Tonight marks the last show for local indie rockers Washington Irving, a farewell at Lindberg’s that also marks a return of sorts for Faatherton and the latest in a steadily growing number of concert appearances for the highly rated Ghost Dance. With singer Brett O’Neal leaving for law school in Illinois, Washington Irving hangs it up with one of the 2008’s best local albums under its belt and, hopefully, a fantastic farewell show to be remembered by. Good luck, guys.
Also happening tonight:
Sure, there’s a band performing every night at the Grandstand Stage during the Ozark Empire Fair, but you didn’t think the rest of the day would be all Ferris wheels and funnel cakes, did you? The Fair crowd is an audience too large not to spotlight local music in front of, and it turns out Palen Music Center is answering the call with a FREE concert stage near the main entrance throughout the Fair’s 10 days. Wanna know who you’ll get to rock out to between sessions of knocking rubber duckies over with a water gun? Read the full schedule after the break.
DeRosh, why the f*** are you leading off by talking about The Beach Boys? Seriously?! With a killer reunion show, Dalton in town, a CD release and more you wanna start by talking about The Beach Boys?!
There’s a method to my madness here; perhaps not a good method, but a method nonetheless. The Beach Boys represent the first concert of the Ozark Empire Fair, held (natch) at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds at the corner of Grant Avenue and Norton Street on the North Side. It’s these 10-or-so days that bring us some of the most unusual concerts to descend upon the city each year. Still ahead on the docket are shows by Raven Symone, Great White, L.A. Guns, Montgomery Gentry and more. Will you see shows such as those at The Shrine Mosque, Remmington’s Downtown, etc? With the possible exception of the Montgomery Gentry, who are still a significant draw among country artists, the answer is no. But in the family-friendly confines of the Fair, where bands play on a converted dirt-oval race track with the faint glow of carnival-ride lighting invading the stage, truly anything goes. We say soak it in, particularly in the presence of rock ‘n’ roll history such as tonight.
Of course, perhaps best of all, the Fair show starts at 8 p.m., which means you can get out, dash to the car and stand on the gas to get to any or all of the following incredible shows:
We stand on the metaphorical precipice of one of Springfield’s more unusual musical rituals: The Ozark Empire Fair‘s lineup of nightly featured acts. Granted, the 10-day salute to stomach-jostling rides and goofy games has a decidedly non-musical agenda during most of the day, once the sun starts to go down there have often been some well-known names taking the stage. This year is no different: The concerts kick off with The Beach Boys tomorrow night at 8 p.m. and concludes with country stars Montgomery Gentry on August 6 . (For a complete main stage schedule, click here.) The moral of the story: Arrive significantly before showtime and have good aim when it comes to winning your chosen carnival games. We don’t want you missing any of the music fun. Click here for ticket information for any of the Ozark Empire Fair concerts.
In all the hubbub of activity and shows coming in the near future, one annual event has slipped through the cracks so far: The Ozark Empire Fair, home to live music and livestock odor, as well as rides, play areas and fried things on sticks. While we anxiously await the return of corn dogs and homestyle root beer, it’s the fair’s diverse show calendar we’re most intrigued by. We’ll break it down for you on the clickthrough.
TheFourFour.com 