Pictured: Legendary singer Etta James. The Cliks.
Leave it to a true queen to upstage the fashionable first lady. The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, did just that at the presidential inauguration as she wore the crown with a ribbon that quickly became "the hat." The legend, who is afraid to fly, cancelled her March 28 concert at Roberts Stadium in Evansville, Ind. She is due to return to the area with a date at The Venue, 777 Casino Center, Hammond, Ind., on April 3.
Franklin is one of the many artists to be featured in the Legacy Recordings collection From the Heart. Here, love songs from the Detroit diva's catalog are pieced together, including the obvious choices like the upbeat 1985 club chart-topper "Freeway of Love" and the Lauryn Hill-produced "A Rose Is Still a Rose." Other highlights assembled on From the Heart are a spin on Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable," her pairing with James Brown on "Gimme Your Love" and the heavenly "Until You Say You Love Me." Having been in the industry for six decades, it is impossible to capture all of the Queen's greatest moments, but this compilation is a step in the right direction.
Beyonce ruffled Franklin's feathers at 2008 Grammy's when the "If I Were a Boy" superstar referred to Tina Turner as the queen. Since then, Beyonce has irked Etta James by singing her signature song "At Last" during the Obamas' first dance at the Neighborhood Ball. Ms. Knowles, wise up: You portrayed James in the film Cadillac Records, so you should know what a fiery woman this Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame inductee is.
Don't worry: Beyonce's voice does not have the depth to properly take on this classic; however, Cyndi Lauper and Christina Aguilera both have done worthy remakes of "At Last." James' style can be heard in the younger generations. Big-voiced Grammy winners Aguilera and Adele cite her as a major influence.
James also has a collection with the From the Heart series, which features her covering favorites like "I'll Be Seeing You" and "My Funny Valentine" with her trademark vocal delivery. On this set, Miss Peaches blends R&B with jazz and blues, making these songs her own. James will be performing at the House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn, Thursday, April 30. Cadillac Records, which loosely chronicles the rise of the R&B scene in Chicago, is out now on DVD.
Having seen The Cliks three times in concert, it is no wonder this group had been hand-picked by Cyndi Lauper and The Cult to open for their respective tours. The Canadian outfit will be returning to Chicago Thursday, April 9, with a show at Subterranean, 2011 W. North. Here, the trio will be previewing material from the forthcoming album Dirty King. The Cliks's previous hits, "Oh Yeah" and "Complicated," were staples on Logo and a rocking interpretation of Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River" is a live favorite.
On top of appearing on the tattoo-themed reality show L.A. Ink, trans-frontman Lucas Silveria joins Lauper for a duet of the '80s jam "Money Changes Everything," which is available on iTunes as part The True Colors Live 2008 EP. Silveria also makes a cameo in Lauper's energetic video for "Into the Nightlife." The Cliks's second outing, Dirty King, is due out June 23 on Tommy Boy's LGBT imprint Silver Label.
The recent remake of Wes Craven's The Last House on the Left superbly uses music in the trailer and in the movie. The teaser features a minimalist version of Gun N Roses' '80s classic "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Taken by Trees. Singer Victoria Bergsman is formerly of the Swedish outfit The Concretes and chimes in on Peter, Bjorn and John's crossover hit "Young Folks." Forget Sheryl Crow's remake of "Sweet Child O' Mine" from the Adam Sandler comedy Big Daddy. The Taken by Trees version is eerie and compliments this violent thriller's storyline perfectly. Just as the film's end credits are about to roll, I immediately recognized Death in Vegas's "Dirge." This gem features one of my favorites Dot Allison on vocals. Throughout the entire song, Allison coos "la-la-la," as the music develops from a simple strumming of a guitar into a frenzy filled with basslines, drums and electronic elements. Allison would later team with the duo on the celestial "Diving Horses." A variety of vocalists have worked with Death in Vegas, including Mazzy Star's Hope Sandoval, Oasis's Liam Gallagher and Iggy Pop. "Dirge" originally appeared on the 1999 opus The Contino Sessions and again on the retrospective Milk It. Films D.E.B.S. and Lost in Translation feature Death in Vegas's chill out masterpiece "Girls." A soundtrack to The Last House on the Left is due out April 14.
On Saturday, April 4, Bluegrass The American Legion Music Hall, 1030 Central, Evanston, will host The First Annual Chicago Bluegrass Festival—Chapter 1. This showcase offers an all ages, family-oriented performance of Chicago-area musicians. The line-up consists of Tangleweed, Whiskey Hollow Bluegrass Band, Henhouse Prowlers, Chicago Bluegrass Band and James Creek Road. See www.chicagobluegrass.com .