Saturday Slumgullion

As someone who still owns and uses a VHS player, I jumped at the opportunity to purchase the Out Of Time: The Material Issue Story Limited Edition Of 40 VHS offer on the Factory25 website. The Balin Schneider documentary honoring the ill-fated Chicago based indie rock trio is also available on Blu-ray, but the VHS version is hand numbered and there will only be 40 of them.

Back when Out Of Time was screened at Lincoln Hall in Chicago in December 2021, I posted a review here on BHT and noted: “Schneider has crafted a compelling if short study of a band that seemed destined for major success but inexplicably fell short. It’s a familiar scenario for Chicago area music fans who’ve seen major labels bungle the marketing of Shoes, Off Broadway, and The Elvis Brothers. Except in this version, the outcome was genuinely tragic when charismatic lead vocalist-guitarist Jim Ellison committed suicide.”

On the subject of my recent purchases, I just ordered a copy of Zip It Up! - The Best Of Trouser Press Magazine 1974 – 1984, a 440-page large-format paperback book, which is now available on the Trouser Press Books website for $25. Pete Townshend, Todd Rundgren, Cheap Trick, Bryan Ferry, Kate Bush, Blondie, and R.E.M. are among the acts covered in the book.

Sonic45, sports broadcaster/musician Len Kasper’s atmospheric and often eerie alt rock band featuring Chicago music scene veterans Matt Spiegel (also a sportscaster); Liam Davis; Gerald Dowd; and Dag Juhlin, has finished recording its second full-length album. The sophomore effort will likely be be released this summer, and the first single, “You And I Are Stereo,” will be released exclusively on Bandcamp next Friday, April 5.

The Deadline website recently reported that a film about the creating and recording of Bruce Springsteen’s 1982 album Nebraska could be on the way. It would be titled Deliver Me From Nowhere, and the filmmakers are hoping to land Jeremy Allen White from The Bear TV show to portray Springsteen. In related news, a Best Of  Bruce Springsteen collection in CD, vinyl, and digital formats will arrive on April 19.

WXRT will continue its tradition of cheering the Chicago Cubs on to another major league season by hosting the 93XRT Opening Day Celebration At Yak-Zies this Monday. Yak-Zies is located at 3710 N. Clark Street, just down the street from Wrigley Field. The doors open at 8:00 am, and the next five hours will feature radio personalities Frank E. Lee, Johnny Mars, Ryan Arnold, and Terri Hemmert spinning their favorite vinyl tracks. The event will wrap up with a live performance by up-and-coming Chicago-based rockers Brigitte Calls Me Baby, and the Opening Day Benediction by The Regular Guy. I’m willing to bet the late, great Lin Brehmer, my (still) best friend in the whole word, will be there in spirit. 

The WXRT bash isn’t the only rock and roll baseball tradition in Chicago. Waco Brothers will perform a free show for fans over age 21 at Gman Tavern at 3740 N. Clark Street on the Cubs’ opening day. Doors open at 10:00 am, the music starts an hour later.

Stephanie Kuehnert, the author who garnered national attention with her well-crafted and emotionally charged novels Ballads Of Suburbia and I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone, released a memoir titled Pieces Of A Girl this past Tuesday. She’s keeping busy with in-store appearances and media interviews, and it’s already been selected as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.

Girlschool, the English all-women hard rock band that was one of the first of its kind back in 1978 and still shakes the rafters, will perform at Thalia Hall this Tuesday, April 2. The Chicago appearance is part of the Girlschool’s Final North American Tour. Upcoming stops include Columbus, OH; Pittsburg, PA; Detroit, MI; and London, Ontario.

Jeff Lynne’s ambitious ELO Over And Out Tour will visit several North American cities, starting on August 24 in Palm Desert, CA. Other stops include San Francisco, Pittsburgh, New York, Chicago (September 27), Atlanta and Philadelphia.

The Time Machine - A Tribute To The ‘80s recently opened at the Black Ensemble Theatre and will run through April 14. BET is well known for its musical salutes, and this latest one has a sci-fi twist involving a high school senior who travels back to the era when Prince, Sheila E., Al B. Sure, Keith Sweat, and LL Cool J. ruled the charts. The Time Machine - A Tribute To The ’80s is written and directed by Daryl D. Brooks. Black Ensemble Theatre is located at 4450 N. Clark Street on Chicago’s north side.

The upcoming tour for Our House - The Music Of CSNY will include a stop at the Des Plaines Theatre in Illinois on July 21. The tribute act features musicians who are related to or have worked with David Crosby, Neil Young, and Graham Nash.

 

Laurie Kaye’s recently released memoir Confessions Of A Rock ’N’ Roll Name Dropper - My Life Leading Up To John Lennon’s Last Interview focuses on the earliest portion of her decades-long career in the entertainment industry. Back when her role as a writer/radio personality/producer for the RKO Network included meeting Paul McCartney, The Ramones, George Harrison, George Martin, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, and Grace Slick. Confessions includes her interviews with these and other popular music icons. Sadly, her favorite interview—with John Lennon at the Dakota apartment building in New York—came just hours before he was murdered. Kaye would move on to a career in television as a producer and writer, but understandably, she was most affected by that day with John Lennon.

The Irish American Heritage Center on Chicago’s north side will honor the music of folk rock singer John Prine with its first Chicago Prine Fest next Saturday, April 6. Television writer, comedian, and musician Rick Woods will serve as host, and there will be performances by Arlo McKinley and The Lawrence Peters Outfit. The Irish American Heritage Center is located at 4626 N. Knox Avenue.

007 Science: Inventing The World Of James Bond, a new exhibit that views the popular spy movies from an intellectual but still fun perspective, opened recently at Chicago’s Museum Of Science And Industry, and will run through October 27.

Dave Davies from The Kinks has a new compilation album titled Living On A Thin Line that’s available in vinyl, CD and digital formats, as well as a previously unreleased seven-inch/digital single “21st Century.” Davies gave a thumbs up to the recently released Tall Poppy Syndrome cover of The Kinks song “This Time Tomorrow.”

There will a double dose of groundbreaking rock from the 1980s when R.E.M. tribute band Dead Letter Office shares an evening with The B-52’s tribute act Planet Claire at Martyrs’ on Lincoln Avenue next Friday, April 5. The fun starts at 8:00 pm.

A Reader Best Of Chicago celebration will take place at 6:30 pm at the Lincoln Park Zoo on April 25. There will be live entertainment and performances by some of the award winners, as well as food and beverage vendors and other activities. The printed edition the Chicago Reader announcing the winners in numerous categories came out on February 22.

The Smithereens, with Marshall Crenshaw as their guest vocalist, will be rocking in their home state of New Jersey at a May 25 Memorial Day Weekend gig at Wonder Bar in Asbury Park. Just about a month later, The Smithereens, again with Marshall Crenshaw on vocals, will perform at Prairie Fest in Wood Dale, IL on June 28. Admission to Prairie Fest is free.

The Sound And Vision exhibit, which features artwork by well-know artist-musicians, is now open and will run through April 21 at Mad.Kat Gallery in Rancho Mirage, CA. Participants include Joan Baez, Jon Langford, Penelope Houston, Juliana Hatfield, and Steve Wynn.

Matthew Sweet is back on tour with Debbi Peterson from The Bangles, starting in Madison,WI next Thursday. They’ll be in Chicago the next day for a concert at Metro on the north side, with Abe Partridge also on the bill. Other stops include Pittsburgh, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, New York , and Washington, D.C.

Sting has an upcoming tour that will bring him to Chicago for shows at the Auditorium Theatre on October 28 and 29. He’ll also visit Toronto, Philadelphia, Boston, Brooklyn, and other locations.

EXPO CHGO - The International Exposition Of Contemporary and Modern Art will be held on Navy Pier from April 11 through April 14.

Better Than Beethoven

Art from Rachel Drew website.

Mixing art with rock and roll is nothing new, but the result will always fascinate some of us. It could be graphic novels about Blondie, David Bowie, or The Beatles; paintings of music icons by artists such as Georgina Flood or Shannon MacDonald; paintings of music icons by music icons such as Ronnie Wood; action figures; or rock star stickers on sites such as Redbubble. I’m always interested in finding something new.

In the Peanuts comic strip, Lucy Van Pelt dismissed Schroeder’s adoration of Beethoven by pointing out the composer had never been on a bubblegum card. That issue could easily be resolved these days by contacting Pop Art Sports Cards (popartsportscards@gmail.com) and custom ordering a baseball card with Beethoven’s likeness on the front and a list of his musical accomplishments on the back. I recently ordered a set of The Hollies that includes a card for each member of the English band circa the mid-1960s, and they’re terrific. I’ve previously ordered cards of Pink Floyd, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Heart, Cheap Trick, The Bangles, and The Kinks.

I messaged Pop Art Sports Cards to see if he’s ever been commissioned to create baseball cards for local bands as a promotional tool, and he responded that he “did a couple cards for a punk band in ’23. They did a great job of including it in their vinyl packaging.” I’m not sure how much it would cost to order a bunch of cards (I ordered a single set of each band I wanted), but it might be worthwhile for acts who have the money. Or just order a set for each band member.

Chicago-based singer-songwriter Rachel Drew has embarked on an ambitious project to promote Old Sky New Song, her album of catchy songs that seamlessly blend folk, rock, and occasionally a bit of funk. Working with artist Mike Stiehl, she’s creating a series of 17.16 in x 11.16 in size colorful bookplate prints on premium matte paper, each inspired by a song on the album. They’re available for $12 each on her website. Rachel Drew has a record release party with special guests The Famous Brothers coming up this Thursday night at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn. I’m not sure if she’ll have prints for sale there.

Incoming

Pete Townshend will be a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon tomorrow, and he’s bringing the cast of The Who’s Tommy with him. The latest staged version of Townshend’s rock opera is now in previews at The Nederlander Theatre in New York, after a sold out run at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago last year. Here’s a snippet of my July 11 Broken Hearted Toy review: “The ensemble brings the title character’s traumatic childhood and eventual redemption to life through first-rate renditions of The Who’s iconic rock songs. Broadway veteran Lorin Latarro’s imaginative choreography consistently embellishes the narrative. The stunning presentation of “Pinball Wizard” just prior to intermission provides a quick peek at the production’s [mostly off stage] top notch live band.”

Girlschool, the English all-women hard rock band that was one of the first of its kind back in 1978 and still shakes the rafters, will perform at Thalia Hall next Tuesday, April 2. The Chicago appearance is part of the Girlschool’s Final North American Tour. Upcoming stops include Columbus, OH; Pittsburg, PA; Detroit, MI; and London, Ontario.

Chicago-based singer-guitarist Phil Angotti has done tributes to a wide range of recording artists over the years, but I think his show with Josh Piet and Jason Batch at Outta Space in Berwyn this Wednesday might be the first time he honors Chris Isaak. The Blue Lorraine Trio will be the opening act; the music begins at 7:00 pm. Angotti is also known for crafting his own engaging indie rock songs, particularly on his most recent album, Once Around Again.

 

Laurie Kaye’s recently released memoir Confessions Of A Rock ’N’ Roll Name Dropper - My Life Leading Up To John Lennon’s Last Interview focuses on the earliest portion of her decades-long career in the entertainment industry. Back when her role as a writer/radio personality/producer for the RKO Network included meeting Paul McCartney, The Ramones, George Harrison, George Martin, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, and Grace Slick. Confessions includes her interviews with these and other popular music icons. Sadly, her favorite interview—with John Lennon at the Dakota apartment building in New York—came just hours before he was murdered. Kaye would move on to a career in television as a producer and writer, but understandably, she was most affected by that day with John Lennon.

WXRT will continue its tradition of cheering the Chicago Cubs on to another major league season by hosting the 93XRT Opening Day Celebration At Yak-Zies on April 1. The radio station also once had a tradition of elaborate April Fools’ Day tricks, but the Opening Day event is the real thing. Yak-Zies is located at 3710 N. Clark Street, just down the street from Wrigley Field. The doors open at 8:00 am, and the next five hours will feature radio personalities Frank E. Lee, Johnny Mars, Ryan Arnold, and Terri Hemmert spinning their favorite vinyl tracks. The event will wrap up with a live performance by up-and-coming Chicago-based rockers Brigitte Calls Me Baby, and the Opening Day Benediction presented by The Regular Guy. I’m willing to bet that the late, great Lin Brehmer, my (still) best friend in the whole world, will be there in spirit. 

Slumgullion

Our House - The Music Of CSNY, a tribute act featuring musicians who are related to or have worked with David Crosby, Neil Young, and Graham Nash, will soon be out touring, according to a recent post from band member Steve Postell on Facebook. In addition to performing with the band Immediate Family, Postell joined David Crosby on the concert trail. 

It was nice to see Graham Nash give a shoutout to Wilco on social media today. Nash and the Chicago-based Americana rock band crossed paths in Sydney, Australia, where both acts are currently touring. “What an absolute pleasure it was to see the lads from Wilco the other night [at] Sydney Opera House,” Nash posted. “Fantastic show. Thanks so much for the warm reception you gave us. We loved every minute of music you shared” Nash and Wilco will be back in America for tours later this year.

Happy Birthday to Thrift Store Halo vocalist, bass player, and songwriter Frank Gradishar. The Chicago power pop band will celebrate tomorrow night during its show at Montrose Saloon. French Casino, The Unswept, and Blue Ether will also perform, but I don’t know if they’ll bring presents for Frank. Thrift Store Halo has unveiled a new side project called Uncle Boogie. The band will play cover versions plucked from various decades and genres at local clubs, including Mom’s Place just north of downtown Chicago on June 8.

Tickets went on sale this morning for Jeff Lynne’s ambitious ELO Over And Out Tour. Billed as “the final tour,” it will visit several North American cities, starting on August 24 in Palm Desert, CA. Other stops include San Francisco, Pittsburgh, New York, Chicago (September 27), Atlanta and Philadelphia.

Hello in there. The Irish American Heritage Center on Chicago’s north side will honor the music of folk rock singer John Prine with its first Chicago Prine Fest on April 6. TV writer/comedian/musician Rick Woods will serve as host, and there will be performances by Arlo McKinley and The Lawrence Peters Outfit. The Irish American Heritage Center is located at 4626 N. Knox Avenue.

 

A new and ambitious version of the song “Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)” from Dire Straits guitarist Mark Knopfler’s 1983 soundtrack album was released recently. Several well-respected musicians, calling themselves Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes, joined him on the recording. The all-star version of “Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)” will benefit The Who’s Teenage Cancer Fund and is available in digital and vinyl formats from Amazon other sites.

 

The Who’s all-star charity event Teenage Cancer Trust At The Royal Albert Hall in London will wrap up this Sunday with the all-star event Ovation - A Celebration Of 24 Years Of Gigs For Teenage  Cancer Trust with Roger Daltrey, Kelly Jones, Robert Plant With Saving Grace, Pete Townshend, Eddie Vedder, and Paul Weller.

Dolph Chaney And The Phins will likely perform the catchy songs from Chaney’s latest album Mug during a free show at 5:30 tomorrow at Cary’s Lounge at 2251 W. Devon in Chicago. Opening act The Dry Look will kick things off at 4:00 pm.

Dave Davies from The Kinks has a new compilation album titled Living On A Thin Line that’s available in vinyl, CD and digital formats, as well as a previously unreleased seven-inch/digital single “21st Century.” Davies gave a thumbs up on Facebook today to the recently released Tall Poppy Syndrome cover of The Kinks song “This Time Tomorrow.”

The Billy Bremner Rockfiles US Farewell Tour is coming to SPACE in Evanston on October 8. Back in 1980, Bremner played guitar and sang on the one and only (and critically acclaimed) Rockpile LP Seconds Of Pleasure. Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, and Terry Williams were his fellow band members then; he’ll be joined by three different guys at SPACE.

A Reader Best Of Chicago celebration will take place at 6:30 pm at the Lincoln Park Zoo on April 25. There will be live entertainment and performances by some of the award winners, as well as food and beverage vendors and other activities. The printed edition the Chicago Reader announcing the winners in numerous categories came out on February 22.

Marshall Crenshaw will have Derrick Anderson on bass and vocals, Mark Ortmann on drums, and Fernando Perdomo on guitar and vocals when he performs this Sunday at City Winery Chicago. That adds up to four guys with lots of experience performing catchy pop songs.

The Smithereens, with Marshall Crenshaw as their guest vocalist, will be rocking in their home state of New Jersey at a May 25 Memorial Day Weekend gig at Wonder Bar in Asbury Park. Just about a month later, The Smithereens, again with Marshall Crenshaw on vocals, will perform at Prairie Fest in Wood Dale, IL on June 28. Admission to Prairie Fest is free.

The Puresoul Presents Soul Brunch series at City Winery Chicago continues with a Tribute to Chicago Soul tomorrow from noon to 1:30 pm.

Zip It Up! - The Best Of Trouser Press Magazine 1974 – 1984, a 440-page large-format paperback book, is now available on the Trouser Press Books website. for $25. This looks like a must-have for those of us who followed this publication (I still have a few issues), or anyone interested in that rebellious era of rock and roll. Pete Townshend, Todd Rundgren, Cheap Trick, Bryan Ferry, Kate Bush, Blondie, and R.E.M. are among the acts covered in the book.

The Time Machine - A Tribute To The ‘80s recently opened at the Black Ensemble Theatre in Chicago and will run through April 14. BET is well known for its musical salutes, and this latest one has a sci-fi twist involving a high school senior who travels back to the era when Prince, Sheila E., Al B. Sure, Keith Sweat, and LL Cool J. ruled the charts. The Time Machine - A Tribute To The ’80s is written and directed by Daryl D. Brooks. Black Ensemble Theatre is located at 4450 N. Clark Street on Chicago’s north side.

The Sound And Vision exhibit, which features artwork by well-know artist-musicians, is now open and will run through April 21 at Mad.Kat Gallery in Rancho Mirage, CA. Participants include Joan Baez, Jon Langford, Penelope Houston, Juliana Hatfield, and Steve Wynn.

Indie rock band The Handcuffs will be the middle part of a triple bill coming up next Friday, March 29 at Liar’s Club on Chicago’s north side. The eclectic Tennis Court Oath will go on first at 9:00 pm, and Damaged Gods will wind things up with their tribute to English post-punk rockers Gang Of Four.

The Out Of Space Skokie event will be held at a new location closer to downtown Skokie this year since its usual spot at the Canal Shores Golf Course is being renovated. The event runs July 26 –28 and will feature Courtney Barnett and Bob Mould; Thee Sacred Souls and St. Paul & The Broken Bones; and Guster and The Lone Bellow with Devon Gilfillian.

Headliners for The Millennium Park 20th Anniversary Celebration taking place July 18 – 21 will include actor-musician Common; Fruko y Sus Tesos; the Grant Park Orchestra; and The S&S Chicago Experience.

Pitchfork Music Festival, which takes place July 19 – 21 in Union Park, will offer Black Pumas, Carly Rae Jepsen, Alanis Morissette, and Brittany Howard, along with several other acts.

The Ravinia Festival in Highland Park will present James Taylor; Robert Plant And Alison Krauss; Michael Franti And Spearhead; Kurt Elling; Roger Daltry; Daryl Hall and Elvis Costello; Norah Jones; Gipsy Kings; Melissa Etheridge and Indigo Girls; The Roots; Crowded House; and several other shows from April through September.

The documentary Live At Mr. Kelly’s will have a screening on Monday, March 25 at Hideout Inn on Chicago’s north side. Mr. Kelly’s was a well-known night club in Chicago’s Rush Street area that featured acts who were some of the most popular performers during its run; such as Barbra Streisand, Richard Pryor, Bob Newhart, Bette Midler and Steve Martin. The event at Hideout Inn will also offer a live performance by Paris Schutz on piano. The music starts at 7:00 pm, and the documentary will begin at 7:40. Tickets are $12 in advance.

Matthew Sweet is set to go back on tour with Debbi Peterson from The Bangles again, starting in Madison,WI on April 4. They’ll be in Chicago the next day for a concert at Metro on the north side, with Abe Partridge also on the bill. Other stops include Pittsburgh, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, New York , and Washington, D.C.

Tickets are now on sale for The Pretenders’ US Tour 2024 show at the Chicago Theatre on July 26. The other American cities being visited by Chrissie Hynde and company are New York, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Denver, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle. 

Sting has an upcoming tour that will bring him to Chicago for shows at the Auditorium Theatre on October 28 and 29. He’ll also visit Toronto, Philadelphia, Boston, Brooklyn, and other locations.

007 Science: Inventing The World Of James Bond, a new exhibit that views the popular spy movies from an intellectual but still fun perspective, opened recently at Chicago’s Museum Of Science And Industry, and will run through October 27.

Big Brother’s Vinyl has a performance coming up at Peggy Kinnane’s in Arlington Heights next Friday, March 29. The band has a knack for selecting material that’s well-known to classic rock fans but not often heard on the local club scene.

The Chicago Film Society will present a screening of director Frank Borzage’s 1920 drama Humoresque this Sunday at The Music Box Theatre. It will be preceded by director Fred Guiol’s 1928 20-minute film The Boy Friend. Both films with have live piano accompaniment by David Drazin. The Music Box Theatre is located at 3733 N. Southport Avenue in Chicago.

EXPO CHGO - The International Exposition Of Contemporary and Modern Art, will be held on Navy Pier from April 11 through April 14.

Incoming: Tickets

Tickets go on sale for Jeff Lynne’s ambitious ELO Over And Out Tour this Friday morning at 10:00 am. Billed as “the final tour,” it will visit several North American cities, starting on August 24 in Palm Desert, CA. Other stops include San Francisco, Pittsburgh, New York, Chicago (September 27), Atlanta and Philadelphia. In addition to being a founding member of Electric Light Orchestra, Lynne also performed with The Move, Traveling Wilburys, and The Idle Race.

 

Tickets are now on sale for the Reader Best Of Chicago celebration taking place at 6:30 pm at the Lincoln Park Zoo on April 25. There will be live entertainment and performances by some of the award winners, as well as food and beverage vendors and other activities. The printed edition the Chicago Reader announcing the winners in numerous categories came out on February 22.

Play That Fast Thing (One More Time). Pre-Sale tickets are now available for the Billy Bremner Rockfiles US Farewell Tour coming to SPACE in Evanston on October 8. Back in 1980, Bremner played guitar and sang on the one and only (and critically acclaimed) Rockpile LP Seconds Of Pleasure. Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, and Terry Williams were his fellow band members then; he’ll be joined by three different guys at SPACE.

Marshall Crenshaw will have Derrick Anderson on bass and vocals, Mark Ortmann on drums, and Fernando Perdomo on guitar and vocals when he performs this Sunday at City Winery Chicago. That adds up to four guys with lots of experience performing catchy pop songs. Crenshaw has recently released expanded, 40th Anniversary versions of his self-titled debut and Field Day albums.

Thrift Store Halo, the power pop band that’s been been performing and recording on the Chicago scene for 30 years, is about to unveil a new side project called Uncle Boogie. The band will play cover versions plucked from various decades and genres at clubs, including Mom’s Place just north of downtown Chicago on June 8. In the meantime, the actual Thrift Store Halo will be part of a potent four-act showcase with French Casino, The Unswept, and 90s Steve this Saturday at Montrose Saloon. 

Incoming

Best wishes for success to The Who on its all-star charity event Teenage Cancer Trust At The Royal Albert Hall in London. It kicked off today with The Who with Orchestra And Very Special Guests Squeeze, and those two stellar acts will return on Wednesday. The Teenage Cancer Trust will run through March 24; the other scheduled performers are Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds With Very Special Guests Blossoms; Young Fathers Plus Special Guests (TBD); The Chemical Brothers Plus DJ Paul Holroyd; and Ovation, which is described as A Celebration Of 24 Years Of Gigs For Teenage  Cancer Trust With: Roger Daltrey, Kelly Jones, Robert Plant With Saving Grace, Pete Townshend, Eddie Vedder, and Paul Weller. See the official website for full schedule information. There are all kinds of really cool merch, including t-shirts and prints, for those who can’t make the trip to London but would love to support this worthy cause.

A recent post on the official Facebook page for The Smithereens calls out CHICAGO AREA FANS with an announcement of a free concert at this year’s Prairie Fest in Wood Dale, IL on June 28. Since the passing of the supremely talented and amazingly friendly Pat DiNizio, The Smithereens have used either Robin Wilson from Gin Blossoms or Marshall Crenshaw as their guest lead vocalist. There’s no mention of which will be with The Smithereens in Wood Dale. The event’s official Facebook page promises four days (June 27 – 30) of live music, carnival rides, and food and drinks, but doesn’t list any of the performers yet. No doubt, we’ll get more details in the coming weeks.

Sleater-Kinney have a concert coming up this Thursday night at the Riviera Theater on Chicago’s north side. The duo of Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker will no doubt be performing songs from their latest album, the emotionally charged Little Rope. Chicago Sun-Times writer Joshua M. Miller interviewed Tucker for an article that appeared in yesterday’s issue.

There will be an all-star tribute to Sinead O’Connor and Shane McGowan of The Pogues at Carnegie Hall in New York this Wednesday. David Gray, Cat Power, Glen Hansard, Amanda Palmer, and Dropkick Murphys have been confirmed as taking part, and other acts are expected to join in.

Slumgullion

Late last month, FitzGerald’s in Berwyn released the schedule for its July 3 – 6 American Music Festival (The Jayhawks, Old 97’s, Robert Randolph Band, and Marcia Ball are among the performers) and now a few more Chicago area festivals are revealing their lineups.

The Out Of Space Skokie event will be held at a new location closer to downtown Skokie this year since its usual spot at the Canal Shores Golf Course is being renovated. The event runs July 26 –28 and will feature Courtney Barnett and Bob Mould; Thee Sacred Souls and St. Paul & The Broken Bones; and Guster and The Lone Bellow with Devon Gilfillian. Headliners for The Millennium Park 20th Anniversary Celebration taking place July 18 – 21in downtown Chicago will include actor-musician Common; Fruko y Sus Tesos; the Grant Park Orchestra; and The S&S Chicago Experience.

Pitchfork Music Festival, which takes place July 19 – 21 in Union Park, will offer Black Pumas, Carly Rae Jepsen, Alanis Morissette, and Brittany Howard, along with several other acts. The Ravinia Festival in Highland Park will present James Taylor; Robert Plant And Alison Krauss; Michael Franti And Spearhead; Kurt Elling; Roger Daltry; Daryl Hall and Elvis Costello; Norah Jones; Gipsy Kings; Melissa Etheridge and Indigo Girls; The Roots; Crowded House; and several other shows from April through September.

Hello and welcome to The Kooks, who are in town tonight at the Riviera Theatre. The concert is part of their current 16-city tour, which has brought them to America for the first time in quite a while. The shows will celebrate the 15th anniversary of The Kooks’ debut release Inside In Inside Out.

“This Time Tomorrow,” the third single from Tall Poppy Syndrome, became available to download today on Bandcamp. It’s an energetic and faithful rendition of a vintage album track by The Kinks, given new life by music veterans Vince Melouney from The Bee Gees; Clem Burke from Blondie; guitarist Jonathan Lea from The Jigsaw Seen and singer Paul Kopf and bassist Alec Palao of Strangers In A Strange Land. An instrumental version is included with the download.

Chicago’s only performers of 21st Century Druid Music, whitewolfsonicprincess will have guitarist Rich Poston as their special guest when they headline a triple bill with The Lady Parts and John Ballantyne’s Crazy Heart tonight at Montrose Saloon. The music starts at 8:30 pm.

U2 fans can hear a recording of the final performance of the band’s U2:UV Achtung Baby, Live at Sphere series in Las Vegas via U2 X-Radio at SiriusXM. The concert starts at 8:00 pm ET and will be preceded by an interview with the band members starting at 7:00 pm. You can turn on a few strobe lights but it probably won’t fully capture the experience of actually being at Sphere.

Tickets went on sale this morning for Wilco and special guest singer-songwriter Cut Worms, AKA Max Clarke, at The Salt Shed in Chicago on June 14. Wilco will most likely feature songs from their 2023 album Cousin, as well as previous gems such as “Random Name Generator,” “You And I,” and “You Never Know.”

The Sound And Vision exhibit, which features artwork by well-know artist-musicians, opens tomorrow and will run through April 21 at Mad.Kat Gallery in Rancho Mirage, CA. Participants include Joan Baez, Jon Langford, Penelope Houston, Juliana Hatfield, and Steve Wynn.

The Soul Brunch Presented By Puresoul series continues at City Winery Chicago this Sunday with Stevie Wonder, Wonders Of Motown.

The combination Trouser Press 50th Birthday Party And Zip It Up! The Best of Trouser Press Magazine 1974-1984 Book Launch takes place tomorrow at the Bowery Electric venue in New York. Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey from The dB’s will be on hand to perform, along with The Shirt Event featuring Dennis Diken from The Smithereens; the Washington, DC alt rock band Dot Dash; and DJ Steve Reynolds. Zip It Up! is now available on the Trouser Press Books website.

Scott Ligon and Casey McDonough, recently described on Facebook as “2/4ths of NRBQ 

or 2/5ths of The Flat Five,” will perform as a duo tonight at Goldy’s in Forest Park. The music starts at 8:00 pm.

A new and ambitious version of the song “Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)” from Dire Straits guitarist Mark Knopfler’s 1983 soundtrack album was released today. Several well-respected musicians, calling themselves Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes, joined him on the recording. The list includes Jeff Beck (his last recording); Roger Daltry (playing harmonica) and Pete Townshend; Sheryl Crow; Ry Cooder; drummers Ringo Starr and Zak Starkey; Sting; David Gilmour; Joan Armatrading; Peter Frampton; Buddy Guy; John Sebastian; Keith Urban; Steve Cropper; Ronnie Wood; Joan Jett; Nile Rodgers; Albert Lee; Dave Mason; Rick Nielsen; Orianthi; Bruce Springsteen; Susan Tedeschi and Dereck Trucks; Joe Walsh; and Mike Ruthereford. The all-star version of “Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)” will benefit The Who’s Teenage Cancer Fund and is available from Mark Knopfler’s official online store, and other sites.

EXPO CHGO - The International Exposition Of Contemporary and Modern Art, will be held on Navy Pier from April 11 through April 14.

Graham Nash is having a splendid time touring in the land down under, judging from a recent Facebook post proclaiming, “Cheers, Adelaide! We’re having a blast out here and loving your enthusiasm!” He’ll finish up on March 27 with a gig at the Twin Towns Showroom in Tweed Heads, AU.

The documentary Live At Mr. Kelly’s will have a screening on March 25 at Hideout Inn on Chicago’s north side. Mr. Kelly’s was a well-known night club in Chicago’s Rush Street area that featured acts that were some of the most popular performers during the 1950s and 1960s; such as Barbra Streisand, Richard Pryor, Bob Newhart, Bette Midler and Steve Martin. The event at Hideout Inn will also offer a live performance by Paris Schutz on piano. The music starts at 7:00 pm, and the documentary will begin at 7:40. Tickets are $12 in advance.

Matthew Sweet is set to go back on tour with Debbi Peterson from The Bangles again, starting in Madison,WI on April 4. They’ll be in Chicago the next day for a concert at Metro on the north side. Other stops include Pittsburgh, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, New York , and Washington, D.C.

My city was rocked. The Pretenders’ US Tour 2024 will include a stop at the Chicago Theatre on July 26. The other American cities being visited by Chrissie Hynde and company are New York, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Denver, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle. 

Sting has an upcoming tour that will bring him to Chicago for shows at the Auditorium Theatre on October 28 and 29. He’ll also visit Toronto, Philadelphia, Boston, Brooklyn, and other locations.

Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Lael Neale will kick off a west coast mini tour this Thursday with a show at Soda Bar in San Diego. Other stops include Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. After a short rest, Neale will travel to the east coast for eight gigs. 

007 Science: Inventing The World Of James Bond, a new exhibit that views the popular spy movies from an intellectual but still fun perspective, opened recently at Chicago’s Museum Of Science And Industry, and will run through October 27.

There will be an all-star tribute to Sinead O’Connor and Shane McGowan of The Pogues at Carnegie Hall in New York on March 20. David Gray, Cat Power, Glen Hansard, Amanda Palmer, and Dropkick Murphys have been confirmed as taking part, and other acts are expected to take part.

The Time Machine - A Tribute To The ‘80s recently opened at the Black Ensemble Theatre and will run through April 14. BET is well known for its musical salutes, and this latest one has a sci-fi twist involving a high school senior who travels back to the era when Prince, Sheila E., Al B. Sure, Keith Sweat, and LL Cool J. ruled the charts. The Time Machine - A Tribute To The ’80s is written and directed by Daryl D. Brooks. Black Ensemble Theatre is located at 4450 N. Clark Street on Chicago’s north side.

Congratulations to Elton John and Bernie Taupin on being awarded the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. They’ll be honored during a tribute concert being held in Washington, D.C. on March 20.

Dolph Chaney And The Phins will likely perform the catchy “Californiagain” single from Chaney’s latest album Mug during a free show at 5:30 next Saturday, March 23 at Cary’s Lounge at 2251 W. Devon in Chicago. Opening act The Dry Look will kick things off at 4:00 pm. 

Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side has a potent four-act showcase up next Saturday, March 23, featuring Thrift Store Halo, French Casino, The Unswept, and 90s Steve.

The Chicago Film Society will present a screening of director Frank Borzage’s 1920 drama Humoresque on March 24 at The Music Box Theatre. It will be preceded by director Fred Guiol’s 1928 20-minute film The Boy Friend. Both films with have live piano accompaniment by musician/comedic performer David Drazin. The Music Box Theatre is located at 3733 N. Southport Avenue in Chicago. David and I were both members of the Famous In The Future comedy group, so I may be a bit biased. But I’m pretty sure you’ll be impressed with how well he coordinates his playing with what’s being shown on the screen.

Incoming - Performances

The Pretenders have just announced the dates for their US Tour 2024, and it includes a stop at the Chicago Theatre on July 26. Along with all those hits from the band’s lengthy career, their latest effort, Relentless, has several songs that would be great to hear live. When I saw Chrissie Hynde perform a terrific solo show at the Chicago Theatre some years back, the venue announced beforehand that she definitely didn’t want audience members taking photos. As usual, several gits kept snapping shots throughout the concert even after they had been scolded by the ushers. Fortunately, Hynde was a class act, and simply sarcastically thanked the losers for complying with her request.

EXPO ’76, the Chicago club scene veterans who perform an amazing range of cover tunes with a lot of humor, will rerun to familiar ground for a free show at Simon’s Tavern in Andersonville tomorrow night at 8:00 pm.

While listening to Annalisa on WXRT today, I heard her mention that Sting has an upcoming tour that will bring him to Chicago for shows at the Auditorium Theatre on October 28 and 29. He’ll also visit Toronto, Philadelphia, Boston, Brooklyn, and other locations.

I should have mentioned in my comments about WXRT in yesterday’s post that Annalisa does the late morning/early afternoon shift and Marty Lennartz handles the early morning hours. They both do a fine job.

Los Angeles-based indie rock singer-songwriter Lael Neale will kick off a west coast mini tour this Thursday with a show at Soda Bar in San Diego. Other stops include Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. After a short rest, Neale will travel to the east coast for eight gigs. She’ll be drawing from the two albums and several singles she’s released since 2020. Sadly, nothing for those of us in the middle of the country.

The Soul Brunch Presented By Puresoul series continues at City Winery Chicago this Sunday with Stevie Wonder, Wonders Of Motown.

Matthew Sweet is set to go back on tour with Debbi Peterson from The Bangles again, starting in Madison,WI on April 4. They’ll be in Chicago the next day for a concert at Metro on the north side. Other stops include Pittsburgh, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, New York , and Washington, D.C.

CHIRP Radio’s next First Time reader event takes place tomorrow night at Martyrs’ on Lincoln Avenue with actor and vocalist Andrew Sa from The Cosmic Country Showcase.

 

The rock and roll world has been shaken by the passing of Eric Carmen from The Raspberries and Karl Wallinger from World Party and The Waterboys. There were several posts across social media thanking these performers for the great music and creative inspiration they brought to us. Rock In Paradise, Eric and Karl.