Man oh man — it’s Thanksgiving week, which means that less people than usual will read this. But, those eight of you that are left might want to know what shows are happening in town this week, so let’s see if I can get through the column without messing up too badly.
This issue will likely go out on Wednesday to avoid the holiday mess, and since the night before Thanksgiving is always one of the biggest bar nights of the year, some places have events lined up. The Canopy Club will continue its “House Band” series (a reworked Rehearsal Space that features $1 drinks) with this month’s act, 56 Hope Road. There is no cover and you can get in if you’re 18 or older. The Iron Post will roll out Pocket Big Band for an early show at 5:30 p.m. ($4) while the Highdive will continue its strange mixture of country dancing at 8 p.m. followed by hip-hop/dance at 11:30 p.m., with $1 bottles. Over at Cowboy Monkey, the usual (and also strange mixture) of tango (7:30 p.m.) and ‘80s (10:30 p.m.) will also be presented (with no cover).
Thursday night there is nothing going on at all in town. Some bars will be open as a place of refuge from your families — where you can go and drink your way to forgetting about the relatives you didn’t want to see and the ridiculous amount of food you ate. Or you could do what the smart families do: drink at the family gathering. Not only does this end the need to run to a bar, but it can also lead to some hilarious moments featuring that uncle who has never quite been able to hold his liquor.
If you’re not sleeping off a shopping binge on Friday evening, there is a CD release show at Cowboy Monkey. The Unpossible (hopefully a great reference to the Simpsons) will unleash a new disc that, according to their Myspace page, has nothing whatsoever to do with computer recording. The show will begin at 9 p.m. and is free.
$2 well drinks are the bait at the Highdive’s Friday night “Hello! Fridays,” featuring DJ Delayney (10 p.m., $5), while the Iron Post will host acoustic rock band graydog (8 p.m., no cover). Over in downtown Champaign, Boltini Lounge will bring you the excellent skills of DJ Spinnerty. The Canopy Club will open up to offer the Diamond Stretch Band along with the Third Flight, the Blue Addictions, and Tongue-n-Gruve (seriously spelled that way and seriously scheduled to play Danville’s finest strip club, the Playpen, on December 7th). This show kicks off at 9 p.m., and the cover is $5 before 9:30 p.m., $7 after.
The Canopy continues with the off-kilter shows with Thanksgiving Metal Mania on Saturday, featuring Human Artifacts, In the Wake of the Butcher, and Humanity’s Dusk. If that sounds like something you can’t keep yourself from, show up around 10 p.m. with $5.
Nashville singer/songwriter Audrey Auld Mezera will make a tour stop Saturday at the Iron Post (6 p.m.), where you can expect a nominal cover charge, and where you can take the kids (all ages!).
Jumping forward to Tuesday night, the Tractor Kings will wrap up their month-long residency at Cowboy Monkey by sharing the stage with Tunnels (fronted by the Living Blue’s Steve Ucherek). The Tractor Kings have been tearing through their residency, offering up old songs and songs that will be heard on their forthcoming album, and have been sharing the stage with a wide variety of acts. Tall Tale (formerly Tracey & Tricia) have proven to be one of the best new acts in the area.
The Courtyard Café (in the Illini Union) runs a lunchtime series on most Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and this week’s slots will be filled by Jane Boxall (performing a solo marimba set on Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m.) and Kayla Brown (Wednesday at 11:30 a.m.). If you’re already stuck on campus around the Union, why not eat lunch and enjoy some of the scene’s loveliest ladies?
Speaking of lovely ladies, Ryan Groff will play a solo show next Thursday at Aroma Café alongside Miles Nielsen (bassist for the Wandering Sons and a pretty great solo musician). Be sure to keep that show on your radar.
—Mike Ingram can be reached at forgottenwords@gmail.com.
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