Sound Ground #64

Joni Laurence is back from her five-week internship at Compass Records in Nashville, in plenty of time for her March 10 show with Patty Larkin and Catie Curtis at Virginia Theatre. A more intimate alternative, or hors d’oeuvre, is her warm-up tonight at Arìma with singer-songwriter Josh Harty. This is a free show from 8 to 10, and the pair plays again tomorrow at United States of Mind in Indianapolis. Also tonight, singer-songwriter Will Hoge plays Champaign-Urbana for the first time at The Canopy Club with Elsinore and Mike Ingram. Show time is 9, and cover is $6.

Saturday, Corkscrew After Dark presents bossa nova artist Simone da Silva. Backed by members of Desafinado, she will sing old and new Brazilian songs. This is an all-ages, smoke-free show, and as always, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are available by the glass. This is another free show from 8 to 10 pm.

Wonder where Temple of Low Men has been since its show Nov. 11 with Lorenzo Goetz and The Swell? Not only did drummer Ian Shepherd move to Iowa last year, but guitarist Anthony “Tito” Gravino has spent an extended period in the Philippines. Fear not: he came home Monday and is ready to get back in the groove. His de facto homecoming gig is Sunday at The Iron Post with bandmate Brandon T. Washington. Show time is 9 p.m., and the two will perform acoustic versions of Temple of Low Men songs, among others.

Also Sunday, Short and Sweet plays with Local H and Broken Day at The Canopy Club. Short and Sweet is the new band of Justin Slazinik of Sullen, a St. Louis hard-rock trio with ties to Champaign-Urbana that broke up suddenly last year. This is the fourth-ever Short and Sweet show. Show time is 9 p.m., and cover is $12, or $10 in advance.

Tuesday, Courtyard CafÇ hosts the first of two shows next month by My Masterpiece Will Be a Burning Museum, “the Spinal Tap of hardcore.” Little is known about the band except that it is an offshoot of the short-lived Linus Pauling Trio and promotes itself with babies, puppies and unicorns. A spokesman for Courtyard CafÇ said he expected “big dice, dodgeball and Mad Libs.” Show time is 8 p.m., and admission is free.

Next week: Darrin Drda’s Theory of Everything CD release show!

Todd J. Hunter hosts “WEFT Sessions” and “Champaign Local 901,” two hours of local music every Monday night at 10 p.m. on 90.1 FM. Send news to soundground@excite.com.

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