Pencil This In
By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 25, 2008 5:00PM
The listed events were chosen by the editors of Chicagoist and brought to you by the
2009 Toyota Corolla.
Music
During the day, she's the Chicago correspondent for the Nikkei stock exchange's newpaper. After hours, Yoko Noge is one of the more adventurous musicians in the city, with an innate grasp of the blues that many folks born and raised in this city would kill to have. Singing both in English and Japanese, Noge draws on both the blues and the theatrical elements of her native Osaka to create a captivating live show. For years her Jazz Me Blues Band, featuring fellow countryman Tatsu Aoki on bass, alto saxophonist Jimmy Ellis, drummer Avreeyal Ra, tenor saxophone player Jeff Chan, and Clark Dean on soprano saxophone, held down Monday nights at HotHouse. After a few months of itinerant residencies, they've found a new home Monday nights at Andy's, and they're packing in the place with a mix of business travelers and swing dancers.
11 E. Hubbard, 9 p.m., $10 (half off with the Jazz Me Blues VIP card, available as a download here).
Food
While it looks like the worst of this winter is now behind us (knockonwood) there's still some time to go out and enjoy some hearty comfort fare. Check out the specials list from West Town Tavern for this week and tell yourself that menu isn't worth leaving the house. Susan Goss is one of the more unheralded chefs in the city, and her restaurant is the perfect place to watch the sun set a few minutes later every day.
1329 W. Chicago Avenue, 5-10 p.m.
Film
Winner of the Palme d'Or at last year's Cannes Film Festival, 4 Months 3 Weeks & 2 Days follows two women, in a series of mishaps and bad communication, trying to negotiate an illegal abortion in the waning moments of Nicolae Ceauşescu's communist Romania over a 24-hour period. The result is a film that will leave viewers hanging in suspense.
Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport.
Poetry
From Carl Sandburg and Langston Hughes to Marc Smith's Uptown Poetry Slam, this city's inspired poetry both wonderful and shitty. The long-running Monday night open mic at Weeds is still one of the best, full of attitude and the enthusiasm of participants just happy to be on stage. Egged on by host Gregorio Gomez and bartender/artist-in-residence/former mayoral candidate/instigator Sergio Mayora (pictured) one doesn't know what the hell might happen. If you do plan on reading, come correct; the crowd at Weeds can sometimes be merciless.
1533 N. Dayton, 9:30 p.m., free.
Art
If you plan on having a drink at Delilah's this evening, take the time to admire some of the paintings by Mekon and Head Waco Brother Jon Langford, who current installation there captures breathtakingly lifelike recreations of classic country and rock artists like Dylan, Cash, Hank, Sr., Joey Ramone, and Charley Pride. The paintings, and some limited edition prints, are for sale at prices that won't break you if you have some discretionary income, with proceeds from the exhibit going to hurricane relief.
2771 N. Lincoln