The echo of stomping feet down wooden basement stairs rang out through the concrete basement practice space Dead Level Set used to prepare for upcoming shows. Acoustically, the room is ideal for the thumping, fast-paced sound the band deploys; even a footstep sounds good in the space. 

Adorned floor-to-ceiling in beautiful tapestries and dotted with multicolored skulls atop the band’s amps, the space feels fitting to the showy, electrifying performance style Dead Level Set emanates when playing. 

Consisting of three Iowa City locals, Clayton Schuneman, Jon Hansen, and Anthony Capozzi, Dead Level Set was formed in September 2025. Schuneman and Hansen have been playing separately in Iowa City for years, but it wasn’t until last year when the timing lined up and they decided to start combining their individual songwriting work and jam together. 

With Schuneman on bass and Hansen on guitar and vocals, they had to scout for a drummer before booking any shows. Luckily, through the local music pipeline, they heard about Capozzi, a drummer from Pittsburgh who recently moved to Iowa City. 

From there, rehearsals began. 

“Practices have evolved so much and so quickly since we started. The first practices were me learning two songs at a time,” Capozzi said. “But that added up and it came together rather quickly.”

Alternating between basements, the guys practice regularly before shows. They decide on a setlist based on the length of the set and atmosphere of the venue, but performance is considered thoroughly as well. 

“We change around what we make the opener and closer a lot. I think about what song would catch people’s attention and which one seems like a big ending, that’s important,” Schuneman said. “I think about starting and the finish first, then build the stuff in the middle after that.”

The audiences Dead Level Set have played for have been varied so far, as they have played at Trumpet Blossom Cafe, Gabe’s, Alleycat, Frat House, and at The Daily Iowan in their career so far. 

As the band earns its sea legs by adding more shows to its repertoire, Schuneman said there has been a conscious effort to play as many different kinds of venues as possible. 

“Being that we’re so new, we want to hear what we sound like in different settings and on different stages. The sound changes no matter where you’re at, it’s dictated by the layout of the room and size of the room,” Schuneman said. 

The concrete, tapestry laden rehearsal space the band is using for recording purposes provided optimal acoustics for the heavy, melodic rock and roll sound the band is becoming increasingly well known for. 

This sound is a result of myriad influences, mostly consisting of alternative rock bands. Fugazi, Sonic Youth, and Dinosaur Jr. are a few of the bands that inspired the sound of Dead Level Set but their inspiration impacted more than just the music. 

“Usker Doo is influential to me in terms of songwriting and because of what they were as a band. They’re a classic power trio and played kind of as a DIY project,” Hansen said. “They’re from Minneapolis and booked their own shows around the Midwest. The way the music sounds influenced me but also the way they structured the band and went around booking their own shows.”

The DIY nature of the band’s influences translate to the way they operate. Practices flow like a jam session among friends and the songs are mostly original compositions with a few covers thrown in to keep a crowd’s energy high. 

Each of the three artists have been playing instruments their whole lives, so the permeable practice spaces and quick turn around from formation to booking didn’t pose much of a challenge. 

“I teach drums and I was showing a student recently an old book I had learned out of. I was like, ‘See that date there? 2001. That was my first lesson.’ So it puts things in perspective,” Capozzi said. 

In their short time performing together, the guys have felt embraced by the broader Iowa City music scene. They’ve been invited back to Gabe’s a couple times and even have a show coming up there on April 11.

“As an outsider coming in, it’s been a really positive experience,” Capozzi said. “Everyone’s so supportive. I’ll go see a show and see people I recognize from different bands, like Jon jumped on stage to play with a band we played with a few weeks ago. It’s supportive and doesn’t seem cliquey.”

Hansen and Schuneman have previous experience playing music in Iowa City but noticed a shift after the COVID-19 pandemic. No shows were booked during the pandemic, Hansen said, and the scene came to a sudden halt. 

“Since then, the scene has come back super strong. There’s a really healthy biodiversity in local bands right now,” Hansen said. 

Dead Level Set is committed to the Iowa City scene but with an upcoming show in Des Moines have begun broadening their scope to the local region. Besides a bit of geographical expansion and recording their first record, the band is mostly focussed on the dynamics of the band. 

“Continuing to build a rapport with each other has been awesome so far and that’s the goal,” Capozzi said. “I’ve really enjoyed playing with these guys and want to continue building that chemistry.”