This is just a post to let you know that local band Bottom Bracket have been announced as playing “Fest 19” in Gainesville, Florida coming up this October! Congratulations to them! We’ve been lucky to have a good number of Springfield bands represented at FEST in the past including Hospital Job, Looming, and Attic Salt. Right now Bottom Bracket is the only local group announced for this year that we know of. FEST takes place on October 29th-31st in Florida.
Hey, that’s our street! Looks like something is happening on the street we are on downtown! That’s a “Monroe Street Artwork Unveiling” on Saturday, May 22nd which is one week from this upcoming Saturday. Info from the Downtown Springfield Inc. facebook event:
Downtown Springfield Inc, Springfield High School, and the Strong Towns Facebook Group is excited to announce the unveiling of artwork murals that will be displayed in the windows of store fronts along Monroe Street, between 3rd and 6th Streets.
This has been a great opportunity for art students at Springfield High School under their teachers Beth Pianezza and Tara Starling to feature their artwork in the local community. Strong Towns Bookclub will be including quotes from Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity by author Charles L. Marohn Jr. adjacent to the students’ artwork.
This project was made possible by the following sponsors; Springfield Area Arts Council, Solomon Colors, Springfield Electric, Bank of Springfield, DSI Board Member Erin Svendsen, and Crawford Murphy & Tilly. Without them and Gregory Shelton with Solution Printing, Inc., none of this would have been possible!We’ll unveil the project today! Please join us on the corner of 6th and Monroe outside the Ferguson Building, 524 E. Monroe Street at 10AM.
As far as we know, our storefront is not part of this artwork unveiling. But we do still have a giant green elephant outside of our store and we think that counts as art and we are sure this new artwork will all look great on our street.
Okay, back to the new local music! This one is from Kristin Walker – featured on the cover of this month’s Activator Magazine – local musician and artist, formerly of bands Moondead and a few other full bands from the Black Sheep era. Kristin has released five songs under the title Etheric Bodies, which you can stream on the bandcamp player below. Pick up a copy of Activator Magazine to check out an interview with Kristin where she talks more about these songs! Also head on over to Kristin’s bandcap page where you can purchase the download of the songs and check out more of her music.
We are real slow to be adding to our Springfield album archive page for this year – but we are catching up and this one is number 10 for releases we have had featured on our site this year!
Lovely! We are ready for nicer weather, summer, more things happening outdoors downtown, and the return of the Old Capitol Farmers Market! That’s right – the Farmers Market here in downtown Springfield officially kicks back off today – or did just a little bit ago at 8:00 am!
The Farmers Market takes place on the corner of 4th and Adams Streets here downtown, and up and down Adams Street just west of the Old State Capitol building just about one block away from us. There was an article in the paper a few days ago – “Farmers Markets Return For Summer Season With Samples, Live Music, and Social Distancing”. The Farmers Market takes place every Wednesday and Saturday morning from now until October 27th in the fall! This is the 22nd year the Farmers Market has been in operation! More info on the market as well as COVID guidelines can be found on the Downtown Springfield Inc. website right here.
It’s that time of year once again where one of the biggest gatherings and festivals *would be* happening here downtown right next to us (but unfortunately is not once again this year due to COVID-19). HOWEVER, Springfield PrideFest is still taking place this year just *virtually* on the web. We were happy to donate a gift basket which is being auctioned off as part of this event.
The virtual PrideFest is taking place from 1:00 to 7:00 pm this Saturday, May 15th at UISpac.com. The virtual festival does include music from Thornhill, interviews, contest drawings, and a live drag show at 5:30 pm. More info on the event can also be found on that link. Also follow Springfield PrideFest on facebook to stay updated on going-ons relating to Springfield PrideFest!
Happy Tuesday – it’s another week at our record store and the records continue to fly and and and out of the store. We are just having a lot of fun over here. Don’t forget we are also uploading videos onto our youtube channel every week now where we show the unboxing of some records, talk about some of our picks, and goof off. Our store is open from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm every day now at 418 E Monroe Street. We still have a green elephant in front of our store. Our online store is still at shopdumbrecords.com. Okay, now let’s dive into what’s new!
New LPs Alfie Templeman – Forever Isn’t Long Enough American Football – EP Amon Düül II – Hijack Can – Future Days Chvrches – Love Is Dead Dan P. – My Living Room Deicide – The Stench of Redemption Don Davis – The Matrix Soundtrack Dowsing – Okay Eric Church – Heart Escape The Fate – Chemical Warfare Hey-Smith – Life In The Sun Iceage – Seek Shelter Iron And Wine – Archive Series Volume No. 5 Joe Strummer – Assembly The Lillingtons – Can Anybody Hear Me? Miles Davis – Round About Midnight NOFX – Single Album Patti Smith Group – Radio Ethiopia Smoking Popes – Into The Agony Space Cats – Something New Teenage Bottlerocket – Warning Device Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
Used LPs Alan Price – Lucky Day Anne Murray – What About Me Argent – In Deep Argent – Nexus The Banjo Kings – Volume One B.B. King – Midnight Believer Bill Black’s Combo – Plays The Blues Bill Black’s Combo – Movin’ Bill Bruford – Feels Good To Me B.J. Thomas – New Looks Bob Crosby – Bob Crosby And His Orchestra 1938 Bobby Vinton – Melodies Of Love Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express – Live Oblivion Vol. 1 Bruce Forman Quartet – Full Circle Buddy Johnson – Walkin’ Buck Wilkin – Buck Wilkin Carole King – Thoroughbred Cats – Broadway Cast Recording Champion Jack Dupree – Blues From The Gutter Charles Aznavour – Bravo! Bravo! Chicago – Chicago VII Chick Webb & His Orchestra – A Legend 1929-1936 Cleo Laine – A Beautiful Thing Dr. Jerry Falwell – The Living Christmas Tree Flip Wilson – You Devil You Flora Purim – Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly Gene Pitney – The Fabulous Gene Pitney Gladys Knight & The Pips – Early Hits Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds – Hallway Symphony Homer & Jethro – Fractured Folk Songs Kate Smith – Her Very Best Kate Smith – God Bless America The Kirby Stone Four – The Kirby Stone Touch Janis Ian – Janis Ian Jimmy Lewis & The Checkers – Year, Right Jimmy Mosher Quintet – Satyric Horn Joan Armatrading – How Cruel Joe Bushkin – Joe Bushkin In Concert, Town Hall Joe South – Introspect John Abercrombie – Current Events John Davidson – Goin’ Places Johnny Horton – Battle of New Orleans Johnny Mathis – The Sweetheart Tree Johnny Rivers – Meanwhile Back At The Whisky A Go Go Jr. Walker And The All Stars – Home Cookin’ Le Quartet Bash – Le Quartet Bash Los Yonics – Los Yonics Louis Armstrong – Louis Armstrong Special Louis Armstrong – Immortal Sessions Volume I Mac Davis – Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me The Manhattan Transfer – The Extensions Mark Knopfier – Local Hero Mantovani – Conducts The World’s Great Light Classics Mason Williams – Hand Made Mike Adkins – He Is Near Mike Adkins – Thank You For The Dove The Mills Brothers – Paper Doll McGuirre Sisters – With The DeJohn Sisters Murray The K – Live From Brooklyn Fox Nancy Adams – And The Deer Creek Fundamentalists Nancy Wilson – Like In Love The New Christy Minstrels Olivia Newton-John – Come On Over Paul Stookey – Paul And Paul Revere & The Raiders – Featuring Mark Lindsay Pete Fountain – A Taste of Honey Philip Aaberg – High Plains The Platters – 30 Golden Hits Procol Harum – Grand Hotel Ralph Towner – Batik Richie Beirach & John Abercrombie – Emerald City Robert Rheims – Christmas In Carols Roger Williams – Only For Lovers Roger Williams – Magic Moods Sam Rivers – The Quest The San Sebastian Strings – For Lovers Scum – Scum Shanice Wilson – Discovery Shakin’ Stevens – Get Shakin’ Sidney Becket – At The Brussells Fair The Supremes – Sing Rodgers And Hart Sylvia – Drifter Tammy Wynette – Til I Can Make It On My Own The Temptations – Do The Temptations T. Texas Tyler – The Hits of T. Texas Tyler Todd Rundgren Initiation Various – Highlight On Lady Rock Various – 1962 Barbershop Chorus Vikki Carr – Hoy (Today)
12” Singles Army Of The Pharaohs – Tear It Down Diana Ross – The Boss / Lovin’ Livin’ & Givin’ Do Or Die – Can U Make It Hot Herculeez & Big Tyme – Hollywood Jay Z – What More Can I Say Scarface – Recognize Soul Position – Blame It On The Jäger Tina Charles – Dance Little Lady Dance
Happy Monday! It’s May – and we are now very stocked up with the new issue of Activator Magazine here at Dumb Records.
This one is packed with content – this one features local musician / artist Kristin Walker on the cover. Kristin recently released a new solo EP called Etheric Bodies. In addition to the interview with Kristin – you can also find a list of new local releases and some reviews for those, also an interview with Tebe Zalango from Decatur, The Dry Look from Champaign, Tim Reynolds (of the bands Horrible Things, Hospital Job, and Time Thieves), Balki Bros, Vincent Sebastian, and another “sound-check” segment checking in with different local musicians. All of that and more! No “Dumb Perspective” segment this week, sorry Brian Galecki was way too busy record farming and putting together youtube videos.
You can pick up a copy of Activator Magazine here at Dumb Records for free and various other locations around town – we usually have a few back issues in stock as well. Also check out the Activator Patreon page for bonus exclusive content and consider donating!
Are you young? Like 25 years of age or younger young? Do you know someone who is – an particularly someone who knows how to use social media? Well, Downtown Springfield Inc. just may be looking for you for a new fun program they are doing this summer called “Rep The City”! They are searching for “social media ambassadors” 25 years of age or younger to come downtown and post about some of the cool things we have going on down here, – and discounts for different downtown businesses and special events are included.
That flier pictured above is in our store right now and as you can see has one of those scanny doo-dads on the bottom left hand corner – which is a link to the online application, which can be found right here. More information about the program for now can be found on the application – there will likely be more of an official announcement from Downtown Springfield Inc. once ambassadors are chosen on what the program is and what’s going on this summer.
This is just a post to let you know that our Fish Tales Pinball contest has happened, and it’s over, and we have winners! Congrats to Chris O, with the number one high score of 100,664,040. Cole J came in a close second with 100,337,690, and Greg from USPS was also close behind with 97,456,220. Brian G blew all of those scores out of the water in the “staff” section though with a score of 154,168,600 (good thing staff is not in the running for the real contest).
When will we do another arcade contest? Maybe next month in June. For this month, enjoy our brand new game – CROSSBOW (1983).
Look at that, we can make pictures circles now. In case you haven’t heard, our Dumb Records arcade now has a new game. That game is CROSSBOW – manufactured by a company called Exidy and released in 1983. As you can see, this game has a built in crossbow. Here’s a description of what goes on from Wikepedia:
The player protects a band of adventurers from afar by shooting objects that threaten them. The adventurers enter from the left-hand side of the screen and attempt to cross the screen unharmed. If the player helps them reach the opposite side of the screen safely, the adventurers survive to the next scenario, and new adventurers are occasionally granted between scenarios.
In addition to the obstacles, the adventurers are vulnerable to the player’s shots. The first time the player shoots an adventurer, an on-screen message is shown: “DON’T SHOOT YOUR FRIENDS!” Thereafter, shooting an adventurer will cause him/her to emit a cry of pain, and to walk at a slower pace the rest of the way. A second shot will kill the adventurer.
Scenarios are chosen by shooting a destination on a map screen, which include: town, desert, volcano, cave, bridge, jungle, and castle. The goal is to reach the final scenario, past the castle, in which the player confronts the Master of Darkness, who presumably created the dangers in the game. Defeating the Master of Darkness requires shooting him in the eyes when they turn red (and deadly). The player is treated to a brief congratulation and a challenge to defeat the Master of Darkness again, “IF YOU DARE”. Following this screen the player starts over with however many adventurers survived the confrontation.
We are now up to 13 games in the arcade including six pinball machines, 1 racing game, now 2 shooting games, and 4 other standing arcade machines. Our arcade is open during store hours right now from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Don’t forget we are still doing a limited offer of renting out the space for private parties during after hours.
Dumb Records 