Incoming

U.K. band The Kooks have given us engaging tunes such as “Initials For Gainsbourg,” “Pamela,” and “She Moves In Her Own Way,” and they’ll kick off the North American leg of their All Over The World Tour with LovelyTheBand on May 27 in Montreal. They’ll drop by The Salt Shed in Chicago on June 9. The Kooks’ latest album, Never/Know, is due out May 9, and is currently available to pre-order.

The 42nd American Music Festival will take place July 3 – 6 at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, and as usual, the lineup is impressive. Scheduled performers include Lee Fields; JD McPherson; Samantha Fish; The Wallflowers; CJ Chenier And The Red Hot Louisiana Band; The Watson Twins; The Western Elstons; Joel Paterson; and Sunshine Boys. 

Sly Lives! (AKA The Burden Of Black Genius), a Sly Stone documentary directed by Questlove, was recently screened at the Sundance Film Festival and will be available via Disney+ and hulu starting this Thursday.

Independent radio station CHIRP 107.1 FM will present a screening of director Allan Moyer’s 1995 film Empire Records tomorrow night at the GMan venue on Chicago’s north side. The plot concerns a record store in danger of closing, and stars Anthony LaPaglia and Liv Tyler. Who would have guessed back then vinyl records would still be thriving 30 years later? CHIRP suggests attendees wear 90s-related outfits and arrive early “for soundtrack-related trivia and prizes.” Doors open at 6:30 pm; GMan is located at 3740 N. Clark.

Singer-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen has been doing quite well performing selections from the Great American Songbook, and he has a special Valentine’s Day show coming up at Tuscan Market (141 W. Wing Street) in Arlington Heights this Friday. Cohen played his first gig at that venue three years ago, on Valentine’s Day.

Depending on when you read this, you can celebrate Valentine’s Day a bit early with Phil Angotti And Friends at SPACE in Evanston. They’ll perform love songs by Buddy Holly, Elton John, The Beatles, and other famous music acts starting at 7:30 tonight.

This year’s Chicago Theatre Week event started last week and will run through this Sunday. Several of the city’s best-known venues are offering discount prices on comedies, dramas, musicals, improv, and concerts. Participants include Goodman Theatre; A Red Orchid Theatre; Lookingglass Theatre; Chicago Shakespeare Company; and Steppenwolf Theatre.

The Chicago-based alt rock band whitewolfsonicprincess will be part of a special Valentine’s Day event at the Picnic Wine and Provisions shop this Friday. Cin Salach will open the evening with a set of her poetry. Picnic Wine and Provisions is located at 7301 N. Sheridan on Chicago’s far north side. Love Without Fear, the most recent release from whitewolfsonicprincess, has been garnering lots of favorable reviews.