A comedy revue that’s basically a live late-night talk show. A new arts and music fest from Andre Perry, the mind behind Mission Creek. A band that presents like an electrical company (sometimes). Three women-owned indie bookstores. A Gen Z vinyl and CD collector. In this issue, explore some of the events, venues, performers and fresh ideas sprouting across Iowa this spring.
Plus: A forkless feast in Des Moines, an immigrant’s pain channeled through poetry, and a look at the legacy of Paul Robeson. The “Ol’ Man River” singer was lauded by Iowans who saw him in concert at Hoyt Sherman Place in 1932, but when Robeson started using his virtuosic voice to promote his virtues, the trailblazing Black athlete, singer and actor was condemned as a “commie.”
Cover star: Dante Powell. Photo by Sahithi Shankaiahgari
