Dreamer & the Hoping Machine

The beloved Iowa City institution Family Folk Machine has a lot of moving parts, from the volunteers to the board to the directors to the singers to that band. The band is the beating heart of the Folk Machine (Dudes ex Machina?), featuring a slightly rotating but familiar cast of characters, each of whom has added their distinctive sound to the Iowa City music scene.

Immediately after the FFM Spring 2025 concert, during actual tear down, Pappy Klocke (multi-instrumentalist) asked Alma Drake (acoustic guitars and vocals), “Is there any reason we couldn’t just be a band?” Alma immediately answered, “There is no reason at all, and in fact, I have been trying to think of ways that we can give these original songs we have written over the years a little more life.” Every member of the band raised a hand and said, “I’m in,” before even being asked, and kaboom, Dreamer & the Hoping Machine was A Thing.

The band is very excited and grateful to have secured The James as the venue for their inaugural gig!

Band members are:
Alma Drake, guitarist and songwriter, Associate Director of the FFM, and sound healing practitioner, plays the acoustic guitars and handles most of the lead vocals, plus The Band Wrangling;
Jean Littlejohn, Artistic Director of the FFM, with an MM in Organ Performance and a phuggin’ PhD. in Music Theory (no, really! Dr. Littlejohn stands ready to treat both your rockin’ pneumonia and your boogie-woogie flu this season), handles vocal harmonies, some lead vocals , and a tinkling of piano;
Jon Ranard, Associate Director of the FFM, former instructor at Purdue and University Nebraska-Lincoln, current gigging musician with multiple bands and Director of seemingly endless community choirs, handles harmony vocals, some lead vocals, and quite a lot of keyboard;

Craig “Pappy” Klocke, multi-inistrumentalist and one-man Iowa City institution, brings wild flourishes, thoughtful solos, and masterful whimsy to the Hoping Machine (we are hoping to get him to sing a bit, too);
Kylie Buddin, Prevention Director at United Action for Youth (UAY), guitarist, composer, and songwriter for Paisley Bible and first call sideman for multitudes, plays electric guitars and a really large and scary pedalboard, (refuses to sing);
Geb Thomas, bassist, plays with the FFM, The Remains, and a ballroom dancing ensemble called the Polyester Blend with Jon Ranard, (also refuses to sing)

Laurie Haag, Iowa Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame inductee, legendary UIowa organizer and activist, director of the Iowa Women’s Music Festival, drummer/bassist with Two Bit Maniac, handles drums and cajon, (refuses to sing ever but secretly can).

Dreamer & the Hoping Machine will be performing at The James Theater

213 N Gilbert St, Iowa City, IA 52245

Thursday February 26, 2026, at 7PM

Tickets are on sale $20 GA/$12 students