STORY BY ANNELISE TARNOWSKI
Des Moines may not pull a lot of big-name concerts (the next Wells Fargo Arena show is in December featuring Neon Trees and O.A.R.), but that doesn’t mean we’re at a shortage for good shows. In fact, this month’s shows include some artists from every genre.
This week’s column is dedicated to not only listing good shows coming up for this month, but giving you an idea of who these artists are, and whether or not you’ll like them.
Nov. 5:
Trout Steak Revival at Vaudeville Mews
This band is from Colorado, and if you know anything about the Colorado music scene, you know about the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Trout Steak Revival won the band competition at the festival last summer. This means that they’re not only good music, but a solid group of performers.
Snag tickets if you like Mumford & Sons, Punch Brothers or Trampled by Turtles.
Nov. 7:
Bear Hands at Wooly’s
Bear Hands is from New York. They’ve got a whole collection of exciting, story-driven music videos, and most of their songs are equal parts electro-dance and arena rock, guaranteed to make you jump and dance. Not only are they all of this, but they’re also some weird dudes. They claim to have gotten their name from a homoerotic massage parlor.
Snag tickets if you like Discovery, Atlas Genius, or Geographer (and Blink 182).
Nov. 13:
Bonne Finken and the Collective at Wooly’s
If you missed her at 80/35, here’s your chance to see her. Bonne was once a shy little Iowa girl who found some extreme confidence through making music. Her impressive pipes will make you drop your jaw, and she gets really into dancing out her tunes while she sings them, for example, that time she covered “Whole Lotta Love.”
Snag tickets if you like Katy Perry, Fitz and the Tantrums or KT Tunstall.
Nov. 19:
G-Easy at 7 Flags Event Center
G-Easy is a native Californian. He has gained most of his attention through viral YouTube videos and leaked mixtapes. He’s a rapper that plays around with a lot of different sub-genres including an updated version of a 1960s track and a rap ballad about Tumblr Girls.
He’ll make you jump, and he’ll climb on anything he can get his feet on.
Snag tickets if you like Mac Miller, Hoodie Allen or anything featuring T-Pain.
Nov. 22
Caroline Smith at Vaudeville Mews
Caroline Smith is easily the most played artist in my library. She hails from Minneapolis, and she’s been in Des Moines twice already, drawing huge crowds. Her original band name was Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps, but with a new era of music came a new sound. She’ll draw you in and have you singing along at the live show.
Snag tickets if you like Jenny Lewis, Lucius or PHOX.
Releases last week include (now) pop princess Taylor Swift’s “1989” and Flaming Lips’ With A Little Help From My Fwends, a Beatles tribute to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band featuring 29 other artists. This album includes efforts by Miley Cyrus and Moby, My Morning Jacket, Fever the Ghost, and J. Mascis and more.
