Slumgullion

Charlotte Caffey, Gina Schock, and Jane Wiedlin from The Go-Go’s will be among the special guests at the Musack Rock n’ Roll Carnival taking place on August 23 in Los Angeles. The exact address will only be revealed to those who purchase tickets. As stated on its official website, “Musack’s mission is to give kids and teens a voice through music by providing guitars, drums, and support for music teachers - wherever the need arises.”

Chicago radio station WXRT’s Hometown Celebration: A Benefit for The Lin Brehmer Scholars Fund will take place at Metro on August 21. The Linburgers, featuring Tributosaurus members Matt Spiegel and Curt Morrison, along with Heather Lynne Horton, Scott Lucas, Michael McDermott, and Eddie “King” Roeser, will perform, and the station’s on-air personalities will also be on hand. Brehmer will always be remembered by his many fans as our “Best Friend In The Whole World.” Metro is located at 3730 N. Clark Street.

The Magnolia Pictures documentary It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley opened in theaters around the country today. The screening is being immediately followed by 26 minutes of previously unseen footage showing Buckley performing at The Middle East venue in Cambridge, MA on February 19, 1994. Buckley passed away at the age of 30 in 1997.

The 40th Annual Printers Row Lit Fest has announced the full schedule of events that will take place on the weekend of September 6 and 7 on South Dearborn Street, from Ida B. Wells to Polk Street. The outdoor event always exudes a friendly, creative vibe and will feature over 150 exhibitors, as well as authors and presenters. Admission is free.

Parody Of Pleasure, the debut solo album from Lydia Night came out today, and finds the former leader of The Regrettes exploring a variety of musical approaches. Night describes her new music as “a window into my weird little brain” and promises to be out on tour soon.

PureSoul will present a tribute to Aretha Franklin at City Winery Chicago on August 16. The brunch performance starts at noon, doors open at 10:30 am. On August 17, City Winery Chicago will host a Prince tribute titled The Purple Madness. Vocalist-guitarist Bobby Miller leads The Prince Tribute Band, which also features dancers. The music starts at 7:00 pm.

The annual Doctor Who convention Chicago TARDIS recently announced that actor Christopher Eccleston will be among the celebrity guests when the event takes place at the Westin Lombard Yorktown in November. Eccleston was pivotal in the success of the British sci-fi program’s 2005 rebirth when he portrayed The Doctor in that first year.

Tickets are now on sale for the Mark Guarino produced Old No. 1 at 50 – A Celebration of Guy Clark featuring Robbie Fulks, John Abbey, Janet Beveridge Bean, Steve Dawson, Josh Caterer, and Naomi Ashley. The event  takes place at Evanston SPACE on October 5.

The Smithereens with John Cowsill will kick off a mini tour of the U.S. on August 15 with a show at Ludlow Garage in Cincinnati, OH. The other dates are in St. Louis, MO; Cleveland, OH; Ferndale, MI; Brookville, NY; Old Saybrook, CT; Richmond, VA; and East Greenwich, RI.

Autographed copies of the Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill album Long After The Fire can be preordered via the TalkShopLive website. The album will ship on August 18.

Steven Delisi, a founding member of the Chicago-based power pop band The Thin Cherries, recently released a new single on his Bandcamp page. The catchy indie rocker “When You Say” finds Delisi once again getting solid support from local musicians John Abbey, Gerald Dowd, and Mike Hagler.

The latest issue of Vive Le Rock! chooses the 250 Greatest Punk Songs Ever! Judging from the cover, The Damned, Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Ramones, and The Ruts are included. It’s available to order on the counter culture magazine’s website for £6.50 GBP.

Chicago-based blues legend Buddy Guy released a new album last Friday. The 18-track Ain’t Done With The Blues is available in CD, vinyl, and digital formats on Amazon and other sites.

The Carla Olson and Tall Poppy Syndrome single “Is It True,” which was released in digital format in 2024, is now available as a Deluxe CD + download on Bandcamp. The song offers a 1960s arrangement with a harder edge, and features Olson, Clem Burke, Vince Melouney and Jonathan Lea.

Another VU, the Chicago-based band that performs 1969-era Velvet Underground songs, has gigs lined up at Montrose Saloon on August 29 and September 20; and on November 23 at Simon’s Tavern.

The Wild Honey Foundation will screen a special sneak preview of director Justin Fielding’s long-awaited Power Pop Movie on August 17 at the Wild Honey Backyard Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. Musicians featured in the documentary include Marshall Crenshaw, Jody Stephens, Vicki Peterson and the late John Wicks. The Derrick Anderson Combo will perform a set at 7:00 pm before the film is screened.

This year’s Bucktown Arts Fest will take place at Holstein Park (2200 N. Oakley Avenue in Chicago) on the weekend of August 23 and 24. Admission is free, and as it has done for decades, the Fest will feature artists, photographers, and live music. The enchanting alt rock band whitewolfsonicprincess, whom I’ve mentioned here several times, will perform from 4:00 to 5:00 pm on August 23. Other live acts include Jared Rabin Band; The Midwest Young Artists Conservatory Jazz Combo; Hope Arthur: Ragtime Piano; Daisychain; and Caught Steelin.

Billy Idol’s latest album Dream Into It gives him new songs to perform on his current series of concerts, along with “White Wedding,” Rebel Yell,” “Eyes Without A Face,” and other hits. It’s A Nice Day To . . . Tour Again! with Special Guest Joan Jett, has been visiting major cities, and will  drop by The Credit Union 1 Amphitheater in Tinley Park, IL on August 14.

Dave Suh and The Dirty Wings, the Americana/grunge trio, have a release party for their 10-track album Set To Begin coming up August 15 at Montrose Saloon. Cisco Pike, Bad Candy and recording artists The Bon Mots will also perform at the venue that night.

United Kingdom fans of The Hollies will be able to see three of the band’s most recent members in concert next month. Peter Howarth, who’s done a splendid job as The Hollies’ lead vocalist since 2004, has a show on August 23 at The Exchange venue in Sturminster Newton, Dorset. In addition to Hollies songs, the show will include selections from Only The Lonely - The Roy Orbison Story, a recent stage production in which Howarth played the starring role.

A week later, Rob Davis and Ray Stiles, the surviving members of MUD, will reunite to perform songs by that band at The Exchange. They’ll be joined by Pete Phipps, Keith Read, and Ian Parker. Stiles and Parker are both Hollies veterans.

Long-time Chicago comedy group Famous In The Future will have an all-new revue ready to perform when it hosts YippieFest at Chopin Theatre on the weekend of August 15 – 17. The freewheeling festival of the performing arts is inspired by the Abby Fest that was staged for many years by the Mary-Arrchie Theatre company. FIF’s revue is titled Snowflakes In Hell. The full schedule is available on the official YippieFest website.

High Moon Records, which is known for its adventurous series of reissues, has released Sly And The Family Stone - The First Family: Live At Winchester Cathedral 1967. Available in CD or LP format, it includes a deluxe booklet, interviews with Stone and original band members, rare photos, and memorabilia.

Space in Evanston will continue its Singer-Songwriter Shows series throughout August, with performances by Alice Peacock on August 14; Sydny August on August 22; and Helen Gillet on August 26.

Free spirits can bask in some genuine counter-culture vibes via the Tributosaurus Becomes Woodstock concert coming to FitzGerald’s Outdoors in Berwyn on August 23. Utilizing a rotating roster of local musicians, Tributosaurus has been one of the Chicago area’s best known tribute acts for several years.

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.

International Pop Overthrow - Los Angeles continues its 2025 run with a five-act showcase tonight at the Redwood Bar. The action switches to the Escondido venue tomorrow night with a six-act showcase and returns to the Redwood Bar for six-act afternoon showcases on Saturday and Sunday. The full schedule can be found on the festival’s official website. The next stop for International Pop Overthrow is San Diego on August on 15 and 16 at the Black Cat Bar.

Depending on when you read this, you could catch the Great Moments In Vinyl Performing Songs By The Police show at at 7:30 pm tonight at SPACE in Evanston. Great Moments In Vinyl is a rotating collection of Chicago area musicians focused on honoring classic rock and roll LPs.

Singer-guitarist Mike Cohen has brought back Everly Hillbillies, the Everly Brothers tribute band he founded with singer-guitarist Jeff Janulis over a decade ago. Now working with Fred Morg, Tim Feil, and Mike Conroy (Janulis is currently leading The Spindles), Cohen will perform the timeless songs of Phil and Don at an outdoor show this Saturday in downtown Arlington Heights. The music starts at 7:00 pm outside the Tuscan Market & Wine Shop, and there is no cover charge.

The 49th Annual Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago starts tomorrow at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare and will run through Sunday night. WXRT DJ Terri Hemmert will once again serve as MC; and this year’s special guests include drummer Simon Kirke from Bad Company and Free; Jim McCarty from The Yardbirds and Renaissance; and British Invasion hit maker Billy J. Kramer. 1960s model/author Jenny Boyd and author Yvonne Innes, whose Dip My Brain In Joy: A Life With Neil Innes celebrates her marriage to the late writer-musician-actor, will also be on hand. There will be performances by Liverpool; The Weeklings; The Taxmen; Phil Angotti And Friends, and other bands.

Madame Zuzu’s Teahouse, the venue and art space run by Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan and his wife Chloe Mendel, will present this month’s Songwriters In The Round event on Saturday from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. With Stephen Kohler serving as host, local musicians Ian Wisniewski, Jenny Bienemann, Jim Gary, and Neal Rosner will take part in what’s billed as a “stadium-like showdown to play new and original music.” Madame Zuzu’s Teahouse is located in Highland Park, IL and in addition to serving as a cafe, is a vinyl record store.

St. Divine will likely showcase songs from its latest album you can’t go forward and you can’t go back when it performs as part of a particularly adventurous triple bill at The Hideout in Chicago this Saturday. The New York City quintet states its music “blurs the edges of punk, Americana, and garage rock,” which should fit perfectly with the other two acts performing that night. Pravda Records indie/glam rockers The Handcuffs will have vinyl copies of their latest album Burn The Rails for sale, and will likely perform material from all four of their releases, as well as new material. Steve Silver, a writer whose numerous years covering the rougher edges of the local music scene no doubt fueled his upcoming book F*ck You, We’re From Chicago, will be the opening act.

New Orleans vocalist Kate Fagan returns to her former hometown of Chicago for an in-store appearance this Saturday at Bric-A-Brac Records, and a performance at the Empty Bottle on Sunday. Fagan is still highly regarded here for her previous work with BB Spin and Heavy Manners. She’ll be at Bric-A-Brac Records from 4:00 to 6:30 pm, and on Sunday, she’ll take part in a showcase of women artists that also features Clickbait, Beastii and DJ Modern Girl. Fagan will likely perform some vintage material, as well as her latest single releases.

Incoming

The latest issue of Vive Le Rock! chooses the 250 Greatest Punk Songs Ever! Judging from the cover, The Damned, Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Ramones, and The Ruts are included. It’s available to order on the counter culture magazine’s website for £6.50 GBP.

Death Cab For Cutie will perform at the Chicago Theatre tomorrow and Wednesday. The band is currently on a limited tour to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of it debut album Plans.

Pravda Records artist singer-songwriter Nathan Graham is known for mixing classic blues with Americana music, and he’ll likely showcase songs from his Saint Of Second Chances album when he performs at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights tomorrow night. The music starts at 7:30 pm.

Guitarist-vocalist Dave Davies has a signing event for the recently released album The Kinks - The Journey Vol. 3 coming up at the Barnes & Noble store at 555 Fifth Avenue in New York this Thursday at noon.

Indie Rock Night returns to The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL tomorrow night, and will include singer-songwriter AJ Rosales. He’ll likely perform some of the well crafted, acoustic songs from his new album Phasedrift.

On Thursday night at The Des Plaines Theatre, Moody Blues bassist-vocalist and solo artist John Lodge will perform on the main stage.

The 49th Annual Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago takes place this weekend at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. WXRT DJ Terri Hemmert will once again serve as MC; and this year’s special guests include drummer Simon Kirke from Bad Company and Free; Jim McCarty from The Yardbirds and Renaissance; and British Invasion hit maker Billy J. Kramer. 1960s model/author Jenny Boyd and author Yvonne Innes, whose Dip My Brain In Joy: A Life With Neil Innes celebrates her marriage to the late writer-musician-actor, will also be on hand. There will be performances by Liverpool; The Weeklings; The Taxmen; Phil Angotti And Friends, and other bands.

St. Divine will likely showcase songs from its latest album you can’t go forward and you can’t go back  when it performs as part of a particularly adventurous triple bill at The Hideout in Chicago this Saturday. The New York City quintet states its music “blurs the edges of punk, Americana, and garage rock,” which should fit perfectly with the other two acts performing that night. Pravda Records indie/glam rockers The Handcuffs have four well-crafted albums to draw material from, as well as new songs that will be on their next release. Steve Silver, a writer whose numerous years covering the rougher edges of the local music scene no doubt fueled his upcoming book F*ck You, We’re From Chicago, will be the opening act.

Great Moments In Vinyl, a rotating collection of area musicians devoted to honoring some of the best LPs in rock history, will be performing songs by The Police this Thursday at SPACE in Evanston.

New Orleans vocalist Kate Fagan returns to her former hometown of Chicago for an in-store appearance this Saturday at Bric-A-Brac Records, and a performance at the Empty Bottle on Sunday. Fagan is still highly regarded here for her previous work with BB Spin and Heavy Manners. She’ll be at Bric-A-Brac Records from 4:00 to 6:30 pm, and on Sunday, she’ll take part in a showcase of women artists that also features Clickbait, Beastii and DJ Modern Girl. Fagan will likely perform some vintage material, as well as her latest single releases.

International Pop Overthrow - Los Angeles kicked off last Friday, and will run through August 10 at the Redwood Bar; with one showcase being held at the Escondido venue on August 8. IPO founder David Bash has posted a description of each of the 60-plus acts that are taking part in the festival; you can find them on the festival’s official website.

I was saddened to read in today’s newspapers that actress Loni Anderson has died. As an avid fan of WKRP In Cincinnati back when it aired in the late 70s and early 80s, I liked the way the sitcom flipped the dumb blond stereotype by making Anderson’s radio station secretary character Jennifer Marlowe quick-witted and competent. Several years ago, I had a chance to talk to Anderson at what was then called (I believe) Wizard World Comic Con in Chicago. I mentioned that her character was the smartest one on the show. She smiled, and said, “Yes I was, wasn’t I?”

Saturday Early Evening Post

St. Divine will likely showcase songs from its latest album you can’t go forward and you can’t go back  when it performs as part of a particularly adventurous triple bill at The Hideout in Chicago on August 9. The New York City quintet states its music “blurs the edges of punk, Americana, and garage rock,” which should fit perfectly with the other two acts performing that night. Pravda Records indie/glam rockers The Handcuffs have four well-crafted albums to draw material from, as well as new songs that will be on their next release. Steve Silver, a writer whose numerous years covering the rougher edges of the local music scene no doubt fueled his upcoming book F*ck You, We’re From Chicago, will be the opening act.

The 60 Years Of Ronnie Wood Fearless Anthology will include his solo work as well as the time he’s spent performing with Rolling Stones, The Faces, Jeff Beck Group, The Birds, The Creation, Rod Stewart, and Ronnie Lane. Available as two LPs or two CDs, it’s due out September 26.

Great Moments In Vinyl, a rotating collection of area musicians devoted to honoring some of the best LPs in rock history, will be performing songs by The Police on August 7 at SPACE in Evanston.

Mud Morganfield, son of blues icon Muddy Waters and a respected artist in his own right, has a CD release party coming up at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights on September 27.

New Orleans vocalist Kate Fagan will return to her former hometown of Chicago for an in-store appearance at Bric-A-Brac Records on August 9, and a performance at the Empty Bottle on August 10. Fagan is still highly regarded here for her previous work with BB Spin and Heavy Manners. She’ll be at Bric-A-Brac Records from 4:00 to 6:30 pm, and on the following night, she’ll take part in a showcase of women artists that also features Clickbait, Beastii and DJ Modern Girl. Fagan will likely perform some vintage material, as well as her latest single releases. 

Space in Evanston will continue its Singer-Songwriter Shows series throughout August, with performances by Jill Andrews on August 4; Alice Peacock on August 14; Sydny August on August 22; and Helen Gillet on August 26.

Free spirits can bask in some genuine counter-culture vibes via the Tributosaurus Becomes Woodstock concert coming to FitzGerald’s Outdoors in Berwyn on August 23. Utilizing a rotating roster of local musicians, Tributosaurus has been one of the Chicago area’s best known tribute acts for several years.

Several well-known acts will perform at the Evanston Folk Festival when it’s held September 6 and 7 at Dawes Park in Evanston, IL. Iron And Wine; Tune-Yards; Margo Price; Loudon Wainwright III; Steve Dawson and Diane Christiansen; The Milk Carton Kids; and Ezra Furman are among the scheduled acts. The festival will include three aftershows in nearby locations: Ani DiFranco with special guest Hurray for the Riff Raff at Cahn Auditorium on September 5; Songs Of Bob Dylan featuring Nora O’Connor, Nathan Graham, Steve Dawson, Gerald Dowd, and others at SPACE on September 6; and Roseanne Cash at Cahn Auditorium on September 7.

Tickets are now on sale for the Mark Guarino produced Old No. 1 at 50 – A Celebration of Guy Clark featuring Robbie Fulks, John Abbey, Janet Beveridge Bean, Steve Dawson, Josh Caterer, and Naomi Ashley. The event  takes place at Evanston SPACE on October 5.

City Winery Chicago has a Prince tribute coming on August 17 with The Purple Madness. Vocalist-guitarist Bobby Miller leads The Prince Tribute Band, which also features dancers. The music starts at 7:00 pm.

Material Issue, the Chicago power pop trio that scored MTV hits such as “Valerie Loves Me” and “Diane” back in the early 1990s, and later returned with new vocalist-guitarist Phil Angotti, have a show coming up at the north-side venue Schubas on September 17.

The 40th Annual Printers Row Lit Fest will take place on the weekend of September 6 and 7 on South Dearborn Street, from Ida B. Wells to Polk Street in the south end of downtown Chicago. The event will feature over 200 presenters, 70 programs, and 150 booksellers and exhibitors. Admission is free.

Slumgullion

Graphic from the official Fest For Beatles Fans Facebook page.

The 49th Annual Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago takes place next weekend at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. WXRT DJ Terri Hemmert will once again serve as MC; and this year’s special guests include drummer Simon Kirke from Bad Company and Free; Jim McCarty from The Yardbirds and Renaissance; and British Invasion hit maker Billy J. Kramer. 1960s model/author Jenny Boyd and author Yvonne Innes, whose Dip My Brain In Joy: A Life With Neil Innes celebrates her marriage to the late writer-musician-actor, will also be on hand. There will be performances by Liverpool; The Weeklings; The Taxmen; Phil Angotti And Friends, and other bands.

Pravda Records artist singer-songwriter Nathan Graham is known for mixing classic blues with Americana music, and he’ll likely showcase songs from his Saint Of Second Chances album when he performs at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights this coming Tuesday. The music starts at 7:30 pm.

The Carla Olson and Tall Poppy Syndrome single “Is It True,” which was released in digital format in 2024, is now available as a Deluxe CD + download on Bandcamp. The song offers a 1960s arrangement with a harder edge, and features Olson, Clem Burke, Vince Melouney and Jonathan Lea.

Another VU, the Chicago-based band that performs 1969-era Velvet Underground songs, has gigs lined up at Montrose Saloon on August 29 and September 20; and on November 23 at Simon’s Tavern.

Billy Idol’s latest album Dream Into It gives him new songs to perform on his current series of concerts, along with “White Wedding,” Rebel Yell,” “Eyes Without A Face,” and other hits. It’s A Nice Day To . . . Tour Again! with Special Guest Joan Jett, has been visiting major cities, and will  drop by The Credit Union 1 Amphitheater in Tinley Park, IL on August 14.

As noted by Mary Houlihan in her column yesterday in the Chicago Sun-Times, Death Cab For Cutie will perform at the Chicago Theatre next Tuesday and Wednesday. The band is currently on a limited tour to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of it debut album Plans.

This year’s Bucktown Arts Fest will take place at Holstein Park (2200 N. Oakley Avenue in Chicago) on the weekend of August 23 and 24. Admission is free, and as it has done for decades, the Fest will feature artists, photographers, and live music. The enchanting alt rock band whitewolfsonicprincess, whom I’ve mentioned here several times, will perform from 4:00 to 5:00 pm on August 23. Other live acts include Jared Rabin Band; The Midwest Young Artists Conservatory Jazz Combo; Hope Arthur: Ragtime Piano; Daisychain; and Caught Steelin.

The Wild Honey Foundation will screen a special sneak preview of director Justin Fielding’s long-awaited Power Pop Movie on August 17 at the Wild Honey Backyard Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. Musicians featured in the documentary include Marshall Crenshaw, Jody Stephens, Vicki Peterson and the late John Wicks. The Derrick Anderson Combo will perform a set at 7:00 pm before the film is screened.

Dave Suh and The Dirty Wings, the Americana/grunge trio, have a release party for their 10-track album Set To Begin coming up on August 15 at Montrose Saloon. Cisco Pike, Bad Candy and recording artists The Bon Mots will also perform at the venue that night.

Guitarist-vocalist Dave Davies has a signing event for the recently released album The Kinks - The Journey Vol. 3 coming up at the Barnes & Noble store at 555 Fifth Avenue in New York at noon on August 7th. 

The Lakeview East Festival Of The Arts returns for its 20th year on September 13 and 14, taking place on Broadway, between Belmont and Hawthorne. Over 120 artists will display their work, and performances on the two stages will include Steve Dawson and Diane Christiansen; Gerald Dowd; Gerald McClendon; The Band Calderisi; and Kent Rose And The Remedies. 

United Kingdom fans of The Hollies will be able to see three of the band’s most recent members in concert next month. Peter Howarth, who’s done a splendid job as The Hollies’ lead vocalist since 2004, has a show on August 23 at The Exchange venue in Sturminster Newton, Dorset. In addition to Hollies songs, the show will include selections from Only The Lonely - The Roy Orbison Story, a recent stage production in which Howarth played the starring role. 

A week later, Rob Davis and Ray Stiles, the surviving members of MUD, will reunite to perform songs by that band at The Exchange. They’ll be joined by Pete Phipps, Keith Read, and Ian Parker. Stiles and Parker are both Hollies veterans. And for something completely different, Monty Python founding member John Cleese will appear at The Exchange on August 8.  

High Moon Records, which is known for its adventurous series of reissues, has released Sly And The Family Stone - The First Family: Live At Winchester Cathedral 1967. Available in CD or LP format, it includes a deluxe booklet, interviews with Stone and original band members, rare photos, and memorabilia. 

Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne will kick off his massive Who Is The Sky? Tour with a show in Providence, RI on September 14. The North American dates include October 28, 29, and 31 at The Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, as well as stops in Pittsburgh; Washington, D.C.; New York; Toronto; Denver; Dallas; and Miami Beach. After a few months off, Byrne will launch a series of European concerts on February 12, 2026. His new album Who Is The Sky? will be available in various formats on September 6. 

Indie Rock Night returns to The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL on August 5, and will include singer-songwriter AJ Rosales performing songs from his new album Phasedrift. Rosales specializes in well crafted, melodic acoustic songs. 

Random House will publish a book of personal photographs George Harrison took of his fellow Beatles in the years 1963 –1969. It’s titled The Third Eye and will arrive a little over a year from now. Over 250 color and black and white photographs are being compiled and curated by Olivia Harrison, who will also contribute an essay to her late husband’s book. The website describes the photos as “of the Beatles at work and at play, from Liverpool to Shea Stadium to Adelaide to India, all taken by Harrison.” 

Long-time Chicago comedy group Famous In The Future will have an all-new revue ready to perform when it hosts YippieFest at Chopin Theatre on the weekend of August 15 – 17. The freewheeling festival of the performing arts is inspired by the Abby Fest that was staged for many years by the Mary-Arrchie Theatre company. FIF’s revue is titled Snowflakes In Hell. The full schedule is available on the official YippieFest website. 

Trolley will release A Carnival Of Black And White, its first new album in five years on October 3. In the meantime, the Milwaukee-based power pop band released the catchy title track, and more recently gave us “As Long As I Can Find You.” The latter mixes a hint of Elvis Costello with mid-1960s British rock.

Chicago radio station WXRT’s Hometown Celebration: A Benefit for The Lin Brehmer Scholars Fund will take place at Metro on August 21.The Linburgers, featuring Tributosaurus members Matt Spiegel and Curt Morrison, along with Heather Lynne Horton, Scott Lucas, Michael McDermott, and Eddie “King” Roeser, will perform, and the station’s on-air personalities will also be on hand. Brehmer will always be remembered by his many fans as our “Best Friend In The Whole World.” Metro is located at 3730 N. Clark Street.

Weekend Reminders

Photo from Buddy Guy’s official Facebook page.

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.

I was just about to post this edition of Weekend Reminders when I heard WXRT radio personality Andy Chanley mention that the Chicago-based blues legend Buddy Guy has a new album coming out tomorrow. The 18-track Ain’t Done With The Blues will be available in CD, vinyl, and digital formats on Amazon and other sites. Best wishes to Buddy Guy, who turned 89 yesterday, on continued success.

Depending on when you read this, you might be able to catch The Return Of The Cover Roulette event at Robert’s Westside in Forest Park. The featured performers are Ryan Joseph Anderson, Phil Angotti, Naomi Ashley, Casey McDonough, Rachel Swain, and Linda Weseman, with special guest MC Donnie Biggins. The music starts at 8:00 pm.

Tomorrow night, you can catch Phil Angotti, Casey McDonough, Tom Ryan, and Blair Holmes at the Acorn Theatre in Three Oaks, MI. They’ll be performing love songs by The Beatles.

Lollapalooza returned to Grant Park today and will run through this Sunday with headliners that include Tyler, The Creator; Olivia Rodrigo; Korn; and Sabrina Carpenter. Other notable acts would be Cage The Elephant; Ratboys; Foster The People, and Chicago Youth Symphony.

Multiple award-winning actor Morgan Freeman will appear onstage and via film as his traveling show Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience visits the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, IL tomorrow night. He’ll be joined by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as he explores the history of blues in America.

On Saturday night, the San Francisco alternative rock band Train, whose hits include “Meet Virginia” and “Drops Of Jupiter (Tell Me)” will perform at Ravinia, along with special guest singer-songwriter Edwin McCain.

In addition to being the first day of August, tomorrow marks the return of Bandcamp Friday. That’s when Bandcamp waives its revenue and, as stated in a recent email, “More of what you spend goes straight to the artists and labels you care about.”

Over The Rhine, the critically acclaimed Americana band led by Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiler, will perform this Sunday in their home state of Ohio at the Lincoln Theatre in Columbus.

The Color Purple - The Musical will wrap up its successful, critically acclaimed run at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago this Sunday.

International Pop Overthrow returns to Los Angeles—the city of its birth—for the 26th year tomorrow. The festival will feature over 60 acts and run through August 10 at the Redwood Bar; with one showcase being held at the Escondido venue on August 8. IPO founder David Bash has posted descriptions for all the acts on the festival’s official website.

Steven Delisi, a founding member of the Chicago-based power pop band and International Pop Overthrow - Chicago veterans The Thin Cherries, has a new single coming out tomorrow. The catchy indie rocker “When You Say” will be available on his Bandcamp page, and finds Delisi once again getting solid support from local musicians John Abbey, Gerald Dowd, and Mike Hagler.

McLuhan, the adventurous seven-piece Chicago band inspired by philosopher Marshall McLuhan, will share an afternoon double bill with Esmeralda’s Boys this Sunday at Montrose Saloon. The music starts at 2:00 pm. You can now purchase CD copies of McLuhan’s ground-breaking and recently re-released album Anomaly via the Think Like A Key Music site.

Congratulations to vocalist Gerald McClendon, who’s receiving the Bobby Blue Bland Award this very night as the 25th Annual Jus’ Blues Foundation holds its Night Of The Living Legends event on July 30 in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Incoming

Graphic from Lollapalooza Official Facebook page.

Lollapalooza returns to Grant Park this Thursday and will run through Sunday with headliners that include Tyler, The Creator; Olivia Rodrigo; Korn; and Sabrina Carpenter. Other notable acts would be Cage The Elephant; Ratboys; Foster The People, and Chicago Youth Symphony. Yesterday’s edition of the Chicago Tribune offers several Lollapalooza recommendations from staff writer Britt Julious in the paper’s A+E section.

Over The Rhine, the critically acclaimed Americana band led by Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiler, will perform this Sunday in their home state of Ohio at the Lincoln Theatre in Columbus.

International Pop Overthrow returns to Los Angeles—the city of its birth—for the 26th time this Friday. The festival will feature over 60 acts and run through August 10 at the Redwood Bar; with one showcase being held at the Escondido venue on August 8. IPO founder David Bash has posted descriptions for all the acts on the festival’s official website.

Something tells me he’s still into something good. Fans of the 1960s British Invasion can relive the fun of those days by venturing out to suburban Des Plaines, IL this Sunday afternoon for the 3:00 pm Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone show.

City Winery Chicago has a Prince tribute coming on August 17 with The Purple Madness. Vocalist-guitarist Bobby Miller leads The Prince Tribute Band, which also features dancers. The music starts at 7:00 pm.

Emmylou Harris will share a double bill with Graham Nash at the Tanglewood venue in Lenox, MA tomorrow night, as well as at the Wolf Trap National Park For The Performing Arts in Vienna, VA on Thursday.

The Color Purple - The Musical will wrap up its successful, critically acclaimed run at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago this Sunday. The production is directed by Lili-Anne Brown, with book by Marsha Norman, and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Alee Willis, and Stephen Bray.

Steven Delisi, a founding member of the Chicago-based power pop band The Thin Cherries, has a new single coming this Friday. The catchy indie rocker “When You Say” will be available on his Bandcamp page, and finds Delisi once again getting solid support from local musicians John Abbey, Gerald Dowd, and Mike Hagler.

McLuhan, the adventurous seven-piece Chicago band inspired by philosopher Marshall McLuhan, will share an afternoon double bill with Esmeralda’s Boys this Sunday at Montrose Saloon. The music starts at 2:00 pm. You can now purchase CD copies of McLuhan’s ground-breaking and recently re-released album Anomaly via the Think Like A Key Music site.

Congratulations to vocalist Gerald McClendon, who’ll receive the Bobby Blue Bland Award when the 25th Annual Jus’ Blues Foundation holds its Night Of The Living Legends event this Thursday in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Birthday Cake

It’s my party and I’ll post if I want to. I’d like to thank everyone who sent happy birthday wishes to me on Facebook today. As noted by WXRT DJ Marty Lennartz on the air this morning and by writer/retired PR director Cary Baker on Facebook, today is also the birthday of the late, legendary Chicago folk singer Steve Goodman. Rock In Paradise, Steve. And best wishes to Mick Jagger, who’ll celebrate his birthday tomorrow. With all this merriment going on, today’s post will be shorter than usual, but hopefully I’ll have more to offer over the weekend.

Here’s an event I wasn’t aware of while putting together yesterday’s Weekend Reminders post. Local musicians Scott Tipping,  Packy Lundholm, and John San Juan will perform the entire Jimi Hendrix Experience album Axis Bold As Love live from 7:00 to 9:00 pm this Sunday at The Venue in Aurora. The all-ages show is part of the Album Covers Presents series.

The Wild Honey Foundation will screen a special sneak preview of director Justin Fielding’s long-awaited Power Pop Movie on August 17 at the Wild Honey Backyard Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. Musicians featured in the documentary include Marshall Crenshaw, Jody Stephens, Vicki Peterson and John Wicks. The Derrick Anderson Combo will perform a set at 7:00 pm before the film is screened. 

Guitarist-vocalist Dave Davies has a signing event for the recently released album The Kinks - The Journey Vol. 3 coming up at the Barnes & Noble store at 555 Fifth Avenue in New York at noon on August 7th. I bought the double CD version as a birthday present to myself.

Lollapalooza returns to Grant Park July 31 and will run through August 3 with headliners that include Tyler, The Creator; Olivia Rodrigo; Korn; and Sabrina Carpenter. Other notable acts would be Cage The Elephant; Ratboys; Foster The People, and Chicago Youth Symphony. Check the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times in the days preceding Lollapalooza; they usually provide recommendations on the must-see performers.

United Kingdom fans of The Hollies will be able to see three of the band’s most recent members in concert next month. Peter Howarth, who’s done a splendid job as The Hollies’ lead vocalist since 2004, has a show on August 23 at The Exchange venue in Sturminster Newton, Dorset. In addition to Hollies songs, the show will include selections from Only The Lonely - The Roy Orbison Story, a recent stage production in which Howarth played the starring role.

A week later, Rob Davis and Ray Stiles, the surviving members of MUD, will reunite to perform songs by that band at The Exchange. They’ll be joined by Pete Phipps, Keith Read, and Ian Parker. Stiles and Parker are both Hollies veterans. And for something completely different, Monty Python founding member John Cleese will appear at The Exchange on August 8. 

Several well-known acts will perform at the Evanston Folk Festival when it’s held September 6 and 7 at Dawes Park in Evanston, IL. Iron And Wine; Tune-Yards; Margo Price; Loudon Wainwright III; Steve Dawson and Diane Christiansen; The Milk Carton Kids; and Ezra Furman are among the scheduled acts. The festival will include three aftershows in nearby locations: Ani DiFranco with special guest Hurray for the Riff Raff at Cahn Auditorium on September 5; Songs Of Bob Dylan featuring Nora O’Connor, Nathan Graham, Steve Dawson, Gerald Dowd, and others at SPACE on September 6; and Roseanne Cash at Cahn Auditorium on September 7.

High Moon Records, which is known for its adventurous series of reissues, has released Sly And The Family Stone - The First Family: Live At Winchester Cathedral 1967. Available in CD or LP format, it includes a deluxe booklet, interviews with Stone and original band members, rare photos, and memorabilia.

The Lakeview East Festival Of The Arts returns for its 20th year on September 13 and 14, taking place on Broadway, between Belmont and Hawthorne. Over 120 artists will display their work, and performances on the two stages will include Steve Dawson and Diane Christiansen; Gerald Dowd; Gerald McClendon; The Band Calderisi; and Kent Rose And The Remedies.

The 60 Years Of Ronnie Wood Fearless Anthology will include his solo work as well as the time he’s spent performing with Rolling Stones, The Faces, Jeff Beck Group, The Birds, The Creation, Rod Stewart, and Ronnie Lane. Available as two LPs or two CDs, it’s due out September 26.

The Color Purple - The Musical will wrap up its successful, critically acclaimed run at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago on August 3. The production is directed by Lili-Anne Brown, with book by Marsha Norman, and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Alee Willis, and Stephen Bray.

Emmylou Harris will share a double bill with Graham Nash at the Tanglewood venue in Lenox, MA on July 29, as well as at the Wolf Trap National Park For The Performing Arts in Vienna, VA on July 31.

International Pop Overthrow returns to Los Angeles—the city of its birth—for the 26th time on August 1. The festival will feature over 60 acts and run through August 10 at the Redwood Bar; with one showcase being held at the Escondido venue on August 8.

Congratulations to vocalist Gerald McClendon, who’ll receive the Bobby Blue Bland Award when the 25th Annual Jus’ Blues Foundation holds its Night Of The Living Legends event on July 30 in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne will kick off his massive Who Is The Sky? Tour with a show in Providence, RI on September 14. The North American dates include October 28, 29, and 31 at The Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, as well as stops in Pittsburgh; Washington, D.C.; New York; Toronto; Denver; Dallas; and Miami Beach. After a few months off, Byrne will launch a series of European concerts on February 12, 2026. His new album Who Is The Sky? will be available in various formats on September 6.

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.

Depending on when you read this, you might be able to catch the DJ Phil Angotti Spins Mick Jagger’s 82nd Birthday event at Delilah’s on Chicago’s north side tonight. (Jagger’s birthday is actually on Saturday.) Angotti’s appearance at a venue usually involves him performing, but he has been known to showcase his record collection from time to time. The music starts at 8:00 pm, and there will be a 6:00 pm Old Pulteney Free Scotch Tasting.

Unfortunately, the Kevin Lee And The Kings performance scheduled for tonight at The Dock at Montrose Beach has been cancelled due to bad weather.

Chicago’s long-time indie rockers The Bad Examples will perform at the Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora, IL at 8:30 tomorrow night. As previously mentioned here on Broken Hearted Toy, lead vocalist-guitarist Ralph Covert creates songs that are reminiscent of the clever and melodic music of Squeeze. He has also been posting funny and fascinating tales on Facebook, based on his many years of touring with his band.

Paul Weller’s Find El Dorado collection of reinterpretations of other artists’ material will be released tomorrow. Robert Plant and Noel Gallagher are among the musicians who helped on the album.

Chicago’s critically acclaimed alt-rock band Eleventh Dream Day has a rare public performance coming up at 7:00 pm tomorrow at Horner Park. The show will take place at 2741 W. Montrose Avenue on the city’s north side.

The Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights, IL is having a Beach Party tomorrow night featuring Dave Rudolph. The singer-songwriter has released several albums, and is well known for his ability spin engaging tales through music. The fun starts at 7:30 pm, and admission is free.

The 13th Annual Homegrown Arts And Music Festival will be held this Saturday at the Basecamp venue in Four Lakes Lisle, IL. The Pino Farina Band will headline, and likely perform their new single “dominoes.” Other acts scheduled include The Citrosonics; Choose Your Character; and Modern Daybreak.

Singer-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen, with Edward Hasse on bass, will perform Vintage Love Songs - A Re-imagining Of The Great American Songbook And More tomorrow night at Foxy’s Hideaway in East Dundee. The music starts at 7:30; Foxy’s Hideaway is located at 319 Meier St, East Dundee on the Square.

As of tomorrow, the Think Like A Key Music site will have CD copies of McLuhan’s Anomaly album for sale. The adventurous seven-piece Chicago band—inspired by philosopher Marshall McLuhan—has been selling vinyl copies of that recently re-released, ground-breaking debut at its gigs.

Best wishes to Vinto Van Go for success on its upcoming road trip. The Chicago-based band will bring its mix of psychedelia and garage rock to Buttonwoods Brewery in Providence, RI tomorrow; sharing the bill with The Bickersins and Sourpunch. On Saturday, Vinto Van Go arrives at the Parkside Lounge in New York to join a multi-act show with Density Black Cat, Psych-O-Positive, GoJuMo, and Steve Krebs & The Maynard G’s.

Windy City Market will present the 6 Corners Vintage And Artisan Fest this Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free and over 100 vendors will be on hand, along with live entertainment. The event takes place 11:00 am - 6:00 pm at 4800 W. Irving Park on Chicago’s north side.

Incoming

Photo of Peter Howarth from The Exchange Sturminster Newton Facebook page.

United Kingdom fans of The Hollies will be able to see three of the band’s most recent members in concert next month. Peter Howarth, who’s done a splendid job as The Hollies’ lead vocalist since 2004, has a show on August 23 at The Exchange venue in Sturminster Newton, Dorset. In addition to Hollies songs, the show will include selections from Only The Lonely - The Roy Orbison Story, a recent stage production in which Howarth played the starring role.

A week later, Rob Davis and Ray Stiles, the surviving members of MUD, will reunite to perform songs by that band at The Exchange. They’ll be joined by Pete Phipps, Keith Read, and Ian Parker. Stiles and Parker are both Hollies veterans. And for something completely different, Monty Python founding member John Cleese will appear at The Exchange on August 8.

Meanwhile, former Hollies member Graham Nash is back on the road for the summer dates of his U.S. More Evenings And Stories 2025 Tour. He has a concert tonight in Martha’s Vineyard, MA; and shows later this week in North Truro, MA; Groton, MA; and Arundel, ME. See his official Facebook page or website for the full schedule. 

Chicago’s long-time, critically acclaimed alt-rock band Eleventh Dream Day has a rare public performance coming up at 7:00 pm this Friday at Horner Park. The show will take place at 2741 W. Montrose Avenue on the city’s north side.

The Pino Farina Band will perform this Wednesday night at The Arboretum Of South Barrington, as part of the Wickstrom Auto Group Concerts at The Arb series. The music starts at 6:30 pm. 

Kevin Lee And The Kings, long-time masters of melodic, hard-edged rock, will perform at The Dock at Montrose Beach this Thursday from 7:00 to 10:00 pm. Singer-guitarist Scott Niekelski, who has a solo career in addition to fronting the popular Go Time! band, will serve as opening act.

Singer-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen, a former member of the power pop bands The Abbeys and Pop Dollys, has embarked on a successful career performing selections from The Great American Songbook at dinner clubs. Foxy’s Hideaway in East Dundee, which Cohen describes as “a Martini Bar/Craft Cocktails place,” sounds like a good match. He’ll perform with Edward Hasse on bass from 7:30 to 10:30 pm this Friday. Foxy’s Hideaway is located at 319 Meier St, East Dundee on the Square.

The 2025 Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, IL is well underway and will run through the end of August. This coming week brings concerts by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with special guest Brit Taylor on the Carousel Stage tomorrow; alt rock nonconformist Beck backed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on Wednesday; and Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms, and Spin Doctors on Saturday.

Best wishes to Vinto Van Go for success on its upcoming road trip. The Chicago-based band will bring its mix of psychedelia and garage rock to Buttonwoods Brewery in Providence, RI on July 25; sharing the bill with The Bickersins and Sourpunch. A day later, Vinto Van Go arrives at the Parkside Lounge in New York to join a multi-act show with Density Black Cat, Psych-O-Positive, GoJuMo,  and Steve Krebs & The Maynard G’s.

Windy City Market will present the 6 Corners Vintage And Artisan Fest this Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free and over 100 vendors will be on hand, along with live entertainment. The event takes place 11:00 am - 6:00 pm at 4800 W. Irving Park on Chicago’s north side.

The 13th annual Homegrown Arts And Music Festival will be held this Saturday at the Basecamp venue in Four Lakes Lisle, IL. Pino Farina Band will headline; other acts include The Citrosonics; Choose Your Character; and Modern Daybreak.

The Bad Examples will perform at Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora, IL this Friday. As previously mentioned here on Broken Hearted Toy, lead vocalist-guitarist Ralph Covert composes songs that are reminiscent of the clever and melodic music of Squeeze.

Paul Weller’s Find El Dorado collection of reinterpretations of other artists’ material will be released this Friday. Robert Plant and Noel Gallagher are among the musicians who helped on the album.

As of this Friday, the Think Like A Key Music site will have CD copies of McLuhan’s Anomaly album for sale. The adventurous seven-piece Chicago band—inspired by philosopher Marshall McLuhan—has been selling vinyl copies of that recently re-released, ground-breaking debut at its gigs. McLuhan will share an afternoon double bill with Esmeralda’s Boys on August 3 at Montrose Saloon. The music starts at 2:00 pm.

The REEL Underground will screen Come Feel Me Tremble: The Paul Westerberg Documentary at Montrose Saloon at 6:00 pm this Wednesday. There will also be a live set of Westerberg covers by Trash Kickers and music spun by DJ Louie B.

Chicago-based band whitewolfsonicprincess, whose enchanting approach to alt rock on their albums earned them a song on a recent compilation released by the U.K.-based Fruits De Mer Records, will share a bill with The Honey Whites this Wednesday at SPACE in Evanston. The latter will be performing a tribute to the Boston-based alt rock band Morphine.

The official post office will release a 20-stamp collection featuring the work of artist Chris Ware, who’s known for his New Yorker cover illustrations and comic characters, this Wednesday. The price is $15.60 per sheet.

Saturday Slumgullion

Photo from Ronnie Wood Facebook page.

The 60 Years Of Ronnie Wood Fearless Anthology will include his solo work as well as the time he’s spent performing with Rolling Stones, The Faces, Jeff Beck Group, The Birds, The Creation, Rod Stewart, and Ronnie Lane. Available as two LPs or two CDs, it’s due out September 26.

Several well-known acts will perform at the Evanston Folk Festival when it’s held September 6 and 7 at Dawes Park in Evanston, IL. Iron And Wine; Tune-Yards; Margo Price; Loudon Wainwright III; Steve Dawson and Diane Christiansen; The Milk Carton Kids; and Ezra Furman are among the scheduled acts. The festival will include three aftershows in nearby locations: Ani DiFranco with special guest Hurray for the Riff Raff at Cahn Auditorium on September 5; Songs Of Bob Dylan featuring Nora O’Connor, Nathan Graham, Steve Dawson, Gerald Dowd, and others at SPACE on September 6; and Roseanne Cash at Cahn Auditorium on September 7.

As The Zombies traveled across the U.S. for screenings of Hung Up On A Dream: The Zombies Documentary, the Pioneer Club in Albans, UK unveiled a mural created by the artists at antsgraff depicting the British Invasion band on one of its outdoor walls. Check out the July 5 post on The Zombies official Facebook page for a peek.

New York City alt rock/punk/Americana band St. Divine will be in Chicago on August 9 to join Pravda Records indie rockers The Handcuffs at The Hideout on the city’s north side. Local storyteller Steve Silver will be the opening act. 

High Moon Records, which is known for its adventurous series of reissues, released Sly And The Family Stone - The First Family: Live At Winchester Cathedral 1967 yesterday. Available in CD or LP format, it includes a deluxe booklet, interviews with Stone and original band members, rare photos, and memorabilia.

The Lakeview East Festival Of The Arts returns for its 20th year on September 13 and 14, taking place on Broadway, between Belmont and Hawthorne. Over 120 artists will display their work, and performances on the two stages will include Steve Dawson and Diane Christiansen; Gerald Dowd; Gerald McClendon; The Band Calderisi; and Kent Rose And The Remedies.

Philatelists with a passion for indie comic artists will likely flip over the official post office release of a 20-stamp collection featuring the work of Chris Ware. As noted in a recent Chicago Sun-Times article by Courtney Kueppers, the $15.60 sheet “tells both an individual and collective story that progresses, top to bottom, through the four seasons of the year.” Ware is known for his Jimmy Corrigan and Rusty Brown characters, as well as for his New Yorker covers.

The 2025 Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, IL is well underway and will run through the end of August. This coming week brings concerts by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with special guest Brit Taylor on the Carousel Stage on Tuesday; alt rock nonconformist Beck backed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on Wednesday; and Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms, and Spin Doctors on Saturday.

Random House will publish a book of personal photographs George Harrison took of his fellow Beatles in the years 1963 –1969. It’s titled The Third Eye and will arrive a little over a year from now. Over 250 color and black and white photographs are being compiled and curated by Olivia Harrison, who will also contribute an essay to her late husband’s book. The website describes the photos as “of the Beatles at work and at play, from Liverpool to Shea Stadium to Adelaide to India, all taken by Harrison.”

Speaking of books, The 40th Annual Printers Row Lit Fest will take place on the weekend of September 6 and 7 on South Dearborn Street, from Ida B. Wells to Polk Street in the south end of downtown Chicago. The event will feature over 200 presenters, 70 programs, and 150 booksellers and exhibitors. Admission is free.

International Pop Overthrow returns to Los Angeles—the city of its birth—for the 26th time on August 1. The festival will feature over 60 acts and run through August 10 at the Redwood Bar; with one showcase being held at the Escondido venue on August 8.

Lollapalooza returns to Grant Park on the long weekend of July 31 through August 3 with headliners that include Tyler, The Creator; Olivia Rodrigo; Korn; and Sabrina Carpenter. Other notable acts would be Cage The Elephant; Ratboys; Foster The People, and Chicago Youth Symphony. Check the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times in the days preceding Lollapalooza; they usually provide recommendations on the must-see performers.

Paul Weller’s Find El Dorado collection of reinterpretations of other artists’ material will be released on July 25. Robert Plant and Noel Gallagher are among the musicians who helped on the album.

Emmylou Harris will share a double bill with Graham Nash at the Tanglewood venue in Lenox, MA on July 29, as well as at the Wolf Trap National Park For The Performing Arts in Vienna, VA on July 31.

Steven Delisi, a founding member of the Chicago-based power pop band/International Pop Overthrow veterans The Thin Cherries, has a new single coming out August 1. The catchy indie rocker “When You Say” will be available on his Bandcamp page, and finds Delisi once again getting solid support from local musicians John Abbey, Gerald Dowd, and Mike Hagler.

Windy City Market will present the 6 Corners Vintage And Artisan Fest on July 26 and 27. Admission is free and over 100 vendors will be on hand, along with live entertainment. The event takes place 11:00 am - 6:00 pm at 4800 W. Irving Park on Chicago’s north side.

The Bad Examples will perform at Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora, IL on July 25. As previously mentioned here on Broken Hearted Toy, the band’s vocalist-guitarist Ralph Covert creates songs that are reminiscent of the clever and melodic music of Squeeze.

Tickets are now on sale for The Who - The Song Is Over - The North American Farewell Tour concerts on September 7 and 9 at the United Center In Chicago. Other stops include Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Toronto, Hollywood, Vancouver, Seattle, and Las Vegas.

The Color Purple - The Musical is currently playing at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, and has drawn positive reviews in the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. The production is directed by Lili-Anne Brown, with book by Marsha Norman, and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Alee Willis, and Stephen Bray.

Best wishes to Vinto Van Go for success on its upcoming road trip. The Chicago-based band will bring its mix of psychedelia and garage rock to Buttonwoods Brewery in Providence, RI on July 25; sharing the bill with The Bickersins and Sourpunch. A day later, Vinto Van Go arrives at the Parkside Lounge in New York to join a multi-act show with Density Black Cat, Psych-O-Positive, GoJuMo, and Steve Krebs & The Maynard G’s.

Chicago’s long-time, critically acclaimed alt-rock band Eleventh Dream Day has a rare public performance coming up at 7:00 pm on July 25 at Horner Park. The show will take place at 2741 W. Montrose Avenue on the city’s north side.

Chicago-based band whitewolfsonicprincess, whose enchanting approach to alt rock earned them a song on a recent compilation released by the U.K.-based Fruits De Mer Records, will share a bill with The Honey Whites on July 23 at SPACE in Evanston. The latter will be performing a tribute to the Boston-based alt rock band Morphine.

The seven-piece Chicago band McLuhan has been selling vinyl copies of its ground-breaking and recently re-released album Anomaly at gigs, and as of July 25, McLuhan will have CD copies of that album for sale via Think Like A Key Music. McLuhan will share an afternoon double bill with Esmeralda’s Boys on August 3 at Montrose Saloon. The music starts at 2:00 pm.

We must be in heaven, man. Chicagoans can bask in some genuine counter-culture vibes this summer via the Tributosaurus Becomes Woodstock concert at FitzGerald’s Outdoors on August 23 in Berwyn. Also, YippieFest, a freewheeling celebration of the performing arts, takes place August 15 – 17 at Chopin Theatre on Chicago’s north side. Hosted by longtime sketch/musical comedy group Famous In The Future, YippieFest is inspired by the Abby Fest that was staged for many years by Mary-Arrchie Theatre, which in turn, was inspired by Woodstock.

Congratulations to vocalist Gerald McClendon, who’ll receive the Bobby Blue Bland Award when the 25th Annual Jus’ Blues Foundation holds its Night Of The Living Legends event on July 30 in Biloxi, Mississippi.

The REEL Underground will screen Come Feel Me Tremble: The Paul Westerberg Documentary at Montrose Saloon at 6:00 pm on July 23. There will also be a live set of Westerberg covers by Trash Kickers and music spun by DJ Louie B.

The 13th annual Homegrown Arts And Music Festival will be held on July 26 at the Basecamp venue in Four Lakes Lisle, IL. Pino Farina Band will headline; other acts include The Citrosonics; Choose Your Character; and Modern Daybreak.

Weekend Reminders

Robert Plant photo from Old Town School Of Folk Music email

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.

General public tickets go on sale tomorrow for the North American dates on Robert Plant’s Saving Grace Featuring Vocalist Suzi Dian tour. That includes Chicago concerts at The Vic Theatre on November 12  and The Old Town School Of Folk Music on November 13. Other stops include Washington, DC; New York; Boston; Toronto; Vancouver; Seattle; and Los Angeles. The album Saving Grace is due out on September 26.

Depending on when Chicagoans read this, they could still catch local power pop masters Dolph Chaney and The Phins, along with Fresno, CA psych/pop quintet Blake Jones and the Trike Shop, and Chicago-based satiric rockers The Embryos tonight at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. The music starts at 7:00 pm. And this Saturday at Montrose Saloon, Tiny Airfares; Superfrye And The Valiant ‘72s; Go Time!; and Bishop’s Daredevil Stunt Club will all perform.

Depending on when Brooklyn, NY residents read this, they could still catch Grace Catherine Campbell and Sarah High performing a free show tonight at Dear Friend Books. Campbell’s cover version of “In My Room” by The Beach Boys has been picking up a lot of airplay. The music starts at 8:00 pm.

The WXRT Live From The XRT Concert Archives series continues tomorrow night at 9:00 pm with an August 26, 1990 performance by Santana recorded at The World Music Theatre in Tinley Park, IL. The concert can be heard on  93.1FM; 93XRT.com; and the Audacy app.

Imperial Oak Brewing in Brookfield, IL will host the Beats And Brews 2K25 festival today through Sunday. There will be live performances by Jared Rabin and DILFS tomorrow; The Nobodies, Aimont Moon, and Outronaut on Saturday; and Phil Angotti And Friends on Sunday. 

Tickets go on sale tomorrow for the Jeff Tweedy with Macie Stewart concert at The Salt Shed on November 1. The concert is part of the Twilight Overide world tour that kicks off in Three Oaks, MI on October 8 and ends on February, 2026 in London. Depending on the location, Tweedy will be joined in the U.S. by Macie Stewart, Sima Cunningham, or Liam Kazar. His solo album Twilight Overide is due out September 26.

Congratulations to Martyrs’ on 30 years of bringing live music to Chicago’s Lincoln Park area. The venue will celebrate this Saturday afternoon with three acts, starting at 3:00 pm.

Silversun Pickups, the Los Angeles indie band whose catchy and energetic single “Panic Switch” rocked radio and music video stations back in 2009, will perform in Fargo, ND tomorrow night; St. Paul, MN Saturday night, and at The Riviera Theatre in Chicago this Sunday. Their tour runs through September 7, and will likely feature songs from their 2022 album Physical Thrills.

The Wheaton Park District’s Concerts At Memorial Park series will present a double bill of the Sons Of The Silent Age David Bowie tribute band and the Big Suit Talking Heads tribute band tomorrow night. The music starts at 8:00 pm; Memorial Park is located at 225 Karlskoga St. in Wheaton, IL.

Chicago singer-songwriter AJ Rosales will likely tap into material from his very recently released Phasedrift album tomorrow night at Gallery Cabaret. The evening will also feature Rosales honoring his late mother by playing some of her favorite songs. The show starts at 9:00 pm.

The 99 Years Of Rock ’N Roll X And Los Lobos Tour kicks off this Saturday in Denver. Other stops include Salt Lake City, Toronto, Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Seattle, and the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on October 16. Each of these Los Angeles groundbreaking bands will feature all original members.

The indie label Kool Kat Musik will release Pop Aid 3: A Pop Compilation To Benefit Those Affected By The California Wildfires tomorrow. The double-CD will feature 30 previously unreleased songs; participating acts include Go Time!, Scott McCarl, Herb Eimerman, Coke Belda, and Richard Turgeon. 100% of net profits from Pop Aid 3 will go directly to the American Red Cross. Kool Kat Musik previously released Pop Aid 2: A Compilation To Benefit Those Affected By Hurricanes Helene & Milton and Pop Aid: A Power Pop Compilation to Benefit the Citizens of Ukraine.

Casey McDonough and Phil Angotti, who’ve performed together in various lineups, in addition to their own successful careers, will perform a free show at Cary’s Lounge on Chicago’s north side tomorrow night. The music starts at 8:30 pm. Veteran country and western act Kent Rose And The Remedies will perform at that same venue this Sunday from 4:00 – 7:00 pm.  Cary’s Lounge is located at 2251 W. Devon.

Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia - A Mod Ballet, based on Rachel Fuller’s rearranged and orchestrated version of The Who’s 1973 double LP, will run through Saturday at The Lowry in Salford. Paul Roberts is the choreographer and Rob Ashford is the director for this production.

The Chicago-based power trio Triple will share the bill with Medicine Ball and Brother Wolf at Liar’s Club (1665 W. Fullerton) night this Friday night. The music starts at 10:00 pm.

Incoming

Photo from the official George Harrison Facebook page.

The Eye Of The Beatle. As noted on the official George Harrison website, Random House will publish a book of personal photographs he took of his fellow Beatles in the years 1963 –1969. It’s titled The Third Eye and will arrive a little over a year from now. Over 250 color and black and white photographs are being compiled and curated by Olivia Harrison, who will also contribute an essay to her late husband’s book. The website describes the photos as “of the Beatles at work and at play, from Liverpool to Shea Stadium to Adelaide to India, all taken by Harrison.”

Speaking of books, the 40th Annual Printers Row Lit Fest will take place on the weekend of September 6 and 7 on South Dearborn Street, from Ida B. Wells to Polk Street in the south end of downtown Chicago. The event will feature over 200 presenters, 70 programs, and 150 booksellers and exhibitors. Admission is free.

Pre-sale tickets go on sale tomorrow for Paul McCartney’s Got Back North American Tour 2025, which kicks off in Palm Desert, CA on September 29. Other stops include Las Vegas; Minneapolis; Tulsa; New Orleans; Atlanta; Nashville; 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.

Vocalist-guitarist Ralph Covert of Chicago-based indie rockers The Bad Examples recently posted on Facebook that he has over 50 gigs scheduled for this summer. That might include Ralph’s World events (his kids-rock side project), but at any rate, The Bad Examples will perform at Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora, IL on July 25. As previously mentioned here on Broken Hearted Toy, Covert creates songs with The Bad Examples that are reminiscent of the clever and melodic music of Squeeze.

After taking a short break, Graham Nash is back on the road for the summer dates of his U.S. More Evenings And Stories 2025 Tour. He has two shows this week in Homer, NY; followed by ones in Plymouth, MA and Cranston, RI. See his official Facebook page or website for the full schedule.

Windy City Market will present the 6 Corners Vintage And Artisan Fest on July 26 and 27. Admission is free and over 100 vendors will be on hand, along with live entertainment. The event takes place 11:00 am - 6:00 pm at 4800 W. Irving Park on Chicago’s north side.

Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia - A Mod Ballet, based on Rachel Fuller’s rearranged and orchestrated version of The Who’s 1973 double LP, will run tomorrow through Saturday at The Lowry in Salford in England. Paul Roberts is the choreographer and Rob Ashford is the director for this production.

The Wheaton Park District’s Concerts At Memorial Park series will present a double bill of the Sons Of The Silent Age David Bowie tribute band and the Big Suit Talking Heads tribute band on July 18. The music starts at 8:00 pm; Memorial Park is located at 225 Karlskoga St. in Wheaton, IL.

The 13th annual Homegrown Arts And Music Festival will be held on July 26 at the Basecamp venue in Four Lakes Lisle, IL. Pino Farina Band will headline; other acts include The Citrosonics; Choose Your Character; and Modern Daybreak. 

Local power pop masters Dolph Chaney and The Phins will have company this Thursday night at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Fresno, CA psych/pop quintet Blake Jones and the Trike Shop, along with Chicago-based satiric rockers The Embryos, will also perform that night. The music starts at 7:00 pm. Two nights, later, four bands will share the bill at Montrose Saloon; Tiny Airfares, Superfrye And The Valiant ‘72s, Go Time!, and Bishop’s Daredevil Stunt Club.

The indie label Kool Kat Musik will release Pop Aid 3: A Pop Compilation To Benefit Those Affected By The California Wildfires this Friday. The double-CD will feature 30 previously unreleased songs; participating acts include Go Time!, Scott McCarl, Herb Eimerman, Coke Belda, and Richard Turgeon. 100% of net profits from Pop Aid 3 will go directly to the American Red Cross. Kool Kat Musik previously released Pop Aid 2: A Compilation To Benefit Those Affected By Hurricanes Helene & Milton and Pop Aid: A Power Pop Compilation to Benefit the Citizens of Ukraine.

Chicago singer-songwriter AJ Rosales will likely tap into material from his very recently released Phasedrift album at Gallery Cabaret this Friday night. The evening will also feature Rosales honoring his late mother by playing some of her favorite songs. The show starts at 9:00 pm.

Veteran country and western act Kent Rose And The Remedies will perform at Cary’s Lounge 2251 W. Devon this Sunday from 4:00 – 7:00 pm.

The Chicago-based power trio Triple will share the bill with Medicine Ball and Brother Wolf at Liar’s Club (1665 W. Fullerton) night this Friday night. The music starts at 10:00 pm.

The 99 Years Of Rock ’N Roll X And Los Lobos Tour kicks off this Saturday in Denver. Other stops include Salt Lake City, Toronto, Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Seattle, and the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on October 16. Each of these Los Angeles groundbreaking bands will feature all original members.

Saturday Slumgullion

Tickets are now on sale for The Who - The Song Is Over - The North American Farewell Tour concerts on September 7 and 9 at the United Center In Chicago. Other stops include Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Toronto, Hollywood, Vancouver, Seattle, and Las Vegas.

The Wheaton Park District’s Concerts At Memorial Park series will present a double bill of the Sons Of The Silent Age David Bowie tribute band and the Big Suit Talking Heads tribute band on July 18. The music starts at 8:00 pm; Memorial Park is located at 225 Karlskoga St. in Wheaton, IL.

The 60 Years Of Ronnie Wood Fearless Anthology will include his solo work as well as the time he’s spent performing with Rolling Stones, The Faces, Jeff Beck Group, The Birds, The Creation, Rod Stewart, and Ronnie Lane. Available as two LPs or two CDs, it’s scheduled to drop on September 26.

Local power pop masters Dolph Chaney and The Phins will have company on the final night of their 2025 Thursday residency at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Fresno, CA psych/pop quintet Blake Jones and the Trike Shop, along with Chicago-based satiric rockers The Embryos, will also perform that night. The music starts at 7:00 pm.

Pre-sale tickets go on sale this Tuesday for Paul McCartney’s Got Back North American Tour 2025, which kicks off in Palm Desert, CA on September 29. Other stops include Las Vegas; Minneapolis; Tulsa; New Orleans; Atlanta; Nashville; 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.

The Color Purple - The Musical recently opened at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, and has drawn positive reviews in the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. The production is directed by Lili-Anne Brown, with book by Marsha Norman, and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Alee Willis, and Stephen Bray.

After taking a short break, Graham Nash is back on the road for the summer dates of his U.S. More Evenings And Stories 2025 Tour. He has two shows next week in Homer, NY; followed by ones in Plymouth, MA and Cranston, RI. See his official Facebook page or website for the full schedule.

Push Puppets recently posted an imaginative video (production by Scott Thiele and Sebastian Gonzales) for “Launching A Satellite” on its official Facebook page.  The song is from the Chicago area band’s fourth album Tethered Together album, which once again offers melodic, well-crafted indie rock.

I recently discovered the Irish Rock ’N’ Roll Experience in Dublin has an online store that carries t-shirts, postcards, hats, magnets, posters, and other memorabilia related to acts such as U2, Thin Lizzy, The Cranberries, Rory Gallagher, Horslips, The Pogues, and the museum itself. I ordered €35.00 EUR worth of merch, so I’ll have to see how that translates into American dollars.

Chicago singer-songwriter AJ Rosales will likely tap into material from his very recently released Phasedrift album at Gallery Cabaret on July 18. The evening will also feature Rosales honoring his late mother by playing some of her favorite songs. The show starts at 9:00 pm.

The 99 Years Of Rock ’N Roll X And Los Lobos Tour kicks off on July 19 in Denver, and will include a show on October 16 at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. Other stops include Salt Lake City, Toronto, Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Seattle. Each of these Los Angeles groundbreaking bands will feature all original members.

Best wishes to Vinto Van Go for success on its upcoming road trip. The Chicago-based band will bring its mix of psychedelia and garage rock to Buttonwoods Brewery in Providence, RI on July 25; sharing the bill with The Bickersins and Sourpunch. A day later, Vinto Van Go arrives at the Parkside Lounge in New York to join a multi-act show with Density Black Cat, Psych-O-Positive, GoJuMo,  and Steve Krebs & The Maynard G’s.

Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne will kick off his massive Who Is The Sky? Tour with a show in Providence, RI on September 14. The North American dates include October 28, 29, and 31 at The Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, as well as stops in Pittsburgh; Washington, D.C.; New York; Toronto; Denver; Dallas; and Miami Beach. After a few months off, Byrne will launch a series of European concerts on February 12, 2026. His new album Who Is The Sky? will be available in various formats on September 6.

Chicago’s long-time, critically acclaimed alt-rock band Eleventh Dream Day has a rare public performance coming up at 7:00 pm on July 25 at Horner Park. The show will take place at 2741 W. Montrose Avenue on the city’s north side.

Paul Weller’s Find El Dorado collection of reinterpretations of other artists’ material will be released on July 25. Robert Plant and Noel Gallagher are among the musicians who helped on the album.

Tickets are now on sale for Roger McGuinn’s September 10 concert at The North Shore Center in Skokie, IL.

Milwaukee-based power pop band Trolley will release its first new album in five years on October 3. In the meantime, the catchy single “A Carnival Of Black And White” is available via Bandcamp.

As mentioned here in previous posts, McLuhan has been selling vinyl copies of its ground-breaking and recently re-released album Anomaly at gigs. As of July 25, the adventurous seven-piece Chicago band inspired by philosopher Marshall McLuhan will have CD copies of that album for sale via Think Like A Key Music. McLuhan will share an afternoon double bill with Esmeralda’s Boys on August 3 at Montrose Saloon. The music starts at 2:00 pm.

The indie label Kool Kat Musik will release Pop Aid 3: A Pop Compilation To Benefit Those Affected By The California Wildfires on July 18. The double-CD will feature 30 previously unreleased songs; participating acts include Go Time!, Scott McCarl, Herb Eimerman, Coke Belda, and Richard Turgeon. 100% of net profits from Pop Aid 3 will go directly to the American Red Cross. Kool Kat Musik previously released Pop Aid 2: A Compilation To Benefit Those Affected By Hurricanes Helene & Milton and Pop Aid: A Power Pop Compilation to Benefit the Citizens of Ukraine.

Enter Xeno, the latest release from the adventurous prog rock band Custard Flux, is now available in vinyl, with a bonus seven-inch single, 16-page booklet, and sticker. Custard Flux is led by The Luck Of Eden Hall founding member Gregory Curvey.

Material Issue, the Chicago power pop trio that scored MTV hits such as “Valerie Loves Me” and “Diane” back in the early 1990s, and later returned with new vocalist-guitarist Phil Angotti, have a show coming up at the north-side venue Schubas on September 17.

Alaskan singer-songwriter Mark Ward has released an album of cover versions titled Translator that pays homage to the acts he listened to on a transistor radio as a boy. The revved-up takes on Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind” and R. Dean Taylor’s “Indiana Wants Me” are particularly entertaining. Translator is available for download and CD on Ward’s Bandcamp page.

YippieFest will return for its ninth year on the weekend of August 15 – 17 at Chopin Theatre on Chicago’s north side. The freewheeling entertainment event—once again hosted by the sketch/musical comedy group Famous In The Future—is inspired by the annual Abby Fest that was staged by Mary-Arrchie Theatre for several years. For the third year, YippieFest will donate all proceeds to local charities. This year’s recipients will be Howard Brown Health, Deborah’s Place, and Northwestern Settlement Food Pantry.