Author Archives: blacksheepspringfield

Tonight at Black Sheep: Starlorde, Maniac, Sex Ray Vision, Medusssa, Magma Diver

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WOW, last night was absolutely incredible and we can not say just how blessed we are to be able to have hosted legendary Springfield bands Food & Money and Backwards Day on our stage. Food & Money will also be playing with another reuniting Springfield band – Flock of Tooters – at The Curve Inn for an ages 21+ show that same night. But also tonight at Black Sheep we have a pretty happening punk and hardcore show going on! This includes the band Maniac from Massachusetts whose music is out of control. Probably going last on this bill (and not touring) is the local space band Starlorde. Up before all of that we have two touring bands from Texas. That includes Sex Ray Vision from San Antonio, Texas and also “MedusSsa” also from San Antonio. Stream some of that Sex Ray Vision on the player below. Opening things up is the newer Central Illinois based hardcore band Magma Diver, who don’t currently have any music recorded.

This show starts at 7:00 pm and admission is $5 (wow that’s too dang cheap). Check out a facebook event for this one right here. Also be sure to check out our shows page for a look at what else is coming up at Black Sheep this summer.

Wednesday at Black Sheep: Stereo Static, Acceptable Losses, Searching For Nostalgia, Stick People, Matt LaMarca

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Look at this stacked show that is happening at Black Sheep in just four days this upcoming Wednesday, July 5th. For this one we have two touring acts and a few locals. At the top of the bill is the local rock band Stereo Static. The main touring act on this one is pop punk band Acceptable Losses from Albuquerque, New Mexico. When was the last time we had a band from New Mexico play at Black Sheep? Also on tour from a different Springfield somewhere in Missouri is the band “Searching for Nostalgia” (what kind of band name is that)? Opening things up we have the rock grunge Taylorville act Stick People, and also a solo performance by the charming Matt LaMarca. Nice.

This show will start right at 7:30 pm and admission is $5. Check out a facebook event for the show right here. Also be sure to check out our shows page to see what else is coming up this summer at Black Sheep.

The Plunge: Demo

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Hello, here is something that we don’t really want to put up on our site, but it exists and it is kind of relating to Springfield music so here it goes! BJ Pearce of Bottom Bracket fame put together some sort of Diaper Rash-esque project here called “The Plunge.” We are not really sure what… why… but here it is. Something about him recording toilets flushing with microphones in a bathroom with vocal pedals. Stream this some type of demo or EP or something or other on the player below (we think it’s 7 songs)? Head over to The Plunge bandcamp page to download this piece at your own risk.

The Plunge will certainly not be playing any shows at Black Sheep any time in the near future. We are listing this as a release this year on our ultimate Springfield album archive though.

Tonight at Black Sheep: Food & Money, Backwards Day, Livin’ Thing, Spell Breaker

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We’re looking at one heck of a show happening at Black Sheep tonight, with two absolutely epic Springfield band reunions for two bands – Food & Money who have not performed together since 1982, and Backwards Day who have not performed together since 1994. This is truly a once in a lifetime chance for most of us to see these two bands that were both vital in shaping the Springfield punk / new wave / and alternative music scenes. Stream some songs from Food & Money below – the band has an LP of 21 songs including some that are unreleased and recorded in the year 1980 coming out to have in time for this weekend. In addition to the two reunion shows we also have two active and current Springfield bands playing the show tonight. This includes Livin’ Thing – who just recently got back from a week long tour around the midwest. Opening things up is Spell Breaker, featuring Noah Faingold, Scott Faingold of Backwards Day’s son.

The show tonight kicks off right at 7:00 pm. Admission is $10 at the door – if you purchased a ticket in advance we will have your name on a will call list at the door to mark off. Find a facebook event for this one right here. Also be sure to check out our shows page for a good look at everything else coming up at Black Sheep this summer.

This Sunday at Black Sheep: Starlorde, Maniac, Sex Ray Vision, Medussa, Magma Diver

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Uh oh, we sure are falling behind on our show announcements but we promise to be back on top of things this summer starting now! Get ready for an incredibly busy July starting with this big weekend of shows at Black Sheep. After the big reunion night tomorrow at Black Sheep, we’ve got a pretty big punk and hardcore show happening this upcoming Sunday night, July 2nd. Food & Money will also be playing with another reuniting Springfield band – Flock of Tooters – at The Curve Inn for an ages 21+ show that same night. For the punk show at Black Sheep we have a lineup which includes three touring bands. This includes the band Maniac from Massachusetts whose music you can find streaming on the player below. It’s out of control. Probably going last on this bill (and not touring) is the local space band Starlorde. Up before all of that we have two touring bands from Texas. That includes Sex Ray Vision from San Antonio, Texas and also “MedusSsa” also from San Antonio. Opening things up is the newer Central Illinois based hardcore band Magma Diver, who don’t currently have any music recorded.

This show starts at 7:00 pm and admission is $5 (wow that’s too dang cheap). Check out a facebook event for this one right here. Also be sure to check out our shows page for a look at what else is coming up at Black Sheep this summer.

Stream 5 Songs From Food & Money LP

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It doesn’t get much better than this folks, we tell you what. Today we are bringing you five hot tracks from the upcoming Food & Money (1979-1982) LP, which will be available for the first time ever at the show inside Black Sheep tomorrow night. The full record will be a collection of 21 songs from the band’s catalogue – some of which were recorded in 1980 and have never been released in any format. Below you can get a taste of the very first punk and new wave music to come out of right here in Springfield. Head over to the Alona’s Dream bandcamp page to stream all five songs that are currently available. Pictured above is a limited screen printed outer sleeve that will be going on the LPs available at the show. You can expect the record to be available at Dumb Records following this weekend of reunion shows.

The show tomorrow at Black Sheep kicks off at 7:00 pm and features two huge Springfield reunions – Food & Money and also Backwards Day. Check out the Illinois Times cover story this week on those two bands right here. More information on the show tomorrow can be found right here.

Today on Black Sheep Radio: Backwards Day

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After missing out on an episode last week due to The Livin’ Thing band being out on the road, The Black Sheep Radio Show is back this week with a brand new and exciting episode! With a tremendous reunion show happening at Black Sheep tomorrow with two bands from Springfield’s past, we will be in the studio live today chatting it up with the band Backwards Day, who was active 1988 – 1994 and has some members coming across a few states to play this weekend for the first time in decades. Backwards Day includes Jim Schniepp, Thaddeus Richmond, Timothy M. “Grumpy” Harte, and Scott Faingold (the last two also play in the active Springfield band Epsom). Listen to our show today to hear us talk to the band about what we can expect at their big reunion show tomorrow, and also their experience as a band in Springfield in the late 80’s / early 90’s. We’ll also be playing some of the band’s recorded music of course.

The Black Sheep Radio Show airs today and every Friday from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. You can stream the show live on 88.3 WQNA fm and also online at wqna.net. Head over to our radio page for a few downloadable episodes of the past.

The Illinois Times: “Music Ties That Bind”

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With two colossal punk / alternative & new wave bands from Springfield’s past reuniting this upcoming weekend at Black Sheep (Food & Money and Backwards Day) – Tom Irwin and The Illinois Times are commemorating the upcoming reunions by publishing a cover story this week with an in-depth look at the history of both bands and punk music in Springfield as a whole. The front page article is “Music Ties That Bind” – Generations of local punk and new wave musicians unite for a concert. The concert the article refers to of course is this Saturday at Black Sheep with Food & Money, Backwards Day, Livin’ Thing, and Spellbreaker and includes punk music coming from four? five? different decades in Springfield from the 1970’s to the present. From the article:

Springfield has gone through four periods of what rock music genre critics named “punk/new wave/alternative,” a style created to disturb the status quo of contemporary popular music. Our first era coincided with the appearance of “punk” on the national and international stage, when, in the mid-to-late 1970s, after a period of easy listening hits and progressive rock meanderings, pop music seemed ripe for a change. Local musicians in town reacted to this music revolution by forming bands such as Food & Money, The Strand/Condition 90, Bad Cake, Bux da Hoota, Nervous Soldier, Will To Dance and NIL8, plus many more.

You can pick up a copy of The Illinois Times at various local businesses around town including Dumb Records, or check out the full online article right here. The rest of the article includes a look at different waves of punk music in Springfield, more photos, and more.

Food & Money (1979-1982) and Backwards Day (1988-1994) will be reuniting this Saturday at Black Sheep. For more info on the show you can go right here. Food & Money also have an LP of unreleased material coming out for this reunion released by Alona’s Dream Records. Check out one of the songs from that LP streaming below.

Black Sheep Fest 2017 August 5th at Black Sheep

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Happy first day of summer! With it being the summer solstice and all right now, we feel it to be pretty appropriate today for us to announce our other summer festival – Black Sheep Fest happening this year on Saturday, August 5th. This will actually be the tenth Black Sheep Fest we have put on at Black Sheep, with the first one being three days in 2008! Check out that lineup – 15 or so acts that are all local to Springfield:

PRYSS
LIVIN THING
BHS (Reunion)
BOTTOM BRACKET
STICK PEOPLE
NEFARIOUS CLOUD
ANIMALS WITH HUMAN NAMES
MIKEY HASH
PROWESS
ABYSS
STARLORDE
SPELLBREAKER
NIGHT NIGHT BOY
AUTHUMBLUSURT
SYNZU
KATE LAINE

That’s right this year the fest features another reunion and that is the old Springfield pop punk group BHS (Banana Hammock Soldiers), who were active some years before Black Sheep was even around. Also we are crossing our fingers on the new project of Brandon Carnes – “Night Night Boy” being able to perform.

Black Sheep Fest this year will start at 3:00 pm and admission is $10. Check out a facebook event for this one right here. We also just updated our shows page a bit – check that out right here.

Tours: Livin’ Thing + Dream Probe

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Starting as early as yesterday, two Central Illinois punk bands who also just got done playing Dumb Fe5t – Livin’ Thing and Dream Probe are heading out on tour for ten days or so. The bands will be performing together most of these dates. The Livin’ Thing tour dates (starting today) are as follows:

*6/21 – BLOOMINGTON, IN @ KROGER CASTLE w/ Skull Cult, Doozie
6/22 – CHICAGO, IL @ BRIC-A-BRAC RECORDS w/Wet Wallet
6/23 – MADISON, WI @ MICKEY’S TAVERN w/ The Hussy, Juiceboxxx, Screwtape
*6/24 – MINNEAPOLIS, MN @ SEWARD COMMUNITY CAFE w/ Neotypes, Brendan Wells Plant Music
*6/25 – MILWAUKEE, WI @ QUARTER’S ROCK N’ ROLL PALACE w/ Nuclear Family, Future Mark, Law/Less
*6/26 – DES MOINES, IA @ THE FREMONT w/ The Sleepover, This Curse Divine
*6/27 – OMAHA, NE @ THE WEST WING w/ BiB, Justified Aggression
*6/28 – GALESBURG, IL @ GLORY DAYS BARBER SHOP w/Occultonomy
7/1 – SPRINGFIELD, IL @ BLACK SHEEP w/ Food & Money, Backwards Day, Spellbreaker

And of course the last date listed above is right here at Black Sheep on Saturday, July 1st for the big reunion show of all reunion shows – with Food & Money, Backwards Day, Livin’ Thing, and Spell Breaker.

Check out a facebook event for this big summer tour right here. Stream Dream Probe’s new demo on the player below.