Chicagoist had a debate with a friend a few months back about the deficiency of really influential musicians coming out of Chicago in the past several years. We argued about the semantics of “coming out of Chicago” – does that mean born and raised here? Still living here? Commonly associated with the Second City?

We never came to a clear consensus, but the conversation opened up Chicagoist’s eyes to some artists who cut their teeth in our city’s dives and clubs before going on to bigger and better things. We talked to ringer-to-the-acoustic-stars Jason Kanakis last month, and this time around we’re turning the spotlight on Ottawa bred, Chicago raised, and current Nashville resident Carey Ott.

Ott treads some of the same sweeping, cinematic songwriting tracts as fellow sort-of Chicagoans Andrew Bird and Jay Bennett. His stories are ultimately told sonically, through an intricate layering of instrumentation and a keen recognition of the impact of space within orchestration. Often times it’s the sparse moments in Ott’s extravagance that say the most, but fewer and fewer modern songsmiths have the sensibility to know when to hold back.

Even if you’re not a fan of the dude-with-an-acoustic-guitar genre, there’s no denying the ingenuity in Ott’s Randy Newman-esque pop music golden touch and impressive prolificacy. It sure wasn’t lost on the folks organizing Lollapalooza, who bestowed a coveted 2007 festival spot upon the aw-shucks songwriter. With the majority of the festival’s high profile acts barred by a no-compete clause from playing in Chicago for the three months before or after Lollapalooza, we’ve all got a chance to spend those summer concert dollars on less-publicized - yet deserving - acts coming through town.

Carey Ott plays a free show in Millenium Park this afternoon at 4 p.m., and is appearing at Martyrs later tonight at 8 p.m.

We don't mean to be alarmist, but if you were still dithering over whether to attend the Pitchfork Music Festival this year, you're running out of time. Friday tickets and three-day passes sold out a while ago, and today we received word that the two-day passes are gone too. That leaves you with buying single day entry for Saturday and/or Sunday.

Even at the single day pass prices, this is still the most affordable festival in town, offering the biggest indie-rock bang for your buck. If you want even the vaguest chance of making out with Stephen Malkmus, ye had best getcher tickets now.

File this under news that makes Chicagoist sad, the HotHouse at 31 E. Balbo will be no more. According to their press release, this is not good-bye, but a mere hiatus while they look for a permanent location. Yeah, we’ve heard that kind of thing before, but it usually involves a man, not our favorite world music club.

Last year around this time HotHouse founder Marguerite Horberg was kicked to the curb and a business manager came in to help organize the finances. A year later, Marc Harris stated that the HotHouse faces a $70,000 cash shortfall in their annual budget of $1.4 million. Horberg chimed in that she would be open to dialoguing with the newly elected board at the HotHouse on how to move forward with a community-based organization, yet her venture won’t be ready for any constructive action for a year.

A dispute was resolved with the landlord giving the non-profit “an opportunity to move out and move on” and to start the search for a permanent home. HotHouse will continue to sponsor their signature events, such as the Jazz En Clave Festival, but now they will be held at other venues around the Chicago area. A quick look at the calendar shows that there is nothing booked after the 15th of July, so there is only the present to visit this cultural gem in the South Loop.

Is there enough going on this weekend? We’re here to add to the list of places to go. Sunday is “A Day in the Country” at the Hideout. Get some BBQ, hear some country music, drink some whiskey. Sounds perfect to us.

The whole dang thing begins at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday with a couple acoustic sets out front by Tangleweed and The Golden Horse Ranch Band before moving the music inside for the remainder of the day and night. The cost is a mere $10 for the whole day — less than the price of seeing just one of these fine bands by themselves.

The Hoyle Brothers start off the inside sets with their traditional country. Other notable acts include Gin Palace Jesters, The Lawrence Peters Outfit and Freakwater. Check out Lawrence’s descriptions of each and every band playing.

We’ll be there for the hoedown in the industrial park. How could we resist the promise of pie? All bands slated to play are listed after the jump with approximate times.

Sunday, June 24, 2:00 p.m., $10, 21+. The Hideout is located at 1354 W. Wabansia. "A Day in the Country" poster by Kathleen Judge.

Just in case you aren't tired of seeing Paris Hilton's entitled face plastered all over every news outlet around the world, the Smashing Pumpkins are making sure you have yet another reason to stare at her mug.

"Tarantula," the band's first single from the forthcoming album Zeitgeist, will be released on July 9 in the UK, and Amazon can confirm that the cover art contains a grainy photo of Ms. Hilton wearing a bustier and holding a Blackberry -- the same artwork that was stolen from the band's studio space on North Loomis back in May.

We can assume that this photo is trying to make some kind of statement, but we can't quite put our finger on what that statement is. Are we supposed to view the heiress as some sort of sneaky predator? Does she eat men she doesn't want to mate with? Is she excessively hairy? How does this relate to the song, which seems to be a love cry after some sort of relationship gone wrong, either with a lady ... or former bandmates, perhaps? Either way, how does putting an empty tabloid icon standing in front of a mushroom cloud on the cover of the single help further the notion? Help us, Chicago. WE DON'T GET IT!

There is A LOT going on this weekend, and our overlords are standing over our shoulders screaming "Faster! Faster! the people need to know!" as we feverishly try to summarize it all. So we were pleased when the announcement that admission for the first 200 people at Flosstradamus' Sonotheque show tonight will be on the house. We admit we often skip events at Sonotheque due to high covers and higher drink prices, but tonight's event sans cover and supported by $3 bottles of Colt 45 (yum!) sounds right up our alley.

Come to think of it, we sent an RSVP for free entry to tomorrow's Dark Wave Disco party at Sonotheque as well!

What can we say? They had us at "free."

And Switchyard Fest? And BAM? And and and?

It's going to be a looooong weekend.

Photo by Clayton Hauck

Once in a great while, Chicagoist has one of those moments of social and moral awareness that we like to call “maturity,” when we take a quick glance outside of ourselves and think about how our lives could be different under less auspicious circumstances. Not to get too existential on your asses this fine Friday morning, but there’s a big world out there, and sometimes it’s not a bad idea to take a peek. Luckily you can do it from the comfort of a neighborhood bar, thanks to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ GOAt (Globally Occupied Attention) series.

Usually held at Schubas or Martyrs, GOAt takes over the Darkroom in Wicker Park on Monday night to screen the killer (we’ve checked it out) Iranian independent music documentary Sounds of Silence. Director Amir Hamz and Lake Forest College professor of Sociology Ahmad Sadri will lead the panel discussion to follow the screening, and if past GOAt program history is any indication, it’ll be a lively debate and an anything’s-game forum for open discussion.

Being that we play, enjoy, think and write about music on a daily basis, it’s easy to get caught up in the bullshit drama of local scenes and the more broad debates about issues like digital rights management or whose first album is the only decent thing he ever put out. Lost in the static of over privilege is the fact that we’re exceedingly lucky to be able to play and listen to whatever we want. In many other parts of the world, the arts are so highly regulated that artists are assaulted, jailed, and even killed for trying to disseminate their art to the public. Take Iran, for instance, where every piece of music that’s recorded or performed must be reviewed and approved by a government committee before it can be made public in any way, and virtually no rock music passes muster. Young Iranian punks are going underground, using the wonders of MySpace to release their tunes to the world and dodging government persecution. Sounds of Silence is a powerful reminder of how fortunate we are to be free to support, bitch about, dance to, murder at karaoke, and freely enjoy musical expression.

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs GOAt series presents Sounds of Silence at the Darkroom on Monday night, June 25 at 7 p.m., $10

The last thing on our mind this morning was spending money, but then we started perusing what goes on sale this weekend and we’ve spent our whole damn paycheck!

Meg and Jack White want us to believe many things about them - that they are brother and sister, that Jack will never be quoted accurately because he’s famous, or that they are unbelievable musicians who literally march to the beat of their own drummer. Whether we believe all of that – it really doesn’t matter because we like The White Stripes' music and their bravado.
Oct. 6 – 7, Aragon, $38.50, all ages, on sale 11 a.m. Saturday

It seems like the Smoking Popes never went away. Now that they are everywhere again – or that might just be Josh Caterer playing solo. Check the band out next month for their "don't call it a comeback" tour.
July 27, Double Door, $15-$18, 21+, on sale noon Saturday

Tankboy told us that we need to forget the analyzing of set choices and get our booties shakin’ when Diplo’s behind the table. Switch will join Diplo at the Metro for one hot evening. Check your brain at the door and dance until the sweat pours off your body.
Sept. 15, Metro, $15-$18, 18+, on sale noon Saturday

Many, many more shows go on sale and that’s not even mentioning our beloved Hawkeyes’ season opener at Soldier Field that’s on sale now. Did we just talk about football when the Crosstown Classic is going on?

This is the year we officially gave up on MOBfest.

We've been involved with MOBfest every year since its inception, and even started to get involved this year (anyone who knows us can figure out which bill we had a a hand in), but finally just realized that the whole thing is a rather pointless endeavor. Their mission statement, according to the MOBfest website, is:

We are a three-day music business seminar focused on building a buzz, aiding in awareness, and peaking the interest of the music business community ... Networking, schmoozing and simply attending the panels can be a great way to make new contacts, secure current connections and start new relationships.

Aside from the fact we think they mean "piquing" instead of "peaking," we think these are fine goals for a local music festival to strive for. Only none of the above really happens. Instead we get the usual suspects within the local scene congratulating each other, attending shows at only the largest venues, and largely ignoring the majority of the schedule. And why wouldn't they? Even we, who are neck deep in the local scene, are hard pressed to recognize more than a smattering of bands on their schedule. And we also think it's telling that even with the festival kicking off tonight, there are a number of "TBA" slots remaining in that schedule.

In the end we are withdrawing our support for MOBfest because we honestly can't see how the whole thing is helping anyone out, except for possibly the bands being managed by the folks at the top of the MOBfest food chain, and even most of them can't seem to get signed to any sort of sustainable career (and the fact that MOBfest tries to take some credit for kicking off either Rachael Yamagata of The Killers' careers is completely ludicrous). It's not as egregious as, say, Emergenza, when it comes to taking advantage of the naivety of hopeful bands, but they have no problem spreading the belief that by associating yourself with MOBfest you still have a chance a label will walk into their show and sign them on the spot.

We wanted to believe in MOBfest, and tried to set aside our doubts for many years, but we just can't do it anymore.

Tonight sees the rare appearance of a most endangered species, something seen almost as rarely as the cicadas that currently roam our land; tonight sees Chicago's Hushdrops dusting the cobwebs off their instruments and hauling their gear onto the stage.

Hushdrop's are fronted by multi-instrumentalist John San Juan, and the band is heavily indebted to both his love of The Beatles, the Who, and all things prog that you can fit into a four-minute song. The group's single album, Volume One, is a snapshot of a band exploring their chamber pop roots, and while it is truly a lovely listen, it doesn't accurately capture the band's live show as much as, say, the phrase "power trio" does. And by power trio we don't mean to invoke images of Rush or Primus. Rather, we refer you to the basis the phrase is built on, since the band is comprised of three men who can make one hell of a racket.

Perhaps the best example of this duality, the delicately tuneful and the My Bloody Valentine loud, is in their single "Emily." A decidedly '60s vibe runs rampant through the song, and the galloping pace of the chorus provides a head-rush as the listener floats along with the female backing vocals. Then there's the T. Rex stomp of "Elemental Stool" that eschews glam vocals for a more grounded Mod approach.

Hushdrops are fond of the past, but built for the future. They play Liar's Club tonight with (oh so appropriately named) The Deccas.

MP3: The Hushdrops "Emily"
MP3: The Hushdrops "Elemental Stew"

Just when we thought it was safe to look up when walking downtown or driving our cars, the billboards have begun attacking again. This time they aren’t happy with reminding us about our big nose, fat thighs, and horrible mates – this time they’ve attacked what our ears are getting out of those earbuds. St. Sabina Church is erecting billboards that decry disrespectful rappers.

There are seven artists, per a call to St. Sabina, who have been singled out on the billboards with the slogan of “Stop Listening To Trash!” The seven artists are Nelly, Twista, Ludacris, Lil’ Wayne, Fat Joe, Snoop Dogg, and 50 Cent & G-Unit. St. Sabina is no stranger to the effects of billboard advertising, as their pastor, Rev. Michael L. Pfleger, worked tirelessly for 14 years to get liquor and cigarette billboard advertising banned in most of the city.

No one disagrees that lyrics can pack a punch and be demeaning, but our favorite quote is this one from Shala Esquire from Qualo who supports the billboards, “I think the billboards are a bold step in a world that has been pretty cowardly lately. Hopefully it brings balance back to hip-hop so folks can move on to bitchin’ about something else.” That’s right. Bitchin’. Hmm, isn’t using words such as “bitch” what is being spoken out about?

Let’s hear from Rev. Michael Pfleger, “When you disrespect women and you continue to demean a community or race by names and by language, that’s unacceptable. We can kill with our words.” Perhaps the Reverend should have invited Shala to join discussions with him, Senator James Meeks and Chuck D on Tuesday.

Well, the list started leaking last week for the (far superior) North Stage at this year's Wicker Park Summerfest, and now we have the full line-up. Not bad ... not bad at all. We're looking to sipping beer with the hipsters AND the yuppies that weekend.

Saturday, July 28th
The Thermals
Man Man
Centro-Matic
Maritime
Catfish Haven
Skybox
Fancy Trash

Sunday, July 29th
High On Fire
Russian Circles
Pit Er Pat
Sybris
The Race
Don Caballero
Mannequin Men

On both days there's also a "Kids Show" going on from 12 p.m. until the big boys take the stage at 2:25 p.m. I hope at least a few those toddlers sticks around to be wowed by High On Fire!

In one of his rare stops in the US, Spanish-born Parisian Latin folk singer cum punk rocker Manu Chao played to a sold-out crowd at the Aragon Ballroom last night.

Wildly popular in both Europe and Latin America, Manu Chao has had less mainstream success in the US, although his fan base here is large and loyal. Heavily influenced by the UK punk scene during his formative years in the suburbs of Paris, Manu Chao's music has been described as an eclectic mix of reggae, punk, and cumbia, and other global influences can be heard in his sound as well. As the crowd waited for Manu to take the stage, the sound of the man addressing the press regarding why Nahuatl Indians in Mexico might take arms and rise up against the government played, the same audio clip heard at the being of Por El Suelo, but without the music. Taking the stage one at a time, the band set the rhythm, until Manu arrived and set the crowd dancing, transitioning easily into songs off his most recent album, and blending them with classics from his debut solo album, Clandestino.

Although the crowd last night was diverse, it's a given that many of his biggest fans aren't fluent in Spanish. No matter. When he declared that Clandestino was dedicated to those crossing the borders and the families that they leave behind, the deeper and more potent message of imperialism and human suffering in the name of family and self-actualization become even more potent.

While his calls for justice and equality ("Education, Jobs for Everyone, Peace and Immigration") may seem simplistic on the surface, Manu Chao's music, and therefore his live performances, aren't really about offering solutions to the complex problems of the world. Instead, his message of humanity and global unity resonated with the crowd, in a way that transcended language and invited people to dance together, at least for one night. Like protest and movement music in the grandest traditions, his music and his live show, as well as his general perspective are about sending a message of unity and solidarity.

As we sat in front of the Aragon after the show last night, it was remarkable to watch people from all parts of Chicago leave the venue — white social drop outs, middle-class immigrants and liberal sympathizers, and Latinos from all parts of the Americas — we couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in the multi-cultural fabric that is the City by the Lake. Sometimes sending people out into the world to deal with the daily struggles of modern global life with a positive message can be far more powerful than any speech, march or rally.

Image via Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres.

In the “reality TV”-obsessed era of “So You Think You’re the Next Bachelor Genius Idol” cultural saturation, there comes a time when every sensible man and woman must turn off the television and venture out into “reality life.” Luckily, the transition is eased by events like tonight’s regional finals of the U.S. Air Guitar Championships at Metro — ambitious folks with limited talent in a ridiculous “discipline?” Check! Less ambitious, more voyeuristic folks willing to pay to observe the first group perform feats of absurdity within said discipline? Check! One of the most storied rock venues in America to host this circus? Check!

What exactly happens when one competes in a guitar-playing contest sans guitar? More than you’d think — each competitor must prove his “metal” in both compulsory and freestyle rounds, trying to blanket the stage with rock-god stylings and unbridled physical interpretations of some of the most infamous riffs in rock 'n' roll history. The regional winners will convene in New York City this August to battle it out for the U.S. crown, which earns them a spot in the world finals in Finland this fall. The serious competitors bring a costume collection, duly shredderiffic nickname, and carefully calculated moves to the stage as they battle it out to see who can do the most justice to the over-the-top guitar heroics of the past. The very top air guitar maestros are ranked by the governing body and each have a signature look and song that have earned them such accolades.

Chicagoist was actually asked to enter the clash tonight, but we’re not entirely confident that impressions of our favorite indie rock heroes would merit much love from the judges or the crowd. If you were to enter the contest, what song would you pick to shred to?

The U.S. Air Guitar Championships regional competition kicks off at Metro tonight, 8 p.m., $15. No shirt, no shoes, no half stack … no problem.

If you like hip-hop -- the type of hip-hop that makes everyone jump up and down and yell out a chorus in synch, or the type that includes lyrics about cars and money and hoes or, ahem, finding out your one-night stand's husband is having an affair with a gay minister -- then tonight's show at Schubas is not for you.

Kill the Vultures, who are opening for fellow Minneapolis(ans?)(ites?) Stnnng, are classified as a hip-hop group because the world hasn't quite figured out where else to place them. The group, a reincarnation of Oddjobs, which toured supporting Atmosphere on the Seven's Travels (2003) tour, made a name for itself in the upper Midwest indie rap world. After parting with one of its DJs and revamping their sound, they reappeared in 2005 with a self-titled debut, full of beats that sound like they were born in an opium den and lyrics so chocked full of fiery visuals they may as well be copied straight from the book of Revelations.

Tonight's show will include selections from that 2005 album, in addition to songs from the group's newer release The Careless Flame. Audience members may also be able to glimpse at a few samples from the side project lyricist Crecent Moon and beat master Anatomy have been composing, which includes the questionable combo of rap and Sun Ra samples.

KTV's unconventional take on rap makes them hard to pair with other bands when putting together a bill, but opening for Stnnng makes sense. The headliners are noisy, arty and theatrical in a violent, yet attractive-at-the-same-time sort of way, and as lead singer Chris Besinger speaks into the mic (what he does could hardly be called singing), he summons demons you didn't know you wanted to meet until he opened his mouth. On stage, he's the quintessential "bad decision" that every girl makes.

Chicago-based Red Eyed Legends and Robust round out the bill to make one disorderly, raucous evening on stage. It's one of those nights where it's hard to predict who will be more soaked with beer at the end of the night -- the bands or the audience?

Stnnng and Kill the Vultures play at 8 p.m. tonight at Schubas. Red Eyed Legends and Robust open.

Kill the Vultures (top) photo by Andy Hardman.

Stnnng photo (bottom) by Dave Storberg.

Of all of the summer neighborhood festivals, Wicker Park Fest is the one most anticipated for its musical lineup. While decent bands may make a few appearances at other neighborhood fests around the city, it's hard to deny that Top 40 cover bands are the typical soundtrack that accompanies shirtless fest-goers scarfing down corn on the cob and Bud Light.

Silver Wrapper, the production company that presents the bands on the south stage, has already announced a partial lineup for the festival, which includes Benevento/Russo Duo, Elliot Lipp and a live band set by Prefuse 73. Maybe we're spoiled by last year's lineup, which included DeVotchka and the Starlight Mints, but we don't think this year's bands are very fest-y. Last time we saw the Benevento/Russo Duo, they spent 20 minutes in the middle of their set just "jamming," luring everyone into a hazy trance. We don't see that going over very well in the WP. Even at a fest known for its music, people want to hear something upbeat, something that might make them dance, something punchy ...

There's still hope. According to the Wicker Park and Bucktown Chamber of Commerce website, booking is not over, and bands are encouraged to send in their demos.

If we were booking the festival, we'd be sure to bring back the Starlight Mints, but we'd be biased, since they are one of our favorite bands. Who would you pick to liven up this lineup?

Wicker Park Fest 2006 photo via wickerparkbucktown.

Something’s buzzing in Millennium Park this summer, and it isn’t the type of bug you’re thinking of. The Old Town School of Folk Music’s Wiggleworms program heads outside this summer for free daily morning concerts; it’s the hippest place to see and be seen for the toddler set.

The concerts follow same format as traditional Wiggleworms classes: interactive folksy kids’ songs, a chance to play along with simple instruments passed out to the crowd, and an ending complete with dancing and bubbles. This summer, the program’s best instructors have signed up to play at the park. We saw Abby Rowold, who not only has a beautiful voice, but also has a great act. Her jokes, props and clever commentary had the little ones cheering and their adults chuckling. She took requests from a pair of two-year-olds for “The Wheels on the Bus,” and the rest her set included old standbys like "Old MacDonald" and a hysterical rendition of “Five Little Monkeys.” Rowold, accompanied by a puppet monkey, took the time to coach the kids through their sternest impersonation of the doctor warning to keep those monkeys off of the bed. She had 50 kiddos absolutely mesmerized. The forty-minute concert flew by.

Wiggleworms classes traditionally cater to kids 5 years old and younger, but the tent was packed a mixture of ages, from infants to preteens, the latter pretending to look disinterested but unable to stop their feet from tapping. The concerts are probably best suited for kids older than one; our nine-month old crawler was a bit trampled by toddlers cramming the baby version of a mosh pit. A mat was wisely laid down closest to the stage for the mobile toddlers, and benches flanked the stage for parents who wanted to sit with their infants. A stroller park insures that you’re not craning your necks over someone’s Bugaboo to see the show.

Did we mention that the shows are free? With Wiggleworms classes costing over $100 for 8 weeks, this isn’t only a great way to spend a morning but also one heck of a deal. Take your brood, and head on down to the big tent at Millennium Park’s Chase Promenade North every day at 10 a.m. this summer to see what the buzz is all about.

"Exotica was a round-trip ticket departing everyday for something more fabulous. It had the feel of distant places, but it took you to spots never before trekked by man ... All this cultural production promised a world more primitive and less mediated than life in the burgeoning white collar states. Exotica was more than a sound, it was design movement, and a pop art reaction to a Cold War paradigm that said all that was evil lurked barely outside our sacred borders. 'Let's cross over!," exotica replied." --RJ Smith, from "Ultra-Lounge, Vol. 1: Mondo Exotica"

According to James Teitelbaum, author of the brand new book Tiki Road Trip 2, in the mid-'60s Chicago boasted no less than two dozen tiki establishments. In its heyday it was as ubiquitous, perhaps, as karaoke is in ours. But changing tastes (including the quagmire of Vietnam) saw tiki going out of favor during the '70s. The last remaining vintage Chicago tiki palace, the Palmer House Trader Vic's, closed on New Year's Day 2006; it had been there almost 50 years but the hotel's new corporate owners decided that the Loop needed more underground shopping space. It's set to reopen in a new location but that may not happen until next year. Although The California Clipper does have a "tiki room," for real exotica action you have to head to the burbs. Places such as Hala Kahiki, the Tiki Terrace, Chef Shangri La and Tong's Tiki Hut still offer wonderful escapism for the discerning lounge tourist.

A hardcore group of aficionados, using sites such as Humu Kon Tiki and Tiki Central to stay connected, has kept the tiki torch burning bright. And since summer is the perfect time to indulge in tropical libations, surf-music and the wearing of Hawaiian shirts, tiki fans Duke and Amy Carter have organized Exotica 2007: Surfin' in Chicago, a four-day festival.

The main event is Saturday July 7th at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, which starts off with a Tiki Bazaar. Vendors will be displaying everything from vintage and contemporary Tiki mugs, to Aloha attire and hand-carved tikis. Later, guest DJs will spin the best of Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman in preparation for the headliners, the legendary Minneapolis group The Trashmen. In 1963 they mashed up two songs by the Rivingtons, named it "Surfin' Bird," and rode the charts to #4. Other bands include The Bikini Beachcombers, The Reluctant Aquanauts, The Volcanos, The Neanderthals and Los Santos.

Modern tiki doesn't have to be the stereotype of sorority girls getting wasted on sugary sweet "jungle juice" while their boyfriends drunkenly sing-along with Jimmy Buffett. Instead it can be a fun appreciation of vintage cocktail classics such as the Mai Tai and Shrunken Skull, the musical arranging genius of Les Baxter and the utterly relaxing environment of an ersatz tropical paradise. So let's cross over.

Full details and advance tickets available at the Exotica 2007 site. Image via ROCKOVERGRACELAND.

The day is finally here! We get to mark up the schedule, fight with our friends over who to see, and determine what time we have to wake up to make it down to Grant Park. The Lollapalooza schedule is finally out. Also, if a three-day pass seemed excessive, the single day tickets are now on sale for $80.

Which headliner will make the previously unconvinced head to the festival? Will it be Daft Punk or Ben Harper on Friday night? How about Muse vs. Interpol on Saturday? Or is Pearl Jam enough for the old school Lollapalooza veteran to grab some tickets?

As we peruse the schedule, there are always conflicts that make us really decide who we want to see more. On Friday, the 4:30 p.m. through 6:30 p.m. slots seem like they will have us running all over Grant Park. Do we see all of M.I.A.'s set or just the beginning before heading over to the Silversun Pickups, and then back over to check the end of Blonde Redhead? Saturday’s conflict between Regina Spektor and The Hold Steady has us shaking with indecision, especially with CSS happening around the same time. Sunday we’ll choose Iggy and the Stooges over Kings of Leon, but what about Lupe Fiasco vs. Amy Winehouse? We know that Amy hasn’t gotten the best live reviews, but don’t we need to see her and judge for ourselves? Or do we throw down for the hometown hero no matter what?

So let the fights begin – Rhymefest or Cold War Kids? What are the conflicts or time slots that are bugging everyone? Has anyone been convinced to pay for a single day ticket based on the schedule? Let us know in the comments.

Chicagoist is spent after last night's gossip-tastic evening at Schubas. Probably our favorite teensy venue in Chicago, the 175-capacity music room hosted the Spin/Diesel “after party” for Fall Out Boy’s three shows at the Charter One Pavilion this weekend.

We've been to a few of these major-music-media plus hot-hot-clothing-company-type events in our day, so we expected to wait way too long in a hot, packed room only to see a truncated acoustic set. The four-song offering was more or less par for the course (save for a sort-of-awesome cover of “Beat It”), but the band’s exit through the side door after wrapping up with “Sugar, We’re Going Down” was anything but standard.

From what we could see, Pete decided to have a “word” with a heckler who teased him about his relationship with Ashlee Simpson on his way out, and the shit (and a well-aimed beer bottle) then promptly hit the "fan." It wasn’t immediately clear what Wentz down, but we caught a glimpse of Pete on the floor with the other dude on top of him. To the venue’s credit, they hustled us out of there and were ready and waiting when the cops arrived. Needless to say, the band made a hasty exit (what do they need acoustic instruments for, anyway?), and the long night of trying to stay awake suddenly turned into 2:45 a.m. blogging.

As most Pete followers know, this isn’t the first time our conquering hero’s been unable to keep his temper in check while partying in his hometown. Here’s hoping that when Fall Out Boy returns this fall, Pete’s a little less sensitive about his love life.

The summer sun has rejuvenated the DDaN column, so we're clocking back with our thoughts on a few of the week's notable concerts.

Tonight, if you didn't get invited to see Fall Out Boy, and you're not heading to Liar's Club to listen to (and to buy) the new Queens Of the Stone Age at midnight, might we recommend checking out The Hourly Radio at The Note? If you dig Placebo, and you haven't yet tired of that whole disco-rock thing, then this show should hit your sweet spot.
The Note, tonight, 8:00 p.m., $8, 21+
UPDATE: It appears as if The Hourly Radio show has been canceled!

On Wednesday, two loud, brawling, messy rock bands play opposite each other. Sound on Sound is still relatively new, but they're riding high after a high-profile opening slot for Shellac a few months ago. They'll be bringing their math-punk to The Beat Kitchen. Down in Wicker Park, Wes Nile, the shirtless front man for Imperial Battlesnake, will continue to do his best to preach the merits of punk-metal to masses. And he'll probably fall off the stage once or twice.
Sound On Sound, The Beat Kitchen, Wednesday, 7:00 p.m., $7, all ages
Imperial Battlesnake, Double Door, Wednesday, 8:00 p.m., $8, 21+

We're not sold on The Horrors yet. We've heard their debut and have a hard time distinguishing it from any number of other psych garage punk groups that seem to run through town every other day. On the other hand, we have heard that the band's live show is the key to unlocking their songs, and that their recorded output does a poor job of providing a worthy text by which to judge them. We guess there's only one way to find out.
Abbey Pub, Thursday, 8:00 p.m., $12, 18+

Bobby Conn is turning 40, and he's celebrating this milestone with two shows at Hideout this weekend. If you haven't seen Bobby Conn, this is THE time to do so, since each night will have a different backing band from a memorable time in Conn's career. Friday night will also include old Conn standby and aural prankster DJ LeDeuce spinning tunes from 1967.
Hideout, Friday and Saturday, 10:00 p.m., $12, 21+

Photo of The Hourly Radio by Thom Jackson

We were walking up Lincoln Avenue stuffing our faces with meat when we saw that the Horseshoe was actually open for business again – just in time to rake in some cash during Ribfest. Nothing looks different than before – it’s still the same old honky-tonk. Welcome back, Horseshoe!

Image via Stills in Motion.

Pitchfork has announced that the super-affordable three-day passes for their festival, along with tickets to Friday night's bill (featuring one band we're really excited to see), are already sold-out.

Tickets for Saturday and Sunday are still available. But believe us when we say that with a line-up including (and this is just a teensy sampling) Cat Power, Girl Talk, Oxford Collapse, The New Pornographers, Stephen Malkmus, De La Soul, Klaxons, and The Ponys, we're sure that won't be the case for much longer.

In other Pitchfork related news, The Reader dropped news of some killer afterparties going on at The Empty Bottle during the Pitchfork Festival weekend -- our pick of the three shows would be Saturday's bill with Flosstradamus, Chromeo, and Thunderheist -- so we're really trying to figure out just when we're going to be able to fit some sleep into that weekend's bulging schedule.

UPDATE: Perhaps Sissy Boy Slap Party will be added to the bill at the last second?

Did everyone have a great time at our birthday party last night? It sure is great to be three! There are a lot of great shows going on sale this weekend. We decided to focus on shows that are happening in venues one might not normally associate with music.

We lied last week when we said that Ryan Adams tickets went on sale. Sorry about that, but we're sure he didn't mind all the attention. This time we think we mean it. We do know that the show won’t be at our house, but at the Biograph Theater. A strict two ticket limit has been imposed for this intimate venue with purchase only available online. As no physical tickets will be issued - everything is will call only. Ticketmaster lists all the deets.
June 19, Biograph Theater, $35, 18+, on sale 10:00 a.m. Saturday

We’d probably never go this far to see Buckwheat Zydeco, but an opportunity to hear music at Fermilab while protons are accelerating seems very unique. It looks like they have quite a few cultural events in the far west suburbs. Government funded arts programs? We thought those were nearly extinct. If the music doesn’t strike a chord, feel free to watch the bison roam.
Sept. 15, Fermilab, $25 adult, $13 ages 18 and under, purchase information

Our next far off spot to see music is The Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin. Arlo Guthrie, like his father, is known for singing songs about social injustice and working towards a more perfect Union. Arlo will be playing solo after several years of touring with his son. We just got caught up in Arlo’s Thoughts of the Day – he’s pretty damn Zen.
October 19, The Hemmens, $35 - $50, all ages, on sale 10 a.m. Wednesday (6/13)

We leave you with this thought by Arlo, "If you want to end war and stuff, you got to learn to sing loud." Sing loud, everyone! Sing loud!

It's our 3rd Anniversary Party at Subterranean tonight!

We are very, VERY excited to finally be past our twos!

We are even more excited that this event is open to a broad swathe of our readers since it's open to everyone 18 and over. (And for those of you over 21, we're sure you're excited about the $2.50 pints of Goose Island available all night long.)

We've spent the past few days talking to and previewing the acts that will be performing tonight so be sure you catch up with Milk At Midnight, Sweetish, We Make Thunder, and The Hood Internet DJs before you come out tonight.

And, of course, we'll have free stuff for our guests, giveaways, and other surprises, so get there early and stay late so you make sure you don't miss ANYTHING!

Voting for Lollapalooza's Last Band Standing contest officially began on June 1, and Chicago is already leading the pack. Although the standings are always changing, when we last checked the leader board, four out of the top 10 bands were from our fair city, with Evanston-based Rachel Metter at the top of the list with 1727 votes at press time. The band's profile says it has "gained a fan-base among high school students in the Northern Suburbs of Chicago, following the recent release of their dynamite single, 'Intentions.'" Sadly, Chicago reps 100th place as well, with the ironically titled Elgin-based Rejection Letter coming in at last place with a whopping 127 votes to its name at press time.

At this point, the competition is still anyone's game. Last year, the competition brought in about 850,000 votes and 2,000 band submissions, according to Relix magazine. What pains us, however, is that this popularity contest taps into the general public's American Idol-like tendencies, where diligent high school students with 12 email addresses and a lot of patience can stuff the ballot boxes, throwing ideas of talent and quality out the window. True, one winner is chosen by a "celebrity panel" during the final showdown at the Double Door, but by then, the damage has already been done.

We hate to get all Tim Kinsella about it, but contests like this make us want to call for a moratorium on forming bands. Do we really need the band version of Taylor Hicks? If music was a person, it would collectively slap America across the face for mocking it with multi-round voting competitions.

We understand that there have been Battle of the Bands contests for eons, but the competitors used to be chosen by a panel of producers, musicians, record label folk, etc. before the contest even started. We know how this sounds; we're implying that people in the music industry are better than the general public when it comes time to determine what America will like. And that is not entirely true. We're just fed up with popularity contests, rather than talent, determining what is "good" -- a sentence spoken like a kid who wasn't cool in high school, huh?

In order to try and cure our close mindedness, we're willing to pose a challenge to the naysayers. Go online. Listen to one song from each one of the 100 of the bands listed on the Last Band Standing website. Vote for the one you truly think is the best band. If you have a friend in a band on the list or have recently received a mass email requesting your vote for a specific band, resist the urge to vote for that band simply due to name recognition. Sure we all probably won't vote for the same band, but if we've done our little part to make the contest a fair fight, we think we'll be willing to accept the results.

The Comas have been at this shit for a while now. Originally formed in Chapel Hill, NC in 1998, their blistering brand of psychedelic-soaked garage rock has left a steady stream of sweaty, melted faces in its wake for nearly the past decade. They’ve collected some of the most desirable accolades an independent-spirited band can hope for, including contacts with North Carolina tastemakers Yep Roc and (currently) Vagrant Records, shoe shines from Pitchfork Media, Rolling Stone, and Spin magazines, and the guiding hand and ear of producer Bill Racine (The Flaming Lips, Rogue Wave, Mates of State). Yet the Comas remain fairly unknown outside of a certain blog-happy audience, which creates a sort of this-is-almost-a-real-career position that’s both exciting and perilous.

This may sound somewhat common amongst “indie darling” bands – those that have the critics’ ears and pens abuzz but still struggle to make an impact on the mainstream – but the Comas set themselves apart with curious lyrical subject matter that’s more literary (or is it downright geeky?) than most bedroom bands. The fuzzy-toned, sci-fi inspired stories on current release Spells replaces the breakup therapy frontman Andy Herod sought on 2004’s Conductor, pointing the band towards the more cerebral side of the underground tracks once occupied by the likes of Pavement and early Modest Mouse.

So yeah, check out the Comas tonight. Chicagoist discovered ‘em in the old-fashioned way - through a friend’s recommendation – which in our minds is the most intimate way to be turned on to new music. Luckily for you, Chicagoist is your friend! Heck, we even invited you to our birthday party, so stop by Subterranean for a 312 before or after hitting the Beat Kitchen…

The Comas play the Beat Kitchen tonight with Flying Over Iceland and Bailiff | 9pm |$10

Milk at Midnight is a trio where Danny Doom does duty on vocals and guitars, Nick Ritz brings it up on bass guitar, vocals, guitar and drums, and Eric Ander$in rounds it out on drums and bass. Their discography consists of the full-length album "A Fit To End All Time" and a more recently released 6 song EP called "Letter Bombs and Holidays," and they will be helping Chicagoist celebrate our third birthday tonight at Subterranean. It's an 18 and over show, it's 7 dollars, and it's going to rock. (Did we mention the beer special?)

While we have bad memories of sitting at the table staring at a glass of milk getting warmer and warmer as our sister ran out the door to play, we were intrigued to see Milk at Midnight's description on Myspace as "indie/rock/experimental." Described by some as The Who-meets-Flaming Lips, when we took a gander entirely other bands came to mind. The Daybirds. Rogue Wave. Wolf Parade. But what do we know?

What we do know is that Milk at Midnight will be performing at our birthday party and we are really excited about it. We sat down with Danny Doom of the band and threw him a hodgepodge of questions. He was gracious enough to take them all in stride and answer them eloquently, intelligently and articulately, despite the fact the band oft makes reference to a penchant for getting loaded.

Chicagoist: Milk at midnight. Do you indulge? What kind? What's your favorite milk or milk-infused product?

Danny Doom: Well, who doesn't love a nice caucasian? And by that I mean a post-coital White Russian with Julianne Moore (or Philip Seymour Hoffman). My cupboard currently holds Fruity Pebbles, Frosted Flakes, and Frosted Mini-Wheats, which I love to eat at all times of day (especially midnight), with, of course, 2% milk (no skim!).

More dairy-filled goodness after the jump ...

Tune in to University of Chicago radio (WHPK) today to hear our very own South Side food and drink connoisseur, Chuck Sudo. He'll be the featured guest on "News from the Service Entrance" from 2-4 p.m. His duties shall involve promoting our little shindig tonight, answering email from listeners, and spinning any tunes extolling the virtues of duck confit or flavored vodkas. While WHPK can be located on your radio dial at 88.5 FM, their airwave reach is considered somewhat shite, so we encourage you to listen via their online stream. Enjoy!

Image via Travel Talk Radio Network.

Less than one day, people. Less than 24 hours until Chicagoist celebrates the big three at our birthday extravaganza Thursday night at Subterranean. Tickets are going fast, Milk at Midnight, Sweetish and We Make Thunder are finalizing their set lists and the Goose Island kegs are on the delivery truck.

Meanwhile, The Hood Internet DJs are huddled in their lair deep within the bowels of the city preparing for their world debut on Thursday night by watching classic Judge Reinhold films. These new mashup artists combine the play lists of WGCI and of WLUW to create something entirely new (and usually damn catchy). To complete the package they make artwork for their new creation. As we discovered, they also have a soft spot for eighties body-switching films and Cash Money. We spoke with the masterminds behind The Hood Internet, STV SLV and ABX, via their primary method of communication—the Internet.

Live Nation has put the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre in Tinley Park up for sale after an evaluation on their real estate holdings by CB Richard Ellis. If the venue is sold, it does not mean that concerts won’t be held there anymore, but it sounds pretty likely that this single-use venue could become a warehouse. With rezoning of the 110-acre property, we can imagine condos, condos, town homes, and more condos filling up the site, too.

There are a million ways to make a buck or two off music. Ask any agent, manager, promoter, scalper or artist - they have some ideas or maybe even a business plan. We don’t think that dwindling ticket sales or lack of available artists that can sell 28,000 tickets are the main reasons for the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre’s sale by Live Nation, which stated many factors were involved. We think it’s more likely that the venue only has one use and therefore less opportunity to bring home the bacon for Live Nation. This corporation cannot live on live music alone.

Live Nation brings in 17% of their total revenue in the venues and sponsorship aspect of their business. (They have brought in $584 million in the first quarter of 2007 overall.) The FMBA nee Tweeter Center nee World Music Center can only add to that revenue by hosting more concerts. Unlike other similarly sized venues in the Chicagoland area - the United Center, Toyota Park and the Allstate Arena - the FMBA only books live music. All three of these other venues have sports teams operating out of them, which gives the venue owners more opportunity for ticket sales than the mere 13 concerts scheduled this year out in Tinley Park. Plus, these venues are indoor, unlike the outdoor FMBA, and have more than just the summer to rake in cash for their owners.

If this sale becomes the death knell for concerts at the World (we just can’t stop calling it that), how should the venue’s epitaph be written? What were some of the best concerts held there? What will we miss about going to Tinley Park for a concert? It certainly won't be the drive.

A couple years ago we came across a local band named Wonderful Smith's promo pack. We pulled out the photo and immediately cringed, worrying that the group was going to be another slightly granola frat-friendly party band (not that there's anything intrinsically wrong with that, it's just not our thing). However, if there's one thing we do pride ourselves upon, it's that we give EVERYTHING that crosses our desk a listen. If someone can take the time to send us our music, the least we can do is give it an honest listen.

So we popped the disc in and were met with a lovely blend of indie rock smarts and winning pop hooks ... it was just the sort of pleasant surprise we often hope to encounter every time we pop an unsolicited CD (or nowadays, MP3) into our preferred listening device. We followed the group for a while, enjoying their further output and their live sets, and then we noticed they sort of just disappeared. Apparently their drummer moved out of town, and while the band never broke up, they didn't really play out anymore.

The core duo of the band, Holly Senchak and Ben Hilt decided to start up a side-project, including Holly's guitar and keyboard, Ben's upright bass, and both their voices, and they called it Sweetish. They played the acoustic circuit for awhile, fleshing out their songs, experimenting, and solidifying their catalog. After a while, though, both realized they missed the propulsive feeling of a full band. So to keep things interesting, they drafted this dude named Izzy, from local hardcore band Disrobe, and threw him behind the drum kit.

The end result is a weird and wild hodgepodge of lost black and white film soundtracks setting up shop alongside quiet confessionals in the haunted singer songwriter vein. And then they'll suddenly just rock the fuck out, creating an aural whiplash that satisfies when it should, by all rights, stun. And then, just as suddenly they'll slip into inspired paranoia occupying the same dramatic terrain as, say, the Dresden Dolls. Altogether, the band provides an unexpected and sonically expansive ride.

Sweetish plays the Chicagoist 3rd Anniversary Party at Subterranean tomorrow night!

Just a quick reminder ... we're celebrating our 3rd Anniversary with and 18 and over show at Subterranean this Thursday. We've lined up the musical talents of Milk At Midnight, Sweetish, and We Make Thunder to get your toes tapping with tunes catchier than a cross-continental tour of TB. And we've got The Hood Internet DJs STV SLV and ABX spinning until the wee hours of the morning. And we'll have the staff of Chicagoist there for you to pat on the back / argue with animatedly throughout the evening!

Also, with the help of Goose Island, we're bringing you $2.50 pints of Goose Island 312 all night long to limber you up, loosen your lips, and provide plenty of social lubrication.

So, we'll see you this Thursday! Doors are at 8:30 p.m. so get there early and to take full advantage of our generous drink special and general bonhomie.

White Rabbits are doing something right, because the Brooklyn sextet has gone from a band we checked out at SXSW because they are friends with a friend of ours to one of the buzziest bands in the blogosphere. No surprise, really – these kids can bring the good times rocknroll, and an 8.1 album rating from Pitchfork didn’t hurt either.

As we’ve mentioned before, Chicagoist first caught these guys in a Lakeview loft last winter and was floored by their innovative take on grandiose pop songs and obvious musical skillz. White Rabbits will need all the chops they’ve got on this spring tour, as headliners Mystery Jets had to drop off due to visa issues. Nevertheless, Chicagoist was lucky enough to catch with pianist/vocalist Steve Patterson this morning on the band’s way into our fair town.

Chicagoist: What happened with Mystery Jets and how are you handling suddenly being the headliner on this tour?

Steve Patterson: They just couldn’t get visas to get into the country. It sucks that we only found out two weeks before the tour started, so we didn’t have much time to do anything about it. We headlined the Bowery show (in New York), and it sold out, but we don’t know how things will go in like, Denver (laughs).

C: You’ve played Chicago a lot lately, what’s your favorite part of coming through here?

SP: I have a lot of friends here that I went to school with in Missouri. It’s a chance to catch up with them, and that’s my favorite part of playing here. I really hate the wind, though.

C: What are you most looking forward to about this tour?

SP: It’ll be a great chance for us to figure out how to play shows at this level because we have no other option. We’ll get that big tour experience under our belts by headlining, though there are a couple of dates where we’re supporting. In LA, we’re playing with Yo Majesty!, which should be fun. I heard they get naked on stage and stuff, so they might kick our asses.

C: Chicago Word Association:
- Pitchfork: Snobby
- Cicadas: Loud
- Smoking ban: A shame
- Lollapalooza: Perry Farrell? I don’t know (laughs)

White Rabbits play Schubas tonight with smart Chicago quirk-popsters Skybox | 10pm | $7

We have to admit, with all the cicada madness tromping through the Midwest these past few weeks, the Chicagoist music bullpen has felt a little left out. It's bad enough that they've stuck us in a corner of the office surrounded by a moat of flaming alligators -- we suspect it's due to the fact that we keep name-dropping famous people none of the other writers have ever heard of (or care about) -- but when fun insect-related topics arise, we never get to tackle them. It's harder than you think to relate six-legged creepy-crawlies to the music biz, despite what you might have heard of the feeding and mating habits of industry flaks.

Luckily for us, local MP3 blog Can you see the sunset from the Southside has done us a huge service by uncovering the previously unknown connection of cicadas to popular music. They been nice enough to compile a lovely little downloadable mix of tunes related to, or containing the name of, the invading hordes that have so captured the public imagination. Thanks folks!

Now if someone would be kind enough to post the sound of ACTUAL cicadas, we'd appreciate it, because we have yet to see a single one around our stomping grounds, yet ...

Like baseball and steroids, drug-dealing and hip hop always seem to be mentioned in the same breath. This time Lupe Fiasco’s business partner at 1st and 15th, the record label he started in 2000, has been sentenced to 44 years on drug charges. There have been no charges filed against Lupe who partnered with Charles Patton for his first album, Food & Liquor. Assistant State’s Attorney Patrick Coughlin stated that it was rare to have a recording executive caught up in such a major drug investigation. That 44 year sentence is pretty rare, too.

Six kilos of heroin were found in a storage facility that opened with a key found in the Pattons’ home during a raid in 2003. There have been no allegations that the recording company, nor Lupe Fiasco, has any connection to Patton’s moonlight gig as a drug dealer. Although, it was alleged that money from drug dealing helped finance record deals and, in the same Sun Times article, that profits from records were used to buy heroin.

Lupe testified at the trial that references to splitting up “whole yellow” and “whole red” heard in recorded telephone conversations did not refer to prepping heroin, but to prepping music tracks. Of course, we are thinking that “kick” and “push” might have different meanings now.

Thursday is fast approaching, cats and kittens. We fully expect all of you to be out in full force for our big Third Birthday Bash, featuring Milk at Midnight, Sweetish, and We Make Thunder.

Rock and roll, booze, free stuff and the opportunity to argue with us live and in person? That whoops the camel's ass. We Make Thunder will be providing the balls-out rock, and Chicagoist will be profiling each band as the week progresses, culminating in an orgiastic explosion of pure Awesome on Thursday night at Subterranean. Starting off the info, we chatted with Andrew Friesema (guitars, vox) about the Thunder, and how it's brought.

More on their Hank Williams of choice after the jump.

Same story, different magazine.

The July issue of Paste Magazine contains a list of what readers have deemed the country's best music venues. When Playboy had their say back in January, the editorial powers-that-be decided The Empty Bottle was in the top 10 best venues in the entire country. However, the readers of Paste beg to differ and have chosen Schubas as one of the best music venues in the Midwest. The list, which is broken up into regions, also includes usual suspects such as The Fillmore in San Francisco, The Bowery Ballroom in New York and Stubb's in Austin, so Schubas is definitely in good company.

Chicagoist is definitely a fan of the venue. In fact, we even threw a party there. The fact that the club is built with a moderately sized stage and music room, attached to a separate, full bar and an upstairs perfect for DJ sets and dancing, makes it on the top of our list. Plus, talent buyer Matt Rucins has been booking consistently high-quality bills, and the owners keep the ticket prices fair. However, we don't want to get too caught up in our own drool-fest. We love the sound quality at Subterranean, the openness of The Empty Bottle, the size of the Abbey Pub ... We generally just love going to shows.

Anyway, did Paste get it right? Is Schubas better than The Empty Bottle? Is it the best venue in the city?

Hand stamp photo via wrestlingentropy.

When we were ages three to 12, the worst local field trip we were dragged on was to the Chicago Botanic Garden. For one thing, there are flowers in the backyard. For another, it's in, like, Glencoe. Also, the magic of anything we got our first glimpse of zooming along on the Edens is pretty much nonexistent.

But we're older now, and things like free admission are less inherently lame, and more inherently awesome. Also, we came across this great profile of Wylie Crawford, ace carillonneur, which led us to answers to life-long questions like "What's the deal with that huge slightly phallic belltower thing at the Botanic Garden?" Why, it's the Theodore C. Butz Memorial Carillon! It's made up of 48 bronze bells from Holland, and is played every Monday night at 7 by one of an all-star team of carillonneurs. Potentially exciting reason to trek out to Glencoe during Monday-night traffic: Carillon concert attendees get to sit on the grass and picnic, an activity general verboten.

If you're set on attending a carillon concert now, here is the schedule. Pack up your hideous rattan picnic basket with pasta salad and poached salmon and hop in the car and if it's lame, don't blame us.

Also, the Tribune story? A fairly decent job of pepping up an event announcement with actual information to get an entirely readable story out of it ... sort of like this post right here. Although Chicagoist does love any excuse for a picnic.

Image by Chicago Adventures.

Thanks, Rachel!

The power of 300 voices rocked the Jay Pritzker Pavilion during “An Evening of Elegance” at the Chicago Gospel Festival last night, and that was just one act. We heard from Otis Clay, the Bady Brothers, and the Brown Sisters.

"The Professor Thomas A. Dorsey Tribute" closed the evening and recognized Chicago’s own Thomas Dorsey, who is considered the Father of Gospel. Dorsey developed gospel music by combining Christian praise with the rhythms of jazz and blues. The tribute included salutes from The Christ Universal Temple Ensemble, The Apostolic Church of God Sanctuary Choir, The First Church of Deliverance Choir, and The Divine Divas. The Divine Divas delivered a soul-shaking sound that we’d call Gopera, sort of a combination of spirited gospel and lively opera creating a sound that was divine, for sure.

“Gospel music is the heart beat of life,” said one of the Bady Brothers at the end of his performance.

“You can’t stay the same if you listen to gospel music,” a Brown sister added.

One of the pastors singing and directing spoke between sets of a Buddhist who was once offended by the praying taking place at the Gospel Festival, so now, praying is no longer endorsed. We’re a bit confused because we thought gospel and praying go hand-in-hand. But rules didn’t stop the crowd from following along with the energy on the stage. Unable to pray for us, or lead us through a thoughtful meditation, the pastor invited the crowd to turn to the person beside us, and give him a hug. And after the hug, he asked us to place our right hand on his should and shout at him one word, “Live!”

The 23rd annual festival attracts its share of Stellar Award winners. This year the weekend closes with Grammy-nominated and Stellar-Award winning Tye Tribbett & Greater Annointing. Today’s music begins at 11:00 a.m. in Millennium Park.

You might think you don't want to go down to Cal's on Wells tonight, but trust us, you do. Two of Chicago's most buzzed-about garage pop bands, CoCoComa and Headache City will set up shop tonight, and our prediction is that the combination of both bands on one bill may actually cause the world to implode, or at least the southern half of Wells Street. You kind of don't want to miss it.

Ok, so Headache City and CoCoComas consist of overlapping band members (Lisa Roe and Mike Fitzpatrick play in both bands), and they can both easily be classified as "garage punk" bands. But they sound significantly different. Headache City is the type of band lazy music critics can easily compare to the Pixies. Their songs are short, fast, structured and very heavy on male vocals. But something you won't notice unless you see the band live is how Lisa may in fact be the most energetic drummer since Animal from The Muppets. More impressive is that she supplies back-up vocals in almost every song, while simultaneously going into full-body drum convulsions.

CoCoComa on the other hand sounds like a shit storm, in the best way possible. Their music isn't as tight and calculated as Headache City, but it's usually a hell of a lot more fun, which is probably a result of the fact the band started as a "ah, fuck it" kind of side project. A few lucky people were present to see the band at one of the Empty Bottle's free Monday shows, and it may be safe to say that no one in the crowd that night has quite recovered from the attack of awesomeness. In fact, Pete Toalson, program coordinator at the Bottle, told Time Out Chicago recently that not only did the show sell out and the band "devastate," but "people are still talking about it."

If you miss this show, which you shouldn't, both bands are scheduled to play a handful of shows in Chicago this summer before hitting the road for a fall tour. So you might get a few more chances to witness the bands live, that is, unless we were right about that whole world implosion thing ...

Headache City and CoCoComa play with Turpentine Brothers at Cal's, 400 S. Wells, tonight at 9 p.m.

Headache City fisheye photo via ElectrikCandyland.

Kids can get their rock on at the Paul Frank Store (851 W Armitage Ave.) from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. today. Lollapalooza's own Kidzapapalooza is having an in-store party to celebrate the announcement of the Kidzapalooza line-up. We think it's pretty nifty that Perry Farrell's now-stationary multicolored party is doing its best to make sure everyone of very age is invited, and last year the Kidzapalooza stage was the hippest kids party we've ever seen.

The Paul Frank Kidzapalooza party is going to also host an appearance by the School Of Rock folks, along with Small Paul’s little monkey Julius, PlayStation goodness, and goodie bags for attendees. Chicagoist wants to know why stuff like this wasn't being done to promote Rock Festivals when we were a kid?!

And, for the adults, there will also be Lollapalooza ticket giveaways, so if you didn't score the heap passes when they went on-sale a while ago, you still have a chance of getting in for free!

We admit we were stoked earlier this week by the news that Ryan Adams would be doing a show at The Black Orchid. However we thought it was a little weird that ticketing information for the show seemed spotty. It was listed on WXRT's site ... and then it wasn't. And on Ryan Adams' own website, it was the only show with no info on how to get tickets, and now it has completely disappeared. Phone calls to The Black Orchid only met with a message saying they had no information on the show. What's up?

Well, it turns out The Black Orchid is closed so Adams and his merry crew of Cardinals are scrambling to secure another room in which to play. There's no word on whether tickets will actually go on sale tomorrow though Ticketmaster, even though they were listed as doing so. We think it'd be a little hard to sell tickets to a show when you don't know where it's going to be or how many people you call them too.

If Ryan really needs a place to play, our basement is nice, and we'll even pay for the P.A.!

We have a huge case of the giggles today. It all started when we tried to type “jagoff” and it came out “jagoof” and we could not stop laughing at ourselves for five minutes. Then we decided to be productive and write up this edition of EOYW, which only proved that the Ticketmaster gods were laughing along with us with their offerings for this week’s ticket sales.

Come on…sisters who call themselves the only twins born two years apart and are way too Disney for us, a band that opened for Ashlee Simpson and has since lost their lead singer, and a fave from the ’90s who's latest album we’ve been warned to avoid at all costs – this is what is offered to us? We just had to give up and go all Billboard Awards on our wallet’s ass.

Common brings his “’70s soul-dusties feel” to the stage with Joss Stone and her neo-soul grooves. It’s an interesting combo at first glance, but we think this pairing makes perfect sense – just like it does on Joss’ latest album, Introducing.
Sept. 20, Charter One Pavilion, $49.50, all ages, on sale noon Saturday

This one is for Jocelyn. We didn’t put Crowded House in the listing last week, but we have the chance to atone for our sins now because another show has been added at the House of Blues. The first HOB show sold out in only two hours proving that Chicago loves us some Neil Finn. Not bad for a band that hasn’t toured or put out a studio album in over a decade.
Aug. 19, House of Blues, $45, 18+, presale happening now, otherwise wait until 10:00 a.m. on Saturday

This is where our laughing fits paralyzed us – Beyonce. Go check out her website, it has some of the most bizarre outfits we think we have ever seen on a beautiful lady. Just what is going on in the picture in the “news” section of her site where she’s walking her bicycle in what looks like some sort of pirate shirt stuffed under a (p)leather swimsuit/corset with thigh highs? There is almost no explanation for something like that except that it came out of Playboy. Beyonce’s hobbies include singing and dancing.
Aug. 18, United Center, $59.75 - $99.75, all ages, presales happening now, official on sale at 10:00 a.m. Saturday

Don’t forget about Ryan Adams’ gig at the Black Orchid coming up in June. We can buy those tickets starting at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday.

The Midnight Shows are one of those bands trying to revive soul music and give it back its original edge. We're talking about dark alley, drug-deal gone bad, miniskirt riding up the ass kind of soul. We're talking about songs filled with grit, burnishing the edges off a crowd as they work up a sweat.

The band is led by ex-Woolworthy frontman Rudy Gonzalez, and while it might seem a stretch for a guy given more toward Minneapolis' Paul Westerberg than Prince, once you realize the band takes its cues from Greg Dulli's Twilight Singers and scratched up 45s of old tunes by Charles Wright, the transition makes a lot more sense. The six piece band includes the usual core instruments and fleshes things out with a killer Fender Rhodes and two sweet voiced back-up singers. Gonzalez's vocals turn on a high tenor slightly sandpapered by booze and cigarettes that keeps straining to the edge in an effort to get the message across. The band's attack is heavy on the wah guitar and the rolling organ, and they do their best to rescue those staples from years of misuse by bad funk bands.

We've seen the band on a number of bills with much heavier rock bands, and The Midnight Shows' sound is brawny enough to hold its own, so don't mistake them as some other retro act looking to make a name off sentimentality. When they say they're trying to save soul, they mean it. And, judging by the crowds we've seen dancing when they take the stage, the people believe in their definition of soul.

The Midnight Shows play at Cubby Bear Wrigleyville tomorrow night at 9 p.m.