The 2024 Mic Check Poetry Fest, billed as a two-day celebration of spoken word and its power to bear witness, create community and inspire change, kicks off Friday night with a showcase featuring some of the biggest names in the spoken word landscape. Little Village talked with festival organizers Caleb Rainey (recent Iowa Authors Award […]
Chuy Renteria
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Jim Swim — ‘Unruly Automatons’ EP
Unruly Automatons by Jim Swim I thought I knew what I was getting into when I started up “Creature,” the first track on Jim’s Swim’s Unruly Automatons. Keyboard chords stutter as if a DJ is warming up a crab scratch. A drum loop kicks in that would feel at home in a Metal Fingers Special […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Iowa City authors Rachel Yoder and Garth Greenwell discuss midlife crises, ‘re-wilding’ marriage and trusting in Amy Adams
When we learned the movie adaptation of Nightbitch — Iowa City author Rachel Yoder’s satirical 2021 novel about a new mother embracing her inner (and outer) beast — would be headlining FilmScene’s Refocus Film Festival in October, Little Village editors naturally began imagining a cover for the September Fall Arts Preview involving Yoder holding some […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
The ARTery is celebrating one year since their COVID comeback, in new location
A Rock Island pottery studio and gallery space is celebrating their one-year anniversary in their current location, 3913 14th Ave. The ARTery, which prides itself on showcasing work from local artists, was co-founded by artists Jenna Isbell, Tara Malnar and the recently announced Rock Island Citizen of the Year, Carolyn Krueger. Krueger received the recognition […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Illiterati Fest brings Iowa City’s ‘miniature music scenes’ together for a cause
In pretty much all artistic endeavors there is some consideration for the rule of threes. As in, do something just once and it could very well be a one-and-done situation. Do it twice and perhaps the two will exist as a pair. But do something three times? Well, then you got yourself a series. Iowa […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Meet Lady Em and Supa Josh, two renowned hip-hop dancers teaching their Olympic level moves in Iowa
Little Village spoke with Emily and Joshua Culbreath about their dance journey, what one can expect from a hip hop dance intensive and the complex stance Breakers can hold toward their dance form’s inclusion in the 2024 Olympic Games.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
‘Multifaceted art space’ opening in Cedar Rapids’ Czech Village-New Bohemia district
After 15 months at NewBo City Market, an artist-owned small business focused on supporting the local arts community has moved to a new, larger location in Cedar Rapids. Tree of Liminality plans on developing and offering community programming, art classes, poetry readings, exhibitions and more at their new location at 1301 3rd St SE, a […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Prominent Black creatives to discuss growing up in Iowa at the Des Moines Art Center
Three high-profile Iowa natives will be in conversation this Sunday at the Des Moines Art Center. Artist b. Robert Moore and artist-activist Jordan Weber will join Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of The 1619 Project, Nikole Hannah-Jones. The evening sees the three come together to talk about growing up in the predominately white state of […]
Posted inBook Reviews
Book Review: ‘The Body Alone’ by Nina Lohman
The Body Alone (University of Iowa Press) is all encompassing. Nina Lohman’s memoir describes itself as, “…a lyrical nonfiction inquiry into the experience, meaning, and articulation of pain.” This articulation comes at the reader from all angles. Yes, there are first-person accounts from Lohman that one would expect from something like a traditional memoir. But […]
Posted inCentral Iowa Arts & Entertainment
Locals gather at the Blazing Saddle to watch six-part series on its history, ‘The Last American Gay Bar’
A viewing party at a bar is an everyday occurrence, but what about if the bar itself is the subject of said viewing party? That’s exactly what has been happening every Wednesday of this month at the Blazing Saddle in Des Moines. Opening in 1983, the Blazing Saddle is the oldest gay bar in Des […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
The rise, fall and meteoric resurgence of Brazil’s ‘forbidden dance’ is inspiring Iowans to Zouk
One of the most popular contemporary partner dances was almost stifled out of existence at the end of the 20th century. “When people say Lambada, people think, ‘Oh, the forbidden dance?’ That is the first thing that comes to mind for people. And that’s a very wrong idea, actually, because it’s a sensual dance, but […]
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Keenan Crow — ‘Ambient Anachronism’ EP
Ambient Anachronisms by Keenan Crow Ambient Anachronism is the first solo EP by Des Moines-based musician and activist Keenan Crow, perhaps best known as the director of policy and advocacy at One Iowa, a statewide LGBTQ advocacy organization. In other words, you can assume Crow has a front-row seat to the special kind of buffoonery […]
