5 best nightlife events this week
John Talabot
No work on Monday! You know what that means: an extra night to party. As if things like adult responsibility ever stopped you before.
Electric Daisy Carnival David Guetta, Avicii and Tiësto are the big guns at the top of the bill. But it's not all Eurohouse and trance. There are some killer deep cuts here, too, like DJ Koze, a far more nuanced and weird technician whose latest, Amygdala, arrived as an immediate techno classic. Chicagoland Speedway. May 24–May 26 at 5pm. 3-day pass $175, 3-day pass with camping $295, 3-day VIP $299, 3-day VIP with camping $419.
John Talabot + Lemonade Barcelona's John Talabot might make music too hazy for Ibiza, but it still conjures the beach. An equatorial mugginess hangs over last year's hypnotic Fin, an album for all-night partiers to spin as they squint at the sunrise. Tropical and nostalgic are vibes far too familiar in the wake of chillwave, but Talabot still manages to come off as exotic. Wrapping his face in tin foil doesn't hurt. It goes without saying that electro-act Lemonade has its mind stuck on summer, too. Lincoln Hall. May 26 at 8pm. $20.
Kastle + XXXY Barrett Richards has dabbled in dead ends like happy hardcore and breaks. Now, as Kastle, he's mining gems of every ilk. It's what Burial might sound like if he hung out in strip clubs. Manchester's XXXY is both nostalgic for '90s divas and looking to push house into the future. Lincoln Hall. May 22 at 9pm. $20, advance $15.
Blowoff Among his many non-rock pursuits, former wrestling script writer Bob Mould (Sugar, Hüsker Dü) formed DJ outfit Blowoff with Richard Morel while living in Washington, D.C.—they've issued an album and various remixes, but Blowoff is best known as the polysexual dance party they popularized in Chocolate City. There are few better ways to celebrate International Mr. Leather Weekend. Metro. Sat 25 at 11pm. $16.
Mayhem at the Mid: Qbert + Shortkut Scratching, breakdancing, crooked baseball hats. Old school hip-hop heads, B-boys and connoisseurs of Electric Boogaloo should flock to the Mid for another edition of Mayhem at the Mid, an evening flashy turntablism and crew dance battles. What, no graffiti exhibition? San Francisco veterans and scratch icons Qbert and Shortkut cut it up on the decks. Crew registration begins at 8:30pm. R.S.V.P. at bit.ly/YkEZjf. The Mid. Fri 24 at 9pm. $10.
RECOMMENDED: 5 concerts to see this week.
5 things to do today: Monday, May 20
MS MR
ART & DESIGN
"Spectator Sports" Fans' identification with athletes, the experience of watching games live, and the issues of nationality and gender are among the concerns shaping works by Jack Goldstein, Michelle Grabner and nine other artists. Museum of Contemporary Photography. 10am–5pm.
MUSIC
MS MR Kyrie, eleison, down the road that I must travel! Oh, not related to Mr. Mister? Still, this boy-girl duo have a good deal of '80s about them. Lizzy Plapinger floats her soul over echoing percussion and synthetic symphonies on the NYC band's debut, Secondhand Rapture. Think the Eurythmics for Florence & The Machine fans. Schubas. 8pm. $15, advance $13.
5 things to do today: Sunday, May 19
Vintage Garage
ART & DESIGN
"Color Rush: 75 Years of Color Photography in America" Ansel Adams, William Eggleston, Nan Goldin, Cindy Sherman and Edward Steichen are among the artists whose works trace the evolution of color photography from advertising and photojournalism to its comparatively recent validation as fine art. Milwaukee Art Museum. 10am–5pm.
FILM
The Trial Dir. Orson Welles. 1962. 120mins. The blackest of Welles' comedies, an apocalyptic version of Kafka that renders the grisly farce of K's labyrinthine entrapment in the mechanisms of guilt and responsibility as the most fragmented of expressionist films noirs. Perkins' twitchy "defendant" shifts haplessly through the discrete dark spaces of Welles' ad hoc locations (Zagreb and Paris, including the deserted Gare d'Orsay), taking no comfort from Welles' fable-spinning Advocate, before contriving the most damning of all responses to the chaos around him. The remarkable prologue was commissioned from pioneer pinscreen animators Alexandre Alexeieff and Claire Parker. Music Box. 11:30am. $7.25.
Movies in the Parks: best of the 2013 schedule
Movies in the Parks
Jurassic Park in Wicker Park; The Birds at Belmont Harbor; The Wiz at Oz Park; In the Heat of the Night in the warmth of an August evening in Calumet Park: These are just a few of the highlights of this year's Movies in the Parks schedule, released yesterday by the Chicago Park District. The free alfresco cinema series, heading to some 150 parks citywide June 13 through September 14, also includes Dr. No, Thunderball and Skyfall as part of a 60th anniversary James Bond celebration; a Bollywood program with live dance performances; The Curators of the Dixon School, a doc by Chicago filmmaker Pamela Sherrod Anderson about the turnaround of a South Side grade school; and a Latino Film Festival selection. Of the 195 Movies in the Parks screenings, mark your calendars for the following films, which begin at dusk.
Rooftop-bar season is on!
New Chicago bars: American Junkie
You can stop holding your breath: Summer really is here. Take advantage of the beautiful weather at one of these new and updated rooftops!
5 things to do today: Saturday, May 18
Dan Ghenacia
CLUBS
Dan Ghenacia + Dino G + Garrett B With Daft Punk the inarguable pop culture phenomenon of the moment, all eyes and ears are focused back on Paris. The man holding down the house in Paris is Dan Ghenacia. Founder of both the Freak N'Chic and Appollonia labels, Ghenacia released early works by deep house gurus Shonky and Jamie Jones. His work is heavy, simple and funky. In other words, while Daft Punk may have gone organic disco, somebody is still doing their Homework. Spy Bar. 10pm. $20, advance $15.
DANCE
Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble: "Touch and Mirrors" Chicago Danztheatre’s been whetting appetites over the winter months with short previews and workshop-type glimpses of its new project, inspired the poetry of mystical man Rumi. Finally, we get the world premiere of Touch, plus a remount of the contemporary company’s evocative Mirrors. It all happens at DEFIBRILLATOR gallery, which happens to be one of, if not the most underrated performance venue in the city. May 25 is benefit night, and tickets include the performance and an after-party with food and drink. DEFIBRILLATOR. 8pm. $20, advance $15, benefit night $30.
Where to watch Kanye West's "New Slaves" in Chicago tonight
Jay-Z and Kanye West- Watch The Throne Tour, United Center 11/30/2011
Kanye West knows how to get attention. To announce his upcoming summer album, reportedly due on June 18, the Chicago-born rapper will project the video to his new single "New Slaves" on the sides of buildings in ten cities around the world. Already the black and white film of his Big Brother–like face delivering the song has appeared in New York City, as reported by Pitchfork.
Here's where you can check it out tonight in Chicago:
Wrigley Field; 9:50–10:05pm
Chicago History Museum; 10:35–10:45pm
North and Milwaukee Aves, Wicker Park; 11:15–11:25pm
University of Chicago Music Department; 12:15–12:30am
Field Museum; 12:55–1:05am
The Art Institute of Chicago; 1:30–1:40am
505 N Michigan Ave; 1:50–1:55am
Hurry. It's starting soon.
UPDATE: Watch a recording of the video. West sings, "I'd rather be a dick than a swallower." Bring the kids! Also, he sings falsetto?
Theater on the Lake 2013 lineup announced
Theater on the Lake
The 2013 lineup for the Chicago Park District's Theater on the Lake was revealed this week, to include encore presentations of works by the New Colony, MPAACT, Manual Cinema, Theater Oobleck, Barrel of Monkeys, the Den Theatre, Jackalope Theatre Company and the Chi-Town Clown Revue. Find the full schedule, including special events, at our Theater on the Lake hub page.
How does the new Navy Pier stack up against our fantasy Navy Pier?
Yesterday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a plan to spruce up Chicago's downtown lakefront. The $1.1 billion project includes a new arena for DePaul University across from McCormick Place, a boutique hotel, flyover bike paths and a $278 million face-lift for Navy Pier.
It remains up for debate how much a 10,000-seat basketball arena for a team that hasn't won in years—soon to be playing schools like Creighton and Butler in a crumbling Big East Conference—will do to boost the economy of the South Loop. At least Fall Out Boy will have a new place to play.
The rehabilitation of Navy Pier is far more intriguing and overdue. The new construction, expected to begin in fall, includes a fountain, an expanded Children's Museum and more restaurants (whether those will be themed after Tom Hanks movies has not been disclosed).
Potential Navy Pier upgrades were initiated two years ago. We put together a feature about it, and envisioned 15 fantastical fixes for the tourist magnet. Compare our vision (pictured above) to the city's concept. We hoped for a water park, soul club, doughnut factory, microbrewery, floating car silo, storefront theater, skate park and more. But, you know, a fountain that transforms into a skating rink is cool, I guess.
5 things to do today: Friday, May 17
of Montreal
ART & DESIGN
Manifest Urban Arts Festival Columbia College's annual showcase for its graduating students takes over the South Loop. The 12-hour schedule includes art and photography exhibitions, dance performances, lectures, film screenings and the opportunity to test out some newly developed video games. Various Columbia College venues in the South Loop. See colum.edu/manifest-2013/schedule for the full schedule. 8am–8pm.
CLUBS
Vito & Druzzi (The Rapture DJs) Drummer Vito Roccoforte and keyboardist/bassist Gabriel Andruzzi of the Rapture explore the deeper ends of the punk and disco influences on their disco-punk. Beauty Bar. 9pm. $5.
