Grinnell has a long history of bringing great music out to the middle of Iowa. From an unheard of band called Smashing Pumpkins in the 90’s all the way back to a young Bruce Springsteen in the 70’s, Grinnell has sought to showcase the cutting edge of popular music and beyond.

Bruce Springteen in Darby Gym in 1975, photo by Jonathan Daen ‘78

Shows since Fall 2004:

Spring 2008

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin + One for the Team

Feb 1^st – Gardner

 

Liars + No Age

Feb 4^th – Gardner

 

David Bazan (of Pedro the Lion) + William Elliot Whitmore + Joe McNertney

Feb 22^nd – Gardner

 

Mahjongg + Calvin Johnson + Ben Schrager

Feb 23^rd – Gardner

 

Jean Grae

March 1st – Harris Center Concert Hall

 

 

Sierra Leone’s Refugee All-Stars + Chicago Afrobeat Project

March 5^th – Harris Center Concert Hall

 

Chinese Stars + White People Music

March 12^th – The Campus Pub

 

Felice Brothers + Justin Townes Earle + McCarthy Trenching

March 31^st – Bob’s

 

Bon Iver + Jacob Tyler Wolfgang

April 2^nd – Bob’s

 

Dan Deacon + Bird Names + Josh & Anand

April 4^th – Gardner

 

Blue Scholars + Tactic

April 5^th – Gardner

 

Blitzen Trapper + Fleet Foxes

April 10^th – Gardner

 

Enon + Singer

April 18^th – Gardner Lounge

 

John Vanderslice + The Show Is the Rainbow

April 19^th – Gardner Lounge

 

Stars of the Lid + Christopher Willits

April 23^rd – Sebring-Lewis

 

Mirah and Spectraphone International present: Share This Place

April 25^th – Herrick Chapel

 

Fall 2007

Dirty Projectors + YACHT

Sept 2^nd – Gardner Lounge

 

Frank Smith

September 11^th – Bob’s

 

The Blow + High Places + Josh & Anand

Sept 29^th – Gardner Lounge

 

Jandek

October 6^th – Sebring-Lewis Concert Hall

 

Casados + Jacob Tyler Wolfgang

October 10^th – Bob’s

 

Cass McCombs + These Are Powers + Vegetable Medley

October 12^th – Gardner

 

Anne Feeney + Evan Greer

October 15^th – Bob’s

 

Castanets + Deer Tick

October 30^th – Bob’s

The Mountain Goats + Cryptacize

November 2^nd – Gardner

 

Alison Wedding + Ashanti

November 3^rd – Sebring-Lewis

 

Alela Diane

November 7^th – Bob’s Underground Café

 

Aqueduct + Georgie James

November 9^th – Gardner

 

Menomena + Illinois

November 16^th – Gardner

 

Mason Jennings

December 1^st – Herrick Chapel

 

Tactic

December 7^th – Gardner Lounge

 

Spring 2007 Schedule:

Saturday January 27, 2006 :: Gardner Lounge
Hip Hop Dance Party
Plastic Little
w/ openers Flosstradamus
and Kid Sister

Friday February 16 :: Bob’s Underground
William Elliot Whitmore
w/ The Parish Festival

Sunday February 25 :: Bob’s Underground
Richard Buckner
w/ Six Parts Seven

Friday March 2 :: Bob’s Undeground
The Ants
w/ Eric Rohn and the Noble Octopus

Friday March 9 :: Gardner Lounge
Secret Chiefs 3 (features members of Faith No More and Mr. Bungle)
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum

Wednesday March 14 :: Gardner Lounge
Akron/Family

Tuesday April 3 :: Herrick Chapel
9:30 PM
William Parker Quartet

Friday April 6 :: Gardner Lounge
Heiruspecs
w/ Count Bass D

Saturday April 7 :: Gardner Lounge
7:30 Pre-Mary B. James Partay!
Chicken Poodle Soup (SKA)
Slaughterhouse 6 (SKA ft. Mike Rogowski)
Family Unit (ROCK)
Thursday April 12 :: Herrick Chapel
Kurt Elling (Jazz vocalist)
Friday April 13 :: Harris Concert Hall
9:00 Sharp
SPOON
w/ Driver of the Year
Mouthful of Bees (ft. Chris Farstad)
Friday April 20 :: Harris Cinema and Concert Hall
Concert/Film Fest sponsored by [Films] and [Concerts]
Lost Film Festival in Harris Cinema
Then Concert ft/ M1 of Dead Prez in the Harris Concert Hall
Wednesday April 25
Bob’s Underground Cafe
8:30 PM
Slowpoke
w/ Too Many Strings Band (Two bands ft/ former and current Grinnell professors)
Saturday May 12 :: Herrick Chapel
Andrew Bird Solo Performance
8:00PM Sharp
Fall 2006 Schedule:
Friday Aug 25th :: Bucksbaum Fine Arts Building
6:30 PM
Outdoor Concert
Pieta Brown (Iowa folk artist)
w/ Marlboro Chorus (Acoustic/Rock)
If there is rain, concert will be moved to Herrick.
Friday Sept 1 :: Bob’s Underground
David Zollo (Blues Pianist)
Friday September 8th :: Gardner Lounge
Rainer Maria (Rock/Indie/Alternative)
w/ openers Driver of the Year (Rock/Indie/Alternative)
Campus band TBA
Saturuday September 16th :: Harris Concert Hall
Hurricane Katrina Benefeit Concert/Dance hosted by GMA and Concerts
Funkadesi (World Beat/All genres)
Sunday September 24th :: Bob’s Underground Cafe
The PUNKS (featuring Grinnell grad [chavezjo])
Friday September 29th
Hockey Night (Rock/Indie/Alternative)
And Tally Hall (Rock/Indie/Alternative)
w/ opener The Mystechs (All genres, all amazing)
Friday October 6th :: Harris
Hip Hop and Ska Show
The Visionaries Hip hop from LA. Their DJ is supposed to be “world-class” according some stuff i heard.
w/ Estrella Hip hop from Seattle.
w/ Vicios de Papa Ska from chicago. Some of you all have wanted ska. Here it is.
Friday Oct 27 :: Gardner Lounge
The Elected
Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s
Whispertown 2000
Saturday November 4th :: Bob’s
The PQ Sessions Electronica
Flithcat Hip Hop
Sunday November 5th :: Herrick Chapel
[Concerts] and [ASIA] Present
Hunn-Huur-Tu Throat Singers of Tuva
Tuesday November 7th :: Bob’s
Jayber Crow
Saturday November 11th :: Gardner Lounge
Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials (Best blues band in the world)
w/ opener David Zollo and the Body Electric (Blues Pianist)
Friday November 17th :: Gardner Lounge
Mucca Pazza (27 piece punk rock marching band)
Low Skies (Rock/Alternative/Indie)
Due to a bus accident early this week Mr. Lif and The Coup will not be performing at Grinnell College. Treologic however will still be here and we will likely be adding other acts later in the week. Check out Mr. Lif’s comments on the accident at www.mrlif.com
Friday December 8 :: Gardner
Treologic
The Doomtree collective ft. Dessa, Cecil otter, and DJ Turbo Nemesis
w/ opening DJ set from Doomtree DJ Marshall Larada
and Beat Boxing between sets with Steve “Nordy” Nordland
Spring 2006
Friday, Feb. 17 :: Herrick Chapel
HAPPY APPLE (Hot modern jazz trio with electric bass, sax, and a comedic drummer.)
Saturday, Feb. 25 :: Hip-Hop show in Gardner Lounge
The Doomtree collective (lauded as one of the best independant hip-hop collectives since Rhymesayers, fresh from their recent U.S. tour with Atmosphere)
MCs Dessa, Cecil Otter, and Jesse Green (from P.O.S.)
DJs Tom Servo and Marshall Larada
Kill the Vultures (formerly Oddjobs)
Prime (hip-hop from Chicago)
Saturday, March 4 :: Harris Concert Hall, 10:00pm
DISCO with live blues, funk, and R+B music from
FINAL MIX (featuring Blues Hall Of Fame inductee Del “Saxman” Jones and our very own Grinnell alum [coplandr] on lead vocals)
Friday, March 10 :: Gardner Lounge
TRACY + THE PLASTICS (feminist video artist Wynne Greenwood’s one-woman band)
Detholz (quirky Devo-esque electro-punk)
Grace Bently (Grinnellian singer/songwriter)
Saturday, March 11 :: Gardner Lounge
HOCKEY NIGHT (back ’cause you love ‘em, and rocking out as always)
One for the Team (energetic pop rock)
The Ugliest Band Ever (campus band)
Wednesday, April 5 :: Bob’s Underground
CHARLIE KING & REBEL VOICES (political folk music, with a musical workshop)
Songwriting workshop: 7:00pm (also in Bob’s)
Concert Performance: 8:30pm
Thursday, April 6 :: Harris Concert Hall
DAR WILLIAMS (we expect she’ll sing about Iowa…)
Friday, April 7 :: Gardner Lounge
NO THINGS (former rhythm section of The Liars, punk rock)
Knife Skills (fiery gal-led Brooklyn trio, punk rock)
The Idols (campus band, punk rock)
Saturday, April 15 :: [Bobs] Underground Cafe
WOODEN WAND AND FRIENDS (folkey/psychedelic/jam/experimental music)
Las Mujeres (campus band’s debut)
Saturday, April 22 :: Jazz in Herrick Chapel
GEORGE ROBERT (Internationally renowned Swedish jazz saxophonist)
with backing band Ashanti (a six-piece latin jazz combo from nearby Pella, Iowa)
Friday, May 5th :: Harris Concert Hall, doors at 9:00pm
GHOSTFACE KILLAH formerly of the Wu-Tang Clan (No joke. This ain’t nothing to f__k with.)
Tuesday, May 9th :: Musik Haus / House of Fine Arts (1128 East St.) come early (7-ish) for BBQ!
THE PUNKS (Kill Rockstars’ house band featuring Grinnell alum [chavezjo])
Jon Benet Ramsey (campus band, metal)
Saturday, May 13 :: Gardner Lounge
The Robot Ate Me (Part lo-fi, part folkish pop songs)
Excepter (”synthetic protest band engineered to erase cultural distinctions through polarized confusion”)
Las Mujeres (campus band)
Fall 2005
Friday, Aug 26 :: Bob’s Underground Cafe
WILLIAM ELLIOT WHITMORE
Sam Knutson
Friday, Sept 9 :: Harris Center Concert Hall
HEIRUSPECS
Treologc
(a double dose of live hiphop)
Saturday, Sept 10 :: Gardner Lounge
DAVID ZOLLO (raspy blues-rock pianist from Iowa City)
Brother Trucker
Thursday, Sept 22 :: Gardner Lounge
DEERHOOF (cute ‘n fuzzy art rock)
Bird Names (lo-fi noise-pop featuring Grinnell alums/music scene vets [lineal04] and [caffee])
Language Gesture Misadventure (a campus band)
Sunday, Oct. 2 :: Art + Music House, 1128 East Street
Evan Greer Anne Feeney
(Radical folk music, in the literal sense!)
*starts at 8:00pm*
Monday, Oct. 3 :: Gardner Lounge
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum (expect ornate costumes, homemade instuments and GUTWRENCHING AVANT-METAL!)
The Billy Nayer Show
Wednesday, Oct. 5 :: Art + Music House
Laromlab (laptop-generated dance pop)
The Bloom (a campus band armed with dance beats and casiotones)
*starts at 8:00pm* (you’ll still have time for the pub)
Thursday, Oct. 6 :: [Bobs] Underground Cafe
Abi Tapia (a Grinnell alum and folk singer returns to share her songs)
Saturday, Oct. 8 :: Harris Concert Hall
TEGAN AND SARA
Northern State
Majorie Fair
Friday, Oct 28 :: Gardner Lounge
CALLA
Celebration
Princess
Friday, Nov 4 :: Gardner Lounge
3, 2, 1, ACTIVATE! (dance yr ass off)
Detholz! (”Defiantly nerdy and spazzy” - The Onion)
The Bloom (! <= we’ll give them an exclaimation point too)
Saturday, Nov 5 :: Gardner Lounge
SAXON SHORE (sweeping instrumental rock)
Anathallo (complete with sweet horn section and vocal harmonies)
Braille (melodic rock trio)
Friday, Nov 11 :: Gardner Lounge
LIMBECK (alt-country)
Apollo Sunshine (the name says it all)
Death Ships (good kids from Iowa City, self described “indie folk-pop”)
Saturday, Nov 12 :: Gardner Lounge
MINUS THE BEAR (proggish dance music or dancey prog-rock? you decide)
These Arms are Snakes (two parts jagged post-punk to one part hardcore)
Big Business (dig that fuzz bass!)
Friday, Dec 2 :: Gardner Lounge
HELL’S BELLS (Get thunderstruck by this tribute to AC/DC!)
Saturday, Dec 10 :: Gardner Lounge
HOCKEY NIGHT (rock and fuckin’ roll)
The Hong Kong Blondes (more rock and fuckin’ roll)
Spring 2005
Saturday, May 14 :: Gardner Lounge
PREFUSE 73 (IDM hip hop)
Battles (complex minimalist rock, guaranteed to blow your mind)
Beans (entertainingly angular hip hop)
Tuesday, May 10 :: Gardner Lounge
THE BOOKS (cello+folky acoustic guitar+found sound, electronically cut up and reassembled–arguably the most unique music you’ll hear all year)
Marah Mar (apocalyptic instrumental rock from Iowa City, also with a cello)
Friday, May 6 :: Harris Concert Hall
BUILT TO SPILL (there’s nothing wrong with love)
Mike Johnson (used to play bass for Dinosaur Jr.)
Hockey Night (no-holds-barred rock from St. Paul, perennial favorites at Grinnell)
Friday, April 29 :: Mac Field / Harris Concert Hall
CAKE (you don’t even have to go the distance to see ‘em)
Gomez (dreamy electro pop from the UK)
Robbers on High Street (no, not that High Street)
Wednesday, April 6 :: in [bobs] Underground Cafe
CALVIN JOHNSON (the legend behind K Records comes to share his songs and general wisdom…see a picture of Grinnellian [nedervel] on his web page)
Tuesday, April 5 :: Gardner Lounge
TICONDEROGA (a band made up of alums and sons of several Grinnell professors tours through their hometown)
Industrial Theme Park (an electro-rock campus band)
Saturday, March 5 :: Harris Concert Hall
BROTHER ALI (the Rhymesayers Collective member returns to Grinnell to represent Midwest hip hop)
Treologic (jazz-infused hip hop from Chicago)
Fall 2004
Tues, Aug 24 :: [Bobs] Underground Cafe, 3pm
MT. EERIE (The Microphones)
Woelv
Fri, Sept 17 :: Gardner Lounge
ENGINE DOWN
These Arms are Snakes
Sat, Sept 25 :: Gardner Lounge
THE REPUTATION
Marah-Mar
Sat, Oct 2nd :: Harris Concert Hall, 10:00 pm
Treologic
followed by
DJ Delwin “Pink” Pinkins
Fri, Oct 29th :: Gardner Lounge
THE BLOW
Yacht
Sat, Nov 6th :: Gardner Lounge
PINBACK
Earlimart
Aspects of Physics
Sun, Nov 7th :: Harris Concert Hall
LE TIGRE
The Gossip
Measles Mumps Rubella
Fri, Nov 12th :: Gardner Lounge
HOCKEY NIGHT
followed by a DANCE PARTY
Mon, Nov 15th :: Gardner Lounge
TED LEO & THE PHARMACISTS (Ben Folds-ish pop meets Thin Lizzy style rock)
The Tossers (Irish/celtic punk)
The Natural History (sounds like Spoon)
Sun, Nov 21st :: Gardner Lounge
LALI PUNA (Electronic music from Germany)
Styrofoam (from Brussles, laptop-based electronic pop)
The Go Find (a one-man electronic band, this time from Antwerp, Belgium)