Slumgullion

Please see yesterday’s Weekend Reminders post for events taking place this weekend. 

The Who have released a very fun Acoustic Stripped Mix of their 1975 hit single “Squeeze Box” as a preview of the 50th Anniversary edition of their The Who By Numbers album. Fans can check out the song via an animated video inspired by John Entwistle’s art for the original album cover. The 50th Anniversary Who By Numbers is due out October 30, and is available to pre-order on various sites. 

Join together, lend a hand. The Music Moves Mountains Foundation, a registered  501 (c)(3) non-profit charity organization that uses music to assist people experiencing medical issues, will present A Tribute To Keith Moon all ages event on November 1 at Central Machine Brewery Works in Austin, Texas. Special guests will include Gregg Bissonette; Stephen Perkins; Michael Jerome; and Keith’s daughter Mandy Moon. In addition to live performances, there will be a silent auction to benefit the Music Moves Mountains Foundation.

The Who’s Tommy - The Musical North American Tour kicks off on October 6 in Cleveland, OH and will wrap up in San Antonio, TX on June 6, 2027. It will be a massive endeavor, including a February 16 – February 28 run in Chicago. I saw this show at The Goodman Theatre a while back, and it’s truly an Amazing Journey.

Singer-guitarist Phil Angotti’s annual John Lennon birthday tribute will take place next Friday, October  9 at Martyrs’ on Chicago’s north side. As with Ellis Clark and Ary Paloma’s My Sweet George George Harrison birthday bash at that same venue each February, Angotti’s Lennon tribute involves local musicians doing a terrific job of covering Beatles band and solo material. This year, Angotti’s special guests will be Plastic Orwell Band (members of Chicago’s indie rockers The Handcuffs); Sports Boyfriend; Steve Dawson; and famous Beatles pal Billy J.Kramer. The fun starts at 7:30.

The 2027 Joey’s Song Fighting Epilepsy With Music charity event taking place on January 8 and 9 will feature an impressive lineup of indie and alt rock performers. Vicki and Debbi Peterson from The Bangles; John Cowsill from The Cowsills (and Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill); Jody Stephens from Big Star; Jane Wiedlin and Gina Schock from The Go-Go’s; Tracy Bonham; Freedy Johnston; Curt Smith from Tears For Fears; Kay Hanley from Letters To Cleo; Jon Auer from The Posies and Big Star; Severo Jornacion from The Smithereens; Bruce Vig and Duke Erikson from Spooner and Garbage; Chris Collingwood from Fountains Of Wayne; Gail Greenwood from Belly and L7; and Hugo Burnham from Gang of Four are among the musicians who’ll perform at The Sylvee venue in Madison, WI. Check out the full list on the official website.

An Evening With Steve Dawson, an event celebrating the Chicago-based singer-songwriter’s 35 years of performing, will take place on October 11 at Evanston SPACE in Evanston, IL. He’ll be joined by special guests Jason Adasiewicz; Jason Roebke; Diane Christiansen; and Alton Smith.

Power pop masters The Smithereens are coming to the Park West venue in Chicago on November 21. John Cowsill (The Cowsills, Beach Boys, John Cowsill and Vicki Peterson) will be their guest lead singer, and he’s been doing a terrific job in that role for a while now. (Cowsill, Marshall Crenshaw, and Wesley Stace are taking turns in that role on the current tour.) 

The 49th Anniversary Edition of Elvis Costello’s My Aim Is True five-CD box set, with 104 tracks—half of them being previously unreleased—is now available. Costello’s groundbreaking debut featured songs such as “Watching The Detectives,” “Miracle Man,” “Alison,” “Less Than Zero,” and “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes.”

The October issue of the Illinois Entertainer features Penelope Biver’s cover story on Michael McDermott, as well as reviews of new albums by Weezer; Clifton Chenier; and Robyn Hitchcock.

The Chicago area store Rattleback Records has its own indie rock publication—RPM—and Issue #3 features articles and interviews; a glow-in-the-dark button; and a CD compilation of the local band A.M Slingers. It’s  available at the Rattleback Records store, located at 5405 N. Clark Street.

Issue number 24 of the Pittsburgh, PA indie rock music publication Second Scenes should be out soon and will feature Colin Moulding from XTC; Jah Wobble from PiL; Strawberry Alarm Clock; Ben Vaughn; Styx; and other acts.

Johnny Marr’s latest album, The Age Of Everything, and Meshell Ndegeocello’s latest album, Synonym, came out today.

R.E.M. is celebrating the 25th Anniversary of their Reveal album with a Deluxe Edition 2-CD/Blue-Ray set that includes The Black Sessions Revealed, a 17-song live concert that was recorded for Radio France. The set will be released on November 20, and comes with a hardbound book with photographs, previously unreleased liner notes, and comments from the R.E.M. band members. A stand-alone version of The Black Sessions Revealed will also available.

 

Tickets went on sale today for Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy’s 2027 North American 40th Anniversary Of R.E.M.’s Document Album Tour. As with their previous Murmur, Fables Of The Reconstruction; and Lifes Rich Pageant tours, they’ll be joined by musicians Dag Juhlin; John Stirratt; Vijay Tellis-Nayak; and Jon Wurster. The massive 40th Anniversary Of R.E.M.’s Document Album Tour will include shows in Athens on May 8 and May 10, as well as in Chicago on March 13 at The Salt Shed in Chicago.

In related news, the Kung Fu Necktie venue in Philadelphia, PA has a double bill coming up on October 10 featuring the Lower Wolves band performing early R.E.M. songs (1982 – 1987) and the Bright Paper Werewolves band performing Guided By Voice songs. You read it here first.

Old 97s lead vocalist and frequent solo artist Rhett Miller will perform at City Winery Chicago with Reilly Downes and the Acid Cowboys on October 8. Miller released the new single “Wasted Time” last month.

“Silencio,” U2’s recently released single, sets provocative lyrics to a fast-paced, irresistible arrangement. Bono delivers the message with vocals that are every bit as powerful as when the band formed 50 years ago. The track will be included on their Carnaval De Luz album, which is due out November 13.

The Smashing Pumpkins will bring their Rats In A Cage Tour to the United Center in Chicago on October 14. Billed as Two Unique Sets Celebrating Mellon Collie At 30 And Nearly Four Decades Of Unruly Hits And Dark Treasures, the tour will also include Boston, MA; Brooklyn, NY; Hamilton, ON; Montreal, QC; Madison, WI; Nashville, TN; Austin, TX; and Denver, CO.

The Zombies’ third annual Begin Here Festival (following ones in 2023 and 2024) will take place from October 30 through November 1 in St. Albans in the UK. It’s described on the band’s Facebook page as “a unique fan experience,” and looking over the various activities, that sounds about right. Lead vocalist Colin Blunstone will be accompanied by composer/musician Dave Bainbridge and Q Strings, as well as special guests in a candlelight concert. There will also be a record signing with Blunstone, Rod Argent, and other band members; Q and A sessions with band members; and a ‘60s-themed dance party.

Happy birthday to Police vocalist-bassist Sting, who has found success with the band as well as with his solo career. His 3.0 Tour comes to the Hard Rock Live in Rockford, IL on October 16.

Henry Diltz will bring the Behind The Lens slideshow, which features his favorite photographs of famous musicians, to seven venues on the West Coast throughout the month of November. Diltz will also share “stories and memories” of his work experiences over the years. There will be a special Once Upon a Troubadour event at the Troubadour Club in Los Angeles on December 9.

Theater Of The Mind, the imaginative adventure crafted by David Byrne from Talking Heads and writer Mala Gaonkar, has been extended through October 25 at the Reid Murdoch Building at 333 N. LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. Theater Of The Mind is a Goodman Theatre production. 

Steve Barton from the band Translator will release his latest solo effort, See-Saw Hullabaloo, on October 23. Two days later, he’ll showcase the album at the Alberta Street Pub in Portland, Oregon.