Now is your chance to see a hummingbird in hand as Illinois Audubon Society board member and master permit bander Vernon Kleen, along with Mary Hedrick of the Sangamon Audubon Chapter, captures and bans birds to track their migration. You can help operate a trap, record data and help Vernon release a bird back into […]
IT Picks
Posted inArts & Culture
Entertainment and arts
Join 300,000 friends (yes, that’s five zeros) downtown at the ultimate street party, the Decatur Celebration, themed this year The Big Reunion. Whether you’re reuniting with your favorite fair food such as an elephant ear, or reconnecting with 80s metal band Night Ranger, Aug. 7, as they plug in some rock on one of the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Earth matters
Filmmakers Ben and Julie Evans of Louisville, Ky., will be on hand to answer questions from the audience after the viewing of YERT (Your Environmental Road Trip) at Capital City Bar and Grill during the next Liberty View and Brew meeting. (Mark Dixon is the third filmmaker.) The documentary is a 50-state, year-long journey to […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Electric jazz
Local five-piece Grammy-nominated band David Cain & Senses performs a free concert that includes video and animation at the Hoogland to raise money for the center through donations. Senses might be categorized as playing new wave, ambient, or contemporary jazz music. The concert is titled Soundadelic, but front man and vocalist/saxophonist David Cain always seems […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Springfield idol
As a child, Springfield’s own Elizabeth Eckert was a finalist on Ed McMahan’s television contest, “Next Big Star,” and later sang her way to the Hollywood rounds on “American Idol” season seven. If that doesn’t tell you how much talent she has, nothing will; she out-performed hundreds-of-thousands. Recently she collaborated with renowned Atlanta producer Brad […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Ol’ Red Shed
Sometime in 2006 Kristofer “Coondog” Kunzeman (guitar, lead vocals) looked to memories of his granddad’s traditional country and bluegrass band for inspiration after the demise of his latest metal/punk group. Fellow bandmate David Lawson got a doghouse bass and soon Quincy Watson joined on mandolin to help build the Ol’ Red Shed. Area pickers such […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Meat me in Taylorville
Taylorville Main Street hosts a state championship BBQ cook-off sanctioned by the Kansas City BBQ Society and a backyard BBQ for amateurs. Friday night meet the pro cookers as they prep for the next day, enjoy some barbecue, and hear at 7 p.m. the Screamin’ Vatos, with the sounds of Santana. Saturday, besides the great […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Opposites attract
The classic Neil Simon romantic comedy finds a pair of newly married lovers, who embody Oscar and Felix-like traits, trying to live with each other’s idiosyncrasies. Six performances are slated at the Hoogland Center for the Arts for this Gordon Productions play sponsored by Staab Funeral Home and 970AM WMAY. Jenn Wellhausen and Matthew T. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Big and beautiful
Set in the 1960s, the funny and upbeat musical Hairspray is the next Muni production in the outdoor amphitheater. With big hair, a big body and a large personality, teen Tracy Turnblad lands a spot as a dancer on her favorite television show by the graces of great dancing. She rises to stardom, tackles racially […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Next to godliness
Peter Sellars, renowned opera, theater and film director whose opera Hercules opened in Chicago to rave reviews, speaks to the Dominican Institute for the Arts, a group of artists from the United States, England, Argentina and South Africa, whose annual meeting is in Springfield this year. The DIA invites you to join them for two […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Socializing through the past
The public is invited to a 1800s party and book premiere on the Edwards Place grounds as the Springfield Art Association commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. The ice cream social features the Springfield International Folk Dancers, free ice cream, children’s activities and re-enactors. The SAA also debuts its newly published Eating with […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Thunder rock
These were the cats before the musical Cats became popular. With big hair and makeup reminiscent of mimes gone wild, KISS was the talk of the rock scene during the 70s and now, long tongue and all, Gene Simmons along with Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer take to the Prairie Capital Convention Center […]
