A disparate pair of independent-music acts will take the stage at Davenport's Raccoon Motel for two concerts on July 27, the first with the rockers of Deserta performing in support of last year's album Don't Dare Stop, and the second with Georgia-based folk-rock, country, and blues vocalist Pony Bradshaw celebrating the release of his new recording Thus Spoke the Fool, scheduled for release on August 16.

With the project of married couple Beth Hataway and Johnny Veres delivering, according to Americana UK, "an atmospheric folk sound [that] will capture your attention and draw you in emotionally," the touring artists of Electric Blue Yonder headline a July 28 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, the group praised by Slant as “a diamond-bright exploration of rock's past, present, and hopeful future.”

Their springtime release Hum of the Road lauded by Saving Country Music as "instilled with insightful road-worn and real-life wisdom," and the artists themselves hailed as "a band that attentive country music fans across the United States revere," the talents of Tylor & the Train Robbers headline a July 29 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, the musicians' latest also praised by Americana Highways for delivering "what made people like Guy Clark and Townes van Zandt legends."

Touring in support of their 2023 album Memory Unfixed, a work that Jesus Freak Hideout called "a delightful return [that] provides a compelling entry point for new fans," the indie rockers of Mike Mains & the Branches headline a July 30 concert a Davenport's Raccoon Motel, their latest also praised by I Am Tuned Up as a recording that "expands upon [the musicians'] ability to utilize pop sensibilities and overlay them with an authentical and vulnerable lyrical approach."

A collective of Iowa-based musicians and educators founded in 2017 by a group of friends at the University of Northern Iowa, the high-energy ensemble BYObrass headlines a July 26 outdoor concert in the "Live at 5" series, the event held in Davenport's SkyBridge Courtyard and sponsored by Friends of Common Chord.

Performing in support of their new recording Olustee, an album that Relix magazine called "a blend of reflection, raucousness, introspection, and exultation," the talents of JJ Grey & Mofro headline a July 27 concert at Mt. Carroll's Rhythm Section Auditorium, Relix adding that "their music encapsulates the spirit of 21st-century Southern swamp boogie, a genre which JJ Grey has been instrumental in defining.”

Showcasing exquisite examples of manuscripts from her gallery, Les Enluminures, along with period jewelry, renowned professor, scholar, and gallerist Dr. Sandra Hindman will participate in an August 1 Scholar Presentation at Davenport's Figge Art Museum, providing a rich, historical context for her remarkable artifacts, and delivering an insightful presentation in celebration of the venue's exhibit Illumination: Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts from the Figge Collection.

Returning to the area for its incredible 104th year, an eagerly awaited six-day festival boasting games, competitions, vendors, and concert sets by more than two dozen national and local acts returns with the 2024 Mississippi Valley Fair, its July 30 through August 4 engagement at Davenport's Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds boasting, as always, grandstand performances by chart-toppers, multi-platinum sellers, and multiple-award winners.

Returning to downtown Davenport for its incredible 50th year, the Quad-City Times Bix 7 will again find runners and walkers taking on a seven-mile foot race alongside live bands and cheering crowds, the July 27 event famed for being the largest non-marathon race in the Midwest, having captured the imaginations of thousands upon thousands of enthusiasts from both the United States and countries around the globe.

Presented on July 28 as the latest program in the German American Heritage Center's popular "Kaffee und Kuchen" series, Quad Cities Beer: A History will find authors Michael McCarty and Kristen DeMarr celebrating the heady heritage of the region, with patrons invited to purchase a copy of their local-history book before or after the event and have it signed by the authors.

Pages