Caffe Paradiso, occasionally a venue and always the hippest place to grab a cuppa joe this side of Starbucks, is looking for "low-key" musicians to perform for the lunch crowds on Saturday afternoons. This addition should complement the atmosphere of the cafe, so the management asks that interested parties "think Jose Gonzalez, not Slayer." Personally, I don't mind a little thrash metal (or Braid, pictured in Paradiso at right) with my Intelligentsia beans, but to each his own.

Possible lunchtime crooners can drop off a CD or tape at the cafe, 801 S Lincoln Ave. in Urbana.

Photo courtesy of David Cubberly.

Have you heard that in the voting booths this year, the members of Elsinore are casting their ballots for Tom Selleck's mustache? Or that Snowsera's favorite horror film is monster movie The Host?

Then you may have noticed that WPGU, the college-run station broadcasting from Green Street, has been paying more attention to local music lately.

Since the controversial Local Music Awards last month, Operations Manager Jon Hansen has listened to many criticisms and suggestions for the station — and, working against managerial-type, when Hansen listens, he actually listens. In the past month, WPGU has put into play, so to speak, a "band of the week" feature, which includes quirky band profiles read on-air, as well as a featured track played every day at a regular time. In addition, WPGU has amped up its local show coverage, updated its music digital database and added newer songs by current local artists.

What could get you out and about tonight, despite the thunderstorm warnings?

How about a show at friendly downtown hub Mike 'N Molly's?

How about local hip-hop hero Krukid (feat. The Sugargliders) headlining, following sets by fellow Broke Rappers Text and Cornbread?

What if we threw in Kristovs Agenda and fantastic electro-pop act Eureka Brown?

That's what is offered to you, folks, and admission's not going to cost you ten dollars. It's not going to cost you five dollars, or even two dollars, or even one single dollar.

All this is available for you tonight absolutely free of charge.

The free show begins tonight at Mike 'N Molly's, 105 N. Market St. in Champaign, at 7 p.m. Click the jump to experience Eureka Brown and add some sunshine to your Friday.

To all the patrons of the local music scene who keep looking for a way to make a difference: here is a way to make a difference.

High Anxiety Music Center — where local bands can rent rehearsal space, local fans can see great all-ages shows (with an old-school house party vibe) and anyone with the proper hankering can receive recording advice, studio time and, perhaps, even a record deal — is closing.

The house, located at 302 S. State St., was put on the market last week due to the landlord's financial troubles and an illness in the family. None of the parties interested in purchasing the house are similarly interested in letting High Anxiety Music remain.

President Ralph Petrella (a Smile Politely contributor) is putting out an open call for volunteers to help move some large items from the house this Sunday, April 27th. In addition, much of the furniture from the house will be for sale, so stop by if you're interested in some pieces with a bit of local history.

High Anxiety is hosting two remaining shows in the space before they have to fully vacate early next month, and the first is tomorrow with High Anxiety favorites Deconstructing Jim and Withershins. Admission to the 9 p.m. show is $5, so pack up your friends, give your money, lend a hand or an ear, and see what you can do to help. Who knows — perhaps the next home of High Anxiety Music is for rent on your street.

Tonight at the Independent Media Center, Modern Skirts, hailing from Athens, Georgia, will perform as openers for Nashville indie-rockers Parachute Musical and local atmospheric rock duo Common Loon. The power-poppy Modern Skirts, gearing up to release their sophomore album this fall, recently had their single "Motorcade" featured on a Q Magazine sampler, and will be opening for REM this summer in Amsterdam.

Be sure to catch them tonight before it costs you more than one of those creepy new fives to see them.

The Independent Media Center is located at 202 S. Broadway Ave. in Urbana. The show starts at 8 p.m., admission is five dollars, and is all-ages and alcohol-free.

Upon the premiere of last year’s indie film sensation Juno, Kimya Dawson said, “I am excited for when the soundtrack comes out. But […] it's all really scary for me. Some of those songs were recorded in my bed in Bedford Hills, under the covers, on the 4-track. And when people were coming up to me telling me I did a great job, it felt weird because I didn't do a job. I wrote a bunch of crap when my heart was hurting.”

Anti-folk pioneer and cult favorite Kimya Dawson was launched into sudden stardom last year with the release of the Juno soundtrack, on which her music was heavily featured. Dawson, who performed as one-half of The Moldy Peaches until 2004, began a solo career when the band went on hiatus, recording a series of heartfelt lo-fi albums, the latest titled Remember That I Love You – a phrase that could also serve as a mantra for Dawson’s music.

In 2005, John Hoeffleur made the following soon-to-be-understatement: “I must confess I personally have a bad feeling about it.” Hoeffleur, the frontman for local group The Beauty Shop, was speaking (on the local music forum OpeningBands) of the WPGU/buzz Local Music Awards, then in its first year. The Beauty Shop took home the award for “Best Roots/Americana Band” that year, but this year, they have turned down a nomination. “In the past the price of my acquiescence has been a couple free drinks,” says Hoeffleur of his current nomination refusal. “This year, my costs have gone up.”

“I feel that any attention paid toward the local music scene is a good thing,” says Jon Hansen, Operations Manager at WPGU 107.1 FM. The way he sees it, WPGU is doing just that tonight — by presenting the fourth annual Local Music Awards, at which four bands will perform at The Highdive, and locals will be awarded top honors in fourteen categories, such as “Best Rock Artist” and “Best Student Band.” However, the event is not going uncriticized.

Tonight at The Iron Post, local group The Brother Whys releases their debut album, I Wrote This With Our Bare Hands, to the self-proclaimed tune of Pixies and Built to Spill. If the songs available on their MySpace page are any indication, this is a group you would be wise (so sorry) to pay attention to — both their songwriting and the execution are tight.

The Brother Whys will be preceded tonight by special guest Lucky Mulholland, who will be coming out of winter hibernation to show off their power-pop sensibilities, and by Beat Kitchen vocalist, local legend (and chili chef) Brandon T. Washington.

The Iron Post is located at 120 S. Race St. in Urbana. The fun starts at 9 p.m. tonight, and cover is $5.

Local band Green Light Go may have dissolved in early 2006, but fans, take heart; the resurrection is at hand.

Hot Cops, the current project of former GLG bassist/vocalist Mike Daab, debuts tonight as a special guest with Hathaways and Snowsera (pictured). If you don't go to check out the ambient rock of Snowsera, or the talent of one Kate Hathaway and her not-even-barely-legal brother, go for the new music — who can say no to a hot cop?

After downtown bar and former venue Cowboy Monkey closed its doors to local music at the start of this year, rumors flew — were they tearing out the stage? Were they still hosting shows on weekends? Were they expanding the kitchen? Was this a knife in the back of the downtown music scene?

Let the rumors rest (for now) — this Saturday, Cowboy Monkey opens its doors to local music once again, hosting Ryan Groff, Casados, and Washington, D.C. act Vandaveer.

Ward Gollings, longtime talent buyer at the Monkey, is not surprised by the show, and blames local bloggers and forum-frequenters for fueling rumors: "(The show this weekend) does indeed indicate that there will be 'one-off' events and periodic shows. My two cents? Stop hating. And when you see or hear of a good band at Monkey, and you have the time, go see it. Same goes for every other venue in town."

Perhaps if enough people come out to show their support for this decision, a few hearts might grow three times bigger, and perhaps local music at the Monkey won't be such a rare occurrence.

The show starts at 9:00 p.m. and is mercifully located at 6 E. Taylor St., Champaign. Cover is $5.

I wanted to review Jane Boxall. I really did.

I trudged to Aroma Café last week with all the best intentions: I would write up the show with Lynn O’Brien that she was playing at the café that night. However, as soon as Boxall took her place behind her instrument of choice — the marimba — and picked up her mallets, I found myself quite unable to describe exactly what was happening. My stilted review (“The noises Jane makes on the big marimba are very nice") would not have done her justice.

Boxall is a diminutive performer who harnesses the sound of the 500-pound marimba like a lion tamer, and in her spare time, she drums for — of all local groups — aggro-metal band Tritone. (She’s also the former drummer for prog rock ex-outfit Triple Whip.) At Aroma, the longer I watched her intriguing performance, the more I gave up on finding my own words, and the more I wondered what led her to choose the marimba, choose a metal band, choose central Illinois as the stage for her career.

Of all the fresh-faced rock and roll upstarts who call Champaign-Urbana home, there are only a handful who have experienced the evasive place called fame. It's the place where hard work and serendipity meet. Lucky for Headlights, fame has opened the door and waved them through, and lucky for us, they are truly keeping their friends close, and the city they call home closer. Currently halfway through their cross-country tour (which guitarist/vocalist Tristan Wraight chronicles in our Tour Diary), the band bows out of their whirlwind of national acclaim and press tonight to return home for a good old-fashioned indie rock celebration. Join them with guests Evangelicals and Tall Tale tonight at The Canopy Club for the local CD release of their sophomore album, Some Racing, Some Stopping.

The Canopy Club is located at 708 S. Goodwin Ave. in Urbana and is an 18+ venue. Tickets are $10 at the gate and doors open at 8 p.m. for the show at 9:30 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Justine Bursoni.

It was announced today that five legendary "vintage" local bands will reunite at The Highdive over Memorial Day weekend:

• Driver Has No Cash
• Corndolly
• The Moon Seven Times
• Menthol
• Honcho Overload

Order new copies of your old scratched-up albums, make your holiday plans now — and youngins, prepare to take some notes.

[Ed. Note: It was formerly posted that Poster Children were also playing this show, but they have not yet formally confirmed the date. Apologies!]

Local darlings Headlights, anticipating the Feb. 19 release of their second LP, Some Racing, Some Stopping, have posted the new single "Cherry Tulips" on their MySpace page. The song is charming and fresh, featuring the group's impossibly hopeful trademark sound, an ethereal chorus ("I want the sea/I want the whole sea, for you and me") led by lead singer and keyboardist Erin Fein*, and I'll be damned if that slide guitar doesn't sound like a singing saw wailing during the outro (drummer Brett Sanderson reports that a saw does appear in the album's title track).

As if that isn't charming enough, the group also posted a promo spot for the upcoming album, shot during their recent music video shoot — I've never wanted to thank anyone for flipping me the bird before now.

*My favorite Fein.

We are saddened to report the death of musician Dan Fogelberg, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 56, after battling prostate cancer for three years. Born in Peoria in 1951, he eventually enrolled at the University of Illinois to study theater and art. Shortly thereafter, he began playing at The Red Herring, of which he said, “I started meeting like-minded people, musicians who were bright and well read…The Red Herring went from being a hide-out for pinko leftists who were plotting the overthrow of the government to a really creative musical scene. And it started packing people in.” Eventually, Fogelberg was "discovered" by Irving Azoff, who ran a local booking agency and had recently landed local artists REO Speedwagon a record deal with Epic.

Local rockers Shipwreck continue their pillaging of the West Coast, shilling their new album, Rabbit in the Kitchen with a New Dress On.

Healthy Times Fun Club – Seattle, WA
10/31/2007

Jake and Rebecca have the coolest quasi-legal club around. It’s so cool that they don’t even advertise their address. You have to have an internal hipness radar to find the place. It’s fun standing outside their unmarked door watching hipsters use their hipness echo location. Some hipsters, like some bats, aren’t as good at it, and end up running into walls looking for the entrance.