Stage Buzz
To Chicago, with love
Your feet might not leave Chicago, but these shows will take your ears to West Africa before popping in south of the border.
The Dr. and the duke
August’s slow march towards completion brings with it: the Hollywood elite, pre-destined lovers, a 70s supergroup, the man behind Nora Jones, and a couple of Southside rockers.
Surrender the collection
Strip Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen of his rock star accolades and his behemoth collection of guitars and band memorabilia would land him on an episode of A&E’s ‘Hoarders.”
Mail merge
One of the furthest ideas from Metal Mergence festival this weekend is the classic mail-merge in Microsoft’s Excel. Luckily, it’s not the only game in town, with Rebecca Gates and Eleni Mandell also in town.
The Coast with the most
Liking Best Coast doesn’t mean you have to like Spin‘s “power couple” cover story on Wavves’ Nathan Williams and BC’s Bethany Cosentino. You can still go to this weekend’s show, or see Black Box Revelation, Ponderosa, Supreme Cuts, Blues Control, and Louden Swain.
High-calorie local release parties
Before the heat comes rampaging back, best shoehorn in some hometown record-release concerts before you sweat out more of your brains. Panoramic & True and Xoe Wise have some fine albums to sell.
Bicycle race!
I don’t want to be the president of America, John Wayne, Star Wars . . . Queen’s “Bicycle Race” is a bit like “We Didn’t Start The Fire” as far as ease of remembering goes, innit? New Belgium’s Tour De Fat goes down much easier this weekend. As do White Magic, 10 Years, and a […]
Wouldn’t it be nice
Sitting here, watching the clouds thicken and thinking of the poor Pitchforkers, one thinks — drought all summer, and rain today? It gets better, right? Kind of. You’ll be able to see A Place To Bury Strangers and Hollows indoors next week — when it will be ungodly tropical inside and out.
Festival Of Life preview
Classic reggae fans will have much to rejoice about at 2012’s African Caribbean International Festival of Life in Washington Park. This annual reggae and culture celebration typically supplies one or two really big headliners for the five-day fest
Put the Squeeze on the 4th: Climb Everest!
What to do, what to do. We don’t want to be one of those Kohl’s circulars that starts pressuring you on your 4th of July plans, but . . . here’s some things to do while we break and let the July issue do its work.
Young Man, look at your life
It’s local release-party week for Young Man and Ami Saraiya, as well as for Frames/Swell Season frontman Glen Hansard, whom we’ve sort of adopted.
Don’t fear the weekend (baby take my hand)
Nobody should be expected to tolerate that kind of weather — unless it’s for a three-day August weekend, for which you’ve paid big money to stand in a field hours on end. Keane, Innkeepers, Crocodiles, Scissor Sisters, Chandeliers, and Hellyeah aim to take the heat off.
Who’s next
A highly condensed South By Southwest was supposed to land on Chicago this week, as an accredited roster of on-the-verge artists busk for your pleasure: Gotye-siren Kimbra, Future, Japandroids, Cadence Weapon, and Death Grips.
That’s the sway: I like it!
Despite how bus schedules generally draw it back, or renewed efforts to extend the day, 3:00 represents nirvana for schoolchildren. 2:54 have something to add to that this weekend, as do The Flatlanders, Boom Chick, Baby Dee, Pinback, Sean Bones, and The Sights.
Acting family
Angie Mead and Stephen Howard have been threatening a Redgrave album for about a year, and while National Act ain’t quite a full-length, it’s worth celebrating this week. Also in town: Morning Parade, Band Called Catch, and The Hundred In The Hands.
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