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.

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!

* Black Box Revue at The Outland will be donating its proceeds to the family of recently deceased local artist Nick Owens. That’s the downer; the upper is the night’s beach-party theme and guest DJ Martin Brewer. Come dance with extra-scantily clad people!

* The Dropouts at Roadhouse Saloon

* The Fabulous Unexpected at The Daily Pub, with an all-star collection of performers including Dave Painter, Jim Wunderle and a guest appearance by Joe Terry.

* Triple Shot at Dennis’ Place

* Rags to Rich’s at Patton Alley Pub

* Nocturnal Nation and Adara at Nathan P. Murphy’s

* Pat Pending at Archie’s

* The Spacetones at The High Life Live Martini Lounge

* Trash Angels at Whiskey Holler

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.

Here’s how the festival breaks down:

Friday, September 11

MAIN STAGE

5:30 p.m.: Gates open

6:30 p.m.: Nathan Keck & Underground Blues Division

7:45 p.m.: Kelley Hunt

9:30 p.m.: Tab Benoit

GALAXIE AGENCY STAGE

5:30 p.m.: Josh Garrett & The Bottomline

7:10 p.m.: Shae & Ethan

9:15 p.m.: Josh Garrett & The Bottomline

Saturday, September 12

MAIN STAGE

1 p.m.: The Cate Brothers

3 p.m.: Reba Russell Band

5 p.m.: Kenny Neal Band

6:30 p.m.: Blues Society of the Ozarks Awards

7:15 p.m.: Davy Knowles & Back Door Slam

9:30 p.m.: Ronnie Baker Brooks

GALAXIE AGENCY STAGE

12 p.m.: Josh Garrett & The Bottomline

2:30 p.m.: Stewart Mann & The Statesboro Revue

4:30 p.m.: Steve Smith & The Sneakers

6:45 p.m.: Stewart Mann & The Statesboro Revue

8:45 p.m.: Josh Garrett & The Bottomline

Advance tickets are currently on sale at Stick It In Your Ear, Kaleidoscope, Springfield Brewing Company, Springfield Little Theatre and Springfield Symphony. They’ll also be available at the GOBF gate each day of the festival, though you’ll have to pay just a little bit more to get them. Here’s the cost breakdown:

Friday only: $20.00
Saturday only: $30.00
Both days in advance: $35.00
Both days at the gates: $40.00

It’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:

* The Detectives and The BoogeyMen at The Outland

* The DJs of LemonDrop Records featuring Hidden Fever at The High Life Live Martini Lounge

* Fire To Reason and Violent End at The Outland Ballroom

* Trash Angels at The Daily Pub

* Price Of Wood and Theorists at Lindberg’s

* Tuck & Abney at Dennis’ Place

* Lyal Strickland at Patton Alley Pub

* Gas Pump Talent at Ebbets Field

* Art Bentley at Roadhouse Saloon

Did we miss one? Add it in the comments!

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?

What’s Branson got on Springfield’s music scene, DeRosh? The attraction of Branson, according to HMA representative Robbie Brown, is the relative lack of dedicated, non-theater music venues in the area. Their hope, meanwhile, is to work with musicians throughout the region. Reidy does bring some credentials, too, having worked in the past with members of Sigur Ros (Mar recorded in their studio in Iceland), Mates of State, Imogen Heap and Bright Eyes. Plans for the venue, which the Reidys want to locate just outside of Branson Landing, are still in their infancy, but the record company and PR group want to begin networking with artists and technicians throughout Southwest Missouri (this includes you, Springfield) as the Reidys will be moving in August. Those interested in learning more, or just making contact, can reach either entity at TheHonestMusicAlliance@gmail.com.

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.

While Saturday will remain as Dennis’ Place’s karaoke night–sensible, since karaoke has been a successful draw at the bar since it was brought in–the other six nights of the week are now about instrumented play. Sundays are the bar’s weekly blues free-for-all, while Mondays continue as the weekly Trash Angels gig and Tuesdays are open jam night. Friday continues the bar’s tradition of weekend rock acts, but Wednesdays (once a regular karaoke night) and Thursdays (possibly the same, though we don’t remember for sure) are now freed up for more band bookings. Case in point: This week the bar hosts The Endangered Species (Wednesday) and Tuck & Abney (Thursday) on those nights, in addition to Triple Shot (formerly known as Loosely Tight) on Friday. Consider it another victory for live music in the city. Who can get enough of those?

Ah, 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.

This just came in our bulletins inbox:

“Tonight and every Tuesday Night
“Schultz & Dooley’s Restaurant and Bar
3512 S. National

“This is a BRAND NEW OPEN MIC NIGHT for all of you artists looking to entertain or get noticed! here are the details:

“All styles of music welcome. Keyboard will be provided for anyone who needs It. Also DJ Josh Evans will be attending tonight and looking for guests to feature on KSMU radio

“No Cover
21 and up
7pm-1:30am
Kitchen Open
6.75 pitchers!! 
BUY 1 GET 1 SHOTS/MIXED DRINKS

“Dj SkEtCh and DJ Freddy G will be mixing in between each act so come out and party the night away!”

What this means for local open mic-ers is the return to the days when you could, if you wanted to, perform at two open mic nights in one evening. Since the Schultz show starts at 7 and the long-running Outland version at 10-10:30, more intrepid artists can book themselves a very busy evening. Will other venues join in?

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.

According to the band’s MySpace page, Washington Irving has three farewell shows scheduled at this time:

July 11: The Bootheel’s CD release show at The Outland Ballroom with Cooter Brown.

July 18: Opening for Chicago group Loose Lips Sink Ships and The Short Histories of Powerful Nations at The Outland

August 1: The official farewell show at Lindberg’s with Ghost Dance and Faatherton

There remains the possibility of more shows getting added to this trio, but for now it is true that these are the last for-sure chances to see the group behind one of our favorite albums of 2008. Don’t waste them.

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.

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.