Incoming

Depending on when you read this, you could catch The Tony Richards Duo (Richards on guitar; Joe Policastro on bass) performing from 7:00 to 9:00 pm tonight at Imperial Oak Brewing in Brookfield, IL.

Tickets will go on sale soon for the Gram Fest - Cosmic American Music Festival taking place on November 22 at the Joshua Tree Cultural Center - Blak Box Theater in Joshua Tree, CA. Performers include Sin City All Stars with special guests Jonny Kaplan And Friends, plus numerous other acts.

As noted on the The Chicago Loop website, the Chicago version of the Better Cities Film Festival will take place this Thursday through Saturday at The AMC DINE-IN Block 37 at 108 N. State Street. The schedule features three different screenings each day. Better Cities Film Festival describes its presentations as, “The world’s most inspiring stories about making better cities towns and neighborhoods.”

Patti Smith will release a Horses (50th Anniversary Edition) via Legacy Recordings this Friday. In addition to the original tracks, it will offer alternate versions and outtakes from the original album sessions.

The Webstirs, a Chicago-based band that’s been a reliable source for well-crafted and witty indie rock, has released an impressive single titled “When It’s Gone” from an upcoming new album. High Up In The Trees is due out on November 14, and The Webstirs will perform a free show at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL that night.

Pravda Records Presents, a showcase featuring three of the Chicago-based indie label’s acts, takes place this Friday night at Martyrs’ on the city’s north side. Per a recent Facebook post from drummer Brad Elvis, his band The Handcuffs will follow a 7:30 solo performance by Nathan Graham, and Brian Krumm And His Barfly Friends will be the closing act. Martyrs’ is located at 3855 N. Lincoln Avenue.

On the following night, Chicago area singer-guitarist Phil Angotti will be joined by musicians Casey McDonough, John San Juan, Tom Ryan, Blair Holmes, and John Perrin for his John Lennon 85th B-DAY Bash at Martyrs’ on Lincoln Avenue. This has been an annual event for some time, but Angotti is no longer doing two separate, full-length shows in one day because, well, that was an exhausting amount of show time. Guitarist Joel Paterson will be the opening act for the John Lennon 85th B-DAY Bash.

Chicago’s long-time indie rockers The Bad Examples will perform at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL this Saturday at 8:00 pm. As often mentioned here on Broken Hearted Toy, lead vocalist-guitarist Ralph Covert creates songs that are reminiscent of the clever and melodic music of Squeeze.

Gee, but it’s great to be back home. Broken Hearted Toy was AWOL last week due to my wife Pam and I spending a week in Boise, Idaho. It was an adventurous vacation, ranging from visiting the bustling downtown and Hyde Park areas to hiking up a mountain and walking along the Boise River Greenbelt pathway. We met so many super friendly people along the way. Cheers, Boise.