Slumgullion

Skokie’s Backlot Bash, a beloved and respected annual celebration that takes place directly north of Chicago, kicks off today with performances on the Main Stage by Sponge and Blessid Union Of Souls. Tomorrow brings Architects Of Beauty, White Rabbit Object, The Handcuffs, and Eve 6; and Sunday’s festivities offer Montunos en el Jardin, Greg Jacks and Brother Help, and Tributosaurus Becomes The Doobie Brothers. In addition to live music, Skokie’s Backlot Bash will have carnival rides, food vendors, and an art fair.

He can save (and tour) the world. Having completed a successful series of concerts across America (I caught one of his sold-out shows in Chicago), Graham Nash will embark on a European trek that starts tomorrow in Denmark. The adventure continues through October 1, with stops in England, Switzerland, Germany, Scotland, France, Belgium, and Holland.

For those of us who weren’t able to attend WXRT’s Celebration Of Lin Brehmer last Saturday at Metro, the FM station will broadcast a recording of the event tonight at 9:00 pm. In addition to tributes to the late, great Lin Brehmer from the station’s on-air personalities Terri Hemmert, Marty Lennartz, Johnny Mars, and Ryan Arnold, there will be performances by The Limburgers, Los Lobos, and Bob Mould.

The graphic novel The Fifth Beatle - The Brian Epstein Story is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a new, expanded edition that’s available for pre-order from Dark Horse/Random House. Written by Vivek J. Tiwary and illustrated by Andrew C. Robinson, Kyle Baker, and Steve Dutro, The Fifth Beatle celebrates Epstein’s essential role in The Beatles’ success. The anniversary edition features a new cover, created by Christopher Brunner and Rico Renzi. I’ve talked to Tiwary at Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago, and he’s a very friendly guy. He’s also a successful Broadway producer. 

Tributosaurus, one of Chicago’s best tribute acts, will Become The Beatles for the second show of a two-day run tonight at Martyrs’ on the north side tonight. The band will perform the entire Rubber Soul and Revolver albums, along with other material.

The Three O’Clock will re-release their Paisley Underground masterpiece Sixteen Tambourines album with a new cover and remastered tracks in vinyl, CD, and the stream formats on October 20. Some of the highlights include “Jet Fighter,” “Stupid Einstein,” “When Lightning Strikes,” the epic “A Day In Erotica,” and a cover of The Bee Gees’ “In My Own Time.”

Dan Navarro, the well-known singer-songwriter (and half of the duo Lowen and Navarro) performed last night at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, and will return for another show tonight.

All four members of Talking Heads will get together on September 11 at The Toronto International Film Festival. Noted director Spike Lee will conduct an interview with David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison regarding the newly restored in 4K, 40th Anniversary edition of Jonathan Demme’s amazing Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense. So far, it seems the four band members will not be performing at this event. The new Stop Making Sense film will be shown in theaters at the end of September. 

Missed it by that much. Sorry for not seeing this in time to promote it, but the first Beach Bunny Pool Party was held last night at the new Salt Shed concert venue in Chicago. In addition to headline/founder act Beach Bunny of “Prom Queen” fame, the event featured The Beths and Squirrel Flower. Best wishes to band members Lili Trifilio, Anthony Vaccaro, and Jon Alvarado  on establishing Pool Party as an annual event. I only learned of the inaugural staging via Mary Dixon’s interview with Trifilio in yesterday’s Chicago Sun-Times. I’m familiar with Dixon from her well-respected new reporting on WBEZ and previously WXRT, but this was the first time I’ve seen her dabble in print media.

This is also kind of late notice, but there’s still time to stop the world and melt with Modern English when they perform at SPACE in Evanston this Monday, August 28.

Tickets went on sale today for Bob Dylan’s October 6, 7, and 8 concerts at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in downtown Chicago. Dylan is currently in the midst of an epic tour titled Things Aren’t The Way They Were . . . “Rough And Rowdy Ways.”

Amazing Heeby Jeebies, Chicago’s rollicking garage rock and rockabilly outfit, will perform next Sunday, September 3 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at The Northman Riverwalk. It’s located at 233 E. Riverwalk in downtown Chicago.

The 38th Annual Printers Row Lit Fest takes place on Saturday and Sunday, September 9 and 10 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, on Dearborn between Polk Street and Ida B. Wells Drive. The festival features several guest speakers, and some will be of particular interest to those of us who follow the local entertainment scene. They include Freda Love Smith; Jon Langford; Mark Guarino; Dave Hoekstra; Rick Kogan; and Maureen Ryan; as well as Chicago’s first Poet Laureate avery r. young. See the official website for thumbnail sketches of all the speakers and the full schedule. Attendees will also find vendors selling new and antique books, as well as independent writers and small publishers promoting their work. Admission is free.

The Des Plaines Theatre in downtown Des Plaines directly across from the Metra station, will honor classic rock via three shows coming this fall: Supernatural - Santana Tribute on September 15; the Pink Floyd tribute Echoes Of Pompeii on September 28; and The Last Waltz, Tribute To The Band on November 24.

It will be an evening of hard-edged ‘rawk' when The Telepaths perform tomorrow at Phyllis’ Musical Inn, along with special guests The Rut (an offshoot of the Famous In The Future comedy group) and Nick Allen.

Los Straitjackets, a Nashville-based, masked posse of guitar slingers, will be the main attraction when the Third Coast Surf Fest takes place tomorrow at Durty Nellie’s in Palatine. These guys have backed Nick Lowe on tour, and have recorded their own twangy gems, as well as revved-up covers such as “Funk 49” by The James Gang, “Time Is On My Side” by The Rolling Stones, “Venus” by The Shocking Blue, and “Bus Stop” by The Hollies. Los Straitjackets will be preceded by six bands: The Breakers, 13 Tikis, Total Beaches, The Moonrays, OUTRONAUT and Roger That. I’m not familiar with five of the supporting acts, but I have downloaded songs by Chicago’s own OUTRONAUT, and they’re a blast. Third Coast Surf Fest promises a celebration of surf and ‘60s rock. The doors open at 1:00 pm; Los Straitjackets go on at 8:00 pm.

The Downtown Palatine Street Fest is taking place this weekend, so anyone who needs a bit of fresh air during the day-long Third Coast Surf Fest at Durty Nellie's can check it out. 

As noted by music writer Moira McCormick in a recent edition of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Hip Hop genre recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with LL Cool J’s The F.O.R.C.E. Live performance at the United Center in Chicago. A fitting location since Chicago is widely considered the birthplace of Hip Hop.

Chicago-based musician/playwright Matt Tiegler recently returned to the recording studio for the first time in a while, and has a new album on the way. Hands Free Down Hill, produced by singer-songwriter Tommi Zender, will be released on October 6. The catchy and emotionally complex first single “Dream (Reason For Living)” is currently available to download on Tiegler’s Bandcamp page. 

Not to be confused with the social media platform, the pioneering L.A. punk band X, featuring all four original members, will perform this Sunday and Monday at The Old Town School Of Folk Music.

CHIRP Radio 107.FM, Delmark Records, Burning Bush Brewery, and WDCB Public Radio 90.9 FM are among the sponsors of tomorrow’s Rockwell Blues And Jazz Street Stroll from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm at 4014 N. Rockwell Street in Chicago. By the way, Delmark Records’ 70th Anniversary Blues Anthology, featuring Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Magic Sam, T-Bone Walker, Jimmy Johnson, and others, is now available on vinyl and digital formats.

The Beggars Banquet Rolling Stones tribute band will perform tomorrow night at 8:00 pm at the Draft Picks venue at 912 S. Busse Road in Mt. Prospect.

Chicago-based power pop band The Spindles must like being part of three-band showcases. They’ll be at Heroes West in Lemont tomorrow night with Go Time! and Dead Freddie; and next Friday, they’ll rock the Cubby Bear near Wrigley Field, along with Urban Twang and Paige and The Kaisers.

The State Of Sound exhibit ends its run at Navy Pier this Sunday, Aug. 27. 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.

Congratulations to the Ugly Things fanzine on four decades of supporting indie music. There’s a 40th Anniversary Weekender going on tonight and tomorrow at the Casbah and Whistle Stop venues in San Diego.