Waukeye Music Festival Tabbed For July 19. Tickets On Sale Now!

June has crept away, and tomorrow July will suddenly be here. The list of great music happening in this great state of Iowa continues to grow. The Waukeye Music Festival wil be held on July 19 at the Hawkeye Antique Acres, a beautiful piece of land located just off I-80 at Exit 117 (The Waukee Exit).

Line up and set times are subject to change.

If you or anyone that you know that would be interested in having a Retail/Merchandise booth at this event please email us at waukeyemusicfestival@gmail.com

Dark Star Orchestra Set To Play Val Air Ballroom Monday Night!

It's been said that at times, Dark Star Orchestra play the Grateful Dead better than the Grateful Dead. I can testify that at times, this is a true statement. Having seen both bands on numerous occasions, including virtually every Grateful Dead spin-off act such as Further, The Dead, and Ratdog, I can honestly say that for the money, I'd just as soon see DSO. 

They have become so good at playing the Grateful Dead and they put so much effort into it, everything else pales in comparison. Jeff Mattson, who plays the part of Jerry Garcia, does so so well, that if you close your eyes, it's virtually impossible to tell the difference between the two. The same can be said about Rob Eaton who plays the part of Bob Weir. (Of course Bob Weir is still playing, but ya get my point.) 

The rest of the band follows suit, calculating with precision each note played and placing it perfectly into the musical sphere. Whereas the Grateful Dead would have the occasional off-night and might shrug their way through a song or even a set, you don't seem to get that with DSO. Their focus is their mainstay and despite some improvisation, they don't drift too far away from the script. They are tight, and they hit the right notes at the right time, which is key if one is serious about covering Grateful Dead tunes.

Monday night DSO will bring their Grateful Dead sideshow to the Val Air Ballroom for a night of dancing and righteous fellowship. Tickets are $20 if you bought them early, otherwise they are $25 at the door. Doors open at 7:00 and music starts promptly at 8:00. If you have kicked yourself for having never seen the Dead, this is your chance to get that experience. There is no other band in the world who does it as well as these guys.

Wallowing in Psychedelia: BFD Attends the Firecracker 500

I made my way down to Iowa City for the first night of The Firecracker 500 last week. It was hot and the genius that I am, I parked a rather long distance away, so I was working on a good sweat by the time I reached The Mill. I finally made it, a little worse for wear and tear maybe, but oh well. I got there and I spent a lot of time lurking about and meandering around until things got started. 

I talked to Ross Meyer of Rusty Buckets some and also sat down and had a conversation with Steven Krakow a.k.a. Plastic Crimewave. Actually, I had commissioned to do an interview but we just talked about records and comic books. In retrospect (after experiencing The Plastic Crimewave Syndicates set) I'd describe it as sitting at the feet of some psychedelic warrior monk. Look for a piece on the Plastic Crimewave Universe some time in the future.

Steve Krakow aka Plastic Crimewave

The show finally got started with Rusty Buckets taking the stage. These gentlemen proceeded to lay down the Buddy Holly is a werewolf, junkyard voodoo stomp and howl in the only way it can be done, which of course is FULL THROTTLE! Make no mistake, these guys kick ass. If The Oblivians are your cup of tea you'll love these guys.

Next up was The Plastic Crimewave Syndicate. They set to the task of proving that space is the place with their all out cosmic barrage of sound. A sound that conjured up images in my mind of giant spacecraft careening into the sides of monolithic obsidian mountains on some alien landscape. 

Whatever, just listen to this band and come up with your own incredible metaphors. These psychedelic heavy hitters are a bad well worth obsessing about. They also have some of the coolest swag I've ever seen.

The show culminated with the band Heaters making their presence felt. And where else can you go after a trip through space? Back in time of course. Somewhere around 1966 maybe. The first couple of tunes by these guys had me convinced they were into some kind of psychic link with the 13th Floor Elevators. I was almost expecting someone to start playing an electric jug. Haunted and heavy. I loved it.

The Heaters (Photo taken from their Facebook page)

I really wish that I could have been able to be there for the other two nights of the Firecracker 500. I can say that from now on the entire event is going to be something I'm going to make sure is on my summer schedule. As long as it keeps bringing in this kind of music I am in for the long haul.