The Meter the Treatment a Day-By-Day Guide to Our Critic’S Choices and Other Previews a Fest to Say “We Exist” Friday 17
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4CHICAGO READER | FEBRUARY 17, 2006 | SECTION THREE CHICAGO READER | FEBRUARY 17, 2006 | SECTION THREE 5 [email protected] The Meter www.chicagoreader.com/TheMeter The Treatment A day-by-day guide to our Critic’s Choices and other previews A Fest to Say “We Exist” friday 17 The League of Chicago Music Venues announces GINUWINE His fifth album, Back II Da Basics (Epic), has yet to sell as well as his last four (all of which are at least its presence with the Hawk festival. platinum), but Ginuwine is still doing Ginuwine as only Ginuwine can. The record’s first single, “When We Make By Bob Mehr Love,” features several sung orgasms and promises from him to keep them coming—all night. Since the release of his breakthrough single, “Pony,” a decade ago, perhaps no one has done sensual R & B slow jams quite as well. While R. Kelly continues to slip toward the bidonkulous, Ginuwine has never strayed from his mission—makin’ baby-makin’ music—which he imbues with gentlemanly class and finesse even when he’s singing a paean to ass like “In Those Jeans” (“You the shit / You the bomb / All I wanna know is can I have what’s in those jeans?”). Jagged Edge, Donnell Jones, and Case open. a 8 PM, Star Plaza Theatre, I-65 & U.S. 30, Merrillville, Indiana, 773-734-7266 or 312-559-1212, $45- $55. A —Jessica Hopper TENBERG (B.B. KING) VIN WES KE Performing this weekend under the Hawk banner (clockwise): B.B. King, Friday at House of Blues; Mark Eitzel, playing with the Undertow Orchestra, Friday at Park West; Ariel Pink, Saturday at Schubas; Palaxy Tracks, Friday at the Hideout his weekend the first Hawk at least in theory the commission repre- “promoting venue safety and security,” IAN ALLEN Winter Music Festival presents sented everyone who ran a club in town. but Hideout co-owner Tim Tuten says, Kaki King T 70-something acts at 11 venues. It patterned itself after groups like the “We really decided, let’s just put togeth- At first glance it’s hard to tell what sep- League of Chicago Theatres and the er an event to see if we can all work KAKI KING Most people’s idea of a young arates the fest from any other three state-funded Texas Music Office, which together....It’s kind of like deciding in c female solo artist with a rabid fan base looks a lot days of music in Chicago—the bulk of publishes an exhaustive industry direc- order to get your house clean you’re like Avril Lavigne, not a fingerpicking wunderkind who the shows were booked months ago tory each year and has tackled issues going to throw a party and that will doesn’t even sing. Kaki King’s guitar technique puts her and only corralled under the festival’s like affordable health insurance for force you to get your act together.” someplace between Leo Kottke and Don Caballero’s Ian banner in the past few weeks. But the musicians. The CMC’s mission state- The fest does look hastily assem- Williams, but though she rightfully earned praise for 2004’s Hawk does have a theme: it’s a coming- ment describes it as an information bled, and not just in its lineup. A $20 Legs to Make Us Longer (Epic), major-label reshuffling left out party for the League of Chicago clearinghouse, a networking center, and pass is good for all the Hawk shows you her in limbo. “I’m assuming I’m dropped, as everyone I knew Music Venues, an association of local a “liaison between live performance can get to on Sunday, but on Friday at the label does not work there anymore and I have not club owners and operators that so far venues and City agencies in matters of and Saturday admission is concert by heard from them in months,” she told me. “I should not have represents Buddy Guy’s Legends, the code and license compliance.” concert. There are several sponsors, the been on a major in the first place.” She’s been in town off and Double Door, the Empty Bottle, the Last spring the CMC’s board met Reader among them, but no plans to on for the past month working on a new album with John Hideout, the HotHouse, House of with Sheila O’Grady, Mayor Daley’s include concertgoers in the league’s McEntire; tonight she’s ditching the acoustic and debuting Blues, Martyrs’, Metro, Park West, chief of staff—who suggested, among mission—not even an electronic mail- some new songs on electric guitar and pedal steel, opening Schubas, and Uncommon Ground. other things, that the group launch a ing list they can sign up for to show for another queer guitar innovator, Bob Mould. See also “We’ve been talking about doing a music festival and form a subcommittee their interest and support. Saturday. a 8 PM, Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. signature event for a while,” says Metro of venue owners and operators that Plus, as Natkin from the CMC Lincoln, 773-728-6000 or 866-468-3401, $28, $24 seniors owner Joe Shanahan. “And that was would meet with her and various city points out, “Eleven venues is a pretty and kids, sold out. A —Jessica Hopper based on a conversation we had with commissioners. Hill undertook the task small number. We’ve identified 260 Mayor Daley’s office. They felt that a of assembling the subcommittee—but venues in Chicago...from United POISON ARROWS Trailer Park (File 13), the 2004 live music association was a good thing, as it turned out, it wouldn’t be part of Center to the corner bar that does open debut EP from this project led by Atombombpocketknife’s and the city was interested in seeing the CMC. “We basically stopped hearing mike on a Tuesday night.” The league’s Justin Sinkovich, is a revelation, combining swoopy, loopy what would happen. We’re creating a from her,” says one high-ranking CMC membership lacks diversity—only the electronic pulsations with an aggro-pop structure and dialogue with the city of Chicago, member. “The venue committee decid- HotHouse, Buddy Guy’s Legends, and sensibility. The disc includes a remix by Martin Rev, but the showing them that responsible busi- ed to go out on their own, and that’s Uncommon Ground couldn’t qualify as Suicide influence is actually stronger elsewhere—electronic ness owners, responsible license hold- what became the League of Chicago rock venues, and places that do hip- beats with a rock ’n’ roll heart, unnervingly dense and repetitive ers, and responsible music presenters Music Venues.” Hill resigned from the hop and club music are particularly tracks played with a crooked smile. An EP with a new trio are involved in this.” CMC board with a one-line e-mail. poorly represented. lineup is due later this year. Sterling headlines and Odiorne The League of Chicago Music “They’re very into the idea that the Hill says this will change as the plays second. a 10 PM, Subterranean, 2011 W. North, 773- Venues owes its existence in part to the only people who can speak for venues LCMV finds its footing, and adds that 278-6600 or 800-594-8499, $8. —Monica Kendrick E2 nightclub disaster in February 2003 are venues themselves,” says Natkin, the Abbey Pub—which hosts big-ticket and the Great White club fire in Rhode the CMC’s executive director. “I have hip-hop shows several times a month— RUINERS Rick Ruiner, the front man of this Detroit Island later that month. City officials the exact opposite thought. ...For is interested in joining. “Eventually we’d sleaze-punk outfit, once told an interviewer that “writing responded by toughening their somebody to be an effective liaison they like it to be citywide and with everyone music is preparation for the performance. The performance enforcement of capacity regulations should not be so invested, but have a involved. But we’re still kind of forming is preparation for the stories that follow the performance by and licensing requirements, putting little distance.” He adds that the CMC the agenda and ideas now,” she says. the people who were there.” He went on to list a few tales particular pressure on smaller venues. has no intention to abandon its efforts “It’s not that we want it to be limited, involving household appliances, costumes, sweat, and all In May 2003 the city temporarily shut to mediate between venues and the but we just all agreed for the first year it sorts of goofy debauchery, but for all his humility about how down the HotHouse because it didn’t city. “Our job is to help every member would be better to start something (un)important the music is at a Ruiners show, the songs have the proper license, and in of the Chicago music community that small and know it would succeed.” aren’t afterthoughts. The Ruiners’ tattooed rockabilly has a February 2004 inspectors pulled the needs help,” he says. Much of the legwork for the Hawk zigging and zagging danceability; they’re like the Cramps’ plug on a Martyrs’ show by Ojos de Hill insists that venue owners will festival has been handled by employees kid sibs who felt they had to overachieve at public spectacle Brujo—sponsored by the city’s own benefit from having their own organi- of the Metro, HotHouse, and making to get noticed. This show is part of the Hawk Winter Department of Cultural Affairs— zation—one that isn’t spread so thin.