Calling all bars, calling all bars: On the lookout for exciting and entertaining
live music. Please report interesting activity anywhere in the city.
Here’s one for you. Craig Russo and his Latin Jazz Project are back in town for a double bill and with a special guest. Russo has the guys over at Robbie’s from 5:30 to 7:30, then up at Jazz Central Station in the Hilton for the 10 to 2 late-night show. As always the Cuban-influenced percussionist has a stellar lineup of musicians–this time around he has the added bonus of Doug Little, an alto saxophonist from Minneapolis. Little and Russo met in Cuba and have stayed in contact over the years; they’re now planning to collaborate on a CD. Little just returned from a European tour with his own group and has come down to the capital city for a friendly musical rendezvous. He has received several music fellowships and played in many of the country’s major jazz festivals and venues. Yeah, this cat is good. So do yourself a favor: Make your way to the Hiltontop and check him out.
It’s a full-scale, knockdown, drag-out rock’n’roll show the way the kids like it Friday at Viele’s Planet. Before you get too excited, sit down and take a breath. Somehow, someway, Resident Genius, NIL8, Squirtgun, and Even in Blackouts are all playing the same night at the same place at all-ages show for only $6. More good news: They’re going to start at 5 p.m., so you can get to see all the bands before dawn (or something that feels like dawn). For those of you who are out of the loop, Resident Genius calls itself Springfield’s only indie-rock band, and NIL8 is our hometown heroes of the punk-funk-skate world. Squirtgun and Even in Blackouts are Chicago bands with members of “seminal punk band” Screeching Weasel in each group. You may have no idea who these bands are, but, trust me, people who do know how good and influential they are.
So now it’s Saturday night, and you’re looking for a way to surprise your honeybunch with a night on the town. Try this: Take her to the truck stop out on Sangamon by the interstate for dinner. May I suggest chicken fried steak with white gravy? Next, head to Billy’s Stockyard for an entertaining night of country music by the band Texas Toast. Then, after the band finishes their last waltz, take her back to the truck stop for a nightcap breakfast. If that doesn’t just thrill her to the marrow–well, you’ll have to try something else.
Fellow Springfieldians, pat yourselves on the back for a successful Taste of Downtown. The only complaint I heard was, “Why don’t they do this more often?” Sure, there might have been a few other problems, but besides lines at the food booths and overflowing trash cans, which are both the result of a surprisingly large turnout, all seemed well and good. It was very nice to see all ages represented, from tiny babies to seniors and everything in between. Hail to the folks at Downtown Springfield Inc. for putting it together, plus the volunteers on those committees you never hear about, the sponsors who helped pay the bills, and to the restaurant owners for hanging in there and making the event a huge success. Next year, anyone?
Looks like we have plenty of suspects. Book ’em.
This article appears in Jul 31 – Aug 6, 2003.
