Gossip Wolf: White/Light has something to show you

The drone duo's Face the Strange concerts return to the MCA. Plus: Gossip Wolf illustrator Keith Herzik gets engaged, and half of Rabid Rabbit gets Cramps for Halloween

By J.R. Nelson @JR1Nelson and Leor Galil @imLeor

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Marriage Wolf

For the third year running, ambient Chicago duo White/Light has teamed up with the MCA to present an experimental-music series called Face the Strange. The series kicks off Tue 10/23 with Chicago improvising bassist and guimbri player Joshua Abrams and his Natural Information Society, and performances fall on every fourth Tuesday of the month through March, except for Christmas (even experimental musicians need a day off). The rest of the lineup looks great too: destructo "fingerstyle" guitarist Bill Orcutt (formerly of Harry Pussy) in November, Chicago guitar wizard Jeff Parker (a member of Tortoise) in January, and interactive experimental LA duo Lucky Dragons in February. The March set has yet to be announced, but Matthew Hale Clark (half of White/Light) promises it's a doozy.

Valentine's Day is far away, but Gossip Wolf has already spotted Cupid snooping around. Local artist and Galactic Inmate guitarist Keith Herzik—the man responsible for this Wolf's beautiful portrait—just got engaged to jeweler Gina Eccher, a member of the Blue Ribbon Glee Club. Congrats, you two!

Chicago four-piece Rabid Rabbit is our favorite local doom band; if you've ever wanted to feel the fillings in your teeth rattle around in your head, their bottom-heavy throb is just the ticket. Two members will get into a very different spirit for a Halloween show at the Hideout on Sat 10/27: they'll be rockabilly deviants the Cramps. Bassist Andrea Jablonski will play Poison Ivy, and her husband, Mike Tsoulous, will play drums; they're joined by pals John Roeser on guitar and Dave Trantina as Lux Interior. Jablonski says Trantina has been bugging her to start a Cramps cover band for 12 years, so it's perfect timing! Also on the bill are Velcro Lewis, who'll lead the Melvins-esque ensemble "Velvins," and garage-funk band Get Up With the Get Downs, who'll conjure the spirit of James Brown.

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Tags: Gossip Wolf, White/Light, Face the Strange, Natural Information Society, Joshua Abrams, Bill Orcutt, Jeff Parker, Lucky Dragons, Keith Herzik, Gina Eccher, Galactic Inmate, Blue Ribbon Glee Club, Rabid Rabbit, Andrea Jablonski, Mike Tsoulous, Velcro Lewis, Get Up With the Get Downs

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