With an outstanding reputation as an energetic performer of the blues, Matt Hill is known for his off-the-wall stage antics, as well as his top-notch abilities on guitar and vocals. He started his musical adventures in North Carolina, forming a blues band with drummer Chuck Cotton that made it to the 2005 International Blues Challenge […]
Newsletter – Event
Posted inMusic
Alec James Payton
A folksinger by calling and by determination, this young man makes music for himself and we’re fortunate to be recipients of the thoughtful and provocative, insightful and superlative work he produces. After Alec James Payton took off a few years ago (was it more or less or less or more?) accompanied by an acoustic guitar, […]
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Abrams delivers spectacle and heart with satisfying Rise
It’s obvious that writer and director J.J. Abrams is a big fan of the Star Wars franchise. His 2015 The Force Awakens resurrected the franchise for a new generation, served as an energetic primer for all things in a galaxy far, far away and introduced a bevy of new characters around which to build future […]
Posted inMusic
Jeremy Pinnell
This Kentucky native, specifically from Burlington about 15 miles from the Ohio River town of Cincinnati, brings the country of his state to the forefront, making compelling music with a distinct sense of place as traveling through time. Jeremy Pinnell does what the folks are calling “hardscrabble honky-tonk” and keeps the country rough and ready […]
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Eastwood’s Jewell a portrait of naïve heroism
During his long acting career, Clint Eastwood employed the less-is-more approach whenever he appeared on screen. In many ways, he’s done the same where directing is concerned. Never one for needless camera movements, skewed angles, distracting lighting or any other attention-grabbing techniques, Eastwood’s best work is based on solid writing and dynamic performances, a classic, […]
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City sidewalks dressed in holiday style
Enjoy shopping, dining and holiday cheer at downtown Springfield’s charming shops and restaurants during Saturday’s Old Capitol Holiday Walk. The 2019 holiday walks feature a 12-foot-tall Christmas tree sponsored by Ace Sign Co. and Butler Funeral Homes, complimentary horse-drawn carriage rides around the plaza, holiday lights and music in Union Park and a musical performance […]
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Baumbach and cast dig deep for Marriage Story
Director Noah Baumbach doesn’t have to search far for material when making a film – he’s brave enough to use incidents from his own life. Whereas 2005’s The Squid and the Whale examined his parents’ divorce and its wide-ranging ramifications, his latest, Marriage Story, puts his own divorce under the microscope. Brutally honest in the […]
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Dark Waters a portrait of true heroism
Robert Bilott does not wear a cape. I don’t think that he’s impervious to bullets or fire and I’d be willing to bet that Kryptonite, were it to exist, would have no effect on him. Yet, he is a hero in the truest sense of the word, a man who goes out of his way […]
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Julian Davis and the Situation
In tried-and-true fashion, this young man calls himself a “traveling musician” spending his precious time “plying his trade through guitar and mandolin on the roads of this country” and that surely is just what he’s doing. Julian Davis started his music a-rolling in 2016, convinced that bluegrass is a wide-open genre with room for a […]
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Hanks shines as Rogers in Neighborhood
A fault that many of us have is taking things for granted. As soon as the power goes out or a loved one isn’t near, we come to understand how dependent we are on things and people. Our appreciation sometimes comes after the fact. Obviously, Tom Hanks is not a vital part to any viewer’s […]
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Holiday events calendar
Memorial’s Festival of Trees Nov 27-Dec 1, Wed 10am-8pm, Thu 4-8pm, Fri-Sat 10am-8pm and Sun 10am-5pm. A holiday tradition featuring more than 200 decorated trees and wreaths, hand-crafted gingerbread village structures, hand-decorated cookies and live entertainment. Adults $5, children ages 3-12 $3 and ages 2 and under are free. Orr Building, Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 Sangamon […]
