The holiday-themed Elf: The Musical hits the stage Nov. 6. PHOTO COURTESY SANGAMON AUDITORIUM The 2015-2016 season for Sangamon Auditorium, UIS has been announced, and at the risk of an internal contradiction, the shows, beginning in September, are typically eclectic. Auditorium director Robert Vaughn has built a roster that manages to address the very young, […]
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
A band on the brink
Looming at home in Southtown. Left to right: Brandon Carnes, Jordan Fein, Jessica Knight, Mitch Baker. ALL PHOTOS BY PATRICK YEAGLE “I’ve always maintained that culture starts at home, in local communities, through creative interaction. Revolutions always come up from the grass roots, not top-down through corporate hierarchies.” – Bruce Pavitt, founder of Sub Pop […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Music from Looming: “Output”
Ahead of tomorrow’s cover story about Springfield band Looming, click on the link below to check out this exclusive performance video – a composite of footage shot both in their practice space and at this summer’s SOHO Festival. The song is called “Output” and it will appear on their upcoming album “Nailbiter” to be released […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Video: Meet Looming
This week’s IT cover story will introduce our readers to Looming, the dynamic young Springfield band that is spearheading the lively Southtown punk scene. Before the issue hits the stands. check out this exclusive mini-documentary where we pay a visit to the band in their practice space to discuss their upcoming debut LP “Nailbiter” (No […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The Scene from WUIS 6-11-15
It is time to listen to this week’s version of THE SCENE. The lovely Allison Lacher, an art professor, artist, curator, etc. etc. joins Scott Faingold and Rachel for this edition. The DEMO project has an art opening for a new exhibit on Friday night. The third Dumb Fest, a music fest organized by Black […]
Posted inOpinion
Welcome to “IT: Off The Clock”
Week in and week out, the staff writers at Illinois Times bring the world of central Illinois politics and culture to life with in-depth reporting and commentary on the most important, unusual and entertaining things happening in this part of the world. But after the deadline, who are these writers? With the backdrop of all […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Summer concert roundup
Lydia Loveless play at Homespun Republic July 25. That sibilant sizzling in the air is the sound of a spectacularly sultry summer concert season. In town and throughout the region, it’s clear that if you don’t manage to see any great gigs this season, it’s only because you didn’t try hard enough. Below is just […]
Posted inNews
Southtown gets a Kickstart
Dumb Records co-owners Brian Galecki, left, and Cory VanMeter, right. PHOTO BY GINNY LEE Over the years there have been many attempts to revitalize Springfield’s long-dilapidated Southtown neighborhood, including having it designated by the city council “a housing and urban redevelopment area” back in 2006 under Mayor Tim Davlin. But it has taken a gaggle […]
Posted inMusic
Better get on board
PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE The final concert of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra’s 2014-2015 season is happening on Saturday, May 2, as part of the Lincoln Funeral Coalition. “The whole city is going to be gripped by this and we are so, so thrilled to be playing our part in it all,” says ISO music director […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Mr. Lincoln goes to the movies
D.W. Griffith’s 1930 Abraham Lincoln Historian Richard Wightman Fox, contributor to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum’s blog and author of the recently published book Lincoln’s Body (W.W. Norton, 2015), made a presentation called “Living and Dying for the Nation” April 16 at the Union Theater in the Lincoln museum as part of the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Hugh Moore: Poet, painter, personality
Hugh Moore When Hugh Moore passed away after an extended battle with cancer on March 10 at age 67, the Springfield area arts scene lost an indelible presence. Moore was a prolific poet and painter, and in his role as president of Springfield Poets and Writers, as well as on the board that puts together […]
Posted inNews
Deputy and alderman want to be city clerk
Rianne Hawkins and Frank Lesko Current deputy city clerk Rianne Hawkins, 35, was appointed by outgoing city clerk Cecilia Tumulty and confirmed by the city council in May of 2011. Since that time, Hawkins has worked closely with Tumulty on various initiatives. “When I set foot into the deputy clerk’s job I realized very quickly […]
