Des Moines City Councilman Josh Mandelbaum, who is in his first term, is trying to tackle the full range of city issues, according to his newsletter: adding sidewalks along to-be-renovated Fleur Drive, what to do with the Argonne Armory, and how to encourage all-ages music shows around town. 

Let’s focus on that last one for a minute.

The city has an ordinance that requires all-ages venues to generate more than half their revenue from something other than alcohol sales. 

Mandelbaum notes that smaller venues that are trying to keep ticket prices low have trouble with that requirement. “Updating our all-ages music ordinance to create more venues and options for local artists while expanding the audience for live music is one step that the city can take to enhance our music scene,” Mandelbaum wrote in his newsletter. 

“Des Moines could support all ages music by changing our ordinance that currently requires an all ages venue to generate 50 percent or more of its revenue from non-alcoholic sales. This works for a venue that charges high dollars for tickets, but it does not work for a smaller venue with lower dollar shows.”

It would make more sense, Mandelbaum writes, to think about how a venue is set up for shows than whether it sells a lot of booze or not. 

“Our ordinance should focus more on the purpose of the venue than alcohol sales. We can do this by removing the alcohol sale requirement and increasing requirements related to the music purpose including that the venue host at least 150 ticketed shows per year, have an employee dedicated to booking shows, and have an installed and dedicated stage. These are all markers of a music venue that should be able to have a crowd of all ages.”

Being kinder to young music fans “in turn has a positive economic and cultural impact. It supports venues that make our community unique and vibrant,” Mandelbaum contends. “The addition of those venues helps create vibrant corridors and neighborhood hot spots and supports neighboring business.”

Mandelbaum said he will continue to work on solutions.