Here comes February and all groundhog sightings aside, those involved in live music know this month as the occasion of the world famous International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn., hosted by the B]]> Yes, friends and neighbors, the official beginning of the summer season is upon us as we celebrate Memorial Day with a weekend of fun and excitement. Please remember to remember your lost loved ones a]]> Untitled Document What do free jazz and cool country have in common? For our purposes, nothing much except time and place: Performers of the two musical genres make a]]> During the mid-90s The Bottle Rockets ruled the roost as a thought-provoking, hard rocking, Midwestern, alt-country band in the middle of a roots rock revolution centered in St. Louis. Later in the de]]> Several years ago here at Now Playing world headquarters we broke the story on Thanksgiving Eve being the biggest party night of the year in the bar and club scene. From reliable on location research ]]> Who knows how these things happen – and frankly, my dear, who cares – but this weekend, the blues make an impressive showing in Springfield. For those of you who just returned from a time ]]> The path to success in the music business is covered in an array of obstinate obstacles and littered with the remains of those who tried and failed. Even being born with a music family pedigree is no ]]> What a wonderful time it can be when wild notions become reality. For Robbie Kording and his idea for the Patchwork 2012 Springfield Music Compilation, now is that time. As I recently wrote in Now Pla]]> If you dare say there’s nothing going on in Springfield these days, you just might be silly and wrong. Mid-June is one of the busiest times of the year for an intense and expansive variety of mu]]> 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]]> 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]]> Several excellent goings on are going on this week and here are few of them. First a moment of silence, then a big hoot and holler, for Raoul Brotherman’s birth date on July 18. It’s perfe]]> I really like using the word “fair” when writing about the State Fair, but I’ve already done it a fair amount of times over the years, so to continue to do so now just wouldn’t]]> As the old saying goes, “You never know until you try,” and how true it is. Prairie State Heartache, a Springfield rock band, just took the plunge, as they soon make the move to Savannah, ]]> As the undeniable Don Van Vliet performing as Captain Beefheart once said in his song Ice Cream for Crow, “It’s so hot it looks like you got three beaks crow,” and these days I think]]> 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 ]]> Hey everybody, welcome to State Fair time, that special 10 days in mid-August when Springfield transforms into a bustling metropolis bulging with extra residents of many kinds, including humans, anima]]> 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]]> 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]]> 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]]>