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]]> 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. ]]> In early 2009 Gypsy Revival rose from the ashes of a popular Indianapolis band called Davey and the Chorus with a firm idea of creating a new original sound within the rock Americana genre. Davey Alle]]> Billed as an EP release-slash-going away party, the Brandon Carnes extravaganza this weekend is not your average concert. Son of local singer-musician Suzanne Carnes, the 20 year-old singer-songwriter]]> They hail from the Springfield area, they’ve been around for ages and stake the claim of being “just the best damn unknown rock-n-roll band in the land.” These last-name-lacking band]]> From a stint at Berklee College of Music, where he hung with fellow student and future legendary guitarist Al DiMeola, to years as Springfield’s reigning rock guitarist in the ’70s, and fr]]> 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]]> There are many bands playing original music in the area, but few are more original in character and sound than Hot Bag O’ Donuts. The band describes themselves as “a classic wave combo&rdq]]> Coming from four guys who claim to be, “just some fellas from the Midwest looking to change some lives,” Blackfeet makes a statement by being vague about what they are and being good at wh]]> Always a busy band during the St. Patrick’s Day celebration, The Emerald Underground goes for the pot o’ gold at the end of the Irish rainbow with three shows this weekend. Now into their ]]> Making a splash into the local music market for the first time, The Stone and Biscuit Band debuts this weekend with a three-hour show at Broadway Nights, the former On Broadway night club. The sextet,]]> Good friends can make for good bands and Daddy’$ Money does just that. Bill and Lori McKenzie, Troy Roark, Jack White and Chas Blythe all first met at the Jimmy’s Sub Shoppe open mic about]]> Vernon Harrington grew up on Chicago’s West Side surrounded by blues music and other facts of life in the area. His father, a preacher by trade, also ran a blues and gospel record label, allowin]]> For a band that formed just 15 months ago, Angels n’ Outlaws are making a mark soon and sudden on the central Illinois scene. ]]> Getting a photo into the Best of Springfield issue surely grants the Groove Daddies a special award as the best band in Springfield to never win a category. ]]> One look says it all: these guys are living the rock band dream of wild times on the edge. Trash Martini hails from Chicago with Ral II and Erik Donner as the brothers behind the band. Offspring of Ra]]> NIL8, very likely the longest-running, continuously together rock band in Springfield area history, continues to draw crowds, produce original music and entertain at a magnificent level after some 25 ]]> Once a band, always a band, former members of Next of Kinn could say. The rocking country, old-fashioned funk and classic rock combo recently re-formed to rekindle the magic from when fans voted the g]]> Hailing from a region of Connecticut and western Massachusetts called Connectivania by this six-member rock band, the group claims to “introduce elements of epic ambience and melody unseen by mo]]>