Plenty of albums feature songs that are also love stories. Far fewer albums are themselves love stories.

During a rip-roaring speech in New Hampshire last week, Governor JB Pritzker called for mass national protests and “disruption,” assailed “do-nothing” Democrats for their “simpering timidity,” and labeled President Donald Trump a “madman” who cannot be reasoned with. The Jewish Ukrainian-American governor said of Trump: “Stop tearing down the Constitution in the name of my ancestors. Do not claim that your authoritarian power-grabs are about anti-Semitism. When you destroy social justice, you are disparaging the very foundation of Judaism.”

You only turn 100 years old once. And while the Figge Art Museum – which originated as the Davenport Municipal Art Gallery in 1925 – is marking its centennial year in many ways, it's pulling out all the stops on Saturday, May 17, with a “Glow Up” party, celebrating a landmark $4-million lighting of its building at 225 West Second Street in Davenport.

Jason Tanamor will help celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May with a new, Filipino-inspired shoe that pays respect to the Philippines flag. He designed the Italian-made shoe, the JT I, produced by Alive Shoes, which also aims to expand the underrepresented market of the Philippines.

On May 13, the artist whom The Rolling Stone Album Guide calls “the world's most beloved heavy-metal entertainer” makes a special appearance at Moline's Vibrant Arena at the MARK with the Quad Cities return of Alice Cooper, whose 2023 recording Road was hailed by Classic Rock as "a cohesively themed album lathered in multi-tiered guitars, anthemic choruses, and high-density power riffage, tempered by road-honed dynamism and built for the stage."

Touring in support of their 2023 album Where Do We Go from Here? that Blabbermouth called "one of the more dynamic records in their collection" and that Louder Sound said boasted "chart-worthy anthemic stadium rock songs," the popular metalcore musicians of Asking Alexandria headline a May 10 concert at Davenport's Capitol Theatre, the British band's top-10 Billboard smashes including 2011's Reckless & Relentless, 2013's From Death to Destiny, and 2016's The Black.

Delivering a blues-rock tribute to legendary bands The Allman Brothers and Santana, Iowa City's ever-popular ensemble The Beaker Brothers Band headlines a May 9 engagement at Davenport's Redstone Room, their Fillmore East & West concert finding the musicians performing from a revered repertoire sure to include classics from Santana's Live at the Filmore 1968 and The Allman Brothers Band's At Fillmore East.

With his 2024 release Frank's Full Moon Saloon praised by Glide magazine as a "raw and intimate" recording that "seems to mark a new chapter" for the artist, Matthew Logan Vasquez returns to Davenport for a May 14 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, the acclaimed singer/songwriter and guitarist also a member of the rock band Delta Spirit and the indie super-groups Middle Brothers and Glorietta.

With gifted vocalist and ensemble leader Donovan Tea currently celebrating his astonishing 41st year with the group, the beloved pop vocalists of the Lettermen make their long-awaited return to the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse on May 12, their ever-popular springtime engagements overflowing with timeless hits such as “When I Fall in Love,” “Put Your Head on My Shoulder,” “Hurt So Bad,” and “Shangri-La.”