Go to There: July 24 - 30

By Andrew Hertzberg 

Summer Girlfriends

Tuesday, July 24th: Magic Milk at Subterranean (8:30 PM, 21+, $8)
If you’ve never seen Magic Milk live yet, you’re in for a treat. The garage rock band’s maestro Kenny Alden can often be seen pantsless, crowd-surfing and expressing his love for Johnny Thunders. 

Wednesday, July 25th: Magical Beautiful at the Whistler (10 PM, 21+, FREE)
Magical Beautiful experiment with various sound textures, incorporating dub and choral pieces into psychedelic pop, with a definite Brian Eno and Mount Eerie influence.

Thursday, July 26th: Scotland Yard Gospel Choir at Empty Bottle (9 PM, 21+, FREE w/RSVP)
The Chicagoan and Curbside Splendor team up for a night of words and music. Alongside the the indie-pop's gloomy Pulp-meets-Smiths vibes are readings by Joe Meno, Jac Jemc, and Patrick Somerville.

Friday, July 27th: Chandeliers at Hideout (10 PM, 21+, $10)
The analog-committed have a new album released last month and it’s one of my favorites of the year. Founding Fathers offers dance-pop without any reference to Top 40; it can be dark and experimental but damned if you don't find yourself moving to it. Chandeliers open, Blues Control headlines.

Saturday, July 28th: Summer Girlfriends at the Logan Square Monument (5 PM, AA, FREE)
If MAAF wasn’t enough last week, here’s some more fun in Logan Square. Like Chandeliers, Summer Girlfriends are a band that said "Fuck you, Chicago Winter," and made some some sunnier sounds to help you forget that other half of the year even exists.

Sunday, July 29th: Wicker Park Fest (12 PM, AA, $5 donation)
Another street fest for y’all. Headliners include Cursive, the Budos Band and the Drums, but there’s plenty of local reasons to get there early for: Yawn, Archie Powell and the Exports, Pet Lions, Lasers and Fast and Shit, and plenty more. Three stages for both Saturday and Sunday. Check out the full schedule here.

Monday, July 30th: Janka Nabay and the Bubu Gang at Empty Bottle (9:30 PM, 21+, FREE)
The Empty Bottle's website proclaims Janka Nabay "the undisputed king of bubu music," a traditional music style from Sierra Leone. Never having been, can't say I can disagree. The upbeat tunes have inflections of Afro-beat, '60s psychedelia and a hint of tropicalia to 'em.