Chris King & the Gutterballs at the Raccoon Motel -- May 18.
Thursday, May 18, 7 p.m.
Raccoon Motel, 315 East Second Street, Davenport IA
Lauded by Nada Mucho for their "upbeat, happy, and very crowd-pleasing songs about relationships gone bad," the three-piece garage-twang outfit Chris King & the Gutterballs headlines a May 18 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, the Chicago musicians' talents inspiring ReverbNation to rave that the artists “posses a charm as the songs worm into the ear via wooly production and heartfelt playing."
With the band featuring King on guitar and vocals, Malcolm Roberts on bass, and a rotating cast of drummers that includes Tom Meyers, Mike Sampson, and Will Mapp, Chris King & the Gutterballs has released three full-length records since their inception more than a decade ago: Hidin’ Out in 2014, Cocktails in 2016, and Painwaves in 2019. Since their last full-length recording, the Windy City musicians also debuted the singles "Fantasy Island" and "Weekend Warrior" in 2020, "Party With You" in 2022, and, most recently, "City Love," which premiered less than a month ago. Over the past 10 years, Chris King & the Gutterballs have played at major music festivals including Treefort (Boise, Idaho), Off-Beat (Reno, Nevada), Freakout Festival Seattle, Washington), the San Juan County Fair (San Juan Islands, Washington), Fisherman's Village (Everett, Washington), Capitol Hill Block Party (Seattle, Washington), and the virtual Filo Fest.
They've had the honor of sharing the stage or live stream with national and local acts, including The Growlers, The Quilters, Bob Weir, David Crosby, The Smokey Brights, Acid Tongue, Shaina Shepherd, Tomo Nakayama, The Moondoggies, Silver Triplets of the Rio Hondo, and more. They’ve performed live in-studio on the acclaimed radio station KEXP. In addition, the band was featured on Seattle Channel’s Art Zone with Nancy Guppy and 107.7 The End’s Locals Only radio show.
In addition, the band has had the honor of sharing stages and livestream events with such national and local acts as The Growlers, The Quilters, Bob Weir, David Crosby, The Smokey Brights, Acid Tongue, Shaina Shepherd, Tomo Nakayama, The Moondoggies, and Silver Triplets of the Rio Hondo. Chris King & the Gutterballs has performed live in-studio on the acclaimed radio station KEXP and were featured on Seattle Channel’s Art Zone with Nancy Guppy and 107.7 The End’s Locals Only radio show. The musicians have also been longtime beneficiaries are rave reviews, with Glide magazine calling Painwaves "a record that breathes in the spaces between Americana, country, and rock & roll. King’s plaintive, near high-lonesome voice and weary swagger belie his youth, though the maturity of his songwriting does little to dispel the illusion. Sometimes life steps on the accelerator without asking permission, and Painwaves is a snapshot of eighteen months of rapid-fire transition; a rush of reality that these days is all too relatable."
Chris King & the Gutterballs headline their Davenport engagement on May 18 with additional sets by The Velies and Hayes Noble, admission to the 7 p.m. concert is $15, and tickets are available by visiting TheRaccoonMotel.com.
