Mr. Rudy Day returns to The Hideout in Chicago, Sept. 25

Singer/guitarist Andy Hopkins and crew will be joined by Prichard at Chicago's venerable Hideout on Sunday, September 25.

Check out Prichard's King Size North demos from 1996 – featuring Mike Bullington on drums – right here. 

Spiral Galaxy w/The Joy Poppers @ Chicago's Hideout, Sunday

Sara Gossett and Steven Krakow's space rock duo Spiral Galaxy return to Chicago's Hideout for an early show starting at 8:30 pm.

Get tickets for the Spiral Galaxy show with The Joy Poppers at the Hideout in Chicago on Sunday right here. 

Renaldo Domino single release @ Chicago's Hideout Inn, Saturday

Veteran Windy City soul swinger Renaldo Domino launches his new single at Chicago's Hideout Inn with The Heavy Sounds on January 4th.

Renaldo Domino Hits The Hideout

Renaldo Domino's rare Arnell single now goes for $800!

Chicago soul great Renaldo Domino (born Renaldo Jones) hails from “The Valley” around 49th & Forestville. He got his name because his voice was sweet like Domino-brand sugar. The uptempo "Don't Go Away" – the B-side of his 1967 single for Smash Records – was followed by a re-release of the sweet soul groover "I'm Hip To Your Game" which appeared on the flipside of his exceedingly rare debut for the tiny Arnell Records label.

Hooking up with Syl Johnson's legendary Twinight label in 1969, Renaldo knocked out a string of gems over the next couple of years including his masterpiece, the string-enhanced "Not Too Cool To Cry" (listen below) which were reissued in 2007 as part of the anthology Eccentric Soul: Twinight's Lunar Rotation put out by Chicago's Numero Group and features a snazzy vintage cover photo of the sharp suited Renaldo working his magic on stage at his peak.

During the 70s – up until the disco boom prompted a career change into insurance sales and TV cable installation – Renaldo performed exclusively at Chicago's South Side venues so his upcoming appearance in the North Branch Industrial Corridor with The Heavy Sounds at the venerable Hideout Inn (run by Chicagoans of the Year, Tim & Katie Tuten, check the Chicago Tribune story right here)  is a rare event which should be celebrated with Old Styles raised high.

The 69 year-old crooner, making the most of his unlikely resurgence, will be launching his latest single for Ohio's Colemine Records this weekend,  pairing two songs he wrote back in the 80s, "No Laggin' and Draggin'" b/w "Give Up The Love" which comes backed with that familiar Daptone-inspired sound so popular with the younger crowd that makes up most of Renaldo's current audience. You can pre-order a limited edition copy of Renaldo's new single on gold vinyl (while supplies last) right here. Listen to "No Laggin' and Draggin'" following a couple of Renaldo's classics below.

Renaldo Domino w/ The Heavy Sounds
at The Hideout Inn (1354 W. Wabansia Ave), Chicago
Saturday (January 4), 8 PM doors, 9 PM show. $10.00

One For The Weekend: Plush

A sharply attired Liam Hayes and his fellow Plush-mates got into the songs from last year's unjustly overlooked Bright Penny (Broken Horse) album during a three-night stand in Chicago at my favourite North Side nightspot, The Hideout back in June. Yes, Tim Tuten rules.
As you can see from their fantastic version of Bright Penny's awesome closer O Street in the clip below, legendary Chess session drummer Morris Jennings (see Curtis Mayfield's Superfly) and Pieces Of Peace bassist Bernard Reed provide just as soulfully swank support on stage as they do in the studio.   

O Street by Plush live at the Hideout