Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, September 13,2012

Seven years of Black Sheep

What started as a way for bands to just get a place to play turned into a seven-year success story as a home for all-ages music in Springfield. Snuggled into one long room on the east side of 11th Str

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, September 6,2012

A Brewhaus adieu

By Tom Irwin

In a heartbreaking time for me, after 18 and a half years of being booked at the Brewhaus every Sunday, my streak has come to an inglorious end. Management at the club wants to “shake things up&

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 30,2012

Rockhouse: Twenty years of rocking the house

By Tom Irwin

One of the most difficult things in the music industry is not so much playing the music (as hard as that can be), but keeping everything together, from booking, bandmates and business, to supporting a

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 23,2012

More moving music

By Tom Irwin

By the looks of the Springfield scene, the days of searching to find something to do may be over for good. This week is chock-full of exciting musical adventures sure to please the palate of many a mu

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 16,2012

More fair fun

By Tom Irwin

I really like using the word “fair” when writing about the State Fair, but I’ve already done it a fair amount of times over the years, so to continue to do so now just wouldn’t

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 9,2012

Fair fun

By Tom Irwin

Hey everybody, welcome to State Fair time, that special 10 days in mid-August when Springfield transforms into a bustling metropolis bulging with extra residents of many kinds, including humans, anima

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 2,2012

Festival fun

By Tom Irwin

This first weekend of August 2012 qualifies as one of those wonderful and infrequent times where there are just too many good things to do.The Decatur Celebration, now celebrating its 26th year of pro

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, July 26,2012

Illinois Times radio arrives

By Tom Irwin

Yes, you read right. After 30 some years as a newspaper Illinois Times has it’s own radio program available directly from IT’s website. Never fear, the paper is still in print and online,

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, July 19,2012

Low end highs

By Tom Irwin

Several excellent goings on are going on this week and here are few of them. First a moment of silence, then a big hoot and holler, for Raoul Brotherman’s birth date on July 18. It’s perfe

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, July 12,2012

Prairie State Heartache makes a break

By Tom Irwin

As the old saying goes, “You never know until you try,” and how true it is. Prairie State Heartache, a Springfield rock band, just took the plunge, as they soon make the move to Savannah,