As we gear up for the first full weekend of August, the live music scene is in full throttle mode. With the pedal to the metal, the race is on to get to the Illinois State Fair, but first, let’s take a pit stop for upcoming shows happening in the here and now.
Thursdays will be much quieter without the weekly Levitt AMP concerts rocking the Y-block until they return next summer, but that gives us time to look for more, less up front entertainment that’s equally compelling. We can easily start with the phenomenal guitarist, singer and songwriter Jaigh Lowder making more marvelous music – he’s been taking us to the higher levels of performance for 40 some years – for Stella Coffee & Tea’s First Thursday show (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.). Then take a break until the evening hour when Robert Sampson hits at the Lincoln Stage for the Illinois Product Farmers Market at the state fairgrounds, Dallas Whittaker lands on the Casey’s Pub patio at the west side K of C Hall and Harris Trio (Three siblings of the Harris Family Band) sets up shop at Mother Road Diner.
More choices include the always popular and well-attended Kortney and Friends open mic jam at The Blue Grouch, plus a ful- scale, ticketed concert by The Filthy Heathens and Rob Leines at Twisted Tree Music Hall in nearby Jacksonville. How’s that for a start to the weekend?
Friday, per normal, comes in scorching with 25 different listings to enjoy including solo acoustic shows by familiar faces Micah Walk upstairs at Harvest Market, John Drake by the waterside at Bar Bella and Joel Honey on the lake at Dockside, plus friendly full band outings with Soul Experience outside at Long Bridge, Positively 4th Street inside at Trading Post and Low Phatt going down in the round in George Rank’s.
In the something different category, Danenberger Family Vineyards presents in concert, Everclear with Drew Cagle & the Reputation and Dumb Records delivers a hip hop show with Emile, Katae, CuspofArrows, Lando Staber and Bee Santana, while Butternut Hut puts on its monthly First Friday event of “house beats, DJs and good energy” for a variety of Springfield area delights on a fairly fun Friday night.
With 40 listings on the books, Saturday night seems to be doing alright, including a rescheduled gig by David Lumsden and Reggie Britton fronting the Happy Blues Band at Sunset Inn Pub, Craig Russo’s Latin Jazz Project drumming up business at Boone’s and a Hipbone Sam Band reunion at the KC Lake Club chicken fry to rock it home.
For a good sample of original music by area artists, we have Nova playing at the Pharmacy Gallery as part of the opening reception for the “DREAMS” exhibit, The Lovelorn, Doom Buggy and Arrowhead Drive rock, rock, rockin’ George Rank’s and OAT getting to it at Harvest Market upstairs.
For super-sized, outdoor rock concerts, we can offer Power of Love (touring Huey Lewis tribute) with Decade of Decadence (area 80s rock cover band) at the Sherman Village Park Amphitheater, Brandy Kristin Band at Spartan Sports Park near Chatham as part of the Pray for Hayes Fest and The Ex-Faces with Saints of Solomon and Deep Within at DFV by New Berlin.
Sunday comes in on a roll with Gold Maps discovering It’s All About Wine, Steve Rothenberg doing up the Elks Lodge on the lake, T Minus 3 adding to the Curveside near Athens and Mid-October coming early at Buckhart Tavern to name a few of the many acts listed.
See you next week as we delve deep into the 2026 Illinois State Fair doings.
This article appears in August 6-12, 2026.
