Incoming

The Handcuffs and Poison Boys are throwing a record release show and party at Liar’s Club on Chicago’s north side this Saturday, July 23. I’m not familiar with Poison Boys, but in my recent review of The Handcuffs’ Burn The Rails album, I praised their expertise in channeling 1970s glam rock (particularly Mott The Hoople), and noted they also successfully explore a variety of other approaches. The Artist Formally Known As Vince band is also on the bill. Liar’s Club is located at 1665 W. Fullerton.

Diane Christiansen and Steve Dawson from Dolly Varden, along with keyboards player Alton Smith, will perform two free sets at the Chicago Cultural Center this Saturday afternoon. Christiansen, who’s also an acclaimed artist, is currently being featured with Leslie Baum and Selina Trepp in the An Instrument In The Shape of a Woman exhibition at the Center. 

Maybe you can also do the fandango. For those who’ve always longed to join a Bohemian Rhapsody Sing-Along, there’s going to be one at Brother’s Field in northwest suburban Long Grove this Friday at 8:30 pm. 

The annual Downtown Mount Prospect Block Party takes place in the northwest suburb this weekend. There will be live performances by blues rockers Kevin Purcell and The Nightburners, the coed teenage band Collision (not the New York heavy metal group), the classic rock covers band Big Brother’s Vinyl, southern rockers Blackberry Jam, Americana/Country band Fletcher Rockwell, and others acts. Admission is free for both days.

Go Time! lead vocalist-guitarist Scott Niekelski has done a number of acoustic solo gigs around the Chicago area in recent years, and he’ll be trying out a new venue this Friday in East Dundee. It’s called  Rosie O’Hare’s and he goes on at 7:00 pm.

Congratulations to Nicholas Tremulis on being chosen as Van Morrison’s opening act on a recent European tour. The Chicago-based musician recently posted a photo of himself on stage in Vienna, Austria.

Phil Angotti, John San Juan, and Casey McDonough will be in south suburban Blue Island this Saturday night for a 7:00 pm performance titled The Beatles Meet The Rutles at the Blue Island Beer Company. Hopefully, all that silliness won’t keep them out too late because they’re scheduled to play a Hard Day’s Night/1964 Beatles Brunch (with Tom Ryan and Blair Holmes) at City Winery Chicago at noon on Sunday.