This week’s Reader has guides to the Chicago Folk & Roots Festival, West Fest, and the Dave Matthews Band Caravan, plus a roundup of four other big outdoor musical events over the weekend, from Warped Tour to the Chosen Few Old School Reunion Picnic—it’s obvious that we’re already fully into Chicago’s festival season. That means it’s probably too late for me to hire a film crew for my documentary about whether a man can survive for an entire summer on nothing but beer and fried cheese curds. I imagine it’d turn out like Super Size Me, except drunker and with more heatstroke. (Spoiler alert: I die at the end.)
Speaking of fried food, I sat down for a plate of latkes with the Cool Kids recently, talked to them about their new record, and wrote a column about it. Also on the B Side this week, Peter Margasak gives us his short takes on recent reissues from Malian master Sorry Bamba, underappreciated Texan songwriter Mickey Newbury, and more. Gossip Wolf’s got the lowdown on some upcoming reunions at Bitchpork as well as a local hardcore release. Three Beats offers opportunities to catch live discussions with jazz lifer George Freeman and legendary metal zinester Jon “Metalion” Kristiansen (not at the same time, obviously) as well as a punk round robin with Cloud Mouth. Nightmoves follows Canadian Girlfriends guitarist Elisse La Roche for a night on the town. And Soundboard offers suggestions for a week’s worth of your own outings, including shows by the Archers of Loaf, Jerry Lee Lewis, Yob, Tinariwen, Kid Cudi, and Emmylou Harris.