Late in 2019, Iowa City's ZUUL dragged a large pile of small amps into a warehouse in Washington, Iowa. Even with a half-dozen amplifiers, an organ, drums, and sundry recording equipment, the three-piece barely took up more than a corner. The intention: to capture the minimalist intensity of their howling noise rock in a cavernous empty space, with microphones placed at intervals near and far to catch it all.

A virtual dramatization educational in focus, historical in content, and hosted by Moline's Black Hawk College, I Have a Dream: A King’s Journey will be presented on February 17 by Marcus Gentry, founder and president of Marcus Gentry & Associates, and will cover the timeline from 1929 to the present day, emphasizing the three dominant principles that embody the spirit of Dr. King’s life and legacy. The conclusion of this presentation will consequently bring clarity to the overwhelming relevance of the historical events of the past in relation to the present.

One of the most beloved sitcoms of recent years, and the record-holder for the most Emmy Awards won by a comedy series in a single year, Schitt's Creek will be the subject of a special trivia night at The Tangled Wood, with fans of the show asked to bring their knowledge – and maybe their finest black-and-white attire – to the Bettendorf venue on February 23.

A special cinematic event in the Bettendorf Public Library's popular “Community Connections” series, the February 18 screening of Becoming Harriet Beecher Stowe by local filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle will explore how the author and abolitionist's life-changing experiences contributed to her best-selling book Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and how the historical icon's anti-slavery sentiments expressed themselves in what would become America’s most influential novel.

With its playwright Andrew Bovell described by The Guardian as “a wizard from Oz who writes fiendishly intricate plays” with “trademark ingenuity,” the thrilling drama Speaking in Tongues is the latest student-produced offering at Augustana College, its virtual performance on February 19 sure to demonstrate why Stage-Door.com called the work “the perfect play for people who like intellectual puzzles,” as well as “a play you will find yourself thinking about for days afterward.”

With the Figge Art Museum serving as one of only eight stops on the exhibit's national tour, the eagerly anticipated For America: 200 Years of Painting from the National Academy of Design will enjoy a home at the Davenport venue through May 16, showcasing more than 90 works made between 1810 and 2010 by some of the greatest American artists, drawn from the collections of the National Academy of Design in New York.

Your overall enjoyment of Sam Levinson's Netflix release will likely depend on whether you view its only two characters as charismatic, damaged souls whose epic meltdowns both mask and reveal their deep love for another, or as helplessly, and hopelessly, gabby, self-centered whiners who just need to put a lid on it already. Levinson's film isn't hard to sit through, and it boasts outstanding individual moments, but it's frequently a pain.

With its first photography exhibit since the venue opened in the summer of 2017, Bettendorf's Beréskin Gallery & Art Academy treats guests to 43 works from 23 area artists in the February 5 opening reception for The Photographic Exploration Project, with the included artists ranging “from very talented hobbyists to those that are professional,” according to gallery owner Pat Beréskin. “For our first call to entry for photography, we are quite pleased with the quality of the results.”