I’m writing this article on Sunday. I wonder what has happened in between the time this reaches my editor to the time you are reading the line you are reading right now. For instance, do we have any conclusive information if Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey actually got married on the Caribbean island of Eleuthera? Will we have found out that dark secret in Serena’s past on the CW’s hit, teen drama, Gossip Girl? Will I have realized I’ve been wasting too much time watching trashy television in time to not fail my finals?
I guess I’ll just have to wait. In the mean time, there are a couple of things you can be sure of. I’m going to take a guess, and say that there still isn’t an official democratic candidate for the presidential election…and I bet you haven’t yet missed the Canopy Club’s tribute to local music.
I imagine that between both print and online content related to the Illini Media Company there are 4,000 articles about tonight’s show celebrating 10 years of the Canopy Club. So, I’m not going to make it 4,001 saying that you should go (but you should) especially because my band is playing (but we are). Instead I’m going to, say, spin it round and maybe even flip it. I wouldn’t reverse it, that’d be excessive. Yes, instead I’m going to reflect on the first time I saw some of the bands performing tonight.
New Ruins: In summer 06, I played a serious of odd concerts with my brother’s musical endeavor, Axelrod Gunnerson. From speaker phone radio performances to scary dive bars in Aurora, the highlight of the summer was Beecher Kids’ Fest. About a dozen artists met in a barn in lovely Beecher, Illinois for a day of music. The lineup consisted mainly of mediocre twee outfits, but sticking out like a melodiously sore thumb was the then-duo, New Ruins. Having heard some Myspace jams before, I was still taken by the quality of their music. And it’s only gotten better with the current lineup. There’s also this playground in Beecher that has heads of characters from The Wizard of Oz on top of its swing sets; it was terrifying.
Santa: Late in 05, near the close of my freshman year, I couple friends told me about a concert in Greg Hall. It was kind of awkward sitting in small auditorium/ large classroom for a concert but I enjoyed nonetheless. It also prepared me for the strangeness that is a concert in Foellinger. I started taking notes during the My Morning Jacket show a couple years ago.
Hathaways: My friend Devin and I went to an art opening in downtown Champaign. On the way to the cheese and wine I walked into a mini concert, right in the crowded hall way. Kate was playing the mystifying Charango and the siblings’ set became the focus of the event. That embarrassingly was just a few months ago, but It’s better late than never, right?
These are just some of the examples of how music is everywhere in CU, not just at the Canopy Club or Assembly Hall, and especially not just when Rooney (puke) and Umphrey’s (puke 2 dot 0) come through. So check out the Canopy tonight for a crash course in great local music, but look for it this summer in places you wouldn’t expect.
Also, I want to be the first to say that there should be shows at Cakes on Walnut…and the bands have to wear cup cake shaped helmets.
Brian would also accept free cupcakes for the suggestion and can be reached at brianmcgo@gmail.com
