Slumgullion

Congratulations to vocalist Darlene Love and The Smithereens on being announced as the next inductees for the Count Basie Center Walk Of Fame. The inductions are scheduled for December 19th at the Count Basie Center in Redbank, NJ. Previous inductees are Count Basie and Jon Bon Jovi.

The Smithereens, with Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill will perform at The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL on March 6. Cowsill and Peterson, who released an album together earlier this year, have become regular guests at live gigs by The Smithereens.

Several local musicians will take part in the Second Annual Remembering Elliott Smith Night being held on December 17 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. The ambitious format involves eight brief sets, each by an individual performer, with a full band taking over at 10:00 pm. John Aulabaugh will kick things off at 7:00 pm, followed by Rick Nitz; Niko Stavropoulos; Trevor Lynch; Phil Yates; Dolph Chaney; Garret Johnson; and Phil Angotti. The full band will feature Mike Conroy; Eric Chial; Brian Stour; Garret Johnson; and Trevor Lynch. We lost the critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Elliott Smith in 2003, but his emotionally charged approach to performing and writing is still highly regarded on the music scene.

It’s still a gift even if it’s not seasonal. Aussie musician Joe Algeri has been offering people around the globe a free new song each December on his Egomaniac Music website for 25 years. In the past, he would take an off-kilter view of the yuletide, but recently Algeri switched his December free download to a non-seasonal song. Which is fine, considering how many holiday gifts are standard rock and roll related. I still have The Hollies Hear Here album I got got for Christmas in 1966. Algeri’s 2025 gift is a melodic power pop tune titled “Summer Forever” that deals with emotional confusion. Once again, he’s joined by an international crew of musicians: American bassist-backup vocalist Herb Eimerman; drummer Stefan Johansson and organ player Lars Brussel from Sweden; and lead guitarist Andy J. Prinkkila from Finland.

Chicago-based/world renowned blues artist Buddy Guy has announced the dates for his traditional January residency at his Legends venue in the south end of downtown Chicago. He’ll have 16 performances throughout the month, with the first on January 3, and the last on January 30. There will be supporting acts for each of Guy’s shows.

Fans of The Gin Blossoms can pre-order an autographed copy of the indie rock band’s 1992 album New Miserable Experience on marble colored vinyl for $49.98 from the TalkShopLive! website. That’s the record that includes the hits “Found Out About You” and “Hey Jealousy.”

The Walkin' on Sunshine band, featuring Steve Dawson, Gerald Dowd, Alton Smith, John Abbey and special guest Diane Christiansen, has a gig coming up at Simon’s in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood on December 28. Admission is free, but tips are always welcome. A recent post from Dawson states the two sets will feature “a lot of my songs and a bunch of surprise covers.” The music starts at 8:30 pm.

British recording artist Mordecai Smyth, who specializes in catchy, offbeat tunes, has a new album coming out soon on the Mega Dodo indie label. He recently posted a video of “Breaking The Backs,” one of the songs from that release, on his Facebook page as a preview. Smyth has a gig on March 1 at the Crumbs Coffee Shop in Woodley, Reading, with musician/producer/DJ Robert Sowden as supporting act.

Chicago’s long-time indie rockers The Bad Examples will perform at Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora, IL on December 19. As often mentioned here on Broken Hearted Toy, lead vocalist-guitarist Ralph Covert creates songs that are reminiscent of the clever and melodic music of Squeeze. A recent Facebook post from Covert promises “a fun mix of old and new favorites from our catalog.” He’s also a skilled, humorous storyteller, so they may be a few anecdotes from his extensive career.

Autographed copies of musician Melissa Auf der Maur’s upcoming book Even the Good Girls Will Cry are available to pre-order from the TalkShopLive! website. Auf der Maur, who’s known for performing with Hole and Smashing Pumpkins, describes her book as “part rock memoir, part travel diary, [and] part psychedelic scrapbook.”

Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side offers a full evening of live music on December 19 with performances by Helen Huff; Trick Shooter Social Club; The Revinirs; The Cold Motions; and Decoy Prayer Meeting. The music starts at 7:00 pm.

Patti Smith will continue promoting her Bread Of Angels memoir with events in Princeton, NJ this Monday; Brookline, MA on December 17; Washington, D.C. on December 19; New York City on January 21; and New Haven, CT on January 26. 

Chloe F. Orwell from The Handcuffs will play saxophone as a special guest at the Custard Flux gig scheduled for December 28 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Custard Flux, AKA musician Gregory Curvey, is a veteran of the Chicago-based prog rock band The Luck Of Eden Hall, and is noted for creating adventurous albums, such as his most recent effort Enter Xenon. He’ll have a few special design t-shirts for sale at the Montrose Saloon show.

The Continental Posters (1982 – 83) - Selections from Dean Brownrout exhibition, which recently opened at The Fitz Books store in Buffalo, NY, has been extended through the whole month of December. The posters on display will be from Brownrout’s private collection and focus on acts such as Billy Idol, The Fleshtones, and The Dream Syndicate that performed at the Buffalo, NY venue The Continental. Brownrout booked bands at the club back then, before moving on New York, where he founded the Big Deal rock record label. He offers a fun and informative look back in his recently released book No Big Deal - Chasing the indie music dream in the last days of the record business. Fitz Books is located at 1462 Main Street in Buffalo.

Sons Of The Silent Age, the Chicago-based David Bowie tribute band led by vocalist Chris Connelly, has a tradition of kicking off the new year with a benefit performance at Metro. The January 31, 2026 event finds Sons Of The Silent Age taking “Our second trip through the Berlin trilogy, consisting of the albums Low, Heroes, and Lodger.” A second set will concentrate on Bowie’s hit singles and well-known material. And, as noted by guitarist Steve Gerlach in a recent Facebook post, “It’s a benefit for Endeavor Health’s excellent Integrative Medicine program.”

The first volume of an enhanced and fully rewritten edition of Doug Hinman’s 2004 book The Kinks - All Day And All Of The Night - The Day-By-Day Story Pt. 1: 1940 - 1971 is now available to pre-order from Beatland Books. P.S. This publisher also really digs The Monkees. 

Chicago-based indie rockers Ratboys are offering another impressive preview of what fans can expect from their up coming album Singin’ To An Empty Chair. According to a recent message on their Bandcamp page, a Thelma and Louise inspired video for their song “What’s Right?” can be viewed on various sites, including  Apple Music and YouTube. Two other two tracks, “Light Night Mountains All That” and “Anywhere” are already available to download; the full album drops February 6.

Alejandro Escovedo of Rank And File and True Believers fame will bring his current band The Electric Saints to FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL for performances on December 30 and 31. Chicago-based singer-songwriter Nora O’Connor will be the opening act on the first night.

The Chicago-based Kevin Brown Quintet will have a release party for their new Christmas album this Monday at the Church Of The Resurrection in Wheaton, IL. Adventus is an ambitious effort that updates nine hymns from much earlier centuries with contemporary jazz arrangements. “The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came,” “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” and “Gaudete” are particularly appealing, and like the other tracks, would go well with a sophisticated holiday brunch or get-together.

Ring in the new with Old 97s at SPACE in Evanston. Tickets are now on sale for the Dallas, TX band’s December 29, 30, and 31 shows at the Illinois venue. Old 97s will likely perform selections from their 2024 album American Primitive, as well as favorites such as “Champagne, Illinois” and “Big Brown Eyes.”

Weekend Reminders

Thursday posts focus 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, or concert tickets going on sale.

The 45th Annual John Lennon Tribute - Benefit For Theatre Within will take place tomorrow at The Town Hall venue in New York. Judy Collins will be given this year’s John Lennon Real Love Award and she’ll perform a few Lennon and Beatles songs. The other musicians who’ll participate are Graham Nash; Suzanne Vega; Shawn Colvin; Jimmy Webb; Valerie June; Yola; Livingston Taylor; Willie Nile; Lucy Kaplansky; and The Kennedys. Joe Raiola will host the event, with Rich Pagano serving as Musical Director.

Happy Birthday to bassist Mike Mesaros, a founding member of The Smithereens. These guys have been awesome from the start, and Mesaros has played a major role in their success. 

Singer-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen, a former member of the power pop bands The Abbeys and Pop Dollys, has embarked on a successful career playing selections from The Great American Songbook at dinner clubs. His last performance for 2025 will take place tomorrow at one of his regular haunts, the Tuscan Market And Wine Shop in Arlington Heights, IL. The music starts at 7:00 pm.

The Do You Her What I Her? event taking place at 3:00 pm this Sunday at Urban Stages in New York City will feature new original holiday music crafted by female songwriters. Curated and hosted by Amy Engelhardt, with Tracy Stark serving as musical director, the showcase will honor writers as well as performers. Urban Stages is located at 259 W. 30th Street in New York.

Long-time Chicago indie rockers The Social Act (one of the first bands I interviewed back when I freelanced for the Illinois Entertainer) will perform a free holiday show tomorrow evening at 8:00 pm at Martyrs’ on Lincoln Avenue. With founding member Ellis Clark leading the way, The Social Act will perform a set of original songs they’ve created over the years, along with covers of “Susie Q” and “That’s All Right, Mama.”

Pink Floyd’s 50th anniversary edition of Wish You Were Here, AKA Wish You Were Here 50, drops tomorrow in 2CD, 3LP, and a deluxe box formats.

Chicago-based singer-songwriter Phil Angotti Band will perform an acoustic solo show tomorrow at Goldy’s in Forest Park, IL. And in welcome news for those of us out in the northwestern suburbs, tickets are now on sale for the February 19 show by The Phil Angotti Band at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights.

Wicked Cool Records and Little Steven’s Underground Garage will present The Chesterfield Kings Christmas Show with special guests The Grip Weeds this Saturday at Iron Smoke Distillery in Fairport, NY. As recently noted by The Chesterfield Kings founding member Andy Babiuk on Facebook, the Wicked Cool Records compilation It's A Wicked Cool Christmas!, which includes a track by his band, is now available on all digital platforms.

The Cure - The Show Of A Lost World - Troxy Live 2024 concert film opened exclusively in cinemas today and will have a limited run. Information on where fans can “see one of the most influential bands of all time on the big screen film” can be found on the film’s official website.

The December issue of the Illinois Entertainer features a cover story on Cheap Trick, in which journalist Tom Lanham interviews the band’s bass player Tom Petersson. Langham also interviewed Naoko Yamano from the Japanese trio Shonen Knife for this issue, and there are album reviews of Smashing Pumpkins; Tortoise; and Hüsker Dü. The Illinois Entertainer is available for free in record stores in the Chicago area. I usually pick up a copy at The Music Room in Palatine.  

Incoming

Photo of Bobby Elliot, taken by Rob Haywood, from the official Hollies website.

Happy Birthday to Bobby Elliott, who started drumming for The Hollies in the early 1960s and never left them. He and guitarist Tony Hicks are the only remaining original members in current Hollies lineup. The band hasn’t toured for a while, but you never know what the future might bring. Among professional musicians and music critics, Elliott is regarded as an inventive rock and roll drummer who frequently incorporated elements of jazz. Judging from Elliott’s 2020 autobiography It Ain’t Heavy, It’s My Story - My Life In The Hollies, he’s justifiably proud of his musical accomplishments.

Chicago-based singer-songwriter Phil Angotti Band will perform an acoustic solo show this Friday at Goldy’s in Forest Park, IL. And in welcome news for those of us out in the northwestern suburbs, tickets are now on sale for the February 19 show by The Phil Angotti Band at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights.

Tickets for the March 29 charity event An Evening With Wolf Alice at the Royal Albert Hall in London will go on sale at 9:00 am this Friday. The British alt rock band has been touring in support of its critically acclaimed new album The Clearing and will have fellow Brit singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya as their special guest. Robert Smith is listed as the cureator—I believe that’s a deliberate misspelling intended as a pun—and the event will support the Teenage Cancer Fund.

Chloe F. Orwell from The Handcuffs will play saxophone as a special guest at the Custard Flux gig scheduled for December 28 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Custard Flux, AKA musician Gregory Curvey, is a veteran of the Chicago-based prog rock band The Luck Of Eden Hall, and is noted for creating adventurous albums, such as his most recent effort Enter Xenon. He’ll have a few special design t-shirts for sale at the Montrose Saloon show.

Wicked Cool Records and Little Steven’s Underground Garage will present The Chesterfield Kings Christmas Show with special guests The Grip Weeds this Saturday at Iron Smoke Distillery in Fairport, NY. As recently noted by The Chesterfield Kings founding member Andy Babiuk on Facebook, the Wicked Cool Records compilation It's A Wicked Cool Christmas! includes a track by his band, and is now available on all digital platforms.

Henry Diltz, one of rock music’s most successful photographers, will present Once Upon A Troubadour - A Slideshow And Story-Telling Experience Of The Photographs That Made Music History By The Man Who Took Them at the Troubadour in Los Angeles tomorrow night.

Chloe F. Orwell from The Handcuffs will play saxophone as a special guest at the Custard Flux gig scheduled for December 28 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Custard Flux, AKA musician Gregory Curvey, is a veteran of the Chicago-based prog rock band The Luck Of Eden Hall, and is noted for creating adventurous albums, such as his most recent effort Enter Xenon. He’ll have a few special design t-shirts for sale at the Montrose Saloon show.

The Continental Posters (1982 – 83) - Selections from Dean Brownrout exhibition recently opened at The Fitz Books store in Buffalo, NY and has been extended through the whole month of December. The posters on display will be from Brownrout’s private collection and focus on acts such as Billy Idol, The Fleshtones, and The Dream Syndicate that performed at the Buffalo, NY venue The Continental. Brownrout booked bands at the club back then, before moving on New York, where he founded the Big Deal rock record label. He offers a fun and informative look back in his recently released book No Big Deal - Chasing the indie music dream in the last days of the record business. Fitz Books is located at 1462 Main Street in Buffalo.

Tickets are now on sale for The Cure - The Show Of A Lost World - Troxy Live 2024. The concert film will be shown exclusively in cinemas for a limited run starting this Thursday. Information on where fans can “see one of the most influential bands of all time on the big screen film” can be found on the film’s official website.

The 45th Annual John Lennon Tribute - Benefit For Theatre Within will take place at the Town Hall venue in New York this Friday. Judy Collins will be given this year’s John Lennon Real Love Award and perform a few  Lennon and Beatles songs. The other musicians who’ll participate are Graham Nash; Suzanne Vega; Shawn Colvin; Jimmy Webb; Valerie June; Yola; Livingston Taylor; Willie Nile; Lucy Kaplansky; and The Kennedys. Joe Raiola will host the event, with Rich Pagano serving as Musical Director.

Patti Smith will continue promoting her Bread Of Angels memoir with events in Brooklyn, NY this Thursday; Princeton, NJ on December 15; Brookline, MA on December 17; Washington, D.C. on December 19; New York City on January 21; and New Haven, CT on January 26.

Pink Floyd’s 50th anniversary edition of Wish You Were Here, AKA Wish You Were Here 50, drops this Friday in 2CD, 3LP, and a deluxe box formats.

Sunday Papers

Sons Of The Silent Age, the Chicago-based David Bowie tribute band led by vocalist Chris Connelly, has a tradition of kicking off the new year with a benefit performance at Metro. The January 31, 2026 event finds Sons Of The Silent Age taking “Our second trip through the Berlin trilogy, consisting of the albums Low, Heroes, and Lodger.” A second set will concentrate on Bowie’s hit singles and well-known material. And, as noted by guitarist Steve Gerlach in a recent Facebook post, “It’s a benefit for Endeavor Health’s excellent Integrative Medicine program.”

Aimee Mann and Ted Leo successfully collaborate on indie rock songs from time to time, and they also enjoy spreading holiday cheer. Their Aimee Mann and Ted Leo Christmas Show! drops by Cleveland, OH tomorrow;  and Royal Oak, MI on Tuesday. The show, which also features Paul F. Tompkins, Nellie McKay and Josh Gondelman, is coming to Chicago on December 11 and 12.

Congratulations to Andrew Bird on selling out all five of his December 8 – 12 Gezelligheid Concerts at the Fourth Presbyterian Church just north of downtown Chicago. I believe this is a common occurrence whenever the vocalist-violinist-whistler stages this annual holiday event.

Now that Paul McCartney has wrapped up his Got Back North American Tour 2025 with two well-received concerts at Chicago’s United Center, he can concentrate on promoting the his autobiographical book Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run. It was edited by well-known biography author Ted Widmer, who also contributed the introduction.

Chicago-based indie rockers Ratboys are offering another impressive preview of what fans can expect from their up coming album Singin’ To An Empty Chair. According to a recent message on their Bandcamp page, a Thelma and Louise inspired video for their song “What’s Right?” can be viewed on various sites, including  Apple Music and YouTube. Two other two tracks, “Light Night Mountains All That” and “Anywhere” are already available to download; the full album drops February 6.

Actor-musician Michael Shannon and musician Jason Narducy recently announced the nine dates on their September 40th Anniversary of R.E.M.’s Lifes Rich Pageant 2026 UK and Ireland Tour. (The North American portion takes place earlier in the year.) The lucky cities are Bristol; Brighton; London; Manchester; Leeds; Edinburgh; Glasgow, Dublin; and Belfast. As on their previous R.E.M. tribute tours, Shannon and Narducy will be backed by musicians Dag Juhlin, John Stirratt, Vijay Tellis-Nayak, and Jon Wurster.

Alejandro Escovedo of Rank And File and True Believers fame will bring his current band The Electric Saints to FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL for performances on December 30 and 31. Chicago-based singer-songwriter Nora O’Connor will be the opening act on the first night.

The Chicago-based Kevin Brown Quintet’s Christmas album Adventus is an ambitious effort that updates nine hymns from much earlier centuries with contemporary jazz arrangements. “The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came,” “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” and “Gaudete” are particularly appealing, and like the other tracks, would go well with a sophisticated holiday brunch or get-together.

The first volume of an enhanced and fully rewritten edition of Doug Hinman’s 2004 book The Kinks - All Day And All Of The Night - The Day-By-Day Story Pt. 1: 1940 - 1971 is now available to pre-order from Beatland Books. P.S. This publisher also really digs The Monkees. 

Tickets are now on sale for The Smithereens with Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill concert at The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL on March 6. Cowsill and Peterson, who released an album together earlier this year, have become regular guests at live gigs by The Smithereens.

Ring in the new with Old 97s at SPACE in Evanston. Tickets are now on sale for the Dallas, TX band’s December 29, 30, and 31 shows at the Illinois venue. Old 97s will likely perform selections from their 2024 album American Primitive, as well as favorites such as “Champagne, Illinois” and “Big Brown Eyes.”

Well done, mate. Mick Jagger surprised the students at Dartford Grammar School in Kent—which he attended as a lad—by dropping by for a visit. The occasion was the 25th anniversary of The Mick Jagger Centre at the school, a program he helped create to help kids looking for a career in music.

Weekend Reminders

Thursday posts focus 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, or concert tickets going on sale.

Jason Narducy has a book release event for his Mostly The Van memoir coming up this Sunday night at Evanston Space. WXRT radio personality Marty Lennartz will interview the musician/author, and the evening will wrap up with a Narducy solo performance. The doors open at 6:30.

Depending on when you read this (and if tickets are still available) you could catch the Tributosaurus Becomes Supertramp show at 7:00 pm tonight at Martyrs’ on Chicago’s north side. Tributosaurus Becomes Supertramp will also take place at Martyrs’ at 8:00 pm tomorrow night.

Also going on tonight (at 7:30) is Joel Paterson’s Hi-Fi Christmas, featuring the critically acclaimed, Chicago-based guitarist, at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, IL.

My Biggest Thrills, a Chicago-based band that pays tribute to English rockers The Mighty Lemon Drops, will perform at 8:00 tonight at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Violent Themmes and Matt Augustine will also be on the bill. Sunday night brings another Brit band tribute to Martyrs’ when 40,000 Headmen perform hits and deep cuts by Traffic.

In another example of Chicago area musicians paying homage to adventurous British acts, Reggies Chicago will host Indiscipline: A Tribute To The Music Of King Crimson on Saturday. The show will cover King Crimson “In All Eras: Lake, Wetton And Belew.” Reggies Chicago is located south of the Loop, at 2105 S. State Street, and this production will be staged in the Comedy Shack.

Tomorrow is Bandcamp Friday, when Bandcamp waives its revenue on the first Friday of the month. Or, as stated in an official email, “More of what you spend goes straight to the artists and labels you care about.”

Over The Rhine will begin their 2025 Christmas Tour with a show this Friday at the Kent Stage in Kent, OH. On Saturday, they’ll perform at the Davidson Theatre, Riffe Center in Columbus, OH; and Sunday brings them to Chicago, IL for a show at The Old Town School Of Folk Music. Additional concerts will take place at venues in Ann Arbor, MI; Lexington, KY;  Louisville, KY; and Nashville, TN. The critically acclaimed Americana band—led by Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiler—will wind up the tour December 19 – 21 at Memorial Hall in its hometown of Cincinnati, OH.

The Black Ensemble Theatre, which has presented several well-crafted and critically acclaimed musicals over the years, is currently staging A Black Ensemble Holiday Spectacular. It opens this Saturday and will run through December 14, offering a blend of traditional, gospel, and modern music.

Singer-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen, a former member of the power pop bands The Abbeys and Pop Dollys, has embarked on a successful career playing selections from The Great American Songbook at dinner clubs. His 6:00 to 10:00 pm. performance tomorrow night at the Chicago Prime Italian restaurant in Schaumburg, IL will be his last one at that venue for 2025. He’ll perform at the Tuscan Market And Wine Shop in Arlington Heights next Friday.

Kartemquin Films will present the Diverse Voices In Docs Culminating Event And Showcase at 6:00 pm tomorrow at Collaboration Theater on Chicago’s north side.

Chris Ligon and Heather McAdams will stage their annual Country Calendar Show this Saturday at FitzGerald’s In Berwyn, IL. Several performers from the Chicago music scene will be involved, with each act covering a well-known country or rock star. Audience members should also check the merch table for the 2026 edition of Heather’s Lil' Country Calendar; a new Chris Ligon CD; and other unique treasures.

Incoming

Over The Rhine will begin their 2025 Christmas Tour with a show this Friday at the Kent Stage in Kent, OH. On Saturday, they’ll perform at the Davidson Theatre, Riffe Center in Columbus, OH; and Sunday brings them to Chicago, IL for a show at The Old Town School Of Folk Music. Additional concerts will take place at venues in Ann Arbor, MI; Lexington, KY;  Louisville, KY; and Nashville, TN. The critically acclaimed Americana band—led by Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiler—will wind up the tour December 19 – 21 at Memorial Hall in its hometown of Cincinnati, OH. 

Alejandro Escovedo of Rank And File and True Believers fame will bring his current band The Electric Saints to FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL for performances on December 30 and 31. Chicago-based singer-songwriter Nora O’Connor will be the opening act on the first night.

Joel Paterson’s Hi-Fi Christmas, featuring the critically acclaimed, Chicago-based guitarist, returns to Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, IL this Thursday.

The Black Ensemble Theatre, which has presented several well-crafted and critically acclaimed musicals over the years, is currently staging A Black Ensemble Holiday Spectacular. It opens this Saturday and will run through December 14, offering a blend of traditional, gospel, and modern music.

Chris Ligon and Heather McAdams will stage their annual Country Calendar Show this Saturday at FitzGerald’s In Berwyn, IL. Several performers from the Chicago music scene will be involved, with each act covering a well-known country or rock star. Audience members should also check the merch table for the 2026 edition of Heather’s Lil' Country Calendar; a new Chris Ligon CD; and other unique treasures.

Ring in the new with Old 97s at SPACE in Evanston, IL. The Dallas, TX band’s December 29, 30, and 31 shows will likely feature selections from their 2024 album American Primitive, as well as favorites such as “Champagne, Illinois” and “Big Brown Eyes.”

Fans of The Gin Blossoms can pre-order an autographed copy of the indie rock band’s 1992 album New Miserable Experience on marble colored vinyl for $49.98 from the TalkShopLive! website. That’s the record that includes the hits “Found Out About You” and “Hey Jealousy.”

Kartemquin Films will present the Diverse Voices In Docs Culminating Event And Showcase at 6:00 pm on December 5 at Collaboration Theater on Chicago’s north side. 

My Biggest Thrills, a Chicago-based band that pays tribute to English rockers The Mighty Lemon Drops, will perform this Thursday at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Violent Themmes and Matt Augustine will also be on the bill.

The Tributosaurus Becomes Supertramp events this Thursday and Friday at Martyrs’ will feature the well-known Chicago tribute band performing songs such as “Give a Little Bit,” “Goodbye Stranger,” and “Bloody Well Right.” Martyrs’ is located in the Lincoln Park area.

In the fine tradition of Chicago area musicians paying homage to adventurous British acts, Reggies Chicago will host Indiscipline: A Tribute To The Music Of King Crimson this Saturday. The show will cover King Crimson “In All Eras: Lake, Wetton And Belew.” Reggies Chicago is located south of the Loop, at 2105 S. State Street, and this production will be staged in the Comedy Shack.

Sunday Papers

Actor-musician Michael Shannon and musician Jason Narducy recently announced the nine dates on their September 40th Anniversary of R.E.M.’s Lifes Rich Pageant 2026 UK and Ireland Tour. (The North American portion takes place earlier in the year.) The lucky cities are Bristol; Brighton; London; Manchester; Leeds; Edinburgh; Glasgow, Dublin; and Belfast. As on their previous R.E.M. tribute tours, Shannon and Narducy will be backed by musicians Dag Juhlin, John Stirratt, Vijay Tellis-Nayak, and Jon Wurster.

Ratboys, the Chicago-based indie rock band whose 2023 album The Window made quite an impression with local fans and the media, have a new album coming out on February 6. Singin’ To An Empty Chair is available for pre-order on the Ratboys Bandcamp page; and the two tracks already available —“Light Night Mountains All That” and “Anywhere”—are both impressive.

Aimee Mann and Ted Leo successfully collaborate on indie rock songs from time to time, and they also enjoy spreading holiday cheer. Their Aimee Mann and Ted Leo Christmas Show! opened with shows this weekend at City Winery in New York, and there will be two shows at that venue tomorrow. The show, which also features Paul F. Tompkins, Nellie McKay and Josh Gondelman, will then move on to other locations, including Chicago on December 11 and 12.

Wicked Cool Records and Little Steven’s Underground Garage will present The Chesterfield Kings Christmas Show with special guests The Grip Weeds on December 13 at Iron Smoke Distillery in Fairport, NY. 

The Chicago-based Kevin Brown Quintet’s Christmas album Adventus is an ambitious effort that updates nine hymns from much earlier centuries with contemporary jazz arrangements. “The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came,” “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” and “Gaudete” are particularly appealing, and like the other tracks, would go well with a sophisticated holiday brunch or get-together.

Tickets are now on sale for The Cure - The Show Of A Lost World - Troxy Live 2024. The concert film will be shown exclusively in cinemas for a limited run starting on December 11. Information on where fans can “see one of the most influential bands of all time on the big screen film” can be found on the film’s official website.

Now that Paul McCartney has wrapped up his Got Back North American Tour 2025 with two well-recieved concerts at Chicago’s United Center, he can concentrate on promoting the his autobiographical book Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run. It was edited by well-known biography author Ted Widmer, who also contributed the introduction.

The 45th Annual John Lennon Tribute - Benefit For Theatre Within will take place at the Town Hall venue in New York on December 12. Judy Collins will be given this year’s John Lennon Real Love Award and perform a few  Lennon and Beatles songs. The other musicians who’ll participate are Graham Nash; Suzanne Vega; Shawn Colvin; Jimmy Webb; Valerie June; Yola; Livingston Taylor; Willie Nile; Lucy Kaplansky; and The Kennedys. Joe Raiola will host the event, with Rich Pagano serving as Musical Director.

Looks like Graham Nash has no intention of slowing down in 2026. He recently announced the schedule for his Live On Tour 2026, with dates from April 4 though May 2. So far, there are no stops in Chicago.

The first volume of an enhanced and fully rewritten edition of Doug Hinman’s 2004 book The Kinks - All Day And All Of The Night - The Day-By-Day Story Pt. 1: 1940 - 1971 is now available to pre-order from Beatland Books. P.S. This publisher also really digs The Monkees.  

Patti Smith will continue the tour promoting her Bread Of Angels memoir with an appearance tomorrow (December 1) at the Marian Anderson Hall in Philadelphia. Upcoming stops include Brooklyn; Princeton; Washington, D.C.; and New York City.

Something for every prog rock fan’s holiday wish list: Pink Floyd’s 50th anniversary edition of Wish You Were Here, AKA Wish You Were Here 50, drops on December 12 in 2CD, 3LP, and a deluxe box formats.

How about some psychedelic mind-bending music for the holidays? Custard  Flux, AKA musician Gregory Curvey, a veteran of the Chicago-based prog rock band The Luck Of Eden Hall, has a gig scheduled for December 28 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Custard Flux is noted for his adventurous albums, with the most recent being Enter Xenon.

An exhibition titled The Continental Posters (1982 – 83) - Selections from Dean Brownrout opened this past Wednesday at The Fitz Books store in Buffalo, NY and will run through December 12, 2025. The posters on display will be from Brownrout’s private collection and focus on acts such as Billy Idol, The Fleshtones, and The Dream Syndicate that performed at the Buffalo, NY venue The Continental. Brownrout booked bands at the club back then, before moving on New York, where he founded the Big Deal rock record label. He offers a fun and informative look back in his recently released book No Big Deal - Chasing the indie music dream in the last days of the record business. Fitz Books is located at 1462 Main Street in Buffalo.

Henry Diltz, one of rock music’s most successful photographers, will present Once Upon A Troubadour - A Slideshow And Story-Telling Experience Of The Photographs That Made Music History By The Man Who Took Them at the Troubadour in Los Angeles on December 9.

Tickets are now on sale for The Smithereens with Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill concert at The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL on March 6. Cowsill and Peterson, who released an album together earlier this year, have become regular guests at live gigs by The Smithereens.

Well done, mate. Mick Jagger surprised the students at Dartford Grammar School in Kent—which he attended as a lad—by dropping by for a visit. The occasion was the 25th anniversary of The Mick Jagger Centre at the school, a program he helped create to help kids looking for a career in music.

A Carnival Of Grey And White, the latest and long-awaited album from the Milwaukee-based power pop band Trolley is now available on Bandcamp. In addition to the catchy title track and Elvis Costello style “As Long As I Can Find You,” which were previously released as teasers, other energetic gems include “Leaving You Behind,” “Stepping Up,” and “Radio Silence.”

Ring in the new with Old 97s at SPACE in Evanston. Tickets are now on sale for the Dallas, TX band’s December 29, 30, and 31 shows at the Illinois venue. Old 97s will likely perform selections from their 2024 album American Primitive, as well as favorites such as “Champagne, Illinois” and “Big Brown Eyes.”

Weekend Reminders

Usually, my Weekend Reminders post appears on Thursday, and focuses on events that were previously mentioned on Broken Hearted Toy, and are taking place during the upcoming weekend. Due to the holiday this week, I’m serving it a day early.

Black Friday Record Store Day, the post-Thanksgiving celebration of vinyl releases, will soon be upon us. As always, it’s best to get to your favorite record store early since those limited-edition vinyl treasures go quickly. The list, which includes records by The Band; Cage The Elephant; Alice Cooper;  Miles Davis; Devo; Billie Eilish; Fleetwood Mac; Grateful Dead; George Harrison; Billy Idol;  B.B. King; Led Zeppelin; Randy Newman; Ramones; and many other artists, can be found on the official RSD website, As usual, there’s something to please fans of just about every genre.

The Easter And Gang Play Let’s Active concert led by founding Let’s Active member Mitch Easter taking place this Saturday at The Ramkat in Winston - Salem, NC is now sold out. The band’s entire catalog has been newly remastered and will be released on streaming sites this Friday.

The adventurous seven-piece Chicago band McLuhan and the edgy acid/political folk duo Esmeralda’s Boys will share the bill at Phyllis’ Musical Inn this Sunday. In addition to performing their own material—including the brand new single “The Biker In The Park”—McLuhan will play covers of songs by Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, and Social Distortion. There’s no cover charge, but management suggests a $15 donation. Phyllis’ Musical Inn is located at 1800 W. Division Street.

Performances of The Lyric Opera Of Chicago’s A Night Of Mellon Collie And Infinite Sadness will run through this Sunday. Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan worked with Lyric boss John Mangum on creating a piece “based on arranged and orchestrated music” from the Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness album.

Chicago-based/world traveling drummer Brad Elvis mentioned on his Facebook page that he’ll be filling in on drums when TAFKAVince Band (The Artist Formally Known As Vince) performs at the Black Friday Rock And Roll Bash at LiveWire on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago. Also referred to as the Turkey Sandwich Day Bash, the event will feature The Midnight Calls and Viceroy as well. The music starts at 9:00 pm.

Fans of The BoDeans can be grateful to City Winery Chicago for offering four opportunities to catch them over this Thanksgiving weekend. The indie rock band has one show on Friday, two shows on Saturday, and one show on Sunday. Over the years, the BoDeans have given us gems such as “Closer To Free,” “Fadeaway,” and “Good Things.”

Finally, here’s hoping everyone has a pleasant Thanksgiving holiday.

Incoming

Tickets are now on sale for The Cure - The Show Of A Lost World - Troxy Live 2024. The concert film will be shown exclusively in cinemas for a limited run starting on December 11. Information on where fans can “see one of the most influential bands of all time on the big screen film” can be found on  the film’s official website.

Happy Birthday to Paul J. Wall, guitarist-vocalist for the Milwaukee-based power pop band Trolley. He wrote or co-wrote a number of songs on their impressive new album, A Carnival Of Grey And White, which is now available on Bandcamp.

Let’s extend our gratitude and a hearty welcome to Paul McCartney as he wraps up his Got Back North American Tour 2025 with concerts at Chicago’s United Center tonight and tomorrow night. Also, congrats to Paul on the recent release of his autobiographical book Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run.

Erich Specht from Push Puppets and Steve Frisbie, who’s recorded with Push Puppets in addition to recording with his own band Frisbie, will perform as a duo at the Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights, IL this Wednesday night.

Chicago-based/world traveling drummer Brad Elvis mentioned on his Facebook page today that he’ll be filling in on drums when TAFKAVince Band (The Artist Formally Known As Vince) performs at the Black Friday Rock And Roll Bash at LiveWire on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago. Also referred to as the Turkey Sandwich Day Bash, the event will feature The Midnight Calls and Viceroy as well. The music starts at 9:00 pm.

Musician Jason Narducy and actor-musician Michael Shannon previously announced the American stops for their tour celebrating the 40th Anniversary of R.E.M.’s Lifes Rich Pageant album. Today, they revealed the nine dates on their September 2026 UK and Ireland tour. The lucky cities are Bristol; Brighton; London; Manchester; Leeds; Edinburgh; Glasgow, Dublin; and Belfast. As on their previous R.E.M. tribute tours, Narducy and Shannon will be backed by musicians Dag Juhlin, John Stirratt, Vijay Tellis-Nayak, and Jon Wurster.

The Chicago-based Kevin Brown Quintet’s Christmas album Adventus will be available to order on Bandcamp as of tomorrow. It’s an ambitious effort that features nine hymns chosen from much earlier centuries, and based on the preview track “The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came,” they’re set to appealing contemporary jazz arrangements.

Fans of The BoDeans can be grateful to City Winery Chicago for offering four opportunities to catch them over this Thanksgiving weekend. The indie rock band has one show on Friday, two shows on Saturday, and one show on Sunday. Over the years, the BoDeans have given us gems such as “Closer To Free,” “Fadeaway,” and “Good Things.”

Performances of The Lyric Opera Of Chicago’s A Night Of Mellon Collie And Infinite Sadness will run through this Sunday. Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan worked with Lyric boss John Mangum on creating a piece “based on arranged and orchestrated music” from the Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness album.

The Easter And Gang Play Let’s Active concert led by founding Let’s Active member Mitch Easter taking place this Saturday at The Ramkat in Winston - Salem, NC is now sold out. The band’s entire catalog has been newly remastered and will be released on streaming sites this Friday.

The adventurous seven-piece Chicago band McLuhan and the edgy acid/political folk duo Esmeralda’s Boys will share the bill at Phyllis’ Musical Inn this Sunday. In addition to performing their own material—including the brand new single “The Biker In The Park”—McLuhan will play covers of songs by Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, and Social Distortion. There’s no cover charge, but management suggests a $15 donation. Phyllis’ Musical Inn is located at 1800 W. Division Street.

Slumgullion

Here’s an item that should have been included in yesterday’s Weekend Reminders post. Several modern-day performers will gather at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, IL tomorrow night to recreate The Band’s 1976 farewell extravaganza The Last Waltz. Participants include Joe Pug; Corky Siegel; Mud Morganfield; Rick Kreher; Nicholas Tremulis; Lauren Jelencovich; Shaun Hague; Josh and Erika from The Empty Pockets; Gerald McClendon; LaShera Moore; Nycee Butler; Jasmine Beamon; and the Soundtracks of a Generation house band.

Well done, mate. Mick Jagger surprised the students at Dartford Grammar School in Kent—which he attended as a lad—by dropping by for a visit. The occasion was the 25th anniversary of The Mick Jagger Centre at the school, a program he helped create to help kids hoping for a career in music.

Fans of the BoDeans can be grateful to City Winery Chicago for offering four opportunities to catch them over the Thanksgiving weekend. The Wisconsin alt rock/Americana band has one show on November 28, two shows on November 29, and one show on November 30. Over the years, the BoDeans have given us gems such as “Closer To Free,” “Fadeaway,” and “Good Things.” 

The 45th Annual John Lennon Tribute - Benefit For Theatre Within will take place at the Town Hall venue in New York on December 12. Judy Collins will be given this year’s John Lennon Real Love Award and perform a few Lennon and Beatles songs. The other musicians who’ll participate are Graham Nash; Suzanne Vega; Shawn Colvin; Jimmy Webb; Valerie June; Yola; Livingston Taylor; Willie Nile; Lucy Kaplansky; and The Kennedys. Joe Raiola will host the event, with Rich Pagano serving as Musical Director. 

Looks like Graham Nash has no intention of slowing down in 2026. He recently announced the schedule for his Live On Tour 2026, with dates from April 4 though May 2. So far, there are no stops in Chicago.

Kartemquin Films will present the Diverse Voices In Docs Culminating Event And Showcase at 6:00 pm on December 5 at Collaboration Theater on Chicago’s north side.

The first volume of an enhanced and fully rewritten edition of Doug Hinman’s 2004 book The Kinks - All Day And All Of The Night - The Day-By-Day Story Pt. 1: 1940 - 1971 is now available to pre-order from Beatland Books. P.S. This publisher also really digs The Monkees.

The adventurous seven-piece Chicago band McLuhan and the edgy acid/political folk duo Esmeralda’s Boys will share the bill at Phyllis’ Musical Inn on November 30. In addition to performing their own material—including the brand new single “The Biker In The Park”—McLuhan will play covers of songs by Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, and Social Distortion. There’s no cover charge, but management suggests a $15donation. Phyllis’ Musical Inn is located at 1800 W. Division Street.

Patti Smith was recently in town for a pair of well-received Chicago Theatre concerts as part of the 50th anniversary of her groundbreaking debut album Horses. She also has upcoming book events promoting her Bread Of Angels memoir from November through January. 

The Tributosaurus Becomes Supertramp events on December 4 and 5 at Martyrs’ will feature the well-known Chicago tribute band performing songs such as “Give a Little Bit,” “Goodbye Stranger,” and “Bloody Well Right” at the Lincoln Avenue venue.

An exhibition titled The Continental Posters (1982 – 83) - Selections from Dean Brownrout opened this past Wednesday at The Fitz Books store in Buffalo, NY and will run through December 12, 2025. The posters on display will be from Brownrout’s private collection and focus on acts such as Billy Idol, The Fleshtones, and The Dream Syndicate that performed at the Buffalo, NY venue The Continental. Brownrout booked bands at the club back then, before moving on New York, where he founded the Big Deal rock record label. He offers a fun and informative look back in his recently released book No Big Deal -  Chasing the indie music dream in the last days of the record business. Fitz Books is located at 1462 Main Street in Buffalo.

The Black Ensemble Theatre, which has presented several well-crafted and critically acclaimed musicals over the years, will perform A Black Ensemble Holiday Spectacular from December 6 through 14. As noted in freelance writer Emily McClanahan’s extensive preview of holiday events in yesterday’s Chicago Tribune, A Black Ensemble Holiday Spectacular will offer a blend of traditional, gospel, and modern music.

How about some psychedelic mind-bending music for the holidays? Custard  Flux, AKA musician Gregory Curvey, a veteran of the Chicago-based prog rock band The Luck Of Eden Hall, has a gig scheduled for December 28 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Custard Flux is noted for his adventurous albums, with the most recent being Enter Xenon.

Next week’s Black Friday Rock And Roll Bash (also referred to as the Turkey Sandwich Day Bash) at LiveWire on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago will feature The Midnight Calls; TAFKAVince Band and Viceroy. The music starts at 9:00 pm.

Something for every prog rock fan’s holiday wish list: Pink Floyd’s 50th anniversary edition of Wish You Were Here, AKA Wish You Were Here 50, drops on December 12 in 2CD, 3LP, and a deluxe box formats.

Erich Specht from Push Puppets and Steve Frisbie, who’s recorded with Push Puppets in addition to recording with his own band Frisbie, will perform as a duo at the Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights, IL on November 26.

Paul McCartney’s new autobiographical book Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run, edited by well-known biography author Ted Widmer, is now available. Meanwhile, McCartney will wrap up his Got Back North American Tour 2025 in style with concerts at Chicago’s United Center on November 24 and 25.

The John And Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with Elephant’s Memory and Special Guests Live At The One To One Concert box set is now available from various sites. Recorded live at Madison Square Garden in New York City on August 30, 1972, the concert is available in 9 CD + 3 Blu-Ray Boxset; 4 LP; 2 CD; 2 LP, and 1 CD formats. 

In the fine tradition of Chicago area musicians paying homage to adventurous British acts, Reggies Chicago will host Indiscipline: A Tribute To The Music Of King Crimson on December 6. The show will cover King Crimson “In All Eras: Lake, Wetton And Belew.” Reggies Chicago is located south of the Loop, at 2105 S. State Street, and this production will be staged in the Comedy Shack.

The Easter And Gang Play Let’s Active concert, led by Let’s Active founding member Mitch Easter, taking place on November 29 at The Ramkat in Winston - Salem, NC is now sold out. The band’s entire catalog was newly remastered and will be released on streaming sites later this month.

Ratboys, the Chicago-based indie rock band whose 2023 album The Window made quite an impression with local fans and the media, have a new album coming out on February 6. Singin’ To An Empty Chair is available for pre-order on the Ratboys Bandcamp page; and the two tracks already available —“Light Night Mountains All That” and “Anywhere”—are both impressive.

Wicked Cool Records and Little Steven’s Underground Garage will present The Chesterfield Kings Christmas Show with special guests The Grip Weeds on December 13 at Iron Smoke Distillery in Fairport, NY.

Henry Diltz, one of rock music’s most successful photographers, will present Once Upon A Troubadour - A Slideshow And Story-Telling Experience Of The Photographs That Made Music History By The Man Who Took Them at the Troubadour in Los Angeles on December 9.

Tickets are now on sale for The Smithereens with Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill concert at The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL on March 6. Cowsill and Peterson, who released an album together earlier this year, have become regular guests at live gigs by The Smithereens.

Aimee Mann and Ted Leo successfully collaborate on indie rock songs from time to time, and they also enjoy spreading holiday cheer. Tickets are now on sale for their Aimee Mann and Ted Leo Christmas Show! with Paul F. Tompkins, Nellie McKay and Josh Gondelman. It kicks off on November 28 at City Winery New York, and will include shows in Chicago on December.

Weekend Reminders

Photo of Billy Corgan from the official Lyric Opera Of Chicago Facebook page.

Performances of The Lyric Opera Of Chicago’s A Night Of Mellon Collie And Infinite Sadness start tomorrow and will run through November 30. Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan worked with Lyric boss John Mangum on creating a piece “based on arranged and orchestrated music” from the Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness album.

Paul McCartney’s Got Back North American Tour 2025 will make one of its last stops with a concert in Hamilton, ON tomorrow night.

The Chicago-based, freewheeling covers band EXPO ’76 will stage the last of a series of record release parties for their official debut album Hot In The Dark this Sunday at Evanston SPACE. The music starts at 7:00 pm. Hot In The Dark is a fun record that reflects the variety of styles this band covers, including from Al Hirt’s “Java”and Ernie K-Doe blues classic “A Certain Girl.”

International Pop Overthrow - Toronto, the very last IPO event for 2025, will take place from tomorrow through Sunday at The Painted Lady venue. Twenty acts will perform; there are afternoon and evening showcases on Saturday. Congratulations to International Pop Overthrow founder David Bash on another trip around the globe.

The Western Elstons, the Chicago band featuring well-known local players Casey McDonough, Scott Ligon, Joel Paterson, and Alex Hall, have a gig coming up tomorrow at Robert’s Westside venue in downtown Forest Park.

The Gram Fest - Cosmic American Music Festival is taking place this Saturday at the Joshua Tree Cultural Center - Blak Box Theater in Joshua Tree, CA. Performers at this salute to the late country rock legend Gram Parsons include Sin City All Stars with special guests Jonny Kaplan And Friends, plus numerous other acts.

Chicago-based band whitewolfsonicprincess, which describes its approach as 21st century druid music, will share a bill with Dark Room Men at Cary’s Lounge this Saturday. The venue is located at 2251 W. Devon on the city’s far north side.

Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan’s 2025 North American tour in support of her recently released Better Broken album will stop at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago this Saturday.

WGN Radio’s cultural- and civic-minded program Outside The Loop will celebrate its 1,000th episode with a live taping at the FitzGerald’s venue in Berwyn, IL this Saturday from 3:00 to 6:00 pm. Admission is free with RSVP. Singer-songwriter AJ Rosales, who recently released the impressive new album Phasedrift, will be a featured guest.

Four Chicago area bands who’ve long shared the goal of creating their own brand of catchy rock and roll will share billing at Montrose Saloon this Saturday night. If my memory is correct, Otter Petter, Golden Richards, The Spindles, and Rolling Numbers are all veterans of International Pop Overthrow - Chicago.

Another VU, the Chicago-based band that performs 1969-era Velvet Underground songs, has a gig coming up this Sunday at Simon’s Tavern on the north side.

Incoming

Photo of Jim Babjak from the official Jim Babjak Facebook page.

Happy Birthday to Jim Babjak, guitarist-vocalist-founding member of The Smithereens, and all-around nice guy. I’ve been to a number of Smithereens shows where the musicians came out afterward to meet with fans and sign autographs. The Smithereens, with Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill, have a concert coming up at The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL on March 6.

Also Happy Birthday to Emily Togni, the long-time bassist-backing vocalist for The Handcuffs. She’s performed on three of the Chicago-based indie rock band’s four albums, and will likely play a role on the upcoming one.

And, a hearty welcome to Patti Smith. She and her band are in town for a pair of concerts at the Chicago Theatre. Tonight’s show has sold out, but there may be tickets left for the one tomorrow. Smith has been celebrating the 50th anniversary of her groundbreaking debut album Horses, and also has upcoming book events promoting her Bread Of Angels memoir from November through January.

As noted today on the official Cheap Trick Facebook page, the band will kick off its 2026 All Washed Up Tour in Madison, WI on January 24. Twenty more concerts will follow, stretching through April 25, but so far none of them are in Illinois. There are three TBAs on the schedule, but it doesn’t seem like Chicago or Rockford could conveniently fit into those open spots.

The Western Elstons, the Chicago band featuring well-known local players Casey McDonough, Scott Ligon, Joel Paterson, and Alex Hall, have a gig coming up this Friday at Robert’s Westside venue in downtown Forest Park.

The Gram Fest - Cosmic American Music Festival is taking place this Saturday at the Joshua Tree Cultural Center - Blak Box Theater in Joshua Tree, CA. Performers at this salute to the late country rock legend Gram Parsons include Sin City All Stars with special guests Jonny Kaplan And Friends, plus numerous other acts.

Chicago-based band whitewolfsonicprincess, which describes its approach as 21st century druid music, will share a bill with Dark Room Men at Cary’s Lounge this Saturday. The venue is located at 2251 W. Devon on the city’s far north side.

International Pop Overthrow - Toronto, the very last IPO event for 2025, takes place this Friday through Sunday at The Painted Lady venue. Twenty acts will perform; there are afternoon and evening showcases on Saturday.

Performances of The Lyric Opera Of Chicago’s Night Of Mellon Collie And Infinite Sadness start this Friday and will run through November 30. Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan worked with Lyric boss John Mangum on creating a piece “based on arranged and orchestrated music” from the Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness album.

Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan’s 2025 North American tour in support of her recently released Better Broken album will stop at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago this Saturday.

Another VU, the Chicago-based band that performs 1969-era Velvet Underground songs, has a gig coming up this Sunday at Simon’s Tavern on the north side.

The Saint Rocke venue in Hermosa Beach, CA has a fun double bill of Flamin Groovies and The Pandoras coming up on this Wednesday night.

Four Chicago area bands who’ve long shared the goal of creating their own brand of catchy rock and roll will share billing at Montrose Saloon this Saturday night. If my memory is correct, Otter Petter, Golden Richards, The Spindles, and Rolling Numbers are all veterans of International Pop Overthrow - Chicago.

WGN Radio’s cultural- and civic-minded program Outside The Loop will celebrate its 1,000th episode with a live taping at the FitzGerald’s venue in Berwyn, IL this Saturday from 3:00 to 6:00 pm. Admission is free with RSVP. Singer-songwriter AJ Rosales, who recently released the impressive new album Phasedrift, will be a featured guest.

Slumgullion

Before getting on with today’s treasure chest of entertainment information, let’s take a moment to extend Happy Birthday wishes to three well-deserving individuals:

First, there’s Chicago musician Dag Juhlin, whose recording career stretches at least as far back as The Slugs’1988 non-stop holiday album on Pravda Records (I still have my copy) and up to his current adventurous solo outings on Bandcamp. He’s a member of Sunshine Boys, EXPO ’76, numerous other bands, and has traveled the world with the Michael Shannon, Jason Narducy and friends play R.E.M. tours.

Second is Illinois bred rock and roll journalist turned IRS Records publicist Cary Baker. He retired after years of providing PR for the I.R.S. roster of stars, and has kept busy in retirement by writing the book Down On The Corner - Adventures In Busking And Street Music.

And third is Toledo, OH bass player Derrick Anderson, who started out with the band The Andersons, before joining several well-known acts on the road. I’ve seen him perform with The Bangles and The Smithereens, and he’s also toured with Dave Davies from The Kinks; Matthew Sweet; and Marshall Crenshaw. He released the impressive solo album A World Of My Own.

Happy Birthday to Dag, Cary, and Derrick. 

The 45th Annual John Lennon Tribute - Benefit For Theatre Within will take place at the Town Hall venue in New York on December 12. Judy Collins will be given this year’s John Lennon Real Love Award and perform a few  Lennon and Beatles songs. The other musicians who’ll participate are Graham Nash; Suzanne Vega; Shawn Colvin; Jimmy Webb; Valerie June, Yola; Livingston Taylor; Willie Nile; Lucy Kaplansky and The Kennedys. Joe Raiola will host the event, with Rich Pagano serving as Musical Director. 

Looks like Graham Nash has no intention of slowing down in 2026. He recently announced the schedule for his Live On Tour 2026, with dates from April 4 though May 2. So far, there are no stops in Chicago.

The Western Elstons, the Chicago band featuring well-known local players Casey McDonough, Scott Ligon, Joel Paterson, and Alex Hall, have a gig coming up at Robert’s Westside venue in downtown Forest Park on November 21.

The Fitz Books store in Buffalo, NY will present an exhibition titled The Continental Posters (1982 – 83) - Selections from Dean Brownrout November 19  – December 12, 2025. The posters on display will be from Brownrout’s private collection and focus on acts such as Billy Idol, The Fleshtones, and The Dream Syndicate that performed at the Buffalo, NY venue The Continental. Brownrout booked bands at the club back then, before moving on New York, where he founded the Big Deal rock record label. He offers a fun and informative look back in his recently released book No Big Deal -  Chasing the indie music dream in the last days of the record business. Fitz Books is located at 1462 Main Street in Buffalo.

How about some psychedelic mind-bending music for the holidays? Custard  Flux, AKA musician Gregory Curvey, a veteran of the Chicago-based prog rock band The Luck Of Eden Hall, has a gig scheduled for December 28 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Custard Flux is noted for his adventurous albums, with the most recent being Enter Xenon. 

Chicago-based band whitewolfsonicprincess, which describes its approach as 21st century druid music, will share a bill with Dark Room Men at Cary’s Lounge on November 22. 

The fourth and final date of the Ivy - Traces Of You - 2026 Tour has been revealed as being at the Schellraiser Humboldt Hideaway venue in Wells, NV on May 30. The band previously revealed shows at Park West in Chicago on May 14; Sony Hall in New York City on May 21; and Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles on May 27. Traces Of You, the 10-track album of previously unreleased Ivy songs recorded by band members Adam Schlesinger, Andy Chase, and Dominique Durand between 1995 and 2012, was released this past September.

Paul McCartney’s new autobiographical book Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run is now available. It was edited by well-known biography author Ted Widmer, who also contributed the introduction. Meanwhile, Paul McCartney’s Got Back North American Tour 2025 continues its run with a concert tonight in Buffalo, NY. Upcoming shows include dates in Montreal, QC on November 17 and 18, and one in Hamilton, ON on November 21. The long and winding road ends with concerts at the United Center on November 24 and 25, which means Chicago area fans will have something fun to talk about with their families at Thanksgiving dinner.

In the fine tradition of Chicago area musicians paying homage to adventurous British acts, Reggies Chicago will host Indiscipline: A Tribute To The Music Of King Crimson on December 6. The show will cover King Crimson “In All Eras: Lake, Wetton And Belew.” Reggies Chicago is located south of the Loop, at 2105 S. State Street, and this production will be staged in the Comedy Shack.

An Easter And Gang Play Let’s Active concert led by founding member Mitch Easter will take place on November 29 at The Ramkat in Winston - Salem, NC. The band’s entire catalog was newly remastered and will be released on streaming sites in late November.

Wicked Cool Records and Little Steven’s Underground Garage will present The Chesterfield Kings Christmas Show with special guests The Grip Weeds on December 13 at Iron Smoke Distillery in Fairport, NY.

The Band Calderisi has been performing catchy originals with tight harmonies on the Chicago club scene for a while now, so it’s nice to hear they’ve been recording material at the Transient Sound Recording Studio for an upcoming release.

The Arcada Theatre in St. Charles will present the double bill of The Lovin’ Spoonful With The Hollies Greatest Hits Starring Terry Sylvester on February 6. Long-time Hollies fans will recognize Sylvester as the musician who replaced Graham Nash in the late 1960s and stayed with them for a few decades.

The John And Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with Elephant’s Memory and Special Guests Live At The One To One Concert box set is available to pre-order at the online Official John Lennon Store. Recorded live at Madison Square Garden in New York City on August 30, 1972, the concert is available in 9 CD + 3 Blu-Ray Boxset; 4 LP; 2 CD; 2 LP, and 1 CD formats.

Ratboys, the Chicago-based indie rock band whose 2023 album The Window made quite an impression with local fans and the media, have a new album coming out on February 6. Singin’ To An Empty Chair is available for pre-order on the Ratboys Bandcamp page; and the two tracks already available —“Light Night Mountains All That” and “Anywhere”—are both impressive.

Tickets are now on sale for The Smithereens with Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill concert at The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL on March 6. Cowsill and Peterson, who released an album together earlier this year, have become regular guests at live gigs by The Smithereens.

A Carnival Of Grey And White, the latest and long-awaited album from the Milwaukee-based power pop band Trolley is now available on Bandcamp. In addition to the catchy title track and Elvis Costello style “As Long As I Can Find You,” which were previously released as teasers, other energetic gems include “Leaving You Behind,” “Stepping Up,” and “Radio Silence.”

Weekend Reminders

Cheap Trick’s latest album, All Washed Up, will be available tomorrow and based on the band’s official Facebook page, it’s already racking up some favorable reviews. Certainly, “The Riff That Won’t Quit” and “Twelve Gates,” which were released in advance, gave fans reason to be optimistic. Cheap Trick will likely perform those songs, along with other new ones, in concert tomorrow night at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, NV, and Sunday night at the Turlock Community Theatre in Turlock, CA.

Bangles founding member and solo recording artist Susanna Hoffs recently posted on Facebook that she’ll be a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight.

The Webstirs, a Chicago-based band that’s been a reliable source for well-crafted and witty indie rock, will release its next album, High Up In The Trees tomorrow. Later that same day, they’ll perform a free show in the Sidebar at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, with local recording artists Sunshine Boys as special guests. That’s an impressive double bill. But wait, there’s more. The Webstirs recently released a video for “Roulette,” a playful tune from that new album. 

The Ripleys, a Chicago area covers band whose repertoire includes tunes by The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Tom Petty and U2, have a free show coming up this Saturday night at 8:00 pm at The Toadstool Pub in Highwood, IL.

The Black Harvest Film Festival has returned to the Gene Siskel Film Center in downtown Chicago and will run through this Sunday. Over 70 films from around the world will have had their Chicago premieres by the time the festival is over.

The power pop band Trolley will host a listening party for its latest album A Carnival Of Grey And White tomorrow night  at The Wiggle Room in their hometown Milwaukee, WI. Highlights from the album include the catchy title track and Elvis Costello style “As Long As I Can Find You.”

Tickets go on sale tomorrow for the Joe Jackson + Band shows on May 19 and 20 at Park West in Chicago’s Lincoln Park area; the Warren Zevon Birthday Bash at SPACE in Evanston on January 21; and Jim Messina at City Winery Chicago on March 22.

The Fantastic Plastics, Hushdrops, Tina Sparkle, and Super 88 will all be performing at the 3rd Chance Lounge in Peoria, IL this Saturday night. The music starts at 7:00 pm.

Shortwaves, the Dallas, TX satirical punk/pop band will likely perform songs from their recently released album Mental Health In The Information Age at the Rock & Roll Rummage Sale taking place at the Lost ’N Sound venue this Saturday in Fort Worth. They go on at 4:00 pm.

Chicago-based singer-songwriter Phil Angotti will perform songs from his impressive latest solo album Notebook Head at Cary’s Lounge on the city’s far north side this Saturday at 8:30 pm.

 I just noticed a post on Big Brother’s Vinyl’s Facebook page that their gig at Peggy Kinnane’s in Arlington Heights tomorrow night has been canceled. The Chicago area band has a knack for performing classic rock songs that haven’t been covered endlessly by numerous other local acts, so hopefully, they'll be performing again soon.

International Pop Overthrow - Boston returned for its 22nd year yesterday and will run through Saturday at The Square Root venue. Fittingly, 22 acts will perform over the four nights.

The Chicago-based Super Creeps David Bowie tribute band has a performance coming up this Saturday at Montrose Saloon. The Means (Of Joy Division) and that man of many bands, Eric Chial will be their special guests.

The two-night 28th Annual Jeff Buckley Tribute at Uncommon Ground Lakeview kicks off this Sunday, with the second half taking place on Monday. Uncommon Ground Lakeview is located at 3800 N. Clark on Chicago’s north side.

Incoming

Chicago area fans of eccentric yet melodic rock songs from the U.K. should check out the Robyn Hitchock/Soft Boys Night: Certified as Good as Gold! event at Montrose Saloon this Wednesday. The local musicians involved include Dolph Chaney; The Embryos; The Dry Look; Phil Angotti; Phil Yates; Eric Chial; Danny Higgins; and Ken Robson. There is no cover charge, but patrons are encouraged to “tip hard!” Montrose Saloon is on the city’s north side at 2933 W. Montrose Avenue.

Robert Plant, whose Saving Grace album with vocalist Suzi Dian is now available, has Chicago area concerts with her coming up at The Vic Theatre this Wednesday and at The Old Town School Of Folk Music on Thursday.

Cheap Trick’s latest album, All Washed Up, is due out this Friday. The band has already teased fans with the catchy, energetic songs “The Riff That Won’t Quit” and “Twelve Gates.”

Long-time ska masters The English Beat will be ranking full stop tonight and tomorrow night at City Winery Chicago, just west of downtown.

The Black Harvest Film Festival has returned to the Gene Siskel Film Center in downtown Chicago and will run through this Sunday. Over 70 films from around the world will have had their Chicago premieres by the time the festival is over.

Big Brother’s Vinyl, a Chicago area band with a knack for performing classic rock songs that haven’t been covered endlessly by numerous other local acts, has a gig at Peggy Kinnanes in Arlington Heights this Friday.

International Pop Overthrow - Boston returns for its 22nd year this Wednesday through Saturday at The Square Root venue. Fittingly, 22 acts will perform over the four nights.

The Chicago-based Super Creeps David Bowie tribute band has a performance coming up this Saturday at Montrose Saloon. The Means (Of Joy Division) and that man of many bands, Eric Chial will be their special guests.

Gladys Knight’s concert with special guest saxophone player Harold Dawson takes place this on Thursday at The Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, IL. Knight recorded several rhythm and blues classics, including “Midnight Train To Georgia,” “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” and “If I Were Your Woman.”

The Webstirs, a Chicago-based band that’s been a reliable source for well-crafted and witty indie rock, will release its next album, High Up In The Trees, this Friday, and they’ll perform a free show in the Sidebar at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL that same night, with special guests recording artists Sunshine Boys.

The two-night 28th Annual Jeff Buckley Tribute at Uncommon Ground Lakeview kicks off this Sunday, with the second half taking place next Monday. Uncommon Ground Lakeview is located at 3800 N. Clark on Chicago’s north side.

Slumgullion

Patti Smith photo from her official Facebook page.

Patti Smith and her band’s concert at the Chicago Theatre on November 17 has sold out, so a second show was added on November 18. Smith has been celebrating the 50th anniversary of her groundbreaking debut album Horses with a world tour; upcoming shows include New York; Boston; Washington, DC; and Philadelphia. Smith also has upcoming book events promoting her Bread Of Angels memoir from November through January.

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, who runs Madame ZuZu’s Teahouse in Highland Park, IL with his wife Chloe Mendel, is working with Lyric Opera Of Chicago boss John Mangum to create a piece “based on arranged and orchestrated music” from the Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness album. The Lyric Opera’s upcoming season will include performances of Night Of Mellon Collie And Infinite Sadness November 21 – 30.

Paul McCartney’s new autobiographical book Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run is now available. It was edited by well-known biography author Ted Widmer, who also contributed the introduction. Meanwhile, Paul McCartney’s Got Back North American Tour 2025 continues its run with a concert tomorrow night in Columbus, OH. Upcoming shows include Pittsburgh; Buffalo; and Montreal. The long and winding road ends with concerts at the United Center on November 24 and 25, which means Chicago area fans will have something fun to talk about with their families at Thanksgiving dinner.

Chicago area fans of eccentric yet melodic rock songs from the U.K. should circle November 12 on their calendars. That’s when Montrose Saloon on the city’s north side will present Robyn Hitchock/Soft Boys Night: Certified as Good as Gold! Local musicians involved include Dolph Chaney; The Embryos; The Dry Look; Phil Angotti; Phil Yates; Eric Chial; Danny Higgins; and Ken Robson. There is no cover charge, but patrons are encouraged to “tip hard!”

Speaking of Chicago area musicians paying homage to adventurous British acts, Indiscipline: A Tribute To The Music Of King Crimson takes place on December 6 at Reggies Chicago. The show will cover King Crimson “In All Eras: Lake, Wetton And Belew.” Reggies Chicago is located south of the Loop, at 2105 S. State Street, and this production will be staged in the Comedy Shack.

An Easter And Gang Play Let’s Active concert led by founding member Mitch Easter will take place on November 29 at The Ramkat in Winston - Salem, NC. The band’s entire catalog was newly remastered and will be released on streaming sites in late November.

Four Chicago area bands who’ve long shared the goal of creating their own brand of catchy rock and roll will share billing at Montrose Saloon on November 22. If my memory is correct, Otter Petter, Golden Richards, The Spindles, and Rolling Numbers are all veterans of International Pop Overthrow - Chicago.

Congratulations to Buddy Guy on his Ain’t Done With The Blues being nominated for the 2026 Best Traditional Blues Album Grammy Award. He’s facing some tough competition from Maria Muldaur; Charlie Musselwhite; Kenny Wayne Shepherd And Bobby Rush; and Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’.

Long-time U.K. ska masters The English Beat will perform on November 10 and 11 at City Winery Chicago.

Wicked Cool Records and Little Steven’s Underground Garage will present The Chesterfield Kings Christmas Show with special guests The Grip Weeds on December 13 at Iron Smoke Distillery in Fairport, NY.

The Band Calderisi has been performing catchy originals with tight harmonies on the Chicago club scene for a while now, so it’s nice to hear they’ve been recording material at the Transient Sound Recording Studio for an upcoming release.

The Arcada Theatre in St. Charles will present the double bill of The Lovin’ Spoonful With The Hollies Greatest Hits Starring Terry Sylvester on February 6. Long-time Hollies fans will recognize Sylvester as the musician who replaced Graham Nash in the late 1960s and stayed with them for a few decades.

Big Brother’s Vinyl, a Chicago area band with a knack for performing classic rock songs that haven’t been covered endlessly by numerous other local acts, has a gig at Peggy Kinnanes in Arlington Heights on November 14.

The Gram Fest - Cosmic American Music Festival is taking place on November 22 at the Joshua Tree Cultural Center - Blak Box Theater in Joshua Tree, CA. Performers include Sin City All Stars with special guests Jonny Kaplan And Friends, plus numerous other acts.

Ratboys, the Chicago-based indie rock band whose 2023 album The Window made quite an impression with local fans and the media, have a new album coming out on February 6. Singin’ To An Empty Chair is available for pre-order on the Ratboys Bandcamp page; and the two tracks already available —“Light Night Mountains All That” and “Anywhere”—are both impressive.

The John And Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with Elephant’s Memory and Special Guests Live At The One To One Concert box set is available to pre-order at the online Official John Lennon Store. Recorded live at Madison Square Garden in New York City on August 30, 1972, the concert is available in 9 CD + 3 Blu-Ray Boxset; 4 LP; 2 CD; 2 LP, and 1 CD formats.

Tickets are now on sale for The Smithereens with Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill concert at The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL on March 6. Cowsill and Peterson, who released an album together earlier this year, have become regular guests at live gigs by The Smithereens.

International Pop Overthrow - Boston returns for its 22nd year on November 12 – 15 at The Square Root venue. This will be the penultimate IPO bash for 2025; with International Pop Overthrow - Toronto scheduled for November 21 – 23 at The Painted Lady.

As noted on the WXRT Facebook page and by WBEZ staffer Mike Davis in a recent issue of the Chicago Sun-Times, David Byrne and Mala Gaonhar’s immersive event Theater Of The Mind will have a Chicago-only run in March at the Reid Murdoch Center in the downtown area. Theater Of The Mind will be the directed by Andrew Scoville and produced by the Goodman Theatre.

A Carnival Of Grey And White, the latest and long-awaited album from the Milwaukee-based power pop band Trolley is now available on Bandcamp. In addition to the catchy title track and Elvis Costello style “As Long As I Can Find You,” which were previously released as teasers, other energetic gems include “Leaving You Behind,” “Stepping Up,” and “Radio Silence.”

WGN Radio’s cultural- and civic-minded program Outside The Loop will celebrate its 1,000th episode with a live taping at the FitzGerald’s venue in Berwyn, IL on November 22. Singer-songwriter AJ Rosales, who recently released the impressive new album Phasedrift, will be a featured guest.

The Saint Rocke venue in Hermosa Beach, CA has a fun double bill of Flamin Groovies and The Pandoras coming up on November 19.

Congratulations to former WGN radio host and current creator/host of the Radio Misfits Podcast Networks Nick Digilio on the release of his 40 Years, 40 Films book. It’s now available from Eckhartz Press.

Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan’s new album titled Better Broken is now available; with the title track being the first single. Her 2025 North American tour will include a stop at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on November 22.

Another VU, the Chicago-based band that performs 1969-era Velvet Underground songs, has a gig lined up on November 23 at Simon’s Tavern.

Aimee Mann and Ted Leo successfully collaborate on indie rock songs from time to time, and they also enjoy spreading holiday cheer. Tickets are now on sale for their Aimee Mann and Ted Leo Christmas Show! with Paul F. Tompkins, Nellie McKay and Josh Gondelman. It kicks off on November 28 at City Winery New York, and will include shows in Chicago on December.

FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL has issued a low ticket warning for the Chris And Heather’s Country Calendar Show involving several performers from the Chicago music scene on December 6. Even if you can’t make the show, I highly recommend finding a way to buy the Heather’s calendar because it’s always a masterpiece.