Popular comedian Kevin Meaney performs at the Mason City Limits Comedy Club, Jan. 2-3. Welcome one and all to the beginning of 2015 and our last big blast of 2014. New Year’s Eve has long been a night of celebration and one that nearly always includes live music. This year we have a weekend immediately […]
Music – Tom Irwin
Mid-holiday happenings
Barry Cloyd plays the Walnut Street Winery in Rochester on Fri., Dec. 26, 7 to 11 p.m. The ‘tween time from Christmas to New Year’s can often be an exciting part of the local music scene. With the weekend falling directly after the big day on Thursday, we receive another holiday gift in the excellent […]
Pre-Christmas goings on
The Deep Hollow play at Engrained Brewing Company, 8 p.m., Thurs., Dec. 18. Hold onto to your holiday hats everyone; we are in for a wild and wooly ride down entertainment row as the gigs pile up like presents under some lucky folks Christmas tree. Congratulations are in order for The Deep Hollow members Dave […]
December doings
Lady Carole and Her Knights perform Sunday, 5 to 8 p.m., at Driftwood Cocktails and Eatery, Fifth and Adams. Here we are moving through December like a kid through presents on Christmas morning. Per usual, we have a diverse and dandy assortment of doings to share with you this week. Word on the street says […]
Global gigs and gracious giving
Chris Maxey and Friends play Norb Andy’s on Sat., Dec. 6 from 8 p.m. to midnight. As we coolly creep into December, rapidly approaching the year 2015, the Springfield music scene shows its depth, diversity and caring in a variety of ways. Jingle Jam, featuring local musicians performing in support of the St. Jude Children’s […]
Thanksgiving eve evening
Brooke Thomas and Shayla Logan as Sugar & Spice play Julia’s Kitchen & Lounge, 8 to 11 p.m., on Wed., Nov. 26 for a Black Masquerade party PHOTO BY LAURA KAY COFFEY For years now, I’ve been preaching that Thanksgiving Eve is the biggest bar and club party night of the calendar year in the […]
The season of Hurricane Ruth
Hurricane Ruth performs Sat., Nov. 22, at the Alamo. Mary Jo Curry and Tombstone Bullet start the show at 8 p.m. As a working blues-rock artist, if you’ve had Willie Dixon, one of the most profound, prolific and professional blues guys of all time quoted as saying, “You’re the only hurricane I can appreciate,” that […]
Weekend workings
The Harmans play the Bluegrass for Tallgrass fundraiser for Friends of Sangamon Valley this Sat., Nov. 15 in the indoor theater at New Salem State Park. The skies may go gray and the world darkens as November seeps into the soul, but look for enlightenment and excitement – or at least a drink and live […]
Rhonda and the rest
Rhonda Vincent and The Rage perform Sat. during the 28th Annual Greater Downstate Indoor Bluegrass Festival at the Crowne Plaza, Nov. 7, 8 and 9. The first full weekend in November comes roaring in like it has nothing to do but impress us with an exciting and full plate of entertainment goodies to drop in […]
Hello Halloweeners
KFD plays one, last, final show on Halloween night at Longbridge Golf Course Clubhouse Lounge with guests, the Shunpikers. Welcome ghouls, goblins, guys and gals to the terribly terrifying world of the Springfield bar music scene during Halloween season. I say season, because with the Friday night appearance of the haunted holiday, clubs (beat me […]
Brewhaus celebration
Tom Irwin celebrates 20 years of Sundays at the Brewhaus, Oct. 26, 7 to 11 p.m. There’s something about approaching late October that I always look forward to experiencing. It’s the smell of the cooling air, the feel of warming sunshine, leaves turning and falling in swirls and oh, yes … my birthday. I’ve always […]
October Oddities
Robert Sampson plays and discusses the blues at the Woodlawn Fall Festival near Jacksonville on Sat., Oct. 18. Many a word spent here in this column relates to our bar scene, where much of the live music happens in Springfield. Hence the “oddities” comment in our headline describing these out-of-bar experiences occurring this week. Often […]
