Incoming

Peter Checksfield, a UK-based music historian/author whose previous efforts have covered The Rolling Stones and Jerry Lee Lewis, released a new book today titled The Hollies - Elevated Observations: The Graham Nash Years 1963 – 1968. His Facebook post states the book explores “all the singles, albums, outtakes, live recordings, BBC radio, TV shows, cover versions, and much, much more!” It’s available on Amazon in hardcover, paperback and kindle versions. I’ve already ordered the hardcover version.

The 41st Chicago Latino Film Festival opens at the Landmark Century Centre Cinemas (2828 N. Clark Street) this Thursday and will run through April 14. The festival will offer 51 features and 30 shorts from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal.

The Cincinnati, OH publisher Ruffian Books has released a new one titled 500 Essential Pop-Punk Albums - From Blondie To blink-182, offering more than 550 pages of famous and lesser known artists. It’s available for $29.95.

The Michael Steven Cohen 100th Show Celebration takes place at Montrose Saloon this Sunday at 6:00 pm. As part of the festivities, Cohen will unveil a new version of The Everly Hillbillies with Fred Morg. Montrose Saloon honcho/musician Eric Chial will be a special guest. Note: Cohen means 100 shows at Montrose Saloon. Who knows how many thousands of shows he’s done if we count all the venues he’s performed at over the years in various bands?

The Miki Berenyi Trio, led by Lush founding member Miki Berenyi, has its first album Tripla coming out in digital and vinyl formats this Friday. Later this year, the band will kick off a North America Tour that includes an October 17 date at Lincoln Hall in Chicago.

There will a Muddy Waters Birthday Celebration! featuring performances by John Primer and The Real Deal Blues Band this Friday from 5:30 to 8:30 pm at The Walnut Room At Macy’s on State Street in Chicago. Admission is free, but seating is limited, so check to see if it’s still possible to attend.

Alejandro Escovedo has shows coming up this Friday and Saturday at City Winery Chicago. In addition to his roots rock solo career, Escovedo found success as a member of Rank And File and True Believers. The venue is located at 1200 W. Randolph Street in the West Loop area.

Veteran folk/country/rock singer-songwriter Kent Rosenwald will perform covers and originals at an 11:00 am solo show this Saturday at City News Cafe. The venue is located at 4018 N. Cicero Avenue in Chicago.

McLuhan, the adventurous seven-piece Chicago band inspired by philosopher Marshall McLuhan, continues its Thursday night residency at Montrose Saloon this Thursday. Vinyl copies of McLuhan’s ground-breaking and recently re-released album Anomaly will be available for sale at these shows.

Singer-songwriter Steve Dawson has garnered praise for his work with the Dolly Varden indie rock/Americana band, as well as for his solo albums. Members of Dolly Varden—Diane Christiansen, Mike Bradburn, Matt Thobe, Alton Smith—will join Dawson onstage for his Annual Birthday Bash at Simon’s on Chicago’s north side this Sunday.

Pravda recording artist Nathan Graham is known for mixing classic blues with Americana music, and he’ll likely showcase songs from his Saint Of Second Chances album during his gig this Friday at the Thornton Distilling Co in Thornton, IL. Falling Stars, who gave us catchy indie rock songs on their recent Garden Variety EP, will be the opening act.

Lovely Stuff, the first new studio album from the Chicago-based indie rock band Smoking Popes in seven years, comes out this Friday.

Saturday Slumgullion

The 93XRT Opening Day Celebration At Yak-Zies, a Chicago tradition that draws a packed house of Cubs/rock music fans to the Wrigleyville venue, will take place on April 4. Doors open at 7:00 am; DJs will start spinning tunes at 9:00 am; and there will be a set by local band Ratboys at noon. Check out the Ratboys Bandcamp page to get a preview of the catchy, indie rock tunes they’ll be performing. For many WXRT listeners, this event brings back memories of the late Lin Brehmer, our best friend in this world and the next. I like to think he’ll be there in spirit.

Emmylou Harris will share a double bill with Graham Nash at the Tanglewood venue in Lenox, MA on July 29, as well as at the Wolf Trap National Park For The Performing Arts in Vienna, VA on July 31. Each of these artists is supporting the Sweet Relief Natural Disaster Relief Fund’s efforts to assist people impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles. Nash donated a signed Fender acoustic CD-60 guitar; and Harris gave an autographed print of herself taken by photographer Jay Blakesberg.

How Lucky Can One Man Get, the documentary covering John Prine’s 2010 benefit concert at Proviso East, will be screened at The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL on April 9. There will be Q and A panel afterward with Fiona Prine, Jason Wilbur, and Lois Baumann. Tickets are $30.

The following Chicago area shows are now on sale: The Flaming Lips and Modest Mouse at The Salt Shed Fairgrounds on August 16; Michael Franti and Spearhead with Allen Stone at Inside The Salt Shed on July 23; and Steve Earle 50 Years Of Songs And Stories at Vic Theatre on June 20.

The Cruel World festival will take place in Pasadena, CA on May 17. Headline acts include New Order; The Buzzcocks; Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds; The Go-Go’s; Devo; OMD; Garbage; Alison Moyet, Blancmange; Stereo MC’s; Midge Ure; and Madness. According to a Facebook post from Aimee Mann, members of ’til tuesday will perform together for the first time in 35 years at the Cruel World festival.

Keri Johnsrud and Shawn Maxwell will showcase songs from their 2024 debut album Caffeine on April 8 at City Winery Chicago. As a vocalist and saxophone player respectively, Johnsrud and Maxwell are well known on the Chicago music scene and combined their talents on Caffeine to celebrate the ups and downs of a typical person’s day. They’ll be accompanied by musicians Tom Vaistas on piano, Tim Seisser on bass & Lucas Gillan on drums at the City Winery Chicago gig.

Indie label Kool Kat Musik has released Pop Aid 2: A Compilation To Benefit Those Affected By Hurricanes Helene & Milton. All net profits from the 23-track CD will go directly to the American Red Cross in its efforts to help people in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. Acts who contributed songs to Pop Aid 2 include Mothboxer; Ronnie D’Addario featuring The Lemon Twigs; Vegas With Randolph; The Anderson Council; The Weeklings; Thrift Store Halo; The Grip Weeds, The Successful Failures; and Richard Turgeon. Kool Kat’s first POP AID effort came in 2022 with A Power Pop Compilation to Benefit the Citizens of Ukraine, which has so far generated over $4,000 to help World Central Kitchen in its work.

EXPO ’76, which modestly promotes itself as, “Chicago’s favorite band playing the tunes you forgot you always loved,” can return to the local club scene now that member Dag Juhlin has finished working with the Michael Shannon, Jason Narducy And Friends R.E.M.’s Fables Of The Reconstruction tour. EXPO ’76 will be back at one of its favorite joints, Simon’s Tavern on April 9.

The 10cc’s Graham Gouldman and Heart Full Of Songs tour is currently visiting venues in the UK, featuring the well-known songwriter/musician and a “semi-acoustic four-piece band performing songs from his back catalogue.” That includes hits by 10cc, The Hollies, Herman’s Hermits, and The Yardbirds. I’d love to see him come to Chicago with that tour.

The Chicago-based David Bowie tribute band Sons Of The Silent Age has a benefit concert for a close friend coming up on April 13 at Madame Zuzu’s in Highland Park. The music starts at 7:00 pm.

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, who runs Madame Zuzu’s with his wife Chloe Mendel, is working with Lyric Opera Of Chicago boss John Mangum to create a piece “based on arranged and orchestrated music” from the Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness album. The Lyric Opera’s upcoming season will include performances of Night Of Mellon Collie And Infinite Sadness November 21 – 30.

Just Like Heaven: A Tribute To The Cure is now available from American Laundromat Records in vinyl format. Participating artists include Dean and Britta; Class Actress; Black Francis +Violet Clark; The Wedding Present; and Tanya Donelly.

Alejandro Escovedo has April 4 and 5 shows coming up at City Winery Chicago. In addition to his roots rock solo career, Escovedo found success as a member of Rank And File and True Believers. The venue is located at 1200 W. Randolph Street in the West Loop area.

Indie rock acts Doug Gillard and Bunnygrunt have recorded a seven-inch split single titled “A Tribute To Game Theory.” Gillard picked “Dripping With Looks” and Bunnygrunt chose “Together Now, Very Minor,” and both tracks are available on vinyl or as downloads on the Bert Dax Bandcamp page. It’s nice to see the late Scott Miller and his underrated band Game Theory getting some recognition.

Jazz guitarist Steve Knight has a release party for his For Years Gone album coming up on April 14 at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago’s Printer’s Row area. Working with bassist Justin Peterson and drummer Linard Stroud as an instrumental trio, Knight creates his own compositions and covers well-known artists such as George Harrison, Joni Mitchell, Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington. The Jazz Showcase is located at 806 S Plymouth Ct.

Super Creeps and Into The Heart, a David Bowie and U2 tribute band respectively will share a Bowie And Bono double bill at the Cubby Bear in Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood on April 19. 

This year’s Ravinia Festival in Highland Park will run from early June through the end of August, covering just about any genre imaginable. Performers will include Heart; Grace Jones and Janelle Monáe; The Mohan Sisters; The Allman Betts Band and The Record Company; Counting Crows; Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’; The Black Crowes; James Taylor and His All-Star Band; David Foster and Chris Botti, featuring Katharine McPhee; Diana Krall; Lindsey Stirling with Chicago Philharmonic; The Roots; Al Green; “Weird Al” Yankovic; Nas with Chicago Philharmonic; Chicago; Chucho Valdés, Paquito D’Rivera, and Arturo Sandoval; Gershwin’s Concerto in F; Sutton Foster and Kellie O’Hara; Juanes; Beck; Blues Traveler and Gin Blossoms; Lang Lang’s The Disney Book; Mogan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience; Train; Earth, Wind and Fire; Laurie Berkner; Cynthia Erivo; Lenny Kravitz; Maren Morris; John Legend; UB40; Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music Sing Along; and Ray Montagne.

Founding members Duke Erikson, Dave Benton, Joel Tappero, and Butch Vig of the indie rock band Spooner will reunite for a 50th Anniversary show on July 12 at the Atwood Music Hall in their original hometown of Madison, WI. Musicians Pauli Ryan and Alex Drossart will help out, and there will be more special guests. The Sean Michael Dargan Trio show will be the opening act.

The Stop Making Sense: A Film By Jonathan Demme And Talking Heads Live Event Hosted By Jerry Harrison is coming on May 1 to the North Shore Center For The Performing Arts in Skokie, IL. The re-release of Demme’s iconic 1984 concert flick has been restored in 4K, and Talking Heads guitarist Jerry Harrison will provide an introduction, as well comments and a Q&A session afterward. Limited meet and greet tickets are available.

The Michael Steven Cohen 100th Show Celebration will take place at Montrose Saloon on April 6 at 6:00 pm. Cohen will unveil a new group called The Everly Hillbillies, and Montrose Saloon honcho/musician Eric Chial will be his special guest. Note: Cohen means 100 shows at Montrose Saloon. Who knows how many thousands of shows he’s done if we count all the venues he’s performed at over the years in various bands?

Translator founding members Steve Barton, Robert Darlington, Larry Dekker, and David Scheff got together in 2023 and recorded two new songs. They’ll be included as bonus tracks on the Live at the Farm, San Francisco 1986 album. It was recorded at the band’s final live show, and is scheduled for release on May 9. One of those new tracks, “These Days To Come,” can now be heard on YouTube.

Greg Kot, the rock critic and Sound Opinions radio show co-host with Jim DeRogatis, has assembled some of the best articles from his tenure at the Chicago Tribune and published them in a book titled Turn It Up: A Guided Tour Through the Worlds Of Pop, Rock, Rap and More.

Slumgullion

See yesterday’s Weekend Reminders post for events taking place this weekend.

Aimee Mann has a 22 1/2 Lost In Space Anniversary Tour with guest Jonathan Coulton coming this summer. It opens on June 5 in Cranston, RI and wraps up at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago on June 27.

The Phil Angotti Band and Steve Dawson with Lucid Dreams will share a double bill at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL on April 19. Angotti and Dawson are two of Chicago’s best singer-songwriters, and have the albums to prove it. The music starts at 8:30 pm.

The mystic Chicago-based alt rock band whitewolfsonicprincess will share a bill with singer-songwriter Hannah Frank at Cary’s Lounge on April 12. The show will run from 4:00 to 7:00 pm; Cary’s Lounge is located at 2251 W. Devon on the far north side.

Long-time entertainment writer Mark Caro (Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune) has interviewed several well-known musicians for his Caropop podcast. Caro’s latest podcast finds him touching base with Peter Holsapple from The dB’s and Continental Drifters for a second time. In addition to his work with those two bands, Holsapple talks about his latest solo effort The Face Of 68. Caropop is available via Apple Podcasts.

Sunny Afternoon, the UK play based on the music of The Kinks, opened last Friday at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. The original story, music, and lyrics are by Ray Davies; with a book by Joe Penhall; and direction by Edward Hall. In a review I posted this past Tuesday, I noted: Danny Horn, Oliver Hoare, Michael Lepore, and Kieran McCabe consistently impress with their live performance of Kinks songs such as “You Really Got Me,” “Til The End Of The Day,” “I’m Not Like Everybody Else” and “A Rock ’N' Roll Fantasy.” Bottom line, there are good times going on at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. will run through April 27.

McLuhan, the adventurous seven-piece Chicago band inspired by philosopher Marshall McLuhan, continues its Thursday night residency at Montrose Saloon on April 3. Vinyl copies of McLuhan’s ground-breaking and recently re-released album Anomaly will be available for sale at these shows.

Garbage, the band that gave us songs such as “Stupid Girl,” “I’m Only Happy When It Rains,” and “I Think I’m Paranoid,” have a Happy Endings tour with special guest Starcrawler coming this fall. It kicks off on September 3 in Orlando, FL, and will include a stop at The Salt Shed in Chicago on September 29. Let All That We Imagine Be The Light, the band’s eighth album, is due out May 30.

There will be a Muddy Waters Birthday Celebration! featuring performances by John Primer and The Real Deal Blues Band from 5:30 to 8:30 pm on April 4 at The Walnut Room At Macy’s on State Street in Chicago. Admission is free, and there will be a special menu and drink specials.

Tickets are now on sale for the Sea. Hear. Now. festival taking place in Asbury Park, NJ on September 13 and 14. Participating acts include Inhaler; Hozier; LCD Soundsystem; Alabama Shakes; ZZ Top; De La Soul; UB40; Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue; Blink 182; Lenny Kravitz; Sublime; Public Enemy; Spoon; and 4 Non Blondes.

The Regrettes, a Los Angeles quartet that impressed critics as well as numerous fans over the course of three albums, broke up a little over a year ago. Former lead vocalist and main songwriter Lydia Night recently sent out an email stating she’s finished recording a solo album that will be out soon. It’ll be interesting to see if Night continues The Regrettes’ formula of mixing punk energy and alienation, flavored with bits of Motown and the 1960s girl groups sound.

Singer-songwriter Steve Dawson has garnered praise for his work with the Dolly Varden indie rock/Americana band, as well as for his solo albums. Members of Dolly Varden—Diane Christiansen, Mike Bradburn, Matt Thobe, Alton Smith—will join Dawson onstage for his Annual Birthday Bash at Simon’s on Chicago’s north side on April 6.

Congratulations are in order for music industry veteran Dean Brownrout, whose No Big Deal nabbed a bronze medal in the Memoir/Biography category at the recent Axiom Business Book Awards. Brownrout has described No Big Deal as “a humorous and nostalgic journey through this seminal time in the music industry.”

A recently remastered and expanded version of director Cameron Crowe’s 1982 film Tom Petty: Heartbreakers Beach Party can now be viewed via the Paramount+ streaming service. The documentary had previously only been seen once on MTV. 

Autographed copies of Mike Campbell’s Heartbreaker memoir are now available for pre-order from the talkshoplive and Premiere Collectibles websites. Campbell was a founding member of Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, and currently leads the band The Dirty Knobs.

The recently released single “Bullet Proof” is the first new music we’ve heard from Chicago rock scene veterans Kevin Lee And The Kings since 2022. The hard-edged song takes aim at high society via Lee’s strong vocals and a guitar-driven arrangement. Fans can check it out on Soundcloud.

The Handcuffs will likely include a few new songs they’ll be recording soon for their 5th album when they open for for fellow Chicagoans The Steepwater Band at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL on April 25. The Steepwater Band has recorded a series of albums filled with hard-hitting Americana rock.

Chicago-based label Pravda Records will release a remastered, reissue of The Chamber Strings’ 2001 album A Month Of Sundays this summer. Vocalist-guitarist Kevin Junior, who passed away in 2016, was the guiding force on what Pravda describes as, “a beautiful album from a beautiful soul.”

Theo Epstein and Peter Gammons’ annual Hot Stove Cool Music is set for April 12 at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston. The event will feature Cheap Trick; Greg Hawkes and Eddie Japan performing songs by The Cars; and the Hot Stove All-Stars (Peter Gammons, Theo Epstein, Bill Janovitz, Kay Hanley, Will Dailey, and MLB Legends). 100% of the proceeds will go to the Foundation To Be Named Later Gammons College Scholarships fund.

Tickets are now on sale for The Color Purple - The Musical coming to the Goodman Theatre in Chicago starting June 21. The production will be directed by Lili-Anne Brown, with book by Marsha Norman, and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Alee Willis, and Stephen Bray.

Shaky Knees - The Music Festival is scheduled to take place at Piedmont Park in in Atlanta, GA from September 19 through 21. Scheduled acts include Lenny Kravitz; Pixies; Spoon; Inhaler; Cage The Elephant; Johnny Marr; The Beaches; Vampire Weekend; Devo; Wet Leg; Franz Ferdinand; and Stereophonics.

International Pop Overthrow - Chicago 2025 will be held from April 25 through May 3 at Montrose Saloon, and the schedule is now available on the official IPO website. CFO/Founder David Bash has brought his multi-act showcase to a number of Chicago venues over the years, and Montrose Saloon is a particularly good fit. I believe this is its fourth year of hosting. Per tradition, each night will bring a set of at least five acts; and there will be afternoon and evening sets on April 26, 27, and May 3.

The feature-length documentary Bono: Stories of Surrender, which is based on the U2 vocalist’s solo tour for his fascinating memoir, will stream on May 30 on Apple TV. According to an online post from Billboard, director Andre Dominik’s film will include footage of Bono performing some of the songs he’s made famous with U2.

Jason Narducy and Dag Juhlin will celebrate Pete Townshend’s birthday on June 21 at the Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights, IL. Townshend was born on May 19, which is why this event is being billed as a (Belated) Birthday Bash. Understandable since Narducy and Juhlin have a busy schedule these days.

The Miki Berenyi Trio, led by Lush founding member Miki Berenyi, has its first album Tripla coming out in digital and vinyl formats on April 4.

Adventurous prog rock musician and The Luck Of Eden Hall founding member Gregory Curvey, AKA Custard Flux, has a new album titled Enter Xenon coming out on June 1. It can be pre-ordered on Bandcamp, and the first three tracks are already available to purchase and download.

Pravda recording artist Nathan Graham is known for mixing classic blues with Americana music, and he’ll likely showcase songs from his Saint Of Second Chances album during his April 4 gig at the Thornton Distilling Co in Thornton, IL. Falling Stars, who gave us catchy indie rock songs on their recent Garden Variety EP, will be the opening act. 

Lovely Stuff, the first new studio album from the Chicago-based indie rock band Smoking Popes in seven years, is due out on April 4.

Congratulations to vocalist Gerald McClendon, who’ll receive the Bobby Blue Bland Award when the 25th Annual Jus’ Blues Foundation holds its Night Of The Living Legends event on July 30 in Biloxi, Mississippi. Many of us in Chicago are familiar with McClendon because of his superb performance of “My Sweet Lord” at a number of My Sweet George events at the Martyrs’ venue on Lincoln Avenue.

Fans of Chicago rock and roll circa the mid 1960s might have a willingness to check out The New Colony Six on May 23 at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights.

Tickets for the September 9 Supergrass concert at The Riviera in Chicago are now on sale. The Oxford, England trio is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its terrific debut album I Should Coco with concerts in the U.K., North America, and Mexico. Supergrass will perform their entire first album along with other hits.

Weekend Reminders

Graphic from The Fest For Beatles Fans Facebook page.

Thursday posts focus on events that were previously mentioned on Broken Hearted Toy, and are taking place during the upcoming weekend. Plus, the occasional event taking place this weekend that has just come to my attention, or concert tickets going on sale.

The Fest For Beatles Fans 2025 NY Metro Fest will take place at The Hyatt Regency Jersey City tomorrow through Sunday. Special guests include Jim McCarty from The Yardbirds; Simon Kirke from Bad Company and Free; Gary Burr from Ringo And The Roundheads; The Weeklings; Liverpool; and Colin Hanton from The Quarrymen. The Apple Jam Stage will feature Always Bethany; Caruso; Phil Angotti; Ginger Winn; The Taxmen; Cellophane Flowers; The Backbeat; Norwegian Wood; and other acts. Well-known authors of Beatles-related books will also be on hand, and there will be a Beatles marketplace.

Several new dates for Graham Nash’s More Evenings Of Songs And Stories 2025 Tour will be available for pre-sale tomorrow. Most of those concerts will take place throughout July, along with four in August. Fans will need to use the code GNTOUR2025 to access those tickets.

As noted in a recent Jam Mail, tickets go on sale tomorrow for the following Chicago area shows: The Flaming Lips and Modest Mouse at The Salt Shed Fairgrounds on August 16; Michael Franti and Spearhead with Allen Stone at Inside The Salt Shed on July 23; and Steve Earle 50 Years Of Songs And Stories at Vic Theatre on June 20.

The Busk-Aid-L.A. - A Sweet Relief Wildfires Benefit, with support from The Wild Honey Foundation, will take place this Sunday in Echo Park in Los Angeles. Located at 1800 Block - W Sunset Boulevard, the charity event aims to help victims of the fires that have ravaged much of California. Carla Olson and Todd Wolfe; Fernando Perdomo; Ronee Blakely; Ruby Friedman Orchestra will be among the many acts performing. The music starts at 2:30 pm.

The Handcuffs will have vinyl LP copies of their impressive fourth album Burn The Rails (complete with a bonus 7" single) when they perform at Mary’s Place in Rockford, IL this Saturday night. The Chicago indie rock band’s first show of 2025 will be part of a double bill with the local rockabilly quartet Dirty Fishnet Stockings. The Handcuffs’ set starts at 8:00 pm, and will include a few new songs they’ll be recording soon for their fifth album.

Singer-guitarist Gary Louris, who’s known for his work with The Jayhawks, as well as solo efforts such as the recently released Dark Country, has a gig tomorrow night at The Old Town School Of Folk Music. Steve Dawson and Diane Christiansen from the Chicago Americana/indie rock band Dolly Varden will also be on the bill.

Quoth the raven, “serve me more.” An Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy four-part cocktail experience is coming to 201 Schaumburg Ct. in Schaumburg, IL tonight and tomorrow. The official website promises, “four of his most famous stories will be retold and re-imagined by our Poe historians.” The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy will be visiting several other locations through April 19.

Go Time! and The Spindles, longtime Chicago power pop bands that have each recently given fans reason to celebrate with new albums, will be part of a four-act showcase at Montrose Saloon this Saturday. The hard-edged songs on X (as in the Roman numeral) find Go Time! once again adroitly bridging the gap between hard rock and power pop; while Wavelength showcases The Spindles’ expertise at energetic pop on originals and a few covers. They’ll be joined at Montrose Saloon by veteran folk/country/rock singer-songwriter Kent Rose, and The 321’s, a young trio that’s rapidly developing a solid reputation on the local club scene.

Pure Soul Presents has another Classic Albums Brunch coming up this Sunday at City Winery Chicago with A Tribute To Peter Gabriel’s SO. The show starts at noon.

Chicago’s IO Theater is well known for helping improv performers hone their skills via classes and live shows, but it will offer something a bit different this Sunday afternoon. The IO Record Fair, presented in collaboration with the upcoming (April 26) Thawed Out Music and Arts Festival, will feature records, music books and magazines, t-shirts, CDs, cassettes, and memorabilia from 11:00 am through 5:00 pm. There will also be pizza, beverages, and DJs. Admission to The IO Record Fair, located at 1501 N. Kingsbury Street, is free, although donations are appreciated.

Incoming

The Wild Honey Foundation has been extending its fundraising expertise to various charity events for victims of the fires that have ravaged much of California. The latest is Busk-Aid-L.A. - A Sweet Relief Wildfires Benefit, which takes place this Sunday in Echo Park in Los Angeles. Located at 1800 Block - W Sunset Boulevard, Busk-Aid-L.A. will feature performances by Carla Olson and Todd Wolfe; Fernando Perdomo; Ronee Blakely; Ruby Friedman Orchestra, and other acts. The music starts at 2:30 pm.

Martyrs’ on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago is presenting A Country Revue With The Hoyle Brothers tomorrow night. Special guests will be Rami Soini; Barbara Clifford; Dave Sisson; Gina Marie; and Casey McDonough. Ken Mottet, who certainly knows his way around the country genre, will serve as MC. The music starts at 8:00, Admission is $15.00.

Garbage, the band that gave us songs such as “Stupid Girl,” “I’m Only Happy When It Rains,” and “I Think I’m Paranoid,” have a Happy Endings tour with special guest Starcrawler coming this fall. It kicks off on September 3 in Orlando, FL, and will include a stop at The Salt Shed in Chicago on September 29. Let All That We Imagine Be The Light, the band’s eighth album, is due out May 30.

Chicago’s IO Theater is well known for helping improv performers hone their skills via classes and live shows, but it will offer something a bit different this Sunday afternoon. The IO Record Fair, presented in collaboration with the upcoming (April 26) Thawed Out Music and Arts Festival, will feature records, music books and magazines, t-shirts, CDs, cassettes, and memorabilia from 11:00 am through 5:00 pm. There will also be pizza, beverages, and DJs. Admission to The IO Record Fair, located at 1501 N. Kingsbury Street, is free, although donations are appreciated.

There will be a Muddy Waters Birthday Celebration! featuring performances by John Primer and The Real Deal Blues Band from 5:30 to 8:30 pm on April 4 at The Walnut Room At Macy’s on State Street in Chicago. Admission is free, and there will be a special menu and drink specials. 

Kinks Get Krazy

Photo from Chicago Shakespeare Theater Facebook page.

It’s hard to believe it was all the way back in May of 2014 when I first mentioned Sunny Afternoon here on Broken Hearted Toy. After noting the musical had sold out its run at the Hampstead Theatre in London, I added, “I can’t help hoping it will make its way to America, and Chicago in particular.” Eleven years later, that wish has come true, as a production opened at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier last week. It’s scheduled to run through April 27. 

The play is based on the music of The Kinks, with original story, music, and lyrics by Ray Davies and book by Joe Penhall. Most of the Chicago cast are Yanks, but director Edward Hall, as well as Danny Horn and Oliver Hoare—who portray Ray and Dave Davies respectively—are veterans of a 2015 Sunny Afternoon run at the West End Theatre in London. I have no idea if anything was changed for the U.S.; American business types are still portrayed as an obnoxious lot that temporarily bans The Kinks from performing here. There’s also a funny dig at Illinois, which might be a wink at Chicagoans.

Kinks fans around the globe have always relished the way Ray Davies sets compelling tales and biting satire to well-crafted melodies. So it’s surprising his autobiographical musical depicts him as often being haunted by self doubt. The band members were notorious for arguments and even physical, onstage altercations, some of which are realistically staged in Sunny Afternoon.

Ray’s marriage to Rasa Didzpetris is sensitively handled, and given a chance to convey the pure heartache of the Kinks rarity “I Go To Sleep,” cast member Ana Margaret Marcu definitely meets the challenge. Horn, Hoare, Michael Lepore (as Peter Quaife), and Kieran McCabe (as Mick Avory) consistently impress with their live performance of Kinks songs such as “You Really Got Me,” “Til The End Of The Day,” “I’m Not Like Everybody Else” and “A Rock ’N' Roll Fantasy.” Not to give anything away, but Sunny Afternoon has a two-fisted finale that’s spectacular. Bottom line, there are good times going on at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

My only disappointment was not finding any merchandise for sale. When I saw Tommy at the Goodman Theatre, I came home with a coffee mug and guitar picks. Luckily, there are some Kinks collectibles for sale on the official website for The Kinks. They’re not related to the Sunny Afternoon musical, but they do celebrate the band that gave us that music.

Saturday Slumgullion

Emmylou Harris will share a double bill with Graham Nash at the Tanglewood venue in Lenox, MA on July 29, as well as at the Wolf Trap National Park For The Performing Arts in Vienna, VA on July 31. Each of these artists is supporting the Sweet Relief Natural Disaster Relief Fund’s efforts to assist people impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles. As mentioned in yesterday’s post, Nash donated a signed Fender acoustic CD-60 guitar; and Harris gave an autographed print of herself taken by photographer Jay Blakesberg. The current bid on the Harris print is $1,250.00.

The Clinard Dance’s Flamenco Quartet Project, which aims to infuse genres such as jazz, blues, and hip-hop with elements of flamenco, will return to SPACE in Evanston this Monday. Grammy Award nominated blues harmonica player Billy Branch will join jazz vocalist Joan Collaso; rapper King Mossa; flamenco percussionist Diego Alvarez; flamenco singer "Cachito" Jose Diaz; tap artist Jumaane Taylor; guitarist Andrea Salcedo; and flamenco dancer Wendy Clinard at the SPACE performance.

The Cruel World festival will take place in Pasadena, CA on May 17. Headline acts include New Order; The Buzzcocks; Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds; The Go-Go’s; Devo; OMD; Garbage; Alison Moyet, Blancmange; Stereo MC’s; Midge Ure; and Madness. According to a Facebook post from Aimee Mann, members of ’til tuesday will perform together for the first time in 35 years at the Cruel World festival.

EXPO ’76, which modestly promotes itself as, “Chicago’s favorite band playing the tunes you forgot you always loved,” can return to the local club scene now that member Dag Juhlin has finished working with the Michael Shannon, Jason Narducy And Friends R.E.M.’s Fables Of The Reconstruction tour. EXPO ’76 will be back at one of its favorite joints, Simon’s Tavern on April 9.

Indie label Kool Kat Musik has set a March 18 release date for Pop Aid 2: A Compilation To Benefit Those Affected By Hurricanes Helene & Milton. All net profits from the 23-track CD will go directly to the American Red Cross in its efforts to help people in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. Acts who contributed songs to Pop Aid 2 include Mothboxer; Ronnie D’Addario featuring The Lemon Twigs; Vegas With Randolph; The Anderson Council; The Weeklings; Thrift Store Halo; The Grip Weeds, The Successful Failures; and Richard Turgeon. Kool Kat’s first POP AID effort came in 2022 with A Power Pop Compilation to Benefit the Citizens of Ukraine, which has so far generated over $4,000 to help World Central Kitchen in its work.

Alejandro Escovedo has April 4 and 5 shows coming up at City Winery Chicago. In addition to his roots rock solo career, Escovedo found success as a member of Rank And File and True Believers. The venue is located at 1200 W. Randolph Street in the West Loop area.

Several highly regarded musicians, including Michael Stipe, Matt Berninger, Courtney Barnett, Sharon Van Etten, Alison Mosshart, Kronos Quartet, Ben Harper, Karen O, and Kim Gordon will take part in the People Have The Power - A Celebration Of  Patti Smith being held on March 26 at the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage At Carnegie Hall. The event is part of the 20th annual Music Of benefit series, and all of net profits will go to fund music education for underserved youth.

Jazz guitarist Steve Knight has a release party for his For Years Gone album coming up on April 14 at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago’s Printer’s Row area. Working with bassist Justin Peterson and drummer Linard Stroud as an instrumental trio, Knight creates his own compositions and covers well-known artists such as George Harrison, Joni Mitchell, Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington. The Jazz Showcase is located at 806 S Plymouth Ct.

The 10cc’s Graham Gouldman and Heart Full Of Songs tour is currently visiting venues in the UK, featuring the well-known songwriter/musician and a “semi-acoustic four-piece band performing songs from his back catalogue.” That includes hits by 10cc, The Hollies, Herman’s Hermits, and The Yardbirds. I’d love to see him come to Chicago with that tour.

Super Creeps and Into The Heart, a David Bowie and U2 tribute band respectively will share a Bowie And Bono double bill at the Cubby Bear in Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood on April 19. 

This year’s Ravinia Festival in Highland Park will run from early June through the end of August, covering just about any genre imaginable. Performers will include Heart; Grace Jones and Janelle Monáe; The Mohan Sisters; The Allman Betts Band and The Record Company; Counting Crows; Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’; The Black Crowes; James Taylor and His All-Star Band; David Foster and Chris Botti, featuring Katharine McPhee; Diana Krall; Lindsey Stirling with Chicago Philharmonic; The Roots; Al Green; “Weird Al” Yankovic; Nas with Chicago Philharmonic; Chicago; Chucho Valdés, Paquito D’Rivera, and Arturo Sandoval; Gershwin’s Concerto in F; Sutton Foster and Kellie O’Hara; Juanes; Beck; Blues Traveler and Gin Blossoms; Lang Lang’s The Disney Book; Mogan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience; Train; Earth, Wind and Fire; Laurie Berkner; Cynthia Erivo; Lenny Kravitz; Maren Morris; John Legend; UB40; Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music Sing Along; and Ray Montagne.

Founding members Duke Erikson, Dave Benton, Joel Tappero, and Butch Vig of the indie rock band Spooner will reunite for a 50th Anniversary show on July 12 at the Atwood Music Hall in their original hometown of Madison, WI. Musicians Pauli Ryan and Alex Drossart will help out, and there will be more special guests. The Sean Michael Dargan Trio show will be the opening act.

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan is working with Lyric Opera Of Chicago boss John Mangum to create a piece “based on arranged and orchestrated music” from the Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness album. The Lyric Opera’s upcoming season will include performances of Night Of Mellon Collie And Infinite Sadness November 21 – 30.

The Stop Making Sense: A Film By Jonathan Demme And Talking Heads Live Event Hosted By Jerry Harrison is coming on May 1 to the North Shore Center For The Performing Arts in Skokie, IL. The re-release of Demme’s iconic 1984 concert flick has been restored in 4K, and Talking Heads guitarist Jerry Harrison will provide an introduction, as well comments and a Q&A session afterward. Limited meet and greet tickets are available.

Indie rock acts Doug Gillard and Bunnygrunt have recorded a seven-inch split single titled “A Tribute To Game Theory.” Gillard picked “Dripping With Looks” and Bunnygrunt chose “Together Now, Very Minor,” and both tracks are available on vinyl or as downloads on the Bert Dax Bandcamp page. It’s nice to see the late Scott Miller and his underrated band Game Theory getting some recognition.

The Michael Steven Cohen 100th Show Celebration will take place at Montrose Saloon on April 6 at 6:00 pm. Cohen will unveil a new group called The Everly Hillbillies, and Montrose Saloon honcho/musician Eric Chial will be his special guest. Note: Cohen means 100 shows at Montrose Saloon. Who knows how many thousands of shows he’s done if we count all the venues he’s performed at over the years in various bands?

Translator founding members Steve Barton, Robert Darlington, Larry Dekker, and David Scheff got together in 2023 and recorded two new songs. They’ll be included as bonus tracks on the Live at the Farm, San Francisco 1986 album. It was recorded at the band’s final live show, and is scheduled for release on May 9. One of those new tracks, “These Days To Come,” can now be heard on YouTube.