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.
Have a show you think we should know about? Email us at music@smilepolitely.com with the details.
MONDAY, September 9th
Urbana Hootenanny
► Rose Bowl Tavern // free // 8 p.m.
TUESDAY, September 10th
Tito Carrillo Group
► The Iron Post // cover // 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, September 11th
Joan Hickey Trio
► The Iron Post // cover // 6 p.m.
Ian Shepherd, Mitchell Killough, Jesse Brown, Clayton Thompson
► Blackbird // free // 9 p.m.
THURSDAY, September 12th
Hobnob String Band
► Rose Bowl Tavern // free // 5 p.m.
Mike Ingram
► Barrelhouse 34 // free // 7 p.m.
3rd Street Down, Young Strangers, Easy Riders
► Nightshop in Bloomington // $6 / 7:30 p.m.
Subtronics
► The Castle Theatre in Bloomington // $20 (sold out) // 9 p.m.
Kayla Brown
► Blackbird // free // 9 p.m.
Little Black Spiders, redLeg
► The Brass Rail // $5 suggested donation // 9:30 p.m.
It has been a minute since Little Black Spiders performed, so this is a pleasant surprise to see them back in the game this week at The Brass Rail, which is starting to do more shows as of late. They’re joined by local rock trio redLeg, and there’s a $5 suggested donation for the bands, so chip in and hit the Rail on Thursday.
Photo from the Facebook event page
FRIDAY, September 13th
Jazz Walk
► Meadowbrook Park // free // 5:30 p.m.
After Curfew
► The Iron Post // $5 // 6 p.m.
Henhouse Prowlers, Down River
► Rose Bowl Tavern // $10 // 7 p.m.
Good shows keep rolling over at the Rose Bowl in Downtown Urbana. This time with Henhouse Prowlers, who are no stranger to C-U since the bluegrass band hails from Chicago. This should be a fun time on Friday night if you are looking for some bluegrass and folk music to fill your evening.
Photo from the Facebook event page
Ryosuke Kiyasu, James Mauck’s Forebeat, From Circumstances, Of Course You Realize…, Blue Movies Trio, Apsal’ara
► Independent Media Center // $6-$10 // 7 p.m.
Sara Quah Band, Marc Boon
► Nightshop in Bloomington // $7 // 7 p.m.
Josh Gracin
► Bloomington Center for Performing Arts // $25 // 7:30 p.m.
Pelican, Bloodiest, Staghorn
► Loose Cobra // $15 advance/$20 day of show // 8 p.m.
Chicago’s prog/metal outfit Pelican hit the Loose Cobra later this week on the heels of their latest record Nighttime Stories, which was released earlier this year. If all goes well and the weather behaves, this show will take place outside adjacent to the Cobra. Pelican is joined by Bloodiest, who is doing a run of dates with the band, and Staghorn.
Photo by Marfa Capodanno
DJ Belly
► Blackbird // free // 9 p.m.
SATURDAY, September 14th
Rumble in the Bumble
► 905 Perkins Rd, Urbana // price varies // Saturday + Sunday
20 yeras since the original Rumble in the Bumble was derailed due to a tornado, there’s this aewsome camping festival taking place this weekend. You can see all the details via the Facebook event and the graphic above, but definitely worth your attention this week.
Julian Dawson
► Sandwich Life House // $20 suggested donation // 7 p.m.
Chris Botti
► Krannert Center for the Performing Arts // $10-$50 // 7:30 p.m.
Stefan Milenkovich
► Krannert Center for the Performing Arts // $5-$40 // 7:30 p.m.
Elsinore, Crofton Coleman, Anika Emily
► The Art Theater // $15 // 8 p.m.
Elsinore have been hard at work on their upcoming record A Life in the 21st Century, and after successfully completing the Kickstarter campaign they launched a short while back, they are performing at the Art Theater on Saturday night. In addition to the live show, they will be screening a bunch of videos filmed for the album by some artists you may be familiar with from C-U.
Graphic from the Facebook event page, photo from album art by Anna Longworth
Tim Parrish and the Last Minute Band
► Rose Bowl Tavern // free // 8 p.m.
Old Smoke
► Pour Bros Craft Taproom’s Artist Alley // free // 8:30 p.m.
There are only a few shows left for the summertime in Pour Bros’ Artist Alley, so if you haven’t done so yet, here’s another opportunity this week to see some live music in Downtown Champaign.
Photo from the Facebook event page
William Marsala, Blake Eyed Lillies, Tom Vrem
► Blackbird // $5 // 9 p.m.
Dawn and Lori, Anne E. Clements
► The Iron Post // cover // 9 p.m.
SUNDAY, September 15th
Emily Anne Band
► Urbana Free Library // free // 2 p.m.
Racket Man
► Sipyard // free // 7 p.m.