Einstein's Sister w Friends Chris Bernat, Marty Reyhons and Tom Maicke at RIBCO December 16 2023
We're switching up the format once again for the Reader's annual year-in-music crowd-sourced survey, and expanded the participants to include even more local on-air radio broadcasters as well as picks from long time Reader readers.
Last year marked the end of a 50-year era with the closing of RIBCO, located in downtown Rock Island, Illinois. After 40 years, RIBCO owner Terry Tilka made the decision to close the doors at this legendary institution for no-genre-barriers live music.
While attending one of the last two nights of live local music at RIBCO, I conducted a highly scientific “man on the street” quiz asking, “What was the best show you saw at RIBCO?” No one hesitated when asked, and immediately spit out throwbacks such as “Bare Naked Ladies” or “The Wallets!” Nearly everyone who loves live music in the Quad Cities has a RIBCO story (or two) that they'll never forget. Thus, we have included in this year's survey questions “Top Two Shows You Saw at RIBCO” … because you can't just name one.
When asked, Tilka said one of his favorite memories was when they booked Lonnie Brooks and Charlie Musselwhite for the same night back-to-back for an outdoor show. “They had never met or played with each other and we were excited about the possibilities of getting two veteran bluesmen on stage together,” Tilka said. “Lonnie played first and when Charlie took the stage, no one could find Lonnie. He had gone up to the third-floor balcony and fallen asleep. Two nights later, Lonnie was on David Letterman.”
Personally, I will certainly never forget partying backstage with Buddy Miles when the drummer for Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsies played at RIBCO. And when Luther Allison played on the outdoor patio, I remember taking a moment to realize how this was a live blues-guitar assault that would never be topped, and that mantle has held up. And when Helmet played on the indoor stage, I posted one of my first YouTube videos of this phenomenal thrashing.
Here's to all the great sounds and experiences RIBCO provided so many Quad Cities music fans. Enjoy some of their memories in the year in review countdowns below.
5 Best Albums Released in 2023
4 Top Artists in Your Feed
3 Best Songs Released in 2023
2 Best Live RIBCO Shows You Remember
1 Best Live Show in 2023
LOCAL RADIO STATION TALENT
WQUD Vintage Radio 107.7 FM, WQUDFM.com
Aaron Dail
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Zach Bryan, Zach Bryan
Morgan Wallen, One Thing at a Time
Turnpike Troubadours, Cat in the Rain
Warren Zeiders, Pretty Little Poison
Parker McCollum, Never Enough
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Zach Bryan
Morgan Wallen
Johnny Cash
Chris Stapleton
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Morgan Wallen, “Born with a Beer in My Hand”
Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves, “I Remember Everything”
Parker McCollum, “Burn It Down”
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
Wallflowers back in maybe in the early 2000s??
Dozens of bands in the late '90s when the District was the place to be and RIBCO was always the place for awesome live music and they typically ended blurry and lacking memory. Hope someone brings RIBCO back.
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Morgan Wallen, Vibrant Arena at the Mark, Moline
Johnny Dollar
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
The Nude Party, Rides On
Subatlantic, Say It Again
Måneskin, Rush!
Metallica, 72 Seasons
Paramore, This Is Why
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
The Black Moods
Cannons
The Black Keys
Crobot
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Paramore, “Running Out of Time”
Metallica, “If Darkness Had a Son”
Måneskin, “Honey (Are You Coming?)”
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
Black Flag. Date unknown for sure
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Black Stone Cherry, with Giovanni and The Hired Guns and special guest Jigsaw Youth at Capitol Theatre
Jocefis
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Metallica, 72 Seasons
Point North, Prepare for Despair
Lewis Knudsen, Quietly Christmas
Subatlantic, Say It Again
Olivia Rodrigo, GUTS
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Here Come the Mummies
Corb Lund
Krokus
Cory Wong
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Jordan Danielsen, “Running Wild”
Timothy Morris Band, “I Would”
JD Aguilera, “Daddy's Matches"
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
SHAG (circa 1995)
Yeah Right/Alone (2000?)
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Timothy Morris, The V'ue in Clinton
Patrick Jones
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Televisionairies and Les Greene, Televisionairies and Les Greene (EP)
Hi-Jivers, Something Turns Me South
Three on the Tree, Three on the Tree
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Three on the Tree
Waylon Jennings
Hi-Jivers
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
Reverend Horton Heat, 2010
Blasters/3 on the Tree, 2014
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Willie Nelson
Angela Meyer
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Taylor Swift, Midnights (released in 2022)
Zach Bryan, Zach Bryan
Turnpike Troubadours, A Cat in The Rain
Kelsea Ballerini, Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (EP)
Ashley McBryde, The Devil I Know
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Shane Smith and The Saints
Turnpike Troubadours
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Zach Bryan, “Hey Driver”
Taylor Swift, “Maroon”
Taylor Swift, “Marjorie”
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
Cody Jinks (2016?)
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Shane Smith and The Saints- Key West, FL @ Mile 0 Fest
Bill Klutho
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Peter Gabriel, I/o
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Weathervanes
Deer Tick, Emotional Contracts
Lucinda Williams, Stories from a Rock and Roll Heart
Coco Montoya, Writing on the Wall
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Gov’t Mule
David Crosby (solo, CSN, CPR)
The Record Company
Peter Gabriel
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Deer Tick, “Forgiving Ties”
Peter Gabriel, “Live and Let Live”
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, “Save the World”
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
Robert Cray, late '80s
The Famous Potatoes (John Prine’s backing band)
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Einstein's Sister CD release party in November
Tom Maicke
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Einstein's Sister, Exit Strategies
Deer Tick, Emotional Contracts
The Baseball Project, Grand Salami Time!
Eyelids, A Colossal Waste of Light
The Bad Ends, The Power and The Glory
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Einstein's Sister
Tedeschi/Trucks Band
Graham Parker and The Rumour
Tenki
3 Top 2023 Songs:
The Bad Ends, "All Your Friends are Dying"
The Hold Steady, "Sixers"
Deer Tick, "Forgiving Ties"
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
Tripmaster Monkey – they played so many shows there, but the ones on the plaza were most memorable.
Chubby Carrier and The Bayou Swamp Band. I believe he played a couple Gumbo Ya-ya Festivals in the early '90s.
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Buddy Guy, Rialto Square Theatre
Patrick O'Leary
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Neal Francis, Francis Comes Alive
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Love in Time
DK Harrell, The Right Man
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, Live At Red Rocks '22'
Organ Fairchild, Leisure Suit
Mary of the Heartland
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Lydia Loveless, Nothing Will Stand in My Way Again
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Weathervanes
Waco Brothers, The Men That God Forgot
Osees, Intercepted Message
Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys in the Campfire, Wronger
Jim Hunter
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Cash Box Kings, Oscar's Motel
Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert
Dropkick Murphys, Okemah Rising
DK Harrell, The Right Man
Brian Setzer, The Devil Always Collects
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Bob Dylan
Rolling Stones
Beatles
Talking Heads/David Byrne
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Cash Box Kings, "Hot Little Mess"
Cowboy Junkies, "Knives"
Olivia Rodrigo, "Bad Idea, Right?"
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
Dick Holliday and the Bamboo Gang
The Blue Band
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Crash Test Dummies, Englert Theatre
Einstein's Sister, Exit Strategies Release Show, Redstone Room
Tommy Lang
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Foo Fighters, But Here We Are
Greta Van Fleet, Starcatcher
The National, The First Two Pages of Frankenstein
Queens of the Stone Age, In Times New Roman ...
St Paul and the Broken Bones, Angels in Science Fiction Yellow Splatter
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
The Killers
Dua Lipa
Taylor Swift
Weezer
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Dua Lipa, "Dance the Night"
Taylor Swift, "Anti-Hero"
Foo Fighters, "Show Me How"
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
I live in Iowa City, but I saw New Duncan Imperials there a couple of times on the 90's
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Dawn and On
Roberto Nache
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Italia 90, Living Human Treasure
Osees, Intercepted Message
Slow Pulp, Yard
Matmos, Return to Archive
Jaimie Branch, Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die (World War)
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Yard Act
Running Man
King Buffalo
Matmos
Porcupine Tree
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Italia 90, “New Factory”
The Moonboot, “Itchy”
Yard Act, “The Trench Coat Museum”
2 Best Shows at RIBCO::
I saw the band Liquid Soul at RIBCO a few times live and I enjoyed the "Gutter-billy" band The Goddamn Gallows live, cannot forget Melvins, Mojo Nixon, and Running Man on the last evening this year at RIBCO.
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
I was absolutely Blown away with Ana Popovic at LeClaire Park in Davenport on Friday, September 15, Mississippi Valley Blues Fest.
David Baker
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
The Beatles, 1962-66 (Remaster)
The Beatles, 1967-1970 (Remaster)
Various Artists, Guardians of The Galaxy 3 (Soundtrack)
Olivia Rodrigo, GUTS
The Cash Box Kings, Oscar's Motel
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Billy Branch
Radiohead
The Beatles
The Temptations
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Radiohead, “Creep” (Acoustic from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)
Olivia Rodrigo, “Vampire”
The Beatles, “Now and Then"
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
The Blue Band, 1985
Paul Waters Band, 1988
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Polyrhythms Trio Plus 2, December 17, 2023, part of the Third Sunday Jazz Series
Dave Levora
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
boygenius, The Record (Interscope)
Bully, Lucky for You (Sub Pop)
Queens of The Stone Age, In Times New Roman ... (Matador/Beggars)
Blur, The Ballad of Darren (Parlophone/Warner)
Foo Fighters, But Here We Are (RCA)
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Wilderado
The 1975
The Killers
The Kinks
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Bully, “Days Go By”
Boygenius, “Not Strong Enough”
Depeche Mode, “Ghosts Again”
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
So many great shows (Matthew Sweet, The Why Store, Against Me!, The Baseball Project) but I’ll say my favorite was Sister Hazel in 1997 because I met my wife at that show.
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Bully at Raccoon Motel
I-Rock 93.5
Trevor @ The Lever, The Local Stage
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Safe Space, Human Nature
Pitch Black Manor, Scream Team
Chuck Murphy, Hodge Podge
Widow7, Our New Doomsday (EP)
Bleeding Sun, MetaPhysical
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Timefield (Cedar Rapids, IA)
Pit Lord (Davenport, IA)
Widow7 (Des Moines, IA)
Safe Space (Des Moines, IA)
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Timefield, “Fail”
Xenospawn, “Redness in The West”
Pitch Black Manor, “Cry Havoc”
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
King Parrot, 2017
Weedeater, 2016
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Limp Bizkit, Mississippi Valley Fair (Sorry local artists, they kicked ass.)
LOCAL MUSICIANS PICKS
Chris Bernat, Chrash
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Sam Locke Ward and Jad Fair, Happy Hearts
Margo Price, Strays
Seth Knappen, Fever Dream Forever Yours
Subatlantic, Say it Again
Running Man, Running Man (reissue of 2009 release?)
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
XTC
The Kinks
Dickie
Chrash (just trying to get the numbers up in advance of a new release)
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Jeff Rosenstock, “3 Summers”
Yard Act, “Dream Job”
Sparks, “Nothing is as Good as they Say It Is”
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
Meat Puppets/ Chrash 2012. Sean Moeller booked us and said that the Puppets needed some drums and a bass amp. If we supplied those they would get us on the bill for the next night in MPLS at the 7th St. entry. At sound-check, we found that they had gear flown in, so the deal was off. The drummer opened the drum case and said “I can’t play on this.” It was a heavy metal drum kit. Paul said, “You can use mine.” It was the exact set the Puppets drummer used at home. We delivered a fun, energetic opening set. The Meat Puppets took the stage. Second song, the bass amp started smoking and stopped working. We were quick on hand behind the stage with Murray’s amp pushing it out there saying “Here you go, it's all yours, take it away.” They put on a killer show and brought down the house. End of the night, I walked up to their manager, pointed, and said, “So, we’ll see you in Minneapolis tomorrow?” He agreed, and later mentioned in a blog-post that they like to have local acts from the towns they play in serve as openers and that Chrash was crafty and managed to get on for two shows. Both shows were unforgettable and showed us what good guys the Meat Puppets are and how amazing they were as a live act.
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Running Man @ Rozz Tox
Joe Ronnebeck
Guitarist of Rezinator, brewer and pedal builder at Stompbox
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Data Doom
Plini, Mirage
Bass Drum of Death, Say I Won’t
Califone, Villagers
Ġenn, unum
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Causa Sui
Frankie and the Witch Fingers
Dead Meadow
King Buffalo
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Frankie and the Witch Fingers, “Doom Boom”
Hooveriii, “The Ship That I Sail”
Wombo, “Slab”
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
Dead Meadow, 2017
High On Fire, 2016ish?
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Wombo and Bully at Raccoon Motel
Patrick Stolley
Futureappletree, laborspace
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Buck Meek, Haunted Mountain
Jana Horn, The Mirror is the Dream
Modern Nature, No Fixed Point in Space
Thick Paint, TP Two
J E Sunde, Alice, Gloria, and Jon
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Buck Meek
Brendan Eder Ensemble
Arctic Monkeys
Led Zepplin
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Buck Meek, “Didn't Know You Then”
Jana Horn, “Days Go By”
Thick Paint, “Zaddy Moumtain”
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
The Sea and Cake 2015
Dr Dog 2008
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
The National at the Sylvester, Madison
READER READERS PICKS
Kyle Carter
Downtown Davenport Partnership/QC Chamber
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Terra Lightfoot, Healing Power
Mike Viola, Paul McCarthy
Matthew Logan Vasquez, As All Get Out
Jenny Lewis, Joy'All
Ben Folds, What Matters Most
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Freddie King
Sir Woman
Sonny Stitt
Fountains of Wayne
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Mike Viola, “Water Makes Me Sick”
Terra Lightfoot, “Cross Border Lovers”
Matthew Logan Vasquez, “Over It”
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
Dawes/Cory Chisel // Jason Boesel 2/15/2010 (“one for the ages”)
Local Natives w/ Suckers 5/15/2010
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Sir Woman (Racoon Motel)
Joseph Chonto
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Otto Klemperer, Complete Orchestral Recordings
John Coltrane w/Eric Dolphy, Evenings at the Village Gate
Hasaan Ibn Ali, Trios/Duos/Solos
Tyler Mitchell Octet, Sun Ra’s Journey Featuring Marshall Allen
David G Smith, Witness Trees
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Coltrane
Beethoven
Dylan
Monk
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Beatles, The AI song
Anything by D G Smith
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
Robert Cray, 1984
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Deniz Tek, at Fuzz Fest, Blind Pig, Ann Arbor
Jason Gordon
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Wilco, Cousin
Yo La Tengo, This Stupid World
Sonic Youth, Live in Brooklyn 2011
Olivia Rodrigo, Guts
The New Pornographers, Continue as a Guest
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Wilco
The War on Drugs
Caamp
Modest Mouse
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Wilco, “Infinite Surprise”
Wilco, “Evicted”
The National, “Tropic Morning News”
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
The Wallflowers (1996)
Kid Millions (1997)
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Tie: Michigan Rattlers – Racoon Motel, and The Head and the Heart – Capitol Theatre
Mark Nelson
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Jason Isbell and 400 Unit, Weathervanes
Wilco, Cousin
Dave Matthews Band, Walk Around the Moon
Peter Gabriel, i/O
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
John Mayer
Dave Mathews Band
Van Morrison
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, “King of Oklahoma”
Dave Matthews Band, “Looking for a Vein”
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
Willie and the Bees (1989-90??)
Johnny Lang (1996???)
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra - February 2023
Ron Riggins
5 Best Albums Released in 2023:
Zach Bryan, Zach Bryan
Tyler Childers, Rustin' in the Rain
Iris DeMint, Workin' on a World
The Latin Dead, Eyes of the World
4 Top Artists in Your Playlists in 2023:
Rainbow Kitten Suprise
Nathaniel Rateliff
Zach Bryan
Tyler Chiders
3 Top 2023 Songs:
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, “Cast Iron Skillet”
Zach Bryan, feat Kacey Musgraves, “I remember Everything”
Lana Del Ray, “A&W”
2 Best Shows at RIBCO:
I saw so many great shows at RIBCO! In 1983, my brother saw Black Flag and front man Henry Rollins on the indoor stage. I saw Henry Rollins Band in 1987. It was also an inside show with a small crowd as well. My memory is flaying away with fury in the mosh pit while Henry Rollins sweat was raining over me. I was 17 at the time!
1 Best Live Show in 2023:
Einstein's Sister and Friends, the final show at RIBCO!
