It seems just like yesteryear! In 1997, Troy Roark and Doug Gholson broke on the scene as Mr. Opporknockity with “Lisa’s Shirt,” a bona fide, local hit song on WDBR-FM from the acoustic guitar-powered, high-energy vocal duo. The addition of Mark Sanders on drums and Tom Irwin on bass put them in the band category […]
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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Music ties that bind
This Saturday, July 1, at the Black Sheep Cafe, four bands spanning nearly 40 years of alternative rock, punk and new wave genres play together on the same bill. Two once-popular area bands, Food & Money from the early 80s and Backwards Day from the early 90s, reunite to join with two currently working bands, […]
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Extended Fourth weekend
One could hardly ask for a better party set up than when a major holiday falls on a Tuesday. That makes a four-day weekend for those able to take off Monday, and from what I hear, lots of workers have done so. Please remember all those poor, hard-working musicians playing overtime (and time and time […]
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Sarah Shook & the Disarmers
Hell-bent on being about as rough and tumble as a gal can be, while simultaneously coming across as a contemporary country cat out to even the score with every lowdown dog around, Sarah Shook seems heaven-sent in this day of pre-programmed computer music. Along with her longtime cohort Eric Peterson (electric guitar) and bandmates John […]
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A visit with A.J. Croce
Generally, I try to cover lots of stuff going on each week, but every once in awhile, something begs for my entire space. This column is fully dedicated to singer, songwriter, pianist and musician A.J. Croce, who is performing this Saturday in the Studio Theatre at Sangamon Auditorium. To start off with full disclosure; yes, […]
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Blacktop South
Hailing from the river town of Quincy, this blues, country, Southern rock and classic rock quintet takes on songs familiar to average Midwest music lovers, then gives the tunes a slight twist to make ‘em their own with tight vocal harmonies and experienced music-making. Popular acts cited as influences by bandmates Todd Rost (vocals), Eric […]
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Fair music and more
Here we go with the annual Sangamon County Fair entertainment plus many more doings around our fair city. Need I remind you that your job is, yet again, a difficult task when it comes down to deciding how to spend your precious time by choosing what live music event to drag your lovely self to […]
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Greg Finger Band
Growing up in the suburbs of Cincinnati, a young Greg Finger became fascinated by the sounds he created on an old, out-of-tune upright piano his parents purchased for him while he was still in grade school. The possibilities contained in the mysteries of music-making drove him to learn different instruments and dream of what could […]
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Wise up to Dumb Fest
I hate to admit this to you, my friendly readers, but today my eyes would much rather be staring at beautiful blue skies than the blue screen of the Macbook in my lap. Let’s get to it, shall we? Welcome to Dumb Fest weekend, which covers three days worth of very cool and extremely expressive […]
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Rays
Hailing from Oakland, California, bandmates Stanley Martinez (guitar, vocals, violin), Eve Hannan (bass, vocals), Alexa Pantalone (drums, synth) and Troy Hewitt (guitar, organ, piano, synth) are now on a month-long jaunt across America. Starting in Chicago and covering the Midwest, they’re working their way to Brooklyn and back, playing every day, somewhere, somehow from June […]
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LoG in to help out
Welcome to June of 2017. There’s a lot going on around here, so check out all the stuff in Illinois Times ads, the calendar, Pub Crawl and more. Then see if you can find the time to do it all. The big news on the music scene this weekend can be nothing but the Legacy […]
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Aileeah Colgan
Hailing from Peoria and recently signed to Green Show Records in East Peoria, Ms. Colgan is making waves in the regional music scene and heading for bigger things. She’s performed VIP pre-shows or opening slots for artists such as Luke Bryan, Little Big Town, Shania Twain, RaeLynn, Rodney Atkins and Lee Greenwood. Aileeah grabbed first […]
