Organizers of 2023 Alternating Currents are buzzing about a lineup they hope Quad Citians will really get a charge out of. AC also will once again feature such genres as comedy, film, the arts and, yes, pro-wrestling.
The Aug. 17-20 festival also will feature such marquee events as performances by Rock Island’s own Lissie Maurus. Billed simply as Lissie, she boasts a career that has spanned four albums and includes a host of sold-old concerts that feature the mix of rock and folk-pop for which she’s been known.
The festival will take place across more than two dozen venues in downtown Davenport along with key performances in downtown Rock Island and Bettendorf and include festival favorites like comedy at Adventurous Brewing in downtown Bettendorf and the Quad City Arts Silent Disco at the Davenport Skybridge.
It will highlight the Quad Cities riverfront and also will feature some new additions since last year, including Beaux Arts Fair on the Figge Plaza, Made Market QC moving outside on East Second St. in downtown Davenport and River Action’s Floatzilla delivering live music at its Davenport Main Street launch site.
AC describes itself as “a place where music lovers come to jam with top rising musicians, film enthusiasts encounter pictures that spark meaningful conversations, admirers of art experience works that produce deep personal connections and comedians induce the big laughs that each person needs every so often.”
Alternating Currents performances also are held, the organization said in its news release, “inside and out of treasured venues located on the idyllic Quad Cities riverfront, the perfect backdrop for showcasing the creative character of the QC region.”
AC was founded in 2017 by the Downtown Davenport Partnership (DDP), a division of the Quad Cities Chamber. It has expanded to include host downtowns Downtown Bettendorf Organization and Rock Island Downtown Alliance. AT also highlights dozens of unique restaurants, shops, bars and in the festival areas where visitors can “move from one venue to the next, just like the flow of alternating currents.”
Organizers say AC is successful because of its creative partners and the businesses that come together to create an amazing experience. This year’s Presenting Sponsors are Regional Development Authority (RDA) and Rhythm City Casino Resort. Programming support is provided by investments from Music Partner GreenState Credit Union and Arts Partner TBK Bank. alternatingcurrentsqc.com
The 2023 lineup can be found on the Alternating Currents app, the festival’s go-to resource. There users can discover the acts that interest them and customize their personal festival schedule, enabling the creation of their own uniquely captivating Alternating Currents experience. To download the free app, visit alternatingcurrentsqc.com.
Some of the festival highlights include:
LIVE MUSIC
- Lissie and her band will perform Thursday, Aug. 17, at Schwiebert Riverfront Park, Rock Island
- Ax & the Hatchetmen bring their rock & roll and blistering horns back to AC.
- Smoking Popes, Chicago pop-punk legends, will return to AC for the first time since 2017 as part of their journey to “melt America, one face at a time.”
- Adeem the Artist, who was nominated in 2023 for Emerging Act of the Year at the Americana Music Honors & Awards, will perform country music.
- Monica Austin, the Muscatine-based Midwest Country Music Organization’s reigning Entertainer of the Year will belt out her country tunes during AC.
- CJ Parker, a Quad Cities musician named “a rising star” by MTV in 2022, will make an appearance with his full band.
- Quad City Arts Silent Disco will allow attendees to bust a move to a variety of music as they use their headphones to switch from one DJ to the next at the Davenport Skybridge.
ART HIGHLIGHTS
- Made Market QC, a handmade and vintage maker’s market will showcase 100+ vendors covering two blocks on East 2nd St.
- Beaux Arts Fair will celebrate its 70th Anniversary of bringing artisan booths and one-of-a-kind artwork at this year’s AC at the Figge Art Museum’s Bechtel Plaza.
- TBK Bank, Alternating Currents 2023 Art Partner, will provide artists an opportunity to create a community mural in downtown Davenport during the festival. Artist submissions are still being accepted and will close on Monday, July 24.
COMEDY EVENTS
- Richard Reese, comedy veteran and underground hero, will dish out laughs during his standup performance.
- Brittany Tilander, recently voted The Kansas City Pitch’s “Best Local Comic,” will deliver her radical sense of honesty to the AC comedy stage.
- Tyler Walsh, a standup comedian, has emerged as a unique Midwestern comedic voice, and he’s transforming his experiences into relatable laughs for the AC crowd.
FILM FESTIVAL
- The AC Film Festival returns with more than 30 film screenings in various genres. Cash and trophy prizes will be given to the top films in their category.
MORE FUN
- Rumble in Rocktown returns to Wake Brewing in downtown Rock Island with an action-packed lineup of SCW professional wrestling talent.
- The Idea Factory returns to the AC lineup with panel discussions and interactive forums on engaging topics.
- Live music in downtown Davenport will kick off River Action’s Floatzilla, as paddle enthusiasts attempt to break the world record of 3,150 kayaks and canoes in the water at once.
