A truly great comedian is like an orchestra conductor. The instruments are not the jokes but the audience itself: the laughter of the crowd is what they conduct. Of course, people go to a comedy show wanting to laugh but genuine laughter is an involuntary physical response – and the stand-up comedian’s job is to […]
Scott Faingold
Scott Faingold is a journalist, educator and musician. He has been director of student media at University of Illinois Springfield, founding editor of Activator magazine, a staff reporter for Illinois Times and co-host of Old School Bleep, a music-centered podcast.
Posted inNews
New bookstore opening downtown
Continuing a local trend that flies in the face of conventional wisdom about physical media, a new bookstore specializing in literary fiction, contemporary nonfiction, poetry and graphic novels will hold its grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.. Three Ducks Bookstore is located at 414 E. Monroe St. in downtown […]
Posted inMusic
Hardcore sax and drums
The Get Free Music Series, presented by the Music Program of University of Illinois Springfield, continues its fall concerts of fully-improvised music this Friday at Dumb Records. The Oct. 16 performance will feature “two completely burning saxophone and drums duos,” as described by Richard Gilman-Opalsky, drummer and professor in the UIS School of Politics and […]
Posted inMusic
Radioactivity to play Dumb Records, Black Sheep turns 21
The acclaimed, nationally-known punk band Radioactivity will perform at Dumb Records this Thursday, Oct 1. The veteran group, which has released three albums, boasts roots in both Denton, Texas, and Mito, Japan, and has been (radio) active since 2013. “Definitely a band I would recommend to anyone, all fans of music,” said Dumb Records proprietor […]
Posted inNews
Bus Stop bar back on track after flooding
The grand opening of a new bar at the corner of Fifth and Monroe in downtown Springfield was set for Aug. 28 but had to be scuttled when a water main broke and flooded the entire block of Monroe between Fourth and Fifth streets the night before. Undeterred, the owners of The Bus Stop have […]
Posted inMusic
Sonic spontaneity returns to UIS
The Get Free Music Series, presented by the music program of University of Illinois Springfield, is the city’s only officially sanctioned platform for live, fully-improvised music. The fall 2026 series will kick off this Friday with a special concert featuring California-based cornet player and violinist Dan Clucas, “known for his avant-garde and free jazz explorations,” […]
Posted inArts & Culture
“Coming Home”
“I have been doing this work as an outcropping of the spiritual journey that I’ve been on for many moons,” said artist Wendy Allen of “Coming Home,” her upcoming pop-up exhibit in downtown Springfield this Saturday, Aug. 1, sponsored by Downtown Springfield, Inc. An accomplished multi-media artist based in Springfield for many years, Allen has […]
Posted inCommunity & Lifestyle
Have jokes, will travel
Cassandra Simpson has been performing as a stand-up comedian in Springfield for three years. For two of those years, she was the host for The Wakery’s open mic, but that gig came to an end when the venue closed its doors in August of 2025. The end of the downtown venue left aspiring local comics […]
Posted inMusic
ISO gets its kicks in a roadworthy finale
With renovations of Sangamon Auditorium on the University of Illinois Springfield campus nearing completion, the May 1 finale of this season is likely to be the last time the Illinois Symphony Orchestra will perform at First United Methodist Church, which has served as home away from home for the orchestra since October 2025. The culmination […]
Posted inMusic Features
Get Free Music Series: The art of the squirrel call
Now beginning its third year, the Get Free Music Series is a local showcase for free jazz and other fully-improvised music. Presented by the University of Illinois Springfield’s music program, it provides one of the only local platforms for an exciting, though intrinsically non-commercial, form of music. Performers in the series have ranged from local […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Less is more at Gallery 1624
If you’re passing by the corner of West Laurel Street and Holmes Avenue in Springfield, you might happen to notice what looks like a miniature house with windows and solar panels standing on a post in the yard of 1624 Holmes Ave. A closer look will reveal an intricate, dollhouse-like interior, designed to showcase tiny […]
Posted inNews
UIS union begins strike
Members of the University Professionals of Illinois (UPI) Tenure / Tenure Track union of University of Illinois Springfield officially began a strike April 3 after nearly a year of negotiations with university administration. A rally including a picket line was held beginning at 9:30 a.m. Friday. According to a UIS United Faculty social media post, […]
