Saturday Slumgullion

The Police will offer what the burning shed run by artists for artists website calls archival reissues of the band’s 1983 album Synchronicity in 6-CD and 4-LP editions on July 26. Those options include a 64-page books and four art print photographs; a double CD, and a limited 'Alternate Order' picture disc are also available.

 

Riot Fest will present English punk pioneers The Damned tomorrow night, June 2 at Concord Music Hall on Chicago’s north side.

The Hopscotch Music Festival will be taking place on September 5-7 in Raleigh, NC. The extensive list of scheduled performers include St. Vincent; The dB’s; Ducks Ltd.; Guided By Voices; Chicano Batman; and Ty Segall (solo acoustic). The event will also feature comedy acts, local vendors, and VIP parties.

 

Chicago-based Americana singer-songwriter Steve Dawson’s much-anticipated new album Ghosts will be available from Pravda Records in LP, CD and download format next Friday. We’ve already had an enticing preview with the release of the well-crafted first single “Time To Let Some Light In” a few weeks ago.

As noted this past Thursday on The Second Disc website, Rhino and Avenue Records will release the 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition of  The World Is a Ghetto - The Complete Sessions on July 19. The classic album by War will be remastered and include previously unreleased tracks and other bonus material. It will be available in 4 CD, 5LP box  and digital formats.

This year’s Ravinia Festival in Highland Park kicks off next Friday, June 7 with the Return of The Flock concert. The event will be of special interest to longtime followers of the Chicago scene, as one of the area’s more adventurous bands reunites behind original members violinist Jerry Goodman and bassist Jerry Smith. Multi-instrumentalist Howard Levy, who won a pair of Grammy Awards as a founding member of Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, will be joining them onstage.

Wolf Alice will celebrate 10th anniversary of its Creature Songs EP with a ten-inch, pink and blue vinyl rerelease on June 21. It’s available to order on the band’s official online store. The English alt rock band’s 2022 album Blue Weekend achieved quite a bit of popular and critical success.

The American leg of Kim Gordon’s The Collective Tour will make a stop in Chicago next Saturday, June 8. The Sonic Youth singer-guitarist’s second solo effort The Collective was recently released.

More than 110 acts will have performed at the Cavern Club and Cavern Pub in Liverpool by the time International Pop Overthrow - Liverpool wraps up this Sunday, June 2. In related news, The Cavern Club rewarded International Pop Overthrow CFO/Founder David Bash for 20 years of bringing IPO to its Club and Pub stages by inducting him and the festival onto The Cavern Wall of Fame. The induction took place this past Tuesday.

The Old Town Art Fair and Wells Street Art Fair, longtime favorites on the Chicago art fair scene, will return next June  8 and 9. The two events are within blocks of each other in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.

Tickets are now available for The Zombies’ second annual Begin Here Festival  taking place in St. Albans, UK on the weekend of November 10 – 12. The event will feature The Zombies Art Gallery; Record Signing; Drum Workshop; The Zombies Tour Of St. Albans; Sunday Music Brunch; a screening of the Hung Up On A Dream documentary; Colin Blunstone: One Year Show; The Zombies Show; Battle Of The Bands: Finale Show; and Question And Answer panels at the St. Albans Museum.

The Harris Theater and Chicago-based independent label Delmark Records will join forces for Red Hot And Blues Women In Chicago next Wednesday, June 5. The pre-event to the Chicago Blues Festival promises to “bring legendary Chicago Blues venue Blue Chicago onto the Harris Theater stage in song and visual.” The focus will be on women vocalists and musicians, such as Sheryl Youngblood, Melody Angel, Demetria Taylor, Carlise Guy, Sharon Lewis and Joanna Connor. 

Have You Got It Yet? - The Story Of Syd Barrett And Pink Floyd will be available in DVD and Rlu-ray formats from Mercury Studios on July 19. The documentary was directed by filmmaker Roddy Bogawa and album cover artist Storm Thorgerson, and features interviews with Barrett’s bandmates David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Roger Waters, along with musicians Pete Townshend and Graham Coxon.

Thrift Store Halo has unveiled a new side project called Uncle Boogie. The band will play cover versions plucked from various decades and genres, including Mom’s Place just north of downtown Chicago next Saturday, June 8.

Blondie founding member Chris Stein has a memoir titled Under A Rock coming out on June 11, and it’s available to pre-order from various sites. The book, which features a forward by Debbie Harry, is described by MacMillan Publishers as a “a plunge into the moments that made a giant 1980’s artistic sensation.”

Dolph Chaney and The Phins have a show coming up at the Atlantic Bar and Grill in Chicago on Friday, June 14, with a solo performance by fellow Chicago pop rocker Phil Yates as the opening act. Chaney and Yates are both recording artists, as well as long-time veterans of the annual International Pop Overthrow - Chicago events.

Steve Wynn from The Dream Syndicate has accomplished a long-time of writing a book, and it’s due out from Jawbone Press around August 25. Wynn describes I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True as “a memoir of a life of music that begins on the streets of LA and continues along the highways and byways of rock recording and touring with The Dream Syndicate.” Autographed copies are available for pre-order on Wynn’s Bandcamp page, which also mention he has a new solo album title Make It Right coming out around the same time as his book. 

There will be a Catfight 20th Anniversary Reunion featuring band members Julie, Rose, Lori, and Lisa at the Backlot Bash being held June 30 on Chicago’s (5248 N. Clark Street) north side. I interviewed Catfight for the Palatine Countryside paper back when they were regulars at the original Durty Nellie’s. They later became one of the city’s most popular outdoor festival acts.

Tickets are now on sale for the Marky Ramone Plays The Ramones Classics show at Bottom Lounge in Chicago’s West Loop on September 27. Musician/author/media personality Marky Ramone played drums with The Ramones for 15 years after replacing original member Tommy Ramone, so he knows pretty their stuff.

Some interesting gigs coming up at Bottom Lounge in the meantime include The Miki Berenyi Trio, featuring the Lush vocalist-guitarist, along with Siouxsie And The Banshees members Lol Tolhurst and Budgie (Tolhurst was also a member of The Cure) on June 7; The Raveonettes and Soap Horse on June 10; and Letters To Cleo on June 28.

An original concept recording of Ladyship The Musical has an official release date of July 12. It’s based on the true story of how England shipped women convicts to Australia from 1789 to 1841. The music and lyrics were composed by Linda Good and Laura Good. The sisters first started performing as The Good Twins on the Chicago club scene, and later formed the alt rock band The Twigs.

Tickets are now on sale for The Imperial Sound’s gig at Hey Nonny’s in Arlington Heights on August 2.

A Charity Classic Concert will be held next Saturday, June 8, at the Rolling Green Country Club in Arlington Heights to benefit Gerry’s Cafe and the Rolling Green Cafe Employee Care Foundation. The hard-hitting country rock band Hillbilly Rockstar and adventurous covers band EXPO ’76 will be performing.

Chicago-based, self-described new wave band Sonic45 has a Record Release Party coming up at SPACE in Evanston for its new Cheap Kiss Records album Supersonic on July 13. The band comprises sports broadcaster/musician/songwriter Len Kasper, along with Chicago music scene veterans Matt Spiegel (also a sportscaster); Liam Davis; Gerald Dowd; and Dag Juhlin. Sunshine Boys, which also includes guitarist-vocalist Juhlin, will be the opening act that night. 

 

The June portion of Rhino Fest 2024 opened with a full slate of shows today, and the action continues through the end of the month. Several performances will be at Facility Theatre and Chicago Dramatists, but check out the official Rhino Fest website for the full schedule.

Chicago-based independent filmmaker Michael Smith’s film Relative, which made the independent film festivals circuit, is now available for rental and purchase via Music Box Films. You can stream it on Amazon Prime, Apple Plus, Vudu, Google Play and YouTube. 

Singer-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen will perform favorites from the Great American Songbook at Take Flight Spirits in Skokie next Saturday from 7:00 to 9:30 pm.

 

Phil Angotti And Friends (Casey McDonough, John San Juan, Tom Ryan and Blair Holmes) will return to City Winery Chicago for another Beatle Brunch on June 16. This time out, they’ll play the Beatles ‘65 album (plus other songs from 1965) and a mini set of McCartney songs for Paul’s birthday. About a month later, on July 14, Phil Angotti And Friends will perform a tribute to The Bee Gees as part of the City Winery Chicago Brunch Series. 

The Beaches, Friko, Local H, School Of Rock, and Lucky Boys Confusion are among the numerous acts that will perform at the Taste Of Randolph festival on the weekend of June 14 –16. The event will be held on Randolph Street, between Peoria and Racine.

 

English musician Matt Johnson will bring his band The The to North America for the first time 25 years to perform several of concerts. An October 25 show at The Salt Shed in Chicago will be part of radio station WXRT’s Fall Jam Series. The The was particularly noteworthy for the singles “This Is The Day” and “Uncertain Smile.”

Bonnie Koloc, an icon of Chicago’s folk scene over several decades, will share the stage with journalist Mark Guarino at Hideout Inn on June 8. Along with an extended interview regarding her career and noted collaborations, Koloc will perform a few songs with singer-guitarist Steve Dawson. Guarino’s book Country and Midwestern: Chicago in the History of Country Music and the Folk Revival was named as “Book of the Year” by the Illinois State Historical Society this past weekend in Springfield.

The Arlington Heights Memorial Library is hosting a 21-and-older Women Up Front Vinyl Listening Party at the Empty Corner venue at 214 East Grove Street in Arlington Heights on June 6. Guests are invited to bring records by their favorite women vocalists, musicians, or songwriters to play, as well as a beverage. Snacks will be provided.

Tickets are now on sale for the double bill of Material Issue and Tamar Berk with a special appearance by Starball at the Chicago north side venue Lincoln Hall on September 28. 

Chicago: Home Of House, an exhibit honoring the city’s pivotal role in widespread success of house music, opened last week on Navy Pier, and will run through the end of October. As noted by Chicago Sun-Times reporter Erica Thompson, this year brings the 40th anniversary of the genre.

The Sons Of The Silent Age - The Cracked Actor Cabaret is coming to City Winery Chicago on July 29. Sons Of The Silent Age also have a June 22 concert coming up at SummerFest in Milwaukee, WI.

Purple Reign - A Weekend Celebration For His Royal Badness will feature A Birthday Celebration next Friday, June 7 at Joe’s Bar, and A Love Bizarre on Saturday at Logan Square Auditorium. Both locations are in Chicago, and will feature DJs spinning Prince music. Admission is free with an HIV test in advance or on the night of the show. See the Eventbrite listing for full information. 

The Nelikona Cafe in downtown Palatine, IL will present live folk, rock. pop and jazz via Acoustic Guitar And Vocals by Rick And Friends from 2:00 to 4:00 on the first and third Sundays of the month. Admission is free, the venue is located at 45 N. Bothwell Street.