Slumgullion

New album out next Friday.

Welcome to all those in town for Lollapalooza, as well as everyone who’s here for Ringo Starr and His Allstar Band at Ravinia. Enjoy your stay and be sure to check out lots of other fun things Chicago has to offer.

Sunshine Boys, whose 2018 Blue Music debut was an absolute masterpiece, will return to The Wine Goddess venue in Evanston tomorrow night to perform songs from a brand new album.

Tickets went on sale today for Peter Case at FitzGerald’s on October 26; Michael Franti and Spearhead at Concord Music Hall on October 24; The Phil Angotti Band and The Hushdrops at Martyrs’ on August 29; Justin Hayward and Mike Dawes at the Athenaeum Theatre on August 9; Los Lobos at City Winery Chicago on December 8 through 12; Thurston Moore Group at the Empty Bottle on December 12; and Tom Morello at The Vic on October 22.

When I’m out on the streets trick or treating. Tickets are also now on sale for Halloweensteen, a Bruce Springsteen tribute show by The Duke Street Kings featuring Michael McDermott, at Park West on October 26.

Cherrie Currie of The Runaways and Brie Darling of Fanny join together on a new album titled The Motivator that was released today. Next Friday will bring How Do You Love?, the long-awaited second album the Los Angeles punk band The Regrettes, and on August 16, Sleater-Kinney will release their latest effort The Center Won’t Hold. The above information comes from the August issue of the Illinois Entertainer.

Santana and The Doobie Brothers will be performing at Hollywood Casino this Sunday.

They made up their minds and they started recording. Fastball (of “The Way” fame) has a new album titled The Help Machine featuring guest musicians Bruce Hughes from Cracker and Charlie Sexton coming out in October.

I was sad to see the Instagram post from Dave Davies stating Ian Gibbons, keyboards player for The Kinks, has passed away. Rock In Paradise, Ian.

Christopher Eccleston, the actor who was great putting Doctor Who back on the telly again in 2005, has a book titled I Love The Bones Of You coming out on September 19.

All the way to Seattle. According to the online sites for Rolling Stone and Best Classic Bands, the Mott The Hoople 1974 Tour will return for 11 new U.S. dates in the fall. The lucky cities include Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Nashville; Dallas; Los Angeles; and Seattle.

Sweet C’s Bakery in Palatine has expanded its space at 10 N. Bothwell to include a café area. The bakery is known for its cookies, cakes, and cupcakes, which it also sells at the Palatine Farmers Market.

The Chicago Film Society continues its Oh My, It’s Pre Code Cinema series on August 7 at Northeastern University with a screening of Merrily We Go To Hell. Director Dorothy Arzner’s 1938 film stars Sylvia Sydney and Frederic March in a tale of booze, journalism, and marital infidelity. Northeastern University is located at 3701 W. Bryn Mawr in Chicago.

Across the pond, The 17th Dream Of Dr Sardonicus Festival 2019 is being held at the Cellar Bar in Cardigan, U.K. Several psychedelic and prog rock acts who’ll be familiar to frequent customers of the vinyl-only indie label Fruits de Mer are scheduled to perform. The lineup includes The Bevis Frond; Nick Nicely; The Chemistry Set; SENDELICA; and Alan Pire Experience.

The 22nd Annual Jeff Buckley Tribute event will take place at Uncommon Ground’s Edgewater location at 1401 W. Devon Avenue in Chicago on November 17 and 18. Musicians interested in participating can contact bookings@uncommonground.com to get submission information.

The Morning Line will be performing at Hotel Utah on August 16 as part of the International Pop Overthrow - San Francisco festival. To celebrate this hometown gig, the band is offering its new album North for a free download on Bandcamp. When I reviewed the Smoke EP by The Morning Line in 2017, I praised its emotionally charged indie rock songs set to exquisite melodies. North continues in that vein, especially on tracks like “Anhedonia,” “No Love Lost,” and “Nostradamus.”

The Louder Than Words – Rock Politics Power exhibit, which originated at The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, continues its run at the Museum of Broadcast Communications here in Chicago through the end of August.

Well-known character actor and voiceover specialist Sam Elliott celebrates his 75th birthday on August 9. According to the Sunday newspaper supplement Parade, Elliott has provided the voice of Smokey The Bear for 10 years. In a bit of lesser-known trivia, he was the inspiration for successful studio musician in my latest (yet to be published) rock and roll YA novel.