Incoming

Photo from the Official Bee Gees Facebook page.

The Essential Preview - Books section in the February issue of MOJO notes that author Bob Stanley has book titled Bee Gees: Children Of The World coming out in June. “It’s an extraordinary story of one of the most successful pop groups in history, and I didn’t feel it had been told properly,” Stanley is quoted as saying.

A Night For Tina, a benefit to help Tina Juhlin cope with costs while she undergoes cancer treatment, will be held at Simon’s Tavern on Chicago’s north side on March 15. The evening will feature performances by EXPO ’76, The Webstirs, Gerald Dowd, Phil Angotti, and Sunshine Boys (featuring Gerald Dowd). The event will run from 7:30 to 10:00 pm. 

 

The Linda Retrospective, an exhibit of Linda McCartney’s photography, opened at The Center For Creative Photography in Tucson, AZ this past Saturday and will run through August 5. Paul McCartney’s 1964: Eyes Of The Storm book of photographs is coming out in June. Its publication coincides with an exhibit running from June 28 through October 1 at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Golden Years Whop Whop Whop. Congratulations to Chicago’s David Bowie tribute band Sons Of The Silent Age on a decade of performing terrific shows around town and elsewhere. They’ll celebrate that milestone with a 10th Anniversary Show on May 13 at Metro. Tickets go on sale this Friday. Sons Of The Silent Age are among the acts that will be performing at the David Bowie World Fan Convention in New York City taking place on the weekend of June 17 and 18

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Abbey Road Studios in London is holding its fourth annual Equalise - Driving Balance In The Music Industry event in its Studio Three this Saturday. The festival aims to help women succeed in music-related careers by presenting various panel talks and workshops. Free tickets are available through the website, and Equalise will be live streamed on Abbey Road’s YouTube channel.

The Illinois Rock & Roll Museum’s second annual Women Who Rock Illinois event will be held this Friday, March 3, at the 115 Bourbon Street venue in Merrionette Park. Radio personality Hannah Brummer will serve as host, and Cathy Richardson and Anne Harris will be the headliners.

The Flat Five have a gig with Lincoln Barr this Saturday at SPACE in Evanston.

Power pop bands Go Time!, The Spindles, and Vinto Van Go (no relation to the Van Go band fronted by Davey Sippel) will perform at Q Bar in Darien, IL this Saturday night.

Congratulations to Lucy Holloway for winning the Chicago Sun-Times “Bringing Chicago’s Voices Together" art contest with her colorful piece “All In Harmony.” And thanks to the Sun-Times for showing so many of the entries in this past Sunday’s edition. Holloway’s winner will be enlarged and printed on an exterior wall of the Salt Shed music venue. Among the other entries shown in the paper, I particularly liked the one by Carmen C. showing the Morton Salt girl carrying a guitar and keyboards.

March Around The Corner

Next month looks to be a busy one on the local and national entertainment scene. Here’s a brief look at some of the highlights—I’m sure I’ve missed at least a few—regarding events and releases coming our way. Hopefully, I’ll be covering all of these in greater detail throughout the month.

There will be a memorial celebration for Dave Roberts this Saturday, March 4, at Metro on Chicago’s north side. As noted in staff reporter Mitch Dudek’s recent piece in the Chicago Sun-Times, Roberts was well known for decades on Chicago’s punk and new wave scene for his adventurous DJ work at La Mere Vipere, Smart Bar, Metro and other venues. The free event will take place from 7:00 to 11:00 and be open to the public.

The Illinois Rock & Roll Museum’s second annual Women Who Rock Illinois event will be held this Friday, March 3, at the 115 Bourbon Street venue in Merrionette Park. Radio personality Hannah Brummer will serve as host, and Cathy Richardson and Anne Harris will be the headliners.

SPACE in Evanston will present an eclectic selection of performers, including The Flat Five with Lincoln Barr on March 4; Leo Kottke on March 9 and 10; John Mead’s True Believers with Steve Dawson, Chris Greene and Alton Smith playing Van Morrison on March 12; Shemekia Copeland on March 16; and Robin Hitchcock on March 29.

Power pop bands Go Time!, The Spindles, and Vinto Van Go (no relation to the Van Go band fronted by Davey Sippel) will perform at Q Bar in Darien, IL this Saturday night.

City Winery Chicago continues its monthly Beatles Brunch with Phil Angotti And Friends this Sunday. In addition to performing the entire Please Please Me album, the band will include various Beatles favorites. Other upcoming shows at the West Loop venue include Nicholas Tremulis And The Prodigals on March 20; and EXTC, featuring XTC drummer Terry Chambers on March 23.

NRBQ will rock FitzGerald’s in Berwyn on March 16.

U2’s Songs Of Surrender - The Reimagined Album, is due out March 17. The song names will be familiar, but every track will sport a completely different arrangement from the original recording.

 

The Tedeschi Trucks Band will be kicking off four-night stand on March 17 at the Chicago Theatre.

Wilco promises “Three Nights, No Repeats!” for a trio of concerts at The Riviera Theatre that opens on March 23.

The 50th Anniversary of Pink Floyd’s masterpiece Dark Side Of The Moon being released on March 24 will include a CD, gatefold vinyl, a 76-page book, two seven-inch singles, posters, and other memorabilia.

Yo Lo Tengo will no doubt be showcasing songs such as “Fallout” from their new This Stupid World album during their March 24 concert at Metro.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo will perform on March 25 at The Old Town School Of Folk Music.

Power pop legends The Spongetones have a gig coming up at Smokey Joe’s in their hometown of Charlotte, NC on March 25.

Joni Mitchell will receive the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song during a tribute concert in Washington, D.C. on March 31. PBS stations will air the event. 

The Who have a limited-edition 3-LP, 1-CD album titled Live At Wembley With Orchestra (recorded in 2019) coming out March 31.

Cutting edge band The No Ones have a new album coming out for the first time in years on March 31. It’s titled My Best Evil Friend and features Bangles drummer-vocalist Debbie Peterson on the single “Phil Ochs Is Dead”  

Saturday Slumgullion

Paul McCartney’s 1964: Eyes Of The Storm photography book is coming out in June. Its publication coincides with an exhibit running from June 28 through October 1 at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Meanwhile, People and Rolling Stone have reported that McCartney and Ringo Starr will be joining The Rolling Stones in the recording studio for a yet-to-be-announced new album.

WSSR Star 96.7 on-air personality Hannah Brummer will host the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum’s second annual Women Who Rock Illinois event on Friday March 3 at the 115 Bourbon Street venue in on Merrionette Park. Chicago natives Cathy Richardson, who fronts her own band as well as  Jefferson Starship, and vocalist/violinist recording artist Anne Harris are the headliners. There will also be performances by Serendipity, Beyond The Blonde, Lindsay Kent with GenFuze, and The PriSSillas. The doors open at 6:30 and the music kicks off at 7:00 pm. The Illinois Rock & Roll Museum On Route 66 is hoping to open to the public this spring.

Abbey Road Studios in London has announced several speakers for its fourth annual Equalise - Driving Balance In The Music Industry event, taking place in its Studio Three on March 4. The festival aims to help women succeed in music-related careers by presenting various panel talks and workshops. Free tickets are available through the website, and Equalise will be live streamed on Abbey Road’s YouTube channel.

I came across Equalise while researching the Abbey Road Studios Pink Floyd 1973 Collection, which is an exclusive collaboration with the band that gave us the iconic Dark Side Of The Moon album. Pink Floyd fans can choose from a pair of t-shirts, a hoodie, a hat and a tote bag.

Northwestern University’s student-run radio station WNUR 89.3 FM is in the midst of its Phoneathon 2023. Donations will be rewarded with special gifts designed by WNUR staff and the university’s art students.

Graham Nash has a new album titled Now coming out on May 19. It can be pre-ordered in CD and vinyl formats on his official website, and the first track, “Right Now,” is available for streaming on various sites. Nash’s upcoming tour includes five shows at The Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago, starting on April 25.

 

EXPO CHGO - The International Exposition Of Contemporary and Modern Art returns to Navy Pier on April 13 and will run through April 16. This year’s event will feature 170 galleries from 90 cities around the world.  

 

The 40th Anniversary Expanded Edition CD of Marshall Crenshaw’s debut album is now available from Yep Roc Records. It’s also available to download and can be streamed on various sites.

Critically acclaimed theatre Steppenwolf has a pair of Chicago premieres coming up in the next two months. Describe The Night, written by and directed by ensemble members Rajiv Joseph and Austin Pendleton respectively, runs from March 2 through April 9; Last Night And The Night Before, written by Donnetta Lavinia Grays and directed by Valerie Curtis-Newton, runs from April 6 through May 14.

The recently released graphic novel Blondie - Against The Odds from Z2 Comics offers an eye-popping, colorful depiction of the band’s history and about a dozen Blondie songs. Definitely a hit.

Maybe we’ll finally find out what love’s got to do with it. Tina: The Tina Turner Musical will have a March 14 – April 2 run at the James M. Nederlander Theatre in downtown Chicago. Naomi Rodgers and Zurin Villanueva will alternate in the lead role.

XTC fans who’ve longed to hear the eccentric English group’s masterpieces performed live can come close to that experience when EXTC performs at City Winery Chicago on March 23. The band features XTC drummer Terry Chambers backed by veteran musicians vocalist-guitarist Steve Hampton and bass player-vocalist Matt Hughes. Tickets are now on sale.

Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band will return to Wrigley Field in Chicago on August 9.

Ian Hunter, a founding member of glam rock pioneers Mott The Hoople, as well as a successful solo artist, has released another song from his upcoming album Defiance Part 1. Following on the heels of “Bed Of Roses,” which features Ringo Starr and Mike Campbell, fans can now hear “I Hate Hate,” featuring Dennis Dibrizzi, on various streaming sites. Other well-known musicians, including the late Jeff Beck and Taylor Hawkins, were involved with recording the album. Defiance Part 1 coming out on April 21.

Former Illinois Entertainer editor Steve Forstneger, one of a series of talented and fair-minded editors I learned a great deal from while freelancing for that local publication, is keeping busy on a few music journalism fronts. His own ESS-FO website is dedicated to reviewing recently released singles, and he also contributes to the Beats Per Minute and The Line Of Best Fits websites. Plus, he still shows up in Illinois Entertainer from time to time.

It’s been 60 years since The Kinks performed in public for the first time. The band’s official social media pages have proclaimed, “In honour of this legacy, The Kinks are launching a 60th Anniversary Celebration of their illustrious musical career, confirming their vital importance to popular music.” The first step is the release of the Kinks: The Journey Part 1 album, which will is due our on March 24.

Musician/director Questlove has a new documentary about Sly Stone coming to Hulu. The date of the yet to be titled effort’s arrival hasn’t been announced yet.

Picture This

Even as someone who collected mountains of comic books when I was a kid, I’ve been hesitant to fully embrace graphic novels. The concept is enticing but based on my limited experience of glancing at them on shelves in stores or paging through the monthly preview publication I buy, many graphic novels revel in extreme violence and a twisted view of women. No doubt there are exceptions. The bulk of my graphic novel purchases honor famous musicians rather than super heroes. Rock stars seem particularly well-suited to being brought to life via this adventurous medium. 

The recently released Blondie - Against The Odds from Z2 Comics offers an eye-popping, colorful depiction of the band’s history. It briefly explores Debby Harry and Chris Stein’s childhood days, as well as the bands they performed in before striking gold with Blondie. The rest of the book offers about a dozen well-known Blondie songs recreated by various artists and writers.

Z2 Comics took a similar approach with its graphic novel treatment of The Doors, although Morrison Hotel was written by Leah Moore, with various artists illustrating her words. In both books, some vignettes get pretty violent, but Against The Odds is much more cohesive and fun. “Dreaming,” “Rapture,” “Sunday Girl,” and “Hanging On The Telephone” are particularly imaginative. I’d love to see Z2 take on Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, with back stories on The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and The Hollies. 

One of the best alternative rock graphic novels is Bowie - Stardust, Rayguns and Moonage Daydreams by Michael Allred, Steve Horton, and Laura Allred. Published by Insight Comics, it not only depicts Bowie’s multifaceted career with fabulous art, it includes snippets of Pink Floyd, Freddie Mercury, Iggy Pop, Roxy Music, The Rolling Stones and Monty Python. Also highly recommended are The Fifth Beatle - The Brian Epstein Story by Vivek J. Tiwary, Andrew C. Robinson, and Kyle Baker Bill and Bill Morrison’s The Beatles - Yellow Submarine. Of course, meeting Klaus Voorman at Fest For Beatles - Chicago a few years back and buying an autographed copy of his terrific Birth Of An Icon - Revolver 50 makes it my favorite graphic novel.

Incoming

Graham Nash will likely perform some new songs on his 2023 spring and summer tour. In recent social media posts, he describes the upcoming full-length release Now as “the most personal album I’ve recorded.” That’s quite a statement considering most of his work has been of a personal nature. Now is due out on May 19, and can be pre-ordered in CD and vinyl formats on Nash’s official website . 

The first track, “Right Now,” has a guitar-driven Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young vibe, and is available for streaming on various sites. The autobiographical song “Buddy’s Back” will appear on Now as well as the upcoming I’ll Never Forget album from Allan Clarke. The two former Hollies members recorded it together, and have posted a fun video of it on YouTube. Graham Nash’s tour includes five shows at The Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago, starting on April 25. 

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 this Friday, February 24 at Montrose Saloon. This is likely the first Van Go gig since 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, a terrific showman and one of the friendliest musicians I ever met, would agree.

Tickets are now on sale for EXTC at City Winery Chicago on March 23. The band features former XTC drummer Terry Chambers backed by veteran musicians. 

Ralph Covert and Steve Gerlach from The Bad Examples will join Michael Hartigan for a concert at The Venue in Aurora this Saturday, February 25. They’ll be backed by a string quartet.

The Record Store Day people have chosen Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires as their 2023 Ambassadors. The pair has put together a special RSD release titled The Sound Emporium EP. This year’s Record Store Day takes place on April 22, and the full list of limited edition vinyl releases is now available on the official website.

Around these parts, Record Store Day usually comes around the same time as International Pop Overthrow - Chicago. This year’s IPO - Chicago Bash (pun intended) runs from April 21 through April 29. The schedules haven’t been posted yet on the official website. 

Singer-guitarist Phil Angotti will be performing songs from his latest album of catchy power pop songs Once Around Again this Saturday, February 25 at FitzGerald’s Side bar in Berwyn. It’s one of his best efforts.

Congratulations to Elvis Costello on selling out his 100 Songs And More Over 10 Nights concert series at the Gramercy Theater in New York, NY this month. I mentioned this ambitious quest long before it started, but forgot about it until now. Looks like he did okay without me continuing to promote it.

The Chicago Independent Venue League’s CIVL Fest is wrapping up its 2023 run with the Roscoe Mitchell Trio with Junius Paul and Vincent Davis at the Promontory tomorrow; Keiyaa, Kara Jackson and Jada-Amina at Sleeping Village Friday; Moontype and Quinn Tsan at Hungry Brain Friday; Willie Fultz and Skinny Williams at the Quarry Event Center on Saturday; M.A.A.D. Rhythms: Tribute To Nina Simone, XTORMY and Cinnamon Spice at the Harold Washington Cultural Center on Sunday; and Dakhabrakha at Patio Theatre on Sunday. The event helps fund Venue Staff and Artist Mental Health Programs; Venue Safety Initiatives; and Equal Access And Equity Campaigns. See the official website for a full list of venues and performers.

Quite Prepared For This Eventuality

Note: A glitch on the Martyrs’ website ticket link yesterday gave the impression that My Sweet George had sold out. Earlier today, Facebook posts by co-hosts Ellis Clark and Ary Paloma explained that there are indeed still tickets available. Those interested in attending should buy their tickets via the new link. 

This Saturday night (February 25), several Chicago area musicians will gather at Martyrs’ on Lincoln Avenue for the annual My Sweet George George Harrison birthday tribute concert. The six-hour event will start at 7:00 pm, with Ellis Clark and Ary Paloma once again serving as hosts. Emcee Ken Mottet will also return, to introduce the various acts and offer an occasional joke or celebrity anecdote.

Clark was a founding member of Epicycle, one of Chicago’s first punk bands, as well as Social Act. He’s also a successful solo recording artist and producer. Ary Paloma Jeebie is the lead vocalist for the always-fun garage/rockabilly band Amazing Heeby Jeebies. Clark and Paloma have brought their My Sweet George show to Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago a number of times, and they also perform and record as the psychedelic country music duo Big Hair Big Trouble.

Performers for this year’s tribute include The My Sweet George Band; Clar Monaco/Sandalwood Sitar; The Pepperland Rockestra; Tommy Klein from Liquid Soul and Spies Who Surf; Soulkeeper Gerald McClendon; The Handcuffs; Noami Ashley Band; Secret 4; Pierce Crask; Twisted Roots; The Fluffers; Greg Jacks and Brother Hope; Frankie B; 321; and Sgt. Sauerkraut’s Polka Band. The list on the Martyrs’ website differs slightly from what the organizers are posting on Facebook, so I’ve only shown the Facebook-listed acts. At any rate, there will be several talented musicians covering the George Harrison songbook.

If previous years are any indication, the selection of Harrison material performed will range from hit singles to deep tracks and rarities. It’s also fun seeing musicians from different groups join together on stage. The event will help the MusiCares nonprofit charity organization. There will also be a limited supply of My Sweet George t-shirts for sale.

Slumgullion

Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band will return to Wrigley Field in Chicago on August 9. Being unemployed at the time, I didn’t have enough money to see these guys when they played Wrigley Field in 2012. So, I listened to the concert from just outside and posted a review here titled When I’m Out On The Street.

This years’s Record Store Day takes place on April 22, and the full list of limited edition vinyl releases is now available on the official RSD website. As always, virtually every genre is represented, sometimes going back for decades. This year’s offerings include Chet Baker, Alex Chilton, The Cranberries, Miles Davis, Willie Dixon, The Doors, Fleetwood Mac, Hawkwind, Norah Jones, Carole King, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Stevie Nicks, Dolly Parton, Pearl Jam, Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, Sun Ra, Taylor Swift, T-Rex, Koko Taylor, The Temptations, Peter Tosh, Muddy Waters, and Wilco. Plus, there are a number of interesting various artists compilations.

So far, my top RSD choices are the Ivy album Apartment Life Demos and the U2 record Two Hearts Beat As One/Sunday Bloody Sunday - War And Surrender Remixes. I’ll probably add more as the big day approaches. It’s disappointing to see so few seven-inch singles on this year’s list. Picture sleeve RSD 45 rpm records are among my favorite releases to collect.

Denny Laine, of Moody Blues and Wings fame, will bring his Acoustic Songs And Stories to City Winery Chicago this Sunday. And then Dave Mason—well known from Traffic, his solo hits, and collaborations with numerous rock stars—drops by that same venue for shows on Monday and Tuesday.

Valentine’s Day 2023 marked the 60th anniversary of the first time The Kinks performed in public. The band’s official social media pages announced, “In honour of this legacy, The Kinks are launching a 60th Anniversary Celebration of their illustrious musical career, confirming their vital importance to popular music.” Also, a belated Happy Birthday to Kinks drummer Mick Avory, who turned 79 on Wednesday.

One of the reasons I check LinkedIn on a daily basis is to see how people I’ve met over the years are doing these days. Recently, I was happy to see a post from musician/producer Jeff Murphy stating there will a new Shoes album coming later this year. Responding to my comment that this was great news, Murphy wrote the following: “Yes! They should see the light of day later this year.” I’m definitely looking forward to new shoes.

I recently received the Blondie - Against The Odds graphic novel I ordered from Z2 Comics and as expected, it’s an eye-popping, colorful depiction of the band’s history. Some music acts are well-suited to being artistically portrayed, and Blondie is definitely one of them. In addition to the bio, there are over a dozen illustrated songs by various artists and writers. Some of the vignettes are better than others, but overall, Against The Odds is a hit.

Ellis Clark and Ary Paloma will be hosting their annual My Sweet George multiple-act George Harrison Birthday bash at Martyrs’ next Saturday, February 25. Ellis has performed with Epicycle, Social Act, and The Handcuffs, and as a solo artist; Paloma is the lead vocalist for the rockabilly/garage rock band Amazing Heeby Jeebies. It’s always a good idea to purchase tickets in advance for My Sweet George since it draws a good crowd.

Ian Hunter, a founding member of glam rock pioneers Mott The Hoople, as well as a successful solo artist, has released another song from his upcoming album Defiance Part 1. Following on the heels of “Bed Of Roses,” which features Ringo Starr and Mike Campbell, fans can now hear “I Hate Hate,” featuring Dennis Dibrizzi, on various streaming sites. Other well-known musicians, including the late Jeff Beck and Taylor Hawkins, were involved with recording the album. Defiance Part 1 coming out on April 21.

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 next Friday, February 24 at Montrose Saloon.

The Pretenders, Hot Chip, and Suede are the headline acts for Kite: A New Festival Of Ideas And  Music that will take place at Kirlington Park, Oxforshire in the U.K. on the weekend of June 9 – 11. Other scheduled acts include Candi Staton, Django Django, Susanna Hoffs.

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

Congratulation to the organizers of the David Bowie World Fan Convention in New York City. Tickets to the June 17/18 event featuring Bowie collaborators Carlos Alomar, Tony Visconti, Mike Garson, George Murray and Carmine Rojas have already sold out. Chicago’s stellar David Bowie tribute band Sons Of The Silent Age are among the acts that will be performing.

 

Singer-guitarist Phil Angotti will be performing songs from his latest album of catchy power pop songs Once Around Again next Friday, February 25 at FitzGerald’s Side bar in Berwyn.

Belinda Carlisle will headline a pair of multi-act concerts in California on the weekend of August 26 and 27. Wang Chung, General Public, Missing Persons, Wally Palmer of The Romantics; and Stacey Q are also among the other acts on the bill. The Saturday show will be held at The Honda Center in Orange County, the Sunday show will be held at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

Director Balin Schneider’s documentary Out Of Time: The Material Issue Story recently got a positive and informative write-up on the Forbes website by journalist Jim Ryan. As Ryan explains, Material Issue band members Ted Ansani and Mike Zelenko have embarked on a series of screenings and Q and A sessions in various cities. Out Of Time: The Material Issue Story will be distributed by Factory 25 on Blu-ray this summer.

Debbie Peterson of The Bangles is featured on the catchy, Paisley Underground sounding single “Phil Ochs Is Dead” from the upcoming album My Best Evil Friend by The No Ones. The album is due out March 31.

Tickets went on sale today at 10:00 for the triple bill of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Garbage, and Metric that’s coming to the Huntington Bank Pavilion in Chicago on June 27. It’s part of a two-month American tour that will also visit Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Tampa, Cincinnati, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and other cities.

Musician/director Questlove has a new documentary about Sly Stone coming to Hulu. The date of the yet to be titled effort’s arrival hasn’t been announced yet.

The Chicago Independent Venue League’s CIVL Fest 2023 continues its run at various locations around the city through February 26. The event helps fund Venue Staff and Artist Mental Health Programs; Venue Safety Initiatives; and Equal Access And Equity Campaigns. See the official website for a full list of venues and performers.

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 Sparks Tour 2023 will make a stop at the Copernicus Center on Chicago’s northwest side on July 5. Sparks have a new album coming out in May.

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 Sound He Appears To Make - A (not often enough) Recurring Look At New Albums.

Former Hollies lead vocalist Allan Clarke will release his latest solo album I’ll Never Forget on April 7. Clarke retired from the band at the turn of the century due to issues affecting his singing ability, but overcame that obstacle and released an impressive comeback titled Resurgence in 2019. This new effort finds Clarke’s life-long mate and former fellow Hollie Graham Nash joining in via songwriting and performing.

Clarke and Nash, once billed as the Two Teens when they performed as youngsters in Manchester, sound splendid singing together again on the catchy and fun Nash-penned song “Buddy’s Back.” It’s an easy-going look at the band’s earliest days, similar in tone and style to “Then, Now, Always,” a song the current Hollies recorded in 2009. According to online articles I’ve seen, Nash joins Clarke on some other tracks, which will be a real treat for long-time Hollies fans. I’ll Never Forget is available for pre-order in CD and vinyl formats on the official Allan Clarke website, as well as on Amazon.

The recently released album She Steals Candy by vocalist Juniper exudes the same quirky singer-songwriter vibe that made her self-titled debut such a winning effort. For anyone discovering her now, the most surprising thing about She Steals Candy is that Juniper didn’t write any of the material. The 16 tracks are a mix of lost nuggets from the mid-1960s; covers of  The Bangles, The Go-Go’s, Amy Rigby, and other artists. There are also new songs written especially for the album by her father, guitarist Michael Shelley and a few hand-picked members of current indie bands. And yet, Juniper makes each track her own.

She’s only 18 years old, but brings the same authenticity to Delbert McClinton’s somber “Picture Of  You” as she does to her rendition of “Bang,” by the U.K. power pop band The Sails. She totally gets Rigby’s desire to shred condescending nicknames for women on “Baby Doll” (“I’m no doll and I won’t be treated that way”). For pure fun, there’s the golden oldie “Little Miss Stuck Up” and the more recent punk of “I Gotta Guy.”

Michael Shelley wrote the catchy title track and “Ride Between Cars,” while the clever “Alone With You” arrives courtesy of Dawn Eden and The Anderson Council lead vocalist Peter Horvath. An army of well-known musicians helped Juniper and her Dad on She Steals Candy, including Rigby, Horvath, Ira Kaplan from Yo La Tengo, Page Burkum from The Cactus Blossoms, Greg Townson from Los Straitjackets, Chris Geddes from Belle and Sebastian, Steve Goulding from Mekons, John Perrin from NRBQ, Alex Hall, and Dennis Diken from The Smithereens. Here’s betting Juniper will have a few of her own songs on the next album.

Incoming

 

Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10:00 am for the potent triple bill of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Garbage, and Metric that’s coming to the Huntington Bank Pavilion in Chicago on June 27. It’s part of a two-month American tour that will also visit Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Tampa, Cincinnati, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and other cities.

Romance will be in the air when vocalist-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen performs a Valentine’s Day selection of vintage love songs at Tuscan Market And Wine Shop in Arlington Heights tomorrow at 6:30 pm.

Or you can have a fab Valentine’s Day when Phil Angotti And Friends perform the Beatles Love Songs album at SPACE in Evanston tomorrow. This Friday, February 17, Push Puppets with Rachel Drew and Rob Newhouse will be performing at SPACE.

Belinda Carlisle of The Go-Go’s will headline a pair of multi-act concerts in California on the weekend of August 26 and 27. Wang Chung, General Public, Missing Persons, Wally Palmer of The Romantics; and Stacey Q are among the other acts on the bill. The Saturday show will be held at The Honda Center in Orange County, the Sunday show will be held at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

The Chicago Independent Venue League’s CIVL Fest 2023 kicked off last Wednesday and will continue at locations around the city through February 26. The event helps fund Venue Staff and Artist Mental Health Programs; Venue Safety Initiatives; and Equal Access And Equity Campaigns. See the official website for a full list of venues and performers.

Peter Tork was born on this day in 1942, and though he has left us in 2019, he remains in the hearts of countless fans who loved him on The Monkees TV show and for his amazing musical talent. I’ve started a tradition in recent years of posting a link to guest post my friend Desiree Burcum from the Famous In The Future comedy group did on this blog in 2011. It concerns her endearing encounter with Tork at the Chicago Wizard World Comic Con.

My condolences to the family and friends of Dave Roberts on his recent passing. The Chicago area DJ developed a loyal following throughout his many years of spinning punk and new wave music at venues such as Exit, Club 950, Neo, and Late Bar. 

Saturday 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. 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.

I had a hard time finding a copy of the February issue of NewCity when I went downtown this past Thursday for my monthly gathering of free papers and promotional flyers. The NewCity shortage might have been due to the fact that it’s their popular annual Best Of Chicago issue. And for that matter, their last Best of Chicago issue. The publication will continue, but as editor Brian Hieggelke explains on page two, “Many factors weighed into our decision to end it here, but the most important one is the ongoing evolution of NewCity into a very different publication than we were in 1993.” In a totally coincidental occurrence, I posted a photo of the 1993 Best Of Chicago NewCity issue on Instagram today. Hieggelke’s page two message also noted, “You’ll want to keep this issue, as you won’t see the likes of it again.” I’ve been keeping the NewCity Best Of Chicago issues (along with those by The Chicago Reader) for some time now. Best wishes to NewCity in its new direction.

According to a recent post on his Instagram site, Pete Townshend will release a new single, written by British pop music artist (and Townshend’s wife) Rachel Fuller, within the next month. All proceeds from the song, which wasn’t named in the post, will go to the Teen Cancer Fund.

The February issue of the Illinois Entertainer features Tom Lanham’s cover story on Australian rock band The Church. Also, a list of albums coming out in February includes the latest solo effort from John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers; Paramore; Brian Jonestown Massacre; Yo La Tengo; Screaming Females; Adam Lambert, Gorillaz; and the Irish band Inhaler’s second album, Cuts And Bruises. Lead vocalist-guitarist Eli Hewson doesn’t seem to make a big deal out of it, but he’s U2 frontman Bono’s kid.

I’m almost finished reading Bono’s memoir Surrender - 40 Songs, One Story, and I’m totally enjoying it. I hope to post a review soon.

Karen Gillan, of Doctor Who, Jumanji and Guardians Of The Galaxy fame (as well as several quirky indie flicks), is collaborating on a new app called Seen, in conjunction with an entity known as Behind The Seens. According to her recent social media posts, details will be revealed soon. Sounds interesting. Mainly because everything Gillan does is interesting.

The Chicago Independent Venue League’s CIVL Fest 2023 kicked off this past Wednesday and will continue at other locations around the city through February 26. The event helps fund Venue Staff and Artist Mental Health Programs; Venue Safety Initiatives; and Equal Access And Equity Campaigns. See the official website for a full list of venues and performers.

The upcoming I’ll Never Forget album from former Hollies lead vocalist Allan Clarke will feature Graham Nash singing on a number of tracks. It’s due out on April 7. I’m hoping to post some more on this soon. 

The Clash tribute band London Calling will perform two sets at Martyrs’ on February 22.

Susanna Hoffs’s first-ever novel, a romantic/rock and roll comedy titled This Bird Has Flown, is coming out in April. People who are only familiar with The Bangles’ Top 40 hits might shrug at this news, but in recent years, Hoffs has emerged as a talented journalist as well as a musician. In other words, I’ve pre-ordered This Bird Has Flown.

Speaking of The Bangles, 18-year-old singer-songwriter Juniper covers the Vicki Peterson-penned “James” on her recently released second album She Steals Candy. The first-name-only performer has been racking up favorable reviews for taking a quirky yet authentic approach to 1960s-influenced indie rock. In addition to her own engaging compositions on She Steals Candy, Juniper offers fun covers of songs by The Go-Go’s, Amy Rigby, David Gates and Kim Shattuck. I’m hoping to post a review soon.

And, in even more Bangles news, Debbie Peterson is featured on the catchy, Paisley Underground sounding single “Phil Ochs Is Dead” from the upcoming album My Best Evil Friend by The No Ones. The album is due out March 31.

Denny Laine will bring his Acoustic Songs And Stories to City Winery Chicago on February 19.

Musician/director Questlove has a new documentary about Sly Stone coming to Hulu. The date of the yet to be titled effort’s arrival hasn’t been announced yet.

The Sparks Tour 2023 will make a stop at the Copernicus Center on Chicago’s northwest side on July 5. Sparks have a new album coming out in May.

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. 

Ellis Clark and Ary Paloma will be hosting their annual My Sweet George multiple-act George Harrison Birthday bash at Martyrs’ on February 25. Ellis has performed with Epicycle, Social Act, and The Handcuffs, as well as a solo artist; Paloma is the lead vocalist for the rockabilly/garage rock band Amazing Heeby Jeebies. It’s always a good idea to purchase tickets in advance for My Sweet George since it draws a good crowd.

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

Have a fab Valentine’s Day. Phil Angotti And Friends will perform the Beatles Love Songs album at SPACE in Evanston this Tuesday, February 14. Other upcoming SPACE events include Push Puppets with Rachel Drew and Rob Newhouse on February 17; Ivan Julian backed by Nick Tremulis, Larry Beers, and Derek Brand on February 22; and Mud Morganfield on February 26.

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.

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.

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.