Rude Punch at Common Chord's Skybridge Courtyard -- August 25.
Friday, August 25, 5 p.m.
Common Chord's SkyBridge Courtyard, 129 Main Street, Davenport IA
Lauded by The Daily Iowan as an ensemble that boasts "a seamless sound that makes classifying music by genre a thing of the past," the ever-popular reggae, rock, and dub musicians of Rude Punch headline a concert in Common Chord's Live at Five series, the local group's August 25 Davenport engagement sponsored by the IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union (IHMVCU) with Common Chord's Front Row members, Encore Society, annual donors, and sponsors also making the event possible.
Based in Davenport, Rude Punch is composed of Brady Jager on lead locals and guitar, Adam Tucker on drums, Jack Hill on bass, and Murray Lee Rice on keyboards, and blends reggae, rock, punk, and pop to create original, high-energy music. Formed by Jager, Tucker, and Robb Laake in 2007, the initial Rude Punch trio was heavily influenced by bands such as Sublime and 311 – early pioneers of mixing reggae with punk, hip-hop, funk, and rock.
Rude Punch released its self-titled debut album later that year, and quickly went on to share stages with acts such as Slightly Stoopid, Pepper, and Sublime with Rome while their popularity continued to grow through Midwestern concert and festival appearances. The area talents continued spreading musical positivity through 2009's Killin' It, which led The Daily Iowan to rave, "The tracks on the band’s latest album Killin’ It are wholly impressive. Laake’s bass and Jager’s guitar set down the reggae beats and tempos, and Tucker’s percussion carries listeners along without dominating them."
The group's plaudits and fan base then grew with 2015's Lovers Rock, and with the addition of Hill in 2015 and Rice in 2018, Rude Punch expanded its influences and built on their following, energizing fans and crowds with a continuous output of new songs and performances at festivals including Summercamp and Camp Euforia. The musicians' recent sets, meanwhile, have included performances at Iowa City's Gabe's and Davenport's Redstone Room, with Rude Punch also frequently making popular appearances at the Quad Cities' summertime Dawn & On Festival.
Davenport-based acoustic musician Soultru will serve as Rude Punch's intermission artist on August 25, and following the 5 p.m. courtyard concert, the fun will continue with an after-party at Zeke’s Island Cafe at neighboring 131 West Second Street, where Soultru will perform from 7 to 8 p.m. Admission to both events are free, and more information on the evening and the Live at Five series is available by calling (563)326-1333 and visiting CommonChord.org.
