By Ben Cox
Photos Provided
We are nearing the end of summer. The festival season is almost complete. Man, it sure has gone by fast.
I want to take a moment and give a huge musical hug to the opening band to this year’s Downtown Music Concert series, Revel in Red. The band lost their bass player Pete Ramsey in a crash near Lake of the Ozarks State Park in Missouri on July 12, shortly after the band performed at the park.
The band and the Peoria-area music scene have been reeling from this tragic loss. The band has a fundraiser posted on their website and they are planning a memorial concert in September in Peoria. If you can’t donate, at least go send them a message and let them know that Jacksonville loves them.
With that said, let’s take a trip back in time to the Morrison Hotel on the square this week. The Detroit Doors come calling on August 1 for the final concert of the Main Street season. Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel for this tribute to the 60s blues-rock outfit that plays all over.
This Crystal Ship sails all over as Mike “Chizzy” Chisholm channels the iconic frontman while a host of others from the Great Lakes State pull the duties of Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore. The Soft Parade starts at 5 p.m. The after party will be at Bill’s West State.
Silverada, formerly known as Mike and the Moonpies, will keep the beat going on August 1 at Twisted Tree Music Hall after the downtown concert closes out. This neotraditional country band hails from America’s second capital of country music – Austin, Texas. The self-proclaimed “working man’s country band” has been around since 2007 and have slowly been branching out to all parts of the country and Europe ever since. They cracked Billboard’s U.S. Heatseekers chart in 2018 with Steak Night at the Prairie Rose. Local favorites The Longmeyer Band will open starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at about $23.
Silverada will perform at Twisted Tree Music Hall in Jacksonville on August 1. The Longmeyer Band will open for them starting at 6:30 p.m.
If you want to get out of town, Jeff Newman and Steve Dawson jam it up at Pittsfield’s favorite Italian restaurant Nucci’s on August 1 from 6-9 p.m.
Next week we have a couple of end-of-summer events but things are looking pretty quiet as the kids head back to school. I hear a major local band may also soon be making an announcement, too.
Remember, only you can prevent empty music venues. Support local musicians!
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.
