SOHO turns 10 and more
NOW PLAYING | Tom Irwin
Here we are roaring into June as the music begins to pile up all over town. Decisions must be made as to where to attend. I pity the poor music goer forced to make such hard choices.
The SOHO festival began a decade ago as a showcase for original bands to donate performances while helping raise funds for local charities and basically remains the same. Guided by founder and organizer Eric Welch and aided by an able and hardworking volunteer staff, the festival continues to grow. This year they’ve expanded into an “annex” area in the Alamo beer garden, along with the SOHO and Central stages on the street to accommodate some 40 bands chosen out of over 80 applicants.
This year the organization adds several new ideas, while returning to its old location on Washington between Fifth and Sixth streets. Along with the 10 year anniversary comes 10 chosen charities as proceeds recipients (SOHO donated over $15,000 in 2013), a 10k run and a disc golf tournament. Also on tap, SOHO organizers are attempting to create the World’s Largest Rock Band and make it into the Guinness Book of World Records. I kid you not. You must register on the SOHO website well ahead of Saturday’s three-song set at 2 p.m. and receive your detailed instructions. Then, if 600 some musicians perform “I Love Rock and Roll” by Joan Jett, “What I Got” by Sublime (edited) and “Keep On Rockin’ in the Free World” by Neil Young, Springfield, through SOHO, will enter the record books.
Included in the stellar lineup of original bands that play regularly around town (if you don’t recognize the names, may I politely recommend you get out more often), are a couple of reunions of sorts, one by The Strand (early Condition 90) at 3:15 on Saturday and another featuring Mr. Opporknockity at 9 p.m. that evening. Congratulations to SOHO on 10 years of making it happen!
Here’s an incredible chance to see two of Europe’s most renowned young blues musicians at Thirdbase Sports Bar on Saturday as Spanish native Quique Gomez sings and plays harmonica and Italy’s Luca Giordano wails on the electric blues guitar. The two European bluesmen actually met in Chicago while working with bluesmasters there and now regularly tour the U.S. They just played at the Illinois Central Blues Club’s Blue Monday at the Alamo on May 26, so if you missed it or want to see them again, here they are.
Black Sheep Cafe, the Springfield all ages venue located near 11th and South Grand, hosts another cover night benefit to get funds to upgrade their heating and cooling system. This time it’s at Bar None (Fifth and Monroe) on Friday and features the Misfarts as the Misfits, Complaint Line as The Pixies, members of Ragna Rye and The Brandon Carnes Band as System of a Down with Lorin Devine as Rilo Kiley/Jenny Lewis and Sonny Deadwood as Social Distortion/Mike Ness. Also next weekend, Black Sheep hosts Dumbfest, a two-day fest rapidly becoming a premier destination for indie/punk/pop bands and fans in the Midwest.
Killinoize Productions continues to bring outstanding talent in the Big Bass edgy music world to Donnie’s Homespun with a show by the national GNARtillery Tour on Friday. The event starts at 8 and features Getter, AFK, JPhelpz, Part Human, Kyral and Banko.
Out at Quaker Steak and Lube on Thursday see the infamous and famous Jim Dandy front Black Oak Arkansas with locals Last Chance kicking it off at 6 p.m. Anyone remember seeing BOA play at Griffin High School in the 70s or did I just dream that?!
Don’t worry, there’s even more coming up next week.
Contact Tom Irwin at tirwin@illinoistimes.com.
