The Overture is a rundown of live music and performances happening in Champaign-Urbana (and the outskirts) each week. All of the information is as accurate as we can publish; however, all shows and performances are subject to change at any time. Thank you for understanding.
Did we miss something this week? Have a show coming up you think we should know about? Email us at music@smilepolitely.com with the details.
Monday, January 13th
Urbana Hootenanny
► Rose Bowl Tavern // Free // 8 p.m.
Tuesday, January 14th
The Avant-Gardians
► The Iron Post // Free // 6 p.m.
Wednesday, January 15th
Them Coulee Boys, Fireside Collective
► The Castle Theatre // $12 // 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 16th
Moroccan Soul
► Baxter’s // Free // 6 p.m.
Image: A man with long, brown hair, wearing a flannel shirt and blue jeans, eyes closed, holding his acoustic guitar pointing diagonally toward the ceiling. He stands on a stage in front of a drum set, a white guitar, and a large amp. The stage is washed in teal blue and white light. Image from the Facebook event.
Pete Jive, Devin Williams
► nightshop // Free // 7 p.m.
This will be a great show to get you in the mood for the weekend. Pete Jive will be playing their feel-good, rock-hybrid music to serve as a counter to the blues-inspired boogie sounds of Devin Williams.
David Howie
► The Icehouse // Free // 8 p.m.
Image: Concert poster for the band Meadowhawk. The poster text reads “Rose Bowl, Urbana, Illinois” in red in white lettering at the top of the image. In the middle, a dragonfly plays a violin with the band’s name, “Meadowhawk,” written underneath in white. At the bottom, the text reads “$5, 8 p.m., Thursday, January 16th,” in black lettering. The poster has a light brown background. Image from the Meadowhawk at Rosebowl Facebook event page.
Meadowhawk
► Rose Bowl Tavern // $5 // 8 p.m.
Meadowhawk is gracing the stage of The Rose Bowl Tavern this week, bringing their melodious strings with them. Maybe one of the few bands in the area to boast three violin players, Meadowhawk is made up of Claire Johnson (Violin), Amanda Ramey (Violin), and Matt Turino (Guitar and Violin).
Friday, January 17th
Champaign Central Jazz Ensemble
► Neil St. Blues // Free // 5 p.m.
Femme Fatale & Shuga Beatz
► nightshop // $5 // 7 p.m.
Stef Chura, The Dry Look, Nectar
► Rose Bowl Tavern // $10 advance/$13 door // 8 p.m.
The Fairchilds
► Huber’s West End // Free // 8 p.m.
Gloria Roubal
► The Icehouse // Free // 8 p.m.
Image: Album art for Cole Bridges & The Overpass’ new single, “Right Where You Are.” A crayon drawing of a man with a guitar for legs whose right arm turns into a road with buildings on it. He wears an orange hat. The background is tan. Image provided by the artist.
Bobby Stevens, Clayton Deering, and Cole Bridges
►Loose Cobra // Free // 8 p.m.
We splogged about this event here.
The Unemployed Architects
► Cadillac Jacks // Free // 8 p.m.
Cloudstomper
► Rose Bowl Tavern // Free // 11 p.m.
Saturday, January 18th
Dustin Danger
► Strawberry Fields // Free // 12 p.m.
Image: On a bright red background, the image reads; “Song Don’t Kill People, a night of music benefitting gun violence prevention. January 18th, the City Center. 6 p.m., meet and greet. 7 p.m., concert. Tickets $25 at the door, cash or check only.” The text is meant to look like graffiti. Image taken from the Songs Don’t Kill People Facebook event page.
Songs Don’t Kill People: A Night of Music Benefitting Gun Violence Prevention
► The City Center // Prices vary // 7 p.m.
Check out the Splog on this event here.
The Double Dots
► Huber’s West End // Free // 8 p.m.
Pain Killerz Blues Band
► Neil St. Blues // Free // 8 p.m.
Photo: Dan Whitaker & The Shinebenders. In this black and white image, four men play their instruments together on a stage. From left to right: a man in dark clothes plays a stand up bass; a man wearing a cowboy hat plays a Telecaster-style guitar; another man in a fedora looks down at his hands as he plays an acoustic guitar with a sunburst pattern on it; in the background, a man wearing a checkered shirt and a floppier cowboy hat plays a drum kit. The stage has curtains lining the backwall and one can see the fog from smoke machines in the lights which make beams across the center of the image. Image from the Dan Whitaker & The Shinebenders Facebook event page.
Dan Whitaker & The Shinebenders
► Rose Bowl Tavern // Free // 8 p.m.
If you’ve been missing out on your weekend honky-tonk adventures lately, this show is an opportunity to remedy that. Dan Whitaker and the Shinebenders will be tearing up the Rose Bowl Tavern from 8 p.m. to midnight, so stop on in, consider tossing them a few bucks, and enjoy some good times with good music.
Photo: A man stands with one arm at his side, holding a coffee cup, and his other arms above his head, bracing himself against a window. The man’s arms have tattoos. He has long hair that sits on his shoulders and curls at the end. He is sporting a short beard and is wearing a backwards baseball cap and a t-shirt. He stands in a room with various shades of tan and brown wood, a lamp shade can be seen behind him. Across the center there is text that reads “Joe Stamm,” in white letters and “Unplugged,” in black. At the bottom reads joestammband.com, followed by various small icons for music streaming services. Image from the Joe Stamm at Pour Bros. Facebook event page.
Joe Stamm
► Pour Bros. // Free // 8:30 p.m.
Joe Stamm will be performing an unplugged set at Pour Bros. Craft Taproom in Champaign this Saturday. This will be a great chance to hear the Joe Stamm Band’s typically high-energy, Midwest-inspired country rock stripped down while enjoying a new beer. Highly recommend.
MOCK5
► The Iron Post // $5 public, $3 Students // 9 p.m.
Cosmic Lung, Gamma Goat, Backlasher
► Blackbird // $6 // 9 p.m.
Sunday, January 19th
Brad Wheeler Trio
► Neil St. Blues // Free // 12 p.m.
JVR3 Trio
► Urbana Free Library // Free // 2 p.m.
Dave-n-Lisa
► Alto Vineyards // Free // 2 p.m.
Horsecorn Cole & His Country 45’s
► Rose Bowl Tavern // Free // 3 p.m.
Daniel Watkins
► Rose Bowl Tavern // Free // 6 p.m.
Top photo: Photo: Dan Whitaker & The Shinebenders. In this black and white image, four men play their instruments together on a stage. From left to right: a man in dark clothes plays a stand up bass; a man wearing a cowboy hat plays a Telecaster-style guitar; another man in a fedora looks down at his hands as he plays an acoustic guitar with a sunburst pattern on it; in the background, a man wearing a checkered shirt and a floppier cowboy hat plays a drum kit. The stage has curtains lining the backwall and one can see the fog from smoke machines in the lights which make beams across the center of the image. Image from the Dan Whitaker & The Shinebenders Facebook event page.