From the Sangamon County Fair with hot country acts at the Grandstand and top local cover bands in the beer tents, to the Artist on the Plaza every Tuesday and Thursday at noon on the south side of the Old State Capitol, and everything in between; mighty and many are the things happening this weekend.
How wonderful in this life to experience the good times, then hang around long enough to revisit those days of yore. This Friday at Walnut Street Winery Dave Adams plays from 8 to 11, inducing memories with a pile of new songs. Those not familiar with Dave may remember a band called Food and Money that made a bit of a splash around here from 1978 to 1981. Considered the first real area band to participate in the emerging punk attitude and music aesthetic, they wowed us with covers of Gang of Four (look ‘em up) and Talking Heads before hardly anybody knew about those bands.
With the scene at Crows Mill School creating a hotbed of interesting live music at the end of the 70s, Food and Money members, Adams, Pat Greenan, John Novak, Tooter Troxell and the occasional sax from Bill Janssen were in the thick of it. As Adams relates the story, Novak worked at the culturally influential Appletree Records when they talked about making a band to play the hip, new music coming out, then the others joined. When they needed original music bandmates made up song titles then assigned the writing of the songs to members.
Back in the day there were no CDs, iTunes, YouTube or Facebook so the band recorded and released vinyl 45s and cassette tapes. They achieved valid area success, playing Mabel’s in Champaign-Urbana and other regional shows, got all kinds of airtime on a cable TV show in St. Louis (enough that Adams was recognized on the street one day) and as Adams says “It was that good where we thought we might actually become something.” But in the end “we existed but didn’t flourish,” so the members split and went their separate ways.
Years later Adams went to law school, moved to Sacramento, Calif., and had a successful career. Now in retirement from the law business, he likes to say, “I was a rocker, then a lawyer and now I’m a rocker again.” Dave intends on performing plenty of new material with backing tracks (he uses a band in Sacramento), and expects to see some of the old gang. I’m headed out to play a few songs in honor of being part of The Strand and Condition 90, our “new wave” band that followed in the footsteps of the original originals, Food and Money.
Bar None on Friday brings us Los Injectors, Go Tsunami! and Wolf Crick Boys on the same stage on the same night. Are you kidding me!? Ben Bedford, joined by his wife Kari, plays Ahh Yoga on Saturday night. The national (and international, for that matter) touring folk singer-songwriter doesn’t play the hometown very often, so take advantage of this listening room performance to pay attention to Ben’s intensely fabulous songs.
Wish Eddie Stocker (known far and wide as Ed Weed) a happy birthday at the Butternut Hut on Saturday. His birthday bash (60 is it? Oh my!) features Murder of Crowes, Sarah Schneider and me, kicking it up for our pal Eddie. On Sunday afternoon Frank Trompeter sings Italian opera (buffa) and more at the gazebo in Washington Park. Joining Frank is master classical guitarist Russel Brazzel as the duo tackle the popular music from a couple centuries ago.
Be sure to check out the Pub Crawl for a complete listing of all the happenings.
Contact Tom Irwin at [email protected].
