Venue notes: Amelia's, Iowa City IA
Music club that went out of business in the late 80s. Tom Johnston writes:
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My wife was a student at the University of Iowa in '86 and while
she did not attend this [Feb 86 Hüsker] show she did go Amelia's....
Rumor was the owner had a large drug habit that 'consumed' the profits of
the club. It was located at 223 East Washington Street. Its theme was
Amelia Earhart and it had a large poster of her and a plane on the wall.
It may have been a few different bar/restaurants in the early 90s but
nothing that lasted. It is now [Oct 2002] an art materials store called
Dick Blick.
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Another correspondent who did attend the Hüsker Dü
show there in Feb 1986 recalls that openers Soul Asylum closed their
own set by covering "Pink Turns To Blue," then joined the Hüskers
onstage at the end of the evening for a joint encore.
David Murray, writing in July 2009, adds his thoughts about the club and discredits the
rumor above about its late owner:
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The owner of Amelia's died several years ago. She was a kind and decent human being who
nurtured 9 children. She ran one of the coolest restaurant/clubs in Iowa City ever —
Amelia's New York Style Deli, a place I worked at from 1983-86 as breakfast cook and
bartender. The manager brought in some of the best indy rock bands of the time including
the Replacements, Hüsker Dü and the Flaming Lips, all the while letting local
acts take the stage, too. The place was shut down because it was located next to the
Englert Movie Theater and the rock would overpower the movie's sound. Any other implication
as to its demise is unfair and petty. Jo was a great lady!
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[Do you have more information about this venue? Please
email me.]
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