John Michael Presney spent the better part of the last two years on the road in the first national touring production of the Tony award-winning musical Million Dollar Quartet portraying the “father of rockabilly,” Carl Perkins. The Rochester native, talking to me by phone from poolside in Tucson, Ariz. as he prepared for his final […]
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20 years of the FTQ
Oh, how we love to measure time, indeed, we live by that desire, but that’s the human way of observing and commemorating movement through our lives. Important events in our travels are designated by counting the years and creating anniversaries. Please join us for one of these milestones as we celebrate 20 years of the […]
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Kirwan, Foster and Lincoln
What do the songs “Oh! Susanna,” “Camptown Races” (“doo-dah, doo-dah”) and “Old Folks at Home” (“… way down upon the Swanee River”) all have in common? Other than most of you are now humming the tunes of these immensely popular songs, they were all written by the famed, mid-19th century American composer, Stephen Foster. Now […]
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Heil, high and hi-fi
During a recent conversation with Illinois Times blogger Scott Faingold, I mentioned that National Record Store Day coincided with what has become national “weed” day (Huffington Post has a good reference article on how 420 became significant in pot culture). Scott, utilizing his acclaimed collection of facts and figures, added Hitler’s birthday to the April […]
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Drum Fest 2013
Back in 2010 for the debut of Drum Fest, I started out with a few typical drummer jokes such as “What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians? A drummer.” And a beauty like this slammer, “How can you tell if there is a drummer at your door? The knocking speeds up or, […]
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No fooling April
If last Monday someone tried to pull an April Fool’s joke on me by talking about the quality and variety of upcoming live music this month, I think I’d wholeheartedly felt foolish and fell for the whole shebang. But really there are some amazing shows headed our way in the next few weeks. First […]
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The sounds of spring
Oh, I can close my eyes and hear those wonderful sounds of music played out-of-doors as the weather breaks and spring returns to take us into summer. I hear rock bands outside in beer gardens, festivals on the streets of Springfield echoing all day and late into the night, groups of all flavors playing in […]
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The music calling
After this wonderfully busy, gig-a-day week (with two on Friday and three on Saturday), including venues from first grade classrooms to high class social clubs, barrooms full of temporary drunken sailors and restaurants with happy, well-fed folks, I feel more qualified than ever to write a bit about the influence of music on the human […]
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St. Pat’s party
Welcome one and all to the great American invention of St. Patrick’s Day. Once contained within our Irish-American communities, St. Patty’s Day now involves all who want to be included in the delightful debauchery deemed necessary in the party process of this Gaelic gala. Fortunately for us, the encompassing celebration of the Seven Celtic Nations […]
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March madness
Looks like we’ve made it through the winter music doldrums as March comes in like a lion in the entertainment calendar world. Here are a few of the slew of upcoming happenings. This Saturday the Illinois Central Blues Club commemorates 27 years of serving up the best in the blues to Springfield aficionados of this […]
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A sweetheart of a time
I’m telling you what – I had a whale of a time last Saturday night right here in lovely, downtown Springfield. From first being one of “those guys” not wanting to leave the house, I hit the Paul Collins Beat Bedrock 66 show, had a visit with the Blue G’s at Norb Andy’s and made […]
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February already
After this odd week of weather contortions, I’m not sure if we are thawing out, warming up or freezing in, but I can assure you, no matter the fluctuating conditions of the climate, there is a steady run of good music in the forecast. To add onto last week’s Marina V update, Nick Baker and […]
