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‘If I don’t stick up for the drag queens, who’s gonna stick up for me?’: a Q&A with James McMurtry ahead of his sold-out Iowa City show

On tour promoting his latest album, The Horses and the Hounds, James McMurtry made headlines for wearing a dress. During his encore at a Nashville show in May, the 61-year-old Americana singer-songwriter donned a red dress while singing his 2002 track, “Red Dress.” He chose the outfit in protest of Tennessee’s recent anti-drag legislation, and […]

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Weekender Central Iowa! PrideFest | Juneteenth Kickoff | PrideFest 2023

READ THE LATEST | SUPPORT LITTLE VILLAGE | SHOP PERKS THE WEEKENDER Your weekly editor-curated arts compendium June is the month for all things Pride! Celebrate queer pride at the events surrounding Capital City Pride’s PrideFest! All colors of the rainbow will be highlighted in the skies of East Village as well as at the Lauridsen Amphitheater, Wooly’s and […]

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Weekender Eastern Iowa! TrevorFest | Iowa Renaissance Festival | Waldemar

READ THE LATEST | SUPPORT LITTLE VILLAGE | SHOP PERKS THE WEEKENDER Your weekly editor-curated arts compendium Wish your day-to-day had a lot more “thee”s and “thou”s in it? Good news: The Iowa Renaissance Faire approacheth this weekend in the Amana Colonies! If you’re more into a contemporary vibe, there’s still plenty to choose from. Enjoy the international reggae of […]

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Theater Review: ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ from Coralville’s City Circle Theatre Company

Before now, I wasn’t familiar with the 1992 Tony award winner for best play, Dancing at Lughnasa, or its playwright Brian Friel, who has been called “Ireland’s Chekhov.” I also must admit that I’ve attended Coralville’s Center for the Performing Arts and its resident theater company, City Circle’s productions, far less than some of the […]

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Forty years ago, volunteers pulled off the first Iowa Arts Festival. Summer in Iowa City has never been the same

What started 40 years ago as a volunteer-led labor of love is now a downtown Iowa City institution: the Iowa Arts Festival. Back in the summer of 1983, Joyce Carroll and Kristin Summerwill helped organize a multi-day event on the Ped Mall that brought together artisans, visual artists, poets, local musicians such as Greg Brown […]

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Set and staged in Iowa City, Riverside’s two-woman play ‘The Roommate’ explores the desire to burn it all down and start over

Though the play takes place in Iowa City, and was written by an alumnus of the University of Iowa Playwrights Workshop, this marks the first time The Roommate has been staged in Iowa City, according to Adam Knight. “I knew the story [before moving here], I knew it took place in this quiet, Midwestern town, […]

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The Iowa Pop Art Fest brings music and more artists Saturday in Cedar Rapids for its third year

The Iowa Pop Art Festival returns to Cedar Rapids this Saturday for its third and biggest year yet. Not only is this year’s showcase of Iowa visual artists presenting more artists than previous years (over 120), live music will be part of the festivities with a lineup including Penny Peach, MAAAZE, Soultru and more. Saturday’s […]

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Psychedelic legends Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. are touching down in Iowa City

If you ask a random stranger on the street about psychedelic music, they might name Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, or mumble something about sitars, samplers and LSD. “Psychedelic” is often regarded as a trippy, hippie, countercultural vibe—a phase music went through in the ’60s before arena rock. But fans know psychedelic has its own place […]

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Weekender Eastern Iowa! Floodwater Comedy Festival | Taste of Jazz 2023 | Support Trans Youth Showcase

READ THE LATEST | SUPPORT LITTLE VILLAGE | SHOP PERKS THE WEEKENDER Your weekly editor-curated arts compendium This weekend’s all about the local, the indie and the weird. Head over to the Floodwater Comedy Festival to support local and visiting comics as well as local charitable causes, or separate your brainlobes with Xiu Xiu and ghOstMiSt at Trumpet Blossom […]

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