PHOTO COURTESY CHEEKY MONKEY Terri Clark joined the prestigious Grand Ole Opry in 2004 as the only female Canadian on the show. She grew up in Montreal, where her maternal grandparents were well known country music performers. In 1987, her mom drove the aspiring artist to Nashville, dropped her off at the famed Tootsie’s Orchid […]
Music
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Kentucky Knife Fight
PHOTO COURTESY KENTUCKY KNIFE FIGHT From a raucous beginning during an open mic night at the Stagger Inn Again in Edwardsville, Kentucky Knife Fight has grown through the years into a formidable, well-respected, award-winning group. Based in St. Louis, with members from the Springfield area, the rocking and rolling, edgy and bright, loose-lipped and tight-playing […]
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A true Fulks hero
Robbie Fulks with musicians plays the Bedrock 66 Live! concert series at the Hoogland on Friday, Oct. 18 with the Old Fashioneds starting at 7:30 p.m. The latest piece of provocative songwriting and innovative instrumentation from Chicago-based musician and artist Robbie Fulks, Gone Away Backward, received critical and fan acclaim for the folk-bluegrass playing and […]
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Girl-a-Thon again
Girl-a-Thon returns for 2013 at Boondocks, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2 p.m. Wow, what a wonderful time of year! I just spent an afternoon picking apples and now get to spend months eating them. I’m okay with that. Lot’s of goodies this weekend with the entertainment stuff. Let’s get to it. What would October be without […]
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Maestro Willis: ‘A great season’
In its opening concert, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra performs Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, which caused a sensation when it debuted in Paris 100 years ago. PHOTO COURTESY ILLINOIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA This week marks the start of Alastair Willis’ second season as music director of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra. The energetic maestro is nearly bursting […]
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Ezra Furman and the Harpoons
PHOTO BY ROSIE WAGNER A performing songwriter since 2006, Ezra Furman hangs out in the indie-rock, folk-rock, original music land and calls Chicago home. With the Harpoons, the group delivers ferociously friendly sounding on-the-beat and in-your-face songs with sweet and sour lyrics balanced between personal experiences and existential dialogues with the universe as a conversational […]
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Sally paints by music
Sally Weisenberg poses with a painting (and a pond) for her art show opening reception Sat., Oct. 5, 6 to 8 p.m. at Prairie House Custom Frames and Gallery. PHOTO COURTESY SALLY WEISENBERG Say, “Sally Weisenburg” to a local music friend, fiend or fan and I can nearly guarantee an excited reaction commenting on her […]
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Groundhog Day
PHOTO COURTESY GROUNDHOG DAY When bassist Brian Phillips (from Wonder Why) and lead guitarist Danny “The Kid” Schroeder (from the Outnumbered) were forming a new band, Phillips mentioned the process was just like band beginnings so many times before. Kid then referenced the film Groundhog Day, and the new band had a name. Joined by […]
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September soundings
Cool weather and cooler things to do appear as the fall season moves into our world with a pleasant and welcome entrance. As the days shorten, the night comes earlier and that means more “nightlife” for you and me. Another area band makes the effort to gain fan-based funding as Brushville (formerly Brushfire), a modern […]
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Hat Trick
Founded in 2010 by Barry Woodworth (drums, vocals) and Gene Bennett (guitar, vocals), in 2013 Hat Trick added former member of The Backliners, Steve Harvey (bass, vocals) to complete the rock power trio. All together these veterans of the area band scene bring to the stage nearly 90 years of combined time playing the well-loved […]
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Hodgepodge of happenings
With a whirlwind of wonderful whatevers available to while away the hours this week in the entertainment section of our lives, here are a few tidbits and takes on the goings-on. In the “unbelievable events” category, how is it that two of my favorites in the music business are playing in Springfield on the same […]
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Herman Astro
A solidified, totally on it and in it band back in 2009, Milwaukee-based quartet Herman Astro shows up ready to rock, bringing a funky attitude with a soulful edge all wrapped up in gritty guitars and a grinding groove. Stepbrothers Zachary Pluer (vocals, acoustic guitar) and Cody Calderon (drums) joined childhood friends Eric LeMieux (electric […]
