First off, a mea culpa. Last week, we congratulated Chad Elliott on winning the Iowa Blues Challenge and advancing to the national competition in Memphis this January. But Elliott didn’t do it all on his own, and congratulations need to be given to his partner on stage, Bonita Crowe. The duo performs in and around central Iowa regularly and will represent the state well this winter.
The Des Moines Art Center and the Des Moines Symphony have joined forces to provide the city with free “Symphony in Sculpture” cell phone tours of the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park. Commissioned by the Symphony for its 75th anniversary, “Symphony in Sculpture” includes music inspired by nine different pieces within the Sculpture Park. The cell phone tour includes an introduction by composer Steve Heitzeg and performances by the Des Moines Symphony at each stop. Park visitors can take the tour by dialing 515-657-8264, then entering the stop numbers listed on plaques around the Park.
On Thursday, Sept. 5, DG’s Taphouse in Ames has the Marchforth Marching Band performing a unique, high energy and probably very cramped show starting at 9 p.m. Tickets are $21.
House of Bricks has the best comedy/metal act you’ll ever hear in Psychostick, performing an all-ages show starting at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6 for $10 at the door. Shatter, The Desolate and Before 13 Ends also perform.
Also on Sept. 6, Gas Lamp has Ladysoal, along with Bonne Finken. The show starts at 9 p.m., and it’s $5 at the door. Kira Barker opens. (See The Sound.)
On Sept. 7, Vaudeville Mews has metal in its early show, courtesy of Dividing the Masses, playing along with Conflicts, Amass the Grave, Divided, Wretches, Submerged, They Will Repent and Casket. The all-ages show kicks off at 4 p.m., and admission is $10 at the door.
Sound Notes Pick o’ the Week: Sunday, Sept. 8, Wooly’s plays host to “Live on Locust,” featuring Duluth, Minn.-based Trampled By Turtles, along with Iowa’s very own William Elliott Whitmore. That all-ages show starts at 7 p.m., and tickets are $25, available at www.woolysdm.com.
Also on Sept. 8, The Hull Avenue Tavern has Tom Gary and The Bad Boys of Blues Open Jam, starting at 7 p.m. No cover.
Also on Sept. 8, the Val Air Ballroom welcomes Jonny Lang for a show starting at 8 p.m. Tickets range in price from $30 to $75, and available through Ticketmaster.
Mews has Eureka California playing along with Wild Rompit, Satellite State and The Mourning Electric on Monday, Sept. 9, at 5 p.m. The show is $5 at the door and is all-ages.
Finally, on Tuesday, Sept. 9, it’s back to Wooly’s for all the gothy, angry, dancy music you can handle, courtesy of Orlando, Fla.-based Blood on the Dance Floor. Tickets to the all-ages show are $15 in advance and $18 day of show. Heavygrinder, Farewell My Love, The Relapse Symphony, Haley Rose and Corpse all perform as well. Mahalo. CV
