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Blue Moon season offers plenty of favorites
By Dan Craft
dcraft@pantagraph.com
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BLOOMINGTON -- As Illinois Wesleyan University's Blue Moon Coffeehouse enters its late adolescence this fall -- 17 seasons old and counting -- the venue has a couple surprises up its sleeve for faithful followers, including its first-ever family-aimed matinee.

The acoustic series has also upped the number of shows this season, with 11 performances scheduled between September and May vs. last season's eight.

Kicking off the slate at 8 p.m. Saturday is longtime Blue Moon favorite Vance Gilbert, whose numerous appearances over the years are the stuff of BM legend -- most notably the night he followed three ovation-mandated encores with an a cappella benediction delivered standing atop a chair in the middle of the room.

Per his status us one of the rare black singer-songwriters working the acoustic-folk genre, Gilbert himself once referred to his show as "Welcome to Prairie Homeboy Companion."

His latest encore is a CD release party for his latest recording, "Sounds Like," featuring songs penned by Gilbert as if written by other songwriters, including Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, John Hiatt, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits.

Per all the shows, doors open at 7:30 p.m. in IWU's Memorial Student Center Main Lounge, with admission priced at $10 (except for Willy Porter's post-season May 16 show, which is going for $15).

The special family show is at 1 p.m. Dec. 6, and is described below.

Tickets can be purchased at The Garlic Press in uptown Normal, at the venue beginning at 6 p.m. on performance nights, by phone at (309) 556-3815, and via e-mail at bluemoon@titan.iwu.edu

Following is rest of the fall and spring semester lineup:

• Sept. 20: SONiA, aka Sonia Rutstein of the group "disappear fear," another of the Blue Moon's perennial favorites, famed for her guitar prowess, "Dylanesque" harmonica and powerful vocals.

• Oct. 18: Melissa Ferrick, back by popular demand after a three-season hiatus, with songs from her latest album, "Goodbye Youth," in tow.

• Nov. 15: Krista Detor, returning to the Blue Moon stage as a solo headliner after debuting several seasons back as an opening act for venue queen and recent collaborator Carrie Newcomer.

• Dec. 6: Ellis Paul, another of the Blue Moon's venerable troubadours returns, this year with something new. In addition to his traditional 8 p.m. evening performance, Paul will also present a special matinee concert at 1 p.m., tailored for families and keyed to his new family-friendly album as a doting dad, "The Dragon Fly Races."

• Jan. 20: Susan Werner, chalking up her 13th visit to the Blue Moon, an attendance record rivaled only by Carrie Newcomer.

• Feb. 21: Cheryl Wheeler, yet another venue favorite whose distinctive songs have been covered by many of her peers, from Dan Seals to B-N's own Suzy Bogguss.

• March 7: Anne Heaton, the one-time classical pianist turned singer-songwriter, and described by the Chicago Reader as "a new age Ricki Lee Jones."

• April 4: Antje Duvekot & Natalia Zukerman, comprising a formidable twin-header for the Blue Moon's regular season-ending show, with the former the German-born, American-reared singer-songwriter in her BM debut, and the latter the acclaimed singing-songwriting daughter of violinist-conductor Pinchas Zukerman and flutist Eugenia Zukerman.

• May 16: Willy Porter, another of the Blue Moon's long-runners, returning to bring up the rear with a special post-season show.

Take a look
Longtime favorite Vance Gilbert returns to Illinois Wesleyan University's Blue Moon Coffeehouse at 8 p.m. Saturday to open the venue's 17th season.
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