dsmWeekly - October 1, 2025

This summer, I returned to a passion that has been with me for more than 60 years: The Beatles. I spent five days at Oxford University in England, immersed in a course dedicated entirely to the music, history and cultural impact of the Fab Four — including Sir Paul McCartney, who’s coming to town for an Oct. 14 concert at Casey’s Center.

What began as a youthful admiration after watching The Beatles perform on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in February 1964 has grown into a lifelong connection. And this course offered a rare opportunity to explore that passion in depth.

Through lectures, discussions and listening sessions, I examined The Beatles not just as musicians but as artists who reshaped the cultural landscape of the 20th century. It was a nostalgic journey, an intellectual and emotional deep dive into why their music still matters and why my love for it remains as strong as ever.

Twelve men and women from around the world — Australia, Spain, the United States — came together through the Oxford Experience lifelong learning program at Oxford’s Christ Church College to listen, learn and share thoughts and stories about the amazing foursome from Liverpool. One gentleman from Los Angeles personally knew John Lennon during his “lost years” in L.A. in the ’70s and often ate dinner with him. Another man had seen The Beatles in concert at Shea Stadium in New York and Candlestick Park in San Francisco. An Aussie member of our group played in a Beatles cover band. And yours truly loves their music, decorates our home in Beatles-inspired art and even named our dog Rigby in honor of “Eleanor Rigby.”

Our professor was an instructor at Oxford, a musician and the author of several instrumental educational books, including a couple that explained how to play the chords for all The Beatles’ music. (He really knew his stuff.) He encouraged us to read two books before the class: one that reviewed every Beatles song, and the other about Great Britain during the ’60s and how its social changes helped amplify the band’s success.

From the moment I stepped onto the 500-year-old campus of Christ Church College, the atmosphere was warm and friendly. Dorm rooms were sparse but livable. We ate all our meals in the college’s Great Hall, which was the model for the Great Hall (pictured) in all the Harry Potter movies.

While I could say the best part of the class was “no final exam,” I did leave with a deeper knowledge and appreciation about how the music business has evolved and how the remaining Beatles, Paul and Ringo, continue to remaster and remix the original songs and tapes. And even more important, how we can continue to enjoy their music in a variety of ways for decades to come. Yeah, yeah, yeah!

Susan Voss, a former Iowa insurance commissioner, serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards and often sings the national anthem (at a brisk tempo) at public events.

From left, Nick, Kevin and Joe Jonas are coming to the Casey's Center. (Photo: Paula Littky)

BEST BET

Twenty years of JoBros magic

Pop quiz! The Jonas Brothers' tour has included which of these surprise guests for special performances? (a) Demi Lovato, (b) John Legend, (c) Hanson or (d) Machine Gun Kelly.

The answer? Actually, all of the above, and more. The brothers — Kevin, Joe and Nick — have welcomed a new surprise guest at almost every show since their “JONAS20: Greetings From Your Hometown,” tour kicked off in August. It’s anyone’s guess who might join them when they take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Casey's Center.

During the concert, the JoBros will perform their 20-year musical journey from breakout hits like “Year 3000” and solo work to their latest releases like “I Can’t Lose.” The opening act is the early 2000s rock band Boys Like Girls, so prepare to be fully transported to the early aughts.

The Week Ahead

Healthiest State Walk, 5-7 tonight, Water Works Park. Join Iowans statewide with a walk through the Arie den Boer Arboretum, enjoy live music and free food, and soak up the good weather while it lasts.

Mainframe First Friday, 5-8 p.m. Friday, Mainframe Studios. “Inktober” is upon us, and it’s spilling into the local art scene with this month’s First Friday’s exhibition theme: “Pen & Ink.”

Civic Music Association’s Centennial, 6 p.m. Friday, Des Moines Heritage Center. The local Belin Quartet performs the world premiere by Matthew Quayle during a Roaring ’20s-themed party to kick off the association’s centennial concert season.

“Cirque De Oz,” 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Cirque Wonderland Studios. Experience the wicked tricks of the Cirque Wonderland students as they explore the land of Oz through a narrative circus performance.

Superhero Heart Run, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sunday, Raccoon River Park. Get your blood pumping and heartbeat racing with the annual 5K or 1-mile run to raise awareness about congenital heart disease.

Il Divo, 5 p.m. Sunday, Hoyt Sherman Place. The versatile men’s vocal quartet has performed classical crossover tunes for the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup — and now Des Moines.

Empire building: The Empire is set to open Thursday in the old Fong’s spot on Fourth Street. It will serve coffee and pastries, $5-$11 lunches, dinner and drinks. Read all about it in the Business Record.

Eden’s new era: Eden, the Des Moines apothecary and boutique spa, has been purchased by Eva Anderson, an entrepreneur and design enthusiast with a global background in fashion and retail. Founded by Jen Hansen and later expanded by Hannah Krause, the East Village shop is known for its luxurious spa services and curated selection of self-care products. Anderson plans to honor that legacy while introducing lifestyle items that bring “beauty and joy into everyday life.” Read more from Axios.

Water sculpture: Clive has commissioned “Aquatic Dance,” a 27-foot kinetic sculpture designed by Toronto-based Studio F Minus, to serve as a gateway and “lighthouse” along the Greenbelt Trail. It will be made of more than 800 aluminum paddles shaped like waves and fish to reflect the movement and power of water. Funded by NCMIC, Bravo Greater Des Moines and ICON Water Trails, the sculpture is set for installation next spring. Studio F Minus artist Brad Hinson visited Clive during a reception Tuesday to discuss the project.

By Hailey Evans

Mikal Blaise Settle loves the hustle — literally, when he’s training cardio, and figuratively, when he pursues his entrepreneurial endeavors. (He also loves the rapper Nipsey Hussle.)

At 28, he’s built a successful brand from a personal passion for fitness. Blaise Training Never Settle, a mashup of his middle and last names, is based on his philosophy to “blaze your own path and ignite your own fire, never settle for less, and always be learning and cultivating abundance.” Under the brand, he sells his own line of athletic wear and offers personal training.

As many other entrepreneurs will tell you, it can be tough to overcome roadblocks when you’re running a business yourself. There’s always something else that needs doing but never enough time to do it. But ever since launching the brand in 2020, Settle has learned that his growth mindset in the gym often carries over in his work. These are his three MVTs, most valued tips:

Choose your goal and trust the process. Remember: “When you sign up for a goal, you also sign up for the struggle,” Settle said. Powering through the struggle, he said, is what ultimately leads to the biggest gains and best wins.
Ask for help. Sometimes you need to ask for a spotter, at the weight rack and beyond. It’s OK if you don’t have all the skills you need right away, Settle said, because you can learn along the way. His logo includes an infinity sign because “it’s all an ongoing journey,” he said.
Find meaningful motivation. Settle tries to strike the right balance of outer and inner motivation to stay inspired. He said if you’re relying only on external validation, you’ll lose that drive as soon as others start to critique you. But if you rely only on yourself to stay accountable, any inevitable bad days can get you down. So don’t put all your eggs in one basket — or all your weights on one rack.

Settle draws some of his motivation from his family. “I’m the oldest of six siblings, so I feel that responsibility to be great for them,” he said. “When I think about how my success is going to help other people or inspire them, it becomes greater than me and I feel that push to continue.”

And his personal mantra when he needs a little extra push: “This year I will never give up.”

We’ve got a busy few weeks coming up, and you’re invited to all the action.
Oct. 9: ia unveiling. Get the first look at our annual statewide magazine at Bank Iowa in West Des Moines.
Nov. 5: dsm unveiling. Celebrate our final print issue of the year with snacks, drinks and live entertainment at Wesley on Grand.
Nov. 11: Sages Over 70. We’ll honor Greg Edwards, Christine Hensley, Terry Rich, Bob Stewart, Rick Tollakson, and Marcia Wanamaker at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny.
Nov. 18: Lifting the Veil virtual panel. The next installment of our ongoing series about mental health explores challenges at every stage of life, with special guests to discuss new motherhood, sensory spaces, coping with anxiety and more.