Javier ColonMusic

Javier Colon

Galvin Fine Arts Center

Friday, September 18, 8 p.m.

 

Back in the day - by which I mean a couple decades ago - friends and I would frequent karaoke nights and challenge one another to perform randomly picked songs. On one of those nights, I wound up faced with the challenge of singing Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time," which I (and the pour souls listening) mercifully survived. Consequently, I feel a true kinship with performer Javier Colon, who, in April of 2011, crooned the same Lauper hit on the debut episode of TV's The Voice.

Of course, Colon sang it better than I did ... and for a few million people as opposed to a few dozen ... and I don't recall getting $100,000 and a recording contract for my efforts ... .

The grand-prize winner of The Voice's inaugural season, Javier Colon is also the inaugural entertainer in St. Ambrose University's 2015-16 Performing Arts Series, as the man will share his musical artistry in a September 18 concert at the Galvin Fine Arts Center. Meanwhile, those who know Colon only from televised renditions of pop hits including Coldplay's "Fix You" and Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" should know that his singer/songwriter is also an original, having composed numerous rock, R&B, soul, and folk singles over his 15-year professional career.

Born in Stratford, Connecticut, the 37-year-old Colon earned a music-education degree from the University of Hartford's Hartt School, and began his years of public performance while still a student, serving as vocalist/percussionist for the Stevie Wonder tribute band EmcQ. His talents then caught the eye of eventual Allman Brothers Band member Derek Trucks, who recruited Colon for his Grammy-winning outfit the Derek Trucks Band, for which he performed for nearly two years.

Following his stint with Trucks, Colon - recording merely under his Christian name Javier - embarked on a solo career with a Capitol Records contract, lending his clear, soulful tenor and facility on piano and guitar to a pair of albums: 2003's Javier, which reached the top 20 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and 2006's Left of Center, which found SoulTracks.com calling him "an extremely talented vocalist." And then, after Colon left Capitol and released a six-song EP in 2010's The Truth, came The Voice.

It's impossible to say whether NBC's flagship competition series would be the ratings smash it is if its very first episode didn't find Colon blowing away home and studio audiences - to say nothing of judges Christina Aguilera, Cee-Lo Green, Adam Levine, and Blake Shelton - with "Time After Time." What can be said is that Colon sealed his fame with that televised debut, which led not only to his eventual championship, but to musical collaborations with artists as diverse as Joss Stone, Stevie Nicks, the Indigo Girls, Darius Rucker, and Anthony Hamilton.

It also led to the 2011 album Come Through for You - described as "thoroughly catchy" by Rolling Stone and "uniformly enjoyable" by SoulTracks.com - and a new contract with the Concord Music Group. So plan on being wowed by Colon's September 18 concert, whether he's singing an original number such as the Billboard hit "Stitch by Stitch" or a classic such as "Stand by Me" ... the latter also a mid-'90s karaoke number of mine. I'm still waiting on that $100,000.

For more information on, and tickets to, Javier Colon's Galvin Fine Arts Center concert, call (563)333-6251 or visit SAU.edu/galvin.

 

 

Colin Winnette, Aaron Burch, and Amelia GrayLiterature

Bad Idea Book Tour

Village Theatre

Wednesday, September 30, 8 p.m.

 

On September 30, Davenport's Midwest Writing Center and Village Theatre will team up to host a trio of exciting, innovative prose authors reading in their Bad Idea Book Tour. I'm sure there are perfectly legitimate reasons for the tour's title. But based on the reviews amassed by participants Colin Winnette, Aaron Burch, and Amelia Gray, it seems, instead, like a very, very good idea.

Born in Texas and now based in San Francisco, Colin Winnette is the associate editor of PANK magazine whose first novel, 2011's Revelation, was published while the author was still a graduate student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His short stories, reviews, and poems have appeared in such publications as The American Reader, Gulf Coast Magazine, and The Believer. He was the winner of the 2012 Sonora Review's Short Short Fiction Award and Les Fugues Press' 2013 Book Contest. And for his 2015 Western novel Haints Stay, Winnette has earned perhaps the most enthusiastic raves of his career to date, with the Los Angeles Times calling the book an "astonishing portrait of American violence." ElectricLiterature.com, meanwhile, wrote, "It is a wonder that Colin Winnette still remains relatively obscure," adding that "indie editors would do well to get their hands on a Winnette manuscript quickly before he inevitably gains the critical momentum to land on the desk of somebody at one of the bigger houses."

An Ann Arbor resident who teaches at both the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University, Aaron Burch is the founding editor of the literary journal Hobart, and his acclaimed prose and poems have been published in periodicals including New York Tyrant, Barrelhouse, ... and Winnette's PANK magazine. The winner of PANK's first chapbook competition for his short-fiction collection How to Take Yourself Apart, How to Make Yourself Anew, Burch achieved a new level of literary fame with the release of his 2014 publication Backswing. Described by Publishers Weekly as an "accomplished collecion of 14 short stories ... of young protagonists alienated, confused, and searching for their identity," Backswing inspired ElectricLiterature.com to call it "provocative, melancholy, and meditative," and HeavyFeatherReview.com to deem it "a damn good read, brilliant in places, the work of a writer who thrives on taking risks."

And what of Amelia Gray, the Arizona-born, Los Angeles-based fiction author whose writing has appeared in The New Yorker, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal? Well, she holds degrees from Arizona State University and Texas State University. In 2012, she was short-listed for the prestigious PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. She's the author of a 2012 novel titled THREATS and a trio of short-story collections: 2009's AM/PM, 2010's Museum of the Weird, and this year's Gutshot. And here's a sampling of her plaudits: The Los Angeles Times describes her style as "akin to the alternately seething and absurd moods of David Lynch and Cronenberg." NPR calls Gray's writing "by turns horrifying, funny, sexy, and grotesque." And in praising her "brave excursions into the realms of the unreal," the New York Times stated that the Gutshot experience "is a little like being blindfolded and pelted from all sides with fire, Jell-O, and the occasional live animal." To be fair, the paper of record explains that statement with "You'll be messy at the end and slightly beaten up, but surprised and certainly entertained," yet that "Bad Idea" moniker is still making a bit more sense now ... .

There's a suggested donation of $5 for the Village Theatre event, additional to-be-named writers will participate [9/15 author's note: including the just-announced Delaney Nolan], and more information on the Bad Idea Book Tour is available by calling (563)324-1410 or visiting MidwestWritingCenter.org.

 

 

Tim of AthensTheatre

Timon of Athens

QC Theatre Workshop

Friday, September 18, through Sunday, September 27

 

Timon of Athens, which the verse-theatre troupe the Prenzie Players will perform September 18 through 27 at Davenport's QC Theatre Workshop, is one of the less-frequently produced works in the William Shakespeare canon. But its title character is hardly one that's gone unappreciated in the press. The New York Times, for instance, has raved about the "bright, energetic appeal" of this "clever and colorful wisecracking meerkat," while Variety lauded Timon's "vaudeville pairing with the lumbering warthog Pumbaa," and ... .

Oh, wait. Wrong Timon.

Shakespeare's Timon is actually a Greek lord in the tragicomedy bearing his name, and one of the most fascinating characters in Elizabethan drama: a cheerful, beloved citizen who invites his own misanthropic ruin through his boundless generosity. Boasting cutting wit, supreme tension, impassioned arguments, and an eventual corpse or a few, Timon of Athens may not be universally familiar. But it most certainly touches on universal themes, and some that may particularly resonate in this millennium. With Richard Thomas in the lead, Timon of Athens was revived at New York's Public Theater in 2011, where the program notes cited its theme of "money's dark potential to corrupt every human interaction" making the work "Shakespeare's play for the post-bailout age."

Directed by Prenzie veteran Jake Walker, the company's Timon of Athens will showcase Matt Moody in the demanding title role and a gifted ensemble composed of both returning and debuting Prenzie Players including Payton Brasher, Michael Carron, Mischa Hooker, Andy Koski, Jeb Makula, and Kara Widel. But while the cast no doubt knows their lines by now (you guys do, right?), those of you reading this probably don't. Let's amend that!

Try your hand at filling in the missing word for the following five Timon of Athens quotes:

 

1) "Like madness is the ____ of this life."

2) "Every man has his fault, and ____ is his."

3) "O, the fierce ____ that glory brings us."

4) "Nothing emboldens sin so much as ____."

5) "I wonder men dare trust themselves with ____."

 

A) mercy

B) glory

C) honesty

D) wretchedness

E) men

 

 

For more information on the Prenzie Players' Timon of Athens - including the show's social-media preview on Thursday, September 17 - visit PrenziePlayers.com.

 

 

Answers: 1 - B, 2 - C, 3 - D, 4 - A, 5 - E. Regarding that last quote: Apparently, Kim Davis wonders, too. Sorry. Too soon?

 

 

What Else Is Happenin' ...?

 

MUSIC

Thursday, September 17 - The Tossers. Chicago-based Celtic-punk rockers in concert, with an opening set by Gallows Bound. Rock Island Brewing Company (1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $12-15. For information, call (309)793-1999 or visit RIBCO.com.

Thursday, September 17 - 4onthefloor. Rockers perform in support of their third album All in, with an opening set by Gina Venier. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $9.50-10. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.

Thursday, September 17 - Modern Stranger. Grunge and classic-rock musicians in an all-ages concert, with opening sets by The Last Glimpse and The Candymakers. Rozz-Tox (2108 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $5-10. For information, call (309)200-0978 or visit RozzTox.com.

Friday, September 18 - The Giving Tree Band. Rock and folk musicians in concert, with an opening set by Chicago Farmer. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 9 p.m. $13.75-17. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.

Friday, September 18 - Bucktown Revue. A celebration of Mississippi River Valley culture through music, storytelling, poetry, and humor, with emcee Scott Tunnicliff and special guests. Nighswander Theatre (2822 Eastern Avenue, Davenport). 7 p.m. $12 at the door. For information, call (563)940-0508 or visit BucktownRevue.com.

Saturday, September 19 - Cash & Cline: A Tribute to Johnny & Patsy. Concert celebration of the country and gospel legends featuring Terry Lee Goffee and Josie Waverly. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center (2021 State Street, Bettendorf). 7:30 p.m. $20. For information, call (800)843-4753 or visit QCWCC.com.

Saturday, September 19 - Platinum: The Music of Miranda Lambert. Laura McDonald performs a tribute to the Grammy-winning country artist, with an opening set by Jason Ray Brown. 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.

Sunday, September 20 - Quad City Symphony Orchestra Signature Series: American Moderns. Aaron Copland's Sonata for Violin & Piano, John Adams' Road Movies, William Bolcom's Second Sonata for Violin & Piano, and Maurice Ravel's Sonata No. 2 for Violin & Piano performed by violinist Naha Greenholtz and pianist Benjamin Loeb. Figge Art Museum (225 West Second Street, Davenport). 2 p.m. $10-25. For tickets and information, call (563)322-7276 or visit QCSO.org.

Wednesday, September 23 - Shemekia Copeland. Grammy-nominated blues singer in concert, with an opening set by Miller & the Other Sinners. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $20-24. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org. For a 2014 interview with Copeland, visit RCReader.com/y/shemekia.

Friday, September 25 - Kool Keith. Bronx-based rapper Keith Thornton in concert, with opening sets by Daggers & Gadema and Skeez & T. Stubbs. Rock Island Brewing Company (1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island). 9 p.m. $20-25. For information, call (309)793-1999 or visit RIBCO.com.

Friday, September 25 - Muddy Ruckus. Americana, stomp, and swing musicians in an all-ages concert. Rozz-Tox (2108 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 9 p.m. $5-10. For information, call (309)200-0978 or visit RozzTox.com.

Friday, September 25 - Communion Daytrotter. All-ages show with the indie musicians of Fort Frances, Falls, and Albatross. Codfish Hollow Barn (5013 288th Avenue, Maquoketa). 7 p.m. $12.50-15. For tickets and information, visit CodfishHollowBarnstormers.com.

Friday, September 25 - Randall Hall. A recital of new music for saxophone and electronics, featuring works by composers Lee Hyla, Christian Lauba, Marie-Hélène Fournier, and the premiere of Hall's The Orphic Gold Plates, with Susan Schwaegler on bass clarinet. Augustana College's Wallenberg Hall (3520 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island). 7 p.m. Free. For information, call (309)794-7323 or visit Augustana.edu.

Friday, September 25 - Las Cafeteras. Traditional Son Jarocho sounds, Afro-Mexican rhythms, and the traditional dance of zapateado in a Hancher Auditorium Visiting Artists presentation. The Mill (120 East Burlington Street, Iowa City). 7 and 9 p.m. $10-20. For tickets and information, call (319)335-1160 or visit Hancher.Uiowa.edu.

Friday, September 25 - Thompson Square. Husband and wife duo Keifer and Shawna Thompson perform in support of their album Just Feels Good. Riverside Casino Event Center (3184 Highway 22, Riverside). 8 p.m. $30-60. For tickets and information, call (877)677-3456 or visit RiversideCasinoAndResort.com.

Saturday, September 26 - Zappa Plays Zappa. Jazz and rock musician Dweezil Zappa performs in the "One Size Fits All" 40th-anniversary tour. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $75. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.

Sunday, September 27 - Hot Buttered Rum. Americana musicians in concert, with an opening set by Frank F. Sydney's Western Bandit Volunteers. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $13.75-17. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.

Monday, September 28 - John Calvin Abney. A Moeller Mondays concert with the indie singer/songwriter, featuring an opening set by Levi Parham. Rozz-Tox (2108 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $8-10. For information, call (309)200-0978 or visit RozzTox.com.

Monday, September 28 - Banned Song Fest. Local musicians perform banned songs, musical styles, and instruments in honor of Banned Books Week. Bettendorf Public Library (2950 Learning Campus Drive, Bettendorf). 6:30 p.m. Free. For information, call (563)344-4175 or visit BettendorfLibrary.com.

Tuesday, September 29 - Tikkun. Recital with Augustana faculty members Deborah Dakin on viola, Janina Ehrlich on cello, and Robert Elfline on piano, featuring a commissioned work by Western Illinois University professor Paul Paccione. Augustana College's Wallenberg Hall (3520 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. Free. For information, call (309)794-7323 or visit Augustana.edu.

Wednesday, September 30 - Jeff Austin Band. Concert with the mandolinist and singer from the Yonder Mountain String Band and his ensemble, featuring opening sets by Fruition and Horseshoes & Hand Grenades. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $27.25-27.50. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.

 

THEATRE

Friday, September 18 - The Ghost of Mary Lincoln. Quad City Arts Visiting Artist Tom Dugan delivers a presentation on theatre and offers excerpts from his one-man theatrical production about Robert Lincoln. Butterworth Center (1105 Eighth Street, Moline). 7 p.m. Donations encouraged. For information, call (309)793-1213 or visit QuadCityArts.com.

Friday, September 18, through Sunday, October 18 - Shipwrecked! An Entertainment: The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (as Told by Himself). Donald Margulies' comedy adventure, directed by Sam Osheroff. Riverside Theatre (213 North Gilbert Street, Iowa City). Thursday through Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m. $18-28. For tickets and information, call (319)338-7672 or visit RiversideTheatre.org.

Friday, September 18, through Sunday, September 27 - Damn Yankees. Baseball-themed musical-comedy classic, directed by Katie Boothroyd. Iowa City Community Theatre (4261 Oak Crest Hill Road, Iowa City). Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $11-19. For tickets and information, call (319)338-0443 or visit IowaCityCommunityTheatre.com.

Friday, September 18, through Sunday, September 20 - The Great Tennessee Monkey Trial. Reader's-theatre fundraising performance of the drama based on the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925, directed by Tom Johnson. Iowa Theatre Artists Company (4709 220th Trail, Amana). Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2:30 p.m. $10-20. For tickets and information, call (319)622-3222 or visit IowaTheatreArtists.org.

Saturday, September 19 - Sudden Theatre. New Ground Theatre presents four short plays assigned on Friday, written overnight, delivered to directors on Saturday morning, and cast and rehearsed during the day. Village Theatre (2113 East 11th Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $5 suggested donation. For information, call (563)326-7529 or visit NewGroundTheatre.org.

Sunday, September 20 - Company. Stephen Sondheim's musical in a benefit performance for the City Circle Acting Company of Coralville, directed by Patrick DuLaney. Coralville Center for the Performing Arts (1301 Fifth Street, Coralville). 7:30 p.m. $25. For tickets and information, visit CoralvilleArts.org.

Monday, September 21 - Truth Values: One Girl's Romp through MIT's Male Math Maze. Award-winning solo show written and performed by Gioia De Cari. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 7:30 p.m. $5-15. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.

Wednesday, September 23, through Saturday, November 7 - Route 66. Area premiere of a new musical-comedy romance, directed by Dennis Hitchcock. Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse (1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island). Friday, Saturday, and Wednesday: 6-7 p.m. buffet, 7:15 pre-show, 7:45 p.m. show. Sunday: 4-5 p.m. buffet, 5:15 p.m. pre-show, 5:45 p.m. show. Wednesday: 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. plated lunch, 1 p.m. pre-show, 1:30 p.m. show. $44.41-50.16. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2 or visit Circa21.com.

Thursday, September 24, through Saturday, September 26 - Big Rock Candy Mountain. Revival of the comedic bluegrass revue written by Tristan Tapscott and Danny White. District Theatre (1724 Fourth Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $20. For tickets and information, call (309)235-1654 or visit DistrictTheatre.com.

Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27 - Pinocchio Commedia. Johnny Simons' commedia dell'arte production of the classic children's story, directed by Jacqueline Wynes McCall. Augustana College's Potter Theatre (3520 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island). 1:30 p.m. $5-11. For tickets and information, call (309)794-7306 or visit Augustana.edu.

Sunday, September 27 - National Theatre Live: The Beaux' Stratagem. HD screening of George Farquhar's comedy of love and cash, directed by Simon Godwin. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 2 p.m. $15-18. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.

 

DANCE

Thursday, September 17, and Friday, September 18 - The Queue. Lucky Plush Productions' humorous blend of dance, theatre, and live music adapted from a 1746 farce, in a Hancher Auditorium Visiting Artists presentation. University of Iowa's Space/Place Theatre (20 Davenport Street, Iowa City). 7:30 p.m. $10-35. For information, call (319)335-1160 or visit Hancher.UIowa.edu.

 

COMEDY

Friday, September 25 - Joel Hodgman: Vacation. An evening with the comedian, bestselling author, and Resident Expert on The Daily Show. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $25. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.

 

MOVIES

Saturday, September 26 - Creative Arts Academy Film Makers Workshop. Workshops for grades 5 through 12 on animated, documentary, and feature-film production led by Doug Miller, Kelly and Tammy Rundle, and Steve Jennings and Kathy Buxton, featuring public screenings of Sugar, The Wizard of Oz, Letters Home to Hero Street, and short animated work. Creative Arts Academy at the Davenport Public Library (321 North Main Street, Davenport). 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Free. For information and to register, call (563)328-7201 or visit DavenportSchools.org/caa.

 

LITERARY ARTS

Friday, September 18 - Gayle Harper. Book signing with the author of Roadtrip with a Raindrop: 90 Days Along the Mississippi River. River Music Experience (129 North Main Street, Davenport). 6 p.m. Free. For information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.

Tuesday, September 29 - Banned Books Reading. Annual readings from challenged or banned reading material co-hosted by the Midwest Writing Center. Rock Island Public Library (401 19th Street, Rock Island). 6 p.m. Free. For information, call (563)324-1410 or visit MWCQC.org.

 

VISUAL ARTS

Friday, September 18, through Thursday, October 24 - The Next Level. Exhibit of new works by Evan McLaughlin and Hilary Nelson, painters from the University of Iowa Master of Fine Arts program. St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center Morrissey Gallery (2101 Gaines Street, Davenport). Mondays through Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. For information, call (563)333-6444 or visit SAU.edu/morrissey.

Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20 - Riverssance Festival of Fine Art. Twenty-eighth-annual outdoor festival featuring dozens of vendors, artisans, craftspeople, a wine tasting, gourmet food, a children's activity tent, and more. Lindsay Park (River Drive and Mound Street). Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $4, ages 12 and under free. For information, visit Midcoast.org.

Saturday, September 26, through Saturday, November 7 - Day of the Dead: Art, Culture, Spirit. Exhibition celebrating the Mexican holiday will feature handmade folk art and interactive displays. Figge Art Museum (225 West Second Street, Davenport). Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sunday noon-5 p.m. Free with $4-7 museum admission. For information, call (563)326-7804 or visit FiggeArtMuseum.org.

Tuesday, September 29 - Living Proof Opening Reception. Event held in conjunction with the new permanent exhibit featuring artworks by area cancer survivors, with new works displayed every three months. Trinity Cancer Center (500 John Deere Road, Moline). 5 p.m. refreshments, 6 p.m. reception with artists. For information, call (309)779-5000 or visit UnityPoint.org.

 

EVENTS

Friday, September 18, and Saturday, September 19 - Celtic Festival & Highland Games. Annual celebration of Celtic culture with athletic and dance competitions, vendors, arts and crafts, workshops, displays, and concert sets by Four Shillings Short, Wylde Nept, the Beggarmen, and others. Centennial Park (315 South Marquette Street, Davenport). Friday 3 p.m. gates, Saturday 9 a.m. gates. Free. For information, visit QCCeltic.org.

Saturday, September 19 - Brew Ha Ha. Jaycees of the Quad Cities host the annual event featuring hundreds of national and international beer samples plus additional refreshments, comedy, live music with the Stone Flowers, and more. LeClaire Park (400 Beiderbecke Drive, Davenport). 1-5 p.m. $30-35. For tickets and information, visit JayceesQC.org.

Saturday, September 19 - Viva Quad Cities Festival. Annual celebration of the Hispanic community with food booths, arts & crafts, live entertainment, children's activities, and more. Isle of Capri parking lot (1777 Isle Parkway, Bettendorf). 3 p.m. - 11 p.m. Free. For information, visit VivaQuadCities.com.

Saturday, September 19 - Taming of the Slough. River Action hosts the annual 3.8-mile paddle around the island, followed by a 4.5-mile bike trail, two-mile run, and pizza party. Campbell's Island Slough, Hampton, Illinois. 8 a.m. For information, call (563)322-2969 or visit RiverAction.org/taming.

Saturday, September 19 - Mental Mayhem with Dan Ladd. Family event with the hypnotist and mind-reader. Circa '21 Speakeasy (1818 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $15-18. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2 or visit Circa21.com.

Wednesday, September 23 - Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat. Presentation on the tenets of mindful eating and a book-signing with Dr. Michelle May. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center (2021 State Street, Bettendorf). 6 and 8 p.m. book signings, 7 p.m. presentation. $20. For information, e-mail info@amysgift.com or call (309)779-3077.

Friday, September 25, and Saturday, September 26 - Quad Cities Fall Pride Festival. Annual celebration of LGBT culture featuring live music, the Mr. & Miss Quad Cities Fall Pride Pageant, belly dancers, drag shows, Bottoms Up Quad City Burlesque, the Blacklist comedians, and headliners Jade, Zander Mander, and Nic Hawk. LeClaire Park (400 Beiderbecke Drive, Davenport). Friday 5 p.m. gates, Saturday 10 a.m. gates. $5-7 daily, $10 weekend pass. For information, visit QuadCitiesFallPride.com.

Friday, September 25, and Saturday, September 26 - Hot Air Balloon Festival. Annual event featuring balloon launches, food vendors, children's activities, a bounce house, balloon glows at dusk, and more. Rock Island County Fairgrounds (4200 Archer Drive, East Moline). 5 p.m. launches. Free. For information, visit QuadCitiesBalloonFestival.com.

Saturday, September 26 - PostSecret Live with Frank Warren. Tales from the ongoing community art project in which people reveal secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. Orpheum Theatre (57 South Kellogg Street, Galesburg). 7:30 p.m. $15-25. For tickets and information, call (309)342-2299 or visit TheOrpheum.org.

Sunday, September 27 - Quad Cities Marathon. Annual fundraising event involving seven races, two states, and one (Arsenal) island. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). 8 a.m. $40-95 registration. For information, visit QCMarathon.org.

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