Mighty Chicago noise-rock outfit Melkbelly, named “Best cross between the Breeders and Lightning Bolt” in the Reader‘s recent Best of Chicago issue, are dropping new tunes! On Thu 7/2 they’ll release a seven-inch called “Bathroom at the Beach” b/w “Piss Wizard,” and this wolf is willing to bet it’s gonna kick a metric crap-ton of ass. (Thursday is the digital release date—the vinyl might take a couple more weeks.) Local label Automatic Recordings is putting out the record, and Automatic founder Aaron Dexter books shows at the Owl (which the Reader just declared “Best 4 AM bar for live music“). Melkbelly’s release party for the single is at that Logan Square bar on Sun 7/5, and Broken Water headline; see Soundboard for more.
Last week out-of-this-world funky rock outfit the Velcro Lewis Group released their third album, Seismic Alphabet—a full-length collaboration with John Forbes of Tijuana Hercules. They recorded the album together in a single day in January, and you can hear the whole thing at the Velcro Lewis Group’s Bandcamp page.
Gossip Wolf is never more bushy-tailed than after a cup of joe (or two) from local coffee roasters Dark Matter—and they’re just as into hot jams as they are into hot beverages! On Sat 7/4 at 1 PM, Dark Matter host their yearly free anniversary party on Maplewood between Chicago and Iowa. The entertainment includes a slew of choice local bands, among them garage rockers Buckingham Palace SVU, Balkan dance-punk oddballs Black Bear Combo, and metal four-piece Alma Negra, who recently added bassist Norm Burns and drummer Uli Salazar (and are playing only their second gig in two years). Roots Pizza, Kind Bar, Uncle Dougie’s, and others will provide free food, and dozens of mostly local breweries will pour their beer. Tip well, because all proceeds go to arts-and-music-focused suicide-prevention group Hope for the Day. v
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