Estrojam returns with a new name and a fresh line-up, but keeps its mission intact. Now known as Decibelle, this celebration of the arts runs Tuesday-Saturday, Sept. 23-27, at various venues throughout Chicago. This year's event benefits the organizations Fair Fund and Young Women's Empowerment Project.
Pictured: Heart. Photo by Randee St. Nicholas. Janet Jackson
For the first time, Decibelle has a male-fronted band headlining, as New York's buzz-worthy synth-pop act Plushgun takes to the stage on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at Funky Buddha Lounge, 728 W. Grand, during the festival's kick-off party. Also lined up for Decibelle are electro-icons Miss Kittin & The Hacker, Lady Tigra, The Ice Cream Socialites and Michelle Tea. Not just a music outlet, Decibelle also supports visual arts, with work by Darcy Totten, Sarah Kaiser and the late Tami Miyahara to be shown at T's Bar & Restaurant, 5025 N. Clark, on Thursday, Sept. 25. After touring several film festivals, a viewing of the documentary about the murdered musician Mia Zapata entitled The Gits will take place at the Nightingale Theatre, 1084 N. Milwaukee, Friday, Sept. 26, and the following evening at The Green Lantern, 1511 N. Milwaukee. For a complete schedule, tickets and more information, visit www.decibelle.org .
On Friday, Sept. 26, The Cake Chicago series will return to The Red Line Tap, 7006 N. Glenwood, with performances by singer-songwriter Ian Wilson and the matriarch of Chicago's queer DIY music scene, Ripley Caine. As heard throughout his EP The Crater, Wilson's piano-focused sound is influenced by Crucify-era Tori Amos with hints of jazz and Broadway. In October, Wilson's band, Canasta, will head to New York to play at the Chicago showcase at CMJ Music Marathon.
The Pack A.D. packs a punch with gritty blues guitar in the style of The White Stripes and passionate vocals like Janis Joplin's. 'Don't Have to Like You' follows a more traditional blues formula with its lyrical repetition, but 'Making Gestures' opens with a strumming of a guitar, only to climax wildly. With the whole set recorded live, the Mint Records release Funeral Mixtape is brilliantly, yet suitably, rough and unrefined. This female rock duo from Vancouver is currently on the second leg of its tour to promote Funeral Mixtape with a Chicago date at The Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake, Wed., Sept. 24.
Like last year's charity single 'Sing,' 'Just Stand Up!' rounds up some of the industry's hottest sirens for a good cause. Mary J. Blige, Miley Cyrus, Beyonce, Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge are just a few of the 15 vocalists involved. This track marks the first time R&B heavyweights Antonio 'L.A.' Reid and Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmunds have collaborated together in nearly two decades. 'Just Stand Up!' can be found on iTunes, with proceeds going to Stand up to Cancer.
After being honored with the prestigious Vanguard Award at the 19th annual GLAAD Media Awards, Janet Jackson has embarked on her Rock Witchu Tour. Per PerezHilton.com, the set list is expected to feature an assortment of her beloved hits including 'If,' 'Miss You Much' and 'Control.' Jackson's concert will come to The Allstate Arena in Rosemont Thursday, Sept. 25. '2Nite' is one of the standout tracks from her latest opus, Discipline, and is also on the second volume to the Sex in the City soundtrack. Jackson is also launching her own line of lingerie, fittingly labeled Pleasure Principle.
French DJ Stéphane Pompougnac delivers a pleasantly surprising vocal-heavy lounge mix on the 11th installment of the Hôtel Costes series. Pompougnac, who has spun at Parisian hotspots like The Queen, Privilége and Diable des Lombard, just premiered his new set at New York's Fashion Week. On the Hôtel Costes compilation, he stylishly blends his track, 'Eden,' with quirky pop and electronica numbers like Lena Horne's 'I Want a Little Doggie.' The latest volume of the Hôtel Costes series is due out Tuesday, Sept. 23.
Khia and her killer curves are back with the album Nasti Muzik. Looking beyond the overly abundant use of derogatory terms, Khia defends her throne from all comers with this record. In 2002, Khia scored big with 'My Neck, My Back ( Lick It ) ,' whereby Jackie Beat was so inspired that the song 'Get It Wet,' by the Los Angeles based electro-trio Dirty Sanchez, was born. With first-class stripper tunes like 'My Swag' and 'Like Me,' Nasti Muzik is out now. The self-proclaimed Queen of the South is causing a commotion for calling out radio personality Wendy Williams, and her MySpace blogs contain brutal tirades about Williams. Oh, the thin line between life and art.
At the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., Heart's 1977 hit 'Barracuda' was played once presidential candidate John McCain announced that his running mate is Gov. Sarah Palin. However, Heart never cleared the use of this song. Even if a request would have been issued, the Wilson sisters stated they would have denied the offer. Per an interview with Entertainment Weekly's Web site, EW.com, Nancy Wilson elaborated, 'Sarah Palin's views and values in no way represent us as American women. We ask that our song 'Barracuda' no longer be used to promote her image. The song 'Barracuda' was written in the late '70s as a scathing rant against the soulless, corporate nature of the music business, particularly for women.' The Republican Party failed to acquire the artists' permission to use Van Halen's 1991 anthem 'Right Now' and Jackson Browne's 1977 song 'Running on Empty' as well. 'Barracuda,' however, has been licensed for the 2000 film Charlie's Angels and on the Comedy Central police spoof series 'Reno 911!'
