Incoming

YippieFest returns for its sixth year of freewheeling, in-person entertainment this weekend (August 23 – 25) at Chopin Theatre on Chicago’s north side. The long-running sketch/musical comedy group Famous In The Future is once again serving as host, and will perform a revue titled The Chicago Seven (Sketches) at 7:30 on Saturday. Other performers include the 420 Shakespeare comedy/improv group; standup comic Mabel Fleming; Beast Women Performance Revue; Rotate Theatre Company; an Ernie Kovacs tribute by Michael Bratta; piano player/comedian David Drazin; Masters Of Sketch skit/improv group; Bonnie Bagdon’s Mary Todd Lincoln monologue; The Mike Felton Band; Wet Pizza improv comedy group; and the live music duo Dark Room Men. The full schedule of 30-plus participants can be found on the event’s official website. Proceeds will go to charity. YippieFest is modeled after the late Mary-Arrchie Theatre’s long-running Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins Festival. Chopin Theatre is located at 1543 W. Division. Full disclosure: I was a member of Famous In The Future for many years.

As noted by AP national writer Hillel Italie (and picked up in this past Sunday’s edition of the Chicago Sun-Times), vocalist-songwriter Maurice Williams recently passed away. Back in 1960, Williams wrote and sang the chart-topping single “Stay” with backing by The Zodiacs. It was later recorded by The Hollies, The Four Seasons, and Jackson Browne. Rock In Paradise, Maurice.

Hello there, ladies and gentlemen. The Hard Rock Casino in Rockford, IL will be have its grand opening on August 29. Hard Rock is known for displaying a huge guitar outside its venues, and this particular instrument has a distinct checkerboard pattern that honors hometown heroes Cheap Trick. Rick Nielsen was on hand for the unveiling, and the memorabilia at this particular Hard Rock will highlight Illinois, as well as global musicians.

According to a recent Instagram post from the New York Times, the mercilessly satiric The Onion website will soon return to offering a printed edition as well. The yearly $60 subscription translates to $5 per month.

Whether you drop by after work on a weekday, or at your leisure on the weekend, The Northman Riverwalk offers live music and food outdoors with an impressive view of downtown Chicago. Jackie Rob DMi, a DJ who’s well known at the House Of Blues venue for his ability to draw from various sources, will visit The Northman tomorrow (Wednesday). Thursday brings the duo of singer-songwriter Al Rose and guitarist Steve Doyle; and The 321s, an acoustic new wave/post punk/Brit pop trio that’s been building a solid reputation in local venues, will perform on Friday. At Saturday’s 6:00 pm show, Kerosene Stars will perform original, guitar-driven power pop tunes carefully selected from albums they’ve released over the past 10 years. The Northman Riverwalk is located on the Chicago River at 233 N. Riverwalk. 

There’s still time to catch a few major outdoor art events in Illinois before summer 2024 is officially over. The 41st Annual Port Clinton Art Festival takes place this Saturday and Sunday in downtown Highland Park, and the 19th Annual Lakeview Festival Of The Arts will be held on September 14 and 15 on Chicago’s north side. Local power pop band The Spindles, who add an occasional Hollies cover to their catchy originals, are among the many live music acts scheduled to perform at the Lakeview Festival Of The Arts.