Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, September 29,2011

Helping horses and Kickstarter

Our topics this week discuss giving money to causes. What could be better than that? You don’t necessarily need to answer, just please continue.Steve Alexander began caring for abandoned horses

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, September 22,2011

Tonguesnatcher Revue returns

By Tom Irwin

If the name is not enough to suck you in, please believe me, Tonguesnatcher Revue is a must-see band. And seeing is an important part of experiencing this musical group, long disciples of the theatric

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, September 15,2011

Mid-month mish-mash

By Tom Irwin

Off we go into the fall festival season with events galore. Sometimes it’s nice to write about one thing (like next week’s return of Tonguesnatcher Revue on Sept. 24), but when so much stu

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, September 8,2011

September stuff

By Tom Irwin

Whew, what a summer of goings on it was. I’m all worn out from the excitement of fairs and festivals, and I’m supposing you are as well. Now things slow down a bit, but plenty of upcoming

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, September 1,2011

Jason Sturgeon perseveres with luck

By Tom Irwin

Willie Nelson – and he should know – got quoted saying to be successful in the music business takes perseverance, perseverance, perseverance and luck. Actually that particular Willie-ism f

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 25,2011

Growing jazz in Greater Springfield

By Tom Irwin

Jazz music, considered an original American art form by most scholars of the arts, has a strong and vibrant history within our music scene. More than a few capital city natives made good in the genre

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 18,2011

The Don Smith Band, a State Fair tradition

By Tom Irwin

Here’s a fairly interesting fair fact. During every Illinois State Fair for the last 31 years, some version of a Don Smith group played somewhere on the fairgrounds. The really cool thing is thi

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 11,2011

The State Fair and beyond

By Tom Irwin

Here comes the Illinois State Fair. From parking cars on our lawns to finding two-way streets going only one way, from bars open late to an increase in the fly population (there’s a barfly joke

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 4,2011

Downhome is downtown

By Tom Irwin

Howdy folks! Allow me to introduce you to the latest and greatest downtown music fest. Illinois Times Now Playing readers meet the Downhome Music Festival. Debuting this Sat., Aug. 6, on the corner of

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, July 28,2011

What Dave Littrell sees now

By Tom Irwin

Fans of the local band music scene would be hard pressed to not be familiar with the Station, one of our most prolific and consistent groups of the last decade in the area and on the road. Dave Littre