Weekend Reminders

First, a tremendous ‘Thank You’ goes out to everyone who has wished me a Happy Birthday on Facebook today. I really appreciate that.

This post is limited to events taking place this weekend that I’ve mentioned previously on Broken Hearted Toy. This gives readers an extra day’s additional notice, and since the events won’t be repeated in tomorrow’s Slumgullion, helps streamline my Friday post. Slumgullion won’t be entirely new. I’ll keep mentioning upcoming events up to and including the Thursday prior to the weekend they take place. I’m hoping to make this a weekly post going forward.

The David Bowie World Fan Convention 2024 will kick off tomorrow and run through Sunday at various venues around Liverpool. This year’s special guests are Carlos Alomar; Woody Woodmansey; Ava Cherry; George Murray; Nacho; Denis O’Regan; Dana Gillespie; Mark Wardel; Marc Riley; Spizzenergi; David Buckley; Leah kardos; Hannah “Lulu” Breschard; and Chris Carter. Events will includes The Bowie Ball, live bands; signing sessions, and a marketplace.

Pravda Records recording artists The Handcuffs and Steve Dawson will perform as a double bill at a free concert on the outdoor porch at Horner Park tomorrow from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Horner Park is located at 2741 W. Montrose.

Material Issue, featuring original members bassist-vocalist Ted Ansani and drummer Mike Zelenko, along with vocalist-guitarist Phil Angotti, have the 6:00 pm slot this Saturday at the 40th Annual Taste Of Lincoln Avenue Festival. Angotti is well known on the local club scene for his tribute shows (The Beatles, The Zombies, Bee Gees, etc.) and for his own catchy original material. Every now and then, he hooks up with Ansani and Zelenko, so this will be a rare opportunity to hear classic Material Issue songs such as “Valerie Loves Me,” “What Girls Want,” “Diane,” and “Renee Remains The Same” performed live. The Taste Of Lincoln Avenue main entrance is located at Fullerton and Lincoln Avenue, a $10 donation is suggested.

The Northman Riverwalk continues to give tourists and locals an opportunity to enjoy a variety of live music and food outdoors with an impressive view of downtown Chicago. On Friday at 6:00 pm, Chicago music scene veteran Richard Bandini will showcase the new approach he’s taking toward indie rock. Saturday brings a 3:00 pm set by the nine-piece soul and rock tribute band Soul Daddy, and a 6:00 pm set by the instrumental trio DD3, which promises “Guitar-Driven Intergalactic Groove Music.” Sunday brings more adventure, with the self-described “space age lounge jazz band” The Leisure Committee performing from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. The Northman Riverwalk is located on the Chicago River at 233 N. Riverwalk. 

Go Time! vocalist-guitarist and chief songwriter Scott Niekelski has an acoustic solo gig coming up at BuckleDown Brewing in Lyons tomorrow at 6:30 pm.

The Out Of Space Skokie event is being held in the downtown Skokie area this weekend, and will feature Courtney Barnett and Bob Mould; Thee Sacred Souls and St. Paul & The Broken Bones; and Guster and The Lone Bellow with Devon Gilfillian. See the official website for a map showing the location.

The indie rock band whitewolfsonicprincess will bring its 21st Century Druid Music/Celtic Blues to Jarvis Square Pottery this Saturday evening at 7:00 pm, with guests Susan And Sons. Jarvis Square Pottery is located at 1443 Jarvis Avenue on Chicago’s north side. 

Singer-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen will return to what’s become a sort of second home for him tomorrow when he performs a Friday Jazz Happy Hour at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. The music starts at 6:00 pm. (This is actually a brand new listing; I just noticed it on Facebook.) 

Incoming

Material Issue, featuring original members bassist-vocalist Ted Ansani and drummer Mike Zelenko, along with vocalist-guitarist Phil Angotti, have the 6:00 pm slot this Saturday at the 40th annual Taste Of Lincoln Avenue Festival. Angotti is well known on the local club scene for his tribute shows (The Beatles, The Zombies, The Bee Gees, etc.) and for his own catchy original material. Every now and then, he hooks up with Ansani and Zelenko, so this will be a rare opportunity to hear classic Material Issue songs such as “Valerie Loves Me,” “What Girls Want,” “Diane,” and “Renee Remains The Same” performed live. The Taste Of Lincoln Avenue main entrance is located at Fullerton and Lincoln Avenue, a $10 donation is suggested.

Tom Toomey, long-time lead guitarist for The Zombies, has a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the final step of his latest solo album Ice Cube. In a recent Facebook post, Toomey describes the album as, “a collection of everything from soulful reflection, bumping beats, insane cellos, my signature guitars, and the list goes on.” The pledges range from £12 to £500; with some pretty cool perks to go with them. Ice Cube is scheduled for a November release.

The 10th annual Super Nova Ska Festival will be held on the weekend of  September 13 – 15 at Fort Monroe in Hampton, VA. British pioneering ska act The Selecter, still led by Pauline Black, will be the main draw with its performance on the last day. Other acts include Roy Ellis with The Aggrolites; Skavoovie and the Epitones; Five Iron Frenzy; and Catbite. A total of 38 acts, from 8 countries, are scheduled to appear.

The North American Tour of Back To The Future - The Musical starts today in Washington, D.C., and will arrive in Chicago on August 13 for just over a two-week run. Other stops for Marty McFly, Doc Brown, and the gang include Minneapolis, St. Louis, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.

Incoming

Pravda Records is staging a free PravdaFest Pop Up Party at The Hideout Front Porch in Chicago tomorrow (Tuesday) night from 7:30 to 11:00 pm. There will be Pravda Artists DJ sets—possibly spun by Chloe F. Orwell, Brad Elvis, Chris Greene, Scott Schaefer, John San Juan, and others—according to a recent Facebook post; hot dogs; prizes; and a poster release for the PravdaFest 40th Anniversary bash coming on August 31 at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn. The Hideout Front Porch is located at 1354 W. Wabansia on Chicago’s north side.

Pravda Records recording artists The Handcuffs and Steve Dawson will perform as a double bill at a free concert at Horner Park (on the stoop of the park building located at the corner of Montrose Avenue and California) this Friday from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Horner Park is located at 2741 W. Montrose.

The David Bowie World Fan Convention 2024  will kick off this Friday and run through Sunday at various venues around Liverpool. This year’s special guests are Carlos Alomar; Woody Woodmansey; Ava Cherry; George Murray; Nacho; Denis O’Regan; Dana Gillespie; Mark Wardel; Marc Riley; Spizzenergi; David Buckley; Leah kardos; Hannah “Lulu” Breschard; and Chris Carter. Events will includes The Bowie Ball, live bands; signing sessions, and a marketplace.

The Northman Riverwalk continues to give tourists and locals an opportunity to enjoy a variety of live music and food outdoors with an impressive view of downtown Chicago. The Riverwalk Beats DJ Series presents DJ YFB this Wednesday; and the Denise La Grassa Band will bring its blues/soul sound on Thursday. Both shows start at 5:00 pm. On Friday at 6:00 pm, Chicago music scene veteran Richard Bandini will showcase the new approach he’s taking toward indie rock. Saturday brings a 3:00 pm set by the nine-piece soul and rock tribute band Soul Daddy, and a 6:00 pm set by the instrumental trio DD3, which promises “Guitar-Driven Intergalactic Groove Music.” The Northman Riverwalk is located on the Chicago River at 233 N. Riverwalk. 

Go Time! vocalist-guitarist and chief songwriter Scott Niekelski has an acoustic solo gig coming up at BuckleDown Brewing (8700 W. 47th Street) in Lyons 6:30 pm this Friday, July 26. 

The Out Of Space Skokie event is being held in the downtown Skokie area this weekend, and will feature Courtney Barnett and Bob Mould; Thee Sacred Souls and St. Paul & The Broken Bones; and Guster and The Lone Bellow with Devon Gilfillian. See the official website for a map showing the location.

Tickets are now on sale for Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, which begins its run at the James M. Nederlander Theatre in downtown Chicago on September 10.

The indie rock band whitewolfsonicprincess will bring its 21st Century Druid Music/Celtic Blues to Jarvis Square Pottery this Saturday evening, with guests Susan And Sons. Jarvis Square Pottery is located at 1443 Jarvis Avenue on Chicago’s north side. 

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The indie rock label Touch and Go Records wants fans to participate in its Celebrating Steve Albini’s Life And Legacy online event by “posting stories and photos that capture the essence of Steve's impact” via Instagram on July 22. Participants should tag their posts with #ThankYouSteveAlbini so they can be included in a digital archive. The date coincides with Albini’s birthday.

In related news, the July issue of the Illinois Entertainer includes writer Andy Derer’s 9-out-of-10 rated review of To All Trains, the recent (and final) release from Albini’s band Shellac on Touch And Go Records. The Illinois Entertainer is available for free in record stores around the state. 

Pravda Records, Chicago’s longest-running independent company, has added a few more acts to its PravdaFest event taking place on August 31 at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn. It’s a 40th anniversary celebration that will feature 17 of the label’s acts performing on three stages. The recent additions of The Chamber Strings (paying tribute to founder member, the late Kevin Junior) and Rex Daisy will join Nathan Graham; Steve Dawson; Diplomats Of Solid Sound; The Handcuffs; Ivan Julian with Nick Tremulis; Chris Greene Quartet; Sunshine Boys; The Service; The Slugs; Susan Voelz; Allen Hill; Brian Krumm And His Barfly Friends; Thrift Store Halo and The Swampland Jewels.

Pravda Records also has a free PravdaFest Pop Up Party coming to The Hideout Front Porch in Chicago on July 23 from 7:30 to 11:00 pm. There will be Pravda Artists DJ set, hot dogs, prizes and the PravdaFest Poster Release. The Hideout Front Porch is located at 1354 W. Wabansia on Chicago’s north side.

Pravda Records recording artists The Handcuffs and Steve Dawson will perform as a double bill at a free concert on the outdoor porch at Horner Park next Friday, July 26 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Horner Park is located at 2741 W. Montrose.

The dB’s have announced additional dates for their original lineup reunion tour featuring Chris Stamey, Peter Holsaple, Will Rigby, and Gene Holder. (All these guys have kept busy with other projects over the years.) I’m not sure which of these gigs are new, but the updated list now shows Raleigh, NC; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia, PA; Jersey City, NJ; Athens, GA; Asheville, NC; Decatur, GA; Charlotte, NC; Sty. Paul, MN; Chicago, IL; and Milwaukee, WI. The tour follows the first-time release of the group’s 1981 debut album Stands For Decibels on vinyl. A few years back, my wife Pam and I took a road trip that included a stop in Asheville, NC, where I impressed a clerk in a record store by wearing my dB’s t-shirt.

One, two, three, four, five, and many other reasons to go. Here’s an event that’s over two months away and has an extraordinarily awkward title, but several people have already expressed an interest in attending. Working For Paper and For Iron – XTC – Roads Girdle The Globe will be staged on October 8 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Local power pop singer-songwriter Dolph Chaney recently posted on Facebook that he’s been designated as “the Simpleton Mayor” for this XTC tribute and is putting together an impressive lineup of acts.

 

Filmmaker Balin Schneider, who gave us the fascinating Out Of Time: The Material Issue Story via arvonia films, recently posted an update on Facebook regarding future projects from his company. It stated his next directorial project will be out soon, although he wasn’t able to elaborate yet. Best of luck to him on his future plans.

Go Time! vocalist-guitarist and chief songwriter Scott Niekelski has an acoustic solo gig coming up at BuckleDown Brewing in Lyons 6:30 pm next Friday, July 26.

As noted by vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Scott Ligon in a Facebook post, the critically acclaimed band NRBQ has a series of dates scheduled for the east coast toward the end of August.

Chicago: Home Of House, an exhibit honoring the city’s pivotal role in widespread success of house music over the past 40 years, runs through the end of October. 

The Pretenders’ current US Tour 2024 continues with sold out concerts this weekend in Boston, and tomorrow and Sunday night in Washington, D.C. They have sold out shows coming up in Akron, Chicago (at the Chicago Theatre), Tulsa, Kansas City, Austin, San Francisco, and Sacramento. Tickets are still available for The Pretenders’ shows in Milwaukee, Irving (TX), and Phoenix. 

Supersonic, the highly impressive second release from Chicago’s self-described new wave band Sonic45, is now available to download on Bandcamp.

Squeeze recently kicked off a five-month tour that involves traveling back and forth between the UK and USA. After a gig on the Isle Of Man on August 6, the band will fly off a week later for a performance in Eugene OR. Other North American stops include Oakland, Costa Mesa, Phoenix, Austin, Nashville, Chicago, Toronto, Boston, New York, and Orlando. Squeeze will return to the UK in early October and continue touring through November. The Squeeze concert on September 5 at the Chicago Theatre. The English Beat will be the special guest for that night.

The Out Of Space Skokie event is being held at a new location closer to downtown Skokie this year since its usual spot at the Canal Shores Golf Course is being renovated. The event runs next weekend, July 26 –28 and will feature Courtney Barnett and Bob Mould; Thee Sacred Souls and St. Paul And The Broken Bones; and Guster and The Lone Bellow with Devon Gilfillian. 

The David Bowie World Fan Convention 2024 will kick off on July 26 (the day after the world celebrates my birthday) and run through July 28 at various venues around Liverpool. This year’s special guests are Carlos Alomar; Woody Woodmansey; Ava Cherry; George Murray; Nacho; Denis O’Regan; Dana Gillespie; Mark Wardel; Marc Riley; Spizzenergi; David Buckley; Leah kardos; Hannah “Lulu” Breschard; and Chris Carter. Events will includes The Bowie Ball, live bands; signing sessions, and a marketplace.

Ladyship The Musical (Original Concept Recording), which is now available to download on Bandcamp, finds sisters Linda and Laura Good exploring music that’s entirely different from their previous albums as the folksy Good Twins and alt rock band The Twigs. It’s an ambitious and totally successful full-on theatrical production based on the true story of how England shipped women convicts to Australia from 1789 to 1841. I’m hoping to post a full review soon.

Blondie founding member Chris Stein’s memoir titled Under A Rock is now available from various sites. The book, which features a forward by Debbie Harry, is described by MacMillan Publishers as a “a plunge into the moments that made a giant 1980’s artistic sensation.”

Rebel Girl: My Life As A Feminist Punk, a memoir from riot-grrrl band Bikini Kill vocalist Kathleen Hanna is now available from HarperCollins Publishers on various websites and book stores.

Local comedy group Famous In The Future will present its annual three-day celebration of counter-culture entertainment, YippieFest, on the weekend of August 23 – 25 at Chopin Theatre. This will be the sixth in-person staging of the event, which features FIF along with a variety of acts presenting short plays, improv, monologues, sketch comedy, stand-up, music, performance art, and dance. YippieFest is modeled after the late Mary-Arrchie Theatre’s long-running Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins Festival. The lineup will be revealed at some point on the official YippieFest website. Chopin Theatre is located at 1543 W. Division on the city’s north side. Full disclosure: I was a member of Famous In The Future for several years.

I was sad to see the news that Bob Newhart has passed away. Between his standup comedy records and TV sitcoms, he was a fun and familiar figure for most of my life. And it was a kick to see his guest star appearances on The Big Bang Theory, where he portrayed a TV science guy Sheldon and Leonard both worshipped as kids. As a writer/performer with the Famous In The Future comedy group, I knew I would never have the firepower of a John Belushi or Chris Farley. So, probably like many aspiring comic performers, I aimed for the timing and dry wit of Bob Newhart. I remember one skit in particular. It was written by cast member Guy Schingoethe, who definitely had firepower—he’s currently lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Faith In The Fallen—and he played an abusive waiter who had literally chased two customers out of the restaurant. It was part of our revue at an Abby Hoffman Died For Our Sins Fest at Mary-Arrchie Theatre. Portraying the restaurant manager, I calmly approached him, and using my best buttoned-down delivery, asked, “So those customers left, huh?” Guy’s unrepentant waiter said, “Yeah, he wanted a corn cobette with his Rib Dinner.” “The Rib Dinner comes with a corn cobette,” I told him. Guy simply stared at me, so I decided to stare back. In one of several ad-libbed moments in the skit that night, we locked eyes for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Guy shrugged, said “Whatever,” and walked away. Not missing a beat, I politely asked him to wait on the two new customers who had just come in.

Weekend Reminders

Today’s post is limited to events taking place this weekend that I’ve mentioned previously on Broken Hearted Toy. This gives readers an extra day’s additional notice, and since the events won’t be repeated in tomorrow’s Slumgullion, helps streamline my Friday post. Slumgullion won’t be entirely new. I’ll keep mentioning upcoming events up to and including the Thursday prior to the weekend they take place. I’m hoping to make this a weekly post going forward. 

Tomorrow, July 19, is the official release date for Have You Got It Yet? - The Story Of Syd Barrett And Pink Floyd in DVD and Blu-ray formats. It will also be available for streaming on TVOD, Amazon, and Google Play. The Mercury Studios documentary was co-directed by filmmaker Roddy Bogawa and album cover artist Storm Thorgerson, with narration by British actor Jason Isaacs. Have You Got It Yet? features interviews with Barrett’s bandmates David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Roger Waters, along with musicians such as Pete Townshend and Graham Coxon.

The Northman Riverwalk continues to give tourists and locals an opportunity to enjoy a variety of live music and food outdoors with an impressive view of downtown Chicago. Tomorrow will feature blues act Electric Brew at 6:00 pm; and Saturday will bring an afternoon set by Nova Scotia native and well-traveled singer-guitarist Mike Younger, and an early evening set by country music band Diamondback. Chicago Smooth Jazz will celebrate their 3rd Anniversary from noon to 3:00 pm on Sunday, followed immediately by contemporary jazz artists Kabir Dalwari Trio.The Northman Riverwalk is located on the Chicago River at 233 N. Riverwalk. 

Vocalist Billy J. Kramer, known for his string of hit singles during the 1960s, including a few penned by Lennon and McCartney, has an event titled Songs, Secrets and Stories With Billy J. Kramer coming up this Sunday afternoon at 3:00 pm at Blue Island Beer Company. Musicians Phil Angotti and Eric Howell—both well known on the Chicago music scene—will join Kramer for songs and conversation. The event, which is being billed as “a ticketed, seated, listening room show,” will also feature songs from Kramer’s new album Are You With Me?  

The Millennium Park 20th Anniversary Celebration continues tomorrow with the Grant Park Orchestra performing Star Wars and other selections composed by John Williams. Actor-musician Common will perform with the Grant Park Orchestra on July 20; and The S&S Chicago Experience (Steve “Silk” Hurley and Shannon “Skip” Syas will delve into the history of House Music on Sunday.

The 2024 Pitchfork Music Festival takes place this weekend in Union Park, and as always, the schedule stretches across numerous genres, with major player from each one. Black Pumas, Jai Paul, Jamie XX, Carly Rae Jepsen, Alanis Morissette, Grandmaster Flash, Jessica Pratt, De La Soul, and Brittany Howard are among the acts who’ll be performing. See the official website for the full lineup and ticket information.

Incoming

Graphic taken from the official Pitchfork Music Festival Facebook page.

The 2024 Pitchfork Music Festival takes place this weekend in Union Park, and as always, the schedule stretches across numerous genres, with major players from each one. Black Pumas, Jai Paul, Jamie XX, Carly Rae Jepsen, Alanis Morissette, Grandmaster Flash, Jessica Pratt, De La Soul, and Brittany Howard are among the acts who’ll be performing. See the official website for the full lineup and ticket information.

It was great to see a message from Rod Argent on The Zombies’ social media sites and via email today. The founding member/songwriter/keyboards player was recently treated for a stroke in a London hospital, and though he was released the following day, we all know strokes are serious business.  “I am absolutely overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support that has happened in response to the news of my having suffered a stroke three weeks ago,” Argent stated. “I have read every post, and have to thank you so much.” He’s announced his retirement from touring, and has some difficulty speaking, but plans to resume writing and recording, “after a couple months.”

The Northman Riverwalk continues to give tourists and locals an opportunity to enjoy a variety of live music and food outdoors with an impressive view of downtown Chicago. The Riverwalk Beats DJ Series presents DJ Virgil7 this Wednesday; and Americana artist Brian Krumm and His Barfly Friends will perform songs from his debut album Just Fade Away on Thursday. Both shows start at 5:00 pm. Friday will find blues act Electric Brew starting at 6:00 pm; and Saturday will bring an afternoon set by Nova Scotia native and well-traveled singer-guitarist Mike Younger, and an early evening set by country music band Diamondback. The Northman Riverwalk is located on the Chicago River at 233 N. Riverwalk. 

Vocalist Billy J. Kramer, known for his string of hit singles during the 1960s, including some written by Lennon and McCartney, has an event titled Songs, Secrets and Stories With Billy J. Kramer coming up this Sunday afternoon at Blue Island Beer Company. Musicians Phil Angotti and Eric Howell—both well known on the Chicago music scene—will join Kramer for songs and conversation. The event, which is being billed as “a ticketed, seated, listening room show,” will also feature songs from Kramer’s new album Are You With Me? Blue Island Beer Company is located at 13357 Olde Western Avenue in Blue Island, IL.

 

You never know when these modern-day druid music makers might sneak up on you. Had I known earlier that whitewolfsonicprincess has an outdoor concert on July 16 (tomorrow) I would have mentioned it in last Friday’s Slumgullion column. The Chicago-based band, which describes its approach as having a “Chicago 21st Century Druid Music/Celtic Blues Vibe,” will perform as part of the Welles Park Tuesdays at The Gazebo series. The park is located at 2333 W. Sunnyside Avenue on Chicago’s north side.

Chicago-based musician Matt Tiegler will likely showcase songs from his recent Hands Free Down Hill album when he’s part of a triple bill tomorrow night at Montrose Saloon. Penthouse Sweets singer-guitarist Andy Hansen will also perform, along with vocalist Donna Adler. The music starts at 7:00 pm.

The Millennium Park 20th Anniversary Celebration takes place this Thursday through Sunday, with unique entertainment being staged each night. ¡Súbelo! will honor Latin culture via performances by Chuwi, Codigo FN, and Fruko y Sus Tesos on Thursday; the Grant Park Orchestra will perform Star Wars and other selections composed by John Williams on Friday; actor-musician Common will perform with the Grant Park Orchestra on Saturday; and The S&S Chicago Experience (Steve “Silk” Hurley and Shannon “Skip” Syas will delve into the history of House Music on Sunday.

CORRECTION: Contrary to what I posted in Slumgullion last Friday, Our House - The Music Of CSNY is coming to the Des Plaines Theatre in Illinois on August 3, not July 21. I’ve gone back and changed the date. Sorry for any confusion. Our House - The Music Of CSNY features musicians who are related to or have worked with David Crosby, Neil Young, and Graham Nash.

Slumgullion

NOTE: See yesterday’s Weekend Reminders post for more information on events happening this weekend.

The Square Roots festival, billed as “A Real Nice Music And Craft Beer Street Fest,” kicked off off today at 5:00 pm on Lincoln Avenue between Wilson and Montrose on Chicago’s north side. Sponsored by the Lincoln Square - Ravenswood Chamber Of Commerce and The Old Town School Of Folk Music, the festival has an enormous amount of entertainment scheduled over the weekend. That includes indie rockers The New Pornographers tonight at 9:00 pm. Some of the other acts performing are Lydia Loveless, Jon Spencer, and X on Saturday; and Waco Brothers, The Nude Party, and The Big Star Quintet (featuring original Big Star member Jody Stephens, Jon Auer from The Posies; Chris Stamey from The dB’s; and Pat Sansone and John Stirratt from Wilco) on Sunday. See the official Square Roots website for a full list of all the festivities .

Best wishes to Rod Argent for a full recovery from the recent stroke he suffered in London. The Zombies’ founding member/songwriter/keyboards player was treated at a hospital and released the following day. Argent has announced his retirement from touring, but the official Zombies website and social media sites state, “Rod still firmly intends to continue his other creative joy of writing and recording with The Zombies, and has already been back at his piano for some much-needed ‘Bach therapy’”.

 

Pravda Records, Chicago’s longest running independent label, previously announced it will hold a PravdaFest 40th Anniversary event featuring an impressive lineup of its acts on Saturday, August 31 at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn. Now there’s news of a free PravdaFest Pop Up Party coming to The Hideout Front Porch on July 23 from 7:30 to 11:00 pm. There will be Pravda Artists DJ set, hot dogs, prizes and the PravdaFest Poster Release. The Hideout Front Porch is located at 1354 W. Wabansia on Chicago’s north side.

The Pretenders will kick off their US Tour 2024 with a sold out concert tomorrow (July 13) at the Count Basie Theatre in Reds Bank, NJ. They’ve also already sold out upcoming shows in Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, DC,  Akron, Chicago (at the Chicago Theatre), Tulsa, Kansas City, Austin, San Francisco, and Sacramento. Tickets are still available for The Pretenders’ shows in Milwaukee, Irving (TX), and Phoenix.

 

WXRT will present a Mavis Staples Birthday Tribute featuring recordings of her and her family’s music, along with a conversation with on-air personality Terri Hemmert this Sunday at 10:00 am. It will air directly after Hemmert’s Breakfast With The Beatles program. The conversation, which was recorded earlier this week, will be rebroadcast at 10:00 that evening.

Supersonic, the second release from the Chicago-based band Sonic45 became available today on Bandcamp. Sonic45 has a Supersonic Record Release Party tomorrow (Saturday) at SPACE in Evanston.

Squeeze recently kicked off a five-month tour that involves traveling back and forth between the UK and USA. After a gig on the Isle Of Man on August 6, the band will fly off a week later for a performance in Eugene OR. Other North American stops include Oakland, Costa Mesa, Phoenix, Austin, Nashville, Chicago, Toronto, Boston, New York, and Orlando. Squeeze will return to the UK in early October and continue touring through November. The Squeeze concert on September 5 at the Chicago Theatre will feature The English Beat the special guest for that night.

Chicago-based musician Matt Tiegler will likely showcase songs from his recent Hands Free Down Hill album when he’s part of a triple bill coming up at Montrose Saloon on July 16. Penthouse Sweets singer-guitarist Andy Hansen will also perform, along with vocalist Donna Adler. The music starts at 7:00 pm.

The David Bowie World Fan Convention 2024 starts on July 26 (the day after the world celebrates my birthday) and run through July 28 at various venues around Liverpool. This year’s special guests are Carlos Alomar; Woody Woodmansey; Ava Cherry; George Murray; Nacho; Denis O’Regan; Dana Gillespie; Mark Wardel; Marc Riley; Spizzenergi; David Buckley; Leah kardos; Hannah “Lulu” Breschard; and Chris Carter. Events will includes The Bowie Ball, live bands; signing sessions, and a marketplace.

Local comedy group Famous In The Future will present its annual three-day celebration of counter-culture entertainment, YippieFest, on the weekend of August 23 – 25 at Chopin Theatre. This will be the sixth in-person staging of the event, which features FIF along with a variety of acts presenting short plays, improv, monologues, sketch comedy, stand-up, music, performance art, and dance. YippieFest is modeled after the late Mary-Arrchie Theatre’s long-running Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins Festival. The lineup will be revealed at some point on the official YippieFest website. Chopin Theatre is located at 1543 W. Division on the city’s north side. Full disclosure: I was a member of Famous In The Future for several years.

Have You Got It Yet? - The Story Of Syd Barrett And Pink Floyd will be available in DVD and Rlu-ray formats from Mercury Studios on July 19. The documentary was directed by filmmaker Roddy Bogawa and album cover artist Storm Thorgerson, and features interviews with Barrett’s bandmates David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Roger Waters, along with musicians Pete Townshend and Graham Coxon.

SPACE in Evanston will offer a series of Singer-Songwriter events throughout this month that includes Gerald Dowd and Richard Knight, Jr. on July 15; and Phil Angotti and Tommi Zender performing the music of Simon and Garfunkel on July 28.

Blondie founding member Chris Stein’s memoir titled Under A Rock is now available from various sites. The book, which features a forward by Debbie Harry, is described by MacMillan Publishers as a “a plunge into the moments that made a giant 1980’s artistic sensation.”

Chicago: Home Of House, an exhibit honoring the city’s pivotal role in widespread success of house music over the past 40 years, runs through the end of October. 

Rebel Girl: My Life As A Feminist Punk, a memoir from riot-grrrl band Bikini Kill vocalist Kathleen Hanna is now available from HarperCollins Publishers on various websites and book stores.

The Millennium Park 20th Anniversary Celebration takes place July 18 – 21, with unique entertainment being staged each night. ¡Súbelo! will honor Latin culture via performances by Chuwi, Codigo FN, and Fruko y Sus Tesos on July 18; the Grant Park Orchestra will perform Star Wars and other selections composed by John Williams on July 19; actor-musician Common will perform with the Grant Park Orchestra on July 20; and The S&S Chicago Experience (Steve “Silk” Hurley and Shannon “Skip” Syas will delve into the history of House Music on July 21.

The Our House - The Music Of CSNY tour will include a stop at the Des Plaines Theatre in Illinois on August 3. The tribute act features musicians who are related to or have worked with David Crosby, Neil Young, and Graham Nash.

This year’s Pitchfork Music Festival takes place July 19 – 21 in Union Park, and will offer Black Pumas, Jai Paul, Carly Rae Jepsen, Alanis Morissette, and Brittany Howard, along with several other acts.