Now that we’re almost three weeks into the Springfield smoking ban, one thing is certain: The bars are clear of smoke. Clothes smell fresh; throats don’t tickle in the morning. Unfortunately, most patrons seem to have cleared out as well — as we wags like to say, the crowds have gone up in smoke. The […]
Music
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Riddle me this
One part George Jones, one part John Ashbery, Richard Buckner brings the MFA poetry workshop to the honky-tonk, or vice versa. He’s the kind of lyricist who is typically described as “elliptical,” “gnomic,” and “cryptic” — rockcrit shorthand for “I have no idea what this dude is talking about, but I’m pretty sure he’s totally […]
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Modest but mighty
Dave Potts, the Prairie Grapevine Folklore Society’s first act of the fall season, fits the bill as a quiet, unassuming, thoughtful folk singer who likes to let his songs do the talking. Asked to describe his music, he says, “I call it folk, with a little country and Americana — kind of like David Wilcox […]
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Vinyl Static
SINGLES ONLY The flashy Scissor Sisters released their debut in a blaze of glitter and poppy piano parts, but who knew the fabulously retro New York quintet could strike gold twice? The first single, “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’,” from the group’s sophomore effort, Ta-Dah, channels Elton John’s piano-based pop, the pomp of Queen, and […]
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This, that, and some other things
Sam Crain must be the most prolific recording artist in central Illinois. The talented guitarist just released Solo Jazz Guitar, which counts as CD No. 17 in his catalog. (Find out more at www.samcrain.com). As the title indicates, this is Crain alone, presenting 14 cuts ranging from jazz standards to distinct originals, all stamped with […]
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Make way for the M word
Joe Thebeau, the mastermind of Finn’s Motel, describes himself as a “40-year-old married-with-children rock guy” — an unglamorous profile for an indie-rock aspirant, maybe, but a refreshingly honest one. Let the bloggers slobber over this week’s wunderkind; when you’re trying to pay a mortgage, feed a couple of kids, and keep the lawn mowed, you […]
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Vinyl Static
SHOWS-A-GO-GO! There are rock shows aplenty this week, but fans will have to rack up some mileage to attend them all. Devotees of Built to Spill will undoubtedly release a huge sigh this weekend when the band takes the stage at Mississippi Nights in St. Louis on Sunday, Sept. 17. The indie-rock demigods nixed the […]
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Great performers of Springfield
I made it to Chicago last Thursday, Sept. 7, for the Great Performers of Illinois festival to see my dear friends and fellow bandmates Black Magic Johnson open the blues night on the Millennium Park stage. The guys did great and it was wonderful to see them perform in one of the grandest venues in […]
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She’s special, not ’cause she’s a she
Guitar dorks are guys mostly, weird guys with ickily long fingernails who stink of cannabis and complicated tablatures. If they’re not droning on about the awesome tuning that they just discovered, they’re arguing about stupid stuff that no one else cares about, such as whether a particular mode is Dorian or Mixolydian or the exact […]
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Depth charge
People love pirates. They prove it by stampeding to see the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, by chomping down on their R’s (arrrrrghs!) on Talk Like a Pirate Day. Piratemania is so widespread, in fact, that a backlash seems inevitable. How much longer before pirates join Pet Rocks, Beanie Babies, and the “You can call […]
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A couple of couples
This week, for your listening pleasure and knowledge enhancement, we feature two acts consisting of couples who live, write, and perform together. All four musicians play guitar and other instruments and sing lead and harmony. Both couples have performed at the most prestigious folk and Americana festivals in the nation and have managed to develop […]
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Music for a holiday weekend
At 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1, Real Time takes the Ethnic Village gazebo stage at the Illinois State Fairgrounds to entertain attendees of the umpteenth Ethnic Festival with fine jazz music. The weather should be curiously cool for this time of year, possibly increasing the sale of hot drinks and definitely adding to the comfort […]
