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River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

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River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

GUEST COMMENTARY

by Scott E. Stafne

How Jury Trials Could Have Softened the Blow of the Financial Crisis

or most of our history, lawyers have


thought of themselves as the unofficial
fourth arm of the government. This
view is more understandable from lawyers
past role as trial advocates than from the
present relationship between the bench and
bar, which reduces the significance lawyers
have in the administration of justice.
Under the law in effect in most colonies
at the time our Constitution was written,
lawyers were advocates who had the right
to argue the merits of their clients cases
directly to a jury. Juries, not judges, had the
right to decide most cases as they saw fit
both with regard to the facts and the law. As
the Supreme Court noted in 1943s Galloway
V. United States: In 1789, juries occupied
the principal place in the administration
of justice. They were frequently in both
criminal and civil cases the arbiters not only
of fact but of law.
The kings denial of the right to a trial
by jury was one of the reasons justifying
separation from England in the Declaration
of Independence.
Many believed the right to a jury
trial was not adequately guaranteed in
Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution.
Anti-federalists urged rejection of the

Constitution unless it was amended to


include a Bill of Rights, which secured the
right to trial by jury in both criminal and
civil cases. Patrick Henry, a lawyer and wellknown patriot at that time, argued: Trial
by jury is the best appendage of freedom.
... No appeal can now be made as to fact in
common-law suits. The unanimous verdict
of impartial men cannot be reversed. This
result was not because the jury would always
be right, but because the result came from
impartial members of the community.
Significantly, our constitutional history
shows jury trials were intended to be a
structural check on the power of the judicial
branch to resolve disputes involving citizens
liberties and properties. In this regard,
Thomas Jefferson wrote: I consider trial by
jury as the only anchor ever yet imagined by
man, by which a government can be held to
the principles of its constitution.
Over the years, judges appeared to forget
(or decided to ignore) the fact that trials
decided by a jury rather than the sovereigns
judges were a constitutional mechanism
intended to keep the administration of law by
the judicial department consistent with the
wishes and feelings of the community. The
framers of our Constitution contemplated

that juries could reach a result that a judge


could or might not decide. As Charles W.
Wolfram wrote, juries were there to provide
protection for litigants in general, and for
debtors in particular ... .
By the mid-20th Century, the right to
a trial by jury was under continual attack
by judges. In 1943, Justice Hugo Black,
joined by Justices William O. Douglas and
Frank Murphy, complained in their dissent
in Galloway that the gradual process of
judicial erosion ... has slowly worn away a
major portion of the essential guarantee of
the Seventh Amendment.
A little more than three decades later,
Justice William Rehnquist dissenting in
Parklane Hosiery Co. V. Shore echoed these
same words, quoting Black. Rehnquist, who
was not known for being a liberal justice,
questioned whether the right to a jury trial
had been gutted to the extent it no longer
provided a constitutional check on the
power of the judicial branch of government.
The majority in Parklane was not moved,
as it unabashedly observed that it frequently
engaged in rule-making that interfered with
access to jury trials: [M]any procedural
devices developed since 1791 that have
diminished the civil jurys historic domain

have been found not to be inconsistent with


the Seventh Amendment. It cited cases
deciding that a directed verdict does not
violate the Seventh Amendment, that a
retrial limited to question of damages does
not violate the Seventh Amendment even
though there was no practice at common law
for setting aside a verdict in part, and that
summary judgment does not violate the
Seventh Amendment.
Early on in this century, the Supreme
Court continued to wage war against the
constitutions guarantee to a jury trial in civil
cases. In Bell Atlantic Corp. V. Twombly and
Ashcroft V. Iqbal, the Supreme Court held that
trials (jury or not) were not necessary where
a federal judge did not find the allegations of
a plaintiff s complaint plausible. The word
plausible is problematic to some because it
implies a judge-centric subjective standard,
as opposed to the more objective one it
replaced.
The Supreme Courts grant of pretty
much unfettered discretion to federal judges
to dismiss cases based on each judges belief
that a complaint is not plausible has been
heavily criticized by some state supreme
courts and academic commentators. For

Continued On Page 15

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

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Job # USC1-15-02193

219

Version # 1

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Bleed None
Trim 9.25 x 9.75

Document Name
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Proj Mgr ndriscoll

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River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

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ILLINOIS POLITICS

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F O R Y O U R E N J O Y M E N T, A LWAY S S M O K E F R E E !

by Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com

Pulling Back the Curtain


on Secret Working Groups

recently obtained a document distributed by the governors office detailing the


membership list and meeting times and
locations of the secret state legislative working groups.
The governors office has insisted that
not only should legislators dummy up about
what goes on at the groups meetings which
are designed to forge compromises on the
governors Turnaround Agenda but also
that outsiders should not even know the
membership of the groups or when and where
theyre getting together.
Thats pretty ridiculous. Many moons ago, I
began writing about private legislative caucus
meetings. That didnt endear me to the powers
that be, but I thought the meetings were too
important to the Statehouse process to ignore.
I still think that, although caucus meetings are
somewhat less important these days.
So I exerted a bit of effort and eventually
scored the governors document.
The working group tasked with hammering
out a potential tax hike is so secret that its
very existence would not be confirmed
by members I contacted. Legislators were
reportedly warned by the governors office that
if any word leaked about the group, Governor
Bruce Rauner would refuse to increase taxes.
Yep, hes a control freak.
The group was nicknamed Vegas by
some of its members because what happens
in the group is supposed to stay in the group.
Its official name is listed as HOLD on the
governors document. Its apparently not an
acronym. They were that afraid to put things
in writing, explained one source. So just
hold this slot open.
I kid you not.
Republican state Representatives Patricia
Bellock and David Leitch are on the HOLD
group, as well as Democratic Representative
John Bradley. Senate Democrats Heather
Steans and Toi Hutchinson are also on the
super-secret group, as are Republican Senators
Pam Althoff and Karen McConnaughay.
The governors top staff abruptly shut down
a HOLD meeting last week, calling House
Speaker Michael Madigans unilateral
advancement of a budget bill a hostile action.
The Economic Growth working
group will tackle issues such as workers
compensation insurance, the governors
local right-to-work zones proposal, tort
reform, and the minimum wage. Democratic
Representatives Jay Hoffman and Art Turner,
Republican Representatives Mike Tryon,
David Leitch, and Dwight Kay, Democratic
Senators Kimberly Lightford and Kwame
Raoul, and Republican Senators Matt Murphy
and Jim Oberweis are on the group. Some
initial progress is being made on workers
comp reform, Im told.
The Taxpayer Protection working

group discusses issues such as the governors


proposed property-tax freeze. Members were
told that the governors initial bargaining
position is a permanent freeze. Democratic
Senators Gary Forby and Andy Manar,
Republican Senators Dan Duffy and Chris
Nybo, Democratic Representatives John
Bradley and Barbara Flynn Currie, and GOP
Representatives David Harris and Ed Sullivan
are on the working group.
I wrote recently about the Transforming
Government group, which featured
the Democratic throwdown with the
governors staff over a legislative-term-limits
constitutional amendment. Its also dealing
with implementing the governors executive
order on state-worker ethics and banning
public-employee-union contributions to the
executive branch. Democratic Representatives
Lou Lang and Elgie Sims, Republican
Representatives Norine Hammond and Chad
Hays, Democratic Senator Don Harmon,
and Republican Senators Darin LaHood and
Chapin Rose are all on the committee.
The governor wants to move current state
employees and teachers out of their Tier 1
pension plans and into a Tier 2 plan that
provides far fewer benefits. His Pension
Reform working group is composed of
Democratic Representative Elaine Nekritz,
Senate Democrat Daniel Biss, House
Republicans Tom Morrison and Ron Sandack,
and Senate Republicans Bill Brady and Pam
Althoff.
Rauner has been promising a major
road- and transit-construction plan since the
campaign. The Capital Plan working group
is composed of Senate Dems John Sullivan
and Marty Sandoval, Senate Republicans Dave
Syverson and Karen McConnaughay, House
Dems Bob Rita and Christian Mitchell, and
House Republicans Norine Hammond and Ed
Sullivan. They didnt get much done at their
last meeting because the governor refused to
talk about how to pay for it.
The Budget Implementation working
group is huge. The last meeting was attended
by 38 people, including all legislativeappropriations-committee chairs. Getting
things accomplished with a group that size
could be difficult.
The Unemployment Insurance working
group will use an agreed bill process to
find a way to bring down employer costs.
Republican Senators Sue Rezin and Kyle
McCarter, Democratic Senator Terry Link,
Democratic Representative Jay Hoffman, and
House Republicans John Anthony and Dwight
Kay are on the group.
Can we stop with all the crazy secrecy now,
please?
Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax (a daily
political newsletter) and CapitolFax.com.

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

COVER STORY

Remembrances of John OMeara Jr.

ohn OMeara Jr. died on April 22 at age


58, and the memories and thoughts in
this article attest to a much-loved man
and musician who played in myriad Quad
Cities-area bands in many genres.
OMeara was born in Moline and
graduated from Rock Island High School
in 1974. He studied music at Black Hawk
and Augustana colleges. His sister, Betsy
McNeil, said highlights of his musical
career included playing with Warren
Parrish and Louie Bellson.
He was diagnosed with an
oligodendroglioma brain tumor in 1992
and, following treatment, was declared
cancer-free in 1996. In 2010, he was
diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.
Although cancer affected his physical
ability, he continued to perform.
OMeara is survived by his father
John Sr., sons Levi and John Gabriel,
brother Paul, sister Betsy, brother-in-law
Dan McNeil, nephew Leo McNeil, and
sweetheart Elisabeth Lockheart.
Memorials may be made to family at
1904 46th St., Moline IL 61265, and will
be used for his sons and to buy a Fender
bass for the River Music Experiences
scholarship program.
Memorial events for OMeara are being
planned.

John OMeara in the 1980s (left)


and in 2014
Johnny and I have hung and played many
gigs since then. He was loved by everyone.
I could write a book about Johnny O.
Maybe next time.
Rest in peace, my good friend. Your spirit
will always be a part of me.
Terry G. Hanson

My Big Brother John

John O was my big brother. He was fun


and caring and inspired me to be positive.
He wore red high-top Chuck Taylors and
even through his struggles he always wore a
smile. He was an artist. Pure talent.
When I was little, he would play the
piano and sing Lady Madonna to me.
And when we played hide-and-seek in the
basement, I would hide under the stairs and
he would sing Dear Prudence. He taught
me how to make homemade eggnog and
we would watch Its a Wonderful Life again.
Always with his smile.
I called him John O and he always
referred to me as Bets O or Elizabeth. He
would pick me and my friends up in his
little blue Toyota truck and we would pile
in the back with the tailgate hanging down.
Rock-and-roll music would be blaring from
the cab with all of us singing at the tops of
our lungs. He would drive about 15 miles
an hour. We shouted Faster! and he would
smile into the rear-view mirror. Rowdy and
raucous.
He would sit with me for hours quizzing
me on my paintings for art-history exams,
never giving answers. Just his smile.
He was the one I ran to with tears. He
would hold me. The harder I cried, the

tighter he squeezed. Never saying a word,


just his smile.
When I went back to work, he and
Papa John Sr. watched my son Leo. Our
nannies, we called them. They would sing,
play the drums and guitars. For Leos third
or fourth Christmas, Uncle John bought
him a classical acoustic guitar because of its
small size. He introduced Leo to Star Wars
and Harry Potter. I would come home to a
new tub of my nephew Gabes Legos a lot of
days for months. Our village.
My brother radiated a gentle intelligence.
He encouraged his students to shape their
own style. He taught them music. He was
my big brother. Life is not flawless. John O
has begun his next beautiful journey. His
soul, his smile, and his music will remain.
Genius was bliss with my brother. He was

positive beyond belief with a perpetual and


infectious smile.
Betsy McNeil (OMeara)

Bringing the House Down

I was introduced to Johnny O for the


first time at the (late) Louies River House
on the Rock River after a Moonshine River
concert in 1975. We have been close friends
ever since.
Johnny was one of those guys who didnt
seem to have to work hard at anything he
did. He could do it all, playing bass (both
upright and electric), guitar, and piano, and
he could sing well.
We would be playing a trio jazz gig
somewhere (John on bass), and on breaks he
would sit at the piano, playing and singing
Beatles songs, bringing the house down.

Terry Hanson has been a professional


drummer and educator for the past 40
years and currently plays in the Terry
Hanson Ensemble, the Ellis Kell Band, and
Whoozdads? He teaches at Black Hawk
College, West Music in Moline, and the River
Music Experience.

Johns Cabin

I remember a hot summer in the late


1960s when I, along with the rest of the
14th Avenue gang, was recruited by John
to build a cabin in the woods by his house.
We eagerly joined him in wheelbarrowing
hundreds of old bricks we borrowed from
somebodys hoard to serve as the floor. It
took several long, hard days to drag old,
eight-foot garage doors and plywood to
erect the walls and roof. Just when we were
ready to move in and live there, we were
discovered by the horrified property owner.
John thought that would be a good time
to leave and never come back. All that was
left in our wake was the neighbors angry
shouts and a huge eyesore at the bottom of

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

for a good time,


and the music
that he was
playing added
much to our
encounters.
Doug Miller

a steep ravine. For the next 40-plus years, I


was lucky enough to be involved in many
more crazy, fun adventures with John
OMeara at the helm. I will miss him dearly.
Pete Tyler

In His Element

I first met John OMeara during the


filming of Bix: An Interpretation of a Legend
by the Avati brothers during the summer
of 1990. He was one of the musicians in
a number of the scenes with the Frank
Trumbauer orchestra. John and I hit it
off. Everyone liked his happy-go-lucky
personality and his skill as a musician, and
he wanted to know everything you can
imagine about making movies from me and
the others in the production.
One afternoon out by Taylor Ridge, there
was a perfect farmhouse for a location to
be used as Trumbauers home. John and
some of the rest of the actors and musicians
worked on the scenes and had a ball with
the 1920s cars that were used. Even when
there was a break in the shoot, everyone
was in character. John looked like he was
channeling the musicians of the period.
You could tell that he was truly in his
element.
Because of our interactions during the
filming, I started following him around the
area to see the bands that he would play
with from time to time, and I remember

Doug Miller is
the planning
consultant for
The Creative Arts
Academy of the
Quad Cities and
is working on a
couple of movie
productions.

a number of
occasions when
he was playing
at Orwells in
Moline with some
really great local
musicians.
The Avati
brothers liked
John with his son John Gabriel (above), in
John and cast him
several times in
1974 (top), and in the 1970s (left)
their other productions during the 1990s.
He was the consummate professional
During the summer of 1991, he was around
musician,
in that the most important thing
a lot when Brooke Shields was in town
for
him
was
the gig doing the best that
working on An American Love. My birthday
you
can
and
doing the right thing for that
came up right after we wrapped the
particular
gig.
production, and I had a large party at Macs
John was really highly educated
to celebrate it. John and his band at the time
musically. He had a really good
provided the entertainment. He did it as a
understanding of musical theory rhythm,
favor to me, and I never forgot it.
melody, harmonic structures. He knew how
Later that fall when Franco Nero came
to apply the music theory in the right way,
to be in the Avatis Brothers & Sisters
to each style of music.
production, he and I would go out quite
John could play all styles of music. One
often during the weekends and try to
of
his fortes was the versatility. We always
catch John during his various gigs. Franco
meshed really well, because we could play
was impressed with him and said to me a
every type of music and play it the right
number of times how much he liked his
way. There are certain notes and harmonic
style.
Over the years John and I would catch up structures you use depending on the style
of music youre playing. Each one of them
with each other during a film production
or two or at one of the venues where he was requires a certain feel and style of playing.
Before John had his health problems, he
playing. It was just like no time at all had
had
picture-perfect technique on the bass
passed. His fun-loving nature always made

It Never
Bothered
Him

physical technique. He could do all the


techniques physically on the bass. With
that and his musical-theory ability, John
was a top-shelf bass player in those days
as good as it gets around here.
After he had his health problems, he
lost significant dexterity in both hands,
but especially his right hand and thats
his picking hand. He kept working at it,
and he had to totally re-teach himself
how to pluck the strings. He couldnt
pluck the strings in the conventional way
because his fingers wouldnt work that
way anymore. So he had to come up with
his own way. It looked like he shouldnt
be able to play the bass the way his hand
worked, because he just didnt have the
physical dexterity anymore, and it never
came back for him.
Somehow, he figured out how to do it
where he could play some of the stuff that
he used to be able to play physically. If that
was me, I probably wouldnt have kept at
it. He acted like it never bothered him.
He worked at it, and had fun, and it didnt
bother him that he couldnt play physically
as well as he did before he had his health
issues. Nothing bothered him about it. How
can he be having this much fun knowing
he cant do what he used to do? But he still
enjoyed the hell out of it.
He also had a really good intuitive feel
for music. He could play by the seat of his
pants as good as anybody.
Even in his late stages, when he was
having a lot of memory difficulties, he
could remember thousands of songs
melodies, chord changes, keys, everything.
How do you remember all that stuff?
I consider it a privilege to work with him
and his dad.
Jim Stroehle
Jim Stroehle is a local drummer who played
with OMeara in many bands starting in the
1970s.

Anything for a Friend

John was a friend to all he met. We


became very close friends when we were
both attending Black Hawk College back in
the 70s. John quietly (and not so quietly)
pulled me out of my little musical shell.
He would take me to concert venues I had
never dreamed of attending. One time, he
grabbed my hand and said, Come on! We
are going to the Police Ball. Uninvited, he
said, No problem. I know the band.
As I was teaching and needed a guitar, he
gave me his Gibson Hummingbird! There

Continued On Page 16

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

Vol. 22 No. 882


THEATRE

By Thom White
thomasjasonwhite@gmail.com

Chauffeur Show
Driving Miss Daisy, at the Playcrafters Barn Theatre through May 17

rior to Friday
night, my only
experience with
Driving Miss Daisy was
with the remarkable
film version starring
the incomparable
Jessica Tandy and
Morgan Freeman.
Although its tenderness sticks with me,
for some reason I dont
recall Alfred Uhrys
script being terribly
funny. And with the
Playcrafters Barn Theatres production of
this material, Im now
wondering why I dont
remember the humor,
considering how loud
and often I laughed
during director Donna
Weeks presentation.
Uhrys tale finds the elderly Daisy
Werthan (Rae Mary) coping with her
inability to drive and being forced to
be chauffeured by Hoke Colburn (Fred
Harris Jr.) at the behest and expense of
her son Boolie (Jason Dlouhy), and its
filled with funny moments, particularly
Daisys curmudgeonly comments and
Hokes no-nonsense, though politely
delivered, retorts. Meanwhile, their
relationship, which blossoms from Daisys
stubborn reluctance to accept Hoke his
presence being a symbol of her lack of
independence into a platonic intimacy
that pulls at the heartstrings, is the thrust
of the story. Or rather, it should be.
My one issue with Playcrafters
production is that the friendship between
Daisy and Hoke doesnt blossom so
much as abruptly change. It is with great
respect and admiration that I say that
this is among the finest performances, if
not the finest, Ive seen Mary deliver on
a local stage. Shes every bit as sincere,
stubborn, and comedic as the script
requires. However, her downfall, and its
a significant one, is Marys and Weeks
decision to have Daisy fully accept Hoke

Rae Mary and Fred Harris Jr.


fairly early on in the play.
In the middle of the first act, Daisy
believes that Hoke has stolen a can of
salmon only to discover that, while he
admits to eating it, hes also returned with
a can in hand to replace it. This is an early
turning point at which Daisy begins to
like Hoke; for Mary, though, it seems to
be the entire reason that Daisy, from then
on, accepts Hoke without question. Their
friendship doesnt grow after that because
its already been solidified. Consequently,
Daisys impatient comments while riding
in the back seat appear impatient due
solely to her disdain for what shes seeing
out the window such as extraneous
Christmas-light displays and not at all
for the situational angst involving her
scapegoat Hoke. We dont get to see the
process of acceptance Daisy should be
going through and, as a result, the final
scene is soft on the intended emotion.
(Well into the second act, Boolie says
hes never heard [Daisy] say loving
things about Hoke before, but from the
moment he brings that salmon, shes
nothing but loving toward him.)
As difficult as it may be to put that
aside, its also the only notable flaw in an

otherwise mirthful
production.
Harris delivers yet
another in a long
line of fantastic
performances,
effortlessly pulling
every bit of humor
he can from Hokes
lines by delivering
them with a sarcasm
thats absent of
negativity. (When
tells Daisy, I had
the air-conditioning
checked. I dont
know what for.
You never allow
me to turn it on,
its said matter-offactly with a tinge
of amusement, not
rudeness.) Dlouhy
also delivers another
pleasing performance. After enjoying
his turn in Playcrafters Second Samuel
last year, I was thrilled to see him among
this productions cast, and he doesnt
disappoint, playing Boolie with subtle
humor and a rather gentle exasperation
with his mother.
Race relations are also important
in Uhrys story, as Daisy is Jewish and
Hoke is black neither of which are
positives in the late 1940s, in Atlanta,
when the play begins. Weeks doesnt
push the authors points, however, which
is somewhat appreciated, given that she
avoids preachiness while also not ignoring
the scripts subtext; although there are
emotional shortcomings, the presentations
humor helps make them forgivable.
Playcrafters Driving Miss Daisy didnt
move me to tears, but it did come close to
eliciting the kind that come from hearty
laughter.
Driving Miss Daisy runs at the Playcrafters
Barn Theatre (4950 35th Avenue, Moline)
through May 17, and more information and
tickets are available by calling (309)7620330 or visiting Playcrafters.com.

May 14 - 27, 2015


River Cities Reader
532 W. 3rd St.
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Publishing since 1993


The River Cities Reader is an independent
newspaper published every other Thursday,
and available free throughout the Quad Cities
and surrounding areas.
2015 River Cities Reader
AD DEADLINE:
5 p.m. Wednesday prior to publication

PUBLISHER
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Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

10

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

MUSIC

by Jeff Ignatius
jeff@rcreader.com

Just the Right Bullets


New Albums from Local Artists Busted Chandeliers and Robyn McVey

Busted Chandeliers,
Postmarks & Timestamps

The first track of the Quad Cities


quartet Busted
Chandeliers
Postmarks &
Timestamps
album is titled
Love Is Bold,
and the song
is, too, in its
folksy way.
The vocal
harmonies
are tight,
and every
instrumental
facet the
guitar, the ukulele, the hand claps, the
bass, and the percussion is integral and
integrated yet doing its own thing. The
song is emotionally amorphous but at the
same time crystalline.
The band Erin Moore, Amy Falvey,
Maureen Carter, and Erin Marie Bertram
certainly leads with its best shot, but its
hardly the only highlight. The ensemble
travels on many tributaries of Americana
on the record, but its at its strongest in
waters so expertly navigated in Love Is
Bold a joyously dense and ambitiously
rigorous folk rock that refuses to be
pigeonholed from moment to moment.
Songs Tennessee Man and Parasite
have soulful lead vocals country- and
blues-tinged, respectively and upbeat
tempos, but they feel too straightforward
and simple compared to their less-driving
company on Postmarks & Timestamps.
Run, as a contrast, has a busy-ness
and bluntness in the drums, along with
early stops that last just a beat longer
than expected, keeping
the listener alert and offbalance.
The high-pitched,
ethereal keyboards of
Whiskey & Wine are a
similar touch given the
genre, a slightly out-ofplace curlicue that subtly
grabs your attention,
drawing you into the song.
On the sleepily sad
Proof, the lead guitar
and its distinctive tone are
used sparingly to fill in the
emotional spaces of the
plainly sung lyrics (And
I used to think the world

was running out of poems / Not a damn


song left to sing), and against the piano
it sketches out the story in as few notes as
possible.
Dust,
on the other
hand, has
electric
guitars and
piano doing
individual
dances as a
father serves
a warm slice
of nostalgia to
his daughter.
Its an
arrangement
that allows
you to happily focus on one aspect of
performance, with the rest falling away
until the next listen.
The singing throughout is languidly
sultry exemplified by the lounge-y
Anyway and unerringly pleasing. Yet
because theres so much else going on in
terms of playing and arrangement, the
vocals often defer to the band, at best an
equally important component.
So the final track, Wolves, is an
elastic, piano-driven jam that seems to
be lacking something. Its telling that it
might take a few minutes to realize that
its missing the singing and then that its
not really missing anything at all.
For more information on Busted
Chandeliers, visit Facebook.com/
bustedchandeliers.

Robyn McVey,
Slings & Arrows

On her album Slings &


Arrows, the voice of Quad
Cities singer/songwriter
Robyn McVey first struck
me as almost wobbly, a
powerful tool not quite
mastered. The singing
also sounds tentative
flat and a little fearful.
Yet the more I listened
to the record, the
character of the vocals
changed. Paired with
professional, low-key
instrumentation and
some lovely interplay

Continued On Page 18

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

Movie Reviews

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

11

by Mike Schulz mike@rcreader.com

Super Salad

AVENGERS:
AGE OF ULTRON

Whatever your feelings about Avengers:


Age of Ultron, even if your feelings can be
summed up in a succinct Meh, you cant
say that writer/director Joss Whedon is
merely giving audiences an exact replica
of 2012s comic-book behemoth The
Avengers. Theres some romance here, for
one thing. Theres also a lot more plot,
now that were spared its predecessors
hour-plus of super-team origin story.
And rather than being granted all of his
films best, most thrillingly unexpected
moments, that rampaging mass of CGI id
known as the Hulk is instead stuck with
the worst scene in the movie which,
unfortunately, also happens to be its most
prototypical one.
First, some lead-up, which Ill try
to keep simple. I presume you know
about the Avengers? That team of
costumed crime-fighters that includes
Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor
(Chris Hemsworth), Captain America
(Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett
Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner),
and the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo)? This film
finds them battling a power-mad cyborg
named Ultron. (And yes, fans, I know
hes not really a cyborg. Hes a goneawry version of a top-secret, globalpeacekeeping initiative who speaks in the
voice of James Spader and is able to travel
electronically and assume cyborg form.
Im trying to simplify here!) Ultron has,
on his team, a pair of Eastern European
twins with powers of their own:
Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson),
who runs really fast, and Scarlet Witch

(Elizabeth
Olsen), who has
telekinesis and
the ability to root
around in peoples
heads. At one
point, unseen
by us, she roots
around in Bruce
Banners. (Thats
the Hulk when
Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth in Avengers: Age of Ultron
hes not green. You
also know these
crowd, at least at the screening I attended,
guys all have real names, right?) After
couldnt be more tickled. Even though
she does, the Hulk goes on an absolute
my auditorium was packed to the gills, I
rampage, tearing through an innocentheard exactly zero laughs when, later in
bystander-filled business district and
the film, an exhausted Downey said, with
Hulk-smashing everything in sight.
bone-dry hilarity, Its been a long day.
Only Tony Stark can stop him, which
Like Eugene ONeill long. But there was
he attempts to do by donning a superboth loud laughter and applause when,
sized version of his Iron Man outfit and
near the climax to their endless street
smacking the bezeesus out of his brainfight, Iron Man was jack-hammering
scrambled ally. And so the two go at it.
the crap out of the Hulk with his fist, I
Pound for pound and punch for punch.
hasten to add and ordering him to Go
For 10 freaking minutes.
to sleep! Go to sleep! It was a directive I
In retrospect, it was easy, at least for
wouldve considered myself if the audible
me, to cite this as Age of Ultrons nadir.
joy of my fellow patrons werent keeping
Not only does the violent pummeling
me awake.
and wanton destruction last forever
Personally speaking, and including
and kill the films momentum, but its
the
finale that boasts a floating city
all inherently meaningless, to boot; the
and
battalions of murderous robots, I
scenes only true point is to get the sad
found
all of the movies action set pieces
sack Bruce Banner to a mopier place
similarly
dull, even though Whedon pulls
than usual, which certainly couldve
off
some
truly
graceful and inventive
been accomplished with fewer tumbling
bits
of
choreography.
(His slow-motion
edifices and less broken glass. But what
flourishes,
with
the
camera
seemingly
makes the sequence particularly vexing is
stationary
while
each
circling
superhero
that its not an aberration its Avengers:
is
briefly
given
center-screen
focus,
are
Age of Ultron in its most distilled form.
particularly
fine.)
And
there
was
plenty
Buildings crash, glass shatters, characters
more that I found irksome: the bizarre,
suffer horrific beatings, Robert Downey
late-film introduction of Paul Bettanys
Jr. makes snarky wisecracks ... and the

caped and crimson-faced Vision,


whose purpose I couldnt make heads
or tails of; the short shrift given to
the twins, whose narrative was far
more intriguing than Ultrons I will
destroy the world in order to save it
megalomania; the mournful, maudlin
trumpet that played when a computer
program died. But Im happy to report
that this is where my bitching (mostly)
ends, given that when our superheroes
arent performing super-heroics, Age of
Ultron is actually a great deal of fun.
Back in 2012, just a few weeks after
the original Avengers arrived, specialtyhouse audiences were also treated
to another new Joss Whedon release
in his black-and-white adaptation
of Shakespeares Much Ado About
Nothing. It was shot over 12 days, at
Whedons house, during the filming of
The Avengers, and beyond being about
10 times more spirited than his comicbook outing, the movie shows the
miracles of charisma and playfulness
that its filmmaker, when allowed, can
inspire. (Not that we didnt already
know this thanks to Buffy the Vampire
Slayer, Firefly, and Dr. Horribles SingAlong Blog.) Lord, how I wish Whedon
had embarked upon another 12-day
experiment during Age of Ultron
filming, preferably if he had employed
the cast he has here. Hell, they couldve
even played the same roles, because the
passages in Whedons sequel that find
characters just shooting the shit or, you
know, connecting in some way are so
good that they make you well, me a
little angry that there arent more of
them on hand.

Continued On Page 17

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

Whats Happenin

Music

Steel Guitars in Concert

The Rusty Nail


Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16

ocal musician Tom Pickett,


a member of the East Moline
ensemble Midnight Riders, has been
playing country music for more than
a half-century. He enjoyed his first
professional gig at Davenports Col
Ballroom at age 15 and has, over his
long and venerated career, performed
alongside country legends ranging
from Jimmy Dean to Dottie West to
Connie Smith.
Yet although Pickett serves as chief
organizer for this years country-music
celebration Steel Guitars in Concert,
taking place at Davenports Rusty Nail
on May 16, there is one element of
traditional country music that Pickett
says he never mastered: the pedal-steel

guitar.
Its a frustrating instrument, says
Pickett, because its such a difficult
instrument to play. You have knee
levers and pedals and a double neck
with 20 strings, so you have to use
both feet, both knees, and both hands.
Your musical ability really has to be at a
certain level before you can step into it.
And if you think the pedal-steel guitar
might be easier to play if you have
decades of practical guitar knowledge,
think again. Its never easy, Pickett
says with a laugh. If it was, Id be
playing it.
Now in its 23rd year, the areas pedal-

Theatre
The Way West

Village Theatre
Friday, May 15, through Sunday, May 24

he final production in New Ground


Theatres 2014-15 season is (pictured)
author Mona Mansours The Way West, which
runs at the Village Theatre May 15 through 24.
The Chicago Tribute wrote that Mansours 2013

steel showcase Steel Guitars in Concert


will shine light on this instrumental
staple of country music through
performances by formidable local and
national talents. Among them are the
Nashville-based singer Sara Simmons,
who Pickett says has family ties in
the Quad Cities, and headliner Russ
Wever, another Nashville artist who
has performed locally in Patsy Cline
and Hank Williams revues at the Circa
21 Dinner Playhouse.
It starts at 11 in the morning, says
Pickett of Saturdays concert, and
every 45 minutes therell be a different
steel player. Some of them will be
bringing their own bands, and if they
dont have a complete band, well fill
in with some of our musicians, which
this year includes guitarist Tim Wallis
from Peoria, bassist Jerome Vogel from
Flagstaff, Arizona, and Picketts son
Tom Jr., percussionist for the local band
North of 40. Theyre all great sheetmusic readers and can accompany the
players in the fashion theyre used to.

play captures how fast technology


reveals the skeletons in our closet.
The Windy City Times called it an
exploration of how poor judgment
can squander millions in stocks or
pennies in a jam jar.
New Ground director Christina
Myatt, however, has her own
description: Family dysfunction, old
boyfriends, bad business schemes, financial
distress ... . You know, a lot of comedy. And
shes not being sarcastic.
For The Way West is indeed a comedy, and

And then on Friday, says Pickett


of the showcases May 15 prelude, we
have Dale Thomas out of West Branch,
Iowa, playing, and hes kind of our local
hero. My son has worked with him for
years anybody in the Midwest who
wants to learn to play steel, they go to
him.
Its going to be a great time, says
Pickett. I was watching Paul Franklin
on TV the other night hes the top
steel-guitar guru now and he said,
I dont think weve ever completely
found everything there is to do on this
instrument, because the combinations
and possibilities are endless. And I
think that, too.
May 15s Dale Thomas concert
begins at 5:30 p.m., May 16s Steel
Guitars in Concert runs from 11 a.m.
to 8 p.m., and more information on
both nights at the Rusty Nail (2606
West Locust Street, Davenport) is
available by calling Tom Pickett
Sr. at (563)579-4790 or visiting
NewRustyNail.com.

one of the more acclaimed stage comedies to


debut in recent years. Winner of 2013s Sky
Cooper New American Play Prize and the
recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New Play
Award, Mansours bleakly hilarious look at a
failing family in southern California found the
Chicago Sun-Times praising it as an almost
farcical, sitcom-like spin on the enduring, even
self-mocking tall tales celebrating the pioneer
spirit. And despite its seemingly grim narrative
involving a mother facing bankruptcy and her
squabbling adult daughters, Myatt says that the
resulting show is a lot of fun. And its funny,

Music

QCSO 100th-Season
Celebration featuri

Adler Theatre
Thursday, May 14, 7:30 p.

CELLO-BRATION

Figge Art Museum


Friday, May 29, 6 p.m.

hos ready to greet


of legendary cellis
a rousing, Cel-lo!?
And whos ready for m
accompanying my every
Yo Ma with that lame jok
As the answer to that s
is likely All of us, Mike,
to know that I am indeed
because the wait is finally
e jokes altogether.

12

even though some of what happens is really


horrible, and you sit there and say, How are
these people this stupid?!
As Myatt explains, the stupidity on display in
The Way West which is set at the peak of the
2008 recession is primarily financial. One
character talks about how most of her money
goes to pay off her credit cards, and how she
has a $500 minimum payment on this card
and $700 on this card ... . And we sat there at
rehearsal and said, What must her balance be
for things to be like that? And that girl is like,
Well, thats just normal thats how everybody

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015


by Mike Schulz
mike@rcreader.com

n
ing Yo-Yo Ma

.m.

t the area arrival


st Yo-Yo Ma with

me to stop
reference to Yoke?
second question
youll be happy
d stopping,
y over. In

recognition of
the incredible
milestone that
is the Quad
City Symphony
Orchestras
100th season,
Kennedy
Center honoree
and 17-time
Grammy winner
Yo-Yo Ma will be the featured guest at
the QCSOs May 14 concert at the Adler
Theatre, delivering what will surely be
an unforgettable take on Dvoraks Cello
Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104.
The remarkable Mr. Mas Davenport
engagement will be preceded by a 5:30
p.m. pre-concert celebration in the Hotel
Blackhawk, at which a dozen painted
cellos from the QCSOs 100 Years, 100
Cellos project will be sold in a live
auction benefiting the symphonys musiceducation programs. It will be followed

by a 9:30 p.m. champagne and dessert


reception in the Davenport RiverCenter,
where attendees can toast the QCSOs
century of artistry and meet Yo-Yo Ma in
person.
And on May 29, this months cellorific fun will conclude with the Figge Art
Museums capitalized CELLO-BRATION,
which will allow guests to view all 100
of the instruments lovingly painted or
decorated for 100 Years, 100 Cellos,
their creators including everyone from
local artist Steve Banks to symphony
conductor Mark Russell Smith to singer/
songwriter Lisa Loeb.
So how better to acknowledge this
season of strings than with a little cello
quiz, courtesy of our friends at FunTrivia.
com?
For information of all of the events
in the Quad City Symphony Orchestras
100th-season celebration including May
14s concert with Yo-Yo Ma and May 29s
CELLO-BRATION visit QCSO.org.

1) How many strings does a cello have?


A) Six
B) Four
C) Two
2) From which language does the
name cello originate?
A) Italian
B) Dutch
C) Latin
3) How many F-holes do celli have?
A) Two
B) Three
C) Four
4) Which cello string is the thinnest?
A) A
B) B
C) C
5) What is the lowest note you can play
on a cello?
A) A
B) B
C) C

Answers: 1 B, 2 A, 3 A, 4 A, 5 C. Apparently, though, you can tune the note to dive below C-level. Hey, I said Id stop with the lame cello jokes, not la
is. Um, no-o-o-o ... .
And the mother has this friend who talks
her into giving her money for this magic water
business, she continues. Its supposed to help
you lose weight. They wrap you in Saran wrap
and make you exercise for an hour, and then
put a drop of this magic water on your forehead,
and you lose inches. And the mother puts
almost $13,000 into this lovely scheme.
So their lack of understanding about
finances is horrible, says Myatt. But its
interesting, too. And watching how the family
operates as a unit is fun.

As a veteran director of lavishly scaled


Countryside Community Theatre productions
including last summers Shrek: The Musical
Myatt says shes also having great fun with the
far more intimate scope of The Way West and
its six-person cast of Valeree Pieper, Ashley
Hoskins, Sarah Baxter, Alexa Florence, Tim
Cook, and Eric Reyes.
You know that I love spectacle, says Myatt
with a laugh. But those shows involve a lot of
group work, and its lovely to have more time
for individuals and in-depth character analysis.
And because its such a new play, theres a real

opportunity to think outside the box a bit.


Were using the [Village Theatre] space a little
differently than its been used in the past, and
the set really has this open-air feel ... . And the
cast is really wonderful, and has developed into
this nice, cohesive group. The more work we do
together, the more nuances we find.
The Way West runs at the Village Theatre
(2113 East 11th Street, Davenport) on Fridays
and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2
p.m., and more information and tickets are
available by calling (563)326-7529 or visiting
NewGroundTheatre.org.

13

What Else Is
Happenin
MUSIC

Thursday, May 14 Mike


Zito. Roots and blues musician in
concert, with an opening set by The
Steepwater Band. The Redstone
Room (129 Main Street, Davenport).
7:30 p.m. $19-22. For tickets and
information, call (563)326-1333 or visit
RiverMusicExperience.org.
Friday, May 15 U.S. Army
Soldier Show: We Serve. Musical
production showcasing the talents
of soldiers throughout the activeduty, Reserve, and National Guard
armies. Adler Theatre (136 East Third
Street, Davenport). 7 p.m. Free. For
information, call (563)326-8500 or visit
AdlerTheatre.com.
Friday, May 15, and Saturday,
May 16 Ernest Worthing. Opera@
Augustana presents John Biggs
chamber opera based on Oscar
Wildes The Importance of Being
Earnest, directed by Michelle Crouch.
Augustana Colleges Wallenberg
Hall (3520 Seventh Avenue, Rock
Island). 8 p.m. $8-14. For tickets and
information, call (309)794-7306 or visit
Augustana.edu/arts.
Friday, May 15 Bucktown
Revue. Season-ending celebration
of Mississippi River Valley culture
through music, storytelling,
poetry, and humor, with emcee
Scott Tunnicliff and special guests.
Nighswander Theatre (2822 Eastern
Avenue, Davenport). 7 p.m. $12 at the
door. For information, call (563)9400508 or visit BucktownRevue.com.

Continued On Page 14

14

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

Continued From Page 13

What Else Is Happenin

Grammy-winning female hip-hop artists


Friday, May 15 Camp Euforia Quad
in concert. Quad-Cities Waterfront
City Showcase. Concert competition
Convention Center (2021 State
featuring sets with Have Your Cake, Frank
F. Sydneys Western Bandit Volunteers, and Street, Bettendorf). 7:30 p.m. $35.
For information, call (800)724-5825
Earth Ascending, with the victors winning
or visit Bettendorf.
a spot in this years Camp
IsleOfCapriCasinos.com.
Euforia Festival in Lone
Tree, Iowa. The Redstone
Friday, May
Room (129 Main Street,
22 Communion
Davenport). 9 p.m. Free.
Daytrotter. All-ages
For information, call
concert with indie
(563)326-1333 or visit
musicians The Lonely
RiverMusicExperience.org.
Wild, Beasthead, and
Salt-N-Pepa @ Quad-Cities WaterSaturday, May 16
Trevor Sensor. Codfish
front Convention Center - May 22 Hollow Barn (5013
The King in Concert.
Elvis Presley tribute artist Jay Dupuis
288th Avenue, Maquoketa). 7:30 p.m.
and guests in an evening of music and
$10-15. For tickets and information, visit
reminiscences. Adler Theatre (136 East
CodfishHollowBarnstormers.com.
Third Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $32Friday, May 22 The Bros.
62. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit
Landreth. Roots and rock musicians
AdlerTheatre.com.
in concert, with an opening set by Iron
Saturday, May 16 Maks the Fox.
Orchard. The Redstone Room (129
Chicago-based alternative-folk band in
Main Street, Davenport). 8:30 p.m.
concert, with an opening set by Chew
$10-12. For information, call (563)326Toy. Rozz-Tox (2108 Third Avenue, Rock
1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.
Island). 8 p.m. $5-10. For tickets and
org.
information, call (309)200-0978 or visit
Friday, May 22 Jack Lion. IowaRozzTox.com.
based jazz musicians in concert, with
Sunday, May 17 The Edgar
opening sets by Ronin and Dog Hairs.
Crockett Quintet. The local jazz musician Rozz-Tox (2108 Third Avenue, Rock
and his ensemble lead a 3 p.m. workshop Island). 8 p.m. $5-10. For tickets and
($5 adults, free for kids) and perform a
information, call (309)200-0978 or visit
6 p.m. concert ($10-15) in Polyrhythms
RozzTox.com.
Third Sunday Jazz Series. The Redstone
Saturday, May 23, and Sunday,
Room (129 Main Street, Davenport).
May 24 The Travoltas. Annual
For information, call (309)373-0790
outdoor concerts with the touring
or visit RiverMusicExperience.org or
disco-pop performers, with opening
Polyrhythms.org.
sets by 10 of Soul on Saturday and
Monday, May 18 Jesse Marchant,
the Premium Sellouts on Sunday.
Tom Brosseau, and Brandon De La
Rock Island Brewing Company (1815
Cruz. Independent singers/songwriters
Second Avenue, Rock Island). 6 p.m.
in a Moeller Mondays Presents concert.
gates, 8 p.m. opening acts, 10 p.m.
Rozz-Tox (2108 Third Avenue, Rock
Travoltas performances. $12. For
information, call (309)793-1999 or visit
Island). 8 p.m. $10-15. For tickets and
RIBCO.com.
information, call (309)200-0978 or visit
RozzTox.com.
Tuesday, May 19 Godsmack.
Multi-platinum-selling rockers in concert,
Friday, May 15, through Sunday,
featuring opening sets by Papa Roach
May 17 Love, Loss, & What I
and In This Moment. i wireless Center
Wore. Nora and Delia Ephrons
(1201 River Drive, Moline). 7:30 p.m. $39comedy presented in a readers44. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit
theatre fundraiser with Dress for
iwirelessCenter.com.
Success Quad Cities, directed by
Wednesday, May 20 Summer
Lora Adams. QC Theatre Workshop
Camp Music Festival Pre-Party. Concert (1730 Wilkes Avenue, Davenport).
with the Melbourne-based musicians
Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m.
of Jakubi and the Davenport natives
reception, 8 p.m. show; Sunday 3
of Fire Sale. The Redstone Room (129
p.m. reception, 3:30 p.m. show. $25
Main Street, Davenport). 8 p.m. Free. For
suggested donation. For tickets and
information, call (563)326-1333 or visit
information, call (563)650-2396 or visit
RiverMusicExperience.org.
QCTheatreWorkshop.org.
Friday, May 22 Salt-N-Pepa.
Sunday, May 17 16th-Annual

THEATRE

and more. Davenport RiverCenter


Quad Cities Playwrights Festival.
(136 East Third Street, Davenport).
Staged readings of 10-minute works
Friday 4-8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-4
by five local authors, followed by
p.m. $5, ages 12 and under free. For
a reception and talk-back with the
information, call (309)738-9564 or visit
actors, directors, and playwrights.
Augustana Colleges Black Box Theatre RiverCtr.com.
Saturday, May 16, through
(3701 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island).
Sunday, May 24 Young Artists
3 p.m. Free. For information, call
at the Figge: Geneseo. Exhibit of
(309)794-7306 or visit Augustana.edu.
works by elementary art students.
Wednesday, May 20, through
Figge Art Museum (225 West Second
Saturday, July 25 The Sound of
Street, Davenport). Tuesdays through
Music. Rodgers & Hammersteins
Tony-winning musical classic, directed Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursdays
10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sundays noon-5 p.m.
by Jim Hesselman. Circa 21 Dinner
Free with $4-7 museum admission.
Playhouse
For information, call
(1828 Third
(563)326-7804 or visit
Avenue,
FiggeArtMuseum.org.
Rock Island).
Saturday, May 23
Fridays,
Dirty Art. Interactive
Saturdays,
art event featuring
Wednesdays,
the marshmallowand May 20
confection sculpture
and 21: 6-7
contest The Peepshow.
p.m. buffet,
The District of Rock
Audrey
Browns
Nahant
Marsh
7:15 p.m.
pre-show,
@ Quad City Arts Center starting May 15 Island. Noon-6 p.m. Free.
For information, call
7:45 p.m.
(309)788-6311 or visit RIDistrict.com.
show. Sundays: 4-5 p.m. buffet,
Sunday, May 24 ArtWork Expo.
5:15 p.m. pre-show, 5:45 p.m. show.
Chalk-mural
contest in which area
Wednesdays: 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
high-schoolers
compete for prize
plated lunch, 1 p.m. pre-show, 1:30
money
for
their
high schools artp.m. show. $44.41-50.16. For tickets
supply budgets, with the murals
and information, call (309)786-7733
on display through June. Bucktown
extension 2 or visit Circa21.com.
Center for the Arts (225 East Second
Street, Davenport). 10 a.m. For
information, call (563)424-1210 or visit
Monday, May 25 Quad Cities
Midcoast.org.
Criterium. The 50th-anniversary

SPORTS

racing celebration presented by the


Quad Cities Bicycle Club, featuring
more than 650 cyclists from the U.S.,
Canada, and Europe, with 12 Criterium
bicycle races, childrens activities, and
more. Village of East Davenport. 8:30
a.m.-6 p.m. Free. For information, visit
QuadCitiesCriterium.com.

VISUAL ARTS

Friday, May 15, through Friday,


July 3 Nahant Marsh: Almost an
Island. Exhibit of pastels by Audrey
Brown and photographs by Randy
Richmond. Quad City Arts Center
Gallery (1715 Second Avenue, Rock
Island). Tuesdays through Fridays 10
a.m.-5 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Free. For information, call (309)7931213 or visit QuadCityArts.com.
Friday, May 15, and Saturday,
May 16 Mini Metro Makers Sale
& Expo. Scale-model and dollhouse
exhibits, vendors, presentations,

EVENTS

Saturday, May 16, and Sunday,


May 17 Monster Jam. The monstertruck touring show featuring Grave
Digger, Monster Mutt Dalmatian,
Backwards Bob, Captains Curse,
Monster Energy, Soldier Fortune,
Scooby-Doo, and Team Hot Wheels
Firestorm. i wireless Center (1201
River Drive, Moline). Saturday 7 p.m.,
Sunday 2 p.m. $22.50-47.50, $5-10 pitparty tickets. For tickets, call (800)7453000 or visit iwirelessCenter.com.
Saturday, May 16 St. Ambrose
University Wine Festival Wine
Tasting. Annual front-lawn fundraiser
for student scholarships, featuring
samples of 150 wines from around the
world and culinary highlights from
Quad Cities restaurants. St. Ambrose
University (518 West Locust Street,
Davenport). 3-6 p.m. $45-50. For
tickets and information, visit SAU.edu/
winefest.

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

GUEST COMMENTARY

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

Continued From Page 3

15

by Scott E. Stafne

How Jury Trials Could Have Softened the Blow of the Financial Crisis
example, Stephen B. Burbank and Stephen
N. Subrin, in an article titled Litigation &
Democracy: Restoring a Realistic Prospect
of Trial, criticize the new plausibility
standard not only because it is not
consistent with the Seventh Amendment,
but also because the Supreme Court
changed the motion to dismiss procedure
by judicially interpreting the rule.
By claiming to merely interpret the
meaning of Federal Rule of Procedure 12(b)
(6) which, if true, would have violated
the principle of stare decisis the Supreme
Court bypassed the rule-making process. By
doing so, a majority of the court bypassed
any notice and comment to the bar with
regard to this change in procedure. More
importantly, the court deprived Congress
of the opportunity to review and, if
necessary, to block any prospective policy
choices before the rule became effective.
Iqbal/Twombley announces to the bar, as
well as Congress, that this Supreme Court
will not be deterred by those constitutional
checks our framers intended to deter abuses
by the judicial department. This disdain by
the court has been felt most acutely today
by the poor and the middle and uppermiddle classes, which do not have the
resources to litigate or resist litigation.
In 2011, the Federal Judicial Center
commissioned a report (RCReader.com/y/
stafne1) to determine the effect of Iqbal/
Twombley on dismissals. With regard to
borrowers and homeowners, the effects
of these decisions appeared devastating.
More than 91 percent of complaints dealing
with financial instruments were dismissed
based on the plausibility standard.
Significantly, this percentage includes only
those complaints filed by lawyers. If pro
se complaints are factored in (and there
would have been a lot of them), federal
judges likely would have dismissed close
to 100 percent of borrowers/homeowners
complaints against the lending industry
based on Iqbals plausibility standard.
Such a high dismissal rate seems
implausible itself given the plethora of
studies and settlements, which substantiate
that most county land filings are wrong and,
in many cases, illegal. (See, for example,
Foreclosure in California: A Crisis in
Compliance at RCReader.com/y/stafne2.)
It is difficult for most of us (lawyer and
layperson alike) to understand why the
rest of the world knows of lender/servicer
illegal misconduct (by way of congressional
investigations, case settlements, and
anecdotal reports) while federal judges still
do not believe complaints by borrowers
and homeowners alleging this same
documented conduct are plausible.
Those few cases that have been tried

before a jury suggest that, unlike judges,


juries would have no trouble finding lender/
servicer conduct actionable and awarding
large damages to injured homeowners.
Of course, there will be those who
attribute these large verdicts to juror
fallibility, but more likely they reflect deep
public outrage. It is these types of verdicts
that our founders foresaw would prevent
this type of crisis from occurring. While
the rich may have undue influence over
public officials and judges, their influence
over a jury will be determined by the facts

presented to these impartial people.


Our founders were smart. In hindsight,
they seem a lot sharper than those judges
who have tried so hard to avoid the
common sense of the average American.
Had there been a likelihood in 2008 that
most cases of this type would be tried
to a jury, with the possibility of multimillion-dollar verdicts against the lenders,
this crisis would have been over before
it began. Instead, we now have the next
wave of vultures purchasing toxic debt that
they expect the courts to enforce to the

detriment of society.
The Constitution contemplated that
jurors might make mistakes, and that such
mistakes would accrue to the common
good. This, of course, would have been
the case if the devastation of American
communities had been avoided by judges
following the Constitution and allowing
citizens their right to a trial before a jury of
their peers in civil cases.
Scott E. Stafne is an attorney with Stafne
Trumbull, PLLC. This article originally
appeared at ScottStafne.com.

16

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

COVER STORY

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

Continued From Page 7

Remembrances of John OMeara Jr.


was nothing John would not do for
a friend.
He supported every local
musician just by being there.
When he was not playing himself,
he was listening to a friend perform.
Everyone loved to be around
John.
No matter how difficult his
situation became, he always had a
smile and kept people laughing. His
whole life was focused on playing
music and helping or supporting
others, especially musicians.
He will be missed.
Mitzi Harris

A Heart as Big as
They Come

A Stand-Up Guy

John and I first worked together


in the 80s. What a guy! Its a given
that he was a great player. More
importantly, he was a stand-up guy,
great to work with, totally giving
to others just a great guy! I never
heard him complain, even through
his long and severe physical trials.
Always smiling and concerned
about others. Heres to you, Johnny
O. Now youre playing pain-free.
Denny Hitchcock
Denny Hitchcock is a producer at Circa 21
Dinner Playhouse.

Super Nanny

When our son son Leo was four years


old, my wife Betsy went back to work.
Leo was in preschool at the time, but we
needed someone to watch him for the
summer months. His grandfather John Sr.
could, but John Jr. also offered to help. As a
working musician, John worked nights and
weekends, so he had the time and looked
forward to spending time with his family.
We were grateful.
I often joke that Leo has a super-power,
an ability to instantly sense who the bad
guys and the good guys are. From the
beginning, he knew John was one of
the good guys. He loved his uncle and
the summers he spent with him. Those
summers, John was Super Nanny.
Dan McNeil

Always About Giving Love

I was lucky enough to be part of Johnnys


life for the last couple of years.
Though we met through music, that did
not define us. As John was going through
some rough times, we talked and spent a lot
of time together. With Johnny at my house

so much, he and my dog Lobo developed a


great friendship.
At times John had a hard time expressing
himself, and Lobo would just lick his hand
and Johnny would relax and get his point
across.
My Wonder Dog Lobo was used to
getting a small ice-cream cup as a treat
daily and knew where they were. I am not
a big ice-cream eater, so no one else ever
had one.
After dinner one evening, Johnny went
and got an ice cream, not knowing they
were Lobos. (It was real ice cream, not the
dog kind.) While he was eating, Lobo sat
directly in front of him with his mouth just
drooling. Johnny asked what was going
on, and I told him he should go back and
get Lobo one, because they were his. Once
Lobo had his ice-cream cup, he kept a
watchful eye on Johnny as he finished it off.
Johnny and Lobo became so close that
when he had the opportunity to be my
guest for 10 days over Christmas this past
year, Lobo slept at the foot of his bed and
stuck to him like glue.
I didnt know Johnny as long as others
did, but Lobo and I were the recipients of
his love and caring. Through all the pain
and discomfort he never revealed, Johnny
O was always about giving love.
Don Stewart

John and I played music


together off and on for years,
and he was actually in my blues
band for a time in the early
90s. He was also one of the first
folks there for us following our
daughter Karlis accident. Most
folks around these parts know
the story of how our younger
daughter Ali and I saw Karlis face
in the moon. John came over the
next morning and just couldnt
wait to tell us what he had seen in
the moon the night before, but he
couldnt get the words out. When
he tried to tell me, he broke down
in tears. I remember him holding
onto me as I told him I knew
what he had seen. He had a heart
as big as they come, and a very
contagious smile. Material things
just werent that important to
him, and his family, friends, and
music were all the wealth he ever
needed. We had some wild times
together, and a million laughs. It
broke our hearts when his playing
was impaired by the surgery on his brain
tumor, but he was a fighter and virtually had
to re-learn how to use his right hand. We
all loved that red-headed rascal, and we will
miss him so much.
Ellis Kell

Changing the Mood with


His Presence

I have known John since high school.


Once a mutual friend was going through a
rough patch, and John came in and changed
the mood with his presence. He knew that
everything was going to be okay and made
you feel that way, too. I have never met
anyone who lives in the moment like John
did. Peace to you, my old friend.
Jeffrey Clark

Never Goodbye

When I was asked to write some things


about Johnny O, it was something I had
to think about. How does one sum up
someone as great as John was in a few
words or sentences? This has been a
devastating time for my husband and
myself and everyone who knew him.
Anyone who came in contact with John
loved him, and we truly felt our lives were

enriched because he was in it. No matter


where John went, he seemed to know
everyone. And if there was someone he
didnt know, by the time he left he made a
new friend. He was really good at bringing
lots of people together.
To share the happy moments with John, I
honestly dont know where to start, because
there was so many. I know he was there for
anyone who needed him no matter what
he was going through. He taught a lot of us
how to live our life every day to the fullest.
And to laugh, always laugh. And to make
you see things in a whole different way was
something he was really good at, too. He
always had a smile on his face, his bass in his
hand, and a song in his heart. I remember
reading that about him somewhere. And he
was loved everywhere he went.
One time when visiting him at his house,
I said goodbye and he said, It was never
goodbye. Its always see you later. How
many times have that night and those
words played over and over in my head
since he passed? And I do believe that. So I
will see you later, my dearest friend.
Shelley Hanson

A Final Gift

On Saturday before Johns death, we


were told he wouldnt be able to donate any
organs because the infectious disease had
made it too risky for a recipient. However,
at 9:10 a.m. on April 22, Galveston Lions
Eye Bank received Johns tests to learn he
was a match. At 9:30 a.m., Lions came to
inform floor nurses (we could hear them
talking in hallway) that Lions wanted to
talk with us to see if we were still interested
in donating. Before the Lions could come
in the room, at 9:41 a.m. John took last
breath, although the official time of death
was 10:15 a.m. When meeting with Lions
Club and other parties a bit later that day,
the Lions representative was so giddy. He
just kept repeating to me that they had
been looking for a match for this person
for a very long time. He let me know one of
Johns corneas was to be given to a minor
youth who was very deserving, and the
Lions had been searching to match the
youth for a very long time. Johns other
cornea an adult received, and the rest of the
eye was donated to Baylor University for
infectious-disease research.
Elisabeth (Lisa) Lockheart
Elisabeth Lockheart was John OMearas
significant other.

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

MOVIES

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

Continued From Page 11

by Mike Schulz
mike@rcreader.com

Super Salad
Would anyone have complained if
there were? As much as I can lament my
crowds collective eating up of the boring
CGI mayhem, they were also more than
alert to the movies quieter segments
the scenes of Hawkeyes previously
unreferenced domestic life, for instance,
or the incredibly touching romantic
build-up between Black Widow and a
figure whose identity I wouldnt dream of
spoiling. (The gentleman sitting in front
of me, who threw his fist in the air during
the most violent encounters, did the same
when this pair eventually kissed, and also
shouted Yes! Finally!) Early on, our
heroes get to enjoy a cocktail soiree with
relaxed joshing and casual banter and his
teammates trying, unsuccessfully, to lift
Thors hammer; the sequence is so fresh
and funny that you wish it would never
end. Our leads, for the most part, deliver
lovely and humane (and frequently
very funny) portrayals, with Johansson,
Renner, and Ruffalo especially strong
and thoughtful. Olsen is a very welcome
addition though I do wish that instead
of Taylor-Johnson, the livelier Evan
Peters wouldve been allowed to reprise
his Quicksilver role from X-Men: Days
of Future Past. Theres great enjoyment
in seeing Marvel returnees Samuel L.
Jackson, Don Cheadle, Anthony Mackie,
Colbie Smulders, Idris Elba, and Stellan
Skarsgrd. The amazing guest list also
manages to include Linda Cardellini,
Andy Serkis, Julie Delpy, Thomas
Kretschmann ... and those are just the
performers I noticed. (One of whom I
didnt was Josh Brolin, who apparently

17

shows up in the credit cookie I didnt


stick around for.)
No film with this cast could ever
be wholly devoid of personality, even
when relentless visual-effects wonders,
just like Ultron himself, are doing
their darnedest to make human beings
irrelevant. And while I currently feel
I got all I needed from Avengers: Age
of Ultron the first time around, I can
easily see myself sitting through it again
some day just for Johanssons femme
fatale lusciousness, or Cardellinis
gentle heartache, or Cheadles hardwon satisfaction in finally getting his
dopey joke to land. For those of us who
continually bemoan Hollywoods steady
diet of cinematic comic books, Joss
Whedon may be serving up more of the
same. But with his persistent interest in
people above all else, hes also bless him
doing all he can to add some flavor to
the menu.

HOT PURSUIT
All movies provide at least one reason
to feel grateful, because even the worst
movies eventually, mercifully end. Director
Anne Fletchers action comedy Hot Pursuit
provides exactly one reason to feel grateful.
How did this happen? How did Reese
Witherspoon, coming off the career high
of Wild, agree to not only star in but
co-produce this staggeringly unfunny,
demeaning vehicle that spends its whole
running length making her and screen
partner Sofia Vergara look like absolute
imbeciles? It goes without saying that

Witherspoon and Vergara can be charming


and inventive comediennes, despite the
formers many bad choices in material
and the latters increasingly tired Modern
Family antics. But the hatefully insipid
scenarios and senseless characters that
Flecthers outing sticks them with bring
out the worst in the performers, who
appear to believe that constant screeching
will atone for Hot Pursuits complete
lack of laughs. The movie isnt Dumb &
Dumber; its Shrill & Shriller.
Its not worth getting into like, at all
but the plot finds Witherspoons by-thebook police officer having to get Vergaras
pampered wife of a drug-cartel informant
into protective custody before theyre
gunned down by mob enforcers and/or a
pair of corrupt cops. If you remember the
1988 buddy comedy Midnight Run with
Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin, its
kind of like that, if Midnight Run were
unbelievably terrible. Bossy little Reese
who, astoundingly, cant even maintain an
exaggerated Southern accent here barks
orders that are routinely ignored, busty
Sofia teeters around on high heels in the
midst of foot chases, and through it all the
leads never stop shrieking at each other;
even their routine conversations are louder
than Avengers: Age of Ultron. The casting,
obviously, is meant to convey comically
mismatched, but in addition to being
individually irritating, Witherspoon and
Vergara exude so little shared chemistry
that youd almost think they were in
entirely separate, equally unenjoyable
movies. (As nothing about the film made
me smile, let alone chuckle, I bolted the

auditorium as soon as the end credits


began, and consequently missed out the
accompanying blooper reel. Ill learn to
live with the loss.)
Its unclear, however, whether any
performers couldve salvaged this wretched
screenplay by David Feeney and John
Quaintance, which trots out such high-larious high jinks as our heroines making an
escape through a tiny bathroom window
(look at Vergara getting stuck like Winniethe-Pooh!) and Witherspoon infiltrating
a party by dressing in drag (check out her
resemblance to Justin Bieber!). And while
I hardly expected directorial finesse from
the helmer of 27 Dresses and The Proposal,
arent female stars in Hollywood ill-served
enough without Fletcher exacerbating
the problem? Did her camera need to
spend quite so much time lasciviously
ogling Vergaras cleavage? And when the
stars pretend to be lesbians to distract Jim
Gaffigans gun-totin redneck, did Fletcher
really need to compound the humiliation
by shooting their awkward near-make-out
in porn-y slow-motion? Beginning with
the puerile double entendre of its title, Hot
Pursuit is offensive for plenty of reasons,
but its humiliation of two frequently gifted
actresses is easily the most egregious. For
90 minutes, youre given nothing to focus
on but a pair of boobs.
For reviews of Clouds of Sils Maria
and other current releases, visit
RiverCitiesReader.com.
Follow Mike on Twitter at Twitter.com/
MikeSchulzNow.

RiverCitiesReader.com

18

Ask

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

the

Smells Like
Bean Spirit

Advice
Goddess

My girlfriend of a year is 51 and lovely in


most areas except one: She often passes
gas and recently started belching audibly.
She is a psychotherapist, dresses nicely, and
has a great figure. However, she grew up in a
male-dominated, military home. She thinks
Im weird and overly sensitive to be
disturbed by these behaviors, but I, like most
men, like the whole feminine thing. I now
feel less attracted to her, and our sex life has
diminished somewhat. I wonder whether Im
being tested in some way.
Bummed
Audible is an audio-book producer; it
shouldnt describe your girlfriends butt.
Okay, so she grew up in a military family
the lone sister trying to fit in with the band
of brothers. (Semper fffffffffft!) But that was
then, and this is now. These days, if she spots
some lady with 11 items in the 10 items
or less lane, Im guessing she doesnt whip
out the sat phone to order a drone strike on
the womans minivan. Likewise, you arent
unreasonable in asking her to respect the
difference between free expression and toofree expression. (Your role in the relationship
shouldnt be Courage Under Fire.)
Some couples do view being gross in front
of each other as an endurance test for love a
sort of Survivor: El Bano as if theyve got
something so special that it transcends their
seeing their beloved straining on the throne.
And sure, if you love someone and they get
sick, you dont stop loving them because
youre holding their hair back while theyre
puking their guts out. But the reality is that its
hard enough to keep the sexy alive over time
when you really make an effort. As for your
girlfriends insistence on crop-dusting her way
across the bedroom, way to clear a room, lady
of all sexual attraction.
Explain to your girlfriend that of course
therell be the occasional accidental toot in
yoga class. (To air is human!) But love involves
treating someone as if they matter. Even when
you think their concerns are weird. (Crazy
that you dont find it the height of femininity
when your girlfriend interrupts sexy-time with
Come on, pull my finger!)
Tell her that youre hurt that your feelings
dont seem to mean enough for her to curtail
her behavior in the most minor way the way

BY AMY ALKON

that she surely does at cocktail parties and


around her patients. (Please tell me that as
some tearful guy tells her about his traumatic
childhood, she isnt lifting a leg and letting one
rip: Wow, those nightshade vegetables really
dont agree with me!)
If she keeps on keeping on, give some
thought to whether shes loving enough for you
to continue seeing. When you have a girlfriend
who blows you away, it should probably be with
her kindness, intelligence, and beauty and not
the chimichangas she had for lunch.

Meet Joe Blank

Id really like the guy Im dating


to compliment me more. I know hes
super-attracted to me, but hes not very
complimentary, and it makes me feel that he
doesnt think Im pretty. How do I get him to
compliment me without the awkward Dont
you think I look hot?
Insecure
Unfortunately, men tend to do poorly at
hint-taking. So, no, you cant just stand next to
the kitchen table in your cute new skirt after
laying out Doritos in the shape of a question
mark. But because male sexuality is visual,
its comforting to know that your boyfriends
looking across a party at you and thinking I
want you and not I want you to move over
so I can see that hot woman behind you. And
it turns out that complimenting you is actually
good for him, too. Research on gratitude by
psychologist Sara Algoe suggests that the
stock-taking that goes into people expressing
appreciation for their partners works as a sort
of emotional Post-it note, reminding them of
how good they have it. And the appreciation
itself tends to leave both partners feeling more
bonded and satisfied with the relationship.
Instead of fishing for a compliment in
the moment yicky and humiliating take
advantage of how men like to know theyre
making their woman happy and tell him
(and remind him, if necessary) that you love
hearing it when he thinks you look good.
But you might also recognize that hes been
complimenting you, just not in a chatty way.
(As you noted, I know hes super-attracted to
me.) And sure, there are men out there whod
be far more naturally verbal about their feelings
men who havent exactly walked a mile in
your stilettos but have a pair that looks a lot like
them in size 14 extra-extra-wide.

Got A Problem? Ask Amy Alkon.

171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405


or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol.com (AdviceGoddess.com)
2015, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved.

MUSIC

Continued From Page 10

Just the Right Bullets


with male backing vocals, McVeys
singing took on an almost mournful
weight. The imperfect textures came
to feel less like a failing than a choice
the best way to emotionally convey the
lyrics.
So on Marker for a Grave, her voice
captures the words intentionally vague
lament the loss of people and things
whose names are long forgotten. The
meaning of the lyrics is crystal clear,
but the vocals do the heavy lifting. Its
an alchemic matching of material and
treatment.
When the subject is more personal,
the blend of loose singing and sharp
writing is even more magical. On Trust
to Dust, the first impression is again
of off-target vocals, but thats replaced
in the muted crescendo of the chorus
by a forceful precision in the impact
of a relationship and its end, both in
the words and their delivery: Did you
think cause you let go / Didnt leave a
mark that would show / That you were
free to go? / No absolution for you / No
compensation for me / Can equal the
price I pay.
The idiosyncrasy of McVeys voice,
though, requires strong songwriting
to work. The lyrics on some songs
are awkward, and on those tracks her
singing just feels off. If Wishes Were
Horses, for instance, has a clever idea
shoehorned into a forced line: Like a
playlist / On shuffle repeat / I cant stop
/ Replaying my mistakes. I love the
simile, but because the words dont have
an easy rhythm, they demand a vocal
treatment that can elegantly transform
them and McVeys nakedly coarse

by Jeff Ignatius
jeff@rcreader.com

singing lacks the polish to pull it off.


More frequently, though, she finds
the right balance of open-wound
singing with the counterweight of artful
songcraft. The vocals on Dont Come
Back feel truer, and the acoustic guitar
and flute provide a light touch that
helps them take flight and conveys
a solemn, graceful freedom matching
the lyrics. And the song has a fantastic,
casually tossed-off closer: I know you
made your choice / Thank God it wasnt
me.
Every Ending has a folk authenticity
in which the vocal readings
particularly the way the voices separate
and come back together have a
gorgeous tightness.
The title-track opener has a layering
of the instruments that adds depth to
the singing delicate acoustic guitar,
distortion in the bass, and nimbly
expressive lead guitar that echoes the
vocal lines in the chorus. Even though
McVeys singing feels at times artless,
its often a strength on Slings & Arrows,
particularly when the arrangements and
lyrics give them the emotional context
they require.
Robyn McVey will celebrate the release
of Slings & Arrows at a Songwriters
Showcase on May 28 at the River Music
Experience (129 Main Street, Davenport;
RiverMusicExperience.org). The 7 p.m.
event also features Jenny Ferrell, Mark
Ridolfi, and David G. Smith, and cover
is $5.
For more information on McVey, visit
RobynMcVey.com.

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): The


danger of resisting a temptation too
strenuously is that the temptation
might depart. I suggest that you
prevent that from happening. Without throwing
yourself at the mercy of the temptation, see
if you can coax it to stick around for a while
longer. Why? In my view, its playing a useful role
in your life. Its motivating you to change some
things that really do need to be changed. On
the other hand, Im not yet sure that it should
become anything more than a temptation. It
might serve you best that way, not as an object of
your satisfied desire.

Renowned for his ability to beat larger armies,


he also had great skill at minimizing loss of
life among his own troops. His most famous
triumph took place in 1815, when he led the
forces that defeated Napoleon Bonaparte at
Waterloo. In the aftermath, the French tyrant
lost his power and went into exile. What was the
secret of Wellesleys success? Bonapartes plans
were made in wire, he said. Mine were made in
string. In other words, Wellesleys strategy was
more flexible and adaptable. As circumstances
changed, it could be rearranged with greater
ease. Thats the approach I recommend for you
in the coming days.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): My


astrological colleagues discourage
me from talking to you Bulls about
financial matters. Most Tauruses know 10
times more about the mystery of money than
you will ever know, said one. Their excellent
instincts trump any tips you could offer.
Another astrologer concurred, noting, The
financial advice you give Tauruses will at best
be redundant and at worst simplistic. A third
colleague summed it up: Offering Tauruses
guidance about money is like counseling
Scorpios about sex. So although Im shy about
providing recommendations, I will say this: The
next five weeks will be a favorable time to set in
motion the plans to get rich quicker!

VIRGO (August 23-September 22):


You may not be strong enough to
take a shot at a daunting challenge
thats five levels beyond your previous best.
But I think you are at least ready to try a tricky
challenge thats one level higher than where you
have been operating. And that, in my opinion,
is a more practical use of your courage. I think it
would be a waste of your energy to get wrapped
up in grandiose fantasies about impossible
perfections. As long as you dont overreach, you
can accomplish small miracles.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Endings


to be useful must be inconclusive,
wrote science-fiction novelist Samuel
R. Delany. I endorse that theory for your use in
the coming weeks. Interweave it with this advice
from playwright Sam Shepard: The temptation
towards resolution, towards wrapping up the
package, seems to me a terrible trap. Why not
be more honest with the moment? The most
authentic endings are the ones which are already
revolving towards another beginning. In other
words, Gemini, dont be attached to neat finales
and splashy climaxes. Consider the possibility that
you can simply slip free of the complicated past
and head toward the future without much fanfare.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): In
mythic terms, you should be headed
for the winners circle, which is inside
the pleasure dome. The parade in
your honor should follow the award ceremony,
and lets hope you will be on the lead float
wearing a gold crown and holding a real magic
wand while being sung to by a choir of people
you love and who love you. If for any reason
you are not experiencing some version of these
metaphors, I urge you to find out why. Or
better yet, get busy on planning a homecoming
or graduation party or award ceremony for
yourself. From an astrological perspective,
you have a mandate to be recognized and
appreciated for the gifts you offer the world.
LEO (July 23-August 22): British
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley was
a brilliant military commander.

LIBRA (September 23-October 22):


I suspect you are about to experience
some prime contenders for The Most Unusual
Adventures of 2015. Are you thoroughly
prepared? Of course not. Theres no way you
can be totally ready to adapt to unpredictable
wrinkles and change your mind at a moments
notice. But thats exactly what will make these
experiments so fun. Thats why they will be
effective in building up your resilience and
willpower. For best results, apply your nighttime
thinking to daytime activities, and vice versa.
Spend minimal time on responsibilities that
dont teach you noble truths about your fellow
madmen and madwomen. Now heres my big
question: How can you tap into the extra power
you will need during your rite of passage?
SCORPIO (October 23-November
21): Many modern astronomers
are allergic to astrology, but from
my perspective there is no inherent conflict
between the two fields. Four of historys greatest
astronomers were practicing astrologers, after
all: Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, Tycho
Brahe, and Pierre Gassendi. One of my friends
in college, a Scorpio woman named Martha
Maiden, is a first-rate astrologer who got a
degree in astronomy and became a top scientist
at NASA. In the spirit of finding reconciliation
between apparent opposites, Im happy to say
that you are now a virtual virtuoso in your
ability to reconcile both apparent opposites and
actual opposites. I invite you to use this aptitude
with flair and daring.
SAGITTARIUS (November
22-December 21): Sagittarian Matt
Stutzman competes in the sport
of archery. Hes the worlds record holder for

19

by Rob Brezsny
longest accurate shot, having hit a target 230
yards away. What makes his accomplishment
so extraordinary is the fact that he was born
without any arms. He holds each arrow in his
mouth and grasps the bow with his right foot
and the help of a chest harness. In the spirit
of this armless archer, and in accordance with
your current astrological omens, I invite you to
initiate an attempt to triumph over one of your
so-called disadvantages.
CAPRICORN (December
22-January 19): Long before Lou
Reed recorded the song Walk on the
Wild Side, Nelson Algren wrote a novel titled
A Walk on the Wild Side. It depicts the luxuriant
depravity of New Orleans French Quarter in
the 1930s. One of Algrens most enduring bits
of spiritual advice goes as follows: Never, ever,
no matter what else you do in your whole life,
never sleep with anyone whose troubles are
worse than your own. What do you think of
that, Capricorn? Even if you dont regard it as a
universal rule that you should unfailingly obey,
I suggest you observe it in the coming weeks.
For the sake of your mental hygiene, be extra
discerning about what influences you absorb
not just in bed, but everywhere.
AQUARIUS (January 20-February
18): The cosmos has authorized
you to be hungrier than usual. You may also feel
free to respond to your enhanced hunger with
an extra aggressive quest to be fed. Therefore:
Be voracious! Risk being avid, ardent, and even
agog. Fill yourself up with pudding, pleasure,
praise, peace, perks, and privileges. Anything
else youd like to engorge? If some unenlightened
person questions your right to claim the biggest
piece and the sweetest taste and the best fuel,
inform them that your astrologer says you have
ultimate permission.
PISCES (February 19-March 20): Is
there an interesting ally whose path
rarely crosses yours? Do you draw
inspiration from a like-minded dynamo who
is not fully available? Has fate kept you and a
friend from getting as close as you would wish?
According to my reading of the astrological
omens, relationships such as these could become
more substantial in the coming weeks. The
dream of a more robust connection could ripen
into an opportunity to actually collaborate. So
be alert for the openings, and be prepared to do
whats necessary to go deeper.
Homework: Imagine that everything important
you know is condensed into a single symbol or
image. What is it? FreeWillAstrology.com.

Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny's

EXPANDED WEEKLY AUDIO HOROSCOPES


& DAILY TEXT MESSAGE HOROSCOPES
The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at

1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700

20

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

MOM'S THE WORD May 14, 2015

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

April 30 Answers: Right

April 30 Crossword Answers

ACROSS
1. Dalai _
5. Free ticket
9. Web program
15. Gadfly
19. Ersatz: Abbr.
20. Greek peak
21. Take
22. Suffice _ _ say
23. Fussbudget cousin: 2 wds.
25. A kind of chaperone
27. Senior clergyman
28. Pasta variety
29. Yielding
30. Swellheads problem
31. Darkened
33. Prairie dogs, e.g.
34. Rich dough
37. Draw from
38. Gaped
40. Staler anagram
42. White House name
45. _ Hashim Epps
46. Simpsons barkeep
49. Nobody Knows the Trouble _
Seen
50. Arthurs castle
52. _ Abner
53. Complain
54. Strikes
56. Elec. units
57. Worn-out
59. _ -frutti
60. British length
62. Lord in feudal Scotland
63. Laved
64. Storm petrel: 3 wds.
68. Describing some dates
69. Bouquets
70. Bury
71. Wheyfaced
72. Provide freely
73. _ there, done that
75. Healthy look
78. Part of GUI
79. Lugubrious
80. Cubism pioneer
82. Noted ring champ
83. Roman god

84. Kind of Japanese soup


85. Lee and Musial
86. Media-giant name
89. Moderate
91. Abbr. on a map
92. Shelf
93. Like some parties
96. Break
99. Flag
100. State in India
101. Kudrow and Simpson
102. Island in Indonesia
106. Our world: 2 wds.
108. Scouts leader: 2 wds.
110. Cay
111. Cloak
112. Cuckoopint
113. Antler prong
114. Homophone for seize
115. Stopped
116. Start for bit or ton
117. Pier
DOWN
1. Hobble
2. Omnia vincit _
3. Insect
4. Letterman
5. City in Portugal
6. Tennis great
7. Letters on a compass
8. _ Salvador
9. Yearned
10. Get in touch with
11. Pummels
12. Forfeit
13. Native of: Suffix
14. Worldly
15. Felt for
16. Hawke or Allen
17. Artery insert
18. Legal wrongs
24. Gung-ho
26. Like the firstborn
28. Kind of cross
31. Impress
32. What Cerberus guards
33. Fiber plant

34. Hand in poker


35. Inventors middle name
36. Cinderella villain
39. Indian of Mexico
41. Alarmed
43. Common sense cousin: 2 wds.
44. Alley cats
46. Original home
47. Of a grain
48. Dame _ Diana Elizabeth Rigg
51. Part of ABA or AMA: Abbr.
53. Peat bog
55. Bird dog
58. _ and outs
59. Diplomats forte
61. Subsequently
62. Combatants
63. Remove the chaff
64. _ brevis
65. Some domiciles
66. Recipe word
67. Hastens
68. Peter _ Rubens
72. Moved with care
73. African people
74. Letters
76. Mr. Cassini
77. Surveillance device
79. Handguns
81. Carries
84. American inventor
87. Texas landmark
88. Racing event
89. Dovetails
90. _ days hath...
93. Club performer
94. Came to prominence
95. Appellation
97. Plant fiber
98. Oohed and _
99. _ cum laude
101. Turner or Del Rey
102. Comfy
103. Watery
104. Regular expense
105. Neighborhood
107. Corrode
108. Wall-like barrier
109. One palindrome in another

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

21

Live Music Live Music Live Music


Email all listings to calendar@rcreader.com Deadline 5 p.m. Thursday before publication

THURSDAY

2015/05/13 (Wed)

00
14

Ancient River - Dead Feathers - Zuul


-Gabes, 330 E. Washington St. Iowa
City, IA
Chris Avey Experience Acoustic Show
-Rascals Live, 1414 15th St. Moline, IL
DeltaWavesENT -Iowa City Yacht Club,
13 S Linn St Iowa City, IA
Jef & Doc -11th Street Precinct, 1107
Mound St. Davenport, IA
Lojo Russo -Grumpys Saloon, 2120 E
11th St Davenport, IA
Mike Zito - The Steepwater Band
-The Redstone Room, 129 Main St
Davenport, IA
Mori Mente - Garrin Jost -Rozz-Tox,
2108 3rd Ave. Rock Island, IL
The Strays -Riverside Casino and Golf
Resort, 3184 Highway 22 Riverside, IA

FRIDAY

2015/05/15 (Fri)

00
15

Bucktown Revue -Nighswander Theatre, 2822 Eastern Ave Davenport, IA


Buddy Olson (5pm) -Missippi Brew,
River Dr Muscatine, IA
Camp Euforia Quad City Showcase:
Have Your Cake - Frank F. Sydneys
Western Bandit Volunteers - Earth
Ascending -The Redstone Room,
129 Main St Davenport, IA
Corporate Rock -11th Street Precinct,
1107 Mound St. Davenport, IA
Dale Thomas (5:30pm) - Nuclear Plowboys (8:30pm) -The Rusty Nail, 2606
W. Locust St. Davenport, IA
Exit, Emergency - The Easy Mark We Have Your Satellite - Survival
Soundtrack - Cliffdiving (5:30pm)
- La Witch - Jeremy Porter & the Tucos - Pamperhead - Burning Hands
(10pm) -Gabes, 330 E. Washington St.
Iowa City, IA

Groovement - The Candymakers


-Iowa City Yacht Club, 13 S Linn St
Iowa City, IA
Inti-Illimani (6:30pm) -Iowa City Ped
Mall, 14 S. Clinton St Iowa City, IA
Jazz After Five w/ The Blake Shaw
Group (5pm) - Christopher the
Conquered - Gloom Balloon Dagmar (9pm) -The Mill, 120 E.
Burlington St. Iowa City, IA
Justin Morrissey -Riverside Grille, 1733
State St. Bettendorf, IA
Kronos Resistor - Crater - Archimedes
Death Ray -RIBCO, 1815 2nd Ave.
Rock Island, IL
Little Vito -Riverside Casino and Golf
Resort, 3184 Highway 22 Riverside, IA
QC Homeschool Band Spring Showcase (5pm) -RME Community Stage,
131 W. 2nd St. Davenport, IA
Soul Storm -Bier Stube Moline Biergarten, 415 15th St. Moline, IL
Studebaker John -The Muddy Waters,
1708 State St. Bettendorf, IA
The Chris & Wes Show -Kilkennys, 300
W. 3rd St. Davenport, IA
The Holydrug Couple - Gosh - Idpyramid -Rozz-Tox, 2108 3rd Ave. Rock
Island, IL
U.S. Army Soldier Show: We Serve
-Adler Theatre, 136 E. 3rd St. Davenport, IA

30
SATURDAY

2015/05/16 (Sat)

16

1st Impression -Rascals Live, 1414 15th


St. Moline, IL
Bone Jugs N Harmony - Cedar County
Cobras -Iowa City Yacht Club, 13 S
Linn St Iowa City, IA
Electric Shock (4pm) - Divebomb
(8pm) -Purgatorys Pub, 2104 State
St Bettendorf, IA

SUNDAY

2015/05/17 (Sun)

Godsmack @ i wireless Center - May 19


Hap Hazard -11th Street Precinct, 1107
Mound St. Davenport, IA
Hot Rods -Col Ballroom, 1012 W. 4th St.
Davenport, IA
Little Vito -Riverside Casino and Golf
Resort, 3184 Highway 22 Riverside, IA
Maks the Fox - Chew Toy -Rozz-Tox,
2108 3rd Ave. Rock Island, IL
Pop Metal Mistress -RIBCO, 1815 2nd
Ave. Rock Island, IL
Quad Cities Steel Guitars in Concert
(11am) - North of 40 (8:30pm)
-The Rusty Nail, 2606 W. Locust St.
Davenport, IA
Rob & Rich Acoustic Duo featuring
Rob Dahms -Village Pub & Grill, 426
1st Ave. West Milan, IL
Russ Reyman Request Piano Bar -The
Phoenix Restaurant & Martini Bar,
111 West 2nd St. Davenport, IA

Shining Star -Ohnward Fine Arts Center,


1215 E Platt St. Maquoketa, IA
The Chris & Wes Show -Kilkennys, 300
W. 3rd St. Davenport, IA
The King in Concert -Adler Theatre, 136
E. 3rd St. Davenport, IA
The Old 57s -Go Fish Marina Bar & Grill,
411 River Dr. Princeton, IA
Wheatfield Soul -Uptown Bills Coffee
House, 730 S. Dubuque St. Iowa
City, IA
Wicked Liz & the Belly Swirls -The
Muddy Waters, 1708 State St. Bettendorf, IA
Wild Oatz -Desperados, 112 S. Main St.
Wheatland, IA
Winterland -Gabes, 330 E. Washington
St. Iowa City, IA

17

Buddy Olson (3pm) -Duckys Lagoon,


13515 78th Ave W. Taylor Ridge, IL
Detroit Larry & Charlie Hayes Blues
& Barbecue (5pm) -The Muddy
Waters, 1708 State St. Bettendorf, IA
Jim Ryan (3pm) -Len Browns North
Shore Inn, 700 N. Shore Dr. Moline, IL
Jordan Danielsen (3pm) -Mulligans
Valley Pub, 310 W 1st Ave Coal
Valley, IL
Sunday Jazz Brunch w/ the Josh Duffee Jazz Quartet (9am) -Bix Bistro,
200 E. 3rd St. Davenport, IA
The Uncredibles - Dr. Dan -Gabes, 330
E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA
Third Sunday Jazz: The Edgar Crockett
Quintet (6pm) -The Redstone Room,
129 Main St Davenport, IA

MONDAY

2015/05/18 (Mon)

18

Josh Duffee & His Jazz Quar tet


(1:30pm) -Senior Star at Elmore
Place, 4500 Elmore Ave. Davenport, IA
Mississippi Valley Country & Western
Music Association Dance -East
Moline American Legion, 829 16th
Ave. East Moline, IL
Moeller Mondays Presents: Jesse
Marchant/JBM - Tom Brosseau Brandon De La Cruz -Rozz-Tox, 2108
3rd Ave. Rock Island, IL
The Underhills - The Men from ...
Beyond - Crystal City - Travel
Guide -Gabes, 330 E. Washington
St. Iowa City, IA

TUESDAY

2015/05/19 (Tue)

19

Chris Avey Live -My Place the Pub, 4405


State St. Bettendorf, IA

Godsmack - Papa Roach - In This Moment -i wireless Center, 1201 River


Dr Moline, IL
Quad City Kix Band -RME Community
Stage, 131 W. 2nd St. Davenport, IA
The Lovebirds -The Mill, 120 E. Burlington St. Iowa City, IA

WEDNESDAY

2015/05/20 (Wed)

20

Chris Avey Experience Acoustic Show


-Rascals Live, 1414 15th St. Moline, IL
Head North - Bonfires (6pm) -Gabes,
330 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA
Kenny Paulsen (5:30pm) -The Rusty
Nail, 2606 W. Locust St. Davenport, IA
Summer Camp Music Festival PreParty featuring Jakubi & Fire Sale
-The Redstone Room, 129 Main St
Davenport, IA

THURSDAY

2015/05/21 (Thu)

00
21

Dave Ellis & Guests -Grumpys Saloon,


2120 E 11th St Davenport, IA
Drunken Logic -Iowa City Yacht Club,
13 S Linn St Iowa City, IA
Jason Carl -11th Street Precinct, 1107
Mound St. Davenport, IA
The Hotrods -Riverside Casino and
Golf Resort, 3184 Highway 22 Riverside, IA

FRIDAY

2015/05/22 (Fri)

00
22

3 on the Tree - Dead Soldiers -RIBCO,


1815 2nd Ave. Rock Island, IL
Alyx Rush -RME Community Stage, 131
W. 2nd St. Davenport, IA
Brown Bag Lunch: Dirty Water Boys
(noon) -Bettendorf Public Library,
2950 Learning Campus Dr. Bettendorf, IA

Continued On Page 22

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QuadCitiesDiningGuide.com
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22

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

Live Music Live Music Live Music

Continued From Page 21


Buddy Olson (5pm) -The Rusty Nail,
2606 W. Locust St. Davenport, IA
Communion Daytrotter May Residency: The Lonely Wild - Beasthead
- Trevor Sensor -Codfish Hollow
Barn, 5013 288th Ave. Maquoketa, IA
Concrete - Muse - Haunter - Pseudo
Reality - Blue Movies -Downtown
Central Perk, 226 W. 3rd St. Davenport, IA
Curtis Hawkins Band -The Muddy
Waters, 1708 State St. Bettendorf, IA
Dan Dimonte & the Bad Assettes Vibes for Tribes -Iowa City Yacht
Club, 13 S Linn St Iowa City, IA
Dirt Road Rockers -Broken Saddle,
1417 5th Ave. Moline, IL
E11eventh Hour -The Cooler, 311 W.
2nd St. Rock Falls, IL
Eleven Fifty Two - The Ladies of Bar
Burlesque - Old Mans Curse -Rascals Live, 1414 15th St. Moline, IL
Hack Sabbath -Gabes, 330 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA
Iowa City High & West High Jazz
Ensembles (6:30pm) -Pedestrian
Plaza, Downtown Iowa City Iowa
City, IA
Jack Lion - Ronin - Dog Hairs -Rozz-Tox,
2108 3rd Ave. Rock Island, IL
Jake Mack -Kilkennys, 300 W. 3rd St.
Davenport, IA
Joe & Vicki Price -The Mill, 120 E. Burlington St. Iowa City, IA
North of 40 -Cedar County Fairgrounds,
Tipton, IA
Salt-N-Pepa -Quad-Cities Waterfront
Convention Center, 2021 State St.
Bettendorf, IA
Soul Storm -11th Street Precinct, 1107
Mound St. Davenport, IA

30
2015/05/23 (Sat)
SATURDAY

2015/05/26 (Tue)

2015/05/27 (Wed)
WEDNESDAY

Jack Lion @ Rozz-Tox - May 22


Mayflies -Iowa City Yacht Club, 13 S Linn
St Iowa City, IA
North of 40 -Purgatorys Pub, 2104 State
St Bettendorf, IA
Russ Reyman Request Piano Bar -The
Phoenix Restaurant & Martini Bar,
111 West 2nd St. Davenport, IA
Spider John Koerner -Princeton Coffeehouse, 25 E. Marion St. Princeton, IL
The Travoltas - 10 of Soul -RIBCO, 1815
2nd Ave. Rock Island, IL

SUNDAY

2015/05/24 (Sun)

24

Always ABBA -Riverside Casino and


Golf Resort, 3184 Highway 22 Riverside, IA
Buddy Olson (3pm) -Duckys Lagoon,
13515 78th Ave W. Taylor Ridge, IL
Donnie Hottub Gustason & Friends
(5pm) -The Muddy Waters, 1708
State St. Bettendorf, IA

Greg & Rich Acoustic Duo (2pm) -Len


Browns North Shore Inn, 700 N.
Shore Dr. Moline, IL
Jordan Danielsen & Jef Spradley
(2pm) -Fireside Winery, 1755 P Ave.
Marengo, IA
North of 40 -The Rusty Nail, 2606 W.
Locust St. Davenport, IA
Sunday Jazz Brunch w/ the Josh Duffee Jazz Quartet (9am) -Bix Bistro,
200 E. 3rd St. Davenport, IA
Them SomBitches -Broken Saddle,
1417 5th Ave. Moline, IL
The Travoltas- Premium Sellouts
-RIBCO, 1815 2nd Ave. Rock Island, IL

MONDAY

2015/05/25 (Mon)

25

Eastern Iowa Brass Band (2pm) -Herbert Hoover Presidential Library


& Museum, 210 Parkside Dr. West
Branch, IA
Moeller Mondays Presents -Rozz-Tox,
2108 3rd Ave. Rock Island, IL

27

Bebop Jazz Night -Rozz-Tox, 2108 3rd


Ave. Rock Island, IL
Burlington Street Bluegrass Band
-The Mill, 120 E. Burlington St. Iowa
City, IA
Chris Avey Experience Acoustic Show
-Rascals Live, 1414 15th St. Moline, IL
The Hitman (5:30pm) -The Rusty Nail,
2606 W. Locust St. Davenport, IA

THURSDAY

2015/05/28 (Thu)

FRIDAY

2015/05/29 (Fri)

Chris Avey Live -My Place the Pub,


4405 State St. Bettendorf, IA
Fruition - Ragged Union -Gabes, 330
E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA

23

Always ABBA (8pm) - The Hotrods


(9:45pm) -Riverside Casino and
Golf Resort, 3184 Highway 22 Riverside, IA
Blues Rock-it -The Muddy Waters, 1708
State St. Bettendorf, IA
BobFest: A Salue to Bob Dylan -Uptown Bills Coffee House, 730 S.
Dubuque St. Iowa City, IA
Caught in the Act -Generations Bar &
Grill, 4100 4th Ave. Moline, IL
Cobalt Blue -11th Street Precinct, 1107
Mound St. Davenport, IA
Code 415 -The Rusty Nail, 2606 W.
Locust St. Davenport, IA
Fifth of Country -My Place the Pub,
4405 State St. Bettendorf, IA
Funktastic Five -Rascals Live, 1414 15th
St. Moline, IL
Jake Mack -Kilkennys, 300 W. 3rd St.
Davenport, IA
Karen Meat - Advance Base - Lisa/
Liza -Rozz-Tox, 2108 3rd Ave. Rock
Island, IL
Lee Blackmon (3pm) -Creekside Vineyards Winery & Inn, 7505 120th Ave.
Coal Valley, IL
Live Lunch w/ Daniel Stratman (noon)
- Daniel Stratman (7pm) -RME
Community Stage, 131 W. 2nd St.
Davenport, IA

26

TUESDAY

The Bros. Landreth - Iron Orchard


-The Redstone Room, 129 Main St
Davenport, IA
The Hotrods (8:30pm) - Truman
Rocks! (9:45pm) -Riverside Casino
and Golf Resort, 3184 Highway 22
Riverside, IA
The Voodoo Fix -Bent River Brewing
Company, 1413 5th Ave. Moline, IL

00
28

Emily Kinney - Adam Tressler - Dylan


Gardner -Rozz-Tox, 2108 3rd Ave.
Rock Island, IL
Greg & Rich Acoustic Duo -Harringtons
Pub, 2321 Cumberland Square Dr.
Bettendorf, IA
Jack Lion - Local on the 8s - The Lowdown -The Mill, 120 E. Burlington St.
Iowa City, IA
Jordan Danielsen & Jef Spradley
-11th Street Precinct, 1107 Mound
St. Davenport, IA
Randy Swift & Friends -Riverside Casino and Golf Resort, 3184 Highway
22 Riverside, IA
Songwriters Showcase: Robyn McVey
CD Release Show - Jenny Ferrell
- Mark Ridolfi - David G. Smith
-The Redstone Room, 129 Main St
Davenport, IA

00
29

David Zollo & the Body Elec tric


(6:30pm) -Pedestrian Plaza, Downtown Iowa City Iowa City, IA
Dead Emperors - Ice Hockey - The Savage Hacks - The Blendours -Gabes,
330 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA
Fickle Filly -Broken Saddle, 1417 5th
Ave. Moline, IL
Final Mix -Riverside Casino and Golf Resort, 3184 Highway 22 Riverside, IA
Greg & Rich Acoustic Duo -Riverside
Grille, 1733 State St. Bettendorf, IA
Jazz After Five w/ Steve Grismore
(5pm) - Catfish Keith (8pm) -The
Mill, 120 E. Burlington St. Iowa
City, IA
Keep Off the Grass -11th Street Precinct, 1107 Mound St. Davenport, IA
Le Roy -The Redstone Room, 129 Main
St Davenport, IA
Lost Country Dancers Dance -Walcott
Coliseum, 116 E Bryant St Walcott, IA
Night of Rock: Black Pussy - Heavyweight - Hong Kong Sleepover
-RIBCO, 1815 2nd Ave. Rock Island, IL
Night People (5pm) - Natty Scratch
(9pm) -The Rusty Nail, 2606 W.
Locust St. Davenport, IA
Pangaea - Still Standing - Bare Bones
- Crater -Rascals Live, 1414 15th St.
Moline, IL
Scott Holt -The Muddy Waters, 1708
State St. Bettendorf, IA
Surgeons in Heat - Truthpick -RozzTox, 2108 3rd Ave. Rock Island, IL
Those Were the Days -The Orpheum
Theatre, 57 S. Kellogg St. Galesburg, IL
Willard Wilcox -Kilkennys, 300 W. 3rd
St. Davenport, IA

Exhibition Closing May 31

Yuriko Yamaguchi

Interconnected in Art, Nature,


Science and Technology
Through May 31, 2015
Using organic, web-like sculptures
from nets of wire and resin forms
cast from dried curls of potatoes,
onion ends, leaves and seed pods
found in nature, Yuriko Yamaguchi
creates ethereal sculptures. The
art seeks to explore the constantly
fluctuating but ever-present
interconnections that bind us to one
another and to the natural world.
Yuriko Yamaguchi is represented by
Howard Scott Gallery, New York, NY

The exhibition was made possible by a grant to EICCD


from the U.S. Institute of Museum & Library Services
Yuriko Yamaguchi, Fire & Water (detail), 2013, hand cast resin and stainless steel wire, courtesy of the artist.

Davenport, Iowa 563.326.7804


www.figgeartmuseum.org

23

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

DJs/Karaoke/
Jams/Open Mics

THURSDAYS

THURSDAYS

C.J. the DJ RIBCO, 1815 2nd Ave., Rock


Island, IL.
Cobra Kai Karaoke The Backroom
Comedy Theater, 1510 N. Harrison St.,
Davenport, IA.
DJ Moon Kavvika (May 14) Iowa
City Yacht Club, 13 S. Linn St., Iowa
City, IA.
DJ Night w/ 90s Music Thirstys on Third,
2202 W. Third St., Davenport, IA.
Karaoke Night Bier Stube Moline, 415
15th Street, Moline, IL.
Karaoke Night My Place the Pub, 4405
State St., Bettendorf, IA.
Mixology DJ Night Gabes, 330 E. Washington St., Iowa City.
Open Jam w/ the Avey Brothers The
Muddy Waters, 1708 State St., Bettendorf, IA.
Open Mic Night Uptown Bills Coffee
House, 730 S. Dubuque Street, Iowa
City, IA.
Thumpin Thursdays DJs - Rascals Live,
1414 15th Street, Moline, IL.
Twisted Mics Music & Entertainment
Broken Saddle, 1417 5th Ave.,
Moline, IL.

FRIDAYS

FRIDAYS

Cross Creek Karaoke Firehouse Bar &


Grill, 2006 Hickory Grove Rd., Davenport, IA.
DJ K Yung Barrel House Moline, 1321
Fifth Ave., Moline, IL.
Karaoke Night (May 22) Bier Stube
LeClaire, 1001 Canal Shore Dr. SW,
LeClaire, IA.
Karaoke Night Circle Tap, 1345 West
Locust Street, Davenport, IA.
Karaoke Night The Grove Tap, 108 S. 1st
St., Long Grove, IA.

Karaoke Night Miller Time Bowling,


2902 E. Kimberly Rd., Davenport, IA.
Karaoke Night Roadrunners Roadhouse,
3803 Rockingham Rd., Davenport, IA.
Karaoke Night Thirstys on Third, 2202
W. Third St., Davenport, IA.
Open Mic w/ Frankie Joe Willderman
(6pm) Mama Comptons, 1725
Second Ave. Arts Alley, Rock Island, IL.
Soulshake DJ Night Gabes, 330 E.
Washington St., Iowa City.
Twisted Mics Music & Entertainment
(May 15) Broken Saddle, 1417 5th
Ave., Moline, IL.

SATURDAYS

SATURDAYS

Karaoke Night The Grove Tap, 108 S. 1st


St., Long Grove, IA.
Karaoke Night Miller Time Bowling,
2902 E. Kimberly Rd., Davenport, IA.
Karaoke Night Roadrunners Roadhouse,
3803 Rockingham Rd., Davenport, IA.
Karaoke Night Thirstys on Third, 2202
W. Third St., Davenport, IA.
Open Mic Night Downtown Central
Perk, 226 W. 3rd St., Davenport, IA.
Twisted Mics Music & Entertainment
Barrel House Moline, 1321 Fifth Ave.,
Moline, IL.
Ukulele Social Club (May 16, 4 p.m.)
Uptown Bills Coffee House, 730 S.
Dubuque St., Iowa City.

SUNDAYS

SUNDAYS

Karaoke Night 11th Street Precinct,


1107 Mound St., Davenport, IA.
Karaoke w/ JB Promotions The Rusty
Nail, 2606 W. Locust St., Davenport, IA.

MONDAYS

MONDAYS

Open Mic w/ J. Knight The Mill, 120 E.


Burlington St., Iowa City, IA.

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

Comedy
TUESDAYS

TUESDAYS

Acoustic Jam Night w/ Steve McFate


Tims Corner Tap, 4018 14th Ave.,
Rock Island, IL.
Acoustic Music Club (4:30pm)
River Music Experience, 129 N. Main
Street, Davenport, IA.
Karaoke Night Brady Street Pub, 217
Brady St., Davenport, IA.
Open Mic Night (6:30pm) Cool Beanz
Coffeehouse, 1325 330th St., Rock
Island, IL.
Open Mic w/ Corey Wallace 11th
Street Precinct, 1107 Mound St.,
Davenport, IA.
Underground Open Mic w/ Kate Kane
Iowa City Yacht Club, 13 S. Linn St.,
Iowa City, IA.

WEDNESDAYS

WEDNESDAYS

Brady Street Pub Open Jam Brady


Street Pub, 217 Brady St., Davenport, IA.
Jam Session w/ Ben Soltau Iowa
City Yacht Club, 13 S. Linn St., Iowa
City, IA.
Karaoke Night 11th Street Precinct,
1107 Mound St., Davenport, IA.
Karaoke Night Circle Tap, 1345 West
Locust Street, Davenport, IA.
Karaoke Night My Place the Pub, 4405
State St., Bettendorf, IA.
Karaoke Night RIBCO, 1815 2nd Ave.,
Rock Island, IL.
Karaoke Night Sharkys Billiards, 2902
E. Kimberly Rd., Davenport, IA.
Karaoke Night Thirstys on Third, 2202
W. Third St., Davenport, IA.
Youth Open Mic (6:30pm) River Music Experience, 129 N. Main Street,
Davenport, IA.

THURSDAY

THURSDAY 14

14

Beiderbomb: Comedy Invitational


(8pm) Boozies Bar & Grill, 114
W. 3rd St., Davenport, IA.
Ralphie May (7pm) First Avenue Club,
1550 First Ave., Iowa City, IA.
The Janice Ian Experience (9pm)
The Mill, 120 E. Burlington St., Iowa
City, IA.

FRIDAY

FRIDAY 15

00
15

ComedySportz (7pm) The Establishment, 220 19th St., Rock Island, IL.
Dave Yates, CoLee Davis, and Tyson
Cox (7pm) The Backroom Comedy Theater, 1510 N. Harrison St.,
Davenport, IA.
Electric Theatre Unplugged (9pm)
Augustana College Black Box Theatre, Bergendoff Hall, 3701 Seventh
Avce., Rock Island, IL.
Studio Series: Dodgeball (9:30pm)
The Establishment, 220 19th St.,
Rock Island, IL.
The Speakeasy Laugh Hard (8pm)
Circa 21 Speakeasy, 1818 Third Ave.,
Rock Island, IL.

SATURDAY

SATURDAY 16

16

ComedySportz (7pm) The Establishment, 220 19th St., Rock Island, IL.
Electric Theatre Unplugged (9pm)
Augustana College Black Box Theatre, Bergendoff Hall, 3701 Seventh
Avce., Rock Island, IL.
Rock City Live: The Ballad of Abe
Vigoda (8pm) Circa 21 Speakeasy,
1818 Third Ave., Rock Island, IL.
Sketch & Improv Comedy Show
(7:30pm) Princeton Community
Center, 428 S. River Dr., Princeton, IA.

Studio Series: The Establishment


Stands Up (9:30pm) The Establishment, 220 19th St., Rock Island, IL.
The Blacklist: Blanklist 75 & Blacklist
Against Humanity (9pm) The
Backroom Comedy Theater, 1510 N.
Harrison St., Davenport, IA.

SUNDAY

17

MONDAY

18

WEDNESDAY

20

SUNDAY 17

The Circumstantial Comedy Show


(9pm) BREW, 1104 Jersey Ridge
Rd., Davenport, IA.
MONDAY 18

The Catacombs of Comedy Showcase


(10pm) Iowa City Yacht Club, 13 S.
Linn St., Iowa City, IA.
WEDNESDAY 20

Comedy Open Mic (7:30pm) Penguins Comedy Club, 208 Second Ave.
SE, Cedar Rapids, IA.
Comedy Open Mic Night (7:30pm)
The Backroom Comedy Theater,
1510 N. Harrison St., Davenport, IA.

THURSDAY

THURSDAY 21

21

Beiderbomb: Comedy Invitational


(8pm) Boozies Bar & Grill, 114
W. 3rd St., Davenport, IA.

FRIDAY

FRIDAY 22

00
22

ComedySportz (7pm) The Establishment, 220 19th St., Rock Island, IL.
S t u d i o S e r i e s : N o c t u r n e Fa l l s
(9:30pm) The Establishment, 220
19th St., Rock Island, IL.

The Blacklist: 100 Laughs (9pm) The


Backroom Comedy Theater, 1510 N.
Harrison St., Davenport, IA.

SATURDAY

SATURDAY 23

23

ComedySportz (7pm) The Establishment, 220 19th St., Rock Island, IL.
Stand Up Face Off 3: Chaos Kahn
(7pm) Circa 21 Speakeasy, 1818
Third Ave., Rock Island, IL.
Studio Series: Critical Hit Improv the
Gathering (9:30pm) The Establishment, 220 19th St., Rock Island, IL.
The Blacklist: Shots n Giggles (9pm)
The Backroom Comedy Theater,
1510 N. Harrison St., Davenport, IA.
The Comedy Cage Match: First Preliminary Round (7pm) The Backroom
Comedy Theater, 1510 N. Harrison
St., Davenport, IA.

30
SUNDAY

SUNDAY 24

24

The Circumstantial Comedy Show


(9pm) BREW, 1104 Jersey Ridge
Rd., Davenport, IA.

MONDAY

MONDAY 25

25

The Catacombs of Comedy Showcase


(10pm) Iowa City Yacht Club, 13 S.
Linn St., Iowa City, IA.

WEDNESDAY

WEDNESDAY 27

27

Comedy Open Mic (7:30pm) Penguins Comedy Club, 208 Second Ave.
SE, Cedar Rapids, IA.
Comedy Open Mic Night (7:30pm)
The Backroom Comedy Theater,
1510 N. Harrison St., Davenport, IA.

24

River Cities Reader Vol. 22 No. 882 May 14 - 27, 2015

Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com

CREATING A
BRIGHTER TOMORROW.
With a fleet of over 75% Compressed Natural Gas buses and
a commitment to green infrastructure projects, Metro is
helping build a sustainable Quad Cities.

75

TRANSIT MOVES THE QUAD CITIES FORWARD.


www.gogreenmetro.com

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