Hello fellow travelers in the local music scene. As we ramble on, we’re still taking it to the streets, keeping it real, begging the question, searching for answers and making it happen everywhere there is to go.
Thursday is the first night in our music listings, so we like to begin our adventures here. I spy Brandon Santini, fresh from a two-set showing at the prestigious Peoria Blues and Heritage Music Festival last weekend, popping into the Curve Inn for a hometown gig. Brandon has been on a cross-country tear of a tour in 2025 in support of his latest release, Which Way Do We Go?, including a show this Friday at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago.
New country fans can celebrate with Sunny Sweeney at Twisted Tree Music Hall in Jacksonville and experience her amazing songs and electrifying stage presence in person.
Then over in Decatur, old(er) country fans can whoop it up at the rescheduled Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas concert at the Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater, bringing the world-renowned bluegrass (and more) musical artist back to her hometown and birthplace.
Other folks playing this Thursday include Al and Kathy Kitchen at Mother Road Diner, yours truly hosting an open mic on the patio at Casey’s Pub and Dave Littrell hitting with the homies at Sangamo Brewing in Chatham.
Moving right along, bluegrass pops up at New Salem with a big weekend of nationally touring bands in Kelso Hollow on Friday and Saturday, plus traditional music jams in the village all day long on Saturday.
Not far away near Greenview, the Marbold Farmstead holds its annual festival with all sorts of activities, including live music (of course) featuring Josie Lowder, then Brandon Elliott on Saturday with Peaches and Bacon on Sunday.
Heads up for our yearly excursion and immersion into German party time with local Oktoberfests overflowing our steins in September. Our first one of the season rolls out the barrel at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Meadowbrook Road this Saturday from noon to 9 p.m. Expect all the Teutonic trimmings plus live music (danke, of course) featuring Die Musikmeisters from Chicago and the German Heidelberg Band from Quincy keeping it real and really Deutsch.
A hot time on the old prairie comes to Danenberger Family Vineyards this Saturday night with a show featuring Kobanova and The Deep Hollow. I’m sure you’ve heard of TDH (terrific local trio of Dave Littrell, Micah Walk and Elizabeth Eckert), but perhaps the touring headliners from the Atlanta, Georgia-area need an introduction. Their main attraction to folks from around here is founding band member Jimmy Riemer Jr., but the alt-rock group has forged a strong regional following with killer live shows and brilliant recordings. Knowing Jimmy is a former guitar student of Micah’s brings us full circle to the eventful event and why it’s so dang cool to have these groups on the same stage on the same night.
Look out as Joey Tenuto heads back to the area next week with gigs galore including The Alamo on Monday, George Rank’s (JB Open Jam host) on Tuesday, Trails End in Curran on Wednesday, then running into our next issue with shows Friday at the Butternut Hut, Saturday at Pops Place in Decatur and finishing up with a flourish at the Buckhart Tavern on Sunday. Go get ‘em, Joey.
Sunday’s special events include Mike Burnett hosting his birthday bash at DFV with a slew of friends and Frank Parker bringing his Jambalaya Jazz Jam back to the Brewhaus Pub.
Be sure to look for the many, many other performances in our listings.
This article appears in September 4-10, 2025.
