With the onset of the Mission Creek Music Festival in Iowa City, showcasing performances by over fifty bands from March 27th through April 1st, many are already compiling itineraries of where to go and who to listen to. All of the major music venues in town (The Mill, Gabe’s, Blue Moose Taphouse, The Yacht Club, the Englert Theater, and even Deadwood) have the six days jam-packed with local, regional, and nationally touring acts, which music-goers have been preparing for since the billings were released months ago. However, another local business is getting in on the scene, one which has come as a surprise to many: Pizza On Dubuque.
Since 2000, Pizza On Dubuque has been offering fresh handmade pies downtown with a classy attitude and friendly workers. Their building has two floors of seating, the upstairs mainly used as a study area and for occasional poetry readings, until recently when a friend of the shop, Christy Brown-Kwaiser, decided to start hosting weekly free evening music shows.
“It all started when Al [one of the owners of P.O.D.’s] realized that in order for him to continue his passion for attending music festivals was to make food, and thus the idea for Pizza On Dubuque came about. Years later, when I became involved with the shop, I decided to have a music show involving [local band] The Twelve Canons, which was very successful. I moved to Sacramento and lived there for the past five years. Recently, when talking with those running the open mic/comedy show over at the Yacht Club, I decided I wanted to host a weekly show which would host a variety of music. What I wish to create is a nontraditional venue for people to interact with music and musicians in a comfortable and living environment. It’s meant to be free and open for all genres of music and audiences.”
Usually on Thursday nights, from 9pm until midnight, P.O.D. has showcased a variety of performers, from saxophonist Pete Balestrieri (of The Violent Femmes fame), local violin virtuoso Hannah Drollinger, the space punk rock opera group TECHNO-LINCOLN and The Technicolor Union, and a score of singer-songwriters. This week Pizza On Dubuque will host: Old Man Charlie and Rachel Marie on Tuesday night, from 6pm-8pm; The Bohemian Fiddler with Milk & Eggs on Thursday, 6pm-8pm; and TECHNO-LINCOLN and The Technicolor Union with The Men From Beyond starting at 11pm.
Free live music and pizza, it seems to be a winning combination.
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