Tape hung like curtains in Arthur Russell’s apartment. The recording devices responsible were powered by an extension cord that ran out the window and down a few floors to Allen Ginsberg’s. Russell left behind 166 feet of tape when he died, only 40 years old, of AIDS-related illness in 1992. And if you’ll let me […]
Central Iowa Arts & Entertainment
Posted inArts & Entertainment
An online collection of ‘outsider art’ enters the real world for the first time in Des Moines
What does it look like when a social media feed jumps onto the walls of an art gallery? Visitors to the Fitch Building in Des Moines from Nov. 8-30 will find out during “Faces in the Crowd,” showcasing the work of 14 artists you’ve probably never heard of (but probably should). The exhibition was curated […]
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Des Moines’ Sensi’il Studios makes its cinematic debut Nov. 15 with a new kind of comic book movie
Sensi’il Studios, the brainchild of Des Moines artist Basi Affia, is the only Black comic book publisher in the states of Iowa and Nebraska. Pyramid Theatre Company, meanwhile, is Iowa’s first Black theater company. Before he founded Sensi’il Studios in 2022, Affia was a critically acclaimed performer in two of Pyramid’s stellar early productions, A […]
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80/35’s future ‘is not currently determined’ as the Des Moines Music Coalition shuts down
Three months after the last performers left the stage at this year’s 80/35, the organization behind the music festival has announced it is shutting down. “After nearly twenty years of volunteers and staff working passionately to grow central Iowa’s music scene, the non-profit Greater Des Moines Music Coalition (DMMC) has made the heartfelt decision to […]
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The Slaughterhouse in Des Moines sates its fiendish fanbase with year-round haunts, escapes, ‘spookeasies’ and Slipknot-inspired scares
Driven by a voracious appetite for fright, Central Iowa fans of haunted house experiences continue to seek the best venues for adrenaline rushes. One dark destination stands apart from the others, a haunt with a novel-length backstory and themed experiences all year: The Slaughterhouse. A growing fanbase awaits the latest offering from the immersive fright […]
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Jazz, drag and ballet combine for Noce’s Voix de Ville, a nightclub cabaret that’s never the same twice
There is a guiding axiom in show business that provides some clarity when things go wrong. That axiom (which we should note is sometimes superseded by, say, a pandemic) is, “The show must go on,” of course.
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Vietnamese-American painter Teo Nguyen reimagines battlefield photos without the soldiers, violence and ‘machinery of war’
Teo Nguyen, “The Politics of Worthiness” Opening reception, Moberg Gallery, Friday, Sept. 13, 5-8 p.m. Artist reception and discussion, Moberg Gallery, Saturday, Oct. 5, 1-3 p.m. Teo Nguyen is a painter’s painter. His parents were a poet and glass painter, and he applies their attention to detail to his canvas. Moberg Gallery in Des Moines […]
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Photos: Hinterland 2024
Day 1 Day one saw headliners Hozier and Orville Peck on the main stage. Before that, festival goers caught the likes of Debbi Dawson, Valencia Grace and The Last Dinner Party, to name a few of the stacked Friday lineup. Day 2 Day two of Hinterland saw some readjustments from the festival organizers as many […]
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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 […]
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Photo Gallery: Scenes from the 80/35 Music Festival, featuring Killer Mike, OK Go and more
The 80/35 Music Festival covered Des Moines’ Water Works Park in confetti on the first of two great (and hot!) nights of performances from national, international and Iowa acts alike. The first day of the festival — Friday, July 12 — saw tDreamer Isioma, Halfloves and Jim Swim take the stage, among others. As the […]
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Photo Gallery: Benefit for Iowa Abortion Access Fund
The Benefit for Iowa Abortion Access Fund presented by Ryan O’Rein, unfolded on Saturday, March 23 at xBk in Des Moines. The event showcased a diverse lineup of local bands, including The Other Brothers, Dickie, Munk Rivers, Allegra Hernandez, Mr. Softheart, and The Deeves, all rallying behind the cause. Attendees contributed through free-will donations, knowing […]
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Photo Gallery: Chappell Roan at Val Air Ballroom
Photos from Chappell Roan at Val Air Ballroom on Sunday, March 17. Roan is currently on tour with Olivia Rodrigo and made a solo stop in Des Moines. The LA-based singer, songwriter and performer hit the stage to perform to an enthusiastic sold-out crowd. Five Midwest drag performers opened the show, and fans were decked […]
