Music
The Sena Ehrhardt Band *
Rascals Live
Friday, June 13, 7:30 p.m.
This year, Father's Day lands on Sunday, June 15. And two days prior, when Minnesota-based singer/songwriter Sena Ehrhardt performs her concert at Rascals Live, she'll actually share the stage with her own dad Ed Ehrhardt, who's the guitarist for his daughter's blues ensemble the Sena Ehrhardt Band. In other words, this Father's Day, Sena will be able to give her pop the one gift all parents most want from their children: a paycheck.
With her dad a professional blues musician and her mom a music fan with particular fondness for The Judds, Sena grew up in a tune-filled household in the Minneapolis area, and received a 2009 University of Minnesota master's degree in exactly the field you'd expect: health-care administration. (Okay, maybe not exactly the field you'd expect ... .) But within a month of graduating, Sena found herself performing in her father's band Plan B, which quickly led to her wanting to front a blues-fueled group of her own, with her dad serving as guitarist and co-songwriter.
Put simply: Health-care administration's loss turned into blues music's gain. By the fall of 2010, the nascent blues artist had formed the Sena Ehrhardt Band alongside Ed Ehrhardt, bassist Steve Hansen, and drummer Tim Hasler, and after playing numerous local and Midwestern engagements, the group's CD debut Leave the Light on was released in August of 2011. The album went on to earn Sena and her musicians a Blues Music Award nomination for "Best New Artist Debut," and since the release of the group's 2013 follow-up All in, the accolades have continues to amass.
Living Blues magazine raves, "Sena Ehrhardt's voice cannot get any more powerful, range-defying, and throwback cool," adding that the artist possesses "one of the most dynamic young voices any genre has seen in a long time." Elmore magazine writes, "Ehrhardt enchants with a hard-knock heart full of blues and unrepentant female soul," citing especially her "brassy, wrapped-around-her-finger inflections that will have the listener hanging on every word." And Blues Blast magazine states that Sena "is real knockout, and her father Ed Ehrhardt is a fantastic guitar player." A paycheck and awesome reviews. Not I'm feeling even crappier for getting my dad that tie.
For more information on the Sena Ehrhardt Band's Moline concert - a Friday the 13th event that no one could possibly fear - call (309)797-9457 or visit RascalsLive.com.
* [June 11 update: Many apologies for the mistaken presumption when the article was written, but it turns out that Sena's father, Ed, will not be performing alongside his daughter during her June 13 Racsals set. Bling Pig Records' Edward Chmelewski sent the following in an e-mail, received today: "Last year Sena's dad, Ed, left the Sena Ehrhardt Band. After helping launch Sena's solo career, he decided it was time to step aside and allow his daughter to pursue her dream on her own. Moreover, Sena decided to replace the other players in her band that were on her recordings. She now has an all-new, dynamic band that she's leading and that she's very excited about. She and her new band members just completed recording a new album that will be released in September. Sena has been very excited about working with this new band and is looking forward to the rollout of the new record as an opportunity to present her revised lineup." Allow me to extend best wishes to Ms. Ehrhardt and her new bandmates on their musical journey, and apologize again for the unnecessary, and inaccurate, Father's Day-themed nature of the piece.]
Music
The Willie Pickens Trio
The Redstone Room
Sunday, June 15, 6 p.m.
In a Chicago Tribute interview in December 2013, jazz pianist Willie Pickens said, "I feel sometimes that you grow in spurts. Sometimes you kind of level off, and you feel you're not moving anywhere. Other times, you're kind of growing by leaps and bounds, and maybe this is one of those times."
What I didn't mention about that interview is that Pickens gave it when he was 82 years old. Growing by leaps and bounds? Did no one ever tell Pickens that we're supposed to shrink as we age?
Apparently not. And thank goodness, because as Pickens' audiences at Davenport's Redstone Room will discover on June 15, the octogenarian is showing absolutely no signs of musical-talent shrinkage. Appearing as the latest guests in Polyrhythms' monthly Third Sunday Jazz series, the Willie Pickens Trio - featuring Larry Gray on bass and Robert Shy on drums - is sure to wow area jazz fans with astonishing musicianship, while Pickens himself reveals the still-growing gifts first made apparent on Eddie Harris' seminal 1961 record Exodus.
A lifelong entertainer who received his 1958 bachelor's degree in music education from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Pickens has spent the past half-century-plus showing packed houses and festival crowds just how jazz is meant to be played. Over the span of his remarkable career, he's shared stages with the likes of Sammy Davis Jr., Quincy Jones, and Roberta Flack; he's toured extensively throughout Japan, Europe, Canada, and the United States; he's headlined the Chicago Jazz Festival numerous times and served as the featured pianist for the legendary Joe Segal's Jazz Cruises. But the Hyde Park, Illinois, resident has proven just as dedicated in his role as educator, teaching at Northern Illinois University and mentoring in Ravinia's Jazz Scholar Program even after his 80th birthday.
With the Chicago Reader raving, "Pickens' most exuberant solos all but take flight from the keyboard's runway," and the Tribune praising the pianist's "great splashes of color and dissonance in the right hand and his barrelhouse octaves in the left," no jazz fan will want to miss the Willie Pickens Band's 6 p.m. concert - or, for that matter, Pickens' 3 p.m. jazz workshop. Finally! A summer-school experience that no one can bitch about!
For more information on the Willie Pickens Trio's area engagement, call (309)373-0790 or visit Polyrhythms.org or RiverMusicExperience.org.
Music
Boots & Brews
District of Rock Island
Saturday, June 14, 7 p.m.
Here's a no-fail, country-rock recipe for a fantastic Saturday night - specifically, the night of Saturday, June 14 - in the District of Rock Island.
First, you invite the members of the Dani Lynn Howe Band. Winners of numerous "Best Quad Cities Band" citations in the Quad-City Times and a certain bi-weekly news source you're reading right now, this group fronted by Iowa native Dani Lynn Howe has been a vibrant and busy fixture on the area music scene for years, headlining major festivals and opening for the likes of Tracy Lawrence, Trace Adkins, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, and Keith Urban.
Then you add a set with another female chanteuse and Iowa native: singer/songwriter Logan Tudeen. Even though her self-titled debut album is less than a year old, Tudeen has already amassed a sizable fan base and sensational notices for her inspired country-rock stylings, with Music Row magazine praising her "penetrating voice" and "moody, bluesy tone," and Music News Nashville stating that her popular single "Circles" showcases "the power of Tudeen's vocal ability and her impressive vocal range."
And finally, you add a featured set with country duo Brother Trouble, the 2008 champions of Kenny Chesney's "Next Big Star Competition" whose talents won them $25,000 and three nights performing as openers on Chesney's Poets & Pirates tour. With their first single, the county hit "Summer's Little Angel," released in 2011, and their album debut Live from Nashville released in 2012, brothers Jason and Mark Sutton have gone on to enjoy great success as touring artists, and will be hitting the District following springtime stops in Tennessee, South Carolina, and Ohio.
Put 'em all together, along with outdoor vendors serving all manner of tasty treats, and you've got yourself the inaugural Boots & Brews concert, a new summertime mini-festival that (weather be damned) is sure to be both very hot and very cool. But as always, be careful about just how much you imbibe at this particular event. Remember: It's Boots & Brews. You don't want to be the one who boots after the brews.
For more information on this summer happening co-sponsored by the Daiquiri Factory, 2nd Ave., and RIBCO, call (309)788-6311 or visit RIDistrict.com.
Theatre
Die Fledermaus
Lincoln Park
Saturday, June 14, through Sunday, June 22, 8 p.m.
"Greetings, Jeff!"
"Hi, Mike. I see you're getting geared up for our area's summer-theatre season."
"I am indeed!"
"So you want to explain this costume?"
"You like it? I'm wearing it to support Genesius Guild's season-opener: the comic operatta Die Fledermaus, running June 14 through 22 in Rock Island's Lincoln Park!"
"Walk me through it, Mike."
"It's a hilarious, musically and lyrically beautiful tale of mistaken identity and romantic entanglements by composer Johann Strauss II and librettists Karl Haffner and Richard Genée, and it's been a beloved operatic staple since its premiere in Vienna back in 1874."
"Yes, I'm aware of that."
"It concerns a prison sentence and adulterous lovers and drunken guards and a madcap night at the prince's ball, and this particular production is being helmed by Augustana College's John Pfautz, who also directed delightful Lincoln Park presentations of Gilbert's & Sullivan's The Mikado and Pateince!"
"Sounds like a lot of fun."
"And the cast is sensational! Among the more than two dozen performers in Genesius Guild's show are familiar talents such as Jonathan Schrader, Kai Swanson, and Angela Hand, and Augie instructors such as Michele Crouch, Tim Bloser, and Ann Boaden, and University of Iowa doctorate recipients Steven Jepson and James Thompson ... . And there's even a Die Fledermaus role being played by Genesius Guild founder Don Wooten!"
"That's an impressive lineup."
"Plus, there'll be four student dancers from Ballet Quad Cities' summer program performing choreography by artistic director Courtney Lyon, and Ballet Quad Cities' Jake Lyon choreographing the chorus numbers, and the wonderful Ellen Dixon designing the costumes ... !"
"Which bring us, again, to your costume, Mike."
"Well, in German, 'die fledermaus' means 'the bat.' So in honor of Genesius Guild's Die Fledermaus ... I'm Batman!"
"And the rubber nipples?"
"Eh ... they were all out of Christopher Nolan Batman outfits, so I got stuck with the Joel Schumacher version."
"That sucks."
"Tell me about it."
Admission to Die Fledermaus' Saturday and Sunday performances is free, though donations are encouraged, and more information is available by visiting Genesius.org.
What Else Is Happenin' ...?
MUSIC
Thursday, June 12 - RME 10-Year Anniversary Outdoor Concert. Celebratory event featuring performances by the MarchFourth Marching Band and the Winter Blues All-Stars. River Music Experience (131 West Second Street, Davenport). 5 p.m. Free admission. For information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Thursday, June 12 - Dar Williams. Concert with the singer/songwriter honoring the 20th anniversary of The Honesty Room's release, featuring an opening set by Lucy Wainwright Roche. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $25. For tickets and information, call (319)688-1653 or visit Englert.org.
Friday, June 13 - Here Come the Mummies. Tightly-wrapped rockers in an outdoor concert, with an opening set by Naughty Naughty. The District of Rock Island. $20. 8 p.m. For information, call (309)788-6311 or visit RIDistrict.com.
Saturday, June 14 - The David Mayfield Parade and Lissie. Roots-rock and Americana musicians in concert. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 8:30 p.m. $15. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Sunday, June 15 - An Evening with Jackie Greene. Singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist in concert, with an opening set by Cereus Bright. Rozz-Tox (2108 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 7:30 p.m. $15. For information, call (309)200-0978 or visit RozzTox.com.
Tuesday, June 17 - Aaron Neville. Concert with the Grammy-winning, chart-topping R&B musician. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $37.50-65. For tickets and information, call (319)688-1653 or visit Englert.org.
Thursday, June 19 - Henhouse Prowlers. Bluegrass musicians in concert, with an opening set by Dick Prall. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 8 p.m. $8. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Thursday, June 19 - Communion Daytrotter June Club Night. Independent musicians Catfish & the Bottlemen, Amasa Hines, Outsides, and Hailey Whitters in concert. Codfish Hollow Barn (3437 288th Avenue, Maquoketa). 8 p.m. $9.50-15. For tickets and information, call (563)321-0172 or visit CodfishHollowBarnstormers.com.
Thursday, June 19 - Judy Collins. The Grammy-winning folk singer, author, and social activist in concert, with an opening set by Rachel Sage. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $35-55. For tickets and information, call (319)688-1653 or visit Englert.org.
Friday, June 20 - Mark Chesnutt. Concert with the chart-topping country singer. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center (2021 State Street, Bettendorf). 8 p.m. $30. For information, call (800)724-5825 or visit Bettendorf.IsleOfCapriCasinos.com.
Friday, June 20 - Benjamin Cartel & the Melismatics. Indie, pop, and rock musicians in concert. River Music Experience (131 West Second Street, Davenport). 9 p.m. $7. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Saturday, June 21 - Laura's Legacy Concert with Lissie. The singer/songwriter and area native headlines the third-annual fundraiser for the AZSL division of the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Iowa & Western Illinois, with additional sets by Daphne Willis, Ellis Kell & Friends, and David Zollo & the Body Electric. Schwiebert Riverfront Park (between 17th and 20th Streets, Rock Island). 2-9 p.m. $10, ages 12 and under free. For information, visit Lissie.com.
Saturday, June 21 - Rock the District with Chevelle. All-ages outdoor concert presented by the Daiquiri Factory and Rock Island Brewing Company, with an opening set by Three Years Hollow. The District of Rock Island. 7 p.m. $30-35. For information, call (309)788-6311 or visit RIDistrict.com.
Tuesday, June 24 - Threefifty. An Intimate at the Englert concert with Brooklyn-based guitarists Brett Parnell and Geremy Schulick. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $12. For tickets and information, call (319)688-1653 or visit Englert.org.
THEATRE
Friday, June 13, through Sunday, June 22 - Les Misérables. Quad City Music Guild's production of the Tony-winning Broadway smash, directed by Bob Williams. Prospect Park Auditorium (1584 34th Avenue, Moline). 7:30 p.m. $11-16. For tickets and information, call (309)762-6610 or visit QCMusicGuild.com.
Friday, June 13 - National Theatre Live: King Lear. Screening of Shakespeare's tragedy classic. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 7 p.m. $15-18. For tickets and information, call (319)688-1653 or visit Englert.org.
Saturday, June 14, through Saturday, June 28 - How I Became a Pirate. Family musical based on the children's book, directed by Sean McCall. Old Creamery Theatre (39 38th Avenue, Amana). Saturdays 1 p.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays 10 a.m. $8.50-9. For tickets and information, call (319)622-6262 or visit OldCreamery.com.
Thursday, June 19, through Saturday, July 12 - StinkyKids: The Musical. Andrea Moore directs the family musical based on the children's-book series. Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse (1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 10 a.m. and/or 1 p.m. performances on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. $8.50. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2 or visit Circa21.com.
Thursday, June 19, through Sunday, June 29 - Annie Get Your Gun. Irving Berlin's musical-comedy classic set in the wild, wild West. Clinton Area Showboat Theatre (311 Riverview Drive, Clinton). Thursdays through Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays and Wednesdays 2 p.m. For tickets and information, call (563)242-6760 or visit ClintonShowboat.org.
Thursday, June 19, through Saturday, June 28 - An Inspector Calls. J.B. Priestley's Tony Award-winning ghost story, directed by Chuck Smith. Timber Lake Playhouse (8215 Black Oak Road, Mt. Carroll). Tuesdays through Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays and Wednesdays 2 p.m. $17-23. For tickets and information, call (815)244-2035 or visit TimberLakePlayhouse.org.
Friday, June 20, through Sunday, July 13 - The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised]. A parody of the Bard's entire literary output, directed by Ron Clark. Riverside Theatre Festival Stage (Lower City Park, Iowa City). Tuesdays through Sundays at 6, 7, or 8 p.m. $18-40. For tickets and information, call (319)338-7672 or visit RiversideTheatre.org.
Friday, June 20, through Sunday, June 22 - The Mystery of Edwin Drood. City Circle Acting Company of Coralville's production of the musical based on an unfinished Charles Dickens novel, directed by Patrick Du Laney. Coralville Center for the Performing Arts (1301 Fifth Street, Coralville). Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 2 p.m. $12-27. For tickets and information, call (319)248-9370 or visit CoralvilleArts.org.
Sunday, June 22 - Respect: A Musical Journey of Women. The University of Iowa's Iowa Summer Rep touring production of the female-vocalist revue, directed by Eric Forsythe. Ohnward Fine Arts Center (1215 East Platt Street, Maquoketa). 2 p.m. $10 suggested donation. For tickets and information, call (563)652-9815 or visit OhnwardFineArtsCenter.com.
COMEDY
Thursday, June 19 - Baby Boomer Comedy Show. Theatre event with clean humor on topics including family, kids, work, do-it-yourself projects, dieting, and aging. Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse (1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 7 p.m. $20-25. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2 or visit Circa21.com.
MOVIES
Saturday, June 14 - Field of Dreams Celebration Parade. Cast, crew, and movie fans gather to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 1989 film classic, with related activities held throughout the day. Downtown Dyersville. 9 a.m. Free. For information, call (563)875-2311 or visit Dyersville.org.
Friday, June 20 - Charlie Chaplin Celebration. Event featuring a screening of Kid Auto Races at Venice accompanied by the Josh Duffee Orchestra, the feature The Kid, a Charlie Chaplin costume contest, and more. Bettendorf Public Library (2950 Learning Campus, Bettendorf). 4:30 p.m. Free. For information, call (563)344-4175 or visit BettendorfLibrary.com.
VISUAL ARTS
Saturday, June 14, through Sunday, September 14 - From Pencil to Printed Page: Arthur Geisert's Thunderstorm. Exhibit on the creation of Geisert's picture book, featuring more than 180 sketches, plates, print states, and hand-colored illustrations accompanied by an assemblage of artist's tools. 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
Thursday, June 12, through Saturday, June 14 - Miss Iowa 2014. Annual competition resulting in the crowning of Miss Iowa and Miss Iowa's Outstanding Teen. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). Thursday and Friday $37, Saturday $47, three-day pass $110. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit MissIowa.com.
Friday, June 13 - BeeRME for Music. Sixth-annual fundraising event with beer samples, hors d'oeuvres, live music by OSG, and more. River Music Experience (131 West Second Street, Davenport). 9 p.m. $7. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Saturday, June 14 - Susan G. Komen Quad Cities Race for the Cure. The 25th-annual event with proceeds going toward breast-cancer research, treatment, and education, featuring 5K, 1.2-mile, and kids' races and non-competitive walks. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). 8 a.m. $17-30 registration. For information, call (563)421-1905 or visit KomenQuadCities.org.
Sunday, June 15 - Ride the River. The 30th-annual bi-state tour of the Quad Cities along riverfront bike trails, hosted by River Action. Meet at the Freight House (421 West River Drive, Davenport). 7 a.m. $5-15 registration. For information, call (563)322-7433 or visit RiverAction.org.
Tuesday, June 17, through Saturday, June 21 - Rock Island County Fair. Annual outdoor fair featuring live music, exhibitions, ride, games, children's activities, auto and truck shows, and more. Rock Island County Fairgrounds (Archer Drive and Avenue of the Cities, East Moline). Free admission. For information, call (309)796-1620 or visit RockIslandFair.org.
Thursday, June 19 - The Garden Party 2014. Annual fundraising event featuring live music, a silent auction, raffle items, hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar, and more. Quad City Botanical Center (2525 Fourth Avenue, Rock Island). 6 p.m. $65. For tickets and information, call (309)794-0991 or visit QCGardens.com.
Saturday, June 21 - Garden Get-Down. Third-annual fundraising featuring live music, local artists, homemade goods, children's activities, and more, with proceeds helping to build a recycled-glass greenhouse. Tremont Garden Project (1926 Tremont Avenue, Davenport). 4 - 10 p.m. Donations encouraged. For information, call (563)508-2755.
Saturday, June 21, and Sunday, June 22 - Mr. BBQ Barbecue Challenge. Fourth-annual event featuring 30 teams competing for cash and trophies plus a craft-brew and wine tasting, in a benefit for the Children's Therapy Center of the Quad Cities. LeClaire Park (River Drive and Ripley Street, Davenport). Noon-5 p.m. For information, call (309)799-7469 or visit IOPRO.net.
Sunday, June 22 - Blossoms at Butterworth. Traditional garden party featuring antique cars, lawn games of the 1800s, live music, tours, refreshments, and more. Butterworth Center (1105 Eighth Street, Moline). Noon-5 p.m. Free admission. For information, call (309)743-2701 or visit ButterworthCenter.com.
Tuesday, June 23 - Jim Wand: Beyond Imagination. Audience-participation performance with the master hypnotist. Central Performing Arts Center (519 East 11th Street, DeWitt). 8 p.m. $10. For information and tickets, call (563)249-8541 or visit Midwestix.com.
