“My favorite 80/35 moment by far was the Flaming Lips the first year. You could feel the energy in the air…. Des Moines had arrived!”
—Jennifer Hansen, owner of Eden bath boutique
“I was so excited the first year just for the fact that The Flaming Lips were playing. They have been one of my favorite bands forever! My original expectations were blown away when I saw how smoothly the festival was organized and run mostly by volunteers. It says something really great about our city!”
—Guitarist/vocalist Patrick Tape Fleming of the band Poison Control Center
“80/35 is easier to handle and more personal than the other music festivals I have attended. And it makes Des Moines seem more fun, like in the hippie days. Iowa used to be really fun in a homegrown way, and this brings it back.”
—Cathy Haustein, professor, Central College Department of Chemistry
“My 80/35 moment definitely was playing there. In 2011, two of my bands—Wolves In The Attic and Love Songs For Lonely Monsters—played. It was great to see the support of music lovers as they came out to see us play early in the day.
—Chris Lachky, bassist for the bands Love Songs For Lonely Monsters, Wolves In The Attic, and New Member Charles
“The Flaming Lips show was a perfect concert experience: great performance, a fantastic setting being downtown on a beautiful summer evening, and the crowd was energized and happy. There was no ill will in the vicinity.”
—Des Moines attorney Mac Stanfield
“80/35 has proved that live music—specifically contemporary and alternative live music—is a vital part of our city’s culture. It has given a voice and a festival for many music fans in Iowa that don’t listen to radio pop, country, or heavy metal.”
—Rob Whitehead, associate professor, Iowa State University Department of Architecture
“From the urban environment to the food trucks, 80/35 feels like I’m in a larger city. My favorite moment by far was the Flaming Lips and the Roots, since it was my first time seeing either live, but a standout more recently was Titus Andronicus. I saw them at Lollapalooza and they were better at 80/35!”
— Zachary Mannheimer, Executive Director, The Des Moines Social Club
“My 80/35 moment was watching the Roots, year one. Hearing jazz and hip-hop combined like that just blew me away—and you could see the energy pulsing from stage to crowd and back. That’s when I resolved to join the DMMC so I could help bring a bigger variety of bands to Des Moines.”
—Ann Klein, Des Moines freelance writer
“My original expectations were high. Having attended many previous festivals, I was excited to go to one so close to home. The festival exceeded my expectations—attendance was high, and it was cool to see a different side of Des Moines. My favorite memory is from year one—seeing Wayne Coyne rolling around the crowd in his giant hamster ball.”
—Dustin Halma, West Des Moines landscaper
“Year one, the painted ladies were invited onstage to dance around Wayne Coyne, and myself and their body guards were let up onstage as well. During ‘The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song,’ from behind the Teletubbies onstage with confetti cannons going off, I got to look over the audience and see thousands of people hold up their hands in the peace sign, singing along to the words of the song. Gives me chills just to think about it—music brings people together in a peaceful way that no other thing on this earth can.”
—Emily Svec, Des Moines body artist
What’s your 80/35 moment? We’d love to hear from you! Write us at media@www.desmoinesmc.com.