Sweet Blues and Christmas Cheese?

I started my night Friday at The Muddy Waters and enjoyed some Candy… Yes, the Candymakers were making sweet sounds at Muddy’s Friday. We were treated to some new original works, including a Christmas song,which, according to Bret Dale, was loaded with cheese…

Thankful For Music!

I have so many reasons to be thankful. I have my family, my friends, a new job, my health… and I have music.  This past weekend I mixed things up – and enjoyed some of my friends right along with their music.

Help Portrait 2012 - Quad Cities

On December 1st I will be once again taking part in a Help-Portrait event in the Quad-Cities. Connection Church is one of the sponsors of this event.  Note: The QC Help-Portrait event is being held on December 1^st, but the international event date is December 8^th. Not every group schedules on the main date.

If you’re wondering just exactly what IS Help Portrait – you can find out a whole lot about it HERE.

Meanwhile – last year our group of volunteers helped a whole lot of families (some of whom had never had a family portrait).  The event took the better part of a Saturday (and a little bit of Friday evening for set up work), and we saw so many smiling faces!

If you know of someone who could use a family portrait, or maybe a portrait of their children, who couldn’t otherwise afford it, please get the information about this event to them. Appointments are already being taken, and the spaces are filling up fast. We’ll have 3 professional portrait photographers hopping for several hours.

The expectation is that we’ll be not only printing a photo for the families to take with them, but burning a CD with photos on it for them as well. Last year, we printed the photos and delivered them after the event.

I expect my role to be printing photos and burning CDs. We’ll have volunteers helping do hair and makeup for those that want it, other people will be escorting families so they don’t have to worry about what they are supposed to do next. There will be activities for the children while they wait their turn, and snacks and beverages as well.

Here’s the page for the Quad-Cities Help Portrait group.  We’re also taking donations to help defray the costs of printing the photos.  

This is the time of year to give. The Help-Portrait volunteers are giving portraits. You don’t have to be a portrait photographer to take part. There are so many other things that go into putting on an event of this magnitude. Find your local Help-Portrait group and offer your services. Or… find ANY non-profit and offer your services. There are so many ways to give that only require your time and talent and don’t require a lot of money. Pick one…. and GIVE this Christmas!

Getting Back Into the Swing

While still adjusting to my new work schedule, I’m starting to get out a little more. Last Friday, I spent a little time in Downtown Davenport, with my first stop at Barrel House 211. They were starting out with an acoustic musician doing a dinner hour show. Visiting Chicago musician, Mer, played a set of familiar songs, utilizing a loop to not only make his one guitar sound like more, but to add a looped beat he recorded as he banged on his guitar.

A Helping Hand From the Heartland

The Candymakers

I know I just posted my blog yesterday - and I really am writing this on the fly. I'm sitting in the RME Cafe, and I just learned about something I think everyone in the QC should know about.

Tomorrow there is going to be a benefit concert to end all benefit concerts - Quad City Style!

This is a Red Cross Disaster Relief Concert - supported by  the RME, KWQC, The River Center, River Cities Reader, Q106, WOC Radio, Quad City Bouncy, and  RAK Production Sound.

Held in the Mississippi River Hall at the RiverCenter, the concert includes bands such as:

The Winter Blues All-Stars
Lewis Knudsen
William Campbell
Westbrook Singers
The CandyMakers
Ellis Kell Band
Whoozdads
David G. Smith
Smooth Groove
Avey Brothers




Ellis Kell

The concert runs from Noon until 9 PM
Admission is:

$8 for adults

12 or under $5

5 and under Free

There will be food, beverages - LOTS of music... and a bounce house for the kids.

Come on down to the River Center and join in

 and help raise money for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund!!

A Birthday Bash and New Venues

A couple of weeks ago, Hal Reed celebrated his birthday. For those of you not in the know, Hal is the owner of The Muddy Waters in Bettendorf.  The Muddy Waters celebrates in grand style – with a weekend-long birthday bash!

I attended Saturday night’s party, as I spent Friday evening at 2 venues with 1^st Impression and Lee Blackmon. A few musicians from local bands got together and started out the evening with a jam.  With Hal on harmonica and vocals, and the likes of Jimmy VanHyfte and Curtis Hawkins, it was a memorable opening act. Afterwards the Kinsey Report took the stage for their set and made the evening complete.

I heard this week that a new bar has opened in Downtown Davenport. In the space that used to be the 811 Lockdown, meet… Zero to Sixty. Chuck Murphy posted on my timeline this week that he’ll be playing there tomorrow night from 10-2.  I also wanted to mention that I’ve been hearing rumors that The Firehouse on Hickory Grove Road is serving up live music every other Friday night – opposite the Fridays they have karaoke.  I’m going to be checking that out too – but I haven’t heard of any local bands that have played there.

 

This week:

Friday night – Barrel House 211 is running a double feature this week, with MER at 5:30 and The Blackstones at 10. Funktastic Five is at Rascals, Cobalt Blue is playing 11^th street Precinct, and Brady Street Pub has The Lowdown. Simon Says Uncle can be found at the Rusty Nail, and Grand Larsony is playing Purgatorys. Jason Carl’s band is playing Generations, and The Edje Nightclub has Smooth Groove.

Saturday: Smokehouse is playing a benefit Saturday afternoon and early evening at Racers Edge, and 1^st Impression will be following them at 9:30. The Karry Outz are playing Rascals, The Candymakers are at 11^th Street Precinct, and the Odeon in Clinton has Pash n Brew.  Curtis Hawkins band is at The Muddy Waters and Cosmic is playing Mulligans. Justin Morrissey can be found at Bleyarts and you can find Machine Gun Willie at Ducky’s Lagoon.

There’s plenty of live music this weekend – so get out and enjoy some!

Something Different

Over the last few months I’ve been out and about, checking out live music in the QC and writing about it. One of the highlights of my adventures has been noting all of the different ways live music can be enjoyed here. This week I’m going to recap some of the acoustic acts in the area and the venues where I’ve seen them.