Scotland Yard Gospel Choir

Big weekend for music in Chicago. We’ve got Taste Of Randolph and Peace Fest. That’s not to mention MGMT at the Riviera, Fiery Furnaces and Eyehategod at the Empty Bottle and the triumphant return of the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir at the Subterranean.

Let’s get to it, shall we?

Friday

MGMT
Regardless of what you think of MGMT’s polarizing sophomore effort, Congratulations, the band seems to have weathered the initial “What the fuck is this?” shit storm that initially hit upon it’s release. They’re selling out mid-size venues all over the country and even have reached almost-headliner status at festivals. Yes, Congratulations has replaced the electro-dance rock that made the singles from Oracular Spectacular so catchy and accessible for acid surf rock at it’s finest. Anyone who read interviews with MGMT masterminds Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden during their early days or even listened to Oracular Spectacular‘s non single tracks probably didn’t find such a jarring change between albums one and two quite a surprise. I really enjoy, screw it, I LOVE Congratulations. The album, for those awaiting MGMT’s follow-up, seemed completely out of left field, and the powerful and epic moments that replaced Oracular‘s catchy choruses are arena ready. Better yet, if you miss them tonight at the Riviera’s sold out show, you can catch them in August at Lollapalooza. Nice. (Richard Giraldi)

7:30 p.m. Friday, 6/18. Riviera Theatre. All Ages. SOLD OUT.

FIERY FURNACES
The Brooklyn-via-Chicago brother-sister duo of Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger bring their twisted art-rock sensibilities back to the Empty Bottle tonight. Although perhaps twisted doesn’t really apply to them anymore seeing how their latest release, I’m Going Away, was more rooted in the 1970′s classic arena rock of the Elton John variety. So, basically for the Fiery Furnaces, it was pretty normal. But normal in a good way. The songs were still fun and catchy. So for those who missed them at their two gigs this past NYE in Chicago (Like me), tonight should be a blast. (Richard Giraldi)

10:00 p.m. Friday, 6/18. The Empty Bottle. 21+. $15.

PEACE FEST
As Chicago’s summer festival season gets under way, let’s take a moment to give peace a chance… at the Chicago Peace Fest in Lincoln Park this weekend. The three-day Peace Fest kicks off noon on Friday, June 18, at 1700 N. Stockton Drive, just south of the Lincoln Park zoo. It has never been easier to embrace love and rebellion with free music provided by a nice slice of Chicago’s music scene. There will be everything from rock to jam bands to punk and electronica. There will also be drum circles, art and vendors. Come support your favorite local acts like 1/2 Mad Poet (Friday, 6/18, 6 p.m.), Wanton Looks (Saturday, 6/19, 7 p.m.), and White Mystery (Sunday, 6/20, 7:40 p.m.) when they play Chicago Peace Fest June 18th through 20th. (Audrey Leon)

12:00 p.m. Friday, 6/18, Saturday, 6/19 and Sunday 6/20. 1700 N. Stockton Drive. All Ages. FREE.

Saturday

EYEHATEGOD
New Orleans’s Eyehategod make a pretty ugly metal/punk fusion racket. They’ve been kicked around, played musical chairs with members, called it quits, and yet somehow here they are still unwilling to go away. Their history and their sound just go hand in hand at this point. Chicago’s Nachtmystium just released their follow up to the fucking amazing “Assassins: Black Meddle Part 1″. “Addicts: Black Meddle Part II” expands on their slow departure from black metal and into a world all their own. Chicago’s Plague Bringer, Columbia’s Strong Intentions, and Chicago’s holy shit that guitar sound is heavy as fuck Weekend Nachos flesh out the flesh ripping bill. And that’s just Saturday. Sunday, Eyehategod and Nachtmystium are joined by The Atlas Moth, Yakuza, and the ridiculously named Bongripper. Fuck it, go both nights. Your flesh will grow back. Right? (Ross Meyerson)

8:00 p.m. Saturday, 6/19 & Sunday, 6/20. Empty Bottle. 21+. $20 advanced, $25 door.

SCOTLAND YARD GOSPEL CHOIR
Yes! The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir are back. Pretty remarkable this is. You all know the story by now so let’s cut to the chase. …And The Horse You Rode In On is a damn brilliant record that got lost in the post-accident chaos. Let’s reboot and go give these guys a proper hand not only for being a great band but for surviving all the shit they’ve been through. While you’re there check out Chicago’s indie pop popsters Very Truly Yours as well as Wells-next-the-Sea. Bring your hankies because this promises to be a bittersweet evening. (Ross Meyerson)

Doors 9:00 p.m./show 9:30 p.m. Saturday, 6/19. Subterranean. 17+. $10.

TASTE OF RANDOLPH
See below.

Sunday

TASTE OF RANDOLPH
I’ve never been to the Taste of Randolph before and really had no intentions of ever going. That is until….Superchunk! What? I know we’re all getting older (Mac is 42, I’m, ugh, 40), so I guess I can see the logic in this. But logic be damned. Superchunk on tour is a rare treat these past 10 odd years. At this point they could open for Jim Belushi at the House of Blues and I’d be there. And, guess what. They’ve an album coming out in September. Brand new and stuff. Majesty Shredding, from the songs I’ve heard, promises to be a much more rocking Chunk than we’ve heard in years past. I could go on and on but I’ll temper my enthusiasm for now. Oh, Califone, Headlights and the Love Language also hit the West stage this day. But Superchunk! The ‘Chunk! Man, big crowds, sweaty backs, and fried food has never sounded this good to me. (Ross Meyerson)

2:00 p.m. Saturday, 6/19 & Sunday, 6/20. Taste Of Randolph. All Ages. $10 donation.

We’ve already told you about Wicker Park Fest, Do-Division Street Fest and the second annual Metronome Celebration. Now here’s the scoop on Taste Of Randolph and the Green Music Fest lineups.

Taste Of Randolph, Friday, June 18, through Sunday, June 20, at 900 W. Randolph in the West Loop, offers a great collection of locals including self-proclaimed “circus punk marching band” Mucca Pazza, Tim Rutili-lead, experimental rockers Califone, alt-rocking Lovehammers and even the iconic Chapel Hill, North Carolina, group Superchunk. Admission is a $10 donation paid upon entry.

West Town’s Green Music Fest, Saturday, June 26, and Sunday, June 27 on Chicago Ave. between Ashland and Noble, sports a more modest musical schedule but also an eco-friendly vendor village! Cool! The 2010 Green Fest Music lineup is highlighted by performances from Chicago-based prog-tappers Maps And Atlases, reggae-masters The Wailers and up-and-coming Brooklyn indie outfit Fang Island. Admission is a $5 suggested donation paid upon entry.

Check out the complete lineups for both Taste Of Randolph and Green Music Fest below.

Taste Of Randolph

Friday, June 18

The West Stage @ May St.:
5:30 p.m.: Waco Brothers
7 p.m.: Matthew Santos Band
8:30 p.m.: Lovehammers

The East Stage @ Peoria
6:00 p.m.: Bandoleros
8:00 p.m.: DJ – David Starfire

Saturday, June 19

The West Stage @ May St.:
2 p.m.: Spinach Prince
4 p.m.: Twin Tigers
5:30 p.m.: Mucca Pazza
7 p.m.: One Eskimo
8:30 p.m.: Lucero

The East Stage @ Peoria
4 p.m.: Vicarious
6 p.m.: DJ Jef Stott
8 p.m.: DJ Cheb i Sabbah

Sunday, June 20

The West Stage @ May St.:
3 p.m.: Environmental Encroachment – The Magic Marching Band
4 p.m.: The Love Language
5:30 p.m.: Headlights
7 p.m.: Califone
8:30 p.m.: Superchunk

The East Stage @ Peoria
4 p.m.: DJ Carla Starla
6 p.m.: Lubriphonic
8 p.m.: Funkadesi

Green Music Fest

Saturday, June 26

Main Stage
The Wailers
The Aggrolites
Deals Gone Bad
Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps

DJ Stage
DJ Klever

Sunday, June 27

Main Stage
Cloud Cult
David Bazan
Maps and Atlases
Fang Island

DJ Stage
DJ Proper Villains

This year’s fest, held Saturday and Sunday, June 5th & 6th on Division between Ashland and Levitt, will have two stages booked by Empty Bottle Presents and Subterranean / House Call Entertainment chock full of great Chicago bands.

Among those recruited to perform are heavy hitters Pelican and The Ponys, mash-up driven Hood Internet, Local H‘s Scott Lucas and The Married Men, and one of our 10 Chicago Bands to Watch in 2010, Bailiff.

Here’s the full list with stage location and set times:

Damen Stage programmed by Empty Bottle Presents

Saturday, June 5th

1:00pm             Jeremy Messersmith

2:30pm             Maritime

4:00pm             CoCoComas

5:30pm             Headlights

7:00pm             Pelican

8:30pm             Hood Internet

*Stage Hosted by “America’s Funnyman” Neil Hamburger

Sunday, June 6th

1:00pm             The Mynabirds

2:30pm             Earl Greyhound

4:00pm             Warpaint

5:30pm             El Ten Eleven

7:00pm             Ponys

8:30pm             YACHT

*Stage Hosted by “America’s Funnyman” Neil Hamburger

Leavitt Stage programmed by Subterranean  / House Call Entertainment

Saturday, June 5th

1:00 pm             Days Off

2:05 pm             The Gunshy

3:10 pm             The Poison Arrows

4:15 pm             Vacations

5:20 pm             Bailiff

6:30 pm             Sybris

7:40 pm             The Good Life

9:00 pm             The Night Marchers

Sunday, June 6th

1:00 pm             John Drake & The Shakes

2:05 pm             Cameron McGill & What Army

3:10 pm             Tim Larson & The Owner Operators

4:15 pm             Rego

5:20 pm             Soft Speaker

6:25 pm             Scott Lucas And The Married Men

7:35 pm             Cory Chisel & the Wandering Sons

9:00 pm             Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Tickets for the 5th annual Pygmalion Music Festival set for September 16 – 19 in Champaign-Urbana are going fast. Festival passes are sold out as is the headlining performance from Iron and Wine.

If you still want to catch a few of the acts such as RJD2, Lucero, YACHT, The Antlers, Japandroids, Headlights, Wavves, Autolux and Low in some of Champaign-Urbana’s more intimate venues, then act now. Only a small number of single show tickets are still available.

You can find an updated schedule – changes include addition of Saturday’s day parties and adjustments due to cancellation of Solid Gold – after the jump:

Complete Pygmalion Music Festival 2009 Schedule:

WEDNESDAY

Canopy Club:
8:30 PM — Common Loon
9:30 PM — Mt. St. Helen’s Vietnam Band
10:00 PM — Owen
11:00 PM — Japandroids
12:00 AM — Headlights
1:00 AM — Physical Challenge DJs

THURSDAY

Blues:
11:45 AM — Liesel Booth
12:30 PM — Pamela Machala

Sandella’s:
12:45 PM — Tracey and Tricia
1:30 PM — Stanton McConnell
2:15 PM — Cara Maurizi

Red Herring:
6:00 PM — Morgan Orion and The Constellations
7:00 PM — My Dear Alan Andrews
8:00 PM — Post Historic
9:00 PM — Early Day Miners
10:00 PM — World’s First Flying Machine

Krannert Art Museum:
6:40 PM — Liz Janes
7:20 PM — Brooke Wagonner
8:00 PM — Denison Witmer
8:45 PM — My Brightest Diamond
9:45 PM — William Fitzsimmons
10:45 PM — Bob Nanna

Courtyard Cafe:
7:30 PM — Butterfly Assassins
8:30 PM — Deelay Ceelay
9:30 PM — Starfucker

Canopy Club:
6:20 PM — Ohtis
7:00 PM — Santa
7:40 PM — Mason Proper
8:20 PM — Company of Thieves
9:00 PM — Elsinore
9:40 PM — Joe Pug
10:30 PM — Decibully
11:10 PM — Maserati
12:10 AM — Margot and The Nuclear So and So’s
1:00 AM — Lucero

The Highdive:
9:00 PM — Geist
10:00 PM — DJ Belly
11:00 PM — DJ Mertz
12:00 AM — Skream

FRIDAY

Blues:
11:30 AM — Girls Next Door
12:00 PM — Ryan Groff
12:45 PM — William Fitzsimmons
7:00 PM — The Jips
8:00 PM — Empires
9:00 PM — jigGsaw
10:00 PM — So Many Dynamos
11:00 PM — So Long Forgotten

Sandella’s:
12:45 PM — Final Pygmalion Effect
1:30 PM — Matt Wagemann
2:15 PM — Kilroy et al

Channing-Murray:
6:30 PM — You and Yourn
7:15 PM — Hathaways
8:00 PM — Good Night and Good Morning
9:00 PM — Low

Red Herring:
10:30 PM — Oceans
11:30 PM — Pet Lions
12:30 AM — TBD

Canopy Club:
6:20 PM — Zach May and The Maps
7:00 PM — Ganglians
7:40 PM — Phantogram
8:20 PM — BLK JKS
9:00 PM — Jookabox
9:40 PM — Maps & Atlases
10:30 PM — Pomegranates
11:10 PM — The Antlers
12:10 AM — Autolux
1:00 AM — Wavves

Cowboy Monkey:
10:00 PM — Angie Heaton
11:00 PM — Mazes
12:00 AM — Cameron McGill and What Army
1:00 AM — The 1900s

Mike N’ Molly’s:
5:15 PM — The Delta Kings
6:15 PM — The Duke of Uke
7:15 PM — The Number One Sons
8:15 PM — Tina Sparkle
9:15 PM — Gentleman Auction House
10:15 PM — Light Pollution
11:15 PM — Neoga Blacksmith

Bentley’s:
9:30 PM — Village
10:30 PM — The Horns of Happiness
11:30 PM — Alpha Mile
12:30 AM — Golden Quality

SATURDAY

Parasol Records:
12:00 PM — Tim Stephens
12:40 PM — Morgan Orion and The Constellations
1:10 PM — Cameron McGill and What Army
1:40 PM — Peninsula
2:10 PM — Boston Fleener (of The Jips)
2:40 PM — Drew Danburry (acoustic)
3:10 PM — You and Yourn
3:40 PM — New Ruins (acoustic)
4:40 PM — The Horse’s Ha (acoustic)

Exile on Main St.:
1:30 PM — Elsinore
2:30 PM — Zach May and The Maps
3:30 PM — Santa
4:30 PM — The Curses

Courtyard Cafe:
5:00 PM — The Daredevil Christopher Wright
6:00 PM — Lymbyc Systym
7:00 PM — Brighton, MA

Krannert Center:
7:30 PM — The Books
8:45 PM — Iron and Wine
10:00 PM — Princeton
11:00 PM — Ra Ra Riot

Canopy Club:
9:00 PM — Physical Challenge DJs
9:45 PM — Porno Galactica
10:45 PM — YACHT
11:45 PM — The Hood Internet
12:45 AM — RJD2

Red Herring:
10:00 PM — On Again Off Again
11:00 PM — Now Now Every Children
12:00 AM — Drew Danburry
1:00 AM — Sunset Stallion

Cowboy Monkey:
10:00 PM — Lonely Trailer
11:00 PM — The Horse’s Ha
12:00 AM — Gazelle
1:00 AM — New Ruins

Mike N’ Molly’s:
8:15 PM — Tyson and The Friction
9:15 PM — Steel Eater
10:15 PM — Scurvine
11:15 PM — The Life and Times

Bentley’s:
10:30 PM — Take Care
11:30 PM — Marmoset
12:30 AM — Mordechai in the Mirror

Looking for a music festival that features big names but hate fighting massive crowds of hippies, frat dudes and hipsters in the summer heat? Then Champaign-Urbana’s Pygmalion Music Festival might be right up your alley.

Entering it’s fifth year, the Pygmalion Music Festival goes down September 16 – 19, 2009 in Champaign-Urbana, IL.

This year’s edition of the festival features big names and up-and-coming acts including Iron and Wine, Low, Lucero, RJD2, The Books, The Antlers, YACHT, Wavves, Headlights, Japandroids, Autolux, BLK JKS, My Brightest Diamond and many more.

The Pygmalion Music Festival is less like other major Illinois festivals such as Lollapalooza and Pitchfork and more like Austin’s annual spring event South By Southwest as the event takes place over four days in 15 different venues in two of Champaign-Urbana’s most vibrant neighborhoods.

The full schedule and ticket information is available right now at 2009.pygmalionmusicfestival.com.