Friday, February 28, 2020

Slumgullion

Damaged Gods, a Gang Of Four tribute band, will be performing at Liar’s Club on Fullerton Avenue in Chicago tomorrow night. Sadly, we lost Gang Of Four founding member Andy Gill at the beginning of this month, so I’m sure they’ll be a few toasts in his honor at Liar’s. Three other acts —The Handcuffs, Sugarpulp, and Tiberius Strange are on the bill tomorrow night as well.

The Handcuffs will likely be performing new songs at Liar’s since they’re putting the final touches on their fourth album. Coming up on April 18, they’ll be part of a one-two punch with another of Chicago’s best bands—Off Broadway—at Reggies Rock Club on State Street.

Tickets are now on sale for Nick Lowe’s Quality Rock Roll Revue and Los Straitjackets at Park West on June 13; Laura Marling at the Old Town School Of Folk Music on April 16 and 17; the American Music Festival at FitzGerald’s on July 5; and Beatles tribute band Fab Faux at Park West on May 30.

Welcome to everyone who’s in town for C2E2, which has returned to Chicago for another weekend run at McCormick Place. This year’s celebrity guests include Mark Ruffalo; Erin Moriaty; Stephen Amell; George Takei; Isa Briones; Laz Alonso; Walter Koenig; and Emily Bett Rickards, as well as several popular artists and writers. Lots of fans dress up as their favorite sc-fi, graphic novel or film heroes and villains, so it’s like a huge Halloween party with celebrities guests where you can buy action figures, posters, t-shirts, comic books graphic novels.

Perhaps not coincidentally, Wizard World Comic Con just announced the first round of guests for its annual event at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont August 21 – 23. So far, the list includes James Marsters; Kate Mulgrew; Emily Swallow; and Patrick Warburton.

Temple Of Geekdom – An Improvised Adventure, which opened recently at The Second City, has added extra shows to coincide with C2E2 tonight and tomorrow.

Record Store Day U.K. has named The Big Moon as its 2020 Ambassadors, which comes as no surprise if you’ve been checking out English rock publications. The four-woman band has been getting a lot of favorable press for its debut album Walking Like We Do.

The west coast charity organization Wild Honey is staging another all-star benefit tomorrow night at The Alex Theatre in Glendale, California. The Lovin’ Spoonful – A Celebration Of The Music will include original band members John Sebastian, Steve Boone and Joe Butler, along with Micky Dolenz, Dave Alvin, Carnie Wilson, Dennis Diken, Susan Cowsill, Marshall Crenshaw, Don Dixon, Marti Jones, Elliot Easton, Darian Sahanaja, The Three O’Clock, Carla Olson, Wednesday Week, Annette Zilinskas, and other musicians. The event will benefit The Autism Think Tank.

The 21st Chicago Irish Film Festival - Films From The Land Of Story Telling  runs today through Sunday at the Society For Arts - Gallery Theatre; Logan Theatre; and Willmette Theatre.

The English Beat’s aptly titled Still Can’t Stop It! 40th Anniversary Tour kicks off in the U.K. on June 3 in Brighton. I still have their debut album I Just Can’t Stop It! in my record collection, as well as a pin with the band’s dancing ska girl logo.

The Evanston Literary Festival is returning for what its organizers are calling their “Sixth Edition” beginning on May 9 and running through May 17. Events will take place at the Evanston Public Library and other locations around town.

The eccentric and always engaging singer-songwriter Dawn Landes has written the music and lyrics for a new musical titled Row (book by Daniel Goldstein) that will have its premiere at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts on July 30. Landes based her songs on Toni Murden McClure’s novel A Pearl In The Storm.

Anyone familiar with the The Empty Hearts knows each member comes from a well-known band. Wally Palmar is from The Romantics; Clem Burke is from Blondie; Elliott Easton is from The Cars; and Andy Babiuk is from The Chesterfield Kings. But even they had to be psyched when Ringo Starr helped out on play drums for their new song “Remember Days Like These.” The seven-inch black and blue splatter vinyl single quickly sold out on Little Steven Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool label, but can be streamed on various sites.

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