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Cultural Stimuli in CHI
Issue 24: local flavor
Not to be outdone by imports and out-of-towners, this week Chicago turns to its own, discovering the pleasures hidden deep in the throat of the body politic and beyond: meeting 'n greeting an Illinois-bred critic extraordinaire, taking a plunge into the frigid waters of Lake Michigan, and partying heartily for the Second City's 168th birthday. As a locally-grown poet makes your heart go pitter pat, reflect upon how nice it is to come home and taste the local fare, be it a hot dog with tomatoes, pickles, and hot peppers, or four fried chickens and a Coke — if you can stomach all that, then in our books you deserve to spread it.
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flavorpill is an email magazine covering a hand-picked selection of music, art, and cultural events — delivered each Tuesday afternoon.
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It's that time of year again — M3 is returning to Miami in March and that means time to book your plane ticket and hotel room! With four nights of poolside parties, a two-day industry summit, a film and video festival, networking events, yoga on the beach, and a week-long pass to the hottest events throughout South Beach, M3 represents the culmination of this annual Miami Beach tradition. March 23 - 26. Time to hit the beach. |
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| FILM |
Inside Deep Throat
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Filmmakers Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey, directors of Party Monster (2003), have turned their lens onto another side of decadence by taking on the cultural impact of Deep Throat. Originally made in 1972 for $25K, the first crossover porno has become one of the most profitable films of all time. Inside Deep Throat traces the captivating history surrounding the flick, from the sexual revolution to the pornography boom and subsequent backlash in America. The filmmakers interview stars Linda Lovelace and Harry Reams, as well as such cultural icons as Gore Vidal, Norman Mailer, and John Waters. After debuting at this year's Sundance festival, this probing documentary finds its way to Chicago's Landmark Century Centre Cinema today. (TCR)
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| PERFORMANCE |
Anna Deavere Smith: Snapshots: Glimpses of America in Change
| when: |
Tue 3.1 (7pm) |
| where: |
Mandel Hall (1131 E 57th St, 773.702.8080) map |
| price: |
$15 |
| links: |
Event Info |
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Go to the wrong one-woman show, and you could end up watching an actress painfully rehash her last therapy session. Not so with Snapshots: Glimpses of America in Change — in Anna Deavere Smith's award-winning hands (she received a MacArthur Foundation "genius" Fellowship), the one-woman perfomance is transformed from solipsistic exercise into thoughtful sociopolitical commentary. Smith's scripting technique utilizes a journalistic approach, culling material from interviews with a multitude of subjects. Taking on more personalities than Sybil, Smith assumes the character of each of her interviewees, giving voice to their unique points of view. Offering both a current events discussion and fiercely incisive performance, Snapshots is two shows (and up to 46 personalities) in one. (BPM)
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| DISCUSSION |
The Blues Brothers at 25
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If you've got a full tank of gas and half a pack of cigarettes, or it's dark and you're wearing sunglasses, you should see The Blues Brothers (if you haven't already). Despite recent efforts to dilute Jake and Elwood's legacy (BB2000, anyone?), the Blueses haven't aged a bit, and remain true Chicago-incarnates. Tonight the Newberry Library summons the souls of John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd in celebration of the 25th anniversary of John Landis' salute to the Second City, deconstructing the myth of the infamous "mission from God" that trashed the Daley Center, cruised Lower Wacker, and featured plenty of orange whips. Don't worry, diehards — tonight's presentation includes both country and western music. (SB)
 Who was the other guitarist (NOT Matt "Guitar" Murphy) in the Blues Brothers' Band? The seventh correct answer wins a pair of tickets to this event.
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| LECTURE |
Jeff Chang: Can't Stop Won't Stop Tour
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Somewhere between the dog-whistle sirens of Dr. Dre's G-funk and the canal-dredging gutter-bass of Kingston's yard soundclashes lies the heart of hip-hop, four chambers of muscle setting a culture's rhythm. It started with rec-center parties in the blitzkrieged Bronx and quickly spread like buckshot, conquering every scene it encountered. Bay Area journalist/critic Jeff Chang's stunning new book, Can't Stop Won't Stop, is hip-hop's tale, with emphasis placed on its frequent political excursions: Bensonhurst, the LA Riots, and Bernhard Goetz, to name three. Chang, who reads from CSWS tonight, rightly recognizes hip-hop as a folk art, dissecting its significance to the African American community. No one has ever written a better book on the subject. (YS)
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| MUSIC: Rock En Español |
La Peña: Rock En Español Night
| when: |
Wed 3.2 (8:30pm) |
| where: |
Old Town School of Folk Music (4544 N Lincoln Ave, 773.728.6000) map |
| price: |
FREE ($5 suggested donation) |
| links: |
Event Info |
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El Chopito began as a pair of record stores located on the West Side (4545 W Division and 6010 W Fullerton), stocking rare albums and functioning as a twin outpost of the city's Rock En Español community. The brainchild of founder Alberto Cabrera (aka El Greñas), El Chopito has both nurtured the scene and grown with it, spinning off a radio show, a concert promotion company, and recently expanding into an independent record label. Tonight's concert at the Old Town School of Folk Music features solid local talent paying tribute to the many accomplishments of this vital institution. (PS)
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| MUSIC: Instrumental Indie |
The Octopus Project
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Crafting danceable and tuneful instrumental music, with intertwining keyboard and guitar riffs driven by propulsive drumming, the Octopus Project offer something more squishy than glitchy; organic music with a lo-fi electricity humming just below the surface. A trio of Austin musicians whose Tortoise-influenced music is augmented by friends and the occasional electronic beat, the Octopus Project come out on the human side of the tussle between real drummers and the machines that occasionally threaten to supplant them. Their live show is energetic and dance floor ready, with no pesky vocalist to distract from the beats. (PDS)
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| MUSIC: Indie Rock |
Hot Hot Heat w/ Louis XIV
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Combining singer Steve Bays' spastic '80s sneers with waves of frenetic organ, lockstep drumming, and high-octane guitar riffs, Canadian foursome Hot Hot Heat sounds like a chain reaction perilously close to a meltdown. Touring in anticipation of their major label debut, Elevator (due in April), the group is playing in smaller venues — all the better to bring their catchy, thrashing tunes to a boil. The opener, San Diego's Louis XIV, brings a different type of energy to stage, coyly delivering oversexed lyrics while laying down trashy punk rock. (PS)
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| DANCE |
Ralph Lemon: Come home Charley Patton
| when: |
Thur 3.3 (7:30) |
| where: |
Museum of Contemporary Art (220 E Chicago Ave, 312.280.2660) map |
| price: |
$24 |
| links: |
Event Info | Ralph Lemon |
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The impressive conclusion to Ralph Lemon's Geography Trilogy is the product of the choreographer/director's nine-year journey of reflection upon the American racial divide. This affecting multimedia dance performance combines images of the Civil Rights movement with depression-era blues and loose urban kinetiscism. While parts one and two deal with African-Americans' origins, Lemon's conclusion explores the complicated state of race and spirituality in the United States. Come home Charley Patton intertwines Black America with the unsettling history of this great nation. (SB)
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| CITY GEM |
Chicago's 168th Birthday!
| when: |
Fri 3.4 (10am) |
| where: |
Chicago Historical Society (Clark St at North Ave, 312.642.4600) map |
| price: |
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| links: |
Event Info |
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On March 4th, 1837, a little chunklet of northeastern-Illinois soil was granted cityhood; on March the 4th, 2005, Richard M. Daley, beloved mayor of the aforementioned chunklet (now called Chicago) gathered his citizens at the local Historical Society and threw a big party! Yes, it's hard to believe it's been 168 years, but our little Chicago is all grown up – those awkward teenage years just flew by (daily bear attacks!), and the city's hopeful-yet-confused 20s weren't as bad as they seemed at the time. Join the mayor in this celebration with performances by the Latin School of Chicago Jazz Band and Civil War buffs the Battlefield Balladeers, and honest-to-goodness birthday cake. (TG)
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| FUNDRAISER |
Human Rights Campaign's Laughing Out Loud Benefit
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The laughs aren't the only things coming out for the Fifth Annual Laughing Out Loud event. This Human Rights Campaign fundraiser is back for two nights of witty, clever, and openly gay comedy. Friday night's headliner is Ant, who has been seen on Comedy Central's Last Comic Standing and more recently was the host of VH1's Celebrity Fit Club. Marga Gomez takes the mic on Saturday night, with one-liners and family stories that have landed her spots on HBO, Showtime, and PBS (good thing she got in there before the Postcards from Buster fiasco). With all the prejudice surrounding gay America, we need a few nights of laughter — this HRC benefit is just what the doctor ordered. (MH)
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| FASHION |
Orlando Espinoza Spring/Summer 2005 Fashion Show presented by Beau Brummell
| when: |
Fri 3.4 (10pm) |
| where: |
MODA (25 W Hubbard St, 312.458.9866) map |
| price: |
$50 |
| links: |
Orlando Espinoza |
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MODA, a lounge-y nightclub known for style savvy (it features flat-screen TVs continually running footage from worldwide fashion shows), is an ideal place to preview the women's spring/summer line by Chicago-based designer Orlando Espinoza. For the runway portion of the night, hot young things show off Espinoza's characteristically sleek, sexy designs in silk and rayon (count on many a plunging neckline). The event was organized by personal shopping service Beau Brummell; admission includes appetizers from Palaggi's restaurant and chocolate fondue desserts from the Melting Pot; proceeds benefit the Bottomless Closet, a nonprofit that provides business clothing, career skills, and image coaching to underprivileged women. (KA)
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| MUSIC: Indie Pop |
Pit er Pat w/ Menomena
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With members whose favorite non-band activities include baking pies for friends, sewing small animals for babies and art galleries, and sound design for cartoons, it makes good sense that Pit er Pat embody the whimsy of youth. Childlike, but far from childish, the Chicago trio's bass-drums-organ lineup chugs along like a tiny toy train, with Fay Davis-Jeffers' and Rob Doran's vocals melting together like your favorite aunt and uncle singing you to sleep — assuming they were big Raincoats fans. Openers Menomena (from The Muppet Show: sing it with us, "doo-DOO-doo-doo-doo") derive their distinctive sound from a custom loop-making computer program, proving that nerds really do make better lovers. (TG)
What makes your heart go pitter pat? Our favorite two answers each win a pair of tickets to this event.
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| FILM |
Roger Ebert Book Signing
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Recently, Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic and occasional Richard Roeper supporter Roger Ebert was profiled in the New York Times Magazine, in which he covered everything from Steak 'n Shake to Darwinism. Indeed, "survival of the fittest" would certainly apply to this iconic Chicago Sun-Times reviewer, as his dedication has made him arguably the world's most popular movie buff. Thankfully, Ebert's recent bout with cancer hasn't slowed his workflow down one bit; the man completed almost 300 reviews in 2004. Today he signs copies of his new 544-page cinematic tome, Great Movies II, at the Borders Books & Music on Michigan Avenue. And it's good timing, too — you can congratulate him on correctly predicting Million Dollar Baby's big win. (KM)
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| MUSIC: Fingerstyle Guitar |
Kaki King
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New York's fingerstyle guitarist/composer Kaki King defies her diminutive stature with the power and intensity of her guitar playing. Approaching her six-string's fretboard more like a pianist approaching a keyboard, King grasps her guitar with both hands and unleashes her fingers in a flurry of finger picking, tapping, and rubbing that results in acoustic guitar noise that owes more to rock (especially her love of altered tunings inspired by Mark Kozelek) than folk music. Her self-styled instrumental guitar playing has earned her slots opening for Marianne Faithfull, David Byrne, Keb' Mo', Soulive, and Charlie Hunter; tonight King's the one at center stage, with dobro (resonator guitar) maestro Zebulun opening. (EC)
What instrument did Kaki King play in her high school band? The third correct answer wins a pair of tickets to this event.
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| MUSIC: Global Folk |
Savina Yannatou
| when: |
Sat 3.5 (8pm) |
| where: |
Old Town School of Folk Music (4544 N Lincoln Ave, 773.728.6000) map |
| price: |
$22 |
| links: |
Event Info | Savina Yannatou |
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For anyone curious about the songs sung beyond their national borders and before their time, Savina Yannatou brings a richly illuminating body of work that weaves cultures, countries, and history together. Yannatou uses her transcendent soprano to transmit her knowledge of folksong traditions in an amazing array of languages and dialects. Choosing music freely from her native Greece to Middle Eastern and European traditions, she manages to both honor and update her source materials. Primavera en Salonico, Yannatou's backing band since 1996, use acoustic instruments (the oud and ney, as well as the accordion and violin) with the tendencies of avant-garde folk musicians who aren't afraid to improvise in order to tell the old story that Savina makes new. (PDS)
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| MUSIC: Alt-Pop |
The Frames
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Hailed far and wide as the next U2, Dublin's alt-rock outfit the Frames are finally getting some visibility stateside — this, after releasing eight full-length records, collaborating with Steve Albini, and being nominated for numerous Meteor Awards (Ireland's equivalent of the Grammys). Band founder and lead vocalist Glen Hansard is moodier than Bono, his guitar-driven songs swirling from sweet to angst-ridden. The presence of the violin, played by Colm MacConlomaire, adds to the band's melancholy. This Chicago gig is part of an international tour in support of their latest release, Burn the Maps. (KA)
In what rock 'n roll film did the Frames' frontman Glen Hansard star, and what was his character's name? Correct answers number five and ten each win a pair of tickets to this event.
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| DJ |
DJs Upstairs feat. Cynthia Plaster Caster w/ members of the New Constitution
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DJs Upstairs, a celebration of influential tunes chosen by a famous artist or musician, is a new monthly gathering at Schubas' second-floor space. Few artists are as oddly appropriate for this series as sculptor and groupie Cynthia Plaster Caster, who co-hosts this month's installment with retro rockers the New Constitution. Few people know rock 'n roll like Cynthia; for years she's been making plaster casts of famous rockers' penises, including Jimi Hendrix, members of the MC5 and Bobby Conn (she's also made chest molds of ladies like Sally Timms and Peaches). Who better to spin a set of classic rock than someone who's been as close to the artists as Cynthia? (PS)
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| SPECTACLE |
Fifth Annual Chicago Polar Plunge
| when: |
Sun 3.6 (8:30am registration / 9am costume contest / 9:15am plunge) |
| where: |
North Ave Beach (North Ave and Lake Shore Dr, 312.527.3743) |
| price: |
FREE for spectators / $125 minimum pledge for plungers |
| links: |
Event Info |
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While most Chicagoans go into deep hibernation during the winter, staying away from the lake until it's comfortably midsummer, there's a hardy minority who actually embrace the elements in all their miserable glory — the organizers of the Fifth Annual Chicago Polar plunge are resolutely among that second group. They receive pledges from friends and family to take a dip in ice-cold Lake Michigan with proceeds benefitting Special Olympics Chicago. For onlookers, along with the alluring spectacle of the foolhardy ice bathers, there's also a costume contest and a post-plunge party at the North Beach Club. (TL)
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| SPOKEN WORD |
Thax Douglas and Chris Connelly
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If you've been to a rock show in the last few years, you've probably seen Thax Douglas: a tall, bearded poet with a focused gaze, part Timothy Leary and part Walt Whitman. A true Chicago indie institution, Thax has read hundreds of his original poems — mostly paeans to the band about to perform — at concerts throughout the city. Thax, who recently released an album of his own readings on Tight Ship Records, performs as part of the Myopic Books Poetry Series, an event he himself started 13 years ago. Chris Connelly opens the evening with his own poems. (PS)
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| MUSIC: Jazz |
Directions in Music feat. Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, and Roy Hargrove
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When Miles Davis gave his classic album Bitches Brew the unofficial subtitle "Directions in Music," he made a bold claim — few musicians aside from the legendary keysman Herbie Hancock (an original player on the jazz-fusion opus) could carry on the progressive tradition. To celebrate the late Davis' and fabled saxman John Coltrane's 75th birthdays in 2001, Hancock teamed with trumpeter Roy Hargrove and saxophonist Michael Brecker for a tribute album and subsequent tour on which they paid homage to their innovative heroes. On this new tour, Davis' and Coltrane's legacies are further transformed with fresh takes on "So What" and Brecker's own "D Trane," but the trio keeps things pointed in the same forward direction. (KT)
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| MULTIMEDIA |
Game On: The History, Culture and Future of Video Games
| when: |
Opens Fri 3.4 |
| where: |
Museum of Science and Industry (57th Street and Lake Shore Dr, 773.684.1414) map |
| price: |
$9 |
| links: |
Event Info |
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The "blip-blip" of descending Space Invaders and the "squish" of Frogger hitting the pavement seem like sounds from the distant past — precipitating flashbacks from those years when you were rocking leg warmers and cutting a rug to Footloose. But these, and tons of other old-school video games, resurface in this new exhibit, which explores the game design process while looking at how culture and geography play a role in the gaming craze (expect coverage of the Japanese Pokémon phenomenon). The real highlights are the more than 125 video games that are there to play, from the 1962 gem SpaceWar!, all the way up to today's fave Golden Tee Live 2005. (KA)
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ARTY BEATS: UbuWeb |
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iTunes accounts for 70 percent of downloads worldwide, but what the service hasn't got still infuriates (Krush's "House Arrest" and Soho's "Hippy Chick," for starters). They don't even have Salvador Dalí's '67 Flexidisc seven-inch as an mp3! Enter UbuWeb — a highbrow art and culture website featuring conceptual writing, poetry, and a brilliant sound-resource archive. Where else are you going to find Yves Klein's Monotone Symphony, archived talks by William S. Burroughs, and a Joseph Beuys song that sees the German artist intoning "Ja Ja Ja," then "Nee Nee Nee," for three minutes? Unusually interesting, as is the entire site. (SR)
UbuWeb
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CD REVIEW: Various Artists, Team Kitty-Yo |
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Kitty-Yo
Released February 2005
$15.50 (Forced Exposure)
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Perhaps best known stateside for breaking Canadian ex-pats Peaches and Gonzales, Kitty-Yo has stood as one of Berlin's most progressive labels since 1994, releasing everything from kitschy electro and minimal techno to folk and post-rock. As evidenced by this collection, the breadth of the Kitty-Yo catalogue also spans from gentle, ethereal bliss-pop to soundtracks for debauched all-nighters. For example, Maximilian Hecker's glacial "Help Me," echoing the dreamy atmospherics of Sigur Rós, is contrasted with the bounce and swollen synths of Gold Chains and Sue Cie's "Crowd Control." It's admittedly tough to switch gears in such an extreme fashion on one CD, but it's an equally bold testament to the label's open-minded music policy. The second disc, meanwhile, contains rare and unreleased material, highlighted by To Rococo Rot's electro-fusion track "Testfeld" and Tarwater's dreamy, melancholic "Doppelgänger." (CJN)
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STREAMS: Dublab |
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While electronic music seems to be shatter into more tiny subgenres with every passing week, Dublab keeps you clued in to the latest, most innovative sounds and the roots they've been built upon. Founded just three years ago, the site now features close to 70,000 devotees and counting. Guest DJs are given total freedom of selection and encouraged to explore their widest musical visions. Here, check a mix from the Brazilian bricolage artist Amon Tobin, who throws down his cut 'n paste avant breakery. Next, Dub Club Soundsystem and Ras Congo bring forth the rocksteady vibes. Finally, Dublab's own Frosty closes things out, playing the crew's favorite tunes of the moment, including tracks from Prefuse 73, Manitoba, and Low Res. (CJN)
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Amon Tobin: Dublab exclusive mix (Breakbeat noir)
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Dub Club Soundsystem / Ras Congo: Dublab exclusive mix (Dub / rocksteady)
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Frosty: Ten Elements mix (Hip-hop / experimental)
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| Header Design: |
| Charlie Trotter's | Robert Davis & Michael Langlois | | |
| Editors: |
| Improv Olympic | Amy Clarke | | Tribune tower | Jocelyn K. Glei | | Curse of the goat | Todd Goldstein | | Boat tours | Jake Lancaster | | Lake Michigan | Paul Laster | | The grid system | Doug Levy | | Farm at the zoo | Sascha Lewis | | Art Institute | Mark Mangan | | Danny's | Colin J. Nagy | | Liz Phair | Lauren Ragland | | Millennium Park | Philip H. Sherburne | | Hot dogs | Peter D. Stepek | | The weather! | Toby Warner | | |
| ABOUT US |
| flavorpill CHICAGO is a free weekly mailer covering music, arts, and cultural events in Chicago. All listings are pure editorial, never paid advertisements. No money is accepted from venues, artists, or promoters. Read more about us, and spread it... |
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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 SUBMISSIONS |
| To let us know about an upcoming event that you think belongs here, please email us at events. |
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| Contributors: |
| Green spaces | Kelly Aiglon | | Bike lanes | Sean Biehle | | City politics | Erika Christiansen | | Music scene | Jessa Crispin | | Wrigley field | Victor Ganic | | My fiancee | Mia Horberg | | Graffiti busters | Darlene Jackson | | [Ray_rod] | Mac Jenkins | | Studs Terkel | Thomas Lawler | | Chicago, the band | Eric Maloney | | Muddy Waters | Karl P. Meier | | Gramaphone | Ken Meier | | The Loop | Ryan Peterson | | Lincoln Park | Todd C. Roberts | | Old Style | Patrick Sisson | | Lakeshore Drive | Yancey Strickler | | Wilco | Ken Taylor | | Stuffed pizza | Craig Tiede | | |
Production: |
| Stanley's | Anjuli Ayer | | Roger Ebert | David Morrow | | The water tower | Briana P Mowrey | | Drake Hotel sign | Jamend Riley | | |
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© 2005 Flavorpill Productions LLC. All rights reserved.
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