FRIDAY, JUNE 28
Champaign’s Blues, Brews and BBQ Festival, Downtown Champaign, Friday and Saturday
It’s that time of the year again — time to fill your entire body with as much BBQ as you can possibly stomach. Well, I guess I shouldn’t make it sound as violent as it sounds, but certainly here’s your chance to get your fill of some good (and potentially, not so good) BBQ. It’s worth experimenting.
A bunch of vendors will be set up to serve you the best of what they’ve got, and Jess will be taking a closer look at what the festival has to offer food-wise later today. I’m certain other editors will have some things to say about the festival, but check out our preview and prepare. It’s taking place over the course of the weekend, so Friday and Saturday are fair game. I’m most likely taking the Saturday route. (PS)
Hot Cops, Enta, Cassius, Mike ‘N Molly’s, 9 p.m., $5
Hot Cops make their return to this part of the state tonight over at Mike ‘N Molly’s. They’ve performed here quite a few times, including participating in the Great Cover Up, the annual covers fest at the Highdive. Not only are they making this show worthwhile, but locals Enta are most definitely worth checking out as well. They recently released a split, which we discussed in last month’s installment of B-Sides. Cassius is made up of former members of Panel Van.
Hopefully the weather plays nice and this show will be able to take place in the beer garden at Mike ‘N Molly’s, one of the best summer spots in C-U. (PS)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Art Theatre Co-op, Friday, 10:00 p.m. | Saturday, 10:00 p.m. | Sunday, 11:30 a.m.
Before he was kind of a sporadic crank who liked to yell at Access Hollywood reporters about national debt and whatnot, Richard Dreyfuss was a hero of mine. (Okay, he still is, but go with me.) He made some of the best films I saw when I was a kid, including my all-time favorite, Jaws, and this sci-fi gem about a mild-mannered man who has an experience he cannot explain, then tries to explain it, only to scare the crap out of his family, only to find out he’s not crazy after all. Dreyfuss is at his everyguy best here, and the sight of those bouncing lights is still pretty amazing. About ten years ago, on a talk-show, a caller asked him if he thought Spielberg would ever get aroud to making a sequel to Close Encounters. “He did,” Dreyfuss replied. “It was called E.T.” Check out showtimes here, and see this on the big screen. (MG)
SATURDAY, JUNE 29
Urbana’s Market at the Square, Corner of Illinois & Vine Streets in Downtown Urbana, 7 am to noon
This week Market at the Square teams up with Eastern Illinois Food Bank for Buy One, Donate One. Buy a few extra produce items and donate them to the food bank. The produce will help provide nutritious and delicious food to local folks in need. It’s a good cause, so if you’re going, just grab an extra handful or two of your favorite item. Read more about it in this week’s Market Watch. (JH)
Taste of Chicago photography exhibit, Urbana Photography Museum, free
As reported earlier this week in Madeline’s article, Joseph Sterling’s Taste of Chicago photo exhibit is currently on display in downtown Urbana at the Urbana Photography Museum. These striking photos of ordinary folks enjoying some good food and good times are worth checking out in person. The exhibit is open from 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. on Saturdays, and admission is free. (MG)
Grillables sampling at Common Ground Food Co-Op, 11 a.m.
As the 4th of July quickly approaches, you have to get some goods to grill up next week, right? Well, for all of you who are interested in that sort of thing, head over and test out some of those grillables at Common Ground in Urbana. They’ll be posted up for a few hours sampling some of the produce and meats they have to offer that will help you out this holiday. You’ll be able to taste many different options that will set you up for your party next week. They’ll be grilling local in-house meats as well as local meats from Moore Family Farm and Triple S. Sounds like a plan. (PS)
Open Mic Night, Independent Media Center, 6:00–10:00 p.m., $7–$10
This is a joint fundraiser for the University of Illinois Black Graduate Student Association and the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center. It’s open to all ages, and students get in for only $7. (TN)
That’s No Moon, So Long Forgotten, Thin Gin, Cloud Gavin, Cowboy Monkey, 8:30 p.m., $5
That’s No Moon has been hard at work on their follow up to their self-titled debut record from a few years ago. Ben reviewed it way back when, and it seems like a long time since we’ve heard new material from these guys. Their upcoming release is being called Hyperion, so I would be on the lookout for that new material to be going through your eardrums on Saturday night.
They’ll be joined by So Long Forgotten, Thin Gin, and Cloud Gavin. Lots of indie rock going on over at Cowboy Monkey for this Saturday night show. (PS)
SUNDAY, JUNE 30
Evil Dead: The Musical, The Station Theatre, 8 p.m., $10
If you read Thom’s preview earlier this week, you’ll already know that the Station Theatre in Urbana is showing the musical adaptation of Sam Raimi’s venerable cult horror flick Evil Dead this weekend. This all-singing, all-dancing, all-bleeding theatrical production is directed by Mikel Matthews Jr. (who previously directed the Station’s Rent and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, as well as CUTC’s The Producers) and stars local favorite Michael Steen as hero Ash. After this weekend, it will resume play next Wednesday. (MG)
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