John Battles BEST OF 2018 (YEAR'S NOT OVER, BUT , WHY WAIT TIL THE LAST MINUTE?)..... Best Shows.   ALL ARE CHICAGO , UNLESS NOTED. 1) Fleshtones , Beat Kitchen. 2) Derv Gordon (Of The Equals) , East Room. 3)Barrence Whitfield and The Savages , The Woggles , Reggie's. 4)Black Oak Arkansas , Reggie's. 5) Planet Rockers , Nashville Boogie. 6) Paladins , Nashville Boogie. 7) Levi Dexter , Nashville Boogie. 8) TIE - The Dyes and The Crookshanks - Liar's Club. 9) Southern Culture on The Skids , Scuba's (Would have been better if some creep named John Battles had'nt crashed the stage.). 10. Bloodshot Bill , Hideout ( Would have been better if some SUPER creep named John Battles had'nt crashed the stage.). Most Disappointing reunion attempt - Josefus , Hideout  ( It was'nt bad , just lacked focus . Personally , I'd rather see Bubble Puppy , but they're not cool this week , among record collectors.). Best shows I missed  -  Linda Gail Lewis and that one guy , Wayne Kramer with MC50 (Had to go to my Nieces' wedding ,  a move I don't regret.)  .  "Dead Boys" ( Cheetah Chrome , Johnny Blitz . Saw them a few months earlier , they brougt the rock.) . Kid Congo Powers and The Pink Monkey Birds (Typical Chicago non - promotion.)   .  Bloodshot Bill  ( Repeat performance , again , typical Chicago non- promotion .).    Jerry Lee Lewis , Riot Fest (Should have gone , but did'nt know how to get there and could'nt see paying $75 to stand in a field , about a mile back , with tens of thousands of douchebags.  Best show I'll have to miss - Deke Dickerson with Crazy Joe , Cobra Lounge. It's on the same night as The Best Show of The Year , though it has'nt happened , yet - Roky Erickson with Hounds of Baskerville and White Mystery. Best Show I was physically thrown out of in five minutes time - Bobby Rush , Buddy Guy's Legends. IF YOU CRAVE ABUSE , GET YOUR YUPPIE BLUES NUT AT BUDDY GUY'S LEGENDS.  Biggest Disappointments in General - Pretty Things' Retirement (Tho' they more than earned it.) ,  The Deaths of Tony Joe White , Nick Knox , Otis Rush (Tho' he suffered far too long.) , Bill Flores (Chocolate Watchband) and Shawn "Sluggo" Maloney , King of Men. Best news  yet - Since Wilko Johnson , Danny Amis and Mike Hurtt kicked Cancer's ass , the bastard has not returned.  Best Record Stores in Chicago -Dusty Groove , Reckless on Broadway (Nothing like it used to be , but better than most.) , Deadwax (Evanston) , Laurie' s Planet of Sound , Bric - A - Brac. Worst Record Stores in Chicago - Vintage Vinyl (Evanston.) , RPM (Recently closed.) , Shuga. Most confusing new stores , Dorian's and Electric Jungle (Not saying they're bad , just confusing.).  

Erik Carlson

The Beat Rats

Los Sweepers

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