Past Shows

Conveniently located at the corner of Willow and Shermer.

OPEN HEARTH CAFE - 5207 N Kimball Ave, Chicago, IL 60625 January 20, 2007 (SATURDAY) to benefit the "Humanity Project"

GABE'S BACKSTAGE - Highwood, IL (with FUN HOUSE) JULY 1, 2006 (SATURDAY) Recorded and select songs available on CD. Incredible versions of FIRE IN MY HEART, I'M GONNA DRINK UNTIL I DIE, and I-I-I (reggae).

CJ ARTHURS, Wilmette, Illinois (TUESDAY February 28, 2006, 8:00 p.m.).

Fred-Ex performed 2 sets of original songs plus some Rolling Stones and Neil Young at CJ Arthurs, with special guests Ms. Chris Z and Jimmy O'Connell. CJ Arthurs is located at Wilmette and Central Avenues: 1168 Wilmette, Wilmette, Illinois 60091. Telephone 847-256 8870. (margarita's were only $4.00 that night – but every girl I spoke with wouldn’t admit her name was margarita) <<click>> www.cjarthurs.com to see a map.

GRANDPA'S, Glenview (12-28-05)12-21-05)(12-14-05)(12-7-05)(11-30-05)(11-16-05) Fred-Ex says: Some of the tunes I played were "Evening, Comes As No Surprise" in tribute to a former classmate who hung himself just before the holidays. What a shame, shame, shame. Folks, do not kill yourself. Repeat, do not kill yourself...or anyone else for that matter. Also, on one of those nights I played all Neil Young songs (Old Man, Cowgirl In The Sand, Hurricane, et cetera) in exchange for a free pint of bass ale. I think I got the better part of the bargain because I like playing Neil Young and I like drinking bass ale. Yeah, a lot more songs were played, and a lot more ales were drunk...uh, they were drunk, I was not. Although, I must admit I have switched to plastic mugs recently where available. I am not suggesting I can't handle my ale, I am just saying the pint glass tries to escape my hands now and then and needs to be redesigned -- that's all. Note: Grandpa's is now being remodeled until March, 2006.

PRESSURE BILLIARDS AND CAFE (10-22-05) 6318 N Clark, Chicago, Illinois; 773-243-POOL; http://www.pressurebilliards.com/
Fred-Ex performed 3 sets of original songs and covers before an appreciative audience.

GRANDPA'S, Glenview (10-5-05)
FRED-EX played NEIL YOUNG'S "Old Man", and his own "I I I", a little reggae number that's almost always hypnotic. As one fellow musician commented, "you out-Neil Young on Neil Young."

GRANDPA'S, Glenview (9-14-05)
FRED-EX played "Do You Love Me Love" and, by request a Rolling Stones rambling of "Jumping Jack Flash" "She's So Cold" "Sympathy For The Devil", combined with "Dear Mr. Fantasy" and "Can't You See".

GRANDPA'S, Glenview (9-7-05)
FRED-EX doesn't remember what he played. He very politely suggests attending to find out once in a while.

GRANDPA'S, Glenview (8-21-05)
FRED-EX played:
"The Girl Did Smile" (about a high (?) hooker he spoke with at a down and out party in Hollywood circa 1981),
"Walk Sit Climb" (about a girl or an emotionally altering thing, and I am not sure which),
"The Middle of the Night" (written 8 floors above the campus where 4 students were shot at Kent State University),
"If You Kiss Me" (about how kissing may mean nothing in an existential world view)", "I Became One With You" (about how one divided by one really is two),
"When I Think of You" (a song that has generated some positive comments from at least a couple of females recently),
"Record of a Dark Date" (the first line says its essense: I have sincerely come to believe that you should be true....),
"Evening Comes As No Surprise" (a deep and profound combination song about parting or death, for which the listener can choose),
"Up In The Sky" (about the constant commitment to to be true to yourself, fight for what's right, and defend the truth, in spite of all obstacles of man, woman, or nature),
"Mountain White Chablis" (about a bottle of white wine and sitting on an ocean beach near mountains),
"Do You Love Me Love Like I Love You" (the song that will take me out to dinner and pay for it one day),
"I'm Asking You Babe" (about a guy who wants more from a woman than friendship", "Stoned" (not about being stoned, but about feeling like you've been stoned, ultimately a confusing and profound look at being alone or being in a crowd and feeling alone),
"Tip Of Your Lips" (about some woman's lips),
"One Last Song Before I Hit The Road" (about singing one last song before hitting the road).

THE GROVE, Glenview (7-28-05)
7 PM to 10 PM. FRED-EX played 3 sets to a beautiful crowd in the lovely setting of nature, grass, and woods, on a gorgeous night.

GRANDPA'S, Glenview, (7-3-05)
7 PM TO 10 PM. FRED-EX played 3 sets and several tunes.
RIVER WALK, Chicago (6-17-05)
FRED-EX played timbales, tambourine, and cymbals with JOHNNY JUSTICE on "Proud Mary" next to the Chicago River. Thank you guys for inviting me to join in for one kicking version of this song.

BILL'S BLUES, Evanston (6-14-05)
FRED-EX played "Take These Blues Away" and "I Can't Start Loving You." One nice chap said afterwards that he very much enjoyed it and the singing had "a lot of heart." First time on that stage. Very cool.

GRANDPA'S, Glenview (6-12-05)
FRED-EX played several of his songs including "The Bullet is so Cold", "The Sky Is Blue and I am Too", but also "Down by the River" by NEIL YOUNG and "Cowgirl in the Sand."

GRANDPA'S, Glenview (6-10-05)
FRED-EX Played congos for TOAST on a couple of songs. Thanks guys and gal for letting him stand in. Especially on "Gimme Some Loving" by Steve Winwood. To hear them and also play helped a lot to try to get over the shock of hearing about a girl being shot and killed in front of CJ Arthurs that day. Very very sad, so sad. Still shocked.

ABBEY PUB, Chicago (5-31-05)
FRED-EX played "Cowgirl in the Sand," "I Got The Blues" and "Running Out in the Middle of The Night" I think.

GRANDPA's, Glenview (5-15-05)
FRED-EX sang Neil Young's "Ohio" for the 35th anniversary this month of 4 innocent Kent State students killed. He was ten years old when he heard the news in the kitchen. His mother was cooking dinner. He lived about 20 minutes away. He demanded that his mother to take him immediately to Kent State University so that he could speak his mind. She gasped at him in horror and refused. They never again looked at each other quite the same. Also, sang "Cowgirl in the Sand" by Young. Performed the originals "Record of a Dark Date" "I Can't Start Loving You" "Call It Wrong" and "Don't Take My Last Beer Away."

CJ ARTHURS, Wilmette, IL (5-10-05)
FRED-EX performed "Fire In My Heart," and the covers "Route 66," "I Feel Fine," "Dear Prudence," and "Honky Tonk Women" and others with a bunch of great musicians, like UNCLE BOB, Steve HAUSHEER (guitar), Curt POWELL (keyboard), and Kevin McDERMOTT (bass), in an semi-impromptu jam session. Good time.

GRANDPA'S, Glenview, IL (5-4-05)
FRED-EX performed several cover songs at Grandpa's: "Willie and the Hand Jive" and "Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton, "Heart of Gold" by Neil Young, "For What It's Worth" by Stephan Stills, and "Imagine" by John Lennon.

ABBEY PUB, Chicago, IL (one Tuesday in April)
FRED-EX performed his songs "Record of A Dark Date," "A Man Needs A Woman," "Walk By," and "I Can't Start Loving You," ... I think.

GRANDPA'S, Glenview, IL (3-23-05)
FRED-EX performed "Old Man" by Neil Young, "Dear Mr. Fantasy" by Steve Winwood, "Route 66" and some Fred-Ex songs.

DURTIE NELLIES, Palatine, IL (3-7-2005)
FRED-EX performed "You Don't Want Me Anymore" "Fire In My Heart" "The Sky Is Blue And I Am Too" "Do You Love Me Love Like I Love You". EX's first time on the new stage. FRED-EX thanks the drummer who sat in and who unfortunately burned his lip while smokin' on the drums -- in all senses of the word. (Of note, FRED-EX dropped his stone pick on the old Nellies stage and could not find it later because they tore down the building, so if you found it, please let him know).

BILL'S BLUES, Evanston, IL (3-5-2005)
"If You See K..." CD played in its entirety after Saturday's blues show. Many thanks to BILL!

GRANDPA'S, Glenview, IL (3-2-2005)
Several songs performed...good time as always.

STOCKS AND BLONDES PUB, Chicago, IL
Thank you DAN, the local proprietor, for your past support! "If You See K...." CD was on their juke box for a year.

Q101, 101.1 FM "LOCAL 101 SHOW"
FRED-EX was a guest on CHRIS PAYNE's show Sunday, May 29, 2005. Thank you Chris! It was a pleasure to meet ALTHEA LEGASPI, editor-in-chief for the amazingly great (and free) monthly "ILLINOIS ENTERTAINER." And it was a treat to meet the ASSASSINS who have some very cool songs and who are extremely decent folk as well. And it was cool to meet musician JASON, and also Jennifer, Jaime, and everyone else there! Only once did Chris have to put his finger across his throat and threaten to turn Fred-Ex's microphone off to make him conduct himself more appropriately.

Q101, 101.1 FM "LOCAL 101 SHOW"
Host CHRIS PAYNE played "I Got The Blues" off the CD "If You See K..." on Easter, March 27, 2005. THANK YOU CHRIS PAYNE!!!

WXRT-FM, 93.1 LOCAL ANESTHETIC PROGRAM
Host RICHARD MILNE played "I Got The Blues" from the CD "If You See K..." on October 17, 2004! Thank you RICHARD MILNE!!! That was VERY cool!

WOXY-FM, Oxford, Ohio
Played "Oxford, Ohio" which is on the "Oh, Hear It Comes..." CD a while back.