We made it through the holiday season accompanied by plenty of live music that magically increased the fun ratio to the max. As the new year continues to provide entertainment enjoyment at dizzying levels with no signs of stopping, let’s go take a peek at what we’ve got going on.
This week’s adventures begin with news of Joel Styzens’ Kickstarter campaign involving his latest music composition concept called Handbird. Several area musicians have used the Kickstarter platform to help pre-sell, and therefore fund, music projects, so you should know the drill. Go to Kickstarter.com and find Handbird to learn what it’s all about. Then choose your level of support to let Styzens raise the dough necessary to bring this wonderful music out into the world. You have until Jan. 21 to pledge (this is an all or nothing deal so it’s vital to participate by the closing date), but the sooner the goal is reached (and beyond), the better the world will be for our intrepid artist working to achieve this heartfelt creative endeavor. Now get to it, please.
Back in our live music community, it’s time for Thursday Night Live at Motorheads with this month’s showcase featuring Cassie Teubner Grider, Chris Noonan, The Speakeasy Trio (Dan Luparell, Joe Kath and Gary Davis) and Groundhog Jam (Dereck Usher, Willie Owens and Michael Scott Carpenter) as the local talent on display in the mighty Motordome. Downtown at the Pharmacy Gallery, the first Art of Jazz show of 2026 presents Maria Alejandra Rodriguez Diaz, plus Chip McNeil on rhythm guitar, with project curator Max Beckman backing on the bass. John Drake serves up songs at Mother Road Diner (look for his latest release on all platforms this Friday) to complete our action-packed Thursday night of music.
Friday gets going right away with a nice assortment of styles and genres all over town. Let’s start with mostly original songs from Spoonbenders as Liz Fitz opens at George Rank’s, move on to Me, Myself and Schy featuring Jeff Berendt and Schy Willmore doing cool tunes of the Americana variety at Boone’s and hang with Silas Tockey singing as a solo acoustic act on a far-ranging bunch of popular songs at Harvest Market. Next up, Bloomington’s The Sweet Nothings roll into the Curve Inn for a refreshing night of traditional and hot club jazz on flute, trumpet, accordion, acoustic guitar, tuba and whatever else they find to play on the way here, just as Emile, Queana Marie, Shon, CuspofArrows, Katae and AWHN appear on stage at Dumb Records for an all-ages hip hop show entitled “I’m Yours for Tonight” and Thomas J Beverly swings into Bar Bella for a sweet night of assorted Dylan, Petty and more songs.
Get started early Saturday when those ever-loving, ever-growing, always entertaining Springfield Uketopians hit at noon at Stella Coffee and Tea. Then go for a drive to see Devin C. Williams kicking his drum and belting the blues from 1 to 4 p.m.at Whiskey Ridge Saloon near Breckenridge, then stop by The Filling Station in Rochester on the way back for JackAsh (Ashley and Jack) singing up a storm from 3 to 6 p.m.. The nighttime is the right time to bring on the bands with The Remedy rocking Goodfellas, Wowie Zowie cutting a rug at DH Browns and David McEathron Quartet funking up the jazz fusion at Boone’s.
Sunday, most of the action (but not all) is in small towns around the city so take a look at our listings and take a drive to take in the music, then take it easy until we meet again next week.
This article appears in January 08-14, 2026.
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