Slumgullion

Chris Stamey’s upcoming album Modernism finds the The dB’s member and solo artist performing cover versions of songs by some of his favorite bands, including “Hey Bulldog” by The Beatles; “Waterloo Sunset” by The Kinks; and “Ruby Tuesday” by The Rolling Stones. Guest musicians Jody Stephens; Pat Sansone; Jon Wurster; Mitch Easter; Probyn Gregory; Wes Lachot; and Emily Frantz; as well as Stamey’s fellow dB’s band members Will Rigby and Peter Holsapple, pitched in during the recording. Modernism is due out June 19 via Flatiron Recordings.

As promised in a Facebook post last December, EXPO ’76 is returning to the Chicago club scene this month. Or as an announcement from the off-kilter but talented covers band stated romantically today, “Returning To The Comfort Of Your Warm Embrace.” So, EXPO ’76 will perform at Simon’s Tavern on the city’s north side on April 8, and they’re “looking forward to seeing each of you, as well as everyone you've ever met, if they’re not busy.” The fun starts at 8:30 pm.

“Days We Left Behind,” the easygoing first single from Paul McCartney’s upcoming album The Boys Of Dungeon Lane, is now available on various streaming sites. Its introspective tone is likely to drift throughout the album, which is due out May 29. A Paul McCartney And Wings exhibit will open on May 15 at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, OH.

Radio station WXRT has a new weekly feature on the Marty Lennartz morning show as of today. It’s called Born In Chicago and will honor our city’s artists and musicians. The first edition focused on blues great Muddy Waters.

Michael Stipe of R.E.M. has collaborated with producer/songwriter Andrew Watt on the theme song for the HBO series Rooster. “I Played The Fool,” an easygoing and well-crafted song, is available to stream on various sites.

Long-time entertainment writer Mark Caro (Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, etc.) has talked with several rock musicians on his Caropop podcast, and recently started making those interviews available on his YouTube channel, as well as on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The latest edition offers an in-depth conversation with Gary Klebe that ranges from the earliest days of the band Shoes to his solo album Out Loud. Klebe originally intended his latest songs to be recorded by Shoes, but along the way, realized he would use them for his first solo album. Out Loud is due out April 10.

The Zombies plan to release their first album Begin Here as a remastered in the original 1965 mono mix version on April 17. Available in LP, CD, and digital formats, it will combine all the tracks from the English and American original versions and be released on their own Beechwood Park Records label. The first single “The Way I Feel Inside” is already out, and the album can be pre-ordered in various  options.

Del Amitri has a show coming up at the Vic Theatre in Chicago on June 15. It’s the third date on the Scottish band’s first U.S. tour since 2023, following shows on June 13 in Milwaukee and June14 in Minneapolis. The other stops on the tour are Providence; Boston; New York; Washington D.C. and Philadelphia.

Singer-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen, a former member of the power pop bands The Abbeys and Pop Dollys, has embarked on a successful career playing selections from The Great American Songbook at dinner clubs. He’ll be at the Tuscan Market And Wine Shop in Arlington Heights, IL on April 10 at 7:00 pm.

Issue #22 of Second Scene includes articles on The Godfathers, The Pandoras, Reckless Eric, and Big Stir Records. Led by editor-in-chief Tim Thomas, the Pittsburgh, PA indie rock music newspaper presents its reviews and articles within a colorful, eye-catching layout. Second Scene can be found in some records stores, and is available through its Bandcamp page.

Congratulations to Chicago alt rock band Ratboys on the four-star review of their new album Singin’ To An Empty Chair in England’s top-notch music magazine Mojo. Reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine praises singer Julia Steiner’s emotionally charged songwriting, and describes “Anywhere” as a “brilliant bit of propulsive pop.” Here in Chicago, “Anywhere” has been getting frequent airplay on radio station WXRT.

That April issue of MOJO also includes a five-star review of the recent Trixies release by Squeeze. As noted by critic Pat Gilbert, the album has its origins in an abandoned song cycle/musical written by band member Chris Difford in 1974. Gilbert concludes his extensive review by noting Trixies sits comfortably beside Squeeze’s finest works of the ‘70s.

The Spindles have a new single on Spotify that features the Chicago power pop band capturing the high energy and seductive tone of The Raspberries’1973 hit “Tonight.” Side B “I Don’t Know Why” is an original tune that pays homage to The Raspberries with a piano and strings arrangement and harmony vocals.

The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, NV has some fun events coming up next month. Cheap Trick will perform the entire At Budokan album, along with a hearty selection of greatest hits on April 17 and 18; and The B-52’s have a return engagement there on April 22, 24, and 25.

The Black Ensemble Theater on Chicago’s north side is presenting The Jackie Wilson Story through April 26. Black Ensemble Theater is now celebrating its 50th season.

“It’s Been Too Long,” the first single from Ringo Starr’s next album, is now available to stream on various sites. The album, titled Long Long Road, will feature collaborations with T Bone Burnett; Sheryl Crow; Billy Strings; Molly Tuttle; Sarah Jarosz; and St. Vincent. It’s due out April 24.

Revolutionary Women In Music is now open at The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, OH. The exhibit honors performers from the 1970s through today, with an emphasis on Punks, Rude Girls, Matriarchs, and Truth Tellers.

Theater Of The Mind, an imaginative adventure crafted by David Byrne from Talking Heads and writer Mala Gaonkar, will run through May 31 at the Reid Murdoch Building at 333 N. LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. Theater Of The Mind is a Goodman Theatre production. Chicago Tribune critic Chris Jones gave Theater Of The Mind three and a half stars in a re4cent review.

International Pop Overthrow has been bringing indie rock/power pop festivals to cities around the world for quite a few years, and will begin its 2026 season with a nine-day visit to Chicago from April 17 to 25. Founder/CEO David Bash has posted the full schedule on Facebook, and it includes several long-time favorites. IPO will also make stops in Liverpool, Stockholm, Glasgow, Los Angeles, and New York this year.

Sons Of The Silent Age - The Cracked Actor Cabaret is coming to City Winery Chicago, located straight west of the downtown area, on April 23. These guys have been impressing audiences around town with their David Bowie tribute for years; this particular event will feature them performing stripped down arrangements of his songs.

John Cowsill and Vicki Peterson will perform at The Woodstock Opera House in Woodstock, IL on April 25. Cowsill and Peterson will likely showcase songs from their debut album Long After The Fire, along with a few songs from The Bangles and The Cowsills.

The Wailers will celebrate the anniversary of the Rastaman Vibration album they released with Bob Marley 50 years ago, in a 7:00 pm concert at The Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago on April 24. The 9:30 pm concert that same night will feature The Wailers performing their 1977 album with Marley, Natural Mystic.

Congratulations to The Second Summer on recently signing with Hardstop Records. The power pop band hopes to have a new album (their second) coming out later this year. In the meantime, The Second Summer has a gig coming up at The Village Club in Western Springs, IL on April 17.

Paul Weller’s upcoming release Weller At The BBC Vol. 2 is now available to pre-order in 3-LP or 3-CD formats from his official website. The album is due out on April 24.

Weekend Reminders

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, or concert tickets going on sale.

Depending on when you read this, you can still catch local singer-songwriter Phil Angotti having loads of fun at the G-Man Tavern on Chicago’s north side. It’s a video release/live music event for the unveiling of a Blair Holmes filmed/Lou Hinkhouse produced video for “Eye For An Eye” from Angotti’s Once Around Again album. There will also be a 14-minute video mix of promo clips and out-takes. Angotti will perform two sets of original songs, backed by longtime mates Casey McDonough, Tom Ryan, Blair Holmes, Todd Rusin, and Charlie Piper. The fun begins with a DJ set by Lou Hinkhouse at 7:00 pm.

Phil Angotti And Friends will perform a noon Easter Brunch at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL this Sunday.

Tickets will go on sale tomorrow for Del Amitri at the Vic Theatre in Chicago on June 15. It’s the third date on the Scottish band’s first U.S. tour since 2023, following shows on June 13 in Milwaukee and June 14 in Minneapolis. The other stops on the tour are Providence; Boston; New York; Washington D.C.; and Philadelphia.

Celebrating his birthday at Simon’s on Chicago’s north side has become a tradition for Americana/indie rock singer-songwriter Steve Dawson. That’s what he’ll be doing this Sunday night, along with fellow musicians/friends Gerald Dowd, Alton Smith, John Abbey, and special guest singer-artist Diane Christiansen. The free admission event starts at 8:30; Simon’s is located at 5210 N. Clark N. Street.

Tickets will go on sale tomorrow for Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival being held September 26 and 27 at Moody Center in Austin TX. An impressive variety of well-known musicians will take part, including Clapton; Trey Anastasio; Joe Bonamassa; Billy Gibbons; Buddy Guy; Sonny Landreth; Taj Mahal; John McLaughlin; Robert Randolph; Tedeschi Trucks Band; and Pete Townshend. Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival will celebrate of the 28th anniversary of the founding of the Crossroads Centre Antigua, a substance-abuse rehabilitation center for drug and alcohol addiction.

Scott Ligon’s All Stars will perform tomorrow night from 6:30 to 10:30 at Robert’s Westside in Forest Park IL. It’s not clear who those All Stars will be, but since Ligon often associates with top notch, Chicago-based musicians, this will definitely be interesting.

Sam Robinson, a well-known jazz musician on the Chicago club scene for over two decades, has an album release party this Saturday at Le Piano on the north side. Chasin’ The Dream is Robinson’s fourth release, and the first to feature all original material. Le Piano is located at 6970 N. Glenwood Avenue; the release party starts at 9:30 pm. 

The Smoking Popes have come up with an ambitious plan to celebrate their decades-long, critically acclaimed career. Their 35th Anniversary Tour will involve performing two nights in each location, with one show being completely different from the other. Depending on the location, The Smoking Popes will appear with special guests Alien Boy, Radiator Hospital, or Nerf Herder and Alien Boy. Tickets went on sale today, and can be purchased as single tickets or 2-night passes.

Incoming

The Smoking Popes have come up with an ambitious plan to celebrate their decades-long, critically acclaimed career. Their 35th Anniversary Tour will involve performing two nights in each location, with one show being completely different from the other. Depending on the location, The Smoking Popes will appear with special guests Alien Boy, Radiator Hospital, or Nerf Herder and Alien Boy. Tickets go on sale this Thursday, and can be purchased as single tickets or 2-night passes.

Tickets will go on sale this Friday for Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival being held September 26 and 27 at Moody Center in Austin TX. An impressive variety of well-known musicians will take part, including Clapton; Trey Anastasio; Joe Bonamassa; Billy Gibbons; Buddy Guy; Sonny Landreth; Taj Mahal; John McLaughlin; Robert Randolph; Tedeschi Trucks Band; and Pete Townshend. Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival will celebrate of the 28th anniversary of the founding of the Crossroads Centre Antigua, a substance-abuse rehabilitation center for drug and alcohol addiction.

Local singer-songwriter Phil Angotti has a video release/live music event coming up this Thursday night at the G-Man Tavern on Chicago’s north side. In addition to unveiling a Blair Holmes filmed/Lou Hinkhouse produced video for “Eye For An Eye” from his Once Around Again album, Angotti will present a 14-minute video mix of promo clips and out-takes. There will be two sets of original songs performed by Angotti, Casey McDonough, Tom Ryan, Blair Holmes, Todd Rusin and Charlie Piper; along with a DJ set by Lou Hinkhouse.

Congratulations to Chicago alt rock band Ratboys on the four-star review of their new album Singin’ To An Empty Chair in England’s top-notch music magazine Mojo. Reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine praises singer Julia Steiner’s emotionally charged songwriting, and describes “Anywhere” as a “brilliant bit of propulsive pop.” Here in Chicago, “Anywhere” has been getting frequent airplay on radio station WXRT.

That April issue of MOJO also includes a five-star review of the recent Trixies release by Squeeze. As noted by critic Pat Gilbert, the album has its origins in an abandoned song cycle/musical written by band member Chris Difford in 1974. Gilbert concludes his extensive review by noting Trixies sits comfortably beside Squeeze’s finest works of the ‘70s.

Issue #22 of Second Scene includes articles on The Godfathers, The Pandoras, Reckless Eric, and Big Stir Records. Led by editor-in-chief Tim Thomas, the Pittsburgh, PA indie rock music newspaper presents its reviews and articles within a colorful, eye-catching layout. Second Scene can be found in some records stores, and is available through its Bandcamp page.

Sam Robinson, a well-known jazz musician on the Chicago club scene for over two decades, has an album release party this Saturday at Le Piano on the north side. Chasin’ The Dream is Robinson’s fourth release, and the first to feature all original material. Le Piano is located at 6970 N. Glenwood Avenue; the release party starts at 9:30 pm. 

The Unswept, a Chicago band whose members hail from Sheffield, England, have released a new EP on Bandcamp titled Bittersweet On Repeat, featuring the single “Almost Always Better.” As they’ve often done on previous releases, The Unswept take an offbeat approach to describing a romantic relationships. They’re among the many acts that will perform at this year’s International Pop Overthrow taking place April 17 – 25 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side.

Slumgullion

Mary McCartney photo of Paul from official Paul McCartney Facebook page.

 “Days We Left Behind,” the easygoing first single from Paul McCartney’s upcoming album The Boys Of Dungeon Lane, is now available on various streaming sites. Its introspective tone is likely to drift throughout the album, which is due out May 29. A Paul McCartney And Wings exhibit will open on May 15 at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, OH.

Gary Klebe from Shoes has given us another preview of his upcoming solo album Out Loud. Like the previously released “Not Tough Enough,” the catchy “Room To Breathe” has the feel of classic Shoes material. Both songs are available for listening on YouTube. Out Loud is due out April 10 on Black Vinyl Records.

Hoodoo Gurus, the most fun power pop/garage rock band in Australia and possibly the world, will perform “a handful of shows in Spain this coming September.” Before returning home, Hoodoo Gurus will play at The Electric Ballroom in Camden in the UK.

Police vocalist-bassist Sting’s 3.0 Tour comes to the Hard Rock Live in Rockford, IL on October 16. Meanwhile, Stewart Copeland Have I Said Too Much? The Police, Hollywood And Other Adventures - An Evening Of Conversation With The Hall Of Fame Rock Star is scheduled at the North Shore Center in Skokie, IL on July 31.

The Spindles have a new single on Spotify that features the Chicago power pop band capturing the high energy and seductive tone of The Raspberries’1973 hit “Tonight.” Side B “I Don’t Know Why” is an original tune that pays homage to The Raspberries with a piano and strings arrangement and harmony vocals.

The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, NV has some fun events coming up next month. Cheap Trick will perform the entire At Budokan album, along with a hearty selection of greatest hits on April 17 and 18; and The B-52’s have a return engagement there on April 22, 24, and 25.

The Black Ensemble Theater on Chicago’s north side is presenting The Jackie Wilson Story through April 26. Black Ensemble Theater is now celebrating its 50th season.

Critically acclaimed producer and performer Todd Rundgren, known for hits such as “Hello, It’s Me”and “Can We Still Be Friends?,” has two stops scheduled for Illinois this summer. His Damned If I Do Tour kicks off at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles on June 11 and moves to the Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL on June 12. Other cities on the tour include Dallas, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, and Washington, D.C.

Coming up on September 19, FitzGerald’s in Berwyn will present Mold Fest. For anyone who thinks their house is just as worthy for such an event, ‘Mold’ in this case refers to those Mold-A-Rama machines used to churn out plastic toys. They’re most often found in museums. FitzGerald’s will join forces with Mold-A-Mania for this bash, and admission “includes a specially marked MoldFest 2026 mold!”

“It’s Been Too Long,” the first single from Ringo Starr’s next album, is now available to stream on various sites. The album, titled Long Long Road, will feature collaborations with T Bone Burnett; Sheryl Crow; Billy Strings; Molly Tuttle; Sarah Jarosz; and St. Vincent. It’s due out April 24.

Tony Richards, whose solo jazz guitar performances have gained a loyal following around Chicago, will start a new series at Basil Leaf Cafe on April 8. The venue is located at 2465 N. Clark Street.

Revolutionary Women In Music is now open at The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, OH. The exhibit honors performers from the 1970s through today, with an emphasis on Punks, Rude Girls, Matriarchs, and Truth Tellers.

The BoDeans’ 40th Anniversary Tour will make a stop at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora, IL on April 11. The Wisconsin alt rock/Americana band has given us gems such as “Closer To Free,” “Fadeaway,” and “Good Things.”

Michael Stipe of R.E.M. has collaborated with producer/songwriter Andrew Watt on the theme song for the HBO series Rooster. “I Played The Fool,” an easygoing and well-crafted song, is available to stream on various sites.

Scott Ligon’s All Stars will perform on April 3 at Robert’s Westside in Forest Park IL. It’s not clear who those All Stars will be, but since Ligon often associates with top notch, Chicago-based musicians, this will definitely be interesting.

Theater Of The Mind, an imaginative adventure crafted by David Byrne from Talking Heads and writer Mala Gaonkar, will run through May 31 at the Reid Murdoch Building at 333 N. LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. Theater Of The Mind is a Goodman Theatre production. In today’s Chicago Tribune, critic Chris Jones gave Theater Of The Mind three and a half stars in a review titled “Byrne will make you see your mind anew.”

The Robyn Hitchcock Live And Electric - Full Band Show is coming to the Athenaeum Center For Thought And Culture in Chicago on April 10. Hitchcock, an eccentric and forever young English performer/songwriter has influenced countless musicians since his days with The Soft Boys in the mid-1970s. He certainly has a lot of material to choose from for his concerts.

Graham Nash and Emmylou Harris will perform three concerts together this summer. The dates are July 23 at Kresge Auditorium in Interlochen, MI; July 24 at Meadow Brook Amphitheater in Rochester Hills, MI; and July 26 at Ravinia in Highland Park, IL. Nash also has a full schedule of shows with his band this year.

International Pop Overthrow has been bringing indie rock/power pop festivals to cities around the world for quite a few years, and will begin its 2026 season with a nine-day visit to Chicago from April 17 to 25. Founder/CEO David Bash has posted the full schedule on Facebook, and it includes several long-time favorites. IPO will also make stops in Liverpool, Stockholm, Glasgow, Los Angeles, and New York this year.

The Zombies plan to release their first album Begin Here as a remastered in the original 1965 mono mix version on April 17. Available in LP, CD, and digital formats, it will combine all the tracks from the English and American original versions and be released on their own Beechwood Park Records label. The first single “The Way I Feel Inside” is already out, and the album can be pre-ordered in various  options.

Sons Of The Silent Age - The Cracked Actor Cabaret is coming to City Winery Chicago, located straight west of the downtown area, on April 23. These guys have been impressing audiences around town with their David Bowie tribute for years; this particular event will feature them performing stripped down arrangements of his songs.

John Cowsill and Vicki Peterson will perform at The Woodstock Opera House in Woodstock, IL on April 25. Cowsill and Peterson will likely showcase songs from their debut album Long After The Fire, along with a few songs from The Bangles and The Cowsills.

The Imperial Sound, a Chicago-based band that combines neo-soul, jazz, blues, and rock, with a dash of vintage supper club ambience, has a show coming up on May 30 at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, IL.

XTC: I Am The Audience, a new book from author David Marx about the critically acclaimed English band led by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, is now available to pre-order on the Sorrento Books UK website. It features multiple interviews with fans and famous musicians, as well as rare photographs.

Congratulations to The Second Summer on recently signing with Hardstop Records. The power pop band hopes to have a new album (their second) coming out later this year. In the meantime, The Second Summer has a gig coming up at The Village Club in Western Springs, IL on April 17.

Paul Weller’s upcoming release Weller At The BBC Vol. 2 is now available to pre-order in 3-LP or 3-CD formats from his official website. The album is due out on April 24.

The Wailers will celebrate the anniversary of the Rastaman Vibration album they released with Bob Marley 50 years ago, in a 7:00 pm concert at The Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago on April 24. The recently added 9:30 pm concert that same night will feature The Wailers performing their 1977 album with Marley, Natural Mystic.

Weekend Reminders

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, or concert tickets going on sale.

Tickets are now on sale for Police vocalist-bassist Sting’s 3.0 Tour concert at Hard Rock Live in Rockford, IL on October 16. The show is for fans 21 and older.

Tickets are also on sale for Stewart Copeland Have I Said Too Much? The Police, Hollywood And Other Adventures - An Evening Of Conversation With The Hall Of Fame Rock Star at the North Shore Center in Skokie, IL on July 31.

Black Friars Social Club, a new band blessed with veteran musicians from the Chicago club scene such as Panick Mark and Ellis Clark, have a gig tomorrow night at Montrose Saloon on the north side. Federal Milk Records recording artists Pete Singer And The New Harmonies are the opening act. Looking further down the road, Black Friars Social Club will release a new album, and they have a gig at the 5 Spot in Nashville, TN on August 8.

Bob Dylan’s Rough And Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour recently began, and will come to the Coronado Theatre in Rockford, IL this Saturday and the Genesee Theatre in Waukeegan, IL on Monday, March 30.

The Half/Cubes, a Syracuse, NY duo, will release a version of the 1960s hit song “Bend Me Shape Me” via Jem Records tomorrow. Glenn Burtnick from The Weeklings is the guest lead vocalist on the track. He recently noted in a Facebook post that the late Gary Loizzo of Chicago-based band American Breed did a great job singing on the original version.

You be me for a while. Androgynous Mustache, a collective of Chicago area musicians known for ambitious tribute shows honoring famous recording artists, will perform as The Replacements on July 14 at Evanston SPACE in Evanston, IL.

Tickets are now on sale for the B-52’s return engagement at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, NV. They’ll be performing there April 22, 24, and 25.

Chicago-based funk specialists The Meadowlark Lemons aim to have everyone up and dancing at their album release party tomorrow night at the FitzGerald’s nightclub in Berwyn, IL. The quintet will have CDs of its self-titled debut for sale at the gig, plus a pre-order sign-up sheet for the vinyl edition. 

Decoy Prayer Meeting; Everly Hillbillies; Ian McKinley Band; Between Howls; and Rhythm And Twang will join together in a country and western/rockabilly flavored event this Saturday at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. The music starts at 6:30 pm.

The Lovin’ Spoonful have a 7-CD box set titled What A Day For A Daydream - The Complete Recordings 1965 - 1969 comes out ttomorrow via Strawberry Records.

As noted in the March issue of the Illinois Entertainer, other new albums coming out tomorrow include Creature Of Habit by Courtney Barnett and The Former Site Of by The New Pornographers.

Incoming

The Bowery Palace in New York, NY will celebrate the late Clem Burke with several performers this Wednesday and Thursday. Both nights are now sold out. Burke is best known for being Blondie’s drummer, and in recent years, he collaborated with several musicians on recordings and live performances. Guest performers at The Bowery Palace event will include Glen Matlock; Steve Wynn; Jesse Malin; Tommy Stinson; Kathy Valentine; Brix Smith; Linda Pitmon; Gail Greenwood; John Easdale; Brad Elvis, and Michael Giblin.

Chicago-based funk specialists The Meadowlark Lemons aim to have everyone up and dancing at their album release party this Friday at the FitzGerald’s nightclub in Berwyn, IL. The quintet will have CDs of its self-titled debut for sale at the gig, plus a pre-order sign-up sheet for the vinyl edition. 

Revolutionary Women In Music is now open at The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, OH. The exhibit honors performers from the 1970s through today, with an emphasis on Punks, Rude Girls, Matriarchs, and Truth Tellers.

Bob Dylan’s Rough And Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour recently began, and will come to the Coronado Theatre in Rockford, IL this Saturday and the Genesee Theatre in Waukeegan, IL on Monday, March 30.

Ike Reilly & The Zimmermen have a DO DYLAN event coming up at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL on April 24.T

The Bonnie Koloc Trio has an all-ages show at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, IL tomorrow. Koloc, a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, was a driving force in Chicago’s emerging folk scene back in the 1970s. She was a Founders Choice inductee into the Illinois Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Chicago-based singer-guitarist Terry White will host another Songwriter Circle tomorrow night at Fitzgerald’s Sidebar in Berwyn, IL This time out, White’s guests will be Dag Juhlin (The Slugs, Sunshine Boys, Poi Dog Pondering) and Tracey Dear (The Waco Brothers).

The BoDeans’ 40th Anniversary Tour will make a stop at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora, IL on April 11. The Wisconsin alt rock/Americana band has given us gems such as “Closer To Free,” “Fadeaway,” and “Good Things.” 

The Lovin’ Spoonful have a 7-CD box set titled What A Day For A Daydream - The Complete Recordings 1965 - 1969 comes out this Friday via Strawberry Records.

Decoy Prayer Meeting; Everly Hillbillies; Ian McKinley Band; Between Howls; and Rhythm And Twang will join together in a country and western/rockabilly flavored event this Saturday at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. The music starts at 6:30 pm.

Slumgullion

The Robyn Hitchcock Live And Electric - Full Band Show is coming to the Athenaeum Center For Thought And Culture in Chicago on April 10. Hitchcock, an eccentric and forever young English performer/songwriter has influenced countless musicians since his days with The Soft Boys in the mid-1970s. He certainly has a lot of material to choose from for his concerts.

Gary Klebe from Shoes has given us another preview of his upcoming solo album Out Loud. Like the previously released “Not Tough Enough,” the catchy “Room To Breathe” has the feel of classic Shoes material. Both songs are available for listening on YouTube. Out Loud is due out April 10 on Black Vinyl Records.

PureSoul Presents has a Soul Brunch: Aretha and the Women of Soul event coming this Sunday at noon at City Winery Chicago. The venue is located at 1200 W. Randolph Street, just west of downtown. PureSoul Presents has staged several tributes to famous music acts there over the past few years.

Michael Stipe of R.E.M. has collaborated with producer/songwriter Andrew Watt on the theme song for the HBO series Rooster. “I Played The Fool,” an easygoing and well-crafted song, is available to stream on various sites.

Long-time fans of Chicago’s splendid music scene will no doubt be saddened to hear the news that Helen and Michael Cameron, owners of the north Clark Street restaurant/entertainment venue Uncommon Ground have decided to retire after 35 years. I have fond memories of seeing a Susanna Hoffs solo gig, as well as a media event for local alt rockers The Twigs there. Best wishes and a big thank you to Helen and Michael.

In related but better news, Hideout Inn, another well-respected music venue on Chicago’s north side, is getting a new owner. Original owners Tim and Katie Tuten, and Jim and Mike Hinchsliff, have sold the venue to musician and former employee Teri O’Brien. A post on the official Hideout Inn Facebook page states, “So you’ll still see your favorite bartenders and staff, hear great music and share real conversations with your friends.” Thanks and best wishes to Tim, Katie, Jim and Mike. For a full story on the sale, check out Christopher Borrelli’s article in today’s Chicago Tribune.

 “It’s Been Too Long,” the first single from Ringo Starr’s next album, is now available to stream on various sites. The album, titled Long Long Road, will feature collaborations with T Bone Burnett; Sheryl Crow; Billy Strings; Molly Tuttle; Sarah Jarosz; and St. Vincent. It’s due out April 24.

A Paul McCartney And Wings exhibit will open on May 15 at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, OH. The memorabilia on display will be centered on McCartney’s days of recording and performing with his wife Linda and Denny Laine, along with his first solo album. In the meantime, fans can stream the Paul McCartney and Wings - Man On The Run documentary on Amazon Prime.

Chicago-based singer-guitarist Terry White will host another Songwriter Circle at Fitzgerald’s Sidebar in Berwyn, IL next Tuesday, March 24. This time out, White’s guests will be Dag Juhlin (The Slugs, Sunshine Boys, Poi Dog Pondering) and Tracey Dear (The Waco Brothers).

Graham Nash and Emmylou Harris will perform three concerts together this summer. The dates are July 23 at Kresge Auditorium in Interlochen, MI; July 24 at Meadow Brook Amphitheater in Rochester Hills, MI; and July 26 at Ravinia in Highland Park, IL. Nash also has a full schedule of shows with his band this year.

The Cynz, New York City’s high-speed indie rockers, will hit Chicago on March 28 for a show at Reggie’s just south of the Loop. Led by Cyndi Dawson and Henry Seiz, the JEM Records recording artists have been getting a lot of airplay for their latest single “You Wreck Me.” Chicago-based psychedelic garage rockers Vinto Van Go will be the opening act.

Theater Of The Mind, an imaginative adventure crafted by David Byrne from Talking Heads and writer Mala Gaonkar, will run through May 31 at the Reid Murdoch Building at 333 N. LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. Theater Of The Mind is a Goodman Theatre production.

International Pop Overthrow has been bringing indie rock/power pop festivals to cities around the world for quite a few years, and will begin its 2026 season with a nine-day visit to Chicago from April 17 to 25. Founder/CEO David Bash has posted the full schedule on Facebook, and it includes several long-time favorites. IPO will also make stops in Liverpool, Stockholm, Glasgow, Los Angeles, and New York this year.

The Unswept, a Chicago band whose members hail from Sheffield, England, have released a new single on Bandcamp titled “Almost Always Better.” As they’ve often done on previous releases, The Unswept take an offbeat approach to describing a romantic relationship. The song will be included on the upcoming EP Bittersweet On Repeat, which will be available on March 31. The Unswept will return to International Pop Overthrow - Chicago at Montrose Saloon in Chicago on April 17.

The Zombies plan to release their first album Begin Here as a remastered in the original 1965 mono mix version on April 17. Available in LP, CD, and digital formats, it will combine all the tracks from the English and American original versions and be released on their own Beechwood Park Records label. The first single “The Way I Feel Inside” is already out, and the album can be pre-ordered in various  options.

The Bonnie Koloc Trio has an all-ages show at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, IL on March 24. Koloc, a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, was a driving force in Chicago’s emerging folk scene back in the 1970s. She was a Founders Choice inductee into the Illinois Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

John Cowsill and Vicki Peterson will perform at The Woodstock Opera House in Woodstock, IL on April 25. Cowsill and Peterson will likely showcase songs from their debut album Long After The Fire, along with a few songs from The Bangles and The Cowsills.

Scott Ligon’s All Stars will perform on April 3 at Robert’s Westside in Forest Park IL. It’s not clear who those All Stars will be, but since Ligon often associates with top notch, Chicago-based musicians, this will definitely be interesting.

XTC: I Am The Audience, a new book from author David Marx about the critically acclaimed English band led by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, is now available to pre-order on the Sorrento Books UK website. It features multiple interviews with fans and famous musicians, as well as rare photographs.

In related news, this year’s Record Store Day event on April 18 will include the XTC - Live Boots - Live At Emerald City 1981 double album. The songs performed at Emerald City include “Life Begins At The Hop,” “Respectable Street,” “Making Plans For Nigel,” and “Generals and Majors.”

Decoy Prayer Meeting; Everly Hillbillies; Ian McKinley Band; Between Howls; and Rhythm And Twang will join together in a country and western/rockabilly flavored event on March 28 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. The music starts at 6:30 pm.

The Black Ensemble Theater on Chicago’s north side is presenting The Jackie Wilson Story through April 26. Black Ensemble Theater is now celebrating its 50th season.

Singer-songwriter Phil Angotti will showcase a video for the song “Eye For An Eye” from his Once Around Again album on April 2 at the G-Man Tavern. It will be part of a video release party/show with two sets of live music.

Sons Of The Silent Age - The Cracked Actor Cabaret is coming to City Winery Chicago, located straight west of the downtown area, on April 23. These guys have been impressing audiences around town with their David Bowie tribute for years; this particular event will feature them performing stripped down arrangements of his songs.

Weekend Reminders

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, or concert tickets going on sale.

Music acts from around the world will perform in Chicago’s Grant Park this summer when Lollapalooza returns July 30 – August 2. Scheduled acts include Lorde; The Smashing Pumpkins; Wet Leg; Suki Waterhouse; and Wolf Alice. According to the official Lollapalooza Facebook site, “4-Day Tickets are now on waitlist. 1-Day and 2-Day Tickets on sale now!”

Depending on when you read this, you could still catch PureSoul Presents A Brief History Of R.E.M. at 7:30 at City Winery Chicago tonight. The venue is located at 1200 W. Randolph Street, just west of downtown. PureSoul Presents has staged several tributes to famous music acts there over the past few years.

Bob Dylan’s Rough And Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour will begin its journey this Saturday at the Orpheum Theater in Omaha, Nebraska. Other dates include the Coronado Theatre in Rockford, IL on March 28 and the Genesee Theatre in Waukeegan, IL on March 30.

Tickets are now on sale for the Robyn Hitchcock Live And Electric - Full Band Show at the Athenaeum Center For Thought And Culture in Chicago on April 10. Tickets go on sale tomorrow for the Judy Collins Sweet Judy Blue Eyes: Farewell show at The Old Town School Of Folk Music on October 23.

As noted in the March edition of the Illinois Entertainer, tomorrow’s new album releases include Paradises by Ladytron.

Chicago’s self-described 21st Century Druid Music/Celtic Blues Band whitewolfsonicprincess has what they describe as “a late afternoon extravaganza”coming up on this Saturday at Cary’s Lounge. The enchantment starts at 4:00 pm; the venue is located at 2251 W. Devon.

Cesar Rojas And The Chi-Town Playboys have a gig coming up tomorrow night at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL. Rojas, a singer-guitarist and songwriter, is a long-time member of Los Lobos.

The WXRT Live From The XRT Concert Archives series continues tomorrow night at 9:00 pm with an August 8, 2010 Lollapalooza Aftershow by the French indie rock band Phoenix at the House Of Blues in Chicago. Live From The XRT Concert Archives can be heard on 93.1FM; 93XRT.com; and the Audacy app.

Swinging Singles From The Lemon Twigs and The Spindles

Long Island based band The Lemon Twigs, led by brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario, have established a loyal following over the past 12 years with their classic pop song approach. The recently released single “I Just Can’t Get Over Losing You” evokes the chart-topping hits of the mid-1960s with ringing guitars and an irresistible arrangement.

The band’s black and white video for “I Just Can’t Get Over Losing You” is a clever homage to band performances on TV shows back in those days, particularly by The Beatles. The song is also an enticing preview for The Lemon Twigs’ Look For Your Mind, album, which is due out May 8 on the Captured Tracks label. Their current tour will bring them to Metro in Chicago on May 2.

The Spindles offered an impressive blend of original songs and the occasional cover version on their Past And Present and Wavelength albums. So it’s no surprise the Chicago power pop band’s upcoming CD single follows a similar pattern. The lead track is a faithful take on The Raspberries 1973 hit “Tonight,” while Side B is one of their own compositions.

Just as The Spindles recreated the distinct style of The Hollies and The Elvis Brothers on Past And Present and Wavelength, they capture the high energy and seductive tone of “Tonight.” The Spindles’ vocalist-guitarist and chief songwriter Jeff Janulis recently explained he wanted to “represent the two sides of [Raspberries leader] Eric Carmen—the rock and roll single and the more introspective, piano-based ballad.” While “I Don’t Know Why” is a Janulis composition, it honors The Raspberries with its piano and strings arrangement and harmony vocals. The Spindles can often be found performing on the Chicago club scene.

For a whole treasure chest of cover versions of The Raspberries, check out the 2-CD set Play On - A Raspberries Tribute.

Incoming

Photo from the Official Heart Facebook page.

Happy Birthday to guitarist-vocalist Nancy Wilson of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inducted band Heart. She and her sister Ann have created several rock and roll classics, and made it possible for other women musicians to follow in their path. I’ve seen Heart perform live at least six times, including a Dreamboat Annie era concert (I believe at the Chicago Auditorium) that featured an orchestra on a few tunes; and a rollicking show at Lilith Fair 1997 at World Music Theatre in Tinley Park, IL. Heart just wrapped up a month-long tour yesterday that included special guest Lucinda Williams And Her Band at several shows. They’ve also toured with acts such as Cheap Trick, Squeeze, Todd Rundgren, and Starship in recent years.

Beautiful Vision: The Songs Of Van Morrison will take place tomorrow night at Evanston SPACE in Evanston, IL. The participants will be veterans of the Chicago area music scene Steve Dawson, Chris Greene, Alton Smith, John Mead, John Abbey, Larry Brown, and Sophie Creutz.

On the following night at Evanston SPACE, rhythm and blues singer Gerald McClendon has a show. Frequently described as The Soulkeeper, McClendon has been impressing audiences around the Chicago area for a number of years.

Singer-songwriter Phil Angotti’s monthly Wednesday night residency at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side will continue this Wednesday when he performs the music of the English band Squeeze.

Bob Dylan’s Rough And Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour will begin its journey this Saturday at the Orpheum Theater in Omaha, Nebraska. Other dates include the Coronado Theatre in Rockford, IL on March 28 and the Genesee Theatre in Waukeegan, IL on March 30.

Chicago’s self-described 21st Century Druid Music/Celtic Blues Band whitewolfsonicprincess has what they describe as “a late afternoon extravaganza”coming up this Saturday at Cary’s Lounge. The enchantment starts at 4:00 pm; the venue is located at 2251 W. Devon.

Cesar Rojas And The Chi-Town Playboys have a gig coming up this Friday at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL. Rojas, a singer-guitarist and songwriter, is a long-time member of Los Lobos.

Slumgullion

Photo of Metro sign from Joe Shanahan’s Facebook page.

Tonight is the second night of the Michael Shannon And Jason Narducy And Friends Play R.E.M.’s Lifes Rich Pageant performances at Metro in Chicago. The shows have long since been sold out, so here’s a salute to those who were able to buy tickets. Joe Shanahan, who runs Metro, definitely was impressed by the show, based on his Facebook post today. Michael Shannon And Jason Narducy And Friends Play R.E.M.’s Lifes Rich Pageant will return to Chicago on September 25 for a show at The Riviera Theatre.

Michael Stipe of R.E.M. has collaborated with producer/songwriter Andrew Watt on the theme song for the HBO series Rooster. “I Played The Fool,” an easygoing and well-crafted song, is available to stream on various sites.

Scott Ligon’s All Stars will perform on April 3 at Robert’s Westside in Forest Park IL. It’s not clear who those All Stars will be, but since Ligon often associates with top notch, Chicago-based musicians, this will definitely be interesting.

Theater Of The Mind, an imaginative adventure crafted by David Byrne from Talking Heads and writer Mala Gaonkar, will run through May 31 at the Reid Murdoch Building at 333 N. LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. Theater Of The Mind is a Goodman Theatre production.

“It’s Been Too Long,” the first single from Ringo Starr’s next album, is now available to stream on various sites. The album, titled Long Long Road, will feature collaborations with T Bone Burnett; Sheryl Crow; Billy Strings; Molly Tuttle; Sarah Jarosz; and St. Vincent. It’s due out April 24.

A Paul McCartney And Wings exhibit will open on May 15 at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, OH. The memorabilia on display will be centered on McCartney’s days of recording and performing with his wife Linda and Denny Laine, along with his first solo album. In the meantime, fans can stream the Paul McCartney and Wings - Man On The Run documentary on Amazon Prime.

Cult Canyon will bring limited-edition vinyl copies of its new Smoke Tricks album to an in-store performance tonight at Rattleback Records on the north side. The Chicago-based band, led by Josh Chicoine of The M’s fame, has an official record release event tomorrow night at The Hideout Inn, located at 1354 W. Wabansia. As of today, Smoke Tricks is available on Bandcamp.

Graham Nash and Emmylou Harris will perform three concerts together this summer. The dates are July 23 at Kresge Auditorium in Interlochen, MI; July 24 at Meadow Brook Amphitheater in Rochester Hills, MI; and July 26 at Ravinia in Highland Park, IL. Nash also has a full schedule of shows with his band this year.

Singer-songwriter Phil Angotti’s monthly Wednesday night residency at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side will continue on March 18 when he performs the music of the English band Squeeze. On a related note, Angotti will showcase a video for the song “Eye For An Eye” from his Once Around Again album on April 2 at the G-Man Tavern. It will be part of a video release party/show with two sets of live music.

Mike Campbell And The Dirty Knobs have a show coming up at the Vic Theatre in Chicago on July 9. Guitarist-vocalist Campbell played an essential role with Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, and released Vagabonds, Virgins And Misfits, his third album with The Dirty Knobs, in 2024.

Tickets are now on sale for The Imperial Sound’s May 30 show at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, IL. The band’s approach combines neo-soul, jazz, blues, and rock, with a dash of vintage supper club ambience.

The John Fogerty and Steve Winwood Legacy Tour is coming to the Credit Union1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, IL on September 3. Other dates on the tour include Boston, MA; Atlantic City, NJ; Vienna, VA; Charlotte, NC; and Hollywood, FL.

Gary Klebe from Shoes has a solo album titled Out Loud coming out April 10 on Black Vinyl Records. The catchy single “Not Tough Enough” can be heard on YouTube.

Bob Dylan’s Rough And Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour will begin its journey on March 21 at the Orpheum Theater in Omaha, Nebraska. Other dates include the Coronado Theatre in Rockford, IL on March 28 and the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan, IL on March 30.

Congratulations to The Second Summer on recently signing with Hardstop Records. The power pop band hopes to have a new album (their second) coming out later this year. In the meantime, The Second Summer has gigs coming up at Gallery Cabaret in Chicago tomorrow, and at The Village Club in Western Springs, IL on April 17.

John Cowsill and Vicki Peterson were certainly impressive opening for The Smithereens last Friday night at The Des Plaines Theatre, and they’ll return to Illinois on April 25 for a concert at The Woodstock Opera House in Woodstock. Cowsill and Peterson will likely showcase songs from their debut album Long After The Fire, along with a few songs from The Bangles and The Cowsills.

The Black Ensemble Theater on Chicago’s north side is presenting The Jackie Wilson Story through April 26. Black Ensemble Theater is now celebrating its 50th season.

The Zombies plan to release their first album Begin Here as a remastered in the original 1965 mono mix version on April 17. Available in LP, CD, and digital formats, it will combine all the tracks from the English and American original versions and be released on their own Beechwood Park Records label. The first single “The Way I Feel Inside” is already out, and the album can be pre-ordered in various  options.

Chicago’s self-described 21st Century Druid Music/Celtic Blues Band whitewolfsonicprincess has what they describe as “a late afternoon extravaganza”coming up on March 21 at Cary’s Lounge. The enchantment starts at 4:00 pm; the venue is located at 2251 W. Devon.

Thrift Store Halo and The Bishop’s Daredevil Stunt Club, two bands well known in Chicago for bringing catchy rock to their club appearances and albums, will perform at Reggies just south of downtown on May 23. Levee District, who describe their approach as “Pure Power Pop from Chicago's saloons, brothels, key clubs, and late night dives” are also on the bill that night.

The Bowery Palace in New York, NY will celebrate the late Clem Burke with several performers on March 25 and 26. Both nights are now sold out. Burke is best known for being Blondie’s drummer, and in recent years, he collaborated with several musicians on recordings and live performances. Guest performers at The Bowery Palace event will include Glen Matlock; Steve Wynn; Jesse Malin; Tommy Stinson; Kathy Valentine; Brix Smith; Linda Pitmon; Gail Greenwood; John Easdale; and Michael Giblin.

Sons Of The Silent Age - The Cracked Actor Cabaret is coming to City Winery Chicago, straight west of the downtown area, on April 23. These guys have been impressing audiences around town with their David Bowie tribute for years; this particular event will feature them performing stripped down arrangements of his songs.

XTC: I Am The Audience, a new book from author David Marx about the critically acclaimed English band led by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, is now available to pre-order on the Sorrento Books UK website. It features multiple interviews with fans and famous musicians, as well as rare photographs.

In related news, this year’s Record Store Day event on April 18 will include the XTC - Live Boots - Live At Emerald City 1981 double album. The songs performed at Emerald City include “Life Begins At The Hop,” “Respectable Street,” “Making Plans For Nigel,” and “Generals and Majors.”

The Psychedelic Furs with special guests We Are Scientists tour begins on May 12 in Minneapolis and ends on June 14 in Rocklin, CA. There’s a stop at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan, IL on May 15.

International Pop Overthrow has been bringing indie rock/power pop festivals to cities around the world for quite a few years, and will begin its 2026 season with a nine-day visit to Chicago from April 17 to 25. Founder/CEO David Bash recently posted the full schedule on Facebook, and it includes several long-time favorites. IPO will also make stops in Liverpool, Stockholm, Glasgow, Los Angeles, and New York this year.

Weekend Reminders

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, or concert tickets going on sale.

Graham Nash and Emmylou Harris announced this afternoon they’ll perform three concerts together this summer. The dates are July 23 at Kresge Auditorium in Interlochen, MI; July 24 at Meadow Brook Amphitheater in Rochester Hills, MI; and July 26 at Ravinia in Highland Park, IL. I notice that leaves July 25 open for Emmylou and Graham to drop by my house in Illinois to celebrate my birthday.

Depending on when you read this, you could still catch an official screening of director Jonas Åkerlund’s documentary Billy Idol Should Be Dead taking place tonight at 7:30 pm at The Vic Theatre on Chicago’s north side. WDRV The DRIVE on-air personality Janda Lane will host the event.

Also happening tonight, prog rock band McLuhan and folk rock trio Esmerelda’s Boys will share a double bill at Phyllis’ Musical Inn. Esmerelda’s Boys will kick things off at 8:00 pm and McLuhan will perform at 9:00 pm. Both acts have been performing on the Chicago scene more and more lately; and McLuhan has two new singles to showcase. Phyllis’ Musical Inn is located at 1800 W. Division.

Chicago area musicians John San Juan, Casey McDonough, Phil Angotti, Scott Tipping, and John Perrin will take a deep dive into The Beatles’ repertoire at The Venue in Aurora, IL this Saturday night. These lads have plenty of experience on the local scene covering The Beatles, so we can definitely trust then to get adventurous.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow for Mike Campbell And The Dirty Knobs at the Vic Theatre in Chicago on July 9. Guitarist-vocalist Campbell played an essential role with Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, and released Vagabonds, Virgins And Misfits, his third album with The Dirty Knobs, in 2024.

Pravda Records recording artists The Handcuffs will have their first gig of 2026 this Saturday at Liar’s Club (1655 W. Fullerton ) on Chicago’s north side. They’ll be part of a triple bill with The Midnight Calls and The Kozmic Kids. The Handcuffs have been busy in the studio working on the follow-up to their impressive 2022 album Burn The Rails.

The Astound Irish Village Market will take place 9:00 am – 3:00 pm this Saturday at Pioneer Court on Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago. The event coincides with the city’s official dyeing of the Chicago River, and will feature Irish food, beverages, crafts, and entertainment.

Singer-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen, a former member of the power pop bands The Abbeys and Pop Dollys, has embarked on a successful career playing selections from The Great American Songbook at dinner clubs. After a short time off, Cohen is back to performing regular gigs and will be at the Tuscan Market And Wine Shop in Arlington Heights, IL tomorrow night.

Rhythm and blues singer Gerald McClendon has a show next Wednesday at Evanston SPACE in Evanston, IL. Frequently described as The Soulkeeper, McClendon has been impressing audiences around the Chicago area for a number of years.

As noted in the March edition of the Illinois Entertainer, tomorrow’s new album releases include PLAY ME by Kim Gordon and A Pound Of Feathers by The Black Crowes.

Incoming

Theater Of The Mind, a theatrical adventure crafted by David Byrne of Talking Heads fame and writer Mala Gaonkar, opens this Wednesday at the Reid Murdoch Building at 333 N. LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. The website states the production “will involve moving throughout various spaces (a combination of walking, standing, and sitting), so we recommend wearing clothes and shoes that will allow you to engage in each of these activities comfortably.” Theater Of The Mind runs through May 31.

A recent official R.E.M. email states Michael Stipe has collaborated with producer/songwriter  Andrew Watt on the theme song for the HBO series Rooster. “I Played The Fool,” an easygoing and well-crafted song, is available to stream on various sites.

John Cowsill and Vicki Peterson were certainly impressive opening for The Smithereens last Friday night at The Des Plaines Theatre, and they’ll return to Illinois on April 25 for a concert at The Woodstock Opera House in Woodstock. Cowsill and Peterson will likely showcase songs from their debut album Long After The Fire, along with a few songs from The Bangles and The Cowsills.

Pravda Records recording artists The Handcuffs will have their first gig of 2026 this Saturday at Liar’s Club (1655 W. Fullerton ) on Chicago’s north side. They’ll be part of a triple bill with The Midnight Calls and The Kozmic Kids. The Handcuffs have been busy in the studio working on the follow-up to their impressive 2022 album Burn The Rails.

Tickets are now on sale for the John Fogerty and Steve Winwood Legacy Tour concert at the Credit Union1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, IL on September 3. Other dates on the tour include Boston, MA; Atlantic City, NJ; Vienna, VA; Charlotte, NC; and Hollywood, FL.

As noted by writer Tom Breihan on the Stereogum website, Gary Klebe from Shoes has a solo album titled Out Loud coming out April 10 on Black Vinyl Records. The catchy single “Not Tough Enough” can be heard on YouTube.

Michael Steven Cohen, a former member of the power pop bands The Abbeys and Pop Dollys, has embarked on a successful career playing selections from The Great American Songbook at dinner clubs. After a short time off, Cohen is back to performing regular gigs and will be at the Tuscan Market And Wine Shop in Arlington Heights, IL this Friday.

Prog rock band McLuhan and folk rock trio Esmerelda’s Boys have another double bill coming up this Thursday at Phyllis’ Musical Inn. Esmerelda’s Boys will kick things off at 8:00 pm and McLuhan performing at 9:00 pm. Both acts have been performing on the Chicago scene more and more lately; and McLuhan has two new singles to showcase. Phyllis’ Musical Inn is located at 1800 W. Division.

Congratulations to The Second Summer on recently signing with Hardstop Records. The power pop band hopes to have a new album (their second) coming out later this year. In the meantime, The Second Summer has gigs coming up at Gallery Cabaret in Chicago on March 14, and at The Village Club in Western Springs, IL on April 17.

Chicago’s self-described 21st Century Druid Music/Celtic Blues Band whitewolfsonicprincess has what they describe as “a late afternoon extravaganza”coming up on March 21 at Cary’s Lounge. The enchantment starts at 4:00 pm; the venue is located at 2251 W. Devon.

 An official screening of director Jonas Åkerlund’s documentary Billy Idol Should Be Dead will take place this Thursday at The Vic Theatre on Chicago’s north side. WDRV The DRIVE on-air personality Janda Lane will host the event.

Bonus Slumgullion

Yesterday’s serving of Slumgullion was a bit smaller than usual due to my wife Pam and I heading off to The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL to see The Smithereens with John Cowsill and Vicki Peterson at last night.

The Smithereens have been recording catchy rock and roll for decades, and they were at the top of game last night. With John Cowsill as an impressive guest vocalist, the band roared through “Behind The Wall Of Sleep,” “Top Of The Pops,” “Only A Memory,” “House We Used To Live In,” and several other gems.

Cowsill and his wife Vicki Peterson—the evening’s opening act—showcased songs from their debut album Long After The Fire, along with a few Bangles songs and The Cowsills’ version of “Hair.” After The Smithereens brought down the house with an extended take on “Blood And Roses,” Peterson was invited back to join Cowsill and The Smithereens for an unpredictable and fun set of encores.

Happy Birthday to Jeff Janulis, vocalist, guitarist, and chief songwriter for the Chicago based power pop band The Spindles. Jeff is an avid fan of The Hollies, as evidenced by the faithful cover versions of “Look Through Any Window” and “Bus Stop” on his band’s Past And Present and Wavelength albums respectively. Wavelength was included on a number of websites’ best albums of 2025 lists, by the way. Happy Birthday, Jeff. Have a great time celebrating.

The Bowery Palace in New York, NY will celebrate the late Clem Burke with several performers on March 25 and 26. Both nights are now sold out. Burke is best known for being Blondie’s drummer, and in recent years, he collaborated with several musicians on recordings and live performances. Guest performers at The Bowery Palace event will include Glen Matlock; Steve Wynn; Jesse Malin; Tommy Stinson; Kathy Valentine; Brix Smith; Linda Pitmon; Gail Greenwood; John Easdale; and Michael Giblin.

Cesar Rojas And The Chi-Town Playboys have a gig coming up on March 20 at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL. Rojas, a singer-guitarist and songwriter, is a long-time member of Los Lobos.

Push Puppets will likely showcase songs from their 2025 album Tethered Together when they perform at FitzGerald’s Saturday Night Side Bar in Berwyn, IL on May 2. The Chicago area band specializes in melodic, well-crafted indie rock.

The Beautiful Vision: The Songs Of Van Morrison event will take place on March 17 at SPACE in Evanston, IL. The participants will be Steve Dawson, Chris Greene, Alton Smith, John Mead, John Abbey, Larry Brown, and Sophie Creutz.

Slumgullion

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

“It’s Been Too Long,” the first single from Ringo Starr’s next album, is now available to stream on various sites. The album is titled Long Long Road and will feature collaborations with T Bone Burnett; Sheryl Crow; Billy Strings; Molly Tuttle; Sarah Jarosz; and St. Vincent. It’s due out April 24.

A Paul McCartney And Wings exhibit will open on May 15 at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, OH. The memorabilia on display will be centered on McCartney’s days of recording and performing with his wife Linda and Denny Laine, along with his first solo album. In the meantime, fans can stream the Paul McCartney and Wings - Man On The Run documentary on Amazon Prime.

Outronaut, the instrumental band known for its high-energy performances on the Chicago club scene, released a seven-minute, more introspective song titled “The Magnificent Defeat” on Bandcamp today. This is Bandcamp Friday, where the money goes directly to the artists and labels, so Outronaut has decided to donate 100% of the revenues to The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

The Psychedelic Furs with special guests We Are Scientists tour begins on May 12 in Minneapolis and ends on June 14 in Rocklin, CA. There’s a stop at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan, IL on May 15.

Singer-guitarist Michael Steven Cohen, a former member of the power pop bands The Abbeys and Pop Dollys, has embarked on a successful career playing selections from The Great American Songbook at dinner clubs. After a short time off, Cohen is back to performing regular gigs and will be at the Tuscan Market And Wine Shop in Arlington Heights, IL, on March 13.

Paul Weller’s upcoming release Weller At The BBC Vol. 2 is now available to pre-order in 3-LP or 3-CD formats from his official website. The album is due out on April 24.

As noted in the March edition of the Illinois Entertainer, today’s new releases include Make-up Is A Lie by Morrissey and Trixies by Squeeze. Later this month, we’ll see PLAY ME by Kim Gordon and A Pound Of Feathers by The Black Crowes on March 13; Paradises by Ladytron on March 20; and Creature Of Habit by Courtney Barnett and The Former Site Of by The New Pornographers on March 27. That same issue features Media columnist Rick Kaempfer’s tributes to Chicago radio personalities he rightfully believes deserve to be honored by The National Radio Hall Of Fame. His suggestions include Lin Brehmer; Ron Britain; Roy Leonard; Mitch Michaels; Bob Sirott; and Bobby Skafish.

The Homegrown Arts And Music Festival is looking for bands and acoustic artists to perform at its 14th annual event on July 25 in Lisle, IL.

The Zombies plan to release their first album Begin Here as a remastered in the original 1965 mono mix version on April 17. Available in LP, CD, and digital formats, it will combine all the tracks from the English and American original versions and be released on their own Beechwood Park Records label. The first single “The Way I Feel Inside” is already out, and the album can be pre-ordered in various adventurous options.

International Pop Overthrow has been bringing indie rock/power pop festivals to cities around the world for quite a few years, and will begin its 2026 season with a nine-day visit to Chicago from April 17 to 25. Founder/CEO David Bash recently posted the full schedule on Facebook, and it includes several long-time favorites. IPO will also make stops in Liverpool, Stockholm, Glasgow, Los Angeles, and New York this year.

Upcoming shows at Evanston SPACE include The Flat Five on April 29; the Neil Young: 80 Years On Planet Earth Celebration with Steve Dawson, Tommi Zender, Gerald Dowd, Alton Smith and John Abbey on May 4; and Soul Asylum with Jason Narducy on May 15 and 16.

Tickets are now on sale for the Santana And The Doobie Brothers Oneness 2026 Tour, which will run from mid-June through the end of August. Fans in the Chicago area will get the first look at this USA tour, since it kicks off on June 13 in Tinley Park, IL. Other stops include Cincinnati, St. Louis, Toronto, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Dallas. Santana’s 2025 album Sentient features his collaborations with Michael Jackson, Miles Davis, Smokey Robinson, and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels. 

Prog rock band McLuhan and folk rock trio Esmerelda’s Boys must be kindred souls by now, considering they have another double bill coming up. They’ll be at Phyllis’ Musical Inn on March 12, with Esmerelda’s Boys kicking things off at 8:00 pm and McLuhan performing at 9:00 pm. Both acts have been performing on the Chicago scene more and more lately; and McLuhan has two new singles to showcase. Phyllis’ Musical Inn is located at 1800 W. Division.

XTC: I Am The Audience, a new book from author David Marx about the critically acclaimed English band led by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, is now available to pre-order on the Sorrento Books UK website. It features multiple interviews with fans and famous musicians, as well as rare photographs.

In related news, this year’s Record Store Day event on April 18 will include the XTC - Live Boots - Live At Emerald City 1981 double album. The songs performed at Emerald City include “Life Begins At The Hop,” “Respectable Street,” “Making Plans For Nigel,” and “Generals and Majors.”

The Wailers will celebrate the anniversary of the Rastaman Vibration album they released with Bob Marley 50 years ago, in a 7:00 pm concert at The Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago on April 24. The recently added 9:30 pm concert that same night will feature The Wailers performing their 1977 album with Marley, Natural Mystic.

FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL has revealed the acts who’ll perform at its 43rd Annual American Music Festival taking place July 2 – 5. The extensive list includes The Heavy Heavy, Spin Doctors; Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore; CJ Chenier And The Red Hot Louisiana Band; Nicholas Tremulis And The Prodigals; Michael McDermott; and Mud Morganfield.

Singer-songwriter Phil Angotti and his band will showcase a video for the song “Eye For An Eye” from his Once Around Again album on April 2 at the G-Man Tavern. It will be part of a video release party/show with two sets of live music. G-Man Tavern is located at 3740 N Clark Street. Angotti is well known in Chicago for his tribute shows to acts such as The Beatles, The Zombies, and Bee Gees, but as a recent performance at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights demonstrated, he’s quite impressive with his own material as well.

Pravda Records recording artists The Handcuffs will have their first gig of 2026 on March 14 at Liar’s Club (1655 W. Fullerton ) on Chicago’s north side. They’ll be part of a triple bill with The Midnight Calls and The Kozmic Kids. The Handcuffs have been busy working on their next album.

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.

Weekend Reminders

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, or concert tickets going on sale.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow for Sons Of The Silent Age - The Cracked Actor Cabaret on April 23 at City Winery Chicago straight west of the downtown area. These guys have been impressing audiences around town with their David Bowie tribute for years; this particular event will feature them performing stripped down arrangements of his songs.

Happy Birthday to Joe Shanahan, whose several years of running the Metro venue in Wrigleyville has made him one of the Chicago music scene’s best known players. He’s particularly respected for his support of upcoming alternative rock acts. All that, and he’s a pretty good DJ as well.

The Smithereens will perform at The Des Plaines Theatre in downtown Des Plaines, IL at 8:00 pm tomorrow night, with John Cowsill as the guest lead vocalist. If you take the Metra train there, a walk across the street will bring you to the venue’s front door. The Smithereens have long been an impressive live act, with catchy rock gems such as “Blood And Roses,” “Behind The Wall Of Sleep,” “Only A Memory,” and “A Girl Like You.” Cowsill has been singing with The Smithereens on a semi-regular basis, and this time he’ll be joined by his wife, Bangles vocalist-guitarist Vicki Peterson. The duo released their debut effort Long After The Fire last September.

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

Tickets are now on sale for Bob Dylan’s Rough And Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour, which will begin its journey on March 21 at the Orpheum Theater in Omaha, Nebraska. Other dates include the Coronado Theatre in Rockford, IL on March 28 and the Genesee Theatre in Waukeegan, IL on March 30.

Longtime Chicago rockers Kevin Lee and The Kings will share a double bill with Billy and The Vintage Saints on March 21 at The Chicago Loop Sports Bar in Streamwood, IL.

As noted by Chicago Sun-Times journalist Mary Houlihan in her weekly column The Mix (always a good source for entertainment listings), Black Ensemble Theater on the city’s north side will present The Jackie Wilson Story this Saturday through April 26. Black Ensemble Theater is now celebrating its 50th season.

The Oddball Art Labs will celebrate its 13th anniversary with a Year13 Opening Reception from 6:00 to 9:00 pm this Friday at the Side Street Studio in Elgin, IL. Oddball Art Labs is devoted to promoting the arts in Chicago area suburbs.

Chicago-based country and western performer Kent Rose has an 11:00 am – 1:00 pm performance coming up at the City News Cafe this Saturday, with percussionist David Sims as his special guest.

Incoming

Happy Birthday to John Cowsill, who’ll be in the Chicago area this Friday night as the guest lead vocalist for The Smithereens when they perform at The Des Plaines Theatre in Des Plaines, IL. He started his music career as a child in The Cowsills, and has performed and recorded with numerous acts ever since. Singing with The Smithereens has become a semi-regular gig for Cowsill, and this time, he’ll be joined by his wife, Bangles vocalist-guitarist Vicki Peterson. The duo released their debut effort Long After The Fire last September, and it would be nice to hear some songs from it this Friday at the Des Plaines Theatre.

The Smithereens are an impressive live act, with several albums to choose from and catchy rock gems such as “Blood And Roses,” “Behind The Wall Of Sleep,” “Only A Memory,” and “A Girl Like You.” In addition to their gig in Des Plaines this Friday, The Smithereens have upcoming shows with John Cowsill in Tucson, AZ; Scottsdale, AZ; Boca Raton, FL; Largo, FL; and Atlantic City, NJ.

The Oddball Art Labs will celebrate its 13th anniversary with a Year13 Opening Reception from 6:00 to 9:00 pm this Friday at the Side Street Studio in Elgin, IL. Oddball Art Labs is devoted to promoting the arts in Chicago area suburbs.

Chicago-based country and western performer Kent Rose has an 11:00 am – 1:00 pm performance coming up at the City News Cafe this Saturday, with percussionist David Sims as his special guest.

Slumgullion

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

The Zombies plan to release their first album Begin Here as a remastered in the original 1965 mono mix version on April 17. Available in LP, CD, and digital formats, it will combine all the tracks from the English and American original versions and be released on their own Beechwood Park Records label. The first single “The Way I Feel Inside” is already out, and the album can be pre-ordered in various adventurous options.

International Pop Overthrow has been bringing indie rock/power pop festivals to cities around the world for quite a few years, and will begin its 2026 season with a nine-day visit to Chicago from April 17 to 25. Founder/CEO David Bash recently posted the full schedule on Facebook, and it includes several long-time favorites. IPO will also make stops in Liverpool, Stockholm, Glasgow, Los Angeles, and New York this year.

A Paul McCartney And Wings exhibit will open on May 15 at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, OH. The memorabilia on display will be centered on McCartney’s days of recording and performing with his wife Linda and Denny Laine, along with his first solo album. In the meantime, fans can stream the Paul McCartney and Wings - Man On The Run documentary on Amazon Prime.

Upcoming shows at Evanston SPACE include The Flat Five on April 29; the Neil Young: 80 Years On Planet Earth Celebration with Steve Dawson, Tommi Zender, Gerald Dowd, Alton Smith and John Abbey on May 4; and Soul Asylum with Jason Narducy on May 15 and 16.

Tickets are now on sale for the Santana And The Doobie Brothers Oneness 2026 Tour, which will run from mid-June through the end of August. Fans in the Chicago area will get the first look at this USA tour, since it kicks off on June 13 in Tinley Park, IL. Other stops include Cincinnati, St. Louis, Toronto, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Dallas. Santana’s 2025 album Sentient features his collaborations with Michael Jackson, Miles Davis, Smokey Robinson, and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels.

Prog rock band McLuhan and folk rock trio Esmerelda’s Boys must be kindred souls by now, considering they have another double bill coming up. They’ll be at Phyllis’ Musical Inn on March 12, with Esmerelda’s Boys kicking things off at 8:00 pm and McLuhan performing at 9:00 pm. Both acts have been performing on the Chicago scene more and more lately; and McLuhan has two new singles to showcase. Phyllis’ Musical Inn is located at 1800 W. Division.

Paul Weller’s upcoming release Weller At The BBC Vol. 2 is now available to pre-order in 3-LP or 3-CD formats from his official website. The album is due out on April 24.

The Wailers will celebrate the anniversary of the Rastaman Vibration album they released with Bob Marley 50 years ago, in a 7:00 pm concert at The Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago on April 24. The recently added 9:30 pm concert that same night will feature The Wailers performing their 1977 album with Marley, Natural Mystic.

Mordecai Smyth’s March 1 gig at the Crumbs Coffee Shop in Woodley, Reading in the UK will no doubt showcase catchy, offbeat songs such as “Breaking The Backs” and “One And The Same” from his new Gather The Scattered Mind album on the Mega Dodo label. Musician/producer/DJ Robert Sowden will be the supporting act.

FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL has revealed the acts who’ll perform at its 43rd Annual American Music Festival taking place July 2 – 5. The extensive list includes The Heavy Heavy, Spin Doctors; Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore; CJ Chenier And The Red Hot Louisiana Band; Nicholas Tremulis And The Prodigals; Michael McDermott; and Mud Morganfield.

XTC: I Am The Audience, a new book from author David Marx about the critically acclaimed English band led by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, is now available to pre-order on the Sorrento Books UK website. It features multiple interviews with fans and famous musicians, as well as rare photographs.

In related news, this year’s Record Store Day event on April 18 will include the XTC - Live Boots - Live At Emerald City 1981 double album. The songs performed at Emerald City include “Life Begins At The Hop,” “Respectable Street,” “Making Plans For Nigel,” and “Generals and Majors.”

Singer-songwriter Phil Angotti and his band will showcase a video for the song “Eye For An Eye” from his Once Around Again album on April 2 at the G-Man Tavern. It will be part of a video release party/show with two sets of live music. G-Man Tavern is located at 3740 N Clark Street. Angotti is well known in Chicago for his tribute shows to acts such as The Beatles, The Zombies, and Bee Gees, but as a recent performance at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights demonstrated, he’s quite impressive with his own material as well.

Cesar Rojas And The Chi-Town Playboys have a gig coming up on March 20 at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL. Rojas, a singer-guitarist and songwriter, is a long-time member of Los Lobos.

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.

Push Puppets will likely showcase songs from their 2025 album Tethered Together when they perform at FitzGerald’s Saturday Night Side Bar in Berwyn, IL on May 2. The Chicago area band specializes in melodic, well-crafted indie rock.

Pravda Records recording artists The Handcuffs will have their first gig of 2026 on March 14 at Liar’s Club (1655 W. Fullerton ) on Chicago’s north side. They’ll be part of a triple bill with The Midnight Calls and The Kozmic Kids. The Handcuffs have been busy working on their next album.

The Hollywood Bowl in Southern California has announced its 2026 concert schedule, which kicks off on May 2 with Lewis Capaldi and Joy Crookes and wraps up on October 31 with My Chemical Romance and Thrice. Other acts coming to The Hollywood Bowl this year include Los Angeles Philharmonic; Foo Fighters; Al Green; The Beach Boys; Buddy Guy; Burning Spear; Cheap Trick; De La Soul; The English Beat; Gin Blossoms; Gladys Knight; Herb Alpert And The Tijuana Brass; Herbie Hancock; Patti Labelle; The Roots; Squeeze; St. Vincent; Ziggy Marley; and ZZ Top.

Tickets are now on sale for the John Doe And Exene Cervenka See How We Are: An Acoustic Show at Old Town Of Folk Music in Chicago’s Lincoln Park area on June 13. The founding members of X will perform songs by the L.A. punk band as a duo.

An official screening of director Jonas Åkerlund’s documentary Billy Idol Should Be Dead will take place on March 12 at The Vic Theatre on Chicago’s north side. WDRV The DRIVE on-air personality Janda Lane will host the event.

The Beautiful Vision: The Songs Of Van Morrison event will take place on March 17 at SPACE in Evanston, IL. The participants will be Steve Dawson, Chris Greene, Alton Smith, John Mead, John Abbey, Larry Brown, and Sophie Creutz.

The Bowery Palace in New York, NY will celebrate the late Clem Burke with several performers on March 25 and 26. Both nights are now sold out. Burke is best known for being Blondie’s drummer, and in recent years, he collaborated with several musicians on recordings and live performances. Guest performers at The Bowery Palace event will include Glen Matlock; Steve Wynn; Jesse Malin; Tommy Stinson; Kathy Valentine; Brix Smith; Linda Pitmon; Gail Greenwood; John Easdale; and Michael Giblin.

Chicago-based country and western performer Kent Rose has an 11:00 am – 1:00 pm performance coming up at the City News Cafe on March 7, with percussionist David Sims as his special guest.

Weekend Reminders

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, or concert tickets going on sale.

The Psychedelic Furs with special guests We Are Scientists tour begins on May 12 in Minneapolis and ends on June 14 in Rocklin, CA. There’s a stop at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan, IL on May 15.

Phil Angotti And Friends will present a Beatles Brunch In The Club at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL this Sunday at noon. These guys have been doing the Beatles Brunch thing for a while now and are rather fab at it.

Depending on when you read this, you could catch the Grammy Award winning gospel group Blind Boys Of Alabama at Evanston SPACE in Evanston, IL at 7:00 pm tonight. Blues vocalist Shemekia Copeland, who’s earned several Grammy nominations, will perform at that same venue tomorrow night. And this Sunday night at Evanston SPACE, PureSoul Presents will bring Highway Dreams - 50 Years Of Tom Petty.

An Evening With Cat Power - The Greatest 20th Anniversary Tour kicks off today in Minneapolis, MN, and will arrive in Chicago tomorrow for a performance at The Riviera Theatre. The tour celebrates Cat Power’s critically acclaimed album The Greatest, which found the Atlanta singer-songwriter experimenting with a new, soulful approach. Other stops on this tour (she has another one planned for the summer) include Detroit, Toronto, Boston, Brooklyn, Boston, and Philadelphia.

The Asbury Record Show, featuring LPs, 45s, CDs, and cassettes, will be held this Sunday at the The Stone Pony venue in Asbury Park, NJ.

Liar’s Club will present an adventurous matinee double bill this Sunday featuring psychedelic rockers Hushdrops and the high energy instrumental band Outronaut. Both acts have several years of experience on the Chicago music scene. The rocking starts at 3:00 pm; Liar’s Club is located at 1655 W. Fullerton on’s north side.

Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, IL promises tickets will go on sale “soon” for Mud Morganfield on April 28, and Love with Johnny Echols on July 15. That could mean tomorrow, but I can’t say for sure.