Slumgullion

Susanna Hoffs. The Girl With A Guitar. And an idea for a novel.

Newcity, the Chicago free monthly magazine has come out with its annual LIT50 issue, which celebrates the powerful and benevolent among the city’s literature scene. The honorees are divided into four categories: Booksellers And Allies; Advocates, Educators, And Changemakers; Publishers, Services And Other Media; and Institutions And Programmers. It’s definitely a helpful resource for those of us with dreams of someday getting a novel on the bestseller list.

In keeping with that spirit, I’ve included a few publishing-related bits in this week’s Slumgullion.

As reported exclusively via Entertainment Weekly, Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles has written a novel titled This Bird Has Flown, and it’s due out April 4, 2023. In the article, Hoffs revealed that her main character is a musician and songwriter. 

Fest For Beatles Fans is back at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont this weekend. This year’s featured guests are Gregg Bissonette; Peter Asher; Billy J. Kramer; Chris O’Dell; Laurence Juber; the Beatles Tribute band Liverpool; and The Weeklings, which is an offshoot of Liverpool. Hometown favorites Phil Angotti And Friends will be performing on the Main Stage tonight.

The four-part documentary series My Life As A Rolling Stone is now halfway through its run on the EPIX  entertainment network, having posted hour-long episodes on Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Still to come are episodes on Ronnie Wood and the late and terribly missed Charlie Watts. The series was created to mark The Rolling Stones’ 60th anniversary.

Vocalist-guitarist Miki Berenyi from Lush, the alternative English band that gave us gems such as “Sweetness And Light,” “Ladykillers,” and “Single Girl,” has a memoir coming out on September 29 titled Fingers Crossed - How Music Saved Me From Success. It’s available for pre-order now from the Resident website.

Mike Skill, a founding and still active member of The Romantics, has a solo gig coming up at Liar’s Club in Chicago tomorrow night, August 13. 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.

If you’re looking forward to the triumphant return of Creem, you’ll need to subscribe through its website because the iconic rock magazine won’t be sold via retail locations. Creem promises “128+ pages packed with stories, interviews, comics, and more.” Sounds fun.

Tickets are now on sale for French rockers Phoenix of “Lisztomania” fame at The Riviera on September 7. Porches will be their special guests. Phoenix has a new single out titled “Alpha Zulu” and have created a very artsy, imaginative video to go with it.

The Printers Row Art Festival will take place tomorrow and Sunday, August 13 and 14, at 701 S. Dearborn Street in Chicago. The official website promises there will be 80 juried artists and artisans, while area restaurants and bars serves food and beverages. The Printers Row Lit Fest is coming in September.

Blondie will be performing at The Chicago Theatre on Saturday, August 27, with their special guest The Damned. Debbie Harry and company have an archival box set coming out on August 26 that will include extensive liner notes, a complete discography, a hard cover book, and unreleased bonus material. That’s also when the Z2 Comics Against The Odds Blondie graphic novel is scheduled to make its long-delayed arrival.

The Ripleys will be playing songs by The Beatles, Tom Petty, Rolling Stones, U2, and others at The Curragh in Chicago’s Edison Park neighborhood tomorrow night, August 13. The music starts at 9:00 pm, the venue is located at 6705 Northwest Highway. 

 

R.E.M. will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the release of Chronic Town  on August 19 by releasing its groundbreaking EP in CD, picture disc, cassette, and digital formats. A limited edition cassette player will also be available, along with t-shirts, hoodies, an enamel pin and a skateboard.

Kevin Lee And The Kings will return to the Madcats venue in Palatine for a 9:00 pm gig tomorrow night. The veteran Chicago band recently released the Lightning Strikes EP, which features four new examples of its melodic hard rock.

UK publisher SonicBond’s fascinating on track . . . series of books has given us extensive discographies of several major recording acts. I’ve already finished the one on The Bee Gees, and I’m enjoying every listing in The Hollies version. SonicBond’s new spotlight on Stackridge covers an act a lot of yanks might not be familiar with, but these guys had a cult following in England.

Outronaut will be cranking out original, fun, and adventurous instrumental rock free of charge at Elmhurst Hall in suburban Elmhurst tomorrow night, August 13. The Chicago-based band led by guitarist Steve Gerlach has a brand new EP titled Godfinger available on Bandcamp.

Chicago-based power pop bands The Spindles and Go Time! will combine with Americana/pop band Falling Stars for a potent triple bill next Saturday, August 20, at Montrose Saloon. Go Time! lead vocalist Scott Niekelski will also be at Montrose Saloon this Sunday at 8:00 pm as the bassist for the Sonny Veneer band.

The Chicago version of here and there, which is being billed as “a touring festival curated by Courtney Barnett” will take place at The Salt Shed next Tuesday, August 16. Joining Barnett will be Alvvays and The Beths. The Salt Shed is one of Chicago’s newest venues; located at the old Morton Salt factory location at 1357 N. Elston Avenue.

The critically acclaimed Americana/alt rock band Dolly Varden has a 1:00 pm gig on the Bud Light Stage at Ribfest Chicago next Sunday, August 21 on the city’s north side.

As someone who’s been picking up a copy of the Chicago Reader every week (more recently bi-weekly) for decades, I want to extend best wishes to Tracy Baim as she steps away from her role 

of president and publisher. Baim was instrumental in keeping the Chicago Reader in business, particularly in the past year. She explained in a recent LinkedIn post that she wants to concentrate on writing and journalism in particular. Baim also noted that a “big ungala” to support the Chicago Reader will take place on November 30.

WNUR, the Power Pop Shoppe Show, and AK Productions are presenting the I-94 Rock Fest at Montrose Saloon on Saturday, September 10. Nick Piunti And The Complicated Men, Thrift Store Halo, and Golden Richards will be performing. The rocking starts at 8:00 pm.

Vocalist-guitarist Jim Peterik of Ides Of March and Survivor fame, has a special event titled Jim Peterik’s Guitar Madness - Songs And Stories coming up on August 24 at City Winery Chicago. As the City Winery website notes, Peterik is a Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated singer-songwriter.

Illinois Vintage Fest will present a Vintage Market at the renowned music venue Thalia Hall in the Pilsen neighborhood on August 21. The event is free, and will run from 10 am to 4:00 pm.

As reported by BrooklynVegan via its Instagram page, there is now a 120 Minutes YouTube channel that claims to have 2512 videos that were originally shown on the MTV series. Which should guarantee hours of fun for those of us who used to watch that show religiously on Sunday nights. 

Best of luck to Rivellino Boutique, the handmade jewelry and gifts store that recently opened in the Long Grove shopping district. My wife Pam and I were enjoying our weekly stop at the Long Grove Coffee cafe (we also frequent the Covered Bridge cafe) when a friendly looking woman approached and handed us a promo postcard for the store. It’s located at 350 Old McHenry Road, just across the street from Enzo and Lucia Ristorante. 

Congratulations to my nephew Joe Flamm on his new role as Culinary Director at the BLVD restaurant. This will be in addition to his current duties at the Rose Mary Restaurant. Both venues are located in Chicago’s trendy near west neighborhood.