Smile Politely

The Overture: June 6-12

WHAT: Monday Night Bounce

WHERE: The Accord (free)

WHEN: Monday, June 6th at 9 p.m.

Open up the week with this free show, featuring Mike Ingram and Cii La’Cole throwing up some classic tunes ranging from 90’s hip-hop to neosoul to current hits. 

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WHAT: Whiskey Shivers, Hot Hand Luke & The Sound, Hot Iron String Band

WHERE: The Accord ($10 advance/$13 door)

WHEN: Tuesday, June 7th at 8 p.m.

The Whiskey Shivers have a punk-influenced country flavor that they like to describe as “trashgrass.” The Austin-based group’s sound is as eclectic as the city they hail from. Come watch them tear up a banjo and fiddle.

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WHAT: Paul Kotheimer, Rich Krueger, Ross Berman

WHERE: Sipyard (free/donations suggested)

WHEN: Wednesday, June 8th at 7:30 p.m.

Urbana’s Sipyard is a unique new spot in the C-U area, and on Wednesday they will host an equally unique folk versus anti-folk experiment, featuring Paul Kotheimer and friends.

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WHAT: Red Hot Summerfest

WHERE: Cowboy Monkey (free/donations suggested)

WHEN: Thursday, June 9th and Friday, June 10th (8 p.m. start), Saturday, June 11th (all ages, 2 p.m. start)

Cowboy Monkey is hosting a FREE three-day musical event this weekend featuring a bunch of the area’s favorite acts. Saturday is an all-ages show with performances by 90’s Daughter and Brat Pack. Donations are encouraged, and all proceeds go to benefit First Gig Rock and Roll Camp for Kids, who are performing the camp’s final concert at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

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WHAT: Nikki Lane, Rebecca Rego & The Trainmen

WHERE: The Accord ($10 advance/$13 door)

WHEN: Friday, June 10th at 8 p.m.

Nashville-based Nikki Lane offers up lilting country vocals over scathing, break-up focused lyrics. Add the folk act Rebecca Rego and the Trainmen as the opener, and you’ve got a rootsy, girl-powered evening that’s definitely worth checking out.

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WHAT: Snayl’s Dreaming of Ghosts Album Listening Party

WHERE: Institute 4 Creativity (free)

WHEN: Friday, June 10th at 9 p.m.

Local dreampop up-and-comers Snayl will release their first full-length album on Friday, and I4C will be playing it in its entirety. Snayl’s Austin Duncan will be offering his album for sale at this all-ages show, and also, there’s pizza.

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WHAT: Kenna Mae and Claire Cannon

WHERE: Iron Post (Cover unavailable, typically $5)

WHEN: Friday, June 10th at 9:30 p.m.

C-U based “Blue Darlin” Kenna Mae recently relocated to New Orleans. She’ll be back in town this Friday to fill her old haunt with some acoustic strumming set over her soulful, deep vocals, and she’s bringing a friend.

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WHAT: Urbana Pops Plays Video Games

WHERE: Urbana High School (free)

WHEN: Saturday, June 11th at 7 p.m.

The Urbana Pops Orchestra entertains with music from your favorite video games. Featuring music from Halo, World of Warcraft, Kingdom Hearts, and more, this is a kid-friendly event that can’t be beat.

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WHAT: Son Mute, Slugs, The Radiation Babies, The Tuesday Lovelies

WHERE: Institute 4 Creativity ($5)

WHEN: Saturday, June 11th at 8 p.m.

These four bands, coming from Missouri, Minnesota, and Central Illinois, are putting on a Midwest punk rock show that will be exemplary of summertime at I4C.

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WHAT: Summer Garden Concert

WHERE: Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden In Mahomet (free)

WHEN: Sunday, June 12th at 5 p.m.

Come out to the Botanical Garden for their first concert of the summer, featuring Wildwood, a bluegrass string band hailing from Mahomet and Champaign. The hosts of this show among the flowers will donate some of the concession proceeds to the restoration of the Botanical Garden.

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