Designed to bring some serious swing into the summer, the John Deere Classic returns to Silvis' TPC at Deere Run from July 3 through 7, with this professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, in its 53rd year, enjoying coverage on the Golf Channel and CBS Sports, and featuring youth activities, clinics, and a climactic awards presentation.
One of the most-watched comedians on YouTube with more than a billion views and in excess of 25 million fans across social media, Gabriel Iglesias brings his signature comic stylings to Davenport's Rhythm City Casino Resort Event Center for two July 7 performances, the comedian having the distinct honor of being one of few to headline and sell-out Madison Square Garden in New York, Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
Delivering a blend of local history, environmental issues, education, entertainment, and fresh air, Davenport's River Action will present a series of outdoor presentations in the second month-plus of the annual Channel Cat Talks and Riverine Walks: weekly programs that, from July 9 through August 3, will address such topics as the music of jazz artists Bix Beiderbecke and Louie Bellson, Nahant Marsh, local lock-and-dam systems, and the majestic Quad City pelican.
Making its eagerly awaited July 11 through 13 return, the 44th Walcott Truckers Jamboree at the Iowa 80 Truck Stop will showcase more than 175 exhibits, displays, games, cookouts, fireworks, local and national country and rock musicians, and even a beauty contest for trucks in celebration of America's big rigs and those who drive them.
Presented as the latest event in the German American Heritage Center's popular “Kaffee und Kuchen” series, a little-considered genre of artwork will enjoy a healthy exploration by Katherine Hamilton-Smith in The Happy Invention: History & Significance of Picture Postcards, the July 14 discussion that offers a fascinating piece of cultural history that found its beginnings in Illinois.
During the last couple weeks of the spring state legislative session, Senate President Don Harmon got whacked twice by allies, including Governor JB Pritzker, but still managed to keep his cool.
As you’ve probably heard by now, Illinois Republican Party Chair Don Tracy announced his resignation last week, apparently effective the day after the Republican National Convention concludes on July 18.
“What was supposed to be a simple storage warehouse for the Metra transit agency has now buried the nation's fourth-busiest commuter rail system in a sinking money pit, the ABC7 I-Team has learned.” The Chicago broadcast station’s scoop last week is an almost perfect encapsulation of why northeastern Illinois’ mass-transit fiefdoms need to be busted and reformed.
A state law essentially designed to prevent Republicans from appointing legislative candidates to the ballot after the March primary was ruled unconstitutional by a Sangamon County judge last week, but her ruling only applied to the fourteen Republican plaintiffs in the case who are running for the Illinois House and Senate.
Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch gave added meaning to the phrase “winning ugly” during last Wednesday’s early-morning hours. I’ve never seen anything like it, so let’s take a look. House members were told to be in their seats by noon on Tuesday after the Senate had easily passed the entire budget package on Sunday.
If you’re looking for a high-energy musical set on and around Independence Day (nice timing there, folks!), you won’t regret spending the evening grooving In the Heights.
Mischa: Fun fact: I didn’t really ever get into “Don’t Stop Believin’” until I heard the Glee version.
K: That’s because you like all the obscure, hipster ’80s music. Normal people love Journey.
The Timber Lake Playhouse’s latest production, Anything Goes, is a freaking hoot and a wonderful time out in the woods for fans of laughter and dazzling musical-theatre numbers. Directed by Tommy Ranieri, this Cole Porter classic practically hums with all the energy radiating off stage. Featuring some killer tech, knockout performances, and more camp than you conceive, this is a summer crowd-pleaser to see.
Described by Variety magazine as “Disney's happiest outing since The Lion King” and by USA Today as a production of “easy infectiousness” and “youthful exuberance,” the Tony Award-winning Newsies: The Musical enjoys a July 5 through 14 run at Moline's Prospect Park Auditorium, with the talents of Quad City Music Guild treating family audiences to an energetic work the Hollywood Reporter said “adheres to a time-honored Disney tradition of inspirational storytelling in the best possible sense.”
In the classical-theatre organization's annual production dedicated to showcasing young talent, seven gifted high schoolers will present a workshop production of Genesius Guild's Sounds & Sweet Airs, the July 6 through 14 entertainment in Rock Island's Lincoln Park boasting songs, scenes, and soliloquies by the legendary William Shakespeare.
Their most recent recording Lightlessness Is Nothing New praised by Pitchfork as a work that "captures how absence can become a radiating presence that infiltrates and upends every aspect of life," the alternative rockers of Maps & Atlases headline a July 5 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, with AllMusic adding that the record finds its artists "remaining faithful to their past while eyeing their future."
With its 2024 lineup composed of touring headliners, Iowa City icons, Quad Cities favorites, and more, the Iowa City Jazz Festival (presented by GreenState Credit Union) returns from July 5 through 7, with three-time Grammy Award nominee Lakecia Benjamin headlining the nationally renowned Iowa City Jazz Festival that boasts music on two stages, culinary delights, artists, and activity booths, with free admission adjacent to the University of Iowa Pentacrest on Clinton Street and Iowa Avenue.
With the band's collection of top-five Billboard smashes including such albums as August & Everything After, Hard Candy, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings, and the chart-topping Recovering the Satellites, the Grammy-nominated alternative rockers of Counting Crows perform a July 6 engagement in the John Deere Classic's "Concerts on the Course" series, the artists also famed for such number-one hits as "Come Around," "Accidentally in Love," and "Mr. Jones."
Her 2024 singles including the hits "Country's Cool Again and "Go Home W U" (with Keith Urban), chart-topping country singer/songwriter Lainey Wilson performs a July 7 engagement in the John Deere Classic's "Concerts on the Course" series, the artist's number-one Billboard smashes including "Things a Man Oughta Know," "Heart Like a Truck," and "Wildflowers & Wild Horses."
Delivering an electrifying blend of metalcore, thrash, and death metal, the homegrown talents of Pit Lord headline the July 7 "Red, White, & Riffs: A QC Metal Fest" at Davenport's Redstone Room, the hard-rocking concert event also featuring sets by Xenospawn, Phantom Threat, Die First, Wyvern, and Braver Than I.
How disappointing to find the Manhattan populace in this Quiet Place prequel adhering to a silence-is-golden policy within what seems like minutes of the first alien assault, and to find Day One subsequently adhering, essentially, to the same narrative blueprint as before.
Going to the cineplex or staying in and streaming this weekend? Every Thursday morning at 8:15 a.m. you can listen to Mike Schulz dish on recent movie releases & talk smack about Hollywood celebs on Planet 93.9 FM with the fabulous Dave & Darren in the Morning team of Dave Levora and Darren Pitra. The morning crew previews upcoming releases, too.
Or you can check the Reader Web site and listen to their latest conversation by the warm glow of your electronic device. Never miss a pithy comment from these three scintillating pundits again.
Thursday, June 27: Discussion of The Bikeriders, The Exorcism, and Thelma, and previews of A Quiet Place: Day One, Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1, and a few Netflix titles. The guys are taking next Thursday off, as well as the Thursday after that, so plan on there being muuuuuuch to chat about on July 18th.
If you're still coming down from the sexy, full-throttle charisma assault of Luca Guadagnino's Challengers, you'll likely be lifted right back up with writer/director Jeff Nichols' The Bikeriders, which equals that tennis-throuple melodrama in allure and watchability – and co-stars Mike Faist, to boot.
Easily Pixar's most satisfying entertainment of the decade, it's imaginative, thoughtful, and touching, and if nothing here rips your heart out in the manner of Bing Bong (thank God), you might find yourself laughing even harder than you did during the 2015 classic. The original had almost everything, but it didn't have a French-accented emotion named Ennui, nor a riotous 2D dog and his ambulatory fanny pack.
New works by a pair of gifted Iowa artisans will be decorating the Quad City Arts International Airport Gallery through July 1, with thoughtful and arresting pieces in the Schafer & Rocca exhibit showcasing the talents of oil painter John Paul Schafer of Cedar Rapids and wall-sculpture artist Kimberlee Rocca of Solon.
Arresting shapes, bold designs, and beautiful photographs in both color and black-or-white will be showcased at the Quad City Arts International Airport Gallery from July 3 through August 26, this latest exhibition featuring works of photography by Brad Perkins and Mark Weller alongside ceramic sculpture by Laura Vincent-Arnold.
The whimsical world of Walter Wick has fascinated people of all ages since 1992, when his first children's book series I Spy found its way onto the bookshelves of millions of American households. And from July 6 through November 17, admirers of the artist can delight to his elaborate images in Walter Wick: Hidden Wonders!, a dazzling collection of dozens of colorful wonders on display at Davenport's Figge Art Museum.
Held in conjunction with the dazzling collection of colorful wonders on display in Walter Wick: Hidden Wonders!, Davenport's Figge Art Museum will host an exclusive Member Reception for the artist on July 17 and an Artist Talk with Wick on July 18, free events featuring the talent who has fascinated people of all ages since 1992, when his first children's-book series I Spy landed on the bookshelves of millions of American households.
Arresting blasts of color and trenchant themes will both be on display at the Quad City Arts Center from June 28 through August 9, with the Rock Island venue, in its summer exhibition Danyluk & Goodvin, treating patrons to the exquisite oil paintings of Chantal Danyluk and screen prints of Kate Goodvin.
You'll get both the current official narrative challenge and What's Happenin' in the Quad Cities.
(Did you know we publish a new Amy Alkon Advice Goddess, Real Astrology, Red Meat cartoon and RCR Crossword every week?)
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