A group of ten musicians and artists from the Pikes Peak region is preparing to open The Iowa, a fully artist-owned listening room at 734 N. 19th St. in Colorado Springs, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette. The venue is expected to open no later than early January and will focus on curated performances by internationally touring acts paired with local musicians.
The Gazette reports that managing owner Jeremy Quentin, an indie folk musician, said the venue will not operate as a traditional bar with background music but as a dedicated listening room. Quentin said the cooperative ownership model using microloans made the project feasible, with co-owners including Rence Seyb, Don Goede, Kiersten Wenthold, Ethan Gould, Malachi Price and Anthony Ruptak.
The venue occupies a space that previously housed Laura Belles bar and, more recently, Uptown Bar & Grill. Quentin told the Gazette the renovation aims to revive the Laura Belles aesthetic, with natural wood and a sunken bar uncovered during construction.
A benefit fundraiser, Field Day, is scheduled Saturday at Soda Springs Park and Armadillo Ranch in Manitou Springs, featuring Shadow Work, Moon Veil, Dear Rabbit, Nautiloid, Moth Season and Xanthe Alexis. The Gazette reports Quentin said the Westside currently lacks a single ticketed venue, leaving fewer performance and revenue opportunities for musicians compared with Denver.
For more information, visit gazette.com.
