Music
Devon Allman
Redstone Room
Friday, August 14, 8:30 p.m.
Considering the 42-year-old has spent his entire career forging his own musical path, and considering he didn't even meet the über-famous Gregg until he was 15, blues rocker Devon Allman can hardly be accused of riding his father's coattails. That said, when you hear Devin's soulful blues growl during August 14's Redstone Room concert, and witness his mad guitar skills, you'll likely concede that there's something to be said for genetics. As someone who, from his own dad, merely inherited a proclivity for inappropriate singing and the complete lack of an ass, I gotta say I'm envious.
Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, Allman grew up listening to the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and the Beatles, and by his early teens, was already singing and playing guitar with a local band. By his early 20s, after relocating to St. Louis, Allman and his group The Dark Horses were popular fixtures on the city's blues and rock circuit. And by 1999, the artist formed Devon Allman's Honeytribe, which - during its mid-aughts heyday with the album Torch - performed up to 300 shows a year in 42 states and 10 countries.
In 2011, Allman joined fellow blues rockers Cyril Neville, Yonrico Scott, Charlie Wooten, and Mike Zito for the supergroup Royal Southern Brotherhood, whose self-titled 2012 debut album premiered at number five on Billboard's blues chart, and whose follow-up Songs from the Road was the recipient of a 2014 Blues Music Award. Yet while Allman has, quite obviously, forged a hugely successful career as an ensemble musician, praise for the singer/songwriter/guitarist/keyboardist's solo efforts suggest he also has no trouble delivering spectacularly satisfying blues rock without co-headliners or famed family ties.
USA Today called Allman's 2013 solo debut Turquoise "well-crafted, more reflective than fiery, and soulful," and BluesRockReview.com wrote that "Allman's musical chops are difficult to shake," describing the album as one that "tells stories, explores musical genres, and crafts a multimedia narrative that is all Allman's own." Meanwhile, GuitarWorld.com raved that Allman's 2014 follow-up Ragged & Dirty delivered everything "from powerful, soulful vocals to dig-in-and-let-fly guitar work," while AllMusic.com deemed it "skilled, nuanced, yet kinetic" and "the finest thing he's ever put his name on." So I've got Allman beat in one respect, because the finest thing I ever put my name on was the St. Louis Arch ... though that penciled graffiti has probably washed off by now ... .
Devon Allman performs with an opening set by the Zach Harris Band, and more information and tickets are available by calling (563)326-1333 or visiting RiverMusicExperience.org.
Literature and Music
A New American Field Guide & Song Book Release Party
Rozz-Tox
Saturday, August 8, 8 p.m.
"For me," says local author Ryan Collins, "the best way to experience a poem is to hear someone read it, to have it be live, and maybe also have the text available so you can see it and hear it, and kind of feel how it's working in the room."
Consequently, it makes perfect sense that Collins decided to celebrate the national publication of his first full-length poetry collection - A New American Field Guide & Song Book - not only by reading selected poems at Rozz-Tox's August 8 release party, but alongside friends and fellow artists who have no trouble working a room. Beyond Collins, the event will boast short films by Harry Walker, DJ sets by Benjamin Crabb and Dennis Hockaday of Just Let Go, and live music by the newly formed RONIN, whose online description labels the band's style as "synth pop en Español."
"I just started talking to some of my friends who do things that I have no ability with," says Collins with a chuckle, "and thinking about ways to maybe put the poems in different contexts and reach different audiences. And I thought, if we could do that, we could have a pretty cool party."
Collins, who serves as executive director for Davenport's Midwest Writing Center, says that A New American Field Guide & Song Book's publication by H_NGM_N (pronounced "hangman") Press resulted from luck that was "kind of ridiculous.
"They're an independent press out of upstate New York," says Collins, "and they host an Open Reading Period every year, from the fall into the spring, where anybody can submit a manuscript. This year, I think they had over 200 manuscripts, and they picked two [for publication], and mine was one of them - and it was the first place I sent this version of my manuscript to." He laughs. "So it worked out pretty well."
It should be added that more than mere luck played its part, as you can discover by visiting RozzTox.com, clicking links to Collins' ANAFG&SB poems, and marveling at the exquisitely evocative phrasing and thematic depth of examples from the book's 56 works.
"Loosely, it's kind of a survival guide," says Collins. "Especially for the last 12, 13 years in this country - let's say, post-PATRIOT Act." Touching on hot-button issues such as unwarranted surveillance, indefinite detention, and the aftermath of 2008's financial collapse, Collins says that most of the works gathered here found their origins "in my thinking about all these recent difficulties, and their most recent manifestations. That's what started to inform the book early on, and ended up being the engine behind what I began to work on kind of exclusively, and pretty furiously."
While poems from the book have appeared in such journals and perodicals as Another Chicago Magazine and Handsome, roughly 40 percent of its 100 pages are previously unpublished in any form, making August 8's Rozz-Tox party the ideal place to showcase other debuting artworks, such as new films by area photographer Joshua Ford.
"I recorded audio of a couple poems and sent them to Josh, and he made a couple of short films" incorporating Collins poetry that "we've been sitting on for months. So we're gonna debut those films at the show, as well as having a bunch of local people read."
That particular guest list includes Neal Allen, Farah Marklevits, Sean Whitney, and Holly Norton (the Midwest Writing Center's fall 2015 poet-in-residence), plus, of course, Collins himself, who says that unlike a lot of writers, he isn't at all averse to sharing his works in front of other people.
"That's something I'm kind of fascinated about with poetry in general," he says. "I know a lot of people who really love to read and get out in the world and get in from of people, and I know a lot of other people who would rather not be bothered, and just leave it on the page, and keep to themselves. But not me. I really like performance."
For more information on the New American Field Guide & Song Book Release Party, visit Rozz-Tox.com.
Theatre
The Addams Family
District Theatre
Thursday, August 13, through Sunday, August 30
My friends Jason and Erin Platt will celebrate their second wedding anniversary in a few months, and I'm racking my brain trying to decide what to get them. The traditional gift for a second anniversary is cotton, so maybe some decorative pillows ... ? Or a pair of monogrammed bathrobes ... ? Or maybe simply a bunch of cotton balls to stuff in their ears when Uncle Fester begins howling at the moon ... ?
Granted, this last gift will only come in handly from August 13 through 30, because that's the period during which Mr. and Mrs. Platt will be on-stage as Mr. and Mrs. Addams in the District's Theatre's production of the Tony-nominated musical The Addams Family. Pairing the frequent, ever-wonderful area performers Jason and Erin opposite one another for the first time on a local stage, director Tristan Tapscott's production will find the couple playing Gomez and Morticia, the ringleaders of cartoonist Charles Addams' kooky, spooky, ooky clan of monsters and misfits made additionally famous by the beloved TV sitcom and film series.
With its storyline suggesting a tune-filled take on Meet the Parents if the parents in question resembled a Spanish conquistador and Vampira, The Addams Family's award-winning stage version was deemed "triumphant" by New City Chicago and "a giddy explosion of song and dance" by the Chicago Sun-Times. The show also reunites audiences with charming, hilarious, and creepy characters that have endured for more than half a century, and among a District cast that includes such recognizable talents as Jennifer Sondgeroth, Anathony Natarelli, Aaron Lord, and Mark and Linda Ruebling, Tapscott's show will also boast James Fairchild as Uncle Fester, Liv Lyman as Wednesday, Chris Tracy as Pugley, Nancy Teerlinck as Grandma, and Sara Wegener as Lurch.
You know those character names; let's see how well you know their punchlines! Based on your hunches (or, for the cheaters among you, your previous exposure to the Addams Family musical), match the following lines with those who say them:
1) "Living or dead, family is still family."
2) "Excuse me while I kill my brother."
3) "What could a fat bald person of no specific sexuality know about love?"
4) "You want sewers? I'll show you sewers fit for a queen!"
5) "I can't sleep. There's no monster in the closet."
6) "When I break wind, it can start the windmills on an old Dutch painting."
A) Gomez
B) Morticia
C) Grandma
D) Uncle Fester
E) Wednesday
F) Pugsley
For more information on, and tickets to, The Addams Family, call (309)235-1654 or visit DistrictTheatre.com.
Answers: 1 - B, 2 - E, 3 - D, 4 - A, 5 - F, 6 - C. So: kooky, spooky, ooky, and, apparently, ew-w-w-wky.
What Else Is Happenin'
MUSIC
Thursday, August 6 - Pert Near Sandstone. Country, blues, and old-time bluegrass musicians in concert, with an opening set by Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 9 p.m. $12-15 plus $1.50 advance fee or $2 day of show. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Thursday, August 6 - Kacy & Clayton. Concert featuring vocalists Kacy Anderson on violin and Clayton Linthicum on guitar, with an opening set by Track a Tiger. Rozz-Tox (2108 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $5-10. For information, call (309)200-0978 or visit RozzTox.com.
Friday, August 7 - Shinedown. Chart-topping alternative rockers in concert. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). 8 p.m. $29.50-39.50. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit AdlerTheatre.com.
Friday, August 7 - Condor & Jaybird. Indie rockers in concert, with opening sets by the Ex-Bombers, Waking Robots, and Dynoride. Rock Island Brewing Company (1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island). $5. 9 p.m. For information, call (309)793-1999 or visit RIBCO.com.
Friday, August 7 - Mrs. Skannotto. Punk, reggae-rock, and alternative-ska musicians in an all-ages concert. Rascals Live (1414 15th Street, Davenport). 6:30 p.m. $10. For information, call (309)797-9547 or visit RascalsLive.com.
Friday, August 7 - Kaleido. Brazilian drum and bass duo from São Paulo, Brazil, in a Galesburg Summer Jam concert. Orpheum Theatre (57 South Kellogg Street, Galesburg). 7 p.m. $20. For tickets and information, call (309)342-2299 or visit TheOrpheum.org.
Saturday, August 8 - Rock Camp USA 10-Year Anniversary Bash. Concert event featuring performances by the River Music Experience's Rock Camp students present and past. Schwiebert Riverfront Park (between 17th and 20th streets, Rock Island). Free. 11 a.m. For information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Saturday, August 8 - 9th St. Memory. Hard rockers in concert, with opening sets by the Last Glimpse and As Big as a Mouse. Rock Island Brewing Company (1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island). $5. 9 p.m. For information, call (309)793-1999 or visit RIBCO.com.
Saturday, August 8 - Lion & Lamb Festival. Event featuring headlining musician Mitch McVicker, singer/songwriter Heatherlyn, activist Douglas Walker, speaker Sarah Renfro, and others promoting peace, justice, and love. Camp Milan Retreat Center (1328 127th Avenue, Milan). 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Free. For information, visit LionAndLambFest.com.
Sunday, August 9 - Steve Earle & the Dukes. Rock, folk, and country singer/songwriter and his ensemble in concert, with an opening set by the Mastersons. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 7 p.m. $35. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Tuesday, August 11 - Jessica Lee Wilkes. Concert with the rock and R&B bassist and vocalist. Rock Island Brewing Company (1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island). Free. 8 p.m. For information, call (309)793-1999 or visit RIBCO.com.
Thursday, August 13 - Jeo Marcinek Band. Jazz and funk musicians in concert, performing with founding member of Parliament Funkadelic Bernie Worrell. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 9 p.m. $15 plus $1.50 advance fee or $2 day of show. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Friday, August 14, and Saturday, August 15 - Ya Maka My Weekend. Annual weekend celebration of Caribbean music, food, and culture, featuring concerts on two outdoor stages, vendors, children's activities, and more. District of Rock Island. Friday 5 p.m. gates, Saturday 3 p.m. gates. $9 one-day pass, $14 two-day pass. For information, visit YaMakaMyWeekend.com.
Saturday, August 15 - The Pour House 20th Anniversary Rock Fest. Indoor and outdoor event featuring beer and food tents in the parking lots and concert sets with Wilson, 3 Years Hollow, and Shadow Stone. The Pour House (1502 West Locust Street, Davenport). 3 p.m.-2 a.m. $10-15. For tickets and information, call (563)328-2949.
Wednesday, August 19 - Luke Redfield. Folk singer/songwriter in concert, with an opening set by Lilli Jean. Rozz-Tox (2108 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $5-10. For information, call (309)200-0978 or visit RozzTox.com.
THEATRE
Thursday, August 6, through Sunday, August 16 - Next to Normal. Pulitzer Prize-winning dysfunctional-family musical, directed by Matthew Teague Miller. Clinton Area Showboat Theatre (311 Riverview Drive, Clinton). Thursday through Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday and Wednesday 3 p.m. $16-23. For tickets and information, call (563)242-6760 or visit ClintonShowboat.org.
Friday, August 7, through Sunday, August 16 - Mary Poppins. Quad City Music Guild's presentation of the Tony-winning stage musical based on the Disney film, directed by Harold Truitt. Prospect Park Auditorium (1584 34th Avenue, Rock Island). Thursday through Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $11-16. For tickets and information, call (309)762-6610 or visit QCMusicGuild.com.
Saturday, August 8, and Sunday, August 9 - Seussical Jr. Student-performed, one-act version of the Tony-nominated storybook musical, directed by Richard Hall and Angie Ruley. Ohnward Fine Arts Center (1215 East Platt Street, Maquoketa). Saturday 7 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $5-7. For tickets and information, call (563)652-9815 or visit OhnwardFineArtsCenter.com.
Saturday, August 8 - National Theatre Live: Everyman. Screening of one of English theatre's oldest dramas, in a new production by National Theatre Artistic Director Rufus Norris. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 2 p.m. $15-18. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Thursday, August 13, through Sunday, August 23 - Down to Earth. Bettye Knapp's supernatural romantic comedy, directed by Joe DePauw. Richmond Hill Barn Theatre (600 Robinson Drive, Geneseo). Thursday through Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m. $10. For tickets and information, call (309)944-2244 or visit RHPlayers.com.
Thursday, August 13, through Sunday, August 23 - Big River. Tony-winning musical based on Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, directed by Courtney Crouse. Timber Lake Playhouse (8215 Black Oak Road, Mt. Carroll). Tuesday through Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday and Wednesday 2 p.m. $17-25. For tickets and information, call (815)244-2035 or visit TimberLakePlayhouse.org.
Friday, August 14, through Sunday, August 16 - Peace. Genesius Guild presents Don Wooten's satire adapted from the Aristophanes comedy. Lincoln Park (11th Avenue and 38th Street, Rock Island). 8 p.m. Donations encouraged. For information, visit Genesius.org.
Saturday, August 15 - Area 51. Area debut of Aaron Randolph III's new comic romance directed by 11th Hour Productions' Kathy Pingel, featuring a post-show Q&A with the cast and director. QC Theatre Workshop (1730 Wilkes Avenue, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. "Pay what it's worth" ticket pricing. For information and tickets, call (563)650-2396 or visit QCTheatreWorkshop.org.
MOVIES
Friday, August 14, through Sunday, August 16 - Landlocked Film Festival. Ninth-annual screenings of regional, national, and international independent features and shorts, including Fourth Wall Films' Movie Star: The Secret Lives of Jean Seberg by Kelly and Tammy Rundle, held at the Iowa City Public Library (123 South Linn Street, Iowa City) and Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). $20 all-access, pass, $5-7 single films or film blocks, ages 12 and under free. For information and tickets, visit LLFF.org.
EVENTS
Saturday, August 8 - Xstream Cleanup. The Quad-Cities' annual, volunteer-based cleanup of area waterways, with cleanup sites located in Bettendorf, Davenport, and LeClaire, Iowa, and Hampton, Milan, Moline, Rock Island, and Silvis, Illinois. 8:30 a.m. For information, call (563)468-4218 or visit XstreamCleanup.org.
Saturday, August 8 - Broadway Historic District Wine Walk. Event featuring a sampling of 16 wines, heavy hors d'oeuvres, and an inside look at four premier homes in the historic neighborhood. Broadway Historic District (Fifth to 16th avenues and 17th to 23rd streets, Rock Island). 6-9 p.m. $35. For tickets and information, call (309)786-2699 or visit BroadwayDistrict.org.
Thursday, August 13, through Saturday, August 15 - Tug Fest. Annual weekend celebration on the levees of Port Byron, Illinois, and LeClaire, Iowa, featuring a tug-of-war over the Mississippi River, carnival events, children's activities, and more. Thursday free, $3-5 Friday and Saturday admission. For information, visit TugFest.com (LeClaire) and TugFest.org (Port Byron).
Thursday, August 13, through Sunday, August 23 - Iowa State Fair. Annual fair featuring games, vendors, rides, children's activities, contests, and grandstand concerts with Carrie Underwood, Def Leppard, Alabama, Casting Crowns, and more. Iowa State Fairgrounds (East 30th Street and East University Avenue, Des Moines). For information, visit IowaStateFair.org.
Friday, August 14 - The After Hour. Andrew King hosts a live talk show featuring area artist Johnnie Cluney, comedian Devon Wiese, and indie-folk musicians Busted Chandeliers. Circa '21 Speakeasy (1818 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 10:30 p.m. $8-10. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2 or visit Circa21.com.
Saturday, August 15 - Floatzilla. River Action hosts the annual celebration of paddle sports with food, music, a trade show, and the annual attempt to break the world's record for largest connected raft of canoes and kayaks. Sunset Park (18th Avenue and Sunset Road, Rock Island). Launches begin at 7:30 a.m., with the world-record attempt at 2 p.m. For information, call (563)322-2969 or visit Floatzilla.org.
Saturday, August 15 - Village of East Davenport Wine Walk. Event featuring live music and more than 25 wine samples from local, national, and international wineries, sponsored by Gilda's Club of the Quad Cities. Village of East Davenport. 3-6 p.m. $10. For information, call (563)326-7504 or visit VillageOfEastDavenport.com.
