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The Quad: Your going-out guide to the Quad-Cities

By Stephanie De Pasquale | Wednesday, August 06, 2008 | () comments

The annual Tug Fest will be held in LeClaire, Iowa, and Port Byron, Ill., Thursday, Aug. 7 through Saturday, Aug. 9. (Times File Photo) Buy this Photo

FOR THE FAMILY: The annual Tug Fest will be held in LeClaire, Iowa, and Port Byron, Ill., Thursday, Aug. 7 through Saturday, Aug. 9. Events include a carnival, parade, tailgate party, live music, a 5K run/walk, rib cook-off, beauty pageant, bike show and, of course, tug-of-war contests with a rope stretched between the two towns across the Mississippi River from each other.

The main tug competitions will take place 1-3 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 9. For a complete schedule of events on both sides of the river, visit tugfest.com.

HE SAID WHAT?: Josh Grier, who sings lead vocals and plays guitar for Tapes ‘N Tapes, said the band never had a plan for success.

“We kind of never really knew what we were doing. We were just messing around, and we put out an EP about eight months after we became a band and booked our own tour of the West Coast. For like a month, we were out in a Forerunner, like three of us and the amps and everything.”

To read more about Tapes ‘N Tapes and their upcoming performance at the Redstone Room, 129 Main St., Davenport, click here.

SHOW TO SEE: The Quad-City band Minus Six creates a pop rock sound without a guitar, hence the band’s name. Instead, Kevin Carton, Kameron Rummans, Matt Sivertsen and Rob Baner employ a piano, bass, saxophones and drums, respectively, to create a unique and very danceable sound.

The group was formed in 2003 and has produced three albums, two of which were recorded on Music Row in Nashville, Tenn.

Minus Six will perform three sets at RIBCO, 1815 2nd Ave., Rock Island at 10 p.m., Friday, Aug. 8. Cover is $5.

FOR TEENS: The Midwest Writing Center is hosting a Young Emerging Writers book launch of “The Atlas, Vol. 3” at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11.

The compilation is a collection of works produced by Midwest Writing Center summer interns ranging from 15 to 19 years old.

The authors will read selections from the book, which will be on sale for $5. The book launch will be held at the writing center, 225 E. 2nd St., Suite 303, Davenport.

For more information, call (563) 324-1410 or visit midwestwritingcenter.org on the Web.