...”masks
masks out of hemp cloth and spraying everything with tea tree oil before they touched it, and
are the worst!!” If the state just would have
now they were looking at me like I was some kind of rube, showing up to a cocktail party in a
stuck it out... they actually made our job (as
Renaissance Faire costume. I felt slightly betrayed.
parents, teachers, etc) much, much harder. —Jessica P.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m overjoyed that people are getting vaccinated and that it’s allowing them some freedom. It’s just that like most people, I can no longer keep up with the pace at which the world is changing, and I’m now slightly traumatized by all normal social
It was weird. I felt that the timing and the
interaction. I took my mask off at a bar last weekend and I spent the whole night with my
suddenness of it didn’t make sense, especially
arms crossed over my chest, subconsciously fearing I’d had a nip slip. I’d forgotten, though,
if you’re in favor of local control. To wake up
how much fun going out can be. I even sort of enjoyed being held hostage by a sloppy, mid-
and find your protocols and expectations that
dle-aged drunk with a 45-minute monologue about how Yeats is the greatest poet of all time.
had been in place were suddenly null and
So, you know, have your fun, but remember that even if you do have clearance to go out
void for no good reason other than, what,
without your mask, there are dangers other than COVID that surround us. Having a gin-fueled
convenience? —Ben S.
one-night stand with an armchair lit professor, for instance.
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295 June 2021 17
I N T E R AC T I O N S
The school told the students to stop wearing
LittleVillageMag.com
/LittleVillage READER POLL:
masks and literally bagged up all students masks and sent them home in Hudson, IA. The teacher told our daughter “they don’t need them anymore.” With no further explanation about the
Which rap album would make the best musical?
actual relation to community health discussed. —Christine E. One warning I would give parents: Be sure you know that your child wears their mask at school if you want them safe. At the start of the day
32% ‘Enter the Wu-Tang’
yesterday, there was at least 70(ish)% mask usage. This morning I would say it’s down to 20% or less. Kids are succumbing to peer pressure. And by
28% ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’
“safe” I mean as safe as they can be, given the circumstances. Obviously, being unvaccinated and masked around someone who is unvaccinated and refuses to be masked isn’t truly “safe.” —@gopanthers95 on Twitter
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16% ‘The Score’ (Fugees)
I’m thinking about arming my kids with insults that
24% ‘The College Dropout’
will send anyone who hassles them about their masks to a lifetime of therapy. —@VenerableBidet on Twitter
STRESS FRACTURES
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W O R T H
R E P E AT I N G
“It’s important (Johnson County
“I
Republicans) run because,
think the
without opposition, these are
problem is
coronations. Democratic primaries
that when
should not be how elections are
we hear
conducted in Johnson County.
the word
I’m heartened by the fact that
racism,
issues I’ve brought up are now the
people
talking points of other candidates
Jason Smith
running as Democrats. This isn’t
assume some bad
a Republican thought but a view
intention. People assume you’re
shared by the community.” —Phil
accusing them of being racist.
Hemingway, Republican candidate
That’s not what systemic racism
for the Johnson County Board of
is. Systemic racism is basically
Supervisors, to the Press-Citizen
systemic power. It’s when a system gives power or privilege
MEGA STORE y.com ag.myshopif
littlevillagem
A BOR IN IOW
UNION LA PRINTED BY
to a group over another and then
“I’ve worked with most of
there’s a disparate impact to the
the current
other groups.” —Amara Andrews,
supervisors
Cedar Rapids mayoral candidate,
when I was
during a May 8 forum
[Lone Tree] mayor, and I know that
“Success for me would be
Sherry Pardee
helping as many kids as we
they care about the rural parts
can, making sure that they are
of the county, but I do bring a
as comfortable going into the
different perspective, just by
workforce as they can be. I
virtue of where my boots are
know that it’s hard when you’re
at. I run in different circles, I
graduating high
shop in different places, I talk to
school. It’s a
different people than the folks
lot that gets
whose gravitational pull is in Iowa
handed to you
City.” —Jon Green, Democratic
and I think
candidate for the Johnson County
it’s important
Board of Supervisors
to understand
Bat Babies
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that.” —Sabrina “My
Collins-Atkinson,
family,
founder of the new
who
nonprofit Early
came
Bird CR
to the United
Jason Smith
“I am proud to be
States
a governor of a state
to
that values personal
escape
responsibility and
the
individual liberties.”
Israeli occupation, are now forced
—Gov. Kim Reynolds
to fund the terror they were
on signing HF 847,
running from in the first place. …
banning mask
We help pay for the planes that
mandates in
raid Gaza at night, we help pay
schools
for the bombs and the tanks and the guns and bullets. Well, we want our money back. We don’t
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Cortado Colombia: protestas alegres, represión policial POR W. ALEX CHOQUEMAMANI
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uando le pregunté, «¿Cómo ves todo lo que está pasando en Colombia con lo de las protestas?» La respuesta de Juan Carlos fue: «Me da mucha tristeza, indignación e impotencia». Juan Carlos Díaz Ortiz, 40 años, es de Bogotá (Colombia), y desde el año 2019 vive en Iowa City. Lo que lo trajo a estas tierras del Midwest Americano fue estudiar el programa de Escritura Creativa en Español de la Universidad de Iowa, el mismo que acaba de concluir hace poco. La tristeza e impotencia que menciona Juan Carlos tiene que ver con cómo él vive las protestas sociales que comenzaron a finales de abril (y aún continúan mientras escribo esta columna) en su país, estando él muy lejos, a más de mil millas de distancia de su gente. «Me gustaría estar allá para también salir a las calles a protestar», agrega Juan Carlos. Y su deseo no es menor, si tenemos en cuenta los elevados casos de abuso policial que se vienen cometiendo contra aquellas personas (la mayoría) que salen a la calle a protestar de manera pacífica.
HABLAMOS DESDE DETENCIONES ARBITRARIAS HASTA HOMICIDIOS, AGRESIONES SEXUALES, DAÑOS OCULARES A LAS PERSONAS, DESAPARICIONES FORZADAS, USO INDEBIDO DE ARMAS DE FUEGO. TODO ESTO COMETIDO POR AGENTES POLICIALES.
Hablamos desde detenciones arbitrarias hasta homicidios, agresiones sexuales, daños oculares a las personas, desapariciones forzadas, o uso indebido de armas de fuego. Todo esto cometido por agentes policiales. Y, lo más reprochable, es que tales arbitrariedades cuentan con el respaldo del presidente de ese país, Iván Duque, y su partido político (Centro Democrático). Sobre el uso sin límites ni parámetros de las armas, especialmente, sobre la población civil, el poeta peruano César Vallejo en un libro póstumo señaló: «Un hombre cuyo nivel de cultura ―hablo de la cultura basada en la idea y la práctica de la justicia, que es la única verdadera― un hombre, digo, cuyo nivel de cultura está por debajo del esfuerzo creador que supone la invención de un fusil, no tiene derecho a usarlo» (Contra el secreto profesional). Dicha reflexión de Vallejo, hoy, tiene mucho sentido para el caso de Colombia, y debería entenderse como un alto y un basta, a: la brutalidad policial, la desidia del gobierno, el discurso de “ley y orden’’, la criminalización de la protesta. Tristeza, indignación, impotencia. Sí. Y bastante comprensible y justificado. Al mismo tiempo hay que decir que estas protestas, las cuales buscan mejorar las condiciones de vida del pueblo colombiano, han recibido el apoyo y la solidaridad desde distintas partes del mundo. Tal si fueran todas las voces de hombres y mujeres de la tierra que hoy abrazan a Colombia. LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295 June 2021 21
Money Moves TheZeffsterr founded his Iowa City label Critical Money on innovation, grind and G.O.A.T. confidence. BY DR. DAWSON
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t takes many years for an artist to develop, by a lyric Nas raps on the track “Nas Album responsibilities that come with being a student and most are unafraid of the challenges Done” off DJ Khaled’s 2016 album Major Key: (TheZeffsterr is a 2021 graduate of Kirkwood that come with growth. Of course, every “Start a label, run it, sign yourself / That’s a ma- Community College) brought the focus necesartist’s journey is different. Confidence jor key.” Critical Money was founded two years sary to be a new artist. Learning to be patient in self, combined with support from communi- after that release. Music has become a gateway became the virtue behind his drive. Knowing great things take time, he was ready ty and family, drives the need to be successful. to business management, creative directing and Artists are becoming more comfortable manag- social influence. Zeffsterr appreciates the honor to start the clock. TheZeffsterr set aside the time required for much research, sacrifice and neting themselves and even other artists, as more working, aware of the challenges that come with young people are branching into entrepreneurestablishing a new business. He found that Iowa ship. And while the COVID-19 pandemic closed City’s dedication to education and the arts was venues, it also brought a need for new content LISTEN: TheZeffsterr the perfect place for him to build a solid foundaand opportunities to expand media. tion for his enterprise. Nanya Zefaniah Walker- El, also known by his The need to prioritize classwork and studio stage name, TheZeffsterr, is the CEO of Critical time brought with it a growing maturity. His Money, Incorporated. Founded in Iowa City in mentality changed when he began conquering 2018, the label holds the partnership of many challenges he had once deemed impossible. local artists such as WxCKD, TM Mike and Though his message was always apparent in his Davoo. music, he wanted to make sure his Companies such as Roc Nation, story was truly being told. founded by rapper Jay-Z, and enMany artists express a need ergy drink franchise Red Bull IN JULY 2019, THEZEFFSTER WON A DES MOINES for love in their music. For influenced the type of business TALENT COMPETITION AGAINST 40 OTHER ACTS, TheZeffsterr, his relationship with TheZeffsterr wanted to run. These EARNING THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN FOR girlfriend Serenity Amos (founder brands paved the way for artists of Peaceful Dishes, a local food to branch into any field they deCHART-TOPPING HIP-HOP ARTIST DABABY. ... THE company specializing in cultural sire by hosting events, funding SHOW WAS A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE IN cuisine) granted him the stability charities and building communiTHEZEFFSTERR’S CAREER. “EVERYTHING WAS to focus on his career. Their relaties. It is not just about the music, tionship gave him a new aspect of TheZeffster said; it became about MEANT TO HAPPEN THIS WAY,” HE SAID. “YOU realness, selflessness and honest creating an experience for his fans HAVE TO WANT IT FOR YOURSELF.” criticism needed to launch Critical and a pathway for other artists. Money Inc. “That is something that I want TheZeffsterr engages closely to do,” he said. “I want to be a that comes with being a middleman, one of too with four key principles of life: inspiration, indigateway and help people get to the next point.” Critical Money recruits people who love few people who want to learn as much as possi- vidualism, innovation and idealism. He found his inspiration growing up on the music but have talents and passions in other ble about this industry. TheZeffsterr’s dedication to change drove him South Side of Chicago in the musical influencfields. Being in the public eye isn’t the end goal. TheZeffsterr believes in being open to any ideas to take advantage of the opportunity to launch es of such greats as Kanye West and Twista. His that can help people push their art forward to the Critical Money while still in school. Education early music represented the challenges of growmost creative place possible—being the bridge afforded him the ability to take his time with ing as an individual around peers who were more needed to elevate their careers. He was inspired finding the direction he wanted to go. And the easily misguided. He knew how his friend groups
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could drive his creativity and begin challenging his thoughts; being around other artists helped him figure out what kind of artist TheZeffsterr would be. Learning to express yourself comes with great exploration and sacrifice. It’s important to TheZeffsterr to have that individualism reflected in his music. He doesn’t allow other people’s feelings or fears to shape his path, he says. Feeling intimidated by other people drives him to be unapologetically himself. These challenges are needed in order to build self-confidence, which is transformed into a high-energy stage presence. “Realizing that I perform alone and shape my own destiny” comes with great reflection, he said. “My mom provides for me the best way she can, and I cannot discredit her by not embracing the blessings she has put upon me. I understand I have to pass them forward and embrace them fully without guilt.” TheZeffster plans to take Critical Money as far as can be imagined, and that requires innovation. “I am big on that word!” he enthuses. “Hearing the word ‘innovation’ makes me think of Critical Money. I see things differently and want to leave the longest blueprint possible.” He wants to leave that blueprint of his accomplishments so that the next generation won’t have to start from scratch like he did. One day, he hopes to be able to show others how to obtain their goals. This mentality of togetherness and longevity can open many doors for other artists. Networking and connecting people to many opportunities is also critical. Idealism is found in the art of leaving music up for interpretation while understanding the responsibility of having people’s ears. TheZeffsterr knows that ultimately, he controls how he is presented, describing himself as a “Lazy Billy G.O.A.T” (also the title of one of his singles). He understands that he has many flaws that need to be addressed, but still doesn’t doubt he’s the
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“Greatest Of All Time.” “Living my life for me, in my 23 years, I am the greatest of all my time,” TheZeffsterr said. “I am the best I can be today, and will continue to be great.” As Muhammed Ali encouraged Black men, success requires confidence. TheZeffsterr’s confidence is reflected in his music, and can have a ripple effect on his fans. When the audience chants his lyrics, it activates their greatness. Music is a powerful tool, one that demands responsibility. The lyrics in a song can be the difference between making a fan laugh or cry. TheZeffsterr understands the importance of speaking life in his lyrics, he says. Some artists speak death onstage, not realizing they are releasing that energy into the world. Taking hours to write and review his music is quite, well, critical to TheZeffsterr. As the artist says, “Inspiration can spark from anywhere.” His favorite movie, Disney’s 2007 animated comedy Meet the Robinsons, has a motto (attributed to Walt Disney) that we all can relate to: “Keep moving forward.” As time changes, we must accept challenges and move with them. Music can paint a story of that growth. The music industry has evolved rapidly in recent years, in particular its methods of distribution. Critical Money plans to adapt not only by streaming on the digital distribution site TuneCore, but also by returning to vinyl. While most artists only get one project released every five years, TheZeffsterr has averaged a project a year since 2011. The next album he’s working on, I Told You It Would Be This Way, will vocalize the next steps he has planned for his music career. Fan favorite “You reap what you sow,” available on all streaming services, was recently performed at Rebel Writer Records’ artist showcase at Gabe’s last month. TheZeffsterr has performed all over Iowa City at various events and concerts. He has become a regular at the Writers
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Circle at Iowa City’s Elray’s (opened during the pandemic), which showcases artists every Monday night. TheZeffsterr emphasized the importance of sharing the stage with other local artists and using social media to repost and promote each other. “I’m very, very, very big on supporting other artists,” he said. He maintains that philosophy while understanding that other artists may not have the time to support him back. “Treating others the way you’d want to be treated comes with the knowledge that you can’t control other people’s actions.” In July 2019, TheZeffsterr won a Des Moines talent competition against 40 other acts, earning the opportunity to open for chart-topping hip-hop artist DaBaby. Other talent paid up to $7,000 for a slot he earned. The show was a life-changing experience in TheZeffsterr’s career. “Everything was meant to happen this way,” he said. “You have to want it for yourself.” Making this industry connection was a testament to the hard work he was putting in. It was paying off, and quickly. Understanding the seriousness of opening for a major artist was payment on its own. That win taught him that every performance is a chance to get better. The slogan of Critical Money: Everything is Critical. This means taking advantage of the simple luxuries life grants, such as the five senses, education and family. Life is too short to take essentials for granted. Treating life like it is critical is knowing everything can be taken away at any moment, TheZeffsterr said. Living life to its fullest potential is critical. Finding what makes us special can be a great motivator. Music is a form of expression, but you must explore what is worth expressing. Meditation, a healthy diet and self-reflection in daily life are the tools for a successful reflection of self in the music industry. “We are in control of our life,” TheZeffsterr declared. Dr. Dawson is a senior at the University of Iowa studying Global Health. She is the founder of @hiphophealing, a local business dedicated to cultivating hip hop’s elements through mind, body and soul.
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If You Build It …? Cedar Rapids’ rap OGs take a look at how the scene is faring. BY GENEVIEVE TRAINOR
I
Sofia
f you start asking around about the hip- “but I don’t see what I saw 10 years ago, 20 years coming through town to perform. I think the bighop scene in Cedar Rapids, you’ll hear ago. … I could be far removed from the scene. gest show they had here—I was in high school I the same answer repeatedly: “What But there aren’t many places in Cedar Rapids to believe—was Hammer. We wasn’t going to see perform. … You’ve had these good pushes, but all the nitty gritty acts from back then.” scene?” Of course, there hasn’t been much of anything not enough momentum for it to really blossom.” After high school, he went to the University Rahlan Kay has been on the hip-hop scene in of Iowa, where he got a taste of (and heavily happening the past year-plus, due to the pandemic. But although everyone can manage to drop Cedar Rapids for 30 years. He was the first hip- influenced) the Iowa City scene, performing as a name or two, the general consensus seems to hop act to play the McGrath Amphitheater, for Genuyne until he got the tip that someone else be that whatever scene there once was has fad- Uptown Friday Nights, and he managed the hip- had a slightly stronger claim to a slightly differed. The further you dig, the less you find. Only hop stage for 319 Fest. He was first inspired to ent spelling. In Iowa City, he had access to occaa handful of names show up on a Bandcamp perform by a local group he saw take the stage at sional BET and a hip-hop show on campus radio, search. Facebook pages like Hip Hop Roots and the clubs were welcoming—but the talent Cedar Rapids, Iowa haven’t seen activity since was transitory. 2014. It’s something of a ghost town. “[There was a] real strong push, but we Now, I don’t claim to be omniscient. I hope weren’t able to sustain it,” Rahlan Kay said. “I like hell that I get a slew of emails schooling me would say because of three things: not really beon all I missed. Y’all would tell me when I fuck ing supported, Cedar Rapids not choosing to supup, right? Yeah. I trust you. So I hope you trust port; Iowa City, moving; not having a real bona me: CR is a city that’s just waiting to break. fide radio station that catered specifically to hip Years ago, I saw Schäffer the Darklord at the hop. … It’s hard to build and maintain a scene Blue Collar Lounge—a tiny bar where 1st St SW without having some of those channels.” LISTEN: imperfekt LISTEN: Rahlan Kay meets C St SW (a diner called Lucita’s is there now). It was by a large margin the most packed I have ever seen a show in Cedar Rapids at a legitimate establishment. The fans are there, so why “Here we never really had a place where you can isn’t the music? just show up with a CD and put it in a CD player When you start asking around about hip hop and rap into a microphone, it just never was a in the city, two names will come up again and thing,” imperfekt said. “So we would always just again: Rahlan Kay, a.k.a. Rowland Gibson, have to figure out a little dive bar we could go and imperfekt, a.k.a. Rick into.” Noggle. They’ve been playFrom 2006-2012, imper“THE LEGAL CAPACITY OF THE BLUE COLLAR LOUNGE ing out in the city for defekt ran the monthly Super cades, often driving engageFresh Saturdays at a series WAS 49 PEOPLE. … WE WOULD HAVE NIGHTS WHERE ment and creating practically of venues in Cedar Rapids. It 100 PEOPLE WOULD PAY FIVE BUCKS AT THE DOOR.” from scratch. These are both started when his mother, who hometown boys, born and worked at the Blue Collar raised in the 319, with deep ties to the commu- McKinley when he was a student, Magic Motion. Lounge, encouraged him to hold a show there. “I’ve always been musical, playing instru- It exploded fast, with acts from as far away as nity, both professionally (Noggle owns a hip hop inspired vintage clothing store downtown, ments or being in band, being in orchestra,” he New York City looking to book with him, and 20 Years Awesome; Gibson works with youth at said. He’s played upright bass, saxophone; he’s eventually grew into Super Fresh Culture Fest, sung in choir, done theater. But when he and his a festival that ran three years in Cedar Rapids, Foundation 2) and in their music. The video for Rahlan Kay’s latest single, friends saw Magic Motion, they thought, “Oh, from 2012-2014. “Music Is Like Breathin’” (produced by his we could do this too.” “The legal capacity of the Blue Collar Lounge They called themselves EM3: Educated was 49 people. … We would have nights where brother, EJ Swavv, who he also performs with in the group Sons of Mack) is a love letter to Music to the Third Power. In addition to Magic 100 people would pay five bucks at the door,” the city, showcasing the crucial spots of his Motion, he named Cedar Rapids influences he said. youth, including McKinley Middle School and Soldiers in Command, Sonny Butler, Maybelle, Once the showcases outgrew that spot, they Washington High School, and shouting out influ- DJ Commando (who’s still active)—and he re- ran for a while at the Coopacabana, until the ences and peers in the text across the bottom of members rushing home from McKinley in the flood of 2008. It took several meetings with the afternoons to see Yo, MTV Raps. the screen. owner over two to three months before he agreed “That was the only visual that we would see to let them do a show there, but eventually, they “I think there are individuals who have an interest,” he says of up-and-coming performers, of hip hop, because it wasn’t like anybody was were staples in the space, and even the regulars rtino
DeMa
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CR Rappers Rick Noggle (imperfekt) and Rowland Gibson (Rahlan Kay). Sofia DeMartino / Little Village
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Inside Noggle’s throwback shop, 20 Years Awesome. Sofia DeMartino / Little Village
in what imperfekt referred to as an “old people bar” were hanging out enjoying the gigs. The venue was one of the few they had access to with both ample space and a stage. “These places never had stages,” imperfekt said of the dive bars they typically booked, “so we were performing on the same level as the people that were watching us perform. … We just never had that real stage, go there, have a big booming sound system—we’d have to bring our own speakers and everything. We were like the entire embodiment of the show: sound, DJ, booking it, making the flyers—we did all the work. Whereas if we lived in Iowa City and we booked a show at Gabe’s Oasis, all we’d have to do was secure the date.” Although imperfekt has in the past toured all over, including Austin, Texas and the East Coast, and his crew, the Mic Hand Crew, is made up of rappers from around the region, “Cedar Rapids has always been my heart,” he said. “I’ve always been trying to put on for this city.” “There’s lots of talent here, and I talk about it quite a bit with some of my other cohorts, how I feel bad for the up-and-comers.” The lack of regular shows and scene support in the city “makes me feel sad for the … young versions of me that are supposed to be coming up and taking my place,” he said. “Once again it comes down to the fact that there’s not a place that you can go to and just plug a microphone in and rap. If you want to book a show you have to have a full sound system.”
Rahlan Kay and imperfekt have both, over the years, exhibited more than their fair share of 30 June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295
hustle. They have had conversations with the bar owners, fought for the scene in their hometown. And they both still perform on a semi-regular basis, or did before COVID-19, and hope to again. But they both expressed that there is a lack of cohesion and a lack of institutional support that prevent what could be considered a “scene” from actually taking hold. “There’s just not a lot of venues,” Rahlan Kay said. He shouts out the Olympic South Side Theater, Cocktails, and Tailgators, but, “There’s very few and far between, specifically in Cedar Rapids. And I don’t think the community of Cedar Rapids, the business community per se, was really too keen on having people perform live hip hop.” “There were other spots in town that we always wanted to get into and do stuff, but they wouldn’t let us,” imperfekt concurred. “There’s such a stigma against rap and hip hop being a negative thing.” Part of that stigma may have to do with the somewhat unique relationship between Eastern Iowa and Chicago. One of the first things you learn on moving to this region is that “people from Chicago” is Iowan for “troublemakers,” and almost exclusively refers to black people. “I know that there’s a certain bit of privilege that I’ve had,” imperfekt said. Although he noted that things seem different now, he acknowledged, “I know that being that most of the business owners here were white, and I was a white person trying to come and book a hip-hop show, that it was easier for me than some of the black guys around town.” So like a bad real estate joke, it all keeps coming back to finding the right location, location, location.
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“Realistically it comes down to a centralized location where people go,” imperfekt said. “That’s where the OGs go and the newcomers go, and the up-and-comers get to come and cut their teeth.” When he was a teen, he and his friends traveled down to Gabe’s in Iowa City for that opportunity. “I would go to a show two hours early and stay two hours late, with the hopes that a freestyle session would happen, or with the hopes that we would break dance and battle rap people. … For there not to be anywhere for anybody to go that’s been consistent, it leaves everybody in their own studio at their own house making their own music by themselves.” Rahlan Kay sees that isolation as well. And although he notes that other regional hubs, like the Atlanta area or New York, seem to have a more supportive atmosphere than anywhere in the Midwest, he also thinks that it may be a shift in the genre. “Now in 2021, there’s not that push for having a group, like a Wu-Tang. I think it’s more individualized. And I might credit that to social media. Anybody can be a star,” he said of the new talent making names for themselves online. There’s a Midwestern lope to the styles of both artists, though, that despite their dissimilarities makes a listener think that a Cedar Rapids “sound” is a thing, even if the “scene” isn’t. Rahlan Kay focuses on message, and imperfekt has a distinct lyrical agility that he centers in his work, but there’s something that’s both focused and casual about their tunes, like an Iowan sitting on the porch watching a tornado roll in: unworried, unhurried, yet also somehow defiant. It’s enough to allow hope to sneak in that there may be a future for this scattered effort yet. And support is building: Both Rahlan Kay and imperfekt mentioned the Sound Box studio in Cedar Rapids, which also nabbed runner up in Little Village’s Best of the CRANDIC awards last year. And coming up on July 10, the Iowa Summer Jam is returning, this time to the Olympic South Side Theater. It’s billed as a festival for all genres, but CR rapper Tone Da Boss is producing, through his T1 Entertainment management and marketing group, another key player pushing forward in the city. “That might be a good indicator of where we are,” Rahlan Kay said of the Summer Jam. I for one can’t wait to find out. Genevieve Trainor would just like to say that anyone who didn’t vote for Kendrick in this month’s poll was wrong.
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A Playlist to Get You Started BPM means beats per minute. Practice these moves starting with
Jason Smith / Little Village
the lower BPM songs and move up the playlist as you learn. 100 BPM Nice & Smooth, “Old to the New” 112 BPM Babe Ruth, “The Mexican” 113 BPM Lyn Collins, “Think (About It)”
Learn to Break
114 BPM Liquid Liquid, “Cavern”
A set for beginners. BY CHUY RENTERIA
115 BPM James Brown “Give It Up or Turnit a Loose”
H
i everyone! Local dancer and author Chuy a.k.a. Bboy Original BEATS here. In these two pages, All The Way Up Studio co-owner Joel Sorenson a.k.a. Bboy Keitsu and I are going to teach you some core foundational elements of breaking (commonly referred to as breakdancing.*) Our goal is to give you the tools to approach your own basic set.
116 BPM Jimmy Castor Bunch, “It’s Just Begun” 116 BPM Incredible Bongo Band,
A set is the beginning, middle and end of your dance. If you were to dance in a circle or in a battle, your set is what happens when all eyes are on you. Following these WATCH steps in order is a good template for a beginner foundational set: tops>go down>footwork>freeze. Note that this order is not set in stone. Breaking is all about remixing things and making it your own. You could jump out with a dope freeze then transition to footwork, etc. Feel free to mix it up! To see video breakdowns of these movements and for even more moves, ideas and concepts scan this QR code.
First things first… This is a dance. A lot of folks gravitate to breaking because of the high-flying moves, but rule numero uno is that this is a dance. Even when you’re doing crazy intricate footwork or sticking a freeze, you should always try to do your movement to the music. (See sidebar for a playlist and a super-beginner intro to counts.)
BEATS AND JAMS: It’s all about the music Breaking formed in the Bronx in the early ’70s. DJ Kool Herc would throw block parties at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, known as the birthplace of
“Apache” 118 BPM CAN, “Vitamin C” 119 BPM Big Daddy Kane, “Set It Off” 120 BPM Herman Kelly and Life, “Dance to the Drummer’s Beat”
hip hop. The party people loved what they called the break of the record—the moment in a song when the drummer got down. In response, Herc created what he called “the merry go round.” He looped the break with two copies of the same record. (An example of a break is at the 2:23 mark of “Apache” in the provided playlist). B-boys and b-girls (break boys and break girls) one upping each other on the dance floor created this dance style.
you hear “five, six, seven, eight!” Truthfully, not a lot of breakers count like this. (I was years into my dance journey before someone taught me the concept.) For now, let’s think of the music in terms of kicks and snares— the boom and bap. Or, if you insist on counting, let’s break it down into a repeating one, two, three, four:
“Don’t Cry Over Broken Bones” 123 BPM Nicole Willis & the Soul Investigators, “Holdin’ On” 124 BPM Laura Vane & The Vipertones, “Roof Off” 128 BPM Fusik, “Cypher Black” 130 BPM Bronx River Parkway, “Donde”
1
2
3 4
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
SYNCOPATION
A note on counts
1&2
Go to a dance studio and it won’t be long before
1&2&3&4
34 June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295
121 BPM djblesOne,
REST
3&4
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TOPROCK Tops are what you do standing up. Some people (erroneously) regard toprock as what you do before you do the “actual” breaking. This is regarded as a toy mindset, and you’ll get called out if you have sloppy, off-beat or nonexistent tops. Think of your toprock as an opportunity to really show your connection with the music.
Shuffles/Hip Twists/Indian Step One of the most foundational of the toprock steps, originally called the Indian, some call it Hip Twists. (Out of respect for my Indigenous brothers and sisters, I simply call them shuffles.) Helpful hint: For this variation we are always switching our feet. Think of it like walking—if you are on your right foot you are going to switch to your left next, etc.
1.
2.
A note on how to practice the rhythm. I’ve counted this step as 1&2, 3&4. Which is the natural rhythm that we want to perform this at. But if you are just learning I recommend slowing it down and trying the steps in half time, each step being right on the kick or snare: 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4 When you get really comfortable, try rolling through on every one-and: 1&2&3&4&. (On the faster songs you’ll be flying.) But what about our arms!? When learning it’s easiest to focus on our feet. Once you feel like you have that down think of swinging your arms in opposition of your feet (like walking). Relax and do what feels natural.
GO DOWNS A go down or a drop is our transition from tops down to the floor. A lot of newbies forget about their go downs. They think that getting down to the ground all willy nilly is good enough. You want to utilize all of your transitions in your set. Don’t get down like you’re picking something from the bottom of the grocery aisle. Make it funky.
Baseball Slide Kids love this one. We’re just sliding on the side of our leg to a seated position.
3.
1. Swing your right foot over and to the front/left of yourself (think of it as twisting your hips to the left). Hop onto your right foot while your left foot comes up. 2. Do a micro hop back onto your left foot, lifting your right foot up while your left comes down. 3. A real subtle step. All we are doing is hopping over to our right foot. You’re halfway there: We just completed the first half of our shuffle. Now we are set up to
Repeat on other side:
1.
2.
1. Swing your left foot over and hop on it. Right foot pops up.
1. Prep by crouching and putting your right hand down while your right foot steps back. I tell people to do your best superhero landing pose.
2. Sliiiide your right foot in front of you. Make sure you are sliding on the right side of your calf and be mindful of your knee!
2. Since your right foot is up we are going to come back and down on it. Left foot comes up.
*A quick note on the term “breakdancing”
3. That subtle step again: hopping/transferring our weight back to our left foot. You just completed both “sides” of a shuffle. You are primed and ready to start right back over again with the first swing of your right foot.
To put it bluntly, breakers don’t like or use it. None of the original dancers called themselves breakdancers. It wasn’t until the ’80s explosion that the term was placed on the style by the mainstream media. Plus it’s redundant! You’re already dancing when you’re breaking. Breakdancing is like saying dance dancing.
do the exact same thing on the other side. REPEAT
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295 June 2021 35
Community
Colt 45 (Knee Drop) Sometimes called a knee drop or pin drop. I first heard this called a Colt 45 or Colt for short.
1.
2.
1. Nestle your right foot behind your left knee. You want the top of your foot in contact with the back of your knee and your toes against the left side of your knee. Make sure your right leg is turned out. (Imagine “opening” your right knee to the side.) 2. Bend your left leg and go down. You want to “fall” down diagonally, forward and to
the left of yourself. Don’t think of it like buckling your knee straight in front or straight to the side; diagonal is the key. Here’s the trick: Since our right foot stayed connected and nestled up against the left knee the whole time we can go all the way down until our right foot touches the ground. When you get good at it, your left knee shouldn’t touch the ground at all.
FOOTWORK
Russian Taps
Footwork or downrock (usually) consists of quick, staccato steps down close to the ground. To the uninitiated, I would describe it as stepping around yourself like crabs or spiders and hitting angles on your hands and feet.
Most commonly referred to as CCs. B-boy Alien Ness from the Mighty Zulu Kingz made a case for why they were first called Russian Taps, and it’s a great way to learn the move. First we start with the Russian.
Kick Out
1.
2.
3.
4.
1. Squat down to the ground as low as you can. If your heels pop up, that’s fine. Stack one arm over the other, bending at the elbows.
out, step over onto the foot that is in the air. (So if your right foot is up, you’re coming down onto that right foot.) The same time that you step, you turn your upper body and bring both hands down to the ground on that same side. This is the tap of our Russian Taps.
1.
3.
1. Start in a lazy crab walk position with your butt close to the ground. 2. Lean over to one side, putting your weight on one hand and raising the other. At the same time kick your feet out. You actually want to land on the back of your shoes, letting the back heel of your shoes
2.
4.
absorb the impact. 3. Bring everything back into your original starting position. As you do so, transfer your hands to immediately go to the other side. Try to Kick Out on both sides to the beat of the music!
36 June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295
2. Do your best impression of the Slavic squat dance. You know what I’m talking about. Bounce and kick one foot out then bring it in and kick the other. Back and forth. Once you feel good and comfortable doing your Russian, let’s see if we can tap it! 3. After you kick one foot
4. Come back to your Russian stance with the foot that just came down back in the air. 5. Do a Russian kick to switch to the other side. Do your tap on the other side and repeat!
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FREEZES A freeze is any cool position that you can hold. Many times you’re lifting or suspending yourself up on your hands, but you can freeze on your head, elbow, shoulder—whatever you can pull off safely.
Candlestick From your back, go up to your shoulders. If you’ve done yoga, think like starting a Plow Pose, but instead of putting your feet behind you, send them up to the sky. Keep your elbows on the ground and hold your lower back up for support.
Shoulder Freeze Get on your hands and knees. Pick an arm and slide it under the other hand. Put the back of your arm on the ground, palm facing up. Keep going until the shoulder and side of your head are both on the floor. Tiptoe your feet closer to your center of gravity. Your goal is to stack your hips over your shoulders in balance. It helps to count down and push off to try to stick the freeze!
Baby Freeze A tough but vital beginning freeze, as it’s the foundation for lots of other freezes and power moves. Balance your elbow on the top/front side of your hip. (For the anatomy nerds, think iliac crest.) Not too close to your belly button, but not too far to the side that it will slip. Your elbow and hip should fit like Lego bricks. Lift your feet up, but keep your other hand on the ground for stability. Tip: If it feels like you can’t get any leverage to push into the freeze, make your best frog leg impression, like you’re trying to stretch out your groin. Think frog, not turtle. Want to learn more moves? Visit All The Way Up Studio in North Liberty. ATWU is Iowa’s first dance studio dedicated entirely to hip hop dance. Classes range from Intro to Breaking to KPOP and Heels classes. Check out allthewayupstudio.com for a class schedule.
Chuy Renteria was raised in the town of West Liberty, IA. He graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in Dance. A B-boy since the age of 14, he is a central figure in the Iowa dance scene. He currently resides in Iowa City and is the Public Engagement Coordinator for Hancher Auditorium.
READ IT
Learn more about local breaking history in Chuy’s upcoming memoir We Heard It When We Were Young with the University of Iowa Press, which includes a retelling of how Chuy first got into Iowa’s vibrant dance scene in the late ’90s.
We’re especially honored to be voted BEST MOVERS in the CRANDIC this year, when we’ve all worked so hard to keep each other safe and well. Onward! www.spinemoving.com/moving-quotes | 319-235-MOVE
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Prairie Pop
Ready? Fight! Battle rappers are making a scene in Des Moines. BY KEMBREW MCLEOD
“S
ometimes, it’s real beef or real grudges that need to be settled on stage,” $ANTHI said of the rap battles he’s been part of over the past two decades. “Sometimes rappers get called out, egos clash, shade is thrown. Some people are picky about who they battle. Some don’t care and will attempt murder on whoever steps up.” Emcees such as $ANTHI, Buck, The Future, KrzyBby, UndaDawg and other Iowa-affiliated artists may not be household names, but they are well-respected in this hermetically sealed underground realm. Des Moines’ Get You Some Battle League and other like-minded organizations model themselves after Ultimate Fighting Championship-style events, down to the way
38 June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295
they are often called “cards,” like a UFC fight card (e.g., the schedule for the night). It’s a unique ecosystem that thrives on the interplay between physical spaces, social media and video platforms like YouTube. “When Get You Some drop posters and flyers for a battle event,” $ANTHI continues, “fans and supporters are ready to pack a venue in downtown Des Moines, or in someone’s crib for a super rap battle house party, or even on a rooftop. It doesn’t matter. These dudes will battle anywhere and people will come watch. It’s dope as hell.” Battle rap cards usually consist of three rounds of rhythmic linguistic jujitsu performed by two emcees who cleverly mock, disrespect and shred their opponents until only one is left standing. They’re like a cross between slam poetry,
professional wrestling and a game of the dozens. And the fact that they do it a capella gives the emcees the freedom to stretch out tempos and add dramatic pauses and other theatrical flourishes. Battle rap leagues are a DIY offshoot of hiphop culture, which began a half century ago in New York City and eventually pollinated places in the cultural margins, like Iowa. The coasts didn’t come to these artists, so they did it themselves within a labyrinthine tapestry of micro-scenes made up of groups, crews and hundreds of solo emcees who are well aware of the limitations of their geographical location. “It’s kind of cool that you actually reached out,” said KrzyBby, who currently books battle cards for Get You Some, “because I’ll say Des VENMO @littlevillagemag PAYPAL lv@littlevillagemag.com
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Opposite: Vylints vs. Hungry at Vaudeville Mews, closed since the pandemic, in 2018. Baby Powell Above: KO vs. $ANTHI in 2015. Video still from Get You Some Battle League, Baby Powell
“WHEN GET YOU SOME DROP POSTERS AND FLYERS FOR A BATTLE EVENT, FANS AND SUPPORTERS ARE READY TO PACK A VENUE IN DOWNTOWN DES MOINES, OR IN SOMEONE’S CRIB FOR A SUPER RAP BATTLE HOUSE PARTY, OR EVEN ON A ROOFTOP. IT DOESN’T MATTER. THESE DUDES WILL BATTLE ANYWHERE AND PEOPLE WILL COME WATCH. IT’S DOPE AS HELL.” —$ANTHI Moines is not the first place you think of when talking about rap battles.” Get You Some co-founder UndaDawg told me much the same: “We’re in Des Moines, Iowa,
Chef Trez and Prophelinni, a member of NWX, considered to be one of the world’s best battle rap groups. Baby Powell
and, you know, nobody even knows what it is. They always think, like, it’s in Idaho.” Despite Iowa’s homogenous demographics, many of the emcees who battle are African American—like UndaDawg and KrzyBby—and the scene also includes the Asian-American artist $ANTHI and white boys such as Ryan Nixon and Mac Paddy (the Irish-American emcee asserts, “I’m the best rapper you’ll ever meet in Ames. Challenge me and you will be defeated”). $ANTHI was born in Marshalltown and has family all over Iowa, but he grew up in Rockford, Illinois, where he fell in love with hip hop as a teenager. “I began writing to release stress and other emotions,” he said. “Nas, Eminem, Big Pun really influenced me, and then, man, battle rap blew my mind! Eventually, I grew competitive and began looking for battles during high school lunch, uploaded those on YouTube, and I was shocked how much interaction it was getting.” Riding on an adrenaline rush, $ANTHI made a flyer for a “16 EMCEE RAP BATTLE TOURNAMENT—$20 EACH, WINNER TAKE ALL,” which he hung up around school and posted to social media. The event’s success made him realize, “Man, this can be organized and we can spark something special, so I founded
THE IOWA CITY POLICE LOG A coffee table book
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Your Opportunity to Engage with Arts and Culture CulturalCorridor.org
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Our Voice
Celebrating the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Awards
June 25 – August 15, 2021 This exhibition was organized by the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, Abilene, Texas. The Museum is open to the public and always free. Reservations and face masks required. For reservations and information about the exhibition and related in-person and virtual programming, visit: grinnell.edu/museum or call 641.269.4660. Minors under age 18 need to be accompanied by an adult. Grinnell College is not responsible for minors on campus or at College sponsored events. Image: Leo and Diane Dillon, The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales, cover, 1985. Watercolor and pastel on Bristol board, 22 x 32 inches. © 1985 by Leo and Diane Dillon.
Bucksbaum Center for the Arts, 1108 Park Street, Grinnell, Iowa 50112 Open Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Closed July 4th
Battlefest in 2008.” That league is no longer around, though he currently runs the Rotation TV/Rotation Hip-Hop platform, which organizes battle events under the name DISS/RESPECT. After $ANTHI moved to Iowa City in 2015 for work, Get You Some co-founder Hungry invited him to battle in Des Moines when the league was just starting out. “They brought Des Moines’ absolute best rappers, emcees and performers together, and some of those guys I thought needed to be highlighted outside of Iowa too, so we first started collaborating with crossover events in Rockford.” The Des Moines-born UndaDawg started out rapping in church with his brother and cousin, who he formed the Oktane Gang with; they dropped a couple mixtapes before fizzling out. That’s when he started getting into battle rap, which led to the formation of Get You Some in 2014. The events started out in a Des Moines bar named Lefty’s, which was around the time when UndaDawg brought in KrzyBby, who started off as a cameraman. “We just did that over and over again for years,” KrzyBby said, “and we ended up creating a buzz. We’ve had like 200 people in the crowd before—200 people in the crowd, in Des Moines, Iowa? For a rap battle? You know, Iowa is not really like a hip-hop state, nowhere near. So to make something like that happen without a big name is crazy. It was just all us regular people.” “I’ve known KrzyBby since he was a teenager,” UndaDawg said, “when I was doing my Oktane Gang thing. I used to take him to all my shows with me and I’d have him perform a song with me. He was in his own group at the time, and then we started booking him for battles, too. He’s good, he’s aggressive and he’s one of the best in the league.” KrzyBby explained that hip hop was programmed in him as a baby, because his mother would put the radio near his crib when he was
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falling asleep. “I’d go to sleep listening to hip-hop music every night,” he said, “and then I just woke up one day and said, ‘I’m going to write.’ Then I battled the best guy in Roosevelt High School. I lost that battle, but then we ended up battling again when I was a junior, and I pretty much smoked him. I just ended up falling in love with it, and then came the battle league.” Battle rap cards are often booked three months out, which gives the opponents plenty of time to study each other’s previous performances online until they’re ready to go three rounds on game day. Over the past two decades, the artform has evolved from off-the-cuff freestyles to elaborately written performances that contain a dizzying array of wordplay, internal rhymes, off-the-wall puns and lyrical barbs that are designed to sway the crowd and make them go, “Oh, SHIT!” “It’s like watching someone else’s game footage,” said UndaDawg, explaining how he prepares for a battle. “I watch their videos trying to figure out how to mimic them, find their weak spots, and also to make sure I’m not saying something that has been said before. Then I just write, write, write and memorize it for a couple weeks so I’m ready.” “It’s about how lyrical you are and how much you can do with one line,” KrzyBby said. “So you have to work very hard to come up with that material, because if you can control the momentum, you have the crowd eating out of the palm of your hand, and you can land a line that shakes the building.” If you’re interested in getting involved in GYSBL, contact KrzyBby at 515-322-0611 or message him @Krzy91Bby on Instagram. Kembrew McLeod’s B-boy name circa 1983 was Cold Crush Kembrew when he was a member of the Virginia Beach Breakers.
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Bread & Butter
LittleVillageMag.com/Dining
Emma McClatchey / Little Village
LV Recommends
House Divided Brewery
B
1620 Dows St, Ely, 319-848-4197, housedividedbrewery.com
uttery, salty and best of all, free. Now that I’ve gotten the popcorn review out of the way, let me dive into the bread and butter, so to speak, of any brewery: the beer. House Divided Brewery, located right across the street from the Ely Public Library, serves up creative lagers, stouts, sours and IPAs in a spacious, cyclist-friendly patio space. The business was opened in fall 2020 by homebrewer-turned-microbrewery-owner Cal Corrin and his wife Lisa Corrin— who, as Iowa State and Iowa Hawkeye fans, respectively, occupy the titular house divided. Sampling eight different HDB brews on a sunny afternoon in May under the brewery’s shaded patio, surrounded by cyclists taking a rest from biking the nearby Cedar Valley Nature Trail, my dog Goldie getting pets from fellow patrons and plenty of treats from congenial “beertender” Heather, every sip was special. Rather than stick to a few standard brews—a wheat beer, an IPA, maybe a sour—the Corrins have hit the scene with a slate of bold
offerings. Take the Back in Black IPA, only the second black IPA I’ve had the pleasure to taste, and the first from an Iowa brewery. Combining the hoppy verve of an India Pale Ale with the roasty, chocolatey notes of a stout, it tastes like fall in a glass (minus the pumpkin spice). The Whole Latte Love Blonde Stout is not your mother’s stout; it’s a lactose- and cold-brew coffee-infused stout dressed up like a standard golden lager. Then there’s the Black Dog Lager, Dark Side of the Moon Dunkelweizen and Bat Out of Helles Bock, all of which belong in an Oktoberfest biergarten. This collection of black and gold beers makes a good case for U of I superiority in the in-house rivalry. On the sweet-and-sour end of the spectrum are two Berliner Weisses: the Kokomo Sour, flavored with mango puree and pineapple, and the Summer Breeze Sour, featuring watermelon puree and coconut. For folks like me who balk at tart beer, these mild sours are mercifully more smoothie than Airhead— though sour beer purists may miss the punch. Hazy IPAs have become
42 June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295
ubiquitous at local breweries, but House Divided’s hazy goes beyond just pleasing the hops-and-lactose-craving masses. The Things We Don’t Say Hazy IPA is a solid entry to the trendy genre, made in collaboration with Hope for the Day movement, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention and mental health education. House Divided has dedicated 20 percent of sales of their hazy to the organization, and have materials promoting mental
health awareness on the bar. After relishing the bold, flavorful brews, I was surprised to find my favorite HDB beer was a classic Hefeweizen. The Luftballon Hefeweizen takes the summer staple—a pale, dry German wheat beer—and does it so satisfyingly well, especially following a salty bite of fresh-popped popcorn. I have trouble pinning the flavor down myself, but the menu description for the Luftballon captured it well: “a fluffy mouthfeel, and a distinctive banana-and-clove yeast character.” I’m calling it now: This is the beer of my summer. Like one of my favorite breweries in the country, Pulpit Rock up in Decorah, House Divided isn’t a brewpub—just a line of taps behind a bar, a few interior seating spots and a big garage door open to the patio. You can stop in to fill a growler or grab a quick beer on a bike ride, or spend the whole afternoon sampling beers and chatting with friends. I’m vaccinated, but still wary of dining indoors. This space felt safe while still facilitating small talk with strangers—something I didn’t realize I was thirsty for. Plus, House Divided offers free popcorn and snack mix. That’s something we can all cheer for. —Emma McClatchey
A perfect pit-stop for cyclists seeking provisions along the Cedar Valley Nature Trail in Ely. Emma McClatchey / Little Village SLIDING INTO YOUR DMS LIKE: LittleVillageMag.com/Subscribe
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‘It’s Our Space, but It’s Their Show’ A new outdoor performance venue outside of Williamsburg, Raven Wolf Productions, plans to provide a place for everyone. BY AVERY GREGURICH
I
f you want to accidentally start a performance venue amidst a pandemic, it’s best to start with a barn. Put it outside of the city a few miles where it’s quiet, on four acres of Iowa prairie, most of it pasture for horses, with plenty of places for people to park. That’s how Nathan and Susan Kula started Raven Wolf Productions, an outdoor performance venue which will host the Awful Purdies on June 19 for the group’s first live show since before the pandemic hit. Tickets are $15. “We took a break from performing in October 2019 to work on our 4th studio album and never expected the break from live performance to last 20 months,” Awful Purdies’ Katie Roche said in an email. “We’re brushing off the dust, and in our 15th year as a band, are looking at this as a fresh start, deeply appreciative of the perspective that such a long break gave us.” Like many, the Kulas spent the first few months of 2020 staying at home. They started converting a large part of their century barn into a bar and event space for their friends and family to gather in, once it would be safe enough to do so. “Our house is an old farmhouse, and it’s made up of lots of little rooms, so there’s no good place to sit and talk to 10 people,” Nathan Kula says. The Kulas are both musicians who perform together in the nautical folk band A Rogue Wave. In the midst of their remodeling, and the continued, sometimes permanent, closures of area venues, they quipped that the only way they could get back to performing in front of an audience would be to build an outdoor venue. “We had joked about how we should just have an outdoor stage. We thought that it would be funny that the only way we could get our band to play out is to build an outdoor stage for us to play on,” Kula said. “And then, if other bands
44 June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295
Jordan Sellergren / Little Village
felt comfortable, we would invite them in and whoever we could get to show up, that’s who we’d play to.” And so, off the side of the bar that they had constructed in their barn, they built a stage that “faces nothing but cornfields,” and holds a simple sign that says “Raven Wolf Stage.” They held their first official show on April 17, a split bill between their own band and the Iowabased Irish trio Blame Not the Bard. That day, 75 people showed up. There were even more at the next show a month later, and within a few weeks, Raven Wolf Productions had booked events every month until October. (See sidebar.) Quickly, the Kulas added event insurance to their space, and while it is currently “Bring Your Own Refreshments,” they are looking at expanding into being able to offer food and beverages. Kula says they never had a conscious plan for the stage, just that they knew that this part of the area was in desperate need of a place for art and music, particularly an outdoor space where people could still gather safely. “I lived in Iowa City for 19 years before we moved out here, and I just loved the music scene. I loved playing at the Yacht Club, at Gabe’s, at Public Space One. Being in Williamsburg after a couple of years, I mean, you’re just bored out of your mind,” Kula says. “There’s no live theater around here, there’s no inspiration for creativity around here—and I know for a fact, talking to the guys who work at the hardware store and the people who work with my wife at the veterinary
Devin Hendricks
UPCOMING EVENTS The Awful Pudies with Big Begonias Raven Wolf Productions, Williamsburg (105 Welsh St), Saturday, June 19, 6 p.m., $15 Riverbottom
Alisabeth Von Presley
Ramblers and Cedar
September 25
County Cobras July 17
The Savage Hearts October 16
The Feralings with the Ben Schmidt Trio
Prices for later
August 21
shows TBD
VENMO @littlevillagemag PAYPAL lv@littlevillagemag.com
2021 4
9
Liberty, West & City High Jazz Bands
Kevin Burt
Coralville Pool & Quail Ridge Park, NL
11 12 18 The Wontu Trees
Young Frankenstein FilmScene in the Park
The Awful Purdies
19 23 25 26 Virtual
George of the Jungle Drive-in Movie (IC Municipal Airport)
Dave Zollo
North Linn Street & College Green Park
Virtual
Blake Shaw Trio ADE AND
Virtual
Virtual
From Here to Eternity FilmScene in the Park
For more information visit:
www.summeroftheARTS.org
BYO Brass North Linn Street
Iowa City Jazz Festival
Friday: Ped Mall, Saturday: Iowa Ave & Clinton Street
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clinic, you know it’s like, ‘We’ve got to drive to Iowa City or Coralville or Cedar Rapids to go get halfway decent live music.’” Currently, Raven Wolf Productions is scheduled to hold one event a month, but Kula says that various groups and performers are continually reaching out to try and hold other events at the venue. In the little time the stage has been operating, the Kulas have been approached about hosting stand-up comedy nights, burlesque shows and even a silks and lyra workshop. When asked if it felt like a risk to open up a performance venue during a pandemic, Kula said it was simply one of the only things that had made sense to them in the last year. “It didn’t feel noble for us, it just felt like it was a common-sense thing that we can do and a thing that we have a passion for. We’re not doing it to make money, and we’re not even doing it to break even,” Kula said. “My wife and I agreed from the start that the artists are going to get 100 percent of the ticket sales. I’m super adamant about that. Basically it’s our space, but it’s their show. I’ve had a couple people tell me that’s crazy, and I’m like, it might be crazy, but it’s the way I want to live.” The members of Awful Purdies found that Raven Wolf Productions offered everything they needed in order to come back to performing live. “Awful Purdies have followed COVID-19 health and safety measures throughout the pandemic, so an opportunity to play an outdoor venue with control over capacity felt like the safest way to come back to playing shows,” Roche said. “As it becomes safer to play indoor venues, we’ll be happy to play with a roof over everyone’s head, but outdoor summer destination shows are a special vibe!” After more than a year without events of any kind to look forward to, Raven Wolf Productions is offering a rare combination of intimate performances provided in a safe setting to experience live music and entertainment. It just happened to all come together by accident, and that’s what makes it fulfilling for the Kulas. “Being able to present a place that a small number of people can come and experience, that is just an awesome way to give back to our community,” Nathan Kula said. “I just want people to be able to come out and have a good time, and you know, cheer and yell and feel safe when they do.”
“
We’ve used Kim as our real estate agent twice, and she was wonderful to work with both times! When we moved to Iowa City, we purchased a house from afar, and Kim navigated the challenges of Skype real estate with ease and aplomb. And, when we figured out that we would be in the area longer term and opted to move, she worked with us and our leisurely schedule of house-hunting for several months to find just the right one in the right neighborhood. We’ve recommended her to friends and family - something we don’t do lightly. She has solid expertise and knowledge of Iowa City, local resources, and both buying and selling houses. She’s been great all around.
“
Culture
Kim will help you find your way HOME! Kim will help you find your way HOME!Not a typo!
Avery Gregurich lives in Marengo, Iowa. He was raised next to the Mississippi River, and has never strayed too far from it.
Not a typo!
typo! NotNot a a typo!
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Be famous. (Kinda.) Little Village is looking for writers. Contact: Editor@LittleVillageMag.com
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Eloy Barragan
SUNDAY, JUNE 20, 1 P.M. Art
in the Afternoon | Let’s Dance in the Alley,
ArtiFactory, Iowa City Join ArtiFactory as they take full advantage of their new
downtown location to present InterDance performances in the alley beside 120 N Dubuque St! The program will include “Disco Intervention,” audience participation and a brief presentation about the dance scene in Iowa City. Be sure to RSVP at artifactory.artsiowacity.org to be kept up-todate on any weather-related schedule changes. CRANDIC performances: Wednesday-Sunday, June 2-6 at
Opens Friday, June 18 at 7:30
7:30 p.m.
p.m.
‘Little Women,’ Theatre Cedar
‘Bright Star,’ Theatre Cedar
Rapids, Brucemore, $25-100
Rapids, Brucemore, $25-100
Fridays, June 11, 18 and 25 and July 2 at 8 p.m. Out the Box: title TBD, Mirrorbox
Chip in today: LittleVillageMag.com/Support
Theatre (mirrorboxtheatre.com)
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM
NOTE! We are listing only ONLINE and OUTDOOR events in this calendar at the moment. “Locations” listed for online events reference the presenting institution. Please visit our online calendar for links, or check the organizations’ websites and Facebook pages.
OPEN CALLS! Deadline extended! Open Script Theatre Co. is accepting submissions through June 12. Submit a recorded performance of a theatrical monologue, scene, musical number or anything else of your choosing. Selected submissions will be compiled into a video to create the cabaret. Visit openscripttheatreco. weebly.com for more information. Applications for the Rural Regenerator Fellowship are due June 11. Ten fellows will be selected from communities of 50,000 or fewer residents, from across the upper Midwest. The fellowship seeks to advance rural artsbased community development. Visit springboardforthearts.org for more information. Artists over the age of 18 from Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota and Nebraska are invited to submit their work to the Fine Art at Fair Prices show, a juried exhibition in conjunction with the Plymouth County Fair. Details at lemarsarts.com. Iowa Keeps Creating: Digital Stage continues to accept submissions for recorded or live-streamed events to be featured at iowaculture.gov/arts/DigitalStage. Artists, organizations and projects funded under the Iowa Arts Council grant cycle through June 30, 2021 are ineligible. Upcoming themes are: June—Balance; August—Emerging Artists
video still
SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 8:37 P.M.,‘Wizard
Oz,’ FilmScene in the Park,
of
Chauncey Swan Park, Iowa City, Free You know the story: Young teen arrives in a foreign land, sows
death and destruction, demolishes the established hierarchy, then convinces herself it was all a dream? That’s one way to look at it. Whimsical musical classic with songs you know from childhood and heartwarming themes of finding strength within yourself? Well, that’s a horse of a different color! Bring the family out for this beloved piece of cinema history to help celebrate Strengthen Grow Evolve, the cooperative capital campaign of FilmScene and the Englert Theatre.
(age 25 and under).
Other film screenings and discussions this month: The Writers’ Rooms are accepting applications through July 31 for work to be included
Wednesday, June 2 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 26 at 8:45 p.m.
in their third community anthology, Writers
ECO Film Discussion: ‘The Right to Harm,’
‘From Here to Eternity,’ FilmScene in the
of the Flame. The theme of “fire” can be used
Iowa City Public Library and Green Iowa
Park + Summer of the Arts 2021 Free
as setting, theme or included in any other
AmeriCorps (icpl.org)
Movie Series
and graphic narrative as well as photography
Saturday, June 12 at 8:41 p.m.
Friday, July 1 at dusk (doors at 6 p.m.)
and artwork. Full details available at thewrit-
‘Young Frankenstein,’ FilmScene in the
Freedom Festival: ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,’
ersrooms.org.
Park + Summer of the Arts 2021 Free
Newbo City Market Stage, Cedar Rapids,
Movie Series
$5 or festival button
manner. They are looking for prose, poetry
Greater Des Moines Music Coalition is accepting submissions from Iowa musicians for
Saturday, June 19 at 9:15 p.m.
their Artist of the Month spotlight series. Visit
‘George of the Jungle,’ Summer of the
desmoinesmc/artistofthemonth for more.
Arts 2021 Free Movie Series, Iowa City Municipal Airport LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295 June 2021 49
COMIN’ UP
FRESH NEW VOICES
Know an artist who belongs in this space? Email editor@littlevillagemag.com.
HAPPY PRIDE!
Name: DavionJ Age: 21 Pronouns: he/his Years performing: 14 years Top three influences: Brandy,
Brandy! BRANDY!!! She is the influence! She is “The Vocal Bible.”
S
inger-songwriter DavionJ recently made a seismic shift in his life: from the South (Atlanta) to the Midwest. In addition to music, he’s via the artist a visual artist and actor, who’s enjoyed performing in musicals from Ain’t Misbehavin’ to In the Heights. His first single, recorded here in Iowa, just dropped. What brought you to Iowa City, and how’d you get connected to UAY?
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
I have a friend here in Iowa who has worked with youth who inspire her, and she invited me to come up and visit Iowa. She was connected to staff at UAY and was able to work with them to help me get studio time with the amazing Kylie Buddin. He was so great to work with during the whole process and I hope to continue connecting with him with future projects.
Zak Neumann / Little Village
Pride may look different this year thanks to the lingering effects of the pandemic, but there’s still ways to celebrate around the area this June— and some of the bigger events haven’t been canceled, only delayed a little. They’ll be here before you know it!
CELEBRATE NOW Iowa City Yard Signs
Why music? I grew up with music my entire life. My mother is a huge
music fan and learned I could sing really early and continued to keep me connected to music all throughout my childhood. I also began singing in our local church and led many songs. My nickname from my family was “Bishop” because they believed that I would grow and sing and preach.
How was your recording process—collaborative, or did you have a clear vision going in? The recording process was fairly easy due to my
background in vocal production and vocal arrangement. It was exciting because it was my first time, but I was ready. To be honest, it was natural. The moment I walked in, Kylie and I understood each other clearly and our energy matched. It’s so important to have an audio engineer who understands what you want and can anticipate where you want to go next.
What’s next? I am excited with my current single, “Hurt Me,” and I plan
to put out more music in the next few months. I hope to have an EP out by the end of the year.
from the information desk at
Capitol City Pride’s 30 Days of Pride, Des Moines, June 1-30
City Hall in Iowa City (410 E
Thirty events across various
Washington St) any weekday
locations, including a fun
between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. One
run, silent disco, pet parade,
sign per household, please!
scavenger hunt and more, with
Pick up a free Pride yard sign
social distancing and CDC
CRPrideFest’s Poster Parade, Czech Village/New Bohemia District, June 1-15
mask guidance enforced and online streaming available: capitalcitypride.org
Instead of parade floats,
posters on the theme “Color
Key City Pride Parade and Festival, Town Clock Square, Dubuque, June 26
Our World With Pride” and
Dubuque’s inaugural Pride
display them the first two weeks
celebration. Passes are $10:
of June. The “parade route” can
keycitypride.org
businesses, orgs and individuals were encouraged to design
be found at crpridefest.com
What’s the most ridiculous difference between Georgia and Iowa? What’s your transition been like, especially during COVID? The difference would be the people. I am not accustomed to what
my Iowan friends call “Iowa Nice.” People from Atlanta/Fort Lauderdale are more direct and upfront. My transition during COVID has been interesting. I have had more opportunities here in Iowa to work on my music and to actually see a single come to fruition. The world was in complete turmoil and I was able to channel that nervous energy into what I love: music. —Genevieve Trainor
50 June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295
CELEBRATE LATER Cedar Valley PrideFest, Downtown Waterloo, Aug. 27-28
Iowa City Pride Parade and Festival, Downtown Iowa City, Oct. 1-2
Coralville PrideFest, Iowa River Landing, Sept. 5
Digital is real. With over 2.3 million article views in 2020, LittleVillageMag.com’s growing audience is more than just a number—115,000 unique monthly visitors are ready to shop, dine and support local. For advertising, web design, e-commerce and digital marketing support, contact Little Village today: Ads@LittleVillageMag.com (319) 855-1474
SINCE 2001—ALWAYS FREE
EDITORS’ PICKS: June 2021
SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 7:30
P.M., Women:
hood | Virtual Reception, Women: hood Art Collective
(@WomenhoodIC), Free The virtual exhibition
Women: hood, opening June 1 and running through June 30, is an exploration of the experiences of women artists moving to Iowa, collected over years of research and interviews. Organized by the Women: hood art collective in Iowa City, spearheaded by Satomi Kawai, the exhibit features recorded interviews of 10 women in Iowa and beyond and art inspired by them. The virtual reception on June 5 offers the opportunity to talk with some of the people who made the project possible, including peeks into their studio spaces! Artists include Kawai, Allison Heady, Vero Rose Smith and Dani Sigler. Exhibits, receptions and tangible art experiences Closing June 25
Saturday, June 5 at 2 p.m.
Building Our Own
Cameraless 16mm Film
Community: 50 Years
Workshop—open to all, PS1
of the Latino Native
Media Arts Coop (public-
American Cultural
spaceone.com), Free-$25
Center, Founded by Chicano and American
Sunday, June 6 at 2 p.m.
Indian Students in 1971,
Cameraless 16mm Film
University of Iowa Main
Workshop—open to all, PS1
Library (lib.uiowa.edu/
Media Arts Coop (public-
gallery/contact), public
spaceone.com), Free-$25
via Women: hood
TUESDAY JUNE 15, 7 P.M., ‘In
the Heights’ Virtual Book Launch,
Prairie Lights (prairielights.com/live), $40-45
Once you’ve caught In the Heights at FilmScene, where it opens June 11 (with new safety protocols in place for indoor enjoyment), take your fandom to the next level with this Penguin Random House virtual event in support of In the Heights: Finding Home. The book explores the history and development of the beloved musical (and likely smash hit film). Authors Lin-Manuel Miranda, Quiara Alegría Hudes and Jeremy McCarter will engage in an online conversation on creativity and community. A $40 ticket lets you pick up the hardcover book at Prairie Lights on or after June 15; for $45 it will be mailed to you. It won’t be long now!
access by appointment Monday and Tuesday, Thursday, June 3
June 14 & 15 at 9 a.m.
at 6:30 p.m.
Freedom Festival: Log
Bettina Fabos & Isaac
Carving Demonstration,
Campbell artist talk,
Jones Park Lagoon
Public Space One (pub-
Pavilion, Cedar Rapids
licspaceone.com) Tuesday, June 29 Friday, June 4 at 6 p.m.
at 12 p.m.
Cameraless 16mm Film
The Art of Collecting, UI
Workshop—BIPOC-only
Pentacrest Museums (pen-
session, PS1 Media Arts
tacrestmuseums.uiowa.
Coop (publicspaceone.
edu)
com), Free-$25 Saturday, June 5 at 11 a.m. 2021 Summer Gallery Walk, Downtown Iowa City
52 June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295
video still
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM
Please visit our online calendar for links, or check the organizations’ websites and Facebook pages.
More literary events Wednesday, June 2 at 7 p.m. Elizabeth Letts in conversation with Gabrielle Glaser, Prairie Lights (prairielights.com/live) Thursday, June 3 at 7 p.m. Aviya Kushner in conversation with Dora Malech, Prairie Lights Sunday, June 6 at 4 p.m. Writers Open Mic, Iowa City Poetry (iowacitypoetry.com) Mondays in June at 6 p.m. Closing Time: Using Spoken Word Techniques to Create a Powerful Ending, Iowa City Poetry, $100 Friday, June 11 at 7 p.m. Melissa Ginsburg in conversation with Alexander Chee, Prairie Lights Saturday, June 12 at 10 a.m. Storytellers: Caleb “The Negro Artist” Rainey, Englert Theatre (englert.org), $5-10 Saturday, June 12 at 4 p.m. ‘Begin with a Bee,’ Prairie Lights
Improve Diversity in STEM
NEWS YOU CAN TRUST.
90.9
FM
NEWS | STUDIO ONE
910
NEWS
Stream online: IowaPublicRadio.org or the IPR app.
AM
EDITORS’ PICKS: June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM
WEDNESDAYS, JUNE 2, 9, 16, 30, 6:30 P.M.,
Fundamentals of Juggling Workshop Series with Luther Bangert, Hickory Hill Park, Iowa City, $13-50
Iowa City juggler, dancer, sword swallower and street performer Luther Bangert has put together a series of intermediate classes for the juggling aficionados out there! Aimed at those who can already juggle a basic three-ball pattern, the workshop will teach additional patterns from a technical and movement-based approach. Bangert is tied for the Guinness World Record for Most Objects Juggled Whilst Sword Swallowing (five). The classes are a suggested $13 per session or $50 for the entire series, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Register at lutherbangert.com. Get out and about this month! Saturday, June 5 at 10 a.m. Puttin’ Around Downtown, Downtown Iowa City, $55/team of four Saturday and Sunday, June 5 & 6 at 10 a.m. 29th Annual Iowa Renaissance Festival & Gathering o’ Celts, Middle Amana Community Park, Amana Colonies, Free-$80 Saturdays, June 12-July 10 at 3 p.m. Diversity Market, South District Neighborhood, Iowa City Thursday, June 17 at 10:30 a.m. Iowa City Public Library Presents: Wild Prairie Winds quartet, North Market Square Park, Iowa City
Michael Strobel
Saturday, June 19 at 11 a.m.
Thursday, June 24 at 10:30 a.m.
Thursday, July 1 at 10:30 a.m.
Queen of Hearts Wonderland Fest and
ICPL Presents: Pride Month Drag Storytime,
ICPL Presents: Dance Me a Story w/ Ballet QC,
Masquerade, 3091 Q Av, Chelsea, $20
North Market Square Park, Iowa City
North Market Square Park, Iowa City
Tuesday, June 22 at 6 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, June 26 & 27 at 10 a.m.
Sunday, July 4 at 7 p.m.
Freedom Festival: Balloon Glow & Great
Freedom Festival: Jump for Freedom—Dock
Freedom Festival: Celebration of Freedom—
American Kites, Hawkeye Downs, Cedar Rapids,
Dogs, National Czech and Slovak Museum and
Fireworks, Downtown Cedar Rapids, $5 or
$20/party pod (6 people)
Library, $12-30 registration for competition,
festival button
Free to watch 54 June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295
THANK
you "Best Home Improvement Company in the CRANDIC"
www.andrewmartinconstruction.com
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319.248.0561
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1824 G Street, Iowa City
EDITORS’ PICKS: June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM Wednesday, June 9 at 7 p.m. SotA Music on the Move—Kevin Burt, Quail Ridge Park, North Liberty Thursday, June 10 at 6:30 p.m. Mission Creek Summer Sessions—Elizabeth Moen w/ McGuirk, Englert Theatre, Weatherdance Stage on the Ped Mall, Iowa City Thursday, June 10 at 8 p.m. Halfloves, No Touching Sessions Friday, June 11 at 6:30 p.m. SotA Friday Night Concert Series Virtual—The Wontu Trees Thursday, June 17 at 8 p.m. Anthony Worden & the Illiterati, No Touching Sessions Friday, June 18 at 6:30 p.m. SotA Friday Night Concert Series Virtual— Awful Purdies Saturday, June 19 at 6 p.m. Awful Purdies w/ Big Begonias, Raven Wolf Productions, Williamsburg, $15 Wednesday, June 23 at 6 p.m. SotA Music on the Move—Dave Zollo, N Linn St at Bloomington St, Iowa City via Eastern Iowa Arts Academy
SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 3 P.M., Eastern
Iowa Arts Academy Volta Youth Music & Art Festival, Newbo City Market Stage, Cedar Rapids, $5*
The Volta festival is back! Eastern Iowa Arts Academy has gathered a bevy of local youth talent to take the stage along with area professionals. They’re partnering with Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival, so a Freedom Festival button (*available for purchase at the door for $5) is required for entry. This year, they’re including art in the mix, with work from youth artists on display and for sale during the festival. Explore the talent Cedar Rapids has to offer!
Wednesday, June 23 at 7 p.m. SotA Music on the Move—Dave Zollo, College Green Park, Iowa City Friday, June 25 at 6:30 p.m. SotA Friday Night Concert Series Virtual—Blake Shaw Trio + ADE Sunday, June 27 at 4:30 p.m. William Elliott Whitmore | Big Grove Summer Jam Concert Series, Big Grove, Iowa City, $2530
June Music Highlights Sunday, June 27 at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 2 at 7 p.m.
Friday, June 4 at 6:30 p.m.
Bloated Kat Records Presents: TV Cop Smokes
Stages: ADE, Englert Theatre (englert.org),
Summer of the Arts Friday Night Concert
Weed Long Delayed Record Release Show
$5-10
Series Virtual—City High, West High and
With Bigby Woods and Bain-Marie, Gabe’s Beer
Liberty High jazz bands, Summer of the Arts
Garden, Iowa City
Thursday, June 3 at 8 p.m.
(summerofthearts.org) Wednesday, June 30 at 7 p.m. Stages: James
Penny Peach, No Touching Sessions (thresholdappsound.com)
Wednesday, June 9 at 6 p.m.
Tutson, Englert Theatre, $5-10
SotA Music on the Move—Kevin Burt, Coralville Friday, June 4 at 6 p.m.
Swimming Pool Parking Lot
Friday-Saturday, July 2-3
Mississippi Heat, CSPS Hall at Newbo, Newbo
2021 Iowa City Jazz Festival, Downtown Iowa
City Market Stage, Cedar Rapids
City
56 June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295
Iowa City auto repair for Subaru, BMW, Mini, Porsche, Audi, VW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo, Saab, Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Acura and more
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295 June 2021 57
JUNETEENTH FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 7 P.M., Cedar
Rapids Opera Theatre Juneteenth Concert,
Riverside Festival Stage, Iowa City, Registration required In addition to
a performance of African American spirituals, art songs and opera arias, this event will feature a presentation by the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre of its Lifetime Achievement Award in Opera to bass-baritone Simon Estes. Performers for the event include Whitney Morrison, soprano; Sidney Outlaw, baritone; and Pedro Yanez, pianist. The same bill will be performed on June 19 at 7 p.m. at RiverLoop Amphitheatre in Waterloo. Juneteenth Around the CRANDIC Saturday, June 12 at 12 p.m.
Saturday, June 19 at 10 a.m.
Kickoff Event – African American
Black-Owned Business Guest
Youth Think Tank: Black History
Vendor Market, Newbo City
Challenge, African American
Market, Cedar Rapids
Museum of Iowa (blackiowa.org) Saturday, June 19 at 11 a.m. Monday, June 14 at 6 p.m.
Blood Drive, Johnson County
Community Conversations “Real
Administration Building Parking
Talk” Discussion, Johnson County
Lot, Iowa City
(johnsoncountyiowa.gov/juneSaturday, June 19 at 11 a.m.
teenth), Registration required
Juneteenth Festival, Newbo City Wednesday, June 16 at 4 p.m.
Market, Cedar Rapids
Education And Resource Fair, Johnson County, Registration re-
Saturday, June 19 at 11 a.m.
quired
Free Drive-Thru Meal, Riverfront Crossings Park, Iowa City
Thursday, June 17 at 5 p.m. Block Party, Chauncey Swan Park,
Sunday, June 20 at 2 p.m.
Iowa City
CROT Panel: “Does the Color of My Skin Really Matter?,” African
Thursday, June 17 at 8:40 p.m.
American Museum of Iowa
‘Miss Juneteenth’ screening, Chauncey Swan Park, Iowa City
via the artist
WORK FROM HOME W at ch li st e n le ar n Pl ay
SUBSCRIBE TO THE WEEKENDER TO GET EVENT UPDATES AND ALL OF LV’S LATEST ARTS CONTENT DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX EVERY THURSDAY. LittleVillageMag.com/Subscribe 58 June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM
JUST ANNOUNCED
Nolan P eterson
/ Little
Village
Concerts return to the Englert Theatre!
It’s been a long, hard road climbing back from the pandemic, and the Englert has kept more than busy enough with a full, fantastic slate of online offerings, including the Wednesday night Stages series and some wonderful classes and conversations presented by Englert Wavelength. But come fall, they’ll be welcoming local and traveling artists back onto their stage, with audiences! Tickets are on sale now for a slate of musicians and comedy acts through the top of the new year. Get ’em while they’re hot! Listings Friday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m., $33.50-
Sunday, Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m.,
53.50
$20-35
Leo Kottke
Bob Mould Solo Electric w/ Jason Narducy
Saturday, Sept. 18, 8 p.m., $16-22 Ben Railway Robey
Friday, Oct. 29, 7:30 p.m., $55.50-75.50
Sunday, Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m., $15-
John Hiatt and the Jerry Douglas
99
Band
Cat & Nat Live Reunion Tour Wednesday, Nov. 3, 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 8, 7 p.m., $15-25
$15-25
Lucy Dacus
Todd Snider
Sunday, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m., $15-
Saturday, Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m.,
37.50
$15-26.50
Drive-By Truckers w/ Buffalo
Kyle Kinane
Nichols Thursday, Jan. 20, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 19, 7 p.m., $20-99
$20-32
Trey Kennedy: The Are You For
Watkins Family Hour
Real? Tour
EDITORS’ PICKS: June 2021
FRIDAY-SUNDAY JUNE 18-20,
Des Moines Latino Film Festival, The Riverview Park, Des Moines, Free
Latino Center of Iowa is partnering with the Chicago Latino Film Festival to present the inaugural Des Moines festival, a three-day event that kicks off with a street festival on Friday at 4 p.m., on 16th St Between East Grand and East Des Moines St. Saturday and Sunday, screenings start at 11 a.m. in Riverview Park, with vendors, food trucks and more. The event is free and open to all. In between national and international feature films, Iowa Latino filmmakers and Latino-produced films will be celebrated.
All around Des Moines
Fridays, June 4, 11 & 18 at sunset Moonlit Movies, Jamie Hurd
Opening June 4 at 7 p.m.
Amphitheater, West Des Moines
‘A Love Offering,’ Pyramid Theatre Company and Des Moines
Thursday, June 18 at 1 p.m.
Playhouse (dmplayhouse.com),
Community Builders Appreciation
$25
Banquet, Iowa Juneteenth (iowajuneteenth.org)
via the festival
Friday-Saturday, June 4-5 2021 Wine & Craft Beer Fest,
Sunday, June 20 at 2 p.m.
Saturday, June 26 at 6 p.m.
Sunday, June 27 at 3 p.m.
HyVee Enabling Garden, Altoona,
The Underground Art Show, The
Des Moines Water Lantern Festival,
Pridefest Parade, Water Works
$17-25
Atrium at Capital Square, Des
Water Works Park, Des Moines
Park, Des Moines
Moines
THURSDAY, JUNE 3 AND 17,
Local Legends: Joel Sires and Bernemann Brothers Band
Gallagher Bluedorn (@ GBPAC), 8 p.m., Free With the weather warming up and the outdoor
venues beckoning, it almost feels like we’ve moved past the golden era of online performances. But the pandemic lingers, and there are still folks who haven’t been vaccinated yet for various reasons—and you know what? Some people love live music, but were never keen on crowds to begin with, even pre-pandemic. Not to worry: Gallagher Bluedorn’s got your back. Their Local Legends series is still going strong, and you can catch fantastic acts Joel Sires and Bernemann Brothers Band this month, streamed right from their stage straight to your face. Dig it!
Cedar Falls Waterloo Events via the artist
Friday, June 4 at 9 p.m.
Friday, June 18 at 9 p.m.
Tuesday, June 22 at 6 p.m.
Movies Under the Moon: ‘Jumanji,’
Movies Under the Moon: Croods 2,’
Red Herring Readers Theatre
Friday, July 2 at 5:30 p.m.
Overman Park, Cedar Falls
Overman Park, Cedar Falls
Presents ‘Collective Noun,’ Hearst
RiverLoop Rhythms with Bob
Museum Sculpture Garden, Cedar
Dorr Iowa Music Revue, RiverLoop
Falls
Amphitheatre, Waterloo
Monday, June 7-Sunday, June 13
Saturday, June 19 at 7 p.m.
at 7 p.m.
Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre
My Waterloo Days, Downtown
Juneteenth Concert, RiverLoop
Friday–Sunday, June 25-June 27
Waterloo
Amphitheatre & Expo Plaza,
Cedar Basin Music Festival
Waterloo 60 June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM
from ‘Monty Python’s Spamalot’
JUNE 11 & 12 AT 7 P.M. AND JUNE
13 AT 2 P.M., ‘Monty
Spamalot,’
Python’s
Quad City Music Guild (qcmusicguild.com), $12 Miss plays but still not ready to go back to
the old world? Like spoof comedy and King Arthur? Quad City Music Guild is presenting Monty Python’s Spamalot as a livestream from the Prospect Park Auditorium. Spamalot is “lovingly ripped off” from the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail, but this version, written for stage, will be live— and you can wear pajamas while you watch it. —Sarah Elgatian Quad Cities excitement Mondays at 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 23 at 6:30 p.m.
From the Outside Tour, Deere-
River Action’s Riverine Walk:
Wiman House, Moline
History of the “Heights” Walking Tour, River Action, Davenport
Tuesday, June 8 at 9 a.m. River Action’s Channel Cat Talk:
Thursday-Saturday, June 24-26
Commercial Fishing, Riverbend
Collins Writing Conference,
Commons Dock, Moline, $15
Midwest Writing Center (mwcqc.
Asian-inspired & traditional pizzas UNIQUE APPETIZERS & SANDWICHES
org), $60-360 Saturday, June 12 at 7 p.m. Jambrella2, Mississippi Valley
Thursday-Saturday, June 24-26
Fairgrounds, Davenport, $5-30
at 7 p.m. Collins Writers Conference Public
Friday-Saturday, June 18-19
Events, Midwest Writing Center
IOWA BEERS ON DRAFT CEDAR RAPIDS’ ONLY TIKI BAR
Food Truck Fight, Buffalo Bill Levee, Le Claire, $10-20
Sunday, June 27 at 12 p.m. Rock Island Artists’ Market, Skeleton Key Art and Antiques, Rock Island
1006 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids 319. 32 0 . 99 92 fo n g sp izza . co m FONGSCR FONGSpizzaCedarRapids LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295 June 2021 61
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LittleVillageMag.com/DearKiki
H
i Kiki, Is there a more subtle way to tell a guy, “I’m not trying to fuck you” when getting to know them? I am a queer woman. While I am attracted to men, I’m not attracted to every man, but I feel awkward trying to become friends with them. I consider casually mentioning that I’m not really into guys, or I police my own behavior so as to not lead them on. My issue with the former is it’s not the truth and the latter leads me to act as not myself—both shaky foundations for any friendship. And yes, this is rooted in trauma. I had a male friend once and it ended very badly. I really enjoy people. I like listening to their experiences, interests, bad jokes, etc., so my enthusiasm can be interpreted as flirtation (but what’s the difference anyway?). I don’t want to feel defensive when trying to befriend men, and I don’t want them to feel like I’m coming on to them. How do I get past this? ––Friendzone Me
the possibility of them evolving into something more? Or do you only befriend men you explicitly do not find attractive? Are you hoping to avoid hurting their feelings, or are you anxious to avoid being harmed yourself? You say you “really enjoy people,” but what do you offer in return as a friend? Is it something they want? I’m going to level with you here: I’m not particularly good at developing friendships, irrespective of gender. I’m always either too intense or too aloof (sometimes both in a matter of minutes!). So I started going by the policy that I’d just be myself to the best of my ability and let others self-select into my circle. But I think if I were in your position, group activities would be the key to clarity. I know, I know—that hasn’t been a thing for a year now! But it will be possible again soon. In a group situation, your potential friends will see that your behavior, even if they choose to interpret it as flirtatious, is a character trait, not targeted directly to them. That will give you a bit of a buffer against crossed wires. I’M GOING TO LEVEL WITH YOU HERE: I’M All people are NOT PARTICULARLY GOOD AT DEVELOPING different, and gender FRIENDSHIPS, IRRESPECTIVE OF GENDER. I’M is not binary, and all of the other relevant ALWAYS EITHER TOO INTENSE OR TOO ALOOF disclaimers here to (SOMETIMES BOTH IN A MATTER OF MINUTES!) assure you that I am being descriptive, not proscriptive: In terms of socialization, many ear Friendzone, folks raised as men are taught roughly the same There is a certain kind of perfucked up things about emotional intimacy as son who will always believe that folks raised as women are frequently taught everyone who is so much as nice about physical intimacy. to them is trying to fuck them. There is another That’s not at all an excuse for entitlement or type of person who needs a hammer to the head cruelty, but if you’re looking to truly be friends and a neon sign to accept that flirtation with with these men, it helps to consider what they intent is occurring. So when you say that you need and want out of a friendship, not just what “don’t want them to feel like [you’re] coming you do. on to them,” you may just need to accept that xoxo, Kiki you can’t control that. People will believe that or not based entirely on their own baggage and experiences, regardless of what you do or say to them. It’s true that folks raised as men seem more likely to fall into the first category than others, for a whole host of reasons including good old-fashioned entitlement. But surely you’ve experienced the same with non-men you Questions about love and sex in the Iowa weren’t actually interested in as well, right? City-Cedar Rapids area can be submitted What skills did you fall back on there to clear to dearkiki@littlevillagemag.com, or up the miscommunications? anonymously at littlevillagemag.com/ Friendzone, I think you need to ask yourself dearkiki. Questions may be edited for what your end goal is in these situations. Since clarity and length, and may appear either you are interested in people of multiple genin print or online at littlevillagemag.com. ders, are you entering these friendships open to
D
KIKI WANTS QUESTIONS!
Matthieu’s Salmon Cakes Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • •
1 5-oz can of salmon 1 cup shredded red cabbage 1 stalk of celery, minced 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp mayonnaise 2 tbsp Dijon mustard ¼ cup flax meal ¼ cup Oasis Street Food hummus Dash lemon juice 1 tsp herbes de Provence Salt and pepper 1 cup of breadcrumbs (adjust for consistency) For optional sauce: 4 ounces hummus, 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard (sounds weird, but trust us!), 1 tsp lemon juice
Method 1.
Mix together the salmon, red cabbage, minced celery, olive oil, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, flax meal, hummus, lemon juice, herbes de Provence, salt, pepper, and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. It’s easiest to work the mixture together with your hands.
2.
Add breadcrumbs to the mixture if necessary. The mixture should be sticky, but hold its shape easily when formed.
3.
Form the mixture into golf-ball-sized balls.
4. Heat a nonstick griddle or pan over medium heat with ¼ inch of oil. Drop the balls into the pan and flatten with a spatula until they are approximately ½ inch thick. 5.
Cook the salmon cakes for five minutes on each side. They should be crisp and golden brown on all sides.
6.
Optionally, mix together the sauce ingredients and place a dollop on the top of each salmon cake to serve.
319.358.7342 info@oasisstreetfood.com 206 N. Linn St. Iowa City, IA 52245
64 June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295
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GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “All I want to be is normally insane,” said actor Marlon Brando. Yikes! I have a different perspective. My preferred goal is to be quite abnormal: exuberantly, robustly, creatively free of the toxic adjustments that our society tells us are necessary. I want to be cheerfully insane in the sense of not being tyrannized by conventional wisdom. I want to be proactively insane in the sense of obeying my souls’ impulses rather than conforming to people’s expectations. I bring this to your attention, Gemini, because I believe the coming weeks will be a fruitful time for you to be free. CANCER (June 21-July 22): “It’s one thing to make a mistake, it’s another to become wedded to it,” advised author Irena Karafilly. Let’s make that one of your key truths in the coming weeks. Now is a good time to offer yourself forgiveness and to move on from any wrong turns you’ve made. Here’s a second key truth, courtesy of composer Igor Stravinsky: “I have learned throughout my life as a composer chiefly through my mistakes and pursuits of false assumptions, not by my exposure to founts of wisdom and knowledge.” Third key truth, from Sufi teacher Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan: “Don’t be concerned about being disloyal to your pain by being joyous.” LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): According to my analysis of the astrological omens, the number of perfect moments you will experience during the next two weeks could break all your previous records. And what do I mean by “perfect moments”? 1. Times when life brings you interesting events or feelings or thoughts that are novel and unique. 2. Pivotal points when you sense yourself undergoing a fundamental shift in attitude or a new way of understanding the world. 3. Leaping out of your own mind and into the mind of an animal or other person so as to have a pure vision of what their experience is like. 4. An absolute appreciation for yourself just the way you are right now. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “There is strong shadow where there is much light,” wrote Virgo author Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832). That’s a good metaphor for you these days. Since I suspect you are currently shining as brightly as you possibly can, I will urge you to become acutely aware of the shadows you cast. In other words, try to catch glimpses of the unripe and unformed parts of your nature, which may be more easily seen than usual. Now, while you’re relatively strong and vibrant, investigate what aspects of your inner world might need improvement, care and healing. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): According to physicists, it’s impossible for a human being to suck water up through a straw that’s more than 34 feet long. So please don’t even try to do that, either now or ever. If, however, you have a good reason to attempt to suck water up a 33-foot straw, now would be an excellent time to do so. Your physical strength should be at a peak, as is your capacity for succeeding at amazing, herculean tasks. How else might you direct your splendid abilities? What other ambitious feats could you pull off? SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio poet Ezra Pound had character flaws that bother me. But he also had a quality I admire: generosity in helping his friends and colleagues. Among the writers whose work he championed and promoted with gusto were 20th-century literary icons James Joyce, T. S. Eliot, Marianne Moore, Hilda Doolittle, William Butler Yeats, Ernest Hemingway, William Carlos Williams and Robert Frost. Pound edited their work, arranged to get them published in periodicals and anthologies, connected them with patrons and editors, and even gave them money and clothes. In accordance with astrological omens, I encourage you to make an extra effort to support and boost your allies. Assist them in doing what they do well. To do so will be in your own best interest!
By Rob Brezsny
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Poet Tess Gallagher praises those times “when desire has strengthened our bodies.” I want you to have an abundance of those moments during the coming weeks. And I expect that cultivating them will be an excellent healing strategy. So here’s my advice: Do whatever’s necessary to summon and celebrate the strong longings that will strengthen your body. Tease them into bountiful presence. Treasure them and pay reverence to them and wield them with gleeful passion. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else,” observed poet Emily Dickinson. That’s the truth! Given how demanding it is to adjust to the nonstop challenges, distractions and opportunities of the daily rhythm, I’m impressed that any of us ever get any work done. According to my astrological analysis, you Capricorns are now experiencing a big outbreak of this phenomenon. It’s probably even harder than usual to get work done, simply because life keeps bringing you interesting surprises that require your ingenuity and resourcefulness. The good news is that these surges of ingenuity and resourcefulness will serve you very well when the hubbub settles down a bit and you get back to doing more work. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarius-born August Strindberg (1849-1912) was a masterful and influential playwright. He also liked to dabble in painting and photography. His approach in those two fields was different from the polish he cultivated in his writing. “I am an amateur and I intend to stay that way,” he testified about his approach in the visual arts. “I reject all forms of professional cleverness or virtuosity.” Just for now, Aquarius, I recommend you experiment with the latter attitude in your own field. Your skill and earnestness will benefit from doses of playful innocence, even calculated naiveté. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Which of the astrological signs feels the deepest feelings? I say it’s you Pisceans. You’re connoisseurs of deep feelings, as well as specialists in mysterious, multi-splendored, brushes-with-infinity feelings. And right now, you’re in the Deepest Feelings Phase of your personal cycle. I won’t be surprised if you feel a bit overwhelmed with the richness of it all. But that’s mostly a good thing that you should be grateful for—a privilege and a superpower! Now here’s advice from deep-feeling author Pearl Buck: “You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings.” ARIES (March 21-April 19): “There is ecstasy in paying attention,” writes Aries author Anne Lamott. That’s always true for everyone, but it’s extra true for you Aries people. And it will be extra ultra especially true for you during the next 20 days. I hope you will dedicate yourself to celebrating and upgrading your perceptual abilities. I hope you will resolve to see and register everything just as it is in the present moment, fresh and unprecedented, not as it was in the past or will be in the future. For best results, banish all preconceptions that might interfere with your ability to notice what’s raw and real. If you practice these high arts with exhilarating diligence, you will be rewarded with influxes of ecstasy. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Your guiding wisdom comes from Taurus author Annie Dillard. She writes, “I think it would be well, and proper, and obedient, and pure, to grasp your one necessity and not let it go, to dangle from it limp wherever it takes you.” I suspect that Dillard’s approach will enable you to maintain a righteous rhythm and make all the right moves during the coming weeks. If you agree with me, your crucial first step will be to identify the nature of your “one necessity.” Not two necessities. Just the single most important. LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295 June 2021 65
Formed in Fire: The Joyce Anderson Glass Collection was curated from pieces in our own NCSML collection, donated by Joyce
Anderson throughout the years. More than 200 pieces are featured in the exhibit including exquisite Moser vases, enameled oak
leaves and insects, Amphora pottery, and Royal Dux porcelain. Perfume bottles, vanity glass, animal figurines, wine sets, and glass jewels round out the exhibit. Visitors will also have the opportunity
to see video footage of work at various Czech glass houses, and will gain an understanding of how sand and clay are almost magically manipulated to become works of art.
Through August 29 Petrik Gallery SPONSORED IN PART BY
CREATE YOUR OWN GLASS SUNCATCHER This package includes free admission to NCSML and everything you need to make one 3×3″ glass
rainbow suncatcher. After you have finished assembling your project, drop it off at the Ceramic Center located in the Cherry Building in Cedar Rapids for them to fire in their kilns. Projects will be available for pickup one week later from the following Saturday it is dropped off.
Cost: $10 RSVP required. Pick up at NCSML. SPONSORED BY: CRST INTERNATIONAL
National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library 1400 Inspiration Pl SW, Cedar Rapids, IA • (319) 362-8500 • NCSML.org
66 June 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295
LO C A L A L B U M S
Dan Padley Bloom DANPADLEY.BANDCAMP.COM
O
n a first listen, I struggled to find my way into the musical world of Dan Padley’s Bloom. The record by the Iowa City guitarist and composer is mysterious, almost certainly by design. But it is by way of this sense of mystery and wonder, it seems to me, that the record slowly (perhaps over multiple listenings) and gently acquires and holds your attention. Even the title of Bloom’s opening track, “What is Why?,” seems intended to signal a sort of complexity or to put the listener a bit off balance. That belies the simplicity of the record’s title, of course, which may mean looking for meaning in titles is an unproductive pursuit in this case. Consider, for example, that one track is entitled “Thursday” and a later number is “Monday,” and I would be hard pressed to explain how—or if—they are connected. That said, the title track—the sixth of 10 pieces—is lovely, and its sweeping, cinematic strings and piano call to mind the sort of rebirth or emergence the word “bloom” implies. The following track, “Fireflies,” hints at its namesakes with a shimmering set of guitar notes that provide an auditory representation of the pattern-less but somehow connected flashes one might spot over a field in the summer. I had hoped to pen this
Submit albums for review: Little Village, 623 S Dubuque St., IC, IA 52240
review without resorting to the word “atmospheric,” but the fact is each track on Bloom seems to create and exist within its own musical atmosphere. A figure or sound might recur throughout a song—oftentimes these sounds have been manipulated in one way or another—in a hypnotic manner. A musical ornament might be located in a specific, subtle spot in the mix—easy to miss and yet an essential part of the whole. Birdsong might accompany the instruments (or perhaps it is the other way around) or a collection of human voices might craft a meditative musical space.
Shining Realm Enter the Shining Realm THESHININGREALM.BANDCAMP.COM
“A
scension,” the opening track on Shining Realm’s new release, starts with a long, low, layered drone that hits like a cicada symphony warming up on a hot summer night. When you close your eyes, you can IT’S THE MUSIC THAT WE see the exact angle of the MIGHT HAVE SEEN OUT OF THE beam of light BEATLES IF GEORGE HARRISON that you’re beHAD KICKED LENNON AND ing carried on, and each new MCCARTNEY’S EGOS TO THE CURB sound that’s AND TAKEN OVER. added ratchets up the tension and excitement and draws you The record is quiet and emcloser to the parting in the clouds. ploys its quietness to deepen the It’s nearly five minutes of rise, a sense of mystery while drawing slow trip to the top of the first hill the listener into its collection of of a roller coaster—but the drop atmospheres. “Listen to this,” into the loping guitar that kicks the music almost whispers. And off track two, “Enter the Shining then it offers something lovely Realm,” is an easy drift, rather than or strange—or, frequently, both. a stomach-lurch. You’re not going At first, I thought perhaps down, you’re disconnecting from this album would serve well as the tracks and taking off tangenthe kind of music one puts on in tially. the background in the hope that Enter the Shining Realm is a deit will help focus the mind on lightful slice of psychedelia, with another task. But in fact, Bloom roots in the 13th Floor Elevators wants your attention. And it and kin to Iowa contemporaries rewards that attention with surLand of Blood and Sunshine. It’s prises, delights and even unrethe music that we might have solved mysteries. Listen closely. seen out of the Beatles if George Discover something new. Then Harrison had kicked Lennon and listen closely again. McCartney’s egos to the curb and —Rob Cline taken over. But as much as I love it (and I do; it sounds like reawakening), it doesn’t need to appeal
to my tastes to be fantastic. The album is stellar work, from top to bottom, the sort that makes you want to run out and buy the most expensive headphones you can to ensure you’re not missing anything. The vocal and instrumental layering create not a wall but a dense succession of curtains of sound that part as you reach them, like an invitation. Track five, “Jodorowsky’s Dune,” is a maze that somehow traps you in its tight 2:37; it follows the arch and fantastical “Lay Down Thy Sword,” which starts with startling percussion and offers the lyric, “... there She stood / The Weaver of the Dawn / She wore a crown of thirteen stars orbiting Her prism-colored hair.” Yeah, that’s the stuff you expect to hear while cruising through the mystic aether. This record hits every tone right on, while being sincere enough—and skillful enough—to escape being hackneyed. When “Jodorowsky’s Dune” fades into “A Pilot of Mortality,” the harmonies take center stage, continuing on into “Bleed a Prayer from the Stone.” The production is gorgeous, and the vocals twin and separate, dancing around one another. The heavy orchestration of the earlier tracks has been simplified to offer a backdrop to the almost choral creations happening here. On track nine, the album closer, “Amida,” Shining Realm lowers us slowly back down to earth with a more traditional rocker, with more obvious kit drums, more accessible lyrics and more familiar guitar work. This is the radio track, if there is one, with just a hint of the Eastern flavor that the rest of the album is steeped in. It’s a gentle letting go, a thank you; you can actually imagine listening to something else after. You won’t want to, though. Once you’ve finished this ride, you’ll want to hop right back on. —Genevieve Trainor
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295 June 2021 67
ADULT programs ALL
IOWA READS 2021
LITTLE FAITH
Nickolas Butler Tuesday, July 6
7:00 - 8:00pm | Online
TEEN programs
For students in grades 7-12
Pride Shrinky Dink Jewelry
Monday, June 14 | 1-2:30pm | Ped Mall
Craft, create and celebrate who you are with Shrinky Dink keychains and earrings and wear them with PRIDE. Learn more about LGBTQIA+ Pride and share your stories while we craft.
The Food of Juneteenth
Mon, June 21 | 1-2:30pm | Ped Mall
An exploration of Juneteenth through farming and food, inspired by chef Michael Twitty and the book We Are Each Other’s Harvest.
June 1 - Sept. 1 adults • teens • kids
srp.icpl.org
KIDS programs June 17 - Aug 5 | 10:30am
2021
(319)356-5200
North Market Square Park
Find many, MANY more summer reading programs at srp.icpl.org
BookWalk
Sun, June 13, 1pm Willow Creek Park
srp.icpl.org
LO C A L B O O KS
Brandon Taylor Filthy Animals RIVERHEAD BOOKS
W
hen Brandon Taylor read an excerpt from Filthy Animals (out June 22) as part of the Mission Creek Festival Duos programming at the end of April, I was riveted. His language is made to live like that, off of the page, as much poetry as prose. But it is just as compelling in print, and the 11 stories that form this collection are a joy to devour. Filthy Animals is unflinching in its grounded views of relationships and introspection. Taylor draws characters like he’s channeling Tom Stoppard, revealing them in their conversations, projecting them off the page like they’re standing beside you. These are not characters, they are people, whole in a way that is almost jarring. The lead voice throughout is Lionel, a mathematics graduate student whose recent suicide attempt has left him in limbo, no longer in his program but not ready to take a next step to something new. He is a shatterstorm of anxiety, in a way that makes me, personally, feel more than a little called out. He balks at conversation; when people ask him questions, he answers with a burning eloquence—in his mind, and then rejects himself and gives verbal answers that are short, self-deprecating and/or noncommittal. He is ur-awkwardness. And in later stories in the book, when he finally (occasionally) says what he is thinking, it feels like you are being borne with him into some
Submit books for review: Little Village, 623 S Dubuque St., IC, IA 52240
new negotiation with reality. Other stories take the perspectives of people in Lionel’s sphere of influence, some intimate, some tangential. Still others lay on the outskirts of it all, seemingly unconnected but all caught in a swirl of language and longing that makes them kin to each other. The collection begins with a quote from the Bible: “If you were of the world, the world would love Nathan Timmel you as its own.” This is Jesus’ We Are 100 admonition to his disciples about RED OAK PRESS the opinions of the world against them. “Instead,” John 15:19 t the center of an otherwise concludes, “the world hates you, tightly drawn plot, We Are because you are not of the world, 100, the March 2021 debut novel but I have chosen you out of the from Iowa City comedian Nathan world.” Timmel, there is a hole big enough The stories in Filthy Animals to drive a truck through. A key eleare all of people who have been ment of the story hinges on the Big chosen out of the world, who Bad’s ability to monitor the FBI as are in many ways hated by the they explore the computer of one world—but Taylor’s choice to of his minions, through a piece quote only the first half of the of software that should have been verse is an echo of the longing wiped when the computer was threaded through the FILTHY ANIMALS IS UNFLINCHING book. These IN ITS GROUNDED VIEWS OF RELAare exemplaTIONSHIPS AND INTROSPECTION. ry people; all of the THESE ARE NOT CHARACTERS, THEY characters ARE PEOPLE, WHOLE IN A WAY THAT stand out for IS ALMOST JARRING. one reason or another, the smartest or the most talented in destroyed before the crime. The their fields. But they seem to seek perp who’s singing says it’s toast a sense of normalcy, some whiff but offers to help another way—afof belonging. They crave connecter which the FBI proceeds to his tion, are not ready to embrace that home and his computer. which sets them apart. I start with this because I know Which, I suppose, is to be that some readers are likely to be expected of 20-somethings scramput off by it. But I’m going to be bling to define their place in the dead honest: I didn’t care a bit. world. But to boil this book down We Are 100 reads like a fast-paced to post-collegiate stress disorder, action movie, and I likewise care to distill it to only the angst of very little about the plot holes early adulthood, would be a deep endemic in that genre. I’d mendisservice. Taylor has crafted a tion them in a review, sure, like I raw slice of humanity that will mention this here. But they don’t catch you in its synaptic wordplay take away from my enjoyment. It and release you into its emotional doesn’t matter as a reader by what resonance. I promise, you will find convoluted means the Big Bad yourself somewhere in this book. gets his intel on the FBI agents; And it will make you glad to have you still get that satisfying thrill been chosen out of the world. when he uses it to toy with them.
A
And We Are 100 is one satisfying little thrill after another. The novel follows the story of Susan Chamberlain, a veteran FBI agent who keeps turning down promotions in order to stay in the field, and Michael Godwin, a rookie getting his first field experience under her wing. They’re investigating an explosion that they quickly learn is tied to a network of revenge-seekers all ready to go out with a bang to get back at folks who have hurt the ones they love. They’ve all been brought together by the mysterious Cassandra, who the reader discovers early on is an advanced AI being puppeted by Josh Hodges, not just the founder of The 100, but also a member. There’s no mystery to We Are 100, per se. It’s more a fun game of cat and mouse. But what’s most compelling is the challenge of who to root for. The feds are cleverly drawn, with great characterization. But The 100 aren’t enacting petty revenge against everyday people. They’re taking out the people who you, the reader, want to see get theirs. One murders a prosecutor who refuses to pursue rape cases, including his daughter’s (who, it’s implied, later killed herself). Another kills a GoFundMe huckster who cashed in on the house fire that killed his family. And Hodges’ planned targets are the worst of the worst, leaving you with that unsettling feeling of hoping he succeeds as they all race the clock. Timmel’s comedy chops are evident throughout, with adroit banter worthy of an X-Files episode. The pop culture references are a little much and tie it distinctly to its moment (Chamberlain’s obsession with Silence of the Lambs might hold up; the story about the Blockbuster she rented it from, not so much), but all told, it’s a deliciously fun page turner worth grabbing for your backyard sunbathing or vacation read. And it’ll make you think a little, too. —Genevieve Trainor
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV295 June 2021 69
MUTED TONES
LittleVillageMag.com
by Pao Roy
The American Values Club Crossword is edited by Ben Tausig.
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ACROSS 1. Mvt. founded by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors,and Opal Tometi 4. A favorable one is of little interest 8. Netflix and Chili’s, e.g. 12. ___ building 14. Creatures hidden in Iceland, according to local folklore 16. Chicago mayor Lightfoot 17. Assistant who virtually
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helps you with everything 18. Love to bits 19. Left or right column? 20. *1970 Jimi Hendrix hit 23. Features of giraffes and lions 24. “As if!”, quaintly 25. *1966 Rolling Stones hit 28. Move in Frogger 31. Without any markup 32. Bottoms 33. Summer in Port-auPrince
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34. Place where days are 24 hours, 39 minutes and 35 seconds long 35. The Office receptionist 36. Brined goat cheese 37. Bono’s predecessor? 38. Curved line in musical notation 40. Large padded envelope 42. Many a movie henchman’s deficiency 43. *1967 Van Morrison hit 45. Mayonnaise cousin 47. Artist with the #1 and
#2 best-selling albums of the 2010s 48. *1983 UB40 hit 51. Modern-day birthplace of Zoroastrianism 52. A League of Their Own actress Davis 53. Single-word headline of the New Orleans TimesPicayune the day after the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV 57. For here’s opposite 58. Quaking ___ (state
tree of Utah) 59. With 62-Across, what all of the songs referenced in this puzzle’s starred clues do, and a hint to how to solve them 60. From square one 61. Addresses for some OBEs 62. See 59-Across
23. Control down to the last detail 25. Mostly treeless plain of South America 26. Its first console was the 2600 27. Glower 29. The Beanie Baby “Seaweed,” for one 30. Birthstone for many a Gemini 35. Insignificance ... or is it some meta-wordplay? 36. Cover of the Bible? 38. Word on the street? 39. Spain : ___ :: England : Premier League 40. Middle-of-the-road places? 41. Gulf between the Red and Arabian Seas 44. Snoozefest 46. “No duh!” 48. Pocket lined with dough? 49. Useful Minecraft material 50. Hat worn by the French Foreign Legion 54. He’s buried in Tiananmen Square 55. End of a dean’s address? 56. Aerialist’s insurance
DOWN 1. Boy band dubbed the “Princes of Pop” by Time magazine in 2019 2. Wreath traditionally made from twined maile vines 3. International Transgender Day of Visibility mo. 4. Command to an overly curious dog 5. Like GZA, among WuTang Clan members 6. ___ Barksdale (The Wire character) 7. Insider nickname for both Comic-Con and the White House Correspondents’ Dinner 8. Greeting that literally means “the presence of breath” 9. Get high on one’s hog? 10. Veep’s superior 11. Fries, perhaps 13. ItalianLV294 ANSWERS sounding VOS S GE NR E E D I T S cookies that are E P I C EQU A L VOGU E E I GH T NUD E S I CON A actually made in J A H H A I G P A S T E S Connecticut A T S E A N E E SON COO 15. Board that Y E A RN E DG I E S T HUN S T A K E O T T OA T S has its ups and S U E D E T H I NG downs R I L E P UG C I GA R U S E D T H EG I N P L I E R 21. Pangolin’s DOG HU T ON E P E RDU prey E L OP E S A B E E VWS 22. Darby of Flight B A S E S G E S U N D H E I T O T E R I P E E L E A NN E of the Conchords Y E T I S OS C A R R T E D
Life’s Celebrations...
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