This week we’re going back to a Saturday that had a double dose of stops. This post is from April Fools’ Day of 2013 when I got a cheeseburger at Carl’s Bakery in East Peoria and then went and saw the band Southern Cross at Fitz Inn in Green Valley, Illinois.

Okay, fools, time to travel back in time…oh, Sherman…

Please take us back to April 1st, 2013 and…

Whoomp, here we are at Carl’s Bakery in East Peoria.

Carl’s is known for the giant rooster in a top hat that’s been standing attention out here for decades!

Here we are inside of Carls and there’s the bakery case that’s filled with baked goods and…

Donuts! Mmm…donuts!

Here’s the dining area in the restaurant.

And here’s the Saturday Night Cheeseburger from April Fool’s Day in 2013. It looks delicious! Let’s dig in!

This was really a tasty cheeseburge!

They serve them up here in the smashed style and this cheeseburger is packed with fresh and delicious flavor! And of course since this is a bakery, the bun is toasted and bakery fresh!

I also got a dessert to go…

Mmm…donuts!

Later that evening I went to Fitz Inn in Green Valley, Illinois to check out a couple sets by Southern Cross.

These guys are one tightly-tuned band. While they fall into the “country rock” category, their set list proves that they are all that and so much more.

They stay true to their country roots by playing classic tunes by Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Hank Williams, Jr., Hank Snow and all the rest of the usual twangy suspects. But, what sets Southern Cross a notch above all the other bands out there is that they mix up their country set list with songs by diverse artists such as: The Violent Femmes, Wilson Pickett, Van Morrison and AC/DC.

That’s right, one minute you’re going to Folsom Prison with them and then before you know it, they’re taking you down the Highway to Hell. This makes for a great show because you never know what’s coming next.

There’s the band performing on stage.

From the top is Kevin on drums and harmony vocals, Josh on guitar and lead vocals, Darrell on guitar and pedal steel and Chris on bass and occasional lead vocals.

They are an outstanding band and you should catch them live if you get the chance. You can follow them at their website right here.

Kevin has since retired from the band, but they had a fun reunion show in 2019 at Fergie’s Pub and you can check that out by clicking here.

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