Slumgullion

For events taking place this weekend, check out my previous post titled Weekend Reminders.

Radio Soul! The Early Songs Of Elvis Costello, featuring Mr. Costello and The Imposters with Charlie Sexton, will kick off a month’s worth of concerts on September 18 in Bethlehem, PA. The tour will come to The Chicago Theatre on Oct 16.

Happy Birthday to Marianne Galassini, lead vocalist and co-founder with her husband Mike for the Chicago-based indie rock band Magnaphonic. It’s always a kick to see them perform at International Pop Overthrow - Chicago.

Aimee Mann and Ted Leo successfully collaborate on indie rock songs from time to time, and they also enjoy spreading holiday cheer. Tickets are now on sale for their Aimee Mann and Ted Leo Christmas Show! with Paul F. Tompkins, Nellie McKay and Josh Gondelman. It kicks off on November 28 at City Winery New York, and will include shows in Chicago on December 11 and 12.

Decoy Prayer Meeting, a local band that specializes in rockabilly and vintage Country and Western music, will return to the north side venue Montrose Saloon on September 22.

The Hoodoo Gurus will celebrate the 40th anniversary of their rollicking second album Mars Needs Guitars with an event on September 19 at The Barracks in North Head Manly in Sydney, Australia. They will perform the entire album in order and then move on to a variety of garage rock selections from their illustrious and zany career.

Aliza Hava’s new album Into The Light is now available exclusively on Bandcamp. The Ashland, Oregon folk rock singer-guitarist creates emotionally charged songs such as “Let It Roar” and “Fix My Fate” that convey how to navigate this troubled world.

Henry Diltz, one of rock music’s most successful photographers, will present Once Upon A Troubadour - A Slideshow And Story-Telling Experience Of The Photographs That Made Music History By The Man Who Took Them at the Troubadour in Los Angeles on December 9. The one-night-only event invites fans to “Step inside the golden era of rock ’n’ roll as Henry unveils a stunning visual journey and shares his intimate stories from behind the lens.”

The Joe Policastro Trio has a release show for their new album Mending Wall coming up on September 22nd at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago. They recently posted an instrumental take on the Modern English song “Melt With You” on their YouTube page.

Beatland Books is set to release the first volume of a “massively enhanced and fully rewritten” update of Doug Hinman’s 2004 book on The Kinks. The Kinks - All Day And All Of The Night - The Day-By-Day Story Pt. 1: 1940 - 1971, with Andrew Sandoval joining Hinman, is due out later this year.

Two of the Chicago club scene’s better known musicians, Phil Angotti and Tommi Zender, will join forces to honor Simon And Garfunkel tonight at Cafe Carpe in Ft. Atkinson, WI; and at SPACE in Evanston this Monday.

Paul Weller recently released Find El Dorado, a collection of his reinterpretations of other artists’ material, and he has now launched an online merch store. The email announcement describes it as “Celebrating every era - from the energy of The Jam, the style and soul of The Style Council, through to Paul’s solo years - these new collections bring together designs that mark the journey so far.”

Hot In The Dark, the debut album from Chicago’s unpredictable and always entertaining covers band EXPO ’76 with the Total Pro Horns, is now available to pre-order on Bandcamp. The 12 tracks reflect the mind-boggling variety of music EXPO ’76 performs at its live gigs. Hot In The Dark will be officially released on October 24.

The official website for the Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival has announced the 22nd annual event will take place May 28 – 31, 2026 in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, Ireland. That’s the birthplace of the iconic Irish guitarist, and the site promises, “Big Top Concerts each night as well as 30 Hours of Open Air Free Gigs on the Rockin’ Streets of Ballyshannon.” Tickets for all three nights are €90.

Long-time entertainment writer Mark Caro (Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, etc.) has talked with several indie rock musicians on his Caropop podcast, and just started making some of those interviews available on his YouTube channel. Caro has an easy-going, knowledgeable style that leads to fascinating conversations with his guests. The recently posted Caropop episode with Robbie Fulks is a prime example. Recent guests have included Chris Difford from Squeeze and singer songwriter Sam Phillips.

As noted by writer Mike Duquette on The Second Disc website, Patti Smith will release a Horses (50th Anniversary Edition) via Legacy Recordings on October 10. In addition to the original tracks, it will offer “nine alternate versions and outtakes from the album sessions.” Duquette also points out that Smith will release a memoir titled Bread Of Angels in November. 

Rhythm and blues singer Gerald McClendon, who’s impressed many audiences around the Chicago area, will perform with his band on the patio at Fitzgeralds in Berwyn, IL on September 26th. As McClendon noted in a Facebook post, that patio has heat lamps so there’s no need to worry about it being chilly outside.

Duets Special - Chrissie Hynde And Pals, an album featuring The Pretenders lead vocalist pairing up with Lucinda Williams; Julian Lennon; Shirley Manson; k.d. lang; David Gahan; Debbie Harry; Brandon Flowers; Rufus Wainwright and other well-known performers, is due out on October 17. It’s currently available to pre-order from various sites.

Soundtracks Of A Generation, which has staged several rock music tribute shows, will perform The Concert For George on November 29 at 7:30 pm at the Lyric Theater in Blue Island, IL.

The Replacements have a deluxe edition of their 1984 groundbreaking album Let It Be coming out in 4-LP, 3CD, and digital formats on October 24 via Rhino Records. A recent post on the band’s Facebook page states there will also be a “special bonus 10-inch vinyl, and T-Shirt mercy option.”

Cheap Kiss Records is currently offering a limited edition compilation titled A Blast From The Cellar! - Lost Gems From The 60s Chicago Garage Rock Explosion. Available on vinyl only, the album is inspired by the legendary Arlington Heights, IL teen club that booked several of that era’s world famous bands. As stated in its title, this collection focuses on Chicago-area acts that also performed at The Cellar, and includes songs by The Mauds; The Same; Boston Tea Party, and The Huns.

Singer-guitarist Terry White has a record release party with The Loaded Dice, Cannonball, and other special guests coming up on October 2 at Fitzgerald’s in Berywn, IL. The album is due out on September.

Cheap Trick’s new album All Washed Up is due out November 14, and the group has posted a video on YouTube for the first single from it. “Twelve Gates” finds an animated version of the guys rocking a mid-tempo arrangement powered by guitars and layered vocals. A promising start.

The Magnolia Pictures documentary It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley is now available in digital format from Apple TV, Fandango, Prime Video, and other sources. In Chicago, the 28th Annual Jeff Buckley Tribute will be held on November 16 and 17 at Uncommon Ground Lakeview.