Welcome Back: Upcoming shows edition

Mister Kotter, I know it's early and all, but I just wanted to let you know I'm gonna be late the day of the Chevelle show. And by late I mean not here at all. But I've got a note...

As you might imagine, while we were pulled away from regular duties to put last weekend’s FourFourFest together a thing or 20 might have happened in the local music scene that we weren’t able to tell you about. Not until now, anyway. It turns out that while we were planning one big show local venues were planning, oh, about 30-plus. How’s that for being outworked?! We’ve culled a list together of the big-deal shows coming to a local stage in the next couple of months to get you up to speed. (Note: We’ve listed the fullest schedule we know for them, but some still have openers to be announced, so stay tuned for updates as some shows get closer.) Some you’ll probably be aware of; others may be news to you. Either way, get a note from your parents and plan to skip a class or two. Reasons why after the break.

The Albatross: Thankfully, John Lydon has no say in it. ***UPDATED***

If you need further proof of how music-obsessed we are, look no further than the business opening in what was formerly the Indie Clothing location immediately west of Jimmy John’s. It’s named “The Albatross,” which, it seems, could be made to have one of two associations:

The Normal Person Association: “Oh, yeah, that’s a kind of bird, right?”

The FourFour Association: “Did they just name a business after that overly long Public Image Ltd. song that led off Metal Box?! That’s awesome!!!”

It’s a sickness, really, and we blame John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten of Sex Pistols fame) moaning the lines “Getting rid of the albatross… sowing the seeds of discontent…” for exacerbating it. The business’s logo features a bird in it anyway, so we were shot down pretty quickly. But for a few weeks now that logo was the only bit of info we had about the place… until now. It appears to be an idea with potential for staying power and contentment, so you can safely tell Mr. Lydon to buzz off… admittedly, at your own risk. Read on for details about a fresh new wrinkle in Springfield’s music and nightlife.

Mo’ Better Blues: Chester Ellis to host GOBF jam sessions at Dennis’ Place

The Greater Ozarks Blues Festival is an ever-evolving creature, morphing from parking-lot day show with nighttime pub crawl in the late ’90s and early ’00s to its present-day single-location fest in the Bass Pro Shops parking lot with nighttime jam sessions. This year, the two-day festival September 11 and 12 will become a two-night jam session, with both nights happening at Dennis’ Place on the other (north) side of Sunshine Street and hosted by the bar’s regular Tuesday-night jam session host, Chester Ellis. Mum is the word on which artists might drop by; it’s still two months away, after all. But anyone on the event lineup at least has potential to be fair game. It’s a pretty short trip from stage to bar–not even a block–a fact that hopefully entices more than a few of the touring performers. We’re pretty sure if the likes of Reba Russell and The Cate Brothers take the stage, especially if it’s together, the crowd will come. Who could resist the chance to see elite players of one of music’s most jam-friendly genres at work under one roof?

Your 2009 Greater Ozarks Blues Festival schedule

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.

…and so it begins: The Ugly Mug Live Music Tavern books its first show ***UPDATED***

***UPDATE*** The show, with opening act The Josh Davis Band, is now confirmed for September 19.

We knew it wouldn’t be long before new local-music-venue-in-waiting The Ugly Mug Live Music Tavern started canvasing the scene with phone calls trying to fill dates after its doors open. In fact, the process has already begun and borne fruit. Semi-local roots country group Matt Stell & The Crashers chose the former Snorty Horse Saloon location as the spot for their next Springfield show after a summer on the road–fitting, since the band effectively formed in the Snorty. A specific date isn’t confirmed yet, but bassist Joey Rowlett says to expect the show about mid-month. We’ll get you the date when it’s locked in; in the meantime, keep an eye out for a lot more bookings at The Ugly Mug to come. There are going to be a lot of phone calls.

Coming in September: The Ugly Mug Live Music Tavern

The last time we saw this building, it was The Snorty Horse Saloon. Watch for a new name, look and feel this fall.

There have been a lot of rays of sunshine lately among local venues, with the return of Lindberg’s and the transition of The High Life into live music arguably topping the list. One void has remained unfilled, however: The Snorty Horse Saloon, Springfield’s medium-size venue that not only held down the music scene north of Commercial Street but singlehandedly sparked local interest in Red Dirt country, has been dormant for more than a year. In about three months the space inside the Budget Lodge (3050 N. Kentwood Ave.) is slated to reopen, and it could be better than ever before. We’ll tell you all about it after the break.

Second Annual Chill Fest coming September 19

When The Seed throws a party, it doesn’t do so half-heartedly. It’s CD release concert was a monster, and now the plans emerge for the group’s second annual Chill Fest reggae music festival coming in September. Chill Fest’s second year will showcase a stellar collection of local reggae acts, take place at an intriguing new location (for it, anyway) and be all ages, too. We’ll tell you more after the break.

If you loved shows at the Snorty Horse Saloon, you have to read this

The John D. Hale Band

Your Red Dirt country shows aren’t gone forever. In fact, there are two rather significant ones coming up. Pick your cowboy hat up, dust it off, put it back on and read after the break.

Cindy Woolf: Straight ballin’, releasing second album

The last time we talked to Cindy Woolf at any length, it was during a game of horse in a friend’s back yard.* But in just nine days, we’ll have some music-related news… and good news, at that. Read more after the jump.

*The DeRosh did not take part, on account of sucking at basketball.