Band Spotlight | Thursday, May 10,2012

Javier Mendoza and Reis Kloeckener

These St. Louis performers are making a splash in the music business as young and ready up and comers. Reis made a quick transition from singing in church and school choirs to becoming a 2012 American

Band Spotlight | Thursday, May 3,2012

7Horse

By Tom Irwin

Rock veterans Joie Calio and Phil Leavitt decided one day to wander from their successful venture known as dada, a group responsible for popularly known songs like “Dizz Knee Land” and &ld

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

Band Spotlight | Thursday, April 26,2012

Two Trick Pony

By Tom Irwin

Using Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, the Beatles, the Crystals and Buddy Holly from days of yore, plus a mishmash of more modern cuts from the Ramones and the Misfits, Two Trick

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

Band Spotlight | Thursday, April 19,2012

Thin Ice

By Tom Irwin

Joe Cooke, a staple as one the area’s finest classic-rocking blues guitarists for decades, joins Rick Wass on bass and Steve Kelton on drums, former members of the Havana Ducks and other bands,

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

Visual Art | Thursday, April 19,2012

Central Illinois hosts international art symposium

UIS%u2008professor brings together scholars on Symbolism movement

By Tom Irwin

Better known for straight talk and growing corn than delving into obscure and intense visual art works, central Illinois may not seem like an ideal location for a symposium on the 19th century Europea

Band Spotlight | Thursday, April 12,2012

The Vile Impurity

By Tom Irwin

Within the vast genre of modern metal bands, The Vile Impurity plays “tech-death metal” promising, as a lyric states, “Devastation which you will never forget!” From origins in

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