The first Saturday of October found me at Pour Bros. Taproom for the finale of their 10th Anniversary Courtyard Concert Series!
My first visit to the Pour Bros courtyard was back in September 2017, as their second season was coming to a close. Nathan Taylor was on stage that night, and I hadn't actually planned to be there.
Earlier that evening, a friend had asked me why I was so grouchy. I told them I didn't know and decided I needed to get out and find something to do. The next thing I knew, I was sitting on a cold concrete bench in the Pour Bros courtyard, listening to Nathan Taylor.
I'd started Peoria Music Live just two weeks earlier and had absolutely no idea what it would eventually become. But as I sat there listening to the music, I suddenly realized that the tension I'd been carrying in my neck and shoulders was gone. My headache had disappeared. I just felt better.
And I remember thinking, "This. THIS is why people need to know where the live music is."
I took this little video for Instagram that night. (Apparently, I hadn’t learned how to remove watermarks yet. Haha.) Looking back, it's one of those moments that reminds me why I started doing this in the first place.
So, while I haven't been around for the courtyard's entire decade, I've been enjoying the music there for nine full years now!
And what a lineup they put together to close out their anniversary season! Live music is especially fun when the musicians are obviously enjoying performing on stage… and all three of these bands were!
Capt. Quirk kicked things off. The band has undergone some changes this year, transforming into a Yacht Rock band and welcoming Michelle Lynn as their new lead singer. I hadn't had a chance to catch this version of Capt. Quirk yet, so it was fun to see what they've been up to. They brought a great mix of familiar songs and a fresh energy to the courtyard. I don't think I've ever been to a Capt. Quirk show where I didn't end up with a huge smile on my face!
As the evening went on, more and more people started filling the courtyard.
Asbury Fox took the stage next, keeping things going with a collection of groovy covers and familiar favorites. They're a talented group of musicians who know how to put their own spin on songs people recognize, and they kept the crowd entertained as the courtyard continued to fill up.
It had been a very busy week, and I'd arrived at the courtyard already feeling worn out. Since I'd just covered Decade of Decadence last month, my plan was to stick around for a few songs and call it a night.
But when Decade of Decadence starts playing and the crowd rushes toward the stage, it's awfully hard to leave! Between the '80s rock anthems, the energy of the audience, and the larger-than-life personalities on stage, it's easy to get caught up in the fun and completely lose track of time.
By the end of the night, I'd shot hours of video, taken hundreds of photos, and made countless trips around the courtyard, up and down stairs, and on and off my stepstool, trying to find the best angles of all three bands. And still, as I headed home, I felt lighter than when I arrived.
Nine years after that first evening on a cold concrete bench listening to Nathan Taylor, live music in the Pour Bros courtyard still has the same effect on me. And I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'm already looking forward to next summer!
In the meantime, while you're checking out the list of live local music happening around the area this weekend, take a look at the photos (I gave each band their own gallery this week) and videos from that Saturday show. It was a fantastic night!
FRIDAY 10/16
James Herr Acoustic at Michael's Italian Feast (Germantown Hills) 6pm
Neon Nova at Oz'z Bar & Grill (Creve Coeur) 7pm
Frank Viele at Bishop Hill Creative Commons 7pm
Adara Rae at Crusens War Memorial 7pm
Rhythm & Ace acoustics at Washburn American Legion Post 7pm
Captain Crayfish at Office on Main (Morton) 7pm
Sonic Live In Concert at Prairie Home Alliance Theater 7:30pm
Bradley Jazz Ensemble w/ Groove Project at Dingeldine Music Center 7:30pm
Schmall Bros at Tin Lizard at the Par-A-Dice Casino (East Peoria) 8-11pm
Zachary Thomas Diedrich at Whiskerz Pub (Lacon) 8pm
Wowie Zowie at Brasky's Bar & Grill 8pm
The Bleed at Country Saloon (East Peoria) 8pm
BUTTA wsg The Easy Riders at Kenny's Westside 9pm
Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel! (We have more being added there all the time, so be sure and subscribe.)
SATURDAY 10/17
Hops & Harvest Fall Fest at Analytical Brewing 6-8pm
Raynah 1-3pm
Colt Ball 3-5pm
Brody Vancil 5-8pm
Sista and the Misters at Hanna City Sportsman's Club 6-11pm
Bruce Moon & the Amplifiers at Bishop Hill Creative Commons 7pm
Outland at Gracie's Sports Bar (Green Valley) 7pm
Tango in the Night at Oz'z Bar & Grill (Creve Coeur) 7-11pm
The Holdouts at Steel Horse Watering Hole (London Mills) 7pm
Twisted Whiskey at Jim Dandy's (Bartonville) 7pm
Spoony & the Bootleggers at Hickory Hill Campground (Secor) 7pm
Cousin Eddie at Tin Lizard at Par-A-Dice Casino (East Peoria) 8-11pm
Code 415 at Big Catz BBQ (Knoxville) 8pm
Brandon Callaway and The Renegades at The Neon Bison 8pm
Scratching the Surface is at Opie's 116 (Roanoke) 8pm
Isaac Durst at Crusens on Farmington Road (West Peoria) 8pm
Shipwreck Kelly at Brew N Cue (Canton) 8pm
Captain Crayfish w/ Newhouse Band at Kenny's Westside 9pm
SUNDAY 10/18
Ryan Massey at Vietnam Veterans of Illinois (Washington) 2pm
The Nighthawks at Oz'z Bar & Grill (Creve Coeur) 2pm
Blue Ridge Community Farm 2026 3pm
Front Street Collective
Brainchild
Ava Easter
Bradley Symphony Orchestra at Dingeldine Music Center 3pm
Brian Gerald Bulger & Seth Coquit at Rage Club 4-6pm
Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project at Trailside Event Center (Peoria Heights) 6pm
Jess Klein at Bishop Hill Creative Commons 7pm
SUNDAY OPEN STAGES THIS WEEK
Lonesome Jones hosting at Christy’s Place (Washington) 3-6pm
Roy Ponce hosting at Tartan Inn 7-11pm
This week’s post contains contributions from:
Kindall Reuschel, Bennett Rose, & Vesper Goldman
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