Local Scene: Hot Rod Heathens ready to rev up rock ‘n’ roll-a-billy engine

From the ashes of his last group 3 Peace, veteran bassist Mike Vetromila has risen like a phoenix with a new project. Staying with the trio format, Vetromila has assembled The Hot Rod Heathens with drummer Patrick Mulloy (ex-Purple Rose Gang) and guitarist/trumpeter/vocalist Jordan Gross (ex…

The region will miss 'Big Jack!'

Northwest Indiana's music community lost another beloved member of its ranks May 4, when veteran music maker Jack Adams Sr., 75, of Highland, passed away.

These puppies have a musical bite and a region connection

Have you ever heard of Snarky Puppy? Neither had I until earlier this week.

Local Scene: The "Earl" of Old Town leaves quite a legacy behind

The world lost two icons of folk music last week, starting April 22 when news broke of guitarist/vocalist Richie Havens, who with a strum on his guitar in the farm field in upstate New York, kicked off a history-making musical weekend as the opening act of Woodstock died of a heart attack. H…

Local Scene: Bad Cadillac dances as Juice sets in

Northwest Indiana’s Bad Cadillac has been rocking every Sunday night for the past several months at Goodfellas Bar & Grill in Cedar Lake, but this Sunday will be an extra special night for the nearly two-year-old quintet and their fan base.

Region music community loses a longtime friend

It is with sadness I report the passing of longtime drummer Anthony “Tony” Nicoletto, 65, of Valparaiso. Tony was a well respected and well known member of the regional music community for many years.

OFFBEAT: Singer Nelly first act for stage relaunch of Hammond Civic Center

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

The day my daughter critiqued a film for Roger Ebert

When Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert died last week at the age of 70, this columnist immediately flashed back when my job included sharing downtown film screenings with Ebert, his then rival/partner Gene Siskel, and other media folks. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, along with covering popul…

OFFBEAT: 'Buds and Blossoms' charity event is 'flower power'

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Local Scene: Rocker helps others find “Happily Ever After” lives

Michael McDermott wholeheartedly believes in “happily ever after” stories. The singer/songwriter/guitarist has battled many personal demons and points to his own life as proof a person can get through the darkest, stormiest days to find a rainbow waiting for them.

Local Scene: "Beatlemaniacs" Set To Bop 'N' Boogie in The Barn

Fans of John, Paul, George and Ringo are in for a “fab” time on Saturday, when the fourth annual “Beatles at the Barn” fills the acoustically astute confines of the County Line Orchard’s big barn with four hours of tunes by the famous mop tops from Liverpool.

Local Scene: Pop star Chris Wallace “Radios” home to region

Singer, songwriter, radio hit-maker, and Northwest Indiana native Chris Wallace will be the musical guest Tuesday on my weekly radio program, “Midwest BEAT with Tom Lounges,” which airs at 6 p.m. on 89.1FM – The Lakeshore. Listeners can win copies of Wallace’s new CD, “Push Rewind,” featurin…

Chicago: New DVD documentary traces past and promises a future

The release this month of the documentary DVD, “Chicago: World Tour 2011 - Backstage Pass,” reveals just how immensely popular the rock group Chicago has become and remains. It features footage of their concerts and comment from their fans in such cities as Oslo, Berlin, London, Paris, Rome,…

Local Scene: Catching up on Local Scene happenings

• A triple band “St Baldricks Day” concert for all ages will be held on Saturday at The Art Theatre in downtown Hobart (230 North Main Street) to raise funds and awareness for the Locks of Love program to help kids with cancer.

Local Scene: Late region drummer inspires fundraising for diabetic kids

On Saturday the memory and musical life of a local drummer – Mike Ratley -- now two years gone will be celebrated while kids who are now suffering with the ailment that contributed to Ratley’s untimely death will be helped.

Local Scene: The Scoreboard rocks back to the 1960s

Former Gary teens and region rock icons of the 1960s, Oscar & The Majestics, perform a 9 p.m. show of retro rock from the era on Saturday at Bridges Scoreboard (121 N. Griffith Blvd, Griffith). The group has done limited live shows since reforming with their original line-up to promote t…

“Tails Of Love” wag as local rockers unplug to help animals.

Longtime regional music favorites Ripley Street, best known for cranking out high-volume rock ‘n’ roll shows at area festivals and night clubs, will have their hearts plugged in and their instruments unplugged for a special acoustic performance Sunday afternoon at Maxine’s Restaurant in Mich…

Chicago-rooted jammers are Freddy once again.

The Freddy Jones Band – a group born in Chicago during the 1990s and renowned worldwide for their roots-rock jam-heavy performances in the tradition of groups like The Band and The Allman Brothers -- will return to their “home turf” after a long absence for two shows.

New music series debuts at Fitzgerald's Night Club

When “The Local Scene” column spotlighted the ongoing Big Band music series at Fitzgerald’s Night Club (6615 West Roosevelt Road) in Berwyn, the email response from readers was strong. It seems quite a few folks were in search of a venue that offered up such vintage sounds.

Local Scene: Local music scene flush with news this week

There’s a flurry of regional music news to report this week - new local artist recordings, sad news of a popular music retailer closing, good news of another area music retailer being saved from the same fate, the loss of some talented folks, and more.