Returning to the Cedar Falls forest for the third iteration of Lost Woods Music Festival felt like stepping into another dimension—a place where we could escape the chaos and stress of the real world for a single night of bliss. The brainchild of Iowa’s hardest working musicians, the Cedar Falls based indie pop group Salt Fox, Lost Woods 2025 went bigger and better while retaining its authentic, intimate, identity.
Arts & Entertainment
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Five questions with Jordan Klepper of ‘The Daily Show’, a MAGA mediator during Iowa caucuses, Jan. 6 and Trump’s ‘weird, dark’ second term
Jordan Klepper is more determined than ever to wrap his mind around the MAGA mindset. A Daily Show correspondent since 2014 (with a two-year hiatus at the start of Trump’s first term that yielded the TV special Jordan Klepper Solves Guns and his own late-night news satire, The Opposition), Klepper is currently one of the storied program’s regular rotating hosts.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Review: Dubuque poses for the eighth Bluff Strokes Paint Out, a week of open-air art-making
The streets of Dubuque became more creatively engaging when 51 jury selected artists from across the country converged on the city for the Bluff Strokes 2025 Paint Out Sept. 28 through Oct. 4. With artists setting up easels around town, competing for awards and engaging the local community through the act of live art making, […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
This weekend in Iowa: Refocus, Funniest Person in Iowa finals and the Roast of Iowa City
Established 2001 | Always free! It’s finally feeling like fall, perfect for the cornucopia of events in today’s Weekender. Refocus Film Fest begins tonight with a showing of Train Dreams at The Englert. Check our handy guide on the festivals offerings. It’s not just movies getting the love, as the Iowa City Book Festival and the Des Moines Banned […]
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Deivore — ‘Divinity Glutted’
The brainchild of Ben Smasher and frequent collaborator Joseph Norman (also of black metallers Necrotic Theurgist), Deivore has a prolific output of noise and sound collages, primarily composed of guitar and synthesizers, that blur the lines between improvisational jazz, noise music and modern compositional music.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Film critic and frequent ‘Filmspotting’ podcast guest Michael Phillips talks adaptations, Trump fatigue and the Refocus film that feels most pertinent
Michael Phillips, former film critic at the Chicago Tribune, is coming back to Iowa City for the Refocus Film Festival. There, he will join UI Professor and Filmspotting co-host Adam Kempenaar for a live taping of the podcast Friday, October 10. Little Village met with Phillips to chat about the festival and reflect on his long career in a fickle field.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Refocus returns on Thursday! Here’s a guide to 18 films on the festival lineup
FilmScene’s Refocus Film Festival returns to Iowa City Oct. 9-12 with a full platter of cinematic goodness. We asked our resident film scribes Ariana Martinez and Benji McElroy to share the shows they’re most excited to see. We also broke down the lineup by mood, with only a little fighting about what fit where. Click […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Review: Des Moines Symphony’s debut concert featuring Viet Cuong was a goosebump-inducing start to an ambitious season
Des Moines Symphony kicked off their 88th season with the aptly titled debut concert Triumph–Tchaikovsky 5 on Sept. 27 and 28. Their program featured a stunning composition by a rising American composer sandwiched in between two beloved masterpieces hailing from Russia, a true celebration of the old and the new. The symphony embraced technology on […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
This week in Iowa: Miss Christine in Cedar Rapids, Metal & Tacos in Waterloo and more
Established 2001 | Always free! If the current news cycle has you zapped, consider some of the events featured in today’s Weekender. For laughs, Lucky Cat comedy is holding prelims for its Funniest Person in Iowa competition, with an extensive list of shows throughout our reader regions this weekend. For a fresh music experience in […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Little Big Screen: ‘The Dark Knight’ and more blockbusters tattooed on George Kittle’s arms
There hasn’t been much Kittle to watch on Sundays since. A stupid hamstring sidelined him in the first half of the first game this season. But hey, Little Big Screen can still watch what must be a few of his favorite movies. Considering the characters are tattooed all over his arms.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Locals Bar & Stage is ‘bringing entertainment back’ to Walnut Street
You could say it has risen out of the rubble — a long-awaited, much-needed presence in the neighborhood. Locals Bar & Stage is helping bring Walnut Street in Des Moines back to life. The area has suffered some losses: the shutdowns of the Gas Lamp, Vaudeville Mews and other downtown establishments have left the area […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Review: Alto and bass flutes converse at a masterful recital by Rose Bishop and Heather Neuenschwander
Rose Bishop and Heather Neuenschwander, two classical flutists who recently released the duo album Unseen/Unheard, performed a release recital on Sept. 26 at the James Theater. The album, released on the same day by Strange Moon Records, collects several pieces commissioned by the duo from contemporary composers. It boasts the distinction of being the first-ever […]
