Hilariously raunchy gay rapper Big Dipper has lived in Los Angeles for years now, but the Chicago-born MC retains his hometown pride. On Friday, August 24, he’ll release his first full-length album, Late Bloomer (almost seven years after his debut single, “Drip Drop”), and among the guests who appear on it are locals such as drag star Shea Couleé (who was on season nine of RuPaul’s Drag Race) and Air Credits front man ShowYouSuck. You can get a sneak peek when Big Dipper performs at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre on Thursday, August 16.
Gossip Wolf has loved Blizzard Babies‘ mix of garage, psych, and surf rock since 2014, and their new tape, Missing Time (Don Giovanni), is easily their strongest work yet—they’ve added a bit of icy postpunk reserve to their arsenal. On Saturday, August 18, they celebrate with a release show at Sleeping Village with Sore History and Goody Gel. The show doubles as a hygiene-product drive for the Chicago Period Project, which distributes menstrual supplies to folks who are homeless or otherwise in need.
On Friday, August 17, Chicago band Lollygagger drop their debut EP, Life on Terminus (Midwest Action). They claim that the record’s gnarly, glammy alt-rock addresses a variety of subjects, including “Roger Stone, American fiscal tradition, the terrors of the infinite multiverse,” and their singer’s “dingus.” This wolf is keen to see how those threads connect! That night Lollygagger play Cole’s with Woongi, Bad Bad Meow, and Furr.
Andrew Joseph, who DJs and produces as half of local duo Paid Time Off, recently launched the label Leisure Records, whose first release is Paid Time Off’s sublime boogie 12-inch “Drinks” b/w “Casual Friday.” On Saturday, August 18, Leisure celebrates its debut by taking over Co-Prosperity Sphere starting at 7 PM: Paid Time Off will DJ, along with Kuh Lida, Jarvis Mason, Mr. Gac, and Daniel Van Duerm. v
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