Saturday Slumgullion

Maybe it will be a scary movie.

As reported in Variety and on radio station WXRT’s Facebook page, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltry of The Who will serve as executive producers of a Keith Moon biopic that’s due to start filming in England this June. Paul Whittington will direct Jeff Pope’s script, but no one has been cast yet for the lead role. The film has the working title of The Real Me. Years ago, there was talk of Mike Myers of Austin Powers and Saturday Night Live fame portraying Moon, but apparently nothing ever came of that idea.

Chicago’s long-time psychedelic masters The Hushdrops will be showcasing songs from their new album The Static as part of a double bill with guitar-driven garage/surf instrumentalists Outronaut at SPACE in Evanston tomorrow night, January 30. The mind-bending music starts at 7:00 pm.

The Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival wraps up its multi-venue event in Chicago tomorrow, January 30. 

The Beatles’ iconic Rooftop Concert will be shown on IMAX tomorrow, January 30. The hour-long concert will also have a February 11 – 13 theatrical release. The full Get Back documentary series that recently ran on Disney+ will become available on Blu-Ray and DVD on February 8.

The WXRT Listeners Poll Gala will air at 6:00 pm this Monday, January 31, with the station’s air personalities announcing the winners in various categories. The Chicago-based tribute band Tributosaurus will perform popular songs from 2021 throughout the Gala. I’ve been to a few of WXRT’s in-person Listener Poll Galas (last time at City Winery Chicago) and it was always a kick to have a chance to talk to DJs such as Lin Brehmer, Marty Lennartz, and Frank E. Lee in person. Hopefully, next year’s Gala will be a live event again.

Here I Don’t Go Again. For the second time in the past few years, The Hollies have cancelled a series of gigs in the United States due to COVID-19 complications. This time around, it involves scheduled dates in New Jersey, Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago (I HAD A VIP TICKET!) and Los Angeles during the first week of April. While it’s tempting to say what’s the use and just give up, the announcement on the band’s official Facebook page strikes an optimistic note with the line, “Please look for new dates in the near future.” And as before, this tough decision is based on the safety of the band members, stage crew, and the fans.

Strangely enough, while The Hollies’ carousel is temporarily out of service, their British Invasion mates The Zombies will kick off a Life Is A Merry-Go-Round Tour in the States with an Orlando, FL gig on April 1. They’ll be in Chicago on July 1. I’m not saying anyone’s right or wrong, but I would like to suggest The Hollies schedule a Chicago date on July 25 so I can celebrate my birthday in style.

Sonicbond Publishing, a U.K. company that specializes in books about music artists as well as various genres, will release on track . . . The Hollies  - every album, every song in America on February 25. Written by Andrew Darlington, the 160-plus paperback book covers the British Invasion band’s entire recording career. The price is $21.95. 

A new exhibition titled Subscribe: Artists And Alternative Magazines, 1970 – 1995 just opened at the Art Institute Of Chicago and will run through May 2.  A profile in the Chicago Tribune describes it as a collection of rare, alternative publications, including Out/Look, i-D, The Face, and Thing. 

 

Sonic Youth vocalist-guitarist Kim Gordon’s upcoming No Home Tour has seven American stops (including Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C.) throughout the month of March before she hops over the Atlantic for 10 concerts across Europe in May. The tour is named after Gordon’s 2019 album No Home, which featured the songs “Sketch Artist” and “Murdered Out.”

Fans of vintage films and the piano music that often accompanied them will want check out pianist Dave Drazin’s upcoming silent film series at the Chicago Park District’s Indian Boundary Cultural Center. His first gig there is on March 4, when he’ll provide accompaniment for the 1923 Buster Keaton comedy Our Hospitality. Drazin has also created soundtracks for silent film DVDs available from Grapevine Video. Full disclosure: Drazin was a member of Famous In The Future, the local sketches/songs comedy group I belonged to for several years.  

With a logo that prominently features the best-known tongue in rock and roll, it was only natural The Rolling Stones would be honoured by the Royal Mail with an exclusive line of postage stamps. There are several options available, from a £7.00 sheet to a £99.99 Silver Stamp Ingot. Fans can also order a £5.85 set of postcards or a £0.30 envelope with the band’s logo.

Local singer-songwriter Peter Joly was all set to showcase the well-crafted folk songs from his latest album Easy Has Never Been The Way at FitzGerald’s on January 22, but that show had to be postponed. The good news is he has a new date at the Berwyn venue next Friday, February 4, and he’ll be performing in the main room rather than The Sidebar. Admission is free.

Next Sunday, February 6 will be Soul Rebels 2022 (Bob Marley Day) at Martyrs on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago. Billy Tuggle will be the host for the all-ages show, which will feature live performances by Adam Gottlieb and One Love; Ugochi; and Tukkiman with Vision In The Rhythm. Admission is $10; the music starts at 8:00 pm.

The Smithereens, with guest vocalist Marshall Crenshaw, will be performing at the Northern Lights Theater at the Potawatomi Hotel and Casino in Milwaukee, WI on March 3. Tickets went on sale today.