It’s Valentine’s Day. Some of you may have plans, some of you may not! For those of you on the fence about what to do tonight, there will be a nifty show going on at Black Sheep open to those who have dates and are lookin’ to dance, and those who don’t have dates and want to just have a good time! Tonight we have the real hard rock local band Livin’ Thing aka “Lovin’ Thing” headlining this gig. We also have friends Krelboyne from Champaign-Urbana currently on tour and playing this show. We have the driving punk rock group Sammy & The Punk hopefully playing and bringing their light show. We also have the local hip hop project everyone has been raving about, Animals With Human Names.

The show tonight starts at 7:00 pm. Admission is $5. Dress fancy, or don’t! Check out a facebook event for the show right here. Also be sure to check out our shows page for a good look at what else is coming up at Black Sheep these next few months.

This weekend at Black Sheep we only have one show lined up, and that is the one happening tonight. Tonight’s show features Champaign/Urbana band Single Player (possibly their first show here since the very first show of 2016 last year). Check out a hot new Single Player track that just dropped a couple weeks ago right here on the Rat King Records site. Also stream some of their earlier tunes on the player below. Also on this show we have the rambunctious Springfield high school punk band Nagasaki on board tearing up the dance floor. Before them is “Bottom Bracket” aka “Christmas Cannamela” aka “The Roman Candle Drive Guys”. Opening things up for this show we have the solo ambient act Kenyon Deshasier.

This show will start at 7:00 pm and admission is $5. Check out a facebook event for the show right here. Also be sure to check out our shows page for a good look at what else is coming up at Black Sheep this winter/spring.

Tonight is the Super Bowl, so naturally we are holding a five band show at Black Sheep and going head to head competing with The Radon Lounge, who also have a show going on at their spot tonight. The show at Black Sheep tonight features touring act from Madison, Wisconsin called “Dumb Vision.” Check out some of their tunes streaming on the player below. What do you know, we also have the presidential themed rock band “Lincoln’s Tunes” aka Lincoln’s Tomb on board for this one. We also have the grunge-y alternative rock group Stereo Static taking the big stage. Before that there are a couple of noise projects – we have the local noise/industrial project Weeping Iniquity and also a newer noise project from Champaign-Urbana called Can-Ka’ No Rey.

That is five acts all starting at 7:00 pm and for just $6. Check out a facebook event for this one right here. Also be sure to check out our shows page for a good look at what else is coming up at Black Sheep this year.

Looking for something to do tonight on the first night of February? For the 21 and up crowd there is a show happening at Bar None downtown which features the touring act Two Houses from Chicago. Stream some of Two Houses’ music on the player embedded below. This show features a solid lineup of Two Houses and a couple of locals – hit Springfield band Attic Salt will also be playing. They will also be joined by newer Springfield pop punk band Starter Jackets from some of the same people that brought you Hospital Job.

This show will start at 9:00 pm and we are guessing the door charge is $5. This one is ages 21 and up, sorry! Check out a facebook event for that right here. Also check out our Springfield shows page for a list we are working on of shows coming up in town outside of Black Sheep.

We are once again mixing things up at Black Sheep with a thought provoking book release and discussion tonight. Tonight we will be joined by UIS Professor and also jazz drummer Richard Gilman-Opalsky. Richard is releasing a brand new book which is also the fourth he has written called Specters of Revolt. Richard will be talking about the book as well as leading a discussion and will be also joined by an opening performance by Springfield punk band Undone. From the event description:

A night of subversive thinking with UIS Professor and political philosopher, Richard Gilman-Opalsky — focused on the publication of his new book, “Specters of Revolt.” We will discuss recent social upheavals and the necessity of radical politics today…now more than ever! The event opens with local noise resistance from the band Undone, followed by a book presentation and conversation with Gilman-Opalsky.

All of that begins tonight at 6:00 pm, and the event is free. Check out a facebook event for that right here. Also be sure to check out our shows page for a good look at what else is coming up at Black Sheep in the near future.

What’s the flier with this mustard and ketchup all about? Well, it looks like we have a show happening at Black Sheep tonight featuring more of the *chill* sit-down type of music. We’re talking ambient soothing sounds here, and we are talking some acoustic singer/songwriter stuff on deck. We are talking lights off and a projector showing some old films on VHS while some type of instrumental droney type stuff is being played here. If that sounds like your cup of tea then Black Sheep is the place to be tonight! Here is the full lineup of acts:

Pretend I’m Not There
Timothy Donavan Russell
Everette
Mario Cannamela
Kenyon Deshasier
Vincent Sebastian
Austin Connelly

Sounds like we got a total of six or seven acts lined up tonight at Black Sheep starting at 7:00 pm. Admission has been bumped down to $5 (what a deal)! Check out a facebook page for this right here. Also be sure to check out our shows page for a good look at everything else coming up at Black Sheep in the near future. Check out a Timothy Donavan Russell track on that player below!

Continuing to do new things at Dumb and Black Sheep in the new year! Today we are announcing that we are holding the first(?) (first that we know of) book release inside Black Sheep. That is happening on Saturday, January 28th for the book Specters of Revolt by Richard Gilman-Opalsky. Richard is a political science professor at the University of Illinois in Springfield. His new book focuses on social upheavals and radical politics, and he will be giving a talk in Black Sheep for this release! The event is going to be kicking off with a live music performance by Undone – who are returning to the Black Sheep stage after what has been a short break.

The book release starts at 7:00 pm. We will be taking donations for Black Sheep. Check out a facebook event for this one right here. Also check out our shows page for a good look at other things coming up in Southtown this year.

We have a very special night lined up in Southtown tonight! Tonight will be the annual Black Sheep Holiday Show! Bring that egg nog, hot chocolate, and Christmas cheer if you have any. If you don’t like any of that holiday or Christmas stuff you can come too. Tonight is going to be a great return of our friend Brandon Carnes and also a benefit for the new recording studio coming to Southtown – Southtown Sound. That’s right, tonight we have the one and only ambient solo project of Brandon: F///\\\M, whose music you can find streaming below. We also have the new hit Springfield indie/punk/pop band Attic Salt on the bill which we are excited about. Up before that is the incredible noise artist “Emasculate Regression.” Then opening things up we have the debut of a brand new Springfield band put together by Mario Cannamela- called “Roman Candle Drive By” or “Christmas Cannamela” or something like that.

This show will start at 7:00 pm and go quick so that some of us can get over to the NIL8 show happening at Bar None. Admission is $5 and a good portion of proceeds will be going towards with Southtown Sound kickstarter. Check out a facebook event for the show right here. Also be sure to check out our shows page for a good look at everything else coming up at Black Sheep in the near future.