Incoming

Best wishes to everyone across the United States for a safe, fun and entertaining 4th of July weekend. Be sure to celebrate by catching some live music. Looking back over several years of living in Palatine, IL, I’d say my favorite outdoor performances around here have been by The Smithereens, The Bad Examples, and Cliff Johnson with Off Broadway.

Tomorrow will be opening day of a new tour for The Baseball Project, when the sports-minded, indie rock band comprising Peter Buck, Linda Pitmon, Steve Wynn, Scott McCaughey, and Mike Mills performs at SPACE in Evanston. Other dates include Milwaukee, Des Moines, Tulsa, and Fort Worth. Their fourth album, Grand Salami Time, was released in 2023 and includes the songs “Disco Demolition” and “Fantasy Baseball.”

Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights will continue its tradition of booking top notch blues acts when recording artist Mud Morganfield—son of Muddy Waters—returns to the venue this Friday night. Showtime is 7:30.

The Zombies are no doubt busy preparing for their second annual Begin Here Festival, which will take place in St. Albans, UK in November, and lead vocalist Colin Blunstone has even more on his plate. He’s lined up concerts in Harpenden, Milton Keyes, Bury St Edmunds, and London, in which he’ll perform his entire 1971 solo debut One Year, joined by a full band and the Q-Strings quartet. According to an official email, Blunstone is doing this “for the first time EVER.” I had the pleasure of seeing him do a solo show at City Winery Chicago a number of years ago, where he performed a variety of tracks from his solo efforts, along with a few Zombies hits. 

Vocalist Gerald McClendon The Soulkeeper will perform A Night Of Motown and Classic Rhythm and Blues this Saturday at SPACE in Evanston. If you’ve seen McClendon blow the roof off Martyrs’ on Lincoln Avenue when he sings “My Sweet Lord” at the annual George Harrison tribute, then you know this Saturday’s SPACE event is going to be special.

Incoming

People in 28 countries can send birthday wishes to a beloved musician, as well as much-needed good will across the universe when Ringo Starr holds his annual Peace and Love event at noon this Sunday, July 7 in Los Angeles. People located elsewhere are being encouraged to participate “at Noon your local time.” Back in L.A., Ringo will be celebrating with his wife Barbara, Joe Walsh, Fred Armisen, Ed Begley Jr, Gregg Bissonette, Ben Harper, Stephen Stills, Don Was, and several other special guests. All the details can be found on Ringo’s website.

Famous In The Future, a local comedy group that knows a thing or two about peace and love, will present its annual three-day celebration of counter-culture entertainment, YippieFest, on the weekend of August 23 – 25 at Chopin Theatre. This will be the sixth in-person staging of the event, which features FIF along with a variety of acts presenting short plays, improv, monologues, sketch comedy, stand-up, music, performance art, and dance. YippieFest is modeled after the late Mary-Arrchie Theatre’s long-running Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins Festival. The lineup will be revealed at some point on the official YippieFest website. Chopin Theatre is located at 1543 W. Division on the city’s north side. Full disclosure: I was a member of Famous In The Future for several years.

SPACE in Evanston will offer a series of Singer-Songwriter events throughout July that includes Over The Rhine on July 11; Gerald Dowd and Richard Knight, Jr. on July 15; and Phil Angotti and Tommi Zender performing the music of Simon and Garfunkel on July 28.

That book’s keeping her busy. Stephanie Kuehnert, the author who garnered national attention with her well-crafted and emotionally charged novels Ballads Of Suburbia and I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone, has three events coming up in the Chicago area to promote her new memoir Pieces Of A Girl. She’ll join a Punk Rock Book Party at the Independence Branch of the Chicago Public Library on July 9, along with Bianca Xunise, who’ll be promoting her book Punk Rock Karaoke. On July 10, Kuehnert will have a discussion and signing at The Pile Book Store in Berwyn. A day later, Kuehnert will discuss Pieces Of A Girl with Heather Lynn at The Book Cellar in Lincoln Park.

Nick Nite! will be celebrated exactly a week from today at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Local musicians Tony Nuncio, Eric Chial, Dave Sebastian, and Mike Cohen will be leading the way in this well-deserved tribute to British singer-songwriter Nick Lowe that’s likely to include witty gems such as “Cruel To Be Kind,” “So It Goes,” “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding?” and “I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock ’n' Roll).”

Several local venues and communities have live entertainment scheduled over the 4th of July weekend, but not many can compete with FitzGerald’s American Music Festival in Berwyn. The event, which runs July 3 – 6, will include Nikki Lane and Sierra Hull; The Jayhawks; Old 97’s; Robert Randolph Band; Marcia Ball; Joe Pug; Rhett Miller; Ike Reilly Assassination; Tributaurus; Anna Fermin’s Trigger Gospel; C.J. Chenier And The Red Hot Louisiana Band; Joel Paterson; The Waco Brothers; and Michael McDermott.

Slumgullion

It might seem odd to celebrate someone’s birthday over a month late, but when the honoree is Pete Townshend and the ones celebrating are Chicago musicians Jason Narducy and Dag Juhlin, there’s no reason to complain. Besides, the event, being held this Sunday at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights, has become a tradition. Narducy and Juhlin will start performing Townshend’s songs at 6:00 pm. Most of the tickets have been sold but there are still some available in the Bistro Table area.

 

England’s long-running hitmakers The Rolling Stones made a long-awaited return to Chicago last night with a concert at Soldier Field. It was part of their Hackney Diamonds Tour, and they’ll give us another one on Sunday. Concert-goers who drop by an event AARP and Chicago radio station WXRT are staging on Sunday at Reggies can catch a free bus ride to and from Soldier Field and have a chance to win a merch bundle. Reggies is located just south of downtown.

Ratboys, the Chicago-based indie rock band whose 2023 album The Window made quite an impression, will spend almost the rest of this year out on tour, beginning with a concert tonight in Woodstock, NY. Other stops will include Boise, Oakland, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Denver, Vancouver, and Washington, DC before Ratboys come home to Chicago for a gig at Thalia Hall on November 29.

Andy Stone, the Rhode Island singer-songwriter who released the Every Single Day and This Giant Awoke albums in 2020 and 2017 respectively, has a new 4-song EP titled Plug In that will be available on various streaming and download apps somewhere around July 7. It can also be ordered directly from Stone via his PayPal account. Based on the catchy song “Got No Clue” and its video, the new material once again taps into the power pop genre.

The Soul Brunch series at City Winery Chicago continues this Saturday at noon with PureSoul: 80’s R&B.

Squeeze has been giving the world clever and irresistibly catchy songs for decades, and had a sold-out show today at the Glastonbury Festival - Pyramid Stage in Glastonbury. That event kicks off five months of touring back and forth between the UK and USA. After a gig on the Isle Of Man on August 6, the band will fly off for a performance in Eugene OR. Other North American stops include Oakland, Costa Mesa, Phoenix, Austin, Nashville, Chicago, Toronto, Boston, New York, and Orlando. Squeeze will return to the UK in early October and continue touring through November. Tickets are now on sale for the Squeeze concert on September 5 at the Chicago Theatre. The English Beat will be the special guest for that night.

Musicians Tony Nuncio, Eric Chial, Dave Sebastian, and Mike Cohen will host Nick Nite! at Montrose Saloon on July 9. The event is a well-deserved tribute to British singer-songwriter Nick Lowe, who’s either penned or performed witty gems such as “Cruel To Be Kind,” “So It Goes,” “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding?” and “I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock  ’n' Roll).”

The Chicago-based, self-described new wave band Sonic45 has a Record Release Party coming up on July 13 at SPACE in Evanston for its second album Supersonic. For a limited time, a violet vinyl copy, complete with a download card with five bonus demo versions, can be ordered from the band’s label Cheap Kiss Records website for only $20. Sonic45 comprises sports broadcaster/musician/songwriter Len Kasper, along with Chicago music scene veterans Matt Spiegel (also a sportscaster); Liam Davis; Gerald Dowd; and Dag Juhlin. Sunshine Boys, the Chicago-based band that released two impressive albums (and also features Juhlin), will be the opening act for that SPACE Record Release Party.

Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple, a new documentary from HBO Documentary Films, recently had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. Interviews with several famous musicians, including Bruce Springsteen, help create a full portrait of the the E Street Band member/Sopranos actor/Underground Garage radio host. It’s now available on Max.

The Telepaths, Gunnelpumpers, and The Rut will each perform original indie rock and roll songs tomorrow night at Phyllis’s Musical Inn. The music starts at 8:30 pm; Phyllis’s Musical Inn is located at 1800 W. Division on Chicago’s north side.

FitzGerald’s has long been known for putting together an impressive schedule for its annual American Music Festival, and this year is no exception. The event, which runs July 3 – 6, will include Nikki Lane and Sierra Hull; The Jayhawks; Old 97’s; Robert Randolph Band; Marcia Ball; Joe Pug; Rhett Miller; Ike Reilly Assassination; Tributaurus; Anna Fermin’s Trigger Gospel; C.J. Chenier And The Red Hot Louisiana Band; Joel Paterson; The Waco Brothers; and Michael McDermott among the headline acts.

Cracker, with founding members Johnny Hickmans and David Lowery, will perform at SPACE in Evanston on July 5 and 7. The band is known for FM radio staples such as “Low” and “Get Off This,” as well as “Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now).” 

Blondie founding member Chris Stein’s memoir titled Under A Rock is now available from various sites. The book, which features a forward by Debbie Harry, is described by MacMillan Publishers as a “a plunge into the moments that made a giant 1980’s artistic sensation.”

Long-time Arlington Heights venue Jimmy D’s District has an outdoor music event titled Jimmy D’s Fest On The Patio coming up on July 12 and 13. It’s located at 1718 W. Northwest Highway.

The Northman Riverwalk has reopened for the season, giving visitors an opportunity to enjoy a variety of live music and food outdoors with an impressive view of downtown Chicago. This weekend brings performances by the Hip-Hop Afrobeats band The KPilla Experience tomorrow afternoon; hard rockers The Midnight Calls early tomorrow evening, and classic rock covers band Vinyl Idols on Sunday afternoon. The Northman Riverwalk is located on the Chicago River at 233 N. Riverwalk.

 

Steve Wynn from The Dream Syndicate has accomplished a long-time goal of writing a book, and it’s due out from Jawbone Press around August 25. Wynn describes I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True as “a memoir of a life of music that begins on the streets of LA and continues along the highways and byways of rock recording and touring with The Dream Syndicate.” Autographed copies are available for pre-order on Wynn’s Bandcamp page, which also mention he has a new solo album title Make It Right coming out around the same time as his book.

Long Grove, IL will present a Blues Fest at Brothers’ Field this weekend. Tomorrow brings the main event, which starts at 1:00 pm and Sunday will offer a more laid back approach featuring various performers, starting at noon.

There will be a Catfight 20th Anniversary Reunion featuring band members Julie, Rose, Lori, and Lisa at the Backlot Bash being held this Sunday, June 30 on Chicago’s (5248 N. Clark Street) north side.

New York indie rock quartet The dB’s recently released their 1981 debut album Stands for deciBels on vinyl for the first time (along with CD and digital formats) and will launch a Reunion Tour in September. It starts with a concert at the Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh, NC on September 7, and will continue with stops in Washington, DC; Philadelphia; Jersey City; St. Paul; and Chicago. That Chicago gig is at the Old Town School Of Folk Music October 12, with Vulgar Boatmen also on the bill.

As someone who’s been a fan of The Reader for most of its 50-year existence and is currently a subscriber, I’m glad to see it’s once again coming out on a weekly basis. The paper is now a nonprofit operation, and could use some assistance keeping afloat. Donations are encouraged, and contributing $5 per month enables you to become a member.

As noted on The Second Disc website, Rhino and Avenue Records will release the 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition of  The World Is a Ghetto - The Complete Sessions on July 19. The classic album by War will be remastered and include previously unreleased tracks and other bonus material. It will be available in 4 CD, 5LP box  and digital formats.

Rebel Girl: My Life As A Feminist Punk, a memoir from riot-grrrl band Bikini Kill vocalist Kathleen Hanna is now available from HarperCollins Publishers on various websites and book stores.

Feathers McGraw, one of cinema’s most devious villains, will return to his wicked ways in the upcoming film Wallace And Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. The official Wallace And Gromit social media sites promise it’s coming to the BBC and Netflix sometime this winter.

Chicago: Home Of House, an exhibit honoring the city’s pivotal role in widespread success of house music, opened last week on Navy Pier, and will run through the end of October. As noted by Chicago Sun-Times reporter Erica Thompson, this year brings the 40th anniversary of the genre.

Have You Got It Yet? - The Story Of Syd Barrett And Pink Floyd will be available in DVD and Rlu-ray formats from Mercury Studios on July 19. The documentary was directed by filmmaker Roddy Bogawa and album cover artist Storm Thorgerson, and features interviews with Barrett’s bandmates David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Roger Waters, along with musicians Pete Townshend and Graham Coxon.

An original concept recording of Ladyship The Musical has an official release date of July 12. It’s based on the true story of how England shipped women convicts to Australia from 1789 to 1841. The music and lyrics were composed by Linda Good and Laura Good. The sisters first started performing as The Good Twins on the Chicago club scene, and later formed the alt rock band The Twigs.

English musician Matt Johnson will bring his band The The to North America for the first time in 25 years to perform several concerts. An October 25 show at The Salt Shed in Chicago will be part of radio station WXRT’s Fall Jam Series. The The was particularly noteworthy for the singles “This Is The Day” and “Uncertain Smile.” 

Incoming

It’s quite possible The Rolling Stones are rocking Soldier Field with their too-many-to-count hit songs as you’re reading this post. The band will perform tonight with Bettye LaVette as their opening act, and Sunday with Lainey Wilson as their opening act. Even those who can’t make it to either of these events can order Chicago-specific merch (such as the poster above) from the official Rolling Stones Shop. 

Also, as a quick reminder, the Martyrs’ venue on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago will host Band 2 - Tim Ries And Bernard Fowler - A Loving Celebration Of Charlie Watts at 7:00 pm tomorrow night. The Martyrs’ Facebook notes, “We are thrilled to continue our tradition of hosting memorable concerts with Tim Ries, Bernard Fowler and special guests when the Rolling Stones are in town.”

The Soul Brunch series at City Winery Chicago continues this Saturday at noon with PureSoul: 80’s R&B.

The Northman Riverwalk has reopened for the season, giving visitors an opportunity to enjoy a variety of live music and food outdoors with an impressive view of downtown Chicago. This weekend brings performances by the artistically named covers band Torpedos Los! on Friday, Hip-Hop/Afrobeats band The KPilla Experience on Saturday afternoon; hard rockers The Midnight Calls early Saturday evening, and classic rock covers band Vinyl Idols Sunday afternoon. The Northman Riverwalk is located on the Chicago River at 233 N. Riverwalk.

The Telepaths, Gunnelpumpers, and The Rut will each perform original indie rock and roll songs this Saturday night at Phyllis’s Musical Inn. The music starts at 8:30 pm; Phyllis’s Musical Inn is located at 1800 W. Division on Chicago’s north side.

Triple, a trio of Chicago music scene veterans who favor catchy melodies, have a gig tomorrow night at Liar’s Club. The venue is located at 1665 W. Fullerton.

The Sound He Appears To Make

Illinois musician Herb Eimerman has plenty of experience crafting melodic and meaningful power pop music, and he continues that tradition with his new single “Years Behind You.” His depiction of one generation passing its knowledge on to the next is reminiscent of Graham Nash’s “Teach Your Children” from the first Crosby, Stills and Nash album. Eimerman’s 12-string Rickenbacker strumming reaches further back, to the classic hit singles of The Byrds. He also plays acoustic and bass guitar on the recording. Long-time collaborator Joe Algeri (they’re both founding members of The Britannicas) helps out on drums and backing vocals, while Gavin Eimerman adroitly adds layers of guitar strumming. Most importantly, Herb Eimerman’s positive message of enjoying life to its fullest and watching younger people “grow in love” is very much needed in these troubled times. “Years Behind You” will be available on Herb Eimerman’s Bandcamp page this Friday.

Chicago guitarist-bassist Brett Ratner’s debut EP Cityscapes, which became available on Bandcamp last Friday, offers an adventurous trio of instrumentals. Technically, the engaging “Caribbean Street Fest” features Monica da Silva’s playful vocals, but she’s not singing actual words. “Biking At Night” is a shimmering mix of jazz and blues that conjures a nocturnal vibe, while “Speedy Delivery” takes a faster, more rock and roll approach. If these songs seem well-suited for a soundtrack, it’s probably because Ratner has extensive experience composing for TV shows and movies. Drummer Larry Beers and harmonica-keyboards player Derrick Procell are also onboard for this enjoyable trip.

Let ‘Er Rip, the second solo album from Alaskan singer-songwriter Mark Ward, is now available in CD and digital formats on his Bandcamp page. It comes recommended from Paul Collins of The Nerves and Paul Collins Beat fame, and offers power pop gems such as the first single “I’ve Been Around,” as well as “Pixie Girl” and “Love Me Once Again.” Ward recorded the bulk of these 15 songs himself, with help from Dylan Mandel on drums throughout, as well as various guest musicians and vocalists. While power pop seems to be Ward’s main focus, he also does well with the genuine and fun country twang of “Villain” and “The River,” and serves up emotionally complex ballads such as “I’m Ready” and  and “Wasted On My Own Again.”

Incoming

Photo of Mick Jagger from Official Rolling Stones Facebook page.

Here’s an enthusiastic “Welcome Back!” to England’s long-running hitmakers The Rolling Stones, who will perform at Soldier Field in Chicago this Thursday and Sunday as part of their Hackney Diamonds Tour. It’s been a while, lads. A post on the band’s official Facebook page states Chicago area fans can still purchase tickets at axs.com starting at $99.50.

Those going to either Rolling Stones concert can drop by an event AARP and WXRT are staging on each of those nights at Reggies Chicago and catch a free bus ride to and from Soldier Field. Reggies is located just south of downtown. Participants who show up at Reggies on Thursday will have a chance to win tickets for Sunday night’s Rolling Stones concert, and those who come on Sunday could win a merch bundle.

On a related note, Martyrs’ on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago will host Band 2 - Tim Ries And Bernard Fowler - A Loving Celebration Of Charlie Watts at 7:00 pm on Friday. The Martyrs’ Facebook page notes, “We are thrilled to continue our tradition of hosting memorable concerts with Tim Ries, Bernard Fowler and special guests when the Rolling Stones are in town.”

Happy Birthday to Colin Blunstone, who’s been the lead vocalist for The Zombies all these years, and can still belt out those British Invasion hits with amazing soul and power. I had the honor of doing a phone interview with him for the Illinois Entertainer some years back and he was a such a nice guy. His final comment, “I’ve rather enjoyed our chat,” is just about my favorite thing any interviewee has ever said to me.

The Smithereens, with Marshall Crenshaw serving as guest lead vocalist, will be the headline act this Friday night at the City Of Wood Dale Prairie Fest in Wood Dale, IL. The music starts at 9:00 pm.

Long Grove, IL will present a Blues Fest at Brothers’ Field this Saturday starting at 1:00 pm and Sunday starting at noon. Saturday’s lineup of performers will include Willie Buck, Sheryl Youngblood, Ivan Singh, Casey Lee, and the Blue Line Blues Band; Sunday will offer a more laid back approach featuring various performers.

There will be a Catfight 20th Anniversary Reunion featuring band members Julie, Rose, Lori, and Lisa at the Backlot Bash being held this Sunday, June 30 on Chicago’s (5248 N. Clark Street) north side.

Squeeze has been giving the world clever and irresistibly catchy songs for decades, and has a sold-out show this Friday at the Glastonbury Festival - Pyramid Stage in Glastonbury. That event kicks off five months of touring back and forth between the UK and USA. After a gig on the Isle Of Man on August 6, the band will fly off a week later for a performance in Eugene OR. Other North American stops include Oakland, Costa Mesa, Phoenix, Austin, Nashville, Chicago, Toronto, Boston, New York, and Orlando. Squeeze will return to the UK in early October and continue touring there through November. Tickets are now on sale for the Squeeze concert on September 5 at the Chicago Theatre. The English Beat will be the special guest for that night.

Incoming

Graphic from Paul McCartney Official Facebook page.

Today is Paul McCartney’s birthday, and social media is justifiably overflowing with best wishes and smashing photos of him throughout his career. My wife Pam and I had such a great time seeing him perform a high-energy, three-hour concert on my birthday a few years ago, I want to express my admiration and gratitude. You never forget seeing a show like that. A toast to you, Sir Paul.

Another British musician who’s celebrating a birthday today is Mordecai Smyth. His music isn’t as well known as McCartney’s, so by way of introduction, I’ll say he fancies setting clever and occasionally creepy lyrics to catchy 1960s style arrangements. His music is available via the Mega Dodo label. Smyth once teased me on Facebook about listing so many local entertainment events on my blog, so I responded by naming him an unofficial citizen of my home town of Palatine, IL. I’m sure he cherishes that honor to this day. Happy Birthday, Mordecai.

On the subject of musician birthdays, the Chicago area Beatles tribute band The What 4 will celebrate McCartney’s birthday, as well as What 4 band member Casey McDonough’s birthday, tomorrow night at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn. This Sunday will bring Phil Angotti’s Southside Birthday Bash at the Blue Island Beer Company in Blue Island. Angotti, who’s a member of The What 4, and is known throughout Chicago for his tribute shows and original music, will be performing hits by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and other British Invasion acts. Happy Birthday, Casey and Phil.

The Ravinia Festival in Highland Park will present well-known performers in its comfy outdoor setting throughout the summer. That includes Violent Femmes with the Chicago Philharmonic this Friday and Little Feat + Los Lobos on Saturday. See the official Ravinia Festival website for the full list of events. 

I’ll be pitching my YA paranormal/romance/rock and roll novel, and its sequel to literary agents this Saturday at the Writing Day Workshop in Chicago. I’ve been going to this event for a few years now, and highly recommend it to aspiring writers. The full schedule of classes and events is available online, and there are virtual and in-person Writing Day Workshops in other cities in America.

Sons Of The Silent Age, a terrific David Bowie tribute band featuring veteran musicians from the Chicago area, will travel to Milwaukee, WI to perform a concert this Saturday to perform at SummerFest.