DAVENPORT, IOWA (August 16, 2021) — The 2021 Alternating Currents festival will showcase 120+ live performances, film screenings and art-related events from Thursday to Sunday, August 19-22, at more than 30 venues across three Downtown Quad Cities: Davenport, Rock Island and Moline. Designed to showcase the vibrant culture of our downtown areas, the annual event features a variety of indoor and outdoor events including musical acts, film screenings, a comedy line-up, and many art-inspired activities.
Alternating Currents is a festival featuring more than sixty national, regional, and local acts over the four-day event at locations across Downtown Quad Cities including 25 locations in downtown Davenport. Now in its fourth year, Alternating Currents is organized by the Downtown Davenport Partnership (DDP), a division of the Quad Cities Chamber, in collaboration with local talent across our region’s creative community.
“Alternating Currents gives us an opportunity to showcase the businesses and vibrant cultures of our Downtown Quad Cities businesses while at the same time, it allows us to offer four days of great entertainment, much of it by local talent,” said Jason Gilliland, Director of Events for DDP.
All Alternating Currents performances are free to attend. Visitors are encouraged to travel from one venue to the next — easily identifiable by their yellow Alternating Currents venue signage. For the first time, Alternating Currents also will feature events at several downtown Rock Island venues as well as at Bass Street Landing in Moline. Also new this year, complimentary pedi-cab rides are being offered to help transport festival goers from one venue to the next. Pedi-cabs will be in downtown Rock Island on Thursday and downtown Davenport on Friday and Saturday.
“The best way to navigate the festival is through the Alternating Currents’ new app,” Gilliland said. “Users can craft their own festival experience and schedule that is unique. Using the app, they can ‘favorite’ an artist, click to find their performance time and location, as well as use the map to discover all of the participating venues.” To download the free app, visit alternatingcurrentsqc.com.
This year’s festival is presented by GreenState Credit Union and the Regional Development Authority (RDA).
The festival’s indoor and outdoor venues provide space for attendees to keep a safe distance. In between performances, they can explore our walkable Downtown Quad Cities and experience all the other restaurants, shops, bars and other entertainment venues.
Alternating Currents will kick off Thursday with a Mural Unveiling 3:45-4:45PM at 313 20th St, Rock Island. A blank alleyway wall is being transformed into a beautiful mural by Rock Island High School student Riley Jones in collaboration with professional muralists Dana Harrison (whose artist name is Limone) and Brandon Warner (ASPHATE). The mural is an adaptation of Jones’ artwork, originally titled "Black Pride," that was competitively selected by US Representative Cheri Bustos and is displayed at the US Capitol this summer. The project is part of a public art initiative of the Quad Cities Chamber and Quad City Arts.
Here’s a look at some of the Alternating Currents’ highlights:
LIVE MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS
- Blues band Avey Grouws Band, 7PM, Thursday, Bass Street Landing, Moline.
- Squonk Opera!, a group of interdisciplinary performing artists from Pittsburgh, will give three performances: 2-2:30PM and 6-6:30PM, Friday, and 10-10:30AM, Saturday, at the Davenport Skybridge parking lot. A Meet and Greet with Squonk will be from 6:30-8:30PM, Thursday, at Quad City Arts, Rock Island.
- Punk band Radkey returns to Alternating Currents for their second appearance after just finishing a leg with the Foo Fighters 26th anniversary tour; 9:15-10PM, Saturday, at Lopiez’s 2nd Anniversary Party, Davenport.
- QC COLLABS, a mixed media project consisting of an album featuring local talent, will be at 7-7:45PM, Saturday, River Music Experience (RME) Courtyard, Davenport. The project is led by Josh Graves of Underground Economy, a collaborative hub at the RME for creatives and entrepreneurs.
ART HIGHLIGHTS
- Mural unveiling/ceremony, 3:45-4:45PM, Thursday, in the alleyway by 313 20th St, Rock Island. The event will honor young artist Riley Jones and feature music by DJ Cat Dady, a spoken-word performance by Aubs and Wes Julien, and remarks from other special guests.
- Gallery opening of Mike Leinhauser and Judith Eastburn Exhibit, 6:30-8:30PM, Thursday, at Quad City Arts, Rock Island. The dual exhibit features a collection of black-and-white portraits, and landscapes by the regional artists: Leinhauser, of Bettendorf, and Eastburn, Des Moines. The event also includes a reception for the 2nd Ave Window Exhibit featuring works by Zay Williams of Zay Creatives, Davenport.
- Crafty Cat Indie Art Festival, an indoor fair with 130+ vendors, 5-8PM, Friday, and 10AM-4PM, Saturday, at the Davenport RiverCenter.
FILM HIGHLIGHTS
- Meet and Greet with Illinois Film Office, 5-7PM, Thursday, at Rock Island Holiday Inn. Attend a reception with Peter Hawley, the film office’s director, and Ted Reilly, founder and executive director of Chicago Media Angels.
- Musician William Campbell, who wrote the original score for the Oscar-nominated film Hunger Ward, will perform on piano at 5:30PM, Thursday, and 1:30PM, Saturday, at the Figge Art Museum, Davenport. Campbell, a St Ambrose University professor, also will participate in a Q&A at 4PM, Saturday, at the Figge.
- The Quad Cities River Bandits will show The Sandlot, 7:30PM, Thursday, at Modern Woodmen Park, Davenport.
- Alternating Currents Film Festival will showcase a variety of original films Thursday-Sunday in three different programs: family-friendly, mature audiences and experimental. Each program will host a variety of showings on multiple days. The family-friendly lineup, which will be shown at Figge Art Museum and Mockingbird on Main, both in Davenport, includes the showing of Sea Dogs, an animated short produced by Alternating Currents Comedian Spencer Louks.
COMEDY HIGHLIGHTS
- Stand-up comedian Nick Thune from Los Angeles, will perform 9-10PM, Thursday, at Raccoon Motel, Davenport.
- The Best of the Speakeasy Burlesque and Comedy Show is 8-10PM, Thursday, at Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse, Rock Island. Must be 18 or older.
- A panel discussion hosted by Idea Factory on Comedy and Cancel Culture is 3-4PM, Saturday, CITY Church, Davenport.
“FUN STUFF” HIGHLIGHTS
- Grand opening of The Spot, a new inclusive space and live music venue for Quad Cities creatives, 5-7PM Thursday, 1611 2nd Ave., Rock Island. Musical guests M3 and Chicago-based artist AMI will perform from 5-7PM followed by Big Man G and the E$ at 8PM.
- Lopiez 2nd Anniversary, Friday and Saturday, featuring live musical performances including headliner Radkey at 9:15PM Saturday. Other festivities include a sideshow, drag show and an exhibition by SCW Pro Wrestling from 8:15-9:15PM, Saturday.
- Silent Disco with DJ’s CupCaine, DollaMilite and Planet 93.9. Enjoy the nightclub vibe of the Skybridge’s color-changing lights as three DJs battle it out, 9-11PM, Friday and Saturday, Davenport Skybridge. Must be 18 or older.
For more information about the festival and its full line-up, visit alternatingcurrentsqc.com. Tag us: #alternatingcurrentsqc
COVID-19 protocols:
The Alternating Currents festival looks forward to hosting an entertaining and safe event in the Quad Cities. We are closely monitoring current CDC guidelines and local health-department information regarding the status of COVID-19 in the region. As in any public place where people are present, there is an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19. We encourage attendees to wear masks indoors in all public areas and participate in festival activities that fit your level of comfort. Each individual establishment will determine the COVID-19 guidelines for its business.
About Downtown Davenport Partnership:
DDP, an affiliate of Quad Cities Chamber, provides place-management services for downtown Davenport’s business improvement district (Self-Supporting-Municipal Improvement District, or SSMID). Its focus encompasses three pillars of work: business and economic growth, infrastructure and livability, and advocacy and promotion.
