Chicago Psychfest returns with two headlining appearances by guitarist Jeff Parker

Steve Krakow isn’t just the artist, writer, and musician behind long-running fanzine the Galactic Zoo Dossier, regular Reader feature the Secret History of Chicago Music, and an array of far-out rock bands—he also books one of the city’s most dependably excellent music festivals, Chicago Psychfest. On Friday and Saturday, March 17 and 18, the fest’s 13th iteration hits the Hideout. Friday night includes a solo headlining set from guitarist Jeff Parker, performances by the Elijah McLaughlin Ensemble and Tim Kinsella & Jenny Pulse, and DJ sets from Psyche Prissy Pie. Parker headlines again on Saturday, this time joined by Joshua Abrams of Natural Information Society; openers include Brain Waiver, DJ Sara Gossett, and Krakow’s band Plastic Crimewave Syndicate augmented by local synth maven Bil Vermette.

^{Recent releases by Psychfest artists Jeff Parker, the Elijah McLaughlin Ensemble, and Tim Kinsella & Jenny Pulse}

Last month, emerging Chicago indie band the Trenchies impressed this wolf with the single “Life Preserver,” which combines unraveled postpunk guitar with low-affect vocals and irreverent, reflective lyrics. Luckily, the Trenchies have more new music in the pipeline! On Friday, March 10, they self-release their debut EP, You Are Listening To. Gossip Wolf has heard an early mix and especially digs “Reunion Show,” which imagines a distant future where a Trenchies reunion provokes the same fanfare the Pixies did in 2004; the novelistic lyrics and bittersweet keyboards make it one of the most memorable songs so far this year. Golden Dagger hosts a Trenchies record-release show that Friday, with openers Beauty Saloon and the Present Age. 

On Thursday, March 9, the organizers of Music Fest throw a Cole’s Bar showcase featuring two acts from the Reader’s “best overlooked Chicago records of 2022” list: hip-hop group Mother Fortune and R&B experimentalist Paris•ye. Tickets are $13, and the show starts at 10 PM.

^{Mother Fortune and Paris•ye share Thursday’s bill with Kalamazoo art-pop band Fake Baseball.}