Slumgullion

Pre-sale tickets went on sale today for the Darker Waves festival taking place on November 18 in Huntington Beach, California. The lineup features several acts that launched successful careers in the 1980s and have maintained them over the decades. New Order, The B-52’s, Tears For Fears, X, The English Beat, Devo, Soft Cell, The Psychedelic Furs, Echo And The Bunnymen, OMD, and The Human League will be performing, along with several other acts. If you can afford the airfare, tickets for Darker Waves start at a reasonable $19.99.

Any Chicagoans who view X as the act they’d most like to see at Darker Waves can check out the legendary punk band on July 6 at Old Town School Of Folk Music. All four original members are still on board.

Tickets are on sale now for a performance by The Zombies at The Old Town School Of Folk Music on October 15. Their Different Game North American Tour will also include stops in Seattle, San Francisco, Toronto, New York, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, and Nashville. In addition to performing classic hits such as “Time Of The Season,” “Tell Her No,” and “She’s Not There,” the band will no doubt be showcasing songs from their brand new album Different Game.

Wish me luck. I’ll be at the Writing Day Workshop in Chicago tomorrow for an early afternoon appointment to pitch my YA novel to a literary agent. There will also be some interesting seminars to check out. This is the first in-person WDW in a few years, and I’m looking forward experiencing that creative and supportive ambience again. There are some virtual Writing Day Workshops coming up that people from around the country can attend.

Things That Fly, the Chicago-based indie rock band led by Heidi Serwer and Karen Salmon, will perform catchy tunes such as “Lucky Ones” and “Crunch Went The Snow” from its self-titled EP  at a record-release show taking place at Martyrs’ tomorrow night. The event will also include a performance by the Divine Sound Gospel Choir and DJ Tanja Buhler, and will celebrate new location for the charity organization Common Pantry.

Lilla Sky, a Danish-born singer-songwriter who’s now based in Nashville, Tennessee, has a show coming up this Tuesday at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Although well known for her songwriting skills, Sky only recently decided to focus on the performance side of music. She’ll no doubt be performing her soulful debut single “Patience” at Montrose Saloon.

Tellin’ Tales Theatre’s founding member Tekki Lomnicki will be moonlighting at the IO Theater next Thursday, June 29. She’ll be the featured guest monologist at The Armando Diaz Experience show. As noted on the IO website, “the Armando is an improvisational form where actors improvise a series of interconnected stories based on true events and life experiences of a featured celebrity guest.” 

The 94-piece exhibit Andy Warhol Portfolios: A Life In Pop will run through September 10 at McAninch Arts Center at the Cleve College Of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

 

Mike Skill and Brad Elvis of The Romantics will be part of the multi-genre entertainment being offered at The Lakewood Oswego Festival Of The Arts this weekend in Lake Oswego, Oregon. They perform at 8:00 pm tomorrow. LOFA, as it’s affectionately known in those parts, will also offer soul, jazz, bluegrass, big band, and Latin funk artists.

The triple bill of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Garbage, and Metric is coming to the Huntington Bank Pavilion in Chicago on June 27. It’s part of a two-month American tour that will also visit Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Tampa, Cincinnati, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and other cities.

The Neverly Brothers will bring their entertaining mix of live music and rock and roll history to Memorial Park in Wheaton tonight and at the Orland Hills Community Center tomorrow.

Pete Towshend’s 1980 solo album Empty Glass and his 1977 collaboration with Ronnie Lane Rough Mix were released as half-speed vinyl masters today.

Kate Fagan from the Chicago’s beloved 1980s ska band Heavy Manners, has a solo performance coming up at Rattleback records on June 28. She’ll be performing songs from her recently re-issued and expanded solo album I Don’t Want To Be Too Cool. The evening will include a Question and Answer session, a live performance, and signing.

Personality - The Lloyd Price Musical, which recently opened at the Studebaker Theater, garnered positive reviews from critics Jack Helbig in the Chicago Sun-Times and Chris Jones in the Chicago Tribune. The musical celebrates the amazing career of Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame songwriter The Lloyd Price, who gave us “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” and “Aint It A Shame.”

A special presentation of High Fidelity will take place on November 1 at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. John Cusack, who starred in the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Hornby based on Hornby’s popular novel High Fidelity, will be in person at the Auditorium Theatre for the screening and a Question and Answer session. 

The Who’s Tommy, which opened at the Goodman Theatre in downtown Chicago on June 13, has been extended through July 30.

The Metropolitan Jazz Octet and jazz singer Paul Marinaro will join together for The Bowie Project, a presentation of jazz-oriented renditions of David Bowie songs at City Winery Chicago on June 27. 

The State Of Sound exhibit is now open at Navy Pier, This is a pop-up version of the award-winning exhibition that was held at the Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield, and celebrates Illinois-based stars such as Muddy Waters; Material Issue; Earth, Wind & Fire; Chicago; Chance the Rapper; Wilco; Shoes; and Cheap Trick. Admission is free, and you’ll find the exhibit at Festival Hall A in the lower level lobby of Navy Pier through Aug. 27.

The Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights is offering a series of free concerts this summer, and this week’s event features alternative folk rock vocalist Kelly Steward at 8:30 pm on Saturday. In addition to her solo work, Steward has performed with The Nielsen Trust, a side project for 

Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen. Reservations are recommended.

Incoming

Things That Fly, the Chicago-based indie rock band led by Heidi Serwer and Karen Salmon, will perform catchy and clever tunes such as “Lucky Ones” and “Crunch Went The Snow” from its self-titled EP at a record-release show taking place at Martyrs’ this Saturday. The event will also include a performance by the Divine Sound Gospel Choir and DJ Tanja Buhler, and benefit the charity organization Common Pantry.

Mike Skill and Brad Elvis of The Romantics will be part of the multi-genre entertainment being offered at The Lakewood Oswego Festival Of The Arts this weekend in Lake Oswego, Oregon. They perform at 8:00 pm on Saturday. LOFA, as it’s affectionately known in those parts, will also offer soul, jazz, bluegrass, big band, and Latin funk artists.

The Metropolitan Jazz Octet and jazz singer Paul Marinaro will join together for The Bowie Project, a presentation of jazz-oriented renditions of David Bowie songs at City Winery Chicago on June 27. 

Global Citizen, a nonprofit organization devoted to fighting climate change, will present a free concert titled Power Our Planet: Live In Paris this Thursday, June 22. Staged in the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower, the event will feature performances by Lenny Kravitz, Finneas, Ben Harper, Billie Eilish, Jon Batiste, Mosimann, and H.E.R.

Chicago-based singer-guitarist Phil Angotti will be performing songs from Neil Young’s Harvest, The Byrds’ s Younger Than Yesterday, and Elvis Costello’s My Aim Is True this Thursday night at Reggies on State Street. Angotti will be joined by Tom Ryan, Casey McDonough, Debbie Kascynski, Todd Rusin, Dan Ingenthron, Kriss Bataille and Jim Barclay.

The triple bill of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Garbage, and Metric is coming to the Huntington Bank Pavilion in Chicago on June 27. It’s part of a two-month American tour that will also visit Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Tampa, Cincinnati, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and other cities.

The Neverly Brothers will bring their entertaining mix of live music and rock and roll history to Memorial Park in Wheaton this Friday and at the Orland Hills Community Center on Saturday.

Peter Asher of Peter And Gordon will join Jeremy Clyde of Chad and Jeremy for a performance this Friday at The Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago. They’ll perform the hits their duos scored back in the 1960s, and share memories of that era as well.

Pete Towshend’s 1980 solo album Empty Glass and his 1977 collaboration with Ronnie Lane Rough Mix will be will be released as half-speed vinyl masters this Friday.

The Northman Riverwalk Beer And Cider Garden, located at 233 E. Riverwalk in downtown Chicago, has a full schedule of late afternoon and early evening live music planned for this summer. Tomorrow brings the “acoustic new wave, post punk, mod, Brit pop” stylings of  Niko Twist Action, which certainly sounds promising. There’s live music every day this week, see the website for the schedule.  

Kate Fagan from the Chicago’s beloved 1980s ska band Heavy Manners, has a solo performance coming up at Rattleback records on June 28. She’ll be performing songs from her recently re-issued and expanded solo album I Don’t Want To Be Too Cool. The evening will include a Question and Answer session, a live performance, and signing. 

Slumgullion

The David Bowie World Fan Convention kicked off today in New York City and will run through Sunday. In addition to featured guests such as Bowie collaborators Carlos Alomar, Tony Visconti, Mike Garson, George Murray and Carmine Rojas, there will be a marketplace offering Bowie memorabilia. The event has been sold out for a while now.

At an unrelated event here in Chicago, the Metropolitan Jazz Octet and jazz singer Paul Marinaro will join together for The Bowie Project, a presentation of jazz-oriented renditions of David Bowie songs at City Winery Chicago on June 27. 

Carlos, a new documentary about legendary guitarist Carlos Santana, will receive its world premiere tomorrow night June 17 at the Tribeca Festival in New York City. The actual release date for Carlos will be revealed at some point in the future.

Personality - The Lloyd Price Musical, which recently opened at the Studebaker Theater, garnered positive reviews today from critics Jack Helbig in the Chicago Sun-Times and Chris Jones in the Chicago Tribune. The musical celebrates the amazing talent and accomplishments of Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame songwriter The Lloyd Price, who gave us “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” and “Aint It A Shame.”

Global Citizen, a nonprofit organization devoted to fighting climate change, will present a free concert titled Power Our Planet: Live In Paris on June 22. Staged in the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower, the event will feature performances by Lenny Kravitz, Finneas, Ben Harper, Billie Eilish, Jon Batiste, Mosimann, and H.E.R.

Tickets went on sale this morning for a special presentation of High Fidelity on November 1 at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. John Cusack, who starred in the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Hornby based on Hornby’s popular novel High Fidelity, will be in person at the Auditorium Theatre for the screening and a Question and Answer session.

 

Pete Towshend’s 1980 solo album Empty Glass and his 1977 collaboration with Ronnie Lane Rough Mix will be will be released as half-speed vinyl masters next Friday, June 23.

Although based in Munster, Indiana, Metropoly is familiar to a number of Chicagoans. That’s due to the band’s inspired tributes to Hole, Liz Phair, and Blondie at Halloweekend, the nomad annual tribute show that’s been staged at various venues over the years, most recently at Montrose Saloon. Metropoly’s founding members Holly Senchak Dausch and Adam Dausch have been creating various artists tribute compilations on Bandcamp for over a decade, with their latest honoring Radiohead. It includes Metropolly’s cover of  “Exit Music . . .  For A Film” along with Radiohead tunes covered by 18 other acts. Be sure to check out the previously released albums honoring Beck, The Doors, The Cure, David Bowie, and Nirvana.

Chicago-based singer-guitarist Phil Angotti would be on solid ground if he ever decided to legally change his middle name to Tributes considering how many famous rock and roll acts he’s covered over the years. He’ll be performing songs from Neil Young’s Harvest, The Byrds’ Younger Than Yesterday, and Elvis Costello’s My Aim Is True next Thursday night at Reggies on State Street. Angotti will be joined by Tom Ryan, Casey McDonough, Debbie Kascynski, Todd Rusin, Dan Ingenthron, Kriss Bataille and Jim Barclay.

The online American Songwriter has a penchant for posting lists, including a recent one titled The Top 8 British Invasion Bands Of ‘60s. The Beatles were the obvious choice for number one, followed by The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who, The Hollies, Dusty Springfield, The Zombies, and The Yardbirds.

The Neverly Brothers will bring their entertaining mix of live music and rock and roll history to Washington Park in Ottawa tomorrow night. They’ll play Memorial Park in Wheaton on June 23; Orland Hills Community Center on June 24, and Palatine’s Hometown Fest Fourth Of July Celebration.

Peter Asher of Peter And Gordon will join Jeremy Clyde of Chad and Jeremy for a performance on June 23 at The Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago. They’ll perform the hits their duos scored back in the 1960s, and share memories of that era as well. I’ve seen these guys together and separately in the past, and their sense of humor plays a major part in making their shows so entertaining.

Chris Stamey from The dBs has a new solo effort titled The Great Escape coming out on July 7. According to his website, Stamey had help from fellow dB’s Peter Holsapple and Will Rigby, as well as Don Dixon, Eric Heywood, Caitlan Cary, and other musicians.

Tickets are still available for The Who’s Tommy, which opens at the Goodman Theatre in downtown Chicago next Tuesday, June 13, and has now been extended through July 30.

Graham Nash fans in the New York can check out his Enduring Images photography exhibit at City Winery NYC through July 11. The photographs can be purchased through the City Winery website.

The State Of Sound exhibit is now open at Navy Pier, This is a pop-up version of the award-winning exhibition that was held at the Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield, and celebrates Illinois-based stars such as Muddy Waters; Material Issue; Earth, Wind & Fire; Chicago; Chance the Rapper; Wilco; Shoes; and Cheap Trick. Admission is free, and you’ll find the exhibit at Festival Hall A in the lower level lobby of Navy Pier through Aug. 27.

The Minus Five and The No Ones, both of which feature Scott McCaughey and Peter Buck, are kicking off a U.S./Europe tour tonight with a gig at Mississippi Studios in Portland, Oregon. Bangles drummer Debbie Peterson helped each band on recent recordings, and will be a special guest at Mississippi Studios. The Minus Five and The No Ones will perform at Tractor Tavern in Seattle, Washington tomorrow night. 

  

Things That Fly, the Chicago-based indie rock band led by Heidi Serwer and Karen Salmon, has a record-release show for its self-titled EP at Martyrs’ next Saturday June 24. The event will benefit the charity organization Common Pantry.

Ken Sharp, a gentleman with expertise in performing and writing about power pop music, recently posted on Facebook that he contributed the song “Just A Chance” to an upcoming two-CD release titled Shine On: A Peter Ham Tribute. It will be available on various streaming sites as of June 23. Other artists covering Ham songs on Shine On include Shelby Lynne, Stan Lynch, Dan Baird, Dennis Diken, Melanie, Reckless Eric and Amy Rigby,  and Mary Lou Lord.

Director Balin Scheider recently posted on Facebook that his Out Of Time - The Material Issue Story documentary is now streaming on Night Flight Plus. 

On a sad note, Blackie Onassis (John Rowan) from Urge Overkill recently passed away. Along with Material Issue and Liz Phair, Urge Overkill helped put Chicago on the national rock and roll map back in the early 1990. My condolences to his family, friends, and numerous fans.

The Bric A Brac Record store is holding an outdoor 10th Year Anniversary Party this Sunday from noon to 7:00 pm. Bric A Brac, located at 2845 N. Milwaukee, is a really fun destination for vinyl records, cassette tapes, VHS tapes, and pop culture artifacts. The Anniversary party is being held at 2800 N. Dawson, and will have live music. 

The Northman Riverwalk Beer And Cider Garden, located at 233 E. Riverwalk in downtown Chicago, has a full schedule of late afternoon and early evening live music planned for this summer. Upcoming performances include Magnaphonic on July 15, The Handcuffs on July 20, and The Spindles on July 21.

Rob Schulz, who’s performed at International Pop Overthrow - Chicago numerous times, has a solo acoustic show tomorrow at 4:00 pm at Merkle’s Bar And Grill. Located at 3516 N. Clark Street, the venue would be a convenient stop for fans following the Cubs vs. Orioles game at Wrigley Field.

The Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights is offering a series of free concerts this summer, and this week’s events are Stefan Hillesheim on Friday and Ginger Road on Saturday. Show time for both days is 8:30; reservations are recommended.

Incoming

Tickets go on sale this Friday morning for a special presentation of High Fidelity on November 1 at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. John Cusack, who starred in the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Hornby based on Hornby’s popular novel High Fidelity, will be in person at the Auditorium Theatre for the screening and a Question and Answer session. As someone who has always loved record stores, and worked in one from 1981 to 1984, I found the book and movie fascinating. The record store I worked in was light years less cool than the one Hornby and Cusack created. 

The Minus Five and The No Ones, both of which feature Scott McCaughey and Peter Buck, will kick off a U.S./Europe tour this Friday with a gig at Mississippi Studios in Portland, OR. Bangles drummer Debbie Peterson helped each band on recent recordings, and will be a special guest at Mississippi Studios.

It was great to see a packed house for the Frisbie and Material Reissue show at Schubas on the north side this past Saturday night. Both of these legendary Chicago bands were in top form. On a related note, director Balin Scheider posted on Facebook today that his Out Of Time - The Material Issue Story documentary is now streaming on Night Flight Plus. 

Ellis Clark, another well-known figure on the local music scene, will be performing a solo acoustic set of original songs and cover tunes this Thursday night at the Montrose Saloon. Clark’s musical history includes performing with Epicycle, The Social Act, and The Handcuffs. The music starts at 9:00 pm.

Based on reviews in the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times, The Cure sounded fantastic during its concert at the United Center this past Saturday night. It was part of their 2023 Shows Of A Lost World Tour.

Michael Steven Cohen will be singing and strumming vintage love songs on at Tuscan Market in Arlington Heights this Friday at 7:00 pm.

The Bric A Brac Record store has fully recovered from the busted pipe damage it experienced a while back and is holding an outdoor 10th Year Anniversary Party this Sunday from noon to 7:00 pm. Bric A Brac, located at 2845 N. Milwaukee, is a really fun destination for vinyl records, cassette tapes, VHS tapes, and pop culture artifacts. The anniversary party is being held at 2800 N. Dawson, and will have live music. 

Ken Sharp, a gentleman with expertise in performing and writing about power pop music, recently posted on Facebook that he contributed the song “Just A Chance” to an upcoming two-CD release titled Shine On: A Peter Ham Tribute. It will be available on various streaming sites as of June 23. Other artists covering Ham songs on Shine On include Shelby Lynne, Stan Lynch, Dan Baird, Dennis Diken, Melanie, Reckless Eric and Amy Rigby, and Mary Lou Lord.

The Northman Riverwalk Beer And Cider Garden, located at 233 E. Riverwalk in downtown Chicago, has a full schedule of late afternoon and early evening live music planned for this summer. The June schedule includes The Kabir Dalawari Quintet at 3:00 pm and The Fran Banish Trio at 6:00 pm this Friday. Looking down the road, or river actually, The Northman Riverwalk will feature Magnaphonic on July 15, The Handcuffs on July 20, and The Spindles on July 21.

 

Rob Schulz, who’s performed at International Pop Overthrow - Chicago numerous times, has a solo acoustic show coming up this Saturday, June 17 at 4:00 pm at Merkle’s Bar And Grill.  game 4 at Located at 3516 N. Clark Street, the venue would be a convenient stop for fans following the Cubs vs. Orioles game at Wrigley Field.

The Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights is offering a series of free concerts this summer, and this week’s events are Stefan Hillesheim on Friday and Ginger Road on Saturday. Show time for both days is 8:30; reservations are recommended.

Slumgullion

The Pretenders, Hot Chip, and Suede are the headline acts at the ambitious and innovative Kite: A Festival Of Ideas And Music taking place at Kirlington Park, Oxforshire in the U.K. this weekend. Other scheduled acts across the festival’s three stages include Candi Staton, Django Django, and Susanna Hoffs.

The Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights is offering a series of free concerts this summer, and this week’s event is an album tribute double feature. Tomorrow (Saturday) night, The Naomi Ashley Band will perform Lucinda Williams’ entire Car Wheels On A Gravel Road, followed by The Real Pretenders recreating Learning To Crawl by The Pretenders. Show time is 8:30; reservations are recommended.

Graham Nash fans in the New York can check out his Enduring Images photography exhibit at City Winery NYC through July 11.The photographs can be purchased through the City Winery website.

Material Reissue and Frisbie will perform tomorrow night at Schubas on Chicago’s north side. See this past Tuesday’s post about June 10 activities for more details.

The online American Songwriter has a penchant for posting lists, including a recent one titled The Top 8 British Invasion Bands Of ‘60s. The Beatles were the obvious choice for number one, followed by The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who, The Hollies, Dusty Springfield, The Zombies, and The Yardbirds. I’m not sure why they stopped at eight; surely there could have been at least two more worthy choices. But it’s hard to quarrel with the acts they did honor.

Congo Square Theatre, a Chicago-based ensemble whose productions are frequently met with rave reviews, has a Homecoming 2023 event coming up next Thursday, June 15.

Here’s a friendly welcome to The Cure, who are in town for a concert at the United Center tomorrow night. It’s part of their 2023 Shows Of A Lost World Tour, and will most likely include  classic new wave hits such as “Boys Don’t Cry,” “Just Like Heaven,” and “In Between Days.”

You can wish lead vocalist Ary Paloma a belated Happy Birthday tomorrow night when The Amazing Heeby Jeebies perform as part of a three-act showcase at Montrose Saloon. The Chicago-based quintet’s 2018 debut Bad Feeling combined garage rock and rockabilly while spinning tales of werewolves, mummies, and cannibals. The Metalliques and Feral Faucet will also be on the bill.

The David Bowie World Fan Convention taking place on June 17 and 18 in New York City will feature noted Bowie collaborators Carlos Alomar, Tony Visconti, Mike Garson, George Murray and Carmine Rojas. If you don’t already have tickets, you’re out of luck since the event is sold out.

The 73rd annual Old Town Art Fair, which features over 200 juried artists, live music, and a garden walk, takes place tomorrow and Sunday. The event opens at 10:00 am each day, with main gate being located at Lincoln Avenue and Wisconsin Street. A donation of around $10 is usually suggested. Once you’ve finished, walk a few blocks south and check out the Wells Street Art Fair. This event appeals to a younger audience, with two stages of live rock music, along with all that art and photography. The main entrance is at Wells Street and North Avenue, and a donation policy is involved here as well.

Global Citizen, a nonprofit organization devoted to fighting climate change, will present a free concert titled Power Our Planet: Live In Paris on June 22. Staged in the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower, the event will feature performances by Lenny Kravitz, Finneas, Ben Harper, Billie Eilish, Jon Batiste, Mosimann, and H.E.R.

The 2023 Chicago Blues Festival continues through Sunday. Tomorrow’s performers include Sugaray Rayford, Mud Morgenfield, and John Primer with Steve Bell. Sunday’s lineup includes The Bear Williams Band, Gerald McClendon, Lil’Ed And The Blues Imperials, and Los Lobos.

The Andersonville Midsommarfest runs this weekend from Foster to Gregory on Clark Street. Saturday’s schedule includes The Handcuffs, MIRRORS; Neptune’s Core, and Chicago Soul Spectacular. Sunday’s shows include Sam Thousand, the Amy Winehouse tribute act Tears Dry On Their Own, and Tukkiman. The Andersonville Midsommarfest will also feature vendors, artisans, and food. General admission each day is $10.

Tickets are still available for The Who’s Tommy. It opens at the Goodman Theatre in downtown Chicago next Tuesday, June 13, and has now been extended through July 30. I bought a ticket, and I can’t wait to hear those live opening notes of the Tommy overture. 

The State Of Sound exhibit is now open at Navy Pier, This is a pop-up version of the award-winning exhibition that was held at the Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield, and celebrates Illinois-based stars such as Muddy Waters; Material Issue; Earth, Wind & Fire; Chicago; Chance the Rapper; Wilco; Shoes; and Cheap Trick. Admission is free, and you’ll find the exhibit at Festival Hall A in the lower level lobby of Navy Pier through Aug. 27.

Tellin’ Tales Theatre’s latest presentation is titled Divercity: Refocusing Disability, and will offer performances by artists, writers, and advocates with disabilities. Directed by founding member Tekki Lomnicki, Divercity: Refocusing Disability will run at the Greenhouse Theater Center on the weekend of June 9 – 11. 

Congratulations to The Neverly Brothers on 20 years of creating an entertaining hybrid of live music and spoken bits of rock and roll history. They have three gigs coming up in June: Washington Park in Ottawa on June 17; Memorial Park in Wheaton on June 23; and the Orland Hills Community Center on June 24. They’ll also be part of the Hometown Fest Fourth Of July Celebration in my humble village of Palatine.

Carlos, a new documentary about the life and multiple achievements of legendary guitarist Carlos Santana, will receive its world premiere on June 17 at the Tribeca Festival in New York City. The actual release date for Carlos will be revealed at some point in the future.

Things That Fly, the Chicago-based indie rock band led by Heidi Serwer and Karen Salmon, each an accomplished singer-songwriter, has a record-release show for its self-titled EP at Martyrs’ on June 24. The event will benefit the charity organization Common Pantry.

June 10 Just Added A Bunch Of Events That Might Interest You

I’ve mentioned here before that the second Saturday of June is one of the best days of the year for Chicagoans to entertain out-of-town guests. Events have come and gone over the years, but there are always a variety of ways to showcase our city’s music and arts scene around this time. And it’s likely the weather will cooperate with your indoor and outdoor adventures. Here are just a few recommendations for things to do this Saturday.

Fans of well-crafted power pop will find plenty to like when Material Reissue and Frisbie perform at Schubas on Chicago’s north side. The original Material Issue was a trio comprising lead vocalist-guitarist Jim Ellison, bassist-vocalist Ted Ansani, and drummer Mike Zelenko that helped put Chicago on America’s rock and roll map back in the early 1990s. Videos of “Valerie Loves Me” and “Diane” from the band’s International Pop Overthrow debut were in regular rotation at MTV, and other gems would surface on future albums. A number of years after we lost Ellison, Material Reissue emerged with Ansani and Zelenko, along with Chicago rock scene veteran Phil Angotti on lead vocals and guitar. Frisbie, led by guitarist-vocalist Steve Frisbie and also including drummer Gerald Dowd and guitarist-vocalist Liam Davis, has garnered critical acclaim for close to 25 years for its live performances and albums such as The Subversive Sound Of Love.

The Cure’s 2023 Shows Of A Lost World Tour will bring the U.K. new wave band to the United Center for an evening of classic hits such as “Boys Don’t Cry,” “Just Like Heaven,” and “In Between Days.”

Amazing Heeby Jeebies will perform as part of a three-act showcase at Montrose Saloon on the north side. Led by vocalist Ary Jeeby and propelled by guitarists Bob Hyatt and Tom “Boss X” Klein, the Chicago-based quintet’s 2018 Bad Feeling debut album combined garage rock and rockabilly while spinning tales of werewolves, mummies, and cannibals. The Metalliques and Feral Faucet will also be on the bill at Montrose Saloon.

The 73rd annual Old Town Art Fair, which features over 200 juried artists, live music, and a garden walk, takes place this Saturday and Sunday. The event opens at 10:00 am each day, with the main gate being located at Lincoln Avenue and Wisconsin Street. I don’t see a specific amount on the website, but usually a donation of around $10 is suggested.

It’s much less crowded if you visit the Old Town Art Fair right about when it opens. Plus, that leaves you enough time to walk a few blocks south and check out The Wells Street Art Fair. This event appeals to a younger audience, with two stages of live rock music, along with all that art and photography. The main entrance is at Wells Street and North Avenue, and a donation policy is involved here as well.

The 2023 Chicago Blues Festival will be at full power on Saturday, starting at noon and running through 9:00 pm. Scheduled performers include Sugaray Rayford, Demetria Taylor with The Mike Wheeler Band, Mud Morgenfield, John Primer with Steve Bell, and a Rosa’s Lounge Jam Session with Mary Lane, Lil Ed, Willie Buck, and Billy Branch.

The Andersonville Midsommarfest runs this weekend from Foster to Gregory on Clark Street, and Saturday provides an opportunity to catch one of Chicago’s best bands, The Handcuffs. Their 4:30 pm show will no doubt include songs their latest album of adventurous indie rock Burn The Rails. Other bands performing Saturday include Pravda Records Artists MIRRORS; Neptune’s Core, who’ve released two albums of indie rock and have a new EP on the way; and Chicago Soul Spectacular, whose latest EP Don’t Be Afraid Of Love came out last year. The Andersonville Midsommarfest will also feature merchandise, artisans, and food vendors. General admission is $10.

If you’ve been planning to check out the new State Of Sound exhibit now open at Navy Pier, you might want to squeeze it into your June 10 carousing. This is a pop-up version of the award-winning exhibition that was held at the Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield, and celebrates Illinois-based stars such as Muddy Waters; Material Issue; Earth, Wind & Fire; Chicago; Chance the Rapper; Wilco; Shoes; and Cheap Trick. Admission is free, and you’ll find the exhibit at Festival Hall A in the lower level lobby of Navy Pier through Aug. 27.

Slumgullion

The Who’s Tommy, a dramatic presentation of the one of the first, and possibly the best rock operas, will begin its run at the Goodman Theatre in downtown Chicago on June 13 and run through July 23. This is the genuine article; with book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff, and directed by Des McAnuff. 

The Pretenders, Hot Chip, and Suede are the headline acts for Kite: A New Festival Of Ideas And  Music, which will take place at Kirlington Park, Oxforshire in the U.K. next weekend, June 9 – 11. Other scheduled acts include Candi Staton, Django Django, and Susanna Hoffs. Maybe The Pretenders will showcase some songs from their Relentless album, due out in September.

Three well-established Chicago-based power pop bands, The Spindles, Go Time! and Vinto Van Go will share a triple bill tomorrow night (June 3) at the QBar in Darien, IL. Go Time! will likely be performing songs from their recently released album Anything Could Happen.

Tickets have sold out for the David Bowie World Fan Convention taking place in New York City on June 17 and 18. The event features noted Bowie collaborators Carlos Alomar, Tony Visconti, Mike Garson, George Murray and Carmine Rojas. 

The 2023 Chicago Blues Festival, billed as the largest blues celebration on the planet, opens next Thursday, June 8 and will run through June 11. Major acts scheduled to appear include Bobby Rush, Los Lobos, Mud Morgenfield, Lil Ed And The Blues Imperials, and Blind Boys Of Alabama. The events will take place in Millennium Park.

Tickets are now on sale for Nick Lowe’s November 20 concert at the Old Town School Of Folk Music, and his November 21 show with Rami Gabriel at SPACE in Evanston. 

Global Citizen, a nonprofit organization devoted to fighting climate change, will present a free concert titled Power Our Planet: Live In Paris on June 22. Staged in the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower, the event will feature performances by Lenny Kravitz, Finneas, Ben Harper, Billie Eilish, Jon Batiste, Mosimann, and H.E.R.

Material Reissue, which features Material Reissue original band members Mike Zelenko and Ted Ansani, with Phil Angotti now on lead vocals and guitar, have a show coming up on June 10 at Schubas on Chicago’s north side. It’ll be a rare opportunity to hear original lead vocalist-guitarist Jim Ellison’s power pop masterpieces in a live setting. Frisbie, a critically acclaimed band closing in on 25 years of creating catchy rock tunes, will be sharing the bill that night.

Also on June 10, Amazing Heeby Jeebies will perform as part of a three-act showcase at Montrose Saloon. The Metalliques and Feral Faucet will also be on the bill.

The new Henry Diltz Music Is Love photography exhibition recently opened at the Elverhoj Museum Of Solvang in California. Diltz is one of rock and roll’s premier photographers; well known for his work with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Doors, The Eagles, The Hollies, and other bands. According to the online Lompoc Record, the exhibition will cover his entire career, with a special section devoted to the late David Crosby.

Local alt rock/avant-garde band whitewolfsonicprincess will bring its self-proclaimed 21st Century Druid music to SPACE in Evanston on June 14. The Mixture is also on the bill that night.

The 57th Street Art Fair, one of Chicago’s longest-running and respected art fairs, takes place tomorrow and Saturday. Next weekend, June 10 and 11, will bring another prestigious local art event, the Old Town Art Fair. The Wells Street Art Fair, which adds live music to the mix, also takes place next weekend. 

From The Mississippi Delta, the Pulitzer-nominated play based on the autobiography of Dr. Endesha Isa Mae Holland, and directed by Ilesa Duncan, continues its run at the Lifeline Theatre on Chicago’s far north side through June 18.

1964 - Eyes Of The Storm, a book of photographs taken by Paul McCartney in the midst of Beatlemania, comes out on June 13. There are bound to be some amazing shots from his point of view. The collection will also be featured as an exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery in London from June 28 through October 1.

Personality - The Lloyd Price Musical, which celebrates the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame songwriter (“Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” “Aint It A Shame”), opened at the Studebaker Theater today.

Rust For Glory, a Neil Young tribute band that’s based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Young’s Harvest album on June 3 at The Broadway in Barking. They’ll be part of the venue’s Neil Young Day festivities, along with the Harvest Time documentary and a presentation by author Daryl Easlea. Admission for all three Neil Young Day events is £36.50.

A Malibu Barbie Cafe pop-up restaurant/store will open on June 7 at a top secret location in Chicago, and tickets ($35 for kids, $50 for adults) are now available via bucketlisters.com. The cafe will promote the Barbie film starring Margot Robbie, which is coming out July 21. 

The Cure’s 2023 tour will bring them to the United Center in Chicago on June 10. Other dates include New Orleans, Houston, Phoenix, San Diego, Cleveland and Philadelphia.

Tellin’ Tales Theatre’s latest presentation is titled Divercity: Refocusing Disability, and will offer performances by artists, writers, and advocates with disabilities. Directed by founding member Tekki Lomnicki, Divercity: Refocusing Disability will run at the Greenhouse Theater Center on the weekend of June 9 – 11. 

Congratulations to The Neverly Brothers on 20 years of creating an entertaining hybrid of live music and spoken bits of rock and roll history. They have three gigs coming up in June: Washington Park in Ottawa on June 17; Memorial Park in Wheaton on June 23; and the Orland Hills Community Center on June 24. They’ll also be part of the Hometown Fest Fourth Of July Celebration in my humble village of Palatine.

Carlos, a new documentary about the life and multiple achievements of legendary guitarist Carlos Santana, will receive its world premiere on June 17 at the Tribeca Festival in New York City. The actual release date for Carlos will be revealed at some point in the future.

Things That Fly, the Chicago-based indie rock band led by Heidi Serwer and Karen Salmon, each an accomplished singer-songwriter, has a record-release show for its self-titled EP at Martyrs’ on June 24. The event will benefit the charity organization Common Pantry.