Bicycle tires may screech (or maybe simply stop) in downtown Iowa City on June 27 as Day 6 of RAGBRAI halts for a day/night of live music and entertainment. The afternoon and evening will be filled with a variety of folk-rock, country, and eclectic alternatives that will represent the spirit of Iowa City.
The session will begin on the Main Stage, Clinton and Iowa, at 4 p.m. and last until 10 p.m. Spectators will hear a variety of music from major headliners and local Iowa City favorites.
Opening on the Main Stage will be University of Iowa graduate and local Iowa City artist James Tutson with the Rollback. Tutson’s style of gospel and soul melds well with his band, and the Rollback’s rock creates an inspiring message that can be heard on its d ébut album, On Hope.
Local artist Elizabeth Moen will add another Iowa City voice to the Main Stage. A recent graduate of the University of Iowa, Moen has a statewide following that, given her talent, could easily expand throughout her career.
One of the alternative country-rock bands headlining the Main Stage will be Blitzen Trapper of Portland, Oregon. The group has created and performed its brand of music since the early 2000s and has had a recent musical comeback with its ninth studio release, Wild and Reckless.
The last headliner for the Main Stage will be Minneapolis rock band the Jayhawks. The members have traveled through four decades together with their evolving music, and they can deliver alt-country rock and know how to fashion an American rock performance.
The side stage, Linn and Washington, will run from noon until 8 p.m. and will include a different range of local artists and fun competitions to keep the crowds moving.
Up first on the Side Stage will be the Dana T Big Band, which will deliver nothing short of a wild spectacle of jazz, rock, and improvisation. Lead vocalist Dana Telsrow always delivers a theatrical performance that will brighten up the cyclists’ long morning and move more sedentary locals as well.
Kingbolt will join the stage to play folk-rock that has gained popularity in the Iowa City community, if indeed its popularity ever waned. Described in a Facebook post as a midlife crisis hobby band, Kingbolt’s humble music plays on.
Hailing from Rock Island, Sister Wife travels around the country to perform its edgy music. The two have gained popularity in the indie community, and their audience continues to expand.
The Cedar County Cobras will wrap up the live music on the Side Stage with its old-school country twangs and modern soulful blues. The group travels across the region and gained a reputation for its inexplicable sound.
The Side Stage will also host an IC RAGBRAI break-dancing competition in which 16 of the best break-dancers from across the state will battle in a winner-takes-all show hosted by Chuy Renteria, local breaker and hip-hop instructor at the UI.
A DJ competition and dance party will close the night with energy and movement.
All the entertainment is free and open to the public