New Arrivals This Week At Dumb Records

Posted on December 9, 2014 by blacksheepspringfield

Don’t forget that we still have our very own record store right here in Southtown, and that is Dumb Records (located at 1107 South Grand East). For those of you doing Christmas shopping, you might want to check out some of the recent arrivals that came in this week. Also don’t forget that Dumb Records does sell gift cards for any amount. Let’s take a look at when the store will be open this week:

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

New LPs
Earth – Primitive And Deadly
Headlights – Wildlife
Headlights – Some Racing Some Stopping
Headlights – Kill Them With Kindness
High On Fire – The Art Of Self Defense
Pelican – Ataraxia/Taraxis
Power Trip – Manifest Decimation
Today Is The Day – Animal Mother
Twilight – Monument To Time End
Wolves In The Throne Room – BBC Session 2011

Used LPs
J.J. Cale – Naturally
The Moody Blues – Seventh Sojourn
Public Image LTD – Happy Warrior
Randy Newman – Good Old Boys
Todd Rundgren – Utopia Another Live
Willie Hutch – The Mark Of The Best

New Band Pages: Loses The Mighty

Posted on December 8, 2014 by blacksheepspringfield

They have been playing shows at Black Sheep for a while, but since they have had members move to Springfield we felt that Loses The Mighty needed a band page on our long list of Springfield local bands. You can now go here and check out a band page set up for Loses The Mighty where you can find out more about their band and stream some tunes. Loses The Mighty will be playing at Black Sheep next on Saturday, December 27th for the EP release show for their new EP What The Artist Said To The Bird. That show is also with Krelboyne, Au Revoir, Panzys, and Lifewithout.

Check out any of our 65+ band pages right here on our current bands page. Do you play in a Springfield band that has not yet set up a page with us? We would love to hear from you! Send an email to blacksheepspringfield@gmail.com and we will work with you to set something up.

Help Us List 2014 Springfield Releases

Posted on December 7, 2014 by blacksheepspringfield

As this year is drawing to a close we are gearing up for our “Best of Springfield 2014” poll and it looks like there are so many releases that have came from Springfield bands this year that we are going to need some help in listing them all. This list includes any release from any Springfield band or musician that was released in 2014 (no, this does not just include bands that frequently play at Black Sheep). If you know of any releases that are not on the list below, please let us know through comment or shoot an email to blacksheepspringfield.com. Here is our list so far:

Asthma – Broke & Violent
Asthma/Soap Scum/Pregnancy Test/Ski Mask – Split
Bad Banshee – Skitter/Skitter
Built In A Day – Hardship Harbor EP
The Complaint Line – 3P
Diaper Rash – Demos
Dustin Sendejas – What’s Your Wifi Password?
Evan Mitchell’s Ukulele Party – It’s Easy
F///\\\M – /FU/CK/\WA\VE\
Gazeebo – Demo
Good Times – And Cold Beer
I’m Dead Inside – Rather Be Judged By Twelve Than Be Carried By Six
Hospital Job – Believer
Jukebox Cassanova – We’re Wolves
King Worm – No Future City
Knives – In From The Stills
The Locals – EP
Loses The Mighty – What The Artist Said To The Bird
Meredosia – Midnight
Milchjunge – Demo 2014
Montagh – Am I Enough Yet?
Mouthsex – Demo
Mystery Gift – Link Together With All
Nephrons – Wet Blanket Party
Night/Hex – Yuki
Our Lady/Estates – Split 7”
Owen Davis – Condemned To Eternity
Panzys – Half Dark Heart
Park – Jacob The Rabbit 10”
Teen Freak – Demo
The Timmys – Dude Girl EP
Say Something – Fred Hampton
Swamp Rat – Becoming One With The Bugs
Wilt Candy – EP
Wir Können – God, It’s Getting Bad
Worms – Somewhere Far And In Between

That is a lot of releases! We are at 31 right now, which is by far more than any other year we have been doing our poll. If you want to see our results from last year’s 2013 poll, check out the links below:

Best of 2013 Springfield Albums/Releases
Best of 2013 Springfield Songs
Best of 2013 Springfield Shows

Voting for our 2014 poll will begin in about a week, so keep your eyes and ears peeled.

SJR: Springfield Teens Start “The Venue” To Spread Music, Culture

Posted on December 7, 2014 by blacksheepspringfield

Last week Springfield newspaper The State Journal Register published an article about a group of teens putting on shows under a name called “The Venue by Oakwood” here in town. From the article:

Tristan Tarpley, a senior at Calvary Academy, and Elijah Settles, a senior at Springfield High School, started meeting at Wm. Van’s Coffee House on Seventh Street to discuss their ideas about local music and ways to promote it. What originally started as an idea for a collaborative music app eventually turned into a local music scene called The Venue by Oakwood.

“The Venue is a hub for talent, a hub for creativity in Springfield,” Tristan said.

Check out the full article online right here. You can also view a video put together by “The Venue by Oakwood” below. The article peaked our interest since a lot of what is being discussed in the article lines up with a lot of the goals of The Black Sheep Cafe and Southtown. We also find a lot of similarities with this and Springfield house venue The Radon Lounge. There was another show put on by The Venue by Oakwook that happened this weekend at a house. The show featured Rapper Nubia Fokum, singer Alyssa Jackson, and the band Might be Mavericks. We plan on keeping you all updated on any future shows being put on by “The Venue by Oakwood” and you can always check our Springfield shows page for a listing of shows in town going on outside of Black Sheep.

Wir Können Winter Tour Dates

Posted on December 6, 2014 by blacksheepspringfield

Springfield emo group Wir Können have announced dates for a winter tour that they will be doing in the beginning of January. Here are those dates:

1/2 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cocoon Room
1/3 – Chicago, IL – ???? help!!!
1/4 – Kalamazoo, MI @ TBA
1/5 – Kent, OH @ Skate Place/425 Gougler Ave
1/6 – Pittsburgh, PA @ ROBOTO
1/7 – Akron, OH @ It’s a Kling Thing! House
1/8 – Bloomington, IN – ???? help!!!!
1/9 – Springfield, IL @ Black Sheep Café

The last date on the tour is at Black Sheep, where the band will be playing their return-from-tour show on January 9th. That show will be with Bad Banshee, Nectar, and Single Player and more info on that can be found right here. Wir Können released a two-song cassette, God It’s Getting Bad back in October.

Tonight at Black Sheep: Dan Vapid & The Cheats, Death & Memphis, Looming, Hospital Job, The Seething Coast

Posted on December 6, 2014 by blacksheepspringfield

Tonight there is a pretty rockin’ show happening at Black Sheep that is sure to be a good time. We have the band Dan Vapid & The Cheats coming from Chicago featuring Dan Vapid formerly of Screeching Weasel, The Riverdales, The Methadones, and more. You can stream some of Dan Vapid & The Cheat’s music below. We also have the band Death & Memphis also coming from the Chicago area, and playing some pop punk music. Tonight also features a solid lineup of Springfield local bands, which includes pop favorites Looming, who say they will be playing their last show of the year tonight. We also have the pop punk band Hospital Job, who we have not seen play at Black Sheep since they played The Fest in Florida this October. Opening things up right at 7:00 is the alternative-rock group The Seething Coast.

The show tonight starts right at 7:00 pm and admission is $7. You can find a facebook event for the show right here. Also be sure to check out our shows page where you can find a list of every show coming up at Black Sheep.

Diaper Rash: “Demo Three”

Posted on December 5, 2014 by blacksheepspringfield

It looks like the Springfield hardcore band that has everyone scratching their heads has come out with yet another demo. This is “Demo Three,” and is the third demo Diaper Rash has released with one going up nearly ever single week. You can check out “Demo Three” streaming below or head over to the Diaper Rash bandcamp page where you can download it for free. Earlier last month we posted the first Diaper Rash demo along with a mysterious photo of the band. Can you figure out who might be in the band based on the photo?

We do know that Diaper Rash will be playing their first show on December 13th with Cloud Rat, Disrotted, Teen Freak, and The Wrong at Black Sheep. Come to that show to find out who these babies really are.

Today on Black Sheep Radio: 100th Episode

Posted on December 5, 2014 by blacksheepspringfield

Today is a very special on the Black Sheep Radio Show because it is the show’s 100th episode. The Black Sheep Radio Show has been going strong every Friday for nearly two years now. The show has grown a lot since then, and is currently recorded right at Southtown’s very own South Town Studio by Brandon Carnes. Today on the Black Sheep Radio Show we have an all-star lineup of guests including Kevin Bradford (owner of Black Sheep), Mike Tirehaus (King Worm), Brian Galecki (Teen Freak), and Brandon Carnes (everything).

You can listen to the Black Sheep Radio show on 88.3 WQNA fm from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm today. You can also stream the show live online at wqna.org during that same time. Don’t forget to check out our radio page if there are episodes that you may have missed that you want to go back and download.

Tonight at Black Sheep: Webacksoon, Prince Louis V, Beezy Da Paperboy + More

Posted on December 5, 2014 by blacksheepspringfield

Did you know that it is already time for the next hip hop show at Black Sheep? That’s right, we have a wild hip hop show happening at Black Sheep tonight, this one being called “Mic Murderers.” It’s going to feature a good lineup of hip hop and rap artists and a few rap battles. On the lineup up for this show we have the group known as “Webacksoon” and you can find some of their music streaming below. We also have Prince Louis V lined up as well as Deezy Da Paperboy. In addition to those acts, there are a few battles lined up. It is looking like those are…

Tello vs. TJ Byrd
Relentless vs. Southside
Cerius Bars vs. Get’Embo

If you enjoyed Black Sheep’s previous battle sets then there is a good chance you will enjoy this. This show is going to be $5 and start at 7:00 pm. Check out our shows page for a look at everything else coming up at Black Sheep, and you can check out 217hiphop.com for all things related to local hip hop.

26th Anniversary of Skank Skates Today

Posted on December 3, 2014 by blacksheepspringfield

Today (December 3rd) is an important day in Southtown history because it marks the 26th anniversary of indoor skate park Skank Skates opening its doors to the public. The skate park opened up in 1988 after construction began that fall. Above you can see the first ramp in the park right after it was constructed (some of that ramp remains intact inside of Skanks today)! Today Skank Skates remains the longest running indoor skate park in the country.

Yesterday we released a good batch of photos from Southtown’s past which included a portion of photos of inside of Skank Skates. The dates of the photos ranged from 1988 to 2009, and you can find them all on our Historic Southtown flickr album. Check out a photo of Bruce Williams of NIL8 skating the ramp in the early 2000’s below!