Flyer by Mary Brennen It’s the third Thursday of the month, which can only mean it’s time for Third Thursday, Springfield’s most reliable art and music event, 6pm-9pm at Donnie’s Homespun. Here’s an excerpt from my 2012 Illinois Times year end art scene wrap-up, describing what you might expect: As indicated by their name, on the third […]
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.
Gus’s new gig
“At a certain point I realized I was a clone,” says Gus Gordon of his 22-year tenure as chief meteorologist at WICS-TV Channel 20. His tone is more amused than bemused, and entirely without rancor. “There was a middle-aged white guy like me at pretty much every local TV station in America. There are really […]
Free live standup comedy TV taping! What’s not to like?
Local comedian Brandon Judd will be taping his television debut tomorrow for FOX-TV’s regional stand-up series One Mic Stand. It’s kind of a party atmosphere, says Judd. In addition to three comics each performing short sets, the show also features jazz from the Smoothtimes Band and effusive host Michael Pittman. As for what prospective audience […]
New Video from Torch Tuesday
Over the past year or so, Torch Tuesday at Bar None has steadily transformed from a rap-oriented open mic night into a varied and exciting place for all elements of hip-hop culture — not just MCs and DJs but poets, visual artists, photographers, fashion designers, and more –to gather and find expression. There’s a lot […]
Sensorium
In a 1981 case study conducted at the University of Kansas, researchers described the experiences of a woman with the neurological condition called chromesthesia, which caused her to experience sound as a visual color experience as well as an auditory sensation. Chromesthetics describe every sound they hear as triggering a simultaneous visual component. It is […]
Pharmacy Guest Artist: Heather Brammeier
This is the fourth in a series of posts leading up to this evening’s (Saturday, March 9) group exhibit of work by members of local art collective The Pharmacy. Installation Sketch 1 by Heather Brammeier It’s basically a painting in space, says Heather Brammeier of the installation work she plans to show at tonight’s Pharmacy […]
Pharmacy Member Artist: Jeff Williams
This is the third in a series of posts leading up to tomorrow’s (March 9) group exhibit of work by members of local art collective The Pharmacy. Last August, I had the privilege of interviewing post-punk musician, artist, bicyclist, Springfield icon and Pharmacy member Jeff Williams for an Illinois Times cover story, which you can […]
Comedy Tonight!
No Name Comix Illinois, like so many great ideas, came into existence out of necessity. There were no places in Springfield to get stage time, says comedian, founder and First Thursday Comedy Showcase host Derek Bennet. We were having to drive for everything. The other thing was, everywhere we went we saw these really hilarious […]
Foreign Flick Fix
It has been a long winter, perhaps even more so for Springfield’s fans of independent, foreign and other ‘art house’ cinema. Outside of the ongoing noble efforts of the Springfield Art Association’s Molly Schlich Film Series – acclaimed Japanese drama I Wish screens this Sunday and Tuesday – AMC’s always minimal booking of non-blockbuster titles […]
The Pharmacy: Member Artist Rachel Jennings
“Glowing, Them All” by Rachel Jennings This is the second in a series of posts leading up to the Saturday March 9 group exhibit of work by members of local art collective The Pharmacy. “This is my first experience out of school,” enthuses Pharmacy member Rachel Jennings, who graduated from U of I in Champaign […]
The Pharmacy: Member Artist Philip Ackerman
“Laura Coffey” by Philip Ackerman This is the first in a series of posts leading up to the Saturday March 9 group exhibit of work by members of local art collective The Pharmacy. Philip Ackerman co-founded the group back in 2011, and his distinctive work both in watercolor portraiture and tile mosaic have been touchstones […]
TONIGHT: Torch Tuesday Concert Series at BarNone
This week marks the return of the Torch Tuesday hip-hop concert series, featuring a local favorite, a consummate up-and-comer and a visitor from up North. Headlining the show is Black Steel (a.k.a. Young Twizz). “I wouldn’t call it gangsta rap, but he raps about his experiences and what he has witnessed, so there’s stuff about […]
