We’re just hours away from the latest edition of First Friday Art Walk, the monthly event that turns downtown Springfield into a swarm of hungry, thirsty, art-curious onlookers. It’s a night where many restaurants and bars will be full of people for bands to play to… and there happens to be an opening at such a spot. It appears there is a need for an act–preferably acoustic, though you should probably still give it a shot if you have to plug in, too–to play to the usually busy Ziggie’s Sidewalk Cafe (319 W. Walnut St.) patio tonight. According to the bulletin we received, the restaurant and bar is offering free beer and breakfast to the participating act. Call 868-0040 to find out more.
BANDS! Play Art Walk tonight at the new Ziggie’s
July 3, 2009 by thederoshThe Show Report, 7/3: Start the fireworks early!
July 3, 2009 by thederosh
That’s pretty f***ing cliche, DeRosh. You’d better have something good to follow it with.
How does Drop Dead, Gorgeous; He Is Legend; Before Their Eyes; Eyes Set To Kill; Watch Out! There’s Ghosts and Iseah at The Outland Ballroom strike your fancy? Six bands with a door time of 6 p.m. makes for a powder keg of a rock show, and there’s even a local badass band on the bill. Forever Endeavor Productions took a chance scheduling the show on a holiday weekend, but consider this one bet that the roll of the dice works, especially if I Love America becomes I Love Moisture as it appears likely to do. We vote for manic hardcore metal instead.
Oh, say, can you see… the rest of the night’s lineup? You’re such a dork… The answer is yes, after the break!
Your 2009 Greater Ozarks Blues Festival schedule
July 2, 2009 by thederosh
It’s the height of summer, but September isn’t that far away.
Thanks, DeRosh. Now you’re gonna get me thinking about classes starting up again, and the traffic coming back, and fewer trips to the lake… jerk.
No need to kill the messenger. With September comes the return of one of Springfield’s longest continuously running musical institutions, The Greater Ozarks Blues Festival. The lastest edition is scheduled for September 11 and 12 in the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World parking lot at the corner of Sunshine Street and Campbell Avenue–which, unless it’s mislabeled, is an upgrade from the Cherokee Street parking lot used last year. Inside the lot it promises to be a busy couple of days, and likely full of people, with numerous touring acts returning for repeat GOBF performances as well as some locals holding down Springfield’s end of the fort. The complete schedule and more follows after the break.
The Show Report, 7/2: Absence makes the heart grow fonder
July 2, 2009 by thederoshIt’s not often we see A Fond Farewell on a concert lineup, but tonight the group emerges to play Nathan P. Murphy’s with impressive young singer-songwriters Anthony Narvaez and Blake Anderson. Don’t think the thoughtful songwriting ends with the openers, though; A Fond Farewell knows a thing or two about writing music both clever and catchy. Doors open at the customary 8 p.m.; watch for music to start around 9.
The Fourth of July may be just two days away, but we’re not limping into the holiday weekend musically. There’s plenty to see and hear tonight, including:
East Coast coming to SWMO? Honest Music Alliance moving near Branson Landing
July 1, 2009 by thederosh
Tessa and Kyle Reidy, from a photo shoot for their band Loops & Stars.
We recently got an intriguing email about the relocation of Kyle and Tessa Reidy, owners of The Honest Music Alliance, which is currently based in Raleigh, North Carolina. It seems Mr. Reidy is originally from Harrison, Arkansas and wants to be closer to his original home, and he’s bringing his PR company (Honest Music Alliance), record label (Ring Road Records), bands (Mar and Loops & Stars) and a proposed music venue with him… to Branson.
Huh?
Leaving the dark side: Dennis’ Place now has a 1:6 karaoke-to-live-music ratio
July 1, 2009 by thederosh
Behold, the power of The Dark Side! Sing it with me now: Sweet Caro-- Come on! The words are right on the screen!
Dennis’ Place was one of the last, if not the last, regular weekly gig of the late local-music legend Don Shipps and his Titanic Blues Band, and the bar on West Sunshine Street has long been a haven for top-notch blues and rock groups such as Lost Highway and Hurry Sundown. In recent years, the bar made the switch to a majority-karaoke format as the elaborately lit stage became host to projector screens and other paraphernalia for the not-live music performing, um, “art.”
You may have deduced (correctly) that we’re not fans of the k word. We–and you, dear live music lovers–need not fret. The bar’s days as a music venue are back. Find out what it’s up to after the break.
Open Mic Night comes to… Schultz & Dooley’s?!
June 30, 2009 by thederoshAh, Schultz & Dooley’s, home of good drink specials and (in our opinion) bad karaoke… though perhaps not exclusively so, at least not anymore. It seems some of the Schultz locations–maybe all, though we have yet to hear of something going on at the Chesterfield Village spot–are making inroads with live music. One location is even throwing its hat in the open mic night ring. Get details after the break.
Your last chances to catch Washington Irving are
June 30, 2009 by thederosh
Add one more band to the list of those splitting up. Local indie-rock group Washington Irving announced it will be parting ways in early August due to the departure of guitarist and singer Brett O’Neal for school in Illinois. But while the band’s time as an active member of the local scene is nearing completion–save possibly for an occasional “reunion” show when O’Neal comes back to Springfield–there are still three chances on the schedule to see the group. Learn more after the break.
Joaquin Phoenix to SSLYBY: Excellent beard, yo.
June 30, 2009 by thederosh
Part of the mystique of “the road” is the stories bands bring back of their experiences while on tour. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin recently let our friends at S.A.U.C.E. Magazine get an inside look at the band’s April college tour through the Midwest and Northeast states by keeping a day-by-day travelogue of the event. In the span of 11 days the band managed to play on numerous campuses, to audiences both big and small, and to receive a surprising award and an impromptu beard evaluation by none other than actor-turned-rapper Joaquin Phoenix, who knows a thing or two about beards. Peep the full diary, as well as a collection of pics by the band during the trip, by clicking here.
Bassist to play last show with Screwtape Letters
June 29, 2009 by thederosh
Screwtape Letters bassist Derek Dalene. Photo by Jarreth Hunt Photography.
Summer is the most popular time of year for camping, barbecues, watching baseball–and, apparently, weddings. So it should come as no surprise that we’ve had an emergence of news bits about bands splitting up or changing members due to upcoming nuptials. The latest is local hardcore group Screwtape Letters, which just announced that bassist Derek Dalene will leave the band after its show with Texas In July, An Early Ending, Ripper, The Closure and The Murlesque at The Blue Room at Billiards of Springfield July 10. It appears Dalene and his soon-to-be wife will be moving to Connecticut sometime after the wedding. If you’re a fan of the band, however, take heart; indications are that the group will find a replacement and continue. That said, if you’re a fan of the band in its present configuration, July 10 is the date you need to remember.
Rock Talk, 6/28: Underground Blues Division, The Nova Heat and the best pitchman ever
June 29, 2009 by thederosh
When it comes to Rock Talk on Z 106.7, we like to think it’s the listener that always wins. In the world of television pitchmen, our guests seemed to agree: Billy Mays, the voice of OxiClean who died yesterday at age 50, could kick Shamwow seller Vince Offer’s a** at selling stuff. Gone but not forgotten, impersonations of Mays peppered our interviews with both Underground Blues Division and The Nova Heat, both of which have major CD release shows coming July 10. TNH’s singer songwriter, Jason Loftin, even stuck around to lend a hand with Four from The Four Four to close out the show. We laughed a lot and pitched some great local music (like it needs a pitch), though never as good as the master. In the end, of course, you win, dear listener. Enjoy the spoils of victory after the break.
The Closure calls it quits
June 29, 2009 by Scott P.
One of the hardest hitting bands in the SWMO area is calling it quits. They’ve opened for tons of major shows in town and a whole lot more. Details and the official word from the bands after the break.
Close/Far studios to move?
June 28, 2009 by Scott P.Close/Far studio is losing its space of 8 years under Mudhouse. The owner of the building, former mayor Tom Carlson, has decided to repurpose the space currently occupied by Jonathan James and the Close/Far studio. Luckily a local hero has stepped up to aid in the situation. Details after the jump.
The Show Report, 6/27: UNITY!
June 27, 2009 by thederoshTonight is the night the Springfield Music Scene brings together a wide variety of genres under one roof (Remmington’s Downtown) for the sake of, well, just showing it can be done. Roots Of Mankind, Queen City Saints, Jam Room, The Spacetones, Falcon Punch, We Voyagers and Only the Brave will all grace the stage tonight, with an added plus: The show also marks the release party for Roots Of Mankind’s new album, Pangaea. While we can’t definitively say a show such as this has never happened before, we can say having this many music styles (as many as six, by our count) under one roof for one show has never happened in our memory. Watch for a gi-normous crowd–hopefully staying through the whole show–and a positive, even festive mood throughout the room.
Ah, but if you’re like us, you like to travel around a bit. Well, have we got a lineup for you:
Can’t Stop the Flow: Roots Of Mankind singer working on hip hop record
June 26, 2009 by thederosh
Yo, man! I heard you was workin' on some new stuff, man. You need a hype man, you give me a call. I'm done with TV and I got some time, you know? I've worked with one of the best in the biz, my man Ch--yo, Chuck, where'd you GO, man?!
We’ve known for some time now that Roots Of Mankind singer Jason Nunn likes a little hip hop flava in his reggae-song lyrical delivery, and we were never more sure than after he and his bandmates did a little freestyling and beatboxing during last Sunday’s episode of Rock Talk. Now we know just how serious he is about it. Nunn wrote in to tell us he is currently at work on a hip-hop side project with LemonDrop Records DJ/producer The Arkitect (formerly known as Nocturnal Doses), who has previously worked on tracks for The Spacetones. There is no announced timetable for completion, but hopefully it will see the light of day soon.
