I am moving there soon and, although this may be a shot in the dark, i turn to the electrical family for info.

Anyone know good resturaunts, record stores, bands, venues, things I need to see to entertain myself in the wilderness. I believe it is relatively close to Ames as well, if that helps me in any way.

Help me, because those who I know who live there are clueless at this time.

Des Moines is home to all-ages venue Vaudeville Mews. We played a Not Very Good At All set there, and kids seemed more interested in loitering outside the venue than in actually going in, but the place itself was very nice.

There's a bar called Hairy Mary's that is kind of a stoner-rocker's dream come true. Lots of Frank Kozik posters and schwag there.

I once found a doo rag walking down the street!

Many gas stations in Iowa are called Kum-N-Go.

I'm not too wise on Des Moines aside from that.

Oh yes, Mad Norweigan Press is operated out of Des Moines these days.

Schaal wrote:Many gas stations in Iowa are called Kum-N-Go.

A friend who recently moved to Missoula, Montana reports that there are many Kum-N-Go gas stations in her new town.

Wtf.

Lots of white-hatted lovers of sports. I had a delicious prime rib around the corner from the Vaudeville Mews at a restaurant whose name I cannot remember (it was named after the street it was on).

Des Moines is pretty "Meh" when it comes down to it. Vaudville Mews gets some pretty great shows. There are a couple good brewries & one decent record store downtown but overall Des Moines is as bland as they come.....wait, I guess there is also Adventureland.

Ames is pretty decent. It's a college town and they also do pretty well for shows, they also have a couple of nice record stores too.

I guess it works because you're within driving distance of Ames, Iowa City, & Grinnell, all of which have a lot more going on than Des Moines. Why exactly are you moving there?

-Jeremy

Holy shit, didn't think my town would pop up in an EA thread.
That's right, I live smack dab in the center of Des Moines. And let me tell you, are you in for a treat! Whooo-hooo!

Well, not really. But there is at least one decent record store, [url="http://www.zzzrecords.com/"]ZZZ Records.[/url], as well as a small but eclectic second hand vinyl shop on the North side. People have mentioned the Vaudeville Mews as a good place to catch decent live indie/punk/whatever music, and that is true. They have all-ages show, but they're primarily a bar - everytime I've gone there for shows or played they've been 21 and up (I don't play there anymore, long story, me vs. soundguy. But they have a fine booker) People have mentioned Hairy Mary's as a good place for bands, and that is not true - well, unless you're into nu-metal or rap? It is, however, a good place to get a beer at 3 or 4 pm. The local scene here still reeks of Slipknot, so expect a huge stench of bad heavy metal away from the safe confines (relatively) of the Mews.

There are no good local acts in town. None.

The only eatery I can fully endorse would be Big Tomato Pizza Company. They make fantabulous, if very pricey pizza.

Des Moines - the s' are silent, but not so our civic pride!

The only thing I know about De Moines is that the people there do not find it funny when you refer to their town as the beautiful city of "Iowa City".


Even less so when it is almost 2 AM and you are drunkenly shouting it in fake italian.

The De Moines Art Center is a really great place. We stop there everytime we drive between Chicago and KC, MO. It's where 35 meets 70 I think.

Oh yeah...Face Cage P\/\/ l\l 2!!!

Hairy Mary's caters to a very specific clientele, though the people were nice and friendly when I played there, and my band is pretty far from NuMetal. Perhaps we were lucky?