Great googly-moogly what is going on here? Are those people wandering
around downtown Springfield at night, enjoying the fine entertainment offered
by scores (almost) of nearly new nightclubs? Even the most hardened Springfield
cynic has to be somewhat softened by the recent growth of late-night goings-on
in our fair city. And if the offerings are not exactly to your liking, the mere
fact that something is happening is surely enough to rattle some cages, or at
least raise a few eyebrows.
Start off this week’s adventure with a stop by Café Andiamo! for the Thursday night open mic hosted by acoustic wonders Second Harvest. Expect lots of good music from a variety of musicians, and with the nice weather the whole shebang will spill out into the sidewalk creating a fun scene often experienced in other more exotic locales. While you’re at it, end your weekly pub crawl in the cozy and cool downstairs bar, now called the Cellar. Each Wednesday they feature a jazz, blues, or acoustic act in the early evening hours with Real Time on the bill this week.
This is not an advertisement for Andiamo!, but I must give a plug to my old pal Doug Gholson, co-founder of Mr. Opporknockity and a wonderfully expressive songwriter and singer. He’s no longer with Mr. O, has a pile of new songs, and has enlisted the help of guitar-slinging virtuoso Michael Sullivan in an adventure they call All Things Good. Give them a listen at the above-mentioned café this Friday at 9 p.m.
While neither bar nor entertainment center, El Presidente restaurant on the corner of Sixth and Monroe is performing an essential service to the burgeoning downtown nightlife scene. Yes, burritos and nachos are just what those 14 beers in your belly needed before you peacefully drift off into dreamland (after, of course, safe and legal transportation to your home or someone’s couch). And in the morning when you wake. . .
Friday could easily take up the rest of our column, so let’s quickly list the Debbie Ross Band at Lucky’s (wow), Jane Hartman Trio at Robbie’s (cool), Suns of Circumstance at Dempsey’s (groovy), Wolf Crick Boys at Viele’s (yahoo), Elvis Himselvis at Norb’s (thank you, thank you very much), and the rest you need to look up for yourself. I’m worn out just thinking about it all, yet quietly tingling with excitement at the range of exciting possibilities and extent of the adventure opportunities.
So you want to get out of (down)town for awhile? The Trading Post on Durkin Drive features the KMC Blues Band on Friday and Antone on acoustic on Saturday and a special Wednesday night bluegrass show by the rambunctious River Ramblers. See ya!
Last call for Toomey this Monday at the Illinois Central Blues Club’s weekly gathering at the Alamo. Friends have organized an All-Star Music Tribute by friends of the late music aficionado to celebrate what would have been his 49th birthday. Long live Toomey!
Does all that justify at least one great googly-moogly? I surely think so.
This article appears in May 20-26, 2004.
