Johnny Delaware at the Raccoon Motel -- June 23.
Friday, June 23, 8 p.m.
Raccoon Motel, 315 East Second Street, Davenport IA
Lauded by the Charleston City Paper as its "Singer/Songwriter of the Year," and praised for "deftly blending an array of influences that nod toward crooning pop-rock in the vein of Chris Isaak or Roy Orbison, the theatrical roots-rock excess of Bruce Springsteen, and the dark post-punk romanticism of Echo & the Bunnymen," Johnny Delaware performs a solo concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel on June 23, the artist also famed for his tenures with the alt-rockers of Susto and The Artisanals.
Johnny Delaware grew up in the great plains of South Dakota, and after being awarded as a state-champion runner in high school, he attended college on scholarship and began recording music in his dorm room. He eventually began traveling all over the country working odd jobs, starting bands, and meeting musicians. In his mid-20s, while desiring to make a record, Delaware was told by a friend to relocate to Charleston, South Carolina. He didn't have the money for relocation or studio time, but that changed after a tree fell onto his RAV4 and his insurance company paid him $10,000. Delaware subsequently went on to record his debut album Secret Wave with producer Wolfgang Zimmerman in 2013, and did indeed move to Charleston.
While there, Delaware moved into the same house as Justin Osborne and the two became friends while writing and recording songs. The band became Susto, a side project for lead singer, songwriter, guitarist, and keyboardist Osborne, and initially performing with a revolving lineup of musicians, the group's eponymous debut was released by Hearts & Plugs in 2014. Following his Susto tenure, Delaware started another band in 2017 called The Artisanals, a group that has toured internationally, played festivals across the United States, and released two albums. In 2020, Delaware relocated to Mexico and partnered with friends in Mexico City to release his solo album Energy of Light, which debuted in 2021.
Johnny Delaware headlines his Davenport engagement on June 23 with an additional set by Nathan K, admission to the 8 p.m. concert is $12, and tickets are available by visiting TheRaccoonMotel.com.
