Check It:

The concert calendar is packed and there are going to be some amazing shows worth checking out right in our own back yard.On Nov. 24, Soulfly will be rocking People’s Court in Des Moines with Incite, Bleed the Sky, and Facecage. The show starts at 6:15 p.m., and tickets are available for $20 through www.iowatix.com.Nine Inch Nails is coming to the Mid America Center in Council Bluffs Nov. 26. This is a don’t miss show. Tickmaster outlets are selling seats to this 7 p.m. show for around $40.Snot and 10 Years will be opening for Mudvayne at the Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines on Nov. 28. Tickets are only $26, and to avoid Ticketmaster’s additional processing fee, nab your stubs from the Val Air Box Office.The December concert forecast includes Lazer 103.3’s Not So Silent Night featuring Hinder and Trapt at Val Air. Also, Staind, Seether, and Papa Roach will be blowing up McElroy Auditorium in Waterloo. Keep in mind Trans-Siberian Orchestra at Wells Fargo Arena. Trans-Siberian is certainly a bang for your buck if you are into killer light shows, electrifying guitar riffs, and did I mention a million-dollar light show?

FlashBack:

After making it big in 1965 in England by appearing on “Ready Steady Go!” Donovan, a young singer/songwriter from Scotland, began grabbing the attention of American music buffs. Toping charts until 1970, he was the first British Invasion product deemed a true flower child, and one of few musicians to collaborate with The Beatles. With backup set players such as The Rolling Stones’ guitarist Ron Wood, Donovan wrote unforgettable songs such as “Museum,” later covered by Herman’s Hermits. Focusing on folk and psychedelic rock, some of his best known songs include “Sunshine Superman,” “Mellow Yellow,” and “The Hurdy Gurdy Man.”If you are interested is seeing a true product of the free-loving Sixties and your parents aren’t doing the trick, Donovan is still kicking, it having released albums in 1990 and 1998. Check him out if you are craving a good “Day Tripper” song.

Road Trip:

Reggie’s Sleepout is a charity and volunteer event going on at Drake Stadium the weekend of Nov. 14-15 from 4 p.m. on Friday until Saturday at 7 a.m. It’s supposed to simulate homelessness, because the night of the event you sleep in a cardboard box with a team that you put together.Proceeds benefit Iowa Homeless Youth Centers and the Des Moines Area Religious Council. Admission is free. Last year 800 people participatied and raised $138,000. For more information, call (515) 249-1475.

The Dish:

According to desmoinesbeat.com, Taki Japanese Steakhouse is rated as the best restaurant in Des Moines. It’s open till 10 p.m. during the week and 11 p.m. on the weekends. It touts an amazing sushi selection and a great overall place for dinner!Sambetti’s, the second best restaurant in Des Moines, has a menu that goes beyond bar and grill standards and includes homemade soups, barbecued ribs, fried chicken, spaghetti, steaks, pizza and many sandwich choices. The atmosphere is casual and friendly.