Slumgullion

See yesterday’s Weekend Reminders post for events happening this weekend.

I should have mentioned this in yesterday’s post, but at least it’s still two days in advance. John Mead’s True Believers, which includes Steve Dawson; Alton Smith; and John Abbey; with Gregg Ostrom and Peter Manis, will play the songs of Bob Dylan this Sunday at Evanston SPACE in Evanston, IL. The music starts at 7:00 pm and will feature acoustic and electric renditions.

Also, The Old Town Art Fair, a juried art fair that’s been around for over 70 years, will run tomorrow and Sunday in one of Chicago’s more picturesque neighborhoods. It’s always a good idea to get there early in the morning to beat the massive crowd that eventually shows up, and it will leave you time to wander over to the Wells Street Art Fair a few blocks to the south, at North Avenue. When it’s warm and sunny, the Wells Street Art Fair draws a younger crowd looking to party. The street and sidewalks get packed but the mood stays festive.

Happy Birthday to singer-guitarist Kevin Lee, a longtime performer/recording artist on the Chicago music scene. His current band Kevin Lee And The Kings has an outdoor gig coming up on June 25 on The Dock at Montrose Harbor.

The impressive and always fun Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets will be one of the headline acts at this year’s Square Roots Festival in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on Chicago’s north side. The event takes place on the weekend of July 10 – 12, and will also feature Margo Price; Dehd; Robbie Fulks; Sons Of The Silent Age; The Tossers; and several other acts.

The Meadowlark Lemons will showcase songs from their recently released self-titled debut album at Fitzgerald's Sidebar in Berwyn, IL on June 19. The Chicago-based quintet creates a mix of jazz, funk, and soul that’s particularly impressive on “Meet Me At The Sidebar,” “The Laughing Heart,” and “Little Funky Wolf.” 

R.E.M. bassist-vocalist Mike Mills, violinist Robert McDuffie, and Allman Brothers (and other bands) keyboards player Chuck Leavell will join forces with the Orchestra Of St. Luke’s for A Night Of Georgia Music at Carnegie Hall in New York on July 25. The one-night-only event will feature them covering Otis Redding; Ray Charles; The Allman Brothers; R.E.M.; The B-52’s; Outkast, and other acts. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at Carnegie Hall.

Drink The Sea, the adventurous band that includes Peter Buck of R.E.M.;  Alain Johannes of Queens of The Stone Age; and Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees, has an upcoming American tour that will run from August 30 to September 24 in support of their new album. An extensive European tour will kick off on September 30.

Earth, Wind And Fire (To Be Celestial Vs. That’s The Weight Of The World), a new documentary about the iconic soul band, directed by Questlove, recently debuted at the Tribeca Festival, and has be released on HBO and HBO Max.

Chicago-based band The Bad Examples, whose clever and catchy songs often call to mind the music of Squeeze, will perform at the Moonlight Theatre in St. Charles, IL on July 18, and at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, IL on August 15. Later that month, they’ll perform at International Pop Overthrow - San Diego on either August 21 or 22 (the schedule hasn’t been released yet).

Toronto indie rock band Metric will showcase its 10th album Romanticize The Drive on a tour with Broken Social Scene and Stars that recently kicked off in Austin, TX. Other cities on the tour include Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Chicago (July 24 at Aragon Ballroom), Boston, Philadelphia, and New York.

Cult Canyon, a new band formed by Chicago-based vocalist-guitarist Josh Chicoine, has a show coming up at Cafe Mustache on June 22. Chicoine is best known for his work with The M’s, an indie rock band that released a series of albums (2003 – 2008) and built a loyal following via numerous live performances.

The Rolling Stones’ new album Foreign Tongues is due out on July 10, and can be pre-ordered from Amazon and other sites. A video of the hard-edged first single “In The Stars” on YouTube finds the band at the top of their game.

Local comedy group Famous In The Future will present its annual three-day celebration of counter-culture entertainment, YippieFest, on the weekend of October 9 – 11 at the Cornservatory. The event features FIF, along with a variety of acts presenting short plays, improv, monologues, sketch comedy, stand-up, music, performance art, and dance. YippieFest is modeled after the late Mary-Arrchie Theatre’s long-running Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins Festival. Cornservatory is located at 4210 N. Lincoln Avenue on Chicago’s north side. Full disclosure: I was a member of Famous In The Future for several years.

The Roger Daltry - A Great Night Out! North American Tour will kick off in Mesa, AZ on August 23 and wrap up on September 29 in Medford, MA. Fans in the Midwest can choose New Lenox, IL on September 12 or Milwaukee, WI on September 15.

Chicago-based recording artists Naked Brunch have a Pride Month themed release party coming up at G-Man Tavern on June 28. Released by Rattleback Records, the new 12-inch vinyl single features exclusive remixes of “Kiddie Pool” and “Humanoid”—tracks from Naked Brunch’s critically acclaimed 2025 debut album At the Humanoid Motel.

Billy Idol must have enjoyed his 2025 It’s A Nice Day To . . . Tour Again! gigs because he’s scheduled four new ones for this fall. The first is on September 10 in St. Louis, MO; followed by September 11 in Grand Rapids, MI; September 13 in Cuyahoga Falls, OH; and September 16 in Kansas City, MO. Bangles founding member and solo artist Susanna Hoffs will be Idol’s special guest at each location.

Susanna Hoffs has a solo gig at The Old Town School Of Folk Music on September 14. It’s a co-presentation with Chicago Humanities. A week later, Hoffs has a five-night engagement at the Café Carlyle at the Carlyle Hotel in  New York.

The Riverside Park venue in Aurora, IL has announced its 2026 Summer Concert Series, which includes Cheap Trick on June 25; UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell on August 9; The Beach Boys on August 14; and Poi Dog Pondering on August 15.

Joe Algeri and Paul Colombini of the Australian power pop band The Outryders are on the verge of releasing their first album in a few years. The new songs will also feature Illinois native, bass player Herb Eimerman, who has worked with Algeri on several projects, thanks to modern recording technology.

Theater Of The Mind, the imaginative adventure crafted by David Byrne from Talking Heads and writer Mala Gaonkar, has been extended through August 30 at the Reid Murdoch Building at 333 N. LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. Theater Of The Mind, a Goodman Theatre production, has been picking up rave reviews in Chicago newspapers.

Australia’s adventurous and frequently humorous garage rock band Hoodoo Gurus will visit London for a single concert on September 28 at the Electric Ballroom in Camden Town. Girlband, a Nottingham, UK alt rock trio that sounds pretty cool judging from their Facebook page, will be the opening act.

The schedule for this year’s SummerFest in Milwaukee, WI has been announced, with concerts taking place on June 16 – 20; June 25 – 27; and July 2 – 4. Performers include Echo And The Bunnymen; Alejandro Escovedo; Modern English; The Dream Syndicate; The Roots; Kim Gordon; Little Feat; Old 97s; Sons Of The Silent Age; Muse; Spoon; Gin Blossoms; BoDeans; The Jayhawks; Soul Asylum; and Spin Doctors.

 

Death Cab For Cutie recently released its latest album, I Built You A Tower,  and will embark on a massive tour starting July 10 in Minneapolis.

The lineup for this year’s Riot Fest, which will take place September 18 – 20 at Douglass Park in Chicago, has been announced. Participating acts include Alanis Morissette; Social Distortion; Morrissey; Iggy Pop; Elvis Costello; Pixies; Patti Smith And Her Band; and Sugar. Tickets are available on the official website.