WHAT: Scott Miller, John Hoeffleur 
WHEN: Wednesday, February 17 @ 7 p.m.
WHERE: The Highdive ($10 advance)
The veteran americana singer/songwriter makes his first stop in town, with a rare opening set from The Beauty Shop’s John Hoeffleur.
WHAT: Retribution Gospel Choir, New Ruins
WHEN: Thursday, February 18 @ 9 p.m.
WHERE: Canopy Club ($8 advance)
Alan Sparkhawk makes his return to Champaign. For his thoughts on auto-tune, playing live, and the positive benefits of inferiority complexes, check out John’s preview/interview. New Ruins lead things off at 10.
WHAT: Jeff Helgesen Quintet
WHEN: Friday, February 19 @ 5 p.m.
WHERE: Iron Post (free)
If you’re yet to make it to a jazz show at the Post, you owe it to yourself to make this your first. Helgesen has several CDs to his name, and has even performed with the Ray Charles Orchestra and Aretha Franklin.
WHAT: State Radio, Big D and the Kids Table
WHEN: Saturday, February 20 @ 7 p.m.
WHERE: The Highdive ($15 advance)
Counting Chad Urmston from the legendary jam band Dispatch among their members, State Radio certainly know how to deliver a good show. Fellow bostonians Big D and the Kids Table will open with their infectious brand of Skacore, so go and get your skank on.
WHAT: RJD2, Kenan Bell, Happy Chichester
WHEN: Saturday, February 20 @ 7 p.m
WHERE: Canopy Club ($13 advance)
If his show at Pygmalion last year is any indication, expect the following: insane amounts of smoke, old kung-fu movies, at least four turntables, and a whole lot of dancing.
NEW THIS WEEK
We’ve added a short section spotlighting some of the new additions to the shows list in the past week. Additionally, you can find all the new shows bolded in the full list below.
4/9 – Early Day Miners at Mike & Molly’s. They had the bad luck of playing against Joe Pug and Starfucker at Pygmalion last year, but the Bloomington, IN based band is touring behind The Treatment, which is one of their strongest albums to date.
4/10 – Depending on who you ask, either Local H or Caspian will be playing at Mike & Molly’s. Both are excellent bands who don’t make it to town that often, so this will be a good one either way.
4/29 – Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s at Krannert Center. If you left their stripped down set at Pygmalion last year feeling a little let down, give them another chance here. Bonus points: no cover.
5/19 – Mastodon, Between the Buried and Me, Baroness, Valient Thorr at Canopy Club. This is a huge one, folks. All four bands are massively acclaimed in both indie and metal circles. If you have even the slightest interest in metal, you need to go to this.
LOOKING AHEAD…
2/17/10
The Highdive – Scott Miller, John Hoeffleur (Doors @ 7 p.m. – show @ 8 p.m., $10 Adv.)
Canopy Club – Tim Be Told, Dustin Keele, With the Morning (7:30 p.m., $TBA.)
2/18/10
Canopy Club – Retribution Gospel Choir, New Ruins (9 p.m., $8 Adv.)
Iron Post – U of I Jazz Trombone Ensemble (7 p.m., $2, AA)
2/19/10
Bentley’s – Everett Thomas and Stacy Ingram (6 p.m., no cover)
Bentley’s – DJ’s Tim Hayden and Melanie Sheckels (10 p.m., $2 cover)
Cowboy Monkey – The Pimps, Missing the Point (10 p.m., $5 cover)
Iron Post – Jeff Helgesen Jazz Quintet (5 p.m., Free)
Mike ‘N Molly’s – Poundcake, Withershins, Backyard Shark (10 p.m., $TBA)
2/20/10
Bentley’s – The Sugar Prophets (9 p.m., $4 cover)
Canopy Club – RJD2, Kenan Bell, Happy Chichester (7 p.m., $13 Adv.)
The Highdive – State Radio, Big D and the Kids Table (Doors @ 7 p.m. – show @ 7:30 p.m., $15 Adv.)
Iron Post – No Secret (6 p.m., $4 cover)
Mike ‘N Molly’s – White Mystery, The Fresh Kills, JigGsaw (10 p.m., $5)
2/21/10
Bentley’s – Mike Ingram and Kayla Brown (8 p.m., $3 cover)
2/24/10
Canopy Club – Joe Pug, Hathaways, Chicago Farmer (7 p.m., $10 advance)
Iron Post – Jazz Sandwich (8 p.m., $3 cover)
2/25/10
Canopy Club – Brainchild, Land of Atlantis, TBA (9 p.m., $5 cover)
Courtyard Cafe – LEGTWO with Greenhouse (Blueprint and Illogic), DJ Rare Groove, Krukid ($TBA)
Iron Post – Chip McNeill Jazz Combo (7 p.m., $2 cover)
Krannert Center – Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra
2/26/10
Bentley’s – Private Thoughts, Say It With A Smile (10 p.m., $4 cover)
Canopy Club – Green Observer Benefit w/Roses and Sake, Floor Lovers Illinois, Matt Glista (9 p.m., $TBA)
Iron Post – Boneyard Jazz Quintet (5 p.m., Free)
Mike ‘N Molly’s – Ussop the Liar, Steeleater, TBA (10 p.m., $TBA)
Radmakers – Paul Di’Anno, Icarus Witch, Soul Descenders (8 p.m., $10 advance)
Springer Cultural Center – Jane Boxall ~ marimba (Noon, Free)
2/27/10
Bentley’s – The Impalas (9 p.m., $4 Cover)
Canopy Club – Mark Schiff (7:30 p.m., $10 Adv.)
Canopy Club – Cold Cave, Hair Police, The Glide (9 p.m., $8 Adv.)
Cowboy Monkey – The Lesser Birds of Paradise, Good Night and Good Morning, Carl Hauck, My Dear Alan Andrews (Doors @ 9 p.m., Show @ 9:30 p.m., $5 cover)
Independent Media Center – Claudia Schmidt (8 p.m., $TBA)
Iron Post – Beat Kitchen (9 p.m., $5 cover)
3/1/10
Cowboy Monkey – Mordechai in the Mirror, Greymarket, Bambooshoots, Indiana Josh (9 p.m., $5 cover)
3/2/10
Krannert Center – Abraham Inc.
Mike ‘N Molly’s – A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Acrylics (9 p.m., $7)
3/4/10
Canopy Club – Cornmeal (9 p.m., $10 advance)
3/5/10
Assembly Hall – Martina McBride, Trace Adkins
Mike ‘N Molly’s – The Daredevil Christopher Wright, The Palace Flophouse, You and Yourn (10 p.m., $TBA)
3/6/10
Radmakers – Feudin’ Hillbillys (9 p.m., $TBA)
3/7/10
Canopy Club – Tea Leaf Green, Zmick (7:30 p.m., $12 advance)
3/11/10
Canopy Club – Barefoot Truth, Jaik Willis, TBA (9 p.m., $7 cover)
Mike ‘N Molly’s – The Young Republic (10 p.m., $TBA)
3/12/10
Cowboy Monkey – Justin Martin, J-Phlip, Mertz (10 p.m., $5 cover)
The Highdive – Band of Heathens, The Sugar Prophets (Doors 7 p.m. – show @ 8 p.m., $12 Adv.)
Mike ‘N Molly’s – Tina Sparkle, Mayhew the Traitor (10 p.m., $TBA)
3/13/10
Bentley’s – Kilborn Alley Blues Band (9 p.m., $5 cover)
Cowboy Monkey – Vanattica (10 p.m., $5 cover)
The Highdive – Feudin’ Hillbillies (Doors 7 p.m. – show @ 8 p.m, $7 Adv.)
IMC – Bill Staines (7:30 p.m., $TBA)
Mike ‘N Molly’s – Mittens on Strings, Pet Lions (10 p.m., $5)
3/16/10
Krannert Center – Danu
The Highdive – The Tossers, The Night Brigade (Doors @ 8 p.m. – show @ 9 p.m., $12 Adv.)
3/18/10
Canopy Club – Chicago Farmer, My Dear Alan Andrews, Bob & Pricilla (10 p.m., $7 cover)
Krannert Center – San Francisco Symphony
3/19/10
Bentley’s – Sipos and Young (10 p.m., $3 cover)
Cowboy Monkey – The Handcuffs, Great Crusades (10 p.m., $5 cover)
3/20/10
Canopy Club – AD/HD (AC/DC Tribute), Shovelhead (9 p.m., $TBA)
Radmakers – Verdict, TBA (8 p.m., $TBA)
3/27/10
Bentley’s – Jason Morellion (10 p.m., $3 cover)
Radmakers – Jackson Taylor & the Sinners (8 p.m., $TBA)
3/30/10
Krannert Center – What it Is! Featuring Mavis Staples, Booker T. JJ Grey
The Highdive – St. Vincent, Elsinore (Doors @ 8 p.m. – show @ 9 p.m., $13 Adv.)
4/2/10
Canopy Club – David Bazan, Headlights ($10 Adv.)
4/5/10
Canopy Club – Bassnectar, DJ Vadim, DJ Mertz (9 p.m., $17 Adv.)
4/7/10
The Highdive – Japandroids, Love is All (Doors @ 7 p.m. – show @ 8 p.m., $12 Adv.)
4/10/2010
Krannert Center – Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra
IMC – Roy Zimmerman (8 p.m., $15)
4/15/10
Krannert Center – Joshua Bell
4/17/10
Mike ‘N Molly’s – Native, TBA (10 p.m., $TBA)
4/18/10
Rose Bowl – Bill Kirchen ($TBA)
4/24/10
Krannert Center – James Farm
4/29/10
Krannert Center – Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s (10 p.m., Free)
5/5/10
Krannert Center – Ozomatli
5/19/10
Canopy Club – Mastodon, Between the Buried and Me, Baroness, Valiant Thorr (6:30 p.m., $23 Adv.)
IMC – Red Molly (7:30 p.m., $TBA)
6/5/10
IMC – Kyle Bruckman & Rich O’Donnell (8 p.m., $TBA)
7/23/10
Canopy Club – Central Illinois Metalfest 2010
7/24/10
Canopy Club – Central Illinois Metalfest 2010