Let it be… on ice? A very strange rumor began to surface late this week that former Beatle Paul McCartney had accepted an invitation to be a VIP to the Quad City Storm’s home opening game this Saturday at 7 p.m. at the TaxSlayer Center, 1201 River Drive, Moline. According to various reports, hub-bub, gossip and chewing the fat, Paul McCartney is a big hockey fan, and, wanting to check out the TaxSlayer prior to his gig there next summer, he accepted an invitation, replete with many perks, including a nacho bar with a Velveeta cheese river, a case of Natty Light, a hoverboard with ground effects... Read More

When it comes to singing, most of us are best served in our quest at vocal immortality by forgiving shower walls. Some bar band and karaoke heroes are a rung up, but we also have the advantage of typically serenading the inebriated. Even in the case of some “professional vocalists” the studio trickery of Pro Tools is what makes them pristine and listenable on record.  However, a day may not be too far off when every crooner is perfect. A day when singers are bred, not discovered. No, this isn’t about “American  Idol.”  However, it will likely spawn a reality TV... Read More

I’m never going to say anything bad about LeBron James again. This week LeBron announced that he’s donating millions of dollars to help send kids around his native Ohio to a special school, the I Promise School in Akron, he’s creating that will be free, will give them free uniforms, free breakfast lunch and snacks, free books, free transportation, and if they graduate, free tuition to University of Akron. He’ll also pay for their parents to get their GEDs, pay for childcare and pay for them to continue their own educations. It’s an incredible gesture of largesse and return to his... Read More

It’s an odd trend in entertainment and pop culture, but strangely, there are a lot of creative, imaginative and unassailably cool creators named John and David.   Think about it.   Think of all the popular and/or pop culturally influential Johns.   John Lennon.   John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten).   John Belushi.   John Cusack.   Johnny Depp.   John Steinbeck.   John Hiatt.   John Waters.   Johnny Carson.   John Mayer.   John Grisham.   John Fogerty.   John Legend.   John Mellencamp.   Etc.   Etc.   And... Read More

Every week, we provide you with a huge calendar of activities that will take place in the Quad-Cities area over the coming week. Because we love you. And because it’s our job … to love you. (The preceding sentence was written in tribute to the late Luther Vandross.) However, some calendar items we receive don’t make the list. Some are out of the geographic area. Some aren’t really entertainment. And some … well, some just don’t seem to fit in, if you know what I mean. For those of you who don’t know what I mean, I thought I’d provide a few examples.... Read More

There’s a scene in Nick Hornby’s “High Fidelity” where the lead character, played by John Cusack, asks whether or not it’s fair to judge people largely on their music tastes. So, is it? What kind of music do you like? Who are your favorite singers? What’s your favorite song? When I was younger, particularly in high school and early college, I was inclined to judge potential friends and girlfriends in large part on their musical and pop-culture tastes. Yes, I was an entertainment snob. Hard to believe, I know. In comparing preferences in music, TV shows, movies, and books, I felt... Read More

Ever wonder what music made by an extraterrestrial might sound like? Apparently, kind of like this: “Let’s dance put on your red shoes and dance the blues…”   Which, if you play it backwards, sounds like this:   “Dance let’s shoes red your on put blues the dance and laser beam cattle rectums. . . ’’   Amazing how that works, isn’t it? And you thought only Selena Gomez wrote about laser beaming cattle rectums, didn’t you? Little did you know . . . Anyway, of course, the song I’m talking about is “Let’s Dance,” by Alf. Well,... Read More

The Royal Wedding! Selena dating Jen’s ex! Kanye West says something stupid! Ever notice that the more heinous things get regarding the economy, wars, presidential scandals, etc., the more intensely the media ignores the real news to concentrate on either celebrity scandals or deviant crimes? Sometimes I wonder if there’s a grand conspiracy regarding celebrities as well. What if celebrities are nothing but programmed Manchurian candidates, Stepford performers, who are hypnotized and controlled by secret government handlers who then program them to do silly crap to distract the masses every... Read More

If you’re anywhere near remotely offended by the implied asterisks in that headline, you should stay far away from “Deadpool 2,” a raunchy, hilarious and absolutely brilliant thrill-ride of a movie which rivals and in many ways surpasses the first film and likewise rivals and largely surpasses anything else in the Marvel film canon. “Deadpool 2” is riotously funny and stylish, action-packed and wonderfully executed. In fact, it’s so good that once it was over, I couldn’t wait to see it again. And I’m not just saying that because Ryan Reynolds sent me a check in the mail along with... Read More

You’ve heard the expression, ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer. Well, ask several stupid questions, and get several stupider answers. Case in point: Q: Why do so many blues musicians, like Little Milton, etc., have the nickname “Little?” A: Because many blues musicians are descended from Oompa-Loompas. Blues music actually began with Oompa chocolate workers singing improvised spirituals bemoaning the harsh, sweatshop-like conditions in Willy Wonka’s factory, or as many of the Loopa bluesmen tagged it, “Stickyfingers Hell.” Some of the early pioneers of the artform, Little Willy... Read More