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 David Choe courtesy of Start Mobile |
Cultural Stimuli in CHI
Issue 75: empowered flavor
In the span of a few days, the world recently lost two remarkable women — Betty Friedan and Coretta Scott King — who settled for nothing short of liberating each and every one of us from the tyranny of social inequality. A number of headstrong ladies are also at the forefront of Chicago's cultural scene this week. Graphic designer Marcia Lausen begins the week with a call for thoughtful design to change the world, while the weekend kicks off with DJ Mother Hubbard's 007-themed sex-lib party and a performance of Eve Ensler's heart-wrenching play about the impact of war on women, Necessary Targets. Sarah Vowell, the razor-sharp writer whose high-pitched voice is synonymous with This American Life, wraps up the week with a reading at Steppenwolf. It's all grrrl, all the time on the Third Coast — spread it!
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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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Unpretentious and ready to drink, Beaujolais might be the most approachable wine on the market today. Rich in quality and flavor, Beaujolais is the perfect wine for casual entertaining on a budget. Why be intimidated by wine? Focus instead on enjoying the party and savoring your Beaujolais. |
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Spotlight
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Vowell Language
In the voice that's launched a thousand This American Life episodes, irreverent writer Sarah Vowell recounts her adventures researching the assassinations of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley, at Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre.
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| Daily Updates |
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| LECTURE |
Major James Gavrilis: Setting a Course for Democracy or Disaster?
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The Iraq war has been going about as well as a Cheney hunting trip, with bright spots and signs of progress few and far between. With that in mind, it's worth paying attention to Major James Gavrilis of the United States Army Special Forces — and not just because he knows 20 ways to kill a man. During his time in Iraq, Gavrilis helped build a functioning democracy in the town of Ar Rutba, a boast few American commanders can make. His experience — rare among Iraq commentators — makes this a vital edition of the Chicago Council of Foreign Relations' Globally Occupied Attention (GOAt) lecture series. (PS)
 According to CNN anchor Betty Nguyen, how much money did Gavrilis spend to turn Ar Rutba into a democracy? The first correct response wins a pair of tickets to this event.
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| MUSIC: Indie Rock |
The Exit w/ Tight Phantomz, Archaeology, and Mt. St. Helens
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Local phenoms Tight Phantomz deliver the kind of sassy, snotty, stripped-down punk rock that gets heads banging and hearts racing. A cross between late-'60s garage rock à la MC5 and a faster, more energetic Black Sabbath or Led Zeppelin, the Phantomz kick churning bass lines, flashy riffs, and a shakin' tambourine, making good on the Chicago Music Award for "Best Rock Entertainer" they earned two years ago. Archaeology provide gorgeous, Sea and Cake-y post-rock; Mt. St. Helens offer a refreshingly minimalist math-rock sound; and murky, anthemic New York trio the Exit headlines. (SN)
What were the rather educational origins of the Exit? The first two correct responses each win a pair of tickets to this show.
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| ALSO ON TUE |
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LECTURE
Marcia Lausen: Designing Change
Tue 2.21 (4:30-6pm) Baldwin Auditorium, Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center (303 E Superior St, 847.491.7376) map $10 (advance tickets)
Event Info |
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Graphic designer and UIC professor Marcia Lausen brings creative and corporate types into harmony with a presentation of case studies advocating the power of design. "Good visual sense" is the new "good business sense." (AM)
 
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| ART |
Dave McKenzie: Haven't Seen You in a Minute
| when: |
Wed 2.22 - Sat 2.25 (1-6pm) |
| where: |
Gallery 40000 (1001 N Winchester Ave, 773.342.4930) map |
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| links: |
Event Info |
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Brooklyn-based, Jamaican-born Dave McKenzie's work investigates communication in all its forms, evoking anxiety, frustration, and identity through subtle wit and a sweetly melancholic mood. In one corner of the gallery sits a Self-Help Hyperventilation Bag stenciled with the instructions "stay calm." Across the room, a row of sunny yellow mugs are imprinted with the phrase "remember, you are loved," but their openings are covered, rendering them unusable — buyers are encouraged to surreptitiously place the mugs in friends' cupboards. The most dramatic piece is Babel, a video documenting McKenzie's riveting opening-night performance during which the artist stuffed a microphone into his mouth and made muffled, frustrated noises while furiously gesturing in sign language. (AM)
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| ALSO ON WED |
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DISCUSSION
Conversations in the Galleries: Not Funny
Wed 2.22 (6pm) Chicago Cultural Center, Exhibit Hall (78 E Washington St, 312.744.6630) map
Event Info |
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Humor can be tricky business, and when mixed with art — well, it can get downright ugly. In this discussion, curators Dominic Molon and Michael Rooks, along with local artists Stephanie Brooks and Tony Tasset, discuss what's funny in contemporary art and what's just Carrot Top. (QH)
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| THEATRE |
A Number
| when: |
Thur 2.23 (7:30pm) |
| where: |
Next Theatre, Noyes Cultural Arts Center (927 Noyes St, Evanston, 847.475.1875 x2) map |
| price: |
$12.50-25 |
| links: |
Event Info |
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British playwright Caryl Churchill's work has always placed the poetry of
human endeavor at the center of political and moral polemics. In A Number, she explores the implications of human cloning through a
haunting family tragedy. Salter (John Judd) is a deceitful, guilt-ridden,
wounded father confronted by his 35-year-old son, Bernard (Jay Whittaker), who recently discovered he's just one of a number of genetic clones. Their reunion with the natural-born Bernard is disastrous. Through sparse language and rich silences, Churchill portrays the intimate pain of an unusual father-son relationship and ponders the essential meaning of human individuality. (PG)
Note: A Number runs through Sun 2.26 (schedule).
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| MUSIC: Chamber Pop |
The Autumn Defense
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The Autumn Defense is a collaboration between Wilco and Uncle Tupelo bassist John Stirratt, and multi-instrumentalist and producer Pat Sansone. As revealed in the film I Am Trying to Break Your Heart (2002), Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy can simultaneously craft brilliant tunes and be a pugnacious control-freak in the studio; Stirratt has remained in Wilco since its inception because he does not threaten Tweedy's artistic control. The Autumn Defense is Stirratt's creative outlet — lush country-tinged pop reminiscent of the late-'60s/early '70s California of Stephen Stills, Brian Wilson, and Neil Young. Arrive early tonight: Wilco fans are a devout bunch known to crowd anything associated with the band. (BC)
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| DJ |
Pussy Galore Showcase and Dance Party
| when: |
Thur 2.23 (9pm) |
| where: |
The Hideout (1354 W Wabansia Ave, 773.227.4433) map |
| price: |
$7 |
| links: |
Event Info | The Hideout |
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Brainchild of DJ/promoter Chess Hubbard, the Pussy Galore Showcase is a yoni-powered dance party guaranteed to shake the Hideout's A-frame to its foundation with the awesome power of multiple DJs, musicians, and performers — Reptoids, Kinetic Stereokids, Kid Sister, the DJ duo Flosstradamus, Mother Hubbard herself, the Triple Threat Dancers, sex-toy giveaways, and lots of sweaty, dancing boys and girls. While the rest of the city watches the Olympics, the folks at the Hideout bust some medal-worthy moves all their own. (DS)
Compared to the classics, new Bond-girl names just don't cut it — so come up with your own. The two most-shaken, least-stirred responses each win a pair of tickets to this event.
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| FILM |
Nights of Cabiria (1957)
| when: |
Fri 2.24 (6pm) |
| where: |
Gene Siskel Film Center (164 N State St, 312.846.2600) map |
| price: |
$9 |
| links: |
Event Info |
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This restored Italian neorealist film by Federico Fellini features the director's wife Giulietta Masina as Cabiria, a naïve prostitute who wanders the outskirts of Rome looking for true love. Despite being used and cruelly discarded by her lovers, Cabiria continues her hopeful search — all the more tragic when her romantic adventures lead to her eventual demise. Masina's Chaplinesque movements and expressive, childlike face, coupled with Nino Rota's hypnotic soundtrack, make this Oscar-winner a true gem of Fellini's consistently excellent filmography. (MS)
Note: There is an additional screening Tue 2.28 (6pm).
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| MUSIC: Alt-Country |
Will Sheff (Okkervil River) w/ Brandon Durham (Palaxy Tracks)
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The best solo gigs by rock frontmen can turn into swooning sing-along sessions at the drop of a guitar pick; Will Sheff, the coarse-voiced, histrionic singer/songwriter behind Okkervil River, inspires such audience devotion with ease. Spinning emotional, exuberant tales of romantic breakdown over his band's chaotic, lo-fi country-rock, Sheff helped make 2005's Black Sheep Boy one of the year's best excuses to roll down the windows and crank up the stereo. Hearing him sans band puts even more of a spotlight on the singer's gift for riveting storytelling and unorthodox delivery. Palaxy Tracks' melancholy balladeer, Brandon Durham, opens. (PS)
What's the first song that brought Will Sheff to tears? The second correct response wins a pair of tickets to this show.
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| MUSIC: Glam/Gloom |
The M's (Record Release) w/ Archer Prewitt
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Since moving from kitschy lounge band the Coctails to seminal Chicago indie outfit the Sea and Cake, Archer Prewitt has worn his heart on his sleeve. And he keeps getting better at it: his latest solo album Wilderness is his most personal to date, channeling both the warm, soulful sounds of '70s Van Morrison and the writerly wit of Burt Bacharach's early compositions. The songs pull you into a breezy, melancholic embrace, leaving you feeling unexpectedly hopeful. Prewitt joins the M's tonight in celebration of their new glam-garage opus, Future Women. (JCF)
What unfortunate event befell the M's while on tour with Ambulance Ltd.? The third and fourth correct responses each win a pair of tickets to this event.
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| ALSO ON FRI |
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MUSIC: Instro Hip-Hop
Rjd2 w/ Aceyalone
Fri 2.24 (9pm) Metro (3730 N Clark St, 773.549.0203) map $21
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Hot on the heels of a new collaboration with Rjd2, nimble-tongued Project Blowed-alum Aceyalone comes all the way from LA to electrify the faithful. (TW)
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MUSIC: Fit for a Prince
The National Trust (Record Release Party)
Fri 2.24 (10pm) The Hideout (1354 W Wabansia Ave, 773.227.4433) map $10
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Join Thrill Jockey's resident dance-music alchemists the National Trust as they celebrate their newest album of molten house and sexed-up soul, Kings and Queens. DJs spin till the early morning light and special guests flow like champagne. (TG)
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Your Formula Life feat. Green Velvet and Someone Else
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Local promoters Meiotic and Koncept are celebrating the one-year anniversary of their Your Formula Life series, which has showcased some of the finest electronic music talent the city has seen in recent years. Tonight, Chicago-house legend Green Velvet (aka Cajmere) performs a rare, intimate set at Tini Martini, with support from Philly's Someone Else. In addition to running Cajual Records (and Relief, its offshoot), Velvet has produced some of the most monumental tracks of the '90s rave era, including "Answering Machine," "Flash," and "Percolator." This is a major party in the making — so "cameras ready, prepare to flash." (KS)
Green Velvet's track "Answering Machine" includes a week's-worth of awful phone messages (he gets dumped, evicted, etc.). What's the worst message you've ever received? The two most distressing responses of 50 words or less each win a pair of tickets to this event.
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| MUSIC: Noisy Noise |
Wolf Eyes
| when: |
Sat 2.25 (10pm) |
| where: |
The Empty Bottle (1035 N Western Ave, 773.276.3600) map |
| price: |
$10 |
| links: |
Event Info | Wolf Eyes |
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Noise bands often carry the burden of unfortunate monikers and abrasive, audience-shrinking sounds. Toeing that line, Detroit's avant-noise trio Wolf Eyes generate ultra low-end bass and scaly feedback to compose surreal soundscapes that can be both oddly soothing and violently nightmarish. Combined with muted and muddied Skinny Puppy-esque vocals, these recent Sub Pop signees and No Fun Fest veterans use DIY-modified instruments and broken radios to create an all-encompassing, demonic clamor. (IB)
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| ALSO ON SAT |
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SPORTS
Tour De(pave) Concrete
Sat 2.25 (12pm) Daley Plaza (Dearborn St & Washington St, 312.427.3325) map
Event Info |
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For die-hard winter cyclists, the Campaign for a Free and Clear Lakefront is sponsoring a free bicycle tour in support of their tireless crusade to restore the lakefront to verdant parkland. BYO mittens. (JP)
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| READING |
Sarah Dunant: In the Company of the Courtesan
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Sarah Dunant's lush new novel is an epic romance set against the backdrop of Renaissance-era Rome and Venice. In the Company of the Courtesan is the story of Fiammetta, a young, clever, royal concubine, and her friend/business partner Bucino, a dwarf. Together, they flee a war in Rome, escaping to glittering Venice where they launch Fiammetta's entrance into high society. Bucino's narration is both a fascinatingly detailed account of a magical age and a timeless, heartrending outsider's tale. (AM)
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| FILM: Documentary |
Trudell
| when: |
Sun 2.26 (3:15pm) |
| where: |
Gene Siskel Film Center (164 N State St, 312.846.2600) map |
| price: |
$9 |
| links: |
Event Info | John Trudell |
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In 1979, American Indian Movement (AIM) chairman John Trudell led a march to the FBI building, burning an American flag in a protest against "racism and injustice." Less than 24 hours later, the house he shared with his family mysteriously caught fire, killing his pregnant wife Tina, their three children, and Trudell's mother-in-law. For the next few years, Trudell withdrew from public life, emerging in 1981 as a poet and later as a recording artist. This documentary about the poet/artist/activist's life is a chilling look at America's treatment of its indigenous population. (MS)
Note: This film also screens on Mon 2.27 (8pm).
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| MULTIMEDIA |
Buster Keaton's The General (1927) feat. Quasar Wut-Wut
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Before the advent of carjacking and just after cattle rustling's heyday, there was the golden age of train robberies — the historical footnote of an epoch in which The General takes place. A silent film nugget featuring Buster Keaton, one of the era's great physical comedians, The General sees its star bringing his signature hang-dog countenance to the task of retrieving his train — and his beloved sweetheart — from the Union no-goodniks who've stolen them both. Chicago band Quasar Wut-Wut supply accompaniment with a new score alternating modern-rock passages with period instrumentation. Weird folkie Shelley Short opens. (QH)
According to legend, who gave Buster his nickname when he was only six months old? The fifth correct response wins a pair of tickets to this event.
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| PHOTOGRAPHY: Exhibition/Lecture |
Made in China: The China Roundtable
| when: |
Mon 2.27 (6-8pm) |
| where: |
Museum of Contemporary Photography (600 S Michigan Ave, 312.344.7104) map |
| price: |
$25 |
| links: |
Event Info |
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China's economic expansion is changing the way the rest of the world does business, but its most poignant effects are felt at home. The Made in China photo exhibit showcases the human side of the country's embrace of capitalism, a seismic shift reshaping an entire society. Edward Burtynsky's stark images of assembly lines show employees as cogs in a magnificent, ominous machine; Danwen Xing's massive shots of workers rooting through recycled electronics reveal economic forces operating at their most basic level. For tonight's special event, both University of Chicago professor Dali Yang and exhibiting artist Jun Yang offer explanatory lectures. (PS)
Which monolithic company was recently taken to task by media watchdogs for bowing to Chinese censorship? The sixth correct response wins a pair of tickets to this event.
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| READING |
Sarah Vowell: Assassination Vacation
| when: |
Mon 2.27 (7:30pm) |
| where: |
Steppenwolf Theatre Company (1650 N Halsted St, 312.335.1650) map |
| price: |
$35 |
| links: |
Event Info | Sarah Vowell |
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Sarah Vowell has researched and tracked down almost every site connected with the assassinations of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley, from the Lincoln Memorial to the final resting place of William McKinley's bloodstained PJs. Tonight, the author and NPR contributor reads from her latest book, Assassination Vacation, which obsessively details the mental illnesses and quirks of the assassins — including one's crush on Emma Goldman — and spotlights the roadside attractions that have sprung up along the killers' trails. Vowell brings her irreverent sense of humor to another weird layer of this American life. (KE)
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| THEATRE |
The House of Blue Leaves
| when: |
Now through Sun 3.5 (Thur-Sat: 8pm / Sun: 3pm) |
| where: |
Victory Gardens Theater (2257 N Lincoln Ave, 779.871.3000) map |
| price: |
$20-35 |
| links: |
Event Info |
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It's 1965 in Queens, and zookeeper Artie Shaughnessy is trying his damnedest to achieve his dream of Hollywood fame and fortune — but his life keeps getting in the way. Shaughnessy's girlfriend, Bunny, wants him to divorce his wife; his wife, appropriately named Bananas, is deranged; and his AWOL son is plotting to blow up the Pope in Queens. The poor guy just can't catch a break. The House of Blue Leaves, by playwright John Guare (called "one of the most imaginative, outlandish, and bittersweet voices in American
theater"), is a lovely farce about the lengths some people go to for fame. (PG)
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| ART |
For Real
| when: |
Now through Sun 3.26 (Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm / Sat & Sun: 12-5pm) |
| where: |
Hyde Park Art Center (5307 S Hyde Park Blvd, 773.324.5520) map |
| price: |
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| links: |
Event Info |
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This small but profound exhibit produced by the artist collaborative Cream Co. examines "the melancholy of time passing." Memorable works include John Photos' black-and-white photos of Ikea display-model rooms, Jaysen James' pile of gold- and red-tinted hair-dye foil (left over from the hair salon where James works), and Howard Fonda's Andrew Wyeth-like painting Life in the Woods. Curator Bill Brown's descriptions alongside the pieces provide food for thought about the effect of mass culture on society. It's a "real" look at the world, as seen through the eyes of seven insightful Chicago artists. (MS)
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DRUG OF CHOICE: OpiumMagazine.com |
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The creators of OpiumMagazine.com realize our literary pursuits are in direct competition with video games, MP3 players, and an ever-expanding number of blogs for our time, and rather than shaming us for our errant ways, they aim to entertain. Opium offers clever, low-pressure essays, stories, comics, and interviews, all conveniently labeled with an estimated reading time for those daunted by the prospect of endlessly scrolling through text. Staff- and author-read podcasts can be downloaded in its .live section for your daily commute, and traditional readers can pick up a copy of their biannual magazine, .print. (IB)
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CD REVIEW: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, House Arrest |
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Paw Tracks
Released February 2006
$13.99 (Insound)
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It's easy to see how Ariel Pink's playful pastiche has rubbed some listeners
the wrong way since day one, but the mirage cast by his latest album should
change all that. Actually recorded years ago, House Arrest is
one of many home-recordings Pink has been steadily eking out. As the title suggests, it has the sound of a wide-eyed, shut-in kid falling head over
heels for pop — and deciding to be his own AM radio. While these
reconstituted nuggets are mulched from countless eras and genres, the active
ingredient is breezy, fuzzy psych-pop. Flicking from goofy balladry and
Stones-style dirges to Isley Brothers keyboards in mere minutes, Pink
assembles a haunting, heart-melting world that's at once borrowed and all
his own. (TW)
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STREAMS: Beats in Space |
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Despite extensive touring, both in support of the Juan Maclean and on several solo DJ jaunts abroad, Flavorpill favorite Tim Sweeney has still been able to man New York's WNYU studio and lay down some mixes on Beats in Space. This week, check out a smattering of new tracks, including a DFA take on Tiga and an out-of-this-world Carl Craig remix of Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom. Speaking of which, check Craig dropping Human League dubs amid new cuts on his own in-studio mix, assembled in support of his recent Fabric release. Finally, even though we're into 2006, be sure to tune into Sweeney's Best of 2005 show, recapping the year's notable electronic releases — there's bound to be something you missed and absolutely must hear. (CJN)
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Tim Sweeney: In-studio Mix (Electro/disco)
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Carl Craig: In-studio Mix (Techno)
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Tim Sweeney: Best of 2005 (House/disco)
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| Header Design: |
| Camille Paglia | David Choe courtesy of Start Mobile |
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| Editors: |
| Mary Wollstonecraft | Maia Armaleo | | Gloria Steinem | Annette Ferrara | | Kim Deal | Jocelyn K. Glei | | The Donnas | Todd Goldstein | | Betty Friedan | Quanah Humphreys | | Molly Pitcher | Doug Levy | | Karen O. | Sascha Lewis | | Judith Butler | Mark Mangan | | Kim Gordon | Audrey Mast | | Sally Struthers | Colin J. Nagy | | Janet Weiss | Philip H. Sherburne | | Lydia Lunch | Patrick Sisson |
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| 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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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 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: |
| Artemis | Conor Barnes | | Anais Nin | Irene Bradish | | Rosa Parks | Brett Castle | | Tender Buttons | Kate Estwing | | Kathleen Hanna | Josh C. Forbes | | Simone de Beauvoir | Patricia Gray | | Reasonable Creatures | Suzanne Niemoth | | Lorena Bobbit | Jeffrey Parfitt | | PJ Harvey | Deena Sanjana | | Angela Davis | Marla Seidell | | Assata Shakur | Kate Simko | | Riot Grrrls | Toby Warner |
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Production: |
| Valerie Solanas | Casey Acierno | | Hillary Clinton | Anjuli Ayer | | Jane Eyre | Jessica Bauer-Greene | | Medusa | Sander-Martijn Milks | | Ann Coulter | David Morrow | | Margaret Sanger | Leah Taylor | | Germain Greer | Judah Wiedre |
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MORE FILTERED CULTURE |
Hi-fidelity updates
A twice-monthly email magazine high- lighting the latest in electronic music — including news, reviews, and original features
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© 2006 Flavorpill Productions LLC. All rights reserved.
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