- Ben Bedford - Springfield artist Ben Bedford refers to his style as “American portrait songwriting,” drawing upon history for inspiration and presenting songs with a strong sense of time and place. With three
- Birds of Chicago - Birds of Chicago, is a collective based around JT Nero and Allison Russell. Whether touring as a duo or with the full family band, Nero and Russell have emerged as
- Bones Jugs ‘N Harmony - Bones Jugs ‘N Harmony can only be described as a cascading menagerie of novelty knick-knacks and catchy hooks, floating over rock solid rhythms and tempered with silly feel-good lyrics. From
- Costas - Costas is a musical collective playing music from the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Colombia and Ecuador. Costas is driven by on-the-ground experience of the rich African heritage of the
- Dan Keding - Dan Keding grew up with his Croatian grandmother filling him with the stories of the old country. He has pursued this passion for over forty years, telling at some of
- Danny Schmidt and Carrie Elkin - Danny Schmidt is best known for his riveting poetic lyrics, which have drawn favorable comparisons to Leonard Cohen and Townes Van Zandt for their depth and complexity. The Chicago Tribune
- David Berchtold - When done well, fingerpicking a guitar looks so easy anybody could do it. But the task of convincing several digits to make music while moving simultaneously in different, yet coordinated
- Del Rey - Del Rey, from Seattle, Washington, is a complex, pianistic guitarist, described as “a combination of Bo Carter and the Andrews Sisters” (Observant Fan). Her guitar playing is influenced by country
- elizaBeth Simpson - From New England to Berkeley and back, elizaBeth Simpson has a history of singing on the street. Her sets feature jazz-spiked, indie-folk originals and are sprinkled with a cappella treats
- Emily Otnes - Join local favorite, singer-songwriter Emily Otnes. Emily has been playing music for as long as she can remember. Her style is a mix of pop, folk, and jazz. Saturday, November 2nd,
- Faye Ballard - Faye Ballard has been interested in ragtime music since the age of 10 when Les Cripe, former piano player for the Harry James band, taught her how to play “Maple Leaf Rag.” Faye
- Flower Jax - The Flower Jax, Kenna Mae Reiss and Chris Strand, bring an intricate weaving of mandolin and guitar melodies, strong vocal harmonies, and heartfelt songwriting that give this duo its organic acoustic sound. Saturday,
- Ganey Arsement - Born and raised in the city of Lake Charles located in the Southwest corner of Louisiana, Ganey Arsement was surrounded by a variety of musical influences such as Cajun, Creole,
- Ivas John Blues Band - Together, between Ivas John’s ability with the guitar and the songwriting assistance from his father, Ivas’ sound is a blend equal parts Ry Cooder, Mose Allison, Robert Cray, Van Morrison, Keb
- Kate Fritz - Kate Fritz grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area playing Scottish fiddle music with the San Francisco Scottish Fiddlers under music director Alasdair Fraser. Her music draws primarily from
- Keith Harden - Keith Harden is a singer-songwriter guitarist who plays folk-blues-americana, and so on. Originally a central Illinois native, Keith perfored in the Midwest and opened for legends like Muddy Waters, John
- Laura Cortese and the Dance Cards - Welding the propulsive grace of fiddle styles to disarmingly open-hearted original pop songs, Laura Cortese has emerged among the most intriguing and versatile, musicians in the bountiful New England post-folk
- Local Teller Showcase, with Kathe Brinkmann, Kim Sheahan, Camille Born, and Sue Searing - The Local Teller Showcase features some of Champaign-Urbana’s favorite tellers: Kathe Brinkmann, Kim Sheahan, Camille Born, and Sue Searing. All are members of the C-U Storytelling Guild and enjoy telling
- Los Condenados Huastecos - Los Condenados Huastecos (the condemned huastecos) are a Chicago-based trio that specializes in the son huasteco music of Mexico’s central gulf coast region. A variant of Mexican son-one of the
- Los Guapos - Los Guapos is a three piece band from Champaign, Illinois that combines rhythmic and melodic elements from Afro-Cuban, chicha, surf, jazz, salsa, and dub music to create a laid back
- Mackville Bluegrass - Mackville’s music is a mix of bluegrass and gospel music and consists of alternating vocal leads with strong harmonies along with instrumentals. They love playing bluegrass and gospel music and
- Mayhew the Traitor - For nearly 10 years, Matthew Hobler has been making fantastic music as the lead singer and songwriter of the group Mayhew the Traitor. Their music is melodic rock, with deep textures
- Mean Lids festival preview! - Can’t wait for the festival to be here? Join us for a festival preview on October 24th at Krannert Uncorked with the Mean Lids! “Self-described as “one part smooth Irish session,
- Mike Kirkpatrick & Kathleen Keane from the Drovers - Mike Kirkpatrick and Kathleen Keane have a long, successful and innovative musical history together. They were both instrumental in the rise of the critically acclaimed Chicago Irish rock band, the
Continue readingMike Kirkpatrick & Kathleen Keane from the Drovers
- Morgan Orion and the Honey Locusts - Clever rhymes and charmingly honest stories, mandolins and violins. This set will feature Sara Sasaki on breathtaking fiddle, Dustin “Dusty” Norder on tasty mandolin and Chris Strand on the stately
- Mr. Stephens - The festival welcomes back “Mr. Stephens,” who has been entertaining the twelve-and-under set around C-U for years with his blend of serious and silly, fun and folksy guitar and vocals.
- Mugdock Pipers - The Mugdock Pipers were founded in the 1960s by Mr. Jim Lynch, Urbana, to promote the art of the Highland Bagpipe in the Champaign-Urbana area. Members have been drawn from
- Nightjar Promotions Presents Mike Reeb, with Jeff Arrigo, A Metropolitan Guide, and Eva Hunter - 2:00pm-2:40pm: Jeff Arrigo In three short years since moving to Champaign from his homeland area of the Ozark Mountains in Missouri, Jeff Arrigo has gained a steady legion of fans
- Oba William King - Oba William King is recognized as one of the most exciting storytellers of his peer group. Since his debut with the National Association of Black Storytellers at the San Diego
- Orpheus Mandolin Orchestra - The Orpheus Mandolin Orchestra comes to us from Bloomington, Illinois, where it grew out of old-time jam session that attracted a remarkable number of mandolin players. The Orchestra’s repertoire includes
- Paul Kotheimer - Paul Kotheimer has been writing, recording, and releasing DIY acoustic music since the days of the cassette tape. He is quite possibly one of the finest songwriters you’ve never heard of,
- Prairie Dogs Performance and Beatles Play-Along - Calling musicians of all levels!! The Prairie Dogs invite you to BRING YOUR INSTRUMENT and play and sing along to all your Beatles favorites, including, but not limited to, the
Continue readingPrairie Dogs Performance and Beatles Play-Along
- Rebecca Rego and the Trainmen - Rebecca Rego grew up on a small farm in southeastern Wisconsin. “I was always in love with the guitar.” explains Rego. Her mother, a former concert cellist, encouraged her to
- Red Sea Pedestrians - The Red Sea Pedestrians are a one-of-a-kind, full-blown, instrument-swapping fusion between tradition and the here- and-now. We’re talkin’ high-energy world-beat grooves, hypnotic laments from the earth, songs of celebration and
- Richie Stearns and Rosie Newton - Richie Stearns and Rosie Newton are a dynamic duo performing music rooted in the Americana tradition. Over the past four years they have collaborated in various projects and formed the
- Stephen Wade and Friends - Musician, recording artist, and writer Stephen Wade is best known for his long-running stage performances of Banjo Dancing and On the Way Home. He also produced and annotated the Rounder
- The Fights - The Fights are a 5-piece group from Urbana, IL. Since getting started in October 2012, the band has done their very best to keep elements of roots and early American music
- The Viper and His Famous Orchestra - Burdened with four strings and the truth, The Viper and His Famous Orchestra deliver a powerful blend of street-corner jazz, front-porch country, and meeting-hall agitprop. The Famous Orchestra features a
- The Viper and His Famous Orchestra Kids’ Show - The Viper brings his ukulele and his Famous Orchestra for an interactive show of kid-tested, grown-up-approved music and mayhem. Learn how to play The Viper way on washtubs, suitcases, and
Continue readingThe Viper and His Famous Orchestra Kids’ Show
- The Whipstitch Sallies - The Indianapolis Star reports that “The Whipstitch Sallies have been creating a buzz on the local bluegrass/folk music scene.” Their lively, energetic performances engage crowds in festival settings as well
- Wagon Fire - Wagon Fire is Gypsy Jazz band from Champaign-Urbana Illinois playing the music of Django Reinhardt and recorded by Musek Haus Productions. Members are: Phil Alley lead guitar, Claire Johnson Violin, David
