Next Sunday, May 3, I’ll be organizing a fantastical event called Bob Dylan Day at Exile on Main St. from 12-5 pm. Loads of local artists will be performing Dylan covers in honor of his new album release this Tuesday, so check BobDylanDay.com for more details and a schedule of artists and times tomorrow!

Before they play tonight at Canopy Club (9pm, opening for The Appleseed Cast, $10), Company of Thieves will be on the Quad around 2:45 playing acoustic beauties in the breeze for passerbys! (Check twitter.com/overucdotcom later today for more details on the exact time and spot.)

If you haven’t heard them live, you HAVE to see this. Don’t believe me? Read OverUC’s review of their show earlier this semester, or listen to their January performance at Courtyard, below:

See ya there.

Review by: Annie Colletti!

A sorority living room full of 56 smiling college co-eds.  No, this isn’t a fraternity mixer, nor is it a snapshot of a sacred ceremony. Instead, it’s a scene from one of the many sorority houses that Clayton Anderson, a country singer who has previously opened up for Kenny Chesney, visited during his So-Tour 2009.

While at the University of Illinois, Clayton Anderson visited both Alpha Phi and Delta Zeta, and before starting each show, he walked around the room and shook every girl’s hand. (It was as if he was running for president rather than marketing himself and his music.)  Although I laughed while it was going on, his political strategy worked — by the middle of the 45-minute show, he had the entire room clapping, laughing at his stories of musical mishaps and singing along to cover songs, as well as some of his originals.

Not bad, for a guy who graduated college last year.

Because of the poor state of the economy, the Clayton Anderson Band has yet to get a record deal, but they are okay with waiting for their big break, and the lead singer is counting on the So-Tour to help him out with marketing and networking.  Feel free to check out the video below or go to their Myspace page to hear more of the group’s country-pop sound!

Video:

“It’s Hard To Say”:

“Chica go”

“Kenny Story”

I’m having culture shock. No, not by the fact that there’s a big shiny orb in the sky and my body isn’t frozen solid, but literal culture shock. There’s so much art, music and entertainment going on this weekend that I could practically vomit treble clefs and oil pastels. The long of it — my picks for the weekend, a schedule and the don’t-miss shows/exhibits — is coming soon, but here’s the short of it, in case you’re ready to kick up your heels and Boneyard it up all night long:

Boneyard Arts Festival – guide to all of the art/music events tonight through Sunday (in case you won’t check back until morning, don’t miss New Orleans Jazz Machine 11:30-1:30 at Alice Campbell Alumni Center.)

IMCFest – Oh holy jeez. Time to erase everything on my CF card. Amidst the locals make sure to catch The Love Language on Friday at 8:10. Details coming soon. (Just reminded by Santa’s Stan McConnell – it’s BYOB. Oh, yes.)

Record Store Day – Saturday at Exile. Amazing special releases for sale, free snackiepoos, and a full day of tunes (including a listen of Dylan’s new album!). If you ever wanted to listen to local music every single second of the day on Saturday, this is your chance. Come!

(How I Plan To Spend My) Friday:

10am (to 5pm) – Interactive music exhibition (“Music in America”) from John Philip Sousa to Salvatore Martirano, 236 Harding Band Building (1103 S Sixth St)

11:30am-1:30pm – Live music from New Orleans Jazz Machine, Alice Campbell Alumni Center, UIUC Campus

6pm (to 8pm) – It Starts With A Line metals show and jewelry sale, Krannert Art Museum. (Also there – floral exhibit!)

7pm (to 10pm) – Any Mysterious Power art show, 312 N. Walnut

7pm (to 9pm) – Big Bluestem String Band, Blues BBQ

7:30 (to 9:30) – Mhondoro Rhythm Success with Bolokada Conde, Canopy Club ($5 until 9pm)

8:10pm – Love Language, IMCFest

8:50 – Speaker: Mark Enslin, IMCFest

9pm – Headlights, IMCFest

(How I Plan To Spend My) Saturday:

Record Store Day!:

noon – DJ Mertz

1:00 – Keith Harden

1:30 – Stan McConnell

2:00 – Curb Service

2:30 – Mike Ingram & Dawna Nelson

3:00 – New Ruins

3:30 – Exploring the art exhibits around downtown Champaign businesses

4:00 – Post Historic

4:30pm – Downtown Urbana, exploring the art exhibits (especially Isaac Bloom’s Challah at Goose Alley at 6pm till 9pm)

7:45pm – Organic Flow, IMCFest

8:25 – New Ruins, IMCFest

10:40 – We Landed On The Moon, IMCFest

11:20 – Elsinore, IMCFest

(How I Plan To Spend My) Sunday:

10am – SLEEPING.

12pm (to 5pm, also open on Saturday) – Petals & Paintings floral arrangement competition, Krannert Art Museum

IMC FEST:

6:50-7:20pm: Yossarian

7:35-8:05pm: Post-Historic

8:15-8:45pm: Casados

8:55-9:25pm: Michael Kammin

9:40-10:20pm: Duke of Uke-With Short Film

10:35-11:25pm: Kilborn Alley