Lucius Pham
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Iowa Public Radio
Since 2020, Des Moines has lost several cornerstones of its live music scene, from small clubs to major festivals. The closures have narrowed the path for local artists to develop, even as new venues and entertainment giants reshape how live music operates in the metro.
The announcement of the venue's closure by the end of the year marks another blow for Des Moines' local music scene.
Studio One's Cece Mitchell documented her experience at Girls Rock! Des Moines' annual We Rock music retreat, an adult version of their youth camp.
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Last weekend, Des Moines dynamo Ramona and the Sometimes hosted the third installment of Cupid’s Lounge, an amorous extravaganza complete with skits and serenades. Backed by the Lovin’ Forkful, a local supergroup assembled for the event, Cupid’s Lounge had its packed audience singing along to love songs across several genres. -
Many Ames community members associate Ames City Auditorium with their children’s grade-school concerts, dance recitals, and awards ceremonies, and those events continue to have a home in the space. But for Craig Kaufman, who manages the auditorium, bandshell and community center for the City of Ames, the venue can be — and is — more than what it's been known for. -
With local venues seemingly always in danger of shutting down, Rozz-Tox, located in the Quad Cities, is a success story. Featuring performers from across the globe, the idiosyncratic cultural experiences of Rozz-Tox are here to stay.
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The third annual FEaST festival took place in Iowa City, honoring its late creator Chris Wiersema. Experimental music was the highlight and proved that the festival continues to "feed us weird things." -
The Aces made a headlining stop at Wooly's on Sunday, Sept. 22 and proved they are a band to watch. -
Iowa State University's Goldfinch Room is drawing on five years of fostering intimate artist-audience connections with a weekend-long reunion festival Sept. 28-29. The Goldfinch Room Reunion Festival lineup includes nearly 20 acts, mostly from Iowa, who have performed in the Goldfinch Room previously.
