The Robyn Hitchcock Live And Electric - Full Band Show is coming to the Athenaeum Center For Thought And Culture in Chicago on April 10. Hitchcock, an eccentric and forever young English performer/songwriter has influenced countless musicians since his days with The Soft Boys in the mid-1970s. He certainly has a lot of material to choose from for his concerts.
Gary Klebe from Shoes has given us another preview of his upcoming solo album Out Loud. Like the previously released “Not Tough Enough,” the catchy “Room To Breathe” has the feel of classic Shoes material. Both songs are available for listening on YouTube. Out Loud is due out April 10 on Black Vinyl Records.
PureSoul Presents has a Soul Brunch: Aretha and the Women of Soul event coming this Sunday at noon at City Winery Chicago. The venue is located at 1200 W. Randolph Street, just west of downtown. PureSoul Presents has staged several tributes to famous music acts there over the past few years.
Michael Stipe of R.E.M. has collaborated with producer/songwriter Andrew Watt on the theme song for the HBO series Rooster. “I Played The Fool,” an easygoing and well-crafted song, is available to stream on various sites.
Long-time fans of Chicago’s splendid music scene will no doubt be saddened to hear the news that Helen and Michael Cameron, owners of the north Clark Street restaurant/entertainment venue Uncommon Ground have decided to retire after 35 years. I have fond memories of seeing a Susanna Hoffs solo gig, as well as a media event for local alt rockers The Twigs there. Best wishes and a big thank you to Helen and Michael.
In related but better news, Hideout Inn, another well-respected music venue on Chicago’s north side, is getting a new owner. Original owners Tim and Katie Tuten, and Jim and Mike Hinchsliff, have sold the venue to musician and former employee Teri O’Brien. A post on the official Hideout Inn Facebook page states, “So you’ll still see your favorite bartenders and staff, hear great music and share real conversations with your friends.” Thanks and best wishes to Tim, Katie, Jim and Mike. For a full story on the sale, check out Christopher Borrelli’s article in today’s Chicago Tribune.
“It’s Been Too Long,” the first single from Ringo Starr’s next album, is now available to stream on various sites. The album, titled Long Long Road, will feature collaborations with T Bone Burnett; Sheryl Crow; Billy Strings; Molly Tuttle; Sarah Jarosz; and St. Vincent. It’s due out April 24.
A Paul McCartney And Wings exhibit will open on May 15 at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, OH. The memorabilia on display will be centered on McCartney’s days of recording and performing with his wife Linda and Denny Laine, along with his first solo album. In the meantime, fans can stream the Paul McCartney and Wings - Man On The Run documentary on Amazon Prime.
Chicago-based singer-guitarist Terry White will host another Songwriter Circle at Fitzgerald’s Sidebar in Berwyn, IL next Tuesday, March 24. This time out, White’s guests will be Dag Juhlin (The Slugs, Sunshine Boys, Poi Dog Pondering) and Tracey Dear (The Waco Brothers).
Graham Nash and Emmylou Harris will perform three concerts together this summer. The dates are July 23 at Kresge Auditorium in Interlochen, MI; July 24 at Meadow Brook Amphitheater in Rochester Hills, MI; and July 26 at Ravinia in Highland Park, IL. Nash also has a full schedule of shows with his band this year.
The Cynz, New York City’s high-speed indie rockers, will hit Chicago on March 28 for a show at Reggie’s just south of the Loop. Led by Cyndi Dawson and Henry Seiz, the JEM Records recording artists have been getting a lot of airplay for their latest single “You Wreck Me.” Chicago-based psychedelic garage rockers Vinto Van Go will be the opening act.
Theater Of The Mind, an imaginative adventure crafted by David Byrne from Talking Heads and writer Mala Gaonkar, will run through May 31 at the Reid Murdoch Building at 333 N. LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. Theater Of The Mind is a Goodman Theatre production.
International Pop Overthrow has been bringing indie rock/power pop festivals to cities around the world for quite a few years, and will begin its 2026 season with a nine-day visit to Chicago from April 17 to 25. Founder/CEO David Bash has posted the full schedule on Facebook, and it includes several long-time favorites. IPO will also make stops in Liverpool, Stockholm, Glasgow, Los Angeles, and New York this year.
The Unswept, a Chicago band whose members hail from Sheffield, England, have released a new single on Bandcamp titled “Almost Always Better.” As they’ve often done on previous releases, The Unswept take an offbeat approach to describing a romantic relationship. The song will be included on the upcoming EP Bittersweet On Repeat, which will be available on March 31. The Unswept will return to International Pop Overthrow - Chicago at Montrose Saloon in Chicago on April 17.
The Zombies plan to release their first album Begin Here as a remastered in the original 1965 mono mix version on April 17. Available in LP, CD, and digital formats, it will combine all the tracks from the English and American original versions and be released on their own Beechwood Park Records label. The first single “The Way I Feel Inside” is already out, and the album can be pre-ordered in various options.
The Bonnie Koloc Trio has an all-ages show at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, IL on March 24. Koloc, a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, was a driving force in Chicago’s emerging folk scene back in the 1970s. She was a Founders Choice inductee into the Illinois Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
John Cowsill and Vicki Peterson will perform at The Woodstock Opera House in Woodstock, IL on April 25. Cowsill and Peterson will likely showcase songs from their debut album Long After The Fire, along with a few songs from The Bangles and The Cowsills.
Scott Ligon’s All Stars will perform on April 3 at Robert’s Westside in Forest Park IL. It’s not clear who those All Stars will be, but since Ligon often associates with top notch, Chicago-based musicians, this will definitely be interesting.
XTC: I Am The Audience, a new book from author David Marx about the critically acclaimed English band led by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, is now available to pre-order on the Sorrento Books UK website. It features multiple interviews with fans and famous musicians, as well as rare photographs.
In related news, this year’s Record Store Day event on April 18 will include the XTC - Live Boots - Live At Emerald City 1981 double album. The songs performed at Emerald City include “Life Begins At The Hop,” “Respectable Street,” “Making Plans For Nigel,” and “Generals and Majors.”
Decoy Prayer Meeting; Everly Hillbillies; Ian McKinley Band; Between Howls; and Rhythm And Twang will join together in a country and western/rockabilly flavored event on March 28 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. The music starts at 6:30 pm.
The Black Ensemble Theater on Chicago’s north side is presenting The Jackie Wilson Story through April 26. Black Ensemble Theater is now celebrating its 50th season.
Singer-songwriter Phil Angotti will showcase a video for the song “Eye For An Eye” from his Once Around Again album on April 2 at the G-Man Tavern. It will be part of a video release party/show with two sets of live music.
Sons Of The Silent Age - The Cracked Actor Cabaret is coming to City Winery Chicago, located straight west of the downtown area, on April 23. These guys have been impressing audiences around town with their David Bowie tribute for years; this particular event will feature them performing stripped down arrangements of his songs.
