Angi Chapman of Waking Robots, who will play at RIBCO in the District of Rock Island Friday night, says she wrote “Frost” while suffering an incredible fever, days later discovering the recording and hearing it as if for the first time. She remembers thinking that it sounded “hokey,” with its almost western saloon rhythm, but when she reluctantly presented the sparse demo to a trusted friend, their reaction was so positive that she had no choice but to finish the track. It has since become a fan favorite. This story is typical for of one of the Quad Cities’ most unique bands, Waking... Read More

Everyone is up in arms about the outcome of last Friday’s 97X-Posure Battle of the Bands, held at Rascal’s in Moline, IL, but the majority of the loudest opinions falling on opposite sides of one another are debating the wrong point. Which is better: dogs or cats? Mustang or Corvette? Have your answer in mind? Great. Now ask yourself why you’re even thinking about this right now because you should have stopped two sentences ago. These questions are fundamentally flawed. Yet, it seems to be the way most people are talking in the wake of the 97X-Posure Battle of the Bands, the final round of... Read More

Angi Chapman says she wrote “Frost” while suffering an incredible fever, days later discovering the recording and hearing it as if for the first time. She remembers thinking that it sounded “hokey,” with its almost western saloon rhythm, but when she reluctantly presented the sparse demo to a trusted friend, their reaction was so positive that she had no choice but to finish the track. It has since become a fan favorite. This story is typical for of one of the Quad Cities’ most unique bands, Waking Robots. Its lead singer and songwriters staunch refusal to give in to self doubt or ever... Read More

I went through about a dozen different drafts for this first column, laying out my personal history in the Quad Cities music scene, in-depth retellings of experiences I’ve had in the past 16 years playing with every manner of musician, quantifying and qualifying all of the reasons why you, possible visiting music fan, should believe me and pay my opinions credence. In truth, just the fact that I can say I’ve played with the heaviest metal bands and the softest neo-folk artists all within the geographical area of the Quad-Cities is in itself a better testament to the collection of creative souls... Read More