Trevor Sensor's Guide To Sterling, Illinois

How would you describe Sterling to someone who's never been?

A very sad and tired place - it's turning more and more into a relic of what America use to be with its empty factories and discarded downtown buildings where businesses and people once thrived. It's a quiet place to grow up, for the most part, and you typically spend your days loitering in the town parks, going to backyard bonfires, or killing time at one of the bars or coffee shops downtown.

Who are the best local musicians/bands/artists?

There wasn't much fertile ground for artists to be cultivated there. It's a town of about 15,000 people that mainly focuses on athletics as far what kids are encouraged to do and celebrated for. But there was a small band of us who did DIY shows and home recordings - buddy of mine, Johnny Kermott (who lives in Minneapolis now), was the chief catalyst in getting others into recording music and doing shows... so I'd put him forward as the best from when I grew up there. The guy is a genius and scrounging it out still - he was one of the few people I truly connected with growing up.

What's the best venue to watch live music?

There was one club in the area - a hardcore punk venue that was fronted by a Christian Youth Group. That was one of the places to be on weekends when in middle school and high school. But I much preferred our own DIY shows that we did in church basements (most of the kids who were really into music were sons and daughters of pastors or church leaders, so those were the main places we had access to with a proper sound system). No clue if they still do those anymore - I think the scene died once my age group left the area and went our separate ways.

Where's the best place to buy records?

We use to have an FYE in the local mall, but it went out of business. Now you have to go out of down (typically to the Quad Cities) to get anything of that nature. Even the music stores where people bought their first instruments (including mine) have gone out of business.

Where's the best place/s to eat?

Sterling is never short of pizza joints - the most famous being Angelo's (namely for their spaghetti pizza). But if you want good Chinese there's Dynasty, there's a great Irish pub that serves Mexican food called Kelly's that I basically grew up in, a great breakfast joint would be the Dog House, and if you want some local deli food you can hit up Arthur's. It's one of the few things I still like about Sterling - lots of great local places to eat.

Best place/s to drink?

Kelly's or The Rusty Fox.

Who are the local heroes?

There aren't any.

Favourite urban legend/myth?

We have this park called Sinnissippi Park that was building around a bunch of Indian burial grounds. When I grew up kids always said that if you stand on top of the burial mounds (that are clearly visible throughout the park) you'll be cursed. I grew up a bit superstitious so I never fucked with that shit.

What are the best sights to see and places to visit?

The surrounding nature, in my opinion, is the best place to go - the forests and open fields. I love how this town kind of exists in the middle of nowhere and everything seems vast on the forever horizon, which you can see stretch out for miles.

How do you get around?

By car - you can bike around the town, but it's quicker just to drive.

Where is the best place to relax? To take a walk?

There's a local cemetery I always take my walks in whenever I'm back in town - even in the dead of winter. It's a place I like to go because no one is ever there and you don't have to see anybody - just the names on the tombstones and the birds and squirrels that live there. The cemetery is right on the Rock River, and I would often go down to where it overlooked the river and read or just sit there watching the water drift by. It was a place to escape a lot of things.

What's the worst thing about Sterling?

What's happened to it economically and culturally.

What's the best thing about Sterling?

You can hide there, and no one would ever find you.