Mission Creek: Dinosaur Feathers, etc.

So, the annual Mission Creek Music Festival in Iowa City is ramping up, and a couple of shows on Tuesday helped to set the stage for what promises to be a memorable four-day stretch from now through Saturday. I caught two shows and the result was pretty much what I expected.

First up, Dinosaur Feathers, a fantastic new Brooklyn combo that earns some comparisons to Vampire Weekend thanks to its jaunty, poppy sound. But what sets DF apart is a lot of great harmony singing. The band’s songs are tight and sprightly, with solid melodies and simple instrumentation. The harmony singing, however, elevates what might otherwise be fairly standard songs. All three members sing, often tackling countermelodies that add some texture. Musically, the band’s set up of bass strummed more like a guitar, finger-picked acoustic guitar and keyboards is augmented by rather elaborate drum-machine beats. That worked fine for this very small, laid-back venue, but the lads will need a real live drummer if they expect to get anywhere. That said, the songs from the group’s debut, Fantasy Memorial, were very nice, proving they can do more than record.

That show wrapped up in time to go catch a few songs by the Cave Singers. I had heard of, but not heard the band before seeing the show, and that left me with a strange reaction. Had I heard the band’s two solid albums beforehand, I likely would have been disappointed in the lack of nuance in its live sound. As it was, I was simply surprised at the descriptions I’d read, which seemed to be for a different band. The room was packed, which didn’t help my reaction, and the awful sightlines led me to expect a different setup than I eventually spied when I moved off to the side of the stage. One guitar, one part-time drummer and a singer were kicking up a lot of racket. It wasn’t bad, but I prefer the albums I hunted down today than the live version.

Next up: Tonight brings Booker T, Tune-Yards and more. Check back all week for updates.