Sunday Papers

Long-time Irish rockers U2 have recently announced so many events, it’s a challenge to keep up with everything they have planned for the immediate future. The UK and Europe leg of their 2027 Greatest Show On Earth World Tour will run from the end of April through the beginning of July, with concerts in Stockholm; Paris; Lisbon; Amsterdam; London; Berlin; and Milan. The English alt-rock band Wolf Alice, whose latest album The Clearing has done really well, will be the supporting act. This tour comes after the previously announced Mexico City and South America concerts starting in late February.

As for the United States, U2 will perform during halftime at the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams football game on November 25 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Fans not at the stadium will be able to watch U2 on Netflix. U2’s latest album, Carnaval De Luz, is due out on November 13, and the numerous listening events scheduled in various locations from November 12 through 15 include Illinois venues such as Rattleback Records in Chicago; Rediscover Records in Elgin; Val’s Halla in Oak Park; and The Records Department in Woodstock. See the official U2 Facebook page for details on all of the above.

As noted in recent post on the band’s official Facebook page, Cheap Trick is taking a break from live concerts. Fans were assured we have no cause to worry; the guys just want a bit of time off after 50 years of performing. It’s certainly well-deserved. I still cherish the time I saw Cheap Trick perform at the Harlow’s venue in Burbank, IL, possibly 47 years ago.

The North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, IL has an ambitious event coming up on November 19 that involves recreating The Band’s 1976 iconic farewell concert The Last Waltz. Several modern-day musicians will take on the roles of original performers Emmylou Harris; Bob Dylan; Muddy Waters; Neil Young and Joni Mitchell; Eric Clapton; members of The Band; and various other stars. Tickets are now available from the venue.   

Josh Caterer from The Smoking Popes has an in-store performance coming up at the Rediscover Records store in Elgin, IL on November 7. Admission is $15 at the door, the music starts at at 7:00 pm.

Stop Making Sense, director Jonathan Demme’s 1984 ground-breaking film featuring Talking Heads is being released as a 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition that includes the newly restored and remixed theatrical cut, a 64-page booklet with previously unseen photography, Demme’s commentary, and David Byrne’ rehearsal tape. And, as noted on the SPIN Magazine Facebook page, all four members of Talking Heads have collaborated on a book titled Talking Heads: New Feeling. It’s scheduled for May 2027, and is said to include all kinds of cool stuff that only the band members could have put together.

Fire. Aim. Ready., the latest album from Chicago’s long-time, hard-hitting punk band The Effigies, is now available to order from local label Pravda Records on Bandcamp.

Tickets are now on sale for the alt rock showcase of hometown bands Ratboys and Friko, along with the Philadelphia-based group Florry, at the Salt Shed in Chicago on December 19.

Tickets are now on sale for Nick Heyward’s 2027 acoustic shows in Atlanta; Nashville; St Louis; Chicago; Pittsburgh; Washington, DC; Philadelphia; Boston; and New York. All of the dates except Washington, DC (at Union Stage) will be at City Winery locations. Heyward is best known as the vocalist-guitarist for Haircut 100 of “Favourite Shirts” and “Love Plus One” fame. The City Winery Chicago show takes place on March 8. 

A Song For Gram Parsons - Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Celebration is taking place November 11 at The Troubadour in West Hollywood. The performers will include Emmylou Harris; Elvis Costello; The Black Crowes; Grace Potter; Jim Lauderdale; and “Cosmic Accompaniment  by Beachwood Sparks.” In addition to celebrating Parson’s 2026 induction, the event will be a benefit for the Friendly House Foundation and Backline organizations.

The Hoodoo Gurus have a live album titled Silk Purse coming out on December 4 that features the Aussie indie rock band performing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. For those of us familiar with The Hoodoo Gurus’s raucous and frequently funny material, this combination is intriguing. “Hearing my songs performed this way was a truly transcendent experience,” band leader Dave Faulkner states on Facebook. “I had the strange feeling of rediscovering my own music in a fresh, new way.” Fans can get a preview by checking out the song “My Caravan” on YouTube.

The annual Chris & Heather's Country Calendar Show will once again feature live performances by local musicians, and take place at the FitzGerald’s venue in Berwyn, IL. Chicago-based musician/artist Heather McAdams creates calendars brimming with cool illustrations of country and rock musicians. This year’s calendar show will take place on December 12.

Grammy Award winning country and western/rock singer-songwriter Shelby Lynne has a memoir titled Gunpowder due out in December. It will likely offer interesting reflections on her decades-long career.

The Split Squad, an all-star indie rock band whose members have found considerable success with other indie rock bands, has a new album coming out next year on Pravda Records. In the meantime, they’ve released the catchy single “Spanish Hospital Food” and a truly fun animation video to go with it. Chicago fans will get a kick out of seeing drummer Brad Elvis of The Handcuffs in cartoon mode.

Long-time entertainment journalist Mark Caro has a knack for creating in-depth, fascinating interviews with rock musicians on his Caropop podcast. Two recent examples are Jim Babjak from The Smithereens, and Palmyra Delran, who recorded with The Friggs and is now a deejay on Little Steven’s Underground Garage Sirius XM channel. Caro’s current podcast features John Murphy, the third member of Shoes (after Jeff Murphy and Gary Klebe) Caro has interviewed. Caropop is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Caro’s YouTube channel.

Tommi Zender and Alton Smith, both well-known musicians on the Chicago scene, promise they’ll “make pleasant sounds” when they perform at Madame Zuzu’s in Highland Park tomorrow night. That’s the combination teahouse and record store run by Billy (Smashing Pumpkins) and Chloe Corgan.

Chris Isaak’s 15-date On Tour For The Holidays will start in Atlantic City, NJ on November 27 and wrap up in Shipshewana, IN on December 19. The seasonal music tour includes a stop in Milwaukee, WI on December 16 and at the Hard Rock Live Rockford venue in Rockford, IL on December 18.

The Uncommon Ground venue on Chicago’s north side has announced the second night of its November 16 and 17 Jeff Buckley Tributes is sold out and there are only a few tickets left for the first night.

The Smithereens will perform at 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.)

Tickets are now on sale for the Richard Thompson And Band with Clayton Linthicum and Quinn Bachand concert at The Vic Theatre on Chicago’s north side on January 30.

The Third Eye, a book of personal photographs George Harrison took of his fellow Beatles in the years 1963 – 1969, is now on sale. It features over 200 photographs compiled and curated by Olivia Harrison, along with her essays, and comments from George.

Temp Wishes, a new band led by the perpetually busy Josh Chicoine of The M’s, have a vinyl release show for their self-titled debut record coming up on November 6 at the Constellation venue on Chicago’s north side. They’ll share the bill with folk singer The Singleton Affair. 

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.”

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