Summer 2013 peaking with live performances, recordings

Tim Placher's new 2013 Shindig at the Shanty stage above the Kankakee River near Wilmington, IL.

By Ted Slowik

Folks, first I want to extend my sympathies to the Lac-Mégantic families with unaccounted for relatives. No one should be left wondering about loved ones vaporized in an inferno caused by a train derailment. Thoughts and prayers.

Next, I just want to say it's all about the song. I'm heading into a stretch where I'll be performing the next two weekends. This is unusual for me. While I've been taking time off from playing to heal my finger I haven't booked gigs. I'm very much looking forward to these upcoming performances, July 13 at the Shindig at the Shanty in Wilmington and July 20 at a house party in Cherry Hill.

Thanks to Tim Placher for the invite to play the Shindig for a third straight year. Much appreciated. It's one of only three summer festival gigs I've played. The others being Rich Westrick's Jam-O-Rama and Jerry Reno's Jerrypalooza over Labor Day weekend. Sadly, Jam-O-Rama is no more, though to fill the void I'm happy to announce keyboardist extraordinaire and good friend Rich Westrick is joining me for the July 13 and July 20 shows! Thanks to Bridget for the special invitation to perform at a house party--a first for me!

Look forward to memorable sets of originals as two longtime high school chums and bandmates reunite for special evenings. And, to sweeten the deal, fellow Suspended Animation member and legendary drummer Ron Kostka will join us for the July 20 private house party in Cherry Hill! These are shaping up to be very special performances.

These are the only summer 2013 performances I've scheduled as I've limited my appearances due to health and am focused on recording Aug. 10-11 in Joliet. This will be the first time in nearly 30 years I've been in a recording studio, so it's a momentous occasion. More on that later.

John Condron

For now, just want to say thanks to John Condron for hosting weekly acoustic open mics at Tribes Alehouse Mokena, and to Niall Freyne for allowing us to showcase songwriting. And to Bill Aldridge for establishing Third City Sound in Joliet. Really looking forward to recording some original songs a month from now. Much planning and preparing for that.

In a future post I'll tell you all about the last time I was in a recording studio, in 1986.