Independence Day in music
NOW PLAYING | Tom Irwin
As we celebrate the Independence Day of our country this weekend, let’s enjoy the diverse and delightful expanse of our musical landscape and the independence we have to choose music from many sources, you Yankee Doodle Dandy, you.
Thursday kicks off with a hard-rocking show at Boondocks. Usually known as Springfield’s home for modern country music, this event brings together two alternativemetal bands. Red Letter Merchant, based out of Springfield with members from the central Illinois area, links a raw, rock sound with pop instincts to an intense, live show. Working on breaking out of the regional level to the bigger time, they are paired with a band that has done just that. 10 Years started out in Knoxville, Tenn., and has traveled the world playing music and selling records. Now on their seventh album release, they’ve sold hundreds of thousands of units, including a gold record for the song “Wasteland.” Rock on, guys. It’s always nice to celebrate Independence Day with independent bands doing their thing.
On Friday our friends at West of Wise Winery near Petersburg host the always fabulous and extremely talented duo of Lowder and Manning. Jaigh and Jill bring on the goods for you to enjoy in the wonderful out-of-doors on the back patio of the winery building. Fine wine and beautiful music makes for a very nice celebration of what we have and what we are.
Frankie’s on the Boulevard, a combination live music venue and restaurant located in the Town & Country Shopping Center just south of Hy-Vee on MacArthur Boulevard, just keeps bringing on the good stuff. Piston Broke plays on Friday, and you should be there. Frankie has long supported live music in his various venues around town and we salute him this weekend for his independence in keeping the spirit of self-evident truths alive.
As Saturday rolls along we have the actual Fourth of July to celebrate with events everywhere, including the Springfield Jaycees Capitol Celebration downtown and get togethers at several small towns in the area. I’m privileged to participate as the musical guest for Clara Irwin’s Strawberry Party, held at the historic Iles House on the corner of Seventh and Cook streets. Clara, the wife of banker Robert Irwin, Honest Abe’s friend and financier, hosted these parties back in the day and local organizers keep the tradition alive today with food, music and, of course, lots of strawberries.
All kinds of clubs inhabit our lake shoreline and several make the Fourth a special time. For example, the Lake Press Club presents Mary Jo Curry and Tombstone Bullet while Off the Wall plays the Sangamo Surf Club. Two fine ways to get your independence on! Off the Wall also plays the Curve Inn on Friday, offering a special promotion to those crazy, lovable fans of the band, “the Wallers.” The contest consists of dropping your name in a hat. If your name gets drawn, you get to have Off the Wall play a party at your house sometime in late August, or whenever it works out.
Close by the lake but not officially a lake club, Crows Mill Pub boasts a mighty fine beer garden that’s getting some use. After Sunset, a mighty fine band in our mighty fine land, plays there on the Fourth, bringing it all back home to good times in good places with good folks.
A reminder to all Deadheads and others of that ilk to head to Homespun Republic this weekend to experience a live stream of Fare Thee Well, the final Grateful Dead shows held at Soldier Field in Chicago Friday through Sunday.
Happy Independence Day to all.
Contact Tom Irwin at [email protected].
