Slumgullion

Now that Mayor Lori Lightfoot has decided Chicago will join the rest of Illinois in reopening on June 11 (the city’s planned date was three weeks later), it’s likely next Friday will be the unofficial kickoff for a summer of fun. Venues, stores, and restaurants can continue to require mask wearing and social distancing if they choose, so be sure to follow their rules and respect their employees. And leave big tips.

The second weekend of June has traditionally been particularly active for events and entertainment in Chicago. The Chicago Blues Festival, Printer’s Row Lit Fest, and Wells Street Art Fair came right around now, but those have been pushed back to later months this year. The Old Town Air Fair, one of Chicago’s most popular art events, is back in its usual early June time slot. It takes place next Saturday and Sunday, June 12 and 13.

Graham Nash has a very very very fine new book titled Our House and you can buy a signed copy from Barnes and Noble for $19.95. Regular copies are also available on Amazon, although I don’t know why there’s a note saying it’s appropriate for Ages 4 – 8. This appears to be the same book I purchased at the Athenaeum Theatre in Chicago prior to a Nash concert there in 2019. My copy is autographed, but unfortunately, I didn’t meet him in person. Our House is a thin hardcover book with the song’s lyrics brought to life via Hugh Syme’s colorful illustrations. There are also some photos, as well as snippets of copy written by and about Nash.

The Nielsen Trust (featuring legendary Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame and Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen) will perform at the Palatine music venue Nellie’s next Friday, June 11. The Philadelphia-based band Nick Perri And The Underground Thieves are also on the bill.

Blue Weekend, the third album by Wolf Alice, was released today, and tickets are now on sale for the London-based alt rock band’s U.S. tour. It kicks off in Seattle on October 25, and includes a stop at The Vic in Chicago on November 8. Other cities on the tour include Los Angeles. Denver, Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C. Wolf Alice is fronted by Ellie Roswell, who’s equally adept at singing like an angel or howling like a banshee. The Blue Weekend CD and autographed poster I ordered should be coming in the mail any day now.

Vinyl fanatics will have to wait at least another year before the annual Record Store Day gets back to normal. As in 2020, there will be smaller RSD Drops taking place this year instead of one big event. The first Drop comes next Saturday and second arrives July 17. The official RSD site has a combined list of the limited-edition releases for both drops, so make sure you’re looking at the June 12 releases when putting together your wish list. Otherwise, you might show up a month early for the record you want. The list spans every imaginable genre, including jazz, blues, hard rock, prog rock, techno, punk, country, and hip hop; and includes artists from several decades. Check with your favorite record store to see if they’re participating.

Chicago-based power pop band The Spindles and their special guest Rob Elvis from The Elvis Brothers will perform June 15 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. The show starts at 7:00 pm. The Spindles appeared several times at International Pop Overthrow - Chicago, and their 2018 album Past And Present mixes catchy originals with few deftly rendered covers of “Bus Stop” by The Hollies and “Santa Fe” by The Elvis Brothers.

Tickets are now on sale for The Pink Floyd Exhibition - Their Mortal Remains being held at the Vogue Multicultural Museum in Los Angeles, CA from August 3 to November 23. The official website describes the exhibit as an “audiovisual journey through the extraordinary universe of one of most iconic and influential rock bands.” The Pink Floyd Exhibition has already made a few stops in Europe, so it would be nice if it did some traveling in the States.

I just finished reading Maureen Johnson’s new book Hello, Cruel Heart, and was surprised that although it has the current Cruella De Vil on the cover, it’s not the same story as the recently released Disney flick. The novel takes place a decade earlier, and aside from Cruella and her fellow thieves Horace and Jasper, the characters are different. It’s a sort of origin story of the origin story, set in swinging 1960s London. And it’s a lot of fun. I still have to see the movie.

Tickets are now on sale for The Art Of Banksy, coming to Chicago on July 1.The exhibition is described by its production company Starvox Exhibits as the world’s largest collection of privately owned work by the mysterious English street artist.

Illinois residents who are justifiably proud of the many great bands that have come from our state are bound to enjoy Road To Rock Radio, which can be streamed through Live 365.