Pitchfork: Bert Jansch, Charalambides Head Three Million Tongues

Bert Jansch, Charalambides Head Three Million Tongues
Spires That in the Sunset Rise, Burning Star Core, White/Lichens also scheduled

Chicago owes the Empty Bottle and Galactic Zoo Dossier a big thank you for presenting the Three Million Tongues festival-- which follows up last year's Two Million Tongues and the original Million Tongues-- and for managing to reel in headliner Bert Jansch for his last scheduled U.S. performance of the year. The legendary folk singer announced only a handful of U.S. gigs in 2006, so that diamond in the rough alone is incentive enough to attend the three-night Windy City event, slated to take place this weekend, November 17-19, at the aforementioned Western Avenue club.

Other festival highlights include Charalambides, Smegma, Spires That in the Sunset Rise, Michael Yonkers with the Blind Shake, Burning Star Core, no fewer than two projects featuring 90 Day Man and Bottle bartender extraordinaire Rob Lowe (Dreamweapon and the Lichens and White/Light hybird White/Lichens) and, of course, a premier booze selection.

To ensure you get your money's worth, the fest features a "sideshow" stage-- which, in past years, has been the corner next to the sound booth where the gear is stashed-- to squeeze in extra acts during set changes. That means, count 'em, at least seven different tongues each night.

Schedule:

Friday, November 17:

Bert Jansch
Steve Mackay and the Radon Ensemble
Spires That in the Sunset Rise
Nick Schillace

Sideshow performances by:

Frankie Delmane
Folk & Violence
Michael Young

Saturday, November 18:

Charalambides
Michael Yonkers with the Blind Shake
Dreamweapon
Singleman Affair

Sideshow performances by:

Hands of Hydra
J. Gleen
Yellow Universe

Sunday, November 19:

Smegma
White/Lichens
Burning Star Core
Aleks & the Drummer

Sideshow performances by:

Joy Poppers
Skog Device
Th' Exceptional Child