Looks like we’re in for a varied and diverse selection of live music adventures this week in
the good, old, capital city. Maybe it’s because a Friday the 13th, the Ides of March and St. Patrick’s Day (the parade day and the actual date) are all in the upcoming week, but
whatever the reason, the entertainment seems as exciting and mercurial as the
weather.
On March 12, pop-punks take a stand at the Black Sheep Café in a very cool, all-ages show. Springfield’s own the Seething Coast and whoever Hello, World! is, share a bill with Chicago’s Even in Blackouts. Jason Perry of the Seething Coast, our resident genius of
what’s down with the good stuff in the indie-rock world, raves about EiB and with
good reason. Head guy of the Windy City marvels is John Pierson, best known for
his work with Screeching Weasels, a legendary group on the post-punk scene. JP
speaks of them with exclamation points and that’s good enough for me and hopefully for the rest of you, too.
Friday marks the return of The Cabin Concerts, Ann Bova’s local presentation of top-shelf, acoustic music, with this show featuring
Irish singer-songwriter Gerry O’Beirne. I mention this for those of you who don’t look at the cover story and go straight to this column (thanks Mom). The show
marks Bova’s first venture outside the Cabin and into a full-fledged, listening room venue
at Charles and Limey’s Upstairs Lounge. Too bad if you’d like to go — the concert is sold out — but keep an eye peeled for future events.
On Saturday, downtown Springfield hosts the St. Patrick’s Day Marching Band Parade with floats of all types and genuine marching bands
from area schools. If you’re looking for Celtic-influenced music, other than the versions performed by the
marching bands, Exorna plays Irish-trad at the 1st Annual Blarney Blast at 7th
and Adams in the afternoon and The Emerald Underground Celtic-rocks Marly’s Pub from 1 to 4. Feel free to sing When Irish Eyes are Smiling or Danny Boy anytime the mood strikes.
Reggie Britton of Black Magic Johnson organized a benefit for the Chrysalis
Foundation at the Brewhaus from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The charity show
features the talents of Sara Schneider, me, Mike Burnett and friends, and BMJ.
Please stop by, listen to some tunes, and toss a few bucks in the bucket to aid
a worthy cause.
Back over at Charles and Limey’s Upstairs around 9:30 p.m., Frank Trompeter unveils his jazz quartet for the
first time in a long time on a Saturday night. The room sounds so nice,
acoustically speaking, and the FTJQ sounds so nice, instrumentally speaking, it
just sounds like a good thing all around.
Continuing our Saturday events lineup, at 8 p.m. in the Club Room at the
Hoogland Center for the Arts, the Bedrock 66 Live! music series tears it up
with another stellar show. This blockbuster event features the up and coming
Justin Townes Earle, son of alt-country legend Steve Earle (I met Steve’s Mom, that’s Justin’s Grandma, in Memphis a few weeks ago—a very nice lady), and longtime Springfield favorite, Jason Ringenberg of Jason
and the Scorchers fame. The last show with Kim Richey and Sally Barris brought
in a big crowd, so my advice is to not dilly-dally if you want to get a seat.
This show will likely sell out with the popularity of the entertainers and the
smaller venue size of the Club Room.
Ringenberg displays his agricultural roots with a Farmer Jason show at the brand
new WUIS performance studio on the UIS campus at 2 on Saturday afternoon. Our
rockin’, agrarian friend performs a set of farm-based songs for the grade school crowd,
but knowing Jason, the entertainment appeal reaches to kids of all ages.
Okay, I’m worn out and we haven’t even made it to the official St. Pat’s Day yet. Oh my.
Contact Tom Irwin at tirwin@illinoistimes.com
This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2009.
