Incoming

As an update on my journey through Eric M. Shade’s new book All Over The Place - The Rise Of The Bangles from the L.A. Underground, I’ve enjoyed the early chapters covering the pre-Bangles lives of Debbi and Vicki Peterson, Susanna Hoffs, and Michael Steele. This was likely the most challenging part of the book, but Shade does a good job of covering the numerous bands they each were in, while keeping the narrative interesting. And it’s clear all four women were focused on creating music from their childhood days. Next up, Shade takes us through their days as The Bangs.

Civl Fest 2024 started last Thursday and will run through this Saturday at music venues around Chicago. This week’s shows include Nathan Graham at Color Club on Wednesday; Barns Courtney at Cubby Bear on Thursday; The Lagoons at Subterranean, Jamila Woods at The Vic, and Pinsqueege at Metro, all on Friday; Paul Virzi at Den Theatre on Saturday; and Yakuza And Friends at Thalia Hall on Sunday. Civl Fest aims to help fund mental health, healthcare and health advocate services for 1099/gig workers from Chicago area independent venues.

Congratulations to all involved with the short but successful Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy And Friends Play R.E.M.’s Murmur tour, which recently finished its run. Narducy posted a group photo (including bandmates Jon Wurster; Dag Juhlin; Nick Macri; and Vijay Tellis-Nayak) and promised, “I will post more from the tour in days ahead.”

 

The Opening Gala for the Chicago Irish Film Festival 25th Anniversary - Films From The Land Of Storytelling takes place on February 29 with a screening of VERDIGRIS at Theater On The Lake. Most of the other feature films will be screened at AMC New City Theater Screen #1 or the Society For The Arts: Gallery Theatre. Several shorts will be available in virtual format. From a rock and roll perspective, Dublin Crust, a comedy/drama about a band reuniting after several years, looks really interesting. The Chicago Irish Film Festival runs through March 10. 

The Jazz Institute Of Chicago will present the Chicago Winter Jazz Fair 2024 this Friday from 11:30 am to 10:00 pm at Chicago Cultural Center at 78 E. Washington Street. The event will feature live performances, lectures, and numerous vendors. Performances include Marques Carroll’s Trumpet Summit; Windy City Jazz Electric; Bethany Pickens Soulful Coalition; and Darwin Noguera. Admission is free.

 

The annual My Sweet George George Harrison birthday tribute takes place this Saturday, at Martyrs’ on Lincoln Avenue. The event’s organizers—Ellis Clark and Ary Paloma— have once again recruited some of Chicago’s best musicians to help celebrate, and veteran musician/media personality Ken Mottet will serve as Master Of Ceremonies. If previous years are any indication, the selection of Harrison material performed this Saturday will range from hit singles to deep tracks and rarities. My Sweet George, which once again helps the MusiCares nonprofit charity organization, starts at 7:00 pm, with doors open at 6:30 pm.

Phil Angotti and Friends will perform a George Harrison Birthday Show at their next Beatles Brunch next Sunday, April 25.  

A toast to that Whiskey appearance. It’s not unusual to find pictures of The Hollies on social media; ranging from the English band’s earliest days in the 1960s to the current version that actively tours across Europe. But I was particularly struck by a black and white photo posted on Facebook yesterday showing The Hollies performing at the Whiskey A Go Go club on Valentine’s Day in 1968.

I’ve been aware of that legendary event for some time but didn’t know any photos existed. (Apparently, there have been eight on the Elevated Observations website since 2018.) As noted in drummer Bobby Elliott’s autobiography It Ain’t Heavy, It’s My Story - My Life In The Hollies, it was quite a bittersweet experience. The Hollies thoroughly impressed an audience packed with well-known rock stars, two of which would soon steal Graham Nash away for their own new band.

Elliott included a snippet from a west coast music publication: “The Hollies opened their only Los Angeles live appearance EVER at the Whisky A Go Go and EVERYONE in Hollywood was there—all The Monkees  . . . David Crosby, The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Jackie DeShannon, Mama Cass . . .” Elliott offers his own observation: “It turned out that the event had become a showcase not only for The Hollies, but for Graham, who was already planning his exodus from our ranks.”

 

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the show changed the history of rock and roll, considering how influential Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young would become. I doubt any promo material ever existed since The Hollies’ Whiskey A Go Go gig was a last-minute effort suggested by Cass Elliott and pulled together by the band’s manager. So, here’s an appeal to all the graphic artists out there to create some facsimile posters and t-shirts. Or even a graphic novel illustrating how members of three well-known bands came together to create a supergroup.