We’re rolling along full speed into summertime action in the live music arena as the days fly by like barn swallows in the evening and the evenings fly by like flies in the kitchen during the daytime. All that mumbo-jumbo being said, let’s go see what all the ruckus is about.
Thursdays are still coming on strong with our Levitt AMP concert series leading the way. Last week’s performance set a record for attendance and this week looks to be even bigger with a tie-in to Juneteenth celebrations. Johnnie Owens and Reggie Guyton take the anthem singing honors, Capital City Dance Team handles the Kids Kickoff, while Peoria’s Erech Bruce, a 23-year-old, multi-instrumentalist brings his band to open the show. Headlining this Thursday’s concert are seven Grammy-nominated musicians calling themselves The Rumble who are “immersed in a wholly unique facet of New Orleans culture” featuring Big Chief Joseph Boudreaux leading the funky sounds.
With some 23 other acts settled into Thursday night slots in the area, I’m going to just pass on those and jump on over to Friday and Saturday. Take a look and make a decision on where to go and who to see, if you would, please.
One of the most fun parts of summer in central Illinois includes those small-town celebrations and of course they all promote live music along with the carnival rides, bingo games, bags tournaments, pageants and parades that make up the annual village party times. This weekend, Auburn hosts its Redbud Days featuring Joel Honey on Thursday, Brandy Kristin Band on Friday and Avery Kern, Sawyer Henson and the Dang Band all day long and into the night on Saturday.
West of Springfield, Ashland presents its Summer Days with Captain Geech & the Shrimp Shack Shooters on Friday and Jobe & Woody, then Longmeyer Band on Saturday night, plus something unusual in these shebangs with a pinfall wrestling exhibition happening Saturday afternoon.
For more on Saturday in a what’s not an official town party, but pretty darn close, the Oak Hills Country Club and Winery near Girard has Micah Walk (11 a.m.), Hank Greenwalt (1 p.m.), Wreckless Whiskey (4:30 p.m.) and Flip the Frog (8 p.m.) for a true all-day music festival along with an accompanying vendor fair.
Friday brings some major league northender rocking times with The Stadium giving us two metal tribute bands with Freak on a Leash (Korn) and Phantom Lordz (Metallica), while Weebles goes to Roxschool. And as the tribute band train continues, Danenberger Family Vineyards is driving the engine with more of these kinds of groups than one might imagine is even out there.
This weekend the award-winning winery and popular music venue presents Heartache Tonight (the Eagles) on Friday and a special kind of a tribute to Montgomery Gentry featuring Eddie Montgomery with special guest South City Revival on Thursday. Next weekend they’re back on the tribute track with Thunderstruck (AC/DC) on June 27 and Chris Stapleton/Eric Church replacements on June 28.
Of the 41 music acts playing on Saturday, I see lots of our regulars out there, plus Outlaw Opry at Hill Prairie Winery near Oakford, Midnight River Choir, Reed Brothers, The New Offenders, Bo Brumble and Logun Timberlake at Knob Hill Landscaping Co.’s customer appreciation party (free admission with donation to WILD Canine Rescue) and Kayla Brooke and the Willow Strings drifting down from Peoria to play original songs at Buzz Bomb.
Sunday clocks in with 20-plus musical activities so take a gander at the listings and get going to experience that live music experience. Until next time…
