I passed up their Lolla pre-show which I heard was amazing so I scored tickets right away for their November return to Chicago at the House of Blues. Should be a pretty good way to celebrate my birthday! If only it wasn’t on a Monday…

Here’s a look at what you missed if you didn’t catch them at Lolla this year. See if you can spot me in the crowd.

Tix

Opener: Rah Rah

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With Alexz Johnson

This video was shot in one take!

Sixto Rodriguez is coming to the Arie Crown Theatre for a show put together by the good people at Schuba’s and Lincoln Hall. If you haven’t seen Searching for Sugar Man yet, you should really check out his story of great early 70s records that flopped in the US, unknown fame in South Africa and the hunt for the mysterious man from Detroit.

Tix

I got Family by Lauren Dukoff today, a book of photographs she took of musician friends like Joanna Newsom, Vetiver, and Devendra Banhart. After seeing 50 pictures of Devendra looking bad ass – like playing a classical guitar with seven rings on and wearing velvet pants, I decided that I need to go to this show.

Tickets

I’ve seen Conor Oberst with Bright Eyes, Monsters of Folk, and as himself, but never with Desaparecidos – his rock band. They put out one awesome record called Read Music, Speak Spanish 10 years ago and then disappeared until reuniting for a small reunion tour last summer. This is their first time in Chicago since reforming.

Tim Kasher, the front man for Cursive and The Good Life, is doing a solo acoustic living room tour. Tell me this doesn’t sound awesome?

– Lollapalooza Pre-Show –
Opener: Pujol