I usually only write about Springfield-area shows, but when I got the chance to interview Ricky Skaggs for his upcoming performance at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis on Feb. 22, I changed my tune. Originally I thought Ricky’s publicist came from Springfield and I could work that local angle, but when I discovered […]
Music
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Hard Road Blues Band
When Bruce Baise (guitar, vocals), Dave Marr (guitar, vocals), Craig Wood (bass, vocals), Mark “Doc” Janis (drums), Steve Jackson (saxophone, clarinet, flute) and “Bad” Bill Robinson (harmonica, limericks) join together to create music, they bring decades of experience to the stage. Hot Property, Picture This, Wabash Run, Porkpie & The Northend Allstars, Rock of Ages, […]
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A sweetheart of a time
I’m telling you what – I had a whale of a time last Saturday night right here in lovely, downtown Springfield. From first being one of “those guys” not wanting to leave the house, I hit the Paul Collins Beat Bedrock 66 show, had a visit with the Blue G’s at Norb Andy’s and made […]
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Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers
Son of the legendary accordion player and Zydeco master Rockin’ Dopsie, Sr., Dwayne “Dopsie” Rubin comes into his heritage honestly and avidly. Always a party when he comes to town with the New Orleans and swampy Louisiana sound, this Saturday’s show infuses the excitement of Carnival and the upcoming Mardi Gras celebrations to make for […]
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February already
After this odd week of weather contortions, I’m not sure if we are thawing out, warming up or freezing in, but I can assure you, no matter the fluctuating conditions of the climate, there is a steady run of good music in the forecast. To add onto last week’s Marina V update, Nick Baker and […]
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One hell of an awards show for Springfield hip-hop
Nobody can accuse the crowd at Torch Tuesday of not knowing how to party. Springfield’s most prominent showcase for regional hip-hop talent presented the second annual Torch Tuesday Awards on Jan. 22 at Bar None and it proved to be a marathon event, marked by the undeniable thrill of a creative community coming into its […]
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Deadstring Brothers
Hailing from Detroit, Mich., these guys are more like Motor City alt/country rockers, described by many critics as producing a sound reminiscent of the Exile on Main Street period Rolling Stones. Fronted by guitarist/vocalist and studio wizard Kurt Marschke, the rest of the Brothers include fellow Detroit native and longtime drummer Travis Harrett, and real […]
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Old School Dropouts
Look out world, here come the Old School Dropouts, a new band formed by Springfield music scene veterans to play “old school” rock. First imagined as a rock power trio in 2011 with Dan Luparell (guitar), Jim Engel (drums) and Mike Paoni (bass), the three-man OSD covered a range of popular rock, punk and blues […]
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Hot music for cold times
With these cold days upon us, what could be more appealing than checking out some hot music tunes for a thaw from this week of chilling weather? I recently received a warming message from Marina V, our ever-moving and ever-loving music friend, that began with, “Hello from Moscow!” Current temps in the Russian capital are […]
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Deep Lunar Blue
Original and classic rock jam band Deep Lunar Blue commemorates 120 shows as a band with a four year anniversary celebration this weekend. The rollicking band of Shane Quigley (guitar, vocals), Casey Cantrall (guitar, vocals), J.J. Moffat (drums) and Jay Bohn (bass) plays around town on a regular basis, as well as at area clubs […]
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Fun with Greg Fundis
Most frequently in this column, the musicians I interview are either in Springfield or from another place. This week I was very fortunate to speak with drummer Greg Fundis, a hometown hero now residing in Chicago, working on a very successful and balanced career in the business of making music. Greg grew up in Springfield […]
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SPREAD
From origins as a college jam band formed at SIU-Carbondale in 2008 of friends drawn together by intellectual and interesting likes, SPREAD continues in a progressive march across the Midwest sharing magic in music with audiences everywhere. Creating delightful musical mayhem through improvisational stylings with space-intensive, psychedelic rock leanings, Patrick Reynolds (drums, vocals), Dave Petrizzo […]
