Lots of great links, video and audio from around the web in this edition.
The typical "Rock Star" story usually has the tribute band member joining the real band, but the tables were turned as Dean Ween (Mickey Melchiondo) joined The Pod at Tonic Room. Here's a three song video playlist:
Chicagoist lists the 8 best jazz clubs in the city
They also provided some great coverage from North Coast (Day One - Day Two - Day Three) but Brooklyn Vegan scooped them with the story of the nude, intoxicated man arrested after the fest. Some "on stage" footage of Dirty Dozen from the fest....
Looks like folks behind the Empty Bottle may be opening a new venue in Pilsen soon. Intriguing.
Jim DeRogatis continues his excellent coverage of the drama behind Congress Theater.
Chicago's very own country superstar Robbie Fulks released a new album and blogged about it everyday until its release. With one day left, he included some blurbs from great musicians and comedians. Check it out...
"My favorite songwriters can break my heart and/or make me laugh: Noel Coward, Loudon Wainwright, Randy Newman, very few others. Robbie Fulks has joined that august company. He sits a mean guitar, too, and sings like he learned from the C&W greats and made it his own, which is exactly what he did." - Michael McKean
"I'm sitting here listening to Robbie Fulks's new record...Gone Away Backward. Beautiful. He always gets me going. Inspires me. His writing, singing, and awesome guitar playing. All the stuff is in there. Happy, sad, mad, light, dark, old, new. The whole deal. It's real. This is killer great. Thank you Robbie." - Bill Frisell
"Robbie Fulks mines more nuggets from the hard rock mine of country music on "Gone Away Backward". This is soul bluegrass for the modern day hillbilly. No polite cabin worship or protooled pretending here, these songs tell true workingman's stories with all the punch of the Stanley Brothers or George Jones." - Tim O'Brien
"The great Robbie Fulks: an alt-country genius." – Tina Fey
The Heard have released a new single and it is as funky as you'd expect...
