Music
Wildlife
Rozz-Tox
Tuesday, November 13, 8 p.m.
It's November, it's chilly, it's time to trade the fall jacket in for the winter coat ... . Who's up for seeing some wildlife? Better yet, who's up for seeing some Wildlife from the comfort of a heated building while sipping a Vietnamese coffee?
If your answer to that second question is "Me! Me! Me!", then you won't want to miss November 13's concert at Rock Island's Rozz-Tox venue, featuring the up-and-coming Canadian powerhouses of Wildlife. Based in Toronto, the five-man ensemble - composed of lead vocalist Dean Povinsky, guitarists Derek Bosomworth and Graham Plant, keyboardist Tim Daugulis, and drummer Dwayne Christie - formed in 2005, and has subsequently become one of its country's most acclaimed indie-rock outfits, with Lithium Magazine calling the quintet "a must-see-live act" boasting "genuinely great music with good vibes."
Listing Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, and The Clash among their greatest influences, Wildlife's band members followed their self-titled, 2008 debut EP with the 2010 release Strike Hard, Young Diamond. And according to music critics, "striking hard" is exactly what Wildfire did with this first full-length CD; Now Magazine raved about Wildlife's "fast-strummed, passionately delivered indie rock," while Exclaim Magazine described the album's songs as "bold, full of angst, [and] filled with youthful exuberance and affirming righteousness."
The band's online bio, meanwhile, provides a few other descriptions of its output, likening the band to "a loaded, five-man party sled," and the group's sound to "tobogganing down steep slippery slopes straight into the warm cave of your heart." That Vietnamese coffee is sounding even more enticing now, isn't it?
Admission to Wildlife's 8 p.m. concert is $8 at the door, and more information on the night is available by visiting (309)200-0978 or visiting RozzTox.com.
Exhibit
Picturing Identity: The Allure of Portraiture
Figge Art Museum
Saturday, November 17, through Sunday, February 17
The newest exhibition at Davenport's Figge Art Museum is titled Picturing Identity: The Allure of Portraiture, and the Figge's Web site mentions that one of the exhibit's underlying purposes is to "remind us that we often remember people not as they were, but as they appeared to be through images." That's actually the same rationale I have for attaching that five-year-old photo of myself above my movie reviews. Might as well make readers think, "Wow, he must have been young and thin once, huh?"
Picturing Identity, which will be on display from November 17 through February 17, is a showcase of 34 works culled from the Figge's collection, plus several pieces on loan from private collections and the University of Iowa Museum of Art. According to curator Rima Girnius, the exhibition has been designed to explore "how identity is perceived and constructed through images," and "how representations of specific individuals provide some insight on contemporary values." But it seems to me the exhibit will also offer museum visitors the chance to experience something truly rare: indoor star-gazing.
Included in the exhibit are the visages of such historical figures as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr., plus Gerhard Richter's image of a grinning Queen Elizabeth - one of the past century's most indelible examples of portraiture. But expanding on traditional notions of what portraiture can actually entail, Picturing Identity will also feature a number of artist Red Groom's cartoon-like artworks, Al Hirschfield's caricatures of such famed Hollywood actors as James Cagney, Shirley MacLaine, and Jack Lemmon, and - perhaps the most recognizable portrait of all - Andy Warhol's legendary vision of Elizabeth Taylor. Oscar Wilde is quoted as saying, "Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter." If that's indeed the case ... man, was Andy lookin' good!
Among the special events being held in conjunction with Picturing Identity's showing are November 15's Veronica Smith lecture "Two Baroque Portraits: The 17th Century Woman" and November 29's "The Good, the Bad, & the Mundane" presentation by Alycia Reed, and more information on the exhibition is available by calling (563)326-7804 or visiting FiggeArt.org.
Dance
Pilobolus Dance Theatre
University of Iowa
Tuesday, November 13, and Wednesday, November 14, 7:30 p.m.
On November 13 and 14, the University of Iowa's Space/Place Theatre will host 7:30 p.m. performances with the gifted and exceedingly limber members of Pilobolus Dance Theatre, the latest guests in Hancher Auditorium's Visiting Artists series.
A contemporary-dance troupe formed in 1971, Pilobolus is famed for its inventive, witty, and athletic stage works, and has toured in 64 countries worldwide.
A recent Pilobolus TV special was the recipient of an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Cultural Programming," and other prestigious honors for the company include the Berlin Critics' Prize, the Brandeis Award, and the Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award for "Lifetime Achievement in Choreography."
The New York Times called the group "at once sensual and tough" and "muscular, entertaining, and full of heat," and Newsday magazine described Pilobolus as "a mind-blowing troupe of wildly creative and physically daring dancers who leap, fly, intertwine, and break all the rules."
And as I have a tendency to overwrite these things, let's wrap this up and leave the final word to the members of Pilobolus Dance Theatre themselves:
For tickets to one (or both) of Pilobolus Dance Theatre's two University of Iowa performances, call (319)335-1160 or visit http://www.Hancher.UIowa.edu.
Music
Pieta Brown & the Sawdust Collective
River Music Experience
Wednesday, November 14, 8 p.m.
Playing alongside her Sawdust Collective ensemble, the much-admired singer/songwriter/instrumentalist (and Iowa City native) Pieta Brown will perform at Davenport's River Music Experience on November 14. In our ongoing quest to make these What's Happenin' articles more helpful, we've attached a photo of Brown so that, when you hit the RME, you can more easily recognize her. Granted, you could also just aim your gaze at the stage and look for the lead singer, but we at the Reader pride ourselves on the personal touch!
A tremendous talent whose 2007 CD Remember the Sun was cited by the Wall Street Journal as one of the year's best, and whose 2010 One & All was described by AcousticMusic.com as "cohesive and smooth and everything you want in an album," Brown's blend of alt-country, folk, blues, and indie rock has made her one of the Midwest's most popular touring artists. She has shared stages with scores of gifted musicians, among them John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Ani DiFranco, Neko Case, Mark Knopfler, and Brandi Carlile. Her festival appearances have included sets at Bonnaroo, Mountain Jam, and the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. And with famed singer/songwriter Greg Brown as her dad, Pieta clearly has exceptional musical genetics to match her vocal, piano, and guitar skills.
But if you want to read a really exceptional article on the musician, I'd recommend visiting RCReader.com/y/pietabrown. In the interview, you'll not only find Brown lauded for her "sharp, vivid lyrics" and the artist herself described as "clear-eyed about the world but uncynical," but you'll also be treated to some of the richest, most intelligent prose writing I've ever read - a glorious, musical waterfall of words that practically defies ... .
Okay. Yeah. So the article was written by my boss, Jeff, and I'm angling for a raise these days. What does that have to do with anything?
Pieta Brown & the Sawdust Collective performs with an opening set by Sean Rowe, and more information and tickets are available by calling (563)326-1333 or visiting RiverMusicExperience.org.
What Else Is Happenin'... ?
MUSIC
Thursday, November 8 - The Klezmatics. The Grammy Award-winning klezmer ensemble in concert. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $30-32. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Friday, November 9 - Kiran Ahluwalia. World-music concert with the Indo-Canadian, Juno Award-winning vocalist. St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center (2101 Gaines Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $7-11. For tickets and information, call (563)333-6251 or visit SAU.edu/galvin.
Friday, November 9 - An Evening with Savoy Brown. The British blues rockers in concert. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 8:30 p.m. $20. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Friday, November 9 - Manchester Orchestra. Folk, pop, and garage rock with the indie musicians. Iowa Memorial Union (125 North Madison Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $23-29.80. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit ScopeProductions.org.
Saturday, November 10 - Tenth Avenue North. Contemporary Christian musicians in concert, with opening sets by Audrey Assad and Rend Collective Experiment. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). 7 p.m. $19-30. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit AdlerTheatre.com.
Saturday, November 10 - Flatfoot 56. Celtic punk musicians in concert, with an opening set by As We Were. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 8 p.m. $22-25. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Sunday, November 11 - Michael Twitty. Tribute concert performed by Conrad Twitty's son. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center (1777 Isle Parkway, Bettendorf). 6 p.m. $10-15. For information, call (800)724-5825 or visit Bettendorf.IsleOfCapriCasinos.com.
Monday, November 12 - The Be Good Tanyas. Country musicians Sam Parton, Frazey Ford, and Trish Klein in concert. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $25-27.50. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Tuesday, November 13 - Journey, Pat Benatar, and Loverboy. The chart-topping pop-rock musicians in concert. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). 7 p.m. $39.50-75. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit iwirelessCenter.com.
Friday, November 16 - Carrie Underwood. Grammy Award-winning country-music superstar in her Blown Away Tour, with an opening set by Hunter Hayes. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). 7:30 p.m. $45-69.50. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit iwirelessCenter.com.
Friday, November 16, through Sunday, November 18 - Amahl & the Night Visitors. One-act version of Gian Carlo Menotti's opera, presented by Opera@Augustana, directed by Lemuel Wade. Augustana College's Wallenberg Hall (3520 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island). 7 p.m. $8-12. For tickets and information, call (309)794-7306 or visit http://www.Augustana.edu/tickets.
Friday, November 16 - John Wubbenhorst and Samrat Kekkeri. World-music recording artists perform in a Satva Center benefit event. Broadway Presbyterian Church (710 23rd Street, Rock Island). 7 p.m. $10-15. For information, call (309)793-7881 or visit SatvaCenter.com.
Friday, November 16 - Sonny Landreth. Concert with the Louisiana-based slide guitarist and singer/songwriter. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $25. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Friday, November 16 - St. Lawrence String Quartet. Chamber musicians perform in a Hancher Auditorium Visiting Artists presentation. Riverside Recital Hall (405 North Riverside Drive, Iowa City). 7:30 p.m. $10-37. For tickets and information, call (319)335-1160 or visit http://www.Hancher.UIowa.edu.
Saturday, November 17 - Holiday Pops. Annual event with the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, featuring performances by area choirs and Quad City Arts Visiting Artist Mark Wood, founding member of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). 7:30 p.m. $13-47. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit QCSymphony.com.
Saturday, November 17 - The Guess Who. Concert with the Canadian ensemble of "American Woman" fame. Riverside Casino Event Center (3184 Highway 22, Riverside). 9 p.m. $30-45. For tickets and information, call (877)677-3456 or visit RiversideCasinoAndResort.com.
THEATRE
Thursday, November 8, through Sunday, December 30 - Miracle on 34th Street. Musical adaptation of the holiday film, directed by Ann Nieman. Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse (1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island). Fridays, Saturdays, Wednesdays, and November 8 - 6 p.m. buffet, 7:45 p.m. show. Sundays - 4 p.m. buffet, 5:45 p.m. show. Wednesdays - 11:45 a.m. plated lunch, 1:30 p.m. show. $28.22-47.55. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2 or visit Circa21.com.
Thursday, November 8, through Sunday, November 18 - A Nice Family Gathering. Playwright Phil Olson's holiday comedy, directed by Jennifer Kingry. Richmond Hill Barn Theatre (600 Robinson Drive, Geneseo). Thursdays-Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 3 p.m. $8-10. For tickets and information, call (309)944-2244 or visit RHPlayers.com.
Friday, November 9, through Sunday, November 18 - The Christmas Express. Holiday comedy by Pat Cook, directed by John Weigandt. Playcrafters Barn Theatre (4950 35th Avenue, Moline). Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 3 p.m. $10. For tickets and information, call (309)762-0330 or visit Playcrafters.com.
Friday, November 9, through Saturday, November 17 - Spring Awakening. Tony Award-winning rock musical about tortured youth, directed by Nathan Halvorson. University of Iowa's E.C. Mabie Theatre (200 North Riverside Drive, Iowa City). Wednesday-Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $10-20. For tickets and information, call (319)335-1160 or visit Theatre.UIowa.edu.
Wednesday, November 14 - Away in the Basement: A Church Basement Ladies Christmas. Holiday-themed touring production and sequel to the musical comedy Church Basement Ladies. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 2 and 7 p.m. $25-30. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Friday, November 16, and Saturday, November 17 - It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. Director Lora Adams' radio-play adaptation of the holiday-film classic, presented as a fundraiser for WQPT-TV. Augustana College's Potter Theatre (3701 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island). Friday 7:30 p.m., Saturday 2 and 7:30 p.m. $20. For tickets and information, call (309)794-7306 or visit http://www.augustana.edu/tickets.
Friday, November 16, through Sunday, November 18 - Willy Wonka: The Musical. Adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, presented by the Prairie Players Civic Theatre. Orpheum Theatre (57 South Kellogg Street, Galesburg). Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $10-17. For tickets and information, call (309)342-2299 or visit TheOrpheum.org.
Sunday, November 18 - Fiddler on the Roof. The Tony Award-winning stage musical in a Broadway at the Adler presentation. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). 7 p.m. $32-52. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit AdlerTheatre.com.
COMEDY
Sunday, November 11 - Ralphie May. Stand-up comedian in his Too Big to Ignore Tour. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 7:30 p.m. $34.50. For information and tickets, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
EVENTS
Thursday, November 8 - Food for Thought. Annual library fundraiser featuring gourmet food stations, wine and beer samples, music by Lee Blackmon and the Black Hawk College Jazz Combo, and more. Rock Island Public Library Main Branch (401 19th Street, Rock Island). 5 p.m. $30-35, $50/couple with RSVP. For tickets and information, call (309)732-7302 or visit RockIslandLibrary.org.
Saturday, November 10 - Genesis Celebration of Life. Annual outdoor event featuring the lighting of the Remembrance Tree, holiday music, refreshments, and more. Bechtel Park (River Drive and Iowa Street, Davenport). 6 p.m. Donations encouraged; $10 donation for a Remembrance Tree light to honor the memory of loves ones. For information, call (563)421-6865 or visit GenesisHealth.com/tree.
Saturday, November 10 - Oedipus & Tutankhamun: The Story of One Man's Family. An "illustrated lecture" on the famed kings, presented by Genesius Guild founder Don Wooten and area artist Bill Hannan. Butterworth Center (1105 Eighth Street, Moline). 7:30 p.m. Free admission. For information, call (309)743-2700 or visit ButterworthCenter.com.
Saturday, November 10 - Black Hawk College 5K Hustle. A cross-country run/walk on the hills and trails of Black Hawk, with proceeds benefiting the BHC Physical Therapist Assistant Program. Black Hawk College (6600 34th Avenue, Moline). 8 a.m. $20-25 registration. For information, call (309)781-3198 or visit BHC.edu/event/hawk-hustle.
Sunday, November 11 - Unity Fest International. Multicultural celebration featuring demonstrations, live music, ethnic dance, an international food court, children's crafts, a wine tasting, a drumming workshop, and more. Putnam Museum (1717 West 12th Street, Davenport). Noon-5 p.m. Free with $5-7 museum admission. For information, call (563)326-1933 or visit Putnam.org.
Friday, November 16, through Sunday, November 25 - Quad City Arts Festival of Trees. Annual holiday event featuring decorated trees, activities, visits from Santa, and more. Davenport RiverCenter (136 East Third Street, Davenport). $3-8/day. For information, call (309)793-1213 or visit QuadCityArts.com.
