Mary Jo Curry performs with Johnny Rawls and James Armstrong as part of the Rockin’ Blues Soul Revue on Saturday night, April 30, at the Capital City Bar & Grill.
Mary Jo Curry performs with Johnny Rawls and James Armstrong as part of the Rockin’ Blues Soul Revue on Saturday night, April 30, at the Capital City Bar & Grill.
Things start on Thursday night when The Curve Inn hosts Black Queen, Springfield’s very own Queen tribute band, along with Chicago Loud 9, last year’s SOHO headliner and scheduled again for the expanded downtown festival held the first weekend in June. With a sound system and stage area designed and run by Ric Major (voted Illinois Times’ “Best of Springfield” for sound engineer), The Curve is one of the best spots in town to hear live music.
On Friday the always enjoyable and entertaining Peggy Lowder Quartet lands at Robbie’s for Uptown Friday Night. The Deep Hollow celebrates the national release of their debut CD with a special show upstairs at Arlington’s, while a few blocks away at Bar None the Henhouse Prowlers present their world-class and world-traveling Chicago-based bluegrass sound. JP Soars and the Red Hots, another world-class, world-traveled artist, play the Third Base Sports Bar on Friday. JP originally played metal-rock guitar before settling in on the blues as a genre to best showcase his tremendous six-string work. In the regular lineup of local performers playing the bars in town, check out Mike Burnett and Jeff Kornfeld at Trading Post, Lady Carole and Her Knights at Always After Five, Murder of Crowes at Butternut Hut, Powerhouse at Koo Koo’s Nest, me and the Hayburners at George Ranks and Off the Wall at Weebles for just a small sampling of what’s going on in the scene on an extraordinary Friday night in Springfield.
Saturday delivers a couple of big shows. At Bar None the lineup of Americana singer-songwriter types brings us Chicago Farmer, Edward David Anderson and Mike and Olivia. Expect excellent performances of original songs and a good-feel vibe by high-energy musicians playing in solo and duo configurations. Farmer, originally from Delavan, now resides in his namesake Chicago, spending most of his days on the road, playing original folk music and selling merch. Anderson, who some folks will remember from the 90’s band Backyard Tire Fire, also spends lots of time touring and performing original songs. Mike and Olivia play some cool tunes with good harmonies and sweet piano work.
The Capital City Bar and Grill hosts a “Rockin’ Blues Soul Revue” as the other big show on Saturday night. Featuring Johnny Rawls, James Armstrong and Mary Jo Curry, the “Revue” contains a variety of blues done in different ways. Rawls, a world-renowned, award-winning soul blues artist has done it all and keeps doing it. Known as the “Ambassador of the Blues,” Armstrong lives in Springfield and tours the world. Curry, a gifted singer, just completed a James Armstrong-produced CD done in town at Frequincy Recording. Filled with a couple of original songs by Curry and guitarist Michael Rapier along with some cool covers, the record is a rollicking blues collection that serves as a testament to the wonderful talents of Mary Jo.
On Sunday experience Harmonies for Haiti, a fundraiser in support of local drummer extraordinaire Mark McKnight’s mission trip to aid orphaned children in Haiti. The benefit features the sounds of Johnnie Owens and Friends, Shay on Sax and the PPRT Band, Tony Young and the Bad Boyz from 3 to 6 p.m., at the Wet Bar on South Fifth. Come listen and help out.
Looking ahead to next Thursday, May 5, Sangamon Auditorium presents The Rides, featuring an all-star lineup of Stephen Stills, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Barry Goldberg with our own James Armstrong opening the show. That’s a good one, folks.
See you in May, maybe.
Contact Tom Irwin at [email protected].
