Like Father, Like Son
A.J. Croce pays tribute to his legendary folk and rock singer father, Jim Croce, during the “Croce Plays Croce 50th Anniversary Tour” concert on Nov. 15 at Hoyt Sherman Place, where you’ll hear the son’s spin on hits like “Operator,” “Time in a Bottle” and “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown.” The elder Croce and five others died in a plane crash a half-century ago on Sept. 20, the day before the release of his hit single “I Got a Name.” Photo of A.J. Croce (left): Joshua Black Wilkins. Photo of Jim Croce (right): Paul Wilson. hoytsherman.org
Northern Exposure
When was the last time you saw a musical by a Nobel laureate? The national tour of Bob Dylan’s “Girl from the North Country” visits the Des Moines Civic Center Nov. 28 through Dec. 3 to tell the Depression-era story of a few ragtag souls who cross paths at a boarding house in Dylan’s native Duluth. Twenty of his songs stitch together their stories of pain, poverty, mental illness and, ultimately, salvation in a show the New York Times called “ravishing.” Photo: Matthew Murphy. dmpa.org
Old World Charm
A holiday tradition with roots in the Middle Ages continues into its seventh century here in Iowa. The popular Christkindlmarket, which started in Vienna or Munich around 1300, returns Nov. 30 through Dec. 3 to Principal Park, where you’ll find polka bands, choirs, bell ringers and traditional wooden stalls selling handmade gifts, goodies and drinks. christkindlmarketdsm.com
Silent Night, Stille Nacht
In the run-up to Christmas in 1914, just five months into the First World War, soldiers on both sides of the Western Front laid down their guns, took a deep breath and emerged from the trenches to greet one another during the so-called Christmas Truce. They exchanged trinkets, played a few games and sang carols in German, French and English until they had to return to the routine and resume the war. (The British and German troops pictured here were photographed on Christmas Day near Ploegsteert, Belgium.) More than a century later, a musical called “All is Calm” retells the true story in the soldiers’ own words and songs Dec. 1-17 at the Des Moines Playhouse. Photo: Imperial War Museum, London. dmplayhouse.com
Historic Hoops
Caitlin Clark, the whirlwind from West Des Moines, leads the Hawkeye women’s basketball team against Cleveland State on Dec. 16 at Wells Fargo Arena, where the Hawkeye men take on Florida A&M. Tickets for the Iowa Basketball Doubleheader sold out months ago, but it won’t be hard to find a flat screen tuned to the games. We recommend Big Grove Brewery or the Iowa Taproom, where you can holler your heart out and/or hold your breath as necessary. Photo: University of Iowa. hawkeyesports.com
