Band Spotlight | Thursday, September 2,2010

Tom Irwin and the Notorious Hired Hands

The Hired Hands moniker originated from an offhand comment by local music guy Sean Burns about the shifting musicians in Tom Irwin’s groups of the early 2000s. With the added descriptive adjecti

Band Spotlight | Thursday, August 26,2010

KFD

By Tom Irwin

About five months ago, Mike Williams, former guitarist in the Lost Boys and Misspent Youth, devised a strategy to form a band. He invited fellow central Illinois music “vets” Kortney Leath

Band Spotlight | Thursday, August 19,2010

Greg Ginn & Gary Piazza

By Tom Irwin

Look who’s coming to Norb Andy’s. It’s none other than Greg Ginn, founder of Black Flag, one of the most influential and important American punk bands. Ginn, chief songwriter and org

Band Spotlight | Thursday, August 12,2010

Julie Schurr

By Tom Irwin

Singer-songwriters belong to a special group of performers, those who not only entertain, but also edify and enlighten, espousing their personal beliefs to a hopefully appreciative audience. For Julie

Band Spotlight | Thursday, August 5,2010

Reggie Britton and the Sofa Kings

By Tom Irwin

What do you get when you take a fired-up blues band of veteran rockers, add a tastefully sweet horn section of exceptionally talented players, then top it off with a vibrant, soulful front man enterta

Band Spotlight | Thursday, July 29,2010

Jeff Sable and the Sable Band

By Tom Irwin

From humble beginnings in southern Illinois as a rockin’ country cover band, Sable now charts on the record listings and performs at major festivals while making the march toward music stardom.

Band Spotlight | Thursday, July 22,2010

Yvonne Gage

By Tom Irwin

Since her appearance on the music world stage at a young age, Yvonne Gage has set high standards for vocalists in the world of jazz and R&B. Signed early on by RFC/Atlantic Records and later by CI

Band Spotlight | Thursday, July 15,2010

Dan Rivero Trio

By Tom Irwin

Nary a band around can compete with the flexibility and diversity of the Dan Rivero Trio set list. For more than 15 years, Rivero as drummer, booker and organizer (and namesake as well) has steered hi

Band Spotlight | Thursday, July 8,2010

Michael Charles

By Tom Irwin

You can count his 24 recording releases, four Grammy nods or countless performances since starting guitar at age five, but it all adds up to a great career of fantastic music for Australian bluesman M

Band Spotlight | Thursday, July 1,2010

PJ Summers Band

By Tom Irwin

After friends submitted one of his songs to a local radio station contest and listeners liked what they heard, PJ Summers, the music minister of Koke Mill Christian Church, felt the calling and added