Please see yesterday’s Weekend Reminders post for events taking place this weekend.
As an avid fan of The Hollies for over six decades, I was saddened to see the band’s official announcement today that they have retired from live tours. Even more concerning is the reason for this retirement is that long-time guitarist-harmony vocalist Tony Hicks—a critically acclaimed musician and fan favorite—has health issues. So, let’s raise a toast (Hear Here, as one of their early albums was named); send Tony our best wishes; and thank The Hollies for all that wonderful music.
Jeff Tweedy has a third outdoor solo acoustic show coming this fall at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, IL. He’s now scheduled to perform on September 23, with Max Subar as his special guest. The addition comes after Tweedy sold out his FitzGerald’s gigs on September 24 with special guest Official Claire and September 25 with special guest will be Henry True.
The Third Eye, a book of personal photographs George Harrison took of his fellow Beatles in the years 1963 –1969, will go on sale October 6. It features over 200 photographs compiled and curated by Olivia Harrison, along with her essays, and comments from George. An upcoming book tour features Olivia Harrison In Conversation with Martin Scorsese at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music Opera House in Brooklyn, NY on October 6; and Olivia Harrison In Conversation with Cameron Crowe at The Forest Theater With Live Talks LA in Los Angeles, CA on October 11.
Over The Rhine will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Nowhere Else Festival on the weekend of September 4 – 6 in Clinton County, Ohio. The critically acclaimed alt rock/Americana band promises there will be a variety of entertainment, including songwriters; workshops; art; poetry; children’s workshops; an open jam; and camping spots. Over The Rhine occasionally visits Chicago and has several fans here.
Following the success of its Lin Brehmer Scholars Fund Benefit at Metro last Sunday, radio station WXRT is now offering Lin Brehmer Your Best Friend in the Whole World Charity Merchandise via its website. It’s a great way for those of us who weren’t able to attend the benefit to still support the Lin Brehmer Scholars Fund. Just as a suggestion to WXRT: I think a lot of his loyal fans would love to have an official Lin Brehmer coffee mug.
UK rockers Wolf Alice have released The Clearing B Sides, a seven-inch vinyl record of three songs that didn’t make the final cut of their latest album The Clearing. In an earlier Facebook post, the band stated the songs “are ones we love very much” and “we’re happy to have found a home for them for you to hear.”
Rock on through the night with four odd-named acts. Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side will offer a quadruple bill of Sleepersound; Slow Teeth; Human Errors; and Phil Yates And The Affiliates on August 28. The music starts at 7:30.
“Casablanca,” an energetic song that immediately catches your ear, is the first single from an upcoming album of new material from Bangles founding member Susanna Hoffs. It’s available to download on various sites; the entire album, titled The List, is due out on September 18. Maybe Hoffs will perform some of her new songs at her solo gig at The Old Town School Of Folk Music on September 14. It’s a co-presentation with Chicago Humanities. A week later, Hoffs has a five-night engagement at the Café Carlyle at the Carlyle Hotel in New York.
Vicki Peterson (another Bangles founding member) and John Cowsill of The Cowsills (and later The Beach Boys) will wrap up month-long tour on August 30 with a show at The Rhode Island Folk Festival in Riverside, RI. The duo recently announced three October dates: on the 10th in Port Arkansas, TX; the 11th in Austin, TX; and the 14th at Avenel, NJ.
Vicki Peterson fans can pick up a limited-edition souvenir while helping to support a worthy cause by ordering a tumbler she designed for Joey’s Song, an organization that supports epilepsy research. It’s available, along with other special items, on the official Joey’s Song website. The tumbler I ordered was delivered today, and it’s really cool.
Singer-bassist Herb Eimerman will perform original songs during a solo acoustic set at 3:00 pm at the On The Rocks venue at the Waukegan Harbor in Waukegan, IL on September 13. The band Hindsight will also perform that afternoon. One of songs Eimerman performs will likely be “Designed By You,” a new single he recorded with his grandson guitarist Gavin Eimerman. It’s now available as a free download on the Egomaniac Music Bandcamp page.
The 49th Anniversary Edition of Elvis Costello’s My Aim Is True five-CD box set will have 104 tracks, and half of them will be previously unreleased material. Costello’s groundbreaking debut featured songs such as “Watching The Detectives,” “Miracle Man,” “Alison,” “Less Than Zero,” and “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes.” The anniversary issue is priced at $109.98, and will be released on October 2nd.
Read ‘em and keep. I recently received my copy of Issue #23 of Second Scene, which includes articles on The Monochrome Set; Joan As Police Woman; The Lemon Twigs; The Dream Syndicate; The Long Ryders, and numerous other bands. If you enjoy getting rock and roll information via printed indie music newspapers with colorful, eye-catching layouts, this Pittsburgh, PA publication, led by editor-in-chief Tim Thomas will make you smile. Second Scene is available through its Bandcamp page.
Ringo Starr is offering fans an opportunity to win a trip to meet him backstage when he returns to the Forest Hills Stadium in New York for the first time since 1964. Entry for the charity event can be found on the Fandiem website, and the proceeds will go to Starr’s Lotus Foundation, which aims to support social welfare in diverse areas.
Beatles fans have three versions to choose from if they pre-order the special Rubber Soul rerelease on Amazon. The Super Deluxe 4 CD set is packaged in a 12-inch slipcase, and includes a hardback book. The Special Edition Deluxe 2CD set includes the new stereo mix; demos and sessions highlights; and a 40-page booklet. The Rubber Soul (Special Edition) [Blu-ray] version includes Atmos mixes; stereo mixes; and two videos each of “Day Tripper” and “We Can Work It Out.” Vinyl fans willing to spend more cash can check out The Beatles USA Store for the Rubber Soul - Special Edition Super Deluxe: 5 LP + 7-Inch Single Box Set + Posters + Art Cards. All the above choices are due out on October 2.
Sleater-Kinney and Fandiem have joined forces to support Sweet Relief, the non-profit organization that helps people in the music business cope with medical, age-related, and other hardships. Fans who donate to Sweet Relief via the official Fandiem website have a chance win a trip to Chicago and see Sleater-Kinney and Liz Phair perform at The Salt Shed on September 17. The prize includes airfare and hotel accommodations, along with meeting the band backstage; having exclusive side stage viewing; and receiving a merch pack. Other stops on the tour include Los Angeles; Denver; Brooklyn; Philadelphia, and Boston.
Chrissie Hynde: On Canvas, a new exhibition featuring The Pretenders vocalist-guitarist’s paintings, is now open tomorrow at the Harvey And Woodd gallery in Edinburgh, and will run through August 28th.
Los Angeles-based singer Juniper and her radio personality/musician father Michael Shelley have a gig coming up in Tokyo, Japan on August 30. Back in February of 2023, I posted a favorable review of Juniper’s She Steals Candy album, which featured her performing a mix of lost nuggets from the mid-1960s; along with covers of The Bangles, The Go-Go’s, Amy Rigby, and other artists.
An impressive variety of acts will be on hand when the Edgewater Music Fest is held on the weekend of August 28 – 30 at Broadway and Thorndale on Chicago’s north side. Ted Leo And The Pharmacists; NNAMDÏ; Maps And Atlases; Spitalfield; Mucca Pazza; Naked Brunch; Cult Canyon; Dianogah; and North By North are among the performers.
Theater Of The Mind, the imaginative adventure crafted by David Byrne from Talking Heads and writer Mala Gaonkar, will run through August 30 at the Reid Murdoch Building at 333 N. LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. Theater Of The Mind is a Goodman Theatre production.
Montrose Saloon has done a splendid job hosting the annual International Pop Overthrow - Chicago for a few years now, so it’s no surprise the north-side Chicago venue has come up with its own multi-act festival. The End Of Summer Music Fest will present 15 bands over the course of two nights—September 11 and 12. The participating acts include Kent Rose; Esmerelda’s Boys; Who’s This Mary?; The Bon Mots; Go Time!; The Thin Cherries; and The Spindles.
