Is it defiance or stupidity that makes something stand out as a rebellious act? Regardless of what you believe, one thing is for certain: that was the most cigarettes I have ever seen smoked within the walls of xBk. On May 14 at 7 p.m., xBk welcomed Des Moines locals Mr. Softheart, alongside supporting acts […]
Central Iowa
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Review: Rainbow Kitten Surprise brought some much-needed queer joy to Des Moines
Returning to Des Moines for the first time in three years, Rainbow Kitten Surprise lit up Vibrant Music Hall on Friday, May 16 with a performance that radiated joy. The band’s chemistry was palpable. Each member moved with intensity, feeding off one another’s rhythm and the crowd’s roar. Their iconic logo pulsed in sync with […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Review: About Time Theatre’s ‘Squeamish’ is so effective, I had to step out
There’s a phrase that you’ll have likely heard if you’ve taken any English or Communications courses: “The medium is the message.” The notion was expressed by Marshall McLuhan, a Canadian media commentator, attempting to express the importance of the packaging/setting/staging as a vehicle for any piece of (for lack of a better word) content. McLuhan […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Review: Mainframe’s earth-centric First Friday centered stark realities and real reptiles
From month to month, Mainframe Studios in Des Moines is always changing. With each First Friday event, the sprawling creative hub sheds one artistic skin to reveal another. April’s energetic and interactive showcase “Diverse by Design” gave way this May to something quieter, deeper and more reflective. On May 2, 2025, Mainframe welcomed visitors from […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Peak Iowa: 100 years ago, central Iowans embraced gender-nonconforming immigrant and fortune teller Heroda Kaiji
Heroda Kaiji, when he sensed that he was dying, asked his friends to take him from his rooming house apartment in Stuart to a shady hill beside the South Raccoon River near Dexter. He wanted to spend his final moments looking out across Dexfield Park, the amusement park where he had performed as a palmist […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Fully Booked at DMPL: Great manga romances
There are few things I dislike more than finishing a manga volume and reaching over to pick up the next installment, only to realize I forgot to check it out. You needn’t fear a dangling cliffhanger when it comes to my first recommendation. DMPL has added ComicsPlus to our list of databases, making manga and […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Coffee Cats in Valley Junction, Iowa’s first cat cafe, has homed more than 1,600 felines
After 40 years as a mental health counselor, Mary Jankowski wanted to do something different, but wasn’t sure what. Then she saw an article about a cat cafe and thought it looked fun. So she partnered with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa and, in the summer of 2020, opened Coffee Cats, the first cat […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
A sister state relationship — forged after the 1960 ‘hog lift’ — brings a rare Japanese art form to Iowa this week
Steam wafts from the big bowl of noodles before me while Yoko Tanaka, the executive director of the Japan America Society of Iowa, shares her plan to bring the Japanese art of bunraku to Iowa. It is a traditional form of puppet theater that dates back to the 17th century. It was particularly common in […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Review: ‘The Laramie Project’ is a legitimately brave production from the Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre
By the time you read this, the Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre’s (DMYAT) production of The Laramie Project at Stoner Theater will have come and gone. While this remains a review of the company’s latest production, consider this, additionally, an assessment of this youth-centered central Iowa program. DMYAT is a Des Moines nonprofit dedicated to […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Democrat Sarah Trone Garriott is running for Congress in Iowa’s 3rd District: ‘Zach Nunn has failed us’
State Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott announced on Monday she is running for Congress in Iowa’s 3rd District. The West Des Moines Democrat is the first candidate to launch a run for the seat currently held by two-term incumbent Republican Zach Nunn. “Zach Nunn has failed us,” Trone Garriott said in her announcement video. “As Iowa […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Mainframe Studios becomes a free, interactive art museum on First Fridays, drawing thousands of Des Moines art lovers
On the first Friday of every month, something incredible happens at 900 Keosauqua Way. Creativity spills from every floor of Des Moines’ Mainframe Studios, transforming the city’s largest artist hub into a vibrant, open-door celebration of local art, music and community spirit. Inside, over 180 artists open their studios to the public, revealing an ecosystem of expression.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Ukulele maestro Andrew Hoyt is ‘bringing the fancy wine to the party’ with his new EP, Wooly’s release party
Des Moines singer-songwriter Andrew Hoyt isn’t letting the stress get to him. Not the stress that comes with debuting (and having entirely paid for) his first all-original EP of music, Kind of Paradise. Or the anxiety in planning the upcoming album release show at Wooly’s, the first time he’s headlined said venue. Sure that stress […]
