Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, June 7,2012

Musical donations

Now that the SOHO Fest in lovely downtown Springfield is in the books for 2012, the controversy about the early closing of small festivals downtown will subside, but other events are approaching and t

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, May 31,2012

Making music on the fly

By Tom Irwin

On Saturday the Hoogland Center for the Arts hosts David Cain & Senses featuring percussionist Paul Wertico in a program called A Feast for the Senses. The dinner features Chef Shaun Moore with Ar

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, May 24,2012

Memorable Memorial Day weekend

By Tom Irwin

Ah yes, here we are at the official kickoff of the summertime season. Once known as Decoration Day, we now have Memorial Day and it’s become a weekend. So as it sits, we are off to enjoy and ind

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, May 17,2012

Curfew canceled. SOHO saved. For now.

By Tom Irwin

Amid the many calamities occurring everywhere all the time, the Springfield music scene recently had our very own crisis to overcome. Mayor Michael Houston announced last Thursday morning on the Jim L

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, May 10,2012

The month of Maybes

By Tom Irwin

I once received a gift from the brilliant guitarist and songwriter Jim Schniepp, co-founder of the local, lovely band Backwards Day with Illinois Times contributor Scott Faingold. The present was a ho

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, May 3,2012

Johnny Owens sings

By Tom Irwin

What started out as a quick bit on an upcoming three-hour gig for Johnny Owens at Gallagher’s evolved into a conversation covering the singer’s life in music. From beginnings in the church

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, April 26,2012

Big on the Big Band

By Tom Irwin

While lollygagging somewhere recently I ran into longtime Springfieldian and self-proclaimed “jazz junkie” Byrd Davis. We talked about the upcoming Spring Jazz Brunch (Sunday, April 29, 11

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, April 19,2012

Celebrate your record store

By Tom Irwin

From the humble efforts of a few who believed in honoring our independent record stores, we now have an internationally celebrated and recognized day known as Record Store Day. Held on the third Satur

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, April 12,2012

Hurricane-powered blues

By Tom Irwin

Since we last talked with “Hurricane” Ruth LaMaster (NOW PLAYING, July 12, 2011) a lot has happened. A flurry of steady gigs elevated Ruth and band to winning a trip to the 2012 Internatio

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, April 5,2012

April-ling along

By Tom Irwin

Now that all the May flowers came out in March, those April showers may have to find something else to do. Regardless of the weirdly warm weather, the music marches on as we see some new venues openin