Killinoize Productions of Springfield and Subsequent Vibes of Bloomington began a music series at Bar None several months ago and the success of the venture points to the growing popularity of electronic dance music in the capital city. The DJs, or more aptly, correctly and popularly called producers, mix on the fly, making impromptu live […]
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
April-ling along
Now that all the May flowers came out in March, those April showers may have to find something else to do. Regardless of the weirdly warm weather, the music marches on as we see some new venues opening up and interesting music adventures popping up all over town. Join me in a salute to Salute […]
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Marching on to April
No themes this week, just several items worth mentioning to our illustrious readers as March moves on and April comes to pass. Kick off your party week with a visit to the Trading Post on Thursday to hear the “eclectic sounds and songs” of Kortney Leatherwood and Perry Zubeck “live and unplugged,” according to funnily […]
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SOMA
What happens when you take a batch of well-seasoned local musicians and combine them into a brand new concoction? Go see for yourself as SOMA breaks into the Springfield scene with its first full-on public display of live music. Featuring bandmates Brad Beneky on bass (Perfunctory This Band, Sarah Schneider Band, Frantic Sky), Tony Dyer […]
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Metal, math, mandalas and Mini O’Beirne
I couldn’t quite settle on one act this week, so look out. As the calls came in, the list grew until several shows reached the Now Playing field. Let’s take them in headline order. Chris Hupp, host of Metal Mayhem Mondays on WQNA 88.3 FM and man in charge of major-ly making metal mighty, informed […]
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Lady Carole & Her Knights
On March 26, 2010, when Bruce Clark, proprietor of Bourbon Street, hosted Lady Carole & Her Knights, the official band began. But the seeds were sown years before when Carole sang and played keyboards as a young girl in school and church. About 12 years ago, after their children left the nest, Carole and husband […]
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Jason & the Haymakers
Now a Nashville recording artist, Jason Bertrand originally came from a small, rural town in Illinois and attended Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. There he spent time working on a cover country band with reckless abandon and also discovered his calling of playing honest country music. The big break came when Jason got to work […]
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Under the Irish influence
In Springfield our Celtic heritage runs deep, with St. Patrick’s Day as one of our most anticipated holidays, celebrated with the long-running marching band parade on the nearest Saturday to March 17. Other celebratory activities include corned beef and cabbage on every corner, excused excessive drinking, sporting Irish colors as a one-day fashion statement and […]
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Blues news
Who knows how these things happen – and frankly, my dear, who cares – but this weekend, the blues make an impressive showing in Springfield. For those of you who just returned from a time warp and somehow missed the 20th century (it was a blast!), the blues is a music genre credited to African-Americans, […]
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The Rockin’ Johnny Band
Originally from South Carolina, a young John Burgin went to the Windy City to study at the prestigious University of Chicago in the early 90s and ending up learning at the equally important reality school of blues, playing with some of the elder statesmen of the genre. After a stint with blues singer Taildragger in […]
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Skibbereen mixes in the green
In Springfield, our recent Celtic legacy has a vibrant history, including bands The Emerald Underground, Exorna and Fake McCoys, groups like St. Andrew’s Society and Ogilvy Studio, plus events such as the St. Patrick’s Day parade, Highland Games and Robert Burns dinner. When Hank Helton, founder and organizer of Skibbereen, one of the latest music […]
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Guitar Town
The first Guitar Town event held in 2008 featured 13 of central Illinois’ favorite guitar players playing, songs they liked for fellow guitarists. With a backline of Mark LeVault on bass and Bob Young on drums with Ric “Skippy” Major running sound, 2012 continues the tradition. “Mayor” Mark Estill came up with the idea after […]
