Willie Nelson – and he should know – got quoted saying to be successful in the music business takes perseverance, perseverance, perseverance and luck. Actually that particular Willie-ism fits most of life, if not the complete run of it all, but without a doubt in the finicky world of the music industry it sits well […]
Tom Irwin
Tom Irwin, a sixth-generation Sangamon County resident, has played his songs and music for nearly 40 years in the central Illinois area with occasional forays across the country. He's contributed to Illinois Times since 2000 by writing Now Playing, a weekly music column, as well as features stories and other articles. He resides on the Irwin family farm in rural Pleasant Plains.
Posted inMusic
Fallen Angel
When these four experienced musicians (nearly 100 years of combined playing time in area bands like Affliktion, Xavier, Passion, Kancelled, Destiny, Ariel, Blue Racer Rockhouse, Poetic Justice and fantasia) got together in October of 2009 something special happened. As the quartet discovered a shared interest in the music of superstar group Poison, the idea of […]
Posted inMusic
Growing jazz in Greater Springfield
Jazz music, considered an original American art form by most scholars of the arts, has a strong and vibrant history within our music scene. More than a few capital city natives made good in the genre as bandleaders and musicians beyond our borders. Many more remained in town as educators and performers, making alternate livings […]
Posted inMusic
The Blues Expressions
Four years ago Adrian Muex knew he wanted to start a blues band. His previous live music experience entailed mostly church performances as a choir director and gospel singer influenced and inspired by his father, Alfred Muex, and other members of his musical family, so deciding on a band name and blues style was a […]
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The Don Smith Band, a State Fair tradition
Here’s a fairly interesting fair fact. During every Illinois State Fair for the last 31 years, some version of a Don Smith group played somewhere on the fairgrounds. The really cool thing is this: the 71-year-old, Lincoln native has played the fair for more than half his 57-year career as a trumpet player and bandleader. […]
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The Graduate
After six years as an up and coming band on the national music scene, The Graduate is done. The 20-something band, featuring Corey Warning (vocals), Matt Kennedy (guitar, keyboard, vocals), Max Sauer (guitar, vocals), Jared Wuestenberg (bass) and Tim Moore (drums, vibraphone, keyboard, vocals) “accomplished more than we ever could have dreamed” during their tenure […]
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The State Fair and beyond
Here comes the Illinois State Fair. From parking cars on our lawns to finding two-way streets going only one way, from bars open late to an increase in the fly population (there’s a barfly joke there somewhere), to a municipal tax revenue bump and filled hotels, the impact of the fair somehow reaches us all. […]
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Screamin’ Vatos
Originally conceived by Billy Bacon in 1993 as a Latin percussion-oriented group focusing mainly on material from Carlos Santana with a few cool covers by the band War, the Screamin’ Vatos have always been local favorites. With an average of 8 to 10 members in the band at all times, including percussionists and horn players […]
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Downhome is downtown
Howdy folks! Allow me to introduce you to the latest and greatest downtown music fest. Illinois Times Now Playing readers meet the Downhome Music Festival. Debuting this Sat., Aug. 6, on the corner of Seventh and Washington streets from 2 to 11 p.m. and featuring a string of local performers on two stages, the fest […]
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Hot Bag O’ Donuts and Catalyst
Bourbon Street Rhythm & Ribs, better known to old-timers as Bruce’s Tavern, recently began hosting rock bands every Friday and Saturday night. This Friday becomes more than a wild, rocking show and turns into a fundraiser with the $5 cover going to assist the Access 4 Producers Group in setting up a new production studio […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The Third Thursday artists
Paris, Florence, Berlin, Rome, New York, Athens – when famed art-related cities of the world come up in conversation, Springfield, Ill., is not generally on the list. That’s not likely to change soon, but recently a fresh movement in the local art scene awakened a dormant spirit of cooperation and inspiration for area visual artists […]
Posted inMusic
What Dave Littrell sees now
Fans of the local band music scene would be hard pressed to not be familiar with the Station, one of our most prolific and consistent groups of the last decade in the area and on the road. Dave Littrell, the driving force behind the instrumental-based and jamband-styled music of the Station now embraces another avenue […]
