October 2nd at Black Sheep: Looming (Album Release), Screaming Females, Street Eaters, Choir Vandals

Posted on August 30, 2017 by blacksheepspringfield

Oh, we have been holding back BIG TIME for a minute on telling you all about this one just to make sure all of our ducks are in a row for this big announcement. On Monday, October 2nd we have what could easily end up being the first sold out show in Black Sheep history – we have Looming making another appearance for the album release of their second full length album “Seed” and also the return of SCREAMING FEMALES from New Brunswick, New Jersey since their spectacular appearance at Black Sheep in the Spring of 2015. Check out music from Screaming Females on the player below. Check out the first single from the Looming album Seed (the song is called “Down”) right here. This time around Screaming Females will be on tour with the band Street Eaters from Berkley, California. Then Looming have their friends in Choir Vandals in town to open up the show. Choir Vandals also performed at the Looming album release show for Nailbiter along with Park at Black Sheep two years ago.

This will be a very big show. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. If you would like to go, you really really should get your ticket in advance to guarantee you have a spot. Tickets are for sale online right here and also inside Dumb Records during store hours. This show will start at 6:30 pm, doors at 6:00 pm. Find a facebook event for the show right here. And of course check out our shows page for a look at what else is coming up at Black Sheep this fall.

NPR Illinois: B.J. Pearce On Black Sheep Cafe

Posted on August 28, 2017 by blacksheepspringfield

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Rachel Otwell and WUIS / NPR Illinois is continuing a series on The Black Sheep right now after our statement on the current state of the venue last week and Rachel’s reflection piece that soon followed. Yesterday on nprillinois.org they featured a piece written by Black Sheep co-owner B.J. Pearce as his reflection on things and also an in-depth look at bands that B.J. has been involved with and his experience setting up shows at the venue. You can check out that full entry right here. From B.J.’s piece:

Little did I know it was a Metal show. I remember the graffiti, I remember circle (mosh)pits, and I remember that I stood against a wall and was blown away by what I saw. Everything about the show made me yearn for more. I could barely keep up with what band was playing I was so overwhelmed. In the midst of my show viewing, the people I came to Springfield with left. I had to walk down the street to Moto Mart or whatever gas station was there at the time and beg for change to call my parents. My mother came and picked me up at 12:45 A.M. I knew I was grounded but there would be nothing that kept me from going back again.

Stay tuned for more pieces on The Black Sheep coming! Also stay tuned for more info on a roundtable meeting we will be hosting sometime in the early days of September to further discuss the continuation of our venue in this new era.

Videos: RASH at Black Sheep 7-22-17

Posted on August 28, 2017 by blacksheepspringfield

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Today we bring you a video of the Chicago-based hardcore band RASH performing at Black Sheep earlier this summer on July 22nd. Check out that video on the player below. The show was also with bands Stick People and Undone. Also find some of RASH’s recorded music right here.

Find a good amount of videos and photos taken over the years at Black Sheep on our vids/pics page.

New Band Pages: Glower

Posted on August 28, 2017 by blacksheepspringfield

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Good morning everyone and welcome to a brand new week! Today we are bringing you a new band page for the new Springfield project Glower. (Not pronounced “Glow” – er, but instead that “ow” as in “ow!” or “cow”, you know?). This new Springfield duo features Kristin Walker and Kate Ridge (pictured above), and sounds like they have also recently added a drummer as a third member. To find out more about the band as well as a link to some demos, check out their band page right here. Glower do not have any shows currently lined up, but be on the lookout very soon.

Check out any of our 55+ current Springfield band pages on our site right here. Do you play in a Springfield band that has not yet set up a band page with us? We would love to hear from you! Send us an email to blacksheepspringfield@gmail.com and we will work with you to set something up.

September 9th at Laser House: Victor Villareal (Cap’n Jazz), Sleeping Cranes, Johari Idusuyi

Posted on August 27, 2017 by blacksheepspringfield

Today we have a rare Springfield house show coming up to tell you about. No, this one is not at The Radon Lounge, this time around it’s at Laser House – another house venue that occasionally puts on living room shows. This one is happening on Saturday, September 9th. You can expect this one to be indie-rock of sorts – it features headlining act Victor Villareal who performed in iconic emo / indie bands Cap’n Jazz, Joan of Arc, and Owls. Check out Victor’s newest solo material streaming on the player below. This show also features the work of local poet Johari Idusuyi. Then opening things up is an act familiar to Laser House and that is Sleeping Cranes currently based out of St. Louis.

This show starts over at Laser House at 8:00 pm, and admission is $10. Seating is limited! If you wish to inquire about the address or other details, email laserhouse217@gmail.com. Find a facebook event right here.

Dumb Records Open Mic Tonight

Posted on August 27, 2017 by blacksheepspringfield

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Yes, how amazing. The only thing we have going on this weekend in Southtown is tonight! And that’s an open mic taking place at Dumb Records, starting at 6:45. We have a pretty full schedule lined up with three remaining open slots to be claimed by anyone who shows up in the store tonight:

10:15-10:30 Pretend I’m Not There
9:45-10:15 (open, to be claimed at the show)
9:30-9:45 Chance Knight
9:15-9:30 New Hart
9:00-9:15 Hannah Songer
8:45-9:00 (open, to be claimed at the show)
8:30-8:45 Eric Marvel
8:15-8:30 Nighthawk
8:00-8:15 AJ Francis
7:45-8:00 Nefarious Cloud
7:30-7:45 Kristin Walker
7:15-7:30 Marquice YQ Barbour
7:00-7:15 (open, to be claimed at the show)
6:45-7:00 The Southtown Omni-Rhythms

Find a facebook event for that one right here. Things will kick off right at 6:45, and the event is free. We will have a donation jar set up for The Black Sheep in the store. Also everything for sale is 20% off! Nice. Check out our shows page for a better look at what else is coming up this fall right here.

Illinois Times Best of 2017 Nominee Voting (Now Until September 3rd)

Posted on August 26, 2017 by blacksheepspringfield

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It’s that time of year again. The Illinois Times has now launched the nominee voting for their “Best of Springfield” poll for 2017. Now is your chance to nominate all of your favorite local businesses, bands, musicians, and people for a chance to make it to the next round of voting. Nominee voting goes from now until September 3rd. You can check that out online right here.

The Black Sheep would likely be in the running for “best small live music venue” if we make it on to the next round. Southtown Sound and Dumb Records don’t seem to fit into any categories this year. Perhaps Southtown Sound could go for “best new business (open within the last 12 months) not downtown”?

Actual voting for the IT Best Of’s will go from September 14th through October 1st. The results will then be released in the issue of The Illinois Times on October 26th. We do our own “Best of Local Music” on our site at the very end of the year.

Rachel Otwell (NPR IL): “On The Romance & Reality of Black Sheep” + FAQ’s

Posted on August 24, 2017 by blacksheepspringfield

Sure, you may be hearing some rumors on the current state of our venue The Black Sheep so now may be an appropriate time to address them.

As many of you know, our four owners (Brian + Clare + Drew + and BJ) made a public cry for help and an update on the state of things on our facebook group which you can find right here. The post generated a lot of discussion. From the original post:

We are not looking for just cash donations, or to make a kickstarter page or anything like that. There are a lot of great people in our community that totally support everything we are doing (which is great!), but more so are doing so from the sidelines. Really we just need to see support in the form of people coming out. And of course it was great having that Noisey article this past week, the MU330 show was also great, but the average show here has become an average of 4-5 people showing up and us having to apologize to touring bands to come from across the country to play at a space and community that they only hear good things about.

Rachel Otwell of NPR Illinois wrote a reflection piece on the state of things at Black Sheep on the NPR IL site you can find right here. Here’s a bit from that piece:

My sincere hope as an advocate for art in this city is that we will continue to make this miracle of miracles work. Surely there are more people like me out there. People who maybe aren’t going to attend multiple shows a month, even – but can recognize and value this space for what it is. People who know they are welcome and should show up as much as they ever feel they’d want to. For those of us who already love it – it’s time to show what true community is about and help support each other. Let’s get excited about what the future might bring if enough people come together to figure out how to keep this thing running. As romantic as the idea of this mecca of DIY/weirdo culture is – the reality is it is also really hard work, and it’s work best shared. Not every detail will be perfect, and there is always room for constructive feedback.

So what happens after this? A lot of you probably have a good amount of questions. We’ll do our best now to answer a few that we are being asked:

What can I do to help?
For those of you reaching out just looking to donate money – that is great, and while that IS very much an issue for us right now, the main issue is just people coming out and supporting what we are doing. The number one thing you can do to help us right now is to just come out. We just got done with a weekend of five shows in a row and unfortunately do not have a lot lined up after this at this point. Let’s make these next shows count. A lot of you are also reaching out asking to book certain types of shows, or if your band can play shows, etc. We appreciate all of that, but again the most important thing right now is just coming out to support what we have going on. We are very much open to new people setting up new events at our space, and oftentimes it is just best that you come out to discuss these ideas with us in person at some shows coming up! We will also likely be having a roundtable meeting at the beginning of September to further this discussion.

Is Black Sheep really closing? How soon will the venue shut down if it is?
We did not intend for this to come off as an announcement that we will be closing soon or even at all in the near future, more as a cry for help or warning before we do. If it is closing down, the matter of time before it does really is up to all of you in terms of coming out to shows. We are aware that this announcement has generated some buzz around our venue and some people stepping up to help, we are concerned that in the weeks to come that this buzz will go away and then we will really be in trouble. We are also concerned right now because usually the middle of winter is the hardest time of the year for us and the summer is usually the best, and this summer has been a struggle to get through to say the least.

Can my band play a show there? Can I help set up a show or workshop?
Yes, but please keep in mind that we are getting a lot of these messages and requests right now and again the main problem is people coming out. Really the best way to talk to us about your band playing is to just come out and talk to us! We also have a meeting being planned for the beginning of September.

Noisey: The Punk Scene in Springfield Takes Its DIY Culture Seriously (with Some Goofiness)

Posted on August 22, 2017 by blacksheepspringfield

While most of us were busy staring into the sun yesterday, some of you may have noticed that Black Sheep, Dumb Fest, and Springfield’s Punk Scene made it big into the national spotlight through this Noisey article. The article “The Punk Scene in Springfield Takes Its DIY Culture Seriously (with Some Goofiness)” is a report on the punk and DIY scene in Springfield, Illinois with a closer look at some of our very own bands. From the article:

Despite the financial challenges and the practical roadblocks of spreading the word, the Springfield scene still experiments with different ways to get more people involved. Late every summer, the all-ages show space hosts Black Sheep Fest, which highlights the most active and best local bands in the area, and they also throw annual band lotto shows, where people put their names in a hat and randomly get drafted to new bands. “Even with all of the challenges we face and the tremendous amount of our own time and money we have to put into this thing,” Galecki says. “All of us realize that what we have going is extremely important to giving others a voice and outlet to create music and art and keeping a community alive in Springfield.”

Check out the full article online right here. A number of musicians and artists involved in the Springfield music scene are interviewed including Clare Frachey, BJ Pearce, Drew Kodrich, Jeff Williams, Brandon Carnes, Brian Galecki and more. An in-depth look at bands Looming, Pryss, Livin’ Thing, and more are also shown in the article.

September 8th at Black Sheep: Violence Creeps, Livin’ Thing, Boon, Spell Breaker

Posted on August 20, 2017 by blacksheepspringfield

Time for another show announcement – this one happening on Friday, September 8th and is a well rounded gig for all. This one will be the return of weirdo punk band Violence Creeps from Oakland, California to our space for the first time since the spring of last year in 2016. Check out some new material that they have released since then streaming on the player below. Then also joining them as they did last time is Livin’ Thing – the incredible stretch-suit rubber band. We also have a rare Black Sheep performance by the band Boon – they have also released some new material since they last played here. Opening things up is Spell Breaker – another Springfield band with their own special sound.

This show will be starting at 7:00 pm and admission is $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 fall.