ISSUE 3 June 2022
A L W A Y S
F R E E
Rec’d Running Fever
Joggers share the methods behind their madness
The Scoop
Six Des Moines-area ice cream destinations
Buy’owa Bug spray, bike bags and more, made in Iowa
How to Festival PLUS
UI historians shed light on
Recipes and wine recs for
On the road with
the Dark Ages
princes and paupers
Ren faire performers
What summer music Geneviève Salamone fest archetype are you? centers Indigenous sound
TICKETS ON SALE NOW! May 17June 5
Hamilton
DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER
Pieces of My Heart
Willis Broadway Series
Pieces of My Heart
June 9-12
STONER THEATER
Dance/Poetry
June 10-12
Riverdance
DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER
Willis Broadway Series
An Evening with Vince Gill
July 22
DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER
Concert
June 9-12
STONER THEATER
Tom Segura
July 28
DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER
Comedy
Aug. 2-7
My Fair Lady
DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER
Willis Broadway Series Aug. 23-28
Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER
Willis Broadway Series
Bernadette Peters In Concert
Sept. 8
DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER
Concert Sept. 17
Disney Jr. Live On Tour
DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER
Family
Sept. 20Oct 2 Oct. 1
Dixie’s Tupperware Party TEMPLE THEATER
Comedy
June 10-12
DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER
SW!NG OUT
DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER
Dance
Oct. 6-9 The Book Of Mormon DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER
Willis Broadway Series
Oct. 25-30
Fiddler On The Roof DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER
Willis Broadway Series Oct. 25-30
The Crown - Live! TEMPLE THEATER
Comedy
See Our Complete Schedule at DMPA.org
August 2-7
DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER
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Love it or hate it, running runs
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Top Stories Catch up on Little Village’s most-viewed headlines from last month. Read more at LittleVillageMag.com.
Gov. Reynolds avoids answering questions about whether
As greyhound racing ends in Iowa, retired runners like
she would support banning abortion ‘without exceptions’
Luci get used to a life of leisure
By Paul Brennan, May 5
By Lily DeTaeye, May 12 Kanya Petersen always wanted a dog. But it wasn’t until
Gov. Kim Reynolds avoided giving a direct answer about whether she wants to outlaw abortions without any exceptions when
she and her husband, Erik, bought their house in Altoona that they
questioned by reporters after an unscheduled meeting in Marion May
decided they were finally ready to make the commitment. They ended
4. “I am pro-life, I am proud to be. I am going to do everything I can to
up adopting greyhound Luci, who once had an illustrious career as a
defend the unborn … and I’m excited about the opportunity,” she said
racing dog in Dubuque. Today, she is a contented couch potato living in
before walking away.
Altoona.
Take a walk among the dinosaurs in ‘that one Des Moines
Photo Gallery: Gamers, comic fans and Klingons gather
garden’ this July
for Des Moines Con 2022
By Courtney Guein, May 16
By Lily DeTaeye, May 24
After a four-year hiatus, the Polk County Master Gardeners’
The line to enter Des Moines Con snaked around the first
Garden Tour is back, highlighting 11 exceptional gardeners and garden
floor of the Iowa Events Center on Saturday morning as cosplayers and con-
enthusiasts across the county. One stop on the tour is the south Des
goers came from near and far to attend the convention’s first year.
Moines home of Derek McKay, whose garden is filled with native Iowan plants and non-native dinosaurs.
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Letters & Interactions LV encourages community members, including candidates for office, to submit letters to Editor@LittleVillageMag.com. To be considered for print publication, letters should be under 500 words. Preference is given to letters that have not been published elsewhere.
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TEN YEARS AGO the Uvalde victims were babies/toddlers. Ten years ago the Sandy Hook killer, with his guns, stole the lives of 26 babies and teachers. Parents everywhere (oops I mean, in the U.S.) must have thought to themselves how terrifying it was to bring their small babies into this world and prayed it would never happen to them. Ten years later, 19 babies’ parents and the loved ones of two teachers had their worst fears in the world, come to fruition. WAKE UP. If you are celebrating the loss of women’s rights to control their bodies and simultaneously offering your prayers for the victims of the families of Uvalde and Buffalo victims: you are NOT pro life. You’re addicted to letting greedy politicians and the evil organization that is the NRA think for you. You are pro-guns and money for the world and that’s all.
There is no “right” to own a gun. It was fabricated by society. There is undoubtedly a fundamental right for school children, grocery shoppers, and all people to live freely without fearing daily that they will be shot and killed because that’s the price they must pay to let others have their guns. —Mikayla Huston-Abuissa, Iowa City Trump testifies about why he told people at 2016 Cedar Rapids rally to ‘knock the crap out of’ anyone with a tomato (May 2) It was a run-by fruiting! —Dave D. God bless Andrew. He spoke for all of us with that tomato. Icing on the cake that he gave Trump nightmares. —Josh C. Today is the day I learned the Supreme
F U T I L E W R A T H
S A M LO C K E WA R D
HAVE AN OPINION? Better write about it! Send letters to: Editor@LittleVillageMag.com
Court decided the tomato is a vegetable not a fruit. —Eileen L. Gov. Reynolds avoids answering questions about whether she would support banning abortion ‘without exceptions’ (May 5) She is excited to slam every door shut that was opened for her to be where she is today. —Ian M. Zealots make terrible public servants. —Saba S. Absolutely ridiculous. A majority of Americans don’t support banning it. I knew she would do this shit. —Kelsey L.T. Gov. Reynolds fails to get Open Records Act lawsuit dismissed; complains about State Auditor doing audits (May 11) She wants “her own” auditor. Don’t we all. —Suzan B.
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 9
I N T E R A C T I O N S
Gabriel Greco
Ten Things to do this Summer BY CORAL THEDE
T
here’s no shortage of scenery, paths or activities available in Des Moines this summer. Get out and enjoy what you’ve got in your own backyard! MINI GOLF: There are like 11 different locations and I want to putt-putt pass them all. GRAY’S LAKE: This
is the summer of the paddle boat after a long walk on the beautiful bridge.
JASPER WINERY: Every Thursday
there’s food trucks, summer wines and live music. What more could you want?! SECRET ADMIRER + NORTHERN VESSEL:
They’ve partnered up to bring a super secret brunch club to DSM every Saturday and I am here for it. HIGH TRESTLE TRAIL: This seems like the time to finally experience the seventh wonder of bike trails. WATER WORKS PARK: Does
anyone remember the Maren Morris concert there in 2019? I could relive that night over and over again.
BIKES & BREWS: So many trails that lead to local breweries like Confluence, Peace Tree and El Bait Shop, where anything you could want is on tap. DES MOINES PERFORMING ARTS: Catch me inside on a hot afternoon or rainy night because the shows are back at the Civic Center with a stacked season. THE BIG YELLOW BIKE: You
know those pedal-powered pub crawl bikes? They’re fun, they’re obnoxious and I want in on one.
ROOFTOP BARS: The
spot above The Garden nightclub, Wellman’s Pub in WDSM—wherever there’s an upstairs patio with a view of the skyline, count me in!
10 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
She thought she was so edgy saying that. —Lindsey As greyhound racing ends in Iowa, retired runners like Luci get used to a life of leisure (May 12)
/LittleVillage READER POLL: Seesaw or teeter totter?
We’ve had two retired racers and they are such gentle, sweet creatures! —Liz G. We adopted our childhood greyhound from a program through the DBQ track. Matt was a total sweetheart but had zero knowledge of so many things like mirrors, steps, etc. and showed signs of abuse. Luckily, he worked through his past with us and had a great life, but I’m glad that an industry with questionable practices that uses animals is ending. —Sara E.S. Speaker Grassley says the governor’s school voucher program won’t pass this year (May 23) Using public funds to serve private purposes is wrong. Boo hoo, Kim. I’m sure they’ll
Teeter totter 62.5% Seesaw 37.5%
bring the proposed legislation back next year. —Coleen S. Iowa Supreme Court rules out-of-state medical marijuana card is no defense against possession charge (May 27) That’s what you get for doing a marijuana in Iowa. —Craig A.
WO RT H R E P E AT I N G “I want my own AG, please. And I need a state auditor that’s not trying to sue me every time they turn around.” —Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has never been sued by the State Auditor, at a May 7 campaign event “Last night [May 24], the Iowa Legislature, in the dark of night, removed the March 1 deadline for open enrollment. This is not good for schools trying to plan for the following year with increasing/decreasing enrollment. No good policy is passed in the dark of night without public input.” —Andy Crozier, superintendent of the Central Lee Community School District in southeast Iowa
pepper sprayed and arrested by Des Moines police in 2020 while covering racial justice protests “Only 2 percent of Iowa kids would have benefited from this scheme and we need to focus on the 498,000 kids who go to public schools in the state of Iowa. So it’s great news. It’s a victory.” —Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst on the failure of Gov. Reynolds’ school voucher program to pass this legislative session
“if a bartender over serves someone and that person injures another, they “Intrepid can be held journalists who liable. if you sell aren’t even in someone a this room, in gun, and they Flint, Michigan shoot people, or that daring someone reporter at should be the Des Moines accountable. Register, or the start suing unflinching local retailers. register slgckgc via flickr newscaster in El Paso, all arms. limit Texas—every single one of ammunition sales. thorough you, whether you like it or not, bg checks. anything. is a bastion of democracy.” ANYTHING.” —Trevor Noah, apparently —@cic_fernandes on Twitter, referring to Iowa journalist following the Ulvade, Texas Andrea Sahouri, who was school shooting
Have an opinion? Better write about it! Send letters to Editor@LittleVillageMag.com 12 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
I N T E R AC T I O N S Vote no to retaining the majority opinion justices when they are next on the ballot, and vote for DeJear to be the one replacing them! —Sheila R.
/LittleVillage READER POLL:
Letter to the ICCSD board: Period products should be free and accessible in schools (May 27)
Jean shorts, good lord 31.8%
Why free? we all bought products. Why should the school have to pay for personal products? There were 6 girls in my family and we never expected the school or any one else to pay for personal products. What is wrong with people today? Take care of your own problems. —Linda D. Because providing hygiene products while you are at school is the right thing to do. Can we stop this “oh we had to do it so everyone else should have to suffer too” bullshit? I’m happy you are able to afford that for
MOMBOY
Jorts or jean shorts?
Jorts!!!!! 68.2%
6 girls but not every family can and you think a 14 year old should have issues with personal hygiene because their parents can’t afford it? Tampons also probably cost WAY less when you used them and had to buy them for your girls. —Alex G.
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Art Week A diversity of creativity stimulates neighborhoods across Des Moines BY JOHN BUSBEE
A
cultural movement flourishes in Central Iowa. Its symbiotic nature unites creatives, communities and cultures, and it continues to grow. Art Week Des Moines (AWDM) invites the region to engage, interact and otherwise make their shared neighborhoods shimmer with the vibrant proof of the creativity that thrives and drives its residents. This may be a perfect stay-cation, transporting participants to a diverse range of cultures, aesthetics and appreciation, all awaiting exploration. AWDM will be featured in a different neighborhood each day from June 17-23. It’s a citywide pre-party of sorts for the award-winning Des Moines Arts Festival (June 24-26 in Des Moines’ Western Gateway Park). And you are invited. As the renowned classical guitarist Robert Bluestone once said, when presenting in Iowa, “Creativity is the capital of the 21st century.” AWDM is paying dividends through its wealth of creativity. From the beginning
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In 2015, David Safris and Liz Adelman launched a new way to celebrate our local arts scene. Art Week Des Moines became a cultural magnet that quickly drew inspired participants. Safris and Adelman attracted the attention of professional artist Rachel Buse, who brought with her an extensive network of regional artists and a passion for connecting to the community. Safris, an avid art collector and advocate, owns design and marketing company Visionary. He produced an art show in 2014, an energized precursor to AWDM that proved worth nurturing. His company provided a solid foundation for such a vision, and the 2015 AWDM sprouted. In addition to Visionary, AWDM is now presented by Invest DSM, Group Creative Services and Cityview Magazine. These provide a framework that attracts fresh ideas and program expansion. Organic growth for AWDM creates strong roots
The 2022 AWDM saw a 25 percent increase in submissions. Venues and organizations get involved by creating a diverse array of experiences. Buse; Ryan Hanser, CEO of Hanser & Associates; and Teva Dawson of Group Creative Services are coordinating this year’s program. “It’s a successful celebration of arts and people,” offered Hanser. “There’s momentum,
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creating a sense of discovery.” “[Artists] wanted more focus, both temporal and geographic,” said Dawson. “Art Week was their way of … offering new ways for people who normally wouldn’t go into a gallery, offering fun spaces that are untraditional places for art to show up—that they could wander into and encounter art.” Dawson shared that all involved were “creating places that people want to be.” “Each day of Art Week will focus on one of those neighborhoods,” said Buse, adding that many artists are taking the lead for events at their locations. “Valerie Van Horne has organized artists who live at the Phenix School in Valley Junction, with an exhibit. There’s a Pride Show at the Slow Down Coffee Company at Oak Park/ Highland Park, including Abby Niederhauser, a self-proclaimed ’90s enthusiast whose work is all about celebrating ’90s pop culture … [She has] a yarn ball she started then.” That 200-pound relic will be making the circuit during AWDM. The strength of Art Week is “partnering with local businesses and neighborhood associations, trying to embed Art Week into communities in new ways,” said Dawson, such as Drake neighborhood’s 150th anniversary of Cottage Grove Avenue, with artists displaying artwork and musicians performing on porches along that street. “We’re trying to find new ways of weaving artists into the community, new places for them to be,” explained Dawson. “Also, hoping to lift up some new artists. The Refugee Alliance of Central Iowa is teaming up with us to enhance outreach to artists in the refugee community, to really celebrate what they have to offer.” “One of the things that sticks with me each year is the connections to artists I’m not already familiar with,” Buse said of the residual impact of Art Week. “I’m pretty active in the arts community. Art Week is an open door; it attracts both established artists and up-and-coming artists.” “It’s all about new connections for everybody,” said Dawson. John Busbee works as an independent voice for Iowa’s cultural scene. 2022 AWDM schedule The Avenues, Friday, June 17 Oak Park/Highland Park, Saturday, June 18 Drake/Dogtown, Sunday, June 19 Franklin, Monday, June 20 Downtown, Tuesday, June 21 Columbus Park, Wednesday, June 22 Historic Valley Junction, Thursday, June 23
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The Fractured State of Iowa Nice
Roadblocks to Justice Backlash to 2020 protests hinders Black activism in Iowa. BY DANA JAMES
G
eorge Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police on May 25, 2020 scarred my soul. Watching video of callous white police officers murdering a Black man on a Midwestern street provoked despair and unparalleled anger. But the ensuing groundswell of protesters that summer felt cathartic. Unpopular opinion: While many Iowans fretted over the ensuing chaos during the wave of protests, I rejoiced when people of all hues, ages and walks of life yelled, pumped their fists in the air and demanded an end to police brutality. The crisis mapping nonprofit ACLED found 95 percent of the protests were peaceful—but my rage danced in the flames when buildings burned. The aftermath of broken glass reflected my broken faith in the people and systems that had routinely failed to accomplish justice for marginalized populations. While protesting struck fear in many Iowans, the phrases “defund the police” and “abolish the police” made sense in my grief. After two years, the restoration of order that many people craved—and prioritized over criminal justice reform—is present in Iowa streets. The lives of two of the high-profile cofounders of the Des Moines Black Liberation Movement have vastly changed. Activist Jaylen Cavil, 25, who is running for Iowa House District 36, emerged victorious from his protest-related trials. But cofounder Matè Farrakhan Muhammad, 26, has a lingering court case and upcoming trial. Muhammad is accused of shining a laser pointer at University of Iowa police officers during a protest in Iowa City on Aug. 31, 2020. Muhammad had originally faced nine felony counts and six misdemeanors; the felony charges and one misdemeanor charge were dismissed, according to court documents and his attorney, Aaron Page. Page, who has been practicing law for 16 years (four in Iowa City) and took the case pro bono, told me the officers allege they suffered eye damage, but that the state’s doctor he deposed in May said it is “impossible” for a laser pointer to cause eye damage. Page has conducted extensive research about laser pointers and couldn’t find any similar prosecution in Iowa or elsewhere in the country. The case lingers, he believes, because officers are “full of resentment against these protesters.” 16 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
LittleVillageMag.com
The trial is scheduled for 9 a.m. on June 7 at the Johnson County Courthouse after more than a year of wrangling, including a previous motion to dismiss. Page said he expects the officers will “get up there and claim they had a subjective experience of pain when a laser pointer hit their eyes from 40 feet away for a tenth of a second.” Muhammad faces two years per count. In an unrelated case, Muhammad, formerly known as Matthew Bruce, was sentenced to probation and 150 hours of community service after pleading guilty to damaging a police vehicle during a protest at a southside Des Moines HyVee grocery store, according to the Des Moines Register. The Movement for Black Lives, a national grassroots coalition of 150 Black organizations working for Black political power, released a report last year that found more than 80 pieces of state legislation designed to criminalize protests. After Floyd, Iowa passed legislation with increased penalties for protest-related crimes, which some legislators and activists felt was a direct response to protests. The report also found inflated federal indictments for protesters, including significantly harsher penalties than local charges. Iowa made some strides toward justice, with a ban on police chokeholds and temporary restoration of voting rights for Iowans with felony convictions. But activists had long sought a ban on racial profiling by the police and wanted them to collect data from police encounters, goals that went unrealized. Legislators ultimately voted to “Back the Blue,” including provisions that: • Increased penalties for protesters • Shielded drivers who hit protesters from lawsuits • Increased qualified immunity for police officers • Made rioting a felony, rather than a misdemeanor
Floyd’s death left an indelible mark on the world. Criminalizing protesters for standing up for justice for marginalized populations just exacerbates injustice. Now, at the two-year anniversary of Floyd’s killing, protesters’ efforts to gain justice for Black, Indigenous and people of color who continue to be victimized by the criminal justice system have evolved. But, as in Muhammad’s case, they face continued roadblocks. Dana James is an award-winning writer who founded Black Iowa News, one of two newsletter subscription-based media outlets in Iowa publishing on Meta’s Bulletin platform. James is also a co-host on the new Inclusivi-Tea podcast.
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LITTLE VILLAGE REC’D
WHY WE RUN
“It’s OK to walk” So you’re a new runner? Not so fast, pal. These experts recommend a gradual build to speed.
START SLOW. Running feels great, but injuries are almost guaranteed when you start taking on too many miles at once. I used to run
just for weight loss two miles every day and slowly inched up to four miles a couple of times every week. But once I started pushing into eight, nine and 10 I could tell I needed more training before I could move on. Even now, instead of “bumping up” my long run each week, I tend to repeat the same distance and just tweak the effort by either adding runs the days before or after the
long run to mimic running the same distance on tired legs, running certain parts of it faster, on harder terrain, or split it into two runs at different tempos. I want to make sure I feel comfortable with that distance before moving on. It’s kind of like learning a new mathematical method to me. You don’t just learn it once and move on to the next method. You have to try it a few times under different conditions to really feel confident about it. Buy new shoes before you need new shoes. For me, I like to have some overlap time where I am breaking in new shoes with shorter runs but can still run
18 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
Shelly Melton / Little Village
Since the pandemic began, more people are running than ever. It is one of the most popular, and for many, accessible forms of exercise there is. Little Village asked a range of runners from Des Moines, the CRANDIC and the Quad Cities areas to comment on their experiences: advice for beginners, motivations to move, injury recovery stories and more. Plus, guides on upcoming races, running groups that will keep you moving, interesting books on running—they do exist!— and an Iowa music playlist to keep you on pace.
longer runs in a different older pair. If you wait until your shoes are just trashed, then you are stuck running longer runs in the new ones, and that can be painful— very painful. Cross train. Lifting weights has always done me good. I focus on hips, glutes, quads, my underdeveloped hamstrings, core on all sides, shoulders, back, triceps. If I ever get injured I turn to weight lifting. Find running friends. Everyone else around you will be so annoyed to hear you talk about running 24/7. Your running friends won’t ever get tired talking about chafing, blisters or mid-run potty breaks. Speaking of which, run with wipes. —DeShauna Jones It is OK to walk. You
are still a runner if you walk. And listen to your
body, do not push it based on a training plan. Go at your pace to avoid injury, especially early on. —Haley Johannesen
This is your personal journey, take it day by day and progress each week. If you need to
walk while running, so be it. You are still moving forward and improving your mental health and fitness. Enjoy the journey and the wonderful benefits on what running provides to us. We are blessed to have two legs to run, so enjoy! —Ara Ispentchian I still consider myself a beginner runner, but if I were to offer advice to myself a few months/years ago I would say: invest
in leggings with pockets. If you’re
uncertain whether you want
RUNNING to run or not, put on your workout clothes and see how you feel. Don’t try to do too much at once, build a steady routine. Consistently drink water throughout the day before running. Wear a hat when running in the cold. —Shelly Melton Make sure you get proper running shoes. This is so incredibly important, not only for comfort, but for injury prevention. Usually your local running stores will help you get properly fitted for a shoe. Start slow. Don’t start expecting to knock out a four-to-five-mile run. Start with a few miles every other day, and then gradually increase your mileage as you feel ready.
Running is like any other sport or exercise; it takes time to build up to where you want to be in terms of strength and distance. Most
importantly, have fun! Running outside, especially, can be so liberating. Soak up nature; the sounds, the sights, the smells, the sun. —Carrie Lembke
No matter how long you’ve been running, there are just days (and
weeks) where it feels hard and discouraging. I
recently did a nine-mile run and was so excited to go out on such a beautiful day, but every step ended up being pure torture. It was such a struggle every step of the way. When everything is said and done, that’s one of the things I kinda like about running though—it takes grit and dedication. It makes you stronger physically and mentally. Some days I thoroughly enjoy it and feel amazing during and afterward. Some days I just feel glad to have it checked off my list, but it makes me feel like I accomplished something. Like I can get through tough things when all I wanted to do was throw in the towel, but I slogged through anyway and completed my goal. I’ve definitely shed some tears on the hard days. My advice is just keep powering through—you won’t regret it. —Keely A’Hearn Melchert
Fall in love with the process. If you do, running becomes more of a release or meditation, and
races, PRs, etc. can come and go but the process will always be there. —Kevin Lines
MEET YOUR RUNNER
Tasha Moon AGE:
26
Courtesy of Tasha Moon
CITY: Des
from Moines Leprechaun RUNNING FOR: 10 years, Chase 7 years consistently AVERAGING: 35-40+ mpw UPCOMING RACE: Whiterock Ultra 50m
FREQUENCY AND PREFERRED TIME
ALONE OR WITH FRIENDS? Both!
OF DAY: Pretty
I am so slow that I feel like I hold others back. I do go to social runs at my local Fleet Feet though, and I love all the different people and paces there are. My husband also likes to ride his bike next to me sometimes and that makes the time go fast.
much every day, it is hard to take rest days. For me, running is like brushing my teeth, I don’t feel right if I haven’t done it. I like to run in the afternoon or evening. PREFERRED TERRAIN: Trails, the rougher the terrain the better.
Dress appropriately and just go. I have run in -50 degrees in February, and 110 degrees in July.
SEASONAL STRATEGY: FAVORITE COURSES: I
like the Sycamore trail system just outside of Des Moines. Either that or Moffit Lake near Norwalk. Both are long-ish trails, not too difficult but difficult enough to feel it. MOST MEMORABLE RUN:
Probably my first 50k attempt at Whiterock last year. I ended up DNFing (did not finish) after having to be pulled at mile 29 (50k is around 31 miles). The course was long due to using an alternate due to storms, so if I had kept going I would have ended up at around 35 miles for the race. The storms came back, and it would have been dangerous for me to go on so the race director had to pull me from the course.
FAVORITE SHOES: Hmmm,
I kind of like On Cloud shoes. Though right now I am wearing a comfy pair of Asics. I am broke all the time so I only have one pair of shoes at a time.
ESSENTIAL WINTER GEAR:
Reflective vests, lights and ice cleats. ESSENTIAL SUMMER GEAR:
Anti-chafe balm NUTRITION TIPS: Find what works for you, and always know where the next bathroom is. FOLLOW: Tasha’s page Adventures of a Slow Goth Runner on Facebook
Develop a habit! Turn your run into a routine by setting and following a schedule. Before you know it, you’ll actually want to go!
Shelly Melton / Little Village
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 19
LITTLE VILLAGE REC’D
What motivates you to go for a run? How do you motivate yourself to run when the weather is crap, you’re short on time or you just don’t feel like it?
I know that if I don’t, I will be a crab and no one will want to hang out with me.
—Tasha Moon
to think, especially about new ideas, like when you’re really in a mode for it, it generally helps me with recalibrating. If I’m ever
stuck on a paper or research project, running will always get the gears back turning. Otherwise, it’s
Getting glimpses of parks, neighborhoods and trails that I haven’t yet discovered and knowing that I’ll get a nice serotonin boost motivates me to go for a run. I always feel more at peace with myself and my surroundings (nature, outside critters, people in my community) after a good run so I prepare for my adventures with that as my end goal. Also, my job involves a lot of sitting for long periods of time so when I’m done with the workday I’m usually itching to move around and release the energy that I’ve built up. —Shelly Melton
You get a natural high that gives you an extra spring in your step. It is a mood enhancer for sure. —Ara S Ispentchian
It definitely helps with relieving stress, and honestly, it’s a great time
The act of running has become an ingrained habit at this point and there’s
great exercise, and keeps me in shape! —Chad Rhym
If I don’t do X, I can’t do Y (which is usually x = training, y = race that I signed up for). —Melinda Urick My biggest motivation is sense of accomplishment and how you feel post run.
almost this automatic internal pull that gets me out the door most days. There will be times when I’ll take a few days off (it’s important to do that and recover!), but I ultimately am back at it! In terms of motivators that I would pinpoint, my desire to stay healthy, enjoy the outdoors, and experience new environments/terrain rank up there in terms of motivators. You can’t beat the runner’s high after the fact, either! —Matthew Russell
RUNNING
Knowing that I get to go out and be in nature where there is beauty all around me, the endorphin release, and then there’s that feeling of being accomplished when you crush a run. For me, it also serves as an antidepressant and way to cope with life’s stressors. —Carrie Lembke
The feeling of accomplishment and a restored sense of well-being afterwards.
—Angel Banks-Adams
Having Cerebral Palsy and Autism, it keeps me healthy and sane. —Kevin Lines I enjoy the “runner’s high,” but mostly [I run] as an easy method of exercise— you can start and end at home. —Doug Hoyng How I know I’ll feel at the end of the run. Energized. Like I accomplished something. Sometimes just so I can enjoy beer and pizza after those long runs. To be out in nature. To go on an adventure and try new things. To be with people I enjoy. —DeShauna Jones
Enldless Archives The Libby (library reading) app will give you access to current and back issues of running magazines as well as a decent selection of books on the topic. It’s free and works on phones or tablets; all you need is a library card to start checking out.
READ IT! If you struggle with motivation to run, try reading up on the subject. Check these books out and see if you can stop yourself. WAX
A PRACTICAL
AN EPIC
LOOK
PHILOSOPHICAL
APPROACH
JOURNEY
FORWARD TO
What I Talk
Run Forever
Spirit Run
Running
About When
Amby Burfoot
Noé Alvarez
While Black
I Talk About
CENTER STREET
CATAPULT
Alison
Running
Mariella Désir
Haruki Murakami
HERRINGBONE
KNOPF
BOOKS
20 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
MEET YOUR RUNNER
DeShauna Jones AGE:
37
CITY: Coralville,
IA years AVERAGING: 20-40 mpw UPCOMING RACE: Kettle Moraine 100k
RUNNING FOR: 14
Jason Smith / Little Village, from Run CRANDIC 2022
FREQUENCY AND PREFERRED TIME OF DAY: Four
to five times a week. I really like running any time after 7 a.m. PREFERRED TERRAIN: Trail!! MOST MEMORABLE RUN:
I attempted to run a 50mile race…untrained…in a thunderstorm. It was Whiterock Ultra in 2021. I didn’t actually “run” a lot of it and ended up walking because I was way undertrained and not very good at running in mud or thunderstorms or starting a race at midnight with poor nutrition. I did everything wrong and almost quit around mile 42 but I pulled it out with a lot of walking (some barefoot) and tears (literally). ALONE OR WITH FRIENDS?
It depends on my mood. Sometimes I like to be alone to work through a problem or just have quiet time. But I also like a group since it makes the miles fly and is easier on my mental game. SEASONAL STRATEGY:
Winter: avoid ice at all costs! I focus on building slow base miles on trails when I can and get interval work on treadmills. I also try to run in the afternoon. Spring: all the trails except when overly muddy. It’s my favorite season to run because the trails come alive. Summer: a lot of loops for longer runs so I can get all the hydration I need in the heat. I avoid afternoon runs unless I’m training for a summer race. If I’m running
a summer race I’ll run some hard efforts in the middle of the day to get used to it. Also my favorite season to camp and run at new parks. Fall: similar strategy as spring, but leaves add another trip hazard because they hide roots on trails. I tend to visit the treadmill again on frigid days. FAVORITE SHOES:
Road: Hoka Clifton & Rincon, Brooks Ghost, Saucony Ride. Trail: Nike Pegasus Trail, Altra Lone Peak, Hoka Speedgoats NUTRITION TIPS: I’m an ovovegetarian and I didn’t grow up that way so I had to reimagine my diet big time. I try to eat a good lean, high protein and carb dinner the night before a long run. The night before my first marathon I decided to go to an all-you-can-eat German sausage restaurant and it was the worst idea ever. In the morning I just now started eating oatmeal with nuts and fruit. I am ashamed to say I used to eat a Snickers bar before running. If I have a good oatmeal breakfast, I can last seven to 10 miles without a solid snack, but I do drink Body Armor or apple juice for calories. Strooper waffles, Luna bars, Huma and fruit snacks. I don’t do well with GU packs— they are bad for my stomach. If I’m on the trail for a long trail race (like 30 miles or more), more substantial and savory foods like PB&Js, cheese sticks, mashed potatoes, pickles and the rare cinnamon roll. I love, love, love the food available at trail races.
WHERE EVERY EXPEREINCE IS
DIFFERENT
SCIENCE CENTER OF IOWA | WWW.SCIOWA.ORG
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 21
LITTLE VILLAGE REC’D
What motivates you to keep going? Forget starting a run, how the hell are you gonna finish it? Whether it’s a matter of simply returning from whence you came, maintaining a sense of identity, or just an oppotunity to listen through a well-curated playlist, here are a few reasons to keep up the pace to the end.
I gotta get home!
—Chad Rhym
I go out and purposefully get lost so that it doesn’t matter if I want to quit, I have to get back home. Plus I maintain a
page on Facebook called Adventures of a Slow Goth Runner, so I have to make new content for that!
—Tasha Moon
I have an Instagram account for the things I encounter when I go for walks and runs, so I’m always
looking to collect and document more fun things I find. I’ve got a small circle of friends following the account and they share a similar enthusiasm for these finds so the possibility of discovering something fun or interesting motivates me to keep going. —Shelly Melton
Hot shower, chocolate milk, electric blanket are all at home. —
Melinda Urick
There are days when I’m out on a run and feel like a million bucks and could keep going in
perpetuity whereas other days I’m a slug and am lucky to eke out three or four miles. When I’m training for an event, I
remind myself that the preparation will make the day of the event that much easier because all of the work has been done and now I just need to show up and execute. I also like to break up long runs into segments and focus on completing the first portion of the segment, then the second segment, and so on. This really helps keep me motivated and makes the total distance seem less daunting. —Matthew Russell
It’s become so much of who I am anymore that getting out there is all it takes. Sometimes
my mind wanders to times I couldn’t be out there and it reminds me how important it is. —Kevin Lines
Once I get going, it only becomes a question of how far I want to go—three, five, eight, 10, more. —Doug Hoyng
A good playlist! On
the treadmill I am guilty of mouthing the lyrics of
22 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
my favorite songs while I am running. I like to sing karaoke, so I multi-task by reading the lyrics to songs on my phone while I’m running. I also like to rewatch my favorite shows on long runs. When I am outside running I like to pick an object in the distance and guess how long it takes to get there. I also like to look around at the scenery and really get lost in it (which is probably why I trip so often). Conversations with people also motivate me to keep going if I am running with others. But mostly it’s that
I know I am going to feel proud when I’m done. I’m going to feel good and I never regret a run! Even when I fall,
I only regret not paying attention while I was running. —DeShauna Jones
Music. Some really, really good music. Also, I’m probably odd in the fact that I like
to “challenge” myself. If I say I’m going to run three miles, I always make sure to run four. I always add that
extra mile just to push myself. Running is 80 to 90 percent mental. Your body can do it, it’s you that you have to convince. —Carrie Lembke
Remember my number-one why: my family (my wife
and two kids) and also the journey to better health that started with a walk. — Ara S Ispentchian
The eventual runner’s high— sometimes you have to finish the run to get there.
—Angel Banks-Adams
Drop your shoulders! Every so often, take note of tension you may be carrying on your run and try to relax it away.
RUNNING GROUPS Don’t wanna go alone? Check out these regional running groups for a bit of camaraderie on the trails. CAPITAL STRIDERS
GIRLS ON THE RUN
Des Moines
Central and Eastern Iowa since
Incorporated in 2003, formed in
2007, Quad Cities since 2016
the mid-’80s, open to all
Open to all students who identify
capitalstriders.org
as a girls, non-binary, gender-fluid or gender expansive
CAPITAL STRIDERS TURKEYS Des Moines
GOTR of Eastern Iowa:
Since 2013, open to all
facebook.com/gotreasterniowa,
capitalstriders.org/
GOTR of Central Iowa:
capital-striders-turkeys
girlsontheruncentralia, GOTR Quad Cities: facebook.com/ GOTRQuadCities, girlsontherun.org
RUNNING
JOY
UPCOMING RACES Lace ‘em up! Here are 27 races on the horizon, ranging from 5Ks to ultramarathons. Consider hitting a route, as a runner or spectator.
IN FULL BLOOM
Run CRANDIC, April 2022 Jason Smith / Little Village
Saturday, June 4
Saturday, July 16
CLIVE: Iowa
ANAMOSA: Jones Co
MT. VERNON: Glyn
Brewery Running
What’s Your Natural
Mawr Wine Run 5K
Series - 515
High Fun Run
(5K run)
Brewing (5K run)
(5K run) Sunday, July 17
Sunday, Sept. 4
MADRID: Iowa Trail
DES MOINES: Polk
CEDAR RAPIDS:
Runs - Ledges
County Clover Dash
NewBo Run (13.1M,
(10K, 5K trail run)
(5K run)
10K) Saturday, Sept. 10
Friday, June 10
Saturday, Aug. 6
ROBINS: 5K Twilight
WEST BRANCH: Hoover
CEDAR FALLS: Scott
Run (5K run, kids run)
Prairie Run (5K trail run)
Sterrett Memorial
dmbotanicalgarden.com
Race Weekend Saturday. Jun. 18
Saturday, Aug. 13
DAVENPORT:
ADEL: Adel Sweet
Schuetzen NEIN!
Corn Festival 5K
PALO: Pleasant
Hour (9H trail run,
(5K run, kids run)
Creek Trail Run
9H relay)
(45K, 30K, 15K trail TIPTON: Buchanan
Saturday, June 25
(13.1M, 10K, 5K run)
run)
House Wine Run (5K) Sunday, Sept. 18
AMES: Iowa Trail
Runs - A Midsummer
Sunday, Aug. 14
DES MOINES:
Night’s Run
LE CLAIRE: Olathea
Greater Des Moines
(10K, 5K trail run)
Creek, Wine Run (5K)
Women’s Half
Saturday, July 2
WEST DES MOINES:
CORALVILLE: 4th Fest
Summer Sizzler
5K (5K run, kids run)
(10K, 5K)
Sunday, Oct. 9
Monday, July 4
INDIANOLA: Summer-
Distance Classic
AMES: Friendship Ark
set Wine Run (5K)
(20, 10, 4M run)
Saturday, Aug. 20
Friday, Oct 14
Marathon & 5K (13.1M, 5K run)
SOLON: North Shore
Simple Account.
1
No Surprises. Just Hassle-Free Banking.
5K on the Fourth, (5K run) Saturday, July 9
LISBON: Lisbon Kraut
DUBUQUE: Mines of
Route (5K run)
Spain 100 (100M, 100K trail run)
AMES: Midnight
Madness (10K, 5K
Saturday, Aug. 27 DES MOINES: Get Your
Sunday, Oct. 16
Rear in Gear - Des
DES MOINES:
Saturday, July 9
Moines (10K, 5K run,
IMT Des Moines
COON RAPIDS:
kids run)
Marathon (26.2M,
run)
Whiterock Ultra
13.1M, 5K run, 26.2M
(50M, 50K trail run)
relay)
Stop by a branch or visit collinscu.org to open! 1. Must meet membership eligibility requirements. The minimum balance required to open this account is $50.00. Federally Insured by NCUA | © 2022 Collins Community Credit Union LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 23
LITTLE VILLAGE REC’D
Is running fun?
RUNNING
Shelly Melton / Little Village
Lungs burning. Quads aching. Sweat pouring. Running can look and feel miserable, but for some it’s euphoric. Yes, once you get the routine of running down.
Being outside in nature is my happy place. The best part
though is when you get done, those endorphins and the feeling of accomplishment is what I live for. —Carrie Lembke
Until 10 years ago, distance running was something other people did, not me. I ran short distances in basketball games, baseball games, etc., however, I decided to train for the Des Moines half in October one year. I found a training program on the internet and followed it. I built up my long mileage and discovered during that training what the “runner’s high” was and how enjoyable it was to just take time to cruise at a comfortable pace, even if by myself. Sometime the next year, I was invited to join a running group. That was my first group running experience. That made the running even more enjoyable, to have
Mix it up! Running the same route again and again can be a slog. Incorporate new routes into your
conversations while getting the exercise done as well.
In short, running is fun. We just may not look like we’re having fun while doing it. —Doug Hoyng
I really believe running is fun. It’s one of the few sports that allows a person to alter to their liking. If running on a hard surface like roads or asphalt is uncomfortable, there is the ability to trail run and be surrounded by nature which to some is very therapeutic. There are fartleks, sprints, strides, hill runs, stair runs, and the ability to listen to a concert or a podcast. All these varieties keep running not only interesting but fun. —Ara Ispentchian Running is fun.... kind of. I recently read that people who enjoy running are people more interested in the result of a thing rather than the daily practice of a thing. So the daily grind can be painful and unrewarding but the feeling of the end result is enough to keep you going.
I enjoy running most of the time, if it is cool, not cold, sunny, not warm, and my music is in the right order.
—Haley Johannesen
routine, set an interesting landmark as a goal, add speed intervals or wear a new outfit. Running isn’t boring if you learn how to make the most of it.
Generally yes, especially with other people. I find that some days the idea of running can be daunting but once completed I
24 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
feel a great sense of accomplishment and in a better head space. —Alexi Schlesinger No. Ask me tomorrow. I might have a different answer, but likely not. —Katrina Benning My answer is, of course! Yes! But not always. I have made incredible friendships running—the kinds of conversations that happen with my running partners just don’t always happen in other social situations. I love being outside and exercise is a great way to enjoy the weather and your surroundings, as well as a great way to see the sights when you travel. I often love the way I feel when I am running, strong and happy, and if I don’t, I at least can mostly love the way I feel afterwards. I am also a person who loves the way it feels to set a goal and accomplish it—the key is to set meaningful and attainable ones so the process can be (at least sort
of) fun. The honest truth is that it isn’t always
fun. Some runs suck, no matter where you are in your fitness, and it really can be un-fun to have to restart after injury.
BUT, when you have good running friends who will support you through the process and hold you accountable, the fun peeks through and does return. —Robin Kopelman When I immediately think of running, the word fun does not come to mind. However, there are times that I’ve had fun running or made it fun or at least a fun experience. This happens usually by listening to music or a podcast that interests me or is intentionally fun or funny. I find myself laughing out loud or smiling big. When I do that, I take a moment to appreciate how I’ve made something like running, which is challenging for me, feel fun, or experienced a moment
MEET YOUR RUNNER
Angel Banks AGE:
Courtesy of Angel Banks from Yosemite Half Marathon
33
CITY: Des
Moines years AVERAGING: 3 runs per week RECENT RACE: Yosemite Half Marathon RUNNING FOR: 8
FREQUENCY AND PREFERRED TIME OF DAY:
I prefer mornings, but in this season of life, I run in the evening on the treadmill after my children have gone to bed. Looking forward to longer days and more outdoor runs in the summer.
back then! My life was quite different. ALONE OR WITH FRIENDS?
With friends; the miles fly by! SEASONAL STRATEGY: Summer
heat translates to fall speed. FAVORITE SHOES: Brooks
PREFERRED TERRAIN:
Glycerin
and Brooks Ghost
Paved trails ESSENTIAL WINTER GEAR: Gloves, FAVORITE COURSES? Capital
tights, vest, base layer
Pursuit 10-mile in Des Moines ESSENTIAL SUMMER GEAR: MOST MEMORABLE RUN: My
solo 20-miler in preparation for the Des Moines Marathon. I was in my late 20s and ran after an eight-hour workday. I have NO idea how I did that
Shorts, skorts, dri-fit tanks, water NUTRITION TIPS:
Fuel before you need it for anything longer than two hours.
...Is running fun? of joy in the process. —T.J. Dedeaux-Norris
Absolutely.
—Angel Banks
Yes! It is one of my favorite things. —Tasha Moon Running went way beyond fun a long time ago. I don’t know if obsession would even fit anymore. It’s become my lifestyle. Through injuries, setbacks, bad weather, I always try to get out everyday—even if it’s a short walk. I’m always looking forward to getting out there. —Kevin Lines
Depends on the circumstances! I’ll
have some days where I’ll
knock breakfast out of the park, I’m talking protein, fruits, water, maybe even a smoothie, I get all my work done in the afternoon/early evening, maybe I’ll see a funny tweet, and then boom, I think wow, a 7 p.m. sunset run would absolutely rock out this terrific day. That is a fun run. On the contrary, I would say a lot of the runs from the half-marathon training were not fun whatsoever; I would wake up in night sweats thinking about the Nike run app yelling at me about the five miles I needed to knock out later that day. Those sucked for sure. So yes, if I’m having an outstanding day, my runs are typically very enjoyable! —Chad Rhym LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 25
LITTLE VILLAGE REC’D
Music for Midwest Miles
RUNNING
Listening to nature has its place, but sometimes you need more motivation to put in the miles. This playlist featuring Iowa artists will keep you company on your next run. • Wonder
Alisabeth Von Presley
• Invoked Dryad
• Self Help
Penny Peach
• Rita
The Maytags
Shelly Melton
• Andre’s Prayer Andre Davis
• The Wav. Tyler Erickson
Ahzia
• Blooms
Annalibera
• Perfect Machine Strong Like Bear
• Story Problem The Envy Corps
• She’s into Me Sires
• The Good Host Lvvmaking
• Geographic Dysphoria Rational Anthem
• Zero Dollars and Zero Cents
What’s your mantra?
A basic philosophy or mantra can provide peace of mind, focus, motivation and a sense of calm during the most difficult miles. “It’s not running away from your issues; it’s running through them.” (Courtney Duawalter) —Tasha Moon
Death Kill Overdrive
• Hellride
Surf Zombies
• Ancient Nug
It doesn’t matter how fast or slow or short or long. Just go run! —T.J. Dedeaux-Norris
Telekinetic Yeti
• The Whip Druids
• Flood Runner
Land of Blood and Sunshine
• Tusk
Lily DeTaeye
• I Find
Plumero
• Heading Home Again Avery Moss, Jim Swim
• Disgusting Lani, ABJ
• Diedrate
I try to remind myself that running should be an opportunity to appreciate what my body can do and the amazing places that it can take me. If it’s no longer serving that purpose, I have to reflect on my expectations and make a change. —Shelly Melton I can do anything for two minutes. —Melinda Urick
“It’s not about today” is what i tell myself when I’m feeling off. It’s OK to walk home, cut it short, go out again, change shoes, etc. I try not to push through pain that feels damaging. —Kevin Lines Run at the pace that is comfortable for you. —Doug Hoyng I make mantras that rhyme with the mile I am on. “Feeling divine on mile 9,” “We can do this again in mile 10.” (The teens are hard to come up with mantras but I tend to zone out in the teens). “Mile 21, the fun has just begun,” etc. —DeShauna Jones
Allegra Hernandez
• Love is a Flood Abbie Sawyer
It is amazing and invigorating what you can do with your body when you put your mind up to the task! —Matthew Russell
26 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
“Make sure to slow down and enjoy your run.” I used to be so focused on speed, but I’ve coached myself to listen to
this. I’m so glad I did! —Carrie Lembke “The real purpose of running isn’t to win a race, it’s to test the limits of the human heart.” (Bill Bowerman) —Ara Ispentchian My philosophy on running is to simply be present and if I’m lucky, connect with that inner-child feeling of play. It’s really become an integral tool for my creativity and mental health. No matter how I’m feeling going into a run, I’ve never returned feeling depressed. That’s a really impressive statistic for me. —Tyler Erickson Discomfort (not injury!) is temporary. Running never takes away more than it provides, if your training approach is smart. —Angel Banks-Adams I have never finished a run and went, “wow, that was a terrible idea.” —Chad Rhym
P i p
MEET YOUR RUNNER
Kevin Lines 39 CITY: Davenport RUNNING FOR: 12 years AVERAGING: 70-100 mpw UPCOMING RACE: The Hennepin Hundred
AGE:
Courtesy of Kevin Lines from 2018 Distance Classic
FREQUENCY AND PREFERRED
Nearly every day, dusk/golden hour TIME OF DAY:
PREFERRED TERRAIN:
Mostly pavement MOST MEMORABLE RUN:
Mines of Spain 100k ALONE OR WITH FRIENDS?
Mostly alone, but enjoy group runs too SEASONAL STRATEGY:
Winter: time outside. Spring, summer, fall: mileage FAVORITE SHOES:
Road: Brooks Ghosts for roads. Trail: Hoka Speedgoats for trails. Walking: Salomon XA Pro v8s and Salmon XA wild GTX ESSENTIAL WINTER GEAR:
A Buff, mostly wool socks (60/40 injinjis are my fav) ESSENTIAL SUMMER GEAR:
A Buff! I wear them year round. NUTRITION TIPS: Don’t be afraid to eat what you need to. ON RUNNING WITH CEREBRAL
My mom likes to say that right after i learned how to walk, I started to try and run. I’d fall down all the time and keep getting up. I don’t think much has changed since then. My right foot loves to drag and i can trip on anything! I’ve fallen more
PALSY:
times then i can count. I’ve ended up getting X-rays, bumps, bruises, you name it. I’m not sure where my drive comes from, but I always get back up and keep going. A unique problem I have with cerebral palsy is finding the right shoes. I have two very different feet. My right one is a full size smaller and wider than my left. I go with what my longer foot enjoys. It was a bit weird at first but my right one doesn’t mind being in a shoe that size. It slides forward anyway and ends up in the right spot. There’s about a half inch of open shoe at my heel but whatever works! ON RUNNING WITH AUTISM:
The saying “cheaper than therapy” couldn’t be more accurate with my autism. It’s been the best thing I’ve found for it. Walking works too but there’s nothing like a good run. Since I don’t listen to music or mess with my phone much anymore, it becomes almost meditative and always brings me back to my center. Other runners can relate but it seems to go deeper for me. Maybe that’s why I’ve so driven to keep it up. It’s nice to have goals and try new things that scare me, but beyond any races or achievements, I love the grind most of all. I’ll keep doing this until I can’t, and honestly, I have no idea when that’ll be so I don’t take it for granted.
Lit the it’s
To co
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LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 27
YOUR VILLAGE There seems to be a new push to make the “Field of Dreams” some kind of big baseball location, which made me wonder if Iowa has an official state sport or if they’re going to make baseball the state sport? —RB, Iowa City
I
owa doesn’t have an official state sport. Only 17 states do and two of them, Massachusetts and New York, have claimed baseball as their own. That doesn’t mean Iowa couldn’t. Seven states have the cardi- Herbert Hoover nal as their state bird and a dozen have tapped the whitegetting fit and tail deer as an official mammal (Iowa is official-mam- having fun. Herbert mal-less). But why do that when there’s a sport that is Hoover Presidential played nowhere but Iowa? I’m talking about Hoover-ball. Library and Museum Pandemics permitting, the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch has held the Hoover-ball National Championships on a more-or-less annual basis since 1988, attracting teams of friends interested in tossing a medicine ball (4 lbs for men’s and women’s teams, 2 lbs for youth teams) over an 8 ft. high volleyball net at each other. Participants come from all over the greater West Branch area, and presumably a couple of other places. It’s scored using the same system as tennis. This magpie’s nest of a game was invented by Adm. Joel Boone, Hoover’s physician while he 34th Annual was president from 1929 to 1933. It was meant to Hoover-Ball National be a way for the president to get some exercise, but Championships Hoover extended its reach and made members of Saturday, Aug. 6, his cabinet gather on the south lawn of the White West Branch, House at 7 a.m. to throw a six-pound medicine ball $25-30 to register over a volleyball net. “Except for Sundays, we played medicine ball every morning of the week, including official holidays,” Hoover’s Secretary of the Interior wrote in his memoirs. According to the secretary, they played “in cold and wind, snow and rain” and on days when the rain was too heavy, they played in the White House basement. Hoover-ball, of course, never caught on—a game created to keep rich and powerful men from getting too fat didn’t have much popular appeal as the country sank into the depths of the Great Depression—but it would still be less problematic as a state sport for Iowa than baseball. Adrian “Cap” Anson, born and raised in Marshalltown, is without question the most important baseball player to come out of Iowa. “GREATEST HITTER AND GREATEST NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYER-MANAGER OF 19TH CENTURY . . . .300 CLASS HITTER 20 YEARS,” his plaque in the Baseball Hall of Fame says. He’s credited with helping to introduce such now standard features as the hit and run play and the pitching rotation. He was also fiercely racist, even by the standards of the late 19th century. Anson was famous for refusing to take the field if an opposing team had a Black player, as some did when he started playing. He became the leading player to push for expulsion of Black players, and the creation of all-white baseball leagues. Aside from the team owners who entered into the so-called “gentlemen’s agreement” that kept Black players out of major leagues until 1947, Anson did more than almost anyone else to bring racial segregation to baseball. Hoover was a massive baseball fan, but if he ever noticed the game he loved only had white players he never mentioned it. And Iowa, in its embrace of Hoover, manages not to mention that he left the state as soon as he was able, and never returned here to live. Maybe that should be Iowa’s state sport: ignoring unpleasant facts. It’s something the Reynolds administration already excels at. –Paul Brennan
28 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
LITTLE VILLAGE REC’D
Nature vs. Technology What’s in your ears during a run? Music. I like a variety, but EDM gets me through the really good/long runs! —Carrie Lembke
Music and podcasts—it’s like running with my own little soundtrack.
Shelly Melton / Little Village
—Angel Banks Music! I don’t like podcasts. I have a hard time following along in a conversation and running at the same time with people who are not in front of me. I also have an inability to do math while running. It’s really odd. —DeShauna Jones Nike Run Club: it has a feature where you can play your Apple Music or Spotify along with the coaching and run. —T.J. Dedeaux-Norris During the week it’s typically music, but on long runs I break out a podcast. My favorites are from Parcast, they have a great variety of different ones, I love trivia, so I typically pick Historical Figures or Unsolved Mysteries. —Tasha Moon I could never do the podcasts on runs, I genuinely wish I could, because I love the pods, and I reserve those for my long evening/morning strolls instead. It’s just that the talking totally destroys my pacing, I can’t explain it, but the banter psyches me out. I mostly listen to like southern rap, Jay Z, or Beyonce. “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” is by
far the greatest running song of all time. Go try that out on your next jog around the city, like, the
power that song has, I don’t know the science behind it, but it should be studied in a lab for decades to come. It warps your reality and teleports you into an early y2k music video, it’s an epic… and odyssey. —Chad Rhym Most runs, nothing; usually chatting with others. Though when I’m running by myself, and I need a boost/am struggling, I will listen to dance music. —Melinda Urick Neither—I listen to music and podcasts all throughout the day so going on a run is my chance to appreciate the sights and sounds around me, without distractions. It helps me feel safer and more aware of my surroundings since I run alone. If I’m running indoors (where the scenery isn’t as great), I put on some EDM to keep me pumped. —Shelly Melton
RUNNING
LV Reader Poll Do you run wearing headphones?
66.7% Yep
9.5% Never 23.8% Sometimes
Never listen to music or podcasts during my runs; I reflect on my journey or how I can better help someone who has reached out to help in starting their journey. —Ara S Ispentchian
Nothing. I want to be able to hear traffic. —Doug Hoyng I don’t listen to music when I’m out there. I’m kinda old school that way. —Kevin Lines Nothing at all; the world is busy enough when I’m not running with too much “noise.” When I’m out on the trail, I love to take in all the sights and sounds of nature unperturbed by music or podcasts. When I’m running on paved trails or sidewalks, situational awareness is a big thing for me and I just feel that the best way to maintain that is to not have music or a podcast running in my ear. —Matthew Russell
CITYVILLE
580 SW 9th Street, Ste 100, Des Moines, IA 50309 Mon-Fri: 7am – 7pm, Sat-Sun: 8am – 2pm
EAST UNIVERSITY
2508 E. University Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50317 Mon-Fri 7am – 7pm, Sat-Sun: 8am – 2pm
MAIN CAMPUS
1801 Hickman Road, Des Moines, IA 50314 Mon-Fri: 8am – 8pm, Sat: 9am – 3pm Check the wait before you leave: www.broadlawns.org
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 29
LITTLE VILLAGE REC’D
It’s bound to happen. It’s inevitable! You will get through this!! Sometimes, when we are injured, our greatest feat of endurance is simply not running at all. I have on and off plantar fasciitis, it is slowly getting better now that I am more consistently taking rest days and adding strength training. —Tasha Moon Achilles tendinitis in 2017ish. I also had a stress fracture in my back in 2019 (though that was also likely due to roller derby). —Melinda Urick The first year I started running, I experienced IT band pain, mostly exacerbated by adding in too many miles too quickly and not having a body that was yet adapted to running.
I worked with a physical therapist and was able to build a more sustainable plan and began some strengthening exercises to better support the demands I was placing on my body by running. When I was training for
the Zion 50K last year, I did experience Achilles tendinopathy a few weeks before the run. I got things checked out at Steindler Orthopedic in Iowa City and was given the green light. I worked on strengthening exercises heavily those last few weeks and continue to ensure strength training is practiced more consistently. —Matthew Russell My first injury was shin splints because I went from running virtually nothing at all to a half marathon too quickly for my body. Then I had IT band problems on and off. Then trochanteric bursitis largely from running the same direction on a track for months. (Switch direction!!). I also had a ankle sprain twice. I fell on an icy sidewalk trying to outrun a train and bruised my knees pretty bad. And this year I slipped on the ice again and hurt my hip. But nothing too terrible in a couple of years. Fingers crossed. But I do fall A LOT.
Make the most of downtime Being injured sucks! It’s not uncommon for depression, feelings of isolation, and even a shaky sense of personal identity to set in but, not all is lost. Taking a break from running can be a wonderful opportunity to diversify your movement portfolio and re-focus your mind on other fitness practices. Low-impact cross training (cycling, swimming, eliptical), strength and flexibility work (weightlifting, yoga and pilates), and actually just resting for a bit, for crying out loud, can do you and your eventual return to running a lot of good. 30 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
I fell four times during my last race. But I have a new light outlook on falling after a fellow runner suggested that I take a picture from the vantage point of my fall.
—DeShauna Jones
A lot. Last year’s fall (hip) took a month. Broken foot in ’09 was bad. I had a knee problem in ’18 that sidelined me for awhile. I think i’ve had tendinitis more than i’d like to admit. The list goes on and on… —Kevin Lines
Shelly Melton / Little Village
War stories
RUNNING
Over the years, hamstring and back injuries have caused breaks in running. Most recent was lower back in November 2021. —Doug Hoyng I had a gastrocnemius strain and tibial stress fracture most recently. That particular injury put me out of running for a solid 9 months, but I’m happy to report I am back at it.
If you choose to be a runner, my best advice in avoiding injury is to spend money on a shoe that properly meets your running needs. There
are a multitude of running stores that can help you get fitted with a proper shoe, and it will be worth every penny. Most importantly, change them out every 3-4 months. Your body will thank you. —Carrie Lembke Four years ago I injured my hamstring at mile 14 of a marathon, I should have stopped but was
stubborn and walked the last 12.2 miles. Since then I have not had any lingering pain on that side but finally have found proper PT and therapy to help bring it back to proper health. —Ara Ispentchian
Running again after having children has been my longest recovery to date. It
has taken about six months to run middle distances (613 miles) fairly comfortably (for completion, not for speed) again after each birth.—Angel Banks
Not from running! Wow, honestly wild in retrospect that I haven’t, because I am clumsy as all get out. More injuries from walking for sure. I broke my Iowa record this past winter of seven cartooncharacter-esque falls on the ice. —Chad Rhym
MEET YOUR RUNNER
Courtesy of Matthew Russell from Zion 50K
Matthew Russell AGE:
37
CITY: Des
Moines, IA years AVERAGING: 30-40 mpw when training UPCOMING RACE: Whiterock Ultra 50k RUNNING FOR: 6
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A RUNNER? A
little over 6 years. I got into running as a result of setting a goal to complete a 5K. I was a pack-a-day smoker, ate poorly, and drank more pop than I’d like to admit.
ALONE OR WITH FRIENDS? I’m
mostly a solo runner; it’s an opportunity for me to zone out and get into my own world. I’ve also found that most running groups want to get up at the crack of dawn, so that’s all the more reason to run solo on my time and terms!
FREQUENCY AND PREFERRED TIME OF DAY: I’m definitely an evening runner. It’s a wonderful way to de-stress after a long day. I’ve tried many times to become a “morning runner” and I do not enjoy it; however, there are some days that I have to suck it up and get that morning run in due to other obligations in the evening. PREFERRED TERRAIN: Early
on in my running experience, I was all about paved trails and sidewalks but I have transitioned in the last year to a love of unpaved trail running. The solitude offered, quietness, and beauty of nature is such a freeing experience for me and plays into the concept of “shinrin yoku” (forest bathing). I do like to mix up running hills and flats. MOST MEMORABLE RUN: My first (and only to date—soon to change that!) ultramarathon last April was the Zion Ultra Marathon in Apple Valley, Utah. The scenery was absolutely beautiful, the course challenged me beyond anything I had done physically before, and the camaraderie of the other runners in an ultra is simply second to none.
FAVORITE SHOES: Road:
Mizuno Wave Inspire. Trail: Hoka Speedgoat
ESSENTIAL WINTER GEAR: Definitely have a base layer! The extremities are what’s most crucial to protect, so wool socks and thick gloves. A balaclava combined with a neck gaiter is a lifesaving combo if you’re going to be running in very cold temps with significant wind. ESSENTIAL SUMMER GEAR: I always have sunscreen and a headband in my car just in case I forget to bring one along when I venture out for a run.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it is that nutrition is very unique to each runner. What works for me could serve up as an abysmal failure for the next person. Staying hydrated is an area that I tend to slack on, so calculating sweat rate and working to replenish what is lost is important. I use gels (GU) and have also used Tailwind in my water for longer runs. Justin’s peanut butter packets are easy to consume on the go. I’ve also started to consume blue corn mush an hour or so before my longer runs and it really seems to go the extra mile in keeping me strong!
NUTRITION TIPS:
This section was compiled by Jordan Sellergren, who ran her first half marathon in April and is now swimming laps due to a sprained ankle.
INVESTING IN THE ARTS, INVESTING IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
GREATER DES MOINES BR AVOGREATERDESMOINES.ORG
Bread & Butter
LittleVillageMag.com/Dining
2 1
LV Recommends
Scoops & Soft Serve
5
3
Grab your custard to go at the walk-up or drive-thru windows, or stay to savor your treat at the shop’s picnic tables. Or, get custard packed by the pint or quart to enjoy at home later.
4
Have a sweet summer at these locally owned Des Moines ice cream shops.
5
BY MEGAN BANNISTER
T
here are few things more satisfying on a hot summer day than a frosty ice cream. Whether you’re a tried and true chocoholic or love a funky new flavor, there’s no wrong choice when it comes to frozen treats. And luckily for us, the city has no shortage of places where you can sweeten your season. Here are six Des Moines-area ice cream shops to chill you out this summer.
1
NOSTALGIC VIBES Bauder’s
3802 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines 515-255-1124
If you’re searching for a taste of nostalgia, look no further than Bauder’s on Ingersoll. Originally a pharmacy, Bauder’s opened in 1916 and by the 1930s had started offering sweet treats at a soda fountain. Today the pharmacy is gone, but the ice cream remains. Grab a scoop of old-fashioned ice cream or indulge in a shake or malt. Plus, Bauder’s is the maker of the Iowa State Fair cult favorite peppermint ice cream bar, which you can now find at the shop year round.
2 NEIGHBORHOOD FAVORITE Snookies Malt Shop
EASTSIDE TRADITION Dairy Zone
2219 E University Ave, 515-265-7824
6
An eastside tradition since 1990, Dairy Zone is an ice cream fan favorite. While this seasonal eatery does have some savory food options, like tenderloins and pizza pockets, what they’re truly known for is their tornados. These mixtures of sugary goodness come in a variety of flavors featuring different candy and cookie pieces.
6 Map data ©2022
(complete with Snookies’ signature animal cracker), sundaes, malts and more. And, if you happen to visit with your furry friend, be sure to grab a pintsized puppy cone. INNOVATIVE ICE CREAM Black Cat Ice Cream
3
2511 Cottage Grove Ave blackcaticecream.com
When you visit Black Cat Ice Cream, you’ll find amazing flavors made from quality ingredients. This Drake neighborhood shop serves up seriously tasty small batch artisanal ice cream and has the awards to back it
1810 Beaver Ave, Des Moines 515-255-0638
You know that warmer weather is ahead when Snookies Malt Shop opens for the season. This Beaverdale fan favorite has been serving ice cream lovers for decades. Under the glow of Snookies’ iconic neon sign, you’ll find customers of all ages enjoying dipped soft serve cones 32 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
TREATS ON-THE-GO The Outside Scoop
602 N Jefferson Way, Indianola
up. Not only does Black Cat use grass-fed natural dairy sourced from local producers to create their ice cream, but they’re also always creating new flavors. From blackberry lemon sorbet to honey cornbread to red velvet Oreo, there’s something here for everyone. Literally—Black Cat typically has at least one or two vegan and gluten-free options on their menu. Plus, the shop is named after the owners’ own ice cream-loving cat Boo Bear. Seriously, how can you not love that?
4
2410 SW White Birch Dr Suite 100, Ankeny, outside-scoop.com
For The Outside Scoop, what started as a small operation in Indianola has since expanded into a fleet of pink ice cream trucks, along with an additional brick-and-mortar location in Ankeny. Since opening in 2010, The Outside Scoop has become locally famous for its unexpected and inventive flavors—like Dutch letter and goat cheese with roasted cherry—and elevated ice cream trucks.
SOUTHSIDE STAPLE Classic Frozen Custard
4000 SE 14th St, 515-287-1194
With a slogan like “once you lick it, you’ll love it,” you don’t need much else. But when you visit Classic Frozen Custard on Des Moines’ southside, you’ll also find some truly remarkable sweets. All of the flavors at Classic Frozen Custard are made fresh daily and the menu rotates depending on availability. The shop offers a variety of sweet treats in truly hefty portions. Megan Bannister / Little Village
Porgy and bess THE GERSHWINS’
50TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON JULY 1-24 BRITTEN
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM WORLD
KUSTER/CAMPBELL A THOUSAND ACRES PREMIERE GETER/PALMER AMERICAN APOLLO
FOR INFO: 515-961-6221 OR DMMO.ORG
It’s easy to plan your Des Moines adventure with The Catch List. A list of all the things you can’t miss. All the thrills, chills, hops, and drops. Family fun? Retail therapy? Foodie feast? We’ve got an itinerary for that. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or longtime Des Moines-ian, our itineraries will introduce you to both the greatest hits and the hidden gems. There’s even downloadable on-the-go versions!
catchdesmoines.com/catchlist
Scan the Code DISCOVER YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE!
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 33
LITTLE VILLAGE REC’D LV Recommends
Made in Iowa From bike bags to beer coolers, the Hawkeye State knows how to ride, camp and hike in style. BY COURTNEY GUEIN
Fox River Mills
Kenai Coolers
SOCKS
COOLERS
Based in Osage
Based in Decorah, kenaigear.com
oxsox.com
Kenai Coolers are guaranteed to last for a lifetime, and the company encourages its customers to test that promise in “the mountains, desert, meadows and prairies, or a spring creek in Iowa.” Kenais are more affordable than many outdoor cooler brands, and though the company’s named after an Alaskan borough, it’s rooted in northeast Iowa.
This small, privately owned hosiery mill has fashioned some of the United States’ leading socks for sports and outdoor recreation since 1900. Fox River also produces a women’s-specific fit performance sock, with a smaller toe box and heel pockets.
Holstein MFG GRILLS Based in
restaurant and personal use. This ain’t your grandpa’s Weber; even Holstein’s home grills could fit enough meat to feed a horde. Impress your neighbors with their four-basket roll top rotisserie grill.
Balm is a run-to product after exposure to sunlight and dirt, which can make your skin dry, itchy and wrinkly. All of that hard work in the sun can cause sore muscles, too—for those, you can try their Doc Hoag’s Menthol Pain relief cream.
Holstein holsteinmfg.com
Since the first grill in 1976 was sold, Holstein MFG has become a leading supplier of grills for food production, food consumption, agriculture, catering,
Original Udder Balm LOTION, PAIN RELIEF CREAM Based in West Des Moines originaludderbalm.com
Summer heat can be udderly draining. Original Udder
Connectors | Mavens | Changemakers Des Moines’ Multi-Podcast Platform
amplifieddsm.com
34 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
RETAIL
Ironweed BIKE BAGS Based in Iowa City ironweedbp.com
Ironweed’s heavy-duty bicycle bags, or panniers, are water resistant and maintain their shape regardless of what’s in them, or what isn’t. Founder Brian Loring wanted to design a “graceful” pannier that would suit bikes new and vintage. “So I made a pannier that, in addition to being functional, would be suitable for a 1972 Jack Taylor mixte,” he said. Ironweed also sells the racks, mounts and straps needed to fit the bag to your ride.
in 1958. Since then, its brand name has become synonymous with recreational vehicles. (Winnebago County, and thus the Winnebago brand, were named for the Native HoChunk, or Winnebago, tribes of the Midwest). While its headquarters shifted to Eden Prairie, Minnesota in 2021, the company has maintained its thousands-strong Iowa workforce in Forest City and beyond.
food and drinks, but also to protect wildlife from getting into coolers and potentially harming themselves, Grizzly coolers provide “optimum safety, durability, and performance, even under the most extreme conditions,” and are tested with actual grizzly bears to ensure their bearproof status. And you bet they sell Hawkeyes and Cyclones branded coolers.
choice of 15 or 30 SPF and three flavors: mint, berry and sport. Eco Lips purchased Columbus Junction company Simply Soothing, Inc. in 2021, and now sells the massively successful Bug Soother product, a DEET-free bug spray utilizing the natural insect repellants lemongrass and vanilla, with some vitamin E added to moisturize the skin.
Eco Lips SPF LIP BALMS, SUNSCREEN AND BUG SPRAY Based in Cedar Rapids ecolips.com
Protect your lips and skin against the heat and annoying mosquitos, gnats, no-see-ums and other Iowa plagues. Eco Lips lip balm is made with organic products, with the
Grizzly COOLERS Based in Decorah grizzlycoolers.com
Made to not only protect your
Winnebago RVS, TRAILERS, VANS, HAULERS Based in Forest City winnebago.com
Winnebago Industries was founded in Forest City, Winnebago County, Iowa
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 35
Culture Prairie Pop
Prairie Rap North or south of the Canadian border, a Midwest ethos drives Cadence Weapon’s sound. BY KEMBREW MCLEOD
“O
ne thing that people maybe don’t know about Canada is that the places above and below the border are similar to each other,” said Rollie Pemberton, a Canadian MC who performs as Cadence Weapon. “I live in Toronto now, and we definitely get kind of Detroit vibes over here, whereas Alberta, where I’m originally from, resembles Montana, the Dakotas and Midwestern places like Iowa.” Pemberton’s dynamic set at the 2022 Mission Creek Festival in Iowa City consisted of just him, a mic, laptop and some assorted audio gear—a DIY approach that echoes the way that he makes his music and has forged a career as a writer and critic. This single-minded, can-do approach was shaped by growing up in the geographic and cultural margins, a place that many people in Canada don’t even think about except when it’s the butt of a joke. Much like Iowa. “I see parallels between those places,” he told me. “You know, the whole time I was in Iowa City, there was a sense of familiarity, a kind of friendly Midwestern sensibility. Where I’m from, Edmonton, it’s a prairie city, and it’s also a little more country. Coming from an environment like that, and making a Black art form, and trying to be respected by other rap fans and artists, it was a challenge.” As a ’90s kid, Pemberton’s form of recreation and escape was to connect with others on the newly emerging internet, which was a portal to like-minded hip-hop heads throughout the world. “When I was growing up, I wasn’t aware of any local rap scene,” Pemberton said. “So, for me, the internet was like an online version of a street corner cipher. That was where I learned how to rap for real. I’d be writing lyrics and sending them to people and having them critique them.” This led him to writing about music on early music blogs and websites like Pitchfork. And file-sharing gave him the software tools that helped him start making his own music—a career arc that culminated in a string of accomplishments over the past two years. In 2021, Pemberton released his critically-acclaimed album Parallel World, which won the prestigious Polaris Music Prize in Canada. This was followed closely by the release of his debut
36 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
book, Bedroom Rapper: Cadence Weapon on Hip-Hop, Resistance, and Surviving the Music Industry (May, 2022; McClelland & Stewart/ Penguin Random House Canada). “It’s something that I worked on over the entire pandemic, basically, for a couple years, and it was at the same time as I made my last album,” he said. “So, it was a process where I would be writing during the day in the morning, and then I’d go to the studio at night, so I was just insanely productive at that time.” Parallel World’s title holds a few different meanings for Pemberton. He wrote and recorded the album while in quarantine, which made him feel very trapped, so he wanted to create some-
Cadence Weapon performs at Gabe’s during Mission Creek Festival, April 2022 Jason Smith / Little Village
got brands on me, got ads on me / Not asking me but they’re still on me, got scams on me,” he raps in “On Me,” the album’s second track. “Got my name in registry so they stay on me, won’t let me free.” Pemberton’s critical perspective is, in part, the product of being different than most everyone else while growing up. “When I was in elementary school,” Pemberton said, “I was the only Black student in the entire school, and then in junior high, there
“WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, I WASN’T AWARE OF ANY LOCAL RAP SCENE. SO, FOR ME, THE INTERNET WAS LIKE AN ONLINE VERSION OF A STREET CORNER CIPHER. THAT WAS WHERE I LEARNED HOW TO RAP FOR REAL. I’D BE WRITING LYRICS AND SENDING THEM TO PEOPLE AND HAVING THEM CRITIQUE THEM.” thing that was a kind of gateway into an alternate reality that listeners could relate to as well. “That’s where I started thinking of the idea of a parallel world,” he said. “But then the more I thought about it, writing about themes like structural racism got me thinking about how one can walk down the street and see another person and then realize, ‘OK, we are on the same street, we live in the same neighborhood, but our lives might be completely different, depending on our race.’” The glitchy, experimental electronic beats and futuristic textures on Parallel World exude an alternate reality-like vibe, but its lyrical concerns are grounded in very real-world concerns, like surveillance and racial profiling. “All geotagged,
were like six other Black kids.” He grew up surrounded by a library of music, and he spent much of his time as a kid daydreaming about what his music would one day sound like. It took until the turn of the century before hip hop became more entrenched in Alberta, thanks to mainstream rappers like Eminem and 50 Cent, but Pemberton had already been heavily schooled in the genre by his father, Teddy Pemberton, who was from Brooklyn, New York. His son remembers Teddy bringing back albums from record stores in New York City—lots of funk, R&B and soul, though hip hop was his main passion—and he had a long-running show on a local college radio station. “He was a DJ who had a radio program that
LittleVillageMag.com
started in 1980, and he was basically the person who brought hip hop music to Edmonton,” Pemberton said. “His show was extremely popular, and there have been so many people who still tell me about how his show was appointment listening every Saturday night.” Pemberton also learned a lot from his father about being an uncompromising artist. “Believing in yourself and marching to your own drummer,” the MC said. “Musically, that’s something I got from him that I took to heart throughout my career.” As Cadence Weapon exclaims in “SENNA,” another highlight from Parallel World, “I’m not afraid to be who I am. You know, I always tell people, ‘Be yourself,’ that’s the number one shit I tell people. I don’t follow anybody else, I never did. Idiosyncratic and iconoclastic—I am me, motherfucker. Be you!” After spending his childhood imagining the kinds of hip-hop songs that he would eventually make, Pemberton realized that this was easier dreamed than done. “I was living in a place that, even in Canada, people don’t really think about, so it’s not somewhere that you would associate with rap music. So, basically, my entire career is a very unlikely thing given where I come from.” YouTube didn’t exist, and there were no beat-making tutorials he could access. Pemberton
began teaching himself through trial and error in an attempt to make the music that he heard in his head—and often failing miserably, though Pemberton still learned something every time that he came short of the mark. “I was going on torrent websites downloading cracked versions of Fruity Loops and Cool Edit Pro with that Wild West mentality, like, ‘Yo, I’m gonna make this music.’ I was just a kid who was working at a record store, HMV, and I didn’t have the money or aptitude to use anything other than my mom’s crusty old Hewlett Packard desktop computer, but then I ended up just making this music that actually resonated with people.” Pemberton dropped out of college because he had a nagging feeling that he needed to get his music into the world, so he went home to Edmonton and lived with his mom, who gave him an ultimatum: “If you don’t make something happen within a year,” she said, “you gotta go back to school.” That lit a fire under him. The fledgling rapper made a mixtape and burned CDs that he sold around Edmonton, and he also circulated his music during the music blog era’s imperial phase, when his songs began gaining traction. Cadence Weapon’s first breakthrough occurred after the release of “Oliver Square.” In 2005, Fluxblog posted the song, which led to an album deal with the label Upper Class Recordings.
Opportunities snowballed from there (along with many headaches—see A Tribe Called Quest’s Industry Rule #4080: “record company people are shady”). “Oliver Square” was named after an ordinary mini-mall in his neighborhood, because he wanted to represent Edmonton. “We’re kind of hardscrabble, do-it-yourself, overlooked, underrated kind of people,” he remembers thinking, “so let’s make an anthem for that.” During his 2021 Polaris Prize acceptance speech, Pemberton made an homage to something that Outkast’s André 3000 uttered, when the Atlanta-based group won the 1995 Source Awards at a time when rap was dominated by the East and West Coasts: “The South got something to say.” For Pemberton, music is a conversation—especially hip hop, which is a highly self-referential art form—so he felt that it was important to highlight where he was from in that speech. After dissing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his long history of wearing blackface, Pemberton told the Polaris Prize audience: “The prairie’s got something to say!” Kembrew McLeod’s summer project is finishing his prog rock concept double album, ‘Who Let the Prairie Dogs Out?’
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 37
LittleVillageMag.com
LITTLE VILLAGE REC’D A-List
How to Festival: A Guide Traveling, camping, tailgating, stage-hopping, hula-hooping, singing at the top of your lungs—summer music fests are a blast, if you come prepared.
I
BY LILY DETAEYE
t’s that magical time of year again! Festival season is back and that means wristband tan lines, sipping craft beer with buddies and seeing all your favorite bands onstage. Although most festivals took a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many are back this year in full force. Alongside national favorites like Coachella, South-By-Southwest, Bonnaroo and Americana Fest, Iowa boasts its own exciting schedule. Savannah Rae is the senior editor for The Festival Voice, a blog dedicated to covering festivals across the country. “It is great to be able to highlight Iowa’s festivals because we are a smaller state,” she said. “This lets my readers know that there is something to do in Iowa besides looking at corn! Iowa knows how to throw some amazing parties.”
FESTIVAL PRO TIPS Having fun is hard work! A few tips from some committed regulars should help make your experience more magical and less stressful.
Don’t ignore the up-andcomers
Kansas City resident Maggie Klos has got camping at the central Iowa fest Hinterland down pat. “Our group of six-to-eight of us rent an RV in Kansas City. We drive up, which is always an adventure,” Klos explained. “We kind of have a routine now where we make sure we are settled down in the type of spot we like. And then it’s just like a lovely weekend being around friends and really great other concert or festival goers.” Klos and her group have camped in St. Charles for three and a half festivals since Hinterland began in 2015. Last year, a separate commitment kept the group from the first part of the fest. “This is how much I love Hinterland really,” she said. “We flew from St. Louis at 6 a.m. Sunday morning and took a cab to Hinterland. We were there for like 24 hours, but we wanted to make it there for at least Sunday. So I count that as a half.” Klos says traveling in an RV is still the best camping experience. A nice bed to sleep in at night can be a godsend, and you still spend plenty of time outdoors. “We have a lot of space where we kind of set up what we call our front patio,” she said. “With chairs and rugs and stuff like that.” First time camping at a music festival this year? Klos recommends doing your research before showing up.
Dress for success
“I saw Lizzo before she blew up on a free stage at 80/35. There were maybe 150 people in the crowd. Core memory.” —Lily DeTaeye
“Bike shorts are amazing. Rompers feel really cute but are kinda hard when you’re in a port-a-potty.” —Maggie Klos
“If you hear a crowd getting really excited, go there. Because it’s probably gonna be a really good show.” —Madeleine King
“Pack for the weather. Your outfit looks wonderful—but you won’t have fun if you’re freezing to death.” —Savannah Rae
38 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
Make the most of the space “I’m a back-of-thecrowd person. I feel like a lot of really fun dancing always happens back there.” —Madeleine King “Do your research in advance and get a lay of the land.” —Dustin Smith
“Typically, you’re not going to go to shows until later in the afternoon,” she said. “So make sure you think about what you want to do during the day. It doesn’t have to be that organized, but bringing games, bringing food to cook or going on a nice walk. They have the covered bridges all over Iowa. Thinking of fun things to do in your downtime is really great.” Klos’s group is responsible for organizing the Hinterhalf, a half marathon (and concurrent 5K) held on Saturday morning of the festival. Participants get shower tokens and great camaraderie. Interested in joining? Be on the lookout for this year’s Hinterhalf details coming soon. Rest assured that when you’re visiting a festival, your favorite artists will probably be having just as much fun as you. But have you ever wondered the best way to support the acts that come through? Dustin Smith, a solo artist as well as frontman for Des Moines band, The Maytags, said the way to an artist’s heart is through the
Be prepared
“Bring both cash and card if you can. The beer tent could be card only but your favorite artist’s merch stand might just take cash.” —Lily DeTaeye “Bring your own toilet paper.” —Maggie Klos
Put yourself out there! “MAKE FRIENDS! Iowa has so many wonderful people and I can say that I’ve met some outstanding people from all over the state.” —Savannah Rae “There are so many things they offer for kids and adults that are not drinking and music.” —Dustin Smith
Find your Festival Archetype Thinking about getting together a festival group? Klos says it’s important to make sure everyone “knows their role.” Here are a few folks you might want to include in your next festival excursion.
Kosmic Kingdom
Camp Euforia,
2022, Sleepy
Jerry’s Farm, Lone
Hollow, Des
Tree, Thursday-
Moines, Friday-
Saturday, July 14-16,
Saturday, June
$70-130
3-4, $53.36278.46
Guthrie’s River Ruckus, Guthrie
The Manager drives the RV, packs S Li elle ttl rg e Vi ren lla / ge
supplies, big dad energy
Jo rd an
Hinterland 2019, Sophie McClatchey
SUMMER FESTIVALS
The Creative
The Time Keeper
designs outdoor space
studies festival
at campsite, brings
schedule, gets group
games, enthusiastic
to shows on time,
festival veteran
good with alarms
Beckster Polka
County Fairgrounds,
Fest, Amana
Guthrie Center,
Colonies RV Park,
Thursday-Saturday,
Amana, Friday-
July 28-30, $80-220
Sunday, June 3-5, $15-40
Four Winds Art & Music Fest, The
Glenn Miller
Marquee, Sioux City,
Festival,
Friday-Saturday,
Clarinda High
July 29-30, $15-25
School, Clarinda, Thursday-
Hinterland, Avenue
Sunday, June
of the Saints
9-12, $15-22
Amphitheater, St. Charles, Thursday-
Worker Bee
The Cook
maintains clean
plans meals for group,
campsite, assesses
leads cooking effort,
where group needs help,
always brings new
just happy to be there.
sangria recipe
Country Thunder,
Sunday, Aug. 4-7,
Heritage Park
$99-1,500
Grounds, Forest City, Friday-
Exile Music Festival,
Sunday, June
Exile Brewing
10-12, $75-400
Company, Des Moines, Saturday,
Wild Cat Country
Aug. 27, $35
Fest, Downtown
merch table. Selling merch while on the road is a “game changer,” according to Smith. But there’s other things you can do if you’ve already emptied your wallet on your tickets. “If it’s an artist you don’t know, haven’t heard of before, I think it’s important to do the little things,” he said. “Give them a like on Instagram, pull them up on streaming services, start following them on their journey. If they were a lower name on the roster, there’s a good chance any of those little things will go a long way.” Although the Maytags have played festivals across the country, Smith vibes best right here at home. He said Hinterland is the most unique artist experience he’s had. “Each artist has their own RV with everything you could want. What makes Hinterland different is the artist area isn’t just one tiny green room or a tent out back, which is what I’m used to,” he said. “All the artist RVs are centered in this one area and there’s fire pits and a bar for the
artists alone. There’s bags and all this other stuff that give the artists an outlet. Especially if you’re touring and you’ve been on the road, to have this unique space is pretty awesome.” Of course musicians aren’t the only artists at the festival. Many are in the pit getting shots of the bands onstage. Madeleine King is a photographer and a member of the digital team for Iowa Public Radio. She attends festivals regularly to get shots for IPR’s “Best of the Festival” posts. “It’s always a privilege and really exciting, especially for bands you like, to be able to be in front of the crowd even for a portion of it,” King said. “But it’s definitely challenging, especially when there’s a bunch of other photographers trying to get the same great shot as you, but it’s really thrilling.” The days are long and sweaty, but ultimately worth it to King. “I’ve never, in any other situation, been able to get so many perfect shots in one day,” she said. “It’s always fun.”
Newton,
Norwalk Music Fest,
Saturday, June 18
Norwalk City Park,
at 1 p.m., $50
Norwalk, Sunday, Sept. 4, Free
Fierce Faith Music Fest,
Maximum Ames
Downtown
Music Festival,
Newton, Sunday,
Downtown Ames,
June 19 at 1 p.m.,
Thursday-Sunday,
$20
Sept. 15-18, $TBD
Iowa City Jazz
World Food and
Festival, Friday-
Music Festival,
Sunday, July 1-3,
Western Gateway
Free
Park, Des Moines, Friday-Sunday, Sept.
80/35, Western
16-18, Free
Gateway Park, Des Moines, Friday-Saturday, July 8-9, $55-220 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 39
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR
EVENTS: June June 2022
Courtesy of DSM Performing Arts
Planning an event? Submit event info to calendar@littlevillagemag. com. Include event name, date, time, venue, street address, admission price and a brief description (no all-caps, exclamation points or advertising verbiage, please). To find more events, visit littlevillagemag.com/calendar. Please check venue listing in case details have changed.
Pieces of My Heart, Stoner Theater, Des Moines, Opens June 9, $20
When playwright August Wilson died in 2005, he left behind more than just a powerful and unparalleled body of work examining the consciousness of Black America. Wilson, who started his writing career as a poet, also gifted the world a selection of unpublished love poems. Pieces of My Heart sets them as a choreopoem, with poems by his daughter Azula at beginning and end. Sonia Dawkins, founder and artistic director of SD/ Prism Dance Theatre and currently on the faculty of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre School, choreographed and directed the piece, which incorporates a blues and jazz score. Des Moines Performing Arts’ partnership with Dawkins includes a three-week residency for her and her dancers to complete development on this new work, which will premiere at the Stoner Theater. Theatrical Thrills Opens Friday, June 3. Calendar
Friday, June 3 at 7 p.m. Mary
Girls, Des Moines Community
Mack: Stand-Up Comedy, Teehee’s
Playhouse, $29-47
Comedy Club, Des Moines, $15-20
Opens Friday, June 3. Cry It Out,
Friday-Sunday, June 10-12. River-
Ankeny Community Theatre,
dance, Des Moines Civic Center,
$12-18
$35-105
EDITORS’ PICKS: June 2022
PRESENTED BY WORLD OF BIKES
DES MOINES
Saturday, June 11 at 7 p.m. Chelcie Lynn, Hoyt
Thursday-Saturday, June 16-18 at 7:30 p.m. Into
Friday, July 1 at 5 p.m. Modern Concepts:
Sherman Place, Des Moines, $29.50-59.50
the Woods, Tallgrass Theatre Company, Jamie Hurd
Modern Dance, Des Moines Art Center, Free
Amphitheater, West Des Moines, $20 suggested Saturday, June 11 at 7 p.m. Locals Only, Tee-
Opens Friday, July 1 at 7:30 p.m. Porgy and
donation
Bess, DSM Opera, Blank Performing Arts Cen-
hee’s Comedy Club, $15-20 Saturday, June 18 at 9:30 p.m. Wisenheimer: LongMonday, June 13 at 2 p.m. Gateway Dance:
ter, Indianola, $20-119
Form Improv, Teehee’s Comedy Club, $15-20 Opening Saturday, July 2. A Midsummer
Water Themed Movement Workshop and Performance, Forest Avenue Library, Des
Opens June 19. Buffalo Women, Des Moines Com-
Night’s Dream, DSM Opera, Blank Performing
Moines, Free
munity Playhouse, $25
Arts, Indianola, $22-121
Pro H2O, Multiple Locations,
Saturday, June 11 at 12 p.m. Flag
Thursday, June 9 at 5:30 p.m., $10-
Ride, Exile Brewing Co., Des Moines, Free
65 The Iowa Environmental Council’s largest fundraiser of the year
is ready to rock! The main event will be held at the River Center in Des Moines, where tickets will be $65 ($40 for young professionals), but there are many other ways to join in the fun. Tickets to satellite locations at Big Grove Brewery & Taproom in Iowa City and Dickinson Co. Conservation’s Maser Monarch Lodge near Okoboji are $35-50. And you can stream the program from home or anywhere for $10-25. Susan Werner will provide the tunes, Big Grove will provide the suds and Black Cat Ice Cream created a special treat just for the celebration. Guests are encouraged to network for the first hour, leading up to an awards presentation program. Werner’s concert will begin at 8 p.m. It’s a wonderful opportunity to support the IEC’s values of clean water and land stewardship, clean energy, and a healthy climate.
Wednesday, June 15 at 6 p.m. Trans Rights with Iowa ACLU, South Side Library, Des Moines, Free Thursday, June 16 at 5:30 p.m. UPCYCLE, Grays Lake Park, Des Moines, Free Tuesday, June 21 at 5 p.m. Tee-Off Opening Ceremony, Mainframe Studios, Free Courtesy of Iowa Environmental Council
Community Connections
Friday, June 24 at 5 p.m. Images Unbound Exhibition Opening
Friday, June 3 at 5 p.m. First
Saturday, June 4 at 1 p.m. Iowa
Tuesday, June 7 at 4:30 p.m.
Celebration, Des Moines Art
Friday: Fresh Off The Press,
Craft Brew Festival, Water Works
Opening Night: Latino Film
Center, Free
Mainframe Studios, Des Moines,
Park, Des Moines, $45-60
Festival, Des Moines Art Center,
Free
Friday-Sunday, June 24-26. Des
Free Saturday, June 4 at 6 p.m.
Moines Arts Festival, Western
Saturday, June 4 at 11 a.m. Cajun
Opening Reception: “HAHA.
Saturday, June 11 at 9 a.m.
Fest Boil & Brew, JR’s Southpork
FUNNY.” Art Show by Dana
Capital City Classic Martial Arts
Ranch, Des Moines, Free-$100
Telsrow, the LiFT, Des Moines, Free
Tournament, Saydell High School,
Saturday and Sunday, June 25
Des Moines, $10-80
and 26. ArtFest Midwest, Iowa
Gateway Park, Des Moines, Free
Events Center, Des Moines, Free
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 41
EDITORS’ PICKS: June 2022
PRESENTED BY WORLD OF BIKES
J U N E T E E N T H
JUNETEENTH My Story IS History: Juneteenth Workshop, Multicultural Family Center, Thursday, June 9 at 4:30 p.m., Dubuque, Free Emancipation Day: Juneteenth Event, Living History Farms, Urbandale, Saturday, June 11 at 9 a.m., Free-$17 (cost of admission) Juneteenth Jubilee, Jamie Hurd Amphitheater, West Des Moines, Saturday, June 11 at 5 p.m., Free Celebration of Gospel with special guest Bishop J. Drew Sheard, Franklin Junior High School, Sunday, June 12 at 6 p.m., Des Moines Juneteenth and Emancipation, Hiawatha Public Library, Tuesday, June 14 at 6:30 p.m., Free Video still from ‘High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America’
WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR ART WEEK? Art Week Des Moines supports broader participation in our local art scene, celebrating local artists and our community since 2014. Presented by:
Art Week Des Moines continues as a genre-blending celebration of art and artists, anchored to local venues in our neighborhoods.
ArtWeekDesMoines.com CITYVIEW #ArtWeekDSM
42 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
The Neighborhoods The Avenues - Fri 6/17 Oak Park/Highland Park - Sat 6/18 Drake/Dogtown - Sun 6/19 Franklin - Mon 6/20 Downtown - Tues 6/21 Columbus Park - Wed 6/22 Valley Junction - Thurs 6/23 Hosted by:
J U N E T E E N T H
EDITORS’ PICKS: June 2022
4TH OF JULY
Film Screening: High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America, Virtual, City of Iowa City, Tuesday, June 14 at 7 p.m., Free Juneteenth & Emancipation with Jenny Barnett, Washington Public Library, Wednesday, June 15 at 3 p.m., Free Community Builders Appreciation Banquet, Drake University Olmstead Center, Des Moines, Thursday, June 16 at 5 p.m., $60
Courtesy of the DSM Symphony
Juneteenth Black Art Exhibit, Mainframe Studios, Des Moines, Friday, June 17 at 5 p.m., Free Juneteenth Comedy Jam, Teehee’s Comedy Club, Des Moines, Friday, June 17 at 7 p.m., $15-20 Juneteenth Comedy Show, Joystick Comedy Bar & Arcade, Iowa City, Friday, June 17 at 9 p.m., $5 27th Annual Juneteenth Celebration, Gates Park, Waterloo, Friday-Sunday, June 17-19 Juneteenth in our Neighborhood, S.T. Morrison Park, Coralville, Saturday, June 18 Juneteenth in our Neighborhood, Mercer Park, Iowa City, Saturday, June 18
Yankee Doodle Pops, Des Moines Symphony, Iowa State Capitol, Friday, July 1 at 8:30 p.m., Free
With an expected crowd of 100,000, the Des Moines Symphony calls their annual Yankee Doodle Pops event “the largest single-day concert event in Iowa.” This year, the event’s 28th, the whole state can get in on the fun, thanks to a broadcast partnership with Iowa PBS and Iowa Public Radio. The symphony will perform a variety of patriotic tunes, including standards like the 1812 Overture and “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” The winner of the Des Moines Symphony’s “Oh Say Can You Sing?” contest will kick off the event, performing the Star Spangled Banner with the orchestra.
Quad Cities Juneteenth Celebration, Lincoln Center, Davenport, Saturday, June 18, at
Celebrate the 4th!
11 a.m., Free Tuesday and
Saturday, June 25 at
Neighbors Day, Western Gateway Park, Des
Wednesday, June 14
9 a.m. Freedom Fest:
Sunday, July 3 at
Monday, July 4 at
Moines, Saturday, June 18 at 11 a.m.
and 15 Freedom Fest:
Parade, Downtown
6:30 p.m. 4thFest
6 p.m. Freedom
Log Carving Demon-
Cedar Rapids, Free
Outdoor Concert,
Fest: Celebration of
S.T. Morrison Park,
Freedom Fireworks,
Coralville, Free
Cedar Rapids Down-
Juneteenth, NewBo City Market, Cedar Rap-
stration, NewBo City
ids, Saturday, June 18 at 11 a.m., Free
Market, Cedar Rapids
Friday, July 1 at 9
p.m. Freedom Fest:
Cedar Rapids Opera ft. MaKayla McDonald
Saturday, June 18 at
Laser Light Show,
Sunday, July 3 at
and Jude Balthazar, NewBo City Market,
5 p.m. Freedom Fest:
Hawkeye Downs,
6:30 p.m. July 3rd
Sunday, June 19 at 2 p.m., Free
Balloon Glow, Jones
Cedar Rapids, $5 or
Parade, West Des
Monday, July 4 at
Park, Cedar Rapids,
festival button
Moines, Free
9:45 p.m. 4thFest
Saturday, July 2 at 8
Monday, July 4 at 10
Thursday-Sunday,
a.m. 4thFest 5k Walk/
a.m. 4thFest Parade,
June 23-26 Freedom
Run, Coralville Recre-
Coralville, Free
Fest: Dock Dogs,
ation Center, $30-40
Juneteenth Celebration, Ely Public Library,
festival button
Fireworks, S.T. Morri-
Free-$5
Monday, June 20 at 6:30 p.m., Free
FIND MORE EVENTS!
town District, Free w/
son Park, Free Monday, July 4 at 10 p.m. 4th of July Celebration Fireworks,
Cedar Rapids, Kingston Stadium, Cedar
Saturday, July 2
Rapids, Free
at 7 p.m. Mayor’s
Urbandale, Free
Fireworks, Riverloop Amphitheatre, Waterloo, Free
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 43
P R I D E
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM
Wave Cage, Elly Hofmaier
PRIDE EDITORS’ PICKS: June 2022
Iowa City Pride,
Iowa City Pride 2021, Adria Carpenter / Little Village
Downtown Iowa City, Saturday, June 18 Pride Bar Crawl, Begin at Voodoo Lounge, Des Moines,
Saturday, June 18 at 4 p.m., $10-15 HPOP Pride Festival, Slow Down Coffee Co., Des Moines, Saturday, June 18 at 4 p.m., Free Teen LGBTQIA Loud Drag Queen Bingo,
CRPride “30 Years
The World is Your
and Proud Party,
Blazing Saddle, Des
of Pride” Inaugural
Runway, DMGMC
South Side Library,
Moines, Wednesday,
Pride Parade, NewBo
Pride Concert, Temple
Des Moines, Wednes-
June 1 at 6 p.m.,
District, Cedar Rap-
Theater, Des Moines,
day, June 22 at 2:30
$10-$14
ids, Saturday, June 4
Thursday-Saturday,
p.m., Free
at 11 a.m.
June 9-11. $31.50-
Pride Parade, Historic
51.50
Capital City Pride Generational Panel,
4th St, Sioux City,
Pride Festival, Muse-
Thursday, June 2 at
um Block, Sioux City,
Pride After Party,
Stoner Theater,
6 p.m.
Saturday, June 4 at
Wooly’, Saturday,
Wednesday, June 22
12 p.m.
June 11 at 10 p.m.,
at 6 p.m., Free
Pride Pageant, The
$25-40 Pride in the Park,
Wave Cage ft. Chris Merz and Mike Conrad, Noce, Des Moines, Friday, June 10 at 8 p.m., $12-50
After wowing audiences at GDP in April, Wave Cage is ramping up a June tour around Iowa ahead of an upcoming album release later this summer. Their first stop in the central part of the state is at Noce, and they’re bringing with them composers Chris Merz (saxophone) and Mike Conrad (trombone). Wave Cage melds the best parts of jazz and electronica into a delicious amble through what is becoming a distinct Midwest jazz sound. Their shows are ambitious and welcoming, a perfect way to match the summer heat. Catch them later this month in Ames, too!
Garden, Des Moines,
One Iowa Gala, Des
Friday, June 3 at 5
Moines Heritage Cen-
Capital City Pride
Crapo Park, Burling-
p.m.
ter, Des Moines, June
Fest, East Village, Des
ton, Saturday, June
4 at 6:30-10 p.m.
Moines, Friday-Sun-
25 at 10 a.m.
Musical Marvels
Quad Cities Pridef-
day, June 10-12
est, Schwiebert
Interfaith Pride Ser-
Pride Block Party,
Saturday, June 4 at 8 p.m. Empath, xBk
Park, Rock Island,
vice, First Unitarian
June Drag Brunch/
Central Park, Ottum-
Live, $10
Friday-Saturday, June
Church, Sioux City,
Pride Show, Decades
wa, Saturday, June 25
3-4, $7-12
Sunday, June 5 at 11
Event Center, West
at 12 p.m.
a.m.
Des Moines, Sunday,
Drag Brunch, Surety
June 12 at 11 a.m., $37
COMING UP
Monday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m. The Strike w/ Sub-Radio, Wooly’s, $15
Hotel, Des Moines,
Inclusive Worship,
Saturday, June 4 at
The Garden, Des
Pride Fashion Show,
Cedar Rapids Pride
5:30 p.m. Belin Quartet Summer Concert Se-
9:30, 11:45, 2:30
Moines, Sunday, June
Central Library, Des
Festival, Saturday,
ries, Salisbury House & Gardens, Des Moines,
5 at 11 a.m.
Moines, Sunday, June
July 9
Free
Pride Ride, Iowa City
Tuesdays in June and Saturday, July 2 at
12 at 3 p.m., Free
Bike Library, Satur-
Queens in the Kitch-
Cedar Valley Pridef-
Wednesday, June 8 at 8 p.m. Post Animal,
day, June 4 at 10 a.m.,
en, Online, June 7 at
Riverside Pride,
est, Friday-Saturday,
xBk Live, $17-22
Free-$5
6:30 p.m.
Downtown Fort Mad-
Aug. 26-27 Thursdays in June at 6 p.m. Summer Con-
ison, Thursday, June 16 at 3 p.m.
Coralville Pride Festival, Sunday, Sept. 4
44 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
cert Series, Jasper Winery, Des Moines, Free
DES MOINES Thursday, June 9 at 7:30 p.m. Bouquet, Soultru, Illegal Smile, Gaslamp, Des Moines, $10 Wednesday, June 15 at 7:30 p.m. Buddy Guy, Hoyt Sherman Place, Des Moines, $59.50-99.50 Thursdays starting June 16 at 6 p.m. Music in the Garden Concert Series, Des Moines Botanical Garden, Free-$10 Friday, June 17 at 7 p.m. Cannons, Wooly’s, $18 Saturday, June 18 at 7 p.m. Steve Berry, Noce, $12-25 Wednesday, June 22 at 7 p.m. Garcia Peoples w/Pale Blue Erf, xBk Live, $10 Wednesday, June 22 at 8 p.m. Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers, Wooly’s, $25 Thursday, June 23 at 8 p.m. Durry w/Mr. Softheart, xBk Live, $13-15 Friday, June 24 at 6 p.m. Fitz & the Tantrums, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Lauridsen Amphitheater, Des Moines, $35-150 Friday, June 24 at 6:30 p.m. Spite w/Boundaries, Vatican, Bodybox, xBk Live, $20 Saturday and Sunday, June 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. Paul Cauthen, Wooly’s, $30 Friday, June 24 at 7 p.m. Girls Rock! Des Moines Summer Showcase, Wooly’s, $15 Saturday, June 25 at 7:30 p.m. The Drifters, Cornell Gunter’s Coasters, The Platters, Hoyt Sherman Place, $39.50-79.50 Wednesday, June 29 at 9 p.m. Hoods, Dose, Cursed Existence, Lefty’s Live Music, Des Moines, $15 Thursday, June 30 at 8 p.m. Poundgame Addison, xBk Live, $10 Friday, July 1 at 7 p.m. William J. Locker’s Brainwash Release Party & Silent Disco, xBk Live, $15-20 Friday, July 1at 8 p.m. Mt. Joy w/Madison Cunningham, Lauridsen Amphitheater, $35-175 Sunday, July 3 at 7 p.m. Arlie, xBk Live, $15
THE WEEKENDER YOUR WEEKLY EDITOR-CURATED ARTS COMPENDIUM, A.K.A.
st uf f to do IN YOUR INBOX EVERY THURSDAY LittleVillageMag.com/Subscribe
Tuesday, July 5 at 8 p.m. Chasity Brown w/Lily DeTaeye, xBk Live, $18-22
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 45
EDITORS’ PICKS: June 2022
PRESENTED BY WORLD OF BIKES
AMES / CRANDIC
Summer Concert Series: Matt Woods Band, Iowa Arboretum & Gardens, Madrid, Tuesday, June 14 at 6 p.m., Free-$5
via Matt Woods Band
The Iowa Arboretum & Gardens kicks off their inaugural summer concert series this month with the Matt Woods Band. Tunes in the Trees runs the second Tuesday of each month, June through September, at Beckwith Pavilion. The concerts are free for members and all attendees 12 and under. Non-members over 12 pay $5 at the door. Food trucks will be available at each show, but guests are also welcome to bring their own snacks. Ice cream and drinks will also be available for purchase. Blankets or lawn chairs are encouraged. Matt Woods is a prolific Iowa musician with a deep love of American music in all its forms, “from traditional delta, hill country and urban electric blues,” his website says, “to gospel, country and folk music.” Explore Ames! Friday-Sunday, June 3-5. Art Sale, Ames Public
Saturday, June 11 at 1 p.m. Rose Fest, Reiman
Opens Friday, June 17 at 7 p.m. Shrek The
Library, Free
Gardens, Ames, Free-$12
Musical, Jr., Story Theater Company, Ames City
Fridays, June 3, 10, 17, 24 at 5 p.m. On the Half
Saturday, June 11 at 4 p.m. Art Flea Market,
Shell: Outdoor Concert Series, Durham Band-
Reliable Street, Ames, Free
Auditorium, $10 Thursday, June 30 at 7 p.m. Wave Cage, Alluvial Brewing, Ames, $10
shell Park, Ames, $5 Saturday, June 11 at 7 p.m. Narly’s Night of Opens June 9 at 7:30 p.m. Legally Blonde,
Scary Good Talent, Ames City Auditorium, $15
Monday, July 4 at 11 a.m. Fourth of July Parade, Downtown Ames, Free
Ames Community Theater, $25
The First Step, FilmScene— Chauncey, Iowa City, Wednesday, Community Connections series, 2021 documentary The First Step follows the efforts of political commentator Van Jones to effect bipartisan criminal justice reform in the U.S. Jones, winner of an Emmy award, multiple Webby awards and honors from The Root, Ebony and Essence magazines as well as the NAACP, partnered with Kim Kardashian to push forward the First Step Act, passed and signed in December, 2018. The legislation centered on reducing recidivism and decreasing the inmate population in federal prisons. FilmScene presents the screening in partnership with Dream Corps JUSTICE; the California-based org’s Empathy Network Leader for Iowa, LaDrina Wilson, will be present for a discussion afterward, as will the film’s producer, Lance Kramer. Eastward, ho!
The First Step
June 29 at 7 p.m., Free Shown as part of FilmScene’s
Opens Friday, June 17 at 7:30
Saturday, June 18 at 7:30 p.m.
p.m. Henry V, Riverside Theatre’s
Feed Me Weird Things: FU-
Festival Stage, Lower City Park,
JI|||||||||||TA w/Granular Breath,
Iowa City, Free
Englert Theatre, $15-20
Sunday, June 5 at 1 p.m. Writing
Opens Friday, June 10. The Color
Friday, June 17 at 8 p.m and
Saturday, June 25 at 2 p.m. Volta
the Iowa Derecho: A Creative
Purple, Revival Theatre Company,
Sunday, June 19 at 4 p.m. Basic
Youth Music and Art Festival,
Experience, Indian Creek Nature
CSPS Hall, $40-52
Training, James Theater, Iowa City,
Green Square Park, Cedar Rapids,
$43
Free-$5
Center, Cedar Rapids, suggested donation $5-$10 per person.
Saturday, June 11 at 7:30 p.m. Wave Cave ft. Caleb “The Negro
Saturday, June 25 at 4 p.m.
Artist” Rainey and Dan Padley, PS1
Iowa City Block Party, Downtown
Close House, Iowa City, $12
Iowa City, Free-$15
46 June 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3
Via Beaverdale Books
EDITORS’ PICKS: June 2022
JUNE 25 – SEPTEMBER 25, 2022
Literary Luxuries
Anna K. Meredith Gallery Pamela Bass-Bookey and Harry Bookey Video Gallery
Tuesday, June 7 at 7 p.m. AViD Author Series:
EXHIBITION OPENING Friday, June 24 / 5–7 pm
Dr. Richard Deming, Neil Hamilton, Jim Autry,
SUPPORT FOR THIS EXHIBITION PROVIDED BY The Harriet S. and J. Locke Macomber Art Center Fund
Central Library, Des Moines, Free Saturday, June 11 at 2:30 p.m. Meet Children’s Author: Victor D.O. Santos, Beaverdale Books, Des Moines, Free Saturday, June 11 at 4:30 p.m. A Language of Holes, Moberg Gallery, Des Moines, Free Sunday, June 12 at 2 p.m. Meet the Author: Adib Khorram, Beaverdale Books, Free Monday, June 13 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the Author: Rob Sand, Beaverdale Books, Free Monday, June 20 at 6:30 p.m. Poetry & Coffee, Artisan Gallery 218, West Des Moines, Free Tuesday, June 21 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the Author: Mindy Carlson, Beaverdale Books, Free Thursday, June 23 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the Author: Anna Lind Thomas, Beaverdale Books, Free Saturday, June 25 at 10 a.m. Drag Queen Storytime, Storyhouse Bookpub, Des Moines, Free Saturday, June 25 at 2 p.m. Meet the Author: Kathleen Williams Renk, Beaverdale Books, Free
IOWA CITY
DOWNTOWN
DISTRICT
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 47
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DEAR KIKI
LittleVillageMag.com/DearKiki
D
ear Kiki, I love my children with all my being, I love who they are and I will love whoever they become. But I struggle with loving the parts of them that remind me of their father who I still carry painful memories of. We are divorced and have been since they were very young. He is part of them just like I am, but sometimes it is difficult to reconcile with children who are like him in so many ways. Sometimes just the tone of their voices will
curve of an eyebrow, isn’t it? If they are talking down to you or being dismissive or similar, that’s not just a memory trigger, it’s a bad habit that will come back to bite them later in life. Remember, in the funny dance between nature and nurture, there are things that are not set in stone, but rather tendencies that we can be taught to turn from. You can help them become better versions of themselves (and of him). Allowing yourself that agency may help you accept the things IN THE FUNNY DANCE BETWEEN NATURE AND you can’t change. NURTURE, THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT SET IN Because, STONE, BUT RATHER TENDENCIES THAT WE CAN BE Triggering, TAUGHT TO TURN FROM. YOU CAN HELP THEM BECOME when it’s a case of, BETTER VERSIONS OF THEMSELVES (AND OF HIM). “That’s the same vein bring up bad memories of our marriage which that throbs in his forehead when he gets angry!” was at times very unpleasant and even frighten- you really do just have to stand down. One helpful trick is to remember that there ing due to mistreatment. I know I’m not alone and many divorced parents probably struggle are probably traits that they’ve inherited from with this. I know the answer is to simply love you that are triggering to your ex! Whether that them but I wasn’t prepared to feel so triggered evinces commiseration or schadenfreude is up during the times he surfaces. Do you have any to you, Triggering—but either way, it’s better than carrying that weight on your own. advice about how to manage these feelings? You can also get yourself through in the moThank you, Triggering Traits ment by making a mantra of cataloging the other influences on their genetics. Is that your dimple in their cheek? Your mother’s way of breathing ear Triggering, Ahhh, this one hits ol’ Kiki just like through the nose in frustration? Consciously an arrow to the knee! Those remind- look for these other familiarities, and the trigers take us by surprise sometimes, don’t they? gering traits won’t have as much sway. You’re A turn of phrase here, a curl of the lip there … managing genuine trauma, here: Establishing a And, go figure!, they often seem to be most ob- routine and a plan for dealing with it can go a vious when you’re in conflict with those charm- long way to making sure it doesn’t take over ing li’l chips off the old block, don’t they? It your life. xoxo, Kiki can feel downright re-traumatizing, and you need to let yourself understand, deeply and truly, that it isn’t at all fair to you. You do not deserve that shit. But you know who else it’s not at all fair to, Triggering? Them. I know you know that. Your concern for them is present in every word you type! But it’s important to be reminded, and reminded, and reminded again: They didn’t choose their parentage; they didn’t choose which traits they inherSubmit questions anonymously ited from which parent. They’re just stumbling at littlevillagemag.com/dearkiki along through existence looking for guidance. or non-anonymously to So your first step is to take a breath and ask, dearkiki@littlevillagemag.com. do they need any guidance here? That can help Questions may be edited for clarity and you dissect your own reaction and focus on length, and may appear either in print or what’s important. For example, you mention online at littlevillagemag.com. tone of voice: That’s a bit different than the
D
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AST R O LO GY
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A blogger named Sweetlikeacherry reminds us, “Some epiphanies are only possible when you put away your phone and go completely offline for a while.” She adds that sometimes you also need to at least partially avoid your phone and the internet if you hope to incubate new visions of the future and unlock important discoveries in your creative work and summon your untamed genius. According to my astrological analysis, all these possibilities are especially likely and necessary for you in the coming weeks. I trust you will carry out the necessary liberations to take full advantage. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Poet Carolyn Kizer (1925-2014) won a Pulitzer Prize for her poetry. She was smart! But when she was young and still studying her craft in college, a professor objected to one of her poems. He said, “You have pigs in this poem; pigs are not poetic.” Kizer was incensed at such ignorance. She testified, “I got up and walked out of that class and never went back.” Judging from the astrological omens, I suspect you may have comparable showdowns headed your way. I advise you to be like Kizer. You are the only one who truly knows the proper subjects of your quest. No one else has the right or the insight to tell you what your work (or play) should be about. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Leo author James Baldwin said it wasn’t often “that two people can laugh and make love, too—make love because they are laughing and laugh because they’re making love. The love and the laughter come from the same place: but not many people go there.” Your assignment, Leo, is to be the exception to Baldwin’s rule during the coming weeks. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, there’s a high possibility that interesting eros can converge with humorous fun in a glorious synergy. You will have a knack for conjuring up ribald encounters and jovial orgasms. Your intuition will guide you to shed the solemnity from your bliss and replace it with sunny, carefree cheer. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I’m worried you will over-indulge in your pursuit of perfection during the coming weeks. It’s fine to be exquisitely skillful and masterful; I hope you do that. But if you get obsessed with flawlessness, you will risk undoing your good intentions. As an antidote, I offer you two pieces of advice. The first is from actor and activist Jane Fonda. She said, “We are not meant to be perfect; we are meant to be whole.” The second counsel is from philosopher and psychologist William James, who wrote, “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.” LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Author Mustafa Mahmoud described the signs of love between two people: 1. feeling a comfortable familiarity; 2. having no urge or need to lie; 3. being natural, not trying to be different from who one is; 4. having little or no possibility of being embarrassed in front of the other person; 5. experiencing silence as delicious, not alienating; 6. enjoying the act of listening to the other person. I bring these pointers to your attention, Libra, because the coming months will be a favorable time to define and redefine your understandings about the signs of love. How do you feel about Mahmoud’s ideas? Are there any more you would like to add? SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “We do not love each other without changing each other,” wrote author Madeleine L’Engle. Meditate on that gem, Scorpio. Now is a perfect time for you and your loved ones to acknowledge, honor, and celebrate the ways your love has changed each other. It may be true that some transformations have been less than ideal. If that’s the case, the coming weeks will be a favorable time to correct those trends. As for the positive changes that you and your allies have stimulated in each other: I hope you will name them and pledge to keep doing more of that good work.
By Rob Brezsny
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “I always deserve the best treatment, because I never put up with any other,” wrote Sagittarian novelist Jane Austen. Sagittarian politician Stacey Abrams said, “From the moment I enter a room, I am clear about how I intend to be treated and how I intend to engage.” You’ll be wise to cultivate those attitudes in the next seven weeks, Sagittarius. It’s high time for you to raise your self-respect in ways that inspire others to elevate their appreciation and regard for you. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In 1963, Jim Munro and Alice Munro founded Munro’s Books, a store in Victoria, British Columbia. After being on the job for a few months, Alice found she was not impressed with many of the products they sold. “I can write better books than this,” she told Jim. Five years later, she published her first collection of short stories, Dance of the Happy Shades. Fourteen books later, she won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Will the coming months bring your equivalent of Alice Munro’s pivotal resolution? I suspect they could. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “True love for whatever you are doing is the answer to everything,” proclaimed performance artist Marina Abramović. Amen to that righteous attitude! I hope you will embrace it in the coming weeks. I hope your heart and imagination will reveal all you need to know to bring tender fresh streams of true love to the essential activities of your life. Now is an excellent time to redefine the meaning of the word “love” so it applies to all your relationships and pursuits. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A homeless woman in a wheelchair stopped where I was sitting outside a café. She was pushing her belongings in a small shopping cart. “Would you like to go dancing?” she said to me. “There’s a nearby park that has a great grassy dance floor.” “Maybe another day,” I told her. “My energy is low. I’ve had a lot of personal challenges lately.” I’m sure the expression on my face was less-than-ebullient. “Cheer up, mister,” she told me. “I’m psychic, and I can tell you for sure that you will live a long life and have many more fine adventures. I’ll be in the park if you change your mind.” My mood instantly brightened. “Thanks!” I yelled toward her as she rolled away. Now I predict that you, Pisces, will have comparable experiences in the coming days. Are you willing to welcome uplifting surprises? ARIES (March 21-April 19): Who loves the truth better than you Aries people? Who has the greatest potential to speak the real story in every situation, even when it requires extra courage? Who has more fun than you in discovering and defining and expressing the raw facts? In my Book of Life, you Rams are radiant beacons of candor—the people I go to when I need accuracy and honesty. And all I’m saying here will be especially crucial in the coming weeks. The whole world needs concentrated doses of your authenticity. Now read this pep talk from Aries philosopher St. Catherine of Siena: “Let the truth be your delight; let it always be in your mouth, and proclaim it when it is needed. Proclaim it lovingly and to everyone, especially those you love with a special love—but with a certain congeniality.” TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Before the 20th century, you couldn’t buy a loaf of bread that was already sliced into thin pieces. Then in 1912, the American inventor Otto Frederick Rohwedder developed a slicing machine. But all his work, including the blueprints and the machine prototypes, was destroyed in a fire. He had to seek new funding and begin again. Sixteen years later, his innovation was finally ready for broad public use. Within five years, most of the bread in the U.S. was sold sliced. What does this have to do with you? I am picking up an Otto Frederick Rohwedder vibe when I turn my visions to you, Taurus. I suspect that in the coming months, you, too, will fulfill a postponed dream. LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 49
Charlotte’s Web 2021-22 season
Singin’ in the Rain 2021-22 season
2-23 202 ICKETS T ! SON E NOW A E L S ILAB AVA
Calendar Girls June 3–19, 2022 BEAUFIELD BERRY’S
Pippi Longstocking 2021-22 season
Buffalo Women
June 19-26, 2022
Co-production with Pyramid Theatre Company
CLASSES
Summer classes
Registration now open!
AUDITIONS
Guys & Dolls July 18,2022
HAPPENING NOW
SHOWS
Scan for more info on what’s happening at The Playhouse!
dmplayhouse.com • 831 42nd St • Des Moines, IA
LO C A L A L B U M S
MEKTOUB Elizabeth TARAMCGOVERN.COM/ECLECTIC/MEKTOUB
I
n 2019, frequenters of Goosetown Café mingled with friends of John Rapson to delight in the new band he had assembled: MEKTOUB. It was a trio, initially—Rapson on the keys, Ryan Smith on woodwinds and Nielo Gaglione on vocals and mandole. Together, the three produced a distinct style of improvisational music they describe as Mediterranean folk-jazz. The brick background and the smell of Goosetown’s food combined with Gaglione’s tendency to sing in both French and English, as well as the incredible talents of Smith and Rapson, to offer an otherworldly vibe to their sets. Instead of a pastiche, they generated the electricity of something truly alive. Two years later, the trio had grown. The last performance added fiddler Tara McGovernand Justin LeDuc on the drums. This was the core of the MEKTOUB Arkestra, which stunned a sold-out Englert crowd with Esteban and the Children of the Sun, a work Rapson envisioned as a collaborative effort, which he completed in the weeks leading up to his widely mourned departure into Shakespeare’s “undiscovered country, from whose bourn no traveler returns.” Something of a return lives on in the release of Elizabeth, named for Rapson’s wife and recorded at their daughter’s house during the Esteban sessions. Led by Gaglione (credited for music, lyrics and production), Elizabeth encapsulates everything enlivening about those early
Submit albums for review: Little Village, 623 S Dubuque St., IC, IA 52240
performances. It seems impossible that the band ever sounded complete without McGovern’s fiddle, which moves in and out of the foreground here, often serving as a sonic balance for Smith’s woodwinds. The tones of each fly around the other like birds in an infinite dance. Because the musicians adeptly keep time without percussion, LeDuc is freed to experiment. The first track, “Artisan,” highlights Smith’s skill and grace. Gaglione’s voice and playing convey a sense of urgency, despite the soaring tones of flute and fiddle. Rapson fans will appreciate the long piano solo in “Mystic Journey,” which strongly recalls the sonic template of Esteban. Track three, “Dance the World,” which often concluded their live set, encapsulates the joyful soul that the band voices so remarkably. “The Beneficent” appears next, passing the melody back and forth as though it was water tossed by waves: LeDuc’s percussion is more prominent here, but still capably understated. Listening for it shows the skill consistent throughout. McGovern’s fiddle is also highlighted on this song, even as a pause allows Rapson’s keys to shine again. “Lifeboat (Le son de la mar)” invites listeners into a song that even at almost 11 minutes still feels too short to resolve what it introduces: Like the rest of the album, one simply wishes there was more. “Vagabondo” returns Gaglione’s urgent mandole to the foreground. This expression of something so vital, more nourishing on repeated listens, is less a surprise than confirmation of hope’s delight. MEKTOUB’s music translates nimbly to a studio recording, inviting you to listen repeatedly to the joy that converged in its creation. It offers every reason to hope that Rapson’s legacy will continue to delight and awe audiences—and move beyond. It’s explicitly and uniquely itself, with an audacious beauty. Listen to the album, see the band play live and know it for yourself. —Daniel Boscaljon
Mr. Softheart “Caravaggio” / “Flower of Tomorrow” Double Single MRSOFTHEART.TV
“I
suppose the new direction is another pandemic story,” Nick Fisher offers as the impetus for the recent pivot of the band formerly known as Hex Girls. “I had begun writing lyrics to songs that seemed to lend themselves to a new project: The themes were darker, perhaps more complex. Personal grief, as well as the collective grief and isolation of the time, had informed that shift.”
MR. SOFTHEART TENDERS A MORE CONSIDERED APPROACH [THAN HEX GIRLS]—INTROSPECTIVE AND MOODY. The Fisher brothers, Nick and John, plus long-time collaborator Charlie Patterson, splintered into a new band: Mr. Softheart. At first glance, it might seem unnecessary to have rebooted the band with a new identity, but the double single of “Caravaggio” and “Flower of Tomorrow” shows a striking new territory for the trio. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the vocals. Where Hex Girls style was a more fidgety and sneering bratty protest, Mr. Softheart tenders a more considered approach— introspective and moody, with pacing that develops with the music. “Caravaggio” is a bouncing electropop work and the more pop-leaning track of the two new songs, falling somewhere between the
post-punk of the New Romantics like Talk Talk and the cinematic goth of Nick Cave. The chiming synth lead and bouncing bass ride over a stomp-and-clap “Train in Vain” backbeat. The title refers to the baroque 17th century Italian painter notable for his moody, sometimes violent paintings featuring stark lighting (the technique is called “tenebrism”). This is what Nick Fisher is calling into focus with references to light and shadow in the lyrics: “One of many names / One of many things / Casting shadows / I know / I know, I know / Caravaggio” as well as references to light rays and sunlight. The deep vocals never quite fall in the pocket but rather slide around with no concern about the beat, capturing perfectly a disconnected outsider perspective. “Flower of Tomorrow” does not continue this style, choosing to present a more harrowing and noisy, droning track with no percussion that leans industrial. It’s reminiscent of the atmospheric work of Peter Gabriel for the 1988 film The Last Temptation of Christ (available in album form titled Passion). When the song folds the wordless cries of Penny Peach (credited as Elly Hoffmaier) at the 2:40 mark, it calls to mind Clare Torry on Pink Floyd’s “Great Gig in the Sky.” The whole song switches mood brilliantly from angry, distant, drunken grieving to sad and resolute. Not hope so much as an end of grief. Here come the rain Here it come to take me away No more flowers, no more tomorrow Here come the rain Here come the rain Here come the rain This double single of “Caravaggio” and “Flower of Tomorrow” is an impressive calling card for Mr. Softheart. The members of the band have been building on their skills as songwriters and performers since the early days of Hex Girls, and Mr. Softheart is the next stylistic step on that journey. —Michael Roeder
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM3 June 2022 51
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LO C A L B O O KS
Xochitl Gonzalez Olga Dies Dreaming FLATIRON BOOKS
T
he fact that Aubrey Plaza will play the main character in an upcoming Hulu adaptation of Xochitl Gonzalez’s debut novel Olga Dies Dreaming is the least interesting thing about the book. Olga Dies Dreaming is everything a novel should be and more. In 369 pages, Gonzalez subjects us to curiosity, heartbreak, lust, intrigue and rage. What takes place in this novel is realistic. In fact, many of the events are lifted from real life. There are no forced happy endings here, just grown adults working through their trauma and learning to live with the hands they’ve been dealt. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Olga is a Brooklyn wedding planner for the 1 percent. She spends her days acquiring expensive napkins, organizing entertainment and catering to the ridiculous whims of her ultra-rich clients. And while her life seems put together on the outside, it really is far from it. Between dealing with her fugitive mother who abandoned her family to fight for Puerto Rican liberation when Olga was just a child, and mourning her late father who died of HIV, Olga has a lot on her plate. Not to mention being there for her closeted Congressman brother who finds himself constantly pulled between doing the right thing for his constituents and maintaining his public image. But Olga is able to keep her head above the water until hurricane Maria strikes Puerto Rico and sends her world into a tailspin. How do
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you cope with the devastation of a place that’s in your blood but not below your feet? Is family actually everything? And when is it OK, if ever, to prioritize your own well-being when people are suffering? Gonzalez does not take the task of writing about these complicated issues lightly. With every loaded question comes a loaded response that is perfectly executed by complex character development and a carefully crafted omniscient narrator. Gonzalez informs her audience about PROMESA, hurricane Maria and issues of Puerto Rican liberation in a way that is not heavy-handed. Instead, it provides context and encourages readers to do their own research on how these events actually took place outside of the world of the book. Perhaps most satisfying of all is how Gonzalez makes us sit in the discomfort of microaggressions, class disparity and gentrification, but Olga and her family are not at all pitiful. In fact, they are complex humans that experience tremendous
Jon Cone Liminal: Shadow Agent Pts 1&2 GREYING GHOST
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n the letter that author Jon Cone sent along with the first two volumes of his Liminal: Shadow Agent project, he calls the slim books “comic book scripts.” They are, in a sense. They tell a pictureless story of a superhero entering a fight against a great evil. The dialogue is called out with all-cap character names and is centered on the page. There are asterisks appearing periodically, perhaps to indicate panel transitions. There are even some captions noted, and WITH EVERY LOADED QUESTION there are direct COMES A LOADED RESPONSE instructions to an artist and letTHAT IS PERFECTLY EXECUTED terer. BY COMPLEX CHARACTER But there is DEVELOPMENT AND A CAREFULLY nothing here that CRAFTED OMNISCIENT NARRATOR. could become a traditional comic as we know it. Dialogue far too extensive joy in the book as well as trauma. for a single panel appears in sinWe celebrate their wins, we watch gle asterisked sections. Scenes are them show up for each other and filled with detail too precise for we laugh along with them as they even a full-page panel; expressions traverse a difficult world. described with more subtlety than This debut is simply impressive. could be conveyed. It’s informative, addicting and wonIn Part 1, Liminal, the hero, passderfully engaging. I cannot wait to es a comic book shop on the street. read more from Gonzalez and I He doesn’t linger, but the view does, wish happiness for Olgas all over focusing on Hipster Theoretician the world. and Hipster Friend conversing Readers should be aware that this about the limits of the form. “You book includes sexual assault and visee the form hasn’t begun to be olence. —Lily DeTaeye explored. No one’s done anything new since Kirby in the early ’60s.
The whole thing’s stuck, inert, dead!” says Hipster Theoretician. The character goes on to argue that comics should evolve to transcend speech, to be visual only. “Writers can make a contribution, sure, but the artist should always be king.” Cone’s work is this theorizing in the inverse. A poet by primary trade, he paints pictures with his words, guiding the reader nimbly and viscerally without actual imagery. These are not just comic scripts, they are already fully illustrated—just not visually. Cone is living in the space defined by his unsubtle heroic naming conventions: the liminal. This is a comic that both is, and is not. It exists in the in-between. Over the course of the two parts, this love letter to comic style echoes, upends and teases trend after trend from the early superhero and even pulp books that Cone grew up reading. Do the hero and his female support character, Base 39, have sex to activate the magic needed for him to enter another realm? Of course they do. Does the crucial confrontation with the villain begin at high noon? Could it possibly do otherwise? Is there a cyborg battle? Yes, there’s a freaking cyborg battle! Duh. The story is not inherently funny, but beat after beat, Cone peppers in allusion after allusion, making it impossible not to laugh while reading. But the directions make this a script in the most Tom Stoppard-y way possible. They are not just instructions, they are meant to be read. They are their own literary form. “The lance, a huge heavy column, crushes Liminal’s body against the wooden barrier,” one reads. “Pinned like a Nabokov butterfly.” Cone may have been sincere that he intended to work with an artist on this, to turn it into a more traditional comic. I for one am glad that he didn’t. —Genevieve Trainor
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June 25 + 26, 2022 Iowa Event Center 125+ Artists
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ACROSS 1. “You know it” 4. Record label that’s an anagram of 15-Across 7. Perplexing puzzles 14. Image on many NFTs, for some reason 15. One side of a record, say? 16. “___, égalité, fraternité” 17. Margaret seen on Nora From Queens 18. ___ Brown Band 19. Weight-loss product
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was the goddess Athena 27. Squalid 29. Rapper known as MCA who often got smashed in Switzerland? 32. Family in The Grapes of Wrath 34. Bird that made Donald Trump flinch 35. With 36-Across, items that contain much musical work?
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36. See 35-Across 37. Live at the Acropolis new-age superstar 38. Huey ___ and the News 39. David Bowie song about someone who’s an absolute whiz with DNA? 41. Uses a mop on deck 45. Mother of Horus, in Egyptian mythology 46. Pods in gumbo 48. Feel sore
49. Place to park it 50. Songwriter who invented the Monkee wrench? 53. Five-year-old who can nail Chopin études, e.g. 55. Address bar info 56. You might fight one with cranberry juice: Abbr. 57. Able to hear your transmission, say 58. Taye’s costar in The Best Man 59. Anderson of Jethro Tull 60. Least likely to refrain from asking why you have a hickey, e.g. 61. Put into words 62. Picard’s primary iteration of Star Trek, for short
or Bing 21. Singer famed for having underwear thrown at him 22. Intestinal fortitude 26. Goes to battle, at scale 28. Neil who often performs with Crazy Horse 30. Talk like a tabby 31. Vertical line in a graph 33. Caught in ___ (busted) 35. Workers with mops 36. Party errands to restock the cooler 37. “Well, what’s it gonna be?” 38. Thumbs-up on social media, say 39. Peri of Frasier 40. “Soon, soon ...” 42. Clear of all charges 43. Country in the Himalayas 44. Taking in 47. Open areas in malls 50. Needle dropper? 51. They may get poached 52. Skin care brand 54. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress author ___ Sijie
DOWN 1. Apt vehicles on which to listen to Kenny Loggins, Toto, etc. 2. Location of the eyes, to people who need to be told 3. City in Illinois or Arizona 4. Heckle 5. Tastelessly materialistic 6. Rave review or Grammy award, e.g. 7. Six Flags Great Adventure roller coast- MAY ANSWERS er whose name transP I P P A P S I K A R A lates to “The Bull” AGA I N S E C T A DOS PO I N T GU A RD BOB S 8. Robert De ___ T N T R I C E P UR E E A C T L I N E W O R K E R S 9. Footnote abbr. T H EGA NG T H E I S T S 10. Any birthstone L A RR Y S MOMS S RO K I P T P S 11. Frozen fish brand VO I D V I EWE R A I R B E D S B I G D A T A named for its foundSQU A R E S P A C E G I G er’s mother HUN T S COR E N B C ROO T CU B E S T E A K S 12. Feeling totally zen A T U L P ROD A NGE L ME T E A L Y N A S T Y 13. Use DuckDuckGo
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