Thirty years is a long time to live with a Thrill Kill Kult

Plus: White Mystery keep on celebrating their first decade, the All Smiles hip-hop showcase reaches its sixth birthday, and more.

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

During the heyday of Chicago’s Wax Trax! industrial scene in the late 80s and early 90s, Gossip Wolf was a pup still learning how to apply eyeliner. But it was obvious even then that My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult would outlast the era with their gnarly nightmare electro jams packed with horror-film samples! Though born in Chicago, the group is now based in LA, and this month founders Groovie Mann and Buzz McCoy hit the road with a full band to celebrate the Kult’s 30th birthday—on Saturday and Sunday, April 28 and 29, they land in all their creepy-crawly glory at Berwyn club Wire. The Kult will play the entirety of Wax Trax! classics I See Good Spirits and I See Bad Spirits (1988) and Confessions of a Knife (1990) as well as a few other faves—look for this wolf in the pit during “Sex on Wheelz”!

On 4/20, in keeping with band tradition, Chicago DIY royals White Mystery celebrated a decade together, playing their 1,000th show and releasing their ninth album, Hellion Blender. They’ve also lined up another gig so soon after their tin anniversary that this wolf might consider it an afterparty—except it’s to celebrate the 33rd birthday of guitarist and front woman Alex White. White Mystery headline a free show at the Empty Bottle on Monday, April 30, with Bryce Cashman and Bev Rage & the Drinks.

For years Gossip Wolf has been singing the praises of All Smiles, the hip-hop monthly helmed by rapper-singer Rich Jones that showcases locals from different generations and scenes at Tonic Room. On Friday, April 27, All Smiles celebrates its sixth anniversary with a typically great lineup: soul-searching MC J. Bambii, Big Body Fiji of the Decent Militia crew, and heavenly singer Manasseh.