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.