Slumgullion

Fourth Of July-appropriate photo from The Bangles Facebook page.

The Bangles perform at City Winery in Chicago on July 27th and 28th.

Happy 4th Of July! On this distinctively American holiday weekend, vote for the outdoor festival of your choice, but be sure to have a good, safe time. For a rundown of some of the celebratory activities going on in the Chicago area though July 5th, check out my July 1st post.

Here’s a brief look at what’s going on here in Palatine at The Jaycees Hometown Fest:

July 4th: Noon - Park District Battle Of The Bands 1:45 PM - hard rock covers band Fredonia 4:00 PM - Jak Tripper, a classic rock cover band whose high energy show includes some local flavoring with songs by Off Broadway and The Boyzz  6:30 PM - Hard rock covers band Audio Drive 9:00 PM Country and Western band Well Hungarians July 5th: Noon - Serendipity, a popular covers and originals band comprised of teenage girls 2:15 PM - Wall Of Denial, a Stevie Ray Vaughn tribute band 4:45 PM - Wild Daisy, a Country and Western covers band led by vocalist Krissi Woods 7:30 PM Howie Day, the singer-guitarist who had hit singles with “She Says” and “Collide.” 9:30 PM Catfight, the recently reunited all-woman that originally sprang from Palatine and conquered the entire Chicago street fest scene. 

We’re An (Early) American Band. Check out the WXRT website for a fun video playlist put together by staff writer Dan Shearer of bands that represent the 13 original colonies. His eclectic choices range from Bruce Springsteen (New Jersey) to The Shaggs (New Hampshire).

Born In The USA Museum. If you’re aware that July 2nd, 2014 was the 30th anniversary of the release of Born To Run, you’d probably be willing to pay $9.99 for a month-long access to BlindedByTheLight.com. A recent news release for the online museum boasts that it has the largest Bruce Springsteen exhibit ever seen, all at the click of a mouse. Visitors will be able to zoom in on pieces of Boss memorabilia, which can range from the iconic singer’s 8th grade report card to his 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible. New items will be added each month. The site is the brainchild of rock historian Michael Crane, who has contributed to exhibits at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Those who buy the all-access monthly subscription will be entered into a drawing to win a prize valued at at least $10,000. The news release promises that ultimately, even Springsteen’s Bel Air will be offered as a prize. 

WXRT air personality Terri Hemmert recently announced that she’ll need extended time off from her mid-morning shift at the station to recover from knee replacement surgery. Also, her weekly Breakfast With The Beatles show has been cut back from two hours to one, per her doctors’ orders. This Sunday morning willbe different, though. As that hour comes to a close, the XRT interns will throw a cape over Hemmert’s shoulders and lead her away from the microphone like singer James Brown in his live performance days. But like Brown, Hemmert will rally. She’ll throw off the cape, fight her way back to the studio and play more Beatles tracks for another hour. The reason for this inspiration? No bum knee or doctors’ orders are going to keep her from celebrating Ringo Starr’s birthday. The party starts at 8:00 AM this Sunday. As Ringo himself might say: Peace and Love, Terri.

The 4th Aftermath: I’ve had this theory for some time that once the 4th of July has passed, the summer flies by in an instant. A sure way to savor the season is to experience as many outdoor festivals as possible, and there are a whole lot coming up.

The Millennium Park Downtown Sound Monday Night concert series continues on July 7th with Joe Pug and Hooray For Riff Raff. The music starts at 6:30 PM.

Taste Of Chicago returns to Grant Park on July 9th and runs through the 13th. I haven’t tried to eat there in years, but the live music schedule once again offers an impressive and wide range of artists. Jeff Tweedy of Wilco and Lucinda Williams; Emmylou Harris, Nickel Creek, and Parker Milsap; and Jannelle Monáe and Gary Clark, Jr. are among the headliners. Tickets are $18, but lawn seating in Butler Field is free.

The Roscoe Village Burger Fest takes place next Saturday and Sunday at Belmont and Damen in Chicago. Verona Red, The Handcuffs, Treaty Of Paris, Better Than Ezra, and Catfight are among the bands scheduled for Saturday; American English, Fort Frances, and This Must Be The Band and others perform on Sunday.

The Pitchfork Music Festival, which to some people has more indie rock cred than Lollapalooza, runs from July 18th through the 20th at Union Park. Beck, Sharon Van Etten, Neneh Cherry, St. Vincent, tUnE-yArDs, and Dum Dum Girls are among the acts slated to appear. Local publication Chicago InnerView has once again published an entire issue devoted to this event. You can pick up a copy at the Reckless Records store downtown and probably at its other locations as well.