With Labor Day behind us, that means only four days of toil for you workers of the world, and that tells me maybe you can take the short week and make it into a big weekend of music. Let’s see what’s out there.
Starting on Thursday, ‘cause that’s what we do, Motorheads presents Thursday Night Live as the monthly showcase of local musicians continues with those crazy kids from Rochester called Live Wire (Joe Calandrino, Garrett Leach, Joe Clark, Damon Soper and Julian Calandrino), as well as Well City (David Mizeur and Matt Hoffman), plus a new group on the scene called Boogie Republic (David Shaw, Garold Fowler, Latoya Steward, Manni Boyce, Kevin Hines, Quentin Savage and Chris Anzelmo).
For weekly gigs, check out Not Petty playing Petty at the Illinois Product Farmers Market on the State Fairgrounds and Joel Honey honing in on it all at Mother Road Diner, while Dumb Records continues recovering from the water main flooding with a cool kids concert by M.O.A.B., Genestealer, Impulse Noise, All Your Damage and Black Glove.
Friday comes in on 9/11 as Hat Trick commemorates the fateful day with a gig at VFW Post 755, along with Fairweather Friends flying into The Bird Tavern, New Goat Ensemble and Spoonbenders hosting their annual Virgopalooza at George Rank’s, Ruf Edgz covering classic rock at Pier 55, 2nd Street Harmony singing songs at Bar Bella and For the Love of Lennon giving peace a chance at The Blue Grouch, to name a few. To name a few more, Ocean State gets jazzy with bossa nova and blues at Pease’s at BUNN Gourmet as Downstate crosses over into Long Bridge Golf Course and Angel Brown’s Smooth N’ Blue Duo slides into Lime Street Cafe (ABSNBD plays Saturday too).
With Saturday looming large, prime choices include The Junior Jive Kings reuniting to play a few songs at American Legion Post 809 before Rudy Boz & Friends take over with special guests Alvin Desayles and IE Foster, country star Rodney Atkins headlining The Healing Plate fundraiser presented by Jared’s Keepers Foundation at Firefighters/Postal Lake Club and the annual Fall Fest at K of C Hall 364 featuring authentic German music by Die Musikmeisters Band, with all proceeds benefitting Land of Lincoln Honor Flight.
Several towns around the area host fall fests this weekend including Williamsville, Athens, Kenney and Mount Pulaski all giving us lots of live music, which we like a whole bunch. The ever-popular New Salem Traditional Music Festival gets going in the village historic site on Friday and Saturday when various musicians play together on 19th century-style instruments during the day with bluegrass concerts featured in the evening. The Marbold Homestead Heritage Festival (near Greenview) features music by Peaches & Bacon on Saturday, plus Josie Lowder then Brandon Elliott on Sunday, along with a slew of activities celebrating 175 years of the Marbold farm, while West of Wise Winery near Petersburg presents Square of the Roots in the afternoon on Saturday.
Sunday comes in smoking with the 31st annual Penny Lane Jerry Fest featuring Mace Hathaway, Smokestacks, Captain Trip & the Space Cadets (feat. Carl Akers), Salty Bros. (Brandon Santini & Joel Gragg) and Sunshine Daydream all day at Duncan Park, while the Hoogland Center for the Arts hosts the Napier Family and Friends presenting A Good News Experience of gospel music in the LRS Theater. In Jacksonville at Twisted Tree Music Hall, come celebrate as The Longmeyer Band (with special guest Jake Clayton) releases a new album, Boxcars and Mended Hearts with a rockin’ live performance.
Please look through our listings for all the other happenings, happening all over.
This article appears in September 10-16, 2026.
