Summer of the Arts

Carson Parker Trio AND Kiersten Conway Quartet
2025-08-08 18:30 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | Ped Mall Stage, 210 Dubuque St, Iowa City, IA, 52240, United States
Sponsored by West Music
6:30 PM-7:15 PM: Carson Parker Trio
7:30 PM-9:00 PM: Kiersten Conway Quartet

About: Carson Parker, a native of Des Moines, Iowa, has emerged as one of the Midwest’s most captivating young jazz pianists, blending a mix of jazz, blues, and funk into his distinctive style. Carson’s talent has taken him to some of the region’s greatest venues, including Chicago’s Fulton Street Collective, Clara Chicago, Opus Concert Cafe, Des Moines’ Noce Jazz Club, and the Iowa City Jazz Festival. Carson is grateful to be influenced by many teachers and mentors including Nate Sparks, Nick Rueckert, and Dr. William Menefield. His versatility as both a solo artist and collaborator has allowed him to work with musicians including trumpeter Sean Jones, drummer Isaiah Spencer, trumpeter Benny Bennack III, vocalist Max Wellman, drummer Jerome Gillespie II, and singer-songwriter James Tutson. In 2023, Carson achieved the honor as the sole pianist of the National Jazz Band of America. Now an established professional, he continues to play for audiences across the Midwest, both with his ensemble and as a sought-after sideman.

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About: Kiersten Conway is a dynamic songwriter, contemporary jazz vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist known for her inventive interpretations of jazz standards and compelling original compositions. A native of Iowa City, she has performed at top venues including Noce Jazz Club and Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, and has been featured at the Iowa City Jazz Festival.
In 2024, Kiersten brought her artistry to the Rochester International Jazz Festival, sharing the stage with Laila Biali, and also performed at the prestigious Jazz Education Network Conference in New Orleans. A three-time recipient of the DownBeat Student Music Awards (2023–2025), she was recognized as a Vocal Jazz Soloist, for her original composition “Black-Eyed Susan,” and as an Outstanding Soloist in a Large Vocal Jazz Ensemble.

Contact Information:
Web: https://www.kierstenconway.com/
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Big Begonias AND The Feralings
2025-08-15 18:30 - 21:00
Sponsored by Old Capitol Screen Printers
6:30 PM-7:15 PM: Big Begonias
7:30 PM-9:00 PM: The Feralings

About: Big Begonias took root in 2020 and have been blooming since. Dedicated to creating transcendental folk and honky tonk sounds, the 4-piece band features original music by Gabrielle Kouri and George Spielbauer. Gabrielle, a founding member of Iowa City’s beloved Awful Purdies, plays guitar, banjo, and sings, while George (Cedar County Cobras) plays various guitars. Dave “Chief” Lumberg (Shoe Money, Mayflies) commands the bass, and drummer Dan Miller keeps the beat alive. Big Begonias released their first studio album In Bloom in 2024.

Contact Information:
Web: https://bigbegonias.bandcamp.com/
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/BigBegonias

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About: Ralph Waldo Emerson. Diesel. Morning glories. AM radio. These all influence Iowa acoustic roots trio The Feralings, as do the gently sloping landscapes of the Iowa countryside and the sound of tornado sirens squealing and the rumble of trucks on I-80. Their songwriting reflects friendship, imperfection, magic, and a big love for storytelling, as well as the folk, bluegrass, jazz, alt-country, Americana, gospel, and roots that form each member’s musical DNA.
Their debut EP, titled simply “The Feralings”, was recorded over the course of several years, as the band navigated parenthood, life changes, and personal struggles, and it showcases the power and intimacy of the band’s enthralling live performances. The band is currently in the process of recording their long-awaited follow-up album.

Contact Information:
Web: http://www.theferalings.com/
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/TheFeralings

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Dodge Street Duo AND Hard Luck & the Troubles
2025-08-22 18:30 - 21:00
Sponsored by KCJJ
6:30 PM-7:15 PM: Dodge Street Duo
7:30 PM-9:00 PM: Hard Luck & the Troubles

About: Dodge St. Duo plays a mixture of bluegrass, country, old-time, and original material. Max Lipnick and Alex Flesher showcase 2-part vocal harmonies and fresh takes on new and original instrumental tunes on mandolin, banjo, and guitar.

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About: Hailing from Iowa City, Hard Luck & the Troubles delivers a potent blend of Americana, rooted in blues, gospel, and classic country, with a healthy dose of Grateful Dead spirit. Fronted by Roland Racevskis on piano and vocals, anchored by Billy Valencia on bass, Brian Cooper on drums, and Ryan Phalen on guitar.
Influenced by whiskey-soaked nights and the realities of life, Hard Luck in the Troubles bring a raw, authentic energy to their music and is known for their passionate live performances. They are poised to release their self-titled debut album, Hard Luck & the Troubles.

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Jumbies
2025-08-29 18:30 - 21:00
Sponsored by New Pioneer Food Co-op

About: Jumbies deliver a fusion of Caribbean, funk, and Afro-Cuban rhythms in a high-energy, spirit-raising, dance-oriented performance. Established in 2001 and based in Iowa City with roots in the Ames/Des Moines area, this quintet blends danceable and breezy tropical sounds, perfect for sunny days and hot nights. While we do covers by artists such as Bob Marley, Jimmy Buffet, and Harry Belafonte as well, we play mostly original music from our full-length releases and are always creating something new. Most of our elements are similar to other bands, but we uniquely feature steel pan as the lead instrument and love percussion! It’s a unique sound for Iowa, and a really good time!

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Lou Sherry AND Shining Realm
2025-09-05 18:30 - 21:00
Sponsored by Luna’s Tacos
6:30 PM-7:35 PM: Lou Sherry
7:55 PM-9:00 PM: Shining Realm

About: Lou Sherry: Iowa City Doom Lounge.

Contact Information:
Web: https://dentalrecordsic.bandcamp.com/album/lou-sherry-more-now-than-then
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About: Shining Realm is a psychedelic rock/folk collective based in Iowa City. Formed in 2019, the current lineup features members of Maul of America, Daisyglue, Commanders and the Boo-Hoos. Their music is a blend of 70’s era psych and Kraut rock with Eastern and Afro Beat influences. Their second album, Talismandala, will be released on May 12th, 2025.

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Alicia Monee and Family
2025-09-12 18:30 - 21:00
Sponsored by Iowa City Area Association of Realtors

About: Alicia Monēē is a powerhouse vocalist from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, known for her soulful sound and dynamic stage presence. Inspired by legends like Erykah Badu and Jennifer Hudson, she has captivated audiences nationwide, including as a finalist on HBO Max’s *Second Chance Stage*.
A versatile performer, Alicia has earned acclaim in theater for roles like Effie in *Dreamgirls* and Shug Avery in *The Color Purple*. She’s also graced prestigious stages, including the Danny Awards in NYC and Filoli Mansion in California.
Currently working on her debut album, set for release in mid-2025, Alicia Monēē continues to shine as a rising star in R&B and soul.

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Summer of the Arts Festivals:
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Second Half AND Anthony Worden & the Illiterati
2025-09-19 18:30 - 21:00
Sponsored by RDG Planning & Design
6:30 PM-7:15 PM: Second Half
7:30 PM-9:00 PM: Anthony Worden & the Illiterati

About: Second Half is an Iowa City alternative-rock band playing everything from Midwest emo to power pop to punk rock. Drawing inspiration from bands such as Modest Mouse, Pavement, Joyce Manor, and the Beths, we’ve been playing together since 2024. At the end of the day, we’re just four friends that love making music!
Sometimes to go forward, you first have to go back—and the only way to pass through the present undaunted is to unencumber oneself of the past.

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Web: https://linktr.ee/thesecondhalfband Instagram
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Summer of the Arts Festivals:
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About: For Anthony Worden, the process of moving past an onslaught of sudden grief crystalized in an Iowa City basement, and—over the course of half a year of writing and rehearsing with his band, the Illiterati—took on the form of his fifth studio album, Plain Angels. Sourced from a period that Worden describes as something of a “social reset,” characterized by the end of a long-term relationship (a development that upended his recent move to Kansas and spurred him to re-relocate to his native city), paired with a series of health scares in his immediate family and the death of an extended family member, the songwriter found himself contending with “big feelings” like “the realization that your loved ones aren’t going to be around forever.” Amidst a blisteringly cold Iowa winter—during which Worden’s day job as an electrician apprentice had him “thrown into installing solar panels in subzero weather on the farms, hog barns, and small towns of the middle part of the state”—he also found himself asking even bigger questions: “With everything that happened, I found myself almost resetting my worth, asking myself—what am I doing here?”
With emotional baggage in toe, Worden holed up in the unfinished cellar studio of band bassist Lucas Adolphson, spending “a lot of time with a glass of whisky” to divine art from feeling. The end result is a collection of ten tracks that’s as meditative as it is triumphant, presented as a loose narrative of personal resilience. Whether it’s charting the hope that comes with starting over somewhere new (“On My Way 2U”), becoming more aware of your fading youth in a college town (“Down But Not Yet Out”), the myriad feelings you feel on a funeral day (“Death of the Wife”) or encountering an ex after some-but-not-all wounds have healed (“Strangers”), the anecdotes that form Angels together create a picture of bittersweet acceptance, uplifted by Worden’s candid lyricism, the Illiterati’s refreshing approach to contemporary rock—which feels as indebted to 70s new wave as it does in early 2000s power pop thanks to the performances by Adolphson, keyboardist/producer Avery Moss, and drummer Aaron Knight—as well as mastering by Huntley Miller, who previously collaborated with indie heavyweights Bon Iver, Low, and Wednesday.

Contact Information:
Web: https://anthonyworden.bandcamp.com/releases
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/anthonywordenmusic/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPe5xuRWbRg

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Ion AND Alyx Rush AND Jack Lion
2025-09-26 18:30 - 21:00
Sponsored by Graduate by Hilton Iowa City
Ion – 6:30-6:55 PM
Alyx Rush – 7:05-7:50 PM
Jack Lion – 8:05-9 PM

About: Ion’s music is an inward reflection focusing in on resilience of the worker. Enduring the working class hardships through the Guthrie lens over a sonic guttural rawness that hones in on the prospect of our power as the people to maintain vigilance and hope. As a solo artist he has shared the stage with the artists such as GZA, Blackalicious, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Makaya McCraven, Dessa, Wyclef Jean & Black Milk.

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Web: https://linktr.ee/signalflowproducts
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/SignalFlowProducts/

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About: Alyx Rush is a sonic sorcerer who has been busy capturing hearts, minds and imaginations across the Midwest with an alluring R&B/pop sound that beautifully smudges the edges of both genres. Adopted as an infant and raised in rural Iowa, he has never been afraid to be his true authentic self. Casting his spell from under the underground, Rush has risen quickly with head-turning independent releases and captivating live performances at festivals and venues across the region. He is both technically gifted and rawly emotive as a vocalist, swooping through irresistible top lines on wavy production that ranges from winter ballads to summer sways. His sound can soar, swagger and swoon, sometimes all at once. Already recognized as one of the top artists in the area, Rush will push his wave even further this summer with a new EP, ‘After the Last Time’ his second collaboration with artist/producer Jim Swim. There’s no ceiling for this one.

Contact Information:
Web: https://linktr.ee/signalflowproducts
Other links: https://www.facebook.com/SignalFlowProducts/

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About: One of Iowa City’s premier bands, Jack Lion’s sound is a one-a-kind gem in the Iowa music landscape. Mixing some traditional jazz sounds with electronic music, Jack Lion’s music would please both Miles Davis and Nine Inch Nails fans.

Contact Information:
Web: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpetXrgq2Fk&ab_channel=BrianSmith
Other links: https://www.instagram.com/jacklionsound/reels/
Jack Lion – Full Live Set at The James Theatre

Summer of the Arts Festivals:
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