Quadsville

Show to see

Shelley Short, whose animal-themed album titles have gained momentum, is coming to Rock Island for a Daytrotter Presents show.

Short actually likes the rain of the Pacific Northwest, where she attended art school, but now calls Chicago her home.

The show begins at 7 p.m. Friday, May 1, at Huckleberry’s Pizza Parlor, 223 18th St., Rock Island. Cover is $5.
 
For adults only

The District is hosting a Chicago Cubs-themed pub crawl to celebrate the start of the baseball season. Participants have a chance to win tickets to a Cubs game or team apparel.

The Spring Pub Crawl is 7-11 p.m. Friday, April 24, in The District. Participating bars are 2nd Avenue, Arena, Bennigan’s, Daiquiri Factory, Del’s, Icons, Malarkey’s and Steve’s Old Time Tap.
 
For teens (others, too)

The Quad-City Youth Symphony Orchestra will end its 51st season with a concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 26, at Augustana College's Centennial Hall, 3703 7th Ave., Rock Island.

The youth orchestra is comprised of 80 middle, junior high and high school students. The symphony awards more than $7,000 in scholarships.
 
He said what?

Superdrag’s frontman, John Davis, on why the band released “Industry Giants” on its own label, Superdrag Sound Laboratories, because of its previous experience with Elektra Entertainment Group.

“There were some hurt feelings and we definitely walked away from there having learned some lessons. Sometimes you learn best from doing things the wrong way.”

For more about Superdrag and their upcoming Daytrotter Presents show at RIBCO, click here to read the preview in this week's Go&Do.

By Stephanie De Pasquale

Icons, a new martini bar, opened in place of Copia this past Thursday, and one of the first orders of business for co-owners Phil Woodward and Dave Phillips was to lower prices.

Martinis have been reduced 50 cents to $7.50 and $9. Beer is also down 50 cents to $3 for domestics, $3.50 for imports and $4 for aluminum bottles. Mixed drinks and shots have been lowered by $2 to $5, depending on the drink.

While $9 can easily be perceived as pricey for one drink, Woodward is quick to point out that the $9 martinis are made with 7 1/2 ounces of pure alcohol, whereas a Captain and Coke only contains one ounce of alcohol.

When you do the math, it would take more than seven mixed drinks to match the alcohol content, and that price would be easily more than $9, Woodward said.

The specialty $7.50 martinis contain just a bit more than 5 1/2 ounces of alcohol, by the way.

Icons also will offer selected martinis for $5 Tuesday through Thursday.

Check out the whole story about Icon’s opening here.

If you go

What: Icons

When: 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays

Where: Copia, 124 18th St., Rock Island

Stephanie De Pasquale can be contacted at (563) 333-2639 or sdepasquale@qctimes.com.

The dance club Dolce is gone and the piano bar, jazz feel of Below Brady is back.

Below Brady co-founder Matt Somers said a new group of partners repurchased the bar and Starting Line it was originally sold 14 months ago. The new ownership team has already changed management, employees and the menu at Starting Line, but reopening Below Brady was their first priority.

The new owners brought back the cool blue lighting and replaced the DJ with live music that will always have a jazz feel. Somers said Below Brady will also have all new martini recipes that will be blended with each order.

“We’re doing everything different than Dolce,” Somers said. “It’s not going to be that thump, thump, thump. It’s going to be the Rat Pack.”

The Craig Bentley Trio performed on Friday at Below Brady for an event to celebrate the reopening. Their smooth jazz that you could still have a conversation over was a far cry from the booming loud disc jockey at Dolce, but it fit much better with the martini bar concept. It definitely would be a good place for those who still want to go out, but have outgrown the clubs.

Below Brady is modeled after Chicago martini and piano bars, and while there are plans to buy a baby piano, Somers said Below Brady doesn’t plan to compete with Nan’s Piano Bar and will stick to local talent.

“It’s a great place to bring a client, spouse or a significant other if you really want to impress somebody,” Somers said. “I always like to say it’s a little bit of Chicago. ... It’s not your grandfather’s speakeasy, but it has the feeling of a speakeasy bar.”

Below Brady will have its grand reopening on Wednesday, Nov. 26.

If you go

What: Below Brady grand reopening

When: 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. with live music at 8 p.m. Regular hours will be 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday, with happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m.

Where: 217 Brady St., Davenport

How much: Free

Information: (563) 323-5455

Stephanie De Pasquale can be contacted at (563) 333-2639 or sdepasquale@qctimes.com.