Although Chicagoist has some photographers on staff, we don't always "get" modern photography. Something about many trendy fine art photographs can seem too "snapshotty" in nature, a bit too sterile, or somewhat void of emotion. As such, we were thrilled to find the current Jeff Wall show everything we hoped for in a photography exhibit: beautiful, inspired, intriguing and unique.

After selecting his "Outside a Nightclub" as our unequivocal favorite piece at the Museum of Contemporary Art's spring photography exhibition, "MCA Exposed," we couldn't wait to see a full range of his work at the Art Institute's retrospective this summer.

The majority of Wall's work shown at the AIC is composed of his signature large-scale, back-lit cibachrome photographs (a.k.a. giant color transparencies mounted on a equally giant lightbox), a style of presentation that is almost intrinsic to his portraits, still lifes and more conceptual works. The glowing light behind the transparent, colorful images provides an incredibly alluring, almost cinematic quality to the works, while the size (measuring on average 6 feet by 8 feet) seems to encourage a deeper interaction.

Heavily influenced by philosophy and literature, Wall's works draw heavily from these sources, occasionally taking a very literal form as in the case of our favorite piece, "After “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison, the Preface, 1999-2001."

If you're looking for an artistic diversion now that the packed days of summer are winding to a close, we'd strongly recommend high-tailing it over to the AIC. Even if art isn't really your "thing," the Jeff Wall exhibit is a gem, one that can be genuinely enjoyed with no need to assume a faux air of artsy pretense.

The Jeff Wall exhibit runs until Sept. 23 at the Art Institute. Admission to the exhibit is free with museum admission ($12 for adults). As a reminder, the AIC offers free admission on Thursdays from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Throughout our time writing for Chicagoist, we have been lucky enough to go to many a special event. From food expos to chocolate and wine tastings, we have had the opportunity to see a side of food commerce that many never do. We think it's a pretty good and interesting side. Its main purpose, as we see it, is to get the word about a new product out to the masses. The best way to achieve that purpose is to throw some kind of party and invite people who write about food and beverages or work in the food and drink industries to attend. We're always grateful for the invitations because it inevitably leads to free tastes of the product and, often enough, appetizers! More importantly, we usually learn a thing or two. For example, this past Thursday we went to Nacional 27 to taste Appleton Rum's Reserve blend and learned more about the general rum blending process than we thought possible. We were even given the chance to blend our own rum. In addition to the rum event we also got to go to The Chicago History Museum for an event celebrating Templeton Rye Whiskey and had the opportunity to learn a bit about one small town in Iowa and how its history inspired a whiskey. Or, rather, how history led to the creation of of a whiskey.

Usually we wouldn't just post a video with such a tangential connection to Chicago, but considering how insane the hipster versus yuppie debates can get around these parts, we thought it was fitting. Whether you're hipster, or yuppie, or neither, we're reasonably sure this is one short we can all share a chuckle over.

This weekend marks a crucial point for the 45,000 registered LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Participants. Six weeks out, runners begin their six-week taper that will build up to the event on Sunday, October 7. Most runners will train for 18 weeks or more, so staying motivated is often one of the greatest challenges to participating in a marathon. Now in its 30th year, race organizers have launched a new Web site to help motivate and engage participants.

A new section, “Inspiration Bank” offers forums and blogs where participants can share their motivation, stories, and tips. Even if you’re not running in the marathon, you’ll gain something from this site; you don’t have to be a registered user to tap into the Inspiration Bank. Here they profile six different runners, each one participating for a different reason. Weekly, they update their journal, sharing thoughts, motivation, training techniques. There is an opportunity to get tips from fellow runners. And, to help us stay motivated, there is a story of inspiration. We’re gonna warn you, August’s story about a pothole in the road of life -- it’s a tear-jerker, and you might just find yourself putting on a pair of running shoes after reading it. If you’re not the reading type, the site features podcasts on learning how to train, goal setting, improvement, becoming a better runner and more; photo and video galleries.

The marathon has raised more than $27.5 million for a variety of charities. In 2006, $9.3 million was raised for 60 participating charities by 5,000 participants. Already this year, 6,200 runners are participating on behalf of 83 charities. With the new site helping to motivate them along, it’s certain to be a success.

Photo courtesy of Señor Codo.

Just in case we’ve all forgot how to play in the neighborhood, a new non-profit organization is helping to teach people how to be better neighbors. The Neighbors Project mission is to inspire, support, and connect people in their 20s and 30s who want to take on both large and small projects that will help to improve their neighborhoods. This afternoon, they’ll be hosting the “Block Party Party” from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Mystic Celtic. And it’s a block party you won’t need to prepare a covered dish for; food is provided. The free event, which will demonstrate everything you need to know to start planning your own block party, is part of their “Do-It-Yourself” event series demonstrating things people can do to make their buildings, blocks or neighborhoods better.

The Neighbors Project works to remind us of the simple things that make the world a better place, and that’s pretty cool. Their website is chock-full of quick tips (“Say hi to your neighbors”), and if you don’t know how, they even link to a site explaining the process in four easy photo-illustrated steps. They even go to lengths to explain what would be dorky and awkward. For the more advanced neighbor, they catalog projects you can take on and how to get started, and highlight successful projects completed by others.

Although the sight doesn’t go as far as suggesting we wear a cardigan and invite the children to the Land of Make Believe, it sticks to the simple stuff. On the surface, this may seem silly. But the fact is, being a good neighbor is just about demonstrating a little respect--for ourselves and each other. Didn’t we learn all that by watching Mr. Rogers anyway?

Photo courtesy of Antre.

With all our posts about Ingmar Bergman, Charles Burnett and underground cinema you might think that our cinematic tastes are strictly highbrow. Phooey. We like all sorts of movies. And we aren't immune to the charms of some juicy movie celeb gossip either (Vince V. anyone?)

Not convinced? Fine: here are some new Batman photos to peruse.

But actually that's not what prompted this post. No. It was this headline: Bill Murray faces drunken driving charge after golf cart cruise through Stockholm

Mr. Murray was in Stockholm for the Scandinavian Masters golf tournament (ever hear of it before?) when he decided to borrow a golf cart which was on display at his hotel to get to the Cafe Opera nightclub. It was on his way back to the hotel that he was pulled over. According to the article, driving a golf cart in traffic is legal. But still odd. The officers then noticed alcohol on his breath ...

No one was injured or probably even that endangered by Mr. Murray's joyride and he'll probably get off with just paying a fine. "Bark like a dog." All in all, an amusing anecdote, which is more than we can say for the local media's rabid devotion to all things Brangelina. At least Bill makes us laugh.

Speaking of Caddyshack, Brian McConnachie (who was in the movie) will be at the Hideout with two other 70's-era National Lampoon writers, Chris Miller and Anne Beatts, next Monday. They'll be interviewed by Josh Karp, author of the book A Futile and Stupid Gesture: How Doug Kenney and National Lampoon Changed Comedy Forever. Info here.

Back in January we told you a little about Chicago filmmaker Daniel Kraus' ambitious documentary series, WORK. The first film in the series, Sheriff, will be released on DVD by Facets in October; and Musician has its premier this Friday night at the Siskel. It profiles Ken Vandermark, who, now that James Brown is dead, is certainly in the running for the title of Hardest Working Man in Show Business. The awesomely dedicated reed man played at Pitchfork this summer and just wrapped up a week-long "Vander-fest" at the Velvet Lounge.

So how was Kraus able to snag Vandermark for a rare solo set for Friday's premier?

"It was a one in a million chance," Kraus told us. "The only week KV had free this fall was the same week the premiere was set ... I guess I'm charmed."

We've been to many film lectures at the Siskel (and a wonderful appearance by 'Tippi' Hedren) but it's pretty darn unusual to have a film along with a mini-concert. For that reason alone we recommend that if you're interested you splurge for advanced tickets (which you can buy online or in person at the box office anytime before the show).

Musician moves on to New York for a week-long run at the Pioneer Theatre in early September and will also be released on DVD next year. Kraus is already working on the next film in the series, Truck Driver. Although it would probably violate his strict, Wiseman-influenced aesthetic, we're holding out hopes that it'll include "Convoy" on the soundtrack.

Image by Juan-Carlos Hernandez

Sunday's Chicago Air & Water Show was canceled midway through the show due to deteriorating weather conditions. The show began during a light rain at 11am but as the day progressed, more rain came in and the visibility and cloud ceiling diminished to the point that officials canceled the show for safety’s sake.

Attendees on Sunday were able to see some acts, including the U.S. Army Golden Knights, Aeroshell, the F-15 Strike Eagle Demonstration team and the A-10 demonstration team, among others. But the show was canceled before the headline act, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, could thrill the crowd.

Although there was periodic rain on Saturday, a large crowd made it out and enjoyed a full Air & Water Show. Conversely, the weather on Sunday appeared to scare many away, leading to an estimated attendance for the two-day event of 1.3 million down from nearly 2 million last year on a rain-free weekend.

Chicagoist had a great time at the show on Saturday. We really enjoyed the heritage flight which consisted of a flight of a Vintage WWII P-51 flying alongside a F-15 and the F-22. Just before the Heritage Flight, the F-22 Raptor put on an amazing aerial demonstration (shown above). Our photos from the Air and Water Show can be found on Flickr.

What we enjoyed most was people watching during the show. The demonstrations amazed not just the kids but adults alike. Hearing the excitement in kids’ voices as they watched the show was a thrill. One of our favorite moments was when Sean Tucker, after flying an amazing display of aerobatics, returned to show center to meet some fans and take the time to talk to kids who wanted to meet him. I am sure this weekend’s show not only entertained but also inspired a few attendees to look at opportunities within our armed forces or to explore a career in aviation.

A lot of you came out with discussion and comments when we told you about the changes that were being made over at WLUW-FM (88.7). We were on the same page ... sadness, disgust, trepidation about the future. But one of the best things we can do in any shit situation is do something to effect change and work toward something positive. And that's what friends of WLUW have done. They've started a non-profit called the Chicago Independent Radio Project (CHIRP), aimed at preparing for a potential future low-power FM station. We sat down with Shawn Campbell to get more details and to find out what they have in store in the near future.

Chicagoist: The order of things has radically changed at WLUW. There has been a lot of speculation as to what might happen in the future. What was/is your take on the recent history?

Shawn Campbell: Obviously, I am disappointed. I invested eight years of my life in this project, and thought we had built something that reflected very well on Loyola University as the license-holder, and also served everyone involved very well, including audience, student volunteers, and community volunteers. We taught people how to create interesting, thoughtful radio, brought a lot of programming to the Chicago airwaves that wasn't available elsewhere, and created a huge body of support. We proved that people still want to care passionately about "their" radio station, that they *will* care passionately if you give them something worthwhile to care about.

It's hard to say what will happen in the future, because Loyola University hasn't said much about their intentions. They have not met with the current volunteer staff, which includes over 100 students, despite an initial indication that they would. Honestly, I don't know that they have any idea yet what they will do with the station once it reverts to their control next July 1. At the end of the day, the station belongs to them, and they can do with it whatever they want, as long as they are within the FCC guidelines that govern non-commercial educational
licenses.

C: Does CHIRP have a mission statement?

SC: The ultimate goal of the Chicago Independent Radio Project (CHIRP) is to apply for and receive a low power FM license once they become available in Chicago. In preparation for this effort, the group will work to convince Congress to expand LPFM signals to urban areas and raise money so CHIRP will be in good position to be able to fund the application, buildout, and management of a new radio station. CHIRP hopes this effort will also help other groups who would like to apply for LPFM stations in urban areas in Chicago and elsewhere.

C: What do you hope to accomplish with CHIRP?

SC: Eventually, we want to bring new low power FM radio stations to cities, including Chicago. It isn't just about getting one new license here -- I think it would be great to have multiple LPFM signals serving Chicago's extremely diverse neighborhoods. But the first thing that needs to happen is that the Local Community Radio Act has to pass Congress. It was introduced in both Houses on June 21 with bipartisan support. It's actually an issue that many people on the right and left agree on. The coalition includes religious broadcasters and the NRA, as well as progressive groups like MoveOn.org and Prometheus Radio Project. And all five FCC commissioners have gone on the record saying they believe it would be good to revisit the issue of LPFM in urban areas. The decision in the early aughts to limit LPFM to rural
and exurban areas was flawed, something almost everyone involved in the debate acknowledges now.

The most popular museum in the world is the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., which sees nearly 9 million visitors come through its doors each year. So it is no surprise that Chicago's Annual Air & Water Show is the largest two-day spectator event in the United States, with audience numbers reaching nearly 2.5 million. The free annual event is back for its 49th edition and has a great line-up ready to thrill the crowds, providing the weather holds off.

The United States Air Force is commemorating its 60th anniversary this year and will have a wide array of planes performing in the Air Show, including attack aircraft like the A-10 Thunderbolt, bombers like the B-1B Lancer Bomber and B-52 Stratofortress, and fighters like the F-15E Strike Eagle and F-117A Nighthawk. Surely one of the best military demonstrations will be the F-22 Raptor demonstration. The F-22 is the military’s most technologically advanced fighter jet and rarely performs a full demonstration of the aircraft. But the crowd along the lakefront will get to see a full demonstration of its capabilities this weekend.

Likely the highlight of the show for many will be the United States Air Force Thunderbirds. This is the first year that there have been two women on the team, Major Nicole Malachowski (#3 plane) and Major Samantha Weeks (#6 plane). Major Weeks commented to Chicagoist, "It is a great opportunity for the two of us to be a part of this team and represent the 513,000 men and women who volunteer to serve every day. We are just exactly what you are going to see in your combat air forces around the world, there are women pilots in most fighter units." The Thunderbirds will deftly maneuver through the Chicago lakefront and skyline at speeds ranging from 500 miles per hour up to 700 miles per hour and at times be as close to each other as 18 inches.

We know from last year’s comments that many readers think the air show is simply a show of our military might. Chicagoist understands the air show is meant to inspire, educate and entertain, and the military only represents one aspect of the air show. Each year the Chicago Air Show features many great civilian performance teams. Chicagoist is looking forward to seeing the Firebirds in their first appearance in Chicago. The Firebirds fly three Extra 300S aerobatic planes in a fast-paced and high-energy performance. Another air show favorite is Sean Tucker and Team Oracle which always mesmerizes crowds by taking their aircraft to the edge of their performance capabilities and the laws of physics.

Chicagoist would like to give a special thanks to John "Ripper" Rippinger of the six-plane Lima Lima Flight Team and to Matt Losacker who pilots one of the Red Baron bi-planes for safely taking us up into the skies and back as we previewed the 2007 Air Show (oh, and yes, we did get a free Red Baron Pizza as well).

The air portion of the Air & Water show begins at 11 a.m. and runs to 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday and is free to the public. Show center is near North Avenue Beach, but the action can be seen as far north as Montrose Beach and as far south as Navy Pier. A sneak peak can be had on Friday as the teams will begin practicing as early as 10 a.m.

Our photos from the press day at the 49th Chicago Air & Water Show are on Flickr.

Would Hollywood make a movie about a swingin' 70's housewife, complete with musical numbers? Or a documentary about New York City's Union Square in the days immediately following 9/11? Would Hollywood make a movie about Thax?

These are rhetorical questions; we're not saying that Hollywood is all bad, we're just saying that there are all kinds of movies out there. And dozens of the kind that you'd never see coming from Tinseltown will be on display at this year's Chicago Underground Film Festival, which runs Wednesday through Sunday at the Chopin Theatre and Elegant Mr. Gallery in Wicker Park.

This year's lineup is the strongest ever, a solid slate of challenging and provocative films that makes the Chicago International Film Festival's typical roster seem positively fusty. It kicks off on Wednesday with the Orchard Vale, the debut feature from music wunderkind Tim Kinsella (Cap'n Jazz, Sky Corvair). It's a vague but compelling drama set in the future after an undisclosed apocalypse and concentrates on a handful of characters trapped in a small house. Kinsella favors visual and sonic texture over narrative (not surprising, given his background). Most successfully the film dwells on the minimum sustenance necessary for life; everyone in the film is obsessed with food, and there's a particular scene with a girl eating an orange that's so tactile it's almost pornographic.

Another offering worth checking out is Friday evening's shorts program "Cutting In," which includes Chicago filmmaker Lori Felker's delightful animated short Zwischen. In only two minutes it takes you places most longer films never even manage to get to.

There are way too many offerings to capsulize here, so check out the full schedule and choose a few. Tickets are $7 (unless you order 'em online, in which case there's a service charge).

Thax, a documentary by Alex MacKenzie, screens Friday.

A mountain of peanut butter and banana sandwiches were waiting for runners as they completed the 10th Annual Elvis Is Alive 5K Fleet Feet race yesterday in Lincoln Park, which benefit Rock for Reading, a non-profit group fighting the trend of illiteracy and working to renew interest in reading.

2007 marks the 30th anniversary of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s passing, and race organizers expanded the post-race concert, adding additional Elvis impressionists. Chicago’s tribute run is the largest in the country, surpassing Memphis’s Elvis Presley International 5K by at least 1,000 participants with over 1,700 runners registered yesterday. Runners wearing Elvis attire lead the race. Hunk-a, Hunk-a, burnin’ love 41-year-old Al Baumgartner of Palatine, Ill., was the fastest Elvis, clocking in at 19:20.

Alice Peacock, Rock for Reading co-founder and singer/song writer performed a post-race concert, opening for Elvis impressionist Doug Church and the Anthony Guitar Street Orchestra.

“What Elvis was, was revolutionary,” said Peacock, who admires him for understanding the power of music. Today, she and her husband Hugh Haller are turning up the volume. “We have the power of music, and we can use it as an awareness building tool. Music does need to be used for good reasons.”

“A population that doesn’t read, doesn’t vote. They don’t support the arts,” said Peacock. “One out of three Chicagoans are functionally illiterate, which means they can’t even read at a third grade level. Being unable to read is the source of so many problems. If you can’t read, you can’t dream of something bigger and something better.”

If Elvis were alive today, we’re certain he’d sing his hit, “I Can Dream,” along with Peacock.

Photo provided by the author.

1. Porn stars playing Twister. And for a charitable donation, you can join in as well.
2. Gay cheerleaders of the Chicago Spirit Brigade soaring through the air. When you have a significant male presence on the squad, things people really get flying.
3. Shirtless muscle men. And an occasional shirtless woman.
4. Models wearing cutting-edge fashions, strutting their stuff. In an over-exagerated dance move, the rear seam in one model’s pants bursts open.
5. Tell it to my heart, Taylor Dayne. She appears on the Roscoe Stage at 6:45 p.m. this evening.
6. ROTC (Righteously Outrageous Twirling Corps) Chicago twirling their riffles to classic disco tunes.
7. Shout!, the Lakeside Pride Jazz Ensemble, filling the streets with soothing jazz.
8. Dancing in the streets to the sounds by international recording artist Ari Gold.
9. Nearly 400 vendors taking up six city blocks.
10. Bumping into friends from all over the country, who come to Chicago this weekend to attend the festival.

These are just some of the reasons we love Halsted Street Market Days, a family festival of a different stort. In it’s 26th year, the festival continues today on Halsted between Belmont and Addison. Billed as the largest outdoor two-day festival in the Midwest, the event features five stages of entertainment, arts and craft, food, and more.

The festival is sponsored by the Northhalsted Area Merchants Association. There is a voluntary $5 donation suggested at the gate. The complete entertainment schedule is available on their Web site.

Image contributed by the author.

So in 2000 a dude gets hit by a New York City Bus (Bear with us; the story has roots in New York, and eventually makes its way to our city) and decides he’s going to make something positive out of the experience. What does Brendt Barbur do? He creates a Bicycle Film Festival (BFF), featuring films celebrating the bike. And all forms of bikes: Tall-Bike Jousting, Track Bikes, BMX, Alleycats, Critical Mass, Bike Polo, Cycling to Recumbents--if it’s a bike, BFF has probably screened a movie about it.

Now in its seventh year, BFF does its second pass through Chicago this next week as part of its tour. Kick-stands go up Wednesday with Bikes Rock!, a party headlined by Flosstradamus at Town Hall Pub. Film screenings begin Friday evening at Stan Mansion. Featured films include Toronto Film Festival Special Jury Award Winner “Monkey Warfare,” BMX flick “Grounded,” a four-person manned vessel of adventure in “BikeCar,” and an historical mountain-biking documentary “Klunkerz.” The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation will provide valet bicycle parking for the screenings.

Officials with BFF claim the festival has been credited with pushing bicycle culture forward throughout the world. Well, maybe in New York. But in Chicago, we’ve got our mayor to thank for helping to move cycling forward.

You can download movie trailers from the BFF Web site, where the full-schedule of events is available.

Photo by Timothy State.

We love a parade. Chicago loves a parade, and today the largest parade in the United States, the 78th Annual Bud Billiken Day Parade will march through the South Side. The parade kicks off along Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive at 10 a.m., and if you don’t want to weather the heat, you can watch a live broadcast on either WGN-TV or WLS-TV.

Chicago Defender founder Robert S. Abbott wanted to organize the youth who sold their paper, and created a club named Bud Billiken. After consulting with other community leaders, the men decided to host a Bud Billiken Day Picnic, a resounding success. The day gave children the ability to enjoy the limelight of one day, dressing in costume, marching in a parade and being seen.

More than 200 parade marshals will usher the parade along, which has been held on the second Saturday of every August since 1929, come rain or shine. If you want to watch last year’s parade, which 1.2 million people attended and in which more than 74,000 participated, you can download it in no less that 15 parts from WLS-TV’s Web site.

The CTA will detour six bus lines for the parade.

Photo courtesy of east&uptown.

Got any plans for August 19? If not, you should consider brunch at Manny's Coffee Shop and Deli. Not only would you get the opportunity to munch on classic deli faves like lox and bagels, noodle kugel, corned beef sandwiches, pastrami sandwiches, and potato pancakes (not to mention salads, eggs and desserts), but you would also be supporting a good cause. Bright Pink is an organization dedicated to educating and supporting women who have a high risk of breast or ovarian cancer. One strong supporter of the group says that the organization "is not just another breast cancer organization, but rather [it] is committed to spearheading a fresh and empowering movement among young women. We believe in the beauty and strength of women. The organization exists to enlighten and empower high-risk individuals to take control of their breast health for a better, brighter future." Sounds good to us. In addition to the brunch, there is also a silent auction that will feature items ranging from a week's vacation at a 5-star resort in Cabo ($5,000 dollar value) to skydiving jumps. Also mentioned were the more traditional spa visits and restaurant experiences. Manny's is hosting this event out of the goodness of their hearts and their strong belief in what Bright Pink is doing for young women across the country. All proceeds from the brunch and auction will benefit Bright Pink.

This event will be held on August 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Manny's Coffee Shop and Deli (1141 S. Jefferson). Tickets are $35 for adults and $20 for children. To purchase tickets, contact email@BeBrightPink.com. Come early — auction results will be announced at 11:45!

Like many school-age children, Chicagoist was definitely one to doodle in our notes. We filled many a sketchbook, inviting our friends to even add their own stuff, which we have to remember to check up on, in case any of those drawrings are eBay-able these days. We even kept random notebooks just because we liked particular sketches, especially at the expense of first-period Econ. As years passed, our illustrative skillz fell by the wayside, which explains why fellow female Sarah Becan is so, so much better than we.

North Sider Becan impresses us with her lengthy résumé. She’s the author of several mini comics, printed in tiny books. She’s been interviewed by Gaper’s and has drawn for Chicago Metroblogs. Her website has full comics, comic samples, and several wonderful, Alphonse Mucha-esque illustrations. Like Mucha, Becan has also lent her talents to businesses, some local, some not-so. She even started a publishing company, Shortpants Press, with friend Jason Robards (no, not that Jason Robards).

Most recently, Becan was interviewed by CBS 2 as part of their coverage for Wizard World, a three-day comic convention taking place this weekend in Rosemont. With other feminine guests including a Playboy model and sundry Suicide Girls, it’s quite nice to see a woman with some actual writing and drawing talent under her belt. In fact, to bolster the female profile at Wizard World, this year they're devoting a section entirely to the ladies, including Corrine Mucha, Cathy Hannah (who's distributed through Shortpants Press), and Charlie "Spike" Trotman. Score!

Another tie-in of note: Nerds at Heart, the societal site for freaks ‘n’ geeks, will be representing as well. They’ve got a promotion going on where you can play games and mingle (but mostly play games) with other like-minded singletons on Thursday; admission to their shindig includes full access to Wizard World itself. Not a bad deal. Talk about knowing your audience…

Artwork used with permission from the author.

If we were to describe this movie update post using song titles …

• In an email last week, long-time Chicago Filmmakers program director Patrick Friel announced he will be stepping down on August 10 to pursue other interests. He had been with Chicago Filmmakers for over eleven years. A replacement has not been announced yet. Also in his email was news that there will be opportunities to become involved with the programming of their weekly screening series. If you’re interested, email programming(at)chicagofilmmakers(dot)org.
• Also stepping down is film critic Michael Wilmington, who had been at the Trib for fourteen years. In a brief email to his coworkers he wrote, “I'm leaving the Tribune, and I'll relax a little before starting some writing projects I've put off for too long. I've appreciated the privilege of using the Tribune's pages to tell people about movies good and bad.” The speculation is that he decided to accept a voluntary buyout offer, but a managing editor at the Trib is mum on the subject.
• This Saturday, scads of filmmakers will fan out across the city in an attempt to make a complete short film in twelve hours. At the stroke of midnight each team will be assigned a theme, and then the fun begins. It’s part of the nationwide Film Racing Tour, and the first time this event has been held in Chicago. If you want to try your hand at speed film making you’d better act fast; registration ends tomorrow.
• Perhaps you’re more comfortable on two wheels. The Bicycle Film Festival pedals into town next Wednesday, and this year will feature films from over ten countries (and guess what theme the films revolve around). Other events include a “Bicycle Rocks” kickoff party at Town Hall Pub and a scavenger hunt. Trivia: the festival’s sponsors include Pabst Blue Ribbon. Mmmm, bikes and beer ….

Matthew Wilder photo via 80's Music Lyrics.

We've finally recovered (well, mostly) from the whirlwind weekend that was Lollapalooza 2007. There were certain highs, and definite lows, but overall we've still pleased that the festival has chosen Chicago as its home.

In its third year many of the past problems (like sound bleed or wonky scheduling that necessitated obscene amounts of walking in extremely limited spans of time) seemed mostly solved. There were a few cruel overlaps schedule-wise, but when you have 130+ bands playing over three days, that's going to happen.

We also noticed that while it seemed like there were more people in attendance this year, we never felt like we were fighting through a crowd to get from one end of Grant Park to the other. And we were again surprised at how well-behaved everyone was. People were looking out for each other, and aside from one or two barreling drunks, folks seemed to remember how to say "excuse me" when making their way through the crowd.

Ironically our biggest complaint about the weekend is one that was completely out of the organizer's control; the heat and its penetrating and debilitating attacks throughout the weekend. Security did its best to provide water to the packed crowds near the stages, and we noticed folks taking advantage of cooling stations, but when all was said and done, it was pretty hard to remain comfortable — much less lucid — when the sun was bearing down. We actually had to leave for a while during The Rapture's set to regain our own battered sensibilities. But a few liters of water and some time in the shade later fixed us right back up.

And what about the music? Glad you asked.

On a June morning in 1918, a circus train stopped on the tracks in Ivanhoe, Ind. The Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus was scheduled for a show in nearby Hammond later that day, but for the time being, an overheated wheel bearing box impeded their progress. Despite warning lights and a frantic flagman, another train slammed into the back of the idling troupe. Fire erupted throughout the wooden cars, sending 86 people to their deaths and injuring 127 more. Most of the dead were newcomers to the circus, without proper names to identify their graves.

Out of this gruesome accident came a strange sight on Sunday: a clutch of clowns frolicking and joking in Woodlawn Cemetery in Forest Park. Woodlawn became the final resting place for 56 of the deceased. Just a few months prior to incident, the Showman’s League of America bought a section of the West Side graveyard, explaining the leap from Peru, Ind., where Hagenbeck-Wallace was based. As part of International Clown Week, clowns channeled their inner Hamlets to bid their Yoricks adieu. A myriad of clowns in all sorts of colors sang, danced, painted faces and twisted aerated plastic into animalistic shapes among the austere headstones. Time was taken to memorialize the crash and their fallen, mostly unknown brethren, but then it was back with the fun-making. Come on — they’re clowns.

We’ve been fascinated by Woodlawn’s “Showman’s Rest” for a long time. It ranks up there with the Iroquois fire for horror value, mostly because of the vast amount of anonymous dead, and the fact that they were circus performers paid to bring people joy. A few random things we noticed: Keeping with the theme, ICW’s website font is Comic Sans, which we revile otherwise, but feel is appropriate there. What really surprises us is that International Clown Week started off as just National Clown Week, and the first week in August was proclaimed as such by the one and only Richard M. Nixon. Because surely, when we think charismatic funnymen, Nixon is tops on our list.

... Oh, and um, Lollapalooza. That's a funny word, right?

Image courtesy of jaymce.

This writer-photographer had never been to Lollapalooza and came with mixed expectations. Fortunately, we seemed to choose our acts correctly, and between the tight sets from The Hold Steady and Muse on Saturday and the intense energy offered up by Iggy and the Stooges and Cafe Tacuba on Sunday, we left the weekend without any disappointments. Chicagoist was fortunate enough to secure a few coveted photo passes, allowing us access to the photo pits where we were alternately met with disdain and love by the crowds. Watch our handy little slideshow to check out some of our favorite pictures of some of the bands we saw over the weekend, along with a few shots of the spirited crowd.

Bands shown (more or less in order): The Hold Steady, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Spoon, Muse, Amy Winehouse, Paolo Nutini, Iggy and the Stooges, Peter, Bjorn and John, Bound Stems, Modest Mouse, and Cafe Tacuba.

Chicagoist (this one, anyway) doesn't fancy ourself to be a music critic. We sometimes think the years we spent working "in the industry" may have caused us to prefer to keep our distance to avoid ruining all of our fun. But we do love music, obsessively so, and have been known to traipse all over the continent proving that fact. So when an internationally renowned music festival shows up in our backyard, there's not much of a chance that we'll miss it (especially when we manage to score the $60 three-day passes).

Armed with two frozen bottles of water (stays colder longer and you can drink the melted bits as the day progresses), a "Neat Sheet" named Harvey (don't ask), sunscreen, and a well-funded text message plan to help keep track of everyone we're supposed to meet up with, we braved the throngs of Eddie Vedder lovers (with the t-shirts declaring that fact) and the heat and the rain for three days of musical euphoria, starting with The Fratellis and ending with TV on the Radio (sorry Eddie).

Lollapalooza wins in our minds not just for the decent food and fantastic and diverse musical selections, but the extraordinary people-watching opportunities. We saw wizards and vampires and superheroes and futuristic spacepeople, girls (and one guy) with homemade puffy paint tank tops that revealed their weekend itineraries (among other things), a variety of tutus, kilts, and lederhosen, and one shirt that seemed to follow us around the festival that featured a questionable declaration of its wearer's friend's sexual orientation. And that's not to mention all the miscellaneous t-shirts. Sensory overload! One of our favorite pastimes at Chicago festivals is counting how many people we see wearing Sufjan Stevens' "Come on feel the Illinoise" t-shirts. The Lollapalooza 3-day tally wound up at 14. Not bad, but we've certainly seen better.

Each morning we're going to highlight five bands playing at Lollapalooza that we think are worth seeing. Some will be popular, some less known, but we believe they're all worth your time. Today we're keeping it short and not including an after fest show because, to be honest, we're beginning to get a little worn down. We love that all this great music is happening in our fair city, but it tends to get a little overwhelming four days in (and we're counting all the "kick-off" shows Thursday night too ...).

Heartless Bastards
We're on the record as fans of The Heartless Bastards and while we think their gutter-punk blues riffs are best served in a dark smoky bar, their swagger is big enough to fill out a festival stage. (MySpace stage, 1:15 p.m.)

Lupe Fiasco
Yesterday's set by Rhymefest only served to remind us that Chicago is at the epicenter of a new movement in hip-hop that's forward-thinking and wildly inventive. Lupe Fiasco is part of that movement but while his debut was critically lauded -- rightfully so since it's a masterful blend of beats and ingenious wordplay -- it received a definite lack of love from the general public. Hopefully this high profile spot on the festival's largest stage will expose his talents to a bigger audience. (AT&T stage, 2:15 p.m.)

Peter Bjorn and John
You've heard Peter Bjorn and John's "Young Folks" a million times, we know. But they're more than a single song, and we think most will be surprised at the band's brash and powerful live show. In person they turn down the twee and crank up the amps, so it should be a good time. (Citi stage, 5:00 p.m.)

TV on the Radio
"Wolf Like Me" was the summer jam of 2006, we don't care what anyone else says. TV on the Radio slay live, and if you miss them don't expect us to lend you a shoulder to cry on because we'll be too busy telling you what a huge mistake you made. (MySpace stage, 7:15 p.m.)

Pearl Jam
Shut it. We didn't like Pearl Jam all that much either when we first heard their debut in 1992. Then we saw them the first time they played Lollapalooza and we realized that Pearl Jam is quite possibly one of the best live bands ever. Seriously. We've seen them many times since then and have only walked away from one of those shows in a state of less than awe. We think they're the perfect choice to close out the evening, but get comfortable because we have a feeling they'll be breaking that 10:00 p.m. sound curfew the city has set ... (AT&T Stage, 8:00 p.m.)

Before we teleported up into the great nightclub in outer space, Chicagoist took a few hours to walk around Grant Park this weekend and have a friendly chit-chat with some of the many fine folks who came to Lolla this weekend. Some of them came from nearby - North Side, South Side and the suburbs. Others came from farther away, places like New Jersey. Still others came to visit us from other countries, like Ireland.

Laura (19) and John (17), the first two people that we met this weekend, came from Arlington Heights. This was their first time at a large music festival, but not their first time seeing a show in Chicago "Oh yeah," said John. "We come here all the time. There's always lots of free shows here, especially downtown. We saw the Decemberists at Millennium Park." "I'm looking forward to seeing Modest Mouse," said Laura. "And Muse," she added. "Yeah, we love Muse," agreed John.

John and Ryan, both 22 and from Palatine, come up to the city "pretty often", usually to see the museums, shows, or to hang out around North Side neighborhoods. They thought Lollapalooza seemed "fun" and since they work for a company involved in the production of some of the promotional materials for the show, they had access to free tickets. While John felt like he could see himself living in the city "sometime in the next five years", Ryan was less certain. "I'm an art teacher," he told us. "Art programs are pretty neglected here in the city, and I need to live in the community where I teach." Regardless, both felt that Chicago was a great place to be, with a tremendous diversity of people, "ethnically, socially, and culturally."

Dan and Elizabeth, both in their mid-thirties, came from Maplewood, New Jersey. It was Elizabeth's third time in Chicago, but Dan's first. "I'm ready to move," said Dan, laughing. "Some cities, you're just like 'Wow. This is great!' The public art, how clean and pretty it is. And if you have kids, well, Chicago just seems so friendly for families." Elizabeth agreed, adding that she was looking forward to showing Dan Wicker Park, and taking an architectural boat tour over the weekend as well. "And The James. Write that down - we're staying at The James, and it's probably the best hotel in town."

Chicagoist has the unique pleasure of chatting with two city workers and two cops (who at their request asked to remain anonymous). "We were told not to talk to the media," said one of the Park District employees, an older woman from Bronzeville who was busy emptying garbage cans. "I think this is great," she told us. "More revenue for the city, and it just makes us look good as a city." As the officer looked over the crowd with his partner, he observed that "this is the kind of work that I like - everyone is having a good time, the girls are pretty, and we can relax a little bit."

Ronan, 21, came all the way from County Cork, Ireland for the summer on a work visa "trying to live the American Dream - have some fun and make some money." Like Americans who go to Europe, he wanted to come have an American experience. Staying on 53rd and Kilbourn, he likes Chicago, "except for the heat...." His brother Colin, 20, was a bit more forthcoming: "the drinking age in Ireland is 18, so it's not much fun." Colin flew in for the week to see his brother and take in the City by the Lake. "I like it so far, as there's always something on."

We hope you've enjoyed this weekend as much as we have, even if you're not from here.

Image via Smussyolay

Each morning we're going to highlight five bands playing at Lollapalooza that we think are worth seeing. Some will be popular, some less known, but we believe they're all worth your time. And for those not making it to the festival itself, we'll round it out with an additional show going on after the grounds close down for the evening.

Matt & Kim
Bouncy, jouncy, fun, and happy, Matt & Kim are just the sort of duo to kick your day off with a smile. Matt's off kilter vocals are endearing and the duo's melodies are playful enough to snare both the indie rockers and the dance kids. (adidas stage, 11:45 a.m.)

Tokyo Police Club
We caught these boys a few months ago at Subterrnanean and thew blew us away. Let's say you took Television's songs, sped them up double-time, and cut them in half ... then you have an idea what Tokyo Police Club sounds like. Our only worry is that their immediacy gets a little lost on the massive stage at the south end of Grant park. (AT&T stage, 12:45 a.m.)

Silverchair
We've been getting press releases about Silverchair about every other hour for the past two months, so we almost didn't write about them on principle alone. However their new disc is really, really good -- they're no longer a bunch of teenage grungesters, that's for sure -- so here we are, writing about them. The band has taken the Beatles route of mining their strengthsd and expanding thm with fractured art-rock leanings, leading to results that are surprisingly engaging. (AT&T stage, 2:30 p.m.)

Rhymefest
Rhymefest's debut should have been a monster, but ended up being criminally overlooked. This rapper's rhymes and beats leave most of the mainstream in the dust, and we're not just saying that to lean on / attempt to support our "underground" standing. Hell, any dud e that samples The Stroke and make Julian Casablancas' vocals his bitch, deserves our love and respect. (Playstation stage, 3:30 p.m.)

Muse
Muse makes Queen seem understated. With pop hooks an roaring choruses that take up where Radioheads' The Bends left off, Muse is the perfect capper to an evening downtown. Sure, Interpol is playing across the way, but wouldn't you rather see the night off with a bang instead of the whimper the Joy Division tribute band is bound to deliver? This is why you'll see us fighting our way through the crowd to hit stage center for Muse. (AT&T stage, 8:30 p.m.)

Juliette and the Licks, Suffrajett, theStart
Juliette Lewis' outfit just wasn't meant for sunlight, so we're catching her angry Hollywood grrrl rock at her Lolla afterparty that's open to the public.Chicagoist pals Suffrajett open, and we're totally holding out hope for a face off between singer Simi and Lewis. Also opening is the dance rock combo theStart, who's album is pleasant enough, if somewhat faceless. We're hoping their live show adds a little extra bite. (The Note, 9:00 p.m.)

Each morning we're going to highlight five bands playing at Lollapalooza that we think are worth seeing. Some will be popular, some less known, but we believe they're all worth your time. And for those not making it to the festival itself, we'll round it out with an additional show going on after the grounds close down for the evening.

The Switches
We are sure we'll be cursing this band from England throughout the day. Why? Well, if it wasn't for The Switches, there's no way we'd be getting to Lollapalooza at the crack of 11:15 to open the festival. But they are, and there's no way we're missing their turbo-charged and slightly swishy glam-pop, even if it means braving a mid-day sun in full hangover mode. They actually sound like a peppier and goofier version of one of our other favorites of the weekend, Muse. Their mixture of bombast and youthful snot should wake everyone in their audience right the heck up. (BMI stage, 11:15 a.m.)

Ted Leo + Pharmacists
How good is Ted Leo's live show? So good that even though we're seeing him tomorrow night at Double Door, we're still willing to brave the masses to catch his daytime set at Lollapalooza. Hypercharged punk, tinged with ska, and impossible falsetto acrobatics drives his show. But the biggest charge comes from the interplay between Leo and his Pharmacists as they barrel through every tune with the desperate energy of a drowning man swimming towards an ever-receding surface. (MySpace stage, 1:30 p.m.)

The Polyphonic Spree
Honestly, having only experienced The Polyphonic Spree within the confines of The Empty Bottle every time we've seen them, we should be dreading their set as a potential let-down. However, we loved their most recent album, The Fragile Army, and appreciate the fact they finally figured out how to harness their wall of sound and direct it through tighter arrangements and stronger melodies. Plus, one of our own is slated to appear on the stage with them in the local dance troupe Chicago Tap Theatre. In other words, it sounds like Tim DeLaughter and his merry clan of noisemakers have figured out how to make the transition to the big time. (Bud Light stage, 2:30 p.m.)

Silversun Pickups
We admit to being a little torn about this one, since The Rapture is playing at the same time, but we're betting that Silversun Pickups' massive guitars will fare better in a festival setting. We're still not sure why everyone keeps comparing them to Smashing Pumpkins, when the only thing the two groups seem to have in common is a love of distorted guitar. Silversun Pickups write songs that always sound slightly fatigued before dive-bombing into glorious sludge. These kids share way more in common with My Bloody Valentine in the way they bury the hooks beneath sheets of glorious noise. (Citi stage, 5:00 p.m.)

LCD Soundsystem & Daft Punk
We're counting this as one band, since they're sharing a field and one goes on right after the other. There is no other place to be to close out tonight's bill. We fully expect to wander out exhausted after the non-stop dance party both bands will deliver smudged with the wonder of experiencing both in tandem with the opening day's sun slowly dying behind the Chicago skyline. (LCD Soundsystem is on the MySpace stage at 7:30 p.m., and Daft Punk is on the AT&T stage at 8:30 p.m.)

Sybris
We've long been fans of Sybris and their swerving rock. We admit the first time we saw them we were convinced we were watching Edie Brickell on acid (oh wait, can we say that?) ... but that was their very first show, and they've gotten much better. The songs still sway majestically, but now there's an added force behind their rhythms, and a closer eye upon the melodies. The last time we saw them they were opening for Wolfmother (!), and they more than held their own in the face of that Australian trio's assault. That only cemented our belief that Sybris is a force to be reckoned with, and it's only a matter of time before this Midwestern buried treasure gets discovered by everyone else. (House Of Blues on the Porch Stage, 10:30 p.m.)

Photo of Silversun Pickups by Chona Kasinger

We got the privilege of attending last weekend's Blogher conference, and in an ironic twist of fate, our two computers went on the fritz. However, it was an experience we still wanted to share with you.

Blogher is a conference geared directly toward women bloggers. It was filled with lots of interesting and useful sessions aimed at helping women in the blogosphere. Whether you hadn't yet started a blog or you were looking to really monetize your blogging efforts, there was a session for you.

We sat down with Eliza Camahort to talk about Blogher -- why it was started, how it's been and where it's going. We discussed things over lunch, and we tried to cover a variety of topics with her.

On blogging/email/internet pet peeves:
"When emails don't include their other contact info and they say, 'Fax or email me that ...' [and don't leave the proper contact information]"

On blog comments:
"One in five people who read a blog actually writes a blog. If you don't have comments enabled, you leave out 80% of your audience. The definition of the blogging 'community' has gotten bigger with MySpace, Facebook, Flickr, and Youtube."

On what the past Blogher conferences have tried to achieve:
"The first Blogher was there to answer 'Where are all the women bloggers?' The second Blogher we saw where they were. We wanted to know how blogging is changing [the participant's] world. And how we could change our own careers, own lives and the world. We wanted to validate everyone from the personal blogger, to someone who blogged for business, to someone who was involved with Katrina relief. This year, we are acknowledging that we are all so different, yet we can come together to make a difference. Difference is good, but working together is good, too."

Elisa was very gracious and easy to talk to; she was very down-to-earth and even though her life was a whirlwind for that reason, she took the time to listen carefully and answer my questions thoughtfully. You can find more of her thoughts on some of her nine blogs and on Blogher. All in all, we were thrilled to have been a part of this year's conference and went away inspired, rejuvenated and interested in new techologies, new strategies for blogging, and ways to brand ourselves and our blog.

Image from 2007 SXSW.

The city's biggest music festival of the summer kicks off tomorrow, and you can feel the excitement building in the Chicagoist offices. However, we've had to put our cub reporters through some summer festival basic training, since this one blows all the others out of the water in sheer scope and size. The bands are the draw, and the primary source of fun, but there are a few other things you -- and our cub reporters -- need to keep in mind to ensure the experience stays positive. Believe us, there's nothing worse than waking up sunburned, drunk, and abandoned by your friends. Not that we would know. So to prepare you, dear reader, we've decided to share our top five tips on prepping for Lollapalooza this year.

It's going to be HOT!
We've gotten off pretty easy this summer, but Helios isn't letting us totally off the hook. It's going to be Buster Poindexter-level hot this weekend, so make sure you're dressed for the heat and drink plenty of water. In fact, either bring your own water bottle, or save the first one you buy, so you can refill it for free during the day. When you're losing water at the rate most people will in 90+ degree heat, it can get awfully expensive to stay hydrated if you keep paying for that agua.

This is also a pretty good reason to hold off the booze until later in the day, when it cools down a little. Seriously. We love to get plastered just as much as the next music critic, but even we know that you don't imbibe at 11 a.m. when it's already 93-degrees. And if you're as fair-skinned as we, after hours of either sitting in the office or sipping whiskeys by bar-light, slather on the sun block. Spare not an inch of skin that sweet, sweet protection of industrial strength SPF.

If you have a 3-day pass, take advantage of the re-entry policy.
One of the great things about a festival in Grant Park that allows re-entry is that it affords you all sorts of eating options that aren't just 2-pound slabs of funnel cake or 18-inch greasy slices of pizza. Sure the food downtown isn't any less expensive, but it sure tastes better. Also, re-entry means you can go wander around, take a break, and re-energize before re-entering the fray. Also, if you need to beat the heat for a bit, we hear the Art Institute is an awesome cooling station.

Never heard 'em before? Maybe now's the time.
You could go nuts trying to catch every band you want to see. After you've mapped out your schedule take a long honest look at the map. We know you see Regina Spektor and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs work out perfectly schedule-wise, but when you factor in that the stages are almost on opposite ends of Grant Park, it becomes pretty obvious you're not going to catch both.

So instead, while you're waiting for Spoon / Patti Smith / whomever to go on next, wander around and take in some of the surrounding bands you've never heard of. We've found some new favorites that way. (Case in point: Whilst we had heard Of Montreal before last year's Lollapalooza, we had never heard them live ... and that made all the difference in transforming us into fans of the band. Same thing went for the first time we saw Pearl Jam, the first time they played Lollapalooza.)

Get ready to hike about 27 miles a day.
Wear some comfortable shoes. Personally, we've stepped up our cardio training in the last month just to be able to survive.

Don't be a douchebag.
Or "that guy." Or Jeremy Piven. Just enjoy the show.

Photo of guy from Lollapalooza 2006 that could have used the advice above taken by Jeremy Farmer

Tomorrow is the kick-off the YearlyKos, DailyKos's annual "unconventional" convention for grassroots Internet political activists, or "Netroots" community. This year's party will be hosted in Chicago, at the illustrious McCormick Place.

Launched in 2002 by US Army veteran Markos Moulitsas as a response to "an oppressive and war-crazed administration", DailyKos now gets around 600,000 hits a day, and has become a widely read marketplace for left-wing ideas on the Internet. This year's convention is being sponsored by Democracy for America, the Teamsters, Change to Win, AFL-CIO, MoveOn.org, and Vote Vets. While the Internet has become a resource for political activists of all stripes to exchange ideas, strategies, and tactics, a convention like this is an opportunity to bring many of the Netroots players together with local activists and political actors for a week of workshops, speeches, and events.

With such challenging workshops and round table discussions as "Holding Congress Accountable for a Progressive Agenda," "Volunteer Recruitment and Development," and "Working America: Slugging it Out with the Christian Right for the Hearts and Minds of the Working Class," as well as caucuses such as "Religious Left Netroots," this is sure to be an event for anyone that is interested left political activism and using the power of the Internet to reach communities.

The convention kicks off tomorrow at 8 a.m., with keynote speeches by both Howard Dean and Illinois Senator Dick Durbin. We'll drop in later this week with more on the convention.