Somehow, someway we’ve already reached the middle of May for 2025 with a jam-packed schedule of live music coming your way. Fairs and fests, plus fun in the sun give us a weekend of entertainment enjoyment waiting for you to just show up. Let’s take a look-see.
You know we’re going to start with Thursdays because that’s what we do and because it’s just so good to see this night of the week becoming filled with performances. We can start with a drive to Girard for the first car cruise-in of the season where you can tool around the square, then stop at Doc’s Just Off 66 for a listen to Cambry Agbagba singing and playing a bunch of her original music along with assorted covers.
Not Petty plays this Thursday at the Shed on the Illinois State Fairgrounds for the Illinois Products Farmers Market, Friday at The Railyard and Sunday at 1905 Brewing Company in Assumption along with a California Jeff show at Decamp Station in Staunton, too.
In another first of the season, Not Petty (a local, traveling Tom Petty tribute duo) sets the tone in The Shed on the Illinois State Fairgrounds for the Illinois Product Farmers Market inaugural event with area musicians there every Thursday, now through September. I guess you could call us an Illinois product, right?
Then, the Curve Inn leads off with the Springfield debut (another first for this day) of Midwest Avenue, a family band trio from the St. Louis area known for their “Fiddle Blazin’ Bass Beatin’ Banjo String Raisin’ Country Show!” according to them, so we’ve no reason to doubt the assessment and every reason to check them out.
I’m going into another paragraph to keep up with the Thursday excitement including downtown stuff with No Cure, Prevention, Sign Language, Surfaced and Fatal Dose as a Dumb Records multiple band show, plus Casey Cantrall hosting the monthly open mic at The Wakery (take a peek at our four other open mics, too). Then, we get going all over the place with Rod Grant at Sangamo Brewing in Chatham, me with Owen and Amy (OAT!) at Casey’s Pub patio on the far west side of town, Robert Sampson at Mother Road Diner in Southern View and Al Kitchen at Koo Koo’s 2 way over on the north end on Sangamon Avenue. Toss in several karaoke nights scattered around the city and that gives you plenty on a Thursday to occupy your time.
Our big shebangs going on must be and are the Old Capitol Art Fair on Saturday and Sunday, as well as Springfield Pridefest all day on Saturday. Along with the artwork displayed at the decades-running, nationally acclaimed event, live music (our department here) includes a Saturday lineup of the Springfield Municipal Band, Ben Bedford, Positively 4th Street, The Deep Hollow and Thornhill with Sunday giving us Griffin Fenoglio, Devin C. Williams, Fireside Relics and Chris Camp and His Blues Ambassadors.
Pridefest kicks off with a parade, then includes a poem read by Shatriya Smith, “Queeroke,” the Fresh Faces Drag Show and more, plus an evening Headliners Drag Show along with live music by Silas Tockey, Ricki Marvel and a trio from Peoria called emily the band and singular sets by the Capital City Men’s Chorus and our Springfield Municipal Band (busy day for the band).
Yep, downtown will be awash in music, people and things to do this weekend, so while you’re down there, support our local businesses and come back again later, too.
There are so many other shows on Friday (25), Saturday (37) and Sunday (18) I don’t know where to begin or end so I’m just going to jump over all that hoopla and land on Monday; drop into The Alamo to see Devin C. Williams and call it a week.
See you next time for all the memorable Memorial Day weekend happenings.