Des Moines Concert Calendar: Upcoming Shows, Artists & Tickets

Arena versus theater: matching scale to experience

Casey’s Center is an arena at 730 3rd Street with an advertised capacity of 17,000. Concert configurations can differ from the arrangements used for its sports and family events. Look at the floor plan and ticket descriptions for the particular show, rather than assuming that an arena ticket includes a particular seat or standing area.

Hoyt Sherman Place seats 1,252 across a main floor and balcony in a theater built in 1923 and restored in 2003. Its program includes concerts, comedy, dance and spoken word. The property also has mansion and gallery spaces; use the theater guide and the details for the performance you are considering.

The Civic Center’s Main Hall seats 2,762 and hosts concerts alongside touring Broadway and special presentations. It is the performance home of the Des Moines Symphony. Stoner Theater is a separate black-box space in the same building; its ticketed presentations use their own room arrangement.

Standing clubs and listening rooms

Wooly’s opened in 2012 at 504 East Locust Street in the East Village and presents genre-diverse live music. Most shows use general admission standing room, while some offer booths or tables. It serves drinks but not food. Review the show’s age limit and ask the box office about access arrangements before choosing a ticket.

xBk Live is a small performing arts venue and listening room at 1159 24th Street in Drake/Dogtown. Its general admission area and restrooms are accessible, while the mezzanine is stairs-only. The venue has an all-ages policy and requires ID for alcohol. Check the ticket area and event details rather than assuming the whole room has step-free access.

How to choose the right concert format

Read the event title carefully. A tribute performance, a concert by the original artist and a themed music event can use familiar names in different ways. Choose the actual performance that interests you rather than relying on a title fragment or a venue’s general reputation.

Decide whether you need a reserved seat or are comfortable with standing admission, then compare what is offered for that show. A venue may offer different arrangements on different dates. For a group, agree on the performance and ticket area before making separate purchases.

Check the concert catalog to compare dates, then visit individual venue pages for parking, accessibility services and entry procedures. The catalog does not promise real-time seat availability, so open the ticketing link when you are ready to purchase.

Parking and accessibility across venues

The Civic Center connects by skywalk to the Third & Court garage. The Fourth & Grand garage offers an alternative, and metered street parking operates Monday through Saturday, 9 AM to 9 PM. Fees vary by location and duration.

Civic Center events include wheelchair seating, assistive listening and selected ASL or audio-described performances. Services are date-specific, so contact the venue at 515-246-2300 or [email protected] to confirm availability for your chosen show. Stoner Theater uses the Ticket Office entrance on the southwest corner; verify the entrance before arriving.

At Wooly’s, contact the box office about a chair, early entry or another accommodation. At xBk, the accessible general admission area and restrooms are separate from the stairs-only mezzanine. Use the venue’s visitor information to discuss the arrangements you need before selecting an area.

Broadening your event search

The Des Moines concert calendar focuses on ticketed performances. If you want a street festival, a free outdoor series or a neighborhood event around the same weekend, Catch Des Moines covers a broader range of regional activities. Use both resources when building an itinerary that mixes a headlining concert with daytime plans.

Browse sports, theatre and comedy if live music does not fill your entire visit. Casey's Center schedules professional hockey, basketball and indoor football alongside concerts, and the Civic Center rotates between Broadway tours and symphonic programs. Combining event types lets you see more of what Des Moines offers without limiting your calendar to a single genre.

Before you head out

Questions, answered