Here we go with another jam-packed weekend of good times ahead, especially loaded with locally-based, original music happenings to which I give a hearty hurrah! Let's see what's on the platter this week, shall we?
Thursdays continue in earnest, and with this week containing the second one of the month that means it's time for Thursday Night Live at Motorheads with another stellar lineup of local musicians, including Mark Camp, Scott Nichols, Tad Finch, Roger Wainwright, Tim Sutton, Bill Szerletich, Doc Holladay, Andy Armstrong, Aaron Garrett, Jason Evers and Josh Szerletich all playing in some type of band format.
The Curve Inn presents The Aileana Rawlins Band doing a mix of covers, plus some cool original songs (yippee!), including "Not For Me," released in 2023 and the 2024 single, "Wouldn't It Be Nice."
Also on Thursday, a couple of up-and-coming, touring country singer-songwriters hit the area with Matt Stell at Danenberger Family Vineyards and Kameron Marlowe at Boondocks.
To finish off our growing Thursday nights, check out Silas Tockey going solo acoustic at Casey's Pub and the David Moore Jazz Trio at the Pharmacy's Art of Jazz night.
Now for the locally-based, original music section of our story. On Friday, Springfield native and current Chicago resident Joel Styzens will perform music from his award-winning album, Resonance, at Central Baptist Church from 7 to 9 p.m. during an album release party. He will be joined by a trio of friends and fellow musicians, including cellist Herine Coetzee Koschak, violinist Jinty McTavish and saxophonist Casey Fitzpatrick, along with Wild Columbine as a very special guest opening the show. The live performance by the multi-instrumentalist and composer recreates what The Guardian listed as a "Top Ten Contemporary Album of 2023" and described as "original Neo-Classical and Jazz-inspired music." Get your tickets and more info at www.RelaxYourEars.com.
In another highly-anticipated weekend gig of original music, Owen and Dooley Present perform a live show at the Curve Inn on Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m. during their vinyl album release of South Pound Sessions recorded at Quincy Watson's Frequincy Recording. Joined live and on the record by Matt "Woo" Natale and Patrick Bruce Miller, Owen Irwin and Tom "Dooley" Woolsey began their project about 10 years ago to "present" various bass and drum sections playing on the duo's original songs. The quartet then coalesced into a solid lineup with Pat and Woo and went into the studio last fall to make a recording of the group's hard-rocking, classic rock-style music penned by Irwin and Woolsey. And yes, for full disclosure, Owen is my oldest son and plays guitar with me frequently. Dooley and I started banging on guitars together at about age 14, but that's what makes me love it all the more.
UNCHAiNED lands at the Curve Inn on Friday and the young band of friends has been very busy this year and last, playing live and working hard behind the scenes to expand in the music world. With a Nashville studio-recorded album called Waterfront (to honor their late mentor Camron Yates) in the can and being shopped around, plus a video ready to drop on May 24, (feel free to share it everywhere) the on-the-move group is poised to go for the gold. The Curve show will feature plenty of their original songs and also covers that helped form the band while starting out. Get on it, guys!
With that we shall conclude our foray into the scene for this week. There's lots more music out there for you to find and enjoy so please check our listings and get going.
