Master Bastard plays an album release show at George Rank’s this Friday.
Howdy and hey to the first full weekend in June of 2025. Come along as we go searching for fun in the sun and check out the live music made in the shade for you and me.
Thursday begins with the big show downtown at the second Levitt AMP concert for 2025 as our friends in Prairie State of Mind cover the local opening slot for Alysha Brilla, a three-time Juno Award-nominated (Canada’s music awards) world music artist, songwriter and music producer.
In our regular watering holes, I see Chris Camp & His Blues Ambassadors negotiating the Curve Inn, the Harris Brothers Trio lining up at Mother Road Diner and Ricarda Rosalina singing on the patio at Casey’s Pub. Outside the city, Chatham’s own Dave Littrell lands at Sangamo Brewing and John Mary Go Round plays roots and blues music on his cigar-box guitar at the Buckhart Tavern. JMGR just returned from performing in Belgium at the Guitars of the World Festival and heads back over for more European dates at the end of June. He’ll also be at Lucky’s on the Square in Petersburg Saturday afternoon so you’d better catch him while you can.
Friday gives us a couple of young bands with album releases and you know how much I like seeing the original music being signed, sealed and delivered. I hope you do as well. Master Bastard lets loose its third album, Songs to Crash Your Car To, with a night to remember at George Rank’s, joined by the Wolf Crick Boys doing a set of their own songs to start the festivities. The MBs recorded their latest batch with Quincy twisting the knobs at his Frequincy Recording studio here in Springfield.
Out at the Curve Inn, UNCHAiNED joined by Afterthought hit the stage to promote their latest endeavor, Waterfront, that came out April 25 into the big wide world. It’s dedicated to the late Camron Yates and his Waterfront Studio where a good deal of the original tracks were laid down. The final mix was done by Grammy-award winning producer and engineer Vance Powell in his Sputnik Sound studio in Nashville. How ’bout them apples?
Amidst the many other Friday night doings, Nick Park (of the Fireside Relics) and Dr. Dave (David Burdick, retired music professor from Decatur’s Millikin University) do the duo deed at Mama Lee’s Sandbar near Mechanicsburg and the Butternut Hut returns with a special performance by Birds of a Feather doing the Phish thing all night long.
For out-of-town shows, The McCartney Project headlines at the Jacksonville Main Street Downtown Concert Series and The Longmeyer Band kicks it in gear at the Macoupin County Fair in Carlinville.
Saturday is chock full of goodies including GrouchFest at the Blue Grouch featuring metal and rock bands Murder Ride, Unthynck, Crash Planet, Sonic Sunday, Master Bastard, Dysfunctional Family, Illithid and Casualty. The village of nearby Sherman opens up a summer season of concerts called Live at the Amp held in the wonderful park amphitheater with two tribute bands, Use Your Illusion (Guns & Roses) and Hell’s Bells (AC/DC), so plan accordingly.
Sunday shines on with a boatload of acts, including LoveSeat, our pal Bill “Poss” Passalacqua and wife JJ playing It’s All About Wine for an afternoon of song. Bill founded and runs the Moccasin Creek Festival, “a four-day family-friendly Americana music festival like no other,” happening June 19-22 near Effingham. He’s booked an awesome lineup for this way-cool fest close to home so get tickets and get going.
Please be sure to peruse our other listings with a keen eye for all the other gigs galore.