Curious about which local bands are playing in the area on New Year's Eve? Curious about where? And when? And whether you'll be able to toast 2006's arrival with some champagne? So were we. The following is an A through Z (or rather, B through W) listing of area venues that will ring in the new year with live music, the musicians they'll be featuring, what time their sets start, what cover charges to expect .
As another year twinkles softly into twilight, I find myself looking back at the year in music. With million-selling digital downloads, Billboard magazine charting the sales of cheesy ring tones, and Case Logic CD folders bulging with burned discs, the public has declared that what they want is the content, and they aren't so concerned with the medium.
• After taking a break to sleep off the hangover of the holiday push, next month the major-label conglomerates and the hippest of indies are poised to unveil long-awaited new solo albums and terrific new tributes.
I'm no foodie, but this year's home-heating costs make for luxurious reasons to fire up the oven and put your "bake on." And what better than a little holiday cheer to put some brushed snare in your whisk, or some hipster Santa soul in those stiff hips and soggy boots? What could be more perfect than mincemeat and Jimmy Smith's Christmas '64, smoking that mighty Hammond B3? Or decorating sugar cookies with Ren & Stimpy's Crock O' Christmas from 1997? Yes! How about vanilla extract with Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown and cloves for Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby"? Here's a handful of new Christmas music that might become your inspiration for some creative kitchen-craft and tree-trimming time.
Davenport's Chordbuster Barbershop Chorus - the local chapter of the national Barbershop Harmony Society - has been performing concerts and benefit shows in the area for more than a half-century now, but chapter President Leo Schubert acknowledges that his organization is still flying under the radar.
Many youngsters were present at the Quad City Symphony concert on Saturday, December 3, but they weren’t the only ones encouraged to let the music lead their imaginations to faraway places. In a night of music written by artists who, as described by conductor Donald Schleicher, are “serious composers with imaginations,” the Quad City Symphony conjured an atmosphere that allowed words and music to stimulate our minds, and create worlds where elephants wear suits and angels are summoned.
• Fresh from his acceptance of the Century Award at this past week's Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, Tom Petty's personal memoirs are collected in a new book by Paul Zallo, spun like stories best told around a card table or campfire - crazy funny, wickedly insightful, and often tearfully poignant.
It's ironic that a band that can't choose a name can develop a sophisticated, comprehensive system of musical cues that allows every member to change (or merely anticipate) what's happening on stage, from tempo to key.
• 'Tis the season for publishing companies to offer up a tall stack of terrific music-oriented books - easy to wrap as gifts, and deeper than the E! True Hollywood Story. Backbeat Books has just issued Punk Diary: The Ultimate Trainspotter's Guide to Underground Rock 1970-1982, now featuring a bonus 24-track CD of interviews with Stiv Bators, Gary Numan, XTC, Oingo Boingo, DEVO, The Cult, and many more with the author, George Gimarc.

Wicked Good

Among the special features on the Wicked Liz & the Bellyswirls - Live at Circa '21 DVD - the release of which is being celebrated at Rookie's on Saturday, November 26 - is an early promotional video in which the band members describe their group's sound to an off-screen interviewer.

Pages