Visual Art | Thursday, July 28,2011

The Third Thursday artists

How Springfield unknowns created a vibrant arts scene

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

Band Spotlight | Thursday, July 21,2011

Brooke Thomas and the Blue Suns

By Tom Irwin

Only a few years ago Brooke Thomas sang plenty, but without performing in a traveling band. Now in 2011, after fronting the Blue Suns for about a year, she is releasing a CD, Live from the Capital Cit

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, July 21,2011

Gospel Fest, Springfield-style

By Tom Irwin

After nearly a decade of consistent performance, the Springfield Gospel Fest is a standard on the local music summer festival scene. The all-day event held at Comer Cox Park Saturday, July 23, feature

Band Spotlight | Thursday, July 14,2011

Area 51

By Tom Irwin

As area bands go, Area 51 just keeps going. Now in their second decade of performance as a unit, Jeff Loftus (drums, vocals), Larry Dupont (vocals, sax, bass), Larry Crowley (bass, acoustic guitar, vo

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, July 14,2011

Hurricane Ruth returns

By Tom Irwin

Try tossing out the name Hurricane Ruth in a conversation about area music and see what happens. Most folks from back in the day are likely to have a story about a particularly stupendous performance

Band Spotlight | Thursday, July 7,2011

Mathien

By Tom Irwin

A guitarist and songwriter since his youth, Chris Mathien began playing as a solo act during his college years at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He hooked up with bassist Mike Schiff and dru

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, July 7,2011

Marina V on the move

By Tom Irwin

Lots of events are happening this weekend including the Taste of Downtown with the American Music Show, plus plenty of regular rigmarole at area bars, but whenever Marina V comes to town we stop the p

Band Spotlight | Thursday, June 30,2011

Deb Callahan

By Tom Irwin

The Illinois Central Blues Club features Philadelphia’s Deb Callahan on the Fourth of July for a Red, White and Blue Monday. The blues and soul-soaked singer and songwriter released Tell It Like

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, June 30,2011

July music explodes

By Tom Irwin

There are a couple of dandy weekends coming up, the first with a bit of Yankee Doodle in it counting the Fourth of July celebration and the next a yummy treat during the Taste of Downtown, so let&rsqu