January into Spring - Iowa Women's Music & Events

Howdy folks!

This is an updated list of Iowa’s live music, arts, social events and culture for, by, featuring, and of interest to women and friends for January into Spring. To submit events or to sign up a friend to receive this list by e-mail, please e-mail iowalisa@juno.com. This blog is also posted at www.myspace.com/iowalisa. Scroll down for lots of community announcements, one-time events, and recurring events.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY IDEAS:

- NY EVE NEAR DSM: 8:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., WCC New Year's Eve Dance, Wildwood Lodge, 11431 Forest Ave, Clive, Iowa. Admission: Suggested donation $15/person. Cash Bar Available (No outside beverages or alcohol allowed). The dance will be held in the Thunder Bay Room on the lower level. WCC's own Diva DJ Jenny S. will be providing the music.

- NY EVE IN CEDAR RAPIDS: CSPS/Legion Arts hosts their very first New Year’s Eve party, featuring music by PIETA BROWN, Bo Ramsey, Joe and VICKI PRICE, BEJAE FLEMING, and others! 1103 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids. Cost: $45 in advance, $50 day of event. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 319-364-1580.

CAUCUS GLBT PLATFORM PLANK: Stonewall Democrats are asking folks to go to their caucus on January 3 and bring the recommended GLBT platform plank along with them. This plank may vary by county, so you might check with your County Democrats or area Stonewall Democrats to see if you should present something else. You can enter the caucus and hand this to the secretary to read to the caucus, which will then be voted on for inclusion in your county’s platform.

WE SUPPORT:
- Equal marital rights for all consenting adults regardless of sexual orientation or gender identification
- Repealing DOMA
- Legislation protecting same sex couples' adoption rights
- Adding "Sexual Orientation" and "Transgender" to State and Federal Anti-Hate Crime, Anti-Discrimination, Anti-Bullying and any other civil rights laws
- Forbidding the Defense Department and branches of the military from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation
- Recruitment of members of protected classes to serve in government

WE OPPOSE:
- Any Constitutional amendment limiting or denying civil rights
- Any governmental assets used to support organizations that do not accept domestic partners, gays, lesbians, bisexual, transgender & atheists as members, leaders and staff

L-WORD PREMIERE: January 6 will be the first episode of the fifth season of the L-Word on Showtime! I will again be having a weekly gathering at my house to watch it on Sunday nights. If anyone wants to come to an L-Word party on Sunday nights in Cedar Rapids, please e-mail me for more info: iowalisa@juno.com. The show starts at 9 p.m., but we will be starting the party at 7 p.m. on January 6 with a potluck and some warm-up DVDs!

LEARN GUITAR FROM THE MASTER, GAYLA DRAKE PAUL: Gayla will be teaching 12-week Adult Accelerated Beginning Guitar Classes on Monday and Tuesday nights, January through March at West Music Recital Hall in Coralville (Mondays) and Marion (Tuesdays). The Accelerated Guitar Method is a new approach combining some of the most powerful, time-honored oral tradition techniques with the discipline of music theory. By the end of the 12 weeks, you’ll know numerous chord shapes and have a guitar-based understanding of key centers and chord theory; read music, guitar tablature and fretboard diagrams; pick up any songbook and play; know how to tune and care for guitars and prevent injuries to hands and wrists. Monday classes are from Jan. 7-March 31, 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Coralville West Music. To register for Coralville, contact Shannon at 319-351-2000. Tuesday classes are from Jan. 8-March 25, 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Marion West Music. To register, contact Amanda at 319-377-9100. Students will need their own guitar; learning materials provided. Tuition $300.

GAYLA DRAKE PAUL’S NEW GUITAR BOOK & ARTICLES: The Accelerated Guitar Method: Book 1 is hot off the presses and ready for consumption. $15, available currently from Gayla by e-mailing gdrakepaul@yahoo.com. Gayla has written several articles for the national magazine Premiere Guitar. Check out her November article on DADGAD tuning at http://magazine.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2007/Nov/More_DADGAD.aspx. Search for other articles by Gayla for 2007 at http://magazine.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Article_Search.aspx and type “Gayla Drake Paul” in the Author search field.

SINGING BODY WORKSHOP: Fairfield singer-songwriter Sharon Bousquet presents a holistic singing workshop combining yoga, breathing, singing and Educational Kinesiology – movements that integrate the hemispheres of the brain – in a fun and effective routine for freeing your natural voice. Sharon has been teaching for 17 years. She will travel to teach in your town if there is interest, either in a private home, yoga center or church. Cost: $45-60 per person sliding scale, dependent upon ability to pay. Next planned workshops: Sunday, January 13th (Women and girls over 11) and Saturday, January 19th, 2008 (Mixed men and women), 1-5:30 p.m. The location in Fairfield is TBA and will be sent to confirmed participants. For more info, visit www.sharonbousquet.com/crystalvoice.asp. Call 512-393-4400 or e-mail vox@sharonbousquet.com to register.

NOW ON DISPLAY AT CSPS/LEGION ARTS: Three new exhibits are in the galleries: Bringing It to Bear, an installation by Ann Marie Penaz, St. Paul; Down to the River, photos by Sandra Dyas, Iowa City; and recent drawings and paintings by Kettle, Cedar Rapids. Come for a concert at one of the Midwest’s best music venues and see the art too. Check out www.legionarts.org for a full schedule and details.

SCHOOL FOR MORAL COURAGE: Check out the School for Moral Courage’s Community Calendar at http://www.schoolformoralcourage.com/september.html.

NEW MUSIC: Go to www.ladyslipper.org for the best in “women’s music” and women in music. Lots of new titles have been released recently, including a DVD of a Melissa Etheridge “Awakening” concert, as well as new titles by Holly Near, Aretha Franklin, and a lot more! Ladyslipper is a great place for holiday gifts too!

JOIN THE IOWA CITY PRIDE COMMITTEE 2008!: The Planning Committee will be meeting monthly to plan next summer's Pride festivities. They are looking for people with energy and vision to help with fundraising and planning. It's a fun group and a great way to serve the community. Meetings are the third Sunday of each month at the Iowa City Public Library at 3 p.m. For more information, contact Bridget Malone at malone.bridget@gmail.com. If you don’t want to serve on a committee, you can still send ideas for events at www.queerconnections.org/pride.

DO YOU GET LC? Lesbian Connection is the free worldwide forum of news, ideas, and information for, by, and about lesbians, with info on festivals, travel, conferences, retirement communities, books, and much more. Ambitious Amazons have been publishing since 1974, and they mail issues out every other month in plain brown envelopes. If you’d like to start receiving LC for free, all you need to do is email elsiepub@aol.com with your full name and mailing address. It’s a great grassroots magazine with the scoop on everything “L”!

SAVE THESE FESTIVAL DATES!: The National Women’s Music Festival is being held July 10-13, 2008 on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal, IL. Watch for updates on the Women in the Arts website: www.WIAonline.org. For all you campers, Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival will be held August 5-10, 2008. Check out www.michfest.com for updates! The Iowa Women’s Music Festival will be held September 19-20 in 2008! Plan to be there for our big 15th Anniversary! Watch www.prairievoices.net for updates in the spring.

WEBSITE FOR MIDWESTERN EVENTS: If you want to know what’s going on in neighboring states for women, check out Kai Phillipi’s website www.lambdabuzz.com.

IOWA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: The U of Iowa women’s basketball team is starting a new season right now and they are looking pretty good. Carver Hawkeye Arena is a great place to watch the games! Here is their home schedule for 2008: 1/6 Ohio State, 1/13 Wisconsin, 1/24 Purdue, 1/27 Michigan, 2/3 Indiana, 2/7 Michigan State, 2/17 Minnesota, 2/28 Northwestern. Check for times at www.hawkeyesports.com.

DANCE CIRCLE: The Dances of Universal Peace are simple circle dances set to chants and songs from different spiritual traditions. All dances are taught beforehand. The dances are healing and inspiring for those who dance and help to bring more peaceful energy into our community and world. All are welcome! The Iowa City dance circle meets every second Sunday through May at: Unitarian Universalist Society of Iowa City, 10 South Gilbert St. Dances led by Sophia Virginia Melroy. For more info, call 319-338-1778.

LOOKING FOR A NEW YEAR’S PARTY AND WILLING TO TRAVEL?: Kissing Girls and RCG-I in Madison, WI are hosting a New Year’s Eve Dance for Women. Dress up (or not). Doors open – 8 p.m., Dancing from 8:30 - 12:30 a.m. Music by DJ Sandy Seuser. Held at the Madison Senior Center, 330 W. Mifflin, Madison, WI. $15 per person. Contact Sjaderiver@aol.com for more info.

NEW MUSIC AT LADYSLIPPER.ORG: Go to www.ladyslipper.org for the best and most comprehensive selection of women in music and women’s music. New titles for this month include Cris Williamson’s “Fringe,” Holly Near’s “Sing to Me the Dream,” and a duet album by Aretha Franklin.

WAKE THE MUSE!: Wake the Muse is an experiential weekend January 25-27 for creative women that will feature workshops focusing on the theme of The Creative Process from Inspiration to Manifestation. The featured presenter for the weekend is Carol Lynn Pearson who is an accomplished writer and performer, as well as a contributing author to the popular series Chicken Soup for the Soul. The conference will have workshops by other presenters on the topics of Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Women's Traditions and Crafts, Lifestyle and Small Business or Non-profit Development. For an application, contact: Sarah Hobart, Executive Director, Heartland Daughters Productions, 515-664-3784, HeartlandDaughters@gmail.com, www.heartlanddaughters.com.

CANS FOR THE QUIRE: Audra and Steph are collecting cans and bottles, returning them, and donating the money to help Quire members go to the GALA Festival next summer in Miami, FL. They are hoping to raise $20,000 (not all from cans of course) so that they can send 30 Quire members to this special event. Spread the word and e-mail Steph if you have cans and bottles to pick up: rainrock66@yahoo.com. They will pick cans up in the Iowa City area, or you can deliver the cans to them.

LOOKING FOR CD’S TO REVIEW: Art Scene, Iowa’s only publication for the arts, is in need of Iowa and Midwest music to review in their monthly publication. Send music to review to: Art Scene, 8657 Douglas Ave., #136, Urbandale Iowa, 50322. For more info, call 515-210-7066, visit www.artsceneiowa.com, or e-mail roderick@artsceneiowa.com.

CONNECTIONS, the Iowa City organization that provides social and networking opportunities for GLBT folks and friends with a range of interests, is in full swing. Connections offers it all (a nature group, a spiritual group, a chess group, a movie night group, a cooking group, and a sewing group, just to name a few), and what it doesn’t offer can be arranged! Check out the Connections website at www.queerconnections.org. For more info, e-mail queerconnections@yahoo.com.

IOWA PRIDE NETWORK: If you are interested in getting more involved and active in Iowa's GLBTQ community, focusing on safe schools and LGBT student leadership and development, check out the Iowa Pride Network's new website http://www.iowapridenetwork.org. Register at http://www.iowapridenetwork.org/jointhenetwork.htm to join this LGBT and Allied network of students and supporters.

WOMEN’S CULTURAL COLLECTIVE: Check out the happenings in Des Moines and the surrounding areas that are sponsored or supported by the Women’s Cultural Collective (WCC) at www.iowawcc.org.

KATIE ROCHE’S NEW TV SHOW: Iowa City musician, community organizer, videographer, and producer Katie Roche’s new TV show "The Community Voice" is available on channels 4 and 5 locally in Iowa City, as well as online. Shows are about a wide range of things, from music, to community happenings, to travel, to politics. Watch online at www.communityvoice.TV or www.youtube.com/thecommunityvoice. To contact Katie, e-mail Katie-Roche@citychannel4.com.

NEW COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD: Kelly Carrell has created a new community bulletin board for events of interest to LGBT people and advocates. To view or post events, go to http://www.kellycarrell.com/bb.

NEW FREE MONTHLY MAGAZINE IN IOWA CITY: Watch for a new monthly magazine to be hitting the free newsstands in Iowa City: Creative Crossroads. Creative Crossroads is a free, 16 page monthly publication targeting 22 to 55 year old Iowa City/Coralville and surrounding area inhabitants attracted to interesting, relevant, and meaningful content. Creative Crossroads touches on an array of local, regional, national, and global topics of discussion. Content ranges from music to business, art to science, political to humanitarian issues, and more--all of which have a profound effect on our lives.

NEW GREEN SEARCH ENGINE: There is a new green website called http://www.ecoseek.net, the internet's first green product search engine. Its mission is to make it easier to find, research and buy eco-friendly products from all over the world. Businesses, orgs, or individuals can list their eco-friendly products, services or CSA in EcoSeek’s directory for free. E-mail comments, suggestions or questions to info@ecoseek.net.

ONE-TIME EVENTS:

Wednesday, January 2, 7-9 p.m., lesbian comedienne CHRISTINA O’LEARY, in a special Get-Out-To-The-Caucus event, at Ritual Café, 1301 E. Locust St., downtown Des Moines. This is a women-owned coffeehouse, smoke-free, with a great atmosphere. For more info, e-mail ritualcafe@aol.com or call 515-288-4872. This event is co-sponsored by One Iowa.

Thursday, January 3, 6:30 p.m. SHARP!, DEMOCRATIC CAUCUSES. This is the Democratic Primary, so your vote is important to determine who Iowa nominates to run for President. Your caucus site is often your voting site, but not always. To be sure of your location, check http://www.linncountydemocrats.org/ for Linn County, www.jcdems.org for Johnson County, www.polkcountydemocrats.org for Polk County, and www.iowademocrats.org for all others. Arrive by 6 p.m. to register.

Saturday, January 5, MIKE AND AMY FINDERS at Isabella’s Bar, Dubuque. For more info, visit www.isabellasbar.com.

Saturday, January 5, 7-9 p.m., KIMBERLI at Uptown Bill’s Small Mall, on Gilbert, a block and a half south of Burlington, Iowa City. For more info, e-mail flyingmoneyscr@aol.com.

Sunday, January 6, L-WORD SEASON 5 PREMIERE on Showtime, starting at 9 p.m. in Iowa.

Monday, January 7, EASILY AMUSED at Drake University, Des Moines. Check out www.easilyamused.ca.

Friday, January 11, 7:30 p.m., PAULA POUNDSTONE at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, on the campus of UNI, 8201 Dakota St., Cedar Falls. For more info or tix, visit www.uni.edu/gbpac.

Saturday, January 12, 5-10 p.m., 15th ANNUAL RED RIBBON DINNER & GREAT ART AUCTION, a fundraiser to benefit the AIDS Project Quad Cities, at the RiverCenter, downtown Davenport. For more info, visit http://www.aidsprojectqc.org/rrd2008/rrd_home.html.

Wednesday, January 16, 6-8 p.m., CSPS/LEGION ARTS VOLUNTEER KICK-OFF AND ORIENTATION. If you are interested in volunteering at CSPS, are a current volunteer and need refresher info, or if you are a veteran volunteer and want to help train the new volunteers, come to this orientation. Arrive at 5:30 p.m. for a light supper. Call 319-364-1580 for more info.

Friday, January 18, 8 p.m., NICOLE TORRES featuring the honeybees, at Ritual Café, 1301 E. Locust St., downtown Des Moines. This is a women-owned coffeehouse, smoke-free, with a great atmosphere. For more info, e-mail ritualcafe@aol.com or call 515-288-4872. Suggested donation appreciated. Check out www.nicoletorres.com.

Saturday, January 19, 8 p.m., EMILY WHITE and MARA LEVI at Ritual Café, 1301 E. Locust St., downtown Des Moines. This is a women-owned coffeehouse, smoke-free, with a great atmosphere. For more info, e-mail ritualcafe@aol.com or call 515-288-4872. Suggested donation appreciated. Visit www.emily-white.com and www.maralevi.com.

Saturday, January 19, 9 p.m., IWW CONCERT BENEFIT, with NIKKI LUNDEN, Matthew Grimm and the Red Smear, and Sam Knutson’s Shame Train, at the Mill Restaurant, 120 E. Burlington St., Iowa City. International Workers Of The World (ONE BIG UNION) aka "the Wobblies" contends that all workers should be united within a single union as a class and that the wage system should be abolished. They may be best known for the Wobbly Shop model of workplace democracy, in which workers elect recallable delegates, and other norms of grassroots democracy (self-management) are implemented. $6 minimum donation. Check out http://www.iww.org/.

Tuesday, January 22, 5:30 p.m., PTDN CORRIDOR WELCOME RECEPTION/THIRD PLACES at Theatre Cedar Rapids, 102 3rd St. SE, downtown Cedar Rapids. This reception is in conjunction with the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance Innovation and Excellence Award Ceremony (The ICKY Awards) recognizing arts and culture programming in the Corridor. Sponsored by PTDN (Professional & Technical Diversity Network) and Daniel Arthur's. Free and open to the public. Guests may also choose to attend the Icky Award presentations and live performances, beginning at 6:30 PM., for $20. This event serves as ICCA's annual meeting and highlights innovation and excellence in cultural programming throughout calendar year 2007.

Friday, January 25, 9 p.m., DIPLOMATS OF SOLID SOUND FEATURING THE DIPLOMETTES, at the Mill Restaurant, 120 E. Burlington St., Iowa City. $7 cover. Check out http://www.myspace.com/thediplomatsofsolidsound. For more info, call the Mill at 319-351-9529 or visit www.icmill.com.

Friday-Saturday, January 25-26, 8 p.m., BLACK SHEEP in concert at Liars Theatre in Campbell Steele Art Gallery, 1064 7th Avenue, in downtown Marion. Black Sheep is Carlis Faurot, Mike Maas, Dixie Collins and Patty Ankrum. Tickets $25. Tickets may be ordered by calling the Campbell Steele Gallery at 319-373-9211. Doors open 45 minutes in advance of each show. Wine, beer, soft drinks and light hors d'oeuvres are available. For more info, call Liars Theatre at 319-899-8444 or email info@liarstheatre.com.

Friday-Sunday, January 25-27, WAKE THE MUSE, an experiential weekend of creativity for women, with workshops, performance art, and presentations, in the Des Moines area. For more info, contact: Sarah Hobart, Executive Director, Heartland Daughters Productions, 515-664-3784, HeartlandDaughters@gmail.com.

Saturday, January 26, 7:30 p.m., MCC ENTERTAINMENT SERIES, “Bring on the Music,” at the Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities (MCCQC), 3019 Harrison St., Davenport. This event is free, but donations at the door are welcomed and will go directly to MCCQC. Concessions will also be available. For more info, contact producer Mona Ritemon at m.ritemon@yahoo.com.

Monday, January 28, 5:30-7:30 p.m., PTDN CORRIDOR WELCOME RECEPTION at the Iowa Children’s Museum, Coralville. Bring the kids! PTDN is the Professional and Technical Diversity Network, bringing together people who want to promote diversity in our community and network with others of like minds. For more info, contact Russ@novotnys.info.

Tuesday, January 29, 7-10 p.m., KIMBERLI’S OPEN MIC at The Blue Strawberry, 118 2nd St. SE, downtown Cedar Rapids. Great food, coffee, music, and atmosphere; beer and wine too. You can’t go wrong. Sign up to play beginning at 6:30 p.m. For more info, e-mail flyingmonkeyscr@aol.com.

Friday, February 1, 8 p.m., DOROTHY HECHT and the Rubber Tramps, plus Tyler Thompson Band, at Ritual Café, 1301 E. Locust St., downtown Des Moines. This is a women-owned coffeehouse, smoke-free, with a great atmosphere. For more info, e-mail ritualcafe@aol.com or call 515-288-4872. Suggested donation appreciated.

Saturday, February 2, 8:30 p.m., KAT DARLING and Aaron Short, at Ritual Café, 1301 E. Locust St., downtown Des Moines. This is a women-owned coffeehouse, smoke-free, with a great atmosphere. For more info, e-mail ritualcafe@aol.com or call 515-288-4872. Suggested donation appreciated.

Thursday, February 7, 7 p.m., ELLIS at Ritual Café, 1301 E. Locust St., downtown Des Moines. This is a women-owned coffeehouse, smoke-free, with a great atmosphere. For more info, e-mail ritualcafe@aol.com or call 515-288-4872. Suggested donation appreciated. Visit www.ellis-music.com.

Friday, February 8, 8:30 p.m., LVNMUSIQ at Ritual Café, 1301 E. Locust St., downtown Des Moines. This is a women-owned coffeehouse, smoke-free, with a great atmosphere. For more info, e-mail ritualcafe@aol.com or call 515-288-4872. Suggested donation appreciated. Check out www.myspace.com/lizsnavely.

Thursday, February 14, A LAURA LOVE VALENTINE at CSPS, 1103 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids. For more info or tix, call 319-364-1580, e-mail info@legionarts.org, or visit www.legionarts.org. Special surprises are in store for you this night, including a Valentine’s dinner that you can have with your sweetie.

Saturday, February 16, 8-10:30 a.m., MOVIN’ FOR MCAULEY, a mall walk to benefit the services and programs of the Catherine McAuley Center for Women and Children, at Westdale Mall, Edgewood Rd., Cedar Rapids. For more info or to register, go to www.catherinemcauleycenter.com.

Monday, February 18, 7:30 p.m., TOSCA (the opera), performed by Teatro Lirico D’Europa, at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, on the campus of UNI, 8201 Dakota St., Cedar Falls. For more info or tix, visit www.uni.edu/gbpac.

Saturday, February 23, 7:30 p.m., PABLO ZIEGLER and CLAUDIA ACUNA (Chilean vocalist), at Hancher Auditorium, on the campus of U. of Iowa, Iowa City. Visit www.hancher.uiowa.edu.

Saturday, February 23, 7:30 p.m., MCC ENTERTAINMENT SERIES, “Black Performing Arts,” at the Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities (MCCQC), 3019 Harrison St., Davenport. This event is free, but donations at the door are welcomed and will go directly to MCCQC. Concessions will also be available. For more info, contact producer Mona Ritemon at m.ritemon@yahoo.com.

Sunday, February 24, 2 p.m., AXISTheater COMPANY, The Number 14, satirical, silly, and quirky slice of urban life; theater on a bus! Great for families! Hancher Auditorium, on the campus of U. of Iowa, Iowa City. Visit www.hancher.uiowa.edu.

Tuesday, February 26, 7-10 p.m., KIMBERLI’S OPEN MIC at The Blue Strawberry, 118 2nd St. SE, downtown Cedar Rapids. Great food, coffee, music, and atmosphere; beer and wine too. You can’t go wrong. Sign up to play beginning at 6:30 p.m. For more info, e-mail flyingmonkeyscr@aol.com.

Friday, February 29, BEJAE FLEMING & JACKIE BLOUT at the Maintenance Shop, on the campus of Iowa State U., Ames. This will be a celebration of Sandy Dyas’ new book, “Down to the River: Portraits of Iowa Musicians.” This event features music, a reception, and a book signing. More performers will be on tap. Check www.m-shop.com for more details.

Friday, February 29, 8 p.m., STEPH HAYES and Chris Schutz, at Ritual Café, 1301 E. Locust St., downtown Des Moines. This is a women-owned coffeehouse, smoke-free, with a great atmosphere. For more info, e-mail ritualcafe@aol.com or call 515-288-4872. Suggested donation appreciated. Visit www.thetouristsmusic.com and www.goodproblems.com.

Friday-Saturday, February 29 and March 1, 7 p.m., HERSONG – Quad Cities Women’s Chorus, in a joint venture concert with Unitarian Church Coffee House, 3707 Eastern Ave., Davenport. Admission $10.

Friday-Saturday, February 29 and March 1, DIVAPALOOZA 2 at Theatre Cedar Rapids, 1st Ave. SE and 3rd St. SE, downtown Cedar Rapids. For tix or more info, call 319-366-8591.

Thursday, March 6, 7:30 p.m., ANGELIQUE KIDJO, Hancher Auditorium, Iowa City. For tix and info, visit www.hancher.uiowa.edu.

Friday, March 7, 7:30 p.m., AXIS DANCE COMPANY (merging the dance of dancers with and without disabilities), at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, on the campus of UNI, 8201 Dakota St., Cedar Falls. For more info or tix, visit www.uni.edu/gbpac.

Friday, March 28, COWBOY JUNKIES at The Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City. For tix, call 319-688-2653, stop by the box office, or order online at www.englert.org!

Saturday, March 29, 7:30 p.m., THE 5 BROWNS (5 brothers and sisters who are virtuoso classical pianists), at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, on the campus of UNI, 8201 Dakota St., Cedar Falls. For more info or tix, visit www.uni.edu/gbpac.

Saturday, March 29, 7:30 p.m., MCC ENTERTAINMENT SERIES, “Powerful Women,” at the Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities (MCCQC), 3019 Harrison St., Davenport. This event is free, but donations at the door are welcomed and will go directly to MCCQC. Concessions will also be available. For more info, contact producer Mona Ritemon at m.ritemon@yahoo.com.

Tuesday, April 8, 7 p.m., CAROL MONTAG at Musser Public Library, 304 Iowa Ave., Muscatine. For more info, call 563-263-3065.

Saturday, April 12, 8 p.m., SUSAN WERNER at CSPS, 1103 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids. For more info or tix, call 319-364-1580, e-mail info@legionarts.org, or visit www.legionarts.org.

Saturday, April 12, 7:30 p.m., CHERRYHOLMES (award-winning bluegrass family), at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, on the campus of UNI, 8201 Dakota St., Cedar Falls. For more info or tix, visit www.uni.edu/gbpac.

Sunday, April 13, 2 and 7 p.m., GYPSY (touring Broadway production) at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, on the campus of UNI, 8201 Dakota St., Cedar Falls. For more info or tix, visit www.uni.edu/gbpac.

RECURRING EVENTS:

Every Friday and Saturday, 6:30-9:30 p.m., live music at Cibo Fusion, 685 Marion Blvd, Marion. Come for the great atmosphere, terrific people, incredible food, and awesome music! For more info, call Cibo Fusion at 319-447-1414. Sharon Bousquet performs the 2nd Friday and 4th Saturday of every month.

Last Tuesday of every month, 7-10 p.m., KIMBERLI hosts an open mic at the Blue Strawberry Coffee Company, 118 2nd St. SE, downtown Cedar Rapids. Great atmosphere, coffee, music, food, beer, and wine. To get on the play list, contact Kimberli at flyingmonkeyscr@aol.com.

Second Wednesday of every month, 6:30-8 p.m., STONEWALL DEMOCRATS, the GLBT Caucus of the Democratic Party, meets at The Blue Strawberry Coffeeshop, 118 2nd St. SE, downtown Cedar Rapids. For more info, contact Greg Williams, President of the Linn Co. Chapter, at linnstonewall@mchsi.com or call 319-389-0093.

Every Friday, 8-10 p.m., Uptown Bill's Small Mall, 401 S. Gilbert St., in Iowa City hosts an OPEN MIC. Everyone and all genres of performance are welcome.

First, third, and fifth Thursdays of each month, 6:30-8:30 p.m., EVENINGS FOR SPIRIT, women gathering at SpiritHill to share our spiritual experiences, visions and longings. The evenings include time for sharing and time for silence. Laughter, tears and singing are often shared as well. No specific spiritual practice is followed. This event is always open to newcomers. SpiritHill Retreat, 604 Cedar Valley Road, West Branch, 319-643-2613, spirit-hill@earthlink.net.

First Tuesday of every month, "CONNECTIONS," an organization of individuals and families that comes together to form, build and sustain queer community in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids area, meets and has many specific-interest groups that hold meetings throughout the month. For more information about Connections and upcoming events, e-mail karen-haslett@uiowa.edu or contact Carlton Blackburn at carltonbburn@yahoo.com or 319-341-0195. Sign up for the Connections listserv at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/connections-news/ or e-mail connections-news-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Free. If you want to start a group, e-mail your ideas to connections-news@yahoogroups.com. E-mail the general Connections e-mail address at queerconnections@yahoo.com and visit their new website at www.queerconnections.org.

Every Sunday – SUNDAY NIGHT BLUES JAM at the Yacht Club in Iowa City, hosted and coordinated by NIKKI LUNDEN. 8 p.m.-midnight. Food and drink specials. For more info, e-mail sticklunden@yahoo.com.

Last Saturday of every month, Augie’s at 313 20th St. in Rock Island, IL hosts KARAOKE NIGHT, which owner Rick Goulet says is heavily attended by the women’s community. Call 309-788-7389 for more info.

Every Thursday, 5-7 p.m., Augie’s at 313 20th St. in Rock Island, IL hosts an evening HOME-COOKED DINNER, benefiting Aids Project Quad Cities. For $5, get a great meal and donate to a great cause. Call 309-788-7389 for more info. Get on Augie’s e-mail list to receive weekly updates with the ever-changing dinner menu by e-mailing r.goulet@mchsi.com.

Second Tuesday of every month, 5:30-7 p.m., EQUALITY IOWA’S HAPPY HOUR is held at Ritual Café, 1301 E. Locust St., downtown Des Moines. Come get to know what EqIA has to offer you and how you can get involved with changing the lives of the LGBT community in Iowa. Equality Iowa is working tirelessly in Des Moines and around the state to improve the civil rights of LGBT people through lobbying, education, and public policy work. For more info about Equality Iowa, contact Sandy Vopalka at PoliticInIA@aol.com or 515-537-3126 or visit www.equalityiowa.org. Ritual Cafe is a women-owned establishment, smoke-free, with a great atmosphere. For more info about Ritual Cafe, e-mail ritualcafe@aol.com or call 515-288-4872.

Every Friday night, 6-7:30 p.m., “WHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW” HAPPY HOUR at Ritual Café, 1301 E. Locust St., downtown Des Moines. Come join us "down the rabbit hole" and redefine happy hour as we meet weekly to explore science and spirituality. Weekly event. No cover. This is a women-owned establishment, smoke-free, with a great atmosphere. For more info, e-mail ritualcafe@aol.com or call 515-288-4872.

Every Saturday, noon to 1 p.m., WOMEN FOR PEACE IOWA host Weekly Street Corner Vigils for peace, rain or shine. Meet at the corner of 1st Ave. and Collins Rd. SE (in front of Granite City Brewery), Cedar Rapids. Show your support for our troops by calling for their return from Iraq. For more info, e-mail khall479@aol.com.

Fourth Tuesday of every month, WOMEN FOR PEACE IOWA book discussion group, 7:00 p.m. at The Peace Center, 1029 3rd St., next to CSPS, Cedar Rapids. For more info, e-mail khall479@aol.com or call 319-393-2508.

Second Tuesday of every month, WOMEN FOR PEACE KNITTERS meet for knitting, crocheting, and discussion, 9:30-11 a.m. at Prairiewoods, 120 E. Boyson Rd., Hiawatha. For more info, call 319-377-3252 or go to www.womenforpeace-iowa.org.

Fourth Tuesday of every month, WOMEN FOR PEACE KNITTERS meet for knitting, crocheting, and discussion (yes, a second day of the month!), 7-8:30 p.m. at the Marion Public Library, 1095 6th Ave., Marion. For more info, call 319-377-3252 or go to www.womenforpeace-iowa.org.

Every Tuesday evening, 7:30-9:30 p.m., ARGENTINE TANGO practice and open dance, at the Wesley Center, 120 N. Dubuque St., Iowa City. A donation of $1-2 per person is requested for use of the Wesley Center. For more info, contact Karen Jackson at 319-447-1445 or e-mail kljedgewood@msn.com.

Every Saturday, 3:30 p.m., SALSA LESSONS taught by Gloria Zmolek, at CSPS, 1103 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids. No experience or partner necessary. Lessons are free; donations accepted. For more info, contact Gloria at 319-365-9611 or visit www.bailelatino.org.

Every Thursday, 7 p.m., COUNTRY LINE DANCING, taught by members of the Women’s Cultural Collective, at the Thoreau Center, 35th and Kingman Blvd., Des Moines. Cost is $5.00 per person per night. You will need to bring your own beverages. For more info, e-mail Billie Dyer at chachacha1@excite.com.

Every Friday, 6 p.m., GAY FRIDAY, Greater Des Moines all-inclusive dinner group, sharing issues affecting the GLBT Community @ allies. Meet for food, fellowship & films at the Friends Meeting House, 42nd and Grand, Des Moines (enter from 42nd Street). For more info, contact gay_friday_dm@yahoo.com. Gay Friday is open to everyone interested in GLBT issues, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, disability, nationality, religious or political affiliation.

First Saturday of every month, 11 a.m., QCAD 1st SATURDAY POTLUCK BRUNCH, Plaza Office Bldg., 1705 2nd Ave., Ste. 508, Rock Island, IL. QCAD is Quad Citians Affirming Diversity. This is a monthly (1st Saturday) social and brunch event for all. Bring a dish to share. Please RSVP at 309-786-2580 with the number of people attending.

Last Friday of every month, 7 p.m., QCAD LESBIAN MOVIE NIGHT, Plaza Office Bldg., 1705 2nd Ave., Ste. 508, Rock Island, IL. QCAD is Quad Citians Affirming Diversity. For more info, call 309-786-2580.

Every Monday, 4-5 p.m., TUTORING AT OSADA: Join Women for Peace Iowa at 905 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, in Apartment 110, to tutor elementary-age African refugee children. No teaching experience required, just a willingness to give a little TLC to some beautiful children. For more info, e-mail khall479@aol.com.

First Friday of the month, FAIRFIELD ART WALK. For more info, visit www.FairfieldArtWalk.com.

Every Thursday, SCOTT AND MICHELLE DALZIEL host an open mic at Grape Harbor in Dubuque from 8 - 11 p.m. Visit www.grapeharbor.com and www.dalziel.net.

Every 2nd and 4th Friday of the each month at 7 p.m., a DRUMMING CIRCLE meets at the Unity Center of Cedar Rapids, 3791 Blairs Ferry Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids. For more info, call 319-393-5422.

Thanks for supporting live music, your community, and women in the arts!
Lisa