Let's give the merry month of May a happy hello and start enjoying a season of warm weather music. Dare I say, the really nice weather window doesn't last long as the famed Illinois humidity takes over soon enough. But hey, we can certainly make the best of it knowing that there's snow shoveling coming just months from now.
Our first order of business is congratulating Brandon Santini and band for his song placement on a national television show coming this week. Yes, indeed, Brandon's song "Somebody's Gotta Go" airs during an episode of the CBS original series "Fire Country" at 8 p.m. this Friday, thanks to good work from his publishing company and management team, because that's how that stuff works. Cool beans, man. That's righteous business, for sure.
Thursdays are fired up and ready to go, so let's get going and support these early weekend nights. The Curve Inn kicks off a big month of music in May with those fabulous Rock & Roll Sisters who just happen to be Tina Thornhill, Josie Lowder, Kyla Kruse, Gwen Harris and Patty Kniss.
Maybe you've noticed the Blue Grouch using its outdoor stage area to bring in more traveling shows, and this Thursday features Seilies, a hard-edged rock band out of Madison, Wisconsin, with special guests Ancient Ways and Mild Cartoon Violence.
Casey's Pub continues its patio series every Thursday all summer season long, and this week the venerable veteran music-maker Michael Burnett takes the stage to entertain anyone within listening distance.
John Drake once again hosts his first-Thursday-of-the-month open mic downtown at Ad Astra and encourages musicians, songwriters, poets, spoken word artists and anyone willing to perform on stage to attend.
We usually give Fridays and Saturdays at the bars and clubs a lot of attention here, but let's just mention a few and get on to other stuff. Bar Bella, the intimate boutique and bar on West White Oaks Drive, begins a music series this weekend on the lovely stage area framed by the large pond behind, with Dave Littrell on Friday (5-8 p.m.) and Ella GIbson on Sunday (1-4 p.m.). The series then continues all summer long with the two dates per weekend.
Nickipalooza, an annual live music event and fundraiser for Girls Rock C-U presented by Nicole Florence, happens out at Danenberger Family Vineyards this Friday night with groovy tunes supplied by Scarlet's Darling, Merry Travelers and Sunshine Daydream.
In the "music happening in other places" department, check out the LLCC Choir and Band spring show entitled "Glory!" held on campus in the A. Lincoln Commons on Friday afternoon (1-3 p.m.). Then there's a Saturday choral concert performance (Two shows: 2 and 7 p.m.) of Missa Gaia: Earth Mass at the First Christian Church featuring a community choir directed by the Rev. Michael Riggs and area musician Blake Martin on soprano sax, with a very special appearance by the co-writer of the piece, Jim Scott.
While we're at it, take notice of Music at the Cathedral this weekend at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception when the UIS Choir performs during the First Friday series (7 p.m.). The Cathedral-hosted music continues with UIS solo recitals (7 p.m.) on Saturday and the UIS Chamber Orchestra on Sunday (2 p.m.). Add in the Land of Lincoln Barbershop Chorus singing songs about the sky, moon and stars in its Heavenly Harmony concerts at the New Sugar Creek Methodist Church near Chatham on Friday and Saturday (there's a 6 p.m. buffet dinner before the 7 p.m. concert) and that's a list of shows to be reckoned with.
Well, that does it for me. Please take a look at our listings for all the other doings.
