Band Spotlight | Thursday, August 25,2011

The Blues Expressions

Four years ago Adrian Muex knew he wanted to start a blues band. His previous live music experience entailed mostly church performances as a choir director and gospel singer influenced and inspired by

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 25,2011

Growing jazz in Greater Springfield

By Tom Irwin

Jazz music, considered an original American art form by most scholars of the arts, has a strong and vibrant history within our music scene. More than a few capital city natives made good in the genre

Band Spotlight | Thursday, August 18,2011

The Graduate

By Tom Irwin

After six years as an up and coming band on the national music scene, The Graduate is done. The 20-something band, featuring Corey Warning (vocals), Matt Kennedy (guitar, keyboard, vocals), Max Sauer

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 18,2011

The Don Smith Band, a State Fair tradition

By Tom Irwin

Here’s a fairly interesting fair fact. During every Illinois State Fair for the last 31 years, some version of a Don Smith group played somewhere on the fairgrounds. The really cool thing is thi

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 11,2011

The State Fair and beyond

By Tom Irwin

Here comes the Illinois State Fair. From parking cars on our lawns to finding two-way streets going only one way, from bars open late to an increase in the fly population (there’s a barfly joke

Band Spotlight | Thursday, August 11,2011

Screamin’ Vatos

By Tom Irwin

Originally conceived by Billy Bacon in 1993 as a Latin percussion-oriented group focusing mainly on material from Carlos Santana with a few cool covers by the band War, the Screamin’ Vatos have

Band Spotlight | Thursday, August 4,2011

Hot Bag O' Donuts and Catalyst

By Tom Irwin

Bourbon Street Rhythm & Ribs, better known to old-timers as Bruce’s Tavern, recently began hosting rock bands every Friday and Saturday night. This Friday becomes more than a wild, rocking s

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 4,2011

Downhome is downtown

By Tom Irwin

Howdy folks! Allow me to introduce you to the latest and greatest downtown music fest. Illinois Times Now Playing readers meet the Downhome Music Festival. Debuting this Sat., Aug. 6, on the corner of

Visual Art | Thursday, July 28,2011

The Third Thursday artists

How Springfield unknowns created a vibrant arts scene

By Tom Irwin

Paris, Florence, Berlin, Rome, New York, Athens – when famed art-related cities of the world come up in conversation, Springfield, Ill., is not generally on the list. That’s not likely to

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, July 28,2011

What Dave Littrell sees now

By Tom Irwin

Fans of the local band music scene would be hard pressed to not be familiar with the Station, one of our most prolific and consistent groups of the last decade in the area and on the road. Dave Littre