Music
Mudvayne
The Capitol Theatre
Tuesday, February 10, 7 p.m.
Formed
in Peoria in 1996, the multi-platinum-selling prog metal band
Mudvayne plays Davenport's Capitol Theatre on February 10, and in
an interview with MTV's Jon Weiderhorn, drummer Matthew McDonough
said, "Anybody who follows the band closely knows that there has
never been a consistent image with us."
And the award for Understatement of the Decade goes to ... !
Composed of McDonough, guitarist Greg Tribbett, bassist Ryan Martinie, and lead singer Chad Gray, Mudvayne has made its name not only through a decade-plus of touring and such hit CDs as L.D. 50, The Beginning of All Things to End, and Lost & Found, but through the band's varied, continually unpredictable accomplishments and presentational styles.
So just how varied and unpredictable are we talking here? Let's find out. Which of the following Mudvayne factoids is not true?
1) The band members once toured under the pseudonyms Kud, Gurrg, sPaG, and RyKnow
2) The band members once toured under the pseudonyms Chüd, Güüg, sPüG, and Rü-d
3) The band members once toured dressed as aliens
4) Gray once toured in a monkey suit and monkey head, splattered in fake blood, carrying a baseball bat
5) Band songs were featured in the horror movies Saw II and Ghost Ship
6) A band song was used as the theme for a WWE pay-per-view event
7) The band appeared in an episode of The Sopranos
8) The band has been nominated for a Grammy
Mudvayne plays the Capitol Theatre with opening acts Nonpoint and In This Moment, and more information on the concert is available at TheCapDavenport.com.
Answer: 4. Gray didn't wear the monkey head. 'Cause that would've been weird.
Music
New York Piano-Organ Duo
First Presbyterian Church of Davenport
Sunday, February 8, 4 p.m.
For
the latest presentation in its 2008-9 Performing Arts Series,
Davenport's First Presbyterian Church (at 1702 Iowa Street) is
proud to host February 8's unique concert experience with pianist
Jason Cutmore and organist Daniel Sullivan - two world-class
musicians who, since 2006, have joined forces as the acclaimed New
York Piano-Organ Duo.
Having performed solo recitals and concerts throughout North America, Europe, and India, Cutmore has long been considered one of his generation's finest pianists, with New York's Times Herald-Record praising his "intelligent interpretations, elasticity of pace, and arresting attention to detail," and India's The Telegraph extolling his "masterly technique" and "charismatic generosity of community."
Juilliard School faculty member Sullivan, meanwhile, has performed extensively throughout the United Kingdom and Scotland, with his 2008 debut CD - Bach's Goldberg Variations performed entirely on the organ - leading the American Record Guide to rave, "If you like the Goldbergs enough to buy more than one recording, this should be on your must-have list."
And performing as a duo, Cutmore's and Sullivan's piano-and-organ repertoire includes everything from pieces by living composers to the works of 18th- and 19th-century masters to Baroque concertos to an original transcription of Prokofiev's Peter & the Wolf, and found concert presenter Judy Evans raving, "It was scary in a good way!" That's a far better advertising hook than the one I came up with: "Two great tastes that taste great together." I'm still pretty confident I can sell that one, though.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for students, and more information on Sunday's New York Piano-Organ Duo concert is available by calling the Davenport church at (563) 326-1691.
Music
Ben Taylor
Rock Island Brewing Company
Monday, February 9, 7 p.m.
On
February 9, the Rock Island Brewing Company plays host to a
Daytrotter-sponsored concert with folk musician Ben Taylor , and there
are probably three things about the man that you should know right
off the bat:
1) He's the son of legendary recording artists James Taylor and Carly Simon.
2) His face recently graced the back of Canadian boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios.
3) He has trained extensively in the martial arts of chi kung, tai chi chuan, wing chun kung, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, so if you tease him about the Cheerios thing, he could absolutely kick the crap outta you.
Described by the Vermont Cynic as possessing a "quiet yet intimately piercing voice," Taylor has been praised for his wit, humor, and unique talents as a singer/songwriter since his 2005 solo effort Another Run Around the Sun, and is currently touring in support of his latest offering, The Legend of Kung Folk: Part I. (I'm sensing a personal motif.) With The Huffington Post's Mike Ragogna calling this "ridiculously clever" album "as freakin' flirty as it is imaginative," the recently released CD has already yielded a smash in the single "Wicked Way," selected as iTunes' number-two folk track for 2008. And in case you're unfamiliar with the tongue-in-cheek tune, here are some sample lyrics:
"I just want to take you out and get you drunk so I can have my wicked way with you ... . / So I'm not gonna come over and meet your mom and dad ... . / And I don't want to meet your friends or just pretend I like you."
James and Carly must be so proud.
Monday's Daytrotter set also features a performance by the Chicago musicians of Ragged Claws, and additional information on the night can be found at RIBCO.com.
Comedy
Jeff Dunham
i wireless Center
Thursday, February 12, 7 p.m.
"Did
you know that ventriloquist Jeff Dunham was described as 'one of
the funniest stand-up comics alive' by the Dallas
Morning News, and was named
'Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic' at the American Comedy Awards?"
"I did know that. And did you know that following his appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Late Show with David Letterman, and Star Search, Dunham achieved international fame through his hugely popular comedy specials Arguing with Myself, Spark of Insanity, and 2008's Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special, which was the highest-rated telecast in Comedy Central history?"
"I sure did. But did you know that within the comic's 'suitcase posse' of beloved characters, you'll find Walter, a sarcastically bitter retiree, José, a talking jalapeño on a stick, and Achmed the Dead Terrorist, whose trademark catchphrase 'Silence! I kill you!' has found its way to T-shirts and bumper stickers nationwide?"
"Yup. Did you know that Dunham's going to be at the i wireless Center on February 12?"
"Uh-huh. Did you know that tickets are $45 and are available by visiting iwirelessCenter.com?"
"I did."
"Me, too."
That conversation was part of my ventriloquist act with my sock puppet, Fredo. Impressed?
Music
Johnny Hickman & David Lowery of Cracker
The Redstone Room
Wednesday, February 4, 9 p.m.
Johnny
Hickman and David Lowery are, respectively, the guitarist/vocalist
and lead guitarist for the alternative rock band Cracker. But when
the Redstone Room hosts its special acoustic concert on February 4,
the evening will feature Hickman and Lowery performing without their
bandmates. In other words, you'll be getting two-fifths of a
Cracker. Man, the economy is
getting rough.
Given the duo's talents and credits, though, it's hard to imagine any music fans complaining about the deal. Beyond their enormous success with Cracker - of the '90s smash hits "Teen Angst" and "Low" - Hickman and Lowery have also earned fame and fans via other musical outlets: Hickman through his tenures with California bands The Unforgiven and The Dangers; Lowery through his founding of the alternative rock band Camper Van Beethoven. And while Cracker has earned more than its share of raves, with the All Music Guide calling the band's eponymous CD "a terrific rock 'n' roll record filled with energetic three-chord bashers," Lowery and Hickman have also earned a goodly share of individual plaudits.
Entertainment Weekly wrote that Lowery is "a truly great songwriter, able to combine humor, bitterness, and penetrating insight into one tuneful package," and Hickman has been frequently praised by fellow musicians; Drive-by Truckers' Patterson Hood described him as "a stellar songwriter as well as a great guitarist," and Counting Crows' Adam Duritz said, "Half of what I know about being in a rock 'n' roll band is stuff I learned from Johnny Hickman." (The rest of Duritz's quote reads: "The other half's just bad habits, and he taught me those, too." But it seemed inappropriate to mention.)
For more information on Hickman's and Lowery's acoustic-duo set, visit RedstoneRoom.com.
What Else Is Happenin'
MUSIC
Wednesday, February 11 - Mötley Crüe. Rockers performing with opening acts Hinder, Theory of a Deadman, and The Last Vegas. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). 6:30 p.m. $29.50-$142.50. For information and tickets, call (309) 764-2000 or visit iWirelessCenter.com.
Friday, February 13 - Dr. John with the Neville Brothers. Blues and soul performers in fundraiser for the 2009 Summer of the Arts Festival. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $55-$77. For information and tickets, call (319) 688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Sunday, February 15 - Jason Ricci. Nationally renowned blues-harmonica player. Blueport Junction (6605 West River Drive, Davenport). 5 p.m. $5-$7. For information and tickets, call (563) 326-3251 or visit BlueportJCT.com.
Sunday, February 15 - Opera Quad Cities' Vocal Valentine. Annual evening of fine dining and music, with tenor Eric Ashcraft. Abbey Station (3031 Fifth Avenue, Rock Island). 6 p.m. $60. For information and tickets, call (563) 355-7737 or visit OperaQC.org.
THEATRE
Wednesday, February 11 - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Tony-winning musical comedy by The Full Monty's David Yazbek. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $30.50-$49. For information and tickets, call (563) 326-8555 or visit AdlerTheatre.com.
COMEDY
Thursday, February 12 - Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-Woman Show. Emmy- and Grammy-winner performs as her famed Carol Burnett Show character. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center (2021 State Street, Bettendorf). 7:30 p.m. $25-$30. For information and tickets, call (800) 843-4753 or visit TheIsleBettendorf.com.
EVENTS
Friday, February 6 - Bioenergetics: Sonic & Visual Textures. event in conjunction with "The Darwin Project," featuring music, poetry, and visual art. St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center (518 West Locust Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. Free. For information, call (563) 333-6251 or visit SAU.edu.
Friday, February 13 - Quad City Arts' 18th Annual Valentine Art Auction. Music by Ellis Kell, hors d'oeuvres, and live and silent auctions of original artworks. Jumer's Casino & Hotel (777 Jumer's Drive, Rock Island). 7 p.m. $50. For information and tickets, call (309) 793-1213 extension 103 or visit QuadCityArts.com.
