Here we are at Mardi Gras time already with much more included in a week full of fabulous times, fun happenings and February at its finest. Shall we partake? Thursdays keep rolling on as a good night for live music and this week is no exception. Over at the Butternut Hut, Jeff Berendt (of The […]
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.
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Mary Jo Curry Band
What can be said about Mary Jo Curry (vocals) and her band of Michael Rapier (guitar), Rick Snow (drums) and Chris Rogers (bass) that you don’t already know by hearing them play? Well, how about that the new CD just released this weekend has guest spots by some top blues cats, namely, Albert Castiglia, Tom […]
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Valentine music time
You can “Be My Valentine” or you could “Be Your Own Valentine,” but however you decide to spend your love light, energy goulash for the Saint Valentine Day celebration, please consider doing so with a healthy dose of live music. It’s the second Thursday of the month, and of course that means a “Music at […]
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Tad Derek O’Brien
Try experiencing something different this week and take a live listen to a classical guitarist, arranger and composer instead of the usual offerings. A Springfield native, Tad Derek O’Brien started his musical journey at age 13 with lessons from the late guitarist Tom Lewis, who obviously instilled a lifelong love of learning music in young […]
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The Pleiades
A fairly new band in length of existence (they just got together a few months ago), this quartet comes complete with the attitude and ambition of a group that’s been around for awhile. Each of The Pleiades, Carter Kelso (lead vocals, guitar), Trey Tholen (lead guitar), Eli Trimpe (bass, vocals) and Jake McNamara (drums, percussion), […]
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Fun-filled February
Welcome to the first full weekend of February in 2020, and it’s chock full of fun fantastically formed to fulfill your most fabulous, not at all fallacious, fantasies of a fine time. Let’s get right to it as we have lots to cover. Thursday gives us a couple of stellar Springfield acts that surely set […]
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After School Special
When it comes to doing the duo, this twosome of Aasne Daniels and Jerry Setnicky (both on acoustic guitar and vocals) dig into the popular music of the last several decades to do “acoustified” versions of rock and pop songs by artists such as Guns N Roses, Def Leppard, Smashing Pumpkins and Britney Spears. For […]
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Open mics and more
As we slip-slide our way into February of 2020, let’s take a look at the entertainment coming our way this week, including those who give others an opportunity to perform on stage. I’m referring to those odd little things called open mics or open jams happening on the off days of our ever-flourishing music scene. […]
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Music moves us
As we travel through this old world, I think we can safely say music moves us in many ways and thereby, in many ways is a main mover of human emotion, carrying some spark that mends, muses and motivates. In other words, music is cooler than a popsicle or last Sunday night’s outdoor temps while […]
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John Paul Keith
Since this brilliantly blessed singer-songwriter-guitarist burst from the Memphis music scene in 2009, he continues to play for keeps, keeping it real and really playing music. John Paul Keith rocks a Fender Telecaster like nobody’s business and sings a true song with an R&B sensibility that screams let’s make Memphis in the meantime our motto […]
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Musician-aid time
Here we go into mid-January as the music scene remains on the move, viable and productive, continuing to provide our fair city with pleasurable and provocative entertainment experiences. On Sunday, Jan. 19, we gather in support of musician, booker, fundraiser, working man, parent and friend Micky Shomidie at Boondocks from noon to 7 p.m. Micky, […]
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Matt Hill
With an outstanding reputation as an energetic performer of the blues, Matt Hill is known for his off-the-wall stage antics, as well as his top-notch abilities on guitar and vocals. He started his musical adventures in North Carolina, forming a blues band with drummer Chuck Cotton that made it to the 2005 International Blues Challenge […]
