Friday, April 10, 2020

Slumgullion

Many a time I’ve wished the FitzGerald’s venue in Berwyn wasn’t so far away from me. New owner Bill Duncan looks like a good choice to carry on the high standards and eclectic bookings maintained by Bill FitzGerald for close to four decades. And now, FitzGerald’s has a Stay At Home Concert Series that brings live music to the surrounding neighborhoods as well as on social media. Jon Langford, a founding member of The Mekons and recording artist for Bloodshot Records, kicked things off last Saturday by performing on the back of a flatbed truck as it drove around the local streets.

Tomorrow at 4:00 p.m., it will be Dag Juhlin’s turn to serenade Berwyn residents, as well as people on their phones and computers. He’s currently a member of Sunshine Boys, The 45, Poi Dog Pondering, and EXPO ’76; so he’ll have a wealth of material to choose from. He recently promised on Facebook and Instagram that he’ll concentrate on Sunshine Boys songs, including the latest single “Summertime Kids” from the band’s second release Love And Work. It’s a wistful glance back at childhood, with the kind of irresistible melody Sunshine Boys consistently create. Juhlin also hinted he might throw in a few selections by The Slugs, the punk band he formed with his brother Gregg back in 1983. The fun begins at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, April 11 in Berwyn and via live streaming.

Just a word about The 45, the band I mentioned above. Since Chicago Cubs broadcaster Len Kasper is the driving force and lead vocalist, it’s probably not likely Juhlin will perform any songs by The 45 tomorrow afternoon. But keep an eye out for this group, which also includes other Chicago music scene vets. I caught their set at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights a few months back, and it was amazing. They’ll have an album coming out sometime hopefully in the not too distant future.

Lots of talented people continue to entertain us by posting performance videos on social media. A few recent ones I particularly liked were former Houndmouth vocalist-guitarist Katie Toupin doing the Patsy Cline standard “Crazy,” and Chicago-based singer-songwriter Phil Angotti covering Graham Nash’s “Our House.” Be sure to keep checking on your favorite artists to see if they’ve posted any live performances.

My autographed copy of Bobby Elliott’s new book It Aint Heavy, It’s My Story - My Life In The Hollies arrived in the mail yesterday, and I couldn’t wait to dig in. It’s a 316-page effort from the acclaimed drummer, starting with his birth on the day after Pearl Harbor through his career with the still active British Invasion band. In the Acknowledgements, Elliott gives a shoutout to lead guitarist/harmony vocalist Tony Hicks, who like Elliott, still tours and records with The Hollies. “Above all I must thank Tony Hicks. He and I started out as two teenagers with a passion for music and a dream that certainly came true.” Elliott was recently interviewed about the book on the ITV online site

Other fabulous recent deliveries from Mr. Postman: The Reader Coloring Book, which features 48 pages of black and white Chicago-themed art perfectly suited for embellishing with crayons. It’s part of a fundraising effort for the long-running free paper and the participating artists; you can purchase a copy on the website.  The four-CD boxed set Shoes Elektrafied - The Elektra Years 1978 – 1982. It includes Present Tense, Tongue Twister, and Boomerang; and each comes with bonus 8-Track Home Demo Versions. There’s also a booklet with a comprehensive history of the Zion, IL band. and an 18-track Rarities disc with demo versions and live performances.

Ellisong Studios recently posted on Instagram that its upcoming documentary Out Of Time: The Material Issue Story will include the band’s lead vocalist Jim Ellison joining Liz Phair for a previously unreleased cover of “Hanging On The Telephone.” The song was previously recorded by Blondie in 1978, and originally done by The Nerves in 1976. Balin Schneider’s Out Of Time film is due out some time in 2021.

According to a recent article by Associated Press film writer Jake Coyle, the recently canceled SXSW Film Festival will find new life when a good portion of its schedule will appear on Amazon Prime as part of a 10-day event coming at the end of this month. For this special occasion, it won’t be necessary to have an Amazon Prime Membership to watch the movies.

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