 |
|
 |
| |
|
|
 |
 Marcelo Baldin Petriaggi |
Cultural Stimuli in CHI
Issue 47: hyperactive flavor
This week finds our fair city with more jitters than a caffeine-addled tiger in a roller derby. The raw, abstract energy is palpable, coursing through the streets and causing normally demure novelists to pump up their volumes in a red-eyed race to auteur-hood. Don't pack it in, though, if you aren't hardcore enough for this festival of chaos. There will be plenty of time to recover later — trust us. Until then, embrace your attention deficits, pull some all-nighters, and spread it!
|
|
flavorpill is an email magazine covering a hand-picked selection of music, art, and cultural events — delivered each Tuesday afternoon.
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
Sign up for Summer School, where Salon takes on Tolstoy, Bronte, and other great writers you meant to read — but never did. |
|
|
|
 |
| LECTURE: Art |
12x12: Deb Sokolow
| when: |
Tue 8.9 (6:30pm) |
| where: |
Museum of Contemporary Art (220 E Chicago Ave, 312.280.2660) map |
| price: |
 |
| links: |
Event Info | Deb Sokolow |
|
|
Deb Sokolow's intricate narrative drawings and blueprints describe self-reflections and everyday interpersonal relationships in outlandish detail, often reading like avant-garde, hyperactive graphic novels. Office life is winkingly revealed through absurd bits of disparaging chitchat; an apartment complex is exposed as a cluttered hodgepodge of paranoid observations. Her latest exhibit is a comical, crow's-nest view of a band of pirates laying siege to the city of Chicago, in search of the late Mayor Daley's buried treasure. Sokolow discusses her bizarre brand of visual storytelling tonight at the MCA as part of the 12x12 series. (SB)
|
|
|
 |
| MUSIC: Shouty Pop |
Le Tigre w/ Electrelane
|
|
As unlikely as it may seem, New York-based post-riot grrrl threesome Le Tigre can no longer be called an underground phenomenon. Their third album, This Island, also happens to be their first major label release, and with that milestone comes a sleeker, poppier sound, courtesy of behind-the-scenes noodling by the Cars' Ric Ocasek. Their live shows are a sight to behold, with slide show presentations, arch choreography, and a dollop of art-house fun to power home their socio-political-musical agenda. Tonight, they're paired with Brighton, England's heavily-buzzed Electrelane, who oscillate between moody, cinematic instrumentals and restrained, Stereolab-esque pop. (SE/TG)
 Who is the "don't call him a drag king" performer who regularly warms up Le Tigre's crowds? The third and fourth correct responses each win a pair of tickets this event.
|
|
| READING |
Funny Ha-Ha 4-Ever
| when: |
Wed 8.10 (8pm) |
| where: |
The Hideout (1354 W Wabansia Ave, 773.227.4433) map |
| price: |
$5 donation |
| links: |
Event Info |
|
|
There are (at least) two kinds of funny, differentiated by the oft-used rejoinder, "Was that funny ha-ha, or funny peculiar?" John Tesh, Siamese twins, and Journey touring without frontman Steve Perry are examples of the latter, while the Hideout's reading series strives for the former — that elusive "funny ha-ha." This fourth installment's giggle-merchants include Politically Correct Bedtime Stories author James Finn Garner, RedEye columnist Mark Bazer, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life author Amy Krouse Rosenthal, UR Chicago contributor Leonard Pierce, and WBEZ comedy troupe Schadenfreude. World champion bloggista Claire Zulkey and regular NPR contributor John Green host the readings. (QH)
|
|
| MUSIC: Hip-Hop |
I Self Divine w/ Psalm One
|
|
I Self Divine opens his forthcoming solo debut, Self Destruction, with a sample of Jesse Jackson pumping up the crowd at the famous Wattstax concert. Having the Reverend start it all off may not be terribly gangsta, but it sounds raw and righteous, just like the rest of the Minneapolis hip-hopper's album. As one-half of the Micranots crew, I Self Divine has been spitting serious rhymes for years, but his flow hasn't sounded nearly as gritty as it does on these new tracks. He's joined on stage by Psalm One, one of the most gifted members of Chicago's recent hip-hop crop. (PS)
In 50 words or less, tell us how you perform your own self-divination. Our favorite take on introspection wins a pair of tickets to this event.
|
|
| ALSO ON WED |
|
MUSIC: Glam on the Beach
Bobby Conn w/ Baby Teeth and Judah Johnson
Wed 8.10 (4pm) North Ave Beach (1603 N Lake Shore Dr) map FREE
Event Info |
|
Lounge amongst the sun and surf, whilst ditties from the finest pop bands in the land waft past your slowly tanning ears. Judah Johnson bring the space rock, Baby Teeth geek it up, and headliner Bobby Conn kicks sand in the face of glam. (TG)
 
|
|
|
|
 |
| MUSIC: Experimental Jazz |
Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra
| when: |
Thur 8.11 (6:30pm) |
| where: |
Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park (Monroe & Randolph Sts at Michigan Ave, 312.742.1168) map |
| price: |
|
| links: |
Event Info | Rob Mazurek |
|
|
The sweeping, Gehry-designed Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park is an architectural and acoustic marvel — but rarely do the bands onstage convey the raw, abstract energy suggested by Gehry's wrapped, steel-ribbon design. Enter Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra, an all-star cast of contemporary Chicago experimental-jazz virtuosos: Ken Vandermark, Corey Wilkes, and Jeff Parker, among many others. Mazurek's inventive cornet playing never fails to astonish, especially when he's playing with the Chicago Underground Orchestra. Tonight, Mazurek debuts the largest ensemble he's led to date, a group so collectively exploratory and energetic that the audience can expect to be left shaken — unsuspecting tourists beware. (PS)
|
|
| READING |
3-Day Novel Contest Reading
| when: |
Thur 8.11 (8pm) |
| where: |
Quimby's (1854 W North Ave, 773.342.0910) map |
| price: |
|
| links: |
Event Info | Quimby's |
|
|
Rome wasn't built in a day, but Earth and the heavens were made in six — so it's perfectly reasonable to expect a literary masterpiece in three. A creative gauntlet's been thrown down for the upcoming 3-Day Novel Contest, in which participating writers bang out their work while the clock's a-tickin'. If you don't think you're ready to hit Dostoevsky-style pay dirt in just 72 hours, then fold up your laptop and watch co-authors Meghan Austin and Shannon Mullally read from Love Block, their winning entry from last year's 3-Day Novel Contest. A Q&A about their contest experience follows, during which you can finally find out how writers really make deadline (e.g. coffee, Red Bull, crank, etc.). (QH)
|
|
| MUSIC: A.D.H.D. Punk |
Partyline w/ Red Eyed Legends
|
|
Pair three hyperactive punk-rock intellectuals with a drum kit and a rewired guitar, record them all sharing a phone line, and this is what you might get. Chock full of high kicks and handclaps, all-female buzzsaw-pop trio Partyline would each have "instant party" tattooed on their knuckles, if they had enough knuckles. Allison Wolfe, the energetic frontwoman from Bratmobile and tag-team duo Hawnay Troof, provides sickly-sweet, sarcastic vocals, trashing backwards politics and detailing the finer points of slumber parties, dance etiquette, and emotional knife fights. With nerdy antics and intelligent lyrics, Partyline defy stereotypes and clichés, yet still deliver a live show laced with rock 'n roll danger. (JL)
|
|
| ALSO ON THUR |
|
MUSIC: Smartypants Hip-Hop
Def Harmonic w/ Walter Meego and Plane
Thur 8.11 (8pm) Schubas (3159 N Southport Ave, 773.525.2508) map $8
Event Info |
|
Milwaukee's finest intellectual-style hip-hoppers Def Harmonic take the stage tonight, along with labelmates Walter Meego, as well as Plane. Prepare for booties a-shakin' and grooves out the wazoo. (DG)
|
|
|
|
 |
| LECTURE |
Hardcore Histories: Les Thugs and the Crucifucks
|
|
Any skate-punk who ever ollied during the '80s knew of Michigan's Crucifucks — if not for their music, then at least for their shock value. (It's awful fun to say "Crucifucks" and scream out songs like "Cops for Fertilizer" when you're 13.) Les Thugs, though, were not so popular among the US skate kids, despite their considerable ability to adapt punk en français. Through discussion and select album tracks, Hardcore Histories co-organizer Marc Fischer makes a case for Les Thugs' place in his personal hardcore hall of fame, while artist and writer Bert Stabler tries to flesh out the Crucifucks' legacy as something more than just a collection of silly song titles and dubious album covers. (QH)
In 50 words or less, tell us your hardcore history. The most badass response wins a baguette, a wheel of brie, and a bottle of Vernor's Ginger Soda. (Really! Because we know how much all you tough guys enjoy fine cheese.)
|
|
| DJ |
Luke Fair
| when: |
Fri 8.12 (9pm) |
| where: |
Sound-Bar (226 W Ontario St, 312.787.4480) map |
| price: |
$20 / $10 advance |
| links: |
Event Info | Luke Fair |
|
|
Canada has sent us yet another great import in DJ/producer Luke Fair. An adorable, self-proclaimed nerd, Fair joined John Digweed's Bedrock label in 2001, and has since snagged high-profile remixes of mainstream artists like U2 and fellow mixologist Satoshi Tomiie. Fair creates layered recastings of familiar sounds, adding raw texture to his original compositions and providing more beat for the buck. His music is best suited for late-night danceclubs, perhaps those that include a later-than-late-night afterparty. Having begun his DJ career as a fresh-faced high school grad, Fair's been spinning himself to the head of the class ever since. (MH)
What is the name of Satoshi Tomiie's record label? The first five correct answers win a pair of tickets to this show.
|
|
| DJ |
DJ Greyboy
| when: |
Fri 8.12 (10pm) |
| where: |
Abbey Pub (3420 W Grace St, 773.478.4408) map |
| price: |
$15 / $12 advance |
| links: |
Event Info | DJ Greyboy |
|
|
It's been a long, strange trip for Andreas Stevens (DJ Greyboy), the West Coast beatmaker who sparked the acid jazz movement more than a decade ago with his classic Freestylin' album. He's done everything from touring with a funk band, to forming his own label, to dropping Soul Mosaic last year, a brilliant return to form that added some new vocal tracks to his already impressive oeuvre. True to his SoCal roots, Greyboy's been straight chillin' these days, still touring on last year's release — but once he steps up to the decks and starts spinning his own dusty, beat-happy funk, nothing else matters. (PS)
What's the band name of the only Greyboy collaborator who can claim a number one Christmas single? The third and fourth correct responses each win a pair of tickets to this event.
|
|
| FUNDRAISER |
A Benefit for the Dax Pierson Recovery Fund feat. Tortoise w/ Locks
|
|
Sad, but true: tragedy brings people together. Tonight, two of Chicago's most celebrated bands, post-rock kings Tortoise and young protégés Locks, join forces to raise money for the Dax Pierson Recovery Fund. Pierson, the former keyboardist in indie hip-hop bands Subtle (featuring Doseone) and Themselves, suffered a severe spinal injury in a car accident while on tour last February. After months in rehabilitation in Texas, Pierson will soon be released — but not without his wheelchair and thousands of dollars in hospital debt. Fans, fellow musicians, and compassionate folks from across the country have come together to help Pierson's cause. Tonight is Chicago's chance to make a difference while enjoying two of the city's finest bands. Donations are also being accepted on Pierson's website. (KS)
|
|
| ALSO ON FRI |
|
MULTIMEDIA: Sturm und Drang
The Festival of Chaos feat. the Walkie-Talkies w/ the Electric Set
Fri 8.12 (8pm) Texas Ballroom (3012 S Archer Ave) map $5 donation
Event Info |
|
Smells like a scene: bizarro-electronic dancey-burbling Walkie-Talkies headline, while no-wave disco-freak noise-loop trancesters the Electric Set open. A bill so awesome, it can be described only through the exclusive use of hyphenated quasi-adjectives. (TG)
|
|
|
|
 |
| FILM |
Chicago Home Movie Day
|
|
This evening, amateur film buffs across the country gather for National Home Movie Day, sharing their homegrown masterworks and following Marty Scorsese's insistence to "care and preserve their own personal memories." The Chicago version of the fest features a collection of 8mm, Super 8, and 16mm movies dug up from attics and storage spaces throughout the City of Wind and brought to the screening venue by exhibitionist-minded attendees. The event goes down at the Cultural Center, so there's a film inspection period beforehand (3-6pm) aimed at preventing the wrong kind of hot, amateur home movies from slipping through (damn!), and local film archivists will be on hand to discuss the finer points of film preservation. (RS)
|
|
| DISCUSSION |
Panda Meat Release Party
|
|
After decades of designing rock posters, Kubrick figures, and album covers for his now-defunct record label, Man's Ruin, Frank Kozik has begun to document the design world around him. Tonight, Quimby's offers the first gander at Panda Meat, Kozik's hardbound collection of 108 artists and designers who are reviving and redefining the art of poster making. Begun as an open call on gigposters.com, the beautiful, full-color sourcebook has taken on a life of its own, revealing the resurgence of a DIY medium. Join the local arm of Panda Meat, including featured artists Jay Ryan (of the Bird Machine), Dan Grzeca, and Nick Butcher as they discuss the recently released book and their vibrant contributions. (JL)
|
|
|
 |
| FESTIVAL |
WLUW presents the Third Annual Montrose Saloon Music Fest
| when: |
Sun 8.14 (12-7pm) |
| where: |
Montrose Saloon Beer Garden (2933 W Montrose Ave, 773.463.7663) map |
| price: |
$7 |
| links: |
Event Info |
|
|
Walking west on Montrose from California, you encounter a battered green door. From outside, you can just make out the lilting strains of a banjo and glasses clinking in harmony. Push open the door, and you've found it: the home of Chicago bluegrass, the Montrose Saloon. This afternoon, enjoy a brat and a beer, listen to some bluegrass, folk, and Americana, or just sit in the beer garden. Whatever your pleasure, it's all for a good cause — admission goes toward supporting 100-watt public-radio powerhouse WLUW, and their Saturday morning bluegrass show, Live-N-Kickin'. (SB)
|
|
| ALSO ON SUN |
|
SPECTACLE
Angels with Tails: Adoptions on Armitage
Sun 8.14 (12-5pm) Armitage Ave (btwn Kenmore Ave & Halsted St, 773.521.1408) map FREE
Event Info |
|
Gauntlet time again: just try to make it down Armitage from Kenmore to Halsted without adopting one of the dogs and cats competing for your attention. It's kind of like red-light Amsterdam, only hopefully the relationships will last a little longer. Hosted by P.A.W.S. (Pets Are Worth Saving) with participation from Save-a-Pet. (CF)
|
|
|
SPORTS: Hell On Wheels
The Windy City Rollers: The Birthday Bash!
Sun 8.14 (6pm) Congress Theater (2135 N Milwaukee Ave, 773.252.4000) map $10
Event Info |
|
Heads and wheels roll once again at the Congress Theater as the Windy City Rollers celebrate the 70th anniversary of roller derby with another spine-crushing, hair-pulling night of mayhem. (TL)
|
|
|
|
 |
| MUSIC: Electro-Weirdness |
Dance Club Massacre w/ the Walkie-Talkies and Lord of the Yum-Yum
|
|
Assuming you aren't Loverboy'd out yet from the weekend, the Empty Bottle treats us to another of its "Free Monday" nights, and what a freaky-deaky lineup it is. Grindcore duo Dance Club Massacre headline, preceded by Chicago's own purveyors of electro-cabaret-thrash, the Walkie-Talkies, who not only celebrate the release of their new mini-CD, but also unveil a limited-edition comic book. Speaking of which, Lord of the Yum-Yum — someone who somehow hasn't appeared in a comic book yet — tops off the bill. The bespectacled, powder-blue-tuxedo-clad vocal powerhouse never fails to drop jaws with his hilarious attack of scat, electronic trickery, and b-boy attitude. (TL)
|
|
|
 |
| ART |
You Are I Am
| when: |
Now through Sun 8.21 (Sundays: 1-5pm) |
| where: |
Foundation Gallery (700 N Carpenter St, 312.860.0740) map |
| price: |
|
| links: |
Event Info |
|
|
You Are I Am, a book/postcard project by the Chicago art collective You Are Beautiful, is the final exhibition at Foundation, the River West basement art gallery that specializes in "underground" art inspired by graffiti, punk rock, skateboarding, and other DIY subcultures. Over the last few years, the collective's eponymous message has unexpectedly popped up around town like graffiti tags, spreading a quiet, subversive optimism. In this latest populist project, friends, artists, and other interested parties were given postcards, or alternately, 112 blank, hardbound books to fill with drawings, collages, photographs — whatever they wished — with the only instruction being "Respond to the words 'You Are / I Am'." The end results are naturally mixed, but the generosity of the gesture, and the sincere desire for community, is pure Foundation. (AF)
|
|
| THEATRE |
Steppenwolf: First Look Repertory of New Work
| when: |
Thur 8.4 - Sun 8.28 (schedule) |
| where: |
Steppenwolf Theatre Company (1650 N Halsted St, 312.335.1650) map |
| price: |
$15 |
| links: |
Event Info |
|
|
This month, Steppenwolf kicks off the inaugural First Look — a series of lectures, staged readings, and other special happenings — with three works speaking to a central theme: what happens to the well-to-do and carefree when they're forced to confront the mundane. In A Blameless Life, a married couple must learn to survive when their son doesn't pick them up from the mall; Melanie Marnich's The Sparrow Project pits the wits of twin trust-funders against a Texan tourist; and in Men of Tortuga, three mysterious operatives plot to eliminate an equally shadowy opposing party. (SB)
|
|
| ART |
Eric Lebofsky: Things To Do in an Ice Age
| when: |
Now through Sat 9.10 (Fri & Sat: 12-6pm) |
| where: |
Western Exhibitions (1648 W Kinzie St, 2nd Fl, 312.307.4685) map |
| price: |
|
| links: |
Event Info | Eric Lebofsky |
|
|
To a devoted Chicagoan dispirited by all-too-frequent creative brain-drains to the Coasts, much joy can be gleaned from the phrase, "a New York artist who currently lives and works in Chicago." Congratulatory fist-pumping aside, aforementioned East-to-Third-Coast transplant Eric Lebofsky is a welcome addition to an art scene that appreciates understatement, humor, and sincere devotion to one's craft. Lebofsky's Things To Do in an Ice Age contains sweet and slightly naughty suggestions of ways to pass the time while permafrost does its thing. Drawings like Meet Your Neighbors (Eat Your Neighbors), and Declare "Open Poncho Season" suggest an amalgam of Hairy Who alumni and New Yorker illustrator Saul Steinberg — a style that seems so at home in our city that, hopefully, "currently" will soon be dropped from Lebofsky's bio. (AF)
Note: This exhibition also features printed-fabric paintings by Aaron Van Dyke.
|
|
|
 |
| |
FOOT FETISH: Sneaker Freaker Magazine |
 |
|
For those willing to go out of their way to seek out the elegant, casual pleasures in life — from the head all the way to the toes — Sneaker Freaker magazine delivers the proverbial goods, twice a year. The supersized mag features exclusive interviews with some of the greatest minds in foot couture, not likely to be seen anywhere else (it's a niche market, dontchaknow). Page upon glorious page of custom-designed Nike, Reebok, Adidas, and boutique brands fill tread-loving hearts with glee. The Australia-based Freakers sleep, breathe, and even eat their love of kicks (this month showcases some edible Nikes), proving that the eyelets really are the windows to the sole. (MH)
|
|
| |
|
| |
CD REVIEW: Mobius Band, The Loving Sounds of Static |
|
|
Ghostly International
Released August 2005
$11.99 (Amazon)
|
When guitar-based bands pick up a sampler or add a dollop of laptop, sometimes the result can sound forced, but this is certainly not the case with Mobius Band, who easily mesh electronic music and rock. After the excellent taster that was this year's well-received City vs Country EP, Static is the band's sound fully realized — earnest songwriting combined with both live and programmed drums, expansive guitars, and delicate electronic melodies. This formula gels best on the 4/4 album opener "Detach," but it is on "Taxicab" that the dynamics afforded by their multi-genre approach are most apparent: after being tightly restrained under a tip-toeing, minimal drum-machine cadence, the band explodes into a wall of sound, tapping a visceral source — much more Shields than Autechre — that proves static can come from delightfully disparate places. (CJN)
 Which other gloomy post-punk band did the sound engineer for The Loving Sounds of Static also work with? The third and fourth correct
responses each win a copy of this CD.
|
|
| |
|
| |
STREAMS: Beats in Space |
|
|
Recorded at New York University's student-run radio station WNYU, Beats in Space is easily one of the best mix shows around. Host Tim Sweeney's sets range from electro, classic industrial, and warped disco to the glossiest new techno. His acute ear is also finding him gigs around the world and, in turn, more and more big-name producers and DJs are stopping by the studio for a guest slot. This week, check Kompakt's chief lieutenant, Superpitcher, spinning minimal techno and DJ Kaos throwing down a nice mix of old and new electro and disco. Finally, producers du jour Lindstrom & Prins Thomas tap their record crates and emerge with an eclectic set of psych disco. (CJN)
|
 |
Superpitcher: Beats in Space exclusive mix (Minimal techno)
|
|
DJ Kaos: Beats in Space exclusive mix (Electrofunk)
|
|
Lindstrom & Prins Thomas: Beats in Space exclusive mix (Psych disco)
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
| |
| |
| Header Design: |
| Cracking knuckles | Marcelo Baldin Petriaggi |
| |
| Editors: |
| Running laps | Annette Ferrara | | Snapping gum | Jocelyn K. Glei | | Reading Pitchfork | Todd Goldstein | | Interrupting teacher | Kai Hsing | | Videogame marathons | Jake Lancaster | | Cutting in line | Doug Levy | | Vandalism | Sascha Lewis | | Daydreaming | Mark Mangan | | Talking excessively | Colin J. Nagy | | Knitting mittens | Lauren Ragland | | Compulsive doodling | Philip H. Sherburne |
| |
| 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... |
| |
| FEEDBACK |
| Please let us know what's on your mind, any and all feedback — comments, questions, ideas, or rants. |
| |
| EVENT SUBMISSIONS |
| To let us know about an upcoming event that you think belongs here, please email us at events. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| | |
| Contributors: |
| Assembling broken chalk | Conor Barnes | | Not finishing reports | Sean Biehle | | High risk activities | Suzanne Ely | | Sending/receiving | Chris Foley | | Bungee jumping | Don Guss | | Tongue bubbles | Mia Horberg | | Jumping rope | Quanah Humphreys | | Checking Drudge Report | Thomas Lawler | | Guzzling coffee | John Lombardo | | Flaneuring | Richard Sharp | | Text messaging | Kate Simko | | Chain smoking | Patrick Sisson |
| |
Production: |
| Getting distracted | Anjuli Ayer | | Inappropriate outbursts | Jessica Bauer-Greene | | Breaking plates | Christopher Carson | | Fighting | Morgan Croney | | Manic multitasking | Sander-Martijn Milks | | Pencil drumming | David Morrow | | Making discoveries | Jamend Riley | | Losing keys | Marcella Veneziale | | Spelling out thoughts | Judah Wiedre |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
MORE FILTERED CULTURE |
Hi-fidelity updates
A twice-monthly email magazine high- lighting the latest in electronic music — including news, reviews, and original features
 |
Books worth reading
A monthly review focusing on smart, readable works of fiction and nonfiction, from current titles to past gems
 |
Global fashion trends
A twice-monthly, insider view on fashion trends breaking in Paris, London, New York, and around the world
 |
International art
A twice-monthly email magazine covering art, design, and architecture with profiles, news, and reviews of inter- national shows
 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
© 2005 Flavorpill Productions LLC. All rights reserved.
This is a copy of a flavorpill CHI mailer. Use the link above to subscribe or click to automatically UNSUBSCRIBE. Flavorpill Productions complies with the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003. For more information, please read our PRIVACY POLICY. If you have any questions about subscription to this list, contact us at chi_subscriptions@flavorpill.net (HQ: 594 Broadway, Ste 1212, NY, NY 10012).
|
|
|
