HappyFest May 13 at Simon Estes Amphitheater
HappyFest, a benefit for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, will be held May 13 at the Simon Estes Amphitheater, featuring nine musical acts. The show is apart of Threase Harm’s LLS Woman of the Year...
View ArticleWiz Khalifa concert sells out in two hours
Tickets to Wiz Khalifa’s June 15 show at the Val Air Ballroom sold out today in less than two hours. Show promoter Sam Summers of First Fleet Concerts said that other than a Daughtry show selling out...
View ArticleElton John in Sioux City
This show will be a bit of a drive – and surprisingly short notice – but Elton John will perform at Tyson Events Center in Sioux City on May 3. It was one year ago this week (April 16, 2010) that Sir...
View ArticleAndre Rieu returns to Wells Fargo Arena
Violinist Andre Rieu returns to Wells Fargo Arena with his Johann Strauss Orchestra Sept. 17. “An Evening with Andre Rieu” will feature Rieu and the 60-piece orchestra performing works by Strauss and...
View Article.38 Special, Jackyl and more added to Summer Jam
KGGO has added new acts to the June 25 Summer Jam at Water Works Park. .38 Special (“Caught Up in You,” “Hold on Loosely”), Kenny Wayne Shepherd (“Blue on Black,” “Deja Voodoo”), Jackyl (“Push Comes to...
View Article“Climate Refugees” screening at Fleur Cinema
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Woman of the Year candidate Amanda Comito is hosting a screening of “Climate Refugees” at 7:30 p.m. May 20 at Fleur Cinema. The screening will include a Q&A with the...
View Article‘Lord of the Rings’ extended editions coming back to theaters
Do you have a butt of steel? You’ll need it when the “Lord of the Rings’ films come back to theaters for a series of one-night only showings. These aren’t the wimpy three hour versions. We’re talking...
View ArticleLighthouse Concert Series lineup
West Des Moines Christian Church has announced the lineup for its 2011-2012 Lighthouse Concert Series. It’s a (mostly) monthly series, beginning in June with acts announced through July of next year,...
View ArticleParlours on “”The Chicago Code” tonight
I’ve never seen an episode of “The Chicago Code,” and based off the fact that they’re billing tonight’s episode as the series finale, I’m guessing not a lot of other people have either. But even if...
View ArticleIowa State Fair free stage acts
The Iowa State Fair has announced its free stage acts. For the third year in a row the fair lands a hip hop act (The Ying Yang Twins), popular favorites Hairball return, and Iowa acts Brother Trucker,...
View ArticleCorey Taylor on ‘NY Ink’ Thursday
Stone Sour/Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor will be on Thursday’s episode of “NY Ink” on TLC. Taylor is said to be getting (well, he’s gotten it by now) a tattoo in tribute to deceased Slipknot bassist...
View ArticleFriday’s Little River Band show is canceled
This is short notice, but the Little River Band show scheduled for Friday at the Val Air Ballroom has been canceled. Last July a LRB show at 7 Flags was rescheduled on short notice so the band could...
View ArticleD-Line hours extended for Yankee Doodle Pops
The free D-Line Downtown Shuttle will run until 11 p.m. Friday to help ease travel congestion in downtown Des Moines. The shuttle will run on Walnut Street between 15th and E. Fourth streets, with...
View ArticleDemetri Martin at Hoyt Sherman Place
Cerebral stand-up comedian Demetri Martin will perform Sept. 23 at Hoyt Sherman Place. You might remember Demetri from his Comedy Central show “Important Things with Demetri Martin” or his time as a...
View ArticleDenny O’Neil at Comic Book I-Con
And now for a post about a different type of comic. If you’re as nerdy as I am, this will excited you: Denny O’Neil will be a guest at this year’s Comic Book I-Con, Sept. 17 at Adventureland Inn in...
View ArticleCraft Beer Tent at the Iowa State Fair
This year the Iowa State Fair will feature a Craft Beer Tent for the first time. Here’s what they’ll be offering: Iowa Breweries: Angry Cedar Brewing Company (Waverly) Appoose Rapids Brewing Company...
View ArticleSummerMusic Concert at Drake
The 17th anniversary SummerMusic Concert will be held Aug. 26 at the Turner Jazz Space in the Performing Arts Building at Drake University. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. with Bruce Brubaker,...
View ArticleTrain, Maroon 5 play to full house
Co-headliners Train and Maroon 5 played to a capacity crowd of 10,678 Friday night. With an opening act it was nearly four hours of music, and the crowd seemed just as eager for the last note as they...
View ArticleJanet Jackson: Still the queen
Janet Jackson’s career has gone through many stages. She started as a child actress with minor roles on TV before breaking out of her family’s shadow with her 1986 album, “Control.” In the 25 years...
View ArticleMax Brooks (“World War Z”) at Iowa State
“World War Z” and “The Zombie Survival Guide” author Max Brooks will speak at Iowa State Oct. 28 on “How to Survive a Zombie Attack.” This could be essential at some point, so take it very, very...
View ArticleTempleton Rye “Boardwalk Empire” screening party at the Science Center
The Science Center of Iowa and Templeton Rye will be hosting a screening of the premiere of the HBO series “Boardwalk Empire” Sept. 25 in the Science Center’s Star Theater. At this year’s Baconfest...
View Article“Mythbusters” Grant Imahara at Iowa State Saturday
Grant Imahara of the Discovery Channel show “Mythbusters” will speak at 7 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 17) in Iowa State University’s Stephens Auditorium. The talk will be a behind-the-scenes look at the...
View Article“Grease” director Randal Kleiser to workshop at Wild Rose film fest
Randal Kleiser, the director of “Grease,” “The Blue Lagoon” and “Flight of the Navigator”(!) will host a live, interactive workshop for filmmakers at this year’s Wild Rose Film Festival, which is being...
View ArticleBaconfest set for Feb. 18, 2012
Every year the Blue Ribbon Baconfest nearly doubles in size, and every year it sells out quicker. This year the event was held at Capitol Square and sold out 1,600 tickets in around 20 minutes. In 2012...
View ArticleWinter Jam returns in January
The Christian rock tour Winter Jam returns to Des Moines Jan. 20 for a show at Wells Fargo Arena. Headlining the event is the Grammy-nominated alternative rock group Skillet. Lazerfest attendees may...
View ArticleNick Offerman (Ron Swanson) coming to Iowa State
When Parks & Recreation first debuted a few years back it seemed like it was just going to be a knock-off of The Office. At first it was, but after the first year it became its own beast, and I...
View ArticleLarry the Cable Guy, Big Time Rush coming to the Iowa State Fair
The Iowa State Fair’s latest batch of headliners fall outside of the Grandstand’s usual batch of music acts. Blue collar comedian Larry the Cable Guy will play the Grandstand on Aug. 11. Larry last...
View ArticleAn afternoon with Parrotheads
It’s always 5 o’clock somewhere, even at 2:30 p.m. on a Tuesday. Not long after the official start of Jimmy Buffett tailgating, faithful Parrotheads were already partying hard, “phlocking” to the...
View ArticleJimmy Buffett review blog
“Hello Des Moines, it’s only been 27 years.” That’s how Jimmy Buffett greeted a sold out crowd of over 15,00 Parrottheads Tuesday night. The crowd erupted as the 65-year-old pirate kicked off the show...
View ArticleThe Temptations coming to Hoyt Sherman Place
Soul/R&B legends The Temptations will perform at Hoyt Sherman Place on June 21. The Motown act has a huge catalogue of hits that inlucdes “My Girl,” “”Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” “Just My...
View ArticleBill Maher coming to the Civic Center
Bill Maher, stand-up comedian, poltical commentator and host of HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” will do a show at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines on Oct. 13. Tickets to the performance will be...
View ArticleLife on Mars: Mars Cafe set to reopen
The Drake-area coffee shop Mars Cafe closed last month, ending a six year run at 2318 University Ave. But the shop’s Facebook page has still been active the last few weeks. Fans who checked out the...
View ArticleGetting ready for Mars Cafe 2.0
When Mars Café reopens on Sept. 15 regulars can expect a mix of returning faces, flavors and features. Daniel Bosman, a barista who has been working in the shop for years, is already back in the shop,...
View ArticleBlue Ribbon Bacon Festival returning Feb. 9, 2013
The sixth annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival will be held Feb. 9 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. The Fairgrounds is a rare repeat venue for the festival, which spent its first two years at El Bait...
View ArticleBlue Ribbon Bacon Festival sells out in less than four minutes
Once again, the organizers of the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival doubled the size of their event, and once again it sold out quickly. In less than four minutes, to be precise. Bacon fans around the US and...
View ArticleBombay Bicycle Club to become The Point
Bombay Bicycle Club at 8410 Hickman Road, Clive, will become The Point later this month. According to a post on the BBC Facebook page, the bar is currently undergoing remodeling and will reopen as The...
View ArticleLauren Burt is named 2012 Juice Young Professional of the Year
The 2012 Juice Young Professional of the Year award was given tonight to Lauren M.G. Burt at a reception honoring Burt and four other finalists for the award at Jasper Winery. Burt, 29, is manager of...
View ArticleJuice Young Professional of the Year ceremony
On Thursday night some of the best and brightest in central Iowa were recognized at the ceremony for Juice’s Young Professional of the Year Award, held at Jasper Winery. Lauren Burt, Manager of...
View ArticleFong’s Pizza has reopened for business
After two Fongless months, Fong’s Pizza, 223 Fourth St., is reopening today. The restaurant was forced to close in November after a water main break did significant damage to the building’s basement....
View ArticleComedian Daniel Tosh coming to Stephens Auditorium
Daniel Tosh, whose show Tosh.0 makes up approximately 75% of Comedy Central’s programming, will perform at Stephens Auditorium on June 4 as a part of his “The June Gloom Tour.” Scheduling any June...
View ArticleVideo: el Bait Shop’s ‘Weird, Wild and Rare’ beer festival
You might not know the name Jack McAuliffe, but if you’ve ever consumed a craft beer you’ve enjoyed the fruits of his work. In 1976 McAuliffe founded the New Albion Brewing Co. in Sonoma, Calif.,...
View ArticleBaconfest movie needs some extras
The organizers of the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival filmed a mockumentary during the event last month, but they still have a few more shots to pick up. They’re hoping to round up a few hundred...
View ArticleComic creator Bill Willingham on Iowa’s ties to werewolves
Over the weekend I attended the Fabletown and Beyond convention in Rochester, Minn. The convention celebrated the people behind the Vertigo comic series “Fables,” created by writer Bill Willingham. The...
View ArticleSNL stars Dana Carvey, Dennis Miller, Kevin Nealon to perform at Iowa State Fair
“Saturday Night Live” comedians Dana Carvey, Dennis Miller and Kevin Nealon will perform at the Iowa State Fair Grandstand on Aug. 10. That’s all of Hans & Franz, half of Wayne’s World and, um,...
View ArticleTony Lemmo to open Hotshots ‘craft hotdoggery’
Cafe di Scala owner Tony Lemmo and James Bruton are planning to open Hotshots in early May, which the chef is dubbing a “craft hotdoggery.” The restaurant will be located in the same spot Lemmo’s...
View ArticleVideo: Aaron Giddings, chiropractor and martial artist
For 15 years Aaron Giddings has been training with Iron Claw Kung Fu, attaining the rank of Sifu. The school will be performing at next week’s CelebrAsian festival. Giddings showed off some of his...
View ArticleValley Junction Cinco de Mayo celebration moved to Once de Mayo (May 11)
Cinco de Mayo has been postponed due to snow. Valley Junction’s annual celebration, originally scheduled for Saturday, has been moved to May 11. The event will take place noon-10 p.m. on the 200 and 30...
View ArticleWhiff-It whiffle ball tournament is postponed
The Whiff-It Des Moines whiffle ball tournament that was scheduled for Saturday at Campbell Park in Clive has been postponed. Organizers said the tournament will now be held June 8. The event is a...
View ArticleWelcome Back to Walnut Street
The Downtown Community Alliance is planning to showcase Walnut St. with monthly Welcome Back to Walnut Street events starting June 21-22. The June 21 event runs from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and features music...
View ArticleDrew Carey coming to Hoyt Sherman Place
“The Price Is Right” host Drew Carey will perform an evening of stand up comedy Oct. 19 at Hoyt Sherman Place. Carey is also known for his own sitcom, “The Drew Carey Show,” as well as hostign “Whose...
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