Slumgullion

It looks like fans who’ve been waiting for The Hollies to go on tour again will soon get their wish. A post on a Hollies Facebook page known to have legitimate connections to the lads announced tickets will go on sale this coming Monday for concerts on October 16 and 17 at The Grand in Lancashire in the UK. The shows are being described as a warm up for an upcoming world tour.

A trio of UK acts comprising Colin Blunstone of The Zombies; new wave stars The Fixx; and musician/producer Peter Asher will tour America throughout the month of September. The 19 stops will include New York, NY; Washington, D.C.; Minneapolis, MN; and Waukegan, IL.

Peter Asher: Everywhere Man, a new documentary about the musician/producer from Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine, is currently showing in movie theaters across America. Several major stars are featured in the film, including James Taylor; Linda Ronstadt; Carole King; Paul McCartney; and Robin Williams.

International Pop Overthrow founder David Bash will serve as Master Of Ceremonies when the 11th Annual Harry Nilsson Sing-A-Long takes place on July 20 at Molly Malone’s in Los Angeles. Several musicians will be paying tribute, including Steve Barton from Translator and solo artist/Maple Mars founding member Rick Hromadka. Admission is $15 for advance tickets and $20 at the door.

In related news, the schedule for International Pop Overthrow - Los Angeles, which will run from August 7 through August 16, is now available on the official IPO website. Several acts, including Plasticsoul; Lori Garrote And The Chaos; Kerosene Stars; The Jeremy Band; the above-mentioned Rick Hromadka, will perform at the Redwood Bar and Corbin Bowl venues. The IPO website is a good way to discover new music since many of the participating acts listed have links to their Bandcamp pages.

Congratulations to Chicago-based musician/recording artist Joel Paterson on being chosen to join Bob Dylan on tour. Even before journalist/author Mark Guarino broke the story in the Chicago Sun-Times, many people already knew because of numerous positive messages to Paterson from his fellow musicians on social media. 

Singer-songwriter Noah Kahan’s latest album The Great Divide has been getting a lot of airplay on stations such as WXRT here in Chicago, and he’ll perform at Wrigley Field on July 14. There will be a pre-show event at Gallagher Way, the self-described “backyard for Wrigley Field concerts,” featuring Cult Canyon, a local band led by vocalist-guitarist Josh Chicoine, who’s best known for his work with The M’s.

Tickets are now on sale for this year’s Hometown Celebration - A Benefit for The Lin Brehmer Scholars Fund at Metro on August 16. The featured acts will be The Linburgers (Tributosaurus members Matt Spiegel & Curt Morrison); Dag Juhlin; Michael McDermott; and Heather Lynne Horton. Brehmer will always be remembered as one of Chicago’s best-friendliest and knowledgeable radio personalities, especially for those of us who met him in person. It’s great to see this benefit taking place again.

U2 has released a video of a new single titled “Street Of Dreams” that’s now available for viewing on the Rock Cellar website. The song has a classic U2 arrangement along with an inspirational message about following your dreams. It’s an enticing preview of a full album the band promises will be released in the near future.

Singer-songwriter Stephen Kohler, a long-time participant of the Chicago music scene, has a new single out titled “Paintbrush.” The song finds Kohler once again collaborating with Frisbie band members Liam Davis and Gerald Dowd, who helped out with Kohler’s 2025 album Anthem. The song takes a positive approach while paying tribute to Kohler’s late brother.

Chicago-based blues legend Buddy Guy’s upcoming tour will start in Toronto, ON on July 15, and wrap up in Memphis, TN on October 29. The tour includes a July 25 sold out show at the Chicago Theatre, and Guy will celebrate his 90th birthday at Madison Square Garden on October 1.

The Kinks: Brothers, a new exhibition created by Ray and Dave Davies with artist Christian Furr, will open at London’s Gibson Garage on July 24.

The 19th Annual Petaluma Music Festival will take place on July 25 at the Petaluma Fairgrounds in Petaluma, CA. 10,000 Maniacs; The Smithereens; Cherry Poppin' Daddies; Alejandro Escovedo; and Chuck Prophet are among the acts scheduled to perform.

The Smithereens, with guest lead vocalist John Cowsill will open for The Fixx in Norfolk, VA on July 13; Richmond, VA on July 15; Ponte Vedra, FL on July 17; and Orlando, FL on July 17. 

John Cowsill will also be busy performing with his wife Vicki Peterson of The Bangles on a six-date tour that kicks off in Mahomet, IL on July 31 and  runs through August 30 with a show at The Rhode Island Folk Festival in Riverside, RI.  Cowsill and Peterson will likely showcase songs from their Long After The Fire album, as well as material from The Bangles and The Cowsills.

Chicago-based recording artists Naked Brunch and Radkey will perform on the Hill Stage at the Merchant Street MusicFest in Kankakee, IL on July 25. The band will likely showcase songs from critically acclaimed 2025 debut album At the Humanoid Motel.

Whiting, Indiana’s annual Pierogie Fest will be held on the weekend of July 24 – 26, and some of the featured acts will be familiar to Chicago music fans. The Polkaholics bring a rock and roll sensibility to their ethnic songs; and Metropolly, led by Holly Senchak Dausch and Adam Dausch, is a frequent participant in the Hallowweekend shows at Montrose Saloon. Singer-guitarist Phil Angotti is a popular performer of original material and cover versions.

The Spindles, Go Time!, And Kevin Lee And The Kings—bands with years of experience of rocking the Chicago music scene—will share a triple bill on July 18 at Heroes West in Lemont, IL. Each of these acts has recorded impressive albums, so there will be a lot of original material to enjoy that night.

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.

Toronto indie rock band Metric is currently on the road in support of its 10th album Romanticize The Drive. The tour, which features special guests Broken Social Scene and Stars, will include concerts in Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Chicago (July 24 at Aragon Ballroom), Boston, Philadelphia, and New York.

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.