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 Patrick J. Murphy |
Cultural Stimuli in CHI
Issue 149: enchanting flavor
We assume you've spent the weekend under a self-imposed media blackout, weaving a spoiler-free cocoon around yourself so you could devour all 700 pages of the final Harry Potter caper and learn what every Potter-phile wanted to know: did Harry ditch the whole "magic" thing and join a NASCAR pit crew? Regardless of how the series actually arrived at its denouement, this week conjures up quite a few reasons to set your dog ears in place and get out of the house. The march of the music festivals continues with the Wicker Park Summerfest, featuring enough big-name indie action to be a bona fide Minipalooza. Pull out your pencils and give 'em an R-rated workout with Dr. Sketchy's Burlesque Drawing, then put more of your prurient thoughts to paper with the Erotica Writing 101 workshop. Compare Chicago comics, then and now, with expat Fred Armisen and comedian-on-the-rise Robert Buscemi, and bid adieu to Hogwart's; it's time to hit it or Quidditch — and spread it.
- Quanah Humphreys, Managing Editor
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Flavorpill CHI is an email magazine covering a hand-picked selection of music, art, and cultural events — delivered each Tuesday afternoon.
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| MUSIC: Film |
You're Gonna Miss Me (2005)
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As vocalist for the inarguably influential Summer of Love-era act 13th Floor Elevators, Roky Erickson leveled tripped-out tales over the crunch of whirling, psychedelic guitar. Attacking the genre with an edge that would prove a heavy influence on the legions of hard-psych and grunge acts to come, his group cemented its cult status, but never rose to the ranks of pop-music royalty — in large part because of Erickson's mental instability and crippling drug addiction. Keven McAlester's You're Gonna Miss Me documents Erickson's descent into addiction and paranoid fantasy, as well as his brother's attempt to bring him back into the fold. (AP/JW)
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| ALSO ON TUE |
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PERFORMANCE
Rick Gribenas: [C#m] Before it [A] was.
Tue 7.24 (7pm) Museum of Contemporary Art (220 E Chicago Ave, 312.280.2660) map 
Event Info
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Unseen hands manipulate sound and light as sonic cues are transmitted between floors of the MCA, triggering vibration-activated lights and projections in Rick Gribenas' free performance. (QH)
 
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| DISCUSSION |
How We Remember
| when: |
Wed 7.25 (6pm) |
| where: |
Hyde Park Art Center (5020 S Cornell Ave, 773.324.5520) map |
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| links: |
Event Info |
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The preservation of information is dangerously dependent on the whims of those doing the cataloguing. While there's no shortage of people handling national and international works, the more localized and niche the information, the fewer hands there are to index. As part of the Hyde Park Arts Center's mouthful of a show Pedagogical Factory: Exploring Strategies for an Educated City, the community-focused Chicago Underground Library presents items from its collection and discusses the management of local histories and creative output. If you need a more Da Vinci Code-esque spin on things, consider this the discovery of Chicago's esoteric past, as shared by its secret historians. (QH)
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| WORKSHOP |
Erotica Writing 101
| when: |
Thur 7.26 (7pm) |
| where: |
The Pleasure Chest (3436 N Lincoln Ave, 773.525.7151) map |
| price: |
$30 |
| links: |
Event Info |
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Most of us are too timid to speak about, let alone document or share, the most scandalous and erotic
corners of our minds — but who wants to be labeled a prude? Tonight, put your sensual side
down on paper with the guidance of Ms. Rachel Kramer Bussel, acclaimed author, Penthouse contributing editor, and host of NYC's monthly In the Flesh erotic reading series. Her workshop covers
the basics of erotic writing for websites, magazines, and anthologies, creating pseudonyms, letter writing for
lovers, and how and where to submit your work, as well as some personal exercises for your own writing
pleasure. Who needs foreplay when you've got wordplay? Register or call in advance to let them
know you're coming. (EL)
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| FILM: World Premiere |
Trashed
| when: |
Thur 7.26 (7:30pm) |
| where: |
Music Box Theatre (3733 N Southport Ave, 773.871.6604) map |
| price: |
$10 |
| links: |
Event Info | Trashed |
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Remember the three R's? In the '80s and early '90s, popular environmentalism focused heavily on the
devastatingly toxic effects of garbage. It was piling up everywhere. Landfills
exploded with the stench of our throwaway culture, and we all had to do our bit to curb our
disposable lifestyles. But focuses shift, people despair, and, over time, global warming supplanted
garbage as the most pressing environmental issue. Tonight's world premiere of the super low-budget
enviro-doc Trashed promises to return this crucial aspect of global health to our collective
consciousness. A discussion with director Bill Kirkos follows the screening. (SN)
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| ALSO ON THUR |
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FAIR
23rd Annual Book Fair
Thur 7.26 - Sun 7.29 (Thur & Fri: 12-8pm / Sat & Sun: 10am-6pm) The Newberry Library (60 W Walton St, 312.255.3510) map
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From nerds to novices, the Newberry Library's annual book fair allows literary lovers to pick from more than 100,000 books for their home libraries, with many priced at just a few bucks. (CN)
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| ART |
Christopher Rauschenberg: Daily Life
| when: |
Fri 7.27 - Sun 10.7 (Mon-Thur: 8am-7pm / Fri: 8am-6pm / Sat: 9am-6pm / Sun: 10am-6pm) |
| where: |
Chicago Cultural Center, Michigan Ave Galleries (78 E Washington St, 312.744.6630) map |
| price: |
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Event Info | Christopher Rauschenberg |
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Artist and curator Christopher Rauschenberg — son of renowned pop artist Robert Rauschenberg,
and co-founder of Portland's eminent photography center Blue Sky Gallery — has traveled the
globe as a professional photographer, creating dazzling images of ruins in Chiapas, Mexico, narrow
cobblestone streets in Italy, and temples in Thailand. This exhibition, however, is deliciously
mundane, showcasing a series of photographs Rauschenberg made casually with a digital camera. The
artist describes these pictures as created "when I wasn't wearing my photographer's hat," and their
naïve focus is disarming. There's something fascinating about the off-the-cuff compositions.
Through Rauschenberg's eyes, a birthday cake ablaze, a ripped political poster, a discarded stuffed
animal, and a tacky lamp are modern talismans: magical and symbolic, however ordinary. (AM)
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| MUSIC: Indie Rock |
Bat for Lashes
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British singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Bat for Lashes (née Natasha Khan) is about to cast her spell upon us. Her debut album, Fur and Gold, is the product of an intensely creative vision reminiscent of Edward Gorey's macabre fairytales. Drawing inspiration from her dreams, Khan's voice weaves in and out of stories about wild horses, court jesters, and Joan of Arc, all of which are illuminated by autoharp, piano, and choirgirl harmonies. A truly unique entity, Khan transports you to another world that is at once beautiful, haunting, and magical. (AH)
 How did Natasha Khan prepare to record the vocals on "Sad Eyes"? Two randomly drawn correct responses each receive a pair of tickets to this show. Entries close at 6pm on Tue 7.24.
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| ART |
Alexander Calder in Focus
| when: |
Sat 7.28 - Sun 4.8.08 (Tue: 10am-8pm / Wed-Sun: 10am-5pm) |
| where: |
Museum of Contemporary Art (220 E Chicago Ave, 312.280.2660) map |
| price: |
$10 |
| links: |
Event Info | Alexander Calder |
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This exhibition of Alexander Calder's work is on loan from the Horwich family, local
collectors who reportedly own the country's largest trove of work by the legendary artist. During a career that spanned more than 50 years, Calder no less than invented the mobile, and his signature red "stabile,"
Flamingo, graces our own Federal Plaza. The show features a variety of stunning works, ranging
from 1945's cubist-meets-minimalist wire sculpture Little Face to his archetypal
primary-colored kinetic mobiles and a captivating '50s sculpture of a bird whose plumage is fashioned
from multihued beer cans. (AM)
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| FESTIVAL |
Wicker Park Fest
| when: |
Sat 7.28 & Sun 7.29 (11:30am-10pm) |
| where: |
Wicker Park (Damen Ave btwn Schiller St & North Ave, 773.384.2672) map |
| price: |
$5 suggested donation |
| links: |
Event Info |
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Drawing from its artistic and eclectic neighborhoods (including Bucktown), the Wicker Park Fest is fast becoming one of Chicago's most popular summertime events. On two stages over two days, more than 30 indie-rock upstarts and icons flaunt their cutting-edge compositions, with highlights including Pit Er Pat's fresh, post-rock pounding, Sub Pop foursome the Thermals, glitch-hop guru Prefuse 73, and the Benevento/Russo Duo. The fest also includes comestibles from the best local eateries and dozens of artists hawking their wares. (AY)
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| COMPETITION |
Windy City Cornhole Classic
| when: |
Sat 7.28 (12pm) |
| where: |
Soldier Field (1410 S Museum Campus Dr, 312.235.7000) map |
| price: |
Free / $15-100 to compete |
| links: |
Event Info |
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Stellar athletes and fierce adversaries regularly gather on Soldier Field for amazing feats of sportsmanship. Today, the same idea — kind of — holds true for the first annual Windy City Cornhole Classic. Sure, you may think of the friendly backyard BBQ game, but these bag-tossers mean business, with different categories for first timers, casual players, and hard-boiled competitors. Skill level aside, though, the top finishers in each group win a cash prize. And don't worry, the big-league event has all the amenities of your backyard game, including food, tunes, and, perhaps most importantly, ice-cold beer. (AY)
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| FAIR |
DIY Neighborhood: Logan Square
| when: |
Sat 7.28 (1-4pm) |
| where: |
Logan Square (2952 W Lyndale Ave) map |
| price: |
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| links: |
Event Info |
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Chicago's no New York in the rude-neighbors department, but, hey, we could all be a little more
neighborly to our fellow denizens, no? Neighbors Project, an upstart nonprofit devoted to improving,
strengthening, and revitalizing Chicago neighborhoods, is here to educate the "urban generation" on
developing clean and cozy 'hoods across the city. Rather than Park Slope-ing our many rapidly
gentrifying communities, this burgeoning social movement hopes to bridge the divide between local
immigrant populations and the newly arrived young professionals who both call them home.
This afternoon's interactive open house — with valet stroller parking (what was that about gentrification?) and assorted yummies — offers practical and effective tips on how to create a more
welcoming community vibe and cultivate the elusive "next-door rapport." (SN)
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| CABARET/BURLESQUE |
Dr. Sketchy's Chicago presents Beach Blanket Burlesque!
| when: |
Sat 7.28 (3-6pm) |
| where: |
Five Star Bar and Grill (1424 W Chicago Ave, 312.850.2555) map |
| price: |
$10 suggested donation / $15 advance |
| links: |
Event Info |
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Avid No. 2 hobbyists and studio artists alike tire of drawing the same old odalisque, lounging on a couch, or yet another dude with his chin on his fist, so Dr. Sketchy decided to vamp up the sex appeal and put it all out there — literally. Sharpen your pencils and put on your best pair of specs for a variety of delectable models, including contortionists, burlesque dancers, heavily tattooed human canvases, and men with bodies that would make a young Arnold Schwarzenegger cry. Throw down a few bucks on some liquid courage and keep your cool, because, if know how to draw, you may go home with a portrait and a prize. (AY)
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| MUSIC: Metal |
High on Fire w/ Don Caballero
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For old-school trio High on Fire, who cite classic '80s metal bands like Celtic Frost and Saint Vitus
as influences, it's not so much about the destination as it is about the brutal, mind-crushing
journey. The long-running outfit — whose name was inspired by the spooky/insane ELO song "Fire
on High" — counts Matt Pike of legendary doom-metal kings Sleep and Joe Preston of Sunn O))) as
members, so it's little wonder where it gets its propensity for blistering caterwauling, gnarly
guitar solos and extended jams. The band's tom-heavy, mega opuses of crash-and-burn guitar riffs and
searing bass lines don't end with a bang, but with a wicked fallout that permeates your soul while
perforating your eardrums. Earplugs are suggested for the timid. (SN)
What did Matt Pike aspire to before becoming a musician? Two randomly drawn correct responses each receive a pair of tickets to this show. Entries close at 6pm on Tue 7.24.
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| DJ |
Dante Carfagna
| when: |
Sat 7.28 (10pm) |
| where: |
Lumen (839 W Fulton Market, 312.733.2222) map |
| price: |
with RSVP |
| links: |
Event Info |
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Few scholars can spin with the skill and passion of Dante Carfagna, Chicago's own wax professor. Then again, few have his credentials. An editor and writer for the prestigious magazine Wax Poetics and a dedicated collector (check out his catalog of Ohio soul records), Carfagna has a record crate that runs deeper than Dusty Groove's stockroom. He's also involved in numerous reissue projects and is supposedly at work with DJ Shadow on a book about funk 45s. Even skeptics can rest assured that the man's a deft DJ and has produced scores of solid instrumental hip-hop tracks on his own. (PS)
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| ALSO ON SAT |
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ARTS & CRAFTS
Paper Source Summer Warehouse Sale
Sat 7.28 & Sun 7.29 (9am-4pm) Paper Source Warehouse (328 S Jefferson St, 888.727.3711) map
Event Info
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This semi-annual sale works crafty paper-lovers into an all-out frenzy, grabbing for that perfect
(and perfectly discounted) stationery set. It's cash only and super crowded, so watch that back
pocket, y'hear. (EW)
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| COMEDY |
Robert Buscemi w/ Kumail, Jared Logan, and Andy Ross
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Chicago comic Robert Buscemi and a host of other local comics perform tonight to promote his
recently wrapped DVD (t)wit!, filmed last September at Subterranean. Buscemi's face has long
been familiar on the local comedy scene, but he's gaining more and more exposure on a national level
with his signature brand of bizarre humor. Catching audiences off guard with its spontaneous energy, Buscemi's standup has been compared to Andy Kaufman's — though, over the years, some acting experience has led to a stage show that tempers its copious weirdness with a little more polish. (CN)
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| MUSIC: Indie Rock |
Tigercity w/ Beat the Devil
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Think of every word that's been tacked on to the word "pop": power, twee, dance, punk, electro, etc. All the journos are trying to say is that, despite the prefix, the music is hypnotically catchy and enchants in less than four minutes. For Tigercity, all of the above labels fit, as the quartet effortlessly hopscotches through subgenres with the panache of a kid on a Pop Rocks binge. It's not all on the surface, though, as the group's sweet sounds run deeper than cavities. Miss 'em, and the only pop you'll hear will be that of your Sunday night's bubble bursting. Headed up by NYC's inimitable wailer Shilpa Ray, indie-noir trio Beat the Devil opens. (FK)
Which band first inspired Tigercity's Bill Gillim to kick off the clunky shoes and dance? Two randomly drawn correct responses each receive a pair of tickets to this show. Entries close at 6pm on Tue 7.24.
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| COMEDY |
People Under the Stares feat. Fred Armisen w/ Paul F. Tompkins
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Just as Steve Dahl calls Jim Belushi "the funniest living Belushi," so could one plausibly deem Fred
Armisen the "second-funniest indie-rock drummer after Jon Wurster." After years banging away with
Trenchmouth in small rock clubs, Armisen hit it big with an underground video shot in Austin at the
South by Southwest music festival. Featuring Ali G-esque goofball characters straight-facedly asking
silly questions of pompous music-industry big shots, Armisen's tape became required viewing in
hipster circles and eventually landed him a Saturday Night Live gig. He performs tonight with
the erudite and dependably funny Paul F. Tompkins. (BB)
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| MUSIC: Indie Pop |
Walking Bicycles w/ Unicycle Loves You
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When local sunshine popsters Unicycle Loves You appeared on the Chicago scene nine months ago, they
seemed fully formed, as if they'd stepped out of some secret Frankenstein indie-pop factory. At their
first show in November of last year, the irrepressibly ebullient quartet arrived with an easy
onstage chemistry and a stable of perfectly appointed pop songs, replete with clarion harmonies and
'60s-style innocence. The lighthearted sound that garnered them immediate praise in the blogosphere
has wisely retained its original whimsy with the help of tambourines and clap-alongs, while steadily
increasing in complexity and sophistication. Tonight they'll be previewing tracks off their
forthcoming full-length debut, due out this fall. Fellow pedal-lovers Walking Bicycles headline. (SN)
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| ART |
Jesse Chapman, Aliza Nisenbaum, and William J. O'Brien
| when: |
Now through Sat 8.4 (Wed-Sat: 12-6pm) |
| where: |
Shane Campbell Gallery (1431 W Chicago Ave, 312.226.2223) map |
| price: |
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| links: |
Event Info |
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In Aliza Nisenbaum's two untitled large-scale paintings, the interest is in the surface. Broad, bold, and sweeping strokes reveal subtle geometry and swaths of faint shimmer. Masterful draftsman William J. O'Brien's series of mesmerizing ink paintings swells with organic shapes in a muted palette of earth and faded jewel tones, while Jesse Chapman's two compositions are thoroughly uncanny — one an earthy rendering of logs that veers sharply into abstraction, and the other a textured, violently wrought figure painting. (AM)
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| ART |
This Side of Hope
| when: |
Now through Sun 9.30 (Wed-Fri: 10am-6pm / Sat: 10am-3pm) |
| where: |
The Architrouve (1433 W Chicago Ave, 312.563.0977) map |
| price: |
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| links: |
Event Info |
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Black, white, and shades of gray are the ties that bind these three artists together, both aesthetically and conceptually. Photojournalist Carlos J. Ortiz's Street Impressions is a tender series of urban observations that includes scenes of street-parade pageantry, the skewed perspective afforded by skyscrapers, and birds in flight, while Jon Lowenstein's city scenes have a distressed and hazy look. In one scene, Lake Michigan waves crash, with the skyline rising poignantly in the background. Michael Genovese's multimedia work ranges from intricate decorative illustrations to large, painterly gestures on engraved aluminum, in an ingenious counterpoint to the glossy photography. (AM)
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INTERNET KILLED THE RADIO STAR: Ubroadcast.com |
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Seeing as 2006 was the year of "You," maybe it's time to jump on that DIY media bandwagon and create a Net station all your own. Ubroadcast.com provides an alternative beyond the basic podcast, taking you into the realm of live-and-direct streaming radio from your laptop. With some standard equipment (i.e., mic, headphones, the contents of your hard drive) and free, site-specific software, you have free rein over content, broadcast times, and even advertisers if you so choose. Barring hate speech, your station is uncensored and FCC-free. Unfortunately for the Mac-friendly, Ubroadcast is still a Windows-only application — though plans to develop both player and station-manager software to accommodate Mac users are slated to bow in coming months. Visit the downloads section and check out Audacity, the cross-platform sound-mixing software to get your sound right when you go live. (RB)
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CD REVIEW: Misha, Teardrop Sweetheart |
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Tomlab
Released June 2007
$15.98 (Amazon)
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Misha trade in fuzzy electronics, acoustic instrumentation, pop structures, and vocals just this side of twee. That might send up a Morr Records flag, but the New York-based act — chiefly the work of Ashley Yao and John Chao — refuses pigeonholing on debut album Teardrop Sweetheart, eschewing both the overly precious and the cookie-cutter melancholia that ostensibly electro-pop acts often fall prey to. In fact, Misha pass through arrangements and moods handily over 40 minutes, evading easy categorization with sharply detailed but unfussy songwriting — as on "Delovedly," where vocalist John Chao sings in a Lennon-esque timbre over soft keys and breezy harmonies. Woozy synth washes, field recordings of a night out, and a thick, dubby pulse underpin "The Book (of Glaciers)," and the gauzy, galloping breathlessness of "Sumersend" makes for one of the most sublime soundtracks to the season. (CJN)
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MEDIA: Flavorpill Radio |
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Each week, Flavorpill's Viva Radio program showcases a healthy cross-section of the music that's made it into our city mailers (not to mention our personal playlists). Episode 35 features a new cut from Modeselektor's highly anticipated September release, as well as heavy dubstep pressure from London's Burial. Laptop-free Warp signings Gravenhurst round things out with somber indie rock, contrasting nicely with the decidedly upbeat disco stylings of Brooklyn's Escort. New shows air every Friday, and past programs are archived for your listening pleasure, so stay tuned for more emerging bands, standout artists, and lovably obscure thematic mixes. (CJN)
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| Header Design: |
| Patrick J. Murphy |
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| Editors: |
| Anna Balkrishna | | Quanah Humphreys | | Doug Levy | | Sascha Lewis | | Mark Mangan | | Audrey Mast | | Kristin Miller | | Suzanne Niemoth | | Colin J. Nagy | | Patrick Sisson | | Joel Withrow | | Zolton Zavos |
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| ABOUT US |
| Flavorpill CHI is a free weekly email magazine covering cultural happenings, across art, music, film, theatre, dance, literature, and DJ events. All content is produced by a local team of writers in Chicago. We don't include sold-out events, and all listings are pure editorial — no money is accepted from venues, artists, or promoters. Read more about us. |
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| FEEDBACK |
| Please let us know what's on your mind, any and all feedback — comments, questions, ideas, or rants. |
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| EVENT & DESIGN SUBMISSIONS |
To let us know about an upcoming event that you think belongs here, please email us at events at least two weeks prior to the date. To increase the chances of your event being listed, read our full event submission guidelines.
To find out more about submitting cover art to run at the top of Flavorpill publications, go to flavorpill.net/design. |
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| Contributors: |
| Ben Bass | | Regina Bresler | | Aimee Hartley | | Foster Kamer | | Erica Levin | | Courtney Nash | | Andrew Phillips | | Emily Withrow | | Allison Yates |
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| Production: |
| Anjuli Ayer | | Axel Anderson | | Jessica Bauer-Greene | | Morgan Croney | | Myla Dalbesio | | Josh Deeden | | Teel Lassiter | | Sarah Steele | | Judah Wiedre | | Daphne Yang |
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| Every week, Flavorpill CHI presents one exclusive media partner. Click for more information about advertising opportunities on all Flavorpill publications. |
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A twice-monthly email magazine highlighting the latest in electronic music — including news, reviews, and original features
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