The 8th annual 80/35 music festival took over Des Moines this past weekend, and while the Main Stage was centered in Western Gateway Park, the crowds flooded the city’s downtown streets, stretching from the Sculpture Garden across the Des Moines River to the East Village district. The festival kicked off early Friday evening with St. Lucia — an indie-pop group from Brooklyn featuring Des Moines-native Ross Clark on bass and guitar — and it continued through Saturday night, ending with alt-rock legends Weezer, who fittingly feature Iowa City native Brain Bell on guitar.
Photos by Matthew Terry (click to enlarge)
As guests took in the catchy pop songs of Jenny Lewis, Talib Kweli brought his unique version of New York hip hop to the Kum & Go stage a block away. Beats you could feel pulsating from the speakers traveled almost visibly through the bodies and outstretched arms of the enthusiastic crowd.
The weekend was full of colorful acts, art and individuals, and the festival was book-ended by prominent acts with “Iowa Roots.” More is on the horizon for this gem of an event and the ever-progressive city it calls home.
