Shout Out Louds, Freelance Whales
8 p.m. at Lincoln Hall; $15
It’s a tired old story scrappy indie band bangs a sound so evocatively fresh, yet fragile, for a record or two, and then some coastal producer with a record of success ruins it all by trying to take it to the next level. To producer Phil Ek’s (Built To Spill, Band of Horses) credit, though, the Shout Out Louds threw a curveball with 2010’s “Work,” ditching the punk Swedish angst that made “The Comeback” and “Very Loud” the new go-to Nordic sound, for, well, placid themes about work. And not the fun kind of work, but the working for a paycheck kind of work. Ek does make it blossom pristine, but we’ll be surprised if these new tunes get major play during this show. Meanwhile, NYC’s Freelance Whales have yet to change their tune, offering a charming, almost twee blend of banjo leads, twinkling bells and off-kilter harmonies, pogo-ing somewhere between Matt & Kim and Dashboard Confessional.
6 p.m. at Harold Washington Library Center; free
The always interesting author of Fight Club (among other guy-lit classics) is back with a new novel, Tell-All, a visceration of old Hollywood focused, in part, on the exploits of writer Lillian Hellman. Pre-signed copies of the book will be available for purchase.
11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Daley Plaza
It’s time to get in shape — Da Mare says so himself. Join other Chicagoans for this seventh-annual rally featuring workout sessions in a variety of styles, from bhangra (11:10 a.m.) to body combat (12:30 p.m.). If you can’t make it downtown, head to any of the Chicago Park District’s 66 fitness centers citywide, where you’ll get free admission today.
