Iowa music venues

Punk and reggae legend H.R. delivered a dose of his trademark positive mental attitude in late February to a Des Moines music community reeling from the latest salvo in the culture wars.

Des Moines shoegaze outfit Holding Hour played their debut album release show Saturday, Feb. 22 at xBk Live. IPR’s Cece Mitchell spoke with the duo about their very first public performance and the work that went into creating that experience, as well as their debut full-length record Parallel Lines.

East Coast fan favorites Guster stopped by Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines in early February on their “We Also Have Eras” tour. IPR’s Cece Mitchell spoke with the four-piece about their quirky shows, passion projects and favorite musical moments.

Many Ames community members associate Ames City Auditorium with their children’s grade-school concerts, dance recitals, and awards ceremonies, and those events continue to have a home in the space. But for Craig Kaufman, who manages the auditorium, bandshell and community center for the City of Ames, the venue can be — and is — more than what it's been known for.

‘Made in the Midwest’ is a new local concert series presented by the Temple Theater in downtown Des Moines. The inaugural series features five Iowa acts across a range of genres.

With local venues seemingly always in danger of shutting down, Rozz-Tox, located in the Quad Cities, is a success story. Featuring performers from across the globe, the idiosyncratic cultural experiences of Rozz-Tox are here to stay.