Tonight at Black Sheep: Honey/Suck, C Is For Cadaver, WARRS, The Incorporated, Napalm For Breakfast

Posted on March 27, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

After an incredible show on Wednesday with a great turn out, we are having just one show this weekend at Black Sheep and that is happening tonight! We have the spoken-word act Honey/Suck, which we have not seen play at Black Sheep since last year in December! Make sure to stick around and catch that. We also have a solo/acoustic project called C is For Cadaver, featuring Brent of The Incorporated. Speaking of The Incorporate, the Litchfield-based band will also be playing tonight! You can stream some of C is For Cadaver’s music below. Also playing tonight is Springfield three-piece screamo/hardcore band WARRS. And opening things up is a brand new project called Napalm For Breakfast.

The show starts at 7:00 pm so make sure to get here by then with your $5 cover! This is going to be a really cool show, and you shouldn’t miss it! You can find a facebook event for the show right here. Also be sure to check out our shows page for a look at everything coming up at Black Sheep in the near future.

April 20th at South Town Studio: WARRS, F///\\\M, Gadzooks The Boy, Gazeebo

Posted on March 25, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

South Town Studio have just announced their next show happening in the space and it is a wacky one! This one is another Monday night studio show, happening on Monday, April 20th (4-20). This show features all bands and noise projects that partake in straight-edge lifestyles (check out this Wikepedia article if you want to read up more on what that is all about). On the bill we have the newer hardcore/screamo band WARRS, who are also currently working on their first release at South Town Studio. We also have the one-man post-rock project called F///\\\M featuring Brandon Carnes of South Town Studio himself. Then we have a noise project from Champaign/Urbana called Gadzooks The Boy featuring Jake Mott of Single Player, Wolf Luv, Dino Bravo, and many more bands. Check out a preview of Gadzooks The Boy streaming below. Opening things up is a *very rare* noise set by Gazeebo– featuring Drew Kodrich of Asthma.

This show will start at 7:00 pm and admission is $5 (no, you do not have to claim straight-edge to come to this). There will also be a bake sale of some sort to benefit Black Sheep. Check out a facebook event for the show right here. Also be sure to check out our shows page for a look at everything coming up at Black Sheep and in Southtown.

Tonight at Black Sheep: Screaming Females, Shellshag, Looming, Kowabunga! Kid

Posted on March 25, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

The night that all of Springfield has been waiting for is here, tonight Screaming Females takes the stage with an impressive lineup joining them! Screaming Females has been on tour for awhile now from New Brunswick, New Jersey, and even preformed on SXSW before their performance tonight on our stage. Check out an interview WUIS’s Rachel Otwell did with Marissa Paternoster of Screaming Females last week right here. Also stream a song from Screaming Females’ new album Rose Mountain below. Shellshag is also playing tonight, they are a punk band from Brooklyn that has been gracing stages with their punk grace since 1997. Local band Looming, which is a fantastic pop-rock band is opening up the show with punk band Kowabunga! Kid from Urbana, IL!

This is not a show to miss! The show will kick off right at 7:00 pm and admission is $12 (the show is not yet sold out). Make sure to bring all your friends out, and have a great time seeing an amazing show! The Facebook page can be found HERE, and make sure to keep checking out the shows page for more awesome shows here at Black Sheep!

WUIS: “Black Sheep Founder Hands Over Reins to DIY Music Venue”

Posted on March 24, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

WUIS’s Rachel Otwell did an interview with well loved Kevin Bradford, who has been running Black Sheep for the past 10 years. He recently made the life decision to step down from his post as owner and move his energies elsewhere, specifically a place where people can enjoy coffee and hang out, while still pursuing his lifelong love of spirituality. Kevin will be remaining in Springfield and will still actively take part in our music scene. As for the state of Black Sheep, things will continue to go strong in the wake of his hard work. Check out the interview right here for the full details of what was discussed. From the interview:

Kevin Bradford could justifiably be called the godfather of Springfield’s underground punk music scene. He’s only 32, but he’s managed to help create and feed a culture of do-it-yourself musiciansand their fans in a way that is truly incomparable in the city. Bradford recently announced he’ll be stepping down as the owner/operator of Black Sheep Cafe (1320 S 11th St.) The good news is, he’s not going far. He spoke with WUIS about the challenges and rewards of fostering the city’s underground music scene.

For more in depth information on the details of Kevin’s departure, please check out this article of gratitude thanking him for all he has done. It includes statements from him as well as information on who will be “taking the reins” as Rachel said. Also, the fact is that we need help now more than ever from anyone who is willing to show they care about the continuation of Black Sheep, as well as the rest of Southtown. We are seeking a period of revitalization for Black Sheep as well as the whole neighborhood of Southtown, so check out this article discussing a recent community meeting we had and do what you are able to get involved!

New Arrivals This Week At Dumb Records

Posted on March 24, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

It’s a new week at Southtown Springfield record store Dumb Records (1107 South Grand East) and there are a few tasty new arrivals in for this week. Looks like the alleyway outside of the record store also got a new paint job. Also be on the lookout for some announcements regarding Record Store Day next month to come up sometime this week on our site. Let’s take a look at Dumb Records’s operating hours for this week before jumping in to the new arrivals:

Tuesday (today): 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Wednesday (show): 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Thursday: 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Friday (show): 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday: 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm

New LPs
Black Sabbath – Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Temple – The Conscience Of The King

New 7″s
Black Roses – Madly b/w Back Off

CDs
Myles Coyne & The Rusty Nickel Band – Take Things As They Come
Aiha – Aiha

Cassettes
Myles Coyne & The Rusty Nickel Band – Take Things As They Come

Black Sheep 3-22 Roundtable Meeting RECAP

Posted on March 23, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

Yesterday evening we hosted a roundtable meeting at Black Sheep in light of Kevin Bradford’s big announcement that he will be stepping down from Black Sheep last week. This was the first roundtable meeting we have hosted in a while, and the turnout was great. Discussion went on for a while and then we all split up and picked up trash around the neighborhood. Here are some main points that were addressed at the meeting:

– We need HELP from everyone! Not just everyone who was at the meeting!
– We talked about the current state of Black Sheep and Dumb Records, including show attendance and sales.
– George gave us a rundown of his recent property changes and talk of an upcoming kickstarter and non-for-profit organization.
– We went into specifics with what areas we need help in- including managing Dumb Records, editing for the Black Sheep Radio Show, help booking and running shows, help promoting shows, and help with this website.
– We talked about the importance of promotion and reaching out to younger high school crowds, promoting things on the internet, and flier distribution.
– A promotion team was organized as well as a website team, a team to put together Battle of the Bands.
– We brainstormed alternative types of events that could happen at Black Sheep such as open mic nights, more art shows, and even comedy shows.
– We talked about the possibility of hosting workshops and meetings during the day.

We also agreed that roundtable meetings like these should continue at least once a month. We should also keep the discussion going with ideas and progress on the Black Sheep facebook group.

April 24th at Black Sheep and Dumb Records: Diaper Rash, Evan Mitchell, Falter, Daren Gratton, Leech Pit

Posted on March 23, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

Coming up in about one month on Friday, April 24th we will be hosting a show that is going to be back and forth between Dumb Records and Black Sheep- Dumb Fest-style. There are five acts playing- three will be inside Black Sheep and two will be inside Dumb Records. We will be alternating venues as bands go. Headlining the bill on the Black Sheep side we have the dirty baby-fronted hardcore/thrash band Diaper Rash. Then on the Dumb Records end of things we have Evan Mitchell, ringleader of the One Man Band Bonanza that took place earlier this month. Before that inside Black Sheep is our touring band, Falter from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Falter have played here a number of times and you can stream some of their music below. Also from out of town (St. Louis) and playing on the Dumb Records stage is Daren Gratton of the band of the Haddonfields. Opening things up on the Black Sheep end of things is a brand new punk band called Leech Pit! Come early to find out who is in that new project.

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

Dumb Fest 3-D Announcement #4

Posted on March 22, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

Today we are bringing you yet another wave of bands being announced for Dumb Fest 3-D happening on June 12th and 13th in Southtown at Black Sheep, Dumb Records, Skank Skates, and South Town Studio. The announcements have been pouring in ever since the beginning of this month, and this isn’t even the last one! Let’s get into the new bands being announced:

CLOAKROOM from North West Indiana

ANIMAL TEETH from St. Louis, Missouri

MAYFAIR from Memphis, Tennessee

SLUGBUGS from Columbus, Ohio

SAP from Springfield

WIR KÖNNEN from Springfield

WARRS from Springfield

SINGLE PLAYER from Champaign

There you have it, eight more bands added to the Dumb Fest lineup making a total of 31 bands currently announced. You can find the full announced lineup right here on our Dumb Fest 3 page. Also find a facebook event for Dumb Fest 3-D right here. You can expect a fifth and final Dumb Fest announcement to come on our site very very soon, along with fest passes and ticket info.

Roundtable Meeting Tonight at Black Sheep

Posted on March 22, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

It has been a little WHILE since we have hosted a roundtable meeting to discuss things related to Black Sheep and the Southtown businesses. In light of Kevin’s big announcement this past week that he will be stepping down from Black Sheep later this spring, we are hosting a meeting and discussing more of the future of the venue and Southtown.

Everyone is welcome to come to this- we encourage all of you wanting to become more involved or wanting to help out to come out even if you don’t have anything to say. At the meeting we will be discussing plans to continue the venue and we will also be having a brainstorm session on ways we can improve. The meeting will be help at 7:00 pm inside Black Sheep. At some point we also plan on having a group trash pick-up around the neighborhood! Possibly come early if you are up to help out with that.

WARRS Recording In South Town Studio

Posted on March 21, 2015 by blacksheepspringfield

Even though Kevin Bradford announced that he will be stepping down as owner of Black Sheep later this spring, he continues to remain active in bands creating music- and it looks like Kevin’s newest hardcore/screamo band WARRS is currently spending some times with Brandon Carnes of South Town Studio (pictured above). The band has announced they are recording for an upcoming release called Raw Sound.

WARRS does not have any Springfield shows currently lined up, but they will be playing at Error Records tomorrow night with other Springfield band Panzys. Check out more info on that show right here. We will be also sure to let you all know as soon as WARRS recordings are released.