Enrollment is underway for the Des Moines Symphony Academy’s Summer Camps and workshops. Running from May through August, the Academy classes will cover various instruments throughout the summer months, and children of all ages are welcome. For more information, head over to www.dmsymphony.org. The Pick o’ the Week is at
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Posted May 14, 2014in Sound Notes
Posted May 14, 2014in Sound Check
The White Elephant “Cocaine Love Letter” Independent After putting out two of the better roots-rock albums released in the state, The White Elephant is, in its own words, pumping the breaks a bit. Eschewing the crunchy, electrified, three-chord blues-infused rock riffs of its first two albums, “Cocaine Love Letter” is
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Posted May 14, 2014in Belly Up To...
Fong’s, the Fourth Street Lotus
Poised in the trendy Court Avenue neighborhood among other unique hubs, Fong’s is the perfect blend of creativity and carbs, which is exemplified by the aroma out on the sidewalk and the offerings listed on the menus at the tables or bar. Offering 36 different tiki drinks that promise to
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Posted May 14, 2014in Cover Story
Helmets, laws and outlaws
Motorcycles are built with equal portions of romance and mechanics. From Robert Persig’s “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” to Patrick Symmes’ “Chasing Che: A Motorcycle Legend,” biker literature has spawned a cult of self-discovery that exceeds all other human-machine relations, save the airplane. In fact motorcycles and airplanes
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Posted May 14, 2014in Locker Room
Just cocky enough
The Des Moines Roosters season kicks off this Saturday with the 80/35 Metro Tournament. Coming off a national championship season last year, the Roosters are eager to start the new season. Ever heard of ’em? Is it like soccer? Yes… but not exactly. It’s like football, then? Well, there is
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Posted May 14, 2014in Center Stage
‘Always… Patsy Cline’ is Winterset Main Stage debut
At his keynote address for the launch of the Des Moines Social Club, David Byrne called for “a network” of similar venues. DMSC couldn’t do it alone. The arts in Iowa need other places to grow, he said. Well, how about Madison County? Down in covered-bridge country, the Social Club
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Posted May 14, 2014in On The Tube
The newswoman as newsmaker
Jay Leno’s recent departure from “The Tonight Show” didn’t feel too culturally significant, did it? But Barbara Walters’ retirement is a true TV milestone. On Friday, ABC airs her farewell to “The View” (10 a.m.), followed by a special on her storied career (8 p.m.). It’s hard to imagine how
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Posted May 14, 2014in News of the Weird
Price of friendship “Whoever said, ‘Money can’t buy you friends,’ clearly hasn’t been on the Internet recently,” wrote The New York Times in April, pointing to various social media support services that create online superstars by augmenting one’s Facebook “friends,” Twitter “followers” and Instagram “likes.” The reporter described how, by
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Posted May 14, 2014in Film Review
Spectacular failure
“Godzilla” 1 star Rated PG-13 123 minutes Action Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston Further confirmation that no one in Hollywood knows how to tell a story on film anymore, “Godzilla” starts out promising enough before slipping into a snooze-fest by the end of its first act. A cool
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Posted May 14, 2014in The Sound
Still feeling Suicidal
Suicidal Tendencies has never really tried to be a touchstone for anything. Formed as a punk act in 1981, the band has seen its sound evolve over 30 years through hardcore, thrash and funk iterations. During that period of evolution — sandwiched between three hiatus periods — the band released
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