The venue has rotating weekly shift of diverse music: Its like having seven house bands spread over each day of the week.
Ethel Lee entertains the crowd at Uno's Summer Courtyard. With all the newer clubs and bars offering outdoor seating and entertainment, I seem to have forgotten one of the venues that has been doing it the longest: Uno in Springfield.
I usually try to give some ink (or bandwidth for those reading online) to places that feature al fresco fun during the summer months, but this year I totally blanked on Uno Chicago Grill’s Summer Courtyard Series.
So let’s correct that today, shall we?
The venue has rotating weekly shift of diverse music: Its like having seven house bands spread over each day of the week. On Mondays, the Courtyard sees EagleEyes take the stage with its contemporary sounds. Tuesdays brings the classic songs of the Frank Manzi Trio, while a slate of new standards fills the evening air with the Eric Bascom Trio on Wednesdays. The weekend gets an early kick off on Thursdays with the eclectic stylings of Good Acoustics. If you like a broad range of hits from the 1970s on, then Emotion on Fridays is your best bet, while classic rock fans might want to see the Tom Ingram Trio on Saturdays. The week winds up with the jazz and blues music of Ethel Lee on Sunday.
Uno is next to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Columbus Avenue in Springfield.
Scouting report
Stearns Square kicks off its summer concert series in downtown Springfield tonight with two tribute acts, Who Are You and 52nd Street, which honor the music of The Who and Billy Joel. Later, at nearby Theodores' at 201 Worthington St., The Blue Veins will perform.
Mercies will perform at Pearl Street in Northampton tonight. Opening for the Connecticut band are Spanish Prisoners, Polar Jet and Echo and Drake.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about an eating competition at the Toasted Owl in Northampton and casually mentioned a possible contest between myself and local musician/self-proclaimed eating champion John St. Onge. Well, one thing led to another (mostly John flapping his gums about how he could beat me at any eating contest) and now this epic event is actually going to occur.
The place is The Elevens in Northampton and the date is July 3. The contest is who can eat a large pizza from Joe’s Cafe the quickest. John has turned this into an event and so far, according to Facebook replies, a lot of people are interested in this. So we decided to make it a charity event with proceeds going to The United Way.
The rules are simple: whoever finishes a large cheese pizza from Joe’s Cafe in the shortest amount of time wins. The winner will determined by MC Rich Tardy. In case of either of us getting sick from eating quickly, the contest will be called and the opponent declared the victor.
There will be a DJ, possibly a band, and a bunch of pizza for attendees (it’s basically a pizza party for charity under the guise of this eating contest.) There is a $3 to $5 suggested donation at the door, and more funds will be raised by asking attendees to take the famous “Saltine challenge.” For a $5 contest entry fee, audience members can attempt to eat six saltine crackers in 60 seconds’ with no liquids allowed to be consumed while eating. Think you can do it? Come on down. They are so sure you can’t, that if you do beat the clock, you will double your investment and make $10 back. All proceeds also go to the United Way.
The Elevens is at 140 Pleasant St. in Northampton.
Hope to see you there.