A popular touring comedian who also hosts the weekly show One More Saturday Night on SiriusXM’s Grateful Dead Channel, funnyman Mike Finoia will headline two nights of standup at Bally's Quad Cities on October 9 and 10, his credits including serving as longtime producer and writer for the comedy ensemble of Impractical Jokers.
With their popular audio series designed to debunk the phrase “that kind of this doesn't happen in our town,” Jonah Lantto and Dawn Palumbo bring their live Midwest Murder Podcast show back to Davenport's Rhythm City Casino Resort on October 10.
With the event presented by QC Toy Show and boasting such special guests as WWE Hall of Famers Sgt. Slaughter, D-Von Dudley, and Ted DiBiase alongside Power Rangers actors Paul Schrier and Jason Navy, the 2026 Nerdtober Con will take place at the Davenport RiverCenter on October 10 and 11, the two-day pop-culture celebration also featuring comics, toys, trading cards, cosplay, games, collectibles, and much more.
Led by the from haunted maps and arriving toward the start of spooky season, the German American Heritage Center's October 10 Geisternacht Paranormal Investigation event invites patrons of the Davenport venue to learn about the history of the building, as well as the nature of paranormal investigation itself.
On October 10 and 11, the lives of three remarkable woman – Mary Deere, Katherine Butterworth, and Pattie Wiman – will be explored when Moline's Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House offer The Ladies of the Houses Tours, the fascinating 90-minute events taking place on Saturday at 10 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.
More than a year ago, the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget was projecting a $3.2 billion deficit for what is now the current fiscal year.
Last month, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch told WGN Political Editor Tahman Bradley during an interview, “I’m going to apologize for making her feel uncomfortable.”
My associate Isabel Miller and I told subscribers earlier this month that Democrats for the Illinois House had been suddenly cut off from the Democratic Party of Illinois’ lucrative postage-discount program, which can save as much as one-third to half of campaign postage costs.
You may know that embattled Legislative Inspector General Michael McCuskey has agreed to resign his post by the end of September. But this sorry saga shouldn’t end there. The Legislative Ethics Commission should immediately launch an investigation into why so many women over the years have said they were mistreated, belittled, and dismissed by McCuskey. They could also ask McCuskey’s replacement to revisit the cases.
Take, for example, corn. You probably didn’t expect that. But however you might measure intelligence, it is probably only valid if corn’s is higher than ours. In the fauna realm, if a Martian landed in my community and reported back to their spaceship on who is in charge down here, they would almost certainly have to say “pigs.”
An eagerly awaited revival of the venue's first musical presentation in 2018, the stage version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame returns to Moline's Spotlight Theatre October 9 through 18, this lauded stage adaptation of Disney's Oscar-nominated hit again starring Adam Sanders in his memorable role as Quasimodo.
With Variety magazine calling the musical "smartly conceived" and boasting "catchy tunes and witty lyrics," the tune-filled romantic comedy I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change makes its debut at Moline's Black Box Theatre October 9 through 24, Gannett Newspapers raving that the original production was "hilarious ... the most entertaining show on or off Broadway."
From October 9 through 18, Rock Island's youth-theatre venue The Center for Living Arts (CFLA) will present Spring Awakening one final time, closing a chapter with this Tony-winning musical drama that has become part of the organization’s history.
With its source material named "the best American children's book of the past two hundred years" by the Children's Literature Association, the stage version of E.B. White's beloved Charlotte's Web enjoys an October 10 through 18 run in St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center.
It was interesting to see how this script written in 1987 was still thematically relevant nearly 40 years later. You’d think we’d be further along as a society, but from its concerns about the deportation of undocumented workers to the characters' strain in simply make ends meet, Josefina Lopez’s play speaks to issues that feel very current.
Boasting more than 10,000 worldwide performances and featured on Entertainment Tonight and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, touring tribute artist Jay White brings his Sweet Caroline Tour to Davenport's Adler Theatre on October 9, this stage celebration of Neil Diamond including thrilling renditions of such classics as "Cracklin’ Rosie," "Cherry, Cherry," "Kentucky Woman," "Shilo," "Solitary Man," "Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show," and "Forever in Blue Jeans."
With her remarkable career boasting accolades from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association, plus more than 6 million albums sold, acclaimed singer/songwriter Sara Evans brings her national tour to Davenport's Rhythm City Casino Resort Event Center on October 9, her credits including an ACM Award for Top Female Vocalist and 2023 induction into the Grand Ole Opry.
A dynamic celebration of the legendary singer/songwriter’s greatest hits, as well as the story of the man behind the melodies, the touring sensation The Billy Joel Legacy: A Tribute Experience comes to Davenport's Adler Theatre on October 10, this exhilarating stage spectacle the latest from the producers of The Life and Music of George Michael and this past February's Adler Theatre smash The Simon & Garfunkel Story.
With his songs, according to Little Village Magazine, "filled with a mix of goofy juvenilia, absurd sexual content, nerdy grammatical breakdowns and introspective lyrical detours," rapper and comedian Schaffer the Darklord headlines the October 10 "Horror Show 3" at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, the popular touring artist appearing alongside Coolzey and Baby Jayne.
Led by Poison drummer Rikki Rockett, a hard-driving rock outfit comes to East Moline's The Rust Belt on October 10 with the venue debut of Rockett Mafia, the group's current national tour centered around performing the classic Poison: Look What The Cat Dragged In album in it’s entirety.
In director Michael Showalter's adaptation of Colleen Hoover's Verity, the title figure is a fabulously wealthy celebrity who appears willing to go to psychotic extremes to get a little peace and quiet. Having now appeared in five films over the past six months, and with a new baby on the way, it's no wonder Anne Hathaway is so good in the role. She must relate to Verity Crawford like crazy.
Going to the cineplex or staying in and streaming this weekend? Every Thursday morning at 8:15 a.m. you can listen to Mike Schulz dish on recent movie releases & talk smack about Hollywood celebs on Planet 93.9 FM with the fabulous Dave & Darren in the Morning team of Dave Levora and Darren Pitra. The morning crew previews upcoming releases, too. Or you can check the Reader Web site and listen to their latest conversation by the warm glow of your electronic device. Never miss a pithy comment from these three scintillating pundits again
Thursday, October 8: Discussion of Digger (spoiler-free!) and Verity, previews of Angel & the Badman, The Social Reckoning, Other Mommy, and April X, and a big huzzah to Coyote vs. Acme, which initially looked like it wasn't going to recoup its $50-million purchase price and just surpassed $60 million. A true Hollywood Happy Ending.
With Robert Pattinson supplying a demented stare, wicked grin, and one of his signature affected accents, this big-screen Chris Hansen is magisterially icky: sweaty, scary, pathetic, and wholly deserving of the downfall you know is coming.
Among Zach Cregger's three features to date, Resident Evil is my favorite.
Now playing at area theaters.
An arresting and thought-provoking group show featuring 38 pieces of art made by 27 Midwestern artists whose work explores the many forms our “monsters” can take, The Monster Under My Bed will be on display at Rock Island's Quad City Arts Center from October 9 through December 4, this exhibition designed to demonstrate ways in which creativity can help us give shape to experiences that are difficult to put into words.
With the acclaimed artist creating a site-specific installment for the Davenport venue, Amanda Burnham: Everything to Everyone will be on display in the Figge Art Museum's Gildehaus Gallery from October 10 through February 14, the Baltimore-based artist a draftsman who uses drawing as the foundation for large-scale pieces that transform her observations into immersive environments.
With each piece chosen by the institutions’ art professors to showcase campus talent and creativity, the Figge Art Museum's latest installment of the College Invitational will be on display in the Davenport venue from october 10 through January 17, the artwork from gifted students attending nine area colleges and universities on view in the museum's Mary Waterman Gildehaus Community Gallery.
With the showcased photographs captured by class-of-2025 alumna Hannah Bauch, patrons of the University of Dubuque's Bisignano Aet Gallery are invited to explore the multifaceted identities of student athletes, and the many layers that exist beyond their roles in competition, in the exhibition Beyond the Game: A UD Athletic Homecoming, on display through October 30.
With the artists encouraging their audience to pause and find hidden details in their work., two Midwestern talents are showcasing pieces at the Quad City Arts International Airport Gallery through November 2, the Bowden & Shultz-Hetrick exhibit hosting abstract paintings by Peotone, Illinois' James Bowden and fused-glass art by Cedar Rapids' Barbara Shultz-Hetrick.
You'll get both the current official narrative challenge and What's Happenin' in the Quad Cities.
(Did you know we publish a new Real Astrology and RCR Crossword every week?)
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