The Stage is Set for Krannert Center Uncorked This Summer!

Our popular Krannert Center Uncorked free concert series highlighting the local and regional music scene returns to Stage 5 in the Krannert Center lobby!  We will have three performances on select Thursdays in June and July from 5:30-7pm.

“It’s always great to have local music here,” Sean Kutzko, Assistant Communications Director, said recently. “Uncorked has been going strong for many years now, bringing in some of the best musicians in Champaign-Urbana and beyond. It’s a critical part of the Krannert Center mission to build community through the arts, and being able to present such incredible local talent across the musical spectrum for free is one key way we can deliver on our mission.”

Our summer Uncorked season kicks off June 25 with a double bill. Moldover is a guitarist, composer, and instrument inventor who recently relocated to Champaign-Urbana. He has played at festivals and given talks throughout the U.S. and Europe. He is well known for coining the term controllerism and supporting its adoption with a diverse body of work including live performances, eclectic compositions, educational videos, and pioneering designs for new instruments. He will perform an electric set that will feature several instruments of his own creation. Moldover’s mission is to bring music back to an improvisational nature, creating on the spot while functioning in the current electronic music environment. He will play for the first 40 minutes of the evening. 

After a short intermission, local singer-songwriter Gloria Roubal will perform an acoustic set of her original material. With six albums under her belt, Roubal has been a fixture in the local music scene for years. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Sheryl Crow and Fiona Apple, Roubal blends emotionally resonant songwriting that highlights her personal experience with a soulful edge. “I’m really excited to play at Uncorked,” Roubal said. “The other times I’ve performed on that stage were for The ELLNORA Guitar Festival and for PYGMALION, both of which were amazing experiences. I love Krannert Center; it has been part of my life since I was a kid.”

 Roubal will be joined by bassist Jill Greenlee, herself no stranger to the local scene, with producer and composer credits for independent films in her portfolio, as well as three new singles of her own. The duet has already performed at several venues throughout central Illinois.

Jazz takes Stage 5 on July 16 with SEXTET, featuring saxophonists Kavi Naidu and Julian Brennan-Pomatto. Naidu has been a staple in C-U jazz circles for several years, spearheading his own projects and as a member of The Collective, Space Port, and the Iron Post Jazz Orchestra. Champaign native Brennan-Pomatto is back in town after time spent playing the Chicago circuit. SEXTET is a heavy group with a big sound that plays the hard bop that Chicago and New York became famous for in the 1950s and 1960s.

“As an artist growing up in Champaign, I've attended countless shows as part of the Krannert Center Uncorked series, where many of my musical role models, colleagues, and friends have given outstanding performances,” Naidu recalled. “I am very humbled to be able to bring my own project to the amazing space at Stage 5 and contribute to one of my favorite musical traditions in Champaign-Urbana.”

90’s Daughter, Champaign-Urbana’s premier rock band since forever, takes Stage 5 on July 23. They’ve played everywhere and are known throughout Illinois as the band that puts on high-energy shows who you call when you just want to have a good time. Led by one of the area’s most well-known guitarists, Tom Grassman, 90’s Daughter will make their debut at Stage 5 as Grassman returns to Krannert Center for the first time since 2009.

“The last time I played Krannert Center was with The Brat Pack,” Grassman said. “I remember my two very young daughters were there standing right in front of the stage, watching intently, and occasionally whispering in each other's ear. After a few exchanges, they looked at each other, nodded in agreement, held hands, and started to step onto the stage!”

“I’m a townie, and I've seen some world class talent at Krannert over the years,” Grassman noted. “I am just happy to even be in the same building!”

All Krannert Center Uncorked performances are free on select Thursdays from 5:30-7pm at Stage 5 in the Krannert Center lobby. Meet friends old and new, enjoy a tasty beverage from our Stage 5 Bar, and take advantage of free parking after 5pm in our underground garage. It’s the perfect way to unwind this summer!

Unpretentious. Uncomplicated. Uncorked.