CHICAGO’S FREE WEEKLY SINCE | MARCH The spatial politics of urban gardening Epic houseplant fails The myth of the industry plant Maya Dukmasova 8 Sarah Beckett 19 Leor Galil 27
The Plants Issue THIS WEEK CHICAGO READER | MARCH | VOLUME NUMBER
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR T R - I KNOW A fair amount about plants, and gar- ethical reasons, because it’s not an easy way to toxins. They are inherently political, and some- @ dening, and the pending environmental disas- eat. But it keeps me alive. And I like it. Making times quite dangerous for cats. John Porcellino ter that we euphemistically refer to as climate cheese out of nuts is a good time! even drew up a “Sunday Strip” (read: full-color) version of Prairie Potholes for the issue, to in- P T B change. In fact, I spent two and a half years Hog butcher for the world, indeed. The lack E C AE M as a small-scale organic farmer in Detroit, of plant-based restaurants in Chicago is an troduce us to a few of his favorite leaf-covered M E P S K and could probably have thrown together a odd blind spot in this otherwise food-focused buddies. Plants are fun, and pretty, and also a M E D K H D E K S good 5,000 words about common household town. Elsewhere such cuisines are easy to complicated pejorative when describing a cer- C LSK substances that not only support your gut find. In Toronto, I dig Planta on Bay Street. tain breed of unusually popular hip-hop artist. D P J R C E AL microflora but will double the size of your In the Detroit area, there’s GreenSpace Cafe They are also extremely tasty. I realize M E PM beets—which’ll prove helpful in preparing in Ferndale. In Vienna, Austria, I’m partial to that extolling the virtues of the world’s vast A E J L S W D I for the next Ice Age. But what I really wanted Simply Raw Bakery. In New York City—not my expansion of fl ora by describing how delicious BJ M S to write about for this issue was my favorite, favorite town, but there are a few solid plant- plants can be when prepared unusually but SW M D L G G D D C local plant-based restaurant. based eateries to choose from. And in LA it properly is a bit like suggesting we save the S M E B W The problem is, Chicago doesn’t have much can be hard, let’s just say, to fi nd a place to eat whales to better preserve the ancient art of M L C L C S C-J in the way of plant-based restaurants—dif- that doesn’t have a wide range of plant-based scrimshaw. But if a plant-based eatery opens F L C P F ferent from vegan places in that they avoid options. So why not here? up here in town someday soon, you’ll see. TA E C S C N B D C gluten and soy products, sugar, and refined It’s a bit of a head-scratcher, and you may fi nd Until then, we have jibaritos. D C L C C C oils, as well as dairy and meat, and use only it even more odd after you’ve read through the (I know I’m getting to be like Ben Joravsky J F S F I G A G minimally processed foods. Turns out I’m a bit Plants Issue. Here you will read about all sorts and his TIFs with those amazing Puerto Rican J H J H I H of a bubble baby, and can hardly eat anything of amazing qualities our rooted friends have sandwiches. By the way, if you want to read D J M K S K M M BM JRN that most humans consider “food.” It’s not a and foster in others—they are healing, they are Ben Joravsky on TIFs, you can also do that in M O Y P diet folks tend to turn to solely for political or ancient, they cleanse the air and the earth of this issue.) —AE M L P A R K S BS D S A W ------D D JD D P E &P IN THIS ISSUE K K O M SN L 32 Secret History of Chicago Music Prewar blues great Georgia ADVERTISING White died forgotten in Chicago -- - @ C @ 36 Early Warnings Stef Chura Wu Tang Clan Killing Joke and more S MP F just announced concerts V P S A M FILM 36 Gossip Wolf Katinka Kleijn and A R 23 Review The Onion City Film Lia Kohl play with cellos in a LM -H N S Festival conveys the disorientation swimming pool Skin Gra Records C R MT P CITY LIFE FEATURES of living in an era of great change drops a Chicago vs New York N A 03 Public Service 14 Comics A Prairie Pothole guide 24 Movies of note Infi nite Football compilation and more V M G --- Announcement Seed libraries to spring wildfl owers of northern focuses on the ball Tiger Milk preserve diversity in the food chain Illinois woodlands rewinds to adolescence and The CLASSIFIEDS JL SB 04 Shop Window “Farm to table” 16 Report Need some stress relief? Sower is a bittersweet story of 37 Jobs ------isn’t just for restaurants anymore It’s time to visit the healing garden sexual scheming 37 Apartments & Spaces D C [email protected] 05 Feral Citizen Just in time for 17 Photo essay A south sider’s life 37 Marketplace -- spring a primer on weeds revolves around microgreens and STM READER LLC selling plants on Instagram OPINION BP D RL NEWS & POLITICS 19 Tips Hallucinating cats baby 38 Savage Love Dan Savage off ers T ER 07 Joravsky | Politics Woodlawn spiders and more houseplant fails advice on disentangling love from S J S A- S V gets a grocery store and Lincoln predation Yards gets billion ARTS & CULTURE C C EB 08 Dukmasova | News Community 21 Theater Dutch Masters takes COMICS SERIALS ------gardens beautify urban space but way too long to get to the point 39 Comics Indie stars John R ISSN- some transform urban society 21 Plays of note How to Live on Porcellino Melissa Mendes and Mike STMR LLC SM SC IL 11 News Why are there two tipis in Earth searches for interplanetary Centeno return with your fave strips -- the middle of Chicago? meaning Two Pints pays tribute to MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE the power of Guinness and Little 27 Galil | Feature How did the C ©C R P C IL FOOD & DRINK Shop of Horrors hasn’t aged well “industry plant” take root? O P R A C R R 12 Restaurant Review Rare Tea 22 Book Swap Lit recs for people in 31 Shows of note Oozing Wound E F E ’ RR T ® Cellar positions itself to supply chefs search of pleasure Kamaal Williams Eilen Jewell and with all their culinary cannabis needs other excellent shows this week
2 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll CITY LIFE
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SAIC CONTINUING STUDIES | saic.edu/ace | [email protected] | 312.629.6170 Edgebrook seed library COURTESY CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY
Public Service Announcement Growing archive Hyperlocal seed libraries preserve diversity in the food chain.
REMEMBER THOSE GIANT but strangely vest, dry them properly, and donate them to juicy and fruitful tomatoes from your grand- the library (giving others the chance to try parents’ backyard garden? Did your moth- out your favorite strain of bok choy). You can er have a prize-winning squash at the county also start from scratch and receive seeds that fair? If your mom or your grandparents are you may not have been able to find at the still around, ask them if they kept any seeds. garden center. The Sulzer Regional Library Seed libraries have been around for centu- has just started their own version, and vis- ries. The structure can be as simple as a few labeled envelopes fi lled with harvested seeds from favored plants. Most seeds last for a C P L Sulzer Regional -- long time if kept cool and dry. Some seeds do Harold Washington -- go bad eventually, so it’s good for seed librari- chipublib.org ans to make sure they have plenty on hand for plants that they would like to continue propa- gating. Archives of seeds preserve diversity in itors can stop by the information desk to the food chain and maintain heritage varieties view and collect seeds. The Harold Wash- of beloved plants. ington Library Center downtown off ers har- Patrons of the Chicago Public Library vested seeds alongside gardening resourc- system will be pleased to find that several es at the Business, History, and Sciences branches have created their own hyperlocal division desk on the fourth fl oor. Call fi rst to seed libraries-within-the-library. To contrib- see if they have started up for the season. ute, save seeds from plants after their har- —S C -J ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 3 F &F W. Division, -- CITY LIFE www.fieldandflorist.com
Field & Florist owners Heidi they think of a fl ower farm,” says Joynt. “It’s a Joynt and wild and largely unmanicured place. It’s a place Molly Kobelt that’s about serious production for us, not cre- JACLYN SIMPSON ating an aesthetic experience for imagemaking. I think there’s a diff erent kind of beauty in that.” Aside from floral arrangements and a unique selection of home goods and gifts, Field & Florist sells local products like mobiles handmade by Curio Curio, ceramics by Angela Vernachik (including the popular “convertible vases,” which adapt to shrink- ing bouquets), and postcards and book bags designed by the Normal Studio. The shop cel- ebrates the high and low: from Italian hand- blown glass to run-of-the-mill garden prun- ers. “We carry luxury candles and fragrances from Regime des Fleurs but will get our hands dirty and pot up an inexpensive house plant for you,” Joynt says. “It’s a place that refl ects who we are.” Field & Florist off ers wedding and event fl o- ral design, special deliveries ($75-$100), and a subscription service, which sends week- ly fl oral arrangements to homes, restaurants, and cafes. The shop also hosts gardening Shop window Joynt says she wanted customers to workshops, such as April’s ranunculus-fo- interact with regional growers who are cused “spring centerpiece” or September’s Slow blooms also designers. “In today’s economy of dahlia-intensive course at the Chicago Botan- Floral arrangements for Amazon-available-anything, I think it’s increas- ic Garden. freshness and sustainability ingly important to make these connections to A er briefl y closing for the winter, Field & gain a little insight into everything from the Florist reopens April 3. For the upcoming sea- labor required to produce something to the son, Kobelt raves about their greenhouse full FIELD & FLORIST, which opened in 2017 in necessary seasonality of flower varieties,” of ranunculus—in colors like chocolate, pale a charming basement in Wicker Park on Divi- Joynt says. “It’s important to see the world as peach, and mauve—and anemones coming sion just east of Damen, grows its fl owers on a a complex web of interconnected systems.” into full bloom between April and May. The 30-acre farm in southwest Michigan. Owners Field & Florist uses organic fertilizer made store will also launch a Web shop for floral Heidi Joynt, 36, and Molly Kobelt, 32, say this from cow manure, mushroom compost, and a deliveries. “Through fl owers, we are allowed land—surrounded by woods, vineyards, and mixture of fish emulsion and kelp spray, and to be present in people’s lives during some blueberry fi elds—is the beating heart of their avoids pesticides. “While the environment is of the most signifi cant times of celebration as business. “Farm-to-table” isn’t just for restau- idyllic, I would say that the farm itself probably well as the hardest times of grief,” says Joynt. Field & Florist reopens April 3, 2019 —IG rants anymore. doesn’t look like what people imagine when JACLYN SIMPSON “It is a privilege.”
4 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll CITY LIFE
Wild Onion LINDA N/FLICKR
FERAL CITIZEN What lies beneath As our world greens up this spring, a primer on the wild plants we call weeds. By N K
nergy has seemed to be in stasis, the the food chain—fi rst the bacteria, followed by last throes of winter killing or wiping springtails, worms, millipedes, and countless clean what no longer needs to exist. crawling and swimming others along with the For us Northern Hemispherians, the molds, yeast, and other members of the fungal change began in early February, the queendom. The soil’s frost line breaks, soil Emidway point between solstice and equinox, testing begins, perennial plants burst from a time long recognized as the start of the ag- their crowns, seeds of everything imaginable ricultural calendar supported by old Western germinate. Our world greens up. traditions and the Lunar New Year. And in spite of our best gardening efforts, In February, sap began moving upward most of the plant diversity in the city is found in from trees’ roots into their branches, slowing areas less humanly attended—the railways and swelling and soon bursting the leaf buds set industrial corridors, the shorelines of our river last fall, making it possible for us to carefully and industrial canals, the margins of our parks collect the sugar of beeches, maples, and and backyards, and our urban vacant lots. sycamores and boil it down into syrup on our Filled with life and human stories of human stovetops. It’s also the natural start of the use, “vacant” lots—called such due to what’s birthing of lambs and kids releasing the fl ow not there—have a lot there. Buildings, along of ewe and nanny milk. The vernal equinox with their social dynamics and histories, o cially makes its appearance on March 20, have stood on these grounds—iterations of next week. Time to celebrate the thaw and the construction forgotten can be rediscovered fl ows that are coming with it. with a quick investigation of property records Detritivores—the myriad species hidden and a chat with a neighborhood elder; taking a in the leaf litter—become active and wake up look around at the wild plants on the site J ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 5 CITY LIFE Less scrolling. continued from 5 should get you started on a particular lot’s story. Among our wild plants, we have plants that we term “weeds,” which isn’t so much an o - cial designation as it is a refl ection of our at- titudes towards plants we don’t appreciate in Dandelion (Taraxacum offi cinale): A ubiquitous, Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor): Shelf cheery heavy li er of iron, magnesium, polypore mushrooms that are mild tasting, our gardens and landscapes. And still, weeds calcium, and potassium. Eaten raw or but are usually prepared as and taken in are the frontier workers, the border crossers, cooked, drank as a tea or wine, supports the tincture form to bolster animal immunity. the explorers, the colonizers after the plague. waterworks and the waste treatment organs of BERNARD SPRAGG the body—kidney and liver. EDIS/FLICKR They cultivate soil, provide habitat and a food source for pollinators and other insects, small mammals, amphibians, lizards, and birds. They make what would be a truly vacant city lot after a teardown a living habitat moving toward healing and ecological complexity. Weeds are the healers that connect with the disturbed, compacted, depleted, and contaminated soils, settle in and make use of what little they can fi nd with their agile plant More strumming. skills and get to work making it and the air we breathe better. Weeds produce seed prodigiously and house Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata): Found in Wild Onion (Allium spp.): Also o en alive shady areas, and able to pass through four through the winter if protected under a several methods of distribution over a wide life cycles in one season, making it a top- layer of duff or snow—cut tops and use as a area. Perennial dandelion goes from fl ower to hated weed. Adds a peppery taste to eggs sharp chive. TOSHIHIRO GAMO seed in ten days, launching 150 to 200 seeds and potatoes. DANIEL JOLIVET from each of the average ten fl owers per plant each season. Annual horseweed sends approx- imately 200,000 seeds into the wind during its single season. These plants’ seeds are car- ried by wind, fur, paw, feather, foot, clothing, water-ship ballast, or digestive tract. Many annual weeds, once ripe, self-propel their seeds impressive distances. Seeds packaged in a fl eshy covering or “fruit” are distributed from the backside of animals and birds to the soil surface complete with a coating of fertil- izer or nutrient to ensure a good beginning/ Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus): Tangy, just- Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta): launch/debut as a seedling. emerging leaves that can be enjoyed raw or Use as a peppery bitter salad or salad lend interest to curry. Soon therea er they I want to give you a handful of some of the green. ANDREAS ROCKSTEIN are too bitter for eating but make a powerful most common and earliest weeds (and a fungi) liver medicine. F D RICHARDS Give your digital to emerge in our landscape: life a break. Note: You can identify and study these plants without eating them—then carefully Connect over sample them elsewhere where rest assured the music, dance & soil they are growing in is not contaminated. What stood there, what stands there, what more. happened there, what is happening there, what grows and thrives in these areas that are New group classes forming now. recovering, outside of proscribed use, are all oldtownschool.org available to our imaginations, eyes, and hands. On this vernal equinox, this Full Sap Moon, visit one of the 32,000 outdoor classrooms in the city, your most local “vacant” lot, and Chickweed (Stellaria media): A watery, Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica): A marker of commune with what emerges and thrives tender, somewhat oily plant (omega-3!) that nutrient-rich soils as well as a protein and is a nice raw nibble and o en alive and well iron powerhouse. Serve up in soups or pasta, there. v all winter under snow dri s. AJC PHOTOGRAPHY lightly sautee or drink as a tea. SVKLIMKIN @NanceKlehm 6 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll NEWS & POLITICS
CIVL cochair Robert Gomez speaks at a November public meeting on the development of then- proposed Lincoln Yards. KRIS LORI As more development occurs in that dis- trict, and more property taxes are paid, more money goes to the TIF fund. TIFs were originally intended to eradicate blight in low-income communities. But thanks to loopholes in the state’s TIF law all com- munities are eligible to create TIFs—even if they’re neither low-income nor blighted. In fact, I just saw that Kenilworth—one of it won’t. Now let’s examine how it perpetuates the state’s richest north shore suburbs—is the policy of favoring gentrifying communi- thinking of creating a TIF. A TIF in Kenilworth ties over poorer ones. is a true sign of the pending apocalypse. To prove my point, I’ll call Rahm Emanuel to The point is—as long as all communities the stand. Yes, it’s like the moment in Inherit have TIFs, the gentrifying ones will gather the Wind where the Clarence Darrow charac- more money than the poorer ones, for whom ter calls William Jennings Bryant to testify. the program was created. It’s a fundamental On March 7, as the council’s zoning com- fl aw that guarantees that the Woodlawns and mittee—speaking of rubber stamps—voted 9 Austins and Englewoods get less than the Lin- to 4 to OK Lincoln Yards, Rahm issued a press coln Parks, Wicker Parks and, apparently, even release declaring, “While the City Council was Kenilworths of the world. deliberating Lincoln Yards today, thousands of Back in 2011, when Rahm fi rst ran for mayor, south side residents and shoppers turned out he vaguely talked about reforming the TIF to open the first grocery store to operate in program. Unfortunately, that was one of the POLITICS Woodlawn in more than 40 years.” first promises he broke as, once in office, he So, Woodlawn finally gets one—count it, accelerated the inequities with one unfair TIF one—grocery store. And Lincoln Yards gets deal after another, culminating in the abomi- A tale of two gardens $1.3 billion in property taxes. So, let’s do some nation known as Lincoln Yards. math. It’s going to cost the city an estimated As a result, neighborhoods on the west and Woodlawn gets a grocery store and Lincoln Yards gets $10 million to subsidize one grocery store in south sides have bottomed out as crime rose $1.3 billion in Mayor Rahm’s Chicago. South Shore. So $1.3 billion could build you and people left. Meanwhile, the north and near hundreds of grocery stores all over the south north and near west and near south side com- By BJ and west sides—man, with that cash we could munities fl ourished. turn every food desert into an oasis To eradicate these inequities we should For the record, there is a TIF in Woodlawn. abolish the TIF program and fund economic It generated $3.5 million last year. development with money taken directly from n honor of this week’s plants issue, I’m the way Mayor Rahm distributes this money That’s way less than what Rahm wants to the budget. going to write about . . . TIFs! helps explain why some areas are overgrowing give to Sterling Bay. But it’s more than the Aus- That way all 50 wards would receive an Now, I know you’re thinking—man, with condos and commerce while others are tin TIF generated ($1.2 million) or Roseland equal slice of the pie. By the way, this proposal this dude will look for any excuse to made to feel lucky to get so much as a grocery ($669,000) or the Englewood Mall ($869,000) was made years ago by former 38th Ward al- write about TIFs. And while that may be store. and 79th and Vincennes ($204,000) and so on derman Tom Allen, as he left o ce to become Itrue, in this case the idea belonged to my edi- And that brings me to the latest chapter in and so forth. a judge. tor, Anne Elizabeth Moore—so send her your my ongoing series on the Lincoln Yards TIF In fact, you could add up all the money You should have listened to him, Chicago. bouquets of appreciation. deal—aka, the fleecing of Chicago by Mayor coming out of all the TIFs in all the struggling If folks in the Second Ward still want to Actually, the topic is fi tting for our special Rahm as he dashes out the door. south and west side areas and it wouldn’t subsidize Lincoln Yards, they can create a issue because the city’s tax increment fi nanc- Lincoln Yards is massive project combining come close to equaling the $1.3 billion Mayor special service district. That’s a lesser known ing program is the perfect metaphor for the upscale housing and retail development that Rahm is forking over to Sterling Bay. program that allows communities to tax them- bogus and biased economic development pol- Sterling Bay is planning to build in the old Why does this unfairness persist? Because selves to fi nance whatever little development icies under Mayor Rahm. Follow me, folks . . . industrial area along the banks of the Chicago there’s an inherent flaw in the TIF program their hearts desire. Basically, TIFs are the surcharge slapped on River, roughly between Fullerton and North that guarantees the rich will benefi t over the Good luck selling that deal to your second property tax bills to fund development that Avenues. Cheered on by Mayor Rahm and poor. ward constituents, Alderman Hopkins. will generate more taxes in future years. The Second Ward alderman Brian Hopkins, real When a TIF district is created, the city es- Here’s hoping that our next mayor—be it TIF program is the largest source of discre- estate development company Sterling Bay is sentially freezes the amount of property taxes Lori Lightfoot or Toni Preckwinkle—picks up tionary spending money the city has—collect- seeking $1.3 billion in property tax dollars to that schools, county and other governmental on Tom Allen’s suggestion. ing about $660 million last year alone. underwrite the project. bodies can collect from that district for 23 It’s time to fertilize all the gardens in So, if you think of TIF property tax dollars In past columns, I’ve explained how there’s years. Instead, all the new property tax dollars town. v as the nutrients that fertilize development— no adequate oversight for the deal and how it paid by taxpayers in that district go to the TIF especially in low-income communities—then will jack up your taxes, even as the city claims fund. @joravben ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 7 NEWS & POLITICS
chronicled in USA Today’s The City podcast.) soil. Working on the assumption that the land Though that debris has been cleared, the EPA is contaminated with heavy metals and will still classifies the land as a brownfield site. need remediation, the group is building the Floyd says that if the city and private owners sites up with wood chips, cut grass, dry leaves, can use local land to harm the community, it’s and other decomposing materials to create up to the community to take the land back and layers of nitrogen and carbon. This spring, put it to good use. they will test the land for toxic elements. Urban community gardens—where crops Last summer, 360 Nation’s summer day and/or flowers are cultivated for beautifica- camp participants (kids aged 12 to 14) cul- tion and/or consumption—can seem quite tivated vegetables and greens in planters similar no matter their social contexts. What near Sumner. They gave the crops away to really di¯ erentiates these gardens can come community members. As they scale up their down to politics, manifested in things as gardening operation Floyd says they want to overt as mission statements proclaimed by continue giving some food away for free, in garden organizers and as subtle as the prac- addition to setting up a low-cost pantry and tices developed to keep green spaces free of creating a sweat equity program whereby pests and vandalism. Community gardens volunteers could trade a few hours of labor in can represent long-term residents reclaiming the garden for bags of freshly picked food. All abandoned and disinvested space or be a tool of this work, Floyd says, is part of 360 Nation’s for newcomers to assert their presence in a larger political education e¯ orts to “fi ll com- community. But whether a community garden munity voids,” both spatial and spiritual. At the Semillas de Justicia garden in Little Village, neighbors cultivate crops on a former industrial storage site. JORDAN CAMPBELL is developed by a well-funded nonprofit or The Sumner classroom that serves as 360 a well-intentioned group of neighbors, the Nation’s base camp displays motivational staying power of these projects depends on posters made by the kids, and features images continued access to land—and land access is of the “four prophets of 360”: Harriet Tubman, NEWS never not political. Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, and Ella Baker. “It’s our right to impose ourselves on that Floyd models his work after the combination land and use that land so it benefi ts us,” Floyd of social services and political education Seeding politics says. “It made sense to turn [the lots] into a practiced by the Nation of Islam, the Student community garden because you don’t have any Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and Community gardens beautify urban space, but some fresh food around here.” the Black Panther Party. The point, he says, also seek to transform urban society. Turning long-neglected spaces into produc- is to empower the community to improve the tive land is a slow process. First, Floyd and his neighborhood without waiting for permission By M D students and collaborators must prepare the or asking for outside help.
360 Nation founder W.D. Floyd says community residents have a “right” to reclaim hazardous land for better use. MAYA DUKMASOVA
ear the border of North Lawndale Elementary School to teach kids self-reliance, and West Garfi eld Park a mountain black political history, and STEAM (science, range of wood chips piled more technology, engineering, arts, and math) than five feet high stretches over skills. In 2017 360 Nation began preparing one 1,800 square feet of a once vacant of the vacant lots, which had been overgrown Nlot. In a few weeks, a Bobcat will come through by six-foot-high grass and littered with empty to level the chips as the lot continues its trans- liquor bottles and syringes, for a garden. Last formation into a community garden. Across year, they expanded the work to the second the street another smaller lot is undergoing lot, after the demolition of a half-built house a similar metamorphosis, although it is in a that had loomed there for years. more advanced state: Tree stumps mark the “This was an environmental dumping perimeter, some painted with red, black, and ground,” says Floyd, 36, who’s also a PhD stu- green designs; tires to be turned into fl ower dent at UIC. “The city’s trash was dumped over beds are stacked neatly nearby; a dune of there . . . you had children coexisting next to brown, turfy coconut husks waits to be spread piles of garbage.” across the land to improve the quality of the Twenty-five years ago, an illegal con- soil. struction waste dump towered as high as a This gardening initiative is led by W.D. six-story building right across the street from Floyd, founder of 360 Nation, a community Sumner. (The history and fallout from this organization that runs an after-school pro- dump and others like it in black residential gram in partnership with nearby Sumner neighborhoods on the west side was recently 8 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll NEWS & POLITICS
While 360 Nation promotes self- Many community gardeners are aware of determination and doesn’t want to advertise these risks but launch themselves into garden- the locations of the gardens beyond the neigh- ing because the immediate benefits to their borhood, it’s defi nitely not isolationist. Floyd neighborhoods outweigh the risks of eventu- says building relationships with CPS, long- ally losing their spaces. At Vernon Park Gar- term residents, local churches, and even 24th dens in Woodlawn, for example, a block came Ward alderman Michael Scott Jr. will make the together to plant crops, create a performance work more resilient. space, and host one of Chicago Eco House’s Both lots are currently in limbo, as the city fl ower farms that teaches kids business skills is in the process of claiming them from fore- and sustainability. The gardens occupy private closed owners, county property records indi- land with permission from the owner but are cate. Floyd says destroying the gardens would in close proximity to buildings owned by large be a political risk for city o cials. “It becomes real estate companies. For now, those compa- really di cult for an alderperson when they nies have been supportive, donating supplies are against you cleaning up a lot to benefi t the and providing water access. But, “in today’s students and constituents,” he says. “How can society most land owners or property owners’ you say it’s wrong to fi x up a hazardous lot in goal is making money,” says Joi Hampton, one the community?” of the organizers of the garden. While she At Assata’s Daughters’ community garden youth grow food for Washington Park neighbors. Yet gentrifi cation pressures on local o cials doesn’t rule out the possibility of displace- COURTESY OF ASSATA’S DAUGHTERS can be strong, and community gardening proj- ment one day down the line, she says “there’ll ects that aren’t rooted in secure land access always be an opportunity to pursue something are more vulnerable to displacement. like this in surrounding areas, we have several “It was a space where young people from building, which had been sold to a new owner Community gardens “can act as a signal vacant lots.” the neighborhood were being seen as giving the previous year, was now being rehabbed to developers that this is a new hotspot,” ex- Curran points out that community garden- back,” explains Assata’s Daughters co-founder into an upscale rental property where three plains Winifred Curran, a professor of geogra- ers who don’t have legal standing to be on the and community organizer Page May. “Usually bedroom units are listed for $2,100 and the phy and sustainable urban development at De- land they cultivate have had success protect- they’re looked down on and being blamed for landlord requires lessees to have household Paul University who’s studied the way urban ing their gardens by “making the space very everything.” She adds that those who hung income three times the rent. agriculture and other greening initiatives political,” in the way Floyd described. If the around the Veterans Center, including some Assata’s Daughters didn’t give up on com- interface with gentrifi cation. “Because green- garden is identifi ed as a site that’s important who were homeless, kept an eye on the garden. munity gardening, though. They moved the ing has become a way that developers and real to the community’s identity or as a site of The space became an intergenerational hub to entire gardening program to a second site estate people try to add value to property, any resistance, “that becomes less attractive to provide fresh food to the community and was in Washington Park. The owner of that lot, sign of greening can be viewed as a sign of it developers because they know it’ll be a site of christened the Black Earth Youth Farm. But a longtime community resident, gave them being worthy of investment,” she says. This confl ict if they try to destroy the garden.” But, when May arrived on the site to begin planting permission to use the site after she saw them can be especially true when neighbors have she cautions, everything depends on the profi t in 2018 “it was all mowed over,” she says. cleaning up vacant lots in the neighborhood. done the heavy lifting of remediating toxic potential of the land. Informal agreements be- Because the soil on the site wasn’t safe to They’ve pitched more than 20 beds and soil and clearing other hazards at no cost to tween landowners and gardeners can quickly plant in directly, over the years graders had brought in beehives. In addition to giving the property owners. “Often the very people turn sour when enough money’s on the line. laid down layer upon layer of wood chips on the harvest to the locals, they’ve also invited who’ve done the work of community garden- About a half mile away from Vernon Park the lot, and then added healthy soil on top. interested neighbors to cultivate their own ing end up being displaced.” Gardens, in the Washington Park neighbor- “The mower scattered the soil everywhere, plots. This summer, May says, they’ll be pay- hood, a longstanding community garden was o¯ onto the sidewalk and past the edges of the ing about a dozen youth $15/hour to work in destroyed just last summer. The block of the sidewalk. The rows were gone, there wasn’t the garden, too. “That’s an opportunity for west side of King Drive between 55th Place enough soil to make new ones,” May recalls. them to engage in developing a resource for and 56th Street has consisted of vacant lots “We didn’t have the time or resources to the community as part of a larger goal of radi- and one graystone three-fl at for over a decade. rebuild.” cally changing social dynamics,” she adds. In 2011, the R.T.W. Veterans Center opened in Looking back, she says, it seems like the This time, Assata’s Daughters is keeping the the three-fl at to provide free meals and social powers that be no longer saw the garden as location secret, not only to protect themselves services for vets. The Veterans Center also an asset; it’s demise “was tied to U of C land from displacement but also to make sure the began a garden on the vacant lot next door. In grabs.” In May 2018, the city land trust had garden remains a resource for its neighbors the summer of 2016, Assata’s Daughters, a sort sold one of the lots under the garden to a shell fi rst. of radical girl scouts for black girls, took over company controlled by the University of Chi- Assata’s Daughters, May explains, is trying stewardship of the space as the Veterans Cen- cago, which now owns three of the four parcels to model what a black feminist, abolitionist ter struggled to stay afl oat. Assata’s Daughters of land that made up the garden. Twentieth neighborhood organization can look like— built out the garden as part of its environmen- Ward Alderman Willie Cochran (who’d how confl icts can be de-escalated and resolved tal justice curriculum, securing access to the supported the garden before, according to without police, how abandoned space can land with the help of the Healthy Food Hub, May) admitted on Facebook that the city had be revived even when there aren’t many re- Chicago Eco House’s fl ower farm at Vernon Park an organization that promotes healthy eating mowed the site, adding: “Please don’t start a sources around, how youth can be movement Gardens in Woodlawn teaches kids sustainability and business skills. COURTESY OF BEN ANDERSON and works with the city to help gardeners cul- garden at that location the land will be sold leaders and not just passive recipients of char- tivate vacant lots. and developed soon.” The Veterans Center ity services. “Black feminism understands J ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 9 NEWS & POLITICS continued from 9 many folks don’t have access to their cultural “It’s a garden run 100 percent by people of that the world is the way that it is because of food,” she continues. “When a community color, 100 percent operated by immigrants,” politics,” she says. “We have to love and sup- doesn’t have access to its cultural food that’s says Moreno. Like Floyd and May, she under- port each other and not depend on the state cultural genocide.” scores the importance of the project being led or depend on City Council to give us what we The lot, which has required extensive reme- by the people it serves. She’s also careful about need.” diation, is owned by Neighbor Space, a non- drawing attention to its location. “We’ve had A similar spirit animates the Semillas de profi t land trust that acquires and preserves random white folks come in open hours and Justicia (Seeds of Justice) community garden space for community gardens. Contaminated start taking pictures of the gardners. Especial- in Little Village. Latinx neighbors and the soil was excavated as far down as eight feet ly when they’re brown, indigenous, it feels a Little Village Environmental Justice Organi- and replaced with gravel; compost and new little bit like we’re in a zoo.” zation have worked for years to turn a 1.5-acre soil were layered on top and the garden has a Moreno says that as Latinx immigrants in industrial site where underground oil tankers mix of ground-level and elevated beds. Chicago face gentrifi cation pressures, immi- were once stored into green space. This sum- Master gardener Fermin Meza helps tend gration raids, deportations, healthcare access mer will be the seventh season that dozens of the site, but Moreno says that families are difficulty, low wage work, and a variety of locals cultivate fruits, vegetables, and herbs to free to use beds to grow things however they other challenges, Semillas de Justicia is space feed their families and continue the foodways wish. “They’re showing us what is culturally where community members can freely assert of their ancestral countries. relevant here and it’s showing what commu- their cultural identities and organize. “The Vivi Moreno, a food justice organizer nity control looks like,” she says. Neighbor fact that we are here fi nding joy, and devoting with LVEJO who also helps with the garden, Space takes care of the water bills and LVEJO ourselves to land care when all of these other remembers taking a soil-biology workshop provides soil, tools, and organic seeds. They things are happening in our lives—that’s an with a well-known white farmer who said she ask for donations if families can spare them. embodiment of justice.” v liked to farm because “plants aren’t political.” Every week in the summer the garden hosts Moreno says that is just not true. “There are community dinners, when families volunteer @mdoukmas Little Village Environmental Justice so many food apartheid zones in Chicago, that to use crops from the garden to cook meals for Share this article. Organization’s garden begins its seventh season don’t have access to fresh organic produce, so 40 to 50 people. Text HYPE CHIREADER1 to 46786 this spring. JORDAN CAMPBELL
10 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll NEWS & POLITICS
Native American Chicagoans gather in the tipi to play traditional hand and stick games and host storytellers around a fi re. NATALYA CARRICO gonna be the ones to fall off well before the plants.” Fawn, who is First Nations Oji-Cree, said NEWS her understanding of indigenous plants and medicines was passed down to her through generations of family members and is essen- “We’re still tial to her Anishinaabe culture. “For a lot of nations’ origin stories, people were the last to be placed here on Turtle Is- here” land,” Fawn said, referring to North America with the name used by the Ojibwe and many The First Nations Garden in other nations. “A lot of these plants are our Albany Park aims to heal the relatives, so we grow up learning about them community and the environment. and how they help us as humans navigate through this world. They’re not something By N C that can be dominated. There’s something that needs to be respected about them and the ac- cess that they give us to surviving here.” For now, the garden space is undeveloped, but Fawn said there are plans to open it to the public on April 13 for a powwow honoring the youth. The process for restoration at the First n a formerly vacant lot in Albany Park traditional hand and stick games, and host life, it has not escaped the e¯ ects of climate Nations Garden involves testing the soil and at the intersection of Pulaski Road and storytellers around a fi re. change. determining the plants that will best detoxify Wilson Avenue stand two tipis—one Chi-Nations was established in 2012 by The Chicago Climate Action Plan (CCAP), a the land. Sunfl owers, which have long been a perhaps 20 feet tall, the other half that Native American youth who rejected the con- city initiative adopted in 2008, says the city’s staple crop for many Native American groups, height—surrounded by dry, yellowed servative leadership of the AIC. Since then, native ecosystems are in danger of being are expected to be featured in the garden. Igrass rising up from the cold earth. Across the groups reconciled and leased the lot in No- irreversibly damaged by rising temperatures. These bright beauties actually break down the street to the north is a Citgo gas station, vember 2018 with the approval of Alderman Since 1980, temperatures have increased by and eliminate metals and other contaminants and to the west is the large parking lot of Carlos Ramirez-Rosa and the City Council. 2.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Winters have warmed from the soil. Even while detoxifying a site, the 17th District Chicago Police Department. Adam Sings In The Timber, a Chicago-based by 4 degrees. Chicago’s plant hardiness zone, sunfl owers can produce seeds that remain safe The Chi-Nations Youth Council, a grassroots photojournalist, assisted Chi-Nations mem- which indicates the lowest average annual for animals and humans to consume. organization that champions environmental bers with setting up the larger of the two temperature that plants can survive, has Other likely candidates to be planted are and social justice while creating safe spaces tipis. Sings In The Timber, a member of the already shifted to resemble that of central Illi- echinacea and bergamot, flowers native to for Native American youth, and the American Crow tribe, said the tipi “announces to [non- nois in the 1990s—think more sweetgum trees the prairies with deep root systems that clean Indian Center, the oldest urban Native Amer- Native Americans] that we’re still here. I know and less maple and birch. According to the the soil. Also being considered are a giant, ican cultural center in the nation, have leased that there are a lot of people out there that USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, Chicago is its ancient breed of squash called Gete-okosomin; the lot together with the intention of growing think that we no longer exist. They see us as own island of trapped heat. The rest of Illinois, strawberries, which are sacred in many Native a garden. a vanished race, a race that just isn’t around until as far south as Springfi eld, is on average American cultures; and the four Anishinaabe The First Nations Garden will be a space anymore.” 10-15 degrees colder. medicines: cedar, sage, sweetgrass, and for powwows, environmental education, and The Chicagoland area is now home to over For the past decade, the city has been tobacco. traditional ceremonies—and a chance for Chi- 50,000 Native Americans from over 140 tribes, working to combat these potentially devas- “Aesthetic-wise, sure, these plants are cago’s land and water ecosystems to heal. according to the AIC. The name Chicago origi- tating changes. A 2007 Chicago Climate Task beautiful, they have blooms, but also they “It creates a healing space outside of the nates from the Miami-Illinois word Shikaakwa Force report suggested that Chicago reduce serve purposes that go beyond what we see,” chaos of the metropolis that’s known as Chi- (referring to the smell of the plentiful wild on- its greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent said Fawn. “They keep the soil healthy. Their cago today,” said Adrien Pochel, 17, the interim ions in the area) and the Algonquin word Zhi- by 2020 to reach an 80 percent reduction by technologies are not just for us for building co-president of Chi-Nations. gaagong. The city was a hub for travel, trade, 2050. Transforming vacant lots into green and medicinal purposes, but for our animal Nineteen-year-old Naomi Harvey-Turner, and hunting long before Europeans arrived on spaces aids this goal. More green space in the and insect relatives as well.” Chi-Nations’ Sergeant at Arms, said the First the continent. Before the 1830s, the Potawot- city helps clean the air and manage both fl ood- “In Chicago, as Native people, we always Nations Garden gives her a sense of belonging. ami were the primary inhabitants of the area, waters and heatwaves. feel alone,” said Adrien Pochel. “By learning “It’s not that often that you could practice so so Chi-Nations intends to install a wigwam—a “When we think about climate change, the our plant relatives, it gives us a chance to not many of your traditions and be in that position traditional dome-shaped dwelling—in the gar- plants are gonna move and they’re gonna do be alone in this city. It gives us a chance to be of your ancestors inside a tipi, and smack- den, an acknowledgment of the Potawotami’s what they have to do in order to survive here,” able to connect with something that is in our dab in the middle of Chicago,” she said. Since ancestral homelands and contributions to Chi- said Fawn Pochel, the AIC’s education coor- DNA, which is in our memories.” v November, Native American Chicagoans have cago as we know it. While the city’s location is dinator (and Adrien Pochel’s aunt). “We’re gathered in the larger tipi to socialize, play ideal for sustaining plant, animal, and human gonna get with the system or we’re not. We’re @ NatCarrico ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 11 RTC R N. Ravenswood Ave. FOOD & DRINK rareteacellar.com
FOOD FEATURE Rodrick Markus wants to be your green tea pusher Rare Tea Cellar positions itself to supply chefs with all their culinary cannabis needs. By M S SANDY NOTO
requent visitors to Rodrick Markus’s 30-year-old balsamic vinegar crystals—a sen- Clockwise from top: the Fresh lair expect to encounter powerful sory overload that threatens to short-circuit Green; Moonlight Jasmine aromas such as truffle, strawberry, the ability to focus on anything. Blossom; Litchi Noir Iced Tea or barrel-aged tea. No one expects it Luckily Markus was making tea, an ordinari- SANDY NOTO to smell like weed. But that was the ly calming beverage, which in this case had Funmistakable perfume I inhaled one recent the extra benefi t of the antianxiety properties afternoon as we sat at the table in his twilit (among others) for which CBD has been em- warehouse-tasting-room/laboratory at Rare braced. First there was a black blend scented Tea Cellar in Ravenswood. Between us he’d with rose and lychee fruit, and infused with 10 lined up a half dozen glass bowls, each fi lled milligrams of CBD extract. Then came a fi ve- with a different premium tea blend—except year-old oak-aged pu-erh with cacao nibs and for the one containing a pile of fat, green vanilla that Markus normally sells for $200 Oregon- and Vegas-grown Honolulu Haze a pound (but with 20 milligrams of CBD will nugs. likely command $500, or $6 a serving, once Those aren’t to be confused with Hawaiian he starts selling it). And then there was the Haze, a cannabis strain with markedly high moonlight jasmine blossom, a performance levels of THC that elicits a euphoric, energetic tea, a tight ball of neatly tied leaves that dra- high. Honolulu Haze won’t do that for you. It’s matically blooms in the glass as it steeps and a hemp strain (and nail polish color, coinciden- releases 10 milligrams of CBD. tally) that contains virtually no THC, but does Over the last four years or so Markus has produce noticeable effects, thanks to high developed about 17 di¯ erent CBD and hemp- levels of cannabidiol, which by now you should infused products—not just teas, but syrups know as CBD, the nonpsychoactive cannabi- and shrubs—that he’d like to unleash his noid marketed in everything from gummies to demanding customers on. “I’ve never had dog treats to sex lube. more people reach out in my life,” he says. And “There’s so much garbage on the market,” yet, though chefs and bartenders all over the says Markus, who’s been supplying chefs with country are increasingly experimenting with rare and weird ingredients from his steadily CBD (and cannabis in general), he’s holding expanding apothecary for 22 years. Hundreds back. He’s avoiding a perceived legal gray of these ingredients line the shelves in labeled area that persists even after the 2018 farm bill glass jars—dried black limes, Okinawa sugar, essentially legalized CBD products as long as 12 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll Search the Reader’s online database of thousands Rodrick Markus of Chicago-area restaurants—and add your SANDY NOTO own review—at chicagoreader.com/food.
He’s added CBD to some of his greatest hits Esparza made a CBD sugar infusion from such as a thick, molasses-like cold-pressed hemp fl ower Markus gave him, then added it infused agave syrup, strong enough to stand up to glucose syrup to form a glassy topper to to co¯ ee, tea, or on pancakes or ice cream, and a crème brulee latte. “It was killer,” he told the Cosa Nostra shrub that brings together a me in a text. “Nice body feel. Not high or green tea blend with 20-year-old white vinegar anything.” and almond oil. A shrub made from oolong tea, On the other hand, chefs are on the leading magnolia blossoms, cane sugar, and vinegar edge when it comes to cooking with marijuana, somehow tastes like the pot likker from a batch not just trying to get people high, but playing of braised collard greens. with di¯ erent extracts, isolates, terpenes, and Chefs are often the fi rst to introduce ingre- concentrates derived from the plant. Markus, dients to the general culinary lexicon. That who stands at the ready for when recreational they are derived from hemp (which contains But what could go wrong? After all, “people doesn’t seem to be true when it comes to CBD. marijuana is legalized, compares the current less than 0.3 percent THC), and not marijuana don’t turn to jerks with it,” he says. “As op- “Everyone’s taking really pedestrian ingredi- culinary cannabis environment to the turn of (what all your friends in California, Colorado, posed to booze.” ents right now and trying to make something the century’s prevailing culinary trend. and eight other states are enjoying without Markus has teas that have been misted with inexpensive and make a lot of money on it,” “Molecular gastronomy needed certain holding a medical license or breaking the law). water-soluble CBD extract, which absorbs the says Markus. “I think if you put the really good chemicals to perform the magic,” he says. “It’s Even as local restaurants such as Young cannabinoid as the liquid evaporates. He’s also stu¯ behind it people are gonna be really into gonna be the same with this. It’s a wild world American and the Swill Inn are spiking dishes been blending premium teas with hemp fl ower, it. If you start with something great it’s gonna right now, but it’s gonna be super interesting and drinks with CBD, the FDA still isn’t on like the vegetal Kyoto kukicha green tea, which taste great.” He’s particularly excited to infuse as its unfolds. We’re ready on every front to board with its use as a dietary or health sup- doesn’t contribute much medicinal e¯ ect but some imported French cultured butter he has touch every aspect of it. The applications are plement. Markus thinks this puts restaurants tastes interesting enough in combination with coming in. just endless. It’s gonna create some crazy de- and bars at risk, particularly in Illinois, where the hemp’s natural terpenes, the essential oils In lieu of putting his supply on the market rivatives that I can’t wait to be a part of.” v it’s still a novelty relative to states where can- responsible for the distinctive fl avors and aro- now, Markus has been doling out samples to nabis is legal. mas that di¯ erentiate strains of cannabis. chefs here and there. At Finom Co¯ ee Rafael @MikeSula
ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 13 JOHN PORCELLINO
14 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll JOHN PORCELLINO ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 15 Buehler Enabling Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN
interesting for people engaging in the garden. In the summer I have a favorite, scented gera- nium. It’s got a really nice velvety, fuzzy leaf. It doesn’t really fl ower, but when you rub the leaf it smells like mint.” She also considers how she’ll use the plants in the garden’s classes. “In the spring I use a lot of fragrant plants—tulips, stock, violas, pansies. You can harvest and press them. A lot of what horticultural therapists do is use the products of the garden in their programming.” For example, pansies can be made into pressed fl ower bookmarks, cut fl owers can be used for flower arranging workshops, and herbs are useful for cooking projects. The programming she does depends on who she’s working with, Green says. “The groups I get tend to be kids with a lot of special needs. The garden is set up for that; it’s a comfortable place for them to come if they have wheelchairs. Sometimes kids come with severe and profound disabili- ties, so they need a lot of sensory interaction.” The Chicago Botanic Garden has one of the oldest and most comprehensive programs in The healing garden the U.S.—the Buehler Enabling Garden opened in 1999, and the garden’s horticultural therapy program and fi rst Enabling Garden launched Need some stress relief? Go get your hands dirty. 22 years before that. The garden now offers a horticultural therapy certificate program By J T through the adult education department and in conjunction with Oakton Community Col- t first glance the Buehler En- Interacting with live plants—there’s general rather than a brick wall. Subsequent studies lege, where the participants get college credit. abling Garden just looks like research that suggests it lowers your stress.” have indicated that even looking at pictures The 12-credit class is mostly online, Green another plot in the Chicago Bo- According to the website of the American of soothing scenes can be benefi cial—but ac- says, but the students come to the Botanic tanic Garden, with brick-paved Horticultural Therapy Association, in the cording to Green, there’s not much research on Garden for a week of intensive programming walkways, hanging planters, early 19th century physician Benjamin Rush, horticultural therapy. “A lot of what’s missing and visit other therapeutic gardens in the and raised beds filled with flowers. A closer often referred to as “the father of American is the connection of the person there facili- area. There aren’t many, though. Green says look, though, reveals that the paths are flat psychiatry,” first documented the positive tating the activities [the horticultural ther- that Rush University Medical Center is putting and wide to accommodate people in wheel- e¯ ect gardening had on people with mental ill- apist],” she says. “There’s a growing body of in a healing garden, and Growing Solutions chairs, the hanging baskets are on pulleys that nesses, and in the 1940s and 50s hospitalized research that being in nature is therapeutic.” Farm in the Illinois Medical District teaches allow their heights to be adjusted, and the war veterans were treated using horticultural In fact, she says, technically what her de- urban agriculture to young adults with autism, flowerbeds are at various elevations so that therapy. Expanding the practice from the partment does is considered therapeutic hor- but she doesn’t know of much else. gardeners can work on them from a seated or mentally ill to veterans helped it to become ticulture. “If you’re doing horticultural therapy, The Botanic Garden is often involved in con- standing position. A section of lawn is raised more widely accepted, and today horticultural you’d be working with professionals, charting sultations when hospitals and other facilities so that people who have di culty getting up therapy is used, says the association’s website, progress [of patients]. We are not privy to peo- are planning therapeutic gardens, Green says, from the ground can sit on the grass, and in an- “within a broad range of rehabilitative, voca- ple’s charts or medical information. We’re sup- but “when the budget gets cut it’s the fi rst thing other area a garden is planted in a metal grid, tional, and community settings.” plementing their care but we’re not part of the to go.” Even other botanic gardens with horti- allowing visually impaired people to count Many scientific studies have documented treatment plan.” Her department does, howev- culture therapy programs don’t always have the squares and identify which plants they’re that exposure to nature is associated with er, have o¯ -site programs at Shriners Hospital their own department or a dedicated therapeu- working with. a wide range of health benefits, including for Children and the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hos- tic garden. Maybe that’s because of the lack of Anyone who visits the Botanic Garden can lower stress levels, and lower risks of type 2 pital, along with some assisted living facilities, formal research around the topic—but while wander through the Enabling Garden, but its diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood where Botanic Garden sta¯ members work with she’s not formally evaluating the people who main purpose is to serve people who can bene- pressure, and premature births. It has even patients to build and maintain gardens, often participate in the programs she directs, Green fi t from horticultural therapy. Enabling Garden been found to be associated with a lower using herbs, fl owers, and other plants chosen says the e¯ ect is noticeable. “Before and after, I coordinator and registered horticultural ther- mortality rate. A seminal study published in because they stimulate the senses. can see the positive change in people’s mood as apist Alicia Green says, essentially, that means 1984 by environmental psychologist Roger Green does the same thing in the Enabling they’re outside, playing with plants.” v “the use of professionally directed plant and Ulrich showed that patients recovering from Garden. “Every year I focus on color, on plants gardening activities to help restore physical gallbladder surgery healed faster, needed less that have a tactile quality or a scent,” she says. @juliathiel and mental health. What makes it therapeutic pain medication, and had fewer complications “I really focus on plants that attract butter- Share this article. revolves around the concept of stress relief. when they had windows with a view of trees fl ies, hummingbirds, things that might make it Text HYPE CHIREADER3 to 46786 16 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll RYAN EDMUND
amiane Nickles is a young south-sider who has designed his life around something he’s pas- sionate about: plants. Wanna buy a plant? He sells cute curated house- plants in scrumptious little pots or upcycled This Brighton Park prodigy has the goods. And the microgreens . . . vessels through his Instagram account, @notaplantshop. His captions are eccentric, Story and Photos B R E loud, and silly: “SELLING—THESE TWO ZZ PLANTS AKA ZAMIOCULCAS ZAMIIFOLIA AKA ZANZIBAR GEM AKA ZZ COOL J AKA THE MOST INDESTRUCTIBLE PLANT OF ALL TIME. DM OR COMMENT TO CLAIM. K. BYE.” He photographs in his living room, which is styled with a variety of midcentury modern furniture, art, and tchotchkes. Before creating @notaplantshop last fall, Nickles had a table at Plant Chicago’s farmers’ market. He knocked over his plants, broke some pots, and knew this sales model wasn’t right for him. Instagram felt more natural and resonated with his audience. After he posts a new photo, followers comment or DM him to claim the plant (they generally cost between $10 and $50), and then pick it up from his apartment in Brighton Park. “I have them grab the plant from its current spot in my apart- Above: Damiane Nickles studies a small aloe plant in ment to establish that special bond,” he said, his living room. describing the process of making a sale. (He Le : A teacup holds a small also has houseplants available for sale at Sol psychopsis mendenhall. Cafe in Rogers Park.) J ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 17 Closed Loop Farm employees (from le to right): Adam Pollack (owner), Aniki Coates, and Riley Finnegan.
continued from 19 Nickles’s parents immigrated to Brooklyn from Trinidad in 1985, and his father planted a hibiscus garden in their backyard as a little piece of home for him and his wife. “Some of my best memories of plants come from seeing my dad hosing down the backyard with doz- ens of six-foot-tall hibiscus plants,” he says. Above: Damiane carrying micogreens to be harvested “He used to talk to them and show them so much love.” Nickles went to college in New York for painting and later switched to graphic design. Feeling stagnant in his work in corporate branding, he moved to Chicago and began working at Found and the Barn, Evanston restaurants known for their commitment to local sourcing. Found received its microgreens from Closed Loop Farms, located in the sus- tainably minded compound the Plant, in Back of the Yards. Intrigued, Nickles found his way to working there. Closed Loop Farms is a sustainable food incubator that also houses businesses such as Whiner Beer and Four Letter Word Co¯ ee. The basement farm has a fresh, earthy scent, and the tropical humidity of the room is a nice reprieve from Chicago’s winter. The room glows with a purple hue from the grow lights. Garlic chives and Genovese basil rest along rows of shelves, some of the 32 varieties of microgreens on the farm. Employees harvest the microgreens twice a week, trimming at stations from fi ve to ten every morning, when deliveries begin to go out. Closed Loop Farms currently provides for 85 restaurants, includ- ing Girl and the Goat and Sunda, and also sells edible fl owers in late spring through the fall. Nickles’s passion for plants goes hand-in- hand with his desire to educate others. His plans for @notaplantshop? He wants to make people happy, spread knowledge, and aim for a higher output when the warm weather arrives. v Composting the microgreens a er harvesting; knife used for harvesting @talldarkandryan 18 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll Gayle Force Winds and a fallen rattlesnake plant
Sunburn (and freezing) Did you know plants can get sunburn? I learned that lesson the hard way. Houseplant owners love to bring their plants outside for the summer and while some plants are able to thrive, the practice can also lead to heartbreak. I have a giant agave I got as a gift. This guy is big, like really big, maybe two and a half feet tall by two feet wide. Not wanting my newly acquired giant beauty to su¯ er from lack of sun, I brought the plant outside for the summer. After only an hour basking in the sun, it was completely wilted and even burned in some spots. Turns out, plants can experience a form of heat stroke. Now when I want to move houseplants outside, I start by placing the plant in the shade for an hour or two a day for about a week and slowly bring them into more direct sun. It is possible to also accidentally freeze your plants, so keep an eye on your win- Houseplant fails dowsill friends in the winter. J For every plantshelfi e on Instagram and beautifully styled “it plant” of the moment (pink princess, anyone?), there exist several pet-chewed, brown-fried-leaf, dying-dead failures. Story and photos B SB
very plant owner has lost a plant or two or 20. I have a second bathroom shower I deem “the plant graveyard” where empty pots and dead plants wait out the remainder of the winter. Come with me as I root through fi ve houseplant fails.
Pets I made a cat-safe houseplant collection so my hallucinogenic e¯ ect when leaves are ingest- two cats, Sweet Dee and Gayle Force Winds, ed. Much like when ingesting catnip, the girls could have their own plants to do with as they became zooming monsters sprinting from one may. One of the first plants I thought to put end of our home to the other, batting at the air in this collection was the classic spider plant and chasing their tails. (It took at least an hour (Chlorophytum comosum). I was not prepared for Dee and Gayle to come down from their cat for the absolute carnage my cats would wreak highs.) Here’s how to keep your plants safe on this poor unsuspecting plant. The Amer- from pet destruction: playtime, bitter sprays, ican Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to clicker training (yes, this works for cats), top Animals lists the spider plant as nontoxic to dressing like rocks and pebbles, or covering cats and dogs, but cats love this plant so much with tin foil in a pinch. Punishment doesn’t Cat-safe zinnias because it has a chemical compound some- work—especially with cats because they will what related to opium and can have a mild laugh in your face.
Sweet Dee snacks on a spider plant. ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 19 An indoor herb garden—some plants survived.
Sweet Dee eyes a sedeveria blue giant succulent next to a Chinese money plant. Light Oh, the succulent. Succulents were once the go-to plant everyone raved about. While I’ll agree they are easily propagated, many of mine could not survive in the lighting con- ditions of my home. It wasn’t long till those beauties stretched out and elongated, desper- ately reaching for the sun. Succulents are not the only houseplants to express dismay with Water where you’ve placed them. If you see your once I have killed so many plants by overloving compact plant reaching for the sun with large them and watering too often. First, under- gaps between new leaves, that means they are stand watering basics: yellowing and brown in need of more light. Try moving them to a leaves, with leaf drop, are a good indication of new home—even if that means providing an overwatering; crispy brown leaves can indi- artifi cial light source. cate underwatering and humidity issues. Make sure you are not waiting too long to water a plant and that its soil is absorbing water prop- continued from 19 erly. Adding a humidity tray or putting plants near each other can help raise humidity levels. Pests I’m lucky enough to have a window in my A friend of mine once shared a plant-specifi c bathroom where a lot of my humidity loving urban legend in which a young couple returns friends live. The best way to know if it’s time from a trip to the desert with a cactus they to water a plant is to touch the soil and see if dug up. After a few weeks of enjoying this it is wet or dry. If your plants need water, give new “houseplant,” thousands of baby spi- them a good drink—I have a lot of plants and ders emerged from the cactus. The Internet will often put them in the shower and spray confirmed my suspicions: this urban legend them all down at once to make watering easier. was easily debunked. (Cacti are not easily Make sure you use a pot with drainage or you moved—also, leave nature alone!) While you risk root rot. Once root rot sets in, the plant is most likely won’t fi nd a host of spiders in any a goner—just ask every Begonia rex I’ve ever locally bought houseplants, you may come owned. v across one of these crawly enemies: spider mites, scale, mealybugs, and of course those @ sarahjulie dang fungus gnats. There are a lot of ways to Share this article. combat these pests. I like environmentally and Text HYPE CHIREADER2 to 46786 pet-safe options (once I released 500 ladybugs on my screen porch). I currently use a hot pep- per spray for most bug issues. I have also been known to use diatomaceous earth and a simple mixture of rubbing alcohol and dish soap. Nerve plants
20 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll R READER RECOMMENDED b ALL AGES F ARTS & CULTURE
Dutch Masters JOEL MAISONET works in Mr. Mushnik’s shop alongside his love interest Audrey (Dana Tretta), who is stuck in a nonconsensual masochistic relationship with her boyfriend Orin—Dr. Orin (David Sajewich). With the entrance of an exotic plant of questionable provenance, everything changes. Among the best elements of this production are Serena Sandoval’s costumes and Martin P. Robinson’s puppets. The chorus, an impeccable trio of women, is perfectly in step and deserving of its own musical. MANDAVE SAINI
Transitioning from 90s schoolgirls to decadent divas,
they are muses and quasi-feminists, encouraging Audrey THEATER to leave Orin (albeit for another man to protect her). There’s much more text-wise that should have been le Mission to Mars behind, but stellar direction and the choreography by R Four aspiring interplanetary colonizers Christopher Chase Carter keeps us entranced and look- learn How to Live on Earth. ing ahead. —Y Z M L S H Through 4/28: Wed-Fri 8 PM, Sat 5 Chimera Ensemble presents the Chicago premiere of and 8:30 PM, Sun 3 PM, Mercury Theater, 3745 N. MJ Kaufman’s 2014 drama. Four very diff erent people Southport, 773-325-1700, mercurytheaterchicago. decide it’s their life’s mission to be sent to Mars for com, $35-$65, $35-$60 seniors and military, $35-$55 the rest of their days in order to make it habitable students. THEATER Bronx—after Eric’s told him he robs people for humanity. But in the fi nal countdown before the and blocked him from exiting at his own stop. “winning” candidates are chosen, each questions why How great she art they want to go and what it means to leave everything Mahalia Jackson: Moving Thru the Light follows An endless detour Eric’s pledge to score some weed for the pair literally 142 million miles away. the usual Black Ensemble Theatre formula. Dutch Masters takes way too adds little credulity. Why Steve would then One way or another, all four would-be space explor- long to get to the point. agree to go to Eric’s apartment is a mystery ers want to be part of the mission in order to lend Jackie Taylor, the founder and leading light of the Black even the strong spli¯ they share can’t explain. meaning to their lives. Omar (Arif Yampolsky) is a Ensemble Theatre, has spent her career penning and By J H programmer striving to do something important, totally producing biographical musicals recounting the lives of Once they arrive, though, the play gets ignoring his partner who desperately wants him to stay. prominent African-American musicians, most of whom back on track when Eric fi nally reveals Steve Aggie (Hannah Larson) is a directionless young woman are associated in some way with Chicago. These shows is no stranger to him. When they were both who wants to prove to her family that she can amount to are always packed wall-to-wall with classic tunes, pas- n his 2018 one-act, actor and writer Greg children, Eric routinely spent time in Steve’s something. Eleanor (Katlynn Yost), a librarian stifl ed by sionately sung by a cast of terrifi c singers and backed her job and loveless life, thinks her skills would be put by an impressive band. house, even played with his toys, although Keller creates a relationship between two to better use on another planet. Bill (Brian Sheridan, in The Black Ensemble’s current show, focusing on gos- Iyoung men so poignant, agonizing, and Steve could never have known. Eric is in es- a standout performance) is an insuff erable overachiever pel legend Mahalia Jackson, follows this formula exactly. fundamental that it’s difficult to believe no sence Steve’s shadow, and the intersection of convinced of his qualifi cations and lacking any doubts For two hours, the gospel hits keep coming: “How Great other playwright (at least to my knowledge) whatsoever until it’s too late. Thou Art,” “His Eye is on the Sparrow,” and “Didn’t It In short vignettes, each candidate is seen with his or Rain” are just three of the hits Robin DaSilva belts out in has explored this terrain before. Describing D M her loved ones as they prepare to leave. These scenes her superb impersonation of Jackson, accompanied by the true nature of their pathologically inter- Through /: Thu-Sat PM, Sun and are funny and poignant in equal measure because these an ensemble of nine other fabulous singers and a superb twined past, about which only one is aware PM, Broadway Armory Park, N. are perhaps the last times these people will ever see band lead by music director Robert Reddrick. until late in the play, would spoil nearly every- Broadway, jackalopetheatre.org , $, $ one another. You don’t have to go to outer space to Along the way, Taylor presents biographical material students and seniors. thing in these intermittently riveting 75 min- make your life mean something, the play seems to say, about Jackson. This too follows the Taylor formula, and but the threat of such a trip sharpens one’s idea of what as in previous productions, these theatricalized book utes—largely because Keller unwisely turns truly matters. Gwendolyn Wiegold directed. —D reports prove to be the weakest parts of the show. what might be the play’s animating event into their histories invokes profoundly discom- S H L E Through 3/24: Taylor packs the play with factoids about Jackson—born the eleventh hour big reveal. fi ting issues about race and class that Keller Thu-Sat 7:30 PM, Sun 3 PM, Collaboraction Studios, in New Orleans in 1911, moved to Chicago in 1927, worked Eric and Steve meet in New York City in 1992 expertly personalizes in the men’s attempt to 1579 N. Milwaukee, chimeraensemble.com , $23, $16 with Thomas A. Dorsey, o en called the father of gospel students, seniors,and industry. music, who wrote the hit “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” on a deserted D train headed uptown. Eric, make sense of their not-quite-shared lives. which became Jackson’s signature song—but it never who’s black, is peculiarly intent on engaging In this Jackalope premiere, director Wardell Feed me, Seymour! shows us the person behind the show biz personality. Steve, who’s white, in conversation. By turns Julius Clark brings this fi nal section of Dutch Little Shop of Horrors has not grown gracefully This, too, is part of Taylor’s formula: we almost never charming, inscrutable, and menacing, Eric Masters thrillingly to life, thanks in large into the new millennium. hear a discouraging word about the subjects of her shows. spends a long opening scene alternately cajol- part to Patrick Agada’s mesmerizing, at times In Little Shop of Horrors, most of New York’s skid row Instead, as in Black Ensemble’s many previous musi- ing and taunting Steve, who’s determined not unbearable performance as Eric. Agada nav- residents are just trying to survive. They dream of cal biographies, Taylor is content to let the music carry to appear rude or rattled, with aimless chatter igates an emotional minefield as Eric cycles moving to the ’burbs, owning a home, and fi nding love— the show. —J H M J M - as though setting him up for, well, god knows though spite, regret, betrayal, helplessness, elements of life that are less prioritized among members T L Through 4/14: Thu 7:30 PM, of a generation who are living with debilitating debt and Fri 8 PM, Sat 3 and 8 PM, Sun 3 PM, Black Ensemble what. Given the play’s title, Keller’s likely and soul-splitting rage. As Steve, Sam Boeck wearing themselves out on side-hustles. The current Theatre, 4450 N. Clark, 773-769-4451, blackensem- channeling Amiri Baraka’s 1964 two-hander is mostly stuck fl inching in fear and bewilder- Mercury Theater production, under the direction of L. bletheatre.org , $49-$65. Dutchman, in which a white woman, every bit ment, which is about all the script gives him to Walter Stearns, hits the classic notes of rock, horror, as alluring and unpredictable as Eric, accosts do. and comedy—but in the age of movements like #MeToo, Texas forever and seduces a black man on a New York sub- Once the complications of their shared past some of the plot elements feel a little off . Remember the Alamo has more quirks than Seymour (Chris Kale Jones) is a poverty-stricken purpose. way train with tragic results. come to light—and their devastating e¯ ect on young man struggling to get his life together. An orphan, Had Keller left his characters on the train, Eric—the final 15 minutes are indelible. One he was taken in as a small child by the greedy Mr. Mush- It’s a dubious honorifi c, but the press release for Nick his play might not have gone o¯ the rails quite wonders why Keller didn’t start the play much nik (Tommy Novak), who runs a failing fl ower shop. It’s Hart’s metatheatrical, deadpan, quirktastic retelling of so quickly. Instead, Steve agrees to get off later and devote all 75 minutes to the stu¯ that the fi rst among many relationships in the play that have the Battle of the Alamo contains, without a doubt, the unfortunate, sometimes killer power dynamics. Seymour most eyebrow-raising disclaimer I think I’ve ever the train with Eric somewhere in the South matters. v ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 21 S T S L Fri /, PM, Constellation, N. Western, ARTS & CULTURE constellation-chicago.com , $.
B come across reviewing theater in Chicago: “We recommend you do not sit in the front row or on an aisle if you want to remain in the theater to observe the entire production.” BOOK SWAP Sure enough, between Moth-style personal essays about identity, inscrutable bits of Western-themed Lit recs for people in absurdism, and metaphors about barbecued milk, ensemble members playing key Texas Revolution fi gures hand randomly-selected audience members a can of search of pleasure Pabst Blue Ribbon and an egg (?), then usher them out of the black box space to a friendly “death concierge” into the lobby. n Book Swap, a Reader sta¯ er recommends The idea of a production unexpectedly dismissing members of its own audience takes such a degree of between two and fi ve books and then asks a anarchic chutzpah that it’s diffi cult not to love or at least Ilocal wordsmith, literary enthusiast, or ex- appreciate the creativity and sense of risk behind it; I pert to do the same. In this installment, Read- was a little disappointed, then, when the “deceased” er deputy editor KS swaps book were unceremoniously escorted back to their seats suggestions with KY, producer and without comment a scene or two later. That half-in, half- out level of commitment to wild concepts is indicative of host of Super Tasty, a monthly cabaret-talk too much of this intermission-less hour-and-fi y-minute show about sex, the second season of which production, which presents history lessons, wild (but opens Friday, March 15, at Constellation. true) bits of Phil Collins trivia, and earnest personal rev- elations without any one of those elements solidifying the show’s sense of purpose. For every minute of joyous Kate Schmidt, Reader deputy editor spontaneity, there are another two that make you want I’d been on medical leave and couchbound for to ask, “Folks, what are we even doing here?” —D weeks, and I was desperate for pleasure—a J R A Through 4/27: Thu- stay-up-all-night-reading-it thriller or at least Sat 7:30 PM, Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland, 773-878-4557, neofuturists.org, $10-$25, pay what a good page-turner. Instead, trying to repeat Karen Yates, producer-host Super Tasty you can Thu. what for me was the magic of Hilary Man- One book I’m recommending in these days tel’s Wolf Hall, I wound up mired in A P when nonmonogamy is having another Last call G S (Fourth Estate, 1992), moment is T S G’ G P - R Two Pints pays tribute to human her 872-page novel about the French Revolu- resilience and the power of Guinness. by Dedeker Winston (Skyhorse Pub- tion. While stuck there, though, I discovered lishing, 2017). Winston, who grew up a conser- So, two Irish actors walk into a bar. As does the entire that a while back New York Review Books had vative Christian then broke with fundamen- audience. That’s the setup for Roddy Doyle’s Two Pints, reissued Nancy Mitford’s juicy 1952 popular talist conventions, provides both an engag- imported from Dublin’s Abbey Theatre to Navy Pier. In history V L (New York Review ing synopsis of the many types of consensual the pub at Chicago Shakespeare, the audience mem- bers are fl ies on the wall (or rather, crammed around Books Classics, 2012). The French playwright nonmonogamy and a level-headed account of tiny tables surrounding the bar) as a pair of never-named and polymath met more than his match in the her open-relationship journey. The book is laid blokes (Liam Carney and Philip Judge) banter over brilliant countess Emilie du Chatelet, with out like a course, off ering history, questions to Guinness and the occasional whiskey. whom he for years shared life, love, and work ponder, homework, tips on the communica- The premise doesn’t sound promising. Does anyone need to spend two hours watching a couple of boozy in a chateau equipped with astronomy and tion skills needed to be polyamorous, and lists dudes chatting about their troubles? But Doyle—ably physics labs and a library of more than 21,000 of the pros and cons of nonmonagamy. I’ve assisted by director Caitríona McLaughlin—pulls off books. Emilie’s husband the count was copa- read a few books on poly, and Winston deliv- something approaching unexpectedly wonderful with cetic with the arrangement, and both lov- ers a comprehensive guide great for female- Two Pints. As the men, served by Laurence Lowry’s wordless, poker-faced barman, commiserate, their low- ers had other amours of various sorts over and male-identifying people. key banter turns into a poetic exegesis on being and time, openly and not, but eventually Emilie T G B by Mel Reiff Hill, aid to understanding why some people pre- whatever it is that follows. There’s beauty and profundity sought a menage a quartre too many. Mitford Jay Mays, et al (2014), is a terrific illustrat- fer and/or are predisposed to kinky sex rather in the proceedings, as well as a shade of Waiting for described the book to her own famous inti- ed 90-page volume written by members of than vanilla. It also comes with a handy glossa- Godot. Both men scoff at the idea of an a erlife even mates as “a shriek from beginning to end.” a blended gender collective. If you want to ry of terms. as they cling to rituals that insist otherwise. When death does show up, it’s expected and even welcomed. Even But I still needed a thriller, preferably one understand the nuances of the gender gal- Finally, U T S S so, it’s also accompanied by knee-buckling grief. with no guillotines or heads on pikes. In des- axy—that is, how cis, trans, nonbinary, etc, are C by Barbara Carellas (Ten Carney and Judge capture the staggering blows peration, I asked my therapist, who smiled defi ned, and how gender identity can be quite Speed Press, second edition, 2017). There’s that life (and its constant companion, death) mete and said she’d just finished reading M S- fl uid—this book is for you. Plus, when I fi nished a reason this classic continues to turn up on out with humor and humanity, some of it bleak, all of it recognizable. Pathos plays no part here, not even S K (Doubleday, 2018), I just wanted to hug everyone involved in its lists of sex books worth your time and inter- when sorrow makes the men bend to the point of Nigerian writer Oyinkan Braithwaite’s first making. It’s a feel-good read, for sure. est. It’s damn good and dispenses with the breaking. That they’re both still standing at last call novel. Set in Lagos, it’s a black comedy about Do you know someone who loves her week- masculine-feminine hetero model of tantra is a testimony to the resilience humans can muster, a plain, steady nurse whose gorgeous sis- ly orgy, or likes to be flogged or peed on, that leaves a bunch of folks out in the cold. with or without a pint of Guinness in hand. —C S T P Through 3/31: Wed-Fri 7:30 ter, Korede, keeps calling on her to mop up or anything else that freaks the crap out of Carellas gives excellent, straightforward exer- PM, Sat 4 and 8 PM, Sun 3 PM, Tue 7:30 PM, a er she, the irresistible one, stabs her dates you? Maybe you need to read W S - cises that focus on breathing, working with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, 800 E. Grand, to death. Or at least it seems so. It’s a page- Y L I K by Dossie Easton and energy and intention, and how kink and tan- 312.595.5600, chicagoshakes.com , sold out; contact turner, all right—and short and brisk enough Catherine A. Liszt (Greenery Press, 2000). tra can work together. Try them solo or with a box office for availability. v that you might get to bed before two. This quick, nonsensationalistic read can be an partner—or partners. v 22 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll O C F F Thu /-Sun /, times vary; see website, Chicago Filmmakers, N Ridge, --, onioncityfilmfest.org , single ticket $, festival pass $. FILM
presents a direct-camera confession about Zachary Epcar’s Life After Love—playing being a transwoman alongside similarly in program seven, “Miserablism,” at 5:30 framed confessions from Jennie Livingston’s PM—makes light of the themes introduced 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning. in Electric Fogs, employing eerily precise Screening in program fi ve, “Giving & Taking compositions and zooms to frame images & Losing & Listening” (on Saturday at 8 PM), of people sitting in their parked cars in a lot. the 24-minute personal documentary Lyndale Epcar o¯ ers a wry, curious view of car culture MOVIES considers the family life of another trans and the impossibility of establishing humanity fi lmmaker, Oli Rodriguez, who codirected the within it. His sharp sense of form and humor piece with Victoria Stob. Lyndale introduces anticipates some of the pieces in the final Interesting times viewers to Rodriguez’s working-class family in program, “The Truth! Ha!” (which starts at the early 2000s, presenting colorful portraits 7:30 PM). I Don’t Know When the Armageddon The Onion City Film Festival conveys the of the filmmaker (who’s shown just after he Is and Elder Abuse, by local fi lmmakers Casey disorientation of living in an era of great change. started identifying as a man), his brother Puccini and Drew Durepos respectively, both (who’s suffering from an unspecified mental begin as funny, knockabout family portraits, By BS Sojouner illness), and their garrulous, recently remar- then get weird in surprising ways I won’t spoil ried mother, who always seems to be smoking here. Elder Abuse features a memorable turn his year’s edition of the Onion City Film cial theory and practice. Local fi lmmaker Deb- a cigarette. Also of note in program five is by Durepos’s foul-mouthed grandmother, Festival (formerly the Onion City Exper- orah Stratman’s Vever (for Barbara) combines Saif Alsaegh’s 1991, which communicates the shown berating the fi lmmaker into giving her Timental Film and Video Festival) holds footage shot by the great artist and fi lmmaker emotional isolation felt by the fi lmmaker, an a cigarette. Not funny but certainly impres- together nicely. Several clear themes emerge Barbara Hammer in Guatemala in 1975 with Iraqi asylum-seeker living in the U.S., and his sive on a formal level are Michael Gitlin’s 3D from the four-day event: the experience of an elderly Hammer explaining to Stratman mother, who lives in Turkey. Alsaegh shows portrait film Eastern District Terminal and women and other underrepresented groups, on the soundtrack why she never printed the himself hanging out alone at a cabin in win- Grace Mitchell’s Magic Bath, a melange of revolutionary politics, the relationship be- footage until now. It’s a poignant and self- ter, occasionally talking to his mother via footage and still images shot by the fi lmmaker tween people and their environments, and the reflexive film about how artists engage with FaceTime and reading his mother’s testimony between adolescence and early adulthood. humorous possibilities of experimenting with the world. Nazli Dinçel’s Instructions on How about giving birth during the Iraq War in 1991. Where Gitlin overwhelms with a heightened the fi lm form. Curator Emily Eddy has wisely to Make a Film presents academic discourse Despite the sadness of their situation, the sense of location, Mitchell creates a rush of spread these themes evenly across the nine on representation alongside provocative, sex- work contains moments of levity, as when Al- fragmented memories. programs, so attendees can get a sampling of ually charged imagery. Closing the program is saegh collaborates with his mother on a recipe The highly personal Magic Bath speaks each no matter what day they go. In fact sev- Cauleen Smith’s dense, associative Sojourner. over the phone. to how experimental filmmaking has always eral themes appear in each program, barring That work pays tribute to John and Alice In its consideration of what it’s like to be a provided avenues for fi lmmakers to commu- a couple of exceptions. Thursday’s opening Coltrane before launching into a montage of stranger in a strange country, 1991 sets the nicate intimate, even private experiences. If night program, “Histories & Futures,” con- female activists engaged in demonstrations, stage for many of the works in Sunday’s three that’s your favorite aspect of the avant-garde, tains work solely by female fi lmmakers, while then peaks during scenes of a utopian female programs, which mostly deal with the experi- be sure to catch the programs on Friday night. program six, “The Vibrating World,” playing society in Joshua Tree National Park. ence of orienting oneself in the world. All three Sky Hopinka’s Fainting Spells (which opens Sunday at 3:30 PM, is devoted exclusively to Another feminist standout is Cecelia Con- works in “The Vibrating World” address this program two, “Casting Spells and Slowly fi lms about travel. dit’s We Were Hardly More Than Children, theme head-on, but none more viscerally than Swaying” at 9 PM) uses an unpredictable col- A standout of the entire festival, Chicago- which plays in program four, “Ephemeral- Joshua Gen Solondz’s (tourism studies), a diz- lection of cinematic devices to create, in the based Melika Bass’s Creature Companion ity Means No One Can Take It From You,” on zying, almost nauseating montage of footage fi lmmaker’s words, “an imagined myth of the (playing in “Histories & Futures”) arguably Saturday at 5:30 PM. The short is alternately the fi lmmaker shot in multiple countries over Indian pipe plant used by the Ho-Chunk to re- synthesizes all of the festival’s concerns. A a portrait of painter Diane Messinger and a ten years. (Solondz heightens the effect by vive those who have fainted.” In A Small Place strange and funny meditation on the ideas memory piece in which Messinger recounts sometimes laying swirling geometric patterns (playing in program one, “The Tension Here,” of psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich (who also helping a friend procure an abortion in the late over the footage.) Bill Witherspoon’s Thoughts at 7 PM), Greta Snider uses abstract imagery inspired Dusan Makavejev’s classic W.R.: Mys- 1960s and the hardships that followed. Condit on Light and Electricity is a gorgeous-looking to convey the disembodied feeling of living teries of the Organism), it’s a quasi-narrative combines documentary footage and abstract work that starts with footage shot by director in solitary confinement. Another standout fi lm about two women doing weird things with imagery to convey the lasting emotional pain Philip Rabalais for a corporate video about of the festival, Kera Mackenzie and Andrew their bodies (gyrating, rubbing against trees felt by Messinger and her friend, achieving a retired Sky Factory CEO Bill Witherspoon, Mausert-Mooney’s Stones for Thunder, closes and other objects) in and around a suburban moving e¯ ect. then uses compelling split-screen effects to program one with a disjointed yet startlingly home. Bass creates tension between the do- The shorts that play before and after We consider a daunting desert landscape with a original montage that brings together shots mesticated interiors and the unconventional Were Hardly More Than Children also con- mountain in the background. “The Vibrating of (among other things) nature, a television physical behavior, which has roots in Reich’s sider movingly various underrepresented World” closes with my favorite piece in the control room, fi reworks, and gymnasts. Mack- radical ideas about body-generated energy. experiences. Kym McDaniel’s Exit Strategy festival, Electric Fogs, Swiss fi lmmaker Samir enzie and Mausert-Mooney convey nothing Creature Companion also looks and moves like #4 deals with the filmmaker’s history with Nahas’s 36-minute personal documentary less than the disorientation of modern life in a narrative fi lm despite presenting no conven- an eating disorder, Cecilia Doughtery’s Joe about hiking in the Alps after a rare illness times of great change, a feeling that spans the tional character development—the fi lm brims features writer Joe Westmoreland reading a rendered him bed-bound for months. Nahas personal and political selections of this year’s with the energy of a story about to be born. story about experiencing anti-gay bullying in employs impressive shots of mountains and Onion City. v The other works in “Histories & Futures” high school, and in the work In Conversation trails to lead viewers to refl ect on humanity’s are more direct in their engagement with so- With Venus and Octavia Xitlalli Sixta-Tarin place in the world as a whole. @1bsachs ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 23 R READER RECOMMENDED b ALL AGES N NEW F FILM
NOW PLAYING following the republican uprising of 1851. With no idea of when—or if—their male counterparts will ever return, The Circle the women vow that if a man should stumble upon their R Iranian fi lmmaker Jafar Panahi (The White Bal- pretty-as-a-picture mountainside community, he will loon, The Mirror) takes a giant step forward with his become their shared husband. Naturally, this cannot third feature (2000), shi ing his focus from little girls end well. Soon a er this promise is made, a rugged to grown women and presenting such a scorching look and handsome stranger (Alban Lenoir) with a mysteri- at what they put up with in their daily lives that it’s no ous past arrives, as if spoken into existence. At times surprise the fi lm was banned in his native country. This the pacing runs slow and there’s never quite enough masterpiece is radical in form as well: it begins one tension, but the fi lm is carried by the doe-eyed Pauline morning in a hospital and ends that evening in a jail cell, Burlet as Violette, a young woman who fi nds herself torn the camera revolving 360 degrees in each space, and between her duty to her community and her duty to her its narrative passes from one character to the next as heart. If viewers can muster up the patience to stick it in Luis Buñuel’s The Phantom of Liberty (and Richard out, they’ll walk away feeling more than satisfi ed—and Linklater’s Slacker). Extremely realistic yet highly artifi - maybe even a little heartbroken. In French with subti- cial in structure, it’s dazzling as a whole (if occasionally tles. —N DL 98 min. Showing as part of the overloaded), recalling the Warner Brothers proletarian Chicago European Union Film Festival. Sat 3/16, 3:30 quickies of the 30s and the noir thrillers of the 40s (an PM, and Mon 3/18, 6 PM. Gene Siskel Film Center eff ect enhanced by the fact that some of the women characters are fresh out of prison). The most talented Infi nite Football Spring Breakers disciple of Iranian master Abbas Kiarostami, Panahi actu- Indie veteran Harmony Korine learns a valuable lesson: ally tops him at leaving things out of a story to tantalize tions that follow throughout their 15-year-long on-again, ior, is surrounded by a semisatiric pathogenic family: why hang around with disconsolate small-town weirdos the viewer; he uses these ellipses for political as well as off -again relationship. Their tempestuous union, their fi lmmaker Werner Herzog dominates as a tough-loving (Gummo, Julien Donkey-Boy) when you can fi lm young aesthetic ends, trusting the audience’s decency as well ceaseless longing for each other—even when, out of father fi gure; pregnant sister Pearl (Chloë Sevigny) women shaking their bare breasts? This lively exploita- as its imagination. You can’t aff ord to miss this. In Farsi expedience, they enter diff erent partnerships—puts places phone calls to Julien from within the house, tion fl ick (2012) follows four college cuties (Selena with subtitles. —JR 91 min. 35mm. them in the company of such mad lovers in Romantic soothing him by pretending to be their dead mother; Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson, and Rachel Sun 3/17, 7 PM. Univ. of Chicago Doc Films literature as Catherine and Heathcliff in Emily Brontë’s brother Chris (Evan Neumann) wrestles with Julien, Korine, the fi lmmaker’s wife) as they pull off a masked Wuthering Heights and the obsessed suitor in Goethe’s competing for paternal praise and abuse. Shot on hold-up of a diner and, cash in hand, go roaring off to Climax The Sorrows of Young Werther. —AG R, digital video, apparently without added light, this 1999 Florida for the title bacchanal; upon their arrival they N A er making several movies that resembled 88 min. Sat 3/16, 7 and 9:30 PM; and Sun 3/17, 4 PM. Univ. feature integrates linear narrative, free narrative, and get mixed up with drug dealer James Franco (wearing bad acid trips (I Stand Alone, Irreversible, Enter the of Chicago Doc Films nonnarrative; writer-director Harmony Korine (Gummo) cornrows and grills and channeling Eric Roberts). Korine Void), Gaspar Noé has made a movie about people expe- nods to conventional drama by creating suspense about gestures toward social criticism, but essentially this is riencing a bad acid trip; the results may be described as Growing Up the imminent birth of a baby whose father’s identity may just an hour and a half of bongs, beers, tits, and ass, thematic overkill. This takes place in the mid-1990s at a Growing up as a metaphor of Taiwanese social devel- seem mysterious, yet the movie is truly an open text—its thinly dressed as Natural Born Killers. —JRJ R, shuttered woodland boarding school where a couple opment has been a preoccupying theme of the island’s generous poetry inspires free association rather than 92 min. 35mm. Fri 3/15 and Sun 3/17, 9:30 PM. Music Box dozen dancers (a mix of straight, gay, and bisexual men cinematic renaissance, and Taiwanese new-wave direc- predictable emotion. —L A 94 min. 35mm. and women) rehearse their latest routine. One night tor Chen Kun-hou employs it again in this 1983 story Sat 3/16 and Thu 3/21, 9:30 PM. Music Box Star Trek someone spikes the dancers’ sangria with LSD, and the of an illegitimate youth, born to impoverishment in the Following the perfunctory Star Trek: Nemesis (2002), group devolves into madness and violence. As usual authoritarian 50s, who comes of age during the giddy Mister Lonely Paramount has handed over the beloved sci-fi franchise Noé sets an ambience of sensory overload with strobe economic expansion of the 70s. Produced and cowritten A er an eight-year break, Harmony Korine returns to to a fresh team of producers (among them J.J. Abrams, eff ects, dizzying Steadicam shots (some of them lasting by Hou Hsiao-hsien. —PG 100 min. 16mm. Sat feature fi lmmaking with another story of an outsider creator of the TV series Lost) and a cast of young actors more than ten minutes), and a near-constant thumping 3/16, 7 PM. Filmfront community, though in contrast to the grimy and occa- playing the original crew of the Enterprise. The new on the soundtrack. Yet it all feels emptily show-off y sionally grotesque Gummo (1997) and Julien Donkey-Boy players give the 2009 version a welcome jolt, and the and monotonously shrill this time around—maybe it’s (1999), this 2007 drama has a more gentle, Felliniesque screenwriters have taken advantage of the rebooted because, in juggling so many characters, Noé isn’t able NInfinite Football feel. Diego Luna is a Michael Jackson impersonator narrative to amp up the young lust, as Kirk (Chris Pine) to humanize the drug’s disconcerting eff ects by tying R Of all the Romanian New Wave fi lmmakers, who struts his stuff at old people’s homes in Paris until and Spock (Zachary Quinto) vie for the attentions of the them to any one person’s experience. Regardless the Corneliu Porumboiu (Police, Adjective) has the best a Marilyn Monroe impersonator (Samantha Morton) smoking-hot Uhura (Zoe Saldana). The familiar character various attempts at shock value (with scenes involving sense of humor; his sweet-and-sour approach balances drags him off to a Scottish island inhabited by others of comedy survives intact, and an interstellar confl ict self-mutilation and abortion) seem downright desperate. a stingingly satirical view of institutions with a warm their inclination. The denizens don’t seem particularly between the Federation and those old blowhards the In English and subtitled French. —BS R, 95 min. acceptance of kooky individuals. That tension between absorbed with their alter egos (which include Madonna, Romulans makes for an enjoyably mindless thrill ride. At Landmark Century Cinema. Visit landmarktheatres. cynicism and humanism is most pronounced in this short Charlie Chaplin, James Dean, Abraham Lincoln, Queen What’s missing here—and from most of the movies—is com for times. documentary feature, which profi les a middle-aged Elizabeth, and the Three Stooges), but few of them the thought-provoking, concept-driven sci-fi that made bureaucrat named Laurentiu Ginghina who’s determined register strongly as themselves either; as in Korine’s the original series so engaging. Abrams directed; with Cold War to change the rules of professional soccer. Ginghina other movies, characterization is o en just amplifi ed Simon Pegg as Scotty, John Cho as Sulu, and Leonard R Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski’s latest envisions a version of the sport in which players are weirdness. —JRJ 112 min. Sat 3/16, midnight, and Nimoy as a wizened old Spock from the future. —JR fi lm chronicles—stopping just short of celebrating—an limited in their movement, thereby turning the focus of Wed 3/20, 9:30 PM. Music Box J PG-13, 126 min. Fri 3/15-Mon 3/18, 11 PM. Logan aff air that blazes across a postwar European landscape the game from athleticism to the movement of the ball. already strewn with too many ashes, and grimly divided Porumboiu encourages his subject to speak at length, The Naked Kiss Sunset Boulevard by the Iron Curtain and closing borders. The attraction not with the purpose of making him look foolish, but to R What can I tell you about a fi lm that begins R Billy Wilder’s searing, funny, morbid look at is immediate when Zula (Joanna Kulig) and Wiktor emphasize his idealism and thoughtfulness. Ginghina’s with a bald prostitute beating a man unconscious with the real tinsel beneath the phony tinsel (1950). Aging (Tomasz Kot) fi rst meet in 1949 rural Poland. He’s a new rules turn out to be laughably disastrous when her handbag? Except that it’s undoubtedly Sam Fuller’s silent-movie vamp Gloria Swanson takes up with William refi ned composer and musicologist in his 40s, chafi ng actually put into practice—but such, Porumboiu notes, vilest, sleaziest masterpiece (1964). With Constance Holden, a two-bit screenwriter on the make, and virtually under Stalinism as he catalogs traditional folk songs and is the nature of idealism, whether rooted in communist, Towers, Anthony Eisley, Virginia Grey, and Michael holds him captive in her Hollywood gothic mansion. auditions performers for a new touring folk troupe. She capitalist, or soccer-based ideology. In Romanian with Dante. —DD 90 min. 35mm. Fri 3/15, 7 and 9:30 Erich von Stroheim, once her director, now her butler, is is one of the hopefuls, a vibrant 20-something scrapper subtitles. —BS 70 min. Showing as part of the PM; and Sun 3/17, 1:30 PM. Univ. of Chicago Doc Films the other fi gure in this menage-a-weird. A tour de force determined to escape her dead-end lower-class origins. Chicago European Union Film Festival. Sun 3/17, 3 PM, for Swanson and one of Wilder’s better eff orts. —D They are mismatched in terms of temperament, sensibil- and Thu 3/21, 8:15 PM. Gene Siskel Film Center The Sower D 110 min. Tue 3/19-Thu 3/21, 10:30 PM. Logan ity, pragmatism, ethics, and drive, but their sexual con- N A bittersweet story of fi rst love, lost love, and nection is so strong that their liaison survives her fi rst Julien Donkey-Boy sexual scheming, Marine Francen’s debut feature The Tiger Milk betrayal (when she spies on him for a Communist party R Julien (Ewen Bremner), who’s distracted by Sower (Le Semeur) is set in a French village fi lled only N Oh, to be a teenage girl in Berlin. Based on climber) and the many other disputes and recrimina- obsessive thoughts and driven to compulsive behav- with women and children a er all men are forced out Stefanie de Velasco’s novel of the same name, Ute
24 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll Get showtimes at chicagoreader.com/movies. FILM
Wieland’s feature puts the audience in the depths of The Sower Striesow) who needs someone to ride shotgun as he adolescence—complete with heavy black eyeshadow, negotiates with dodgy entrepreneurs. Yella proves to punk music, and cigarettes in the school bathroom. The be an exceptionally shrewd boardroom operator, though fi rst half feels breezy and low stakes as it follows best her relationship with her respectful new colleague is friends Nini and Jameelah’s quest to lose their virginities shot through with suspicion and sexual tension. Petzold over summer break. But the fi lm quickly takes a dark strikes a perfect balance between corporate intrigue turn when Jameelah’s family is threatened with deporta- and metaphysical mystery; his 2007 drama is fi lled with tion and the two friends witness a murder. It’s ambitious, suspense but ends in delicious ambiguity. In German though not impossible, to give a fl uff y premise serious with subtitles. —JRJ 89 min. 35mm. Sun 3/17, 11:30 weight—but Tiger Milk’s real fl aw is trying to cover too AM. Music Box much ground. Unfortunately, the most poignant things Tiger Milk has to say are overshadowed by lesser plot points that eat up valuable screen time. In German with ALSO PLAYING subtitles. —C C 107 min. Showing as part of the Chicago European Union Film Festival. Fri 3/15, An Alternate History of Cinema: 6 PM, and Wed 3/20, 7:45 PM. Gene Siskel Film Center Female Pioneers Touch of Evil Local fi lmmaker and DePaul professor Shayna Connelly R The restored version of Orson Welles’s classic es, and abusing musical instruments. —C D gives an illustrated talk on various female fi lm pioneers, 1955 noir. “Welles stars as the sheriff of a corrupt border Trash Humpers 78 min. 35mm. Fri 3/15, midnight, and Tue 3/19, 9:30 PM. including Alice Guy-Blache, Lois Weber, Dorothy Arzner, town who fi nds his nemesis in visiting Mexican narcotics Photocopying one’s naked ass is easy enough; the trick Music Box Ida Lupino, and several independent and experimental agent Charlton Heston,” wrote Dave Kehr in his Reader is getting other people to anoint the result as art. That’s directors. . Sat 3/16, 7 PM. Chicago Filmmakers review of the original version. “The witnesses to this more or less what the reliably tedious provocateur Yella weirdly gargantuan struggle include Janet Leigh, Mar- Harmony Korine (Gummo, Julien Donkey-Boy) pulled off R German fi lmmaker Christian Petzold (The State Ashcan lene Dietrich, Akim Tamiroff , and Joseph Calleia, who when this interminable piece of crap copped a big prize I Am In) has a gi for creating quiet, watchful characters, Willy Perelsztejn directed this Luxembourg/Swiss drama holds the fi lm’s moral center with sublime uncertainty.” at the 2009 Copenhagen International Documentary and his still waters run especially deep in Yella (Nina about the interrogation of Nazi offi cials a er WWII, —JR 111 min. 35mm. Former Reader Film Festival. It’s a must-see for anyone who relishes Hoss), a beautiful young woman chronically abused by presented as rehearsals for Perelsztejn’s play on the fi lm critic Jonathan Rosenbaum lectures at the Tuesday lo-fi video footage of creeps in dime-store Halloween men. Her crazy ex-husband is stalking her, and when she subject. In English and subtitled French and German. screening. Fri 3/15, 2 PM, and Tue 3/19, 6 PM. Gene Siskel masks shtupping garbage cans, fellating trees, smashing takes an accounting job in a new town, her boss tries to 90 min. Showing as part of the Chicago European Union Film Center TVs, dragging plastic baby dolls behind bicycles, doing exploit her professionally and sexually. By chance she Film Festival. Sat 3/16, 8 PM, and Tue 3/19, 6 PM. Gene herky-jerky dances, making high-pitched shrieking nois- hooks up with a handsome venture capitalist (Devid Siskel Film Center
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fi nding himself confused at the new socialist society. are upset when his dog runs away to the Turkish side 109 min. 35mm restored print. Dennis Scott provides live of the country’s divided capital. In English and subtitled accompaniment. Sat 3/16, 11:30 AM. Music Box Greek and Turkish. 93 min. Showing as part of the Chica- go European Union Film Festival. Fri 3/15, 8 PM, and Wed Gloria Bell 3/20, 6 PM. Gene Siskel Film Center A fi y-something woman in L.A. enjoys life and looks for love in the city’s dance clubs. Sebastián Lelio directed. Stateless Film Festival: Stories WIth Julianne Moore, John Turturro, Michael Cera, Caren Pistorius, Brad Garrett, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and from Turkish Freedom Seekers Rita Wilson. R, 102 min. At Landmark Century Cinema. A program of four short fi lms on Turkish immigrants. Visit landmarktheatres.com for times. Followed by a panel discussion. Tickets available at star trek 2009 Films by Sky Hopinka actingoutawareness.org. Mon 3/18, 7:30 PM. Davis MAR 15-18 AT 11 PM A program of fi lms by experimental fi lmmaker Hopinka, Transit which o en focus on his Ho-Chunk/Pechanga native Christian Petzold directed this 2018 German-French identity and culture. Hopinka attends the screening. Fri drama about a man in WWII, using the papers and 3/15, 7 PM. Museum of Contemporary Art identity of a dead author, who accidentally meets the author’s wife. In German and French with subtitles. 101 Iceman min. At Music Box Theatre. Visit musicboxtheatre.com The leader of a neolithic clan seeks vengeance on those for showtimes. who massacred his people, while having to care for a newborn that survived the attack. Felix Randau directed The Waldheim Waltz this 2017 German-Italian-Austrian drama. In German with Ruth Beckermann directed this Austrian documentary subtitles. 96 min. At Facets Cinémathèque. Visit facets. about former UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim org for showtimes. and his Nazi past. In English and subtitled German and sunset boulevard French. 93 min. Showing as part of the Chicago Europe- MAR 19-21 AT 10:30 PM The Image You Missed an Union Film Festival. Fri 3/15, 2 PM, and Sun 3//17, 4:30 Donal Foreman directed this Irish-French documentary PM. Gene Siskel Film Center about trying to connect with his late estranged father, For showtimes and advance tickets, visit who was also a documentary fi lmmaker, by searching Winter Flies thelogantheatre.com through a trove of photos, fi lm reels, and other items. Olmo Omerzu directed this Czech-Slovak coming-of- 74 min. Showing as part of the Chicago European Union age fi lm about two teens on a road trip in a stolen car. Film Festival. Fri 3/15, 8:15 PM, and Mon 3/18, 6:15 PM. In Czech with subtitles. 85 min. Showing as part of the Gene Siskel Film Center Chicago European Union Film Festival. Sat 3/16 and Mon Farmiga. PG-13, 109 min. AMC Dine-in Block 37, Ford 3/18, 8 PM. Gene Siskel Film Center City, River East 21 Little Harbor Iveta Grofova directed this 2017 Czech-Slovak fi lm about Wonder Park Combat Obscura a neglected young girl who suddenly is “mother” to two A young girl’s fantasy amusement park of rides and Miles Lagoze directed this documentary comprised of abandoned babies. In Slovak and Czech with subtitles. talking animals comes to life in this animated kid’s fi lm. his own footage as a combat photographer in Afghani- 90 min. Showing as part of the Chicago European Union Dylan Brown directed. PG, 85 min. AMC Dine-in Block stan and of others’ footage, to provide a look at the daily Film Festival. Fri 3/15, 4 PM, and Tue 3/19, 7:45 PM. Gene 37, ArcLight, Century 12 and CineArts 6, City North 14, behind-the-scenes life of Marines. 70 min. At Facets Siskel Film Center Ford City, Harper Theater, River East 21 Cinémathèque. Visit facets.org for showtimes. Love and Bullets Wonderful Losers: A Different Common Carrier A mafi a boss fakes his own death in this 2017 Italian James N. Kienetz Wilkins directed this 2017 experimen- comedy-musical crime fi lm. Brothers Antonio and Marco World tal feature about a group of artists and others, which Manetti directed. In Italian with subtitles. 134 min. Arunas Matelis directed this Lithuanian documentary blends fi ction, improvisation, and documentary. 78 min. Showing as part of the Chicago European Union Film about the bicycle racing world’s behind-the-scenes B The Beach Bum Wilkins attends the screening. Fri 3/15, 7 PM. Univ. of Festival. Sun 3/17, 4:30 PM, and Thu 3/21, 7:30 PM. Gene participants, who give up fame to support their team. N Harmony Korine directed this comedy about Chicago Logan Center for the Arts F Siskel Film Center In English and subtitled Italian and Lithuanian. 72 min. a stoner (Matthew McConaughey). With Snoop Dogg, Showing as part of the Chicago European Union Film Isla Fisher, Stefania LaVie Owen, Jimmy Buff ett, Zac A Faithful Man The Man with the Magic Box Festival. Sat 3/16, 5:15 PM, and Wed 3/20, 8 PM. Gene Efron, and Martin Lawrence. R, 95 min. Korine attends Louis Garrel directed and stars in this French comedy- Bodo Kox directed this 2017 Polish sci-fi fi lm about a Siskel Film Center both of these advance screenings. Mon 3/18, 7 and 9:30 drama about a man who might have a second chance janitor who fi nds a time travel device. In Polish with sub- PM. Music Box with his former girlfriend, a er she cheated on him eight titles. 103 min. Showing as part of the Chicago European You Are My Friend years before with his best friend. In French with subti- Union Film Festival. Sat 3/16, 5:30 PM, and Mon 3/18, 8 Peter Lataster and Petra Lataster-Czisch directed this Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the tles. 75 min. Showing as part of the Chicago European PM. Gene Siskel Film Center Dutch documentary about an immigrant Macedonian Union Film Festival. Sun 3/17, 3 PM, and Thu 3/21, 6 PM. boy as he learns a new language and culture. In Dutch Turtles Gene Siskel Film Center Films by Evan Meaney with subtitles. 77 min. Showing as part of the Chicago Salvador Simó directed this Spanish animated fi lm A program of experimental videos and virtual-reality European Union Film Festival. Fri 3/15, 4:15 PM, and Wed about fi lmmaker Luis Buñuel and the production of his Five Feet Apart works by media artist Evan Meaney. Meaney attends the 3/20, 6 PM. Gene Siskel Film Center 1932 documentary Las Hurdes. In Spanish and French Two teens with cystic fi brosis meet while in the hospital, screening. Thu 3/21, 6 PM. Gene Siskel Film Center with subtitles. 80 min. Showing as part of the Chicago but their budding romance is complicated by the need Young Soul Rebels European Union Film Festival. Fri 3/15, 6:15 PM, and Sat to stay several feet apart to avoid cross-infecting each Red Cow Set in London during the summer of 1977, this British fea- 3/16, 3:30 PM. Gene Siskel Film Center other. Justin Baldoni directed. PG-13, 116 min. AMC Dine- Tsivia Barkai directed this Israeli coming-of-age drama ture (1991) by Isaac Julien (Looking for Langston) centers in Block 37, Century 12 and CineArts 6, Cicero Showplace about a teen girl in the 1990s. In Hebrew with subtitles. on the eff ect of a murder on the friendship of two black Captive State 14, City North 14, Ford City, River East 21 90 min. Showing as part of the JCC Chicago Jewish Film disc jockeys (Valentine Nonyela and Mo Sesay), one gay Rupert Wyatt directed this science fi ction thriller about Festival. Sun 3/17, 7:30 PM. Music Box and one straight, who are running a pirate radio sta- an alien occupation of Earth, ten years in, and set in a Fragment of an Empire tion. With Frances Barber, Danielle Scillitoe, and Shyro Chicago neighborhood. With John Goodman, Ashton Fridrikh Ermler directed this 1929 silent Soviet fi lm about Smuggling Hendrix Chung. R, 105 min. 35mm. Fri 3/15, 7 PM. Northwestern Sanders, Jonathan Majors, Machine Gun Kelly, and Vera a soldier who regains his lost memory and identity, In this Cypriot comedy, a musician’s plans to emigrate University Block Museum of Art F v 26 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll How did the “industry plant” take root? Hip-hop’s favorite conspiracy theory is now used to discredit breakout successes in other genres—and it’s no more plausible there. By LG
o be alive and awake in 2019 is to face a deluge of disasters, traves- ties, and impending mass extinc- tions. Last month scientifi c journal Nature Geoscience published a re- port explaining how climate change could lead to the disappearance of stratocumulus clouds in roughly a century, which would add a poten- tially civilization-ending eight degrees Celsius to the warming already under way—for com- parison’s sake, the Paris climate agreement hopes to limit warming to a merely calamitous 1.5 degrees. Meanwhile, the human disaster who somehow remains the U.S. president denies there’s a problem—he’d rather build a monument to xenophobia that a majority of the country’s citizens oppose, while detaining thousands of migrant children apart from their families. One look at the headlines on any given day can provide nightmare fuel for weeks. But according to hundreds if not thou- sands of fans, commentators, and musicians on YouTube, Reddit, and Twitter, the already overwhelming list of reasons to abandon hope in humanity isn’t long enough: we should also be angry about industry plants. What are industry plants? Without con- ceding that they exist, I can say that they took their present form in hip-hop about a decade ago, and that in the past couple years similar rumors and accusations have spread to other genres, including pop and indie rock. The definition of “industry plant” varies based on who’s making the allegation (and about whom), but nearly every version, no matter how haphazardly sketched, shares a few of the same features. It works like this, more or less: a label (or anyone with deep pockets) plucks an act out of obscurity, invests time and
JULIA KUO resources to develop them, and then reaps J ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 27 N LINCOLN AVENUE, CHICAGO IL OLDTOWNSCHOOL.ORG . . continued from 27 plants by making it easier for unknown musi- the benefi ts when they fi nally release a song or cians to cross over with viral hits—Billboard SATURDAY, MARCH PM album and it rockets to the top of the charts. If played an inadvertent role as well, by deciding you’re thinking this sounds a lot like how la- last year to weight streamed songs and albums Sam Bush bels ordinarily operate, well, even the people more heavily in its chart data. This increases
SATURDAY, MARCH PM who believe in industry plants agree with you. the odds of unforeseen anomalies appearing A couple years ago one Reddit user explained on those charts: the version of “Baby Shark” The term “industry DBUK that labels create plants “ultimately to make produced by South Korean education com- plant” is nearly Slim Cessna's Auto Club with Norman Westberg them and the artist money.” pany Pinkfong, for instance, debuted on the of Swans • In Szold Hall To be fair, industry plants aren’t supposed Billboard Hot 100 at number 32 in January. always invoked to to be routine signees. The term is nearly al- Fake Shore Drive founder Andrew Barber SUNDAY, MARCH PM suggest successful ways invoked to suggest successful musicians sees the same connection between the rise Graham Nash disguised as independents—you’re supposed of streaming and the growing fixation on musicians disguised as at the Athenaeum Theatre, N Southport Ave to accept that they’ve made their own careers industry plants. “I think streaming brought independents—you’re through grassroots self-promotion and tour- this thing back to life and really made it a THURSDAY, MARCH :PM ing, when in fact a massive corporation has talking point,” he says. “Because some artists supposed to accept Avishai Cohen Quartet engineered the whole thing and propagated could come from absolutely nothing one week, that they’ve made their at Constellation, N Western Ave their work in secrecy. It’s basically a conspir- you’ve never even heard of them—ten days own careers through acy theory devised by skeptical fans to explain after you fi rst heard their name, their songs FRIDAY, MARCH PM an artist’s sudden success, and it’s been used are charting, and they’re the talk of social grassroots self- to discredit just about every rising musician media. Like a Blueface—guy comes out of no- promotion and touring, Zaiko Langa Langa where. Next thing you know, that’s all you see th Anniversary Tour who has attracted those fans’ ire. Similar language arose in the 90s to describe secret on your timeline.” when in fact a massive FRIDAY, MARCH PM sellouts in the punk scene—though in those Barber remembers fi rst hearing the phrase corporation has cases, sometimes a corporation really was “industry plant” in the late aughts, when Glen Phillips In Szold Hall surreptitiously involved. music bloggers had established themselves engineered the whole In the past few years, industry-plant chatter as cultural gatekeepers. “It was just a way to SATURDAY, MARCH PM thing and propagated has moved from the Web’s anonymous corners kind of explain artists that would come out their work in secrecy. Garnet Rogers into mainstream discourse. DJ Akademiks, the of nowhere that weren’t agreed upon by the with special guest Crys Matthews • In Szold Hall Alex Jones of hip-hop, loves conspiracy theo- blog delegation, that all of a sudden would ries, and unsurprisingly he also loves talking skyrocket, get a bunch of money behind them, SUNDAY, MARCH PM about industry plants—I’ve seen several clips and then get all kinds of press and be lauded Cherish the Ladies of him doing so on the popular Complex de- over,” Barber says. “A lot of times that was with special guest Connie Kaldor bate show Everyday Struggle. (He didn’t reply hard to explain, and so I think that is how the to an e-mail I sent him a couple weeks ago.) term ‘industry plant’ was born.” hand-picked roster of rising rappers always THURSDAY, MARCH PM Musicians have bought into the theory too: Hip-hop message boards provided fertile provokes some backlash—at least one of the in the 2016 single “Exposed,” Atlanta rapper soil for this theory throughout the 2010s. rappers reliably draws heat for supposedly Robert Ellis - Texas Russ takes shots at unnamed in- I’ve found threads dating back as far as 2012 lacking the commercial momentum or grass- Piano Man with special guest Ian dustry plants while explaining where people are arguing on the hip-hop roots support to merit such an accolade. O'Neil (of Deer Tick) • In Szold Hall how his grind got him a deal boards at the Coli and IGN about who might That year, Atlanta rapper Raury appeared with Columbia, which would be an industry plant. Almost any rapper who on the cover wearing a white T-shirt reading SATURDAY, MARCH PM corelease his platinum- experienced a sudden surge of popularity “industry plant.” A couple days later, Complex Peter Himmelman selling 2017 album There’s without help from a label got slapped with the published a brief, incisive primer on the term, Really a Wolf. The term “in- tag—and even when they announced they’d calling it something “that only hip-hop culture SATURDAY, MARCH PM dustry plant” also made an signed with one, it was seen as a vindication could’ve bothered to come up with.” appearance in a May 2018 of the idea that a label had been secretly Conversations about industry plants in hip- Roy Rogers & The Delta New York Times profi le of involved all along. True believers can take hop remind me of arguments about who was Rhythm Kings In Szold Hall indie-pop wonder Clairo, even the absence of evidence as evidence: “selling out” in the 90s punk and indie-rock who’s been a magnet for In a 2012 thread, when fellow users pressed scenes. Before the alternative-rock boom and ACROSS THE STREET IN SZOLD HALL “industry plant” insults IGN commenter dizzY41111 to support a claim the resulting major-label feeding frenzy, musi- N LINCOLN AVENUE, CHICAGO IL since her 2017 single that Atlanta rapper Trinidad James was an cians recording subversive music more or less Global Dance Party: Cajun Vagabonds “Pretty Girl,” which she industry plant, dizzY replied, “We don’t know, had to release it on independent labels—thriv- recorded at home when dude. That’s why he’s a plant.” Mid-thread, in ing without help from an obviously corrupt WORLD MUSIC WEDNESDAY SERIES she was 18 (it went December of that year, James signed to Def and out-of-touch industry was a point of pride FREE WEEKLY CONCERTS, LINCOLN SQUARE viral and racked up Jam, and dizzY considered that proof: “And for many artists, and remains so today. But Amina Figarova Sextet: Road to the Sun 29 million YouTube there we fucking go. What a surprise.” “selling out” lost its sting once sales of phys- Nyansapo Highlife Band views). The tipping point for the spread of the ical media started to tank and more and more Streaming tech- industry-plant concept happened in June bands had to take whatever money they could OLDTOWNSCHOOL.ORG nology has fed 2015, when XXL published the cover of its an- get, no matter who was offering—probably rumors of industry nual “Freshman Class” issue. The magazine’s sometime between 1996, when Vans start- J 28 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll ®
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BUY TICKETS AT ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 29 Est.Est.1954 1954 Celebrating over 6165 years of service service to Chicago! 1800 W. DIVISION (773) 486-9862 continued from 28 have to ask. For local rapper Ric Wilson, it’s Come enjoy one of ed sponsoring Warped Tour, and 2002, when simply a more confrontational way to refer Chicago’s finest beer gardens! the Shins licensed “New Slang” to McDonald’s. to a label signee—his definition harks back FEBRUARYSEPTEMBERJAMARCHNUARY 11...... 14 20 23 ...... MIKEDA FLABBYVID QUINN FLABBY FELTEN HOFFMAN HOFFMAN SHOW SHOW 8PM 8PM “Industry plant” accusations feel like the to labels’ long history of grooming promising SEPTEMBERJAMARCHNUARY 12...... 15 21 .....WAGNER RICKYD AMERICAN& MORSEBLUES POWER DRAFT WAGNER MORSE BAND kind of criticism early-90s rock bands would artists. “I feel like an industry plant is Stevie FEBRUARYSEPTEMBERJANUARY 13...... 22 24 .....THE ..... DJDADY SKIDRKNAMOS DJRO LICIOUS SKIDOM LICIOUS MEN SEPTEMBERJANUARY 14...... 23 ....WHOLESOMERADIO KENNY’SWHITEWOLFSONICPRINCESSTONY BIRTHDAY DO DJRO NIGHTSARIO PARTY GROUP attract once word got out that they were Wonder—somebody found off of the street MURPHY HAPPY THOMPSON BIRTHDAY, 9:30PM KENNY! JAMARCHNUARY 17...... 16 THEMOJO MADJA 49MIE POETSWAGNER & FRIENDS MARCH 17 MIKE TONY FELTEN DO ROSARIO GROUP entertaining a major-label offer—suspicion who’s really talented and they literally give FEBRUARYJANUARY 18...... 25 .....WHOLESOMERADIOTHE THE RON SMOKING MIKEAND RACHEL FEL TOFLOWERSN SHOW DJ NIGHT SEPTEMBERJAMARCHNUARY 19...... 18 24 .....RC PROSPECT BIG BAND SITU 7PMAT FOURION DAV 9PMID about big-money music-biz players just them the resources and create their whole MARCH 20 MORSEMAXLIELLIAM & WAGNER ANNA FEBRUARYMARCH 21 26 .....RCBIRDGANGS THOMAS BIG 9:30PMBAA MATECKIND 7PM BAND brand, or help create their brand, and put re- JAMARCHNUARY 20...... 22 TITTY STRAY CITTY FIRST BOLTSWARD PROBLEMS needed longer to take hold in hip-hop. The BIRDGANGS FEBRUARYJAMARCHNUARY 21...... 23 28 .....PETERDUDE ICEBOX SAMETO CASANONY DO ROVASARIOQUARTET GROUP 8PM di¯ erence, of course, is that in the early 90s sources behind that to help expand that brand SEPTEMBERJANUARY 22...... 26 .....PETER MIKE CASANOVA FELTEN RC BIG QUARTETBAND 7PM MARCHSEPTEMBERMARCH 1...... SMILIN’ 24 27 .....DORIAN AMERICANTAJ BO TROUBADOURBBY AND THE NIGHT CLEMTONES audiences lamented their favorite acts throw- to more ears and more people,” Wilson says. JAMARCHNUARY 24...... 25 RC BIG PETER BAND CASONO 7PM VA QUARTET SEPTEMBERJANUARY 25...... 28 .....TO URS RICK SHANDLING THE WICK DUO 9:30PM MARCHMARCH 2...... ICE 27 BULLY JOHNNY PULPITBOX SUDEKUM AND BIG HOUSE ing away their hard-earned credibility by tak- He seems to be trying to neutralize the term as SEPTEMBERJAMARCHNUARY 26...... 29 29 .....SOMEBODY’S RED WIGGLERS THE SINSHEPKATS DEADLYSKIPPIN’ BUNGALOWSROCK ing the devil’s paycheck—only rarely was the an insult by equating it with business as usual. MARCHMARCH 3...... CHIDITAROD 30 FEATURING FIRST WARD JOE LANASA PROBLEMS AND TARRINGTON 10PM SEPTEMBERJAMARCHNUARY 27...... 31 30 .....OFF LOCAL THE VINE THE BOYS 4:30PM STRAY BOLTS charge that those acts had been puppets from “I feel like industry plants are cool,” he says. “I MARCHJANUARY 7...... 28...... JAMIE WHOLESOMERADIOWAGNER & FRIENDS DJ NIGHT NUCLEAR JAZZ QUARKTET 7:30PM the start. Once the idea of the industry plant feel like industry plants are most of our favor- EVERYOPENEVERY MIC TUESD TUESD HOSTEDAY (EXCEPT BY MIKE 2ND) 2ND) &ATAT MIKE8PM8PM OPENON TUESDAY MIC HOSTED EVENINGS BY JIMIJON (EXCEPT AMERICA 2ND) arose, though, it found an audience among ite artists, so people just need to relax.” Extremely Online indie-rock fans who’d long A Canadian YouTuber named John, who op- could happen if you decide to do something since stopped caring about selling out—and erates a channel as Progress, considers an “in- like this,’” he says. “It’s almost like an obliga- one of the main reasons it did was misogyny. dustry plant” to be a young musician snapped tion to me—I’m making the content so people “It definitely started coming up with the up by a label before having a chance to develop know it happens.” rise of the female indie-rock star,” says Avery a sense of agency or artistic identity. He sees John thinks more transparency would help, Springer, who fronts local emo band Retire- the practice as fundamentally predatory. “You especially given that young artists broadcast ment Party. Outside hip-hop, women are much see how damaging it is to them, as younger so much of their lives (or what we’re supposed more likely to be called industry plants—I’ve people—look at Demi Lovato, look at Miley to accept as their lives) on social media. “I seen the term used against Phoebe Bridgers, Cyrus, Justin Bieber, all of these people who want to start making sure that people under- Billie Eilish, Lorde, Dua Lipa, and Halsey. Last came up as young stars,” John says. “It shows stand that it’s the label and the industry peo- year Springer posted on her band’s Twitter ac- you the industry’s not meant for people who ple who are controlling these people and mak- count , “Maybe if we start the rumor that we’re are not ready.” ing them do a lot of these things, and that’s an industry plant, the big suits will believe it John developed an interest in industry the thing that I don’t really like that much,” and give us a lot of money.” In her circles, at plants this past fall: Trippie Redd’s November he says. “That’s why I want to keep making the least, the accusation is so implausible that it mixtape, A Love Letter to You 3, features a rap- videos—so that people can see what a label works as a punch line. “I feel like it’s pretty ob- per John had never heard of named Baby Goth, can do.” vious that we’re not an industry plant—I don’t who’s signed to UMG imprint Republic. At the Conspiracy theories are an expression of think that my voice and appearance is good time, she hadn’t released any material on her belief in an ordered universe—of the idea that enough for us to be,” she says. “I think that a own, so John looked into her back story. In somebody or something is in control, and that lot of people understand that the term doesn’t January, he uploaded a YouTube video where things don’t simply happen for unpredictable really hold much weight.” he unpacks her brief career as Bria Bueno, or inexplicable reasons. The conspiracy theory Springer’s self-deprecating argument—that an aspiring pop singer who’d tried to make it of the industry plant hinges exactly on what Retirement Party can’t be an industry plant, independently with a failed Indiegogo appeal. a label can do, to borrow John’s words. It re- because the industry would do better— He claims that Republic basically gave her a quires a music industry that’s developed an in- doesn’t work for artists who become stars. In completely new image and sound. The clip fallible formula for secretly sculpting obscure a 2018 interview for the Pitchfork podcast In went viral, giving John’s channel its fi rst hit young artists into breakout stars—because Sight Out, Chance the Rapper explained that with more than 600,000 views. It also forced if that formula weren’t infallible, wouldn’t it he’d developed a pretty thick skin, but that Baby Goth’s hand: her team rushed her into imply the existence of hundreds if not thou- “industry plant” accusations still got to him. her first interview, with popular but prob- sands of artists under secret label control No other independent artist who’s built a lematic podcast No Jumper, which appeared who never go anywhere? Who can believe in career from the ground up has had his level of online less than two weeks after John’s video. a business that could stay solvent under those success, and that’s invited a lot of skepticism I’ve spent time watching more than half a conditions? about his bona fi des. dozen YouTubers fi xated on industry plants, “If this was just like a thing where people “There’ve been success stories for indie art- and John is the most level-headed among banded together and said, ‘All right, let’s plant ists, but very rarely would somebody be indie them. Rather than chase views and sub- this person in the industry,’ don’t you think and end up winning three Grammys and being scribers by saying the most outlandish and it would happen more often, and they would one of the biggest artists in the world,” Barber infl ammatory things he can in as many places do it to more people on their roster?” Barber says. “That shocked people. What do you do if as possible, he does his research—to him, asks. “Having seen behind the curtain and you can’t explain something, and you’re not a industry plants are less part of a diabolical understanding how things work—obviously part of it? Make up a conspiracy theory.” scheme and more just regular people who’ve there are certain artists who get pushed, and The notion of industry plants has become so signed themselves over to a system they can’t others don’t. But there’s no exact formula to thoroughly ingrained in hip-hop culture that control. “In no way doing any of these videos create a star.” v the term itself has started to break down. To am I wanting to destroy a person’s career—it’s determine what somebody means by it, you more to show people as a warning to say, ‘This @imLeor 30 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll Recommended and notable shows and critics’ insights for the week of March 14
b ALL AGES F MUSIC
PICK OF THE WEEK THURSDAY14 Michael Foster, Katherine Young, and Michael Zerang See also Saturday and Oozing Wound are saltier than ever Sunday, when Foster performs in diff erent confi g- urations. 9 PM, Elastic, 3429 W. Diversey, $10. b
It takes work to have a place to play, and Michael on High Anxiety Foster knows the issue as both an organizer and musician. He’s a cofounder of Queer Trash, which establishes dedicated queer performance events at venues around New York City. The collective hosts experimental and improvised music, harsh noise, performance art, and fashion; Foster’s music in the Ghost, the Andrew Barker Trio, the New York Review of Cocksucking, and duos with percussion- ists Ben Bennett, Claire Rousay, and Weasel Walter fall into a few of those categories. Though he’s recorded with tapes and electronics, his principal instruments are the soprano and tenor saxophones, whose natural voices he perverts with amplifi cation and outboard attachments such as balloons and found objects. His playing ranges from rasping textural explorations and bubbling pools of noise to full-bore free-jazz blowouts, which made him a simpatico collaborator for local percussionist Michael Zerang and bassoonist and electronic musi- cian Katherine Young when he came to Chicago in 2018. The three musicians recently released a CD recording of their fi rst encounter, Bind the Hand(s) That Feed (Relative Pitch), which encompasses cooperative investigations of barely audible tim- bres and combative exchanges of broken sound. Foster, Young, and Zerang will reconvene at Elastic on Thursday night; Foster will also appear with frequent partner (and former Chicagoan) Weasel Walter at Cafe Mustache on Saturday, as well as with locals Dave Rempis (saxophones), Tyler Damon (drums), and Jason Roebke (bass) at the Hungry Brain on Sunday. —B M
EVAN JENKINS O W P B H D Sat 3/19, 8:30 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, $10. 21+
Michael Foster JULIA DRATEL
ON THEIR BRANDNEW fourth full-length, High Anxiety (Thrill volumes and fuzz-fried bass are still overwhelming, and it still Jockey), Chicago’s Oozing Wound have fi nally reached peak ooze. overfl ows with agonizingly suspenseful repetition, but this time Formed in October 2011 by three noise rockers with a taste for heavy the band lean further than ever from the traditional thrash metal of FRIDAY15 metal, Oozing Wound have come to be loved for their salty lyrics their past records, instead basking in the glory of harsh, dissonant Marie Davidson Angelica and MTZ open. as much as for their o¯ -kilter take on breakneck thrash. Kicking o¯ noise. High Anxiety sounds like a noise-rock band with the worst 10 PM, Smartbar, 3730 N. Clark, $15-$20, 21+ with a cheery little number titled “Surrounded by Fucking Idiots,” attitudes on the planet playing at 220 BPM—and it’s a record that In the relationship between musician and listen- High Anxiety takes everything great about Oozing Wound and mul- will be hard to top. Oozing Wound have always been a next-level er, seduction is an overrated quality; isn’t the idea tiplies it by ten. The whiplash tempos are still in place, the crushing group, and this is easily their magnum opus. —L C that an artist has to woo their audience to wel- come them and create a sense of intimacy kind of degrading? On her 2018 album, Working Class J ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 31 MUSIC
Eilen Jewell COURTESY OF ARTIST
continued from 31 Girl K Fran and Engine Summer open. 9 PM, Woman (Ninja Tune), Canadian electronic produc- Schubas, 3159 N. Southport, $10-$13. 18+ er and singer Marie Davidson seems to suggest that a far better option is to foreground a shared, Chicago guitarist-vocalist Kathy Patino launched deeply felt sense of disgust. The record’s open- indie-pop group Girl K as a solo project about ing triptych—“Your Biggest Fan,” “Work It,” and two years ago. By the fall of 2017, she’d built “The Psychologist”—pairs modular synth work- a full-fledged band, recruiting drummer Ajay outs with arrhythmic, sneering rambles about the Raghuraman, bassist Alex Pieczynski, and lead high-pressure insanities experienced by touring guitarist Kevin Sheppard, and they released their electronic musicians. Davidson carries this con- debut album, Sunfl ower Court, that October. In the cept beyond underground dance music scene ban- band’s short lifetime, they’ve found a home among ter and inside jokes, and into the general anxieties local rockers: Patino told Melted Magazine last year of modern-day working life. The narrative abrupt- that Varsity showed her there’s a place here for ly recedes a er those three tracks, but the themes sweetly inviting but solemn rock songs peppered continue throughout the album. Ambient-leaning with power-pop hooks. Beach Bunny front woman tracks such as “Day Dreaming” and “La Cham- Lili Trifi lio especially inspires her: “Her vocals and bre Intérieure” unspool with a striking physicality, melodies and lyrics break my heart and motivate me while the psychodrama of “The Tunnel” steers more to really put all my soul and being into my music and toward the chaotic noise-dance of artists such as to never let anyone make me feel small or inferi- Halcyon Veil and NON. The emotional register of or,” Patino said. And from what I’ve heard of Girl K’s the record veers between terror and camp (a com- forthcoming second album, For Now, Patino has mon duality in sounds infl uenced by the DJs at Ber- become a more confi dent leader and singer; though lin’s famed Berghain nightclub), much like B-movie the band edges toward languid dream pop on horror. At times, the tracks in the latter half of the “Ride,” Patino’s rapid, breathy delivery helps ratchet album meander toward incoherence, but everything up the energy. —LG snaps back into place in the understated highlight “So Right.” A swooning nod to the sublimity of con- nection on the dance fl oor, Working Class Woman Eilen Jewell Jordie Lane opens. 8 PM, City is a reminder that while DJing might be work—and Winery, 1200 W. Randolph, $22-$32. b tough work at that—the music it brings forth can be deliriously transcendent for artist and listener alike. Boise native Eilen Jewell has been recording —A B Americana and roots music for close to 15 years, and she continues to find new material and new approaches; in concert, she’s as likely to launch
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32 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll Find more music listings at chicagoreader.com/soundboard. MUSIC 3730 N. CLARK ST METROCHICAGO.COM @ METROCHICAGO
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into a rousing Loretta Lynn cover as a down-and- tame for mustangs.” The pedal-steel-heavy “Some dirty blues jam. Her most recent album, 2017’s Down Things Weren’t Meant to Be”—a painterly accretion Hearted Blues (Signature), focuses on the latter. In of details surrounding a lost love the singer doesn’t a strolling version of “Down Hearted Blues,” Jew- want to confront—may be even better. Country, ell’s stripped-down washboard and banjo arrange- blues, singer-songwriter . . . Jewell’s a worthy heir to ment and her nasal near yodel make the tune sound all of her roots. —NB more like Jimmie Rodgers than Bessie Smith, who made it famous with her 1923 recording. Though Jewell’s takes on songs written by other artists are Kamaal Williams Jitwam opens. 9 PM, appealing, her best work is on her own composi- Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, $15-$18. 21+ tions. “Half-Broke Horse,” from 2015’s Sundown Over Ghost Town, has an easy-rolling groove that The line on the the current UK jazz scene is that Waylon Jennings or Willie Nelson might appreci- its top exponents—Nubya Garcia, Shabaka Hutch- ate and lyrics about freedom and having nothing ings, Theon Cross—merge the American-bred left to lose: “On both sides of these bars / We’re genre with contemporary dance music, strains one and the same / Too wild for this world / Too of UK hip-hop, and sounds of the African diaspo- ra. Keyboardist Henry Wu, aka Kamaal Williams, brings a background in broken beat to the pro- Kamaal Williams GLAUCO CANALIS ceedings, and in his latest trio he leans a bit more heavily than his peers on Herbie Hancock’s spaciest explorations. Following the dissolution of his previ- ous group, Yussef Kamaal (which released only one album), Wu splayed his meticulously crafted soul- jazz and sprightly funk across the ten tracks of last year’s The Return (Black Focus). Along with a hand- SMARTBARCHICAGO.COM ful of his other recent works, that album shows Wu’s seamless transition between projects while 3730 N CLARK ST | 21+ exemplifying his love of hip-hop and sample cul- ture; he’s even made a recording titled Catch the Loop 2: Kamaal x Wu Tang, which is wholly given DAPHNE ‘19 over to incorporating Wu-Tang Clan samples into music from The Return. While Wu’s work will likely FREAKEASY SATURDAY roil adherents of acoustic jazz, the worst criticism of WELCOMES MARCH 30 it that anyone might be able to truck out is that at times it all just sounds like a spun-out mix of a Diga- ble Planets track. —D C DJ Heather SATURDAY16 Illexandra Adrienne Sanchez Michael Foster & Weasel Walter See Thursday. Carol Genetti headlines; Michael & visuals by Aubergine Foster & Weasel Walter and Dave Rempis open. 9 PM, Cafe Mustache, 2313 N. Milwaukee, suggested donation $5-10. 21+ J TICKETS AVAILABLE VIA METRO + SMART BAR WEBSITES + METRO BOX OFFICE. NO SERVICE FEES AT BOX OFFICE! ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 33 Find more music listings at MUSIC chicagoreader.com/soundboard.
Girl K LALY VIVEROS
continued from 33 above sparse but pulsating soundscapes craft- ed by Eustis and Alexander makes perfect sense— Black Queen Uniform and SRSQ open. 8 PM, Infinite Games is the calm after a nearly 20-year Subterranean, 2011 W. North, $20. 17+ storm. —EB
Greg Puciato is a busy man. Even before his main gig as front man of long-running technical metal- Josh Berman, Darius Jones, Jason core outfi t the Dillinger Escape Plan ended in 2017, Roebke, and Michael Vatcher he was already in two other bands: metal super- See Monday for Jones’s solo set. 8:30 PM, group Killer Be Killed (with Soulfl y’s Max Cavalera Constellation, 3111 N. Western, $12-$15. 18+ and Mastodon’s Troy Sanders) and the Black Queen, a dark electronic act he founded in 2015 with Tele- fon Tel Aviv’s Joshua Eustis and guitar tech Ste- Lil Zay Osama Kevin Gates headlines; NBA ven Alexander. He’s also an author who recently Youngboy, Moneybagg Yo, 600 Breezy, and Lil self-published his debut book of poetry and photog- Zay Osama open. 7 PM, Credit Union 1 Arena at raphy, Separate the Dawn. Puciato’s falsetto croons UIC, 525 S. Racine, sold out. b on the Black Queen’s second album, 2018’s Infi nite Games (he cited R&B star Maxwell as an infl uence In a November radio interview, Meek Mill gave in a recent interview with Kerrang!), might seem a a shout-out to a trio of rising Chicago rappers: Lil complete about-face from the caustic howling he Zay Osama, Polo G, and 147Calboy. “I’m putting displayed in Dillinger, but he told Revolver that he y’all on some real vibes right now,” Mill said. “These sees the Black Queen’s music as a reaction to the the vibes that’s gonna be poppin’ and streamin’ nihilism and rage of Dillinger—a needed “counter- crazy in the next 30, 40 days.” Meek’s Nostrada- point” to those emotions. When placed in that con- mus skills were eerily on point with Lil Zay Osama: text, the vulnerability in Puciato’s voice as it fl oats the south-side rapper dropped his breakthrough video, “Changed Up,” just before the New Year, and it’s racked up roughly 16 million views in the Lil Zay Osama VIA FACEBOOK months since. And as of this month, he’s signed to Warner Brothers. Along with Polo G, 147Calboy, and west-sider El Hitta, Lil Zay is part of a loose col- lection of young MCs responsible for a new wave of Chicago street rap that couples gritty noirish prose with penetrating R&B melodies. As a vocal- ist, Lil Zay balances on the fence between rapping and singing, his empathetic style blending brusque spitting and warm, sumptuous crooning with an Auto-Tuned lilt. And when he bellows the emotive hook of “Changed Up,” he shows he’s able to deliv- er even the most run-of-the-mill lyrics with gravitas. —LG
Oozing Wound See Pick of the Week, page 31. Platinum Boys, Hitter, and Dim open. 8:30 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, $10. 21+
34 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll Darius Jones KHOLOOD EID MUSIC
concert experiences. The compositions he’s played making clowns might envy them. The group’s sev- on his trio and quartet albums for the Aum Fidelity enth album, last year’s Panic Blooms (Rad Cult), label steer closer to postbop jazz forms, with mer- brims with Technicolor synth notes that ooze like curial changes in mood and structures anchored by cough syrup. BMSR have long revelled in the zone bluff and bluesy horn playing. His two duo records where pastel dreams flit into Day-Glo nightmares with pianist Matthew Shipp are stocked with pithy, and back again, and this album holds listeners in a abstract chamber improvisations. And he doesn’t particularly foreboding space: through processed play at all on The Oversoul Manual, a choral work murmurs, front man Tobacco unravels a brief pas- for four female voices. Jones will off er a solo set at sage about someone having their mouth split open the Experimental Sound Studio (though he hasn’t by a razor blade hidden in a tangerine—a narra- SUNDAY17 yet recorded a solo recital), which will be followed tive that also aptly describes the veiled, entic- by a sit-down interview with local drummer Tim ing horror in BMSR’s music. Steve SLV, aka local pro- Michael Foster, Dave Rempis, Jason Daisy. Two days earlier, Jones and drummer Michael ducer Steve Reidell of the Hood Internet and Air Roebke, and Tyler Damon See Thursday. Vatcher, a fellow New Yorker, will play at Constella- Credits, plays bass in the band’s current live itera- 9 PM, Hungry Brain, 2319 W. Belmont. 21+ tion in a quartet led by local cornetist Josh Berman. tion. —LG v The combo, which also includes bassist Jason Roeb- ke, is breaking in material for an impending record- ing session. —B M MONDAY18 Black Moth Super Rainbow COURTESY OF ARTIST Darius Jones See also Saturday. 7:30 PM, Experimental Sound Studio, 5925 N. Ravenswood, WEDNESDAY20 $10. b Black Moth Super Rainbow Steve The ten albums Darius Jones has made as a lead- Hauschildt opens. 9 PM, Sleeping Village, 3734 er or coleader since 2009 reveal an artist who W. Belmont, $20-$22. 21+ can’t be pinned down. As part of the collective Lit- please recycle tle Women, the New York-based alto saxophon- For nearly two decades Pittsburgh band Black Moth ist combined extended instrumental techniques, Super Rainbow have twisted psych, lo-fi electronics, this paper postpunk rhythms, and a ritual demeanor reminis- trip-hop, noise, and cybernetic pop into shapes so cent of martial arts practice to create devastating wondrous that the most imaginative balloon- animal-
LIVE MUSIC IN URBAN WINE COUNTRY 1200 W RANDOLPH ST, CHICAGO, IL 60607 | 312.733.WINE DON’T MISS... UPCOMING SHOWS 4.12-13 MARTIN SEXTON WITH CHRIS 3.15 Eilen Jewell WITH JORDIE LANE 4.3 Louis York & the TRAPPER Shindellas 3.16-17 LOS LONELY BOYS 4.14 STORY SESSIONS 3.21-22 3.29 THE VERVE PIPE The Subdudes 4.14 JOURNEYMAN - A TRIBUTE TO 4.4 Tommy Castro & the 3.30-31 WILL DOWNING ERIC CLAPTON 3.24 Freddy Jones Band Painkillers 4.1 KAITLYN BRISTOWE - OFF THE 4.15 GLENN JONES VINE (LIVE PODCAST) 4.5 Cyrille Aimee 4.16-17 MARC BROUSSARD 3.25 Eighth Blackbird A SONDHEIM ADVENTURE 4.2 DAVID ARCHULETA 4.18 GRAHAM PARKER WITH ADAM EZRA 3.26 Van Hunt 4.7 STORY JAM- 12PM 4.6 Willie nile 4.7 TUSK - FLEETWOOD MAC EXPERIENCE 4.19 CARBON LEAF 3.27 The Tim O’Brien Band 4.11 DOWNTOWN SEDER DAVID 4.20 BRAD WILLIAMS Miki Howard BROZA, MICHAEL MCDERMOTT, CORKY WITH DANNY BURNS 4.8-9 SIEGEL, LYNNE JORDAN, RICH JONES, KEN KRIMSTEIN, T.J. SHANOFF, NAOMI SPUNGEN 4.21 DAVE DAVIES mar mar mar mar 19 28 + 23 24 20 CHRISTOPHER IDAN RAICHEL FREDDY JONES BAND ROBERT GLASPER TRIO CROSS PIANO & SONGS WITH BRETT WISCONS FEAT. CHRIS DAVE & DERRICK HODGE ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 35 CHICAGOSHOWSYOUSHOULDKNOWABOUTINTHEWEEKSTOCOME
EARLY WARNINGS b ALL AGES F WOLF BY KEITH HERZIK Rascal Flatts, Billy Currington Never miss 5/18, 7:30 PM, Hollywood a show again. Casino Amphitheatre, Tinley Park b Sign up for the R&B Only with Dauché, Jabari newsletter at 5/18, 8:30 PM, Concord Music chicagoreader. Hall GOSSIP Ryen, Myles Bryant, Dewey com/early Depp 3/23, 9 PM, Subterra- nean, 17+ WOLF San Holo, Taska Black 4/27, 9 PM, Aragon Ballroom, 18+ UPCOMING A furry ear to the ground of Sen Morimoto 4/12, 8 PM, Co-Prosperity Sphere, 17+ Architects, Thy Art Is Murder the local music scene Slushii 5/18, 9 PM, Aragon 5/25, 6:30 PM, Concord Music Ballroom, 18+ Hall b GOSSIP WOLF HAS always assumed Smino 3/23, 8 PM; 3/24, 7 PM, BadXchannels, Midoca 4/10, 8 House of Blues b PM, Concord Music Hall, 18+ that water and stringed instruments don’t Jorja Smith, Kali Uchis 5/28, 7 Baroness, Dea eaven 3/31, mix, but Katinka Kleijn (who plays in the PM, Aragon Ballroom b 6:30 PM, Riviera Theatre b CSO and the International Contempo- Vera Sola 5/19, 8:30 PM, Empty Be Forest, Lightfoils, Blue rary Ensemble) and Lia Kohl (who’s in Bottle Unit 3/19, 8:30 PM, Empty Southern Culture on the Skids Bottle Mocrep and CabinFever ) point out that 7/10, 8 PM, SPACE, Evanston, Big Wild 3/22, 9 PM, Concord their cellos are made of the same stuff on sale Fri 3/15, 10 AM b Music Hall, 18+ as many canoes and sailboats! At 7 PM Sum 41 5/26, 6:30 PM, Bottom Captain Beyond 4/12, 8 PM; on Saturday, March 16, the duo performs Lounge, on sale Fri 3/15 b 4/14, 7 PM, Reggie’s Music Timmy Trumpet 6/22, 8 PM, Joint, 4/12 sold out, second “Water on the Bridge” at Eckhart Park’s Cupcakke QURISSY LOPEZ Concord Music Hall, 18+ show added natatorium. “We will improvise with cello Tommi Zender 6/2, 7 PM, Cowboy Junkies 4/13-14, 7 PM, and water sounds, field recordings, and SPACE, Evanston b Maurer Hall, Old Town School live electronics by Daniel DeHaan,” says Digable Planets, Kweku Col- Lounge Toots and the Maytals, of Folk Music b NEW lins 6/20, 7 PM, Temperance Lazer Lloyd 8/4, 7:30 PM, Shamarr Allen 6/21, 6 PM, Cupcakke 3/21, 8:30 PM, Thalia Kleijn, “as well as moving, floating, and Beer Company, Evanston, on SPACE, Evanston b Temperance Beer Company, Hall, 17+ swimming with 30 cellos in the pool.” Adventure Club 5/3, 9 PM, sale Fri 3/15, 10 AM, 18+ Leikeli47 3/22, 7 PM, Subterra- Evanston, on sale Fri 3/15, 10 Cursive, Mewithoutyou 5/8, 8 Since reporting on the rejuvenation of Aragon Ballroom, 18+ Earth, Wind, and Fire 7/27-28, nean, 17+ AM, 18+ PM, Bottom Lounge, 17+ avant-rock/comic-book label Skin Graft Bad Bunny 3/24, 7 PM, Allstate 8 PM, Chicago Theatre, on Little Church, 6/2, 8 PM, Wu-Tang Clan, Reignwolf 6/1, 7 Downlink, Al Ross, Eliminate, Arena, Rosemont b sale Fri 3/15, 10 AM b Schubas, 18+ PM, Aragon Ballroom, 17+ Phiso 6/14, 8 PM, Concord Records in 2016 , Gossip Wolf has been Adam Ben Ezra 6/22, 8 PM, Sara Evans, Barker Family Mary Ocher + Your Govern- Yo La Tengo, Minus 5 6/23, 7 Music Hall, rescheduled from heartened to watch it keep burping up SPACE, Evanston b Band 5/17, 7 PM, City Winery, ment, Forced into Femininity PM, Temperance Beer Com- 5/3, 18+ brain-flaying jams such as last year’s Dierks Bentley, 8/23, 7 PM, on sale Thu 3/14, noon b 5/21, 8:30 PM, Empty Bottle pany, Evanston, on sale Fri Drab Majesty, Facs 5/17, 6:30 Cheer-Accident epic, Fades . On Friday, Hollywood Casino Amphithe- Faux Ferocious, Glyders, James McMurtry Band 6/7, 7 3/15, 10 AM, 18+ PM, Garfi eld Park atre, Tinley Park, on sale Fri Junegrass 4/12, 9 PM, Empty PM, SPACE, Evanston b Conservatory b March 15, Skin Gra drops the compilation 3/15, 10 AM b Bottle Mendoza/Graham/Abrams/ Earth, Helms Alee 6/23, 8:30 Post Now: Round One: Chicago vs. New Big Bad Voodoo Daddy 5/25, 8 Film School, Mint Field 5/5, Damon, Claire Rousay, Gra- UPDATED PM, Empty Bottle York, which features four ensembles from PM, City Winery, on sale Thu 8:30 PM, Empty Bottle ham/Reid 5/4, 2 PM, Rosehill Gooch Palms 3/24, 9 PM, each city, paired off in musical battles (that 3/14, noon b Kirk Fletcher 5/13, 8 PM, Cemetery b Ryan Bingham, Americans Empty Bottle Victory Boyd, Infi nity’s Song SPACE, Evanston b Mendoza/Rempis Duo, Forbes 4/5, 7:30 PM, Park West, sold Steve Gunn, Gun Outfi t 4/19, 9 is, each band gets two songs). The locals 4/10, 8 PM, City Winery, on Mary Flower 4/28, 3 PM, Szold Graham, Rousay/Kleijn/ out, 18+ PM, Lincoln Hall, 18+ are Bobby Conn, Cheer- Accident, Tijua- sale Thu 3/14, noon b Hall, Old Town School of Folk Stephenson 5/3, 9 PM, Elastic Chicago Open Air with System Peter Himmelman 3/30, 8 PM, na Hercules, and Lovely Little Girls, while Built to Spill 7/5-6, 9 PM, Thalia Music b b Nick Murphy 5/29, 9 PM, of a Down, Tool, Ghost, Cult, Maurer Hall, Old Town School the NY squad includes former Chicago- Hall, on sale Fri 3/15, noon, 17+ Foxwarren 7/6, 9 PM, Empty Metro, on sale Fri 3/15, 10 and more 5/18-19, 2 PM, Seat- of Folk Music b Bush, Live, Our Lady Peace Bottle AM, 18+ Geek Stadium, Bridgeview, Kemba, Brittney Carter, Calid ans the Flying Luttenbachers, recently 9/6, 7 PM, Hollywood Casino Jonas Friddle, 4/26, 8 PM, Connan Mockasin, Helena The Prodigy canceled; The B 4/6, 8:30 PM, Empty Bottle restarted by leader Weasel Walter a er a Ampitheatre, Tinley Park, on Maurer Hall, Old Town School Deland 7/11, 8:30 PM, Thalia Cult added b Ben Pirani 3/22, 9 PM, Empty decade’s dormancy, and a Walter-adjacent sale Fri 3/15, 10 AM b of Folk Music b Hall, 17+ KVB 10/26, 8:30 PM, Empty Bottle project called Cellular Chaos. Bill Callahan 7/7, 8:30 PM, Kevin Garrett 5/12, 7:30 PM, Mystery Lights 6/25, 8:30 PM, Bottle, rescheduled from Rise Against, Face to Face Thalia Hall, on sale Fri 3/15, Lincoln Hall, on sale Thu 3/14, Empty Bottle 3/29; tickets previously 4/28, 7:30 PM, Chicago You know the old saying: winter isn’t 10 AM, 17+ 10 AM b Ben Nichols 6/11, 8 PM, SPACE, purchased will be valid for Theatre b over till the gearheads, avant-garde com- Chi-Town Blues Fest with Gipsy Kings 7/19, 7:30 PM, Evanston, on sale Fri 3/15, 10 new date Lucy Roche & Suzzy Roche posers, and experimental-music weirdos Syleena Johnson, Sir Charles Chicago Theatre b AM b Massive Attack 3/23, 8 PM, 4/6, 4 PM, Evanston History come out of their burrows and compete Jones, Shirley Brown, and Graham/Bat Dawid/Kohl/Kes- No Men, Rad Payoff , Evening Chicago Theatre, canceled; Center, Evanston b more 3/23, 8 PM, the Venue sler, Ava Mendoza, Genetti/ Standards 3/23, 9 PM, show will be rescheduled for Royal Trux 5/12, 8:30 PM, to create the best combo of homemade at Horseshoe Casino, Ham- Rousay 5/2, 9 PM, Elastic b Hideout date TBA in fall 2019. Tickets Empty Bottle chili and synthesizer soundtrack! On Sun- mond Glen Hansard, 3/31, 7 PM, Outlaw Music Festival with purchased for 3/23 will be Schlippenbach Trio 3/27-28, day, March 17 , the Empty Bottle hosts the Choir Boy 6/6, 8:30 PM, Empty Thalia Hall, sold out, 17+ Willie Nelson, Phil Lesh, honored for new date 8:30 PM, Constellation, 18+ ninth annual Chili-Synthesizer Cook-Off , Bottle Elsa Harris, Pastor Donald Avett Brothers, Alison John Mayer 8/14-15, 7:30 PM, Scientists 4/10, 9 PM, Sleeping Stef Chura, French Vanilla 7/5, Gay, Erwin Helfer 4/27, 7 PM, Krauss, and more 6/28, United Center, second show Village with defending champion Whitney John- 9 PM, Empty Bottle Szold Hall, Old Town School 1:30 PM, Hollywood Casino added Thu 8/15 b Shing02 3/21, 8 PM, Subterra- son (aka Matchess) battling for the cov- George Clinton’s Farewell of Folk Music b Amphitheatre, Tinley Park b Alice Merton 4/26, 7:30 PM, nean, 17+ eted golden peanut trophy against Nick Tour with Parliament Funk- Holly Herndon 5/22, 8:30 PM, Wendel Patrick and Ursula Bottom Lounge, sold out b Shlippenbach Trio 3/27-28, 8:30 Ciontea (aka synth maker and video art- adelic and more 5/31, 7:30 Thalia Hall, on sale Fri 3/15, Rucker with Loyola Univer- Pup, Ratboys 5/4, 7:30 PM; PM, Constellation, 18+ PM, Aragon Ballroom, 18+ 10 AM, 17+ sity Choruses 3/22, 6:30 PM, 5/23, 7 PM, Metro, 5/4 show Damo Suzuki’s Network 5/4-5, ist Brownshoesonly), Alexei Khokhlov, Combo Chimbita 7/8, 8:30 PM, Mason Jennings 5/31, 8 PM, Loyola University, Mundelein sold out b 8:30 PM, Constellation, 18+ and Alex Beam. Gossip Wolf recommends Empty Bottle City Winery, on sale Thu 3/14, Center Auditorium b Jeff Tweedy 3/22-23, 8 PM, The Ry X 3/26, 8:30 PM, Thalia bringing your own antacids and earplugs. Dehd, Hecks, Mavis the Dog noon b Liz Phair, Juliana Hatfi eld Vic, 3/23 sold out, 18+ Hall, 17+ —JRN LG 5/10, 9 PM, Empty Bottle Glenn Jones 4/15, 7:30 PM, 6/22, 7 PM, Temperance Beer We Three 3/28, 7:30 PM, Sub- Xiu Xiu 5/17, 9 PM, Empty Raheem DeVaughn 6/7, 7 and City Winery, on sale Thu 3/14, Company, Evanston, 18+ terranean, moved to Subter- Bottle 10 PM, City Winery, on sale noon b Ben Platt, 5/3, 7:30 PM, Chica- ranean; tickets purchased for Yob, Voivod 3/27, 8 PM, Thalia Got a tip? Tweet @Gossip_Wolf or e-mail Thu 3/14, noon b Killing Joke 5/18, 8 PM, Bottom go Theatre b Park West will be honored b Hall, 17+ [email protected].
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ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 37 SAVAGE LOVE By Dan Savage
telling her he loved her in sexually abused by pop star plate, WOE, your mother Reckoning with abusers a romantic way and that Michael Jackson when they may have held on to those he wanted to take nude were boys. Allegedly. photos because they do Advice on disentangling love from predation. Polaroids of her, and she let The second most disturb- represent what are, for her, him. And she loved him—she ing part of the film after the “fond memories.” and her sisters all pretty graphic descriptions of child Leaving Neverland demon- : My grandfather encouraged me to put my kids in the neighborhood. He much idolized him. I did lots rape—or the third most dis- strates that sexual predators died when I was a child. mouth on his penis, and then also had a sexual relationship of therapy in the late 1980s turbing part after the creduli- like your grandfather and like I remember only one told me to let it be our little with my mother. She says and early 90s. I read books, ty/culpability of Robson’s and Jackson—fucking manipula- incident happening to me— secret. I heard rumors as an nothing happened as a child. I journaled, I talked to my Safechuck’s parents—may tors with a gift for making during a cuddle session, he adult that he molested other But as an adult, he started mom and tried to understand be what the men have to say their victims feel loved and what she experienced. And I about Jackson. Both describe special—plant ticking time moved on as much as anyone their abuser in romantic bombs in their victims. Even could. So now it’s 2019 and terms and they both remain if a victim doesn’t initially I’m almost 50. My mom deeply conflicted about their experience their abuse as just moved into a nursing feelings for Jackson then a violation and as violence, home, and while cleaning and now. It was their affec- WOE, a reckoning almost out her drawers, I found the tion—their desire to protect inevitably comes. It doesn’t Polaroids my grandfather him and to safeguard what sound like your mother ever took of her. I know it was Jackson convinced them was had her reckoning, so she him because he is in some a secret and a bond they never came to grips with of them, taken into a mirror shared—that led both men what was done to her and, as she goes down on him. In to lie to law enforcement tragically, what was done to the photos, she looks happy. officials when Jackson was you. Just as denial and com- I know she was probably accused of sexually abusing partmentalization enabled acting, because that’s what different boys. Jackson and facilitated his he wanted from her. Was it Your mother, like Robson crimes (and allowed the terrible abuse or forbidden and Safechuck, lied to pro- world to enjoy Jackson’s love? She kept the photos. tect her abuser. She may music despite what was star- Were they fond memories? have held on to those photos ing us all in the face), denial —W OE for the same reason Rob- and compartmentalization son and Safechuck say they allowed your grandfather to A: I think you should sit defended Jackson: She loved rape his daughter, his grand- down and watch all four her father, and she was so daughter, and scores of other hours of Leaving Neverland, damaged by what he did to children. You have a right the new HBO documentary her that she felt “loved” and to be angry with the adults by British fi lmmaker Dan “special” in the same way that in your family who failed to Reed. It focuses on the Jackson’s alleged abuse once protect you from a known experiences of Wade Robson made Robson and Safechuck predator. and James Safechuck, two feel loved and special. So as I’m glad your grandfa- now-adult men who were horrifying as it is to contem- ther died when you were young. It’s tempting to wish he’d never been born, WOE, but then you would never have been born, and I’m glad you’re here. By telling the truth, you’re shattering the silence that allowed an abuser to groom and prey on children across multiple gen- erations of your family. Your grandfather can’t victimize anyone else, but by speak- REAL PEOPLE ing up—by refusing to look REAL DESIRE the other way—you’ve made REAL FUN. it harder for other predators to get away with what your grandfather did. v Try FREE: 773-867-1235 More Local Numbers: 1-800-926-6000 Send letters to mail@ savagelove.net. Download the Savage Lovecast every Ahora español Livelinks.com 18+ Tuesday at thestranger.com. @fakedansavage 38 CHICA O READER - MARCH ll Unusual publications Aberrant periodicals Saucy comic booklets Assorted fancies Independent zines
Mainstream & Independent Comics and Graphic Novels + Pull Lists and Special Orders & Events 1854 W. North Ave. Chicago IL 60622 773-342-0910 6443 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60626 www.quimbys.com thirdcoastcomics.com ll MARCH - CHICA O READER 39