We are now into the last full weekend of May and that means it's Memorial Day weekend, commonly known as the beginning of the summer season. Time is flying by, and I guess that means we're having fun. Let's see what fun we can get into during this holiday weekend.
We've been pushing the Thursday night entertainment quite a lot lately and I suspect this one will be extra popular with more than a few folks taking off work on Friday to get in a four-day weekend. I spy Me, Myself & Schy at Boones in the outdoor stage area, myself with Owen Irwin and Amy Battles as OAT at Casey's Pub patio and JackAsh at The Curve Inn Tiki Bar along with an assortment of open mics, karaoke nights and regular third Thursday shows around town. Danenberger Family Vineyards plays host to Tom Sandoval & the Most Extras of the TV show "Vanderpump Rules," joined by Sushi Roll to top off the night.
Friday gives us a slew of acoustic solo and duo acts, plus plenty of band choices, too. Check our listings for times, but generally the acoustic acts are early evening and the bands hit later, and that makes perfect sense in my nighttime entertainment plans. The Tangents tuck and roll at the Railyard (that's the fairly new food and drink spot on South Sixth Street by the newly redone train overpass), Micah Walk waltzes into Bar Bella (nice stage area with a big pond background behind Bella Boutique on West White Oaks Drive), Mandy Rose blooms inside HyVee at Wahlburgers, Tom & Geoff do up VFW Post 755 (expect some extra Bob Dylan songs in honor of Mr. D's 82nd birthday on May 24), Curt Smith floats into the Anchor Boat Club and Joel Honey kicks off the El Taco Guapo summer season at Lake Springfield Marina.
And the bands play on with Angel Brown's Smooth n' Blue Band sliding into Boone's, The Cocktails serving it up at Weebles, The Grand Moff starring (death starring, that is!) at Harvest Market, After Sunset twilighting at Motorheads, Maui Grimm grinding it at Mowie's Cue, Lincoln's Dead killing it at Goodfella's and White Lightnin' striking at The Curve Inn's biker party.
Unusual music sightings include Local Drags (an album release party), Evan vs. Michael and Roboman at Buzz Bomb, top-notch Texas blues guitarist Chris Duarte at the Alamo, country guy Ray Scott with guest Patrick Longmeyer at the Twisted Tree Music Hall in Jacksonville and Justin Clyde Williams and friends at Backroom Lounge in Riverton.
Saturday is about as jam-packed as Friday with many of the same venues having different acts, plus an assortment of area small towns hosting Springfield bands including Damned Torpedoes at Concordia's in Staunton, Hipbone & the Joints at Duke & Joannie's in Chandlerville and Jeff Young and the Bad Grandpas at Coghlan's Hideout in Bulpitt.
In the "something different" department, Arrowhead Drive is at Anvil and Forge with Midnineties (calling themselves "the world's first and only full-album-only cover band") doing Weezer's The Blue Album and nationally touring, outlaw country singer and songwriter Ward Davis parks his tour bus at Danenberger Family Vineyards.
Sunday looks to be fully booked with day and night gigs since the Memorial Day holiday is on Monday, so please take full advantage of the extra entertainment and get out to see some live music while you can. Special shows include Sequoia Drive at Hill Prairie Winery near Oakford for its annual Wine and Music Festival, Sunshine Daydream at the Prop Club on Lake Springfield and Sunny Bleau and the Moons at Pizza Records in Jacksonville.
Have a safe and pleasant Memorial Day weekend.
