Local, national acts converge at Mo.Live!

Mo.Live! – Moline’s new music and arts festival that grew out of last year’s Sesquicentennial Celebration – on Thursday announced its band lineup for Aug. 25-26, 2023.

Just like last year, there will be two stages – a main stage and community stage – and music covering multiple genres and styles. The event remains free to the public and the location will be in the Vibrant Arena parking lot, 1201 River Drive, Moline.

Once again, Mercado on Fifth will be doing a Friday night stage takeover, headlined by Chicago-based Banda Arperena and joined by popular local band Crooked Cactus Band.

Saturday’s headliners are Eric Gales – described as a “blues firebrand” – and The Main Squeeze, and Los Angeles-based five-piece band that has performed with the likes of George Clinton & Parliament and has been praised from NPR to Rolling Stone.

More than 15 other bands will take to the two stages over the weekend of Aug. 25-26, ranging from national touring bands to local ensembles (including Avey Grouws Band, The Textures, Far Out 283, Lojo Russo, Running Man, Heads in Motion: A Talking Heads Tribute, and Moline’s Wilson School of Rock Band).

Since 1991, Eric Gales (a Memphis-born guitarist) has blazed a path reinvigorating the blues with a virtuosity and rock swagger that have him being heralded as the second coming of Jimi Hendrix, according to his online bio. He was a child prodigy with bottomless talent and fierce determination, and at just 16 released his debut, “The Eric Gales Band,” on Elektra Records.

He’s earned high praise by guitarists’ guitarist and household name axe men such as Joe Bonamassa, Carlos Santana, Dave Navarro, and Mark Tremonti. In addition, he has held his own with some of the greatest guitarists in the world, including Carlos Santana at Woodstock 1994, Zakk Wylde, Eric Johnson, and a posse of others as a featured guest touring with the Experience Hendrix Tour.

Gales’s 2022 “Crown” was nominated for the best contemporary blues album Grammy.

Main Squeeze has played over 1,000 shows together over the past nine years. For a group of men with completely different backgrounds, tastes, religions, and opinions, there’s already a spirit shared amongst them when they sit down to play together, according to their bio.

The Main Squeeze, who have toured with the likes of George Clinton & The Parliament Funkadelic, String Cheese Incident, Umphrey’s McGee, and many more and are lauded across North America’s live music circuit. They’ve graced hundreds of stages and played festivals including Bonnaroo, Electric Forest, Firefly and many more. Their breakout moment came during the pandemic, the band quickly developed a huge following on TikTok.

For a complete list of band bios, visit the Mo.Live! website HERE.