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 Blanky and Toon Smokes, to their stage. For a Wednesday night show, the place was abuzz; enough people to make a good-sized crowd, but still enough room to avoid breathing in your neighbor’s body odor.
Toon Smokes opened up the night. The six-piece act layered its members in front of and behind one another, crammed on the small stage. The Des Moines “post-punk, garage rock” outfit was loud, fast, and incomprehensible — the only indication that lyrics existed was the moving mouths and song titles flashing behind the band as they played. But that didn’t matter. Toon Smokes’ energy and punk charisma had the crowd fully entranced by their ear-popping music, a trumpet occasionally cutting through the mix.
Midway through the trumpeter decides now’s as good a time as any to light up a smoke. He took breaks from playing his instrument to take a drag, before vehemently squashing the butt in the stage’s felt carpet. It was surely a moment symbolic of something: a “fuck you,” a shameless cave to addiction or an ode to the band’s moniker. Something I’d expect from my teen brother and not from dudes pushing middle age.
The ringing in my ears slowly faded into the static hum of Blanky’s set, a strangely natural transition that shifted the energy of the club from kicking and screaming to swaying and nodding. The trio, hailing from Kansas, is experimental in the best way. Compared to the likes of the Pixies and the Breeders, Blanky doesn’t quite fit the mold of any one genre. Though their sound could be likened to surf rock, western, or more goth tunes, Blanky is sonically independent and somehow manages to go undefined by genre. The lyrics’ sweet lull paired with the guitar’s gentle distortion creates a “blanky” effect — the comfort of the bittersweet and ordinary, a homage to the plains and outdated emptiness of Kansas.
Then came Mr. Softheart, the main event, the real reason the room filled up. The Des Moines-based band describes their sound as “21st Century Vision Music,” and while that phrase may seem pretentious, it begins to make perfect sense once you’re immersed in their world. It’s a potent and atmospheric blend of post-punk, ’80s synth-pop and dance music. Sleazy, stylish and impossible to ignore.
Nick Fisher, the band’s enigmatic frontman, straddles the line between charm and facetious self-righteousness. His stage persona is performance art, nauseating yet intoxicating. At one point, Fisher hunched over a monitor, rocking suggestively after launching into a monologue about society being fucked by AI. It was absurd, dramatic and totally mesmerizing. Backing him are John Fisher’s shape-shifting synths, Charlie Patterson’s clean-yet-edgy guitar and Halen Becker’s hauntingly beautiful backing vocals. Together, they create a sensuous dreamscape.
In an unnecessary callback, a member of opener Toon Smokes walked onto stage, handed a cigarette to the guitarist, lit it and let the smoke drift lazily into the spotlight. The protests from the bartenders completed the licentious energy in the air.
Mr. Softheart’s upcoming release, Reflections on Primitive Action, drops on July 4, 2025. If their live performance is any indication, this record will be a genre-blending and immersive experience.
The night’s minor flaw, and the question on your mind: isn’t xBk a non-smoking venue?
Yes. No doubt, xBk is a non-smoking venue with a respectable smoking patio right outside if you get that itch.
Look, I get the appeal of rebellion, but this wasn’t cool, or punk. xBk isn’t a corporate giant trying to make a buck. It’s a community venue that uplifts local artists, putting them first. So what exactly are you rebelling against? Indoor air quality?
If you wanted a cigarette, you should’ve taken that shit outside.
Editor’s note: In a message to Little Village, Toon Smokes clarified that the cigarettes smoked onstage were tea-based theater cigarettes. “We in no way condone the smoking of tar and nicotine based tobacco cigarettes indoors in public spaces. It was all in the sake of performance art,” they said.
