Arts & Events: June 2009 Archives

              

Did you notice a lot of folks walking around the city on Saturday night? More than usual? With matching t-shirts and fanny packs and water bottles? They were probably part of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's 2009 Overnight walk traversed 18 miles of the city, beginning and ending at Soldier Field. Over 2,000 participants took the stroll and helped raise $2 million (before expenses, as the AFSP notes) that will help "support AFSP’s research and education programs to prevent suicide, increase advocacy, and assist survivors of suicide loss." Check out more of the AFSP's photos from the event.

         

We've all heard the bitter critic jokes about Sonic Youth's name: Sonic Old, Sonic Middle Aged, Sonic Geezers. With all five (former Pavement bassist Mark Ibold joined the band in 2006) members in their late 40's or early 50's, the not-so-clever plays on the group's moniker were probably inevitable, but anyone making them clearly hasn't caught the godfathers of experimental indie rock lately. Even from the photo pit at the Vic on Sunday, Lee Ranaldo's gray mop top was the only giveaway that this wasn't some hot new Pfork-approved Brooklyn group . Band linchpin Thurston Moore crawled across the stage about a minute into opener "She Is Not Alone," torturing his battered Jazzmaster with a drumstick and making his 50 years look more like 15. He and Ranaldo played off of each others' youthful antics and still-powerful voices for the next 70 minutes, while the stoic Kim Gordon thumped out basslines and quirky guitar progressions and unsung hero Steve Shelley proved he's still an innovative and hard-hitting drummer.

                     

There were so many good shots, we decided to do one more round of pics from this year's Pride Parade. If you missed yesterday's post, check it out here. And you can see more of Kate's photos here.

     

With all the hype over this week's opening of the new John Dillinger film Public Enemies, filmed here in Chicago, starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale and directed by Michael Mann, the Associated Press dug up this old file photo of the Biograph Theater as it originally appeared in July 1934, the night after Dillinger was shot (the second shot above is of a woman from the original pic holding a newspaper that says "Dillinger Slain"). Also check out shots taken by readers as the Biograph appeared last summer as the crew filmed.

                      

We were excited to go out and actually see the Counting Crows live - if only to watch the bouncing dreads of Adam Duritz in person and marvel at their plasticine uniformity.

   

The Windy Citizen visited the Taste of Chicago this weekend and, among other amusing and interesting observations, they noticed a certain Mayor who had his name plastered everywhere.

                     

A collection of reader-submitted Pride Parade pics.

It's a big week for Wilco. While Chicago's most popular alt-rock band wraps up the Western U.S. leg of their tour and gear up for the East Coast segment, their new self-titled LP sees its official release tomorrow. Of course, you don't have to sit on your hands waiting for the record store to open tomorrow morning to grab your copy. The Hideout, in conjunction with Laurie's Planet of Sound, is hosting a live band Wilco karaoke night. Featuring the Wilco cover ensemble The Late Greats, you'll have your chance to get up on stage and belt out "Casino Queen" or "I Got You" all you like. Then, at midnight, you'll have a chance to purchase copies of the new record. All it costs to get in is $5 but what price can be put on watching Wilco lovers emulate their favorite band on stage? [h/t Time-Out Chicago]

       

[View the full set]

Broadway in Chicago is not the most recession-friendly institution, but it's taking a break from its tickets prices tonight. During Taste of Chicago, Broadway in Chicago will present a concert featuring its current and upcoming big-budget musicals. (You can finally see part of Jersey Boys!) Original Broadway stars of Mary Poppins Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee, Roger Bart from Young Frankenstein, and yes, the entire cast of Jersey Boys will be there.

Just a friendly reminder, Chicago's 40th Annual Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Parade kicks off at noon in Lakeview today. The parade is expected to draw nearly half a million spectators and participants.

When you’re a dancer, your career ends a lot earlier than most because unfortunately, your body stops cooperating past a certain point. So unless you’re Mikhail Baryshnikov (who is still dancing at 61), you need to transition into a different career. And like many athletes become coaches, dancers become choreographers. However, learning the trade can be tricky so Hubbard Street Dance Center gives its company the opportunity to choreograph for the workshop “Inside/Out,” which goes up tonight.

The great part of Lollapalooza is the music. The not-so-great part is the crowds. For those of you who love the music but hate the festival scene, Lollapalooza weekend provides the city with plenty of preshows and after shows. For more, check out the list of all of the so-far-announced post-Lolla shows.

We raved about the last Dinosaur Jr album so it's pretty easy to see why we just can't get enough of this video. Dig it.

Just because the Manic Attackers won the Ivy King Cup, completing a Cinderella run, doesn't mean the ladies of the Windy City Rollers are done. That was only one half of the season. The next half begins this weekend. The WCR All-Stars head to Philadelphia this weekend for the East Coast Extravaganza. First up for our #2 Windy City Rollers squad will be the #21 Cincinnati Rollergirls at 3:30 p.m. (Chicago time) on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, the team takes on #8 Boston at 4 p.m. (Chicago time). You can follow boutcasts live at the Derby News Network site. Knock 'em out, ladies!

The 40th annual Gay & Lesbian Pride Parade kicks off at noon on Sunday, June 28, starting north down Halsted from Belmont. A map of the full parade route is below. The party starts today, though, so check out the rest of the festivities! Also, feel free to share more events in the comments.

As we mentioned earlier today, the citizens of Gary, Indiana are mourning their most popular native son, the King of Pop Michael Jackson. What happened when Jackson came back in June 2003 for a visit? One word: chaos. And then check out a performance of "Human Nature" during the Chicago stop of 1984's Victory Tour. The Chicago stops consisted of three shows from October 12 through 14 at Comiskey Park. After the jump is one more Michael Jackson-related video featuring a song written but not sung by Jackson, just for the hell of it.

• Actress Alexandra Billings will be the first transgender parade marshal to lead at Sunday's Pride Parade.
• This year barricades will line the parade route to limit interaction between spectators and participants.
• For the first time ever, a Chicago public school will participate in the parade. Parents and children from Nettelhorst Elementary School in East Lakeview will be marching.

What is a literary picture show, you might ask? No, it does not feature Tim Curry in go-go boots nor must you do the Time Warp, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less fun.

Michael Jackson has been rushed to a hospital, possibly due to a heart attack. Our sister site LAist has the details.

Tracy Letts’ epic August: Osage County will close its doors on Broadway this Sunday after 648 performances, making it one of the longest running plays in Broadway history. And while you might think we’re finally going to stop hearing about it now, you’re wrong.

Dancehall isn't a scene that is particularly big here in Chicago, at least not when compared to a city like NYC. It's a shame, because there's a lot we're missing out on. It looks like tonight is our lucky night. Red Stripe and The Fader have come together to present It Was Written, a celebration of Jamaican music to be held as an RSVP only event at Q4. Kingston dancehall queen Terry Lynn performs live with Johan Hugo (aka Radioclit) with an additional DJ set from Wildlife. Free entry and free booze is more than enough incentive for you to get out and get to know dancehall.

Summer Sessions on the Square, a brand new concert series in Logan Square, makes its debut this Saturday. The concerts, which will take place on the last Saturday of every month through the end of September, will feature diverse line-ups of bands from the surrounding community, and will attempt to keep a family-friendly vibe with an early start time and a youth component among the performers.

Taste of Chicago starts tomorrow just a little bit smaller. Only 54 vendors will be serving the teeming masses descending on Grant Park for the next 10 days. That might actually turn into a postivie.

Did you know that in the 30's and 40's there were frequently ten nominees for Best Picture? Neither did we. The practice ended in 1943, when Casablanca took home the Oscar. Since then it's always been winnowed to a list of five. But this morning AMPAS President Sid Ganis announced that the bigger list is being revived for next year's awards. There will once again be ten nominees. Said Ganis, "Having ten Best Picture nominees is going to allow Academy voters to recognize and include some of the fantastic movies that often show up in the other Oscar categories, but have been squeezed out of the race for the top prize. The final outcome, of course, will be the same - one Best Picture winner." The other categories will remain unchanged.

Brad Peterson's The Ductape Album opens with a song that could have been ripped from the latter period catalog of The Monkees. We sincerely mean that as a compliment and anyone familiar with the prefab four's days of fighting for their musical independence will know exactly what we're talking about. The rest of you should know that the song we're talking about, "More," is a rocky-tonk and roller that bounds out of the gate throwing up clouds of dust and glitter in its path. It's also the first time we've seen Peterson travel so nimbly and lightheartedly through a tune.

With the passing of broadcast journalist legend John Callaway, WTTW has made some scheduling changes to honor him. According to the Trib's Phil Rosenthal:

Tonight's 7 p.m. edition of "Chicago Tonight," the WTTW show Callaway launched in 1984, will focus on Callaway's career and life with tributes from "Chicago Tonight" regulars Phil Ponce, Carol Marin, Joel Weisman, Elizabeth Brackett and Rich Samuels. The show will also feature highlights of Callaways most memorable interviews with array of newsmakers and celebrities.

Looking out on our internet browser, we used to feel so uninspired. But Library of Inspiration became the key to our peace of mind. The “labor of love” child from a bevy of Chicago-based writers, Library of Inspiration houses short online essays on literature, music, and film. Its 7th edition includes essays on Richard Russo’s Empire Falls and Paul Bowles’ The Sheltering Sky, reflections on Animal Collective and Miles Davis, and observations on “Synecdoche, New York” and “Jaws”. The library doesn’t offer heavy diatribes, reviews, or term papers. Rather, each summary offers a brief literary confection meant to pay tribute and inspire future compositions.

One of the best stories on the newspaper industry I ever read was in Thomas Frank's The Baffler, the Chicago based magazine for thinkers that leaned unapologetically to the far left without ever resorting to histrionics. It was also famous for stiring up the local and national arts scene and just generally being a wickedly intelligent and entertaining read unafraid to take chances.

In which we take a quick look at a few recent musical releases.

For those of you have said "I'm done with the crowds, the after-shows are where it's at anyway," Lollapalooza's official after-shows have been announced. Of course it's great to see your favorite acts in a smaller venue, but you generally also have to shell out a lot more cash, that is if you even get tickets. But, it's worth it to take your chances!

Rush Hour, the free weekly after-work concert series at the St. James Cathedral, offers up yet another great show tonight, with piano music by Charles Ives and George Gershwin and poetry by Kevin Coval.

A look that demonstrates versatility to handle the temperamental Chicago weather, Robert wears his polyester trousers rolled up, along with a cardigan for extra warmth. Mixing different fabrics of black, Robert creates an interesting monochrome look.

              

A little over a year ago, if you had a subscription to the Chicago Tribune, you would have come across a nine-page spread in the Sunday Magazine (you can see a PDF of it here). That nine page spread, published as a photo portfolio was a rare glimpse into the world of Chicago's the South Side nightclub scene, 1965-76. It was as much a visual document of the music and culture scenes in the city as it was about how a passion for photography and music brought photographer Michael Abramson and musician Corky Siegel to know Pepper's and Perv's House.

Whole Foods all over Chicago will be accepting your dusty old practice amps and extraneous guitars, basses, drums, strings, cables, tuners, cases and cymbals this Saturday between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. The brand spankin' new flagship store in Lincoln Park will also feature live entertainment throughout the day and a chance to meet some of the organizers and former students.

Sonic Youth is the picture of consistently. They're been releasing fine albums of music that could only be attributed to them for so long it's easy to lose sight of what an unfailingly excellent band they are. The group has spanned decades and continually releasing stuff that indicates their instruments still have plenty of noise to wring out and bleed all over the stage. It's remarkable.

There are a few changes in this year's Pride Parade, happening this weekend, but one of the biggest will be the installation of barricades along the parade route. The report comes from Michael Lehet at What's A Boy To Do (via WBEZ):

We won't go into length about how much we enjoy local act Lasers And Fast And Shit. You can read our original post extolling their virtues wherein we said, among other things:

Picture Showgirls as a chamber piece, looking like it cost about $14.99 to produce and starring a lumpy clone of Fabio. That's a close approximation of The Room. And it's coming to the Music Box this weekend.

The Dirty Projectors' new album Bitte Orca is already popping up on "album of the year" lists, and while we find such evaluation to be criminally premature, the disc is certainly one of the most arresting listens we've recently encountered. Usually when one bandies about the "difficult to categorize" terminology in music reviews it means the reviewer thinks the tunes are simply weird but is afraid to make a judgment based on that for fear of looking out of touch. In the case of The Dirty Projectors, it's an excellent description though if you pressed us we'd describe it as ethereal indie funk.

Another Monday afternoon means it's time for another entry into the Chicagoist Podcast Series! This week in the Podcast, in response to the flurry of conversation about the Guardian Angels posts, we decided that hearing from an actual Angel could be somewhat illuminating. After all the discussion about vigilantism, about assaults, about what kind of training goes on and whether or not anyone's actually seen a Guardian Angel, we thought we'd try to get some answers from the guy in charge.

Kathy Griffin may claim she's on the D-List, but her fans consider her an A-List talent, and we'd have to agree with that assessment. Seriously, she's vicious, hilarious, and fearless. What more do you want from a comedian?

Once upon a time there was a festival celebrating the art of storytelling. Now, in its tenth year, the annual SKALD Storytelling Festival returns to the Department of Cultural Affairs to spin yarns that would make Homer blush. Actually, SKALD refers to an ancient Scandinavian poet, bard, or storyteller, so this storytelling fest is set to make Grendel blush, we supposed.

           

It was a Saturday night of grand slams, fast jams, and a sauced bachelorette party in the stands at the Windy City Rollers fifth season championship match for the Ivy King Cup. Scrappy underdogs the Manic Attackers brought down the house at the UIC Pavillion as they fought to steal the prize from 2008 title defenders, the Hell’s Belles. The festivities opened with a charity match between randomly sorted skaters from the Double Crossers and The Fury playing each other to raise money for Tahirah “Tequila Mockingbird” Johnson, a former Windy City Roller skater who suffered a spinal cord injury in August 2007. With the help of lead jammers Peg Legs and Eva Dead, the White Zombies chewed up and spat out the Dark Side 72-30.

If you're not quite in the Lollapalooza spirit this year or you'd rather spend $80 on a good ticket for an intimate show than a sweaty festival or maybe, dammit, you just love Wilco and are disappointed they aren't playing this year's fest, then Jeff Tweedy is coming to your rescue. And it's for a good cause. On Saturday, August 8, Tweedy - with opening support from Second City alum and current Colbert Report writer Peter Grosz - is playing a benefit solo show at Emanuel Congregation. Seating is general admission and set in three tiers by price:

Lakeshore Theater played host to a night of outstanding comedy on Friday, featuring Double Threat and Bob, David and Friends. The ironically titled Double Threat comprised two of the most likable and least intimidating comedians on the scene, Danny Bhoy and Jim Breuer. The show got off to an unusually early start (five minutes ahead of schedule), and those arriving fashionably late were the perfect target for the Scotsman's improvisational riffing. Bhoy, comfortable enough with his material to pause for some good-natured lampooning, shined when hounding audience members for their tardiness. In an age where most of a comedian's material can be viewed in advanced on YouTube, this type of off-the-cuff comedy was a genuine treat... so tell your dick friends to show up late. Following Danny Bhoy was the Goat Boy, Jim Breuer. Breuer, well known for his time on SNL and his feature-film appearances, made the most of his knack for impersonations. Sammy Sosa, Dave Chappelle, Tracy Morgan, Norm MacDonald, Jack Nicholson and a kangaroo were all channeled by Breuer on Friday night, who used the all-star cast to compliment his physical brand of humor. Be sure to catch Bhoy and Breuer in their final festival performance tonight at the Lakeshore.

Looking to support a good cause and good art? Consider The Arts of Life, a community group which provides developmentally disabled adults an outlet for expression in the form of creating art. Now they're in a new space at 2010 W. Carroll Avenue and are ready to hold their ninth annual summer exhibit with a special showcase and auction Saturday night, June 20th. Besides the art exhibit, there will be a raffle and a silent auction as well as a performance by the Arts of Life band. Wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres are included in the price of the tickets and all proceeds benefit the Arts of Life Gallery+Studio.

Twenty-three year old Londonite Ben Esser might just have the voice and face to rekindle Americans love affair with British pop. Impossibly young, stylish enough to have already been recruited as a muse of Hedi Slimane, and a gifted wordsmith and producer, Esser boldly debuts Braveface with a prowess for success.

Chicago legend Studs Terkel, who passed away last fall, is being honored with a posthumous induction into the Radio Hall of Fame. Joining Studs as posthumous honorees are legendary Philadelphia Phillies announcer (and Naperville native) Harry Kalas as well as Jose Miguel Agrelot, the Radio Hall of Fame's first Hispanic inductee. [via Windy Citizen]

Bringing back this column has reminded us of the nature of ticket sales. Last week was huge for upcoming shows, and inevitably this week follows in lighter suit. Don't fret, we still rounded up a couple gigs that will pique your interest.

Tetro, featuring Francis Ford Coppola's first completely original screenplay since 1974's Oscar-winning The Conversation, has to shoulder an awfully heavy burden. But for the first two-thirds anyway, it carries itself impeccably.

Annabel Alpers is Bachelorette and she's crafted one of the most entrancing albums we've heard this year. We hear praise heaped upon her like minded contemporaries like Bat For Lashes and Polly Scattergood, but while they are producing gauzy half-baked stabs at art-pop, Alpers is creating inventive soundscapes to surround her bewitching vocals.

Lollapalooza isn't the only fest on the schedule-release bandwagon this week. Our friends at the 'Fork have just released their schedule for the '09 fest and it looks solid. Also, if you were waiting to pick up Sunday tickets, you're S.O.L. as Pitchfork reports they're all sold out. Single-day tickets for Friday and Saturday are still available, though.

Photo by Matt Motyka

         

Last night's premiere of the highly anticipated Public Enemies brought out the films stars and its director. It seems like the stars, especially Depp, were all cordial to the amassed fans. According to one reader, Depp spent a good amount of time signing autographs for awaiting fans. The movie opens on Wednesday, July 1.

We know it's SUPER short notice, but today is a FREE day at the Museum of Science and Industry. There's plenty to check out there - though special exhibits like The World's Fair and Harry Potter require additional tickets - and the Farmer's Market (open until 2 p.m.)will be held indoors due to the threat of rain. Today's free admission is in honor of the museum's 76th anniversary. It opens for the day in about 10 minutes (and stays open til 5:30 p.m.) so get a move on and get down there! It's a great way to keep some kids occupied on a day with sketchy weather.

We realize we’ve already presented you with two kick-ass options for tonight, but if you’re not in the mood for eclectic-music-in-the-rain or guy-with-a-guitar-in-a-bar, allow us to add another suggestion. Innervation Dance Cooperative’s Everyman, a ballet set to Led Zeppelin music, opens tonight at the Vittum Theater.

While we all have our own personal tales of public-restroom related woe, Japanese horror writer Koji Suzuki (of The Ring) brings an entirely new dimension the phrase scared shitless. Forget you Kindle fans, the future of literature is to be found in Suzuki’s nine-chapter novella written enitrely on a roll of toilet paper.

       

By now, you've seen them in several spots around town or you've seen them featured on websites like ours. Now, the artist who's created the stencils of former governor Rod Blagojevich is reaching out to you for a little help. The man behind the stencil, Pilsen artist Ray Noland, has begun a fundraiser at kickstarer to help raise money for a future showcase of his works. You can donate any amount from $1 on up and donations of certain increments ($10, $25, etc) will get you things ranging from t-shirts to your own painting. Noland is hoping to raise $3,500 by the end of the month and so far has raised $680 at post time.

With the countdown clock getting very near to the nationwide release of the Chicago-centric summer blockbuster "Public Enemies," the Chicago media landscape has been diligently tracking down Dillinger info en masse. Earlier this week, the morbid habit of collecting blood back in the 20's is given a modern day connection in Mark Brown's column on Tuesday. Charley Johnson of the City News Bureau recieved a square of bloodstained newsprint from a reporter who was on the scene at Dillinger's slaying. Charley pasted that piece of bloodied paper into his diary, and then passed the book onto his son, who grew up to be WLS news anchor Jim Johnson.

Every time a great outdoor concert gets rained upon, an innocent puppy angel gets murdered. Got that, Mother Nature? Hopefully that vindictive wench will heed our threat so tonight's free performance by leading qawwali musician Faiz Ali Faiz will go off without a hitch.

Some have framed the fight as such: Zadie “White Teeth” Smith v. Monica “Brick Lane” Ali.

Very few are able to make the transition from internet sensation to star of stage or screen, but funnyman Jon Lajoie might be on his way. The regular Everyday Normal Guy has been touring the country with a new comedy act, Live as F*ck, his most recent stop being the Just For Laughs festival here in Chicago. How exactly do five minute YouTube clips translate into a live performance? Lajoie primarily sticks to what has made him popular, splicing tongue-in-cheek songs with short video clips and bits of loosely structured material. Part concert, part comedy show, Lajoie’s act takes a cue from the oh-so successful Flight of the Conchords, albeit not nearly as polished in its execution. But that lack of shine is a major component of Lajoie’s charm, who readily admits that he doesn’t exactly know what he’s doing on stage. His very good singing voice combined with his unique wit and a popular catalog of songs seem certain to keep a familiar audience entertained. Lajoie will be performing at the Lakeshore Theater again this evening, so if you’re a big fan of his internet offerings, it will probably be worth the price of admission. [Tickets]

Lemonheads leader Evan Dando is a music fan of wide ranging tastes. His choice of covers, both in concert and in the studio, pays testament to this with some of his most famous choices reworking tunes by The Misfits, Paul & Simon, and Suzanne Vega. So it's not surprising that his latest album Varshons, performed with the umpteenth incarnation of his band, should tackle covers with a dizzying variety of sources.

We Chicagoistas are unapologetic nu-folk, uh, apologists, but it's no wonder with the wealth of talent we have right at our doorstep. That's probably why it takes a lot for a guy with a guitar to saunter into town and really impress us.

We have tickets for the return of the Branded dance party being thrown at the Congress Theatre this Friday, June 19, featuring The Rub, HEARTSREVOLUTION, some cats from The Rapture DJing, DJ Funk, Guns N Bombs, and a whole bunch of others. Personally we think a DJ set from The Rub -- who never makes it to Chicago -- is well worth the ticket price. His mixture of knowing dance with plentiful nods to the rock aesthetic is just too much fun to miss. Enter after the jump for your chance to win one of five tickets before our contest closes at 5 p.m.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, saw same-sex marriage turning points in Iowa and New Hampshire (yay!), and Prop 8 set-backs in California (boo!). As this watershed year casts further importance on Chicago’s Pride parade and surrounding events in June, the Gerber/ Hart library shines on as the Chicago LGBT community’s library.

Today is the 127th birthday of Igor Stravinsky, of course!

       

The 1893 World's Fair is still long remembered for many reasons, not least of which because of the way it was captured in book form. But the Museum of Science and Industry is using this year's centennial celebration of Daniel Burnham's Plan for Chicago as a reason to revisit the White City. The UCLA Urban Simulation Team, led by Lisa M. Snyder, has recreated the World's Fair as it looked originally and will be presenting their recreation at the MSI.

We're just a hair over seven weeks from the kick-off of Lollapalooza 2009 but that's plenty of time to figure out your gameplan for criss-crossing Grant Park all weekend to catch the acts you're dying to see. The official schedule is out and ready for your perusal, though at last check it's a bit slow to load as we're sure everyone is already trying to piece together their own personal plans and pondering, "Kings of Leon or Depeche Mode? TV on the Radio or Lykke Li?" And while three-day passes remain on sale at $205 each, you can now score single day passes for the *ahem* low price of $80 per day.

In fracture/mechanics, a twenty-something woman (Cyd Blakewell) struggles with sexuality, potential alcoholism and wide variety of relationships - there are one-night stands, friends with benefits, and a few guys who seem suspiciously like boyfriends. The conflicts and debates that arise are familiar to anyone who has lived through college - we expected to see specific characters to which the twenty/thirty-something audience could relate, mixed in with some fresh perspective. Unfortunately Mallery Avidon’s script takes a vague, winding path through well-worn territory.

If you've not yet heard, today marks the beginning of TBS Presents a “Very Funny” Festival: Just for Laughs. The six-day comedic takeover lays seige to several of Chicago's finest venues and boasts 68 shows, ranging from movie screenings to local standup acts. The list of talent is ridiculous, so somewhere in between Ellen Degeneres and Patrice O'Neal you're bound to find an act that tickles your fancy. And to the delight of our sanity, the 68 shows are not all unique; many of the events will repeat over the course of the festival. In addition to alleviating personal schedule conflicts (thank you, organizers, for not forcing us to choose between Louis CK and David Cross), the repetition will allow us to review the first show of a run, giving you, the reader, an idea of whether or not you'd be interested in catching the encore performance.

       

Mandy Moore appeared at the LaSalle Power Company last night to perform a private concert for the winner of a Gain detergent competition. The show was exactly what our 15-year-old selves would have loved in 1999, including a singer who opened for The Backstreet Boys along with free candy and free drinks. Surprisingly, though, our 25-year-old selves enjoyed a very different Mandy as she performed an hour-long acoustic set. She hasn’t yet collaborated with her new hubby Ryan Adams, but Mike Viola, the musical director for her new album Amanda Leigh, has also worked with Adams, and the influence shows. (Fun fact: Viola was also the voice of the film That Thing You Do.)

We've been addicted to the home design tips, tricks, and tours of Apartment Therapy Chicago for a couple of years now. The popular site’s endless resources and huge online community keep the creativity flowing in case you’re feeling a little uninspired by your casa. ATC's four-person editorial team serve up a continuous dose of design tips to make any living space lavish—with minimal cash. Find out how to turn your place into a supercool space with some pointers from one of ATC's editors, Heather Blaha.

Inherent Vice: Bootleg Histories of Videotape and Copyright is a new book examining the history of analog videotape, specifically VHS. Essentially introduced to consumers as a "blank format," its aesthetic properties and technological flexibility immediately placed it at the center of a legal maelstrom. At first movie studios and other copyright holders resisted VHS, but after U.S. courts reinterpreted copyright law to protect fair use by consumers they changed their tune and found ways to exploit the technology. This of course led to the VHS explosion of the 80's and 90's (by 1998 about 96.3% of all American households owned at least one VCR). Although VHS is now an "outdated" format (perhaps soon to be joined by DVD), it radically changed not only how audiences watched things but what they watched. For the first time viewers were able to easily manipulate content, via time shifting, and even create their own. In other words, at the risk of stating the obvious, VHS paved the way for TiVo and YouTube.

Chicago's snowballing new music scene won't let summer - the usual downtime for musicians - slow it down. Tonight is the premiere of Dusk Variations, a new series of four free contemporary music concerts at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.

                                 

There may only be three chords in a typical blues song - but that was no limit to musical variety this weekend. More than 600,000 people were expected to attended the annual free festival in Grant Park. And no matter what stage (or what club) the house was rocked. The best concert we saw (of the more than 60 acts who performed) was blues icon Bettye LaVette. Now 63, LaVette has been in the music business for more than 45 years, a fact she spent several minutes discussing as she transitioned through her set. Age has not proved a barrier though - LaVette even dropped the mic to sing unaided at some points Saturday night.

What do you get when you cross an A.V. Club head writer, a short, liberal, Irish-Catholic from Joliet, an ape, and a slam poet? Funny Ha-Ha.

A thousand might be a little facetious, but between a strong roster of bands playing Ribfest and piles of amazing shows gracing our city's venues this weekend, your options are vast. Here is the weekly rundown of the upcoming shows on sale in the days ahead, and holy crap are there some good ones this week.

Thanks to Dawn!

Mary-Arrchie Theatre's Mud People is billed as “a hilarious and altogether uplifting story that highlights the importance of hope and faith in a world full of harshness and cynicism.” The Midwest premiere of this Keith Huff play does have a few hilarious moments. And it’s ultimately uplifting. And there is a lot of talk about hope and faith. And there are some very harsh and cynical characters. However, the whole is not greater than the sum of its parts.

Goran Bregovic and his Wedding and Funeral Orchestra bring their raucous live show back to Chicago for a performance at Ravinia this Sunday at 7:00 p.m.

One could argue that glossy pop is the product of an overindulgent mindset, but one would be wrong. Pop takes simple components and weaves them together in surprising and ear-popping arrangements. Listen to something like Beyonce's "Halo," with it's Queen stomps, glacial synths and odd warbles for proof of this. There is no practical reason that song should sound so good with all those disparate elements, but it does.

     

As we mentioned on Wednesday, Kanye West performed for the kids last night. Besides the main concert to benefit the Kanye West Foundation - filmed for a later television airing on FUSE - Kanye also performed an exclusive sound check and held a a Q&A for a group of local students. Check out reports by the Tribune and Sun-Times.

Splattered in blues, yellows, and fluorescent reds, Corea paints a fresh, avant-garde, teenage look. By layering two dresses, Corea transforms a one-dimensional dress into a gradient of colors: from the dark grey top down to the mesh skirt popping with bursts of red. Offering us a glimpse of her soft side, Corea matches her tutu skirt with frilly socks, complementing each other in texture and fabric.

You might know him as the "Hug Guy" or the "Hat Guy" or as Frank, everyone's favorite TGS writer on 30 Rock. But Judah Friedlander is first and foremost a stand-up comedian, often performing at clubs several nights of the week even when he's shooting 30 Rock. We're lucky enough to have him in town this weekend performing his World Champion stand-up tour at the Chicago Improv. World Champion of what? Hockey, soccer, martial arts, picking up chicks, being a role model for children... world championships. Chicagoist got to know a little bit more about the world champion of the world; from his influences to what he's excited to do in Chicago to the $25 can of SpaghettiO's he's selling.

              

July 1st marks a big day for the Brookfield Zoo: their 75th anniversary. And the zoo is planning a big celebration coming up to mark the occasion. The zoo will allow free admission for children under 11 on June 29, 30 and July 1 as well as 75 cent hot dogs, 24 ounce fountain cokes, and ice cream novelties at the zoo’s restaurants on those same dates. As for the big day itself, plans for July 1 include a special ceremony featuring remarks from Stuart D. Strahl, Ph.D., president and CEO of Chicago Zoological Society, plenty of cake, a singing of "Happy Birthday," and a performance by Tributosaurus.

Chicago SummerDance begins its 13th season this evening in the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park.

We’re kicking ourselves for waiting so long to see the Cultural Center’s exhibition of works by Chicago-based photographer Jed Fielding—Look at me: Photographs from Mexico City. The exhibit, which closes on Tuesday, July 7, displays Fielding’s candid portraits which intimately examine facial features and gestures of blind children, affirmatively stripping away self-consciousness while celebrating their lives and confronting the concept of “disability”. The photos were taken at children’s schools for the blind in Mexico City, in collaboration with the children, their parents, as well as teachers.

              

While we didn't get the photo of Mayor Daley towering over the new Chicago Architecture Foundation mini-city (Da Mayor's out "sick"), we did get to prowl around its borders with a camera. Chicago in model form is 400 square city blocks painted three shades of gray - sans potholes and urban decay - constructed primarily within city limits at a ratio of 1 inch to 50 feet. While nothing moves in the exhibit (oh but for a Model El) the lights do change gradually, representing the shift from daytime to night.

Have the Starlight Mints really been around for over a decade? Hailing from Norman, Oklahoma in the late '90s, the group drew a fair number of comparisons to fellow Okies The Flaming Lips. We always thought this was a lazy description since The Lips were on their way to creating futuristic symphonies at the time, and the Mints were firmly entrenched in their own little brand of weirdo orch-pop. Not really the same thing at all.

In all his free time between appearing on talk shows and sending his wife to Costa Rica, Blago has been brushing up on his Shakespeare. And he’ll show off his newest skill set at Navy Pier this Saturday in the Second City musical under his name. Although he will not star as himself in Rod Blagojevich Superstar, he will participate in an improv set fueled by audience suggestions for his wife’s escape from the jungle. (And you thought his appearance on Letterman was bad.) He’ll also announce the show’s extension at Chicago Shakes.

After going into Stephanie Izard overload recapping "Top Chef: Chicago" we decided to sit out recapping "TC5". Well, and we had a very strong feeling Radhika Desai wasn't going to win.

Electronic music is a medium ripe for resurrecting the sounds of the past, and every year one or two sub-genres reappear with a new twist. This year is widely becoming known as the year dubstep finally stepped out of its own dark shadow and into a position of public popularity.

Whack-ass weather be damned, it's summer, and Millennium Park is plowing ahead like we aren't in the middle of the lousiest warm season in twelve years. The gems continue Thursday evening with a free taping of "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!"

Just yesterday we were lamenting the fact that Chicago was left off a list of places receiving an advance screening of the new Johnny Depp-starring John Dillinger movie Public Enemies, which was largely shot here last year. What we are getting is the movie's big premiere which will include appearances from the movie's big stars, including Depp and Christian Bale. The bad news? Only a select few can go. It's an invitation-only event happening next Thursday at the AMC River East theater. According to Crain's Shia Kapos, it's one of the few films to get a premiere here in Chicago before it even premieres in L.A. a few days later; the film opens nationwide on Wednesday July 1.

Marital disputes make great theater, and Rebecca Gilman’s latest play, The Crowd You’re In With, is no exception. However, while the play, making its Chicago premiere at the Goodman, opens with talk of periods and baby showers, it evolves into a complex look at how our friends, and others around us, can dictate the course of our lives.

A group of local high school students dedicated themselves to working harder to improve their grades and now it's paying off in the form of Kanye West. For Highland Park High sophomore David Abrams, it all started with Lil Wayne. As he told the Sun-Times:

One of the few summer blockbusters we're genuinely interested in seeing this year is Michael Mann's Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp as infamous gangster John Dillinger. The movie opens nationwide on July 1.

If Lady GaGa is '80s-era Madonna then Little Boots is her artsier new-millennial little sister. So why does it seem like she's being held back from GaGa levels of success?

We're pretty sure the correct terminology is Zubaz.

New York might still be buzzing about Sunday night’s Tony Awards - or at least about Bret Michaels' busted nose - but Chicago had more important business to attend to last night: The non-Equity Jeff Awards.

The Grant Park Music Festival's 75th season gets started tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m. at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. The anniversary celebration kicks off with concerts on Wednesday and Friday at the Pritzker Pavilion and on Saturday in the Harris Theater.