The Overture is a rundown of live music and performances happening in the Champaign-Urbana area (and the outskirts) each week. All of the information is as accurate as we can publish, but 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, October 21st
Urbana Hootenanny
► The Rose Bowl Tavern // free // 8 p.m.
Tuesday, October 22nd
Illinois Graduate Saxophone Quartet
► Krannert Center for the Performing Arts // free // 5 p.m.
Jazz at Boomerangs
► Boomerangs // free // 7 p.m.
Kevin Schlereth, Emily Hope, Nic Gundy
► Destiny Ranch (House Show) // $5 suggested donation // 7 p.m.
► The Castle Theatre // $20 in adv., $23 at door // 7:30 p.m.
Multi-instrumentalist Coco Montoya will be playing the Castle Theatre. This concert will feature performances of songs from his new album Coming In Hot and is sure to bring all the heat from his 40-year long career.
Photo from the Facebook event
Wednesday, October 23rd
Anika Emily
► Red Herring // free // 12 p.m.
The Four Italian Tenors
The Four Italian Tenors ► Krannert Center for the Performing Arts // prices vary // 7:30 p.m.
Check out my SPlog of this event here.
Wednesday Night Spotlight
► Blackbird // free // 9 p.m.
Thursday, October 24th
Krannert Uncorked: CU Folk and Roots collaboration event
► Krannert Center for the Performing Arts // free // 5 p.m.
This will be a great event to help you start your weekend a day early. Featuring Hot Club of Urbana and the Gaslight Squares, this free event is bound to be one of the best jazz events of the weekend.
Photo from Hot Club of Urbana’s Facebook page
► Baxter’s // free // 6 p.m.
Ayodele Drum & Dance
► Allen Hall // free // 7 p.m.
This will be a really cool event featuring the Ayodele drum and dance circle group. Taking their name from the Yoruba word meaning “joy in the home”, Ayodele commits themselves to studying and performing drum and dance from the diasporic African communities in an effort to foster healing and conversation.
Photo from the Facebook event page.
Chicago Undercover Takeover (Preme, Meriio, and others)
► Canopy Club // $7 // 9 p.m.
The Illinois Modern Ensemble
► Krannert Center for the Performing Arts // prices vary // 7:30 pm
(CUFR) Hobnob Sting Band
► Red Herring // free // 7:30 p.m.
Young the Giant
► State Farm Center // prices vary // 7:30 p.m.
The 789s
► nightshop // Cover // 7:30 p.m.
Two Friends (SnuFest)
► The Castle Theatre // $32 // 8 p.m.
Futuristic
► The City Center // prices vary // 8 p.m.
(CUFR) The Gaslight Squares and swing dance
► Channing-Murray Foundation Chapel // free // 9 p.m.
(CUFR) Carolyn Sills Combo
► Blackbird // free // 9 p.m.
(CUFR) Bashful Youngens
► Blackbird // free // 11 p.m.
Friday, October 25th
(CUFR) Emily Anne Band
► The Iron Post // see festival pricing* // 5 p.m.
(CUFR) The Young and the Fretless
► Cohen Building // free // 5 p.m.
(CUFR)Gaslight Squares
► The Rose Bowl Tavern // see festival pricing* // 6 p.m.
(CUFR) Humbird
► Blackbird // see festival pricing* // 6 p.m.
(CUFR) Black Eyed Susans
► The Cohen Building // free // 6:30 p.m.
Peter Holsapple Combo, Nick Rudd
► Sandwich Life House Concerts // $20 suggested donation // 7 p.m.
Chasing the Turn
► DR McKay’s // Cover // 7 p.m.
Rocktober Fest: The Churros, Feed the Monkeys, Disfunktional
►The Coffeehouse in Uptown // free // 7 p.m.
(CUFR) Veretski Pass
► The Iron Post // see festival pricing* // 7 p.m.
(CUFR) Kevin Elliott
► C4A // see festival pricing* // 7 p.m.
The Double Dots
► Hank’s Table // free // 7 p.m.
Canadian Rifle, Raging Nathans, Brett Conlin , Memphis Dives
Canadian Rifle, Raging Nathans, Brett Conlin , Memphis Dives► nightshop // $7 // 7:30 p.m.
If you’re looking for a night of punk rock and punk-influence music, then this is going to be a show you want to see. With four bands from Illinois and one band from Dayton (The Raging Nathans), this will be a great show to get a feel for the midwest punk scene.
Photo from the Facebook event
(CUFR) Melvin Knight and the Amber Sky
► Blackbird // see festival pricing* // 7:45 p.m.
Melinda Rose Trio
► Jazz UpFront // Cover // 8 p.m.
(CUFR) Dom Flemons
(CUFR) Dom Flemons ► The Rose Bowl Tavern // see festival pricing* // 8 p.m.
This is one of many opportunities folks in CU will have to check out the American Songster himself, Dom Flemons. Playing songs from a variety of traditions as well as his own originals, Flemons (one third of the famous Caroline Chocolate Drops), is not an artist to miss out on.
Photo from the Facebook event.
(CUFR) Dill Spears
► The Cohen Building // free // 8 p.m.
(CUFR) Kyshona Armstrong
► C4A // see festival pricing* // 8:30 p.m.
Cherub
► The Canopy Club // $17 adv., $20 at door // 9 p.m.
Feudin’ Hillbillys
► The City Center // $10 // 9 p.m.
(CUFR) The Cody Sisters
► The Iron Post // see festival pricing* // 9 p.m.
(CUFR) Ayodele Drum & Dance
► Blackbird // see festival pricing* // 9:30 p.m.
(CUFR) Cajun Cornstalkers
► The Rose Bowl Tavern // see festival pricing* // 10 p.m.
(CUFR) Candy Foster and Shades of Blue
► Blackbird // see festival pricing* // 10:30 p.m.
(CUFR) The Bottlesnakes
► The Iron Post // see festival pricing* // 11 p.m.
Saturday, October 26th
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra
► Krannert Center for the Performing Arts // prices vary // 7:30 pm
(CUFR) Black-Eyed Lillies
► UFL-Busey-Mills Reading Room // free // 11 a.m.
(CUFR) Humbird (a musical fairytale for kids)
► C4A // free // 11:15 a.m.
(CUFR) The Coneflowers
► UFL-Busey-Mills Reading Room // free // 12:30 p.m.
(CUFR) Michael Meadows
► UFL-Busey-Mills Reading Room // free // 2 p.m.
(CUFR) Capoeira, with Capoeira Angola Center
► Urbana Dance Company // free // 3 p.m.
(CUFR) The Matchsellers
►UFL-Busey-Mills Reading Room // free // 3:30 p.m.
(CUFR) Dom Flemons
► The Rose Bowl Tavern // see festival pricing* // 6 p.m.
(CUFR) Asher Danziger
► The Cohen Building // free // 6 p.m.
(CUFR) Whiskey Bent Valley Boys
► The Iron Post // see festival pricing* // 7 p.m.
(CUFR) Cobalt Blues Band
► Blackbird // see festival pricing* // 7 p.m.
Wildermore, Local Gods
► nightshop // $7 // 7 p.m.
(CUFR) Tex Wynn
► The Cohen Building // free // 7:30 p.m.
(CUFR) Yiddish Dance, with Veretski Pass and Mitch Harris
► Urbana Dance Company // see festival pricing* // 7:30 p.m.
Zørila, The Data Waves, The Telephone Junkies, Vitamin B+
Zørila, The Data Waves, The Telephone Junkies, Vitamin B+► The Green Room // $5 with costume, $7 without // 8 p.m.
If you haven’t been to a house show in a while and you’re looking for an excuse to dress up for Halloween, then this show at the Green Room is tailor-made for you. This will be a fun and eclectic show featuring Champaign’s own up-and-coming indie band, Zørilla, and local “drunk funk” band, Data Waves.
Ashley and Goose
► Huber’s // free // 8 p.m.
Miles Nielsen and the Rusted Hearts
► The Castle Theatre // $20 // 8 p.m.
(CUFR) Nick Dittmeier and the Sawdusters
► The Rose Bowl Tavern // see festival pricing* // 8 p.m.
(CUFR) Orpheus Mandolin Orchestra
► C4A // see festival pricing* // 8 p.m.
(CUFR) Bluegrastronauts
► Blackbird // see festival pricing* // 8:30 p.m.
The Brazilionaires
► Jazz UpFront // Cover // 8:30 p.m.
Cypher Saturdays
► The Canopy Club // $10 // 9 p.m.
(CUFR) Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers
► The Iron Post // see festival pricing* // 9 p.m.
Rebekah Songer Band, Cara Louise Band with Christy Hays
► Loose Cobra // free // 9 p.m.
(CUFR) Jean Rene Balekita
►The Cohen Building // free // 9 p.m.
(CUFR) Matt, Bob, and Doug
►C4A // see festival pricing* // 9:30 p.m.
(CUFR) Maria Carrelli
►The Rose Bowl Tavern // see festival pricing* // 10 p.m.
(CUFR) Lilli Lewis Project
► Blackbird // see festival pricing* // 10:30 p.m.
No Men, Empousa, Blushe
► nightshop // $6 // 10:30 p.m.
(CUFR) Steel City Jug Slammers
► The Iron Post // see festival pricing* // 11 p.m.
(CUFR) Urbana Hootenanny
► The Rose Bowl Tavern // see festival pricing* // 12 a.m.
Sunday, October 27th
UofI Chamber Singers
► Krannert Center for the Performing Arts // prices vary // 3 p.m.
Parkland Orchestra & Guitar Ensemble
► Parkland College // free // 3 p.m.
My Dog Junior
► Exile on Main Street // free // 4 p.m.
Hops and Hymns
Hops and Hymns ►Riggs Taproom // free // 6 p.m.
As someone who went to a Lutheran undergrad, this one is a littel near-and-dear for me. Head on out to Riggs on Sunday to celebrate the Reformation in the most Martin Luther approved way possible. Have a beer or two and sing some hymns with the local ELCA churches.
Photo from the Facebook event.