Moving into August, we wrap up the main summer events, survive another Illinois State Fair and look forward to fun fall festivals and early Oktoberfests while observing the holiday season in the cold distance. But let's not get in a hurry, and take the time to enjoy what's before us now. And that would be...
Thursdays again take the prize as overachieving live music night of the week. This one is bittersweet as it contains our final Levitt AMP concert for 2024. I think you'll agree with me on saying, oh, what a season it has been. Let's toss out our thank-yous to all who helped make the event happen and look forward to next year's events with wondrous anticipation, knowing how good it can be and how it can be even better.
The final concert focuses on Latin-influenced music with opener Jose Gobbo Trio jazzing it up just dandy and Radio Free Honduras as the touring headliner doing "a cross cultural, multigenerational collaboration that exists to support the artistry of Honduran folk music legend Charlie Baran," if you didn't already know that. The Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestra kids and students from Copper Coin Ballet Company cover the other spots and you're all set and ready to go as long as you go there. And to add one more thing before you go, the city of Springfield is hosting a post-concert, big finale fireworks show starting at 9:30.
In other Thursday news, Michael Burnett lands at Casey's Pub patio, Rock & Roll Sisters take on the Curve Inn and James Tyler brings on the line dancing to live music at Motorheads, along with a couple of our regular weekly, inviting and entertaining open mics and karaoke nights.
On Friday, take the opportunity to enjoy the beautifully bucolic space at Bar Bella (behind Bella Boutique on West White Oaks Drive) and the wonderful music of Ella Gibson (5-8 p.m.). Also, congratulate Ms. Gibson on an upcoming move to attend the acclaimed Belmont University's School of Music in Nashville, Tennessee. For those of us who've watched Ella's progress as a performer and songwriter since she started playing around here as a teenager (pre-teen, even?), consider this the culmination of her lifelong dream and the beginning of a new chapter in a still early and very promising musical career.
In more Springfield -area music news, The Pleiades (Carter Kelso, Eli Trimpe, Josh Schuler, Koke Rutter and Jack Kelso) just released How She Feels, their first single out on all digital platforms and streaming services accompanied by a YouTube music video. Recorded at Al Sutton's Rust Belt Studios in Royal Oak, Michigan, the song carries on the mission of the band "to inspire, to share and to connect with those in all walks of life." So take a listen, spread the word and congratulate these guys on a job well done and for taking a big step forward into the wonderful world of making music.
Since we haven't done our Sangamon Songs: A Musical Play since last year, I hope you don't mind me inviting you to the Salem on Seventh Theater on the square in Petersburg (the Terror on the Square building) this weekend. We're presenting the tale of young Harry Glen Ludlam, as adapted to the stage by John W. Arden, on Friday night at 7:30, then Saturday at 4 and Sunday at 3 p.m. Joining me are John Gifford Irwin as Harry, along with acoustic guitar accompaniment by Owen Thomas Irwin, plus Polly Launay on violin at the matinees. Hurrah, let's do nothing, then shuck some corn.
See you next week at the Illinois State Fair!