C2E2 - Creativity Running Rampant

Comic book cover from The Ultimate 7 website.

C2E2 may be shorthand for Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, but one of the C’s could just as easily stand for Creativity. As the annual event unfolded in Chicago this past weekend, there were promotions for new movies like Dark Shadows and The Raven, special presentations by DC and Marvel Comics, celebrities signing autographs, and countless people dressed as their favorite super heroes and villains. Other patrons, armed with cameras, seemed to delight in getting shots of unlikely character combinations like Batman alongside a Star Wars Stormtrooper.

A fan waiting in line to get an autograph from Anthony Daniels, the actor who played CP30 in Star Wars, fondly recalled last year’s C2E2, when he got an Amy Pond look-alike to pose with a guy dressed as the 10th Doctor from Doctor Who. Even though the two characters, played by Karen Gillan and David Tennant respectively, never crossed paths in the actual show, the fan said he was happy to get a pic of his favorite companion and the best actor to have played The Doctor. He paused a moment, and added, “Well, maybe Tom Baker was the best Doctor.”

The conversation had started when a family in line behind the fan asked about Doctor Who/Torchwood star John Barrowman, who was signing autographs at Table Six. The actor looked like he was having a blast, and a friend of mine posted on Facebook that Barrowman had the audience in stitches at a Q & A session earlier in the day. Other stars who dropped by over the weekend included John Cusack, promoting The Raven; Maggie Q from Nikita; Val Kilmer from Top Gun; and Nerdist website founder Chris Hardwick. Gail Simone (Wonder Woman); David Finch (The Dark Knight) and Frank Cho (Avengers VS X-Men) were among the famous visitors form the comic world.

Cruising through Artist Alley, where over three hundred up-and-comers were eager to talk about their latest projects, was a fun and eye-opening experience. Some had illustrated and/or written graphic novels in printed or online formats, while others made their art available via sketch books, posters, or portraits. Ashleigh Michelle Popplewell (gotta love that name) sold cool looking sketch cards of characters from TV and movies, while Black Action Tees & Prints offered vibrant t shirts with African American super heroes and urban contemporary bands like Cypress Hill.

It was easy to get caught up in Robert Wawrzyniak’s spirited description of the sensual Colonel Jennifer Rocket, who battles the Evil OverLord in The Ultimate 7. His graphic novel series is an imaginative take on how dinosaurs came to be replaced by humans. Onrie Kompan was standing in the aisle in front of his table, ready to greet people, hand them a business card, and explain why his YI SOON SHIN project is destined for greatness. He’s a polished salesman but genuinely friendly as he offers a deal on his graphic novels.

Going from table to table, I feel guilty about not buying anything after letting these artists go through their entire sales pitch. I’m genuinely interested in hearing their tales, and besides, it seems like it would be rude to just zip by. Although I do that as well - - some of the stuff is either annoyingly cute, overly violent, or the artist was straining too hard to be unique. I bought a Doctor Who bookmark showing the 9th, 10th, and 11th Doctors, and some Tom Baker stickers from Ashleigh Michelle Popplewell, to go with some Doctor Who/famous masterpiece mash-up posters I got at the Jesse Rubenfeld Illustrations booth.

You never know what could emerge from the creative hotbed of Artist Alley. Maybe in a couple years, someone dressed as the warrior and defender YI SOON SHIN will be posing alongside Superman and Princess Leia.

Slumgullion #109

The indestructible Captain Jack comes to Chicago’s lakefront. Photo from John Barrowman’s official website.

Nerds Gone Wild. Hundreds of people in strange costumes are milling around the North Building at McCormick Place in Chicago as you read this. Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) kicked off its 2012 weekend of celebrities, panels, and comic artists today. Entertainment guests include native Chicagoan John Cusack, promoting his upcoming movie, The Raven; TV personality and Nerdist website founder Chris Hardwicke; Doctor Who/Torchwood star John Barrowman; actress Lauren Cohan from The Vampire Diaries and The Walking Dead; and musician/comic writer Tom Morello. C2E2 runs through Sunday evening.

The Early Birds Are Chirping. The next two Saturdays are going to be fun and challenging for vinyl junkies. Next Saturday is Record Store Day (I’m hoping to post a preview soon), and tomorrow brings the 10th Annual Chicago Independent Radio Project (CHIRP) Record Fair to the Chicago Journeyman Plumbers Union Hall at 1340 W. Washington. The $7 admission gives you access to tons of records for sale, as well as live entertainment and Pop Quiz Trivia. There will be a pre-admission sale from 8:00 to 10:00 AM tomorrow. The price for getting first crack at all those musical treasures is $25. The Fair also runs on Sunday.

Gag Order. Jamie Masada, a stand-up comic with loads of experience in helping out worthy causes will be hosting the The Jokes 4 Miles Joke-a-Thon at the Laugh Factory club in Chicago on Tuesday, April 24th and Wednesday, April 25th. Jokes 4 Miles is a project run by veteran stand-up comedian Len Austrevich. He’s determined to collect 5,000 videotaped jokes for his son, Miles, who has brain cancer, and gets a huge emotional boost from watching the clips. The idea is to attract a mix of performers and people off the street to drop by to be videotaped telling a gag (preferably clean) for Miles. Another Joke-a-Thon will be held simultaneously at The Laugh Factory in Los Angeles.

Rock & Fashion. The past 20 years of rock music and its accompanying fashion trends seem to have zipped by in a blur. Fortunately, the U.K.-based Fashion Rider Blog has captured it all in an eye-catching chart that covers everything from Grunge queen Courtney Love (“A sick twist on childlike clothing”) to the military style associated with Britpop band, Oasis. I’m not sure what Chiptune is, but apparently it’s coming in the near future and involves wearing nothing but a t shirt and thigh-high boots.

Acoustic At The Cavern. When I reviewed Manchester-based musician Paul Hughes’s one-man band The Candy Strypers’ digital album, ¡contenidos caliente!, earlier this week, I mentioned it would be great to hear these catchy power pop songs in a live setting. I’ve just heard from Hughes that he’ll be playing an acoustic gig at The Cavern Club, as part of International Pop Overthrow - Liverpool. “I'm just totally psyched to play at the spiritual home of The Beatles,” Hughes wrote in an email, “who have always been my first musical love!” International Pop Overthrow - Liverpool takes place from May 15th through the 22nd, quickly followed by IPO - London, from May 25th through the 27th.

Bash Is Back. In the meantime, International Pop Overthrow - Chicago kicks off a ten-day run next Thursday. IPO CEO/Founder David Bash has opted to stage all of this year’s showcases at Red Line Tap. I'm hoping to post previews of the participating bands, starting early next week.

Head On A Platter. The Head, the young Atlanta power pop trio that impressed with its second CD, Hang On, has a new 7" vinyl single called “Tony” b/w “Gotta Fall” coming out May 8th. It’s a preview from their soon to be released third CD.

CD Review: Wes Hollywood - Fantasy Arcade

Fantasy Arcade marks the welcome return of Wes Hollywood, a Chicago singer-guitarist who first surfaced with The Wes Hollywood Show. The band’s 2003 effort, Moonraker, which I reviewed for the Illinois Entertainer, was filled with classic power pop tunes like “Instant Appeal” and “Place In The Sun.” Hollywood also played the club circuit and recorded a few CDs with the band tenniscourts.

Now working with guitarist-backing vocalist Pete Javier, bassist-backing vocalist Spencer Matern, and drummer-backing vocalist Tom Shover, Hollywood offers the 11-song Fantasy Arcade. It’s available in digital form on bandcamp but purists might prefer the limited edition double gatefold vinyl LP, containing both stereo and mono mixes. Hollywood once again draws upon some obvious influences, but he’s created a sound that’s distinctively his own.

The affable “It’s Good To See You” is similar in name and spirit to Cheap Trick’s great “So Good To See You,” and gets the album off to a fun start. On “Baby We’re Through,” Hollywood mixes a new wave approach with a touch of The Kinks as he ponders numerous reasons for leaving a relationship. “The Bell” is another break-up song, while Hollywood delves into social commentary with the defiant “New Society,” and crafts a wistful nostalgia on the title track and “City Streets.” “Lazy Yesterdays,” which calls for everyone to get off their butts and go out and accomplish something, is set to such an energetic arrangement, it’s easy to take Hollywood’s advice.

Wes Hollywood will be performing at Red Line Tap on Sunday, April 22nd, as part of International Pop Overthrow - Chicago.

CD Review: Imperial Teen - Feel The Sound

Note: This review originally appeared in the Illinois Entertainer.

Imperial Teen proves once again with Feel The Sound that taking a long time between recording CDs can yield some impressive results. The critically acclaimed coed band’s previous release was 2007’s entertaining The Hair The TV The Baby And The Band, which had been its first effort since On came out in 2002. Imperial Teen doesn’t explore a great deal of musical styles this time out, but glide like old pros through 11 tracks of well-crafted vocals involving all four members, and irresistible melodies.

Feel The Sound for the most part is built around keyboards arrangements that would have been right at home in the original new wave era. Still there’s enough variation within that approach to keep things interesting. The satirical “Last To Know” and “The Hibernates” use quick rhymes and a marching beat, while the hypnotic finale “Overtaken” has a more ominous atmosphere. Along the way, Imperial Teen provides one catchy gem after another, with the adventurous coed harmonies on the spacey “Hanging About” and the bottom heavy “Out From Inside” being particularly impressive.

CD Review: The Candy Strypers - ¡contenidos caliente!

Manchester-based musician Paul Hughes, performing under the name The Candy Strypers, creates 1960s style music with ringing guitars and infectious melodies. He’s collected 11 songs for a digital album titled ¡contenidos caliente!, which is available for free download on SoundCloud. The title, which translates to hot contents, is a bit misleading, since Hughes generally opts for mid-tempo arrangements and an easy-going vibe. A better description can be found on his SoundCloud page: “Sunny powerpop from a rainy city.”

Manchester’s damp climate may have inspired the light and romantic “In The Rain,” while the gorgeous vocals on “Hymn The Girl” call to mind another Mancunian band, The Hollies. It’s not uncommon for one-man power pop bands to get carried away while overdubbing vocals, but Hughes’s deft approach to the effect, on songs like “Callin’ Sarah” and The Beach Boys’ homage, “Malibu (More Than Anyone)” keeps ¡contenidos caliente! from becoming muy tedious.

Plus, The Candy Strypers switch gears with the wry, acoustic “Your Town,” which lampoons small town residents, and the harder-edged “Problem No. 6.” “Quesadilla Song” recalls The Posies, another band that obviously draws inspirations from the 1960s. Hughes says that he doesn’t really play the club circuit, but it sure would be interesting to hear these songs performed in a live setting.

Demo-Listen Derby

Photo from Deal’s Gone Bad Facebook page.

Note: These reviews originally appeared in the Around Hears section of the Illinois Entertainer.

Battlestations serves up new wave arrangements topped with the consistently quirky vocals of lead singer-guitarist D Sullivan and his harmonizing band mates on the nine-song CD, The Unicorn. At times the gimmick wears thin, but other tracks, like the rapid-fire “No Gold In The Crown” and atmospheric “Cancer Vader,” prove to be worthwhile adventures.

It has been a few years since Deal’s Gone Bad released new material but the ska band is in top form on its new “Far From Home”/“These Arms Of Mine” 7” single. The A-side seamlessly swings from easy-going ska rhythms to Motown exuberance as lead vocalist Todd Hembrook sings about life’s ups and downs. On the flip side, the band brings a tropical element to Otis Redding’s “These Arms Of Mine.” Both songs are also available in digital format.

Sunny Shadows, a duo comprised of musicians Pierogi and Circadian Bliss, offer eight epics brimming with ethereal vocals and lush keyboards on its debut, Coupled Lux Influx. A few tracks leave listeners drifting in space and the finale, “So So Mt. Fuji,” is dull and repetitive. The CD works best on songs like “Outlaw,” “On All Our Clouds,” and “Break In, Break Out,” where the synth beats are darker and more inventive.

Slumgullion #108

Photo from the Dot Dash Facebook page.

Damn Right I Got The Pastel Colors. SOPRO is presenting its 25th Annual Easter Parade All-Star Blues Revue tomorrow night at Phil McKracken’s Live in Worth, IL. The critically acclaimed jazz band The Chicago Horns will be there, along with vocalist Deb Seitz, who’ll be marking 10 years of appearing at the event. Guitarist-vocalist Smiley Tillmon is listed as a very special guest. Showtime is 9:15 PM, and there will be prizes, champagne, and autographed photos from the storied SOPRO archives. Phil McKracken’s Live is located at 6602 W. 111th Street.

Another Great Reason To Visit Ireland. Georgina Flood is a Dublin-based artist who specializes in amazingly lifelike portraits of The Beatles, as well as celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and Johnny Depp. She recently had a Facebook post about the Temple Bar Beatles Festival, which is taking place in Ireland on the weekend of July 13th -15th. Original Fab Four drummer Pete Best tops the guest list, which also includes John Lennon’s half-sister Julia Baird, author of the book Imagine This: Growing Up With My Brother John Lennon; former Apple Records CEO Tony Bramwell; and former Wings guitarist Henry McCullough. Several local bands are on tap, and there will be comedy and an art show.

Laugh Around The Clock. The Jokes 4 Miles Joke-a-Thon will kick off at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, April 24th at the Laugh Factory in Chicago and run non-stop through 9:00 PM on Wednesday. Jokes 4 Miles is a project run by veteran stand-up comedian Len Austrevich, who has set out to collect 5,000 videotaped jokes for his son. Miles Austrevich has brain cancer, and gets a huge emotional boost from watching the clips.

Len Austrevich could use some volunteers to help with the event. It would be especially cool to get a number of people from Chicago’s vibrant theatre, comedy, and music scene to take part since they would no doubt inspire others to join in. This is an opportunity for everyone to be a star, and to take part in a worthwhile cause. So come by the Laugh Factory, at 3175 N. Broadway, during the marathon and share a joke with Miles. Another Joke-a-Thon will be held at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles.

Back To dell' 80s. Chicago dell’Arte Theater is holding an 80s Night on April 14th at The Den Theatre to raise funds for Comm-80s-a, the first show of its 2012 season. There will be games, a costume contest, and two live bands. Tickets are $10, $8 for people who come in costumes. The Den Theatre is located at 1333 N. Milwaukee Avenue. The fun starts at 8:00 PM.

Dial M For Fiction. Local writer M. Molly Backes will hold the launch of her first novel, The Princess Of Iowa at StoryStudio in Chicago on April 18th, from 7:00 to 10:00 PM. Scheduled guests include local writers, improvisers, and filmakers. Backes is the Assistant Director at the center for writing and related arts, which is located at 4043 N. Ravenswood, #222. She promises this will be the biggest party at StoryStudio in years.

Dot Dash & Fly. Dot Dash, the Washington, DC-based band whose energetic, guitar-driven music recalls the days of The Clash and The Jam, has created a cool performance video for its song, “Learn How To Fly.” Dot Dash has upcoming gigs at The Black Cat in Washington, DC on April 21st, and on May 20th at the NYC Pop Fest in Brooklyn.

Up Close And Scary. The Ex-Girlfriends Club’s http://www.theexgirlfriendsclub.com/ video for its cover of The Sonics’ “The Witch” takes viewers onstage as the garage rockers careen through the song in a bar. The song is from The Ex-Girlfriends debut effort, Boo Hoo Hoo.

Jammin' With JIP. JIP, a Chicago rock trio featuring singer-guitarist Jim Gwynn, has a gig coming up at The Elbo Room on Lincoln Avenue on Sunday, April 15th. My review of JIP’s latest release, Year X, is in the current issue of the Illinois Entertainer.