As we enter the second full weekend of September, the live music looks, sounds and maybe even smells good for what, where and who is playing right now. Shall we dispense with further ado and leap headlong into the scene before us? Heck, yeah!
Thursdays continue rocking the room with Thursday Night Live at Motorheads where local musicians take the stage to showcase their music through planned performances and spontaneous interactions (known as "jams" amongst the musicians). This month's lineup includes Hailey Cook, Roger Wainwright, Pete Jeffers, Chris Harris, Dan Grover, No One Special (Trevor Hernandez, Alan Sharp, Jarrod Lebeck and Madonna Hoerr) and Hat Trick (Barry Woodworth, Steve Harvey and Todd Behnke) so get set for a night of who knows what happening right before your eyes.
At the Curve Inn, experience the indomitable Brandon Santini and band, while Not Petty parties at the Illinois State Fairgrounds for the Illinois Products Expo. Downtown, Dumb Records plays host to some bands called Torture, Khasm, Subversion, Drop the Blade and Fatal Dose, while The Art of Jazz at the Pharmacy Art Gallery presents Jose Gobbo, joined by his trio, as he begins his monthly tribute series to a jazz legend with Thelonious Monk being the first artist of choice.
Another Thursday gig extends on into the weekend in a way as Venice, an incredible group of family and friend musicians (they're related to the famed Lennon Sisters), take the stage at the Legacy Theatre during their Stained Glass Tour 2024. Venice has played all over the world and toured with Pink Floyd. It's a long, wonderful back story you should look up. Then the Pine Mountain Logs, Venice's alter-ego band doing amazingly diverse and sincere covers, make music at Motorheads on Friday as a benefit for the Mary Bryant Home. Our longtime friends, Rogers & Nienhaus, will open.
The weekend proper just keeps on truckin' with some 60 acts split about evenly through Friday and Saturday and another 15 or so on Sunday. For a few highlights of old and new music, Friday gives us Niko & Elijah at VFW 755, The Guilty Boys at Jamie's Route 66 and Illinois Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet at Obed & Isaac's, while Saturday delivers Johnnie Owens with Butter spreading it at Boone's, Brushville bringing it to Twisted Tree in Jacksonville and country singer Aaron Watson taking it to Boondocks.
Sunday clocks in with a longtime (as in 29 years) fun time when Penny Lane presents the Jerry Garcia and Joe Utterback Tribute Festival at Duncan Park (2 to 9 p.m.). Bands at the free, customer appreciation event include Wolf Crick Boys, Lincoln's Dead, Birds of a Feather, California Jeff and Sunshine Daydream. Break out your tie-dye and represent.
Also on Sunday, the renowned central Illinois bluegrass band the River Ramblers rolls into Hill Prairie Winery near Oakford for an all-too-rare area performance (2-5) and we return as OAT at the Brewhaus Bar (4-7) to celebrate the birthday of Amy Battles with songs and stories. In more Sunday Funday activities, The Rick Mari Band bends the bar at the Curve, Silas Tockey tracks at the Railyard, Lil Higgy & the House Reckers tear it up at Brookhills and Red Ribbon Revue places at It's All About Wine.
Next Tuesday for a couple of early week, early evening bonus shows (both 5-8), Boones gives us Celtic-based world music with Skibbereen in a special halfway to St. Patrick's Day gig and guitarist extraordinaire Allan Harris joins Ricarda Rosalina at the 66 Mother Road Diner.
That should keep us all busy until next week. Please look at the listings for more, more and more music.
