By Meggie Gates 10 of color are making their mark. are color of and tears and Tattooing is still dominated by white men, white by dominated is still Tattooing but women, nonbinary people, and people nonbinary people, but women, Blood,ink,
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IN THIS ISSUE T R - taught a rookie reporter about joy of reading transcends species in 33 The Secret History of @ Chicago politics Bunny’s Book Club Chicago Music George “Wild Child” Butler breathed new life into P T B raw oldfashioned blues E C S K K H 35 Early Warnings Derrick Carter C L M E P M Amir ElSaff ar Nacrobats and more TD K R justannounced concerts C E B W 35 Gossip Wolf Longtime Reckless A E J L S W M D L G Records buyer Jim Magas quits to D I BJ MS spend more time with his music E A S N L emo fourpiece Kittyhawk play their L C S C -J CITY LIFE C E B N B 03 Transportation New York City fi rst show in more than three years L C M DL C M sped up buses on th Street by and more C J F S F J largely kicking cars off the road 08 News How would anyone H I H C M J M K S K Let’s do that in Chicago benefi t from sending unsolicited FILM N DL J L free Amazon packages to random 20 Review Dolittle’s procolonialism M M A M-K FOOD & DRINK addresses? narrative leaves something to be JRN JN M O M S C S 05 Food Feature Our food critic desired ------assembles a distinguished panel of 21 Movies of note Jezebel ARTS & CULTURE D D J D tasters to teach us some lessons in 10 Community More women and explores sex work as it applies D P E &P potato chip diplomacy nonbinary people than ever are to Black women with impressive K K taking part in the historically male verisimilitude Undeterred takes a S M C J G M P C dominated tattoo culture unique approach to the national Y D 12 Visual Art “You Will Die” reminds debate over immigration and Les A A T A us of our mortality Miserables is a compelling police ADVERTISING 14 Comedy Get brunch in procedural inspired by the OPINION -- - @ Lemoncurd and watch the best of French riots 36 Savage Love Dan Savage C @ the comedy trio Three Busy Debras off ers advice about whether a S D P F MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE joyful consensual kink is replacing V P S A M THEATER 22 Galil | Feature The new musical selfharm C R MT P 16 Review Survivors of an Verböten uses the story of Jason S A R L M -H L S apocalyptic war battle nostalgia Narducy’s forgotten earlys CLASSIFIEDS C S MWR and each other in Thirst a band to talk about the power of 38 Jobs lighthouse in WWII provides the subculture 38 Marketplace N A NEWS & POLITICS V M G - - - 06 Joravsky | Politics Richard backdrop for a macabre and 28 Shows of note Yuna Levin 39 Apartments & Spaces Barnett fought the machine and whimsical Whisper House and the Brothers Heilung and more J L SB ------D C [email protected] -- JUST IN TIME FOR VALENTINE’S DAY, READER MATCHES ARE BACK! CHICAGO READER L C BP D R L T E R S J S A- S V
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2 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll When A Great Deal Matters, Shop Rob Paddor’s... CITY LIFE Evanston Subaru in Skokie
Voted “Best Auto DeAlership” By CHICAGO Voters’ Poll 2019 2020 SUBARU ASCENT New York City’s new 14th Street Busway has improved bus travel times up to 47 percent. 7OR 8 MARC A HERMANN / MTA NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT PASSENGERS % LOADED WITH TECHNOLOGY 0.9 TRANSPORTATION 2020 SUBARU FORESTER The Manhattan project ALL WHEEL DRIVE % GIANT SELECTION 2.99 NYC sped up buses by limiting cars’ access. Let’s do that in Chicago. SHARING OUR LOVE WITH GRATITUDE By J G •VETERANS •PET ADOPTION •SENIORS •SCHOOLS We • • • rt FAITH ORGANIZATIONS MUSIC THEATER Suppo •HEALTH CARE •SPORTS •THE ENVIRONMENT hen it comes to providing fast, Link express bus corridor, launched in De- reliable trips, the current state cember 2015, was a relatively gutsy move. NEW 2020 SUBARU NEW 2020 SUBARU NEW 2020 SUBARU of CTA bus routes is a civic That involved converting multiple travel OUTBACK FORESTER CROSSTREK embarrassment. As of late 2017, lanes on streets like Washington and Madi- 2.99% 3.49% Chicago had a mere 4.1 miles of son to bus-only lanes, “island” bus stops, and 0.9% dedicatedW bus lanes, compared with 27 miles protected bike lanes. From a livable streets 2020 2020 in San Francisco, 35.4 miles in Los Angeles, standpoint, the project was a success, prov- 2020 and a whopping 82.8 miles in New York City, ing that taking large amounts of downtown $ PER * $ PER * $ PER * NEW MONTH MONTH NEW MONTH according to the Active Transportation Alli- street space away from drivers to make DESIGN DESIGN ance’s “Back on the Bus” report on speeding up sustainable transportation safer and more 9 5 74 AUTOMATIC,18 Back-up9 Camera Eye- 1 1 AUTOMATIC, Roof Rails, Alloys All-Wheel-Drive, 17’’ Alloy Wheels, service. We’ve only added a handful of blocks pleasant doesn’t create carmaggedon. Sight, All-Wheel-Drive EyeSight, All-Wheel-Drive Apple Carplay / Android Auto NO SECURITY DEPOSIT! 36 month lease. NO SECURITY DEPOSIT! 36 month lease. NO SECURITY DEPOSIT! 36 month lease. of new bus-only lanes since then. But in terms of speeding up buses, the $41 $2,995 due at signing. LDB-01 #0292 $2,995 due at signing. LFB-02 #0361 $2,995 due at signing. LRA #73012 Part of the problem has been reluctance million Loop Link project was more show S from Chicago leaders to take away street than go. While it included raised boarding TOP-QUALITY INSPECTED USED CARS & SUV’ IMPORTS & DOMESTICS SUBARU FORESTERS / OUTBACKS space from drivers to make room for more platforms with giant, architecturally inter- ‘18 Hyundai Sante Fe Sport Ultimate AWD ...... Loaded, Graphite, 23734A ...... $25,995 ‘18 Outback Prem...... Auto., Eyesight, Alloys, White, P6022 ...... $22,995 sustainable and space-e cient modes for fear esting shelters, the CTA never implemented ‘16 Audi Q3 2.0T AWD Prestige/Navi...... Leather, Sunroof, Black, 22181A ...... $18,995 ‘17 Forester Ltd...... Auto., Sunroof, Leather, Grey, P6356 ...... $22,995 ‘17 Toyota Camry SE ...... Automatic, Full Power, White, 23330A ...... $14,995 ‘18 Forester Prem...... Automatic, Sunroof, Heated Seats, Blue, P6436 ...... $19,995 of a political backlash. In 2013 under Rahm prepaid boarding, which means buses waste ‘14 Toyota RAV-4 XLE AWD...... Automatic, Sunroof, Blue, 6420A ...... $14,995 ‘17 Forester Prem...... Automatic Sunroof, Heated Seats, White, 23458A ...... $19,995 time while customers wait in line to swipe ‘12 Audi Q5 3.2T AWD Prem.Plus/Navi...... Leather, Sunroof, 223367A ...... $14,995 ‘17 Forester 2.5i ...... Automatic, Full Power, 28K, Blue, P6444 ...... $19,995 Emanuel, the city fl oated a bold proposal for ‘16 Chevy Chevy Trax LT ...... Automatic, Full Power, P6400A ...... $13,995 ‘17 Outback 2.5i ...... Auto., Alloys, Heated Seats, Silver, P6422 ...... $19,995 a bus rapid transit system on Ashland be- their Ventra cards onboard or pay in cash. ‘18 Hyundai Elantra SEL...... Automatic, Full Power, Silver, P6286 ...... $12,995 ‘15 Outback Ltd...... Auto., Leather, Sunroof, Alloys, 31K, Red, 23582 ...... $18,995 ‘18 Ford Focus SE ...... Automatic, Full Power, Black, P6285 ...... $11,995 ‘16 Forester Ltd...... Auto., Sunroof, Leather, 26K, Red, P6414 ...... $17,995 tween 95th and Irving Park, with dedicated And there’s little enforcement of the red ‘18 Nissan Sentra S ...... Automatic, Full Power, Deep Blue, P6287 ...... $10,995 ‘14 Forester Prem...... Automatic, Sunroof, Heated Seats, Silver, 23387A ...... $14,995 lanes, stations in the middle of the street, and lanes, so private vehicles often clog them. As ‘16 Honda Fit LX ...... Automatic, Hatchback, Yellow, P6399A ...... $10,995 ‘14 Outback Prem...... Auto., Full Power, Alloys, Silver, P4891 ...... $14,995 ‘14 Jeep Compass Sport 4x4...... Automatic, Full Power, Black, 23485A ...... $10,995 time-saving features like prepaid, multi-door a result, the initiative has had only a modest ‘11 Chevy Malibu LT ...... Automatic, Full Power, Gold, 23500A ...... $8,995 SUBARU CROSSTREK / IMPREZA / BRZ ‘17 Crosstrek Prem...... Automatic, Heated Seats, White, 223552A ...... $19,995 ‘11 Honda Fit ...... Automatic, Full Power, Polished Metal P6399A ...... $8,995 boarding, which would have nearly doubled impact on bus speeds. ‘17 Crosstrek 2.0i ...... Manual, Full Power, Blue,23618A ...... $18,995 ‘13 Lincoln MKS AWD/Navi...... Loaded, Sunroof, Black, P6275B ...... $8,995 bus speeds. But in the face of organized Not In Meanwhile, New York has built miles of Se- ‘14 Impreza Prem...... Automatic, Heated Seats, Red,23314A ...... $12,995 My Back Yard-style opposition from some res- lect express bus routes all over the city. While A+ idents and merchants who balked at the idea they’re not as visually impressive as Loop RATED of giving two of the four existing travel lanes Link, they’re a lot more e ective. Customers 847-869-5700 to buses and banning most left turns from buy tickets from machines at the stops before 3340 OAKTON - SKOKIE • EVANSTONSUBARU.COM *Add tax, title license and $300 doc fee. **Finance on approved credit score Subject to vehicle insurance and availability. Ashland, the plan was indefi nitely shelved. the buses arrive, and they can board at any of *Lease on approved credit score. Lease, 10k miles per year, 15 cents after. Lessee responsible for excess wear and early termination of On the other hand, the downtown Loop the three doors on the extra-long buses (ran- lease. End of lease purchase option; Outback $17,806. Crosstrek $13,198, Forster $16,495. Ends 1/31/2020 ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 3 CITY LIFE
dom ticket checks by inspectors discourage found that bus travel times on 14th improved fare evasion), so there’s little “dwell time” at by 22 to 47 percent in recent months. The time the stops. On top of that, the curbside bus-on- savings for straphangers are as much as 9.7 ly lanes are camera enforced, so people don’t minutes from one end of the corridor to the drive or park in them. other, traveling east. Ridership on the M14 Saturday, January 18 Fortunately, Mayor Lori Lightfoot stated in has increased by 24 percent during the week her transportation platform, “I want Chicago and 30 percent on weekends. And, contrary to 11:00 am to have a world-class bus system . . . People the doomsday predictions of opponents, the will seek out other transportation options traffic impacts on nearby streets have been Grant Park if bus service is inconvenient.” She vowed minimal. to create 50 miles of bus lanes, revisit the So how about rolling out a similar initiative Ashland bus rapid transit (BRT) plan, and get in Chicago? The transit authority’s statement 5 issue areas legislation passed in Springfield to legalize in response to this potentially controversial • 2020 Census fair camera enforcement of bus lanes. idea was anodyne: “CTA will continue to mon- • Climate Change Under Lightfoot’s $20 million Bus Priority itor the bus-priority street project in Manhat- Zone program, partially funded by the new tan, as well as bus projects in other cities, to • Gun Violence Prevention ride-hail tax that kicked in on January 6, see if [the strategies] can be used to enhance • Women’s Health Rights the city has taken some tentative steps to- CTA service.” and Access ward expanding the busway network. Short But transit advocates and experts say • Get Out The Vote stretches of rush-hour-only bus lanes were they’re jazzed about the concept. “Let’s face recently installed near el stations on 79th, it, with our city and state’s financial prob- www.womensmarchchicago.org Chicago Avenue, and Western, along with new lems, we can only expect so much in terms of overhead signs and “queue jump signals” that new rail [lines],” said DePaul transportation [email protected] allow buses to move through an intersection professor Joe Schwieterman. “The results ahead of regular tra c. Thankfully, the city from New York are impressive and encourag- recently deployed tra c aides to write tickets ing, showing that that busway projects can to scofflaws who park in the new red lanes produce a fairly dramatic ridership boost at while grabbing lattes from Starbucks. Other relatively modest cost.” streets under consideration for these kinds of Metropolitan Planning Council transpor- improvements include 63rd, Belmont, Pulas- tation director Audrey Wennink agreed that ki, and Halsted. we should follow New York’s example. “This is But it’s time for Chicago to go bolder and the direction world-class cities are heading: follow the latest inspiring example from New making streets work better for high-capacity York. (Hey, I don’t mind us being the Second transit, to reduce tra c deaths, and improve City in this regard if it means I don’t get stuck air quality.” In addition to the aforemen- in traffic on the 22 Clark bus.) Launched in tioned streets where Chicago is currently October, NYC’s 14th Street Busway, a nearly eyeing bus improvements, she named Mich- car-free corridor traversing Lower Manhat- igan, Fullerton, and Lake Shore Drive as tan, has been a roaring success. high-ridership roadways where car drivers From 6 AM to 10 PM daily, through tra c currently slow down transit commuters, so on 14th is limited to M14 Select buses and bus lanes would be benefi cial. GetYour Swag! trucks making deliveries on the street, plus University of Illinois at Chicago transpor- emergency and paratransit vehicles. Private tation expert P.S. Sriraj said he’s also inter- www.chicagoreader.com/shop car drivers, cabbies, and ride-hail drivers can ested in piloting a 14th Street-style Busway in make pickups or drop-o§ s along the stretch, Chicago, citing Division, Harlem, and Ogden as long as they make the next available right as other possible candidates. “The challenge turn to exit the street. The city is currently for getting this off the ground is to have a putting in curbside bulb-outs (raised plat- champion on the political front.” He noted forms for passengers) at intersections so that that if there is vocal support for the project the buses don’t have to maneuver in and out from the mayor and the CTA president, which of (minimal) traffic to make stops, further wasn’t really the case with the Ashland BRT speeding operations. proposal, it will have more credibility to over- As with Chicago’s Ashland BRT plan, there come NIMBY opposition. was NIMBY opposition to the 14th Street Schwieterman agreed. “Creating more Busway—a lawsuit on behalf of disgrun- busways will require a fair amount of sales- tled neighbors delayed the launch by a few manship to convince a skeptical public.” v months. But the proof is in the pudding. A new study by Sam Schwartz Engineering @greenfieldjohn 4 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll FOOD & DRINK
The chip rejects were collected in a bowl that is Origin: Thailand now a Superfund site. MIKE SULA Key ingredients: ribotides Tasting notes: JFW: I was told this sells out at Talard as LSC: I’d eat that in an airport. soon as they get it. Consensus: No LLE: That might be the saltiest one we’ve had. BMP: They have a hot moment at the end, Chip: Texas Grilled BBQ which I appreciate. Origin: China Consensus: Yes Key ingredients: Mislabeled with cucumber ingredients Chip: Yogurt Tasting notes: Origin: China JFW: There’s a picture of a rare New York Key ingredients: Mislabeled cucumber Strip on the bag so before you even open it Tasting notes: there’s a fundamental disconnect about what BMP: It’s sweet again, like a creamsicle. Texas barbecue is. LSC: This might work paired with the LSC: In China it’s salted cardboard. cucumber. Consensus: No LLE: Am I crazy to say dulce de leche? Consensus: Tie Chip: Italian Red Meat Flavor Origin: China Chip: Numb & Spicy Hot Pot Key ingredients: Artifi cial Red Meat Flavor, Origin: China Edible Chili Flavor Essence Key ingredients: sesame, Sichuan pepper, Tasting notes: fennel Disoium-5’ ribonucleotide JFW: Judging by the bag, Italian Red Meat Tasting notes: Flavor is Mandarin for Bolognese. BMP: I’m gonna need another Coors Light. FOOD FEATURE he shoved into his gob—preferred the Thai LSC: This is what I imagine the bottom of a LSC: Hardcore Italian seasoning. I don’t know fl avors to the Chinese. can of tomato sauce would taste like. if it’s numbing or hot but I am pro that one. It In general the Chinese chips su ered from BMP: None of these are salty enough. A Lay’s tastes nothing like it’s supposed to taste like. Getting Lay’d an overabundance of sugar (or aspartame) is salty as a motherfucker. This would be bet- Like margherita pizza. and a discombobulating lack of salt. The Thai ter with more salt. LLE: Almost a bruschetta with a shit-ton of Lessons in potato chip diplomacy crisps are more of a mystery, with vague and Consensus: No basil on it. relatively little information in their listed Consensus: Yes. By M S ingredients. Maybe that lends to their appeal, Chip: Hot Chili Squid but they are definitely more complex and Origin: Thailand Chip: Green Curry closer to what they’re billed as. Key ingredients: Milk, squid Origin: Thailand t’s 2020, and weed is legal, the world is What follows is a summary of the ones Tasting notes: Key ingredients: packaging gas ending, and there’s nothing else to do we liked—and a few we didn’t. You can read LLE: Smells like a pile of seafood. Tasting notes: but eat potato chips. We at the Reader about all 18 fl avors we tried on the Reader’s LSC: Still on the sweet side, but I’d defi nitely JFW: This tastes like exactly what it says it is. have a long tradition of feeding the trolls website. Evaluators are identified by their eat this bag. BMP: It tastes like grass. of the Frito-Lay company, particularly code names, based on their admitted eating LLE: It tastes like how I’d imagine those Consensus: Yes. Iwhen it comes to things like cappuccino habits and preferences: words would taste: some deep-fried squid chips. JFW, aka Jaded Food Writer with dipping sauce. Chip: Miengkam Krobos (aka one-bite salad) But the worldview of Lay’s is broad, inclu- BMP, aka Bland Midwestern Palate Consensus: Yes Origin: Thailand sive, and bigger than the snack aisle at Park to LLE, aka Learned to Like Eggs Key ingredients: shrimp, soybeans Shop in Bridgeport, which is huge. The selec- LSC, aka Loves a Shrimp Chip Chip: Grilled Eel Tasting notes: tion of Lay’s is dazzling and confounding. Not SDP, aka Shameless Dog Palate Origin: China SDP: It tastes like Crunchberries . . . long ago I swept up a dozen varieties of Lay’s, Key ingredients: fi sh, shrimp, soy, dairy BMP: . . . with lime formulated from a chemistry set of fl avoring Chip: Wasabi Tasting notes: Consensus: Yes agents (disodium inosinate, L-alanine, sugar) Origin: China LSC: This smells like—SNIFFS—smells like to appeal to the Chinese palate. Key ingredients: Mislabeled with cucumber your sweaty running socks after two days. Chip: Shrimp Tom Yum They sat in a pile until I picked up a dozen ingredients JFW: I like it already. Origin: Thailand more Thai fl avors at Talard Thai Asian Mar- Tasting notes: LSC: It tastes like super old ginger. Ohhhh! Key ingredients: fi sh, shrimp ket a few weeks later. I’m not in the habit of JFW: It doesn’t have the sinus-scouring Grocery store sushi! Tasting notes: playing favorites but the results were pretty signature of wasabi, or even horseradish. LLE: A step up from gas station sushi. LSC: Nailed it clear to the distinguished panel of tasters I There’s more sugar than salt. Consensus: No Consensus: Yes. v assembled, who—with the exception of one BMP: It’s not very hot—just a hint of wasabi. miscreant who claimed to love every flavor LLE: It doesn’t fulfi ll its promise. Chip: Salted Egg @MikeSula ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 5 NEWS & POLITICS
POLITICS Sensei Barnett He fought the machine and taught a rookie reporter about Chicago politics. By B J
n the days after he died on December 28, recommended I call Barnett. 2019, Richard Barnett’s obituaries told From then on, it seemed as though an elec- stories of the roles he’d played in Chica- tion never passed without me taking a master go politics over the last 50 years—as an course in Chicago politics from the legendary activist, strategist, and ally to several Mr. Barnett. Ilegends, Mayor Harold Washington included. He seemed to know everyone and every- To that I’d like to add one more role—teach- thing, about not just Black west- and south- er, with a specialty in helping young and naive side politics, but also independent politics on rookie reporters learn a thing or two about the north side and in Hyde Park. Chicago politics. We shared a love for talking—we’d talk Oh, he was an excellent teacher for guys for hours, usually by phone. He spoke in a like that. I should know—I was one of his soothing monotone—exceedingly exact and students. patient, with a remarkable attention to de- We met soon after I moved to Chicago in tails and a habit of going on tangents. A habit, 1981. I was writing a story about Black alder- alas, that I share. men, and someone—I can’t remember who— Over time, he told me his story. Born in 1931 6 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll POETRY CORNER NEWS & POLITICS Diversity, A Banned Word Love Poem Richard Barnett helped Harold Washington get By Debra Bruce elected mayor in 1983. COURTESY BARNETT FAMILY special election of 1958. Hamilton was up against Ben Lewis, Mayor Richard J. Daley’s on the south side. “One of 14 kids—we were handpicked candidate. In 2017, the Trump administration ordered the CDC to stop using poor as church mice.” It was a tough campaign. According to seven words & phrases, including “diversity,” in its official documents. In 1953, he and his wife moved to North Barnett, the Lewis camp tore down signs, Lawndale on the west side. Back then, it was roughed up volunteers, harassed voters, in- a mostly white community—he bought his timidated election judges, and stole votes. He was too old to be scooped up in a towel home from a Jewish family that moved to the Ben Lewis won. But the story doesn’t end after a bath, but I could still suburbs. there. hug him getting home from school, But you know what they say about integra- Arthur Hamilton went on to have a distin- lean down behind him, smell his hair, tion in Chicago—it lasts about as long as the guished career as a judge—he died in 2010. my arms crisscrossed over his chest fi rst Black family moves in and the last white As for Lewis? In 1963, police found him shot in the mirror on the door— family moves out. In the case of Barnett’s cor- dead in his ward office on Roosevelt Road. ner of North Lawndale, that was no more than He’d been handcu¡ ed to his desk—cigarette brownb boy, white mom—But wait, what’s that? a few years. burns on his arm—with three bullets to the That smudge or shadow on his neck? Barnett worked as a clerk for the post of- back of his head. Dirt, I said, but he said not. fi ce. In a roundabout way, organizing a youth Clearly, Lewis had done something to get That’s my skin-tone, you’re being racist!— baseball league got him involved in politics. someone very upset. Was it the mob, rival twisting his body away from mine. “We believed that if we could catch young- politicians—or both? Back then those two I breathed in deep. I waited for days sters before they reached gang age and get categories were hardly mutually exclusive on to hear him running the shower too long. them involved in something, we could keep the west side. No one was ever arrested for them out of trouble,” he once told me. “I his murder, and the killing of Alderman Ben I felt the heat as he emerged, talked to a lot of people all over Lawndale, Lewis remains one of Chicago’s most endur- his head held up so I could see, and soon we had [32] teams. They were there ing mysteries. chin jutting out in mock-defiance. to play baseball, but I tried to teach them Over the years Barnett played a role in I knew not to laugh as I studied his skin. other things, too—like race pride, community many great political triumphs. He helped un- I knew he’d kill me if I kissed pride, respect for education, respect for prop- seat Edward Hanrahan, the notorious state’s his clean brown boy neck, shadowless. erty, and mainly respect for self. If you teach a attorney who supervised the police raid that kid to respect himself, you’d eliminate a lot of killed Black Panther leaders Fred Hampton your problems.” and Mark Clark. Debra Bruce’s most recent book is Survivors' Picnic, and her poems have He was hoping to convert a vacant lot Barnett helped Congressman Ralph Met- been published widely in journals including The Cincinnati Review, Innisfree Poetry Journal, Mezzo Cammin, and Poetry. She is Professor Emeritus at behind a local factory into a North Lawndale calfe win reelection, overcoming opposition Northeastern Illinois University and lives in Chicago. version of Field of Dreams: “We could have from the elder Mayor Daley, who had tried had four baseball diamonds on that land, to punish Metcalfe for speaking out against A biweekly series curated by the Chicago Reader and sponsored by the Poetry Foundation. except there was a slight hill. So, we went to police brutality. This week’s poem is curated by poet Yvonne Zipter. the politicians. All we wanted them to do was And, of course, he helped Harold Wash- have the land graded—just have it leveled. ington win election in 1983 as Chicago’s fi rst They told us it would cost $5,000 to $6,000. Black mayor. And the city didn’t have the money.” But more often than not, Barnett was on the Free events at the Poetry Foundation At the same time, the city was installing “all losing side of an election—as in the Hamilton/ new curbs on sections of Michigan Avenue Lewis aldermanic campaign. Drinking Gourd Chapbook Launch because the queen of England was coming to That’s how it goes when you’re running A celebration with winner Ama Codjoe Friday, January 17, 7:00 PM visit. That cost the city about $18,000. They against the machine. You can’t cry too much
didn’t have $5,000 for the kids, but they had over a loss—as soon as one fi ght’s over, an- Open Door Reading Series: Patrick Durgin & Kristiana Rae Colón $18,000 for the queen of England.” other’s starting up. Another lesson I learned Highlighting Chicago’s outstanding writing programs It’s an old story in Chicago. There’s always from Richard Barnett. Tuesday,T January 21, 7:00 PM money for something no one really needs. But Over the years, I’ve ranted and railed try to help some kids on the west side play against the political miscreants in Chicago— Brenda Shaughnessy The award-winning author of The Octopus Museum baseball? And, suddenly, we’re broke. the bully mayors, the cowardly aldermen, the Friday, January 24, 7:00 PM “That made me madder than a six-shooter. sheeplike voters. To me, the politicians had their priorities But there are also a lot of good people in A.R. Ammons: Watercolors wrong. That’s when I became involved in this city like Richard Barnett. He was tough WWorks of a prolific poet and painter Exhibition open through April 30 politics.” enough to fi ght the machine but nice enough Looking to change the world—or at least to teach a rookie reporter what’s really going Poetry Foundation his piece of it—Barnett joined the aldermanic on in Chicago. v 61 West Superior Street poetryfoundation.org/events campaign of Arthur Hamilton, a young lawyer running as an independent in the 24th ward @joravben ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 7 NEWS & POLITICS
JOHN GARRISON
NEWS Prime suspects Why would anyone benefi t from sending unsolicited, free Amazon packages to random addresses? By P O
he packages started arriving in early were from Amazon and addressed to Ben’s addresses. “My fi rst thought was we have a knew had sent the packages. As the number October. First came a cell phone case single-family house in Humboldt Park. (We couple relatives who are older who will, on of mystery items piled up, he decided to that no one had ordered and that agreed to let Ben use only his fi rst name to occasion, send us kind of a random gift from contact Amazon. Maybe, he reasoned, his didn’t match a phone in the house. give, at least for the next 1,000 words or so, Amazon,” he said. He figured that maybe personal information had gotten mixed up The next week brought unusual the illusion of Internet anonymity.) a relative or friend had sent a gift without in some sort of system error. kitchenT supplies. Then a mass of assorted At fi rst Ben wasn’t sure what to make of a note or mention of who it came from. He Ben’s call with Amazon led to what he holiday-themed items. All of these deliveries these unannounced packages with no return was wrong. It turned out that no one he described as “kind of a unique customer 8 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll NEWS & POLITICS
experience.” The customer service associate packages from China at the rate of multiple however, their story ended: “Honestly there er service felt more protective of the sender he spoke with at Amazon was friendly and packages per day. The packages were cheap, was nothing I could do! I got another pack- and the company than protective of him as yet a bit informal. He even used words like small things like hair ties, sent directly to age after this post and then They finally a customer. Even though Amazon is aware “stalker” to describe what might be happen- her name and home address. Another woman stopped! I’m sorry. I wish I could be of more that there are fake or fraudulent accounts, ing, which Ben found a little strange. “I think identifi ed as “Nikki” got an unsolicited sex toy help, but there is hope it will stop soon and they didn’t seem to do much to ameliorate he used terms like shady, sketchy, things like in the mail from Amazon, as well as other as- not be dangerous of anything haha.” his particular situation. “It seemed like they that,” he said. “[Those] don’t seem like typi- sorted items like a Bluetooth cord, according Suspecting he had been “brushed,” Ben said the things . . . they were legally respon- cal customer relations pamphlet terms that to The Daily Beast. Nikki spoke with Amazon found one of the exact products he received sible to say to me, “ he said. “[It] didn’t really you would use.” customer service multiple times and found on Amazon’s site and looked through its satisfy what I was hoping to get from them.” The associate looked up a tracking number the experience mostly unhelpful; the people reviews to see if he could fi nd a review from I reached out to Amazon for comment. from one of the unsolicited packages and on the phone were tight-lipped, gave her Karen, the name that Amazon told him was After receiving Ben’s mailing address and identifi ed the Amazon account that ordered conflicting answers, and transferred her to behind the account sending him packages. e-mail, Amazon said they would follow up the package, along with a few other packages incorrect departments. Nikki feared she had He found that about half of the reviews for with him on his situation and provided the sent to Ben that were associated with the a cyberstalker (“It seems so personal,” she the products were anonymous, with a mere following statement: “We are investigating same account. “The only real question he said at the time). A quick Google search for “verifi ed buyer” marker. “So there was real- this customer’s inquiry about unsolicited asked me was, ‘Do you know someone by this “received a package I didn’t order with my ly no way to fi gure out if someone connected packages, as this would violate our policies. name?’ And it was Karen.” (We’ve left out her name amazon” yields many confused people to my specifi c situation had purchased and We remove sellers in violation of these poli- last name, but a Google search brings up a experiencing the exact same thing as Ben. reviewed a product,” Ben told me. But since cies, withhold payments, and work with law blonde woman in Florida whose Instagram, How would anyone benefit from sending the Christmas items started arriving in No- enforcement to take appropriate action.” perhaps unsurprisingly, is not private and unsolicited, free Amazon packages to ran- vember, he suspects that a seller might have Ben still has not heard anything from with an abundance of selfi es.) dom addresses? A few news reports specu- been trying to boost reviews ahead of the Amazon. But he also hasn’t received anoth- When Ben said that neither he nor his wife late that when a customer orders something holiday season. er package. v knew anyone by that name, the person on from an unscrupulous source (such as in- After this ordeal, Ben says that he feels the phone said he couldn’t tell him any more ternational sellers who are di cult to track that his experience with Amazon’s custom- @artfulaction information about the account, but that or hold under U.S. fraud laws), sellers may Amazon did have instances of fake accounts be able to lift or sell the buyer’s address for being used to send packages to publicly other purposes. ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM available addresses. While the associate told Another more likely theory is that sellers Ben that Amazon couldn’t do anything about could harvest random addresses found on blocking or stopping the packages, he said the Internet and send packages to them to he would make a note of the call and that the game Amazon’s rating system with “verifi ed team at Amazon would investigate to fi nd out buyers.” A verified purchase, according to more about the possible fraudulent account. Amazon, means that “the person writing The associate added a strange sign-o : Ben the review purchased the product at Ama- would “probably never hear anything about zon and didn’t receive the product at a deep this again.” Ben received a follow-up e-mail discount.” The seller can then leave a verifi ed noting his call to Amazon on October 19. The five-star review for their own item using packages continued. a phony e-mail address. This technique is In the middle of November, the Christmas called “brushing” and it’s suspected in many items started arriving on his doorstep. The of these cases. house received a handful of holiday items— In message boards about how Amazon Christmas tree stands, holiday decorations, averages product reviews, users argue over and about two or three di erent Christmas third-grade math before agreeing that cal- tree skirts. The house was now receiving culations are futile because verifi ed reviews two or three mystery packages a week. Most are weighted more heavily. This passage of the items weren’t useful, except for the from Amazon is quoted often: Amazon calcu- happy surprise of a nut milk bag. “Nothing lates a product’s star ratings using a machine else really was something that we could use learned model instead of a raw data average. practically, but that was a win for her,” Ben The machine learned model takes into ac- IHMEC: Courtesy of Harold Berger said about his wife. count factors including: the age of a review, By December, the deliveries abruptly helpfulness votes by customers and whether stopped. the reviews are from verifi ed purchases. Nearly 75 years ago, World War II ended and troops In the 2019 Reddit thread “I think I’m a liberated concentration camps across Europe. To here are lots of news reports, Reddit victim of an Amazon brushing scam?! What commemorate the 75th anniversary of liberation and threads, and other accounts of people do I do??,” user pug_in_a_rug10 asked if they the end of WWII, Museum admission is FREE on the Tgoing through the same thing. In 2017, should be nervous because “someone has got 20th of every month in 2020. a woman in Pennsylvania received Amazon my address and name?!” A few months later, ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 9 ARTS & CULTURE
Julia Campione MARZENA ABRAHAMIK
COMMUNITY
I’m just concentrating really hard right now bikers and metal shops, the kind of people and not really breathing,” I say. She stops and you’d see on TV riding motorcycles in dive Blood, ink, and tears looks concerned. “That’s the worst thing you bar parking lots, dust kicking up around their Tattooing is still dominated by white men, but women, nonbinary people, and can do. Breathe. Please don’t do that.” feet. The tattoo world is largely considered by people of color are making their mark. The 21,000 tattoo parlors in the United many artists a boy’s club, one with ins and outs States are dominated by cis heterosexual white that are hard to maneuver. However, there’s By M G male artists. Just one-third of the artists are been a palpable shift in recent years toward women, and of that third, the vast majority making the community more welcoming. attoo artist Emily Kempf lives in a in with whitewashed jeans and point to where are white women. There are no easily acces- There are now more women, nonbinary folks, world of her own. Her shop, Time I want a tattoo. I’m after a large image on my sible statistics on how many queer people members of the LGBTQ community, and peo- Being Tattoo, models itself after arm that reminds me of Virginia Woolf, and and people of color make up the industry. ple of color in the industry than ever before. female artists Kempf looks up to, I reiterate this hoping it might make Kempf According to many in the industry, sexism in Women have long been a part of the culture. like Tine Defi ore at Black Oak. It’s think I’m cool. As she begins, she asks how I’m the community has more to do with the schism Tattooing was a form of expression for indig- light, fi lled with mystical paintings, and has fe- doing because the inside of a forearm is one of between old school and new school artists. enous women on St. Lawrence Island starting Tmale indie rock pouring from speakers. I walk the more painful spots to get a tattoo. “Great, Historically, tattoos conjure up thoughts of as early as the 1900s. After missionaries 10 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll ARTS & CULTURE
arrived to discourage what they considered on Instagram and build a following from stick story and list their e-mail on their site. club,” Graham says. “It’s a stereotype for a rea- “disfigurement” for women, the last group and poke tattoos are considered “new school,” “Social media has been a huge influence son. I would say the majority of tattoo shops of women were officially tattooed in 1923. while those who have done apprenticeships on tattooing and that has brought a lot of are that way, lots of dicks jokes and derogatory By the 1950s, tattooing became ingrained in and studied under established artists are con- conversation that pertains to what studios comments made about women and queer folks.” mainstream Western society. People would sidered “old school.” For some, the pushback and shops look like,” Campione says. “I see All three agree, in a city as big as Chi- refuse to tattoo women unless they were has been less than ideal. people go out of their way to post, whether it’s cago, where discrimination in shops 21, and women would often need to be ac- “There’s this gatekeeper-y, bully, ‘protect social or environmental, shops that practice still exists, it’s important for artists to companied by their boyfriend or husband. mindfulness across the board. That’s the magic stick together in moments of hardship. Sinah Theres Kloß, author of Tattoo Histo- about tattoos, you can change how people feel “Dealing with individuals during my ap- ries: Transcultural Perspectives on the Narra- in an instant so you need to be aware of your prenticeship who thought they could say tives, Practices, and Representations of Tat- bedside manners because that’s the type of certain things that were highly unprofessional tooing, explores how female- and male-bodied energy that will resonate with that person.” and definitely offensive made me feel fortu- people are viewed in western culture. Changes “It’s not just women, it’s everybody on the nate for all the different female artists I’ve to the female body are considered direct at- “You can’t just tip- rise now because of social media. Femme, been able to connect with,” Campione says. tacks against feminine beauty standards and queer, nonbinary tattoo artists are on the rise Culturally, women in the tattoo world a challenge to patriarchal oppression. Mascu- toe into tattooing. now,” Kempf says. “Anybody who wants to go are expected to act a certain way. Words linity, however, is reinforced and strengthened buy a machine can go on Amazon and do it now.” like “tramp stamp” and “biker babes” through tattoos. While one is considered an You have to throw Graham emphasizes how important behind- have hypersexualized the way people act of political resistance, the other is consid- the-scenes behavior is in addition to bedside view women with tattoos. Living up to the ered inherent to gender. Just boys being boys. behavior. Deconstructing inner beliefs in a soci- “cool girl persona” in general affects how Though the tattoo world looks different yourself in and ety socialized towards looking down on women women turn a blind eye to bad behavior. today, the unbalanced scales toward female, and queer people intersects with tackling “This one shop there was a woman I talked people of color, and queer artists is still that is issues surrounding race. As a queer person of to who was super old school about tattoos who prevalent. Shops differ depending on where color, Graham admits some of the worst stories told me, ‘oh, I’ve never had a problem with you go, but, in general, behavior towards psychologically, they’ve heard involve racism towards brown the guys because I’m one of the boys,’” Kempf women, people of color, and the LGBTQ skin people. Often, artists will complain about says. “It’s a lot of internalized misogyny.” community depends on who’s in charge. the difficulties in tattooing darker skinned “One of the guys” is considered a rite of “There tends to be a dynamic, and I think physically, people and deny them opportunities to tattoo. passage for some, and it is one that affects it depends on who runs the shop and what Common are comments about clients’ skin relationships in the tattoo world. Catering to they let fly, but sometimes it’s the owner emotionally, and tones being hard to work with or, “oh, this the male gaze is something deeply embedded themselves perpetuating bad behavior,” piece would be really cool if it was done on in how many women think, and that mindset says Julia Campione, a tattoo artist at Good someone who wasn’t as dark skin,” says Gra- can result in putting down fellow artists. Omen Tattoo who has worked in the indus- fi nancially ham. “I want to acknowledge I’m very white “To be in the boys’ club it feels like you try for five years. “It’s just the experience passing so the fact I was able to get an appren- must be the token hot chick tattoo girl, of being a woman or a nonbinary person.” diffi cult.” ticeship and work in a shop I’m very thankful and you work a million times harder than Sema Graham is a nonbinary artist of for. But my friends who are Black and tattooing them to be there,” Kempf says. “I’m not middle eastern descent who has been tat- deal with racism way worse than I ever will.” saying that’s bad, but you don’t need to tooing for three years, also at Time Being Starting o drawing from a young age, both put down other women in the process.” Tattoo. They have integrated their culture Kempf and Campione moved to tattooing later Outside of working in shops, many tattooed into the imagery they tattoo, such as jars in life. Kempf’s mom pushed her to follow her people experience nonconsensual interactions. and textiles serving their style. Operating -Julia Campione talent and she eventually began stick and poke Body art encourages people to comment, poke outside of the binary, they discuss the hand for people on tour with her band Dehd. For fun at, and even grab bodies whenever they tattooing had in helping them with their Campione, the lifestyle started immediately. please. Consent is eradicated and for some the gender identity. Graham desires more diverse “You can’t just tiptoe into tattooing. You ability to stand up to people can be difficult. artists in the community who understand the have to throw yourself in and that is psycho- Both Kempf and Campione have experienced struggle trans and nonbinary people have the tradition at all cost’ attitude,” Kempf logically, physically, emotionally, and finan- their fair share of this happening on the street. facing such drastic changes to their body. says. “It’s not gendered, it’s girl or guy. A cially di cult,” Campione says. “There was al- “I notice how guys comment on my tattoos “Part of why I started getting tattooed is guy came up to me when I was bartending ways that fear of am I ever going to get booked on the street,” Campione says. “You have to because of queer identity things and you look and after he learned I stick and poked, he up? What’s the next step? All those things.” be the force in that situation to let that person at the demographic and there’s not a lot of was very rude to me. I was like, why is he Apprenticeships are considered the “right know do not touch me because there is plenty tattooers who are queer people like myself,” so mad, I’m not doing anything wrong.” way,” but they are not always the friendli- of ignorance and people sometimes do not Graham says. “In the grand scheme of things, The DIY approach towards tattooing is est environments. Graham, who worked an understand how uncomfortable they make it’s probably still 90 percent white men.” largely popular today. Artists maneuver apprenticeship for a year, said overall, it that person when they call out their tattoos.” the Internet to build a following for their was a good experience. Though, there were Men can be victims of gender-based bias here’s an unspoken agreement about brand and style and to grow their clien- moments that stuck out as less than ideal. in the tattoo world as well. “There were a the right way and wrong way to break tele. Now, artists have the means to post “For the past year I was working at this shop couple guys I tattooed early on who you could Tin to the industry. People who come up immediate flash deals to their Instagram two days a week that was definitely a boys’ tell weren’t OK , and when I asked to J ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 11 “Y W D ” Through / . Closing exhibition with a Dark Valentine’s Day Party, Fri / , PM- PM, Public ARTS & CULTURE Works Gallery, N. Damen, publicworksgallery.com F
continued from 11 spaces and I think people have negative expe- make sure they were OK with being tattooed riences so we strive to make it a positive one,” I could tell they had been conditioned to just Graham says. “For a lot of other queer tattoo- swallow the pain as a man in the world,” Kempf ers I know that’s a huge part of their practice.” says. “I’d try so hard to be like, It’s OK if it hurts, The pamphlet Kempf gives me before I leave you can cry if you need to and we can take a is the same she gave before my tattoo appoint- break. But they’d just do the tough guy thing.” ment. It details how her shop provides a safe For Graham, an area of growth they’d space for consent between client and artist: like to see in the industry would be more speak up if it hurts. Tattoos hurt! Don’t be brown skinned people on the scene. afraid to cry! Adamant about putting my safety “Racism in tattooing is so normalized,” fi rst, she makes sure I read it before we begin. Graham says. “I would just really love It details how important the ebb and fl ow be- to be a part of a change in my industry.” tween artist and client is, how ambience, trust, The tattoo industry refl ects a bigger prob- and patience all intersect. She asks if she can lem in society but the community, more than take a photo of my arm, giddy about the art any, grew from roots of an image leaning she’s created, and asks if she can turn it to- towards a gentleman’s club, one where signs wards the light, holding up her hand and asking of “don’t cry” and “man up” pepper their work if it’s OK with her eyes. I send my friends her space. Unlike shops of the past, places like Instagram of my tattooed arm, reveling in the Black Oak, Ash & Ivory, Copper Plate, Them, feeling of being let into her inner circle. Women and Butter Fat are women- and LGBTQ-run and queer people are no longer on the outskirts shops that encourage clients to cry when they of the industry. They are the industry. v need to and speak up when something’s wrong. “Tattoo shops are extremely masculine @meggie_gates
VISUAL ARTS ‘You Will Die’ reminds us of our mortality Metal art breaks into the white-wall gallery. By S N L
t felt like a typical trip to a music venue; unheard of for an art show to reach its limit, there was even a line down the street. but for a show like this, it makes sense. IPublic Works Gallery had reached ca- Pressing against a sea of black leather, I pacity and the room was packed. It’s pretty entered the space and immediately ran into
12 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll ARTS & CULTURE
Venus de Milo NOELIA TOWERS
people I knew, people whom I usually see at tom of their feet. He waves a baton in his hand metal shows. We don’t bump into each other to orchestrate the sound of death. at art shows. We don’t converse between On the back wall of the gallery are the paint- paintings and illustrations. Yet there we were, ings of Noelia Towers, whose work depicts the brought to the gallery by a shared love for artist in settings that touch on her struggles metal and metalheads for the exhibit “You with chronic illness and how sexuality and Will Die.” bondage tie into this experience. In the piece The nine artists in the show are from The Pain That Keeps on Giving she paints her- around the world, some as close as Chicago, self seated in an o ce chair with a black hood others as far as Poland, Russia, Israel, and over her face and barbed wire around her Germany. Cocurated by Scott Shellhamer, abdomen. The fi gure is wearing black leather a former member of metal band American gloves and staring directly at the viewer. The Heritage, and Josh Zoerner of Public Works, barbed wire resembles her pain with ulcer- the show is a way for them to invite their ative colitis, which manifests itself as tiny friends, peers, and idols to exhibit their work stabs to her lower half. Her body is harming in a white-wall gallery, a rare occasion for this itself, which is why Towers paints a ski mask style of art. over her head—she is her own executioner. In the gallery, a limited-run apparel line As someone within the metal scene, and for the show was propped up in the back with grateful to fi nally see a metal art exhibition, I two long-sleeve T-shirts and a crop top de- was at ease with those around me. I spotted signed by Noelia Towers and Justin Bartlett. friends I had never seen at an art show before. Marz Community Brewing even debuted a I had deep discussions about the work. While limited-release “You Will Die” beer, a Nordic this is a solid foundation for a show of this Double IPA. theme, more metal artwork from women, On the surface, the featured works of art people of color, and those within the LGBTQ seem to portray the obvious: terror, the community would have expanded the scope macabre, darkness. The works have a heavy of the exhibition. “You Will Die” scratched narrative and borrow from 16th-century the surface of metal art; it invited the heroes, paintings that depict the terrifying reality of the godfathers, and the successful. But I chal- human existence. However, these artists are lenge the curators to expand on this theme in responding to cultural, social, and economic the future. The metal community is fi lled with structures in society that have contributed to white cis and straight men while women and the dread in the world. people of color take a back seat. Nevertheless, Sunday, January 19, 2020 3:00 p.m. Monday, January 20, 2020 7:30 p.m. Pushing around the people, the beer, and they are present, and are more and more Wentz Concert Hall, Naperville Symphony Center, Chicago the merchandise (and even mac and cheese pushing toward the front of the stage and Featuring Guest Artists from go-to metal food joint Kuma’s Corner), making themselves visible. There isn’t a lack Kymberli Joye • The Adrian Dunn Singers I found myself incredibly drawn to the work of people of color or women in the scene. In Leah Dexter, Mezzo-soprano • Summer Hassan, Soprano of Eliran Kantor, a Berlin-based digital paint fact, there is a laundry list of Black-and wom- North Central College Concert Choir • Roosevelt University Conservatory Chorus artist who has designed album covers for en-fronted bands like Straight Line Stitch, bands like Hatebreed, Gwar, and Aghora. His Myrkur, and Agoraphobic Nosebleed. These work is gory, morbid, and violent—and it’s marginalized communities within the metal absolutely breathtaking. The piece Hangman scene could have created a more diverse and was commissioned by the band Artizan for powerful array of artwork. (Maybe next time, their song “The Hangman” and features a guys?) person smiling, looking upwards in a joyful “You Will Die” does what it intended to manner, as the lower halves of four bodies do. It celebrates the icons of extreme metal dangle above him. Metal art typically displays art and features work by artists who those BUY TICKETS AT CHICAGOSINFONIETTA.ORG/MLK scenes of dystopian landscapes or a magical, in the scene admire. Most importantly, it is OR CALL THE BOX OFFICE AT 312-284-1554 mystical atmosphere. In Kantor’s work, the a reminder to question our dismal existence scenes nod at folklore and capture a moment and emphasize the reality that yes, we will all that resembles an ancient tale. Here, we see die. v a hangman enjoying himself as the bodies of those he hanged dangle with bells on the bot- @snicolelane ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 13 ARTS & CULTURE
Sandy Honig, Alyssa Stonoha, and Mitra Jouhari are Three Busy Debras. COURTESY ADULT SWIM
COMEDY Get brunch in Lemoncurd Watch the best of the comedy trio Three Busy Debras before their Tomorrow Never Knows show and Adult Swim series. By J R
hey’re all named Debra. If asked about the white feminists, and more. The group’s come- root of their friendship, that’s the level of dy makes perfect sense for the era of the deep- Tintrospection one could expect from the fried meme and cursed image in that it runs on deranged housewives portrayed by Mitra Jou- a healthy stream of nonsense. hari (High Maintenance, The Big Sick), Sandy The three comedians learned of each other’s Honig (Vice Live, The Late Show With Stephen work through Twitter and began performing Colbert), and Alyssa Stonoha (The Chris Geth- together in Upright Citizens Brigade shows ard Show, The Special Without Brett Davis) in in 2015. Their dead-eyed Debra characters Three Busy Debras. Though their sketches are originated in an improv exercise and soon filled with incongruous, grotesque dialogue became the focus of a proudly gonzo one-act and props, the comedians hold their Step- play. Despite delving into “incest, necrophilia, ford-esque characters to three ground rules: the Holocaust, 9/11, Kony 2012, kidnapping, “All Debras are small, all Debras are busy, all pedophilia, suicide, matricide, masturbation, Debras are quiet.” Before their Adult Swim se- infi delity committed with ghosts, and brunch,” ries premieres this spring, Jouhari, Honig, and it sold out The Annoyance Theatre’s now-shut- Stonoha are bringing Three Busy Debras to the tered Brooklyn outpost. The following year Hideout on January 18 for a sold-out show as they brought an expanded musical version to part of the 2020 Tomorrow Never Knows festi- Carnegie Hall, performing with no crew in a val. (“They just fl ew into Chicago and BOY are recital hall rented via Kickstarter donations. they all named Debra!” the event page smirks.) Soon after that, Saturday Night Live and Parks The group’s work satirizes the point where and Recreation star Amy Poehler contacted complete self-confidence dissolves into the trio with an o er to produce a television groupthink. Beyond the titular Connecticut series through her company Paper Kite. housewives, they have embodied this vapid Last spring, Adult Swim announced a fi rst contradiction as middle-aged businessmen, season order for Three Busy Debras, which 14 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll ARTS & CULTURE
depicted the daily lives of the characters in blood-red thread out of her forehead. It’s a a lightbulb. They don’t converse, they parrot, blood-soaked publicity photo. They alternate the fictional affluent suburb of Lemoncurd, brief sample of the world of Lemoncurd, equal speaking in catchphrases. They’re just as between mimicking the immortal commands Connecticut. The quarter-hour series will parts thrilling and revolting. vapid as the Debras, women these “feminists” and immortal-er sound e ects of Chicagoan DJ mark the fi rst wholly created by women in the would surely mock before wishing their girl Casper’s 2000 hit in nightmarish three-part channel’s history, a gender imbalance widely “Three Fuckable Men” crush Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a real person. harmony. It’s like a karaoke night in Hell. criticized as the cult favorite channel has Sandwiched on either side by Stonoha and “What’s the matter, boys?” Stonoha growls. grown in popularity. Jouhari, Honig bolts up from a twin mattress “Never seen a strong, aggressive, annoying “A Fashion Improvisation With Three Busy Whether preparing for the live show or the in a brown mustache and bellows, “We need woman before?” Debras” TV series, it’s worth getting acquainted with business cards!” Here the comedians play New York Magazine’s fashion blog The Cut the best sketches from Three Busy Debras. middle-aged men Dick Clit (Stonoha), Chab shedrinksthemilk.com invited the trio to improvise using couture Michael Murray (Honig), and Doritos Twix Before entering the group’s o cial website, clothing as props in a short directed by San- “Brunch” (Jouhari). Though the men boast of inter- a user must click through three separate vid- dy’s brother Jake Honig. The format is clearly Honig fumbles with an all-knife cutlery esting occupations, like Twix as an “interior eos of each member drinking milk from a long inspired by “Brunch” but includes motifs set, preparing an all-white table for brunch. decorator for Cars 2: Herbie Fully Loaded,” the stem wine glass in front of a dirty window on from elsewhere in their work, like an o -key She wears all white in a white void of a room. video shows them failing to purchase business a sunny day. Stonoha chugs while gazing res- rendition of “Happy Birthday” and milk. The Stonoha apologizes for being late, her eyeline cards from a lipstick-saturated cashier played olutely into the distance, stopping only when spine-tingling highlight comes when Honig perpendicular to Honig’s face. “I was at my uncredited by Conner O’Malley in drag. Their the video begins another loop. Honig and pours milk from a ridiculous pitcher into son’s school for the PTSD meeting,” she says. proposed method of payment is disgusting, Jouhari each take a sip then smile like they’re Stonoha’s mouth, and she then spits the liq- “It’s nice to get in a room with other parents but so are men. caught in a fond dairy-based memory. It’s jar- uid into a wine glass for Jouhari to gleefully and talk about the war. And snacks.” It’s a ring enough to be a great introduction to the slurp through a straw. The sketch concludes setup/punch line combo that would make Mel “Three White Feminists Screw In A trio’s style. as the three comedians sigh blissfully and Brooks proud, delivered in the eerie forced Lightbulb” chime “The busy life of a Debra” in perfect joviality of a personal assistant. Three cooler-than-thou women whose “Cha Cha Slide” unison. v During what Stonoha calls “the makeover,” knowledge of feminism begins and ends with The Debras sing “Cha Cha Slide” over a Jouhari gives Honig a black eye, then pulls Urban Outfi tters T-shirts struggle to change canned instrumental, accompanied by a @jackriedy
FINAL WEEKS: DANCE NATION MUST CLOSE By ensemble member Clare Barron DEC 12 – FEB 2 | steppenwolf.org Directed and choreographed by Lee Sunday Evans Tickets start at just $20 | 312-335-1650
ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 15 R READER RECOMMENDED b ALL AGES F Never miss a THEATER show again.
EARLY WARNINGS chicagoreader.com/early
Whisper House EVAN HANOVER
REVIEW shipwreck 20 years earlier. The fog of war Though Lily does her best to ignore the A lighthouse in WWII provides the backdrop for a macabre and whimsical phantoms who haunt her, Christopher is sus- musical. ceptible to their mischievous, and maybe ma- levolent, intentions. When a German U-boat is By A W spotted o shore, the local sheri (T.J. Ander- son) warns Lily that Yasuhiro faces arrest as an enemy alien. The situation forces vulnerable ne might have thought that a ten-year- touching. Recalling a cartoon tale by illustra- Christopher to make choices that will alter old show with libretto by Kyle Jarrow tor Edward Gorey, it’s the story of 11-year-old the lives of himself and all around him. Under O(author of A Very Merry Unauthorized Christopher (Leo Spiegel), who is sent to live these circumstances, maybe—as the ghosts Children’s Scientology Pageant, seen in Chica- with his reclusive, crippled aunt Lily (Kate sing in the score’s opening song—Christopher go at A Red Orchid Theatre in the late 2000s, as Nawrocki) after his father (Lily’s older brother) and lonely Lily would both be “better o dead.” well as Broadway’s SpongeBob SquarePants) is killed in action during World War II and his Sheik’s songs, melodic and rhythmically and a score by Duncan Sheik (composer of the mother is committed to an asylum following a catchy in an alternative-country-rock vein, landmark rock musical Spring Awakening) are mostly sung by the specters, who function would have been snapped up by some Chicago W H as a sort of Greek chorus, commenting on the R Through / : Thu-Sat PM, theater long before now. But it’s taken a decade Sun PM, Athenaeum Theatre, action while infl uencing the characters in am- for the Sheik-Jarrow Whisper House, which N. Southport, - - , biguous ways. This means that Christopher, received its world premiere at San Diego’s Old blackbuttoneyes.com, $. the protagonist, does not express his emotion- Globe Theatre in 2010, to make its way here. al growth through music as one would usually Well, better late than never. mental breakdown. Lily lives in a lighthouse on expect in a musical. Happily, Spiegel—making Presented in an intimate staging by director the foggy coast of Maine, all alone except for his professional debut as Christopher—is an Ed Rutherford for Black Button Eyes Produc- her Japanese handyman, Yasuhiro (Karmann expressive and polished young performer who tions, Whisper House is at once spooky and Bajuyo)—and for two ghosts (Kevin Webb and makes the audience genuinely interested in sweet, whimsical and macabre, ironic and Mikaela Sullivan), spirits of a couple killed in a his moral struggle. v 16 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 17 THEATER
Thirst JON COLE MEDIA
REVIEW The havoc of loss In Thirst, survivors of an apocalyptic war battle nostalgia and each other. By M M
hree distinct responses to the havoc of woman, and their adopted son Kalil (Saniyah loss circle one another in playwright C.A. As-Salaam). TJohnson’s searing war show, Thirst, set in If Terrance represents nostalgia’s vices and a postapocalyptic southern landscape of food Samira stands for putting the hurt to bed as rations and militarized watering holes. best you can, Kalil occupies the middle. He’s For dogged and pragmatic Samira (Tracie a child of the war. There’s no world for him Taylor), the past is something you can always without blood in it, no past either to avoid or keep at bay with a big enough gun. Vulnera- reclaim, only a present which promises noth- bility is the enemy of survival. Living in pine ing. But that nothing includes growing up, woods outside a failed state is both her way of making friends with the soldiers, games of tag keeping safe and an e ective means not to get around the campsite. In one beautiful speech, As-Salaam reaches a hand as high as it will go, RThirst remembering what it was like to hold his birth Through / : Thu-Sat : PM, Sun mother’s hand. And he smiles! There may be a PM; also Mon / , : PM (industry), Strawdog Theatre, W. Berenice, huge crack in the world, but what’s famine and -- , strawdog.org, $ , $ mortality to a happy kid? seniors, half-price rush and students As-Salaam is an amazing talent. Director An- drea J. Dymond’s cast is strong top to bottom, bogged down in what she had to leave behind although only one of them seemed especially her when the world crumbled. concerned with portraying his character as a Less willing to move on is Terrance (Greg- southerner. I have admired Johnard Washing- ory J. Fields), a Black revolutionary leader ton’s acting before, but I was utterly delighted and Samira’s ex-husband. You learn gradually by his performance as Bankhead, Terrance’s what drove the two apart, but Terrance, who’s reasonable right hand. Washington brings so gotten power-drunk lately, isn’t a forgetter. much style to this role, so much calm author- Known locally as Well-Man for his and his ity, that you often don’t know whether this men’s dominion over that precious resource, incredible knowingness about people is his or he’s acquired the kind of direful sway that the character’s. I wanted to sit there and listen makes him oblivious to what’s salvageable in to him dress down everybody’s fl imsy self-jus- life and what’s not, and he wants Samira back. tifi cations all night. Bankhead alone, the wise He refuses to realize that not only does Samira comedian and friend, seems to blame the war not love him anymore, but she couldn’t go back for everyone’s grief—while they go on blaming even if she did because ultimately, there’s no each other. v “back” to return to. What sustains her now is her new wife, Greta (Laura Resinger), a white @mallerjour 18 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll THEATER Agatha Christie’s the MOUSETRAP directed by SEAN GRANEY
Production sponsored by KIRKLAND & ELLIS Neil Ross and Lynn Hauser JAN 16 – FEB 16 5535 S ELLIS AVE FREE PARKING GARAGE GROUP & STUDENT DISCOUNTS CourtTheatre.org (773) 753-4472 Kate Fry (Mazza).
WIN FREE
Bunny’s Book Club SUZANNE PLUNKETT TICKETS
OPENING books, and stories? Intelligent and street-savvy Raccoon (Dakota Hughes), who is already wise to the world of the Booksmart library and the immersive allure of books. Hughes steals Check out the latest giveaways to win tickets R The joy of reading transcends species in the show, playing Raccoon like a New York tough with a Bunny’s Book Club. hidden well of knowledge, humor, and desire to connect. to live theater, concerts, and much more. A er the pair hear stories about Mount Everest, Treasure Based on Annie Silvestro’s children’s book of the same Island, and more, Bunny becomes singularly focused on title, this Lifeline Theatre KidSeries world premiere, getting into the library, reading up, and starting her own adapted by Aly Renee Amidei and directed by Anthony book club. Kayer, is a joyful celebration of reading and its ability Recommended for ages fi ve and up, this one-act to expand imaginations. Animals interested in reading drew in younger audience members with physical come- VISIT CHICAGOREADER COM/WIN could be a challenging conceit, but the production is dy and direct address on the a ernoon I attended. Kids liberal in its anthropomorphism, with modern costumes were quick to answer even the most rhetorical of ques- for your chance to win! only hinting at each character’s animal characteristics. tions, and perhaps that storytelling component could Bunny (Whitney Dottery) realizes she’s the only one be expanded even further to maintain engagement among her furry friends without a “calling” or passion; throughout. —M O B ’ B Mole, Porcupine, and Bear are preoccupied with favorite C Through 2/16: Sat-Sun 11 AM and 1 PM; also hobbies like digging, eating, and sleeping. One a er- Sat 2/1, 3 PM (autism/sensory-friendly performance), noon she comes upon a librarian hosting a story time out- Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood, 773-761-4477, side the library. Her guide into this new world of words, lifelinetheatre.com, $20 adults, $15 children 2-18. ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 19 D s 1/2 Dir. Stephen Gaghan, PG, 106 min. FILM Now playing in wide release
Dolittle
notes about languages and customs. He was ism. The movie endeavors to be a gentle, the charitable anthropologist of early ad- harmless romp. But the story it tells is about venture literature. For children, he modeled British people going to other countries and a di erent kind of colonial relationship—for stealing stu on behalf of the Queen. better and worse. Similarly, Dolittle insists that he doesn’t Doctor Dolittle has been adapted to film own his animal friends. But in the film they several times since the 1960s, but Dolittle, the function mostly as servants and retain- newly released version directed by Stephen ers—less like animals than like subjugated, Gaghan, is unusual in embracing the adven- marginalized people from Britain’s far-fl ung ture roots. British Veterinarian John Dolittle empire. The animals dress Dolittle, feed him, (Robert Downey Jr.) has through study trim his beard, and allow themselves to be learned to speak the languages of every crea- talked into letting him ride on their backs. The ture from elephants to stick insects. He’s also only character who expresses resentment at a miracle-working doctor, and so he’s called this situation, or who wonders why he’s wan- out of retirement to try to cure the ailing dering around with humans in the fi rst place, Queen Victoria (Jessie Buckley). Setting o to is a squirrel voiced by Craig Robinson. His retrieve a miraculous fruit from the far ends reasonable critiques are, without exception, of the earth, he’s aided by CGI animals includ- treated as punch lines, and he’s presented as ing the mothering parrot Polynesia (voiced by borderline insane. Emma Thompson), the cowardly gorilla Chee- The film does realize the animals have to REVIEW Chee (Rami Malek), and a human apprentice have some motivation to involve themselves named Tommy Stubbins (Harry Collett). in human affairs and to risk their lives for Young action heroes are often chosen for the queen, so it provides one. Because of his Dolittle greatness because of their propensity for service to royalty in the past, Dolittle was violence. But Stubbins, we learn, is a worthy granted land for a nature preserve, where all apprentice because he hates to kill animals the animals live. This bequest lasts only as teaches that and refuses to treat them as property. Simi- long as the current queen lives, though. This larly, when Dolittle and crew sail o into the is an incredibly shortsighted and callous way hinterlands, they don’t infl ict Indiana Jones- to set up such a trust, but no one voices an communication like carnage on the people or animals who objection. The queen’s nobility is indisputable live there. There’s still confl ict with rulers of in the film; her charity (enabled by massive distant nations and with various big bad mon- wealth taken from where?) means she has a is key sters. These are generally resolved, however, claim on the animals forever. By such means not by martial arts or firearm, but by nego- does equality become indistinguishable from But the pro-colonialism narrative tiation, kindness, and treating psychiatric vassalage. leaves something to be desired. conditions and stomach aches alike. Dolittle Of course, it’s just a children’s fi lm. But silly wins the world through soft power. plots often are silly because they’re taking By N B You can read Dolittle, then, as a goofy but the cultural path of least resistance, and kids sincere rebuke to the uber-violence of our cur- who are taught that white people at the seat rent action and superhero fi lms. The narrative of empire are more important than everyone may jerk about incessantly, and there are too else not infrequently grow up to be adults he original Doctor Dolittle books many characters to develop any of them with who think the same thing. As in real life, so turned colonial narratives into gen- much fi nesse. But the message for kids is clear in children’s films—those who call for non- tle stories for children. Like other enough—making friends and helping folks is violence need to be careful lest they end up heroes of the late 1800s and early better than murdering or controlling them. apologizing for injustice. It’s great to want to 1900s—Tarzan, Professor Chal- The best superpower isn’t energy blasts or communicate with the whole world. But it’s Tlenger, Allan Quatermain, John Carter—John superstrength to destroy your enemies. It’s worth remembering that in reality, the rulers Dolittle went to Africa, to the South Seas, and the ability to talk to everyone, so you can turn of the whole world often learn other people’s (thanks to a giant moth) to the moon. But un- them from enemies into friends. languages the better to tell them what to like those contemporaries, Dolittle didn’t kill The problem is that a nonviolent colonial do. v or conquer. Instead, he stitched up wounds on adventure narrative doesn’t just promote beasts and humans alike, and made copious nonviolence, it also misrepresents colonial- @nberlat
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20 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll R READER RECOMMENDED b ALL AGES N NEW F Get showtimes and see reviews of everything playing this week at chicagoreader.com/movies. FILM
bers kill the wife in a bizarre ritual, and the lumberjack, tor Eva Lewis takes a unique approach to the national arming himself with everything from crossbows to chain- debate over immigration in the documentary Undeterred, saws, enacts bloody revenge on the Jesus freaks. That’s which follows residents in an Arizona border town a er pretty much the entire plot—Cosmatos is less interested a “temporary” border patrol checkpoint becomes seem- in telling a story than in setting a mood, lingering on most ingly permanent. The setting is Arivaca, Arizona, an unin- of the shots until they become hypnotically fascinating corporated community just 11 miles north of the Mexico or deathly dull, depending on your point of view. (The border. Border communities are o en the forgotten voice synth-driven score, by the late Jóhann Jóhannsson, goes in the conversation on immigration, but Undeterred shines Jezebel a long way in establishing the vibe.) I didn’t much care for thanks to its characters who are each compassionate the fi lm, but I can see how it might appeal to gorehounds everymen, people who just want their community back and fans of genre cinema. —B S 121 min. Fri 1/17-Sat to normal. The fi lm chronicles stories of detainments, 1/18, midnight. Music Box Theatre unlawful searches, intimidation, profi ling, deaths, and more as migrants cross from Mexico to the United States, Mean Streets all while Arivaca residents push back against the increas- R Martin Scorsese’s intrusive insistence on his ingly militarized police presence. The fi lm remembers to abstract, metaphysical theme—the possibility of modern celebrate the small wins too, ending with a message of sainthood—marks this 1973 fi lm, his fi rst to attract critical hope despite its sometimes overwhelming bleakness. In notice, as still somewhat immature, yet the acting and English and Spanish with subtitles. —N D L 76 editing have such an original, tumultuous force that the min. Sat 1/18, 7 PM. Chicago Filmmakers picture is completely gripping. Harvey Keitel is the young NOW PLAYING a er Victor Hugo’s seminal masterpiece, director Ladj mobster on the rise; Robert De Niro is his brutish, irre- What She Said: The Art of Ly (who cowrote the script with Giordano Gederlini and sponsible nemesis, whom he’s determined to love. With R Pauline Kael Ashes and Diamonds Alexis Manenti) takes a bold stance right off the bat, Amy Robinson, Cesare Danova, and George Memmoli. R One of the fi rst works of the Polish New Wave, and he manages to sustain it throughout this noteworthy —D K R, 112 min. Fri 1/17, 6 PM and Wed 1/22, 8 PM. I’ve o en wondered what people depicted in documen- Andrzej Wajda’s 1958 fi lm is a compelling piece, although feature debut. The fi lm, inspired by the 2005 French Gene Siskel Film Center taries think about the end result, but this was the fi rst it’s been somewhat overrated by critics who considered riots, takes place in Montfermeil (the location of both the time I wondered what a fi lm subject might’ve written in its story of a resistance fi ghter’s ideological struggle as a riots and the Thénardiers’ inn in Hugo’s novel). It follows My Neighbor Totoro a review. What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael profi les cagey bit of anti-Soviet propaganda, and hence automati- three policemen over the course of a particularly fraught R Sheer enchantment, this 1989 animated feature the legendary fi lm critic who came into her trade by cally admirable. Following the art cinema technique of the day, during which one of them shoots a young boy—the is a key early work by Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away). A happenstance and wound up redefi ning the cra . The time, Wajda tends toward harsh and overstated imagery, contemporary Gavroche—with a fl ash-ball gun during a man and his two daughters move into an old house in the fi lm explores how the California native honed her chops but he achieves a fascinating psychological rapport with confrontation. Ly takes almost an hour getting to this countryside and encounter Totoro, a giant slothlike (and over nearly two decades before landing a job at the New his lead actor, Zbigniew Cybulski—who was known as point, spends the next half-hour detailing the immediate slothful) creature who arranges for the girls to visit their Yorker in 1968, where she eschewed the stuff y tone of Poland’s James Dean. In Polish with subtitles. —D a ermath, then arrives at a harrowing, near-anarchic ailing mother, riding in a phantom Cheshire-cat bus. Like elitist “gentlemen critics” (as she called them) for some- K 107 min. Sun 1/19, 7 PM. Doc Films climax. The director based this on his own experiences much of Miyazaki’s work, the fi lm has an ecological bent thing more conversational and passionate. But though growing up in Les Bosquets, and he gives the fi lm, which that recalls the Shinto reverence for animal spirits and her prose refl ected her perspective as an everyday The General at times resembles a documentary, a sense of knowing- refl ects quintessential Asian values like respect for one’s moviegoer, she remained unbeholden to popular taste R Buster Keaton may have made more signifi cant ness that makes its fi nale all the more chilling; Ly posits parents and community in the face of crisis. It exemplifi es or commercial interests, deriding fi lms she felt manipu- fi lms, but The General (1926) stands as an almost perfect that, all things considered, some outcomes are unavoid- Ghibli’s style of fanciful realism, paying close attention to lated viewers, and championing innovation and emerging entertainment. Keaton is a locomotive engineer in the able. In French with subtitles. —K S R, 102 minute details as well-drawn fi gures move across a fl uid talent. What She Said arrives at an interesting time in Civil War south whose train is hijacked by Union spies; min. Music Box Theatre backdrop. It also deals straightforwardly with substantial popular discourse concerning the role of the critic, and his attempts to bring it back become a strangely moving emotions like fear of death, though at times it veers it off ers plenty of insight on that topic as well as wisdom and very funny account of man’s love for machine. Marion Loving Vincent toward the heart-tugging cuteness of the Pokemon series. for any writer striving to develop their voice and achieve Mack is the girl, who can’t quite compete. —D K R A team of 115 oil painters executed some 65,000 —T S G, 86 min. Sat 1/18-Mon 1/20, 11:30 AM. Music excellence on their terms. —J L 98 min. Gene 80 min. Sat 1/18 and Mon 1/20, 11 PM. Logan Theatre canvases in the style of Vincent Van Gogh to create this Box Theatre Siskel Film Center extraordinary animation about the painter’s last days. Jezebel Following Van Gogh’s death from a mysterious gunshot Park Row ALSO PLAYING R Though this independent drama is set in Las wound, young Armand Roulin, whose family in the French R This neglected Samuel Fuller feature from 1952, Vegas, one can hardly glean that from the fi lm itself— town of Arles posed for numerous Van Gogh portraits, a giddy look at New York journalism in the 1880s, was The Graduates/Los Graduados there are references to casinos, but we never see them or sets out to determine whether the death was murder, his personal favorite—he fi nanced it himself and lost Bernando Ruiz’s documentary about issues in education, hardly any of Sin City’s other distinguishable markers. The suicide, or an accident—and, moreover, why the painter, every penny. A principled cigar smoker (Gene Evans) as seen by several Latinx adolescents from across the emphasis, instead, is more on private spaces, an approach who appeared happy and productive during his time in becomes the hard-hitting editor of a new Manhattan United States. Eve Ewing leads a discussion with Ruiz that befi ts the fi lm, which writer-director Numa Perrier Arles, might have chosen that moment to take his own daily, where he competes with his former employer (Mary following the screening, which kicks off Cinema 53’s win- based on her own experiences as a young woman in the life. The roiling landscape scenes betray the redundance Welch) in a grudge match loaded with sexual undertones; ter screening and discussion series, Race and American late 1990s. It centers around two Black women, sisters of animating images that already sizzle with energy, but meanwhile a man jumps off the Brooklyn Bridge trying Schools. 106 min. Thu 1/23, 7 PM. Harper Theater Tiff any (Tiff any Tenille) and Sabrina (Perrier), who do sex the portraiture works beautifully, especially because the to become famous, the Statue of Liberty is given to the work in order to survive. Sabrina, the older sister, is a actors who supply the characters’ voices and visages are U.S. by France, and a newspaper drive raises money Hot Doug’s: The Movie phone sex operator, and Tiff any, calling herself Jezebel, fi rst-rate (especially Chris O’Dowd as Roulin’s postman for its pedestal. Enthusiasm fl ows into every nook and Christopher Markos’s documentary looks at the last days begins work as a live model on an Internet chat site a er father, a compassionate soul with insights into the dam- cranny of this cozy movie: when violence breaks out in and unique appeal of the title hot dog place in Chicago. their mother dies. Perrier explores sex work—specifi cally aged artist). —JR J PG-13, 95 min. Wed 1/22, 7:30 the cramped-looking set of the title street, the camera Q&A with fi lmmakers Christopher and Nicholas Markos as it applies to Black women—with impressive verisimil- PM. Beverly Art Center weaves in and out of the buildings as through they were follows the screening. 64 min. Thu 1/23, 6 PM. Indepen- itude. Most remarkable is her astute use of space; the a sports arena, in a single take. “Park Row” is repeated dence Library closed-off feel conveys both characters’ struggles (with Mandy incessantly like a crazy mantra, and the overall fervor of racial and economic oppression) as well as the intimacy Writer-director Panos Cosmatos follows up his under- this vest-pocket Citizen Kane makes journalism sound Rage and Glory they experience with each other and through sex work. ground hit Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010) with another like the most exciting activity in the world. —J The story of the Stern Gang, the group of Zionists who —K S 88 min. Facets atmospheric, slow-moving horror fi lm set in 1983. Some- R 183 min. Sat 1/18, 6 PM. Filmfront initiated a guerrilla war against the British commission in where in the woods of the Pacifi c Northwest, a lumberjack Palestine during World War II. Avi Nesher directed; with Les Misérables (Nicolas Cage) and his wife (Andrea Riseborough) get Undeterred Guiliano Mar, Rona Freed, and Roni Pinkovitch. Mon 1/20, R In naming this compelling police procedural abducted by an acid-eating religious cult; the cult mem- R “People still cross. They are undeterred.” Direc- 7 PM. Anshe Sholom B’nai Israel Congregation v
ssss EXCELLENT sss GOOD ss AVERAGE s POOR • WORTHLESS ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 21 Verböten during their short existence in the early 80s: Zack Kantor, Chris Kean, Jason Narducy, and Tracey Bradford COURTESY PITCH PERFECT PR
The new musical Verböten uses the story of Jason Narducy’s forgotten early-80s band to talk about the power of subculture. By L G
n fall 2014, Evanston-based playwright for 20 years, and if a guy has a practice space Narducy, 48, has built a remarkable rock ped- 15 years so far. When Superchunk bassist Laura Brett Neveu was watching the fi rst episode in his basement, I think it’s pretty awesome.” igree over the past 25 years. In the early 90s, he Ballance announced in 2013 that she could no of the Foo Fighters’ HBO miniseries, Sonic When Neveu went home after that visit, he lis- teamed up with cellist Alison Chesley (who now longer play live because she suffered from a Highways, when he was surprised to see a tened to Split Single, a power-pop solo project performs as Helen Money) to form the acoustic hearing disorder called hyperacusis, the band new acquaintance interviewed onscreen. Narducy launched in 2012 and whose record- indie-rock duo Jason & Alison. After releasing hired Narducy as their touring bassist. He’s a Neveu had met musician Jason Narducy a ings have been fi lled out by the likes of Wilco 1994’s Woodshed on local label Whitehouse, rocker’s rocker, respected for his sharp song- Icouple months earlier at Narducy’s Evanston bassist John Stirratt, Superchunk drummer they turned their duo into a four-piece, chris- writing skills and expert musicianship. home; their children went to the same elemen- Jon Wurster, and Spoon front man Britt Daniel. tened it Verbow, and signed to Epic. Their 1997 But none of that is why Dave Grohl inter- tary school, and Neveu had volunteered to work He was impressed by the music, not just by the major-label debut, Chronicles, was produced viewed Narducy for Sonic Highways. The series with Narducy’s wife, Emily Steadman, on a PTA star-studded roster, and when he saw Narducy by punk elder Bob Mould. Verbow broke up in documents the Foo Fighters recording eight fund-raiser. again on TV, he had an idea: within a week, he’d 2003, and two years later Mould invited Nardu- songs in eight di¢ erent cities for their eighth “He just came walking up the stairs from his asked his new friend for permission to write a cy to play bass in his band, which also includes album, also titled Sonic Highways. In a voice- practice space,” Neveu says. “I’d been in bands musical about him. Wurster on drums—a gig that’s lasted almost over that opens the series, Grohl says that this 22 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll V 1/16-3/8: Thu-Fri 8 PM, Sat 3 and 8 PM, Sun 3 PM, Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division, 773-769-3832, thehousetheatre.com, $20-$50, 12+ MUSIC
The Verböten version of Verböten at SPACE in December 2019: Matthew Lunt, Jeff Kurysz (on drums), Kieran McCabe, and Krystal Ortiz AUDREY PALUMBO
conceit provided the band with a creative chal- scored with quick wit—he’d already been hired lenge—they hoped to make music that spoke by London’s Royal Court Theatre, New York’s to the history of each city, taking inspiration Manhattan Theatre Club, and Chicago’s Step- at every stop from artists important to their penwolf and Goodman theaters. Neveu moved members or to the culture at large (if not both). back here in 2012 to take a teaching position Grohl also interviewed musicians, producers, at Northwestern, which he juggles with stage and other experts about the musical DNA of the plays and TV screenplays at various stages of eight cities, which often meant digging into his development. For the past fi ve years or so, one own past. In Chicago, for instance, where the of those scripts has been for Verböten, inspired series starts, Grohl went to his fi rst concert in by the footage he’d seen on HBO of a preteen summer 1982. A teenage cousin, Tracey Brad- Narducy playing in a short-lived punk band. ford, took him to the Cubby Bear to see Rights of As Neveu developed a story about four kids the Accused and Naked Raygun. Bradford also navigating their messy lives while preparing introduced Grohl to a punk band she’d started for their big show at the Cubby Bear, Narducy earlier that year with a few friends: they were got involved writing the music, giving Verböten called Verböten, and their youngest member an early-80s punk edge (something that could was 11-year-old guitarist Jason Narducy. improve a lot of musicals). The script is heavily Verböten opened Grohl’s eyes to the reality fi ctionalized, but the real Verböten were also that he could create his own kind of music, using the band to work though the hardships of and he’s talked about them publicly at least as growing up. “My ability to play guitar and write far back as a 1996 Tribune interview with Greg songs gave me power and self-worth,” Narducy Kot. But Sonic Highways brought the teen says. “I was proud of my band. I think we all punk band to a whole new audience—including were, and we all found a sense of identity by Neveu. He’d grown up a half hour outside Des being in our little gang. Beyond the confi dence Moines in Newton, Iowa, and moved to Chica- gained from creating songs and playing them, go in his 20s, where he broke into the theater thanks to Tracey, we were also accepted into scene in the mid-90s with crass, fringy puppet a community. It felt good to be welcomed by shows. By the time he moved to Los Angeles teenage punk musicians and fans.” in 2007, he’d become a prolifi c and successful Narducy’s dad was big into music, but not playwright, known for dark stage shows under- into his music. “Rock was a huge part of our ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 23 THE CHICAGO READER PRESENTS: MUSIC Green Space Sessions Conversations on all things cannabis
Wednesday, February 5th, 2020 6:00 pm-9:00 pm (talk begins at 6:30pm)
2112 Creative Industries Incubator 4245 N Knox Ave, Chicago Free Event-Ticket Required For tickets and more details go to chicagoreader.com/green
Join us to learn about these important topics: Pain Management: Cannabis and CBD vs Opioids Mixing CBD & Cannabis with other Medications: What Everyone Needs to Know Admission to talks is on a first-come, first-served basis
Jason Narducy (right) shares the stage at SPACE with Kieran McCabe, who plays him in Verböten. COURTESY PITCH PERFECT PR
household and our world, but punk rock was 70s, when London, New York, and Los Angeles mine,” he says. “That was something that he seemed to be generating defi nitive punk bands didn’t understand, and every kid wants to fi nd faster than Malcolm McLaren generated bull- that thing that their parents don’t understand. shit, Chicago supposedly had no scene to speak Punk rock was that for us.” of—though the people who say that tend to be Verböten debuts at the Chopin Theatre the same people who eventually gave it one, as on Thursday, January 16, and runs through small and isolated as it was. early March. The show has also awakened the The first nucleus for Chicago’s scene was real-life Verböten: though the band didn’t put north-side gay bar La Mere Vipere, which in out any music before breaking up in 1983, they spring 1977 started hosting punk dance parties did make a few professional recordings, and where DJs spun imported seven-inches. After this week they’re fi nally releasing them as their La Mere mysteriously burned down the follow- self-titled debut EP. They’ll have seven- inches ing year, the scene dispersed to several clubs, for sale at the Chopin on opening night. including O’Banions, Oz, and later Club C.O.D. and the Cubby Bear. They played host to a grow- o understand what made Verböten ing but still tiny network of Chicago bands, unique requires a little knowledge of among them stupid-like-a-fox smart-asses Tearly Chicago punk history. In the late Tutu & the Pirates, prickly antagonists Silver 24 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll MUSIC
brother’s gear. Kean also extended an invitation to Kantor, who was just picking up the drums. “I remember some of the fi rst times I started play- ing with Zack, he would set up cardboard boxes THE and just play cardboard,” Narducy says. As a trio, the youngsters didn’t go further than play- I ing short sets for parties that Kean and Kantor’s LLINOIS parents threw—until they met Bradford. Narducy’s father had gotten him a scholar- CANNABIS ship to an Evanston college preparatory called Roycemore School, which his family wouldn’t otherwise have been able to a¢ ord (his parents CONVENTION had divorced when he was four). There he met Bradford, four years his senior. “When I was 11 years old, you could walk into a schoolroom and fi nd your people based on their clothing—like, ‘Oh, there’s the goth kids, there’s the punk-rock kids,’” Narducy says. “It was easy to fi nd your people, and Tracey was that. She dressed the APRIL 3-4, 2020 part and was all in.” So were Narducy, Kean, and Kantor, once Bradford joined the band. Narducy THE CHICAGO HILTON, IL doesn’t remember if they’d even had a name be- fore, but when they became a four-piece, they became Verböten. Chris Kean and Tracey Bradford during a brief partial Verböten reunion at SPACE, more than Bradford had already made crucial connec- 36 years a er the band broke up tions in the Chicago punk scene, which gave the COURTESY PITCH PERFECT PR group opportunities that weren’t available to any other local band with a preteen guitarist. THE LARGEST CANNABIS Abuse, and dark postpunks Da. Outside the In January 1983, Verböten opened for Rights clubs they had a champion in Terry Nelson, who of the Accused and Naked Raygun at the Cubby INDUSTRY FOCUSED broadcast their music on Northeastern Illinois Bear. Narducy’s dad was there to capture it on University’s free-form radio station, WZRD. his camcorder. ON ILLINOIS! He also managed Da and co-owned Autumn “How does something like that happen? Records, which in 1981 put out defi nitive early Well, it’s Tracey,” Narducy says. “Everybody Chicago punk compilation Busted at Oz—it’s fell in love with Tracey. She was just this light- the first release to feature music by the era’s ning bolt, and opened a lot of doors for us.” most celebrated band, Naked Raygun. Verböten also played basement parties, a Even in the early 80s, punk only barely ex- dance at Roycemore, and a battle of the bands isted in Chicago, with bands struggling to fi nd at New Trier overloaded with Rush cover 150+ VENDORS even a couple regular venues. But the scene’s bands. “I know there was one gig where I was signal did reach the north suburbs. Verböten grounded, and Jay [Yuenger] from Rights of the 100+ SPEAKERS bassist Chris Kean got a taste for punk from Accused, who went on to be in White Zombie, the LPs that came into Evanston shop Record sat in for me,” Narducy says. Their highest-pro- Exchange, then managed by future Shake, Rat- fi le gig was in May 1983, when they appeared on tle & Read proprietor Ric Addy. To find punk a local Saturday morning children’s TV show shows, he’d consult the Reader. “That was local called Kidding Around. for us—there was Maximum RocknRoll and Kantor’s dad wanted to get his son’s band Flipside, there was other things, but the Reader on the show, so he booked a two-hour session was the fi rst place where we found out about all for them at Evanston’s Studiomedia Recording the stu¢ ,” Kean says. Company—Verböten needed something pre- To fi nd bandmates, Kean didn’t have to look sentable on tape to submit to the program’s necann.com/2020-illinois far. He lived in the same Evanston apartment producers. “He told us, ‘You can record four building as drummer Zack Kantor. Shortly be- songs,’” Narducy says. “We combined two fore Verböten formed in early 1982, Kean met songs so that we sort of recorded fi ve. There’s a Contact [email protected] Narducy on a nearby basketball court. They song called ‘Work’ and a song called ‘Let It Out,’ lived a couple blocks apart, and after Narducy and we called it ‘Work to Let It Out.’ It’s hilari- or call 312-392-2970 told Kean he was learning to play guitar, Kean ous, ’cause it just totally stops in the middle and invited him to his apartment to check out his starts another song.” ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 25 ® MUSIC
Unfortunately, Verböten broke up early in 1983, even before they appeared on Kidding Around. The band members and their families had gathered at Kantor’s apartment to talk about Verböten’s future. “Tracey, at this point, was 16—she was like, ‘We need to release a 45 with the songs we have recorded, get in a van, and tour,’” Narducy says. “I was 12. And my dad said, ‘No. Jason’s gonna fi nish sixth grade.’” The band didn’t practice again, and only regrouped for the TV performance. “The interviewer asked me, ‘So are you guys gonna do more gigs?’ And I think I said, ‘Yeah, if things turn out right,’” Narducy says. “It just kind of fell apart, but there were no hard feelings.”
n the musical Verböten, fictionalized ver- sions of Kantor, Kean, Bradford, and Narducy deal with teen angst, alcoholism, domestic Iviolence, youthful insecurity, divorce, and clue- less parents, all while trying to hold it together in band practice and make it to their gig. It’s similar to the direction that Narducy initially proposed when Neveu asked to make a musical about Verböten. “I suggested to him not trying to tell an audi- ence what punk rock was like in 1983—so many TV commercials try to do that and fail, and it’s been co-opted,” Narducy says. “I felt like there was a better story in ‘Why did these kids from Evanston form a band, and why did they play punk rock?’ Our friends didn’t understand punk rock—we weren’t impressing our friends with Saturday, May 23 this. People didn’t get famous playing punk rock in 1983. What drew these four people to- Park West gether, who are still great friends?” On Sale This Kean and Kantor still live in Evanston— Friday at 10am! Kean’s house is close to Neveu’s—which meant that once Narducy gave his approval, it was easy for all three to meet with Neveu at Prairie Moon (Bradford lives in Florida). Once Neveu got the band members’ stories and secured their life rights, he set o¢ to write the script— and while revising drafts and workshopping the story, he ended up considering his own past. “It’s a little bit of a ‘going back in time’ fantasy for me—that I could be there for the incubation of something dynamic that I wish I could’ve been a part of when I was Jason’s age at the time,” Neveu says. “That’s the great thing about creating these sort of pieces—the ‘what if’ factor. I can insert myself that way, and that helps too.” In 2011, House Theatre of Chicago had staged BUY a play of Neveu’s called Odradek at the Chopin, TICKETS and he figured the same company and venue AT would work well with his punk musical. “The characters all need to play instruments, and I’d 26 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll MUSIC
seen a lot of shows where that had happened of reference with those songs.” The melodic, him see Verböten through to the stage. “It’s for ularly takes his two sons to see Nora O’Connor over there,” Neveu says. “The Chopin, it looks brooding ripper “I’m Not Coming Home” not Jason,” Neveu says. “And the rest of the band perform—she’s a member of the Flat Five as like some place you might go see a punk show only taps into the punk era’s sound and energy too. But the guy is a hero of mine. As a young well as a close collaborator with the December- back in the day.” Neveu also has two decades but also achieves the kind of larger-than-life kid, and also as a friend.” ists, Iron & Wine, and Neko Case, and she’s his of history with House artistic director Nathan expression that’s baked into musical theater. wife and the kids’ mother. At SPACE the tables Allen—who not only said yes to the show but When writing music for the band members’ he Verböten cast began learning the were turned: O’Connor brought their sons to also came on to direct. parents and siblings, Narducy drew on 60s and music this past fall, with Narducy guid- see Kean. “They had never known me to be a Neveu had known Narducy could write 70s rock, which he says balances out the punk ing them through the tougher passages. performer,” he says. “They got a kick out of great songs for a musical from the first time fury. TOnce they had a handle on the material, the watching me thrash the bass for a few minutes. he listened to Split Single. “He does something When it came time to cast the show, House actors decided they wanted to play a concert of It’s quite clear who the talented musician in the that works so well with a musical,” Neveu says. Theatre chose an actor named Kieran McCabe the songs from the musical. Narducy got them family is—quite clear.” “That clarity of intention when it comes to to play Narducy. “The audition was basically, a gig at SPACE on Monday, December 9, and For Kean, the renewed interest in Verböten his lyrics, clarity of emotion—getting on the like, ‘Come in and show us how you rock and played with the band-slash-cast throughout and the mounting of a musical inspired by their inside of the character he’s playing when he’s how you lose yourself in the music,’” McCabe the night. “That made me feel so much more story have felt surreal. When he started the singing. And also his heart’s on his sleeve when says. He played the Against Me! song “Black Me confi dent in myself,” McCabe says. “That was band, it meant nothing to anyone outside the he’s writing.” In his fi rst draft, Neveu left space Out.” While working on Verböten, McCabe talk- the fi rst time I played electric guitar in front of small Chicago punk scene, despite the lasting, for Narducy to insert his music, and suggested ed to Narducy about what he’d been through people. And to share the stage with Jason, that life-changing e ect it had on all four members. bands whose work could provide the tone for a and tapped into his own experience fi guring out was awesome. We didn’t shred back-to-back, “I’ve always been proud of what we did in Ver- scene. The rest he left to Narducy. music and friendship in his high school band. but it felt that way.” böten,” Kean says. “I still have my bass, I still “My goal was to have the songs the kids play The two of them have become friends, and Bradford flew in for the occasion, and she have our recordings, and I have a couple gig be punk-rock songs that are infl uenced by ’83,” when Superchunk played SPACE in Evanston and Kean joined Narducy onstage for a partial fl yers. It was the highlight of my musical career, Narducy says. “Anybody who’s familiar with this past summer, Narducy put McCabe on the Verböten reunion. They played three songs, which is kind of funny—that I peaked when I that music will be like, ‘OK, that sounds like guest list. which took less than fi ve minutes. “I was ner- was 12. That’s very cool. I’m very comfortable Articles of Faith, that one’s Naked Raygun, that Narducy and Neveu have gotten close as vous—it’s been a long time since I performed with that.” v one’s the Ramones, Circle Jerks.’ People who well. Neveu says the musical nearly fell apart in front of people,” Kean says. “I screwed up the are familiar with that era will hear my points four times, but working with Narducy helped fi rst song, but Jason saved the day.” Kean reg- @imLeor
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2.18 MIKI HOWARD FEAT. DONNA ALLEN DON’T MISS... 1.28 Sy Smith INDIE SOUL JOURNEYS UPCOMING SHOWS SCREENING & PERFORMANCE 2.19 THE FOUR C NOTES 1.17-18 AN ACOUSTIC EVENING WITH 1.30-31 PHILLIP PHILLIPS FRANKIE VALLI TRIBUTE Yuna 1.29 Midge Ure 2.9 THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER 2.20 RYAN MONTBLEAU 2.10 CHI-TOWN SINGS: 2.21 KEITH WASHINGTON 1.20 Meli’sa Morgan 2.2 Mac Powell & BRITISH INVASION 2.22 MARDI GRAS BASH FEAT. BONERAMA 1.21 the Family Reunion 2.11 MIKI HOWARD MIKI SINGS BILLIE Josephine Beavers 2.23-24 ANDREA GIBSON 2.12 PATRIZIO BUANNE 1.25 2.4 House of Bodhi FATOUMATA DIAWARA Pat McGee Band WITH LOLA WRIGHT 2.25 2.13-15 10,000 MANIACS 1.26 Simply the Best 2.26 RAUL MIDÓN AND LIONEL LOUEKE TINA TURNER TRIBUTE 2.5 Storm Large 2.16 ADAM WEINER 2.27 FREDDY JONES BAND OF PINK MARTINI OF LOW CUT CONNIE WITH BRETT WISCONS 1.27 Frieda Lee 2.17 DONAVON FRANKENREITER 2.29 DREW EMMITT & VINCE HERMAN 80TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION 2.7-8 Kindred the Family Soul WITH CHRISTINA HOLMES OF LEFTOVER SALMON jan jan feb feb 23 19 + 1 6 24 Sawyer Fredericks Eric Benét Elle Varner Robert Randolph & with beth bombara with J. Brown the Family Band ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 27 Recommended and notable shows and critics’ insights for the week of January 16
MUSIC b ALL AGES F
PICK OF THE WEEK Yuna sings and lives by her own bold rules THURSDAY16 Davis Part of the Tomorrow Never Knows festival. Lala Lala headlines; Nnamdi, Sen Morimoto, Davis, and Lucy open. 9 PM, Sleeping Village, 3734 W. Belmont, sold out. 21+
Davis Blackwell began rapping in June 2018 and got involved in the Chicago music scene in no time. Shortly a er he fi rst picked up the mike, he formed the duo Udababy with Joshua Virtue; last year they cofounded local label and collective Why? Records with MCs Malci and Ruby Watson. Why? has become a force in underground Chi- cago hip-hop, dropping six captivating albums and EPs in the past calendar year, including Blackwell’s solo debut, September’s Green Para- keet Suite. Blackwell records as Davis, but Spoti- fy has fi led GPS under one of his nicknames, the Dorchester Bully. He references that name in his songs—along with one of his other identities, the Stony Island Stalker—though he tears through his meaty bars so fast you can be forgiven for not catching either. Blackwell gets into the DNA of his words and fi gures out how to make each one pop, bounce, or slide, depending on how he feels at a given moment, and this helps animate the snap- shot narratives he packs into his brief songs—only one track on GPS even comes close to three min- utes. For those not familiar with Blackwell’s corner of the DIY scene, a couple lines from “Baby Teeth” provides illuminating clues: “Spend it all investing Yuna STEVE TAYLOR in our community / Then we rock ‘Praise Art’ base- ball caps and pristine Sharkula hoodies.” Wheth- er or not you’re familiar with the motto “Praise Art” or the person who popularized it in the local Yuna scene (that’d be Sex No Babies front man Rahim Fri 1/17, 8 PM, and Sat 1/18, 7 and 10 PM, City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph, $35-55. b Salaam), Blackwell delivers his references with the kind of care that’ll make you want to spend time in his world. —L G
MALAYSIAN SINGERSONGWRITER YUNA four Malaysian Music Awards, and though she the musical palette of the smoky, simmer- Levin Brothers Grape Juice Plus opens. (Yunalis Zara’ai) is a fashion icon as well as fi nished her law degree in 2009, she decided to ing R&B sounds she introduced on 2016’s 7:30 PM, Bananna’s Comedy Shack at Reggies’ a pop and R&B sensation, with a personal forgo that career path to pursue music in the Chapters: “Blank Marquee” is a funky bop Music Joint (second fl oor), 2105 S. State, $30. style she describes as inspired by Audrey States. Yuna’s 2011 EP Decorate and her 2012 with touches of Prince, and “Pink Youth” is a 21+ Hepburn and 90s Gwen Stefani. Aspects of self-titled U.S. debut both feature tracks pro- feminist empowerment song rife with disco Many know the lore of prog bass lord Tony Levin, her music bring both those icons to mind, and duced by Pharrell Williams. She began by play- beats. As she declares in the retro-soul legendary for his active fretwork with King Crim- she also sounds a bit like Sade in the way her ing laid-back, breezy folk-pop grooves backed choruses of “Likes,” she’s reclaiming her son, Peter Gabriel, and other artsy UK acts. Late- ly I’ve been paying more attention to his diverse delightful, breathy voice and casually elegant by her guitar and ukulele, but with each new time—she’s done with haters, whether they but less famous early session work, which includes phrasing glide over sultry grooves. Born in album she moves further away from that style bemoan her stepping out of traditional Ma- spots on key LPs by Carly Simon, Judy Col- Kedah in 1986 and raised in Kuala Lumpur, to forge her own brand of global pop—though laysian Muslim culture (“Oh, she Muslim / lins, Lou Reed (he’s on the dark, minimal Berlin), and doomed singer- songwriter Tim Hardin—all Yuna now divides her time between her home- it’s rooted in contemporary R&B, it also car- Why she singin’ onstage? She’s showing her of which required a very diff erent tone than the land and Los Angeles. She began singing at ries nuances from her homeland. Her 2019 neck in public?”) or show their ignorance high-tech Chapman Stick bass that’s most associ- seven and taught herself guitar at 19, while album, Rouge, continues this evolution, and and bigotry with spiteful complaints (“Who ated with Levin. The man clearly has range, and he illustrates it again in his latest project, the Levin she was in law school—the same year she explicitly references the lovely classical sung does she think she is? / What is that on her Brothers—a jazz band he and his brother, key- auditioned and competed on One in a Million, poetry called syair. She starts “Forevermore” head?”). Yuna chose the title Rouge, a color boardist Pete Levin, formed in 2014. It’s tempt- a Malaysian show akin to American Idol. She with melodic humming backed by a traditional she previously considered too bold for her ing to fi le Pete in the “lesser known and less tal- ented brother” category, alongside Chris Jagger was eliminated in the top 40 round, but rather Malay kompang hand drum, and on album to wear, to symbolize her current outlook. and Mike McCartney, but he’s had an illustrious than get discouraged, Yuna began sharing her closer “Tiada Akhir” (a heartbreak story in In “Likes” she sings, “I got the music and career of his own, gigging with the likes of Miles songs via MySpace. Her 2008 self-titled EP syair form) she sings in Malay for the fi rst time faith in me . . . and I ain’t livin’ by nobody’s Davis, Gil Evans, Dave Brubeck, Freddie Hubbard, Charles Mingus, Jaco Pastorius, and Wayne Short- debut became a breakout hit and earned her on an international release. She also expands rules.” —C M J
28 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll Find more music listings at chicagoreader.com/soundboard. MUSIC 3730 N. CLARK ST METROCHICAGO.COM @ METROCHICAGO
OBSCURE WELCOMES MAGIC CITY ROBERT HOOD HIPPIES LOWKI / CINNA TIM ATLAS FRI JAN 24 FRI JAN 31
METRO PRESENTS METRO PRESENTS JACQUES HARU NEMURI GREENE AT SLEEPING VILLAGE AT SLEEPING VILLAGE WED MAR 25 SAT MAR 14
Origami Angel COURTESYTHEARTIST
er. Raised in the Boston suburbs, the brothers ed long enough to ensure the emo of the new were trained in classical music (initially Pete decade would be in good hands—hands like those played French horn and Tony double bass) and of D.C. band Origami Angel. Guitarist-vocalist developed a taste for 50s jazz. As the Levin Ryland Heagy and drummer Pat Doherty got the Brothers, a band they call a “return home,” idea to form a two-piece a er catching a set from they’ve recorded a self-titled debut album in young fourth-wave emo duo the Obsessives. As 2014 and the live record Special Delivery in Origami Angel have figured out their rambunc- 2017. The lineup on the fi rst LP also features tious, progressive style over the past few years, drummer Jeff Siegel (sideman to Ron Car- they’ve also built a network of like-minded emo ter, Jack DeJohnette, and Mose Allison), sax- misfi ts from their hometown (such as Command- ophonist Erik Lawrence (who’s played with er Salamander) and others they’ve found through Levon Helm, Buddy Miles, Chico Hamilton, and Twitter and Reddit (including Iowa’s Stars Hollow the Spin Doctors), and guest guitarist David and North Carolina’s Jail Socks). The knowledge, Spinozza (who collaborated with every Beatle confidence, and support that have come out of but George in the 70s and worked in the Sat- those relationships helped Heagy and Doherty urday Night Live band from 1980 till ’82). In the develop, and in turn Origami Angel have become studio and onstage, the extremely tight combo a boon to the rest of the scene. Their debut bop through their own compositions and take album, November’s Somewhere City (Chatter- on pieces by soundtrack god Ennio Morricone, box), is one of the best emo albums of 2019, which tango master Astor Piazzolla, and perhaps is no faint praise in a year that also gi ed us with inevitably King Crimson (“Matte Kudasai”). a rare crossover emo record that actually won SMARTBARCHICAGO.COM The musical quirks associated with both Levin over critics (Oso Oso’s Basking in the Glow) and 3730 N CLARK ST | 21+ brothers remain in full effect, though: while an ambitious acid-trip rock opera (Prince Daddy they maintain a mostly traditional jazz sound & the Hyena’s Cosmic Thrill Seekers). Heagy and and unfold their solos tastefully, they filter Doherty use their instrumental skills to work fl am- everything through complex time signatures, boyant, sometimes playful parts into neat, hook- and Tony’s de playing and tone veer close to fi lled songs, lending emotional resonance to what fusion territory. For this tour, the Levin Broth- might otherwise seem like merely athletic dis- ers are a quartet, with Siegel and guitarist Jeff plays. On “24 Hr Drive-Thru,” Heagy punctuates Ciampa. —S K harmonized blocks of chanted vocals with quick hammer-ons to make a song about the small joy of late-night drives to fast-food joints feel full of pos- Origami Angel Mt. Pocono headlines; sibilities. —L G Origami Angel, Short Fictions, and Lettering open. 7:30 PM, Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. OBSCURE WELCOMES Belmont, $10. 17+ Samoht Devin Tracy opens. 8 PM, Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave. West, $25-$50. 21+ Emo’s fourth wave re-energized indie rock in ROBERT HOOD the 2010s, but by the end of the decade many New York R&B singer Samoht knows how to draw of the genre’s most promising bands had qui- listeners in by draping his luxurious voice all over WITH LOWKI & CINNA etly broken up or seemed about to, playing lava-lamp instrumentals. Keeping them engaged IN METRO FRI JAN 24 only the occasional show with no sign that is the challenge. A few too many tracks on they would make more music. But the era last- Samoht’s 2019 album, Exit (Mxxn Wave), slug- J TICKETS AVAILABLE VIA METRO + SMARTBAR WEBSITES + METRO BOX OFFICE. NO SERVICE FEES AT BOX OFFICE! ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 29 Find more music listings at MUSIC chicagoreader.com/soundboard. Less scrolling.
Chris Stewart of Black Marble COURTESY THE ARTIST
More strumming. continued from 29 ble’s previous releases and lean into heartwarm- gishly disintegrate into the ether, no matter how ing nostalgia and borderline cheeriness. Adding captivating his vocal twists and turns get. But to the songs’ timeless warm ’n’ fuzzy quality, they when his songwriting is as strong as his singing, almost sound like they’re coming out of a stat- he sounds like he’s found the key to pop music’s icky FM radio. Bigger Than Life fi nds joy in dark- future. On “Reason,” Samoht conjures an other- wave’s inherent sadness and moving depth in its worldly vibe by playing minimal fi eld recordings bare simplicity, and that’s a feat for a genre that in reverse over thin boom-bap percussion, then sometimes feels like it’s already done everything it tastefully overdubs his soaring vocals throughout could possibly do. —L C to really make the song shine. —L G
Pan•American Cleared opens. 7:30 PM, International Museum of Surgical Science, 1524 FRIDAY17 N. Lake Shore Dr., $20. 21+ Yuna See Pick of the Week, page 28. See also When singer and musician Mark Nelson began Saturday. 8 PM, City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph, Pan•American in 1997, he was looking for an out- $35-55. b let for all the things he wanted to do outside of his main group at the time, Labradford. The proj- ect has proved quite flexible: Pan•American has released records of digital dub, atmospheric vocal SATURDAY18 numbers featuring members of Low, and elec- tronic instrumentals played by a group that also Black Marble Part of the Tomorrow Never included multi-instrumentalist Robert Donne and Knows festival. Hoops and Varsity open. 8 PM, drummer Steven Hess. Though the project laid Metro, 3730 N. Clark, $21, $19 in advance. 18+ dormant while Nelson collaborated with Donne in the more frankly experimental Anjou (and during With this summer’s Bigger Than Life (Sacred years when Nelson’s music making took a back Bones), Black Marble has fi nally given in and made seat to raising a family), he’s recently brought a pop record. Born in Brooklyn and now based Pan•American back as a solo endeavor, with a Give your digital life a break. in Los Angeles, this darkwave act began in 2012 renewed focus on stringed instruments. In August as the bleak, gothy duo of Chris Stewart and Ty he released Nightbirds, a 17-minute single-song Connect over music, dance & more. Kube, but by 2016, when Stewart moved west and digital EP that uses layered loops of lap-steel released Black Marble’s second album, It’s Imma- guitar to evoke a nocturnal ambience, on Austra- terial, it had become his solo project. Perhaps the lia’s Longform Editions label. And in November Anyone can play! Find your huge departure he makes on Bigger Than Life the formerly Chicago-based Kranky label, whose summer class at oldtownschool.org can be chalked up to his three years of Cali sun. first release was Labradford’s debut album, put The album’s electronic rhythms are still steeped out the fi rst Pan•American LP in six years. A Son in dank New York cool, but its bouncy synths and includes spacy pieces for hammered dulcimer, gui- yearning vocals shed the gloom of Black Mar- tar instrumentals that update the dreamy J 30 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll The Chicago Reader is community-centered and community-supported. CHICAGO FOR CHICAGOANS You are at the heart of this newspaper. Founded in 1971, we have always been free, and have always centered Chicago. Help us to continue to curate coverage of the diverse and creative communities of this fabulous city.
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Heilung RUBEN TERLOUW
continued from 30 Northport, Alabama, and the group borrowed the vibes of Santo & Johnny, and songs that use Nel- name of his new home for the title of their lat- son’s private touchstones—“Little Walter, Ivory Joe est EP, July’s The Northport Sessions, which con- Hunter” takes its title from a line by a character tains a tender, percussion-free ballad, “North- in The Rockford Files lamenting the theft of his port,” as well as stripped-back versions of four record collection, and “Brewthru” name-checks a No Bouquet songs. Live, though, you can expect convenience chain from Virginia’s Outer Banks—to All Get Out to focus on their jangly, noisy rock ’n’ mull over transition and loss. This is the fi rst local roll riff s, which they pair with minor-key melodies Pan•American appearance since 2018, and Nelson and anthemic choruses while Hussey alternates FEB 15 at TIED HOUSE LOFT will perform solo. Chicago duo Cleared, aka gui- between delicate singing and trembling yowls. If tarist and electronicist Michael Vallera and former you’re a fan of mature, old-school emo and hook- 3157 N SOUTHPORT AVE Pan•American drummer Steven Hess, open the driven indie rock, this show ought to hit the spot. show. —B M —S M
Yuna See Pick of the Week, page 28. See FINS UP + STAY SMOOTH DJs also Friday. 7 and 10 PM, City Winery, 1200 W. MONDAY20 PRESENT: Randolph, $35-55. b Heilung 7:30 PM, Riviera Theatre, 4746 N. Racine, sold out. b SUNDAY19 The band Heilung (German for “healing”) are sometimes described as experimental folk; they All Get Out Almost headlines; All Get Out, themselves call their sound “amplifi ed history.” Ghost Atlas, and Rowdy open. 7 PM, Bottom Either way, they are thundering Viking hippie Lounge, 1375 W. Lake, $18. 17+ nerds. Band founder Kai Uwe Faust is a German tattoo artist who specializes in Old Norse imagery, For emo-rock outfi t All Get Out, the 2010s were and who has cultivated a throat-singing vocal style a turbulent decade. Originally from Charles- similar to that of traditional Mongolian or Tuvan ton, South Carolina, the band made their break- performers. In Heilung, he joins forces with Danish through in 2011 with their second full-length, The producer Christian Juul and Norwegian vocalist Season, before relocating to Texas, where it took Maria Franz. Onstage the group wear elaborate them fi ve years to put out their follow-up, 2016’s Iron Age-infl uenced costumes (including, inevita- Nobody Likes a Quitter (Bad Timing). Though it bly, horns), sing lyrics derived from the inscriptions was a little less raucous than their earlier releas- on swords and other historical artifacts, and play es, it was full of harmony-driven indie bangers. instruments such as ritual bells, bones, a horse-skin YACHT ROCK The band released No Bouquet (Equal Vision) drum painted with human blood, and a clay rattle A VALENTINE’S in 2018, which complements the light southern made with human ashes. Their 2019 album Futha accent of front man Nathan Hussey with new lay- places a greater emphasis on Franz’s singing than DANCE PARTY ers of Americana infl uence and charm, thanks to earlier eff orts, but other elements of their sound Kyle Samuel’s lap steel and baritone guitar. Hus- are still in place: chanting vocals, heavy percussion, sey explores his vulnerabilities in the band’s and rumbling drones are interrupted by ominously Doors at 7:30pm songs of life, love, change, and self-doubt, and whispered passages of poetry in Old Norse and they’re on full display on standout tracks “Sur- other atavistic tongues. The sound combines the Tickets at LH-ST.com vive,” and “God Damn.” Hussey has moved to bombast of power metal and the witchery of J
32 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll Est.Est.1954 1954 Celebrating over 6165 years of service service to Chicago! MUSIC 1800 W. DIVISION N LINCOLN AVENUE, CHICAGO IL (773) 486-9862 OLDTOWNSCHOOL.ORG . . Come enjoy one of JUST ADDED ON SALE THIS FRIDAY! Chicago’s finest beer gardens! Uncovered: Soul Sisters FEBRUARYSEPTEMBERJAJANUARYDECEMBERNUARY 11...... 2016 23 12 ...... MIKEDA DANFLABBYVID QUINN WHITAKER FLABBY FELTEN HOFFMAN HOFFMAN AND SHOW EARL SHOW 8PMPOWERS 8PM JigJam SEPTEMBERJAJANUARYDECEMBERNUARY 12...... 2117 13 .....WAGNER CHICKENSTRAY AMERICAN&BOLTS MORSE DOLPHIN DRAFT Hayes Carll with Allison Moorer FEBRUARYSEPTEMBERJAJANUARYNUARY 13...... 2218 24 .....THE ..... OBLIQUEJEFFDADYRKNAMOS AND DJRO SKIDSTRATEGIES MARIOOM LICIOUS MEN JANUARYDECEMBER 19 14 TONYJOE LANASA DO ROSARIO & SOMEBODY’S GROUP SINS Molly Tuttle SEPTEMBERJANUARY 2320 ....WHOLESOMERADIO PROSPECT FOUR DJ 9:30PM NIGHT JANUARY 14...... SKIPPIN’WHITEWOLFSONICPRINCESSTO NYROCKS DO ROSARIO GROUP Graham Parker JANUARY 22MURPHY AMERICANMOJO THOMPSON 49 TROUBADOUR 9:30PM NIGHT JA NUARY 17...... MIKE MIKEFOSTER FELTEN FELTENJA MIE& HIGGINSWAGNER & FRIENDS FOR TICKETS, VISIT OLDTOWNSCHOOL.ORG JA DECEMBER NUARY 18...... 15 RONTONY AND DO MIKE ROSARIORACHEL FELTON SHOW GROUP FEBRUARYJANUARYDECEMBER 23 25 16 .....WHOLESOMERADIOTHE THEPROSPECT RON RUT AND RACHELFOUR 9PM SHOW DJ NIGHT SEPTEMBERJADECEMBERNUARY 19...... 24 18 .....RCLADY MORSE BIG BAND STARDUST SITU & WAGNER 7PMATION DAV 6PMID JANUARY 25BIRDGANGS SCOTTYMAXLIELLIAM “BAD 9:30PM BOY” ANNABRADBURY FRIDAY, JANUARY PM FEBRUARY 26 .....RCANDTHOMAS BIGJON ABAMCDONALD MATECKIND 7PM BAND JAJANUARYDECEMBERNUARY 20...... 26 19TITTY WHOLESOMERADIODANNY CITTY FIRST DRAHERWARD PROBLEMS DJ NIGHT FEBRUARYJAJANUARYDECEMBERNUARY 21...... 27 28 20 .....PETERDUDE RCOBLIQUE BIG SAMETO BAND CASANONY STRATEGIES DO 7PMROVASARIOQUARTET GROUP 8PM Masters of Hawaiian Music: SEPTEMBERJAJANUARYNUARY 22...... 2629 .....PETER LEAGUEBAD CASANOVAFORUM RC OF BIG ERICS QUARTETBAND 7PM PHILNO HERO O’REILLY MARCHSEPTEMBER 1...... SMILIN’ 27 .....DORIANCHRISTA QUIGLEYJ BOBBY AND THE CLEMTONES JADECEMBERNUARY 24...... 21 Z28 PETER CASONOVA QUARTET SEPTEMBERJAJANUARYNUARY 25...... 2830 .....TO DJURS SKID THE LICIOUS WICK George Kahumoku Jr, MARCHJANUARYDECEMBER 2...... ICE 31 22BULLY ALISONWHOLESOMERADIO PULPITBO GROSSX AND BIG DJ HOUSE NIGHT JAFEBRUARYDECEMBERNUARY 26...... 123 AMERICANRC BIG THE BAND HEPKATSTROUBADOUR 7PM NIGHT MARCHSEPTEMBER 3...... CHIDITAROD 29 .....SOMEBODY’SMIKERICK SHANDLINGFELTEN’SSKIPPIN’ SINS ANDROBIRTHDAY DUOCKTA RRINGTON9:30PM SHOW 10PM Led Kaapana, Kawika FEBRUARYDECEMBER 328FEATURING PROSPECTRICKYD BLUES JOE FOUR LANASA POWER 9PM SEPTEMBERJAFEBRUARYNUARY 27...... 30 5 .....OFF MORSE THE VINE THE & WAGNER 4:30PM STRAY BO WITHLTS FRIENDS 8PM MARCHFEBRUARYJANUARY 7...... 1 6 SMILIN’JAMIE WABOBBYGNER AND & THE FRIENDS CLEMTONES 3PM Kahiapo JAJANUARYNUARY 28...... 2NUCLEAR AMERICAN WHOLESOMERADIO JAZZ QUARKTETTROUBADOUR 7:30PM NIGHT DJ NIGHT EVERY TUESDAY (EXCEPT 2ND) AT 8PM OPEN EVERYMIC ON TUESD TUESDAYAY (EXCEPT EVENINGS 2ND) (EXCEPTAT 8PM 2ND) SUNDAY, JANUARY PM OPEN MIC HOSTED BY JIMIJON AMERICA The Sweet Remains In Szold Hall Stretch your dollars. Ignite your soul.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY PM iLe Half-Price
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY PM Theatre John Doe, Kristin Tickets Hersh, and Grant-Lee Phillips present The Exile Follies
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY PM Seamus Egan (of Solas) FIND A SHOW & BUY TICKETS ONLINE: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY PM Cheryl Wheeler HotTix.org In Szold Hall OR VISIT OUR IN-PERSON LOCATIONS
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY PM Sierra Hull with special guest Jodee Lewis
SUNDAY, MARCH PM Ladysmith Black Mambazo
FRIDAY, MARCH PM
David Wilcox In Szold Hall
ACROSS THE STREET IN SZOLD HALL N LINCOLN AVENUE, CHICAGO IL black metal—it’s an exhilarating call to run with the Swarm, Brand of Sacrifi ce, and Portals open. Global Dance Party: Bossa Tres wolves, quaff mead, and ride ships to new worlds. 6:30 PM, Reggies’ Rock Club, 2105 S. State, $18, —N B $16 in advance. 17+ WORLD MUSIC WEDNESDAY SERIES FREE WEEKLY CONCERTS, LINCOLN SQUARE New England deathcore quartet Shadow of Intent Miguel de León have a pretty cool gimmick I wouldn’t mind see- Rini WEDNESDAY22 ing more often: they like to release instrumental versions of their music. In 2017 they released The Shadow of Intent Inferi, Signs of the Instrumentals, a compilation of songs from J OLDTOWNSCHOOL.ORG ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 33 MUSIC Never miss a
continued from 33 show their two previous full-lengths, Primordial and Reclaimer, with the vocal tracks removed. Their again. new full-length, Melancholy, a loose concept album about a cruel cult that follows a ghost- ly protagonist who’s sacrificed to a death god- dess in the opening track, is available both with and without vocals. The instrumental version of Melancholy shows off Shadow of Intent’s growth over their four albums (counting the compila- tion) with its symphonic and technical flourish- es, and it stands on its own as a solid listen rath- er than coming across as incomplete. Though it’s clear where the vocals are meant to be, which EARLY might tempt you to sing along, these are hardly songs for karaoke night—you’d be hard pressed to live up to multifarious front man Ben Duerr, WARNINGS who wrings all the gruesome nuance out of the album’s narrative with his powerhouse presence, grueling gutturals, and tortured high notes. Shad- Find a concert, buy a ow of Intent were originally a studio-only project, ticket, and sign up to but the addition of bassist Andrew Monias and drummer Anthony Barone in 2018 enabled them get advance notice to tour. This show is part of their first headlining run. —M K v of Chicago’s essential music shows at chicagoreader.com/early.
JANUARY 15-19
ALLDAY | BILL MACKAY | BLACK MARBLE | BORN DAYS | BOY BJORN | BUCK MEEK BURR OAK | CAROLINE POLACHEK | CB RADIO GORGEOUS | CJ RUN | CORRIDOR DAVIS THE DORCHESTER BULLY | DEEPER | DESERT LIMINAL | FAUVELY | FRAN FRANCES QUINLAN | GARCIA PEOPLES | GOTH BABE | HAND HABITS | HANNAH COHEN HARRIET BROWN | HOOPS | IDER | INDIGO DE SOUZA | JILLIAN X | JUDE SHUMA LALA LALA / NNAMDI / SEN MORIMOTO | LUKE TITUS | MODERN NATURE | N0V3L OLDEN YOLK | PULASKI SQUARES | RESAVOIR | SLOW PULP | STELLA DONNELLY STUCK | TAYLOR MCFERRIN | THE HECKS | THE OPHELIAS | T0TH | TWAIN VV LIGHTBODY | VALEBOL COMEDY AT HIDEOUT THE NEW NEGROES WITH BARON VAUGHN & OPEN MIKE EAGLE LIZA TREYGER | MEGAN STALTER | WHITMER THOMAS | THREE BUSY DEBRAS HELLTRAP NIGHTMARE | WHY? FOOTCLAN tnkfest.com
34 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll CHICAGO SHOWS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IN THE WEEKS TO COME
b ALL AGES F EARLY WARNINGS WOLF BY KEITH HERZIK no Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, Never miss on sale Fri 1/17, noon A a show again. Kiyoe Matsuura & Sun Chang 1/24, 7 PM, PianoForte Studios Sign up for the b newsletter at John McCutcheon 4/18, 5 PM, chicagoreader. GOSSIP Szold Hall, Old Town School of Folk Music b com/early Microwave, Elder Brother, Save WOLF Face, Dogleg 3/20, 7 PM, Bottom Lounge, on sale Concord Music Hall, 18+ A furry ear to the ground of Fri 1/17, noon b Sheila E. 4/12-4/13, 8 PM, Midnight Memories: One City Winery, on sale Fri 1/17, the local music scene Direction Night (tribute noon b dance party) 2/21, 9 PM, Soul Queen! featuring Derrick IF YOU’RE a Chicago record hound, House of Blues, 17+ Carter, Michael Serafi ni, Ministry, KMFDM, Front Line Garrett David 1/26, 10 PM, you’ve probably bought an LP from Jim Assembly 7/11, 7 PM, Riviera Metro, hosted by Lucy Stoole, Magas: in the early 2000s he co-owned Theatre, on sale Fri 1/17, JoJo Baby, Nico, Kandy Muse, Weekend Records & Soap, and for the 10 AM, 18+ and Miss Toto past 15 years he’s been slinging wax at Monsta X 6/16, 7:30 PM, United Soundtrack series featuring Center, on sale Fri 1/17, Jared Brown 1/31, 6 PM, the Wicker Park Reckless Records. But 3 PM b Museum of Contemporary late last month, Magas announced that Nacrobats 1/30, 9 PM, Empori- Art b he’s leaving the record-store life—his last um Wicker Park F Stan Kenton Legacy Orches- day at Reckless is Saturday, January 18. Halsey AIDAN CULLEN Haru Nemuri 3/25, 9 PM, Sleep- tra 4/21, 7 PM, FitzGerald’s, ing Village Berwyn “I’ve absolutely loved all my years behind Carrie Newcomer 4/3, 8 PM, The Tenth Annual Chili-Synth the counter, but I feel like I’ve got a lot of NEW Devin Clara’s Bat Hawk, Brian Chris Greene Quartet 3/1, Maurer Hall, Old Town School Cookoff featuring Whitney potential and want to challenge myself in Seyler Quartet 4/15, 9 PM, 7:30 PM, SPACE, Evanston, on of Folk Music b Johnson, Cooper Crain, Alex new ways,” Magas says. He’s also a fi xture Ajani Jones, Brittney Carter Hungry Brain sale Fri 1/17, 10 AM b On the Cinder, Butchered 2/17, Inglizian, Tom Owen 2/9, 2/7, 8:30 PM, Schubas, 18+ Davefest featuring Natalie Griselda 2/28, 8 PM, Patio 8 PM, Liar’s Club 8:30 PM, Empty Bottle on the midwestern experimental scene, Lauren Alaina 1/24, 8 PM, Joe’s Grace Alford, DJ Sammy Theater A Origami Button, Authentic This Must be the Band 3/14, and he owns the label Midwich Produc- Live, Rosemont Arechar 2/16, 8:30 PM, Empty Halfl oves, Dead Licks 1/29, Pines 1/24, 7 PM, Chop Shop, 8 PM, Riviera Theatre, on sale tions—pursuits he’d like to devote more of Alash 2/26, 8:30 PM, Maurer Bottle 8 PM, Schubas, 18+ 18+ Fri 1/17, 10 AM, 18+ himself to. “Creatively, I feel like I’m fi ring Hall, Old Town School of Folk Darkness, Dead Deads 5/23, 8 Halsey, Chvrches, Omar Apollo Frank Orrall 3/14, 8 PM, SPACE, Turtle Bugg, Robot Man Music F b PM, Park West, on sale Fri 1/17, 6/27, 7 PM, Hollywood Casino Evanston, on sale Fri 1/17, 10 Machine, Please, Sparkle- on all cylinders, and I want to see where American Dreams Records 10 AM, 18+ Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, on AM b tone 2/29, 10 PM, Smart Bar that energy takes me. I just want total Showcase featuring Forest J. Davis Trio, Prismatix 1/25, sale Fri 1/17, 10 AM b Graham Parker 4/10, 8 PM, University of Chicago Folk freedom to pursue what life has to off er.” Management, Jordan Reyes, 8 PM, Chop Shop, 18+ Scott Henderson Trio, Chris Maurer Hall, Old Town School Festival 2/14, 8 PM; 2/15, 7:30 His first album as James Marlon Magas Civic Center, Itsï 3 /4 , Dirty Knobs with Mike Camp- Siebold Trio 1/31, 7:30 PM, of Folk Music, on sale Fri 1/17, PM, Mandel Hall, University of 9:30 PM, Hideout bell 3/11, 8 PM, Park West, on Bananna’s Comedy Shack at 9 AM b Chicago b drops via Midwich in the spring. Alison Balsom 1/25, 7:30 PM, sale Fri 1/17, 10 AM, 18+ Reggies’ Junius Paul/Corey Wilkes/ Jake Wark (solo), Gerrit Chicago fourth-wave emo four-piece Harris Theater b Doomsquad, Radiant Devices, House of Bodhi featuring J. Justin Dilliard/Vincent Davis Hatcher Group 1/30, 9 PM, Kittyhawk haven’t played a show since Bear Hands, Irontom 3/12, Magin 3/2, 8:30 PM, Empty Ivy, Sam Trump 2/4, 7 PM, City 1/24, 8:30 PM, Constellation, Elastic b June 2016, but that’s about to change! At 8 PM, Subterranean, 17+ Bottle F Winery b 18+ Cheryl Wheeler 2/23, 7 PM, Beto Jamaica 2/12, 8:30 PM, Eden, Keshi, Mackandgold 5/22, Mike Huckaby, Justin Aulis Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Szold Hall, Old Town School the end of the month, they’re heading to Szold Hall, Old Town School of 8 PM, House of Blues, on sale Long, Grey People, Nishko- Goose 3/7, 8:45 PM, Riviera of Folk Music b Japan for a brief tour, and they’ve added Folk Music F b Fri 1/17, 10 AM b sheh 2/8, 10 PM, Smart Bar Theatre, 18+ Billy Woods, Serengeti, Free a new member, bassist Clare Teeling. Between the Buried & Me 5/19, Einstürzende Neubauten 10/23, Lyfe Jennings 4/3-4/4, 7 and 10 Pig’s Blood, Hammr 1/31, 8 PM, Snacks 2/5, 9 PM, Subter- But they’ll play one gig for locals before 8:30 PM, House of Blues, 17+ 7:30 PM, The Vic, on sale Fri PM, City Winery, on sale Fri Liar’s Club ranean Big League Boys 2/1, 9 PM, 1/17, 10 AM, 18+ 1/17, noon b Jeremy Pinnell 3/19, 8:30 PM, Eric Wubbels 1/23, 8 PM, they head east. On Saturday, January 18, GMan Tavern El Gato Roboto, Dry Look, 3/14, Darius Jones/Josh Berman/ FitzGerald’s, Berwyn, on sale Experimental Sound Studio A they headline an all-ages DIY show; e-mail Blac Youngsta 1/31, 7 PM, Avon- 9 PM, Liar’s Club Mike Reed 1/30, 8:30 PM, Fri 1/17, 11 AM Zhou Family Band 2/5, [email protected] for details. dale Music Hall, 17+ Amir Elsaff ar & Two Rivers Constellation, 18+ Prostitutes, Replicant, Hot 8:30 PM, Szold Hall, Old Town It’s hard to believe it’s been only 18 Black Pumas 3/25, 8:30 PM, Ensemble 1/31, 6 PM, Harris Ladysmith Black Mambazo 3/8, Piss, JS Alvarez 2/20, 10 PM, School of Folk Music F b Thalia Hall, 17+ Theater b 3 and 6 PM, Maurer Hall, Old Smart Bar F months since Chicago producer and Carsie Blanton 5/1, 8:30 PM, Emo Night Brooklyn 2/7, Town School of Folk Music, 6 R&B Only with Dauché and multi-instrumentalist Dan Jugle died in FitzGerald’s, Berwyn, on sale 10 PM, Metro, 18+ PM sold out b Jabari 2/14, 8:30 PM, Thalia June 2018—his much-missed talents shone Fri 1/17, 11 AM Alejandro Escovedo with Anto- Jeff Lescher with Green, Joy Hall UPDATED in such varied projects as electronic com- Jenna Boyles, Erica Gressman nio Gramentieri & Alex Ruiz Poppers 3/7, 8 PM, GMan Radkey 2/15, 6:30 PM, Cobra 2/7, 7:30 PM, Experimental 3/18-3/19, 8 PM, City Winery, Tavern Lounge b Dumbo Gets Mad, Sea Moya bos Dar Embarks and Ghost Arcade Sound Studio b on sale Fri 1/17, noon b Brandon Lopez/Dave Rempis/ Tyler Ramsey 3/11, 8 PM, 3/5, 8:30 PM, Empty Bottle, and indie-rock group Chandeliers. On Jaimie Branch’s Fly or Die 3/15, Ex Okays 1/27, 8 PM, Schubas Weasel Walter, Ben Baker SPACE, Evanston b rescheduled from 10/23/19 Monday, January 20, dance label Clear 9:30 PM, Hideout F Billington/Mark Shippy/Dan Robert Randolph & the Family (cofounded by local DJ MTZ) releases a Brit Floyd 3/28, 8 PM, Chicago Fighting for Scraps, Squared Wyche/Andrew Scott Young, Band 2/6, 6:30 and 9:30 PM, Theatre, on sale Fri 1/17, O ff 1/25, 9 PM, Liar’s Club DJ Jake Lingan 1/31, 9 PM, City Winery b four-song 12-inch from Juzer, Jugle’s duo 10 AM b Foreigner, Kansas, Europe Cafe Mustache RAW Chicago presents Pre- UPCOMING with fellow club-music innovator Beau Ally Brooke 3/6, 8 PM, House of 7/31, 7 PM, Hollywood Casino Low Down Brass Band, Mating, miere featuring DJ Saccs Wanzer, that’s stuff ed with slashing EBM Blues, on sale Fri 1/17, Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, on Wild Jesus & the Devil’s 2/12, 7 PM, Metro Bailen, Old Sea Brigade 1/24- clatter and high-energy alien funk. Hyp- 10 AM b sale Fri 1/17, 10 AM b Lettuce, Cocoa Greene, Dark Tomeka Reid & Mike Reed 1/25, 9 PM, Schubas, 18+ Burr Oak, Mia Joy, Kirby Grip Funkadesi 2/1, 8:30 PM, Fitz- Matter Coff ee DJs 2/10, and guests 2/2, 9 PM, Hungry Robert Hood, Lowki, Cinna notic acid-tinged jam “September” elicits 2/5, 8:30 PM, Empty Bottle Gerald’s, Berwyn 8:30 PM, Empty Bottle F Brain 1/24, 10 PM, Metro the clammy feel of a claustrophobically Toronzo Cannon 3/13, 8:30 PM, Glitch Mob 4/17, 9 PM, Concord Luttrell 4/24, 9 PM, Concord Todd Rundgren 5/10-5/11, Kilt Karter, Ju Jilla, Jaas 1/23, crowded dance fl oor right at the peak of FitzGerald’s, Berwyn, on sale Music Hall, on sale Fri 1/17, 10 Music Hall, 18+ 8 PM, Athenaeum Theatre, on 8:30 PM, Subterranean the party. —JRNLG Fri 1/17, 11 AM AM, 18+ DJ Maseo of De La Soul, Shaz- sale Fri 1/17, 10 AM b Red Death, Enforced, Another Carnival featuring Chicago Anthony Gomes 2/28, 7 PM, am Bangles 1/24, 9 PM, Empty Shaq’s Bass All-Stars featuring One Dead, Millions of Dead Samba Band, DJ Nogueira, Reggies’ Music Joint Bottle Diesel (Shaquille O’Neal), Angels, Bovice 1/26, 7 PM, Got a tip? Tweet @Gossip_Wolf or e-mail and more 2/22, 9 PM, Logan Jacques Greene 3/14, 9 PM, Matchbox Twenty, Wallfl owers Waka Flocka Flame, Saymy- Cobra Lounge, 17+ [email protected]. Square Auditorium Sleeping Village 8/21, 7:30 PM, Hollywood Casi- name, Dee Mash 2/15, 9 PM, Trampa, Figure, Phiso 1/24, ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 35 OPINION
SAVAGE LOVE Joyful consensual kink vs. self-harm Plus, if you’re frustrated by a sexual dry spell, maybe it’s time for therapy. By D S
: I’m a 26-year-old bisexual pain I used to experience between self-harm and what woman with a history of self- from my bad habits. Or am SCARRED is doing with her harm. It hasn’t been much I using BDSM as a form of Dom in a consensual, ratio- of an issue for the last few harm reduction? Is it rational nal, measured environment REAL PEOPLE years, but my sex life has to even compare these two with safe words in place,” said REAL DESIRE improved a lot in that time. things? —S C Dune. “And it’s telling that REAL FUN. I realized that I am quite A R R she didn’t write in to say, ‘Oh submissive and masochistic, E D my god, I’m using D/s to self- and I have found a wonderful harm!’ Rather, she’s worried Dominant partner who I’ve a: “I completely get where she might be unintentionally Try FREE: 773-867-1235 gotten to explore that kink SCARRED is coming from,” or unknowingly engaging in More Local Numbers: 1-800-926-6000 with in a positive and healthy said Lina Dune, the creator some form of self-harm.” way. Last night, I watched the of Ask a Sub (askasub.com). While the fictional charac-
Ahora español movie Secretary, and Maggie “You’re discovering your kinks, ter played by Maggie Gyllen- Livelinks.com 18+ Gyllenhaal’s character is and then the culture comes in haal stops engaging in acts of someone who self-harms with a not-entirely-accurate self-harm after entering into but stops when she begins fi lm or hot take, and it can a D/s relationship with the a Dom/sub relationship taint your self-discovery.” fictional character played by with her boss. Obviously Dune is known as a “fairy James Spader, SCARRED, you this fi lm is fl awed and not submother” to her thousands don’t want to overinterpret exactly a great guideline for of followers on Instagram, that fictional narrative. Mean- healthy BDSM relationships. where she regularly posts ing, while the film suggested (The power dynamic! The about the D/s lifestyle and there was causal relationship lack of consent! That weird frequently highlights red between Gyllenhaal’s charac- come scene!) However, I flags that newbies to the kink ter entering into a D/s rela- did fi nd myself relating to scene may miss. (A Dom who tionship and no longer engag- her character and am now insists he “doesn’t negotiate” ing in acts of self-harm, that questioning my motives for with subs? Run away.) While doesn’t mean the same is true pursuing this kind of sexual still relatively young herself, for you. relationship. I worry that Dune has been active in the “The culture infantilizes I may be unintentionally kink scene for many years and us all when it comes to own- using the pain that I lovingly identifies as a 24/7 lifestyle ing our sexual desires—and experience from my partner sub. that’s especially the case for as a replacement for the “There’s a difference women,” said Dune. “The mes-
36 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll OPINION
NIU NIU VIA UNSPLASH
sage is: ‘You don’t know what in a while. I never actually “working on yourself,” of you’re getting into’ or ‘You got much to begin with. I course I mean “getting your don’t realize the effect this lost my virginity late (age ass into therapy.” Whether or is having.’ But if there’s one 23, also my fi rst kiss) and not you ever get laid again, thing SCARRED is an expert had bottled up quite a bit of getting professional help to on, it’s herself. It’s not like frustration until then (still address your frustrations she’s in a trance when she’s got a lot of that le over). and social anxiety is going to with her Dom—no matter what I also suff er from crippling improve your life. (It will up the movies want us to believe social anxiety—so crippling, the chances that you’ll get laid about D/s relationships— in fact, that I can’t even get again, ASS, but no promises.) which means she’s consciously to know people online, which And take heart: For every choosing this for herself, and rules out online dating. I letter like yours I get from it feels healthy and good. Our have recently come to the a straight guy, ASS, I get an bodies don’t usually lie, and realization that the only way identical letter from a straight I’d be willing to bet that self- for me to ever get better is woman. Which means there harm did not feel that way.” to stop wanting to get laid are a lot of women out there But even if it turns out so much. Which. Is. Hard. who are just as inexperienced, you’re right—even if, worst- The fi rst step is learning self-conscious, and lonely. case scenario, joyful consen- to be okay with things as Once you’re in good working sual kink in the context of they are, which I am making order—not perfect, just func- an intimate connection with progress with. But sex is tional—you might be able to another person is somehow a everywhere: TV, movies, connect with one of those replacement for solo acts of magazines. On the few women or some other woman. self-harm that isolated you—it occasions I do get to spend (But no one wants to con- could still be a good thing. time with people, sex comes nect with a guy who gives off Dune suggests that you up a lot. People seriously a ragey vibe, so please stay explore your feelings with a complain to me about not away from incel forums.) kink-positive therapist, and I having “gotten any” for And your inexperience want to second that. “From two months, and that’s not makes you less freakish these my perspective, it looks like enough for them. I’ve heard days than you seem to real- SCARRED may have been people describe themselves ize. While 54 percent of high- manufacturing her own ver- as “late bloomers” because school students had had sex Hookups = sion of exposure therapy, they had their fi rst time at 17 by age 18 in 1991, according which some somatic-based or 19. I feel like such a freak. to the Centers for Disease psychologists have suggest- I have a male roommate Control and Prevention, today ed is exactly what negotiat- who frequently has women only 41 percent of high-school ed, consent-based kink play over. I hear them going at students have had sex by age can provide,” said Dune. “For it through the wall and get 18. Which means there are example, a person with a fear panic attacks because of it. a lot of “late bloomers” out of being powerless may find I need some advice on how there, ASS. And while you’ve it helpful to experiment with to be okay with not getting doubtless heard that confi- powerlessness in small, con- any, not really having gotten dence is attractive, you most trolled doses in the context much to begin with, and just likely haven’t been told that of a structured, negotiated generally being nervous a person doesn’t have to be BDSM situation. Looking a and inexperienced and self- experienced to be confident. fear in the eye and then being conscious and lonely. I know A guy just has to be comfort- able to back away from it at that’s a lot, but perhaps you able enough in his own skin will and end with a cuddle have some valuable thoughts to be open about who he is, and a check-in with your play for me. —A -S where he’s at, and what he’s partner can make you feel S looking for. more powerful, not less. So But first things first: Get if SCARRED can consciously a: Since there’s no way to yourself a good therapist . . . work through this with a ther- strip the sex scenes and and maybe a pair of noise-can- apist and her Dom, this BDSM sexual references from every celing headphones. v relationship has the potential TV show you watch, magazine to be very healing, just as long you read, or conversation Send letters to mail@ as she maintains her autono- you have, ASS, working on savagelove.net. Download my within it.” yourself is going to be a the Savage Lovecast every Visit www.squirt.org far better use of your time Tuesday at savagelovecast. : I’m a 26-year-old straight than demanding a remade/ com to hook up today man, and I haven’t gotten laid desexed world. And by @fakedansavage ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 37 Assumed Business Name in This letter is to notify that MARKETPLACE the conduct or transaction on January 25, 2020 at of Business in the State,” as 9:00 a.m. an auction will SERVICES amended, that a certifi cation was registered by the be held at Aaron Bros. Psychic Reader Grace. undersigned with the County Self-Storage, Inc., located LoveLifePsychic.com. Clerk of Cook County. at 4034 S. Michigan Ave, 213-608-7958. In all mat- Registration Number: Chicago, IL 60653, to sell ters of life, such as love, Y19002831 on December 18, marriage, business, what- the following articles held 2019. Under the Assumed within said storage units ever your problem, big or Business Name of JAK small. Call now! Tomorrow SPEECH AND LANGUAGE to enforce a lien existing might be too late. SERVICES with the business under the laws of the state located at: 21 E. HURON, of Illinois. ADULT SERVICES #2002, CHICAGO, IL 60611. 1. 345 Kermit Waddy The true and real full name(s) 2. 121 Candee Henley Danielle’s Lip Service, Erotic and residence address of the 3. 566 Cassius Rudolph owner(s)/partner(s) is: JAMIE Phone Chat. 24/7. Must be 4. 304 Dianna Murray 21+. Credit/Debit Cards A. KURZMAN 21 E. HURON, Accepted. All Fetishes and #2002 CHICAGO, IL 60611, 5. 229 Ishmael Fantasies Are Welcomed. USA. McDaniels Personal, Private and 6. 436 Charisma Ward Discrete. 773-935-4995 This letter is to notify that 7. 2000 Nina Powell on January 25, 2020 at 8. 335 Diannah Minefee 9:00 a.m. an auction will A series of political LEGAL NOTICES be held at 83rd & Halsted 9. 247 David Powell M ILIZ 10. 500 Michael Griffi th OB E Self Storage, Inc., located engagement events by PUBLIC NOTICE OF at 8316 S. Birkhoff Ave, 11. 228 Bethany INTENT TO DISSOLVE Chicago, IL 60620, to sell Pickens Notice is hereby given the Chicago Reader the following articles held 12. 552 Michael Weston that Triggr Health, Inc, within said storage units 111 W. Illinois, Chicago, IL to enforce a lien existing 60654, has ceased doing under the laws of the state business and has fi led with of Illinois. Come join the Chicago Reader for the Delaware Secretary JOBS of State a Certificate of 1. 199 Jade McCray GENERAL Dissolution in connection 2. 459 Michelle Camphor with its liquidation and 3. 329 Stanley Matthews Assoc Dir, DB Development: dissolution. Any claim 4. 125 Stanley Matthews against this Company should Design, develop, test & ELECTION NIGHT 5. 140 Kristen Blackman troubleshoot SSIS packages be in writing and mailed 6. 320 Stanley Matthews that implement complex to the above address and 7. 250 Carl Childress should detail the name and ETL processes. Chicago, IL 8. 210 Gerald Warren location. Reqs MS in Comp address of the claimant 9. 246 Oprah Lindsey WATCH PARTIES and the substance of the Sci or Info Tech & 2 yrs exp 10. 206 Katrina Lee Eng’r (Services SW) or ETL stated claim. Any claim 11. 498 Willie Smith against this Company will be Developer. Send resume to: barred unless a proceeding Starcom MediaVest Group, Inc., d/b/a Spark Foundry, With hosts Ben Joravsky and Maya Dukmasova CLASSIFIEDS to enforce the claim is commenced within sixty This letter is to notify that 35 W Wacker Dr, Chicago, Il, (60) days after publication on January 25, 2020 at 60601, Attn: L. Economos. of this notice. The Company 9:00 a.m. an auction will maintains the authority and be held at Hyde Park Self The Northern Trust Company right to make distributions Storage, Inc., located at is seeking a Senior to other claimants, the 5155 S. Cottage Grove Application Consultant in Company’s stockholders, or Ave, Chicago, IL 60615, to Chicago, IL with the following other persons. sell the following articles requirements: Bachelor’s JOBS held within said storage degree in Computer Science, Notice is hereby given, units to enforce a lien Information Technology ADMINISTRATIVE pursuant to “An Act in existing under the laws of or related field or foreign relation to the use of an the state of Illinois. equivalent degree. 5 years of Assumed Business Name in 1. 566 Daniel Goldman related experience. Required SALES & the conduct or transaction 2. 493 Edward skills: design and develop Live Stream on MARKETING of Business in the State,” as Schmeltzer solutions and workfl ows for amended, that a certifi cation 3. 227 Robert W. Sales various financial strategies the Reader’s FOOD & DRINK was registered by the 4. 202A William Brown in Derivatives across OTC, undersigned with the County 5. 10176 Devra R. ETD, Collateral, Cash Clerk of Cook County. Saunders processing and Regulatory facebook SPAS & SALONS Registration Number: 6. 490 Dorothy H. requirements (4 years); Y19002862 on December Ragsdale create algorithms in Java, page BIKE JOBS 26, 2019. Under the 7. 10177 Kenneth C#, IHS Markit EDM, Assumed Business Name of Williams SQL, AS400 to process New Hampshire GENERAL FIT COPYWRITING with the 8. 52 Elaine T. Louis the transactional and business located at 1100 9. 39 Theresa Thapedi accounting data (5 years); North Dearborn Street Apt implement and integrate new Primary Watch Party 615, Chicago, IL 60610. processes, techniques and This letter is to notify that trading platforms such as Tuesday, Feb. 11, 6-8 p.m., Free REAL STATE OF ILLINOIS, on January 25, 2020 at Summit, Omnium, Colline, PUBLICATION NOTICE 9:00 a.m. an auction will and GMI (4 years); establish ESTATE OF COURT DATE FOR be held at South Shore & support the production GMan Tavern, 3740 N. Clark REQUEST FOR NAME Self Storage, Inc., located environment (e.g., Markit CHANGE. Location Cook at 7843 S. Exchange Ave, EDM, AS400 and Weblogic RENTALS County - County Division - Chicago, IL 60649, to Servers), assist in the Case Type: Name Change sell the following articles diagnosis and resolution FOR SALE from CHERYL MARIE held within said storage of incidents, and maintain MALDEN to malden cheryl units to enforce a lien the stability and integrity of NON-RESIDENTIAL marie Court Date March existing under the laws systems (5 years). 03, 2020, 9:30 AM in of the state of Illinois. Please apply on-line at www. ROOMATES Courtroom #1707 Case # northerntrustcareers.com 2020CONC000008 1. 320 Balencia and search for Req. # 19028 Petty STATE OF ILLINOIS, 2.238 Lafeyette Campbel MECHANICAL ENG - Power Super Tuesday Watch Party PUBLICATION NOTICE 3. N008 Nicole Watson Plant Services in Melrose MARKET- OF COURT DATE FOR 4. 606 Diane Taylor Park, IL seeks qualifi ed Mech REQUEST FOR NAME 5. 461 Larissa Johnson Eng. Resp for reviewing Tuesday, March 3, 6-8 p.m., Free CHANGE. Location Cook 6. 302 Jamel Amos customer eng drawing PLACE County - County Division - 7.370 Chevelbia reqs incl associated specs Promontory in Hyde Park, 5311 S Lake Park Ave W. Case Type: Name Change Williams & plan, coordinate & exec GOODS from JEFFREY RAYNARD 8. 313 Donna Boyd pilot & production runs in SANDERS to sanders 9. 568 William G. coordination w/ ops. Masters jeffrey raynard Court Date Robinson or foreign equiv degree in SERVICES March 11, 2020, 9:30 AM 10. 374 Preston Phillips Mech Eng or in highly rltd in Courtroom #1706 Case # 11. 602 Gregory fld of study (Will accept HEALTH & 2020CONC000029 Thomas Bachelors + 5 yrs of prog WELLNESS 12. N010 William Slater exp in lieu of Masters) each Notice is hereby given, 13. 605 Susan Clay alt req w/ at least 1 yr of pursuant to “An Act in exp in: (i) Reading, writing & INSTRUCTION relation to the use of an interpreting blueprints, tech MUSIC & ARTS drawings, material specs, NOTICES GREEN e l e m e n t MESSAGES RESALE WANT TO ADD A LISTING TO OUR CLASSIFIEDS? www.big-medicine.org LEGAL NOTICES E-mail [email protected] with details ADULT SERVICES or call (312) 392-2970 38 CHICA O READER - JANUARY ll schematics, Geometric Insurance Agency Inc, 625 R. Harvey, REF: ZBS, 555 W Cloud Native architectures Eng. field + 5yrs exp. req’d. Seeking room for rent in dimensioning & tolerancing N. Michigan Ave, Ste1705, TransUnion, LLC seeks Adams, Chicago, IL 60661 using Containers & Req’d skills: Hands on exp. North/Northwest/Suburbs (GD&T), & machine codes; Chicago, IL60611; Attn: HR Sr. Advisors for Chicago, Kubernetes; Infrastructure implementing & supporting I am a Christian senior. Quiet. (ii) Computer Numerical IL location to represent & TransUnion, LLC seeks Architecture exp. w/Servers & test automation, continuous Owned my own home for 55 Control (CNC) machine International Bank of Chicago manage quality of online Directors for various & Virtualization (VMWare ESXi), regression test automation, years. thehorsedan@gmail. design, programming & Operation Officer, EPS sw applications. Master’s unanticipated worksites Networking, Storage and service oriented architecture, com. 312-774-4742. production for variety of section. Coordinate EPS in Comp. Sci./Comp. Eng./ throughout the U.S. (HQ: Powershell scripting, Public CICD, REST APIs, Robot machines, s/a CNC Lathes, (Electronic Payment any Eng. field + 8yrs exp. Chicago, IL) to oversee the Cloud (AWS and Azure), Framework, Python, Redis, BEDROOM Mills & Turn Mill Centers; (iii) Services). Collect analyze OR Bachelor’s in Comp. 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Two Blocks mech properties & process to build Enterprise Workfl ows Driven Development (BDD) Systems/Info. Tech. + 5yrs complex IT strategy to non- Chicago, IL 60661 from lake. Heat Included. planning/improvements; (v) to automate banking using Serenity & Cucumber exp. or Bachelor’s in Comp. technical audience. 40% Please call 773-935-4425. performing Finite Element functions for operation for automated acceptance Sci./Eng./Info. Systems/ telecommuting permitted. $1475 Analyses (FEA); (vi) utilizing effi ciency. Req. 6 mos of exp testing, hands on exp. Info. Tech. + 7yrs exp. req’d. Send resume to: R. Harvey, PDM/PLM systems; & (vii) Up as EPS Operation Officer implementing AWS cloud; Req’d skills: sw development REF: VSD, 555 W Adams, to 30% travel req’d. Emp will or commercial loan officer lambda service; service exp. w/high volume Chicago, IL 60661 REAL accept any suitable combo of assisted EPS. MA in Finance virtualization; exp. w/ applications using Scaled Find hundreds edu, training, or exp. An EOE. or MBA. Email resume to hr@ automation architectures tools Agile framework, Java/Oracle TransUnion, LLC seeks ESTATE of Reader- 40 hrs/wk. Respond by mail: inbk.com. Bellwood, IL & processes using Selenium database & ASP.Net, C#/ Consultants for Chicago, IL RENTALS recommended Power Plant Services, Attn: webdriver, Specfl ow; exp. in SQL Server, SAS, AbInitio; location to build technical restaurants, Carolina Avila, 3131 W. So el NORVAX, LLC d/b/a Go Batch performance testing Enterprise Architecture exp. test team emphasizing Woodworking Studio Shop Ave., Melrose Park, IL 60160. Health seeks a Senior & SPLUNK for application designing Web Applications, quality through automation, exclusive video Refer to ad code: PPS-0720. Software Engineer I in monitoring; track record API’s & Microservices continuous integration, & Work Space Available Bench spaces for rent in well features, and sign up Chicago, IL to deploy implementing technically in the Financial services, regression test automation. equipped, functioning, shared Sr. Financial Advisor: prepare applications in production. demanding projects; ROBOT; Decisioning & Fraud Domain; Master’s in Comp. Sci./ for weekly news at coverage analysis; req. MS & 2 yrs, or BS & 5 yrs. For Agile, Java, Informatica, managing architects & global Info. Systems/Comp. Eng./ woodworking shop. 1500 S. Western Avenue. $275.00 per chicagoreader.com/ masters in finance/rel. fld. full req’s and to apply visit: Abinitio (including for sw developers in greenfield any Eng. fi eld 3yrs exp. or month. Call Lee @ 312-953- + 1 yr exp. + IL Insurance https://www.gohealth.com/ backend testing), Qlickview, design & development of Bachelor’s in Comp. Sci./Info. food. License. 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CW: P. Lefebvre AD: A. Wolfson/K. Poff AM: K. Godfray/L. Tullis BM: V. Know/J. Lewandowski P: D. Varichak
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By This exhibition was organized by the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.
Leadership support of Andy Warhol—From A to B Major support for the Chicago presentation has been made Andy Warhol. Ethel and Back Again is provided by possible by Caryn and King Harris, The Harris Family Foundation. Scull 36 Times (detail), 1963. Whitney Museum The Auxiliary Board of the Art Institute of Chicago is the Lead Affiliate Sponsor. KENNETH C. GRIFFIN of American Art, Additional funding is contributed by the Shure Charitable Trust, Maureen and Jointly owned by the Edward Byron Smith Jr. Family Endowment Fund, Constance and David Coolidge, Bank of America is the National Tour Sponsor. Whitney Museum of Robert J. Buford, Penelope and Robert Steiner, William and Robin Downe, Cairy American Art and and Thomas Brown, Margot Levin Schiff and the Harold Schiff Foundation, Vicki The Metropolitan and Bill Hood, and Lauren G. Robishaw. Museum of Art; Gift Members of the Exhibitions Trust provide annual leadership support for the of Ethel Redner Scull museum’s operations, including exhibition development, conservation and © 2020 The Andy collection care, and educational programming. The Exhibitions Trust includes an Warhol Foundation for anonymous donor; Neil Bluhm and the Bluhm Family Charitable Foundation; Jay the Visual Arts, Inc. / Franke and David Herro; Kenneth Griffin; Caryn and King Harris, The Harris Family Artists Rights Society Warhol. Foundation; Karen Gray-Krehbiel and John Krehbiel, Jr.; Robert M. and Diane v.S. (ARS), New York. Levy; Ann and Samuel M. Mencoff; Sylvia Neil and Dan Fischel; Anne and Chris Reyes; Cari and Michael J. Sacks; and the Earl and Brenda Shapiro Foundation. This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. Official Airline of the Art Institute of Chicago.
104184_VYAI0325000_v2 Leo Burnett December 4, 2019 3:48 PM jmd