10 best things to do this week
GOING TO NEED A BIGGER BOAT Crewmates have a tail to tell in Kon-Tiki.
2. Big Boi + Killer Mike Playing the Pitchfork Music Festival messed with his steez. Big Boi, who has been setting hip-hop trends for ages with Outkast, suddenly got the notion to inject indie flavors-of-the-month into his clever Southern bounce. Last year's Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors stuffed its guest list with middle-tier festival acts like Phantogram, Wavves and Little Dragon to varying degrees of success. Still, he remains one of the great voices in the game and his live show is on point thanks to those big festival stages. Add fellow ATLien "Killer" Mike Render and his Ice Cube–like flow and you have a must-see rap gig. Park West. Wed 8pm. $27.
3. Eighth Blackbird with Shara Worden, Bryce Dessner and Nico Muhly Save that tax refund, because May is going to be lousy with brilliant live music. Bridging the Apr/May divide are local heroes Eighth Blackbird alongside My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden, the National's Bryce Dessner and composition/piano paragon Nico Muhly. Other than Philip Glass's Two Pages (1968), the program is comprised entirely of music written in the past five years, including works by Tristan Perich, Steve Mackey, David Lang, Muhly, Dessner and Worden. We are especially curious to hear a world-premiere original by 8bb pianist Lisa Kaplan, scored for piano four hands. Museum of Contemporary Art. Tue and Wed 7:30pm. $28, members $22.
4. Har Mar Superstar Ron Jeremy look-alike Sean Tillmann, a.k.a. Har Mar Superstar, is branded as a joke funk man, but his latest album, Bye Bye 17, is an honest-to-God soul record with vintage touches. Released on Julian Casablancas's Cult Records, the album features Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti and a touch of that taut garage rumble. He may have his tongue firmly in cheek, but the vocal pipes underneath are on point. Empty Bottle. Sun 8:30pm. $12.
5. Cremaster 1 + Cremaster 2 Matthew Barney's five-part, six-and-a-half-hour film cycle begins its run at the Siskel. About, among other things, gender, the nature of creativity and the amazing versatility of Vaseline, and shot out of sequence (4, 1, 5, 2, 3) over ten years, the cycle has been compared to everything from Star Wars to Wagner. Barney has called the Cremaster cycle a "narrative sculpture," so watch them in any order and look for visual motifs. In 2 (1999, 79 mins), Barney uses the Columbia Icefields (a glacier in the Canadian Rockies) as a piece of sculpture or character in the film, and its creamy, textured surface resonates with the molten Vaseline that Richard Serra scoops and splatters in 3 (2002, 182 mins). In 5 (1997, 55 mins), the rising white doves tethered with ribbons to Barney's testicles (in one of his many guises) chime with the Y-shape of American football goalposts in 1 (1996, 40mins). Gene Siskel Film Center. Fri 7:45pm. $11, students $7 , members $6, SAIC students and faculty and staff of the Art Institute $4 .
6. #SHOW Get your hashtags ready: Following long runs of its Jersey Shore: The Musical and It's a Wonderful Pro-Life, 4 Days Late Productions mounts an expanded version of the tech-obsessed sketch show it debuted at January's Sketchfest. studio BE. Sat 10pm. $15.
7. Sound Opinions at the Movies: Wattstax Dir. Mel Stuart. 1973. 103mins. Documentary. Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot, the hosts of NPR's rock talk show Sound Opinions, present this seminal concert film, shot at the titular 1972 music festival in Los Angeles, which mixes performance clips from artists like Isaac Hayes and Albert King with stand-up from Richard Pryor. The legacy of the 1965 Watts riots looms large over the celebratory proceedings. Music Box. Wed 7:30pm. $10, advance $9.
8. Ivywild: The True Tall Tales of Bathhouse John Jay Torrence's new show for the Hypocrites whimsically explores the true story of early-20th-century First Ward Ald. "Bathhouse John" Coughlin and "Hinky Dink" Kenna and their graft-fueled quest to build an amusement park in Colorado. Chopin Theatre. Wed–Sat 7:30pm; Sun 3pm. $28.
9. Cinco de Mayo Festival Go loco during this Little Village fete commemorating the Mexican army's victory at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Celebrate Mexican culture and check out the live music, crafts and Mexican eats. 26th St and Kostner Ave. Fri 6–11pm; Sat and Sun 2–11pm. Free.
10. Global Cannabis March With legislators in Springfield making moves toward okaying marijuana for prescriptive medical use, NORML Illinois is looking to ride the momentum of trailblazing pot legalization in Colorado and Washington state. Don your favorite legalize-it attire (your alien-smoking-a-joint hoodie?) to hear speakers including Illinois NORML director Dan Linn, Reader sleuth Mick Dumke, the Heartland Alliance's James Kowalsky and Northwestern Students for Sensible Drug Policy co-prez Frances Fu. Daley Plaza. Sat noon–3pm. Free.
5 things to do today: Sunday, April 28
OPERA & CLASSICAL
AROUND TOWN
Remembering Mayor Harold Washington A little more than 30 years after Washington became Chicago's first African-American mayor, a panel of friends and confidants discuss the late politician's impactful (albeit short-lived) tenure. DuSable Museum of African American History. 2–5pm. $5, free for members.
ART & DESIGN
"Matt Rich: Razors and Vapors" For his second solo show at devening projects + editions, Boston-based artist Rich presents paintings that are at once flat and dimensional, representational and abstract. Made from cut paper and smears/sprays/brushes of acrylic paint, the works exhibit both X-acto–like precision and messy exuberance. devening projects + editions. 4–7pm. Free.
COMEDY
Improv Nerd Jimmy Carrane kicks off a third season of his local talk show in which he interviews local legends and gets them out of the chair for a short improv set. This season's guests include John Lutz, Edgar Blackmon, Katy Colloton, Beth Melewski and Andy St. Clair. Stage 773. 4pm. $10, students $8.
NIGHTLIFE
Boom Boom Room This legendary, polysexual Chicago-house night is back at Dolphin, settling on a Sunday-night spot, rather than the Monday it used to call home. It remains an awe-inspiring blend of clubbers and regular city folk who like to party, and it's a Chicago institution. Gene Farris, Diz, Justin Sheridan and Martin Stoy spin every week. Dolphin. 10pm. $10.
5 things to do today: Saturday, April 27
Erick Morillo at Wavefront Beachside Music Festival, June 30, 2012.
NIGHTLIFE
Erick Morillo Colombian-American house titan Morillo is best know for his work in Reel 2 Real. Don't act like you haven't shook it a little bit to his "I Like to Move It." Or at least wanted to kill yourself after hearing it on repeat at Six Flags/in Madagascar trailers. The Mid. 10pm. $20–$30.
AROUND TOWN
826CHI Promic-Con Nonprofit writing workshop 826CHI's prom fund-raiser borrows some comic-con steez, encouraging attendees to nerd out with cosplay. The theme should make for some interesting dance-floor combos. School of the Art Institute. 8pm–midnight. $45, couples $75 , advance $40 per person.
ART & DESIGN
"Commonwealth: New Work by Neal Vandenbergh and Latham Zearfoss" Two Chicago-based artists consider power as an invisible force in our lives. Zearfoss creates an imaginary poll asking residents of a Midwestern town to assess their power to affect change, both publicly and personally. Vandenbergh incorporates materials of authoritative control—i.e., yellow construction-grade paint and reflective vinyl—into his large-scale monochromatic panels. Roxaboxen Exhibitions. 5–9pm. Free.
FILM
Facets Night School: The Cannibals The other cannibal musical. Portuguese writer-director Manoel de Oliveira's The Cannibals (1988) screens, then local indie filmmaker Michael Smith gives a late-night lecture on this rare piece of "anti-bourgeois surrealism." Facets Cinematheque. Midnight. $5.
MUSIC
Bleached + Hunters Much about Bleached feels been-there-done-that: It's a guitar/drum duo, crafting retro garage rock, consisting of blond sisters. Thus, the L.A. act calls to mind Frankie Rose, Vivian Girls, the Kills, et al. But its debut, Ride Your Heart, is a blast. Saying its punky, '50s-ish pop is going out of style is like declaring the death of blue jeans. NYC's like-minded Hunters worked SXSW hard this year, fueled by the captivating energy of front-woman Isabel Almeida. Subterranean. $10.
Pitchfork starting movie website, Pitchfilm.com?
Earlier today, The A.V. Club, the cultural wing of humor outlet The Onion, announced that three longtime writers and editors, Nathan Rabin, Tasha Robinson and Genevieve Koski, would be leaving. The trio added to a recent small exodus of talent from the fantastic critical voice that included Keith Phipps and Scott Tobias. Former Time Out Chicago film critic A.A. Dowd remains as A.V. Club's new film editor. So, why did the rest leave?
In this blog post, managing editor Kyle Ryan stated that the five were all joining "another Chicago-based media company, for a film-specific project."
Our immediate thought: Pitchfork, the movie site?
This Whois search shows that on June 11, 2011, Pitchfork founder Ryan Schreiber registered the domain name Pitchfilm.com. It was updated in February of this year. When asked today whether Pitchfork was launching a film-criticism site called Pitchfilm, Schreiber replied, "No comment."
Someone with knowledge of the situation confirmed our speculation that Pitchfork is starting a film-related venture. This would add to an empire that includes Nothing Major, a fashion and design blog edited by TOC contributor John Dugan, and the annual Pitchfork Music Festival.
Yes, it is possible that Schreiber is snatching domains for good business sense. It is possible that the A.V. Clubbers are going somewhere else in town. But it's also possible that Harry Knowles just lost a ton of sleep, and not because Iron Man 3 is a week away.
5 things to do today: Friday, April 26
Jacques Renault
NIGHTLIFE
Jacques Renault + James Curd + Studio Casual Brooklyn groove rider Jacques Renault helms the moving NYC party and record label Let's Play House. Funky Chicagoan and occasional television soundtracker James Curd released the playful "We Just Won't Stop" on DFA. Smart Bar. Fri 10pm. $12, after midnight $15, advance $10, students or with R.S.V.P. $7.
AROUND TOWN
C2E2: Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo Anime addicts, comic-book fans and video-game junkies, rejoice: The granddaddy of comic expos is back, and a slew of authors, celebs, costume contests and screenings awaits. Adam West (of course), Kevin Smith, Patton Oswalt and Audrey Niffenegger are among those scheduled to make appearances. McCormick Place. Fri 10am–10pm; Sat 10am–10pm; Sun 10am–5pm. $25–$65.
MUSIC
Ghostface Killah + Adrian Younge's Venice Dawn Wu-Tang's Iron Man has not lost an ounce of his lyrical skill-set, continually spewing poetically formless, detail-dense, quasi-fantasy tails of the urban game. His moody, chopsocky latest, Twelve Reasons to Die, is a collaboration with producer Adrian Younge, who opens the night with his '60s-inspired soul project, Venice Dawn, a cross of Italian soundtracks and French chanson—you know, the stuff of Quentin Tarantino's dreams. Abbey Pub. 9pm. $20–$25.
FILM
Stuck Dir. Thaddaeus Scheel. 2013. 90mins. Filmmaker and activist Craig Juntunen is one of the subjects of this documentary about the ills of the byzantine international adoption process. Traveling by bus on a cross-country stint of premieres to gather signatures for a petition asking leaders in D.C. to act on adoption reform, Juntunen will be present for a post-screening discussion. Music Box. 7pm. $15.
Chicago Anarchist Film Fest You might think it antithetical for a bunch of anarchists to organize anything, let alone a film festival, but this is the 13th go-round of the city's anarcho-cinema event. The three evenings of shorts, documentaries and animations have been broken up by theme: sabotage, wild cat strikes again and nine lives. After the final screening on Sunday, the fest migrates to Township in Logan Square for (what else?) a punk-rock karaoke wrap party. Meztli Cultural Organization. Fri, Sat 7pm; Sun 4pm. $5–$10 donation.
Art shows to see now
Lucio Fontana, Concetto spaziale, Attese, 1958.
"Destroy the Picture: Painting the Void, 1949–62." | Museum of Contemporary Art
Curated by Paul Schimmel for the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, this illuminating exhibition contends the traumas of World War II transformed painting in Europe, Japan and the U.S. Almost 100 works reveal how postwar artists burned, slashed and shot at their canvases, or—like Lee Bontecou and the Gutai collective—upended our notions of what “painting” means. While the show’s central thesis comes off as an oversimplification, its interweaving of art stars and less familiar talents is invaluable. Through June 2.—Lauren Weinberg
"Matt Rich: Razors and Vapors." | devening projects + editions
For his second solo show at devening projects + exhibitions, Boston-based artist Rich presents paintings that are at once flat and dimensional, representational and abstract. Made from cut paper and smears/sprays/brushes of acrylic paint, the works exhibit both X-acto-like precision and messy exuberance. Opens April 28.
"Image Structure—Sonnezimmer." | Public Works Gallery
Sonnenzimmer (a.k.a. Nadine Nakanishi and Nick Butcher) experiment with the tactile and sculptural qualities of quilts in this new exhibition based on a collaboration with Club Club, who won the Chicago Architectural Club's 2012 "Future Prentice" competition. Nakanishi and Butcher also show recent abstract paintings exploring landscape. Through June 7.
"Picasso and Chicago." | Art Institute of Chicago
Though Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) never visited the U.S., he had a profound impact on Chicago, not least because of his untitled 1967 sculpture on Daley Plaza. More than 250 of his paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings and ceramics—most drawn from the Art Institute's collection—reflect the city's support of his work throughout his career. Time is winding down to see this fascinating exhibition. Through May 12.
"Tanya Aguiñiga: Driftless Zone." | Volume Gallery
L.A. artist-designer Aguiñiga's new textile works domesticate the dramatic topography of the Midwest's Driftless Area. Madae out of hand-dyed canvas, raw wool, industrial felt, cotton rope, sisal, linen and yarn, her wall hangings and rugs suffer a little from their stuffy surroundings. But if you can open your mind and envision these small textiles at monumental scales, Aguiñiga's memories of a complicated and beautiful landscape emerge. Through June 7.—Lisa Smith
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What to do and see at C2E2
Creepy people at the 2012 Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo.
Now in its fourth year, the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo—code name: C2E2—rockets back to McCormick Place this weekend, April 26–28. In addition to a large roster of comics pros, the celebrity guest list includes plenty of television celebs (including actors from The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones), a few literary figures (R.L. Stine, who haunted your middle-school dreams with Goosebumps) and comedian Patton Oswalt. Intermixed all weekend, of course, are plenty of costumed attendants roaming the halls and five sessions of geektastic speed dating (including one round specifically for gay fans). We combed through three days of programming to find highlights.
The House Theatre of Chicago's 2013–14 season
Carolyn Defrin in Rose and the Rime (2009)
The House Theatre of Chicago is going retro with its 12th season slate, with new mountings of the previously seen The Nutcracker, Rose and the Rime and Dorian, along with one new show, The Crownless King, the second installment in Chris Mathews and Nathan Allen's fantasy trilogy.
The Crownless King opens the season (August 30–October 20), continuing where last fall's The Iron Stag King, Part One left off, with Allen directing. It's followed by the now perennial Nutcracker (November 8–December 29), Jake Minton and Phillip Klapperich's idiosyncratic take on E.T.A. Hoffmann's tale.
In the new year, the House revisits Rose and the Rime (January 17–March 9), Mathews, Allen and Minton's wintry fairy tale first seen in 2009; Allen directs. The season closes with a remount of Dorian (May 9–June 22), a dance-theater take on Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray by House company members Rapley and Ben Lobpries that was first staged in 2006 at the now defunct Bailiwick Repertory Theatre. That production was one of Time Out's top ten plays of that year; Rapley once again helms the piece. All four shows will be performed at the Chopin Theatre. House company member Dennis Watkins's The Magic Parlour also continues its open run at the Palmer House Hilton.
Victory Gardens Theater announces resident companies
Victory Gardens Biograph Theater
Victory Gardens Theater has revealed its new roommates. Bailiwick Chicago, Rasaka Theatre Company, Sideshow Theatre Company and Teatro Vista will mount their 2013–14 seasons at the Biograph as the inaugural class of VG's previously announced Resident Theater Program.
Each of the four theaters will serve a multi-year residency. "Our ultimate objective is to position Victory Gardens, with its location in the heart of Lincoln Park at the crossroads of a major transportation hub, as a premier cultural performing arts center," Victory Gardens artistic director Chay Yew said in announcing the lineup. "By gathering these diverse theaters under one roof, Chicago residents can more fully engage with all of the city's communities throughout the year." The new resident theaters are expected to announce their seasons individually in the coming weeks.
