A year ago, Chelsea Ward was sassily standing up to a rigid Mother Superior in Music Guild’s “Sister Act.” This month, the passionate 25-year-old Davenport actress is standing up for racial justice and equality in two different online performances. On Aug. 8, Ward was among an all-female cast in a virtual cabaret – “Six Queens for Change,” recorded at Moline’s Black Box Theatre – and this Wednesday will play the title role in “Antigone (born against.),” a modern version of the ancient Greek tragedy. She was asked by Victoria House to help put together the Black Box cabaret,... Read More

It’s Monday, so how about some candy with your Video You Deserve? Sometimes we’ve got to dig a little deeper than the biggest hits to come up with the funniest videos for an artist. That’s the case this week. If I were to mention the act Cameo, I’d bet probably, once you remembered them, about 80 percent or more of you would remember their biggest hit, “Word Up,” and no doubt that song and video are fantastic. That tune, which hit the top 10 all over the world, including the U.S. and UK, was an undeniable smash, and had an awesomely goofy video which featured the band being taken in... Read More

The “Life is Beautiful” fundraising event is back this weekend for its third year, with a “Quaran-Tune” twist. A three-night live stream from Bishop Hill Creative Commons, a visual and performing arts cooperative in Bishop Hill, is being made possible by Heartland Connections. Concert organizer Joe Lee of Moline moved the event from in-person to live stream to meet evolving pandemic trends.   “Because of Covid, especially with the rise in cases, we thought this would be a good idea to do a live stream, to draw people together,” he said recently.   In its first two years,... Read More

The Life is Beautiful event is back for its third year with a decidedly “Quaran-Tune” twist. A three-night live stream event from Bishop Hill Creative Commons, a visual and performing arts cooperative is made possible by Heartland Connections this Friday Aug 14 through Sunday Aug 16. Concert organizer Joe Lee offers a blend of alternative, rock and blue grass — all to help raise funds for mental health education and support programs. Attend for free, appreciate and donate at www.namigmv.org/donate/   LIVE STREAM LOCATIONS Heartland Connections Facebook – www.facebook.com/HeartlandConnections NAMI... Read More

Live music returns to the RME Courtyard! Kick off your weekend with FREE live music in the RME Courtyard (129 N Main Street Davenport)! Live@Five is totally free, for all ages, and features the best local bands to come rock out for everyone to enjoy. 5 – 7 p.m. each Friday in August and September. Here is the 2020 lineup of bands: Aug. 14: Playthangs – Sponsored by Estes Construction Aug. 21: Fair Warning – Sponsored by Estes Construction Aug. 28: The Velies – Sponsored by Estes Construction Sept. 4: Hal Reed & Mississippi Journey – Sponsored by the Mississippi... Read More

Live music returns to the banks of the Mississippi! Rock Island Parks and Recreation kick off their Thursday Night Groove Concert Series this Thursday Aug 13 at Schwiebert Riverfront Park (101 17th Street Rock Island). Beginning at 6 p.m., concessions will open featuring Happy Joe’s Pizza (Rock Island), grill items, popcorn, plus much more! A beer garden will be provided by Bent River Brewing Company, as well. From 7 – 9 p.m. you can enjoy a live music concert along the beautiful Mississippi River. Check out this 2020 line-up: Aug 13                Funktastic 5 Aug 20               ... Read More

MACOMB, IL – A Western Illinois University music major has been named the only United States finalist in an international violin competition. Madalyn Pridemore, of Macomb, a sophomore violin performance major, is one of 21 finalists in “The Violin Doc” International Online Festival. She is one of four finalists in her category, advanced violin for musicians between the ages of 16-20. Within each category, the grand prize winner will be awarded an instrument based on their category. All participants receive an individual, online masterclass and attendance at an online workshop by... Read More

Things are not looking good for this fall in regard to covid-19. Numbers are spiking, the government has been pathetically inept in terms of dealing with the crisis, and the economy is once again on the verge of completely tanking. Unemployment is up, some industries are shut down through the end of the year, and others are teetering on the precipice of being shut down, maybe for good. I don’t know about you, but I’m so pessimistic I’m starting to stock up on toilet paper. That’s why it’s more important than ever to shop at your locally-owned small businesses now. Local... Read More

MACOMB, IL — The Western Illinois University Singers have been named the Third Place National Winners of The American Prize in Choral Performance (College/University Division), a year-long national performing arts competition. Choirs of all types and levels, elementary to professional, from around the United States, submitted recordings in late April 2019. From those recordings, a national panel of judges selected semi-finalists, finalists and finally, winners in each category. Assistant Professor Brian J. Winnie, director of choral activities, was named the Second Place National Winner of... Read More

Fourteen years before Aug. 6 was burned into the world’s memory (with the 1945 U.S. atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, killing more than 70,000 people), that date marked another impactful death. Davenport native and jazz legend Leon Bismark (“Bix”) Beiderbecke died Aug. 6, 1931 at age 28, from alcohol abuse and lobar pneumonia in his Queens, N.Y., apartment. His mother and brother Burnie were on their way to New York but arrived too late. Bix’s body was returned to Davenport with services on Aug. 11, 1931 at Hill & Frederick’s Funeral Home, and burial at Oakdale Cemetery,... Read More