River Cities Reader Vol. 20 No. 818 November 21 - December 5, 2012 2 Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.comRiver Cities Reader Vol. 20 No. 818 November 21 - December 5, 2012 3 Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.comCorrections In the Art in Plain Sight article in the November 8-20 issue of the River Cities Reader, the title of Terry Rathjes artwork was incorrect. It should have been No Future No Past No You No Me. The live-music section of the November 8-20 issue of the River Cities Reader included a picture of Ben Harper instead of Harper. Alas, Ben Harper was not playing in our area.The media cartels, currently the public-relations arm of politicians (and their bureaucracies) and the corporate elite, lend their full coopera-tion in censoring ideas that inform po-litical debate in America. Why? Because an informed populace is an anathema to the two-party system so critical to the current political power base. This self-perpetuating system enriches the global elite through strategic and privileged partnerships that confiscate and consoli-date the worlds wealth and resources.There can be no question that America is now in an era of authoritarianism, and we, as a people, are on the brink of facing extreme tyranny in our lifetimes. (And your locally elected officials and officers stand idly by forsaking their oaths of office, under the pretense of violating your rights in the name of security and arrogantly determining that they are providing you a quality of life you deserve. But I digress ... .)From the militant police state to the invasion of your privacy to the violation of your personal liberties, we have published articles for nearly 20 years documenting our circumstances that resemble what many have referred to as a slowly boiling frog: It does not know its being cooked until its too late.Last week, U.S. Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas) delivered his farewell speech on the House floor, putting a bookend on his 23-year career as arguably the most fervent, principled, and consistent defender of the Bill of Rights. Below are excerpts from Dr. Pauls speech well worth noting for reminding us that the original intent of Americas founding documents was to govern the government, not govern the people.In the interest of protecting individual freedom, the enumerated restrictions specifically limited governments activities, not those of the people. Allowing the inversion of this founding principle is, according to Paul, at the heart of Americas decline. Beyond these insights, his speech is worth watching/reading because Paul takes on nearly every sacred cow that his peers, on both sides of the aisle, do not have the courage to address. The full transcript and video can be found at RCReader.com/y/ronpaulfarewell.Excerpts from Ron Pauls November 14 House Floor SpeechA grand, but never mentioned, bipartisan agreement allows for the well-kept secret that keeps the spending going. One side doesnt give up one penny on military spending, the other side doesnt give up one penny on welfare spending, while both sides support the bailouts and subsidies for the banking and corporate elite.Freedom, private property, and enforceable voluntary contracts generate wealth. In our early history we were very much aware of this. But in the early part of the 20th Century, our politicians promoted the notion that the tax and monetary systems had to change if we were to involve ourselves in excessive domestic and military spending. That is why Congress gave us the Federal Reserve and the income tax. The majority of Americans and many government officials agreed that sacrificing some liberty was necessary to carry out what some claimed to be progressive ideas. Pure democracy became acceptable.Today we face a dependency on government largesse for almost every need. Our liberties are restricted and by Kathleen McCarthykm@rcreader.comWORDS FROM THE EDITORA Government Guided by Peace and ToleranceContinued On Page 42ElmoreDavenport4810 Elmore Ave.359-1228Browning FieldMoline1635 23rd Ave.762-4626John Deere Rd.Moline4101 44th Ave.764-7303East MolineMoline1842 18th Ave.755-9123Rock Island2532 18th Ave.786-0035Milan902 W. 4th St.787-4884Kennedy SquareEast Moline4117 Kennedy Dr.755-4747Old TownDavenport903 E. Kimberly R.391-332353rd StreetDavenport1640 53rd St.386-3188Bettendorf2320 Spruce Hills Dr.355-3919West LocustDavenport1432 W. Locust St.322-2275LeClaire1109 Canal Shore Dr.563-289-1506For less than $2.00 per guest you can serve The Hungry Hobo's legendary Party Sandwiches with 4 types ofsliced-to-order meats and provolone cheese on our baked-from-scratch soft French bread. We'll even cut them so they're ready to serve. The Hungry Hobo now offers Party Sides, which include bulk chili and soup for about $2.00 per guest, and potato salad by the pound for less than $1.00 per guest. And don't forget dessert from The Hobo Bakery. For less than $1.00 per guest you can surprise them with our irresistible Chocolate or Pumpkin Spice Party Cakes or giant-sized Chocolate Chip Party Cookies that can be frosted with your message. Ask us about free delivery too!NEWLY EXPANDED& REMODELED!Delivery App FollowLike us for a FREE sandwich.Follow RewardsText HOBO to 81018 to join.RewardsMOBILEDownload for mobile ordering.AppWe accept: Order at www.good2goqc.comDeliveryRiver Cities Reader Vol. 20 No. 818 November 21 - December 5, 2012 4 Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.comILLINOIS POLITICSFor the past few years, the Civic Commit-tee of the Commercial Club of Chicago has been one of the most feared partici-pants in the states pension-reform debate. Ty Fahner, a former Illinois attorney general who heads the Civic Committee, managed to convince both parties to elbow each other for a position of favor with him and his group. When Fahner ended up siding with the House Democrats back in May and endorsing their pension-reform plan, including shifting costs to school districts, the House Republicans were furious and disappointed. They had been assiduously courting Fahner, and figured that since the Civic Committee is composed of several top Chicago business leaders, theyd be the natural ally of choice. Not to mention that Fahner also formed a political action committee (We Mean Business) to back up his word. Everybody wanted that money, so the PAC gave his position additional strength. But those days appear to be behind us, at least for now. Fahners histrionics last week over what he claimed was an unfixable pension problem have all but cut him out of the Statehouse mix. Hes made himself irrelevant, said one top Democratic official who is intimately involved with pension reform.In a memo to his members, Fahner wrote: The pension crisis has grown so severe that it is now unfixable. ... There simply wont be enough money to pay pensions for young teachers just starting out. But then Fahner constructed a bizarre dichotomy by claiming the problem is completely unfixable while simultaneously demanding specific changes to the pension systems. Fahner said four things had to be done just to slow the bleeding and reduce the size of the financial burden Illinois taxpayers must bear. Those four items included eliminating annual cost-of-living increases for pensioners, instituting a pensionable salary cap, increasing the retirement age to 67, and shifting pension costs to local employers such as school districts and universities.Because he said there was no real fix, theres little to no use in negotiating with him now because any solution the General Assembly comes up with including Fahners will be dismissed by Fahner as wholly inadequate. Legislative thinking goes like this: Why bend over backward to accommodate someone who will never admit that you did the right thing? So theres absolutely no political or legislative advantage to dealing with the guy. Making things worse, Fahner refused to disclose the actuarial data upon which his public statements were based. That has led to more than one suggestion behind the scenes that Fahner may have cooked the books to arrive at his striking conclusion. The Teachers Retirement System released a statement last week saying that Fahners conclusions were wrong, based on its own actuarial data. That statement just fueled the flames of suspicion.So its little wonder that, as I write this, neither of the Republican state legislative leaders has yet jumped to Fahners defense. House Republican Leader Tom Cross office was silent, and Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno continued to call for a balanced, comprehensive fix. Fahner wasnt with them before, and he cant be placated now, so hes off the invite list.The Senate Democrats were even harsher, issuing a statement from their attorney that ripped Fahners arguments to tiny shreds. Fahner had earlier backed a comprehensive reform plan introduced by Republicans that would cut the states unfunded pension liabilities by between $3 billion and $5 billion. It was also so severe that just about everybody considered it unconstitutional. The Senate Democrats attorney, Eric Madiar, noted in his response to Fahner that the Democratic proposal currently on the table cuts the same $3 billion to $5 billion from unfunded liabilities, which Fahner now calls insufficient and token.Only the Chicago Tribunes editorial board, whose often ill-informed catcalls about pension reform make Fahner look downright moderate, attempted to come to Fahners defense. The editorial page claimed that Fahner didnt really mean that the problem was mathematically unfixable, but that it was unfixable due to a lack of political will. Thats a misreading. Fahner clearly stated in his memo to the Civic Committee membership that his demanded fixes would merely slow the bleeding and minimize the long-term damage to the system.Either way, few at the Statehouse will listen much to the Tribune editorial board after Novembers elections. The papers endorsed candidates and positions were almost thumped harder than the GOP.Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax (a daily political newsletter) and CapitolFax.com. by Rich MillerCapitolFax.comCivic Committee Leader Pushes Himself Out of the Pension DebateWhy bend over backward to accommodate someone who will never admit that you did the right thing?River Cities Reader Vol. 20 No. 818 November 21 - December 5, 2012 5 Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.com the work or the topography or the weather. I do have a habit of choosing topics that I think have a beautiful bunch of words associated with them, Geye said. Certainly, the nautical themes have that. I think its sort of like the first ingredient for writing: Find a bunch of beautiful words. This sort of language attempting to put the inexpressible into words, he said is less descriptive than evocative, verbally painting or photographing.Beyond a man-versus-nature theme, Geye is also an incisive observer of people and towns, and a sure-footed writer. In the first pages of Safe from the Sea, the precise but seemingly casual language belies the decade the book took to write: The manholes blowing steam might have been freeing ghosts. The first conversation we see between father and son in a bar at 10 a.m. efficiently sketches a soured relationship with just a few lines of mundane but telling dialogue: Id offer to buy you a drink, Dad says, but youve already got your juice. And then theres the childs cutting insight: The old mans drunkenness had always struck Noah as cumulative. ... [T]he years had surely added up to something, to some soggy history that diminished the old man.The 42-year-old Geye said his first novel required 10 drafts over those 10 years figuring out what the book was about, but also learning to write as he went along. Because he and his father had and have a close, healthy bond, he said, writing about a fractured relationship was initially a challenge. Writers are taught nearly universally, after all, to write what they know. I was just learning at that point in my writing life to trust my imagination, and to let those conversations happen outside of It happens in the second paragraph of the first chapter of his first book. Peter Geyes 2010 debut, Safe from the Sea, concerns a father and son, but it quickly establishes another character: Minnesotas North Shore, hanging over Lake Superior on its way to Canada.The son, Noah, has just arrived in Duluth. Geye sets the scene: Now he could see the lake, a dark and undulating line that rolled onto the shore. The concussions were met with a hiss as the water sieved back through the pebbled beach. The fog had a crystalline sharpness, and he could feel on his cheeks the drizzle carried by the wind. It all felt so familiar, and he thought, I resemble this place. And then, My father, he was inhabited by it.Both of those italicized statements could apply to Geye, who will be reading from his work November 29 as part of the River Readings at Augustana series. In a phone interview last week, the Minneapolis-based author discussed the importance of the North Shore and the wilderness above it as a place (to him) and a setting (for his two published novels and the one currently in progress). He said either he or his editor came up with the term Northern Gothic to describe his books a descendant of the Southern Gothic of such writers as William Faulkner, Flannery OConnor, and Cormac McCarthy.This isnt gothic in a horror sense, but in the way environment blends with, reflects, and influences character and action. As Bradford Morrow and Patrick McGrath wrote in The New Gothic: [C]limate, landscape, architecture, genealogy, and psychology seem to bleed into one another until it is impossible to distinguish a figure from its metaphors.For Geye, northern Minnesota can be both unforgiving and ripe with opportunity. He said family vacations to the area inspired this sense of awe that Ive had since I was a kid. And I still have it now. ... I get this feeling in my gut when Im there, and this sense of diminishment in myself and the people of the world. And I think that if I didnt have that, I wouldnt be so inclined to write about it. ... If youre there at the right time and the right place, you can be caught completely out of time. ... Theres something pretty magical about that.The literary appeal, he said, is that sense of a large space in a wilderness, and people trying to carve their way onto the landscape and succeeding or not succeeding to different degrees. ... Not only are the characters up against each other, but theyre up against the landscape and in the case of Lake Superior the water. It helps to create vivid and intense fiction.That place also lends itself to professions with poetic lexicons logging and shipping, for instance. Standard language fails to adequately capture frequently harsh and extreme conditions by Jeff Ignatiusjeff@rcreader.comInhabited by ItNovelist Peter Geye, November 29 at Augustana CollegeBOOKSContinued On Page 45Vol. 20 No. 818 Nov. 21 - Dec. 5, 2012River Cities Reader 532 W. 3rd St. Davenport IA 52801 RiverCitiesReader.com (563)324-0049 (phone) (563)323-3101 (fax) info@rcreader.comPublishing since 1993The River Cities Reader is an independent newspaper published every other Thursday, and available free throughout the Quad Cities and surrounding areas. 2012 River Cities ReaderAD DEADLINE: 5 p.m. Wednesday prior to publicationPUBLISHER Todd McGreevyEDITOR Kathleen McCarthyEDITORIAL Managing Editor: Jeff Ignatius jeff@rcreader.com Arts Editor, Calendar Editor: Mike Schulz mike@rcreader.com Contributing Writers: Amy Alkon, Rob Brezsny, Lynn Campbell,Michelle Garrison, Rich Miller, Frederick Morden, Bruce Walters,Thom WhiteADVERTISING Account Executive:Jason Farrell jason@rcreader.com Advertising Coordinator: Nathan KlausAdvertising rates, publishing schedule, demographics,and more are available atQCAdvertising.comDESIGN/PRODUCTION Art Director, Production Manager: Shawn Eldridge shawn@rcreader.com Graphic Artist: Nathan Klaus nathan@rcreader.com ADMINISTRATION Business Manager: Kathleen McCarthy Office Administrator, Classifieds Manager, Circulation Manager:Rick Martin rick@rcreader.com Distribution: William Cook, Cheri DeLay, Greg FitzPatrick, Tyler Gibson, Daniel Levsen, J.K. Martin, Jay StricklandPhoto by Matt and Jenae BattRiver Cities Reader Vol. 20 No. 818 November 21 - December 5, 2012 6 Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.comQuad City Arts Festival of Trees, annual holiday exhibit featuring decorated trees, activities, visits from Santa, and more; $3-8; for information, call 309-793-1213, Davenport RiverCenter, 136 E. 3rd St, Davenport, IA, http://www.quadcityarts.com/festoftrees.asp, Wed Nov 21 thru Sun Nov 25.12 Gifts of Christmas, New Anthem presents a holiday celebration featuring Grammy Award winners Steven Curtis Chapman and Laura Story, storytellers around Patsy Clairmont, Luci Swindoll, Marilyn Meberg, and Mary Beth Chapman, comedienne Anita Renfroe, illusionist Harris III, and host Lisa Whelchel of TVs The Facts of Life; $20-125; for tickets, call 800-965-9324, i wireless Center, 1201 River Dr, Moline, IL, http://www.NewAnthem.com, 7pm Fri Nov 30.Cirque Dreams Holidaze, the multi-media-circus spectacular, in a Broadway at the Adler presentation; $37-57; for tickets, call 800-745-3000, Adler Theatre, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport, IA, http://www.adlertheatre.com, 7pm Sun Dec 2.Disney on Ice: 100 Years of Magic, skating spectacular with your favorite Disney characters; Thu.-Sat. 7pm, Sat. 11am & 3pm, Sun. 1 & 5pm; $33-47; for tickets, call 800-745-3000, i wireless Center, 1201 River Dr, Moline, IL, http://www.iwirelesscenter.com, 7pm Thu Dec 13 thru Sun Dec 16.Harlem Globetrotters, basketball and comedy with the legendary athletes; $19-96; for tickets, call 800-745-3000, i wireless Center, 1201 River Dr, Moline, IL, http://www.iwirelesscenter.com, 7pm Sat Jan 5.Rascal Flatts, country-music superstars in concert, with an opening set by The Band Perry; for tickets, call 800-745-3000, i wireless Center, 1201 River Dr, Moline, IL, http://www.iwirelesscenter.com, 7pm Fri Jan 11.Worlds Toughest Rodeo, the national touring sensation; $18-35; for tickets, call 800-745-3000, i wireless Center, 1201 River Dr, Moline, IL, http://www.iwirelesscenter.com, 7pm Fri Jan 25 and Sat Jan 26.Eagles & Ivories Ragtime Weekend, held at various venues; featuring a Saturday eagle watch, ragtime concerts, the Ragtime Brunch, a coup supper, and more; for information, call 563-263-8895 or 563-263-9978, Downtown Muscatine, Muscatine, IA, http://www.muscatineartscouncil.org, Jan 25 thru Sun Jan 27.Shinedown & Three Days Grace, multi-platinum-selling rockers in concert, with an opening set by P.O.D.; $25-40.50; for tickets, call 800-745-3000, i wireless Center, 1201 River Dr, Moline, IL, http://www.iwirelesscenter.com, 7pm Fri Feb 1.OPENINGS & GALLERY EVENTSScott & Rock Island CountiesNovember & DecemberThursdays at the Figge, on Thursdays; art-themed activities, discussions, tours, refreshments, and more; for information, call 563-326-7804, Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://www.figgeartmuseum.org, 5pm Thu Nov 22 thru Thu Dec 27.Weekly Figge Exhibition Tour, a docent-led tour providing an introduction to the Portrait of Maquoketaexhibit, featuring highlights of works; hot chocolate available; free with museum admission; for information, call 563-326-7804, Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://figgeart.org, 1:30pm Sun Nov 25.History of Portraiture, discover the ideas and approaches of numerous artists from the Renaissance to the present; free with $4-7 museum admission; for information, call 563-326-7804, Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://figgeart.org, 7pm Thu Nov 29.Artist Reception - Senior Honors Exhibits, featuring the work of SAU students graduating with degrees in fine arts, graphic design, and book arts; free; for information, call 563-333-6444 or e-mail CatichGallery@sau.edu, Catich Gallery - St. Ambrose University, 2101 Gaines St., Davenport, IA, http://www.sau.edu/catich, 5pm Fri Nov 30.Final Fridays at Bucktown, exhibits, demonstrations, and more, Bucktown Center for the Arts, 225 E. 2nd St., Davenport, IA, http://www.bucktownarts.com, 6pm Fri Nov 30.Handmade City Holiday 2012 Arts & Crafts Show, over 35 artists from around the Quad Cities will be selling their one-of-a-kind handmade creations; free; for information, e-mail handmadecityinfo@gmail.com, Rozz-Tox, 2108 3rd Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.handmade-city.com, 10am Sat Dec 1.Twas the ARTmare Before X-mas: Candyland Adults Night, featuring fashion, music, poetry and live body-art performances; with presentations by Stacis Happy Hoops, the folk-rock stylings of Busted Chandeliers, Bottoms Up QC Burlesque, poetry with Mona Ritemon, refreshments, and more; $22-24; for tickets and information, call 562-477-4965 or e-mail sarahrobb15@yahoo.com, Village Theatre, 2113 E 11th St, Davenport, IA, http://www.robb-designs.com, 6pm Sat Dec 1.Weekly Figge Exhibition Tour, on Sundays; a docent-led tour providing an introduction to each exhibition, plus highlights of works; hot chocolate available; free with museum admission; for information, call 563-326-7804, Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://figgeart.org, 1:30pm Sun Dec 2 thru Sun Dec 30.Multimedia Art Society for the Quad Cities (Masqc) Meeting, a networking group where local artists can get in touch with other artists and exchange talents, ideas, and crafts, free; for information, call 563-326-1333, RME Community Stage, 131 W. 2nd St., Davenport, IA, http://www.rivermusicexperience.org, 6pm Thu Dec 6.Gallery Hop!, arts & crafts, vendors, demonstrations, live performances, and more in numerous District venues; free; for information, call 309-788-6311, The District of Rock Island, 16 1/2 St., Rock Island, IL, http://www.ridistrict.com, 5pm Fri Dec 7.Opening Reception: Jean Johnson - Lori Miller, meet the artists, live music, hors doeuvres, and caricatures by Bill Douglas, MidCoast Gallery West, 2nd Ave & 16 1/2 St, Rock Island, IL, http://www.midcoast.org, 6pm Fri Dec 7.Final Fridays at Bucktown, exhibits, demonstrations, and more, Bucktown Center for the Arts, 225 E. 2nd St., Davenport, IA, http://www.bucktownarts.com, 6pm Fri Dec 28.JanuaryThursdays at the Figge, on Thursdays; art-themed activities, discussions, tours, refreshments, and more; for information, call 563-326-7804, Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://www.figgeartmuseum.org, 5pm Thu Jan 3 thru Thu Mar 7.Weekly Figge Exhibition Tour, on Sundays; a docent-led tour providing an introduction to each exhibition, plus highlights of works; hot chocolate available; free with museum admission; for information, call 563-326-7804, Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://figgeart.org, 1:30pm Sun Jan 6 thru Sun Mar 3.Exhibition Tour of Art Museum: Relating Music and Visual Art through the AGES, an informal discussion of the current exhibition among Augustana faculty; free; for information, call 309-794-7231, Augustana College Art Museum, Centennial Hall Building, Rock Island, IL, http://www.augustana.edu, 1:30pm Sat Jan 12.Final Fridays at Bucktown, exhibits, demonstrations, and more, Bucktown Center for the Arts, 225 E. 2nd St., Davenport, IA, http://www.bucktownarts.com, 6pm Fri Jan 25Artist Lecture: Race Matters? Racism Matters! Post Racial, My Ass, Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. speaks on the works in his exhibit free, Galvin Fine Arts Center, 2101 Gaines St., Davenport, IA, http://www.sau.edu/catich, 4pm Fri Jan 25.Opening Reception & Poster Sale: Race Matters? Racism Matters! Post Racial, My Ass, featuring the works of Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr.; free, Catich Gallery - St. Ambrose University, 2101 Gaines St., Davenport, IA, http://www.sau.edu/catich, 5pm Fri Jan 25.February & MarchFinal Fridays at Bucktown, exhibits, demonstrations, and more, Bucktown Center for the Arts, 225 E. 2nd St., Davenport, IA, http://www.bucktownarts.com, 6pm Fri Feb 22.Artist Lecture: The Deacons Seat, held in conjunction with the painting and drawing exhibit by Fred Stonehouse; for information, call 563-333-6444 or e-mail CatichGallery@sau.edu, Galvin Fine Arts Center, 2101 Gaines St., Davenport, IA, http://www.sau.edu/catich, 4pm Fri Mar 1.Reception: The Deacons Seat, held in conjunction with the painting and drawing exhibit by Fred Stonehouse; for information, call 563-333-6444 or e-mail CatichGallery@sau.edu, Catich Gallery - St. Ambrose University, 2101 Gaines St., Davenport, IA, http://www.sau.edu/catich, 5pm Fri Mar 1.Outlying AreasNovember & DecemberTandem Gallery Talk, a walk-through of the exhibitions Leslie Hewitt: Untitled (Structures)and The Whole World Was Watching: Civil Rights-Era Photographs from the Menil Collectionwith senior curator Gilbert Vicario and Dr. Renee Cramer; for information, call 515-277-4405, Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA, http://www.desmoinesartcenter.org, 6:30pm Thu Nov 29.Art Bites: Marvin Conewith CRMA Curator, Sean Ulmer, a closer look at an aspect of the exhibition Marvin Cone: An American Master; free; for information, call 319-366-7503, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, 12:15pm Wed Dec 5.2012 Winter CalendarPage 6Page 6Page 12Page 18Page 20Page 22Page 23Page 25Page 25Page 29Page 30Page 32Page 33Page 35Page 37Page 39Quad City Woodturners Exhibit @ Quad City Arts at the Airport through January 1River Cities Reader Vol. 20 No. 818 November 21 - December 5, 2012 7 Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.comRiver Cities Reader Vol. 20 No. 818 November 21 - December 5, 2012 8 Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.comFall Student Exhibition Reception, for information, call 515-277-4405, Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA, http://www.desmoinesartcenter.org, 5pm Wed Dec 5.Reception: Kate Van Steenhuyse, for painting exhibit, Iowa Hall Gallery, Kirkwood Community College, 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.kirkwood.edu, 11am Thu Dec 6.The Whole World Was WatchingLecture, with Michelle White, curator of Houstons Menil Collection; an illustrated lecture about the exhibition, the role of photography and media during the civil rights movements, and the history of art and activism at the Menil Collection; for information, call 515-277-4405, Levitt Auditorium - Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA, http://www.desmoinesartcenter.org, 6:30pm Thu Dec 13.Lecture on The Whole World Was Watching: Civil Rights-Era Photographs from the Menil Collection, Michelle White delivers an illustrated lecture about the exhibition, the role of photography and media during the Civil Rights movement, and the history of art and activism at the Menil Collection, Houston; for information, call 515-277-4405, Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA, http://www.desmoinesartcenter.org, 6:30pm Thu Dec 13.Art Lovers Book Club: Master of Shadows, a discussion of Mark Lamsters book; free; for information, call 319-366-7503, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, 4pm Thu Dec 20.OPENINGS/GALLERY EVENTSOutlying AreasNovember & DecemberJanuary & FebruaryArt Bites: Program with CRMA Executive Director Terry Pitts, Pitts takes you through one of CRMAs latest exhibitions; free; for information, call 319-366-7503, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, 12:15pm Wed Jan 2.Art Lovers Book Club: Provenance - How a Con Man and a Forger Rewrote the History of Modern Art, a discussion of Laney Sallsburys and Aly Sujos book; free; for information, call 319-366-7503, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, 4pm Thu Jan 17.Art Bites: Program with CRMA Curator Sean Ulmer, Ulmer takes you through one of CRMAs latest exhibitions; free; for information, call 319-366-7503, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, 12:15pm Wed Feb 6.Exhibition Preview Reception for I AM: Prints by Elizabeth Catlett, exhibition of 28 prints by the world-renowned sculptor and printmaker; free; for information, call 319-366-7503, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, 5pm Fri Feb 15.EXHIBITS & SHOWSScott & Rock Island CountiesCurrently on DisplayPhysiognomie: Portraits of Imaginary Women and Girls, drawings by leslie Bell, Art Professor Emeritus at St. Ambrose University; complex aspects of personality are embodied in facial expression, gesture, hair style, tattoos, and dress; for information, call 309-200-0978, Rozz-Tox, 2108 3rd Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.rozztox.com, Wed Nov 21 thru Sun Nov 25.Rachael Mullins - Jessica Perry, mixed media by Mullins, photography by Perry, MidCoast Centre Station Gallery, 1200 River Dr, Moline, IL, http://www.midcoast.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Fri Nov 30.The Circa 21 Din-ner Playhouse opened its presen-tation of Miracle on 34th Street on November 9, and if youre familiar with the 1947 film clas-sic this musical version is based on, you should know that Laila Haley, who portrays Susan Walker, isnt on a par with the movies Natalie Wood. Shes actually so much better than Wood that its not even funny.Haley, however, is funny, as well as polished, and charming, and, unfortunately, one of scant few reasons to catch Circa 21s holiday offering. As most of you likely know, Susan, in Miracle on 34th Street, is the little girl who becomes convinced that the Santa Claus at Macys department store is the genuine article (and Spoiler Alert he is), and with her comedic cynicism, snappy banter, and penchant for calling her mother Doris, Susan could easily come off as unbearably precocious. Its a trap that even the adorable Wood couldnt quite evade, yet while Haley is never less than endearing here, thats never all she is. Appearing whip-smart and more believably naturalistic than most of the adults around her, the young performer makes Susans wiser-than-her-years bearing seem like the inevitable byproduct of a sensible and actively curious mind, and her lovely singing voice is clear and deservedly confident. With the clever and focused Haley in the role, I was grateful for Susans every moment on stage. Why oh why at least for the sake of Circa 21s production did composer/book writer Meredith Willson have to forget about Susan for his musicals entire last half-hour?If you werent aware that The Music Man creator Willson ever wrote a musical called Miracle on 34th Street, thats because he didnt, as this 1963 work actually opened on Broadway under the generically awful title Heres Love. But even though Willsons book (despite Susans odd vanishing act) remains relatively faithful to the movies script, that title is hardly the only thing separating the film from the stage experience, the plotting and dialogue by Mike Schulzmike@rcreader.comIs You Is or Is You Aint My Santa?for which feel so forced, and the songs for which are so relentlessly blah, that I could barely glean what made the movie a holiday perennial in the first place. Circa 21s presentation, directed and choreographed by Ann Nieman, is a mostly solid attempt at disguising the depressing mediocrity of Willsons achievement, with costumer Gregory Hiatts contributions (especially the pig-ballerina and scary-ass-blue-monkey designs of the shows toy-themed Dream Ballet) aiding enormously. Yet on opening night, the disguise was just about all I saw a group of talented professionals trying, occasionally in vain, to make a show play better than it should. (The fault may not rest entirely with Willson; Ive now seen three separate musical takes on Miracle, and none of them has managed to capture the tales inherent sweetness.)I could compose a lengthy list of this Miracles narrative failings, from the blitheness with which important plot points especially those involving Santas imposed hospitalization at Bellevue are established and wrapped up to the awkward and rather unpleasant courtship written for romantic leads Doris Walker and Fred Gaily. (I know that Miracle is a period piece and all, but I still wish that Doris didnt fall for this Marine-corps veteran a man who condescendingly calls the thirtysomething mother little girl so quickly after he comically threatened to punch her in the nose.) But beyond the weakness of Willsons score, with its songs that are superfluous at best and actively irritating at worst, the shows biggest detriment is that few of its characters appear to be participating in the same show, and sadly, this consequently holds true for Niemans cast.Erin Churchill, of whom I will always be an unapologetically biased fan, imbues Doris with delightful, tough-talking moxie and His Girl Friday sass, and shes very nicely paired opposite Don Dentons Fred; while I may not have bought their Miracle on 34th Street, at the Circa 21 Dinner Playhousethrough December 30John Payonk and Grace MooreTHEATREContinued On Page 45Wednesday December 5 | 10PMThursday, December 6 | 7PMAn Original DuckumentaryPOOR KIDSAn intimate portrait of the economic crisis as its rarely seen, through the eyes of children. FRONTLINE follows three young girls growing up in the Quad Cities amidst their families struggles against fnancial ruin.This FRONTLINE program was taped in the Quad Cities.On PBS award-winning series Naturewqpt.orgwqpt.orgWQPT12-12-NATFRONTL-rcr.indd 1 11/16/12 7:49 AMRiver Cities Reader Vol. 20 No. 818 November 21 - December 5, 2012 9 Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.comCedar River Artisans Collective, exhibit of paintings, ceramics, sculptures, and printmaking by Bryan Davis, Dean Dunkel, Michelle Fischer, Julia Kottal, Nancy Lindsay, Thomas Newport and Elizabeth Rhoads Read; free; for information, contact Zaiga Thorson at thorsonz@bhc.edu or 309-796-5469, ArtSpace Gallery, 6600 34th Ave., Building 4, Black Hawk College, Moline, IL, http://www.bhc.edu, Wed Nov 21 thru Fri Dec 7.Guitar Voices by Cedar River Artisans, painting, ceramics, sculpture and printmaking by Bryan Davis, Dean Dunkel, Michelle Paulos Fischer, Julia Kottal, Nancy Lindsay, Tom Newport, and Elizabeth Rhoads Read; free; for information, contact Zaiga Thorson at thorsonz@bhc.edu or 309-796-5469, ArtSpace Gallery, 6600 34th Ave., Building 4, Black Hawk College, Moline, IL, Wed Nov 21 thru Fri Dec 7.Senior Honors Exhibit, exhibit of works by SAU students graduating with degrees in fine arts, graphic design, and book arts; for information, call 563-333-6444 or e-mail CatichGallery@sau.edu, Catich Gallery - St. Ambrose University, 2101 Gaines St., Davenport, IA, http://www.sau.edu/catich, Wed Nov 21 thru Fri Dec 14.Erased from the Landscape, an exhibition of 40 color photographs, audio features, and text portraying the otherworldly realm of a nuns existence, by Abbie Reese; Tue.-Fri. 10am-5pm, Sat. 11am-5pm; for information, call 309-793-1213, ext. 108, Quad City Arts Center, 1715 2nd Ave, Rock Island, IL, http://www.quadcityarts.com, Wed Nov 21 thru Fri Dec 28.Jacki Olson - Emily Christenson - Bill Webster, paintings and drawings by Olson and Christenson, sculpture by Webster; Mon.-Sat. 10am-5pm; for information, call 309.757.4775, renee grae gallery, 1500 River Dr., Level 3, Moline, IL, http://www.reneegraegallery.com, Wed Nov 21 thru Mon Dec 31.Jean Johnson - Lori Miller, MidCoast Gallery West, 2nd Ave & 16 1/2 St, Rock Island, IL, http://www.midcoast.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Mon Dec 31.Log Cabins over the Great River (Mississippi) Project, exhibit of works by members of the Mississippi Valley Quilters Guild; many log cabin variations will be on display to complement over 40 fabric portraits that navigate the Great River Project; Mon.-Sat. 10am-4pm, Sun. noon-4pm; free with $2-6 admission; for information, call 309-794-0991, Quad City Botanical Center, 2525 4th Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.qcgardens.com, Wed Nov 21 thru Tue Jan 1.Quad City Woodturners & Rug Hooking Exhibit, woodturning by the Quad City Woodturners, and the art of rug hooking by local and regional rug hooking artisans; $1/hour parking fee; for information, call 309-793-1213, ext. 108, Quad City Arts at the Airport, Quad City International Airport, Airport Rd, Moline, IL, http://www.quadcityarts.com, Wed Nov 21 thru Tue Jan 1.2012 College Invitational, exhibit featuring the best student work from Augustana College, Black Hawk College, Knox College, Monmouth College, St. Ambrose University, Scott Community College, and Western Illinois University; Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, Thu 10am-9pm, Sun noon-5pm; free with $4-7 museum admission; for information, call 563-326-7804, Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://figgeart.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Sun Jan 6.Rose Frantzen: Portrait of Maquoketa, exhibit of works suspended from the ceiling, forming an intimate portrait of a small, close-knit community in Iowa; Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, Thu 10am-9pm, Sun noon-5pm; free with $4-7 museum admission; for information, call 563-326-7804, Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://figgeart.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Sun Jan 20.Quilts: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum, a special exhibition of 27 priceless quilts, with classic examples of many major quilt types from the beginning of the 19th century to the end of the 20th century; free with $4-7 museum admission; for information, call 563-326-7804, Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://figgeart.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Sun Feb 3.Liberal Arts through the AGES: Interdisciplinary Art Histroical Inquiry 2012-13, exhibition examines artwork dating from ancient through contemporary times and many diverse cultures covering six continents; Tue.-Sat. noon-4pm when school is in session; free; for information, call 309-794-7231, Augustana College Art Museum, Centennial Hall Building, Rock Island, IL, http://www.augustana.edu, Wed Nov 21 thru Sat Feb 9.Picturing Identity: The Allure of Portraiture, portraits included in the exhibition will feature images of celebrities, historical figures, and other personages whose public roles question the mimetic role of portraiture; Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, Thu 10am-9pm, Sun noon-5pm; free with $4-7 museum admission; for information, call 563-326-7804, Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://figgeart.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Sun Feb 17.Artist Breaking Through, display of a public sculpture by Omaha artist Les Bruning, one made of galvanized steel and depicting an artist having a literal breakthrougha bright orange wall; for information, call 309-793-1213, ext. 108, i wireless Center, 1201 River Dr, Moline, IL, http://www.quadcityarts.com, Wed Nov 21 thru Thu Mar 7.Augustana College Art Museum Collection, Tue.-Sat. noon-4pm when school is in session; free; for information, call 309-794-7231, Augustana College Art Museum, Centennial Hall Building, Rock Island, IL, http://www.augustana.edu, Wed Nov 21 thru Thu Mar 7.Olson-Brandelle North American Indian Art Collection, featuring installments on each floor of the library, with explanatory text panels; open noon to 4pm Tuesdays through Saturdays when school is in session; free; for information, call 309-794-7469, Thomas Tredway Library, Augustana College, Rock Island, IL, http://www.augustana.edu, Wed Nov 21 thru Thu Mar 7.Sculpting with Fiber, an exhibit of woven and embroidered textiles from the John Deere Art Collection; Tue.-Sat. 10am-5pm, Thu. 10am-9pm, Sun. noon-5pm; free with $4-7 museum admission; for information, call 563-326-7804, Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://figgeart.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Thu Mar 7.December thru MarchWayne Emery - Margery Schroeder, photography by Emery, jewelry by Schroeder, MidCoast Centre Station Gallery, 1200 River Dr, Moline, IL, http://www.midcoast.org, Sat Dec 1 thru Thu Jan 31.Art from Life; Life from Art A Harmonious Partnership , exhibit of works by Glorie Iaccarino; for information, call 309-732-7323, Rock Island Public Library - Main Library, 401 19th St., Rock Island, IL, http://www.rockislandlibrary.org, Mon Dec 3 thru Fri Dec 28.Race Matters? Racism Matters! Post Racial, My Ass, exhibit featuring the works of Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr.; free, Catich Gallery - St. Ambrose University, 2101 Gaines St., Davenport, IA, http://www.sau.edu/catich, Tue Jan 15 thru Fri Feb 22.The Deacons Seat, exhibit of paintings and drawings by Fred Stonehouse; Mon.-Fri. 9am-5pm while school is in session; for information, call 563-333-6444 or e-mail CatichGallery@sau.edu, Catich Gallery - St. Ambrose University, 2101 Gaines St., Davenport, IA, http://www.sau.edu/catich, Tue Feb 26 thru Thu Mar 7.37th Annual Rock Island Fine Arts Exhibition, annual juried competition open to visual artists residing within a 150-mile radius of the Quad Cities, working in any media except video; Tue.-Sat. noon-4pm when school is in session; free; for information, call 309-794-7231, Augustana College Art Museum, Centennial Hall Building, Rock Island, IL, http://www.augustana.edu, Tue Mar 5 thru Thu Mar 7.Outlying AreasCurrently on DisplayLifes Ebbs and Flows, sculpture exhibit by Julia Bailey; Mon.-Fr. 11am-6pm, Sat. 10am-5pm, Sun noon-4pm; , Saturday 10-5, and Sunday 12-4; for information, call 319-338-4442, The Chait Galleries Downtown, 218 E Washington St, Iowa City, IA, http://www.thegalleriesdowntown.com, 2pm Wed Nov 21 thru Sun Nov 25.1611 W. Locust StreetDavenport, Iowa 52804Phone: 563.326.1847DOLAND JEWELERS MOVING SALEDont miss these special offers:NOV. 19-24: Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald Earrings for $19.99NOV. 25 DEC. 1: Free Watch with every purchaseDEC. 2-8: Balloon Pop...With every purchase pop a balloon with 5%-50% more off your purchaseDEC. 9-15: 30" Necklace & 7" Bracelet Pearl Set...$29.99 for the setDEC. 16-22: ct Diamond Stud Earrings $499 or 1 ct Diamond Stud Earrings $999DEC. 30 JAN 5: Balloon Pop...With every purchase pop a balloon with 5%-50% more off your purchaseEVERYTHING MUST GO!River Cities Reader Vol. 20 No. 818 November 21 - December 5, 2012 10 Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.comMeticulous Manipulation, abstract paintings by Brad Krieger; Mon.-Fri. 11am-6pm, Sat. 10am-5pm, Sun. noon-4pm; for information, call 319-338-4442, The Chait Galleries Downtown, 218 E Washington St, Iowa City, IA, http://www.thegalleriesdowntown.com, Wed Nov 21 thru Sat Dec 1.Art About Town: Scenes and Un-Scenes, exhibit of artwork by photographer Stephanie Funke of Manchester, IA and painter Adam Eikamp of Dubuque; for information, call 917-715-7384 or e-mail hflood@impactfinearts.com, Hotel Julien, 200 Main St., Dubuque, IA, Wed Nov 21 thru Wed Dec 5.Kate Van Steenhuyse, painting exhibit, Iowa Hall Gallery, Kirkwood Community College, 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.kirkwood.edu, Wed Nov 21 thru Fri Dec 7.Thomas Demand: Animations, exhibition of the videos Camera,Rain,and Pacific Sun; Tue.-Fri. 11am-4pm, Thu. 11am-9pm, Sat. 10am-4pm, Sun. noon-4pm; for information, call 515-277-4405, Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA, http://www.desmoinesartcenter.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Sun Dec 16.A Show of Hands: Ceramics from the Collection, featuring works donated by Iowa City resident and long-time photographer Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret; free; for information, call 319-366-7503, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Mon Dec 31.Joe Patrick: painting on small oils and other collectibles, oil paintings and found-object art by the Emeritus Professor at the School of Art and Art History at the University of Iowa; free; for information, call 319-364-1580, CSPS/Legion Arts, 1103 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.legionarts.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Mon Dec 31.Lloyd Dunn: 55505 pareidolia, a visual essay, meditation, and puzzle made up of found recordings that include optically recorded sounds from narrative films, field recordings of steam locomotives, and radio transmissions from space; free; for information, call 319-364-1580, CSPS/Legion Arts, 1103 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.legionarts.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Mon Dec 31.Monica Correia and Terry Rathje: The Poetry of Form, exhibit featuring organic stuctures in three scales: the smallest are vessels printed with a 3D printer, the intermediate size furniture and sculptural objects, and the largest, structures viewers can enter; free; for information, call 319-364-1580, CSPS/Legion Arts, 1103 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.legionarts.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Mon Dec 31.Shane McCallister: Harmony and Chaos, exhibit of works by an artist who paints or draws spontaneous abstract images, photographs them, and then reconfigures the images in Photoshop; free; for information, call 319-364-1580, CSPS/Legion Arts, 1103 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.legionarts.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Mon Dec 31.Treasures from the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library Collection, examples of fine, folk, and decorative art, textiles embellished with beads and embroidery, costumes, fine Royal Dux porcelain pieces, glass and crystal, and more; for information, call 319-366-7503, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Mon Dec 31.Charles Barth: A Kaleidoscope of Culture, exhibit of richly colored tableaus influenced by Mexican culture by retired faculty member at Mount Mercy University; free; for information, call 319-366-7503, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Sat Jan 5.The Whole World Was Watching: Civil Rights-Era Photographs from the Menil Collection, featuring works by Dan Budnik, Danny lyon, Bruce Davidson, Leonard Freed, Bob Adelman, and Elliott Erwitt; for information, call 515-277-4405, Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA, http://www.desmoinesartcenter.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Sun Jan 6.5th Annual Small Works Show 2012, featuring works in watercolor, oil, acrylic, airbrush, mixed media, pen and ink, colored pencil, charcoal, computer, digital art, photography, fiber art, sculpture, and jewelry; for information, call 319-338-4442, The Chait Galleries Downtown, 218 E Washington St, Iowa City, IA, http://www.thegalleriesdowntown.com, Wed Nov 21 thru Mon Jan 7.Iowa Artists 2012: Print, works by artists living and working in Iowa including relief,, Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA, http://www.desmoinesartcenter.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Sun Jan 13.Marvin Cone: An American Master, exhibit of works by the Cedar Rapids native and one of Iowas most important artists; free; for information, call 319-366-7503, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Sun Jan 20.Leslie Hewitt: Untitled (Structures), a film-based series of silent vignettes partly inspired by Civil Rights-era photographs; for information, call 515-277-4405, Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA, http://www.desmoinesartcenter.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Sun Jan 27.Napoleon and the Art of Propaganda, also on display at the Iowa Memorial Union; the exhibit features more than 120 drawings, prints, painting, sculptures, manuscripts, medals, and other objects; includes works by some of the most important artists, architects, and sculptors of the period, including Jacques-Louis David, Antonio Canova, Anne-Louis Girodet, Francois Gerard, Charles Percier, and Pierre-Francois-Leonard Fontaine; for information, call 319-335-1727, University of Iowa Old Capitol Museum, 21 Old Capitol Museum, Iowa City, IA, http://now.uiowa.edu/2012/09/napol%C3%A9on-too-big-one-venue, Wed Nov 21 thru Tue Jan 29.Clary Illian: A Potters Potter, exhibit of been ceramics and pots in stoneware, porcelain, and earthenware; for information, call 319-366-7503, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Sun Feb 17.Art in Roman Life, over 50 works, including coins, glass vessels, ceramic lamps, marble sculptures, and more; for information, call 319-366-7503, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Thu Mar 7.Gone to See the Elephant: The Civil War through the Eyes of Iowa Soldiers, the exhibit will examine the important role of the State of Iowa and the UI during the war, and feature primary resources, artifacts, historical documents, and educational programming; visitors will see how Iowa soldiers experienced daily camp life, faced injuries on the battlefield, survived prisoner camps, and longed for home; for information, call 319-335-0546, University of Iowa Old Capitol Museum, 21 Old Capitol Museum, Iowa City, IA, http://www.uiowa.edu/oldcap, Wed Nov 21 thru Thu Mar 7.Grant Wood: In Focus, culled from the museums extensive collection of works, this single-gallery installation serves as a brief overview of the artistic achievements of this important American painter; for information, call 319-366-7503, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Thu Mar 7.Mauricio Lasansky: Master Printmaker, new takes on the important Iowa City artist; for information, call 319-366-7503, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Thu Mar 7.Opening December thru FebruaryArt About Town: Scenes and Un-Scenes, exhibit of artwork by photographer Stephanie Funke of Manchester, IA and painter Adam Eikamp of Dubuque; for information, call 917-715-7384 or e-mail hflood@impactfinearts.com, Pepper Sprout, 378 Main St., Dubuque, IA, Wed Dec 5 thru Mon Jan 7.EXHIBITS & SHOWSOutlying AreasCurrently on DisplayRiver Cities Reader Vol. 20 No. 818 November 21 - December 5, 2012 11 Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.comby Mike Schulz mike@rcreader.com by Mike Schulz mike@rcreader.comMovie Reviewsby Mike Schulz mike@rcreader.com LINCOLNSteven Speilberg has never directed a talkier movie than his presidential biopic Lincoln, and only on rare occasions, it seems to me, has he directed a better one.Arriving with a script by Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner he of the two-part, six-and-a-half-hour stage experience Angels in America it was a fair guess that Spielbergs latest would be filled with its authors signature brand of hauntingly evocative yet thrillingly precise verbiage, especially considering the films focus on one of the greatest speech-makers in human history. But despite their beautiful partnership on 2005s Munich, I couldnt have predicted that Spielberg would appear so at ease with, and enlivened by, Kushners many scenes of wigged patriots arguing on the House floor or debating morality in shadowy rooms of the White House. Barring a couple of brief, vivid visualizations of Civil War combat, the action in Lincoln which dramatizes our 16th presidents attempts to secure the votes necessary to abolish slavery is almost completely confined to the fervently delivered passion of its dialogue. Spielberg, however, directs these proclamations, reminiscences, and verbal assaults with much the same immediacy and raw, explosive power found in Saving Private Ryans opening beachfront massacre; words undeniably matter here, and Lincolns helmer is smart enough to curtail his penchant for visual fireworks and simply let Kushners words, and the movies exceptionally strong cast, do their work. The film is an epic, but its an unexpectedly intimate epic, and probably Spielbergs most consistently excellent endeavor since Schindlers List.There is, of course, a third major collaborator on hand, and it will likely come as no shock to hear that Daniel Day-Lewis inhabits the role of Honest Abe with typically transcendent skill, effortlessly demonstrating Lincolns intelligence and wiliness and unimpeachable strength of character. Yet prior to Lincoln, has this inarguably marvelous actor ever been quite so charming onscreen? With his serene, courtly manner and fondness for rambling stories and off-color jokes the one he tells here involving a portrait of George Washington and an outhouse is truly hilarious Day-Lewis Lincoln frequently suggests a friendly, small-town barber in the guise of a world leader, and is further humanized by his high, reedy voice that might almost be apologizing for the sentiments its uttering. Youre never in doubt about Lincolns command and the respect hes earned among friends and foes, but Day-Lewis secret weapon in the constant sense of empathy he engenders; you fully enjoy this Lincolns presence, and when hes anguished, as the man is in several beautifully written scenes opposite his damaged wife Mary (a spectacularly fierce, tragic Sally Field), your heart breaks along with his. A number of actors, maybe, could have played the role with equal intensity and oratorical finesse, but perhaps only Day-Lewis would have thought to make such an intimidatingly iconic figure so unassuming the better to get the better of his political adversaries and one whose company is such a continual pleasure.And continual pleasure pretty much describes Lincoln itself, a two-and-a-half-hour history lesson that proves to also be, against considerable odds, almost miraculously entertaining. With its cinematography by Janusz Kaminski and its faultless production design, the movie looks about as magnificent as one would imagine possible, and Spielberg and Kushner wisely and generously supply laughs through a trio of Republican vote-wranglers (the expert John Hawkes, Tim Blake Nelson, and James Spader) with comically unethical powers of persuasion. Yet from the fiery declarations of incensed abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens (an extraordinarily fine Tommy Lee Jones) to the stark horror of the Civil War battlefields to the quiet images of Lincoln pondering his countrys future or merely sitting with youngest son Tad (Gulliver McGrath) on his lap, I dont think there was even a moment here that I wanted to see end. You may enter Lincoln expecting it to be good for you, but it wont take long to realize that, instead, its just plain good. Awfully damned good, actually.THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN, PART 2The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2 opened this past weekend had you heard? and this final installment of Stephenie Meyer adaptations ends with a de facto curtain call for nearly every performer who had a speaking line in any of the series five films. Its actually quite a lovely send-off for fans, and one so generous that I wont spoil the fond farewell by discussing, yet again, why this particular franchise just doesnt work for me, or why I found director Bill Condons concluding chapter mostly underwhelming and tedious. (Long story short: The movie is more of the same, but far less, as all of the really intriguing drama in Breaking Dawn apparently takes place in the novels first half.) So as I bid a relieved adieu to Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, and their vampire and lycanthrope pals, let me just say that Michael Sheen, as the threatening Volturi leader Aro, is about as hysterically, flamboyantly mesmerizing as you could want, and there was something quite sweet about the assemblage of supportive vampires who show up to help our heroic Cullen crew from all around the world. Youll recognize the Irish vampire by his green sweater and puckish wool cap.For reviews of Skyfall, The Sessions, and other current releases, visit RiverCitiesReader.comFollow Mike on Twitter at Twitter.com/MikeSchulzNow.Listen to Mike every Friday at 9am on ROCK 104-9 FM with Dave & DarrenAbe, HonestlyDaniel Day-Lewis in LincolnRiver Cities Reader Vol. 20 No. 818 November 21 - December 5, 2012 12 Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.comI AM: Prints by Elizabeth Catlett, exhibition of 28 prints by the world-renowned sculptor and printmaker; for information, call 319-366-7503, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, Sat Feb 16 thru Thu Mar 7.CLASSESScott & Rock Island CountiesHoliday Origami Cards with Japanese Brush Writing Workshop, Japanese artist Anna Ito, executive director of Japan Brush Writing Association USA division, will help students add new flair and create one-of-a-kind cards adorned with beautiful Japanese brush writing and unique origami shapes; students will learn the basic strokes of the Japanese alphabet plus origami paper folding techniques as taught by instructor Anna Ito; $35-40 plus $20 materials fee; for information and to register, call 563-326-7804 x 2045 or e-mail haaronson@figgeartmuseum.org., Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://figgeart.org, 10:30am Sat Dec 1.Autumn Winds, an art therapy workshop for cancer patients and survivors, led by Jacki Olson; explore the fluidity of fall rains, autumn colors, and movement with watercolor, mixed media, and works on paper; for information and to register, call 309-781-6227, Trinity Outpatient Rehabilitation Services, 4112 46th Ave, Rock Island, IL, http://livingproofexhibit.squarespace.com/classes/, 1pm Tue Dec 4.Pastel Portraits Workshop, learn layering, blending, textural techniques, and more that will help you model richly colored, realistic portraits; with instructor and French pastel artist Cecile Houel; $110-120; for information and to register, call 563-326-7804, Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://figgeart.org, 9am Sat Jan 5.Bottlecap Art Workshop, for information, call 563-344-4175, Bettendorf Public Library, 2950 Learning Campus, Bettendorf, IA, http://www.bettendorflibrary.com, 9am Sat Jan 26.Faux Finish Workshop, learn tips, tricks, and techniques that will help you create the look of wood, marble, fabric, and more on your walls and furniture; students will practice and perfect techniques presented in class on plaster boards provided; with instructor Mary Stringer; $50-60; for information and to register, call 563-326-7804, Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://figgeart.org, 10am Sat Jan 26.Draw, Draw, Draw!, Thursdays thru Feb. 28; perfect your skills in perspective, composition, and value/shading in this winter pick-me-up drawing experience; using graphite and pen & ink students will draw from still-life assemblages and unique objects that will challenge and inspire; with instructor Gloria Burlingame; $65-75; for information and to register, call 563-326-7804, Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://figgeart.org, 6pm Thu Feb 7.Figure Drawing, on Tuesdays; students will draw from an unclothed model in a professional studio environment; this facilitated experience will include multiple poses from warm-up gesture sketches to longer poses for finished drawings; with instructor Meg Hollister; $20/3 classes/student, $30/3 classes/adult, $12/single session; for information and to register, call 563-326-7804, Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA, http://figgeart.org, 6pm Tue Feb 12 thru Tue Mar 5.Outlying AreasPainting on Acetate Mini Classwith Mary Zeran, learn how acetate can be cut with scissors, layered, and combined in amazing ways; $20; for information and to register, call 319-363-0053 or e-mail maryzeran@yahoo.com, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, 5:30pm Thu Dec 13.Collage Mini Classwith Mary Zeran, experiment with methods like drawing, painting, layering, and cutting to create a beautiful collage that has special meaning to you; $20; for information and to register, call 319-363-0053 or e-mail maryzeran@yahoo.com, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, 5:30pm Thu Jan 10.Found Object Jewelry Mini Classwith Mary Zeran, tackle the fundamentals of beginning jewelry making using found objects instead of precious metals and stones; techniques include cold connections, riveting, hinges, and simple clasps; $20; for information and to register, call 319-363-0053 or e-mail maryzeran@yahoo.com, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.crma.org, 5:30pm Thu Feb 7.CALLS FOR ENTRYSeeking Applicants for the Herbert Hoover National Historic Sites 2013 Artist-in-Residence Program, thru Feb. 1; seeking writers, composers, and visual and performing artists whose work can be inspired by the history and beauty of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site; the park offers two residencies of two to eight weeks each from April through September; for information, call 319-643-7866, Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, off I-80 at exit 254, West Branch, IA, http://www.nps.gov/heho/supportyourpark/artist-in-residence-program.htm, Wed Nov 21 thru Fri Feb 1.Dubuquefest Call for Artists, the DubuqueFest Fine Arts Festival is accepting applications for the 36th annual juried fine art fair scheduled for May 18 & 19; all interested fine artists and fine-craft artisans are encouraged to apply; the fair features the work of 85 artists & artisans from across the region, with $1,000 cash prizes awarded to Best in Show, Second Place, & Third Place during an artists appreciation reception on May 19; $110 application fee, $15 jury fee; for information, contact Paula Neuhaus at 563-564-5290 or paula@dubuquefest.org, http://www.dubuquefest.org, Wed Nov 21 thru Fri Feb 15.CONCERTSScott & Rock Island CountiesNovember & DecemberBlack Hawk College Student Piano Recital, for information, call Jon Palomaki at 309-796-5478, Deere-Wiman Carriage House, 817 11th Ave., Moline, IL, http://www.bhc.edu, 7:30pm Mon Nov 26.EOTO, electronica and dubstep improv musicians in concert, with openers Jantsen and Ghost Science; $22-25; for information and tickets, call 563-326-1333, The Redstone Room, 129 Main St, Davenport, IA, http://www.redstoneroom.com, 8:30pm Wed Nov 28.Native American Songs & Stories, an evening of storytelling, singing and sharing with Thunder Medicine drum group for Native American Heritage Month; free; for information, call 309-732-7323, Rock Island Public Library - Main Library, 401 19th St., Rock Island, IL, http://www.rockislandlibrary.org, 6pm Wed Nov 28.12 Gifts of Christmas, New Anthem presents a holiday celebration featuring Grammy Award winners Steven Curtis Chapman and Laura Story, storytellers around Patsy Clairmont, Luci Swindoll, Marilyn Meberg, and Mary Beth Chapman, comedienne Anita Renfroe, illusionist Harris III, and host Lisa Whelchel of TVs The Facts of Life; $20-125; for tickets, call 800-965-9324, i wireless Center, 1201 River Dr, Moline, IL, http://www.NewAnthem.com, 7pm Fri Nov 30.Jon Eric, a Brown Bag Lunch concert with the banjo player and guitarist; bring a sack lunch; free; for information, call 563-344-4175, Bettendorf Public Library, 2950 Learning Campus, Bettendorf, IA, http://www.bettendorflibrary.com, 12pm Fri Nov 30.Christmas at Augustana, holiday numbers by the Augustana Brass Ensemble, Augustana Symphony Orchestra, Augustana Choir, Ascension Singers, November 17 - December 8All QC Walgreens & Select Chevy LocationsWant to make a difference this holiday season? YOU can be Santa to a local senior who needs a friend during the holidays when youparticipate in the Be a Santa to a Senior gift program.From November 17th to December 8th, go to any of the Quad Cities Walgreens or Select Chevy Dealers, take a name off the Senior Santa tree, buy a gift from their wish list, and return it. Its that simple.For more information go to CasiSeniors.org or call 563-386-7477 or call Home Instead at 563-359-0027.Sponsored by:EXHIBITS & SHOWSOutlying AreasOpening December thru FebruaryRiver Cities Reader Vol. 20 No. 818 November 21 - December 5, 2012 13 Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.comthe joyous, string-filled sounds of the Davenport Zither Ensemble Holiday Concert (December 2), while Rock Island's Church of Peace welcomes guest flutist Walter Haedrich in its Candlelight Christmas Concert (December 6). If, however, youre looking for holiday music of a more bluegrass-y nature, youre sure to find it in the Iowa Theatre Artists Company presentations of The Great Bluegrass Herons Acoustic Christmas Concert (December 14 through 16), events preceded at that Amana-based venue by the annual delights of Lynne Rothrocks Christmas Cabaret (December 7 through 9).But our areas student choirs arent about to let adults bogart all the holiday-music fun, as youll see when the Bettendorf Public Library hosts the Bettendorf Middle School Holiday Concert (December 13), and the Moline Public Library treats visitors to the Moline High School Chamber Choirs Songs of the Season (December 14). Older students will showcase their vocal gifts in the First Congregational Church of Molines presentation of the Black Hawk College Holiday Choral Concert (December 6), while both student vocalists and instrumentalists display their musical prowess at Davenports St. Ambrose University in the annual SAU Christmas Showcase (December 7).And wrapping up the holiday-concert season at my alma mater, Rock Islands Augustana College has no fewer than three annual events on its docket: the vocal- and instrumental-music blend of Christmas at Augustana (November 30 and December 1), the story of Christs birth told in the readings and songs of Lessons & Carols (December 13), and the Handel Oratorio Societys seasonal presentation of Handels iconic The Messiah (December 8 and 9). A seasonal masterpiece performed by more than 250 voices? That seems plenty worthy of a Ha-a-a-allelujah!For more information on our areas holiday concerts, see the Music section of our events calendar, beginning on page 12.Cantilena Augustana, Jenny Lind Vocal Ensemble, and the Wennerberg Mens Chorus; Fri. 8pm, Sat. 4pm; $10-20; for information and tickets, call 309-794-7306, Centennial Hall, Augustana College, 3703 7th Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.augustana.edu/tickets, Fri Nov 30 and Sat Dec 1.Future Rock, electronica and progressive-rock musicians in concert; $10-12; for tickets and information, call 563-326-1333, The Redstone Room, 129 Main St, Davenport, IA, http://www.rivermusicexperience.org, 10pm Fri Nov 30.Quad City Symphony Orchestra: Masterworks III - Shakespeare in Concert, featuring conductor Mark Russell Smith and singers from the University of Minnesota Opera Theatre and Quad City Choral Arts, and a program including the Scherzo and famous Wedding March from Mendelssohns Midsummer Nights Dream,Tchaikovskys Romeo and Juliet,and a semi-staged and costumed performance of Verdis Falstaff in celebration of the composers 200th birthday; $10-53; for information, call 563-322-0931, Adler Theatre, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport, IA, http://www.qcsymphony.com, 7:30pm Sat Dec 1.Trampled Under Foot, concert with the 2008 winners of the International Blues Challenge; $10-12; for tickets and information, call 563-326-1333, The Redstone Room, 129 Main St, Davenport, IA, http://www.rivermusicexperience.org, 8pm Sat Dec 1.Black Hawk College String Orchestra Concert, for information, call Jim Crowder at 563-332-5879, First Congregational Church - Moline, 2201 7th Avenue, Moline, IL, http://www.bhc.edu, 4pm Sun Dec 2.Davenport Zither Ensemble Annual Holiday Concert, collaboration with the Bee Sharps; free with museum admission, for information, call 563-322-8844, German American Heritage Center, 712 W. 2nd St., Davenport, IA, http://www.gahc.org, 2pm Sun Dec 2.Quad City Symphony Orchestra: Masterworks III - Shakespeare in Concert, featuring conductor Mark Russell Smith and singers from the University of Minnesota Opera Theatre and Quad City Choral Arts, and a program including the Scherzo and famous Wedding March from Mendelssohns Midsummer Nights Dream,Tchaikovskys Romeo and Juliet,and a semi-staged and costumed performance of Verdis Falstaff in celebration of the composers 200th birthday; $10-53; for information, call 563-322-0931, Centennial Hall, Augustana College, 3703 7th Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.qcsymphony.com, 2pm Sun Dec 2.Black Hawk College Student Vocal Recital, for information, call Jon Palomaki at 309-796-5478, Deere-Wiman Carriage House, 817 11th Ave., Moline, IL, http://www.bhc.edu, 7:30pm Mon Dec 3.Black Hawk College Community Band Concert, for information, call Jim Crowder at 563-332-5879, Black Hawk College - Quad City Campus, 6600 34th Ave., Moline, IL, http://www.bhc.edu, 7:30pm Tue Dec 4.St. Ambrose University Student Recitals, free; for information, contact Terri Flynn at 563-333-6001, Galvin Fine Arts Center, 2101 Gaines St., Davenport, IA, http://www.sau.edu, 7:30pm Tue Dec 4.Flute and Clarinet Choirs Recital, free; for information, e-mail samschlouch@augustana.edu or call 309-794-7833, Wallenberg Hall, Augustana College, 3520 7th Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.augustana.edu/music, 8pm Wed Dec 5.Black Hawk College Holiday Choral Concert, for information, call Jon Palomaki at 309-796-5478, First Congregational Church - Moline, 2201 7th Avenue, Moline, IL, http://www.bhc.edu, 7:30pm Thu Dec 6.Christmas at the Speakeasy, holiday revue featuring the Circa 21 Bootleggers and cast members from the theatres Miracle on 34th Street; $13-15; for tickets and information, call 309-786-7733 extension 2, The Circa 21 Speakeasy, 1818 3rd Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.circa21.com, 7pm Thu Dec 6.St. Ambrose University Christmas Showcase, featuring the University Chorale, Chamber Singers, Symphonic Band, SAU-Community Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Jazz Ensemble, STAMVOJA, and Bee Sharp; free; for information, contact Terri Flynn at 563-333-6001, Galvin Fine Arts Center, 2101 Gaines St., Davenport, IA, http://www.sau.edu, 7pm Fri Dec 7.Holiday Concerts in the Quad Cities and Surrounding AreasNot-So-Silent Nightsby Mike Schulzmike@rcreader.comOur areas roster of holiday-themed concerts, which began with November 17s annual Holiday Pops at the i wireless Center, will continue at the Moline venue with November 30s 12 Gifts of Christmas, a New Anthem presenta-tion emceed by Lisa Whelchel of The Facts of Life fame and show-casing performances by, among others, con-temporary Christian artists and Grammy Award winners Steven Curtis Chapman and Laura Story.Those are impressive headliners. But when it comes to gifts of a musical nature, 12 is really low-balling it; the Quad Cities and its neighboring burgs will actually be hosting more than two dozen holiday concerts between November 30 and December 22, among them even more engagements featuring nationally beloved singers and musicians.For country-music fans, performers dont get much more beloved than Wynonna (Judd, that is), and the chart-topping singer will share songs of the season in her forthcoming Wynonnas Rockin Christmas concerts at the Riverside Casino & Event Center (December 8 and 9). One day prior to Wyonnas area arrival, an internationally acclaimed jazz and R&B chanteuse will take the Riverside stage in her touring show Dianne Reeves: Christmas Time Is Here (December 7), an event in Hancher Auditoriums Visiting Artists Series. And heading north to Cedar Rapids, not only will CSPS/Legion Arts deliver a night with the Celtic talents of Irish Christmas in America (December 2), but the citys Paramount Theatre will host a trio of holiday treats: the music-and-dance magic of Orchestra Iowas Holiday Spectacular (December 15 and 16), seasonal piano tunes with Jim Brickman: On a Winters Night (December 22), and even more ivory-tickling blended with spirited vocalizing in Jim McDonough & His Orchestra & Singers: Holiday Grande (December 9).After the pianists Cedar Rapids stop, Davenports Adler Theatre will also play host to Jim McDonough & His Orchestra & Singers: Holiday Grande (December 15), while Rock Islands Circa 21 Dinner Playhouse houses a touring sensation of its own, offering two performances with the musical and comedic show-stoppers of Branson on the Road: Christmas Style (December 13 and 14). The theatres sister venue, the Circa 21 Speakeasy, will present a holiday-tune cabaret that finds members of the Miracle on 34th Street cast and Circa 21s wait staff of Bootleggers celebrating Christmas at the Speakeasy (December 6). Galesburgs Orpheum Theatre, meanwhile, hosts a family-friendly concert headlining actual blood-relation musicians a whopping nine of em in the touring production The Lowe Family: Christmas Spectacular (December 15).Yet there will also be plenty of homegrown musical talent on display this season, starting with the Orpheums vocal-ensemble showcase Choral Dynamics: Christmas Around the World (November 30 through December 2). The following weekend will find a troupe of area crooners entertaining guests at Colonas Lavender Crest Winery in the annual Christmas with the Quad City Singers presentations (December 7 and 8). And the weekend after that, the professional vocal ensemble the Nova Singers will perform its annual A Nova Christmas concerts one at Galesburgs First Lutheran Church (December 15) and the other at Davenports St. Paul Lutheran Church (December 14).Another of the citys churches gets into the holiday-concert spirit when Davenports First Presbyterian Church hosts five separate choirs in its 23rd-annual seasonal offering, this one titled I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (December 15). Across town, the German American Heritage Center will follow its participatory, family-oriented Christmas Carol Sing-Along (December 1) with Steven Curtis ChapmanDiane ReevesMUSICRiver Cities Reader Vol. 20 No. 818 November 21 - December 5, 2012 14 Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.comHandels Messiah, annual performance of Handels masterpiece by the Handel Oratorio Society featuring a 250-voice chorus; with soloists Emily Truckenbrod, soprano, Amanda Crider, mezzo-soprano, William Ferguson, tenor, and Philip Zawisza, baritone; Sat. 8pm, Sun. 2pm; $10-20; for tickets and information, call 309-794-7306, Centennial Hall, Augustana College, 3703 7th Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.augustana.edu/x15671.xml, Sat Dec 8 and Sun Dec 9.Branson on the Road - Christmas Style, old-fashioned holiday country music and comedy; Thu. $22.50-27.50, 7pm; Fri. $41.28, 11:45am buffet, 1pm performance; for tickets and information, call 309-786-7733, ext. 2, The Circa 21 Speakeasy, 1818 3rd Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.circa21.com, Thu Dec 13 and Fri Dec 14..Lessons and Carols, the Augustana Chamber Singers and Campus Ministries present the story of Christs birth in readings and song; 4 & 8pm; free; for information, call 309-794-7306, Ascension Chapel, Augustana College, 3701 7th Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.augustana.edu, Thu Dec 13.Moline High School Chamber Choir: Songs of the Season, a Brown Bag lunch concert; free; for information, call 309-524-2470, Moline Public Library, 3210 41st St., Moline, IL, http://www.molinelibrary.com, 12pm Fri Dec 14.A Nova Christmas, annual holiday concert with the professional vocal ensemble the Nova Singers; $15-18; for tickets and information, call 309-341-7038 or email nova@knox.edu; St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2136 N,. Brady St., Dfavenport, IA, http://www.novasingers.com, 7:30pm Fri Dec 14.The Manny Lopez Big Band, Lopez and his 13 piece big band will be playing all your favorites from the Big Band era; featuring hits from Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Henry Mancini, and Stan Kenton; 5pm doors, 6pm show; $12-15; for tickets and information, call 309-786-7733, extension 2, The Circa 21 Speakeasy, 1818 3rd Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.circa21.com, 6pm Fri Dec 14.I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, the churchs 23rd annual Christmas concert, with performances by the Sanctuary Choir, Chamber Chorale, Celebration Singers, Cecelian Carolers, Cathedral Choir of Young Men and Boys, Vesper Bells, organ, and orchestra; Sat. 7:30pm, Sun 4pm; for information, call 563-326-1691, First Presbyterian Church of Davenport, 1702 Iowa St., Davenport, IA, http://www.fpcdavenport.org, 7:30pm Sat Dec 15 and Sat Dec 16.Jim McDonough and His Orchestra & Singers: Holiday Grande 2012, an all-new stage production featuring McDonough, his 14-piece orchestra, and a cast of singers and dancers performing Christmas music and other all-time favorites; proceeds benefit Camp Courageous of Iowa; $31-36; for tickets, call 800-745-3000, Adler Theatre, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport, IA, http://www.adlertheatre.com, 2:30pm Sat Dec 15.Bucktown Revue, monthly celebration of Mississippi River Valley folk music and culture, featuring music, storytelling, poetry, and humor; with emcee Scott Tunnicliff and music by the Barley House Band and Milltown; $12 at the door; for information, e-mail mgromkey@gmail.com, Nighswander Theatre, 2822 Eastern Ave, Davenport, IA, 7pm Fri Dec 21.The Cerny Brothers, noted Americana and folk musicians in concert; $8-10; for information and tickets, call 563-326-1333, The Redstone Room, 129 Main St, Davenport, IA, http://www.rivermusicexperience.org, 8pm Sat Dec 22.Winter Blues at RME Blues Jam, concert with the students taking vocal and instrumental (guitar, bass, harmonica, keyboards and drums) workshops, with concentration on blues composition and improvisation; for information, call 563-326-1333, The Redstone Room, 129 Main St, Davenport, IA, http://www.rivermusicexperience.org, 6pm Sat Dec 29.Dr. Zhivegas, New Years event concert event with the St. Louis-based dance band; $25-55; for information, call 800-724-5825, Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center, 1777 Isle Parkway, Bettendorf, IA, http://bettendorf.isleofcapricasinos.com, 8pm Mon Dec 31.Good Rockin Live: A Salute to Sun Records & the Birth of Rock n Roll, an explosive rock n roll celebration performed by Robert Shaw & the Lonely Street Band; 7:30pm doors, 8-9pm buffet, 9:15pm show; party favors, champagne toast, balloon drop, and more; $77-40; for tickets and information, call 309-786-7733 extension 2, Circa 21 Dinner Playhouse, 1828 3rd Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.circa21.com, 9:15pm Mon Dec 31.The Candymakers & The Gratest Story Ever Told, playing the Redstone Rooms New Years Eve Party; $15-20; for information and tickets, call 563-326-1333, The Redstone Room, 129 Main St, Davenport, IA, http://www.rivermusicexperience.org, 9:30pm Mon Dec 31.JanuarySamantha Fish, concert with the Kansas City-based blues singer/songwriter; $10; for tickets and information, call 563-326-1333, The Redstone Room, 129 Main St, Davenport, IA, http://www.rivermusicexperience.org, 8pm Sat Jan 5.Rascal Flatts, country-music superstars in concert, with an opening set by The Band Perry; for tickets, call 800-745-3000, i wireless Center, 1201 River Dr, Moline, IL, http://www.iwirelesscenter.com, 7pm Fri Jan 11.The Manny Lopez Big Band, Lopez and his 13 piece big band will be playing all your favorites from the Big Band era; featuring hits from Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Henry Mancini, and Stan Kenton; 5pm doors, 6pm show; $12-15; for tickets and information, call 309-786-7733, extension 2, The Circa 21 Speakeasy, 1818 3rd Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.circa21.com, 6pm Fri Jan 11.Bucktown Revue, monthly celebration of Mississippi River Valley folk music and culture, featuring music, storytelling, poetry, and humor; with emcee Scott Tunnicliff and music by the Barley House Band and Milltown; $12 at the door; for information, e-mail mgromkey@gmail.com, Nighswander Theatre, 2822 Eastern Ave, Davenport, IA, 7pm Fri Jan 18.David G. Smith, concert with the folk singer/songwriter; bring a sack lunch; free; for information, call 563-344-4175, Bettendorf Public Library, 2950 Learning Campus, Bettendorf, IA, http://www.bettendorflibrary.com, 12pm Fri Jan 25.February & MarchShinedown & Three Days Grace, multi-platinum-selling rockers in concert, with an opening set by P.O.D.; $25-40.50; for tickets, call 800-745-3000, i wireless Center, 1201 River Dr, Moline, IL, http://www.iwirelesscenter.com, 7pm Fri Feb 1.Traces, concert with the womens a cappella singing group; free, Rogalski Center - St. Ambrose University, 518 W. Locust St., Davenport, IA, http://www.sau.edu, 7pm Tue Feb 5.The Manny Lopez Big Band, Lopez and his 13 piece big band will be playing all your favorites from the Big Band era; featuring hits from Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Henry Mancini, and Stan Kenton; 5pm doors, 6pm show; $12-15; for tickets and information, call 309-786-7733, extension 2, The Circa 21 Speakeasy, 1818 3rd Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.circa21.com, 6pm Fri Feb 8.Quad City Symphony Orchestra: Masterworks IV - Valentines Day, featuring conductor Mark Russell Smith and swing-era favorites from Five By Design, with a program including Webers Invitation to the Dance,Bernsteins West Side Story: Symphonic Dances,and Tchaikovskys Waltz from Swan Lake; for information, call 563-322-0931, Adler Theatre, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport, IA, http://www.qcsymphony.com, 7:30pm Sat Feb 9.CONCERTSScott & Rock Island CountiesNovember & DecemberSUN. DEC. 2 7PM | ADLER THEATRE DAVENPORTBOX OFFICE | TICKETMASTER.COM | | 800-745-3000DISCOUNTS FOR GROUPS! CALL 563-326-8522Presented byapresentationRiver Cities Reader Vol. 20 No. 818 November 21 - December 5, 2012 15 Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.comDecember 31 from 8:00pm to 2:00am at the QuaD-cities Waterfront convention centersmDance in the New Year with party band Dr. Zhivegas and his video jockey.Tickets are $25 through November 30; $35 after, and include the Quad Cities biggest balloon drop, giveaways, a $100 coupon book, and new this year, dancing disco ninjas.Purchase VIP all-access tickets for just $40 through November 30; $55 after. VIP tickets include the perks from above, PLUS a VIP appetizer area and entry into our new exclusive party pods that feature Miller, Riddles Jewelry and more!Purchase your tickets at www.theislebettendorf.com today.Quad-Cities Biggestnew years eve party 2012 Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. Must be 21 to enter the casino and to attend the Dr. Zhivegas party. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center is a service mark of the City of Bettendorf. Miller is a registered trademark of MillerCoors, LLC. Management reserves the right to change or cancel events and promotions at any time without prior notification. Gambling a problem? There is help. And hope. Call 1-800-BETS-OFF. www.theislebettendorf.comConneCt with us 1777 Isle Parkway Bettendorf, IA 52722 1-800-THE-ISLE www.theislebettendorf.comRiver Cities Reader Vol. 20 No. 818 November 21 - December 5, 2012 16 Business Politics Arts Culture Now You Know RiverCitiesReader.comQuad City Symphony Orchestra: Masterworks IV - Valentines Day, featuring conductor Mark Russell Smith and swing-era favorites from Five By Design, with a program including Webers Invitation to the Dance,Bernsteins West Side Story: Symphonic Dances,and Tchaikovskys Waltz from Swan Lake; for information, call 563-322-0931, Centennial Hall, Augustana College, 3703 7th Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.qcsymphony.com, 2pm Sun Feb 10.Bucktown Revue, monthly celebration of Mississippi River Valley folk music and culture, featuring music, storytelling, poetry, and humor; with emcee Scott Tunnicliff and music by the Barley House Band and Milltown; $12 at the door; for information, e-mail mgromkey@gmail.com, Nighswander Theatre, 2822 Eastern Ave, Davenport, IA, 7pm Fri Feb 15.David Burgess, a Latin-guitar concert with the Quad City Arts Visiting Artist; donations encouraged; for information, call 309-793-1213, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Utica Ridge and Tanglefoot Lane, Bettendorf, IA, http://www.quadcityarts.com, 7pm Sat Feb 16.Madrigals, Chansons, and Jazz, winter concert with the professional vocal ensemble the Nova Singers; $15-18; for tickets and information, call 309-341-7038 or email nova@knox.edu, St. Paul Lutheran Church - Davenport, 2136 Brady St., Davenport, IA, http://www.novasingers.com, 4pm Sun Feb 17.D.R.I., concert with the famed thrash metal/crossover thrash band, with opening sets by Johnny Scum and Butt Lynt; $15 advance tickets; for information, call 309-793-4060, RIBCO, 1815 2nd Ave., Rock Island, IL, http://www.ribco.com, 8pm Thu Feb 21.Ahreum Han, concert with the internationally renowned organist and the churchs Artist in Residence; $8-12; for information, call 563-326-1691, First Presbyterian Church of Davenport, 1702 Iowa St., Davenport, IA, http://www.fpcdavenport.org, 2pm Sun Feb 24.Maroon 5, chart-topping pop rockers in concert, with opening sets by Neon Trees and Owl City; $35-77.50; for tickets, call 800-745-3000, i wireless Center, 1201 River Dr, Moline, IL, http://www.iwirelesscenter.com, 8pm Fri Mar 1.St. Ambrose University Jazz Ensemble/STAMVOJA Winter Concert, instrumental ensemble exploring a wide variety of jazz and jazz-influenced styles such as swing, blues, bebop and contemporary, along with STAMVOJA vocal jazz group; free; for information, contact Terri Flynn at 563-333-6001, Galvin Fine Arts Center, 2101 Gaines St., Davenport, IA, http://www.sau.edu, 7:30pm Fri Mar 1.St. Ambrose University Symphonic Band: Great River Collegiate Wind Symphony, music ranging from patriotic marches to symphonic works; free; for information, contact Terri Flynn at 563-333-6001, Galvin Fine Arts Center, 2101 Gaines St., Davenport, IA, http://www.sau.edu, 7pm Sat Mar 2.Philip Hemmo, classical guitar concert with the touring musician; free; for information, call 563-333-6001, Galvin Fine Arts Center, 2101 Gaines St., Davenport, IA, http://www.sau.edu, 7:30pm Mon Mar 4.St. Ambrose University-Community Symphony Orchestra, St. Ambrose students and community members play music from the rich and varied orchestral repertoire; free; for information, contact Terri Flynn at 563-333-6001, Galvin Fine Arts Center, 2101 Gaines St., Davenport, IA, http://www.sau.edu, 7:30pm Wed Mar 6.Outlying AreasNovember & DecemberTacit Group, six-man group uses real-time projection mapping and computer graphics to create compelling soundscapes and visuals; $15-18; for CONCERTSScott & Rock Island CountiesFebruary & Marchtickets and information, call 319-364-1580, CSPS/Legion Arts, 1103 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.legionarts.org, 8pm Fri Nov 23 and Sat Nov 24.Close to You: The Music of the Carpenters, tribute performance by Lisa Rock and a six-piece band; $13-$25; for tickets and information, call 563-652-9815, Ohnward Fine Arts Center, 1215 E Platt St., Maquoketa, IA, http://www.ohnwardfineartscenter.com, 7pm Sat Nov 24.Jake McVey, $13; chart-topping country musician in concert; for information and tickets, call 319-366-8203, Paramount Theatre, 123 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.paramounttheatrecr.com, 8pm Sat Nov 24.Tommy Castro & the Painkillers, concert with the touring artists and winners of multiple Blues Music Awards; $23; for tickets and information, call 641-472-2787, Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, Fairfield, IA, http://www.FairfieldACC.com, 7:30pm Sun Nov 25.Zeds Dead, Toronto-based electronica duo in concert; $25-32.35; for tickets, call 800-745-3000, Iowa Memorial Union, 125 N. Madison St., Iowa City, IA, http://www.scopeproductions.org, 8pm Wed Nov 28.Kirkwood Community College Chamber Ensembles Recital, for information, call 319-398-5899, ext. 4331, Ballantyne Auditorium, Iowa Hall, Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.kirkwood.edu, 11am Thu Nov 29.Sandy Hacketts Rat Pack Show, theatrical concert featuring comedy and new arrangements of classic Last Vegas hits; $12-32; for tickets and information, call 641-472-2787, Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, Fairfield, IA, http://www.FairfieldACC.com, 7:30pm Fri Nov 30.Choral Dynamics: Christmas Around the World, holiday presentation featuring choral arrangements, dancing, and comedy; proceeds annually benefit local non-profits ($400,000 raised to date), with this years benefiting the Carl Sandburg College Adult Learning Center; performance made possible through grants by the Galesburg Community Foundation and the City of Galesburg; Fri. & Sat. 7:30pm, Sun. 2pm; $15 adults, ages 13-18 $7.50, ages 12 & under free with paid adult; for information and tickets, call 309-343-2299, Orpheum Theatre, 57 S. Kellogg St., Galesburg, IL, http://www.theorpheum.org, 7:30pm Fri Nov 30 thru Sun Dec 2.Irish Christmas in America, top Irish musicians, singers, and dancers in a performance rich in history, humor, and energy; $30-35; for tickets and information, call 319-364-1580, CSPS/Legion Arts, 1103 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.legionarts.org, 7pm Sun Dec 2.Andy Statman Trio, concert with award-winning mandolinist and clarinetist and his ensemble; $25-27.50; for information, call 319-688-2653, Englert Theatre, 221 East Washington St., Iowa City, IA, http://www.englert.org, 8pm Mon Dec 3.Kirkwood Community College Student Solo Recital, for information, call 319-398-5899, ext. 4331, Ballantyne Auditorium, Iowa Hall, Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, IA, http://www.kirkwood.edu, 11am Tue Dec 4.Moscow Boys Choir: Christmas Around the World, holiday concert with one of Russias most prestigious all-male choirs; $12-22; for tickets and information, call 641-472-2787, Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, Fairfield, IA, http://www.FairfieldACC.com, 7:30pm Thu Dec 6.Dianne Reeves: Christmas Time Is Here, jazz, R &