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.