Here, There And Everywhere

And now, an enthusiastic Broken Hearted Toy welcome to Sir Paul McCartney, who is performing at the United Center tonight. Ringo Starr also recently played the Chicago Theatre, and I can’t remember a time when two former Beatles passed through here within a few weeks of each other. As numerous critics have pointed out, McCartney continues to deliver the goods with amazing energy throughout his lengthy concerts. I’ve never seen him myself, but I did stand outside Wrigley Field when he did a show there a few years back. So I can say that at least I’ve heard a Beatle in person.

Even Chicagoans who don’t have tickets to McCartney’s show at the United Center can still have some Fab Four related fun. That 50th Anniversary edition of A Hard Day’s Night, with the 4K restoration and 5.1 surround mix, is currently in a limited run at the Music Box Theatre. Laura Emerick in the Sun-Times and Randy Lewis in the Tribune recently wrote informative pieces on this latest version of the iconic film. A Hard Days Night will be shown at the Music Box today at 5:15 PM, and tomorrow at 5:15 and 7:30 PM. For those who prefer to joyously scream at Paul and the other Beatles in the privacy of their own homes, Criterion Collection released the newly restored A Hard Day’s Night on June 24th.

But wait, there’s more. Genesis Publications, a UK-based publisher that specializes in expensive but very cool books, has released the limited edition Golden Dreams - The Making Of A Hard Day’s Night. Created by Beatles confidante Astrid Kirchherr along with Max Scheler, it’s hardbound, printed on archival art paper, and signed by both authors. Golden Dreams features previously unpublished photos taken during the filming of A Hard Day’s Night. It can be ordered from the Genesis Publications website for £185.00. 

For You Blue

Kicking off on July 20th and running through the 27th, the Fifth Annual Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival will once again offer an intriguing bounty of short and feature-length films, along with a double dose of live rock and roll. The festival’s bookend events—The Blue Carpet Opening Night and the Blue Glass Awards Dinner/Blue Whiskey Chaser—will be held at the Star Cinema Grill in Arlington Heights. All other screenings, as well as the Festival Centerpiece Concert, take place in Palatine.

Big Paraid, an alt rock trio with a resume that includes gigs at the Double Door, House Of Blues, and Metro, will perform at 8:45 PM on July 23rd at Durty Nellie’s. The rock/reggae quintet Jackpot Donnie  opens at 7:30 PM; with the Official Selection Music Videos sandwiched between the two live acts. Blue Whiskey has a solid track record for booking live bands; with previous performers including Band Called Catch, Chris Petlak, and Dennis Florine.

On Monday through Friday, independent films will be screened at Cutting Hall. The Palatine venue has played an essential roll in all five of the Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festivals. Each night will be anchored by a feature-length film, preceded by from one to three short films. The lineup encompasses sci-fi, suspense, drama, comedy, and romance, as well as documentaries. Representatives from the Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival were distributing programs throughout Palatine’s recent 4th of July activities, and the full schedule is also available online.

Bryan Howell And The Standalones - Welcome To The World

Bryan Howell And The Standalones have released Welcome To The World almost exactly a year after their debut EP Lightning Through My Soul came out. The New York-based trio kicks off World with “(Don’t You) Blindside Me,” a guitar-driven track that sets the tone for 1980s-influenced garage rock/power pop with a focus on romantic relationships. The four songs here are longer than usual for this genre, but Howell, along with bassist-vocalist Greg Baum and drummer-vocalist Brandon Brault, having no trouble filling the extra spaces.

The melodic “Baby, Don’t Look Back” ends with a spirited instrumental coda that lasts for over a minute, and even “Nothing To Give (But Everything),” a change-of-pace ballad with rough edges, has an instrumental break. There’s a hint of Mick Jagger and Graham Parker in Howell’s vocals, particularly on “Oh Please, Valerie,” but considering that Baum and Brault can also sing, it’s surprising there aren’t more harmonies on Welcome To The World. Maybe that’s something they will explore further on their next release. Which should come out just about a year from now.

Slumgullion

Fourth Of July-appropriate photo from The Bangles Facebook page.

The Bangles perform at City Winery in Chicago on July 27th and 28th.

Happy 4th Of July! On this distinctively American holiday weekend, vote for the outdoor festival of your choice, but be sure to have a good, safe time. For a rundown of some of the celebratory activities going on in the Chicago area though July 5th, check out my July 1st post.

Here’s a brief look at what’s going on here in Palatine at The Jaycees Hometown Fest:

July 4th: Noon - Park District Battle Of The Bands 1:45 PM - hard rock covers band Fredonia 4:00 PM - Jak Tripper, a classic rock cover band whose high energy show includes some local flavoring with songs by Off Broadway and The Boyzz  6:30 PM - Hard rock covers band Audio Drive 9:00 PM Country and Western band Well Hungarians July 5th: Noon - Serendipity, a popular covers and originals band comprised of teenage girls 2:15 PM - Wall Of Denial, a Stevie Ray Vaughn tribute band 4:45 PM - Wild Daisy, a Country and Western covers band led by vocalist Krissi Woods 7:30 PM Howie Day, the singer-guitarist who had hit singles with “She Says” and “Collide.” 9:30 PM Catfight, the recently reunited all-woman that originally sprang from Palatine and conquered the entire Chicago street fest scene. 

We’re An (Early) American Band. Check out the WXRT website for a fun video playlist put together by staff writer Dan Shearer of bands that represent the 13 original colonies. His eclectic choices range from Bruce Springsteen (New Jersey) to The Shaggs (New Hampshire).

Born In The USA Museum. If you’re aware that July 2nd, 2014 was the 30th anniversary of the release of Born To Run, you’d probably be willing to pay $9.99 for a month-long access to BlindedByTheLight.com. A recent news release for the online museum boasts that it has the largest Bruce Springsteen exhibit ever seen, all at the click of a mouse. Visitors will be able to zoom in on pieces of Boss memorabilia, which can range from the iconic singer’s 8th grade report card to his 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible. New items will be added each month. The site is the brainchild of rock historian Michael Crane, who has contributed to exhibits at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Those who buy the all-access monthly subscription will be entered into a drawing to win a prize valued at at least $10,000. The news release promises that ultimately, even Springsteen’s Bel Air will be offered as a prize. 

WXRT air personality Terri Hemmert recently announced that she’ll need extended time off from her mid-morning shift at the station to recover from knee replacement surgery. Also, her weekly Breakfast With The Beatles show has been cut back from two hours to one, per her doctors’ orders. This Sunday morning willbe different, though. As that hour comes to a close, the XRT interns will throw a cape over Hemmert’s shoulders and lead her away from the microphone like singer James Brown in his live performance days. But like Brown, Hemmert will rally. She’ll throw off the cape, fight her way back to the studio and play more Beatles tracks for another hour. The reason for this inspiration? No bum knee or doctors’ orders are going to keep her from celebrating Ringo Starr’s birthday. The party starts at 8:00 AM this Sunday. As Ringo himself might say: Peace and Love, Terri.

The 4th Aftermath: I’ve had this theory for some time that once the 4th of July has passed, the summer flies by in an instant. A sure way to savor the season is to experience as many outdoor festivals as possible, and there are a whole lot coming up.

The Millennium Park Downtown Sound Monday Night concert series continues on July 7th with Joe Pug and Hooray For Riff Raff. The music starts at 6:30 PM.

Taste Of Chicago returns to Grant Park on July 9th and runs through the 13th. I haven’t tried to eat there in years, but the live music schedule once again offers an impressive and wide range of artists. Jeff Tweedy of Wilco and Lucinda Williams; Emmylou Harris, Nickel Creek, and Parker Milsap; and Jannelle Monáe and Gary Clark, Jr. are among the headliners. Tickets are $18, but lawn seating in Butler Field is free.

The Roscoe Village Burger Fest takes place next Saturday and Sunday at Belmont and Damen in Chicago. Verona Red, The Handcuffs, Treaty Of Paris, Better Than Ezra, and Catfight are among the bands scheduled for Saturday; American English, Fort Frances, and This Must Be The Band and others perform on Sunday.

The Pitchfork Music Festival, which to some people has more indie rock cred than Lollapalooza, runs from July 18th through the 20th at Union Park. Beck, Sharon Van Etten, Neneh Cherry, St. Vincent, tUnE-yArDs, and Dum Dum Girls are among the acts slated to appear. Local publication Chicago InnerView has once again published an entire issue devoted to this event. You can pick up a copy at the Reckless Records store downtown and probably at its other locations as well. 

The Toothe - Talons EP

Before moving on to my review of The Toothe’s Talons EP, which originally appeared in the Illinois Entertainer, here’s another fun opportunity for the 4th Of July. Phyllis’ Musical Inn on Chicago’s north side continues its long-standing tradition of celebrating the holiday with lots of live music. The hard-edged and bitingly clever power pop band Van Go perform at 8:00 PM, followed by The Right Tidys, a power pop band fronted by vocalist Erica Loftus. Lou Galassini plays bass for both acts, so he’ll have a busy night. 

And now, here’s The Toothe.

On its new Talons EP, The Toothe conspires to embed troubling imagery within sprightly Americana arrangements. Looking for the right words to tell a significant other that your relationship has lost its zest? Try, “All of the earthworms baking on the pavement know exactly how I feel.” That sentiment is from “Earthworms,” a banjo-driven opening track that sets the tone for the five songs that follow afterward.

The North Carolina trio has also been known to sweeten toxic lyrics with gorgeous Crosby, Stills and Nash style harmonies. “Husk,” another study of a withered romance, rivals CSN’s “Helplessly Hoping” for acoustic beauty as the boys sing, “You’re passing through me like a kidney stone, torturously slow.” The intricate instrumentation on “Wine Dark” sounds like it was inspired by Led Zeppelin 3, while the moodier title track has lines like, “You took my love and put it to death.” It’s easy to see how The Toothe’s subversive approach could become too much of a gimmick, but if that does happen, these guys have the ability to succeed with other approaches.

The Crush - Future Blimps

Future Blimps, the latest release from coed Seattle-based trio The Crush, brings back fond memories of 1980s acts like The Go-Go’s, The Aquanettas, and Let’s Active. Like them, The Crush excels at creating fun arrangements that tap into power pop and 1960s garage rock. Comprised of vocalist-bassist Kira, guitarist Jacob, and drummer-guitarist Daniel, The Crush mostly offers upbeat love songs, while occasionally conceding that relationships can be challenging.

Kira’s bass playing pumps a party vibe to the summer romance  of “Never Gonna Stop,” while “It’s Love,” despite its simple title and lines like,”I’ll sing you a silly song and watch you smile away,” offers a more complex message backed by an elaborate arrangement. “Around” evokes The Go-Go’s with its layered vocals and breaks into a guitar-driven instrumental break. The catchy “Better And Better,” another tribute to the power of love, and “Nothing To Lose,” which sports Kira’s most playful vocal approach round out this impressive new EP.

Who's On Fourth?

Time again for the annual Broken Hearted Toy sampling of the numerous opportunities for enjoying live music in the Chicago area over 4th Of July weekend. Have fun and celebrate safely.

FitzGerald’s in Berwyn once again offers an eclectic and ambitious buffet of music over the holiday weekend. The club’s 33rd Annual American Music Festival kicks off its four-day run tomorrow with acts like Marcia Ball; Ryan Joseph Anderson; and Joe Pug. Shows in the upcoming days include a tribute to Lowell George; Tributosaurus becomes The Band; a Bloodshot Records 20th Anniversary Celebration featuring Alejandro Escovedo, Bottle Rockets, Robbie Fulks, and Cory Branan; and Shemekia Copeland; Joe Ely with Reckless Eric; Terrance Simien; and EXPO ‘76. See FitzGerald’s online for the full schedule.

In Palatine, The Jaycees Hometown Fest officially begins tomorrow, but the live music doesn’t come until Thursday. The Fest’s big gun this year is singer-guitarist Howie Day, whose 7:30 PM performance on Saturday will likely include his hit singles “She Says” and “Collide.” The final show of this year’s Fest marks the welcome return of Catfight, an all-woman band that got its start at the old Durty Nellie’s around 2002 and went on to become one of the most successful acts on the city’s fest circuit. The lineup changed a few times before Catfight eventually broke up. The recently reunited band includes most of the musicians who have been involved over the years. Veteran alt rockers Well Hungarians play at 9:00 PM on the 4th; Wall Of Denial, a Stevie Ray Vaughn tribute band, plays at 2:15 PM on Saturday; and Serendipity, a promising young band of teen girls who play a wide range of covers, along with their own material, performs at noon on Saturday. The full schedule is available on the Hometown Fest website.

Arlington Heights’ Frontier Days Festival also kicks off tomorrow. The free concert schedule includes power pop/Americana band The Gin Blossoms (“Hey Jealousy”) at 8:00 PM Friday and Beatles tribute band American English (“Hey Jude”) at 7:30 PM Sunday.

Third World, of “Try Jah Love” fame, performs in Union Park in Chicago on July 4th, as part of the 22nd African/Caribbean International Festival Of Life. The Manhattans are also on the bill that day.

Also in Chicago, Windy City Ribfest Uptown, at Lawrence and Broadway, will run Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The previously mentioned Catfight is doing two sets on Friday. Cowboy Mouth, the headliner for Saturday night, goes on at 8:30 PM.

Hard-hitting power pop act The Viaducts have a Happy Birthday USA gig coming up on Saturday at 27 Live in Evanston. They’re sharing the bill with Fleeting Suns and Shameless Lee. The music starts at 8:30.

Naperville once again has a massive schedule of acts scheduled for its annual Ribfest, which runs July 3rd through the 6th. The entertainment starts at noon on Thursday and Friday (12:30 on Saturday and Sunday) and runs all day long until the last act goes on at 8:30 PM. Highlights include Heartsfield and BoDeans on July 3rd; Million Dollar Quartet on the 4th; former Supertramp lead vocalist Roger Hodgson on the 5th; and Sonny Landreth, and George Thorogood And The Destroyers on the 6th.