Weekend Reminders

Recently, Thursday posts have focused on events that were previously mentioned on Broken Hearted Toy, and are taking place during the upcoming weekend. Plus, the occasional event taking place this weekend that has just come to my attention.

Sonic45 has a show at the Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights this Sunday night. The atmospheric and often eerie alt rock band features sports broadcaster/musician/songwriter Len Kasper backed by music scene veterans Matt Spiegel, Dag Juhlin, Gerald Dowd, and Liam Davis. Sonic45 will likely include songs from its impressive new album SuperSonic.

A charity event titled To Find A Friend: An Evening of Tom Petty Music for Hurricane Relief will take place at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL this Saturday. Several local acts will perform Petty songs, and proceeds will benefit the North Carolina Arts Disaster Fund.

The traveling indie rock/power pop festival International Pop Overthrow will wrap up its 2024 run this weekend at The Painted Lady venue in Toronto. Previous stops this year (there’s a different lineup for each city) included New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Copenhagen, Liverpool, and Chicago.

The Heavy Sounds Present : A Tribute To Otis Redding will take place this Saturday and Sunday at the Robert’s Westside venue. The event will feature Renaldo Domino, Gina Bloom, and Michael Avery. Robert’s Westside is located at 7321 W. Madison Street in Forest Park, IL.

Go Time! vocalist-guitarist Scott Niekelski has been performing acoustic solo gigs on the Chicago club scene for a while now, and his last one for 2024 will take place at BuckleDown Brewing (8700 47th Street) in Lyons, IL this Saturday.

Singer-guitarist Mike Steven Cohen will perform songs from The Great American Songbook at Chicago Prime Italian in Schaumburg this Saturday.

The Handcuffs have been busy on the club scene lately, promoting the new vinyl edition of their 2022 album Burn The Rails. They’ll perform at Mary’s Place in Rockford, IL tomorrow night. The band The SIT UP straights will also be on the bill.

The Babes With Blades Theatre Company’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream will wrap up its run at The Edge Theatre (5451 N. Broadway) this Saturday. The production is directed by Lauren Katz, with fight direction by Jillian Leff.

Incoming

The Toronto-based co-ed quintet Alvvays has released a 10th anniversary edition of its self-titled debut on Cerulean in Cloudy Clear vinyl that includes the previously unreleased track “Underneath Us.” The album also includes a poster print of hand drawn art by Canadian musician/artist Chad VanGaalen.

When I belatedly reviewed the Alvvays debut here on BHT back in 2015, I noted, “Lead singer-guitarist Molly Rankin’s ethereal vocals weave heartache within irresistible melodies and twangy guitars” and “Still, the best moments on this impressive first effort come when Rankin and her mates cut loose on the energetic ‘Next Of Kin’ and ‘Atop A Cake.’”

The 30th Annual Black Harvest Film Festival continues at the Gene Siskel Film Center in downtown Chicago and will run through this Thursday night.

Not to sound like I’m on their payroll, but The Rolling Stones have added even more items to their online store as the holiday season approaches. The new Paint It Black Collection of apparel, an umbrella, and a pillow isn’t particularly merry, but there’s likely something here for any Stones fans on your gift list.

Todd Leiter-Weintraub, a veteran of International Pop Overthrow - Chicago events with his quirky and catchy band Hop On Pop, will perform for the first time in a while this Wednesday night at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side.

The Fest For Beatles Fans 2025 NY Metro Fest will take place at The Hyatt Regency Jersey City on March 28 – 30, and special guests will include Jim McCarty from The Yardbirds and Colin Hanton from The Quarrymen. Performers on the Apple Jam Stage will include Phil Angotti from Chicago.

Meanwhile, Phil Angotti and Friends will continue their Beatles Brunch series at City Winery Chicago by performing acoustic renditions of Beatles hits songs on November 30.

The traveling indie rock/power pop festival International Pop Overthrow will wrap up its 2024 run on this weekend at The Painted Lady venue in Toronto. Previous IPO stops this year (there’s a different lineup for each city) included New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Copenhagen, Liverpool, and Chicago.

There will be a triple bill of Van Go, The Second Summer, and Dam Destroyers (formerly The Red Wigglers) on December 14 at The Gallery on December 14. Admission is free. All three acts have performed at International Pop Overthrow - Chicago, with The Second Summer making its debut at this year’s event. The band’s debut release undertow featured high-energy pop songs such as “The Reason” and “Invisible,” and they’ve been busy working on the follow-up. Of course, it’s always fun to see Van Go and Dam Destroyers back in action. 

Slumgullion

Check out yesterday’s Weekend Reminders post for events taking place this weekend.

For a band that broke up over 10 years ago, R.E.M. continues to receive a lot of attention. This past Sunday’s Chicago Tribune included critic John Warner’s positive take on writer Peter Ames Carlin’s new book The Name Of This Band Is R.E.M.; Jason Narducy and Michael Shannon will bring their  Celebrate The 40th Anniversary of R.E.M.’s Fables Of The Reconstruction tribute tour to several cities next year; and the band itself pulled off a one-song surprise reunion at this year’s Songwriters Hall Of Fame event. Tonight, WXRT will broadcast a 1984 concert by R.E.M. recorded at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom as part of its Live From The XRT Archives series. WXRT is available through the Audacy app.

The Atlantic Bar on Chicago’s north side has a power pop double bill coming up tomorrow night with our own Dolph Chaney and The Phins, along with the Boston-based Kid Gulliver. Chaney’s latest album Mug gave us the energetic travelogue single “Californiagain” and other gems; while Kid Gulliver’s latest single is a revved-up take on The Bee Gees’ “I Started A Joke.” A few years back, Kid Gulliver recorded “Susie Survived Chemotherapy,” a song that should inspire any audience to laugh, cheer, and pogo dance.

The Kooks and lovelytheband have collaborated on a melodic and soulful new single titled “Jeanie” and it’s now available on streaming sites. A post on The Kooks Official Facebook page today notes, “‘Jeanie’ is about all the unknown legends. She’s not asking for forgiveness or appreciation from the world, just getting on everyday, looking after her people and living in the moment.” Earlier, The Kooks posted, “We're so happy we got to collaborate on the track with lovelytheband, it’s been a beautiful experience.”

The traveling indie rock/power pop festival International Pop Overthrow will wrap up its 2024 run on the weekend of November 22 – 24 at The Painted Lady venue in Toronto. Previous stops this year (there’s a different lineup for each city) included New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Copenhagen, Liverpool, and Chicago.

Marshall Crenshaw’s 40+ Years In Showbiz! tour made a stop at City Winery Boston this past Wednesday, and upcoming dates include New York, Philadelphia, and Asbury Park. Crenshaw is performing with Fernando Perdomo, Derrick Anderson, and Mark Ortmann.

Mike Steven Cohen just returned from a European vacation, and is already performing songs from The Great American Songbook on the Chicago area club scene again. He’s at Tuscan Market in Arlington Heights tonight, and he’ll perform at Chicago Prime Italian in Schaumburg tomorrow night and on November 23.

City Winery Chicago has announced a number of upcoming shows, including EXTC - Terry Chambers And Friends on May 1, 2025. Chambers was the longtime drummer for the critically acclaimed and believe English band XTC.

Congratulations to The Spindles on being chosen as the first act to perform at the Des Plaines Theatre’s new Indie Rock Night series. That show will take place on December 17. The Arcada in St. Charles, IL will also have Indie Rock nights. An earlier announcement from both venues (they’re under the same management) stated acts should have 30 minutes of original indie, alternative, folk, or country to be considered.

This past Tuesday brought the official release of journalist/public relations specialist Cary Baker’s first book, Down on the Corner: Adventures in Busking & Street Music. It’s available from Jawbone Press.

 

Sons Of The Silent Age, Chicago’s impressive David Bowie tribute band, have announced a Celebrating 50 Years Of David Bowie’s Young Americans And More show coming to Metro on January 11, 2025. Critically acclaimed actor Michael Shannon, who frequently shares a bill with Sons Of The Silent Age, will perform that night as John Lennon. Tickets are now on sale. Metro is located at 3730 N. Clark Street.

Pravda Records has a 40th Anniversary Showcase and Whiskey Rye Release event coming up on December 7 at the Judson & Moore venue. Pravda label mates Steve Dawson and The Handcuffs will share a bill that kicks off at 8:00 pm. Judson & Moore is located at 3057 N. Rockwell in Chicago.

The Handcuffs have been busy on the club scene lately, promoting the new vinyl edition of their 2022 album Burn The Rails. They’ll perform at Mary’s Place in Rockford, IL on November 22. The band The SIT UP straights will also be on the bill that night at Mary’s Place.

The Lost Record, a collection of songs Susanna Hoffs recorded with Charlotte Caffey and Jane Wiedlin from The Go-Go’s in her garage back in 1999, is now available on Bandcamp, Amazon, and other streaming sites. (Musicians Bill Bottrell, Brian MacLeod, and Dan Schwartz also contributed to the 10 tracks.)

Author Jennifer Otter Bickerdike’s book Eternal Flame - The Authorized Biography Of The Bangles, which is due out in February 2025, is now available for pre-order on various sites.

The 30th Annual Black Harvest Film Festival continues at the Gene Siskel Film Center in downtown Chicago and will run through November 21.

Todd Leiter-Weintraub, a veteran of International Pop Overthrow - Chicago events with his quirky and catchy band Hop On Pop, will perform for the first time in a while on November 20 gig at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Welcome back.

The members of Queen have released a remixed, remastered and expanded version of their 1973 debut Queen I. Apparently, they were not amused by how it was produced back in the day. Now it’s a 6-CD+1LP box set with 63 tracks and 43 brand new mixes.

Vocalist Kate Fagan’s long career on the Chicago alt rock scene started with BB Spin although she’s better known for fronting the ska band Heavy Manners. She also recorded the popular single “I Don’t Wanna Be Too Cool.” She’s still active these days, as demonstrated by her latest release “2 Good 2 B True.” Co-written by Fagan and guitarist Jeremy Joyce, the song sets reflections on a romance gone sour to an engaging, mid-tempo arrangement.

Singer-guitarist Joe Di Zillo, whose recent album Bringing It Back earned praise here on BHT for its catchy, energetic arrangements and clever lyrics, has a free, all-ages show coming up on December 6 at Sketchbook Brewing in Skokie.

The Famous In The Future comedy group will present A Judy Christmas on the weekend of December 20 – 22 at The Den Theatre in Chicago. The parody of vintage TV holiday specials is back for its third year, having sold out weekend shows in 2023 and 2022. Tickets ($22 – $25) are available via the Famous In The Future website. Full disclosure: I was a member of Famous In The Future for several years.

Tickets are still available for the Sonic45 show at the Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights on November 24. The atmospheric and often eerie alt rock band features sports broadcaster/musician/songwriter Len Kasper backed by music scene veterans. Sonic45 will likely include songs from its impressive new album SuperSonic.

A low ticket alert has been issued for the BoDeans annual post Thanksgiving shows on the weekend of November 29 – December 1 at City Winery Chicago. A post on the Wisconsin-based Americana rockers’ Facebook page notes these holiday gigs sell out every year. Tickets are available at the venue.

The Babes With Blades Theatre Company is presenting A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Edge Theatre (5451 N. Broadway) through November 23. The production is directed by Lauren Katz, with fight direction by Jillian Leff. Babes With Blades is a women-focused company that has been on the Chicago theatre scene for several years.

A charity event titled To Find A Friend: An Evening of Tom Petty Music for Hurricane Relief will take place at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL on November 23. Several local acts will perform Petty songs, and proceeds will benefit the North Carolina Arts Disaster Fund.

Chicago: Home Of House, an exhibit honoring the city’s pivotal role in the widespread success of house music, has been extended on Navy Pier through December 15. Admission is free.

Weekend Reminders

Thursday posts are focused on events that were previously mentioned on Broken Hearted Toy, and are taking place during the upcoming weekend. Plus, an occasional listing for an event this weekend that has just come to my attention.

The Nielsen Trust, a side project for Cheap Trick members guitarist-vocalist Rick Nielsen and drummer Daxx Nielsen, will perform tonight at The Arcada in St. Charles, IL and tomorrow night at The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL. Another family member—vocalist guitarist Miles Nielsen from The Rusted Hearts—and his wife Kelly Steward will also be part of these two shows.

As noted by Chicago Sun-Times reporter Mitch Dudek in yesterday’s issue, there will a fundraiser for The Voice That Rocked America: The Dick Biondi Film tonight at the Beverly Arts Center on Chicago’s south side. A popular figure on WLS Top 40 radio in the 1960s, Biondi is said to be the first American DJ to play a Beatles record on the air. Filmmaker Pamela Enzweiler-Pulice’s interviews for this project included journalist Robert Feder, Brian Wilson, and Paul Shaffer. Tickets are $13 – $23, the Beverly Arts Center is located at 2407 W. 111th Street.

Tickets for this Sunday night’s Jeff Buckley Tribute at Uncommon Ground have sold out, but there may be a few left for Monday’s edition. Uncommon Ground is located at 3800 N. Clark Street on Chicago’s north side.

iBAM! - The Irish Books, Arts And Music Celebration will be held at the Irish American Heritage Center this Saturday and Sunday. The center, which is known for its many entertainment events, is located at 4626 N. Knox Avenue.

Six Stories Up On The Campaign Trail - A Student Council Calamity, the latest theatrical production from Tellin’ Tales Theatre, will run Friday through Sunday this weekend at the Filament Theatre. As stated on its website, Tellin’ Tales Theatre’s mission is “to shatter barriers between the disabled and non-disabled worlds through the transformative power of personal story.” Filament Theatre is located at 4041 N. Milwaukee Avenue.

The Ripley’s covers band will bring their repertoire of Beatles, Rolling Stones, U2, and other well-known rock acts to The Toadstool Pub in Highwood, IL this Saturday night. The music starts at 8:00 pm, and there’s no cover charge.

Incoming

Sons Of The Silent Age, Chicago’s impressive David Bowie tribute band, just announced a Celebrating 50 Years Of David Bowie’s Young Americans And More show coming to Metro on January 11, 2025. Critically acclaimed actor Michael Shannon, who frequently shares a bill with Sons Of The Silent Age, will perform that night as John Lennon. Tickets go on sale this Friday. Metro is located at 3730 N. Clark Street.

In our hearts of gold, he’ll never be an old man. It’s time to look at Neil Young’s life, and wish him a Happy Birthday. Keep on rocking in the free world, sir.

Today is the official release date for long-time journalist/public relations specialist Cary Baker’s first book, Down on the Corner: Adventures in Busking & Street Music. If you still have a copy of this past Sunday’s Chicago Tribune, check out Rick Kogan’s glowing review of Baker’s book. Down on the Corner is available from Jawbone Press.

That same issue of the Chicago Tribune includes critic John Warner’s positive take on writer Peter Ames Carlin’s new book The Name Of This Band Is R.E.M. Warner notes, “Readers may experience what I did, a fresh appreciation for the oddness and originality of the group that truly sounded unlike anyone else when they hit the scene the early 1980s.”

Congratulations to The Spindles on being chosen as the first act to perform at the Des Plaines Theatre’s new Indie Rock Night series. That show will take place on December 17. The Arcada in St. Charles, IL will also have Indie Rock Nights. An earlier announcement from both venues (they’re under the same management) stated acts should have 30 minutes of original indie, alternative, folk, or country material to be considered.

The Ripley’s covers band will bring their repertoire of Beatles, Rolling Stones, U2, and other well-known rock acts to The Toadstool Pub in Highwood, IL this Saturday night. The music starts at 8:00 pm, and there’s no cover charge.

City Winery Chicago has announced a number of upcoming shows, including EXTC - Terry Chambers And Friends on May 1, 2025. Chambers was the longtime drummer for the critically acclaimed and beloved English band XTC. Tickets will go on sale this Friday.

The English Beat will be performing at City Winery Chicago on December 8 and 9, 2024.

The very fun and completely unpredictable covers band EXPO ’76 will perform at its unofficial home base Simon’s Tavern on Chicago’s north side tomorrow night.

 

Tickets for the first night (November 17) of this year’s Jeff Buckley Tribute at Uncommon Ground have sold out and the venue has issued a low ticket alert for the second and final show on November 18. Uncommon Ground is located at 3800 N. Clark Street on Chicago’s north side.

Slumgullion

Check out yesterday’s Weekend Reminders post for events taking place this weekend.

It might seem early to think about holiday gift shopping, but if you’re planning on giving a rock-fan-loved-one something related to their favorite artist, consider the time it might take to ship. Particularly from overseas sources. For example, The Who are now offering seven new items particularly for the season. The Rolling Stones have enough items sporting their iconic logo to fill Santa’s bag. I think I’d ask him for the tumbling dice. Chances are, your favorite band has some items available. Although I’m still waiting for those “COMING SOON . . .” items on The Hollies website.

Pravda Records has a 40th Anniversary Showcase and Whiskey Rye Release event coming up on December 7 at the Judson & Moore venue. Pravda label mates Steve Dawson and The Handcuffs will share a bill that kicks off at 8:00 pm. Judson & Moore is located at 3057 N. Rockwell in Chicago. Dawson also has a gig coming up next Sunday at Outpost in Evanston. He’ll be joined by musician-recording artist Tommi Zender.

The Handcuffs have been busy on the club scene lately, promoting the new vinyl edition of their 2022 album Burn The Rails. They’ll perform at Mary’s Place in Rockford, IL on November 22. The band The SIT UP straights will also be on the bill that night at Mary’s Place.

Wild Honey Foundation, the California-based a 501(c)(3)non-profit that supports various worthy causes by staging concerts, will host a Matthew Sweet fundraiser at the McCabe’s Guitar Shop venue in Santa Monica this Sunday. Performers will include Vicki and Debbi Peterson; Dan Wilson; Richard Lloyd; Greg Leisz; Val McCallum; Tony Marsico; and John Moremen. Tickets are now on sale via eventbrite.  

In related news, the GoFundMe page created to help cover Sweet’s medical costs has so far raised $467,583 of its $750K goal.

The Lost Record, a collection of songs Susanna Hoffs recorded with Charlotte Caffey and Jane Wiedlin from The Go-Go’s in her garage back in 1999, is now available on Bandcamp, Amazon, and other streaming sites. (Musicians Bill Bottrell, Brian MacLeod, and Dan Schwartz also contributed to the 10 tracks.) Bangles fans will recognize “Under A Cloud,” which appeared in a different version on the band’s 2011 album Sweetheart Of The Sun. The catchy “Living Alone With You” is another highlight. The CD comes out on October 25, and there will be a vinyl edition in early December.

NBC5 TV arts and culture reporter LeeAnn Trotter will serve as host for the Black Harvest Film Festival Opening Night ceremony starting at 7:00 pm this evening at the Gene Siskel Film Center in downtown Chicago. The annual event, which honors Black, African American, and African Diaspora identifying directors, producers, and screenwriters, is back for it 30th year. Films will be screened at the Gene Siskel Center through November 21.

The Chicagoland Guitar Show will take place this Sunday at Atlantis Banquets in the Prospect Crossing Plaza, 1273 N. Rand Road in Arlington Heights, IL. Admission is $5; free for all rockers under 16.

Long-time fans of The Hollies (the band has never broken up and the current line-up has been together for over 20 years) are aware that bass player Ray Stiles was a member of the British 1960s/70s glam rock band MUD. Stiles and former Mud lead guitarist Rob Davies will perform “Dyna-mite,” “Tiger Feet” and other hits during a series of reunion concerts. The tour started yesterday at The Old Brewery Store in Faversham in the U.K. Hollies keyboard player Ian Parker will be joining them on the tour.

If you’re making plans for the upcoming Black Friday Record Store Day, the November issue of the Illinois Entertainer has a list of the vinyl releases and stores where you can find them.

British fans of The Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorhands can spend a few hours at The World Of Tim Burton exhibition being held at London’s Design Museum. The exhibition runs through April 21, 2025.

Vocalist Kate Fagan’s long career on the Chicago alt rock scene started with BB Spin although she’s better known for fronting the ska band Heavy Manners. She also recorded the popular single “I Don’t Wanna Be Too Cool.” She’s still active these days, as demonstrated by her latest release “2 Good 2 B True.” Co-written by Fagan and guitarist Jeremy Joyce, the song sets reflections on a romance gone sour to an engaging, mid-tempo arrangement.

Author Jennifer Otter Bickerdike’s book Eternal Flame - The Authorized Biography Of The Bangles, which is due out in February 2025, is now available for pre-order on various sites. It would be nice to see the band given some serious consideration for an induction into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Todd Leiter-Weintraub, a veteran of International Pop Overthrow - Chicago events with his quirky and catchy band Hop On Pop, will perform for the first time in a while on November 20 gig at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Welcome back.

Those of us who rocked out to Queen long before “Bohemian Rhapsody,” will be glad to learn the band members themselves have overseen a remixed, remastered and expanded version of their 1973 debut Queen I. Apparently, they were not amused by how it was produced back in the day. Now it’s a 6-CD+1LP box set with 63 tracks and 43 brand new mixes. A special 2024 official video of the superb song “Keep Yourself Alive” can be viewed on YouTube. 

Peter Himmelman, the Minneapolis singer-songwriter who’s given us emotionally charged songs such “Woman With The Strength Of 10,00 Men,” has released a book titled Suspended By No Strings that offers poems, and tales with a spiritual feel.

Singer-guitarist Joe Di Zillo, whose recent album Bringing It Back earned praise here on BHT for its catchy, energetic arrangements and clever lyrics, has a free, all-ages show coming up on December 6 at Sketchbook Brewing in Skokie.

Eric Idle, a founding member of the Monty Python comedy group and co-creator of a highly entertaining comedy-musical, has just released a new book titled The Spamalot Diaries. It provides a behind-the-scenes look at how Spamalot came together, based on Idle’s own journal and email correspondence.

The Famous In The Future comedy group will present A Judy Christmas on the weekend of December 20 – 22 at The Den Theatre in Chicago. The parody of vintage TV holiday specials is back for its third year, having sold out weekend shows in 2023 and 2022. Tickets ($22 – $25) are available via the Famous In The Future website. Full disclosure: I was a member of Famous In The Future for several years.

iBAM! - The Irish Books, Arts And Music Celebration will be held at the Irish American Heritage Center on November 16. The center, which is known for its many entertainment events, is located at 4626 N. Knox Avenue.

Tickets are still available for the Sonic45 show at the Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights on November 24. The atmospheric and often eerie alt rock band features sports broadcaster/musician/songwriter Len Kasper backed by music scene veterans. Sonic45 will likely include songs from its impressive new album SuperSonic.

 

A low ticket alert has been issued for the BoDeans annual post Thanksgiving shows on the weekend of November 29 – December 1 at City Winery Chicago. A post on the Wisconsin-based American rockers’ Facebook page notes these holiday gigs sell out every year. Tickets are available at the venue.

The Babes With Blades Theatre Company is presenting A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Edge Theatre (5451 N. Broadway) through November 23. The production is directed by Lauren Katz, with fight direction by Jillian Leff. Babes With Blades is a women-focused company that has been on the Chicago theatre scene for several years.

A charity event titled To Find A Friend: An Evening of Tom Petty Music for Hurricane Relief will take place at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL on November 23. Several local acts will perform Petty songs, and proceeds will benefit the North Carolina Arts Disaster Fund.

The Nielsen Trust, a side project for Cheap Trick members guitarist-vocalist Rick Nielsen and drummer Daxx Nielsen, has concerts coming up on November 14 at The Arcada in St. Charles, IL and on November 15 at The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL. It’s hard to believe it’s been over three years since I saw this group at Durty Nellie’s in Palatine; possibly because I still distinctly remember how good its show was. Another of Rick’s sons—vocalist-guitarist Miles Nielsen from The Rusted Hearts—was also part of that Durty Nellie’s show, along with his (Miles’) wife Kelly Steward. It looks like the same lineup will perform at the November dates.

Chicago: Home Of House, an exhibit honoring the city’s pivotal role in the widespread success of house music, has been extended on Navy Pier through December 15. Admission is free.

Weekend Reminders

Recently, Thursday posts have focused on events that were previously mentioned on Broken Hearted Toy, and are taking place during the upcoming weekend.

The Zombies’ 2024 Begin Here Festival, which takes place tomorrow through Sunday in St. Albans in the UK, will include a Tribute To Rod Argent. The band’s longtime keyboards player/songwriter gave up live performances after experiencing a stroke earlier this year, but plans to continue recording with his mates. The tribute will include special guests Russ Ballard, Danny Mattin, Millies Riquelme, Hugh Grundy and Chris White. The opening act ARC features Russell, Anja, and Cara Rodford, the son and granddaughters of the late Jim Rodford, who performed with Argent, The Kinks, and The Zombies.

The CHIRP Record Fair And Other Delights event will return to Plumbers Union Hall at 1340 W. Washington in Chicago this Saturday for its 20th anniversary. As always, this event offers rows of vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, and music related merchandise. There will be live bands and DJs, along with beer and food vendors. The CHIRP Record Fair & Other Delights is a benefit for CHIRP Radio, and the independent station is hinting this might be the last one they will hold.

The Fleshtones are coming to FitzGerald’s in Berwyn tomorrow. The long-time, critically acclaimed garage rockers will no doubt feature songs from their latest, supernatural-influenced album Face Of The Screaming Werewolf. That evening will also feature a pair of Chicago area favorites, New Duncan Imperials (celebrating their 35th year) and The Handcuffs.

International Pop Overthrow - New York kicks off tonight at The Parkside Lounge in Manhattan, and will run through Sunday.

Six Stories Up On The Campaign Trail - A Student Council Calamity, the latest theatrical production from Tellin’ Tales Theatre, will run Friday through Sunday this weekend and next at the Filament Theatre. As stated on its website, Tellin’ Tales Theatre’s mission is “to shatter barriers between the disabled and non-disabled worlds through the transformative power of personal story.” Filament Theatre is located at 4041 N. Milwaukee Avenue.

Incoming

The Lost Record, a collection of songs Susanna Hoffs recorded with Charlotte Caffey and Jane Wiedlin from The Go-Go’s in her garage back in 1999, is now available on Bandcamp, Amazon, and other streaming sites. (Musicians Bill Bottrell, Brian MacLeod, and Dan Schwartz also contributed to the 10 tracks.) Bangles fans will recognize “Under A Cloud,” which appeared in a different version on the band’s 2011 album Sweetheart Of The Sun. The catchy “Living Alone With You” is another highlight.

The CD comes out on October 25, and there will be a vinyl edition in early December.

Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side will offer an eclectic double bill tomorrow (Wednesday) night when The Spindles open for Kent Rose And The Remedies. The Spindles are local clubs veterans and their Past And Present album offered an entertaining mix of British Invasion flavored originals and a few well-chosen cover versions. Singer-songwriter Kent Rose has been impressing critics as well as fellow musicians during a decades-long career that has seen him release authentic old school country and western albums. The music starts at 7:00 pm.

Best wishes to Montrose Saloon honcho Eric Chial on today being his birthday.

   

The Fleshtones are coming to FitzGerald’s in Berwyn this Friday. The long-time, critically acclaimed garage rockers will no doubt feature songs from their latest supernatural-influenced album Face Of The Screaming Werewolf. That evening will also feature a couple Chicago area favorites; New Duncan Imperials (celebrating their 35th year) and The Handcuffs.

It’s nice to see the new Animal Records store in Evanston is getting a warm welcome from the local press and at least one well-known vinyl collector. The Gossip Wolf column in the October 17 issue of the Chicago Reader featured an interview with owner Greg Allen explaining his long-time goal of  opening a record store, and about a week ago, drummer Brad Elvis of The Handcuffs posted photos on Facebook of the several albums he purchased at Animal Records. The store is located at 624 Grove Street.

The Famous In The Future comedy group will present A Judy Christmas on the weekend of December 20 – 22 at The Den Theatre in Chicago. Although not as beloved as A Charlie Brown Christmas, this parody of vintage TV holiday specials is back for its third year. Its weekend run in 2023 and 2022 sold out. Tickets ($22 – $25) are available via the Famous In The Future website. Full disclosure: I was a member of Famous In The Future for several years.

iBAM! - The Irish Books, Arts And Music Celebration will be held at the Irish American Heritage Center on November 16. The center, which is known for its many entertainment events, is located at 4626 N. Knox Avenue.

Slumgullion

The CHIRP Record Fair And Other Delights event will return to Plumbers’ Hall at 1340 W. Washington in Chicago next Saturday, November 9 for its 20th anniversary. As always, there will be lots of vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, and all kinds of rock music related merchandise. There will be live bands and DJs, along with beer and food vendors. The CHIRP Record Fair & Other Delights is a benefit for CHIRP Radio, and the independent station is hinting this might be the last one we’ll see.

 

Return of the Mud men. Long-time fans of The Hollies (the band has never broken up and the current line-up has been together for over 20 years) are aware that bass player Ray Stiles was a member of the British 1960s/70s glam rock band MUD. Stiles and former Mud lead guitarist Rob Davies will perform “Dyna-mite,” “Tiger Feet” and other hits during a series of Mud reunion concerts starting on November 7 at The Old Brewery Store in Faversham in the U.K. Hollies keyboard player Ian Parker will be joining them on the tour.

The Spindles, a Chicago power pop band that’s been known to cover The Hollies, will open for country music recording artist Kent Rose And The Remedies at Montrose Saloon on November 6. The Spindles have a new album coming out in March 2025 that will include a cover of the catchy “Rock For It,” originally done by The Elvis Brothers.

Wild Honey Foundation, the California-based a 501(c)(3)non-profit that supports various worthy causes by staging concerts, will host a Matthew Sweet fundraiser at the McCabe’s Guitar Shop venue in Santa Monica on November 10th. Performers will include Vicki and Debbi Peterson; Dan Wilson; Richard Lloyd; Greg Leisz; Val McCallum; Tony Marsico; and John Moremen. Tickets are now on sale via eventbrite. 

In related news, the GoFundMe page created to help cover Sweet’s medical costs has so far raised $449,060 of its $750K goal.

Here’s an event I missed on yesterday’s Weekend Reminders post: Pure Soul is presenting a Bob Marley Soul Brunch at City Winery Chicago tomorrow at noon. City Winery Chicago is located at 1200 W. Randolph, just west of downtown.

Sonic45, the self-proclaimed “Chicago-based new-wave quintet” led by sports broadcaster/musician Len Kasper, will return to the Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights on November 24. The performance will likely include songs from Sonic45's impressive new album SuperSonic. 

There’s good news tonight for those of us who ordered the Melanie And Kim Monday fanzine put together by Music Arkives and musician Melanie Vammen. The 60-page effort celebrates the friendship and musical partnership of Vammen and the late Kim Shattuck of The Muffs while helping a charity. Tonight’s email from Vammen states “the zines are FINALLY in! I'll be signing them this week and in the mail they'll go!” She added that Melanie And Kim Monday raised “a great amount of money for the ALS Network.”

The Fleshtones are coming to FitzGerald’s in Berwyn next Friday, November 8. The long-time, critically acclaimed garage rockers will no doubt feature songs from their latest supernatural-influenced album Face Of The Screaming Werewolf. That evening will also feature a pair of Chicago area favorites; New Duncan Imperials (celebrating their 35th year) and The Handcuffs.

The Handcuffs have been busy on the club scene lately, promoting the new vinyl edition of their 2022 album Burn The Rails. They’ll perform at Mary’s Place in Rockford, IL on November 22. The SIT UP straights, a band featuring local music scene veterans, will also be on the bill that night at Mary’s Place.

Those of us who rocked out to Queen long before “Bohemian Rhapsody,” will be glad to learn the band members themselves have overseen a remixed, remastered and expanded version of their 1973 debut Queen I. Apparently, they were not amused by how it was produced back in the day. Now it’s a 6-CD+1LP box set with 63 tracks and 43 brand new mixes. A special 2024 official video of the superb song “Keep Yourself Alive” can be viewed on YouTube.

A low ticket alert has been issued for the BoDeans annual post Thanksgiving shows on the weekend of November 29 – December 1 at City Winery Chicago. A post on the Wisconsin-based American rockers’ Facebook page notes these holiday gigs sell out every year. Tickets are available at the venue.

British fans of The Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorhands can spend a few hours this Halloween at The World Of Tim Burton exhibition being held at London’s Design Museum. According to an Associated Press piece by Jill Lawless that ran in yesterday’s Chicago Sun-Times, the exhibition features “props, puppets, set designs and iconic costumes.” The exhibition runs through April 21, 2025.

The Babes With Blades Theatre Company is presenting A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Edge Theatre (5451 N. Broadway) through November 23. The production is directed by Lauren Katz, with fight direction by Jillian Leff. Babes With Blades is a women-focused company that has been on the Chicago theatre scene for several years.

Author Jennifer Otter Bickerdike’s book Eternal Flame - The Authorized Biography Of The Bangles, which is due out in February 2025, is now available for pre-order on various sites. It would be nice to see the band given some serious consideration for an induction into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

A charity event titled To Find A Friend: An Evening of Tom Petty Music for Hurricane Relief will take place at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL on November 23. Several local acts will perform Petty songs, and proceeds will benefit the North Carolina Arts Disaster Fund.

International Pop Overthrow - Boston runs through tomorrow night at The Square Root in Boston. IPO - New York kicks off next Thursday at The Parkside Lounge and will run through Sunday, November 10.

The Nielsen Trust, a side project for Cheap Trick members guitarist-vocalist Rick Nielsen and drummer Daxx Nielsen, has concerts coming up on November 14 at The Arcada in St. Charles, IL and on November 15 at The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL. It’s hard to believe it’s been over three years since I saw this group at Durty Nellie’s in Palatine; possibly because I still distinctly remember how good its show was. Another of Rick’s sons—vocalist-guitarist Miles Nielsen from The Rusted Hearts—was also part of that Durty Nellie’s show, along with his (Miles’) wife Kelly Steward. It looks like the same lineup will perform at the November dates.

Chicago: Home Of House, an exhibit honoring the city’s pivotal role in the widespread success of house music, has been extended on Navy Pier through December 15. Admission is free.

Eric Idle, a founding member of the Monty Python comedy group and co-creator of a highly entertaining comedy-musical, has just released a new book titled The Spamalot Diaries. It provides a behind-the-scenes look at how Spamalot came together, based on Idle’s own journal and email correspondence.

Six Stories Up On The Campaign Trail - A Student Council Calamity will run at Filament Theatre November 8 – 17, on weekends only.

Peter Himmelman, the Minneapolis singer-songwriter who’s given us emotionally charged songs such “Woman With The Strength Of 10,00 Men,” has released a book titled Suspended By No Strings that offers poems, and tales with a spiritual feel.