Max Ames Music Festival is back with 104 free concerts at 21 venues

The four-day Maximum Ames Music Festival is back this month and bigger than ever, with 104 bands playing at 21 Ames venues.

The festival's 11th year will run Sept. 21-24, free of charge.

Many artists hail from Iowa, though the festival does pull out-of-state talent as well, like Jon Wayne from Minnesota and The Scott Yoder Band from Seattle.

A wide range of genres are represented in the 2023 lineup, with acts including comedians, a face painter and drum circles.

“It’s fun to see the collaborations between different bands that are playing at the same venue the same night that maybe otherwise wouldn’t have met,” Maximum Ames Music Festival organizer Sarah Story said.

Story the festival several times in the past, and this year took over as the event’s organizer.

“It’s amazing that we have so much talent locally,” Story said. “The music festival is a very neat way to let new musicians have a platform and let seasoned musicians play a mentoring role.”

Free performances are one of the many highlights of 2023's Maximum Ames Festival, with several artists performing purely out of love and for the thrill, hoping to pull in a few monetary tips along the way.

“I’m grateful for that,” Story said. “We don’t have much of a budget, so it’s appreciated that they’re willing to put in their time and talent for the purpose of sharing their music.”

Iowa City-based band Miss Christine returns as a festival highlight again.

“Miss Christine has a pretty amazing message that really resonates with people — a message about acceptance and diversity,” Story said. “That really fits with the whole concept of Maximum Ames and bringing people together.”

When does the music start?

Emily Hileman opens the action at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, with a performance at Stam Chocolate in downtown Ames. Vella and Tabbi will also take the stage at 5:30 at Morning Bell Coffee in addition to Jordan Messerole, who kicks their act at 5:30 p.m. at Dog-Eared Books.

The Mucky Duck kicks off the first of its four performances at 6 p.m. Sept. 21 with comedian Ben Bolluyt.

Friday’s lineup on Sept. 22 begins with Rachel Greene’s performance at 5 p.m. at Stam. The Ames City Hall auditorium will host a pair of concerts Friday night, with Brooks Strause hitting the stage at 7 p.m. followed by Todd Patridge at 8 p.m.

Torrent Brewing Company will host three bands on day two, beginning with Redzband at 6 p.m.

The Ames Public Library will initiate the action early for day three on Saturday, Sept. 23, by hosting a Drum Iowa drum circle at 10 a.m., followed by Yoga with Taylor Bear at noon.

Torrent will host six performances Saturday afternoon and evening, beginning with Keith Rich at 2 p.m. while Seth Cloe and the Silver Liners will close out the evening at 9:30 p.m.

Burgie’s Coffee in south Ames christens the final day of performances on Sunday, Sept. 24, with Rylee Foreman taking the stage at 11 a.m.

The Angry Irishman rounds out a whirlwind four days with Greg Wheeler and the Poly Mall Cops gracing the stage at 10 p.m. Sunday evening.

What are the venues for Maximum Ames Music Festival in 2023?

• Ames City Auditorium, 520 Sixth St.

• Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Ave.

• The Angry Irishmen, 119 Main St.

• Burgie’s Coffee South, 110 Airport Road

• Chocolaterie Stam, 230 Main St.

• Clouds, 119 Stanton Ave.

• Cornbred, 526 Main St.

• Della Viti, 323 Main St.

• Dog-Eared Books, 203 Main St.

• Great Harvest Bakery and Cafe, 502 Burnett Ave.

• KHOI Community Radio, 622 Douglas Ave.

• Little Woods Herbal, 136 Main St.

• London Underground, 212 Main St.

• Morning Bell Coffee Roasters, 111 Main St.

• The Mucky Duck Pub, 3100 S. Duff Ave.

• Noir, 405 Kellogg Ave.

• Sweet Caroline’s Kitchen & Cocktails, 316 Main St.

• Time Out, 120 Kellogg Ave.

• Torrent Brewing Company, 504 Burnett Ave.

• Wheatsfield Cooperative, 413 Northwestern Ave.

• 313 Bar & Lounge, 115 Fifth St.

Max Ames lineup for Thursday, Sept. 21

Mucky Duck

6 p.m. — Ben Bolluyt comedy

6:15 p.m. — Axel Zumwalt comedy

7 p.m. — 1997

9 p.m. — Reggie Greenlaw

Stam Chocolate

5:30 p.m. — Emily Hilleman

London Underground

7 p.m. — Matt Woods

10 p.m. — Ben Schrag and the Cautionaries

Time Out

7 p.m. — Tom Hummer

Morning Bell Coffee

5:30 p.m. — Vella and Tabbi

Noir

5 p.m. — Scott Yoder Band

7 p.m. — Kelli Rae Powell

Della Viti

8:30 p.m. — Rush Cleveland

Dog-Eared Books

5:30 p.m. — Jordan Messerole

Torrent

7 p.m. — Chris Patterson

313 Bar and Lounge

Time TBD — Another Lost Year

Time TBD — Jake Kemble with Kick

Max Ames lineup for Friday, Sept. 22

Angry Irishman

9 p.m. — Bleujack

10 p.m. — Parabola

11:15 p.m. — King Wylde Band

Mucky Duck

5:30 p.m. — Eric Timmons

7 p.m. — Dick Danger Band

9:30 p.m. — Crash Cuddle

Stam Chocolate

5 p.m. — Rachel Greene

London Underground

6 p.m. — Paige Clouse

8 p.m. — Luke Fox

10 p.m. — Jordan Mayland

Ames City Auditorium

7 p.m. — Brooks Strause

8 p.m. — Todd Partridge

Sweet Caroline's

6 p.m. — Marc Bailey

8 p.m. — Buckmiller Schwager Band

10 p.m. — Miss Christine

Noir

7 p.m. — Munk Rivers

9 p.m. — Death Kill Overdrive

Della Viti

8 p.m. — Obsidian’s Dream

9:30 p.m. — Great Caesar’s Goat

Cornbred

5:30 p.m. — The Mike Walsh Band

7 p.m. — Moscow Puzzles

8:30 p.m. — The New Bodies

Dog-Eared Books

7 p.m. — Nick Muhlbauer

Torrent

6 p.m. — Redzband

8 p.m. — The Second Shift

9:45 p.m. — Foxpin

Max Ames lineup for Saturday, Sept. 23

Angry Irishman

8 p.m. — Pink Kodiak

9:15 p.m. — Charlie Work

10:30 p.m. — Moonrabbit

Mucky Duck

5 p.m. — Angie and James

7 p.m. — Diego Danger

9 p.m. — Stringfield

Chocolaterie Stam

10:30 a.m. — Pat Meek and Rick Exner

12 p.m. — Ken Jolls

Clouds

2 p.m. — Steve Veysey

3:30 p.m. — Life In Prism

Little Woods Herbal Tea

Noon — Face Paint by Kate Allender

2:30 p.m. — Elizabeth Zimmerman

KHOI Studio

Noon — John Redig drum circle

1:30 p.m. — Jim Coppoc

3 p.m. — Munk Rivers

Ames Public Library

10 a.m. — Drum Iowa drum circle

Noon — Yoga with Taylor Bear

London Underground

4 p.m. — Jonah Seymour

6 p.m. — Teri Rosalani Underhill

8 p.m. — Casey DeAngelo

10 p.m. — DJ Elliot

Great Harvest Bakery

11 a.m. — Paige Clouse

12:30 p.m. — Britches and Hose

Sweet Caroline's

5 p.m. — Ryan O’Rien

7 p.m. — Bob Dorr and friends

9 p.m. — Smokin’ Joe

Noir

5 p.m. — Nella Thomas Band

7:30 p.m. — Tony Mcghee

Della Viti

4 p.m. — Joel Sires

5:30 p.m. — Mango Soul

8 p.m. — Indigo Monks

Cornbred

8:30 p.m. — Iowa No Mountain Boys

Torrent

2 p.m. — Keith Rich

3 p.m. — School of Rock House Band

5 p.m. — Dan Medeiros

6:30 p.m. — Allegra Hernandez

8 p.m. — Hot Kunch

9:30 p.m. — Seth Cloe and the Silver Liners

Wheatsfield

1:30 p.m. — Coffee Shop Romance

3:30 p.m. — The Vida Sisters

5:30 p.m. — Sondra Wilson

Max Ames lineup for Sunday, Sept. 24

Angry Irishman

8 p.m. — Look At Me

9 p.m. — Mr. Softheart

10 p.m. — Greg Wheeler and the Poly Mall Cops

Mucky Duck

4 p.m. — Severio Mancieri

5:30 p.m. — Hideaway Honey

7 p.m. — The Sweet Tones

Chocolaterie Stam

2:30 p.m. — Count Me In

Burgie's South

11 a.m. — Rylee Foreman

12:30 p.m. — Neva Alden

2 p.m. — Coliin Can't Read

Time Out

7 p.m. — The Juan and Only

Sweet Caroline's

5 p.m. — Coliin Can't Read

7 p.m. — The Collective Indifference

Noir

5 p.m. — Steve Veysey

7 p.m. — Jon Wayne

Della Viti

12:30 p.m. — Larry Stoltenberg

2 p.m. — Blake Shaw Trio

3:30 p.m. — The Tony McGhee Project

Cornbred

12:30 p.m. — Casey Joe Collins

Torrent

1 p.m. — Dual Resonance

2:30 p.m. — School of Rock After Hours

4:30 p.m. — John Burns

6 p.m. — Matt Woods

313 Bar and Lounge

Time TBD — Dominique Hammons

Time TBD — Hip-hop sax

Ronna Faaborg is a reporter for the Ames Tribune. Reach her at rlawless@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Maximum Ames' 4-day music festival offers more than 100 free concerts