As we approach the last full weekend in February, I know it’s the shortest month, but sometimes this one feels like the longest as we plod and plow through with our sights set soundly on spring. Then again, we all know what makes it fly by and be less un-Februar-able (just made that up) can be the wide and wonderful world of marvelously made music. Let’s go scout out the upcoming events that make it so, shall we?
First, I owe you a tardy Mardi Gras apology as Fat Tuesday came and went this past week without a mention last week from me. There were a few music happenings around town to celebrate the famed carnival night so I sure hope you found them without my assistance in this matter for 2026.
Let’s continue on with other Easter-oriented events brought to you by the first full moon after the spring equinox (it’s a long story worth looking up in your encyclopedia at home or perhaps the one in your phone) through Church tradition that encourages giving up something for Lent and hence, produced those famous, fish-eating Fridays. Thanks for bearing through that long and possibly confusing introduction to announce the Firefighters Postal Lake Club’s annual Lenten Fish Fry for the next seven Fridays featuring fried fish dinners and more with fine, friendly live music, more or less, following the meal at 7:30 p.m. This week’s kickoff presents Hippies from the Heartland (otherwise known as Radical Rickey and Frantastic Fran) along with $1 drafts. In a hello and heads up for the next few weeks, the music lineup includes Joel Honey, After School Special and Not Petty, with more to come.
I’m serious about looking up the official plan for the dating of Easter. It’s a fascinating tale involving Passover, the first Council of Nicea and the star of our show, the vernal equinox, along with the belle of the ball, the Paschal Moon.
More music on a very busy Friday includes Manny Lee continuing his soaring musical adventures at Boone’s, Dreamers and Doers doing the dreaming at Harvest Market, Brandy Kristin Band taking it to the limit one more time at Curve Inn and Fireside Relics dropping great originals and cool covers (try Led Zeppelin on for size) at George Rank’s.
Traveling folks doing self-penned music would be OTIS, a four-piece band from Kentucky with front man, lead vocalist and lead guitarist Boone Froggett resurrecting classic Southern rock-style, blues riff original songs at Backroom Lounge in Riverton, while The Alamo welcomes Cole Edward Phillips, a younger, touring, country singer-songwriter from Texas (he might remember an Alamo) joined by Springfield’s own Daniel Cavanagh.
Saturday hurries up with a great big assorted pile of music like an open mic at Unity of Springfield, Satellite orbiting Mowie’s Cue and The Red Ribbon Revue dusting off The Stadium. In the related band names of unrelated bands department, The Stone Giants rock The Blue Grouch while Broken Stone rocks the Library Bar, just to name a few shows.
Sunday comes knocking with the return of the one-and-only (thank goodness some wag might say) world-traveling, officially Grammy-nominated, singer, songwriter, guitarist, humorist and folklorist Robbie Fulks playing upstairs at Arlington’s. The last time Robbie played that room we called it On Broadway, and he was sparring in the press with Ryan Adams. Welcome back, Robbie, and also welcome home to Patrick Hagerman, our hometown hero, who returns from Florida with his first full album in hand to open the show.
Please check the listings for all the other stuff and until next week, so long.
This article appears in February 19-25, 2026.
