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.