You’ve heard of them, haven’t you, those “open mic” things that bars hold on off nights? Usually the management hires a popular host to pull in amateurs who play for free. You’ll probably see acoustic guitars and cases piled around the stage. Most people either hate open mics or love them to death. The open […]
Music
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music notes 1-6-05
• Prepare to rock as the band Low as I releases Shot Heard Around the World on Friday, Jan. 7. The band formerly known as Mindfold will be selling and signing the new CDs after an acoustic show at Samuel Music (3730 Wabash Ave.). The celebration continues around 10 p.m. the same night at Viele’s […]
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sound patrol 12-30-04
Bettye Swann Bettye Swann Honest Jon’s/Astralwerks You’ve probably never heard of Bettye Swann, which is sad for many reasons; on the bright side, though, it means you’re in for a treat. Thanks to the UK label Honest Jon’s, which specializes in resurrecting neglected treasures from soul’s golden age, 22 revelatory tracks from Swann’s too-brief career […]
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music notes 12-30-04
n On New Year’s Eve, Café Kanichi-Wa (1117 S. Grand Ave. E) presents, exclusively for your entertainment pleasure, a wild and ferocious battle of the bands pitting Springfield Shaky against Perfunctory This Band for a fight to the finish from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Audience members are asked to drink to their chosen point of inebriation […]
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now playing 12-30-04
How many times have I heard it — hell, how many times have I said it? — “Springfield sucks.” The notion keeps creeping, seeping into my brain, trying to poison it with the truth, that the Springfield music scene isn’t what it could be — and may never be. Some things you can do something […]
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now playing 12-23-04
No one is saying Springfield seems a little peculiar at times, although I can certainly see where one could get the idea, but no one is saying so. So what if we are the capital of a proud and populous state and still have a miserable recycling program, underfunded public libraries, a poor mass-transit system, […]
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music notes 12-23-04
• Capcitill Promotions invites you, the listening public, to a “Hoes Exposed” meet-and-greet at Two Olives and Pepper from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Dec. 28. What will you meet and greet at a such an event, you ask? Why, members of Springfield’s underground hip-hop scene, including such acts as ILL-Legitimate, Mohrer Les, Phat Head, Human Torch, […]
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sound patrol 12-23-04
Le TigreThis Island (Strummer/Universal) After two full-lengths and a couple of EPs on the now-defunct indie label Mr. Lady, Le Tigre has apparently tired of preaching to the choir. Predictably, many longtime fans of the New York-based electropunk trio are crying sell-out; aside from the fact that This Island is on Universal, the biggest, baddest […]
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music notes 12-16-04
• On Wednesday, Dec. 22, celebrate the Winter Solstice and the fifth anniversary of Trout Lily Café — Illinois Times readers’ “Best of Springfield” pick for coffee. Proprietor Kate Hawkes says the business (218 S. Sixth St., 391-0101) is open all day as usual, but will add evening hours from 5 until 8 p.m. for […]
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sound patrol 12-16-04
Rufus Wainwright Want Two (Geffen) What’s the term for a male diva? Divo? Heva? There may not be a word for Rufus Wainwright, but there should be. After all, he’s hardly the first boy singer to flaunt a great big voice, a flamboyant personality, and outrageous ambition; Scott Walker and Jeff Buckley, among others, proved […]
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now playing 12-16-04
Dierks Bentley moved to Nashville from Phoenix when he was 19 with songs in his pockets and not much else. Bentley began making the rounds, trying to find a key to unlock the mysteries of country music stardom. He dug into the soul of the city and the music that gives it life. He hung […]
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sound patrol 12-9-04
Eminem Encore (Aftermath/Interscope) If you’re curious about how Eminem’s art has evolved during the two-and-a-half years since his last full-length, The Eminem Show, the Encore cover andbooklet tell you everything you need to know. On a fancy stage, in front of a sumptuous velvet curtain, hip-hop’s Elvis takes a graceful bow while hiding a revolver […]
