“I write about the politics of the heart and the soul more than I talk about the politics of politics,” he said. “But I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t write these observational songs.” 

Given all that’s happening in the city lately — and because, he said, “I can’t keep my Irish mouth shut” — McDermott’s most recent track is “The Future,” a ditty with an upbeat groove that belies its foreboding lyrics: “All they wanna do is keep you distracted / At least until martial law is enacted / And Jefferson would roll over in his grave / If he saw how these people behave.” 

In case the targets of McDermott’s ire aren’t clear, a video he quickly cut together for the song includes footage of President Donald Trump, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and masked Border Patrol agents. 

How Chicago Protest Music Is Meeting The Political Moment

The pair will dip into the memories, recall Koloc’s many recordings and concerts, her ups and downs. It has been quite a career. A few months after arriving here she shared gossip column space with Jimmy Durante, then appearing at the Empire Room, and that same year a newspaper critic wrote, “Bonnie Koloc doesn’t know where she’s going but the audience definitely knows where she’s at.” By 1971 she was headlining at Mister Kelly’s, with John Lennon and Yoko Ono in the audience.

Read more here!

The big picture: Axios Office Hours is a recurring happy hour and interview show, hosted by Axios Chicago reporters Monica Eng, Justin Kaufmann, Carrie Shepherd and Moyo Adelou.

This month, guests include:

• Sarah Spain: She’s covering women’s sports on the new Deep Blue Sports Network.
• Gregory Pratt: He’s penned a new book about former Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
• Cicada taste test: Learn how to greet and eat cicadas as we discuss and cook them with forager Dave Odd and ecologist Rebecca Fyffe.

Also, trivia, swag and an opportunity to hobnob with Axios reporters and other readers.

Cost: $10.

What’s next: Buy tickets here.

*Proceeds help cover registration fees for the Axios Chicago’s 16-inch softball team.

Courtesy of Axios Chicago

To classify this band any way other than “really f***ing cool” might be overkill but we’ll give it a shot.

Leo Lydon (lead vocals and guitar—no relation to John Lydon but they’d likely be friends if they knew each other) and company are bringing their metal to the Hideout on May 2, fresh off of the March release of “Big Dumb Riffs.” Lydon has mastered fuzzy basement metal riffs that inspire fun-but-dumb dance moves, while Sean St. Germain (drums) absolutely shreds his drumset into ruinous delight with the help of Aaron Metzdorf (bass/vocals) on the rhythm section.

It’s well known in the metal community in Austin (where the group is from) that RBBP specializes in making metal as much fun as humanly possible. It’s good-time metal, almost just very hard rock ‘n’ roll, but with a tongue-in-cheek lack of seriousness in the best possible way. A lack of seriousness in the subject matter—but definitely not in the composition. Metal musicians tend to be some of the most talented available, and RBBP is no different. They are genuinely virtuosic, but they take their expertise and smash it together with downright hilarious lyricism and this is why they put on such a fun show.

That’s not to say they never get serious. “In a Jar,” the concluding track from “Big Dumb Riffs,” is a great example. It’s a melodic ballad that strays about as close to indie as it does metal and feels like a song that should be listened to in the rain at Pitchfork.

But on the same album, we also have “1-800-EAT-SHIT” and “Peanut Butter Snack Sticks.” The titles of these tracks comprise most of the lyrics respectively, and they’re both awesome.

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BUCKTOWN — The Hideout is bringing a taste of Texas to Chicago this weekend.

Since 2007, the bar and music venue has hosted an annual showcase for Chicago bands traveling to Austin, Texas, for the South By Southwest music fest, or SXSW. The party was canceled in 2020 and 2021, but it’s back for its 15th edition this year.

The SXSW Send-Off Party is a celebration of Chicago’s music scene and a fundraiser to help local artists “stay afloat on the road” to Austin and back, said Hideout co-owner Tim Tuten. That includes costs for travel expenses like a van, gas and hotel

To support the dozens of musicians headed to Austin, “We want everybody to bring all the money they can,” Tuten said.

At the SXSW Send-Off Party, Chicagoans can catch a variety of local talents performing in one place before they trek across the country next week, and each brings something unique to the stage, Tuten said. For example, Reilly Downes might do a folk song that’s followed up by dream pop from Samuel Aaron, he said.

“It’s perfect way for people who want to see different bands and they haven’t been able to get out [to SXSW],” Tuten said. “All of the bands are laid out right in front of you, right at The Hideout in an intimate room, like blasting off their best set.”

The shows also double as dress rehearsals for the bands, which are gearing up to perform on stages far from home, Tuten said. And while the party is a send-off for the bands, it’s a sort of homecoming for Chicagoans.

“This is like a time when a lot of people come out of hibernation, like music fans,” he said. “They’re just like, ‘All right, it’s March, let’s get out.’ … It’s not 10 o’clock at night with a blizzard, you know? So you’ll see all these old friends.”

Tuten said SXSW is like a musical Super Bowl, and the artists playing this weekend are like Chicago’s players. That’s why this party isn’t “a Hideout thing,” he said — it’s a show of support for Chicago.

“Not exaggerating, people from around the world, they will always be going to shows down in Austin and they’ll just be like, ‘The Chicago scene is super cool,’” Tuten said. “So we look at it like: Here’s our representatives, here’s our ambassadors. This is what’s happening right now in our city.”

Read more here! 

This month, 31 venues will receive grants to assist with regulatory compliance, enhanced accessibility and upgrading crucial systems such as ticketing and sales. 

Nonprofit organization Live Music Society is continuing its efforts to support small venues and listening rooms across the country. Today, the organization announced more than $200,000 in additional grants distributed to 31 independent venues, which brings its annual granted funds to over $800,000 so far.

The so-called Toolbox grants are designed for uses including regulatory compliance, enhanced accessibility and upgrading crucial systems such as ticketing and sales. This month’s recipients include xBk in Des Moines, Iowa, which will be installing a portable wheelchair ramp and ADA-compliant stage to better serve artists with disabilities; and The Hideout in Chicago, which will be hiring a social media consultant to improve its understanding of audience metrics and social media management systems and marketing practices. Another recipient, Moe’s Alley in Santa Cruz, Calif., will be installing a large flatscreen behind the stage to serve bands with visual elements in a space that cannot accommodate projection.

Read more here !

At ‘Hear My Story,’ hosted by columnist Ismael Pérez, local drag performers shared their experiences of self-love, perseverance and community.

Read the Full Story here: https://chicago.suntimes.com/events/2023/7/21/23790094/sun-times-event-chicago-drag 

The 54 absolute best bars in Chicago

https://www.timeout.com/chicago/bars/best-bars-in-chicago-our-picks-for-every-type-of-drink 

Raise your shot glass of Malört to the best damn watering holes in Chicago