Clarissa Donnelly-DeRoven 12 How immigrationHow policies and deportation fracture American families
CHICAGO’S FREE WEEKLY SINCE | FEBRUARY THIS WEEK CHICAGO READER | FEBRUARY | VOLUME NUMBER
IN THIS ISSUE T R - @ in the dark art of the deal in Chicago hiphop series Blue Labyrinth and an “empathy coach” Groove Lounge in the words of the P T B ARTS & CULTURE enters a workplace hornet’s nest in people who made it work E C S K K H 17 Lit Evanston native Elaine Kahn’s Do You Feel Anger? 42 Shows of note Kahil El’Zabar C LR H M E P M new book of poetry explores love Kembe X Metronomy and more TD K R loss and pain 47 Early Warnings Bauhaus C E B W 19 Visual Art An exhibit Jumex Midnight and more just A E J L S W M D L G accompanying Theatre Y’s Juliet announced concerts D I BJ MS puts motherhood front and center 47 Gossip Wolf Spektral Quartet E A S N L 20 Listings A celebration of bring a mindexpanding program G D A H L C S C -J FOOD & DRINK polyamory a photographic and Julia Holter to the Music Box C E B N B 04 Restaurant Review Julia exploration of slashies and more the SynthesizerChili Cookoff signs L C M DL C M Gham is the Powerhouse of West arts and culture happenings off with its tenth installment and C J F S F J H I H C M J African cuisine more M K S K SK N DL J L NEWS & POLITICS M M A M-K JRN JN M 08 Joravsky | Politics Michael O M S C S Bloomberg’s billions enabled him FILM ------to buy his way into the Democratic 28 Festival Reviewing while Black at D D J D presidential race Sundance D P E &P 32 Small Screen BoJack K K S M C J G Horseman’s penultimate episode M P C secured its legacy Y D 33 Movies of note Honey A A T A THEATER Boy features a tourdeforce ADVERTISING 22 Preview Underscore’s sixth performance from Shia LaBeouf -- - @ annual Chicago Musical Theatre Seconds is a profoundly unique OPINION C @ Festival survives hidden gem from a Japanese 48 Savage Love Dan Savage off ers S D P F 24 Review Tracy Letts’s Bug feels fi lmmaker and Dying to Survive is advice to a former sex worker V P S A M even more relevant nearly a enjoyable thought provoking and whose yearold daughter just C R M T P S A R quarter century later Porchlight’s hugely successful in China came out as a cam girl L M -H L S Sophisticated Ladies earns all the C S M WR imperatives FEATURE CLASSIFIEDS N A 12 Separation This is how 26 Plays of Note Desire and self MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE 50 Jobs V M G - - - deportation fractures American defense clash in How to Defend 35 Galil | Feature The history of 51 Marketplace families Yourself a banker gets trapped DJ Jesse de la Peña’s foundational 51 Real Estate J L SB ------D C [email protected] THIS WEEK ON CHICAGOREADER.COM -- CHICAGO READER L C BP D R L T E R S J S A- S V
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A C R R The fi ght to release Beto Local arts reviews, like Matches are back! RR T ® A er ICE detained Beto on his drive home Oscar nominations, aren’t Let’s party like it’s 1999, back when the from camping, one family has banded Reader was the place in Chicago to meet together to challenge his detention and covering America your match. Submit a free Matches ad by deportation. Coverage and awards send a disappointing— 11:59 PM CT on Friday, February 7, 2020 but not unexpected—message about whose at chicagoreader.com/matches. stories really matter, writes Coya Paz Brownrigg. 2 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 3 Drag Brunch V. FOOD & DRINK 3157 N Southport Ave Tied House
Saturday February 8 12p - 1:30p featuring performances from Chicago's very own Bambi Banks and Khloe Park Pounded yam fufu and egusi with goat and fi sh ANJALI PINTO FOR CHICAGO READER
RESTAURANT REVIEW Julia Gham is the Powerhouse of West African cuisine Her spot near McCormick Place is the city’s only Cameroonian restaurant. By M S
ulia Gham was seven months preg- out of your restaurant?” Plantain and bobolo (on the plate) and crevette (in the bowl) ANJALI PINTO FOR CHICAGO READER nant, with a toddler and just $100 to Gham ditched the insecure man and sunk her name in 2015 when the fi nancing her savings into a West Rogers Park rental for her restaurant fell through. For ten condo. “I had to start all over from the bottom years she’d had multiple jobs—sling- up,” she says. When her daughter was born, Jing ice cream, working hotel gigs, driving a she resorted to what she knew best. “I love cab—preparing an ambitious business plan to cooking. If I’m not doing it, I’m not happy.” open a spot specializing in the food of her na- Gham wasn’t always so desperate. She was tive Cameroon. Just as she’d attracted enough born in the village of Jakiri and grew up in her backing to make it happen, an angry text from mother’s restaurant in the northwestern city her jealous fi ancé scared o her investors. of Bamenda. The food of Cameroon, which “Julia, you were so perfect,” her main is situated at the crossroads of west-central backer told her. “We’d been looking for one Africa, is among the continent’s most diverse, thing that was going to take you down, and we incorporating staples from various countries just found it. How are you gonna pay all your and infl uences from some 250 tribes, as well investors back if you have an insecure man in as colonizers from Portugal, Germany, Britain, your life that’s gonna send all your customers and France. 4 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll FOOD & DRINK POETRY CORNER At the Chicago Marathon By H. Melt
a woman drapes the canadian flag over a barricade
I dangle the trans flag & she asks
what country is that?
when Logan rounds the corner with his sister by his side
I hand him the trans flag
he wraps it around his newn chest like a cape
as he flies through the city beaming with pride.
H. Melt is a poet, artist, and educator whose work focuses on trans liberation. They are the author of The Plural, The Blurring, On My Way to Liberation, and editor of Subject to Change: Trans Poetry & Conversation.
A biweekly series curated by the Chicago Reader and sponsored by the Poetry Foundation. This week’s poem is curated by poet Yvonne Zipter.
Free events at the Poetry Foundation
Plantain and bobolo (on the plate) and crevette (in the bowl) ANJALI PINTO FOR CHICAGO READER Poetry & Music: Poetry in Russian Music A night in Russia with art songs Thursday, February 6, 2020, 7:00 PM At 19, Gham moved to Germany for fi ve years threw a few parties and saved enough for a Poetry off the Shelf: Patricia Lockwood and cooked in Turkish, Italian, and Chinese $150 insulated food carrier and a Chevy Mali- Acclaimed poet and author of Priestdaddy restaurants. “I learned a lot and I wanted to bu she rented from a friend. Strapping the kids Thursday,Thu February 13, 2020, 7:00 PM take that to my mom’s restaurant to make a into car seats, she made the rounds of down- few changes, and I thought it would be nice town cab stands selling prepackaged contain- Open Door Series: Rashayla Marie Brown & Philip Jenks Highlighting Chicago’s outstanding writing programs to have a Cameroonian restaurant out in the ers of rice, beans, plantains, and beef and fi sh Tuesday, February 18, 2020, 7:00 PM west.” She settled on Chicago for its diversi- stew. She knew operating outside the law was ty, and in 2005 got her first job stateside at a precarious business model, and while she’d A.R. Ammons: Watercolors Works of a prolific poet and painter Ghiradelli on the Mag Mile. She also started already applied for her food service manager’s Exhibition open ththrough April 30 hosting house parties at her condo and cook- certifi cation, she was the benefi ciary of both ing for homesick African friends—jollof rice, goodwill and hostility from her competitors. Poetry Foundation egusi soup, ndole. One of them o ered her a good deal on an idle 61 West Superior Street poetryfoundation.org/events Fast forward to 2015, which found her with food truck, but once she got that rolling, an- two kids to feed and vanished investors. She other called the cops on her. ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 5 T | R S. State - - thepowerhouseil.com FOOD & DRINK
Pounded yam fufu and egusi (center) with goat and fi sh; around the center clockwise: corn fufu, plantain and bobolo, jollof rice, crevette, and khati khati ANJALI PINTO FOR CHICAGO READER
“A police o cer did show up,” she says. “It Street she’d outfi tted with plush lemon-lime ndole, based on ground peanut, and served paradise. was illegal for me to have my baby up front, high back chairs, and a broad menu encom- with a choice of protein (particularly good If you’re new to Cameroonian food, there’s and he was going to write me a citation. I said, passing western breakfast plates, fresh juices, with shrimp, aka ndole crevette). a lot to discover on Gham’s menu. She named ‘O cer, I am here trying to feed my family to burgers and sandwiches, grilled “aphrodisiac” Many of these stewy dishes are served with her restaurant Powerhouse because she has a make sure I secure a roof over my kid’s head proteins, and a deep selection of West African some form of fufu, which in Cameroon doesn’t lot going on. She’s a presenter on a weekend and also try to build something good. I have dishes prepared the Cameroonian way. just mean doughy orbs of elastic pummeled talk show on the pan-African station WGHC registered to have a food truck license. I am in Gham’s mom joined her in the U.S. in 2017 yam, but any kind of pounded starch—corn, (98.3 FM), she runs a multimedia company the process. I am raising money. I am putting after violent unrest made things unsafe back cassava, cocoyam, even oatmeal. Gham knows based in Ghana, and has worked as a talent it back to make sure I get this right. I am not home, and they cook everything to-order, precisely which variety goes with which dish scout and party promoter for Cameroonian robbing a bank. I am not shooting anybody.’ from scratch, including khati khati, a grilled (corn with ndole, yam with egusi), and every artists. A movie she produced, Saving Mban- He looked at me and smiled and said, ‘You and baked chicken dish seasoned with sharp month or so she hosts pounding parties where go, just premiered in Cameroon, and it’ll get know what? I am so proud of you. Make sure pebbe, aka African nutmeg, and finished in folks gather to thrash these starches into their its turn in D.C. in March and at the restaurant you get the license real quick.’” a bit of palm oil, a specialty of her own Nso simultaneously hearty but buoyant textures. in April. Julia’s Afri-Cuisine food truck was licensed, tribe. This is served with a spicy side of njama She’ll usually serve a variety of saucy off- She also just founded the nonprofit Pow- branded, and rolling between O’Hare and njama, typically the sautéed leaves of the gar- menu things with these, such as achu, a vivid erhouse Educate Orphans, with the aim of downtown cab stands in short order, and den huckleberry. Sometimes that’s di cult to yellow soup made with a mysterious spice taking in at-risk kids and offering them job Gham began working toward a brick and get when sources from Atlanta or Minnesota blend that includes dried plantain peels and training. “I’ve had a judge ask me why I wasn’t mortar location. Last winter she got a lead on are depleted, so she subs a combination of ground limestone (served with taro fufu), or a lawyer,” she says. “I’ve had a doctor ask me a restaurant near McCormick Place in a neigh- spinach and bitterleaf, another foundational mbongo tchobi, a dark tomato-based stew, why I wasn’t in the medical fi eld. I’m very ver- borhood she’d been scouting since the be- green that fi nds its way into the common West blackened with the bark of the mbongo tree, satile. I’m a solutionist.” v ginning. In April 2019 she opened the Power- African egusi soup, thickened with ground and seasoned with pebbe, alligator pepper, a house Restaurant, a bright storefront on State melon seeds, and its Cameroonian cousin nutty spice known as njangsa, and grains of @MikeSula
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The Jackson Park Golf Association presents a celebration of African American golf history From Exclusion to Inclusion: 60 billion reasons and future goals to ensure inclusion Celebrating African American Golf Pioneers of underrepresented individuals in Michael Bloomberg’s billions have enabled him to buy his way onto the the multi-billion dollar golf industry. and Charting a More Diverse Future Democratic debate stage. DuSable Museum of African American History By B J Illinois Black Legislator’s Auditorium | 740 E. 56th Place, Chicago, IL 60637 Wednesday, February 12, 2020 | 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM For Additional Information: 773-358-1315 or [email protected] or jpgachicago.com can think of at least 60 billion reasons why Previously, a Democratic candidate needed Lite refreshments catered by Bon Manger Catering. the Democrats changed the rules to allow to have drawn contributions from hundreds of Panelists for the event are relatives, Michael Bloomberg a spot at future presi- thousands of donors. historians, and strong advocates for dential debates. But Bloomberg has only one donor: himself. minority inclusion in golf: Those reasons would be, of course, the It sort of reminds me of that old Joey Bishop Peggy Rhodes-White I$60 billion Bloomberg is worth—a nice chunk joke about the tire salesman. You can either Tiffany White of which he’s pledged to spend on commercials make a million dollars selling 100,000 tires for Andre Stephens, Sr. promoting himself and, if all else fails, ripping $10 apiece. Or you can sell one tire for a million. Dr. Michael Cooper Donald Trump. Ah, it was funnier when Joey told it. Bloomberg’s voluminous pocketbook was You’re going to hear a lot about the debate Ron Skubisz on display during the Super Bowl, when the rules change in the coming weeks from all sorts On display will be golf artifacts former New York City mayor was the only Dem- of politicians—including Trump. shared by individuals and members of ocrat with the cash to run a spot against the one Donny and the MAGA hat crew will be crying Chicago’s golf leagues and clubs! Trump aired in which the president promoted their crocodile tears about the process being himself as, of all things, a friend to Black people. rigged against Bernie and Bernie bros getting Plus a screening of I guess truth really is the fi rst casualty in war screwed—when, in fact, they care about Bernie Uneven Fairways: and politics. bros almost as little as they care about Black The Story of the Negro Leagues of Golf Back to the rules change. Democratic candi- people. by Pete McDaniel and Dr. Calvin Sinnette. Directed by Dan Levinson. dates will be allowed on the debate stage if they Actually, Trump probably cares a teensy bit reach a threshold in national polls—but there more about Bernie bros cause there’s a long- The Jackson Park Golf Association is a 501(c)3 organization which serves Chicagoland area leagues and clubs to bring the community together through golf. The JPGA and its membership are dedicated to strengthening the community by committing will be no threshold requirement for the num- shot chance that a few Bernie bros might be ourselves to the life lessons, opportunities, and excellence provided by the game. ber of contributors to a campaign. dumb enough to actually vote for Trump. 8 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll NEWS & POLITICS
Other than money, Michael Bloomberg has close). Pete Buttigieg, for instance, has five one major asset: he’s driving Trump bonkers. delegates running on his behalf in the upscale THE BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES Ninth district that runs on the north shore. But he has no delegate candidates running in the I LLINOIS Prove me wrong, Bernie bros! First—which sort of says it all about Mayor As much as I dislike it when the powers Pete’s feeble outreach to Black voters. that be change the rules to help other powers Still, Mayor Pete has more delegate candi- CANNABIS that be, I actually welcome Bloomberg to the dates on the ballot throughout the state than race—if for no other reason than his presence is Bloomberg—who has none. driving Trump bonkers. Always an entertaining That’s right, I have as many delegates as CONVENTION diversion. Mayor Mike. And I’m not even running. Still, I understand why some Democrats may In defense of Bloomberg—who needs dele- be irritated. Bloomberg is essentially buying gates when you’ve got 60 billion bucks? his way into the election as a way of avoiding all In all seriousness, the best argument for the hard work being done by party activists like putting together delegate slates is that the Maggie Wunderly, a Sanders supporter from delegates will campaign door-to-door on your Aurora. behalf—as Wunderly says she’ll do for Sanders APRIL 3-4, 2020 For the last few years, Wunderly has been ac- with her neighbors in Aurora. tively engaged in the rulemaking proceedings, But even if Bloomberg has no delegates run- THE CHICAGO HILTON, IL attending many meetings in windowless rooms ning under his name, he can still have delegates filled with partisans from rival campaigns, from Illinois representing him at the conven- endlessly reviewing the minutiae of rules and tion. They would be awarded to him according regulations governing the presidential nomi- to how many votes he wins in each congressio- nating process. nal district. The purpose of these meetings is to settle on So, if Bloomberg wins 50 percent of the votes a relatively painless process that will enable in the First district—as hard as that is to imag- THE LARGEST CANNABIS the Democrats to show up for their convention ine—he’d get four delegates. And so on. this summer in Milwaukee more or less united I figure Bloomberg will win some votes in CONVENTION FOCUSED behind one candidate who cleanly and fairly Illinois if for no other reason than by the March won the nomination. 17 primary he’ll have spent untold millions on ON ILLINOIS! Thus, the Democrats can spare the tooth- commercials. So even if he won’t have activists and-claw spectacle of 2016, in which many like Wunderly reaching out to their neighbors, Sanders supporters—unknowingly egged on by he’ll have commercials running around the Russian operatives who hacked into Democrat- clock. ic computers—heckled Clinton operatives for In some ways, Bloomberg’s strategy is sim- stealing the nomination. ilar to the one employed by Governor Pritzker If only my Democrats fought Republicans as in 2018, when he outspent all of his Democratic 100+ VENDORS hard as they fi ght themselves. rivals put together. 75+ SPEAKERS Wunderly probably knows as much about True, Pritzker also built a base of support the delegation selection process as anyone in throughout the state. But Bloomberg’s got the state. As such, she can tell you there are 18 even more money. Apparently base-building is congressional districts in Illinois. Each district overrated. is apportioned a number of delegates according Most Bernie backers I know don’t seem too to the turnout in the last Democratic primary— upset about having Bloomberg on the ballot— the more Democratic voters in the last primary, or on the debate stage. After all, Bloomberg the more delegates it gets. takes votes from centrists like Biden. For instance, the First congressional district In fact, my hunch is Democratic chieftains on the south side has eight Democratic dele- made the debate change because they worried gates. The 15th district, in Trump country in that Biden wasn’t strong enough to beat Bernie. necann.com/2020-illinois southern Illinois, has three. As I said—if the Democrats fought Repub- To assemble their delegates, the Sanders licans as hard as they fight themselves, they campaign made sure each slate was ethnically never would have lost to Trump in the first Contact [email protected] and generationally balanced. “We have a full place. v slate in every district,” says Wunderly. or call 312-392-2934 Aside from Sanders, only Elizabeth Warren @joravben can make that claim (Joe Biden comes very ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 9 M02 - Left Hand Page
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Important Facts About DOVATO Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription This is only a brief summary of important information about DOVATO and does not and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and treatment. Some medicines interact with DOVATO. Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. What is the Most Important Information I Should Know about DOVATO? • You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of medicines that interact If you have both human immunodefi ciency virus-1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis B virus with DOVATO. (HBV) infection, DOVATO can cause serious side effects, including: • • Resistant HBV infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV infection before Do not start taking a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider. you start treatment with DOVATO. If you have HIV-1 and hepatitis B, the hepatitis B virus can Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take DOVATO with other medicines. change (mutate) during your treatment with DOVATO and become harder to treat (resistant). What are Possible Side Effects of DOVATO? It is not known if DOVATO is safe and effective in people who have HIV-1 and HBV infection. DOVATO can cause serious side effects, including: • • Worsening of HBV infection. If you have HIV-1 and HBV infection, your HBV may get Those in the “What is the Most Important Information I Should Know about worse (fl are-up) if you stop taking DOVATO. A “fl are-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly DOVATO?” section. • returns in a worse way than before. Worsening liver disease can be serious and may lead Allergic reactions. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop a to death. rash with DOVATO. Stop taking DOVATO and get medical help right away if you develop a rash with any of the following signs or symptoms: fever; generally ° Do not run out of DOVATO. Refi ll your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before ill feeling; tiredness; muscle or joint aches; blisters or sores in mouth; blisters or peeling of your DOVATO is all gone. the skin; redness or swelling of the eyes; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue; ° Do not stop DOVATO without fi rst talking to your healthcare provider. If you problems breathing. stop taking DOVATO, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do • Liver problems. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus may have an increased blood tests regularly for several months to check your liver. risk of developing new or worsening changes in certain liver tests during treatment with What is DOVATO? DOVATO. Liver problems, including liver failure, have also happened in people without a DOVATO is a prescription medicine that is used without other antiretroviral medicines to treat HIV-1 history of liver disease or other risk factors. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to infection in adults who have not received antiretroviral medicines in the past, and without known check your liver. resistance to the medicines dolutegravir or lamivudine. HIV-1 is the virus that causes Acquired Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following signs Immune Defi ciency Syndrome (AIDS). It is not known if DOVATO is safe and effective in children. or symptoms of liver problems: your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow Who should not take DOVATO? (jaundice); dark or “tea-colored” urine; light-colored stools (bowel movements); nausea or Do Not Take DOVATO if You: vomiting; loss of appetite; and/or pain, aching, or tenderness on the right side of your • have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine that contains dolutegravir or lamivudine. stomach area. • take dofetilide. • Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis is a serious What should I tell my healthcare provider before using DOVATO? medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away T:9.5” Tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you: if you get any of the following symptoms that could be signs of lactic acidosis: • have or have had liver problems, including hepatitis B or C infection. feel very weak or tired; unusual (not normal) muscle pain; trouble breathing; stomach pain • have kidney problems. with nausea and vomiting; feel cold, especially in your arms and legs; feel dizzy or • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. One of the medicines in DOVATO (dolutegravir) may lightheaded; and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat.
harm your unborn baby. • Lactic acidosis can also lead to severe liver problems, which can lead to death. Your liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and you may develop fat in your liver (steatosis). ° Your healthcare provider may prescribe a different medicine than DOVATO if you are planning to become pregnant or if pregnancy is confi rmed in the fi rst 12 weeks of pregnancy. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the signs or symptoms of liver problems which are listed above under “Liver problems.” You may be ° If you can become pregnant, your healthcare provider will perform a pregnancy test before you start treatment with DOVATO. more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female or very overweight (obese). ° If you can become pregnant, you should consistently use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with DOVATO. ° Tell your healthcare provider right away if you are planning to become pregnant, you become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant during treatment with DOVATO. • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take DOVATO. ° You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. ° One of the medicines in DOVATO (lamivudine) passes into your breastmilk. ° Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby.
©2020 ViiV Healthcare or licensor. DLLADVT190033 January 2020 Produced in USA.
Learn more about Alphonso and DOVATO at DOVATO.com
10 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll
HN17428_M02_DLLADVT190033_AlphonsoPrint_News_CAM_1.indd Created: 1-16-2020 5:26 PM 2_final Path:Premedia:Prepress:_Glaxo Smith Kline:Dovato:2020:17428_DLLADVT190033:Final:Prepress:HN17428_M02_DLLADVT190033_AlphonsoPrint_News_CAM_1.indd Modified:1-16-2020 5:44 PM Proof Job Description Mechanical Specifications Colors Font Families Contacts Initial Date
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ViiVHCcmyk.ai OPDP Updates ViiVConnect Logo Lock-up Patient Print Horizontal 2019.ai DOVATO_PRINTAD_QR_CMYK.ai DOV_03_ALPHONSOCollageADVT180001_NewsM01_V1_L.psd 300 ppi CMYK D3 Dovato US Logo CMYK.ai Dovato_Icon_V4_Schedule_SW.ai Dovato_Icon_V4_YingYang_SW.ai
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SO MUCH GOES INTO WHO I AM HIV MEDICINE IS ONE PART OF IT.
Reasons to ask your doctor about DOVATO: DOVATO can help you reach and then stay undetectable* with just 2 medicines in 1 pill. That means fewer medicines† in your body while taking DOVATO You can take it any time of day with or without food (around the same time each day)—giving you fl exibility DOVATO is a once-a-day complete treatment for adults who are new to HIV-1 medicine. Results may vary.
*Undetectable means reducing the HIV in your blood ‡ to very low levels (less than 50 copies per mL). ALPHONSO † As compared with 3-drug regimens. Living with HIV T:9.5”
What are Possible Side Effects of DOVATO (cont’d)? • Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fi ght infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having new symptoms after you start taking DOVATO. • The most common side effects of DOVATO include: headache; diarrhea; nausea; trouble sleeping; and tiredness. These are not all the possible side effects of DOVATO. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Where Can I Find More Information? • Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist. • Go to DOVATO.com or call 1-877-844-8872, where you can also get FDA-approved labeling. October 2019 DVT:2PI-2PIL Trademark is owned by or licensed to the ViiV Healthcare group of companies. ‡Compensated by ViiV Healthcare Could DOVATO be right for you? Ask your doctor today. ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 11
HN17428_M02_DLLADVT190033_AlphonsoPrint_News_CAM_1.indd Created: 1-16-2020 5:26 PM 2_final Path:Premedia:Prepress:_Glaxo Smith Kline:Dovato:2020:17428_DLLADVT190033:Final:Prepress:HN17428_M02_DLLADVT190033_AlphonsoPrint_News_CAM_1.indd Modified:1-16-2020 5:44 PM Proof Job Description Mechanical Specifications Colors Font Families Contacts Initial Date
Billing#: HN17428 Artist: Johnny.Ho Cyan Helvetica LT Std (Bold Condensed, Light Condensed; Open- Studio Manager H. WEINTRAUB/M. JOHNSON Labor: None Previous: susana.marquez Magenta Type), ITC Avant Garde Gothic Std (Bold Oblique, Medium, Proofreader None Proofreading: None Bleed: None Yellow Bold; OpenType), Helvetica Neue LT Std (77 Bold Condensed; Print Producer I. WAUGH OOP: None Trim: 10” x 10.5” Black OpenType), Avenir LT Std (65 Medium, 95 Black, 55 Roman, Account Executive None Tracking#: DLLADVT190033 Safety: None 35 Light; OpenType) Art Director None Client: GSK Viewing: None Copywriter None Brand: DOVATO Gutter: None Product: Print Ads Scale: None Media: NEWSPAPER Final Sizevariable Caption: None
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Please contact I. WAUGH at 212.886.4100 with any questions regarding these materials. This advertisement was prepared by Havas Worldwide NY at 200 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10013. This is how deportation fractures American families
A story of what happens when the undocumented parents and spouses of U.S. citizens are “kidnapped by ICE” By C D -DR
fried chicken dinner. Nights like that were were being put into deportation proceed- them? Yes, during visiting hours. increasingly rare: Ruiz was in her first se- ings. Carla and Kikin had both crossed from Ruiz said the agents asked her if she mester at the College of DuPage and picked Mexico without inspection; Carla 22 years was a U.S. citizen. (In what are known as 2018 up shifts at Taco Bell; Kikin worked at a fac- ago, when she was 15. Kikin came 25 years “collateral arrests,” the agency often takes tory that coated metals with zinc, Carla at a ago, when he was 17. undocumented people into custody during n November 15 Dariana Ruiz woke be- factory that manufactured envelopes. Ruiz When agents escorted her dad out of the raids even if they aren’t the intended target.) fore dawn to fi nd an Immigration and liked to think she would’ve remembered this house, Ruiz stopped them. She still had She said she was born here. When they asked OCustoms Enforcement agent standing night, even if it hadn’t been their last meal questions. Ruiz has pretty, plump features— her to prove it, she went to her bedroom for over her bed and shining a flashlight in her together in America. cherubic cheeks and lips and big brown eyes. her driver’s license and grabbed a sweater face. The ICE officer guided the 18-year-old She looked toward the rooms where her Though she’s short and often soft-spoken, for her dad. The officers looked at her ID into the kitchen of the suburban Elmhurst family had once gathered, where they’d made that night she demanded answers. She trans- approvingly. home where she lived with her mom, Carla, enchiladas and spaghetti, danced to salsa lated the quick English conversation for her ICE’s Detained Parents Directive, which her dad, Kikin, and her eight-year-old sister, music, and watched movies. As hulking ICE father in snippets. details what agents should do when they fi nd Viviana. Her dad sat at the table across from o cers milled around the dark living room, Where are you taking them? They’ll be young citizen children during immigration a cup of hot coffee and a slice of bread, his Ruiz withered. What was once her home now transferred between immigration detention arrests, says agents “should accommodate hands cu ed behind his back and another ICE felt like an abandoned house, still full of fur- centers, then deported to Mexico. Will they . . . [a parent’s] efforts to make alternative agent by his side. Her mother, she was told, niture and the ghostly energy of those who have a lawyer? Your parents will be allowed care arrangements for his or her minor had been arrested during a traffic stop and had lived there. It felt like a bad dream. to fi ght their case, but they will not be pro- child(ren),” and that ICE should record the was in a van outside. An ICE o cer told Ruiz what she already vided with a public defender. Your parents transfer of the child’s custody. In a state- Just hours earlier Ruiz’s family had been knew: her parents were in the United States will be given a list of low-cost attorneys but ment, an ICE spokesperson wrote that Carla sitting there, eating a special home-cooked without proper documentation and so they must contact them on their own. Can I visit “gave verbal permission” for agents to leave 12 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll Viviana in her older sister’s care. immigration law. Still, the administration Ruiz and her aunt searched for a lawyer, Ruiz went to her father and slipped the recently announced it would block visas for but were told by attorney after attorney that sweater over his head. No te preocupes. Don’t pregnant women traveling to the U.S. if State Carla and Kikin didn’t have a case. Guiding worry. Voy a tratar de ser todo lo posible para Department officials believed the woman their fate, in large part, was the 1996 Illegal ayudarlos. I’m going to try my best to help was coming to the country to give birth. Immigration Reform and Immigrant Re- you both. Te quiero mucho a ti y a mamá. I Merely having a citizen child does not make 2018 sponsibility Act, signed into law by President love you and mom so much. a parent a citizen, nor does it put a parent on Bill Clinton, which experts say criminalized Then he was taken away. a pathway towards citizenship. An American fter the agents left, Ruiz had a to-do undocumented immigration. The law stipu- citizen over the age of 21 can sponsor their list that felt strangely mundane: call lates that when someone enters the country parents for a green card by fi ling an I-130 pe- Atías and tell them that parents are without proper inspection or documentation n October 2017, border agents began tition. Right now, the government estimates being deported, e-mail professors and say and then stays unlawfully for longer than a separating children from their parents. that the wait is between 12 and 16 months for parents were arrested by ICE so I won’t be in year, they will be subject to deportation and IThe Trump Administration denied the ex- this application to be processed. today, call Viviana’s school and explain our barred from reentering the U.S. for a period istence of this practice until April 2018 when From 2013 to 2017 the United States de- immigration situation, fi nd free lawyer. between three years and the rest of their life Je Sessions, the attorney general at the time, ported more than 150,000 parents of chil- Ruiz scooped Viviana out of bed, put her if they are caught. announced the “zero tolerance” policy: every dren who are U.S. citizens. ICE only started in the back seat of the car, and drove 15 min- The only way Carla and Kikin could avoid adult crossing the border illegally would be collecting and releasing this data after a utes to her Aunt Veronica’s grey-blue home deportation and the ban on reentry would criminally prosecuted. Family separation 2009 congressional order. ICE hasn’t yet in Addison. Veronica had been woken up by be by demonstrating that deportation would was inevitable because children couldn’t be responded to FOIA requests for its 2018 and a phone call that morning from her sister cause “extreme hardship” to a “qualifying detained with their parents as their cases 2019 data. The publicly available numbers Carla, Ruiz’s mother. “It’s me,” Carla had said relative” who is a citizen or green card were processed. Sessions justifi ed the policy show that during Obama’s last year in o ce in Spanish. “The police have me, or immi- holder. However, unlike spouses and par- using the Bible and claimed that noncitizen his administration deported almost 2,000 gration, I don’t know. They detained me and ents, citizen children do not count. Even if parents at the border “are the ones who broke more parents than the Trump administra- I don’t know what’s going to happen. Please citizen children were considered qualifying the law.” Quinnipiac and CNN polls found that tion did during its fi rst year. take care of my daughters.” (Ruiz would soon relatives, in most cases separating a parent nearly 70 percent of voters opposed the pol- The parents I spoke to for this story feared break her family’s lease, throw away most of from a child does not meet the standard of an icy. In June, one Texas Republican lawmaker that contact with any government agency their possessions, and move into a cramped extreme hardship. Caveats do exist: in situ- said matter-of-factly, “Nobody understands could lead to contact with ICE. One family room with her young sister in the house.) ations where a child of any age su ers from why you would take children out of their said they kept the undocumented father’s For Ruiz, deciding what to tell Viviana health issues or has a disability, the separa- parents’ hands.” The international human name off their children’s birth certificates was a reminder of her own experience. Ten tion of a parent from that child would likely rights organization Genocide Watch issued a and refused to list him as an emergency years earlier, when she herself was eight qualify. But the immigration legal system scathing statement, writing that “family sep- contact at school. Ramped-up immigration years old, her father was deported for the sees family separation as a “common result” aration is one of the most common genocidal enforcement under Obama and now under first time. She remembers her mom was of deportation. It’s considered the same as patterns, occurring in almost all historical Trump has demonstrated that even the most deeply depressed, so much so that Ruiz was the separation a child might experience in cases of genocide.” cautious can still be swept up. sent to stay with her aunt for a few weeks. “I divorce, or if one parent moves to a di erent After receiving strong criticism across the After a deportation, parents must decide if was very innocent,” she said. “I did not know state. Sad, sure, but ordinary. political spectrum, Trump signed an exec- their children will stay in the United States, what was going on. I just knew that my dad utive order to end the policy less than three or join them in their native country. For wasn’t around.” months after its official launch. A federal many, the circumstances that led them to Soon after, Ruiz and her mother drove judge later ordered the government to re- leave their homes—violence, political cor- more than 2,300 miles south to Acapulco, to unite separated children with their parents. ruption, lack of jobs—haven’t changed, and live with Kikin. But violence from Mexico’s 2012 Nearly a year later, though, the administra- raising a child in such a place feels untenable. drug war had begun to spill over into the city. tion admitted in court filings that border So they arrange for their children to stay in “Not to be, like, too graphic or anything but n an October night Cecilia Garcia ex- agents had continued to separate children the United States with other caregivers and there were times we would be driving around pected her husband Hugo Velasco to from their parents. An investigation by NBC try to keep their relationships alive through or something and you would just see bodies Oreturn to their home on the southwest and a report from the O ce of Inspector Gen- regular Skype calls and the occasional, often on the side of the road,” Ruiz remembered. “I side at 6 PM. When he still hadn’t arrived four eral found that the Department of Homeland expensive, visit. Many of the people I encoun- would see drive-by [shootings] in our little hours later, she told herself he must be drink- Security failed to implement any tracking tered while reporting this story said they town.” After two years, the family returned ing with friends. The phone rang at midnight. mechanisms that could have streamlined the hope that maybe one day the U.S.’s immigra- to the Chicago suburbs. She felt relieved that the caller ID read “Ever- reunifi cation of separated children with their tion laws will change and they’ll be able to Because Ruiz wanted to protect Viviana green Police.” She thought she could pick him parents. While it’s unclear if the government reunite with their families. But the indefi nite from the same trauma she’d experienced as a up, pay a fi ne for what he was arrested for, and continues to separate families at the border, timeline, the distance, and loneliness can be child, she lied to her about the disappearance then he’d be free. what’s certain is that a quieter form of family crippling. They bring their children to the of their parents. She told her that they were “I’m going to get deported,” her husband separation has persisted across the country country they once called home and hope to working long hours and that she wouldn’t said on the phone. for years. shield them from the things they fl ed. Ruiz’s see them for a while. After a few weeks, Ruiz Velasco had been driving home from work The idea that parents have children in family chose both paths. updated the story: their parents had moved in a 14-year-old red Chevrolet with expired the U.S.—whom Donald Trump and others to Mexico to go to school and make more plates. He was pulled over in Evergreen Park, have pejoratively called “anchor babies”—to money. Viviana was told that she and her a suburb south of Chicago, without a driver’s secure their own status has no basis in sister would soon visit. license or insurance. When the o cer ran his ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 13 “I have every right to be with the person I love, and that person whom I love has every right to stay here with his family, his children,” says Garcia. PAT NABONG FOR CHICAGO READER
and a daughter battled depression. Velas- co’s deportation exacerbated these existing problems; Garcia said another daughter felt suicidal, and another started cutting herself. A fi ght between two of the children left one with a black eye. The school alerted DCFS, and when a social worker visited the family to investigate, Garcia lost her temper. DCFS took her children away temporarily. “I had everything bottled up,” Garcia said. “I was obviously mad, and I was always on the o en- sive, not realizing it. So, yeah. I would snap.” Since his deportation, Velasco has tried to cross the border several times. For each failed attempt, Garcia imagines how it might’ve gone di erently. The fi rst time, he crossed with a group that was abandoned by a coyote in the desert and was arrested by Border Patrol. “You guys should’ve said you were camping and you got lost!” The second time his group went to eat at a restaurant name through the National Crime Informa- “I really remember giving birth and I cried married meant leaving a paper trail. And in San Diego, where they spoke Spanish and tion Center database, he found that ICE had because I’m thinking he’s dead,” she said. even if they were married, it wouldn’t have were covered in mud. Someone called immi- issued a deportation order for Velasco. Garcia blamed the stress caused by the de- guaranteed Velasco any relief. When a couple gration. “Why didn’t you guys go through the Velasco had left Mexico for the U.S. with portation for the early birth of her daughter, gets married and petitions to change one drive-thru?” The last time, he hid in the trunk his brother in 1986, when he was 14 years old. Zilagi. A few days later, she heard a knock at partner’s immigration status, that partner of a car, but was found when agents searched His dad had died and the brothers wanted to the door. On the other side was her husband. usually needs to return to their home coun- the vehicle. “What did you say? Boo?” make money to send back to their mother. He’d found his way back into the country. (“It try to interview at the consulate and receive Over the years Garcia and Velasco have Ten years later, Velasco met Garcia, who was easier back then,” Garcia said.) Velasco a medical exam. But, if the partner has been wrestled with whether the family should has chiseled cheekbones and long black hair was in a long-term relationship with Garcia, living in the U.S. undocumented for longer move to Mexico or wait until 2022 when Vel- that falls down her back in tendrils. Garcia, who is a U.S. citizen, and he had two citizen than one year, an exit triggers a ban on reen- asco’s ban on reentering will expire. They’ve who was on her way to becoming a nun, told children. But immigration attorneys said try. Velasco was transferred to ICE custody lived apart for seven years, and their rela- Velasco he should take Catholicism more se- that with a deportation and now an unautho- 16 hours after his arrest. He thought his only tionship subsists on dinner dates over Skype, riously (he only went to church on Christmas rized reentry on Velasco’s record, little could option was to sign a voluntary departure. He phone calls, and sporadic visits. Garcia said and Easter). One day she got him to come to be done. His deportation had come with a was deported. As Garcia went through the trips to Mexico are like mini vacations, or church and as they sat through the service, ten-year ban on reentry. Without a clear legal trauma of deportation for a second time, she honeymoons. “And then I think [on] the third she realized she’d rather marry him than path forward, the family decided to avoid wondered if God was punishing her and Vel- [or] fourth day [he] starts raising questions, God. “I was like, oh, he’s the one, you know? contact with immigration and to limit any asco for living together and having children When are you coming over here to live?” He’s actually following and he’s listening,” documentation of Velasco’s presence in the without being married. She continued. “I’m one person who’s very Garcia said. “And then I thought maybe that’s country. Garcia worked as a medical assistant and stubborn, very relentless. And I could con- something. Maybe God sent him to me.” On that October 2012 night, Garcia arrived wanted to get her nursing degree. But after form and be like, You know what? Okay, I’ll In 1998, Velasco was deported after he was at the Evergreen police station close to 1 AM. the deportation, going to school was out go over there. Wait for the ten years. But why found with drugs during a tra c stop. The She told officers that she and her husband of the question. She took shifts to make up should I have to do that? I have every right couple had a one-year-old son and Garcia was had been together for 16 years and they had for Velasco’s lost wages, but it left her less to be with the person I love, and that person eight months pregnant with their second fi ve children. She was asked if they were mar- time to parent her five children. One son whom I love has every right to stay here with child. She went into labor three weeks early. ried. Legally, they were not because getting already struggled with bipolar disorder, his family, his children.” 14 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll visitations, Carla and Kikin sat on one side of a glass and spoke through phones, which 2018 timed out at half-hour intervals. Ruiz’s parents, who were held in di erent CE held Ruiz’s parents for three weeks. parts of the jail, told her about the condi- They spent most of their time at the Pu- tions: they slept in bunk beds, people threat- Ilaski County Detention Center in Ullin, ened and extorted each other for things like Illinois. Pulaski is both a county jail and im- co ee and shampoo, and the guards seemed migrant detention facility. It sits five hours to arbitrarily deny phone calls. “My mom’s southwest of Elmhurst, just east of the Mis- eyes were extremely swollen because of how souri state line, in a town of 779 people. Ruiz much she’d been crying,” Ruiz said. “And my video chatted with her mom 15 times in 16 dad was so skinny because of the food that days (it cost 25 cents a minute) and they spoke they were given there. He said it was like more on the phone. She loaded $55 into each worse than dog food. And he would not eat it commissary account. Her parents sent letters because he felt like he was going to get sick.” too. One week after he was detained, Kikin ICE did not respond to multiple requests for wrote a letter addressed to “Viviana la mas comment about Carla and Kikin’s description bonita,” Viviana the most beautiful. “Pase lo of the conditions inside Pulaski. A repre- que pase, siempre estaré a tu lado.” Whatever sentative from the jail said she’s not able to happens, I’ll always be by your side. Along the comment on ICE. bottom of the page he drew himself, his wife, Ruiz told her parents that deportation was their two daughters, and their kitten holding almost certain. The only place the family hands. could live together was Mexico. So the family As Carla and Kikin remained confined, made a bitter decision: that summer, Ruiz Ruiz experienced depression and anxiety. would bring Viviana to live with Carla and She had a few sessions with therapists, but Kikin in Mexico. Ruiz would then return to she felt like a burden on counselors. She Chicago. In America, she could make more didn’t know anyone else who’d experienced a money and live with Jose and Veronica. She deportation. She felt alone. Clanking around would be without her parents and her sister, in her head were more cruel perspectives. but the city was her home. You know, they deserve it because they’re il- legal. They deserve to be deported. “It messes with my head,” she said. “And I just feel like I don’t need to talk to anyone about it because it’s so normal now.” 2012 Ruiz would sometimes feel suicidal. The thought of spending ten years away from n the night of her husband’s depor- her parents, while also being the primary tation, Garcia took a du e bag full of caretaker for her sister, was unbearable. She Ohis possessions and went to the jail. spent most days in bed and withdrew from O cers led her to a room where her husband college. Viviana spent four months out of stood holding a file of paperwork. She said school while her sister and aunt considered she was told not to touch her husband. They sending her to a school closer to the house. exchanged items and said “I love you,” and Ruiz would take Viviana to Byron Park, then she left. where she and her dad played soccer games. In the parking lot she saw people praying They also walked around the mall or went to near a van. She presumed the van held men McDonald’s for ice cream. Anything was a who, like her husband, were about to be de- welcome distraction. ported. The group had come from St. Rita’s, Ruiz wanted to protect her sister from the same trauma she’d experienced as a child, so she lied to her about the disappearance of their parents. COURTESY DARIANA RUIZ Veronica and her husband Jose soon took a church just a few miles away from her home a day o work, booked a hotel room for the on Chicago’s southwest side. They invited night, and drove the sisters to visit their her to join them for services. parents. Though Veronica came on the trip, Garcia spent a few years as a member of St. never like to get politically involved, which Arellano, an undocumented woman from she couldn’t actually enter the jail. (Visitors Rita’s. She prayed over vans of people about I don’t think is right,” she said. “You know, Mexico who’d lived in the U.S. for decades. have to show ID to enter, and Veronica is to be deported. She found the work meaning- yeah there is religion, it’s separate, but it’s Arellano has a U.S. citizen son and sought undocumented.) Jose has a green card, so he ful, but she also felt like she kept coming up not. Because the community is being a ected sanctuary in Adalberto United Methodist escorted Ruiz and Viviana inside. The family against structural limitations of the Catholic by [this] loss.” Church in Humboldt Park after receiving a had 90 minutes with each parent. In separate Church. “With the Catholic Church, they She soon came across the story of Elvira deportation order. Arellano was deported ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 15 in 2007, without her son, but returned to like nobody really understood.” free legal advice in this church helped fi x her moved them closer to border agents, Ruiz’s the border seven years later to seek asylum. status. Garcia told her to come to the church anxiety took over. “A bunch of things started At the time, asylum seekers were allowed to and have a free consultation with a volunteer popping in my head because I was like, ‘Wow, wait in the U.S. while their cases processed attorney. Dariana Ruiz and her Aunt Veronica we’re literally ten minutes away from seeing in immigration court. So, Arellano made her drove 22 miles from their home in Addison to our parents,’” she said. “But what if they fi nd way back to Chicago, this time to Lincoln 2019 Lincoln United Methodist. an excuse to not let us in?” United Methodist Church. Garcia introduced me and Ruiz, and we She would spend three days in Mexico. Her Garcia reached out to Arellano and was n a frigid and windy day in February walked up to the quiet sanctuary to talk. family went out to eat, painted, and laid in invited to come to the church. “To make a I arrived at Lincoln United Methodist Ruiz wore big glasses that sat just under her the park under the sun. Ruiz saw her grand- long story short,” Garcia said, “I haven’t left OChurch in Pilsen just before services bangs. She was polite and clutched a yellow mother for the fi rst time in a decade, and her since.” ended. The red brick colonial style building folder. Ruiz spoke about her parent’s absence grandmother fi nally met Viviana. On the day Since her husband’s deportation, Garcia has stained glass portraits in gable-shaped in a dissociated way. She talked about them Ruiz left, her family woke up before dawn has amassed over 4,000 followers on Face- windows, but is otherwise unassuming. It sits only as they related to her younger sister, to say goodbye. “It was the most depressing book. She publishes upwards of 30 times each on a tra c-heavy strip of Damen, two blocks Viviana: “her” parents were deported, she’d thing ever,” Ruiz said. “I knew for sure that day, posting links to news coverage about south of Cermak. Some of the letters on its say. “If I say our parents I start feeling very [now] I was on my own without my family.” immigration raids and violence in Mexico, sign have cracked o . A small, tattered Mexi- bad because I’m now realizing, like, hey She cried on the flight back. When she re- triaging for immigrant families in crisis, and can fl ag was hung from the fence and whipped those are my parents as well,” she told me. turned to her aunt’s and saw Viviana’s toys on livestreaming the work her fellow activists in the wind. “So when I say her parents it’s like a coping the ground she cried again. do at the church. On trips to Washington, Garcia’s days are busy: she’s designed her mechanism basically. It’s bad but, you know, Coming back from Mexico alone, she said, D.C., she and her children take photos with life this way. “Knowing that my situation is it helps. Kind of.” This sort of dissociation is was more painful than the night her parents elected representatives and tell the story of not going to change, I’ll go crazy,” she said. a common response to trauma; psychologists were taken. It felt worse than the time ten Velasco’s deportation. She wore thick black eyeliner and a black hat, describe it as one of the ingenious ways the years ago when her father was deported. The In 2018, Garcia’s youngest daughter Maha- and greeted those who came her way with a mind protects itself. separation was permanent. lea testifi ed at a Chicago City Council hearing “Hi sweetie” or “Hola mija,” followed by a hug Ruiz and I spoke for an hour and then made Again, Ruiz fell into a deep depression. that called on Congress to pass legislation and a kiss on the cheek. our way back down the stairs, where Garcia But this time, even with her family far away, that would provide protection and legal Before afternoon services finished, some sat with Veronica. “I was telling your aunt something changed. In the months after her status to the undocumented parents of U.S. people left the upstairs sanctuary and walked that maybe we can appeal that debt?” she parents were deported, she’d met others citizen and DACA-eligible children. Garcia is down the winding staircase, and propped said, referring to the money Ruiz still owed who’d lived through the same thing, who forceful when she speaks, but Mahalea can up plastic tables and black chairs in front of her college. “It was something that was out of had validated her pain, who had confirmed be even punchier. “My father didn’t abandon a wall of floor-to-ceiling mirrors. An attor- your control.” The women made plans to dis- she wasn’t the only one su ering. She found us,” the 12-year-old said. “He was kidnapped ney, a nurse, and other volunteers sat at the cuss possible options. As Ruiz and her aunt a therapist, was prescribed medication, and by ICE.” tables, armed with pens and stacks of paper, began to leave, Garcia gave Ruiz a big hug. went to group sessions where she met others Garcia is also active in Facebook groups and prepared to o er a DACA clinic, a know- “You’re an inspiration,” she said, rubbing struggling with depression and anxiety. Ruiz for the spouses of deportees, most of them your-rights workshop, health checkups, and Ruiz’s back. “You’re so young and you’re so had saved enough to live on her own, so she named some variation of “Deportee Wives/ free legal advice. strong.” moved out of her aunt’s house. She then lost Esposas Del Deportados.” In February 2018, a Garcia stood in front of a line that waited her job and in December moved to a town woman named Katrina Jabbi found one such for legal advice. She explained the di erence y July Ruiz had enough money saved near Fort Hood, Texas, where she has more group after her husband Buba was taken into between a warrant signed by an immigration from her job at an auto body shop family. She hasn’t seen her parents since July. ICE custody and deported to the Gambia. judge and a warrant issued by ICE. This activ- Bthat she could take Viviana to Tijuana, She plays the memory over and over again. Jabbi spoke on the phone with Garcia and Jas- ism, she told me, helps her. “Fighting for the where her parents had settled. She bought She and Viviana pass through the checkpoint mine Mendoza, who’d moved to Mexico with people, bringing that advocacy, and teaching plane tickets to San Diego, where a woman her easily and walk into Mexico, down a long and her kids after her undocumented husband them what their rights are—that’s been ther- mother knew would pick them up from the air- winding pedestrian bridge that looks like an was deported. “I was just so grateful,” Jabbi apeutic for me.” port and drive them to the border crossing. On empty highway. After 15 minutes, familiar said. “Like oh my gosh, like this is possible. Garcia is skilled at weaving her own narra- the fl ight Viviana could hardly contain herself. voices call their names. “The moment I saw People are actually doing this. And there are tive into a call for policy reform on immigra- She asked Ruiz every few minutes if they’d them I just couldn’t stop crying,” Ruiz re- women going through the same thing I am. I tion. “I sound like a broken record. And some- arrived yet. “As soon as we landed, she’s like, members. “It’s not like a feeling that you feel was just so grateful to fi nd a group of women times I’m like, well, I just hope the message ‘Oh, my God, are we here? Is this Mexico?’” every single day, or like once a month or any- to talk to. And just to cry to.” [gets out]. And then people call me a publicity Ruiz said, laughing. “And I’m like, ‘No, it’s still thing like that. They’re my parents, they’re Katrina moved with her children to the hog. Like, they think I love doing this. And it’s California. We have an hour and a half left.’” my world. And having them being taken Gambia to live with her husband. Before not—it’s just like, nobody else wants to talk. The two deplaned and hopped into a car from me and my sister for eight months. It’s leaving, she sat on the couch in her father’s And I’d rather someone say something versus with a woman they called Doña Mary. They so painful. My heart just felt kind of empty.” massive cabin-style home in rural Wisconsin, someone saying nothing.” got out of the car before getting stuck in traf- She felt excited “but at the same time, it was rocking her sleeping baby in her arms. “I That morning, an 18-year-old woman had fi c and walked for 20 minutes to the pedestri- just really sad. It’s just sad that we don’t even wish I would have known about them a long messaged Garcia on Facebook asking for an border crossing. Even with the sun high in have the right to be a family, to be happy as a time ago, when I was going through all the help because her parents had been deported the sky, it was breezy outside. Ruiz took Viv- family.” v paperwork and the process itself. Because three months earlier. A friend of a friend had iana and their suitcases and joined the long I was trying to—” she paused. “I always felt told the woman that the lawyer who gave line of people waiting to cross. As the line @plz_CLARify 16 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll ARTS & CULTURE
and physically arranged them to create poems. to an understanding through my data sets or “I think that helped me at once get closer to whatever, the language I’ve acquired.” the text but also feel a little more distance. It felt Kahn wrote her fi rst poems as an adolescent. more like I was really assembling something. I Though she moved to Los Angeles in 2016, she was able to be more objective with it,” she says. was born in Evanston, raised in the nearby The writing method comes through in poems suburb Northfield. She describes herself as a like “I Stand Here in my Poodle Skirt and Ask “weird little kid.” Reading was her main means for Everything I Can Think of,” the entirety of of escaping the tiny suburb. which is: “I defi nitely spent a lot of my life imagining leaving the little town I was in,” she says, was my sex my only magic? though she has only proud feelings about being I took a picture of the moon. from the midwest. As a teenager, she would bor- row her family’s car and drive to Lake Michigan Elaine Kahn The cut-up technique works well with Kahn’s to write. “That’s where so many of my early SOPHIE APPEL usual mode of writing: accruing text and taking poems were written, just sitting in the car at inspiration from language in everyday life. Lake Michigan, in the middle of winter I would “I’ll write poems while half paying attention go. I still love Lake Michigan, especially in win- LIT to TV. I will get language from advertisements, ter, nobody was around.” from receipts,” she says. She’ll then compile the Though in many ways Chicago felt inacces- text and look for themes or information that sible at the time, just being aware of the city’s Elaine Kahn’s words cut like a resonates. “Then, I try to fi gure out what story arts community, the possibility there, was for- they’re telling. My poems don’t have a very mative. “That was something that I think really conventional narrative, but to me there’s a tra- did inspire me when I was young,” she says. “I knife jectory of meaning. And it’s mostly about trying knew that close by there was just this whole to learn more than report I think, trying to come other world.” The Evanston native’s new book of poetry explores love, loss, and pain. By K C
n the world of Elaine Kahn’s poetry, the stages of love to betrayal and pain, leaving us to truth is never stable. Lovers perform ponder what was true, or what might possibly quotidian acts, married people devour one follow. another, unspeakable things happen, and “I wanted to try to add a clear narrative someone’s own story no longer feels like structure to something that I experience as Itheir own. Narrators are unreliable, assuredly being very confusing and in fact hard to connect telling their side of the story and theirs alone. to,” she says. “This book, it really is me trying One claims not to care what life means while to make sense of something that didn’t make ostensibly writing it all down in order to fi nd sense to me.” some sort of meaning. Kahn wrote the book during a particularly In Kahn’s latest book, Romance or The End hard time in her life. She was grieving the (Soft Skull Press), romantic tropes are put deaths of loved ones, including friends lost in through the meat grinder. She writes: the December 2016 Ghost Ship warehouse fi re in Oakland. Trump had just been elected. “I I have heard it said had gotten to a point where I could no longer that love relate to my own life; its narrative had become turns people disfigured beyond recognition,” she tells me soft over e-mail. but I have Her writing approach was more tactile than never been previous e orts (this is her second poetry book more and she’s also published several chapbooks) brutal as she had a hard time engaging with works in progress. Kahn’s usual writing method is Her words are strong and purposeful, her to compile her filled notebooks and compose lines stark. Many poems are mere fragments on pieces by working through the text. This the page. The book reads almost like one cohe- time around she printed out all of the text she sive narrative, taking the reader from the early planned to include, cut the lines up into strips, ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 17 ARTS & CULTURE
Rattleback uch of Romance or The End was written inherently political. She gives discounts for RECORDS in Los Angeles at the home of Kahn’s low-income folks and people of color, and Mlongtime friend and mentor, Kim Gor- recently o ered discounts to people who can- ANDERSONVILLE'S FULL don, where she went to regroup while grieving. vassed for Senator Bernie Sanders’s presiden- SERVICE RECORD STORE Gordon also designed the book’s cover. One of tial campaign. the artists’ signature word paintings—the title Kahn doesn’t shy away from politics, nor and author’s name are scrawled in dripping does she see art as some entity that exists LOOKING FOR black ink—the artwork perfectly encapsulates outside of reality. Though she doesn’t consider THE BEST ALBUMS the book’s tone: unsentimental and unpretty. her writing a form of direct political action, she OF THE PAST DECADE It’s easy to see how Gordon and Kahn came does try to do her part in other ways (hence the OR ANY DECADE? to be kindred spirits—both frequently probe Bernie discount). Similarly, during the 2018 themes of power and desire, sometimes wildfi res in California, Kahn raised money for
AND through opaque imagery, sometimes with an those a ected by selling handwritten poems. 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s MORE unmistakable bluntness. She very much believes everyone has skills that The most startling work in Romance or The can be harnessed for the greater good. “Art is RATTLEBACK RECORDS End, “All I Have Ever Wanted is to be Sweet,” part of what makes life worth fi ghting for,” she HAS YOU COVERED. almost perfectly bisects the book. It also serves says. as a turning point in both narration and tone; The poet certainly took her own advice with love’s commercial is long gone. On the poem’s this book—Romance or The End doesn’t hold fi rst page (out of two), the lines are repetitive anything back. And for all its fragmentation, NOW OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK! and grow increasingly frantic. At fi rst, the read- it doesn’t leave things without a conclusion. MON-SAT: 11-7 | SUN: 11-5 er is unsure what sort of scene they’re entering. There is a series of poems called “Romance” 5405 N. Clark Street, Chicago It begins: which pop up throughout the book and serve 773-944-0188 as a sort of pulse. Usually brief, they are mat- www.rattlebackrecords.com I watch his arms his face ter-of-fact but elusive, and seem to come the is not thinking of his closest to resolution for the book’s fi rst-person face his body is what is narrator. One near the end reads: the fear can you believe in fuck I let him watch. When I tell myself a story I decide the end. It is the “fear” and the “fuck” that raises our alertness; something is not right. The pacing On the next page is the title poem, the last be- and wordplay deftly translates trauma onto the fore a stunning epilogue. The poem is a series of page. contradictory proclamations: “There is no such The second page makes the situation more thing as a true story and so there are no stories plain, with rhyming couplets. The narrator is in this book”; “Everything is a story. Even the now “unfastened by my fail so low to speak,” truth.” their body “split to hell so quick.” Kahn’s lines It is the closing line that will ring with clarity are so sharp they threaten to cut you, as brutal for anyone who has loved and lost: “There is as a knife held against your throat. nothing truer in this world than the lie of love.” This quality, of not holding anything back, is Here Kahn lays everything she’s learned on the GetYour Swag! one she tries to instill in her poetry students. table. There is no such thing as a reliable narra- “Something I say to my students a lot is don’t tor. Even the stories we tell ourselves are inher- www.chicagoreader.com/shop be afraid to be great. And by that I mean that it ently skewed. We place importance on certain can be really easy to try to get yourself to say events in our lives and not others, picking and something in a way that’s lighter or smaller choosing what elements make the most sense or not want to make claims, not want to make in the personal narrative we’re constantly statements. Because you’re afraid of like, constructing. When that narrative falls apart, well do I have the right? Do I have the right to because of tragedy or trauma or some other speak?” she says. “That’s a really critical thing huge life event, disillusionment takes hold. For to do as an artist, is to not hedge. I think you Kahn, the breakdown she was experiencing have to give everything you have to your work, while putting this book together was a kind of and the stakes have to be very high in order for separation between one’s self and one’s story. it to be really meaningful.” “Writing this book was a way to remedy She began o ering poetry workshops in late that,” she says. “I just wanted to get my story 2016 through her “Poetry Field School,” which back, even if it ended up being a sad one.” v she runs out of her apartment in Los Angeles. The classes mostly take place online and are @booksnotboys 18 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll #TVKUV9TKVGT ARTS & CULTURE 2GTHQTOGT! %4'#6+8' 51.76+105 (14 centering around mother artists,” says O’Neill, %4'#6+8' 2'12.' referencing exhibits on art and motherhood 5WRRQTVKXG #HHKTOKPI CPF )QCN currently taking place in London at the Found- ling Museum with Portraying Pregnancy: &KTGEVGF 2U[EJQVJGTCR[ CPF From Holbein to Social Media and Nashville, *[RPQVJGTCR[ HQT #FWNVU where the creator of a podcast that examines the artist/mother identity, Kaylan Buteyn, has /#: - 5*#2'; .%59 curated Mother or (K)not, her fi rst group show- .QECVGF KP &QYPVQYP 'XCPUVQP around the exploration of that dual identity. O’Neill’s contributions to the group show are various watercolor explorations of her daugh- YYYOCZUJCRG[EQO ter’s form and identity. OCZUJCRG["CQNEQO “I was intrigued by how di erent the form of NWG TQUU NWG 5JKGNF 2TGHGTTGF 2TQXKFGT KIPC 2TGHGTTGF 2TQXKFGT a small child was to that of the adult fi gures I was accustomed to referencing,” O’Neill writes in an artist statement that accompanies her work. “It was not only in her anatomy but in her gestures and stances as she was learning how to use her body, all while I was relearning VISUAL ARTS how to be an artist.” While there are other themes that vie for dominance in Juliet, like faith and spousal love, Art expands the world of Juliet “all of those things somehow came to a critical juncture in Juliet’s life when she thought she An exhibit accompanying Theatre Y’s latest production puts motherhood front was going to have to watch her children die in and center. front of her,” Lorraine says. The timing of this production of Juliet and By K R its accompanying art show is poignant on two levels, allowing for rich, guided discourse n Theatre Y’s most recent production of Lorraine says. “I had enough submissions to be amongst the audience after each performance. Juliet—the company’s third time putting able to really select specifi c works that I felt, There is, of course, the continued practice Iup Hungarian-Romanian playwright András ‘Wow, did they read the play before they made of family separation and deportation at the Visky’s familial autobiographical work in the this? Because this is so related.’” U.S. border in an increasingly hostile political past ten years—the theater itself is a womb. In 1959, András Visky was barely two years climate. Chicago-based Palestinian artist Mary “We call it the red room of the soul,” says old when he, along with his six siblings and Hazboun’s contributions to the group show— Melissa Lorraine, Theatre Y’s cofounding artis- his mother, Júlia (i.e. Juliet) were arrested and her lived experiences—in particular speak tic director, who portrays the titular character and deported to the Romanian wilderness as to this angle. She was born and raised in Beth- in the play. “It’s not a womb in the safe way, part of the ruling Communist party’s infamous lehem and lived under Israeli military occupa- it’s a womb in the essential way, so we tried Bărăgan deportations. For six years, Júlia and tion. In 2004, at the age of 21, she migrated to to make the lobby a safer kind of womb space her children faced constant threat of torture the U.S. with her family. to hold the audience before they entered this and execution before fi nally being released in One of Hazboun’s contributions to the harder space.” 1964. Juliet is the story of that time in the Visky show, Collective Trauma, is an ink drawing An essential detail of this ancillary womb family’s history, as imagined through Júlia’s portraying an intertwined pile of seven people, space is an accompanying six-person art show, eyes, delivered in monologue. an eerie, unplanned homage to Juliet’s seven curated with the overarching theme of moth- The director of this production of Juliet, children in the show. Throughout one of the erhood in mind. The show features artwork by Kevin V. Smith, felt very strongly about putting earliest performances of the play, Hazboun six local artists: Elise Glickman, Erin O’Neill, the subject of motherhood center stage this watched from the audience, quietly writing Tracy Marie Taylor, Keila Strong, Sophie Peter- time around, Lorraine says, as he was recently and sketching throughout. son, and Mary Hazboun. Lorraine put out the reunited with his own birth mother. In addi- “Because I’ve lived in a very particular place call for art and personally sorted through the tion to Lorraine’s compelling performance, and circumstances, I try as hard as I can [in my submissions. Collectively, the work has a tonal the show includes a chorus of mothers and art] to challenge the fixed narrative we have range that feels natural considering the ways their children. Their presence throughout about war zones, because people’s stories are in which the broad theme of motherhood hits Juliet’s delivery of her harrowing experience di erent and their experiences are di erent,” for di erent people, and the mix of media em- of deportation underlines this theme as the she says. “It’s important to add context in ployed by the di erent artists o er a visceral production’s core. order for us not to create that monolithic nar- reminder of this as well. “Motherhood is kind of universal. If we’re rative that women are just victims.” v “I ended up choosing works that I somehow not mothers, we all have moms, and I think felt were extraordinarily related to the show,” there’s a lot going on in the art world right now @KaylenRalph ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 19 ARTS & CULTURE
“Outsider Art: The Collection of Victor F. Keen" 929 E. 60th, graycenter.uchicago.edu. F An indoor market with more than 30 artists and vendors; COURTESY INTUIT THE CENTER FOR INTUITIVE AND OUTSIDER ART children accompanied by their parent or guardian are Ela Przybylo welcome. Sat 2/8, noon-4 PM, the Empty Bottle, 1035 N. The author celebrates the release of her book looking at Western, emptybottle.com. F Poly-Poly Comedy asexuality, Asexual Erotics, with a reading and discussion. KJ Whitehead hosts a night of all polyamorous and Fri 2/7, 7 PM, Women & Children First, 5233 N. Clark, VISUAL ARTS nonmonogamous stand-ups featuring Yaz Bat, Skitz M. womenandchildrenfi rst.com. F Jones, and Shannon Smith. Wed 2/12, 10 PM, the Crowd “BIG PART small whole” Theater, 3935 N. Broadway, thecrowdtheater.com, $10. avery r. young Marie Baldwin and Allan J. Masterson’s work will be In neckbone: visual verses, avery r. young’s poetic text exhibited in this show curated by Lindsay Hutchens. DANCE details the Black experience and the gospel between Opening reception Sat 2/8, 6-9 PM. 2/7-2/29, Wed-Sat, poetry, art, and music. There will be a Q+A and book noon-4 PM, ACRE Projects, 1345 W. 19th, acreresidency. Riverdance signing a er the discussion. Wed 2/12, 6 PM, Seminary org. F The 25th anniversary tour of the show that began as an Co-op, 5751 S. Woodlawn, semcoop.com. F “interval act” at the 1994 Eurovision song contest touch- “CA$H ONLY” es down in Chicago, featuring a fusion of traditional MARKETS In his fi rst solo exhibition, Jacob King exhibits his 35mm Irish step dancing and other international infl uences. photography of the personalities and faces of the people Original creators (composer Bill Whelan, producer Moya Forget Me Not Shop pop-up who visit Rite Liquors, half bar/half liquor store. Opening Things to do Doherty, and director John McColgan) have overhauled reception Fri 2/7, 6-9 PM. 2/7-2/29, daily 11 AM-5 PM, the original hit production for this tour. Through 2/9, market AdventureLand Gallery, 1513 N. Western, adventureland- COMEDY Wed 2 and 7:30 PM, Thu-Fri 7:30 PM, Sat 2 and 8 PM, A pop-up market featuring artists, makers, vintage gallery.info. F Sun 2 PM, Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph, vendors, vegan food by The Spread, complimentary Funny Little Liars broadwayinchicago, $32-$90. drinks for those 21 and up, and more, organized by “Outsider Art: The Collection of Comics tell two truths and a lie on stage and it’s up to No Requests. Cash donations benefi t Chicago Period the audience to decide what’s what. If they’re wrong, LIT Project. Vendors include No Requests, Feeltrip Records, Victor F. Keen” the stand-up will make up an embarassing lie about that Ace High Vintage, Wood & Wax Co., and Dispencer More than 40 works of art from the most well-known audience member. This month’s guests include Taneshia Plexiglas #5 Handpoke. Sat 2/8, 2-8 PM, Smashed Plastic Record outsider artists from the collection of Victor F. Keen are Rice, Marz Timms, and Amber Autry. Sun 2/9, 9 PM, Poet Callie Garnett reads alongside a presentation of Pressing, 2833 N. Tripp, facebook.com/norequestschi. F on display. 2/6-9/7, Tue-Fri and Sat, 11 AM-6 PM, Thu 11 Laugh Factory, 3175 N. Broadway, laughfactory.com. F work by Cathy Hsiao. Pizza and refreshments will be AM-7 PM, Sun noon-5 PM, Intuit: The Center for Intuitive served. Fri 2/7, 6 PM, Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry, Handmade Market Chicago and Outsider Art, 756 N. Milwaukee, art.org, $5. v
THE TIMES TICKETS START AT $35 AREINCLUDING TONY AWARD® -WINNERRACING JUSTIN PECK’S ELECTRIFYING SNEAKER BALLET
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Joffrey Company Artists Dylan Gutierrez and Jeraldine Mendoza. Photo by Cheryl Mann.
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PREVIEW There’s no need to fear—Underscore is here The company’s sixth annual Chicago Musical Theatre Festival survives where others have failed. By C S
ew musicals are inherently fragile. Fes- February 3-23 at the Edge Theater’s two spac- self-sustaining.” son says. A panel of judges hands out awards tivals devoted to them, exponentially es. Showcasing eight new musicals, several It sounds like magic, but it’s actually math. at the fest’s culmination. Half the gate plus Nmore so. Chicago has seen ambitious staged readings, and a program of ten-minute The shows selected for the sixth annual participation fees ($1,400 for each of the eight fests showcasing new tuners come and go: The shows, the fest is one of the last of its kind UCMTF each get a minimum of five perfor- musicals, less for the ten-minute shows and Musical Theatre Writers Workshop, Midwest in the nation. The challenges of keeping it mances. Underscore provides marketing, staged readings) is enough to keep the festival New Musicals and . . . New Tuners—all shone solvent aren’t lost on Rachel Elise Johnson, performance space, box office, light and funded and cover expenses for much of Under- brightly and went dark. The latest casualty festival producer and Underscore’s executive soundboards, and board operators. It also score’s season, Johnson says. in the fi eld is the New York Musical Festival, director. But as a tenured professor of mathe- manages a massive open-call audition where “Most of the entrants are artists, not nec- where Next to Normal and [title of show] matics, Johnson thrives on di cult equations. out-of-towners can cast from local talent and essarily producers,” she adds. “We want to (among others), got early productions. NYMF She believes she’s found a formula that’ll make provides visiting artists with a database of help them with that, however we can. Give shuttered suddenly in January, leaving 2020’s Underscore’s fest viable for years to come. Chicago-based designers and recommenda- them the tools to get the show up with the festival entrants with little but feedback from “It’s very hard to mount a show that tions on who to hire. intent and the integrity they envision. We try the selection committee. won’t take a hit,” Johnson says of the costly Ticket sales ($10-$25) are split between to help them keep their entire budget under Which brings us to Underscore Theatre’s task of getting musicals on their feet. “But Underscore and the musicals’ “producers,” $7,000. We’ve had some spend up to $12,000, Chicago Musical Theatre Festival, running we’ve got a festival model that’s financially usually the creators of the new shows, John- but there’ve been shows done for $3,000 that 22 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll THEATER
Verve SOPHIA SINSHEIMER but I’ve quit,’” Liu recalls. “The next day they would love us no matter what. We put the the importance of community without ide- declared bankruptcy. We’re treating it as a pressure on ourselves.” alizing or romanticizing it. There are always positive thing. I mean, I’m already in negative “The main question we want to ask in going to be issues,” Zell says. “I’m not saying have won. It’s not about having a lavish set or vacation days just with Chicago. And obvious- Baked! is why do we put so much pressure there aren’t laughs in the show, but we don’t costumes. It’s about having a developed plot, ly we now have more money for Chicago.” on ourselves? And what happens when we lie trivialize things. It isn’t necessarily built complicated characters, and a good story. Baked! raised almost $8,000 via Indiegogo. because of that pressure?” Kumar says. for laughs, like a sitcom. I consider myself a “For the most part, a few sold-out perfor- It will cover the show’s all-Asian American Verve takes on pressure of a di erent kind. feminist. I think it’s important for women to mances should make (entrants) back their ensemble, which Liu and Kumar cast locally. The musical, featuring Chicagoan Fran Zell’s have the opportunity to be seen and heard on money. Our idea is everyone should break Liu is paying for a $7-a-night Airbnb out of book and lyrics and a score composed by stage.” even or come out ahead,” she says. pocket. Kumar’s commuting from Champaign the late Karena Mendoza, is rooted in Zell’s While Underscore’s fest is in its sixth year, In the two months between being selected several times a week. They describe Baked! as experiences at a Curves gym. “I almost didn’t Johnson’s been helming it for three. She ex- for the fest and mounting their show, some an Asian American high school story that up- have to read the local newspaper because I got pects 2021 could bring a spike in entrants. producers turn to crowdfunding. That’s the ends the cliches of both high school and Asian all the news from women chatting at Curves. “I think with the closing of NYMF we’re one route Deepak Kumar, a doctoral candidate fi n- American teens. I mostly just listened,” Zell recalls. Musical of the last festivals devoted to new musicals ishing up his computer science dissertation at “Other high school stories we saw on theater luminary Joan Mazzonelli will direct a left in the country. That will probably impact the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, stage—Dear Evan Hansen, Heathers, Be More fi ve-woman cast that ranges in age from teen our submissions,” she says. For artists, the and Jordan Liu, a San Francisco-based Google Chill—they didn’t feel that honest to our expe- to grandmother. Mazzonelli has a long history benefi ts are tough to calculate. software engineer, took when they learned riences,” says Liu. of putting new works on their feet: She logged Johnson sums it up: “You can be the first their show Baked! had been selected for both “For us, high school wasn’t like a John 24 years (1985-2009) as the executive director person to play a role, to really help something Underscore’s fest and the New York Musical Hughes movie,” he adds. “The popular kids of Theatre Building Chicago (now Stage 773), great come to life. You don’t know—you could Festival. The latter’s sudden end barely fazed were popular because they were really nice in an era when the venue was the city’s pre- be working on the next Hamilton. You’re part them. and really smart. There’s no rampant bullying miere spot for brand-new musicals. of something bigger than you.” v “In December, the NYMF artistic director or drug use. And our parents weren’t putting Zell describes the show as a celebration of emailed—‘Look, I don’t want to alarm you, tons of pressure on us. We knew our parents community, fl aws and all. “You can celebrate @CateySullivan
The mind-bending cult classic By ensemble member TRACY LETTS Directed by DAVID CROMER
Due to popular demand– now extended through Tickets start at $20 steppenwolf.org MARCH 15 312-335-1650
ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 23 B R Through / : Tue : PM, Wed and : PM, Thu-Fri : PM, Sat-Sun and : PM; see website for complete schedule, Steppenwolf Theatre, N. Halsted, - - , steppenwolf. THEATER org, $-$ .
Bug MICHAEL BROSILOW
an obvious drifter with a mysterious past. After being introduced to Agnes by R.C. (Jen- nifer Engstrom), Peter ends up ditching a party to spend time with Agnes instead. They hang out, smoke crack, drink vodka and Cokes, and—“Did you hear that?”—go hunting for a cricket that turns out to be not a cricket at all, but rather Agnes’s dying smoke detector. After Peter sends the device careen- ing off the wall of scenic designer Takeshi Kata’s perfect set, he encourages her to get rid of the thing immediately. “Why?” Agnes asks. “They’re dangerous. They’ve got americi- um-241 in them. More radioactive than pluto- nium,” Peter says. “Holy shit. No wonder I feel so lousy,” Agnes responds. Agnes feels lousy for several reasons: Her ex-husband is out of jail early, and his reentry into her life floats above her head with im- pending doom; she smokes a lot of crack and she drinks a lot, too. She hasn’t seen her son since he vanished from her shopping cart at a grocery store almost ten years ago, a painful truth she shares with Peter shortly after they bond over the dangers of that americium in the smoke detector. Once Agnes invites Peter to sleep on the floor of her hotel room, the two become inseparable, their blossoming friendship stoked into a love story by the fl ames of Peter’s emergent paranoia, and Agnes’s willingness to believe or smoke anything that makes her feel alive. REVIEW Peter’s paranoia exhibits as a multilayered theory about the millions of militarized bugs he believes his body fell prey to after a Paranoia will destroy ya state-sanctioned experiment on citizen sur- veillance went wrong. A former soldier, Peter’s Tracy Letts’s Bug feels even more relevant nearly a quarter century later. PTSD is palpable and raw. As originally writ- ten by Letts, Agnes is 17 years Peter’s senior. By K R She takes him to bed, but their relationship isn’t overtly sexual. They bond over the chips stacked against him and the ways the world has wronged them. While Agnes doesn’t he lobby of Steppenwolf Theatre should play premiered in London in 1996, starring wolf ensemble member Namir Smallwood) initially exhibit any signs of her own mental have been fi lled with the pings and dings Shannon Cochran and Michael Shannon, and would think not. illness, she is easily caught up in Peter’s panic. Tof Iowa caucus results as audience mem- made its local debut at A Red Orchid Theatre It’s hard to believe in coincidences when Her cultural contagion feels just as applicable bers exited the theater Monday night. The in 2001, starring Kate Buddeke and Shannon.) you’re living in a widespread, govern- today as it did nearly 25 years ago in a political opening performance of Steppenwolf’s pre- But there were no results, only disput- ment-backed conspiracy theory. When Peter climate where polarization works. We’re all miere of Tracy Letts’s Bug, directed by David ed claims of election hacks and digital meets Agnes (Steppenwolf ensemble member just trying to survive. v Cromer, coincided with the very beginning of interference. Carrie Coon) at the seamy motel she calls the Democratic primary season, after all. (The Coincidence? Bug’s Peter Evans (Steppen- home on the outskirts of Oklahoma City, he’s @kaylenralph 24 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll THEATER
ca-est here. Tens across the board. And we’re not even halfway to intermission. The choreography is fi re, as is immediately apparent in “The Mooche,” which showcases a corps of Josephine Baker-fine dancers outfi tted in elaborate palm-leaf scanties that evoke Baker’s iconic banana leaf costume. (Theresa Ham’s designs deserve a runway.) The sizzler is so unabashedly sensual if feels like you could get pregnant just watching it. Opening night, there was a wig mishap that turned into a scene of pure inspiration during “Mooche.” May we all handle whatever obsta- cles life throws our way with the unfl appable, authoritative beauty of Teri K. Woodall schooling that rogue hair pile. Woodall gets
S L R Through / : Thu : PM, Fri PM, Sat : and PM, Sun PM; also Tue-Wed / - /, : PM; Thu / and / , : PM only, Ruth Page Center for the Arts, N. Dearborn, - -, porchlightmusictheatre.org, $-$ .
a solo dance later with “Solitude” (sung by Lydia Burke with the intensity of a thousand
Sophisticated Ladies MICHAELCOURIER breaking hearts). It’s a breathtaking celebra- tion of muscle, blood and bone, and physical power. This is what Walt Whitman was talking about when he sang the body electric. Every song in the revue tells an elabo- REVIEW rate story rich in detailed characters, the transitions between songs adding layers on layers. Some are entire scenes, such as “Ko- Get ducats for the Duke—now Ko” which features an edge-of-your-seat poker game where the mighty Lorenzo Rush Porchlight’s Sophisticated Ladies earns all the imperatives. Jr. eventually swaggers o with the loot. As is only fi tting, because when Rush scats, it’s By C S pure money. Speaking of: Joey Stone. Although Stone looks nothing like Ben Vereen, his dance— particularly his jazz and tap—evokes the ’m no fan of imperatives, but on occasion overture that sounds like a this-cannot-pos- great song-and-dance man at the height of one simply must make an exception. To sibly-be-topped-finale. Then, it just keeps his powers. Stone’s line is Grecian-graceful Iwit: Stop reading this. Not kidding. Cease getting better. Sophisticated Ladies is the and his footwork looks so effortless it’s immediately and go get tickets to Porchlight sound of glory, amplifi ed by sublime dancing. like he’s saying, “Oh, this old backward Music Theatre’s Sophisticated Ladies. Direct- Let’s start with Donica Lynn, whose mid- double-time-step-buffalo-shuffle-pirou- ed and choreographed by Brenda Didier and fi rst act “It Don’t Mean a Thing” is accompa- ette-split-leap-Arabian thing? Just pulled it Florence Walker Harris with music direction nied by a sparkly corps of snazzy chorines. out of the hamper ’cause everything else was by Jermaine Hill, it is to jukebox musicals as You know how extraordinary feats of gym- in the wash.” Shut. Up. the Grand Canyon is to sinkholes. nastics are named for their creators, such If you have a pulse, Sophisticated La- The revue of more than two dozen as the double-double beam dismount known dies will fill you with joy. Why are you still Duke Ellington songs (concept by Donald as the Biles? Lynn’s molten vocals should be here? v McKayle) begins with Hill’s seven-piece likewise codifi ed. Nobody in musical theater orchestra unleashing an incandescent out-Donicas Donica, and she is at her Doni- @CateySullivan ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 25 THEATER
How to Defend Yourself LIZLAUREN
OPENING Nothing is as it seems to be in How a Boy Falls, Steven Dietz’s family drama receiving its world premiere pro- “NOT TO BE MISSED... Words fail duction here at Northlight, and that’s a problem. If one R An “empathy coach” enters a workplace person had a dark secret, or hidden past, in this tale of a DYNAMIC...JOYOUS...THRILLING” family shaken by the perhaps accidental death of a young hornet’s nest. - boy, it might have made for a great drama—or at least Jess McLeod directs the Chicago premiere of Do You an interesting one. But Dietz piles on one secret a er Feel Anger?, Mara Nelson-Greenberg’s trenchant 2018 another, until we come to believe nothing in the play is satire of offi ce and gender politics. Empathy coach certain, and then we stop caring. Sofi a (Emjoy Gavino) walks into a hornet’s nest of toxic To be fair, there are a lot of reasons we don’t care misunderstanding and abuse when she’s hired to help a about Dietz’s story. For one, Dietz, a seasoned and debt collection company get their act together. From the accomplished playwright, has chosen this time around to cheerful yet traumatized Eva (Sadieh Rifai) to the friendly treat his characters like mere pieces in a very complicat- but clueless boss, Jon (Lawrence Grimm), and alternately ed game, with the result that Dietz’s characters talk a lot, horrifying duo of Jordan (Bernard Gilbert) and Howie do a lot, but rarely say or do anything that makes us want MUST CLOSE (Levi Holloway), Sofi a’s got a whale of a job on her hands. to know about who they are, or why they do what they do. MARCH 6 It is an environment in which basic communication This may be one reason why the current production has broken down on a word-to-word level. Men, women, is so cold; there just are no relatable characters to draw us in. I suspect there are many factors in the show’s lack insiders, and outsiders all have their own languages TICKETS & MORE AT of warmth, and plenty of blame to go around. For one, PORCHLIGHTMUSICTHEATRE.ORG and can barely understand one another across their Dietz’s story is not particularly well structured. There 1016 N. DEARBORN AVE. diff erences. It grinds the bubbly Sofi a down to the point are lots of big reveals in his tale, moments when, in a that by the end she has taken on the devolved argot of better-told story, we might gasp in surprise, or smile the horrifi c workplace she’d been tasked to fi x. But the in recognition, but here only remind us that in Dietz’s more we learn of her own backstory, the more evident it Buffalo Theat e En em le P e ent universe anything can happen, and does, and so what. becomes that Sofi a may not have been the ideal choice to The show’s director, Halena Kays, seems utterly remedy what seem like intractable problems. unable to fi nd any drama in this drama. Nor do her actors; From the ugly geometric set (designed by Jeff in the hands of this cast Dietz’s words are rarely anything Kmiec) to Mike Durst’s cold fl uorescent lighting to the more than a 75-minute acting exercise. Of the fi ve mem- pitch-perfect portrayals of an unbalanced set of people, bers of this ensemble, only Cassidy Slaughter-Mason is this is a scary-accurate take on our current situation. able to give her character—a shady, negligent au pair—the Paul Dillon as the Old Man nearly steals the show in his illusion of depth. The rest of the cast could be played by puppets, and nothing would be lost. In fact, this play THE cameo, but it’s Nelson-Greenberg’s funny/horrible words might work better with puppets. On second thought: which are the clear stars. She makes us empathize with no, it wouldn’t. —J H H B F this fl awed bunch in a way Sofi a could only dream of. Through 2/29: Wed 1 and 7:30 PM, Thu 7:30 PM, Fri 8 By Be ah B un —D S D Y F A ?Through PM, Sat 2:30 and 8 PM, Sun 2:30 PM; also Sun 2/23, CAKE 3/15: Thu-Fri 7:30 PM, Sat 3 and 7:30 PM, Sun 3 PM, 7 PM; Wed 2/19, 7:30 PM only, North Shore Center Di ected y Ste A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells, 312-943-8722, for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, JAN 30 - MAR 1 aredorchidtheatre.org, $30 Thu, $35 Fri and Sat 847-673-6300, northlight.org, $30-$89, $15 students. AtTheMAC.org matinee, $40 Sat evening and Sun matinee. 630.942.4000 McAninch Arts Center Written by one of the former writers and How a play falters The laws of attraction 425 Fawell Blvd, Glen Ellyn current producer of NBC’s hit show This Is Us. R Steven Dietz’s family drama lacks high stakes. Desire and self-defense clash in How to
26 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll CHICAGOSHAKESPEARETHEATER THEATER Jane Austen’s classic
Defend Yourself. Ivy League education and moneyed pedigree, John has is filled with wit, romance— Last summer, Selina Fillinger’s drama Something Clean clawed his way up and will stop at nothing to avoid his asked us to consider the a ermath of a campus rape con-man father’s fate. He will do things the right way. John and now, glorious song! from the point of view of the perpetrator’s parents. Now then fi nds himself jetting off to Latin America to sell loans in Liliana Padilla’s How to Defend Yourself (presented to developing economies. Along with his steely and quick “WILL HAVE YOU DANCING IN at Victory Gardens in a co-world premiere with Actors coworker Charlie (David Weiss), John holds the wand to BEGINS JANUARY Theatre of Louisville), we meet a group of college stu- an enormous credit bubble and keeps blowing into it. YOUR CHAIR AND LAUGHING dents who are wrestling (literally) with what to do a er a But, of course, too much hot air catches up with John, sorority sister is raped by two young men at a frat party. and he spirals out as the cracks begin to show. Bankruptcy Guilt, defi ance, desire, and cultural as well as gender begins to suff ocate everything, including John’s own mor- WITH HOLIDAY CHEER”CHICAGO NOW diff erences all break out in a series of self-defense als. As his reality and madness begin to peel apart, John classes, conducted by Brandi (Anna Crivelli), a Type-A takes the audience on a tragic trip to fi nancial Hell—and whose bossiness hides her remorse at not doing more to it doesn’t seem like we’ve ever really escaped. —KT protect her “little sister,” and Kara (Netta Walker), whose H L Through 2/29: Thu-Sat 7:30 “PURE JOY” “SMART & defi ant proclamations about enjoying the messier edges PM, Sun 3 PM; also Mon 2/17, 7:30 PM (industry) and NEWCITY of sex eventually reveal her own insecurities. Wed 2/26, 7:30 PM (understudy night), Den Theatre, FUNNY” Their students include gun enthusiast Diana (an 1331 N. Milwaukee, 773-697-3830, brokennosetheatre. CHICAGO endearing Isa Arciniegas), who is attracted to her best com, pay what you can. TRIBUNE friend, Mojdeh (Ariana Mahallati), who in turn harbors a crush on an older guy in her biology class. Painfully shy Nikki (Andrea San Miguel) and the well-meaning-but- Not many kicks out-of-their-depth male duo of Andy (Ryan McBride) and A jukebox musical about Route 66 meanders. Eggo (Jayson Lee) round out the class. What Padilla’s play—directed with pinpoint precision There is no story in Roger Bean’s jukebox musical, nor and plenty of startling wit by Marti Lyons—asks us to are there any characters, only the barest fi g leaf of a consider is how defending our lives can so o en clash unifying theme; all of the songs in this show are either with living our lives. As we teach young women “how to about the iconic highway, stretching from Chicago to avoid being raped,” do we spend as much time teaching Santa Monica, California, or they concern stops along the young men (even the “good” ones, like Andy and Eggo) way. If you think this is not enough to power a two-hour how to avoid staying silent in the face of rape culture? show, you’re right. At the very time that young people should be exploring Bean depends utterly on the songs, and on the nostal- their sexual identities, we remind them that their joy in gic feelings these old chestnuts from mid-20th-century their powers of attraction can’t always save them from America—among them “King of the Road,” “On the Road a world where conquest remains a dominant driver in Again,” and the one the show is named a er—are meant to A NEW MUSICAL human interactions. —K R H D evoke in the audience. He doesn’t even mix in allusions to Y Through 2/23: Tue-Fri 7:30 PM, Sat 3 and the myriad references to the Route in literature, fi lm, and book, music 7:30 PM, Sun 3 PM, Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. television. (Both John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath & lyrics by Lincoln, 773-871-3000, victorygardens.org, $31-$65. and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road feature long swatches of 66, but you wouldn’t know it from this show.) PAUL The songs in the show are nice. Bean is not a bad GORDON House of cards anthologist; he does a good job of giving us a fi ne mix of adapted from R A banker gets trapped in the dark art of familiar and overlooked tunes, in a wide variety of styles T I C K E T S the deal. and genres. But in the end, Bean depends way too much START AT the novel by on a strong ensemble of singer-actor-dancers to carry the $ Jane Austen You’d think by now we’d need no more convincing: bank- show. ers are crooks, the fi nancial system is a top-heavy house Sadly that is not what we have here. Instead we get THROUGH directed by FEB of cards, and Brooks Brothers is for assholes. four pretty good singers, directed by Mary Pat Sieck, BARBARA Enter Broken Nose Theatre’s Labyrinth. A riveting who do a pretty good job, but almost none display the drama—and compelling primer on how U.S. loans fucked star power needed to make these gems shine. That is GAINES over Latin American countries back in the 70s and 80s— not to say the cast lacks charm. Quinn Corrigan is par- the story dissects economic corruption at a subjective ticularly adept at a certain calculated goofi ness. But no level. As director Spenser Davis points out in his program one in the ensemble has the chops, or that inexpressible notes, Labyrinth is about “the people getting the deals something, needed to make an audience go wow. It done.” It’s not about taking out the economy’s transmis- doesn’t help that they are not singing with a live band, sion and explaining each of the parts; it’s about under- but with a canned synthesizer-filled accompaniment. standing the emotions and histories that drive people to To be sure, you won’t get your kicks from this Route 66. insatiable greed and its inevitable fallout. —J H R Through 3/6: Fri-Sat 8 PM, Beth Steel’s play begins with John Anderson (William Sun 3 PM, Open Door Repertory, 902 S. Ridgeland, LEAD Ray and Judy Anthony Sebastian Rose II), a scrappy young banker, Oak Park, 708-386-5510, opendoortheater.net, $27, PRODUCTION Burton X. and Carl and SPONSORS McCaskey Sheli Z. Rosenberg Marilynn oma at an interview for his fi rst big job. It’s 1978. WIthout an $25 seniors, $15 students. v ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 27 FILM
SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL Reviewing while Black at Sundance On criticism, inclusion—and exclusion—at one of the most diverse Sundance festivals in history. By S F
was fortunate enough to be one of the 51 Ebert’s reviews, falling in love with fi lms that critics selected for the Sundance Press would never bother to screen in the heartland. Inclusion initiative, a program that Ebert’s descriptive powers took me a world provided free tickets to the ten-day Sun- away from the decidedly unexciting cornfi elds dance Film Festival and cash for lodging surrounding Indianapolis. Sure, the idea of Iand airfare to, as the festival notes, “critics, going to Sundance was on my bucket list, in the freelancers, and journalists from backgrounds same way that traveling to space or visiting the underrepresented in the critical mainstream, Obama White House were; it was a beautiful with an emphasis on people of color, women, and unlikely dream for a middle-aged Black and people with disabilities.” woman from humble beginnings and modest When a friend wondered how the program present. As a recovering fashion designer, I had come about, the comedian in me cynically knew how expensive and elite Park City, Utah, responded: “I guess like most businesses they was and immediately bought an impractical are moving towards increased diversity—or all-white coat in a fi t of insecurity. they got in trouble for something.” Jokes Fifty-one participants in an inclusion pro- aside, no win in the diversity space is ever gram is extraordinary. Usually there can be “clean.” It’s not a value judgment, it’s a fact. only one person from a marginalized back- And I was completely jazzed that somehow ground in any program, creating an intense this fact included me. fi ght to the death to be considered the “best” Sundance says it created the Press Inclusion among a roster of excellent choices. This time Initiative in 2018 “to address an imbalance in it seemed that at least some of us were chosen the critical landscape.” According to Critic’s to give experience specifi cally to newer artists, Choice 2, a study by USC Annenberg’s Inclu- which helped relieve scrutiny and create a sion Initiative, of the critics reviewing the top relaxed atmosphere. Sitting in a room watch- 300 fi lms from 2015 to 2017, 65.6 percent were ing Janicza Bravo, the Black director of Zola, white males. be interviewed by Jacqueline Coley, a Black I have always loved film—as a teen in the journalist from Rotten Tomatoes, felt revolu- Sheri (center) walks the red carpet at the Black Entertainment Critics Luncheon. COURTESY SHERI FLANDERS heart of Indiana, I grew up reading Roger tionary. A recent New York Times article noted
saic.edu/vap
February 11 February 25 March 10 March 24 April 6 April 21 EMIL INDUSTRIAL SUZANNE IAN TRENTON TSAI FERRIS FACILITY ANKER CHENG DOYLE MING-LIANG HANCOCK FREE ARTIST TALKS 6:00 p.m. The Art Institute of Chicago, Rubloff Auditorium, 230 S. Columbus Dr. | Persons with disabilities requesting accommodations should visit saic.edu/access.
28 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll th eatre FILM th ursdays BREAK THE ROUTINE with world premiere theatre
that this Sundance was one of the most diverse to hear the indomitable Chaz Ebert remind us ever, with women directing 44 percent of the to bring extra socks. Park City is in the middle 118 films, minorities directing 34 percent, of Utah’s gorgeous white-capped mountains, Take pride in the Thursday, February 13 at 6:30pm and those identifying as LGBTQ directing 15 an elite ski destination and frankly a snowy HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELF percent. There was an overwhelming feeling heaven on earth. Within hours of landing, this UNIQUE in the air that perhaps finally, after years of midwesterner was struck by a mild queasi- RISKY at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln pushing that boulder of diversity up the hill, ness from altitude sickness that could only be Theatre Thursday attendees are invited to a pre-show changes were beginning to stick. quelled by a constant diet of Gatorade. BOLD wine and cheese in Victory Gardens Theater’s rehearsal I was grateful that the application for the The Sundance Press Inclusion Initiative was new work room at 6:30pm. Guests will be joined by Literary Manager, Sundance program was short. Usually for created out of the knowledge that one of the happening on Kat Zukaitis, to hear about the development of this diversity programs, I spin my experience de- biggest barriers to attending Sundance is the Chicago stages world premiere. Following the performance will be a pending on what I think the auditors want to price. All-access for the entire festival can cost year-round post-show discussion. hear: a narrative of pain and poverty porn, or up to $4,000. Mainstream journalists on as- ABOUT THE PLAY: Seven college students gather for a DIY self-defense an inspirational triumph story against all odds. signment from major news outlets have their Theatre Thursdays is workshop after a sorority sister is raped. Challenged to determine what Both stories are true. I am a multihyphenate tickets, lodging, airfare, and daily per-diem NEW every month! they want and how to ask for it, the students must ultimately face the artist because I am a Renaissance woman who covered. Freelancers for smaller outlets go on insidious ways rape culture steals one’s body and sense of belonging. has done it all and can do it all out of sheer our own dime or don’t go at all. The Initiative Tickets are $30 with promo code THTH (2/13 event + show) necessity. I try not to think about how much provided a very generous and rare unrestrict- further along in my career I would be if I had ed cash grant to go towards food and lodging, Buy Now: VictoryGardens.org or 773.871.3000 never faced any barriers. I try not to think of in addition to access to fi lms. But by the time the salary I might have now. I try not to think the Inclusion Initiative grants were awarded MORE EVENTS: bit.ly/theatrethursday of the salary of the person 20 years younger a month out, the only lodging left in the area than me with half of the experience. I try not were ritzy lodges with hot tubs and fi replaces @ChicagoPlays #TheatreThursday to think of how I am being touted as an expert for $3,000 or more a night or hostels for $100 with two years of experience to show that our a night or less in nearby Salt Lake City. On the community has “progressed.” But marginal- surface, this seems like a great deal. But the key ized years are like dog years in that the lessons to doing Sundance successfully is staying in are uncompromisingly brutal, forcing growth Park City proper, as everything is within walk- and adaptation at a staggering pace, so per- ing distance or just a short shuttle ride away. haps it is true that I am already an “expert” in The drive from Salt Lake City is mountainous some ways. terrain, and snowfall can turn the 30-minute I came to the world of criticism on a whim. ride into hours of tra c. One last search found Two years ago, the Chicago theater community a modest Airbnb in Park City for $300 a night; a came to a rolling boil, fueled by a seemingly mother-in-law suite attached to a ranch house, endless parade of tone-deaf reviews written with reviews that warned that the walls were by predominantly white and male critics. In so thin that you could hear any conversation response to a particularly egregious review, on the other side. I conferred with my husband a group of artists came together to form the (a fellow journalist who would be damned if he Chicago Theater Accountability Coalition and stayed home while I went on such a cool ad- put out a call for diverse voices willing to give venture), and after adding our own cash to the criticism a try. After answering that call and grant money, booked it immediately. The festi- writing my fi rst review, for Little Fish, I quickly val has announced plans to avoid this lodging began writing for several local publications, situation for grantees in the future after some and eventually started being paid for it. applicants committed to cover Sundance, only to learn too late that they didn’t get the grant. ike most competitive arts programs, Sun- Many resorted to crowdfunding and less-than- dance Press Inclusion participants were ideal living arrangements. Linstructed to not share the good news I got to the press lodge, checked in, and until it had been publicly announced. A few immediately struck up a conversation with days before Sundance I went online and came another journalist. When I mentioned that I across a few tweets from recipients of the was part of the Press Inclusion Initiative, he initiative from the year before who were dis- said that “some of the people who received appointed that they hadn’t been chosen again it last year felt entitled to it this year.” It was this year. As I hurriedly prepared for the trip, clear that there was more to be said, but that I I didn’t have time to give it further thought, wasn’t going to hear it from him. Even without and I turned my focus to the Sundance Press knowing any of the backstory, one thing I know Inclusion video chat and connected just in time for sure is that writing o marginalized folks ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 29 FILM
as bitter or angry is often a way to shut down crabs hit that summer camp of horny kids. Get there on time or not at all. In Park City, to. Yet even the programs you miss at Sun- tough conversations in the arts and beyond. (Seriously, you need to see this movie.) I would every business plays the greatest easy-listen- dance pique your imagination to new modes “You should be grateful just to be here,” he told never in a million years compare attending a ing hits of the 80s and 90s. Trigger warning: of thinking. And one event I missed made me me. “Do you know how many people would kill fi lm festival to achieving one’s bare-minimum if you’re a huge animal rights activist, there is think about what diversity initiatives are and for this opportunity?” civil rights. However, I think her words crys- SO. MUCH. FUR. A walk on a two-block stretch are not. I wasn’t able to fully articulate my thoughts tallize the misunderstanding in our culture in of the central shopping district of Main Street Diversity initiatives are: an acknowledg- on this matter until the end of my fi rst screen- hearing people who express frustration at the took me past four fur shops alone. If you ever ment that there aren’t pathways into an in- ing at Sundance for Crip Camp, a documentary slow pace of equality. Diversity initiatives un- wanted one of those Russian fur hats, this is dustry; an opportunity to gain a view into an that tells the story of a summer camp for wittingly create a hierarchy where there can be your chance. Everyone is really nice. When otherwise inaccessible sphere; a networking disabled kids in the 60s. Out of this bunch of only one—or 51, or 1,000. The number of folks you get on a festival shuttle, you have the best opportunity that might lead to something hippies and kids with disabilities who didn’t fi t included isn’t the point. The point is that there conversations with townspeople and fellow wonderful. in anywhere else rose a group of activists that will always be those shut out of Eden. Sundance attendees. When you get off the Diversity initiatives are not: a mechanism changed America and put their lives on the line No, we shouldn’t need outside validation. shuttle the drivers ominously say, “Be safe.” for changing the institutional forces that make to fi ght for the Americans with Disabilities Act. But it is a lie to pretend that outside validation From what? After coming from Chicago, other an industry inaccessible. At the center of these hard-won battles was the on a resume doesn’t secure better jobs to pay than an avalanche or a ski accident, there do For example, even the Sundance Diversity eternally optimistic activist Judy Heumann, the rent. not seem to be any actual threats in this pic- Initiative could not force the PR agents to who in a sober moment refl ected on the after- turesque ski town dappled in fl u y snowfl akes, grant a lowly newbie critic press access. math of the ADA’s passage and the expectation undance is informally divided into two which makes me wonder if it has some sort of In short: diversity initiatives can lead a that people with disabilities would have some parts—the first half when most of the Stephen King-like curse haunting it. Sleep with horse to water, but it can’t make it drink. kind of neverending gratitude. She said some- Shot premieres happen, the stars visit, one eye open, my friends. I flew back to Chicago and was greeted thing to the e ect of (I’m paraphrasing), “I’m and the press descends, and the relaxed second The whole experience is an exercise in with an excellent op-ed in the Reader written not going to spend the rest of my life grateful half, which tends to draw more Park City locals FOMO. The schedule stacks dozens of must-at- by Chicago theater artist and activist Coya for accessible bathrooms.” and fi lm bu s who want to skip the hustle and tend events one on top of each other, making Paz lamenting the lack of diversity in awards That comment hit my soul the same way bustle. There is no seat saving for your friends. it impossible to attend everything you want shows and theater criticism in Chicago. The
30 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll FILM
Hitting the slopes in Park City COURTESY SHERI FLANDERS
next day, one of the most prominent theater so grateful to have been chosen. To be at the critics in Chicago—who happens to be a white festival at the Press Inclusion Welcome Recep- male—posted a screed on Facebook attacking tion with the encouraging Sundance sta and Paz for expressing a rather basic sentiment the 51 other newcomers from marginalized backed up by data, attacked her for asking backgrounds, preparing to walk through one for more from our community, and the impli- of the most exclusive cities in the world during cation of his feelings was clear: she had been one of the most vibrant artistic happenings in ungrateful. the world, with the opportunity to amplify the And just like that, the movie magic of Sun- voices of those who often are silenced—there’s dance faded away, and it was back to stark nothing more powerful. In that moment, I got reality. Back to the intractable, disgusting to look over to see someone else who normally dynamic that no diversity initiative could ever might not belong, and feel for a second that change. The comments in the critic’s Facebook yes, we do belong. And yes, one day in the fu- post were full of largely white and male theater ture we might always belong. artists—some of whom I respect—piling on On the last day of my visit to Park City I went and crudely denouncing Paz’s call for diversity skiing for the fi rst time in my life. Surprisingly and expressing their gratitude at him for being not terrified, I confidently zipped over the on top. Gratitude for keeping them on top. powdery snow and felt like I was sailing on No diversity program could trump nepotism a cloud. As I fell asleep that night, I felt the or any “isms.” No inclusion program can ever sensation of my body gliding on a sea of possi- mend what is broken in Chicago. bility. My all-white coat is now fi lthy and fi lled I will definitely apply for the Sundance with happiness. v initiative next year, and secretly in my heart optimistically hope to receive it again. I am @SheriFlanders ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 31 FILM
BoJack Horseman
fi rst a formality and a recovery, the second a brutal #MeToo-era interrogation that dashes any hopes of the happy ending hinted at in previous scenes of post-rehab college profes- sor BoJack. But maybe we weren’t hoping for a happy ending. Maybe we shouldn’t have been. Still, I found myself yelling at my TV when BoJack relapsed and went on his worst bender yet. “The View from Halfway Down” is one of the best—potentially the best—episodes of the entire series. The “feature” episodes, which break from the traditional A-plot and B-plot formula of the show, have historically been the best of BoJack (I’m talking “Fish Out of Water,” “Free Churro,” etc.). From the moment the second-to-last episode began, I felt myself shift to the edge of my seat, palms sweaty and eyes afraid to blink. This episode was what I wanted and expected from the end of BoJack. The details recalled from past seasons were exquisite, the pacing was exceptional, and refrains of numbers like “Don’t Stop Danc- ing” and the hauntingly catchy ditty from the SMALL SCREEN “Time’s Arrow” episode reminded us of how truly tight-knit this story is. Still, BoJack Horseman outdid even the BoJack Horseman’s penultimate best of itself when it brought me to the verge of tears, the moment that Secretariat read out the lines, “But this is it, the deed is done episode secured its legacy / Silence drowns the sound / Before I leaped I should have seen the view from halfway down Netfl ix satisfyingly sends off everyone’s favorite half-horse half-man. / No! I really should have thought / About By T A the view from halfway down.” Suddenly, the epiphany hits: the opening credits that have played since the very fi rst episode were show- ing BoJack halfway down, sinking in his pool the same way the show’s penultimate episode Warning: This review contains spoilers for the more mastery. reveals his almost death, his reckoning, his fi nal season of BoJack Horseman. After the cli anger ending of “A Quick One, delivery to justice. While He’s Away,” released back in October, I BoJack’s death wouldn’t have felt like an eries finales are often anticipated with felt sure that the Penny Carson ordeal in New easy out; sometimes that’s just how a story dread. We want our favorite shows to last Mexico was going to be the final straw that has to end, especially with such a complex Sforever; when we come to terms with the broke the horse’s back. The real kicker, how- and broken protagonist. But I’ve made peace fact that they can’t, we wait with bated breath ever, ends up being the death of Sarah Lynn. with BoJack living on, guided by the growth for the fi nale, praying that the fi nal moments Don’t get me wrong: Penny’s still relevant. of characters like Princess Carolyn and Diane, rea rm our love rather than mar everything In fact, everything is relevant in these final both happily married in the end (but, impor- the show once was (see: Game of Thrones). episodes, everything bad BoJack’s ever done, tantly, not in a “we married off the female But I wasn’t worried about BoJack Horse- everyone he’s ever hurt. We as viewers know leads” sort of way). He’s around to see the man. As a longtime all-time favorite of mine, the context for all that stuff. We’ve made independence of Mr. Peanutbutter and the I had grown to trust the creators. Since the allowances and tried to understand. But it’s (relative) emotional maturity of Todd. He’s Netflix original premiered in 2014, almost clear that now, at the time of BoJack’s reckon- around to get sober again, and to hopefully every episode of BoJack has seemed to outdo ing, no allowances will be made. stay that way. v its precursor. When the second half of season And so everything crumbles when BoJack is six dropped on January 31, I was ready for subject to two Biscuits Braxby interviews, the @itstarynallen 32 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll R READERRECOMMENDED b ALLAGES N NEW F FILM Never miss a show again. EARLY WARNINGS Find a concert, buy a ticket, and sign up to get advance notice of Chicago’s essential music shows at chicagoreader.com/early.
TRUE/FALSETRUE/FALSE filmfilm festfest March 5–8, 2020 Columbia, MO TRUEFALSE.ORG a four-day celebration with nonfiction film, music, and immersive art Dying to Survive
NOW PLAYING but decimated the industry. Joe Heslinga’s Foosballers explores that history and the fervent subculture that still THIS WEEK AT Dying to Survive surrounds the sport decades a er mainstream culture R Based on the real-life story of Lu Yong—a deemed it obsolete, while spotlighting a handful of elite Chinese man who was unable to aff ord the medication players as they train for an upcoming tournament. Like for his leukemia and began smuggling a less-expensive any great subculture documentary, Foosballers is at its THE LOGAN version of it from India—Wen Muye’s social realist drama best while opening a window into the passion, dedica- takes a familiar approach but is aff ecting neverthe- tion, and personal stories of its subjects. And though less. Xu Zheng stars as the Lu Yong character; here the fi lm begins to get weighed down in all its details and he doesn’t have the disease himself but rather gets minutiae, the intensity heightens as the players convene into prescription drug smuggling to make money and at the Tornado World Championships to compete for provide for his elderly father and young son. His moti- prize money and the chance to rank among the best vations begin to change a er he assembles a group of foosball players on Earth. —J L 96 min. Fea- accomplices (a mix of leukemia patients and people turing a post-fi lm Q&A with director Joe Heslinga and with sick relatives) and becomes close with them. The documentary subject and world champion foosball play- THE ELEPHANT MAN camaraderie within the group accounts for the fi lm’s er Tony Spredeman. Tue 2/11, 7 PM. Music Box Theatre FEB 7-10 AT 11 PM best scenes; they’re quite humorous at times, adding levity to the serious subject matter. Hugely successful Honey Boy in China (and a signifi cant factor in recent drug cost R The fi rst fi ve minutes of Honey Boy move so fast reform), this isn’t an innovative piece of fi lmmaking, but it’s almost dizzying. This seemingly autobiographical fi lm it’s enjoyable and thought provoking. In English and written by and starring Shia LaBeouf follows the dys- subtitled Mandarin. —K S 117 min. Sat 2/8, functional relationship between child star Otis (played 7 PM. Chicago Filmmakers by the wise-beyond-his-years Noah Jupe as a child and by indie-fi lm-favorite Lucas Hedges as an adult) and his Foosballers alcoholic father James (LaBeouf) over the course of a R Most people think of foosball as a game that’s decade, told through fl ashbacks and dream sequences. BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S played casually in someone’s basement or the occasional As a child, Otis is instantly lovable, but as a young adult, FEB 11-13 AT 10:30 PM dive bar, but for some it’s a way of life. Invented in he’s a raging alcoholic whose sentence to a rehab center Europe in the 1920s, foosball (or table soccer) was intro- prompts many of the fi lm’s most triggering fl ashbacks. duced to the U.S. in the 1950s, where it reached peak Yet, in this movie there are no villains; despite James popularity in the 1970s before the rise of video games all being the primary perpetrator of Otis’s suff ering, he too 2646 N. MILWAUKEE AVE | CHICAGO, IL | THELOGANTHEATRE.COM | 773.342.5555 ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 33 FILM
Honey Boy
is a victim with a traumatic past that evokes more sym- (Olimpia Melinte), a one-eyed Soviet mercenary sniper, pathy than disgust. Nevertheless, in Otis’s adult years plays a stock “bad gal” antagonist to Anselmo as she we can see the scars from a childhood spent growing up torments and, in one particularly disturbing scene, too fast. LaBeouf is a tour de force, and his performance sexually assaults the local populace. In the end, Sordo feels all the more poignant considering his own begin- leaves little to recommend besides over-glossy action nings as a child star and later legal troubles. Chaotic in sequences and picturesque Spanish countryside views. the best way possible, Honey Boy is as heartbreaking as —AM -K 121 min. Streaming on Netfl ix it is gritty, unfl inching in its portrayal of a complicated father-son relationship that leaves both parties—and the 37 Seconds viewer—devastated. —N DL R, 95 min. Now R Those tired of the incessant stream of sequels, playing at Gene Siskel Film Center reboots, and adaptations can look no further than 37 Seconds, a profound hidden gem from Japanese fi lm- Sordo maker Hikari. Yuma (Mei Kayama) is a 23-year-old manga Set in the waning days of World War II, Sordo tells the artist with cerebral palsy searching for independence story of Anselmo Rojas (Asier Etxeandia), a fugitive a er a lifetime of being hidden away from the world Spanish revolutionary. He is forced to go on the run in by her exploitative boss and her well-meaning but northern Spain a er a failed sabotage attempt against protective mother. A er an editor at an adult publication the Francoist military dictatorship leaves him deaf. suggests she get more life experience, Yuma comes Taking clear inspiration from Sergio Leone westerns, of age on her own terms without being sheltered and writer-director Alfonso Cortés-Cavanillas attempts to fi nds a sense of community along the way. 37 Seconds dazzle us with some ni y gunslinging sequences and is quite unique, especially with its splices of animation panoramic set locations in the fi lm’s early stages, but and humor, but the most poignant moments examine by the second act the narrative collapses into absurdity. the intersections of sex, agency, and disability with a Anselmo is provided with ample opportunities to either refreshing sensitivity. It’s a rare fi lm that understands escape or kill his pursuers, the majority of whom appear disability as a complex part of its character’s under- utterly inept in the basic use of strategy, but instead standing of themselves and the world around them, lingers around on the outskirts of town with no appar- rather than a categorization to be swi ly demonized or ent mission. The novel plot development of Anselmo’s fetishized. There are many moving parts in 37 Seconds, deafness adds a degree of tension to the proceedings, sometimes to its own detriment, but it is sure to be but ultimately the narrative is dragged down by its unlike anything you’ve ever seen—for the better. —C poor pacing and undeveloped characters—Darya Volkov C 115 min. Streaming on Netfl ix v
34 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll The Blue Groove Lounge crowd at Elbo Room in the late 1990s. The woman at center right is poet and singer Tina Howell, currently of the band Bumpus (and a former Reader employee). “BIG LARRY” MONDRAGON
W B P W P This daylong party features dance workshops and battles, DJ sets, face painting and live mural making, pop-up shops and galleries, and more. The bill for the evening concert, headliner first, is Mental Giants, Cash Era, Ang13, Brittney Carter, the Blue Groove Freestyle (with Alderman Andre Vasquez aka Prime, Anyi Ahlation, Semiratruth, Sam-I-Am, the Third, Meta Mo, Gq tha Teacha, and others), Pumpin’ Pete & DJ Nonstop, Add-2, Encyclopedia Brown, Jesse de la Peña, and hosts Dirty MF & Matt Muse. Sat 2/8, noon (concert at 6 PM), Metro, 3730 N. Clark, free, all-ages
B L -Y R Fe t ring DJ Jesse de l Peñ , DJ P mpin’ Pete, nd Tone B. Nimble, hosted by Dirty F. on 2/10, 9 P, Promontory, 5311 S. L ke P rk Ave. West, $12, $10 in Building on the pillars of Blue Groove Lounge The history of DJ Jesse de la Peña’s foundational Chicago hip-hop series, in the words of the people who made it work. By L G
aunched in 1994, Blue Groove Lounge precious few such spaces existed in the city. Parlor—and Blue Groove’s draw ballooned to annual Winter Block Party held by Vocalo wasn’t early enough to be Chicago’s fi rst Elbo Room’s multilevel space held only about fi ll the bigger space. Its time at Double Door and Young Chicago Authors into a multigen- hip-hop series. Before DJ Jesse de la Peña 200 people, but eventually anyone who want- ended in 2000, and in 2003—after the series erational celebration of Blue Groove Lounge, started Blue Groove on Monday nights at ed to make or hear hip-hop in Chicago ended moved from venue to venue for a couple years, showcasing series veterans alongside rising Elbo Room, rapper-producer Kingdom up there. So did big national players, including concluding with a short run at the Blue Note— artists. LRock was hosting parties at Blue Gargoyle in Missy Elliott, Wyclef Jean, and Cypress Hill. de la Peña put it to rest. “The equivalent of Blue Groove Lounge Hyde Park; DJ and producer P-Lee Fresh ran a Blue Groove got so popular that the line to get De la Peña has previously thrown one-off today is really the work that YCA does with north-side hip-hop club called Steps; and MC in would stretch down the block. Blue Groove Lounge reunions to commem- young people,” says Vocalo managing director and promoter Duro Wicks hosted two crucial Unfortunately, dozens of Lakeview resi- orate some of the series’s big anniversaries. Silvia Rivera. “Creating a space for them to series, fi rst at Lizard Lounge in Wicker Park dents complained about after- hours noise out- This week he belatedly celebrates its 25th with test out material and really come together and then at Lower Links in Lakeview. De la side Elbo Room, and in early 1998, the series two events. On Monday, February 10, former around the elements of hip-hop culture.” YCA Peña had even spun hip-hop during his stint as got the boot. It moved briefl y to Funky Buddha Blue Groove residents Pumpin’ Pete and Tone artistic director Kevin Coval was a Blue Groove a Smart Bar resident. But no series catalyzed Lounge, then in August of that year to Double B. Nimble (cofounder of All Natural) will spin regular, and in August he pitched Rivera and Chicago’s emerging 90s hip-hop scene quite Door. Wicker Park was already a hub for the with de la Peña at Promontory; rapper Dirty de la Peña on the Blue Groove anniversary like Blue Groove Lounge. hip-hop scene and the like-minded poetry MF (of Liquid Soul and hip-hop collective Ele- Block Party. A scene veteran as well as a DJ for acid-jazz community—the neighborhood also played ments of Nature, aka EONs) will host, as he did To understand what made de la Peña’s troupe Liquid Soul, de la Peña wanted Blue host to Afrocentric bookstore Lit-X, lifestyle for most of Blue Groove’s run. And at Metro series so vital to the development of Chicago Groove to be a home base for hip-hop, because boutique Triple X, and record store Beat on Saturday, February 8, de la Peña turns the hip-hop, I reached out to rappers, DJs, produc- ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 35 ers, and other scene fi gures who spent most if JESSE DE LA PEÑA My buddy Tommy Kline, walls of it. It was like a cave, and on the sides sible for picking everybody up and dropping not all of their Monday nights at Blue Groove who’s one of the founding members of Liquid of the cave, you had to duck. You can watch it everybody off. For three months straight, I Lounge. Double Door closed in 2017; Elbo Soul, he had a friend that was managing Elbo from the couches, but if you want to be in the would always get lost on my way going home Room, which hasn’t been a signifi cant center Room. We went there and met with John Litz, action, you weren’t any more than 50 to 60 a er leaving Elbo. I would make some weird for hip-hop in decades, went up for sale last the guy that was managing. They were closing feet away from the stage at any time. turn, these guys, they’d be drunk, asleep in the spring (according to a source at real estate the restaurant, and they were gonna do strict- back of the car. I’m stopping off at a gas sta- broker Kamberos Associates, a deal is being ly music. We got in the door through doing RHYMEFEST Geometrically, the way that tion—like, “How do you get back to 94?” negotiated). But while Blue Groove Lounge’s the acid-jazz thing. Once that was a success, I thing is shaped for the music part lets you two longest- term homes aren’t what they once was able to talk ’em into doing a Monday-night know that you have come to see a live show. MARIO SMITH Jesse’s the one who invit- were, the community that it created in those hip-hop party. It really empowered the person on the stage ed me to come to Blue Groove—I’m from spaces continues to reverberate throughout to be able to be in the crowd. And then the the south side; I didn’t know where the Elbo Chicago’s music scenes and beyond. JUICE It took a lot of guts to convince these crowd feels like they’re part of the perfor- Room was. I had just figured out where Mil- owners of these buildings that we belonged in mance as well. waukee, North, and Damen was, and I had there, doing this kind of music on a consistent just started getting comfortable being in that CAST OF CHARACTERS basis. PUMPIN’ PETE Jesse had this scent aesthetic environment. he had to set. Every Monday night, it wouldn’t ANG Rapper PUMPIN’ PETE I get the call from Jesse: “I’m be uncommon to see incense sticking out of KEVIN COVAL In a hypersegregated city, you KEVIN COVAL doing this night on a Monday, it’s something walls, all over, in the basement. He’s trying to could interact with people who came from dif- JESSE DE LA PEÑA completely diff erent for the city of Chicago. hit all the senses. He would have a projector ferent parts of the city, and build an all-city DIRTY MF It’s all hip-hop—it’s right up your alley.” We that would be playing vintage graffi ti or Beat allegiance. JUICE Rapper and freestyler forged our friendship in the basement of the Street, Krush Groove. Even on the bar, there’d DAVID “CAP D” KELLY All Natural Elbo Room. be coasters that were hip-hop, lounge, jazz, or JESSE DE LA PEÑA SPO from the group rapper, chief legal offi cer (business and spoken-word related. Rubberoom was my first host. It was kind of basketball) for the Golden State Warriors JESSE DE LA PEÑA Nobody was doing a word of mouth—reaching out to friends, other IOMOS MARAD Rapper-drummer, party, especially a hip-hop party, on a Monday JESSE DE LA PEÑA It was mainly a gathering graffi ti artists, other DJs. All Natural Inc. affi liate night—that’s the only time we could get the of artist friends, whether they’d be live per- DJ NONSTOP Heavy Hitters collective venue, ’cause it was a super-slow night. formers, visual artists or spray-can artists, or “BIG LARRY” MONDRAGON We would member, DJ for DMX and 104.3 Jams dancers. charge three bucks to get in. GRAVITY Rapper, EONs member, COOLOUT CHRIS You go up the steps, and also goes by “Grav” they have this little lounge area—you’re like, AMINA NORMAN HAWKINS He had the MARIO SMITH I think Jesse let me in for free “COOLOUT CHRIS” HAWKINS Rapper- “This is cool, it’s like a neighborhood bar.” vision for what hip-hop was intended for— the first time, which never happened again, producer for the group Spalaney’s, EONs But then shit changes when you go down- building community, young people having ha ha. member, cofounder of the organizations stairs, and it’s like an underworld—everything their own space, the DJ being the anchor of Chicago Hip-Hop Initiative and Urbanized is dark. You can barely see anything. There’s this platform for artists. He did something at JESSE DE LA PEÑA The early hip-hop par- Music, spouse of Amina Norman-Hawkins these poles and stuff that are down there, so that time that I hadn’t seen anyone else doing. ties in Chicago were a bunch of dudes hang- “BIG LARRY” MONDRAGON Blue if you’re not paying attention, you will run into ing out—somebody would be there with their Groove Lounge door man, promoter one. GRAVITY I was coming from New York—from girlfriend, but it was pretty much an all-guys AMINA NORMAN HAWKINS Cofounder growing up in the middle of hip-hop, and party. of the organizations Chicago Hip- ANG Going down the steps is what made watching it come to fruition, and then mov- Hop Initiative and Urbanized Music, it exciting, because you didn’t know who was ing to Chicago when I did, you weren’t really “BIG LARRY” MONDRAGON I was like, “Why spouse of “Coolout Chris” Hawkins gonna be at the bottom of those steps. And sure what you were gonna run into. And then don’t we just do ‘Ladies free all night?’” If the PANIK Producer, Molemen cofounder watching people come down the steps, it was that place reassured me that the culture was ladies come in for free, the guys are gonna PUMPIN’ PETE like watching stars walk in. strong. come—and they’re gonna pay. RHYMEFEST Rapper, actor, executive director for Art of Culture Inc. DURO WICKS The basement atmosphere JUICE It was a hotbed for artistic expression. JESSE DE LA PEÑA Big Larry, Larry Mon- MARIO SMITH Poet, educator, really took it back to the whole Lower Links It was like Chicago’s Harlem. dragon, started working the door. He always activist, Lumpen Radio personality thing, ’cause Lower Links was also in a base- had a good network of people he’d invite out. DURO WICKS ment club. KEVIN COVAL I remember, when I fi rst went We started seeing a clientele that appreciat- to it, feeling like it was home. ed hip-hop, and we were starting to see ladies JESSE DE LA PEÑA Chicago was defi nitely a ANG A lot of the hip-hop parties back in the come out, and that was unheard of at hip-hop house-music city, and doing hip-hop wasn’t an day used to be basement parties in someone’s AMINA NORMAN HAWKINS Elbo Room parties. easy task. house, but this was a basement party in a club. was offi cial. It was in a legit establishment. It wasn’t in a neighborhood that we typically DIRTY MF All of the sudden there were girls. “BIG LARRY” MONDRAGON Jesse had a GRAVITY If you want to have a drink upstairs, hung out in. That’s how we knew, “Oh, something’s happen- store called the Yard, and I used to run the take a break, holla at somebody ’cause you ing here.” store for him, ’cause he was DJing, doing other can’t hear shit downstairs, then you can go JESSE DE LA PEÑA We were on the north projects. I remember him kicking the idea: “I back to your getaway world down in the base- side, but we were seeing people from the west AMINA NORMAN HAWKINS I came from want to do this night, I want to do open mikes, ment, where it was fuckin’ jumpin’. side, from the south side, from the suburbs. a whole diff erent artistic part of the city, and have guys battle. We’ll have hip-hop DJs.” through some friends found out that there Clubs weren’t playing hip-hop. JUICE It was quaint. It was demure. It was COOLOUT CHRIS I was the dude out of the was this, it felt like, secret place that all the cozy. It had these blue lights all along the group that always had the car, so I was respon- heads went to hang out. 36 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll COOLOUT CHRIS Blue Groove—it was, ever seen. “What time you gonna get up there?” It wasn’t, “Were you coming or not?” I’d seen people MARIO SMITH Back then Ill State Assassins— come up there with crutches. super big crew—they were there all the time, so you got to meet those dudes. As menacing 2~15 DRAG PROM 2~18 AMERICAN AUTHORS 2~21 AMERICAN & MAGIC GIANT NIGHTMARE AMINA NORMAN HAWKINS It was the thing as they’d come off , they were some of the nic- ceremony we all did on Mondays. It was like church. est men and women you’d ever meet.
KEVIN COVAL If you were a hip-hop kid, you CAP D You could be conscious, you could be were hungry to fi nd other people—particular- gritty, you could be more on the commercial ly in the city of house—that had a similar pen- tip—whatever it was, it didn’t really matter, you chant for breaks, and wanted to see some could be at Blue Groove and hear something 2~28 RADICAL FACE 3~5 BLACK LIPS 3~18 LEO DAN axel óvent poppy jean crawford of the emerging culture around it. The Elbo that you wanted to hear and fi t in. & les strychnine Room was the bat signal for a lot of us. AMINA NORMAN HAWKINS There were 2~8 CHARLIE COFFEEN PRESENTS 2~14 COLORS WORLDWIDE PRESENTS 3~1 THE MUSIC OF J DILLA DONUTS R&B ONLY GRAVITY You had the breakdancers there, some familiar faces I knew from Wicker Park— PHISH FOR KIDS you had the rappers there, you had the pro- that’s where kids came to make underground 2~9 THE MUSIC OF THE 2~16 WOLF PARADE 3~1 DESTROYER ducers there, you had cats that got down on art. BEATLES FOR KIDS graf there. It was a place to really soak up that energy and deal with it as you saw fi t. MARIO SMITH People like Timbuck2 would 2~11 METRONOMY 2~22 TODD BARRY 3~2 JOSH THOMAS fall through—Tim wasn’t old enough to be in DIRTY MF The main thing I remember is that place. 2~12 CHICAGO HUMANITIES 2~23 UPPERS & 3~3 FLY FISHING being in a room with a bunch of people that I FESTIVAL PRESENTS HIGH FIDELITY DOWNERS FILM TOUR 2020 didn’t know who loved the same thing. KEVIN COVAL I was still too young to go to clubs. I got a fake ID to go to the Elbo Room— 2~13 HANNIBAL BURESS 2~26 YETI FILM TOUR 3~6 THEO KATZMAN & LIL REL LIVE COOLOUT CHRIS It opened up an oasis for a which is illegal, by the way. lot of people to really network.
COOLOUT CHRIS There was a little door on THALIA HALL | 1807 S. ALLPORT ST. PILSEN, USA | THALIAHALLCHICAGO.COM “BIG LARRY” MONDRAGON A lot of peo- the side that people would sneak in. ple there would come—you have Rubberoom, you have Duro with his group, He Who Walks GRAVITY I remember sneaking Kanye in for Three Ways. the fi rst time.
PANIK When I heard that there was a hip- CAP D When it was at the Elbo Room, it was FEB FEB FEB hop function there, me, PNS, and some other so vital to what we were doing as All Natural— 12 14 19 Molemen, we’d go there to hang out. we had our release party there, either for our DEVIN THE DUDE 12-inch or for our album. COOLOUT CHRIS I actually met my wife there. JESSE DE LA PEÑA A year in, maybe not even that long, we started seeing some more AMINA NORMAN HAWKINS He was like, “I regular clientele. AFROTRAK PRESENTS EMMALINE JOEL ROSS hear you do graphics, would you make me a LUKE JAMES J-card?” And I’m like, “Yeah, Chris, I got you, PANIK During the golden era of Chicago hip- FEB FEB FEB no problem.” I had no idea what a J-card was. hop, that was the place to be. Imagine your 20 21 28 favorite rappers from that time, your favorite JESSE DE LA PEÑA SPO introduced me to artists, your favorite DJs, graffi ti writers—they Dirty, and he started cohosting—he was a real- used to hang out there. ly great freestyler. GRAVITY It was a surefire place to hang—it SILENT PARTY CHICAGO KAHIL EL’ZABAR’S JUICE I was cool with Dirty MF—he asked was like hip-hop Cheers on crack. PHAROAHE MONCH HANDSOME STRANGERS “JUKE JAM” ETHNIC HERITAGE ENSEMBLE me to come there and told me it was an open THINGS I NEVER SAID JDLP PRESENTS PRIMETIME: mike. From the time I went, I was stuck on it. PUMPIN’ PETE I almost felt like it was me feb feb “BLUE GROOVE LOUNGE feb 07 FEAT. K LOVE 10 15 THE ULTIMATE being accepted into that elite club of under- 25 YEAR REUNION” ALLSTAR WEEKEND URBAN FÊTES PRESENTS WE LOVE COME FLY WITH ME: PUMPIN’ PETE I met Crucial Confl ict, I met ground hip-hop enthusiasts, and it was being feb SILENT FAMILY feb feb 08 12 WEDNESDAYS 16 ALL-STAR members of Molemen. Ang13, Akbar, Mental cosigned by all those people. To be able to FUN DAY SUN•DAY PARTY FLI NATION PRESENTS EVERYONE LOVES feb “THE GOAT ERA” Giants, D 2 tha S, East of the Rock. I could go play hip-hop for them and keep them in the feb HOMIE feb ALLSTAR: AFROBEATS 08 14 FEAT. 9TH WONDER 16 on. room was an honor for me. LOVER FRIENDS EDITION feb HYDE PARK feb 2020 CELEBRITY feb MAMBO MAYHEM: ALL-STAR WEEKEND SOUTH SIDE SALSA 09 HANDMADE 15 DAY PARTY 17 DURO WICKS I remember seeing Infamous JUICE Our culture primarily was predicat- BODY, EVERY SUNDAY Syndicate at the Elbo Room and thinking ed on east-coast lyricism, coordinated perfor- the promontory | 5311 s. lake park w. drive chicago | promontorychicago.com Shawnna was one of the most real MCs I’ve mances, dancing, chants in the background— ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 37 would hear all the new stuff at that spot on DIRTY MF Even the open mike was a party, that night, because it wasn’t on the radio. because they would play the right beats—peo- ple could still bop to it. AMINA NORMAN HAWKINS Most of the songs that I was hearing at Blue Groove, quite DJ NONSTOP Doing open-mike nights, possibly it was the fi rst time I was ever hearing where I was playing instrumentals for MCs, them, because it was underground—the only is single- handedly why I got the job to work hip-hop that I’d really been exposed to was with DMX. When I was asked in 2003 to DJ commercial. That was probably the biggest for DMX ’cause he didn’t have a DJ with him, revelation for me. I did exactly what I used to do—he gave me a job the next day, and I’ve been with him for 16 GRAVITY The performance aspect was a big years. Everybody asked me, “What’d you do?” deal. All of us performed there at some point I said, “I just did what I used to do at Double in time, whether we were freestyling or had Door, at Elbo Room—how we used to make scheduled performances. the MC shine.”
RHYMEFEST They had rap battles. Every CAP D That was at a time when I thought I week you’re onstage, and do the open mike, could kick a freestyle as dope as anybody, and and be a part of the MC battle, and you were there were some dope freestyle acts in Chi- safe. I can’t express enough: it was a safe cago. You had Juice, Rhymefest, Steady Serv. space, for artists and for performers. It was a place where you could see how dope you really were, get up there with the best ANG Me and Dirty got into it on the mike, people in the city who went on to be the best and it didn’t end very well for me. Good thing freestyle artists, period. Akbar of Chicago hip-hop duo Mental Giants in the mid-90s. The Mental Giants frequently I had already made a name for myself before came to Blue Groove Lounge, and they headline this week’s Winter Block Party at Metro that incident happened! Somebody wanted COOLOUT CHRIS It’s not easy to get up honoring the series’s 25th anniversary. ROBERT BENAVIDES me to rap, as opposed to Dirty, and I said, “Hey there onstage and do your thing. You’re doing man, the people have spoken.” I should’ve your show, and there’s ten dudes sitting right never said that, because he took that as a chal- in the front with their arms folded—they’re all that. But I think having the Blue Groove JUICE I never knew that Jesse encompassed lenge. I have been in plenty of battles in my looking at you like you better come with it. allowed people to experience their own iden- multiple genres until I went to his house and life—plenty. That was the most embarrassing, tity and individuality, and stop relying on New saw his record collection, and I was like, “Oh, because that was the only one I really lost. MARIO SMITH If you got onstage at Blue York’s history because we realized we were you really do this.” It’s even more of a noble Groove and you sucked, that would probably creating our own. deed that, through all the genres that he DIRTY MF She always says that! I cannot be your last time onstage in Chicago, because knew, he was focused on promoting real live remember a night where Ang did not do well. everybody was there. It wasn’t just fans and DJ NONSTOP To get to a place, and there hip-hop at this venue. That does not fl y with me, so I cannot cosign artists—there were promoters. was girls with Afros and people were just that. dancing by themselves—that was everything RHYMEFEST Jesse de la Peña could blend “BIG LARRY” MONDRAGON I would tell I wanted and didn’t think I would fi nd. It just things together and awaken you to whole new ANG Everybody was treated like a star. If guys, “If you feel like you want to get up there so happened that two of my closest DJ friends genres of music by showing you the similari- you had skills, you were treated like you were and rhyme and think you can, then go ahead, were the ones that set the vibe. ties in all music. already signed, you had millions of dollars— more power to you. But don’t get upset if you were treated like royalty. somebody throws a water bottle at you and MARIO SMITH To see Jesse spin, Pumpin’ DIRTY MF He was playing all this other they start booing.” Pete—it was the weirdest yet most beautiful music—at the end of the night, he would play a JESSE DE LA PEÑA We would get into the thing. It was more of an extension, for me, of Björk remix, and people 25 years later still post open mike early; if we didn’t have ten sign- JUICE It established a pecking order in the Lit-X—of the Another Level open mike at Liter- that song on my page. ups, we wouldn’t do it. Everybody signed up, city. Common would come there—everyone ary Explosion—than I anticipated. if you paid to get in—I think the winner got a would come there and study what we did, DJ NONSTOP In the beginning, it was like, hundred dollars. We did ten MCs, and it was what this freestyle thing was. DJ NONSTOP Being in that environment with “Don’t pay me, I’m just coming here to DJ.” We crowd-judged. We had our security guy Bruno Jesse and Pete, every week I was trying to get didn’t work for the money, we worked for the the Enforcer, who worked the open mike with PUMPIN’ PETE It was intimidating as can be, better, because they were so good and they vibe—Monday was like a weekend for me. It Dirty, and if you weren’t cuttin’ it, he’s gonna getting on that stage to spit lyrics, because were always getting better. was a place where I could fl ex, it was a place take the mike from you. those were our hip-hop gatekeepers. I just where I could polish my skills, where I could do think it really did a lot to push forward the COOLOUT CHRIS Jesse had a reputation as the things I’d been doing on the road and peo- MARIO SMITH Dirty is a showman and a bit quality of hip-hop that was coming out of a DJ who’s gonna play only the hot stuff . ple would appreciate it. It set a diff erent tone, of a magician too. He would rap with a drink Chicago. and it catapulted my career. Had I not had in his hand, and you could smoke back then— MARIO SMITH He’s a really good DJ. He’s got that, maybe I wouldn’t have kept DJing. he would have a drink in his hand, and he RHYMEFEST It prepared me for competitions a lot of dexterity, so he can cut really, really wouldn’t spill the drink, and he wouldn’t ash like Scribble Jam, where I had to battle Emi- well. His blends were really good, and he knew DIRTY MF Music came out differently back whatever he was smoking. He would do a nem. It prepared me for being onstage, and all the music he was playing. He used to carry then. Jesse, Pumpin’ Pete, DJ Nonstop, 33 1/3, whole set by himself, freestyling. when things don’t go right, how are you gonna a lot of vinyl—a dumbass amount of vinyl. these DJs would break records back then. We freestyle your way out of it? 38 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll ®
JUICE That gave me the confidence to go anywhere. It also made me go, “I want a lit- tle more than this,” because when I saw that the rap stuff could make money—I never saw us like N.W.A or Tribe—it started to make me think we could actually be artists, and maybe I should make records.
RHYMEFEST Juice and I did a song called “How We Chill Pt. 2” that was the beginning of me releasing music—me and Juice just went crazy on that song, and it came out of us free- styling and getting reactions rapping togeth- er at the Elbo Room.
JUICE Me and him, we forged a whole diff er- ent relationship based on that—it was a friend- ly but bitter rivalry to be considered the best. It was extremely healthy, and it was volatile at times, but I don’t think at any time did he lose respect for me as a lyricist, and at no time did I lose respect for him as a lyricist or a person.
COOLOUT CHRIS I remember a show with Spalaney’s one time—we were doing a song called “Switchblade,” and Riff -Raff pulled out a sword onstage and started swinging it like he’s a samurai. We all look at him, like, “Dude, where did you get this from?”
JUICE Blue Groove was what catapulted me, because for some reason they were able to pull in high-profi le people to a small club.
JESSE DE LA PEÑA We had a relation- ship with some of the record promoters, like Ch’rewd Marketing and On the Street Promotions.
“BIG LARRY” MONDRAGON I started work- ing for Ch’rewd Marketing—we were street teams for major record labels, like Bad Boy, Columbia, Priority. My job was retail and radio, so I would take artists to record-store sign- ings—if I can get them to come on a Monday, I’d be like, “Hey, I do this hip-hop night, you guys should come by.”
ANG We prepared for the unexpected. We’re all inside the Elbo Room, all of the sud- den, Fat Joe shows up. Friday May 8 JESSE DE LA PEÑA We were fortunate to have a venue to do shows with Common and SPECIAL GUESTS MARK HAYES Park West the Beatnuts, and have Missy Elliott stop by, Saturday, Feb. 29 • Vic Theatre Saturday, April 4 • Park West On Sale This Friday at 10am! Da Brat, and Fat Joe, guys like that.
COOLOUT CHRIS Fat Joe actually bum- BUY rushed the stage during Common’s release TICKETS AT party for Caught in the Middle magazine, ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 39 where Common had had his first cover—Fat to every day. What Jesse did with those Mon- had the basement, and the basement became tremendous amount of time to come out and Joe bum-rushed the stage, started throwing day nights is he extended your weekend, for a whole separate party from what was going support Blue Groove Lounge. out all this fake money that had his face on it. years—it never ended on Sunday. We were all on upstairs with the stage—I would come down People were heated. up, we didn’t have a care in the world. I know I every other Monday and spin dusties. AMINA NORMAN HAWKINS We started a made it to work every single Tuesday on time. family and just didn’t have the liberty. JESSE DE LA PEÑA I met Cypress Hill around PUMPIN’ PETE It wouldn’t be uncommon to that time—B-Real would always stop by when AMINA NORMAN HAWKINS I could come have PNS of the Molemen playing hip-hop “BIG LARRY” MONDRAGON There was he was in town. here and kick it and then, you know, go home, downstairs too, for a more loungy Elbo Room- other nights popping up—it spreads your audi- sleep for two hours, and then try to make it to type feel. ence out. When you’re used to getting 200, COOLOUT CHRIS Elbo Room allowed us to work the next day by eight or nine o’clock. I 300 people, and now you’re down to 150 peo- connect with people like Tha Alkaholiks. felt like an adult. JESSE DE LA PEÑA I think we went from ple or 50 people, is it worth doing it? two or three bucks to fi ve bucks, and then we “BIG LARRY” MONDRAGON We had per- JUICE I had a job at the time and had to work went to seven, and that was kind of a big deal. DURO WICKS Everything was collapsing. formances from the guys from Minneapo- at seven. I didn’t care. That shit was over at But if you really wanted to come, you could Lit-X was closing, Beat Parlor was closing. It lis, Atmosphere—that was through a friend of two o’clock. We stood out there another hour come early and get in free. seemed like everything closed on the same ours named Jay Bird. Whenever they came freestyling, cyphering. I didn’t have a car. I day, in my memory. Wicker Park—our Wicker through, they always had a packed house. didn’t care. I made it home. I made it to work. MARIO SMITH The vibe didn’t change that Park—just died. much. The acts got even bigger; more famous JESSE DE LA PEÑA When the Lost Boyz JESSE DE LA PEÑA All the condos went up; people would show up. PUMPIN’ PETE Michael Jordan knew when it were just coming out, they did some promo- we knew our days were numbered. Ownership was time to retire, and I think Jesse knew when tional shows. was new, and we didn’t have that relationship IOMOS MARAD I remember opening up for it was time to retire Blue Groove Lounge. He that we had with John Litz. We were on pins a Rawkus artist—I think it was High & Mighty. did it with the utmost professionalism. “BIG LARRY” MONDRAGON I would say and needles—we were like, “We know this is maybe halfway through the first song—it only gonna last so long.” JESSE DE LA PEÑA We did a promotional JESSE DE LA PEÑA It made sense to put it to might’ve been toward the end of the song— show with 50 Cent. This is when he was on bed. We had a nice little run. they got booed off the stage, because they DIRTY MF Elbo Room was kinda compact. It Columbia—before he signed with Dre. I forget didn’t have their show together. It was terrible. started spilling out, people were hanging out what the tune was, but he did it twice: once DIRTY MF It crushed me. I had my own stuff A year later, they blew up and they became outside—back then, that’s when you knew you with his shirt off and once with his shirt on. going on—that might’ve been one of the high- who they were. were doing well. est points of my career—but it sucked, because “BIG LARRY” MONDRAGON We had Red- Blue Groove was my everything. It was how I PUMPIN’ PETE Random people would just JESSE DE LA PEÑA When it’s after two in man there, we had Shyne—that was one of my started, it’s how I found myself as an MC. I show up out of nowhere. John Cusack was a the morning and you’re smoking, urinating, favorite performances. became a man through this whole thing. regular. blasting music right in front of somebody’s million-dollar condo, it’s obvious that it’s not JESSE DE LA PEÑA We did the Like Water for CAP D We talk about hip-hop culture and all DIRTY MF One night Missy, Wyclef, and gonna play out well. Chocolate record-release party with Common. that kind of stuff —to have a culture, you fi rst Da Brat just walked in at the same time, and Once we moved to Double Door, a er hav- gotta have a community. Blue Groove was Wyclef ended up hosting the party with me. ing to leave Elbo Room, that put us on anoth- IOMOS MARAD Timbuck2 used to come Chicago as hell, and it helped create the er level. It was a bigger stage and we could there all the time. We used to open up the culture. JUICE You would get Digable Planets—I hold more people. space, create this circle, and we’d all get to would be able to rap onstage with these breakdancing. JESSE DE LA PEÑA When people think about people, and I think it showed people that I “BIG LARRY” MONDRAGON Going to Wick- Chicago and hip-hop and some of the newer belonged at that level. That’s when I started er Park just gave it a bigger audience. MARIO SMITH Cap D was battling some- artists, I don’t really think any of that would be taking off . body—he literally killed this man onstage at possible without some of the early parties and ANG People just kept following him, Double Door. nights and people who contributed. JESSE DE LA PEÑA Even if we didn’t have a because they knew the type of crowd he big artist, and even if we didn’t have a specifi c brings in and knew the quality music he CAP D [Laughs.] It may have happened, I don’t KEVIN COVAL It’s part of the reason why we show planned, just the MCs hosting, Dirty and played. know. do WordPlay every Tuesday at Young Chicago SPO, and Ang would get up, and Juice—that Authors. was a show in itself. DIRTY MF People were driving from Wiscon- MARIO SMITH Cap had on a polo and some sin, Iowa, Michigan, Indiana. khakis. He got up there and he looked like he AMINA NORMAN HAWKINS It was just vital AMINA NORMAN HAWKINS These were my never rapped a day in his life, and he eviscer- to those early eras and early times of Chica- people who I hung out with on a regular basis, DJ NONSTOP We had Twilite Tone DJ. There ated this person. go hip-hop, where we’re all fi nding our voice, but when we were here at Elbo they took the was plenty of guest DJs that came through. developing our brands, and promoting our spotlight. JESSE DE LA PEÑA Sometimes we came groups, and needing a place that would sup- IOMOS MARAD Tone B. Nimble was a resi- out on top, other times we ended up losing port us. KEVIN COVAL For years, it was a really dent DJ for Blue Groove Lounge, and he saw financially, and that was all throughout Blue important part of my week, an important part me perform, and then I ultimately got connect- Groove. Blue Groove was never a huge mon- JUICE I think it galvanized us. It made us know of my cultural calendar, and the cultural fabric ed with them. That’s how I became a part of All eymaking opportunity. we are community, and we know our shit is of the city. Natural. dope. v PUMPIN’ PETE A lot of people were get- ANG I had a regular job that I had to report DURO WICKS They were upstairs and they ting married, having kids. They didn’t have a @imLeor 40 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll LIVE MUSIC IN URBAN WINE COUNTRY 1200 W RANDOLPH ST, CHICAGO, IL 60607 | 312.733.WINE
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ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 41 Recommended and notable shows and critics’ insights for the week of February 6
b ALLAGESF N LINCOLN AVENUE, CHICAGO IL MUSIC OLDTOWNSCHOOL.ORG . .
JUST ADDED ON SALE THIS FRIDAY! Juana Molina PICK OF THE WEEK Noam Pikelny & Andrew Marlin (Mandolin Orange) THURSDAY6 National Tap Day With Piece of Mind, Hxry brings a laid-back vibe FOR TICKETS, VISIT OLDTOWNSCHOOL.ORG Sandy Ewen A quartet of Sandy Ewen, to Chicago’s R&B scene Josh Berman, Jason Stein, and Damon FRIDAY, FEBRUARY PM Smith headlines; Ewen opens with a solo set. 9 PM, Elastic, 3429 W. Diversey, John Doe, Kristin second fl oor, $10. b
Hersh, and Grant-Lee Ever since guitarist Sandy Ewen moved from Phillips present Texas to New York City in 2017, she’s been a prolific performer, both at convention- The Exile Follies al venues (Bushwick Public House, Down- town Music Gallery) and at house shows. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY PM Sometimes she’ll gig more than once a day, improvising with the likes of Stephen Gauci, Seamus Egan (of Solas) Daniel Carter, Maria Chavez, and Michael In Szold Hall Vatcher. Ewen eschews traditional playing methods and technological enhancements, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY PM including eff ect pedals, in favor of a tactile, action-oriented approach to the electric gui- Cheryl Wheeler tar. She applies railroad spikes, screwdrivers, In Szold Hall lengths of chalk, and other objects to the instrument’s strings and surface, drawing THURSDAY, FEBRUARY PM out a rich variety of disintegrating, elon- gated, and frictional sonorities. In her solo performances, Ewen patiently builds and Sierra Hull resolves tension by exploring these materi- with special guest Jodee Lewis als at length, but she’s also eager and moti- vated to see what happens when she mixes SUNDAY, MARCH PM it up with other musicians. Ewen is a great listener and imaginative respondent: on Idi- JigJam Irish Bluegrass • In Szold Hall omatic (ugEXPLODE), her 2018 CD release with drummer Weasel Walter, she adroitly FRIDAY, MARCH PM matches the speed and dynamics of her col- laborator’s lightning attack, just as she com- Hayes Carll plements the corrosive rumble of Lisa Cam- with special guest Allison Moorer eron’s lap steel guitar and percussion on the 2018 tape See Creatures (Astral Spirits). She SUNDAY, MARCH & PM tends to play close to home, so while she performs incessantly, she hasn’t done so Ladysmith Black in Chicago all that often. During this visit, Ewen will play two sets. The fi rst will be solo, Mambazo and the second will be in a quartet that will reunite her with a frequent associate, bass- SUNDAY, MARCH PM Hxry JONNANO ist Damon Smith, and confront her with two Chicagoans she’s never encountered before: Roberto Fonseca cornetist Josh Berman and bass clarinetist In Armitage Hall, W. Armitage Ave Jason Stein. —B M H L K C C S Z J SUNDAY, MARCH PM Thu / , PM, Subterranean, W. North, $, + HXRY See Pick of the Week at le . 7 PM, Molly Tuttle Subterranean, 2011 W. North, $15. 17+
ACROSS THE STREET IN SZOLD HALL N LINCOLN AVENUE, CHICAGO IL CHICAGOR&BARTIST Hxry got his start as a producer—at least as far back as 2016, he was FRIDAY7 Uncovered: Soul Sisters releasing stylistically scattershot instrumental tracks on Soundcloud—but he got his fi rst real Global Dance Party: taste of success as a vocalist, with his 2018 song “Reasons.” Atop a fl uttering synth melody and Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Carpacho y su Super Combo Ensemble 7 PM, SPACE, 1245 Chicago a suave, minimal rhythm section, Hxry gently sings sweet nothings in a watery, processed voice, Ave., Evanston, $18-$26. b WORLD MUSIC WEDNESDAY SERIES occasionally blurring his words even as he crystallizes his romantic intentions. Hxry’s following FREE WEEKLY CONCERTS, LINCOLN SQUARE ballooned after “Reasons” landed on popular YouTube channel Majestic Casual, which focuses Prolific musician Kahil El’Zabar has hardly Beto Jamaica, Rey Vallenato with gone unnoticed, but I wish every music fan special guest Tierra Colombiana on chill R&B and hip-hop. On his self-released debut EP, January’s Piece of Mind, Hxry uses art- knew about this living legend. The son of a fully clanking percussion and glistening, elastic synths to prop up his singing, though he’s also drummer, El’Zabar was born Clifton Black- clearly gaining confi dence. On “Mr. Freeze,” the way his voice saunters over the neosoul instru- burn in Chicago in 1953, and raised on the OLDTOWNSCHOOL.ORG city’s south side. He joined the Association mental makes him sound just as cool as the guy in the title. —L G of the Advancement of Creative Musicians 42 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll Find more music listings at chicagoreader.com/soundboard. MUSIC 3730 N. CLARK ST METROCHICAGO.COM @ METROCHICAGO
SOUL OREOFEST ASYLUM WITH DJ OREO LOCAL H SPECIAL GUESTS TBA FRI FEB 14 FRI FEB 21
CRACKNATION PRESENTS STILL WOOZY COLD FRI MAY 29 WAVES IX SEPT 18- SEPT 20
High Priest COURTESY THE ARTIST
(AACM) at age 18, and attended Kennedy-King, Mal- his 40th birthday and his completion of a PhD at colm X, and Lake Forest colleges before traveling the University of Chicago. Wyche speaks admir- to Africa in 1973 to study African music at the Uni- ingly about Shippy, an exploratory musician best versity of Ghana. In 1975, soon a er returning to his known for his work with Chicago bands U.S. Maple hometown, he became the chairman of the AACM, and Invisible Things, saying that he considers their despite his young age. A prodigy known for his play- collaborations “as weird and as thrilling as making ing on congas, bongos, and various other drums, music can possibly be.” As a trio with drummer Ben El’Zabar continually learned new instruments, Billington, they’ve put out a couple records: a 2017 including balafon, marimba, sanza, kalimba, and ber- self-titled album and last year’s The Eventual Warp imbau. After leaving his position at the AACM in Cat. Both releases are caustic, impassioned slabs of 1976, El’Zabar started the Ethnic Heritage Ensem- blues-infl ected free jazz and noise marked by a pal- ble, and in 1981 they made their album debut with pable physicality. Everything Wyche performs with Three Gentlemen From Chikago, which fused tradi- Shippy and Billington is improvised, with a clear and tional African rhythms with avant-garde jazz. (Over thoughtful interplay and sense of pacing that helps the years, the ensemble’s lineup has usually been sustain its energy. “Norvin’s Fandled Submersible,” El’Zabar and two horn players—on that fi rst album, from their first record, has a cryptic atmosphere they were saxophonists Edward Wilkerson Jr. and that patiently unravels into a cacophonous but “Light” Henry Huff.) El’Zabar is the long-running meditative freak-out, while “Unexpected Shapes” group’s only constant member, and the Ethnic Her- ( o ff The Eventual Warp Cat) is a monumental wall itage Ensemble has gone on to release a staggering of sound whose persistent vortex of noise carries 15 additional albums. On the most recent, 2019’s Be a psychedelic edge. Billington won’t be present for Known: Ancient/Future/Music, El’Zabar is joined by this show, but Wyche and Shippy’s dueling guitars trumpeter Corey Wilkes, baritone saxophonist Alex can transmit enough thrilling energy on their own. Harding, and cellist Ian Maksin to divinely explore “Even if we try to make a plan for a general vibe, we SMARTBARCHICAGO.COM the perimeter of Afrocentric spiritual jazz. On usually don’t follow it,” Wyche says. In other words: 3730 N CLARK ST | 21+ the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble’s Bandcamp page, expect a wild ride. —J M K the group say they want “to spark a time in which heightened sensibility and higher consciousness will be universally known.” In a live setting, they’ll sure- ly deliver the soul-stirring goods. —S K SATURDAY8 Cloud Cruiser, High Priest Cloud Cruiser Daniel Wyche 40th Birthday headlines; High Priest, Blake, and Blunt open. Celebration The duo of Daniel Wyche and 9 PM, Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont, $10. 21+ Mark Shippy headlines; Allen Moore (with guests not yet announced) and Bill MacKay open, and Several bands call themselves High Priest, but Rob Sevier DJs. 9 PM, Elastic, 3429 W. Diversey, we’re here to talk about the homegrown Chicago second fl oor, $10. b four-piece, who debuted in 2016 with the fi ve-song JEREMIAH MEECE EP Consecration. Last spring, they put out a new Composer and guitarist Daniel Wyche has long four-track EP, Sanctum (Magnetic Eye), which draws ABSTRACT SCIENCE DJS been a vital fi gure in Chicago’s experimental music from the heavy trends of the past three decades— scene, most notably at Elastic Arts, where he’s curat- though it feels timeless in its no-nonsense approach ed, produced, and organized concerts since 2013. to heavy-riffing stoner rock, which they top with His upcoming show at the Logan Square venue, bursts of harmony vocals laden with a generous FEB 13 SMARTBAR 10PM where he’ll perform alongside frequent collabo- dose of grunge’s yearning heart. The songs are all rator and fellow guitarist Mark Shippy, celebrates solidly midtempo headbangers, except the clos- TICKETS AVAILABLE VIA METRO + SMARTBAR WEBSITES + METRO BOX OFFICE. NO SERVICE FEES AT BOX OFFICE! ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 43 Est.Est.1954 1954 Celebrating over 6165 years of service service to Chicago! 1800 W. DIVISION Find more music listings at chicagoreader.com/soundboard. (773) 486-9862 MUSIC Come enjoy one of Chicago’s finest beer gardens!
FEBRUARYSEPTEMBERJAFEBRUARYJANUARYDECEMBERNUARY 11...... 2023 23 612 ...... MIKEDA SMILIN’THEFLABBYVID QUINNRUT FLABBY FELTEN BOBBYHOFFMAN HOFFMAN AND SHOW THE SHOWCLEMTONES 8PM 8PM SEPTEMBERJAFEBRUARYDECEMBERNUARY 12...... 21 713 .....WAGNER MODESTLADYSTRAY STARDUST AMERICAN&BOLTS MORSE JOHNSON DRAFT FEBRUARYSEPTEMBERJAFEBRUARYJANUARYNUARY 13...... 2224 248 .....THE ..... THEDJJEFFDADY BLOTTSKI RKNAMOSLOCKOUTS AND DJRO SKID MARIOOM LICIOUS MEN DECEMBER 14 JOE LANASA & SOMEBODY’S SINS SEPTEMBERJAFEBRUARYJANUARYNUARY 14...... 2325 9 ....WHOLESOMERADIO HEISENBERGSCOTTYWHITEWOLFSONICPRINCESSTO “BADNY DO UNCERTAINTYBOY” DJRO NIGHTSARIO BRADBURY GROUP PLAYERS 7PM FEBRUARY 10MURPHY RCANDSKIPPIN’ BIG JON THOMPSON BAND ROCKS MCDONALD 7PM 9:30PM JANUARY 26 WHOLESOMERADIOMOJO 49 DJ NIGHT JANUARY 17...... MIKEPROSPECTFOSTER FELTENJA MIE& HIGGINS FOURWAGNER 9:30PM & FRIENDS JADECEMBERNUARY 18...... 15VIVEK TONY DO MIKEPAUL ROSARIO FELTON GROUP FEBRUARYJANUARY 27 11THE FLABBYRC RON BIG AND BAND HOFFMAN RACHEL 7PM SHOW SHOW 8PM FEBRUARYFEBRUARYDECEMBER 25 1216 .....WHOLESOMERADIO ELIZABETH’SPROSPECT FOUR CRAZY 9PM LITTLE DJ NIGHT THING SEPTEMBERJAJANUARYDECEMBERNUARY 19...... 2429 18 .....RC LEAGUEMORSE BIG BAND SITU & OF WAGNER 7PMAT ERICSION DAV 6PMID FEATURINGMAXLIELLIAM HOMEBOYBEAUTIFUL ANNA 9PM FEBRUARY 26 .....RCBIRDGANGSPHILTHOMAS BIGO’REILLY 9:30PMABA MATECKIND 7PM BAND JAFEBRUARYDECEMBERNUARY 20...... 1319TITTY FLABBYCHRISDANNY CITTY FIRSTQUIGLEY DRAHER HOFFMANWARD PROBLEMSSHOW 8PM FEBRUARYJAFEBRUARYJANUARYDECEMBERNUARY 21...... 30 28 1520 .....PETERDUDE RICHDJOBLIQUE SKID SAME EXPERIENCETO CASANOLICIOUSNY STRATEGIES DO ROVA SARIOBIRTHDAYQUARTET GROUP BASH 8PM FEBRUARYJANUARY 31 16 TONYALISONBAD FORUM DO GROSS ROSARIO GROUP SEPTEMBERJAFEBRUARYNUARY 22...... 26 1 .....PETER AMERICAN CASANOVA RC BIG TROUBADOUR QUARTETBAND 7PM NIGHT MARCHSEPTEMBERFEBRUARY 1...... SMILIN’ 27 17 .....DORIAN PROSPECTNO HEROTAJ BO FOURBBY 9PM AND THE CLEMTONES JAFEBRUARYNUARY 24...... 19 MORSEMIKE FELTEN’S PETER & WAGNER CASONO BIRTHDAY WITHVA QUARTET FRIENDSSHOW 8PM SEPTEMBERFEBRUARYDECEMBER 28 221 .....TO WELCOMEZ28URS TO THE BIG GAME PARTY! MARCHJAFEBRUARYDECEMBERNUARY 2...... ICE 25...... 2122 THEWHOLESOMERADIO LAY-DOWNBO THEX ANDWICK RAMBLERS BIG DJ HOUSE NIGHT FEBRUARY 223BULLY FIRSTPROSPECT PULPIT WARD FOUR PROBLEMS 9PM JAFEBRUARYDECEMBERNUARY 26...... 523 MORSERC BIG THE BAND& WAGNER HEPKATS 7PM WITH FRIENDS 8PM SEPTEMBERFEBRUARY 29 23 .....SOMEBODY’S WHOLESOMERADIORICK SHANDLINGSKIPPIN’ SINS RO DUOCK DJ 9:30PMNIGHT MARCHFEBRUARY 3...... CHIDITAROD 6FEATURING SMILIN’ BOBBY JOE LANASA ANDAND THETARRINGTON CLEMTONES 10PM FEBRUARYDECEMBER 24728 RCMODESTRICKYD BIG BANDBLUES JOHNSON 7PM POWER SEPTEMBERJANUARY 27...... 30 .....OFF THE VINE THE 4:30PM STRAY BOLTS MARCHJAFEBRUARYJANUARYNUARY 7...... 28...... 1 288 ANDREWTHESMILIN’JAMIE LOCKOUTS WHOLESOMERADIO WABOBBY D GNERHUBER AND &AND THE FRIENDS THE CLEMTONES DJ GECKO NIGHT CLUB 3PM FEBRUARYJANUARY 2 9NUCLEARMIKE HEISENBERGAMERICAN FELTEN JAZZ QUARKTETTROUBADOUR UNCERTAINTY 7:30PM NIGHT PLAYERS 7PM EVERYEVERYCELEBRATING TUESD TUESDAY (EXCEPT66TH ANNIVERSARY 2ND) 2ND)ATAT8PM8PM OPENOPEN MIC ON MIC TUESDAY HOSTEDFEBRUARY BYEVENINGS 4, JIMIJON 1954 (EXCEPT AMERICA 2ND)
iLe CESARBERRIOS
er, “Offering,” which stands out as slower, dank- tug at each other. At this show, Laubrock and Rain- er, and growlier than the rest. At this show High ey will be improvising freely, but even to the trained Priest share the bill with local sci-fi stoner quartet ear, their musical conversations can be hard to clas- Cloud Cruiser, who are celebrating the release of sify definitively as either composition or improvi- their fi rst full-length, I: Capacity (available digital- sation—they ride the line, thanks to the rapport ly via Bandcamp and on vinyl from Shuga Records). they’ve built playing together in countless contexts Whereas High Priest are no-frills, Cloud Cruiser get for more than a decade. —IY heady; I: Capacity explores a high-concept frame- work about aliens, cryptozoology, and the desire to get the fuck off this planet and see something else. ILE 8 PM, Old Town School of Folk Music, Maurer Their sound is deeply rooted in heavy desert rock, Concert Hall, 4544 N. Lincoln, sold out. b but their nocturnal music is full of uncanny lights, slashing synthetic screeches, and overwhelming As a member of Calle 13—the politically conscious boogie. —M K Puerto Rican hip-hop band formed by her brothers René Pérez Joglar and Eduardo Cabra Martínez— Ileana Mercedes Cabra Joglar began performing Ingrid Laubrock & Tom Rainey 8:30 PM, onstage when she was a teenager. By her late 20s, Constellation, 3111 N. Western, $15, $12 in advance. she was stepping out on her own under the name 18+ iLe. On her debut solo album, 2016’s iLevitable, the singer-songwriter delves into classic Latin Amer- Saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and drummer Tom ican roots genres such as bolero, mambo, booga- Rainey have been married to each other since 2010 loo, and rumba. The album’s gorgeous, lush, orches- and playing together since 2007, working as a duo tral arrangements, coupled with iLe’s pliant, love- as well as within larger ensembles, where they’ve ly voice, smart songwriting, and fresh (and often collaborated with avant-garde jazz musicians such dark and quirky) take on these well-known musical as Tim Berne and Mary Halvorson. Though the duo formats earned widespread critical acclaim as well initially focused on improvisational music, a 2016 as a Grammy for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alter- tour inspired them to incorporate more composition native Album. Last year, iLe released her second into their work. This is evident on their third album, album, Almadura, which was nominated for a Gram- 2018’s Utter (Relative Pitch), which is largely impro- my in the same category. Created in the a ermath vised but adds three composed pieces: Laubrock of Hurricane Maria, the record is full of ballads that wrote “Chant II,” and the two of them collaborat- explore sociopolitical topics, including violence ed on the opening and closing tracks, “Flutter” and against women, Puerto Rican independence, and “Shutter.” “Flutter” opens boldly, with muffl ed gur- social injustice. Musically, the album revisits some gling and breathing through a saxophone over rus- of the genres explored on iLevitable while adding tling drums that could be mistaken for radio static new forays into hard salsa and percussion-driven or vinyl crackle. The two voices gradually build, until Afro-Caribbean styles, among them Afro- Dominican Laubrock’s measured honks seem to instigate cas- palo music, with its driving chants and beats, and cades of pounding drums. “Shutter” shows off a dif- Puerto Rican bomba, which is closely tied the ferent side of their compositional voice—instead of island’s long history of protest and resistance. iLe’s stringing together cues and fi gures, it features osti- concerts are high-energy experiences that meld nato saxophone melodies and drum grooves that musics from across the Americas while foreground- 44 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll MUSIC Less scrolling.
Roddy Ricch COURTESY THE ARTIST
ing the sounds of Puerto Rico past and present. moments of his personal journey, seeming to feed Performing with a nine-piece band that includes more fuel to his punched-up vocals with each refer- piano, bass, two guitars, percussion, drums, and two ence to his parents’ contentious divorce, his family’s More strumming. trombones, iLe will undoubtedly fulfi ll our expecta- history of alcoholism, or his own past struggles with tions, allowing us to experience how she’s shaping drug dependency—the hardships he’s overcome the future of Latin pop without losing sight of the lend an air of invincibility to the song’s heavenly past. —C M J melody. —LG SUNDAY9 MONDAY10 Kembe X Opener to be announced. 7 PM, Roddy Ricch 7:30 PM, Patio Theater, 6008 W. Schubas, 3159 N. Southport, $18, $15 in advance. b Irving Park, sold out. b
In an October interview with Lyrical Lemonade, Compton rapper Roddy Ricch dropped his debut Chicago rapper Kembe X (born Dikembe Caston) mixtape, Feed tha Streets, in November 2017, and described a rocky patch in 2017 that brought him he’s since earned a spot in hip-hop’s top tier. In the to a breaking point in his career. He’d been talking year leading up to his fi rst full-length album, Decem- to R&B singer Kehlani, opening up about his lack of ber’s Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial (Atlan- confi dence and disinterest in his creative direction, tic), Ricch lent his gritty, soulful vocals to DJ Mus- and she asked him if he wanted to continue with tard’s Caribbean-fl ecked smash “Ballin’” and Nipsey music at all. The conversation gave Kembe a sense Hussle’s bittersweet, reflective “Racks in the Mid- of clarity. “When I left, I was thinking to myself dle,” which just won a Grammy for Best Rap Perfor- that I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to keep making mance. At 21, Ricch knows how to bend hard-edged music,” he said. “I felt like, at that point, a part of me raps into supple, sweetly sung melodic verses; he died. Not to be funny, but I think that part was the can flit from pain to aggression to hard-won tri- piece that gave a fuck about what people think.” umph in just a few syllables, and he enlivens Please Since then, Kembe has tapped into a new sense of Excuse Me with his pivots between gruff growls and urgency, and it animates his second album, Octo- clean coos. The album peaked at number one on ber’s I Was Depressed Until I Made This (Focus- the Billboard 200, though I’m sure plenty of peo- Group/Empire). Kembe proved he had advanced ple just keep listening to its irrepressibly buoyant lyrical skills with his debut mixtape, 2011’s Self Rule, second track, “The Box,” which recently topped Give your digital life a break. and he’s since developed a pop sensibility to match. the Billboard Hot 100. In his lyrics, Ricch refl ects on Now based in Los Angeles, he’s figured out how his experiences with the criminal justice system (he Connect over music, dance & more. to modulate his voice to make his material sparkle was most recently arrested in August, on a domes- even when he’s working with grimy productions; on tic violence charge). The song owes some of its suc- I Was Depressed he brings a suave exuberance to cess to a looped sample of Ricch squirting out brief Anyone can play! Find your weary, blown-out beats (“Move Around”), cloudy, screeches that evoke the rappers who’ve emerged new class at oldtownschool.org deconstructed trap (“859”), and a sample-based since Lil Wayne’s alien vocals rewired hip-hop, but collage (“Killscope”). On the triumphant, gospel- that’s hardly the only reason his defiant screed flecked “Voices,” Kembe reflects on the darker against the police state has resonated with the pop ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 45 Find more music listings at EMPTY BOTTLE chicagoreader.com/soundboard. EBPPRESENTS MUSIC 1035 N WESTERN AVE CHICAGO IL 773.276.3600 WWW.EMPTYBOTTLE.COM
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Metronomy Charlotte Adigery opens. TUESDAY11 8:30 PM, Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport, $25-$35. 17+ On “Upset My Girlfriend,” from Metronomy’s 2019 Post Malone, Swae Lee Post Malone album, Metronomy Forever (Because), Joseph headlines; Swae Lee and Tyla Yaweh open. 8 PM, Mount moans, “I used to play drums in a rock ’n’ roll Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim, Rosemont, band / But they kicked me out / ’Cause I used to $214.50-$325. b feel it / And so I would speed up.” The song’s sparse, strummy indie pop and ambient keyboard fl ourish- The future of hip-hop is here, and it’s poppy as hell. es aren’t rock ’n’ roll at all, but Mount’s lyrics about Two of the biggest names in the game these days being so excited about the music (and about a type are rappers who frequently lean into the sweet and of stardom he’s not yet attained) make for a good sensitive side of the genre: Post Malone and Swae summation of the British singer- songwriter and Lee. Post Malone is the tattooed face of hypermel- multi-instrumentalist’s 20-year career. In that time odic sad-boy pop rap, who’s gotten nearly as much he’s developed a melodic fl uency reminiscent of Paul attention for his goofy, trashy sense of style as he McCartney, as well as production talents impres- did for his buttery 2017 breakthrough smash, “Rock- sive enough that Robyn recruited him to cocreate star.” Swae Lee is half of hip-hop hit machine Rae her latest album, Honey. It seems like he should Sremmurd, and he’s provided trippy hooks and cho- be a household name—he should be a household ruses for the duo’s nonstop string of bangers (includ- name—but his music is a little too coy and a little too ing the modern classic “No Type,” the omnipresent hard to pin down. His records are basically just him, “Black Beatles,” and the psychedelic “Power glide”). assembling pop lyrics that tend to turn too inward to Swae and Post teamed up for the fi rst time on 2018’s launch him to superstardom. On Metronomy Forever “Sunflower,” a single from the soundtrack for Spi- he’s as accessibly inaccessible as ever. “Salted Car- der-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The song is two and amel Ice Cream” is a catchy retro New Order exer- a half minutes of pure bliss, eschewing almost every cise that’s cloying enough to come across as delib- hip-hop trope in favor of sunny electronic pop, and erate self-parody. “Insecure,” in contrast, is a one- its bouncy choruses, velvety vocal interplay, and minute keyboard drone that forsakes pop altogeth- warm ’n’ fuzzy lyrics made it one of the best tracks er—and it slides into “Miracle Roo op,” a bass-heavy, of the year. Since then, Swae has continued to step repetitive pulse that, contrary to its title, roots and out with a bunch of singles under his own name, and burps some six feet under the dance fl oor. The last Post’s most recent full-length, last year’s Hollywood’s song on the album, “Ur Mixtape,” is an emo slow jam Bleeding, featured seven smash hits (among them about creating music for a girlfriend who didn’t care “Sunflower”) and collaborations with the likes of and in the process accidentally wowing her brother. SZA and Ozzy Osbourne. And while there’s no word It’s a perfect metaphor for an artist who seems to go on whether they’ll hit the studio together again, out of his way to make the right music for the wrong the Post-Swae machine should still be fi ring on all fans, or vice versa. —N B v 46 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll CHICAGO SHOWS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IN THE WEEKS TO COME
b ALL AGES F EARLY WARNINGS WOLF BY KEITH HERZIK 5/20, 9:15 PM, Empty Bottle Never miss Ryan Montbleau 2/20, 8 PM, a show again. City Winery b NRBQ 5/2, 8 PM, SPACE, Sign up for the Evanston b newsletter at Pitchfork Music Festival 15th chicagoreader. GOSSIP Anniversary Party featuring Cool Kids, DJ Spinn, Kaina com/early 2/19, 8 PM, Chicago Athletic WOLF Association Hotel, ticket required, 18+ F featuring DJ noDJ, Lwky, A furry ear to the ground of Pitchfork Music Festival 15th Chris Mathien Band, Johnny Anniversary Party featuring Derp and guests, Matt the local music scene Ohmme, Dehd, Spencer Grundstad, Sean Herzig, Tweedy 2/20, 8 PM, Chicago and more 2/29, 7 PM, Logan GOSSIP WOLF WOULD never accuse Athletic Association Hotel, Square Auditorium ticket required, 18+ F Y La Bamba 4/23, 8 PM, Subter- Spektral Quartet of, uh, stringing fans Pop Smoke 3/21, 8 PM, Bottom ranean, 17+ along—the ambitious classical combo are Lounge, 17+ Young Nudy 4/10, 8 PM, Bot- well-known for debuting new projects at Puce Mary, Bloodyminded, tom Lounge b a dizzying rate! On Sunday, February 9, in Champagne Mirrors, Impul- Yung Pinch 5/15, 8 PM, Con- sive Decay 4/11, 9:15 PM, cord Music Hall, on sale Fri conjunction with the Chicago Film Soci- Empty Bottle 2/7, 10 AM b ety, they bring a mind-blowing program Random Rab 4/5, 9 PM, Sleep- to the Music Box that’s anchored by the ing Village Riot Fest featuring My suburban fantasia Behind the Wallpaper. Spektral Quartet JOCELYN CHUANG Chemical Romance and more UPCOMING The 35-minute piece, by Arizona-based 9/11-9/13, 11 AM, Douglas Park, composer Alex Temple, combines a string presale; full line-up will be All-American Rejects 2/20, quartet, live electronics, and the ethere- turing Ellen Allien, Shaun J. Ike Reilly Assassination 3/20, announced in the spring b 8 PM, Concord Music Hall, 17+ al voice of Los Angeles singer-songwriter NEW Wright 3/6, 10 PM, Smart Bar 8:30 PM, FitzGerald’s, Berwyn, Rüfüs Du Sol, Lastings 5/30, Bag Raiders 2/21, 9 PM, Lincoln Dirty Projectors 3/27, 8:30 PM, on sale Fri 2/7, 11 AM 8 PM, Huntington Bank Pavil- Hall, 18+ Julia Holter ; its aesthetic is a beguiling Action Bronson, Meyhem Thalia Hall, 17+ Incubus, 311, Badfl ower 8/28, ion, on sale Fri 2/7, 10 AM b Marcia Ball, Sonny Landreth and uncanny mix of Schubert’s Winter- Lauren 5/3, 8:30 PM, Concord Distant Brothers, Deep Cricket 6:45 PM, Hollywood Casino Satsang 5/5, 8 PM, SPACE, 2/16, 7 PM, FitzGerald’s, reise and A Nightmare on Elm Street. Also Music Hall, on sale Fri 2/7, Night, Forty Foot Flames 3/5, Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, on Evanston b Berwyn on the bill are the Lyra Hill short fi lm Uzi’s 10 AM, 17+ 8 PM, FitzGerald’s, Berwyn sale Fri 2/7 b Claudia Schmidt & Sally Rog- Lindsay Beaver 2/18, 8 PM, Automelodi, Fee Lion, Club Dorian Electra 2/21, 7 PM, Sub- Inkantation 2/20, 9 PM, Honky ers, Kat Eggleston 5/3, 1 PM, FitzGerald’s, Berwyn Party and the premiere of a piece by synth Music 3/8, 9 PM, Sleeping terranean b Tonk BBQ SPACE, Evanston b Bernie & the Wolf, Fauvely, whiz Gene Knifi c (of local band Iverson) Village James Elkington 4/16, International Women’s Day Seres De Luz 2/27, 9 PM, Honky Modern Nun 2/18, 9:30 PM, based on Su an Stevens’s “Arnika.” Bauhaus 7/25, 8 PM, Aragon 9:30 PM, Hideout, on sale Fri Festival featuring Sandra Tonk BBQ Sleeping Village Ever since Air Credits debuted with Ballroom, 17+ 2/7, 10 AM Antongiorgi, Naomi Ashley, Todd Snider 4/10, 7:30 PM, Park Bodysnatcher, Great American Lane Beckstrom, Sima Cun- Everyone You Know 5/5, 8 PM, Cathie Van Wert, and more West, 18+ Ghost, Born A New 2/19, 7 the album Broadcasted in 2016, the duo ningham 2/15, 9 PM, Hungry Schubas, on sale Fri 2/7, 3/7, 8:30 PM, FitzGerald’s, Marco Antonio Solís 8/15, PM, Cobra Lounge, 17+ of Hood Internet producer Steve Reidell Brain 10 AM, 18+ Berwyn 8 PM, Allstate Arena, Rose- Chicago Farmer & the Field- and rapper ShowYouSuck have been Blitzkid, Rosedales 5/7, 8 PM, Expo ’76 & Robert Cornelius International Women’s Day mont, on sale Fri 2/7, 10 AM b notes, Joseph Huber 2/15, cranking out pressurized sci-fi boom-bap Subterranean 2/14, 9 PM, FitzGerald’s, Festival featuring Cathy Soup & Bread featuring DJ 8:30 PM, FitzGerald’s, Berwyn Bülow 4/5, 7 PM, Schubas, on Berwyn Richardson’s Goddesses of Mary Nisi 3/4, 5:30 PM, Church of Misery 2/19, 7 PM, that straddles the line between Canni- sale Fri 2/7, 10 AM b Feminist Happy Hour Gal- Rock, Katie Todd 3/7, Hideout Reggies’ Rock Club, 17+ bal Ox-style audio corrosion and win- Cactus featuring Carmine entines BFF Pop-Up Party 8:30 PM, FitzGerald’s, Berwyn Spacebones, Woes, Cold The Exile Follies featuring ningly depressive anti-party jams. On Fri- Appice 3/14, 7 PM, Reggies’ featuring Jordanna, DJ Sara Goran Ivanovic Trio 2/13, 9 PM, Beaches, Engine Summer 3/5, John Doe, Kristin Hersh, and day, February 7, they drop Gold/605, the Music Joint Tea, and more 2/15, 8:30 PM, Hungry Brain 8 PM, Chop Shop, 18+ Grant-Lee Phillips 2/14, 8 PM, Anna Calvi 4/2, 9:15 PM, Empty Empty Bottle Jamestown Revival 4/15-4/16, Speak Low, Kayak Jones, Super Maurer Hall, Old Town School fourth of six EPs in their Wasteland Radio Bottle 5 Seconds of Summer, Band 8 PM, City Winery b American 3/5, 7 PM, Beat of Folk Music b New Archives series. That Saturday they Cenotaph, Malas, Luciferum, Camino 8/26, 7 PM, Hunting- Durand Jones & the Indica- Kitchen, 17+ Frankie & the Witch Fingers, celebrate at the Empty Bottle with Lasers Deathcult 9/19, 7 PM, Reggies’ ton Bank Pavilion, on sale Fri tions 3/12, 8:30 PM, Thalia Chris Stapleton, Highwomen, Modern Vices, Flesh Pan- and Fast and Shit and Rich Robbins. Rock Club, 17+ 2/7, 9 AM b Hall, 17+ Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, thers 2/15, 9 PM, Sleeping Cold Waves IX featuring Front Format 3/27-3/28, 8 PM, Lincoln Jumex 2/14, 8 PM, Subterra- Dirty Knobs with Mike Camp- Village It’s hard to believe that the Chili- 242, Stabbing Westward, My Hall, on sale Fri 2/7, noon, 18+ nean b bell 8/29, Wrigley Field, on Jungle Giants 2/13, 9 PM, Lin- Synthesizer Cookoff has lasted ten years— Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, Four C Notes 2/19, 8 PM, City Kaytranada 5/16, 9 PM, Aragon sale Fri 2/7, 10 AM b coln Hall, 18+ this bizarre annual competition requires Young Gods, She Past Away, Winery b Ballroom, 18+ Still Woozy 5/29, 8 PM, Metro, Kaze 2/14, 9 PM, Elastic b contestants to cook a pot of chili and KVB, Broken Note, Actors, Fu Manchu, Speedealer 5/13, Kuma’s Fest featuring Anthrax, on sale Fri 2/7, 10 AM b Kojey Radical, Kamauu 2/19, Ash Code, Fee Lion, Paul 9 PM, Bottom Lounge, 17+ Converge, Russian Circles, Treble, Emurse, Ava Lake, 8 PM, Schubas, 18+ then play an original synth-based set that Barker, Chris Connelly, Cya- Margaret Glaspy, Kate Davis Atlas Moth, Indian 6/27, 1 PM, Brian Carpio 2/13, 8:30 PM, Lil Tjay 2/21, 7 PM, Concord serves as a “sonic interpretation” of their notic, All Your Sisters, Bell- 4/25, 8 PM, Thalia Hall b Brands Park, on sale Fri 2/7, Chop Shop, 18+ Music Hall b recipe. At the Empty Bottle on Sunday, wether Syndicate, and more Goo Goo Dolls, Lifehouse, noon b Truth, Meso, Sicaria Sound Machine Head 2/15, 7 PM, February 9, the 2019 champion, Whitney 9/18-9/20, 7 PM, Metro, 18+ Forest Blakk 8/7, 7 PM, Hun- Lucki 3/15, 7 PM, Bottom 3/14, 8:30 PM, Bottom Metro b Control Top, Weeping Icon tington Bank Pavilion, on sale Lounge b Lounge, 17+ Maliibu Miitch, Kidd Kenn 2/14, Johnson (aka Matchess), defends her title 3/15, 9 PM, Sleeping Village Fri 2/7, 10 AM b Lunar Ticks, Bubbles Brown Unlikely Candidates, Zero 10 PM, Schubas, 18+ against Cooper Crain (Bitchin Bajas), Alex Cybertronic Spree 5/15, 9 PM, Guns N’ Roses 7/26, Wrigley 5/16, 8:30 PM, Schubas, 18+ 9:36, Federal Empire 4/1, Elizabeth Moen 2/15, 9 PM, Inglizian (Experimental Sound Studio), and Lincoln Hall, on sale Fri 2/7, 10 Field, on sale Fri 2/7, noon b Stephen Lynch 4/4, 7:30 PM, 8 PM, Beat Kitchen, 17+ Lincoln Hall, 18+ Tom Owens (Potions ). Cook-off cofound- AM, 18+ Habibi 2/13, 9:30 PM, Hideout Park West, on sale Fri 2/7, Watkins Family Hour 4/24-4/25, Dan Navarro 2/14, 7 PM, Daphne 2020 featuring Martin Hayes Quartet, Martin 10 AM, 18+ 8 PM, Maurer Hall, Old Town Schubas ers Beau Wanzer and Brett Naucke say Trqpiteca, Noncompliant, La Hayes & Dennis Cahill duo Casey McDonough Valentines School of Folk Music b Radioactivity, Vacation 2/19, this will be the competition’s swan song, so Spacer, Cqqchifruit 3/7, 3/27, 8 PM, Maurer Hall, Old Show 2/14, 7:30 PM, Honky Weedeater, Goddamn Gallows, 8:30 PM, Empty Bottle this wolf’s chili will be seasoned with tears. 10 PM, Smart Bar Town School of Folk Music b Tonk BBQ Atomix Bitchwax, Worship- Tall Heights, Saint Sister 2/14, —JRNLG Daphne 2020: Manifest fea- Heaven 17 5/8, 7:30 PM, Park Midnight 3/27, 10 PM, Empty per 3/13, 7 PM, Reggies’ Rock 8 PM, Beat Kitchen, 17+ turing Misfortune, Patrixia, West, on sale Fri 2/7, 10 AM, Bottle Club, 17+ UFO 2/14, 8 PM, Genesee The- Abigail 3/5, 10 PM, Smart 18+ Rhett Miller 5/15, 8 PM, SPACE, Adam Weiner, Chastity Brown atre, Waukegan b Got a tip? Tweet @Gossip_Wolf or e-mail Bar F House of Love 5/11, 8 PM, Sub- Evanston b 2/16, 8 PM, City Winery b Wolf Parade, Jo Passed 2/16, [email protected]. Daphne 2020: What It Is fea- terranean, 17+ Molchat Doma, Chrysta Bell Wintercamp Music Festival 8:30 PM, Thalia Hall, 17+ ll JANUARY - CHICAOREADER 47 OPINION MOBILIZE A series of political engagement events as curated by
Win Wisconsin: Business Attire After Parkland Canvass & Carpool Drive Benefiting Screening to Southeast Care for Real February 12 Wisconsin with February 10 6:30pm - 8pm Indivisible Evanston 9am - 5pm Regal Webster Place 11 February 8 Andersonville Chamber of 1471 W. Webster Ave. 8:30am - 2:30pm Commerce Lesbians and Democratic Party 5217 N. Clark St. Feminism in Chicago of Evanston in the 1970s and 80s 747 Custer Ave. Activism Evening – February 12 Evanston, IL Postcards, Texting, 6:30pm - 8:30pm Phonebanking Gerber Hart Library Exhibition Opening: February 10 and Archives Notorious RBG 6:30pm - 8:30pm 6500 N. Clark St. SAVAGE LOVE February 9 Unity Lutheran Church of 2pm - 3:30pm Berwyn Galentine’s Day My daughter just came out as a cam girl Illinois Holocaust Museum 6720 31st St. Market! A Benefit Plus, an open-relationship-loving wife reveals she’s a dictator. & Education Center Berwyn, IL for Chicago Period 9603 Woods Dr. Project By D S Skokie, IL Ella’s Activism February 13 Diner 6pm - 11pm Emporium Logan Square Public Workshop February 11 : I started reading your the Internet really existed, stigma still exists. I worry 2363 N. Milwaukee Ave. column when I was a but I think the job is actu- that she will become mired February 9 5:30pm - 8pm 20-year-old kid. Now I’m ally fairly analogous to cam in poverty, barely getting 4pm - 6pm Democratic Party of Oak LWVIL 100th an old married lady with work: nudity and masturba- by, and I worry that she will Chicago Therapy Park Anniversary 20 years of (more or less) tion for the pleasure of oth- not be able to find loving Collective 6941-A W. North Ave. blissful married monogamy ers, with no actual physical relationships with men who Celebration behind me. My oldest contact. I found sex work to value her worth. What do I 5247 N. Clark St. Oak Park, IL February 14 daughter, who is 23, just be corrosive to my person- do? Do I stand back and love 10am - 11:15am came out to me as a sex al goals. As a heterosexual her? Do I try to give her the 2020 Endorsement New Hampshire The Congress Plaza Hotel worker. She’s been making a woman, I hoped to fall in benefit of my experience, Session Primary Watch & Convention Center slim living as a cam girl. She love with a man and have a even if that seems shame-y? recently graduated with a family, and for me, the lon- Is this even any of my busi- February 9 520 S. Michigan Ave. Party marketable degree, but she ger I did that type of work, ness, given that she’s older 4pm - 7pm February 11 hasn’t been searching for a the more impossible those now than I was when I gave Unitarian Church 6pm - 8pm Sunrise 2.0 Training job in her fi eld because, as goals seemed. I saw men at birth to her? —T C of Evanston GMan Tavern February 15 she puts it, “It’s hard to want their worst 40 hours a week. G’ M to apply for a minimum wage As time went by, I felt myself 1330 Ridge Avenue 3740 N. Clark 9am - 5pm Weinberg/Newton Gallery job when I make the same withdrawing more and more a: Your daughter made this Evanston, IL 688 N. Milwaukee Ave. working from home.” from the possibility of any your business when she I’m finding this very hard kind of affectionate rela- shared it with you, TCGM. So For more information of listed events please visit persistlist.org to process on a number of tionship with a man. Quit- my advice would be to lean levels. First, and I hope you ting for me was an act of in (not stand back), love your will believe most impor- self-preservation. daughter, and share your M O B I L I Z E sponsored by tantly, it’s very hard for me I did my best to react own experiences with her. to see her giving up what non-judgmentally when But the goal shouldn’t be to GREEN used to be her dreams. But my daughter confided in get your daughter to stop e l e m e n t that’s not the part I think me, but truthfully I’m real- doing sex work—that’s not RESALE you can help me with. I ly unhappy about it. I worry the “benefi t” you’re a er— www.big-medicine.org used to be a sex worker. about the effect sex work but rather to open the lines For three years in the early will have on her future and of communication and keep ’90s, I was a dancer at the while there are people work- them open. Lusty Lady on First Avenue ing to reduce the stigma Zooming out for a sec- in Seattle. That was before attached to sex work, that ond . . .
48 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll OPINION
VICTORIA HEATH / UNSPLASH this kind of sex work—rough- adult child. ly the same kind you did— The kind of sex work you may make it impossible for : I am a heterosexual male. did decades ago at the Lusty your daughter to fall in love, My wife has been dating Lady was different in import- create a family, pursue her other men for the past year. ant ways. (I visited the Lusty professional goals, or even When she started dating Lady a few times in the early make a decent living. But you her fi rst boyfriend, she told ’90s, TCGM, which makes fell in love, created a family, me she wasn’t ready for me you one of the few letter and presumably make a good to date other people but writers that I might’ve seen living yourself. And while would process through it naked who didn’t enclose it’s possible that doing this and then we could open up photos.) kind of work delayed achiev- the relationship for me, too. The women who danced at ing those goals, you weren’t A er about six months, her the Lusty Lady were behind derailed or destroyed by it fi rst relationship ended and Plexiglas walls, men pumped and your daughter doesn’t we both started looking for quarters into slots to lift par- have to be either. (And is less other partners. She found titions that allowed them to likely to be with her mom another guy pretty much see the women, and there in her corner.) Also, your right away and it took a few were private booths for solo daughter may not want the months before I started shows. But while you saw same things you did. Not dating. I had a couple dates men “at their worst” (men everyone wants one com- with this woman and then 60 MINUTES FREE TRIAL can and have done worse), mitted, long-term partner, kissed her at the end of our your daughter doesn’t have and not everyone wants kids. second date. When I told THE HOTTEST GAY CHATLINE Meet sexy friends to look at the men she’s per- And while you’re under- my wife what happened, who really get your vibe... forming for. Her clients—her standably distressed that she got jealous and angry. Try FREE: 312-924-2066 fans, if she has a following— she isn’t doing anything with A day later, my wife stole 1-312-924-2082 MoreMore Local Numbers: 1-800-811-16331-800-811-1633 aren’t on camera themselves. her degree at the moment, my phone and sent a More Local Numbers: 800-777-8000 www.guyspyvoice.com They may send her messag- it’s possible your daughter’s message to the woman I’d Ahora en Español/18+ vibeline.com 18+ es, and she may interact with ideas about what she wants been dating ending our them via DM, but she doesn’t to do with her life have relationship, and then she have to watch them jack off. changed since she picked a blocked the woman from And unlike a performer in a major. Working as a cam girl my social media accounts peep show, your daughter may give her the time and and deleted her number can block guys who give her space she needs to figure from my phone. She broke the creeps or who are in any out a new dream for herself. up with her boyfriend way pushy or disrespectful. And as crazy as it sounds to and is insisting that our But while she doesn’t have some . . . there are women relationship is closed now. to see men leering at her or and men out there whose I love my wife, but I feel watch come drip down Plexi- dream job is sex work. violated in so many diff erent glass walls, she does have Your daughter opened a ways and I’m unsure what to to worry that someone out door when she shared this do. —M AD there might be recording her with you, and there must be sessions and posting them a reason she shared it with A: Your wife should’ve online. And unlike the Lusty you. Hell, it’s possible she married a cuckold—a man Lady (R.I.P.), the Internet is may want to be talked out who wants to remain forever. of doing it. So don’t hesitate faithful to a woman who But the stigma around sex to share your experiences fucks around on him and work is decreasing—Eliza- and perspective with her. dates other men—and you beth Warren recently said It’s not shaming to tell her should’ve married a woman she’s “open to decriminaliz- you did this kind of work and who isn’t a controlling, ing” sex work (a tiny step in found it dehumanizing and manipulative, unhinged the right direction)—and with corrosive. That’s the truth of hypocrite. Luckily for you people of all ages furious- your experience. But after both, MAD, a divorce that ly sexting each other, we’re you share your perspective, would allow each of you to quickly reaching the stage listen to hers with an open fi nd a new partner—a cuck where everyone has nudes mind. And as all parents of for her, a sane person for out there somewhere. Pretty adult children know or soon you—is still an option. v soon it won’t be in anyone’s learn, TCGM, your kid gets interest to punish or harass to make their own choices Send letters to mail@ people whose pics or videos and quite possibly their own savagelove.net. Download go big or viral because you mistakes. And sometimes the Savage Lovecast could be next. what looks like a mistake to a Tuesday at savagelovecast. Something else to bear in concerned parent turns out com. mind: you worry that doing to be the right choice for the @fakedansavage ll FEBRUARY - CHICAOREADER 49 with engineering, product, USA; MONICA J MARTINEZ, and design personnel in the 3022 SARAH ST FRANKLIN JOBS development of front-end and PARK, IL 60131, USA GENERAL back-end software solutions for simple and effective user This letter is to notify that on Financial Solutions Architect interfaces which will be used February 25, 2020 at 9:30 by Akzo Nobel Chemicals for the analysis of online and a.m. an auction will be held at LLC in Chicago, IL. Reqs: social media data for marketing 83rd & Halsted Self Storage, Bach deg or for equiv in purposes. Develop and modify Inc., located at 8316 S. Birkhoff CS Sci, InfoSys Engg, or IT computer application software Ave, Chicago, IL 60620, to sell rel fld + 6 yrs exp of SAP with a focus on the creation and the following articles held within solut’ns dsgn, maintenance, maintenance of large data sets. said storage units to enforce a & implementat’n of fin’l Must have a Masters Degree in lien existing under the laws of solut’ns w/imanufacturing Computer Science, Computer the state of Illinois. ind OR Mast deg + 3 yrs as Engineering, Electrical described above. All stated Engineering, or a closely related 475 Natalie Bennett exp must incl: architecture field. Degree studies must 107 James Harris of technology platforms, IT have included coursework in 341 Keith Mays, Jr. change mgmt, bus process Big Data. Multiple openings. 117 Barbara Dukes modeling, issue resolut’n The position offers the option 156 Jazzerae Carr methods, & applic architecture of limited telecommuting 335 Stephen Grandberry dsgn, incl framewrks, tools, up to 20% of the time. All technologies, & methodologies. telecommuting must be done This letter is to notify that on 10% int’l travel. Send within 50 miles of the main February 25, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. resume & cover letter to worksite. Qualified applicants an auction will be held at Hyde [email protected] should submit their resume to Park Self Storage, Inc., located and ref Job# NC- Financial [email protected] with reference code SDEBD0120. at 5155 S. Cottage Grove Ave, Solutions Architect Chicago, IL 60615, to sell the TECHNOLOGY following articles held within TransUnion, LLC seeks Senior said storage units to enforce a Consultants for Chicago, IL ServiceNow Inc is accepting A series of political resumes for the position of lien existing under the laws of M ILIZ location to design & develop the state of Illinois. OB E sw applications. Master’s in Senior Machine Learning engagement events by Engineer in Chicago, IL (Job Info. Tech./Comp. Sci./related 413A James Hendricks fi eld + 3yrs exp. or Bachelor’s in Ref. #5143). Work on various ServiceNow client data 46 Alvin Daniels the Chicago Reader Info. Tech./Comp. Sci./related 423 Dorothy Heard field + 5yrs exp. req’d. Req’d sets and focus on solving applied problems in Natural 384 Culver Medical Supply skills: business intelligence sw Language Understanding, 10194 Raymond White development exp.w/Ab Initio, Text Mining, Anomaly 535 Candice Martin Agile, SQL, Oracle, Unix/Linux Detection, Forecasting, etc., 10120 Thomas Murton Come join the Chicago Reader for shell scripting, Autosys. Send by leveraging statistical/ 371 Darryl G. Fairley resume to: R. Harvey, REF: mathematical concepts and 10153 James A Lott RV, 555 W Adams, Chicago, IL core machine learning/AI tools 6 Raymond White 60661 and techniques. Mail resume 544 Chanel Long to ServiceNow Inc, Attn: 100 Mescha Lammy Montessori Foundations of Global Mobility, 4810 Eastgate 267 Erika Richardson ELECTION NIGHT Chicago;Montessori Lead 463 James Hendricks Mall, San Diego, CA 92121. Teacher;Chicago,IL;Develop Resume must include job title, V333 Darryl Simmons lesson/unit plans&manages job ref. #5143, full name, email 374 Brianne Kelly the learning experiences & mailing address. No phone 61 Dante Edwards for 3-6yrs old students to calls. Must be legally authorized 71 Lazinnial Brandon WATCH PARTIES ensure the needs of the to work in U.S. without 10147 Brianne Kelly
CLASSIFIEDS group&individual students are sponsorship. EOE. 10158 Waymon Curry met. Must hold valid MACTE 202C Stephen Weinstein certification for toddlers.2yrs Relativity (Chicago, IL) seeks With hosts Ben Joravsky and Maya Dukmasova* exp as Montessori Teacher Sr. Software Engineer to This letter is to notify that on in 3-6yrs old classroom in architect/design/implement February 25, 2020 at 9:30 Montessori school. Mail resume & test cloud native software a.m. an auction will be held at to Montessori Foundations consistently applying best South Shore Self Storage, Inc., of Chicago,attn:Beata practice software engineering. located at 7843 S. Exchange Skorusa,3575 S Archer Ave, Must pass HackerRank Code Ave, Chicago, IL 60649, to sell Chicago,IL60609. Challenge pre-interview the following articles held within JOBS screening test. To apply, said storage units to enforce a The Nielsen Company (US), LLC please email your resume to lien existing under the laws of sks Technical Lead (Chicago, [email protected]. the state of Illinois. ADMINISTRATIVE IL): Resp for anlyzng, dvlpng, Please reference “JOB ID: 19- tstng & spprtng hghly cmplx 9021 in the subject line to be 265 Wesley Jones SALES & app sftwr. Min reqs: Bach considered. 237 Da Great Yekuti Azor El degr in comp sci, engg, or 231 Rashaunda Sanders MARKETING rltd fl d w/ IT fcs + 7 yrs exp in 444 Ned Leeper sftwr dvlpmnt w/data strctrs & LEGAL 601 Alicia Washington Live Stream on FOOD & DRINK algrthms (would also accept a 322 Cozette Armstrong Mstr degr + 3 yrs of pst-bacc, NOTICES 505 Cozette Armstrong SPAS & SALONS prgrssvly rspnsbl exp). Mst incl: 255 Alethea Rayford the Reader’s 5 yrs exp in: PL/SQL & Oracle; 253 Erica Cooley dsgng for prfrmnc, sclblty Notice is hereby given, 208 Briana Tyner BIKE JOBS & avlblty; & dsgng & bldng pursuant to “An Act in relation 442 Korianda Johnson facebook mltithrded dstrbtd sys. 3 yrs to the use of an Assumed 328 Jess Gill GENERAL exp in: dvlpmnt of UI comps Business Name in the conduct page using techs sch as, JavaScript, or transaction of Business in This letter is to notify that on JSON, AJAX, &/or XML techs; the State,” as amended, that February 25, 2020 at 9:30 New Hampshire srch engns such as Oracle a certification was registered a.m. an auction will be held at Text index, &/or Microsoft SQL by the undersigned with Aaron Bros. Self-Storage, Inc., REAL srvr full txt &/or ElasticSearch; the County Clerk of Cook located at 4034 S. Michigan ldng tms in agile sftwr dvlpmnt County. Registration Number: Ave, Chicago, IL 60653, to sell Primary Watch Party prctcs & DevOps; ldng a team Y19001590 on June 18, 2019 the following articles held within ESTATE of dvlprs thrgh the diff t phases Under the Assumed Business said storage units to enforce a Tuesday, Feb. 11, 6-8 p.m., Free of prjct from dsgn to deliv; & Name of MACK FINANCIAL lien existing under the laws of applyng Master Data Mgmt SPECIALISTAL COMPANY the state of Illinois. RENTALS prncpls & CPG indstry cncpts; with the business located at GMan Tavern, 3740 N. Clark 2 yrs exp in: full stack dvlpmnt 7116 S. CORNELL AVE APT 122 Jeremy Clark FOR SALE in JEE dvlpng scalbl entrprse 2B, CHICAGO, IL 60649 The 600A Narlin Brothers pltfrms; & dvlpmnt of cstm true and real full name(s) and 306 Elnora Clay ExtJS cmpnnts & ftres. Apply residence address of the 558 Kamla Ronan NON-RESIDENTIAL onln at www.nielsen.com w/ owner(s)/partner(s) is: WILLIAM 541 Royal Traders Job ID #55042 E. MCNEAL 7116 S. CORNELL 548 Anna Long ROOMATES AVE APT 2B CHICAGO, IL 117 Brian McCoy Littelfuse, Inc. seeks a Lean 60649, USA 201 Horace Howard Manufacturing Manager in 544 Brian McCoy Chicago, IL to crte ln strtgy Notice is hereby given, 329 Tanya Lyda fr MX &NA ops. Reqs BS in pursuant to “An Act in relation MARKET- Engnrng or rltd + 7 yrs exp. 7 to the use of an Assumed Notice is hereby given, yrs exp in Ln mnfctrng advncd Business Name in the conduct pursuant to “An Act in relation tchnqs & cntns imprvmnt; 5 or transaction of Business in to the use of an Assumed Super Tuesday Watch Party the State,” as amended, that PLACE yrs exp: Prblm slvng; AME Business Name in the conduct reqs; OS & Mnfctrng Excllnce; a certification was registered or transaction of Business in Tuesday, March 3, 6-8 p.m., Free & Actn orntd & cstmr fcs. by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook the State,” as amended, that GOODS Trvl to untcptd clnt stes a certification was registered as ndd. Snd cvr lttr & CV: County. Registration Number: Y20003012 on January 17, by the undersigned with Promontory in Hyde Park, 5311 S Lake Park Ave W. [email protected], ref the County Clerk of Cook SERVICES lzmjkpp7jm 2020 Under the Assumed Business Name of MJM County. Registration Number: Y20003018 on January 21, HEALTH & Software Development Engineer OCCASIONS with the business located at 3022 SARAH ST, 2020 Under the Assumed – Big Data 4C Insights, Inc., Business Name of ABOVE WELLNESS Chicago, IL Develop large-scale, FRANKLIN PARK, IL 60131 concurrent applications, modern The true and real full name(s) GRADE APPLIANCE SERVICE INSTRUCTION languages/frameworks, modern and residence address of the with the business located at Web technologies, relational owner(s)/partner(s) is: JASON 6545 W DICKENS AVE. APT. 2W, CHICAGO, IL 60707 *Dukmasova will just co-host the March 3 event. Look for special co-host Feb. 11. databases, and RESTful MARTINEZ, 3022 SARAH ST MUSIC & ARTS web services to coordinate FRANKLIN PARK, IL 60131, The true and real full name(s) NOTICES MESSAGES WANT TO ADD A LISTING TO OUR CLASSIFIEDS? LEGAL NOTICES E-mail [email protected] with details ADULT SERVICES or call (312) 392-2970 50 CHICA O READER - FEBRUARY ll and residence address of the name(s) and residence address a certification was registered a certification was registered Ki Won Lee to Kiwon Julian Lee. of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: Credit/Debit Cards Accepted. owner(s)/partner(s) is: RAFAL of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: by the undersigned with by the undersigned with Court Date March 25, 2020, KATHERINE THOMAS, 4700 S. MARY LANGE 3640 N. KEDZIE All Fetishes and Fantasies Are MAJOREK 6545 W DICKENS PAUL SOCKI 328 OAKMONT the County Clerk of Cook the County Clerk of Cook 9:30 AM in Courtroom #1706 LAKE PARK 308, CHICAGO, IL AVE, CHICAGO IL 60618, USA Welcomed. Personal, Private AVE. APT. 2W, CHICAGO, IL DR, BARTLETT, IL 60103, USA County. Registration Number: County. Registration Number: Case # 2020CONC000047 60615 and Discrete. 773-935-4995 60707, USA Y20003003 on January 16, Y20003074 on January 27, 2020 STATE OF ILLINOIS, 2020 Under the Assumed Under the Assumed Business Notice is hereby given, Notice is hereby given, Nude male model for personal Notice is hereby given, PUBLICATION NOTICE OF Business Name of SUDDEN Name of FISH AMONG pursuant to “An Act in relation pursuant to “An Act in relation RENTALS or group shows. Striptease/full pursuant to “An Act in relation COURT DATE FOR REQUEST UNIVERSE with the business BICYCLES with the business to the use of an Assumed to the use of an Assumed Heated Indoor parking spot nude/roleplay. Public or private to the use of an Assumed FOR NAME CHANGE. Location located at 11001 DEBLIN LN located at 1301 W FLETCHER Business Name in the conduct Business Name in the conduct with storage space, Clark and – 847.868.0447 Business Name in the conduct Cook County - County Division APT 101, OAK LAWN, IL 60453 ST #602, CHICAGO, IL 60657 or transaction of Business in or transaction of Business in Wrightwood, $195 month call Joan or transaction of Business in - Case Type: Name Change The true and real full name(s) The true and real full name(s) the State,” as amended, that the State,” as amended, that 224-627-4542 the State,” as amended, that from Jason Bradley Medalis and residence address of the and residence address of a certification was registered a certification was registered a certification was registered to Emma Jaye Medalis Court owner(s)/partner(s) is: MARK the owner(s)/partner(s) is: by the undersigned with by the undersigned with Two older adults (seniors) looking by the undersigned with Date February 19, 2020, 1:30 RICHARD BERNAL 11001 SARA MICHELE BIEKER, the County Clerk of Cook the County Clerk of Cook to rent affordable one bedroom the County Clerk of Cook PM in Courtroom #203 Case # DEBLIN LN APT 101, OAK 1301 W FLETCHER ST #602, County. 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