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President & Editor

Jesse Witham
Managing Director
Dylan Collins
Art Director
Ryan Strong

Director of Sales Account Executives

Ray Cook Rebekah Hay
Lacey Collins

Contributing Writers Photography

Jason Monroe Eyeworks Photography
Abby Harris ClubMugs.com
Todd Gummerman Randy Bacon

Copy Editor
Todd Gummerman

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Contact us today!
Downtown Beat Magazine
509 West Olive – Suite 207
417-225-8822
downtownbeat@gmail.com
www.downtownbeat.com

Downtown Beat is a monthly publication that is available free of charge and distribut-
ed to over 200 locations in Springfield. The content of this magazine is property of the
respective authors and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher.

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 JUNE EVENT
01 .................................................................... First Friday Art Walk @ Center City Art Galleries / 6pm
02 ........................................................................................ The Ten Spot @ The Skinny Improv / 10pm
03 ...............................................................................................................................................................
04 ............................................................................................... College Night @ Big Whiskey’s / 9pm
05 ...............................................................................................................................................................
06 ..................................................................................................Ladies Night @ Icon Nightclub / 9pm
07 ...............................................................................................................................................................
08 ................................... Downtown Beat Summer Kick-Off 2007! @ Jordan Creek / 8pm
09 ...............................................................................................................................................................
10 ................................................................................................. Rockfest @ Jordan Valley Field / 4pm
11 ...............................................................................................................................................................
12 ...............................................................................................................................................................
13 ...............................................................................................................................................................
14 ...............................................................................................................................................................
15 ...................................................................................... Improv Sports @ The Skinny Improv / 10pm
16 .......................................................................................... Sumo Saturday @ Traffic Sushi Bar / 9pm
17 ...............................................................................................................................................................
18 ...............................................................................................................................................................
19 ...............................................................................................................................................................
20 ...................................................................................... Tyler Hart & DJ Lush @ The Boogie / 10pm
21 ...............................................................................................................................................................
22 ...............................................................................................................................................................
23 ......................................................................................SnowFest 2007 @ Jordan Valley Park / Noon
24 ...............................................................................................................................................................
25 .................................................................................................College Night @ Big Whiskey’s / 9pm
26 ...............................................................................................................................................................
27 ...............................................................................................................................................................
28 ...............................................................................................................................................................
29 ............................................................................ “A Night In Hollywood” @ ICON Nightclub / 9pm
30 ........................................................................................ The Ten Spot @ The Skinny Improv / 10pm

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08 / DOWNTOWNBEAT DOWNTOWNBEAT / 09
DowntownBeat: When did you guys start the band
and what type of music do you play?
A Day Away: A Day Away played its first show in May
2005, but thereafter we changed lineups a few times.
We settled on our current lineup in November of that
same year. From the beginning our goal was to play
good, catchy music that nearly anyone could enjoy,
but we also wanted to make it more edgy than most
pop music. Of course the pop-punk genre has similar
characteristics, but we think our style is different…
perhaps because we start with pop then add the edge
rather than the other way around…think about it.
We heard that you were recently signed to a ma-
jor record label in Japan. Tell us a little bit about
that…
Apparently American music is a hot commodity in Ja-
pan. The label, Big Mouth Japan, found us on the
front page of Purevolume and after a few phone calls,
we arranged for our CD to sell on Japanese shelves.
We’ve since seen pictures of our CD displayed in the
store, and it’s sort of mind boggling for us…we have
big poster displays and the CD is on listening stations
alongside all the top American bands. The whole pro-
cess though of getting the deal was really cool because
the label recognized our potential to sell CDs and dis-
regarded the fact that we weren’t signed in the U.S and
that we were completely unknown in Japan. In other
words, they took a big chance on us, which is really
rare anymore. Nowadays, bands have to do every-
thing just right to alleviate the label’s risk and sway
them to offer them a deal, no matter how good a band
is. So in our case it was really nice to cut a break and
not have to jump through hoops to make this happen.
Do you play shows in other areas of the country, or
are you planning a tour in the near future?
We get asked that all the time, and it’s hard to answer.
On one hand, we certainly enjoy playing shows out-
side of our home grounds, but on the other, it is so
hard for an unsigned band to book a successful tour.
We’re pretty much on our own as far as booking the
venues, getting fans there, and financing the trip. We
try to get out of Springfield as much as we can, but
we have to look at touring realistically: until we have
help (from a label), massive touring is probably not in
the forecast.
What do you think of the local music scene in
Springfield, and what could be done to make it bet-
ter?
Hmm…here’s a hot topic among teenage coffeehouses
everywhere. Nearly every city’s young and hip like to
analyze and complain about their local scenes. Every-
one sites a different reason such as the town is lame,
or the bars all suck, or whatever. But I think its sim-
ply supply and demand. Because of a number of sub-
reasons, the largest being the internet and our coun-
try’s obsession with fame, there are an astronomical
number of local bands everywhere. Way more bands
than a decade or so ago. And local scenes, no matter
how strong, can’t sustain that many bands—there’s not
enough demand. Plus, in the midst of the dozens of
local bands Springfield sees every night, how can the
casual listener know which band to go see? Several
years ago, the solution was simple; ask someone, any-
one, and they’ll tell you the best band around. Now,
everyone you ask will give a new name. Though it’s
kind of sad, over-saturation kills the scene and the best
thing would be to concentrate it. The easiest way to do
this is for local radio and publications to help guide
the casual listener through the slew of bands and give
the scene a few heroes everyone can root for.
What is your favorite part about playing a live
show? What can fans expect when they attend one
of your concerts?
Honestly, the coolest thing is watching new listeners
react. It’s pretty cool when you can tell that some-
one new has just heard you for the first time and they
like it. As far as what fans can expect to see, I think
our show is exactly what you think an A Day Away
set should be: energetic, tight, and fun. Most impor-
tantly though, we strive to make the overall experience
a good time. We know that people can choose to go
to the movies, parties, dance clubs, or whatever, so we
want to make sure that our fans made the right choice
in spending their night with us.
Thanks again for taking the time to talk with us,
and we wish you the best of luck in the future. It
definitely sounds like A Day Away puts on a show
that no rock fan will want to miss!
DOWNTOWNBEAT / 11
 I
t was a little over two years ago.
Randy Bacon was shooting a
senior portrait on the corner of
McDaniel and South Street when
his friend Matt Miller approached and
asked him how he was doing. Their
conversation soon turned into a discus-
sion of the Bacon’s lack of space in
their current studio, and shortly after,
Matt was asking Randy if he might be
interested in partnering on a building.
That same afternoon the building was
chosen and the rest, as they say, is his-
tory.
The Monarch Art Factory, which
opened in January, is comprised of
six businesses, all of which are making
their own contribution to the art culture
in downtown Springfield. In case you
haven’t visited yet, those businesses
are The Randy Bacon Studio, Blu Skies
Hair Studio, The Bellwether Gallery,
Blacksuits Creative, The Garage Door
Gallery, and White River Engineering. I
was lucky to have the opportunity to
speak with many of Monarch’s tenants,
all of which are not only savvy business
owners, but tremendous artists and
visionaries as well.
My first stop of the day was The Randy
Bacon Studio. As I walked in I immedi-
ately noticed the dramatic increase in
space the Bacons were now enjoying.
The new studio kept the same intimate
feel as the Bacon’s previous space, yet
there was so much more to offer with
a larger stage area and much more
room to display Randy’s beautiful art.
After taking a good look around, I sat
down with Randy and Shannon Bacon,
two people who have been very instru-
Randy Bacon’s Monarch Art Factory
Located in downtown Springfield at 600 W. College
12/ DOWNTOWNBEAT
mental in the transformation of down-
town.
“We’re just really passionate
about downtown, art, and Springfield,”
said Randy. He and his wife Shannon
say they’ve always had this vision of
what downtown could be- a vision
that started in their old studio, just two
blocks away from Monarch.
“I think the idea all stemmed
from our passion for the creative world
and the arts, and just trying to create a
place where artists can grow and go.
We wanted to have a building that
“...the idea all stemmed from
our passion for the creative
world and the arts, and just try-
ing to create a place where
artists can grow and go.”
was creative without defining what
creative is,” explained Randy.
When the Bacons moved into
the new building, they needed to
decide who would join them in their
artistic endeavor. Though they initially
considered going with the popular
downtown flow by putting lofts or
restaurants in the building, that idea
quickly faded when they realized they
really wanted, and needed, to stay
true to their original vision: creating a
true arts district in the downtown area.
Once they made the decision, the
response was overwhelming with artists
and business owners who shared the
Bacons’ ideas.
DOWNTOWNBEAT / 13
 “We weren’t out there recruit-
ing at all,” said Shannon. “It was re-
ally pretty amazing because people
heard what we were doing and came
to us.”
If you haven’t been to the Mon-
arch Art Factory, you may be surprised
by some of the different businesses
that have occupied the building.
Where you might expect to see only
art galleries and studios, there are dif-
ferent creative venues being explored
in a hair salon, an engineering firm,
and a graphic design agency, all of
which bring their own artistic touches
to the factory in ways that the general
“We’re a graphic design
studio...the best way to de-
scribe [our] work [is] ‘visual
communication.’”
public might not expect.
Not only has the new Monarch
Art Factory helped other artists estab-
lish themselves and their businesses,
but it has also helped Randy expand
his artistic horizons as well. With much
more space to display his work and
a larger studio area, Randy said the
move has been really good for his art.
“Artistically, I’m doing things
I never could do before. I think the
new space has really spawned me . .
. I’m using light differently, and it’s just
really exciting,” said Randy. The move
has also allowed the Bacons to meet
other artists from the Springfield area,
and though there were challenges,
the Bacons are happy with the out-
come and have become very close
14/ DOWNTOWNBEAT
with the other creative tenants in the
building.
“We’ve actually created a
building that’s not only about busi-
ness, but it’s almost like the Monarch
family,” said Randy. “We call our-
selves the ‘Monarchians.’”
Now that I understood a little bit
more about the Monarch Art Factory,
it was time for me to meet some of
the other “Monarchians.” I traveled a
few doors down to Blacksuits Creative.
Not knowing what to expect, I walked
in and looked around the modern, yet
casual studio. As I rounded the cor-
ner I was greeted by creative director,
Katie Canada, who was leaning on a
full-sized ping-pong table in the mid-
dle of what appeared to be an office
area.
“If you want to just have a seat
on the couches we’ll all kind of trickle
over here in a few minutes,” she said.
Katie was then joined by her husband
Corey Canada, Executive Director;
Jason Gaylor, Creative Director; and
Skye Carroll, Interactive Operations
Manager.
The four co-owners sat down
with me and began to discuss exactly
what Blacksuits Creative is all about.
“We’re a graphic design stu-
dio,” said Corey.
“It’s kind of complicated, some-
times people get thrown off by the
word ‘graphic,’” says Katie. And after
a brief discussion amongst the group,
they decided the best way to de-
scribe their work was “visual communi-
cation.”
In business now for about a year
and three months, the team at Black-
suits Creative specializes in design
regardless of the medium. From de-
Blacksuits Creative
Visit their online portfolio: blacksuitscreative.com
DOWNTOWNBEAT / 15
 signing posters, brochures and signs, to
books, CDs, websites, and, well, you get
the picture. The design team creates
whatever their clients need. Though
the studio has a gallery-like feel, the
owners wanted to make it clear that
Blacksuits Creative is not a gallery.
“We’re in the business of selling
our own work,” said Corey.
And according to the team, their
own work is something they hope to
be able to concentrate more on in the
future. The co-owners explained how
they all have their own side projects
and are looking forward to a time when
they can focus less on client work and
more on their own collaborations. They
also hope to grow as a business and as
individuals, yet keep that “small-busi-
ness feeling.”
“We like to be able to play a
game of ping-pong whenever we
want,” said Jason.
Though it was tempting to engage in
some ping-pong with the Blacksuits
clan, I decided my time was up at
Blacksuits Creative and walked next
door to the Bellwether Gallery where I
caught up with Ryan Wiksell in the midst
of his art walk preparations.
Many people may not know, but
the Bellwether Gallery, open since Jan-
uary, is owned and run by the Second
Baptist Church of Springfield. The idea
came about when the pastor went on
his first art walk in 2005 and Ryan intro-
duced him to Randy Bacon. The pastor
was inspired by Bacon’s art, and this
inspiration led to Second Baptist hosting
Bellwether Gallery
Owned and run by Second Baptist Church
16/ DOWNTOWNBEAT
an Arts Summit where they displayed
work by over 70 local artists, as well as
art by Randy Bacon himself. After the
summit, Bacon expressed an interest in
having a ministry be a part of Monarch,
and from there, the Bellwether Gallery
was developed.
One question some people might
have is whether the art displayed in The
Bellwether Gallery is “religious” art. Ac-
cording to Ryan, though they believe in
Bacon expressed an interest
in having a ministry be a part
of Monarch, and from there,
the Bellwether Gallery was
developed.
“exhibiting Christ” in everything they do,
the artwork displayed in the Bellwether
Gallery is not overtly religious. There is a
good mix of Christian and non-Christian
artists represented.
“We’re not here to express the
gospel through the art on the wall. The
point is to be part of the art community
and to interact with the art community
in a very present way,” said Ryan. “I
don’t think it’s important who owns the
gallery.”
The Bellwether Gallery is definitely
making their mark on the Springfield
art community. So far, they have par-
ticipated in five art walks since their
January opening, and look forward to
DOWNTOWNBEAT / 17
 participating in many art events to
come. The gallery operates on do-
nation only and charges no com-
mission to artists for displaying and
selling their work. And for amateur
artists out there looking for an out-
let, come check out The Bellweth-
er’s one-hour photo contest.
My next stop of the day was
The Garage Door Gallery, where I
met owners Cassie and Justin Den-
nis. Cassie, who has been an as-
[Garage Door Gallery] cre-
ates a different feel for art-
lovers who get to come in
and see not only the artists’
work, but their studio space
as well.
sistant to the Bacons for eight years,
opened the gallery with her hus-
band in January.
The Garage Door Gallery is
an “artists’ collective,” a place in
which 12 artists work together and
enjoy their own studios that are
actually in the gallery itself. This
creates a different feel for art-lovers
who get to come in and see not
only the artists’ work, but their studio
space as well.
“I think one of the most im-
portant things is that we all work
18/ DOWNTOWNBEAT
together, and we want everyone to
have their say,” says Cassie.
She also explained how re-
freshing it was to work in a space
with so many other creative minds.
“It’s really nice to have another set
of eyes, or someone to give you
their opinion,” said Cassie. The
artwork displayed in the gallery is all
for sale, and created by the con-
tributing artists for The Garage Door
Gallery.
“I think it’s cool that people
can come in and buy a piece of
art, but also get the story behind
it,” said Cassie. “Plus we’re super
affordable and we feature some
of the best up-and-coming artists in
the area.”
The Garage Door Gallery fea-
tures a different artist from month-
to-month. The featured artist for
June is Kathlene Allie, so if you’re
in the neighborhood, come check
out Kathlene’s encaustic artwork
and take a look around the gallery.
My last stop for the day was
perhaps the most unexpected busi-
ness in the Monarch Art Factory,
The Blu Skies Hair Art Studio, which
opened in April. Maybe visiting a
hair salon isn’t exactly what you
have in mind when you go on an
art walk, but Phillip Burmood, Kami
Powell, Lindsi Unterreiner, James
Meyer, and Katie Stracke, the five
co-owners of Blu Skies, have really
Garage Door Gallery
The gallery houses studio space for 12 artists
DOWNTOWNBEAT / 19
 created a place that is not only great
for your ‘do’, but allows customers to
have an “artistic” experience as well. I
sat down with these five trendy twenty-
somethings and talked about what
made their space special.
“As far as the art side of it goes,
we rotate art from the other galleries in
and out of the salon,” said Phillip. “So it
gives our customers something to look
at while they’re waiting and just adds to
the whole experience.” Blu Skies is also
a part of art walk, bringing in different
musicians and offering food, drinks and
music.
All educated through the Paul
Mitchell culture of hair design, these five
stylists bring a wide range of talent to
their customers and pride themselves
on being very open-minded about
whatever style their clients may want.
“We like to make our custom-
ers feel really comfortable,” said Kami.
“We want people to feel like when they
come in here they’re just hanging out,
so it’s really personal.”
The group says their clientele
ranges from high school students to soc-
cer moms, and they are always open to
newcomers as well. Which, by the way,
if you haven’t been to Blu Skies yet, stop
by and take advantage of the deals
they have for new clients, such as 20%
off a cut and color, or their buy one get
one deal for anyone who wants to bring
a friend.
Before I left the Blu Skies team,
there was one question I just had to ask.
I knew they were open-minded and
dedicated to their craft, but how far
would they go for a customer’s satisfac-
Blu Skies Hair Art Studio
Where a pair of scissors is the paint brush and hair is the canvas
20/ DOWNTOWNBEAT
tion? What would they say if someone
walked in, sat down, and requested the
classic, Billy Ray Cyrus, ever-beloved
MULLET?
“That’ll be 20 bucks,” said James.
And there you have it. Now that’s dedi-
cation!
Downtown Springfield’s devel-
opment over the last few years has
been an interesting process to watch,
but without people and businesses
like those at The Monarch Art Factory,
“We want people to feel
like when they come in here
they’re just hanging out, so
it’s really personal.”
downtown would be nowhere near
the hot spot it’s becoming today. The
Bacons’ vision, though still a work in
progress, is being shared by more and
more who visit the Springfield area, and
making the town an even more interest-
ing and diverse place to live. Whether
it is an art gallery, a design studio, a
hair salon, or an engineering firm, each
business has brought its own flare to The
Monarch Art Factory and, with the sup-
port of culture-savvy locals, will continue
to add its personal charm to downtown
Springfield.
DOWNTOWNBEAT / 21
 Monday
Harpo’s – Dirt cheap draws and Music by DJ Lush
Big Whiskey’s – Great deals on pints and Starburst
shots

Tuesday
Trolley’s - Domestic and Beer Bucket deals til’
midnight

Wednesday
Ernie Biggs – Mug Night and Coors Light special

Thursday
Icon Nightclub - Coors Light special and cheap
wells all night long

Friday
The Boogie – Insane Pint Specials
Harpo’s – High Life Pitchers

Cheap
Saturday
Drink The Boogie - Domestic bottles and well specials
Spots
7 Days Sunday
Springfield Brewing Company - Pizza & Pitcher or
of the Wings & Pitcher
Week! We can’t give the exact prices on these amaz-
ing drink specials, but trust us, they are definitely
worth checking out... We wouldn’t steer you
wrong when it comes to cheap booze!

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 D
espite all the entertainment our
downtown and surrounding areas
constantly offer us, how many
of us still find ourselves attempt-
ing to make plans with our friends and family
when someone practically screams, “Why
isn’t there anything to do around here??”
Well thanks to the Springfield Cardinals and
the great atmosphere at the attractive ballpark,
hopefully some of those frustrated outbreaks
have subsided and been replaced with cheers
for America’s favorite pastime.
Now that the weather is a bit friendlier
and outdoor activities are back in business,
it’s hard to find a more endearing spot than
the beautiful Hammons Field. And while a
large portion of us are probably baseball fans
24/ DOWNTOWNBEAT
already, you don’t have to be a sports nut to
enjoy a nice night at the ballpark. You don’t
have to be rich either. Just five bucks will get
you admission where you can enjoy the game
from select bleachers, or can opt to chill in the
relaxing grass berms in the outfield. Or, to up
the ante a bit, you can pay a little more and
hit up my favorite choice- the Redbird Roost.
It’s on the Suite level overlooking the third
base line and offers unlimited food, snacks,
and drinks while you (don’t forget) are watch-
ing the game.
But there’s a lot more going on around
you while you stuff your face and watch the
ballgame. Jock 98.7, KY3, and the Cardinals
website all help in broadcasting games. And
if you’re really gung-ho you could try to book
Louie the mascot to show up at your next
party!
So if you can’t decide what to do with your
evenings, or if you have out-of-town company
and they want to do something besides go to
Bass Pro, you should join the thousands of
others and consider enjoying a nice Spring-
field Cardinals ballgame. And to have some-
thing to chat about between innings we’ve
collected some fun tidbits so you’ll
know a little more about the guys
you’re watching out there on
the field...
DOWNTOWNBEAT // 25
DOWNTOWNBEAT 25
 Reid Gorecki - Outfield Jarett Hoffpauir – Second Base
Hometown – East Rockaway, NY Hometown – Vidalia, LA
Favorite Restaurant – Inatomi Steakhouse Favorite Restaurant – Copeland’s
Favorite Movie – Gone in 60 Seconds Favorite Movie – Talladega Nights
Favorite Band – No Doubt Favorite Band – Shinedown
What do you like most about downtown Springfield? Nightlife What do you like most about downtown Springfield? Everything is
close to the stadium

Jon Jay – Outfield Colby Rasmus – Centerfield

Hometown – Miami, FL Hometown – Phenix City, AL
Favorite Restaurant – Hibachi Japanese Favorite Restaurant – Carrabbas Italian
Favorite Movie – He Got Game Favorite Movie – Talladega Nights
Favorite Artist – Jay-Z Favorite Band – Sublime
What do you like most about downtown Springfield? The Food What do you like most about downtown Springfield? The Square

Tyler Greene – Shortstop Bryan Anderson – Catcher

Hometown – Plantation, FL Hometown – Simi Valley, CA
Favorite Restaurant – Outback Steakhouse Favorite Restaurant – TGI Friday’s
Favorite Movie – For Love of the Game Favorite Movie – Billy Madison
Favorite Artist – Alan Jackson Favorite Band –Sublime
What do you like most about downtown Springfield? The What do you like most about downtown Springfield? The different
Square restaurants

Mike McCoy – Infield Mitchell Boggs – Starting Pitcher

Hometown – El Cajon, CA Hometown – Dalton, GA
Favorite Restaurant – PF Chang’s Favorite Restaurant – Chick-fil-A
Favorite Movie – Big Lebowski Favorite Movie – Top Gun
Favorite Band –AFI Favorite Band – George Strait
What do you like most about downtown Springfield? Nightlife What do you like most about downtown Springfield? Live Music

Joe Mather – First Base & Right Field

Hometown – Phoenix, AZ
Favorite Restaurant – Texas Roadhouse
Favorite Movie – Fifth Element
Favorite Band –Pearl Jam
What do you like most about downtown Springfield? The
Square

26/ DOWNTOWNBEAT
 Z
ach and Corey opened Czar Graphics on Who:
March 2nd of this year. Although they are a Corey Ash & Zach Robinson
fairly young company, the two entrepreneurs
have over 15 years of combined screen print-
ing and graphic design experience. What:
Custom screen printing and graphic design
Czar offers many custom products and services includ-
ing shirts, hats, banners, decals, promotional items, When:
and graphic design. Their retail store is conveniently Monday – Thursday: 9am-7pm
located on the corner of Campbell and Pershing, and Friday: 9am-5pm
is always stocked full of products to choose from. The Saturday: 9am-3pm
best part about Czar is the fact that there are no mini-
mums, discounts on bulk orders, and the turnaround
time is incredibly fast. Where:
420 South Campbell
Whether you’re a huge company looking to order Downtown Springfield
hundreds of custom shirts, or just someone looking to 417.832.1348
design a cool summer shirt for yourself, Czar Graphics
is a can’t miss!

To view some of their latest screen prints go online and

visit their MySpace - myspace.com/czar_graphics.

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