4th Of July Barbecue

There will be no Slumgullion this week because I have to work tomorrow, and Pam and I are going to a neighborhood party in the evening. So here’s a Thursday night, 4th Of July Barbecue in its place. I hope everyone has a safe and fun celebration right through the weekend.

The 38th Annual American Music Festival continues through this Saturday at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn. Tomorrow and Saturday’s schedule includes Brave Combo; Tab Benoit; EXPO ’76; Girls Of The Golden West; Alejandro Escovedo; Marcia Ball; Terrance Simien and The Zydeco Experience; Amazing Heebie Jeebies; and The Iguanas.

Chicago Innerview continues its tradition of covering the city’s major rock events with the publication of its Know Before The Show issue devoted to Pitchfork Pitchfork Music Festival. I picked up a copy at the Reckless Records location downtown, but I’m sure copies are available in other local stores and venues. Pitchfork takes place July 19 – 21, with Mavis Staples, Haim, Low, The Isley Brothers, Belle and Sebastian, Stereolab, and Neneh Cherry among the acts scheduled.

The Petty Kings will be performing Tom Petty songs this Sunday, July 7 at the Mount Prospect Lions Club Festival and on July 12 at the 210 Live venue in Highwood.

The Handcuffs will be performing at 5:45 p.m. next Saturday on the Main Stage at the Roscoe Village Burger Fest. Sunday’s lineup includes The Empty Pockets at 3:30 p.m. and Michael McDermott at 6:00 p.m.

Steve Forbert will be performing at City Winery Chicago next Sunday, July 14. Sonny Landreth will be at that same venue on July 28.

Irish Fest returns to the Irish American Heritage Center on Chicago’s northwest side next weekend with a packed schedule of music, dance, comedy, merchandise, food vendors and a bit of theater. Baal Tinne: A Tribute To Noel Rice is sure to be a highlight—Rice was a founding member of this band and a respected teacher of Irish music. He passed away earlier this year. Other highlights include Tupelo (be ready for some audience participation), the wild and funny Larkin and Moran Brothers, Rory Makem, and The Bagpipes and Drums of the Emerald Society Chicago Police Department.

Son Volt, Camper Van Beethoven, and Cracker are the headline acts at the Square Roots Festival taking place next weekend in Lincoln Square. Chicago-based indie/roots rock label Bloodshot Records will be celebrating its 30th Anniversary as part of Square Roots on Saturday, July 13. Murder By Death, The Mekons, and The Vandoliers will take part in a tribute to the late Andre Williams. The Bloodshot All-Stars Band and other special guests will also be on hand.

The Kokandy Productions presentation of The Go-Go’s inspired musical Head Over Heels continues its run at Theatre Wit on Belmont Avenuet hrough August 25.

Former Hollies lead vocalist Allan Clarke is due to release the single “Journey Of Regret” next Friday, July 12. It’s from Clarke’s latest album, Resurgence, which is coming out on September 20.

Actress Ellie Kemper’s book My Squirrel Days came out in paperback this past Tuesday. Among other things, it covers her time on the TV shows The Office and The Unsinkable Kimmie Schmidt.

The Louder Than Words – Rock Politics Power exhibit continues its run at the Museum of Broadcast Communications through the end of August.

Wish me luck, part 2. Last Saturday, I attended the Writing Workshop Of Chicago event on Michigan Avenue and was able to pitch my YA/Paranormal/Romance/Rock and Roll novel to three literary agents. Each has given me the green light to submit the book for consideration.

In last Friday’s Slumgullion column, whilst mentioning Monty Python is celebrating its 50th birthday, I joked that if people drank enough of the official Monty Python’s Flying Circus IPA, they could end up talking like the TV show’s Gumby character. Now The Guardian is reporting the remaining five members of Monty Python are organizing a Guinness World Record-setting Gumby gathering on October 5. That’s the date my wife and Pam celebrate our wedding anniversary. There must be a way to combine these two momentous occasions.

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Incoming

Things will get pretty eclectic at the Arlington Heights Frontier Days this Friday night, with performances by the Alanis Morissette tribute band Jagged Little Pill; soul music legends War celebrating their 50th Anniversary; and the My Metal Heart hard rock cover act. In nearby Mount Prospect, the Tom Petty tribute band Petty Kings and Jay Goeppner and Backdated will be rocking on Sunday.

The Alarm will share a bill with Modern English on August 16 and 17 at House Of Blues in downtown Chicago.

According to this month’s issue of the Illinois Entertainer (with Perry Farrell on the cover), we can expect new albums this month from Imperial Teen (Now We Are Timeless) and New Order (∑(No,12k,Lg,17Mif): Live at Manchester International Festival) on July 12. Radiohead leader Thom Yorke’s ANIMA comes out July 19; and Violent Femmes will drop Hotel Last Resort on July 26.

That issue of I.E. is also where you’ll find a full-page ad for the Jay O’Rourke Band’s August 9 CD Release Party Party for Cover Tracks at SPACE. The album features renditions of classic rock and blues songs. It’s a safe bet the band will also be selling copies of its earlier 2019 release Sumpthin Good. The Dick Dale influenced instrumental act Spies Who Surf will be the opening act.

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Slumgullion

Wish me luck. I’ll be pitching my two my rock and roll novels (and possibly a Middle Grade fantasy) to literary agents at the Writing Workshop Of Chicago tomorrow at the Congress Plaza Hotel on south Michigan Avenue. I’ve gone to this event the past two years and found it a very rewarding experience. Aspiring writers tend to think of literary agents as cold and unsympathetic, but engaging with them in a friendly, informative face-to-face meeting certainly changes that outlook.

Pete Townshend has written a novel. It’s called The Age Of Anxiety and is coming out on November 19.

Mike Skill and ’67 RiOT with Brad Elvis; The Differents; and Acoustipunks will share a triple this coming Tuesday at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Skill and Brad Elvis are well known as members of The Romantics, and Brad Elvis is also a founding member of the Chicago-based indie rock band The Handcuffs. Show time is 8:00 p.m.

Tickets went on sale today for Black Flag at Reggies’ Rock Club on August 25; the Dave Brubeck Tribute Project at SPACE on August 28; Shemekia Copeland at SPACE on October 11; Elvis Costello and The Imposters at Chicago Theatre on November 22; Marshall Crenshaw at SPACE on December 12; Morrissey and Interpol at Ravinia on September 14; and New Pornographers and Lady Lamb at The Vic on October 2. These listings, and several others, can be found on the Early Warnings page of this week’s Reader.

Megan McDonough has a gig coming up next Saturday, July 6; at SPACE in Evanston.

Monty Python is celebrating its 50th Birthday this year and it’s going to be a (British accent) silly party. Fully restored episodes of Monty Python’s Flying Circus will be coming out on November 19, a BBC Takeover is in the works, and the group will be reissuing its books and records. Monty Python’s Flying Circus IPA will be available via Black Sheep Brewery in September and October. Drink enough and you can talk like a Monty Python Gumby character.

Former Hollies lead vocalist Allan Clarke is due to release the single “Journey Of Regret” on July 12. It’s the first taste of Clarke’s new album Resurgence, which is coming out on September 20. It will be Clarke’s eighth solo effort, but the first in almost 30 years.

The Petty Kings will be performing Tom Petty songs on July 7 at the Mount Prospect Lions Club Festival and on July 12 at the 210 Live venue in Highwood.

The Kokandy Productions presentation of Head Over Heels opens on Monday, July 1 and runs through August 25 at Theatre Wit on Belmont Avenue. The gay-centric and anachronistic musical is based on songs by The Go-Go’s.

Former Doctor Who star David Tennant and current Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker are among the English stage and film performers taking part in the BBC Children In Need: Got It Covered CD project.  Each of them will record a cover version of a hit song. Helena Bonham Carter and Jim Broadbent will also be contributing. There will also be a 60-minute programme showing the rehearsals and recordings.

Matt Smith of Doctor Who and The Crown fame and Keira Knightley of thousands of movies fame will be co-starring in a political thriller titled Official Secrets.

Chicago-based indie/roots rock label Bloodshot Records will be celebrating its 30th Anniversary at the Square Roots Festival in the Lincoln Square area on July 13. Murder By Death, The Mekons, and The Vandoliers will take part in a tribute to the late Andre Williams. The Bloodshot All-Stars Band and other special guests will also be on hand.

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A Tribute To Terri

Photo from Terri Hemmert's Facebook page.

WXRT DJ Terri Hemmert has announced she’ll be semi-retiring; leaving her weekday mid-morning shift but continuing to host Breakfast With The Beatles each Sunday. Hemmert, a Radio Hall Of Fame inductee, has been part of the progressive rock station almost since its start in the early 1970s. With her conversational, no-hype approach to broadcasting, she was a welcoming presence when many of us decided to tiptoe away from Top 40 radio to the more adventurous landscape of the FM dial.

For the many fans she’s gained over the years, mornings just won’t be the same. But Hemmert won’t completely disappear. Like Frank E. Lee, another XRT veteran who officially retired a few years back, she’ll fill in for the station’s other on-air personalities when needed. And she’ll still be sharing all that fab gear music on Breakfast With The Beatles

On a related note, Hemmert will once again serve as the MC for The Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago when it takes place at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare on the weekend of August 9 – 11. Her extensive knowledge of music and quick wit serve her well while interviewing celebrity guests. Hemmert has said that watching The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show gave her the idea to become a radio personality. It seemed like a great way to meet her favorite musicians. Considering that working at WXRT enabled her to interview Paul McCartney, that plan has worked out pretty well.

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Incoming

There’s an ‘80s On The Fox event coming up at the Thomas J. Weisner RiverEdge Park in Aurora this Saturday featuring The Romantics and three other well-known acts. My wife Pam and I saw a Roger Whittaker concert in Aurora when we first started dating, so you can definitely drive there from Chicago. In addition to The Romantics, the ‘80s On The Fox lineup includes Rick Springfield, Patty Smyth and Scandal, and Starship. Eddie Money was scheduled to perform but had to cancel because he’s recovering from recent heart surgery. Hope he’s well soon.

Other shows coming up at RiverEdge Park include Roger Whittaker (just kidding), The Mavericks with special guests Los Lobos on July 26, and Poi Dog Pondering on August 24.

The Posies will be coming to Aurora for a Party In The Park concert hosted by Chicago Premium Outlets (1650 Premium Outlets Road) on July 19. The event promises live music, food trucks and family fun and runs from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. According to a post from band member Ken Stringfellow on Facebook, The Posies will be playing some brand new songs.

The Lapidos Family is mailing out cards promoting its Fest For Beatles Fans – Chicago event coming up August 9 – 11 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont. This year’s headliners are Denny Laine, Laurence Juber, and Steve Holley from Wings; Alan White from Yes; Jeremy Clyde from Chad and Jeremy; Liverpool, and The Weeklings. Local musicians Phil Angotti, Jay Goeppner, and School Of Rock are scheduled for sets on the Apple Jam Stage, and the card promises more Apple Jam acts will be announced.

Tomorrow (June 27) is the last day you can see Echo In The Canyon, director Andrew Slater’s critically acclaimed 2019 documentary about the fertile music scene that developed in California’s Laurel Canyon during the 1960s, at the Music Box Theatre on Southport. The film features interviews with Graham Nash, Brian Wilson, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Jackson Browne and Tom Petty. Show times for Echo In The Canyon tomorrow at the Music Box are 2:00, 4:30, 7:10, and 9:15.

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The Decibels - Scene, Not Herd

Scene, Not Herd came out in 2017 but was only available in vinyl and digital formats until the Kool Kat Musik label recently released this CD version. It marks the welcome return of The Decibels, a power pop band that thrived in Sacramento, CA from 1993 to 2001. The band’s reunion resulted in 12 guitar-driven tracks that represent the more energetic side of the genre.

“It’s Not Me” demonstrates how well The Decibels set tales of troubled relationships to catchy arrangements. Having guitarist Joe Pach, bassist Brent Seavers, and drummer Brian Machado join lead singer-guitarist Dean Seavers in some spirited call-and-response vocals definitely helps. “Hey Emily” is a tale of a lonely woman living alone, and “I Need To Tell Her” depicts a guy who’s hopelessly inept at romance.

Unlike some power pop bands, The Decibels aren’t heavily influenced by 1960s pop, although there are traces of that era throughout Scene, Not Heard. “She Thinks Of Everything” incorporates chiming guitars reminiscent of The Byrds, and the slower “Misery” aims for an early ‘60s Top 40 sound. The harder-edger “All Of Your Lies” and “This Bad Dream” bristle with punk energy.

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Fun With English People

Photo of Jeff Beck from his Facebook page.

Happy Birthday to Jeff Beck and Colin Blunstone. Each has been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and each started out as a member of a British Invasion band. Beck’s stint as a guitarist with The Yardbirds was short compared to how long Blunstone has been singing for The Zombies, but Beck achieved worldwide fame after setting out on his own. Blunstone isn’t as well known in America for his solo stuff (although he did a solo tour here a few years back) but he’s had major hits in the U.K. I had the honor of doing a telephone interview with Blunstone for the Illinois Entertainer during that U.S. solo tour, and he was amazingly friendly and engaging. He’s still touring and recording with The Zombies, and like Beck, remains at the top of his game.

Judging from reports in the media, The Rolling Stones’ No Filter Tour got off to a high energy start here in Chicago last Friday night. They’ll be back at Soldier Field tomorrow night and it’s a safe bet no one will go home disappointed. 

Paul McCartney’s official website has announced the first U.K. showing of the Linda McCartney Retrospective, will begin at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow, Scotland on July 5 and run through January 2020. Photos for the exhibit was curated by Paul, Stella, and Mary McCartney.

Elvis Costello and The Imposters will bring their Just Trust Tour to the Chicago Theatre on November 22. Tickets are now on sale. Earlier dates of interest for Anglophiles at the Chicago Theatre are Bryan Ferry on August 1 and Squeeze on August 31.

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