• A hearty congratulations to Sharon Graf, assistant professor of
ethnomusicology at the University of Illinois at Springfield, on capturing first
prize at the Illinois State Old-Time Fiddle Championship, held Sept. 5 at Rockome
Gardens near Arcola. In an old-fashioned fiddle-off, Graf defeated her 2003
nemesis, David Smith of Aurora, and about 30 other participants for the blue
ribbon. Graf teaches sociology and anthropology and also coordinates student-music
activities on the UIS campus.
• They’re calling it the Best of Both Worlds Tour as R. Kelly and Jay-Z
combine their platinum-selling talents for a 40-city fall tour of the United
States. Between the two singers, about 55 million records have been sold worldwide,
and they’ve separately won numerous music-business awards. If you want to go
see them, head to the Savvis Center in St. Louis on Saturday, Oct. 23. Tickets
are on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets or you can get them by calling 314-241-1888.
• Just when you thought it was safe to come out, here they jump again,
as middle-aged rockers Van Halen finish the last leg of their 2004 tour. Ticket
prices are in a reasonable $60-to-$80 range. Almost makes one want to try for
the Golden Ring seat, available only through an auction with a minimum bid of
$90. In all fairness, the proceeds of the auction help benefit a charity for
runaway kids, so bid away. You’d better hurry, though — Van Halen performs at
the Assembly Hall in Urbana-Champaign next Tuesday, Sept. 21. Get your tickets
by calling 217-333-5000, or visit the nearest Ticketmaster outlet.
• Hang on to your balls, bowlers — it’s the glorious return of the
Bowling Alley Big Band to the lounge at Spillway Lanes just north of the Town
& Country Shopping Center on Outer Park Drive. They’ve got 17 pieces swinging
from 6-9 p.m. Sunday with nothing to spare. Yeah, these cats are the real thing.
It gets no better than this, so strike up the band, strap on those dancing (or
bowling) shoes, and get to the church on time for BABB’s long-awaited return.
This article appears in Sep 16-22, 2004.
