As the fireworks fade and the gritty reality of a half-gone summer looms large and loathsome, console yourself with an injection of live music at a fine purveyor of spirits near you.
Take a drive downtown on a Thursday night and you may find your sweet self, astonished, annoyed, or pleased. But, really folks, there are a lot of people hanging out and apparently having a good time. Try the sidewalk in front of Andiamo! on Sixth Street, just south of Adams. With tables and chairs and people actually in them, the place adds sparkle to the street. Jeff and Keith host the Thursday night spot there, laying claim to the longest-running open mic in our fair city.
Summer always has its moments. If you haven’t heard about the Budweiser True Music Rooftop Roots Festival yet, come on out from under that rock. The mighty shindig features Junior Brown as the headliner, with the Tarbox Ramblers, Roger Wallace, and Big Al Downing filling out the bill. You can read all about these artists elsewhere in our fine publication. Between acts on the mainstage, promoters will exploit the talents of local bands Mugshot, the Moonlite Rhythm Rangers, and Lucky Patterson and the Wolf Crick Boys. It all happens on top of the Hilton Springfield’s parking garage from 4:30 to around 11 on Saturday night. Corky’s Memphis style barbecue is what’s for dinner, and you can wash it down with an array of Budweiser products while sitting, dancing, or peering over the edge of the ramp, seeing parts of Springfield likely not seen before. Buy your tickets in advance at the Underground City Tavern or Recycled Records for 20 smackers, or you can wait like most people and pay an extra $5 for the privilege of purchasing at the door. So head downtown, look for the tall building that vaguely reminds you of something, listen for the music billowing through the streets and alleys, and set your compass in that direction.
Here’s a story for you: Four guys in high school during the late 60s, early 70s form a band (wow). Under the name Nirvana (obviously way ahead of their time), they play sock hops and church functions around Mason City. One guy pursues a career in music, while the others take jobs to pay the bills. They raise families and do their things; then they get back together 30 years later to jam. They find the spark still there and start a band again. It’s all true folks. The band is Midlife Crisis. Former Nirvana bandmates John Maxfield, David Swaar, John Ewers, and Greg Deener have added Greg’s talented wife, professional singer Patti Deener, to the lineup, but they still play rock ‘n’ roll from the 70s. They’ll take the stage at the Chamber of Commerce Plae Dae in Bridgeview Park on Thursday and at the Dana-Thomas House Foundation’s Summer Serenade on Saturday evening.
See, it’s not so bad. The fleeting fun of summer is what makes it all so exciting.
The State Fair will be here before you know it.
This article appears in Jul 10-16, 2003.
