The Quincy Herald-Whig launched The Local Q a couple of weeks ago and recently, my music blog “The Breakdown” was moved to this link: http://www.thelocalq.com/blogs/thebreakdown/.
Please check out the new posts there and I apologize for any inconvenience, thanks for reading!
Jessica Martin
jmartin@whig.com
Regional band Days Taken is set to compete Friday for the Battle for Pointfest II Finals at Pop’s Nightclub and Concert Venue in Sauget, Ill.
Pointfest II is a popular rock festival featuring 29 bands Aug. 14 at
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, and a Battle for Pointfest II contest is held each year to showcase unsigned regional talent.
To read more, click here.
Charlie Scarber, lead-singer of Days Taken, answered questions about the experience below:
CONTEST PREPARATION
“Other than writing new material, we’ve been trying to spend every practice making sure that our music is as tight as it could possibly be. Also, we have been deciding what songs to play and what set arrangement will give the best overall show for the crowd.”
THE FINALS
“Unlike the preliminaries, both of the stages at Pop’s will be in use for the finals. The first band will start on the side stage and as soon as they finish the second band will already be set and ready to go. That rotation will continue throughout the night making for as much nonstop music as you can stand.
Jason Rottler from Archfront Media explained that the first Pointfest had three rounds, whereas the second one only has two because of a limited time frame. Normally all the winners from the finals would earn a spot at Pointfest on the Pop’s side stage and the band that won the grand finals gets to open the main stage, but for Pointfest II, they are cutting out the grand finals and deciding all in one night who gets side or main stage.”
COMPETING
“The feeling is indescribable. Just like any other band, this is what we’ve wanted to do since we were kids and even the opportunity to try for that level and that stage is an honor and hopefully a turning point.”
POSSIBILITIES
“Aside from getting to share a stage with an amazing roster of bands and getting the huge level of exposure, there is talk of the winning band also getting some recording time but I’ve heard nothing concrete.”
THE FANS
“The root of all of this though is the fans. Without a fan getting us connected with Archfront Media, without them loving what we play and learning the words to every song we wouldn’t be where we are today. No matter how great a musician you are, it doesn’t matter if no one cares about what you’re doing. So I definitely have to thank all of our fans past, present and future because they are the heart and soul of Days Taken.”
Jessica Martin
jmartin@whig.com
Days Taken in finals for Pointfest II
WHEN: 6 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Pop’s Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., Sauget
HOW MUCH: $6
Drilld (rock)
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Firehouse Tavern, Quincy
INFO: Call Beth (217) 740-6891
Block party featuring Trifecta (acoustic/rock) and Horn Dogs
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Quincy Boat Club
HOW MUCH: $2
Jared & The Gentlemen (classic rock/alternative)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: The Blind Pig, 900 N. 12th St.
The Cheeseburgers (classic rock)
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Whispering Oaks Campground, 2124 E 1300th Place, Mendon
Vertigo (rock)
WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: The Grove Inn, 6510 Broadway
Darin Edwards Sound Machine (DJ)
WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: 1619 N. 735th Ave., Liberty
SuperImposed (rock)
WHEN: 9 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Rookie’s Sports Bar, 611 Broadway, Hannibal, Mo.
Mike Coutas and Kathy Brink (acoustic)
WHEN: 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: Village Vineyard & Winery, 337 N. Vermont St., Camp Point
Wine Down with Mike Coultas And Kathy Brink (acoustic)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Spirit Knob Winery, Ursa, Ill.
HOW MUCH: $5, 21 and over
INFO: www.spiritknob.com
Torque (rock)
WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: River City Billiards, 603 Broadway, Hannibal, Mo.
HOW MUCH: $5
INFO: www.myspace.com/torquerocks
Adams County Fair featuring Lonestar, Mad Hoss Jackson, Staggard and Mark Lowry
WHEN: Lonestar at 8 p.m. Saturday in the grandstand; Mad Hoss Jackson at 9 p.m. Friday in adult dance tent; Staggard at 9 p.m. Saturday in adult dance tent; and Mark Lowry at 7 p.m. Sunday in the grandstand
WHERE: Adams County Fairgrounds, Mendon, Ill.
INFO: www.adamsfair.org
Pike County Fair featuring Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser, Becky Blackaby and Country Soul (country)
WHEN: Country Soul at 8 p.m. Friday in the beer garden;
and Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser and Becky Blackaby at 7 p.m. Saturday on the mainstage
WHERE: Pike County Fairgrounds, Bowling Green, Mo.
INFO: www.pikecountyfair.org
Fielder (jam)
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Ridgeview Winery, Mt. Sterling
Raised On Radio (blues/classic rock)
WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Ike’s Riverfront Bar, Dallas City
HOW MUCH: No cover.
Larry Bowen Benefit featuring Well Hungarians and Ketchum Louden (rock)
WHEN: 1-6 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: Machinist’s Lodge, 2929 N. Fifth
Jessica Martin
jmartin@whig.com
Quincy Society of Fine Arts is adding a Karaoke contest to this year’s Riverfest Sept. 19. Sign-up starts at 11 a.m. at the gazebo in Clat Adams Park and performances will begin at 1 p.m.
There will be a judging panel and first prize is $250. Each participant will receive a certificate of participation and a nominal gift.
Y-101 Radio and QuincyBuzz.com are sponsors of the event and Arts/Quincy Riverfest is sponsored by Refreshment Services Pepsi, the Quincy Park District and QSFA.
Jessica Martin
jmartin@whig.com
Country singer and songwriter Rodney Johns of Canton, Mo.
Up Close and Personal is an event where Nashville songwriters and a local country artist will perform at the Oakley-Lindsay Center from 7-11 p.m. Aug. 5.
Nashville songwriters:
• Tom Shepherd, who has co-written country songs for Bucky Covington and Craig Morton.
• Leslie Satcher, who has co-written number one hits for George Strait and Martina McBride.
• Wynn Varble, who has written country hits for Daryll Worley and Brad Paisley.
Also, local country singer and songwriter Rodney Johns will perform.
TICKETS
• General admission tickets are $12.
• Table VIP seating is $18.
Tickets are available for purchase at Arki-Tec Landscaping in Canton, Mo., Parrish Jewelers in Quincy and at the Oakley Lindsay Center box office and online at www.quincyciviccenter.com.
All proceeds from Up Close and Personal will go towards local cancer research.
Jessica Martin
jmartin@whig.com
TNT (classic rock)
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Kahoka Moose Lodge, Kahoka, Mo.
INFO: www.myspace.com/tntclassicrock
Days Taken (rock)
WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: The Grove Inn, 6510 Broadway
The Cheeseburgers (classic rock)
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Hancock County Fair, Augusta, Ill.
Bud Light Port Paradise Party featuring Via Sleep, Romp-Nostle and Esther Moore
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Kix Club, Quincy
The Balance (classic rock)
WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: The Dock, Quincy
INFO: www.thebalancerocks.com
Predawn Hour (rock)
WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: The Blind Pig, Quincy
INFO: www.myspace.com/predawnhour
Tooth & Nail Records band, Spoken, had a last minute date cancellation and were going to be in the area, so they set up a show with tour mates Mike Main & the Branches and Righteous Vendetta at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Huckfinn Shopping Center in Hannibal.
The show is all ages and has a $10 cover charge.
Jessica Martin
jmartin@whig.com
Quincy University junior LaRon Grant is what you would call an old soul.
LaRon Grant
He is only 19-years-old and just won the WGEM regional “American Idol” contest this afternoon by singing Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald songs.
The win guarantees him an audition in from of the national singing competition’s producers July 21 in Milwaukee and he hadn’t even told his family back in Bolingbrook, Ill., that he was trying out.
Grant was shocked at winning after competing against nine females in the finals.
He is largely influenced by Charles and Stevie Wonder, but learned the most from his grandfather, Oscar Grant, who had LaRon singing in church at a young age. He is currently a music education major and participates in choir and musical theater.
If the “American Idol” audition puts him on the show, Grant’s dream is to sing a duet with “Idol” alums Fantasia Barrino and Jennifer Hudson and an album he would like to put out, would be “a little bit of everything, a little jazz, a little gospel and R&B”
With Grant’s humble charisma and great range, we may be buying his album in stores in the near future.
Jessica Marti
jmartin@whig.com
I’m currently at lunch after judging the preliminary participants of the WGEM contest.
We just picked the top 10 finalists and surprisingly it was easy. The girls outnumbered the guys by a lot, so much so, that only one guy made it to the finals with nine girls.
Next up, is the top 10 performing at 1 p.m. in front of a live audience in the fountain court. Come join us and cheer on possibly the next American Idol.
Today’s winner gets a trip to perform at the Milwaukee auditions in front of the producers without having to wait in line!
Jessica Martin
jmartin@whig.com
