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.