Iowa City-based Velcro Moxie is a five-piece, but most of what the band is about comes from two sources: vocalist Jasmine Terrell and guitarist/vox-man Nick Carney. “(Velcro Moxie) came from (Carney),” Terrell explained in a phone interview. “He used to work on a project called Bloody Dove, and he had
Read More →Thank you for your article, “Santa’s Secrets” (Dec. 12). The commercial versions of Santa have, lately, made me hate all things Santa. I especially cringe when I see television commercials of Santa shopping at a Big Box store or, in any way, portrayed as “purchasing” his gifts. It made me
Read More →WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Democrats in the filibuster-free U.S. Senate fill key administration vacancies, U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley assailed a Department of Homeland Security nominee for playing a key role in aiding Terry McAuliffe’s electric-car company raise funds through a visa-investor program. “Whistleblowers have provided my office with very troubling
Read More →GRAN TURISMO 6 (E) *** Sony Computer Entertainment PlayStation 3 200 racetracks. 1200 cars. In its bid to one-up rival racing series Forza Motorsport and its paltry 200 cars, Gran Turismo clearly chose the route to quantity rather than quality. But the reality is that, unless you’re Jay Leno or
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December 18, 2013 by justin
in Art News
This year has treated Des Moines’ art fans to grand-scale exhibitions. At the Des Moines Art Center, “Transparencies” gathered 10 artists from five countries whose works explored glass as both a subject matter and medium; “Phyllida Barlow: Scree” delivered 27 monumental tons of magic stuff; and “Gravity and Grace: Monumental
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December 18, 2013 by justin
in Political Mercury
Comedian Jeff Foxworthy built an industry with one of the best joke set-ups since “Knock-knock.” “You must be a redneck if…” goes the moneymaker in the Foxworthy arsenal. Similarly, political candidates have sought to sell voters on their answers: “You are a real Iowan because…” Some candidates talk of detasseling,
Read More →When “Peter Pan” starts to soar at the Des Moines Playhouse, it bears out an old theater truth: A spectacle begins with a spectacular set. The shifting landscapes of “Pan,” from the interior of a Victorian nursery to the exterior of a Neverland pirate ship, it could be the best
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December 18, 2013 by justin
in Belly Up To...
Like that last present tucked away in the shadows behind the tree on a waning Christmas morning — quietly waiting to be discovered — I unwrapped what turned out to be an exciting surprise gift in the form of Michelle’s Lounge on the northeast side of the city. Following the
Read More →Leslie Hall “Songs in the Key of Gold” Yarn House I admit to never having “got” Leslie and the Ly’s. I’m probably just old enough to be out of the proper demographic, but Hall’s schtick has always struck me as striving for irony a little too hard. This aesthetic, which
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