What: The Derek Trucks Band w/ Chicha Libre, Junior Brown, Frank Vignola Trio
When: Thursday Sept. 10; 7:00 p.m.
Where: Krannert Center for the Performing Arts; $5
Now named Ellnora, the biennial guitar festival at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts is simply one of the crowing achievements of this community. Curated by David Spelman, an NYC guitar guru who is responsible for the Big Apple’s own annual version, this is the kind of event that campuses dare not dream of, lest they be consistenly disappointed. But not here. Here, we have a place that hosts artists like Derek Trucks and Junior Brown, and puts them on stage for $5. We have the kind of facility that wants for you to come to see it. Applause will be taking place all week at Krannert, but here at Smile Politely, we applaud them.
What: Who’s Bad?: A Tribute to Michael Jackson
When: Thursday Sept. 10; 8:00 p.m.
Where: The Canopy Club; $10
When Michael Jackson was accidentally killed this summer, most people with any sense of passion or feelings towards music felt like a piece of history died with him. There is no question regarding Jackson’s influence on pop culture, and for someone to bill themselves as a tribute to him should raise a few eyebrows; this isn’t like covering G n’ R or Journey. This is the King of Pop. But from what we’ve heard, this show is the real deal. And with Jackson fresh on people’s minds, we expect that the crowd will be live, and eager to give back, even if just to play pretend for one night. This is one tribute act that we can, surprisingly, get behind and endorse, at least just to see how well it fares.
What: Ellnora Guitar Festival
When: Friday Sept. 11 – Saturday Sept. 112
Where: Krannert Center for the Performing Arts; $15–$45–$198 Festival Pass
There’s too much good music going on at Krannert to do it any justice in this space, so stay tuned throughout the week for more coverage of artists like The National, Ani DiFranco, Keb’ Mo’, and the like. There’s even a special performance on Friday night called the Long Count, based on the Mayan calendar and featuring Kim and Kelley Deal, The National’s Dessner twins, and My Brightest Diamond.
What: Good Night & Good Morning, Sharon Van Etten, Speck Mountain
When: Friday Sept. 11 @ 7:30 p.m.
Where: Courtyard Café; $5
Good Night & Good Morning’s crawling ambience will undoubtedly pied-piper everyone in C-U into the Courtyard Café on Friday night. Their music is best compared to your favorite warm sweater – comforting, relaxing and subtle, only slightly less tattered than the former. Sharon Van Etten’s haunting vocals and slow-and-steady storytelling will continue the lullaby atmosphere with dreamy songs of a lost love. Speck Mountain may be a little rougher around the edges than the other two artists, but their pipes are just as spell-binding. Expect to leave the night in awe.
What: Matt & Kim
When: Sunday, Sept. 13 @ 8 p.m.
Where: Parkland College; FREE
Matt and Kim are everywhere. One of those places just happens to be a free show at our very own Parkland College on Sunday night. The show starts at 8pm, but throw on those dancing shoes early – their show at the Black Cat in Washington D.C. sold out, so you may have to wiggle your way to catch a glimpse of the electro-pop duo in the flesh. Don’t expect to take a breath during the set of sugarcoated beats. Photo by Cody Bralts.
Looking ahead…
SEPTEMBER
9/9 Wayne “the Train” Hancock @ Shady Nook Pub, Saybrook
9/10 Ellnora: Opening Night Party @ Krannert
9/10 Who’s Bad Michael Jackson Tribute @ Canopy Club
9/11 Ellnora: Dan Zanes & Friends @ Krannert
9/11 Ellnora: Brasil Guitar Duo @ Krannert
9/11 Ellnora: The Jerry Douglas Band @ Krannert
9/11 Ellnora: Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya @ Krannert
9/11 Ellnora: The Long Count – Kim & Kelley Deal w/ members of the National @ Krannert
9/11 Ellnora: A Story of Floating Weeds @ Krannert
9/11 Ellnora: Keb’ Mo’ Band @ Krannert
9/11 Ellnora: The Sisters Euclid @ Krannert
9/11 Ever So Klever @ Highdive
9/11 Achtung Baby (U2 Tribute) @ Canopy Club
9/11 Stoney Curtis Band @ Memphis on Main
9/11 Good Night & Good Morning + Sharon Van Etten + Speck Mountain @ Courtyard Cafe
9/12 Ellnora: Bachfest @ Foellinger Hall
9/12 Ellnora: Natalia Zukerman & Erin McKeown @ Krannert
9/12 Ellnora: Jake Hertzog Trio et. al. @ Krannert
9/12 Ellnora: Bill Frisell @ Colwell Playhouse
9/12 Ellnora: Brazilian Bash @ Foellinger Hall
9/12 Ellnora: Richard Julian @ Krannert
9/12 Ellnora: Ani DiFranco @ Colwell Playhouse
9/12 Ellnora: The Goddess @ Krannert
9/12 Ellnora: The National @ Tryon Festival Theatre
9/12 Ellnora: Laurie Morvan Band @ Krannert Lobby
9/12 Five Times August @ Canopy Club
9/12 Shadowside, Subtle Fall @ Independent Media Center
9/12 Brat Pack @ Cowboy Monkey (Block Party)
9/13 Matt & Kim @ Parkland College Inner Park
9/14 Hoots & Hellmouth @ Canopy Club
9/15 The Fray @ Assembly Hall
9/16 Pygmalion: Headlights, et. al. @ Canopy Club
9/17 Astral Project @ The Iron Post
9/17 Pygmalion: Lucero et. al. @ Canopy Club
9/17 Pygmalion: Early Day Miners et. al. @ Red Herring
9/17 Pygmalion: Skream et. al. @ Highdive
9/17 Pygmalion: Starfucker + Deelay Ceelay + Butterfly Assassins @ Courtyard Cafe
9/17 Pygmalion: My Brightest Diamond et. al. @ Krannert
9/17 Jeremy Camp @ Assembly Hall
9/18 Pygmalion: Wavves et. al. @ Canopy Club
9/18 Pygmalion: Cameron McGill, The 1900s, Mazes, Angie Heaton @ Cowboy Monkey
9/18 Pygmalion: So Many Dynamos et. al. @ Blues BBQ
9/18 Pygmalion: Kilroy et al et. al. @ Sandellas
9/18 Pygmalion: Low et. al. @ Channing-Murray
9/18 Pygmalion: Solid Gold + Oceans + Pet Lions @ Courtyard Cafe
9/18 Pygmalion: Golden Quality et.al. @ Bentley’s
9/18 Pygmalion: Neoga Blacksmith et. al. @ Mike ‘n Molly’s
9/18 The Blaggards @ Wings, etc., Bloomington
9/19 It’ll Do 2 Music Fest ’09: Molly Hatchet @ Country Fair Shopping Center
9/19 Pygmalion: Iron & Wine, The Books et. al. @ Krannert
9/19 Pygmalion: RJD2 et. al. @ Canopy Club
9/19 Pygmalion: New Ruins, Horse’s Ha, Gazelle, Lonely Trailer @ Cowboy Monkey
9/19 Pygmalion: Daredevil Christopher Wright, Brighton, MA + Lymbyc Systym @ Courtyard Cafe
9/19 Pygmalion: TBD @ Parasol
9/19 Pygmalion: TBD @ Exile on Main St.
9/19 Pygmalion: Now Now Every Children et. al. @ Red Herring
9/19 Pygmalion: Tyson & the Friction et. al. @ Mike ‘n Molly’s
9/19 Pygmalion: Marmoset et. al. @ Bentley’s
9/20 Badfish (Sublime Tribute) @ Canopy Club
9/21 Richard Buckner @ Canopy Club
9/23 Buckcherry with Saving Abel, Red and The Last Vega @ Assembly Hall
9/23 The Rural Alberta Advantage @ Canopy Club
9/23 The Insomniacs @ The Iron Post
9/24 Yourself & The Air + Jet W. Lee @ Courtyard Cafe
9/25 C-U Folk & Roots Festival @ Various Locations
9/25 Jason & the Punknecks @ Memphis on Main
9/25 Eclipse (Pink Floyd Tribute) @ Canopy Club
9/25 Mhondoro @ Cowboy Monkey
9/26 Sufjan Stevens @ Highdive – SOLD OUT
9/26 MOMO + Berimbau Bandit and the Caxixikid @ Courtyard Cafe
9/26 C-U Folk & Roots Festival @ Various Locations
9/26 Koffin Kats @ Cowboy Monkey
9/29 Oso Closo @ The Iron Post
9/30 RAIN (Beatles Tribute) @ Assembly Hall
9/30 Digital Primitives @ Independent Media Center
OCTOBER
10/1 Eric Person and Meta-Four @ The Iron Post
10/1 Eric Radoux @ Courtyard Cafe
10/1 Joan Red, Frequency 54 et. al. @ Independent Media Center
10/2 Vertebrats Reunion @ Cowboy Monkey
10/3 Vertebrats Reunion @ Cowboy Monkey
10/3 Hollywood Lies in Concert @ Independent Media Center
10/3 Lydia + TBA support @ Courtyard Cafe
10/4 Youth Group @ Canopy Club
10/8 ZOSO (Led Zeppelin Tribute) @ Canopy Club
10/8 Flotation Walls + World’s First Flying Machine @ Courtyard Cafe
10/8 Oh My God @ Cowboy Monkey
10/9 Light Pollution + I Need Sleep @ Courtyard Cafe
10/10 Action Design, Sick of Sarah + Donora @ Courtyard Cafe
10/11 Jennie and the Sure Shots @ Independent Media Center
10/13 Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers @ Highdive
10/16 Blitzen Trapper @ Canopy Club
10/16 Black Whales @ Cowboy Monkey
10/17 NIL8 @ Cowboy Monkey
10/17 Lookbook @ Courtyard Cafe
10/17 The Lifeline et. al. @ Independent Media Center
10/22 Avett Brothers @ Canopy Club
10/24 Great Lake Swimmers + The Wooden Birds @ Courtyard Cafe
10/24 Hallelujah the Hills @ Cowboy Monkey
10/25 Yonder Mountain String Band @ Canopy Club
10/25 David Bazan @ Highdive
10/27 Mason Jennings @ Highdive
10/28 O.A.R. w/ Elmwood @ Assembly Hall
10/29 Thao with the Get Down Stay Down @ Canopy Club
10/30 Batrider + Scotland Yard Gospel Choir @ Courtyard Cafe
NOVEMBER
11/1 Disco Biscuits @ Canopy Club
11/5 Generationals, Spinto Band + Pepi Ginsberg @ Courtyard Cafe
11/6 Neko Case @ Canopy Club ($25 in advance, tickets on sale 8/29)
11/13 Ruby Rodeo Love @ Courtyard Cafe
11/14 Heavy Trash (Jon Spencer of JSBX) @ Cowboy Monkey
11/18 Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers @ Highdive
11/21 Hot Club of Cowtown @ Shady Nook Pub, Saybrook