Hop on
over to the Forty-Niner Bye-Bye (518 Bruns Lane, 217-787-4937) on Saturday,
Feb. 12, from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., as the lovely and talented Juanita
celebrates her birthday with the Repeat Offenders. Oh yeah, it’s also
Abe Somebody’s birthday, but being the teetotaler he was and knowing
how Juanita is, you are practically guaranteed to have much more fun
whoopin’ it up for her big day than tipping some for the
Railsplitter. The band features the considerable talents of Ms. Juanita on
vocals with able assistance from local legends Rick Mari and Ralph Noe and
a group of top-notch musicians.
It’s
your last chance to see our Liverpudlian friends, the John Wilde Group, as
they wrap up their ever-so-pleasant stay in Springfield, with a show at the
Trading Post Saloon (731 S. Durkin Dr., 217-787-8434) on Thursday, Feb. 10,
with Mike Burnett and the Prairie Pranksters. The British blues-rockers and
the Illinois folk-rockers pair off in an early show from 8 p.m. to
midnight. So long chaps and come back soon.
Sunday
night is a tough decision, roots rockers. While Grammy-winner Dave Alvin
takes the stage at the Underground City Tavern in the Hilton Springfield
(700 E. Adams St., 217-789-1530), Texas singer-songwriter James McMurtry
will be an hour into his set at the Canopy Club in Urbana (708 S. Goodwin,
217-344-BAND). The McMurtry show is sponsored by the Whip, WWHP
(309-928-9876), central Illinois’ rootsiest rock radio station coming
to you at 98.3 FM from the wilds of Farmer City. If you can’t make
the trek to Urbana check out McMurtry’s Web site
(www.jamesmcmurtry.com) for a free download of his new politically charged
song, “We Can’t Make It Here.”
Hey, how
much do you love your honey? Enough to take her to a Donny Osmond show? If
she asks, and you do have that much love in your heart, the grownup boy
wonder is playing a 7 p.m. Valentine’s Day show at the Peoria Civic
Center Theater (309-676-8700, www.peoriaciviccenter.com). Just thought
you’d like to know.
This article appears in Feb 10-16, 2005.
