By Michael Swanger michael@dmcityview.com

Valley Junction to host 'Festivale'

Though the holiday of Cinco de Mayo (The 5th of May) commemorates the Mexican victory over the French in The Battle of Puebla in 1862, it is perhaps better known for its celebration than for what it celebrates, and in West Des Moines' Valley Junction that means parties.

On Thursday, Valley Junction will host "Festivale Cinco de Mayo," featuring live music, dancing, food, art and children's activities from 4 to 10 p.m. The free street festival will include performances by La Pasitos (5 p.m. and 7 p.m.), Diananpe Musica (5:30 p.m.), Baille Latino (7:30 p.m.) and Latino Pride (8 p.m.) in the Railroad Park area. Los Guitarras de Mexico will also perform throughout the evening while strolling Fith Street.
In addition to the festival, Junction 122 Bar and Grill will serve Mexican dishes, hold a tequila taste testing and host the Diaz Band (9 p.m. to 1 a.m., no cover).

East Village festival blossoms Blooms 'n' Blues Festival, a free annual spring celebration in the East Village, will be held Friday, June 3, from 5 to 11 p.m.

The festivities begin with the first show of the 2005 Blues Before Sunset series, featuring Fat Tuesday and the Greasefire Horns performing on the southwest outdoor terrace of the State of Iowa Historical Building from 5 to 7 p.m.
Following the blues show, a handful of rock and bluegrass bands including Mr. Baber's Neighbors, Soapbox Prophets, the Sonny Humbucker Band and Face April, will play from 7 to 11 p.m. in front of the Blood Center of Iowa, 431 E. Locust St.

In addition to music, a street market will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. and stores will be open until 9 p.m. For more information, call 281-4011.

Nitefall lineup released
The Des Moines Parks and Recreation department has released the lineup for the 10th annual Nitefall on the River concert series, which includes bands that frequently play our city's lone blues club, familiar Nitefall performers and '70s blues-rockers. They include Umphrey's McGee, Floodplane (June 2); Grinder Switch (June 9); Walter Trout (June 16); The Iguanas, Dazy Head Mazy (June 23 at Blank Park Zoo); Marcia Ball, Jack Semple (June 30); Tab Benoit, the Nortons (July 7); Savoy Brown featuring Kim Simmons, Steepwater Band (July 14); Pat McGee Band, Michael Tolcher (July 21); Colin Hay Band (July 28); Sonny Landreth, Renee Austin (Aug. 4).

All shows will be held at the Simon Estes Amphitheater, except where noted. Tickets are $8 for adults and children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Season passes are $72. They are available through IowaTix and the Parks and Recreation department.

Scene notes

The folks at Wells Fargo Arena announced another big show the other day. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will play the new arena July 18 with The Black Crowes as opening act. Tickets are $56 and $46 and go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial Box Office or by calling (866) 4-IEC-TIX or by visiting IowaEventsCenter.com...

The Bob Pace Band featuring Effie Burt and The Soul Searchers, both of Des Moines, and the Mercury Brothers from the Quad Cities, advanced to the finals of the 2005 Iowa Blues Challenge last week. The championship round will be held May 20 at the Hotel Fort Des Moines starting at 9 p.m. The three groups will compete for a plethora of prizes and a chance to compete at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis...

Speaking of The Soul Searchers, the local jump-blues group was filmed last week at Dirk's Guitars in the East Village by Iowa Public Television. Their performance of four original tunes will be aired this fall on multiple airings of IPTV's "Living in Iowa"...

In other blues news, three local blues musicians backed-up national singer-guitarist Deborah Coleman last week when she played Blues on Grand, filling in nicely without rehearsal. Coleman's regular band, minus her guitarist, was unavailable for the show, so the club's manager, Jeff Wagner, helped Coleman recruit bassist Scott Sutherland, saxophonist Nate Peoples and drummer Ian Shepherd to fill in...

Fans still abuzz about last week's Afroman show at the Vaudeville Mews, listen up. The clown prince of rap and roach clips is giving away his autographed water pipe in the June issue of Hustler Magazine, where he is pictured blowing a huge blast of smoke into the air. Afroman's debut release, "The Good Times," has sold more than 870,000 copies and is certified Gold and the single, "Because I Got High," featured in the movie "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," has sold nearly two million copies. How chronic...

Four Drake University choral ensembles and an orchestra made up of students and faculty members will perform Haydn's "Creation Mass" today (Thursday) at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines at 8 p.m. A pre-show program about Haydn will be held at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the public and $7 for students...

Little Feat plays the Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines on June 22. Tickets, which sell for $25.50, go on sale Friday through Ticketmaster... Auditions for the Des Moines Choral Society's 2005-06 season will be held May 8 and 15 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Plymouth Church, 4126 Ingersoll Ave. Call 283-4530 for more information...

WWE Smackdown Live plays June 6 at the Iowa Events Center at 7 p.m. Tickets, which sell for $41 to $21, go on sale May 14 at 10 a.m. through the Iowa Events Center box office, by phone at (866) 4-IEC TIX or online at www.iowaeventscenter.com...

Kip Winger, former frontman for the '80s hard rock group Winger, plays Keysters May 20. Tickets are $12.50 in advance and $15 at the door...

Friday at Five: Ames on the Half Shell, an after-work event featuring live music, kicks off June 10 with a performance by Gimmick. The weekly series of shows by local bands runs through July 29 and will be held in front of Ames City Hall each Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. Admission to the 21-and-over event is $2. Food and beer will be served...

Due to popular demand, the Des Moines Metro Opera is now selling sin

gle tickets to its summer festival, which runs June 24 to July 17. The festival includes performances of "The Tales of Hoffmann," "Lucia Di Lammermoor" and "Gloriana." Tickets range in price from $33 to $69. Call (515) 961-6221 or visit www.dmmo.org...

Organizers of the Farm Fresh Acoustic Fest to be held July 16 in Manning are seeking acoustic artists and duos to perform. Available performance slots are limited. Musicians can contact Brian Joens at bjoens@longlines.com...

The Civic Music Association recently announced the lineup for its 2005-06 concert season. Performers include Sergio and Odair Assad (Sept. 30), Fred Hersch (Oct. 28), the Ramsey Lewis Trio (Feb. 4), Chanticleer (March 12), the Brentano String Quartet with Hsin-Yun Huang (April 8) and Angela M. Brown (May 5). All shows will be held at Drake University's Sheslow Auditorium. For more information about tickets, call 280-4020 or visit www.civicmusic.org. CV

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