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Haircut Actual is a local band based
out of Mount Pulaski and is made up of very talented musicians who
know how to put on a show and draw in a crowd. After all, it's not
every day you hear Beatles songs being played by teenagers.
The band consists of Garrett
Johnston, 16, from Elkhart on drums; Andrew Moody, 16, of Cornland
as lead guitarist and vocalist; Brady Walsh, 16, from Mount Pulaski,
bassist and rhythm guitar; Brandon Smith, 14, of Riverton, bassist
and guitar; and Caleb Coppinger, 18, from Mount Pulaski, rhythm
guitar and lead vocals.
Haircut Actual formed almost two
years ago with the help of the Mount Pulaski High School Band
instructor, David Helm. Walsh, Moody and Johnston went to Helm in
their eighth-grade year with the idea of starting a band. However,
the band was missing a few key pieces, such as a lead singer and
another guitar player. The band officially formed in October of 2011
but would remain nameless until early 2012.
Now, how in the world does one come
up with the name Haircut Actual? Heck, you've probably already
turned to the nearest person beside you and said, "Haircut Actual,
what does that even mean?" It seems a bit bizarre, but you will
remember it.
The birth of the name came from
none other than the self-proclaimed leader and bassist, Brady Walsh.
Walsh was a part of the 2012 MPHS drama department's "Seussical the
Musical," as was lead singer Caleb Coppinger. Coppinger played the
defiant role of Horton, the elephant, in the production. But before
taking the stage, Coppinger had to get a haircut to allow for his
elephant ears to fit.
Walsh was already on a roll of
giving every cast member a colorful, military code nickname, and
Coppinger would be no different. His new haircut even made things
easier in more ways than one. Coppinger was "Haircut Actual." Thus
out of impulse and a joke, Haircut Actual was born.
Early gigs were rough, and all
things considered, not always easy. Even though each member is
basically as talented as they come, lead singer Coppinger says,
"Learning anything from scratch is really hard, especially because
we're teenage kids."
The band doesn't give themselves
enough credit, though. Each member is extremely gifted, and critics
who would know say that together they sound awesome.
Things are starting to get busy for
the guys. On Friday night, they play the grandstand at the Logan
County Fair, after the talent show. Then the band is playing at the
Illinois State Fair on Aug 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Apex Stage.
Upcoming gigs for the band also include the Black Sheep in
Springfield on Aug. 22, the Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival, and the
Mount Pulaski Fall Festival.
The band plays a variety of hits and
even a few originals. "We play pretty much anything from like the
'50s until now," Coppinger says.
"Basically, say you don't like
country, wait one or two songs and we'll be back into the '70s hard
rock," adds Johnston.
Haircut Actual plays whatever
because they can make whatever sound good.
Smith is the only band member who
does not attend Mount Pulaski High School. Moody met Smith at a
church that they both attend in Riverton. Smith is the youngest of
the bunch and will be just a freshman at Riverton High School.
Walsh, Moody and Johnston will all
be juniors at Mount P. Coppinger is a 2013 graduate of MPHS and will
attend Lincoln College in the fall.
They say that "as long as no one
plans to go far away for college, we will continue playing as long
as we can."
Haircut Actual recently placed
second in the "Battle of the Bands" at the Black Sheep in
Springfield. Which is a pretty big deal.
Not only does each band member have
supportive and influential parents, the parents also help book gigs.
For booking information, you can contact Terry Coppinger at
217-871-1928 or Pat Walsh at 217-414-6501. You can also like them on
Facebook, follow them on Twitter, subscribe to them on YouTube and
check them out on MySpace.
Haircut Actual is a group of
teenage boys with a bright future and an irreplaceable talent to
play great music. They have a dream to be somebody big, and they
most certainly are on the right track.
[By CADY LOWERY]
 Big
Oak Hunting Paradise hosts ladies-only Basic Pistol Course on Sunday
Big Oak Hunting Paradise
outside of Lincoln and Pistol Prep Academy will host an NRA Basic Pistol
Course for ladies only on Aug. 4 and on Aug. 10 for both men and women. The
course will be taught by Annette Chapman, a local NRA-certified instructor,
and will cover the basics of safe gun handling and shooting.
The course emphasizes the safe and
proper handling and use of pistols. Participants will learn about
firearm safety, parts and operation, shooting fundamentals, care and
cleaning, storage options, selection, and more.
Register at
www.pistolprepacademy.com.
For additional details on the
course, call Annette at 309-830-7182 or email
info@pistolprepacademy.com.
For ongoing hints and tips on safe
gun handling as well as updates on Illinois concealed carry as
details are finalized, you may also "like" Pistol Prep Academy on
Facebook at
www.facebook.com/pistolprepacademy.
[to top of second
column] |
Safe
Ride service available for Logan County Fair weekend
The Healthy Communities
Partnership is encouraging those who celebrate at the beer tent to call for
a free ride home during the Logan County Fair this weekend.
On Friday and Saturday, Aug. 2 and 3,
Safe Ride will be available in Lincoln to those who need it.
Safe Ride is a free ride home
sponsored by the Healthy Communities Partnership.
"Safe Ride helps to keep our
streets safer on nights when children and families are more likely
to be celebrating away from home. Our hope is that the community
will remember that the service is available and use it when
necessary," said Angela Stoltzenburg, Healthy Communities
Partnership manager.
Safe Ride will also be available
during the Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival, Labor Day weekend, the
night before Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
To receive a free ride home within
the city limits on any of these nights, call the cab company, A
Green Cab, at 732-8294.
Healthy Communities Partnership is a collaborative
organization comprised of dozens of community agencies. It is supported by the
Abraham Lincoln Healthcare Foundation. For more information and updates,
individuals should "like" Healthy Communities Partnership on Facebook.
Upcoming
Logan County blood drives
To help ensure an adequate blood supply for
the region, the Central Illinois Community Blood Center is offering several
opportunities to donate blood in Logan County in early August.
-
Monday, Aug 5, noon-6 p.m.
Lincoln Masonic Center
2022 N. Kickapoo, Lincoln
-
Friday, Aug. 9, 9 a.m.-noon
Farmers Bank
130 S. Washington, Mount Pulaski
-
Saturday,
Aug. 10, 8:30 a.m.-noon
Town and Country Bank
303 Pulaski, Lincoln
For your convenience, call Alexis
toll-free at 1-866-GIVE-BLD (1-866-448-3253), ext. 5158, to sign up
or schedule an appointment online at
www.bloodcenterimpact.org. Walk-ins are also welcome and truly
appreciated.
Central Illinois Community Blood
Center, a not-for-profit organization, is the provider of lifesaving
blood for 14 hospitals throughout central Illinois, including
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln and Memorial Medical
Center and St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. CICBC is a division
of the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center, which collects over
180,000 units of blood annually and serves 87 hospitals in Illinois,
Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin.
Community
Action Senior Nutrition receives donation from Trinity Episcopal Church
Trinity Episcopal Church recently presented a
$1,250 donation to Community Action's Apple of My Heart Senior Nutrition
program. The Rev. Mark Evans presented the
donation to Jacob Sexton, Community Action's executive director, at
the Community Action Partnership corporate office in Lincoln.
The funds will be used to supply
meals for seniors in Logan and Mason counties who depend on the
nutritious, balanced meals provided by the program. The program
provides over 30,000 meals to local seniors each year.
According to the Rev. Evans,
members of the church were asked to suggest organizations they would
like to include in their outreach. Community Action's Senior
Nutrition program and Habitat for Humanity were both selected to be
local recipients of Trinity Episcopal's generosity.
The church also provided assistance
to a diocese in Peru that they have formed a relationship with over
the years, allowing them to spread their outreach globally as well
as locally.
If you or your organization would
like to donate to the Apple of My Heart Senior Nutrition, or any of
Community Action's other programs, call 217-732-2159.
Community Action Partnership of
Central Illinois provides programs and services in Logan, Mason,
DeWitt, Piatt, Menard and Fulton counties. For more information,
visit www.capcil.org.
Latham
United Methodist Church garage sale
LATHAM -- The Latham United
Methodist Church will host a huge garage sale Aug. 1-3. The times
are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Aug. 1-2, and 8-noon
Saturday, Aug. 3.
There are more than 50 coats priced
to go. Lots of petite sizes are available. Many items are 25 cents
and 50 cents. On Saturday, there will be a buck-a-bag sale.
Lunch will be available on Thursday
and Friday, Aug. 1 and 2.
The church is at 241 Walnut St. in
Latham.
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