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.