Incoming

Photo from Klaus Voorman Facebook page.

Happy Birthday to Klaus Voorman, the German musician-artist who changed the history of rock and roll by introducing The Beatles to long hair and Astrid Kirchherr. He later performed with Manfred Mann and John Lennon, and created the iconic cover art for The Beatles’ Revolver album. I met Voorman at Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago a few years back, while purchasing a copy of his birth of an icon REVOLVER 50 graphic novel, and I can attest to what a cool gentleman he is. Happy Birthday, Klaus. 

 

Shawn Colvin, who’s earned three Grammy Awards and given us emotionally charged folk-rock tales such as “Sunny Came Home,” has been sharing stages with KT Tunstall of “Black Horse And The Cherry Tree” and “Suddenly I See” fame. Their current tour will make a stop this Friday night at The Des Plaines Theatre in suburban Des Plaines, IL. The venue’s website states Colvin and Tunstall will perform their songs as a duo. That would pretty amazing.

The Martyrs’ music venue on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago will host a Jeff Beck Celebration featuring local musicians this Wednesday, May 1. The lineup will feature guitarists Curt Morrison, Chris Siebold, Grant Tye, Marco Villarreal and Dan Peters; vocalist Rich Parenti; keyboards player Vijay Tellis-Nayak; bassist Jon Paul; and drummer Greg Essig. Tickets are $20, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit the Folly Wildlife Rescue.

Fans of catchy, eccentric, and clever rock songs have two opportunities to enjoy a master of the art when Robyn Hitchcock performs at the Old Town School Of Folk Music this Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4. His special guest for each night will be comedian Eugene Mirman.

The Rachel Drew Band has an On The Porch performance at Hideout Inn on Chicago’s north side this Wednesday, May 1. Drew will also have Wednesday night On The Porch gigs at the venue on June 5 and August 7. All three start at 6:00 pm.

Northeastern Illinois University radio station WZRD Chicago 88.3 will celebrate 50 years of offering freeform radio with a free of charge party this Saturday, May 4 at Martyrs. There will be live music by Cosmic Bull, Silver Abuse, Sons of Ra, and Charlie Otto. Martyrs’ is located at 3855 N. Lincoln Avenue.

The Neverly Brothers 20th Anniversary Tour will bring them to the Beverly Arts Center this Saturday, May 4. It’s located at 2407 W. 111th Street - Chicago, IL. The trio provides a history of rock music dating back to the 1950s by performing artists such as Buddy Holly, The Beatles, and The Kinks.

Inanimate will wrap up its run at Theatre Wit this Saturday. Nick Robideau’s play concerns a young woman who’s fallen in love with a neon sign, and Theatre Wit describes it as, “the best (and only!) objectum-sexual dramedy of the year.” The venue is located at 1229 W. Belmont Avenue on the north side. 

Slumgullion

Stands For Decibels, the 1981 debut album from the New York indie rock quartet The dB’s, will be reissued on June 7. This remastered edition is coming out on colored vinyl and is available to pre-order the via the Propeller Sound Recordings website. The first single, “Big Brown Eyes,” is already available on streaming sites. According to the official dB’s website, the band’s second effort, RePercussion, will also be reissued and there are plans for a summer/fall reunion tour.

International Pop Overthrow - Chicago will wrap up its 2024 run at Montrose Saloon with one showcase tonight, and a pair of showcases tomorrow. Check my previous posts for the breakdown on each of them, or consult the official IPO website for the schedule and links to all the acts. Congratulations to IPO Founder David Bash on another successful visit to our city.

The Rolling Stones have announced 17 of the 18 support acts for their upcoming Hackney Diamonds US Tour ‘24. (Their May 23 concert in East Rutherford, NJ is still a TBA.) As for Chicago, it will be Bettye LaVette on June 27 and Lainey Wilson on June 30. The tour kicks off this Sunday in Houston with Gary Clark Jr. as the opener; there’s no support act for May 2 because The Stones will be performing at the NOLA Jazz Fest.

 

The Martyrs’ music venue on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago will host a Jeff Beck Celebration featuring local musicians next Wednesday, May 1. The lineup will feature guitarists Curt Morrison, Chris Siebold, Grant Tye, Marco Villarreal and Dan Peters; vocalist Rich Parenti; keyboards player Vijay Tellis-Nayak; bassist Jon Paul; and drummer Greg Essig. Tickets are $20, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit the Folly Wildlife Rescue.

Congratulations to Stevie Van Zandt and his playwright brother Billy on having a street named for them in their hometown of Middleton, NJ during an official ceremony earlier today. It’s between Cherry Tree Farm Road and Wilson Avenue. The honor comes from the New Jersey Hall Of Fame.

Fans of catchy, eccentric, and clever rock songs have two opportunities to enjoy a master of the art when Robyn Hitchcock performs at the Old Town School Of Folk Music next Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4. His special guest for each night will be comedian Eugene Mirman.

Over the years, I’ve come to trust Chicago Tribune theatre critic Chris Jones when he recommends a new production. His favorable review in today’s edition concerned the musical Stereophonic, which recently opened at the John Golden Theatre on Broadway in New York. Jones describes the musical as a behind-the-scenes look at a fictional band (with echoes of The Beatles and Fleetwood Mac) as it struggles to record a new album. I’m unable to travel to New York to see Stereophonic, but it sure sounds interesting.

The 40th Anniversary Limited Edition of The Hoodoo Gurus debut album Stoneage Romeos is coming out on May 17, but the bad news is that every one of the 1,984 numbered double CDs have already sold out via pre-orders.

The Rachel Drew Band has an On The Porch performance at Hideout Inn on Chicago’s north side coming up next Wednesday, May 1. Drew will also have Wednesday night On The Porch gigs at the venue on June 5 and August 7. All three start at 6:00 pm.

Madness, those English ska lads who gave us the “Our House” hit single and funny video, as well as several nutty treasures on their LPs, will be playing concerts in the U.S.A. for first time in 12 years. Their C’est La Vie In America Tour, which starts in May, will include the Las Vegas Punk Bowling And Music Festival. Unfortunately, Chicago is not on their schedule. C’est La Vie, the band’s latest album, was released late last year.

There will be a Craft Beer Fest featuring area breweries at Brothers’ Field in Long Grove, IL from 12:00 to 4:00 pm tomorrow afternoon. The ticket price of $60 includes a Long Grove Craft Beer Fest taster glass, unlimited craft beer samples, access to food vendors, and live entertainment by the Fox Crossing Stringband.

 

Tickets are now on sale for the OHANA Festival taking place on the weekend of September 27 – 29 in dana Point, CA. The lineup includes Pearl Jam, whose impressive latest album Dark Matter was released last Friday; Garbage; Crowded House; Neil Young with Crazy Horse; Black Pumas; Jenny Lewis; Cat Power Sings Dylan 66; Alanis Morissette; The Breeders; and Kim Gordon.

Pravda Records, Chicago’s longest-running independent label, will celebrate its 40th Anniversary with a show at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn on August 31. So far, I haven’t seen any mention of what acts will perform, but Pravda has such a talented roster, the event is sure to be a blast.

The Handcuffs, who are one of those talented acts signed to Pravda Records, will release a special vinyl edition of their Burn The Rails album some time this summer. In addition to its gatefold packaging, there will a bonus seven-inch single featuring two previously unreleased songs. This new version will arrive just about two years after the eclectic Burn The Rails came out in CD and digital formats.

Lost Angel: The Genius Of Judee Sill, a new documentary about the 1970s singer-songwriter who died tragically in 1979, is being released in several theaters around the country, and will be available to stream on Amazon and Apple TV. The film features Linda Ronstadt, Graham Nash, Jackson Brown, David Crosby, David Geffen and other well-known popular music figures.

Congratulations to author-journalist Mark Guarino on having his book Country and Midwestern: Chicago in the History of Country Music and the Folk Revival named as “Book of the Year” by the Illinois State Historical Society this past weekend in Springfield.

The official Moody Blues Facebook page shared the sad news yesterday that founding member, keyboards player Mike Pinder has passed away. “His authentic essence lifted up everyone who came into contact with him,” the site noted. “His lyrics, philosophy, and vision of humanity and our place in the cosmos will touch generations to come.”

Tellin’ Tales Theatre in Chicago will present Diversity: Real Life Stories, its latest production of solo performances by artists, writers, and advocates with disabilities on this weekend at Greenhouse Theater Center.

The Zombies have released a collection of five one-take demos titled less is more on Spotify and Apple Music. 

Journalist-musician Hugh Hart passed along the sad news that vocalist Jo Dare has died. She was probably best known for sharing lead vocals with Queen frontman Freddie Mercury on the 1985 single “Hold On.” Judging from a post on the Freddie Mercury and Queen Facebook page, Mercury was quite impressed with her powerful voice. Before moving to Germany, where she met Mercury, the Texas native spent time in Chicago as a member of Hart’s The ODD alternative rock band. Back then, she was known as Jo Jackson. Rock In Paradise, Jo.

Writing Day Workshops will offer an in-person conference on June 22 in downtown Chicago. I’ve attended this event a number of times, and have really appreciated the seminars, as well as having the opportunity to schedule a 10-minute pitch to literary agents. There will be Workshops in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Detroit, and other cities, as well as a few online versions.

Northeastern Illinois University radio station WZRD Chicago 88.3 will celebrate 50 years of offering freeform radio with a free of charge party next Saturday, May 4 at Martyrs. There will be live music by Cosmic Bull, Silver Abuse, Sons of Ra, and Charlie Otto. Martyrs’ is located at 3855 N. Lincoln Avenue.

The Neverly Brothers 20th Anniversary Tour will bring them to the Beverly Arts Center next Saturday, May 4. It’s located at 2407 W. 111th Street - Chicago, IL. The trio provides a history of rock music dating back to the 1950s by performing artists such as Buddy Holly, The Beatles, and The Kinks.

Chicago fans of offbeat theatre will likely enjoy Theatre Wit’s current production of Nick Robideau’s play Inanimate, which runs through next Saturday. The play concerns a young woman who’s fallen in love with a neon sign. Theatre Wit, which is located at 1229 W. Belmont Avenue on the north side, describes the Jeremy Wechsler-directed Inanimate as “the best (and only!) objectum-sexual dramedy of the year.” J.G. Smith stars in the lead role.

The very first Off North Shore Skokie Music Festival will be held on the Skokie Sports Park on June 21 and 22. Scheduled performers include Mike Campbell and Dirty Knobs; Larkin Poe; The Bones Of J.R. Jones; and The Empty Pockets on day one; and Grace Potter; Donavon Frankenreiter; Jaime Wyatt; and JC Brooks Band on the second night.

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. 

Incoming

Okay, just because I’ve finished my previews for this year’s International Pop Overthrow - Chicago, don’t think the event has ended. There are still five showcases coming up, starting tonight at 7:30 and running through two showcases on Saturday. Check my previous posts for the breakdown on each of them, or check out the official IPO website for the schedule and links to all the acts.

The Reader Best Of Chicago celebration will take place tomorrow from 5:30 to 10:00 pm at the Lincoln Park Zoo. The event will offer live entertainment and performances by some of the award winners, as well as food and beverage vendors and other activities. General Admission tickets are $30.

The Martyrs’ music venue on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago will host a Jeff Beck Celebration featuring local musicians on May 1. The lineup features guitarists Curt Morrison, Chris Siebold, Grant Tye, Marco Villarreal and Dan Peters; vocalist Rich Parenti; keyboards player Vijay Tellis-Nayak; bassist Jon Paul; and drummer Greg Essig. Tickets are $20, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit the Folly Wildlife Rescue.

Pre-sale tickets will go on sale tomorrow at 10:00 am PT for the OHANA Festival taking place on the weekend of September 27 – 29 in Dana Point, CA. Headline acts include Pearl Jam, whose impressive latest album Dark Matter was released last Friday; Garbage; Crowded House; Neil Young with Crazy Horse; Black Pumas; Jenny Lewis; Cat Power Sings Dylan 66; Alanis Morissette; The Breeders; and Kim Gordon.

This past Saturday brought one of those rare Record Store Day excursions when I came away empty handed. In fact, I think it’s only happened once before. The staff at Reckless Records on Madison Street in downtown Chicago did a great job assisting customers, but I was disappointed they had already sold out of the Five Live Yardbirds album and the "Atomic City (U2/UV Live At Sphere, Las Vegas)" 10-inch vinyl single I wanted.

I’m sure I’ll have better luck purchasing The Handcuffs’s Burn The Rails album when the Chicago indie rock band releases a special vinyl edition some time this summer. In addition to its gatefold packaging, there will a bonus seven-inch single featuring two previously unreleased songs. This new version will arrive just about two years after the eclectic and impressive Burn The Rails came out in CD and digital formats.

There will be a Craft Beer Fest featuring area breweries at Brothers’ Field in Long Grove, IL from 12:00 to 4:00 pm this Saturday afternoon. The ticket price of $60 includes a Long Grove Craft Beer Fest taster glass, unlimited craft beer samples, access to food vendors, and live entertainment by the Fox Crossing Stringband. 

Congratulations to author-journalist Mark Guarino on having his book Country and Midwestern: Chicago in the History of Country Music and the Folk Revival named as "Book of the Year" by the Illinois State Historical Society this past weekend in Springfield.

IPO - Chicago: The Double Bill Finale

Photo from the Elephonic Facebook page.

International Pop Overthrow - Chicago continues its 2024 run at Montrose Saloon tonight with a six-act showcase. See my 4-19 post here on BHT for all the info.

Looking ahead, IPO - Chicago will wrap up its 2024 run at Montrose Saloon with a pair of showcases this Saturday; one in the afternoon, and then the finale at night. Looking at both Saturday showcases, this last day serves as a prime example of the eclectic approach IPO Founder David Bash takes in choosing the acts. They’re from the Chicago area unless noted otherwise.

The afternoon showcase kicks off with singer-guitarist Steve Delisi, who promises to deliver a batch of new songs from an album due out later this year. Two of those songs, the bluesy “Edinburgh” and mid-tempo, melodic “Will We Run?,” can be found on his Bandcamp page, along with three previous singles. Delisi is one of those adventurous Chicago acts who have travelled across the pond to perform at IPO - Liverpool. Michael Steven Cohen has explored a variety of musical styles throughout his  career; including power pop with The Abbeys, harder-edged pop with Pop Dollys, and Phil and Don covers with the Everly Hillbillies. And then there’s his current solo project of covering vintage love songs and standards. Cohen’s IPO - Chicago performance this Saturday afternoon—his 28th overall—will touch on much of that history, along with a brand new song. San Marcos, CA singer-guitarist Scott Samuels’ IPO - Chicago gig will mark his first visit to his old hometown in several years, and he’ll be backed by his high school bandmates. He’s come up with a few new melodic pop songs to go along with the ones from his most recent EP Sunshine And Starlight and previous releases.  

Detroit-based Big Stir Records artists The Incurables released their Inside Out And Backwards album of non-stop energetic and often humorous garage rock earlier this year. The highlights include “Soda Pop,” a bass-driven tribute to the fizzy beverage, and the hard-edged rejection voiced in “Go Away.” Status Foe has taken its hard-edged, melodic rock to venues around the country, including Nashville and the SXSW Festival in Austin, TX. Songs such as “Call It As It Is” and “Peeled And Faded” from their 2022 album Falling Awake have a driving beat and provocative lyrics that are well suited to the ambitious videos the band offers on its website. Chicago power pop band The Second Summer released their debut album undertow this past January, and it’s filled with catchy tunes graced with well-crafted harmony vocals. These guys aim for songs that tell a story without losing the beat. The energetic first track “The Reason” would be a good choice for a single, and other highlights include the likewise energetic “Invisible” and “Wonder Why.”

An hour after this Saturday’s first showcase ends, the International Pop Overthrow - Chicago finale kicks off at 7:30 with Elephonic. The Milwaukee-based septet crafts an appealing power pop sound by adding cello and violin to guitars and drums arrangements. Elephonic’s 2023 self-titled debut album offers melodic gems such as “Until The Sound” and “Rapid Transit.” Longtime IPO fans will be interested to learn this band features guitarist-vocalist Mike Jarvis, formerly of the power pop masters The Lackloves. Deep Cricket Night can often be found performing on the Chicago club scene and has been releasing albums since its self-titled debut in 2006. Songs such as “Sometimes When She Sings” and “Dead Calm” on the band’s 2023 Song Of The Siren Saved album evoke mystery via ornate yet energetic arrangements. Led by vocalist-guitarist Anthony Calderisi, The Band Calderisi offered 11 tracks of catchy power pop music on its most recent album Years Gone By. Highlights from that effort include “Nothing Left To Save” and “Pent Up Frustrations.” They’ll likely perform tracks from Years Gone By, as well as some new music at International Pop Overthrow - Chicago this Saturday night. Anthony Calderisi has also been known to post solo acoustic performances of Beatles songs, such as “I’ll Follow The Sun.” 

Since forming in 2018, the trio 6Kitty has performed at a number of venues on the Chicago club scene, including Montrose Saloon. Their 2022 album Tux drew inspiration from acts ranging from Courtney Barnett to The Pixies, with hard-edged songs such My World,” “Tidal Wave,”  and “Starfish’r” being among the highlights. High On Stress has released seven albums since 2005, including a Greatest Hits collection and Live At First Avenue. Over the years, the Minneapolis-based quartet has successfully balanced catchy rock songs with Country and Western flavored ballads, predominantly from a workingman’s point of view. Their 2020 effort, Hold Me In, kicks off with the energetic “Work Release” and also gives us the acoustic ballad “Life Can Get So Long.” The Queue will bring this year’s International Pop Overthrow - Chicago to a close late this Saturday night, and they're long-time regulars at this festival. Their 2018 EP Fire And Lies offered the hard-edged pop of “Heart on Fire” and “Take Me Dow” while the “Come On Brother, Come On Sister” single, released last year, matches revolutionary sentiment to a melodic Brit pop arrangement.  

IPO - Chicago: Friday On My Mind

International Pop Overthrow - Chicago just finished a weekend of live music at Montrose Saloon on the city’s north side, but there are still seven showcases to check out this week. See my April 18 post here on BHT for a preview of tonight's lineup.

Looking ahead, IPO - Chicago 2024 will wrap things up at Montrose Saloon this weekend with a six-band showcase on Friday night, and a pair of six-packs (afternoon, and evening) on Saturday. All acts scheduled for Friday are from Chicago unless otherwise noted.

Friday night will kick off with Dolph Chaney And The Phins, most likely playing songs from his latest album Mug. “Californiagain,” the first single, showcases Chaney’s ability to inject humor into guitar-driven, catchy pop songs. He was also a major player on the “Airwave Hello” single recently released by power pop super group The Electromagnates. Custard Flux is an ambitious prog rock project from Gregory Curvey, who is well known for his years with the prog rock band The Luck Of Eden Hall. He’ll perform six of the adventurous songs from his latest album Einsteinium Delirium, including “Right Now Here In Time” and “Peace In Time.” On his Bandcamp page, Curvey states, “This album is a little different than our first four albums. It’s no holds barred electric!” It’s always fun when out-of-town visitors come to Chicago for International Pop Overthrow, and with a high energy album like This Time Next Year . . ., San Francisco garage rockers The Seagulls are certainly welcome. The quartet states their “hook-laden sound draws from S. London,” which might explain why “Coraline” has an energetic ska feel. Other tracks, like “Sunday Afternoon Drinking” and “Big Bad Beautiful World,” offer an overpowering blend of guitars, drums, and organ.

Penthouse Sweets is the first of two bands performing this night that include Montrose Saloon boss Eric Chial in their lineups. (He’s also a founding member of The Bon Mots, who played this past weekend.) They’ve been offering an intriguing blend of country and alt rock during fun and occasionally wild shows on the Chicago rock scene for over 20 years. In The House Of The Penthouse Sweets, the most recent effort among their singles and albums, features gems such as “Shelly Brown” and “Whiskey Winged.” They’ve performed at IPO - Chicago a number of times. Who’s This Mary? define themselves as “celebrated globe-trotting power pop sons” who intend to perform “Britpop powered gems” at Friday’s IPO - Chicago show. Sorry for resorting to quotes, but this is pretty imaginative stuff from their Facebook post. The trio of Niko Twist Action, Tony Long, and Eric Chial specializes in originals and covers of The Cars, The Buzzcocks, and other post-punk and new wave acts. The Pickpockets have two decades of experience playing Brit and American post-punk and indie rock on the Chicago club scene, and released their debut album in 2011. The songs on their 2021 The 1 Dream EP are augmented with horns and strings.

Check the official International Pop Overthrow website for the full Chicago schedule. You’ll also find links for just about all the acts who’ll be participating in Chicago this year. Even if you can’t attend in person, it’s a great way to discover new music. Many of the acts have Bandcamp pages, so it’s possible to already have some favorite songs before you've even seen the band play.

IPO - Chicago: Thursday

Graphic from The Embryos Facebook page.

International Pop Overthrow - Chicago 2024 is wrapping up its first weekend tonight with a five-act showcase. See my April 17 BHT post for a full preview.

Moving on, here’s a preview of this coming Thursday night’s lineup. The evening will kick off at 7:30 with Americana singer-songwriter Mark Ripp, former front man for the Canadian roots rock band The Bel-Vistas, and now an accomplished solo artist. His 2022 album All Things Considered Vol 1 offered well-crafted songs with provocative lyrics from various points of view. Ripp is also a member of The Joyful Hope trio, which covers surf rock instrumentals and classic folk songs, along with his original stuff. Golden Richards has played numerous IPO - Chicago gigs, and the power pop group’s 2023 catchy, guitar-driven single “Take A Chance” gave a good indication why. A recent post on the Golden Richards Facebook page promises “a cool new single.” Maybe fans will get a preview this Thursday. Rolling Numbers plan to showcase songs from their two albums, 2023’s Killer Machines and their self-titled 2022 release. The band’s harmony vocals play a major role on melodic songs such as “Best Of Luck” and “Memories Of You.”

Soulful singer-guitarist Brian Krumm has played a steady stream of gigs (including ones in Nashville and New York) with His Barfly Friends band since the release of his debut solo effort Just Fade Away on Pravda Records last June. Standout tracks include the title track and “Back In My Old Neighborhood.” Krumm is definitely familiar with Montrose Saloon, having completed a 19-show residency there last November. As the title of their 2021 album National Absurdatory suggests, The Embryos view life through satiric glasses. That album had plenty of highlights, and their recently released single “Desiree,” a country and western weeper (but still clever), is a preview of a new album to come later this year.

Check the official International Pop Overthrow website for the full Chicago schedule. You’ll also find links for just about all the acts who’ll be participating in Chicago this year. Even if you can’t attend in person, it’s a great way to discover new music. Many of the acts have Bandcamp pages, so it’s possible to already have some favorite songs before you've even seen the band play.

IPO - Chicago: Wednesday

Don’t panic, Ralph’s just having fun. Photo from the Ralph Covert Facebook page.

International Pop Overthrow - Chicago 2024 got off to a rousing start at Montrose Saloon last night, with each act having the luxury of performing to a full house. That’s how new fans are made. The nine days of rock and power pop fun continues with afternoon and evening showcases today. Check out my April 16 BHT post for a rundown of all today’s IPO - Chicago acts.

Moving ahead a bit, here’s a look at the acts that will be performing on Wednesday, April 24. I suspect IPO Founder David Bash wanted to make things a bit quirky for this midway-through-the-festival lineup. It sure looks interesting. Unless otherwise noted, the following acts are from the Chicago area. 

Singer-songwriter Rob Schulz will be the first act up to the plate, at 7:30 pm. He’s performed at International Pop Overthrow - Chicago numerous times, and he’s also known for his Wrigleyville solo acoustic gigs at Merkle’s Bar and Grill during the baseball season. Schulz has a knack for putting political and social satire to catchy melodies, especially on his 2022 album Tragedy And Comedy. Olympia, WA actor/singer-songwriter Andras Jones recorded five albums with a variety of bands, and has worked with Spearhead, Rickie Lee Jones, Jackson Browne, Patti Smith, and other well-known recording artists. He has a brand new album with the intriguing title Recognize, De-escalate and De-code, and it’s likely he’ll promote it at IPO - Chicago. Ralph Covert has found success creating catchy and clever songs with The Bad Examples, and offering fun musical lessons to kids via Ralph’s World. I’m not sure what he has planned for his Ralph Covert And Panic at The Costco IPO - Chicago gig, but rest assured, it will be worth seeing.

Named after founding member Jerry Schwartz, The Jerrys have been creating Anglo-influenced, guitar-driven pop since releasing their debut album in 2001. They’ll follow their 2022 release Ready Or Not with an album of cover tunes in the near future. The Unswept, a Chicago power pop band that brings catchy songs and a bit if British humor to each performance, recently released a nine-track live album. Highlights include a cover of Marshall Crenshaw’s “Cynical Girl” and originals such as “Got Lucky” and “Try To Forget You.” The Unswept has several fun releases available on their Bandcamp page.

Check the official International Pop Overthrow - Chicago website for the full Chicago schedule. You’ll also find links for just about all the acts who’ll be participating in Chicago this year. Even if you can’t attend in person, it’s a great way to discover new music. Many of the acts have Bandcamp pages, so it’s possible to already have some favorite songs before you've even seen the band play.

Slumgullion

Photo from the official Pearl Jam Facebook page.

Today brings the release of Pearl Jam’s 12th album, Dark Matter. Even at first listen, it’s an impressive effort that offers hard-hitting, emotionally charged tracks such as “Scared Of Fear,”  “React, Respond,” and “Running.”

Congratulations to Squeeze on selling out the majority of their 50th Anniversary shows in the U.K. Well done, lads.

“Time To Let Some Light In,” the first single from singer-songwriter Steve Dawson’s upcoming album Ghosts, is now available to download on Bandcamp. Dawson has described this well-crafted Americana song as having gone through various changes on its way to a more positive message. Ghosts is due out June 7.

“February Sky,” a brand new song from Ringo Starr’s Crooked Boy EP, is now available to  download from various streaming sites. The physical EP, on black and white marble vinyl, will be available exclusively as part of tomorrow’s Record Store Day releases.

The entire list of this year’s limited-edition vinyl offerings is available on the official Record Store Day website. It’s highly recommended that you have your wishlist made out before you approach the counter at your favorite record store. Don’t stand there and dither. Once again, the selection has something to entice fans of just about every genre and era. Here’s a sampling of recording artists involved: Cannonball Adderley; Chet Baker; The Beatles; David Bowie; Jeff Buckley and Gary Lucas; Alex Chilton; Nat King Cole; The Cure;  De La Soul; The English Beat; George Harrison; Howlin’ Wolf; Ian Hunter; Chris Isaak; Elton John; John Lennon, Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman and Marty Stuart; Willie Nelson; Delores O’Riordan; OMD; Paramore; Charlie Parker; Parliament; Pearl Jam; Public Enemy; Queen; Queen Latifah; Ramones; The Replacements; The Roches; The Rolling Stones; Sonny Rollins; Linda Ronstadt; Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson; Siouxsie And The Banshees; Sleater-Kinney; Sonic Youth; Sparks; Donna Summer; Sun Ra; Supergrass; Talking Heads; T. Rex; U2, The Who; Wilco; The Yardbirds; Yes and Frank Zappa. There are tons more I didn’t mention, as well as a number of interesting various artists compilations.

Long-time Chicago-based rock musician Michael Steven Cohen has been specializing in classic tunes from The Great American Songbook lately, and he’ll perform Friday Night Love Songs tonight at Tuscan Market and Wine Shop in Arlington Heights. The romance begins at 7:00 pm. Cohen will be part of next Saturday’s afternoon IPO - Chicago showcase.

Chicago radio station WXRT will broadcast a Bob Marley And The Wailers performance recorded live at The Quiet Knight venue in Chicago in 1975 as part of its Friday Night Archives series. The broadcast starts at 9:00 pm. WXRT is available via the Audacy app.

The first six-act showcase of International Pop Overthrow - Chicago 2024 starts tonight at 7:30 pm at Montrose Saloon on the city’s north side. Alpine Subs; We The Cats; Phil Angotti; The Spindles; The 321’s, and The Bishop’s Daredevil Stunt Club will perform. Starting this past Monday, I’ve been posting showcase previews for each event. As of today, I’m up to and including Tuesday, April 23. Keep an eye out for more.

The Zombies have released a collection of five one-take demos titled less is more on Spotify and Apple Music.

 

Tellin’ Tales Theatre in Chicago will present Diversity: Real Life Stories, its latest production of solo performances by artists, writers, and advocates with disabilities on the weekend of April 26, 27, 28, at Greenhouse Theater Center.

Usually when my wife Pam and I visit Long Grove, IL, it’s for the cafes and restaurants, but we also check out the stores. There used to be a lot more retail options there, so we’re always happy to hear things are picking up. Three movies have been filmed there in the past few years, with the latest still in progress. Also, according an article by Chloe Hilles in today’s Chicago Tribune, Buffalo Creek Brewing in Long Grove has been drawing lots of customers with its Taylor Swift-inspired blonde ale 13th Poet. They posted an update on Facebook just a few hours ago regarding their selling out the first batch: “Given the response and demand, we decided this morning to scale up our small batch operations to be able to have a SECOND RELEASE of The 13th Poet on tap May 10 for 2024 BCB Maifest. This release will be draft-only. No growler fills.”

Journalist-musician Hugh Hart has passed along the sad news that vocalist Jo Dare has died. She was probably best known for sharing lead vocals with Queen frontman Freddie Mercury on the 1985 single “Hold On.” Judging from a post on the Freddie Mercury and Queen Facebook page, Mercury was quite impressed with her powerful voice. Before moving to Germany, where she met Mercury, the Texas native spent time in Chicago as a member of Hart’s The ODD alternative rock band. Back then, she was known as Jo Jackson. Rock In Paradise, Jo.

Writing Day Workshops will offer an in-person conference on June 22 in downtown Chicago. I’ve attended this event a number of times, and have really appreciated the seminars, as well as having the opportunity to schedule a 10-minute pitch to literary agents. There will be Workshops in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Detroit, and other cities, as well as a few online versions.

As someone who’d love to get my rock and roll/paranormal romance novel published some day and then see it adapted to film, I was fascinated with Chicago Sun-Times film critic Richard Roeper’s review of the new movie The Greatest Hits. It’s the story of a young woman who gets transported back in time whenever she hears a rock song that brings back memories of her recently deceased boyfriend. Roeper says it features a variety of recordings by current artists, including Roxy Music and Nelly Furtado. He gave it three stars.

The Bad Examples, the Chicago band that specializes in clever and melodic songs reminiscent of Squeeze and XTC, has a show tomorrow night at the Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights.

The Webstirs, another Chicago band that’s quite often catchy and humorous, will share a bill with at Milhous and Spoonbenders at Beat Kitchen next Wednesday, April 24. 

Northeastern Illinois University radio station WZRD Chicago 88.3 will celebrate 50 years of offering freeform radio with a free of charge party at Martyrs on May 4. There will be live music by Cosmic Bull, Silver Abuse, Sons of Ra, and Charlie Otto. Martyrs’ is located at 3855 N. Lincoln Avenue.

The Neverly Brothers 20th Anniversary Tour will bring them to the Beverly Arts Center on May 4. It’s located at 2407 W. 111th Street - Chicago, IL. The trio provides a history of rock music dating back to the 1950s by performing artists such as Buddy Holly, The Beatles, and The Kinks.

It’s safe to assume tickets are going fast for the Paul Weller + Special Guests event taking place on September 15 at The Vic Theatre on Chicago’s north side. It’s his first US and Canada tour in seven years. Other cities in September will include Brooklyn, Boston, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, San Francisco, Toronto, and Vancouver. After visiting North America, Weller heads back across the pond for a UK Autumn Tour. It would be great if he also played some material from his days with The Style Council and The Jam. His new guitar-driven single “Soul Wandering” is now available on streaming sites, and a full-length album titled 66 is due out May 24.

Chicago fans of offbeat theatre will likely enjoy Theatre Wit’s current production of Nick Robideau’s play Inanimate, which runs through May 4. The play concerns a young woman who’s fallen in love with a neon sign. Theatre Wit, which is located at 1229 W. Belmont Avenue on the north side, describes the Jeremy Wechsler-directed Inanimate as “the best (and only!) objectum-sexual dramedy of the year.” J.G. Smith stars in the lead role.

This year’s Skokie Backlot Bash will be held on the weekend of August 23-25 in Skokie, IL. The lineup will be Arrested Development, Big Wade And Black Swan Theory, Tonic, Woolworthy, Tributosaurus Become The Kinks Part 2, and Thrift Store Halo.

Chicago-based power pop veterans Thrift Store Halo’s now has a cover band side project named Uncle Boogie. Fans can check it out when Uncle Boogie performs at the alliteratively named Lizard’s Liquid Lounge tomorrow night. I’ve never heard of this venue before, but from the photos on its website, it looks pretty cool. It’s located at 3058 W. Irving Park Road.

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.

The 40th Annual Latino Film Festival will wrap up its run this Monday, April 22.

The very first Off North Shore Skokie Music Festival will be held on the Skokie Sports Park on June 21 and 22. Scheduled performers include Mike Campbell and Dirty Knobs; Larkin Poe; The Bones Of J.R. Jones; and The Empty Pockets on day one; and Grace Potter; Donavon Frankenreiter; Jaime Wyatt; and JC Brooks Band on the second night.

Louise Post from Veruca Salt has kicked off a four-city tour to promote her Sleepwalker solo album. She’ll be at the Empty Bottle in Chicago on Tuesday, April 23.

The Reader Best Of Chicago celebration will take place next Thursday at 6:30 pm at the Lincoln Park Zoo. There will be live entertainment and performances by some of the award winners, as well as food and beverage vendors and other activities.

Bernie Williams is best known as an outfielder for the New York Yankees, but he’s also familiar to Chicago sports fans and music lovers for his guitar playing at a few Hot Stove Cool Music charity events staged by The Foundation To Be Named Later at Metro. So it was nice to discover Williams will be performing with the New York Philharmonic’s spring gala at the Lincoln Center on next Wednesday, April 24. Knock it out of the park, Bernie. 

 

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.

Happy Birthday to my younger brother Bill, who was probably the first person to share my joy of buying records. We even had out own make-believe radio station. Well, I did. He was normal.

IPO -Chicago: Tuesday Night Schedule

International Pop Overthrow - Chicago starts tonight (Friday, April 19) at Montrose Saloon on the city’s north side. See the first post I did on April 15 (there were two that day) for a preview of tonight’s lineup.

The festival continues at Montrose Saloon through April 27, with several acts scheduled to perform. Here’s a look at next Tuesday night’s showcase. All of the Tuesday night acts are from Chicago.

Singer-guitarist Billy Nixon will get things rocking and rolling at 7:30 pm, backed by his full band (he sometimes does acoustic solo gigs). Nixon’s October 2023 album Late Fees, like his 2021 effort C’mon Let’s Rattle, evokes sock hops and malt shoppes with catchy and fun arrangements. “Make My Way To Memphis” and “Tears Won’t Come” are particularly well done. Five-member band Secret Forest Service crafts its own style of indie-pop by adding a bit of alt country and 1980s elements. “We’ll Break The Wall” and other tracks from their Animal Mineral Digital album have been getting airplay on CHIRP radio. Singer-songwriter Packy Lundholm’s rare solo appearance will find him exploring originals he doesn’t often perform. He recently reworked his first effort American Soccer, and it’s now available.

The Mark Watson Band has done well on the Chicago club scene with an energetic power pop approach that draws on Cheap Trick and Fountains Of Wayne. Their song “When Two Still Feels Alone” was included on the impressive 2021 Big Blast Records compilation The Big Singles Vol.1. Modern Daybreak released their first single “Piece Of Mind” last summer, kicking off their goal of creating catchy rock with a supportive vibe. They released the Music For Love EP a month later, and put out the more rock-oriented single “Wake Up” this past February.

Check the official International Pop Overthrow website for the full Chicago schedule. You’ll also find links for just about all the acts who’ll be participating in Chicago this year. Even if you can’t attend in person, it’s a great way to discover new music. Many of the acts have Bandcamp pages, so it’s possible to already have some favorite songs before you've even seen the band play.