The Lash Outs - State Of Excess

The Lash Outs live up to their name on their third album State Of Excess by mixing criticism and aggressive arrangements in equal measures. Their targets are well chosen, though, and while the quick-rhyming put-downs come fast and furious, they’re clever and fun. It also helps to have a vocalist like lead guitarist Joey Holbrook, who sounds like the late Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy at times.

Basically, this Dallas-based quartet has little patience for jerks, whether it’s the snot-nosed fellow employee on “Work To Get By” or a woman’s parasitic boyfriend on “Don’t Know Why.” Holbrook is like a boxer landing punches when he sings, “When she comes home from work/She’s sure to find a jerk.” On “Retail Therapy,” a song about a shopaholic, he notes, “This little habit, she can’t combat it,” while cutting loose on guitar alongside rhythm guitarist-vocalist Ralph Thompson.

Holbrook, Thompson, bassist Adam Allen and drummer Dustin Crabtree craft a catchy sound that’s part hard rock, part The Ramones, and at times reminiscent of “Back Of My Hand (I’ve Got Your Number)” by the UK band The Jags. While The Lash Outs obviously relish their zingers, there’s a sort of ‘don't try this at home’ message in their song “Mistakes.” Holbrook urges taking care, because angry words or actions “could mean the end of you or someone else.” A warning worth heeding in these troubled times.

Step Right Up

Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago runs this Friday through Sunday. Founded by Mark and Carol Lapidos back in the late 1970s, the annual celebration brings a wide range of fans together at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont to relive Beatlemania via concerts, celebrity interviews; sing-along sessions; trivia contests; art exhibits; video presentations, and more. There are also unique Beatles and rock items for sale in the marketplace.

The 2016 lineup of celebrity guests includes musicians; authors (including Bruce Spizer and Robert Rodriguez); artist Eric Cash; and Louise Harrison—George’s sister. Klaus Voorman, the artist/musician who inspired The Beatles in their earliest days, will be on hand for a premiere and exhibition of a graphic novel based on how he designed the Revolver album cover. Peter Asher and Billy J. Kramer, contemporaries of The Beatles (and recipients of some of their compositions) will be there, along with Badfinger’s lead guitarist Joey Molland.

Guitarist Albert Lee, who performed with George Harrison and Eric Clapton, is making his Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago debut. Mark Hudson, a musician and producer who has worked with Ringo Starr and Cher, is a longtime Fest participant with an unbridled sense humor and an extensive knowledge of rock and roll.

Once again, there will be lots of live music, including Peter Asher and Albert Lee’s In Story And Song Part 1 on Saturday and Part 2 on Sunday in the Ballroom. The Apple Jam Stage, which made an impressive debut last year, offers performances on a small stage all weekend. I would particularly recommend catching Phil Angotti, who has done several 1960s-related shows around town; Jay Goeppner, who often performs with Angotti and leads the tribute band Backdated; and Pat DiNizio, lead vocalist-guitarist with The Smithereens. The superb Beatles tribute band Liverpool performs in the Ballroom each night of The Fest, and on Saturday night, they’ll cover songs from Revolver and then jam with Kramer, Molland, Hudson, Lee, and DiNizio. The Weeklings, a quartet comprised of Glen Burtnik and John Merjave from Liverpool, plus Bob Burger and Dave Anthony, will perform on Saturday afternoon.

There will be designated signing times for most of the guests, and many will be interviewed by master of ceremonies Terri Hemmert, whose Breakfast With The Beatles show airs on WXRT in Chicago every Sunday morning. (I posted a piece about Hemmert this past Sunday.)

Tickets are $52 for Friday, $78 for Saturday or Sunday, and $190 for the entire weekend. Various two-day combinations are also available. Check Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago online for a list of the celebrity guests and an extensive rundown on all the activities (too many to list here) going on all weekend.

Dot Dash - Searchlights

Over the course of four previous albums, Dot Dash has shown an expertise for not only drawing inspiration from the cutting-edge rock of the late 1970s and ‘80s, but also making that sound their own. They offered authentic punk on their debut Spark>Flame>Ember before moving on to a more guitar-driven approach reminiscent of Translator and Red Rockers on their later efforts. It’s not as immediately evident what the Washington, D.C.-based band is going for on the brand new Searchlights, but it’s another adventurous, engaging effort.

“Dance On Broken Glass” could easily be taken as a hard rock song, based on the furious guitar playing of Steve Hansgen and vocalist Terry Banks. They also cut loose on the high-speed “Lonely Serenade” and the epic-length “Fading Out.” And yet, there’s “Dumb Entertainment,” a stark blast of sneering punk defiance, and it feels as though the ghost of Joe Strummer is drifting through “10,000 Days,” “The Infinite,” and the more nuanced but still edgy title track.

Dot Dash keeps the emphasis on strong melodies and biting lyrics while exploring new territory. “Sooner or later, every caped crusader finds a villain he can’t beat,” Banks sings on “Crumbs,” another song that taps into The Clash. His vocal inflections add a subtle touch to the more introspective “Summer Lights,” and he growls through the goofy party rock of “Daddy Long Legs.”

The (Class) Act You’ve Known For All These Years

Photo from Terri Hemmert's Facebook page.

You could almost hear a collective sigh of relief among Chicago area Beatles fans this morning as they tuned in to Breakfast With The Beatles on WXRT and found host Terri Hemmert has returned to her regular schedule. She had been out of commission due to back surgery but recorded a number of editions of the two-hour weekly program in advance so it wouldn’t have to go on hiatus. Today’s Breakfast With The Beatles was her first new one since her operation.

The good news extends to the 40th Annual Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago at the Hyatt Regency - O’Hare in Rosemont next weekend. Hemmert might need a wheelchair to get around, but she does intend to serve as the event’s Master Of Ceremonies for her 39th consecutive year. This likely includes chatting with the celebrity guests and conducting The Battle Of The Beatles Bands contest.

As an interviewer, her calling card is combining the enthusiasm of a fan with the professional approach of an air personality who’s earned a place in the National Radio Hall Of Fame. Hemmert joked on her show today that she would host The Fest even if she had to do it on a stretcher. That’s probably true but let’s hope it never comes to that.

Terri Hemmert also has also returned to the 10a.m. to 1p.m. weekday shift on WXRT.

Slumgullion

Two veteran Chicago rock critics posted articles this week praising L7 in advance of a gig tomorrow night (August 6) at Metro featuring the band’s best-known lineup of guitarist-vocalists Donita Sparks and Suzi Gardner, bassist Jennifer Finch, and drummer Dee Plakas. Chicago Tribune writer Chrissie Dickinson offers an informative interview with Sparks, and in The Reader, Monica Kendrick describes L7 as “a force of nature, steamrolling gender barriers.” Both writers mention an upcoming L7 documentary from director Sarah Price.

Bryan Ferry will make his Ravinia debut tomorrow night in a show that’s bound to be soulful, seductive, and very classy.

Taste Of Lincoln Avenue arrives a bit late this year, but it will still feature two days of live music on four stages between Fullerton and Wrightwood. Gin Blossoms, G Love And Special Sauce, Catfight, and Dan Hubbard are among the acts scheduled to perform.

The Bad Examples promise they’ll have some new songs when they perform tomorrow night at Frankie’s Blue Room in Naperville. The first set starts at 8:00 PM. Longtime fans still have time to get a vinyl reissue of the band’s 1991 debut album Bad Is Beautiful via a PledgeMusic campaign.

Toots And The Maytals will headline Reggae Fest Chicago 2016 next Saturday, August 13. The event, which is being billed as “One Day, One Love!,” will be held at Addams Medill Park at 15th Street and Loomis. Other performers include Lee “Scratch” Perry, Dauby Taure, and Iration.

Heavy Manners lead vocalist Kate Fagan is set to re-release her 1980s solo effort I Don’t Wanna Be Too Cool on August 8. She’ll be a special guest at the Neo New Wave Thursdays Haven at the Debonair Social Club on August 11.

Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago recently unveiled the entire schedule for its run at the Hyatt Regency - O’Hare next weekend, and it now includes Smithereens frontman Pat DiNizio among the special guests. The Smithereens will be performing on September 25 at City Winery Chicago. This will be the 40th year for Fest For Beatles Fans in Chicago.

According to an ad in The Reader, Theater Zuidpool will bring “Belgium’s greatest rock musicians” to Thalia Hall for a two-night run of its hard rock adaptation of Macbeth on August 21 and 22. The production is being presented by Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Thalia Hall. Tickets start at $28.

Steve Johnson’s extensive look at “Here’s Johnny: The Making Of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” in yesterday’s Chicago Tribune serves as a reminder that the exhibition ends its run at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in mid-October. With its collection of costumes, clips, and artifacts, this looks like a fun and nostalgic trip for those of us who grew up watching Carson on TV.

The Go-Go’s Farewell Tour brings them to Ravina in Highland Park on August 19. I listened to the band’s 2001 reunion album God Bless The Go-Go’s recently, and was impressed with how well those songs have held up. And of course, the earlier hits are still great too.

While the five woman cover band Catfight continues snag just about every outdoor festival on the Chicago area circuit, two of its founding members, Lisa Kaber and Julie Dutchak, will perform as an acoustic duo at an upcoming gig at the Edgewood Valley Country Club. I couldn’t find an exact date on this.

Plan Ahead:

Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago - August 12–14 at Hyatt Regency Hotel

Wizard World Comic Con - August 18–21 at Donald A. Stephens Center

Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins Festival - August 19–21 at The Den Theatre

Muffs - August 28 at Empty Bottle

Matthew Sweet with Material ReIssue - September 9 - Park West

Riot Fest - September 16–18 in Douglas Park

Lush - September 18 at The Vic

The Buzzcocks - September 22 - The Vic

The Smithereens - September 25 at City Winery

Brian Wilson Celebrates Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary - October 1 at The Chicago Theatre

Nick Lowe with Josh Rouse - October 15, October 17 at Old Town School of Folk Music

Elvis Costello’s Imperial Bedroom And Other Chambers Tour - October 29 at The Chicago Theatre

Get Your Halos On

Photo by Richard Hall from the Thrift Store Halo Facebook page.

When Thrift Store Halo plays the Ballydoyle Irish Pub and Restaurant in Downers Grove tomorrow night (August 4), it will be only the second time they’ve performed live in the last 17 years. One of those gigs was a dream job serving as the opening act for The Zombies at Viper Alley in Lincolnshire. Tomorrow’s show at Ballydoyle starts at 8:30, and according to the band’s Facebook page, will run for about two hours.

The Chicago-based trio of lead singer-bassist Frank Gradishar, guitarist Brent Seatter, and drummer-vocalist Scott Proce released its debut CD World Gone Mad in 1998. Guitar-driven and catchy power pop songs like “Put Me Down,” “Crashing In,” and “Fly Me Away” have stood the test of time. The musicians have kept active with other bands over the years, but it’s good to know Thrift Store Halo is back in action again. Hopefully there will be more shows and new music in the near future.

August, Rock She Must

This is the last of the three months that unofficially comprise summer, so the beginning of August is a good time to reflect on whether you’ve been fully appreciating the season. There are some fun-filled events coming up in Chicago, including three longtime favorites here at Broken Hearted Toy. They often fall on the same weekend, which results in hectic scheduling and tough choices. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to go into greater detail for each of these in future posts, but for now, here's a quick rundown.

Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago is an easy pick this year because it sits by itself on the weekend of August 12–14 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont. Founded by Mark and Carol Lapidos back in the late 1970s, the annual celebration has never failed to live up to its name. It’s a great way to relive Beatlemania via concerts, celebrity guests; sing-along sessions; photography; artwork; and a joyful sense of community among fans of all ages and walks of life.

Mary-Archie Theatre closed earlier this year, ending a 30-year run of providing some of the city’s most provocative storefront productions. It said goodbye with a critically acclaimed and extended run of David Mamet’s American Buffalo, but the theatre still has one last trick up its tie-dyed sleeve—Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins XXVIII. Since Mary-Arrchie’s home base no longer exists, it’s being held at The Den Theatre on the weekend of August 19–21. Expect even more freewheeling fun as this final annual celebration of the Woodstock spirit offers virtually non-stop drama, performance art, live music, and comedy.

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con returns to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont on Thursday, August 18 and runs through Sunday, August 21. Once again, there will be tons of vendors selling comic books, t shirts, action figures, and other fantasy/sci-fi related artifacts. People often dress up in costumes, which can make for some odd couplings—like Captain Jack Sparrow and Harry Potter walking side by side. The biggest draw for most people though is a chance to meet the celebrity guests.

Also coming up this month: Taste Of Lincoln Avenue - 6 and 7; North Halsted Market Days - 13 and 14; the very first Reggae Fest Chicago - 13; Chicago Air and Water Show - 20 and 21; Bucktown Art Fest - 27 and 28; and Chicago Fringe Fest - August 31 through September 11.