by Mike Bailey
Sankoty Lakes Resort in Spring Bay introduces its Campfire Sessions Concert Series on Friday, October 1, with concerts, a dinner series and other outdoor fun scheduled every Friday through the rest of October.
These intimate sessions, brought to you by Sankoty Resort and Grindstone Events -- the folks behind the popular Courtyard Concert Series in Peoria Heights -- will be happening on the patio of the Woolly Bugger restaurant at Sankoty Lakes starting at 6 p.m. and running to about 9 p.m. The concerts are free and all ages are welcome.
Bring the entire family and enjoy the kind of magical autumn evening for which the Great Midwest is rightly known. Better yet, rent a glamping tent for the weekend and stay and play.
Oct. 1: Supreme songwriter Edward David Anderson kicks off the concert series with his special take on what he labels “black dirt music” – “songs about people and places, about life and love and loss. It’s roots music, cultivated in the fertile soil of the Midwest.”
Anderson went out on his own after many years fronting for the beloved Illinois band Backyard Tire Fire. He tours relentlessly, performing his own work backed by his expertise on banjo, acoustic/electric guitar and foot percussion. He has been featured on National Public Radio’s World Café, as well as on the nationally syndicated radio show Mountain Stage.
Oct. 8: In his 20-year career as a singer-songwriter, Dan Hubbard has released nine studio albums and toured extensively throughout the U.S. Influenced by the likes of the legendary Tom Petty, the Illinois native was likewise mentored by his two brothers. At the death of brother Erik due to brain cancer at age 12, he found refuge in his guitar. “It became a way for me to properly mourn him, and heal,” he said.
After graduating from Illinois State University, he played with his band the Humadors from 2008- 14. Their 2011 release, “The Love Show,” cracked the roots rock chart top 50. His solo career took off shortly thereafter. His latest work, “Quarantine Lullabies,” was released this year to critical acclaim.
Oct. 15: Harvest Son Trio is on tap with their special blend of folk, rock, and Americana music. Comfortable as an old pair of washed-out jeans, the Peoria-based band is a mix of the sounds of Counting Crows, Tom Petty, and The Wallflowers.
Their songs are born out of a “rust belt state of mind,” says frontman and fiddler Seth Samuelson Cocquit. “It’s not lost on me that we’re living in a leaving state – Illinois, that is.
Central Illinois especially has seen its hard times since the manufacturing economy and farming economy have transitioned, often leaving behind the people that built those companies,” he said. “We all knew friends whose parents lost everything, and that sticks with you forever. Our mission is to tell that story and to spread some love around to those who ain’t felt it enough lately.”
Oct. 22: You don’t want to miss Aileeah Colgan, who was voted the top country act in Illinois by the national Country Showdown talent competition and has been recognized by the likes of Billboard Magazine, Country Rebel, Whiskey Riff and other publications.
The Peoria-based artist has shared the stage with a long list of luminaries including Toby Keith, RaeLynn, Kane Brown, Scott McCreery, and others while opening for the likes of Luke Bryan, Shania Twain, and Little Big Town.
Oct. 29: The final free music Friday features Nick Sizemore of Nick Sizemore and the Saddletramps. Their alt-country performances – think Tyler Childers or Sturgill Simpson – are nothing short of foot-stompin’ infectious. Don’t believe us? Listen in and hear for yourselves exactly what we mean.
As an added bonus for this final autumn bash, feel free to come in costume to this Halloween- themed event. Even Sankoty’s fabled trout will be spooked!
Our team is thrilled to be introducing this new venue to the central Illinois music scene. We’ll provide the fixins and let Mother Nature do the rest. Indeed, there is no better, more relaxing place to gather around a campfire and watch the sun go down with friends after a long week at work, and the eats ... well, we believe you’ll want to come back for more.
Hope to see you there!