Saturday Slumgullion

The Go-Go’s will be among the honorees at the 2021 She Rocks Awards.

Just a quick note regarding any performances mentioned in this post. With the continuing rise of COVID-19 cases and the stricter regulations that have come with that unfortunate development, it would a good idea to double check before heading out to see something. In the meantime, wear your mask, social distance, and support the entertainment and restaurant industries in any ways you can.

Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side has just announced it will be closing for an undisclosed amount of time. The venue had been doing well with live performances in its outdoor beer garden, but the colder weather has brought that approach to an end. Best wishes to Montrose Saloon for a quick return.

As reported on the Broadway World website, The 2021 She Rocks Awards will take place in a virtual format on January 22. This year’s honorees represent all sectors of the entertainment industry and include The Go-Go’s, Cherie Curie, Cindy Blackman Santana, Amy Lee, Margaret Cho, Starr Parodi, Ann Mincieli, Sharon Hennessey, and Gwen Riley. Singer-Guitarist LZZY HALE, from the band Halestorm and a previous honoree, will serve as host. Other entertainers who’ve been previously recognized include The Bangles, Pat Benatar, Suzie Quatro, Melissa Etheridge, Gloria Gaynor, Sheila E., The B-52’s, Chaka Khan, Orianthi, and Ronnie Spector. The ceremony is open to the general public, and will include a silent auction.

Congratulations to writer/director Seth Savoy on his action adventure film Echo Boomers opening at the Music Box Theatre on Chicago’s north side on November 13. Savoy, a graduate of Columbia College, was able to snag Oscar nominee and fellow Chicagoan Michael Shannon to join the cast. Chicago Sun-Times writer Selena Fragassi had an interesting interview with Shannon in last Sunday’s issue regarding Chicago’s filmmaking scene. Fragassi noted one of Shannon’s first film roles was in Groundhog Day.

 

The virtual Black Harvest Film Festival is going on now and will run through the end of November. All of the Festival’s films are streaming via the Gene Siskel Film Center.

The Arlington Heights cafe CoCo and Blu, opened a Christkindlmarket this week and it will run through December 23. The venue promises, “Fabulous Holiday Mug Keepsakes, Shopping, Food Cocktails, and Coffee Creations.”

The Long Dream, a new exhibition that opened this week at the Museum Of Contemporary Art in Chicago, brings more than 70 local artists together to explore ways to achieve a “more equitable and interconnected world.” The exhibition is named after Richard Wright’s 1958 novel. Artist-musician Diane Christiansen’s “inflatable opera” BirthDeathBreath is part of The Long Dream, and features music by her husband Steve Dawson and other musicians.

Congratulations to the Pacific Northwest based Cat Adoption Team on exceeding its $60,000 fundraising goal yesterday via its entertaining and successful Virtual Whisker Wonderland Gala.

As a result of increased online shopping during the pandemic, some holiday deliveries could be delayed. Be sure to do your gift buying early. And throw something in the cart for yourself as well. A few days ago, I received the Syd Barrett coffee mug I ordered from his official website, but I’ve set it aside as sort of a Christmas present for myself. I also have a button of original Bee Gees member Vince Melouney that I bought on his Bandcamp page coming my way. I liked the way an email from the Rolling Stones No9 Official Store noted my order of a Tinned Plectrum Set “has been dispatched.”

Speaking of Melouney, he has another single on the way, to follow up the garage rock number “Women (Make You Feel Alright)” he released earlier this year. Jonathan Lea, lead guitarist for The Jigsaw Seen, helped out with the recording. Lea has also performed with Dave Davies from The Kinks.

As mentioned by writer Ashok Selvam from Eater Chicago in a piece in this past Wednesday’s Chicago Sun-Times, restaurant owner Stephanie Izard has opened a bakery shop called Sugarcoat within her Little Goat Diner. Izard also owns the Girl And The Goat and Duck Duck Goat restaurants, and was the winner of the Bravo Channel’s Top Chef series in Season 4. She’s also the former boss of my nephew Joe Flamm, who won Top Chef in Season 15.