Incoming

The Who have a limited-edition 3-LP, 1-CD album titled Live At Wembley With Orchestra (recorded in 2019) coming out March 31, and it’s now available for pre-order on the band’s official online store. The Who will start their 2023 U.K. Tour in July. 

The Chicago Independent Venue League’s CIVL Fest 2023 kicks off at Carol’s Pub on February 8 and will move on to include 15 other locations around the city through February 26. The event funds Venue Staff and Artist Mental Health Programs; Venue Safety Initiatives; and Equal Access And Equity Campaigns. Rosa’s Lounge; Reggies; Beat Kitchen; Lincoln Hall; Berlin; Hideout; Old Town School Of Folk Music; Metro; Annoyance Theatre; Promontory; Sleeping Village; Hungry Brain; Quarry Event Center; Harold Washington Cultural Center; and Patio Theater are the venues joining in. See the official website for a full list of performers.

Get ready for the annual debate across social media as to which acts deserve to be honored and which ones should be scorned. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame will announce its 2023 Nominees this Wednesday. Here’s a few acts I’m hoping to see on the list: The Monkees, Badfinger, Jethro Tull, The Bangles, The B-52’s, and Kate Bush.

The Blues Week Festival kicks off at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights tomorrow, January 31 and will run through February 5. Performers include the Denmark Allstars; Joanna Connor and Altered Five Blues Band; Chicago Blues Supersession; and Mud Morganfield with Studebaker John.

Popular music lost one of its all-time best composers this past weekend with the death of Barnett Strong. Working at Motown in its earliest days, he co-wrote such hits as “Money (That’s What I Want),” “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” “Just My Imagination,” and “War.” He was 81. 

The Rachel Drew Band will be performing at SPACE in Evanston this Wednesday, February 1, along with Tennis Court Oath.

Jagged Little Pill – The Musical, which is based on the Alanis Morissette album, will have a two-week run at the James M. Nederlander Theatre in downtown Chicago April 11 – 23. I met Vivek J. Tiwary, the producer who brought Jagged Little Pill to Broadway, a few years ago at Fest For Beatles Fans Chicago. He was promoting The Fifth Beatle - The Brian Epstein Story, a graphic novel he’d written, with art by Andrew C. Robinson with Kyle Baker. He was very friendly and later gave a talk at that particular Fest about how Epstein’s life inspired him to write the book.

Rhythm and blues legend Mavis Staples will be performing this Saturday, February 4 at the Symphony Center in Chicago, with singer-songwriter Celisse as her opening act. The Symphony Center is located at 220 S. Michigan Avenue. 

Slumgullion

Several musicians are taking part in the Jeff Beck Celebration that starts at 8:00 pm tomorrow (Saturday) night at Martyrs’ on Lincoln Avenue. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Folly Wildlife Rescue. Other upcoming tributes at Martyrs’ include Tributosaurus Becomes Stevie Wonder on February 9 and 10, and the My Sweet George multi-act George Harrison Birthday bash on February 25.

Providing further evidence that Rolling Stones fans will never run out of cool merchandise to buy, Mick Jagger and the Lee Oskar company have combined to create a limited-edition harmonica sporting the iconic vocalist’s name. It’s available from the Why Music website for £49.99.

Poi Dog Pondering will be showcasing a new album during its sold-out shows at Thalia Hall tonight and tomorrow night. Keep On Loving Each Other is now available to download on Bandcamp, and as with the previous nine releases from Frank Orrall and his multiple band members, it’s an impressive effort. Described as a song cycle, it’s filled with positive vibes on songs like the title track and “Do It Your Own Way.” 

The immersive exhibit Bob Marley: One Love Experience opened today at the Ovation Hollywood venue in Los Angeles. Its features include photography, music, concert videos, and a One Love Forest. It would be great to see that exhibit come to Chicago.

If you have a copy of today’s Chicago Tribune, check out Pete Crozier’s tribute to Lin Brehmer in the Voice Of People letters section. As many Brehmer fans know, Crozier was the multi-faceted producer of the beloved DJ’s’s radio show on WXRT for a number of years. His tribute concludes with this wise observation: “Lin Brehmer. My friend. And Yours. He was the kind of man you like to believe exists and rarely meet.”

Bass player Darryl Jones’ amazing career before joining The Rolling Stones is the subject of a new documentary titled Darryl Jones: In The Blood. It’s available on DVD from Amazon and on Apple TV.

The Michael Cohen Trio will be performing from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm for customers enjoying the Jazz Brunch at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights this Sunday, January 29. Cohen has extensive experience with power pop and rockabilly bands, but for this type of gig, he taps into his expertise in playing vintage love songs.

Tall Poppy Syndrome has started work on four tracks; each of which is destined to be a single release. Expect the first single to arrive this spring. The band is relatively new. and includes Vince Melouney from The Bee Gees, Jonathan Lea from The Jigsaw Seen, and Clem Burke from Blondie.

Raise your hand if you love puppets. You’ve got just a few more days to explore the 5th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival at assorted venues throughout the Chicago area. It wraps up this Sunday.

The 50th Anniversary of Pink Floyd’s masterpiece Dark Side Of The Moon is due out on March 24, and along with a CD and gatefold vinyl, will include a 76-page book, two seven-inch singles, posters, and other memorabilia. Fans can check out the full description on Pink Floyd’s official Facebook page.

The Blues Week Festival kicks off at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights on Tuesday, January 31 and runs through February 5. Performers include Joanna Connor and Altered Five Blues Band; Chicago Blues Supersession; and Mud Morganfield.

The city of Bristol in the U.K. will open its annual Slapstick Festival on Valentine’s Day with a screening of  the Marilyn Monroe film Some Like It Hot. The Festival is devoted to building modern audiences for silent comedy from 1895 – 1930, but showcase more recent comedies as well. Monty Python member Michael Palin is a guest curator this year, and he’ll on hand for two Monty Python film screenings. There will also be screenings of Spinal Tap, A Hard Day’s Night, and The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash, along with several vintage comedies.

Rhythm and blues legend Mavis Staples will be performing on February 4 at the Symphony Center in Chicago, with singer-songwriter Celisse as her opening act. The Symphony Center is located at 220 S. Michigan Avenue. 

The Bluedot Festival, billed as an “Intergalactic festival of music, science, art, technology and the exploration of space” is set to take place July 20 – 23 at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, U.K. Pavement and Grace Jones are among the headline acts, and the featured events include 60 Years Of Doctor Who: A Celebration and An Afternoon Of White Rabbit Books Featuring Miki Berenyi In Conversation. Berenyi, the vocalist-guitarist for Lush, recently released a memoir titled Fingers Crossed - How Music Saved Me From Success. 

As reported by Leor Galil in the current edition of the Chicago Reader, musician/author Jen B. Larson has a new book out titled Hit Girls - Women Of Punk In The USA 1975 –1983. Larson is a member of the band Swimsuit Addition, and well acquainted with the obstacles women musicians face. The Chicago Reader offers two excerpts from Hit Girls; one on Kate Fagan from Heavy Manners, and the other on the hard-edged rock band Bitch. I have fond memories of seeing both of those groups on the Chicago music scene, which makes this book seem even more essential for my collection. Hit Girls - Women Of Punk In The USA 1975 –1983 is available from Rough Trade, Bookshop, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and other websites.

Ian Hunter, a founding member of glam rock pioneers Mott The Hooper, as well as a successful solo artist, has a new album titled Defiance Part 1 coming out on April 21. “Bed Of Roses,” the first single, is said to be a fantasy about “the greatest concert Hunter’s ever witnessed” and features guest musicians Mike Campbell from Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers and Ringo Starr. Other well-known musicians, including the late Jeff Beck and Taylor Hawkins, were involved with recording the album.

SPACE in Evanston has announced a new batch of  shows coming in February, including The Rachel Drew Band and Tennis Court Oath on February 1; Phil Angotti And Friends Present The Beatles Love Songs on February 14; Push Puppets on February 17; Ivan Julian backed by Nick Tremulis and his band on February 22; and Mud Morganfield on February 26.

Tickets went on sale yesterday for The Official Freddie Mercury 77th Birthday Party taking place at Casino Barriere, Montreux on September 2nd. I’m guessing that’s in France. The band Live Killers will perform songs by Queen. The event will celebrate the golden anniversary of the band’s debut album and benefit The Mercury Phoenix Trust - Fighting AIDS Worldwide.

Bad Examples members Ralph Covert and Steve Gerlach, along with Michael Hartigan will be backed by a string quartet at The Venue in Aurora on February 25 at 8:00 pm.

Wilco promises “Three Nights, No Repeats!” for a trio of concerts at The Riviera Theatre, that kicks on March 23. From there, the band’s Spring Tour will move on to three gigs in Port Chester, NY; and three gigs (all sold out) in Reykjavik, Iceland. Other stops on the tour include North Charleston, SC; Orlando, FL; Asheville, NC; and The Moseley Folk Festival in Birmingham, UK.

Chicago-based band Van Go, whose hard-hitting songs often pack a satirical wallop thanks to songwriter-vocalist Davey Sippel, will return to the local club scene on February 24 at Montrose Saloon. I could be wrong, but this might be the first Van Go gig since original bassist-vocalist Lou Galassini passed away. A post on the band’s Facebook page reveals the band debated changing its name but eventually decided to keep it. “So, you get the 4 Van Go guys sticking together, and carrying the spirit of Lou G with us wherever we go.” I think Lou, one of the friendliest musicians I ever met, would agree.

Starting this past January 19, Bryan Ferry’s official Facebook page has started a series of digital releases of singles from his 1999 album As Time Goes By on various streaming sites. The title track, along with the previously unavailable B-Side “If I Didn’t Care,” is the first offering. 

The Zombies’ new album Different Game is due out March 31, and is now available for pre-order on various streaming sites. The first single, “Dropped, Reeling And Stupid” features Rod Argent’s jazzy keyboards while Colin Blunstone’s soulful voice is as impressive as ever.

Chicago-based power pop band Thrift Store Halo, who I think opened for The Zombies some years back, will be part of a triple bill with indie rockers Turning Birds and psych rockers The Means (of production) on February 11 at Gallery Cabaret. Showtime is 9:00 pm; Gallery Cabaret is located at 2020 N. Oakley in Chicago.

Incoming

Playin’ real good for free. Singer-guitarist Phil Angotti will perform the music of David Crosby tomorrow night at the Golden Dagger venue on Chicago’s north side, and there’s no charge for those who RSVP in advance. Admission is $10 at the door; doors open at 7:30 pm. This gig is sure to be special for Angotti, considering his admiration for The Byrds and the recent news of Crosby’s passing. Golden Dagger is located at 2447 N. Halsted.

Tall Poppy Syndrome has started work on four tracks; each of which is destined to be a single release. Expect the first single (which was composed by Vince Melouney and Barry Gibb) to arrive this spring. The band is relatively new, and includes Vince Melouney from The Bee Gees, Jonathan Lea from The Jigsaw Seen, and Clem Burke from Blondie.

The Michael Cohen Trio will be performing from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm for customers enjoying the Jazz Brunch at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights this Sunday, January 29. Cohen has extensive experience with power pop and rockabilly bands, but for this type of gig, he taps into his expertise in playing vintage love songs.

You may not have heard of the Bluedot Festival, but it’s possible inhabitants of other planets are familiar with it. Billed as an “Intergalactic festival of music, science, art, technology and the exploration of space” as well as “a unique carnival,” it’s set to take place July 20 – 23 at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, U.K. Pavement and Grace Jones are among the headline acts, and the featured events include 60 Years Of Doctor Who: A Celebration and An Afternoon Of White Rabbit Books Featuring Miki Berenyi In Conversation. Berenyi, the vocalist-guitarist for Lush, recently released a memoir titled Fingers Crossed - How Music Saved Me From Success. 

The 5th Annual International Puppet Theater Festival continues its run at assorted venues throughout the Chicago area through January 29.

Congratulations to WXRT on its full day of celebrating the life on Lin Brehmer the best way possible—through commentary from his friends and peers, recordings of him spinning his best anecdotes, and lots of his favorite rock songs. We lost the beloved DJ this past Sunday morning, and the station was able to put together an amazing tribute only a day later. See yesterday’s post for my own reflections on the man who rightfully claimed to be our best friend in the whole world. 

A Radio Personality Who’ll Always Be Alive In Our Hearts

Photo From The Official Lin Brehmer Facebook Page

Chicago radio station WXRT is devoting several hours today to honor its legendary on-air personality Lin Brehmer. The announcement that he had passed away was delivered with class and empathy by fellow WXRT DJ Terri Hemmert yesterday morning. Even though Brehmer’s followers were aware he had been battling prostate cancer for some time, we were still stunned by the news. Hopefully, today’s programming will help listeners and WXRT’s staff work through our grief and celebrate the man who always assured us he was our Best Friend In The Whole World.

For most fans, their appreciation of Brehmer’s wit, compassion and music expertise came strictly from listening to his radio program. Others gladly made an effort to meet him in person at WXRT events. My first encounter was at his birthday bash at Arlington Park on August 21, 2009. I worked up the nerve to say hello, and Brehmer responded like we had known each other for years.

By the time I went to a 2019 Hot Stove Cool Music pre-event at the Gallagher Way venue adjacent to Wrigley Field, I had spoken with Brehmer on a few more occasions. Enough to feel more comfortable walking up and saying hello. Plus, I sent him Facebook messages from time to time when I mentioned him on this blog. Brehmer introduced me to his close friend, Chicago journalist Mark Caro, and the three of us had a short conversation.

Brehmer would be hosting the Hot Stove Cool Music main event taking place the following night at Metro, but in the meantime, there was a full evening of fun to be had at Gallagher Way. While The Chicago All-Stars Band was performing a killer tribute to The Kinks, Brehmer came back over to where I was standing. He put his hand on my shoulder, and for a few minutes, we watched the Kinks tribute together. Yesterday, when I was still coping with the news of Lin Brehmer leaving us, it was that memory that came back the strongest to me. 

Saturday Slumgullion

Box sets are often filled with audio, visual, and literary treasures, but for some, they’re eclipsed by the Moon. The 50th Anniversary box set of Pink Floyd’s imaginative and ageless Dark Side Of The Moon album is due out on March 24, and along with a CD and a gatefold vinyl record, it will include a 76-page book, two seven-inch singles, posters, and other memorabilia. Fans can check out the full description, as well as info about a video competition, on Pink Floyd’s official Facebook page.

The 5th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival will run through January 29. Featuring over 100 shows and covering a variety of subject matter, the festival will take place in venues throughout the Chicago area.

The first record I ever put on a turntable was a “Mr. Tambourine Man” 45 rpm single that belonged to one of my older brothers. I was so enchanted by The Byrds' singing and playing, I played the song over and over. Four years later, I bought a copy of the Crosby, Stills and Nash debut album with money from my paper route. I have a long history of listening to David Crosby, and saw him perform with the full CSNY lineup of Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Neil Young, and later as a duo with Nash.

The news of David Crosby’s passing yesterday came as a shock even though he thrived as a musician much longer than anyone would have guessed. As with Jeff Beck, social media sites have overflowed with tributes to Crosby, but the ones from Nash, noted photographer Henry Diltz, and English rocker Robin Hitchcock were among my favorites. Locally, a post from vocalist-bassist Herb Eimerman from the Byrds-influenced power pop band The Britannicas, also resonated. Resting In Peace is not something David Crosby seems likely to do, so I’ll go with the more appropriate wish that he stay Rowdy In Paradise. In the best way.

It was fun listening to DJ Frank E. Lee playing lots of new wave music earlier today as he featured the year 1982 on WXRT’s weekly Saturday Morning Flashback program. I’m sure it brought back memories of Lee spinning new wave vinyl at the Erik The Red’s bar for those of us who hung out on  Chicago’s southwest side. I believe he was there on Wednesday nights for a while back then.

Ian Hunter, a founding member of glam rock pioneers Mott The Hooper, as well as a successful solo artist, has a new album titled Defiance Part 1 coming out on April 21. “Bed Of Roses,” the first single, is said to be a fantasy about “the greatest concert Hunter’s ever witnessed” and features guest musicians Mike Campbell from Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers and Ringo Starr. Other well-known musicians, including the late Jeff Beck and Taylor Hawkins, were involved with recording the album.

The Michael Cohen Trio will be performing from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm for customers enjoying the Jazz Brunch at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights next Sunday, January 29. Cohen has extensive experience with power pop and rockabilly bands, but for this type of gig, he taps into his expertise in playing vintage love songs.

Tickets go on sale January 26 for The Official Freddie Mercury 77th Birthday Party taking place at Casino Barriere, Montreux on September 2nd. I’m guessing that’s in France. The band Live Killers will perform songs by Queen. The event will celebrate the golden anniversary of the band’s debut album and benefit The Mercury Phoenix Trust - Fighting AIDS Worldwide.

SPACE in Evanston has announced a batch of upcoming shows, including Ivan Julian backed by Nick Tremulis and his band on February 22, The Ides Of March - Jim Peterik Stories And Songs Show on April 12, and Over The Rhine on April 28.

I wasn’t aware that Bristol has hosted an annual Slapstick Festival since 2005, but then my knowledge of U.K. cities is limited. A mission statement on the official website proclaims the festival’s dedication to building modern audiences for silent comedy from 1895 – 1930, but these guys also fancy Monty Python. Which is very silly and sensible. Michael Palin is a guest curator this year, and he’ll be on hand for two Monty Python film screenings. There will also be screenings of Spinal Tap, A Hard Day’s Night, and Some Like It Hot, along with several vintage comedies. It looks like those of us unable to attend might be able to buy merchandise from the Slapstick Festival via the website at some point.

Bad Examples members Ralph Covert and Steve Gerlach, along with Michael Hartigan, will be backed by a string quartet at The Venue in Aurora on February 25 at 8:00 pm.

Audience members will all sing, dance and clap their hands when Tributosaurus becomes Stevie Wonder on two successive nights (February 9 and 10) at Martyrs’ on Lincoln Avenue.

Wilco promises “Three Nights, No Repeats!” for a trio of concerts at The Riviera Theatre, that kicks off on March 23. From there, the band’s spring tour will move on to three gigs in Port Chester, NY; and three gigs (all sold out) in Reykjavik, Iceland. Other stops on the tour include North Charleston, SC; Orlando, FL; Asheville, NC; and The Moseley Folk Festival in Birmingham, UK.

At the start of my Holiday Dinner post back on December 23, I mentioned having spent four days in the Glenbrook Hospital for a hernia-related complication called a small bowel obstruction. It triggered convulsive vomiting and could have caused internal organ damage if it hadn’t been caught in time. I explained that I was treated for that issue but would still need the actual hernia surgery in the near future.

That surgery took place this past Monday (January 16) and everything went well. Once again, the staff at Glenbrook Hospital was terrific. As one of the employees transported me via wheelchair to the front door so my wife Pam could pick me up, I mentioned that everyone at Glenbrook was super nice. “It makes such a big difference,” I added.

“Yes, it does,” she agreed. “Thank you.”

Incoming

Photo from Official Susanna Hoffs Facebook page.

Happy Birthday to Susanna Hoffs from The Bangles. In addition to her career as a singer-guitarist (she recently performed at the 50th Anniversary All-Star Celebration Of Big Star’s #1 Record in Glendale, CA), Hoffs has a novel titled This Bird Has Flown coming out April 6. She also dabbles in music journalism. Hoff’s special day follows quickly on the heels of fellow Bangle Vicki Peterson’s birthday, which is January 11.

Three is a magic number. Wilco will kick off a Spring Tour right here in Chicago with three dates at The Riviera Theatre, starting March 23. Then, the band will move on to three gigs in Port Chester, NY; and three gigs (all sold out) in Reykjavik, Iceland. Other stops on the tour include North Charleston, SC; Orlando, FL; Asheville, NC; and The Moseley Folk Festival in Birmingham, UK.

Veteran Chicago-based journalist Mark Caro has been interviewing celebrities on his engaging Caropop podcast series for a while, and now he’s ready to do one before a live audience. His interview with actor/improvisor David Pasquesi will take place tomorrow, January 18 at SPACE in Evanston. Pasquesi is known for his roles on the TV series Veep and The Book of Boba Fett, as well as for his live TJ and Dave improv shows with T.J. Jagodowski in Chicago and New York. General admission to the SPACE event is $12.

The intriguing combination of versatile musician Jason Narducy and acclaimed musician/actor Michael Shannon (most recently seen in the George And Tammy biopic) will perform songs by The Modern Lovers at SPACE this Thursday, January 19. Both performers have roots in the Chicago area, and will be joined by various friends for this show. 

The 26th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival will run through January 22 at Lifeline Theatre on Chicago’s far north side. The performers include Nestor Gomez; The Sweat Girls; Tekki Lomnicki; and The Lifeline Storytelling Project. Tickets for individual performances are $12, festival passes are $60.

The January 19th edition of Sing For Your Supper will be held at the Foundation Tavern and Grille on Chicago’s north side. The featured artists will be Hannah Frank, The Sideshowmen, Justin Frosch, Shadowfields, Lance Brown, Patrick Reninger and Jos Davidson. 

The 5th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, set to run from tomorrow through January 29, is generating so much excitement that both the Chicago Tribune (Rick Kogan) and Chicago Sun-Times (Catey Sullivan) ran feature stories on it today. Over 100 shows, representing a variety of subject matter, will take place throughout the Chicago area.

Anytime I see or hear the word ‘puppet,” I immediately think of long-time Famous In The Future comedy group member Desiree Burcum. I was part of the group for several years, but I don’t recall any revues involving puppets before her arrival. Burcum created most of her own puppets, and dreamed up bizarre things for them to do. It’s a safe bet she’ll be attending at least one of Festival’s offerings. I’m also reminded of an episode of a very low-budget series titled Manchester Gallery I created for the Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff internet program several years back. Each episode lasted about two minutes, and one of them involved quarreling Graham Nash and George Harrison puppets. 

And finally, more sad news in the rock and and roll world. Robbie Bachman, the drummer for classic rockers Bachman-Turner Overdrive, recently passed away. Robbie was 69. Rock In Paradise, Robbie.

Saturday Slumgullion

A new album from The Zombies is on the way.

The recent passing of Jeff Beck sent shockwaves through the music scene, from longtime fans to the biggest stars. They all shared treasured memories on social media of his immense talent and friendly nature; whether they had seen him perform in concert or worked with him in a recording studio. Rock In Paradise, Jeff.

Depending on when you see this, you might be able to catch the Chicago-based tribute band Led Zeppelin 2 celebrating the 50th anniversary of Houses Of The Holy at House Of Blues at 7:30 tonight. The tribute band was featured on WGN’s Daytime Chicago this past Thursday.

Songs Of Surrender - The Reimagined Album, due out March 17, is now available for pre-order on the official U2 website. It’s related to vocalist Bono’s SURRENDER: 40 Songs, One Story memoir, although the tracks (chosen from U2’s extensive catalog) will be different from the book. And every track will sport an arrangement completely different from the original recording. Also, there’s a really cool animated promo video on the official U2 Facebook page. 

Phil Angotti, John Perrin, John San Juan, and Casey McDonough will perform the entire Revolver album during their Beatles Brunch show tomorrow, January 15, at City Winery Chicago. A second set will feature other Beatles material. General admission is $12; the music/brunch combo costs $37. I’ve seen Angotti and the lads cover The Beatles several times over the years, and they always do a splendid job. 

The Zombies’ new album Different Game is due out March 31, and is now available for pre-order on various streaming sites. The first single, “Dropped, Reeling And Stupid” features Rod Argent’s jazzy keyboards while Colin Blunstone’s soulful voice is as impressive as ever. There’s a colorful animated video of it on YouTube. 

 The 26th Annual Fillet Of Solo Festival opened yesterday and will run through January 22 at Lifeline Theatre on Chicago’s far north side. The performers include Nestor Gomez; The Sweat Girls; Tekki Lomnicki; and The Lifeline Storytelling Project. Tickets for individual performances are $12, festival passes are $60.

Congratulations to Joni Mitchell on being selected as this year’s recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The award honors artists who have had a positive influence on music. Mitchell will receive the prize at a tribute concert in Washington, D.C., on March 31. PBS stations will air the event.

Veteran Chicago-based journalist Mark Caro has been interviewing celebrities on his engaging Caropop podcast series (I particularly liked his chat with The Zombies vocalist Colin Blunstone) for a while, and now he’s ready to do one before a live audience. His interview with actor/improvisor David Pasquesi will take place on January 18 at SPACE in Evanston. Pasquesi is known for his roles on the TV series Veep and The Book of Boba Fett, as well as for his live TJ and Dave improv shows with T.J. Jagodowski in Chicago and New York. General admission to the SPACE event is $12.

As noted on the Rock Blues Muse Instagram site, legendary composer-musician Taj Majal will release a new album titled Savoy on April 28.

The intriguing combination of versatile musician Jason Narducy and acclaimed musician/actor Michael Shannon (most recently seen in the George And Tammy biopic) will perform songs by The Modern Lovers at SPACE on January 19. Both performers have roots in the Chicago area, and will be joined by various friends for this show. 

Chicago Sinfonietta will present the Thunder: MLK Tribute Concert at 3:00 pm tomorrow at the Wentz Concert Hall in Naperville, and at 7:30 pm at the Symphony Center in Chicago on Monday. The concerts will include compositions by Carlos Simon; Valerie Coleman; and Kathryn Bostic.

GRR Live!, a new DVD and 2-CD set that captures The Rolling Stones performing with special guests at the New Jersey’s Prudential Center in 2012, is now available from the band’s official online store. The 23 tracks include “Gimme Shelter” with Lady Gaga; “Going Down” with John Mayer and Gary Clark Jr.; “Who Do You Love?” with The Black Keys; “Midnight Rambler” with former band member Mick Taylor; and “Tumbling Dice” with Bruce Springsteen.

The January 19th edition of Sing For Your Supper will be held at the Foundation Tavern and Grille on Chicago’s north side. The featured artists will be Hannah Frank, The Sideshowmen, Justin Frosch, Shadowfields, Lance Brown, Patrick Reninger and Jos Davidson. 

This one is almost five months away, but I wanted to share the news that Continental Drifters, the critically acclaimed alt rock/country band whose members include Peter Holsapple, Susan Cowsill, and Vicki Peterson, will perform at The New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival on May 7. It would be nice to see a new album from these guys at some point.

The Webstirs will have a vinyl release party for their latest, self-titled album on February 10 at FitzGerald’s Sidebar in Berwyn. There will be no cover charge.

Singer-songwriter Katie Toupin, a former member of Houndmouth and now a solo artist, has a tour coming up that will bring her to the Golden Dagger venue in Chicago on March 8. The other gigs will be in Lexington, KY; Nashville, TN; Kansas City, MO; Louisville, KY; Tulsa, OK; Newport, KY; St. Louis, MO; and Fort Worth, TX.

Chicago-based power pop band Thrift Store Halo has been garnering a lot of airplay for their “Don’t Have To Love You” single on indie radio these days, and it will be part of a triple bill with indie rockers Turning Birds and psych rockers The Means (of production) on February 11 at Gallery Cabaret. Showtime is 9:00 pm; Gallery Cabaret is located at 2020 N. Oakley in Chicago.

Congratulations are in order for Henry Diltz, the photographer whose portraits of The Doors and  Crosby, Stills and Nash became iconic album covers. He’ll receive a Trustees Award from The Recording Academy (Grammy Awards people) on February 4 for his contributions to the music industry. Diltz also photographed The Eagles, Joni Mitchell, The Hollies, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, and other major artists of the 1960s and ‘70s. CSNY - Love The One You’re With, a 272-page hardbound book featuring 1000 images Diltz took of the super group, will be released by the U.K.-based Genesis Publications  in June.

 

In addition to the above mentioned Henry Diltz, Ann and Nancy Wilson from Heart will receive a special honor when The Grammy Awards ceremony takes place on February 4. Congratulations to the Wilson sisters on their Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy.

Having found success with his full-length effort Relative last year, filmmaker Michael Smith is set to co-direct a new short film titled Paper Planes with Alyssa Thordarson later this month. The film is based on Thordarson’s original screenplay, and it will be shot by DP Pouya Shahbazi. Production begins later this month.

Paul Rock’s Wild Honey Foundation, which consistently finds interesting ways to bring musicians together for fundraising events, has another winner coming up for 2023. The Wild Honey Orchestra And Lenny Kaye's 50th Anniversary Celebration of Nuggets takes place on May 19th at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA. Tickets are not available yet.

The fourth annual Winter Mini Fringe, an offshoot of the Elgin Fringe Festival, will be staged at the Elgin Public House on January 21. The event features the comedies Party Cops and It’sThat Time Of The Month, along with Cats That I Know presented by Danny Wightkin. Admission is $15 per show or $30 for all three. The event kicks off a 4:00 pm and is being produced by Side Street Studio Arts with support from the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, and Elgin Public House.

Tickets are now on sale for The Chicago Independent Venue League’s CIVL Fest coming to various locations around the city February 8 – 26. The event will help fund Venue Staff and Artist Mental Health Programs; Venue Safety Initiatives; and Equal Access And Equity Campaigns. The full schedule is yet to be worked out, but so far, the venues involved are Beat Kitchen, Berlin, Harold Washington Cultural Center, Metro, Patio Theatre, Reggies, Rosa’s Lounge, and Sleeping Village.

The immersive exhibit Bob Marley: One Love Experience, having already made stops in London and Toronto, will come to the Ovation Hollywood venue in Los Angeles on January 27. Its features include photography, music, concert videos, and a One Love Forest.

Incoming

U2 fans are sure to find what they’re looking for on March 17, when the band releases Songs Of Surrender - The Reimagined Album. It will be related to vocalist Bono’s SURRENDER: 40 Songs, One Story memoir, although the track listing (chosen from U2’s extensive catalog) will be slightly different from the book. And every track will sport an arrangement that’s completely different from the original recording. Radio stations will already be airing “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” tomorrow as a sneak preview, and there’s a really cool animated promo video on the official U2 Facebook page. 

The Chicago-based alt rock band whitewolfsonicprincess recently started work on a new album titled Seeds Of Light at Studio A at Electrical Audio. “It was exciting and fun, challenging and intense,” vocalist Carla Hayden said in an Instagram post. “Everyone brought the magic.”

Singer-songwriter Katie Toupin, a former member of Houndmouth and now a solo artist, has a tour coming up that will bring her to the Golden Dagger venue in Chicago on March 8. The other gigs will be in Lexington, KY; Nashville, TN; Kansas City, MO; Louisville, KY; Tulsa, OK; Newport, KY; St. Louis, MO; and Fort Worth, TX.

Reggies in the south loop has an impressive showcase of four Chicago area acts coming up this Thursday. The lineup is Silver Abuse, who describe themselves as “useless wankers intent on scoffing”; the politically oriented punk bands Voice Of Addiction and Vortis (which includes noted rock critic Jim DeRogatis); and The Handcuffs, whose latest release Burn The Rails has been showing up on Best Albums of 2022 lists. Each act will perform a half-hour set.

As noted on the Rock Blues Muse Instagram site, legendary composer-musician Taj Majal will release a new album titled Savoy on April 28.

Chicago-based tribute band Led Zeppelin 2 will perform Led Zeppelin IV (AKA Zoso) with special guests this Friday, January 13 at House Of Blues, and come back the next night to honor the 50th anniversary of Houses Of The Holy.

Craft Collective, the brand new Palatine shop I mentioned in last Friday’s Slumgullion post, is holding a Sip And Shop event tomorrow (Wednesday) from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. The store, which is located at 19 N. Brockway Street, sells hand-crafted gifts created by local artists.

Slumgullion

GRR Live!, a new DVD and 2-CD set that captures The Rolling Stones performing with special guests at New Jersey’s Prudential Center in 2012, is now available for pre-order from the band’s official online store. The 23 tracks include “Gimme Shelter” with Lady Gaga; “Going Down” with John Mayer and Gary Clark Jr.; “Who Do You Love?” with The Black Keys; “Midnight Rambler” with former band member Mick Taylor; and “Tumbling Dice” with Bruce Springsteen.

Enuff Z’Nuff vocalist Donnie Vie and singer-guitarist PhilAngotti will be performing tomorrow night at Blue Island Beer Co. in Blue Island. It’s a sort of reunion for the Chicago-based musicians since they’ve performed and recorded together various times over the years. Their acoustic show will be followed by a full-band performance with Casey McDonough and John Perrin from NRBQ joining Vie and Angotti. Admission is $25; the 8:30 show will be preceded by a 7:00 pm Meet N’ Greet.

Congratulations are in order for Henry Diltz, the photographer whose portraits of The Doors and  Crosby, Stills and Nash became iconic album covers. He’ll receive a Trustees Award from The Recording Academy (Grammy Awards people) on February 4 for his contributions to the music industry. Diltz also photographed The Eagles, Joni Mitchell, The Hollies, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, and other major artists of the 1960s and ‘70s. CSNY - Love The One You’re With, a 272-page hardbound book featuring 1000 images Diltz took of the super group, will be released by the U.K.-based Genesis Publications in June. 

Veteran Chicago-based journalist Mark Caro has been interviewing celebrities on his engaging Caropop podcast series (I particularly liked his chat with The Zombies vocalist Colin Blunstone) for a while, and now he’s ready to do one before a live audience. His interview with actor/improvisor David Pasquesi will take place on January 18 at SPACE in Evanston. Pasquesi is known for his roles on the TV series Veep and The Book of Boba Fett, as well as for his live TJ and Dave improv shows with T.J. Jagodowski in Chicago and New York. General admission to the SPACE event is $12.

I’m happy to report that the Tom Petty Live At The Fillmore - 1997 box set I gave myself for Christmas is packed with rousing live versions of his own hits, as well as several well-chosen cover versions. This collection a perfect choice to play at parties.

I’m shamefully behind on writing album reviews, so just let me quickly say that last year’s 16-track Phosphorus album from Custard Flux is an imaginative psychedelic adventure. Which is exactly what you’d expect from someone who also performed with The Luck Of Eden Hall. Highlights include the melodic title track and “The Man In Blue Wants Out Of His Suit,” as well as the more energetic “Roses And Wine” and “The Devil May Care/Sifting The Stars.” There are also elements of jazz successfully woven into these tracks.

Other albums I’m really enjoying these days include Punch Drunk by More Kicks, a London-based trio that brings a Buzzcocks energy to the power pop genre; and Blue Rev, which finds the coed group Alvvays once again crafting engaging techno pop similar to Blondie.

Local publications roundup: The December 22 edition of The Chicago Reader has Joe Shanahan sharing 40 years of memories of his Metro and Smart Bar venues with journalist/author/artist Steve Krakow, AKA Plastic Crimewave. This month’s Illinois Entertainer has Best 10 Albums Of The Year lists from staff writers and Lori Vernon’s Best 10 Films of the Year. New City names 50 of the Best Players in comedy, opera, dance, and theater. Probably the only New City list I could be in would be a Top 50 Chicago Fans Of The Hollies. Even then, I’d lose the number one spot to Jeff Janulis of the power pop band The Spindles.

In addition to the previously mentioned Henry Diltz, Ann and Nancy Wilson from Heart will receive a special honor when The Grammy Awards ceremony takes place on February 4. Congratulations to the Wilson sisters on their Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy. My very first big-time interview was with Ann Wilson after a Heart concert at Alpine Valley in 1979. She and guitarist-keyboards player Howard Leese were incredibly nice and informative while responding to questions from an immensely inexperienced rock critic. The local free paper my article was intended for went out of business, but luckily, the story ran in The Prairie Sun, which was far superior to my original choice.

Reggies in the south loop has an impressive showcase of four Chicago area acts coming up on January 12. The lineup is Silver Abuse, who describe themselves as “useless wankers intent on scoffing,” the politically oriented punk bands Voice Of Addiction and Vortis (which includes noted rock critic Jim DeRogatis), and The Handcuffs, whose latest release Burn The Rails has been showing up on Best Albums of 2022 lists. Each act will perform a half-hour set.

I’m about half way through Bono’s SURRENDER: 40 Songs, One Story memoir, and it’s interesting and sobering to discover some of the songs he wrote for U2 were fueled by tragic events he witnessed or experienced in Ireland, Africa, and South America. 

The January 19th edition of Chicago Acoustic Underground’s Sing For Your Supper will be held at the Foundation Tavern and Grille on Chicago’s north side. The featured artists will be Hannah Frank, The Sideshowmen, Justin Frosch, Shadowfields, Lance Brown, Patrick Reninger and Jos Davidson. 

Paul Rock’s Wild Honey Foundation, which consistently finds interesting ways to bring musicians together for fundraising events, has another winner coming up for 2023. The Wild Honey Orchestra And Lenny Kaye's 50th Anniversary Celebration of Nuggets takes place on May 19th at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA. Tickets are not available yet.

Having found success with his full-length effort Relative last year, filmmaker Michael Smith is set to co-direct a new short film titled Paper Planes with Alyssa Thordarson later this month. The film is based on Thordarson’s original screenplay, and it will be shot by Pouya Shahbazi.

Chicago-based tribute band Led Zeppelin 2 will perform Led Zeppelin IV (AKA Zoso) with special guests on January 13 at House Of Blues, and come back the next night to honor the 50th anniversary of Houses Of The Holy.

Musician Jason Narducy, musician/actor Michael Shannon, and their friends will perform songs by The Modern Lovers at SPACE on January 19. 

The fourth annual Winter Mini Fringe, an offshoot of the Elgin Fringe Festival, will be staged at the Elgin Public House on January 21. The event features the comedies Party Cops and It’sThat Time Of The Month, along with Cats That I Know presented by Danny Wightkin. Admission is $15 per show or $30 for all three. The event kicks off a 4:00 pm and is being produced by Side Street Studio Arts with support from the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, and Elgin Public House.

The immersive exhibit Bob Marley: One Love Experience, having already made stops in London and Toronto, will come to the Ovation Hollywood venue in Los Angeles on January 27. Its features include photography, music, concert videos, and a One Love Forest.

Tickets are now on sale for The Chicago Independent Venue League’s CIVL Fest coming to various locations around the city February 8 – 26. The event will benefit will help fund Venue Staff and Artist Mental Health Programs; Venue Safety Initiatives; and Equal Access And Equity Campaigns. The full schedule is yet to be worked out, but so far, the venues involved are Beat Kitchen, Berlin, Harold Washington Cultural Center, Metro, Patio Theatre, Reggies, Rosa’s Lounge, and Sleeping Village.

DJ Skid Licious will be spinning all vinyl at the Atomic New Wave Post Punk Synth Wave event next Friday at The Continental at 2801 W. Chicago Avenue.

It’s fun to discover a new shop in my hometown of Palatine, so when I saw the Craft Collective at 19 N. Brockway Street, I decided to check it out. The emphasis is on hand-crafted gifts, and owner Traci Goike welcomes local artisans to sell their work in her store. They can contact her at craftcollectivepalatine@gmail.com for more information.