Looking for live music in Des Moines this weekend? Check out this list of all the music happening in the Des Moines area this weekend, April 15-17!

Disclaimer: Events are subject to change. For the most up-to-date info, please reach out to the venues at the link below.

+ 80/35 Music Festival tickets are now live! July 8-9, 2022. Grab your tickets here!

+ ON SALE: 2022 edition of Gross Domestic Product, an all-Iowa music festival in downtown Des Moines, April 23. Grab your tickets here!

🎶 Live Music By Venue 🎶

Wooly’s 

LOCATION: 504 E Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309

Emo Nite

  • Friday, April 15, Show 9:00 p.m. 

“Des Moines, we’re so excited to be back at Wooly’s again! All the usual Emo Nite LA fun, we’ve got a couple of surprises up our sleeves, too! Get your tickets and we’ll see ya in April, friends. Oh yeah, btw friends, the theme for this show is “under the sea.” So get all of your outfits ready to fuckin’ go little mermaids. $1 from every ticket sold will be donated to Living The Dream Foundation.”

Index Case

  • Saturday, April 16, Show 7:00 p.m.

All Wooly’s Shows

Noce Jazz

LOCATION: 1326 Walnut St, Des Moines, IA 50309

A Night of Nat King Cole: Fred Gazzo & The Metropolitan 6

  • Friday, April 15, 7 – 8:15 p.m. and 9 – 10:15 p.m. 

“Crooner Fred Gazzo brings an unforgettable show, alongside a stellar band of musicians.”

The Blake Shaw Big(ish) Band 

  • Saturday, April 16, 7-9:15 p.m.

Blake Shaw is an upright/electric bassist, composer & arranger, bandleader and private lessons teacher originally from Lisbon, Iowa who now resides in Iowa City. After a brief cruise ship gig in Australia, with the P&O Australia cruise line, following his BM degree Shaw came back to the US to start a Master of Arts degree at UI under the supervision of John Rapson, Damani Phillips, James Dreier and Steve Grismore while acting as one of the jazz department’s teaching assistants. Shaw was fortunate enough to play along side with several different guest artists during his years at UI such as: Wycliffe Gordon, O’had Talmor, Carmen Bradford, Terrell Stafford, Dave Pietro, and Dick Oatts.

All Noce Shows

Gas Lamp

LOCATION: Gas Lamp, 1501 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA

Smokin’ Joe, Ephraim Zenh at Gas Lamp

  • Friday, April 15, 9:00 p.m. 

Joe Scarpellino is a singer/songwriter from the Midwestern USA with deep roots in rock and a love for it all.

Index Case After Party at Gas Lamp

  • Saturday, April 16, 10:00 p.m. 
 
All Upcoming Gas Lamp Events

The Hall

LOCATION: The Hall, 111 S 11th Street, Suite 200, West Des Moines, IA 50265

Dustin Baird

  • Friday, April 15, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Dustin has been playing music professionally as a drummer and a bass guitarist in numerous bands as well as a solo acoustic guitar performer for many years. Dustin began his music career as a percussionist, playing drums for several bands and recording original rock material. He eventually learned to play bass guitar as well, which landed him his first professional touring gig for the Josh Davis Band. Learn more about the artist: dustinbaird.com

Luke Fox

  • Saturday, April 16, 7-9 p.m. 
 
 
Upcoming Musicians at The Hall

xBk Live

LOCATION: xBk Live, 1159 24th St, Des Moines, IA 50311

Zap Tura w/ special guest Skyscraper

  • Friday, April 15, 7:00 p.m. 

Zap Tura is the celestial psych-pop project of Des Moines-based multi-instrumentalist Andrew Jones. Between the bleary-eyed bedroom-pop of their debut, “Juxtaprose,” and the thick, congregational production of their newest album, “Adaptasia,” the project focuses on intricately crafted walls of intertwining, instrumental textures and found-sound experiments. 

Naughty Nerds Cabaret Presents “Nerds in Bloom”

  • Saturday, April 16, 7:00 p.m. 

April showers will bring jiggles and wiggles when you join Naughty Nerds Cabaret on April 16th for Nerds in Bloom! Learn all about the nerds and the tease in this springtime nerdlesque spectacular!

Lily Detaeye with the Love-In

  • Sunday, April 17, 6:00 p.m. 

Lily DeTaeye is a folk-rock Americana firecracker with alt-rock and blues influences. She’s a spirited songwriter and a harmonica-wielding badass that will remind you of your weird friend from book club who definitely has a few bodies in her closet. Between her candid nature onstage and the playful accessibility of the rest of the band, she leaves audiences feeling as if they were on the stage with her. Her music is wry and filled with the emotional honesty and vulnerability of a young Dwight Yoakam and the dynamism of Brandi Carlile. When backed by her band, she displays the edge and power of the Black Keys or the Record Company.

 
All xBK shows

Iowa Distilling Company

LOCATION: 4349 Cumming Ave, Cumming, IA 50061

Jesse and the Medicine Men 

  • Saturday, March 19, 9:00 p.m. – 2 a.m. 

Ready to tackle this weekend? Check out all of our weekend guides here.