Off Square Music is the heart and soul of the Woodstock music scene and the center of musical energy in McHenry County, Illinois. From all of its year-round indoor live music venues to outdoor special events and the award winning Woodstock Farmers Market, musicians and non-musicians alike travel to Woodstock to learn, hear and play music of many genres. Read more about our history in "About."
From the start, Small Potatoes have called themselves eclecto-maniacs and described their music as “Celtic to Cowboy”. They say it has taken them “years of careful indecision” to come up with a mix of music that ranges from country, blues, and swing to Irish, with songwriting that touches on all of those styles and more.
TICKETS: $10.00 Livestream Individual Ticket & $20.00 Livestream Package (Includes all four Spotlight Performances)
Didn’t get the email announcement? For a Zoom link to attend, email aandrick28@yahoo.com
Offsquaremusic.org is hosting a New Year’s Eve gathering. Unfortunately there won’t be pizza and champagne this year, but we’re still going to have a fun time bringing live music into your homes. We’ll start at 8 and go until probably around 10. Rich and Jacquie (Small Potatoes) have agreed to conclude the event with their customary virtual toast, and we are grateful to them. They are our inspiration and leaders of this wonderful musical community.
We did our best to accommodate everyone who wanted to perform, but there just wasn’t enough time to give everyone one song or five minutes. We will put you on the next regular Every Saturday event on January 2nd. Here’s the list of performers:
Sharon Arnold
Mike Breen
Norm Seigel
Dave Wagner
Mike Eckert
Jim Fine
Steve and Sylvia
John and Carol
Jeremy Simon
Mike Reed
Randy Anderson
Andrew Huber
Marcia Krieger
Bob Maleske
Dave Ashby
Pete and Cheryl
Russ and Diane Ward
Les Urban
Tricia Alexander
Tony Willis
Kent and Deb.
Small Potatoes
Didn’t get the email announcement? For a Zoom link to attend, email aandrick28@yahoo.com
Every week we join together for eight performances of music and poetry — and to enjoy each other’s company. We bring together musicians from our local area — but Zoom has allowed us to go national, and we even reach across the pond!
Doors open at 6:30 pm, so join us early to greet your friends, or stay afterward to visit. If you are performing, please come at 6:30 pm for a sound check.
This week’s performers are:
Nancy Grubarek
Mike Eckert
Andy Andrick
Mike Reed
John and Carol
Jim Fine
If you’d like to perform, please contact Andy Andrick, aandrick28@yahoo.com. If you are a first timer, you can find a video HERE that will help you get set up.
We record our sessions and share them within our group of performers. It enhances sound quality greatly to use a USB mic in preference to a built-in computer mic.
Hope to see you there, Every Saturday, Weekly Zoom Open Mic, doors open at 6:30 pm.
5/29/21 Group photo:
Ken Balmes-Lake County poet laureate
Jane Tomsett–hello UK
Mike Breen
Paul Klonowski
Mike Reed
Andrew Huber
Randy Anderson
Dave Kunzweiler
5/22/21 Group photo:
5/15/21 Group Photo:
Ken Balmes
Wattle and Daub
Nancy Grovarek
Carol and John
Mark Lyons
Bobby and Melva Swigart
Suzy Schwartz
Scott Engstrom
Small Potatoes – Rich Prezioso and Jacquie Manning
5/8/21 Group Photo:
Ken Balmes
Tony Willis
Bob Maleske
Nancy Grovarek
Mark Lyons
Paul Klonowski
Jimmy Bartholomew
Sammy Byerly
Don’t miss it, it promises to be another great night of live music! See you there!
This year has presented challenges to many musicians to stay connected in virtual ways. Off Square’s New Year’s Eve parties have historically been held at Stage Left Cafe for a number of years. But this year……Small Potatoes and Off Square Music want to welcome a brand new year and would love for you to join in and help us do just that!
A Zoom New Year’s Eve party will be set up for Thursday, December 31, 2020 from 8-10:00 pm.
There will be spots for 12 performers @ 10 minutes each. For the last 10 minutes the Spuds will welcome the new year. If you would like a slot, sign up:
use the “Contact” button on the menu above by selecting “Other” and inserting your name in the form that follows;
This is a free event. We would like to thank all those of you who support our venue, both live and virtual, throughout the year. We happily welcome any donation you would like to give. Use the Donate button on our site.
This Sunday, September 27th, we will have the final outdoor Sundays on the Square concert of the 2020 summer season from 5 to 7 pm. We will be presenting “The Last Word” Concert with Tricia Alexander, Diana Laffey, Al Day and a fine support band from Chicago. Please bring your lawn chair. All donations go to the performers. Please stay tuned for future events. We have some tentative plans for the fall and winter.
Show runs 5-7 pm, it’s FREE, and the weather looks to be superb. Bring a lawn chair and your masks, and we’ll see you there! Joe Pesz, Rich Prezioso, Brian Murphy, Jim Seidel, Pete Jonsson, Laurel Palma and Les Urban.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Corner Boys will not be appearing on 9/13. In their place we are pleased to present Dobro and guitarist Rob Anderlik and mandolinist Josh McPartland. Weather looks great! See you there.
