WHAT: Tiny Moving Parts
WHERE: The Accord ($12 advance/$15 door)
WHEN: Thursday, Dec. 15th at 6 p.m.
This early show has a 14+ age limit and is stacked with fun-loving mathy emo and straight rock to please any music lover of that persuasion. This will be one of The Accord’s last shows of the year, so make sure to stop by.
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WHAT: Colt Ford
WHERE: City Center (tickets start at $15)
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 16th at 7 p.m.
Country star Colt Ford has climbed the country music charts numerous times and played with some of the best contemporaries of his genre. He’ll be bringing down the house this Friday at City Center.
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WHAT: Grandkids Record Release Party
WHERE: Blips and Chitz (donations suggested for touring bands)
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 16th at 9 p.m.
This big show will be headlined by Chicago indie act Grandkids, who are C-U natives. Their new album This Guitars comes out on Friday, and they’ll be returning home to throw this party and celebrate. Also in attendance will be C-U alternative favorites Motes and Urbana band Jarring.
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WHAT: The Kristin Sponcia Quartet
WHERE: Iron Post ($5)
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 16th at 8 p.m.
Relax with some jazz and lounge music at the Post as you put to bed another long semester and settle in for the holidays.
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WHAT: Mabel’s Night Unplugged
WHERE: The Accord ($15 advance/$20 door)
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 16th at 7:30 p.m.
If you were unfortunate enough to miss the original Mabel’s Night, this is your second chance. This stacked show features musicians associated with a local film in the works, entitled Where it Begins: C-U Music Documentary 1977-2000. Great modern local acts will also be in attendance. The show is a benefit for Josh’s Fund, and like the first Mabel’s Night, it’ll be filmed for use in the documentary. Come revisit music history in C-U and be a part of what’s to come.
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WHAT: Sunshine Daydream, Chickadee Sermon, Gary the Worlds Tallest Elf
WHERE: Clark Bar (cover unknown)
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 17th at 8 p.m.
Clark Bar will keep a little slice of summer going strong with this show on Saturday, featuring warm Grateful Dead covers and breezy twee pop from the Chickadee Sermon.
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WHAT: Fats Kaplin and Kristi Rose
WHERE: Sandwich Life House Concerts ($20 suggested donation)
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 17th at 6 p.m.
This Christmas party includes a potluck at 6 p.m., followed by the rootsy acoustic music of Fats Kaplin and Kristi Rose, all within supremely cozy confines that will beat the cold without any trouble.
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WHAT: Rogue Tendency
WHERE: Canopy Club ($7 advance/$8 at the door)
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 17th at 9 p.m.
Local hip-hop collective Rogue Tendency just dropped a fresh EP, and this is their album release party. Help them celebrate the release of RTep along with the huge amount of other stellar acts that will be performing: Trouble Chasin’, Square Donuts, OG Temple, and DJ Duff, who will be bringing hip-hop, funk, rap, and electronica to this show.
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WHAT: “Canned Foods & Cash!” – A benefit for Eastern Illinois Food Bank
WHERE: Exile on Main St. (canned foods & donations)
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 17th at 4 p.m.
This event is still in the works, but at this point, it will feature the singer-songwriter tunes of Isaac Arms and Andy Mo. Your donations of canned foods and non-perishable items as well as cash will go to benefit the Eastern Illinois Food Bank. This is a great way to get into the giving spirit of the season and enjoy some local music at the same time. Keep an eye on the event page as more details unfold.
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WHAT: Goran Ivanovic Trio
WHERE: Iron Post ($7)
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 17th at 8 p.m.
Croatian musician Goran Ivanovic is based in Chicago and has an intricate, multi-genre sound rooted in jazz and classical music. He’ll be playing guitar as part of a trio with Mike Harmon on bass and Pete Tashjian on drums.
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WHAT: Radiation Babies / Eric Stanley / Eureka, MO / Retro Pinocchio / Everett
WHERE: Blips and Chitz ($5 donation for touring bands)
WHEN: Monday, Dec 19th at 8 p.m.
A huge and noisy rock and emo show will showcase locals Radiation Babies and Eric Stanley (Euriah), as well as Eureka, MO, who actually hail from Tennessee, as do Retro Pinocchio. Singer-songwriter Everett is visiting from Decatur. This will be one of the shows where you can enter the upcoming band lotto, so check it out.
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WHAT: Rich Krueger, Ross W Berman, Paul Kotheimer
WHERE: Independent Media Center (free)
WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 20th at 7:30 p.m.
Three excellent singer-songwriters will play this show at IMC, and are expected to tell some sweet stories to the tune of a guitar. These wordy and nerdy fellows will twist your ear around a keen verse or two for free, but even the biggest nerds know that cool people tip.
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WHAT: Annual Holiday Concert
WHERE: Iron Post (cover)
WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 20th at 7 p.m.
Iron Post has the classic Church Street Ramblers for their holiday show, who will bring some old-time jazz music to the bar, which is sure to warm your chilly heart.
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WHAT: Ugly Christmas Sweater Party
WHERE: Radio Maria (admission is free)
WHEN: Wednesday, Dec. 21st at 10 p.m.
Radio Maria’s Christmas Party is ugly sweater-themed, and will feature music from DJ Belly and Forrest Bump, plus great drink specials and prizes for the best sweaters.
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WHAT: George Faber All Star Band
WHERE: Cowboy Monkey ($7)
WHEN: Thursday, Dec. 22nd at 8 p.m.
Champaign native George Faber returns home just before the holidays and will be bringing bluesy and soulful singer-songwriter tunes to keep us warm on a wintry Thursday evening.
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WHAT: Real Nice Christmas Party
WHERE: Bentley’s Pub (admission is free)
WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 25th (Christmas!) at 8 p.m.
Bentley’s likes to go hard and stay open on the holidays – none of that “closed for Christmas” wussy stuff. They know that being open for the holidays means that people without much family have a place to go to find friends. It also means that those of us who do have families have an excellent place to go to escape them. DJ Belly and friends will be spinning some tracks for this one, and drinks specials will be generous.
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WHAT: Capitol Offense / Bruise / Kharma / BITE
WHERE: Blips and Chitz ($5 donation for touring bands)
WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 27th at 8 p.m.
Here is a post-Christmas metal and hardcore show that will shake you right the hell out of that tediously warm and fluffy holiday spirit.
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WHAT: West of Staley
WHERE: Iron Post (cover)
WHEN: Thursday, Dec. 29th at 5 p.m.
Jazz act West of Staley have been on hiatus as their young members attend college. They’ll be back and playing the Post on the last Thursday of 2016, and they intend to show us the skills that they have obtained over their busy year.
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WHAT: Mank N Sass
WHERE: Watson’s Shack & Rail (admission is free)
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 30th at 10 p.m.
New Year’s Eve eve will be bumping some late night jams with the funk and blues of Mank N Sass at Watson’s.
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WHAT: Anger Management
WHERE: Cowboy Monkey (cover)
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 30th at 9:30 p.m.
Rockers Anger Management always bring it hard and take no prisoners. They’ll be killing the NYE eve at the Monkey for your last Friday of 2016.
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WHAT: New Year’s Eve Celebration Party
WHERE: Canopy Club ($30 in advance/$35 at the door)
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 31st at 9 p.m.
This New Year’s Eve party is up there with the best in the area. Why? Well, it has live music from The Werks and Sun Stereo, and it has a Manolo’s Pizza buffet from 9-11 (awesome). But the kicker is definitely the fact that this party has an OPEN BAR. All for $30. Now that is NYE done right.
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WHAT: New Year’s Eve Party
WHERE: City Center (cover)
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 31st at 8:30 p.m.
You could always ring in the new year at City Center with the country stylings of Ethan Gorrell, The NATU Band, and The Feudin’ Hillbillies. Dancing and good times are guaranteed.
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WHAT: A New Year’s Eve with The Chorale
WHERE: Virginia Theatre (tickets start at $26)
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 31st at 7 p.m.
Enjoy a family-friendly celebration with The Chorale at their 26th annual New Year’s Eve Concert. This talented professional choir will perform holiday music and other songs, and a portion of the revenue will go towards supporting The Chorale’s Young Artist Scholarship Program. See the site for more details.
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WHAT: Nastics New Year’s Eve Party
WHERE: Memphis on Main (cover)
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 31st at 9 p.m.
Ring in the new year the Memphis on Main way with the exceptional cover band Nastics and some boozy mason jar beverages.
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WHAT: New Year’s Eve Celebration Party
WHERE: Cowboy Monkey ($10 in advance)
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 31st at 9 p.m.
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WHAT: New Year’s Eve at The Crossing
WHERE: Jupiter’s at The Crossing (tickets start at $60)
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 31st at 7 p.m.
West Side Jupiter’s NYE party is another open bar affair, this time with a heftier price tag. Admission will get you said open bar, plus a pizza buffet, hotel shuttle and dinner packages, a midnight champagne toast, party favors, a photo booth, and more. Plus, 90’s Daughter will be playing. Check out the event page for the full rundown.