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EDITORS’ PICKS: AuguST 2023 EVENTS
Planning an event? Add it to littlevillagemag.com/calendar! Please include event name, date, time, venue name/address, admission price (or range) and a brief description (no all-caps, exclamation points or advertising verbiage, please). Contact calendar@littlevillagemag.com with any questions.
Music Crandic
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Thursday, Aug. 3 at 7 p.m. CLUTCH, McGrath Amphitheatre, Cedar Rapids, $30-59.50
Friday, Aug. 4 at 6 p.m. Iowa City Hard Core, James Theater, Iowa City, $15
Fridays, Aug. 4, 11, 18, 25 at 6 p.m. Rock the Block, NewBo City Market, Cedar Rapids, Free
Fridays, Aug. 4, 11, 18, 25 and Sept 1 at 6:30 p.m. SOA Friday Night Concert Series, Downtown Iowa City, Free
Tuesdays, Aug. 8, 15, 17, 22 and 29 at 6:30 p.m. SOA Music on the Move, Various Venues, Iowa City, Free
Friday, Aug. 11 at 7:30 p.m
Joanne Shaw Taylor, Englert Theatre, Iowa City, $31.25-98.75
Friday, Aug. 11 at 8 p.m. Kidd G, Wildwood Saloon, Iowa City, $25
Friday and Saturday, Aug. 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. Lynne Rothrock and Blake Shaw, Opus Concert Cafe, Cedar Rapids, $32
Sunday, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. Arlo McKinley w/Justin Wells & Travis Feutz, Wildwood Saloon, $20
Sunday, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. Chris Pierce, CSPS Hall, Cedar Rapids, $16-20
Fall Welcome Concert: Brittany Howard, Dawn Richard, Elizabeth Moen, Friday, Aug. 25 at 6 p.m., Hancher Green, Iowa City, Free
As students stream back into Iowa City late this summer, Hancher Auditorium is treating not only those attending the University of Iowa, but the entire community to a set of free concerts. Brittany Howard, Dawn Richard and Elizabeth Moen will each claim the Hancher Auditorium’s outdoor stage to bring tones of R&B, folk-rock and alt. stylings to audiences for the evening. Richard, who released the album Pigments with Spencer Zhan last October, hails from New Orleans and brings Creole culture and Southern swag to her sound. Howard, a five time Grammy-award winner, is also notably the frontwoman and guitarist for rock band the Alabama Shakes. Most locals will already be familiar with Moen, a Iowa-born singer-songwriter who–though based out of Chicago these days–still regularly plays the Hawkeye state.
Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 8 p.m. the Wallflowers, Englert Theatre, $55-75
Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 8 p.m. meth, Amygdala, Koozie, Trumpet Blossom Cafe, Iowa City
Thursday, Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. Bleeding Through w/Too Pure to Die, Gabe’s, Iowa City, $25
Thursday, Aug. 17 at 7 p.m. The Sea The Sea, CSPS Hall, $16-19
Thursday, Aug. 17 at 8 p.m. James Austin Johnson: The Age of JAJ, Codfish Hollow Barnstormers, Maquoketa, $28
Thursday, Aug. 17 at 8:30 p.m. Brian Johannesen, James Theater, $20-25
Friday, Aug. 18 at 9 p.m. Adeem the Artist, Trumpet Blossom Cafe, $10-18
Saturday, Aug. 19 at 7:30 p.m. Catfish Keith, James Theater, $15-25
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Sunday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. The Wildwoods, CSPS Hall, $15-20
Sunday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. HOODS w/ Phantom Threat, Die First & Grip, Gabe’s, $12
Saturday, Aug. 26 at 5:30 p.m. Backyard Big Show, Big Grove Brewery, Iowa City, $45
Saturday, Aug. 26 at 8 p.m. Black Shaw Big(ish) Band, CSPS Hall, $20-100
Saturday, Aug. 26 at 8 p.m. Hannah Frey w/ mars hojilla and Bella Moss, Gabe’s, $10
Monday, Aug. 28 at 7:30 p.m. Devon Allman & Donavon Frankenreiter, Englert Theatre, $23-48
Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m. GZA w/Ahzia, Englert Theatre, $25-49.38
Saturday, Sept. 2 at 8 p.m. David Huckfelt, CSPS Hall, $18-20
Des Moines
Wednesday, Aug. 2 at 6 p.m. Casii Stephan w/Sara Routh and Abbie Sawyer, Lefty’s Live Music, Des Moines, $10
Wednesday, Aug. 2 at 8 p.m. Jennifer Knapp, xBk Live, Des Moines, $17-50
Thursday, Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. Summer Concert Series: Not Quite Brothers, Jasper Winery, Des Moines, Free
Thursdays, Aug. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 at 6 p.m. Music in the Garden, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, Free-$12
Thursday, Aug. 3 at 8 p.m. Songs From the Road Band, xBk Live, $11-15

Friday-Sunday, Aug. 4-6. Hinterland Music Festival, Avenue of the Saints Amphitheater and Event Center, St. Charles, $100-1,500
Saturday, Aug. 5 at 8 p.m. Amber Duimstra w/Her Band, Noce, Des Moines, $18-45
Saturday, Aug. 5 at 8 p.m. Look @ Me: Album Release Party, xBk Live, $10-15
Tuesday, Aug. 8 at 8 p.m. Diggin Dirt, xBk Live, $15-18
Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 9 p.m. 360 Experience, Platform, Des Moines, $11
Thursday, Aug. 10 at 8 p.m. Ward Davis, Wooly’s, Des Moines, $20
Friday, Aug. 11 at 8 p.m. Run Wilson, xBk Live, $10-15
Saturday, Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. Tommy Prine, xBk Live, $18-22
Tuesday, Aug. 15 at 8 p.m. the Wallflowers, Hoyt Sherman Place, Des Moines, $35-69
Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 6 p.m. Born of Osiris, Wooly’s, $22
Sir Chloe, Wooly’s, Des Moines,
Thursday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m., $15 Sir
Chloe is an indie rock project spearheaded by Dana Foote—the group’s vocalist, songwriter and guitarist—but also consisting of guitarist Teddy O’Mara, drummer Palmer Foote, keyboardist Austin Holmes and Emma Welch on bass with vocals. Formed in 2017 out of Vermont, the band is finding its way to Wooly’s in Des Moines. Sir Chloe released I Am the Dog, the group’s debut album, in May and have been touring since then as part of the aptly named “I Am the Tour.” The band has previously appeared in Iowa, having come to the University of Iowa in October 2022 with NoSo thanks to SCOPE Productions, a student-led commission dedicated to bringing artists to the college. Prior to the I Am the Dog album, Sir Chloe released Party Favors, a 10-track EP.
Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. the Mountain Grass Unit, xBk Live, $15-20
Thursday, Aug. 17 at 8 p.m. Soulja Boy, Wooly’s, $45-48.50
Friday, Aug. 18 at 9 p.m. Katy Guillen & the Drive, xBk Live, $9-15
Saturday, Aug. 19 at 8 p.m. Spitalfield, Wooly’s, $22
Saturday, Aug. 19 at 8 p.m. Aviana Gedler, Noce, $18-45
Saturday, Aug. 19 at 8 p.m. Daniel Champagne, xBk Live, $25-30

Monday, Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. Dominic Fike, Lauridsen Amphitheater, Des Moines, $59.50-99.50
Thursday, Aug. 24 at 8 p.m. Evening w/the Righteous Babes, xBk Live, $20-25
Friday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. Old 97’s, Wooly’s, $25
Friday, Aug. 25 at 8 p.m. Napoleon Douglas & His Band, Noce, $20-48
Saturday, Aug. 26 at 8 p.m. Vimka: Album Release, xBk Live, $10-15
Monday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. Tanner Usrey, Wooly’s, $22.50
Thursday, Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m . Happy Together Tour, Hoyt Sherman Place, $49.50-95
Thursday, Aug. 31 at 8 p.m. the Counselors of Evil, xBk Live, $10-15
Literature
CRANDIC

Thursday, Aug. 3 at 7 p.m. Neil Hamilton, Prairie Lights, Iowa City, Free
Friday, Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. Reading w/Lori Lacina, Prairie Lights, Free
Monday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. Jesse Rogers, Prairie Lights, Free
Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 7 p.m. Andrew Ridker, Online, Prairie Lights, Free
Art Lovers Book Club, Cedar Rapids
Museum of Art, Thursday, Aug. 17 at 4 p.m.,
Free Folks are gathering at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art (CRMA) to chat about street artist Banksy, and more specifically, the book Banksy: You Are An Acceptable Level of Threat by Patrick Potter. The book discusses the artist’s career that spans from the late ‘90s to 2018. Readers will also observe a collection of photographs of Banksy’s work taken from locations all around the world. The Art Lovers Book Club meets monthly at CRMA.
Friday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. Jamel Brinkley w/ Carmen Maria Machado, Prairie Lights, Free
Sunday, Aug. 27 at 1 p.m. What’cha Reading Book Club, Craft’d, Cedar Rapids, Free
Sunday, Aug. 27 at 4 p.m. International Writing Program Reading Series, Prairie Lights, Free
Des Moines
Friday, Aug. 4 at 7 p.m. Poetry Open Mic Night w/Kelsey Bigelow, Beaverdale Books, Des Moines, Free
Monday, Aug. 7 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the Author: Neil Hamilton, Raccoon River Nature Lodge, West Des Moines, Free

Meet the Author: Mark Guarino, Beaverdale Books, Des Moines, Monday, Aug. 21 at 6:30 p.m., Free

Join veteran journalist Mark Guarino for an event at Beaverdale Books where he’ll discuss his novel Country and Midwestern, a work about the untold story of Chicago’s pivotal role as a country and folk music capital. Guarino will be joined by Don McLeese, University of Iowa journalism professor, author and an award-winning music journalist. The two will talk in-depth about Chicago’s musical history with an emphasis on pre-war country music, the folk revival of the 1950s and 1960s, and touch on the city’s contemporary scene as well.

Monday, Aug. 14 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the Author: Julie M. Granger, Beaverdale Books, Free
Tuesday, Aug. 15 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the Author: Mindy Mejia, Beaverdale Books, Free
Thursday, Aug. 24 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the Author: Darby Harn, Beaverdale Books, Free
Performance
Crandic
Wednesdays, Aug. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 at 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays Open Mic, Willow Creek Theatre Company, Iowa City, Free
Friday, Aug. 11 at 8 p.m. Living Improverty, CSPS Hall, Cedar Rapids, $15-20
Saturday, Aug. 12 at 9:30 p.m. Summer Comedy Showcase, Joystick Comedy Arcade, Iowa City, $5
Closing Sunday, Aug. 13. The Lightning Thief, Giving Tree Theater, Marion, $36

Saturday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. Die No Die, Ashton Cross Country Course, Iowa City, $10-50
Saturday, Aug. 26 at 9:30 p.m. Comedy Game Show, Joystick Comedy Arcade, $5
Sunday, Aug. 27 at 7:30 p.m. Craig Ferguson, Englert Theatre, Iowa City, $48196
Des Moines
Thursdays, Aug. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31. On the House: Stand-Up Comedy Showcase, Teehee’s Comedy Club, Des Moines, Free
Saturday, Aug. 5 at 7 p.m. Mark Normand, Hoyt Sherman Place, Des Moines, $35-159.75
Friday-Saturday, Aug. 11-12. Willie Barcena Perfectly Flawed, Temple Theater, Des Moines, $45-60
Opening Friday, Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. Shrek: The Musical, Stoner Theater, Des Moines, $19.5024.50
A Little Night Music, Brucemore, Cedar Rapids, Opening Friday, Aug. 11 at 7 p.m., $20-125

With music and lyrics from the late-great Stephen Sondheim, A Little Night Music first hit Broadway in 1973 and proceeded to win six Tony awards, including best musical. Now, Theatre Cedar Rapids is bringing its own take on the classic musical to the Peggy Boyle Whitworth Amphitheater through Aug. 27. The show is perhaps most famous for the song “Send in the Clowns,” which appears at the end of Act II. The story of the show focuses on fictitious famed-actress Desiree Armfeldt, whose encounter with a romantic flame from her past causes confessions to come to light and a comedy of errors to ensue. Since the show is outdoors, seating occurs on a first-come, first-serve basis. Concessions will be available and attendees are invited to bring their own light snacks and beverages for the evening.
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, Various Locations, Des Moines Metro, ThursdaySaturday, Aug.
17-19,
Free
Vaudeville, circus acts and sideshow spectacles collide in this the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, an act that’s been touring since 1995 that harkens back to the history of traditional American circus performance. Those in attendance can expect to see jugglers, sword swallowing, contortionists and other fantastic feats over the course of a performance. Co-founded by Stephanie Monseu and Keith Nelson, the duo still regularly appears in performances as the troupe performs at various venues across the globe. Three free, family-friendly performances will occur throughout the weekend in Central Iowa at Fort Des Moines Park, Centennial Park in Waukee and Walker Johnston Park in Urbandale respectively.
Wednesday-Friday, Aug. 23-25 at 7 p.m. Leanne Morgan, Hoyt Sherman Place, $35.75-59.75
Friday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. Black & Bell: StandUp Comedy, Teehee’s Comedy Club, $15-20
Saturday, Aug. 26 at 8 p.m. Craig Ferguson, Hoyt Sherman Place, $39.50-69.50
Sunday, Aug. 27 at 9 a.m. Dancing on Cowles Commons, Downtown Des Moines, Free
Wednesday, Aug. 30 at 8 p.m. Comedy Open Mic, Teehee’s Comedy Club, Free
Film
Crandic
Wednesday, Aug. 2 at 10 p.m. Late Shift at the Grindhouse: La Casa Lobo, FilmScene— The Chauncey, Iowa City, $8
Saturday and Thursday, Aug 5 and 10. Some Like It Hot, FilmScene—The Chauncey, $10-13
Saturday, Aug. 5 at 8:20 p.m. A League of Their Own, FilmScene in the Park, Iowa City, Free
Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 6:30 p.m. Death of a Brewer, Big Grove Brewery, Iowa City, Free
Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 10 p.m. Late Shift at the Grindhouse: Up the Creek, FilmScene— The Chauncey, Iowa City, $8
Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 12-13 at 1 p.m. CatVideoFest, FilmScene—The Chauncey, $10-11
Saturday, Aug. 12 and Wednesday, Aug. 16. The Apartment, FilmScene—The Chauncey, $10-11
Sunday, Aug. 13 and Thursday, Aug. 17. One, Two, Three, FilmScene—The Chauncey, $10-11
Sunday, Aug. 13 at 8 p.m. Hackers, FilmScene—Ped Mall—Rooftop, Iowa City, $20
Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 10 p.m. Late Shift at the Grindhouse: Die Die Delta Pi, FilmScene— The Chauncey, $8