Weekend Reminders

The Grip Weeds will perform this Saturday night at IPO - New York.

Weekend Reminders on 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; record release info; or concert tickets.

The 25th Annual International Pop Overthrow - New York runs tonight through Sunday at the Parkside Lounge in New York City. Over 35 acts are scheduled to perform, including Wednesday Week; The Grip Weeds; Allie Kenny; The Wag; and Zombies Of The Stratosphere.

Long-time entertainment journalist Mark Caro (Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, etc.) has a knack for creating in-depth, fascinating interviews with rock musicians on his Caropop podcast. Recent guests include Jim Babjak from The Smithereens; musician/DJ Palmyra Delran; and John Murphy from Shoes. For the latest edition, Caro recruited Chicago musician Phil Angotti to discuss the recently released Rubber Soul box set. Angotti has performed at Beatles buffet events around the city for years, and he organizes the annual John Lennon birthday bash at the Martyrs’ venue in Lincoln Park. Caropop is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Caro’s YouTube channel.

In related news, Phil Angotti will perform the music of Squeeze at Friendly Tap (6733 W. Roosevelt Rd. In Forest Park, IL) starting at 5:35 pm. this Sunday.

Happy Birthday to Peter Noone, the lead vocalist for Herman’s Hermits who had millions of people singing along to “I’m Henery The Eighth, I Am” back in 1965. The band recorded several other hits after that, including “No Milk Today,” “I’m Into Something Good,” and “There’s A Kind Of Hush.”

Also, Happy Birthday to Eric Chial, long-time Chicago musician and boss at the always rocking Montrose Saloon on the city’s north side. His bands have included the rowdy Penthouse Sweets; country-flavored Decoy Prayer Meeting, and the exquisite pop band The Bon Mots.

U2 has added four new dates to its 2027 The Greatest Show On Earth European Tour. Tickets go on sale tomorrow for concerts in Berlin; Lisbon; Paris; and London.

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 tomorrow at the Constellation venue on Chicago’s north side. They’ll share the bill with folk singer The Singleton Affair. 

Bandcamp Friday returns tomorrow, which means the downloading site waives its share of sales on music purchases for 24 hours. As noted in a Bandcamp email, it “sends even more money directly to the artists and labels you support.”

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

As noted on page 10 of the November issue of the Illinois Entertainer, tomorrow will bring several album releases. The list includes Alanis Morissette; Bryan Adams; Django Django; Kings Of Leon; Naked Raygun; and Sufjan Stevens. That same issue has a Black Friday Record Store Day Preview and Local Store Directory. (Once again, thanks to The Music Room in Palatine, IL for not complaining when I come in for my IE copy even though I’ve never taken guitar lessons there.)