It isn’t very often that you see such a lively crowd gathering on the streets of campustown during the solitude of summer. Green Street in the summer usually feels like a private hideaway for the remnants of campus to drink, relax, and maybe grab a sandwich. That clearly was not the case this past Saturday.
I’m not sure that the businesses on Green really needed this event to happen, but I’m fairly sure the crowds were a welcoming spark and, if anything, I think this community needed this event to happen and needed it to do well. Campustown seems like a missing link in the C-U three-sided downtown. With most of the students away, the Center City Summer Stage was successful because it brought together the whole community. Families and college-aged kids intermingled on the streets of campustown for the first time in over a month and they all were the recipients of great food, cheap drinks, and great music.
This event review is being published under music, but walking down Green Street on Saturday I couldn’t help but feel like the music was just a small part of the fun. Did residents come for the music? Of course. Were they engaged? Yes. But more than a show, this was one of the best excuses to sit out in the summer air with friends and family with a drink in your hand that this city has offered up in a very long time.
The important thing about the music at the Center City Summer Stage was that the lineup was made up of some of the best original local acts this community has to offer. Far too often these events make the false assumption that in order to get families out to these kinds of festivities you have to book the prototypical dad rock cover band playing the same old Beatles and Beach Boys hits for the umpteenth time. That kind of act can be great, but I would much rather see talented local bands playing original music and being rewarded with the opportunity to both represent and entertain this community. I would say that they succeeded on both accounts.
Being the beacon that brought in the masses, the music on Green Street was stellar throughout the entire night. It was clear that the bands were pretty excited to be playing to so many faces — and so many new ones at that. The sound was also surprisingly solid for a pop-up stage in the middle of what is usually a busy intersection. Not even the slew of passing city buses was a detriment to the sound or the quality of music.
The Dirty Feathers kicked off the event with what might have been my favorite performance of the entire evening. It’s too bad that these guys played first because their washed out 70s influenced rock and roll is made for big crowds. Credit Dirty Feathers for their catchy guitar riffs and high energy. I saw a lot of families checking out the scene on the street as the little ones they brought along immediately started dancing. They were hooked and we all knew we were in for a great night.
Evil Tents followed next with a short set as rumors of rain made their way through the crowd. It seems like they were over right after they began, but I sense they were trying to speed things along. It’s too bad they did. Evil Tents seem to be getting better and better at honing in the haze, and the big crowds and wide open spaces were a new challenge for them.
Speaking of dad rock and cover bands, the mayor had a few words to say about the event and, not surprisingly, those words were put to music in the form of a Randy Newman cover. If there is something our mayor, Don Gerard, is not, it’s bashful. I don’t have much to say about the Self-Righteous Brothers (Gerard and Isaac Arms of Evil Tents) other than the mayor is a fine guitar player, but Gerard, please don’t quit your day job.
Grandkids played next and showed off the other end of the indie scene spectrum. Not nearly as loud as the first two acts, Grandkids were organic and charming. Their music wasn’t as abrasive and ear catching as some of the others, but the several hundred folks that were close by the stage heard an intricate and well-performed show that was the best I have heard from them, well, ever.
Out of all the acts playing this event I think I was most excited to see New Ruins. They have been on a bit of a hiatus and they chose one hell of a show to return to. I don’t know how they could have turned down an opportunity to play to so many people in such a unique venue. They continue to play their own version of Isaac Brock inspired rock music and it is as good as it ever was.
Common Loon ended up being a surprise headliner to the outdoor stage as the threat of rain continued to build. By the time their set finished I would venture a guess that over 1,200 people were milling about Green Street. Common Loon brought up the energy level as the sun was firmly set. This set was a reminder to me that they have the unique ability to be both intimate at bar shows and loudly engaging on the larger stage.
Elsinore was originally slated to close out the main stage, but were moved to Joe’s. It was a good thing they were. Two songs into their unbelievably packed show upstairs at Joe’s the rain started pouring down. It was sad that Elsinore couldn’t showcase their stuff to the larger masses of Green Street because, if anyone, they are perfectly suited to get young and old up and onto their feet. It wasn’t meant to be. But Elsinore did pack Joe’s and put on as compelling a performance as they have in a long time. It sort of felt like the ultimate house show or at least a legitimate after-party at Joe’s. Elsinore brought the crowds inside and they didn’t leave until Santah closed out the night in the wee hours of the morning.
I’m so very happy this event took place. Campustown is an important part of this community and has the unique positioning to bring people from both Champaign and Urbana. I hope this event happens yearly. Hell, I hope this event happens twice a year. Gerard, make this happen. We will even let you play a little bit of that dad rock we know you love.
All photos by Sean O’Connor and Chris D. Davies. For more photos of this event, head on over to our facebook page. For more photos by Chris D. Davies, be sure to visit his flickr.