Goodness gracious, great balls of fire, we have a good bunch of live music coming at you this week in the Springfield area. It’s all there for you to take, as long as you actually go do it. Let’s see what’s in store as we head into the latter part of March in 2025.
Thursdays took a little breather lately, but brother, they are back in style. I see Mother Road Diner keeping up live music on chicken dinner night with Curt Smith set to sing and play his acoustic guitar doing a “wide variety of classic rock (and) classic country from a number of artists” as stated on his promo piece. Dumb Records (downtown location) presents a five-band show by Cel Ray, Coronary, Volition, GRID and Meta-Stasis for a $10 cover in Dumb’s stage room. And to top things off we have concerts with touring bands as One Night with Queen hits at the UIS Performing Arts Center (remember that in June the venue closes for 15 months for much-needed repairs) and the delightful Americana sounds of The Burney Sisters (Emma and Bella) permeate Danenberger Family Vineyards for one night only.
Plus, Casey Cantrall is the host with the most for his monthly open mic at The Wakery downtown, while Mike Metz hosts his own weekly open mic at The Bird Tavern, just as Kortney Leatherwood and friends do the acclaimed open mic jam at the Blue Grouch.
There are so many things going on in our listings (21 Friday, 35 Saturday, 15 Sunday) that I hardly know where to begin. Friday gives us a couple of current, cool country, singer-songwriter, acoustic shows as the Backroom Lounge in Riverton rolls on with Kendell Marvel and Trey Pendley, while Twisted Tree in Jacksonville falls in with Taylor Hunnicutt and Zac Kellum.
To finish out the St. Patrick’s Day music from last weekend’s blast, Skibbereen cruises at George Rank’s for electric Celtic rock, plus drinks, as Wild Columbine blooms at Elkhart Christian Church for an evening of Irish acoustic folk songs, plus dinner.
In the battle of the grocery store venues, Dan Grover takes on Hy-Vee’s Market Grille while OAT does the trick at Harvest Market Farmhouse Brews.
Jamie’s Route 66 drives on with Brian Shartzer doing his outlaw country show joined by Mark “Big Guy” Bott bringing on his Southern rock bluesy set, while After School Special sets the table at the Firefighters/Postal Club Friday Night Fish Fry with a mighty fine selection of original and cover, acoustic-based songs.
Let’s get to Saturday and check out these big-time shows in the area, such as the Sangamon County Pre-Fair Party on the fairgrounds in New Berlin with music by the inimitable Brushville and the seventh annual Guns and Hoses Banquet at Daugherty’s Pub in Chandlerville with the indomitable Exit 52, while the indefatigable Sunshine Daydream – joined by the Matt Carter Band – goes dead on at the Lincoln Square Theater in Decatur. In the usual suspects category, Lick Creek overflows at the Curve Inn, Grounded settles in at Mowie’s Cue and Grand Theft Audio steals a night at Weebles.
Racing on to our Sunday Funday activities, Micah Walk runs into It’s All About Wine, while Frank Parker hosts his Jambalaya Jazz Jam at Brewhaus Pub and Michael Burnett hops into the Tipsy Toad. Out-of-town happenings include Eric Vaughn Hagen rolling into Hill Prairie Winery near Oakford, Antone DeRocchi going for it at Lucky’s on the Square in Petersburg and Keith Dunlap living it up at South Fork Pub in Kincaid.
How’s that for a super-duper list of music to experience? Now get to doing it.
This article appears in Spring Guide 2025.
