03 Dec 2002

Hear and See New Sounds from Familiar Faces

By Jeff Ignatius
A handful of local bands have new releases, and they carry the distinct flavor of the past. One might say that time has stood still here in this part of the Midwest, but the current sad state of popular music – from the pop princesses and boy bands to nü-metal – makes each of these releases sound fresher than they might have in a different time.
03 Dec 2002

Holiday Pops Concert Fills Audience with Good Will

By Zach Carstensen
The Quad City Symphony Orchestra and Festival of Trees Holiday Pops Concert on November 23 was not a concert for orchestral-music purists, but it is an integral part of the symphony season and essential for increasing the local symphonic- and classical-music base.
26 Nov 2002

Local Labels Provide a "Family" for Bands

By Administrator
Technology allows virtually all musicians to cheaply record and duplicate their music. The difficult part is getting that music into the hands of listeners. And that need is being met by a handful of small labels that have cropped up in the Quad Cities in recent years.
19 Nov 2002

Getting Off the Bull

By Jeff Ignatius
Dave Deibler pretty much gave up the rock lifestyle about five years ago. After "riding the bull" for 10 years with the Iowa-based power trio House of Large Sizes, he needed a break. "You have to get off that damned animal and lead it around a bit," said Deibler, guitarist, singer, and songwriter for the band.
12 Nov 2002

John Mellencamp

By Kevin Schafer
There are certain words that I promised myself that I would not use in this review. “Anthemic,” for example. Or “rural rock.” Or “heartland,” or “heartfelt,” or “heart”-anything for that matter. Why? Because these are terms that have been attached to John Mellencamp ever since those early days of MTV, back when Johnny Cougar boogied down with bar bikers in the original “Hurts So Good” video.
12 Nov 2002

More Than Alt Country

By Todd McGreevy
Being a Wilco virgin, I was under the tutelage of a handful of veteran listeners who explained that Wilco was more then just alt country. The band’s latest album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot has garnered much critical acclaim and was even being compared to the Beatles’ White Album, stated one of my new mentors.
12 Nov 2002

An End-of-the-World Party

By Tom Swanson
Portland, Oregon, is creating some unique breeds these days. The Epoxies are the resurgence of an inescapably pleasurable combination of punk and new wave, and the result on the band's self-titled debut is really short and upbeat songs, flashy hooks, very competent musicianship, and damn smart, simple lyrics.
05 Nov 2002

Enjoying the Wrong Side of Fame

By Jeff Ignatius
On the downslide from pop stardom, a funny thing happened to John Mellencamp: He became a damned good songwriter and produced a couple of the strongest (and most underrated) rock records of the 1990s. People who wrote off the Indiana-bred singer from his "John Cougar" and "John Cougar Mellencamp" days have missed the development of a high-caliber songwriter and pop craftsman who has never abandoned his heartland roots but has still shown a willingness to stretch.
05 Nov 2002

QCSO Takes a Chance on New Music but Misses an Opportunity

By Zach Carstensen
The November 2 Quad City Symphony Orchestra (QCSO) concert had it all: a dazzling North American premiere, an audience favorite, and an emotional roller coaster. And aside from isolated errors, the performance was technically sound.
29 Oct 2002

Make Your Way to the Front Porch for Stellar Blues

By Mike Hogan
Get ready for some great blues coming to the Adler Theater on Monday, November 4. Billed as the "Front Porch Blues" show, the stellar lineup includes Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite, Henry Butler, Corey Harris, and Deborah Coleman.

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