Some tribes in Africa require a boy to battle a wild beast. Some natives of South American jungles have their adolescent males endure painful rites of strength and endurance. And some groups indigenous to North America believe a boy must make a hallucinogenic journey to find his spirit guide and commune with the otherworld. Here in modern America, there are a handful of important things a boy must accomplish before he can become a man. One in particular is a sacred obligation that will no doubt be one of the most useful skills he will obtain and utilize throughout his life. Of course, I’m... Read More

The Pokeballs are about to get Harry. And if you want to get your wand atwitter, don’t Hermione your own business, use your sorting hat to make sure your plans for Saturday night include you slytherin over to the Speakeasy, 1828 3rd Ave., Rock Island, because I dumble-dare you to ravenclaw your way to Show Us Your Pokeballs new Harry Potter-themed show at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door and you can make them magically appear ahead of time by calling 786-7733, ext. 2. So what made the idea of a Harry Potter-themed show magically appear in the heads of Pokeballs organizers,... Read More

By now, I’m sure all of you have heard about the controversy surrounding Melania Trump’s speech at the Republican National Convention, which, as countless memes and articles have pointed out, bears something of a more than passing resemblance to a Michelle Obama speech from some year that I don’t feel like Googling right now. But, Melania, stay sweet, girl. I feel you. Tonight, I will give my speech at the Republican National Convention. I know, I know, you might not have heard about this. Perhaps this is because the Trump people or the RNC have wanted to keep my appearance hush-hush, perhaps... Read More

If you’re thinking about going to see Circa ‘21’s “Menopause: The Musical,” or if you’ve already bought tickets to it, you’re definitely going to enjoy it. “Menopause” knows its audience, very well, and has done an excellent job at satisfying that audience. On the opening weekend night I saw the show, the crowd was pretty much filled with middle-aged and above women, with a few middle-aged men as well, and they loved it. I mean LOVED it. They laughed uproariously, they hooted and hollered at some of the jokes and jibes and at the end of the night they quickly rose to give it a... Read More

There are few comfort foods as fulfilling and joyful as grilled cheese. So if you’re looking for a gouda time, trying to sandwich in a good meal, and want to pick up something that you’re not going to have to have to take a provolone out for that’s going to cost you a lot of cheddar, you’re going to want to check out the new food truck in the Quad-Cities – Static Melt. Static Melt, run by Dan Bush, 33, and Drake Deregules, 25, of Davenport, debuted Wednesday night to huge response, offering a mouth-watering menu of five grilled cheese sandwiches, and watching as dozens of people lined... Read More

When that change arrives, you can get unusual hot flashes, fiery mood swings and unusual ideas and cravings. And by “that change,” of course I’m talking about a theater changing shows from one to the next. Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse is going to be transitioning into that more mature era as they closed down “Sister Act” last weekend and this weekend welcome the return of “Menopause: The Musical,” running through Aug. 27. The show will be performed at Circa ’21 on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturdays evenings at 7:45 p.m., Sundays at 5:45 p.m., and Wednesday matinées at 1:30 p.m.... Read More

Welcome to the column for all carbon-based life-forms. If you breathe oxygen, this is for you. And if you live on a planet, especially Earth, well, then, you’ve come to the right place. Sorry, but I’m just following the new trend in advertising: casting as absurdly wide a net as possible. Products used to be advertised to a fairly specialized base. Each ad could be counted on to pander in its own unique way. You’d have your commercials aimed at seniors, in which someone sincere who was on TV when it was still seen only in black-and-white would give a testimonial about the product. Said... Read More

It’s hard to believe that anything could be better than cover bands, karaoke and gravy, unless it’s a Nickelback cover band that leads a karaoke version of “Call Me Maybe” re-titled “Call Me Gravy,” as they’re making gravy, but, as incomprehensible as it may be even within the realm of quantum physics, Andrew King insists that the new Bix Beiderbomb Presents MAY be even better than that. MAY be. He’s not making any promises or guarantees. So, if your to-do list for the week includes downing cheap beer, laughing at cheap comedy, being surprised by cheap thrills and stories and getting... Read More

Bucktown is always a hot spot for fun and enlightening local arts programming, but this Friday, it’s going to be even more so. The Davenport venue at 225 E 2nd St, Davenport, is holding a special show, the Bucktown Bash, from 6 to 10 to raise money for programing, operating expenses, and advertising for MidCoast Fine Arts. The 11th annual event to help raise awareness for local artists and funds for the Bucktown venue as well as Midcoast Fine Arts will have an outdoor concert featuring Juliana &  Soul Purpose, Bucktown Revue, and Waking Robots – three pretty awesome local bands. Vendors... Read More

Every year around mid-May, thousands of geek-culture lovers make the pilgrimage to Rosemont, Illinois to take part in Anime Central (ACen), the largest and longest-running anime convention in the Midwest. Anime, or Japanese animation, is widely popular in Western pop culture, particularly among teens and young adults, though anyone of any age can enjoy it as there are a multitude of different genres and storylines. These conventions are a gathering place for fans of comics, anime, science fiction, and even table top gaming, and people from all walks of life and fandom can be found in attendance. Anime... Read More