EXPOnentially Eclectic

Photo of Dag Juhlin from the The EXPO '76 website. Taken by by Terri D.

Expo ’76 paid its first visit to Mac’s On Slade in Palatine this past Friday night and from all appearances, they would be welcome to come back anytime they wanted. It’s unusual these days for a live act to get just about everyone in a bar dancing, but that’s what this collection of veteran musicians achieved. And Mac’s on Slade was packed that night. They kicked off the party atmosphere at 8:30 PM and kept it going until they had literally left the building about half past midnight.

The core members are vocalist-guitarist Dag Juhlin, whose resume includes The Slugs and Poi Dog Pondering; keyboards player-vocalist Kenn Goodman, who owns Pravda Records; bassist vocalist Ralph Baumel; and drummer John Carpender. At various times, the Total Pro Horns joined them. Over the past few years, the band has built a strong following through clever on-line marketing and the promise of a limitless set list.

At Mac’s On Slade, EXPO ’76 opened with a few obscure New Orleans style tunes before moving on to more familiar fare like The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice” and The Monkees’ “Daydream Believer.” Dressed in vintage clothes and hats, these guys exuded a casual sort of cool. Fun takes on Nick Lowe’s “Cruel To Kind,” Ace’s “How Long,” and “Ooh Child” by The Five Stairsteps seemed to flow naturally from them.

EXPO ’76 kicked off the second set with a peppy and faithful version of Al Hirt’s “Java.” Elsewhere, the musicians put their own stamp on famous songs; proclaiming at one point that they aren’t a covers band, but a band that uses other people’s material to express themselves. Kind of like Laurence Olivier doing Shakespeare; and they seemed to be only half joking about that analogy. Electric Light Orchestra’s “Can’t Get It Out Of My Head” was given a slower, brooding arrangement, while Gary Wright’s “My Love Is Alive” was transformed into a smoking Motown workout.

There was also an impromptu a cappella sing-along of Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman,” and the band’s take on Bobby Day’s “Rockin’ Robin” featured a quick riff from Jethro Tull’s “Aqualung.” Closing with Roger Miller’s “King Of The Road,” EXPO ’76 passed through the crowd while still singing, and strolled right out the front door. Cool right to the very end.   

Saturday Slumgullion

Slumgullion is a day late and a bit short this week, because I was out making rather merry watching EXPO ‘76 do its amazing repertoire of cover tunes at Mac’s On Slade in Palatine last night. What a fun show. Hopefully, I’ll have more to post on that soon.

Aaron Kupferberg announced yesterday that his Power Popaholic blog will be holding another festival this year. It takes place on September 7th at The Rock Shop in Brooklyn, NY, and features The Grip Weeds, The Anderson Council, Kurt Baker, and other acts. Tickets range from $12 to $15 and are available at The Rock Shop website. Incidentally, this news was posted on POWERPOPALOOZA, a very active Facebook page for fans of the genre. As a fellow blogger, I’m as jealous as hell, but a tip of the hat to Aaron for putting his festival together.

Pleased To Meet Them Again. The Replacements have reunited and will be among the multitude of cutting-edge acts performing at Riot Fest in Chicago this Fall. The band, which created fun and chaotic tunes like “I Can’t Wait,” “Hold On My Heart,” and “Alex Chilton,” hasn’t played lived since imploding at a 4th Of July Taste Of Chicago concert in 1991. The Riot Fest Chicago roster also includes Blondie, Violent Femmes, and Public Enemy. The Replacements will also be on the bill when Riot Fest travels to Denver and Toronto.

Help Send Luck To London. The Luck Of Eden Hall, Chicago’s long-time purveyors of psychedelic rock, will be traveling to the UK in August to perform at a Fruits de Mer Records sponsored festival with The Pretty Things. They’ve received some positive reviews over there for their efforts on the UK indie vinyl label and have turned to Kickstarter to help fund the trip. Fans can pick up some rare vinyl editions of Butterfly Revolutions Volume 1 and Volume 2 CDs, in exchange for donations. The gig, which will be held at London’s Borderline club, is a coup for Luck Of Eden Hall. Although The Pretty Things aren’t well known in America, they’re beloved on their home turf for raucous hits like “Midnight To Six Man” and “Come See Me.” 

Cracker, best known for its acerbic but irresistibly catchy FM radio hit, “Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now),” will be playing The Windy City Ribfest in Chicago on July 6th. The band is also currently on tour with Camper Van Beethoven, with whom it shares a few band members.

YA From Way Back When. Aspiring writers might be interested in what actress Karen Gillan and her Doctor Who alter ego Amy Pond are up to these days. A recent roundup of Doctor Who related books in Red Eye mentioned the Young Adult novel, Summer Falls. It’s being credited to an author named Amelia Williams, which is the married name of Gillan’s Pond character. The clever concept behind this ties into Amy and husband Rory’s tragic departure from The Doctor, when they were whisked decades back in time and trapped there. Making lemonade out of lemons, Amy and Rory not only embark on a happy, if earlier life together, but Amy channels her adventures with The Doctor into a successful sci-fi Young Adult novel. As Red Eye noted, a more recent episode of Doctor Who showed a character reading Summer Falls. I read the first few pages of the novel on Amazon, and it’s well-written and whimsical.

Now on to the real life Karen Gillan. The trailer for Not Another Happy Ending, in which she plays a successful novelist with writer’s block, can now be viewed on the rom-com’s Facebook page. Looks like Gillan’s character will be exuding the same mix of charm and fiery temper as her Amy Pond character displayed while traveling through time and space.

We'll Always Have Palatine

I sometimes (well, often) poke fun at my home town of Palatine's cultural heritage, but the northwest suburban village is actually serving up an impressive buffet of entertainment tomorrow evening (June 14th.)

There's a vintage car show featuring Stingrays, Mustangs, etc not far from the train station; American English will kick off the Sounds Of Summer series at the Fred P. Hall Amphitheater with its Beatles tribute show at 8:00 PM; Theatre Nebula is staging Christopher Bibby’s comedy Scaring The Normals at Cutting Hall (it runs through Sunday); and EXPO ‘76, a band of seasoned musicians, will be playing an eclectic variety of cover versions starting at 8:30 PM at Mac's On Slade. With a little effort, tourists could fit in at least parts of three of these things in one visit. 

Look for Union Jacks to be flying proudly Saturday in Crystal Lake as The Cottage night club hosts its fourth annual Beatles Blast British Invasion. The event kicks off at 1:30 PM when Cavern Beat performs as The Beatles. The schedule (pronounced shedule) also features In The Flesh as Pink Floyd at 3:30 PM; Kashmir as Led Zeppelin at 5:30 PM; and American English, fresh from rocking Palatine on the previous night, as The Beatles at 8:00 PM. Tickets are $15.

On June 29th, Sons Of The Silent Age will be playing the music of David Bowie at Durty Nellie's in the suddenly bustling town of Palatine. The band’s nine members include vocalist Chris Connelly from Ministry; drummer Matt Walker, who has worked with Smashing Pumpkins and Garbage; and guitarist Steve Gerlach of The Bad Examples and Tomorrow The Moon. The show is free but anyone interested in going needs to get a ticket from the Durty Nellie’s Facebook page.

CD Review: Big Star - Nothing Can Hurt Me Soundtrack

Much like the full-length documentary Nothing Can Hurt Me that has been making the rounds at SXSW and other film festivals, this soundtrack is a bona fide gift for Big Star fans. The 21 songs cover the 1970s band’s three LPs, using alternate takes, demos, and new mixes created for the film. This intimate approach isn’t as well-suited for those who’ve long wondered about Big Star’s cult status, but there’s enough evidence here to convince anyone that the Memphis-based band should have been a much bigger commercial success.

Some of the material, particularly from the more troubled and introspective Third-Sister Lovers, might bewilder power pop fans who’ve been told the genesis of the genre can be found in Big Star’s repertoire. “Holocaust” is downright disturbing, and “Kangaroo” likewise moves at a snail’s pace. The energetic funk rock of “O My Soul” is reminiscent of The James Gang while “Feel” is also typical of 70’s rock.

Still, listening to the twangy guitar and acerbic lyrics like, “Don’t blame me for what other folks do” on “You Get What You Deserve,” it’s easy to see where The dB’s got their inspiration. “September Gurls,” later a hit for The Bangles, is a template for power pop, as are “In The Street” and “When My Baby’s Beside Me.” “Thirteen” is a gorgeous tribute to adolescent infatuation, and “Way Out West” features an irresistible melody and lush harmony vocals. Nothing Can Hurt Me ultimately shows why Big Star is hailed as having a strong impact on the musicians who followed them.

Friday On My Mind

Photo of EXPO ‘76 by Mark Cnota, from EXPO ‘76 Facebook page.

A couple of noteworthy shows happening in the Chicago area this Friday.

The Handcuffs recently announced a batch of shows they’ll be doing over the next few months while also finding time to record their fourth CD. Their busy schedule brings them to The Beat Kitchen on Belmont Avenue this Friday, where they’ll be sharing the bill with longtime friend, singer-guitarist Phil Angotti and his band. The Safes and The Differents (who are having a record release party) are also on the bill. Angotti will likely be showcasing material from his recently released CD, Life And Rhymes, and he has some top notch songs to choose from his 2011 release, People and Places. I can’t say for sure if The Handcuffs will be debuting any songs from their upcoming effort, but they do have a new guitarist, Suzie Q.

NOTE: The Handcuffs, along with The Producers and The Jeff Pritchett Project, will be taking part in the Will Rock For Food fundraiser on July 20th in Marion, IL. 

Also on this Friday night, EXPO ‘76 will drop by Mac’s On Slade, Palatine’s up and coming rock club/restaurant. EXPO ‘76 is a side project for music veterans vocalist-guitarist Dag Juhlin of The Slugs and Poi Dog Pondering; keyboards player-vocalist and Pravda Records CEO Kenny Goodman; bassist-vocalist Ralph Baumel; and drummer-vocalist John Carpender, who also performs with Tomorrow The Moon. They describe their eclectic selection of cover versions as “a mental warehouse of music that houses the golden era of AM radio singles, roots rock chestnuts, new wave janglers, campfire classics, TV show themes, early ‘60s rave-ups, songs your parents know and love, made-up-on-the-spot idiotic jams and more.” As a resident of Palatine, I bid them a hearty welcome.  

The Smithereens At Wells Street Art Festival: A View Without Much Room

The only disadvantage to the weather being so perfect at The Wells Street Art Festival in Chicago’s trendy Old Town neighborhood this past Saturday is that it ensured a massive turnout. By the time I arrived at 3:30 PM to take in some art, photography, and free food and beverage samples before checking out The Smithereens at 5:45 PM, it was nearly impossible to squeeze through the sun-drenched revelers. This meant not being able to get a full view of the stage, but at least I could hear the songs perfectly well.

Summer just wasn’t the same last year without The Smithereens dropping in for at least one outdoor festival, so it was good to hear them cranking out their power pop gems again in 2013. They opened with the guitar-driven “Behind The Wall Of Sleep” from their full-length debut Especially For You. Introducing “Sorry” from their overlooked but very strong Smithereens 2011 CD, lead vocalist-guitarist Pat DiNizio noted that Tom Petty invited the band to join him and The Heartbreakers on tour this year after he had heard it.

The Wells Street Art Festival concert also included “In A Room Without A View,” “Time And Time Again,” “Only A Memory,” and “House We Used To Live In,” which once again segued into “Sparks,” the instrumental from The Who’s Tommy. Guitarist-vocalist Jim Babjak and drummer-vocalist Dennis Diken, as always, joined DiNizio for some well-executed jamming. Bassist Severo “The Thrilla” Jornacion was missing, due to an illness (I think), and I didn’t catch the name of the musician filling in for him. Whoever it was definitely met the challenge of propelling The Smithereens through their signature barn-burner, “Blood And Roses.” 

Slumgullion

Come for the art, stay for the power pop. Photo from The Smithereens Facebook page.

Happy Birthday to Patrick Deane, who fronted one of Chicago’s first cutting edge bands back in the late 1970s. The Scraps never released a full LP, but songs like “Strike Three,” “Gossip,” and “Hits” from their 7” and 12” singles still sound vital to this day.

The 30th Annual Chicago's Blues Festival kicked off last night with a performance by critically acclaimed singer-guitarist Shemekia Copeland and promising newcomer Quinn Sullivan. It’s the largest free blues festival in the world, and runs through Sunday. Scheduled artists include Irma Thomas and Bobby Rush; Otis Clay, The Bar-Kays, Eddie Floyd, and Sir Mack Rice; James Cotton, John Primer, Billy Branch, and Eddy Clearwater. 

Director John Anderson’s Born In Chicago, a documentary about suburban teenagers traveling to the city’s south side to see authentic blues stars like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf in the 1960s, is being shown tonight at the Siskel Center. Some of those kids, like Mike Bloomfield, Corky Siegel, and Harvey Mandel would use the experience to fuel their own music. There will be a discussion session at the Siskel Center with some of the musicians after the film is shown. 

The vintage car show returned for the Summer tonight in Palatine. I’m not sure who sponsors it, but there’s always an impressive collection of Stingrays, Mustangs, Jaguars, Thunderbirds, and several other classic models. Pretty much every week there’s something different, and the outdoor setting adds to the fun.

Just down the street from where the vintage car show takes place, Mac’s On Slade has become a welcome addition to Palatine’s entertainment scene. The club/restaurant gives local musicians an opportunity to perform original songs. Unfortunately, according to Bob Chiarito’s article in this week’s Trib Local, the club has been struggling due to nearby street construction. So Mac’s has been given permission by the Palatine government to hold an outdoor fundraiser to recoup some of its losses. It will be held July 20th. The only act mentioned in the article for live entertainment was The Buzzhounds.

In addition to The Smithereens performing at 5:45 tomorrow afternoon, The Wells Street Art Festival  will also have Trippin Billies at 7:30 PM. American English performs at 7:30 PM on Sunday.

It was nice seeing Simon Smith’s piece about how to hunt down rare Hollies vinyl in the May issue of Record Collector. Mr. Smith, who resides in Australia, and I swapped emails a while back after I read in another UK mag that he was writing the definitive book on The Hollies. He told me the book is still in the planning stages, and I began sending him copies of Hollies-related articles from vintage publications. Smith’s very informative article (I didn’t realize Graham Nash sang on “Lily The Pink” by The Scaffold) is accompanied by several photos of hard-to-find singles, EPs and albums. That same issue of Record Collector has Ian Ravendale’s review of a Hollies concert.

Birds Of Chicago will be recording material for an upcoming live release when it performs at SPACE in Evanston on June 27th. The newly formed folk/Americana band is led by music veterans JT Nero from JT And The Clouds and Allison Russell of Po’ Girl. The debut effort from Birds Of Chicago came out late last year.

French rockers the Plastiscines give a tip of the chapeau to the 1970s TV show Charlie’s Angels with the video for their new single, “Comment Faire.” Ot’s posted on their Facebook page.

My review of Absolute Zero, the debut release from Little Green Cars can be found in this month’s issue of the Illinois Entertainer. The Dublin-based band will pay a visit to Chicago on August 2nd when they perform at Schubas.

Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff, the web-based comedy will return for weekly installments in September. My wife Pam and I have contributed about 50 comedy clips to SMCWJ, and I’m hoping to get together with host-producer Jeff Kelley over the next few months so we can work on some new bits.