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The CHIRP Blog
Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Kitty Wells Edition
She was thinking of getting out of the music business entirely, when a Decca Records executive asked her if she’d cut a record. She said yes, since they would pay her $125 for the session, but she didn’t think it would go anywhere. So Kitty Wells cut “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” and it wasn’t much longer before she became the first queen of country music. The proto-feminist song was controversial but paved the way Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and other independent thinking female country singers. Wells became the first female to top the country chart and then had an amazing run of chart success from 1952 through 1969. She blazed trails all the time. For example, she was the first female country singer to record a full album. Her influence resonated for decades, as shown by her appearance on k.d. lang’s Shadowland album (along with Brenda Lee and Loretta Lynn). Nowadays, she’s not remembered enough, but her impact cannot be understated. Let’s pay tribute to Kitty by grabbing your iPod or MP3 player, hitting shuffle, and sharing the first 10 songs that come up.
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesWeekly Voyages: Friday 08/30 to Thursday 09/05
(Weekly Voyages is CHIRP Radio's listing of concerts in Chicago at select venues. Information about tickets can be obtained from the venues' Web sites. (Do you have corrections or updates for this list? Send us an e-mail.)
Friday August 30
Sushi Roll
Abbey Pub 9pm, 21+
Whysowhite, Touch People
Beat Kitchen 9:30pm, 21+
Just Blaze, Young Chop, Sasha Go Hard, Prob Cause, DJ Intel
Bottom Lounge 10pm
The Locals, Hemmingbirds, The Sweeps, Lights Alive
Double Door 8:30pm, 21+
The Hoyle Brothers
Empty Bottle 5:30pm 21+
Boyfrndz, Water House, Vaya, The New Diet
Empty Bottle 9:30pm, 21+
Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Keith Moon Edition
He came to audition for the band that ultimately became The Who with ginger hair. And ginger clothes. He played like a wild man. He was the final piece of the first great power trio in rock history. Keith Moon was an outsized figure amongst the outsized personalities of the British Invasion. In addition to becoming a very influential, oft-imitated (but never equaled drummer), he established himself as the Clown Prince of Rock. Whether it was tasteless adventures with Viv Stanshall or trashing hotel rooms or who knows what, Moon truly was the Loon. And as The Who progressed, he adapted (listen to his work on Quadrophenia). Sadly, his lifestyle aged him at double the rate of a normal human, and he passed away 35 years ago. But try to find video of the band around 1966 or so and watch him play. There’s never been anything like him – a real joy to watch. Let’s celebrate Keith Moon’s birthday by grabbing your iPod or MP3 player, hitting shuffle and sharing the first 10 songs that come up.
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesWeekly Voyages: Friday 08/23 to Thursday 08/29
(Weekly Voyages is CHIRP Radio's listing of concerts in Chicago at select venues. Information about tickets can be obtained from the venues' Web sites. Do you have corrections or updates for this list? Send us an e-mail.)
Friday August 23
Might Could, Zip Tang
Abbey Pub 9pm, 21+
Redfield
Abbey Pub 10pm, 21+
Mark Rose, Bummer, Scott Sweeney, Oblio & Arrow
Beat Kitchen: 8:30pm
Spaces of Disappearance, She Speaks in Tongues, Girl Detective
Bottom Lounge 6pm
Travi$ Scott, Loudpvck, Regulators
Bottom Lounge 11pm
Todd Hembrook and The Hemispheres, DeRobert & the Half Truths, AJ & The Jiggawatts
Double Door: 9pm, 21+
The Hoyle Brothers
Empty Bottle: 5:30pm 21+
Kelsey Phillips writesJoin CHIRP for Psalm One at Lincoln Hall This Saturday!
Join CHIRP this Saturday, August 24th at Lincoln Hall to see local badass fem-cee Psalm One perform in her home court.
Born Christalle Bowen, Psalm is the only female on Rhymesayers Entertainment, which pretty much speaks for itself. After leaving the South Side to attend U of I for chemistry, she released Bio-Chemistry in 2002, which turned a bunch of heads. She dropped her first full length back in 2006 on Rhymesayers and followed it with collaborations all over the place, touring and working with Atmosphere, MF Doom, De La Soul, Brother Ali, and pretty much everyone else in the game.
This hometown hero also put out Child Support in 2012, a collaboration with underserved elementary and middle schoolers involved in the SCORES after-school program, letting the kids pick her beats. So, to reiterate, she's a badass.
She's joined by soul-jazz ensemble Bassel & The Supernaturals, and local bands Falldown and Em & Them. The show is 18+ and starts at 9pm. Stop by the CHIRP table and say hi, although we'll probably be dancing.