Slumgullion

Photo from The Bangles website.

So far, The Bangles only have a handful of dates on their summer tour, but they’ll be doing a lot of traveling. The itinerary includes stops in Texas, California, Ontario, Norway and the UK. Susanna Hoffs performed at McCabe’s in Santa Monica in April, and judging from a photo she posted on Facebook of her set list, the singer-guitarist has impeccable taste in cover versions.

In addition to a mix of tunes from her forthcoming Someday CD and Bangles hits, Hoffs played “Teacher Teacher” by Rockpile, “Cinnamon Girl” and “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” by Neil Young, “Rain” by The Beatles, and “King Midas In Reverse” by The Hollies. Would love to see some Hoffs and/or Bangles shows coming up in the Chicago area. 

The Neverly Brothers, rocked the Fred P. Hall Amphitheatre in Palatine tonight with another musical history lesson that highlighted some of the most influential artists of the 1950s and 60s. Guitarist Kevin Giragosian, drummer Kegham Giragosian, and bass player Craig Gigstad took turns singing and were high energy performers. Their tribute to The Kinks is always a blast. 

Happy Birthday to comedian Len Austrevich, who’ll be celebrating with family and friends, as well as the volunteers who’ve helped make his Jokes4Miles project a reality. I can’t think of a better present people could give him than to tape a joke for his son Miles, who is battling brain cancer. Len has been on a crusade to get 5.000 people to record a joke or uplifting message and upload it to the Jokes4Miles website. I’ve been trying to get musicians to join in the fun by recording a short song or musical message for Miles.

Following on the heels of its recently released box set, Strange Euphoria, Heart has a new CD, Fanatic in the works. Fans can keep up on its progress by signing up for the band’s newsletter. Ann and Nancy Wilson also have a memoir coming out in October.

SoPro Music and Phil McKracken’s are co-sponsoring a 7th of July Blues Festival at the club’s location at 6602 W. 111th Street in Worth. Lynsey “Hoochie Man” Alexander and His Blues Band will be performing, along with Joey Drada and The Jaywalkers Blues Band. Showtime is at 9:00 PM.

Artist-musician Jon Langford will be pulling double duty at the Firecat Projects gallery on July 6th; performing songs while his latest exhibit of paintings and prints, Cheating Hearts, is on display. The gallery is located at 2124 N. Damen Avenue.

Power pop musician Mimi Betinis will be performing an in-store gig at Reggie’s Music on Sunday. June 24th. The show is at 6:00 PM.

The Summer 2012 edition of The Galactic Zoo is out now (I got my copy at the downtown Reckless Records) and as usual, it’s filled with eye-popping art and comics, most of which pertain to rock and roll. The latest batch of Damaged Guitar Gods trading cards includes Tony Hicks of The Hollies. Artist-writer Plastic Crimewave notes, “Hicks was as essential to the group’s divine sound as any complex vocal harmonies.” It’s interesting that Hicks’s card appears on the same page as the one for Little Howlin’ Wolf, the Chicago blues artist and long-time participant of the Mary-Arrchie Theatre’s annual Abbie Fest. 

Doctor Who fans who’ll be heartbroken when Amy Pond leaves the show in the coming season can take solace in the news from The Nerdist blog  that Karen Gillan, the actress who portrays the plucky and adorable Pond, is working on a movie. In the rom-com Not Another Happy Ending, she’s been cast as a successful novelist hit with a bout of writer's block.

The Double Door on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago will present five bands in a free concert next Saturday night. Headliners The Choir will be joined by Dead Feathers, Max Pain and the Groovies, The Luck Of Eden Hall, and Temporary Pharohs. The show starts at 8:30 PM.

The Countdown To Ignition continues on ShoesWire,  the official website for Shoes. The power pop veterans are revealing one song each day as a preview of their upcoming CD, which drops in mid-August. 

Pocket Con - Comics with Color for Teens will be staged at the Gary Comer Youth Center on South Ingleside Avenue and at the Chicago Public Library on 73rd Street on Saturday, July 7th. The convention, which will include panels and presenters, hopes to cast a spotlight on African American artists, as well as comics that feature women and LGBT characters. Artists can register at the convention’s website.