Music
Lisa Loeb
The Redstone Room
Wednesday, April 23, 7:30 p.m.
If you're familiar with the talents and accomplishments of Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb - the pop/rock/folk performer who plays Davenport's Redstone Room on April 23 - you could easily be fooled into thinking the artist is ... well ... pretty unassailably cool.
A Brown University graduate who spent the early 1990s playing New York City's rock-club and coffee-house circuit, Loeb achieved phenomenal success with the release of 1994's "Stay (I Missed You)" from the Reality Bites soundtrack, a pop-rock single by Loeb and her Nine Stories ensemble that shot to number one on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, earned the group a Grammy nomination, and made VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Songs of the '90s." (The tune's release also made Loeb the first musician to top the Billboard charts before being signed to any record label.)
Following that early career high, Loeb had a critical smash with her gold-selling debut album Tails in 1995, additional hits with such releases as 1997's Grammy-nominated Firecracker, 2002's Cake & Pie, and 2013's No Fairy Tale, and an Entertainment Weekly rave citing her "undeniable gift for creating an air of intimacy and vulnerability."
Beginning in the early 2000s, Loeb became a considerable force in children's entertainment and welfare, releasing albums (2003's Catch the Moon, 2008's Camp Lisa) and books (2011's Lisa Loeb's Silly Sing-Along, 2013's Movin & Shakin), launching the Camp Lisa Foundation to help underprivileged kids attend summer camp, and earning honors from the Parents Choice Awards and National Parenting Publications Awards.
Loeb has appeared in TV series such as Gossip Girl and The Sarah Silverman Program. She voiced Mary Jane Watson in MTV's animated Spider-Man: The New Animated Series. She started her own signature eyewear collection. She has her own brand of coffee, for heaven's sake.
So yeah. Pretty unassailable. But still: Check out the accompanying photo. I mean, no graham crackers? No melted bars of chocolate? Not cool, Lisa. That's just a waste of perfectly toasted marshmallows.
Lisa Loeb performs with an opening set by Dan Tedesco, and more information on the night is available by calling (563)326-1333 or visiting RiverMusicExperience.org.
Theatre
Pinocchio
Davenport Junior Theatre
Saturday, April 26, through Sunday, May 4
Davenport Junior Theatre wraps up its 2013-14 season of locally written plays based on classic literary works with Pinocchio, the timeless tale of a puppet who longs to be a real live boy, running April 26 through May 4. And tasked with writing the stage version of Carlo Collodi's Italian serial The Adventures of Pinocchio, adapter Daniel D.P. Sheridan says he took an unusual approach in crafting his hour-long family entertainment: "I wrote a really, really, really, really long play. Like a two-and-a-half-hour play."
Call it madness, but there was a method to it. "I first spent a lot of time with [Collodi's] text," says Sheridan, "and before I decided to remove too much of it, I wanted to see how it fell out theatrically. Because sometimes you read something in a book where you think, 'Oh, that'd be awful in a play,' but then you write it out, and it reveals itself to be a really great moment. So I [adapted] it all, and I then went backward and tried to figure out what was essential to the dramatic telling of this story, and what was going to service its momentum."
Sheridan did this, he says, without watching 1940's beloved Disney cartoon. "I stayed away from any videos of any other Pinocchios. But I was conscious of wanting to keep elements that kids knew from the movie. Pinocchio becoming a donkey, and spending more time with that story, was a big thing for me, and things like his nose growing longer, and the Blue Fairy ... . I think I could have gotten away with cutting the cricket out of the story, but I really thought people would've left going, 'Where's the cricket?!'"
Pinocchio is being directed by Sheridan's wife Jessica, whose recent credits for Junior Theatre include Mia the Melodramatic and The Jungle Book, and its cast includes such Junior Theatre favorites as Andy Pavey as Pinocchio, Amanda Grissom as the Fox, and Shaun Garrity as Geppetto. Sheridan also promises "a really fun and imaginative" experience involving special effects, shadow puppetry, and a visual aesthetic more steampunk than Disney ... plus, of course, the aforementioned cricket.
Just don't expect it to meet the same fate it does in Collodi's serial. "Rather than scraping the cricket off the end of a mallet," says Sheridan with a laugh, "we leave his fate a little more open-ended than that."
Pinocchio will be performed Saturdays at 1 and 4 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., and more information is available by calling (563)326-7862 or visiting DavenportJuniorTheatre.com.
ACTING SMART
Helpful Tips on Appearing More Intelligent Than You Actually Are
At 9 p.m. on April 18, Rock Island's Rozz-Tox will present a special evening with the Minneapolis-based musician Dosh, the wildly gifted multi-instrumentalist known primarily for his experimental, electronics-based percussion stylings and the dynamic skill with which he attacks the drums, keyboards, and marimba. As Dosh himself stated in Walker Art magazine, "Going to see a band you've never seen before is one of my favorite things in the world," so if you're unfamiliar with the artist but curious to catch his local gig anyway, here are five ways to feel more in-the-loop before entering Rozz-Tox's door.
1) Know some of Dosh's biography. Born Martin Chavez Dosh on September 6, 1972, Dosh grew up in the Twin Cities, began drumming at age 15, received a degree in creative writing from Bard College at Simon's Rock in Massachusetts, and started his first Minneapolis-based band in 1997.
2) Know some of Dosh's collaborators. Best known for his extensive tours alongside Andrew Bird, Dosh has also played with such Minnesota-based groups as Happy Apple, Tapes 'n' Tapes, and Nasty Goat; performed alongside Andrew Broder in the bands Fog and Lateduster; and is currently a member of the four-piece Cloak Ox alongside Broder, Mark Erickson, and Jeremy Ylvisaker.
3) Know Dosh's discography. With 2013's acclaimed Milk Money his most recent release, Dosh has delivered 13 additional albums - plus the 2004 EP Naoise - since his self-titled 2002 debut, and can also be heard playing on albums by Bon Iver, Dark Dark Dark, and Sole & the Skyrider Band.
4) Know what reviewers say about Dosh. AllMusic.com says that Dosh's compositions "have a driving sense of wonder, like the most optimistic Philip Glass pieces." The A.V. Club writes that his songs "evolve like dreams, always in motion and revealing new surprises at each turn." And Pitchfork.com states that Dosh achieves "just the right balance between restraint and restlessness."
5) Know how to use Dosh's name in a sentence. If your Mom calls on April 18 and asks for help moving something heavy out of the basement that night, just say, "Sorry, Mom - gotta Dosh!" Then hang up quickly, before she can call you "jock-oss."
For more information on Dosh's area concert, call (309)200-0978 or visit RozzTox.com.
Music
Kip Winger
Rascals Live
Friday, April 18, 9 p.m.
"Hey, Jeff!"
"Hello, Mi - . I'm not even going to ask."
"You mean the outfit? I'm wearing it in honor of the upcoming Moline concert with Kip Winger, who's going to be playing Rascals Live on April 18! Seems kind of perfect, don't you think?"
"Mike, you do know that Kip Winger is the bassist and lead vocalist for the rock band Winger, don't you? The group that had platinum-selling albums with their self-titled 1988 debut and 1990's In the Heart of the Young? The group nominated for a 1990 American Music Award for Best New Heavy Metal Band?"
"Of course I know that, Jeff ... ."
"And you do know that after the original Winger lineup disbanded in 1994, the group re-formed in 2006, released the albums IV and Karma, and has a new studio album - Better Day's Comin' - being released on April 22?"
"Well, I'm not an idiot ... ."
"In addition to fronting Winger, you know that Kip has five solo albums to his name, toured and played on two albums with Alice Cooper's band, served as lead singer for the Alan Parsons Live Project, and has participated and performed as a counselor for the Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp alongside such rock legends as Roger Daltrey and Steven Tyler?"
"I'm aware of all that ... ."
"And! Even if you didn't know a thing about Kip Winger's rock history, you probably landed on the information that he's also an acclaimed composer of classical music, and has even been nominated for the prestigious Isadora Duncan Award for Excellence in Music?"
"I know all that! But did you know that Kip Winger wrote a 30-minute symphonic ballet piece that debuted in 2010 at the San Francisco Ballet?"
"I did. But that piece was titled Ghosts."
"So?"
"Why are you dressed as the lead in Swan Lake?"
"Oh, come on, Jeff. Swans? Swans have wings? He's Kip Winger? Man, you can be clueless sometimes ... ."
"Yes. I'm the clueless one."
For more information on Kip Winger's area concert, call (309)757-9457 or visit RascalsLive.com.
What Else Is Happenin' ...?
MUSIC
Thursday, April 17 - Daytrotter: Communion. Concert with independent musicians Johnny Stimson, Sturgill Stimson, Lee Bains II & the Glory Fires, Gloom Balloon, and Christopher the Conquered, with an opening DJ set by Ragged Records. Rock Island Brewing Company (1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island). 7 p.m. $9.50-15. For information, call (309)793-4060 or visit RIBCO.com.
Friday, April 18 - Mason Jennings. Folk singer/songwriter in concert, with Living Lands & Waters giving away free oak-tree saplings to ticket-holders as part of the Million Trees Project. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $25-30. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Friday, April 18 - Ricky Nelson Remembered. Concert tribute to the pop idol featuring Matthew and Gunnar Nelson. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center (2021 State Street, Bettendorf). 7:30 p.m. $10-15. For information, call (800)724-5825 or visit Bettendorf.IsleOfCapriCasinos.com.
Saturday, April 19 - An Evening with Joe Bonamassa. Blues-rock musician in concert. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). 8 p.m. $71-101. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit AdlerTheatre.com.
Saturday, April 19 - 25 or 6 to 4. Concert with the touring Chicago tribute band. Ohnward Fine Arts Center (1215 East Platt Street, Maquoketa). 7 p.m. $13-25. For tickets and information, call (563)652-9815 or visit OhnwardFineArtsCenter.com.
Sunday, April 20 - The Steve Grismore Trio. Musicians Grismore, Scott Barnum, and Cassius Goens educate and perform in Polyrhythms' Third Sunday Jazz Workshop & Matinée Series. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 3 p.m. jazz workshop ($5/adults, free for kids), 6 p.m. concert ($10-15). For tickets and information, call (309)373-0790 or visit Polyrhythms.Ning.com or RiverMusicExperience.org.
Thursday, April 24 - Working Class Heroes. Robert Shaw pays tribute to the musical icons Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and John Mellencamp. Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse (1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 7 p.m. $25-30. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2 or visit Circa21.com.
Friday, April 25 - Whey Jennings & the Unwanted. Country rockers in concert, with an opening set by Fifth of Country. Rock Island Brewing Company (1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island). 9 p.m. $10 advance tickets. For information, call (309)793-4060 or visit RIBCO.com.
Friday, April 25 - Joseph Hall: Elvis Rock 'n' Remember. Concert tribute featuring the touring impersonator and a Branson-based rock 'n' roll band. Coralville Center for the Performing Arts (1301 Fifth Street, Coralville). 8 p.m. $18-28. For tickets and information, call (319)248-9370 or visit CoralvilleArts.org.
Saturday, April 26 - Family Groove Company. Jazz, funk, and rock musicians in concert, with an opening set by the Uniphonics. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 9 p.m. $10-12. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Saturday, April 26 - ZBTB. Concert tribute to the Zac Brown Band. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center (2021 State Street, Bettendorf). 7:30 p.m. $10-15. For information, call (800)724-5825 or visit Bettendorf.IsleOfCapriCasinos.com.
Saturday, April 26 - Nashville to Walcott. Concert featuring musicians Colene Walters, Jimmy Parker, and the Dale Thomas Band. Walcott Coliseum (116 East Bryant Street, Walcott). 7 p.m. $20-25. For tickets and information, call (563)260-2651.
THEATRE
Thursday, April 24, through Sunday, May 4 - The Last Romance. Romantic comedy by Joe DiPietro, directed by Tom Morrow. Richmond Hill Barn Theatre (600 Robinson Drive, Geneseo). Thursdays through Saturdays 7:30 p.m.; Sundays 3 p.m. $10. For tickets and information, call (309)944-2244 or visit RHPlayers.com.
Thursday, April 24, through Sunday, May 25 - Ring of Fire. Stage revue of the music of Johnny Cash. Old Creamery Theatre (39 38th Avenue, Amana). Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays 2 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m. $18.50-28. For tickets and information, call (319)622-6262 or visit OldCreamery.com.
Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26 - Peter Pan Jr. The musical-comedy fairytale, in a Student Performance Series presentation directed by Dino and Tina Hayz. Center for Living Arts (2008 Fourth Avenue, Rock Island). Friday 7 p.m.; Saturday 2 and 7 p.m. $10. For tickets and information, call (563)340-7816 or visit CenterForLivingArts.org.
Friday, April 25, through Sunday, May 4 - Man of La Mancha. The Tony Award-winning Don Quixote musical. Iowa City Community Theatre (4265 Oak Crest Hill Road, Iowa City). Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m.; Sundays 2 p.m. $10-18. For tickets and information, call (319)338-0443 or visit IowaCityCommunityTheatre.com.
DANCE
Thursday, April 17, through Saturday, April 19 - Wild Ones. MFA thesis concert featuring the work of Marie Brown, Jingqiu Guan, Marie Mortensen, and Dana Powers-Klooster. University of Iowa's Space/Place Theatre (20 Davenport Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $6-12. For tickets and information, call (319)335-1160 or visit http://www.Hancher.UIowa.edu.
Thursday, April 25, and Friday, April 25 - Gallim Dance. Touring 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)335-1160 or visit http://www.Hancher.UIowa.edu.
COMEDY
Friday, April 18 - Paula Poundstone. An evening with the comedienne and regular panelist on NPR's Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $35-55. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Monday, April 21 - Suzanne Westenhoefer. Comedienne performs a concert presented by Iowa City Pride. Coralville Center for the Performing Arts (1301 Fifth Street, Coralville). 7:30 p.m. $30. For tickets and information, call (319)248-9370 or visit CoralvilleArts.org.
LITERARY ARTS
Tuesday, April 22 - Remembering Langston Hughes. Presentation on the famed man of letters with poet and storyteller Shellie Moore Guy, musician and composer Coleman Harris, and dancer Dorian Byrd. Moline Public Library (3210 41st Street, Moline). 6:30 p.m. Free. For information, call (309)524-2470 or visit MolineLibrary.com.
Monday, April 28 - River Readings at Augustana: Rachel Hartman. Readings and discussion with the bestselling author of the young-adult novel Seraphina. Augustana College's Center for Student Life (639 38th Street, Rock Island). 7 p.m. Free. For information, call (309)794-7316 or visit Augustana.edu.
SPORTS
Friday, April 18 - Quad City Rollers. Women's flat-track roller-derby matches featuring the spring intra-league. Davenport RiverCenter (136 East Third Street, Davenport). 7 p.m. $6-12. For tickets and information, call (563)326-8500 or visit QuadCityRollers.com.
VISUAL ARTS
Saturday, April 19, through Tuesday, April 29 - Young Artists at the Figge: Davenport. 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.
Saturday, April 26, and Sunday, April 27 - 2014 Riverbank Art Fair. Weekend event featuring ceramics, drawing and painting, glass, woodworking, jewelry, metal works, fiber, mixed media, and photography by more than 75 professional artists from the Iowa City/Coralville community. University of Iowa's Iowa Memorial Union Main Lounge (125 North Madison Street, Iowa City). Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free admission. For information, call (319)335-3393 or visit Now.UIowa.edu.
Tuesday, April 29, through Sunday, May 25 - New Departures: Senior Art Show. Exhibit of works by studio-art and graphic-design majors Grace Bunderson, Adrielle Louise Canda, Monica Hill, Lindsay Hohertz, Reji Kaur, Chris Madison, Samantha Paddock, Liv Reinacher, Amelia Ruzek, Sara Sievert, Samantha Stanton, and Erin Williams. Augustana College Teaching Museum of Art (3703 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island). Tuesdays through Saturdays noon-4 p.m. Free admission. For information, call (309)794-7231 or visit Augustana.edu.
EVENTS
Friday, April 18 - Bucktown Revue. A celebration of Mississippi River Valley folk music and culture through a combination of music, storytelling, poetry, and humor. Nighswander Theatre (2822 Eastern Avenue, Davenport). 7 p.m. $12 at the door. For information, call (563)940-0508 or visit BucktownRevue.com.
Saturday, April 19 - Astronomy Day. Event sponsored by the Popular Astronomy Club, and featuring displays including items on loan from NASA, demonstrations, speakers, children's crafts, door prizes, refreshments, and more. Moline Public Library (3210 41st Street, Moline). 2-5 p.m. Free. For information, call (309)797-3120 or visit MolineLibrary.com.
Friday, April 25 - River Action's 12th-Annual Fish & Fire Fundraiser & Friendraiser. Event featuring a 5:30 p.m. social hour and silent auction, a 7 p.m. dinner, and the presentation of the 15th-Annual Eddy Awards recognizing individuals or organizations achieving excellence on the riverfront. Black Hawk State Historical Site's Watch Tower Lodge (1510 46th Avenue, Rock Island).$12-32. For tickets and information, call (563)322-3969 or visit RiverAction.org.
