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We occasionally switch gears on Friday, so let’s do it again today.
What’s your favorite local band? It doesn’t have to be nationally known, but it has to be local. Provide info and any helpful links.
UPDATE: My favorite Springfield band (Tom Irwin Trio) is detailed in comments.
My favorite Chicago bandleader is Pinetop Perkins. Pinetop plays at Rosa’s a lot, but it’s best not to go on Saturday night because he never plays on Sunday (so he stops at midnight, but the band plays on).
If you’re lucky, you’ll see the former Muddy Waters sideman appear with Willie “Big Eye” Smith, who played drums for Waters.
And if you’re really lucky, Sugar Blue will be sitting in. Sugar Blue may be best known for playing harmonica on the Rolling Stones’ “Some Girls” album. His haunting, gutteral harp playing on “Miss You” was unreal great.
I once asked Sugar Blue if the legend about him was correct.
The story goes that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards heard Sugar Blue playing on the street and immediately invited him to appear on their next record. True?
Sugar paused for a moment and said, “Did you ever see that movie ‘The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance’?”
I said I had. Many times.
“There’s a line in there at the end: ‘When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.’”
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 8:03 am
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The Praise Band at Western Oaks Baptist Church. They are volunteers and are SOLID.
Comment by shelbyville Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 8:15 am
The “Corrupt Combine” accompanied by “Hangers On.”
Comment by The Colonel Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 8:18 am
Great band in Chicago.. Go see them. they are the real deal.
www.floodritual.com
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 8:25 am
Califone.
Long live Red Red Meat
www.pastrysharp.com.
Comment by anon Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 8:43 am
American English. They are Beatles Cover band out of Arlington Heights. They are now nationally known. Amazing sound and show.
www.americanenglishbeatles.com
Comment by Jeff Metzger Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 8:47 am
QUALO! They just signed with universal and it is the best slept on hip hop coming out of Chicago. Here’s some links:
Download some of their songs here
http://music.download.com/qualoandthemovement/3600-8528_32-100320930.html
Here is their story
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/tscar/bioupdated2006.jpg
And check out their myspace page.
And here’s a comic, Seven Spoon, that Shala Esquire of Qualo writes. Pretty funny.
http://www.sevenspoon.com/
Comment by Larry Horse Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 9:02 am
Now that I live in Springfield, my favorite is the Tom Irwin Trio, or whatever he’s calling his band these days. No link, but you can catch him every Sunday at the Brewhaus. I’ve been listening to Tom and his various bands for at least 17 years. Great writer.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 9:07 am
Bob Kuban and the InMen…they were swell at CYC teen towns on Sundays
Comment by Reddbyrd Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 9:10 am
Wow, finally an easy question of the day. Twang Bang out of Chicago. Two guys. One on guitar. One on drums. Fun, fun, fun.
http://www.twangbang.com
Comment by The Fatman Cometh Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 9:13 am
Duke Tumato and the All Star Frogs!
Comment by Pat Hickey Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 9:26 am
I recently attended a Spfld High School basketball game at which the SHS Jazz Ensemble performed—props to that group–they were GREAT!
Comment by Hep Cat Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 9:38 am
MUDVAYNE
Peoria boys who love to play Illinois whenever they are in the area. They have released three great albums that have all done well and they’ve headlined a major show in St. Louis.
Comment by Team Sleep Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 9:46 am
Crimson Cross Quartet– great country gospel quartet. They are based out of Central Illinois, but their bass guy lives in Joplin, Mo now. The bass singer named Gerald Meeks sounds the voice of God when he sings “holy!”
Comment by HoosierDaddy Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 9:47 am
FH3 or The Frank Houston Trio. On a good nite you’ll see the best talent in central IL.
Comment by Tim N. (rum n' coke) Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 10:09 am
Mr. Blotto.
Paul (lead singer) has a great voice, and their gospel tinged originals are unbelievable. They also cover “Quinn, the Eskimo” better than any band around.
Comment by Nice Suit Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 10:12 am
Marty Casey and the Lovehammers a great Chicago band
Comment by lovehammers Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 10:29 am
Nice Suit, you’re right about Mr. Blotto. I love that band.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 10:30 am
Rockabilly by The Paladins http://www.thepaladins.com
Comment by Anon Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 10:56 am
Though not completely local, The Big Wu are a midwestern staple. Similar to Blotto (they play together often) they are a great jam band. Rich, I know what a Dead fan you are and I think you’d enjoy these guys.
www.thebigwu.com
Comment by Anon Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 11:17 am
“Wonderful Smith” is a pretty sick band (for the oldtimers sick = awesome).
“Wonderful Smith is a rock quartet from Chicago, USA. Their first full-length album (Hello, it’s Wonderful) was completed with Steve Albini at Electrical Audio in Chicago. On this debut album, you’ll find many sounds to describe them. Male and female vocals sing both solo and in harmony, opening up vast emotional and tonal possibilities. Nick plays guitar and brings a Beatles-esque sense of melodic sarcasm. Holly is the multi-instrumentalist (piano, guitar, synth) who brings with her the energy, the dark, and the luscious. Behind them is the rockin’ drumming of Bobbis accompanied by Ben on the electric, fuzz, and upright basses.”
http://www.wonderfulsmith.com/
http://www.myspace.com/wonderfulsmith
Comment by chicago mafia princess Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 11:33 am
Mike and Joe.
www.mikeandjoe.com
Comment by Anon Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 11:41 am
Rich-
The first tiime I went to see Wilco they were playing the Midwest Microbrewery thingy at … Navy Pier? I forget. The event was Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and my friend swore up and down that Wilco was Saturday, so that’s the night we went. AM was just out; this must have been fall, 1995. Turned out he was wrong; Wilco played Friday, and on Saturday we got Mr. Blotto. Who were fine, but I was too disappointed to get into them. Nobody would confuse Mr. Blotto with any era of Wilco.
Comment by David @ ilcampaign Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 11:45 am
The Bottle Rockets have earned my undying loyalty with a decade of outstanding roadhouse music.
The BR’s have been called “The Greatest Bar Band in America,” — and that is certainly true — but their “loud, good-time, party” music often encompasses some of the sharpest social commentary of in modern music.
Brian Henneman and the Bottle Rockets probably wouldn’t describe themselves as “liberals” but the politics reflected in their songs — “Welfare Music”, “Lucky Break”, “Man of Constant Anxiety”, “Rich Man”, and “Wave That Flag” is as blue as their collars. And in retrospect, their tune “Get Down River” looks like a prophesy of the Katrina disaster.
Politically-aware music doesn’t have to sound like Joan Biaz or Rage Against the Machine — the Bottle Rockets’ music has a great beat and you can drink to it.
http://www.bottlerocketsmusic.com/
And Chicago-landers can check-out the Bottle Rockets at Schuba’s on Friday, January 27. It’s a benefit for Gary Scheppers and 100% of your $12 — !CHEAP! — ticket goes towards Gary’s medical care.
Doors open at 9:00pm.
http://www.schubas.com/calendar.aspx
And anyone who doesn’t think the boys from Festus, MO qualify as “local” should consider that, in the last five years they, have undoubtably spent more time on the road between Springfield and Chicago than the Guv’nor.
My favorite Chicago-based band would be the Waco Brothers. Jon Langford’s band of left-wing, over-educated and over-served rednecks never fail to deliver live.
And All Music Guide is on the mark when it says their latest album, Freedom and Weep, ‘rants against working class poverty (”Nothing at All”), ugly Americanism (”Rest of the World”), conspicuous consumption (”Lincoln Town Car”), and the president of the United States (”Chosen One”), while the less polemical numbers still speak of a time and place where confusion reigns and desperation is just as real as the beer in your refrigerator.’
But don’t let the grim subject matter deter you, their heartfelt love of honky-tonk music makes every show a party.
Both the Bottle Rockets and the Waco Brothers are on Chicago’s own Bloodshot Records — http://www.bloodshotrecords.com/ — where you can take advantage of Bloodshot’s Extended Annual Blowout Sale.
Sorry this post ran so long — I just love these local bands and labels.
Comment by So-Called "Austin Mayor" Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 12:21 pm
The Bottle Rockets rule. “Get Down River” is as good as anything Woody Guthrie did.
“Looks like the Gulf of Mexico
down by the Texaco.”
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 12:32 pm
Blago Himselvis
http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=19422@wbbm.dayport.com
Comment by Anon Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 12:38 pm
For Chicago bands (really a national band), I would have to go with Dan Pritzker’s band, SoniaDada - www.soniadada.com - Little Feat for the new millennium. For truly local bands I’ll go with Rich’s pick of Tom Irwin here in Springfield. Uncle Albert www.unclealbertband.com down in St. Louis is a lot of fun.
Comment by Speedie Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 1:16 pm
Buddy Guy when he is at his place in Chicago.
Also, who are those guys that play at Norb Andy’s on the weekend? The guitar player is a big guy with a long beard and he always wears overhalls.
Comment by anon Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 1:38 pm
That would be Raoul. Good pal. He plays with several bands, including Reggie’s band, which plays at Norb’s. He also plays with Tom Irwin (see above).
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 1:39 pm
Simple Simon.
Comment by Anon. Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 1:58 pm
I really have been getting into this local band called the attics. Also Robbie Fulks is excellent.
Comment by Big Lar Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 2:38 pm
I’ve seen the Attics several times, even traveled to Kendall County to watch them jam. They are amazing.
Comment by Big Lar's Groupie Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 2:40 pm
Captain Geech and The Shrimp Shack Shakers
Comment by B Hicks Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 4:52 pm
Emerald Underground. Musicians in the true sense of the word.
Comment by Ex-Newfie Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 6:52 pm
Count another Springfield vote for Tom Irwin- with his Trio (with Bill Laymon and the Great Raoul) or in whatever arrangement he has going at the moment. His songwriter circle Wednesdays at the Hilton is also big fun. You might hear a great song for the first time one night.
Comment by max maxwell Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 7:28 pm
My favorite band is the band “Chicago” from Chicago. They had some great hits (Saturday In the Park, If You Leave Me Now, etc.) many years ago and were great representatives for the city of Chicago.
Comment by Beowulf Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 7:46 pm
The Redwalls, they’ve hit it pretty big, but people think they are from England because they sound like the Beatles. They are from Deerfield though and are fairly young, I think the oldest person in the band is 20.
Comment by Anon Friday, Jan 13, 06 @ 10:50 pm
Dolly Varden! (see ‘em at the other Scheppers’ benefit on 1/20 at Fitzgerald’s)
Comment by corvax Saturday, Jan 14, 06 @ 1:38 pm
C’mon!!! What about Chicago’s hottest rockstars Umphrey’s McGee!!?!?!?! Great band with members originally from South Bend, IN and the Chicagoland area. These guys tour alot nationally and are getting international notice. Most recently, they played the historic Chicago landmark Aragon Ballroom for new year’s. Also, they recently booked the Chicago Theatre for a date in March.
Deep lyrics, awesome rhythm section, huge guitar licks all come together for a refreshingly original sound
Comment by umphreak Tuesday, Jan 17, 06 @ 3:27 pm
Umphrey’s McGee
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 18, 06 @ 6:23 am
The best band in Chicago is Flood ritual for sure…they are AMAZING!!!!
www.myspace.com/floodritual
Comment by Emily Friday, Feb 10, 06 @ 8:03 pm