Sal's site
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Prose & Power Chords Podcast: The Walk Itself – Dogs, Dads, and Shared Ground
Explore how slowing down reveals life’s subtle stories—from canine reunions at Morrissey Park to father-son walks and quiet lessons at Kaufman Lake.
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The Concrete Flying Saucer: Arena Rock, Pop Royalty, and Six Decades Inside Assembly Hall
Rising over Champaign like a concrete UFO, Assembly Hall hosted Elvis, The Rolling Stones, Def Leppard, and DMB. Explore six decades of arena rock history.
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Beyond the Wall of Sound: How Chamber Pop, Ambient Guitars, and The Pygmalion Festival Transformed Champaign-Urbana in the 2000s
After 90s post-hardcore cooled, Champaign-Urbana embraced strings and synths. Explore Headlights, Common Loon, Seth Fein’s Pygmalion, and The Highdive era.
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Wax, Mailbags, and Countertop Commerce: How Parasol and Exile Kept Champaign-Urbana’s Indie Economy Spinning
The trade history of Champaign-Urbana record stores: Parasol Records’ global power-pop mailings, Jeff Brandt’s Exile on Main St., and DIY consignment culture.
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A Field in Champaign: When Farm Aid Turned Memorial Stadium into the Epicenter of America
80,000 fans, 54 acts, and 6 weeks to pull it off. How Willie Nelson and Memorial Stadium turned a 1985 farm crisis into an enduring movement.
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Strings on the Prairie: How Alison and Viktor Krauss Forged a Bluegrass and Americana Dynasty in Champaign-Urbana
Before 27 Grammys and Nashville sessions, Alison and Viktor Krauss honed their craft in Champaign-Urbana. Discover their classical and bluegrass beginnings.