Thursday night Schlager!

My favorite Thursday night activity: Schlagernacht! A plate of fork-tender schnitzel mit spätzle and individual pitcher of gravy at the Mirabell on Addison while listening to Pieptone!

Pieptone! ["Peep-tone"] tackles early, twisty Schlagermüsik in the form of a crisp four-person band. From their bio: "Pieptone! was conceived by former Goethe Institut students who thought a party band that sings 'auf Deutsch' might be a good way to bring language learners together . . . the Pieptone! songbook is from the pre-British Invasion 1950s and 60s, when bands and singers from Europe and the US cut the same single in two, three, or four languages." I can say that their songs definitely stick in the head as intended, especially if you spent any formative years in German class. Try listening to "Souvenirs aus Tokio"; the phrase "Vater, Mutter, Kinder und die Ooooooma" is permanently grooved in my noggin. [Full disclosure: I designed their "P" logo. Woo.]

Pieptone! plays the back room at the Mirabell restaurant every Thursday around 8:00 pm. They play Saturday, May 1, at Lizard's Liquid Lounge and next Friday, May 7, at the Flesh Hungry Dog Show at Jackhammer.