Slumgullion

Photo from The Zombies Facebook page.

May has been designated as British Invasion Month here on Broken Hearted Toy due to a pair of significant events in the Chicago area. The first was Graham Nash’s two-night stand at City Winery on May 11 and 12, and the second comes next Sunday, May 29. That’s when The Zombies, led by original members vocalist Colin Blunstone and keyboards player-vocalist Rod Argent, will be performing at The Arcada in St. Charles. In addition to hits like “Time Of The Season,” “Tell Her No,” and “She’s Not There,” it’s likely The Zombies will play songs from their latest effort Still Got That Hunger.
 
Thrift Store Halo, a Chicago power pop band that opened for The Zombies at a Chicago area gig a few years back, has reunited and will be performing on August 4 at Ballydoyle Irish Pub in Downers Grove.

Congratulations to Tellin’ Tales Theatre on its 20th Anniversary. The non-profit organization’s mission has been to “shatter barriers between the disabled and non-disabled worlds though the transformative power of personal story.” They’re celebrating with a gala hosted by Chicago White Sox announcer Jason Benetti tomorrow night at Roosevelt University’s Fainman Lounge. The festivities include a live retrospective performed by the Tellin’ Tales; a music/comedy revue by Amy Armstrong and Freddy Allen, food, cocktails, and a silent auction.

Moby will be at City Winery Chicago next Tuesday to read from his new book Porcelain A Memoir, sign copies, and talk with host of The Interview Show Mark Bazer. Also coming up at City Winery, Mary Fahl, former vocalist with the ethereal October Project, has a gig on September 11.

I hadn’t heard anything about Terminal White in quite some time before I picked up a post card at Reckless Records advertising a May 28 show with The Gruesomes at Reggies. Apparently the band has been playing its distinctive brand of industrial, hard rock, and dance music across Europe. Terminal White released its Blind Pig album last year. When I reviewed Terminal White’s Worker EP for the Illinois Entertainer in 1998, I was particularly impressed with the title track and “Hamtramck.”

Tap House Grill, at 56 W. Wilson Street in Palatine, usually doesn’t book live bands but it will have one for its Summer Kick-Off Party on May 29. The Messengers take the stage at 9:00 PM and there will be specially priced drinks, wings, and fries. It would be great to see Tap House Grill book live bands on a regular, or at least a semi-regular basis.

The Romantics released a two-song single on iTunes today with their versions of The Monkees’ “Daydream Believer” and The Animals’ “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place.” I remember their rollicking take on The Animals song when they played an 80s Night show at The Arcada in St. Charles in 2012, so it’s good to be able to buy it. “Daydream Beleiver” is also done in the distinctive, fun Romantics style. A post on the band’s Facebook page promises an entire album of originals and covers is on the way.

Lady Gaga and Elton John’s Love Bravery Collection, a new line of apparel designed to combat prejudice, had its official launch yesterday at Macy’s in downtown Chicago. It was a glitzy event staffed by impossibly leggy Gagaesque models and featured techno music spun by DJ Avi Sic. The Love Bravery Foundation will also benefit Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation and Elton John’s AIDS Foundation.

Tickets are now on sale for the June 30 concert with James Taylor and Band with Jackson Browne at Wrigley Field.

It’s 2016. Do you know what your former Illinois Entertainer editors are up to? Michael Harris, who served as the music paper’s editor for several years, has a book out now titled What Is The Declaration Of Independence? It’s part of the Penguin/Grosset and Dunlop series What Was. . .? and is aimed 3rd to 5th graders. Also, Althea Legaspi, who served as IE editor a few years after Harris, continues to review popular music for the Chicago Tribune.

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame drummer Bun E. Carlos from Cheap Trick will be performing songs from his new release Greetings From Bunezuela at SPACE in Evanston on July 9. He’ll be joined with Nicholas Tremulis, Rick Rizzo, and other guests.

Back when I was a young teenager, I loved reading Archie comic books, drinking RC Cola, and listening to Top 40 rock on WLS. Starting this fall, I’ll be able to relive at least part of that fun when the series Riverdale debuts on the CW network. According to the Chicago Tribune, Riverdale will be based on the Archie comic books.