It’s been a big weekend! And thanks to everyone who has made it awesome. Seriously, though. What a huge weekend for local music. Let’s break it down a bit.

GDP
If you didn’t get the chance to make it to GDP, first off, I’m sorry. Second, don’t miss it next year! Nineteen acts took over 4th Street (specifically, the Vaudeville Mews Side Bar, the Vaudeville Mews, 4th St. Theater, and The Lift) and brought some seriously sweet sounds to tons of people. By the end of the night, the crowds were still rolling in for headliner House of Large Sizes. I got to help manage the DMMC Instagram account (@desmoinesmc) for the day, which was a blast. Check out some photos from the Iowa Concert Photographers here. My personal favorite acts of the night:

Kris Adams: despite a rocky, technology induced rough start, this dude nailed it. I had never heard him before, but he reminded me a bit of Aesop Rock with his heavy back beats and quick-to-slow transitioning rhymes.

Annalibera: Her throaty vocals are truly a treat. The side bar was the perfect venue for this lovely lady. She’s an act that I’ve heard a bit of at live shows, but for some reason have never gotten the chance to sit down and give her a fair listen. I’m sorry that it hasn’t happened sooner than last weekend. Do yourselves a favor and check her out.

Dustin Smith & the Sunday Silos: Always a favorite, and their performance over the weekend was nothing short of spectacular. It was probably the most energetic set I was at over the span of the event.

As For You: I admit, this is not my preferred genre of music. But I do want to give a shout-out to the DMMC for adding a heavier sound to the line-up. I sat through the whole thing, and my face may have melted a little. Which, I think in the universe of metal music, is a compliment.

Awesome Thing #2
So, some of you may know that I’m a second semester senior (oh, god) at Drake. Yesterday, the Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication awards banquet happened and Band Bombshell got some love! Patricia Prijatel used to be the director of the magazine program and Drake and is basically superwoman. Begin Anchorman voice: She’s kind of a big deal at the SJMC. They named an award after her and this is the second year they’ve awarded it to someone. It recognizes a senior student for taking journalism outside of the classroom and finding, reporting, and sharing stories that inspire and motivate. And I hope that’s what this blog does for some of you–find new and exciting music from musicians in the Des Moines area. So, thank you Drake SJMC! It’s seriously appreciated. Now here’s a photo of my bright blue (and deathly pointy) award.