In the line of major concert news this week, Drury University announced that Grammy nominee emcee J Cole will bring the Campus Consciousness Tour to O’Reilly Family Event Center on April 23. J Cole made a name for himself in the mixtape circuits and bust onto the viral radar with Friday Night Lights, then became the first artist signed to Jay Z’s Roc Nation. His first album Cole World: The Sideline Story debuted at No. 1 last fall on Billboard and landed him a nomination for the Grammy of Best New Artist. Other artists on the bill haven’t been confirmed by Drury yet, but a video promoting the tour announced rapper Big K.R.I.T. would be the opener for the tour. Tickets will be available mid-February. Additional details to come.

Fire, Rain and SGF?

JQH Arena has done it again, bringing in another Grammy-winning act, announcing James Taylor will play on Missouri State’s campus July 17. Taylor is a world-renowned singer/songwriter who has sold more than 50 million albums, earned 40 gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards and five Grammy awards.

Tickets go on sale Feb. 10 through MissouriStateTix.com. Charge by phone at (417) 836-7678, 888-476-7849. Ticket Prices are $79.50 and $49.50 plus handling fees.

Songs you might (probably) know: “Fire and Rain,” “Country Road,” “Something in the Way She Moves,” “Mexico,” “Shower the People,” “Your Smiling Face,” “Carolina In My Mind,” “Sweet Baby James,” “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight,” “You Can Close Your Eyes,” “Walking Man,” “Never Die Young,” “Shed a Little Light,”
“Copperline,” among others.

The Black Cloud Tour

The second listing on the bill is Pennsylvania’s underground lyrical heavyweight King Magnetic. King Mag’s 2011 single release “Watch Out” spent time near the top of the college charts, and his next full-length album, EAG III, drops a week after the SGF show.

It doesn’t end there, Brooklyn’s Block McCloud is also on the bill, whom you may know from appearances with Method Man, Kurupt, Jedi Mind Tricks, Immortal Technique and Jean Grae among others.

SGF will get its shine too, as local hip hop will warm up the stage. Mask & Glove (Brief and Nick Fury), DJ Platinum, Sylabol7 and Loogey are on the bill. Ticket details and more as the information comes. Until then, debrief yourself on the prime YouTube selections below.

Outland Ballroom (3/6/12)
Lineup:
Cappadonna
King Magnetic
Block McCloud
Mask & Glove
DJ Platinum
Sylabol7
Loogey

Earmuffs! Songs below are NSFW (or children)

Cappadonna, “’97 Mentality”

Cappadonna, “Milk The Cow”

Cappadonna, “Oh Donna”

Cappadonna, “Run”

Cappadonna, “Slang Editorial”

King Magnetic, “I Don’t Know You”

King Magnetic, “Watch Out

Block McCloud, “Crazy Man”

Mask & Glove

Sylabol7, “I Wanna”

Thomas (left) and Big Smith at the Show-Me Music Festival. Photo by Alex Stocksdale.

Announced performers:
Barak N Hill
Dallas Jones
Kasey Rausch
Brandon Moore
Cindy Woolf & The Foxxes
Mike Stevens
Brother Wiley
Members of Big Smith, Speakeasy, the Cropdusters and the Bootheel

SGF's Lando Beats

When Ryshon started his Brightest Nights, Darkest Days mixtape, I wanted him to describe the exact sound he was looking for out of me since I do sample free beats as well as sample beats. He said he wanted the tape to sound like “Sigur Ros meets Marvin Gaye”. I’d never heard of Sigur Ros, so I downloaded their discography and did some digging. Then I found a way to give the Ryshon what he wanted. I made Sigur Ros meet Marvin Gaye on the same beat… literally.

Check out the video to watch Lando Beats producing the instrumental for “Neo Renaissance”.

Ryshon’s whole mixtape is available for free download 2DopeBoyz.

Our 2010 chili neighbor Frank with the Swine Flu Chili. This year TAG will be booth'd up next to the Springfield Roller Girls.

Beer Garden Stage (Upstairs)

10:45 a.m. — Full Circle Band

Noon — The Airwalks

1:15 p.m. — The Jakebrakers
no video found
2:30 p.m. — Sock Monkey

3:45 p.m. — Cole Porter Band

Event Stage (Main floor)

11:30 a.m. — The HillBenders

1 p.m. — Big Smith

2:45 p.m. — Trash Angels

4 p.m. — Machine Gun Symphony

Thomas (left) and Big Smith at the Show-Me Music Festival. Photo by Alex Stocksdale.

Big Smith bassist Bill Thomas has returned from Fayetteville! In a statement released by the band, Thomas was discharged from the Arkansas hospital Tuesday following a stroke on Jan. 19. “This is only a step in the process, of course, as Bill is starting a new and challenging phase of his recovery. But at least he’ll be in familiar, comfortable surroundings, reunited with his children after these long five days.”

Big Smith is planning to play all of its currently scheduled concerts, with Reed Herron (Speakeasy) filling in. The band will take donations for the Thomas family at the shows, as well as by check and online.

We are currently making plans to allow Big Smith to fulfill our existing performance obligations. We can tell you that we will be performing this Saturday at Lil’ Dallas in Fair Grove as scheduled. Reed Herron from Speakeasy will nobly fill in for Bill. We will have a jar set up for those of you in attendance that would like to donate cash, and will continue to provide you that opportunity over the next few months.

Mail checks or money order made out to “Big Smith” with “Cousin Bill” on the memo line, to:

Cousin Bill donation fund
2020 N Douglas Ave
Springfield, MO 65803

The Avett Brothers are playing Drury’s O’Reilly Family Event Center March 10, and thanks to Dwight Glenn Promotions, TAG readers can join the Drury community and pre-order tickets today (Jan. 18) at 10 a.m. Tickets officially go on sale Friday, but you can make sure to reserve your spot in the O for one of American folk music’s biggest acts.

Hit Drury University Tickets online and enter the code “drury”.

Slapdash Science earned a spot on the Wakarusa music festival bill this summer by winning the fan vote at the Waka Winter Classic Saturday at the Outland Ballroom. Five SGF bands (Slapdash Science, SPiNRaD, Quantum Groove, Buddha’s Groove Shoes and Sunset to Burns) squared off on the loaded bill for a slot on Mulberry Mountain. An annual festival, Wakarusa is May 31 thru June 3 at Mulberry Mountain in Ozark, Arkansas. Other bands already listed to play include Primus, G. Love and Special Sauce, Umphrey’s McGee, Girl Talk, Keller Williams and dozens more (including former SGF rapper Les Izmore’s KC project Hearts of Darkness).

Slapdash Science (video not from Saturday’s show)

South by Southwest (SXSW) at Austin (Texas) Music Week can be the launching point for musical careers. SGF duo Paper Anchors is in Hometown Sound, an online contest (by fan vote) to land a spot to perform at SXSW as well as record a music video in Los Angeles. Paper Anchors is in 23rd (as of 4:32 p.m.). You can vote once per day. Paper Anchors will release its debut EP, Mirrors Facing Mirrors tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 13) at the Outland Ballroom with Call Me Beta and The Collective.

Chevelle

Per TAG Editor Emeritus Chris DeRosier:

DOOD. Chevelle is awesome live. Middle Class Rut is pretty good on record, too.

Steven Curtis Chapman and Sparrow Records mates Andrew Peterson, Josh Wilson will perform at Gillioz March 4.

Steven Curtis Chapman, “Do Everything”

Andrew Peterson, “Dancing in the Minefields

Josh Wilson, “I Refuse”

With just one flight case SGF’s D.J.P. has taken Master of the Mix by storm. D.J.P. has won the past seven weekly fan votes for BET’s competitive DJ reality show, and needs your votes for two more days. The season finale is tonight at 11 p.m. central and immediately following the episode you can vote on Facbook for 48 hours. P told M.E.O. Radio that staying alive after certain challenges was as important as his impressive challenge wins. So help bring the Master of the Mix title home to SGF with the originator of the mash up, D.J.P. And, of course, there’s something in it for him … only $250-grand (as in four zeros after the “25″), a one-year gig and his grill on a bottle of Smirnoff.

[[Show as slideshow]]
Photos by Brett Johnston and Kyle Green (BakedFreshDaily.com) from D.J.P.’s set during Tuesday’s Stew.

Find D.J.P. live next Thursday at Outland Ballroom.

Blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa was once called “the future of blues,” but is now widely recognized as one of the world’s best. He wasHis new album, Dust Bowl, has been nominated for Blues Music Awards. He’s made trips to SGF for cozy shows in the likes of blues bar Nathan P Murphy’s, but will make his return at Juanita K Hammons Hall. The show is slated for Tuesday, May 1. Tickets are already available through the JFHH site and range from $49-$79. The tour is in support of his ninth studio album, Dust Bowl. Download the single for free on his website. And if you still don’t know about Joe Bonamassa, check out the video below from the Royal Albert Hall in London. A. Maz. Ing. Get on the tickets quick before people within a day’s drive beat you to them.

Joe Bonamassa at Royal Albert Hall, “Sloe Gin”

Not to start 2012 on a downer, but a couple of relatively well-known local bands went through significant changes just before and during the holidays. That’s right: As with Thanksgiving, a major holiday leaves local music fans with some sorting out to do. We’ll see if we can help with it.

First came local indie group The North Decade, which is now back to the configuration it began as—a solo vehicle for Ryan Spilken‘s songs—after a brief tour brought tensions between band members to a head. The good news is that the band isn’t gone as a result; Spilken says he is performing solo under the TND name for now and even recording a follow-up album to last year’s excellent What You’d Give Up Tomorrow You’ll Pay For Today with Jonathan James at Dark Egg Studio. There will probably be a search for new band members at some point, though that process hasn’t begun yet.

There is a lot less certainty surrounding Assembly Line Gods, however. Just after Christmas word came down that lead singer and lyricist David Samples was departing the band. Here’s the official word from ALG, via Facebook:

It’s with heavy hearts that we announce that David Samples has decided to no longer be part of Assembly Line Gods. We hope that all of you, like us, continue to follow and support him in all his future projects and wish him well. Realizing this is some shocking post-Christmas news, we will keep you updated on the future as we can. Thank you all for supporting us!

While the hard rock group isn’t officially over, the absence of the man who drove its lyrical themes and inspired a lot of its artwork places it in the dreaded “indefinite hiatus” category. Fear not, though; while there isn’t much the remaining members of ALG can do with that band at the moment, they’re certainly keeping busy. Drummer Carson Underwood says he is teaming up with Motherstar bassist Ruben Smith (who also filled in on bass with ALG) and guitarist Kyle Ragsdale as well as Murlesque guitarist Johnny Jacobs on a new project—one Smith says he and Ragsdale have left Motherstar to work on. No official word yet from Motherstar on what that means for that band’s future, either.

Is your head spinning yet? If not it probably will be in the weeks ahead. You can be sure these stories will continue to develop.

We’re just days away from the giant lighted ball descending over Times Square in New York, which means if you haven’t already thought about where you want to be on New Year’s Eve and what you want to be doing you probably should. Most events fill up fast and some require reservations, so to keep you from missing out on your chance to hear a great live band or attend some of the city’s biggest electronic dance parties we’ve included a list below to get you started. Again, these are New Year’s Eve events featuring live music or prominent EDM shows; we’re all about satisfying music lovers here. With that said, your options this year are rich, deep and varied. It’s safe to assume all of the events listed below, with the exception of family-themed ones, will include a champagne toast at midnight. Of course, if there’s live music or a good EDM party left off the list, include it in the comments below; we want as many people to know what’s going on as possible, and leaving no stone unturned is important. Let’s begin, shall we?

FIRST NIGHT SPRINGFIELD

Let’s start with the most family-friendly option, as NYE isn’t just for adults. First Night rolls into this year’s countdown with 10 spots buzzing with activity before the fireworks go off at Mediacom Ice Park at midnight. Here’s what’s going on at each:

• 1984 — Video game playing until 11:30 p.m.
• Canvas Art Gallery — The Lowdown Fancy (7 p.m.), Blackberry Winter (8:30 p.m.) and Abbie Benton & The Eskimo Girls (10 p.m.)
• Discovery Center of Springfield — Interactive museum activities from 6 to 11 p.m.
• Gillioz Theatre — New York International Children’s Film Festival Kid Flix Mix 2011 (6 p.m.), The Skinny Improv (7 p.m.) Downhere (8 p.m.), The Skinny Improv (9 p.m.) and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (10 p.m.)
• Jordan Valley Park — First Night’s Last Song winners The Kilgore Sisters (11:30 p.m.) and fireworks at midnight
• Landers Theatre — Springfield Little Theatre Young Artists & Youth Players (7 p.m.), Y.E.S. Troupe (8 p.m.) and The Kilgore Sisters (9 p.m.)
• Mediacom Ice Park — The RetroGnomes (9:30 p.m.)
• Park Central Branch Library — The Fishin’ Magicians (6 & 7 p.m.), Lyal Strickland (8 p.m.) and SPiNRaD (9 p.m.)
• Vandivort Center Theatre — Voices of Deliverance (6 & 8 p.m.), Total Praise (7 & 9 p.m.) and Ned “The Band” Wilkinson’s First Annual Last Ever Farewell Concert (10 p.m.)
• YMCA — Face painting, balloon twisting, Chinese name painting & more hands-on kids activities (5:30 p.m.)

—Advance tickets are $7 each or $25 for a family four-pack and day-of tickets are $8 or $30 for a family four-pack. Get them at Price Cutter Stores in Springfield, Ozark & Nixa; Springfield location Kum & Go convenience stores; major SGF library locations (The Library Center, The Library Station, Park Central Branch Library, Brentwood Branch Library); the Creamery Arts Center and the Urban Districts Alliance offices.

THE OUTLAND/HIGH LIFE/BALLROOM COMPLEX:

The three venues become one self-contained live music crawl of sorts similar to what they did for their Springfield Skatepark benefit earlier this year, with one $10 cover charge getting anyone 18 or older into the whole building for the night. Upstairs at the Ballroom you’ll find J.M. Buttermilk’s Hot Buttered Soul ‘n’ R&B Revue holding it down with its latest revised, bigger-than-ever night of ’60s soul classics, while the two downstairs stages offer up performances for those down with live instruments (’90s covers group Jessie & The Rippers, Slapdash Science and C.H. McCoy’s Jazz Illusion) or turntable-led hip hop (Mask & Glove, The Spacetones, Trak Masta Tom and Sylabol7).

SPRINGFIELD’S GOT TALENT:

The Ramada Oasis Convention Center turns its New Year’s party into a talent show with 12 performers (including local band Big Iron and Tom Gibson of The Seed and Elevenpoint Outlaws) competing to win more than $2,000 by a combination of celebrity judges such as J. Fotch of Power 96.5 FM, Chris Louzader of Midwest Family Radio and Dan Reiter of the Springfield Cardinals, as well as fan voting. A portion of the proceeds raised will benefit Children’s Miracle Network. You can learn more about packages, which include hotel stay, tickets and more, here.

NEW YEAR’S EVE MASQUERADE BALL

The Savoy Ballroom gets creative with this theme party with creative-black-tie attire. Bella Donna (8 p.m.) and SGF rock ‘n’ roll greats The Skeletons (10 p.m.) perform during the night. You’ll also enjoy mimes, a DJ, portrait photography, artwork for sale (a portion of their sales benefits the Muscular Dystrophy Association), full bar, appetizers and desserts and more. Look alive at the midnight balloon drop, too, as many of the balloons contain prizes. Cost is $45.

NYE DUBFIXX

Remmingtons Downtown gets busy with DJ dubstep sets by Little Rock’s Wolf-E-Wolf, Columbia’s Dr. Awkward and locals Strange People, DJ Johan & Nick Nice, Hayze and Gonzo. Cover charge is $15 at the door. Minors, be aware: If you leave the building it will cost you $2 to get back in.

THE END OF THE WORLD PARTY

Oh, yeah, did we mention it’s the New Year’s Eve for 2012, also known as The Year of Mayan Doom? LemonDrop is having some fun with the notion (might as well, right?), throwing an costume party (interpret the end-times theme however you’d like) inspired by novelist Bret Easton Ellis and including musical performances by Josh & The Jerks, Some Young Animal, JFyv, Falls Off Tables and Plaid Dragon. Cover charge is $5 and the proceeds go to benefit CASA. Starts 8:30 p.m.

From there we move from wide-scale and themed events into more focused fun, though no less exciting. For example:

* Big Smith continues its roll toward retirement next spring with a performance at Patton Alley Pub together with guest opener Guta. It’ll cost you $15 to get in.

* Speakeasy, fresh from recording its next album, pairs up with local rockers The Bootheel to blow the lid off Lindberg’s. Talk about an end-of-year bash.

* The Norman Jackson Band and SPiNRaD (doing the double with its second show of the night) ring in the new year at Jalen’s Place. Your $10 cover includes food.

* Canto 17 is the featured live music act for The Tower Club’s annual NYE event. Dinner at 8 p.m. is for members only, but the party and show are just $10.

* Cartoons brings you a night of music and food with The Mark Chapman Band and Bad Habit. Your cover charge includes a complimentary shot to start the night; dinner specials including cherry smoked prime rib, lemon roasted chicken and Alaskan crab leg; and your choice of a bottle of wine or champagne with dinner.

* The Dropouts rock out Galloway Station. Party starts at 7 p.m.(!)

* The Covergirlz headline the night’s festivities at Three 20′s Club, complete with balloon drop. Cover is $10.

We don’t know how you celebrate the day after Christmas—going back to work, nursing a hangover, hitting up tha basketballz or what have you—but the members of Speakeasy do it by going back into the studio. Today through Wednesday Marcus Chatman, Shawn Eckels, Ryan Fannin and Reed Herron are hunkering down inside The Studio on South Avenue to record their first record since 2008′s All Your New Favorite Songs with local legend Lou Whitney, same as they did in September. The difference now, however, is that the longtime SGF rock band is out to record and release a physical album rather than individual tracks monthly on its website. With that in mind, singer and guitarist Shawn Eckels says to look for at least nine or 10 tracks to make it onto the finished record—which doesn’t have so much as a working title at this time—and possibly more songs if time allows. It’s a compressed recording schedule matched only by its compressed release schedule; Eckels says to look for the record in very early 2012. Whether or not that means we’ll see it before he hits the road on tour with Andy Frasco for six weeks starting January 15 remains to be seen, though it would seem like a long shot. We’ll keep you posted on more album details as they come in.

With the recording for LuciD‘s first full-length album, On the Record, complete it’s time for the SGF-based rock/hip hop group to think about a CD release party. For that, similar to the album’s recording, the band is bringing on some good help to blow it up big: Machina, the Arkansas hard rock band whose members Phil Taylor (whom you’ll remember from Future Leaders of the World) and John LeCompt (whom you’ll remember from Evanescence and We Are the Fallen) engineered the recording of On the Record, are coming to SGF for the first time in more than two years to play the release party February 4 at The Outland Ballroom. Rounding out the bill are local hair-metal throwback group BadminxX and popular indie act Call Me Beta. Guitarist Jake Bollinger tells us you can expect a guest spot by Taylor during LuciD’s set to perform “Rise Up” together as he does on the recorded version, and there will likely be some other surprises, too. Those, however, are being kept under wraps for now. Till then, here’s a reminder of something that isn’t a secret: the album’s first single, “Rad Bro,” a sarcastic tearing-down of modern male self-obsessed “bro” culture and its bro king, Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino of Jersey Shore. You can bet he won’t be the last person in the album’s metaphorical crosshairs.

And a little something of Machina’s from back when to remind you how they do:

You can pick up advance tickets now for $10. You can reserve yours by contacting the band via Facebook.

Ask around among the musicians and fans of the SGF folk, Americana and singer-songwriter communities whom they’ve listened to most lately and there’s a better-than-good chance you’ll hear the name The Avett Brothers come up a few times. They group, helmed by brothers Seth and Scott Avett, has steadily gained a devout following since emerging from the ashes of North Carolina band Nemo in the early ’00s. The group shot into the stratosphere of attention, though, with the release of its major-label debut, I and Love and You, on Rick Rubin‘s American Recordings label in 2009. Not only has the band appeared on network TV as the musical guest all over the late-night circuit since then, but the group also held down its own episode of Austin City Limits and performed a Bob Dylan classic at the Grammy Awards last year together with Mumford & Sons and the man himself:

Why am I telling you all of this? Because the group is coming to SGF, as comfortable a fit of artist and city as I can think of having here in a while. The show was officially announced this afternoon at Drury University’s O’Reilly Family Event Center on Saturday, March 10 at 8 p.m. Tickets go on sale January 20 (Friday) at 10 a.m. through the OFEC box office for $29.75 for reserved seating and $39.75 for general admission/floor seats. You can get your tickets by calling 417-873-6389 or going to the Drury ticketing website (registration required). This is not a show to pass up, as the opportunity to get a red-hot act with real below-the-radio’s-radar cred such as this may not come again for a long time.

You read that right: Dubstep is coming to Gillioz Theatre. Rusko, the English dubstep phenom (real name Chris Mercer) whose career took off with the song “SNES Dub” in 2006 and hasn’t looked back since, comes to SGF Tuesday, February 28 for a stop on his tour of college markets across the United States. The show carries a local opener, too: DJ Johan, the co-founder of local monthly dubstep powerhouse DubfixX. Tickets go on sale this Friday (December 16) and you can purchase them by clicking here.

Rusko’s popularity surged with the help of working with mainstream artists such as M.I.A., Britney Spears and T.I. and it’s no wonder. His point of distinction in the world of dubstep is his playful touch, and it’s well exemplified in his biggest song to date, “Cockney Thug:”

This is gonna be fun.

It’s official: As was just announced on KTTS radio, Big Smith‘s farewell concert will actually be two concerts at Gillioz Theatre, both scheduled to take place over Cinco de Mayo weekend on May 5 and 6. Saturday night’s concert will get started at 7 p.m., while Sunday’s matinee show will begin at 3 p.m. Tickets for each are ready to sell for $18.50, $22.50 and $24.50, depending on seating, and you can get them here beginning this Friday (December 16) at noon.

The Dwight Glenn Productions shows are officially carry the title “Goodbye, Farewell & Amen: Big Smith Says Sayonara to Springfield,” a name older SGFers might realize they’ve heard before. In this case, though, “goodbye” comes with the promise of numerous as-yet-unannounced special guest musicians (and will they be announced?) and some charitable tie-ins, as concert posters will be available with a $1 donation to Ozarks Food Harvest, an amount People’s Bank of the Ozarks has announced it will meet up to a $1,000 limit.

So why two concerts, effectively rendering Saturday’s show more “farewell” than farewell? Simple: to give as many people as possible the chance to fill the 1,200-ish-seat theatre for one more chance to see and hear as influential a group as SGF has produced in the last two decades. It’s also a chance for two shows with different personalities: Saturday’s show can be the usual nightlong hillbilly party longtime fans are used to, while Sunday’s afternooner concentrates on a more family-friendly atmosphere and cleaner song presentation. In other words, depending on your tastes and time, Big Smith is looking to satisfy whichever experience will make the memory last longest. Isn’t that what goodbye is all about?

Straight from left field comes the latest concert announcement from Gillioz Theatre: Blue October, the modern-rock group that exploded into the mainstream consciousness in 2006—eight years into its career—with this song:

The band has been on a roll ever since, taking its latest album, Any Man In America, to number one on the Billboard Alternative and Rock charts with the help of songs such as “The Chills:”

This is yet another case of SGF getting a band in town in full career upswing, another nice notch in the city’s belt of cred and a boon for mainstream rock fans. Because of that, when tickets go on sale this Friday (December 16) for the band’s April 15 performance you had better move fast. Ticket prices haven’t been formally announced yet will be $27.50 in advance or $30 the day of the show, but be ready to call the Gillioz box office at 417-863-9491 or click here to get them. We’ll have more details when they’re available.

Big Smith at the Show-Me Music Festival earlier this year. Photo by Alex Stocksdale.

We knew the end was coming; now, in a few days, we’ll know when. Local music great Big Smith has announced a press conference for Tuesday morning at Gillioz Theatre to announce details regarding its farewell concert in Springfield. Almost no further details were given beyond that, but here’s what we know and/or can surmise:

- First, the announcement says the show will be promoted by Dwight Glenn Productions, the same group that put Big Smith on the bill with The Ozark Mountain Daredevils and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in November.

- Second, the show will be at Gillioz Theatre, as press conferences for events such as this are almost always held at the same location where the event will take place.

Other than that, we’ll have to wait and see. It’s a safe bet, though, that, given the occasion and the placement in a big-ticket venue, you’ll want to be prepared to spend a little more than the typical Big Smith show to get in, and you’ll want to be ready to pounce on tickets when they become available. The Gillioz may be bigger than most of the SGF rooms this band typically plays in, but it will play to a packed house nonetheless.

Forget that show opening for The Dwarves and Nashville Pussy a few months ago; that was a shortened set performed just to say they played with The Dwarves. Think of that performance by SGF British-Wave-inspired metal greats The Filthy Thirds as the practice run rather than a real reunion. See, now we have a date for a full-fledged reunion set from the band that was never going to reunite: Friday, January 20, 2012. There isn’t much more info available yet than that and the announcement of VideoVamp as one of the opening acts, but we’ll get you more when it comes along. For now, here’s a reminder of what you’re likely to be in for:

From band to broken up to band again and now to recorded band, SGF punk group Molotov Latte has been through a whirlwind. Its reunited and revised (former Dead Aheads member Dalton Elliott is now on drums) lineup appears to be more ambitious than ever, though, as evidenced by winning one of two slots in a battle of the bands to open for The Queers last weekend and by its upload last night of a brand-new, five-song demo to its Facebook player just a few months after re-forming as a band. You can listen to all five tracks by clicking here and watch for more concerts from this hard-working group in the very near future.

The Bootheel has a big, big week ahead of it. First, the Southern Rock/indie/Americana group is among the performers for Thursday night’s Imagine Concert at Gillioz Theatre, a gig considered an honor among many local musicians due to the concert’s history and its role as a tribute to the late Beatles member and solo artist John Lennon. Then there’s Saturday’s opportunity to open for highly respected Southern rockers Lucero, not to mention it’s a choice spot on a Forever Endeavor Productions show. In all, that makes for a whole lot of new fans the band could make, and it’s making the most of its opportunity by offering up its first two albums, Gold Tops and Transatlantic Drag, for FREE download on its BandCamp page. It’s a limited-time offer, so head over there quick and get to clicking. Click here to go to the page, where you’ll find links to each of the two albums on the right-hand side.

If you’re planning on going downtown to First Night Springfield for your New Year’s Eve festivities, here’s some of what you’re going to see:

- Venues full of music, kids’ activities, ice skating and more

- The newly renovated Park Central Square abuzz with with performers showcasing their skills in the new swank environment

- A ginormous fireworks display at Mediacom Ice Park at the stroke of midnight

- and, just before the countdown to the new year begins, you’ll get a musical performance by the first-ever winner of the First Night’s Last Song contest, The Kilgore Sisters. The ladies also win a cash prize of $500, and it’s all thanks to this audition video, a rendition of KT Tunstall‘s “Black Horse and a Cherry Tree:”

Not familiar with The Kilgore Sisters? For starters, their names are Alea and Alexa, and this isn’t their first time auditioning for a singing contest; they also went through the audition process for NBC’s television program The Voice. They also perform gigs in and around SGF including a regular (about every two weeks) performance during brunch at Highland Springs Country Club, and their song(s) of choice at First Night will be… nah. We’ll save that one. Have to leave something for a surprise, right?

In the three and a half decades since Peter Frampton‘s landmark live album Frampton Comes Alive was released the record, made by an artist previously best known as the guitarist for Humble Pie, catapulted the man into mega-star status in 1976 and movie roles, guest spots and more for years to come. Though the album’s commercial success proved impossible for Frampton to duplicate , its place in American music culture is forever secure. Now the man himself is bringing it back to life on stages across America, and one of those will be in SGF.

Frampton is bringing the Frampton Comes Alive 35 Tour to Gillioz Theatre Monday, February 27 at 7 p.m. The tour is a front-to-back revival of Frampton Comes Alive together with performances from other works (you can bet his Grammy-winning Fingerprints instrumental record will feature prominently) for a total of three hours of music. That’s a motherlode of songs coming from what is still one of the more respected guitar players in rock ‘n’ roll today. Tickets go on sale this Friday (December 9) at noon starting at $46. When the time comes you’ll find them here and through the box office at 417-863-9491.

December is back, which means the holiday/local-band reunion concert season is upon us once more. Though there will surely be more coming out of the woodwork in the next few weeks, we can already tell you one on the books for just before the new year: Fools Face, the ’80s rock act from SGF that moved to California for a shot at major-label success (back when labels were key to achieving it) and that, thanks to family ties in its home town, has been an annual staple on a local concert stage for years. This year’s show is back at Patton Alley Pub for the second consecutive show, only this time it’s closer to New Year’s Eve (December 30) than to the customary Christmas-time date. Regardless of which holiday it’s close to, though, it will be a good night to rock and reminisce, to enjoy the sounds of one of the city’s more fondly remembered names from its past. Here’s a little something to tide you over until then—coincidentally, also filmed just before New Year’s:

Now that Ovaflow is back in business after its lengthy (we’re talking years) hiatus, the SGF hip hop group seems determined to keep busy. An album has been recorded and released, shows are happening on the regular and now the group is diving into the realm of music videos for its singles. Granted, Chuck D, Shock and company have made a video before, but this time it’s for a song off the album rather than a bonus cut for Cardinals fans. The video for “Free Your Mind” takes you up the stairs and on the stage for a wild time at The Outland Ballroom, rocks out underneath an overpass for that good grit and features cameos by a beer-can-crushing Sylabol7 and even a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot of M.E.O. Radio‘s own Eric Fisher. Watch the whole thing in all its black-and-white glory below.

The videos are in and the judges have whittled the entries down to a final five. Now the outcome of First Night’s Last Song is in your hands, SGF. Between now and noon on Monday, December 5 you can vote from among videos by Tori Burris, Luke Forrester, Jake Rogers, The Kilgore Sisters and Plaid Dragon by “liking” the video on YouTube. The video with the most “likes” will earn its maker $500 and the chance to perform for the assembled crowd just before the fireworks show at Mediacom Ice Park at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Wanna help decide who will sing the night’s last notes? Watch all five videos here and vote.

A lot of HeartPunch songs are loud, full-volume tell-offs to unnamed bad women, as clear a case of rock-music-writing-as-therapy for band leader Yankton Sothern as there could be. For “Being Baptist,” though, loud and confrontational are replaced with subdued and contemplative. That’s right, it’s HeartPunch in softer, gentler ballad form; HeartTap, if you will. The song is also the choice for the second music video by Kyle Chandler made from songs on the self-titled record released earlier this year after “My Baby’s Gone,” only this time the setting is a Clarion Hotel and the premise is a secret rebound romp between two formerly committed lovers. Did she deck Sothern on the way out? It would explain the black eye, wouldn’t it? Watch for yourself below and find out.

It’s hard not to get excited when a band finally makes the transition from live-music-only act to one with recorded songs you can listen to the rest of the week. It’s like a graduation of sorts, equal parts recognition of hard songwriting and recording work put in and a tip of the cap for good things to come. The latest SGF group to arrive with fresh songs for your earbuds is Big Damn Heroes, the tough-as-nails group led by songwriter and singer Ryan Colvard and backed by a trio of rock musicians, namely Michael Holmes (drums), Dallas Self (bass) and Trent Wilson (electric guitar). The group went into Nick Sibley Music recently and came out with three completed songs: “One More For The Road,” “Caleb” and “Demon In The Bottle.” The first two are raucous takes on the spoken-word country song, barroom tours de force, while the last leans more toward the ballad end of the spectrum without giving in to mushy sentimentality. You can give all three a listen for yourself below.

A little more than three years after Hinder‘s last appearance in SGF, the band was announced today as the latest concert booking at Gillioz Theatre. The new show is scheduled for Monday, December 12 at 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale this Saturday (11/19) at noon, at which time you can pick them up for $19 (general admission) by clicking here.

It’s hard to believe more than three years have passed since we last saw Hinder onstage here, but, you know, they’ve been busy. Since headlining at The Shrine Mosque in ’08 the band went on the road as an opening act for Mötley Crüe and again for Nickelback before heading back into the studio last year to record what became the band’s latest album, All American Nightmare, an album both harder in sound and more mature in content (the growing-up kind of mature) than anything the band has done before. See for yourself:

Yup, that's about to be a T-shirt.

Things current that came with SGF legend DJP‘s arrival on the second season of BET‘s DJ contest/TV show Master of the Mix is moving ever faster. “That’s a flight case. So you gonna pull a computer outta there?” begat 90 on-air seconds of scorched-Earth turntablism begat Team Flight Case T-shirts (you can see the logo in the photo at left) on the way and more. In a way, DJP (real name Danny Phillips) is actively parlaying the exuberant hype of judges Kid Capri, Just Blaze and Vikter Duplaix into a mini-phenomenon supporting the way disk jockeying was originally done—you know, with disks. But he hasn’t won anything yet—we’re two episodes into Season Two, meaning there are still eight weeks left—and BET has rolled out the latest way for Team Flight Case and others to exert their influence on the show’s outcome.

The network’s website now includes fan voting for all 11 DJs still on the show including DJP, who leads the way with 26% of the popular vote as of this writing. What does winning the fan vote mean? Protection, at least so far. The site points out that Portland’s DJ Wicked was spared the axe from the show in Episode Two by topping the leaderboard, though it very coyly follows that by saying “You never know what surprise your voting will unveil.” Well played, BET. Regardless of how the benefits manifest themselves, there is still good reason to keep voting for whomever you think is the top DJ dog on the show. Just remember you’re limited to five votes per person per day. You can cast your vote by clicking on these orange words.

It’s finally Tuesday, November 15, which means local hip hop artist J-None‘s mixtape Reverie is finally available for you to stream or download for FREE. It’s good to have it completely out in the light of day after three preview tracks, complete with all its guest performers and wide array of beat production both local and borrowed. Even better news: If you’ve heard all three of those, you’re still only one-sixth of the way through the album. You can head here to stream or download the full record and hear everything you haven’t gotten to until now. And if you want to hear what at least the three previously released songs might sound like performed in the moment, this would be a good place to do so.

Bolivar-based Zero Youth Records has long been a home for punk and punk-influenced bands in Southwest Missouri, many of which are from right here in SGF. In a special partnership with South Carolina punk legends The Independents, however, ZYR is doing a limited-edition print of the band’s most popular record, an unusual privilege that makes the band part of the label’s roster of artists, however briefly.

The plan is to release a specials 250-print vinyl edition of The Independents’ 2006classic album Eternal Bond, making this the band’s first release of any kind since 2008′s Do It Again. What’s more, as a bonus for collectors the fresh pressing will be done entirely in clear red vinyl to give it some extra desirability. For the true punk fan, though, having a version of the album that gave them this song as well as this one, all with the knowledge that it was made possible thanks to the work of a hard-working local record label, is probably reason enough. Look for the Eternal Bond re-release to become available in early 2012 through the Zero Youth Records website.

New Year’s Eve is the one event during the year where the entire world focuses its undivided attention on one very brief, very specific moment in time: The stroke of midnight that signals the next year’s arrival. How the world gets there, on the other hand, is a wide-open proposition. One of SGF’s most popular options, the family- and arts-friendly First Night, reunites all its participants after a night of music and activities for a fireworks display in Jordan Valley Park. This year’s party, with so many eyes ready to look to the heavens for colorful explosions, wants to give the thousands of fireworks watchers one more thing to captivate them before pushing the button: You.

First Night’s Last Song is a singing contest driven by contestant-submitted YouTube videos, and the winner gets not only $500 but the chance to belt his or her song out to the waiting throng before the clock strikes midnight in Jordan Valley Park. It works like this: Submit a YouTube video of yourself performing a song—it can be an original composition or a cover, and the video does not have to be specifically for the contest—and send a link to the video to sarah@itsalldowntown.com. A panel of judges (this writer among them) will decide upon five finalists from the submissions, after which the winner will be determined by highest number of “likes” among the videos once they’re posted to the contest’s official YouTube channel. That person will get his or her moment under the stars and before the fireworks in Jordan Valley Ice Park on the night of December 31. You can get a more detailed explanation of the rules and submission guidelines by clicking here.

Yeah, I know; the rules linked to above say the five finalists will be selected by November 15. Because the Urban Districts Alliance and the Springfield Regional Arts Council received numerous requests for an extension, the submission deadline has moved back to Monday, November 21, so you still have time to get your video in. For $500 and a chance to star in your own localized New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, it should be more than worth your time.

***UPDATE 8:43 P.M.:*** We now have complete ticket info courtesy of Dwight Glenn Productions. Tickets will range from $34 to $49, depending on seating, and the entire floor section will be general admission and standing room only. Doors are scheduled to open at 6:30 p.m. with music beginning at 7:30.

***UPDATE 1:02 P.M.:*** Drury University’s Mark Miller and local concert promoter Dwight Glenn are both confirming the concert as taking place March 14 and that tickets will go on sale December 2 through the Drury ticketing site. A press release from Miller does not confirm ticket prices, but Glenn tells us tickets will sell for $49 and less. That’s not a concrete set of prices yet, but it’s something.

Drury University’s O’Reilly Family Event Center is raising the local American Idol concert ante—former winners David Cook and Scotty McCreery are already on the way—by bringing the show’s first champion, Kelly Clarkson, to SGF for a concert Wednesday, March 14 with opener Matt Nathanson. The concert is currently listed on Clarkson’s website and Pollstar, but has yet to be formally announced by OFEC or a local promoter. According to Clarkson’s site, fan club tickets are scheduled to go on sale November 30 and be available to the public December 2. Having a two-time Grammy winner with one of the most powerful voices in modern pop music coming to SGF’s newest big-ticket venue is obviously big news, but we’ll have to wait just a bit longer for more official details regarding ticket cost and more. We’ll keep you posted; this will be developing fast.

The Playmakers

Last night’s Battle for Bone Thugs at Remmingtons Downtown pitted 11 local hip hop acts in a duel of 15-minute sets for one of the most intriguing prizes the genre has enjoyed in SGF in a while: an opening spot on the lineup for the Bone Thugs-N-Harmony/Joe Beast (aka former Los Angeles Lakers forward Joe Smith)/Ta Smallz concert this Friday (November 18) in the same room. After more than four hours of local rap sampling the votes were collected and The Playmakers came out at the top of the heap. Not familiar? Click here to listen to some tracks. You’ll see them again this Friday night, just a little before Layzie, Bizzy and Flesh-n.

The album release is just days away—Tuesday, to be exact—but local rapper J-None isn’t done dropping preview tracks from his Reverie mixtape. The last look ahead, a song titled “Drones,” includes Kansas City’s own Steddy P. acting as more catalyst than cameo, pushing Dozebeats’s unusual robo-squeal beat and J-None into a hyped frenzy. Check out the track for FREE streaming and downloading below. J-None’s Reverie mixtape comes out this Tuesday, November 15.

If you’re of the opinion that people such as the cast of Jersey Shore and those who aspire to be like them are vapid, soulless idiots, LuciD may have just written your song. “Rad Bro” is the first single from the band’s new album On the Record, the product of a trip to Red Room Studios in Arkansas to record with former members of Evanescence and Future Leaders of the World. In it lyricist Kyle Colson is squarely taking aim at “bro” culture within the song, even name-checking Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino near the end in case you didn’t catch who his ire and sense of irony are directed at. You can hear the track below, the first taste of an album due for release January 7. It’s pretty likely you’ll hear the band play it onstage during the black light fashion show at Club Ecstasy in Brookline tonight, too.

DJ P, just to our left of Kid Capri, needs your support.

DJ P has had one of the more interesting careers among local artists and musicians. Sometimes, it’s hard to keep up with him, whether he’s touring all over the world, throwing parties at Vegas casinos or walking the streets of SGF and playing the occasional local gig.

Along the way he’s built up a ton of local — and national — respect. But, he might have just launched himself into another stratosphere with his latest project. And the irony? You can help him reach that new level, and a cool $250,000 in cash.

After being sequestered and sworn to secrecy, DJ P has emerged back in SGF to promote his appearance on Master of the Mix, Season 2. The DJ reality show, which asks for your votes American Idol style, started last Saturday on BET and airs at 11 p.m. Central. How legit is it? Let’s just say the judging panel consists of super hip hop producer Just Blaze, hip hop DJ icon Kid Capri, model Amber Rose (most famously known for being Kanye West’s, um, girlfriend) and house DJ star Vikter Duplaix.

Here’s the gist: Hand-picked from thousands, the show’s DJ contestants perform for the crowds with music industry heavyweights judging their every move. Contestants will be eliminated each show until only one DJ is left: Smirnoff’s next Master of the Mix. So how’s P doing so far? Judge for yourself at the 16:40 mark:

***UPDATED: BET has claimed the video to be private … you may not watch it anymore. We’ll leave it embedded below, in case the network decides to be friendly and share P’s nastiness.***

P — governmentally known as Danny Phillips — is described in this way on the show’s website:

DJ P

“Be you and don’t bite other DJ’s ideas. Support the artists – pay for your music.”

Hailing from Springfield, MO, DJ P is one of the pioneers of “blending,” a style commonly known as the “mash-up”. In a world where many hip hop DJs are either technical underground nerds or Top 40 hip hop jukeboxes, DJ P is a blend of both and more. His mix discs have taken on a life of their own, to the point that Rolling Stone called his “Uneasy Listening” a “Top Musical Moment.” Recently DJ P’s been working on a documentary film and can be seen on the turntables each weekend at The Palm in Las Vegas.

FAVORITE DRINK: Designated driver – doesn’t drink.

Watch the show Saturday’s at 11 p.m. to find out how to vote for SGF’s DJ Legend. Here’s a link to his Facebook page and here’s a link to his website.

Check out DJ P in SGF live with Ovaflow and Mask & Glove (Brief, formerly SincerlyYours., and Nick Fury) at Bugsy Malone’s on Nov. 19.

Drop Dead Effect. Photo by Eric Smith.

Introductions are so awkward, aren’t they? There’s the whole feeling-out period where both sides laugh at jokes they don’t think are actually that funny and take quick sips of their not-stiff-enough beverages in the hope they will loosen things up faster than the conversation. Then someone inevitably goes to the restroom and the whole dance starts over again, if to a lesser degree. Let us remove such processes for you, at least in a band context: SGF, this is Drop Dead Effect. Drop Dead Effect, SGF. Here’s the best part: You kind of already know each other.

DDE is a brand-new hard rock group made up of Eric Allen (Pillbox), Bobby Henson and Eric Smith (Brand of Freak) and Travis Williams (The Airwalks, Downfall) and, according to Williams, is preparing for its debut set opening for The Airwalks at The Outland High Life Live Martini Lounge on November 18 (Friday). You won’t yet find the band’s all-original songs recorded and posted anywhere, but given the considerable experience of the band members that probably won’t be far behind the onstage reveal. Perhaps that will be more of a “proper” introduction, but at least the ice is broken now. You can stop sipping your drink so fast.

Photo by Mackenzie Williams

A little more than two months after we were first introduced to the new SGF funk amalgam known as Lilly Bee & The Johnson Three there are now recorded songs with which to draw a bead on the band’s sound. According to keyboardist Danny Maple, the whole group—himself, vocalist Melissa Henderson, drummer Bill Jackson and bassist Bryan Roberts—recently ducked into a recording studio on the Drury University campus with Jimmy Rea of The HillBenders behind the boards, and the result is the five songs you’ll find below. You’ll get to hear them live soon, too, specifically as the opening act for Speakeasy at Patton Alley Pub on November 26.