Sweetheart shows
NOW PLAYING | Tom Irwin
Looks like we’re blessed with a veritable cornucopia of holidays this week, starting with Abe’s birthday today. Next comes Friday the 13th, Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day, heading straight into Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras. I’m happy to report live music shows are available for each and every event.
Much of the capital city’s workforce is relieved of duty for Lincoln’s birthday on Feb. 12, making the best way to celebrate going out the night before. Hopefully the Jeff Austin Band show at Donnie’s Homespun was your destination, as that may be one of the best shows to roll around in awhile.
Friday the 13th brings us downtown thrills with Shenanigans, one of the area’s top cover bands, featuring some of our finest central Illinois songwriters (catch them next Feb. 20 at Bar None to see the tunesmith side) performing at Marly’s Pub. Down the block on the corner of Fifth and Monroe, catch “The Sirens of Springfield” series, featuring CJ Stucki and Tenika Beard, Sarah Schneider and Lorin Devine.
For another Friday adventure, head out to Boondocks on Dirksen Parkway for a heavy duty, hot country show. The bustling bar on the northeast side features three acts all making country music waves in their own way. DJ Hish is an actual DJ in country music on tour mixing classic and modern country tunes to the big beats of what we might normally associate with club music. MamaDear is Parker Bradway, Kelly Tillotson and Daniel Wilson, singer-songwriters who met in Nashville in 2012. Since then, they’ve been designated an “Up and Comer” by Rolling Stone magazine, toured with name acts and generally generated some attention in a world where attention breeds success. Chase Bryant headlines this show, coming on with a full head of steam as his “Take It On Back” single is sitting pretty on Billboard’s Hot Country Charts, currently residing at 19.
St. Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday making participation in the night of sweethearts a cakewalk. Off the Wall celebrates by hosting an Old School Sweetheart Dance at Crow’s Mill Pub complete with a disco ball, corsages, crepe paper decorations and a photo booth, plus you, in your finest semi-formal wear. What’s more romantic than the Latin rhythms of the Samba Llamas doing authentic Brazilian beats and songs at It’s All About Wine? Love is indeed in the air. You could go see Ben and Kari Bedford at the wonderful Frank Lloyd Wright designed listening room in the Dana-Thomas House, but the concert is sold out. Call the house headquarters and put your name on a waiting list if you’d still like to be considered for openings. Donnie’s Homespun offers up Chicago Farmer and Old Shoe as a darling way to be somebody’s valentine and “heart” someone special.
Sunday comes with the benefit of Monday’s holiday giving you no excuse to not go see the Hard Road Blues Band back after a winter layoff to play at Casey’s Pub from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Then you can pack it up and come downtown to see me with those high falootin’ Hayburners from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Rest up for a day on Monday (or experience David Lumsden and guests at the Alamo) and prepare for Tuesday. The Curve Inn continues the tradition of Fat Tuesday with a Mardi Gras party featuring Mary Jo Curry and Tombstone Bullet along with a shrimp boil and jambalaya. Torch Tuesdays at Bar None celebrates on Feb. 17 with their 4th annual Hip-Hop Awards night featuring special guest host comedian, Ray “Philly” Phillips, a catered dinner and Picture Perfect Photography in the house. Please attend in your finest wear.
After a week like that, Ash Wednesday and Lent should be looking good.
Contact Tom Irwin at [email protected].
