Incoming

Ringo Starr is about to release a new full album—as opposed to the occasional EP—for the first time in five years. Look Up, which finds the former Beatle exploring country music again, will be available on CD, LP, and digital formats this Friday from his official website, as well as from The Fest For Beatles Fans online store.

Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, IL will kick off its annual Women’s Jazz Festival tomorrow and it will run through Saturday. See the official Hey Nonny website for the full festival lineup.

Congratulations to Bono from U2 on being one of the 19 recipients of a Presidential Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden this past Saturday. Bono’s 2022 memoir Surrender offers several examples of how he’s reached out to government officials, charitable organizations, and business leaders for help on numerous worthy causes throughout his career.

Chicago-based, guitar-powered instrumental band Outronaut will likely showcase its two latest songs, “The Final Beast” and “Riot Flower,” when it performs at at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL on January 25. Both tracks, as well as earlier released material, are available to download on the Outronaut Bandcamp page.

 

“A Thousand Times,” the first single fromVicki Peterson and John Cowsill’s new album will be released on January 24. In related news, John Cowsill will be the guest vocalist for The Smithereens on their upcoming spring tour. One of the dates already announced is April 25 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, IL.

The Joey’s Song Freezing Man Festival starts this Wednesday, and will run through Saturday at the Majestic Theater in Madison, WI. The annual charity event raises funds to find treatments and cures for epilepsy. The lineup includes Jon Auer; Debbi and Vicki Peterson; The Breeders; Belly; The Know-It-All Boyfriends; Letters To Cleo; John Cowsill; Garbage; Screaming Females; Kenny Hoopla; Freedy Johnston; Portugal. The Man; Silversun Pickups; Heather Porcaro; Steve Porcaro; The Goo Goo Dolls; Sierra Swan; and The Nielsen Trust. Several of these acts will join together for the finale on Saturday.

Lee Ketch from the Chicago-based indie rock band Mooner has a solo gig coming up at Constellation this Friday, as the opening act for singer-songwriter Daniel Knox. Constellation is located at 3111 N. Western, the former home of the Viaduct Theater. Ketch recently released new material on his Bandcamp page. Proceeds from these songs will be donated to Nourishing Hope Food Pantry, Chicago, IL.

Steve Barton will have a record release show for Time Hard Won at the Showdown Saloon in Portland Oregon this Sunday. The former Translator member stated in a recent Facebook post that he and a full band will perform the entire album, along with a few songs from “my past and future.” Americana singer-guitarist Nina Yates will be the opening act.

Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy will provide a preview of their upcoming R.E.M. Fables Of The Reconstruction tribute tour on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon this Wednesday. That’s according to a recent Facebook post from Dag Juhlin, the guitarist-vocalist who’ll be touring with them again.

Sons Of The Silent Age, Chicago’s impressive David Bowie tribute band, has a Celebrating 50 Years Of David Bowie’s Young Americans And More show coming to Metro this Saturday. Michael Shannon, who frequently shares a bill with Sons Of The Silent Age, will perform that night as John Lennon. Metro is located at 3730 N. Clark Street.