Slumgullion

Happy 4th of July weekend to all the American visitors to this blog. Have fun celebrating, but be careful out there.

This year’s Square Roots Festival takes place next weekend in Lincoln Square, right by The Old Town School Of Folk Music. The music lineup includes Superchunk; Jon Langford and Sally Timms; Eleventh Dream Day; Steve Dawson And Lucid Dreams; Split Single; and Urban Twang. The event will also showcase local craft breweries and food vendors.

A recent post by long-time journalist and PR specialist Cary Baker on LinkedIn mentioned a Variety article about Squaring The Circle (The Story Of Hipgnosis), a new documentary guaranteed to delight aficionados of album cover art. Directed by Dutch film director-photographer Anton Corbijn and featuring Hipgnosis co-founder (with the late Storm Thorgerson) Aubrey Powell, the film explores some of the most dazzling art that has graced album covers since the 1970s. Squaring The Circle (The Story Of Hipgnosis) had a recent run at select movie theaters, and will be available on home video soon. As a fan of The Hollies, I need to mention their impressive 1972 and 1973 albums, Distant Light and Romany sported imaginative covers designed by Hipgnosis.

Chances are, bands will be performing outdoors this 4th Of July weekend close to your neighborhood or in your suburb. Palatine’s stage is a five-minute walk from my house. It’s worth the effort to check out your nearby festival’s website to see who’s playing. That said, it’s not likely your local outdoor festival can beat what’s going on at The 40th Annual American Music Festival running today through Monday at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn. The lineup includes Lucinda Williams; Steve Earle; Dirty Dozen Brass Band; Dave Alvin; Sarah Shook And The Disarmers; CJ Chenier And The Red Hot Louisiana Band; Tributosaurus; Outronaut; Mucca Pazza; Terrance Simien; Joel Patterson; and Miles Nielsen And The Rusted Hearts.

Artists For Wildlife Conservation will hold a fundraiser featuring the work of rock and roll photographer Henry Diltz at the City Winery in Boston on August 30. The event offers a meet-and-greet with Diltz, who will be selling signed prints of his work. Proceeds will go toward elephant conservation in the Amboseli National Park in Kenya.

The Handcuffs and The Waco Brothers will share a double bill at SPACE in Evanston next Friday night.

Good news. Action Skulls, the trio of Vicki Peterson from The Bangles, John Cowsill from The Cowsills, and actor-musician Bill Mumy, released a single today titled “Find The Good!” It’s available on various streaming sites, and is from their upcoming album From A Running Horse.

The Regrettes and Built To Spill are among the headline acts scheduled for this year’s Wicker Park Fest, taking place on Milwaukee Avenue from Damen to Paulina July 28 through 30. Several other acts will be performing, and there will be an arts area and food vendors. Led by charismatic vocalist-guitarist Lydia Night, The Regrettes have released three albums of hard-edged material that melds punk with 1960s pop. They were still teenagers when their critically acclaimed debut Feel Your Feelings Fool! dropped in 2017.

Stephanie Kuehnert Lewis, who garnered national attention with her well-crafted and emotionally charged novels Ballads Of Suburbia and I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone, has a different type of book coming out on March 26, 2024. Pieces Of A Girl centers on the author’s triumph over substance and relationship abuse.

I saw a Facebook post today from book illustrator/writer/rock and roll photographer Terri Murphy that mentioned her involvement with Prospect Heights Natural Resources Commission. They’ll be staging a 4th Of July parade again this year, and it looks like a lot of fun and imagination went into their various floats and outfits. The parade will be held in Prospect Heights tomorrow at 10:30 am, and in Arlington Heights on July 4th at 10:00 am.

Pre-sale tickets are now on sale for the Darker Waves festival taking place on November 18 in Huntington Beach, California. The lineup features several acts that launched successful careers in the 1980s and have maintained them over the decades. New Order, The B-52’s, Tears For Fears, X, The English Beat, Devo, Soft Cell, The Psychedelic Furs, Echo And The Bunnymen, OMD, and The Human League will be performing, along with other acts. If you can afford the airfare, tickets for Darker Waves start at a reasonable $19.99.

Two giants of the Chicago rock music scene will combine forces when Cheap Trick headlines Metro’s 40th Anniversary Celebration Finale on July 16. Congratulations to the venue and the band on their many years of financial and creative success. The event, which also features the band Brokeback, is sold out. 

The Sparks Tour 2023 will make a stop at the Copernicus Center on Chicago’s northwest side next Wednesday, July 5. The eccentric and charming duo will most likely be showcasing songs from their new album The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte. The Copernicus Center is within walking distance from the Jefferson Park public transportation center.

Chicago-based alt rockers Smoking Popes are keeping busy as they approach the 30th anniversary of their impressive debut Get Fired. A special vinyl reissue of that album will be released on August 17, and they’ve got a brand new effort coming in 2024. Two singles from that future release will arrive sooner: a revved-up cover of The Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me” today and their own “Madison” on July 21. Smoking Popes will embark on a tour on August 17, but so far, it doesn’t includes a Chicago date.

Several years ago, I was advised by my general practitioner, as well as a skin specialist, to start wearing a hat to protect the top of my head from potentially cancer-causing sun rays. I wasn’t accustomed to wearing hats and was reluctant to start until I spotted a baseball cap emblazoned with the WXRT logo on the radio station’s merchandise table at The Chicago Blues Fest. Being an avid fan of the station’s eclectic playlist and knowledgable, friendly DJs, I wore that hat until it was too frayed and faded to be seen in public. By that time, they were no longer available. The good news is, they’re back, and available at the WXRT online shop. 

Anyone who’s still on the fence about going to see The Who’s Tommy during its run at the Goodman Theatre, should check out the recent reviews from the Chicago Tribune’s Chris Jones and Chicago Sun-Times’ Catey Sullivan. Jones described the production as, “a ready-for-primetime stunner with enough assets to bring its Chicago audience to its feet well before its end.” Sullivan noted, “From overture to finale, McAnuff’s three-dozen strong cast never lets up.” The run has already been extended twice, most recently to August 6. In related news, The Who Hits Back 2023 U.K. Tour kicks off on July 6.

Graham Parker, whose tuneful though biting new single “We Did Nothing” is now available from Big Stir Records, will perform at The Old Town School Of Folk Music on July 14. Other Brits coming to the venue include on The Zombies on October 15, and Nick Lowe on November 20.

The 94-piece exhibit Andy Warhol Portfolios: A Life In Pop will run through September 10 at McAninch Arts Center at the Cleve College Of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. 

Personality - The Lloyd Price Musical, which recently opened at the Studebaker Theater, garnered positive reviews from critics Jack Helbig in the Chicago Sun-Times and Chris Jones in the Chicago Tribune. The musical celebrates the amazing career of Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame songwriter Lloyd Price, who gave us “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” and “Aint It A Shame.”

A special presentation of High Fidelity will take place on November 1 at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. John Cusack, who starred in the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Hornby based on Hornby’s popular novel High Fidelity, will be in person at the Auditorium Theatre for the screening and a Question and Answer session. 

The State Of Sound exhibit is now open at Navy Pier, This is a pop-up version of the award-winning exhibition that was held at the Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield, and celebrates Illinois-based stars such as Muddy Waters; Material Issue; Earth, Wind & Fire; Chicago; Chance the Rapper; Wilco; Shoes; and Cheap Trick. Admission is free, and you’ll find the exhibit at Festival Hall A in the lower level lobby of Navy Pier through Aug. 27. 

Incoming

See me, feel me, review me with four stars. Anyone who’s still on the fence about going to see The Who’s Tommy during its run at the Goodman Theatre, should check out today’s local newspapers. Chicago Tribune critic Chris Jones described writer Pete Townshend and writer-director Des McAnuff’s production as, “a ready-for-primetime stunner with enough assets to bring its Chicago audience to its feet well before its end.” Chicago Sun-Times critic Catey Sullivan noted, “From overture to finale, McAnuff’s three-dozen strong cast never lets up.” The run has already been extended twice, most recently to August 6.

Welcome back. Stephanie Kuehnert Lewis, who garnered national attention with her well-crafted and emotionally charged novels Ballads Of Suburbia (2009) and I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone (2008), has a different type of book coming out on March 26, 2024. Pieces Of A Girl centers on the author’s triumph over substance and relationship abuse.

By the time we got to Palatine (just a few stops before Woodstock on the Metra). Soundtracks of A Generation, LLC will present The Summer Of Love 1967 And Monterey Pop Tribute at Durty Nellie’s in Palatine this Friday from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. The event will feature tribute band(s?) renditions of classic hits by Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Monkees, The Buckinghams and other 1960s acts. Tickets are $25.

Pre-sale tickets are now on sale today for the Darker Waves festival taking place on November 18 in Huntington Beach, California. The lineup features several acts that launched successful careers in the 1980s and have maintained them over the decades. New Order, The B-52’s, Tears For Fears, X, The English Beat, Devo, Soft Cell, The Psychedelic Furs, Echo And The Bunnymen, OMD, and The Human League will be performing, along with other acts. If you can afford the airfare, tickets for Darker Waves start at a reasonable $19.99.

All four original members will be on board when legendary punk band X rocks The Old Town School Of Folk Music on July 6. Other acts coming up at the venue include Graham Parker on July 14, The Zombies on October 15, and Nick Lowe on November 20.

Tellin’ Tales Theatre’s founding member Tekki Lomnicki will be moonlighting at the IO Theater tomorrow night, June 29. She’ll be the featured guest monologist at The Armando Diaz Experience show. As noted on the IO website, “the Armando is an improvisational form where actors improvise a series of interconnected stories based on true events and life experiences of a featured celebrity guest.” 

Following up on an item in last Friday’s Slumgullion, I had no luck at a writing workshop in Chicago on Saturday. Sitting face to face with a literary agent to deliver a 10-minute pitch for a novel is a bit like speed dating, and sometimes the chemistry just isn’t there. This was my first immediate rejection in a few years; I had a winning streak of agents liking my pitch and asking to see a few sample chapters. I was hoping to advance to the next step of an agent being impressed with the sample chapters enough to request the entire novel, but wound up at square one instead. It’s all part of the process though, and one that I’m eager to continue. I have a Zoom meeting with another literary agent in a few weeks.

Over the past two days, health experts have warned Chicago residents not to spend much time outside. This is due to the poor air quality caused by smoke that has swept down from Canadian wildfires. Some outdoor events have been canceled. Here’s hoping the situation all around improves soon. 

Slumgullion

Pre-sale tickets went on sale today for the Darker Waves festival taking place on November 18 in Huntington Beach, California. The lineup features several acts that launched successful careers in the 1980s and have maintained them over the decades. New Order, The B-52’s, Tears For Fears, X, The English Beat, Devo, Soft Cell, The Psychedelic Furs, Echo And The Bunnymen, OMD, and The Human League will be performing, along with several other acts. If you can afford the airfare, tickets for Darker Waves start at a reasonable $19.99.

Any Chicagoans who view X as the act they’d most like to see at Darker Waves can check out the legendary punk band on July 6 at Old Town School Of Folk Music. All four original members are still on board.

Tickets are on sale now for a performance by The Zombies at The Old Town School Of Folk Music on October 15. Their Different Game North American Tour will also include stops in Seattle, San Francisco, Toronto, New York, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, and Nashville. In addition to performing classic hits such as “Time Of The Season,” “Tell Her No,” and “She’s Not There,” the band will no doubt be showcasing songs from their brand new album Different Game.

Wish me luck. I’ll be at the Writing Day Workshop in Chicago tomorrow for an early afternoon appointment to pitch my YA novel to a literary agent. There will also be some interesting seminars to check out. This is the first in-person WDW in a few years, and I’m looking forward experiencing that creative and supportive ambience again. There are some virtual Writing Day Workshops coming up that people from around the country can attend.

Things That Fly, the Chicago-based indie rock band led by Heidi Serwer and Karen Salmon, will perform catchy tunes such as “Lucky Ones” and “Crunch Went The Snow” from its self-titled EP  at a record-release show taking place at Martyrs’ tomorrow night. The event will also include a performance by the Divine Sound Gospel Choir and DJ Tanja Buhler, and will celebrate new location for the charity organization Common Pantry.

Lilla Sky, a Danish-born singer-songwriter who’s now based in Nashville, Tennessee, has a show coming up this Tuesday at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Although well known for her songwriting skills, Sky only recently decided to focus on the performance side of music. She’ll no doubt be performing her soulful debut single “Patience” at Montrose Saloon.

Tellin’ Tales Theatre’s founding member Tekki Lomnicki will be moonlighting at the IO Theater next Thursday, June 29. She’ll be the featured guest monologist at The Armando Diaz Experience show. As noted on the IO website, “the Armando is an improvisational form where actors improvise a series of interconnected stories based on true events and life experiences of a featured celebrity guest.” 

The 94-piece exhibit Andy Warhol Portfolios: A Life In Pop will run through September 10 at McAninch Arts Center at the Cleve College Of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

 

Mike Skill and Brad Elvis of The Romantics will be part of the multi-genre entertainment being offered at The Lakewood Oswego Festival Of The Arts this weekend in Lake Oswego, Oregon. They perform at 8:00 pm tomorrow. LOFA, as it’s affectionately known in those parts, will also offer soul, jazz, bluegrass, big band, and Latin funk artists.

The triple bill of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Garbage, and Metric is 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.

The Neverly Brothers will bring their entertaining mix of live music and rock and roll history to Memorial Park in Wheaton tonight and at the Orland Hills Community Center tomorrow.

Pete Towshend’s 1980 solo album Empty Glass and his 1977 collaboration with Ronnie Lane Rough Mix were released as half-speed vinyl masters today.

Kate Fagan from the Chicago’s beloved 1980s ska band Heavy Manners, has a solo performance coming up at Rattleback records on June 28. She’ll be performing songs from her recently re-issued and expanded solo album I Don’t Want To Be Too Cool. The evening will include a Question and Answer session, a live performance, and signing.

Personality - The Lloyd Price Musical, which recently opened at the Studebaker Theater, garnered positive reviews from critics Jack Helbig in the Chicago Sun-Times and Chris Jones in the Chicago Tribune. The musical celebrates the amazing career of Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame songwriter The Lloyd Price, who gave us “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” and “Aint It A Shame.”

A special presentation of High Fidelity will take place on November 1 at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. John Cusack, who starred in the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Hornby based on Hornby’s popular novel High Fidelity, will be in person at the Auditorium Theatre for the screening and a Question and Answer session. 

The Who’s Tommy, which opened at the Goodman Theatre in downtown Chicago on June 13, has been extended through July 30.

The Metropolitan Jazz Octet and jazz singer Paul Marinaro will join together for The Bowie Project, a presentation of jazz-oriented renditions of David Bowie songs at City Winery Chicago on June 27. 

The State Of Sound exhibit is now open at Navy Pier, This is a pop-up version of the award-winning exhibition that was held at the Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield, and celebrates Illinois-based stars such as Muddy Waters; Material Issue; Earth, Wind & Fire; Chicago; Chance the Rapper; Wilco; Shoes; and Cheap Trick. Admission is free, and you’ll find the exhibit at Festival Hall A in the lower level lobby of Navy Pier through Aug. 27.

The Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights is offering a series of free concerts this summer, and this week’s event features alternative folk rock vocalist Kelly Steward at 8:30 pm on Saturday. In addition to her solo work, Steward has performed with The Nielsen Trust, a side project for 

Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen. Reservations are recommended.

Incoming

Things That Fly, the Chicago-based indie rock band led by Heidi Serwer and Karen Salmon, will perform catchy and clever tunes such as “Lucky Ones” and “Crunch Went The Snow” from its self-titled EP at a record-release show taking place at Martyrs’ this Saturday. The event will also include a performance by the Divine Sound Gospel Choir and DJ Tanja Buhler, and benefit the charity organization Common Pantry.

Mike Skill and Brad Elvis of The Romantics will be part of the multi-genre entertainment being offered at The Lakewood Oswego Festival Of The Arts this weekend in Lake Oswego, Oregon. They perform at 8:00 pm on Saturday. LOFA, as it’s affectionately known in those parts, will also offer soul, jazz, bluegrass, big band, and Latin funk artists.

The Metropolitan Jazz Octet and jazz singer Paul Marinaro will join together for The Bowie Project, a presentation of jazz-oriented renditions of David Bowie songs at City Winery Chicago on June 27. 

Global Citizen, a nonprofit organization devoted to fighting climate change, will present a free concert titled Power Our Planet: Live In Paris this Thursday, June 22. Staged in the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower, the event will feature performances by Lenny Kravitz, Finneas, Ben Harper, Billie Eilish, Jon Batiste, Mosimann, and H.E.R.

Chicago-based singer-guitarist Phil Angotti will be performing songs from Neil Young’s Harvest, The Byrds’ s Younger Than Yesterday, and Elvis Costello’s My Aim Is True this Thursday night at Reggies on State Street. Angotti will be joined by Tom Ryan, Casey McDonough, Debbie Kascynski, Todd Rusin, Dan Ingenthron, Kriss Bataille and Jim Barclay.

The triple bill of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Garbage, and Metric is 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.

The Neverly Brothers will bring their entertaining mix of live music and rock and roll history to Memorial Park in Wheaton this Friday and at the Orland Hills Community Center on Saturday.

Peter Asher of Peter And Gordon will join Jeremy Clyde of Chad and Jeremy for a performance this Friday at The Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago. They’ll perform the hits their duos scored back in the 1960s, and share memories of that era as well.

Pete Towshend’s 1980 solo album Empty Glass and his 1977 collaboration with Ronnie Lane Rough Mix will be will be released as half-speed vinyl masters this Friday.

The Northman Riverwalk Beer And Cider Garden, located at 233 E. Riverwalk in downtown Chicago, has a full schedule of late afternoon and early evening live music planned for this summer. Tomorrow brings the “acoustic new wave, post punk, mod, Brit pop” stylings of  Niko Twist Action, which certainly sounds promising. There’s live music every day this week, see the website for the schedule.  

Kate Fagan from the Chicago’s beloved 1980s ska band Heavy Manners, has a solo performance coming up at Rattleback records on June 28. She’ll be performing songs from her recently re-issued and expanded solo album I Don’t Want To Be Too Cool. The evening will include a Question and Answer session, a live performance, and signing. 

Slumgullion

The David Bowie World Fan Convention kicked off today in New York City and will run through Sunday. In addition to featured guests such as Bowie collaborators Carlos Alomar, Tony Visconti, Mike Garson, George Murray and Carmine Rojas, there will be a marketplace offering Bowie memorabilia. The event has been sold out for a while now.

At an unrelated event here in Chicago, the Metropolitan Jazz Octet and jazz singer Paul Marinaro will join together for The Bowie Project, a presentation of jazz-oriented renditions of David Bowie songs at City Winery Chicago on June 27. 

Carlos, a new documentary about legendary guitarist Carlos Santana, will receive its world premiere tomorrow night June 17 at the Tribeca Festival in New York City. The actual release date for Carlos will be revealed at some point in the future.

Personality - The Lloyd Price Musical, which recently opened at the Studebaker Theater, garnered positive reviews today from critics Jack Helbig in the Chicago Sun-Times and Chris Jones in the Chicago Tribune. The musical celebrates the amazing talent and accomplishments of Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame songwriter The Lloyd Price, who gave us “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” and “Aint It A Shame.”

Global Citizen, a nonprofit organization devoted to fighting climate change, will present a free concert titled Power Our Planet: Live In Paris on June 22. Staged in the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower, the event will feature performances by Lenny Kravitz, Finneas, Ben Harper, Billie Eilish, Jon Batiste, Mosimann, and H.E.R.

Tickets went on sale this morning for a special presentation of High Fidelity on November 1 at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. John Cusack, who starred in the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Hornby based on Hornby’s popular novel High Fidelity, will be in person at the Auditorium Theatre for the screening and a Question and Answer session.

 

Pete Towshend’s 1980 solo album Empty Glass and his 1977 collaboration with Ronnie Lane Rough Mix will be will be released as half-speed vinyl masters next Friday, June 23.

Although based in Munster, Indiana, Metropoly is familiar to a number of Chicagoans. That’s due to the band’s inspired tributes to Hole, Liz Phair, and Blondie at Halloweekend, the nomad annual tribute show that’s been staged at various venues over the years, most recently at Montrose Saloon. Metropoly’s founding members Holly Senchak Dausch and Adam Dausch have been creating various artists tribute compilations on Bandcamp for over a decade, with their latest honoring Radiohead. It includes Metropolly’s cover of  “Exit Music . . .  For A Film” along with Radiohead tunes covered by 18 other acts. Be sure to check out the previously released albums honoring Beck, The Doors, The Cure, David Bowie, and Nirvana.

Chicago-based singer-guitarist Phil Angotti would be on solid ground if he ever decided to legally change his middle name to Tributes considering how many famous rock and roll acts he’s covered over the years. He’ll be performing songs from Neil Young’s Harvest, The Byrds’ Younger Than Yesterday, and Elvis Costello’s My Aim Is True next Thursday night at Reggies on State Street. Angotti will be joined by Tom Ryan, Casey McDonough, Debbie Kascynski, Todd Rusin, Dan Ingenthron, Kriss Bataille and Jim Barclay.

The online American Songwriter has a penchant for posting lists, including a recent one titled The Top 8 British Invasion Bands Of ‘60s. The Beatles were the obvious choice for number one, followed by The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who, The Hollies, Dusty Springfield, The Zombies, and The Yardbirds.

The Neverly Brothers will bring their entertaining mix of live music and rock and roll history to Washington Park in Ottawa tomorrow night. They’ll play Memorial Park in Wheaton on June 23; Orland Hills Community Center on June 24, and Palatine’s Hometown Fest Fourth Of July Celebration.

Peter Asher of Peter And Gordon will join Jeremy Clyde of Chad and Jeremy for a performance on June 23 at The Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago. They’ll perform the hits their duos scored back in the 1960s, and share memories of that era as well. I’ve seen these guys together and separately in the past, and their sense of humor plays a major part in making their shows so entertaining.

Chris Stamey from The dBs has a new solo effort titled The Great Escape coming out on July 7. According to his website, Stamey had help from fellow dB’s Peter Holsapple and Will Rigby, as well as Don Dixon, Eric Heywood, Caitlan Cary, and other musicians.

Tickets are still available for The Who’s Tommy, which opens at the Goodman Theatre in downtown Chicago next Tuesday, June 13, and has now been extended through July 30.

Graham Nash fans in the New York can check out his Enduring Images photography exhibit at City Winery NYC through July 11. The photographs can be purchased through the City Winery website.

The State Of Sound exhibit is now open at Navy Pier, This is a pop-up version of the award-winning exhibition that was held at the Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield, and celebrates Illinois-based stars such as Muddy Waters; Material Issue; Earth, Wind & Fire; Chicago; Chance the Rapper; Wilco; Shoes; and Cheap Trick. Admission is free, and you’ll find the exhibit at Festival Hall A in the lower level lobby of Navy Pier through Aug. 27.

The Minus Five and The No Ones, both of which feature Scott McCaughey and Peter Buck, are kicking off a U.S./Europe tour tonight with a gig at Mississippi Studios in Portland, Oregon. Bangles drummer Debbie Peterson helped each band on recent recordings, and will be a special guest at Mississippi Studios. The Minus Five and The No Ones will perform at Tractor Tavern in Seattle, Washington tomorrow night. 

  

Things That Fly, the Chicago-based indie rock band led by Heidi Serwer and Karen Salmon, has a record-release show for its self-titled EP at Martyrs’ next Saturday June 24. The event will benefit the charity organization Common Pantry.

Ken Sharp, a gentleman with expertise in performing and writing about power pop music, recently posted on Facebook that he contributed the song “Just A Chance” to an upcoming two-CD release titled Shine On: A Peter Ham Tribute. It will be available on various streaming sites as of June 23. Other artists covering Ham songs on Shine On include Shelby Lynne, Stan Lynch, Dan Baird, Dennis Diken, Melanie, Reckless Eric and Amy Rigby,  and Mary Lou Lord.

Director Balin Scheider recently posted on Facebook that his Out Of Time - The Material Issue Story documentary is now streaming on Night Flight Plus. 

On a sad note, Blackie Onassis (John Rowan) from Urge Overkill recently passed away. Along with Material Issue and Liz Phair, Urge Overkill helped put Chicago on the national rock and roll map back in the early 1990. My condolences to his family, friends, and numerous fans.

The Bric A Brac Record store is holding an outdoor 10th Year Anniversary Party this Sunday from noon to 7:00 pm. Bric A Brac, located at 2845 N. Milwaukee, is a really fun destination for vinyl records, cassette tapes, VHS tapes, and pop culture artifacts. The Anniversary party is being held at 2800 N. Dawson, and will have live music. 

The Northman Riverwalk Beer And Cider Garden, located at 233 E. Riverwalk in downtown Chicago, has a full schedule of late afternoon and early evening live music planned for this summer. Upcoming performances include Magnaphonic on July 15, The Handcuffs on July 20, and The Spindles on July 21.

Rob Schulz, who’s performed at International Pop Overthrow - Chicago numerous times, has a solo acoustic show tomorrow at 4:00 pm at Merkle’s Bar And Grill. Located at 3516 N. Clark Street, the venue would be a convenient stop for fans following the Cubs vs. Orioles game at Wrigley Field.

The Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights is offering a series of free concerts this summer, and this week’s events are Stefan Hillesheim on Friday and Ginger Road on Saturday. Show time for both days is 8:30; reservations are recommended.

Incoming

Tickets go on sale this Friday morning for a special presentation of High Fidelity on November 1 at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. John Cusack, who starred in the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Hornby based on Hornby’s popular novel High Fidelity, will be in person at the Auditorium Theatre for the screening and a Question and Answer session. As someone who has always loved record stores, and worked in one from 1981 to 1984, I found the book and movie fascinating. The record store I worked in was light years less cool than the one Hornby and Cusack created. 

The Minus Five and The No Ones, both of which feature Scott McCaughey and Peter Buck, will kick off a U.S./Europe tour this Friday with a gig at Mississippi Studios in Portland, OR. Bangles drummer Debbie Peterson helped each band on recent recordings, and will be a special guest at Mississippi Studios.

It was great to see a packed house for the Frisbie and Material Reissue show at Schubas on the north side this past Saturday night. Both of these legendary Chicago bands were in top form. On a related note, director Balin Scheider posted on Facebook today that his Out Of Time - The Material Issue Story documentary is now streaming on Night Flight Plus. 

Ellis Clark, another well-known figure on the local music scene, will be performing a solo acoustic set of original songs and cover tunes this Thursday night at the Montrose Saloon. Clark’s musical history includes performing with Epicycle, The Social Act, and The Handcuffs. The music starts at 9:00 pm.

Based on reviews in the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times, The Cure sounded fantastic during its concert at the United Center this past Saturday night. It was part of their 2023 Shows Of A Lost World Tour.

Michael Steven Cohen will be singing and strumming vintage love songs on at Tuscan Market in Arlington Heights this Friday at 7:00 pm.

The Bric A Brac Record store has fully recovered from the busted pipe damage it experienced a while back and is holding an outdoor 10th Year Anniversary Party this Sunday from noon to 7:00 pm. Bric A Brac, located at 2845 N. Milwaukee, is a really fun destination for vinyl records, cassette tapes, VHS tapes, and pop culture artifacts. The anniversary party is being held at 2800 N. Dawson, and will have live music. 

Ken Sharp, a gentleman with expertise in performing and writing about power pop music, recently posted on Facebook that he contributed the song “Just A Chance” to an upcoming two-CD release titled Shine On: A Peter Ham Tribute. It will be available on various streaming sites as of June 23. Other artists covering Ham songs on Shine On include Shelby Lynne, Stan Lynch, Dan Baird, Dennis Diken, Melanie, Reckless Eric and Amy Rigby, and Mary Lou Lord.

The Northman Riverwalk Beer And Cider Garden, located at 233 E. Riverwalk in downtown Chicago, has a full schedule of late afternoon and early evening live music planned for this summer. The June schedule includes The Kabir Dalawari Quintet at 3:00 pm and The Fran Banish Trio at 6:00 pm this Friday. Looking down the road, or river actually, The Northman Riverwalk will feature Magnaphonic on July 15, The Handcuffs on July 20, and The Spindles on July 21.

 

Rob Schulz, who’s performed at International Pop Overthrow - Chicago numerous times, has a solo acoustic show coming up this Saturday, June 17 at 4:00 pm at Merkle’s Bar And Grill.  game 4 at Located at 3516 N. Clark Street, the venue would be a convenient stop for fans following the Cubs vs. Orioles game at Wrigley Field.

The Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights is offering a series of free concerts this summer, and this week’s events are Stefan Hillesheim on Friday and Ginger Road on Saturday. Show time for both days is 8:30; reservations are recommended.

Slumgullion

The Pretenders, Hot Chip, and Suede are the headline acts at the ambitious and innovative Kite: A Festival Of Ideas And Music taking place at Kirlington Park, Oxforshire in the U.K. this weekend. Other scheduled acts across the festival’s three stages include Candi Staton, Django Django, and Susanna Hoffs.

The Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights is offering a series of free concerts this summer, and this week’s event is an album tribute double feature. Tomorrow (Saturday) night, The Naomi Ashley Band will perform Lucinda Williams’ entire Car Wheels On A Gravel Road, followed by The Real Pretenders recreating Learning To Crawl by The Pretenders. Show time is 8:30; reservations are recommended.

Graham Nash fans in the New York can check out his Enduring Images photography exhibit at City Winery NYC through July 11.The photographs can be purchased through the City Winery website.

Material Reissue and Frisbie will perform tomorrow night at Schubas on Chicago’s north side. See this past Tuesday’s post about June 10 activities for more details.

The online American Songwriter has a penchant for posting lists, including a recent one titled The Top 8 British Invasion Bands Of ‘60s. The Beatles were the obvious choice for number one, followed by The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who, The Hollies, Dusty Springfield, The Zombies, and The Yardbirds. I’m not sure why they stopped at eight; surely there could have been at least two more worthy choices. But it’s hard to quarrel with the acts they did honor.

Congo Square Theatre, a Chicago-based ensemble whose productions are frequently met with rave reviews, has a Homecoming 2023 event coming up next Thursday, June 15.

Here’s a friendly welcome to The Cure, who are in town for a concert at the United Center tomorrow night. It’s part of their 2023 Shows Of A Lost World Tour, and will most likely include  classic new wave hits such as “Boys Don’t Cry,” “Just Like Heaven,” and “In Between Days.”

You can wish lead vocalist Ary Paloma a belated Happy Birthday tomorrow night when The Amazing Heeby Jeebies perform as part of a three-act showcase at Montrose Saloon. The Chicago-based quintet’s 2018 debut Bad Feeling combined garage rock and rockabilly while spinning tales of werewolves, mummies, and cannibals. The Metalliques and Feral Faucet will also be on the bill.

The David Bowie World Fan Convention taking place on June 17 and 18 in New York City will feature noted Bowie collaborators Carlos Alomar, Tony Visconti, Mike Garson, George Murray and Carmine Rojas. If you don’t already have tickets, you’re out of luck since the event is sold out.

The 73rd annual Old Town Art Fair, which features over 200 juried artists, live music, and a garden walk, takes place tomorrow and Sunday. The event opens at 10:00 am each day, with main gate being located at Lincoln Avenue and Wisconsin Street. A donation of around $10 is usually suggested. Once you’ve finished, walk a few blocks south and check out the Wells Street Art Fair. This event appeals to a younger audience, with two stages of live rock music, along with all that art and photography. The main entrance is at Wells Street and North Avenue, and a donation policy is involved here as well.

Global Citizen, a nonprofit organization devoted to fighting climate change, will present a free concert titled Power Our Planet: Live In Paris on June 22. Staged in the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower, the event will feature performances by Lenny Kravitz, Finneas, Ben Harper, Billie Eilish, Jon Batiste, Mosimann, and H.E.R.

The 2023 Chicago Blues Festival continues through Sunday. Tomorrow’s performers include Sugaray Rayford, Mud Morgenfield, and John Primer with Steve Bell. Sunday’s lineup includes The Bear Williams Band, Gerald McClendon, Lil’Ed And The Blues Imperials, and Los Lobos.

The Andersonville Midsommarfest runs this weekend from Foster to Gregory on Clark Street. Saturday’s schedule includes The Handcuffs, MIRRORS; Neptune’s Core, and Chicago Soul Spectacular. Sunday’s shows include Sam Thousand, the Amy Winehouse tribute act Tears Dry On Their Own, and Tukkiman. The Andersonville Midsommarfest will also feature vendors, artisans, and food. General admission each day is $10.

Tickets are still available for The Who’s Tommy. It opens at the Goodman Theatre in downtown Chicago next Tuesday, June 13, and has now been extended through July 30. I bought a ticket, and I can’t wait to hear those live opening notes of the Tommy overture. 

The State Of Sound exhibit is now open at Navy Pier, This is a pop-up version of the award-winning exhibition that was held at the Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield, and celebrates Illinois-based stars such as Muddy Waters; Material Issue; Earth, Wind & Fire; Chicago; Chance the Rapper; Wilco; Shoes; and Cheap Trick. Admission is free, and you’ll find the exhibit at Festival Hall A in the lower level lobby of Navy Pier through Aug. 27.

Tellin’ Tales Theatre’s latest presentation is titled Divercity: Refocusing Disability, and will offer performances by artists, writers, and advocates with disabilities. Directed by founding member Tekki Lomnicki, Divercity: Refocusing Disability will run at the Greenhouse Theater Center on the weekend of June 9 – 11. 

Congratulations to The Neverly Brothers on 20 years of creating an entertaining hybrid of live music and spoken bits of rock and roll history. They have three gigs coming up in June: Washington Park in Ottawa on June 17; Memorial Park in Wheaton on June 23; and the Orland Hills Community Center on June 24. They’ll also be part of the Hometown Fest Fourth Of July Celebration in my humble village of Palatine.

Carlos, a new documentary about the life and multiple achievements of legendary guitarist Carlos Santana, will receive its world premiere on June 17 at the Tribeca Festival in New York City. The actual release date for Carlos will be revealed at some point in the future.

Things That Fly, the Chicago-based indie rock band led by Heidi Serwer and Karen Salmon, each an accomplished singer-songwriter, has a record-release show for its self-titled EP at Martyrs’ on June 24. The event will benefit the charity organization Common Pantry.