Slumgullion

I was planning to buy everybody in Chicago one of these but I ran out of money.

There’s really no reason to feel let down or bored. Sure, Lollapalooza has passed, John Stewart has left The Daily Show, and summer is more than half over, but there are still a lot of indoor and outdoor activities coming up in the next few weeks. Here’s a rundown of some of those events from the world of entertainment. As always, Slumgullion is entirely organic and free of SEO or corporate additives.

For those who want to relive the fun they had at Lollapalooza or see what the missed, radio station WXRT currently has exclusive footage of live performances, including Paul McCartney’s entire set; interviews with some of artists; and an archive of photos.

The Freemont Theater Company’s production of the hit musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying opens tonight at Cutting Hall in Palatine. It will be performed through Sunday this weekend, and then Friday through Sunday next weekend.

Rock Art Show, the online store that sells art of and by famous musicians, is offering a hand-signed piece by Ringo Starr that features his handwritten lyrics from The Beatles song “Don’t Pass Me By.” As an added incentive, 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Ringo’s charity The Lotus Foundation.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s Awesome August post, two must-see events on the Broken Hearted Toy calendar occur next weekend in Chicago. The 27th Annual Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins Festival runs Friday through Sunday at the Mary-Arrchie Theatre, and Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago returns to the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont for those same three days. Check yesterday’s post and the Mary-Arrchie Theatre and Fest For Beatles Fans websites for more information.

In two weeks, Wizard World Comic Con Chicago runs from Thursday, August 20 to Sunday, August 24 at the Donald E. Stephens Center in Rosemont. I’m hoping to post previews of Abbie Fest 27, Fest For Beatles Fans, and Wizard World here on BHT.

The Chicago Air And Water Show takes place on the lakefront at North Avenue next Saturday and Sunday, and you can see the jets flying overhead from outside the Mary-Arrchie Theatre. 

Graham Nash, whose show at The Arcada in St. Charles on July 28 was the primary reason I’ve declared this A Hollies Summer In Chicago, has posted a review of that show on his Facebook page. It was written by Ron Onesti, the owner of The Arcada, and originally ran in the Daily Herald. It’s a fun review but also kind of heartbreaking.

My wife Pam and I arrived in St. Charles a few hours before that concert in the hope of running into Nash. We talked about what would be the most likely places he’d go. In his review, Onesti says that Nash went out before the concert to a vintage car show down the street, and was talking with people there. By the time we noticed the car show, it was almost time for the concert, so we didn’t check it out. Just a reminder, anyone who wants to read my review of that same concert can check out my July 29 find it post.

The Anglo Tees company is offering a limited-edition British Invasion t-shirt that features the names of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Hollies, Donovan, Petula Clark, The Who, The Yardbirds, and several other UK acts from the 1960s. It’s available in grey or black, in a v-neck or long-sleeve style, and as a sweatshirt or a hoodie. I’m tempted to buy one for everybody in Chicago as part of my Hollies Summer celebration but that would seriously dent my BHT bank account. It’s only available for the next six more days.

Philamonjaro Studio will present an opening reception for its exhibit featuring Howard Greenblatt’s photos of Tut’s at the Blues Heaven club on August 22nd, from noon to 3:00 PM. Tut’s played host to some of alt rock’s best bands—including Los Lobos, X, The Replacements, and Missing Persons, along with Chicago’s best acts—from 1979 to 1984. The exhibit will run for about six weeks. Blues Heaven is located at 2120 S. Michigan Avenue.

Don’t be fooled by the ironically optimistic title.  The Jigsaw Seen sets an ecological warning to a thundering psychedelic arrangement on the brand new song it just released  “Have A Wonderful Day.” It’s part of a three-track single that also includes a new mix of “We Women” from The Jigsaw Scene’s recent Old Man Reverb album and a live cover of “Running To The Convent” by the English band Dry Ice. I’ll be posting a review of this single in the near future.

The New Invaders, an honorary tribute band of A Hollies Summer In Chicago due to their inclusion of Hollies songs at many of their shows, will be performing a Summer Lunchtime Concert from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM on Friday, August 21 at the Willis Tower (Sears Tower) in downtown Chicago.

Down by the river. Power pop band Frisbie will be performing somewhere along Chicago’s Downtown River Walk from 1:00 to 3:00 PM on Saturday, August 22nd. I haven’t seen a specific location mentioned, but the Riverwalk isn’t that long, so just follow the sound of ringing guitars.

All The Wine, the Chicago-based indie rock trio whose Summer Parade EP was favorably reviewed here on Broken Hearted Toy on July 1, has a new song called “Time And Direction” that’s available for a free download on their Bandcamp page. Like the songs on Summer Parade, it features angst-ridden lyrics within a powerful guitar-driven, arrangement.  

About a week ago, my wife Pam and I had a bittersweet get-together with our long-time friend Karen at a nearby restaurant. Her husband Ross, also a good friend, couldn’t join us because he was busy finalizing their family’s move to California at the end of the month. Over dishes of ice cream, we shared memories, a lot of them centered on the days when Karen and I performed in the Famous In The Future comedy group.

She left a few years before I did but we still had a decade together. Karen is a natural at performing comedy and memorizes lines almost immediately. She didn’t write skits, but like everyone in our group, helped shape their outcome. And even though Karen never hesitated to say when she didn’t like something, she voiced her objections tactfully. It was always a joy to watch her bring a character to life.

Next Saturday, I’ll be at the Mary-Arrchie Theatre on Chicago’s north side, watching Famous In The Future perform as part of The 27th annual Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins Festival. I haven’t missed an Abbie Fest or an FIF show there yet. So here’s a toast to Karen, Frank, Desiree, Michael, Tina, Pat, David, Lisa, Nathan, Guy, Bryn, Amy, Tracy, Kelly, Geneiveve, John, Susan, Cheryl, and all the many cast members who made Famous In The Future so rewarding and fun for me over 20 years. May the group continue to flourish.