Stop by Cowles Commons this afternoon to see Australia’s “aerial theater”, SWAY’S BLOOM! Watch performers bring themselves into the work as they transform into visual representations of the cycle of life as the wind takes hold of them. SWAY’S 10 year performer Andre Myers describes the show as the lifecycle of a flower. But he […]
Des Moines
Posted inArts & Entertainment
The Gas Lamp goes out after 12 years serving the Des Moines music scene
On the penultimate night of the Gas Lamp’s existence, the music venue filled with couples dancing hand in hand, smiles stretched from ear to ear, the energy of the music from Bob Pace & the Dangerous Band practically palpable. Since 2011, the Gas Lamp has given the community a space to unwind after the work […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Essay: A Floridian encounters beauty, love, bad weather and discomforting deja vu in Iowa
I knew nothing about Iowa before I knew it was taking my partner away from me. The original plan was to break up at the end of the summer, before college; four years later, we’ve somehow made the long distance work. The first time I visited Billy in Iowa was fall 2019. Since then, I’ve […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
‘Twelfth Night'(s): Two Iowa companies stage Shakespeare’s gender-bending rom-com as First Folio turns 400
It’s been 400 years since William Shakespeare’s First Folio was published. Released in 1623, the First Folio collected 36 of Shakespeare’s plays under the title Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories & Tragedies. Because of this collection, upward of a dozen plays that may have been lost to history were able to live on, including Twelfth […]
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Marty Stuart talks about his Fabulous Superlatives, decades of music-making and touring with Chris Stapleton in advance of Des Moines show
Having pulled the highest attendance at the Iowa State Fair of any modern Grandstand concert, Chris Stapleton has already conquered the state of Iowa. As he arrives again at Des Moines’ Wells Fargo Arena on June 22 though, audiences would be remiss not to pay special attention to one of his openers, Marty Stuart. Not […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Five questions with Iowa Juneteenth T-Shirt Contest winner, Jaemal Sullivan
A man with more skills than he can account for pushed himself to the next level by entering the new Iowa Juneteenth T-Shirt Contest. Jaemal Sullivan didn’t know if he had a chance to come out on top, but it surely felt good when he did. Sullivan’s winning design, a Black power fist emblazoned with […]
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Art Week Des Moines 2023 tasks local artists like Jordan Brooks with capturing the spirit of five Des Moines communities
On Friday, June 16, Art Week Des Moines kicks off its ninth year showcasing area artists and connecting them with one another, as well as their community. This year, Art Week has introduced Art Week Fellows: a handful of artists tasked with overseeing specific art pop-ups within five neighborhoods around the Des Moines metro, drawing […]
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Iowa-born author Paul Kix to discuss the 10 weeks in Birmingham that changed America, chasing WWII ghosts in Des Moines
The biggest challenge Paul Kix faced writing his first book: spies aim to leave nothing behind. “I was chasing a ghost,” the author and journalist said regarding The Saboteur, his 2018 nonfiction text. “The point of the [WWII French] Resistance was, you will never have a paper trail … That’s why I had to go […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Photo Gallery: Skate DSM hosts ollies and kick flips for cancer patients
Skate DSM hosted the Grind for Life Series (GFL Series) at Lauridsen Skatepark on Saturday, May 13. All ages and all skill levels competed against each other to win the street and bowl competitions while also helping the Grind for Life Organization raise money for cancer patients who need assistance with traveling expenses. The competitions […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment, Central Iowa Arts & Entertainment
Babe Ruth’s Iowa appearance and infamous barnstorming tour recounted in Iowan’s debut book
Timothy Grover’s lifelong love for baseball, and its legendary slugger Babe Ruth, inspired his new book about the Great Bambino’s life, Barnstorming Babe: A Slugger’s Bumpy Trek Across Small-Town America. Grover’s fascination with all things baseball began when he was a young boy growing up in Iowa during the 1960s, listening to Minnesota Twins’ games […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Exchange students from Ukraine, Romania partner with Raygun to support women artists
Ana-Maria Petcu wants there to be more women in art. But first, she wants the women who are already in art to receive the recognition they deserve. At the Raygun store in Des Moines on March 25, Petcu — a 12th grade foreign exchange student at Valley High School in West Des Moines who is […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Lani’s digital stars align in 2023 with GDP Festival performance, ‘Love, Lani’ album release
Lani Eclatt was 14 years old when she performed her first solo in front of an audience, backed by an orchestra performing a song she’d composed. “It was such a big deal for me at the time, but from there I knew I wanted to keep writing and performing,” said Eclatt, who has continued to […]
