A Night on the Town - DOUBLE FEATURE! - The Detroit Cobras/Chuck Mead

Here in the prairie capital, one of the local food/music festivals is happening downtown.

Food from many of the local, independent restaurants (along with some corporate shills thrown in) are featured in booths surrounding the Old State Capitol, along with adult beverages, including Rolling Meadows Brewery (which has a great wheat beer).

Rachel Nagy (left) and Mary Ramirez (right) from
the Detroit Cobras

Also, great music is featured, including last nights show, the Detroit Cobras.

My good friend, Quietly Disgruntled, turned me on to this great band and it was great to see them live.

Unfortunately, it appeared that there were sound problems from the beginning that hampered the vibe dramatically.  Monitor issues continued throughout the show and it showed on the face of Rachel Nagy (lead vocals), who was muttering curse words and nursing a beer throughout the show.

However, a mediocre Detroit Cobras show is better than none at all, especially since they played my favorite, "Shout, Bamalama!"

Chuck Mead

Moving on after this show, we went down to Bar None (where we've seen other great acts, such as the Waco Brothers & Alejandro Escovedo) to see Chuck Mead (from BR5-49).

Chuck Mead was on target, playing originals, a load of classics from Buck Owens, Webb Pierce and Charlie Daniels, along with favorites from the BR5-49 days, including "Me & Opie" and "Betty, Betty".

The festival continues for another day, with more music and food, including a show from one of the Lady of the Manor's favorites, the great Elizabeth Cook, so, if you are near the prairie capital, stop on in, have a lot of good food and check out some great music!

A Night on the Town - Southern Culture on the Skids

I admitted to the Lady of the Manor....
I got a thing for Mary Huff....
She understands...

Wow...what a time!

Rick Miller, Mary Huff and Dave Hartman can put on a great show.  

Throwing in old favorites, such as "Nitty Gritty", "Camel Walk" and (one of the most exciting parts of the concert) "Eight Piece Box", SCOTS can bring the groove, get the boogie and officiate over a good time.

The Lady of the Manor and myself had a great time and thank SCOTS for the show.

A Night on the Town - Willie Nelson

The old man's still got it!

At 77 years old, Willie Nelson and the Family came out on stage rather punctually.  

With the familiar opening to "Whiskey River", Nelson was eager to play, beginning even before the rest of the band had a chance to get situated.

They fell right in.

With a set list that comprised the familiar ("Funny How Time Slips Away/Crazy/Night Life" Medley) to the not so familiar ("Ou Es-Tu, Mon Amour?"), Nelson and the Family put on a great show.

Little sister Bobbie even got to fit in "Down Yonder".

If there was a disappointment, it was the lack of an encore.  But, at 77, Nelson can do what he wants and I, for one, was happy to get to see him again.

Thank you Willie!!! And thank you to Bobbie, Mickey, Bee, Billy and Paul!!!

A Night on the Town - The Waco Brothers

The Waco Brothers
Enjoying a pint
from the Bloodshot Records website
http://www.bloodshotrecords.com/

According to the Events Calendar, the fabulous Waco Brothers are coming to the prairie capital, playing Bar None (427 E. Monroe in Springfield; Ph: 217-523-3050).

Tom Irwin has a great write-up on the band in the Illinois Times, which includes this statement:

"The band could be considered a collective as each member performs in several different groups and participates in other outside endeavors.  The term fits as well into their revolutionary approach to life and culture, of using the sense of art as more than expression of emotion, reaching beyond to a way of being that considers living a springboard for enrichment of the soul and the betterment of the planet.  Song subjects of the Waco Brothers give away this sentiment with objects of their attention including right-wing radicals, the Bushes, commercial music radio and other favorite notions sure to delight hardcore punkers and left-leaners everywhere.  Politely they infuse this with danceable rock to make it palatable to those who care not for the lyrical content, but come to boogie-woogie."

-Tom Irwin from the January 20 - 26 edition of the Illinois Times

Go check them out this Saturday and wish the Lady of the Manor a "Happy Birthday" while you're at it.