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Issue 190 |
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Your cultural event guide
Read our editors' weekly picks for things to do in Chicago. Or find more events, updated daily, on Flavorpill.com. |
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IN THIS ISSUE
May 6-12, 2008
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Giveaways!
Keep your eyes open.
We'll hook you up. |
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This week we're raising a glass to strong, talented, and inspiring ladies, including the apparently ageless Dolly Parton; young firebrand M.I.A. and El Perro del Mar frontwoman Sarah Assbring; the mysterious Mary Sidney, countess of Pembroke (or should we say, the real Bill Shakespeare); and, of course, your mom. And your grandma. Call them on Sunday, will you? Heck, you might even take them to the Mommie Dearest kitsch-fest at the Music Box — provided you're not afraid to give them any new, evil ideas about motherhood.
- Audrey Mast, Managing Editor
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SPECIAL FEATURE
Artkrush Image Gallery
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Our sister publication Artkrush is proud to unveil its brand-new Image Gallery. Featuring larger images, additional content, and new navigation, the gallery premiered with the latest issue, spotlighting the Berlin Biennial. Along with event coverage, the issue also features a look at Polish artist Paulina Olowska and an interview with Mexico City's Daniel Guzmán.
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A.M. Homes
The Mistress's Daughter author speaks to Boldtype about her first work of nonfiction.
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Flavorpill Mobile
Access Flavorpill listings, rate events, and find friends on the go, all via your handheld device.
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MUSIC: Rock/Pop
Magical Musical Showcase feat. Cass McCombs
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Tuesday May 6 (6:30–8pm)
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Museum of Contemporary Art (220 E Chicago Ave, 312.280.2660)
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| price: |
FREE |
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When the time comes for Cass McCombs' photo spread in SPIN — and it won't be long now — don't be surprised to see the torn-out pages plastered all over your teenage sister's bedroom walls. With a voice like Morrissey and a face like Peter Petrelli from Heroes, McCombs is eminently swoon-worthy. Last year's Dropping the Writ deservedly ended up on Daytrotter's Best 15 Albums of 2007 list. It jumps around from anthemic indie-pop to breezy folk-rock shuffles, always landing with sure footing on McCombs' self-deprecating charm.
- Stephen Gossett
[Info Source]
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READING
Roger Ebert
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Tuesday May 6 (7pm)
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| where: |
Borders (830 N Michigan Ave, 312.573.0564)
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| price: |
FREE |
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Last month, the venerable Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert was too ill to make it to his annual Ebertfest. The festival must've felt a bit like his cherished Up documentaries: full of enjoyable new developments, but somewhat incomplete due to events beyond one's control. Ebert still contributes thoughtful analysis twice a month for his Great Movies column, but it's hard not to miss those compulsively readable regulars — which were often more memorable than the films themselves (North, anyone?). He's up and about again, so wish him a speedy recovery at tonight's signing of his latest book, Four-Star Reviews (1967-2007).
- Stephen Gossett
[Info Source]
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MORE FLAVOR: Lecture
Sweet Swan of Avon: Did a Woman Write Shakespeare?
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Wednesday May 7 (6:15pm)
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The Newberry Library (60 W Walton St, 312.255.3556)
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| price: |
$9 |
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Scholars have long questioned whether or not the poorly educated William Shakespeare really wrote some of the finest works in the English language. While popular candidates include Christopher Marlowe and Francis Bacon, Sweet Swan of Avon supposes that Mary Sidney, the countess of Pembroke, might be responsible for much of Shakespeare's oeuvre. Tonight, author Robin P. Williams discusses her book and how Sidney — one of the most erudite women in England and an esteemed writer in her own right — had the means and the motive to pen the Bard's plays and sonnets.
- Suzanne Niemoth
[Info Source]
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MUSIC: Rock/Pop
Cut Copy w/ Black Kids and Mobius Band
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Wednesday May 7 (6:30 & 10pm)
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Abbey Pub (3420 W Grace St, 773.478.4408)
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| price: |
$18 / $15 advance |
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Recalling an era when all you needed for a great pop song were some shimmering keyboard melodies, a sexily aloof vocalist, and fashionable outfits, Australian electronic trio Cut Copy sound like they fell into a time warp circa 1981. Heck, their first, vinyl-only single is even called "1981." Taking the bouncy electropop of Depeche Mode and adding Gary Numan-esque synth rock and trashy Euro-disco beats, their sophomore full-length, In Ghost Colours, is remarkably cohesive and supremely danceable. Tonight, the electro-wizards bring their glamour and glitz to the Abbey Pub for two shows with Black Kids and Mobius Band.
- Suzanne Niemoth
Note: The 10pm show is sold out. Tickets are still available for the early show.
[Info Source]
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READING
John Hagedorn: A World of Gangs: Armed Young Men and Gangsta Culture
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Thursday May 8 (6pm)
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57th Street Books (1301 E 57th St, 773.684.1300)
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| price: |
FREE |
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The city has responded to the recent wave of gang violence by stepping up SWAT-team patrols (armed with semiautomatic weapons), increasing helicopter surveillance, and organizing escort services for vulnerable students. But John Hagedorn, University of Illinois-Chicago criminal-justice professor and author of A World of Gangs: Armed Young Men and Gangsta Culture, doesn't think these strategies will reduce crime rates. Gangs, Hagerdorn argues, are responses to racism, hopelessness, and poverty: give the people jobs and affordable housing and the situation will improve itself. Tonight, Hagedorn, whose motto is "research, not stereotypes," explains why organizing and empowering gangs for social change is the best solution to the city's violence.
- Suzanne Niemoth
[Info Source]
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MUSIC: Rock/Pop
Dolly Parton
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Thursday May 8 (8pm)
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| where: |
The Chicago Theatre (175 N State St, 312.462.6300)
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| price: |
$57 - 147 |
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In classic Horatio Alger fashion, miniature powerhouse Dolly Parton escaped her dirt-poor Tennessee roots to find fame and fortune in the big city. Over the past four decades, she's scored 25 number-one singles, toured the world, appeared in a number of classic movies, and even opened a self-branded theme park. Tonight, the maturing Parton lavishes the Chicago Theatre with her soprano vocal stylings, theatrical stage antics, impressive bust line, and self-deprecating humor. Though her most recent album, Backwoods Barbie, has enough pop allusions to put her in the same mainstream spotlight as many of her twangy teen followers, Dolly's classic cuts and stage presence remind us that the hot-pink hit-maker is an irreplaceable original.
- Chloe Leichman
[Info Source]
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PERFORMING ARTS: Opera
Don Giovanni
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Friday May 9 (7:30pm)
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| where: |
Millennium Park (201 E Randolph St, 312.742.1168)
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| price: |
FREE |
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If you're dying to catch the Chicago Opera Theatre production of Mozart's Don Giovanni, but you can't swing the pricey tickets — or you'd just prefer your opera with wine, cheese, and a picnic blanket — fret not. Tonight, a free, live simulcast of the Harris Theater performance screens across a giant screen (complete with English subtitles) in Millennium Park. Widely regarded as one of the finest operas ever composed, Don Giovanni traces the exploits of the mythical lothario Don Juan. The COT's production sets the action in a modern-day nightclub, but the magnificent Commendatore scene still retains its original soul-shaking intensity.
- Suzanne Niemoth
[Info Source]
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MUSIC: Rock/Pop
M.I.A. w/ Holy Fuck
| when: |
Friday May 9 (7:30pm)
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| where: |
Aragon Ballroom (1106 W Lawrence Ave, 773.561.9500)
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| price: |
$25 |
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More than a dancehall diva or hybrid hip-hop hero, M.I.A. (aka Maya Arulpragasam) is an anthropologist — a savvy student of the urban/rural divide. On her over-the-moon debut, Arular, the lovably shrill singer/rapper/toaster refurbished the age-old summer anthem with worldly electronics and revolutionary rhetoric. 2007's Kala shows her critical eye growing ever more acute, as universalist tunes like the toast-heavy "Hussel" and world-gangsta hip-hopper "World Town" cleverly contextualize the trials of the disenfranchised. Prepare for an all-out assault tonight; her buoyant bangers up the urbanites and estranged alike, breaking out the "Bucky Done Gun"-style hooks in a series of genre-defying sing-alongs.
- Andrew Phillips
[Info Source]
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FILM
Sci-Fi Spectacular
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Saturday May 10 (noon–midnight)
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| where: |
Music Box Theatre (3733 N Southport Ave, 773.871.6604)
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| price: |
$20 / $16 advance |
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Technology gets more advanced and accessible with each passing day — and yet, here we are in 2008, and still no hoverboards. Luckily, the Music Box Theatre is doing its part to satisfy your urges for ray guns and alien relations, hostile or otherwise. Mixing science-fiction standards like the post-apocalyptic Road Warrior and alien-paranoia thriller Invasion of the Body Snatchers with lesser-knowns like Earth vs the Flying Saucers and cult hit Death Race 2000 — about a futuristic car race where drivers (including Sylvester Stallone) earn points by killing pedestrians — it's a chance for some major escapism via the silver screen. Just don't forget your anti-gravity boots.
- Courtney Nash
[Info Source]
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MUSIC: DJ
Get Physical feat. M.A.N.D.Y., Audiofly, and Heidi
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Saturday May 10 (10pm)
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Vision Nightclub (632 N Dearborn St, 312.266.1944)
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| price: |
$15 w/ RSVP |
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Thanks to a string of singles from now-superstars Booka Shade and a couple of genre-defining anniversary comps, Get Physical planted electro house on the dance-music radar. Nobody personifies Get Physical's minimal-meets-squelchy style better than M.A.N.D.Y. (and no wonder, since they helped start the label). On their new Fabric mix, the German duo of Patrick Bodmer and Philipp Jung definitely lean toward the minimal. But their live gigs are still sweaty marathons of overlapped mixes and perfectly sprinkled hooks. Audiofly and Heidi may not have the same cachet as M.A.N.D.Y., but their electro devotion should prove a nice foil for the headliner's newfound love of genre-hopping.
- Stephen Gossett
[Info Source]
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FILM
Mommie Dearest (1981)
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Sunday May 11 (3pm)
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| where: |
Music Box Theatre (3733 N Southport Ave, 773.871.6604)
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| price: |
$12 |
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Based on the scandalous tell-all memoir by Joan Crawford's daughter, Mommie Dearest is an enduring camp classic, thanks in no small part to Faye Dunaway's unhinged performance as the psycopathic, ultra-competitive mother-from-hell. This afternoon, celebrate Mothers' Day with an interactive screening of the film, in all its shrieking, hilarious, and creepy glory. Arrive early for a pre-show hosted by Dick O' Day and featuring a Crawford look-alike contest, prizes, and a performance by the sultry, Crawford-obsessed new-wave quartet, the Joans. Bring your darling mother — but leave the wire hangers at home.
- Suzanne Niemoth
Note: V.I.M. (Very Important Mother) tickets are available for $20. They include reserved seating at the theatre and brunch at nearby Violet.
[Info Source]
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FILM
James Bond Festival
| when: |
Sunday May 11
More times»
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| where: |
Music Box Theatre (3733 N Southport Ave, 773.871.6604)
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| price: |
$9.25 |
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James Bond is one of the longest-running characters in movie history, dating back to 1962. Last year's Casino Royale was a mighty relaunch for the fabled franchise, but purists agree that Sean Connery is still the quintessential Bond. The Music Box gets back to 007's roots with his first four films — Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, and Thunderball. The plot hasn't changed much over the years: a bad guy tries to take over, the British government sends 007 to stop him, and Bond meets a babe while saving the world in style.
- Courtney Nash
[Info Source]
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PERFORMING ARTS: Comedy
Stand Uppity: Comedy That Makes You Feel Better About Yourself and Superior to Others
| when: |
Monday May 12 (9pm)
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| where: |
Lakeshore Theater (3175 N Broadway St, 773.472.3492)
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| price: |
$17 / $15 advance |
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Tonight's bill of standup comics is designed for fans of the irreverent, tangent-happy style of indie comedy that's flourished in the past few years. The bill includes Eugene Mirman's deadpan weirdness, Marc Maron's sour critique of current events, and Andy Kindler's angry rants. Expect plenty of bad language, harassment of pop-culture icons, a few prank phone calls, and, ideally, a fart joke or two. As the comics will tell you, everyone's got point of view — their point of view is just funnier.
- Courtney Nash
[Info Source]
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MUSIC: Rock/Pop
El Perro del Mar w/ Lykke Li
| when: |
Monday May 12 (8pm)
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| where: |
Schubas (3159 N Southport Ave, 773.525.2508)
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| price: |
$15 |
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El Perro del Mar's From the Valley to the Stars builds on the act's haunting doo-wop vibe with organs, pianos, and glittery orchestrations (the latter courtesy of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra). Mastermind Sarah Assbring conceived the atmospheric follow-up to her critically acclaimed, self-titled debut as a thematic record, one traversing the lowest and highest of emotional terrain. Avoiding faux depth for something more surreal, Assbring cloaks old-fashioned folk in pained croons and heavy echoes — the perfect reflections of her dark Scandinavian sensibilities. El Perro del Mar's unflinchingly dour stage presence (seriously, Assbring never smiles) is countered tonight by the sparkle of avant-pop princess Lykke Li.
- Julian Hooper
[Info Source]
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ART
Tony Fitzpatrick: The Wonder: Portraits of a Remembered City
| when: |
Tuesday May 6 (8am–6pm)
More times»
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| where: |
Chicago Cultural Center's Studio Theater (77 E Randolph St)
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| price: |
FREE |
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Born and raised on the South Side, Tony Fitzpatrick is a prolific artist whose work ethic and oeuvre are both quintessentially Chicago. This exhibition comprises some 60 pieces from his decade-long series The Wonder: Portraits of a Remembered City, an exploration of Chicago folklore and a tribute to the artist's late father, rendered in incredibly detailed illustrations juxtaposed with found images from ads, matchbooks, and baseball cards. Coinciding with the publication of the third and final installment of The Wonder's accompanying book series, Fitzpatrick's new exhibition represents an end of an era for the artist, whose new works focus on New Orleans.
- Audrey Mast
[Info Source]
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More Flavor |
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Editors
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About Us
FLAVORPILL CHICAGO
All events featured on Flavorpill CHI are pure editorial — we never accept paid promotions or advertisements. If you know about an upcoming event that you think should be covered in Flavorpill CHI, email us a press release at chi_events at least two weeks prior to the event and we'll consider it.
To learn more about our staff and policies, see the credits and about us pages. If you'd like to respond to our editors about a listing published here, or have a general inquiry, please email chi_feedback.
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