Band Spotlight | Thursday, August 23,2012

Shelley Miller and Jeremiah Birnbaum

As these two acclaimed singer-songwriters work through an eight-day Midwest tour, the music is not the only thing being celebrated. Birnbaum spent a good part of 2012 recovering from a vocal cord inju

Band Spotlight | Thursday, August 16,2012

Don Smith Band

By Tom Irwin

The Illinois State Fair has many long-running traditions and in the music department none is more incredible than the run of the Don Smith Band. This year marks 32 straight years of performances on th

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

Band Spotlight | Thursday, August 9,2012

Lyman Elleman & The Nashville Salvation Band

By Tom Irwin

Riverton native and now Nashville resident Lyman Ellerman pays his hometown a visit this weekend with shows at the Illinois State Fair on Friday and Saturday in The Shed venue plus a late-night Saturd

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

Band Spotlight | Thursday, August 2,2012

Hot Bag O’ Donuts

By Tom Irwin

There are many bands playing original music in the area, but few are more original in character and sound than Hot Bag O’ Donuts. The band describes themselves as “a classic wave combo&rdq

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,

Band Spotlight | Thursday, July 26,2012

Harmony Deep

By Tom Irwin

With a combined musical experience of more than 75 years, Harmony Deep truly brings a deep and lasting sense of melody and harmony to all performances. Former Oohs Brian Curtis (vocals, keyboards) and

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