First time coming here. I accidentally stumbled into this place late at night wanting to find…read moresomething new to discover. I saw a band was playing here. Very talented music, I would say it's a solid venue for live bands and having some mosh pits in. Sound quality was also good. Great bands featured on the ceiling. The drinks were unfortunately overpriced, charging ridiculous prices for an angry Orchard, service was okay. Friendly people.

Went to see a musician perform last night, and the bartender was heckling the musician playing. I…read morehave never witnessed anything like this in my life. It was extremely unprofessional. I will NEVER go to Lefty's again. ZERO STARS.

I'd heard so much raving about Wooly's, I was excited to see a show there. It was a serious…read moredisappointment. With all the great venues and shows that come through Des Moines I am not in a rush to return. The crowd was extremely rude, talking over the opener. She was a talented songwriter with a gorgeous voice, but it was hard to make out all of her lyrics due to the patrons shouting over her. The place is dirty and staff was less than pleasant. The restrooms cinched the deal for me. They are in a creepy basement and are filthy. I'll pass next time!

Wooly's is a rad music venue living in the East Village. It's a more intimate venue (just under 700…read morepeople fit) with limited seating (you can get a booth reserved for a fee), a plethora of bars and a diverse calendar of bands/shows. Reasons why Wooly's is rad. -The staff was friendly. -Air circulation -- they have massive fans which are a godsend. -Cool shows come here. -Pricing is on point-- honestly my bar tab was less than I thought! -Tons of food/drink options nearby to grab a bite before or after the show. -Not a bad seat in the house... unless you're stuck behind a giant. Reasons why you may not think Wooly's is rad. -Holy gross bathroom, Batman. -- I mean, this is par for the course. -No coat check? -- I went to a sold out show a random Friday in December and due to it being a sellout there was no coat check! Eek. -AXS App required. -- I'm all for putting tickets in my wallet. Having a separate app was another hoop to jump through but now that I have it, no complaints. Wooly's has been a DSM staple for over a decade. Peep their calendar and go to a show.

The lovely, grand former home, up on a hill was gorgeous as we pulled up. The complimentary parking…read morelot was fantastic! The staff inside were very kind and helpful. They answered our questions easily. The upstairs area is an art gallery, museum, cocktail and snack bar and more. It was so unique and felt so nice to start our evening here. Seating was comfortable with very nice views of the stage. The theater was as beautiful as the other areas.

I've lived in the Des Moines metro for over 30 years and have never been inside of Hoyt Sherman…read morePlace until last night... Probably more surprising since I lived just up the street from the venue, in an efficiency apartment at 17th and Pleasant, there in the Sherman Hill neighborhood for two(ish) years in the early '90s. The first place I'd had of my own after getting out of the US Navy in 1992.... I went with a friend to see Michael Blaustein. We used valet parking for a 730 PM show. Staff was great to work with on arrival, while finding our seats, to exiting after the performance. The inside of Hoyt Sherman Place is beautiful...and whether you're on the main floor or up in the balcony... There's not a bad seat in the house! A really great experience!

This place hasn't changed. Great "dive" bar. The drinks are reasonably priced. They beers were…read morecold. They have live music. The great part was we were here on a Friday and the music started at 5. The music wasn't too loud. We could still talk. They also had a TV with football on. We enjoyed a few hours here before our movie

The great atmosphere and top-notch bands make this a stellar dive bar! The very reasonable drink…read moreprices make up for the mostly surly bartenders. You just have to learn to ignore their attitudes and enjoy the music and the vibes! Ha ha!

Cool place to get a glass of wine! Staff was very nice and we were seated right away. Wine was…read moregreat too!

The wine was very good but no one waited on us. And it was a Friday night at 5:30 with hardly…read moreanyone in the bar.

I have never been to Red Rocks, I have never been to the Hollywood Bowl, and I have never been to a…read moreconcert in Central Park in New York City! I do love outdoor concerts, and have been to so many festivals over the years! There is something about the way music moves through open out door space, with the smell of food, beer, and other smells (BO, POT, ETC) running your senses wild! In Des Moines we are lucky enough to have an amazing Amphitheater for shows! Right on the Des Moines River facing downtown, this is probably the most beautiful place in Des Moines and one of the finest in the midwest to see a concert! The stage is round and they bring in great sound! You can stand and dance, or bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on the hill. The Nightfall on the River series is usually really good and has a decent range of up and comers and bands from yesteryear playing! The space is not huge so the shows feel very intimate for an outdoor space! The only real problem with this Amphitheater is if it rains a lot, the DSM river is pretty easy to flood, so shows may get moved.. So keep an eye on the schedule if it's been a rainy season! All and All it's not Red Rocks, but it's still beautiful and it still Rocks!

The Nadas are a must see here and they brought Fat Tire beer along with them! Next time bring some…read morewine too! Bring you chair or blanket and enjoy! Great location behind the embassy suites on the river in downtown DSM! Upcoming concerts include Barenaked Ladies, Black Crowes, and Ingrid Michaelson. DSM is getting on the map!

Good vibes, I heard of the place and decided to check it out. I'm from Texas so always looking for…read moresomething to do, it was real cool..

really cool and laid back Blues Bar in east des moines. The people here are so friendly.. The…read moredrinks are cheap and very strong... and the live music is great. Whats also cool is the murals on the front and side of the building... there are also photos of all the legends that have played in the space throughout the years. When we were there they featured a live blues band that was directly from Mississippi. They sounded great. They played covers of many classics as well as original songs.

Color me impressed!!!! We finally made it to XBK Live and it is now a favorite venue…read more The vibe is very chill and intimate. The acoustics are great and the staff is terrifiic. XBK will be a new haunt for us!

I had never been to XBK before. We were greeted at the door to have our tickets scanned. The…read moreshow was all ages, so we were "banded." Two bartenders were working hard. We waited for 1 person to get served ahead of us. I would not consider that a "wait." The stage is only a foot or so off the the ground. So not sure the view fro. The back. We We were upfront. The sound was great. Did not realize it was on the loud side till we went outside. We had a great time. The venue seemed very clean, even the restroom area. I think the common sink area out the stall rooms helps the flow of people. We can't wait to go back.

The Val Air Ballroom is such a trip. It literally feels like you are walking back into the '70s in…read morethe venue's lime green color palette and style. They also have some far out features like an old school box office (which didn't seem to be in use when we were at our show), a phone booth, and a cute mural of retro musicians. The venue itself was pretty good as far as lighting, seating, and audio go. The event we attended was a comedy show (Jay and Silent Bob), and it was in late June. Being in late June/almost July, it was HOT outside and the venue didn't seem to have very good or any air conditioning that we could feel. Very sticky night. The show we were at was a seated event, so luckily not a lot of movement, but we were still sweating! I could not imagine a concert or show that people are dancing and moving around all night. I think if you see a show posted at the Val Air Ballroom that interests you, definitely consider checking it out. Just be sure to pay attention to the weather that day and dress accordingly (shorts/tanks would have been great for my show!)

Great venue for a show in this once upon a time ballroom that gives roller rink vibes without the…read moreblacklight decor. Some limited seating is available but expect to show up early to grab it. Not sure if it is a typical policy but the show we went to didn't have reentry, so once you are in you can't go back out until you are ready to leave. My only gripe today was I was on the floor standing by a group who apparently hadn't seen each other in a while because they were really excited about talking and catching up during the show. I get this happens but I haven't experienced something inside this bad. But sound and lighting was great. Beers were more than we were used to ($10/domestic tallboy) but I guess that's just life anymore.

We go here for their comic-con. it's huge, thus useful for such…read more Parking is reasonable. Keeping in mind that many, many people will attend such events, expect to walk a distance. Or roll, or be rolled. Etc. We've enjoyed the location and will return.

The event center is a convenient location and is used for a variety of events through the year…read more Today we attended the home and garden show. Events usually have paid parking options but it's definitely worth cruising around to see if you can find street parking. If you're adventurous, you can try to navigate the skywalk to get here.