Off and running into the blissful unknown, here we go into the autumnal time, even if the weather still thinks it’s July out there. Let’s begin with the rundown, shall we?
Wishing a happy birthday to Mike Burnett is first on our weekly to-do list. Hopefully you made it to Trails End on Wednesday, Sept. 7 to wish Mr. Mike a big “happy birthday.” A stalwart of music-making in our community for decades, Mike has graced many a stage with his presence, warming hearts, filling dance floors and generally passing out good times in large doses all over the place. Thanks, Mike. We will see you around the town.
If you’re hankering for a Saturday night road trip, take off up Route 97 to Havana for the river town’s annual Oktoberfest. Starting at 8, catch the up-and-coming, longtime being Erich Thompson and the Stone Cold Cowboys. All reports say these guys are knocking out the cool country from all ages and angles, stirring up the sawdust (imaginary, of course) in honky-tonk havens up in their neck of the woods. Hang on, Henry.
Boondocks proves this weekend why they received the prestigious Academy of Country Music’s “Nightclub of the Year” award in 2016 with class A acts not from the boondocks, just at Boondocks. Thursday brings Red Dirt music prophets Cody Canada and the Departed with Mike McClure to the award-winning stage, and acclaimed Texas act Randy Rogers Band with William Clark Green plays on Friday. Be sure to stay informed with all the exciting, upcoming concerts on the Boondocks website including the iconic Leon Russell on Oct. 29.
Rogers and Nienhaus, our good friends from St. Louis way, roll into the Curve Inn on Thursday, kicking off a spectacular weekend at the wonderful, historic dive bar turned entertainment capital of Springfield. For the Love of Lennon plays Friday, New City Road plays on Saturday with The Deep Hollow, and The Blue G’s host an acoustic Americana Sunday Funday afternoon concert at 3.
Saturday gives us a plethora of musiclistening opportunities far too numerous to mention. Highlights include Perfunctory This Band at The Butternut Hut performing their annual show to set up Penny Lane’s customer appreciation, all-day concert in memory of Jerry and Joe held Sunday, Sept. 18 at the Douglas Park bandshell. Me and those wild and wacky Hayburners play at George Ranks to honor, with extreme pleasure, Mark Brillhart’s birthday wishes. We’ll also celebrate Peter Romano’s day of birth while we’re in party mode. The Suburban Mystics camp out at Lime Street Cafe for a Friday-Saturday combo weekend, while Fun DMC plays at the Blue Grouch and the Stone Giants take on Weebles. Please check the listings for other worthy and wonderful music happenings.
The Paris-Belle house concerts in Williamsville resume with a show by Australian native Anne McCue on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. The Nashville resident deservedly receives great acclaim for her acute, bluesy guitar work, astounding songwriting prowess and casually inventive blending of music styles. Please contact the house concert hosts at parisbelleconcerts@outlook.com for show details and reservations.
Looking ahead to next week, plan for a Sept. 15 Thursday night concert by song satirist and comedian Roy Zimmerman, hosted by the Abraham Lincoln Unitarian Universalist Congregation. Through his storied and acclaimed career, Roy has shared the stage with many prominent comedians including Bill Maher, Robin Williams, Ellen DeGeneres, John Oliver, Kate Clinton and George Carlin, been profiled on NPR’s “All Things Considered” and is a featured blogger for Huffington Post. Yep, this is the guy playing next Thursday at the UU.
That’s all I got this week. See you on the flip, flop and fly.
