By Ben Cox
Summer has flown by, and so has the local music scene. We’re down to the nitty gritty when it comes to outdoor summer concerts. Usually, the mark of the end of the summer concert scene is the Illinois State Fair. There’s a little bit of something for everyone over there this year. I’ve never been before, but I’m considering it this year.
With that being said, if Illinois State Fair tickets are out of your budget, there is still plenty of great local music coming up over the next couple of weeks. The Winchester Music in the Park series wraps up this coming week on Thursday, July 24 with Jacksonville favorite the Devin Clemons Band. Food starts at 6 p.m. with the music at 7 p.m.
The second-to-last concert in the Jacksonville Main Street Downtown Concert Series is this week. The Case Band brings their inspirational originals as well as hand-selected covers from pop and rock. Music starts at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 25.
Twisted Tree Music Hall brings another acclaimed singer-songwriter with southern and Texas roots to town on Saturday, July 26. Jason Eady has been kicking around the Texas country music scene since the early 2010s. Eady has collaborated with fellow acclaimed singer-songwriter Kevin Welch on his previous three albums. He’s had two albums appear on the Billboard Hot Country charts. His album Mississippi has been out since 2023. Expect a healthy dose of selections from this album for his set. Opening the show for Eady is Nashville-based singer-songwriter Addison Johnson. He’s garnering lots of rave reviews and has opened for several familiar folks at festivals and shows across the country including local favorites Cody Canada and Kendell Marvel. Tickets start at $17. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Country music fans can also get a healthy dose of tunes from the Waverly Picnic this coming weekend. The Friday, July 25 entertainment is White Lightnin’. They’ve played many shows around Jacksonville and bring all the old outlaw country favorites. For the finale on Saturday, July 26, David Graham & The Eskimo Brothers will bring the honky tonk. Graham is a St. Louis native but has moved all around the U.S. He played his first gig at 15 and hasn’t stopped. He currently is based out of Nashville. You’ll likely hear a good dose of heartland rock, outlaw country and modern country with this show. It should be a wild, raucous good time. Think of it as a barroom honky tonk on an outdoor stage.
Pizza Records has a scheduled multi-genre styled hip-hop show on Saturday, July 26. Several up and coming local artists are supposed to take the stage. There has been a lot brewing over at Jacksonville’s favorite record store so check their Facebook to see if this one is still going to fire off as planned.
If you have a show in the Jacksonville area or are a Jacksonville artist/band that would like to be featured here, email Ben Cox with your live music schedule or information at elmcityradio@gmail.com.
