Mr. Softheart, Poly Mall Cops, Virga, & Blanky

Mr. Softheart
Named an "Artist to Watch in 2024" by Iowa Public Radio, Mr. Softheart has drawn comparisons to Suicide, Viagra Boys, Nick Cave, LCD Soundsystem, and The Cramps. Their sound blends post-punk, new wave, dance, and experimental elements, culminating in a setlist of “moody meditations” centered around lead singer Nick Fisher’s wry poetics and arch stage persona.

John Fisher on synth, Charlie Patterson on guitar, and the recent addition of Halen Becker on vocals and synth rounds out the 4-piece’s atmospheric sound which can be heard on their debut record Magdalene In Crisis, released digitally and on cassette via Des Moines-based tape label Warm Gospel in December of 2023.

Greg Wheeler & the Poly Mall Cops
Straight out of Des Moines, IA, aka the ninth best place to live in the entire world, Greg Wheeler and the Poly Mall Cops deliver manic garage punk slime at its finest — whatever that means. Greg Wheeler (Night Stories, The Wheelers, The Slats) joins Jill McLain-Meister and friendly neighborhood barber Hutch to form an unusual and frantic chemistry that leaves you winded, but thirsty for more. Their 2023 debut full length, Manic Fever, out on High Dive Records, is a fitting follow up to their previous 7-inch releases – packing a punch with twelve high energy bangers.

Merging the sounds of past punk acts like the Wipers and The Rats with the modern garage leanings of acts like Thee Oh Sees and Jay Reatard, Greg Wheeler and the Poly Mall Cops add a fresh energy to the Midwest scene. The band has shared the stage with crowd favorites like Viagra Boys, Death Valley Girls, Downtown Boys, The Shivas, No Age, Colleen Green, Ebony Tusks, Bob Log III and Dressy Bessy.

Virga
Lawrence, KS-based dark dream pop quartet Virga formed in late 2022 and are quickly gaining fans with their unique Gothic Americana sound.  

Blanky
Aptly described as a mix of Mazzy Star and The Breeders, Lawrence, KS-based Blanky blends together the billowy saturation of shoegaze, the jangly guitar tones of early surf and the vocal-centric lyricism of 60's folk noir. While some songs are as straight as an arrow, bouncing along to a pulsing beat, others are composed with much less rigidity, gracefully falling apart only to piece themselves back together. Drenched in spring reverb and broken with fuzzed-out guitar feedback, their compositions are both hypnotic and dynamic

Fronted by songwriter and guitarist, Anthony Cunard, the lineup has evolved from album to album with the current roster consisting of Edward MaDill on bass and Jacob Eckhardt on drums. With stark dreamscapes and palpable imagery, the three-piece captures the imagination with their one-of-a-kind performance.

www.sub.iastate.edu/mshop | www.mrsoftheart.tv | www.polymallcops.com | virgaks.bandcamp.com/album/virga | blanky.bandcamp.com/album/blood-harmony

TICKETING NOTES: All sales are final | A 3% processing fee is applied to online purchases | All tickets are subject to a non-refundable $2 MidwesTIX service fee | Ticket prices increase $2 day-of-show | Each and every ISU student ticket will require a valid, unique ISU student ID at the door to avoid an upcharge to the public price.

-- Proof of age required for alcohol purchases --
    (selection of beer/wine/hard-seltzers available)