As so often happens, it was Reader critic Monica Kendrick who got this wolf hooked on local atmospheric black-metal band Vukari, writing about their “eerie beauty” and “unrelenting horror” in a concert preview last year. In late July, Vukari posted on Bandcamp a tasty new four-song EP, En to Pan, that blends symphonic postrock sweep and desperate banshee wailing. Vukari guitarist Johan Becker (who also plays violin on Roads to the North, the recent LP from black-metal mountain man Panopticon) also has a gothy new atmospheric-pop project called Vaskula that adds a whole heap of melody to Vukari’s elegant darkness. Vaskula’s new self-titled EP, which is also on Bandcamp, reminds this wolf of Peter Murphy and M83. Vaskula doesn’t have any shows booked now, but Vukari plays Beat Kitchen on Fri 9/19 with Beak and Anatomy of Habit.
Crowdfunding jumped the shark long before some dude in Ohio asked for ten bucks to make potato salad and ended up with $55,492. But Gossip Wolf thinks the Indiegogo campaign for a documentary about Chicago children’s musician Ella Jenkins (bit.ly/ella_j) is worthy anyway. Local producer and director Tim Ferrin hopes to raise $65,000 by Sun 9/14 to finish Ella Jenkins: We’ll Sing a Song Together, his film on the “first lady of children’s music.” Perks for donors include Hohner harmonicas and a signed ukulele. Jenkins turned 90 this month, and she’ll celebrate on Fri 10/3 by performing as part of the Cultural Center’s free kid-friendly concert series, Juicebox.
Like any fool with dancing feet, Gossip Wolf loves the Black Madonna—the local DJ also known as Smart Bar talent buyer Marea Stamper. On Thu 8/28 she drops a 12-inch of springy disco house, “Stay” b/w “Venus Requiem,” via the Nite Owl Diner label. That night she and Nite Owl cofounder Chrissy Murderbot spin at Gramaphone Records, with free beer and pizza while they last.
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