6 Things To Do In Town During Daytrotter Downs 2017

While you’re in town for Daytrotter Downs on March 3-4, take some time to see what the Quad Cities have to offer. There’s plenty to see and do while you’re walking between Daytrotter and the Redstone Room, and even more if you want to hop over to Illinois, just across the river, even for an hour or two. Here are six of our top suggestions.

1. The Full Kit, Davenport

Photo courtesy of The Full Kit

This wood-paneled and rustic space has a wide selection of men’s apparel and shoes that can’t be found elsewhere in the Quad Cities. The store keeps its look simple, with one wall of shoes and one wall of clothes sandwiching a small display of clothing and shoes on a table. A variety of footwear-from Red Wing boots to Jordans-are neatly displayed on shelves on the wall. The same goes for apparel, with a selection of jackets, jeans, hats and more ready to buy in downtown Davenport.

Catch Xavy Rusan at 1 p.m. at the Full Kit on Saturday, March 4, playing a set before the festival begins.

2. Ragged Records and Trash Can Annie, Davenport

Photo of Ragged Records by Tom Betts

These two businesses are housed together in the same building on the edge of downtown Davenport. You could spend an entire day rifling through Trash Can Annie’s racks of vintage clothing and Ragged Records’ boxes of records. Trash Can Annie features a selection of both women’s and men’s clothing from decades past. For a unique vintage piece, this is the place to go.

Ragged Records has a huge selection of both used and new LPs and used CDs of all genres. It’s hard to leave the store empty-handed, whether that means leaving with something that you were trying to find or you stumble across an odd gem that you can’t leave behind. The store also features a huge selection of local and regional music.

Grandfather Confusion will kick off a day packed full of music with a set at Ragged Records and Trash Can Annie’s. Their set starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 4.

3. Analog Arcade Bar, Davenport

Photo courtesy of Analog Arcade Bar

This is not an arcade bar that’s essentially a small bar with 12 arcade machines lining the perimeter of the room. This is the real deal. The floor of the arcade is well-stocked with a rotating collection of machines to meet anyone’s gaming needs-whether that’s arcade classics, racing games, fighting games, skee-ball or a slew of pinball machines. If you need a break from gaming, grab a drink from the bar and hang out at one of the Jenga-equipped tables in the middle of the game bar.

Additionally, the arcade’s tokens are embossed in illustrations by Daytrotter illustrator Johnnie Cluney, most recently featuring LOLO, who just played a show in Davenport and swung by Analog for a token release party.

Hear some electropunk chiptune at Analog Arcade Bar on Saturday, March 4, before heading down to Daytrotter and the Redstone Room. Pulsing, who makes music using 8-bit game sounds, will play a 12 p.m. set at the game bar.

4. Abernathy’s, Davenport

Photo courtesy Jessica Boone Photography

For all things vintage, handmade and strange, head to Abernathy’s. It’s the place to find all kinds of framed medical illustrations to hang in your home, handmade jewelry, unique clothing and other goods made by local artists. You’re probably not going to find another place in downtown Davenport with as big of a selection of jewelry made out of dismembered dolls. The store also stocks affordable pin-up style dresses in all sizes, and all kinds of other shoes, jewelry and accessories to complement this look.

Catch Liv Carrow at Abernathy’s at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 4, for a set preceding Saturday’s Daytrotter Downs shows.

5. Bent River Brewing Company, Rock Island

Photo courtesy Bent River Brewing Company

Stop by Bent River Brewing Company for a craft beer brewed right in the Quad Cities. There are different flavors for different tastes, from IPAs to fruity brews. There’s even a jalapeño pepper ale, and yes, you can absolutely taste the heat. You can also be one of the first to get a taste of Pale Horse Pale Ale, the new Daytrotter beer that Bent River will release on March 2.

There are a couple of different Bent River locations-one in Rock Island and one in Moline-but the Rock Island location is a straight shot from the Davenport Arsenal Bridge, located right next to Ragged Records and Trash Can Annie.

6. Rozz-Tox, Rock Island

Photo via Visit Quad Cities

Take a quick trip to Illinois and spend some time at one of the most creative spaces for miles. Any kind of art-music, literature, film, visual art, etc.-is celebrated, showcased and made at Rozz-Tox. The cafe has all kinds of coffee, tea, juice, smoothies and out-of-the ordinary bottled sodas, such as the radioactive green lime-flavored Green River. They also serve food, with a menu of sandwiches, pizza and homemade soups. Every day, the cafe features a few different flavors of freshly baked cupcakes, tempting you from glass topped cake stands on the cafe’s counter.

Sit in the main room of the cafe and play some Bananagrams on the couch in front of the storefront’s square-paned picture window. Don’t forget to check out the second floor room while you’re there. Put on some headphones and watch something from the cafe’s VHS collection. Read a book while seated next to the nude flapper mannequin, overlooking everyone who walks into the cafe from the second floor window. Whatever you do, take some time to take in the vibes at one of the Quad Cities best spots.