SPlog

The Internet has now reached its full potential, by providing a worldwide audience for Awkward Family Photos. Embarrassing your family has never been easier. Check out the Awkward Hall of Fame for the best of …

The Channing-Murray Foundation is hosting The Farmers’ Table from 7 to 9 p.m. on Market Saturdays at the Red Herring. The Farmers’ Table buys the best produced at the Market and prepares it that evening. …

The new Blind Pig Brew Pub (on Neil St. in downtown Champaign) is open for business, but without any of its own beer for sample. Here’s what’s new for the drinking this weekend. Of course, …

At a time when it’s more competitive than ever to get into the University of Illinois, some students with subpar academic records are being admitted after interference from state lawmakers and university trustees, a Tribune …

From the mouth of Mike Murphy at Mike ‘N Molly’s: The Viper and His Famous Orchestra are reuniting this summer, and 2 of those gigs will be at Mike N Molly’s. August 7th and 9th. …

Ed note: We often publish C-U band’s tour diaries when they head out on the road to represent us in the great wide open. The content here is just as it appeared when they send …

For those of you looking for some slick deals, check out St. Matthew Catholic Church’s Parish Garage Sale this weekend; it’s one of the largest in the area. It’s located at 1303 Lincolnshire Drive (just …

Roberts said Urbana’s Class A liquor-license fee to operate a bar is $4,462 annually and, unless the council acts to change it, will increase 4.5 percent to $4,663 on July 1. In comparison, Champaign’s current …

The University of Illinois had a successful season, but fell just short of inclusion in the NCAA tournament (here’s the full bracket, if you’re interested). The Illini baseball team finished 1-2 at the Big Ten …

It’s been a couple of weeks since we checked in with Tara and Tyler, who are moseying their way across a good part of the globe on their bikes and recording their journey at Going …

There were plenty of photographers in the crowd at Sunday’s Play or Pose reunion show with fancy professional cameras. So we got a few pics from someone who didn’t have such technology at his disposal …

Strategic Capital Bank of Champaign, Ill., was closed today by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Banking, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver. To protect the depositors, …

It’s always fun to see our little ‘burg mentioned in the same breath as all the others in nationally-known publications. And that’s why we were thrilled to see this. Stay tuned to the SPlog for …

Looking for the best brews in town to enjoy during your holiday weekend? Keep in mind that Radio Maria, The Esquire, and Mike & Molly’s all offer a fine selection of beers. Here’s a specific …

The annual Champaign County Humane Society Memorial Day garage sale is open for business today and tomorrow.  There’s no better place in town to grab bags of used junk this weekend. Full info here. The …

“The idea is to go out so people can see the bicycles and to remember to be careful when driving,” Jones said. “We all have a lot of demands on our attention when we drive, …

Dontcha just love it when bloggers get cryptic with you? We do, too… LBOTP is up to somethin’ somethin’ and we are dying to know what it is.  

A shout-out to the Great Lake Swimmers from misc (with cool video).

That is what I’d truly like to be. Follow this link, give the corporate world (Kraft, in this case) all your information, and you could have some nitrite-laden tubular offal in your mailbox in 4 …

Wednesday, May 20th — Join cyclists worldwide in a silent slow-paced ride (max. 12 mph) in honor of those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways. The ride starts at 7:00pm …

So, things didn’t go quite as planned last Friday, but that doesn’t mean those who were able to make it to the IMC Family Room didn’t have a good time. Thanks once again to all …

In advance of their newest album forthcoming, local pop-punk stalwarts jigGsaw have decided to give a little back to their fans of old and new: The Bird EP. It was completed in 2007, and now, …

In the absence of perhaps the greatest television drama of our lifetimes, some of the more crazy-obsessed folks (like myself) out there are struggling from withdrawal. In the meantime, the some addicts from around town …

This arrived last week from Morgan Orion, he of the Constellations. Check out The Litterbox Collective on MySpace here.

Just how bad is the economy? It’s different, depending on where you are and what industries drive your community. Our little city seems to be doing pretty damn well, given the circumstances, according to the …

No shirt + cut-off jeans = swimming in downtown Champaign.

All right, through the good graces of facilities such as the IMC and many fine bands, we are going to re-boot this sucker in the family room at the IMC – downstairs, down the hall …

Here’s a demo of a song we (Ohtis) are going to debut live at our show tomorrow (Sat. the 16th) at Bentley’s. We will be playing with New Ruins and Santa. Come check us out!

Hey folks, the Champaign PD just stopped by and shut down the house party before it started. We’re scrambling to find an alternate venue, but it’s not going to happen at our house tonight. I’m …

New beers in town this weekend … MIKE & MOLLY’S On tap: Avery New World Porter, Rogue Menage à Frog, Brugse Zot, Founders Centennial, Bell’s Oberon CRANE ALLEY On tap: St Bernardus Witbier, Rogue Shakespeare …

Signs have been posted at the complex saying Nicor would shut off service to the complex for nonpayment of bills effective May 5. As of Wednesday, however, natural gas service had not been terminated. — …

Before they pick up their diplomas on Sunday, they’ll first have to teach more than 180 high schoolers and their parents to survive on a deserted island, program a robot through a maze, and construct …

Near Union and White streets in Champaign this morning:    

Those punks at McKinley Health Center claim to be protecting us from swine flu, but they’re really just chipping away at the foundations of the patronage system. “Nothing but a subtle ‘fuck you,’” indeed. Because …

Morgan Orion and the Constellations just came out with a new music video (by Mongoose Productions). It’s darling.

This year’s WILL Vintage Vinyl Sale will take place in Lincoln Square Village (mall) in downtown Urbana this Saturday, May 16. The sale offers discount prices on used records, DVDs, CDs, and working stereo equipment …

From the AP: Benn Earns Preseason All-America Honors Williams and Hoomanawanui Land on Honorable Mention Lists CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – University of Illinois gridders, Arrelious Benn, Juice Williams and Michael Hoomanawanui have been named to NationalChamps.net’s …

The intrepid cyclists (whom we interviewed a couple of weeks ago) are making steady progress through lower England, with the occasional detour to meet fellow-travelers and visit the home of William Shakespeare. Here are some …

The University of Illinois baseball team lost two of three to Ohio State over the weekend, completing their 2009 home schedule and dropping them into a tie for second place with the Buckeyes in the …

OK, so he isn’t fighting them, but he is definitely trying to update the function of a web search. Wolfram is located on the corner of Kirby and Neil, and yes, they are kind of …

Gateway Studios, an old motel located at 1505 N. Neil St., is being condemned by the City of Champaign for failure to pay its utility bills, forcing its more than 100 residents to find housing …

FREE basement show with 4 local punk bands…. For more information on Local punk shows check out: http://www.myspace.com/217scene

Saw this in the parking lot by Grainger today and I knew I had to post it:

Hardcore punk is  back in C-U!! ESKE (Chicago Southkore Punk)WE MUST DISMANTLE ALL THIS!AUGMENTORHUMAN I.D. (death punk from WI) For Future C-U Punk happenings:http://www.myspace.com/217scene

Man, what are the chances? I was looking for just such a resource while researching the show preview, and then the Onion AV Club comes through, one day late.