Incoming

Best wishes to everyone for a safe and festive New Year’s Eve tomorrow.

As proclaimed on the official Queen social media sites today, a Freddie Mercury Birthday Party 2025 will take place at the Casino Barriere Montreux in Paris on September 6th. Since the event will also celebrate 50 years of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” single, attendees are being asked to wear white to match the outfits worn by band members on the A Night At The Opera album cover. According to the official announcement, tickets, t-shirts, and posters will be available to purchase in the new year. The Freddie Mercury Birthday Party 2025 will benefit The Mercury Phoenix Trust.  

Amazing Heeby Jeebies, a Chicago-based garage rock and rockabilly outfit that conjures tales of werewolves, mummies, and other frightful creatures, will join Kozmic Kicks and DJ Killer Diller at Livewire Lounge on Milwaukee Avenue for what’s sure to be a wild new year’s eve bash. The partying starts at 8:00 pm.

The Mike Skill Band will perform a New Year’s Eve show at the Cadieux Cafe in Detroit with the local Eastside Still Alive covers and originals band. Brad Elvis, whose storied career includes several years of performing with Skill in The Romantics, will be playing drums that night. Doors open at 8:00 pm.

Another VU, the Chicago-based Velvet Underground tribute band, will have everyone shakin' to that fine, fine music on New Year's Eve at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Brian and Joe from Hoover And Harley And The Boys, and Eric Chial from The Bon Mots, will also perform.

A fascinating film/live music event titled Haiku Milieu Highlights will take place at 7:00 pm this Saturday at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn. It involves the multiple artists who’ve composed songs based on haikus created by singer-songwriter Jenny Bienemann.

PureSoul, which regularly schedules Soul Brunch events at City Winery Chicago, will present A Quincy Jones Celebration at the venue this Thursday night at 7:30 pm. Special guests will include Marqueal Jordan, Chris Lofton, and Sam Thousand.

The Bad Examples will return to Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights this Saturday night. Lead vocalist-guitarist Ralph Covert has a knack for composing clever, catchy songs such as “Reaching For Shadows,” “Pictures Of A Masquerade,” and “Jayne Left Behind” that often remind people of Squeeze. The music starts at 7:00 pm.

Singer-guitarist Phil Angotti will continue his Beatle Brunch series at City Winery Chicago this Sunday at noon, with help from Nash Duo for a set of Beatles songs with strings. A second set of more rock-oriented Beatles songs will find Angotti being backed by Blair Holmes and Tom Ryan.

The Rolling Stones are holding a 25% Off Storewide - Boxing Day Sale through January 2 for items from their official online store. I decided to nab those Fuzzy Tumbling Dice I mentioned in a post here a while back.

Like many American Doctor Who fans, I first became aware of the British sci-fi program back in the days when Tom Baker played the main role. (Episodes were shown on PBS station WTTW in Chicago.) Hard to believe it’s been 50 years since he began his run as the fifth version of The  Doctor. Baker’s performance inspired a young David Tennant to declare his desire to portray The Doctor, and many years later, he achieved that goal. Of the several actors who have played The Doctor, Baker and Tennant are among the ones most often cited as being the very best. Doctor Who continues to thrill fans on the BBC to this day, with actor Ncuti Gatwa now portraying the title character.