State Journal Register: “Right Of Way Settlement Fast Tracks 11th Street Extension”

Posted on April 8, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

We do not usually cover Springfield road extensions and City Council settlements on our site, but a recent article in Springfield paper The State Journal Register caught our attention. The article is on an 11th street extension in Springfield- which is being voted on in a City Council meeting today. Check out the full article right here. From the article:

The 11th Street extension would complete a corridor from Stevenson Drive to the University of Illinois Springfield begun nearly two decades ago. The final section between Stevenson and Lincolnshire Boulevard also would open a new route into the retail-commercial development anchored by the Wal-Mart off South Sixth Street.

Plans are for four traffic lanes and a turn lane, new intersections, a 10-foot-wide bike path on the west side of the extension, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, and other improvements. The approximately half-mile section of construction begins at Cottonwood Street, just north of Stevenson, and extends to Lincolnshire.

Why is this big news for Black Sheep and Southtown? If everything goes as proposed, 11th street (running along the front side of Black Sheep) will become a straight shot to the college campuses in Springfield sometime by early 2016. This means Southtown will be an even shorter drive or bus/bike ride for all of the college students in Springfield once the extension is in effect, which of course is good news for all of us in Southtown.

Black Sheep Open Mic May 2nd

Posted on April 8, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

On Saturday, May 2nd this spring we are hosting the first Black Sheep open mic night we have had in many many years. Why haven’t we been doing open mic nights at Black Sheep? Good question. We are going to see how this one goes and keep doing them in the future if everything goes well. This open mic night is already filled to the brim with 15-minute slots. Let’s take a look a what is lined up:

7:00 – Rhiannon Skye Mclean (spoken word)
7:15 – Brett Freeman (comedy)
7:30 – Sami Walker and Tyler Nelson (acoustic)
7:45 – AJ Francis (spoken word)
8:00 – Ryan Nance (acoustic)
8:15 – Jameson and Dayton (acoustic)
8:30 – Eric Rogers
8:45 – Devon Fluelen (comedy)
9:00 – Pretend I’m Not There
9:15 – Mystery Gift
9:30 – Tammy Cannon and Company (drag/stand up)
9:45 – Honey (spoken word)
10:00 – Green Day Cover Nerds

If you are interested in performing at one of our open mic nights, no dates have been picked out, but we plan on having more in the future. This open mic night will be going from 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm. We are asking for $1-5 with admission. You can check out a facebook right here. Also check out our shows page for a look at everything coming up in Southtown this spring/summer.

May 1st at Black Sheep: Fel Fae, Sargent Karate, (New Band)

Posted on April 7, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

Coming up on Friday, May 1st we have a short and sweet three-band local show at Black Sheep. This show will feature the newer Springfield two-piece instrumental group Fel Fae (pictured above). We also have the one-man black metal project forged from the band lotto last summer called “Sgt. Karate” or “Sargent Karate (Everyone Is So Pretty)” for a longer version. Starting things off there is a performance by an new and mysterious unnamed band. We are not sure who is in the new band, but you can check out some sort of song and teaser right here. Be on the lookout for one more possible addition to the show!

This show will start at 7:00 pm and admission is $5. Find a facebook event for the show right here. Also check out our shows page for a look at what is coming up at Black Sheep and Southtown in the coming months.

New Arrivals This Week At Dumb Records, Updated Store Hours

Posted on April 7, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

There is a lot happening at Dumb Records! There are plenty of new arrivals in the store this week and it looks like the store’s open hours will also be changing. On top of that we are getting ready for one of the biggest days of the year for the store and that is Record Store Day happening Saturday, April 18th. As far as store hours go, some days Dumb Records is going to be open for less hours, but we are also going to be open on Mondays! This means the record store is going to be open at some point every day! Make sure to also check our Dumb Records page for regular store hours. Here are our hours for this week:

Tuesday (today): 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Wednesday: 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Thursday: 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Friday (show): 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Saturday (show): 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Sunday: 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Monday (show): 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm

New LPs
Blacklisted – When People Grow, People Go
Cold World – How The Gods Chill
Conor Oberst – Conor Oberst
Converge – All We Love We Leave Behind
Cursed – Two
Drown – Dispossession
The Mountain Goats – Beat The Champ
Waxahatchee – Ivy Tripp
WYE Oak – Civilian

New 7”s
Dangers – Five O Clock Shadows
Eternal Sleep – Belief In The Truth Of Nothing
Loma Prieta / Raein – Split
Purge – Sewage
Touché Amoré / Pianos Become Teeth – Split
Touché Amoré / Title Fight – Split

New Cassettes
Drown – Dispossession

New Band Pages: WARRS

Posted on April 6, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

Today we are bringing you a brand new band page on our site set up for the new hardcore band WARRS. Check out that new page here. WARRS is a new band featuring members of Soap Scum, Loses The Mighty, and more. The band also features Kevin Bradford (who has recently announced that he will be stepping down from Black Sheep, but will remain active in bands). WARRS is also currently working on a first release in South Town Studio and will also be playing Dumb Fest 3-D on June 13th.

Check out any of the 60+ band pages we have set up for local Springfield bands right here. Do you play in a local band that we do not yet have a page set up for? We would love to hear from you! Email us at blacksheepspringfield@gmail.com and we will work with you to set something up.

April 17th at Radon Lounge: Sounds Of Satellites, Red Sweater Lullaby, Honey/Suck, Hannah & The Drummer Boyz

Posted on April 4, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

April 17th marks the next big show at The Radon Lounge. Featuring two touring bands, Sounds of Satellites from Orange County, CA and Red Sweater Lullaby from Las Vegas, NV along with local spoken word act Honey/Suck and a new band from Lanphier High Hannah and The Drummer Boyz.

Admission is $5.00, open to all ages and the show starts at 7pm. More information on this show is available at the Facebook event found here.

Boof City “Boof-Day Bash” Tonight at Skank Skates

Posted on April 4, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

Looks like there will be no show at Black Sheep tonight, but we all sure had a great time at the show last night, and tonight there will be something special going on at our neighbors at Skank Skates! Boof City will be hosting a “Boof-Day Bash” on the ramp, meaning it is the anniversary of the South Town Skate Shop, located at 1107 1/2 South Grand East Right above Dumb Records. What is exctaly will be going on the ramp tonight? From the Boof City facebook:

This contest will be epic. Prizes for best trick (flat ground and ramp) I have some new company’s that I am working with to help promote this. So you know we are gonna get buck gnar. If you come on out. $5 to skate and $10 to get into the contest. if you need any more info concontact Colin Eigenmann.

The big bash kicks off at 4:00 pm tonight. It is $5 to skate, and $10 to enter the contest. Check out a facebook event right here. Also check out our shows page to keep an eye on other upcoming South Town events.

Rella: “Dixxon” and “3 Birds”

Posted on April 3, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

Springfield solo act Rella, composed of SAP‘s Clare Frachey, has recently released two new albums via bandcamp. These albums include Dixxon and 3 Birds, the latter of which can be streamed on the player below. Head over to the bandcamp page to download these songs at your own cost, or also stream them below!

Rella’s next show will be at this year’s Pridefest in downtown Springfield, taking place on May 16th. Many familiar local acts will be featured as well, so stay tuned for more news on Pridefest (find a facebook event for Pridefest right here) and enjoy these new tunes from Rella!

Tonight at Black Sheep: Ghost Mice, Bad Banshee, Pat The Bunny, SAP

Posted on April 3, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

It’s Friday night and we have only one show happening this weekend at Black Sheep and that is tonight! Tonight marks the return of the legendary two-piece Bloomington, Indiana folk punk band Ghost Mice to the Black Sheep stage. Ghost Mice last played at Black Sheep last spring with the Macedonian punk band Bernay’s Propaganda. Stream some of Ghost Mice’s music on the player embedded below. This will be the second stop on their marathon 12 cities in 10 days tour with Pat The Bunny. Pat The Bunny is a folk solo project related to Ramshackle Glory, who played at Black Sheep last in the summer of 2012. Providing local support are the architects of nightmare ska Bad Banshee and grungy power trio SAP.

Doors open at 7:00 pm and admission is $5. You can find a facebook event for the show HERE. Also be sure to check out our shows page for a look at everything coming up at Black Sheep in the coming months.

Dumb Fest 3-D Announcement #5

Posted on April 2, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

The fifth and final Dumb Fest 3-D announcement is finally here, which brings us to the full announced lineup! Today we are coming at you with eight more bands being announced- coming from Philadelphia to California and other places in between to play in our corner of the world. Dumb Fest 3 is happening June 12th and 13th at Black Sheep, Skank Skates, South Town Studio, and Dumb Records. Ready for the bands? Here we go:

TOYS THAT KILL from San Pedro, California

LOOMING from Springfield

STUCK LUCKY from Nashville, Tennessee

MIMISIKU from Denton, Texas

THE DRIP from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

PREGNANCY TEST from Columbia, Missouri

PIGEON from Carbondale, Illinois

LAVENDAR from Central Illinois

There you have it! That brings us to a total of 40 bands playing the two days of the festival. You can take a look at the full Dumb Fest 3-D lineup and see which bands are playing what day on our Dumb Fest 3 page. Also check out the Dumb Fest 3-D facebook page right here. Stay tuned for more info on ticket info and prices, and start times.