Adjunct instructor Megan Rigoni-McCormic works with art students at UIS. Photo BY DAVID HINE The use of adjunct instructors – part-time, non-staff teachers in higher education, sometimes referred to as “contingent faculty” – has become increasingly common in colleges and universities dealing with financial hardships imposed by slashed budgets. It is not hard to understand […]
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 inArts & Culture
Chamber Orchestra welcomes pipa virtuoso Wu Mon
Tomorrow night, the Illinois Chamber Orchestra will conclude its season with “Incredible Illusions” a program featuring Silk Road Ensemble member and world-renowned pipa player Wu Mon. The soloist was honored in 2013 by Musical America magazine, which named her Instrumentalist of the Year, reportedly the first time the award was bestowed on a player of […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Video: The Pharmacy presents Epsom and Estuary Tomorrow
This Friday night, April 11 at 9 p.m., Springfield’s most sarcastic aging post-punk iconoclasts, Epsom (featuring this blog’s titular scribe on vocals/lyrics, so yeah, full disclosure, whatevs) will perform along with rarely seen NYC-Chicago band (with heavy Springfield roots) Estuary for an all-ages concert at The Pharmacy. Check out Pat Yeagle’s video of Epsom practicing […]
Posted inNews
Free-speech icon to speak at UIS
John and Mary Beth Tinker at the time of their 1965 protests. Nearly 50 years ago, when Des Moines, Iowa, teenager John Tinker and his sister, Mary Beth, took a stand against the Vietnam War, they had no idea they were helping to create a legal precedent that would echo through free speech jurisprudence for […]
Posted inArts & Culture
A.D. Carson rides again
Last summer, teacher, poet and recording artist A.D. Carson left Springfield to pursue his Ph.D. at South Carolina’s Clemson University, leaving a notable gap in local culture (the fact that he was awarded his second Torch Tuesday “Lyricist of the Year” Award in absentia speaks volumes to his status in the hip-hop community). Carson is […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Tonight and tomorrow: Art openings at SAA and The Pharmacy
This Friday and Saturday will provide Springfield art appreciators multiple opportunities to do just that at three separate receptions of exciting contemporary art . Tonight, the Springfield Art Association will be presenting Trigger: New Work by UIS Art Faculty in the new M.G. Nelson Family Gallery from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The show will […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The Pharmacy spreads its artistic wings
Member artist Jeff Williams and his painting “Velolincolnlandia” in The Pharmacy’s new upstairs studio space. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE Started in 2011, the once-scrappy art collective known as The Pharmacy is preparing to mount its eighth group show this Saturday, April 5. Fittingly entitled “Metamorphosis,” the exhibit is a progress report on a grass-roots group […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Tonight! Corn Bread is back from LA with Cornfucius II
Tonight marks the record release part for Cornfucius II (QR code above), the most recent collection by one of Springfield’s favorite hip-hop sons, Corn Bread, temporarily back on home ground from his adopted Los Angeles. Despite once again donning his “enlightened” persona of Cornfucius, the habitually (and often hilariously) vulgar MC appears to be having it both […]
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Torch Tuesday Tonight: Femcee Classic with Def Jam artist K’La
Torch Tuesday at Bar None (in association with Wize Guys Productions) continues to prove its mettle as the preeminent regional showcase for hip-hop with Femcee Classic – a program of female artists, including Keyshia B, T- Roni, Lady T, KF along with up-and-coming Def Jam recording artist K’La, whose most recent single is a collaboration […]
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Between The Cracks: Honey///Suck tonight at Black Sheep Cafe
Once again, Faingold at Large proudly presents Between the Cracks – the recurring feature designed to shine a light onto Springfield-area bands, and all in their own words, to boot. Join us, won’t you? There’s gold between them thar cracks! Today’s BTC flashlight shines on spoken word / noise project Honey///Suck who will be performing tonight along with several […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Illinois Symphony Orchestra tomorrow night w/ guest soloist Julie Albers
Cellist Julie Albers will perform with ISO Saturday “Powerful Promise” is the fitting title of the program of beautiful music on offer tomorrow at Sangamon Auditorium. The Illinois Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Alastair Willis, will perform the seasonally appropriate “Spring’s Promise” as well as Sympony No. 1 by Brahms, and will be joined by […]
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IT exclusive video preview! Musical event at The Pharmacy this weekend
Sound artist Ben S. Jacob of local arts collective The Pharmacy will be presenting his primal, highly percussive sonic vision this Saturday and Sunday evening Check out the video below for rehearsal footage and to hear Mr. Jacob expound on his musical ideas. The event will take place at 401 South Grand Avenue West March […]
