By Michael Swanger michael@dmcityview.com

On May 23, the Belin Quartet kicks off its annual series of free noon-time performances held each Friday at 12:15 p.m. at Nollen Plaza or the downtown public library.

Scene notes: Strings, things and festivals

The Belin Quartet will once again perform a series of free noon-time concerts this summer at Nollen Plaza in downtown Des Moines, starting May 23 at 12:15 p.m. The quartet consists of violinists Julie Fox-Henson, John Helmich and Tracy Engman Finkelshteyn, violist Sherida Josephson and cellist Mary Pshonik. They will perform selections by Borodin and Haydn. The quartet, established in 2000 by a grant to the Civic Music Association by the Iowa Foundation for Education, Environment and the Arts, a charitable foundation created by the late attorney-violinist David Belin, performs concerts through Aug. 1 at Nollen Plaza at 12:15 p.m. unless otherwise noted: May 23, 30, June 6 (downtown public library), 13, 20, 27, July 11, 18, 25 (downtown public library) and Aug. 1 (10:30 a.m., children’s concert, downtown public library). For more information call 280-4020 or visit www.civicmusic.org. … The Greater Des Moines Music Coalition announced a new batch of acts slated to play their 80/35 festival July 4-5. They include Jakob Dylan, Andrew Bird, Cracker, Ingrid Michaelson, Black Francis and Colourmusic. … In other news, the DMMC has picked up another corporate sponsorship for the festival — U.S. Cellular. … The Pines play the Vaudeville Mews on Friday at 10 p.m. Megafaun and It’s True open. Admission is $5. … Attention parents: Sesame Street Live “Elmo Makes Music” plays Wells Fargo Arena Friday (11 a.m., 7 p.m.), Saturday (10:30 a.m., 2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 and 4:30 p.m.). Tickets are $13-$26. … Alt-rockers Aiden, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, The Classic Crime and Ivoryline play the House of Bricks on Saturday at 5 p.m. for an all-ages show. Tickets are $15 through IowaTix.com. … The 7th Annual East Village Blooms ‘n’ Blues street festival will be held Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m. The free event includes performances by local blues trio Matt Woods and The Thunderbolts (7 p.m.) and Des Moines-based Southern rockers 35 South (9 p.m.) A number of street vendors, including eateries, will be on-hand, and area stores will be open later than usual. … The Black Cat Café, which hosts live jazz, world beat and indie music, is organizing the first Friends of Ingersoll Festival to be held Saturday from 3 to 9 p.m. The event includes live music, local art and a silent auction, and will be held in the Black Cat’s parking lot, 3701 Ingersoll Ave. Admission is $5 for students, $7 for adults, and kids 10 and under are free. Call 255-9895. … The final round of competition for the 2008 Iowa Blues Challenge, co-sponsored by the Central Iowa Blues Society, will be held Saturday at 9 p.m. at the Hotel Fort Des Moines. The Avey Brothers, Soul Searchers and Smokin’ Mojo Kings will compete for the chance to represent Iowa at the 2009 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn., and a host of other prizes including cash and gigs. Admission is $10. … Iowa Public Radio’s “Backtracks,” hosted by Bob Dorr on Saturdays at 9 p.m., continues this weekend to air “Whole Lotta Shakin’”, a 10-part Peabody Award-winning series about rockabilly music produced by Lex Gillespie and narrated by Rosie Flores. Saturday night’s show is part two, “Get Rhythm,” a profile of Johnny Cash. The series began May 3 on IPR stations and continues May 31, June 14 and 28, July 12 and 26, Aug. 9 and 23 and Sept. 6. Visit www.iowapublicradio.org. … Faith Lutheran Church in Clive will celebrate the 15th anniversary of their Dobson Pipe Organ on Sunday with performances by 15-year-old Texas organ virtuoso Samuel Gaskin at 8:45 and 10 a.m. Admission is free. … Auditions for the 2008-2009 season of the Ames Children’s Choirs will be held May 22 through June 7. The program includes choirs for boys and girls ages 8-16 with unchanged voices. Call (515) 290-1422. … Local country singer Jason Brown releases this week his second album, “Living Off the Land.” … Veteran R&B band Kool and the Gang will play Valley Junction in West Des Moines at 5 p.m. as part of the community’s A-MAY-zing Days celebration. Gates open at 4 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance through Ticketmaster and $25 at the gate. Kids 12 and under are free with an adult. … KUNI will host a blues cruise with Bob Dorr and the Blue Band on June 6 at 7 p.m. The band will perform on the Spirit of Dubuque riverboat while it cruises the Mississippi River until 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $15. Call (800) 772-2440 or visit www.kuniradio.org. … Hosted by Step Into Swing, “First Saturday Swing Dance Live!” will be held June 7 at 5 p.m. at the Des Moines Ballroom. … Tommy Tutone (“867-5309”) plays a free show at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino June 13 at 10 p.m. … The U.S. Air Guitar Championships will be held June 14 at 9 p.m. at the House of Bricks. Admission is $12. … John Hiatt & the Ageless Beauties play June 29 at 7:30 p.m. at the Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines. Reserved and general admission tickets are $37.50 and on sale now through Ticketmaster and the ballroom’s box office. … Camp Euforia, a two-day festival hosted by jam band Euforquestra, will be held July 11-12 near Lone Tree. This year’s lineup includes more than 20 bands, such as Public Property, Cornmeal, Mr. Baber’s Neighbors, The Diplomats of Solid Sound and Bob Dorr and the Blue Band. A two-day pass costs $40. Visit www.campeuforia.com. … Classic rocker Ted Nugent plays the Val Air Ballroom on July 21. Tickets, $27.50, go on sale Friday through Ticketmatser and the ballroom. … The 515 Alive Urban Music & Arts Festival returns for a sixth year to downtown Des Moines on July 26. This year’s festival, which includes a number of DJs and bands, will be held on eight stages. Organizers are accepting submissions from artists who want to perform. Visit www.515alive.com for details. … Pollstar lists country music singer Wynonna to play Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino on Aug. 7. No word on tickets, yet. … Old school metal rockers Def Leppard round out the Iowa State Fair Grandstand lineup with a performance on Aug. 16 at 8 p.m. Tickets, $45, go on sale Saturday through Ticketmaster. … Reverend Horton Heat and Nashville Pussy play People’s Court on Dec. 11. … The Iowa Arts Council awarded 26 major arts and organizational grants totaling $194,600. The Des Moines Metro Opera received $8,500 to help them present 350 classroom workshops and more than 70 performances; and the Cedar Rapids-based Legion Arts received $8,500 to help produce the first Iowa World Music Festival in September. … KJJY’s morning traffic reporter Kourtney Hansen appears in country singer Jeremy McComb’s video “This Town Needs A Bar.” The two met when McComb hosted a morning show on KJJY and was looking for a “love interest” for the video when Kourtney, who is married, told him she was also an actress. … Legendary Chicago jazz saxophonist Franz Jackson, who was born in the Quad Cities and played with icons like Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton and Count Basie, died May 6 at the age of 95. CV

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