Due to the lack of one totally encompassing subject this week in the music
scene, we will focus on a few upcoming events that you may find worthy of
participation.
First on the block we have a first for Springfield. Kurt Gottschalk, a former
capital city resident, plans to present an “Unsilent Night” performance in lovely downtown Springfield on Monday, Dec. 22, around
lunchtime. Gottschalk, now living in New York City, took part in the music
event several times in the Big Apple and wants to introduce the public
participation piece to his hometown.
The basic idea involves getting as many people as possible to carry portable
music players with speakers all simultaneously playing a 40-minute recording of
chimes, bells, and choral music written and produced by Phil Kline, the
composer and instigator of “Unsilent Night.” The music is not quite synchronized as each player goes at its own speed and
the resulting slight discordance adds to the cacophonic charm of the
composition. Kline began the annual event in 1991 in New York City and now many
other cities across the USA, and a few in Europe and Australia, host
performances. From what I can tell from information gathered at
www.unsilentnight.com, Springfield is one of the smaller urban areas listed as
a host city. Hooray for us.
Gottschalk asks that anyone interested in either participating or seeking more
information to contact him at kcgottschalk@gmail.com. Performers are only
required to bring a battery-powered music player with speakers and he’ll supply the music on whatever format you need, be it cassette, CD or mp3. So
if you’re looking for something definitely different from the basic holiday routine,
give Kurt a shout and hook up with Springfield’s very first “Unsilent Night” performance.
Next! Step right up here you little WUIS Bedrock 66 Live! concert. Every time
you turn around these guys are throwing another great show. What’s up with that? This time on Friday, Dec. 5, Samuel Adams sponsors The Wilders,
a traditional hillbilly music band with an attitude, and Randy Erwin,
Springfield’s own Yodeling Cowboy at the Hoogland Center for the Arts.
A few years back I saw the Wilders at Merlefest, the North Carolina music
festival held by Doc Watson as a memorial for his late son Merle. The band was
up on the big stage and really rocked the place. They play hillbilly music with
the traditional instrumentation of guitar, fiddle, banjo, Dobro and bass, but
they do it with a fervor not always associated with the laid-back stereotype of
a backwoods picker. As guitarist and lead singer Ike Shelton unapologetically
says, “This ain’t sitting on the front porch rocking chair music. We play hillbilly music and we
play the shit out of it.” The group hails from Kansas City, Mo., and carries stellar credentials with
performances at Telluride Bluegrass Festival, the aforementioned Merlefest,
South by Southwest and appearances on NPR’s Weekend Edition and A Prairie Home Companion.
If you don’t know of Randy Erwin you’re missing a treasure in our own back yard. Erwin is known professionally as one
of the finest yodelers in the world. He lives here in Springfield, but doesn’t perform very often in town. No matter your opinion on the merits of yodeling,
you must admit, a good yodeler is hard to find. Along with his world-class
singing, Erwin does a superb stage show of cowboy songs accompanied by his very
sweet guitar playing. He generally tosses in a few fancy rope tricks with his
trusty lariat to complete the onstage cowboy persona.
Last but absolutely not the least, if for no other reason than it involves the
word “free,” the Illinois Central Blues Club (with a little help from our friends at the
Illinois Arts Council) hosts a free Blues Christmas Party at Robbies (4 Old
State Capitol Plaza) on Sunday, Dec. 7, from 5 to 8 p.m. The Blues Expressions
perform on the house, compliments of the ICBC as a way of thanking the
community for supporting the many ways the club spreads the blues around town.
And you’re quite welcome.
As always this is just a small sampling of the many great and glorious
opportunities awaiting your attendance in our entertainment community.
Contact Tom Itwin at tirwin@illinoistimes.com
This article appears in Nov 27 – Dec 3, 2008.
