Cathy Richardson is due to perform at Fitzgerald's, 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn on Fri., Nov. 30. Her latest, Delusions of Grandeur, shows off this artist's versatility, blending her rocking live sound ( Closet Cultivator ) with her softer side ( A Phone Call To Joe Quinn ) . This Grammy nominee also has been praised for her portrayal of Janis Joplin in the off Broadway production of Love, Janis. Always a live favorite, Richardson conjures up the spirit of her late idol while on stage. Hopefully, this concert will sate fans until Richardson returns to the summer festival circuit.
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Pictured: The Cliks. The Pipettes.
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First, The Cliks were hand-picked by Cyndi Lauper to partake in the True Colors Tour this summer; now the Canadian quartet has been selected by The Cult to open for the goth-alternative rock outfit on The Jaegermeister Tour. Making a stop in Chicago at the House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn, on Sun., Nov. 25, The Cliks have fine-tuned their live show thanks to a heavy touring schedule. Leave it to the mainstream media to be hung up with this band's make-up, often overlooking the genuine rock n' roll found on its album The Snakehouse. Trans lead singer Lucas Silviera makes tongues wag as he locks lips with comedian Margaret Cho repeatedly in the video for Eyes In The Back Of My Head, a surefire hit on YouTube.
Stepping out of a time capsule to kick off a U.S. tour in the City of Angels is the British trio The Pipettes. Imagine combining the sounds of The Ronettes with a hint of Bananarama's DIY sugar-coated punk attitude and Amy Winehouse's British flavoring of Motown's heyday. The Pipettes add their own polka-dot style to the girl-band formula with girl-power anthems like One Night Stand and Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Accompanied by the backing band The Cassettes, this buzz-worthy group is scheduled to swing by The Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee, on Wed., Nov. 21.
Also looking into the past while marching into the future is Nicole Atkins. Her full-length debut, Neptune City, is out now on Columbia Records. Here, Atkins has the charm of a young Lesley Gore ( Maybe Tonight ) and the aching of Patsy Cline ( The Way It Is, War Torn ) , yet distinctively blends this sound with the more modern melancholy of Beth Orton, courtesy of Swedish producer Tore Johannson ( The Cardigans, Saint Etienne, New Order ) . On the title track the singer-songwriter pays homage to her New Jersey hometown in a tragically epic way. Atkins may be familiar to some, since she is featured in an American Express commercial. Rolling Stone Magazine has dubbed Atkins as one of its 'Top 10 Artists To Watch,' whereas Neptune City finds itself on my list of the year's top 10 albums.
Glenview native Brian Mazzaferri just released his debut bow, All Roads Lead To Roads, on the Chicago-based Sophic Records. Here, he ponders What Tomorrow Will Hold and If No One Understands, in the process drawing the worlds of folk and cabaret closer. Mazzaferri was the lead singer and primary songwriter for the alternative-rock quintet Red Line District. Fresh from performing at The Elbo Room, Mazzaferri plans to return with shows at The High Risk Art Gallery, 1113 W. Belmont, on Sat., Dec. 1, and at 3160, 3160 N. Clark, on Fri., Dec. 7. All Roads Leads To Roads is out now via cdbaby, iTunes and brianmazzaferri.com .
Natalie Merchant recruited fellow high-profile artists to contribute to her latest charitable project, Give Us Your Poor. This compilation has artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Michelle Shocked, Bonnie Raitt, Mario Frangoulis and Merchant herself collaborating with musicians who are or were homeless. Give Us Your Poor, a Boston-based non-profit policy research organization, provided Merchant with 50 original songs from the nation's network of homeless shelters to consider for this project. In an effort to raise awareness about homelessness, Give Us Your Poor is out now via Appleseed Recordings with a companion documentary in the works.
On Sat., Dec. 1, The Old Town School of Folk Music celebrates its 50th anniversary with an all-star line-up. Sharing the stage are Wilco's frontman Jeff Tweedy, banjo player Bela Fleck, harmonica maestro Corky Siegel and Luna Negra Dance Theater, among others. Taking place at The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress, the concert will benefit the non-profit educational institution. For more details on the event, please visit oldtownschool.org . Tickets are available through The Auditorium Theatre box office and Ticketmaster.
The pairing of Roland Belmares and Mike Cruz on Global Groove: Live 2 takes a turn in the Global Groove series. Leaving the feel-good vocals at a tea dance, Los Angeles' Belmares and New York's Cruz compliment each other with this edgier set. Former C&C Music Factory vocalist Zelma Davis makes quite a comeback wailing on My Life with Deep Influence. Also highlighting this Centaur release are the club hits Make It Last by Dave Aude featuring Jess and Activate; My Body by The Perry Twins featuring Jania; and Piece of My Love, featuring rising star Debby Holiday. Out now, Global Groove: Live 2 is available at retailers, iTunes and at www.centaurmusic.com .