Iowa City's Infinite Dream Festival returns with Patti Smith, Andrew Bird and more
Iowa City's Infinite Dream Festival might be the only place where you can hear Patti Smith read selected works of her poetry and see a reimagination of Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham's 1973 debut album.
Infinite Dream Festival, a creation of the University of Iowa's Hancher Auditorium and the Office of Performing Arts and Engagement, begins Tuesday, Sept. 24, and runs through Sept. 28.
The annual celebration is headlined by legendary singer-songwriter and poet Patti Smith and anchored by other acts, such as a collaboration between pianist Conrad Tao and tap dancer Caleb Teicher, singer-songwriter John Moreland, and comedian Hari Kondabolu.
Last year's inaugural festival was spread across 10 days in October. The 2024 version has been shortened to five days in September.
Infinite dreams spread across multiple venues, genres
The multidisciplinary festival casts a wide net of performances, presentations, and discussions that explore the complex nature of the American story.
"It's a very open prompt to the artist," said André Perry, executive director of Hancher Auditorium and the Office of Performing Arts and Engagement at the University of Iowa. "It's meant to be overbearing, but it's meant to just give a bit of purpose and a little bit of hope, like, for the artist, and then for us as audience members, (as) we connect as deeply or as lightly as we want to to the theme of the festival."
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Bringing music and performances to the people
In its second year, Infinite Dream will be hosted at various spaces throughout Hancher, including more intimate spaces like the Strauss Hall. Various events will also be held across Iowa City, including the historic Englert Theatre and James Theater.
Tickets are available on the Hancher Auditorium website. Guests can purchase individual tickets, a four-show pass for $80 or an eight-show pass for $150. Students can buy passes for four shows at a discounted rate of $30 or eight for $50.
The 2024 festival offers a discounted 25-and-under pass for four or eight shows at just $30, making it more accessible to young professionals in Iowa City.
"(We wanted to) acknowledge that, like, sometimes you're in that like, period that's like, maybe you went to college, and you're like, out of college, and you're still figuring it out, and you still don't have like, all this cash, you know, like, maybe some people do, but we just want to make sure that it's, like, super accessible in terms of people being able to, like, take a chance on something and not feel like they've spent, you know, all their discretionary income for that month."
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Infinite Dream's must-see performances
The unique Iowa City festival features several free events, including a poetry reading with Patti Smith at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27, at the Englert Theatre.
The Infinite Dream Festival aims to offer unique programming not often found at Hancher, fostering a space for creativity and conversation.
A 2024 highlight is Meshell Ndegeocello's performance of "No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin."
The multidisciplinary work fuses elements of music, spoken word, and visual arts to guide audiences through a meditation on Baldwin's life and legacy for new audiences. Ndegeocello, a Grammy award-winning artist, is celebrated for her deep grooves and genre-defying compositions while exploring themes of race, gender, and politics.
An ode to a rock legend
Andrew Bird and Maddison Cunningham will perform a reimagination of Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham's 1973 debut album, "Buckingham Nicks" on Friday, Sept. 27. The longtime indie rockers debuted the experimental project in July at the Newport Folk Festival. The 1973 cult classic, "Buckingham Nicks" introduced the world to Buckingham's intricate guitar work and Nicks' distinctive vocals. Bird and Cunningham bring a contemporary twist to the album in a can't-miss event.
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Finding a good laugh
Four different variations of Stamptown Comedy Night, a comedy show that pushes the traditional boundaries through a mix of stand-up, sketch, and musical comedy, will be offered at James Theater during the Infinite Dream Festival. Founded by Zach Zucker, Stamptown Comedy Night received critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the troupe's avant-garde approach to comedy.
"Yes, we can see readings or rock shows almost any week in Iowa City. But, you will not be able to see this frequently," Perry said of the festival's unique lineup.
Infinite Dream Schedule
Tuesday, Sept. 24: Conrad Tao and Caleb Teicher at Hancher
Thursday, Sept. 26 Hari Kondabolu at Hancher Strauss Hall
Friday, Sept. 27: Patti Smith: A reading of selected poetry at the Englert
Friday, Sept. 27: Andrew Bird and Maddison Cunningham at The Englert
Friday, Sept. 27: Stamptown Comedy Night at the James Theater
Saturday, Sept. 28: Patti Smith and Her Band at Hancher
Saturday, Sept. 28: Stamptown Comedy Night at the James Theater
Saturday, Sept. 28: Aja Monet at Hancher Strauss Hall
Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Explore the American story during Iowa City's Infinite Dream Festival
