ISSUE 4 July 2022
A L W A Y S
F R E E
PLUS
UI historians shed light on
Recipes and wine recs for
On the road with
Geneviève Salamone
the Dark Ages
princes and paupers
Ren faire performers
centers Indigenous sound
Serving Des Moines hospitality for more than 20 years.
Centro 1003 Locust St. 515.248.1780 centrodesmoines.com
Django 1420 Locust St. 515.288.0268 djangodesmoines.com
Malo 900 Mulberry St. 515.244.5000 malodesmoines.com
Gateway Market 2002 Woodland 515.243.1754 gatewaymarket.com
Bubba 200 10th St. 515.257.4744 bubbadsm.com
Zombie Burger 300 E. Grand, DSM Jordan Creek, WDM zombieburgerdm.com
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7 Ad Index 9 Letters 11 Interactions 16 Contact Buzz 18 The Fractured State of Iowa Nice 20 Community 26 Bread & Butter 28 Mamma Oretha 30 A-List 32 Events Calendar 40 Dear Kiki 41 Astrology 43 Album Reviews 45 Book Reviews Courtney Guein / Little Village
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Feathered menace or friendly
A new local eatery serves
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neighbors? Either way, the metro’s
African food for the American
Moines Metro Opera’s adaptation of
at the mercy of many, many geese.
soul.
her quintessentially Iowan novel.
Flyin’ Gosling Jollof Joy
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You can always rely on hot summers in the Midwest, but they’re only getting hotter…and more expensive. Climate change is making weather more extreme, and our electric grid is struggling to keep up. Meanwhile, MidAmerican Energy is way behind other utilities in investing in energy efficiency, solar power and grid infrastructure that would improve reliability and turn that summer heat into savings. MidAmerican’s five coal plants only worsen the climate crisis. It’s time for MidAm to feel the heat and commit to retiring outdated, expensive and polluting coal.
IG: @sierraclub_iowabc FB: @sierraclubiowabc Twitter: @IABeyondCoal Emma Colman - Organizing Representative emma.colman@sierraclub.org
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EDITORIAL
PRODUCTION
Publisher, Arts Editor
Digital Director
Issue 4, Volume 1
Genevieve Trainor
Drew Bulman
July 2022
genevieve@littlevillagemag.com
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Managing Editor
Videographer
Emma McClatchey
Jason Smith
This month, LV takes a gander
emma@littlevillagemag.com
jason@littlevillagemag.com
at Des Moines’ Canada goose
News Director
Marketing & Analytics
from a protected species to an
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urban pest. Plus: Staging a Jane
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Malcolm MacDougall
Smiley novel, finding the best
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Lachele’s burger and wedding soul
Cover by Matthew Hadley
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food with African cuisine. SALES & ADMINISTRATION President, Little Village, LLC Matthew Steele
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Britt Fowler is a Des Moines
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Distribution
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Top Stories Catch up on Little Village’s most-viewed headlines from last month. Read more at LittleVillageMag.com.
A library card could earn you a free pass to museums,
An Indianola farm girl finds her way with animal pottery
gardens and more in cities across Iowa
By Courtney Guein, June 23
By Paul Brennan, June 2
Folk ceramic creator Caroline Freese discovered her love for animals and art starting at a young age on a farm in
Adults with active library cards for the Des Moines Public Library and many other public libraries around the state can now get free
Indianola. Art has been a driving force for her since then, into college and
passes to selected locations and attractions, including Blank Park Zoo
now owning a studio with orders coming in quicker than she can create.
and the Science Center. Each Iowa Libraries Adventure Pass is good for
She returns to Art Fest Midwest this weekend.
free admission for two adults and two children.
‘Let go, let God’: Sen. Grassley gets evasive about Jan. 6
Video: With pixels and paint, Stacia Rain Stonerook
during radio interview
brings both the familiar and alien to colorful life
By Paul Brennan, June 23
By Jason Smith, June 10
“I better not say I’m ready to answer your questions,
Stacia Rain Stonerook manages graphics and marketing at
because I don’t know what you’re going to ask,” Sen. Chuck Grassley said
FilmScene, designs a literary magazine and, in her free time, is transposing
at the beginning of his phone interview with Dr. Bob Leonard on KNIA/
downtown Iowa City into a pixel art world, and inventing a universe of alien
KRLS. It seemed like a good-natured joke, but it turned out to be an
flora.
accurate prediction of how the interview would go.
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IN 1965 BEFORE I GOT MARRIED, I made an appointment with a physician for my first pelvic exam. After the exam I requested a prescription for birth control pills. He looked at me, shuffled through my paperwork, and then stated, “You’re Catholic,” and refused the prescription. I was surprised and offended. Today I might have told him to F off, but then I meekly left his office and got the prescription somewhere else. I was trying to have children in the late ’60s and early ’70s, during the Roe v. Wade period. By then I had suffered through six miscarriages and was still childless. The national news was filled with stories of “unwanted pregnancies.” Those words were gut-wrenching for me to hear, but I do not ever remember thinking those women should be forced to carry their pregnancies. It was true there were many women like me who wanted children and couldn’t have them, but that didn’t
justify forced birthing practices. I felt as though I would personally never be able to have an abortion myself, but recognized the fundamental right of any human to make decisions about their own body. I was working in obstetrics at the time. I saw what pregnancy did to a woman’s body. Even if you wanted the child, almost no one enjoyed pregnancy. Morning sickness, constipation, fatigue, breast pain and tenderness, weight gain (with your doctor criticizing every extra ounce), back pain, frequency when the baby sat on your bladder, and mood changes. These all occurred before the baby even arrived. Then you could look forward to the fun of labor and postpartum. Hours of labor pains when you feel as though you are being ripped apart, an episiotomy, days of cramping and bleeding, leaking sore breasts. Later, when the child-bearing years are behind
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
you, women my age can look forward to stress incontinence, sagging breasts, weight gain, varicose veins and hemorrhoids, stretch marks, lower sex drive and believe it or not, even bigger feet. If you’re really unlucky your uterus may prolapse and some wise and superior male physician may decide to do a uterine suspension on an organ you don’t need and that can never be used again, because the insurance company has decided too many women are having hysterectomies. I’ve had friends that have had that happen to them. During the period I was working in OB at a public hospital in the Illinois suburbs of Chicago, if a woman wanted to have a tubal ligation, her case was presented to a group of male physicians. For her case to even be considered, she had to have five children and her husband’s permission. Women choose to go through pregnancy and childbirth for a baby they want, and they feel they can care for. We are on the brink of having forced births reinstated here in the United States. No matter how the fetus got in there—rape, accident or by choice—men, and it is mostly men, will decide what happens to our bodies. A small cluster of cells will have more power than the woman
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4 July 2022 9
I N T E R A C T I O N S carrying them. Justice Amy Coney Barrett tells women they can just drop the babies off at a hospital or the fire station. Can they leave the physical pain and mental suffering there too? Sounds easy peasy, doesn’t it? Maybe if men started having to have eight-pound bowel movements they’d reconsider, but I doubt it. The goal is really to get women back in their perceived place, subservient. —Jeanne Liston, North Liberty The Wesley Center ends its century-long affiliation with the United Methodist Church (June 5) This is why after being a member for 72 years I withdrew my United Methodist Church membership. I realize that it is the southern conference members that are dictating this oppressive posture, but come on Methodists.....get your act together. —Nicki M. Southern conference has split the church. That saying WWJD, he’d welcome everyone. Good for Wesley Center. —Barbara W. Pride month 2022 so strong already. —Kane K.E.
STRESS FRACTURES
10 July 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4
/LittleVillage READER POLL: What’s your worst goose experience?
Pooped all over my yard 3.2%
Stole my wife 45.2%
IT BIT ME OH GOD 3.2%
Hissed at/ chased me! 48.4%
Reps. Hinson and Miller-Meeks vote against raising the age to buy semiautomatic rifles (June 10) Of course they did. Once a baby is born they don’t give a damn. —Becky P. America is hopeless. Iowa is worse. —John M. No swimming at Terry Trueblood JOHN
MARTINEK
Get the K&G app AF
re s h P
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WO RT H R E P E AT I N G “There is evil that exists in the world. And if you’re determined to do something like this, you’re probably going to find the means to do it.” —Gov. Kim Reynolds, following the Uvalde, Texas elementary school massacre “You aren’t talking to video still someone who loves guns, I don’t hate guns, but I do protect people’s constitutional rights.” —Sen. Chuck Grassley on his opposition to an assault weapons ban “Frederick Douglass: No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck. Juneteenth doesn’t mark the emancipation of the enslaved, but emancipation of the U.S. We should all rejoice and work toward our mutual liberation. —The 1619 Project author and journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones on Twitter (@ nhannahjones) “fuck you say??!” —Questlove (@ questlove) responding to this baffling tweet from former
I N T E R AC T I O N S
Rep. Steve King: “I spent Juneteenth all day in the hot sun hoeing and pulling weeds and thinking about what it would have been like to have been a slave. At the end of the day, I thought about what it would be like to be an aborted baby. I got to see the sunrise and the sunset.” “You can’t politely smile hard enough for the state to give you your rights back. You cannot be sweet enough to protect yourself from violence. You cannot dress in a dress pretty enough. You can’t be blonde or white enough to protect you from what is coming.” —Cedar Rapids writer Lyz Lenz, reflecting on the end of Roe v. Wade and witnessing a man drive through a group of abortion rights protesters on June 25 “Just being true to yourself is a form of freedom, especially as a Black American … being free emotionally, moving how we want to emotionally, physically, spiritually, there’s freedom.” —Des Moines artist Robert Moore
via the artist’s website
Have an opinion? Better write about it! Send letters to Editor@LittleVillageMag.com 12 July 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4
Recreation Area ‘until water quality improves’ (June 16) I want to have rain tested but can’t even get lakes and rivers tested under the Republicans—MacBride, Terry Trueblood, Backbone State Park, Lake Darling—have to leave this state to camp somewhere with water clean enough to swim in. —Margaret B. Those aren’t farmers, at least not the family farms of my youth. They’re big business factory farms that spend a lot of money making sure no one takes video of the goings-on inside the buildings. I’m pretty certain that no one we knew in the 70’s had a manure lagoon. —William F. Art was Robert Moore’s ‘saving grace.’ Now his work graces T-shirts, walls and buildings in Iowa and beyond (June 21)
MOMBOY
Great read here. Hope more of the world gets to see life through your artwork. —Josh C. Nice story. My buddy started the rag in IC. It’s good to see it expand and include mi familia. Double plus good! —Reggie M. ‘Let go, let God’: Sen. Grassley gets evasive about Jan. 6 during radio interview (June 23) “Let go, let God...” apparently means no accountability on earth. —Robert L. Let God go, and go govern. —Ben C. Chuck Grassley’s greatest strength is portraying himself as a simple Iowa farmer instead of the masterful politician he is. Reagan conservative, military waste hawk, moderate, Trump defender. He
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INTERACTIONS
REVIEW
can play any role. —Ron D. The strongest argument for term limits I’ve seen. —Siobhan G.
A demonstrator holds a sign at the “Stars, Stripes & Reproductive Rights” protest at the Iowa State Capitol on July 4, 2022
Man drives his truck into protesters marching for abortion rights in Cedar Rapids (June 27)
Britt Fowler / Little Village
Even worse: Local police & sheriffs are members of groups that lobbied for SF 342. Even after 4/15/21, when the omnibus bill was consolidated, including the hit & run immunity language [References: issda.org, docs. iowa.gov, iowapeaceofficers. org]. Will the cops even arrest him?? —Connor G. (@ ClimateConnor on Twitter) This guy was in line at a red light and crossed into the pedestrian crosswalk illegally. They weren’t even blocking traffic from what I understand. —Louise F. He had a green light, which means that if you’re are in cross walk, you are impeding the flow of traffic. He was driving slowly enough that these people could have gotten out of the way. They chose to attack his vehicle. —Roger W. Does it actually matter if they were blocking traffic? Fucking go around. What kind of worthless POS injures someone because they’re being delayed? —John C. The state has no legal, moral or ethical right to be dictating to any woman what she can or cannot do with her own body. and anyone who opposes this should be automatically charged with a felony crime punishable by jail time. —Earl W. 14 July 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4
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Contact Buzz
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Joelle Blanchard, Figment Art & Photo
Camp Rock Girls Rock! Des Moines is a dynamic difference-maker. BY JOHN BUSBEE “Music makes us want to live. You don’t know how many times people have told me that they’d been down … But then a special song caught their ear and that helped give them renewed strength. That’s the power music has.” ––Mary J. Blige
instrument, put into a band, learn a cover song and write an original song. Both the cover song and original are performed on stage at the end of camp at a local music venue in front of hundreds of people.” The program beckons its participating artists “to explore their rocking selves, develop creative “Everyone looks to an artist for something more habits, and discover what inspires them.” The than just the music, and that message of being benefits to such education is well-documented comfortable in my own skin is number one for me.” in research. ––Lizzo “When you’re a musician and you’re playing an instrument, you have to be using more irls Rock! Des Moines (GR!DSM) is of your brain,” says Dr. Eric Rasmussen, chair a powerful music program for young of the Early Childhood Music Department at women and gender nonconforming the Peabody Preparatory of Johns Hopkins youth aged 8 to 18 using music, songwriting and unity to express themselves and elevate their cre- University. “There is a massive benefit from being musiativity Since its initial summer camp in 2013, cal that we don’t understand, but it’s individual. GR!DSM has conducted 19 summer camps, uti- Music is for music’s sake,” Rasmussen adds. “It gives you a better understanding of yourself. The lizing 247 volunteers and staff, for 586 campers horizons are higher when you are involved in served. Add weekend retreats, special events music. Your understanding of art and the world, and the network of creative connectivity, and GR!DSM’s influence is year-round, anchored by and how you can think and express yourself, are enhanced.” its summer camps. GR!DSM is a vibrant, thriving example of Results over 10 years of success include 16 alwhat Rasmussen describes. bums produced and more than 160 original songs “Less than 5 percent of the people who create developed, performed and recorded. The program now engages 150 girls each summer. Staff, the sounds and media we consume every day are volunteer mentors and support now number 60. women or gender nonconforming individuals,” Roberts said. “We’re on a mission to change that! Twenty-four bands were created, and $17,500 Roberts’ pride is evident as she recalls past awarded in scholarships. Girls Rock! finale concerts, noting the transforThese are some of the impressive results that mations she witnessed in a few short days. GR!DSM boasts. “I’ve seen kiddos walk into camp the first day “We like to say that what we do has a ripple scared to talk to anyone,” she said, “and by the effect,” explains Jodi Roberts, Girls Rock! Board President. “I’d say the biggest thing is equipping end of camp, they are performing on stage at our youth to find their voice and develop confi- Wooly’s in front of hundreds of people and are owning it!” dence.” “A lot of the summer camp participants have never played an instrument before or have John Busbee works as an independent voice for very little experience. They are assigned an Iowa’s cultural scene.
G
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The Fractured State of Iowa Nice
Mayhem and Memorials Each name is a reminder that nowhere is safe. BY DANA JAMES
O
n June 17, 2015, white domestic terrorist Dylann Roof used a .45-caliber Glock handgun to massacre nine Black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina. In the barrage of news coverage, I vowed never to forget and memorized each victim’s name. Rev. Clementa Pinckney Cynthia Hurd Susie Jackson Ethel Lee Lance Depayne Middleton-Doctor Tywanza Sanders Daniel Simmons Sharonda Coleman-Singleton Myra Thompson The historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, where Roof murdered his victims while they attended Bible study, was once attended by Denmark Vesey, a former enslaved man who purchased his freedom and was executed in 1822 for planning to liberate enslaved Africans from Charleston to Haiti. President Barack Obama delivered the televised eulogy for slain church leader Pinckney, who was also a Democrat and state senator. I learned details and some history as I struggled to make sense of the tragedy. People vowed then things would change. It briefly seemed possible. Ten days later, activist Bree Newsome climbed a flagpole at the South Carolina state house and took down a Confederate flag, which sparked conversations and inspired the removal of other racist symbols.
LittleVillageMag.com
Since then, some shootings have captured the public’s attention, while many others occur without widespread awareness. The racist Buffalo, New York, grocery store shooting on May 14, and the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting on May 24, sparked the familiar American routine of shock, grief, blame, marches and political promises. Then, during a parade on July 4, celebrating the nation’s Independence Day, at least seven people were killed in a shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, and three dozen were injured. It was one of several mass shootings in the U.S. during the holiday weekend. “I recently signed the first major bipartisan gun reform legislation in almost 30 years into law, which includes actions that will save lives,” President Joe Biden said on July 4, in response to the Highland Park shooting. “But there is much more work to do, and I’m not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence.” While Americans fret over common sense gun laws and argue about the Second Amendment, bullets fly and bodies fall. Hashtag RIP and repeat. The slaughter of Americans in everyday places by gun-wielding men who’ll slay anyone from children to churchgoers can’t continue as an acceptable rite of passage in the U.S. In downtown Des Moines at the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park near the LOVE sculpture by artist Robert Indiana, people from diverse cultures gather to take photos. Bridal parties, new graduates and everyday people stop and pose. I even witnessed a marriage proposal in front of the iconic sculpture, its red and purple noticeable from its perch along Grand Avenue. Increasingly, I think about what I would do if gunfire rang out there or at the grocery store or doctor’s office. If Americans continue to gorge themselves on a diet of intolerance and hate, while coveting their guns over everything else, nowhere is truly safe—not even my favorite park. Miah Cerrillo, the 11-year-old who survived
The Houston family passing through from Atlanta, Georgia. Black Iowa News
Uvalde, where 19 children and two teachers died, had to smear herself with the blood of her friend and play dead. That is a stain on all of us if we fail to accomplish substantive gun reforms. The new “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act,” signed on June 25 enhances certain restrictions and penalties on firearms purchases, promotes evidence-based best practices for school safety, authorizes grants to expand access to mental health services and appropriates emergency funding for mental health resources and school safety measures, according to the White House. The Gun Violence Archive has recorded 265 mass shootings in the U.S. just since January. The nonprofit defines mass shootings as incidents in which four people are shot, either injured or killed, not including the shooter. So many tears and teddy bears. Mayhem, then memorials. Memorizing all the names of the victims isn’t possible anymore. There are just too many. Dana James is the founder of Black Iowa News, publishing on Meta’s Bulletin platform. James is also a co-host on the new Inclusivi-Tea podcast.
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November 2021 A L W A Y S
F R E E
Des Moines’ Wild Goose Chase Iowa’s dominant goose species beat the odds to make it in America. But officials and residents say the city’s become a little too loosey-goosey.
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rowing up in West Des Moines, I became familiar with geese very quickly. They chased me on my bike, pooped all over the trail and flapped their wings menacingly at my brother and I as we walked our nervous dog. Like many a suburban child, I learned that geese were not my friends. They were ornery poop machines out to ruin my day. And I certainly wasn’t alone in thinking this. According to Mike Gaul, parks manager for Des Moines Parks and Recreation, the city has received many calls complaining about negative interactions between humans and geese. “I wouldn’t call them complaints; it’s more just feedback,” Gaul corrected me. “You know, a lot of them are feces on a trail and how unsightly that is. And it can also be slick, too. There’ll be times when [the geese] are aggressive to any individuals that are out in the park. [The geese] are maintaining their area. They’re defending themselves and they’re nesting.” But some of these encounters have done more than ruffle feathers. “Every year, a goose nests right above the entryway of Dowling Catholic High School,” said Andy Kellner, a wildlife biologist with the Iowa DNR. “And so it’s up on the roof, the nest isn’t causing the problem, but the gander is very protective. And so he dive-bombs students when they’re trying to get into the building. So that’s unfortunate and one of the times when we get a conflict call.” When there’s a human-goose conflict in Des Moines and other cities, it’s invariably a Canada goose involved. Branta canadensis is a familiar sight in the skies—Canada geese are the ones that fly in wedge formations—as well as on the ground and in ponds, and have little of the innate fear of humans most wild animals have. Big with a black head, white cheeks and chin, a black neck, brown back and tan breast, they can be aggressive about defending their territory, especially when there are eggs or goslings in a nest. They are by far the most abundant goose in urban and suburban settings, and are the most pervasive goose species present in Iowa.
Des Moines has become the latest in a long line of North American cities to launch a concerted effort to manage Canada geese. In October, the Des Moines City Council voted to ban feeding geese, ducks and deer within city limits, declaring them to be “nuisance animals.” Two months later, the city council approved a 39page Canada Goose Management Plan, which was created by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department working in conjunction with DNR. The plan began to be implemented this spring. “There isn’t one tool, it’s not a one-size-fitsall solution,” said Orrin Jones, a DNR waterfowl biologist who worked on the plan alongside Kellner. “So we use an array of everything.” Canada geese love a manicured lawn. They eat short grass, and grass shorter than six inches makes a greenspace look like a buffet. Short grass near a pond or other waterway also makes for an attractive nesting site, because it allows geese to easily scan the horizon for predators. So the primary focus of the plan is to make small alterations to the landscape to make it less appealing to geese. The goose control plan calls for letting the neatly trimmed grass grow longer on some city properties where geese nest, and replacing some of it with strips of native prairie plants—which can help a whole range of bugs and birds flourish—and butterfly gardens. This would cut back on easy feeding and obscure sight-lines for the geese. Making grass less tasty is another option. The plan calls for the use of sprays with methyl anthranilate as its active ingredient. That may sound like a chemical warfare agent, but it’s not. Methyl anthranilate is derived from Concord grapes, and it’s what puts the grape flavor in grape soda and candies. Geese, however, find it irritating. Noise, both manmade and dog-made, is also an important tool, the plan explains. Pyrotechnics “that mimic gunshots” and “other bird scare noise devices” will be used, as will dogs trained to bark and chase, but not bite or catch. This kind of carefully coordinated harassment—or “aversive conditioning,” as it’s officially known—is Matthew Hadley / Little VIllage
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RECREATIONAL HAZARDS
Community
The City of Des Moines has designated the following recreational areas as “targeted areas of concern.” 1
AH Blank Golf Course
2
Birdland Park/Drive
3
Glendale Cemetery
4
Gray’s Station Stormwater Wetland
5
James W. Cownie Baseball Park
6
James W. Cownie Soccer Park
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Pete Crivaro Park
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Riverview Park
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Three Lakes Estates
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8 2
808 County Line Rd, Des Moines
2100 Saylor Rd, Des Moines
3 11
4909 University Ave, Des Moines
451 SW 12th St, Des Moines
7
4
10 5 6
2501 SE 22nd St, Des Moines
2600 Hartford Ave, Des Moines
1105 E Railroad Ave, Des Moines
710 Corning Ave, Des Moines
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Three Lakes Parkway, Des Moines
10
Southeast Connector Trail
11
Levee Trail System
9
Runs along M.L.K. Jr Pkwy
Runs along Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers
intended to convince geese they’ve chosen the wrong neighborhood and move on. There will also be gunshot sounds that don’t involve mimicry, because the plan includes goose hunting inside city limits. If you’re anything like me, “urban hunting” is an unsettling idea. But hunting in approved areas in Des Moines is already a thing. It can only take place on “agriculturally zoned property that is over 20 acres in size,” Kellner explained. There are also regulations on what weapon can be used, limits on not just the number of weeks hunting can occur but also the time of day hunters are allowed to try to bag game. DNR proposes increasing bag limits and hunting seasons around the metro to “encourage harvest of Canada geese” as part of the plan. “So hunting is an interesting part in the 22 July 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4
puzzle,” Kellner said. “And that’s because it can actually have a direct impact in removing certain birds, right?” This “aversive conditioning” is more effective when combined with other deterrents, he said. “Now you have a dog there too, and [the geese] can see a predator, and there’s a bang, and it’s harder to see because of habitat—all of a sudden you’re compounding all of those things to have a bigger impact on a specific area.” Although the plan’s focus is on nonlethal options, hunting isn’t the only approved measure for terminating a problem Canada goose. In special cases, geese may be rounded up and euthanized. “Nest oiling” is one of the other extreme options available. Also known as “addling eggs,” a layer of corn oil is applied to unattended eggs in a nest. The oil seals the pores of the egg
Emma McClatchey
shell, preventing oxygen from getting in and killing the gosling-to-be before it hatches. Kellner assured me that transparency is the name of the game when and if these measures ever become necessary. But euthanasia and nest oiling could be a solution if other tactics are used and there is no progress. “The kind of ripe fruit, if you will, of that
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Community
Geese on patrol and not taking your shit on the bike trail at Clive Aquatic Center. Lily DeTaeye / Little Village
conversation is near an airport,” he said. “Bird strikes, especially Canada goose strikes to aircraft, can be extremely damaging and a direct human safety issue.” Remember the “miracle on the Hudson,” the 2009 controlled crash of a U.S. Air flight that had just taken off from New York’s LaGuardia Airport? That plane lost all engine power after hitting a flock of Canada geese. Controlling Canada geese populations is a balancing act. They are protected by federal law in accordance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act as a “public trust resource.” Generally speaking it is illegal to harm them, but DNR does have a permit allowing it to undertake a limited number of actions outlined in the management plan.
“The DNR’s role is to manage the public trust and Canada geese are an issue of public trust,” Jones said. “And so we need to balance ecological and intrinsic value of this species, their recreational value. But then we also have to be aware that there are legitimate economic, health and safety concerns.” At the time Congress enacted the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, birds were being driven to the brink of extinction by so-called “market hunters” who would sell the feathers and meat. The act had overwhelming support from conservationists and sport hunters, because both groups were alarmed by the dwindling numbers of waterfowl in the United States. Canada geese were among the birds devastated
by the surge of market hunting. Even after federal protection was extended to them, their numbers continued to decline as engineering projects drained waterways to reclaim land for agriculture and other purposes, destroying habitats the birds needed to survive. By 1918, there had been no sightings of Canada geese in Iowa for 11 years. No Canada geese were seen in the state again until 1964, when a DNR program began reintroducing nesting pairs. By 1988, there was at least one nesting pair in each of Iowa’s 99 counties. Other states had similar success. Fast on the heels of this restoration of the species came a boom in population as large numbers of Canada geese discovered the advantages of
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Swans vs. Geese: Living in Unexpected Harmony
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s the Canada geese population grew in the 1990s, some Chicago suburbanites decided to fight waterfowl with waterfowl, and introduced swans into local ponds in hopes
of driving out the geese. Swans aggressively defend their nesting areas, and have been known to kill geese in the wild. One problem: wild swans don’t live in the suburbs. The swans you can buy are all human-raised and much more mellow than their wild cousins. They don’t mind sharing a pond with geese, if the geese stay away from the nest. Swans even attract more geese. Migrating flocks spot them and realize it’s a safe location to land. So, those suburban ponds ended up with not one, but two types of big birds that don’t want humans anywhere near them.
urban and suburban living, with short grass, an environment maintained year-round, and a lack of predators. Canada geese have split into populations that still follow the old, long migratory routes, and ones that either migrate only short distances or take up permanent, or near-permanent, residence in a city. Resident geese start mating sooner than migratory ones, lay more eggs on average and have more of those eggs survive. “Canada geese are an intelligent, long-lived species, therefore they have high survival rates,” Jones said. “They return to the same areas, and then they learn.” That a species so close to eradication there were none left in Iowa for most of the 20th century was able to rebound with help from humans should be considered an impressive success story. But because so many people have negative interactions with Canada geese, the “ecological and intrinsic value” of these birds is not often discussed. According to Dennis Thompson, president of the Iowa Ornithologists Union, a bird-watching group that welcomes everyone from amateurs to accomplished ornithologists, every birder has
their favorite species, but most seem pretty lukewarm about Canada geese. “I don’t think birders jump up and down about protecting Canada geese necessarily,” Thompson said. “It’s not a cause that birders tend to get behind, about either protecting them or removing them. Either way.” That’s not to say a Canada goose can’t garner sympathy on occasion, even when it’s being a nuisance. Kellner recalled an incident from a few years ago when a Canada goose nested in the planters outside a heart clinic in West Des Moines. The bird was aggressive and chased heart patients around the parking lot. “When the DNR staff member showed up, just to even verify what was going on … The number of people filming the officer interacting with the goose and yelling at the DNR officer to leave the bird alone was really high,” Kellner recounted. “So here we have a human threat issue where these heart patients are getting attacked, but we still have people that are patients of the building wanting the bird to be left alone.” There isn’t a set timeline for the goose management program, Parks Manager Mike Gaul said. The city is currently looking to hire a
contractor to start with aversive conditioning tactics in high frequency problem areas. Habitat modification will come as the city brainstorms park and stormwater retention developments. The first part of the plan got underway in May, and is an attempt to deal with a stubborn, hard-to-manage animal that could undermine the goose management program. In other words, it’s aimed at humans. As part of what will be a wider education effort, the city released a video featuring Gaul talking about goose management. (Watch it here ) “Do not feed the geese. That’s the number one,” Gauls says in the video, before going on to explain the management program is trying to condition geese to choose nesting areas with less opportunity for conflict with humans, not to eliminate the geese. The goose management plan makes this point, too, stating it would not “be appropriate” to “completely remove Canada geese from the city as they are part of the natural community.” It’s also “not possible” to do that, the plan concedes. After all, the geese were here before Des Moines was. And since they returned in the 1960s, they’ve done a remarkable job of figuring out how to live here. These birds are well-traveled, intelligent individuals that are just trying to make a home here in Iowa—a fascinating and, dare I say, beautiful part of our ecosystem. And that’s something to honk about. Lily DeTaeye is a Des Moines native and UI grad who is passionate about reading, wine and dogs. In addition to writing for Little Village, she is a singer-songwriter and touring Americana musician. She has since recovered from the trauma of being chased by Canada geese on the bike trail. With additional reporting by Paul Brennan
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LittleVillageMag.com/Dining
Bread & Butter LV Recommends
Lachele’s Fine Foods 2716 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines
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BY SEAN DENGLER
s I stepped into Lachele’s Fine Foods, it felt like a blast from the past. With black and white tile flooring, salmon-colored walls and turquoise seating, this hole-in-thewall diner mixes mid-century modern with a contemporary touch. According to Executive Chef Jake Cole, this is on purpose. He and owner Cory Wendel wanted to give a tip of the hat to old-school diners when they opened in February 2021. In this they were successful; a chill vibe exudes from the walls to the food to the staff. It felt like all the employees and patrons were meant to be in this retro, upscale diner at this moment, and I felt happy to be there as well. Like the décor, the burgers have a classic feel with a modern flair. Wendel and Chef Jake use their classical training to provide a distinctive take on this American classic. Lachele’s burger even landed on the Iowa Beef Industry Council’s 2022 Best Burger Top 10 list. As sublime jazz music played in the background, I knew what I was going to order. In the past, I had eaten the namesake burger, the Lachele, and I highly recommend it to newcomers. This time, before arriving, I asked Cory what I should try, and I may never go back to the Lachele after eating his suggestion, the Big Gym. I dove into the smashburger while someone constructed miniature airplanes on the television. Covered in bacon, spicy giardiniera, Duke’s mayo, arugula and provolone on a potato roll, the Big Gym was very flavorful. The crunch of the bacon provides a nice contrast to the chewi-
The Big Gym burger and Chili Mac, left, at Lachele’s Fine Foods. Sean Dengler / Little Village
LIKE THE DÉCOR, THE BURGERS HAVE AN OLD-SCHOOL FEEL BUT WITH A MODERN FLAIR. ness of the burger. Next, I am hit by the ooze of the mayo and melted provolone. At this point I thought, This is an exceptional burger, then bam! The spicy giardiniera, an Italian relish of pickled vegetables, hit my mouth with spice and flavor, putting this burger over the top. In terms of taste and texture, I experienced a whole lot of greatness in each bite of this mouthwatering burger. The patty tasted good, but the bun and fixings 26 July 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4
were the real stars. The argula was a nice subtle touch of flavor, and like every other part of this burger, tasted fresh. I could have stopped at the Big Gym, but I wanted more. I have eaten plenty of Lachele’s fries in the past, and they are top-tier restaurant fries. I wanted to try something new, and the host suggested the Chili Mac. It hit the spot. The thick and creamy cheese perfectly
complemented the crispy and juicy burger. The cheese and chili flakes coated the elbow noodles, making for a filling and tasty side. I did not need more after this delectable burger. Some restaurants, unfortunately, dry out their mac and cheese, but at Lachele’s this was not the case. Even more impressive, I talked to Chef Jake for 10 minutes after the Chili Mac came out, and the noodles never became soggy nor lost their moisture or quality. While I highly suggest this combination, you cannot go wrong ordering any menu item or the daily special. If you’re a burger lover who hasn’t tried Lachele’s Fine Foods, you are missing out.
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Bread & Butter
A Hearty Meal Des Moines’ new soul food restaurant invites African-Iowan families to take over the kitchen for a day.
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BY COURTNEY GUEIN
lex Seakor has introduced a whole new kind of fusion restaurant to the Des Moines scene. Mamma Oretha, which officially opened its doors at at 1000 Army Post Rd on June 25, is pairing African food with soul food to give the ultimate cross-cultural experience. Come for the mac and cheese and fried chicken, stay for the cassava leaf and plantains. “The reason why those are going to match up together so good is because to have two things that are similar but different,” Seakor explained, “but at the same time can unite the people, [which] is the whole goal.” As you may have guessed, Seakor named the restaurant after his own mamma, Oretha. “I wanted to make it a place where people feel at home ’cause my mother cooking, to me, is how I feel at home.” Seakor was born in Liberia and moved to Des Moines as a boy once his mother found out their U.S. relatives had relocated to the city. There were more job opportunities for his family in Iowa than there were back home, Seakor explained, so his family soon followed, and have been in Des Moines ever since. “I chose to open up a restaurant ’cause for a long time my mother had been cooking and everyone, since I was little, always loved her food. And me growing up I was always around different types of cultures and I got to experience the American culture soul food and it gave me a taste that I cannot forget. So, I wanted to add both of
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Alex Seakor at his restaurant. Courtney Guein / Little VIllage
“SOUL FOOD COMES FROM THE ROOT OF AFRICAN FOOD. WHEN I TASTE SOUL FOOD, I FEEL LIKE THAT FOOD IS A PART OF ME. AND WHEN YOU TASTE AFRICAN FOOD, YOU FEEL LIKE THAT IS A PART OF YOU AND WITH YOUR ANCESTORS.” the things that I love together and [have them] in one place .” “So, Mamma Oretha is both African and American.” This is hardly an odd pair. American soul food is the legacy of enslaved Africans and their descendants in the Deep South, who tapped into their culinary heritage to make creative use of the humble ingredients enslaved people could most easily get their hands on, such as rice, okra, pork ribs and certain spices. “Soul food comes from the root of African food. So, you got to understand that when I taste soul food, I feel like that food is a part of me. And when you taste African food, you feel like that is a
part of you and with your ancestors,” Seakor said. He plans to introduce menu items from across Africa, featuring a different country about every two weeks to pair with the soul food. Families from Ghana, Liberia, Sudan, Congo and Egypt will be invited and paid to cook their traditional foods at his restaurant, allowing Des Moines a taste of various cultures while providing the families who cooked the meal with extra income. Eventually, Seakor wants to add Jamaica to the list. After eating, customers have the opportunity to write on a chalkboard wall inside Mamma Oretha, indicating which foods they loved most. Seakor will watch closely for fan favorites and possibly
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they think it is.” add them to his regular menu, with Liberian food years, in five large Midwestern cities. He sees Mamma Oretha as a destination for “I’m looking forward to building the commubeing the main African category. Aside from being a fledgling restaurant owner, nity, putting people together so they can see that visitors. “I know I have a platform right now with everySeakor is also a music producer and DJ. He said when you taste this food, it can take you back thing that I’m doing so it’s going to shine a light he’s recorded with children of African immigrants home,” Seakor said. The restaurateur has high hopes for himself and on the city,” Seakor said. interested in his restaurant idea, and wanting to get The restaurant will be open Monday to Friday the city. involved. “Des Moines has a culture, but nobody under- from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday “They come to me, and how I can help them is for me to let their mother cook and then I pay their stands Des Moines’ culture and it hasn’t been put 9:30 to 2:30 p.m. on a platform for everyone to see,” he said. “So, I mother,” he said. He has been promoting his restaurant through feel like what I’m doing here is definitely going to Courtney Guein is a Des Moines staff writer for artists, promising a free plate once Mamma show people that Des Moines is bigger than what Little Village. Oretha opens in exchange for recording music with his company, Seak Vision Studios. He also owns a restaurant back home in Liberia, also called Seak Vision, employing family members and investing the profits back into his family and their community. Throughout the year, he hosts events to give away free food, backpacks for children, clothing drives and more, all out of pocket. He feels that he is now in a place to give others what he didn’t have growing up. Seakor has an even larger vision for Mamma Oretha’s future. His plan is to have five locations up Clockwise from top: Palm butter and rice, African corn bread, rice bread, pepper soup and cassava leaf. and running in five Photos by Courtney Guein, collage by Jordan Sellergren
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4 July 2022 29
Culture A-List
A Thousand Variations Writers’ Workshop grad Jane Smiley’s 1992 Pulitzer-winning novel finds new life and new meaning set to music.
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BY ROB CLINE
hen an arts organization celebrates 50 years of sharing wonderful work with enraptured audiences, the time is right to do something exceptional. The question, of course, is what that something should be. For the Des Moines Metro Opera, the answer in part turned out to be adapting Iowa Writers’ Workshop alum Jane Smiley’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, A Thousand Acres, for the stage. The novel is both a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s King Lear and a quintessentially Iowa story about an aging father attempting to entrust the future of the family farm to his three daughters. The initial seed of the project was planted by Kristine McIntyre, who is both director and dramaturg of the new opera that opens July 9 at the Blank Performing Arts Center in Indianola. “I first read A Thousand Acres back when it was published [in 1991], and it was a book that made a huge impression on me,” McIntyre said in a phone interview. “Flash forward many decades and [Des Moines Metro Opera General and Artistic Director] Michael Egel was looking for a book or something to turn into this world premiere to celebrate the 50th anniversary. This was three and half or four years ago now. Because I’m somebody who directs at the festival a lot and we’re friends, he asked me if I had any theories. And I said A Thousand Acres. I’m not the only person
Kyle Starcevich
who suggested the book to him, but I might have been the first person to suggest it, and I pushed it quite heavily.” Egel read the novel and agreed that it was an
excellent choice. With sign-on from the board of directors, which was eager to have McIntyre helm the project, work got underway. “Having me be both dramaturg and director
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means I was involved in the decisions about scenes from the book to put in the opera,” McIntyre explained. “And then I would put my director hat on and advocate for certain things that I wanted or talk with Mark [Campbell, librettist] about logistics … I think it made for a very holistic process in that sense. And it means that as the director I had a lot of information going in when we started actually physically designing the opera in terms of what we would need and how we might move from place to place, and we have orchestra interludes between the scenes, so how we might use those, and all of that.” McIntyre is pleased with the ways in which the opera brings out the connection to Lear, but also delighted that the opera pushes the artform forward in important ways. “Something that Jane does in the book that I think we’ve brought out in the opera is the connection psychologically between the landscape and the characters … Obviously in Lear, the storm on the heath is about his psychology as much as it is about the collapse of nature. And I think we’ve carried that element through—that somehow the destruction of the land is tied to the destruction of the family … We get these echoes of Lear, but then we go somewhere else entirely. There’s no other opera in which two women sit on the stage together and have so many scenes as Ginny and Rose do in this opera. It’s a really spectacular thing.” For her part, Smiley was more than happy to sign off on the project. “Oh, I felt great,” Smiley, who lives in California, said in a phone interview. “I’m quite fond of opera … and so I thought it would really be interesting to see what they would come up with. A Thousand Acres was made into a movie, which I thought was quite interesting also. So, why not? Why not add music? … I’m interested in what other genres or what other art forms want
Amee Ellis
to do with each other. And obviously, I already did the same thing by turning King Lear into a novel.” The author took a hands-off approach. “I don’t know anything about doing operas or plays … It was never a question in my mind that they might do something wrong or not get it right or something like that. I was just more curious about what they would come up with.” What they came up with, McIntyre believes, is something that honors the book while perhaps delivering a more hopeful ending than the novel. That was important to the director. “We have to believe in the future in some way to make theater,” she said. Both McIntyre and Smiley hope the opera may have a future beyond these premiere performances. Smiley put it this way: “First of all, obviously, we want it to be enjoyable, and we want the music [by composer Kristin Kuster] to be really stunning and melodious and all that stuff. But, you know, the next thing we want is for it to be successful. I don’t know what that means in the world of opera, but if everybody
A Thousand Acres, Des Moines Metro Opera, Indianola, Opens July 9, $20-119 Creators in Conversation: An Afternoon with Jane Smiley, Sheslow Auditorium, Drake University, Des Moines, July 9, 1:30 p.m., Free
likes it and it can go to, say, Chicago or New York, well, go for it.” But before addressing the question of whether everybody likes it, the director, the creative team and the cast have high hopes that one particular individual will be pleased. “All of us deeply want Jane to love it,” McIntyre said. Rob Cline is a writer and reader who lives in Cedar Rapids and works in Iowa City. He is eagerly awaiting Jane Smiley’s next novel—her first mystery since Duplicate Keys—due out late this year.
Sunday, September 11 Palms Theater, Waukee
Scan for tickets or visit iaenvironment.org/wsff22
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4 July 2022 31
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR
EVENTS: July July 2022
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.
Café au Lait Rose dahlia
Dan Welk
THURSDAYS • JUNE 16 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 29
Explore the lineup at dmbotanicalgarden.com/summermusic SOUND THANKS TO DSM DANCE PARTY DJS
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES PRESENTED BY
Storytime with Global Greens, LSI Global Greens, Des Moines, Saturday, July 23 at 10:15 a.m., Free
The Des Moines Public Library is offering a special children’s storytime outdoors at the LSI Global Greens Farmers Market. Global Greens, a program of Lutheran Services in Iowa, helps refugees connect with their new land in a familiar way, by providing land access and support in business development. Refugee farmers who work with Global Greens host a weekly Farmers Market, June through October, at 3200 University Ave, as well as a CSA program. The program also helps connect refugees to other support services. Literary Luxuries Saturday, July 9 at 1:30 p.m.
Monday, July 11 at 6:30 p.m. Meet
Creators in Conversation: An Af-
the Author: Jan Down, Artisan Gal-
ternoon with Jane Smiley, Sheslow
lery 218, West Des Moines, Free
Auditorium, Des Moines, Free Wednesday, July 20 at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 9-10
Meet the Author: Steve Dunn, Bea-
Indie Author Book Expo, Valley
verdale Books, Free
West Mall, West Des Moines, Free Thursday, July 21 at 5:30 p.m. Iowa Sunday, July 10 at 2:30 p.m.
Author Spotlight: Beth Hoffman,
Meet the Author: Mary Gordon
Central Library, Des Moines, Free
& Candace Camling, Beaverdale Books, Des Moines, Free
Saturday, July 23 at 2:30 p.m. Meet the Author: Alicia Elifritz,
RESERVE YOUR SEATS AT DMSYMPHONY.ORG
Beaverdale Books, Free
EDITORS’ PICKS: July 2022
DES MOINES
Hatchlings Game Jam, Gravitate Coworking, Des Moines, Friday-Sunday, July 15-17, Free
Join together with other Central Iowa game designers and developers to create something new in the course of a weekend. Build connections, grow your skills and design a game in 36 hours. Food, drinks and snacks will be provided to participants. Anyone 18 and over is welcome to join the jam; no professional experience required. All game types are welcome, including tabletop games as well as digital games. Both groups and solo designers/ developers can join in the fun.
via Hatchlings Game Jam
Community Connections Friday, July 8 at 9 p.m. Free
Saturday, July 16 at 1 p.m. SpiceF-
Flicks: Encanto, Des Moines Art
est, Exile Brewing Company, Des
Center
Moines, $10
Saturday, July 9 at 11 a.m. Taco
Saturday, July 16 at 7:30 p.m.
and Margarita Festival, Principal
Moonlight Classic, The Iowa Tap-
Park, Des Moines, $15
room, Des Moines, $10 - $125
Sunday, July 10 at 12 p.m. Iowans
Sunday, July 17 at 12 p.m.
Catalyst! 2022 A LQBTQIA+ Art
for Reproductive Freedom, Iowa
Vegan Summer Market, Cowles
Exhibition, The Venue, West Des
State Capitol, Des Moines, Free
Commons, Free
Moines, Free
Thursday and Friday, July 14-15.
Tuesday, July 19 at 6:30 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, July 29 and
Kingmaker Kölsch Day, Lua Brew-
Solar Power Hour, Franklin Avenue
30 Dew Tour, Lauridsen Skatepark,
ing, Des Moines, $10
Library, Des Moines, Free
Des Moines, Free
Friday and Saturday, July 15-16.
Thursday, July 21 at 5:30 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday, July 30-31 Art,
Waukee Arts Festival, Waukee
UPCYCLE, Grays Lake Park, Des
Activism & Community Healing
Centennial Park, Free
Moines, Free
Workshop for Teens, Des Moines
Saturday, July 16 at 11 a.m.
Friday, July 22 at 9 p.m. Free
Christmas in July, Evelyn K. Davis
Flicks: Wreck It Ralph, Fourmile
Sunday, July 31 at 11 a.m. Smoke
Park, Des Moines, Free
Community Recreation Center,
Out Hunger, Cowles Commons,
Des Moines
Free-$125
Saturday, July 23 at 5 p.m.
FIND MORE EVENTS!
Art Center, Free
THE WEEKENDER YOUR WEEKLY EDITOR-CURATED ARTS COMPENDIUM, A.K.A.
st uf f to do IN YOUR INBOX EVERY THURSDAY LittleVillageMag.com/Subscribe
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4 July 2022 33
EDITORS’ PICKS: July 2022
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR
American Apollo, Des Moines Art Center, Opening Wednesday, July 20, $30
from ‘American Apollo’
Presented in collaboration with Des Moines Metro Opera and Pyramid Theatre, American Apollo tells the story of Thomas Eugene McKeller, a Black model who posed for portraitist John Singer Sargent, serving as his muse for nearly all the figures in his murals at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts (painted between 1895 and 1919). This new opera, by composer Damien Geter and librettist Lila Palmer, premiered this past April at the Washington National Opera. It explores themes of erasure and the white gaze as it delves into the relationship between the two men. Kimille Howard directs. Theatrical Thrills Thursday-Saturday, July 7-9. Shakuntala,
Opening Saturday, July 9 A Thousand Acres,
Saturday, July 16 at 9:30 p.m. Chowdown:
Gateway Dance Theatre, Westminster
Des Moines Metro Opera, Blank Performing
High-Paced Improv Comedy, Teehee’s Comedy
Presbyterian Church, Des Moines, $20
Arts Center, Indianola, $20-119
Club, $15-20
suggested donation Wednesday-Sunday, July 13-17.
Tuesday, July 19 at 7 p.m. No Shame Theater
Thursday-Sunday, July 7-10. Bees, Polyglot
Shakespeare on the Lawn: King Lear,
Talent Show, Teehee’s Comedy Club, Free
Theatre, Various Metro Locations, Free
Salisbury House & Gardens, Des Moines, Free-$35
Friday, July 8 at 7 p.m., and 9:30 p.m. Chicago
Tuesday, July 19 at 7 p.m. Final Act Ensemble: Mystery Meets Comedy, Des Moines Playhouse,
Comedy Showcase, Teehee’s Comedy Club, Des
Friday, July 15 at 7 p.m. Alien Head Emoji,
Moines, $15-20
Teehee’s Comedy Club, Des Moines, $15-20
Opening Friday, July 8 Matilda the Musical, Des
Saturday, July 16 at 7 p.m. Hot Nerd
Moines Playhouse, $29-53
Summer, Naughty Nerds Cabaret, xBk Live,
$10 Thursday-Sunday, July 21-24. Bindlestiff Family
Des Moines, $25-350
34 July 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4
Cirkus, Various Metro Locations, Free
DES MOINES
BACK to SCHOOL Opening Friday, July 22. Heathers: The Musical, Stoner Theater, Des Moines, $24.50 Saturday, July 23 at 7 p.m. Never Before Scene, Teehee’s Comedy Club, $15-20 Closing Saturday, July 23. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Blank Performing Arts Center, Indianola, $27-134 Sunday, July 24 at 7 p.m. The Gram, Teehee’s Comedy Club, $15-20 Monday, July 25 at 7 p.m. Stand-Up Comedy: Eddie Pepitone, Teehee’s Comedy Club, $20-25 Friday, July 29 at 8 p.m. Queens of Comedy, The Garden, Des Moines, $15 Opening Tuesday, Aug. 2. My Fair Lady, Des Moines Civic Center, $40-174
via Teehee’s
Schedule your back to school and sports physicals today!
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FAMILY HEALTH CENTER 1761 Hickman Road Des Moines, IA 50314 (515) 282-2334 PRIMARY CARE CLINIC 1801 Hickman Road Des Moines, IA 50314 (515) 282-2273
www.broadlawns.org
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4 July 2022 35
EDITORS’ PICKS: July 2022
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR
The Iowa Jazz Composers w/Mike Conrad, Noce, Saturday, July 30 at 8 p.m., $12-50
via The Iowa Jazz Composers
Pianist, composer and University of Northern Iowa professor Mike Conrad established the Iowa Jazz Composers Orchestra to highlight and celebrate “the best jazz musicians and jazz composers that the state of Iowa has to offer.” The group makes its Des Moines debut at Noce, with a set featuring original work by Conrad, Bob Washut, Chris Merz and more. Musical Marvels Friday and Saturday, July 8-9. 80/35 Festi-
Saturday, July 9 at 10 p.m. 80/35 After Par-
Friday, July 15 at 9 p.m. Calliope Musicals,
val, Western Gateway Park, Des Moines, $55
ty: Anthony Worden & the Illiterati, Paisley
Luke Bascom and the End Times, Blue Shad-
- $220
Fields, xBk Live, $10-13
ows, Gas Lamp, $8-10
Friday, July 8 at 7 p.m. As I Lay Dying w/
Tuesdays, July 12, 19, 26 at 5 p.m. Jazz in
Saturday, July 16 at 5 p.m. Beaverdale Blue-
Whitechapel, Shadow of Intent and Brand of
July, Hoyt Sherman Place, Des Moines, Free
grass Festival, Tower Park, Des Moines, Free
Thursdays, July 14, 21, 28 and Aug. 4. Music
Saturday, July 16 at 8 p.m. The Eric Thomp-
in the Garden Concert Series, Des Moines
son Quintet, Noce, $12-50
Sacrifice, Val Air Ballroom, West Des Moines, $27.50 Friday, July 8 at 8 p.m. Alexandra Key w/
Botanical Garden, Free-$10 Saturday, July 16 at 8 p.m. The Mountain
Brad & Kate, xBk Live, Des Moines, $17-19 Thursdays, July 14, 21, 28, and Aug. 4. Saturday, July 9 at 8 p.m. Paul Lichty Jazz
Summer Concert Series, Jasper Winery, Des
Orchestra, Noce, Des Moines, $12-50
Moines, Free
Friday, July 8 at 9 p.m. 80/35 After Party:
Thursday, July 14 at 7:30 p.m. Jake Stringer
Warm Milk, Surety Hotel, Free
and Better Than Nothin’, Gas Lamp, $10-12
Friday, July 8 at 9 p.m. 80/35 After Party:
Thursday, July 14 at 8 p.m. Bad Bad Hats,
STRFKR, the Undercover Dream Lovers, Das
xBk Live, Des Moines, $15
Goats, Wooly’s, $35 Sunday, July 17 at 6 p.m. Doug Deming & The Bel Airs, Noce, $25 Tuesdays, July 19, 26 at 5:30 p.m. Belin Quartet Summer Concert Series, Salisbury
Tuesday, July 19 at 7 p.m. Sky Creature, xBk
Kope, Wooly’s, Des Moines, $20 Thursday, July 14 at 9 p.m. Yellow Brick Saturday, July 9 at 9 p.m. 80/35 After Party:
Thursday, July 21 at 7 p.m. Mo Lowda & the Friday, July 15 at 8 p.m. Andrew Hoyt Album
36 July 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4
Humble, xBk Live, $10-15
Release, xBk Live, $12-17 Thursday, July 21 at 7:30 p.m. Lyle Lovett
Haiku Hands, Mr. Softheart, Juliano Dock, Gas Lamp,
Live, $10-15
Road Tour: Dancefestopia, Platform, $10
Bad Boy Bill, Platform, Des Moines, $10-20 Saturday, July 9 at 9 p.m. 80/35 After Party:
House & Gardens, Des Moines, Free
Friday, July 15 at 8 p.m. Don McLean, Hoyt
and his Large Band, Hoyt Sherman Place,
Sherman Place, $49-69
$59.50-99.50
DES MOINES
Friday, July 22 at 6 p.m. Girls Rock! Des Moines Summer Showcase, Wooly’s, Free-$20 Friday, July 22 at 8 p.m. Drive-By Truckers, Hoyt Sherman Place, $29.50-49.50 Friday, July 22 at 9 p.m. Astronoize, Iowa Techno, Platform, Des Moines, $10-20 Friday, July 22 at 9 p.m. The Wilder Blue, Gas Lamp, $12-15 Saturday, July 23 at 4:30 p.m. Ryan Burns & The Vocal Ghosts, Joel Sires, Andrew Hoyt, Gaslamp, Des Moines, $10 Saturday, July 23 at 7 p.m. The World Is A Beautiful Place, xBk Live, $18-20 Saturday, July 23 at 7 p.m. Anvil, Lefty’s Live Music, $20 Tuesday, July 26 at 8 p.m. Wombat, Gravi-
+
FEMINIST FILM SCREENING COMMUNITY CONVERSATION July 7 ART, ACTIVISM, AND COMMUNITY HEALING TEEN WORKSHOP July 30 & 31 ARTIST PANEL: WHO OWNS IMAGES? August 2 More info at desmoinesartcenter.org SUPPORT FOR THIS EXHIBITION PROVIDED BY The Harriet S. and J. Locke Macomber Art Center Fund
Wombat, via the band
ty’s Constant, Sex Funeral, xBk Live, $10
THROUGH SEPTEMBER 25, 2022
Friday, July 29 at 7:30 p.m. Druids, The Curse Of Hail, The Gorge and Dose, Wooly’s, $15 Friday, July 29 at 8 p.m. A Night of Bossa Nova w/Avi Gedler and Her Band, Noce, $12-50 Friday, July 29 at 9 p.m. Mr. Softheart, Blanky, Joel Sires, Gas Lamp, $10-12 Saturday, July 30 at 8 p.m. Karen Meat w/The Vahnevants & Dubb Nubb, xBk Live, $10-15 Tuesday, Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. DeeOhGee, xBk Live, $15-20 Thursday, Aug. 4 at 8 p.m. The L.I.F.E. Project, xBk Live, $15-20
IOWA CITY
DOWNTOWN
DISTRICT
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4 July 2022 37
EDITORS’ PICKS: July 2022
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/CALENDAR
AMES / CRANDIC
from Butterflies, Bees & Brew 2021
Butterflies, Bees & Brew, Alluvial Brewing, Ames, Friday, July 15 at 5 p.m., $30
Alluvial Brewing is honoring Iowa’s prairies with a celebration of pollinators and rivers. The event features a special craft brew for the occasion, along with food from Borrachos Mexican Tacos and the Funny Onion Steamed Burgers food trucks and music by Sandy Clark. There will also be guided prairie walks and a silent auction. Join Alluvial in recognizing the work that they’ve done toward protecting the rusty patch bumble bee and other at-risk pollinators in the state. Explore Ames! Saturday, July 9 at 5 p.m. Mid-
Sunday, July 10 at 10 a.m. Garden
Tuesday, July 12 at 6 p.m. Tunes
Sunday, July 17 at 6:30 p.m.
night Madness 5K & 10K Run,
Art Fair, Reiman Gardens, Ames,
in the Trees, Iowa Arboretum &
Book Launch with Aprille Clark,
Ames Racquet And Fitness Center
Free-$12
Gardens, Madrid, Free-$5
Dog-Eared Books, Ames, Free
South, $40-45 Sunday, July 10 at 11 a.m. Drag
Fridays, July 15, 22, 29 at 2 p.m.
Friday, July 29 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 9 at 7 p.m. The
Brunch, Sweet Caroline’s Kitchen
Friday Features, Ames Public
Arkansauce, Alluvial Brewing,
Indigo Monks, Della Viti Wine Bar,
& Cocktail, Ames, $35
Library, Free
Ames, $12-15
Sundays, July 10, 17, 24, 31 at 7
Fridays, July 15, 22, 29 at 6 p.m.
p.m. Roosevelt Summer Concert
Tiny Deck Concerts, Wheatsfield
Series, Roosevelt Park, Ames, Free
Cooperative, Ames, Free
Ames, Free
Illiterati Fest, Gabe’s, Saturday, July 16 at 7 p.m., $10 Yes, it’s true. Anthony Worden is moving away from Iowa. While both his fans and his collaborators are busy coming to terms with this, Worden has been busy doing what he does best: gathering brilliant artists together to create magic. Illiterati Fest, his big blowout final bash, will feature an eight-band lineup of some of the region’s best acts, including Penny Peach, Dryad, Joel Sires and Sinner Frenz. All proceeds will be donated to Inside Out Community Re-Entry. This show is not to be missed.
Saturday, July 9 at 11 a.m. Cedar Rapids
Thursday, July 21 at 7 p.m. Pride at FilmScene:
Pride Festival, NewBo District, Free
Desert Hearts, FilmScene—The Ped Mall, $9.50-12
Saturdays, July 9, 16, 23, 30 at 1 p.m. Diver-
Opening Friday, July 22. Hedwig and the An-
sity Market, Pepperwood Plaza, Iowa City,
gry Inch, Willow Creek Theatre Company, Iowa
Free
City, $26
Thursday to Saturday, July 14-16.Camp Eufo-
Saturday, July 23 at 12 p.m. CCAN-Con Com-
ria, Jerry’s Farm, Lone Tree, $70-130
munity Engagement Fair, Ped Mall, Iowa City, Free
Friday, July 15 at 1 p.m. Prompt for the
Alyssa Leicht
Eastward, ho!
Saturday and Sunday, July 30 and 31. Harmony Festival, Czech & Slovak Museum, Cedar
Planet: A Writing and Planting Workshop for
Friday, July 29 at 7 p.m. Reproductive Free-
Kids, Porchlight Literary Arts Center, Iowa
dom Benefit Concert: Funkatude Live, Wild-
City, Free
wood BBQ & Saloon, $10-15
Saturday, July 16 at 7:30 p.m. Spoon, Englert
Friday, July 29 and Saturday, July 30 at 9 p.m.,
Theatre, $35-69
and Tuesday, Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. Lost Highway,
Rapids, $111 Sunday, July 31 at 12 p.m. Art in the Park, Redmond Park, Cedar Rapids, Free
FilmScene—Chauncey, Iowa City, $9.50-12 38 July 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4
JAZZ CABARET
1326 WALNUT ST
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4 July 2022 39
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DEAR KIKI
D
ear Kiki, I am a man in my mid 20’s. The metro area I live in has around 130,00 people living here. Growing up, my friends and I always felt like outcasts. We tended to keep to ourselves somewhat and didn’t relate well to others. Other people’s actions always seemed shortsighted and their tastes very crude (Insane Clown Posse was very prominent, if that tells you anything). Only recently did the revelation come that we weren’t simply socially inept. It turns out we were actually extremely nerdy and didn’t have any role models to help us direct our creativity and curiosity. This revelation came as we are now rather involved in many hobbies/pursuits and are curious about pretty much everything. E.G. the kind of people who spend hours reading Wikipedia for enjoyment, know how to fix everything, etc. My problem is that we seem to have trouble with making casual conversation with most others, especially women. Interestingly we can have perfectly fluent conversations with certain people, but many quickly become confused about what seems to us like basic observations anybody should understand. I have been told by a friend that his girlfriend doesn’t like me coming over because I make her “feel stupid”. Many even seem resentful that I made it through college and act like I am somehow superior to them (although I make a particular effort not to bring up college or appear arrogant). I haven’t been in a long-term relationship since high school. There have been a few women who I could have good conversations with and relate to well but they have been significantly older than I, hence not really an option to date. I don’t look for particulars (e.g. sharing the same hobbies) and am mostly concerned about simply enjoying each other’s company. To complicate things further, the above stated difficulties tend to drive people like us to more solitary activities and shy away from crowds and events (introversion seems to be kind of a feedback loop). What kind of advice could you offer as to how to connect with somebody I could get along with? ––Outcast
D
ear Outcast The feedback loop of introversion is legit, definitely. But there are ways to put yourself out there that don’t involve crowds, per se. And I’m sorry, Outcast, but putting yourself out there is what you’re going to have to do. Volunteer opportunities are always my goto advice for folks looking to expand their social circles: smaller numbers, built-in topics of
40 July 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4
LittleVillageMag.com/DearKiki
conversation, baseline shared acceptance that the world around you matters. In your case, given the interests you lay out, I’ve got two suggestions for you. The first: Is there a makerspace in your metro that you could either join or volunteer at? Curious, intelligent people who gravitate toward mechanical, hands-on pursuits (“know how to fix everything”) can often be found at such places. In the absence of a stand-alone business of that sort, you might look into partnering with your local library to create such a thing for your community. The second: Look into programs that offer you the opportunity to mentor. You had the experience of struggling through high school due to a lack of like-minded role models; now, as an adult, you have the chance to serve as that role model for some other kid in your community. Big Brothers/Big Sisters is the most common such program, but most metro areas have less formal versions at local youth centers, etc. You get to make life easier for someone like you, and you can meet others your age doing the same. The thing to avoid, Outcast, is any impulse to be anything other than yourself. There are people out there of all genders and backgrounds who share your way of experiencing the world. You won’t find them if you spend your time with people who are resentful of you or accuse you of making them feel “stupid.” Don’t stress over “making casual conversation”—your ideal matches will likely be as bad at it as you are. If you dedicate yourself to finding less isolated ways of chasing the passions you already have, you’ll start to find the people you are meant to know. Good luck; let me know how it goes for you! xoxo, Kiki
KIKI WANTS QUESTIONS! Submit questions anonymously at littlevillagemag.com/dearkiki or non-anonymously to dearkiki@littlevillagemag.com. Questions may be edited for clarity and length, and may appear either in print or online at littlevillagemag.com.
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AST R O LO GY
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard believes there’s only one way to find a sense of meaning, and that is to fill your life to the bursting point; to be in love with your experience; to celebrate the flow of events wherever it takes you. When you do that, Godard says, you have no need or urge to ask questions like “Why am I here?” or “What is my purpose?” The richness of your story is the ultimate response to every enigma. As I contemplate these ideas, I say: wow! That’s an intensely vibrant way to live. Personally, I’m not able to sustain it all the time. But I think most of us would benefit from such an approach for brief periods now and then. And I believe you have just entered one of those phases. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I asked Leo readers to provide their insights about the topic, “How to Be a Leo.” Here are responses that line up with your current astrological omens. 1. People should try to understand you’re only bossing them around for their benefit. —Harlow Hunt. 2. Be alert for the intense shadows you may cast with your intense brightness. Consider the possibility that even if they seem iffy or dicey, they have value and even blessings to offer. —Cannarius Kansen. 3. Never break your own heart. Never apologize for showering yourself with kindness and adoration. —Amy Clear. 4. At the moment of orgasm, scream out your own name. —Bethany Grace VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): It’s your birthright as a Virgo to become a master of capitalizing on difficulties. You have great potential to detect opportunities coalescing in the midst of trouble. You can develop a knack for spotting the order that’s hiding in the chaos. Now is a time when you should wield these skills with artistry, my dear—both for your own benefit and for the betterment of everyone whose lives you touch. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): One of my heroes died in 2021: the magnificent Libran author bell hooks (who didn’t capitalize her name). She was the most imaginative and independent-minded activist I knew. Till her last day, she articulated one-of-a-kind truths about social justice; she maintained her uncompromising originality. But it wasn’t easy. She wrote, “No insurgent intellectual, no dissenting critical voice in this society escapes the pressure to conform. We are all vulnerable. We can all be had, co-opted, bought. There is no special grace that rescues any of us. There is only a constant struggle.” I bring this to your attention, Libra, because I suspect the coming weeks will require your strenuous efforts to remain true to your high standards and unique vision of reality. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You now have the power to make yourself even more beautiful than you already are. You are extraordinarily open to beautifying influences, and there will be an abundance of beautifying influences coming your way. I trust you understand I’m not referring to the kinds of beauty that are worshiped by conventional wisdom. Rather, I mean the elegance, allure, charm, and grace that you behold in old trees and gorgeous architecture and enchanting music and people with soulful idiosyncrasies. PS: The coming weeks will also be a favorable time to redefine the meaning of beauty for yourself. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): It’s the Season for Expressing Your Love—and for expanding and deepening the ways you express your love. I invite you to speak the following quotes to the right person: 1. “Your head is a living forest full of songbirds.” —E. E. Cummings. 2. “Lovers continuously reach each other’s boundaries.” —Rainer Maria Rilke, 3. “You’re my favorite unfolding story.” — Ann Patchett. 4. “My lifetime listens to yours.” — Muriel Rukeyser. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In the coming weeks, make sure you do NOT fit this description articulated by Capricorn novelist Haruki Murakami: “You’re seeking something, but at the same
By Rob Brezsny
time, you are running away for all you’re worth.” If there is any goal about which you feel conflicted like that, dear Capricorn, now is a good time to clear away your confusion. If you are in some sense undercutting yourself, perhaps unconsciously, now is the time to expose your inner saboteur and seek the necessary healing. July will be Self-Unification Month. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A Tweeter named Luxuryblkwomen articulates one of her ongoing goals: “bridging the gap between me and my ideal self, one day at a time.” I’d love it if you would adopt a similar aspiration in the coming months. You’re going to be exceptionally skilled at all types of bridge-building, including the kind that connects you to the hero you’ll be in the future. I mean, you are already a hero in my eyes, but I know you will ultimately become an even more fulfilled and refined version of your best self. Now is a favorable time to do the holy work of forging stronger links to that star-to-be. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A blogger named Lissar suggests that the cherry blossom is an apt symbol for you Pisceans. She describes you as “transient, lissome, blooming, lovely, fragile yet memorable and recurring, in tune with nature.” Lissar says you “mystify yet charm,” and that your “presence is a balm, yet awe-inspiring and moving.” Of course, like all of us, you also have your share of less graceful qualities. And that’s not a bad thing! We’re all here to learn the art of growing into our ripe selves. It’s part of the fun of being alive. But I suspect that in the coming weeks, you will be an extra close match for Lissar’s description. You are at the peak of your power to delight and beguile us. ARIES (March 21-April 19): In her poem “Two Skins,” Bahamanian writer Lynn Sweeting writes, “There is a moment in every snake’s life when she wears two skins: one you can see, about to be shed, one you cannot see, the skin under the skin, waiting.” I suspect you now have metaphorical resemblances to a snake on the verge of molting, Aries. Congratulations on your imminent rebirth! Here’s a tip: The snake’s old skin doesn’t always just fall away; she may need to take aggressive action to tear it open and strip it off, like by rubbing her head against a rock. Be ready to perform a comparable task. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Imagine a world 300 years from now,” writes Japanese novelist Minae Mizumura, “a world in which not only the best-educated people but also the brightest minds and the deepest souls express themselves only in English. Imagine the world subjected to the tyranny of a singular ‘Logos.’ What a narrow, pitiful, and horrid world that would be!” Even though I am primarily an English speaker, I agree with her. I don’t want a world purged of diversity. Don’t want a monolithic culture. Don’t want everyone to think and speak the same. I hope you share my passion for multiplicity, Taurus—especially these days. In my astrological opinion, you’ll thrive if you immerse yourself in a celebratory riot of variety. I hope you will seek out influences you’re not usually exposed to. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Imagine you’re not a person, but a medley of four magical ingredients. What would they be? A Gemini baker named Jasmine says, “ripe persimmons, green hills after a rain, a sparkling new Viking Black Glass Oven, and a prize-winning show horse.” A Gemini social worker named Amarantha says she would be made of “Florence and the Machine’s song ‘Sky Full of Song,’ a grove of birch trees, a blue cashmere knee-length sweater, and three black cats sleeping in the sun.” A Gemini delivery driver named Altoona says, “freshly harvested cannabis buds, a bird-loving wetlands at twilight, Rebecca Solnit’s book *Hope in the Darkness*, and the Haleakalā shield volcano in Maui.” And now, Gemini, what about you? Identify your medley of four magical ingredients. The time is right to re-imagine the poetry of YOU. LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4 July 2022 41
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LO C A L A L B U M S
FLYLIFE A Different View SOUNDCLOUD.COM/FLYLIFEDMON3YY
“C
ause who the fuck gon’ save your family if it isn’t you?” raps FlyLife on the title track from his recently released album. “I know it’s usually guns and drugs but this a different view.” The song serves as the culmination of a broader idea, each prior track helping to redefine a concept of what it means to be successful. Throughout the release, the Des Moines-based MC does this by addressing cultural archetypes and challenging the proliferation of stereotypes in his own life—a contrast which speaks to the promise behind the album’s title. Despite being deeply personal, A Different View incorporates features and production from a dozen collaborators, including Teller Bank$, Juliano Dock and other members of FlyLife’s Us Vs Them collective. There’s no shortage of lyrical boasting and one-upmanship, but it more closely reflects a rising tide outlook than a crabs-in-a-bucket mentality. This theme echoes through Dominic Harrington’s verse in the methodical stomper, “Enormous,” where he adds, “They don’t want me to win, they hopin’ I catch a big L / They see my potential and wanna do me like Big L.” It makes you wonder what could have been for the New York MC if he hadn’t been gunned down at the age of 24. Several tracks depict gun violence and drug running as vehicles some use to try to escape their situation. But leveraging those themes to communicate a story reveals a vulnerability in the style: potentially reinforcing negative stereotypes
Submit albums for review: Little Village, 623 S Dubuque St., IC, IA 52240
by poetically incorporating them. This problematic trade-off is understood, as FlyLife raps on “Seven Days”: “They wanna put us all in a box and see us on Fox.” This isn’t to overlook the album’s musical cohesion—it incorporates everything from trap to R&B and shines through on several tracks produced by Cartier Cookin’, including “Oceans Thirteen.” But its selfaware concepts resonate as much as WILLIAM J LOCKER its sounds do. BRAINWASH Much of the album goes on to WILLIAMJLOCKER.BANDCAMP.COM challenge other concepts relating to achievement, with FlyLife attempthose of us of a certain age who ing to reconcile desires for financial spent any time on the rave or and material gain, companionship club scenes during their heyday are and personal satisfaction with so- familiar with that distinct sensation ciety’s conflicting messaging. In of coming out the other side of a “Enormous,” for example, he and night of partying, with the sun startHarrington trade bars, referencing ing to rise and the DJ lifting the muJay-Z and Michael Jordan as child- sic along with it to something bright hood heroes while FlyLife later and effusive. criticizes certain ideological blueMaybe you’re rolling, maybe prints laid out by past generations. you’re tripping; maybe you’re ridIn “A Different View” he raps, ing the inevitable high of a night “I ain’t respect your ways but I spent dancing with reckless abanknow you ain’t to blame / You OGs don. But has the sun ever felt like dropped the ball, truthfully them this? You’re sweaty and hot from n____s lame.” While not a direct referTHERE’S NO SHORTAGE OF ence to the aforementioned icons, this line provides an LYRICAL BOASTING AND interesting point of conONE-UPMANSHIP, BUT IT trast to their position as MORE CLOSELY REFLECTS A sources of inspiration. In a way, it recognizes society’s RISING TIDE OUTLOOK THAN use of “successful” outliA CRABS-IN-A-BUCKET ers to weaponize idealistic MENTALITY. versions of Black masculinity in undermining and dismissing certain realities facing those stuck within genera- giving your all on the floor, but this tional cycles of struggle. How does rising sun on your face imbues a someone pull themselves up by different kind of warmth. You feel their own bootstraps like Jay or MJ awake, maybe even hopeful. Just when they don’t even have boots? existing is the greatest thing you The close of the album brings with can imagine. it no specific view of what success William J. Locker’s newest alis, but instead, FlyLife encourages bum, BRAINWASH, hits those same the idea that success is what you notes. make it, depending on your own Opening track “Flow” is a dancecontext. Each listener needs to de- pop banger, guaranteed to drag you termine what that means for them- to your feet. Its dense layering is self. Therein resides the different like a dance floor in miniature, with view at the heart of this release. disparate lines weaving in and out —Chris DeLine and something new to listen to on
T
each repeat. “Flow” rises and rises with no release into “Free My Mind,” which lands heavier but with no less urgency. “No longer alone on this megaphone / Get outside, feel the love, you’re alive / I’m gonna free my mind,” Locker sings. It’s a manifesto and call to action in one, adamantly positive and delightfully rocking. He flips listener expectations again with the bluesy “Walkin On” at track three. Locker has a Scissor Sisters-esque ability to genre surf while still keeping the energy up (complete with Jake Shears’ vocal flexibility, sounding good doing it all). The silky-voiced Nella Thomas guests on track six, “Good Thing Goin’.” The sunny early ‘60s vibe is pure joy, right through the sounds of the surf in the outro. The title track pulls things back into a more traditional dance vibe. Wordless vocals emphasize the steady pulse, and the simple, repetitive melody is deconstructed by a dozen different kinds of sound. “I love you more than I can hide,” Locker sings on the ‘70s rocker “Young,” a genre smash that seems to ask the musical question, “What if Tom Petty had given glam a try?” Love is persistent through this album, and Locker wants the listener to not just know it, but share it. Things slow down with “Infinite,” a thoughtful instrumental that exemplifies wistfulness, a last indulgence of memory, perhaps. An echo of happiness. Then track 12, “Hear My Name,” closes things out on a slightly different note, with an energy that extends from defiance rather than joy. But it’s no less open-eyed and engaging. BRAINWASH would be one hell of an album to see performed live. If Locker has a fraction of the energy on stage that he pours into these recordings, the audience would be brainwashed indeed, swept into a communal experience of activated love and joy. ––Genevieve Trainor
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4 July 2022 43
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!
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LO C A L B O O KS
DAN CAMPION A Playbill For Sunset ICE CUBE PRESS
Dan Campion, Prairie Lights, Iowa City, Thursday, July 14 at 7 p.m., Free
F
ormulaic poetry seems to be simultaneously under- and overrated, something force-fed us by teachers and then never seen again— as though only the archaic men of our textbooks were allowed to use the respective forms. Truthfully, formulaic poems have never actually left the literary milieu. In A Playbill For Sunset (Ice Cube Press, 2022), Dan Campion brings new light to the sonnet, the form which dominates this book. Campion offers tribute to his intellectual and artistic heroes in both form and name. Opening with “Time’s Arrow,” Campion advises readers in his very first line, “We are not in any rush,” which is true of the anthology as a whole. He takes his time meandering through nature scenes and emotional revelations, never hurrying a poem or belaboring a point. His poems are leisurely, and he seems to want his audience to experience them as such. Much of the content of these deliberate, gentle poems will be inaccessible to a large swath of the potential readership. The poems are sometimes about, if not overtly referencing, esoteric intellectual content. I found myself keeping my search engine open throughout reading, realizing early on I’d need background information on some references, as with the poem “Das Boot.” The selection references surrealist and dadaist artists, Chicago architecture
Submit books for review: Little Village, 623 S Dubuque St., IC, IA 52240
and the Greek mythological character Proteus. While, in the end, I liked the poem, it was necessary that I ingest the background information and come back to it later to understand it. That said, “Das Boot” makes the important point that art about war often makes war more palatable, despite war being surreal and traumatic. This, maybe, is the power within a leisurely book of poetry. When absorbed as it’s meant to be—slowly and deliberately—the points are made and internalized in a subtle manner. Favorite poems of mine used concrete images as metaphors for the human condition. In “The Parrots,” there is no rush to get to the point. It opens describing a collective of birds and the life of parrots in general, slowly distilling the poem to its final three lines, “It’s marvelous how we clutch, over time, / a perch so slick, so worn, so hard, so slight. / Flung to the gutter, even there we’re chic.” This ending is obviously not a heroic couplet (the final two lines of a traditional sonnet, which rhyme with each other, while the preceding follow an ABAB / CDCD scheme). Other of the 14-line poems do not follow the formal rules of the sonnet, and a small handful of the poems are not sonnets at all. Longer poems with shorter lines offer a literal break from form, but they also signal narrative and rhythmic change, a break from expectations. My favorite of these is “Out on Route 6,” which feels like the soundtrack for a roadtrip in the country. Campion is your companion and nature is your guide. So much of this book feels like an homage to transcendental poets and Americana that it almost seems out of time. Campion, maybe, lives in the woods learning writing from birdsong and watching both sunrises and sunsets. A perfect set of bookends, the “Time’s Arrow” line “We are not in any rush” is balanced by the final lines of the collection, closing the titular poem, “A Playbill for Sunset”: “There’s always time. The sun will always set. / In mask and buskins, dusk may answer yet.” —Sarah Elgatian
LAUREL SNYDER; ILLUSTRATED BY DAN SANTAT Endlessly Ever After CHRONICLE BOOKS
P
oet Laurel Snyder, an Iowa Writers’ Workshop alum, is a Geisel Award-winning children’s book author. Endlessly Ever After is her first collaboration with Caldecott Award-winning illustrator Dan Santat (beloved in my home for his work on Corey Rosen Schwartz’s The Three Ninja Pigs). It is not, however, her first pickyour-path book.
THIS WINSOME FRACTURED FAIRY TALE IS UN-PUT-DOWN-ABLE. Her first published work, in 2005 (written before she went down the path to writing for children), was a chapbook called Daphne & Jim: A choose-your-own-adventure biography in verse. There, she turned the form to the task of exploring a couple’s courtship. That couple was based on her own parents, a sign of an intimacy with and trust in that form that is also evident in Endlessly Ever After (Chronicle Books, April 2022). This winsome fractured fairy tale is un-put-down-able. Of course, I had my own period of obsession with the original Choose Your Own Adventure series of books. They’re a deeply safe way for children to explore both the freedom and the fatalism of decision making. They make a reader feel as though they are collaborating in the act of creation, spinning alternate
universes into being. The struggle with a picture book crafted this way is that there is, necessarily, a hero to the story. The “you” isn’t solely a cipher, but a character whose role you step into. In this case, Snyder and Santat have created Rosie, a delightful amalgam of storybook tropes who, even while beholden to the reader’s choices, manages to exhibit consistent character traits of compassion, resilience and curiosity. Through a particular gift for facial expressions, Santat offers a visual of Rosie that seems to mature as more choices are made, a pragmatic child who learns enough from her choices that she wouldn’t dare call any of them “mistakes.” Snyder’s snappy rhymes guide Rosie and the reader on a journey through a whole forest of fairy tales. The third little pig’s sturdy home lies just a few paths over from a gingerbread house where two hapless children await rescue. Jack is searching for his goose, dwarves hold a wake and a princess waits in a tower for a kiss. The storytelling is done in verse, but each choice is laid out plainly in prose. That break in flow and form drives home the importance of pausing before choice-making, something children—and all of us—could use more reminders about. There are plenty of unhappy endings included in Endlessly Ever After. This book embraces the darkness of fairy tales as well as their joy and their effortless moralizing. But at no point does the reader feel trapped, or disappointed, or let down. The poetry of the text and the warmth of the illustrations make sure that the harshest lessons are graciously and gratefully received. And the happy endings are like hidden treasures, shining brightly when found. Snyder and Santat have crafted a book that children (and their adults) will want to read and reread again and again. It’s perfect for curling up in a cozy chair on a cold or rainy day and escaping into a world where all things are possible. —Genevieve Trainor
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4 July 2022 45
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ACROSS 1. Form 4506-T org. 4. Color for right-letterwrong-spot in a game of 66-Across 10. Hit playfully on the head 13. “Sorry, boss” 14. Common names in espionage 16. “I’ll take that as ___” 17. Alex and ___ (charm bracelet giant)
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18. Enfamil rival 19. Stitch together, say 20. Campy neck covering 21. ___ Moon (half-fairy, half-vampire in books for young readers) 22. Office tower abbr. 23. Italian soccer juggernaut based in Milan 25. Tracking device at spring training :( 27. Agcy. with an aviation accident database
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28. Takes precedence over everything else (or the original guess in this puzzle’s game of 66-Across, followed by a description of it) 29. The act of playing two notes at once on a stringed instrument (despite the name, the piece doesn’t have to end there) 31. Indian bread made with whole wheat flour
32. Transitions, from one scene through the start of the next 34. Make a pit stop, as it were 35. Tailor-made 38. An ocean away 40. Topical butter type 42. Set with a strainer, salver, pot, etc. 46. Intuition sometimes needed in a pinch (or the final, winning guess
in this puzzle’s game of 66-Across, preceded by a description of it) 48. Scarcity subj. 49. Fill with joy 50. Lower edge of the strike zone 51. New York Red Bulls league 52. Being risked 58. A/C measure 59. Garment designed to be covered in mushed apple and avocado smears 60. “I can’t even!,” more quaintly 61. Lil ___ Vert 62. Nat. with a cedar tree on its flag 63. Female grouse 64. ___ Faire (event with breeches and cloaks) 65. Counsel provider: Abbr. 66. Daily internet puzzle game in which green indicates right-letter-rightspot, and this puzzle’s theme 67. Criticize, briefly
LittleVillageMag.com 12. Piece in a corporate wardrobe 15. Winter wrap 24. Recedes at the beach 26. It might be deeply inspired 30. August zodiac sign 33. Stick in the pond? 35. Flock together 36. Baseball club that was the first American team to reach 10,000 losses 37. Southern cookin’ sometimes served “cowboy style” 39. “Reindeers are better than people / ___, don’t you think that’s true?” (lyrics from a Frozen song) 41. Try by Brady: Abbr. 43. Damage done to exposed skin in extremely cold temperatures 44. Elizabeth Costello author J.M. 45. Following 47. Throws in the oven 50. The Family Circus cartoonist Jeff 53. Spring occurrence 54. Lily that is the state flower of Utah 55. Area of an arena 56. Distracted condition, for short 57. Frigate spine
DOWN 1. Trapped, decision-wise 2. Invaded, as a ball field by a streaker 3. Massage technique based on meridians 4. Nobelist Arafat 5. Students who run WYBCx radio, for short JUNE ANSWERS 6. Capital with a 250-year-old bullring Y U P R C A E N I G M A S A P E A RC L I B E R T E 7. Put (down), as a CHO Z A C T R I MS P A track in the studio H E R T Z SOGOOD P E R T R I O S L UR WA A C 8. Astrup Fearnley S E AMY A T OMY A UCH Museum of Modern J OA D S E AG L E Art city J OU L E BOX E S Y A NN I L EW I S 9. Sign of use N I E SWA B S 10. Moment in grime GI SE NI ES G E O K R A A CH E and dubstep songs L O T P E T E R T ORQU E P ROD I GY UR L U T I when the low end I NR A NGE N I A I A N enters dramatically NOS I E S T S A Y T NG 11. Brief sample
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM4 July 2022 47
Charlotte’s Web 2021-22 season
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