About

FAQ

Where can I purchase tickets?

Tickets can be purchased on this website or through our See Tickets Page HERE!

Do I need a photo ID to get in?

xBk is an all ages venue, HOWEVER you will need to present an ID to the door person if you wish to purchase and consume any alcoholic beverages.

What is/isn’t allowed inside?

xBk is a safe place for people of all ages and backgrounds. 

  • No weapons of any kind.
  • No outside beverages.
  • No drugs or illicit substances.
  • No smoking inside the venue.
  • No unauthorized/unlicensed vending, soliciting, handbills, sampling, or giveaways.
  • All served beverages must remain inside the venue and side patio area.
  • No flash photography.
  • No moshing, crowd-surfing, or stage diving.
  • No pets allowed.
  • No backpacks or large bags. Small purses and fanny packs allowed but subject to search.
  • Security reserves the right to search bags, perform pat-down checks, and refuse/revoke entry at their discretion. These reasons include intoxication, disturbing hygiene, engaging in hate speech, belligerent or noncompliant behavior, acts or threats of violence, disturbing other guests, etc.

Any individuals communicating hate speech, inciting violence, or participating in any activities which do not conform to the inclusive, diverse, and tolerant mission of xBk will be removed from the premises.

Does xBk serve food and drinks?

xBk may kick up its grill on occasion but it does not generally serve food. However, we absolutely encourage you to visit our neighbors Dough Co Pizza, Mars Cafe, Gursha, Lucky Horse, Rico’s, Drake Diner and the other great businesses throughout the Drake Neighborhood. Our preference is for you to enjoy your meal at these fine location and not bring your food to the venue.

xBk offers a premium selection of liquors by the pour, wine and beer on tap, as well as domestic canned beers for those less adventurous palettes.

Are you handicap accessible?

Our General Admission section meets ADA requirements, and we have ADA accessible restrooms.  Our mezzanine, however, is only accessible by stairs.  If you require certain accommodations, please don’t hesitate to reach out to info@xbklive.com. We’re here to provide you with the best possible live entertainment experience.

Is there re-entry?

No re-entry for those patrons under 21. Those 21+ may re-enter with a handstamp/wristband.

Is there car or bike parking?

Both off-street and on-street parking are available as well as bike racks.  Space is limited, however, so please consider walking or carpooling.

Can I take photos and videos?

All photography must be approved by the performers prior to the show.  If a performer has requested a limitation on photography, the limitation will be addressed and posted in both the info for the show itself, as well as at the venue on the day of the event.  Absolutely no videotaping is allowed without the express written consent of both the performers and management at xBk.

In the event an individual chooses to ignore these rules, they will receive one and only one warning, after which they will be asked to leave without a refund.

Is there a lost and found?

Yes, please contact management if you’ve lost something at xBk.

Open tab policy

All open tabs left at the bar after closing will be charged to the credit/debit card on file along with an 20% gratuity.

Is xBk available for rentals?

Yes.  xBk is available for a variety of rental needs. As a 250 capacity room, we provide state of the art tech, kind and responsive staff, and flexibility to meet your needs. If you’re interested in renting xBk, please fill out and submit the rental inquiry form on our CONTACT US page.

Can my band play at xBk?

Absolutely!  Here at xBk we’re dedicated to bringing Des Moines the absolute highest quality of local, regional, national, and international acts.  You can bring a full bill to us for booking or we can assist you in building a bill.  Ticket prices and show times are determined by night of the week and expected draw, we prefer to keep all shows to three separate acts or fewer.  Our one request to our performers is to make this space your own, make your show unique so that it stands out from the crowd- xBk is no ordinary rock club, take advantage of it and get weird!

In order to be considered for a performance slot at xBk, please fill out and submit the booking inquiry form on our CONTACT US page no less than eight weeks prior to your anticipated show date. One of our talent bookers will reach out to confirm the show, if the date is available.  Please have the following ready to submit when contacted by our staff:

-EPK including contact information, social media links, website, bio, endorsements/sponsorships, statistical information of fans/followers;

-Artwork and promo images;

-A tour calendar or schedule;

-Previous regional show attendance and anticipated attendance;

-Unique live show concept (if applicable)

-Links to two recorded tracks; and

-A live performance sample or video

Please note that we are a small operation and we may not be able to respond to every inquiry, your best chance at hearing from us is to reach out early.

Tech Specs

Audio Console

Midas PRO2C connected to 48 channel DL251
stagebox via AES50

Main PA

Two (2) L’Acoustics ARCS WIDE
Two (2) L’Acoustics ARCS FOCUS

Subwoofers

Four (4) L’Acoustics SB18m

Balcony Fills

Three (3) Tannoy AMS 6DC

Stage Monitors

Five (5) EV ETX 12P 2000W
● Individual mixes

Amplifiers

Two (2) L’Acoustics LA4X
One (1) Lab Gruppen Lucia 240/2

Microphones

SM58
SM57
D112
Sennheiser 604
SM81
ULXD2/B58

Direct Inputs

One (1) Whirlwind Direct2 Stereo DI
Four (4) Whirlwind HotBox Active Reference

Recording

2-channel stereo via Focusrite Scarlett 18i20
● $50 mixed stereo output
24 channels via Klark Teknik DN9630 AES50
to USB Converter
● $10 per channel
● Inquire about additional post-production services and pricing

Video Streaming

“Big Room” artificial intelligence video
switching subject detection camera system
Three (3) AIDA UHD6G-X12L 4K POV cameras
One (1) Blackmagic DeckLink Quad HDMI
Recorder
● $200 for video recorded show

Stage Lighting Console

High-End Systems Hoglet 4 controlling Hog 4
PC software

Fixtures

Four (4) Chauvet Intimidator Spot 260 LED
Six (6) ADJ Ultra Hex Bar 12 LED
Four (4) Blizzard Stiletto Z6 LED
Four (4) ETC Source 4

Fazer

Antari Z-350 Fazer

Projector

Eiki LC-X85 3LCD+One 7000 ANSI Lumens
● Accepts VGA (HDMI adapter available),
DVI, BNC, RCA, and S-Video

xBk Code of Conduct

The owners and staff at xBk strive to create a safe, diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for everyone that walks through our doors.  We know that we don’t always do it right, but we have made the commitment to always try to do better.  This starts with us outlining our values and being open to hearing yours.  Our job is to provide a great experience for the artists and patrons that come into our room. To that end, these are the things we hold to be important:

We want everyone that walks through our doors to feel safe no matter your race, religion, ability, sexual orientation, gender, or otherwise. We welcome everyone and are committed to making sure you feel comfortable being the “you” that you are!  We have a zero tolerance policy for bigotry, harassment or discrimination.  We know not everyone holds the same views, but everyone came to xBk to have a good experience.  Please just let people enjoy themselves.  

And though it should be very self evident, please keep your hands to yourself.  I promise, if a person doesn’t know you, they probably don’t want you touching them beyond a gentle tap to ask to get by. 

Please be respectful to our staff.  They work very hard to make sure you have the best possible live event experience possible.   They are here to make sure you have a good time, but they are also human beings that deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.  Just because they are serving you doesn’t mean they are a servant.

Our staff is also here to ensure you feel safe.  If you feel unsafe for any reason, please seek out the closest staff member and let us know. You should not have to endure harassment, bigotry, or unwanted comments. 

We want you to have fun and enjoy your cocktails, but we do reserve the right to stop serving you if we can see you are significantly impaired.  We’re not trying to be a fun hater, we just want to make sure you make it home safely so you can come back again.  Also, if you’ve had too much to drink, don’t drive.  It’s just not worth it.  We’re happy to help you find a safe way home.

Please respect the space. People have to clean the place up so just don’t be super gross or destroy things.  It’s not cool.

And finally, but certainly not least, we exist because artists choose to share their talents on our stage.  We have great respect for the time, dedication, and work they put into their craft and we feel our patrons come to our venue because they share that same respect.  If the show is a “listening” style show, please refrain from talking during the performance and turn off your cell phone. If it’s a loud show, we want you to dance and cheer and have a great time, but we also hope you choose to live in the experience.  It’s fine to take a picture or two, but please give your attention to the stage, not to your device. It’s distracting and do we REALLY go back and look at those blurry photos or selfies?

Please have fun. Please enjoy your experience. Please be kind.