Here we are rolling the old chariot along through June with a plethora of interesting and exciting music endeavors to fill your entertainment cup to overflowing. A little of this and a lot of that makes for a fine assortment in the upcoming weekend of live music, so let’s do the old look-see and find out what is in store for your listening pleasure.
Last Thursday’s turnout for the first Levitt AMP concert was exceptional, so you may not need this reminder that every Thursday for the next couple months, national touring bands with local opening acts perform on the lovely PNC-sponsored stage just north of the Governor’s Mansion in the space known as the Y-Block. (Maybe we should just name it that so some strangers will ask, “Why do you call it the Y-Block?” and we can tell the sad tale of the former YWCA building that once stood on the said block space).
So get yourself to the big, free show and take in some downtown time while you’re there to eat, drink and be merry, perhaps by experiencing things such as The Art of Jazz weekly event curated by Jose Gobbo at the Pharmacy Gallery with drummer Steve Davis and bassist Andrew Binder up this week. The Levitt AMP artists for this Thursday are the Rumpke Mountain Boys and The Chickadee Sermon, leaning toward the acoustic, bluegrass style of music.
And while we’re at it, here are several other Thursday night acts in town including KISS ARMY at Weebles, Dan Grover at Casey’s Patio, Merry Travelers at the Curve Inn, Birds of a Feather at the Butternut Hut, Buckhart Road at Pease’s at BUNN Gourmet, the monthly Thursday Night Live extravaganza featuring a whole bunch of local musicians at Motorheads, Sam & Kortney’s Open Mic at Blue Grouch and, last but certainly not least, our Capital Big Band hitting it at First United Methodist Church. Go Thursday, go.
Friday is filled with all kinds of area regulars playing the regular places, along with a few surprises, including a Beatles tribute band from Chicagoland called American English at Danenbergers and Bury Thy Wicked and Blanket of M going for the heavy metal rock at Buzz Bomb. There’s this Jackson Browne guy playing the Sangamon Auditorium and then his hometown (not!) of Jacksonville hosts its own weekly summer concert series on the downtown square every Friday, with the Ronni Ward Band doing rock covers this week.
While we’re promoting out-of-town concerts, Black Dirt Management will host three summer shows at the handsome Havana Riverfront Park with Chicago Farmer and the Fieldnotes taking the first round this Saturday, then plan ahead for Seth Walker on July 8 and Stillhouse Junkies on Aug. 12. Check out all the music happening at the Devon Lakefront Amphitheater in Decatur and prepare to be amazed at the list which includes: the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Elle King, Night Ranger and Blood, Sweat and Tears in the stellar lineup lined up for the summer of 2023. Over near Effingham, the Moccasin Creek Festival runs June 22-25 with a superb selection of Americana music, camping and good times for all. And the Sangamon County Fair starts next week, plus the Positively Summer Fest rocks at Sheedy Shores WineGarden on June 17 and 18.
Saturday and Sunday are chock full of live music happenings, but please check our listings and don’t just take my word for it. Monday, the fantastic Chris O’Leary takes his turn at the Illinois Central Blues Club’s weekly gig at the Alamo and our pal Johnny Burgin rolls in the week after.
See you on the flip side.
This article appears in Habitat helps families, one homebuyer at a time.
