March 10 at The Courtyard, Headlights introduced a new bassist: Nick Sandborn, pianist for fellow Polyvinyl Record Co. band Decibully. Then, March 21 at The Current, Minnesota Public Radio in St. Paul, Headlights performed three songs from EP2 on air: “Put Us Back Together Right,” “Songy Darko,” and “Signs Point to Yes but Outlook Not So Good.” Tomorrow at Cowboy Monkey, Headlights will play with The M’s, Mazarin, and The Double. Show time is 9:30 p.m., and cover is $8.
March 24 at Cowboy Monkey, Jive Records star American Minor acknowledged Champaign as still a home away from home, with a warm set that increasingly ignored the set list and accommodated audience requests. New songs “Moonlight Ride,” “You Ain’t Got to Worry,” and “Help Yourself” as well as an Edwin Starr cover, “25 Miles,” surfaced for the first time. Also bringing back rock and roll were The Frauds and The Thieves.
Gloria Roubal comes out of hibernation with two G. Lee shows. The first is Acoustic @ Arìma, tonight at 8 p.m., and the second is a CU-Smokefree Coalition benefit at Ned Kelly’s Steakhouse, April 21 at 9 p.m. Ned Kelly’s is located at 1601 N. Cunningham Ave. in Urbana.
Another member of G. Lee & Jet Blonde has two shows to announce as well. Ian Shepherd, also of Funky Butt Drum Club and Temple of Low Men, will perform here with his new project Bahlu Organ Trio; Rob Ankum and Nathan Peoples complete the ensemble. Shepherd describes it as “jazzy, funky, bluesy, New Orleans-flavored rock,” or for short, “jazz with gravy.” Bahlu Organ Trio, the house band at Blues on Grand in Des Moines, will play April 7 at Cowboy Monkey at 10 p.m. and April 8 at The Iron Post at 6 p.m.
April 15 in the beer garden at Mike ‘n Molly’s, Brother Embassy will play for the first time in six months. “Normally tax day, but the IRS said that you can wait until later because Brother Embassy is playing!!!” schmoozes singer Nathon Jones. Mad Mardigan is also on the bill, and show time is 10 p.m. While his band was on break, Jones acted in “The Doctor in Spite of Himself” and “Scapino” with The Rantoul Theater Group. The two one-act plays ran March 17-26.
Todd J. Hunter hosts WEFT Sessions and Champaign Local 901, two hours of local music every Monday at 10 p.m. on WEFT 90.1 FM. Send news to soundground@excite.com. Support your scene to preserve your scene. No, really.
