WHAT: Abnormous, A Cool Hand
WHERE: The Canopy Club (free)
WHEN: Monday, April 22nd at 10:45 p.m.
Abnormous and A Cool hand are facing off to try to earn a spot at this year’s Summer Camp Music Festival in Chillicothe. Each band will have a 45-minute set to show the audience and judges what they’ve got, and one will prevail to head to Summer Camp, a festival that is supporting local acts like Sun Stereo, DJ Solo, and others. Pretty cool.
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WHAT: Enabler, Recreant, Gas Up Yr Hearse, Doomsayer, Heir
WHERE: Error Records ($6)
WHEN: Tuesday, April 23rd at 7 p.m.
We can’t keep calling Error Records the “new” space anymore, but we can say that they haven’t hosted many shows yet. So in that sense, they’re still relatively new. This is their second show (outside of Record Store Day festivities this past Saturday), playing host to a handful of acts early this week. Milwaukee’s hardcore/metal outfit Enabler headlines.
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WHAT: Jared Kimball, Midas the Crow, Alex Pomerantz
WHERE: The Clark Bar (free)
WHEN: Tuesday, April 23rd at 7 p.m.
The Champaign-Urbana Singer-Songwriter Collective is back at it this week with a trio of musicians on board for this show. Mellow acoustic act Jared Kimball headlines, but is along the same vein as the others performing as well.
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WHAT: Octaves, Oblivion Oasis, Hometown Heavyweights)what:>
WHERE: Error Records ($5)
WHEN: Wednesday, April 24th at 7 p.m.
Again, the Error Records crew is hitting the ground running. Two shows in back-to-back days this week (with a third and fourth later in the week). Maryland’s punk metal outfit Octaves brings some new material to C-U as their new album came out last week on Bridge 9 Records. There is another band listed as TBA for this bill, but even these three make a solid bill for $5.
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WHAT: Steve Poltz
WHERE: Sleepy Creek Vineyards ($15/6+ for $13)
WHEN: Wednesday, April 24th at 7 p.m.
San Diego singer-songwriter Steve Poltz has a couple of tour stops through the Midwest this week, and one happens to be over at Sleepy Creek Vineyards east of Urbana. Some of his other shows have sold out fairly quickly, so if you’re intrigued by this one, you should get tickets before they’re gone.
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EDITOR’S PICK: BOB DYLAN, DAWES
Assembly Hall ($30 students/$42 public) — Thursday, April 25th at 7:30 p.m.
Bob Dylan is back in Champaign. It’s been a few years, but this ramblin’ man is back in this area of the state. For many reasons, this is the highlight of the week because, well, it’s Bob Dylan for chrissakes. The man might be getting up there age-wise, but how often do you get the opportunity to see a legend perform in your own town? Not that often is the answer. Ticket prices aren’t outrageous, either. (Student tickets for $30? Not bad.) Dylan will share the stage with another Americana-esque act in Dawes. Chris will take a closer look at this show later in the week to preview the action.
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WHAT: Kowabunga Kid, Miniboone, Joe Meteorite & the Space Peanuts, Lover’s Speed, The Cheaper Hits
WHERE: Mike ‘N Molly’s ($5)
WHEN: Thursday, April 25th at 8 p.m.
This week’s installment of the 5 Bands 5 Bucks series at MIke ‘N Molly’s features a mixture of locals and out-of-towners, per usual. Top-billed act is Champaign’s fuzzed-out surf-rock outfit Kowabunga Kid. They have some pretty solid material, even though their songs only last about tow minutes on the high end most of the time. They still rock.
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WHAT: Withershins, Tarantulahawk, Victory Verdun, From The Mire
WHERE: Error Records ($5)
WHEN: Friday, April 26th at 7 p.m.
Post-rockers Withershins headline a show this week after supporting the Appleseed Cast at Mike ‘N Molly’s last Thursday. This time they’re going to take a stab at the space Error Records has (those guys weren’t kidding about wanting to host shows, four shows this week). If you haven’t done so already, check out Withershins’ Silver Cities. We thought it was pretty good.
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WHAT: The Curses, Mille Nomi, Year of the Bobcat, DJ Isaac Arms
WHERE: Mike ‘N Molly’s ($7)
WHEN: Friday, April 26th at 8 p.m.
Alt-country-folk-rock band The Curses take over Mike ‘N Molly’s in an all-local bill to round out the week. Hopefully the weather cooperates and we’ll start seeing shows going down in the always awesome beergarden. Mille Nomi just released their new EP, The Human EP, which you can stream over at their Bandcamp page.
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WHAT: Family Groove Company, Zmick, Brainchild
WHERE: The Canopy Club ($8)
WHEN: Friday, April 26th at 9 p.m.
This trio of bands is featured at the Canopy Club for Summer Camp Music Festival’s pre-party. Chicago’s Family Groove Company headlines the occasion with their own personal blend of jazz-infused rock. This week has a couple of events geared towards Summer Camp, so if that is the festival you’re excited about, these two shows might be what you’re looking at this week.
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WHAT: I am God., Street Justice, An Evening With Your Mother
WHERE: Red Herring ($3)
WHEN: Friday, April 26th at 10:30 p.m.
Late night three band bill is going down at Red Herring later this week. It’s Friday night, so no work/school in the morning, so it’s okay. This all-local bill features glitch-electro outfit I am God., Street Justice, and folk crew An Evening With Your Mother. Price is cheap for this show, too. A buck a band.
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WHAT: It Lies Within, The Beauty In Her Eyes, Empyrean, Ghost of Amaryllis
WHERE: Error Records ($8)
WHEN: Saturday, April 27th at 7 p.m.
Show #4 at Error Records this week. Busy busy busy folks over there. This four band show is headlined by It Lies Within, who is about to head out on a pretty extensive tour at the end of April / beginning of May. They’ll kick things off in C-U.
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WHAT: Sonny Stubble, Duke of Uke & His Novelty Orchestra, Costas
WHERE: Mike ‘N Molly’s ($5)
WHEN: Saturday, April 27th at 8 p.m.
Local alt-country-rock act Sonny Stubble takes on Mike ‘N Molly’s this weekend with another familiar C-U act in Duke of Uke. They’ll be joined by “traditional Colombian music” playing Costas, which sounds pretty interesting and different from something we’d normally see at Mike ‘N Molly’s.
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WHAT: Kilborn Alley
WHERE: The Iron Post ($10)
WHEN: Saturday, April 27th at 9 p.m.
The great blues rock band Kilborn Alley is celebrating its 13th anniversary this Saturday. They’re doing it at a venue they’re quite familiar with at this point in the Iron Post. No word if there are any bands supporting them for this show, but I don’t think they need it. They can hold their own and have proved to be able to do so over the past thirteen years performing in C-U. Congratulations to them from us, and head over and see them if you’re so inclined to celebrate with them.
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WHAT: Sun Stereo, Grandkids
WHERE: Krannert Center for the Performing Arts (free)
WHEN: Saturday, April 27th at 9:30 p.m.
Pygmalion Music Festival’s Spring Show Series continues with this year’s Pygmalion Afterglow series at Krannert. Last year, this show featured Elsinore and Common Loon, and this year, Sun Stereo and Grandkids are having a go at things in the lobby of Krannert. This is definitely one to see this week, and in addition to that, it’s free. If you haven’t done so already, you need to check out Grandkids’ new record. It’s incredible. Seriously, go now.
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WHAT: The Thin Souls, The Handcuffs, Unknown Pleasures
WHERE: Cowboy Monkey ($5)
WHEN: Saturday, April 27th at 9:30 p.m.
Local indie rock trio the Thin Souls take over the stage at Cowboy Monkey this weekend. You can check out a new single from the band over at their Bandcamp page. Chicago’s Handcuffs and Unknown Pleasures join the local crew for this one Saturday night.
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WHAT: Nahko & The Medicine People, Dustin Thomas, Jaik Willis
WHERE: The Canopy Club ($11)
WHEN: Saturday, April 27th at 10 p.m.
Experimental performer Nahko is joined by his entire group the Medicine People in what should be an interesting show over at the Canopy Club this weekend. Liz will have a full preview of this show later in the week to discuss what is in store for this bill on Saturday.