Kenyon at The Ideal

07/21/2026

This was a really fun one to write.

Event listings get crazy bloated. Each week I tell you the ones I’d actually be going to, if I didn’t work all the time.

Enjoy!

What’s worth leaving the house for this week in Cedar Rapids. Serial Killer Speakeasy anchors a week of country, DIY metal, street food, CSPS theater, and one smart Thursday bar-stage move.

07/08/2026

The lone road is the long road.

https://littlevillagemag.com/iowa-independent-venues-defy-ticket-monopolies/?fbclid=IwZnRzaAS7nndwZG9mA2ZkaWQWUKKEV2-egbcR_s8vGL5HIE2t_dtWEGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR4lGfGq-MpYpKsjzNeDVfdvd_v7kQ6k_2ujTVLZigY0UYqISFMAgKO51Mrl0w_aem_BmK7_fPhLYNgti4HmhSKUA

The last time you paid to see live music, you probably didn’t think much about the venue itself. You thought about the band, the traffic you would endure, whether you could get a drink before the opener finished. But the venue was thinking about you — whether the parking garage was running at ca...

03/11/2026

Since 2020, Des Moines has lost several cornerstones of its live music scene, from small clubs to major festivals. The closures have narrowed the path for local artists to develop, even as new venues and entertainment giants reshape how live music operates in the metro.