Carbondale’s deep-rooted music legacy will be honored this weekend as community members gather for The Club and Airwaves Reunion, a commemorative event marking 40 years since the closure of two of Carbondale’s most influential live music venues.

The reunion will take place Saturday, July 26, at 5 p.m. at Booby’s, with live performances, historical tributes and opportunities for local music lovers to reconnect. The event is organized by Carbondale native and musician Adam Fletcher, who said the celebration is meant to preserve and spotlight a chapter in the city’s cultural history.

Both The Club and Airwaves served as key spaces for Carbondale’s live music scene during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The venues were known for showcasing regional talent alongside nationally touring acts, fostering an eclectic and vibrant creative community. Though both closed by 1985, their impact has endured among longtime residents and former performers.

Saturday’s event will feature a performance by David and the Happenings, a rock group formed by David Siegfried. Members like Sue Simmons, Rob Roberts, Wally Hooker, Mike “Taz” Kartje, Greg Edwards Craig Ryterski and Steve Lamberson will all be performing Saturday. The band plans to play a mix of original songs and tributes inspired by the kinds of acts that once filled the stages of The Club and Airwaves.

“We were one of the very first punk bands in Chicago. But we evolved into playing a lot more different styles,” Siegfried said. “Saturday I should say we’re playing funk soul, and some rock and a couple of my original songs.”

The Club was once located next to Booby’s before it burned down — where the bar’s beer garden is now — while Airwaves operated in the basement of ABC Liquor. Though both spaces have since been repurposed, their legacies remain significant among those who experienced them firsthand. Former patrons and performers often describe the venues as formative environments where boundary-pushing sounds and grassroots creativity thrived.

“I love Carbondale’s musical history,” Fletcher said. “It was a very formative time for music, for what these people were making.”

In addition to live music, the event will include decorations of old show posters from the era. Organizers expect a large turnout, with a mix of former musicians, longtime residents and current students likely to attend. Fletcher said he hopes the reunion fosters dialogue across generations and highlights the role Carbondale has played in shaping the region’s creative identity.

“I just want to give (the community) the opportunity to see these old, storied bands,” Fletcher said. “A chance to check out what came before us.”

Cover for the event is $5. Food and beverages will be available for purchase throughout the evening.

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