Chicagoist: Bird For Barack

February 13, 2008

Bird For Barack

That Obama, he's a total hipster. First it's Wilco, Cool Kids, and The Changes...now it's Andrew Bird and Dianogah. Despite the slightly weird combination of baroque chamber pop maestro and underground instrumental rock band, we'll take any opportunity to 'rock for Barack.' Also, as an added bonus -- at this event only -- all the folks willing to shell out the minimum $100 donation to gain entry will receive a super ultra-rare insanely limited-edition hand-screened poster by Kathleen Judge.

Andrew Bird and Dianogah play a show to benefit Obama for America at The Hideout, February 28, 7:30 p.m., $100 suggested contribution.

By Lizz Kannenberg in Arts & Events | Link | Comments (39) | Recommend this! (2) |

Tags: Andrew Bird, Barack Obama, Dianogah, Hideout, kathleen judge

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Comments (39)

[1] | 02/13/08 05:08PM

Is there some way to put an Obama filter on this blog so I don't see the 10 posts a day of hero worship. I'm starting to get cavities.

[2] | 02/13/08 05:12PM

Not only $100 if you want the poster, $100 NO MATTER WHAT.

I get the Obama for the young vote thing, but Christ, how many young persons have $100 for a single show ticket or $1,000 for a plate of fund raiser food.

Boo hiss. boo hiss.

[3] | 02/13/08 06:09PM

I got to see Andrew Bird and Dianogah play down here at the U of I, and Mr. Bird was seriously impressive. It's too bad he didn't have a full band playing with him, but he was still AWESOME.

The opening band, Dianogah was just 'okay.' There's only so much you can do with two bass guitars.

PS. I like Obama.

[4] | 02/13/08 06:09PM

I got to see Andrew Bird and Dianogah play down here at the U of I, and Mr. Bird was seriously impressive. It's too bad he didn't have a full band playing with him, but he was still AWESOME.

The opening band, Dianogah was just 'okay.' There's only so much you can do with two bass guitars.

PS. I like Obama.

[5] | 02/13/08 06:14PM

Andrew Bird followers are in their late 20's to early 40's anyway, so they probably have it.

[6] | 02/13/08 08:30PM

I suspect there is a fine line between hope and hysteria.

I respect Obama's apparent idealism, and his call for more bi-partisanship, but I can't help but wonder if he's enough of a pit bull to really bring about significant change and/or progress. What we need is an FDR type of president right now, a tough son-of-a-bitch with big ideas, not some nice-talking, good-hearted but ultimately weak Jimmy Carter-type figure, or the meaningless symbolism and sex appeal of a JFK (though a president in the mold of Bobby Kennedy might not be so bad--he was the tough one of the bunch).

Seeing as Obama's chances for the presidency seem to grow every day, I do hope he's the right type of leader.

Then again, I can't stomach another go-around with the Clintons, no matter how brilliant Hillary apparently is. God, just go away already. And take the Bushes with you. Give the brothers some baseball teams or something, or a cocaine distributorship at least.

[7] | 02/13/08 08:49PM

Hey, for the record SOME of us Chicagoists have not consumed the Obama Kool-Aid yet. However, this is a political fundraiser for a popular candidate, so the $100 price tag doesn't seem surprising in the least. This isn't a show the bands are doing for the fans, it's a show the bands are doing to raise political capital for their chosen candidate.

[8] | 02/13/08 08:59PM

I get the Obama for the young vote thing, but Christ, how many young persons have $100 for a single show ticket or $1,000 for a plate of fund raiser food.

I'm sure it will sell out, so obviously there's enough people willing to shell out $100 of their supposedly disposable income either for Barack, the music, or both.

[9] | 02/13/08 09:26PM

"Hey, for the record SOME of us Chicagoists have not consumed the Obama Kool-Aid yet."

Ha, I'm sure it wasn't intentional but I got a kick out of that qualifier.

[10] | 02/13/08 10:18PM

Hey, for the record SOME of us Chicagoists have not consumed the Obama Kool-Aid

In my case, no qualifier needed.

[11] | 02/13/08 11:54PM

Will the chicagoist be thanking the obama campaign as one of this weeks advitisers or is all this obama love free. its amazing how theres all this obama love but no mention of anyting of substance he has done. maybe a little mention of how he is upholding his crook co machine cred by being a ghost employee of the state of Ill in the us senate

[12] | 02/14/08 07:40AM

Really Kev, which is why five of your last seven posts have been Obama cheerleading?

[13] | 02/14/08 08:13AM

Listen, I like Obama, hell, I voted for the guy, twice (once for Senate, once in the primaries), but give it a rest already.

Has everyone forgotten that he is first and foremost a politician (as such, I'd probably put my hand on my wallet and watch my back if I ever met him, as I do whenever I meet any politician), and not a particularly liberal one at that? I may like the guy and think that right now he is the best we've got running, but he isn't the freakin' messiah, and if elected he will disappoint you, because they all do.

[14] | 02/14/08 08:32AM

It seems that most of Chicagoist has fallend for the act.

[15] | 02/14/08 08:44AM

From the above, it's clear that some Chicagoist readers who differ on other issues seem to agree about the Obama cheerleading.

It is interesting that LAist and Gothamist, and I'll bet the other "-ists" as well, do not make a clear Republican or Democratic endorsement in their respective sites' articles.

Chicagoist not only roots for the Democratic side, it names which Democrat should get the nod. And it does it over and over again.

[16] | 02/14/08 09:27AM

Absolutely, I'll gladly donate the $100 for both causes....since I'm the most independent of the sellouts...and because I am not sitting on the sidelines and not bitching about a movement that just might make our country better. Have we grown up yet?

"Sometimes, the only realists are the dreamers. 'The future will not belong to those who are content with the present.' I think the future also will not belong to those who are cynical or those who stand on the sidelines. The future will belong to those who have passion and are willing to work hard to make our country better. The future will belong to those, in Eleanor Roosevelt's words, 'who believe in the beauty of their dreams.'

Paul Wellstone

[17] | 02/14/08 09:34AM

For every dreamer who suceeded, davy, there are likely a dozen who either failed or, worse, exploited the hopes of citizens.

Give me an honorable, capable realist/pragmatist any day over an untested dreamer. Give me an FDR over a JFK.

[18] | 02/14/08 09:39AM

OK, but they are both dead, now what are you going to do? Seems like your still complaining?? Who you voting for, what are you doing to make this country better?

[19] | 02/14/08 09:43AM

The NY Times hates Obama and makes that explicit in their news stories. So, well, if you don't like Chicagoist then you could go there I suppose.

[20] | 02/14/08 09:56AM

No thanks to The New York Times. I prefer facts.

[21] | 02/14/08 09:56AM

Davy: They are both dead? Really? Jeez, I was hoping for a fifth term from FDR. I was talking about types of leaders, in case you did not understand.

Listen, I am just saying beware of what Obama is selling. History is full of examples of people like him turning out to be much, much less than expected. People are hungry for change right now, more so than 1980, perhaps, and at least as hungry as they were in 1932. Change artists can often be con artists or, as Carter proved, miserable failures. And the whole cult of Obama vibe is really scary to one who closely studies history. I think if he gets elected, a good number of people are in for a serious letdown when they realize he can do only so much, and perhaps not even that.

What does it matter what the fuck I am doing to make the country better? What does that have to do with the question at hand?

And who I vote for is none of your fucking business, as we have a secret ballot.

[22] | 02/14/08 10:04AM

"The NY Times hates Obama and makes that explicit in their news stories. "

Maybe on the editorial pages, but in the news stories?

I call bullshit, and I read the paper every day, and I am not an Obama cult member.

Have any evidence, examples?

Or do you consider skeptical reporting an admission of hatred?

God, some of you people seem really stupid.

[23] | 02/14/08 10:33AM

Oh, I understand...I am just trying to find what substance we have here beyond your knowledge of history (or lack of)...doesn't sound like much tildy - keep studying history and I'll go back to my cult. God, some of you Matilda's seem really...

[24] | 02/14/08 10:52AM

Poor young Chicago republicans............*sniffle*.

[25] | 02/14/08 11:09AM

"Poor young Chicago republicans............*sniffle*."

It's really not republicans, democrats, Hillary, McCain, Obama, or anybody else or any other party really- It's the freaking OBAMA infatuation-'I want to worship you'- vibe Chicagoist has with this.
I really don't mind reading about any candidates, I especially like reading the random snipets about their life- but this Obama Chicagoist thing is on a whole different level.

I do see that Chicagoist has already gone 3 or 4 new posts without one on Obama. Brace yourselves for a big one this afternoon. Maybe we'll get Obama oil painting classes, or stripping lessons synchronized with Obama speeches. What the hell else could there be?

[26] | 02/14/08 11:28AM

I think people are looking for a messiah in Obama, someone to undo what Bush has done. I think most people (liberal or conservative) want a lot of things undone by Bush (whether it was because Bush was too liberal by some standards, too conservative by others, or just simply incompetent). Even if Obama truly believes that he can change things, he has to work within the confines of Congress to get a lot of it done. I think people are getting too optimistic about what Obama can or cannot do. I want to believe that he can change things, but what happens if he gets elected and after his first 100 days, things really haven't changed: we are not out of Iraq, we haven't even discussed a health plan, stem cell research is still being debated, etc. What will we do then?

What is your take on history, Davy?

You guys can dismiss what Matilda says, but she's right. For better or for worse, Obama has reached nearly cult-like proportions with some voters. Do some of you even know why you like him? Because he is a charismatic speaker? Because he speaks of hope? Because he "unifies"? Do you know what his economic philosophy is? How it differs from Clinton's? What his take on stem cell research? What he really plans on doing with the health care plan? Will he be able to get us out of a recession? Some of you do know his platform, but when I ask some why they voted for Obama, they say "because he is the change we need, because he brings hope". So what? That's what irritates me.

[27] | 02/14/08 12:21PM

"Poor young Chicago republicans............*sniffle*."

Navin, there are Republicans for whom you can sniffle, but those Republicans aren't suffering because of the NY Times or the Dems.

We are hurting because our own candidate is somebody with whom we don't trust on taxes, immigration and other issues.

Thanks for the sympathy. We are going to need it.

[28] | 02/14/08 01:12PM

Any thoughts from OBAMA! people about his most recent economic plans (talked about in more detail recently in Wisconsin), and how they differ from Clinton's or McCain's?

Anyone?

Or would you just prefer to talk about the vague concept of change?

By the way, if anyone really wants to talk about historical examples of "change" candidates, bring it on. I am sure I have much to learn from other serious students of history.

If you just want to suggest I just don't get it, then kindly fuck off and go back to making my coffee at Starbucks.

[29] | 02/14/08 02:05PM

I think this sums up quite nicely why many people prefer Obama over Clinton or McCain:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-ehrenreich/unstoppable-obama_b_86677.html

Speaking for myself, I already know what I'll get with a McCain or Clinton presidency--more of the same. So I choose character and intelligence, over specifics and experience instead. This country has been rutted in the Clinton-Bush dynasty for nearly 20 years now; if this country can somehow survive 8 years of Dubya, it can certainly afford to roll the dice on 4 years of Obama...

[30] | 02/14/08 02:15PM

Intelligence? No argument there.

Character? His career decisions after college certainly deserve praise, but thought should be given to his endorsement, overt or otherwise, of machine pols, and some of his fundraising decisions, especially given that he is running as the agent of change. As well, his media machine seems as well-tuned as that employed by the Clintons, which gives me pause.

I am not saying I won't vote for him, only that certain OBAMA! people really need to employ more skepticism.

[31] | 02/14/08 02:50PM

Yes, I know why I support him and yes it is healthy to be skeptical but to be ALWAYS be cynical and call people empty suits (like Matilda and many other tools who don't both to do their research other than pontificate on history on just how shitty and unhopeful things are or might be) is just bullshit.

What's more bullshit is that anyone has this right to call anybody’s position cult-like, or Kool-Aid drinkers, where is your solid proof? Many people can elaborate quite well on why they support him and yes many people can do the opposite with many of the other candidates (like voting for Hillary just because she’s woman).

But are we going to continue to saying things like a bigot who would say that blacks will only vote for Obama because he is black? (How about your quote a few weeks ago, that white liberals are just voting for Obama becuase they are guilty about the past)?

Yes, and it does matter about your efforts to bitch about something and not do anything for this country – Furthermore, I really don’t give a shit who you voted for – because I have no respect for you.

Otherwise, Lighten up…

[32] | 02/14/08 03:13PM

An OBAMA! persons asks me for specifics?

Ah, the irony.

And this OBAMA! person says lighten up after more or less ranting how I don't get it.

Nice.

Well, Davy boy, my evidence for the cult vibe is observation of OBAMA! people--at least some of them--as well as observations of other, better professional writers, and some of the comments on this blog. Are you really so clueless.

Believe me, I am not cynical, not by a longshot. I am just a hard-core skeptic.

You have no fucking clue, little person of oh so many assumptions, what I do and have done for my country, so I would advise you to drop that foolishness.

You have no respect me for me? Oh my, whatever shall I do? By the way, dumbass, you are the prick who asked whom I was voting for. Do you have such a short memory? God, you are dumb.

Otherwise, go fuck yourself. Maybe you can do it in an OBAMA! T-shirt with OBAMA! giving yet more great speech on TV.

Oh, by the way, any thoughts about his recent remarks on ecomonic recovery?

Any?

Any at all?

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Go make me a coffee. And keep the milk light.

[33] | 02/14/08 03:46PM

Okay, so Obama's economic plan, I guess McCain says he stole it from Hillary, surprise. Maybe she'll go steal the delegates she's not supposed to have from Florida!

So he wants to spend 60 billion on infrastructure, creating new jobs. Sounds pretty good to me, as bridges and levees seem to fall apart pretty regularly now.

He wants tax relief for the middle class. Mkay. Sounds good to me.

Raise taxes on the wealthy, do it up! Fine by me.

Cut corporate tax breaks? Heck yeah! I like that idea.

So far, I like what he had to say. Am I allowed to have the kool aid now?

[34] | 02/14/08 04:36PM

fuck you idiot.

[35] | 02/14/08 06:32PM

Drink away, Margeret. At least you offered some specifics, unlike little Davey, who can only say fuck you when challenged. What a useless, unthinking piece of crap.

Got that coffee for me yet?

[36] | 02/14/08 08:35PM

hey margaret
Whats middle class, whats rich, which corprate tax breaks. He supported them for hospitals. or was that just while his wife was making the big bucks at U of C hosp. where does he get his 60 billion. which infastructure in what states.
I bet hes for peace, ending poverty, better schools and ending global warming.
Just wont say how he will do it all.

[37] | 02/14/08 09:30PM

I bet hes for peace, ending poverty, better schools and ending global warming.

Wow. That's sorta like reading a list of what Bush and the neo-cons are against...

[38] | 02/14/08 10:27PM

Well Fed Up, looks like he's going to nix income tax for seniors making less than 50K.

He'll offset payroll taxes for families making less than 50K.

And he'll fund the 60 billion dollar infrastucture program with the money he saves by getting out of Iraq.

He also plans on listing corporations that get tax breaks on the internet so you and me, and everyone else can see for ourselves.

Then he's going to make sure every single kid that has cancer lives forever in sunshine that never gets too hot.

Can I have my kool aid NOW?

[39] | 02/18/08 10:21PM

Getting out of Iraq? Even he admits we arent getting out anytime soon. We broke it, we have to pay for it and no I'm not happy about this either. No matter if its clinton Obama or Mcain we will be talking about Iraq in 4 more years.

Bush is a failure because of his stupid spending (this includes Iraq). Obama wants to spend even more well the bill is coming due and its a whopper. The money isnt there and Obama is being fradulant by proposing all kinds of nice feel goods that cant be paid for. Kind of like his buddy Blago.