Black metal was born in Scandinavia more than three decades ago, the devilish creation of bored, angry, and misanthropic teenagers who sought to take the rawness of thrash and carry it to faster and more sinister extremes. Thirty-plus years later, the style is more popular than ever, but many bands have realized that reinventing the diabolical wheel is not enough.

Touring in support of their latest recording Soul Grave 2022, a 2.0 version of the 2004 Billboard smash recorded by Cross Canadian Ragweed, that outfit's lead guitarist and his ensemble Cody Canada & the Departed headline a June 6 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, the alternative-country and Americana musicians' latest inspiring Rock and Blues Muse to state that "Canada has more music in him now than he ever did and he makes every beat of this set shine."

Telling an epic story on the high seas through song, Galesburg's community chorus Choral Dynamics will bring their delightful new concert event Rolling in the Deep to the city's Orpheum Theatre from May 31 through June 2, with proceeds from this full-length family entertainment benefiting the Galesburg Public Library Foundation.

A beloved venue regular at Rock Island's Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse will take on the repertoire of one of history's most admired singer/songwriters in the May 30 concert event Solitary Man: A Tribute to Neil Diamond, with Hauskins and a team of gifted musicians treating audiences to adored smash hits including “America,” “Forever in Blue Jeans,” and “Sweet Caroline.”