Weekend Reminders

Photo by Josh Darr, from official David Byrne 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.

Here’s a warm Broken Hearted Toy welcome to former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, who’ll finish a three-day series of concerts at The Auditorium Theatre in Chicago tomorrow night. Byrne, who’s in the midst of his Who Is The Sky? Tour, was recently named as one of the nominees for the Songwriters Hall Of Fame 2026 Induction & Awards Gala.

British singer/author Wesley Stace (formerly John Wesley Harding) has an 8:00 pm gig tonight at The Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Dag Juhlin, who’s been part of Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy’s R.E.M. Tribute tours as well as being a member of several Chicago area bands, will be the opening act.

Halloweekend, the annual event featuring local musicians performing as famous rock acts, takes place tonight and tomorrow at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Twelve local acts will pay tribute to rock and roll stars over two nights—including Androgynous Mustache as Oingo Boingo; Amazing Heeby Jeebies as Gun Club; and Phil Angotti as Creedence Clearwater Revival tonight. Tomorrow’s showcase includes The Well Respected Men as The Kinks; Rachel Drew as The Cure; and Dancing Horses as Echo And The Bunnymen. For the full lineup, check my October 18 post, or the Montrose Saloon website.

He just won’t stop imitating rock stars. Phil Angotti and The Damn Torpedoes will perform Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers songs at the Reclaimed Bar (3655 N. Western) in Chicago tomorrow night. On Sunday, Phil Angotti and Friends have a Beatles Brunch scheduled at FitzGerald’s at noon. As with his Halloweekend performance, Angotti will be backed by a different cast of well-known Chicago musicians at each of these gigs.

Tickets for The Smithereens with Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill at The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL go on sale tomorrow morning at 10:00 am.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater has scheduled Special Halloween Performances of its current production Paranormal Activity for tomorrow night at 6:00 and 10:00 pm. It’s loosely based on Oren Peli’s 2007 movie, and from the reviews I’ve read in Chicago newspapers, it’s very frightening.

Jai Brenai Productions will present Funk-O-Ween: A Personified Funk Experience this Saturday at City Winery Chicago. The show starts at 7:30 pm and will honor James Brown, Rick James, Chaka Khan and Prince.

Quad Con is holding a Rockford Comic Con And Toy Show at the Cherryville Mall in Rockford, IL this Saturday and Sunday. There will be 70 vendors scattered around the shopping center. Admission is free.

Jeff Tweedy’s Twilight Overide Tour With Guest Macie Stewart will come to The Salt Shed this Saturday. Named after Tweedy’s recently released triple solo album, the equally ambitious North American/European tour will run through February 2026.

Chicago-based band The Neighbors will perform alternative rock and indie Americana tonight at Brudder’s. The music starts at 9:00 pm; the venue is located at 3600 N. Pulaski.

Chicago indie rockers The Handcuffs will take a break from recording their next album for a return visit to Mary’s Place in Rockford, IL this Saturday. The Attitudes will be their guest opener.

The Other Art Fair, a global and inventive effort from online gallery Saatchi Art to create a place “where the experience exists outside of four white walls,” is coming to Artifact Events in Chicago on this Friday through Sunday. The price of admission ranges from $18 to $312.50, depending which day you choose. Artifact Events is located at 4325 N. Ravenswood Avenue.

The Return Of The Flock show scheduled for November 1 at Park West on Chicago’s north side has been cancelled due to an injury to one of the band members. Hopefully, a make-up date for The Flock, a critically acclaimed jazz rock ensemble that was well ahead of its time in the 1960s, will be announced soon.

As noted by the well-traveled rock and roll drummer John LeQuesne in a Facebook post this morning, Grace Slick, the enchanting lead vocalist of Jefferson Airplane, is celebrating a birthday. Best wishes, Grace, and thanks for all those psychedelic gems.

Also, Happy Birthday and best wishes to Ken Stringfellow, a founding member of The Posies and a successful solo artist.

And now, on the eve of Halloween, let’s raise a magic potion toast to all the ambitious people around the world (and possibly the universe) putting last minute touches on their Halloween parties. Drink safely; drive sensibly, decorate imaginatively, frighten carefully, and conjure up the best playlist of spooky songs you can. I’ve been posting Halloween song profiles for most of this month for party planners looking for suggestions.