Champagne

Best wishes for a festive New Year’s Eve weekend and a happy, successful 2024 to all who read this blog. May all your goals and creative endeavors bear fruit. And, whether you choose to hit the town or celebrate at home; party all weekend or just on Sunday night, be sure to keep safe and stay healthy.

 

Here’s a fun option for an almost-end-of-the-year bash. The Dyes and Amazing Heeby Jeebies will share a New Year’s Eve-Eve double bill at The Outta Space Art Music Bar in Berwyn tomorrow night.

Some joints just celebrate the new year, but Montrose Saloon promises patrons will be able to “Enter the portal of 2024 with cherished local acts.” The Metalliques; Rose Lake; Vydoc; and Montrose Saloon honcho Eric Chial will perform during the festivities.

The Lemonheads’ New Year’s Eve Extravaganda at SPACE in Evanston sounds like fun, but keep in mind there’s a low ticket warning in effect for gig.

Super Creeps, the Chicago-based David Bowie tribute band, and their special guests My Biggest Thrills, will help Brit rock fans ring in the new year at Outta Space in Berwyn. Super Creeps will perform a couple sets of Bowie material, and My Biggest Thrills will honor The Mighty Lemon Drops, along with other new wave acts. The celebrating starts at 8:00 pm.

Today is Marianne Faithful’s birthday. You can celebrate and help a good cause by purchasing The Faithful - A Tribute To Marianne Faithful from the In The Q record label. It’s now available to stream on Spotify, Tidal, YouTube Music; iHeart Radio, Deezer and Pandora. The album will help Faithful deal with complications from Long COVID, and several noted artists have donated their time to the project. A double vinyl LP version is on the way.

If reading more rock and roll books is one of your new year’s resolutions, consider Elizabeth Winder’s Parachute Women. It honors the women, especially Marianne Faithfull, Marsha Hunt, Bianca Jagger, and Anita Pallenberg that Winder feels had a major and positive influence on the The Rolling Stones. 

More book suggestions: The Singers Talk, Jason Thomas Gordon’s book honoring the essential role lead vocalists play in creating music (with all royalties benefiting the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital) and I Quit Everything by Freda Love Smith, who was a member of the Blake Babies, Some Girls, Sunshine Boys.

Sons Of The Silent Age, Chicago’s top notch David Bowie tribute act, has a new benefit coming up on January 13 at Metro. It’s titled David Bowie: Future Legend, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to NorthShore HealthSystem Foundation to help people overcome cancer. Actor-musician Michael Shannon will also take part, playing the songs of Brian Eno.

Getting back to the subject of books, you should also consider Jeff Tweedy’s World Within A Song. Subtitled Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music, it features the Wilco frontman exploring the art and importance of songwriting.

In a case of double-oops, I hadn’t mentioned Patti Smith’s December 27 concert at the Salt Shed venue in Chicago since a single line in the December 15 Slumgullion. It wasn’t even a proper sentence; it was more of a note to myself to write some copy about the event. (I’ve just gone in and fixed it, so let’s keep this our little secret.) Luckily, Chicago Tribune music critic Bob Gendron was on the case, so Smith fans can read his favorable review in today’s issue. “Though Smith is no stranger to remarkable performances,” Gendron notes, “her transcendent showing at the former Morton Salt facility unfolded as the stuff of legend.”

More book ideas: Eric M. Shade’s unauthorized biography All Over The Place - The Rise Of The Bangles From The L.A. Underground. Brian Kramp’s This Band Has No Past: How Cheap Trick Became Cheap Trick. And from England, Fingers Crossed - How Music Saved Me From Success by Miki Berenyi from Lush.

Who wouldn’t want to be sedated these days? The Power Pop Shoppe radio program will present a celebration of The Ramones’ 50th anniversary with local acts Bishops Daredevil Stunt Club, Rolling Numbers, Golden Richards and Things That Fly at Montrose Saloon on January 13. The evening will offer a mix of Ramones covers and original songs by the participating acts.

The Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights will hold its annual Women’s Jazz Festival January 4 through 7. Tickets are available on the official website for individual shows, as well as for a four-day pass.

Chicago-based musician Matt Tiegler will showcase songs from his latest album next Thursday, January 4 at SPACE in Evanston. Released last October, Hands Free Down Hill features catchy indie rock tunes like “I Didn’t Get You” and the title track. Tommi Zender, who produced Hands Free Down Hill, will also perform at SPACE that night. Zender is well known on the Chicago music scene for his solo work, as well as a member local bands such as Push Puppets.

Androgynous Mustache, a local collective of musicians that has been behind several impressive tribute shows, will bring their annual Warren Zevon Tribute Show to SPACE in Evanston on January 24.

 

The critically acclaimed production of Sugar Hill: The Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker ends its run at the Auditorium Theatre tomorrow night.

City Winery Chicago will unveil new variations for its weekend brunch series in 2024. The popular Beatles Brunch With Phil Angotti And Friends will continue on Sundays but will now rotate with Soul Brunch (January brings tributes to Tina Turner and ‘90s rhythm and blues). There will also be Phil Angotti And Friends events that cover other famous artists, such as Buddy Holly, The Police, and The Kinks.

Congratulations to composer/recording artist Shawn Maxwell on his pair of nominations in The Chicago Reader’s Best Of Chicago poll. He’s up for Best Individual Jazz Musician, and his ambitious Story At Eleven, which is a long-form composition in four movements, is under consideration for Best Local Album Of The Year. Story At Eleven is Maxwell’s eleventh album.

That Chicago Reader Best Of Chicago poll is divided into the seven major categories of Arts And Culture; Buy Local; Cannabis; City Life; Food And Drink; Music And Nightlife; and Sports And Recreation. Each of these is further broken down into several smaller categories. Voting will continue through January 14.

The critically acclaimed Beautiful: The Carole King Musical runs through Sunday at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire.

A production of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child will open next fall at the Nederlander Theatre in downtown Chicago. The blockbuster play was written by Jack Thorne, based on J.K. Rowling’s story, and will be directed by John Tiffany.

Yet another book suggestion: Trouser Press Books, the publisher whose Trouser Press magazine delighted cutting edge rock fans from 1974 to March 1984 (I still have copies), will celebrate the magazine’s 50th birthday with a ‘best of’ collection in March 2024.

Robyn Hitchcock will be at the 4-Star Theater in San Francisco on January 4 to introduce a new Syd Barrett documentary, and play a few of Barrett’s songs. Two days later in that same city, Hitchcock will perform with musician Kelley Stoltz at the sold out Syd Barrett Birthday Show at The Chapel venue.

The Goodman Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol will finish its run this Sunday.

The 2024 Joey’s Song Benefit Concert takes place at The Sylvee venue in Madison, Wisconsin on January 6. This year’s format involves a Battle Of The Bands pitting The Know-It-All Boyfriends against The Know-It-All Girlfriends. Participating musicians include Butch Vig and Duke Erikson from Garbage (and as any rock-savvy Wisconsin fan knows, Spooner), Chris Collingwood from Fountains Of Wayne and Freedy Johnson; and Gail Greenwood from Belly, Debbi and Vicki Peterson from The Bangles, and Linda Pitmon from The Minus Five. Joey’s Song is a charity devoted to raising money for epilepsy research and to provide services for children with special needs.

As with so many others who watched The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in the 1960s, I was saddened to see the news that Tommy Smothers has passed away. In addition to being blessed with perfect comic timing, he deeply cared about his fellow human beings, and wasn’t afraid to stand up for what he believed. Plus, he and his brother Dick featured so many cool bands on their show. I was thrilled to see The Hollies on there, but The Who had the best-known appearance. Riff In Paradise, Tom. I guess now you’ll find out your Mom actually liked you and Dick equally. 

Incoming

Spend lots of time and money. Dad, get me into this. Androgynous Mustache, a local collective of musicians that has been behind several impressive tribute shows around the Chicago area, will stage its annual Warren Zevon Tribute at SPACE in Evanston on January 24.

As noted on Facebook by each of the three participants, this Friday night’s triple bill of John San Juan, Outronaut, and and Depravos De La Mour at The Hideout on Chicago's north side has been postponed due to an illness in one of the acts.

The Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights will hold its annual Women’s Jazz Festival January 4 through 7. The scheduled performers include Yoko Noge’s Jazz Me Blues; Sitarsys and Joan Hickey Quartet featuring Alexa Tarantino; Mary Halm and Helios; Marlene Rosenberg Quintet and Natalies Wood Plays Roland Kirk; Alexander/McLean Project and Pamela York’s Affinity Trio; Heirloom and Eunoia Society; Meghan and Stagl and Friends; and Mary Halvorson Amaryllis Project and Alexis Lombre. There will also be an afternoon Student Performance. Tickets are available for individual shows, as well as for a four-day pass.

Chicago-based musician Matt Tiegler will showcase songs from latest album on January 4 at SPACE in Evanston. Released last October, Hands Free Down Hill features catchy indie rock tunes like “I Didn’t Get You” and the title track. Tommi Zender, who produced Hands Free Down Hill, will also perform at SPACE that night. Zender is well known on the Chicago music scene for his solo work, as well as a member of local bands such as Push Puppets.

Post From Christmas Past: Four "Old Lang Synes," My Dear

I‘ve shared this post several times over the years, but if you’re putting together a playlist for a New Year’s Eve celebration, these are some worthy candidates.

One of the reasons people still get misty-eyed at the end of It’s A Wonderful Life is because all the family, friends, and neighbors singing “Auld Lang Syne” at the Bailey residence reminds us of our own situation. The song has always conveyed a bittersweet message. A celebration of the loved ones we’ve cherished throughout our lives, but a recognition that for one reason or another, many of them have moved on. John Lennon explored a similar sentiment with The Beatles on “In My Life.”

There was a time when just about everybody thought of Guy Lombardo when it came to “Auld Lang Syne” since he and his Royal Canadians played it every New Year’s Eve for years on radio and TV. Nowadays, nobody under 50 would know who he was, although his version is available on iTunes and YouTube. It sounds particularly melancholy.

“Auld Lang Syne” continues to be covered by various musicians. The version by The Smithereens on their terrific album Christmas With The Smithereens opens with the band harmonizing like a barbershop quartet. From there, the guitars and drums kick in and the arrangement morphs into a pulsating surf rock tune that’s predominantly instrumental.

Smithereens drummer Dennis Diken also tackled the song as part of group called Husky Team. This fun instrumental take, which is included on the Hi-Fi Christmas Party Volume 2 CD, mixes “Auld Lang Syne” with the Booker T & The MG’s 1960s hit, “Green Onions.”

My favorite version of “Auld Lang Syne” comes from a New Jersey band called The Cucumbers, and as far as I can tell, is only available on the various artists CD Ho Ho Ho Spice. The guitar-driven, slightly Celtic, power pop arrangement and Deena Shoshkes’s spirited vocals cast out any trace of sadness and offer instead an exhilarating sense of triumph. The journey’s over and the quest has been successful. Definitely inspirational, but not the feeling we’ve come away with at the close of any recent years. Here’s hoping this next one leaves us feeling better.

Incoming

WXRT is holding a Vintage Market this Thursday from 2:00 to 5:00 pm at The Salt Shed. Fans of the Chicago radio station can shop for limited-edition and out-of-print WXRT t-shirts, Live From The Archives CDs, concert posters, and vinyl records. The event will also feature a Mt. Joy Pop-Up, since it takes place prior to the alt rock band’s concert that night. Radio personality Johnny Mars will be on hand from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Sales from the Vintage Market will help the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

If those positive reviews of Sugar Hill: The Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker in Chicago’s daily newspapers have you yearning to see the production, you’ll have to act fast. It ends its run at the Auditorium Theatre this Saturday.

Congratulations to composer/recording artist Shawn Maxwell on his pair of nominations in The Chicago Reader’s Best Of Chicago poll. He’s up for Best Individual Jazz Musician, and his ambitious Story At Eleven, which is a long-form composition in four movements, is under consideration for Best Local Album Of The Year. Story At Eleven is Maxwell’s eleventh album.

That Chicago Reader’s Best Of Chicago poll is divided into the seven major categories of Arts And Culture; Buy Local; Cannabis; City Life; Food And Drink; Music And Nightlife; and Sports And Recreation. Each of those is further broken down into several smaller categories. Voting will continue through January 14.

The Brother John Quintet will perform rhythm and blues, soul, and blues music this Thursday night at The Matrix in Naperville. The music starts at 7:30.

John San Juan, who’s been impressive in his work with The Hushdrops, as well as for providing expert live support for various bands around the Chicago club scene, has a solo show coming up at The Hideout this Friday. He’ll share the bill with the self-described rock and roll garage punk sleaze band Depravos De La Mour and the guitar-driven instrumental group Outronaut.

Phil Angotti has spent many a Sunday afternoon performing Beatles songs at City Winery Chicago, but he’ll be taking a new approach at the venue in 2024. His popular Beatles Brunch events will now take place every other month, starting in February, and the remaining Sunday shows will explore various themes. On January 7, Angotti will cover songs by Buddy Holly, The Police, early Bee Gees, Kinks, and others. Show time continues to be at noon.

The Lemonheads’ December 29 and 30 shows at SPACE in Evanston, in which they’ll celebrate their It’s A Shame About Ray and Come On Feel The Lemonheads albums respectively, have sold out. Tickets are still available for their New Year’s Eve Extravaganda gig at the venue. SPACE is located at 1245 Chicago Avenue in Evanston.

In other Lemonheads news, lead vocalist-guitarist Evan Dando will be selling his paintings during the Got A Black Marker! series at Liar's Club tomorrow through Sunday. The first night will feature a reception with cocktails. There will also be live music by Dorian Taj, Taylor Morse, and other guests. Liar’s Club is located at 1665 W. Fullerton on Chicago’s north side.

The critically acclaimed Beautiful: The Carole King Musical will wrap up its successful run this Sunday at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire.

Hear! Here! For The Holidays!

Back when I bought the 2010 vinyl reissue of The Hollies’ Hear! Here! album on the Sundazed label, I decided to keep my 1965 version even though it definitely shows its age. The jacket of that Imperial Records release is frayed and the vinyl has scratches, but I’ll always regard it as a prized possession. I’m pretty sure it was the first album I ever owned. On this day in 1966, an older brother decided to give me a copy of Hear! Here! as a Christmas present, along with the “Stop Stop Stop” single I had requested.

At that point, I only knew one song by The Hollies, but hearing jangling pop gems such as “I’m Alive,” “Look Through Any Window,” and “I’ve Been Wrong” immediately caught my attention. Their covers of the rhythm and blues standards “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” and “You Must Believe Me,” as well as Roy Orbison’s “Down The Line,” were precise and spirited. The Hollies’ originals—the touching “So Lonely” and the harder-edged “Too Many People”—showed their versatility as songwriters.

A month later, I bought their Stop Stop Stop album (For Certain Because in the UK) with money I earned from shoveling our next door neighbor’s sidewalk after the infamous Chicago big snow of 1967. My fascination with the liner notes describing the various inspirations that Graham Nash, Allan Clarke, and Tony Hicks drew upon as songwriters sparked my own life-long interest in writing. And as on Hear! Here!, the harmonies these three guys created were fantastic.

Happy Holidays to all my visitors here at Broken Hearted Toy.

A Post From Christmas Past: A Kool Kat Kristmas Volume Two

Best wishes for a peaceful and joyous Christmas to all who celebrate it and all who read this blog. Here’s a various artists holiday CD review I first posted here in 2014. A tip of the santa hat to everyone at Kool Kat Musik for their continuing mission to bring power pop to the masses. If anyone is interested in checking out more of my holiday review, check out the December posts in the Broken hearted Toy archives.

Ever since Shoes brought several bands together for its classic Yuletunes CD in 1991, power pop has been successfully carving out its own niche in the Christmas music genre. The New Jersey-based indie label Kool Kat Musik has certainly embraced the trend; recently releasing A Kool Kat Kristmas Volume Two. As with the previous version, Volume Two features a number of acts putting their seasonal contemplations to melodic, guitar-driven arrangements. And once again, a portion of the proceeds for each sale will go to the Susan Giblin Foundation For Animal Wellness and Welfare.

Most of the bands on A Kool Kat Kristmas Volume Two take a cheerful approach to the holiday, even if it comes under unusual circumstances. “Christmas Is Coming Again” by The Pencils (who reunited for this effort) and “Snowbirds” by The Honeymoon Stallions celebrate holiday traditions, using lush harmony vocals and ringing guitars. The Connection uses playful, old time music on “Poor Boy” while proclaiming that you don’t needs loads of money to enjoy Christmas as long as you’ve got rock and roll. Shake Some Action and The Tor Guides adroitly employ mid-1960s jangle for songs about observing the Yuletide in non-freezing weather and getting cool records as gifts on “Christmas In The Sun” and “Beatles Vinyl,” respectively.   

On “Another Lonely Christmas,” Split Second remains engaging while exploring the sadness that sometimes comes with this holiday, while Dan Kibler delves into exotic indie rock for his acoustic-based “Winter Sun.” The Bottle Kids’ descriptive “Christmas In Paris” and The Genuine Fakes’ bittersweet “You Always Come Back Home” offer additional, interesting variations. People who like to put together their own rock Christmas playlists will find some worthy new candidates on A Kool Kat Kristmas Volume Two.

Post From Christmas Past: Carl Wayne - “White Christmas”

Back in the year 2000, Carl Wayne took over for Allan Clarke as the lead vocalist of The Hollies. Although the band hadn’t released an album since 1983, it still toured extensively throughout Europe. Considering that Clarke had one of the more distinctive voices in rock, whoever replaced him would be facing a huge challenge. Wayne never attempted to imitate his predecessor. As a founding member of the highly regarded English band The Move, as well as a veteran of the stage, he had the confidence to be himself. In the four years he performed with The Hollies before passing away from throat cancer, he established himself as “the people’s Hollie”— a performer who loved interacting with fans and bringing them closer to their favorite band.

In 2003, Wayne collaborated with the German synth duo et cetera on a CD with three versions of the classic holiday song, “White Christmas.” The disc was made available through Wayne’s website, and fans could choose between an English language version or a German language version. The singer autographed each copy with a gold ink pen. The “True Feelings Mix” and the “Radio Mix” have slower, keyboards-based arrangements that showcase Wayne’s deep, soulful vocals. They’re nice, but perhaps a little too mainstream for some rock fans’ tastes. The “Swing Mix,” which features horns, finds Wayne taking a peppy, hipster approach, and it’s a lot of fun. All three versions of “White Christmas,” along with other Wayne and et cetera songs, like “Blackberry Way” and “Sorry Suzanne,” are available on iTunes.

The Hollies themselves never recorded a Christmas song, even though their famous three-part harmonies would have been well-suited to the task. Plus, the band reportedly took their name from the fact that their first gig was on Christmas, in a club decorated with holly. They did engage in holiday revelry on British TV shows, but to my knowledge, none of that material was ever officially released. The closest I’ve found is “Julhalsning,” on the import CD, The Hollies - Swedish Hits And More. It’s a recording the band made in the mid-1960s for the readers of Bild magazine, and features Graham Nash and the boys joking around and singing a very silly and very short version of  “White Christmas.”

Merry Christmas, Carl and thanks for the memories.

Holiday Dinner

Rick Nielsen preparing for a night of celebration.

Happy Holidays to all who read this blog, from my home state of Illinois to locations around the world. I hope everyone get the presents they want, finds the comfort and joy they need, and that enough of us truly want peace and goodwill toward men and women.

Taking a cue from the retail industry, I’ll immediately jump from the Christmas holiday to Valentine’s Day. Phil Angotti and Friends will perform Beatles Love Songs at SPACE in Evanston on February 14.

Happy Birthday to Cheap Trick lead guitarist/imaginative (crazy?) songwriter Rick Nielsen.

Having grown up in the Chicago area, I probably have more fond memories of this band than Nielsen has candles on his cake. Like when I first saw them at Harlow’s night club on the southwest side, or when I was watching them perform at the University Of Illinois in Chicago, and got hit in the face with one of the numerous guitar picks Nielsen flicked into the audience. I still have it. 

Get your wands ready. As reported by Chris Jones in a recent issue of the Chicago Tribune, a production of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child will open next fall at the Nederlander Theatre in downtown Chicago. The blockbuster play was written by Jack Thorne, based on J.K. Rowling’s story, and will be directed by John Tiffany.

WXRT is holding a Vintage Market next Thursday, December 28 from 2:00 to 5:00 pm at The Salt Shed. Fans of the Chicago radio station can shop for limited edition and out-of-print WXRT t-shirts, Live From The Archives CDs, concert posters, and vinyl records. The event will also feature a Mt. Joy Pop-Up, since it takes place prior to the alt rock band’s concert that night. Radio personality Johnny Mars will be on hand from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Sales from the Vintage Market will help Greater Chicago Food Depository.

Michael McDermott’s three-night Mischief and Mistletoe run kicked off last night at City Winery Chicago, and will continue tonight and tomorrow. Show time is 8:00 pm for each evening.

Phil Manzanera’s upcoming memoir Revólución to Roxy is now available for pre-orders at A Way With Media publishing company.

John San Juan, who’s known and admired as a founding member of The Hushdrops, as well as for performing with various bands around the Chicago club scene, has a solo show coming up at The Hideout on December 29. He’ll share the bill with the self-described rock and roll garage punk sleaze band Depravos De La Mour and the guitar-driven instrumental group Outronaut.

Trouser Press Books, the publisher whose Trouser Press magazine delighted cutting edge rock fans from 1974 to March 1984 (I still have copies), will celebrate the magazine’s 50th birthday with a ‘best of’ collection in March 2024. In the mean time, Trouser Press is posting a different Trouser Press magazine cover each day on social media.

Robyn Hitchcock will be at the 4-Star Theater in San Francisco on January 4 to introduce a new Syd Barrett documentary, and play a few of Barrett’s songs. Two days later in that same city, Hitchcock will perform with musician Kelley Stoltz at the sold out Syd Barrett Birthday Show at The Chapel venue.

The Lemonheads’ December 29 and 30 shows at SPACE in Evanston, in which they’ll celebrate their It’s A Shame About Ray and Come On Feel The Lemonheads albums respectively, have sold out. Tickets are still available for their New Year’s Eve Extravaganda gig at the venue. SPACE is located at 1245 Chicago Avenue in Evanston.

In other Lemonheads news, lead vocalist-guitarist Evan Dando will be selling his paintings during the Got A Black Marker! series at Liar's Club December 27 through December 31. The first night will feature a reception with cocktails. There will also be live music by Dorian Taj, Taylor Morse, and other guests. Liar’s Club is located at 1665 W. Fullerton on Chicago’s north side.

Nuggets - A 50th Anniversary All-Star Celebration Of The Nuggets Compilation, the multi-artist  charity event staged at Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA by Paul Rock’s Wild Honey Foundation, along with writer/producer Lenny Kaye and Rhino Records, is now available on DVD and Blu-ray for a $30 donation.

The critically acclaimed Beautiful: The Carole King Musical runs through December 31 at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire.

The Faithful - A Tribute To Marianne Faithful from the In The Q record label is now available to stream on Spotify, Tidal, YouTube Music; iHeart Radio, Deezer and Pandora. The album aims to help Faithful deal with complications from Long COVID, and several noted artists have donated their time to the project. A double LP version will be available in January.

Chicago’s long-running alternative publication The Reader has announced the list of nominees for its 2023 Best Of Chicago poll in an online newsletter sent out to subscribers. The choices are divided into the seven major categories of Arts And Culture; Buy Local; Cannabis; City Life; Food And Drink; Music And Nightlife; and Sports And Recreation. Each of these is further broken down into several smaller categories. Voting kicked off on December 13 and will continue through January 14.

The Songwriters Hall Of Fame has announced its nominees for 2024, and the Performing Songwriters category includes Debbie Harry, Chris Stein and Clem Burke from Blondie; Tracy Chapman; George Clinton; Ann and Nancy Wilson from Heart; Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe from R.E.M.; and Donald Fagen and Walter Becker from Steely Dan. The Goodman Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol opens tomorrow and will run through December 31.

Eric M. Shade’s unauthorized biography All Over The Place - The Rise Of The Bangles From The L.A. Underground is now available for pre-order from the Chicago-based Hozac Records And Books website. Due out in a limited run of 600 copies on January 24 softcover, the 438-page book will include a thorough discography, as well as previously unseen photos.

Super Creeps, the Chicago-based David Bowie tribute band, and their special guests My Biggest Thrills, will help Brit rock fans ring in the new year at Outta Space in Berwyn. Super Creeps will perform a couple sets of Bowie material, and My Biggest Thrills will honor The Mighty Lemon Drops, along with other new wave acts. The celebrating starts at 8:00 pm.

The 2024 Joey’s Song Benefit Concert takes place at The Sylvee venue in Madison, Wisconsin on January 6. This year’s format involves a Battle Of The Bands pitting The Know-It-All Boyfriends against The Know-It-All Girlfriends. Participating musicians include Butch Vig and Duke Erikson from Garbage (and as any rock-savvy Wisconsin fan knows, Spooner), Chris Collingwood from Fountains Of Wayne and Freedy Johnson; and Gail Greenwood from Belly, Debbi and Vicki Peterson from The Bangles, and Linda Pitmon from The Minus Five. Joey’s Song is a charity devoted to raising money for epilepsy research and to provide services for children with special needs.

Sons Of The Silent Age, Chicago’s top notch David Bowie tribute act, has a new benefit coming up on January 13 at Metro. It’s titled David Bowie: Future Legend, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated NorthShore HealthSystem Foundation to help people overcome cancer. Actor-musician Michael Shannon will also take part, playing the songs of Brian Eno. Shannon will also be performing the music of the R.E.M. album Murmur with Jason Narducy And Friends in a series of dates next February.

Christmas With The Smithereens

I first reviewed Christmas With The Smithereens back in 2009, the year I started my Broken Hearted Toy blog. Looking back through my posts over the years, I was surprised to discover I haven’t reposted the full review since 2014. Both instances were before the band’s lead vocalist-guitarist Pat DiNizio passed away in 2017. So, before moving on to the full review, just a few words from a tribute to DiNizio I posted on the day after his death.

I can’t remember going to a Smithereens concert where they didn’t come out afterwards to chat, pose for pictures, and sign autographs. And I probably saw them more times than any other group. I doubt they were able to remember all of us from one concert to the next, but Pat DiNizio, guitarist-vocalist Jim Babjak, drummer-vocalist Dennis Diken, bassist-vocalist Mike Mesaros (and later, bassist-vocalist The Thrilla) were always genuinely friendly. The music DiNizio wrote and performed with them was a workingman’s power pop with energy and an unerring sense of melody. Many of us will miss DiNizio not only as fans but as friends who connected with him on a personal level over the years.

The Smithereens first dabbled in Christmas music back in 1992 by recording a silly and energetic take on “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” for the Rockin’ Christmas compilation. The song later appeared on the 1995 Attack Of The Smithereens rarities collection, as well as on the Songs Of The Season compilation sponsored by Borders Books and WXRT in 2000. 

In 2007, the band, which at the time featured bassist Severo Jornacion, really showed its holiday spirit by releasing the full-length Christmas With The Smithereens. It’s a fun party from start to finish, as The Smithereens bring their engaging power pop approach to a mix of originals and cover versions. “Waking Up On Christmas Morning,” which can also be found on the Hi-Fi Christmas Party and Ho Ho Spice collections, is a catchy tune penned by guitarist Jim Babjak. The fast-paced “Christmas Time All Over The World,” written by Babjak, singer Pat DiNizio, drummer Dennis Diken, and original bassist Mike Mesaros, celebrates hugging and kissing under the mistletoe, and compares the holiday to a big rock show. The other Smithereens original, “Christmas (I Remember)” takes a melodic look back at childhood and notes, “The kid inside my heart won’t die.”

There are also guitar-driven interpretations of Chuck Berry’s “Run Rudolph Run,” Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” and The Beach Boys’ “Merry Christmas, Baby.” “Christmas,” taken from The Who’s Tommy isn’t traditional holiday fare, but the authentic arrangement here gives a preview of band’s later decision to record their own version of the entire rock opera. “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)” doesn’t have as much edge as the version by The Ramones, but it’s still a solid effort, and The Smithereens also do well with “Christmas Time Is Here Again,” one of the rare songs The Beatles recorded for their fan club members.

The Smithereens set Clement Clark Moore’s classic poem, ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas to a jazzy percussion-led arrangement, and open “Auld Lang Syne” with acappella vocals before launching into a rollicking instrumental jam session. All in all, Christmas With The Smithereens is a date worth keeping.

A Post From Christmas Past

The first time I reviewed Christmas Time by Chris Stamey And Friends here on BHT was in 2009. It’s one of my all-time holiday compilations, so I’ve reposted it almost every December since then. Here’s an edited version from 2022.

Back in 1993, news of a holiday album featuring The dB’s and Big Star had visions of catchy songs dancing in the heads of power pop fans. Christmas Time by Chris Stamey And Friends not only delivered the gifts, it had the feel of an old-fashioned TV variety show. Host Chris Stamey, a founding member of The dB’s, kicked things off with the band on the impossibly catchy title track. Stamey also teamed up with vocalist-guitarist Wes Lachot for the wistful “Christmas Is The Only Time (I Think Of You)” and joined vocalist-keyboards player Cathy Harrington on the spirited romance of “You’re What I Want (For Christmas).” Harrington also entertained with her own festive contribution, “Sha La La.”

Big Star checked in with the original rocking hymn “Jesus Christ,” and founder Alex Chilton offered a cozy acoustic version of “The Christmas Song.” Vocalist-guitarist Peter Holsapple of The dB’s (and later a touring member of R.E.M.) served up a simple but beautiful “O Holy Night” while acoustic guitarist Brent Lambert’s “Silent Nocturne” was an engaging instrumental take on “Silent Night.” Brent Lambert and Kirsten Lambert performed a low-key but engaging “Silver Bells,” and singer Syd Straw added a holiday pun to her rendition of a Blondie tune with “(I’m Always Touched By Your) Presents, Dear.”

The dB’s and their guests sounded like they were having a blast during the recording of this CD, especially on the high-speed “Holiday Spirit” and a totally loopy take on José Feliciano's “Feliz Navidad” by The dB’s. 

Incoming

The Unswept, whose official bio describes them as native Brits who moved to Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood a number of years back, have a gig at Montrose Saloon tomorrow night. They offer catchy pop music with clever lyrics, along with a stage presence that sports a British sense of humor. The Unswept’s songwriting approach has evolved over the years, with the 2022 Fast Casual being their most adventurous album yet. In addition to impressive originals such as “Please Don’t Waste My Time” and “Got Lucky,” they also do a superb job covering The Smithereens and Marshall Crenshaw. Montrose Saloon is located at 2933 W. Montrose on Chicago’s north side.

The Regrettes will perform their last ever show this Thursday night at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. A post on their social media sites explained it’s a friendly decision that will allow the members to pursue other projects. Still, it’s sad to bid farewell to a band that so masterfully combined the 1960s girl group sound with hard-edged punk, after only a few albums. The Regrettes visited Chicago a few times, including an outdoor gig last summer. Best wishes to lead vocalist-rhythm guitarist Lydia Night and the other band members for successful new beginnings in 2024. 

Michael McDermott’s Mischief and Mistletoe show takes place this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at City Winery Chicago. That sure sounds like a holiday event, but maybe he’ll work in a few songs from his latest album St. Paul’s Boulevard as well. Show time is 8:00 pm for each evening

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The EXPO ’76 Big XMAS Bash takes place this Friday night at FitzGerald’s Nightclub in Berwyn. Tickets are $20.00 in advance, and reserved tables are available. These Chicago music scene veterans have a unlimited repertoire, so you can imagine what a Santa’s bag of fun they’ll unpack at a holiday show. Guests are encouraged to don their ugliest Xmas sweaters for a chance to nab first place in a contest. The merriment starts at 8:30 pm.

Singer-guitarist Michael Cohen will return to Tuscan Market in Arlington Heights this Friday and perform holiday classics and Great American Songbook Standards with special guest Edward Hasse helping out on bass. Show time is 7:00 pm.

Congratulations to the Famous In The Future comedy group on selling out all three performances of its holiday musical comedy A Judy Christmas at The Den Theatre this past weekend.

Down The Chimney Comes The JAC

Once upon a Christmas morning back when I was in grade school, an older brother gave me a seven-inch single of The Hollies’ “Stop Stop Stop.” It launched a life-long tradition of requesting a rock and roll gift for the holiday. Early examples included Stephen Stills’ first solo album and the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band LP. This continued over the years, even if I have to buy my own presents and put them under the tree. This year, I’m giving me the Relentless album by The Pretenders, and U2’s “Atomic” single in CD and colored vinyl formats.

Australian rocker Joe Algeri understands the significance of offering a musical gift at this time of year. He and his international merry helpers, operating under the band name The JAC, have been releasing a free holiday single for 23 years via his Egomaniac Bandcamp page. The songs aren’t always joyous or even seasonal, but they’re definitely fun. In fact, this year’s rollicking edition, “Me And My Machine,” would work just as well in July as it does in December.

Thanks to modern technology, The Jac features lead vocalist-guitarist Algeri playing with bassist-backing vocalist Herb Eimerman and sax player George Matoian from America; drummer Stefan Johanson and guitarist Las Brusell from Sweden; and lead guitarist-backing vocalist Andy J. Prinkkila from Finland. Together, they crank out a vintage rock song celebrating the joys of cruising with your date in an awesome sports car. 

The adventure kicks off at a hot dog stand, with Algeri searching for a companion to run away from it all with him. Describing himself as “some punk who's nuts and bolts,” Algeri explains, “I’m not digging this place, I only dig you.” Matoian’s exuberant blast of saxophone fits perfectly with the catchy, energetic guitars and drums arrangement, making this a fine gift and a fun ride for any season. Some day, I’ll have to introduce Joe Algeri to my older brother.

“Me And My Machine” is currently available as a free download on the Egomaniac Music Bandcamp page.