Last week Chicago hip-hop duo the Cool Kids dropped “Black Mags Pt. II”—a sequel to their 2008 single “Black Mags”—to mark the tenth birthday of their debut EP, The Bake Sale. The anniversary celebration continues Friday, October 26, at the annual Halloween Basement Party hosted by Evanston brewery and tap room Temperance. The Cool Kids headline, and everyone who orders an advance ticket through Eventbrite can buy a new commemorative vinyl version of The Bake Sale. The festivities kick off at 5:30 PM.
Since Halloween costumes for wolves are so hard to find, Gossip Wolf usually settles for eating too much discount candy corn and going to tribute shows where ace local musicians play as their favorite bands. Among this year’s selections for riff-or-treaters, the most improbable gig is the one going down on Friday, October 26, at the Hideout. A single lineup of scene staples—Angie Mead (Redgrave), Jeanine O’Toole (Golden Horse Ranch Band), Jim Becker (Mind Over Mirrors), Stephen Howard (Pinebender), Josh Johannpeter (Hujo), Kent Lambert (Roommate), and actor-songwriter Reid Coker—will perform music by Abba and Black Sabbath. Holy sweet leaf, is this ever a show to take a chance on!
On Saturday, October 27, visiting the Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theater might feel like watching a Chicago-centric episode of American Idol. That afternoon, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events hosts the ChicagoMade 2018 Music A&R Auditions, where 17 artists will vie for spots on the bill at next year’s Taste of Chicago and meetings with industry bigwigs such as Chicago producer and BET host Kosine and the A&R director of Nashville’s Big Machine Label Group. Among the contestants are punk-prog brothers Avantist, hip-hop duo Mother Nature, and local singer-songwriter Rachel Sarah Thomas—Gossip Wolf wishes all 17 the best of luck! v
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