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 […]
Arts & Entertainment
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.
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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.
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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.
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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 […]
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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 […]
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Review: Ballet Des Moines kicks off the season with athleticism, Enya and a pianist that’s part of the performance
Ballet Des Moines opened their 2025-2026 season this past weekend with Forward, an evening of new and returning performances at Hoyt Sherman Place. The company aims to make dance more inclusive and accessible this season through a diverse repertoire and community initiatives, including a podcast, sensory friendly matinees, audio transcriptions and adaptive dance classes. The […]
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‘I need to say something to be seen’: Courtney Marie Andrews unravels her writing process as artist in residence of the first Iowa City Songwriters Festival
A multidisciplinary artist from Phoenix, Arizona, Andrews was the artist in residence of the first edition of the Iowa City Songwriters Festival (ICSF), which took place at the top of September. Andrews uploaded her first songs on the internet and experienced the first reactions from listeners. “That’s not punk music, people wrote, that’s folk.” At that age she had no idea folk music would become so important for her.
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Mindy Mejia’s Iowa Mysteries series continues with ‘The Whisper Place.’ Refresh on all the action before you crack it open
Midwest thrillers are few and far between, but every time one crops up it scratches a special itch in my heart. There is something rich and powerful at having scenes from your childhood play out with hints of something absolutely foreign. Mindy Mejia is helping build the Midwest mystery genre with the third installment of her “Iowa Mysteries” series…
