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Must-see Iowa City concerts include The Indigo Girls and viral sensation Mason Ramsey

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Must-see Iowa City concerts include The Indigo Girls and viral sensation Mason Ramsey


Spring has almost arrived, bringing warmer weather, blooming flowers, and notable concerts.

From the Mission Creek Festival to critically acclaimed acts or your favorite new band, here is a round-up of spring concerts in the Iowa City area.

More: Goodbye, winter. The first day of spring is rapidly approaching for Iowa.

Mission Creek Music Festival (April 4-6)

Mission Creek is an annual music festival in its 19th season, bringing esteemed and local acts together April 4-6. The festival unfolds in downtown Iowa City, hosted at iconic, cozy locations like the esteemed Englert Theatre and the newly refurbished Riverside Theatre. Highlights include Neko Case, Osees, Indigo DeSouza, local acts Bootcamp, and The Blake Shaw Big(ish) Band.

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Tickets went on sale in December, but passes are still available. A weekend-long pass costs $115; single-day passes cost $55.

More: Neko Case headlines 19th annual Mission Creek Festival held April 4-6 in Iowa City

Oumou Sangaré (April 12)

Oumou Sangaré is an acclaimed Malian singer-songwriter who rose to prominence in the 1990s with her powerful voice and socially conscious lyrics, often addressing issues such as women’s rights and African identity. Sangaré is touring her for recent release, “Timbuktu,” written during the COVID lockdowns. “Timbuktu” blends sounds of traditional West African music and American Blues to create a unique listening experience. Sangaré will perform at The Englert Theatre on April 12, and tickets are still available.

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 12

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Where: The Englert Theatre, 221 E Washington St., Iowa City

Price:$10-40.17

More: Iowa dog breeder blames ‘brainless’ women for criminal charges

Ratboys (April 12)

Ratboys is an indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2010. The band gained attention with its debut album, “AOID,” released in 2015. They are currently touring to promote their most recent release, “The Window.” Ratboys brings its infectious melodies, intricate guitar work, and emotive storytelling to Gabe’s on April 12 with supporting act Ducks Ltd. Tickets are on sale now.

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When: 8 p.m. Friday, April 12

Where: Gabe’s, 330 E Washington St., Iowa City

Price: $20+

More: A southern twist: Raising Cane’s opening downtown Iowa City location

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Indigo Girls (April 17 and April 18)

The Indigo Girls have sold millions of records thanks to their chart-topping song “Closer to Fine,” which helped fuel their debut in 1987. The Grammy-winning group continues to share their folk-rock sound during regular tours. The Indigo Girls recently performed at the Englert Theatre in November and are returning to the historic theatre on April 17 and April 18, with tickets starting at $59.

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 17 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 18

Where: The Englert Theatre, 221 E Washington St, Iowa City

Price: $59+

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Mason Ramsey (April 20)

Mason Ramsey, also known as “The Walmart Yodeling Kid,” is an American singer and internet sensation who gained widespread attention in 2018. Ramsey has continued to pursue his music career since becoming a viral sensation and has demonstrated his versatility, expanding his repertoire beyond traditional country music. Ramsey will perform April 20 at Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon. Tickets are on sale now.

When: 7 p.m. Saturday, April 20

Where: Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon, 4919 Walleye Dr. SE, Iowa City

Price: $18+

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Caroline Rose

Caroline Rose is an American singer-songwriter and musician known for her eclectic blend of indie rock, pop, and alternative music. Rose is celebrated for her boundary-pushing creativity and brings a dynamic live performance to the Englert Theatre on April 23. General admission tickets start at $25.

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday April 23

Where: The Englert Theatre, 221 E Washington St, Iowa City

Price: $25+

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Other Notable Acts Performing in Eastern Iowa

Breaking Benjamin − 7 p.m. Friday, April 5 at Alliant Energy Powerhouse, Cedar Rapids

Queensryche − 8 p.m. Sunday, April 8 at Alliant Energy Powerhouse, Cedar Rapids

Cake − 8 p.m. Friday, May 10 at McGrath Amphitheatre, Cedar Rapids

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_



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Class of 2027 QB Accepting Iowa State Football Challenge

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Class of 2027 QB Accepting Iowa State Football Challenge


The Iowa State Cyclones have been making up for lost time recently, securing commitments from several high school football players to bolster their Class of 2027.

After some recent commitments, there are now 14 players committed to play for head coach Jimmy Rogers in the future. Two of them happen to be quarterbacks, Cash Hollingshead and Blake Moser.

Both players took part in camps recently in Ames and performed well enough to receive scholarship offers. They didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity, accepting the offers shortly after receiving them.

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However, they won’t be competing against each other on the quarterback depth chart in the future. Instead, Hollingshead is going to be targeting Moser in the passing game, with the talented athlete officially accepting a challenge from the Cyclones.

Iowa State secures commitment from Blake Moser

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Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers talks to media during Cyclone Tailgate Tour at Curate on may 18, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Moser took part in the drills at camp at wide receiver and has committed to Iowa State, looking to give the skill position a chance instead of accepting an offer from the Portland State Vikings, Idaho Vandals, Montana Grizzlies or Northern Arizona Lumberjacks to play quarterback.

“I want to play receiver, and I really like what’s going on here,” Moser said, via Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required).

Listed at 6 feet and 180 pounds, Moser was as dynamic with his legs as his arm during his junior year. He completed 155-of-233 pass attempts for 2,612 yards with 39 touchdowns and only six interceptions.

On the ground, he racked up 850 yards and 16 touchdowns, showing incredible athleticism that Rogers and Iowa State are going to look to take full advantage of, initiating his transition to wide receiver.

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Blake Moser has athleticism to successfully transition to wide receiver

Oct 25, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Houston Cougars wide receivers coach Derrick Sherman against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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Moser impressed during his opportunity at camp, showing incredible speed in his 40-yard dash and a skill set the coaching staff thinks will translate to wide receiver after playing quarterback and running back in high school.

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“I ran a 4.37 for my 40, so I think initially they liked my speed and then my playmaking ability.

“When I was running one-on-ones, like even in high school I’ve been playing quarterback and running back, but was able to go out and get some really good reps. (Coach Jimmy Rogers) just told me I’m just good at football and one of those players that they really want to develop,” the Lake Stevens product said.

It will certainly be interesting to see how his senior year goes. Knowing that a positional change is coming once he begins his career with the Cyclones, it is fair to wonder if he will start the transition during his senior year with Lake Stevens.

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A quick case for more Iowa optimism

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A quick case for more Iowa optimism


Noah Gratias is an Iowa State alum from Waukee.

Whether in political debates, Bleeding Heartland essays, or everyday conversations, the idea that Iowa is in decline is frequently invoked. Many Iowans worry about brain drain, water quality, health care access, and the job market.

Still, Iowa is better off than much of this rhetoric suggests. By many measures that count, including affordability, education, and health care, Iowa remains one of the country’s best places to live.

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Iowa State is the Perfect Team to Rebuild in College Football 27

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Iowa State is the Perfect Team to Rebuild in College Football 27


EA Sports College Football 27 is right around the corner, and fans can’t wait to play the new edition of the game. With new features including NIL, stadium builder, and a revamped road to glory, the game is once again going to be better than ever.

But of course, the main game mode that most fans like to play is dynasty. And the Iowa State Cyclones may be the perfect team to rebuild in College Football 27.

Iowa State is entering a new era. After former head coach, Matt Campbell, left for the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Cyclones have now hired Jimmy Rogers to take over the program. In the video game, you can start the dynasty fresh, with a new roster, a new coach, and new goals.

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Speaking of the roster, Iowa State has tons of young, intriguing talent for next season. They have Cameron Pettaway, a freshman All-American who still has three years of eligibility, Omari Hayes who still has two years left, and Montreze Smith who still has three years, and a young offensive line as well. This team has a lot of fun young pieces.

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The Cyclones fanbase is big, and they are passionate as well. Coming from Iowa, many midwestern college football fans pick Iowa State as their team. And their stadium backs that claim up. 61,500 seats is no small stadium by any means. The fans are rowdy, loud, and often have themes that look aesthetic as well.

In addition, the Cyclones’ jerseys are wonderful. Of course, they have their iconic home red uniforms, but also have away ones with red and yellow accents as well. Their blackout and whiteout jerseys are unbelievable as well, and super unique compared to the rest of the country. Their throwback uniform perfectly becomes the final touch to a perfect collection. Those are going to be very fun to use in game.

Overall, Iowa State is quite the team to use in College Football 27. It’s not the flashiest program, or one that can compete for a championship in year one, but a process that will take some time, but lead to great results. If you want a team that is entering a new era, has intriguing young talent, has a big fanbase and stadium, and provides jerseys that look great, you have to perfect the program to rebuild in the new video game coming this summer.

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