Musical Bars

Pictured: Eric Dirks drums his way through the night on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at the Yacht Club. His band is so fresh, they haven't even picked a name yet.

-photo by Zach Spittler

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Even though the live music scene in Iowa City has flourished for decades, fewer local bars host live music regularly than in years past. Local club managers state their reasons for either promoting live performance or focusing on different aspects of the city's night life.

By Zach Spittler

Iowa City. A virtuous creature. Not only does she house some of the best minds in our nation, she gives the state of Iowa a culture like none other. Her theater productions give the community flare. Her visual arts typify her flashy personality. And the melodies she sings permeate the consciousness of the rest of the world. She truly is beautiful.

But as of late, it seems like her voice has flattened out a bit. The sheer volume of legitimate live music venues in Iowa City has dropped off significantly in the last 20 years. Though, it’s not for a lack of bars. The city’s night life is definitely more than lively, with over 40 bars in a five-block radius.

So what determines whether or not a club will host live music? Is it just the bottom line? Is it a predetermined dedication to foster a thriving musical community? For the Yacht Club, it’s definitely the latter.

A Helping Hand

“The reason I chose to work here is that this [bar] is just more entertaining,” said Sam Ehlinger, a bartender, music scheduler, and promoter at the three-year-old Yacht Club. “I didn’t like being part of a formula of people just doing shots and leaning over a bar, singing ‘Living On a Prayer.’”

Ehlinger says he and Yacht Club Owner Scott Kading realize the give-and-take atmosphere that needs to take place for live music to thrive.

“Bands like the Death Ships and Euforquestra practice here,” Ehlinger said, noting how places like his establishment can help the bands even more than they help themselves. When local act Public Property lost $12,000 in equipment to theft, the Yacht Club held an open jam, donating a portion of door sales and taking donations for the cause.

“Those bands have been the core of this place, so I think it’s really cool for places like this to book those shows and help them out like that, Ehlinger said.” The Mill hosted a similar event in February, after local band Firewood Revival’s house burned down. [video]

And, according to Ehlinger, a venue itself can even get a band together.

“Things like the jam [we host] are great for a couple musicians who are looking for someone with a similar style, so they can get together and get something started.”

But with those larger establishments, prominence for a band may not even affect who plays. Rather, it’s all about the bottom line.
“You don’t see those guys stepping up to the plate at all,” Ehlinger said. “They would never mess with Thursday/Friday/Saturday, because they [already] have a formula.”

And that’s an assertion with which Jeff Maynes, the manager of The Union Bar, doesn’t necessarily disagree.

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