Print Issue of May 18, 2017 (Volume 46, Number 32) by Chicago Reader

C H I C A G O ’ S F R E E W E E K LY | K I C K I N G A S S S I N C E 1 9 7 1 | M AY 1 8 , 2 0 1 7

The alternative guide to

SUMMER IN CHICAGO

Tips and tricks for getting aboard a boat, escaping the tourist throngs, bucking blockbusters, picnicking with panache, and generally having the greatest summer ever 14

CDOT wants to adjust Wicker Park’s ‘Crotch.’ 12 Chicago’s only Georgian restaurant sets up shop in Lakeview. 51

Opens May 27

2 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017 Support for this exhibition is provided by the Print and Drawing Club of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Cauleen Smith. The Fire Next Time (detail), from Human_3.0 Reading List, 2015. Promised gift of Helen and Sam Zell.

CAULEEN SMITH Human_3.0 Reading List

THIS WEEK

C H I C A G O R E A D E R | M AY 1 8 , 2 0 1 7 | V O L U M E 4 6 , N U M B E R 3 2

TO CONTACT ANY READER EMPLOYEE, E-MAIL: (FIRST INITIAL)(LAST NAME) @CHICAGOREADER.COM

EDITOR JAKE MALOOLEY DEPUTY EDITOR, NEWS ROBIN AMER CULTURE EDITOR TAL ROSENBERG DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY DANIELLE A. SCRUGGS FILM EDITOR J.R. JONES MUSIC EDITOR PHILIP MONTORO ASSOCIATE EDITORS KATE SCHMIDT, KEVIN WARWICK, BRIANNA WELLEN SENIOR WRITERS MIKE SULA SENIOR THEATER CRITIC TONY ADLER STAFF WRITERS MAYA DUKMASOVA, LEOR GALIL, DEANNA ISAACS, BEN JORAVSKY, AIMEE LEVITT, PETER MARGASAK, JULIA THIEL SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR RYAN SMITH GRAPHIC DESIGNER SUE KWONG MUSIC LISTINGS COORDINATOR LUCA CIMARUSTI CONTRIBUTING WRITERS NOAH BERLATSKY, MATT DE LA PEÑA, ANNE FORD, ISA GIALLORENZO, JOHN GREENFIELD, JUSTIN HAYFORD, JACK HELBIG, DAN JAKES, BILL MEYER, MICHAEL MINER, J.R. NELSON, MARISSA OBERLANDER, LEAH PICKETT, DMITRY SAMAROV, DAVID WHITEIS, ALBERT WILLIAMS ---------------------------------------------------------------VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT NICKI STANULA VICE PRESIDENT OF NEW MEDIA GUADALUPE CARRANZA SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER EVANGELINE MILLER ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES FABIO CAVALIERI, ARIANA DIAZ, BRIDGET KANE MARKETING AND EVENTS MANAGER BRYAN BURDA DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL JOHN DUNLEVY ADVERTISING COORDINATOR HERMINIA BATTAGLIA CLASSIFIEDS REPRESENTATIVE KRIS DODD ---------------------------------------------------------------DISTRIBUTION CONCERNS distributionissues@chicagoreader.com CHICAGO READER 350 N. ORLEANS, CHICAGO, IL 60654 312-222-6920, CHICAGOREADER.COM ---------------------------------------------------------------READER (ISSN 1096-6919) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY STM READER, LLC, 350 N. ORLEANS, CHICAGO, IL 60654. COPYRIGHT © 2017 CHICAGO READER. PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID AT CHICAGO, IL. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CHICAGO READER, READER, AND REVERSED R: REGISTERED TRADEMARKS ®.

ON THE COVER: PHOTO BY NICK MURWAY. FOR MORE OF HIS WORK, GO TO NICKMURWAY.COM.

FEATURES

IN THIS ISSUE

MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE 39 In Rotation Current musical obsessions include Morimoto, Quincy Jones’s Body Heat, and 80s hip-hop by local high-schoolers. 41 Shows of note Phill Niblock, Norah Jones, Valee, and more recommendations

4 Agenda The play The Outpost, Laura Kipnis, Make X release party, the ﬁlm Alien: Covenant, and more goings on about town

CITY LIFE

8 Street View Bright colors and bold patterns outside SAIC’s annual fashion show 8 Sure Things The Reader’s Key Ingredient Cook-Oﬀ and more of the week’s can’t-miss events 10 Joravsky | Politics Progressives pressure Rauner to force Trump to release his taxes.

SUMMAH!

The alternative guide to summer in Chicago You’ve been there and done it all to death: the big music festivals, the blockbuster movies in the park, dinner and drinks on an overrun patio. But this year will be different. Pack the sunscreen and prepare to be cured of the same-old summertime blues.

Fire hydrants offer the promise of a lake on every corner 14 Get on a boat— even if you don’t own one 15

Feast your eyes at these off-thebeaten-path art spaces 19 Beyond beach reads: A local lit list 20

Every dog has its summer day 15

A summer without blockbusters 22

Climb Mount Bridgeport, escape the crowds 17

Three whole months of mustdos 24

FOOD & DRINK

51 Restaurant review: Chicago Diplomat Cafe The city’s only Georgian restaurant sets up shop in Lakeview. 54 Key Ingredient: Tonburi Using “land caviar,” chef Carlos Cruz creates a dish that really pops. 56 Beer Chicago Craft Beer Week’s lesser-known festivals: South Side Craft Beer Fest and Ultra Fresh II

12 Transportation CDOT proposes a boatload of safety adjustments to Wicker Park’s “crotch.”

South-side picnicking done right 26 A ﬁeld guide to mezcal 29 Searching for lovable losers? 16-inch softball is the answer 32 A case for trading in your Lolla pass 32

CLASSIFIEDS

ARTS & CULTURE

34 Theater The Goodman’s Objects in the Mirror explores the psychic and moral costs of survival. 36 Visual Art The Nasty Women Art Show was an important step for female artists in the Trump era. 37 Small Screen Why Hank Azaria won’t make America great again in IFC’s Brockmire 38 Movies Eleanor Coppola, wife of Francis, strokes her vanity with Paris Can Wait.

57 Jobs 57 Apartments & Spaces 58 Marketplace

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59 Straight Dope Where did the modern depiction of Jesus come from, and when? 60 Savage Love Does childbirth change orgasm? 62 Early Warnings Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, Lil B, Katy Perry, and more upcoming shows 62 Gossip Wolf Gentleman Caller record a song cycle about Maryse Meijer’s short stories, and more music news.

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American Hero Bess Wohl came up with a delicious premise for her 2014 comedy: abandoned by their bosses almost as soon as they’re hired, three bewildered would-be “sandwich artists” go rogue, banding together to keep their submarine franchise open. The result might’ve been anything from a blue-collar farce or a corporate satire to a kind of fast-food version of Sartre’s No Exit. But while Wohl has the wit to keep things amusing in the short run, she never gives us a good reason to think the trio are anything but stupid for holding on. Lacking internal logic, unlikely developments come across as off-putting rather than exhilarating. Although Cody Estle’s staging for First Floor Theater doesn’t supply what’s missing, it does offer one consolation: Saraí Rodriguez’s droll performance as sleepy, surprising sub-maker Sheri. —TONY ADLER Through 6/3: Thu-Sat and Mon 7:30 PM, Sun 3 PM; also Sun 6/3, 7:30 PM, Den Theatre, 1329-1333 N. Milwaukee, 773-609-2336, firstfloortheater. com, $10-$20.

Black Pearl: A Tribute to Josephine Baker To say that Josephine Baker’s life was unconventional would be a gross understatement. Baker, the daughter of a poor, working-class family in Saint Louis, found fame and fortune as an entertainer in France during the 1920s, eventually ascending to international superstardom. But that may have been the least of her accomplishments, as this moving Black Ensemble Theater portrait shows. In it, Baker (terriﬁc performances from Joan Ruﬃn and Aerial Williams as the older and younger Josephine, respectively) chronicles her life from childhood, pointing to a few choice accomplishments along the way, among them her championing the integration of segregated theaters in the U.S. and spying for the French resistance during the Nazi occupation. While not everything comes into full view—her 12 adopted children, for one—the play

is a thoroughly compelling portrait of Baker and her remarkable place in history. —MATT DE LA PEÑA Through 6/25: Thu 7:30 PM, Fri 8 PM, Sat 3 and 8 PM, Sun 3 PM, Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark, 773-7694451, blackensembletheater.org, $45-$65. Dance for Beginners Judging from the title, you might think that playwright MT Cozzola’s world premiere is bound for cheeseville, yet this tidy production from Piven Theatre Workshop (developed in part with Chicago Dramatists) puts forth some genuinely thoughtful observations about age, love, and the obstacles of dating in the digital world. Short and sweet, the story follows middle-aged Jerry and Jenni, a virtual couple living on opposite ends of the globe. To overcome the distance between them and try to establish a bond stronger than a wireless connection, they enter a dance competition in a neutral location where they ﬁnally have an opportunity to meet face-to-face. What’s best: Cozzola’s plot never comes across as far-fetched or improbable. It’s no Sleepless in Seattle, but it does the trick. —MATT DE LA PEÑA Through 6/11: Thu-Sat 7:30 PM, Sun 2:30 PM, Piven Theatre, Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes, Evanston, 847-8668049, piventheatre.org, $20-$30. Into the Empty Sky Six nameless R barefoot women lugging beat-up suitcases are trapped in a minelike pur-

gatory with nothing to comfort them but their memories in this dramatization of Nobel Laureate Wisława Szymborska’s poems. Each woman longs to break out of this nonplace but seems unable to leave for long (not even after running out of the exit leading to the alley behind the theater at one point). Their literal and ﬁgurative baggage won’t let them be. The language is spare and almost skeletal, but the women’s acting humanizes their struggle. Through repetitive phrases and gestures, dramatic light design, and accordion and metronome music played by composer Mike Mazzocca while perched above the stage, this show casts a spell which lingers long after one leaves that bare, woebegone room. Devised and directed by Monica Payne. —DMITRY SAMAROV Through 6/17: Thu-Sat 8 PM, Trap Door

Little Miss Sunshine Adapted from the quirky 2006 serio-comic road film, this 2013 musical is a rough ride, with an uneven score by William Finn and a sometimes awkward book by James Lapine that doesn’t always capitalize on the strengths of Michael Arndt’s original script, namely, its offbeat characters and witty dialogue. The musical does have its strengths—Lapine and Finn are masters at finding bittersweet comedy in life’s setbacks—and Chicago Theatre Workshop’s low-budget production, directed by Maggie Portman, plays to them, at least most of the time. Robert Groth and Jennifer Thusing’s bare-bones set is more functional than attractive, but the performances are strong across the board; George Keating and Sophie Kaegi are especially charming as suicidal Uncle Frank (played in the movie by Steve Carell) and sassy would-be Little Miss Sunshine, respectively. —JACK HELBIG Through 6/4: Thu-Fri 7:30 PM, Sat 8 PM, Sun 7 PM, the Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway, chicagotheatreworkshop.org, $32.50-$42.50. The Outpost Squirreled away in R a converted shipping container with some ecology textbooks, scientific

treatises, handwritten maps, and old LPs, an agitated Andrew Lund tries to manufacture solace in isolation. He’s discovered a plant that dances in the sun, expressing the kind of involuntary freedom he desperately wants—even while he seems incapable of simply opening the door of his self-imposed prison and leaving. This premiere from One on One Chicago, in which one performer and one audience member huddle together for 15 minutes, is full of evocative ideas and cryptic messages about faith, science, nature, and purpose. Although the piece might resonate more strongly if Lund allowed for more spontaneous interaction with his spectator, both the performance and the highly manipulated physical space continually provoke the imagination. —JUSTIN HAYFORD Through 5/28: ThuSun 7-10 PM, Boombox Wicker Park, 1262 N. Milwaukee, brownpapertickets.com/ event/2933182, $1-$8.

She Loves Me Marriott Theatre’s revival of this 1963 musical about romance in a perfume shop in Budapest in the late 1930s strains mightily to make this sweet little show worth two and half hours of our time. But despite the best efforts of director-choreographer Aaron Thielen, it fails. Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick’s score is filled with forgettable tunes, none of which approach the power of the ones they wrote for their next show, Fiddler on the Roof (1964). And Joe Masteroff’s book, adapted from Milós László’s 1937 play Parfumerie, feels padded, taking way too long to tell a relatively simple story. Alex Goodrich and Elizabeth Telford are likable enough as the romantic leads, but in the end we don’t really care who loves whom, or why. —JACK HELBIG Through 6/18: Wed 1 and 8 PM, Thu-Fri 8 PM, Sat 4:30 and 8 PM, Sun 1 and 5 PM, Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, 10 Marriott, Lincolnshire, 847-634-0200, marriotttheatre.com, $50-$60. Time Stands Still It seems downright bonkers that a play written only seven years ago could aptly be described as a period piece, but so goes the last roller-coaster decade in journalism and foreign affairs reporting. Donald Margulies’s 2010 drama provides a snapshot of a time before camera-phone images of atrocities abroad were seared into the public consciousness in an endless feed, when magazine editors’ biggest gripes included fighting for four pages of conflict coverage. In recovery from an IED attack, Sarah, a photojournalist, struggles to regain a sense of normalcy with her longtime creative and romantic partner, James. Georgette Verdin’s modestly designed AstonRep production strips some of the affluence that informs Margulies’s elite characters, and much of the act-one comedy feels underattended. At the play’s emotional heights, though, leads Sara Pavlak McGuire and Rob Frankel generate undeniable tension. —DAN JAKES Through 6/11: Thu-Sat 8 PM, Sun 3:30 PM, Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark, 773-338-2177, astonrep.com, $20.

DANCE

in Wonderland The R Alice Salt Creek Ballet presents a

The Outpost o KELLY SCHMIDT

Best bets, recommendations, and notable arts and culture events for the week of May 18

W. Belmont, 773-697-9693, theannoyance. com, $25.

Alice in Wonderland o COURTESY SALT CREEK BALLET

Space This month the LGBTQ-focused variety show features stand-up from Dina Nina Martinez and Lakesha KP Proctor, storytelling from Clare Austen-Smith, drag by Chuck Nasty and the Duchess, and music from Boys V.S. Girls and Allison Reese. Fri 5/19, 9:30 PM, the Revival, 1160 E. 55th, 866-811-4111, the-revival.com, $10.

performance based on Lewis Carroll’s classic story. 5/20-5/21: Sat 3 PM, Sun 1 PM, McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell, Glen Ellyn, 630-9424000, cod.edu/artscntr, $30. Ethereal Abandonment Everything about Chicago Danztheatre’s 80-minute movement piece is about location— except the location. Creators Ellyzabeth Adler and Lucy Riner begin with photographer Candace Casey’s manipulated images of a ruined Detroit movie palace (displayed in the lobby and projected semisuccessfully onto the performance space’s back wall), then devise an attenuated narrative about three twentysomethings exploring a ruined movie palace. The objects they ﬁnd awaken the spirits of bygone B-list entertainers, as well as a woman with umbrella who unaccountably writhes in a bathtub. The evocation of souls forgotten in their time and ours is at times quite poignant, but the vaulting, denuded church space, lit mostly in broad washes of light, saps the proceedings of magic. As a site-speciﬁc installation, however, the piece might come to life. —JUSTIN HAYFORD Through 5/20: Fri-Sat 8 PM, Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1650 W. Foster, 773561-8496, danztheatre.org, $15-$25, free for high school students. Red Giselle The Eifman Ballet R of Saint Petersburg presents Boris Eifman’s ballet about famous 19th-

century Russian ballerina Olga Spessivtseva. 5/19-5/21: Fri-Sat 7:30 PM, Sun 2 PM, Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress, 800-982-2787, auditoriumtheatre.org, $33-$125.

COMEDY

A Dope Ass Comedy Show Dave R Helem returns to Chicago from LA to revive his stand-up showcase for one night with Calvin Evans, T. Murph, Kristen Toomey, Em Brown, Matty Ryan, and Felonious Munk. Fri 5/19, 9 PM, North Bar, 1637 W. North, 773-697-3563, liveatnorthbar.com, $10, $7 in advance.

Laughs Unlocked During this fund-raiser improv vets like TJ Jagodowski, Beth Melewski, and Robyn Scott will create scenes based on stories told by Colette Payne, a former inmate who now works with Cabrini Green Legal Aid/Chicago Legal Advocacy for Incarcerated Mothers. All proceeds beneﬁt Chicago Books to Women in Prison. Thu 5/18, 8 PM, Annoyance Theatre, 851

LIT & LECTURES R

Keiler Roberts and Jay Ryan The comics artists celebrate the launch of their respective collections, Sunburning and No One Told Me Not to Do This. Sat 5/20, 7 PM, Quimby’s Bookstore, 1854 W. North, 773-342-0910, quimbys.com. Laura Kipnis The author discussR es her book Unwanted Advances: Sexual Paranoia Comes to Campus.

Wed 5/24, 6 PM, Studebaker Theater, 410 S. Michigan, 312-566-9800, chicagohumanities.org, $12 for members, $10 for students and teachers. Make X release party Make R magazine celebrates the release of its latest anthology with a “barbo-

Laura Kipnis o LUCY HEWETT Waiting to Inhale All-black, all-female four-person troupe EbonyEssenceJet improvise this long-form set at Under the Gun inspired by loose chats with audience members. At the performance I attended, the straightforward suggestions of “bachelor party” and “bowling alley” took a while to get rolling, with most of the ensemble lined up against a wall waiting for someone to steer. Eventually, the cast members ﬂexed their creative muscles individually, demonstrating solid instincts even if the group communication never quite gelled. One element that could go: downer prerecorded radio DJ bits that cast a pall over the brighter scenes proceeding them. —DAN JAKES Through 5/26: Fri 7:30 PM, Under the Gun Theater, 956 W. Newport, 773-270-3440, undertheguntheater.com, $15.

VISUAL ARTS Bridgeport Art Center “Curators Create,” a dozen curators from artistic institutes across the city—including the Zhou B Art Center, the National Museum of Mexican Art, Woman Made Gallery, and more—collaborate on this group exhibit. Opening reception Fri 5/19, 7-10 PM. 5/19-7/7. By appointment. 1200 W. 35th, 773-247-3000, bridgeportart.com. Carrie Secrist Gallery “Turbulent Constellations,” Dannielle Tegeder explores systems that surround us with an installation of a mobile made up of more than 70 works on paper, large-scale drawings, and video animation. Sat 6/24 at 4 PM, composer Matthew Evan Taylor presents a site-speciﬁc performance inspired by the piece. 5/20-7/1. Tue-Fri 10:30 AM-6 PM, Sat 11 AM-5 PM. 835 W. Washington, 312-491-0917, secristgallery.com.

okque” of pulled pork and veggie burgers; a discussion with book contributors Kathleen Rooney, Martin Seay, and Luis Felipe Fabre; comedy from Adam Burke; and live music from Marvin Tate. Sat 5/20, 2-6 PM, Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia, 773-227-4433, hideoutchicago.com.

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Katherine Waterston, Danny McBride, and Billy Crudup as the agent of chaos, a green commanding officer who leads his crew into harm’s way. —J.R. JONES R, 122 min. ArcLight, Century 12 and CineArts 6, Chatham 14, Cicero Showplace 14, City North 14, Crown Village 18, Ford City, Logan, New 400, River East 21, Showplace 14 Galewood Crossings, Showplace ICON, 600 N. Michigan, Webster Place Everything, Everything Adapted from a young-adult novel by Nicola Yoon, this tepid melodrama centers on a teenage girl with a rare immunodeficiency disorder whose mother has confined her to the house since infancy. When a cute boy moves in next door, he woos the girl and inspires her to step outside her home. The suburban house where most of this takes place is a marvel of luxurious postmodern design; in fact it’s more interesting than either of the leads, who never develop any chemistry. Director Stella Meghie fails to establish any sense of danger around the hero-

Alien: Covenant

MOVIES

More at chicagoreader.com/movies NEW REVIEWS Alien: Covenant After the baﬄing R Prometheus (2012), director Ridley Scott goes back to basics for this second installment of his new Alien trilogy: despite a few remnants of the earlier ﬁlm’s obscure genesis story, most of the action in Covenant plays like an elaboration on the original Alien (1979). Once again a crew of astronauts investigate a mysterious planet, one of them inhales spoors that turn him into a human incubator, and the others watch in horror as he dies screaming and an eyeless little monster bursts out of his chest cavity like the human folly that keeps blowing apart their meticulously planned mission. With Michael Fassbender,

ine’s medical condition; a greater feeling of risk might have made the romance affecting, but the film delivers only shiny surfaces. —BEN SACHS PG-13, 96 min. ArcLight, Century 12 and CineArts 6, Chatham 14, Cicero Showplace 14, City North 14, Ford City, Webster Place Fight for Space Not really a documentary, this is more like an advocacy film for the U.S. space program, arguing that NASA needs a giant budget increase and a more adventurous mission. An assortment of colorful speakers—astronauts Jim Lovell and Story Musgrave, TV science nerds Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson—lay out a history of the program, heavy on the stirring JFK footage. As some of them concede, though, the lofty rhetoric of the space race began to dissipate once we’d beaten the Soviets to the moon, and W

MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 5

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AGENDA who made her biggest cultural impact on Laugh-In as a go-go girl about to swing her bra over her head. But Hawn was never made to play an old lady who wears kitten T-shirts, and she muffs a role that might have been good if played by a crank like Susan Sarandon or Lily Tomlin. Schumer gets the best moments in the movie’s first half as her character suffers various dating embarrassments; Ike Barinholtz gets them in the second as her geeky older brother, who still lives with mom and takes to harassing the U.S. State Department after the women go missing in the Amazon. Jonathan Levine directed a script by Katie Dippold; with Joan Cusack and Wanda Sykes. —J.R. JONES R, 90 min. ArcLight, Century 12 and CineArts 6, Chatham 14, New 400

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Like Crazy B on-the-street interviews reveal that few people now understand the mission of the International Space Station. The movie is interesting for its survey of the post-Apollo political landscape and space bureaucracy (including the impact of the Challenger and Columbia disasters) and intriguing for its ideas about commercial R&D and public-private partnerships in space. But for all the speakers’ intellectual bullying, none of them can articulate a modern space agenda that doesn’t sound like the spoken-word intro to Star Trek. Paul J. Hildebrandt directed. —J.R. JONES 93 min. Facets Cinematheque Heather Booth: Changing the World Booth may not be a household name, but this brief documentary makes a cogent case for why she should be. Using on-camera interviews, archival footage, and photographs—the latter often spruced up with graphics and animation—filmmaker Lilly Rivlin shows how the eminent community organizer and activist, now in her 70s, participated in nearly every major progressive movement in America from the mid-60s onward. Booth cut her teeth organizing anti-Vietnam war and civil rights protests as a student at University of Chicago and later founded the Jane Collective, an underground network that helped more than 10,000 women find abortion providers prior to Roe v. Wade. Interviewees include Julian Bond, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Booth herself, whose voiceover provides an audio diary of her current activism for causes ranging from immigration reform to financial reform to prisoner rights. —LEAH PICKETT 61 min. Booth and Rivlin attend the screenings. Fri 5/19, 7:45 PM, and Sat 5/20, 7:30 PM. Gene Siskel Film Center Like Crazy A big, crowd-pleasing performance from Valeria Bruni Tedeschi lights up this conventionally scripted drama by writer- director Paolo Virzi, his follow-up to the more ambiguous and complex Human

Capital (2013). Tedeschi plays a proud Italian noblewoman confined to a mental hospital on the grounds of an estate her family once owned; when a striking young woman, played by Micaela Ramazzotti, arrives at the hospital after slashing her wrists, the older one recruits her for a series of mad adventures and ultimately uncovers the tragedy that drove her to attempt suicide. Sexy and grand, Tedeschi shines in the Cuckoo’s Nest comedy of the early scenes, though the movie’s anarchic spirit is sapped by the steadily mounting melodrama. In Italian with subtitles. —J.R. JONES 116 min. Fri 5/19-Thu 5/25. Gene Siskel Film Center A Quiet Passion British writer-director Terence Davies (Distant Voices, Still Lives; The Long Day Closes) is an old hand at the challenge of communicating characters’ interiority, but he stumbles with this biopic about Emily Dickinson. Trying to fathom the poet’s psyche, he uses her verses to comment on things (such as unrequited romantic love) that, he imagines, shaped her. This works well enough, but some stretches of dialogue, particularly those between the adult Emily (Cynthia Nixon) and a headstrong bluestocking (Catherine Bailey), are so laced with bon mots that they tighten like a corset. Jennifer Ehle is outstanding as Emily’s sister, and Florian Hoffmeister’s lustrous cinematography compares with his work on Davies’s The Deep Blue Sea. —ANDREA GRONVALL 126 min. Discussions follow the 7 PM screening on Saturday and the 2 PM screening on Sunday. Fri 5/19-Thu 5/25. Music Box Snatched In this fitfully inspired jungle comedy, Amy Schumer stars as a woman dumped by her boyfriend on the eve of their Ecuadoran vacation; unable to find a travel partner, she drags along her frumpy mom, played by Goldie Hawn in her first screen role since The Banger Sisters (2002). I can understand why a sexually open comic such as Schumer might have leaped at costarring with Hawn,

This Summer Feeling In this sophomore feature from French writerdirector Mikhaël Hers, a Norwegian man (Anders Danielsen Lie) spends years mourning the sudden death of his French girlfriend (Stéphanie Déhel). Divided into three chapters, each set in a different time period and city—Berlin, Paris, and finally Brooklyn—the narrative seems purposefully mundane, to capture the tedium of grief; many scenes of drawn-out silence ache with the worst kind of longing. Whether the protagonist is bonding with his girlfriend’s family (particularly her sister, played by Judith Chemla) or reconnecting with an old friend in New York (indie director Josh Safdie), the pauses speak louder than the uncomfortable dialogue. In French and German with subtitles. —LEAH PICKETT 106 min. Fri 5/19, 6 PM, and Tue 5/23, 8:15 PM. Gene Siskel Film Center Violet In the opening sequence of this Dutch-Belgian drama (2014), a bank of security monitors in a shopping mall captures the teenage protagonist (César De Sutter) standing frozen in fear as his best friend is stabbed to death by another kid. Writer-director Bas Devos, making his feature debut following a series of shorts, processes the psychological aftermath of this cowardice, his hushed and largely nonverbal story playing like a speed-bike variation on the Dogme 95 movies with their ruthless moral interrogation. The sober theme is juiced up with some impressive formal gambits: a blurry image of young heads, bobbing to speed metal under a strobe light, that resolves over several minutes into a sharp close-up of the hero; an elaborate point-of-view shot in which the teen, hiding in the darkness, watches a little drama play out across the lit rooms of a ranch-style house. But these begin to seem more like filler as the story draws to a close and Devos declines to provide any clear resolution to the boy’s crisis. In Flemish and Dutch with subtitles. —J.R. JONES 85 min. Facets v

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o ISA GIALLORENZO

Agents orange

WHILE ANWAR MAHDI makes a habit of coordinating outﬁts with friends, this time it was an accident. He and his BFF and fellow SAIC student Janani Nathan both showed up to their school’s annual fashion show in vibrant, oddly harmonious (but not at all matchy) looks that included an unusual mixture of prints. Their ensembles, it turned out, suited their chief reason for attending the occasion: to view the collection of Natalie Castro. “She makes these incredible pieces of work with playful shapes interacting with color and pattern,” Nathan says. “I have really intimate relationships with the patterns and colors I see on anything, and I try to mimic those in my clothing.” As for Mahdi and his hand-painted Bengal-tiger-striped shoes? “I kinda just wanted to stand out and look like a tiger,” he says. —ISA GIALLORENZO See more Chicago street style on Giallorenzo’s blog chicagolooks.blogspot.com.

SURE THINGS ¥

Keep up to date on the go at chicagoreader. com/agenda.

SUNDAY 21

× Battle of the Brewe ries This dodgeball tournament pits 32 local breweries against each other. Guests can enjoy specialty brews from Goose Island and nosh from local food trucks. Proceeds beneﬁt the Special Olympics. 2-6 PM, Goose Island Barrel House, 603 N. Sacramento, gooseisland.com, $25.

8 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

THURSDAY 18

& Chicago Reader Key Ingredient Cook-Off Taste and vote on dishes created by local chefs including Ryan Pfeiﬀer, Diana Dávila Boldin, and Ben Lustbader. This year chefs pay homage to someone who inﬂuenced their cooking. 7-10 PM, Ivy Room, 12 E. Ohio, #100, chicagoreader.com/kico, $60, $50 in advance.

MONDAY 22

$ Art Brewt This fund-raiser for Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art includes music from Walkingshoe, live art by Annie Broutman, food from Kimski, beer from Lagunitas, and an auction of local artists’ work. 5:30-8:30 PM, Lagunitas Brewing Company, 2607 W. 17th, art.org/spring-intuit-artbrewt, $25.

FRIDAY 19

SATURDAY 20

ò Prom-A- Llama 2017 Lo cal band Santah hosts this adult prom featuring performances from Carlile, Santah, Glam Camp, Gramps the Vamp, and more. 7:30 PM-midnight, 1st Ward, 2033 W. North, facebook. com/wearemoversandshakers, $25, $40 per couple.

9 Ch ea p Th rills Local boutiques and artists—including Asrai Garden, Kokorokoko, and Unison Home—sell their goods at this market, which oﬀers drinks, music, and tarot card readings. 11 AM-5 PM, Emporium Arcade Bar, 2363 N. Milwaukee, emporiumchicago.com.

TUESDAY 23

WEDNESDAY 24

The Gi rl Talk This month the talk show focuses on wrongful conviction with attorney Jennifer Bonjean, the Exoneration Project’s Eva Nagao, and Mellon Sawyer fellow Deana G. Lewis. 6:30 PM, Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia, hideoutchicago.com, $5.

Th e Borderlands Ex perience: Life as a Mexican-American Immigrant David Suro, Primitivo Rodriguez, and Kenneth I. Trujillo discuss the Mexican-American immigrant experience. 5:15 PM, Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th, politics.uchicago.edu. F

MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 9

An inﬂatable “Trump Chicken” on display in Washington, D.C., ahead of the April 14 Tax March aimed at pressuring President Trump into releasing his tax records o MANDEL NGAN

CCITY ITY LIFE

POLITICS

Tax test

Progressives pressure Rauner to force Trump to release his taxes. By BEN JORAVSKY

s progressives in Illinois wage what amounts to a two-front war against President Trump and Governor Rauner, they’re always on the watch for a two-birds-with-onestone kind of weapon. That is, one issue with which they can stymie Trump’s assault on, well, everything, while damaging Rauner’s chances of winning reelection in the 2018 campaign. They have a potentially versatile weapon in Senate Bill 982. Having passed the Illinois senate last month, it now heads for the house. And if it passes there, its ultimate destination will be Rauner’s desk, where it would at least make him squirm. The bill would require presidential candidates to release their income tax returns for the previous ﬁve years before they could appear on the Illinois presidential ballot. Similar proposals are popping up in state legislatures around the country. As we all know, Trump’s the only majorparty presidential candidate since the 1960s not to release any of his tax returns. He’s failed to do this either because he doesn’t want people to see who he owes money to, or how rich he is (or isn’t), or how little he pays in taxes, or that he doesn’t have

10 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

to. And apparently his loyal supporters don’t care. SB 982 is being pushed by Indivisible Chicago, the local affiliate of a national group created by four former Democratic congressional aides: Ezra Levin, Jeremy Haile, Leah Greenberg, and Angel Padilla. In the days after last year’s presidential election, the national group published the Indivisible Guide, which lays out a plan to retake Congress and bounce Trump from office by creating a left-of-center version of the Tea Party. On the grounds that if you can’t beat ’em, you might as well emulate ’em. “Like us, you probably deeply disagree with the principles and positions of the Tea Party,” the guide reads. “But we can all learn from their success in influencing the national debate and the behavior of national policymakers.” (Actually, I’d take it back a step further: Republican intransigence didn’t start with the Tea Party. Republicans have been unbending in their opposition to anything the Democrats propose since former congressman Newt Gingrich seized control of the party in the midterm elections of 1994.) In any event, the Indivisible Guide basically urges progressives to act like Tea Party

Republicans. Unite around a “set of shared beliefs,” just “say NO to Members of Congress” who don’t take progressive stances on crucial social issues, remain “united in opposition” to Trump, and treat weak Democrats “as traitors.” About freaking time, I’d say. In January, Rachel Maddow featured Indivisible on her nightly TV show. They’ve been forming affiliates all over the country ever since. “All of these Indivisible chapters are really a bunch of concerned citizens with day jobs,” says Jeff Radue, one of the founders of Indivisible Chicago. “We’re putting our energies into action.” In February, the local chapter found a rallying issue in SB 982, which was introduced by state senator Daniel Biss (now a gubernatorial candidate). The issue worked on two fronts: It rallied Democrats and swing voters who believe that Trump should release his taxes. And it would put Rauner on the defensive—but I’ll get to that in a minute. On April 27, the bill came before the state senate for a vote. During the debate, state Republicans railed against it, arguing that the measure was unconstitutional, an invasion of Trump’s (or any presidential candidate’s) privacy, and mean, nasty politics. In rebuttal, state Democrats replied that there are law professors who say such bills are constitutional—so see you in court. And, they argued, it’s hardly an invasion of privacy to require a presidential candidate to do what every mortgage applicant is required to do—you know, show someone your tax returns. “The invasion of privacy argument is especially ridiculous,” Radue says. “This is the president of the United States—what privacy? We know almost everything about the two main candidates. But we don’t know their potential conﬂicts of interest?” As for being mean and nasty—please. Republicans have been playing mean and nasty since the days of Nixon, when they invented the southern strategy, pitting whites against blacks. My guess is Trump’s operatives probably wouldn’t care all that much if he were kept off the ballot in Illinois, a state he’ll probably never win. As we saw in the last election, where Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by about three million votes nationally, the popular vote doesn’t currently matter in our democracy. Trump could still be reelected

even if he’s bounced from all the blue states. However, there are similar income-taxdisclosure bills coming up in red states like Tennessee and Kansas, as well as swing states like Michigan and Ohio. So this could get interesting if Indivisible keeps pushing. The Illinois state senate ultimately passed the bill on a partisan vote of 32 to 19. Republicans voted against it and the Democrats voted for it—except for senator Steven Landek, from the south suburbs. Now it goes to the house, where speaker Michael Madigan will undoubtedly relish another chance to embarrass the governor.

Rauner’s always tried to position himself as a good-government Republican who cares about transparency. What could be more transparent than making sure the leader of the free world has no conflicts of interest? And that brings us to Rauner. This is one of those bills that puts him in a bind—sort of like HB 40, the reproductive rights bill he’s vowed to veto to appease his antichoice allies. In this case, Rauner’s always tried to position himself as a good-government Republican who cares about transparency. Well, what could be more transparent than making sure the leader of the free world has no conflicts of interest with the companies he regulates, or with the foreign powers with whom he must negotiate? We can only know these things if we see the tax returns. At the very least, it would be fun to watch Rauner squirm as he tries to explain why he’s vetoing a bill that fosters transparency in politics. Entertaining us is the least Rauner can do for bringing so much financial chaos to our state. v

ß @joravben

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MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 11

CCITY ITY LLIFE I FE

TRANSPORTATION

Adjusting ‘the Crotch’

CDOT proposes a boatload of safety upgrades to Wicker Park’s Six Corners. By JOHN GREENFIELD

irst, let’s tackle the nickname controversy. I recently took part in a Twitter debate about the proper nickname for the six-way intersection of Damen, North, and Milwaukee. “Stop calling it Six Corners,” exhorted Robert Loerzel (winner of the Reader’s 2016 reader poll for Best Chicagoan to Follow on Twitter), arguing that the real Six Corners is in Portage Park. Afterward I took an unscientific poll on Facebook, asking friends how they refer to the junction. Of the more than 50 people who responded, 18 suggested “the Crotch,” nine offered various combinations of the street names, ﬁve said Six Corners, three said “Hell,” and “Ground Zero” and “Over by the Flat Iron” got two votes each. Other replies included “Hexafuck,” “The Armpit,” and, from DNAinfo’s Alisa Hauser, “Lake Geneva for Gutter Punks.” Now that that’s out of the way, let’s look at the city’s proposal to improve safety at this crossroads, which features a hectic conﬂuence of pedestrians, skateboarders, cyclists, cars, trucks, buses, and, occasionally, a bearded

12 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

The busy six-corners intersection at Damen, North, and Milwaukee o MARIANNE MATHER / SUN-TIMES MEDIA

dude on a bike with a roll bar who does somersaults for tips. Last week, during a community meeting at Pritzker elementary, Chicago Department of Transportation reps outlined some “low-cost, quick-hit” upgrades to the intersection that they hope to make by the end of the year. First CDOT staffer Mike Amsden provided some basic stats, telling the audience that the department had observed more than 5,000 pedestrian crossings at the junction during the morning and evening rush hours of April 18. CDOT found that more than 800 people bicycled through the intersection during the AM peak, accounting for 40 percent of vehicles on Milwaukee, often dubbed “the Hipster Highway.” The bad news is that Milwaukee is also a high-crash corridor, with 1,097 collisions in the area between 2010 and 2014, according to the city. While only 20 percent of the crashes involved pedestrians and bicyclists, these vulnerable road users were involved in 66 percent of crashes that resulted in injuries. Amsden outlined several ideas for improving the area’s safety. To create more standing room and shorten crossing distances, ﬂexible plastic posts and street paint could be used to create temporary curb bump-outs, which could eventually be made permanent with concrete. Banning some left turns could also free up space for wider sidewalks by eliminating turn lanes, which could also reduce collisions and congestion. Amsden said that this approach would need to be done cautiously so as not to divert high numbers of cars to side streets. Another proposed idea is to close the “slip lane” at the south side of the Crotch, a channel between a pedestrian island and the sidewalk

that allows drivers to make fast right turns but also endangers and inconveniences pedestrians. While CDOT counted more than 1,000 people walking across the slip lane during rush hours, a measly 32 motorists used it during the same period of time. The department also found that about 400 pedestrians, largely Blue Line commuters heading to Bucktown, made an illegal crossing between the Starbucks at the southwest corner of the intersection and the Walgreens at the northern corner. They may sanction this move by painting a new crosswalk. Similarly, CDOT may legalize a harmless bike maneuver I call the Six Corners Shuffle. (Sorry, Portage Parkers.) When Milwaukee has a red, southeast-bound cyclists cross North Avenue with the walk signal, then wait for a green in front of the Starbucks to get a head start on car traffic. While police wrote lots of tickets for this move during a January sting, recent counts revealed that a whopping 65 percent of southeast-bound riders still do it, so CDOT may install a dedicated green light for bikes to legitimize the practice. And because 28 percent of vehicles on Milwaukee in Wicker Park-Bucktown are bicycles, according to CDOT, but the road is currently too narrow for bike lanes, the department has ﬂoated the idea of stripping parking from one side to make room for the lanes. Since residents and business owners tend to freak out about parking removals, that would be a heavy lift politically, and the city would also have to compensate the parking meter concessionaire for any loss of revenue, so that seems unlikely to happen anytime soon. The feedback at last week’s meeting was generally positive, and local aldermen Proco Joe Moreno, Brian Hopkins, and Scott Waguespack all said they plan to chip in ward funds for the project, which is currently budgeted at $150,000. To further check the community’s pulse on these proposed changes, I dropped by the crossroads to buttonhole people during last Thursday’s evening rush. Aaron Evenhouse, who works at the new Publican Anker restaurant just south of the slip lane, said he’s wary of banning right turns there, since he often makes them on his bike. But he endorsed the bump-outs, bike signal, and crosswalk, and said banning some left turns might work. He regularly does the illegal Six Corners Shuffle and Starbucks-Walgreens crossing himself, he said, choosing to jaywalk because “otherwise you’ve got to cross twice and go out of your way.”

Priya Matthew, a tech worker coming home from O’Hare via the Blue Line, said she rarely drives, so didn’t have an opinion about limiting car movements. But she supported adding the crosswalk and widening the corners for pedestrians with paint and posts. “It’s really hard to move around this intersection,” she said. I also spoke with Jake, a driver who declined to give his last name, while he was stopped at a red, waiting to make a left turn from northbound Damen. Interestingly, he said he supports banning all lefts for motorists as a strategy to unclog the junction. “This whole intersection should just be straight-ahead for drivers,” he said.

“This intersection is teeming with people 24/7, and they need to be protected. I hope the city will do something about it. It’s about time.” —Factory worker Rick Paragua

On the other hand, Erik Bowman, an assistant manager at a nearby sports bar, was opposed to any restrictions on drivers, even though he generally takes the Milwaukee bus to work. “Car traffic is what we bank on—hopefully people driving by see the bar,” he said. He argued that banning lefts, closing the slip lane, and adding the crosswalk would be a mistake. “The neighborhood is congested enough already. Why not leave it the way it is?” But I agree with Rick Paragua, who works at a suburban balloon factory and was in Wicker Park looking for housing last week. “This intersection is teeming with people 24/7, and they need to be protected,” he said. “I hope the city will do something about it. It’s about time.” Indeed, as the traffic counts and crash numbers indicate, the status quo isn’t working. It’s high time for CDOT to correct the Crotch. v

John Greenfield edits the transportation news website Streetsblog Chicago. ß @greenfieldjohn

MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 13

☼ SUMMER HACKS

Ô BOBBY SIMS

Discover alternatives to the season’s wellworn traditions.

Here come the cool jets

Fire hydrants oﬀer the promise of a lake on every corner—but open them at your own risk.

By JAKE MALOOLEY

t is one of urban summer’s most iconic images: kids frolicking on the asphalt in front of the cooling spray of an open ﬁre hydrant. Wrenching open the street-side water pumps is also one of the city’s most enduring illicit seasonal practices. But for overheated children, an open hydrant provides what New York Times writer N. R. Kleinfeld once called “the ocean of their imagination.” It enables “the recreation of last resort,” especially for residents for whom an air-conditioned house isn’t a given, a trip to the nearest public pool is an infrequent luxury, and to whom the sandy shores of Lake Mich-

14 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

igan may seem as remote as a crater on the silver surface of the moon. Chicago’s blacktop bathers are nothing if not relentless. Despite the Department of Water Management’s installation of increasingly advanced tamper-deterrent devices over the past three decades, each and every summer people across the city find the means to pry open hundreds of Chicago’s 48,000-plus hydrants, according to annual water-use audit forms the DWM files with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. (In 2012, for example, unauthorized and illegal use of open hydrants accounted for nearly five million gallons of

water, twice the amount put toward firefighting and training.) Some recreational hydrant users manage to get their hands on a proprietary tool called a custodian hydrant wrench that’s made by Hydra-Shield Manufacturing and issued only to employees of the city’s fire and water departments. Others, according to news reports, have been known to apply a combination of cunning and force to free the water, using tools such as makeshift wrenches, sledgehammers, power drills, hacksaws, acetylene torches—even a polarized component of a stereo speaker, cleverly employed to defeat a magnetically protected security nut. So determined were hydrant enthusiasts during the historic heat wave of 1995 that water crews dispatched one July weekend to shut off illegally opened pumps were pelted with rocks and bricks, according to a Chicago Tribune report. The windows of one department truck were shot out and another was plugged in the side with bullets. Two department crew members responding to an open hydrant in Pilsen retreated after being threatened by residents

toting pistols; the crew later returned with police protection and finished the job. Once the water comes gushing forth, old pros have a tried-and-true method for producing the ideal spray: create a jerry-built sprinkler head by stacking an old tire or two over the hydrant and placing a two-by-four endwise in the space between to direct the pressurized flow into a high-arcing shower. No junk-shop craftsmanship or safecracking skills are necessary to enjoy an open hydrant in New York City. Any resident 18 or older can stop by the local firehouse and request the installation of a free “spray cap,” which emits a sprinklerlike stream and restricts the hydrant flow to 25 gallons per minute from the 1,000 gallons per minute that escape while uncapped. Chicago has no such program. “Not here, no,” fire department spokesman Larry Langford says, explaining that any increased use of hydrants can reduce critical water pressure in a given area, affecting firefighters’ ability to quickly douse flames. And while the punishment for a first violation of the municipal code regarding fire hydrant use is nothing to sneeze at—a fine of $500 to $1,000 and a prison sentence of as many as 20 days—enforcement can be difficult because Chicago police must catch someone in the act of opening a hydrant or find the person in possession of a custodian wrench, which the CPD treats as “theft of lost or mislaid property.” Illegal hydrant use can also lead to tragedy. Langford cites the case of Marshawn Lee, a four-year-old who on an early afternoon in July 2007 was playing in a hydrant jet in Englewood when he was fatally struck by an SUV. Although the driver had run a stop sign, he hadn’t seen the boy in the midst of the spray; the incident was ultimately ruled an accident. As it turns out, the public is authorized to use fire hydrants for only one reason. Residents who tend a community garden can apply for a seasonal permit from the DWM for temporary access to hydrant water. As far as city officials are concerned, kids who want to quickly cool off in the summer should visit one of the more than 140 Chicago Park District facilities that offer what are called “water spray features.” “When you have so many parks with water running,” Langford says, “illegally opening a fire hydrant shouldn’t be necessary.” He’s got a point. But all the “splash pads” and “spraygrounds” and tamper-proof locks in the world are probably still not enough to extinguish one of summer’s eternal forbidden traditions. v

ß @jakemalooley

Ô BOBBY SIMS

SUMMER GUIDE down the Chicago River on summer afternoons. These easy-to-drive Duffy boats are available for rent from the Chicago Electric Boat Company and, as zero-emissions watercraft, offer an environmentally friendly option for the would-be seafarer. An 18foot, ten-passenger picnic boat costs $150 an hour, and you or a member of your party (any licensed driver over the age of 21) can captain it. You can even BYOB, as long as there’s a designated driver. Or you could hire a private skipper . . . whatever, um, ﬂoats your boat. chicagoelectricboats.com SET SAIL Live out a Christopher Cross song by spending a summer’s day on a sailboat with ten of your best friends. Charter one for 11 people for two and a half hours via Chicago Sailboat Charters ($449, or $499 for a power boat). If you’re willing to share a boat with a few strangers, take a friend or sig-o on a semiprivate charter, on which you’re grouped with up to four more people for a more economical $199. chicagosailboatcharters.com

All aboard! Get on a boat this summer, even if you don’t own one (or know someone who knows someone who does). By LAURA PEARSON

avid Lee Roth once said, “Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you a yacht big enough to pull up right alongside it.” The correlation between personal fulfillment and watercraft ownership makes sense. But what to do when you’re boat obsessed yet can’t afford so much as a kayak, don’t have a single boat-adjacent friend, and have never been able to convince a wealthy family to let you be their Captain Ron? Time to pursue other ideas . . . HOP ON THE WATER TAXI It’s slow. It’s not private. And it’s unspectacular to the Metra commuters who use it for daily travel to and from the Ogilvie and Union train stations, but the Chicago Water Taxi might be the easiest and most affordable solution when you’re itching to get on the water—any water. On summer weekends (and weekdays beginning May 29), the bright yellow boats sail from the Loop to Chinatown, so for a mere $5 you can enjoy a

scenic tour of the Chicago River all the way to Ping Tom Memorial Park. On Wednesday and Saturday nights, a special fireworks cruise takes passengers up and down the river, concluding with a dazzling view of the Navy Pier ﬁreworks display ($19 for adults). chicagowatertaxi.com TAKE A NOT-QUITE-THREE-HOUR TOUR If you live here and have yet to experience a Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise, are you really even a Chicagoan? During the 90-minute tour, highly knowledgeable docents describe the history and design of more than 50 noteworthy buildings—the Aqua Tower, Marina City, Mies van der Rohe’s AMA Plaza, et cetera—for a quintessential summer experience that stirs some learning into your leisure. A kajillion tourists can’t be wrong! architecture.org RENT AN ELECTRIC BOAT You’ve probably seen little electric-powered boats with canopy tops cruising up and

Every dog has its summer day By AIMEE LEVITT

inter is a lonely time if you’re a dog in Chicago: long hours at home with nobody to talk to except humans, when you can only find out what’s going on in the world (Dog World, the only world that matters) through quick sniffs during the daily hustle around the block while someone tugs at your leash and tells you to hurry up because it’s cold. IF ALL ELSE FAILS, GO PUBLIC But then there’s summer, peak time for caYou’ve got no qualms about looking for a nine sociability, for playing fetch at the park date on the Internet—so what’s keeping and splashing around at the you from broadcasting your beach and finding and befriendboat-centric desires online? ing that dog who’s been leaving One example to follow is that such interesting scents around of a couple from Pilsen, Matt the neighborhood. It’s all much and Heidi, who took to an online nicer if you can persuade the message board for nautical humans that there’s something enthusiasts called Cruisersfoin it for them. rum.com, where they posted a Of course there’s the Monboat-wanted ad in which they TRAD SUMMER trose Dog Beach, the happiest described themselves as “two Piling into the megaplex place in the city—though Jacknon-creeps” looking to help for the air-conditioning— son Bark (5800 S. Lake Shore someone sail their vessel. (They and a flick too Drive) in Jackson Park has an also promised to bring beer.) “A agility course that makes it way guy responded and invited us to ALT SUMMER more fun than the other city dog come out with him,” Matt says. Blasting the A.C. in your parks. But there are two other “There are a ton of rich, lonely car while taking in a film great things about the Montrose people with boats and not “under the stars” at Dog Beach: first, and most imenough crew to sail them.” His the Cascade Driveportantly, the Fido to Go treat other hot tip? “Go down to the In (1100 E. North, West truck that usually parks near docks on team racing night”—a Chicago, 630-231-3150, the entrance on Saturdays, and Wednesday-evening function cascadedrivein.com) second, the Dock at Montrose hosted by the Chicago Yacht Beach, which is of particular Club May 24 through Septeminterest to people since it serves ber 27 at Monroe and Belmont food and cocktails. Harbors—“with a six-pack and There are plenty of other bars and restauoffer to be what’s called ‘rail meat,’ where you rants that have dog-friendly patios. But some weigh the sides of the boat if it’s windy.” v are friendlier than others. Roots Handmade Pizza and the Fifty/50, for instance, serve J @tislaurapearson ß

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MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 15

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SUMMER GUIDE nual Dog Day on September 6, while the minor-league Schaumburg Boomers have Bark in the Park on June 25 and August 27, and the Gary South Shore Railcats have theirs on July 9. The Railcats’ Bark in the Park is special because they let dogs play fetch on the ﬁeld before the ﬁrst pitch. In addition to its regular adoption events, PAWS will host two major fund-raisers this summer, a 5K at Montrose Harbor on June 4 and a beach party at Castaways at North Avenue Beach on July 20. The biggest dog parties of the summer, though, may very well be Pet Fest (part of West Fest) the weekend of July 8-9 and EdgeFest the weekend of August 5-6. But be warned: EdgeFest features a pet costume contest. How much humiliation are you willing to risk for a day out? But really, the wonderful thing about being a dog is that you don’t need much: a few rounds of fetch, maybe a dip in the lake or a squirt from a garden hose, an ice cream or a beer on the porch, and most of all, the chance to get out and sniff and be sniffed. v

Go green at Palmisano Park Mount Bridgeport and the surrounding land provide a sustainable sanctuary in the city. By BRIANNA WELLEN

o DANIEL X. O’NEIL

ß @aimeelevitt

Ô CHEMA SKANDAL!

Dogs continued from 15 rawhides and pig ears, not just water, and Nellcôte hosts Bone Appetit, a dog-friendly brunch, every Saturday and Sunday afternoon. When it’s too hot and gross for lying on concrete, remember that dogs are actually welcome inside at Rogers Park Social, the Ten Cat, Lizard’s Liquid Lounge, Rainbo, and Begyle Brewery; and at River Shannon they’ll let dogs play Jenga. SoFo Tap has weekly Yappy Hours on Saturdays. (SoFo seems to market it as a way for humans to sniff each other’s butts, so to speak, but dogs’ willingness to allow themselves to be used as an accessory to human mating is just one of the many reasons they’re man’s best friend.) There’s clearly a dog with considerable inﬂuence behind the scenes at the Chicago Park District, because The Secret Life of Pets is one of the most frequently shown Movies in the Park this year. Dogs are also used to cruel separations because of forces beyond their control, which is why this year’s Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks production, Romeo and Juliet, has special resonance. Meanwhile, the Sox are hosting their an-

hen I f irst heard about “ Mount Brid gepor t” I imagined a la rge mountain in some magical part of Chicago I’d never seen before. I readied myself to hike up rough terrain and get a taste of the wilderness within the city limits. But when I arrived at Palmisano Park I saw that the “mount” was really more of a hill. At first, I was disappointed—it looked like I’d put my hiking boots on for nothing. However, I discovered something better: a peaceful respite from the busy city streets filled with lush vegetation, wild animals, a fishing hole, and a view of the lake and skyline, all free of the usual summertime crowds. Before humans set foot on the land, the Chicago Park District says, Palmisano Park was a prehistoric coral reef—fossils predating the dinosaurs were found on the site, and are now staples of the Field Museum’s collection. In the 1830s the property was turned into a stone quarry, then in the 1970s it became a landfill, and finally in 2009 it was transformed into an environmentally sustainable park by architects from the Site Design Group. The waste that had been dumped was reused to create the park’s new topography. That giant hill that has since been dubbed Mount Bridgeport? It’s built on a literal pile of garbage. The path to Mount Bridgeport’s peak (which is 33 feet above street level, nothing to sneeze at in a city as flat as Chicago) is marked with boulders from the original quarry and stone-

like slates created from debris from the city’s road construction, according to the Chicago Park District’s historian, Julia Bachrach. In fact the hill’s structure consists mostly of torn-up sidewalk and other items left over from building sites, which were then covered with grass. The boardwalk that weaves through the park was created from recycled plastic, styled to mimic wooden slabs. And a fountain designed by Ernest Wong that greets guests at the park’s entrance is just one part of a self-sustaining water system that collects rainwater, which is then distributed through “wetland terraces” throughout the park before ending up in a pond that a handful of bluegill, smallmouth bass, crappie, and catfish call home—at least until they’re fished out. Palmisano Park provides one of the few bodies of water in Chicago that won’t cause mutations in the creatures who reside there. Sure, it doesn’t take much to make it to the top of Mount Bridgeport, but once there it’s easy to forget that just a block away are cars flying down the highway, or that three miles north there are lines of people clamoring to get a view of Chicago from the top of Willis Tower. On top of Mount Bridgeport it’s possible to lay in the grass, listen to water trickle through the Palmisano Park fountain, and get a new perspective on the term “urban jungle,” snakes and all. (Watch out for the snakes!) v

ß @BriannaWellen

MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 17

18 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

Stony Island Arts Bank o TOM HARRIS

Moonlight and Lion, in case you missed them on the big screen. 2407 W. 111th, 773-445-3838, beverlyartcenter.org

SUMMER GUIDE Marie Brown, Monica Herrera, and Emmanuel Pratt. 5020 S. Cornell, hydeparkart.org MANA CONTEMPORARY

DUSABLE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY

Yes, DuSable is a major institution, but we included it for the folks who usually don’t venture farther south than the Museum Campus. Traveling just a few more miles, you’ll arrive at the 60-year-old hub of exhibits and cultural programs. Of particular note this summer is “Freedom’s Journey,” which uses paintings and photographs from DuSable’s collection to tell the story of black people’s ﬁght for equality in America. 740 E. 56th Pl., 773-947-0600, dusablemuseum.org FILTER SPACE

Feast your eyes at these off-the-beaten-path art spaces By DANIELLE A. SCRUGGS

he Art Institute and the MCA are cultural gems, but let’s face it: both spaces can be tough to navigate during the summertime, when they’re mobbed by tourists. Do yourself a favor this summer and check out these 11 museums, galleries, and art spaces outside the Loop and the northeast side that offer their own rewards. AMFM GALLERY

Launched in 2009 as an online magazine, AMFM began organizing pop-up events and exhibits throughout the city in 2014. Eventually it branched out into its own gallery and artist-coworking space in Pilsen after its founder, Ciera Mckissick, launched a successful GoFundMe campaign earlier this year. AMFM’s events will be held in various spaces throughout Chicago over the summer. Of particular note is the Jazz Series, a program of pop-up events that will include live bands, visual artists, and DJs. It kicks off at Virgin Hotels Chicago on May 19 and will make stops at Blanc Gallery, Subterranean, Schubas, and Dvorak Park for Night Out at the Parks on September 8. Check out AMFM’s Facebook page (facebook.com/ amfmlife/) to see where it’s headed next. 2151 W. 21st, amfm.life ARTS + PUBLIC LIFE ARTS INCUBATOR

This University of Chicago initiative oﬀers a variety of artist workshops, lectures, exhibits, and residencies in Washington Park. From May 19 to June 23, the center will host the “Petty Biennial,” an exhibition dedicated to including communities of color and pushing back against art biennials and fairs that tend to be almost exclusively white and male. The “Petty Biennial,” according to APL’s website, “is not a biennial itself, but a curatorial investigation towards queering the canon of traditional biennials. . . . Works include video, painting, installation, performance and photography engaging in critical forms of authorship through hypervisibility and self-representation.” Participants include performance artist Nic Kay, New York-based interdisciplinary artist Elizabeth Axtman, and Chicago-based photographer and video artist Stephanie Graham. 301 E. Garfield, 773-702-9724, arts.uchicago. edu/artsandpubliclife BEVERLY ARTS CENTER

The nonproﬁt space provides a variety of arts and cultural programming including exhibits, comedy shows, ﬁlm screenings, theater, and concerts. Among this summer’s highlights: “A Constant Struggle,” an art exhibition featuring the work of quilting artists who explore race relations in America, and screenings of

This West Town venue opened in 2015 as a location for exhibits, artists’ workshops, and talks related to contemporary photography. The gallery is also connected to the nonprofit printing lab Latitude, where both professional photographers and amateur photo enthusiasts can make and share work. Filter’s upcoming show, “The Personal Ads and the B-Side,” opening June 2, combines photographs, drawings, and video from artists Karen Connell and Frank Ishman. 1821 W. Hubbard, suite 207, filterfestival.com/filter-space GALLERY GUICHARD

A fixture in Bronzeville, Gallery Guichard has been exhibiting work by local and international artists for 12 years. In 2014 it expanded to the 4,000-square-foot ground floor of Bronzeville Artist Lofts, which offers live-work spaces for artists. This summer the gallery will be one of several participants in the 11th annual Bronzeville Trolley Tour, which starts June 16 and will run every third Friday through September. In addition to Guichard, the free trolley takes passengers to other Bronzeville art spaces including Blanc Gallery and Little Black Pearl Art & Design Center. 436 E. 47th, 773-791-7003, galleryguichard.com HYDE PARK ART CENTER

Just blocks away from the lakefront and a variety of restaurants on 53rd Street, HPAC is a perfect place to spend a summer afternoon. In addition to exhibits such as “The Presidential Library Project: Black Presidential Imaginary,” open through July 2, the 77-year-old institution is also home to a prestigious, invitation-only artist-in-residence program whose past participants have included Rashayla

Located in Pilsen, Mana Contemporary has become a hub for challenging contemporary art, mounting exhibits by a variety of painters, sculptors, and multidisciplinary artists. Mana also hosts several art-related organizations, including the publication Art in Print and the artist-support organization High Concept Labs. Noteworthy events include the Body and Camera Festival, a program of more than 40 short ﬁlms in addition to installations and live performances happening May 20-21; “Odes to Transience I Create,” a collection of video art by Jamie Diamond and Matthew Weinstein, on display through May 31; and paintings by Francesco Clemente and Chuck Connelly, up until August 31. 2233 S. Throop, 312-850-0555, manacontemporary.com ROOTWORK GALLERY

Located on the border between Pilsen and Chinatown, Rootwork specializes in promoting folk, street, and indigenous art. It also hosts a variety of ﬁlm screenings, artist talks, performance art works, and workshops open to the public. On May 20, the gallery will oﬀer a free screening of the 1997 documenatry Nappy by director Lydia A. Douglas, which focuses on the then-burgeoning “natural hair movement” within communities of black women. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Chicago-based filmmaker Shahari Moore. 645 W. 18th, 917-821-3050, facebook. com/rootworkgallery STONY ISLAND ARTS BANK

Opened in 2015 by artist and Rebuild Foundation founder Theaster Gates, Stony Island Arts Bank is home to the late, great Frankie Knuckles’s vinyl collection as well as rotating art exhibits and two reading rooms that house the Ebony-Jet library archive and the DuSable High School library archive. The South Shore institution also offers weekly tours and invites neighborhood residents to help catalog its archival holdings. This summer, the bank will unveil “Future People,” a new solo exhibit by New Yorkbased multidisciplinary artist Derrick Adams. The show opens June 6 and runs until September 18. 6760 S. Stony Island, 312-857-5561, rebuild-foundation.org/site/ stony-island-arts-bank v

ß @dascruggs MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 19

SUMMER GUIDE HUNGER: A MEMOIR OF (MY) BODY by Roxane Gay (6/13, Harper) For all the writing she’s done as a cultural critic, essayist, novelist, and prolific tweeter, Indiana-based author Roxane Gay has never released a memoir—until now. Exploring food, bodies, and “our shared a n x ieties over pleasu re, consu mption, appea ra nce, a nd hea lt h,” Hunger prom ises more of Gay’s arresting honesty and razor-sharp insight.

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FOOD & DRINK TRAD SUMMER A mobbed alleyadjacent patio counts as al fresco, right? ALT SUMMER Lakeside dining and drinking at the oft-neglected Waterfront Cafe (6219 N. Sheridan, 773-761-3294, waterfrontcafechicago .com)

Beyond beach reads Add some weight to your summer lit list.

By LAURA PEARSON

he term “beach read” doesn’t exactly convey smart, substantive narratives. Rather, it suggests fare as light and ﬂuffy as the sand: mass-market mysteries, ﬂimsy celebrity memoirs, “chick lit” novels with beach scenes or city skylines on their covers, and anything by Danielle Steele. Fortunately for those hoping to add some heft to their summer reading list, plenty of quality new books by Chicago-based or Chicago-adjacent authors are hitting shelves this season (beachy cover

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art not included). Take a chance on these page-turners that probe everything from familial drama to body image. WE ARE NEVER MEETING IN REAL LIFE by Samantha Irby (5/30, Vintage) Life’s a beach . . . or is it a bitch? In a new essay collection, writer and former Evanstonian Samantha Irby (whose previous collection, Meaty, is currently in development for a TV series on FX) explores personal topics

that are both heartbreaking and hilarious: explosive diarrhea, the Bachelor franchise, her parents’ debilitating health issues, and more. It’s all done in the signature style of raw, self-deprecating, rapidly unspooling sentences that Irby employs on her blog, Bitches Gotta Eat. THE ANSWERS by Catherine Lacey (6/6, FSG) Lacey’s second novel follows a pain-racked woman named Mary who finds relief in an expensive New Agey treatment known as Pneuma Adaptive Kinesthesia. In order to fund “PAK,” she subjects herself to the “girlfriend experiment,” in which various women fulﬁll different aspects of a relationship for an egocentric actor named Kurt Sky. Turns out, Mary’s role of “emotional girlfriend” is its own kind of painful.

TURF by Elizabeth Crane (6/13, Soft Skull) Author Elizabeth Crane (The History of Great Things, We Only Know So Much) crafts narratives that are both sweet and sad, quirky and funny, unexpected and relatable. The form er Ch i cago an’s latest story collection uses offbeat events—a group of geniuses struggling to unlock life’s greatest secret, a young Brooklyn couple discovering a baby in a bucket—to poignantly examine human connection.

THE GRIP OF IT by Jac Jemc (8/1, FSG Originals) James and Julie, the married millennials at the center of Jac Jemc’s much-anticipated new novel, have big plans for their new home—but, they soon discover, not as big as the house has for them. Bruises show up on Julie’s body, mirroring stains on the walls, and mold spores appear in the water Jack draws from the sink. Forget HGTV’s House Hunters—the young couple in this Shirley Jackson-esque contemporary horror story are house hunted.

EAT ONLY WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY by Lindsay Hunter (8/8, FSG) Local author Lindsay Hunter specializes in visceral, wryly funny narratives that never shy away from uncomfortable situations, observations, or emotions. Such is the case in her second novel, starring a 58-year-old man named Greg, who’s struggling with weight issues, on a search for his missing son, GJ (Greg Junior), a longtime drug addict. Eventually the search—in an RV from West Virginia to the weird outskirts of Orlando—turns inward. v

ß @tislaurapearson

MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 21

SUMMER GUIDE 1932 drama THE MATCH KING, based on the life In the space of two days, MUSIC BOX will of Swedish con artist Ivar Kreuger (Wed 7/26, host live appearances by two of the most 7:30 PM). MELVIN & HOWARD, from 1980, offers accomplished comic filmmakers in America: a wonderful introduction to the late, great Mike Judge, who wrote and directed the Jonathan Demme (Wed 8/2, 7:30 PM); and the instant classic OFFICE SPACE (1999), and 1934 comedy THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY stars Christopher Guest, whose brilliant ensemble W.C. Fields as the intrepid vaudevillian the comedies include WAITING FOR GUFFMAN Great McGonigle, tangling with Baby LeRoy (1997) and BEST IN SHOW (2000). Guest will (Tue 8/8, 7:30 PM). take part in the series “The Modern School Since 2004 the CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL of Film” (Wed 5/31, 7 PM), talking about clips FILM FESTIVAL has taken advantage of the from three movies that influenced him. Judge Chicago Cultural Center to host a Wedneswill introduce a screening of his 2006 flop day-night summer series with features from IDIOCRACY (Thu 6/1, 7 PM), which has been around the globe. Because food is the new hailed as prophecy since the 2016 election. As black, this year’s series has a culinary theme, I wrote in my original review, it’s about “a Penwith restaurant rom-coms tagon guinea pig who’s put in spanning the hemispheres and suspended animation for 500 some promising documentayears and wakes to a United ries: from Canada, THE TASTE States so dumbed down the OF A COUNTRY follows the president is a former wrestler Quebecois sap collectors who and porn star, the citizens get keep the nation’s maple syrup their news from Hot Naked industry dripping (Wed 6/28, Chicks & World Report, and 6:30 PM); from Australia, BARthe most popular TV show is TRAD SUMMER BECUE looks at grilling cultures aptly titled Ow! My Balls.” A lengthy wait for ice from New Zealand to Texas What else? FACETS CINEMAcream at Margie’s Candies (Wed 7/5, 6:30 PM); and from THEQUE opens the weeklong (1960 N. Western) South Africa, GOOD BUSINESS African Diaspora Film Festival profiles the socially committed on June 8. SILENT FILM SOCIETY ALT SUMMER food executive Raymond AckOF CHICAGO has bugged out to Rolling up to the walk-up erman, who defied apartheid the Arcada Theatre in Saint window for Italian ice at policies to help customers at Charles this summer, but a Miko’s (2236 his chain of Pick n Pay grocery drive might be in order for THE N. Sacramento) stores (Wed 8/16, 6:30 PM). LOST WORLD (1925), a Jurassic French filmmaker JeanPark prototype featuring Pierre Melville took a dire view landmark stop-motion animaof humanity: in his movies, people are animals, tion by King Kong creator Willis O’Brien (Tue only more debonair. In June, GENE SISKEL FILM 7/11, 7:30 PM). TERROR IN THE AISLES presents CENTER presents an 11-film Melville retrospecSummer Scares, another of its vintage-horror tive, from his early thriller LE SILENCE DE LA marathons, at the Patio Theater, anchored MER (1949) to his swan song, UN FLIC (1972). by the original FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980) and a All the major works are here—the seminal personal appearance by Jason himself, actor gangster saga BOB LE FLAMBEUR (Sat 6/3, 3 Ari Lehman (Sat 6/10, 7 PM). At the DUSABLE PM; Tue 6/6, 6 PM), the metaphysical hit-man MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, film study LE SAMOURAI (Fri 6/23, 6 PM; Sat 6/24, scholar Jacqueline Stewart introduces two 3 PM), the bitter French-resistance thriller short personal documentaries by Camille BilARMY OF SHADOWS (Sat 7/1, 4:45 PM; Wed 7/5, lops and Charles Hatch: in SUZANNE, SUZANNE, 6 PM)—along with such lesser-known gems as Billops profiles her niece as the young woman TWO MEN IN MANHATTAN (Sat 6/17, 5:45 PM; Tue tries to kick heroin, and in FINDING CHRISTA, 6/20, 6 PM) and a new restoration of Melville’s she resolves to meet the child she gave up for wartime drama LÉON MORIN, PRIEST, with 29 adoption 20 years earlier (Tue 7/11, 7 PM). Last minutes of additional footage cut from the but not least, Music Box presents the NEW original release (Sat 6/10, 5:15 PM; Thu 6/15, 6 YORK DOG FILM FESTIVAL, with two programs PM). Later this summer, Film Center presents of canine-themed shorts (Sun 6/4, noon and 2 a retrospective series on Italian horror master PM). You know it’s from New York because the Mario Bava, a batch of seven new features dogs are all incredibly rude. v from the Czech Republic, and the annual Black Harvest Film Festival. ß @JR_Jones

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SUMMER GUIDE Takashi Murakami o CLAIRE DORN

6/15, 5-10 PM, Sullivan Center Alley, Monroe between State and Wabash, loopchicago.com/ activate. F Chicago Pride Fest This two-day street fest is just a warm-up for the Pride Parade on Sunday, June 25. The Boystown takeover kicks off with a Pride Pageant, local street vendors, and three stages of music with performances by Taylor Dayne, Thelma Houston, and Kristine W. Sat 6/17-Sun 6/18: 11 AM-10 PM, Halsted between Belmont and Addison, northalsted. com, $10 suggested donation.

EVENTS

Three whole months of must-dos JUNE

Story Arc Sketch Comedy Festival Sketch group Vienna Juvenile hosts this brand-new festival combining theater and sketch comedy. 6/1-6/10: Thu 8 PM, Fri-Sat 8 and 10 PM, Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont, 773-327-5252, viennajuvenilecomedy. com, $15, $25 for all-night pass, $50 for ﬁve-day pass.

$250-$2,500; the rest of us will just have to take in the artist’s work examining globalization, media culture, and the continued threats of nuclear power in less glamorous company. 6/6-9/24, Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago, 312280-2660, mcachicago.org, $12, $7 students and seniors, free for kids 12 and under and members of the military, free for Illinois residents on Tuesdays.

Pug Party The goal of this celebration is simple: gather as many pugs in one place as possible. Hundreds of pups are expected to attend this year’s event, which includes food, drink, adoption information from the Milwaukee Pug Rescue, and cute overload. Sat 6/3, noon-5 PM, Park Tavern, 1645 W. Jackson, 773485-2100, pugparty.com, $8, $5 for kids, free for dogs.

Chicago Vegan Food and Drink Festival A dining and drinking fest where everything is 100 percent vegan—even the live entertainment. Nosh includes hot dogs, doughnuts, waﬄes, and southern fried chicken (er, chickun). Sat 6/10, 11 AM-7 PM, Grant Park, S. Columbus and E. Jackson, vegandrinkfest. com/chicago, $15, free for kids 12 and under.

“The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg” Japanese artist Takashi Murakami has collaborated with Kanye West and Louis Vuitton, and now his anime-inspired paintings are on display in Chicago for the ﬁrst time. High-rollers can attend the opening gala on Sat 6/3—which features a performance by Janelle Monáe—for

Chicago Alternative Comics Expo For the sixth year this gathering (better known as CAKE) celebrates local independent comics with a weekend of workshops, exhibitions, ﬁlm screenings, and panel discussions. This time around guests include Gabrielle Bell (Cecil and Jordan in New York), Kevin Budnik

24 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

(Handbook), Emil Ferris (My Favorite Thing Is Monsters), and Ben Passmore (Your Black Friend). Sat 6/10-Sun 6/11: 11 AM-6 PM, Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, cakechicago.com. F Pilsen Food Truck Social This festival features more than two dozen local food trucks in one place—Boo Coo Roux, Piko Street Kitchen, and Tamale Spaceship among them— with live music from Guapachosos, Los Gold Fires, and Sonorama, and even more to eat from local brick-and-mortar restaurants, for those who prefer their food not on wheels. Sat 6/10-Sun 6/11: 11 AM-10 PM, 18th and Allport, pilsenfoodtrucksocial.com, $5 suggested donation, $20 sampler ticket. Activate: Off Street The theme of the Chicago Loop Alliance’s first alley party of the season is “rec room of the block.” The night features a pop-up barber shop, a matchup of professional pingpong players, a breakdancing battle, a mural by Chris Orta and Jose Quezada, body painting, music from Ifficial Reggae Movement and the Four Star Brass Band, and plenty of drinks. Thu

The Shermer Club: A John Hughes Fest Last year’s celebration of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off sparked this spin-off event featuring screenings of six of the writer-director’s films followed by Q&As with those involved, including Howard Deutch, Anthony Michael Hall, Andrew McCarthy, and Lea Thompson. 6/22-6/25, various times and locations, theshermerclub.com, $30 per screening, $50-$85 for a one-day pass, $350 for a four-day pass. Chicago Whiskey Wine & Spirits Beach Festival Enjoy 60 wines, whiskeys, and other spirits at this lakefront party featuring live entertainment, food trucks, and a souvenir tasting glass. Sun 6/26, 12:30-3:30 PM and 4-7 PM, Montrose Beach, 4400 N. Lake Shore, playerssports.net, $10-$30, $25-$55 for VIP.

garitafestival.com, $20, $65 VIP, $6-$8 per drink ticket, $40 for five-margarita drink ticket. Summer Dance-Offs This month as part of the Chicago Park District’s SummerDance program, venues across the city—including Garfield Park (100 N. Central Park), Washington Park (5531 S. Russell), Hamilton Park Cultural Center (513 W. 72nd), and Austin Town Hall Park (5610 W. Lake)—host step and footwork competitions. Start practicing now. 7/8-7/29: Thu 2-5 PM, various locations, cityofchicago.org/city/ en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_summerdance.html. F New Dances Thodos Dance Company members John Cartwright, Abby Ellison, Alex Gordon, Hattie Haggard, Thomas Jacobson, Jessica Miller Tomlinson, Brennen Renteria, and Luis Vazquez present new works as part of the choreography incubation program’s final year. Sat 7/15, 7:30 PM and Sun 7/16, 3 PM, Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport, 773935-6875, thodosdancechicago. org, $14-$40. Firefly Ball Off the Street Club hosts this night of music, dancing, food, and drinks in the Art Institute’s Modern Wing to raise money so kids who live in violent areas of Chicago can go to summer camp. Fri 7/21, 7-11 PM, Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan, offthestreetclub.com/ firefly-ball, price TBD. 10 Year Anniversary Awesome Tour! It’s been a decade since Tim

and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! first aired, so Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim are hitting the road to celebrate. The duo present stand-up, sketches, video clips, and musical numbers as part of what is sure to be a bizarre live performance. Fri 7/21-Sat 7/22: 8 PM, the Vic, 3145 N. Sheffield, jamusa.com/the-vic, $47.50. Chicago Craft Beer Festival For the sixth year this festival offers more than 70 specialty beers from more than three dozen breweries, plus live music and snacks. Tickets include a taste of 15 brews and a glass to take home. Sat 7/22-Sun 7/23: 11:30 AM-4 PM, Webster and Sheffield, chicagoevents.com/ events/chicago-craft-beer-fest, $45, $40 in advance. Roger Waters The Pink Floyd legend comes to Chicago on his solo Us + Them tour. You’re gonna wish you were here. Sat 7/22-Sun 7/23: United Center, 1901 W. Madison, 312-455-4500, unitedcenter.com, $55-$599. Fiesta del Sol This Pilsen Neighbors Community Council fund-raiser is known as the midwest’s largest Latino festival. The weekend in the sun features live music, carnival rides, educational booths (including the Civil Rights of Immigrants Booth), and food from local eateries like El Nuevo Taconazo, Pancho’s, Sabor y Sazon, and Taqueria La Cuidad. 7/27-7/30: Thu 5-10 PM, Fri-Sat 11 AM-11 PM, Sun 11 AM-10 PM, 1400 W. Cermak, 312-666-2663, fiestadelsol.org, free entry, $45 for an unlimited ride pass.

JULY Chosen Few Picnic The annual two-day house-music party returns for the 27th year with performances from Steve “Silk” Hurley, Craig Loftus, and more, with sets by the Chosen Few DJs all weekend long, of course. 7/1-7/2, Jackson Park, 6300 S. Lake Shore, chosenfewdjs.com, $25-$135, $50$160 for two-day pass. Chicago Margarita Festival This year’s two-day margarita festival features giant Jenga, beach volleyabll, live music, food trucks for sustenance, and plenty of margaritas available for tasting. Sat 7/8-Sun 7/9, noon-10 PM, Navy Pier, 600 W. Grand, chicagomar-

Chosen Few Picnic o

LAYLA NIELSEN

SUMMER GUIDE

Anheuser-Busch & the Northcenter Chamber of Commerce present

JUNE 9, 10 & 11 LINCOLN/DAMEN/IRVING PARK

This year’s Bud Billiken Parade, on August 12, will be led by grand marshal Chance the Rapper. o LOU FOGLIA/SUN-TIMES

Tour de Fat Nothing goes together like bicycles and beer. At least that’s what New Belgium Brewing’s traveling tour wants us to think. The fest features a costumed bike parade, the famous car-for-bike swap, circus performers, and music from the Roots, not to mention tons and tons of beer. Proceeds benefit West Town Bikes. Sat 7/29, 4-9 PM, Hunington Bank Pavilion, 1300 S. Linn White, newbelgium.com/tour-de-fat, $25, free for kids 12 and under.

AUGUST Chicago Hot Dog Fest A celebration of the Chicago dog and Vienna Beef featuring bites from local vendors along with a performance by Robert Cornelius & Friends paying tribute to Prince. 8/11-8/13: Fri-Sat 11 AM-9 PM, Sun 11 AM-8 PM, Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark, 312642-4600, chicagohotdogfest.com, $5 suggested donation. Bud Billiken Parade Chance the Rapper serves as grand marshal for this year’s parade, themed “Honoring Hometown Heroes.” The day also features local bands, drill teams, marching units, and ﬂoats. A picnic follows. Sat 8/12, 10 AM, King Dr. and Oakwood, budbillikenparade.org. F Belle & Sebastian The Scottish

band performs in Chicago ahead of the release of a new album later this year. Wed 8/16, 7 PM, Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State, 312-462-6300, thechicagotheatre.com, $37.50$59.50. Tacos y Tamales Festival This inaugural street fair is inspired by tianguis, outdoor Mexican markets, and includes authentic Latin American and Mexican food, art installations, local vendors, music and dance performances, and a beer garden. Fri 8/18-Sun 8/20: noon-10 PM, 16th and Peoria, chicagotacofest.com, $5 suggested donation. Wizard World Comic Con Nerd out to the max with four days of science ﬁction, fantasy, ﬁlm, horror, anime, manga, cosplay, comic books, card games, and celebrity appearances. Among those in attendance this year: Charisma Carpenter, John Cusack, Dulé Hill, and Gene Simmons. 8/24-8/27: Thu 5-10 PM, Fri noon-7 PM, Sat 10 AM-7 PM, Sun 10 AM-5 PM, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Rd., Rosemont, wizardworld.com/comiccon/chicago, $40-$60 one-day pass, $94.95 fourday pass. Taste of Greektown A celebration of Greek culture in—where else?—Greektown. There’s plenty of drinks, dancing, and food from neighborhood restaurants like Artopolis, Parthenon, and Santorini.

8/25-8/27: Fri 4-11 PM, Sat-Sun noon11 PM, 400 S. Halsted, tasteofgreektown.com. F Villapalooza This all-ages festival celebrates nonviolent spaces for arts, music, and community. Past performers have included the likes of Los Crudos, Dos Santos Anti-Beat Orquesta, and M.A.K.U. Soundsystem. Sat 8/26, time TBA, 26th and S. Central Park, villapalooza.org. F Wisconsin Bat Festival Take a road trip for this celebration of our furry, winged nocturnal friends. Sat 8/26, 9 AM-5 PM, Mitchell Park Conservatory, 524 S. Layton Blvd., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 414-257-5611, milwaukeedomes.org. F Chicago Triathlon Lucky for you, there’s a whole summer ahead to train for this annual test of endurance. All participants are invited to the Chicago Triathlon Multisport & Fitness Expo at the Hilton Chicago (720 S. Michigan) on Fri 8/25 and Sat 8/26. Sun 8/27, 6 AM, Monroe Harbor, 700 S. Lake Shore, chicagotriathlon.com, $145. Chicago Fringe Festival The city hosts 50 local, national, and international innovative performing arts acts, complete with workshops and events focusing on dance, theater, music, and more. 8/30-9/10, various times and locations, chicagofringe. org, $10. v

Grizfolk y SUSTO y Diane Coﬀee y Magic Giant Banditos y Nora Jane Struthers & the Party Line Air Traﬃc Controller y Nick Lynch The Whiskey Gentry y The Saps y Greta Van Fleet The Inventors y The War on Peace Rebecca Rego & the Trainmen y American Grizzly Dream Version y Ballroom Boxer Wild Skies y The Dirty Creeps Voted Best Food Fest CHICAGO READER

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26 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

South-side picnicking done right By MICHAEL GEBERT

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Honey 1 BBQ has ribs that will travel. o KEITH HALE/SUN-TIMES MEDIA

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t’s one of Chicago’s eternal complaints: food writers ignore the south side. Actually, I think the culinary coverage south of Madison Street is better than it used to be, with neighborhoods from Pilsen to Bridgeport to Chinatown now known as booming, hip dining-out neighborhoods. But I also think we shouldn’t be in any hurry to see the south side turn into Logan Square. For me a major interest of poking around the bottom half of the city has to do with its deeply rooted ethnic communities (and their foods). And I don’t know of any better way to take in the south side in the summer than to grab some food and then ﬁnd a spot outdoors to picnic and people watch.

page 15.) Get off at Ping Tom Park and walk straight south to the Chinatown Square Mall and Archer Avenue, where the choices will seem limitless. I think dumplings and pastries travel best for picnicking, so I’d hit a spot like SAINT ANNA BAKERY (2158 S. Archer, 312-2253168) for egg tarts and BBQ pork buns. Or go to the RICHLAND CENTER (2002 S. Archer) basement food court and assemble a smorgasbord from the stalls—pot stickers and jianbing (a fried kind of crepe burrito typically eaten for breakfast) at TONG’S RESTAURANT, the pork head meat pancake at TIENTSIN KITCHEN, Nanshan chicken (served cold, with a Sichuan peppercorn sauce that will make your mouth tingle) from SNACK PLANET. Then walk back to Ping Tom Park and eat by the river.

TAKE THE WATER TAXI BARBECUING AND TO DUMPLINGS NOTHINGNESS Did you know the Chicago Water Taxi stops in Chinatown? In fact, it’s a great way to pop down from the Loop to Chinatown. (See also

So far as I know, the only barbecue place on the entire south side that has seating is 19

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Paul, way down in Morgan Park. So when I hit LEM’S (311 E. 75th, 773-994-2428) for ribs, or HONEY 1 BBQ (746 E. 43rd, 773-285-9455) for rib tips, or UNCLE J’S (502 E. 47th, 872244-3535) for rib tips and hot links, my next stop is almost always the same: Lorado Taft’s statue Fountain of Time, in Washington Park, at 60th and Cottage Grove. Sit on its edge and contemplate eternity, then rinse your greasy fingers off in the fountain. Oh, and if you’re going to Lem’s, make sure to head to BROWN SUGAR BAKERY (328 E. 75th, 773-224-6262) for a caramel cupcake.

My first choice for a picnic would be to hit MEZQUITE POLLO EXPRESS (2809 W. 55th, 773424-8100) to pick up a whole grilled chicken, full of smoky char flavor, with handmade tortillas, refried beans, and salsa. Unless, that is, I feel like old-school thin-crust sausage pizza from PIZZA CASTLE (3256 W. 55th, 773Little Village is well worth 776-1075). Then I’d probably a visit—though most things TRAD SUMMER hit GELATINAS CRIS (4725 S. there should be eaten fresh “Cooler by the lake.” Cicero, 773-582-8162) to grab off the grill in a restaurant, a Mexican dessert like arroz not taken away. What travels ALT SUMMER con leche (rice pudding) or best would probably be the “Cooler full of beer by the gelatina con rompope (Jell-O tortas from DOÑA TORTA (3331 inflatable kiddie pool.” with a rum-milk concoction W. 26th, 773-257-0000). Take similar to eggnog). Unless I your asadero torta (steak) or deliciosa torta (breaded think I should visit one of the Polish bakeries, like RACINE steak), or capitalina torta BAKERY (6216 S. Archer, 773(breaded steak, chorizo, and TRAD SUMMER 581-8500) for bacon buns ham) to the new soccer fields Dodging slow-moving at La Villita Park, 2800 S. Sacand paczki, or PTICEK & SON pedestrians while astride ramento, where there’s bound BAKERY (5523 S. Narragansett, a bike on the overrun 773-585-5500), a real slice to be a game in progress on lakefront trail of the past, for a fresh, fruitany Saturday or Sunday—in the shadow of the Cook County filled coffee cake. ALT SUMMER No matter what part of this Jail complex. Dancing across the floor bounty I wind up with, in the on roller skates at the Rink end my destination will be (1122 E. 87th, 773-221-2600, the same: the eastern half of therinkchicago.com) Marquette Park, starting at Marquette (aka 67th) and California, finding a picnic spot among the families fishing the lagoon. The largest green space on the southwest side, it’s one of the most bucolic—and underappreciatIf the south side is overlooked, the southwest ed—spots in the city. v side of Chicago barely registers at all. For many north-siders it’s just home to Midway Airport—yet there’s lots to eat down here. ß @skyfullofbacon

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MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 27

28 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

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SLEEP RESEARCH STUDY FOR PEOPLE WITH LUNG DISEASE: Volunteers are invited to join this study: you must be over age 45 years, have either emphysema or chronic bronchitis and difﬁculty falling asleep or staying asleep to qualify. We are testing a program to improve sleep in people with lung disease. Volunteers eligible for the study will participate in 6 weekly sessions in one of four behavioral or educational programs. The programs are offered by the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Hines VA. Health evaluations include an overnight sleep study, lung function tests, two blood draws, activity monitoring and questionnaires. Compensation is provided to enrolled participants, all program activities and testing are free and free parking is provided.

The Super Chido cocktail at Mezcaleria Las Flores o COURTESY MEZCALERIA LAS FLORES

A ﬁeld guide to mezcal By MIKE SULA

ezcal and other agave distillates (sotol, raicilla, bacanora) are becoming ever more prevalent. Forget about smoke and worms: it’s easy to become lost in the universe of these spirits’ unique flavor profiles and aromas, and in different terroirs, plants, artisanal production methods, and personal stories behind the bottles. There’s plenty of industrial-grade mezcal on the market, but when it comes to the myriad of small-batch maestros whose distillates are making it north of the border in increasing volumes, you really need someone who’s been steeped in the spirit world to guide you. These days, most of Chicago’s mezcalerias are stocking with an eye toward long-term sustainability of the industry, focusing on brands that give back to the Mexican communities they came from by helping with infrastructure improvements, replanting, and education. Here’s where to go to find the good stuff.

THE “AGAVE TRIANGLE” Along with Estereo (2450 N. Milwaukee), these three spots form what nonprofit

S.A.C.R.E.D. (Saving Agave for Culture, Recreation, Education, and Development) calls the Agave Triangle. Donate $25 to S.A.C.R.E.D. and you’ll receive a receipt entitling you to a sample of a different agave spirit at each establishment. MASA AZUL Six years ago, due to mezcal’s exclusivity, owner Jason Lerner was forced to concentrate on small-batch tequilas, but as other agave spirits started entering the market, Masa Azul became the ﬁrst to stock them in quantity. Today there are 65 mezcals, eight sotols, four raicillas, and one bacanora behind the bar. “Since we are a small place with a small back bar, we have to be quite selective,” Lerner says. 2901 W. Diversey, 773-687-0300 MEZCALERIA LAS FLORES Chicago’s ﬁrst dedicated mezcaleria has gone through some changes since opening under former Frontera Group chief mixologist Jay Schroeder, who took a dedicated approach toward stocking the bar with agave spirits. After his departure a more generalist direction was undertaken by his replacement, J

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SUMMER GUIDE

The Super Chido cocktail at Mezcaleria Las Flores o COURTESY MEZCALERIA LAS FLORES

A ﬁeld guide to mezcal By MIKE SULA

THE “AGAVE TRIANGLE” Along with Estereo (2450 N. Milwaukee), these three spots form what nonprofit

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SUMMER GUIDE Mezcal continued from 29 Caitlin Laman, who was unavailable for comment. The future seems uncertain, but a publicist says that “there are nearly 100 bottles of mezcal and agave spirits behind the bar.” 3149 W. Logan, 773-278-2215

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QUIOTE There’s no better place to appreciate the vast complexity of more than 90 agave spirits than Quiote’s dark, womblike, subterranean bar. Bottles are also available for purchase upstairs, as are sal de gusano (worm salt), sal de chapulines (cricket salt), and the tiny handmade drinking vessels known as copitas—proceeds benefit S.A.C.R.E.D. 2456 N. California, 312-878-8571

HEAVY HITTERS LEÑA BRAVA With some 165 nontequila agave spirits on hand, Rick Bayless’s Baja-style seafood spot has the largest nonretail selection in town, going through 50-65 bottles a week. “A lot of our sales are in mezcal-based cocktails, but we continue to see more and more neat pours of mezcal being served in the restaurant,” says beverage director Jeﬀ Walters. 900 W. Randolph, 312-733-1975

NOTEWORTHY SPOTS DOS URBAN CANTINA A latecomer to the game, Brian Enyart’s progressive Mexican restaurant added some 40 agave spirits to its list after an R&D trip to Mexico City last July. 2829 W. Armitage, 773-661-6452

☼ ARTS & CRAFTS TRAD SUMMER Buying up local artists’ work at markets like the 57th Street Art Fair (6/36/4) or Artfest Michigan Avenue (7/21-7/23) ALT SUMMER Creating your own work of art at places like Make Chicago (1048 W. 37th, 312 925 2627, make-chicago. com) or Lillstreet Art Center (4401 N. Ravenswood, 773769-4226, lillstreet.com)

COOKOUTS TRAD SUMMER Those discount burgers at Jewel probably won’t kill me, right?

DOVE’S LUNCHEONETTE Bar manager Sam Carlton has curated more than 90 mezcals, sotols, bacanoras, and raicillas, eclipsing Dove’s tequila selection by almost half. 1545 N. Damen, 773-645-4060

WHERE TO FIND THE SACRED PLANT SWAP-O-RAMA On weekends you can find fresh pencas de maguey, or agave leaves, for sale to wrap your goat for birria or pork for cochinita pibil. Sometimes roasted agave hearts are on hand, not for distilling mezcal (that would be illegal), but for making vinegar or gnawing like sugarcane. 4200 S. Ashland, 708-344-7300

GARFIELD PARK CONSERVATORY The conservatory’s Desert Room is home to approximately 30 species of agave plants, at least seven of which can be distilled into something drinkable. A large agave americana (also known as the century plant) is expected to bloom before the end of the summer, sending its ﬂowering stalk, or quiote, skyward to spread its seeds, a rare and spectacular sight. Occasionally oﬀsets from the conservatory’s agave plants are offered for sale in the gift shop. 300 N. Central Park, 312-746-5100 v

ALT SUMMER Killing the grill game with an Asian-inspired barbecue using vegetables, meats, and spices from Viet Hoa Plaza (1051 W. Argyle, 773-334-1028)

MORENO’S LIQUORS Starting in 1980 with a single bottle of Gusano Rojo (now out of production), Mike Moreno Sr. increased his inventory to the more than 300 bottles of nontequila agave spirits that sit on the shelves of his Little Village liquor store today—the largest retail collection in the midwest, if not the country, with prices ranging from $19.99 to $232.99. The store celebrates its 40th anniversary on May 20 with a block party and daylong tasting of craft mezcals. 3724 W. 26th, 773-277-7737

ß @MikeSula

Drug Companies Fear Release of the New AloeCure Big Pharma stands to lose billions as doctors’ recommend drug-free “health cocktail” that adjusts and corrects your body’s health conditions. Drug company execs are nervous. That’s because the greatest health advance in decades has hit the streets. And analysts expect it to put a huge crimp in “Big Pharma” profits. So what’s all the fuss about? It’s about a new ingredient that’s changing the lives of people who use it. Some call it “the greatest discovery since penicillin”! And others call it “a miracle!” The name of the product is the AloeCure. It’s not a drug. It’s something completely different. And the product is available to anyone who wants it, at a reasonable price. But demands may force future prices to rise.

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MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 31

Searching for lovable losers? 16-inch softball is the answer

A case for trading in your Lolla pass Consider spending your money supporting smaller outdoor music fests.

By KEVIN WARWICK

By LEOR GALIL

Ô JOHN GARRISON

or north-siders who miss the sweet nadir of the Chicago Cubs—those glory decades when the team’s inferiority meant you could haggle a scalped ticket down to five bucks and later drape your legs over the empty seat in front of you—there’s a way to recapture some of that feeling. Now imagine this: five diamonds bustling on a muggy midsummer Tuesday night with games of 16-inch softball, the homegrown recreational (beer-drinking) sport that’s about as Chicago as the Cubs. Some might consider such a backdrop a crackerjack substitute for Wrigley Field. I’d suggest bringing your own seat; there aren’t likely to be any bleachers. With a bigger ball, no gloves, and more broken ﬁngers, a game of 16-inch softball can often lumber along with the grace of a bulldozer—and in that respect it provides great theater for spectators. There’s a delicate beauty to watching a mid-30s Chicago lifer sweat out a rainbow shot as it cuts through the wind and mutates into a cantaloupe-size knuckleball. The horror of somehow having to corral that thing with your bare hands—don’t trap it with your chest!—adds a level of realness to the game that 12-inch doesn’t offer. And perhaps to the disbelief of some, a game of 16-inch is not exclusively for beer-bellied jamokes. A player’s intensity isn’t guaranteed to be dulled by an innocent can or two of Old

32 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

Style nestled in the damp grass of the outfield. Expletives will still fly and investment bankers will still be happy to slide into the ankles of advertising copywriters—very often for an audience of no one. But for baseball fans exasperated by crowds and the rigamarole of navigating a stadium on a shoestring budget, the entertainment provided by 16-inch-softball leagues is free, plentiful, and brief (each game is one hour long). Brian Irving, the vice president of operations for Chicago Sport & Social Club— which organizes 16-inch leagues across the city—believes the best bets for rec-league action during the week are at Grant Park’s Upper Hutchinson Field (Monday through Wednesday, 6-8:30 PM) or Lincoln Park South (Tuesday or Wednesday, 6:30-10:30 PM). The former offers four fields of 16-inch softball, the latter five. A little farther west, Union Park hosts leagues on Mondays and Wednesdays. If you’re looking for something closer to your house, simply head out the front door and walk toward any park with a diamond—this is Chicago, there’s likely to be one nearby. If there’s a 16-inch league in progress, come back the next week with a lawn chair and a handheld radio turned to the Cubs (or Sox) game. Settle in and enjoy the pleasant alternative. v

our-day general admission passes to this year’s Lollapalooza sold out in about two and a half hours this year, but if you’re eager to get to Grant Park that weekend you can still spring for a platinum pass. It’ll get you into two air-conditioned “hospitality lounges,” separate viewing areas for four of the stages, special restrooms, free drinks and catered meals, and you’ll be able to catch a ride to all the stages on a golf cart. All this for $4,200. Lolla’s organizers like to pitch their festival as the pride of summertime Chicago. Fortunately, it’s just a small fraction of the live music offerings available in the city during the warmer months. True, Lolla’s restrictive radius clauses—which can prevent artists from performing within 300 miles of Chicago for six months before the festivities and three months afterwards—make it difficult to see anyone on that fest’s bill outside of Grant Park, though some of the best artists have found loopholes. (Migos, for example, will play the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre on June 2 as part of Future’s Nobody Safe tour.) If you evenly distribute the cost of a Lolla platinum pass across the 110 days of summer, you’ll wind up with a little more than $38 to spend each day—that’s just slightly above the $36 general admission ticket to the Nobody Safe tour (not including the Ticketmaster fees, of course). But for those of us scraping together funds to see live music on the cheap, there

is a wealth of options. And often the least expensive events wind up being the most memorable of the summer. One of them, Do-Division Festival, kicks off on June 2, the unofficial beginning of the season. Making the most of summer doesn’t have to involve big, multiday events. There are plenty of smaller neighborhood festivals, such as Green Music Fest, the Pilsen Food Truck Social, and Villapalooza, which draw fantastic acts for a small donation (if that); many request $5, though a few ask as much as $10. This summer that means you can see postpunk legends ESG and rising Chicago rapper Femdot play West Fest for roughly the same amount of money you’d fork over for one beer at Lolla. Some of the bigger community gatherings—Wicker Park Fest, the Silver Room Block Party in Hyde Park—have yet to announce their schedules. Others, such as the southeast-side 3 Yards Bangin’ House Fest, haven’t announced any plans for this season’s festivities. No matter, though: part of the joy of live music in the summertime is that the multitude of inexpensive events guarantees you’ll be able to ﬁnd at least one act that piques your interest. And it’s a lot more fun to go to a show when you really want to be present in the moment and not because an expensive pass obligates you to be there. v

ß @imLeor

ß @kevinwarwick

ROUND ONE NOMINATIONS END FRIDAY, MAY 19 AT NOON! Nominate the best in Chicago for Goods & Services, Food & Drink, Music & Nightlife, Arts & Culture, Sports & Recreation, and City Life.

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MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 33

ARTS & CULTURE

READER RECOMMENDED

b ALL AGES

Daniel Kyri in Objects in the Mirror o LIZ LAUREN

THEATER

Coping with an apocalypse By TONY ADLER

n 1980, a couple years before Shedrick Yarkpai was born, a master sergeant named Samuel Doe led a coup against Liberian president William Tolbert Jr., executing Tolbert and his entire cabinet. In 1990 Doe was executed in his turn by forces under the command of Charles Taylor. Yarkpai was a child at that point, living with his mother in the Liberian capital, Monrovia. There followed a civil war that’s reported to have displaced a million people and killed anywhere from 200,000 to 600,000. (By comparison, it’s estimated that the Syrian Civil War has so far killed about 400,000.) That lasted until 1997,

when Yarkpai was a teenager. A second civil war began in 1999, ending in 2003 with the resignation of Taylor, who escaped into exile despite indictments against him for crimes against humanity. By then Yarkpai had entered an exile of his own, though he’d hurt no one. A refugee, he passed through parts of West Africa no less dangerous than his homeland and spent four years in a Guinean camp he describes as “hell” before finally reaching Adelaide, Australia, on a humanitarian visa. He’s living there now, working, interestingly enough, as an actor. That’s the real-life history behind Objects

BASE CAMP: cocktails, specimens, and scientists. 6 - 9 pm on June 6, July 6, August 1, September 5 • Tickets at fieldmuseum.org/basecamp 34 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

ARTS & CULTURE

Ryan Kitley and Daniel Kyri o LIZ LAUREN

in the Mirror, getting a thoughtful, powerful and (thanks to the interplay of Riccardo Hernandez’s set with Mike Tutaj’s projections) visually elegant world premiere now under Chuck Smith’s direction at Goodman Theatre. Former Chicago playwright Charles Smith recounts it all during a long expository first act, delivered in flashback by his stage version of Yarkpai (Daniel Kyri). But the play is more than the narrative of Yarkpai’s journey through hard times. Like another fact-based story about a third-world boy who ﬁnds sanctuary in Australia—Garth Davis’s 2016 movie Lion—Objects in the Mirror means to explore the psychic and moral costs of survival when it requires alienation not only from home but from one’s self. As Smith shows us, circumstances required Yarkpai to travel under an assumed name— that of his cousin and friend, Zaza Workolo (a bluff, genial Breon Arzell), whose frustration with camp life led to rebellion and death. Yarkpai retains his Zaza alias in Australia, afraid that the deception will get him kicked back to Liberia if it’s exposed. Still, though his de facto father, Uncle John (Allen Gilmore), tells him the lie is a minor transgression, necessary to the whole family’s well-being, it preys on Yarkapi’s conscience with all the force of a concealed murder. Which is precisely what it represents to him: the murder of a part of himself, of a crucial connection to his past. Shedrick/Zaza confides his false identity to Rob Mosher (Ryan Kitley), a middle-aged, white Australian lawyer who’s taken the young African under his wing. Looking into it, Mosher ﬁnds that there’s a simple, no-fault solution: a single form Zaza can sign to become Shedrick again. Uncle John won’t hear of it, though, and the second half of Objects in the Mirror turns into a struggle between Yarkpai’s two benefactors: the black one who brought him

out of Liberia and the white one who can help bring him out of hiding in Adelaide. Strangely, considering all that goes on in the first act, from war and leave-taking to risky border crossings and internments, this final struggle turns out to be the most absorbing passage in the play. Partly, of course, because it goes beyond incident to address the spiritual trauma Shedrick has suffered in order to survive in a world that’s apparently trying to kill him—but also and to a great extent because of Uncle John. Just as Satan famously has it all over God as the most vivid character in Paradise Lost, so Uncle John is the magnetic center of Objects in the Mirror. Though Kyri’s Shedrick is certainly endearing in his sweet diffidence, his quiet longing to be whole again, Gilmore’s Uncle John is a full-out iconic creation: equal parts Fagin and Merlin, with a genius for realpolitik that would put Macchiavelli to shame. Most of all, he’s a master of language, willing—as Mosher learns—to slip from blandishments to blackmail at a moment’s notice, able—as Shedrick discovers—to tell whatever story requires telling. It isn’t that Uncle John doesn’t love, it’s that he understands the discipline one needs to cope with an apocalypse. Had he been born white in the ﬁrst world, Uncle John might’ve been a Great Man; as it happens, he’s a black Mother Courage, using his skills to secure small victories in a context of major losses. Objects in the Mirror is his tragedy as much as anyone’s. v R OBJECTS IN THE MIRROR Through 6/4: Wed 7:30 PM, Thu 2 and 7:30 PM, Fri 8 PM, Sat 2 and 8 PM, Sun 2 and 7:30 PM (2 PM only 5/28 and 6/4); also Tue 5/23, 7:30, Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn, 312-443-3800, goodmantheatre.org, $20-$75.

ß @taadler MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 35

ARTS & CULTURE Orn Panmunee, one of the participating artists in Nasty Women Art Chicago o ANNE BOULEANU

M RUN FRO 1 S P M A C mber K LONG

WEE

pte

to Se 5 e n u J

VISUAL ART

Women artists get Nasty

By ANNE BOULEANU

iends. Make Fr . emories M e k a M t. Make Ar

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36 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

usan Messer McBride was wiping clay off her hands when she began talking about feminism in the age of Donald Trump. In the past McBride, an artist and educator for decades, wasn’t very politically motivated. But that’s changed since the election. “I look now where we are in this country and I feel like we’re rolling back,” McBride said on a break between teaching classes at Lillstreet Art Center in Ravenswood. “Women’s rights are under attack, full-on.” Her fear and anger spurred her to take on the role of lead facilitator for the Nasty Women Art Chicago show, which took place on Friday, May 5, at Moonlight Studios in the West Loop. For McBride, as for many of the other artists involved with Nasty Women, the election was a turning point. She found her worldview had changed, and that some of that change had bled into her work. She began using different kinds of clay, adjusting her usual ceramics technique and taking out her frustrations in a new medium. For Nasty Women, McBride presented a white hand-crafted porcelain plate with a blue octopus on the surface, drawing links between women and the sea creature,

describing both as “diverse, creative, and intelligent.” “It’s the intersection of art and activism,” McBride continued. “You do it because it is your voice—to let that happen, to let that come out. I’m almost 50 years old, and I’ve not been political until now. Because I have to be.” The Chicago show was one of more than 40 that have taken place since January of this year—the ﬁrst in New York City—with dozens more planned across the U.S. and Europe, according to the Nasty Women Exhibition website. (“Nasty Women” refers to the now infamous moment when Donald Trump called Hillary Clinton a “nasty woman” during a presidential debate in October 2016.) According to event organizers, more than 1,700 people attended; 350 women artists from 18 states and ﬁve countries, ranging in age from nine to 94, contributed works. All of the money made from sales, in addition to donations, will be sent to Planned Parenthood of Illinois. Organizers say they raised more than $30,000 that night. At Moonlight Studios, hundreds waited in line to get into the show. DJs including Hiroko, Lady D, and Diskokitty played upbeat electronic sets while visitors gazed at pieces

ARTS & CULTURE Hank Azaria and Amanda Peet in Brockmire

Entryway of Moonlight Studios during the Nasty Women Art Chicago show on May 5

o ERIKA DOSS/IFC

o ANNE BOULEANU

hanging on the brick walls, including a hyperrealist pencil drawing by Jordan Lentz in which two androgynous women in tuxedos look out at the viewer with hooded eyes. Artist Amanda Ontiveros cross-stitched the words “Yo soy capaz, yo soy fuerte, yo soy invencible, yo soy mujer” in blue and red on aida cloth. The Spanish translates to “I am able, I am strong, I am invincible, I am woman,” a play on the lyrics of Helen Reddy’s 1971 song “I Am Woman.” Another artist, Mary Ruth, presented a piece called Women’s Issues: Portrait of the Male Ego. She used menstrual blood overlaid on an upside-down American flag to paint an image of a yelling Donald Trump. Although not officially linked to the Women’s March in January, the Nasty Women Art Show is a natural extension of the community of activists who came together on January 21. Women’s March organizers estimated that more than 250,000 gathered in Grant Park in Chicago, with millions more joining in cities around the globe. Because the Women’s March was so formidable—it was estimated by the Washington Post to be the biggest one-day protest in U.S. history—it’s informed the path ahead for the Trump resistance, inspiring like-minded events such as the Nasty Women Art show. And the room was packed when Dianna Tyler, aka Goddess Warrior, took the ﬂoor to perform. Born on the west side of Chicago, Tyler, who lost her mother to domestic violence, came on the spoken-word scene four years ago; her work frequently addresses gun violence, loss, and healing. For Tyler, art and advocacy are intimately linked. “I’m sure there’s a lot of women in this place tonight who have also gone through things, and they have a means to express themselves or an outlet to tell their stories,” Tyler said before going onstage. “And that’s what it’s about. It’s about tell-

ing your story and seeing who you can connect with and who relates to what you’ve gone through. . . . That communication and that message leads to political action, it leads to activism.” It was the community of women activists and artists who were on Tyler’s mind before she took the mike. “You know, Donald Trump called Hillary Clinton nasty, and it was kind of in reference to all women,” Tyler said. “So we’re here today to represent every nasty woman across America. I know I’m nasty at what I do. We look at it as a means of being dope, at being great at what you do, so I’m just here to give it my all.” Orn Panmunee was drawing portraits in a corner of one of the galleries. Dressed in overalls and a backward red baseball cap, she sat and intently sketched throughout the night. Originally from Thailand, Panmunee moved to Chicago ﬁve years ago, and she too is new to political activism. “Oh my god, I need to do something,” Panmunee said, describing her response to the election. “I just had a son—seven months old—and he’s Thai-Mexican, so I feel like it’s going to be quite difficult for him if he grows up and we live in a white neighborhood.” She started drawing small four-by-sixinch portraits using pencil and marker in a series called “People of Color,” taking traditional portraiture and using greens, purples, and blues to draw human faces, challenging the myths of white purity and beauty. She’s worried her son will face the discrimination she has as an immigrant, but she’s also concerned about how her son will grow up to view women in the Trump era. “I want to teach my son to respect women,” Panmunee said. “I want my son to look at women in a different way than our president looks at women.” v

ß @annebouleanu

SMALL SCREEN

Brockmire won’t make America great again By DMITRY SAMAROV

im Brockmire is a fitting TV hero for America in 2017. He’s a famous baseball announcer who disappears from public view after an on-air meltdown, then attempts to resurrect his life and career as the voice of a struggling minor-league team in a dying rustbelt town. Brockmire’s longing for a quaint rose-tinted past that never existed and his vulgar means of getting what he wants are an apt reflection of the country right now. But that doesn’t mean Brockmire is a good TV show. In 2007, Brockmire (Hank Azaria) is the beloved voice of the Kansas City Royals, famous for his old-timey-announcer delivery and affectionate sign-off, in which he alerts his wife, Lucy, he’s on his way home. His circumstances change when he walks in on her having an orgy. An expletive-ﬁlled tirade followed by a bizarre press conference where he strips off his clothes makes him persona non grata. Ten years later, after a stint broadcasting cockfights in the Philippines, he’s back in the USA to try to get back on top. His road to the majors begins as the PA announcer for the Morristown Frackers. Brockmire seems unaware of anything that’s gone on during his absence—he’s horrified when his new teenaged assistant, Charles (Tyrel Jackson Williams), shows him that his long-ago tirade has since become a viral meme, to the point that “going Brockmire” has become a colloquialism for having a melt-

down. The prospect of never living down his lowest moment makes him contemplate ending it all, but Jules (Amanda Peet), the team’s owner, convinces him to stay with the promise of unlimited booze and a place in her bed. Each episode of the show’s eight-part first season (it’s already been renewed for a second) begins with a flashback to some incident in Brockmire’s past. Whether it’s the time he betrayed a fellow broadcaster or was put down by his father as a young boy, these vignettes lay the groundwork for missteps he continues to make in his present life. He’s a crude, selfsatisfied failure incapable of learning anything from his mistakes. Still, he’s beloved by the hicks who attend the Frackers’ games, and he’s landed the prettiest girl in town. The unrelenting cynicism and darkness of Brockmire, particularly when he’s off-mike, often sounds like what the average American is exposed to on the evening news in 2017. Gathering the town together to watch a network interview he’s just given, Brockmire muses that rich people are just poor people with money; the only worthwhile thing in life is to be famous. A smug jerk who gets everything he wants while doing next to nothing to earn it is apparently the kind of hero TV executives believe we need right now. But why should we root for such a man? v BROCKMIRE Wednesdays at 9 PM on IFC

MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 37

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Alec Baldwin and Diane Lane in Paris Can Wait

MOVIES

Pass the ketchup By ANDREA GRONVALL

longtime friend in Los Angeles used to groan whenever I would gasp at each artfully designed course that arrived at our table in some fancy eatery. I was always mystified by his reaction, but after seeing Paris Can Wait, Eleanor Coppola’s paean to French cuisine, I understand his point: It’s just a meal, honey—get over it. The filmmaker, w ife of Francis Ford Coppola and mother of directors Sofia and Roman, long ago established herself as, if not exactly an artist in her own right, one in tandem with her family. With Fax Bahr and George Hickenlooper, she won an Emmy for the 1991 documentary Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse, about her husband’s runaway production Apocalypse Now. Her memoirs Notes on the Making of Apocalypse Now (1979) and Notes on a Life (2008) are candid, illuminating, and well written. This makes Paris Can Wait, her dramatic treatment of a culinary road trip through France she made with a charming colleague, all the more disappointing. Coppola’s heroine, Anne (Diane Lane), is the supportive spouse of a famous ﬁlm producer (Alec Baldwin) who’s just concluding business at the Cannes ﬁlm festival and more focused on his bottom line than his wife’s trim derriere. Suffering from an ear ailment, ssss EXCELLENT

sss GOOD

Anne declines to fly with him to Budapest, opting instead to drive to Paris with his affable business partner, Jacques (Arnaud Viard). But the Frenchman blithely turns her short trip into an extended jaunt through picturesque locations from Vézelay to Lyon, punctuated by sumptuous meals at acclaimed restaurants that are curiously empty (extras are expensive). Over dinner, Jacques woos Anne with the sort of smarmy badinage that expired with Maurice Chevalier and gives trendy gastro tourism a bad name. Anne parries his thrusts with an unconvincing modesty and photographs her expensive meals; he responds with the occasional grand gesture, like buying enough roses so that their car’s backseat resembles a hearse. There are more authentic films about life, love, and food—Babette’s Feast (1989), Julie & Julia (2009), the Steve Coogan-Rob Brydon comedies The Trip (2010) and The Trip to Italy (2014). This is nothing but a vanity project, relying on the conceit that Anne has been unfairly languishing in her husband’s shadow. Eleanor Coppola must have made many sacriﬁces for her husband’s art, but with Paris Can Wait the sacriﬁce is all ours. v PARIS CAN WAIT • Directed by Eleanor Coppola. PG, 93 min. Landmark’s Century Centre, River East 21

ss AVERAGE

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MUSIC IN ROTATION

A Reader staﬀer shares three musical obsessions, then asks someone (who asks someone else) to take a turn. Bitty McLean in 2009 o FABRICE COFFRINI/AP

A still from Lil Uzi Vert’s video for “XO TOUR Llif3” Morimoto at a local Sofar Sounds show in December 2016

LEOR GALIL Reader music critic

KAINA Singer-songwriter

MACEO HAYMES Cofounder and

Lil Uzi Vert, “XO TOUR Llif3” I’d been a bit cool on this Philadelphia rapper, but this raw single thawed me. Who knew the thing that’d get me would be hearing Uzi sing about suicide and Xanax over glassy synthetic vibes, ersatz violin stabs, and a syrupy, ballooning percussion loop?

Morimoto, “People Watching” Morimoto is one of the Chicago artists I’m most excited about now. He’s a multi-instrumentalist, producer, writer, singer, rapper . . . basically he’s not real. The Sofar video of his original tune “People Watching” is the best, because it so clearly shows how good he is at everything he does. The production is beautiful—a combination of soulful sax, funky bass, and smooth synth. The writing is nostalgic, the vocals are warm, and the hook is so damn catchy—what else could you ask of a song? All of the shows I’ve seen him play have been incredible, funny, and never for a second not magical. This is someone to look out for—I can merch it.

Quincy Jones, Body Heat Quincy Jones’s seminal Body Heat, released by A&M in 1974, is a work of genius. I first found this album in high school, but I’ve since rediscovered it—and it’s become a source of new inspiration. Two of the most memorable songs, “If I Ever Lose This Heaven” and “One Track Mind,” were cowritten by (and include vocals from) the great Leon Ware, who passed in February. Jones’s cover of Valdy’s acoustic ballad “A Good Song,” titled “Just a Man,” is also a gem.

The Carver Area High School Seniors, “Get Live ’83” The historical record of early Chicago hip-hop is spotty and strange, and in its narrative (or lack thereof) the 12-inch single “Get Live ’83” occupies a fascinating position. Recorded in 1982 by a group of seniors at Carver Area High and released on the south-side school’s label, Challenger Records, the song precedes many of what are often considered the city’s “first” rap releases. (For a deeply researched overview of those early years, I recommend Kevin Beacham’s chronology on the Galapagos4 site.) In the early 80s, most people outside New York City treated rap as a gimmick or fad, but crucially, the kids on “Get Live ’83” show a real love of the form. Nine Inch Nails meets the Unicorn Frappuccino Bless whoever noticed the similarities between the toxic-looking purple-and-blue swirl of Starbucks’ short-lived Unicorn Frappuccino “drink” and the cover art on Nine Inch Nails’ 1989 debut, Pretty Hate Machine. The resulting meme started out as a diptych of the alleged beverage and the classic album, then sprouted the inevitable mutations as it spread—it’s [100 emoji][ﬁre emoji] [laugh-cry emoji].

J. Bambii featuring Syd Shaw, “Clark & Lake” Jasmine Barber, aka J. Bambii, is an incredible woman for many reasons: she’s a teaching artist, a tarot reader, and a healer. She embodies black girl magic. Truly, though, I want people to start knowing her for her raps. I think she’s ready to be known that way too: she released two singles in April. The new “Clark & Lake,” which features powerhouse singer-rapper Syd Shaw, provides a healthy jolt of the unstoppable force that is J. Bambii. Zack Sekoff featuring Leven Kali, “15LUV” Maceo Haymes of the O’My’s showed me this song that I’m really diggin’. The Soundcloud description says “no samples,” and you’ll understand why after you listen. It looks like Sekoff also did some work on Thundercat’s new album, Drunk, so I’m deﬁnitely interested in following this LA producer to see what other dope, funky shit he’ll be making.

singer-guitarist of the O’My’s

Various artists, Brazil Classics 1: Beleza Tropical This 1989 compilation came to me a few years ago via the father of [my O’My’s bandmate] Nick Hennessey. Assembled by Talking Heads’ David Byrne, Brazil Classics 1 takes a deep dive into the country’s tropicalia and MPB movements, covering tremendous range: it contains roots and traces of bossa nova, samba, funk, African rhythms, poetry, psychedelia, rock, and liberatory politics. “Um Canto de Afoxé Para o Bloco do Ilê” by Caetano Veloso is a personal favorite. Bitty McLean, “Walk Away From Love” I was recently put on to this version of David Ruffin’s 1975 hit by a friend. I’m a huge fan of reggae and of Ruffin (one of the lead singers in the classic 1960s Temptations lineup), and to me this song is everything. The cover fits perfectly into a long tradition of reggae artists reworking American R&B, soul, and country, and McLean’s voice and the music backing him bring new life to the Ruffin classic.

MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 39

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Recommended and notable shows and critics’ insights for the week of May 18

MUSIC

b ALL AGES F

PICK OF THE WEEK

Retirement be damned, minimalist composer Phill Niblock is still going strong at age 83

Arkona o COURTESY THE ARTISTS

THURSDAY18 Arkona Sirenia, Mindmaze, and Sicocis open. 7 PM, Subterranean, 2011 W. North, $22, $20 in advance. 17+

o LINDSAY METIVIER

PHILL NIBLOCK

Sat 5/20, 8 PM, Graham Founation, Madlener House, 4 W. Burton, free with RSVP via lampo.org. b

THE HOPED-FOR PARADOX of minimalism is that reduced means will result in maximum effect. No artist has accomplished this more completely than composer and filmmaker Phill Niblock, whose music intentionally eschews rhythm and melody in favor of massed, sustained tones. The beats that result when microscopically variant pitches are played at sufficient volume turn unchanging tones into dense clouds of constantly morphing sound. And while the 83-year-old New Yorker prefers the timbres of acoustic instruments, these transformative phenomena result in music that often sounds electronic. He usually accompanies his compositions, which last 20 minutes or more, with ﬁlms of people engaged in manual labor. Their movements, presented without comment, operate independently of the music, but their combined effects are powerfully trance inducing. One maximal thing about Niblock is his work ethic. While the decline of CD sales has slowed the rate with

which he releases multi-CD sets—his most recent, the double-disc Touch Five (Touch), came out in 2013—he’s actually stepped up his composing. According to an interview with Bomb magazine, he made 14 pieces in the year following Touch Five, and aside from that record’s “FeedCorn Ear,” which was composed for cellist Arne Defòrce, everything he’ll perform at this concert is being played in Chicago for the first time. The program includes “Bag” (2014), for bagpiper David Watson; “Praised Fan” (2016), for bassoonist Dafne Vicente-Sandoval; “Ronet” (2014), for tenor saxophonist Neil Leonard; “V&LSG” (2015), for vocalist Lore Lixenberg and lapsteel guitarist Guy De Bièvre; and “Vlada BC” (2013), for Elisabeth Smalt’s baroque viola d’amore. Niblock has a long-standing relationship with the nonprofit Lampo, which hosted his first concert here in 2000. Tonight’s performance, his first in Chicago since 2008, will close out its winter/spring 2017 schedule. —BILL MEYER

Russian pagan folk-metal legends Arkona really didn’t need to hit the reset button and rerecord their 2004 debut, Vozrozhdenie (Napalm)—as their first throwdown of a chain-mail gauntlet, it still reverberates beautifully. But they did, and on their 2016 redo, driven now by the duo of front woman and songwriter Masha “Scream” Arkhipova and her husband, guitarist Sergei “Lazar” Atrashkevich (who mixed and mastered), the band joyously reaﬃrm their pagan roots with a more polished and savage version of the record with which they began. Fat has been trimmed and edges sharpened, and the peaks and valleys of the epic landscape stand out in sharper relief. If Arkona wanted to now start reworking their whole back catalog, I’d accept it well enough as an excuse for more touring—they’re a spectacular live act who in seconds ﬂat can bring an audience to a gallop on the steppes or a romp around a bonfire in the forest. —MONICA KENDRICK

Jambinai Imelda Marcos and Naga open. 9 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, $12.

Last year Ilwoo Lee, guitarist and principal songwriter for Seoul postrock group Jambinai, told Noisey that “many Korean people don’t listen to traditional Korean music and they don’t respect Korean traditional culture.” Having studied music at the country’s National University of Arts, he’d been exposed to historically important forms in which few people his age had any interest. In 2009, Lee, who’s also a champion of the bamboo flute known as a piri, formed Jambinai with two like-minded students: Bomi Kim performs with a two-stringed fiddle-like instrument called a haegeum, while Eunyong Sim prefers the geomungo, which is part of the zither family and is typically played while it’s resting ﬂat on the ground. The threesome’s intention has been to bring their cultural history to the present, and in doing so J

MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 41

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Joan Shelley

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Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7 10PM

Kate Simko & London Electronic Orchestra In Szold Hall

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they’ve sketched out some potential new paths for postrock. On their debut full-length, Differance, now available on vinyl outside of South Korea thanks to Bella Union, Jambinai use Korean strings to instill both a sharp sense of dread and a majesty reminiscent of a new dawn—and with those folk instruments they’re able to keep their atmospheric songs grounded rather than watch them disintegrate at a moment’s notice. The powerful, sweeping “Connection” shows that Jambinai know how to wrestle beauty out of what many of their peers had written oﬀ as relics. —LEOR GALIL

In Szold Hall

SATURDAY, JUNE 17 8PM

5/26

Jambinai o COURTESY THE ARTISTS

Global Dance Party: Son de Madera with special guest Patricio Hidalgo Global Dance Party: Milonga Cumparsita with DJ Charrua and special guests A Conversation with Robben Ford

WORLD MUSIC WEDNESDAY SERIES FREE WEEKLY CONCERTS, LINCOLN SQUARE

5/24 Belén Mackinlay Trio 5/31 Kaiju Daiko & Chikoto Taiko

42 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

Michael Zerang & Spires That in the Sunset Rise Matchess opens. 8:30 PM, Constellation, 3111 N. Western, $10. 18+ Since forming 16 years ago, Spires That in the Sunset Rise have been blazing their own trippy path, with the group’s two core members, Kathleen Baird and Taralie Peterson, increasingly embracing a more improvisational ethos while retaining homemade folk roots. That shift has never been more pronounced than in their ongoing collaboration with percussionist Michael Zerang, a partnership that recently dropped its second recording, Illinois Glossolalia (Feeding Tube). Spires began at the far edge of experimental folk music, and while they continue to play an ever-expanding arsenal of instruments associated with folk traditions in the U.S. and around the world, they’ve regularly subverted that approach to suit their own idiosyncratic vision. On the new record the group concocted a sound that seems to exist within an impossible nexus that collides a thorny mutation of 50s exotica and Yma Sumac with the maverick spirit of Harry Partch; it feels like ritual music, but it’s too open and loose to function in any single prescribed fashion. Using both a conventional drum kit and various forms of hand percussion, Zerang gives the music a loosely propulsive shape, but there’s no question that Baird and Peterson are the focal points, their prim-

itive, yowling, meditative chants and spooky melodic shapes curdling the assortment of ﬂutes, stringed instruments, and manipulated field recordings. —PETER MARGASAK Rock, Pop, Etc Bonobo, Jeremy Sole 8 PM, Concord Music Hall, sold out, 17+ Lee DeWyze, Kathryn Dean 8 PM, SPACE b Ember Oceans, Lost Stars, Capital Soiree 8 PM, Emporium Arcade Bar F Family Crest, Trevor Sensor 8 PM, Schubas, 18+ Taylor Hicks, Brett Wiscons 8 PM, City Winery b Home Sweet Home, New Oceans, Daniel Wade 9 PM, Cubby Bear Pennal Johnson, Sweet Diezel Jenkins 8 PM, Reggie’s Music Joint Midnight Oil, Boytoy 8 PM, the Vic, sold out, 18+ North Mississippi Allstars, Alvin Youngblood Heart & Rev Sekou 8 PM, Lincoln Hall Oceano, Slaughter to Prevail, Aversions Crown 6 PM, Wire, Berwyn Raven, Ambulance, Lethal Shock, Beast Warrior 7 PM, Reggie’s Rock Club Jenna Roxy & the Church of Modern Love 9 PM, Hideout Rum Velvet, Guerilla Dix 8 PM, Township Savoy Motel, Elk Walking, Victor 8:30 PM, Beat Kitchen, 17+ The Story So Far, Turnstile, Drug Church 7 PM, Bottom Lounge, sold out b Third Twin Sister, Right Here, Class of 88, Bertram, Sincere Engineer 9 PM, Quenchers Saloon Tougher Than You Thought, Davidstout, Leah Jean 8 PM, Martyrs’ Hip-Hop Ace Da Vinci, Paul Giallorenzo & Peter Maunu 7:30 PM, Comfort Station F b Rick Ross 8 PM, Chicago Theatre Stooki Sound, Joker, Fowl, Nave 8 PM, 1st Ward, 18+ Wale, Todt Illdude, Phil Ade, L.A. Vangogh 8:30 PM, House of Blues, 17+

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MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 43

MUSIC continued from 42 Dance Bonobo 10 PM, the Mid Delamota, Dioptrics, Fineprint, Tim Nice, Subverb, Scrimshaw, Lipton, Fiyaﬂy, Sincerious, Riﬂe MC, Fonz MC 10 PM, Smart Bar F Konstantin Jace 7 PM, Bar at the Peninsula Folk & Country Beau Sample, Joel Paterson, and Oscar Wilson 6 PM, Hideout Jazz David Boykin, Brian Smith, and Dr. Charles Joseph Smith 8 PM, the Promontory b Xavier Breaker Coalition 8 and 10 PM, also Fri 5/19 and Sat 5/20, 8 and 10 PM; Sun 5/21, 4, 8, and 10 PM, Jazz Showcase Bobby Broom Trio 9 PM, California Clipper Isabelle Duthoit & Franz Hautzinger, Marc Riordan 9 PM, Elastic b International Tropics 9 PM, also Tue 5/23, 9 PM, Wild Hare Classical Chicago Symphony Orchestra Jakub Hrusa, conductor (Smetana). 8 PM, also also Fri 5/19, 1:30 PM and Sat 5/20, 8 PM, Symphony Center

FRIDAY19 Billy Flynn 9 PM, Smoke Daddy, 1804 W. Division. F b Billy Flynn has quietly been playing an essential role in Chicago blues for some time. A Green Bay resident, he’s frequently made the ﬁve-hour drive from Wisconsin to Illinois to play behind the distinguished likes of Jimmy Dawkins (whom Flynn considers his mentor), Billy Boy Arnold, Jody Williams, and Willie Kent as well as with the band Mississippi Heat. Flynn also plays the area regularly under his own name, and tonight marks a special occasion: the celebration of Lonesome Highway, his Delmark debut. Previous Flynn albums are quite eclectic, showcasing his talents on the mandolin and indulging his taste for instrumentals (Big Guitar, his vocal-less CD on Easy Baby, is practically the missing link between Earl Hooker and Dick Dale). This new record, however, puts his capable vocals in the spotlight, with blues singer Deitra Farr providing some assistance. Flynn approaches his music with a jazz musician’s sense of precision, but fuses it together with the looseness of the blues. Can’t-miss. —JAMES PORTER

Bill MacKay 9 PM, Hungry Brain, 2319 W. Belmont, $10. For years Bill MacKay has soldiered on as one of the most skilled and tasteful guitarists in Chicago, a player who fluidly moves between jazz and

44 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

Bill MacKay o DAN MOHR

rock while making several stops in between. He’s gained attention for his quartet Darts & Arrows—a tuneful fusion band that somehow bridges a gap between Larry Coryell’s early work with Gary Burton and Tortoise at their most lyric—but other sides of his musical personality have commanded the spotlight too, including the rustic, folksy one on display in his duo with Ryley Walker. Yet nothing has shown his full range as effectively as his new instrumental solo collection, Esker, his debut on Drag City. The charmingly low-key, richly melodic collection veers from style to style in a most natural fashion, casually celebrating MacKay’s unabashed love of the guitar (though he does overdub a bit of piano and percussion). Not a purist, he quietly layers acoustic and electric playing, privileging sweetly melodic lines over thickets of fingerstyle harmonies whether during the ragtime of “Candy,” the moody psychedelia of “Clementine Candy,” or the atmospheric, reverb-drenched slide-guitar fantasia of “Scarlet’s Return.” The record is the most high-profile release of MacKay’s career, but at 49 he clearly doesn’t feel the need to show off; he expresses himself most poetically by retaining his lovely sense of mood and tenderness. Frequent collaborators Katinka Kleijn (cello) and Marc Riordan (piano) will play solo sets before and after his performance, respectively. —PETER MARGASAK Rock, Pop, Etc Ballyhoo!, Holdup, Darenots 8 PM, Beat Kitchen Big Freedia, Downtown Boys 9 PM, Empty Bottle Big Sadie, Gia Margaret 9 PM, Hideout Biters, Frankie & the Studs, Bad Mother 7 PM, Cobra Lounge, 17+

Find more music listings at chicagoreader.com/soundboard.

Blue Dream, Atomic Love, Rumours 9 PM, Liar’s Club Carlile the Skank, Santah, Glam Camp, Gramps the Vamp 7:30 PM, 1st Ward Clams, I Believe in Julio, King Tuts Tomb 9 PM, Elastic b Coheed & Cambria, Dear Hunter 8 PM, Aragon Ballroom b Donna the Bufffalo, Chicago Farmer 8 PM, City Winery b Steve Forbert 7:30 PM, SPACE b Heavy Dreams 10 PM, Cole’s F Perry Hutchins, Hodie Snitch, Them Guilty Aces 9 PM, Cubby Bear Jodee Lewis, Escaping Pavement 6 PM, Hideout Making Movies, Radio Free Honduras, Evan Coleman 9 PM, Martyrs’ Meat Puppets, Mike Watt & the Jom & Terry Show, Porcupine 8 PM, Lincoln Hall Peaches & Herb 8 PM, Arcada Theatre, Saint Charles b Pert Near Sandstone, Dead Horses, Growler 8 PM, Schubas Small Awesome, Columbines 8 PM, Township Sons of Ra, Conﬂux, Coyote Man, Faade 9 PM, Quenchers Saloon Space Blood, Personal Space, Nouveau, Boss Fight 9 PM, Burlington Tall Heights, Henry James 9 PM, Bottom Lounge, 17+ Vancouver Sleep Clinic 8:30 PM, Subterranean, 17+ You Are Here, Fernando, Rai, Serenum 9 PM, Wire, Berwyn Hip-Hop Biz Markie 9 PM, House of Blues, 17+ Perse as Funk 8 PM, Emporium Arcade Bar F Dance Bass Kitchen 10 PM, the Mid Flux Pavilion, Kayzo, Wilkinson 8 PM, Concord Music Hall, sold out

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Function 10 PM, Spy Bar Jacques Greene, Mikeq 9 PM, East Room Jackal, Luca Lush 10 PM, Sound-Bar Merkaba & Eve Olution, Perkulator, Zeppler Encanti Experience 9 PM, Logan Square Auditorium, 18+ John Monkman, Hummingbird, Chris Walsh, Berko 10 PM, Primary Nightclub Phase, Jeﬀ Derringer 10 PM, Smart Bar Folk & Country Lucy Kaplansky 7:30 PM, Szold Hall, Old Town School of Folk Music b Blues, Gospel, and R&B Congregation, Renaldo Domino Experience 8:30 PM, FitzGerald’s Scott Holt, Sonic Soul 9 PM, Buddy Guy’s Legends John Primer & the Real Deal Blues Band 9 PM, B.L.U.E.S. Sugar Blue Band 9:30 PM, Rosa’s Lounge Duke Tumatoe, Joanna Connor Band 9 PM, also Sat 5/20, 9 PM, Kingston Mines Laretha Weathersby, Mike Wheeler 9 PM, also Sat 5/20, 9 PM, Blue Chicago Jazz Xavier Breaker Coalition 8 and 10 PM, Jazz Showcase Chris Davis Jazztet 9:30 PM, also Sat 5/20, 9:30 PM, Andy’s Jazz Club Vijay Iyer Sextet 7:30 PM, Logan Center for the Arts, University of Chicago Dave King Trio 9 PM, also Sat 5/20, 8 PM, Green Mill Nicholas Payton & Afro-Caribbean Mixtape, Steve Wilson & Lewis Nash 8 PM, Symphony Center b Trio Mokili 10:30 PM, California Clipper Experimental Isabelle Duthoit, Franz Hautzinger, and Michael Zerang 8 PM, Experimental Sound Studio b

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MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 45

MUSIC

Find more music listings at chicagoreader.com/soundboard.

continued from 45 International Carl Brown & the Solid Gold Reggae Band 9 PM, Wild Hare

SPECIAL GUEST: RYAN

SATURDAY,MAY 27

SHERIDAN

SUNDAY, JUNE 4

JUNE 3 SHOW IS SOLD OUT!

Classical Chicago Symphony Orchestra Jakub Hrusa, conductor (Smetana). 1:30 PM, Symphony Center Peter Evans & Levy Lorenzo 8:30 PM, Constellation Jeﬀrey LaDeur Piano. 6 PM, PianoForte Studios b Hopkinson Smith Lute. 7:30 PM, Galvin Recital Hall, Northwestern University Fairs & Festivals Legions of Metal Fest: Ross the Boss, Killer, Brocas Helm, Slauter Xstroyes, Rival, Lady Beast Seax, Steel Aggressor, Substratum, Avalon Steel, Knightmare 5 PM, Reggie’s Rock Club and Music Joint, 17+

SATURDAY20 Justin Townes EArle Sadies open. 7:30 PM, Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport, $25-$35. b

THURSDAY, JUNE 8

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46 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

–Nov. 17-18

Justin Townes Earle wrote his new album, Kids in the Street (New West), in the wake of a sustained period of stability and happiness thanks to a new marriage and several years of sobriety. Luckily the songs aren’t about kittens and highfives—the main conceit of opener “Champagne Corolla” is to celebrate a woman who’s cool and confident enough to drive the titular automobile though “she should be driving something long and black.” Other tunes flirt half-heartedly with bad or impulsive behavior, like the strummy “Maybe a Moment,” which features a protagonist imploring someone to show some spontaneity and take a road trip to Memphis. The title track makes anodyne, nostalgic observations about the Nashville neighborhood of Earle’s youth, in which the place where “old men played dominoes on hot summer days” has been whitewashed by “cut and paste” gentrification. The most profound song on the album might be “Trouble Is,” which chips away at the veneer of getting straight, asserting essentially that once a fuckup, always a fuckup (the track closes with the forlorn line, “Only trouble is . . . same old shit inside”). Musically, the record bounces between the usual folk rock, horn-stoked blues, and twang, with the exception of a surprising excursion into Crescent City R&B—“15-25” sounds like a Professor Longhair tribute. Earle seems to be settling into tradition rather than fighting against it, as he’s occasionally done in the past. Producer Mike Mogis deserves some credit for adding roots flavor with a cast of Omaha regulars, the exception being Earle’s guitarist sidekick Paul Niehaus, who’ll join openers the Sadies as the singer’s backing band tonight. —PETER MARGASAK

High Plains, Anjou 8:30 PM, Constellation, 3111 N. Western, $15, 18+

This impressive double bill features gorgeously patient ambient sounds created by a group of musicians long faithful to influential Chicago indie label Kranky Records, where minimalism, new age, and gentle noise have combined in shifting timbres for nearly 25 years. Headlining the evening is High Plains, a duo featuring Vancouver’s Scott Morgan—who’s frequently recorded solo records for the label under the moniker Locsil— and Madison cellist Mark Bridges. The pair first met in 2014 when they were both in residence at the prestigious Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Alberta. They hit it off, and last year reconvened in rural Saratoga, Wyoming, where aided by a steady diet of Schubert’s Winterreise and the inspiration of the area’s wide-open landscapes, they shaped a deeply melancholic series of soundscapes that seem tailor-made for a Werner Herzog documentary about deforestation or some other human-driven calamity. Morgan’s electronic-tone washes and occasional arpeggios fit the elegiac bowed lines of Bridges perfectly, forging a series of somber meditations spiked with generous helpings of unsettling darkness. Anjou is the duo of Chicagoan Mark Nelson and Robert Donne, both of whom were in Labradford, the pioneering ambient trio from Virginia that led to the formation of Kranky. The pair’s recent second album, Epithymía, also hovers around ambient drift. But as the epic multipartite opener “Culicanae” makes clear, Anjou frequently break out of the swirling, post-Philip Glass electro patterns, traveling into more abrasive stretches of noise and what sound like murky sine tones, while the occasional lyric cornet lines of guest contributor Paul Watson veer more toward Miles Davis than Mark Isham. —PETER MARGASAK

Norah Jones See also Sunday. Aloysius 3 open. 8 PM, Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State, $51.50-$71.50. b In 2014 singer and pianist Norah Jones shared the Kennedy Center stage with legendary saxophonist Wayne Shorter and drummer Brian Blade—both of whom played on her first couple of albums—for an event celebrating the 75th anniversary of her label, Blue Note, later telling writer Nate Chinen of the New York Times that she wanted those jazz veterans on her next record. Sure enough, they (along with Shorter quartet bassist John Patitucci) both turned up on last year’s Day Breaks, fitting in beautifully on a trio of tracks, including a version of Duke Ellington’s gorgeous “Fleurette Africaine” where Shorter’s soprano lines weave profoundly through gentle grooves, imparting a deep sonic wisdom. The record has been frequently billed as Jones’s return to her jazz roots; really, though, it marks her return to piano after several years of focusing on guitar, and to a style similar to the urbane, sophisticated pop that made her a Starbucks-generation darling. Yet there’s still something different—her voice has never sounded more full-bodied and expressive, and there’s an occasional undercurrent of turbulence. On “Flipside” she opens up the throttle, reveling in self-discovery as she sings forcefully, “I finally know who I’m supposed to be / My mind was locked but I found the key / Hope it don’t all slip

MUSIC away from me.” Yes, this is adult pop music squarely located in the middle of the road, but within that chill, comforting zone Jones still has few peers. —PETER MARGASAK

Hip-Hop Digable Planets 9 PM, Metro, 18+ Oddisee & Good Company, Oliver St. Louis 9 PM, Lincoln Hall T.I., Young Dro, Trae the Truth 8 PM, Portage Theater, 17+ Ugly God, Nebu Kiniza, Zeus the Plug 8 PM, Concord Music Hall b

Phill Niblock See Pick of the Week (page 41). 8 PM, Graham Founation, Madlener House, 4 W. Burton, free with RSVP via lampo.org. b Rock, Pop, Etc Birthday Massacre, Army of the Universe, Lucovico Technique 8 PM, Bottom Lounge, 17+ Bodeans 6 and 10 PM, SPACE, sold out b Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus 8 PM, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Skokie Choir! Choir! Choir! 8 PM, Szold Hall, Old Town School of Folk Music, sold out b Rik Emmett, Resolution9 8 PM, Arcada Theatre, Saint Charles b Fifth Star Band, Hydro Static Union, Righteous Acoustic Sound Party, Two Percent, Torch the Hive, Crystal Lady 7 PM, Elbo Room Gallery-81, Seagiraﬀe, Emblems, Ballroom Boxer 8 PM, Cubby Bear Ha Ha Tonka, Trapper Schoepp, Inventors 9 PM, Empty Bottle Hiber, Ego Mechanics, Luthi, Handgrenades 9 PM, Martyrs’

Dance Black Magick 9 PM, Burlington BT, Shane 54 10 PM, the Mid Avalon Emerson, Justin Long, Observer 10 PM, Smart Bar Saunderson Bros, Frankie Vega, Blu 9, Insoul 10 PM, Primary Nightclub Rony Seikaly, Inphinity, Soul Goodman, Dabura 10 PM, Spy Bar 16 Bit Lolitas 10 PM, Sound-Bar

High Plains o COURTESY THE ARTISTS Hotel Garuda, Wingtip, Jonah Baseball 9:30 PM, Subterranean, 18+ A Lot Like Birds, Household, Hearts Like Lions, Owel, When We Was Kids 7 PM, Wire, Berwyn Miles Mosley & the West Coast Get Down, Swamp Heat 8 PM, Schubas b The 1975, Jimmy Eat World, Bleachers, Highly Suspect, Sum 41 1 PM, Hollywood Casino Ampitheatre Archie Powell & the Exports, Little Boy Jr., Tuﬀ

Slang 9 PM, 1st Ward, 18+ Rad Payoﬀ, Peekaboos, Reduced to Instinct, Life Partner, Thetah 9 PM, Quenchers Saloon Shot Baker, Avenues, Shots Fired 8 PM, Cobra Lounge, 17+ Told Slant, Hello Shark, Alex Napping, Anna McClellan 6:30 PM, Subterranean, 17+ Unquenched: Music from Baudelaire in a Box, Episode 9 8 PM, Township

Folk & Country Steve Moakler, Drew Baldridge 8:15 PM, Joe’s Bar Kalya Scintilla & Eve Olution, Kaminanda, Bogtrotter, Goopsteppa 9 PM, Logan Square Auditorium, 18+ Blues, Gospel, and R&B Big James & the Chicago Playboys 10 PM, Rosa’s Lounge

MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 47

MUSIC

Find more music listings at chicagoreader.com/soundboard.

continued from 47 Billy Branch & the Sons of Blues, Demetria Taylor, Scott Nev 9:30 PM, Buddy Guy’s Legends Demetria Taylor 9 PM, B.L.U.E.S. Duke Tumatoe, Joanna Connor Band 9 PM, Kingston Mines Laretha Weathersby, Mike Wheeler 9 PM, Blue Chicago Jazz Xavier Breaker Coalition 8 and 10 PM, Jazz Showcase Chris Davis Jazztet 9:30 PM, Andy’s Jazz Club Dave King Trio 8 PM, Green Mill Nick Mazzarella Quintet 10:30 PM, California Clipper International Devon Brown & Love This 9 PM, Wild Hare Los Inquietos Del Norte 7 PM, Aragon Ballroom Occidental Brothers Dance Band International 8:30 PM, Hungry Brain Classical Bow & Hammer 7 PM, PianoForte Studios Chicago Symphony Orchestra Jakub Hrusa, conductor (Smetana). 8 PM, Symphony Center In-Stores Club Malos, Minivan 6:30 PM, Permanent Records F b Fairs & Festivals Legions of Metal Fest: Armored Saint, Diamond Head, Battleaxe, Cerebus, Syrus, Devil in Disuise, Ironﬂame, Vanlade, Walpyrgus, Helion Prime, Carriage, Ice Sword, Final Sign, Sacred Leather 2 PM, Reggie’s Rock Club and Music Joint, 17+

Miscellaneous Make X book release with Adam Burke, Kathleen Rooney, Martin Seay, and Marvin Tate & Bill MacKay 2 PM, Hideout F

SUNDAY21 Norah Jones See Saturday. 8 PM, Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State, $51.50-$71.50. b Rock, Pop, Etc Aﬃance, Convictions 6:30 PM, Wire b Arlie, Even Thieves, Karma Wears White Ties, Tobacco, Bandits 8:30 PM, Beat Kitchen, 17+ Butter, Zoofunkyou, Amoramora 7 PM, Joe’s Bar Callaghan 7 PM, SPACE b Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus 3 PM, Beverly Arts Center Elephant Gun, Closed Mouths, Swell Suburbia, Lilly Choi 9 PM, Quenchers Saloon Fake Limbs, Stranger 9 PM, Hideout Hippo Campus, Remo Drive 7:30 PM, Metro, sold out b JMSN, Quin, Alcordo 8 PM, Bottom Lounge, 18+ Yngwie Malmsteen 5 PM, Arcada Theatre, Saint Charles b RRA, Choral Reefer, Veil 9 PM, Burlington Samothrace, He Whose Ox Is Gored, Disrotted, Atonement Theory 7 PM, Reggie’s Music Joint Kiefer Sutherland, Rick Brantley 8 PM, Thalia Hall, 17+ Weeks, Lonely Biscuits 8 PM, Lincoln Hall, 18+ Windhand, Satan’s Satyrs, Hair 9 PM, Empty Bottle

Cool Ghouls o ARVEL HERNANDEZ

48 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

Buildings

MUSIC

o COURTESY THE ARTISTS

Hip-Hop D2G, Magix King, Bizzy B, Mr. Talented, Mastermine, Tony Famous 7:40 PM, Subterranean Dance Derrick Carter, Michael Seraﬁni 10 PM, Smart Bar Underground Allstars, Gettoblaster, Twitchin Skratch, Microdot 10 PM, Primary Nightclub Blues, Gospel, and R&B Raheem DeVaughn & Wes Fulton 6 and 9 PM, City Winery b Jazz Xavier Breaker Coalition 4, 8, and 10 PM, Jazz Showcase Fat Babies 8 PM, Honky Tonk BBQ Mike Finnerty & the Heat Merchants 7 PM, Red Line Tap Matt Gold, Bryan Doherty, and Jeremy Cunningham 9 PM, Whistler F Swiss Trio, ZRL 9 PM, Hungry Brain Sam Weinberg, Charlie Kirchen, and Julian Kirshner; Henry Fraser; Aaron Zarzutzki 9:30 PM, the Owl F Classical CSO Chamber Dvorak, Raimi, Beethoven. 3 PM, Logan Center for the Arts, University of Chicago F b Jennie Oh Brown 8:30 PM, Constellation

MONDAY22 Buildings Murder City Devils headline; Buildings and Corey J. Brewer open. 8:30 PM, Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport, $27-$35. 17+ There’s just something about a noise-rock record from Minneapolis, like a bowl of gumbo from Baton Rouge. Forged among the pillars of the almighty Amphetamine Reptile imprint—and no doubt guided by a trail of dismembered Big Muff pedals— Buildings churn through noise rock loyal to their Twin Cities and North Dakota forefathers (Hammerhead, Godheadsilo, etc). The too-underappreciated trio’s newest, You Are Not One of Us (Gilead Media), stays the noise-rock course, anchored by a rhythm section that swoops and strikes down like a wrecking ball and pile driver working in tandem. Gnarly undercurrents of feedback from fraying guitar lines and crazed, blown-out vocals—though sometimes with a touch too much sass—are best represented on frenzied tracks like “Net Waste” and “Mother Nature,” while more, ahem, pensive tracks like “Pray for the Toilet” and “Creature” seethe and squirm thanks to thick, swirling bass lines and just enough breathing room between each measure. A long time coming, this is Buildings’ ﬁrst full-length in over ﬁve years, and for noise-rock heads it deserves attention. The Murder City Devils’ Spencer Moody

is going to try and swallow the mike while acting the maniac, you know this. Arrive a little early for something fresh. —KEVIN WARWICK Rock, Pop, Etc Evan Bartels & the Stoney Lonesomes, Mad Bread 8 PM, Martyrs’ Sir Richard Bishop, Robert Millis, Luke Henry 8 PM, Schubas Bloom, Nest, Junkee Girl, Bash! Bang! 9 PM, Empty Bottle F Christopher Cross 8 PM, City Winery, sold out b Kid, Torch Room, Thinner 8 PM, Burlington Like Rats, Crypt Rot, Young & Dead, Endmember 7 PM, Subterranean, 17+ Manwolves, Vesper, Othersides, A.S.A. Project, Squeakpivot 6 PM, Reggie’s Rock Club b Chris Pureka, Eliza Hanson 7:30 PM, SPACE b The Sword, Pontiak, These Beasts 8 PM, Metro, 18+ Vast Canvas, Mirror Coat, Endolphins 8 PM, Emporium Arcade Bar F Folk & Country Chicago Barn Dance Company Barn dance featuring Jeﬀrey, Jordan & Jonathan. 7 PM, Irish American Heritage Center b Ralph White 7 PM, Hideout Blues, Gospel, and R&B Drea the Vibe Dealer, Brother El, J. Bambii, DJ Cut Cuz 7 PM, the Promontory b Jazz Extraordinary Popular Delusions, 8:30 PM, Beat Kitchen F Corey Kendrick Trio, Josh Berman & Nick Fraser 9 PM, Elastic b Restroy 9:30 PM, Whistler F Experimental Jean-Michel Jarre 7:30 PM, Auditorium Theatre John Sparagana, Ken Vandermark 7:30 PM, Experimental Sound Studio b Classical MusicNow: On the Edge of Silence 7 PM, Symphony Center In-Stores Sam Weinberg, Henry Feaser, and Aaron Zarzutzki 7:30 PM, Myopic Books F b

TUESDAY23 Cool Ghouls Slushy and Charlie Reed open. 9 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, $10, $8 in advance. Since forming in 2011, San Francisco quartet Cool Ghouls have made a virtue of no-frills consistency,

doing little to disguise their devotion to 60s garage pop. Loose, chiming guitars ring out over chugging rhythms, but it’s their singing—which borrows from the early Beach Boys without sweating shortcomings in pitch or precise harmony—that makes each album a keeper. Cool Ghouls have definitely gotten better with time. On last year’s terrific Animal Races (Empty Cellar) melodies are catchier than ever—during a song like “Sundial” vocal parts hit with assurance, their three-part harmonies cutting through a charmingly shambolic din. The following “Time Capsule” proves that the foursome haven’t ditched their predilection for keeping things hazy and slack, while “When You Were Gone” dabbles gently in a weird soul-country hybrid. Still, I wasn’t prepared for some of the more aggressive shifts captured on the band’s great new tour cassette, Gord’s Horse: there’s the moody Mellotron-sopped instrumental opener “Ring for the Mole” and the deliciously ambling title track, which is a kind of denatured, spacey folk-rock song that expertly insinuates itself into the brain in spite of its washed-out vibe. While the shaggy tape-manipulation nonsense of “Legs in September” definitely feels like tour-release filler, there are several new gems in the band’s more classic spirit. As a whole it only strengthens Cool Ghouls’ position as one of my favorite rock groups over the last year or two. —PETER MARGASAK

1800 W. DIVISION

Est.1954 Celebrating over 61 years of service to Chicago!

(773) 486-9862 Come enjoy one of Chicago’s ﬁnest beer gardens! THURSDAY, MAY 18 ...............THE STRAY BOLTS FRIDAY, MAY 19.....................DEREK CROCELL AND THE REDEEMERS SATURDAY, MAY 20................DAN WHITAKER AND THE SHINE BENDERS LES HARICOTS SUNDAY, MAY 21...................TONY DOSORIO TRIO MONDAY, MAY 22 ..................RC BIG BAND AT 7PM WEDNESDAY, MAY 24 ............MIKE FELTON THURSDAY, MAY 25 ...............PIRATE ELECTRIC FRIDAY, MAY 26.....................SJB SATURDAY, MAY 27................LAY CHICKIE SUNDAY, MAY 28...................DJ WHOLESOME RADIO SUNDAY, MAY 28...................TOM MALECKI TRIO AND PATRICK WOODS AT 10PM MONDAY, MAY 29 ..................ENVIRONMENTAL ENCROACHMENT MONDAY, MAY 29 ..................JOHN RARICK MONET AT 9PM WEDNESDAY, MAY 31 ............AK PRODUCTIONS KATE CULLAN EVERY MONDAY AT 9PM ANDREW JANAK QUARTET EVERY TUESDAY AT 8PM OPEN MIC HOSTED BY JIMI JON AMERICA

Rock, Pop, Etc Dylan 76 7:30 PM, SPACE b Go Betty Go, Mystery Actions, October Bird of Death, Krayola 8 PM, 1st Ward, 18+ Jovan Landry, Fury, Trig 9 PM, Schubas F Oh Malo, Menacerno, Earth Program, Stardusk Encounter 8 PM, Martyrs’ Outrun the Sunlight, Sioum, Rezn, Barren Heir 8 PM, Lincoln Hall David Singer & the Sweet Science 9 PM, Hideout Tomblands, Sam Vicari, Bur, Will Mackie Jenkins 6:30 PM, Subterranean, 17+ Tuth, Matchess 9 PM, Burlington Wavves, Post Animal 7 PM, Bottom Lounge, sold out b The Weeknd, Rae Sremmurd, Belly, 6lack 7:30 PM, Allstate Arena Jazz Fat Babies 9 PM, Green Mill Erwin Helfer 7:30 PM, Hungry Brain F Hans Luchs Group 9:30 PM, Whistler F Greg Ward 9 PM, Hungry Brain F International Tropics 9 PM, Wild Hare

WEDNESDAY24 Valee Saint Millie headlines; Lil Trav, Valee, Bibodyﬁli, Mano, DJ Victoriouz, Lil Jake, and Paris Bueller open. 9 PM, Subterranean, 2011 W. North, $10, $5 in advance. Chicago rapper-producer Valee Taylor, who records and performs under his ﬁrst name, talks a big game. If you believe the claims in his breakthrough J

MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 49

3855 N. LINCOLN

martyrslive.com

MUSIC

Valee o BRYAN ALLEN LAMB

THU, 5/18

TOUGHER THAN YOU THOUGHT, DAVIDSTOUT, LEAH JEAN FRI, 5/19

MAKING MOVIES, RADIO FREE HONDURAS, EVAN COLEMAN LIVE SAT, 5/20

HIBER, EGO MECHANICS, LUTHI, HANDGRENADES MON, 5/22

EVAN BARTELS & THE STONEY LONESOMES, MAD BREAD TUE, 5/23

OH MALÔ, MENACERNO, EARTH PROGRAM, STARDUSK ENCOUNTER WED, 5/24

GREAT MOMENTS IN VINYL PERFORMS R.E.M.’S “LIFE’S RICH PAGEANT” & “DOCUMENT” THU 5/25

IMMINENT SONIC DESTRUCTION, DISTRICT 97, NOMADIC, EDENSONG FRI, 5/26

BRONTË FALL, W/S/G SEAN WATKINS (NICKEL CREEK) & DOMINIQUE ARCIERO, NIKKI MORGAN SAT, 5/27 - 5PM - ALL AGES

A CELEBRATION OF MS PEPIN SAT, 5/27 - 9PM

ANNIE & THE ORPHANS, CONGRESS OF STARLINGS, LINDSAY & THE LIGHTS GO OUT, REBECCA JASSO

please recycle this paper

Chicago forever. 50 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

continued from 49 single, “Shell,” he’s the kind of guy who walks through luxury-brand stores like a master gamer let loose in an arcade with a backpack weighed down by quarters—he’s effortless and in full acknowledgment of his own abundance. But as much as Valee raps about excess, his strength is his brevity. Few songs on his recent 1988 mixtape cross the three-minute mark—some clock in under two—but Valee packs in plenty of panache to make his work linger for longer. On “Racks” he blurts brief bars in bated breaths that feel a smidgen louder than a whisper. A wobbly sample of a piano is played on loop, accentuating a sense of instability, while Valee carries himself with an irresistible swagger that’s both a grounding force and a strange source of joy. —LEOR GALIL Rock, Pop, Etc Reeve Carney 8 PM, SPACE b Desert Limina, Soft Pink, Swampers 9 PM, Hideout El Stoppers 7 PM, Lincoln Hall b Flatfoot 56 8 PM, Cobra Lounge Grandkids, Lin-Z, Kopano, Water From Your Eyes 8 PM, Beat Kitchen, 17+ MU, Phantom Broadcast, 100 Options 9 PM, Burlington O Paradiso 9 PM, Whistler F Ooraloo, Earth Lodge, Lou Gold 8 PM, Emporium Arcade Bar F Phonographs, Highplanes, Shallowdive, Randall T.

Featherstone 9 PM, Quenchers Saloon Sean K. Preston & the Loaded Pistols, Daniel Lewis, Bear With Hawk Fist 7:30 PM, Reggie’s Music Joint Record Company, Smooth Hound Smith 8 PM, Thalia Hall, sold out, 17+ Ripe, Elel 8 PM, Schubas, 18+ Shakedown Slim & the Regency 8 PM, Wire, Berwyn Tough Shits, the Rubs, Slushy, Dry Dreams 9 PM, East Room Hip-Hop Brother Ali, Sa-Roc, Last Word, Sol Messiah 9 PM, Metro, 18+ Starlito & Don Trip, Scotty ATL, Red Dot, Forever Doyan, Eljay Marquise, Easy., RGMT 8 PM, Reggie’s Rock Club, 18+ Blues, Gospel, and R&B Nola Ade 9 PM, the Promontory, 18+ Kevin Ross 8 PM, City Winery b Experimental Andy Pratt 9 PM, Hungry Brain F International Belen Mackinlay Trio 8:30 PM, Maurer Hall, Old Town School of Folk Music F b Classical Catherine Gregory & David Kaplan Flute and piano. 12:15 PM, Preston Bradley Hall, Chicago Cultural Center F b Orion Ensemble 7:30 PM, PianoForte Studios v

Take a class and celebrate 60 years of making music! New adult group classes are now open! Browse our class schedules online at oldtownschool.org

FOOD & DRINK

CHICAGO DIPLOMAT CAFE | $$ R 3134 N. Lincoln 773-262-2722

Badrijani nigzvit, eggplant stuﬀed with garlicky walnut paste; pkhali, mulched eggplant, spinach, beet, leeks, and walnuts, garnished with pomegranate seeds o GILLIAN FRY

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Chicago’s only Georgian restaurant sets up shop in Lakeview

Chicago Diplomat Cafe is the local ambassador for the food of the Caucasus. By MIKE SULA

Georgia’s most recognizable dish, the soup dumplings known as khinkali o GILLIAN FRY

skana Douglas wants you to take your time at Chicago Diplomat Cafe, the city’s—and perhaps the state’s—only restaurant devoted to the feasting foods of the Republic of

Georgia. Ideally this should take place over an hours-long, multicourse spread known as a supra, complete with toasting, singing, and drinking. “The style of Georgian food is not to come and eat lunch and run away,” says Douglas, who learned to cook the food of the Caucasus—the region bordering Europe and Asia that includes Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan—at the side of her grandmother, a popular restaurateur in Tbilisi. Douglas moved on from there, cooking Turkish food in the resort town of Alanya, then Persian food here in Chicago before she decided it was high time for a dedicated Georgian restaurant. Until now, Argo Bakery on Devon has been the only representation of the food of the Eurasian republic, slinging hot, cheesy khachapuri f latbread from its cylindrical brick oven, called a toné.

Diplomat cer ta i n ly has k hachapu r i, three different variants in this family of bread, including the imeruli khachapuri, an entree-size boat, hollowed and filled with molten cheese, butter, and a raw egg yolk, meant to be swirled together tableside and dredged with torn pieces from the loaf’s edges. Douglas is in the process of building her own toné, which will allow her to expand her khachapuri repertoire further, but until then, most of the classic Georgian dishes are on hand, including pkhali, a variant of a whole family of minced vegetable appetizers, this one a kind of doughnut consisting of mulched eggplant, spinach, beet, leeks, and walnuts, garnished with pomegranate seeds. The aforementioned, both nut and fruit, feature heavily in the Georgian diet. Garlicky walnut paste—more like walnut butter—is stuffed inside slices of roasted eggplant. It also thickens the dressing on the tomatoand-cucumber salad known as ojakhuri. Pomegranate juice marinates the mtsvadi, bite-size pieces of grilled chicken, pork, or lamb served with thick wedged fries, all to be

J MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 51

FOOD & DRINK

Chkmeruli, chicken braised in cream sauce o GILLIAN FRY

continued from 51 dipped in the sweet-sour plum sauce known as tkemali. Stewy dishes abound. The sour, green plum version of tkemali figures prominently in chakapuli, a modestly portioned roiling lamb stew whose tartness is tempered with an ample dose of tarragon. Ajabsandali, a kind of Georgian ratatouille, is seasoned with khmeli suneli, a blend of fenugreek, saffron, and coriander. Lobio, pinto beans cooked in a clay vase and served with corn bread, is a sort of cross between bean soup and refried beans. The scent of garlic precedes the arrival of chkmeruli, chicken braised in a frothing cream sauce, while chakhokhbili features the same bird stewed with tomatoes, onion, and bell peppers. A more arresting poultry presentation is the chicken tabaka, a whole spatchcocked bird, panfried crispy and

52 CHICAGO READER - MAY 18, 2017

served with a trio of sauces: blackberry, garlic, and tkemali. Georgia’s most recognizable dish is khinkali: soup dumplings cosmetically indistinguishable from Chinese xiao long bao. At Diplomat they’re stuffed to order with ground beef or pork. And because they’re pleated with a sturdier dough, there’s no worry that they’ll rupture and leak the precious liquid at their center. Just hoist them up by the topknot, nibble a whole in the side and slurp. Diplomat features teas and Turkish coffee, and tarragon- or pear-f lavored Georgian lemonade, but otherwise it’s BYO, which behooves you to get your hands on some tannic Georgian orange wine. You’ll fit right in, though Douglas doesn’t expect everyone to idle the hours away during a full-throttle supra—but what’s stopping you? v

ß @MikeSula

Nothing says Summer like old fashion soft serve done right….

Flavors Shakes

Sandwich and Shake

LOGAN SQUARE 2815 WEST ARMITAGE 773•384•521 1 130 Fremont St West Chicago, Illinois, IL 60185-1925

Soft serve done the old-fashion way since 1950 * Over 100 ﬂavor shakes, malts, sundaes & freezes * Over 30 candy stir-ins -most popular peanut butter cups * New arrival salted caramel trufﬂes! MAY 18, 2017 - CHICAGO READER 53

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