Garrett Music

G. Love & Special Sauce

The Redstone Room

Thursday, July 3, 9 p.m.

 

On July 3, Davenport's Redstone Room hosts a special evening with the alternative hip-hop and blues artists of G. Love & Special Sauce, performing in support of their recent album Sugar. On that recording, you'll find the song "Too Much Month," the band's ode to being desperately short on funds. And among its lyrics, you'll find the following: "I got too much month for the end of my money / And not enough money for the end of the month."

This is ordinarily when I'd make some crack, such as "And boy, do we Reader employees know what that's like!" But I'm angling for a raise, so the timing doesn't seem right.

With Sugar released a mere two months ago, though, the time is absolutely right for an electrifying night with G. Love & Special Sauce, whose latest collaboration reunited the band's original lineup of musicians for their first album together in nearly a decade.

Composed of vocalist/guitarist/harmonica player Garrett "G. Love" Dutton, bassist James "Jimi Jazz" Prescott, and drummer Jeffrey "The Houseman" Clemens, the group released its self-titled debut CD in 1994, and soon found its single "Cold Beverage" receiving heavy airplay on MTV. The album's success led to frequent touring and the release of such additional hits as 1995's Coast to Coast Motel, 1997's Yeah, It's That Easy, 1999's Philadelphonic, and 2001's Electric Mile, all of which landed in the top five on Billboard's Heatseekers charts. (It also led to TV awareness of G. Love & Special Sauce, as the group served as the house band for Comedy Central's 1999-2001 series Turn Ben Stein on.)

Following Prescott's five-year break from the band, the group is now back to its original iteration, and Sugar reviewers appear more than delighted; PopMatters.com wrote, "G. Love & Special Sauce are pushing forward yet again with their unmistakable brand of hip-hop, soul, and blues," and GuitarWorld.com raved about the album's "killer songs" and "groove-heavy, Chicago-blues-infused brand of stripped-down rock-and-roll." And if you're looking for more on the band, check out my editor Jeff Ignatius' 2007 interview with Dutton! It might be the most brilliant, incisive, entertaining ... .

Yeah, I might be angling for that raise a bit too hard now.

G. Love & Special Sauce performs locally with an opening set by Rob Drabkin, and more information is available by calling (563)326-1333 or visiting RiverMusicExperience.org.

 

 

AeschylusTheatre

The Suppliants and The Persians

Lincoln Park

Saturday, June 28, through Sunday, July 6, 8 p.m.

 

Over its half-century-plus history, the Rock Island-based Genesius Guild has dedicated itself to the presentation of classical theatre - everything from the comedies of Aristophanes to the tragedies of Shakespeare. If, however, you attend one of Genesius Guild's Lincoln Park performances between June 28 and July 6, don't make the mistake of thinking you'll be seeing an old play. You'll actually be seeing the oldest play.

That would be The Persians, a one-act tragedy by the Greek author Aeschylus, and a piece credited as, yes, the oldest dramatic work still in existence. The only surviving portion of a trilogy that won first prize in Athens' City Dionysia festival of 472 B.C.E., The Persians is the tale of Athens' defeat of Xerxes' army told from the point-of-view of the vanquished, and also features what is considered by many to be the first "ghost scene" in Western theatre. Familiar area actor John Donald O'Shea gets to play that ghost in director Don Wooten's production, and the cast also includes Melanie Radkiewicz, Neil Friberg, Doug Adkins, Don Faust, Mischa Hooker, and longtime Guild veteran Earl Strupp.

But if you're thinking that one short Aeschylus play isn't enough for a night's outdoor entertainment, fear not: We're getting a two-fer! Prior to The Persians, Genesius Guild's two-act evening will find director Dori Foster staging the author's The Suppliants, which made its debut in the far more modernized year of 463 B.C.E. It's the story of 50 Greek maidens, the daughters of Danaos, who were unhappily forced into marriage with 50 Egyptian cousins - making the drama kind of like a more densely populated, creepier version of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

Included in The Suppliants' cast are recognizable local talents such as Bob Hanske, Gary Adkins, Anna Tunnicliff, Sydney Crumbleholme, Alaina Pascarella, Jo Vasquez, and Sarah Murphy. And while it should be noted that the Suppliants/Persians double-bill is Genesius Guild's annual presentation featuring characters wearing classical masks of the period, it should also be noted that the ever-prolific Pat Flaherty will be wearing masks in both of them. I love the guy dearly, but just 'cause we can't see your face, Pat, doesn't mean we can't recognize your greed. (Insert winky emoticon here.)

Donations are encouraged for The Suppliants' and The Persians' free Saturday- and Sunday-night performances, and more information is available by visiting Genesius.org.

 

 

Andy YoheEvent

Think Tank: Creating Positive Outcomes

Rivermont Collegiate

Thursday, June 26, 6 p.m.

 

Described as "a forum for the Quad Cities area's most compelling thinkers and doers," Bettendorf's Think Tank invites the public to a June 26 Rivermont Collegiate presentation titled "Creating Positive Outcomes." Considering it's being given by Bettendorf's Andy Yohe, it's impossible to imagine a more fitting title.

"It was down along the train tracks underneath the I-74 bridge," says Yohe of the 1994 accident that changed his life. "My friends and I had been jumping trains for fun once in a while, and we saw this train coming by. But after I grabbed the ladder and it yanked me off my feet, I realized it was going a little too fast for me, and I just instinctively let go.

"I rolled away from the train and thought I was fine," he continues, "but when I looked down, I realized my right leg was about 20 feet away from me. It flew off. And my left leg was just hanging on there by the material on the pants I was wearing."

Thankfully, Yohe says, "a train engineer saw it happen, so he got to 911 within a minute of me being run over. If it wasn't for that guy, I definitely wouldn't be here." Yet the accident still led to his right leg being amputated above the knee, and his left leg above his ankle, plus the question of what Yohe - only 16 years old at the time - would do with the rest of his life.

What he did, as attendees of "Creating Positive Outcomes" will hear, was find the strength to go through painful rehab and rigorous physical training, and eventually earn two gold medals in the Paralympics' 2010 and 2014 sled-hockey teams. "For some reason," says Yohe, "I really took a high road on the whole thing, and really wanted to focus on getting rehabilitated, and trying as hard as I could to lead a normal life. And I've been working hard at it ever since."

During his Rivermont Collegiate presentation, Yohe will share tales of his daily training, his 2006 recruitment to Team USA, and the astonishing journey that led to his life as a player, coach, husband, father, college graduate, and business professional. He'll also offer inspiration on how, as he says, "having your own positive attitude really creates positive outcomes in your life" - but don't expect his presentation to be devoid of humor. Asked whether it's tougher to win two gold medals or raise two kids under the age of five, Yohe laughs and says, "Oh, the kids. For sure."

For more information on, and ticket to, Yohe's presentation, call (563)322-2065 or e-mail les@resultsimc.com.

 

 

The Hold SteadyMusic

Barn on the 4th

Codfish Hollow Barn

Friday, July 4, 5 p.m.

 

Chances are good that when 5 p.m. rolls around on the Fourth of July, the sun will still be out. (Then again, this is the Midwest, so the possibility of sky-darkening storms shouldn't be ignored.) But if you visit the Codfish Hollow Barn, my guess is you'll have no trouble viewing late-afternoon fireworks, considering the Maquoketa venue will be offering explosive entertainment galore with its latest Barnstormer event: Barn on the 4th.

Headlining Codfish Hollow's indie-music celebration will be the American rockers of The Hold Steady, the Brooklyn-based quintet that burst on the scene with 2004's debut release Almost Killed Me. Between that album and the group's sixth - this past March's Teeth Dreams - The Hold Steady has thrilled fans with exuberant heartland-rock stylings that led Spin magazine to laud the band's "arena-friendly sonics" and "streamlined storytelling," and last year, the musicians achieved what might currently be the ne plus ultra of pop-culture cool: landing one of their tracks on the HBO series Game of Thrones.

But The Hold Steady are soon to be surrounded by cool, as Codfish Hollow's Barn on the 4th also features sets with a number of other stellar indie acts, among them: alt-rock trio The Whigs; electronic R&B duo Hunterchild; roots quartet The Bellfuries; acoustic rocker Matt Pryor; and the Kansas-based folk rockers of The Josh Berwanger Band. Test your indie-music mettle by matching the artists with the title of one of their albums:

 

1) Matt Pryor

2) The Bellfuries

3) The Whigs

4) The Josh Berwanger Band

5) Hunterchild

 

A) Mission Control

B) Designing a Nervous Breakdown

C) Just Plain Lonesome

D) Confidence Man

E) Hunterchild

 

 

For more information on, and tickets to, Barn on the 4th, call (563)321-0172 or visit CodfishHollowBarnstormers.com.

 

 

Answers: 1 - D, 2 - C, 3 - A, 4 - B, 5 - E. Fine. That last one was a gimme. You're gonna blame me for Hunterchild self-titling the duo's only album to date?! Sheesh!

 

 

What Else Is Happenin' ...?

 

MUSIC

Thursday, June 26 - Embellish. Concert presented by the Area 8 Festival of the Handbell Musicians of America, featuring performers representing the Grand Rapids, Michigan, area. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). 8 p.m. $10. For information, visit AreaVIII.org.

Friday, June 27 - Bells of the Lakes. Concert presented by the Area 8 Festival of the Handbell Musicians of America, featuring performers representing the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). 8 p.m. $10. For information, visit AreaVIII.org.

Saturday, June 28 - Homegrown Music Showcase. Local bands Drama Major, Dynoride, and Echoes & Afterthoughts in concert. Rock Island Brewing Company (1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island). 9 p.m. $5. For information, call (309)793-4060 or visit RIBCO.com.

Saturday, June 28 - Matt Mason Band. Concert with the 2011 winner of CMT's Next Superstar and his ensemble. On the Rock Grille & Bar (4619 34th Street, Rock Island). 8 p.m. For information, call (309)732-1631 or visit OnTheRockGrille.com.

Saturday, June 28 - Ring Davenport Closing Concert. Presented by the Area 8 Festival of the Handbell Musicians of America, featuring the various ringing divisions as well as pieces including all 350 attendees performing as one choir. Davenport RiverCenter (136 East Third Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. Free admission. For information, visit AreaVIII.org.

Saturday, June 28 - Under the Sun Tour. Alternative-pop concert featuring the Spin Doctors, Blues Traveler, Sugar Ray, and Smash Mouth, Riverside Casino & Golf Resort (3184 Highway 22, Riverside). $25-60. For tickets and information, call (877)677-3456 or visit RiversideCasinoAndResort.com.

Sunday, June 29 - Cory Chisel's Soul Obscura. Americana and folk musician in a concert co-sponsored by the Englert Theatre. The Mill (120 East Burlington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $10-12. For information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org or ICMill.com.

Thursday, July 3, through Saturday, June 5 - Mississippi Valley Blues Festival. Annual outdoor celebration of blues music, featuring performances on two stages, workshops, children's activities, and more. Second Street between Main and Ripley in downtown Davenport. $20-25. For information, call (563)322-5837 or visit MVBS.org.

Thursday, July 3 - Scarecrow: The John Mellencamp Show. Gary Young's concert tribute to the Grammy-winning rocker. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center (2021 State Street, Bettendorf). 8:30 p.m. $20. For information, call (800)724-5825 or visit Bettendorf.IsleOfCapriCasinos.com.

Thursday, July 3, through Saturday, July 5 - Iowa City Jazz Festival. Annual event featuring national and local musicians performing on several outdoor stages, vendors, and more. Downtown Iowa City. For information, visit SummerOfTheArts.com.

Wednesday, July 9 - Laura Doherty & the Heartbeats. Outdoor concert with the children's musician and her ensemble. Butterworth Center (1105 Eighth Street, Moline). 6:30 p.m. Free admission. For information, call (309)743-2701 or visit ButterworthCenter.com.

Wednesday, July 9 - Gillian Welch. Singer/songwriter in concert with guitarist David Rawlings. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $35-50. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.

 

THEATRE

Friday, June 27, through Sunday, July 6 - Othello. William Shakespeare's classic tragedy, directed by Theodore Swetz. Riverside Theatre Festival Stage (Lower City Park, Iowa City). 7 or 8 p.m. $18-40. For tickets and information, call (319)338-7672 or visit RiversideTheatre.org.

Friday, June 27 - National Theatre Live: A Small Family Business. Screening of the award-winning farcical comedy by Alan Ayckbourn. 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.

Thursday, July 3, through Sunday, July 13 - The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein. Broadway's musical-comedy hit based on Brooks' film-comedy classic. 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.

Thursday, July 3, through Sunday, July 20 - The Wizard of Oz. Family-musical adaptation of the film classic. 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.

Saturday, July 5 - The Agony & the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs. Mike Daisey's one-man exploration of the technology mastermind, performed by Ed Villarreal. District Theatre (1611 Second Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $10. For tickets and information, call (309)235-1654 or visit DistrictTheatre.com.

Tuesday, July 8, through Saturday, July 12 - Pinkalicious: The Musical. Family presentation based on the book series by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann. Timber Lake Playhouse (8215 Black Oak Road, Mt. Carroll). 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (no Wednesday performance). $6. For tickets and information, call (815)244-2035 or visit TimberLakePlayhouse.org.

 

COMEDY

Friday, June 27 - A Variety Hour ... and a Half. Comedians Stevie Mo and Devon Wiese host a performance featuring comics Christopher Schlichting and Louie Naab, musicians Andrew Cline and Amy Swail, and members of Bottoms Up Quad City Burlesque. Circa '21 Speakeasy (1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $10. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2 or visit Circa21.com.

Saturday, June 28 - James Draper. The area comedian, host Andrew King, and guests Donny Townsend and Scott Flynn perform the taping of a stand-up special. District Theatre (1611 Second Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $10. For tickets and information, call (309)235-1654 or visit DistrictTheatre.com.

 

LITERARY ARTS

Thursday, June 26, through Saturday, June 28 - David R. Collins Writers' Conference. The Midwest Writing Center hosts the annual writer's conference and related programs covering novels, memoirs, poetry, essays, and flash fiction, led by presenters including Jac Lemc, Chad Simpson, Kelly Daniels, Rachel Yoder, and Adam Fell. St. Ambrose University (518 West Locust Street, Davenport). $75 for one workshop, $145 for two workshops, $175 for three workshops. For information, call (563)324-1410 or visit MidwestWritingCenter.org.

 

VISUAL ARTS

Saturday, June 28 - ARTery Music Event. Acoustic double-neck guitarist Ian Ethan performs a concert accompanied by local artists interpreting and painting what they hear in the music. The ARTery (1629 Second Avenue, Rock Island). 6-9 p.m. Donations encouraged. For information, call (309)781-7668 or e-mail carolynjkrueger@gmail.com.

 

SPORTS

Monday, July 7, through Sunday, July 13 - John Deere Classic. Annual PGA tournament. TPC at Deere Run (3100 Heather Knoll, Silvis). $24-34/day. For information, visit JohnDeereClassic.com.

 

EVENTS

Friday, June 27, and Saturday, June 28 - QC Crossfit Urban Street Games. Strength and endurance competitions between co-ed teams, with cash prizes for the top finishers. Friday 5 p.m. start, Saturday 9 a.m. start. District of Rock Island. 5:30 p.m. For information, call (309)788-6311 or visit RIDistrict.com.

Friday, June 27, and Saturday, June 28 - Greek Cultural Festival. Annual weekend celebration featuring Greek food, music, dance, children's activities, and more. Assumption Greek Orthodox Church (4900 Kennedy Drive, East Moline). Friday 5 p.m.-midnight, Saturday 11 a.m.-midnight. For information, call (309)792-2912 or visit AssumptionEM.org.

Thursday, July 3 - Red, White, & Boom! Annual Fourth of July celebrations in downtown Rock Island and Davenport, with children's activities, vendors, fireworks over the Mississippi River, and more. For information, visit RIDistrict.com and DowntownDavenport.com.

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