HotHouse Hikes Horberg

By Scott Smith in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 20, 2006 7:19PM

Remember in the Star Trek movies how Kirk got demoted from Admiral after he went off looking for Spock’s body? But Starfleet still wanted him to be the captain of the Enterprise? Well, the world music mainstay HotHouse is going through something just like that with its former executive director Marguerite Horberg.

For those who actually got laid in high school, here it is in non-geekspeak, courtesy of the Tribune. Despite a history that Howard Reich calls “rocky,” the non-profit HotHouse in the South Loop has remained a venue that is a vital part of Chicago’s music community by presenting blues, hip-hop, world music and jazz in a city where there are fewer and fewer places to find most of those genres of music.

But man does not live by music alone, and it appears the HotHouse board is unhappy with Horberg’s skills at paying the bills. The board suspended Horberg but still wants her to act in an artistic and fundraising role with a business manager. Horberg disputes the charges of the board while maintaining that there is no funding or space for a business manager in the organization.

With all the intimacy of a small club, but with the ability to bring in world-class acts, the HotHouse is an invaluable part of Chicago’s music scene. We’re hoping all this gets resolved amicably so we don’t have to go through a whole “Save Our Club” campaign again this summer.

In the meantime, you can support the club by attending some of their Gay Games-affilitated shows tonight and tomorrow.

Disclosure: One of Chicagoist’s writers works at HotHouse, but did not report on or contribute any portion of this post.