We interrupt today’s regularly scheduled blog in order to plug Joel and Linda’s joint.
Cale Tyson, named last year by Rolling Stone as one of the “10 New Artists You Need to Know,” will perform at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at River’s Edge Gallery in Muscatine, which is owned by my friends, Joel and Linda Smyers. The show is part of their House Concert Series in which they convert their Muscatine gallery and frame shop into an intimate concert hall and invite 60 or so of their friends to come over for the evening. Tickets are $25 each and guests are encouraged to bring a dish to share and whatever is their beverage of choice.
There are plenty of tickets still available for Sunday night’s show, and, to be honest, today’s blog is aimed at maybe 10 to 12 regular readers who:
- Live in — or near — Muscatine.
- Have attended past shows in this series and just haven’t purchased tickets yet for this time around.
- Seem to like many of the things I like and are game for trying something new, but have just never experienced Joel and Linda’s joint. You really ought to give it a shot Sunday night.
Kathy Kuhl has a nice story about Joel, Linda, the gallery and the concert series in the newest edition of Muscatine Magazine for anyone who wants more details than will be offered here today.
I haven’t seen every show at River’s Edge, but I haven’t missed many of them. And you’ll never see a bad show — especially if you like traditional country, bluegrass and other genres of American music that aren’t often played on the radio. I’ve learned to trust Joel, who sings himself and plays mandolin and guitar in the Creepin’ Charlies, an eastern Iowa band. If he says a band is good, it’s a sure thing that I’m going to like it. And I think some of you would, too.
Joel and Linda bought River’s Edge in 2007 after he retired from Bandag Corp. They started the concert series as a way to get more people in the door to see the 300-some pieces of framed art displayed in the gallery, a converted 1890 two-story house.
In the magazine, Joel says business at the gallery has improved every year compared to the previous year. Still, I’m pretty sure putting on the House Concert Series is, in large part, a labor of love. I don’t suppose Joel and Linda are getting rich by staging these shows, but life in Muscatine is richer because of their effort.
So, if you live in Muscatine and happen to be reading this blog, please join me in helping Joel and Linda. Buy some tickets for Sunday night and for upcoming shows in the House Concert Series in the months and years to come.
You’ll be glad you did.
Brome Hill 