Viele’s
Planet (126 E. Jefferson St., 217-525-9029), long the last refuge of
Springfield’s still-performing original rock bands, hosts three of
the best this Friday, March 18: the Timmys, Abe Lincoln Continental, and
Resident Genius. Jay
Vanselow of ALC, who is now also a member of Resident Genius, will be doing
double duty. But don’t worry, folks — he’s been training
his whole life for this opportunity.
Holler out “Happy Anniversary” to the Price Street Pub (2815 Price St., 217-523-6995) this Saturday, March 19, as the South Side bar celebrates six years in the libation-distribution business. Springfield Shaky, the pub’s famous neighbor and frequent customer, brings in his Whorehouse Band (Dennis, we had no idea) to party it up with some hot rockin’ blues from 8 p.m.-midnight.
How empty life would be without the once-a-month swinging visit from the Bowling Alley Big Band at Spillway Lanes Lounge (1025 Outer Park Dr., 217-546-5221). John Sluzalis emcees the 17-piece group, which features top area jazz players and makes the sounds of the big-band era come alive. The show is free, but please make a donation to the Jazz Society of Greater Springfield to help keep the good stuff coming and going.
REO Speedwagon and Styx, two Illinois bands that made it big, may be dinosaurs to some, but they certainly aren’t extinct. The two groups, who first met in a Chicago battle of the bands way back in the 1960s, each carved a niche in the pop/rock big-time arena. In fact, in an amazing piece of Springfield trivia, REO (then out of Champaign) played the Spillway Lanes in the late ’60s, and Styx did the capital-city ice-rink tour more than once during the mid-’70s. Obviously someone is still sensitive about who goes first — the billing for the current tour lists the bands as “co-headliners.” Get your tickets for the March 17 show, held at the Assembly Hall Star Theater, in Champaign-Urbana from any Ticketmaster outlet, or call 217-333-5000.
Holler out “Happy Anniversary” to the Price Street Pub (2815 Price St., 217-523-6995) this Saturday, March 19, as the South Side bar celebrates six years in the libation-distribution business. Springfield Shaky, the pub’s famous neighbor and frequent customer, brings in his Whorehouse Band (Dennis, we had no idea) to party it up with some hot rockin’ blues from 8 p.m.-midnight.
How empty life would be without the once-a-month swinging visit from the Bowling Alley Big Band at Spillway Lanes Lounge (1025 Outer Park Dr., 217-546-5221). John Sluzalis emcees the 17-piece group, which features top area jazz players and makes the sounds of the big-band era come alive. The show is free, but please make a donation to the Jazz Society of Greater Springfield to help keep the good stuff coming and going.
REO Speedwagon and Styx, two Illinois bands that made it big, may be dinosaurs to some, but they certainly aren’t extinct. The two groups, who first met in a Chicago battle of the bands way back in the 1960s, each carved a niche in the pop/rock big-time arena. In fact, in an amazing piece of Springfield trivia, REO (then out of Champaign) played the Spillway Lanes in the late ’60s, and Styx did the capital-city ice-rink tour more than once during the mid-’70s. Obviously someone is still sensitive about who goes first — the billing for the current tour lists the bands as “co-headliners.” Get your tickets for the March 17 show, held at the Assembly Hall Star Theater, in Champaign-Urbana from any Ticketmaster outlet, or call 217-333-5000.
