Elsinore fans, take note: on the Joni Laurence live album With No Apology, Ryan Groff provides not just harmony vocals and acoustic guitar but also lead vocals on a new version of his song “Lake Water.” With Laurence now in Portland, the exclusive distributor here is Wind Water & Light Gallery at 10 Main St. in Champaign. July 15, to coincide with the Portland release of With No Apology, Laurence will enhance her Web site with free downloads of previously unavailable songs.
June 25 at Beat Kitchen in Chicago, Battlerusa Battle of the Bands winner Probably Vampires self-released a 14-song album, Dang! The official release date is Aug. 12, after which the quintet will conduct a second East Coast tour. Probably Vampires wreaks havoc Thursday at Cowboy Monkey with NYCO and Reds. Show time is 10 p.m., and cover is $4, which includes a Dang! three-song sampler.
New Ruins opens Thursday and Friday night at The Iron Post: Thursday for Noah Harris and Cameron McGill and Friday for Scale Model; Lucky Mulholland can no longer appear. Both shows are at 10 p.m. April 29 and 30, Scale Model recorded a sequel EP to the Twilight Dim EP with Kevin Dixon of Brief Candles. Most of it is available at www.myspace.com/scalemodel.
Also on Thursday, Angie Heaton and Gentle Tamer Bob Watson open for Jason Bentley at Arìma. Show time is 8 p.m., and admission is free. Saturday at The Iron Post, Kate Hathaway plays her first hometown show this year, with Larry Gates and Brandon T. Washington. Show time is 9 p.m., and cover is $4. At the same time, The 1900s and The Tractor Kings open for The Beauty Shop at The Canopy Club. Cover is $5.
Sunday at 8 p.m., WRFU 104.5 FM will rebroadcast Rodney George Peacock’s Artist Statement; it initially aired June 3. Peacock is a local jazz multi-instrumentalist and poet at work on a three-part opera inspired by Wagner and funded in part by the Illinois Arts Council. The opera will be performed in its entirety next year in Lincoln Theater. The radio piece is a statement to the community and an artist interview.
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.
