Slumgullion

Just as I was about to post this blog, I received an email from U2 about a new song they’ve just released called “Atomic City.” Well, the email wasn’t to me personally, it was a general press release. But good news none the less. The song has the melodic power and intriguing imagery of vintage U2, and is described as being “70s post-punk with a nod to Blondie.” You can hear traces of “Call Me” throughout. “Atomic City” is tied in with the current U2:UV concerts at Sphere in Las Vegas. “It’s a love song to our audience,” Bono explains. “Where you are is where I’ll be.” 

Jon Langford and His Fancymen, along with special guests Sally Timms and Dennis J. Leise will perform at A Benefit For Kidney Research at The Hideout on Chicago’s north side on October 10. Langford and Simms are well known for their work as members of The Mekons; Leise is a singer-guitarist whose latest collection of satirical country rock tunes Fightstarter came out earlier this month.

Ringo Starr And His All Starr Band will perform at the Chicago Theatre on Thursday, October 5. His musicians for the current tour are Steve Lukather, Colin Hay, Edgar Winter, Warren Ham, Hamish Stuart, and Gregg Bissonette. Starr will likely introduce some songs from his Rewind Forward EP, which is due out on October 13.

The Destinos: 6th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival kicked off yesterday and will run through November 12 across the city at venues such as The Goodman Theatre; Puerto Rico Theatre Lab; The Den Theater; Repertorio Latino Theater; Subtext Studio Theatre Company; The Living Word Project; Teatro Tariakuri; Cabaret Parodia; and Colectivo El Pozo.

 

The recent release of Tim - Let It Bleed Edition, an expanded 4 CD/1LP version of The Replacements’ 1985 album Tim, has been met with widespread critical acclaim and ecstatic comments on social media. Not only because of its previously unreleased material, but also for legendary producer Ed Stasium’s mind-blowing reinvention of the band’s original studio performances. Disc 4 of the expanded Tim features 28 songs recorded live at Chicago’s Cabaret Metro venue in 1986. Two nights ago, The Replacements Swinging Party took place at the Gold Diggers venue on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, with the band Starcase Wit covering several Replacements songs. Special guests included Bob Mehr, author of the book Trouble Boys: The True Story Of The Replacements; Ed Stasium, and DJ Jason Jones.

Peter Gabriel’s i/o The Tour will bring him to Chicago at the United Center this Saturday. Gabriel has released videos for nine tracks from his latest album i/o album so far this year, starting with “Panopticom” in January. “Love Can Heal” dropped on August 31.

Tickets went on sale today for the seven-date Michael Shannon And Jason Narducy And Friends Play R.E.M.’s Murmur tour taking place in February 2024. John Wurster, Dag Juhlin, Vijay Tellis-Nayak, and Nick Macrihe are the friends who’ll be backing Shannon and Narducy. The tour will include Athens, GA—a perfect choice for an R.E.M. tribute—as well as Minneapolis, MN; Carrboro, NC; Washington, D.C.; Ardmore, PA; Cambridge, MA; and Brooklyn, NY.

 

Over 90 artisans will be participating in the Oak Brook Artisan Market taking place tomorrow and Sunday at the Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook.

Congratulations to MOJO on its 30th anniversary. The U.K. magazine that adroitly blends current and vintage rock music coverage, will mark the occasion with a special issue featuring stories on Bob Dylan, Kate Bush, Paul McCartney, Robert Plant, Blur, Lana Del Rey, and others. Be sure to support rock and roll magazines or we might lose them.

The Nacirema Society, renowned playwright Pearl Cleage’s satirical comedy/drama recently opened at the Goodman Theatre in downtown Chicago. Theatre critics Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune and Catey Sullivan of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it positive reviews yesterday.

The Feelies, The Bongos, and Lenny Kaye’s Nuggets Golden Jubilee Band will headline The Hoboken Arts And Music Festival being held in Hoboken, NJ this Sunday. In addition to Patti Smith Group founding member Kaye, the Golden Jubilee Band members are Dennis Diken from The Smithereens, James Mastro from The Bongos, Fred Smith from Television, and musician-producer Dave Amels. 

Chicago-based singer-guitarist Pierce Crask has a celebration coming up at Montrose Saloon on  October 6 to mark the release of the vinyl version of his Rising River album. Ellis Clark from The Social Act served as producer, and helped out with keyboards and backup vocals. The irresistibly melodic and romantic single “Sparkle And Shine” has been generating a lot of interest.

The 24th Annual Woodstock Film Festival in New York will run through Sunday. The event will include a screening of The Zombies documentary Hung Up On A Dream at the Bearsville Theater tonight with a special live performance by founding members Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent. The Zombies’ North American Different Game Tour will bring the band to Chicago for a concert at The Old Town School Of Folk Music on October 15.

 

The Hope Center charitable organization, located at 23213 W. Miller Rd in Lake Zurich, IL, will present the Hope Festa! festival and car show tomorrow from 1:30 pm to 5:00 pm. In addition to cars, the event will offer music, food trucks, and several attractions for kids. All proceeds will go to The Hope Center.

The Rolling Stones have released a second track (following “Angry”) from their upcoming Hackney Diamonds album. The song is titled “Sweet Sounds Of Heaven” and features special guests Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder. Hackney Diamonds is due out on October 20.

Get Smart!, a trio that worked the Chicago club scene back in the mid-1980s, have reunited and will be performing with special guest Jeff Lescher from Green on Saturday, October 7 at Liar’s Club on Fullerton in Chicago. The surf and instrumental band 13 Tikis will also be performing that night.

 

Coast to coast Paisley Underground in 2024. Tickets went on sale today for concerts by The Dream Syndicate at The Knitting Factory in New York City on January 20 and The Troubadour in Los Angeles on January 27. Vicki Peterson from The Bangles and John Cowsill from The Cowsills will be special guests at each event. Meanwhile, Action Skulls, the trio comprising Peterson, Cowsill, and actor-musician Billy Mumy, released a new album today titled From A Running Horse. The first single is “Find The Good.”

Five bands will perform this Sunday night at Montrose Saloon as part of the Friends With Words Volume 2 fundraising event being staged by YourWords STL. The non-profit organization offers writing workshops and tutoring to help marginalized middle and high school students express themselves creatively. Tickets range from $25 to $30.

Spirit Power: The Best Of Johnny Marr, a collection of tracks from the former Smiths guitarist is coming out on November 3, and is now available for pre-order. I can think of a number of songs he’s recorded that would qualify.

The Lemonheads, with special guest Kiwi Jr., will perform at SPACE in Evanston over the last weekend of 2023. In addition to a new year, the band will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of their Come On Feel The Lemonheads album. 

Filmmaker Ethan Silverman’s Marc Bolan documentary Angelheaded Hipster is now screening in the U.K. The film includes clips of Bolan performing and interviews with him, as well as interviews with Elton John and Ringo Starr. Silverman also filmed musical interpretations by Nick Cave, Joan Jett, Macy Gray, U2, Lucinda Williams, and other music acts. 

The Brian Setzer Rockabilly Riot! show comes to The Genesee Theatre in Waukegan on October 7.

Reeling 2023 - The 41st Chicago LGBTO+ International Film Festival runs through October 8 at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema at 2828 N. Clark Street and Chicago Filmmakers 1326 W. Hollywood Avenue. The Chicago Latino Film Festival is partnering with Reeling to co-present 10 Spanish-Language & Iberoamerican films.

A new digital restoration of Jonathan Demme’s Talking Heads documentary Stop Making Sense is now being shown in movie theaters across America. Check your local listings for show times.

The Heartland Songwriters Midwest Tour, featuring Steve Dawson, Adam Reichmann, John Wendland and Andy Ploof, opened in St. Louis this past Wednesday in St. Louis. Three more dates will now follow, with the last being at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL on October 8.

The 41st Annual Chicago Music Awards ceremony will be hosted by Ramonski Luv and Lady Lunchabell and take place this Saturday at 7:30 pm at the Harold Washington Cultural Center. A VIP Red Carpet Arrival hosted by Dana Divine starts at 6:00 pm; general admission will be at 7:00 pm. The Harold Washington Cultural Center is located at 4701 S. King Drive.

The Singers Talk, Jason Thomas Gordon’s new book honoring the essential role lead vocalists play in creating music, is now available for purchase. All royalties will benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through their Music Gives to St. Jude Kids campaign. An amazing number of well-known singers across several genres were interviewed for this work; including Tony Bennett, Roger Daltry, Willie Nelson, Mavis Staples, Bruce Springsteen, Chrissie Hynde, Smokey Robinson, Joan Jett, Emmylou Harris, Ann Wilson, Michael Stipe, Leean Rimes, Norah Jones, Aaron Neville, Rod Stewart, and Jeff Tweedy.

The Chicago-based Congo Square Theatre Company, now in its 25th year, presented the rolling world premiere of Inda Craig-Galván’s Welcome To Matteson will wrap up its run this Sunday.

More Incoming

Get Smart!, a trio that worked the Chicago club scene back in the mid-1980s, have reunited and will be performing with special guest Jeff Lescher from Green on Saturday, October 7 at Liar’s Club on Fullerton in Chicago. The surf and instrumental band 13 Tikis will also be on the bill that night. I saw 13 Tikis not too long ago when they were part of the very fun Third Coast Surf Fest at Durty Nellie’s in Palatine.

Green and Get Smart! recorded catchy, hard-edged songs that deserved a lot more attention than what actually came their way. Action Reaction, the 1984 LP from Get Smart! had impressive tracks such as “Ankle Deep In Mud” and “Berlin On The Plains” while Green’s White Soul And Bittersweet EP and The Pop Tarts albums offered classics such as “She’s Heaven,” “Hear Me,” “Long Distance Telephone,” and “Hot Lava Love.” In 2019, Lescher released an engaging 20-track solo effort titled All Is Grace that mixed energetic and more introspective material.

Tickets will go on sale Friday for the Michael Shannon And Jason Narducy And Friends Play R.E.M.’s Murmur tour taking place in February 2024. The friends are John Wurster, Dag Juhlin, Vijay Tellis-Nayak, and Nick Macri. As noted on the Brooklyn Vegan website, Shannon and Narducy first performed Murmur at the Chicago venue Metro this past July. Chicago is not among the seven dates coming next year. 

Congratulations to MOJO on its 30th anniversary. The U.K. magazine, which adroitly blends current and vintage rock music coverage, will mark the occasion with a special issue featuring stories on Bob Dylan, Kate Bush, Paul McCartney, Robert Plant, Blur, Lana Del Rey, and others. As usual, you get a free, various artists CD with the issue. I’ve been subscribing to MOJO for a few years now, so I hope the 30th Anniversary issue is part of the deal. 

Incoming

 

The Feelies, The Bongos, and Lenny Kaye’s Nuggets Golden Jubilee Band will headline The Hoboken Arts And Music Festival being held in Hoboken, NJ this Sunday. In addition to Patti Smith Group founding member Kaye, the Golden Jubilee Band members are Dennis Diken from The Smithereens, James Mastro from The Bongos, Fred Smith from Television, and musician-producer Dave Amels. Kaye has celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Nuggets - Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era box set in a few cities now; it would be nice to see Chicago added to the list.  

Five bands will perform this Sunday night at Montrose Saloon as part of the Friends With Words Volume 2 fundraising event being staged by YourWords STL. The non-profit organization offers writing workshops and tutoring to help marginalized middle and high school students express themselves creatively. Tickets range from $25 to $30.

The Rolling Stones have announced the release date of October 20 for Hackney Diamonds, their first studio album of new material in 18 years.

Phil Angotti and Instant Party will pay tribute to The Who from 7:30 to 10:30 this Friday night at the Reclaimed Bar on Chicago’s north side. I’m guessing ‘Instant Party’ is what Angotti is calling his fellow musicians for this particular gig since he’s been known to come up with one-off names in the past. At any rate, there’s sure to be a lot of maximum rhythm and blues.

The 24th Annual Woodstock Film Festival in New York opens tomorrow and runs through Sunday. The event will include a screening of The Zombies documentary Hung Up On A Dream at the Bearsville Theater on Friday with a special live acoustic performance by founding members Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent. The Zombies’ North American Different Game Tour will bring the band to Chicago for a concert at The Old Town School Of Folk Music on October 15.

 

Reeling 2023 - The 41st Chicago LGBTO+ International Film Festival kicked off last Thursday and will run through October 8 at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema at 2828 N. Clark Street and Chicago Filmmakers 1326 W. Hollywood Avenue. The Chicago Latino Film Festival is partnering with Reeling to co-present 10 Spanish-Language & Iberoamerican films.

Coast to coast Paisley Underground in 2024. Tickets go on sale this Friday for concerts by The Dream Syndicate at The Knitting Factory in New York City on January 20 and The Troubadour  in Los Angeles on January 27. Vicki Peterson from The Bangles and John Cowsill from The Cowsills will be special guests at each event. 

The Lemonheads, with special guest Kiwi Jr., will perform at SPACE in Evanston over the last weekend of 2023. Radio station WXRT has a presale going on tomorrow (9/27) from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm. In addition to a new year, the band will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of their Come On Feel The Lemonheads album. 

More news about Vicki and John. Action Skulls, the trio comprising Vickie Peterson from The Bangles, John Cowsill from The Cowsills, and actor-musician Billy Mumy, has a new album titled From A Running Horse coming out this Friday. The Bangles Facebook page recently posted a clip of Peterson, Cowsill, Mumy performing an acoustic take of the new song “Find The Good.”

 

The Heartland Songwriters Midwest Tour, featuring Steve Dawson, Adam Reichmann, John Wendland and Andy Ploof, opens in St. Louis tomorrow. Three more dates will follow, with the last being at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL on October 8.

The Chicago-based Congo Square Theatre Company, now in its 25th year, will wrap up its run of Inda Craig-Galván’s Welcome To Matteson this Sunday.

Peter Gabriel’s i/o The Tour will bring him to the United Center in Chicago at this Saturday. Gabriel has released videos for nine tracks from his latest album i/o this year, starting with “Panopticom” in January and more recently with “Love Can Heal” on August 31.

The Des Plaines Theatre in downtown Des Plaines directly across from the Metra station, will present the Pink Floyd tribute Echoes Of Pompeii this Thursday night.

The 41st Annual Chicago Music Awards ceremony will be hosted by Ramonski Luv and Lady Lunchabell and take place this Saturday at 7:30 pm at the Harold Washington Cultural Center. A VIP Red Carpet Arrival hosted by Dana Divine starts at 6:00 pm; general admission will be at 7:00 pm. The Harold Washington Cultural Center is located at 4701 S. King Drive.

Slumgullion

A new digital restoration of Jonathan Demme’s Talking Heads documentary Stop Making Sense will be screened in movie theaters across America starting tomorrow. In his review in today’s Chicago Tribune, critic Michael Phillips frets that his exuberant praise might read like a press release, but I’m familiar enough with Phillips to trust his integrity. Plus, I saw Stop Making Sense when it came out in 1984, when it was already awesome. So, his review makes perfect sense.

The Heartland Songwriters Midwest Tour, featuring Steve Dawson, Adam Reichmann, John Wendland and Andy Ploof, opens in St. Louis next Wednesday. Three more dates will follow, with the last being at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL on October 8.

Tickets went on sale today for the Patti Smith and Her Band concert at The Salt Shed on December 27. 

The 10th Annual Beverly Art Walk takes place tomorrow from noon to 5:00 pm in Chicago’s south side Beverly and Morgan Park neighborhoods. I wasn’t sure how many artists will be involved (other than my niece Allison), but Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Houlihan’s always-helpful column The Mix yesterday puts the number at 150.

Speaking of reliable sources of information regarding local entertainment, the current issue of the Chicago Reader offers its annual Fall Theatre And Arts Preview. You can grab a copy of the long-running free newspaper in those yellow metal boxes downtown or in record stores and entertainment venues.

Peter Gabriel’s i/o The Tour will bring him to Chicago at the United Center on September 30.

Singer-guitarist Michael Cohen promised to serve up new selections from the great American songbook, along with some Everly Brothers hits tonight at the Tuscan Market in downtown Arlington Heights. But if you missed that show (sorry for such late notice), he’ll be at the Northman Beer And Cider Garden on the Chicago Riverwalk tomorrow from 3:00 to 5:00 pm.

 

The first U.K. screening of The Zombies documentary Hung Up On A Dream will take place on November 4 at The Barbican Centre in London. It’s part of the Doc’n Roll Film Festival 2023.

Meanwhile, The Zombies’ North American Different Game Tour begins on October 1 in New Westminster, BC. They’ll be in Chicago at The Old Town School Of Folk Music on October 15. Fans can also check out The Zombies’ official website for an interview lead vocalist Colin Blunstone did with Mistress Carrie on her podcast.

The Brian Setzer Rockabilly Riot! show comes to The Genesee Theatre in Waukegan on October 7.

Spirit Power: The Best Of Johnny Marr, a collection of tracks from the former Smiths guitarist is coming out on November 3, and is now available for pre-order. I can think of a number of songs he’s recorded that would qualify.

Just to show I cover all aspects of the entertainment biz, here’s a note on the 26th Annual Badger Marble Show being held at Comfort Inn And Suites in DeForrest, WI this Sunday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Yes, marbles like the ones baby boomers remember playing with and trading in their childhood days. Admission is free.

Filmmaker Ethan Silverman’s Marc Bolan documentary Angelheaded Hipster had its nationwide preview across England yesterday. The film includes clips of Bolan performing and interviews with him, as well as interviews with Elton John and Ringo Starr. Silverman also filmed musical interpretations by Nick Cave, Joan Jett, Macy Gray, U2, Lucinda Williams, and other music acts. It’s not clear when or if Angelheaded Hipster will be released in America.

Singer-guitarist Phil Angotti is having a vinyl LP release show for his latest album Once Around Again tomorrow night at the Blue Island Beer Company. Ralph Covert, of The Bad Examples and Ralph’s World fame, will be his special guest. Blue Island Beer Company is located at 13357 Old Western Avenue in Blue Island.

Long-time Brit hit makers Squeeze and The Psychedelic Furs will be performing at the Salt Shed in Chicago this Sunday.

Chicago filmmaker Michael Smith and cast member Shaina Schrooten will be on hand at The Den Theatre twice this weekend to discuss his Paper Planes movie as part of Haven Chicago’s Festival au Cinema. The event will offer 20 independent films; admission is $10 for each day.

Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO, the indie musician’s Electric Light Orchestra tribute album, is now available to pre-order on Bandcamp. It due out in November but a third song (to go along with  “I Can’t Get It Out Of My Head” and “Don’t Bring Me Down”) is now available to preview. “Telephone Line” can now be heard on various streaming sites.

There will be a lot of mind-altering sounds going on this Sunday when the 21st century druid band whitewolfsonicprincess; space age lounge jazz band The Leisure Committee (descriptions courtesy of the bands themselves); and The Flying Chaucers (a duo comprising Daniel Connolly & Keralee Froebel perform from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Custer Street Oasis in Evanston. It’s near the La Principal restaurant.

Reeling 2023 - The 41st Chicago LGBTO+ International Film Festival kicked off last night and will run through October 8 at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema at 2828 N. Clark Street and Chicago Filmmakers at 1326 W. Hollywood Avenue. The Chicago Latino Film Festival is partnering with Reeling to co-present 10 Spanish-Language & Iberoamerican films.

Poi Dog Pondering frontman and solo artist Frank Orrall and Nora O’Connor from The Flat Five will be performing at City Winery Chicago tomorrow night, along with Max Crawford, Paul Von Mertens and Sophia De Leon Sanchez.

The Singers Talk, Jason Thomas Gordon’s new book honoring the essential role lead vocalists play in creating music, is now available for purchase. All royalties will benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through their Music Gives to St. Jude Kids campaign. An amazing number of well-known singers across several genres were interviewed for this work; including Tony Bennett, Roger Daltry, Willie Nelson, Mavis Staples, Bruce Springsteen, Chrissie Hynde, Smokey Robinson, Joan Jett, Emmylou Harris, Ann Wilson, Michael Stipe, Leean Rimes, Norah Jones, Aaron Neville, Rod Stewart, and Jeff Tweedy.

The 41st Annual Chicago Music Awards ceremony, hosted by Ramonski Luv and Lady Lunchabell will take place at 7:30 pm on September 30 at the Harold Washington Cultural Center. A VIP Red Carpet Arrival hosted by Dana Divine starts at 6:00 pm; general admission will be at 7:00 pm. The Harold Washington Cultural Center is located at 4701 S. King Drive.

Sky People Entertainment will present The 5th Annual Indigenous People’s Day Chicago Arts And Music Festival on October 8 and 9 at The Chop Shop on North Avenue in Chicago. Admission is free but reservations need to be made in advance. Digging Roots; Keith Secola; Novalima; Opliam; Raye Zaragoza; One Way Sky will be among the performers.

Carla Olson, the singer-guitarist known for fronting the Americana rock band The Textones, as well as for her successful solo career and collaborations with Mick Taylor from The Rolling Stones and Gene Clark from The Byrds, has a new album coming in October titled Have Harmony, Will Travel 3. Clark is once again onboard, along with Jonathan Lea, who performs with The Jigsaw Seen and The Dave Davies Band. Former Hollies lead vocalist/current solo artist Allan Clarke co-wrote two songs with Olson and provides guest vocals on the album. Have Harmony, Will Travel 3 is available to pre-order on Amazon. The first single “Face To Face” has been picking up airplay on independent radio stations.

The Chicago-based Congo Square Theatre Company, now in its 25th year, recently presented the rolling world premiere of Inda Craig-Galván’s Welcome To Matteson. Directed by Ericka Ratcliff, the production runs through October 1. Congo Square Theatre Company is located at 1016 N. Dearborn Street in Chicago.

Here’s an event for those who plan their itinerary a year in advance and don’t mind traveling overseas. (Unless you already live in the U.K.) The Record Collector and Mantle Brewery sponsored Fruits de Mer and Sendelica 20th Dream Of Dr Sardonicus International Festival Of Psychedelia will take place on August 2 – 4, 2024 at The Cellar Bar in Cardigan. Man, Astralasia/Mushroom, Sendelica, Pinhdar, Custard Flux, Moon Goose, The Fertility Cult, Babal, Z-Machine, Elfin Bow, SPWCI, Reuben’s Daughters and DJ Benway will be performing. All for the mind-blowing ticket price of £75.

The Mother Z’s, a Chicago alt rock duo comprising siblings Andy and Becca Palmer, has returned to the recording studio after a lengthy hiatus and will release a new six-song album titled Rest It Straight on their Bandcamp page on October 6. The first single, “Non, Merci” shows the Palmers still have their touch for quick rhymes and clever wordplay, and will be available to download on September 22.

Congratulations to L7 on already selling out four of the eight dates of their upcoming December Australia and New Zealand tour. More recently, the band enjoyed a visit from Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl at their performance at The Black Cat Club in Washington, D.C. 

Here comes the son. Tickets are now on sale for Dhani Harrison’s concert at the Omeara venue in London on October 18.

Congratulations to author Tommy Orange, whose crime heist novel There There has been chosen by One Book, One Chicago this year.

Shiiine On Weekender 2023, which is being billed as “An Indoor 3 Day Festival With Accommodation Included,” will be held November 17 – 19 at the Butlin’s Minehead Arena in Somerset, England. Scheduled acts include The Wonder Stuff; Inspiral Carpets; The Primitives; Martin McAloon Of Prefab Sprout; Miki Berenyi Trio; and Stereo MC’s.

The Des Plaines Theatre in downtown Des Plaines, directly across from the Metra station, will present the Pink Floyd tribute Echoes Of Pompeii on September 28.

Incoming

The first U.K. screening of The Zombies documentary Hung Up On A Dream will take place on November 4 at The Barbican Centre in London. It’s part of the Doc’n Roll Film Festival. Meanwhile, The Zombies’ Different Game North American Tour begins on October 1 in New Westminster, BC. They’ll be in Chicago at The Old Town School Of Folk Music on October 15. 

Chicago-based neo-soul band The Imperial Sound will no doubt perform their new single “I Call It Blue” at their gig tomorrow night at The Hideout, located at 1354 W. Wabansia on Chicago’s north side. Vocalist Rachel Drew, who frequently performs on the local club scene, will be joining them as a special guest.

The Brian Setzer Rockabilly Riot! show comes to The Genesee Theatre in Waukegan on October 7.

Chicago-based alt rock band Reaction Formation is going to have a 40th Anniversary Reunion Show at GMan Tavern near Wrigley Field this Friday night.

Spirit Power: The Best Of Johnny Marr, a collection of tracks from the former Smiths guitarist, is coming out on November 3, and is now available for pre-order. I can think of a number of songs he’s recorded that would qualify.

Singer-guitarist Phil Angotti is having a vinyl LP release show for his latest album Once Around Again this Saturday at the Blue Island Beer Company. Ralph Covert, of The Bad Examples and Ralph’s World fame, will be his special guest. Although these guys are both veterans of the Chicago music scene, they had never performed together until last Saturday night at the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum On Route 66 Hall Of Fame VIP Pre-Party in Joliet. Blue Island Beer Company is located at 13357 Old Western Avenue in Blue Island.

Congratulations to Joe Gagliardo and the organizers of the VIP Pre-Party, as well as The Illinois Rock & Roll Museum On Route 66 Third Annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Sunday. Judging from the many posts on Facebook, both nights were fantastic. It will be interesting to see the Museum once it’s completed. 

Long-time Brit hit makers Squeeze and The Psychedelic Furs will be performing at the Salt Shed in Chicago this Sunday.

Chicago filmmaker Michael Smith and cast member Shaina Schrooten will be on hand at The Den Theatre twice this weekend to discuss Smith’s Paper Planes movie as part of Haven Chicago’s Festival au Cinema. The event will offer 20 independent films; admission is $10 for each day.

There will be a lot of mind-altering sounds going on this Sunday when the 21st century druid band whitewolfsonicprincess; space age lounge jazz band The Leisure Committee (descriptions courtesy of the bands themselves); and The Flying Chaucers (a duo comprising Daniel Connolly & Keralee Froebel) perform from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Custer Street Oasis in Evanston. It’s near the La Principal restaurant.

Reeling 2023 - The 41st Chicago LGBTO+ International Film Festival kicks off tomorrow at The Music Box Theatre. Screenings after tomorrow will take place at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema and Chicago Filmmakers. The festival runs through October 1.

 

Poi Dog Pondering frontman and solo artist Frank Orrall and Nora O’Connor from The Flat Five will be performing at City Winery Chicago this Saturday, along with Max Crawford, Paul Von Mertens and Sophia De Leon Sanchez.

The 41st Annual Chicago Music Awards ceremony will be held on September 30 at the Harold Washington Cultural Center.

Slumgullion

Squeeze and The Psychedelic Furs, veteran Brit bands who’ve each notched plenty of classic hit songs, are currently sharing a fall tour together. They’ll be at the Salt Shed in Chicago next Sunday, September 24. Those unable to attend can still enjoy the experience of hearing Squeeze live via the recently released digital EP Best Of Squeeze 2: Live At The Fillmore, which is available to download on Bandcamp. It includes an eight-minute version of “Black Coffee In Bed” that features audience participation and a funky instrumental break. The other four tracks  are “Pulling Mussels (From The Shell),” “Hourglass,” “Goodbye Girl,” and “Take Me, I’m Yours.”

Welcome to everyone who’s in town to experience Riot Fest 2023 in Douglass Park. It kicked off today with Foo Fighters; Tegan and Sara; The Breeders; Kim Gordon; Ani DiFranco; Parliament Funkadelic featuring George Clinton; Screaming Females and others acts. Tomorrow’s lineup includes Death Cab For Cutie; The Postal Service; White Reaper; The Exploited; and Warpaint, and Sunday brings The Cure; The Mars Volta; The Gaslight Anthem; The Dresden Dolls; and Flogging Molly.

Relentless, the latest album from The Pretenders, was released today, and it sounds like another winning effort from Chrissie Hynde and her mates. Highlights include “A Love” and “Let The Sun Come In.”

The Chicago-based Congo Square Theatre Company, now in its 25th year, is currently presenting the rolling world premiere of Inda Craig-Galván’s Welcome To Matteson. Directed by Ericka Ratcliff, the production runs through October 1. Congo Square Theatre Company is located at 1016 N. Dearborn Street in Chicago.

The Lemonheads are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their Come On Feel The Lemonheads album tonight at The House Of Blues in Boston. Juliana Hatfield, who helped out on several tracks during the recording, John P. Strohm, who founded The Blake Babies with Hatfield, and singer-songwriter Willy Mason, are helping to mark the occasion.

Phil Angotti is having a vinyl LP release show for his latest, impressive album Once Around Again on September 23 at the Blue Island Beer Company. Ralph Covert, of The Bad Examples and Ralph’s World fame, will be his special guest. Blue Island Beer Company is located at 13357 Old Western Avenue in Blue Island.

Chicago alt rock band whitewolfsonicprincess will perform with The Flying Chaucers and The Leisure Committee at the Custer Street Oasis, in the vicinity of La Principal restaurant on September 24.

Filmmaker Ethan Silverman’s Marc Bolan documentary Angelheaded Hipster had its nationwide preview across England yesterday. The film includes clips of Bolan performing and interviews with him, as well as interviews with Elton John and Ringo Starr. Silverman also filmed musical interpretations by Nick Cave, Joan Jett, Macy Gray, U2, Lucinda Williams, and other music acts. It’s not clear when or if Angelheaded Hipster will be released in America.

The Mother Z’s, a Chicago alt rock duo comprising siblings Andy and Becca Palmer, has returned to the recording studio after a lengthy hiatus and will release a new six-song album titled Rest It Straight on their Bandcamp page on October 6. The first single, “Non, Merci” shows the Palmers still have their touch for quick rhymes and clever wordplay, and will be available to download on September 22. Welcome back, guys.

The 38th Annual Riverwalk Fine Art Fair takes place tomorrow from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, at 171 Jackson Avenue in downtown Naperville, IL. The event will also feature food vendors and live music.

Congratulations to The Kinks on being inducted into The Music Walk Of Fame on Camden High Street in Camden, London last Friday. Mick Avory, who was the band’s drummer, had the honor of unveiling the commemorative stone. 

The Illinois Rock & Roll Museum On Route 66 will present its Third Annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony this Sunday at the Rialto Square Theatre. Jim Peterik, who was previously inducted for his work with Ides Of March and Survivor, will be on hand, along with the Plain White T’s and vocalist Lia Caton. WGN-AM Bob Sirott will be back as the evening’s MC, and to be inducted in the Radio Personality category.

There will be an Illinois Rock & Roll Museum On Route 66 Hall Of Fame VIP Pre-Party tomorrow night. Shoes will perform a 20-minute set with guests musicians Ric Menck on drums and Leroy Bocchieri on percussion and additional instrumentation. Others highlights include Phil Angotti, Casey McDonough, and Brad Elvis performing as a trio; One Of The Boyzz featuring Dirty Dan Buck; Ralph Covert with special guest Randy Riesen; and the Gen Fuze covers band. The evening will include a tribute to the late Cliff Johnson of Off Broadway fame, and DJ Louzlounge spinning power pop records.

Congratulations to L7 on already selling out four of the eight dates of their December Australia and New Zealand tour.

 

Tickets went on sale yesterday for Dhani Harrison’s concert at the Omeara venue in London on October 18.

The Annapolis Songwriters Festival runs through Sunday in Annapolis, MD. Performers include Blondie, Leann Rimes, Michelle Branch Patty Griffin, Marty Stuart, James McMurtry, and others.

Out Of Time: The Material Issue Story, director Balin Schneider’s documentary on the ill-fated Chicago-based power pop trio Material Issue, will serve as the finale for the CHIRP Music Film Festival this Sunday night at the Davis Theater on Lincoln Avenue. The screening will be followed by live performances by local bands. Out Of Time: The Material Issue Story is available to order for $25 on Blu-ray from the Factory 25 website. 

The Record Collector and Mantle Brewery sponsored Fruits de Mer and Sendelica 20th Dream Of Dr Sardonicus International Festival Of Psychedelia will take place on August 2 – 4, 2024 at The Cellar Bar in Cardigan. Man, Astralasia/Mushroom, Sendelica, Pinhdar, Custard Flux, Moon Goose, The Fertility Cult, Babal, Z-Machine, Elfin Bow, SPWCI, Reuben’s Daughters and DJ Benway will be performing. All for the mind-blowing ticket price of £75.

The Rock-Expo in Aurora takes place tomorrow from noon to 5:00 pm at Two Brothers Roundhouse. The event will offer vinyl records, memorabilia, books and magazines. Author John Lyons will be on hand to discuss and sign copies of his book Joy and Fear: The Beatles Chicago and the Sixties. Admission is free.

Shiiine On Weekender 2023, which is being billed as “An Indoor 3 Day Festival With Accommodation Included,” will be held November 17 – 19 at the Butlin’s Minehead Arena in Somerset, England. Scheduled acts include The Wonder Stuff; Inspiral Carpets; The Primitives; Martin McAloon of Prefab Sprout; Miki Berenyi Trio; and Stereo MC’s. 

Poi Dog Pondering frontman and solo artist Frank Orrall will perform with Nora O’Connor from The Flat Five at City Winery Chicago September 23.

Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO, the indie musician’s Electric Light Orchestra tribute album, is now available to pre-order on Bandcamp. It due out in November but the two songs (“I Can’t Get It Out Of My Head” and “Don’t Bring Me Down”) already available to download suggest this is going to be a fun collection.

Blues artist Calvin Jones is coming to The Wilmette Theatre in Wilmette, IL next Tuesday, September 19.

The Singers Talk, Jason Thomas Gordon’s new book honoring the essential role lead vocalists play in creating music, is now available for purchase. All royalties will benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through their Music Gives to St. Jude Kids campaign. An amazing number of well-known singers across several genres were interviewed for this work; including Tony Bennett, Roger Daltry, Willie Nelson, Mavis Staples, Bruce Springsteen, Chrissie Hynde, Smokey Robinson, Joan Jett, Emmylou Harris, Ann Wilson, Michael Stipe, Leean Rimes, Norah Jones, Aaron Neville, Rod Stewart, and Jeff Tweedy.

Congratulations to author Tommy Orange, whose crime heist novel There There has been chosen by One Book, One Chicago this year.

Chicago-based alt rock band Reaction Formation is going to have a 40th Anniversary Reunion Show at GMan Tavern near Wrigley Field on September 22. 

Chicago’s indie band Hushdrops has a gig coming up at Liar’s Club next Tuesday, September 19. Everyday Specials and Winona Driver will also be on the bill.

Carla Olson, the singer-guitarist known for fronting the Americana rock band The Textones, as well as for her successful solo career and collaborations with Mick Taylor from The Rolling Stones and Gene Clark from The Byrds, has a new album coming in October titled Have Harmony, Will Travel 3. Clark is once again onboard, along with Jonathan Lea, who performs with The Jigsaw Seen and The Dave Davies Band. Former Hollies lead vocalist/current solo artist Allan Clarke co-wrote two songs with Olson and provides guest vocals on the album. Have Harmony, Will Travel 3 is available to pre-order on Amazon. The first single “Face To Face” has been picking up airplay on independent radio stations.

The Des Plaines Theatre in downtown Des Plaines directly across from the Metra station, will present the Pink Floyd tribute Echoes Of Pompeii on September 28.

Freda Love Smith, whose rock and roll career kicked off in the mid-1980s as a member of the Boston-based Blake Babies with Juliana Hatfield and John Strohm, has a book launch for her I Quit Everything memoir coming next Tuesday, September 19 at Books And Beginnings in Evanston. I bought a copy from her last Sunday morning after she took part in the Reading From New Memoirs session at the Printers Row Lit Fest in downtown Chicago. 

Chicago-based neo-soul band The Imperial Sound has a gig at The Hideout next Thursday, September 21.

Peter Gabriel’s i/o The Tour will bring him to Chicago at the United Center on September 30.

The 10th Annual Beverly Art Walk takes place next Saturday, September 23 from noon to 5:00 pm.