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.