Avant-pop icon Lene Lovich hasn’t mounted a major U.S. tour since 1989, but that will change this September when she opens for the B-52s and Devo on their 11-date run of amphitheaters. Those concerts will be interspersed with several of her own headlining club gigs, and Lovich’s triumphant return to the States will kick off […]
Central Iowa Arts & Entertainment
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Wake Up Iowa Coffee turns their spare room into Des Moines’ newest art gallery
Odds are that any coffee-bearing establishment you wander into will have art on its walls. There’s an equal chance that those artworks, hung above half-and-half stations and study spaces, are the creations of a local or small artist. So it’s no surprise that Wake Up Iowa Coffee at 3605 Douglas Ave in Des Moines would […]
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‘Waitress,’ ‘Witch’ and ‘The SpongeBob Musical’ rack up honors at the Cloris Awards in Des Moines
Creepy, bubbly, romantic, epic — the past year of Des Moines theater productions offered something for every mood. On Sunday, some of the actors, behind-the-scenes crew and theater companies that brought these shows to life were honored with glass plaques at the 2025 Cloris Awards ceremony. Hoyt Sherman Place hosted the 10th annual local theater […]
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The 10th annual Cloris Awards will bring together Des Moines’ theater pros and fans on Sunday
The Cloris Leachman Excellence in Theatre Arts Awards, a celebration that brings together Des Moines’ theater professionals, reflects its namesake. Leachman was a dynamic, versatile performer whose work spanned nearly eight decades and every acting medium. From dramatic roles (including Ruth Popper in The Last Picture Show, which earned her an Academy Award) to her […]
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‘The Hinterland vibes are back’: Iowa’s biggest music fest returned with a vengeance for 10th year
This August, as festivalgoers streamed into the new grounds of Hinterland Music Festival, the question wasn’t just whether the music would be good, it was whether organizers could recapture the magic that made Hinterland among the biggest and best music festivals in the Midwest over the past decade.
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Review: The Des Moines Playhouse serves ‘Waitress’ with the right mix of sweet and savory
Waitress at the Des Moines Playhouse tells you exactly what’s inside the show in its first 15 seconds: “Sugar … Butter … Flour.” A delicious pie will typically have the same base ingredients as a so-so slice — the difference comes down to additions, assembly and the aptitude of the chef. Similarly, Waitress, on paper, […]
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Review: The Des Moines Symphony summoned a sense of patriotism, despite artillery and a presidential visit clouding the air
I love pop music. I love symphonic music. If those passions haven’t already revoked any of my pseudo-punk-rock cred let me offer one more confession: I love patriotic music. Little Village asked me to do this and I was excited. This would be my first time…
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Review: The eyeliner is heavy and the outfits skimpy for Des Moines’ Panic! at the Burlesque Show
Never in my wildest dreams have I imagined someone flashing her pasties at the iconic strike of a G note. Morticia Midwest started the night with a bang (or flash if you prefer) to the tune of “Welcome to the Black Parade” by My Chemical Romance. Morticia Midwest and her husband, Johnny Bravado, created the […]
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Ozzy Osbourne, British rock god known for an infamous show in Des Moines, dies at 76
Ozzy Osbourne has died. Heavy metal’s “Prince of Darkness,” who later had a second career as an avuncular reality TV star, was 76 years old. “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,” the Osborne family said in […]
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Review: A brooding demon, total Bedlam and the healthiest opera romance of all time from Des Moines Metro Opera
Des Moines Metro Opera offered an eclectic 53rd season, including beloved classics and lesser known gems. During this month’s opening holiday weekend, audience members were treated to vocal fireworks onstage with three impressive operatic productions.
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Queer history, pop culture and computers helped Iowa artist Ben Millett cover a gallery in quilts
Ben Millett’s quilts are tactile records, coded with color, memory and meaning. They look soft because they are, but their softness doesn’t dull their message. Instead, it amplifies it. On July 26, 2025, the Des Moines Art Center will open its first-ever quilt-based solo exhibition, “Iowa Artists 2025: Ben Millett,” a showcase of about 20 […]
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Plain Spoken: How the Planned Parenthood Book Sale made me the man I am today
My mother and I love each other dearly and we are both capable Christmas gift-givers. Ceramic chicken knick-knacks or matching salt and pepper shakers never fail to bring a gleam to Mom’s keen antiquer’s eye, brightening the tree’s particolored twinkles already refracted in her gaze.
