So Mission Creek 2009 is done, leaving us exhausted, relieved, and ready to not think about music at all for at least a week. Fortunately for us, baseball season is here! This young season, not yet a week old, has already been marred by tragedy, leaving the baseball world devastated. No word yet on how the Angels will mourn this loss, but for the other 29 teams, the show must go on. May this be the only blemish on what promises to be an exciting season, with several teams emerging as legit contenders. Of course, everyone is already sick of hearing about the AL East spending wars, but as a Red Sox fan I’ll be most interested in seeing how that division plays out. Can the Rays continue last season’s unexpected success? Can the Yankees buy their way back into the playoffs, or will their collection of galacticos fizzle under the weight of their contracts? And lastly, will the Red Sox contingency on the health of their veterans cause them to underperform? You probably don’t care, Cubs fans of Iowa City, but maybe you want to check out these events this weekend. Thanks to everyone who came out for the Mission Creek shows last weekend. We hope you had a blast.

Thursday
Burning Star Core, Wasteland Jazz Unit, others / 204 N. Gilbert / 9:30pm / $5
Epic out music house show at Chris W’s house featuring a pair of Cincinnatti groups in Burning Star Core and Wasteland Jazz Unit. Lwa, Horsebladder, and Abelar Scout play too. Expect chaos to ensue. Should be awesome.

Friday
Non-Fiction Thesis Readings / PS1 / 7pm / FREE
Public Space ONE is super jazzed to be presenting this year’s Non-Fiction Workshop Thesis Readings. This should be a great way to get in touch with some of the fine voices coming out of Iowa’s famed writing program this year. Swing by at 7 to check it out and have a look at the current gallery installation, featuring MFA candidate John Engelbrecht. This event is totally free and open to all.

Saturday
Richard Buckner with Ed Gray / Mill / 9pm / $12
Richard Buckner is something of a modern alt-folk legend. Currently signed to famed indie label Merge Records, he has been recording albums since the early 90s and is well noted for his unconventional take on songwriting on early albums such as Devotion + Doubt. His last album, Meadow, came out in 2006 and shows the artist aging gracefully with the help fo members of Guided By Voices as his backing band. Local out-folk singer/all around awesome dude Ed Gray opens.

Those of you looking to get more adventurous may want to make the trip to Grinnell College for a solo performance by Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu.