The following article is part of QuadCities.com’s partnership with local music website The Echo. For more, check out theechoqc.com! CJ Parker hit the ground running in 2022. With the first-quarter recognition from MTV news, keep in mind with only four-track released) his momentum as a solo artist and with CJ Parker & XII has skyrocketed. The Davenport Central graduate is only a few years out of his alma mater and quite literally the proof in our Quad Cities talent pool pudding. Echo: The MTV article came out like two months ago. What has it been like since then?  CJ Parker: I mean,... Read More

The Redstone Room/River Music Experience 129 Main Street, Davenport Tuesday, March 8th Doors 7/Show 7:30 $20 General Admission/$50 Table All Ages By Loren Thacher Fifty years ago this January, trailblazing English rock band Wishbone Ash settled into London’s DeLane Lea studios to record their third record. The result was a masterpiece, an album both ahead and very much in step with its time. Argus became their best-selling album and creative high point, with the quartet perfecting their harmonized twin-lead guitar sound and adding a misty, pastoral and epic folk element to their mix of jazz,... Read More

The following article is part of QuadCities.com’s partnership with local music website The Echo. For more, check out theechoqc.com! By Lauren Crew Romantic holidays come with their fair share of challenges. What do we do? How can I make it different than a regular date? I don’t have a romantic partner, so do I just sit at home and wallow? Luckily, there are plenty of great little pockets in the Quad Cities where you can celebrate with your lover and your friends. Ragged Records  We won’t lie. We’re pulling a little inspiration from the Gen Z Target trend. Head to your respective... Read More

Saturday in the Arts is a weekly feature covering a trend, subject, event or personality of local interest. It runs every Saturday morning on your site for the best entertainment and arts coverage in the area, QuadCities.com! The following article is part of QuadCities.com’s partnership with local music website The Echo. For more, check out theechoqc.com! By Cory Ewing Becoming a music industry professional requires a base level of knowledge. Whether you’re looking to become an artist, producer, manager (the list goes on), there are fundamental aspects of the industry to know early on.  Know... Read More

The following article is part of QuadCities.com’s partnership with local music website The Echo. For more, check out theechoqc.com! Andrew Lopez recently attended Lollapalooza in Chicago, and as part of Alternating Currents in downtown Davenport, he’s celebrating his family business Aug. 20-21 on a smaller scale, in what could be called “Lopiez-a-palooza.” Starting 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday (free admission), in the lot next to Lopiez Pizza (429 E. 3rd St.), the Lopez bros (Andrew, Peter and Mike) are having a second-anniversary party. Live entertainment Friday night includes the bands... Read More

Author’s Note: The reactions noted below should not be attributed to the cast and crew of CCT’s production of “The Music Man.” These reactions existed mostly in the form of online responses from people not associated with the show. By Lou Hare Recently, a review of Countryside Community Theatre’s recent production of “The Music Man,” written by Tristan Tapscott, circulated online. Unlike your typical review of most Community Theatre productions, the review was pointed and, well, critical. And a lot of people lost their shit. The responses online range from the typical disagreement... Read More

David Burke is the former Entertainment Editor for the Quad City Times, and generously offered to review ‘Lonely Planet’ for Anthony Natarelli, and allow us to publish his review as an Arts And Entertainment Correspondent for QuadCities.com. You can check out his most recent work as an arts writer for the Wichita Eagle here. My seat for the theater was my comfy recliner in Kansas. The proscenium was the size of my Kindle. Theater, like many other aspects of life in 2020, is slowly emerging from its pandemic-contained cocoon. It’s forced those who already creative in their vocation... Read More

By Amanda Jo Payne Excitement Fills the room as the lights dim. The referee takes the stage and another round of Comedy Sportz kicks off an amazing evening of improv genius at The Establishment Theatre located in the District of Rock Island, IL. These shows are rated “E” for everyone. But after each Friday and Saturday night show, they present an adult performance that shares the same audience interaction and guaranteed laughter. The Bandwagon is a show where the actors have instruments that they actually play to create their made-up tunes. Audience involvement is a key point to improv,... Read More

By Dennis Hockaday 2016 has been quite the bummer of a year for all kinds of reasons. We’ve seen some of the most well respected and talented musicians of our time pass away this cold and dark year BUT we here at Ragged have observed an insurgence of incredible new music. So 2016 hasn’t been all that bad, I guess. Anyway here is a list of new releases, soundtracks, compilations and reissues that we have enjoyed, in no particular order, this year. We hope that you enjoy these titles as much as we did and don’t forget to check out the Spotify Playlist below. To see all of the discs,... Read More

    By Tony Tone Locosole When the crisis phone line rings in the middle of the night at the Muscatine Center for Social Action (MCSA) Domestic Violence Shelter, it is never a good sign. What is good is that someone on the other end of that call is available day or night to help. For the last 18 1/2 years, the shelter has done just that for local women and children in need. MCSA Domestic Violence Shelter Coordinator Judy Yates stresses the significance of having a local option for women in need. “It is important for the Muscatine community to have this resource available to women and... Read More