The New Jersey-based independent label Jem Records recently released a various artists tribute to one of rock’s all-time best guitarist/songwriters. Titled Jem Celebrates Pete Townshend, the collection includes covers by The Weeklings; The Grip Weeds; The Anderson Council; Richard Barone, Lisa Michols and Super 8; and The Airport 77s.
The next release in the Women Sing The Who series on Bandcamp hasn’t been revealed yet but we do know it will arrive on August 26. The series is two for two so far with Carla Olson sounding ferocious on “I Can See For Miles” and Christy McWilson and The Picketts imaginatively reinventing “Baba O’Reilly.”
The Handcuffs and The Amazing Heeby Jeebies, two of Chicago’s best indie rock bands, will join forces for some guaranteed rock and roll fun at the OuttaSpace venue in Berwyn tonight. The Handcuffs’ recently released fourth album Burn The Rails has been garnering favorable reviews, as well as heavy airplay on indie rock stations. The Amazing Heeby Jeebies’ 2018 album Bad Feeling is packed with rockabilly/garage rock gems like “Cannibal Beasts,” “The Mummy,” and “Loup Garou.” The music starts at 8:00 pm.
Mike Skill, a founding and still active member of The Romantics, has a solo gig coming up at Liar’s Club in Chicago on August 13 but he definitely won’t be the only one onstage that night. He’ll be joined by fellow Romantics member Brad Elvis (who also drums for The Handcuffs); Ricky Rat of Trash Brats; the Tall Doug band and The Alright Maybes. Matt Dudzik from Poison Boys will start things off with an acoustic covers set and DJ Chainblaster will be spinning records between sets.
The kids are all right. Fourteen-year-old vocalist-guitarist Gavin Eimerman has recorded a new single titled “Déjà Vu” with help from 16-year-old Bianca Algeri on drums and backing vocals. Eimerman lives in the Chicago area while Algeri resides in Australia. There’s an additional sense of déjà vu here since Gavin’s grandfather Herb Eimerman and Bianca’s father Joe Algeri have recorded music together as part of the international power pop act The Britannicas and on several other projects. The appealing and off-kilter “Déjà Vu” is available for free download on Joe Algeri’s Bandcamp page.
Mark Lofgren, who’s performed with The Luck Of Eden Hall and The Thin Cherries, recently released a sequel to his mysterious 2020 release Black Moon Book. Titled Black Moon Book 2, the album sets haunting imagery like, “There are ghosts in the museum this summertime” and “Strangers pass us like storms” to stately arrangements. Lofgren is particularly effective on the more energetic tracks “We Don’t Leave The Yard” and “Proceed Home.”
Fest For Beatles Fans returns to the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont next weekend, August 12 – 14. Special guests include Gregg Bissonette from Ringo’s All- Star Band; Peter Asher; Billy J. Kramer; Wings guitarist Laurence Juber, and Ava Cherry (who sang with David Bowie). There will be performances by Liverpool, The Weeklings, Phil Angotti, Cellophane Flowers, My Sweet George, and Jay Goeppner. Hometown DJ Terri Hemmert from WXRT is once again Master Of Ceremonies.
Outronaut will be cranking out original, fun, and adventurous instrumental rock free of charge at Elmhurst Hall in suburban Elmhurst on August 13. The Chicago-based band led by guitarist Steve Gerlach has a brand new EP titled Godfinger available on Bandcamp.
The Printers Row Art Festival will take place next Saturday and Sunday, August 13 and 14, at 701 S. Dearborn Street in Chicago.
YippieFest is back in person this year, bringing three days of theatre, comedy, music, short films, and all sorts of off-kilter entertainment to The Den Theatre August 19 – 21. The freewheeling event can be considered an offspring of the beloved Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins festivals once held at the Mary-Arrchie Theatre since organizers Frank Carr of the Famous In The Future comedy group and James Moeller of the alt rock band whitewolfsonicprincess were Abbie Fest regulars. Even the pricing evokes Abbie Fest; with day passes going for $15, and weekend passes for $25. See the website for the full schedule of performers.
Nouvelle Vague, the French band that transformed punk classics by The Cure, Dead Kennedys, The Buzzcocks, and others into irresistible lounge songs on their 2004 debut, will be at he Empty Bottle in Chicago on August 23. Later efforts found the group transforming Devo’s “Just The Girl” into a rockabilly rave up and giving The English Beat’s “Mirror In The Bathroom” a bump and grind treatment. Marc Collin and Chrystabell from Strange As Angels are also on the bill that night.
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