5 best nightlife events this week
Considering all his stunning piano balladry, it's oddly easy to overlook that, first and foremost, Blake is a master technician of pretty, minimalist dubstep. Expect him to aim for the gut here after shooting for the heart at his upstairs Metro gig. Smart Bar. Thu at 10pm. $12, after midnight $15, with Metro wristband $5.
Can you image how hard people would have raged if EDM existed in the late 18th century? On May 3, 1791, Poland adopted its constitution. To celebrate the 222nd anniversary, Oakland's Polish Ambassador and sidekick video artist Liminus perform their road-tested audio-visual show (spacey dub, new-school reggae, oddball hip-hop) for the herbalized euroclubbers. Project Aspect, Raj Mahal and PHNM are on the bill, too. Four bucks for zimne PBR. The Mid. Fri at 10pm. $10.
Guest Tiffany Roth of NYC cosmic disco act Midnight Magic drops in for the Nü: The Outer Space Disco Dancing Society of Chicago's anniversary party. Residents Mörk, Alinka, Trancid, Ryan Paradise and Chris Grant toast numero uno with mid-tempo boogie and spacey dance. Neo. Fri 3 at 10pm. $10, before midnight $5.
4. Gerd Janson
German ace Janson helped drag jungle into Deutschland at Milk Club. These days, he's pumping out techy house for the Red Bull Music Academy and his label, Running Back. And, yes, he can get krautrock, too, as shown on his recent robotic road-funk compilation, Musik for Autobahns. Smart Bar. Fri at 10pm. $10, after midnight $13, students or before midnight with R.S.V.P. $5.
5. Robert Henke
On the brainy end of the spectrum, Berlin-based sound artist and professor explores static and white noise in "Dust." The work melds waves, coffee machines, weather turmoil and vinyl record pops into a dense computer symphony. Northwestern University, Lutkin Hall. Sat at 9pm. Free.
5 concerts to see this week
1. 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 at 8pm. $27.
2. Palma Violets
Named after an old-fashioned British candy, the members of this wildly buzzed-about indie-rock four-piece from southeast London look like they’d blow their first paycheck on Clearasil and cigarettes—so far, so Arctic Monkeys. But Palma Violets do have a sound all their own, even if it has been stitched together from their favorite records. The band’s debut single, "Best of Friends," featured Spiritualized-style organ, plus drum thwacking and background shouting that recalls the Libertines, and a little bit the Walkmen. The songs get their sturdiness from the surprisingly deep, boomy tones of frontman Sam Fryer, his voice a pleasing blend of Birthday Party–era Nick Cave and Joe Strummer. The band signed to Rough Trade for its 2013 debut, 180. Schubas. Wed at 9pm. $14.
3. 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 at 8:30pm. $12, advance $10.
4. Oh Land
Oh Land has been likened to Björk, Florence and the Machine, Kylie Minogue and Portishead. In truth, the Dane's none of the above, but those names give you a sense of her stylistic tics, as well as her massive potential. Lincoln Hall. Fri 3 at 7pm. $15.
5. Zoë Keating
With thrasher Helen Money, a.k.a. Alison Chesney, not slated to play (hometown) Chicago until June, addicts of the solo electric cello can spike a vein with the endpin of looper Zoë Keating. Radiolab listeners will recall the Canadian's alluring hooks from the "Quantum Cello" episode of the show, but we're intrigued to see Keating building her sonic layers live in the intimate confines of Old Town. Old Town School of Folk Music. Fri at 7, 9pm. $22, members $20.
5 things to do today: Monday, April 29
BOOKS
Keith Koeneman “I went looking for a book about Richard M. Daley and was shocked to find out none existed. I considered writing one, then got sidetracked. But ten years later, when there still hadn’t been anything written about him, I decided I had to do it myself,” Koeneman told TOC. The author discusses his recently released First Son: The Biography of Richard M. Daley. Unabridged Books. 7pm.
ART & DESIGN
"Lossless: an analog investigation of a digital ideal." Collages by Jordan Martins, Matthew Schlagbaum's sculptures and Theo Darst's prints explore the ways images and other bits of digital information degrade as they're passed around. Chicago Artists' Coalition. 9am–5pm.
GAY & LESBIAN
Salonathon Jane Beachy invites the city's strangest and queerest performers and provocateurs to take over West Town. Folks like Big Dipper, Jyldo, DAAN and Trandroid have so far kept this party weird and wonderful. Beauty Bar. 9pm.
MUSIC
Robbie Fulks + The Hoyle Brothers Now here's an ace pairing: Robbie Fulks and the Hoyle Brothers, kings of the hip happy-hour scene, join forces to spin a few twangy tales. Hideout. 7pm. $10.
NIGHTLIFE
La Dolce Vita This new weekly party explores the cool corners of '60s European hip, not the cliché version from the last decade. Los Inmortales de Chicago (featuring Frank Orral as Dandy Jack and Gilles Aniorte) will play live, and Joe Bryl, Clark Quente and Orral will spin jazz, jive, bossa, rhumba and more. La Sirena Clandestina. 9pm.
10 best things to do this week
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
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
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
"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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