Hideout Block Party September 21

By Robbie on September 13, 2008

Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 21, the closing date of the annual Hideout Block Party. If you're outside both Chicago and the longhair smugster scene, the Hideout is a little nightclub next to a blighted EPA cleanup site, near the intersection of Wabansia and Elston on the near north side. They have an outdoor festival each September with really interesting and diverse bookings. This year we're playing right before the great Rhymefest, who plays before the New Pornographers, and both those acts are definitely worth your time. 

Last year Rhymefest put out a thoughtful and musically inventive mash-up of his lyrics and Michael Jackson songs, an online-only release called Man in the Mirror. This gave the Hideout guys the notion of my doing a set of Michael music, perhaps in some kind of collaboration with Rhymefest, to honor the occasion of Michael's 50th birthday (and the 25th of Thriller). Well, I said yes, that sounds fun; and talked to Rhymefest about it, who also said yes....once again confirming that everybody doesn't like something but nobody doesn't like Michael Jackson! I'm excited for you the public to see the results. Our show is an hour long, has some theatrical elements, some laughing and some crying, and some surprise guests, and it begins at 5:45. (The thing with Rhymefest happens during his set an hour later.) I'm not going to say any more about it. Not to keep it a mystery but because I have to go run the goddamn thing with the band -- see ya!