Two days of music marks four years for Octopus

By JOHN MOLSEED

CEDAR FALLS — Dave Deibler didn’t intend to establish a music venue when he opened Octopus four years ago.

“The two words I would apply to what I wanted to do are ‘neighborhood bar,’” Deibler said.

Most new bars are either sports bars or craft beer bars. Deibler said he wanted to open something without dozens of televisions or dozens of taps.

“I felt strongly this neighborhood, maybe the Cedar Valley in general, needed something like this,” he said. “I wanted a place where 70-year-old guys come in in the afternoon and 20-somethings hang out at night.”

Cedar Valley musicians also found it to be a good home. Deibler didn’t originally intend to have live music but he was approached by Twins frontman Joel Sires early on.

Twins are celebrating their recent release, “Square America.” They are also helping Octopus celebrate four years of being open. Twins play Aug. 12, beginning two days of anniversary shows there.

Deibler, who performed and toured with House of Large Sizes, said he realized another role Octopus could play.

“I realized my kind of music didn’t have a home,” he said.

Initially, he put bands up front. Later, he removed bowling alley furniture in the back to make way to build a stage and then added a higher-end house sound system.

“I think if you’re going to do music, you got to take the plunge,” he said of the sound system investment.

“We were blowing up speakers and subwoofers left and right,” he added. “We blew up one new subwoofer in one night.”

The Cedar Valley and Iowa music scene has grown in size and diversity since the bar opened. The two-day bill reflects that, he said. Acts range from acoustic folk of Amelia & Melina to multi instrumentalist ensemble the Maytags.

The neighborhood, too, has been in a resurgence since Octopus opened, he said.

Deibler credited his wife, Barb Schilf, who owns Mohair Pear.

“She believed we were actually going to do this,” he said. “At a certain point you don’t say no,” Deibler said. “You just sort of succumb to it.”

He said staff also deserves credit for the venue’s success including manager Audrey Robinson whose band, Peas & Carrot plays Aug. 12.

After adding a stage, sound system and a beer garden Deibler said he has his eyes on maybe offering food. For now, he said he’s happy where he he is.

“It’s a great time to be on College Hill,” he said.