Events

i wireless Center

March through June

Shall we commence? If you’re a staff member at Moline’s i wireless Center, the only answer to that question is “Heck, yeah, we shall!” Because in its season featuring two-dozen events open to the public, a full 11 of them are commencements, as students and their families – from May 15 to June 5 – celebrate graduations from area colleges (Augustana, Scott, Black Hawk), universities (St. Ambrose, Western Illinois), and high schools (Rock Island, Pleasant Valley, North Scott, and Davenport North, West, and Central). Consequently, a bunch of you will already be spending time at the i wireless at least once this spring. But I urge you to also consider several additional visits, considering how many springtime engagements will leave patrons with the urge to cheer and throw their hats in the air.

Music

An Evening with Christian Howes

Redstone Room

Wednesday, March 9, 7 p.m.

On March 9, Davenport’s Redstone Room will host a hugely acclaimed, virtuosic jazz violinist in “An Evening with Christian Howes.” In its 2011 critics’ poll, DownBeat magazine voted Howes number one in the category “Rising Stars/Violin.” DownBeat called his 2012 album Southern Exposure “a masterful journey.” DownBeat praised Howes’ musicality by writing, “Everything about the way he moves across each string seems to express another emotion.” That’s an awful lot of DownBeat for someone who makes listeners so darned happy.

Exhibits

Figge Art Museum

Thursday, February 4, through Sunday, June 5

Well, how about that? It’s the first week of February in the Quad Cities, and there are gorgeous, summery sights everywhere! Fields of wildflowers! Golden-hued sunsets! Irises! Poppies! A child playing guitar on the banks of a gently flowing stream!

You do realize, though, that you’ll have to visit the Figge Art Museum to see all this, right? Because until our weather improves, you can only see that collection of arresting images – along with dozens of equally beautiful pieces – in the Figge’s 39th Annual Rock Island Art Guild Fine Arts Exhibition, on display February 6 through May 15.

Theatre

Phantom

Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse

Wednesday, January 15, through Saturday, March 5

He was born and raised in the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera House. His horribly disfigured face is hidden behind a mask. He meets a beautiful singer named Christine and becomes her music tutor. He falls in love with the girl and shows her his face, at which point she recoils in horror. He goes on a crazed rampage. He becomes the scourge of Parisian society. And his name is well known to you all. He is, of course ... Erik.