WHAT: Record Store Day
WHEN: Saturday, April 17th
WHERE: Exile on Main St, Parasol Records
LINEUP: Mertz, Beat Kitchen, Elsinore, Take Care, Tractor Kings, S.Words, others
Record Store Day is kind of a big deal, with the whole supporting independent record stores (and by extension, music) thing. “Exilepalooza” will run for a whole twelves hours, ten AM – PM, with pretty much every local band imaginable playing a set. Check out the full lineup here. Over in Urbana, Parasol Records will host a show with New Ruins and Elsinore, plus several acts not yet announced. Both stores are sure to have some awesome free/cheap goodies as well.
WHAT: Laughing Prairie Dog Festival
WHEN: Saturday, May 8th
WHERE: Canopy Club
LINEUP: Jookabox, Yourself and the Air, New Ruins, more TBA
While this isn’t technically official yet, all three acts are confirmed via Myspace. Smoking Popes were a ridiculously good time last semester, and I’m expecting nothing less than the same this time around. Plus, WPGU will probably be giving away a bunch of free tickets to it again.
WHAT: Champaign 150 Music Festival
WHEN: Friday, July 9th and Saturday, July 10th
WHERE: Downtown Champaign
LINEUP: Hum, Delta Kings, Duke of Uke, Tons O’ Fun Band, Candy Foster and Shades of Blue, others
This one is Friday night and all day Saturday on three stages downtown. The main attraction is obviously Hum, who will absolutely pulverize any eardrums within a five block radius. This is also (likely) going to be their first show C-U show in quite a while.
WHAT: Cowboy Monkey’s 2nd Annual Band Hootenanny
WHEN: Saturday, September 11th
WHERE: Cowboy Monkey (Parking Lot)
LINEUP: TBA
While the lineup for this one is still being constructed, expect ten or so local bands playing in the bank parking lot, plus some very confused members of the Jim Gould crowd.