The Illinois Times Best of 2016: Nominees

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It’s the time of the year again for The Illinois Times to open up their ballots for your vote of your favorite local businesses, people, bands and other things for the year 2016. We aren’t quite there yet though- before the actual voting begins there is a nomination period of the polling, which has started right now and goes until September 4th.

To nominate your favorites for different categories of the poll, go here. Categories are split up into music/arts, food, people, local life, and places. Specific favorites include best large and small music venue, best punk band, best rock/pop band, and more. Feel free to nominate anyone you see fit!

August 30th at Dumb Records: Stand-Up Comedy Show

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Just when you were thinking that Southtown*** (check out Donnie B’s comedy club for Springfield comedy) was lacking some good stand-up comedy shows, here is Dumb Records to the rescue. This one is happening in just a couple of days- this upcoming Tuesday, August 30th. We will be hosting a few comedians in the store as the metal show next door in Black Sheep is coming to a close. The comedians on deck include Dan Alten from Bloomington, Indiana and Eric Sorgel from Nashville, TN- both of which did a comedy/hardcore split show with Diaper Rash at one point a little over a year ago. It was a good time. This time around we have Brandon Judd, comedian from St. Louis opening things up for them, and also possibly a little bit by Devon Fluelen?

The comedy show will be likely starting inside Dumb Records around 9:00 pm. We are taking $5 donations for the touring comedians. You can 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 and Southtown this fall.

September 16th at Black Sheep: Black Sheep 11 Year Anniversary Show

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Well we sure are behind on announcing our September shows. How could we almost forget that Black Sheep’s birthday is in September!? That’s right on Friday, September 16th we will be celebrating of exactly 11 years of operating as an all ages space. The venue’s very first show was September 16th, 2005. For more on that and to read up on more of our venue’s history- check out our Black Sheep History page!

This show is going to be a real rocker. We have some metal and hardcore and some punk coming together for one show. For this we have Livin’ Thing, who will be returning from their 11 day tour soon before this. Check out their demo below. We also have heavy hitting metalcore group Set Fire To Salem from the metal end of things. Up before that is some Springfield newblood in GRINN. And opening things up is a brand new metal/alternative band coming out of Springfield called “Synzu.”

The show will start at 7:00 pm and admission is just $5. You can check out a facebook event for this one right here. Also be sure to check out our shows page for a good look at everything coming to Black Sheep this fall.

Videos: GRINN at Dumb Records 8-21-16

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Things are getting wild over at Dumb Records. Elephants are being bought, and the store is now set up with a more permanent PA system so loud and reckless punk shows can happen. Here is video footage of one- a video of the band GRINN performing there last weekend. This video has it all, including some good old fashioned pogo stick slam dancing. Check it out embedded below.

GRINN will be performing next at Black Sheep on September 16th as part of our 11 year anniversary show. More info on that coming later tonight. Also check out our vids/pics page for a look at more videos of touring and local bands playing in Southtown for the past 10+ years. Also thanks to Gordon Chang for filming this one, check out Macomb Events on youtube for more videos like these.

August 30th at Black Sheep: The Convalescence, Apothica, Dead Eyes Always Dreaming, Through Burning Eyes, Grays Divide

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Alright, we’ll admit it, we’re behind on our posts here at blacksheepspringfield.com headquarters. Here we are Saturday coming at you with a show announcement for a big metal show happening at Black Sheep this upcoming Tuesday, August 30th. There will also be something very special happening at Dumb Records later that night that we will officially announce tomorrow. This show is a five band metal show featuring The Convalescence from Toledo, Ohio and who are no strangers to Black Sheep. This time around they will be bringing a touring package including Apothica from Houston, Texas. Then we also have a band on tour called Dead Eyes Always Dreaming from Kalamazoo, Michigan. You can check out some of their music streaming on the player below. All of this will come with local support from Through Burning Eyes (from around here), and Grays Divide (from Decatur).

This show will start right at 7:00 pm and you can check it out for $10. Find a facebook event for this one right here. Also be sure to check out our shows page for a complete look at everything coming up at Black Sheep in the next few weeks.

Tonight at Black Sheep: Spooky Poo, Gadget, Bring On The Fall, Skunkworks

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There is a show happening at Black Sheep tonight! And hey, it’s the weekend! This will also been the seventh show that has happened in the past ten days, we sure are busy! Tonight we have four bands, all of which participated in our Black Sheep Battle of the Bands last month. This includes Decatur’s own two-piece project “Spooky Poo” which you can find streaming below. We also have Spooky Poo’s cousin band also from Decatur, Gadget, playing tonight. Before that is Bring On The Fall from Taylorville, Illinois brinning the rock. And the fourth and final band we have on the bill is the Jacksonville-based and talented “Skunkworks” who actually won our judges portion of our battle of the bands last month.

The show tonight will start at 7:00 pm and admission is $5. You can find a facebook event for tonight 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 next month or so.

Tonight at Black Sheep: Selector Dub Narcotic, Epsom, SAP

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Alright, tonight it is time to boogie at Black Sheep! We have a show happening featuring Selector Dub Narcotic – the new project featuring Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening and K Records. If you are unfamiliar with Calvin’s work, this documentary might be a place to start, or check out his wikipedia page. Stream the new album by Selector Dub Narcotic below. Also on this show is the face melting rock band, Epsom. Then opening things up we have the sweet grungy punk band SAP.

The show tonight will start at 7:00 pm and admission this time around is $6. You can 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 coming up at Black Sheep in the next few weeks.

New Arrivals This Week at Dumb Records

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It’s another week at Southtown record store Dumb Records (located at 1107 South Grand E. Avenue). There are a few new records in of course. Other exciting news is that the store now stocks soda for sale, and there is also some headway with their big “Operation: Dumb Elephant” project, you should check out this video of eight people fitting into a shirt to get another $200 raised. A list of new arrivals is below, let’s look at the store’s operating hours before getting into that:

Tuesday (today): noon – 8:00 pm
Wednesday (show): noon – 9:00 pm
Thursday: noon – 8:00 pm
Friday (show): noon – 9:00 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday: noon – 8:00 pm
Monday: noon – 8:00 pm

New LPs
AJJ – The Bible 2
Earth Girls – Wanderlust
Foo Fighters – The Colour And The Shape

Used LPs
Aseethe – Reverent Burden
Common Rider – Last Wave Rockers
The Dukes of Dixieland – At The Jazz Band Ball
Lord Snow – Solitude
Mark P. Wetch – Ragtime Razzmatazz
Mountain Man – Grief
Sammy Kaye – Midnight Serenade
A Wilhelm Scream – A Wilhelm Scream
Various – Great Jazz Reeds
Wes Montgomery – Tequila
Wu-Tang Clan – The W

New Cassettes
Liz Panella / Mark Plant – Split

Tonight at Black Sheep: Anybody But The Cops, Liz Panella, Mark Plant, Shark Week

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This weekend has been an incredible one full of great shows, thanks to all who came out last night! Let’s keep the momentum going with this show happening at Black Sheep tonight! Tonight we have a more relaxed bill with a touring act and also two out of town solo acts. We have “Anybody But The Cops” playing some experimental jams from Detroit, Michigan. Then we have solo sets from Liz Panella and Mark Plant both from Chicago. Liz performs in the band Earth Girls and Mark has played in bands Military Police and Broken Prayer who have played here before. Stream some of Mark Plant’s music on the player below. Opening things up we have the sweet and surfy femme band Shark Week.

The show tonight starts right at 7:00 pm and admission is $5. You can find 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 in the coming weeks.