Eddie Money still alive! Ryan Adams relapse!

Let’s face it CU —
a lot of you blew it last Thursday when you didn’t make it out to see three of the area’s best acts release new CDs. Curb Service (Larry Gates of Lorenzo Goetz) played a solo set full of looped drum machine beats, record scratching, and even a cover of a song by the Living Blue. The Beauty Shop had a guest drummer filling in for a sick Ben Ucherek — former Beauty Shop drummer and current Headlights drummer Brett Sanderson. Shipwreck’s set featured another Headlights member (Erin Fein on keys/vocals) and the other Ucherek (the Living Blue’s Steve). Sadly, many of you weren’t there. I’m starting to see the reasoning more and more for shutting down Cowboy Monkey.
If you want to pick up those new releases, though, head over to Exile On Main Street, where Jeff is packing those, along with a ton of new vinyl (I saw some Sugarcubes 12-inches, and a ton of REM). The store was recently the site of a relapse by rocker Ryan Adams. That’s right, folks, he couldn’t kick it forever — Ryan Adams bought a Super Nintendo. Video games were just too hard to kick for any real length of time. Though, his realization that NES cartridges don’t fit into SNES consoles (after actually trying to push one in) was almost the blow that kept him away from the return. No “Balloon Fight” for you, Ryan Adams. But there can be “Balloon Fight” for you, reader, as a new (used) NES arrived at the store two days after the debacle. Get it while you can.
Hey, speaking of record releases and Cowboy Monkey — wouldn’t you know it, there’s another one of those tonight! Sangamon, the CU rock quartet in the vein of Coldplay and Keane, will release their debut EP The Right Way, with a show also featuring mad mardigan and Common Loon. 10 p.m. is the start time, and $5 is the cover.
Krannert Art Museum will once again play host to a great show tonight, this time dabbling into the hip-hop genre with sets from Psalm One and Krukid. The show is free and begins at 8 p.m., and will also feature sets by local DJs.
Project Chambana will either be the group hosting tonight’s show at the Canopy Club, or the group benefiting from the show. I’m not sure. I can’t really find any info online about the show. But, they’ve got some cool bands lined up (Treologic, Tall Tale, Alleyway Sex and more), and the cover is only $7. Your money might be benefiting someone, somewhere. What time? Yeah, I can’t find that, either.
Eddie Money (no shit, Eddie Money) will play at the Canopy Club on Friday. College kids, this may mean unexpected drop-ins from your mothers (who might also be drunk and panty-less), so keep an eye out. If you want to be out in order to avoid the drop-in, you could head to the Red Herring, where a benefit featuring Krukid, Zmick, Yeni Raki and more will commence around 6 p.m. A vegan dinner will even be served. But, the Red Herring is close to the Canopy Club, so I know you’re thinking there could be some danger there.
Another option is at Cowboy Monkey, where Cameron McGill and the Quartet Offensive will make a stop. This incarnation of the QO will feature not only strings, but a band as well. This columnist’s band, Darling Disarm, will also be on the show, along with another super-secret guest! How awesome does that sound? I know. 10 p.m., $7.
When I was in college I had a roommate who listened to a lot of Clutch — so much that I really could stand to never hear them again. Just in case you’re in the same boat, you could take one of these suggestions instead. First, the Iron Post in downtown Urbana will host the stylings of Me, Him and Charlie Miller (that’s just one band, mind you — those commas can be confusing). 9 p.m., $3.
Over in Champaign, elsinore will return to the stage at Cowboy Monkey (10 p.m., $7), alongside friends Everthus the Deadbeats (Muncie, IN) and Jumbling Towers (St. Louis, MO). Elsinore will also enter the studio this weekend to begin work on a new full-length album. Keep an eye out for more info.
Looking into next week — Broken Social Scene will be awesome, and Tractor Kings will begin a Tuesday residency at Cowboy Monkey. For those of you who check out Paste Magazine, Memphis band Giant Bear (featured on the last two Paste Samplers) will play at Cowboy Monkey next Thursday. Look them up — you’ll want to see them.
Mike Ingram can be reached at forgottenwords@gmail.com.

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