It doesn’t take much to inspire the musicians of Sarah Cram and the Derelicts. The band looks no further than its surroundings to create songs that resonate deeply with its listeners. “Similar to...

Mike Grubbs is in a rush. He has been on the run since 9 a.m., hastily getting ready for the drive to Canada for the start of Wakey!Wakey!’s November tour. This lifestyle vaguely resembles that of 10...

Megan McCormick wants to know her fans. The Nashville musician encourages her listeners and others to contact her online — just one gesture that expresses the character of the young performer and one...

*** 1/2 out of ***** Philadelphia band Sun Airway is the new kid on the indie block this year. The group has had a busy year after first showing up on the radar with a dreamy remix of Spanish dance masters...

When Daniel Kraus walked into his first class as a University of Iowa freshman, he never thought he would find himself in that same lecture hall 15 years later listening to the same man who inspired him...

Edmundo Paz-Soldán of Cornell University will read at Prairie Lights Books, 15 S. Dubuque St., at 5:30 p.m. today from two of his books as well as segments of his forthcoming novel. The professor of Latino...

*** out of ***** Jaws wired shut, obscene amounts of blood, and saws flying toward your head — it’s everything viewers have come to love in a Saw movie, but this time the gory mess is enhanced by...

This year, Earthwords celebrates its 30th anniversary by releasing its biggest issue ever. The publication has given undergraduate students the opportunity to showcase their writing in various genres...

When Miles Nielsen gives a songwriting workshop, he likes to keep things awkward. “Songwriting is very personal, and I love the first 25 minutes of awkwardness where no one wants to say anything,”...

In Susannah, the lead character faces slander and accusations about her sexual behavior, and when she is not accepted by her community, she’s forced to find an inner strength. Some may say her story...

Caroline Sheerin aspires to be “Glee” actress Jane Lynch. Or at least the TV show inspired the 38-year-old to audition for a play for the first time since high school. “Getting back into it didn’t...

When China native Xin Feng told her mother she wanted to study abroad, her mother suggested America. Her mother said Feng should see the superpower. Feng disagreed, but her mother insisted. “She told...