Here we go into our first full February weekend and it looks like a well-played hand with plenty of bands, if you understand the lay of the land. Don’t ask me why we’re rhyming stuff here, but you can ask me what’s going on in live music this weekend and I’ll do my best to inform you offhand, just like I planned.
Thursdays are up and though the pickin’s look slim, that just means your choices are easier. Robert Sampson, known as “Lefty Preacher” when he lays into his standalone blues material and who also gets extra credit for sitting in with several local bands as an accomplished, in-demand keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist, is on the music menu at Mother Road Diner. In case you’ve been wondering where this venue that’s been recently hosting live music regularly is, take a look inside the Route 66 Hotel on South Sixth Street and “thar she be” sitting pretty, waiting for you to have a meal, a drink and a gander at live music.
The Blue Grouch continues to host one of the best open jams in town every Thursday night with your host with the most, Kortney Leatherwood, directing the music traffic patterns. This has really become the epitome of open stages where bands begin, friendships are established and good music comes home to roost, if I may crow about it a bit and suggest you go find out what the hullabaloo is all about.
Last week we spent the entire column on Friday night and this week we’re a little down in quantity, but the quality is flying high. Downtown Springfield looks to be the place to be with Johnnie Owens and Butter slipping into The Pharmacy Gallery with smooth, hip vocal jazz, while Me, Myself & Schy brings on the cool Americana tunes at Boone’s and Devin C. Williams kicks up the Delta blues mud at Buzz Bomb. Boondocks goes big with the 90s rock band Everclear cleaning house with Springfield native and Nashville resident James Bruner getting the nod to kick up the opening slot.
On Saturday night, downtown continues the live music run as Anvil & Forge gets back to the entertainment business with a four-band extravaganza featuring Park, Sarah and the Safe Word, Everybody’s Worried About Owen and Machinery of the Human Heart, while the Brinkerhoff Mansion on the north side hosts Isaiah Case, a 2024 American Idol contestant from Jacksonville, for a special, early Valentine’s Day event. Smokestacks blow up the blues at Blue Grouch as Lick Creek flows into Motorheads, and down near Pawnee, The Shed delivers a night to remember with JackAsh going on from 5 to 8 p.m. and Midwest Revival taking over the stage from 9 until midnight.
Special mention for original music happens when James Bruner, fresh off the Friday support for Everclear, rocks right on into VFW Post 755 with opening group the Whiskey Killers delivering a double shot of locally penned, original Americana. Bruner got his start here in town doing musicals and fronting a band, then moved to Nashville to further his musical career. Last fall he was on the road in Europe touring with Barns Courtney and The Struts and this spring he takes off for another romp across the pond traveling with Those Damn Crows on their U.K. tour. Yes, that’s some pretty cool stuff and you can catch him at our very own hot spot and live music venue, VFW Post 755.
Hey, now…, you know the drill. Be sure to check out our listings for all the other music happenings happening around town. Later, gator.
This article appears in The impossible task of providing child care.
