Breaking out of Boston during the late ‘80s and early ‘90s alternative music boom period, Chicago has played an integral role for The Lemonheads frontman Evan Dando, who returns to town this week for a special art installation at Liar’s Club ahead of a trio of Lemonheads shows Friday through Sunday leading into New Year’s Eve at Space in Evanston.

“Chicago was the first place we hooked up with bands in a way where they’d help each other a bit,” explained Dando during a recent phone conversation. “Naked Raygun had us open up for them at a sold out Metro show. It was our first tour,” he said, referencing the seminal Chicago punk act.

“Batteries Not Included with Jim from Material Issue booking it,” recalled Dando of the former north side club, which operated for a spell under the curation of Material Issue singer and guitarist Jim Ellison. “Cubby Bear and Lounge Ax. All of those places near Wrigley Field that were cool for a while. There was the era of the Double Door. Stuff like that,” Dando added, citing fond memories in the Windy City. “Boston and Chicago, it’s a strong connection.”

Prior to the Space shows December 29-31, Dando is scheduled to appear as part of “Got A Black Magic Marker!” Featuring a special reception from 5 to 8 p.m. this Wednesday, December 27, infamous Lincoln Park bar Liar’s Club will act as the unlikely home for a gallery display of artwork, a first for the intimate venue, with paintings created by Dando on display for sale at Liar’s Club during the event this Wednesday and through December 30th.

“At any one time in the world, for any 10 year period or whatever, there’s like five or six places in the world that are actually cool. Maybe there’s 10. There’s probably one in Melbourne, Australia, there’s one in Toronto – but there’s like 10 good bars in the whole world that are really good. And Liar’s Club is one of those places,” said Dando, looking ahead to Wednesday’s “Got a Black Magic Marker!” event. “I wanted to be somewhere it’d be mellow. We know Herb. We know how to work with him,” he continued, noting Liar’s Club owner Herb Rosen, a fixture as bassist in Chicago acts like the Beer Nuts and Rights Of The Accused. “He’s honest and forthright, and we just want that aesthetic. We don’t want to come off too serious – although I am serious about it. But I think it’s a good place to do it.”

Following the free reception Wednesday night, Liar’s Club will host live music from Dorian Taj, Taylor Morse and more for a cover charge at the door. 

This week at Space will also find The Lemonheads running through 1992’s “It’s a Shame About Ray” record in full Friday, celebrating the “Come On Feel” album at 30 on Saturday. Capping the Chicago residency with a special New Year’s Eve extravaganza on Sunday should give Dando and company room to spread out via covers and deep cuts.

Recently reissued in a special 30th anniversary edition, “Come On Feel” is now available via Fire Records in double vinyl or CD packages with a special limited edition bookback. Dando has long been lauded for his ability to put a unique spin upon the music of others and the new “Come On Feel” reissue boasts covers by artists like Buddy Holly, Victoria Williams, Cole Porter and The Flying Burrito Brothers. 

“Did you see the new cover? I got the cover changed. It’s really cool,” said Dando, highlighting his involvement in the new anniversary reissue. “The original one was rushed. They changed it last minute and I hated it. So, this one is really more like how it should’ve been. This one has a real reason to be reissued. And it came out beautiful. I love it.”

“‘Ride With Me,’ ‘Stove,’ ‘My Drug Buddy,’ ‘Rudderless’ – ones that I wrote by myself tend to be my favorites. But I’ve got no problem doing other people’s songs,” said Dando of his approach to a great cover. “Really, the whole object is to – unless it’s some song I don’t really like, which happens too – but usually it’s just to make people hear a song. And then maybe do a decent job with it myself. But maybe they’ll hear the original, you know?” he explained. “It’s very, very telling that Bob Dylan called his covers record ‘Self Portrait.’ Because you see more of what you really are, the way you sing a song, you know? It’s a very good way of seeing who someone is.”

While Dando’s paintings will be on display at Liar’s Club, fans can also catch a glimpse of his artwork via the latest Lemonheads single, the first original Lemonheads track since 2006. Co-written with the late Dan Lardner, of New York indie rockers QTY, “Fear Of Living” was recorded in Brazil, released last month and will be available for purchase in physical form at the Chicago shows.

“I think the response has been really good,” said Dando of the new single. “It’s really solid. I’m playing everything. There’s only one track of everything. And I did that painting on the cover,” he explained of his DIY approach. “I think it’s really strong. I think it’s what we needed to put out. I was doing the demos and we thought, ‘F***, let’s put this out. This is good enough,’” he said. “It’s nice to have something out. I think it’s pretty good. And the real record is coming out soon.”

As he arrives in Chicago for the week, Dando remains clear on the value of live performance after the uncertainty that largely defined the quarantine of early pandemic for many artists. 

“I just never take it for granted anymore,” he said. “I’ve found that in general as I was getting older anyway, but after COVID especially. There’s still some shows that aren’t perfect,” Dando admitted. “But I just don’t take it for granted anymore,” he reiterated. “This week’s shows are just exactly what they say: We’re doing ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’ and then we’re doing ‘Come On Feel.’ New Year’s Eve, I don’t know what we’ll do. We’ll do a bunch of things. We’ll do whatever. We’ll have time to do that for the last show, for sure.”

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“Got A Black Magic Marker!” featuring paintings by Evan Dando runs at the Liar’s Club from Wednesday, December 27-Sunday, December 31. Dando appears for an opening night reception from 5-8 p.m. For additional details, visit Facebook.com/LiarsClubChicago.

The Lemonheads perform at Space from Friday, December 29-Sunday, December 31. For additional details, visit TheLemonheads.net and EvanstonSpace.com.