Hailed by Noob Heavy for their "fine blend of industrial, groove, electronic, and metal" and by Rough Edge for music that's "alive, straightforward, and forceful," the Los Angeles-based alternative-metal talents of Static-X headline the "Machines vs. Monsters Tour" alongside GWAR, Dope, and A Killer's Confession, the sure-to-be-unforgettable night of thrilling rock and thrash mayhem landing at Davenport's Capitol Theatre on May 31.

Known for wearing stage attire to honor their blue-collar Midwestern roots and bringing a tight, high-energy performance to every booking, the Quad Cities' alt-metal ensemble Alborn headlines a May 30 concert event at Moline's Rascals Live, this popular local outfit composed of Justin Taylor on guitar and lead vocals, Alex Raser on drums and vocals, Zame Lewis on bass, and Nate Guske on guitar and vocals.

In afternoon and evening performances on June 5, country-music fans are invited to sing their hearts out to timeless classics such as “How Do You Like Me Now,” “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” and “I Love This Bar" at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse, with the Rock Island venue presenting the area debut of the touring sensation TOBY: A Tribute to Toby Keith starring Hollywood Yates. With every strum of the guitar and every beat of the drum, TOBY pays homage to Keith’s extraordinary career, capturing the essence of his rebellious charm and unwavering dedication to his craft.

Patrons of Galesburg's Orpheum Theatre are invited on an exhilarating trip back to the disco heyday of the 1970s when the vocal ensemble Choral Dynamics presents their dynamite stage extravaganza Blame It on the Boogie, a May 30 through June 1 musical fiesta with proceeds benefiting the Galesburg Rescue Mission & Women's Shelter.

House Speaker Chris Welch took the extraordinary actions last week of permanently kicking Representative Fred Crespo (D-Hoffman Estates) out of the House Democratic caucus, stripping him of his legislative staff, removing him from his appropriations committee chair’s position, and booting him from the bicameral Legislative Audit Commission.

Recently hailed for her hosting of the 2025 Golden Globe Awards – a gig she so effectively slayed that she's already been invited back for 2026 – comedian, actor, and podcaster Nikki Glaser brings her “Alive and Unwell Tour” to Davenport's Adler Theatre on May 29, her career-defining 2024 career culminating with being named “Comedian of the Year” by the New York Times.

With his album Stever Fever named one of its year's top-10 comedy albums by Comedy-Reviews.com, and his latest recording Alive on State a number-one smash on iTunes, standup comedian Steve Gillespie brings his touring act to Davenport's Raccoon Motel on May 29, the evening of laughter held in support of his new album Liminal Bliss and boasting sets by Donny Townsend and Maggie Driscal.

Davenport's Figge Art Museum is delivering some extra-special kick with its colorful and arresting exhibit on display through August 31, as the footwear-themed exhibit Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks enjoys a stay in the venue's fourth-floor gallery, the exhibition co-organized by the American Federation of Arts and the Bata Shoe Museum, and curated by he latter's director and senior curator Elizabeth Semmelhack.

Conceived by the revered artistic team of Craig Lucas and Norman René, and boasting nearly two dozen songs by the composing legend that is Stephen Sondheim, the two-character musical Marry Me a Little makes its Quad Cities debut at the Playcrafters Barn Theatre, its May 23 through June 1 sure to demonstrate why The Guardian hailed the show as "a carousel of regrets and rapture."