The Overture is a rundown of live music and performances happening in Champaign-Urbana (and the outskirts) each week. All of the information is as accurate as we can publish; however, all shows and performances are subject to change at any time. Thank you for understanding.
Did we miss something this week? Have a show coming up you think we should know about? Email us at music@smilepolitely.com with the details.
Monday, February 10th
Urbana Hootenanny
► Rose Bowl Tavern // Free // 8 p.m.
Tuesday, February 11th
Jim Pryor and Tito Carrillo
► Boomerangs // Free // 7 p.m.
Wednesday, February 12th
Choirs at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign present: Chandos Anthem Series, “O sing unto the Lord”
► Smith Memorial Hall // Free // 12 p.m.
Thursday, February 13th
Los Guapos (Krannert Uncorked series)
► Krannert Center for the Performing Arts // Free // 5 p.m.
Jake and Jackson
► Riggs Taproom // Free // 6 p.m.
Cerbo with Kilborn Alley
► Po’Boys Restaurant // Free // 6 p.m.
Painkillers Blues Band
► Baxter’s // Free // 6 p.m.
The 29th Annual Great Cover Up
► The City Center // $10 // 7 p.m.
Bands this night include: Owen’s Funeral, Union Street Players, The Data Waves, Aquila, Gnarly Beth, Warm Darn.
Image: a charcoal drawing of a woman with long blonde hair wearing a hat and round sunglasses. In the glasses, the band name “The Merry Travelers” appears in rainbow scipt. The image is on a tan poster with the event details above and below. Image from the Facebook event.
The Merry Travelers
► Rose Bowl Tavern // Free // 8 p.m.
The Merry Travelers is a musical collective that has been playing around the Urbana area for a while now. Their sound occilates between the psychedlic, the soulful, and the groove. This is a great show to ease yourself gently into the weekend.
Friday, February 14th
Big Bluestem String Band
► Springer Cultural Center // Free // 12 p.m.
Nikola Djokic Trio
► Blackbird // Free // 5 p.m.
Bark
► Sandwich Life House // $20 // 6 p.m.
Jimi Dragonfly
► Clark Bar // Free // 6:30 p.m.
The 29th Annual Great Cover Up
► The City Center // $10 // 7 p.m.
Bands this night include: Karena Tse, Hogchute Collective, Relevator, Nick Rainey, We the Animals, The Bashful Youngens, Elsinore.
Infinite Soul
► Neil St. Blues // Free // 7 p.m.
Corey Evitts
► Urbana VFW // Free // 7 p.m.
UI Symphony Orchestra
► Krannert Center for the Performing Arts // Prices vary // 7:30 p.m.
Somi
► Krannert Center for the Performing Arts // Prices vary // 7:30 p.m.
VIBE
► nightshop // $5 // 8 p.m.
Chicago Farmer & The Fieldnotes (Album release show)
► The Castle Theatre // $17 // 8 p.m.
Nickel and Dimes
► Jupiter’s at the Crossing // Free // 8 p.m.
The Double Dots
► Goldy’s // Free // 8 p.m.
Lou DiBello
► The Icehouse // Free // 8 p.m.
William Marsala
► Pipa’s Pub // Free // 8:30 p.m.
Image: Candy Foster sits, smiling to the camera. He wears a traditional fedora hat with a feather, a black shirt, and a herringbone suit coat. The image is in sepia tones. Image from the Facebook event.
Candy Foster and Shades of Blue
► Rose Bowl Tavern // $7 // 9 p.m.
Danville-native and Champaign-Urbana legend Candy Foster will be playing with his Shades of Blue for what is going to be one of the hottest and most fun shows for a Valentine’s date-night. Foster will be performing a mix of blues and R&B standards along with originals.
Cotton Club Party
► The Canopy Club // Prices vary adv., $20 door // 10 p.m.
Saturday, February 15th
The Unemployed Architects
► Clark Bar // Free // 6:30 p.m.
The 29th Annual Great Cover Up
► The City Center // $10 // 7 p.m.
Bands this night include: Ryan Byfield & Nuclei, Top 4D, Boneyard Brass Band, Decadents, Mike Ingram, Airacobra, X-Krush ft. Larry Gates II.
Image: In this black and white image, four men stands against a black background, shadows playing across their faces. One can see their smiling faces through the shadows. Image from the facebook event.
LLYN, You Folk, Nectar (Album Release Show)
► Rose Bowl Tavern // $7 // 8 p.m.
LLYN is hosting their album release party this Saturday at the Rose Bowl Tavern (We featured their new single, “Documents,” here, and interviewed them on their new album here). You Folk (Chicago) and Nectar (C-U) will be helping to round out the night with different shades of Indie.
Talib Kweli
► The Castle Theatre // $22 adv., $25 door // 8 p.m.
Blues Deacons
► Neil St. Blues // Free // 9 p.m.
Sunday, February 16th
Noah I. Brown
► Urbana Free Library // Free // 2 p.m.
Jonathan Swensen: Young Concert Artist Winner
► Krannert Center for the Performing Arts // Prices vary // 3 p.m.
Image: An illuminated letter Q fillied with gold, red, white, and blue lines begins the text, “Qual dilecta tabernacula tua, domine virtutem!” on parchment paper set against a gray-blue background. Image by Will Doreza, taken from the Facebook event.
The Emmanuel Choir and Schola present: 1662 Evensong, celebrating sacred places
► Emmanuel Memorial Episcopal Church // Free // 4 p.m.
Even if you are pretty averse to religion, an Evensong service is one of the most beautiful musical events Christianity has to offer (in my opinion). This 45-minute service will be a great way to enjoy some beautiful music and decompress before the week begins.
Avant-Gardians
► The Iron Post // Free // 7 p.m.
Lil Tjay
► The Canopy Club // Prices vary adv., $32 door // 9 p.m