DAVENPORT, IOWA (May 21, 2021) — River Music Experience, along with other local businesses and nonprofits that make their home in the historic Redstone building, 129 N Main Street, Davenport, Iowa, will be celebrating the start of the summer with their first outdoor concert of the year, along with a building wide Open House event, and welcoming of our newest tenants, Underground Economy and Zeke’s Island Café.
RME will kick off their popular Friday Live@Five free courtyard concert series, which will return on the full June–September weekly schedule this year (excluding July 4 weekend). These concerts are 5–7PM, free, open to all ages, and supported by a variety of community sponsors. “Our concerts feature local bands and are a great way to kick off the weekend after work on Fridays.” said Jesse Ricke, Community Engagement Coordinator at RME.
The Redstone building houses two restaurants; TacoBar and Zeke’s Island Cafe, four no-nprofit organizations; River Music Experience, Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Society, Bix Beiderbecke Museum and Archive, Empower House, and two local businesses; Estes Construction and Underground Economy.
“In collaboration with one of our newest tenants, Underground Economy, we came up with the idea of treating the June 4 Live@Five concert as a sort of reopening celebration and kick off to the long-awaited summer season”, said Tyson Danner, Executive Director of RME. “We’ve all struggled with COVID- related restrictions, and this is an opportunity to welcome our patrons back, we have a lot to celebrate.”
The open house, reopening celebration, will be held on Friday, June 4, 2021 5-8PM. The Live@5 concert will be held in the courtyard, 5-7PM, featuring Jason Carl and The Whole Damn Band, sponsored by Northwest Bank and Trust. Guided tours will be offered throughout the Redstone building, highlighting participating businesses and organizations. The Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce will also be conducting a ribbon cutting ceremony for Underground Economy at 4PM. Underground Economy is housed on the newly-renovated second floor with a brand-new recording studio and co-working space. Some guidelines will be in place to ensure the health and safety of our patrons, staff, and musicians. These guidelines will be reviewed and revised as the summer progresses.
Redstone Building Businesses and Organizations
Empower House
Brain Injury Clubhouse of the QCA is a community that provides empowerment for a more purposeful life after brain injury. Empower House is a 501(c)3 organization which serves adults with acquired brain injuries (BI) and their families. The goal of our organization is to help BI survivors re-engage in their community in meaningful ways. To learn more, visit empowerhouseqca.org or call us at 563-232-1002.
Bix Beiderbecke Museum and Archive
The Bix Beiderbecke Museum and Archive is a 501(c)3 non-profit museum honoring the legacy of Davenport native Leon "Bix" Beiderbecke. Located in the lower level of the River Music Experience building, it houses a collection of artifacts from Bix's life, including artifacts from the lives of various musicians who played with Bix throughout his career. The museum is also home to the largest archive of professional resources and artifacts relating to Bix Beiderbecke and his family used for research on his life and the development of jazz music in America. To learn more, visit www.bixmuseum.org or call us at 563-326-1333 ext 114.
River Music Experience
River Musice Experience (RME) is a non-profit performing arts center providing opportunities for the community to listen to, learn about, and play music. The purpose of RME is to provide educational programming and live music performances that would not otherwise be available in the Quad City area. To learn more, visit www.rivermusicexperience.org or call 563-326-1333.
Underground Economy
Underground Economy is the newest collaborative hub for entrepreneurs, musicians, and creative professionals. Our goal is to empower entrepreneurs & creatives by providing the resources and the tools needed to succeed. UE offer a professional recording studio, a podcast station, open coworking and more. We also provide a variety of media production & marketing services for artists & businesses as well. To learn more, visit www.undergroundeconomyqc.com or call 563.271.0685.
Bix Jazz Society
The Bix Jazz Society has been around 50 years and is excited to present its 50th festival this August 5, 6, and 7. We look forward to showing off our new office at the RME and offering souvenirs for fans. The mission of the Society is to perpetuate the music and memory of Leon "Bix" Beiderbecke through an annual jazz festival, jazz-education programs, and the preservation of traditional jazz. To learn more, visit www.bixsociety.org.
Estes Construction
A leading regional construction manager and general contractor with locations in Davenport and Des Moines, Iowa. To learn more, visit www.estesconstruction.com.
Tacobar?
Handcrafted Tacos in Downtown Davenport. “chef toby. tortilla shells. no rules.” For more information and menu, visit www.tacobarqc.com/menu.
Zeke’s Island Café
Cultivating a Community Island Experience with cultural insights from the families and stories about the island life have influenced Zeke's culture and cuisine just as much as the recipes. Zeke's menu has been influenced by Jamaican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Venezuelan, Dominican, Chamorro, Hawaiian, Samoan, and Mexican cultures as well as the many insights and recommendations by those who have traveled all over the world.
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RME’s Summer Live@Five concert series happens every Friday, June through September, 5-7PM. (Excluding July 2 and September 17.) Live@Five is free and fun for the whole family, so come on down and start your weekend right. This concert series is made possible by our generous community sponsors. For more information and schedule, please visit our website at www.rivermusicexperience.com, or follow us on social media @rivermusicexperience.
