30 Jul 2026

Creation Station North: Burnt McMelba Toast 2.0 Is Set to Thrive Again

By Todd McGreevy
Rodney Shaw, River Shaw, Matt Friesz, and Joe Friesz of Burnt McMelba Toast [Photo by Laura Heath]

Rod had invited us to hang out with his co-founder Matt Friesz and each of their sons who had joined the [Burnt McMelba] Toast band this year to hear them rehearse for two gigs in August. He wanted us to learn more about how Toast was not having a reunion. The band was having a revival with second-generation blood and new variations on past themes.

30 Jul 2026

Long Burn the Fire: The Return of Burnt McMelba Toast

By Loren Thacher
l to r Rodney Shaw, River Shaw, Matt Friesz, and Joe Friesz of Burnt McMelba Toast

Tucked away in a string of houses between the highway and the river somewhere north of the Quad Cities is an old river cabin, marvelously redone and modernized into a rock 'n' roll minimalist dream. There's no reason to believe that Burnt McMelba Toast are practicing here until I finally step out of the car, a few wrong turns finally pointing me to the rumble of a bass amp in the riverside seclusion.

12 Jul 2026

Hey Chairman of the FED Print Some Debt For Me

By Lydia Electrum
Hey, Chairman of the FED, print some debt for me

Hey, Chairman of the FED
Print some debt for me
It’s no secret
There’s no money in the Treasury

"Parody Gold": Sound Money Lyrics Inspired by Bob Dylan

05 Mar 2026

The Pain and Promise of Remembrance: Soprano Lily Arbisser at the Figge Art Museum, March 26

By Jonathan Turner

New York City-based soprano Lily Arbisser always loves coming back to her childhood home of the Quad Cities at least annually, and an upcoming, week-long visit will be especially meaningful, capped by a special 6 p.m. concert on Thursday, March 26.

03 Mar 2026

Celebrating America’s 250th: The Quad City Singers Go Patriotic at Davenport's Redstone Room on March 20

By Jonathan Turner

The Quad Cities area will join communities nationwide this year to celebrate the United States' 250th anniversary, kicking off with a patriotic concert by the Quad City Singers on Friday, March 20.

05 Feb 2026

“Doesn’t Feel Like Work at All”: Retiring Conductor Jon Hurty Leads His Last Messiah, February 22 at Augustana College's Centennial Hall

By Jonathan Turner

The next performance of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah at Augustana College will be extra-special for its conductor and performers, as Jon Hurty – the school’s director of choral activities since 1996 – is retiring at the end of this school year. He will lead the classic oratorio on February 22 at 3 p.m. in Augustana College's Centennial Hall.

03 Feb 2026

Hold the Line: Veteran Rock Band Toto Brings Its Popular Catalog, and Vocalist Joseph Williams, to Davenport’s Capitol Theatre on February 19

By Jonathan Turner

Nearly 49 years after first forming, the pop-rock band Toto is still going strong, and brings its national tour to Davenport’s Capitol Theatre on February 19.

08 Jan 2026

2025's Best Music: A Survey of Local Music Luminaries

By Todd McGreevy

For 2025's year-in-music survey, we winnowed contributions down to two lists of top fives – the top five album releases and top five singles (which weren't necessarily on any of the top five albums).

30 Oct 2025

An Evocative Work of Stark and Foreboding Beauty: Earth Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of Hex, November 14 at the Raccoon Motel

By Loren Thacher

Dylan Carlson has been the sole constant in Earth since 1989. His tragic friendship with Nirvana's Kurt Cobain is here mentioned only as a historical footnote. His true legacy is the introduction of drone into heavy music, using heavily downtuned and distorted electric guitars to harness feedback and low frequencies, creating extended monolithic soundscapes that combined the minimalism of LaMonte Young or Indian raga with heavy metal sonics.

05 Oct 2025

Parody Gold II: “Several States” Lyrics Inspired by Dylan's “Seven Days”

By Lydia Electrum
Several States

These work products are considered a parody inspired by the original songs. And, given Lydia Electrum's focus on restoring the republic via sound money, namely using gold and silver, we have coined (pun intended) these series of songs "Parody Gold."

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