Feel the crisp breeze, the touch of fall, the fall of leaves, the sounds of leaves falling, and, oh, what else is that I hear? Yes, it’s the sound of live music all over town.

First, let’s congratulate the popular local, contemporary country band Lick Creek for winning the “NASH Next” contest for the Bloomington/Peoria area. Now in their third year of operation, this national selection process of up-and-coming country music acts gives artists from 62 different radio markets in the U.S. a chance to get a leg up in the music business. Celebrity judges will choose the overall “NASH Next” winner when the top ten national picks perform at a November concert in Nashville. Then that winner (Lick Creek, of course, is our choice), gets a recording deal with “NASH Next” through big-time record business company Big Machine Label Group. LC already had gigs booked this weekend at the Curve Inn on Friday and Hill Prairie Winery’s Chili Cook Off on Sunday. Now, after receiving the good news last Tuesday, they can officially call these dates celebrations. Cool beans, y’all, and best of luck at the big concert and in moving forward after coming out as number one.

If you’re looking for a Friday the 13th crazy and wild, wild and wooly, wooly bully show to attend, there are a few doozies. How about Los Injectors (ahhh!), Boon (oooh!) and Suspended 2nd (holy moly … again?!) together on the same night, at the same venue and described in the Facebook event invite as a “Gruesome Rock Party featuring heavymetalpunkrockabilly trio Los Injectors, the intriguing and supremely original Boon, and the reunion of 90’s rockers and old school friends Suspended 2nd.” Perhaps you desire to spend time with Off the Wall at Boondocks as they fill the joint with Wallers of all shapes and sizes on this special October night. Then again, is anything more fitting for a Friday the 13th adventure than a Joe Frew performance at the Trading Post Saloon? Who knows, but my money is always on the always fruitful Frewster.

We have an unusual amount of acoustic music of the folk kind happening this weekend in the area. Acclaimed folklorist, songwriter and performer Bucky Halker, starts us off with a concert at the Music at the Museum series on Thursday, at 7 p.m., at the Illinois State Museum. Bucky is an amazing guy with a list 16 miles long of all the cool and important work he’s done in digging into folk music, especially in the field of Woody Guthrie and also in songs relating to labor and Illinois in particular. Chris Vallillo, host of the concert series and longtime cohort of Halker’s, will join the Wisconsin native and Chicago resident in song. On Sunday, starting at 4 in the afternoon, Wil Maring and Robert Bowlin play the “Under the Dome” music series in the Jacksonville Public Library. Wil and Robert are a tremendously wonderful music making duo, well-known across the nation as profound and prolific performers. From Wil’s insightful songwriting to Robert’s extraordinary musicianship they come to play and, oh brother, do they ever!

Also check out songwriters Kate Laine, Alec James and Kristin Walker at Trails End in Curran on Saturday evening from 5 to 8. Kate has a new CD out called Recurring Dream, and all these folks are just fine and dandy songwriters of excellent taste and substance well worth your time. Then on Sunday afternoon at Trails End, Joe Dawkins joins Mike Burnett for an acoustic session of song choices that will be sure to please the palate of consummate music listeners of all varieties.

Until next time.