Inside Iowa State

March 13, 2009

Independent music makes M-Shop stop

by Erin Rosacker

The RedGorilla Music Fest, a showcase for independent musicians launched six years ago in Austin, Texas, is coming to the Memorial Union's Maintenance Shop March 22-24. Some regional bands will stop in Ames as they head home from the Austin event.

"RedGorilla is a great festival and has become what South By Southwest used to be for unsigned artists -- a way for them to be seen and heard by record execs and greater populations," said Steve Satterlee, MU coordinator of entertainment programs. "We are really lucky to get some of these acts touring through here on their way home from the festival, and it is a way for the M-Shop to help support new artists by giving them a place to play."

ISU's RedGorilla Music Fest will feature three bands each night. Some of the acts scheduled to play include:

• 3 Pill Morning, a rock and alternative band from Minneapolis
• Andy Elwell, an alternative singer and songwriter from Minneapolis
• Mighty Fairly, a rock band from Minneapolis
• MotionPilots, a rock band from Minneapolis
• Pictures of Then, a pop rock band from Minneapolis
• Tele, an alternative rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba

Performances begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 for the entire festival, or $4 for one night. The M-Shop box office is open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., or call 4-8349.

Regional independent musicians stop to perform at ISU as they return from an Austin music fest. Three bands will perform each night March 22-24 in the Maintenance Shop.