Band Spotlight

This Boston-based musician is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, mother, band leader and recording artist, releasing albums on a regular basis and playing the cool clubs in the Americana-circuit with verve and gusto. Some categorize Sarah in all directions, from cow punk to roots rock, and she’s worked with dandy dudes like Dave Alvin, Steve Berlin […]

Yes, Virginia, there really is a band that wears ski masks, where each musician dons one of a specific color and they designate themselves as color-coded by instrument and vocal job. Hence, per the Masked Intruder Facebook page in the “About” section: “Blue – sings and plays guitar, Green – plays guitar and sings backup, […]

This Maryland native has done well in Nashville as a songwriter’s songwriter and burns up the road playing all over the U.S., especially in the Midwest. You may not know his name, but you likely know his song, “Must Be the Whiskey,” recently recorded by Cody Jinks on his Lifers album. A few years back, […]

Early performances in theater gave this young whippersnapper a taste of the stage at age six, and soon after, he discovered a real affinity for classic country music.  By 15, Isaiah found himself in Urbana opening up for the famed Frankie Ballard. From there, he hit the road in central Illinois “playing wherever I could […]

Formed in 2014 by a group of well-seasoned Peoria-area musicians, Captain Quirk (the moniker comes from a nickname for William Shatner, the actor who portrayed Captain Kirk in the original “Star Trek” TV show) plays all around central Illinois doing off-the-wall, cool covers and differently done classic rock standards. They specifically and only do “songs […]

When they came out of the pack of new area bands like a supercharged rocket on fire some five years ago, this group of talented musicians became one of the hottest acts around. From winning the esteemed Battle for the Saddle national talent search, culminating at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville, back in 2012 to […]

Hailing from the Northwest Indiana/Southwest Michigan area and claiming La Porte, Indiana, as a home base, these up-and-coming soulful rockers are laying it on the line with all they got every time they perform. James Neary, the front guy and singer-songwriter, started out as a solo performer until he came into his own with this […]

Fans of local music happenings should be quite familiar with the name Thornhill and the consistently fine music made by the band led by singer, songwriter, guitarist and performer, Tina Thornhill. Joined in song by friends and family, Joel Zulauf (guitar, vocals), Patty Kniss (drums), Lynna Thornhill (bass, vocals) and Terri Patterson (vocals), the combo […]

Interested in and exposed to live music since he was young, Springfield native Adam Maletich steered things to another level by studying guitar and piano at Millikin University in Decatur, graduating in 2012. Adam took his musical learnings in finger-style guitar picking and piano playing and added in some singer-songwriter prowess to make his recording […]

Originating in southern Illinois as a band of hometown friends in 2000 playing “hard-edged blues rock,” The Mud Bugs were a thing. When Kit Jones relocated to the capital city a few years later, he retooled the band with area players and added regular blues, country, soul, folk and some beach songs to the mix […]

Formed as an outlet for the musical talents of a guy you may know better as The Whip Guy, this group can play those swinging sounds to bridge any diplomatic impasse on the dance floor or barroom. When Chris Camp lays down his bullwhips and pulls out the harmonica and takes to the stage to […]

In 2003 Suzie Stephens formed a musical enterprise that would give her the outlet necessary to best use her music inspirations and aspirations. Now 15 years into the project, Ultraviolet is still going strong as the band celebrates the occasion with another gig. Suzie learned to enjoy and appreciate a wide variety of music as […]