Shoppe Til You Pop

Photo from The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club Facebook page.

The Power Pop Shoppe has chosen three worthy acts for its showcase tomorrow night at The Elbo Room on Lincoln Avenue. A weekly program on WNUR 89.3 FM, The Power Pop Shoppe is hosted by DJ Gil, whose mission is to present a global selection of melodic rock that includes a healthy dose of Chicago area talent. That approach will no doubt transfer well to the stage, with performances by The Phil Angotti Band, The Bishop’s Daredevil Stunt Club, and Sunshine Boys.

Phil Angotti is a veteran of the Chicago club scene, and was also one of the performers (with his band The Idea) at the very first International Pop Overthrow in Los Angeles. He’s known for doing tribute shows to The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, The Bee Gees, The Zombies, etc., and he’s an accomplished singer-songwriter as well. He’ll most likely be showcasing songs from his new acoustic album Such Stories at The Elbo Room.

The Bishop’s Daredevil Stunt Club adroitly combines catchy arrangements with offbeat subject matter, and the brand new Don’t Buy This Record finds the quintet at the top of its game. As I noted in a review posted on Broken Hearted Toy earlier, Don’t Buy This Record follows in the tradition of fellow Midwestern acts Wilco and The Webstirs, but also explores 1980s style synth rock. The adventurous vocal interplay of guitarist Bill Giricz, bassist Dan Passarelli, and guitarist Paulette Bertrand is another highlight.

The name Sunshine Boys might not be familiar to even long-time followers of the Chicago music scene, but the three musicians in this new trio have built solid reputations with previous acts. Freda Love Smith was a founding member of Blake Babies; Jacqueline Schimmel played with Big Hello; and Dag Juhlin formed The Slugs and is a member of Poi Dog Pondering. A clip of a song called “Only A Million Miles” on the Sunshine Boys Facebook page suggests they favor a guitar-driven, energetic approach.