After watching music made in this area for decades, plus 15 years of helping list it weekly in Illinois Times, I am still amazed at the variety, talent and amount of good stuff happening. This weekend certainly seems to shine with extra special goings on.
If there was a cake to take for local, live, original music presentation, Bar None would take said cake and eat it too. The joint on the corner of Fifth and Monroe has long been the go-to place for original, live music downtown, and this time it looks like they have outdone themselves with an incredible lineup of good stuff all week long. Too bad you will have missed Torch Tuesday hosting Fleetwood DeVille during their winter concert series and the Wednesday Wide Open Mic by the time you read this. Here’s hoping you make the upcoming run of Hillbilly Casino, Jukebox Casanova and SS WEB on Thursday, Los Injectors, The Blue Ribbon Revival and Go! Tsunami on Friday and Looming, Our Lady and The Flips on Saturday.
In case you’re wondering what’s in a name for those Bar None bands, you will get some very cool and fiery rockabillyinfluenced groups on Thursday. The trio on Friday comes with this extremely descriptive description by Jeff Cunningham of “Honkeytonkin, PunkRockMetalBilly and Tiki Torch Surf Rock” (have fun placing the title with the appropriate band). And Saturday night brings the best of pop-punk, pretty harsh, out there, in here bands that Springfield has to offer at this juncture in our music scene, as they graduate from the Black Sheep world to downtown.
Backing up to Thursday night Epsom, Naked Spirit, Heart Attack Man and Attic Salt (brand new band) take on South Town Studio and win in a no-holds-barred event. The Facebook invite officially credits the studio and venue space near 11th and South Grand as being in “East Springfield.”
On Friday we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the latest and possibly the greatest incarnation of George Rank’s. It’s always a pleasure to welcome another good live music venue. We salute JR, Mark Brillhart, Sara and all the others who made this place happen with a show on Friday night with Tom Irwin’s Hayburners and special guest John Brillhart.
Off to Saturday now, as the terrific Blue G’s come out of the shed for a show at It’s All About Wine. How about getting that record done, guys, so we can all hear how great it sounds? Join Deep Lunar Blue and friends as they perform the best setlist in town for their 7th annual Xmas Jam at Butternut Hut. This is a good, good band to listen to and enjoy.
Help Rod Grant celebrate hitting the half-century mark as After Sunset plays Mowie’s Cue on Friday and Saturday at the Curve Inn. Rod is blessed with a remarkable voice capable of ranging through contemporary rock and country with grace and power, making it sound easy. The boys in the band (Eric Tinsley, Dave Coonrod, Jeff Loftus and Rod VanSandt) are just about as good as it gets, making this band a special bunch. Coming up on Jan. 16, check out and sign up for a road trip bus ride to Fast Eddie’s Bon Air, when After Sunset plays the hot spot of the Alton area.
Now you can finish off this fabulous live music run with the Frank Trompeter Trio’s Jazz for Christmas show at George Rank’s on Sunday evening and Hurricane Ruth at The Alamo on Monday at the Illinois Central Blues Club weekly Blue Monday event.
I rest my case for all the good music going on around here.
Contact Tom Irwin at tirwin@illinoistimes.com.
