SPlog

One last song to shamelesslier promote our Pygmalion set tomorrow, Saturday the 18th, at 8pm – Mike ‘n Molly’s…. Be there and be square…The future of rock and roll is nigh!  

with Tristan Wraight on third guitar.

I featured local blogger Tom Nelshoppen last spring for his hard work with Illinois Baseball Report and The Baseball Zealot. He’s having guest bloggers predict who will take home the hardware for MVP, Cy Young, …

So on my way home from the Canopy Club last night, my bicycle was hit by a car, leaving me with cuts and bruises all over and forcing me to call in sick to work. …

One of my co-workers brought this to my attention: A veteran Illinois State Police investigator will describe how his re-examination of a 20-year-old Paris, Illinois, murder case revealed that two men had been falsely convicted …

Since things got a little heavy around these parts yesterday, let’s start today on a little lighter note. I took a couple of crappy photographs from the Canopy balcony, and it’s your job to identify …

Here’s your first look at the new sign on the west-facing (front) side of the Independent Media Center. Rockin’ circus letters are courtesy of IMC resident mural painter, Chris Hampson. .  

From an email announcement: The 2nd annual Local Foods BBQ at Common Ground Food Co-op is Thursday, September 17, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Lincoln Square parking lot directly across from CGFC. For …

Headlights perform “Wisconsin Beaches” at WPGU 107.1 last night in advance of their Pygmalion Music Festival performance tonight at Canopy Club.

Morgan Orion and the Constellations will be performing at the Red Herring on Thursday at 6 p.m. as part of Pygmalion, but they’ve also been up to some other cool stuff. For example, they were …

The Ellnora Guitar Festival was a feast not only for the ears, but for the eyes as well. Here are some photos from Smile Politely contributors: Walking across the seats with the National (photo by …

With our Pygmalion set right around the corner this Saturday night at Mike ‘n Molly’s (8pm) I thought I’d post our most “Listener Friendly” song… It’s sort of The Evil Knack meets Dirty Devo and …

Take some time to listen to the work of Jim Gorton, also known as Peninsula. He is making some of the most original, entertaining, and honest music around these parts. www.myspace.com/prettypeninsula

You know, in all the music writing and reviewing I’ve read over the past three decades or more, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen anyone write about onstage jokes. This occurred to me from the …

Okay, yes, if you want to get technical about it, The Ellnora Guitar Festival at the Krannert Center is a guitar festival. Sez so right there in the title. But apart from the stunning guitarists …

If there was ever a question that our finest ambassador of hip hop was going to stay under the radar, that question is being answered. Cheggit here. Even if he did freak out and kick …

From the SID: Sept. 8, 2009 Champaign, Ill.–University of Illinois freshman guard Joseph Bertrand (Sterling, Ill.) suffered a right knee injury during a workout Monday at the Ubben Basketball Complex. Bertrand will undergo arthroscopic surgery …

The lede: Like most people, I was initially confused by EMI’s decision to release remastered versions of all 13 albums by the Liverpool pop group Beatles, a 1960s band so obscure that their music is …

Even though all the sunflowers didn’t make it through the night, memories of music and merriment nursed our hangovers: The Night We Said I Love You Dedbird Kilroy et al  

The connotation of rock-and-roll isn’t as simple as it used to be. With bands stretching the limit of genres and experimentation, the lines have become less distinct as the years pass. Whether or not this …

Gordon Kay submits the following: The Urbana community has several upcoming opportunites to experience the incredible talents of West African Master Drummer Moussa Bolokada Conde.  Bolokada has been playing the djembe (hand drum) since before …

The Native American House (204 and 1206 W. Nevada St., Urbana) is opening their doors on September 9 from 4-6 p.m. for anyone interested in learning a little more about who they are and what …

Scoopsville: rumor has it that Jay-Z is coming to town on November 11… so we hear…

Each week the Champaign Downtown Association presents Happy Tuesdays. For the upcoming promotion, we thought we’d include the canines. We love ’em, and here’s a special shout out to the ones we’ve become friends with …

Champaign Cycle is hosting the Art Gallery Bicycle Tour next Wednesday, Sep 9th. Details at: http://tinyurl.com/njxp2m. Join us for an urban bicycle tour of the galleries in Champaign-Urbana. This is a leisurely ride on which you set …

Been a little while since we’ve done one of these.

A Press Release: http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/090109aag.html Sept. 1, 2009 Fighting Illini Basketball Men’s Basketball Season Ticket Information Opportunities for UI students and public still available Champaign, Ill.—School is back in session and that means the Fighting Illini …

If you can correctly deduce the statement spelled out in the stands, you will get free tickets.

The First Annual Champaign-Urbana Folk and Roots Festival announces its performance and event schedule for September 25th and 26th in and around downtown Urbana! Featuring old-time, bluegrass, blues, conjunto, Cajun and Creole, Celtic , storytelling, …

Vivian Girls (photo by Elzie Sexton): The Beets (photo by Elzie Sexton): My Werewolf Diary (photo by Nichole Sexton):

Hey folks — It’s worth noting that Pygmalion Music Festival passes are just about sold out. There are a handful left at $65 and then after that, we’ll re-assess to determine if any more can …

Dave Witzany passes along the following info: Hey now! This year’s WEFT Fest is Saturday, Sept. 5 from 2 until 9 p.m. in Mike & Molly’s beer garden.  This year it also signals the end …

37th Annual Arthur Amish Country Cheese Festival begins this Saturday, September 5 at 6 a.m. with an all-you-can-eat pancake & sausage breakfast at the firehouse. You can even win a national title at the National …

In a bit of good news, The Chicago Tribune has stopped its heartwarming witch hunt re: the $400,000 “scandal” it invented about the University of Illinois. Instead, the Trib is now happily reporting the $40,000,000 …

Specific to C-U as metaphorical practice… http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displayStory.cfm?story_id=14309861&source=hptextfeature

Tonight’s show will (hopefully) be the first of many rock shows featuring local/regional, original acts in the show room at the Clark Bar (formerly Nargile). Facebook folks — here. Here’s the rundown: 9:00 – Anthony …

The 48th annual Arthur Mennonite Relief Sale will be held this weekend at the Otto Center, just south of downtown Arthur, IL. Furniture, quilts, toys, and other goods will be auctioned off to support Mennonite …

Courtyard Café’s Justine Bursoni breaks down booking a show.

Congratulations to Ron Cannon, who won two tickets to tonight’s show at the Rose Bowl courtesy of Bloodshot Records. Thanks to everyone who entered!

I’m a little late on the draw on this program, which started in February, but Jerry’s IGAs around town are now giving you 5 cents back and donating 5 cents to local schools for every …

From the Sports Information Department: Deron Williams will host the Illini Hoop Legends For Charity Dinner and Auction on Friday at 6 p.m. at the I Hotel and Conference Center in Champaign, followed by a …

Here’s a sampling of photos from J.P. Goguen. See the full slide show here. The finals, fake mustache division (l to r: Stephen Paca, Dan Schreiber, Barry Isralewitz): Real mustache division winner Phil Graff: A …

From last Friday’s release show for Withershins’ new album, Aeriel, with Take Care and Heyokas at Mike ‘n Molly’s:

It’s nice when a city’s political branch can get together to tweak policy in a positive direction. It’s nice when the unelected branch can implement that policy to improve the cityscape — and encourage people …

Sexually active gay Lutherans can now openly serve as clergy.  Woo hoo! http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/22/us/22lutherans.html?hpw

If I am correct in thinking the White House shrubbery is looking slightly less kempt than usual, I applaud Barack and Michelle Obama. The hedges seem fluffier, less precisely edged. It’s like Urbana, where everything’s …

Bringing you the finest from the Twitterverse: Assembly_Hall Any Rock Fans out there??? 2 Major Concert Announcements tomorrow, Friday, at 5 p.m. Check back then for full details. Nickelback? Motley Crue? fingers crossed

Santa Ana, Calif.’s Aushua is playing at the Canopy Club tonight with Washington, D.C.’s Middle Distance Runner. Showtime is 9 p.m., and it’s a $7 cover. The fine folks in Aushua were kind enough to …