Music
Amadeus Trio
Augustana College
Saturday, March 15, 7:30 p.m.
On March 15, the latest guests in Quad City Arts' Visiting Artists series will present their public concert at Augustana College's Wallenberg Hall, and all I can say to that is: Rock me, Amadeus! Or rather: Chamber-music me, Amadeus! (With apologies to Falco for rescinding the plug.)
Yet Quad City Arts hasn't exhumed Mr. Mozart for a week's worth of educational-outreach programs and the Augustana booking. Instead, it has secured the talents of violinist Timothy Baker, pianist Hiroko Sasaki, and cellist David Teie, three exceptional artists who, together, compose the Amadeus Trio.
Since making its Lincoln Center debut in 1992, this impassioned chamber collective has delighted classical-music lovers from Los Angeles' Ambassador Auditorium to New York's Carnegie Hall, and has amassed sensational reviews in the process; the Los Angeles Times calls the Amadeus Trio "a world-class ensemble," while the Toronto Star describes the outfit as "a powerhouse American chamber group." As local audiences will soon see and hear, Baker, Sasaki, and Teie also have a gift for making incredibly challenging, even intimidating classical pieces sound as though playing them were the simplest things in the world.
And happily, several of those pieces can be heard with one simple mouse-click! To prep for the performers' area visit, and to test your own classical-music chops, try matching the following AmadeusPianoTrio.com recordings with the descriptions provided by the group's Web site.
1) Arensky Trio in D minor, Op. 65
2) Ravel Trio in A minor
3) Smetana Trio in G minor, Op. 15
4) Haydn Trio in C major, Hob. XV, 27
5) Brahms Trio No. 2 in C major, Op. 87
A) "glittering, very fast lighthearted romp"
B) "very moving work with an explosive ending"
C) "darkly, beautifully romantic and very virtuostic"
D) "shimmeringly beautiful music"
E) "grand, sunny, robust, and at times touching"
For more information on the Amadeus Trio's area residency, call (309)793-1213 or visit QuadCityArts.com.
Answers: 1 - C, 2 - D, 3 - B, 4 - A, 5 - E. That description is also perfectly befitting of me. Although I'm trying really hard to stop touching people.
Music
L.A. Guns
Rascals Live
Friday, March 7, 9 p.m.
L.A. Guns are coming to Moline. And by that, I mean that the rockers of L.A. Guns will be performing a concert at Moline's Rascals Live on March 7. I absolutely do not mean that my third-cousin is arriving from California with illegal arms in the trunk of his car. I mean, why would you ever think that? I never said that! And I hardly ever talk to the guy anyway!
A-a-a-a-anyhoo, since its formation in 1983 - and during the band's many iterations in subsequent years - L.A. Guns has been a popular staple of the hard-rock scene, serving up two gold-selling albums and one platinum-selling LP, and wowing concert-goers with fiery, thrilling numbers from such Billboard hits as Man in the Moon, Acoustic Gypsies, and Cocked & Loaded.
Currently composed of vocalist Phil Lewis, guitarist Michael Grant, bassist Scott Griffin, and percussionist Steve Riley, L.A. Guns' Rascals set is sure to be a hard-rock blast for newbies and longtime fans alike. If you're among the latter, just how well do you know the group's discography? Let's find out by having you fill in the missing words in this quintet of L.A. Guns album titles.
1) American _____
2) Covered in _____
3) Hollywood _____
4) Tales from the _____
5) Vicious _____
A) Circle
B) Guns
C) Hardcore
D) Strip
E) Vampires
L.A. Guns plays Rascals Live with an opening set by Halo of Flies, and more information on the night is available by calling (309)797-9457 or visiting RascalsLive.com.
Answers: 1 - C, 2 - B, 3 - E, 4 - D, 5 - A. Of course, if L.A. Guns re-recorded all those albums placing "Vampires" in the titles, the band could dominate the tween-girl market for decades.
Theatre
The Secret Garden
Playcrafters Barn Theatre
Friday, March 14, through Sunday, March 23
From March 14 through 23, Moline's Playcrafters Barn Theatre is inviting family audiences to forget about the winter chill by escaping into the sunny, glorious, magical land of The Secret Garden. I had a college friend who had a secret garden, too, but families were definitely not allowed to visit.
Based on the beloved children's novel by British author Frances Hodges Burnett - a work first published in serialized form in 1910 - playwright Pamela Sterling's adaptation (one different from the 1991 musical version) concerns the young orphan Mary Lennox, a lonely girl who finds a world of enchantment hidden behind the locked doors of her uncle's Yorkshire home. And this saga of secrets, family, friendship, and the human spirit will surely boast added enchantment in Playcrafters' production, which will find director Donna Weeks guiding a cast that features the gifted young Emma Terronez as Mary, in addition to an ensemble including such familiar area talents as Patti Flaherty, Tyler Henning, Chris Zayner, Bill Peiffer, Ben Klocke, and Jack Sellers.
Young readers have been enraptured by The Secret Garden for a century-plus now - a 2007 online poll by the National Education Association named it one of "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children" - but how well do you recall this timeless tale? Find out by matching the following Secret Garden characters with their descriptions.
1) Archibald Craven
2) Dickon Sowerby
3) Ben Weatherstaff
4) Colin Craven
5) Dr. Craven
A) the sickly boy whom Mary befriends
B) Mary's uncle
C) the man who administers pain relief
D) brother to Mary's maid
E) an elderly gardener
The Secret Garden plays at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)762-0330 or visiting Playcrafters.com.
Answers: 1 - B, 2 - D, 3 - E, 4 - 4, 5 - C. Funny. That latter description applied to my college buddy, too.
Theatre
Million Dollar Quartet
Adler Theatre
Sunday, March 16, 7 p.m.
Million Dollar Quartet, the Tony-winning Broadway smash whose American tour lands at Davenport's Adler Theatre on March 16, is a musical dramatization of the real-life, largely unknown recording session that transpired among Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley, and features its leading singers/instrumentalists performing live renditions of the rock 'n' roll icons' greatest mid-1950s hits.
You couldn't possibly require more information to determine whether to get tickets or not. So ... on to the quiz! Try matching the following Million Dollar Quartet numbers with the artists who made them famous.
1) "Hound Dog"
2) "I Walk the Line"
3) "Real Wild Child"
4) "See You Later, Alligator"
5) "Sixteen Tons"
6) "That's All Right"
7) "Who Do You Love"
8) "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' on"
A) Johnny Cash
B) Jerry Lee Lewis
C) Carl Perkins
D) Elvis Presley
For tickets to Million Dollar Quartet, call (800)745-3000 or visit AdlerTheatre.com.
Answers: 1 - D, 2 - A, 3 - B, 4 - C, 5 - A, 6 - D, 7 - C, 8 - B. If you got 'em all right, you're definitely the right audience for Million Dollar Quartet! But please don't sing along during the show, because if I'm sitting behind you, I may have to swat you on the back of the head. How will anyone ever hear me?!
What Else Is Happenin' ...?
MUSIC
Friday, March 7 - The Post Mortems Album-Release Party. Area rockers celebrate the release of Cracked & Crooked, with opening sets by Satellite Heart and Mutts. Rock Island Brewing Company (1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island). 9 p.m. $5. For information, call (309)793-4060 or visit RIBCO.com.
Friday, March 7 - Patio. Erik Wilson, Pat Willis, Derek Reid, Dan Olds, and Alan Vrombaut perform the gamut from heavy metal to jazz, with an opening set by Zeta June. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 10 p.m. $5. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Friday, March 7 - Dick Prall. Concert with the folk and pop singer/songwriter. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $16. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Saturday, March 8, and Sunday, March 9 - Quad City Symphony Orchestra. Instrumental ensemble performs the fifth Masterworks concerts of the season, with a repertoire including Jacob Bancks' world premiere Rock Island Line, Beethoven's Symphony No. 8, and Brahms' Symphony No. 2. Saturday: Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport), 7:30 p.m. Sunday: Augustana College's Centennial Hall (3703 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island), 2 p.m. $10-55. For tickets and information, call (563)322-7276 or visit QCSymphony.com.
Saturday, March 8 - Anthony Gomes. Blues-rock guitarist and singer/songwriter in concert. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 8 p.m. $12-15. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Saturday, March 8 - Whitey Morgan & the 78's. Honky-tonk and country musicians in concert, with opening sets by Them Som'Bitches and Al Scorch. Rock Island Brewing Company (1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island). 9 p.m. $10. For information, call (309)793-4060 or visit RIBCO.com. For a 2011 interview with Morgan, visit RCReader.com/y/whitey.
Saturday, March 8 - Nathan Carterette. Classical pianist performs in two Englert Intimate Series presentations. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 2 and 8 p.m. $10-15. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Sunday, March 9 - Third Day and Skillet. Christian rockers in concert, with opening sets by Mandisa, Brandon Heath, Peter Furler, and We As Human. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). 7 p.m. $20-97.50. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit iwirelesCenter.com.
Sunday, March 9 - Pink Martini with the von Trapps. Electric classical, jazz, and pop arrangements with the "little orchestra," featuring performances by vocalist China Forbes and the von Trapps - the great-grandchildren of the Sound of Music family. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). 8 p.m. $29-59. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit AdlerTheatre.com.
Sunday, March 9 - Rally 'Round the Rawley: Shots & Chords for Shots & Cords. Benefit for hospitalized youth Rawley Sisson; with a bake sale, raffles, silent auction, wine pull, and performances by the Franti Project, Modern Mythology, Justin Morrissey, the Lowdown, the Mercury Brothers, Funktastic Five, and the Candymakers. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). Noon-10 p.m. $10 suggested donation. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org or RawleyBenefit.MyEvent.com.
Friday, March 14 - Bret Michaels Birthday Bash. Concert celebration with the singer/songwriter and lead vocalist for Poison, featuring opening sets by Divebomb and Shallow Side. Rascals Live (1414 15th Street, Moline). 7 p.m. For information, call (309)797-9457 or visit RascalsLive.com.
Saturday, March 15 - Rehab. Rockers in their farewell tour, with an opening set by Angels Cut. Rock Island Brewing Company (1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island). 9 p.m. $15. For information, call (309)793-4060 or visit RIBCO.com.
Saturday, March 15 - Dervish. Concert with the internationally touring Irish musicians. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $22-25. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Saturday, March 15 - June's Got the Ca$h. Johnny and June Carter Cash hits performed by Jenna Miller and her ensemble. Ohnward Fine Arts Center (1215 East Platt Street, Maquoketa). 7 p.m. $15-25. For tickets and information, call (563)652-9815 or visit OhnwardFineArtsCenter.com.
THEATRE
Thursday, March 6, through Saturday, March 15 - Absurd Person Singular. Relationship comedy/drama by Alan Ayckbourne, directed by Eric Forsythe. University of Iowa's David Thayer Theatre (200 North Riverside Drive, Iowa City). Thursdays through Saturdays 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $5-17. For tickets and information, call (319)335-1160 or visit Theatre.UIowa.edu.
Wednesday, March 12, through Saturday, March 22 - Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating, & Marriage. Limited-run engagement of the comedy boasting "how-to" relationship advice. Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse (1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island). Wednesdays through Saturdays: 6-7 p.m. buffet, 7:15 p.m. show. Sunday: 4-5 p.m. buffet, 5:15 p.m. show. March 12: 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. plated lunch, 1 p.m. show. $43.37-$49.12. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2 or visit Circa21.com.
Friday, March 14, through Sunday, March 23 - A New Brain. Composer William Finn's semi-autobiographical off-Broadway musical, directed by James Fairchild. District Theatre (1611 Second Avenue, Rock Island). Thursdays through Saturdays 8 p.m., Sundays 2 p.m. $20. For tickets and information, call (309)235-1654 or visit DistrictTheatre.com.
DANCE
Thursday, March 6, and Friday, March 7 - Ragamala Dance: Sacred Earth. Modern-dance company performs in a presentation in the Hancher Auditorium Visiting Artists series. University of Iowa's Space/Place Theatre (20 Davenport Street, Iowa City). 7:30 p.m. $10-35. For tickets and information, call (319)355-1160 or visit http://www.Hancher.UIowa.edu.
SPORTS
Friday, March 14, and Saturday, March 15 - Caged Aggression XII: Victory. Matches between 24 professional and 24 amateur fighters, with five professional and five amateur titles awarded. Davenport RiverCenter (136 East Third Street, Davenport). Noon. For information, call (563)326-8500 or visit RiverCtr.com.
MOVIES
Friday, March 14 - National Theatre Live: War Horse. A screening of Nick Stafford's Tony Award-winning World War I drama. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 7 p.m. $15-18. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Saturday, March 15, and Sunday, March 16 - Movie Star: The Secret Lives of Jean Seberg. Screening of the Hollywood-star documentary by area filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle, featuring post-film Q&A sessions. Saturday: Figge Art Museum (225 West Second Street, Davenport), 6 p.m. $15-20. Sunday: Nighswander Junior Theatre (2822 Eastern Avenue, Davenport), 2 p.m. $8 at the door. For information, call the Figge at (563)326-7804 or Junior Theatre at (563)326-7862, or visit JeanSebergMovie.com.
KIDS' STUFF
Thursday, March 13 - Sesame Street Live: Make a New Friend. A new stage adventure featuring Big Bird, Elmo, and other favorite PBS characters. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). 6:30 p.m. $16.50-50.50. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit iwirelesCenter.com.
EXHIBIT
Saturday, March 8, through Sunday, March 16 - Young Artists at the Figge: Moline. Exhibit featuring the works of student artists. Figge Art Museum (225 West Second Street, Davenport). Tuesdays through Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursdays 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sundays noon-5 p.m. Free with $4-7 museum admission. For information, call (563)326-7804 or visit FiggeArt.org.
EVENTS
Friday, March 7 - Tutu Fabulous. Fundraiser for Ballet Quad Cities featuring dance performances, wine, hors d'oeuvres, a silent auction, and an open dance floor. Hotel Blackhawk (200 East Third Street, Davenport). 7 p.m. $40-45. For tickets and information, call (309)786-3779 or visit BalletQuadCities.com.
Wednesday, March 12 - Lightwire Theater. Multimedia event with the stage artists and America's Got Talent performers. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 6:30 p.m. $20-35. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Friday, March 14, through Monday, March 17 - Kelly's Irish Pub & Eatery St. Patrick's Party. Annual weekend celebration of all things Irish, with live music, dance, the Skydiving Leprechauns, magic, food and drink, and more. Kelly's Irish Pub & Eatery (2222 East 53rd Street, Davenport). Free admission. For information, call (563)344-0000 or visit KellysIrishPubAndEatery.com.
Friday, March 14, and Saturday, March 15 - Shamrockin' Patty O'Pardy. Two-day, heated-tent holiday celebration featuring a Friday-night set with Mommy's Little Monster, and Saturday performances by the Barley House Band, Mayer School of Irish Dance, Funktastic Five, and Motorbiscuit. Kavanaugh's Hilltop (1228 30th Street, Rock Island). Friday 7 p.m., Saturday 1 p.m. For information, call (309)786-9055 or visit RCReader.com/y/patty.
Saturday, March 15 - St. Patrick Society of the Quad Cities Grand Parade XXIX. The only interstate St. Patrick's Day Parade in the United States starts at the corner of Fourth Avenue and 23rd Street in Rock Island, travels through the District area, heads across the Mississippi River via the Centennial Bridge, and proceeds through downtown Davenport to Second and Harrison streets. 11:30 a.m. Free. For information, visit StPatsQC.com.
Also visit "What's Happenin': Spring 2014."
