Record Store Day and International Pop Overthrow - Chicago, two major reasons for looking forward to April each year, have almost arrived. RSD, the annual one-day celebration of vinyl, takes place at record stores around the globe next Saturday, April 22, and IPO kicks off the night before at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side.
A list of all the limited-edition vinyl releases coming out on Record Store Day can be viewed on the official website. As usual, major acts in virtually every genre of music will be included. Also, keep an eye out for in-store performances at some of your favorite record stores.
International Pop Overthrow, a traveling festival that features power pop and indie rock, will run from April 21 through 29. As with stops in other cities, the Chicago version concentrates on local talent, although out-of-town, and occasionally out-of-country visitors are not uncommon. Each night at Montrose Saloon will offer a showcase of at least five (more often six) acts, and there are additional afternoon showcases on Saturday and Sunday. Several of this year’s performers have earned loyal followings, and it’s also fun to discover new favorites. I’m hoping to offer more detailed previews prior and during IPO’s Chicago run, but that will depend on the whims of the freelance proofreading gods.
Phil Angotti And Friends will continue their popular Beatles Brunch series by performing a UK/USA mashup of With The Beatles/Meet The Beatles at 12:00 pm tomorrow, April 16 at City Winery Chicago.
It’s a safe bet that most (probably all) the audience members at this past Thursday’s sold-out Susanna Hoffs appearance at the Chicago Humanities Festival came away happy. It was held at the Chop Shop, a mid-sized, multifaceted venue on Chicago’s north side, and the friendly staff kept things running smoothly. Sharing the stage with interviewer Mark Bazer from The Interview Show, Hoffs discussed her recently released debut novel This Bird Has Flown, as well as her career with The Bangles.
Hoffs exuded a genuine charm throughout, and shared a number of laughs with the well-prepared Bazer, who added just the right touch of wit to his questions. Before ending with questions from the audience, the 90-minute show seamlessly incorporated Hoffs strumming guitar and singing “Eternal Flame,” “Manic Monday,” and “September Gurls,” as well as The Rolling Stones’ “Under My Thumb” and The Cure’s “Friday I’m In Love.” The Deep End, her new album of cover versions, is now available on CD and streaming sites.
Freda Love Smith, whose impressive music career started with the Boston-based Blake Babies in the mid-1980s, and later included Some Girls, and the Chicago-based Sunshine Boys has a book coming out on September 19. It’s titled I Quit Everything - How One Woman’s Addiction to Quitting Helped Her Confront Bad Habits and Embrace Midlife.
Author Jen B. Larson will read from her new book Hit Girls: Women Of Punk In The USA at the GMan Tavern on April 27. Jill Hopkins will host at Question and Answer session with Larson afterward.
Defiance Part 1, a brand new album by Ian Hunter, comes out next Friday, April 21. In addition to being a founding member of glam rock pioneers Mott The Hoople, Hunter has been a successful solo artist. Special guest musicians on Defiance Part 1 include Ringo Starr, Mike Campbell, Dennis Dibrizzi, Jeff Beck and Taylor Hawkins.
If you still have a copy of yesterday’s Chicago Tribune around the house, check out writer Doug George’s 88 Concerts for Summer feature story in the Arts and Entertainment section. It’s an eclectic list of upcoming shows from today through September.
Ken Stringfellow from The Posies recently announced that he’s just completed his fifth solo album. He promises to provide details in the coming weeks.
Jagged Little Pill – The Musical, which is based on the Alanis Morissette album, opened to positive reviews a few days ago at the James M. Nederlander Theatre. It’s scheduled to run for two weeks at downtown Chicago venue.
Three separate dance troupes—two local, one from New York–will join forces in the Rhythms Of Resistance: Dorrance Dance, The Trinity Irish Dancers, and M.A.D.D. Rhythms show coming to the Auditorium Theatre in downtown Chicago on April 22. Posts on social media regarding this event promise a “never before seen evening of percussive dance.”
The 95th Academy Awards Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All At Once will be shown on August 29 as part of the Millennium Park Summer Film Series. The Summer Of Soul (. . . Or When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) concert film will be shown on August 1.
With the Barbie film coming out July 21, it’s not surprising to discover a Malibu Barbie Cafe pop-up restaurant/store will be opening on June 7 at a top secret location in Chicago. Tickets are $35 for kids, and $50 for adults, and as Miriam Di Nunzio reported in the Chicago Sun-Times, they will be available starting April 19 at bucketlisters.com.
The 39th Chicago Latino Film Festival opened this week at the Landmark Century Center at 2828 N. Clark St and will run through April 23. The event will include 51 features and 35 short films.
A new exhibit titled Dark Testament: A Century Of Black Writers On Justice is now open at the American Writers Museum in downtown Chicago. In addition to highlighting the work of Black American writers, the exhibit will feature original artwork by Chicago artists.
Last Night And The Night Before, written by Donnetta Lavinia Grays and directed by Valerie Curtis-Newton, opened yesterday at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago and will run through May 14.
The 10th Edition of EXPO CHGO - The International Exposition Of Contemporary and Modern Art opened this past Thursday at Navy Pier and will run through tomorrow (Sunday). This year’s event features 170 galleries from 90 cities around the world.
The music venue Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights will present The Cellar - Cultural Zenith Of Arlington Heights on April 25. The Cellar, a teen club back in the 1960s, booked the best local rock bands, as well as The Who, The Yardbirds, Cream, The Byrds, MC5, Buffalo Springfield, and other world-famous acts. Tickets range from $40 to $15.
Tickets are now on sale soon for the Chicago Critic Film Festival being held May 5 – 11 at the Music Box Theatre on the city’s north side.
The Chicago Toy Show’s 50th Anniversary season takes place next Sunday, April 23 at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles, IL. It’s a fun place to browse a wide range of toys from antique to brand new, and come across the occasional rock and roll collectible.
Tekki Lomnicki, a performer/writer/producer who’s well known on the Chicago entertainment scene through her Tellin’ Tales Theatre productions, is offering a free Master Class for people with a disability who’d like to create a one-person performance piece. The workshop will take place on Zoom from April 18 through May 30, and there will be a live show at the Greenhouse Theater Center in early June. Anyone interested can contact Lomnicki (a former co-worker of mine) at tekki@TellinTales.org.
Avid fans of 21st Century Druid Music who want to support the genre should check out the whitewolfsonicprincess IndieGoGo campaign. Band members Carla Hayden and James Moeller, who always use their supernatural powers for good, promise some cool perks will be available.
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