2 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020
com
WORDS FROM THE EDITOR
COVID Controversies Require Critical Thinking
F
or nearly 27 years, the Reader has pro-
vided the Quad Cities with alternative
news and perspectives. By “alternative,”
I mean alternative to the mainstream media,
and this unyielding mission has served the
community well. This policy as it applies to
COVID-19 is no different, especially due to
the vast volumes of information that are being
withheld, even censored, from the American
public.
It is not necessary for agreement to appre-
ciate information that makes us look at the
issues of our time more closely, or differ-
ently. The more information, the better, for
informed decisions and opinions. The only
non-negotiable requirement should be evi-
dence-based reporting, well-sourced and
verified, then linked for readers to investigate
for themselves. Our mission statement has
always been “to make you think, not tell you
what to think.”
And hopefully, readers have come to trust
our mission, and the information provided.
Again, agreement isn’t the goal. Provid-
ing information that isn’t available from the
mainstream media for readers’ consideration
is. So far, mission accomplished.
So let’s continue with the ongoing con-
troversies: SARS-CoV2 virus has still not
been purified, compromising all rt-PCR
and antibody testing and vaccine develop-
ment (please note that isolating coronavirus
genome sequences is not the same thing as
purification of an original SARS-CoV2 RNA
sequence from which all future sequencing
should flow); increase in COVID-19 positive
cases with simultaneous decrease in deaths
(both from COVID and overall); mandatory
mask-wearing; and contact tracing.
Interestingly, the inventor of the rt-PCR
Test, Kary Mullis, has openly warned that his
test should not be used for infectious-disease
diagnosis due to the PCR test’s inability to
confirm the amount of viral load present in a
test subject based on the testing sample alone
(RCReader.com/y/covid197).
What concerns skeptics regarding the
rt-PCR testing orbit is that any coronavi-
ruses present in samples are getting counted
as positive COVID-19 results, which, if true,
would be grossly misleading for obvious rea-
sons, and certainly undermines a planetary
pandemic-level response.
The purpose of this information is to
encourage readers to approach COVID with
eyes wide open, and to question everything.
Healthy skepticism is a virtue, not paranoia.
The degree of incurious compliance is alarm-
ing in its magnitude, especially considering
the extreme response worldwide. Compliance
in the spirit of safety is understandable, but
the lack of questioning and deserved push-
back against the onslaught of inconsistent
information, incoherent reporting by our
local and national mainstream media, and
blatant contradictions by trusted voices such
as Dr. Anthony Fauci relative to mask-wear-
ing, only adds to the public’s collective anxiety
and confusion, especially when reliable, con-
clusive science is missing from the equation.
In recent articles advocating mask-wear-
ing en masse as a mitigation policy against
the community spread of SARS-CoV2 and
COVID-19, many advocates and reporters
cite the same block of studies in support of the
policy. What advocates and reporters appar-
ently neglect to do, however, is review each
link for confirmation of their assertion(s). If
they had, they would have learned that many
of the references do not mention masks, let
alone present a science-based random-control
study affirming the practice. (See this article
from the New England Journal of Medicine:
RCReader.com/y/covid198.)
The above information is presented to aide you in
navigating COVID-19 using your intellect, not your
emotions—rational analysis, not knee-jerk fear.
In fact, of the links that do address airborne
transmissibility of viruses, particles, and
droplets narratively, observations are preva-
lent that masks, more specifically surgical and
cloth masks, are somewhat effective in stop-
ping some macrobes (such as spittle), but are
largely ineffective in stopping human aero-
sol projections that carry microscopic viral
particles. The best study for its rigorous and
honest approach can be found at this Nature.
com page (RCReader.com/y/covid199).
Yet it, too, is inconclusive on the efficacy of
masks as an efficient barrier for micrometer
contaminants.
This makes sense considering that viruses
are 2.37 million times smaller than the diam-
eter of pores in most non-N95 respirators,
while particles that carry the viruses are
512 times smaller, and droplets are 8 times
smaller, easily passing through these porous
barriers (RCReader.com/y/covid1910).
This need-to-know information relative
to COVID-19 and masks is provided by the
CDC, the New England Medicine Journal,
and significant other medical professional
sources, yet ignored by the mainstream media
and “trusted voices.” Until recently, CDC
officials, including the National Institute
of Health’s (NIH) own Dr. Anthony Fauci,
openly discouraged the use of facial cover-
ings in preventing transmission. It was not
until the COVID curve was flattening that
Dr. Fauci changed his position and began
insisting upon nationwide mask-wearing in
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.
public. No one questioned his reverse policy
guidance, or its odd timing. Regardless,
most of our public sector leaders jumped on
the bandwagon without hesitation, or any
peer-reviewed science to support their own
advocacy.
Meanwhile, recent published control stud-
ies have conclusively found that surgical and
cloth masks provide little protection against
transmission of viruses and bacteria, but do
pose considerable potential negative health
consequences that deserve consideration, but
instead are being largely ignored. For those at
greater risk from COVID-19, this is uncon-
scionable neglect on the part of mainstream
media and designated “trusted voices,” espe-
cially if we are led to wrongly believe we are
protecting our loved ones at risk (RCReader.
com/y/covid1911 and RCReader.com/
covid1912).
Among the potential dangers posed to the
wearers of masks, especially for prolonged
periods, are hypoxia, hypoxemia, Hyper-
capnia (carbon dioxide toxicity), sores and
rashes around the mouth and nostrils, gum
problems, and various unintended auto-
immune responses due to less oxygen and
greater carbon dioxide, such as triggering
latent viruses (i.e. influenza) and bacterial
infections.
The variables attributed to the dangers
of mask-wearing are many and varied, and
will impact people differently depending on
health conditions, mask material, environ-
mental conditions, wearing time … . Pick one.
But don’t dismiss potential problems, because
there are less dangerous consequences, too,
such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, double
vision, and tinnitus – ringing or buzzing
(RCReader.com/y/covid1913 and RCReader.
com/y/covid1914).
These potential dangers are not small
things, and deserve due diligence. Especially
if there exists even the smallest controversy
about the true inefficacy of masks in prevent-
ing transmission due to reasonable weak-
nesses in the protocol, including fit, material,
constant touching and adjusting, and particle
build-up, to name a few.
The above information is presented to aide
you in navigating COVID-19 using your intel-
lect, not your emotions – rational analysis,
not knee-jerk fear. The fallout from shutter-
ing economies, schools, access to our elders,
By Kathleen McCarthy
social engagement, and intrusions upon our
constitutionally protected rights is ramping
up and not receding, even though the critical
measure of a lethal viral outbreak are death
rates, which continue to decrease as positive
cases increase relative to COVID-19. This is
great news and should be celebrated, not min-
imized as a cautionary tale.
The prolonging of extreme mitigations are
no longer justified (if they ever were), so what
is the true purpose of continuing to derail
society? This has emerged as the central ques-
tion that we should all finally be asking.
Enter Contact Tracing
Contact tracing is the precursor to a new
control grid based on health, as well as an
extremely lucrative new revenue source for
the public-sector agencies involved. Iowa
alone received $100 million in federal distri-
butions of funds for COVID-19 management,
to date.
Contract tracing is a very legitimate proto-
col for getting control of a infectious disease,
but it has definable limitations, most signifi-
cantly a strict window of time during an infec-
tion’s onset. Once it has run its course, contact
tracing has no purpose other than looking
backwards (RCReader.com/y/covid1915).
The contact tracing being proposed for
COVID-19 is light years beyond previous
protocol for intervention in the spread of
disease. What is being proposed is basically
massive government surveillance, only this
program will operate in the open (parts of it,
anyway) with public knowledge, permission,
and compliance.
Think of contacts as six degrees of Kevin
Bacon on steroids. The “army” of tracers have
no obligation to tell the people it investigates
what, when, why, where, or how they are a
candidate for “tracing.” And there is no gov-
ernor on the personal data the tracers are per-
mitted to collect, nor with whom it is shared,
for what purposes.
Thirty-five states have already admitted to
sharing private data collected from positive
test cases, 10 of which have shared private data
with law enforcement, including Iowa. There
is no reason to assume this won’t be the norm
for states. Most states, including Iowa, sell
DMV data as a revenue stream. Why would
COVID-19 personal data be any different?
Massive resource allocation, a snowball
enlargement of the U.S. health bureaucracy,
trillions in new tax-dollar expenditures, and
ever-increasing violations of constitutionally
protected rights, all justified by a virus that
has a lethality factor of 0.05 percent or one-
fifth of 1 percent, which is lower than most
regular influenza outbreaks.
Think, people!
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com
WORDS FROM THE PUBLISHER
Landmark Trial on Water Fluoridation & EPA on Pause
Until August 6
S
earch the for the word “fluoride” or
“fluoridation” at every broadcast-
news-station Web site and the two (for
now) daily-newspaper Web sites in the Quad
Cities and you will not find one mention of a
recent landmark trial over the controversial
practice of medicating local water supplies
with fluoride under the auspices of topically
treating one’s teeth through ingestion. It’s
another example of big pharma’s power and
influence over the media to not question the
status quo.
As we reported back in 2013 (RCReader.
com/y/fluoride1), the United States, which
fluoridates over 70 percent of its water sup-
plies, has more people drinking fluoridated
water than the rest of the world combined.
In the Quad Cities, we don’t even use the
medical-grade sodium fluoride as the origi-
nal 1952 contract with Iowa American Water
Company (RCReader.com/y/agreement)
required. Instead, what we drink and bathe
with contains the poison substance that
required several hazardous-material teams
to mobilize in 2011 when the toxin spilled
and started eating through the concrete in
Rock Island (RCReader.com/y/spill).
In 2016, under the Toxic Substances Con-
trol Act (TSCA), a group of non-profits and
individuals (including Food & Water Watch,
Inc. and Moms Against Fluoridation) peti-
tioned the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency to end the addition of fluoridation
chemicals into drinking water due to fluo-
ride’s neurotoxicity. The EPA rejected the
petition. In response, in 2017, the groups
represented by counsel from Fluoride Action
Network (FAN) began suing the EPA in Fed-
eral Court.
The federal trial pitting plaintiffs against
the U.S. EPA over water fluoridation came
to a dramatic turning point last month on
Wednesday, June 17. FAN has argued that
fluoride’s ability to impact the development
of both the fetal and infant brain posed an
unacceptable risk to millions of Americans
(and others) drinking fluoridated public-
water supplies. The dramatic moment came
when, after both sides had completed their
summary statements, U.S. District Court
Judge Edward M. Chen in the Northern
District of California surprised everyone by
recognizing the key plank in the plaintiffs’
case and undermining the key argument in
the EPA’s case.
The judge said, “So much has changed
since the petition was filed … two signifi-
cant series of studies – respective cohort
studies – which everybody agrees is the
best methodology. Everybody agrees that
these were rigorous studies and everybody
agrees that these studies would be part of the
best available scientific evidence. The EPA
appears to have applied a standard of cau-
sation, which from my read of TSCA is not
accurate. It’s not a proper allocation. It’s not
the proper standard.”
The ending of the trial was unexpected as
the judge asked the two parties to work out
an agreement and suggested various scenar-
ios outlined below.
FAN’s Closing Statements
Here are some of the points made by
Michael Connett during closing statements
for the plaintiffs on June 17:
“TSCA commands that the EPA not just
protect the general public … if there is one
unreasonable risk, to just one susceptible
subpopulation, the EPA must take action to
remove such risk.”
“It’s undisputed that fluoride will pass
through the placenta into the brain of the
fetus. It’s undisputed that babies who are
bottle fed with fluoridated water receive the
highest doses of fluoride in our population
The judge concluded by asking one final question,
“Under TSCA, can the court find an unreasonable risk
without finding causation?” The EPA replied, “Yes.”
at the moment of greatest vulnerability. It’s
undisputed that fluoride damages the brain.”
At the start of the trial I said there are
three key questions that need to be answered.
Is there a hazard? Is there a risk? Is the risk
unreasonable? The answer [to all three ques-
tions] is a resounding yes.”
“There is no dispute that the developing
brain is the most susceptible to neurotoxic
side-effects.”
“The most likely explanation for the
observed adverse effects … is that fluoride
is a neurotoxin at the levels found in fluori-
dated communities across the United States.”
Michael Connett also pointed out that
the experts the EPA relied upon, including
the two Exponent (consulting company)
employees, were not experts on fluoride,
and that the agency did not call their own
employees to answer key questions in the
case. He was referring to EPA’s foremost
expert on fluoride, Dr. Joyce Donohue, as
River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020
well as Dr. Kris Thayer. Additionally, he said
the EPA never once attempted to determine
an estimate of what the levels are that cause
neurotoxic effects. Connett added that the
EPA witness Dr. Donohue said the National
Institutes of Health funded-studies on which
the plaintiffs relied were “well conducted”
and “warrant a reassessment of all existing”
fluoride standards.
Then Connett concluded his statement by
showing the true extent of potential damage,
stating there are 2 million pregnant moth-
ers in fluoridated areas and over 400,000
exclusively formula-fed babies in fluoridated
areas, all presently being exposed to fluoride-
contaminated drinking water.
EPA’s Closing Statements
The EPA’s attorney started by questioning
whether fluoride posed a hazard. Early on in
her closing statement, the judge stopped her
– which became a very common occurrence
– and said, “The way you’re framing this is
not helpful. I don’t think anyone disputes
that fluoride is a hazard … the critical ques-
tion is at what level it poses a risk.”
It was at this point, that the EPA’s closing
statement turned into a 40-minute inquisi-
tion by the judge. First, he started asking
about the EPA’s claims that the animal stud-
ies showed fluoride to be safe. This resulted
in him getting their attorney to admit that if
the studies found a moderate effect in adult
rats, then why wouldn’t there then be a pre-
natal and neonate effect? This put the EPA in
a corner, causing them to ditch their line of
argument and admit that the human studies
are in-fact more relevant.
The judge then reprimanded the EPA for
challenging the reliability of Philippe Grand-
jean’s benchmark dose, but never taking the
time to calculate their own to prove their
point. The EPA quickly pivoted to an argu-
ment that the Canadian and Mexican cohorts
weren’t applicable to the U.S.; probably one
of the most spurious arguments heard from
proponents. The judge intimated that he was
aware of the new study out of California
proving otherwise. The judge concluded by
3
By Todd McGreevy
asking one final question, “Under TSCA, can
the court find an unreasonable risk without
finding causation?” The EPA replied, “Yes.”
Judge Chen’s
Recommendations
After stating, “The EPA appears to have
applied a standard of causation, which from
my read of TSCA is not accurate. It’s not a
proper allocation. It’s not the proper stan-
dard,” Chen continued by asking the parties
whether they could discuss the possibility
of an amended petition and re-assessment
by the EPA, or start a new petition and have
the EPA conduct a proper review, leaving his
ultimate ruling until that was complete.
Michael Connett pointed out that the EPA
has dragged their feet for a long, long time
(it has been 14 years since the NRC report
recommended that the EPA determine a
new maximum allowable level for fluoride
in drinking water). Connett said plaintiffs
were in a situation where the EPA has made
a political decision not to do anything, which
is why we brought this petition in the first
place. He also expressed concern that for a
citizen’s group this is a massive undertaking,
pointing out that the plaintiffs have spent
four years building this case, and the concern
is that the time and resources necessary to go
through the process a second time would be
prohibitive.
The EPA claimed that they couldn’t just
re-evaluate the plaintiffs’ amended petition,
because their guidelines for TSCA require an
impossible burden of proof that no one could
possibly meet to trigger a meaningful review.
They also claimed that the U.S. EPA does not
have the resources or expertise to undertake
a risk evaluation of fluoride neurotoxicity.
Judge Chen then made clear that a lack of
resources is not an excuse, and said that if
both parties can’t figure out a solution he’ll
rule on it himself, as he’s been given the
power to do so. The judge said he will hold a
briefing with the two sides on August 6. This
will be online and the public will be able to
watch.
This recounting above of the proceedings
from said trial is sourced in part from Fluo-
ride Action Network’s press page found at
RCReader.com/y/fluoride4. The full tran-
script of the plaintiffs’ closing remarks is
available at RCReader.com/y/fluoride5.
EPA’s closing remark transcript may be
ordered from this list of docketed items at
RCReader.com/y/fluoride6.
4 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020 Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com

NEWS By Mike Schulz

The State of Things: Rhythm City Casino Resort

Ryan Lounsbury, Marketing Director for the
Rhythm City Casino Resort in Davenport, dis-
Vol. 27 · No. 975 cusses the venue’s operations during this period
of social distancing. We spoke on Thursday, July 2.
JULY 2020
Rhythm Room Concerts
RIVER CITIES’ READER
532 W. 3rd St. We’re back doing the Friday and Saturday
Davenport IA 52801 entertainment complimentary for guests, and
RiverCitiesReader.com we’ve added a comedy series that we’re doing this
(563)324-0049 (phone) summer starting in August. That’ll be on Thurs-
(563)323-3101 (fax) days, primarily, but we do have one show that’s
info@rcreader.com
on a Sunday, and those will be ticketed shows.
PUBLISHING SINCE 1993 It’s something different for the property – we’ve
The River Cities’ Reader is an independently owned done large comedy acts in our Event Center, but
publication and website, dedicated to providing readers we wanted to try something new in our Rhythm still having a good time and they’re still putting not want to come back, and it’s good that they
and members the “keys to the Quad Cities’ culture.” Room, and it’s kind of been a plan of ours for a on a good show, but it’s definitely a different feel. are able to work with us on finding new dates.
while. Before all this started, we added a sound And of course, we ask them that even though It’s tough, though. I mean, we’re lucky that
PRINTED MONTHLY
Newly printed complimentary editions are available curtain around the Rhythm Room so we can they travel together, they try to ensure that they we’re a multi-faceted business, so we have other
monthly at select locations in the region. For a complete actually close it down and make it its own inti- maintain as much distance onstage as possible. revenue streams than the concerts. And if you’re
list, visit www.rcreader.com/distribution. mate venue. So there’s no sound that’s leaked out But they’re traveling together, and so they’re a venue specific to entertainment, I can under-
onto the casino floor or into the Rhythm Room. hopefully doing the right thing – just like we stand the rush to try to get back to it. But I think
PRINT & DIGITAL ADVERTISING We’ve defi nitely had to adjust the seating.
Print advertising space reservation deadline is the 15th expect all Iowans and Illinoisans to do the right it’s important that we learn to develop other
of each month for the following month’s edition.
We’ve taken the occupancy way down – I think thing. Make sure that if you’re around others, revenue opportunities to try to get through
we can only put about 50 people in the Rhythm you’re adhering to the guidelines and social dis- the storm. Here, we did some virtual shows
Website & weekly e-newsletter advertising deadline is Room at this particular moment in terms of the
every monday for thursday placements. tancing so you don’t infect someone else. on our Facebook page – some live-streaming
complimentary shows. That’s because we have with some of our entertainment acts that we’ve
Visit QCAdvertising.com to, obviously, distance the folks from the artists,
for full publishing calendar, but secondly, there’s no dance floor now, right? Event Center Concerts had where they did acoustic sets and answered
questions from customers and so on. That was
sponsorship opportunities, ad Because that wouldn’t be adhering to social-dis- Governor Reynolds has allowed for indoor fun, and on our end, it was a way to try to keep
sizes, and pricing. tancing guidelines. So we’ve actually closed our shows to happen, but you have to maintain social up with that free weekend entertainment.
dance floor down, and we removed all the tables distance in order for that to happen. Clearly, Or like with the curbside entertainment
PUBLISHER that were outlining the dance floor, as well. And that’s not something that’s easy to do, and with that’s happening now … . I mean, that was a
Todd McGreevy • todd@admospheres.com of course, the traditional social-distancing mea- the caliber of acts that we book, from a financial heck of an idea, and in the community that I live
sures exist, where you’ve got to have the tables six perspective, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense in, we’ve actually done it three different times
EDITOR & BUSINESS MANAGER feet apart and so on.
Kathleen McCarthy • km@rcreader.com to try to put that in place as well. Some venues with the RME [River Music Experience] – we’ve
Obviously, there’s also notation of maintain- around the country – and I’m sure you’ve seen had three different acts come to our community
ARTS & CALENDAR EDITOR ing six feet of distancing while in line at the bar, some of the news – are actually moving forward and perform for our little HOA development.
Mike Schulz • mike@rcreader.com and there’s no outside food or beverage allowed with it, but then there are all these horrible pub- That was a great idea on their part, and I think
into the Rhythm Room because, of course, we licity videos where people are clearly not social it’s certainly worked well for everyone.
ART DIRECTOR want that to be a clean environment, especially
Nathan Klaus • nathan@rcreader.com
distancing from others. And obviously, we cer- You know, I’ve been booking entertainment
when we’re serving food in there. We’re not tainly don’t want to be the cause of a spread in since I was 17 (laughs), and from that per-
DISTRIBUTION & doing that now, because we can’t keep the envi- our community. So for us, it’s prudent to keep spective, we’ve never seen something like this
OFFICE MANAGER ronment as clean as we’d want to. With limited the Event Center closed for now, and make sure before. It’s just one of those things that we’re
Michael Locander • michael@rcreader.com occupancy, we had to limit the services in there, we reschedule those [planned concerts], espe- gonna constantly be learning from, and the goal
too. And there are no groups of 10 or larger – cially with some of the good names that we had has to be to be patient with what’s happening,
IT-SYSMIN which doesn’t really matter, because we also ask
William Reveal
coming. and understand that with the decisions that
guests not to move chairs and tables so we can I mean Gladys Knight was going to be here we make as entertainment providers, we make
ADVERTISING SALES make sure we adhere to the social-distancing next week, the Beach Boys in August … . Both them because we’re thinking of safety. We’re not
Michael Locander • sales@rcreader.com guidelines. were going to end up being sell-out shows. And going to put people in a compromised position.
I think, generally, the customers are very you just don’t want to put people who really want So I think that’s the biggest thing to remem-
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS excited to have the music back. I mean, it’s not to see these shows, and are concerned about their
Amy Alkon, Max Allison, Rochelle Arnold,
ber: Be patient, and make sure that you’re
often you get provided free entertainment in health, at risk. So relocating those to new dates adhering to the standards and practices that
Rob Brezsny, Pamela Briggs, Max Cannon,
Madeline Dudziak, Rich Miller, Loren Thacher this world. (Laughs.) And you know, we book certainly makes sense for us. We hope that we are being instituted by the government and
about 50 percent local musicians, and the other can open it again in October, but we’re still going that are right for your business. Because again,
PRINT COPY DISTRIBUTORS 50 percent are smaller touring acts from places
Cheri Delay, Greg Fitzpatrick, Marie Mack,
to continue to monitor what’s going on in the you don’t want to be in the position, like some
Jay Strickland like Nashville, Minneapolis, Milwaukee – we’ve community, and monitor what the governor is of these other venues around the country have
had bands up here from as far away as Florida. So providing to us. And hopefully October hap- been in, where now, all of a sudden, there are
the customers get to see something that doesn’t pens, because both of the shows we have sched-
KNOW MORE.
these videos floating around talking about how
happen a lot in this area with a price tag of “free.” uled have been rescheduled from previous dates. horrible you’re doing from a social-distancing
And while I think the musicians are excited standpoint. You know, you always want to put
DO MORE. to be able to perform and get a paycheck again,
at the same time, I think they’re also still a little
Day by Day your best foot forward.

© 2020 River Cities’ Reader weirded out. Because with our set-up – with the Our goal is to keep that entertainment going,
dance floor being right around the stage – there’s and obviously we were excited about the shows Follow venue updates at
now a big gap between them and the customers. that we had booked, and we want to keep them RhythmCityCasino.com and
So it’s a little different of a feel for them. They’re on the books. We haven’t had really any artists Facebook.com/RhythmCityCasino.
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020 5
 6 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020
Your event listing in print and online has been complimentary since 1993!
Send your events to Calendar@RCReader.com
NOTE: All events listed are confirmed at time of publication. Please check with the venue ahead of arrival to ensure status of each event.
VISUAL ARTS
Openings & Gallery Events
Thursdays at the Figge, art-themed activities, discussions,
tours, refreshments, and more; guests are invited… Figge Art
Museum, 5pm Thu Jul 16 thru Thu Aug 13
Virtual Curator Talk: Dr. Jennifer Jankauskas, with the
Curator of Art at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts…
Figge Art Museum, 6:30pm Thu Jul 16
Artist Talk: Andy Abeyta, join photographer Abeyta for a
talk about his exhibit “QC… Figge Art Museum, 6:30pm Thu
Jul 23
Art in the Garden, Local and regional artists such as
jewelers, photographers, painters, woodworkers,… Quad
City Botanical Center, 9am Sat Aug 1
Exhibits & Shows
Susan Reinier: Shiny Objects, exhibit of oil paintings by
the Iowa-based… Bereskin Gallery & Art Academy, thru Thu
Jul 30
QC Pride Photographs by Andy Abeyta, the exhibit
features 11 of Abeyta’s joyous and… Figge Art Museum, thru
Sun Aug 2
About Face: Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture, the
exhibit examines the lineage and influence between… Figge
Art Museum, thru Thu Aug 13
David Van Allen: Assembled Portraits and Ron Meyer:
Jazz Noir-Images from the Iowa City Jazz Festival,
photography exhibits by the Cedar Rapids artists;… Quad
City Arts Center, thru Thu Aug 13
Didier William: Lakou, exhibit of mixed-media paintings
and prints by… Figge Art Museum, thru Thu Aug 13
Joe Smith and the Spicy Pickles @ Virtual Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival – July 31 and August 1
JULY 2020
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Covering July 10–August 5, 2020
Magnetic West: The Enduring Allure of the American
West, the exhibit features over 150 photographs by… Figge
Art Museum, thru Thu Aug 13
Ralph Scott - Andrea Van Wyk - Terry Rathje, exhibit of
Scott’s digital paintings, Van Wyk’s… Quad City Arts Art @ the
Airport, thru Thu Aug 13
Seen and Heard: The Art of Empowerment, exhibit
focusing on the major contributions of… Figge Art Museum,
thru Thu Aug 13
Classes
Open Clay Studio Membership, with instructor Claire
Waterman by appointment: Monday & Wednesday…
Bereskin Gallery & Art Academy, 5pm thru Thu Aug 13
Clay 101, July 11 & 18; learn the foundation of ceramics
using… Figge Art Museum, 10am Sat Jul 11
Oil Painting, on Saturdays; with instructor Dave Anderson;
learn to see, draw,… Bereskin Gallery & Art Academy, 9:30am
Sat Jul 11 thru Sat Jul 25
Virtual Class: GC300b Oil Painting, on Saturdays, with
instructor Dave Anderson; students will be taught… Bereskin
Gallery & Art Academy, 9am Sat Jul 11 thru Sat Jul 25
AP113 Portrait & Draped Figure Drawing, Thru July 17
for grades 6 to adult, with instructor… Bereskin Gallery & Art
Academy, 9:30am Mon Jul 13
Camp Figge: K-2nd Grade, thru July 17; explore new
frontiers in art-making with this… Figge Art Museum, Mon
Jul 13
Virtual DIY Birdseed Feeder, learn how to make an easy
bird feeder with Rachel;… Silvis Public Library, 6pm Mon
Jul 13
Clay for Kids, ages five and up are invited to bring a
parent… Figge Art Museum, 6pm Tue Jul 14
Virtual Southwest Make and Take Crafts: Color Your
Own Candleholder, an event in the Southwest Craft Night
series with materials… Rock Island Public Library - Southwest
Branch, 6pm Tue Jul 14
BB151 Illustration 2, Thru July 17 for grades 6 to adult,
with instructor… Bereskin Gallery & Art Academy, 10am Wed
Jul 15
Virtual Class: GC300a Oil Painting, On Wednesdays, with
instructor Dave Anderson. Students will be taught… Bereskin
Gallery & Art Academy, 9am Wed Jul 15 thru Wed Jul 29
Virtual Class: GC300b Oil Painting, On Thursdays, with
instructor Dave Anderson. Students will be taught… Bereskin
Gallery & Art Academy, 2pm Thu Jul 16 thru Thu Jul 30
Virtual Event: Big Picture In the House, on Wedensdays
for grades 6-12; a new lesson and hands-on activity… Figge
Art Museum, 10:30am Wed Jul 15 thru Wed Aug 5
Camp Figge: 3rd-5th Grade, thru July 24; explore new
frontiers in art-making with this… Figge Art Museum, Mon
Jul 20
Camp Figge: 6th-8th Grade, thru July 24; explore new
frontiers in art-making with this… Figge Art Museum, Mon
Jul 20
Claymation, Thru July 23 for grades 6-12, with instructors
Laura Warner… Bereskin Gallery & Art Academy, 9am Mon
Jul 20
Painting Exploration, Thru July 23 for grades 6-12, with
instructors Pat Bereskin… Bereskin Gallery & Art Academy,
9am Mon Jul 20
Virtual Intro to Pour Painting, Rachel will be teaching
you the basics of pour painting!… Silvis Public Library, 6pm
Mon Jul 20
Face Sculpting Workshop, July 25 & Aug. 1; this workshop
focuses on sculpting… Figge Art Museum, 10am Sat Jul 25
Horse Camp 2, Thru July 30 for grades 4-12, with instructor
Pat Bereskin.… Bereskin Gallery & Art Academy, 9am Mon
Jul 27
Fast Relief: A Printmaking Workshop, Aug. 1 & 2; with
instructor Joseph Lappie; make a… Figge Art Museum, 10am
Sat Aug 1
Oil Painting, on Saturdays; with instructor Dave Anderson;
learn to see, draw,… Bereskin Gallery & Art Academy, 9:30am
Sat Aug 1 thru Sat Aug 8
Photography with Your Cell Phone, Thru Aug, 6 for all
age levels, with instructor Claire… Bereskin Gallery & Art
Academy, 4pm Mon Aug 3
Figure Drawing, on Fridays; with facilitator Lee White; draw
from a live… Figge Art Museum, 6pm Fri Aug 7
Clay for Kids, ages five and up are invited to bring a
parent… Figge Art Museum, 6pm Tue Aug 11
Drawing 101: Landscapes, Tuesdays thru Sept. 1; with
instructor Gloria Burlingame; get drawn… Figge Art Museum,
6pm Tue Aug 11
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com
Virtual Southwest Make and Take Crafts: Back-to-
School Pen/Pencil Holder, an event in the Southwest
Craft Night series with materials… Rock Island Public Library
- Southwest Branch, 6pm Tue Aug 11
SEW Much Fun: Marker Holder, a do-it-yourself project;
materials and sewing machines provided courtesy of… Rock
Island Public Library - Downtown Library, 5:30pm Thu Aug 13
Call for Entry
Quarantine Art Exhibition, all artists residing within a
250-mile radius invited to submit… Quad City Arts Center,
thru Thu Aug 13
MUSIC
Polica, concert with the synth-pop band from Minneapolis,
featuring a set … Codfish Hollow Barn, 7pm Tue Jul 21
Virtual 49th Annual Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz
Festival, July 31 & Aug. 1; bands scheduled to perform
include:… 6pm Fri Jul 31 nd Sat Aug 1
Virtual Soul & Blues Festival, Summer of th Arts’ online
celebration of the Black experience through music... 6pm Fri
Jul 31 and Sat Aug 1
WVIK/QCSO Signature Series IV: Devil’s Dance, join
concertmaster Naha Greenholtz and pianist Marian Lee for
an… Galvin Fine Arts Center - St. Ambrose University, 7:30pm
Fri Aug 7
Shovels & Rope, concert with the folk duo from Charleston,
South Carolina composed of… Codfish Hollow Barn, 8pm Fri
Aug 7
John Moreland, concert with the Oklahoma-based folk-
rock singer/songwriter; $20-25… The Rust Belt, 7:30pm Wed
Aug 12
Funktastic Five, concert in the Thursday Night Groove
series; with 6pm concessions… Schwiebert Riverfront Park,
7pm Thu Aug 13
Built to Spill, concert with the indie rock band based in
Boise, Idaho; $35… Codfish Hollow Barn, 8pm Thu Aug 13
LITERARY ARTS
“Dig Deeper: Read, Investigate, and Discover” Summer
Reading Program, reading programs for all ages; two prizes
will… Moline Public Library, thru Fri Jul 31
“Imagine Your Story” Summer Reading Program, the
program encourages and motivates all ages to… Bettendorf
Public Library, thru Sat Aug 1
Online Mother/Daughter Book Club: One Crazy
Summer, a discussion of Rita Williams-Garcia’s book with
Miss Amber, followed… Davenport Public Library - Fairmount
Street Branch, 10am Sat Jul 11
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com
Reader’s Theater: The Happy Journey, with Chuck
Oestreich; participants will read lines from four characters…
Leach Park, 2pm Sun Jul 12
Online Book Discussion: The Underneath, a Get Lit
discussion of Kathi Appelt’s book; free; for information,…
Bettendorf Public Library, 7pm Tue Jul 14
Facebook Live: Weekly BookTalk Series, on Tuesdays;
our Information Services staff will be available to…
Davenport Public Library - Main Branch, 3pm Tue Jul 14 thru
Tue Jul 28
Online Book Discussion: The Brief Wondrous Life
of Oscar Wa, a Contemporary Books Discussion Group
discussion of Junot Diaz’s book; free;… Bettendorf Public
Library, 7pm Wed Jul 15
Virtual Last Monday Book Club, join Rachel through
GoToMeeting for Book Club; each person who… Silvis Public
Library, 6pm Mon Jul 27
Facebook Live: Weekly BookTalk Series, on Tuesdays;
the Information Services staff will be available to…
Davenport Public Library - Main Branch, 3pm Tue Aug 4 thru
Tue Aug 11
Online Book Discussion: The Professor’s House, a Get
Lit discussion of Willa Cather’s book; free; for… Bettendorf
Public Library, 7pm Tue Aug 11
Online Event: Revolution, a discussion of Jennifer
Donnelly’s book in the Davenport Public… Davenport Public
Library - Eastern Avenue Branch, 6:30pm Wed Aug 12
THEATRE
Performances
The Turn of the Screw, Victorian suspense thriller by
Jeffrey Hatcher, directed by Lora Adams;… The Black Box
Theatre, Thu Jul 16 thru Sun Jul 19
Six: Virtual Performance, Facebook performance of the
Broadway musical about the six wives…, 6:30pm Sat Aug 1
Kate Shelley’s Train Rescue: Virtual Performance,
Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre presents the live streaming of
the story… Owl Glass Puppetry Center, 2pm Sun Jul 26
Auditions & Camps
Webinar _ A Leader, Leads: A Conversation with the
Current George Washington in Hamilton on Broadway,
history will have their eyes on us as we have… Timber Lake
Playhouse, 7:30pm Fri Jul 10
Webinar _ Casting with Courtney Hammond of Wojcik
Seay Casting, Courtney is an accomplished casting director
that brings warmth and… Timber Lake Playhouse, 5:30pm
Fri Jul 10
Virtual Camp Creamery: Merlin’s Apprentice & the
Deadly Dragon, thru July 17; a new take on our most
popular… Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, 10am
Mon Jul 13
Virtual Workshop: Introduction to Screenwriting:
from Concept to Pitching the Script, Wednesdays thru
July 29; with instructor Anthony Irizzary, for ages… Timber
Lake Playhouse, 5:30pm Wed Jul 15
Webinar _ Self-Tape Audition Workshop: Professional
Quality from Home, there will be time for questions and
answers; $30; for… Timber Lake Playhouse, 6:30pm Fri Jul 17
Acting Out!: Acting Camp for Grades 9-12, thru July
25; join instructor Jessica Egli as she uses… Iowa City High
School, 9am Mon Jul 20
Virtual Workshop: Children’s Theatre Virtual
Performance Workshops _ Kid Detectives, thru July
24 for ages 7-12; follow in the footsteps… Timber Lake
Playhouse, 10am Mon Jul 20
Virtual Workshop: Children’s Theatre Virtual
Performance Workshops _ PopStar Party, thru July 24
for ages 7-12; inspired by Kidz Bop,… Timber Lake Playhouse,
1pm Mon Jul 20
River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020
Acting Out!: Virtual Acting Camp for Grades 7-8,
Morning Session, thru Aug. 1; join instructor Christina Farrell
as she uses… Iowa City High School, 8:30am Mon Jul 27
Acting Out!: Virtual Acting Camp for Grades 7-8,
Afternoon Session, thru Aug. 1; join instructor Christina
Farrell as she uses… Iowa City High School, 1pm Mon Jul 27
Four Stories, auditions for Robert Greve’s original drama
running October 9 -… Playcrafters Barn Theatre, Sat Aug 1
thru Sun Aug 2
4th-8th Grade Musical Theatre Camp: “Heroes Vs.
Villains”, Mon.-Fri. thru Aug. 15; students work with our
director, music director and choreographer… The Spotlight
Theatre, 9am Mon Aug 3
Acting Out!: Virtual Acting Camp for Grades 4-6,
Morning Session, thru Aug. 8; join instructor Christina Farrell
as she uses… Iowa City High School, 8:30am Mon Aug 3
Acting Out!: Virtual Acting Camp for Grades 4-6,
Afternoon Session, thru Aug. 8; join instructor Christina
Farrell as she uses… Iowa City High School, 1pm Mon Aug 3
DANCE
Ballet Quad Cities School of Dance Virtual Classes,
offering classes in Ballet Pointe, Modern, Jazz, Tap,
Conditioning, Creative… Ballet Quad Cities School of Dance,
thru Fthu Aug 13
Virtual Class: Dance Break! for Ages 5-8, Wednesdays
thru July 29; drop-in class in which students learn…
Davenport Junior Theatre, 10am Wed Jul 15 thru Wed Jul 29
Virtual Class: Dance Break! for Ages 9+, Thursdays
thru July 30; drop-in class in which musical-theatre lovers…
Davenport Junior Theatre, 4:30pm Thu Jul 16 thru Thu Jul 30
7
MUSEUMS
Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!, introducing young
children to the world of… Family Museum, thru Thu Aug 13
Virtual Exhibit: Liberated Voices/Changed Lives,
visitors will travel back in time to… Putnam Museum &
Science Center, thru Thu Aug 13
OTHER EVENTS
Virtual Quad-City Times Bix 7, participants will have an
opportunity to compete in virtual… Downtown Davenport,
thru Sat Jul 25
Celebration Belle River Cruises, enjoy the sights of
the Upper Mississippi River aboard the… Celebration Belle
Landing, thru Thu Aug 13
Hauberg Estate Tours, on Fridays; docents conduct
interesting and informative tours of the… Hauberg Civic
Center Mansion, 1pm thru Fri Aug 7
Riverboat Twilight Sightseeing Cruises, enjoy the
elegant, triple-decked riverboat for day,… Riverboat Twilight,
thru Thu Aug 13
Freight House Farmer’s Market, Saturdays 8am-1pm,
Sundays 10am-2pm, Wednesdays 4-8pm; featuring fresh
produce, arts… Freight House Farmer’s Market, Sat Jul 11
thru Wed Aug 12
Geneseo Farmer’s Market, Saturdays thru Oct. 17; local
vendors sell fresh produce, fabulous… 111 West Pearl St., 8am
Sat Jul 11 thru Sat Aug 8
Architectural Outdoor Tour, on Thursdays; for
information, call for information, call 309-373-5080…
Hauberg Civic Center Mansion, 7pm Thu Jul 16 thru Thu
Aug 13
Trivia Night @ Crawford Brew Works, on Thursdays;
presented by Think & Drink Entertainment; general-
 8 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020
CONTINUED
OTHER EVENTS
knowledge trivia… Crawford Brew Works, 7pm Thu Jul 16
thru Thu Aug 13
Viva La Divas Drag Show, featuring award-winning
performers from across the Midwest, the show includes…
The Circa ‘21 Speakeasy, 8pm Fri Jul 17
Hamilton Trivia Night @ Crawford Brew Works, be in
the room where it happens for trivia night… Crawford Brew
Works, 7pm Thu Jul 23
Shots ‘n’ Giggles, performers do shots and toasts with the
audience while playing… The Circa ‘21 Speakeasy, 8pm Sat
Jul 25
Adult Chess Club, all of the materials needed for the game
are available… Bettendorf Public Library, 6:30pm Mon Jul 27
Manscape Male Burlesque Revue, striptease and comedy
with the touring male performers; $12-15; for… The Circa ‘21
Speakeasy, 8pm Fri Jul 31
Astronomy in the Campground, join park staff and
our friends from the Popular Astronomy… Illiniwek Forest
Preserve Campground, 6pm Sat Aug 1
Virtual Courage Ride for Sarcoma Cancer, virtual riders
can participate in the Courage Ride… Sat Aug 1 thru Thu
Aug 13
Jim Victor Memorial Junior Achievement Golf Classic,
held in honor of Victor, a great supporter of JA… Crow Valley
Golf Club, 7am Mon Aug 3
Pints for Pencils, one of CBW’s beloved servers Ashly
recently and officially became… Crawford Brew Works, 3pm
Tue Aug 4
Mississippi Valley Fair, annual outdoor fair with contests,
games, pageants, food, local bands,… Mississippi Valley
Fairgrounds, Tue Aug 4 thru Sun Aug 9
LECTURES
Sylvan Island Area: History, Recreation, and
Sustainability with Dr. Norm Moline, meet at Sylvan
Island’s bridge entrance in Moline for a… River Action, Wed
Jul 15 and Sat Jul 18
Col. Davenport and Early Settlement with Gena
Schantz, a Channel Cat Talk hosted by River Action;
participants tour the… Riverbend Commons Dock, 9am Tue
Jul 21 and Thu Jul 23
The Center of Black Hawk’s Universe: History and
Archaeology at the Mouth of the Rock River with
Ferrel Anderson, meet at the Watch Tower Lodge’s west
parking lot for… River Action, Wed Jul 22 and Sat Jul 25
Beiderbecke and Bellson with Josh Duffee, a Channel
Cat Talk hosted by River Action; participants tour the…
Riverbend Commons Dock, 9am Tue Jul 28 and Thu Jul 30
Hamilton Trivia Night @ Crawford Brew Works – July 23
Davenport Compost, meet at 2707 Railroad Ave. in
Davenport for a Riverine… River Action, 6:30pm Wed Jul 29
and Sat Aug 1
River Landscape Mosaic with Dr. Reuben Heine and
Dr. Norm Moline, a Channel Cat Talk hosted by River Action;
participants tour the… Riverbend Commons Dock, 9am Tue
Aug 4 and Thu Aug 6
Development in QC with Bill Ashton, a Channel Cat Talk
hosted by River Action; participants tour the… Riverbend
Commons Dock, 9am Tue Aug 11 and Thu Aug 13
After the Flood: Building for the Future with Denise
Browning, meet at Rock Island’s Sunset Marina office for a
Riverine… River Action, 6:30pm Wed Aug 12
Dropping of the Atomic Bomb and VJ Day,
commemorate the 75th Anniversary of World War II in this…
Davenport Public Library - Main Branch, 3pm Wed Aug 12
Dropping of the Atomic Bomb and VJ Day,
commemorate the 75th Anniversary of World War II in this…
Rock Island Public Library - Downtown Library, 6pm Wed
Aug 12
COURSES
Take It Tuesday: Paper Roses, each week we will share a
fun project for you… Rock Island Public Library - Downtown
Library, 10am Tue Jul 14
Webinar _ Making Your Habits Stick: All you Need
to Establish Lasting Behavior Change, learn what the
science says regarding scaling adherence to your… University
of Illinois Extension - Milan, noon Tue Jul 14
Webinar: Living Carpets _ Ground Covers, Learn
some new options for ground cover, including plants that…
University of Illinois Extension - Milan, 1:30pm Tue Jul 14
Webinar _ Fill Your Pantry: Preserving Apples at
Home, University of Illinois Extension nutrition and wellness
educators present a… University of Illinois Extension - Milan,
1pm Wed Jul 15
Webinar: Best Kept Secrets for Financial Success,
Money comes in. Money goes out. Do you have money…
University of Illinois Extension - Milan, 6:30pm Thu Jul 16
Webinar _ Liquidity Management in the Great
Lockdown: Crisis on Main Street?, we will talk about
the dash for cash that has… University of Illinois Extension -
Milan, 1pm Fri Jul 17
Summer Virtual Choir Camp: Grades 2-8, thru July 24;
students will learn introductory vocal techniques, rhythm,…
Quad City Symphony Orchestra, 10am Mon Jul 20
Take It Tuesday: 3D Paper Butterflies, each week we
will share a fun project for you… Rock Island Public Library -
Downtown Library, 10am Tue Jul 21
Webinar _ The Role of Genetics/Epigenetics in the
Relationship between Nutrition and Cognitive Aging,
this presentation will focus on (1) How one of the… University
of Illinois Extension - Milan, noon Tue Jul 21
Webinar _ Fill Your Pantry: Preserving Tomatoes at
Home, University of Illinois Extension nutrition and wellness
educators present a… University of Illinois Extension - Milan,
1pm Wed Jul 22
Webinar: Facing Financial Fears, Our financial fears
and personal biases can hold us back… University of Illinois
Extension - Milan, 6:30pm Thu Jul 23
Take It Tuesday: DIY Dog Toy, each week we will share a
fun project for you… Rock Island Public Library - Downtown
Library, 10am Tue Jul 28
Webinar _ Move your Way to a Better Day: How
Exercise Can Combat Stress, Anxiety and Depression,
learn how you can use exercise to improve your mood…
University of Illinois Extension - Milan, noon Tue Jul 28
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com
Webinar: Make Your Savings Grow, Do you feel alone
in your struggle to save? Financial… University of Illinois
Extension - Milan, 6:30pm Thu Jul 30
Webinar _ More Than a Gut Feeling: How Diet Impacts
Your Gut Microbiome and Health, join Leila Shinn,
MS, RDN, to learn about the trillions… University of Illinois
Extension - Milan, noon Tue Aug 4
Webinar: Adventures in Edible Landscaping, This
webinar will explore the use of plants that are… University of
Illinois Extension - Milan, 1:30pm Tue Aug 11
MEETINGS
Goose Hollow Prayer Garden Open for Outdoor
Prayer, at 1006 Western Ave., Davenport; for information,
call 309-236-7113; free;… Goose Hollow, thru Thu Aug 13
Ecumenical Fellowship Church Luncheon, lunchtime
discussions on the first Saturday of the month; for… Bad Boy’z
RME, noon Sat Aug 1
Quad Cities Social Action Committee, for information,
call 309-236-7113 or e-mail e-fellowship@hotmail.com;
presented by Ecumenical Fellowship… Bad Boy’z RME, noon
Sat Aug 1
Victims of Animal Control, lunchtime discussions on the
first Saturday of the month; show… Bad Boy’z RME, noon Sat
Aug 1
Victims of DHS, lunchtime discussions on the first Saturday
of the month; show… Bad Boy’z RME, noon Sat Aug 1
East Moline-Silvis Kiwanis Club Meeting, on Mondays;
for information, call 309-781-2238 or e-mail wrsiess@mchsi.
com… Genesis Medical Center, Silvis, 6pm Mon Aug 3 thru
Mon Aug 10
Bettendorf Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting,
free; for information, call 563-344-4175 or e-mail info@
bettendorflibrary.com… Bettendorf Public Library, 5pm Thu
Aug 13
Moline Public Library Board Meeting, agendas are
available prior to the meetings; minutes are available…
Moline Public Library, noon Thu Aug 13
HEALTH
Online: Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Nutrition Classes, we have moved all our nutrition lessons
online until further… thru Thu Aug 13
Yoga on the Patio w/ Monique Jackson, on Sundays;
beer and yoga mats come together as Monique… Crawford
Brew Works, 10:30pm Sun Jul 12 thru Sun Aug 9
Figge Art Museum Blood Drive, held in the Mississippi
Valley Regional Blood Center Donor Bus;… Figge Art
Museum, 11am Tue Jul 14
Continued On Page 16
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com
NEWS
The State of Things: The Grape
Life Wine Store & Lounge
Kevin Koster, co-owner (with wife Diane) of
the Grape Life Wine Store & Lounge in Dav-
enport, discusses the live music venue’s opera-
tions during this period of social distancing.
We spoke on Thursday, July 2.
Staying Open
We’ve been open ever since [mid-March].
We did shut down, for in-store customers,
prior to our having to – before restaurants
and bars had to close. About a week before,
we did just because we saw the writing on the
wall in terms of people being able to come in
and drink. But we stayed open for retail sales
and delivery and curbside and stuff like that.
People were buying a lot of wine, and we
have a nice-sized wine-club membership.
We’ve been in business for quite a few years,
and we’ve owned it for almost five, so our
customers are very supportive. We’ve actu-
ally fared relatively well – considering.
Live Music Returns
The first lounge concert we had [since mid-
March] was back in June – Pat Foley played,
and then Greg & Rich played a little after
that. And Matt Barber is here tonight. I think
they’re very thankful to be back playing live
in front of people.
But we did want people to know that we
shrunk our hours to a two-hour perfor-
mance from a three-hour performance.
We’re closing at 10 o’clock instead of closing
at 11 and getting out of here at 12. So we defi-
nitely shrunk things down to accommodate
everyone, including ourselves. But we’ve
made a lot of adjustments with how we do
things, and we’re moving forward, and hope-
fully we can accommodate people as much
as possible.
The first thing we’re doing now [for con-
cert events] is taking reservations. So we
have a reservation fee, and we’re keeping the
crowd down to approximately no more than
30 people in a room that holds 65. Our capac-
ity is actually bigger than that – it’s actually
88 – but we keep everybody separated six feet
River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020 9
By Mike Schulz
apart, and the tables set apart, and only two
parties at the bar at a time … . Those kinds
of things. And the biggest thing we’ve done
is negotiate with our performers, the musi-
cians, so that we’re charging a five-dollar
reservation fee, and that’s how we’re going
to pay you. Because we’re operating with a
much smaller crowd, so we can’t pack the
house and pay you what we’ve normally paid
you. But they’ve been pretty receptive to that.
Everybody’s been looking forward to
coming back and playing, and keeping
people away from the musicians – that’s
actually the hard part, because they want to
say hello to them. But we want to keep them
safe also, so we’re doing everything in our
power to keep everybody safe and practice
social distancing as much as possible.
We’ve gotten great feedback from the audi-
ence, and great feedback on how we’re han-
dling it. You know, we sterilize every surface,
and anybody who leaves and comes back, we
wipe down the tables. We’re following all the
CDC guidelines, you know, wiping the rest-
rooms down every 30 minutes – we’re staying
on top of all those important things.
Day by Day
The turnouts haven’t been as big as maybe
we expected, but it’s okay. You know, it is
what it is. We’ll take our time. There’s no
rush. We don’t want to go backwards.
You know, it’s just the new normal. So we
just have to stay in there and adjust to the
times and try to make it work. But make it
work while keeping everybody as safe as pos-
sible. One thing about the Grape Life is that
live music is part of our DNA, so we wanted
to bring that back as soon as possible … but
with caution. That was the big thing for us.
So we just changed how we did things, and
it’s going over pretty good. You know, slowly
but surely.
Follow venue updates at
TheGrapeLife.com and
Facebook.com/TheGrapeLife.
10 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020
MUSIC
Let’s Play Desert Island!
A Music Reviewer’s Five Favorite Albums of All Time
C
arrying out the “What albums
would you bring with you if you
were stranded on a desert island?”
thought experiment hits a little differently
in the year 2020. Who needs to pare down
their desert-island selections when every-
one has access to (almost) the entire history
of recorded, commercially available music
on the device in their pocket via stream-
ing services? You can type in a few words
and beam anything you could ever possibly
want to hear straight into your dome. “But
what if there’s no cell service on your desert
island?” you ask. “What if there’s no elec-
tricity at all?” To this I respond, “How were
you planning on listening to your desert-
island selections at all, then? On a magical
hydroelectric phonograph powered by a
tropical river?”
For some, the idea of the “album” itself
is fading away, propelled by many artists’
general shift to a format of frequent single
releases that aren’t necessarily tethered to
a big name project. When a project does
land, conventions of streaming services
that pay royalties per track have created an
atmosphere of “more is more” in the music
industry. Albums arrive out of the gate as
mega-deluxe affairs often stretching past
the 90-minute mark, bloated and leaking
filler content from the seams. (Remember
hip hop skits in the ‘90s? They’re back. Or
maybe they never left.) This might be cause
to celebrate for some listeners. Of course, if
you love an artist, why wouldn’t you want
more more more of their output available
at any given moment to stream? I’m never
going to put on my curmudgeon bifocals
and deride this movement away from the
traditional ~40-minute album paradigm.
Björk, Homogenic
Things always change, and there’s no reason
to shake my fist at that cloud.
But the very act of paring down your
favorite albums will always have value as
well. There’s something warm and cozy
about imagining those albums existing as
discrete milestones in music history, having
reached so many ears in their compact form,
entertaining outside of the framework of
infinite availability and almost too-com-
fortable omni-selection that streaming has
produced. With that in mind, here are my
picks.
1) Captain Beefheart,
Trout Mask Replica
My instant go-to when someone asks
me what my favorite album of all time is,
Trout Mask shattered my mind when I first
heard it back when I was like 14 years old.
I remember reading about it on AllMusic,
which singled it out, as one must, as a pinna-
cle of unique freak music and avant “rock,”
and buying the CD from Borders. I didn’t
understand it then, and I still don’t really
understand it now, hundreds of listens later
– but to try to understand it is to miss the
point. The album’s tension and its pure joy
stem from the confusion it provokes and the
improbable precision of the musical forms
that create that confusion. It plays out like
a finely stacked and multi-tiered birthday
cake, complete with terraces and archways,
but that cake happens to made of dirt and
pig shit.
Beefheart’s voice and lyrics remain a
high-water mark for twisted, ranting rock
mania. Trout Mask’s jagged grooves and
complex song structures predate the rapidly
Captain Beefheart, Trout Mask Replica
changing time signatures of math rock, and
combine the tonality of Delta blues with
the intricacies of prog rock and the free-
wheeling experimentation of Beefheart’s
longtime friend (and the album’s producer)
Frank Zappa. I love Zappa too, but some-
thing about his music has always hit me as
being distinctly of its time, caught in amber
– partly due to the specificity of his lyrics,
partly due to the consistent Stravinsky-ish-
ness of his composition style, which always
kept one foot rooted in the 20th-century
classical canon. Beefheart was a rock ‘n’
roller and blues poet, through and through,
and however weird and ornate the songs he
composed came to be, they always have a
primordial, lovably stripped down feel to
them, like they could reach you from a crew
of your friends sitting on the porch and
jamming.
2) Three 6 Mafia, Under-
ground Vol. 1: 1991-1994
Probably the album that I listen to the
most consistently on a day to day basis,
Three 6’s original masterpiece isn’t really
an album at all, but a collection of singles
and loosies from their earliest recording
projects, some of which original appeared
as DJ Paul, Juicy J, or Lord Infamous solo
tracks, some of which were presented under
the Triple Six banner. The seeds of most
commercial hip hop styles that currently sit
on the charts were planted with this music,
which heralds the birth of trap, the birth
of horror-core rap, the birth of the “Migos
flow” (a.k.a. the Lord Infamous flow), the
birth of a sizable chunk of what we consider
to be relevant in hip hop today. But that’s
not why I love it. I love Underground Vol. 1
because every song truly slaps.
Paul & Juicy’s production never ceases
to inspire me, with its chopped and looped
vocal samples, rigid but eternally grooving
percussion patterns, eerie synth patches,
and conflicting tonalities. “N****s Ain’t
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com
By Max Allison
Barin’ That” sounds like Chicago juke or
footwork years before those styles took off.
“Where The Bud At?” showcases the dizzy-
ing maniacal flows of Lord Infamous (RIP),
while “Playa Hataz” and “Now I’m High,
Really High” gather energy from the pres-
ence of the entire posse trading off verses.
The music of Three 6 Mafia conveys a sense
of victory over the bullshit that life throws
at you. It’s about starting from nothing but
making the absolute most of it, scraping
together cash to record in a dingy studio
with old gear, and coming out with genre-
defining classics, born only from the raw
talent inside of you. Above all, it’s about the
power of personality – what could be called
“star power” – and how if you have that, the
world is forced to pay attention.
3) Björk, Homogenic
My life would be so much emptier with-
out the music of Björk in it. A great illumi-
nator of truths and a catalyst to look at the
world around you and the relationships in
your life through a different lens, her work
hits me with an emotional sledgehammer
right in the gut. I have certainly cried lis-
tening to her more than any other artist,
partly due to the meanings and memories
that have accrued over more than 15 years
of obsession, but mostly just due to its unre-
strained beauty, along with the wisdom and
affecting nature of her lyrics. Homogenic
is probably, pound for pound, my favorite
Björk album, though I could just as easily
pick Post or Vespertine or Debut – all con-
tain “emotiona-a-a-a-a-al landscapes” and
massive peaks. (See: the literal peak in Post’s
“Hyperballad.”) Albums before Homogenic
felt a little goofier, a little more reckless and
fun. Homogenic dials in on this rarefied,
even exaggerated emotional atmosphere in
which every tiny gesture seems like it could
spark a wistful reverie or a tantrum. It feels
volatile but also mature, more in tune with
life’s harsh reality.
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com
I pick Homogenic because of its produc-
tion, which complements her vocal perfor-
mances and her lyrics so stunningly. At the
moment of its release, it was her most overtly
electronics-focused album, and while ear-
lier albums carry elements of dance music
styles, Homogenic feels more like an auteur’s
journey into electronic forms more con-
nected to the experimental techno, sound
collage, and the avant-garde in general. That
production style coupled with complex and
nuanced songwriting that truly catches you
off guard (“Jóga,” “Unravel,” and “All Neon
Like” come to mind immediately) puts
Homogenic a tiny sliver above the rest of her
catalog. How could I be on a desert island
and not have access to “All Is Full of Love”?
It could not be.
4) Miles Davis, In a Silent
Way
The perennial go-to within Miles’ catalog
when you’re in the mood to relax while still
being transported to different surround-
ings, In a Silent Way is the Miles album
you can play for your friends who “don’t
get jazz” and still blow them away. Pos-
sessing an almost ambient lull factor and
a slowly unfurling structure, and featuring
an ensemble of both acoustic and electric
instruments, its two 20-minute pieces were
one starting point for jazz fusion in the ‘60s,
much to the chagrin of many purist critics
and fans. Listening to it now just feels like
spending time with a timeless classic that
exists outside of any genre strictures or
trends. The chiming electric piano melodies
of Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, and Chick
Corea (what a crew!) cascading together in
their slightly skewed harmonies make sure
that the sense of stasis is always tempered
with some darkness. Dave Holland’s bass
and Tony Williams’ drums are the lumber-
ing pulse of the music, barely straying from
cymbal splashes and one low note. This bed
is the perfect background for Miles and
Wayne Shorter to blow their horns over, and
the perfect winding path for guitarist John
McLaughlin, the sessions’ true dark horse,
to lead us down.
While side A’s “Shhh / Peaceful” is the
real bread and butter of the album in some
ways, establishing that beautiful groove that
seems to coast along forever and letting the
atmosphere thicken for 18 straight minutes,
the B side is my favorite. Its sonata form,
with McLaughlin playing the title track
like a theme song at the beginning and end
of the 20-minute piece, feels so warm and
lovely, while still maintaining that slight
edge of darkness. “It’s About That Time”
in the middle, the most animated section,
jumps out of the speakers with that three
note ostinato phrase like “Wake up!” And
you do wake up.
River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020 11
5) Death, Individual
Thought Patterns
Chuck Schuldiner is an all-time musical
hero for me. May he rest in peace. A genius
who could conjure up entire layered com-
positions in his head, with criss-crossing
guitar parts and hyper-intricate drum
patterns, his approach to metal songwrit-
ing felt extremely personal and straight
from the heart. Far from the, well, bloody
gore found on early works such as Scream
Bloody Gore, his lyrics and his sense of
songwriting had matured into more uni-
versal and philosophical themes by the time
Individual Thought Patterns came along.
Any semblance of Death as a shocking or Miles Davis, In a Silent Way
violent project had faded away in favor of
Schuldiner’s stoic, disillusioned viewpoint. four-minute song containing like five or six
His songs criticized violence and betrayal, discrete riffs that the band dives through at
a breakneck pace. Steve Di Giorgio on bass
called out false prophets, and dug into the
human psyche. On “Jealousy,” he shouted: and Gene Hoglan on drums is too deadly a
“Behind the eye / is a place no one will be combo for any mere mortal to reckon with.
able to touch / containing thoughts / that DiGiorgio’s fretless basslines are more
cannot be taken away or replaced.” For real, audible than ever in these tracks, bouncing
Chuck. around the guitars with their own sense of
Individual Thought Patterns is my favorite groove and counterpoint. Hoglan on drums
Death album, and maybe my favorite metal shows why he’s called “The Atomic Clock”
album ever, because of the complexity and with his blistering double kick runs. Every
the sheer constant whiplash of Schuldiner’s track on this album makes me lift my fists
songs in this era. Other than Death’s last above my head and/or air guitar, howling
album Songs of Perseverance, this is the along with Chuck, cursing the world while
band at their most prog, with any given still loving life.

TH RO UG H AU GU ST 30 , 20
20

Be a part of an exhibition at the Figge!

Participation from the public is needed in
order for this exhibition to work, so visit
the Figge’s website for ways to play, add
to the conversation, and discover.

Participants simply send an email while in

the museum or from the comfort of their
home and will have remote control of the
gallery space.

Davenport, Iowa • 563.326.7804

www.figgeartmuseum.org
12 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020 Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com

OUTDOOR By Mike Schulz

Schwiebert Riverfront Park, Rock Island, IL

Out and About

Your Guide to Quad Cities Parks and Recreation Facilities

F
eel like hiking this summer? Or maybe Field Sike Park Middle Park baseball fields, basketball and tennis courts, boat
picknicking? Or boating or biking or 3000 Field Sike Drive 2407 Middle Road ramp, disc golf course, horseshoes, four shelters,
kayaking or disc golfing or playing bas- playground, picnic shelter, grill. baseball diamonds, disc-golf course, garden, picnic areas.
ketball or running with your dog or pushing lagoon, picnic areas, recreation field, disc golf Duck Creek Park
Forest Grove Park course, Splash Lancing pool.
your kids on the swings … ? 3300 East Locust Street
6000 Forest Grove Drive
Whatever your outdoor wants and needs, playground, basketball court, picnic shelter, grill. Optimist Park playground, baseball field, 18-hole golf course,
our area’s many parks and recreation facili- 1130 Belair Road tennis and pickle ball courts, gazebo, bike trail,
ties can provide. The following is your guide Friendship Park playground, picnic shelter, grill. two shelters, flower garden.
to more than 120 great places to get some 5033 White Post Road
playground, shelter, sand volleyball courts, grill. Pigeon Creek Park Eastern Avenue Park
much-needed and much-deserved outdoor
7001 Schutter Lane 2900 Eastern Avenue
time in the Quad Cities, with the locations Hollowview Park picnic tables, recreation area, fishing spots. disc golf course, bike path, picnic shelter, recre-
delineated by city and mentions of specific 1700 Hollow View Drive ation trail, lagoon.
amenities included. If we’ve missed any local playground, recreation trail, picnic tables, shelter Sunny Crest Park
parks that you’re aware of, please share them 2204 Grant Street Emeis Park
with us at info@rcreader.com, and the infor- Hoover Park playground, basketball court, recreation area, 4500 West Locust Street
mation will be added to our online guide at 3223 South Hampton Drive picnic shelter. 18-hole golf course, playground, picnic shelter,
playground, baseball field, basketball and tennis basketball and tennis courts, disc golf course,
RCReader.com. Veterans Memorial Park
courts, picnic shelter, grills. recreation areas, concession stand.
645 23rd Street
Jetty Park Fejervary Park & Aquatic Center
BETTENDORF, IA Bettendorf Riverfront
baseball and soccer fields, sand volleyball courts,
recreation trail, playground, picnic shelter, Bill 1800 West 12th Street
recreation areas, bike paths, semi-private gather- Bowe Bandshell Stage. playground, picnic shelter, spray park, water and
Bettendorf Parks & Recreation: ing areas. drop slides, outdoor pool, sand play area.
563-344-4113, Bettendorf.org Wessel Park
Kiwanis Park 2720 Oak Street Garfield Park
4223 Greenbrier Drive 1224 East 29th Street
Crow Creek Park recreation path, rain gardens.
playground, baseball field, basketball and tennis playground, four baseball fields, three tennis
4800 North Devils Glen Road courts, recreation trail, picnic shelter, grill. courts, volleyball court, recreation trail, shelter,
playground, skate park, baseball diamond, six
picnic areas, six-acre dog park, nature and recre- Leach Park
DAVENPORT, IA concession stand.
ation trails, skate and bike park, dek hockey facil- 100 12th Street Glen Armil Park
ity, soccer field, disc golf course, quarry. picnic shelters, riverfront trail, swings, boat Davenport Parks & Recreation:
2355 Lillie Avenue
launch, fishing spots, grills. 563-328-7275, playground, baseball field, basketball court, rec-
Devils Glen Park CityOfDavenportIowa.com reation areas.
1101 Devils Glen Road Lincoln Park
baseball field, disc golf course, recreation trail, 951 27th Street Goose Creek Park
playground, fire pit, picnic shelters, grills. playground, picnic shelter, recreation trail. Centennial Park
6000 Scott Street
905 West River Drive two playgrounds, baseball diamond, picnic shel-
Eagles Landing Park McLamarrah Park riverfront trail and bike path, boat launch, spray ter, recreation areas, spray feature.
2731 62nd Street Court 4100 Pinebrook Lane park, skateboard park, basketball courts, soccer
boat launch, picnic shelter, fishing spots, grill. picnic tables, fishing spots. fields, dog off-leash area, three shelters. Green Acres Park
Ed Scheck Park 5300 North Pine Street
McManus Park Cork Hill Park
playground, baseball field, basketball court,
4792 Mayfield Drive 1200 Mississippi Boulevard 1100 North Farnam Street picnic shelters, recreation areas.
playground, baseball field, shelter, grills. playgrounds, basketball court, picnic shelters, playground, baseball field, basketball court,
grills. picnic gazebos, funnel ball, horseshoes, spray Harbor Road Park
Edgewood Park
feature. 1230 South Concord Street
1400 23rd Street Meier Park
playground, baseball diamonds, basketball
playground, baseball field, basketball courts, 611 Holmes Street Credit Island Park
court, recreation areas.
tennis courts, picnic shelter, grill. playground, baseball field, basketball and tennis 2301 West River Drive
courts, picnic shelter, grill. two playgrounds, hiking trails, bike trails,
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020 13
Herington Park Prairie Heights Park
935 Brown Street 53rd Street & Eastern Avenue
playground, basketball court, picnic shelter. playground, four baseball diamonds, picnic shel-
ter, recreation areas, concession stand.
Jefferson Park
1034 West 10th Street Prospect Terrace Park
playground, baseball field, basketball court. 1600 Prospect Drive
recreation areas, benches.
Junge Park
301 West 35th Street Ridgeview Park
playground, six baseball diamonds, six sand vol- 7000 North Division Street
leyball courts, basketball court, recreation trail, playground, baseball fields, basketball court,
shelters. picnic shelters, recreation areas.
Lafayette Park Riverview Terrace Park
700 West Fourth Street 1455 Clay Street
playground, basketball court. picnic gazebo, recreation areas.
LeClaire Park & Bandshell Schuetzen Park
400 West Beiderbecke Drive 700 Waverly Road
recreation trail, picnic shelter, performance sites, walking trails, picnic areas, shelter.
horseshoes, recreation areas.
Slattery Park
LeClaire Heights Park 4600 Northwest Boulevard
735 East 10th Street playground, disc golf course, basketball court,
playground, basketball court, picnic shelter. picnic shelter, recreation areas.
Lindsay Park Stampe Lilac Garden
2200 East River Drive 3300 East Locust Street
two playgrounds, basketball court, baseball dia- perennial and annual gardens.
mond, recreation trail, boat docks, Channel Cat
Water Taxi landing. Sunderbruch Park
4675 Telegraph Road
Marquette Park 134-acre park, hiking trails, bike trails, eques-
3200 North Marquette Street trian trails, off-road cycling trail, picnic areas,
playground, two baseball diamonds, recreation playground.
trail, shelters.
Van Buren Park
Monroe Park 300 South Elmwood Avenue
1625 West Third Street recreation areas.
playground, baseball diamond, basketball court.
Vander Veer Botanical Park
Nahant Marsh 215 West Central Avenue
4220 Wapello Avenue playground, flower and vegetable gardens, veg-
305-acre nature preserve. etable gardens, recreation areas.
North Gayman Park Veterans Memorial Park
2400 North Gayman Avenue 315 South Marquette Street
playground, recreation areas. recreation areas, benches, memorials.
Northwest Park West Lake Park
3500 North Division Street 14910 110th Avenue
playground, six baseball diamonds, basketball playgrounds, camping facilities (lakes currently
court, tennis and pickle ball courts, recreation drained for water-quality restoration project).
trail, shelter, concession stand.
Whalen Park
Petersen Park 2935 West 72nd Street
300 West Central Park Avenue playground, baseball fields, basketball court,
playground, baseball diamond, basketball court, picnic shelters, recreation areas.
picnic shelter, spray feature, recreation areas.
Continued On Page 14

Vander Veer Botanical Park, Davenport, IA • Photo by Farragutful / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

14 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020 Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com

OUTDOOR Continued From Page 13 By Mike Schulz

Out and About: Your Guide to Quad Cities Parks and Recreation Facilities
EAST MOLINE, IL MOLINE, IL
East Moline Parks: Moline Parks & Recreation:
309-797-0401, EastMoline.com 309-524-2424, Moline.il.us

Butterworth Park Ben Butterworth Parkway

1400 23rd Avenue 3000 River Drive
playground, basketball court, disc golf course, three playgrounds, 4.5 miles of trails, two boat
lagoon, fishing spots, picnic shelters, recreation launches, picnic shelters, flower gardens, fishing
areas, shelters, grill spots, fitness equipment.
Cottage Grove Tot Lot Browning Park
Seventh Street & Third Avenue 15th Street & 22nd Avenue
playground, recreation areas. playground, picnic shelter, flower gardens, mili-
tary commemorative stones.
Empire Park
751 North 20th Street Butterworth Dog Park
playground, rolle bolle courts, bike path, picnic 15th Street & Eighth Avenue
shelters and tables, recreation areas, grill. off-leash park, recreation areas.
Prospect Park, Moline, IL
Fire Station Tot Lot East End Park
42nd Avenue & 14th Avenue 15th Street & Seventh Avenue Riverside Park Denkmann Park
playground, picnic tables. playground, basketball court, picnic shelter, rec-
3350 Fifth Avenue Sixth Avenue & Fifth Street
reation area.
Garfield Tot Lot two playgrounds, baseball fields, tennis court, playground, picnic areas, basketball court.
18th Street & 14th Avenue Greenvalley Park sand volleyball court, picnic shelters, horseshoes,
fishing area, flower gardens, greenhouse, swim- Douglas Park
playground, basketball court, picnic shelters, rec- 70th Street & 55th Avenue
ming pool. 18th Avenue & 19th Street
reation areas. playground, baseball field, soccer fields, sand vol-
playground, baseball diamonds, picnic areas.
leyball courts, recreation trails, fishing spots, boat Stephens Park
Hereford Park launch, flower gardens, dog park, paintball area.
Seventh Street & 15th Avenue Eleanor Wallace Dog Park
400 13th Street
2738 78th Avenue West
playground, baseball diamond, picnic shelters Harold’s Landing playground, baseball fields, basketball court,
sand volleyball courts, picnic shelters, rolle bolle, secure fenced environment.
and tables, recreation areas, shelters. North Shore Drive & 52nd Avenue
boat launch, fishing spots, picnic area, recre- recreation trails. Hasselroth Park
Jacobs Northeast Park Sports ations areas. Stephens Square 78th Avenue West & 28th Street
Complex
playground, soccer field, picnic areas.
3011 Fourth Avenue Jefferson Park 18th Street & Sixth Avenue
playground, baseball diamond, soccer field, shel- 30th Street & 26th Avenue recreation areas, flower gardens, shuffleboard, Hauberg Gardens & Estate Park
ters, concession stand. recreation areas. benches. 1300 24th Street
Sylvan Island & Gateway Park walking trails, biking trails, outdoor gardens,
James C. Officer Park Karstens Park
Second Street & First Avenue baseball diamond, soccer field, picnic areas,
2300 Eighth Street Sixth Street & 23rd Avenue
recreation areas, fishing spots, picnic areas, rec- playground.
playground, basketball court, recreation areas. playground, baseball fields, basketball court,
benches, recreation areas. reation trails, John Deere Monument. Haymaker Park
Lincoln Tot Lot
Velie Park 96th Avenue & 14th Street West
Fourth Street & 17th Avenue Kiwanis Park
11th Street & 11th Avenue playground, baseball court, soccer field, basket-
playground, picnic tables, recreation areas. 18th Street & 13th Avenue
recreation areas, Spanish American War Memo- ball court, picnic areas.
playground, basketball court, picnic shelter, rec-
Millennium Park reation areas, benches. rial, benches. Hodge Park
Archer Drive & 34th Avenue
Wiman/Miss Patties Park 22nd Avenue & 35th Street
playground, pavilion, picnic shelters and tables, McCandless Park
Eighth Street & 35th Avenue playground, baseball diamond, basketball courts,
recreation areas. First Street & Seventh Avenue
playground, recreation areas, benches. tennis courts, volleyball court, outdoor gardens.
playground, basketball court, soccer field, picnic
Mitchell Park shelter, recreation areas. Lincoln Park
400 30th Avenue
playground, baseball diamond, basketball and Millennium Park ROCK ISLAND, IL 11th Avenue & 38th Street
playground, tennis courts, outdoor theatre,
tennis courts, pavilion, picnic shelters, recreation 79th Street & 34th Avenue
Rock Island Parks & Recreation: baseball diamond, bandshell, basketball courts,
areas. playground, picnic shelter, benches.
shelters.
309-732-7275, RIGOV.org
Radden Park Optimist Park
Longview Park Conservatory &
2200 Seventh Street 27th Street & 18th Avenue A
Alan A. Campbell Sports Facility Gardens
playground, baseball diamond, shelters, recre- playground, picnic shelter, recreation area, benches.
Andalusia Road & 29th Street West 1300 17th Street
ation areas.
Peterson Park baseball diamonds, soccer fields. greenhouse, conservatory, gardens.
Watertown Memorial Park 37th Street & Eighth Avenue
Ben Williamson Park Martin Luther King Jr. Park
1554 Eighth Avenue playground, picnic shelter, recreation areas.
44th Street & the Rock River 601 Ninth Street
playground, recreation areas.
Prospect Park walking trails, picnic areas, boat ramp. playground, picnic areas, outdoor stage.
Wiman Park 16th Street & 30th Avenue
Black Hawk State Historic Site Mel McKay Park
500 45th Avenue playground, pond, fishing spots, disc golf course,
1510 46th Avenue 92nd Avenue & Upper Ridgewood Road
playground, basketball and tennis courts, pavil- flower gardens, picnic shelters, walking path,
walking and hiking paths, picnic area, access to playground, baseball diamonds, basketball
ion, picnic tables, recreation areas. recreation areas, basketball court, baseball dia-
Rock River. court, soccer field, tennis courts, hiking trails,
monds, pavilion.
picnic areas.
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020 15
Old Horace Mann Park SURROUNDING AREAS
14th Avenue & 36th Street
baseball diamond, picnic areas. Buffalo Bill Cody Trail
LeClaire Road & First Street, Eldridge
Rauch Park 25-mile trail, recreation areas.
400 16th Avenue (309)793-6300, ScottCountyIowa.gov.
playground, baseball diamond, picnic area.
Camden Park
Reservoir Park 2701 First Street East, Milan
15th Avenue & 24th Street 38 picnic tables, three playgrounds, baseball dia-
baseball diamond, soccer field. mond, two disc golf courses.
(309)787-8510, MilanIL.org.
Schwiebert Riverfront Park
100 17th Street Illiniwek Forest Preserve
bike trail, playground areas, waterfront prome- 836 State Avenue, Hampton
nade, open-air stage, interactive fountain, obser- wooded trails, camping facilities.
vation shelter, water sprays. (309)496-2620, RICFPD.org.

Shadybrook Park Loud Thunder Forest Preserve

83rd Avenue & Ninth Street West
playground, baseball diamond, basketball court,
soccer field, picnic areas.
Sunset Park & Marina
Sunset Road and 18th & 31st Avenues
playground, walking trails, baseball diamond,
volleyball court, picnic areas, shelters, boating
ramp.
Sylvan Slough Natural Area
4400 Third Avenue
walking trails, biking trails, mountain-biking
trails.
Weber Park
Seventh Avenue & 30th Street
playground, picnic areas.
19408 Loud Thunder Road, Illinois City
1,000-acre park, camping facilities, hiking trails,
picnic areas, boating access.
(309)786-4451, RICFPD.org.
Scott County Park
18850 270th Street, Eldridge
1,280-acre park, 12 picnic areas, baseball dia-
mond, playground, hiking trails, equestrian area,
camping areas, shelters.
(563)328-3282, ScottCountyIowa.gov.
Wapsi River Education Center
31555 52nd Avenue, Dixon
432-acre complex, 225-acre forests and grass-
lands, hiking trails.
(563)328-3286, ScottCountyIowa.gov.
Wildcat Den State Park
1884 Wildcat Den Road, Muscatine
camping facilities, hiking trails, picnic areas.
(563)263-4337, IowaDNR.gov.

Josh Arnold
Thu, Aug 13 7:30 PM

Michael Winslow
Thu, Sep 24
6:30 PM & 8:30 PM

Mary Mack

@
Thu, Oct 22 7:30 PM

Tim Meadows
Thu, Oct 29
6:30 PM & 8:30 PM

Ryan Niemiller
Sun, Nov 15 6:30 PM

Todd McCommas
Thu, Dec 10 7:30 PM

For Our Full List, Show Details 7077 Elmore Avenue Davenport, IA 52807
and to Buy Tickets rhythmcitycasino.com | 1.844.852.4FUN
Visit us at rhythmcitycasino.com
16 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020
CONTINUED
HEALTH
Virtual Event _ Making Your Habits Stick: All You Need
to Establish Lasting Behavior Change, join nutritional
sciences researcher Jonathan Cerna to learn what the…
University of Illinois Extension - Milan, noon Tue Jul 14
Yoga on the Mezz w/ Monique Jackson, all-levels class
for beginners and veterans; bring your own mat;… Crawford
Brew Works, 8pm Wed Jul 15
Yoga on the Mezz w/ Susan McLoone of
KindredMinds, all-levels class for beginners and veterans;
bring your own mat;… Crawford Brew Works, 6pm Wed Jul
15
Mind Control: How to Take Care of Your Mental Health
During the Pandemic, a Zoom presentation on how to
move forward mentally and… Davenport Public Library -
Fairmount Street Branch, noon Thu Jul 16
Virtual Event _ The Role of Genetics/Epigenetics in
the Relationship Between Nutrition and Cognitive
Aging, join neuroscience researcher Mickeal Key for a
presentation that will… University of Illinois Extension -
Milan, noon Tue Jul 21
Virtual Event _ Move Your Way to a Better Day: How
Exercise Can Combat Stress, Anxiety, and Depression,
join kinesiology researcher Emily Erlenbach to learn how you
can… University of Illinois Extension - Milan, noon Tue Jul 28
Virtual Event _ More Than a Gut Feeling: How Diet
Impacts Your Gut Microbiome and Health, join Leila
Shinn, MS, RDN, to learn about the trillions… University of
Illinois Extension - Milan, noon Tue Aug 4
Yoga on the Mezz w/ Monique Jackson, all-levels class
for beginners and veterans; bring your own mat;… Crawford
Brew Works, 8pm Wed Aug 5
Yoga on the Mezz w/ Susan McLoone of
KindredMinds, all-levels class for beginners and veterans;
bring your own mat;… Crawford Brew Works, 6pm Wed Aug
5 Aug 5 thru Thu Aug 13
Virtual Event _ Viral History: The Black Death, Spanish
Flu, and COVID-19, this presentation examines the history
of the Black Death, Spanish… University of Illinois Extension -
Milan, noon Tue Aug 11
SENIORS
Bridge, on Mondays & Fridays; $2-5; for information, call 563-
386-7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 12:30pm Mon
Aug 3 thru Mon Aug 10
Ceramics I, on Mondays & Fridays; $7-11; for information, call
563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 9:30am Mon
Aug 3 thru Mon Aug 10
Genesis Blood Pressure Checks, on Mondays; for
information, call 563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active
Seniors), 9am Mon Aug 3 thru Mon Aug 10
Shuffleboard, on Mondays; $2-5; for information, call 563-
386-7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 2:15pm Mon Aug
3 thru Mon Aug 10
Ugly Quilts, on Mondays; volunteer group; no sewing
experience necessary; free; for… CASI (Center for Active
Seniors), 8am Mon Aug 3 thru Mon Aug 10
Zumba Gold Toning, on Mondays; $3-5; for information,
call 563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 10:15am
Mon Aug 3 thru Mon Aug 10
Genesis Foot Clinic, on Mon. & Tue.; reservations required;
for information, call 563-320-3978… CASI (Center for Active
Seniors), 8am Mon Aug 3 thru Tue Aug 11
Billiards, Mon.-Fri.; $2; for information, call 563-386-7477…
CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 8am Mon Aug 3 thru Thu
Aug 13
Low-Impact Exercise, Mon.-Fri.; $2-5; for information, call
563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 9am Mon
Aug 3 thru Thu Aug 13
Red Hat Club Luncheon, locations vary monthly; for
information, call 563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active
Seniors), noon Tue Aug 4
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com
Canasta, on Tuesdays; $2-5; for information, call 563-386-
7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 1pm Tue Aug 4 thru
Tue Aug 11
Knitting & Crocheting, on Tuesdays; volunteer group; free;
for information, call 563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active
Seniors), 12:30pm Tue Aug 4 thru Tue Aug 11
Line Dancing I, on Tuesdays; $3-5; for information, call 563-
386-7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 9am Tue Aug 4
thru Tue Aug 11
Line Dancing Lesson, on Tuesdays; free; for information,
call 563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 8:30am
Tue Aug 4 thru Tue Aug 11
Senior Technology Clinic, on Tuesdays; $5-7; for
information, call 563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active
Seniors), 1pm Tue Aug 4 thru Tue Aug 11
Spiritual Devotions, on Tuesdays; free; for information, call
563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 8am Tue Aug
4 thru Tue Aug 11
Bunco, on Wednesdays; $2-5; for information, call 563-386-
7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 1pm Wed Aug 5 thru
Wed Aug 12
Cribbage, on Wednesdays; $2-5; for information, call 563-
386-7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 1pm Wed Aug 5
thru Wed Aug 12
Evening Bingo, on Wednesdays; $10 card pack minimum
purchase; for information, call… CASI (Center for Active
Seniors), 6pm Wed Aug 5 thru Wed Aug 12
TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly), on Wednesdays;
11:30am weigh-in, noon meeting; $1; for information, call…
CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 11:30am Wed Aug 5 thru
Wed Aug 12
T’ai Chi Ch’un, on Wednesdays; $24-36/6 weeks; for
information, call 563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active
Seniors), 10:25am Wed Aug 5 thru Wed Aug 12
Reflexology Clinic, on Wed. & Thu.; for information, call
563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 1pm Wed
Zumba Gold, on Wednesdays at 9am & Thursdays at 9:30am;
$3-5; for… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), Wed Aug 5 thru
Thu Aug 13
Genesis Foot Clinic, reservations required; for information,
call 563-320-3978… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), noon
Thu Aug 6
Apple iPad Clinic, on Thursdays; $3-5; for information, call
563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 11am Thu
Aug 6 thru Thu Aug 13
Euchre, on Thursdays & Fridays; $2-5; for information, call
563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 12:45pm Thu
Aug 6 thru Thu Aug 13
Line Dancing II, on Thursdays; $3-5; for information, call
563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 2:30pm Thu
Aug 6 thru Thu Aug 13
New Horizons Band Practice, on Thursdays; $2-5; for
information, call 563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active
Seniors), 12:30pm Thu Aug 6 thru Thu Aug 13
Bingo, on Fridays; no admission fee, card costs are $0.25 &…
CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 12:30pm Fri Aug 7
CASI Book Club, $2-5; for information, call 563-386-7477…
CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 10am Fri Aug 7
Ceramics I & II, on Fridays; $7-11; for information, call 563-
386-7477… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 9am Fri Aug 7
Golden Tones Chorus Practice, on Fridays; $2-5; for
information, call 563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active
Seniors), 9am Fri Aug 7
Senior Theatre: Second Avenue Players, on Fridays; $2-
5; for information, call 563-386-7477… CASI (Center for Active
Seniors), 10:30am Fri Aug 7
Movie Matinee, $2-5; for information, call 563-386-7477…
CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 1pm Tue Aug 11
Grief Support Group, on the 2nd & 4th Wed. of the month;
donations… CASI (Center for Active Seniors), 9:30am Wed
Aug 12
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com
Mississippi Valley Fair @ Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds – August 4 thru 9
KIDS’ STUFF
Virtual Children’s Book Talk, on Fridays, hosted by Miss
Ranell and the Rock Island… Rock Island Public Library -
Downtown Library, 10:30am thru Fri Jul 24
Virtual Cupcake Wars: Photo Competition, thru July
31; break out the cooking gear and frosting… Silvis Public
Library, thru Fri Jul 31
Virtual Teen DIY Series: Origami Koala Bookmark,
presented by the Davenport Public Library; teens are invited
to join… 2pm Fri Jul 10
Virtual Yoga Buddies, on Saturdays; join Ms. ShoShanna’s
Facebook Live/Watch party where she… Silvis Public Library,
10am Sat Jul 11 thru Sat Jul 25
Kidstock: Session I, thru July 17; ages 8-18 take part in
workshops and… RME (River Music Experience), noon Mon
Jul 13
Virtual Make Your Own Zine Event, for teens; we’ll
provide the materials in a take and… Rock Island Public
Library - Downtown Library, 2pm Mon Jul 13
Virtual Make a Hovercraft with Me, join Ms. ShoShanna’s
Facebook Live/Watch party to make a hovercraft… Silvis
Public Library, 1pm Mon Jul 13
Virtual Take and Make Bead Snake, taking place all day;
explore your creativity with weekly take… Rock Island Public
Library - Downtown Library, Mon Jul 13
Virtual Take and Make Petite Picassos, taking place
all day; for ages 0-5; use all of… Rock Island Public Library -
Downtown Library, Mon Jul 13
Take Home Ready, Set, Kindergarten, taking place all
day; for ages 5 & under; pick… Rock Island Public Library -
Downtown Library, Mon Jul 13 thru Mon Jul 27
Virtual Jolly Rancher Readers, on Mondays; meet online
and talk about books, play games,… Silvis Public Library, 4pm
Mon Jul 13 thru Mon Jul 27
Virtual Teen Book Talk, on Mondays, hosted by Miss Emily
and the Rock Island… Rock Island Public Library - Downtown
Library, 1:30pm Mon Jul 13 thru Mon Jul 27
Music Fundamentals Virtual Boot Camp: Grades 7-12,
on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays thru July 31; join
Ernesto… Quad City Symphony Orchestra, 2pm Mon Jul 13
Kindernature: Sunflowers, at 10:30am & 2pm; enjoy a
story and take your… Quad City Botanical Center, Tue Jul 14
Virtual Carle’s Creators, this event is part of a combined
series; if you… Rock Island Public Library - Downtown Library,
2pm Tue Jul 14
Virtual Con Tricks & Tips, presented by the Davenport
Public Library; teens are invited to… 4pm Tue Jul 14
Virtual Toddler Tales, on Tuesdays and Thursdays,
hosted by Miss Ranell and the… Rock Island Public Library -
Downtown Library, 10:30am Tue Jul 14 thru Thu Jul 30
River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020 17
Virtual Teen DIY Paper Lanterns, learn how to make your Sunday Funday, free with $4-8 admission; for
very own hanging paper lantern,… Silvis Public Library, 5pm information, call 309-794-0991… Quad City Botanical
Tue Jul 21 Center, 1pm Sun Aug 2
Virtual Teen DIY Cosplay Series: Newspaper Wig, Getting Buggy With It Camp, Aug. 5 & 6, summer day
presented by the Davenport Public Library; join Miss Amber camp focusing on butterflies,… Nahant Marsh, 9am Wed
on… 4pm Tue Jul 21 Aug 5
Prairies and Fairies Camp, for grades 3-5; discover Quad City Botanical Center Drop-in Program, on
enchanting wild things and wildflowers as… Nahant Marsh, Thursdays; for kids entering K-4, but fun for all ages;…
9am Thu Jul 23 Quad City Botanical Center, 1pm Thu Aug 6
Virtual Rick’s Short Magic Show #2, register online and Teen Advisory Group, an opportunity for teens and
we’ll send you a private YouTube video link… Rock Island tweens to have input in… Moline Public Library, 3:30pm
Public Library - Downtown Library, Thu Jul 23 Thu Aug 6
Virtual Teen DIY Series: Kawaii LED Mini Notebook, Kindernature: Prairie Play, at 10:30am & 2pm; enjoy
presented by the Davenport Public Library; teens are invited a story and take your… Quad City Botanical Center, Tue
to join… 2pm Fri Jul 24 Aug 11
Virtual Lego Charades: Robot, create a robot with Ms.
ShoShanna, comment on the video… Silvis Public Library,
2pm Sat Jul 25
Eco Art Camp, thru July 31; artists ages 5-12 are invited to
June 16 Crossword Answers
a… Quad City Botanical Center, 9am Mon Jul 27
Critter Camp, for grades K-2; connect your child with nature
as they… Nahant Marsh, 1pm Tue Jul 28
Taste the Wild Camp, for grades 3-5; getting back to the
basics, kids will… Nahant Marsh, 9am Thu Jul 30
Virtual Escape the Ancient Tomb, another fun-packed Virtual Absolute Science Mega Levitator with
virtual escape room; this time you’re a skilled… Silvis Public Professor Toto, register online and we’ll send you a private
Library, 5pm Wed Jul 15 YouTube video link… Rock Island Public Library - Downtown
Library, Thu Jul 30
Virtual Event: Big Picture In the House, on Wedensdays
for grades 6-12; a new lesson and hands-on activity… Figge Virtual Trivia: Happee Birthdae Harry Potter, on the
Art Museum, 10:30am Wed Jul 15 thru Wed Aug 5 library’s Facebook page; help us celebrate Harry Potter’s…
Rock Island Public Library - Downtown Library, 6pm Thu Jul
Virtual Magician Rick Eugene Brammer, Silvis Public 30
Library is hosting a premier video of Magician… Silvis Public
Library, 6pm Wed Jul 15 Virtual Level Up! Gamers: Card Games, join us for some
games to see who the best… Silvis Public Library, 4pm Fri
Virtual Take Write Now!: Pet Letter Kit, taking place Jul 31
all day; pick up your story booklet and… Rock Island Public
Library - Downtown Library, Wed Jul 15
Virtual Tween Book Club, join us online to speak about
your favorite book; free;… Silvis Public Library, 5pm Wed
Jul 15
Marsh Explorer Camp, for grades K-2; campers will be
MAGNETIC WEST
running a-muck while exploring… Nahant Marsh, 9am Thu
Jul 16
Virtual Absolute Science Fantastic Foam with
The Enduring Allure of the American West
Professor Toto, register online and we’ll send you a private
YouTube video link… Rock Island Public Library - Downtown
Library, Thu Jul 16
Virtual Big Screen Story, taking place all day; for ages 0-5;
pick up a… Rock Island Public Library - Downtown Library,
Thu Jul 16
Virtual Family Storytime, on Thursdays; Ms. ShoShanna
will be hosting a Facebook Live… Silvis Public Library, 6pm
Thu Jul 16 thru Thu Jul 30
Virtual Level Up! Gamers: Jackbox Party, join us for
some games to see who the best… Silvis Public Library, 4pm
Fri Jul 17
Virtual Teen DIY Series: Recycled Book Bunting,
presented by the Davenport Public Library; teens are invited
to join… 2pm Fri Jul 17
Virtual Full STEAM Ahead: Olympic Flame, join Ms.
ShoShanna’s Facebook Live/Watch party as she creates a…
Silvis Public Library, 2pm Sat Jul 18
Kidstock: Session II, thru July 24; ages 8-18 take part in
workshops and… RME (River Music Experience), noon Mon
Jul 20
Virtual Let’s Get Busy, join Ms. ShoShanna’s Facebook
Live/Watch party for preschool story time… Silvis Public
Library, 1pm Mon Jul 20 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 20, 2020
Virtual Take and Make Colored Rice Flower, taking Contributing Sponsors:
place all day; explore your creativity with weekly take… Rock
Island Public Library - Downtown Library, Mon Jul 20
Constance Bosson Runge | Carolyn Levine & Leonard Kallio Trust | Modern Woodmen
Virtual Event: Adulting for Teens, join us for this
Terry Evans, American, b. 1944, Bison at Maxwell Game Preserve, Roxbury, Kansas, December, 1981, Archival pigment
interactive presentation where you’ll learn the… Rock Island print, 30 x 30 inches, Friends of Art Acquisition Fund, 2019.20.1, © Terry Evans, image courtesy of the artist
Public Library - Downtown Library, 2pm Mon Jul 20 thru
Mon Jul 27
Davenport, Iowa • 563.326.7804
www.figgeartmuseum.org
18 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020 Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com

Crossword
BUDGET BUSTER • JULY 14, 2020 Jun 16 Answers: Page 17

ACROSS 66. Sports event DOWN 54. Bridges

1. Spirit lamp 67. Certain player 1. Larger-than-life 55. Student in uniform
5. Pillow cover 68. Gather 2. Bandleader Puente 56. Two
9. _ acid 69. Houstonia, a plant 3. Vespiary 58. Came up
14. “Doll’s House” 71. Deliver a song 4. Hastiest anagram 59. Wrote, in a way
playwright 72. The sun (or the moon) 5. Nixie 60. Go already!
19. Artist _ Mondrian 75. Island bird 6. Of the underworld 61. Incite
20. Spotted cavy 76. Trademark 7. False shows 62. Subject, usually
21. Loads 77. Patterned fabric 8. Chinese chairman 63. Becker or Yeltsin
22. _ -Dame de Paris 78. Vigor 9. Mountain 64. Black
23. Start of a quip by 79. Roadrunner cousin 10. Hitchcock film of 1964 65. Hawaiian porch
Milton Berle: 3 wds. 80. Pickled side dish 11. Foolishness 69. Cries like an animal
25. Crowbars 81. Operates 12. Requisite 70. Blue and blue-sky
26. Ice cream soda 82. Minds 13. CIA forerunner 71. Cockscomb
27. Cliques 83. Part 4 of quip: 3 wds. 14. Provoke 73. Drive
28. “OK” signal 87. Items on a platter 15. Spanish dance 74. Top dog
29. Animal cries 89. Galley supplies 16. Portico 76. Raucous sound
30. Scintilla 90. Place of entry 17. Part of QED 77. Pius X, XI or XII
31. Kind of salt 91. Call to 18. Earns 78. Takes a direct route
34. Laugh 92. Show of respect 24. Wine quality 80. Walloped
35. Mendicants 95. Purpose 29. Harmful insect 81. Come together
38. Part 2 of quip: 3 wds. 96. Place north of Tunisia 31. Cremains 82. Juvenile heroine
43. Work by Michelangelo 100. Braid 32. Tight 84. Aretha _ Franklin
44. Therefore 101. _ Ababa 33. Flatscreens 85. Ignite
45. Joy 103. End of the 34. Sovereign 86. Salad plant
46. _ _ loss quip: 2 wds. 35. Vaulted area 87. Allegation
47. Settles 104. Feminine name 36. Discredited one 88. Vex
48. Do a host’s job 105. Cornet part 37. Madness 92. Zoomed
50. Runner in a race 106. Hounds 39. Eye 93. _ breve
52. Admit 107. Word in an 40. Pitch and turpen- 94. Disreputable place
53. Baseball stat. ultimatum tine, e.g.: 2 wds. 95. Dutch town
54. Skyrockets 108. Challenged 41. Prima ballerina 96. Bamboozle
55. Vinegar type 109. Ruler: Var. 42. Opens wide 97. “Death on the _”
56. Gown feature 110. Farm animals 44. Sun hat 98. Part of MIT: Abbr.
57. Country in 111. Hardens 48. Vine fruit 99. Times
“Gulliver’s Travels” 49. Pro _
59. Statuesque 101. Rd.
50. La Scala’s city 102. Sun. talk
60. Guzzles 51. Lazily
61. Part 3 of quip: 5 wds. 103. Work by Horace
52. Catfish genus
65. Loch _
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com
Movie Reviews
They Get the
Job Done
HAMILTON
W
e may as well start with the
spittle.
Unless you’ve been living in
a sensory-deprivation chamber for the last
several months – and I suppose, in some
respects, most of us have – you probably
know that Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Pulitzer
Prize winner and Tony Award hog Hamilton
premiered on Disney+ this past Friday, more
than a year ahead of its initially scheduled
debut. You likely know that the show traces
the earliest days of the USA with particular
emphasis on Alexander Hamilton’s life and
career: his speedy ascent into George Wash-
ington’s favor; his appointment as America’s
first Treasury Secretary; his cabinet battles
with Thomas Jefferson; his death-by-duel at
the hands of Aaron Burr. You no doubt also
know that Manuel’s hip-hop/pop musical
sensation finds Black and Latino performers
assuming the roles of our founding fathers
– casting that’s far more than a stunt, as it
effectively reminds us that every American,
regardless of race, has an equal, inclusive
right to history. As the lyric goes: “Who
lives, who dies, who tells your story?” Ham-
ilton’s answer is: We all do.
Yet unless you watched Disney+’s cultural
phenomenon this weekend among untold
millions of others (roughly half of whom
seemed to post praise for it on my Facebook
wall), you may not know that this movie
by the New York rendition’s Tony-winning
director Thomas Kail isn’t technically a
movie at all. Rather, it’s a performance of
the Broadway show captured in the summer
of 2016 with its original staging and unim-
provable cast intact. As such, and despite its
fluid camerawork and occasional overhead
shots reminiscent of those employed for old
Esther Williams water ballets, this Hamil-
ton isn’t a traditional fi lm so much as cap-
tured live theatre. Which means we’re not
spared the occasional sights of sweat, body
mics, the orchestra’s conductor waving his
baton, and spit. Lots and lots of spit.
Which brings us to Jonathan Groff. One
of the show’s few white performers, Groff
plays what has to be considered one of the
whitest stage roles of all time: England’s
King George III, who, here, sings three lyri-
cally distinct variations on the tyrannical
Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom Jr. in Hamilton
comedy number introduced as “You’ll Be
Back.” (Sample lyrics from Groff ’s third
pop-in as George: “All alone / watch them
run / They will tear each other to pieces
/ Jesus Christ this will be fun!”) Filmed
theatre always comes with specific limita-
tions – primarily, as an audience, the losses
of immediacy and electricity powered by
being in the same physical space as those
entertaining you. Yet one of filmed theatre’s
greatest perks can be the employment of clo-
seups, and whenever Groff sings, Kail tends
to keep the camera intensely close to the
actor’s face, allowing us to witness George’s
every subtle emotional shift. It also lets us
witness stage performance as we’re not nec-
essarily meant to, and as social media has
roundly decreed this past weekend, Jona-
than Groff is a spitter. A massive spitter. In
his first number as George, the bubble of
drool that rests just off George’s lip is nearly
as large as his powdered wig.
Although Groff, as usual, sings like the
stage god he clearly is and is fantastically
funny besides, that healthy gob of saliva is a
repellant sight – and I wouldn’t have traded
it for the world. Silly hair, an unnatural
complexion, a despot literally foaming at the
mouth to get his hateful messaging across
… . It’s not like we’re all not used to this stuff
by now. But while I experienced the feeling
at several points before Groff ’s first Hamil-
ton appearance, and at loads of points after,
what the intense closeups during “You’ll Be
Back” made me realize more than anything
was that I f---ing miss live theatre.
I miss the spit. I miss the sweat. I miss
seeing and hearing those microscopic
changes in focus and inflection that you’d
think would get lost in a stage-production
setting and yet, sometimes, magically don’t.
River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020
By Mike Schulz • mike@rcreader.com
The stage show Hamilton isn’t without its
flaws. (The subject of slavery is bizarrely
sidelined, and I tend to agree with Daveed
Diggs’ Jefferson when, after much time is
spent on one of Hamilton’s personal trag-
edies, he asks, “Can we get back to poli-
tics?”). Kail’s Disney+ version isn’t without
flaws, either. (Especially in Act I, the glid-
ing camera movements felt far busier than
necessary.) But as a record of filmed theatre
– especially considering Miranda’s achieve-
ment is probably the greatest musical-
theatre offering of the last 20 years – this
Hamilton might have exactly zero peers.
As a fi lm actor, Miranda, who plays the
title role, can be a lot to take; with his eager-
ness to please and overt expressiveness, he’s
far more built for the stage. (Hamilton’s dis-
consolate sadness after the death of his son
left me dry-eyed, which, given how many
times I’ve cried at the Hamilton recording,
I totally wasn’t expecting.) Yet his passion
and humor and quick-witted hip-hop facil-
ity remain thoroughly inspiring over the
Disney+ version’s two hours and 40 minutes
– and when Lin-Manuel Miranda is actu-
ally one of the lesser on-screen participants,
19
you know that you’ve landed on something
remarkably special. Because even disregard-
ing the show’s gorgeous lighting and Andy
Blankenbuehler’s fierce choreography and
all those incandescent tunes and lyrics, lord
almighty is Kahl’s accomplishment rich in
performance wonders.
It feels somewhat unfair to single out any
of the production’s specific acting talents,
a feeling underscored by the beautifully
egalitarian curtain call and the end-credits
sequence that gives all of the cast members
– even those credited as “Ensemble” – their
own individual title cards (alongside the
performers’ lovingly hand-drawn like-
nesses). But still, among those who also dis-
play unimpeachable vocals: Leslie Odom Jr.
as the conflicted, blithe-until-he’s not Burr;
Renée Elise Goldsberry as the sister-in-law
Angelica who will forever love Hamilton
from afar; Christopher Jackson as the stub-
born, paternal, understandably lionized
George Washington; Phillipa Soo as Eliza
Hamilton, the prototypical “long-suffering
wife” whose quiet heartbreak affects me on
perhaps a deeper level than anyone else’s.
(I am zero-for-100 at not crying during her
Act II reminiscence about the orphanage, a
stat this movie didn’t alter in the least.) And,
of course, that mesmerizing force of musi-
cal-theatre nature Daveed Diggs, whom
you’d be happy to have stay in character as
the heavily accented Marquis de Lafayette
if it wouldn’t mean losing him, in Act II,
as the thunderously exciting, rap-battling,
mic-dropping Jefferson.
This is probably the moment in which I
should mention that I don’t, at present, have
a Disney+ subscription – that some very
kind friends invited me to see Hamilton as
a special Independence Day weekend treat
this past Friday. But I might subscribe now,
and the availability of Miranda’s and Kail’s
miracle of filmed theatre is reason enough.
Jesus Christ is this thing fun.
20 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020
Wail Watching
My roommate just found out her ex-fiancé
is terminally ill and is likely to pass away
soon. Though they had a weird relationship,
I can tell she’s taking it pretty hard. I really
want to be supportive, but I honestly don’t
know what to do or say around a grieving
person. I’m worried about saying the wrong
thing, especially because I’m really uncom-
fortable with grief. I told her I am here for
her if she needs anything. What do you do
and say for a person who’s in such a terrible
situation?
– Clueless
When we’re around other people, espe-
cially other people who are upset, we tend to
get uncomfortable with silences and rush to
fill them with words. Unfortunately, not being
Confucius or the Dalai Lama, we reach into
our memories and pull out whichever con-
dolence clichés are closest to the top, such as
“Soon he’ll be in a better place.” (Where? An
urn?)
Though we mere mortals tend to fail at
profundities, we can do profoundly kind
acts. What people who are suffering need at a
time like this is compassion. Compassion gets
confused with empathy (which a number of
researchers define as “feeling with” a person).
However, compassion is more than a feeling.
It’s empathy with an action plan: the moti-
vation to try to alleviate another person’s
suffering.
There’s a temptation to be vague in offering
help – “I’m here for you if you need anything”
– probably because it’s hard to know what
would help and also because you want to avoid
offering the “wrong” thing. But what really
count are your intentions. Consider that she
has a lot of emotional weight on her now, and
she probably doesn’t have her usual energy for
routine chores such as making dinner, picking
up her prescription, or washing her car. If you
step in and do these, let her know it’s about
giving her a little help while she’s struggling.
It should mean a lot.
You’re telling her she’s not alone, but in a
way that doesn’t take poetic eloquence or
attempts to cheer her up (because her sadness
is uncomfortable for you). The reality is that
80 percent of success in amateur grief counsel-
ing is knowing better than to put the “fun” in
funeral. The other 20 percent is just showing
up – with pizza and pot edibles.
Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405. E-mail AdviceAmy@aol.com,
visit @amyalkon on Twitter, and listen to Amy’s weekly radio show at BlogTalkRadio.com/amyalkon. Order
Amy Alkon’s new book Unf_-ology: A Field Guide to Living with Guts and Confidence (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2018).
©2020, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved. New column published weekly at RCReader.com
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com
See Monster
Months of quarantine have made FaceTime
first dates the new thing. I’ve been chatting
with a few guys on dating apps, and some of
them have asked to schedule FaceTimes. Many
of my friends have done it, but it still feels
weird to me. Though my photos are right in
my dating profile, talking with someone over
video feels too revealing and not in a good
way. Should I try it anyway, or should I wait
until it’s safe to meet in person?
– Resting Shy Face
When people advise that you shouldn’t reveal
too much on the first date, I think they’re talk-
ing about your areolas.
There’s a lot of important information you’re
missing when you’re communicating without
seeing someone’s facial expressions. Zoologist
Irenaus Eibl-Eibesfeldt, who studied human
animals in addition to the kind with paws
and tails, explained emotional expressions
as “the grammar of social interaction.” Facial
expressions (as well as body language) give us
a nuanced understanding of other people’s
feelings and intentions in the way punctuation
marks shape how we understand a set of words.
(For example: “Want to eat, Grandma?” versus
“Want to eat Grandma?”).
In fact, people will often say one thing with
their words (such as “Really, I’m fine”), but to
get the whole of what they’re expressing, you
need to add the “pictures”: the emotions they’re
displaying. For example, social psychologist
Dacher Keltner, who researches emotional
expressiveness, observes that “when a colleague
shows signs of anger – with tightened lips, fur-
rowed brow, and slightly raised upper eyelid – I
learn that he or she is frustrated, is appraising
the current interaction as unfair, will likely act
antagonistically, and may feel a sense of righ-
teous indignation.”
Men, especially, have very visually driven
sexuality, so if you won’t FaceTime, you’re prob-
ably at a disadvantage compared with women
who will. Chances are your real fear is that a
guy won’t find you attractive. But if a guy’s not
that into your looks, a screen won’t change that.
Finding out where he stands as soon as possible
could keep you from getting attached to some-
body you’ll ultimately have to pry yourself away
from. On the the other hand, revealing more
of yourself will make the right guy more inter-
ested. And yes, there are people who even get
married without seeing each other’s faces, but
just in cultures where the marriage is condi-
tioned on one’s father giving the other’s father
14 goats, five oxen, and a 1967 Subaru.
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
ARIES (March 21-April 19): “As beauti-
ful as simplicity is, it can become a tradi-
tion that stands in the way of exploration,”
said singer Laura Nyro. This is practical
advice for you to heed in the coming weeks.
According to my analysis, you’re scheduled to
enjoy an extended engagement with rich, fertile
complexity. The best teachings won’t be reducible
to a few basic lessons; rather, they’ll be rife with
soulful nuances. The same is true about the splen-
did dilemmas that bring you stimulating amuse-
ments: They can’t and shouldn’t be forced into
pigeonholes. As a general rule, anything that
seems easy and smooth and straightforward will
probably not be useful. Your power will come from
what’s crooked, dense, and labyrinthine.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You may
think that playing heavy metal music and
knitting with yarn don’t have much in
common. And yet there is an annual con-
test in Joensuu, Finland where people with exper-
tise in needlework join heavy metal musicians on
stage, plying their craft in rhythm to the beat. The
next Heavy Metal Knitting World Championship
will be July 15-16, 2021. This year’s event was can-
celed due to the pandemic. If it had been staged, I
bet multiple Tauruses would have been among the
top 10 competitors. Why? Because you Bulls are at
the peak of your ability to combine things that
aren’t often combined. You have the potential to
excel at making unexpected connections, linking
influences that haven’t been linked before, and
being successful at comparing apples and oranges.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In 1848,
Danish King Frederick VII agreed, under
pressure from liberal agitators, to relin-
quish some of his absolute power. There-
after, he shared his decision-making with a newly
formed parliament. He was pleased with this big
change because it lightened his workload. “That
was nice,” he remarked after signing the new con-
stitution. “Now I can sleep in every morning.” I
recommend him to you as an inspirational role
model in the coming weeks. What so-called
advantages in your life are more boring or burden-
some than fun and interesting? Consider the pos-
sibility of shedding dubious “privileges” and status
symbols.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian
author Mary McCarthy provides you
with a challenge you’ll be wise to relish
during the rest of 2020. She writes,
“Everyone continues to be interested in the quest
for the self, but what you feel when you’re older is
that you really must make the self.” McCarthy
implies that this epic reorientation isn’t likely until
you’ve been on earth for at least four decades. But
judging from the astrological omens, I think you’re
ready for it now – no matter what your age is. To
drive home the point, I’ll say it in different words.
Your task isn’t to find yourself, but rather to create
yourself. Don’t wait around passively for life to
show you who you are. Show life who you are.
LEO (July 23-August 22): Some night
soon, I predict you’ll have an agitated
dream while you’re asleep: a nightmare
that symbolizes an unresolved conflict
you’re wrestling with in your waking life. Here’s a
possible example: A repulsive politician you dislike
may threaten to break a toy you loved when you
were a kid. But surprise! There’ll be a happy
ending. A good monster will appear in your dream
and fix the problem; in my example, the benevolent
beast will scare away the politician who’s about to
break your beloved toy. Now here’s the great news:
In the days after your dream, you’ll solve the con-
flict you’ve been wrestling with in your waking life.
VIRGO (August 23-September 22):
“Love is the best school, but the tuition is
high and the homework can be painful,”
writes author Diane Ackerman. I’m
guessing that in recent months, her description has
been partially true for you Virgos. From what I can
tell, love has indeed been a rigorous school. And
the tuition has been rather high. But on the other
hand, the homework has been at least as pleasur-
able as it has been painful. I expect these trends to
continue for the foreseeable future. What teach-
ings about intimacy, communion, tenderness, and
compassion would you like to study next?
LIBRA (September 23-October 22): “A
single feat of daring can alter the whole
conception of what is possible,” wrote
Libran novelist Graham Greene. His
words can serve as a stirring motto for you in the
River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020
coming weeks. I sense you’re close to summoning
a burst of courage – a bigger supply of audacity
than you’ve had access to in a while. I hope you’ll
harness this raw power to fuel a daring feat that
will expand your conception of what is possible.
SCORPIO (October 23-November 21):
“It’s not always easy to tell the difference
between thinking and looking out of the
window,” wrote poet Wallace Stevens.
That’s a problem you won’t have to worry about
anytime soon. The coming weeks will be a favor-
able phase for you to both think and gaze out the
window – as well as to explore all the states in-
between. In other words, you’ll have the right and
the need to indulge in a leisurely series of dreamy
ruminations and meandering fantasies and playful
explorations of your deepest depths and your high-
est heights. Don’t rush the process. Allow yourself
to linger in the gray areas and the vast stretches of
inner wildness.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22-Decem-
ber 21): The coming weeks will be a
favorable time to undertake a transfor-
mative vision quest, even if the exigencies
of the pandemic require your quest to unfold pri-
marily in your inner realms. The near future will
also bring you good fortune if you focus on creat-
ing more sacredness in your rhythm and if you
make a focused effort to seek out songs, texts,
inspirations, natural places, and teachers that
infuse you with a reverence for life. I’m trying to
help you to see, Sagittarius, that you’re in a phase
when you can attract healing synchronicities into
your world by deepening your sense of awe and
communing with experiences that galvanize you
to feel worshipful.
CAPRICORN (December 22-January
19): “To love well is the task in all mean-
ingful relationships, not just romantic
bonds.” The author and activist bell
hooks wrote that. (She doesn’t capitalize her
name.) In accordance with the highest astrological
potentials, I’m inviting you Capricorns to be
inspired by her wisdom as you upgrade your
meaningful relationships during the next six
weeks. I think it’s in your self-interest to give them
even more focus and respect and appreciation than
21
By Rob Brezsny
you already do. Be ingenious as you boost the gen-
erosity of spirit you bestow on your allies. Be
resourceful as you do this impeccable work in the
midst of a pandemic!
AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18):
“One-half of knowing what you want is
knowing what you must give up before
you get it,” wrote author Sydney Howard.
Now would be a perfect time to act on that excel-
lent advice. Is there any obstacle standing in the
way of your ability to achieve a beloved dream? Is
there a pretty good thing that’s distracting you
from devoting yourself wholeheartedly to a really
great thing? I invite you to be a bit ruthless as you
clear the way to pursue your heart’s desire.
PISCES (February 19-March 20):
Author Ellen Goodman writes, “The
truth is that we can overhaul our sur-
roundings, renovate our environment,
talk a new game, join a new club, far more easily
than we can change the way we respond emotion-
ally. It is easier to change behavior than feelings
about that behavior.” I think she’s correct in her
assessment. But I also suspect that you’re in a
prime position to be an exception to the rule. In the
coming weeks, you will have exceptional power to
transform the way you feel – especially if those
feelings have previously been based on a misun-
derstanding of reality and especially if those feel-
ings have been detrimental to your mental and
physical health.
Homework: Is there a so-called weakness or liabil-
ity you might be able to turn into an asset? Visit
FreeWillAstrology.com.
New Column Published
Weekly at RCReader.com
Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s
EXPANDED WEEKLY AUDIO HOROSCOPES
& DAILY TEXT MESSAGE HOROSCOPES
The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at
1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700
22 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020
NEWS
The State of Things:
RIBCO and 2nd Ave Dance Club
Terry Tilka, owner of the Rock Island Brew-
ing Company (RIBCO) and 2nd Ave Dance Club
in Rock Island, discusses the venues’ operations
during this period of social distancing. We spoke
on Thursday, July 2.
Re-Opening RIBCO
We’re doing very limited hours. We’re doing
patio service a little bit, but we haven’t opened
the kitchen yet. The cooks aren’t coming back –
they’re making too much money on unemploy-
ment. Between the federal and the state, why
would they come back? Can you blame them?
But we opened up for a couple reasons. One,
we still have to maintain the building and
property and everything else, so there’s always
little stuff and projects that have to be done.
Second, there are three or four college kids who
work here, and there are a couple people who
didn’t qualify for unemployment. So we actu-
ally opened up three or four days a week – three
or four hours a day here, five or six hours there.
We’ve had a couple groups come in and book
some parties, trying to be wonderful people
and spend money locally, which was really
nice of them to help us out. But we basically
opened up for some of those kids so they can
make some money, because they’re all starving.
You know, they’re here cleaning, they’re
scrubbing stuff, they’re painting, they’re tear-
ing stuff apart in the kitchen to clean it, some
are doing a little bit of bartending. But as you
well know, even with a patio, you can’t do
enough to keep the lights on. The bills alone,
per day, add up to way more than you’re ever
gonna do in sales.
When you hear about businesses that have
opened up and re-closed and opened up and
re-closed – some of it is because of corona, but
a lot of it is because they’re just not making
any money. And you can’t keep paying people
and paying taxes when you’re not making any
money.
Indoor and Pavilion
Entertainment
In the live-entertainment-venue world … .
I mean, there are no bands out touring, and I
would say over 90 percent of our acts are from
out of town. But they’re not out playing, and
I don’t see them coming back for months yet.
Nobody’s going to try to book a tour and then
have dates cancel on them every time there’s
another outbreak. And who wants to play for
a bar at 25-percent or 50-percent capacity?
Because a lot of times, their deals are based on
what the door does – that’s how they get paid.
Nobody wants to perform for 25 people.
So I don’t see that [live music] happening for
months yet at RIBCO, and as far as 2nd Avenue
goes, we just haven’t reopened it. It’s better off
to just keep it closed. A lot of people who do go
out go out early, and adults are so used to being
at home so much the last three or four months
that they’re not going out late at night. The only
ones going out late at night are the kids, and
some of those kids show up so late that it doesn’t
pay the bills to have a DJ, a door guy, and even
one bartender – it doesn’t make any sense. So
we haven’t even opened up Second Avenue, and
we don’t have any intention of opening it for at
least a month.
And with the pavilion, by the time you set up
a PA, put up all the fences, and hire the crews to
work it, it’s the same thing: You can’t do enough
business to pay the bills. You’re just burning
through money. That’s why nobody’s doing it.
That’s why the fair has canceled [grandstand
acts], that’s why the Iowa State Fair canceled …
. That’s why a lot of things are canceled. Finan-
cially, it makes absolutely no sense.
A lot of bands call every day. They want to
reschedule like everyone else. But with larger
acts, their agencies have basically said, “You’re
not going out.” The biggest booking agents, they
know that – they know nothing’s gonna happen
for a year.
And with the music industry, when you think
about bands not playing, think about all the
sound guys, all the crew guys, all the union guys
who are riggers – they’re not working. They’re
not working at all. Road managers. Sound engi-
neers. And some of these guys, I don’t know
if they’re getting unemployment, because it
depends if they reported their income and what
they did and everything else. The guys that paid
their dues are probably getting unemployment,
but a lot of them aren’t getting anything. That’s
part of the industry, and we all know that.
The State of Things for
Bars and Restaurants
A neighborhood tavern can re-open and
it’ll slowly come back, and some of the other
bars will re-open and slowly come back. But
nobody’s doing, in numbers, what they were
doing five and six months ago. The economy
was booming five or six months ago. And my
personal opinion is I just don’t see us coming
back from this for almost a full year – and I
think with 30, 35 percent of the bars and restau-
rants, they’re not going to survive. I don’t care
how much PPP money you get, it’s not gonna
cut it. So we’re gonna stick to our schedule with
being open a little bit here and there, and we’ll
always post it on our social-media pages. But
we’re basically doing that so, you know, the
people who work here can make that 40 or 50
bucks in tips for groceries.
Everyone is different. Like Kyle [owner of the
Daiquiri Factory] next door. He’s got a beautiful
deck outside off the side of his building, so his
numbers are going to be better than some of the
others. It’s a beautiful deck, so why wouldn’t you
sit there instead of sitting on the plaza? So a lot
of guys are doing well with patios. But fiscally,
it’s just not good for any of us – and when Iowa
opens up weeks ahead of us [in Illinois], it’s not
good. A lot of bartenders and servers from Illi-
nois went over to Iowa when they opened up,
and I don’t know if they’re coming back.
So it’s sad. But you know what? It’s gonna be
interesting, because everyone’s in limbo. And
the problem is if there’s a second wave like the
one that’s slowly popping up, and then a third
wave, it won’t make anything better or easier.
I hear people say, “Oh, they’re going to create
something to cure it.” Well, they haven’t done
anything yet. Science takes time, and they still
need to test and everything else. And everybody
thought this was going to be over in three or
four weeks. It’s not.
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com
By Mike Schulz
Day by Day
I just feel sorry for these kids who are cooped
up. A lot of them aren’t making money, and if
they do get something, they go home and give it
to their parents or their grandparents – it’s just a
shame. And when you’re 18 or 20, you sort of feel
indestructible. “That happens to other people,
not me,” you know what I mean? But they’re
finding out.
And as far as music venues go, you can try to
run music lessons or whatever. But places like
the Rust Belt and other venues that have done
live music for a long time? I mean, I don’t know
who’s gonna recover and who’s gonna make it.
It’s gonna be brutal.
We had a meeting with some city officials the
other day, and I tried to explain to them: “You
guys are trying to help out, which is great, but
you’re also trying to oversee and run things from
the city’s perspective, and no two businesses
are the same.” Circa ‘21 is a dinner playhouse.
RIBCO is a live-entertainment venue that books
mostly touring acts. You can’t compare me to
a Daiquiri Factory or Steve’s Old Time Tap –
everyone’s different and has different circum-
stances. You can’t put everybody into the same
group.
A lot of places have actually done fairly well
with their carry-out service and limited hours.
I’ve also seen some friends of mine in the res-
taurant business who have just burned through
everything they had saved for the last 20 years
just in being closed for three months. They have
no choice. But you’re also seeing places close, and
I think we’re going to see more of it, to be honest.
That’ll play out over the next six to eight months.
You can’t make money with 50-percent seating.
It’s killing restaurants.
And the biggest shocker is you talk about
all the bad, but it’s amazing how many friends
of mine say, “Wow, I’m not spending money
going out anymore.” They’re finding out their
credit card bills are half of what they normally,
because they’re not buying that usual glass of
wine. They’re like, “I saved a lot of money stay-
ing home.” I mean, I’ve cooked at home more
in the last four months than I have in the last
five years. And I see a lot more driveway beers
going on with friends and neighbors. I mean, my
neighbors are all doing it. You have 12 people in a
huge circle sitting around in a driveway catching
up. They’re all drinking at home.
Follow venue updates at RIBCO.com,
Facebook.com/
RockIslandBrewingCompany, and
Facebook.com/2ndAveDanceClub.
Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com
LIVE MUSIC
NOTE: All events listed are confirmed at time of publication. Please check with the venue ahead of arrival to ensure status of each event.
FRIDAY
2020/07/10 (Fri)
(10)
Dave Ellis & Rich Fricke Acoustic Duo
(6pm) – Kavanaugh’s Hilltop Bar &
Grill, 1228 30th St., Rock Island IL
Heavy Metal Parking Lot (5pm) –
WAKE Brewing Company, 2529 Fifth
Ave., Rock Island IL
Jordan Danielsen (6pm) – Steventon’s,
1399 Eagle Ridge Rd, LeClaire IA
Madd Hoss Jackson – Riverside Casino
and Golf Resort, 3184 Highway 22,
Riverside IA
Molly Durnin – Hawkeye Tap Sports
Bar N Grill, 4646 Cheyenne Ave.,
Davenport IA
The Night People – The Gypsy Highway
Bar & Grill, 2606 W. Locust St.,
Davenport IA
South City Express – Rhythm City
Casino Resort Rhythm Room, 7077
Elmore Ave., Davenport IA
Troy Rangel & Friends – The Grape Life
Wine Store & Lounge, 3402 Elmore
Ave., Davenport IA
SATURDAY
2020/07/11 (Sat)
(11)
Corporate Rock (6pm) – Go Fish Marina
Bar & Grill, 411 River Dr., Princeton IA
The Dunmore & Newman Group –
Green Tree Brewery, 309 N. Cody Rd.,
LeClaire IA
Heavy Metal Parking Lot (noon) –
WAKE Brewing Company, 2529 Fifth
Ave., Rock Island IL
North of 40 – The Gypsy Highway Bar &
Grill, 2606 W. Locust St., Davenport IA
Pocket Change – Rhythm City Casino
Resort Rhythm Room, 7077 Elmore
Ave., Davenport IA
Project X – Len Brown’s North Shore Inn,
700 N. Shore Dr., Moline IL
The Resistance Rap Chronicles (6pm)
– Gabe’s, 330 E. Washington St., Iowa
City IA
Russ Reyman Request Piano Bar – The
Phoenix Restaurant & Martini Bar, 111
West 2nd St., Davenport IA
Santana Tribute Band – The Tangled
Wood, 3636 Tanglewood Rd.,
Bettendorf IA
South City Express – Riverside Casino
and Golf Resort, 3184 Highway 22,
Riverside IA
Tony Hoeppner & Ron Wilson – The
Grape Life Wine Store & Lounge, 3402
Elmore Ave., Davenport IA
SUNDAY
2020/07/12 (Sun)
(12)
Code 415 (4pm) – Parkside Grill &
Lounge, 2307 5th Ave, Moline IL
Phyllis & One Shark (3pm) – Len
Brown’s North Shore Inn, 700 N. Shore
Dr., Moline IL
Ron Tegeler Jazz Trio (5pm) – Flatted
Fifth Blues & BBQ, 300 Potter Dr.,
Bellevue IA
Chuck Murphy @ Hawkeye Tap Sports Bar N Grill – July 17
WEDNESDAY (15)
2020/07/15 (Wed)
Jim Ryan (6:30pm) – The Faithful Pilot
Cafe & Spirits, 117 N Cody Rd, LeClaire
IA
THURSDAY
2020/07/16 (Thu)
(16)
Dave Ellis (6pm) – Go Fish Marina Bar &
Grill, 411 River Dr., Princeton IA
David Rogers – Bishop Hill Creative
Commons, 309 N Bishop Hill St.,
Bishop Hill IL
Ky & Ty Duo – Green Tree Brewery, 309
N. Cody Rd., LeClaire IA
FRIDAY
2020/07/17 (Fri)
(17)
Blues Rock-It – River House, 1510 River
Dr., Moline IL
Chuck Murphy – Hawkeye Tap Sports
Bar N Grill, 4646 Cheyenne Ave.,
Davenport IA
Funktastic Five – The Gypsy Highway
Bar & Grill, 2606 W. Locust St.,
Davenport IA
Gray Wolf Band – Go Fish Marina Bar &
Grill, 411 River Dr., Princeton IA
Heavy Metal Parking Lot (5pm) –
WAKE Brewing Company, 2529 Fifth
Ave., Rock Island IL
Jef Spradley (6pm) – Steventon’s, 1399
Eagle Ridge Rd, LeClaire IA
Lewis Knudsen – The Tangled Wood,
3636 Tanglewood Rd., Bettendorf IA
Push the Limit – Riverside Casino
and Golf Resort, 3184 Highway 22,
Riverside IA
Starlette’s Web – Rhythm City Casino
Resort Rhythm Room, 7077 Elmore
Ave., Davenport IA
SATURDAY
2020/07/18 (Sat)
(18)
50 Shades of Rock – The Tangled Wood,
3636 Tanglewood Rd., Bettendorf IA
Bad Medicine: Bon Jovi Tribute –
Ohnward Fine Arts Center, 1215 E
Platt St., Maquoketa IA
The Blackstones Acoustic Trio – The
Grape Life Wine Store & Lounge, 3402
Elmore Ave., Davenport IA
Bookie – TRiPENDiCULAR – Ginja
– Village Theatre, 2113 E 11th St,
Davenport IA
Greg & Rich Acoustic Duo (6:30pm) –
Tuggers Burger Bar & Ale House, 201
N. Main St., Port Byron IL
Heavy Metal Parking Lot (noon) –
WAKE Brewing Company, 2529 Fifth
Ave., Rock Island IL
Jason Carl & the Whole Damn Band
(1pm) – The Gypsy Highway Bar &
Grill, 2606 W. Locust St., Davenport IA
Push the Limit – Rhythm City Casino
Resort Rhythm Room, 7077 Elmore
Ave., Davenport IA
Russ Reyman Request Piano Bar – The
Phoenix Restaurant & Martini Bar, 111
River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020 23
JULY 10–AUGUST 5
Hosting a live music event? Email calendar@rcreader.com
Deadline 5 p.m. Thursday before publication
West 2nd St., Davenport IA
Starlette’s Web – Riverside Casino
and Golf Resort, 3184 Highway 22,
Riverside IA
Thank the SEALs After Ride Party –
The Tangled Wood, 3636 Tanglewood
Rd., Bettendorf IA
SUNDAY
2020/07/19 (Sun)
(19)
Greg & Rich Acoustic Duo (2pm) – Len
Brown’s North Shore Inn, 700 N. Shore
Dr., Moline IL
TUESDAY
2020/07/21 (Tue)
(21)
Polica – Wilsen – Codfish Hollow Barn,
5013 288th Ave., Maquoketa IA
THURSDAY
2020/07/23 (Thu)
(23)
Greg & Rich Acoustic Duo – Aledo
Central Park Bandshell, Hwy 17, Aledo Belladiva @ Rhythm City Casino Resort Rhythm Room – July 24
IL
Jeremy Pinnell – Bishop Hill Creative
Commons, 309 N Bishop Hill St., SUNDAY
2020/07/26 (Sun)
(26) Virtual Concerts: 49th Annual Bix
Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival TUESDAY
2020/08/04 (Tue)
(4)
Bishop Hill IL
Pat Jones (6pm) – Go Fish Marina Bar &
Danika & the Jeb (3pm) – The Tangled
Wood, 3636 Tanglewood Rd.,
– Downtown Davenport IA
Virtual Soul & Blues Festival –
Hap Hazard (4pm) – Corporate
Rock (7:30pm) – Mississippi Valley
Grill, 411 River Dr., Princeton IA Bettendorf IA Downtown Iowa City IA Fairgrounds Pavilion, 2815 W. Locust
Jim Ryan (2pm) – Lewn Brown’s North St., Davenport IA
FRIDAY
2020/07/24 (Fri)
(24) Shore Inn, 700 N. Shore Dr., Moline IL
SATURDAY
2020/08/01 (Sat)
(1) The Lovedogs – Mississippi Valley
Fairgrounds Farmer’s Tent, 2815 W.
Belladiva – Rhythm City Casino Resort
Rhythm Room, 7077 Elmore Ave., MONDAY
2020/07/27 (Mon)
(27) 5 of Hearts – The Gypsy Highway Bar &
Grill, 2606 W. Locust St., Davenport IA
Locust St, Davenport IA
Tommy Picket (noon) – The Hot Rods (6
Davenport IA Gray Wolf Band (6:30pm) – Stevens Bob Dorr & the Limestoners – Rhythm & 10pm) – The Diamonds (7 & 9pm)
Blues Rock–It – Parkside Grill & Lounge, Square, , Moline IL City Casino Resort Rhythm Room, 7077 – Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds Oldies
2307 5th Ave, Moline IL Elmore Ave., Davenport IA Tent, 2815 Locust St., Davenport IA
Cody Road – The Gypsy Highway Bar &
Grill, 2606 W. Locust St., Davenport IA THURSDAY
2020/07/30 (Thu)
(30) Country Traditions – Riverside Casino
and Golf Resort, 3184 Highway 22,
Zach Zucher (1pm) – Doug Brundies
(6 & 10pm) – Mississippi Valley
Douglas & Tucker Duo – The Grape Life Bobby Ray Bunch (6pm) – Go Fish Marina Riverside IA Fairgrounds Shed, 2815 Locust St.,
Wine Store & Lounge, 3402 Elmore Bar & Grill, 411 River Dr., Princeton IA Howl at the Moon – The Tangled Wood, Davenport IA
Ave., Davenport IA 3636 Tanglewood Rd., Bettendorf IA
Heavy Metal Parking Lot (5pm) –
WAKE Brewing Company, 2529 Fifth FRIDAY
2020/07/31 (Fri)
(31) Michael Conrad Jazz Ensemble – The
Grape Life Wine Store & Lounge, 3402 WEDNESDAY
2020/08/05 (Wed)
(5)
Ave., Rock Island IL 10 of Soul – Rhythm City Casino Resort Elmore Ave., Davenport IA Brad Morgan (1pm) – Doug Brundies
Lake & Lyndale – Riverside Casino Rhythm Room, 7077 Elmore Ave., Phyllis & the Sharks – Len Brown’s North (6 & 10pm) – Mississippi Valley
and Golf Resort, 3184 Highway 22, Davenport IA Shore Inn, 700 N. Shore Dr., Moline IL Fairgrounds Shed, 2815 Locust St.,
Riverside IA Bob Dorr – Riverside Casino and Golf Russ Reyman Request Piano Bar – The Davenport IA
Lewis Knudsen (6pm) – Steventon’s, Resort, 3184 Highway 22, Riverside IA Phoenix Restaurant & Martini Bar, 111 Casey Muessigmann – Mississippi Valley
1399 Eagle Ridge Rd, LeClaire IA Daniel Stratman (6pm) – Steventon’s, West 2nd St., Davenport IA Fairgrounds Farmer’s Tent, 2815 W.
Lojo Russo – The Tangled Wood, 3636 1399 Eagle Ridge Rd, LeClaire IA Virtual Concerts: 49th Annual Bix Locust St, Davenport IA
Tanglewood Rd., Bettendorf IA Dirt Road Rockers – The Gypsy Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival DM Project (4pm) – Wild Oatz (7:30pm)
Highway Bar & Grill, 2606 W. Locust St., – Downtown Davenport IA – Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds
SATURDAY
2020/07/25 (Sat)
(25) Davenport IA
Heavy Metal Parking Lot (5pm) – WAKE
Virtual Soul & Blues Festival –
Downtown Iowa City IA
Pavilion, 2815 W. Locust St., Davenport
IA
Belladiva – Riverside Casino and Golf Brewing Company, 2529 Fifth Ave., VoiceBox – Go Fish Marina Bar & Grill, 411 Tommy Picket (noon) – The Hot Rods (6
Resort, 3184 Highway 22, Riverside IA Rock Island IL River Dr., Princeton IA & 10pm) – The Diamonds (7 & 9pm)
Blues Rock–It – 11th Street Precinct, The Knockoff s – TnTs Roundhouse, 939 – Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds Oldies
1107 Mound St., Davenport IA Chicago Ave., Savanna IL
SUNDAY
2020/08/02 (Sun)
(2) Tent, 2815 Locust St., Davenport IA
Code 415 – Crabby’s Bar & Grill, 826 W.
1st Ave., Coal Valley IL
Project X – Hawkeye Tap Sports Bar N
Grill, 4646 Cheyenne Ave., Davenport Greg & Rich Acoustic Duo (2pm) – Len
Cody Road – Go Fish Marina Bar & Grill, IA Brown’s North Shore Inn, 700 N. Shore
411 River Dr., Princeton IA Ruby & Donovan – The Tangled Wood, Dr., Moline IL
Danger Zone – The Gypsy Highway Bar 3636 Tanglewood Rd., Bettendorf IA
& Grill, 2606 W. Locust St., Davenport
IA
Dave Ellis & Rich Fricke Acoustic Duo
(noon) – Tuggers Burger Bar & Ale
House, 201 N. Main St., Port Byron IL
Dinosaur Mob – Harley Corin’s, 1708
State St., Bettendorf IA
Frankie Joe & Kinfolk – Green Tree
Brewery, 309 N. Cody Rd., LeClaire IA
Freddy Allen 2&4 Swing Trio – The
Grape Life Wine Store & Lounge, 3402
Elmore Ave., Davenport IA
Heavy Metal Parking Lot (noon) –
WAKE Brewing Company, 2529 Fifth
Ave., Rock Island IL
The Knockoffs – Sergeant Major’s, 213
6th Ave. W., Andalusia IL
Lake & Lyndale – Rhythm City Casino
Resort Rhythm Room, 7077 Elmore
Ave., Davenport IA
Russ Reyman Request Piano Bar – The
Phoenix Restaurant & Martini Bar, 111
West 2nd St., Davenport IA
Soul Storm – The Tangled Wood, 3636
Tanglewood Rd., Bettendorf IA
24 River Cities’ Reader • Vol. 27 No. 975 • July 2020 Know More, Do More • RiverCitiesReader.com