JW Francis at the Raccoon Motel -- October 17.
Friday, October 17, 7 p.m.
Raccoon Motel, 315 East Second Street, Davenport IA
Hailed by When the Horn Blows as "the king of good vibes" and by PopMatters as a musician who "executes his ideas with precision," singer/songwriter JW Francis headlines an October 17 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, Take Effect Reviews raving that as "an artist whose version of pop is never predictable and touches on punk, surf, garage and indie-rock, JW Francis possesses a wealth of talent."
As stated at AllMusic.com: "Specializing in melodic, jangling indie pop with a lo-fi bent, JW Francis is a New York-based musician whose D.I.Y. ethos and breezy songwriting earned him an international following in the late 2010s. He first found a home with U.K. indie Sunday Best, which released engagingly offbeat albums like 2021's Wanderkid and 2023's Dream House. He switched to Domino for 2024's Sunshine.
"Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and raised in Paris, the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist eventually found his way to New York City, where he began his music career. A D.I.Y. enthusiast from the start, Francis began crafting tuneful lo-fi pop songs that took influence from icons like Jonathan Richman and the Velvet Underground but celebrated the vibrant indie scene of mid-2010s New York. While working as a licensed city tour guide, he began releasing a string of independent singles and EPs, beginning with 2018's I'll Love You Forever, Bye. His buoyant melodies and nimble guitar leads, especially on songs like 2019's 'Lofi,' helped Francis build a grassroots audience, and in 2020 he signed with U.K. imprint Sunday Best Recordings.
"His first single for the label, the breezy hometown ode 'New York,' anchored Francis' debut album, We Share a Similar Joy, which came out that November. Working quickly, he began issuing singles from his follow-up album, including the insistent and catchy 'John, Take Me with You.' Wanderkid appeared in October 2021, less than a year after his debut. Even while touring internationally, the prolific Francis found time to record his third LP, Dream House, which saw release in January 2023. Not long after its release, he joined the roster of a larger U.K. indie Domino Records, which issued Francis' fourth album, the nostalgic Sunshine, in October 2024. He also collaborated with Chicago's Paul Cherry on the hooky 2025 single 'Iced Merlot.'"
JW Francis headlines his Davenport engagement on October 17 with additional sets by Neptune's Core and Mr. Sam & the People People, admission to the 7 p.m. concert is $13.22, and more information and tickets are available by visiting TheRaccoonMotel.com.
