Presenting an address on the importance of “Making Words Count,” Iowa Poet Laureate Mary Swander serves as the keynoate speaker for the Midwest Writing Center's fall fundraiser Celebration of the Literary Arts 2018, an October 25 even held at Moline's CityView Celebrations that will also boast a buffet dinner, cashg bar, 50/50 raffle, and the presentation of the annual David R. Collins Literary Achievement Award.

Praised by Marquee magazine for their “dynamic presence” and for “continuously pushing the genre of bluegrass and their legacy within the genre,” the Yonder Mountain String Band plays Davenport's Redstone Room on October 24 in support of their latest album Love. Ain't Love, a work in which, according to LiveForLiveMusic.com, the chart-topping group “finds plenty of new twists on the way to making a stellar record.”

Appearing locally in support of the band's January release Politics in the Time of Heroin, the Iowa-based indie rockers of The Penny Serfs will play a Moeller Nights concert on October 25. Audiences will subsequently be treated to the genre-hopping sound that, in the Prelude Press, lead vocalist and LeClaire resident Mikey Loy described as: “Take The Beatles out for a drink or five; introduce them to Kurt Cobain (preferably under the influence); give them a few topics to discuss (i.e. politics, fear, past, present, and future); convince Paul and John to let Kurt sit in for a few sessions; hit the record button.”

Lauded by the New York Times for their “vibrantly warm-blooded” song stylings and by Iowa City's The Gazette for their “silky smooth a cappella harmonies shaking up pop tunes and standards,” the Chicago-based male vocalists of Straight No Chaser play Davenport's Adler Theatre on October 27, the group's singular sound and thrilling blend leading The Morning Call to ask, “What's not to love?”