Arts & Events: August 2009 Archives

Just a few short days ago, Hannibal Buress got the news that he had been hired as a writer for the new season of Saturday Night Live. Just a few short hours ago, he found a few minutes to speak with the Chicagoist Podcast - probably in between counting his lucky stars and shrieking with glee.

               

Naked Raygun appeared at the old AAA Fence space in Wicker Park Saturday night for a secret show attended by a lucky couple hundred souls. A smattering of fans gained entry through winning a drawing but the majority of the crowd was made up of long-time friends of the band, lending the proceedings a loose atmosphere made energetic by the band's tight recitals of classics and road-ready versions of new tunes from their forthcoming 7" singles series. We've been fans of the band since the '80s and can honestly say we NEVER thought we'd see them in a room as cozy as AAA, and it was thrilling to be so close to the band as they performed songs that are deeply imprinted on our own musical DNA.

Bloodhsot has hijacked this year's Hideout Block Party to throw their 15th Anniversary Beer-B-Q! Bands playing include the reunited Blacks, Bobby Bare Jr., Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, The Deadstring Brothers, Alejandro Escovedo, and The Waco Brothers. And, as is tradition with the hideout Block Parties, the party also acts as a fundraiser and this year it benefits Rock For Kids and 826 Chicago.

                          

A telling moment of Friday's Nine Inch Nails show at the Aragon sort of encapsulated the whole band for us. A middle aged father and his daughter were both happily bobbing their heads along to the chorus of "Closer" as Trent Reznor was screaming his wishes to "fuck you like an animal." Here is a man whose charms are so enticing that even the most vulgar exposition is made palatable by his blend of sonic wizardry and unerring melodies.

Jesse Fortune, known the "Fortune Tellin' Man" and a contemporary of many Chicago's most famous blues legends has died. Fortune, 79, collapsed on stage during his first performance at Gene's Playmate Lounge (4239 W. Cermak). Fortune was pronounced dead at Mt. Sinai Hospital at 12:51 a.m. According to his biography, he performed with many of Chicago's all-stars, including Otis Rush and Buddy Guy. Fortune is one of several notable blues deaths this year including Koko Taylor on the eve of Bluesfest.

Cinephiles are sexy. And we ain't just sayin' that 'cause we are one. The Chicago International Film Festival is looking for one attractive girl and one hot guy for their new poster. Photographer Victor Skrebneski has posed Sharon Stone and Dolph Lundgren for previous CIFF posters (as well as differently-sexy Bette Davis and Orson Welles); the two winners of the "Search For Sexy" contest will join their ranks. Think you've got what it takes? Head over to theWit Hotel on Wednesday morning at 10, and wear a two-piece bathing suit (for women) or a Speedo-type bathing suit (for men) under your clothes. Download an application before you go.

Libraries have long been fighting the stuffy, academic stereotype and seeking ways to engage the community and incite a spark for learning and discovery in young people. The Chicago Public Library (CPL) has done a particularly good job of this in 2009, first with CHIPUBLIB.ORG Design Contest and now with the Sound Off music competition.

O.K., this isn't technically a Grammar video, the band just graciously donated one of their songs to provide the soundtrack too this student made video for Nortthwesternn'sShift program. If you look closely, you may just see a certain Chicagoist music writer frolicking in this video.

Again, the weather sucks today. So when the band names Electric Tickle Machine and SUNBEARS! dropped our way this afternoon we had to toss in some songs and give 'em a listen. And who if they ain't a 180 from the scene outside our window! Hell, we started playing them and daisies suddenly sprouted outta our water bottle! The tunes are all horns and sunshine and psychedelic smiles that on a bright day would be downright borderline creepy, but on a day like today their strangeness is a welcome rescue from the clouds and soggy concrete surrounding us.

You know what we've been craving? Roller derby. Thank Heavens, there's more on the way. The ladies of the Windy City Roller All-Star squad have their work cut out for them against the Baltimore's Charm City All-Stars. According to the WCR:

With the weather being all gray and gloomsville as it has been lately, making art at home seems like a preferable alternative to actually leaving the house to go places/have a life/recreate. But Chicagoist understands that some of you might have no interest in making art whatsoever, or might be allergic to the chemicals in paint, so here are some artsy events you can check out instead:

This is EXACTLY what we needed to see given today's incredibly depressing weather.

National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Rocco Landesman still prefers the Steppenwolf, even after his HUGE slip-up when he basically said the Steppenwolf and Goodman are better than whatever theater there is in Peoria, IL. (Well, he said he didn't know of a theater in Peoria and he wanted to fund the kind of art at the Steppenwolf and Goodman. Close enough.)

We don't particularly like the whole "supergroup" concept, especially since it's usually employed by marketers eager to sell half-baked ideas by famous people (erm, Chickenfoot?). However, when it is a word merely employed to describe a bunch of legendary folks getting together with no pretensions, then we're O.K. with it.

About a month back, we mentioned a celebration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of William S. Burroughs' Naked Lunch and to raise money for a new Burroughs documentary, William S. Burroughs: A Man Within. The event is upon us and if you're still looking for something cool to do (that also supports the arts and several local artists involved with the film!), tickets for the event will still available at the door. The celebration gala will feature Peter Weller, star of the film version of Naked Lunch, alongside Warhol Superstar Penny Arcade, SNL musical director Hal Willner and Dr. Bill Ayers.

We were hoping to bring you the Mannequin Men's wacky fun loving video for "Massage" of the Chicago rockers' latest, Lose Your Illusion Too, but technical difficulties (we assume you'd actually like to hear the song too) prevent us from doing so. As a fall back, please enjoy this other just-released video for "Cream Rises" of the same album. It's not as goofy, but it does feature a bunch of dancing, drinking, and debauchery ... stuff we're looking forward to getting down to as soon as we skip out off the office this afternoon.

Ah Pelican ... remember when they were at the forefront of that whole "skinny indie dudes playing tooth rattling stoner metal" movement? Well, now there are a zillion of those bands out there, but we still think the Chicago four-piece is one o0ff the ones that do it best. Their new disc What We All Come To Need doesn't come out until later this fall, but we just got this taster of what to expect.

30 On Thursday is a part of an effort to raise money for a remount of Beer, the Neo-Futurist original "brewmastering puppet-jamming rock musical," at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver. 30 On Thursday combines some of the company's best Too Much Light plays from the last 20 years - we're big TML fans, so we're pretty sure it's going to be awesome. As an added bonus, for an extra $5 you can hit up a post-show beer tasting at Hopleaf.

Our pals over at Gapers Block have a birthday coming up, so that must mean it's time for them to throw a party! They've put a little celebration together at Metro on September 4 including musical entertainment from Nikki Lynette, The Hood Internet (who, we are proud to point out, made their live debut at one of the legendary Chicagoist CTRL-ALT-ROCK parties), Blane Fonda, and Panda Riot. That is literally a line-up with a little something for everyone.

We've mentioned the upcoming film adaptation of the famous childrens book Where The Wild Things Are before. Maybe it's because we're a little skeptical of how writer Dave Eggers and director Spike Jonze will transform a 40-something page book (that's not a whole lot of substance, though we love it dearly) into a 90-plus minute movie. Or maybe it's because we do love the book so much and we're also fans of both Eggers and Jonze and are anxious to see if they worked their magic on this.

I was! Team 469 arrived at Daley Plaza this past Saturday morning for this Amazing Race-type event bright, early and ready to kick ass. After a warm-up (literally - if it weren’t for the 60 degree temperature, the likelihood of my doing that many jumping jacks at 9:30am would be zero), some welcoming remarks and a surprise wedding proposal (congrats Team 606!), City Chase USA President Jason Erkes read off a list of items for us to procure in order to get our clue sheets. We’re pretty sure it was the “item used during sex” that caused the masses to descend on the nearby Walgreen’s - we came to the race prepared, but apparently not for everything.

DOMA, DADT, ENDA... Thirty years have passed since the first time LGBT Americans got their cookies together to march on Washington and though the acronyms might be different, the fight remains unchanged. The National Equality March, set for October 10-11, aims to update the queer rights debate and send a message to the nation's lawmakers. The march is being spearheaded by long-time LGBT rights activist Cleve Jones, who will appear in Chicago this Saturday, August 29, at the Victory Gardens Theater.

This amusing short includes ex-Chicagoan George Ketsios as the, erm, "Prius Face." It also provides further proof that those rear-view mirror/cameras are just plain creepy.

The West Loop gallery Spoke is offering up Objet Petit A: an exhibition and auction of artist-created piñatas to benefit both the gallery and the Chicago Rarities Orchard Project. A brand-new organization, CROP was founded to establish community rare-fruit orchards in Chicago and preserve open space. Auction participants will bid on piñatas created by artists Abby Christensen and Emily Vanhoff, Ben Fain, Jose Lerma and Cristina Tufino, Michael Jones McKean, Tomas Moreno, Harriet Salmon, and Astri Swendsrud — and the winners will be able to either keep the works as-is, or bash them up at a public performance event and reception taking place on September 11.

Despite the fading stability of the independent record label model, Chicago has long remained an epicenter for small labels doing big things. Over the years you've heard the names of the main players—Thrill Jockey, Bloodshot, Touch & Go and Drag City—but Chicago boasts a host of lesser known, but no less ambitious labels.

              

There's a lot of public art in the city, from the heralded to the misunderstood to the kind that your dog likes to use. The newest addition to that landscape, as we mentioned on Saturday, is the Foster Avenue Underpass bricolage mural celebrating the Native American community in Chicago.

The struggle for African-American civil rights is full of dramatic stories. Bravery, violence, hatred and hope; all of these are part of the complex and interesting tale of the movement. Sadly, for many the exposure to these stories is limited to a half-remembered week of high school history class, or a few dusty books sitting on shelves. Thanks to the Field Museum’s amazing exhibit, “Road to Freedom: Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement 1956-1968,” visitors have a chance to understand this struggle in an entirely different and much more visceral way.

Polynesian Pop expert James Teitelbaum is looking ahead at the same time he's looking back. His previous book, Tiki Road Trip 2, has proved invaluable for scouting out tropical vibes no matter where we happen to be. Thanks to Teitelbam's advice, during a recent trip we spent a wonderful evening at Los Angeles' legendary Tiki Ti (an upcoming Properly Sauced post will feature a facsimile of a drink we imbibed there.)

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?

If you've ever been to The Empty Bottle then you've seen Radley the Cat. Sometimes wandering outside, sometimes keeping an eye on the bar, and sometimes simply quietly passing judgment on the bands playing from the back of the room. We just got the sad word that Radley passed away at 2:32 this afternoon.

We went into the musical High Fidelity with no preconceived notions. We hadn’t seen the movie. We hadn’t read the book. So there was no way we could see the problem with the subject material onstage, right?

Daniel Kraus must have invented a method of extracting more than twenty-four hours out of a day. When we last checked in with him, he had just premiered his documentary Musician, profiling jazz genius Ken Vandermark. Since then he's ramped up production of additional installments of his WORK series, with at least three new films in various stages of production; transitioned into a Books for Youth associate editor at Booklist magazine; and, oh yeah, also published a novel for young adults, The Monster Variations. It's enough to make the rest of us look like layabouts.

Yes, it's snobby, but we kinda hate when mainstream media covers music. Trying to sell our moms on our favorite bands (especially 16 years and five records into their careers) is just silly, but if this appearance on CBS' Sunday Morning helps Wilco sell a few thousand more records, we'll allow it. But the Black Eyed Peas segue at the beginning is just dumb, and you can't tell us it's not.

We weren't sure what to expect from Ghostly International's 10 Year Anniversary party last Friday night at the Empty Bottle. The lineup was certainly ambitious and we hoped the niche label would find a warm welcome in the fickle terrain that is Chicago nightlife. A rainy trek to the venue found us pessimistic and prematurely doubting Chicago's enthusiasm for the evening ahead. The audience for electronic music in this city is a hard crowd to bridge. Good times and drunken debauchery increasingly feel favored over critical listening and passion for the talent. We arrived and stepped inside the Empty Bottle to find our fears vanish and a grin grace our lips alongside a packed house of Ghostly fans as eclectic as the lineup.

Ah, the embarrassment of riches that awaits classical music fans this Tuesday. We told you earlier today about Anaphora's season opener, and there's another must-see show on the docket tomorrow night as local percussion quartet Third Coast Percussion performs for the finale of Rush Hour's tenth season. Rush Hour, the free summer concert series that you should've been going to for the past twelve weeks, has come up with a simple and successful formula: After you're plied with food and drink, talented musicians play short thirty minute concerts in the beautiful (on the eyes and ears both) St. James Cathedral, with everything free of charge and wrapped up by 6:15 p.m.

In addition to teaching, art-making and having his work shown in galleries and museums on several continents, School of the Art Institute of Chicago professor and artist Ken Fandell is a long-distance runner who probably covers more miles in a week than most do in a year. All of that time spent engaged in the struggle of mind over body seems to surface in his work, which usually employs a conflict of some sort — for example, the epic vs. the banal — to explore heavy subjects such as infinity, control, and our physical limitations as humans. But it's not all about the meta: Fandell's work is as much about humor as it is about the big questions of human existence. Recently we visited his home studio to talk about marathons, titles, and the artistic merits of the Budget Smart Brain.

Innovative, thoughtful programming and unorthodox venues were hallmarks of Anaphora's inaugural season, and it looks like they'll be picking up where they left off with tomorrow night's opener of their Contemporary Series at the Jazz Showcase. The concert will highlight a recent contemporary music trend of incorporating jazz in more sophisticated ways. Many of the early attempts to combine the two genres treated jazz as a novelty - an orchestra playing swing eighth notes, say - but now the fusion is becoming more organic and less overt, due in large part to a shrinking music world that allows composers to be exposed to and influenced by a wider variety of sources. Augusta Reed Thomas, the former Chicago Symphony Orchestra Composer-in-Residence whose “D(i)agon(als)” for solo clarinet will be performed Tuesday, described this new approach:

It is clear, in all my works, that I have been listening to jazz for 30 years. I am not a composer who does empty-headed "cross-over" jazz pieces where the jazz bits make all the jazzer's blush with embarrassment.... rather, there is a deeply integrated and digested set of references and perfumes which can be sensed.

             

It's been a number of years since we last saw Pearl Jam outside a festival setting, so we were pleased to see the boys back in fine form last night.There are still tickets to tonight's show and in our humble opinion they are well worth the dough. We're a tad sad we're missing tonight since we bet it'll feature even deeper cuts and a wilder set list, since last night Vedder said they won't be coming back through here for quite a while...

Nate Ruess must be some kind of jerk.

After Keanu Reeves starred in that remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still, we thought we'd seen the bottom of the barrel. What idiots we are. Courtesy of Variety we've just learned of something even worse. Much, much worse.

In Chicago, murals can sometimes convey a culture or a neighborhood's feel better than the businesses and residents. Stretching across the north and south walls of the Foster Street underpass at Lake Shore Drive is a new addition to one of the city's most recognized artistic traditions: a mural entitled "Indian Land Dancing,"

Recently transplanted from Kalamazoo, The Ruckus is a company dedicated to finding fresh ways to develop new work, and, according to their mission statement, bringing the ruckus. The world premiere production of Heist Play doesn’t quite bring the ruckus, but it’s on the right track. With a few cuts and some refining, the script has the potential to be as sharp as some of its killer one-liners.

Monotonix puts on one of the most wildly entertaining stage shows we've seen in recent years, with band member literally setting each other on fire and trying to make off with each other's instruments ... mid-song. They just released this taste from the debut full-length Where Were You When It Happened?, out September 8. It's a bit of a departure from their previous material in that it, um, actually seems somewhat thoughtfully constructed! Instead of a whirlwind of instruments threating to consume each other what we get instead is a pretty nnifty groove and the startling realization that lead vocalist Ami Shalev can actually sing!

               

We were lucky to be in the packed house greeting Brendan Benson for his second Chicago show of the night last evening. Benson and his band played a set that never lacked for energy, and he proved that he is still one of the masters of that brand of furiously buzzing power pop. (Word is his early show had so much energy it knocked the power out on the whole dang block!) His set took material from his entire solo oeuvre, along with a playful cover of Superdrag's "Sucked Out."

Despite the fact that Ben Stiller looks more like an ape every time we see him, he can still make us laugh ... especially when Micky Rooney is acting as a comic foil.

Ann Arbor, Michigan’s Ghostly International has long been an independent label to watch. Label head, Sam Valenti, has a knack for culling a roster of some of the most interesting, off-kilter music out there. Though Ghostly has a decidedly electronic focus, Valenti is never one to adhere strictly to a single genre, and this open-mindedness is reflected in his artist roster which runs the gamut from DJ/Producer Matthew Dear to shoegaze band School of Seven Bells. Equally as strong as Ghostly's musical offerings is their carefully curated art pairings. Ghostly merges art and music flawlessly, teaming up artists, designers and musicians to form a label that is a sensory feast.

We’re gonna cut to the chase on this one. Watch this - if your time is limited, skip to the 3 minute mark.

We still maintain the Transformers movies would suck much less with humans as Autobots/Decepticons instead of some weird insect-looking CGI crap.

Lunchbreath (not his real name) is a Chicago-based creative agency director whose drawings poke fun at the design world and contemporary American culture. Craig Berman -- aka Fueledbycoffee -- is a Chicago-based industrial designer/creative director whose drawings often poke fun at the same things. Since May, they've collaborated on "Core-toons," a weekly cartoon slot at the esteemed online design magazine Core77. Recently we talked to them about their process and work.

Ew, this week's weather has been a dreary reminder that our all-too-brief summer is just about over. Luckily, we Chicagoans are pretty good at finding sun in things other than the weather. That's why so many of us will be at the Hideout tonight for Cambridge, MA's Drug Rug, a psychedelic pop explosion that'll lift the mood of even the mopiest Midwesterner.

      

"That mole was the hardest thing I've ever cooked in my life, as I didn't have a recipe available. The 27 ingredients I used were from memory," Rick Bayless told the assembled crowd between commercial breaks at Frontera Grill last night. Bayless threw what was essentially a victory party last night, screening the "Top Chef Masters" finale to a host of media, VIP and haiku masters like Benjy. If you've never witnessed Bill Kurtis firing off the fiercest finger guns this side of Joe Biden, you're missing one of life's guiltiest pleasures.

It's only a matter of time before your cat starts DEMANDING cat massage!

Late summer is here, which for many classical musicians is one of the few times of year without commitments. At the conclusion of last Saturday's concert at Ravinia, members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra were mercifully unchained from their endowed chairs and allowed a few weeks of freedom.

Ekphrasis: Cave Walls to Soup Cans is intended to be a hilarious romp through the history of western art. It started out fine. Some missteps in comedic timing kept the Curator’s introduction from breaking out of the realm of “cute.” But we were still interested. Our first example of art-in-development: a scene between a French cave couple. Still just cute. Long, but cute. We figured the cast and script were just warming up. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there.

We caught Emily Wells at this weeks Edible Audible Picnic primarily because she was a) playing directly across from our office and b) our significant other was very excited about the set. We admit we'd heard her cover of the Notorious B.I.G. song "Juicy" that had been making the rounds, but were unimpressed, and figured it was just another example of a female folkie going after some mainstream acclaim with a quirky cover.

Cemeteries kind of creep us out, and when we heard that the play Graceland takes place at the cemetery under the same name, we thought we were in for one creepy, site-specific experience. Turns out the play isn’t site-specific or creepy, but Profiles Theatre’s world premiere of Ellen Fairey’s play is one of the most exciting pieces of theater we’ve seen this year.

Soulsavers is essentially a studio construction built by the duo of Rich Machin and Ian Glover. They create deft instrumental tracks that range from industrial scrawl to gospel wail. Their previous album was one of our favorites from 2007 primarily because amidst their meticulously crafted electro-soul rock jams, they employed an incredibly potent secret weapon in guest singer Mark Lanegan's vocals. Lanegan's presence took what would have been an interesting production project and elevated it into something viscerally appealing.

          

After the death of blues legend Koko Taylor at age 80 this year, we were struck by Chicago's (arguably) most famous musical form can too easily slip between the cracks in favor of things like, well, Lollapalooza. So after Bluesfest, we took to the clubs - and we've been photographing bluesmen hard at work, all over the city, ever since. This week: the dueling bands at Kingston Mines.

                     

This year's Air and Water Show saw spectacular weather Saturday but much less so on Sunday as the jets dodged raindrops before the inclimate weather cut short Day Two's festivities. Still, our readers got plenty of amazing shots as can be seen in the gallery above.

Every great movie eventually leads to two responses: "Gee, I really ought to see that," and "Gee, I really ought to see that again." The summer is winding down, so seize the moment:

Once upon a time there was the perfect couple: Brad and Jen. Then along came a woman, Angie, who broke them up. The End.

anulman reccomended we watched this, we did, and now we're hooked. Consider this the flip side of our earlier Diversion.

If you find yourself without plans at any given point this weekend, you’re in luck: No matter what time it is, you can check out a play. Starting tonight at 7:15, Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company will host more than 50 companies in a non-stop theatre marathon until midnight on Sunday. The plays’ lengths vary from ten minutes to an hour, and attendees can come and go as they please.

Some say Chicago has offered much in the way of green initiatives, and others are scathing critics of our city's lack of environmental concern. There's plenty of room for improvement and some has arrived, in the form of Chicago's first green neighborhood festival, Green Music Fest, taking place this Saturday and Sunday at Eckhart Park in West Town.

Words don't do this justice. John Hughes (remixed 2009).

Brendan Benson still isn't exactly a household name, though if most folks saw him they'd recognize him as the skinny blonde dude who sings in The Raconteurs with Jack White. Benson's history actually stretches much further back to the days before his 1996 debut, One Mississippi. A listen to any of his solo work quickly uncovers just what his major contribution to The Raconteurs is: Benson is the pop foil to White's rock menace.

This has been floating around the Chicagoist offices for a little while now (thanks, Alex!) but only makes its way to the Flashback desk this morning (thanks, Rob!). It's worth the wait - all ten minutes of this James Fitzpatrick-hosted travelogue movie reel (think Travel Channel meets Walter Winchell) is fascinating not just for how much has changed in 60 years - but also in how familiar almost everything here remains.

We gave you our own history of local band Mr. Russia a while ago. And we enjoyed their debut they dropped waaaaay back ... earlier this year. Well, you certainly can't call them lazy (or stingy) because they've already released a follow up Training For The Gameshow Host EP (for free)! The new EP is populated by a darker and slightly more skewed vibe, and while the debut was no light affair, the group seems more menacing here. But it shows a band branching out from its more rudimentary inclinations. The EP also houses a wicked cover of Radiohead's "The National Anthem." Download your own free copy before the band comes back to it's sensed.

Edward Albee’s adaptation of Carson McCullers’ novella of the same name, The Ballad of the Sad Cafe is a folktale about love, infatuation and loneliness. Signal Ensemble Theatre’s production impressed us with its compelling and tenacious performances, but the script ultimately left too many questions unanswered.

       

No, those sounds of fighter jets screaming across the sky we've been hearing all week doesn't signify that we're under attack by our neighbors from across the lake. The ruckus means aircraft are practicing ahead of this weekend's Chicago Air & Water Show, which runs this Saturday and Sunday at North Ave. Beach.

Even if you've never been to a performance of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, you're familiar with the piece. At some point, and probably recently, you've heard the finale's "Ode to Joy" theme, the initial fragment from which Beethoven developed his last symphony. It's been used everywhere from the Olympics (performed at most Games since 1956, including as the temporary national anthem of the unified German teams of the 1950s and 1960s, the unified post-USSR team in 1992, and, for a half dozen years, of Rhodesia, until it became Zimbabwe in 1980); to church services (the hymn "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee"); to movies ("A Clockwork Orange," "Help!," and "Die Hard," to name a few). Parts of the rest of the symphony pop up in similarly varying locations; samples from the Scherzo appear as a stock sound in Microsoft XP and as introductory music in "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" (which itself is a tribute to the excerpt's use in "The Huntley-Brinkley Report").

                     

And that does it folks. We really enjoyed Lollapalooza this year and hope if you went you had a good time too. Hopefully these photos remind you of your own highlights, and if you weren't there we hope these shots entertain you and at least transport you outside off your office, or away from your desk, for the next few minutes.

We've noticed there's been a bit of confusion over tonight's Breeder's show, and we figure the blame probably lays firmly on the post-Lolla music hangover that's settled over the city. So let us clear things up!

                              

Here it is folks, the first in our final two installments covering this year's Lollapalooza with the official Chicagoist photos. Sorry it took so long, but the Commodore 64 we all share takes for-EV-er to download photos into...

Had a chance to catch Public Enemies yet? Even if you haven't, the topic of Dillinger and Chicago gangsters has been a popular topic this summer and with beach weather finally settling...for the last month of summer, there are a pair of previously published books that may catch your interest for some beach reading or just for general information if you're looking for more info on the era.

A few days a go, new chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts Rocco Landesman couldn’t tell you whether there was theater in Peoria, Illinois and now, he’s probably going to have to visit to remove the taste of shoe from his mouth. In his first interview since his confirmation as chairman last Friday, Landesman told The New York Times, “I don’t know if there’s a theater in Peoria, but I would bet that it’s not as good as Steppenwolf or the Goodman.”

                         

Lollapalooza wasn't the only big event going on this weekend. It was also the annual Chicago Comic-Con. And judging by these pictures, it was an incredible, surreal time for all involved. A miniature Darth Vader? Check. Billy Dee Williams signing a bottle of Colt 45? Check. More comic costumes than you could ever dream of? Check. And there's plenty more where these came from.

Lord knows there was plenty of music to consume over the weekend, but none of it was really in vinyl or shiny digital plastic form. Well, if you can hold out till Saturday you won't be disappointed. We're loathe to share this information, seeing as how we want all the goodies to ourselves, but this Saturday ubercool music store Dusty Groove is holding a rare sidewalk sale. The treasure hunting starts at noon on the dot and lasts till 5 p.m., or whenever everything's gone. Items will include "weird Brazilian titles, lots of indie-label releases, unusual Latin, offbeat Now Sound, vintage Vocals, sealed Soundtracks, long-lost 12" Singles, Funky 45s, and lots more great bits."

Our friends over at WBEZ got creative and had a little fun. For a recent review from Sound Opinions - the new Fiery Furnaces album - the crew got Arthur Jones of Post-it Note Stories to animate Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis. Check out the WBEZ Blog for more information. It's a pretty entertaining twist for a program we quite enjoy. But animating music critics? It's been done!

It took the entire Chicagoist Theatre Research Team to figure out what exactly happened over at Theatre Building Chicago (TBC), but we think we finally got it straight.

Bike commuters, fixie enthusiasts, racehounds and general fans of two-wheeled transportation can rejoice as tomorrow kicks off the Chicago stop of the five day 2009 Bicycle Film Fest. Pump up your tires, grab your U-lock and get ready to cycle the city in the name of film and fun.

         

Judging by the raucous crowd that braved an early set time and soggy weather to catch Gaslight Anthem Friday at Lolla, this foursome from New Jersey may be seeing their ship come in very soon. It's no surprise, really, as their Americana punk 'n' roll combines elements from a few very successful precedents. There's Springsteen's small-town desperation, Jimmy Eat World's soaring guitars and The Clash's peckish swagger. These boys didn't disappoint the capacity crowd at the Double Door on Saturday night, who crushed and danced despite the oppressive heat in the un-A/C'ed room. We're lucky we made it out with a functioning camera, because the sweat was flying for 90 minutes.

       

There was no time for a music hangover from Lollapalooza as the latest edition of the free concert series at Millennium Park's J. Prtizker Pavilion featured local minimalist rockers Shellac and a few readers were on-hand to catch the band in action.

Steppenwolf and Tracy Letts received their millionth award together - not really but it feels that way - for Superior Donuts, which takes August: Osage County’s place on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre in October. Superior Donuts won a citation, i.e. “runner up,” for the Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Award, administered by the American Theatre Critics Association. The award comes with $7,500, which isn’t a hefty sum considering Broadway tickets cost about half that. Lynn Nottage’s Ruined, which premiered at the Goodman last fall and won this year’s Pulitzer, was also named one of the 2008-2009 Best Plays by The Best Plays Theater Yearbook, an annual publication celebrating American theater.

Last week, the 10th Annual Gathering of the Juggalos came to the tiny Illinois village of Cave-in-Rock -- bringing together fans of Psychopathic Records artists, particularly Insane Clown Posse, for four hot days of camping, hanging out, Faygo-drinking, and communion. Eyewitness Chicagoist was not there, because we are allergic to both Faygo and anyone who is wearing clown make-up. But local artist Derek Erdman was there, and he came away with some very exciting photographs and video footage.

                     

We'll have our official photo round-up tomorrow, but for now, here's are shots from around the grounds.

On Saturday, we paid a visit to Logan Square to check out the brand-new headquarters of Busy Beaver Button Company, which held an all-day grand-opening bash to show off its new pin palace to the public. Thanks to a Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) grant from the city, the company rehabbed its new location -- a vintage storefront at 3279 W. Armitage -- to include geothermal heating and cooling, recycled tire rubber flooring, and other eco-friendly gestures.

It was HOT yesterday in Grant Park, and Lollapalooza organizers went out of their way to help attendees beat the heat. Mobile crews and most of the beer tents were giving away bottled water in an attempt to keep music fans hydrated and happy. The day's overall vibe was a mellow one and brought us to our greatest realization about the festival.

We're not sure if Tom Tunney has been informed yet, but it appears that a subterranean monster is wreaking havoc in the basement of a local vintage brownstone apartment building. No need to worry though. Brothers Marion and Jarmon, alongside tenant Hezekiah Confab, are on the case and preparing for battle.

We're beginning to think God hates Lollapalooza. Look, last year he missed the festival by one day with threatened tornadoes. Friday he tried to drown us. And yesterday he tried to fry us. Well you know what God? We DO like Lollapalooza, and nothing you throw our way is gonna dampen our enthusiasm! That said, today looks to be dangerously hot, so please please please stay hydrated and don't pass out in the sun. How did we deal with the heat yesterday? Let's fill you in.

          

We're gonna be humming Lykke Li's catchy pop lyrics on the train down to Lolla today - not because of her set this afternoon but because of last night. The tiny-but-mighty Swedish songstress performed a midnight show at the Bottom Lounge, following an invigorating performance by fellow Swedes Miike Snow (also on this afternoon).

We'd be remiss if we didn't mention the tragic element of yesterday: the death of a 39-year-old man from cardiac arrest shortly after the festival started (witnessed by Marcus). After having CPR performed by fellow festival-goers and some on-site paramedics, the man was transferred by ambulance to Northwestern Hospital where he was pronounced dead, the fest's first death since beginning its residence in Grant Park in 2005. It was the only ambulance call for the fest all day and officials promised they'd be prepared for this weekend's expected heat wave. According to the Trib's Greg Kot:

Perhaps you couldn't afford to Lolla this year -- sux. Or maybe you are disenchanted with the whole music festival scene: the $6 hot pretzel dinners, and the foul-smelling porta-potties, and the crappy bands you have to sit through to get to the good bands. Well, we are here to remind you that you have entertainment options -- and they don't involve wristbands, or Perry Farrell, or the onset of tinnitus, or even hot pretzels. Instead, they involve mingling, and pine-scented bathrooms, and possibly some bowls of Sun Chips. Oh -- and visual art!

In craptastic but unsurprising news, the Illinois Arts Council (IAC) got kicked in the proverbial balls by the 2010 Illinois budget. Its $7.8 million allocation is 51% less than that in the 2008 budget, which, thanks to Blago’s veto of the General Assembly’s approved $23.1 million appropriation, was $15.2 million. For a good explanation of that mess, check out this Gaper’s Block interview with Illinois Arts Alliance Executive Director Ra Joy from last spring.

      

On Thursday night, scruffy troubadour and Scarlett Johansson collaborator Pete Yorn played a free show at the W Hotel downtown -- and Eyewitness Chicagoist was on the scene. Taking the stage at 9 p.m., Yorn and his band (Peter, Yorn and John?) played a mostly banter-free, one-hour set, occasionally smiling or joking around with one of the many starry-eyed audience-ladies. In addition to playing "Strange Condition" (which provoked a room-wide singalong), the Yorns performed "Paradise Cove" and other songs off of Back and Fourth, Yorn's newest record, and also did a cover of "Bizarre Love Triangle." Overall, it was a strong performance by Yorn and his band, who have been touring all summer.

With most folks prepping for that little festival (ahem, ahem) starting tomorrow, it's hard to imagine that there are shows at venues a bit further from the beaten path. E.g. Beat Kitchen's Diane Birch show last night.

Listen, we realize that only a small percentage of folks are as crazy as we are at Lollapalooza to actually run back and forth from one end of Grant Park to the other trying to catch every act we can. Most sane people set up camp at one end of the festival or the other, usually picking a side due to headliner or frequency of favorite artists, and then sort of take it all in. If you're one of those folks hanging out on the south end of the festival on any particular day this weekend, we've compiled a list of acts that should lure you north. Ask your friends to watch your blanket for a spell and trek on over to check out these recommendations.

Listen, we realize that only a small percentage of folks are as crazy as we are at Lollapalooza to actually run back and forth from one end of Grant Park to the other trying to catch every act we can. Most sane people set up camp at one end of the festival or the other, usually picking a side due to headliner or frequency of favorite artists, and then sort of take it all in. If you're one of those folks hanging out on the north end of the festival on any particular day this weekend, we've compiled a list of acts that should lure you south. Ask your friends to watch your blanket for a spell and trek on over to check out these recommendations.

We've learned a few things about handling Lollapalooza the last few years, so let's help you get prepped for the next three days of music and mayhem.

Even if you don't plan to attend Lollapalooza this weekend, the city is overflowing with opportunities to catch festival talent without the crowds and ticket price. We've kept you in the know about the rock-centric happenings and afterparties, and here's our rundown of the weekend's offerings for those of you who just want to dance.

It's a sad day, indeed. Not only did both Twitter and Facebook crash this morning creating a social media apocalypse, but now Chicago-based Internet video funny folks Everything Is Terrible - you've seen some of their videos pop up in our daily diversion posts - are feeling the Wrath of YouTube. According to a post on their site, it seems YouTube suspended their account and filtering through the comments reveals a link to this story which seems to indicate where the trouble started. Never ones to take things lying down, the EIT folks have already began transitioning clips to Vimeo so you can still enjoy.

Judging by the number of our friends who have changed their Facebook and Twitter avatars to the Mad Men versions of themselves, everyone is gearing up for next week's third season premiere of the hit AMC show. But did you know that the Don Draper character has roots in Chicago? Show creator/producer Matthew Weiner admitted that part of Don's character was based on Draper Daniels of Leo Burnett. And Chicago magazine gets the story of Daniels straight from his wife, Myra Janco Daniels.