“It is the biggest adrenaline rush,” R&B artist Entre Luche said of performing. “I feel like I’m my truest self when I’m on stage. … Not being on stage is the hard part. When I’m up there I’m at peace.” Keeping his peace has kept the Des Moines artist busy, occupying his every weekend for […]
Courtney Guein
Des Moines filmmakers have 48 hours to make a horror film this weekend and submit it for competition
Filmmakers afraid of deadlines can sign up for the ultimate exposure therapy this month. The 48 Hour Film Project takes place in cities across the country — including Des Moines — twice a year for a two-day film production competition held in July and October. The October version in Des Moines, which takes place this […]
Des Moines City Council member crowdfunds fine for man ticketed while panhandling
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Councilmember Indira Sheumaker raised more than enough money this month to pay a local man’s $95 ticket based on an ordinance she says “criminalizes poverty,” and may violate his First Amendment rights. Driving home on Sept. 17, Sheumaker, representative for Ward 1 on the Des Moines City Council, witnessed an individual being issued a […]
LV Recommends: Great plates, open late in downtown Des Moines
When I go out to eat, I want to do it right: I’m looking for tastes I can’t easily recreate at home or find at another restaurant. I also make sure to not choose the same meal twice. And ever since attending Drake, late hours In my humble opinion, here are the five best Des […]
Iowa artist B. Well looks to harmonize his music and new apparel line, Elegance
For musician, activist, fashion enthusiast and Des Moines community leader Billy “B. Well” Weathers, the word “elegance” goes beyond describing expensive gowns or opulent parties. “I think figuring out that I don’t need to do anything to impress anybody else outside of myself [is elegance],” he said, “and the more that I can connect with […]
Clothing drives begin in Des Moines as temperatures dip
As 80- and 90-degree days grow fewer and temperatures begin to dip into the low 60s, it’s about time to switch out your summer clothes for longer sleeves and layers. The Eastview Community Center is hosting their fall clothing giveaway this weekend. The community center is accepting kids and adult clothing, shoes, outerwear, clothing accessories, […]
Meet Alicia Vasto, the Iowa Environmental Council’s new water czar
Growing up in the small town of Adel kept a young Alicia Vasto in the outdoors, exploring nature along rivers and streams. She developed a deep love for what naturally existed around her. Understanding the grim realities of climate change, Vasto realized she could only make a big impact using a top-down approach. “To see […]
Inspired by the infamous witch trials, Ballet Des Moines’ ‘Salem’ stages a raging fire of fear
Ballet Des Moines pulls from a moment in history this fall to show that different doesn’t mean dangerous. Taking a history lesson from the Salem witch trials, choreographer and Ballet Des Moines Artistic Director Tom Mattingly was certain that people need to be reminded to not judge a book by its cover. “I thought it […]
Sundara Tattoo owner Rayna Ross is a master of Mehndi — both henna and permanent ink
You may not find your path on your own time, if at all. Some give up, others find it later in life. Then you have those who’ve been on their own path since age 15, like Rayna Ross. Indian tattoo artist Ross has shaken the Central Iowa tattoo scene by utilizing her skill and background […]
After a three-year hiatus, the historic Beaverdale Fall Festival returns this month
It’s been almost three years since Des Moines’ Beaverdale neighborhood hosted their annual fall festival. That changes Sept. 16 and 17, when the festivities return to downtown Beaverdale, with some new and altered features. Patrons can hear live music from local acts such as The Maytags for some soul, Standing Hampton for ’70s and ’80s […]
One studio has built a break dancing scene in Des Moines. Now, one of its students is hitting the national stage.
It all started with a vision: to highlight a style of dance that originated in the streets of New York during the early 1970s. Breakdancing evolved as music was transitioning from disco to hip hop, pioneered by the Black and Puerto Rican communities in New York City and spreading quickly across the country and the […]
Des Moines installs ‘art corridors’ along five bike trails, showcasing local artists
New art installations have changed the view along five of Des Moines’ popular bike trails. These “art corridors” include panels mounted to a line of metal posts, angled towards pedestrians and cyclists zipping down the trail. “If you’re familiar with kinetic art, or elliptic lenticular art, where no matter how you’re moving, you get to […]

