Sound check: Arcada's return, Afterlife anniversary show and more
Curtain's up
The Arcada Theatre in St. Charles is back in action for the summer with a slate of shows that just went on sale this week. If any of the 10 newly announced shows below catch your ear, visit arcadalive.com for tickets and details.
• Journey Recaptured and Bostyx: 8 p.m. Friday, July 16
• Echoes of Pompeii: 8 p.m. Friday, July 23
• Kashmir: 8 p.m. Friday, July 30
• Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9
• Tower of Power: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18
• Freddy Jones Band: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23
• The Pettybreakers: 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 1
• Nektar “The Vinyl Sides Live Tour”: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7
• ABBA Mania: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4
• Kenny Wayne Shepherd: 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6
Electronic anniversary
A decade ago, West suburban musicians Bobby De Maria and Erik Johnson gathered a group of like-minded individuals to create the House Music Saved My Life collective. They all had their own reasons for being there, but the common mission was clear: To give back to the communities that had supported them and helped them grow. This weekend, they celebrate 10 years of throwing shows and raising funds for organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House charities with a monster show at the Afterlife Music Hall in Lombard. With headliner Roger Sanchez and featuring Chicago and suburban favorites including Ron Carroll, DJ Cross, S-Man, Paul Johnson, Wave Point, Alex Peace, Milk N Cooks, Tsunami, Nikho, Dangerwayne and many others, the show will be a cross-section of the many facets of Chicago's electronic community and beyond.
2 p.m. Saturday, June 19, at Afterlife Music Hall, 1000 N. Rohlwing Road, Lombard. $20-$150; early-bird, admission packs and VIP tables are available. (630) 495-2141 or eventbrite.com.
Underbelly Hours' local showcase
In May, The Underbelly Hours podcast introduced a new monthly event for the underground scene — the UBH Spotlight, featuring a trio of local acts live and in person. This Friday, the showcase puts Christina Marie, Child of Eve and Mirabelle Skipworth on the patio at Dry City Brew Works in Wheaton for a chill evening of acoustic music. Watch the Facebook event page for a rescheduled date if the weather turns bad.
6 p.m. Saturday, June 19, at Dry City Brew Works, 120 N. Main St., Wheaton. Free. (630) 456-4787 or drycitybrewworks.com.
Chicago podcasts on vinyl
With 15 years of podcasting under his belt, if anybody knows podcasts, it's James VanOsdol. Host of the long-running “Car Con Carne” interview series as well as the recent “The History of Alternative” podcast for 101-WKQX, VanOsdol is taking on a new, ambitious project: “Phonation,” a curated compilation of “best of” clips from 10 of his favorite Chicago-area podcasts pressed on vinyl. Throughout the project, VanOsdol will be podcasting digitally about his love for the medium and the process of bringing “Phonation” to life. A Kickstarter is live to pump funds into the initial phase of the project with a list of backer rewards, including the vinyl once pressed, T-shirts, sponsorship and shout-out opportunities, a chance to be a guest on “Car Con Carne” and more. Plus, a portion of the funds raised will go to podcast contributors to the “Phonation” project. Visit kickstarter.com for details and to watch the video. The campaign ends on June 25.
Wanna help make a movie?
Friday, the trailer for the short film “Valentine” drops online, and you might recognize some familiar faces from the local music scene in it. Co-written by Schaumburg's Arnley Sena (formerly of Capture the Crown) and Glory Days' guitarist CJ Jarmuth of Wauconda, the film tells the story of up-and-coming musician Alex (James Pickering of Glory Days) and his relationship with Sara, a woman he meets online (country artist Mackenzie O'Brien). As the two reconnect in person years later, he is faced with figuring out his future, balancing his dream life as a touring artist and the woman he loves. Jarmuth also stars in the film along with Vince Gannon of Glory Days, Connor Rennels of Erabella and Steven Schmitz of Sora Kai. “With this 'Valentine' story, this is something I've been wanting to do for at least three to four years now. The story is actually based off of a real life experience I went through,” Sena said. “I know there are a lot of musicians that can relate to this story, especially if they've ever had to deal with touring while being in a relationship.” Sena, Jarmuth and the SLPWLKR production company are launching an IndieGogo campaign Friday to crowdfund the finished product, which they anticipate releasing later this summer. Find more at Facebook.com/Valentinethemovie.
Juneteenth fundraiser
During the pandemic, the Bandcamp music streaming and online store stepped up to help musical artists by periodically waiving its fees and giving musicians the full proceeds of their sales. On Friday, June 18, Bandcamp will donate 100% of its share of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in its second annual Juneteenth fundraiser. From midnight Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday, any music or merch purchases from your favorite artists at bandcamp.com will help support the racial justice organization.
• Brian Shamie is a Daily Herald multiplatform editor and local music junkie. Email him at bshamie@dailyherald.com, find him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter (@thatshamieguy) or Instagram (@chicagosoundcheck). Brian also keeps tabs on the local music scene at chicagosoundcheck.com.