Especially For St. Charles

When The Smithereens first played The Arcada in St. Charles back in 2014 (as part of a Rock Of The Eighties showcase that also featured The Romantics, Marshall Crenshaw, and Tommy Tutone), Arcada owner Ron Onesti promised he would bring them back. He has proved to be a man of his word. The New Jersey-based band will join The Tubes and The Motels for another Rock Of The Eighties showcase tomorrow night at The Arcada.

Look for The Smithereens to perform “Blood And Roses,” “Strangers When We Meet,” “Alone At Midnight,” and other songs from their 1986 masterpiece Especially For You to mark the 30th Anniversary of its release. If past shows are any indication, they'll also offer power pop gems like “House We Used To Live In” and “Only A Memory,” along with rousing covers of songs originally done by The Beatles and The Who.

The Motels, a Los Angeles band led Martha Davis, struck gold in the early 1980s with “Only The Lonely” and “Suddenly Last Summer.” The musicians currently backing Davis have been performing with her for 10 years. The Tubes are easily the most outrageous act on this showcase, with songs like the satiric anthem “White Punks On Dope” and the seductive duet “Don't Touch Me There.” The charismatic Fee Waybill still leads The Tubes through their theatrical stage shows.

In other shows tomorrow night, Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen will be at the Old Town School Of Folk Music, and The The Rolling Clones will be covering Mick Jagger and company at 27 Live in Evanston. Local alt rock band Whitewolfsonicprincess will be the opening act. Shadow Of The Marigold, the latest album from Whitewolfsonicprincess is now available on iTunes.