IshDARR brings a crowd
Photo by Jun Taek Lee A packed crowd gathered in Gardner on Friday, Nov. 6, to hear from three young hip-hop artists—Young Eddy, Kweku Collins and IshDARR (pictured to the left).
IshDARR is based out of Milwaukee, Wis. The sharp-tongued 19- year-old released a critically acclaimed album, “Old Soul, Young Spirit,” earlier this year. He largely pulled material from that album during the performance. The youthful, ecstatic energy of his recorded material transferred seamlessly to the stage. IshDARR was totally engaging for the duration of the set and did not shy away from talking with the audience, eliciting laughter and cheers. It wasn’t a terribly long set, but one that kept the people in attendance rapt from start to finish.
Milwaukee is an exciting place to be an MC in 2015. The Midwestern city has recently cultivated a vibrant and dynamic DIY hip hop scene that’s only getting larger. IshDaRR, one of the youngest and most prominent members of the scene, proved on Friday night that he’s got a lot to share with the world. Assuredly, he is only getting started.
Friday night was the third time that Young Eddy, aka Greg Margida ’16, has performed on campus and he is sure to have more performances next semester. Kweku Collins hails from Evanston, Ill., and this was his first time performing in Grinnell.
Iowa band speaks on locality
The S&B’s Concerts Correspondent Halley Freger ‘17 sat down with Pelvis’ guitarist and vocalist, Nao Demand, before his Gardner set on Friday, Oct. 30, to talk about being a musician in the thriving DIY scenes of Iowa. The S&B: What’s it like being a band from Iowa? How would you describe the “Iowa scene?”
ND: Being a band from Iowa is usually great. The Iowa scene, inevitably you play some kind of weird shows. It happens. It’s just kind of the nature of it. But honestly, the quality of the local bands here are pretty high and it’s less like there’s really good local bands in every town. It’s sort of like there’s good local bands in a lot of towns all over the state so you kind of have to drive around and do that whole thing, but it’s worth it. A lot of our best band friends are from Iowa.
Do you think the music scene in Iowa is different because it doesn’t center around one large city, like Chicago or Minneapolis?
Yeah, it’s definitely more touring-centric for that reason. There are some really easy routes where everyone knows each other along the way and you can pull off in a couple weeks. Down to Texas and back is really popular.
Do you think the music communities in Iowa are connected? Is there a lot of exchange that goes on between places like Ames, Des Moines and Iowa City?
Yeah, for sure. At least in my experience, because both of my bandmates are from the Quad Cities and they’ve been in other bands there. I’m actually from Pennsylvania, but I met them when I moved to Ames like four years ago and we started a band maybe a year after that. I got lucky because they knew a lot of people from all over, basically.
The idea of driving really resonates with me because I think when trying to see music in Iowa you end up having to drive an hour, pretty much.
It’s hard. We ran a house venue in Ames for the past year, before the guy who paid the mortgage got over it, but it was basically so we could book people we wanted to see. So, you definitely have to make your own fun.
What are the best places—venues, houses, etc.—to see and play music in Iowa?
The Black Hole in Cedar Falls is probably the best in the state. There’s a place in the Quad Cities I haven’t been to that’s called [Uncle Stu’s Haunted Waterpark and Slightly Less Haunted Go Kart Track]. It’s a huge warehouse and it’s gigantic—it’s like 10 times the size of [Gardner Lounge]. It’s crazy. There’s the Rozz-Tox in the Quad Cities. It’s an awesome DIY venue, but it’s not a house. That’s so good. But I would say the Black Hole is probably the best. Cedar Falls has super good bands and when you go to a show there’s just tons of people there all the time.
Do you think there are certain sounds are more popular here? Do you think a band can sound like they’re from the Midwest?
Yeah, I think as opposed to music on the coast people really consider their audience a lot in the Midwest and it’s not seen as uncool, whereas in other places it’s kind of like fiercely doing your own thing. But there is kind of that sense of grassroots where people within bands can be doing things together. It might be because there’s not a lot of people so a lot of people play in a lot of people’s bands.
Are you in other bands currently?
Yeah, I do my own thing and other people kind of play in that other thing sometimes, and then we do [Pelvis], and then both of my other bandmates are in another band, too.
Yeah, I saw Griffen [the bassist] in … what are they called?
Arizona Landmine. Yeah, they have an EP coming out on Texas is Funny Records, and that’s a cool label. Dahling is a band on that label that’s super sick. What are some Iowa bands or artists we should check out?
Obsidian Sword, Sept of Memnon, Closet Witch. Ice Hockey has two shows before they break up.
Field Report to bring folk to Gardner
Halley Freger
[email protected] Photo by Matt Kartanata
The relaxing sounds of Milwaukee folk band Field Report will come to Gardner Lounge on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 8:30 p.m. Opening for Field Report is Grinnell’s own Seth Hanson & The Additional Six. Christopher Porterfield is the singer/songwriter behind Field Report (an anagram of his surname). Before starting Field Report, Porterfield was in DeYarmond Edison with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, who played Grinnell back in 2008. However, it wasn’t until after DeYarmond Edison broke up that Porterfield began gaining recognition. When Field Report released their debut self-titled album on New York indie label Partisan Records in 2012, critics and musicians praised Porterfield’s poetic lyrics. The album even landed Field Report a touring slot with the alt-rock band Counting Crows. As their notoriety increased, expectations rose for their sophomore album. In October of last year they released their second album, “Marigolden.” The city of Milwaukee was so excited for the album release show at the Pabst Theater on Oct. 22, 2014 that Mayor Tom Barrett declared the day “Field Report Day.” On “Marigolden,” he sings with heartbreaking and honest clarity. In the song “Ambrosia,” he recounts a tale about a child who was bullied until he ultimately committed suicide. A level of earnest uncertainty is revealed through his haunting voice and lyrics. His voice both pounds and wobbles over minimalist piano chords at the end of the song as he repeats “Maybe something’s gonna change,” before concluding, “Maybe nothing’s gonna change.” Although Field Report’s music is lyric-driven, often backed by simple piano or guitar, on “Marigolden” they experiment with electronic sounds. Some of the most magical moments on the album occur when they layer twangy strings over synths, like the ambient hums in their song “Wings.” Opening for Field Report is Grinnell’s folk mastermind Seth Hanson ’17 who performs under the name Seth Hanson & The Additional Six. The name, a reference to the twelve-string guitar he originally learned to play on, is somewhat misleading—Seth is the only member of the band. However, his songs sometimes feature other musicians, such as Isabel Cooke ’16, who will be singing with him on Thursday. Although he is still in college, Hanson’s Bandcamp sports an impressively extensive discography. His most recent two-song release, “Brother,” is available on his Soundcloud and features his vivid lyricism, this time backed by piano rather than his usual acoustic guitar. IshDAAR’s variety makes for unique rap
Luke Jarzyna
[email protected] Photo by Minh Tran
This weekend, Grinnell will host a triple bill of rising hip hop artists. IshDARR, one of the leading voices in the Milwaukee DIY scene will perform alongside Yung Eddy and Kweku Collins. IshDARR is an 18-year-old rapper from Milwaukee, Wis. During his senior year of high school in 2014, IshDARR released his first EP, “The Good Life.” A complete album surfaced earlier in 2015, entitled “Old Soul, Young Spirit.” On “Old Soul, Young Spirit,” IshDARR enthusiastically proves that he is a voice that deserves your attention. The rising MC engages with a huge variety of beats that inflect sounds of house music, bounce and vintage 90s hip/hop, rendering the 12-song collection an exciting exploration in style as well as a window into IshDARR’s life in urban Milwaukee. The stacked, sometimes disparate instrumental flares don’t sound excessively scattered, but only assist in highlighting IshDARR’s voracious conviction. IshDARR’s energetic, wide-eyed personality is at the forefront of “Old Soul, Young Spirit,” and the influence of modern, boundary-pushing hit makers like Kendrick Lamar and Chance the Rapper are obvious. Like these two rappers, IshDARR’s diction explodes through the dense, layered production on many songs. Between his lines, you can sometimes hear IshDARR gasping for breath, making rapping sound like a visceral, physical experience for him. This is earnest, inspired rap music and “Old Soul, Young Spirit” is the album that IshDARR needed to create. IshDARR seamlessly moves between socially conscious critiques of urban life in Milwaukee and unabashed displays of bravado throughout the album. The song “Only You” is an earnest love letter to the girl of his dreams, and “Vibe” is a party- starting anthem fit for any Top 40 radio station. Commentaries on artistic ambition and his desire for success are pervasive on many of the songs as well, most evident on the manifesto- like opening track, “For You” and “Overdue.” IshDARR helps lead the pack of an emerging enclave of rappers from the DIY scene in Milwaukee, alongside artists like WebsterX, Pizzle and Mic Kellogg. As a native Minnesotan, I get really excited when Midwestern cities that typically fly under the radar start receiving the recognition they deserve as dynamic sites of art and culture. I think it would have been easy for many of the Milwaukee-based artists to flee to Chicago. Instead, they chose to build something powerful and palpable in a city that lacked an active rap scene. Evanston, Ill.-based MC Kweku Collins and Yung Eddy, a rapper from Houston, Texas, will open up the show on Friday night at 9 p.m. Sicko Mobb brings Chicago rap to Gardner
Photo by Jun Taek Lee
Halley Freger
Gardner got a taste of Chicago rap this Halloween when Sicko Mobb performed a high energy set. When their DJ couldn’t make it, James Marlow ’16 stepped up to fill in while dressed as indie icon Mac DeMarco for Halloween. Grinnell’s Hameed Weaver ’17 opened for Sicko Mobb with an intimate rap set and was joined onstage by Jack Muskopf ’16, who performs under the moniker Johnny Millstadt. Weaver’s stage banter included comments about pursuing creative passions and the crew of Grinnell students onstage made it clear that they are not afraid to do just that. Negative Scanner’s brings Halloween fright
Photo by Alberto Vazquez
Halley Freger
Three Midwest bands shook Gardner Lounge with energy and noise on Friday, Oct. 30. Ames-based band Pelvis started off the night with their blend of emo and post-punk, followed by notorious Minneapolis partiers, France Camp. They took the stage with handmade papier-mâché pumpkin masks on their heads. Unsurprisingly, the pumpkins couldn’t withstand the intensity of France Camp’s beachy garage rock and the masks’ remains were littered on the stage shortly after they started playing. Finally, Chicago’s Negative Scanner plowed through a set of powerful post-punk. Singer, Rebecca Valeriano-Flores’s, bellowing voice matched the spooky feel of the Halloween weekend. At the end of the set, Valeriano-Flores came out covered in fake blood and her face hidden by a black shroud. She was like a punk version of Sia as a powerful howl rang out from her hidden face. Negative Scanner’s got aggressive punk
Halley Freger
[email protected] Photo by Matt Kartanata
The Midwest is known for a lot of things—corn, snow, Culver’s—but it also has a ton of great music. Three Midwestern bands, Negative Scanner, France Camp and Pelvis will play Grinnell on Friday, Oct. 30, at 9 p.m.
Chicago quartet Negative Scanner gained attention over the summer with the release of their self-titled debut. The 27- minute album packs a sense of urgency into every second. Negative Scanner’s sound offers something new to the post-punk genre as guitarist/vocalist Rebecca Valeriano-Flores’s haunting bellow cuts through melodic guitars.
The sound of post-punk, a genre that began in the late ’70s and early ’80s, is often difficult to pin down because one of its major characteristics is experimentation with diverse, non-rock styles. Sometimes it’s described as less aggressive or more melodic than punk. Although described as post-punk, Negative Scanner couples their experimental musicianship with a raw aggression comparable to any great punk band. However, their intensity is unique because it is driven by Valeriano- Flores’s powerful voice. On their song “Gone Wild,” Valeriano- Flores sings in an eccentric, rhythmic style that sounds almost like a cross between Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls and a robot. Their sound is the perfect combination of noise and melody, control and chaos. Distortion builds as quickly as it dissipates in their short, energetic songs. They’ve mastered their sound after playing in Chicago’s DIY and house scene since 2012, earning them notoriety as one of Chicago’s best live bands.
A couple cities away in Minneapolis the buzz is all about France Camp. Front man Jay Simonson is sure to put on a good show, full of screams and leg kicks. Hearing France Camp’s garage-rock makes you want to jump up and down with your friends and ignore how sweaty you are or how bad your hair looks.
France Camp’s songs sound like they were written by someone trapped in a Minneapolis winter while dreaming of a California summer. In “Lavender Boys,” they switch immediately from Beach Boys-esque “oohs” to disorganized, howling screams backed by springing, surf rock guitars. Even “No Love,” the angst-ridden opening track on their latest album “Purge” sounds bright. The chaotic guitars and shouted vocals demand that you dance and have fun.
Opening for France Camp and Negative Scanner is Pelvis from our very own state of Iowa. Pelvis will prepare you for an evening of melodic aggression with twinkling emo guitar washed in layers of post-punk haze. Sicko Mobb brings original rap
Luke Jarzyna
[email protected] Photo by Minh Tran
This Saturday night, rising hip-hop duo Sicko Mobb will bring their bombastic, party-oriented rap music to Gardner lounge.
Sicko Mobb, AKA Lil Ceno and Lil Trav, create an infectious and original style of rap music. Many of their songs are built around a consistent, highly engaging and enduring formal structure. A typical Sicko Mobb song comprises of an ecstatic, busy, pulsating beat and a simple, sugary melody that is reminiscent of artists like Soulja Boy, T-Pain and Young Thug. These melodies break up and accompany verses from Trav and Ceno.
Furthermore, the unabashed and bubbly melodies function as the heart and soul of Sicko Mobb. The two rappers talk about things like partying, luxury and living life to its full potential in their lyrics (topics that populate much mainstream pop music). Sicko Mobb’s focus on uplifting, positive melodies, however, brings nuance to their voice. Songs like “Fiesta,” “Penny HardAway” and “House Party” are excellent demonstrations of this musical feature. In developing and refining this formula time and again, Sicko Mobb have distinguished themselves within an arguably saturated style of turn-up music.
Ceno and Trav formed in 2013. That same year, they gained notoriety with the release of the video for their song “Fiesta,” which now boasts close to four million views on YouTube and an official remix that features A$AP Ferg. Sicko Mobb now have a record deal with major label Polo Grounder/RCA, alongside artists like the A$AP Mob, Pitbull and Yung Joc. They released their third mix tape last spring — the aptly titled “Super Saiyan Vol 2,” referencing Dragon Ball Z. The 23-song mixtape received a 7.9/10 from pitchfork.com and was included on their mid-year list of “Overlooked Releases” — high praise from one of the most pervasive voices in music journalism. Sicko Mobb hails from the bop scene in west side Chicago, named for the dancing style of the same name. There is not just one way to bop, but bopping is essentially a stylized, full-bodied expression of the head nod. At its most basic level, it’s a fluid and playful style of dance that features quick, rhythmic steps and flailing, expressive arm movements. Yet bopping leaves boundless room for individual inflections of style and improvisation. Sicko Mobb defend bopping as a source of community building and positivity. It’s an ideal alternative to Chicago’s more aggressive drill scene. Sicko Mobb embody these beliefs in their endless supply of life- affirming, saccharine turn up anthems. Sicko Mobb will perform in Gardner Lounge at 9 p.m. this Saturday night with Martin $ky.
Gardner brings back TT The Artist
Photo by Minh Tran
Luke Jarzyna [email protected]
TT The Artist, one of the stand out performers from last spring’s Concerts line-up, will be making her triumphant return to Gardner Lounge tonight, Oct. 9, alongside Schwarz and Dai Burger. Their fast-paced, ecstatic dance and hip hop music will make for a high-energy triple bill.
Both TT The Artist and Schwarz hail from the Baltimore club scene. Baltimore club is characterized by high beats per minute, layered percussion textures, chopped up vocal samples and an iconic syncopated kick drum pattern. These divergent textural elements make for a mode of dance music that strikes a balance between total cacophony and collected, restrained cool. Baltimore club music lunges forward with energy, asking listeners to keep up or be left behind.
TT The Artist is a multi-faceted musician and promoter based out of Baltimore. Her 2015 EP “Art Royalty” is a cohesive, nine track release that features many of the characteristics that have made her such a distinct voice in club music. Over Baltimore club infused beats, TT proclaims her individuality and sexuality with fiery intention. Her energy is palpable throughout the album. Beyond her recording career, TT has been an active curator of queer art and cultures in Baltimore.
The percussive, explosive framework of Baltimore club sets a unique stage for political messages. Producer and DJ, Schwarz makes a point to spread messages of self-empowerment and body positivity in his material. These messages are highly visible in his single “U R Beautiful.” Over a classic, synth-heavy Baltimore club beat, Schwarz enthusiastically shouts pointed messages like “be yourself,” “love who you are” and, as the title suggests, the important reminder that “U R Beautiful.” In this way, Schwarz turns Baltimore club into an opportunity for listeners to engage, affirm and explore their identities. These goals reflect the origins of Baltimore club, which many people understand as a production of the social realities of life in urban Baltimore.
Opening act Dai Burger is an up-and-coming rapper from Queens. Like her contemporary TT The Artist, Dai Burger creates confrontational and lively hip hop music that addresses her feminine sexuality. Her delivery is pointed and impressive for an artist as young as herself. Friday night’s triple bill is going to be a non-stop party of empowering, high-energy dance music.
Crater brings grunge to Gardner
Photo by Sarah Ruiz
Halley Freger
On Tuesday, Oct. 6, students took a study break to watch electronic duo Crater and Grinnell’s very own Squirrel Flower. Ella Williams ’19, who performs under the name Squirrel Flower, sung everyone into a daze with her captivating voice. She performed songs off of her debut album “Early Winter Songs From Middle America,” including a mesmerizing version of “I Don’t Use a Trash Can” in which she layered her vocals into a dreamy jumble. Seattle’s Crater brought something totally different with their grungy dance pop. Although there were only two musicians on stage – Ceci Gomez on vocals and synth and Kessiah Gordon on drums and guitar – they masterfully switched between instruments to create complex sounds. Their diverse set was simultaneously dark and fun, grungy and danceable. They played a moody cover of “Shoot You Down” by the Stone Roses, as well as a song about going on Tinder dates. Ambré Perkins brought soul to Gardner
Photo by Jun Taek Lee
Halley Freger
Ambré Perkins and Ravyn Lenae brought soulful R&B to Gardner on Friday, Sept. 25. Lenae’s set included original songs from her EP “Moon Shoes” as well as a few covers, including the crowd-pleaser “Hotline Bling” by Drake. Perkins performance created a blend of emotive R&B and a dance party. At one point, Perkins sang an a cappella song sitting on the floor and the next minute she danced around the stage in light-up LED sneakers while her DJ played a catchy song (usually introduced by an air horn sound effect). It was a good night for the Drake fans in the audience. On top of Lenae’s “Hotline Bling,” Perkins sang modified lyrics to Drake’s “Know Yourself.” The crowd eagerly sang along with her as she shouted, “I was driving through Grinnell with my woes!” Electronic grunge band Crater to perform in Gardner
Emma Roszkowski
[email protected] Photo by Takahiro Omura
New faces in grunge music will perform in Gardner on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 8:30 p.m. The Seattle band, Crater, comprised of Ceci Gomez on vocals and Kessiah Gordon on drums, with the addition of a bass and guitar player for the live show, will share their unique style of music with the Grinnell community. Opening for Crater will be student musician Squirrel Flower, given name Ella Williams ’19.
Gomez and Gordon, both in their mid-20s, manage to create catchy, driving melodies that combine elements of modern electronic music and classic grunge in order to represent the anxiety, frustration and catharsis of being young and adrift.
Crater’s hometown of Seattle is known as the home of grunge, a mix of punk rock and heavy metal defined by its use of distorted or fuzzy guitars and raw sound. Lyrically, grunge is known for a pessimistic, doom and gloom perspective. Emerging as an “underground” sound in the mid-80s, grunge was popularized by Seattle groups such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains.
Coming from a city that has such a deep connection to the genre, it comes as no surprise that Crater incorporates certain elements of grunge into their work. Yet, rather than coming off as a neo-Nirvana wannabe, Crater integrates characteristic qualities of grunge into their work skillfully and subtly.
A characteristic Crater song synthesizes 80s-style beats, ethereal female vocals and distorted guitar to communicate a nihilistic, moody vibe. The overall effect is reminiscent of fellow female-fronted, ennui-fueled electronic rock duo Phantogram.
This electro-grunge musical identity was established in a very short amount of time. The group only entered the public sphere in 2014 but that doesn’t come through in their music. Gomez and Gordon have produced a cohesive, albeit small, body of work. The pair has released only four original songs but has composed close to twenty songs, according to a 2014 interview with Impose Magazine. This offers concert goers a unique opportunity to hear songs that are unavailable to the public.
Student opener Squirrel Flower’s music contrasts and complements that of Crater. Whereas Crater provides heavy electric riffs and deep bass, Squirrel Flower’s repertoire consists of pensive acoustic guitar and meandering melodies.