Incoming

Cold weather and the cherished tradition of consumers stampeding through department stores the morning after Thanksgiving have always made Black Friday Record Store Day less popular than the original April edition. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the April RSD has been ditched the past two years in favor of two smaller, more manageable RSD Drops during the summer. Black Friday RSD has remained untouched, which means the selection is never going to be as extensive as the April one used to be. Still, the high-caliber artists involved once again come from several genres and eras.

This Friday’s list includes Aerosmith; Leonard Cohen; Sam Cooke; Chick Corea and Lionel Hampton; Lana Del Ray; Dire Straits; Billie Eilish; Fleetwood Mac; The Jimi Hendrix Experience;  Chris Isaak; Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit; Norah Jones; Judas Priest; Carole King; Lil Wayne; Little Feat; Modern English; Motorhead; Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Ray Price; Buck Owens And His Buckaroos; Charlie Parker; Oscar Peterson; Bobby Rush; The Shangri-Las; Dusty Springfield; Squirrel Nut Zippers; The Staple Singers; Stray Cats; Joe Strummer And The Mescaleros; Tammi Terrell; Big Mama Thornton; U Roy; and Nancy Wilson from Heart.

My personal wish list includes the Three Kisses Of Love LP from The Bee Gees; the 40x40: Book And Record Set by Joan Jett And The Blackhearts; and the “Gloria 40th Anniversary” by U2. If you’re interested in buying any of this year’s releases, it’s advisable to get to your chosen record store early, because copies are limited. Afterward, you can grab a cup of coffee (or in my case, a chai latte) to celebrate the your purchases and the long holiday weekend.

Chicago area radio station WXRT has had success with its Vinyl Day format in the past, and will (turkey) trot out another one this Thanksgiving. Starting at 9:00 am and running through midnight, DJs will be playing entire album sides, and considering WXRT has been around since the 1970s, listeners will be hearing a variety of rock and roll. Continuing a tradition, the station will air Arlo Guthrie’s epic Alice’s Restaurant somewhere around noon. 

The Beatles - Get Back, famed director Peter Jackson’s three-part documentary on The Beatles rehearsing, recording, and performing back in 1969, kicks off on Disney+ on Thanksgiving Day.

The Chicago Tardis, an annual convention that rightfully celebrates the many years Doctor Who has been around, will take place at in Westin Chicago Lombard on November 26 – 28. This year’s guests include Colin Baker; Sylvie Briggs; Lauren Cornelius; Frazer Hines; Neve McIntosh; and Clem So.