Incoming

Happy Belated Birthday to Colin Blunstone from The Zombies. Several years ago, I did a telephone interview with him for the Illinois Entertainer regarding an upcoming solo concert at City Winery Chicago, and he was amazingly friendly. “I’ve rather enjoyed our chat,” he said as we wrapped up. Audience response throughout that show was enthusiastic even though Blunstone’s solo albums were much more successful in Europe than here in the States. Toward the end, he rewarded our support by launching into “Time Of The Season,” and a few other Zombies hits. These days, The Zombies are busy promoting director Robert Schwartzman’s documentary about them, Hung Up On A Dream.

 Also, a Belated Happy Birthday goes out to drummer Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac.

The Handcuffs’ busy summer continues with a gig this Friday on the Patio at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL. The Chicago-based indie rockers have four well-crafted albums to draw material from, as well as some new songs that will be on their next release. Admission is free; the music starts at 7:00 pm.

Happy Global Beatles Day, the annual celebration where we all reflect on how much these guys changed music, culture, and film; while proclaiming a message of love and peace. Listen to your favorite Beatles album today and shut out the rest of the world for a while.

The Phil Angotti Plays His Own Birthday event planned for this Friday night at Blue Island Beer Co. has been rescheduled for Sunday afternoon at the same venue. After an opening set by Casey McDonough, Angotti will perform songs from his impressive new solo effort Notebook Head. His power pop band The Idea will close out the festivities.

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.

Outronaut will share a triple bill with fellow Chicago area recording artists Man’s Body and Nice Motor tomorrow night at Liar’s Club on the city’s north side. Outronaut, a guitar-powered instrumental band, recently released an extensive and ambitious new tune titled “Demonic Republic.”

I’m proud to share the news that my nephew Joe Flamm will co-chair this year’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry, along with fellow successful chef Diana Davila, this Friday. The event will be held at Rockwell On The River (3057 N. Rockwell) and feature 50 chefs and mixologists. Several well-known Chicago area restaurants will be involved, including Joe’s Rose Mary and il Carciofo; and Diana’s Mi Tocaya Antojeria. General Admission is $150, while an All Access Pass is $200.

42 Balloons, a play that weaves a 1980s-inspired pop music score into the tale based on an actual 1982 event when a Los Angeles man attached weather balloons to a chair and sailed upward, will wrap up its run at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s this Sunday.

We lost another major player in the rock and roll world with the recent passing of Mick Ralphs, a founding member of Bad Company and Mott The Hoople. I bought Bad Company’s classic self-titled debut when it was released in 1974, and saw the band open for Black Oak Arkansas at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. Bad Company wasn’t an opening act for long. Rock In Paradise, Ralph.

Slumgullion

First, a few events that should have been in yesterday’s Weekend Reminders post.

The Women Songwriters Hall Of Fame 5th Annual Awards Show And Inductee Reception will take place in Washington, D.C. tomorrow. Claudia Jordan will host, and inductees include Melba Moore; Janis Ian; Regina Belle; Brenda Russell; Vicki Peterson; and Lari White. Peterson’s award should help dispel the ridiculous misconception that The Bangles never wrote their own material.

Brothers Field will hold a Blues Fest in Long Grove, IL tomorrow and Sunday. In addition to live music, there will be  food and drinks.

And now back to our regularly scheduled listings.

Wisconsin alt rock/Americana band Bodeans will perform at the recently opened Atwood Music Hall in Madison, WI on July 3, and a day later at the Frontier Days Festival in Arlington Heights, IL. Over the years, the BoDeans have given us gems such as “Closer To Free,” “Fadeaway,” and “Good Things.”

The Handcuffs’ busy summer continues with a gig on June 27 on the Patio at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL. The Chicago-based indie rockers have four well-crafted albums to draw material from, as well as new songs that will be on their next release.

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.

As noted by musician Herb Eimerman in a recent Facebook post, indie label Kool Kat Musik will release Pop Aid 3: A Pop Compilation To Benefit Those Affected By The California Wildfires in July. Eimerman,who’s performed with Hot Mama Silver and The Britannicas, recorded a song for Pop Aid 3 with his grandson Gavin Eimerman on guitar and Australian musician/producer Joe Algeri on drums. 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.

Tickets went on sale today for Chicago radio station WXRT’s Hometown Celebration: A Benefit for The Lin Brehmer Scholars Fund 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.

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 Journey – Part 3, due out on July 11, will wrap up The Kinks’ 60th Anniversary Anthology series with a selection of songs from their 1977 – 1984 recordings. Available as two LPs, two CDs or as a download, it will include hits such as “(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman,” “Come Dancing,” “Better Things,” “A Rock And Roll Fantasy,” “Low Budget,” “Destroyer,” and “Sleepwalker.” The Journey – Part 3 will also feature live recordings of “Till The End Of The Day,” “Where Have All The Good Times Gone,” “Apeman,” and other Kinks favorites.

Happy Birthday to artist/writer/performer Lake Sirmon, who back around 1988, convinced timid souls Frank Carr, David Drazin, and me that we should form our own comedy group with her when the cable access show we wrote for went belly-up. Lake, David, and I are no longer involved with Famous In The Future, but Frank, along with Desiree Burcum, has kept the group going all these years.

Online applications are now available for those interested in being part of YippieFest 2025 at Chopin Theatre on Chicago’s north side. The freewheeling, in-person entertainment event will return for its seventh year on the weekend of August 22 – 24. The long-running sketch/musical comedy group Famous In The Future will once again host YippieFest, which is inspired by the annual Abby Fest that was staged by Mary-Arrchie Theatre for several years.

American garage rock masters The Chesterfield Kings have released a seven-inch green vinyl single of “Your Strange Love,” a song they co-wrote with Steven Van Zandt for their 2024 album We’re Still The Same. The B-side is a cover of The Beatles song “It’s Only Love.”

The Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber Of Commerce and The Old Town School Of Folk Music will present their annual Square Roots festival on the weekend of July 11 – 13. The performers include Calexico; Ted Leo And The Pharmacists; Mekons; Alejandro Escovedo; The Lone Bellow; Heartless Bastards; Cesar Rojas And The Chi-Town Playboys; Ike Reilly Assassination; and Natalie Bergman. The festival will be held on Lincoln Avenue between Montrose and Wilson.

A new five-track, ten-inch vinyl E.P. of R.E.M.’s iconic first single “Radio Free Europe,” is being released to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the actual United States Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which broadcasts news and information to various countries. The E.P. already can be downloaded on Bandcamp; and it can pre-ordered alone or in various bundles from the band’s official website.

I’m proud to share the news that my nephew Joe Flamm will co-chair this year’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry, along with fellow successful chef Diana Davila, on June 27. The event will be held at Rockwell On The River (3057 N. Rockwell) and feature 50 chefs and mixologists. Several well-known Chicago area restaurants will be involved, including Joe’s Rose Mary and il Carciofo; and Diana’s Mi Tocaya Antojeria. General Admission is $150, while an All Access Pass is $200.

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.

Singer-guitarist Phil Angotti recently released his latest album. Notebook Head, a well-crafted collection of 10 acoustic solo performances can now be downloaded on his Bandcamp page, and will be available on CD in a few weeks.  All the tracks sound like winners, but “Wreck Of The Rowboat Named Harold” is particularly impressive in a Bob Dylan vein.

There will be a Celebration of the Life of Michael Teach event on July 6 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Teach was well known and admired on the local music scene as the founder of Chicago Acoustic Underground and CAUDOG RECORDS. He passed away last November after an extended battle with cancer.

The Dallas-based band Shortwaves released Mental Health In The Information Age,  a proper, 12-track album on June 1 after posting a series of demos over the past year on their Bandcamp page. Vocalist-guitarist Joey Shortwave, AKA Joseph Holbrook, previously led The Lash Outs, and he brings a similar blend of satiric lyrics and punk/pop energy to these new songs.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s pop music fueled show 42 Balloons utilizes a 1980s-inspired score to tell a tale based on an actual 1982 event when a Los Angeles man attached weather balloons to a chair and sailed upward. It runs through June 29.

This year’s Ravinia Festival in Highland Park is now open and will run through the end of August. Concerts coming up this month include Diana Krall; Lindsey Sterling; The Roots; Al Green; and “Weird Al” Yankovic.

Weekend Reminders

Photo from Official Ann Wilson 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.

Depending on when you see this, you could still catch the latest edition of the Dolph Chaney and the Phins residency at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side tonight. The power pop recording artists will be joined by local trio The Dry Look and the quartet Brother Derek. The music starts at 7:30 pm.

Happy Birthday to Heart’s dynamic singer Ann Wilson, who along with her guitar-wielding, fellow songwriter sister Nancy, inspired other women rockers to follow in her path. Several years ago, I interviewed Ann Wilson and guitarist Howard Leese after a Heart concert at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in Wisconsin. Despite the band’s PR person suspecting the free paper I wrote for was about to go bust, Ann and Howard were incredibly nice. The free paper did implode, but luckily, a professional photographer was able to land my piece in the more respectable paper The Prairie Sun.

Also, a belated Happy Birthday to Paul McCartney, who continues to astound audiences and fans with his talent, stamina, and benevolent nature. When I finally had a chance to see him perform live six years ago, it made for one of my best birthdays ever.

Still on the subject of birthdays, best wishes to NRBQ musician and Chicago music scene all-star Casey McDonough, as well as the multi-talented illustrator-writer Terri Murphy.

The Color Purple - The Musical opens this Saturday at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. The production will be directed by Lili-Anne Brown, with book by Marsha Norman, and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Alee Willis, and Stephen Bray.

When Scottish rockers Simple Minds perform at Chicago’s Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island tomorrow, the audience will likely be treated to hits such as “Don’t You Forget About Me,” “Alive And Kicking,” and “Sanctify Yourself.”

Forever Now - A Post Punk, One Day Festival will take place this Sunday at the National Bowl in Milton Keynes. Participating acts in this celebration of “alternative culture, post-punk music, fashion, and literature” include The The; Johnny Marr; Billy Idol; Kraftwerk; Psychedelic Furs; Berlin; The Motels; and Chameleons.

The always intriguing alt rock band whitewolfsonicprincess will be looking to “send some gold vibrations out across the planet” during a Solstice Celebration at Picnic Wine And Provisions on Chicago’s far north side tomorrow. Smokin’ J’s are also on the bill; the music starts at 6:00 pm.

Michael Steven Cohen will perform songs from the Great American Songbook this Saturday night at the Chicago Prime restaurant in Schaumburg.

PureSoul Presents will offer A Tribute To Chicago Soul with performances of songs by Sam Cooke; Chaka Khan; Donny Hathaway; Curtis Mayfield; Staple Singers; Tyrone Davis and other acts this Sunday.

There’s still a chance to check out the Jason Narducy and Dag Juhlin Celebrate Pete Townshend’s (Belated) Birthday performance at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, IL this Saturday. Some tickets are still available for the show the 9:30 pm show; the 7:00 pm show is sold out.

The Smithereens, with guest vocalist Marshall Crenshaw, have a summer-opening gig at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, NJ this Saturday. It’s part of the N2S North To Shore Festival.

Corky Siegel has been a long-time favorite on the Chicago folk rock scene, and he’s also adept at blending his harmonica playing within classical music. He has a Chamber Blues event coming up this Sunday at City Winery Chicago.

Chicago-based singer-songwriter AJ Rosales will release his Phasedrift album tomorrow on Bandcamp. Rosales specializes in melodic acoustic songs with well crafted, introspective lyrics reminiscent of vintage Neil Young.

A Day For Country Music at City News Cafe will feature musician Kent Rose performing from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm this Sunday. City News Cafe is located at 4018 N. Cicero.

Incoming

Tickets go on sale this Friday for Chicago radio station WXRT’s Hometown Celebration: A Benefit for The Lin Brehmer Scholars Fund 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 some of 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.” Check WXRT’s social media pages for pre-sale info. Metro is located at 3730 N. Clark Street.

Forever Now - A Post Punk, One Day Festival will take place this Sunday at the National Bowl in Milton Keynes. Participating acts in this celebration of “alternative culture, post-punk music, fashion, and literature” include The The; Johnny Marr; Billy Idol; Kraftwerk; Psychedelic Furs; Berlin; The Motels; and Chameleons.

Singer-guitarist Phil Angotti and his likewise multi-talented friends Casey McDonough, John San Juan, Scott Tipping, Matt Warren and John Bowes will celebrate Paul McCartney’s birthday tomorrow night at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL.The music starts at 8:30 pm. In addition to his many gigs around town, Angotti is a veteran of the annual Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago.

Corky Siegel has been a long-time favorite on the Chicago folk rock scene, and he’s also adept at blending his harmonica playing with classical music. This Sunday’s Chamber Blues show at City Winery Chicago will feature Siegel performing with international musicians Dr. Jaime Gorgojo; Chihsuan Yang; Doyle Armbrust; Jocelyn Butler Shoulders; and Kalyan Pathak.

The latest edition of the Dolph Chaney and the Phins residency at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side comes this Thursday. The power pop recording artists will be joined by local trio The Dry Look and the quartet Brother Derek at Montrose Saloon that night.

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.

When Scottish rockers Simple Minds perform at Chicago’s Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island this Friday, the audience will likely be treated to hits such as “Don’t You Forget About Me,” “Alive And Kicking,” and “Sanctify Yourself.”

The Smithereens, with guest vocalist Marshall Crenshaw, have a summer-opening gig at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, NJ this Saturday. It’s part of the N2S North To Shore Festival.

A Day For Country Music at City News Cafe will feature critically acclaimed musician Kent Rose performing from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm this Sunday. City News Cafe is located at 4018 N. Cicero.

PureSoul Presents will offer A Tribute To Chicago Soul with performances of songs by Sam Cooke; Chaka Khan; Donny Hathaway; Curtis Mayfield; Staple Singers; Tyrone Davis and other acts this Sunday.

There’s still a chance to check out the Jason Narducy and Dag Juhlin Celebrate Pete Townshend’s (Belated) Birthday performance at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, IL this Saturday. Some tickets are still available for the show the 9:30 pm show; the 7:00 pm show is sold out.

Chicago-based singer-songwriter AJ Rosales will release his Phasedrift album this Friday on Bandcamp. Rosales specializes in melodic acoustic songs with well crafted, introspective lyrics reminiscent of vintage Neil Young. 

I’ll be at the Writing Workshop Of Chicago this Saturday to take notes during seminars, swap ideas with fellow aspiring writers, and most importantly, meet with a few literary agents. I’ve attended this convention in previous years, and while I haven’t signed a deal yet, the opportunity to have an in-person meeting with an agent can be a rewarding experience. More often that not, agents find the query for my Young Adult Paranormal Romantic Rock And Roll Comedy novel intriguing enough to request the first few chapters via email. I’ve haven’t moved beyond that step yet, but several agents have given positive and helpful feedback. Registration is still open for anyone who’s interested.

Slumgullion

Photo of Brian Wilson from the Official Beach Boys Facebook page.

Check out yesterday’s Weekend Reminders post for events happening this weekend.

From in his room to all our hearts. Over the past few days, social media has been filled with praise and cherished memories of people who performed with Brian Wilson, had an opportunity to meet him, or were deeply touched by the songs he recorded with The Beach Boys and on his own. He brought genuine emotions to rock and roll, and that inspired even the most successful musicians for decades. Farewell, Brian. Good vibrations await you.

The Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber Of Commerce and The Old Town School Of Folk Music will present their annual Square Roots festival on the weekend of July 11 – 13. The performers include Calexico; Ted Leo And The Pharmacists; Mekons; Alejandro Escovedo; The Lone Bellow; Heartless Bastards; Cesar Rojas And The Chi-Town Playboys; Ike Reilly Assassination; and Natalie Bergman. The festival will be held on Lincoln Avenue between Montrose and Wilson.

When Scottish rockers Simple Minds perform at Chicago’s Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island next Friday, the audience will likely be treated to hits such as “Don’t You Forget About Me,” “Alive And Kicking,” and “Sanctify Yourself.”

The Smithereens, with guest vocalist Marshall Crenshaw, have a summer-opening gig at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, NJ on June 21. It’s part of the N2S North To Shore Festival.

Alaskan singer-songwriter Mark Ward, whose 2024 album Let ‘Er Rip mixed power pop with a touch of country music, released an album of cover versions titled Translator today. It pays homage to the acts he listened to on a transistor radio as a boy, including The Left Banke; Gordon Lightfoot; Badfinger; R.Dean Taylor; and Bread. The revved-up takes on “If You Could Read My Mind” and “Indiana Wants Me” are particularly entertaining. Translator is available for download and CD on Ward’s Bandcamp  page. 

PureSoul Presents will offer A Tribute To Chicago Soul with performances of songs by Sam Cooke; Chaka Khan; Donny Hathaway; Curtis Mayfield; Staple Singers; Tyrone Davis and other acts on June 22.

Forever Now - A Post Punk, One Day Festival will take place on June 22 at the National Bowl in Milton Keynes. Participating acts in this celebration of “alternative culture, post-punk music, fashion, and literature” include The The; Johnny Marr; Billy Idol; Kraftwerk; Psychedelic Furs; Berlin; The Motels; and Chameleons.

Singer-guitarist Phil Angotti recently released his latest album. Notebook Head, a well-crafted collection of 10 acoustic solo performances can now be downloaded on his Bandcamp page, and will be available on CD in a few weeks.  All the tracks sound like winners, but “Wreck Of The Rowboat Named Harold” is particularly impressive in a Bob Dylan vein.

A new five-track, ten-inch vinyl E.P. of R.E.M.’s iconic first single “Radio Free Europe,” is being released to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the actual United States Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which broadcasts news and information to various countries. The E.P. already can be downloaded on Bandcamp; and it can pre-ordered alone or in various bundles from the band’s official website.

There will be a Celebration of the Life of Michael Teach event on July 6 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Teach was well known and admired on the local music scene as the founder of Chicago Acoustic Underground and CAUDOG RECORDS. He passed away last November after an extended battle with cancer.  

The Journey – Part 3, due out on July 11, will wrap up The Kinks’ 60th Anniversary Anthology series with a selection of songs from their 1977 – 1984 recordings. Available as two LPs, two CDs or as a download, it will include hits such as “(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman,” “Come Dancing,” “Better Things,” “A Rock And Roll Fantasy,” “Low Budget,” “Destroyer,” and “Sleepwalker.” The Journey – Part 3 will also feature live recordings of “Till The End Of The Day,” “Where Have All The Good Times Gone,” “Apeman,” and other Kinks favorites.

The Dallas-based band Shortwaves released Mental Health In The Information Age,  a proper, 12-track album on June 1 after posting a series of demos over the past year on their Bandcamp page. Vocalist-guitarist Joey Shortwave, AKA Joseph Holbrook, previously led The Lash Outs, and he brings a similar blend of satiric lyrics and punk/pop energy to these new songs.

Singer-guitarist Dag Juhlin, a member of several Chicago area bands, has been releasing new solo albums on his Bandcamp page over the past year. The latest, Who’s Your Favorite Clown?, with a cover illustration of Bozo and Ringmaster Ned, offers six parables set to a variety of arrangements. The lyrics are consistently sharp and clever, and conjure a feeling the games we’re playing these days could lead to serious trouble.

Ringo Starr And His All Starr Band’s 2025 Tour will include a show at the Chicago Theatre on September 10. Starr’s latest album, Look Up, finds him working in a Country and Western vein, but it’s likely he and his mates will be covering all kinds of music, including Beatles tunes.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s pop music fueled show 42 Balloons utilizes a 1980s-inspired score to tell a tale based on an actual 1982 event when a Los Angeles man attached weather balloons to a chair and sailed upward. It runs through June 29. 

American garage rock masters The Chesterfield Kings have released a seven-inch green vinyl single of “Your Strange Love,” a song they co-wrote with Steven Van Zandt for their 2024 album We’re Still The Same. The B-side is a cover of The Beatles song “It’s Only Love.”

Chicago-based singer-songwriter AJ Rosales will release his Phasedrift album next Friday on Bandcamp. Rosales specializes in melodic acoustic songs with well crafted, introspective lyrics reminiscent of vintage Neil Young. 

As recently reported on The Second Disc, an informative website that covers upcoming CD and vinyl releases, fans of the sophisticated techno pop trio Ivy have a surprise coming on September 5. That’s when Traces Of You, a 10-track album of previously unreleased songs recorded by Adam Schlesinger, Andy Chase, and Dominique Durand between 1995 and 2012, will be released. Sadly, we lost Schlesinger due to COVID-19 in 2020. The Second Disc writer Mike Duquette explains Chase and Durand, “completed the tracks with the help of longtime collaborator, guitarist Bruce Driscoll; the tracks also feature contributions by Beck/R.E.M. touring drummer Joey Waronker as well as guitarist Jody Porter and drummer Brian Young, Schlesinger's bandmates in Fountains of Wayne.”

Online applications are now available for those interested in being part of YippieFest 2025 at Chopin Theatre on Chicago’s north side. The freewheeling, in-person entertainment event will return for its seventh year on the weekend of August 22 – 24. The long-running sketch/musical comedy group Famous In The Future will once again host YippieFest, which is inspired by the annual Abby Fest that was staged by Mary-Arrchie Theatre for several years.

This year’s Ravinia Festival in Highland Park is now open and will run through the end of August. Concerts coming up this month include The Black Crowes; James Taylor And His All-Star Band; Diana Krall; The Roots; Al Green; and “Weird Al” Yankovic. 

A Day For Country Music at City News Cafe will feature musician Kent Rose performing from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm on June 22. City News Cafe is located at 4018 N. Cicero. 

The Handcuffs have a gig coming up on June 27 on the Patio at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL. The Chicago-based indie rockers have four albums to draw material from, as well as songs that will be on their next release.

John Mead’s True Believers and Cynthia Breckenridge will honor the Southern California music scene of the late 1960s and early 70s with their Desperado: The Music Of Linda Ronstadt, The Eagles and Friends show at SPACE in Evanston on June 23. They’ll perform songs by Ronstadt, The Eagles, Warren Zevon, Lowell George, and Jackson Browne. 

There’s still a chance to check out the Jason Narducy and Dag Juhlin Celebrate Pete Townshend’s (Belated) Birthday performance at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, IL this Saturday. Some tickets are still available for a late show that will start at 9:30 pm; tickets for the original 7:00 pm show are sold out.

As someone who attended the first public meeting for StreetWise and donated several pieces over a few years, I thoroughly enjoyed Rick Kogan's Beyond The Pages article in the Chicago Tribune. As he notes, high school student Anthony Mateos has published a book titled Who We Are: Stories From The Chicago StreetWise Community. It features interviews with vendors and staff members of the publication, and how it changed their lives. It's available to purchase for $14.50 at lulu.com. I'll definitely have to order a copy.

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 Old Town Art Fair and the Wells Street Art Festival, longtime favorites among Chicago’s early summer (actually pre-summer) events, take place this Saturday and Sunday. The former is a more serious affair, while the latter appeals to a younger crowd that likes to party. Both events have live entertainment as well as art, and they’re within blocks of each other in the Lincoln Park area on the north side.

The Dallas-based band Shortwaves has a release party for its debut punk/pop album Mental Health In The Information Age at the Growl venue in Arlington, TX this Saturday.

The Songwriter City Unlimited event that takes place tomorrow at Picnic Wine And Provisions on Chicago’s north side will feature four participants who are listed only by the first names of Desiree, Jimmy, Danny, and Kiki. All I know is that I used to be in a comedy group with Desiree. Picnic Wine And Provisions is located at 7301 N. Sheridan Road; the music starts at 6:00 pm.

There will be five stages featuring outdoor performances this weekend when MidsommarFest returns to Andersonville on Chicago’s north side. The live music will include cover bands such as School Of Rock Andersonville; 16 Candles (1980s rock); The Ready Freddies (Queen); Fearless: The Unofficial Taylor Tribute; and Dancing Queen: An ABBA Tribute. There will also be local recording artists such as MIIRRORS, Rachel Drew Band, 6Kitty; Yasser Tejeda and Bev Rage And The Drunks. The entertainment will also include Jesse White Tumblers; Queer Dance Freakout; and Collective Yoga Co-Op. It should also be mentioned that Andersonville is a fun, creative neighborhood to visit at any time.

Singer-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen returns to the Tuscan Market & Wine Shop in Arlington Heights tomorrow from 7:00 to 9:30 pm on June 13 to perform selections from the Great American Songbook. The evening will also feature Cohen performing as part of the Everly Hillbillies band, which covers hits by the Everly Brothers.

The Twigs, AKA fraternal twins Laura and Linda Good, will perform a Sunset Sessions acoustic set at Wet Whistle Wines in Brooklyn, NY tomorrow. The former Illinois residents started their career as The Good Twins before morphing into The Twigs and releasing a few albums of fetching indie/techno pop. More recently, they wrote the book, music, and lyrics for Ladyship The Musical.

Singer-guitarist Phil Angotti’s 7:00 pm solo performance tomorrow at the 219 Taproom in Chesterton, IN will feature songs from his recently released album Notebook Head. The well-crafted collection of 10 acoustic solo tracks can be downloaded on his Bandcamp page, and will be available on CD in a few weeks.

Incoming

The Dallas-based band Shortwaves released Mental Health In The Information Age, a proper, 12-track album on June 1 after posting a series of demos over the past year on their Bandcamp page. Vocalist-guitarist Joey Shortwave, AKA Joseph Holbrook, previously led The Lash Outs, and he brings a similar blend of satiric lyrics and punk/pop energy to these new songs. Each track showcases a different individual’s struggle to cope in our crazy modern world, and there are a lot of clever, quick rhymes.

Chicago independent radio station CHIRP 107.1 FM has a summer fundraiser titled Sounds Like Chicago - Conversations About Music, Life And Our City this Wednesday. The event will take place at Trigger in the Irving Park neighborhood, with Sound Opinions radio personality/journalist Jim DeRogatis serving as moderator. Guests will be Toni Preckwinkle; Kelly Leonard; Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark; Mindy Segal; and Doug Sohn.

Chicago area vocalist Gerald McClendon “The Soul Keeper” has a concert coming up at The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL this Saturday. If you’ve seen his performances at Chicago area clubs, you know this will be an entertaining evening.

The Twigs, AKA fraternal twins Laura and Linda Good, will perform a Sunset Sessions acoustic set at Wet Whistle Wines in Brooklyn, NY this Friday. The former Illinois residents started their career as The Good Twins before morphing into The Twigs and releasing a few albums of fetching indie/techno pop. More recently, they wrote the book, music, and lyrics for Ladyship The Musical.

Singer-guitarist Phil Angotti’s 7:00 pm solo performance this Friday at the 219 Taproom in Chesterton, IN will feature songs from his recently released album Notebook Head. The well-crafted collection of 10 acoustic solo tracks can be downloaded on his Bandcamp page, and will be available on CD in a few weeks.

There will be a Celebration of the Life of Michael Teach event on July 6 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Teach was well known and admired on the local music scene as the founder of Chicago Acoustic Underground and CAUDOG RECORDS. He passed away last November after an extended battle with cancer. 

Ascendant, the Chicago-based soul band that’s been giving audiences spirited performances for 20 years, will likely showcase its new single “Love Saved My Life” during its show at City Winery Chicago this Wednesday.

Singer-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen will return to the Tuscan Market & Wine Shop in Arlington Heights this Friday from 7:00 to 9:30 pm to perform selections from the Great American Songbook. The evening will also feature Cohen performing as part of the Everly Hillbillies band, which covers hits by the Everly Brothers.

Paging through Facebook for material this afternoon, I was saddened to learn iconic soul musician Sly Stone has passed away after an extended period of health issues. He was 82 years old. Rock In Paradise, Sly.

Slumgullion

Check out yesterday’s Weekend Reminders post for events happening this weekend.

First, a warm welcome back to the Chicago area for Ann and Nancy Wilson. Heart’s 8:00 pm show tonight in Highland Park, IL kicks off the 2025 Ravinia Festival concert season, which will last through the end of August. Grace Jones and Janelle Monae will perform tomorrow night.

To be honest, I had no idea this year’s Ravinia Festival was starting already until I saw the Heart concert as the lead item in Mary Houlihan’s The Mix column in yesterday’s Chicago Sun-Times. She does a great job each week of highlighting each weekend’s entertainment event.

I interviewed Ann Wilson and guitarist Howard Leese after a Heart concert at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in Wisconsin several years ago, and they were both incredibly nice.

As recently reported on The Second Disc, an informative website that covers upcoming CD and vinyl releases, fans of the sophisticated techno pop trio Ivy have a surprise coming on September 5. That’s when Traces Of You, a 10-track album of previously unreleased songs recorded by Adam Schlesinger, Andy Chase, and Dominique Durand between 1995 and 2012, will be released. Sadly, we lost Schlesinger due to COVID-19 in 2020. The Second Disc writer Mike Duquette explains Chase and Durand, “completed the tracks with the help of longtime collaborator, guitarist Bruce Driscoll; the tracks also feature contributions by Beck/R.E.M. touring drummer Joey Waronker as well as guitarist Jody Porter and drummer Brian Young, Schlesinger's bandmates in Fountains of Wayne.” The official video clips of “Say You Will” and “Edge Of The Ocean” provide an enticing preview of Traces Of You.

We must be in heaven, man. Nah, it’s Berwyn, IL. But there will be some genuine hippie vibes when Tributosaurus Becomes Woodstock at FitzGerald’s Outdoors on August 23. Tributosaurus is one of Chicago’s best known tribute acts; tickets for this show are already on sale at the venue’s website.

American garage rock masters The Chesterfield Kings have released a seven-inch green vinyl single of “Your Strange Love,” a song they co-wrote with Steven Van Zandt for their 2024 album We’re Still The Same. The B-side is a cover of The Beatles song “It’s Only Love.” The band has a series of U.K. concerts with The Len Price 3 as their opening act starting in Glasgow on June 15.

Ascendant, the Chicago-based soul band that’s been giving audiences spirited performances for 20 years, will likely showcase its new single “Love Saved My Life” during its show at City Winery Chicago next Wednesday, June 11.

It looks like director Justin Fielding’s long-awaited documentary The Power Pop Movie is moving closer to being released. According to a recent Facebook post from executive producer David Bash of International Pop Overthrow fame, The Power Pop Movie is pretty much a complete film, and Fielding “will be working on licensing shortly.”

New Orleans vocalist Kate Fagan will return to her former hometown of Chicago on August 10 for a showcase of women performers at the Empty Bottle venue. Fagan is still known here for her work with BB Spin and Heavy Manners, so her August 10 show will feature some of that material, as well as her latest single releases. Clickbait, Beastii and DJ Modern Girl will also be on the Empty Bottle bill.

A new five-track, ten-inch vinyl E.P. of R.E.M.’s iconic first single “Radio Free Europe,” is being released to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the actual United States Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which broadcasts news and information to various countries. The E.P. already can be downloaded on Bandcamp; and it can pre-ordered alone or in various bundles from the band’s official website.

The latest edition of the power pop recording artists Dolph Chaney and the Phins residency at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side comes on June 19. Local trio The Dry Look and the quartet Brother Derek will also perform at Montrose Saloon that night.

 The Journey – Part 3, due out on July 11, will wrap up The Kinks’ 60th Anniversary Anthology series with a selection of songs from their 1977 – 1984 recordings. Available as two LPs, two CDs or as a download, it will include hits such as “(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman,” “Come Dancing,” “Better Things,” “A Rock And Roll Fantasy,” “Low Budget,” “Destroyer,” and “Sleepwalker.” The Journey – Part 3 will also feature live recordings of “Till The End Of The Day,” “Where Have All The Good Times Gone,” “Apeman,” and other Kinks favorites.

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.

Ringo Starr And His All Starr Band’s 2025 Tour will include a show at the Chicago Theatre on September 10. Starr’s latest album, Look Up, finds him working in a Country and Western vein, but it’s likely he and his mates will be covering all kinds of music, including Beatles tunes.

Singer-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen will return to the Tuscan Market & Wine Shop in Arlington Heights from 7:00 to 9:30 pm on June 13 to perform selections from the Great American Songbook. The evening will also feature Cohen performing as part of the Everly Hillbillies band, which covers hits by the Everly Brothers.

Wolf Alice’s North American tour will kick off on September 10 in Atlanta. The London-based indie rock band will return to The Vic in Chicago on September 26; other stops on the tour include Washington, DC; Philadelphia; Boston; Montreal; Toronto; Dallas; Denver; and Los Angeles. Wolf Alice has a new album titled The Clearing coming out August 29.

Singer-guitarist Dag Juhlin, a member of several Chicago area bands, has been releasing new solo albums on his Bandcamp page over the past year. The latest, Who’s Your Favorite Clown?, with a cover illustration of Bozo and Ringmaster Ned, offers six parables set to a variety of arrangements. The lyrics are consistently sharp and clever, and conjure a feeling the games we’re playing these days could lead to serious trouble.

The Twigs, AKA fraternal twins Laura and Linda Good, will perform a Sunset Sessions acoustic set at Wet Whistle Wines in Brooklyn, NY on June 13. The former Illinois residents started their career as The Good Twins before morphing into The Twigs and releasing a few albums of fetching indie/techno pop. More recently, they wrote the book, music, and lyrics for Ladyship The Musical.

Chicago independent radio station CHIRP 107.1 FM has a summer fundraiser titled Sounds Like Chicago - Conversations About Music, Life And Our City coming up on June 11. The event will take place at Trigger in the Irving Park neighborhood, with Sound Opinions radio personality/journalist Jim DeRogatis serving as moderator. Guests will be Toni Preckwinkle; Kelly Leonard; Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark; Mindy Segal; and Doug Sohn.

Chicago area fans can check out the Jason Narducy and Dag Juhlin Celebrate Pete Townshend’s (Belated) Birthday performance at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, IL on June 21. Tickets recently went on sale for a late show that will start at 9:30 pm; tickets for the original 7:00 pm show are quickly selling out.

Singer-guitarist Phil Angotti recently released his latest album. Notebook Head, a well-crafted collection of 10 acoustic solo performances can now be downloaded on his Bandcamp page, and will be available on CD in a few weeks.  All the tracks sound like winners, but “Wreck Of The Rowboat Named Harold” is particularly impressive in a Bob Dylan vein.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater, which recently imported the Kinks bio musical Sunny Afternoon from England, is now offering another pop music fueled show. 42 Balloons, written by Jack Godfrey, utilizes a 1980s-inspired score to tell a tale based on an actual 1982 event when a Los Angeles man attached weather balloons to a chair and sailed upward. It’s directed by Ellie Coote, with choreography by Alexzandra Sarmiento and orchestra ad music supervision by Joe Beighton. 42 Balloons will run at Chicago Shakespeare Theater through June 29.

 “Leitmotif,” the fourth song Chicago-based singer-songwriter AJ Rosales has released from his upcoming album Phasedrift on Bandcamp, continues the string of melodic acoustic songs with well crafted, introspective lyrics. Once again, listeners will likely be reminded of vintage Neil Young as Rosales supplies all the vocals and instrumentation. It might be the last preview we get since Phasedrift is due out on June 20.

Chicago area vocalist Gerald McClendon “The Soul Keeper” has a concert coming up at The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL on June 14.

Online applications are now available for those interested in being part of YippieFest 2025 at Chopin Theatre on Chicago’s north side. The freewheeling, in-person entertainment event will return for its seventh year on the weekend of August 22 – 24. The long-running sketch/musical comedy group Famous In The Future will once again host YippieFest, which is inspired by the annual Abby Fest that was staged by Mary-Arrchie Theatre 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.

The Kooks’ June 9 concert at The Vic Theatre in Chicago is on Monday, but that’s close enough to merit a reminder. The English rock band recently kicked off the North American leg of its All Over The World Tour, and will be promoting songs from its latest album. Never/Know was released in May, and perhaps sparked by the first single “Sunny Baby,” climbed to the number five spot on the official UK charts. The opening act throughout the tour will be the L.A.-based lovelytheband, who gave us “Broken” a few years back, and worked with The Kooks on the popular 2024 song “Jeanie.”

The Chicago Blues Festival, an annual event since 1984 and believed to be the world’s largest blues festival, opened today and will run through Sunday. Mavis Staples will be among the headliners, and there will be a centennial tribute to the late B.B. King. Today’s events take place at the Ramova Theatre at 3520 S. Halsted and feature performances by Bobby Rush and Billy Branch And The Sons Of The Blues. The remaining events will take place in Millennium Park.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow for Lola Young’s November 24 concert at The Salt Shed in Chicago. She’s the English singer whose irresistible “Messy” single has been getting a lot of airplay on WXRT here in Chicago. Tickets also go on sale tomorrow for Morrissey’s September 27 concert at the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom, and for Lloyd Cole at City Winery Chicago on September 2. Here’s a video of “Jennifer She Said,” a cool song by Lloyd Cole And The Commotions back in 1987.

June has long been a good month for major art events in Chicago, with the Gold Coast Art Fair and 57th Street Art Fair being prime examples. They return this Saturday and Sunday in Grant Park and Hyde Park respectively; each has been around for over 50 years.

The quirky and critically acclaimed English singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock has a gig coming up this Saturday night at The Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago.

Incoming

The Chicago Blues Festival, an annual event since 1984 and believed to be the world’s largest blues festival, returns this Thursday through Sunday. Mavis Staples will be among the headliners, and there will be a centennial tribute to the late B.B. King. Opening day will take place at the Ramova Theatre at 3520 S. Halsted and feature performances by Bobby Rush and Billy Branch And The Sons Of The Blues.

June has long been a good month for major art events in Chicago, with the Gold Coast Art Fair being a prime example. It returns for its 67th year this Saturday and Sunday in the Butler Field section of Grant Park.

Tourists in town for the Chicago Blues Festival and/or Gold Coast Art Fair might be interested to know the Reckless Records store formerly on Madison has moved to a larger location at 33 S. Wabash. The Sandmeyer’s Bookstore at 714 S. Dearborn is also an interesting cultural destination. If you’re interested in local free papers, the Gene Siskel Film Center at 164 N. State Street has copies of The Chicago Reader, NewCity, and South Side Weekly just inside its doorway on the ground level. Plus, flyers for upcoming screenings at the center.

The quirky and critically acclaimed English singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock has a gig coming up this Saturday night at The Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago.

Richard Milne, a long-time favorite radio personality in Chicago via his work on WXRT, will be playing songs as a guest on the indie rock station CHIRP Radio 107.1FM tomorrow from 9:00 am to noon.

New Orleans vocalist Kate Fagan will return to her former hometown of Chicago on August 10 for a showcase of women performers at the Empty Bottle venue. Fagan is still known here for her work with BB Spin and Heavy Manners, so her August 10 show will feature some of that material, as well as her latest single releases. Clickbait, Beastii and DJ Modern Girl will also be on the Empty Bottle bill.

The latest edition of the power pop recording artists Dolph Chaney and the Phins residency at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side comes on June 19. Local trio The Dry Look and the quartet Brother Derek will also perform at Montrose Saloon that night. 

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.

Singer-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen will return to the Tuscan Market & Wine Shop in Arlington Heights from 7:00 to 9:30 pm on June 13 to perform selections from the Great American Songbook. The evening will also feature Cohen performing as part of the Everly Hillbillies band, which covers hits by the Everly Brothers.