Chicago Reader: print issue of November 3, 2016 (Volume 46, Number 5)

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 | N O V E R M B E R 3 , 2 0 1 6

ELECTION PREVIEW The Trump effect on Illinois • Kim Foxx’s awkward silence The GOP’s electoral suicide • A transportation ballot initiative full of potholes • Green Party VP nominee: Hillary is no ‘lesser evil’

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THIS WEEK

C H I C AG O R E A D E R | N OV E M B E R 3 , 2 01 6 | VO LU M E 4 6 , N U M B E R 5

EDITOR JAKE MALOOLEY CREATIVE DIRECTOR PAUL JOHN HIGGINS 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 MICHAEL MINER, MIKE SULA SENIOR THEATER CRITIC TONY ADLER STAFF WRITERS 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 EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CASSIDY RYAN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS NOAH BERLATSKY, DERRICK CLIFTON, MATT DE LA PEÑA, MAYA DUKMASOVA, ANNE FORD, ISA GIALLORENZO, JOHN GREENFIELD, JUSTIN HAYFORD, JACK HELBIG, DAN JAKES, BILL MEYER, J.R. NELSON, MARISSA OBERLANDER, LEAH PICKETT, DMITRY SAMAROV, KATE SIERZPUTOWSKI, DAVID WHITEIS, ALBERT WILLIAMS INTERNS ISABEL OCHOA GOLD, JACK LADD

IN THIS ISSUE

ELECTION PREVIEW

MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE FEATURE

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POLITICS

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How much will it cost Illinois Republicans to have the Donald head the ticket?

BY BEN JORAVSKY 8

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Q&A

Whatever happened to Kim Foxx?

Ajamu Baraka rejects the ‘lesser evil’ too

The vocal reformer has been oddly quiet since sweeping the Democratic primary for Cook County state’s attorney.

The Green Party vice presidential nominee and Chicago native says pushing Hillary to the left won’t work.

BY MAYA DUKMASOVA 11

BY RYAN SMITH 16

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ON THE COVER: VOTERS CAST THEIR BALLOTS AT CHIARTS HIGH SCHOOL. PHOTO BY SCOTT OLSON/GETTY IMAGES.

TRANSPORTATION

IDENTITY & CULTURE

Paved with good intentions?

See change

The Safe Roads Amendment has a number of potholes.

BY JOHN GREENFIELD 14

The Internet has eroded commercial radio’s usefulness for music discovery, but DJs like Nehpets at Power 92 have stayed connected enough to their communities to break up-and-coming local artists on the air.

BY TIFFANY WALDEN 28

The Trump effect

---------------------------------------------------------------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

Why little rappers still believe in big radio

Political parties need to get with the country’s changing demographics— or get left behind.

BY DERRICK CLIFTON 18

4 Agenda Mike Daisey’s The Trump Card on Election Night, POTUS: A Comedy Show About Every President Ever, Art Spiegelman, the film Never Take Candy From a Stranger, and more recommendations

CITY LIFE

7 Street View Runway Addicts stylist Michael Ashley lets the fur fly.

7 Chicagoans Gilberto Soberanis on the reality of life in America as an undocumented immigrant

ARTS & CULTURE

20 Theater Eugene Lee’s East Texas Hot Links is still awkward after all these years.

20 Dance Closer is like nothing so much as an interesting but sometimes awkward first date.

21 Comedy Lena Waithe looks to bring her south-side childhood to the small screen.

22 Architecture Positioning Pullman is helping ease the southside neighborhood’s transition into a national park.

23 Lit In Play Anything, Ian Bogost advances the idea that boring tasks can be recreational.

24 Visual Art Clay Hickson’s “It Took a Village” has never left the 1970s.

25 Movies Two new documentaries ponder the thin line between civil society and armed warfare.

27 Movies The Polish Film Festival in America pays tribute to the late, great Andrzej Wajda.

MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE 33 In Rotation Current musical obsessions include Oblique Strategies, Kashif, and the podcast Beyond Yacht Rock 35 Shows of note Survive, Ricky Eat Acid, Nicolas Jaar, and more

FOOD & DRINK

41 Restaurant review: The Little Beet Table The New York import perpetuates the cliche that healthy food is dull and boring.

44 Events Where the founder of Chicago’s Strange Foods Festival loves to eat

CLASSIFIEDS

45 Jobs 45 Apartments & Spaces 47 Marketplace 48 Straight Dope Have humans as a species stopped evolving?

49 Savage Love Dan’s cuckoldcrowded election special edition 50 Early Warnings Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Run the Jewels, the Weeknd, and more shows to come 50 Gossip Wolf The Arts of Life Band release their first album, and more music news.

NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 3

AGENDA R

READER RECOMMENDED

Send your events to agenda@chicagoreader.com

b ALL AGES

F the Conspiratorium, 755 N. Ashland, conspirewithus.org, $10 suggested donation.

Resolution This Pride Films and R Plays production, at Edgewater’s cozy Rivendell Theatre, is a tender and

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THEATER

Through 11/20: Fri 8 PM, Sat 3 and 8 PM, Sun 3 PM, McKaw Theater, 1439 W. Jarvis, 773-973-2150, theatreatl.org, $20.

Killadelphia This autobiographical solo show, written and performed by Sean Christopher Lewis, recounts his experiences conducting writing workshops with inmates at Graterford Prison, near Philadelphia, in the late aughts.

As often happens, it’s the teacher who was changed along with the students; a collage of portraits structured like a somewhat chaotic but fascinating mixtape, the piece speaks volumes about the depth of Lewis’s obsession with his material. He provides no easy answers to issues, whether personal or sociological. Instead, as in his other solo show, The Dogs of Rwanda, with which this is running in rep, Lewis raises lots of great questions meant to wake us up and leaves us wanting to learn—and do— more. —JACK HELBIG Through 11/19: ThuFri 7:30 PM, Sat 5 and 8 PM; see website repertory schedule, 16th Street Theater, Berwyn Cultural Center, 6420 16th St., Berwyn, 708-795-6704, 16thstreettheater. org, $20.

Octagon Chicago poet, playwright, and activist Kristiana Rae Colón’s fantastical epic, in which a team of unceasingly lyrical spoken-word artists vie for a national slam poetry title as though it were Olympic gold, features several thrilling passages—namely, anytime the slammers perform Colon’s intricate, incendiary poems. (A crafty bundling of Miley Cyrus and Malala Yousafzai, recited by the troupe’s lone Muslim member, is particularly arresting.) Everything else in the two-and-a-half-hour escapade pales in comparison: its plot borrows excessively from Hollywood underdog films, and its main subplot, about sexually free-spirited Prism’s doomed devotion to taboo sex, reinforces the misogynist notion that too much sexual liberation inevitably leads to a woman’s downfall. Director Tara Branham’s cast is universally compelling and persuasive, however, despite occasional stretches of forced, unvaried exuberance. —JUSTIN HAYFORD Through 11/20: Thu-Sat 7:30 PM, Sun 3 PM; also Sat 11/12, 3 PM; Mon 11/14, 7:30 PM; and Sun 11/20, 7:30 PM, the Frontier, 1106 W. Thorndale, jackalopetheatre.org, $25.

More at chicagoreader.com/ theater

Matt and Ben Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s real-life bromance prior to the making of Good Will Hunting is the inspiration for this 2002 comedy

by Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers.

Taking for granted that these guys were too dumb to have actually written an Oscar-winning screenplay without some form of divine help, Matt and Ben depicts a mysterious binder falling from the ceiling of Ben’s apartment with the completed script already in it, catapulting the friendship into chaos. In this Theatre Above the Law production (as in the original as well as Collaboraction’s version a few years back), women play the duo, but it’s the classic bro-movie formula: dudes eating chips on their way to glory experience unequal levels of good fortune. In this case, bro A soars to impossible heights, leaving bro B to wallow in betrayal; when bro A’s dreams come crashing down, back he comes back to the cave on hands and knees moaning, “I love you, man”—but will bro B ever forgive him? —MAX MALLER

The Resistible Rise of Herr Helmut Drumpf With a nod to The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Bertolt Brecht’s scathing 1941 satire of Hitler’s ascent to power, new troupe the Conspirators lampoon the terrifying national circus that loosed Donald Trump upon American democracy. Director Wm. Bullion and his ferocious cast refract Trump’s authoritarian fantasies—and the Republican establishment’s indifferent efforts to neutralize them—through a vicious, demented commedia dell’arte style reminiscent of Chicago’s New Criminals from two decades ago. While it makes for some sobering fun and a few virtuoso turns (Ryan Hake’s rendition of Lindsey Graham as a swooning southern belle is a marvel), the show spends two long hours aiming at an easy target already peppered with bull’s-eyes. Little is revelatory, but the troupe’s incendiary panache is nearly irresistible. —JUSTIN HAYFORD Through 11/5: Thu-Sat 8 PM,

gratifying theatrical experience. A traditional drawing-room drama set in Gay 90s New York, Nancy Nyman and Heather McNama’s new work tells the story of a successful, civic-minded African-American couple, Jack (Tiffany Mitchenor) and Hannah (Aneisa Hicks), who offered one another, in Hannah’s words, “a love that was true, and a lie behind which to hide it.” When their Irish-Catholic scullery maid (an astonishing Amber Snyder) finds out their secret one New Year’s Eve, snooping around the delicately furnished apartment after hours, the ensuing clash between unconditional love and orthodox prudence is, in terms of theater history, deeply conventional, mindful of tradition without compromising its originality or verve. —MAX MALLER Through 11/20: Thu-Sat 7:30 PM, Sun 3:30 PM, Rivendell Theatre, 5775 N. Ridge, 773-334-7728, pridefilmsandplays. com, $10-$25.

Starting Over This well-acted MPAACT world premiere has an interesting premise. Small-town teenagers Jarrod (Kejuan Darby) and Rayna (Sierra Buffum), a black boy and white girl, riskily defy prejudice as an interracial couple, until Rayna goes away to college and severs ties with Jerrod. Fifteen years later, the two reconnect when Rayna—now a transgender male named Ryan (Jerico Bleu)—comes to work at a high-end Chicago ad agency where grown-up Jarrod (Keith Surney) is an executive. As the former lovers try to negotiate their new relationship, Shepsu Aakhu’s well-meaning but jumbled drama tackles a host of issues—racism, gender identity, sexual orientation, workplace protocol—but ends up leaving a tangle of loose plot threads dangling at the play’s inconclusive and unconvincing ending. —ALBERT WILLIAMS Through 11/20: Thu-Sat 8 PM, Sun 3 PM, Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln, 773-404-7336, mpaact. org, $28-$32.

Sweet Analytics Given a recent report from the American Association of University Women claiming that, under current conditions, the gender pay gap won’t close until 2152, the premise of Hayes Borkowski’s play isn’t all that farfetched. Assigned to find data proving that equality is a mere 50 years down the road, frustrated young researcher Ona makes a Faustian bargain: she’ll sell the devil her soul in exchange for the chance to “move the needle” on women’s rights. Borkowski’s dialogue is often witty, her characters’ vices include such interesting oddities as aspirin smoking, and her satiric vision can be sharp—Ona’s satanic handlers advance her agenda by turning her into a cultural influencer, dropped into all the right rooms. But too much is lost in Joshua Ellison’s staging for Tympanic Theatre. The space itself is acoustically challenged, swallowing not only lines

but focus. Worse, Ellison never makes sufficient sense of Ona’s odyssey.

What should be a clean, clear, Swiftian narrative comes across as just a bunch of things happening. —TONY ADLER Through 11/20: Thu-Sat 8 PM, Sun 7 PM, Berry Memorial United Methodist Church, 4754 N. Leavitt, 929-329-2934, berryumc.org, pay what you can.

Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding Back in R Chicago for the first time since its 16-year run at Piper’s Alley closed in

2009, Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding is fresher and funnier than ever. In partnership with Chicago Theater Works, the show’s original New York producers have reinvigorated the classic with an all-star cast of Chicago improvisers and two perfect venues—Resurrection Lutheran Church for the ceremony, followed by a short walk to a celebratory reception at Chicago Theater Works’ home on Belmont, reimagined as Vinnie Black’s Coliseum. From Micah Spayer as singing sensation Donny Dulce to Billy Minshall as a sauced Father Mark, the cast fires on all cylinders throughout the evening, playing out larger-than-life Italian family drama with as much audience participation as guests can handle. For a guaranteed good time, bring your dancing shoes and 80s nostalgia. —MARISSA OBERLANDER Through 12/30: Fri 7:30 PM, Sat 5 and/or 8:30 PM, Sun 5 PM, Resurrection Lutheran Church, 3309 N. Seminary, tonylovestina.com, $75-$85.

The Trump Card This American R Life listeners may remember Mike Daisey as the Brooklyn-based mono-

loguist whose 2012 episode “Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory” was retracted after fact-checkers discovered that much of the material was fabricated. It was a stunning act of hubris on Daisey’s part, and his bitter, self-rationalizing performance on a follow-up episode of TAL was equally brazen. One might think that, as a fabulist himself, Daisey would have an inside perspective into the mind of a man who lies almost constantly; don’t get your hopes up. His inquiry into Trump’s rise sticks largely to ideas well established in the progressive public domain. There is, however, no denying Daisey’s piercing turns of phrase and brilliance as a sit-down stand-up comedian. Most valuable here is his roast of his own liberal audience and his thought-provoking prodding into the left’s responsibility in the coming years.

Astutely, the piece avoids catharsis altogether—there’s just too much at stake to feign relief. —DAN JAKES Tue 11/8, 7 PM, Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont, 773-9758150, theaterwit.org, $25.

DANCE

Cuba Vibra! Lizt Alfonso Dance R Cuba’s performance features Cuban music and dance from the 1950s

to the present. 11/5-11/6: Sat 7:30 PM and Sun 3 PM, Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress, 800-982-2787, auditoriumtheatre.org, $30-$78.

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ETM: Double Down Michelle R Dorrance, founder of the tap-centered New York City troupe Dorrance

Dance, gives a subtle nod to EDM with this piece, which features eight tap dancers performing on an electronic tap floor with the help of three musicians and the B-girl Ephrat “Bounce” Asherie.

11/4-11/6: Fri 7:30 PM, Sat 3 and 7:30 PM, Sun 3 PM, Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago, 312-280-2660, mcachicago.org, $30, $10 students.

COMEDY

Congrats on Your Success AnniR versary The BYOB comedy show operating out of a used bookstore and

featuring local stand-ups celebrates its fourth anniversary. The lineup includes producers Bill Bullock, Odinaka Ezeokoli, Rebecca O’Neal, and Alex Dragicevich.

Thu 11/3, 7 PM, Uncharted Books, 2630 N. Milwaukee, unchartedbooks.com. F

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FML An improvised show based on submissions to the website fmylife.com. 11/3-12/1: Thu 9 PM (no show 11/24), Under the Gun Theater, 956 W. Newport, 773-270-3440, undertheguntheater.com, $12.

POTUS: A Comedy Show About R Every President Ever Tyler Jackson hosts this show that covers 240

years of presidents through stand-up, sketch, video, and more; the lineup includes Adam Burke, Natalie Grace Alford, Brian Costello, Sarah Sherman, and Steven King. Mon 11/7, 9 PM, Cole’s, 2338 N. Milwaukee, 773-276-5802, coleschicago.blogspot.com. F

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talk about “speed.” Featured speakers include festival opener Gloria Steinem, Gary Younge, Mary Roach, Mary Gaitskill, Yaa Gyasi, and Grant Faulkner, founder of National Novel Writing Month Through 11/12, various locations, chicagohumanities.org, $20-$50, most events $10 for students and teachers.

VISUAL ARTS Filter Space “Corrections,” Zora J. Murff’s photographs of incarcerated youth at Linn County Juvenile Detention and Diversion Services in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Opening reception Fri 11/4, 6-9 PM. 11/4-11/26, Mon-Sat 11 AM-5 PM. 1821 W. Hubbard, suite 207, filterfestival.com.

Morpho Gallery “Stephanie Taiber and Vanessa Filley,” an exhibition featuring the work of the two photographers.

Opening reception Fri 11/4, 6-8 PM. 11/4-11/26, Thu-Fri 1-6 PM, Sat noon-6 PM. 5216 N. Damen, 773-878-4255, morphogallery.com.

o ENNO KAPITZA

o CHRISTOPHER DUGGAN

Best bets, recommendations, and notable arts and culture events for the week of November 3

MCA Talk: Art Spiegelman R Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novelist Art Spiegelman discusses the

Zg Gallery “The Fallout Kingdom,” Justin Henry Miller’s paintings imagining a future biomedical graveyard. Opening reception Fri 11/4, 5:30-7:30 PM. 11/412/31, Tue-Sat 10 AM-5:30 PM. 300 W. Superior, 312-654-9900, zggallery.com.

new 50th-anniversary edition of Si Lewen’s The Parade: A Story in 55 Drawings, a graphic novel about the Nazis’ rise to power. Thu 11/3, 6 PM, Francis W. Parker School, 2233 N. Clark, 773-353-3000, fwparker.org, $12.

LIT

Women of Louder Than a Bomb R Young Chicago Authors presents an edition of the popular poetry slam

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Jessica Campbell The author and comic artist reads from her book Hot or Not: 20th-Century Male Artists. Fri 11/4, 7 PM, Quimby’s Bookstore, 1854 W. North, 773-342-0910, quimbys. com.

Louder Than a Bomb that focuses on issues facing women and girls. Thu 11/3, 7 PM, Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, 9603 Woods, Skokie, 847-967-4800, youngchicagoauthors.org.

being chased by some dudes over a drug deal gone bad. There are numerous causes for alarm, so why is this drama by underground hero Joel Potrykus (Buzzard) so painfully dull?

Partly because the protagonist is a cipher—he plays with his cat, boogies around to a cassette of the Smoking Popes—and partly because the action functions less as a story than as a checklist of transgressions (eating cat food, killing a possum, self-extracting a tooth). The movie peaks at its midpoint with a chilling nocturnal encounter that blurs the line between hallucination and the genuinely supernatural; the rest of the movie pivots around it, but slowly. —J.R. JONES 84 min. Mon 11/7-Thu 11/10, 6:30 and 8:15 PM. Facets Cinematheque Doctor Strange Arrogance is an art form for Benedict Cumberbatch, which makes him an apt choice to play the Marvel Comics superhero Stephen Strange. A big-headed neurosurgeon, Strange is forced into retirement when an epic car crash breaks all the bones in his hands; in search of rejuvenation, he journeys to Kathmandu to be initiated into the mystic arts by the Ancient One (a berobed, bald-headed Tilda Swinton) and moves on to New York and Hong Kong to battle a supervillain (Mads Mikkelson) with a doomsday weapon that “folds space and matter at will” (onscreen this looks much like

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A Fool

Chicago Humanities Fest Once R again, it’s time for our favorite annual two-week marathon of writers,

STU00080585/STU0008144 | DR. APKARIAN

artists, scientists, philosophers, cooks, and musicians, this year converging to

Never miss a show again.

MOVIES

More at chicagoreader.com/movies NEW REVIEWS

“Corrections” at Filter Space o ZORA J. MURFF

The Alchemist Cookbook Out in the woods, a young bohemian (Ty Hickson) lives in a trailer and labors over what appears to be a bomb; having run out of his antipsychotic medication, he begins hearing voices and engaging in devil worship; and his only visitor, an old friend (Amari Cheatom), is

the collapsing cityscape of Christopher Nolan’s Inception). Rachel McAdams costars as Strange’s fellow surgeon and former lover, and her lively scenes with Cumberbatch are worth all the digital effects and then some. Scott Derickson directed; with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, and Michael Stuhlbarg. —J.R. JONES PG-13, 115 min. Block 37, ArcLight, Century 12 and CineArts 6, Cicero Showplace 14, City North 14, Crown Village 18, Ford City, Lake, River East 21, Showplace 14 Galewood Crossings, Showplace ICON, 600 N. Michigan, Webster Place W

EARLY WARNINGS chicagoreader.com/early

NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 5

AGENDA doesn’t make for much of an action hero. Late in the story, when the climactic chase has kicked into high gear, there’s a striking scene of orchestra players performing on white platforms over what appears to be a pool of blood; the whole movie is like that, a combination of high culture and cheese. With Omar Sy and Irrfan Khan. —J.R. JONES PG-13, 121 min. Cicero Showplace 14, City North 14, Crown Village 18, Ford City, River East 21, Showplace 14 Galewood Crossings, Webster Place

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A Fool Based on a popular Chinese novella, this 2014 directorial debut by actor Chen Jianbin reveals a humanist core beneath layers of dry irony and cynicism. A shepherd (Jianbin) whose son has been arrested turns to a local gangster (Wang Xuebing of Black Coal, Thin Ice) for help, though this effort is complicated by a simpleminded tramp to whom the protagonist showed a speck of kindness at the outset. At first the shepherd is annoyed by the tramp’s attachment to him and his Muslim wife, but eventually he realizes that the fool has more decency than most people he knows, including the public officials who don’t seem to care if the disadvantaged live or die. Jianbin’s mordant satire was denied release in China after Xuebing was arrested on drug possession charges, part of a state-sanctioned crackdown on public figures engaging in immoral behavior. In Mandarin with subtitles. —LEAH PICKETT 95 min. Screens as part of the “Asian Pop-Up Cinema” series; a discussion follows the screening.

Wed 11/9, 7 PM. River East 21 B

Gimme Danger Indie veteran Jim Jarmusch documents the rise and fall of the Stooges, the Detroit rock band of the late 60s and early 70s whose Motor City mayhem helped inspire the rise of punk a few years later. This is Jarmusch’s first rock documentary since the Neil Young concert film Year of the Horse (1998), and like that effort, it’s distinguished mainly by the filmmaker’s ranking status as an artist: the musicians seem to regard him as a creative equal, which sharpens their answers to his questions, yet he can also be counted on not to press too hard. Iggy Pop, the band’s front man and the only member to graduate to a solo career, is a source of endless hilarity as he recalls the band’s grungy beginnings and lurching journey through the music business. The industry’s complete misunderstanding of the band is exemplified by Pop’s anecdote about a manager trying to persuade him to play Peter Pan on Broadway; the singer wanted to play Charles Manson

Never Take Candy From a R Stranger Britain’s Hammer Films, best known for its supernatinstead. —J.R. JONES R, 108 min.

Landmark’s Century Centre Hacksaw Ridge A Seventh-Day Adventist, Desmond Doss registered as a conscientious objector during World War II but served with incredible heroism as an army medic during the Battle of Okinawa, becoming the first CO in American history to receive the Medal of Honor. His story is perfect for a holy warrior like Mel Gibson (Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ): the young soldier’s pacifism was so profound and so truly lived that it neutralizes the director’s characteristic bloodlust and conservative Catholicism.

The early scenes, in which Doss (Andrew Garfield) courts a young beauty (Teresa Palmer) in his native Virginia, are painfully plastic, but the story begins to take shape, exploring the relative value of courage and humanity, once Doss has enlisted and his beliefs are tested by the hostility of his drill sergeant (Vince Vaughn), his commanding officer (Sam Worthington), and his fellow men. Please note: the battle scenes are extremely graphic, aspiring to the Hamburger Helper aesthetic of Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan. With Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths, and Luke Bracey. —J.R. JONES R, 131 min.

Cicero Showplace 14, City North 14, Crown Village 18, Ford City, River East 21, Showplace 14 Galewood Crossings, Webster Place Inferno Tom Hanks and director Ron Howard deliver the third installment in their Da Vinci Code franchise, adapting another of the best-selling biblio-thrillers

by Dan Brown. Harvard scholar Robert Langdon (Hanks) wakes up amnesiac in an Italian hospital and goes on the run with his doctor (Felicity Jones) to escape from a sexy assassin in black leather (Ana Ularu); before long the hero and his companion are teasing clues out of The Divine Comedy to prevent a mad scientist (Ben Foster) from releasing a deadly plague.

Hanks has no room for comedy and nothing to work with dramatically, and his groggy academic

ural horror movies, made a rare venture into social commentary with this creepy 1960 drama about a small Canadian village rocked by charges of pedophilia. The new school principal (Patrick Allen) and his wife (Gwen Watford) are stunned when their prepubescent daughter announces that elderly Clarence Olderberry (Felix Aylmer), one of the town’s most prominent citizens, bribed her and her girlfriend with sweets to dance naked for him. After the couple file molestation charges, the old man’s son (Bill Nagy) marshals the community against them, and the defense attorney threatens to destroy their little girl on the witness stand. Screenwriter John Hunter adapted a play by Roger Garis, though the studio’s fingerprints are evident in the climactic stretch, when the little girls are chased through the woods by the dirty old man. Greeted with revulsion in the UK, the movie fell victim to the same sexual hypocrisy it sought to expose. Cyril Frankel directed. —J.R. JONES 81 min. Sat 11/5, 5 PM, and Mon 11/7, 6 PM. Gene Siskel Film Center

SPECIAL EVENTS Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema Features, shorts, and documentaries that “nurture an appreciation of Israeli culture in the Chicago metropolitan area.”

For a full schedule, visit israelifilmchi.org. Tue 11/1-Sun 11/13.

Arclight, Music Box Chicago International Children’s Film Festival The 33rd edition of the annual festival seeks to “introduce new, thoughtful, provocative, and culturally diverse films for children.” For a full schedule visit facets.org/ children+youth/festival. Through Sun 11/6.

Mostra Brazilian Film Series Screening at multiple venues, the seventh edition of the annual Mostra series collects a range of contemporary Brazilian cinema. For a full schedule visit mostrafilmseries.org. Through Thu 11/17. v

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CITY LIFE Chicagoans

The undocumented immigrant

o ISA GIALLORENZO

Gilberto Soberanis, 32

Street View

Fur? Sure “IF FASHION ICON Iris Apfel and celebrity wardrobe stylists June Ambrose and Rachel Zoe had a love child, I would be that love child,” says Michael Ashley, the lead stylist of Chicago-based fashion blog Runway Addicts (runwayaddicts.com). “I dress for me and no one else.” Ashley was photographed in Pilsen during Indigo Nation, a three-day festival celebrating the denim subculture, organized with her blog partners Amanda Harth and Asia Vallot along with Ciera McKissick, editor of the online magazine AMFM. While hosting Indigo Nation’s pop-up shop at the Maybe Sunday boutique, the stylist wore a white fur cape by local designer DaShaun Hightower. “It made me feel regal,” she says, “like I owned the room.” —ISA GIALLORENZO

I AM FROM a small town in Mexico. When I was a kid, crime was really rough there. A lot of kidnappings, a lot of poverty.

My parents wanted to escape that. When we left, I was ten and my little sister was two.

I remember taking a taxi to the border. We walked for a long, long distance. Then someone put us in a car and took us to a safe house. I think we were there for a day or two until my dad was able to pay some money. Then we were taken to a hotel. They said, “Don’t turn the lights on. We don’t want people to know you’re here.” We spent the night there, and then we were on a flight to Chicago, because we had family there.

We came in February, to massive, brutal cold. I spoke absolutely no English. No one in my family did. I was lucky that my school had a bilingual program.

I went to school right across the street from my house. It was just: cross the street, go to school, cross the street, go back home, for years and years.

I realized I was gay around 14, but I had to do everything in my

power to hide it. Much later, I realized I had to tell my family.

I told my mom in the car. She started crying. Later one of our family members told me that my mom called her and said, “I don’t know how he can be gay.”

And the family member told her, “You have a gay son, but you have a good gay son. He doesn’t do drugs. He’s a hard worker. He goes to school.” And my mom said, “You’re right.” I don’t think she had the ability to tell that to my face at that point.

If you are a quote-unquote “undocumented,” the last thing you want to do is tell anyone, because if one person finds out, you’re putting in jeopardy everything you’ve worked for. And it’s not just about you, it’s about your family and your friends. If I didn’t have DACA [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals], I could never have done this interview, ever.

So what’s DACA? President Obama, a couple years ago, made an executive decision that some undocumented immigrants, who entered the country before they turned 16 and who

“If you are a quote-unquote ‘undocumented,’ the last thing you want to do is tell anyone,” Soberanis says. o DANIELLE A. SCRUGGS

meet some other requirements, can apply for a renewable twoyear work permit and be exempt from being deported. Now, it’s very limited. You can only work.

You can’t access any public benefit. And because I entered the country illegally, there’s no way for me to get permanent residency or citizenship, unless I marry a U.S. citizen.

I have to reapply every two years, and I can be rejected.

Once they wouldn’t process my application because I forgot to

put a date next to my signature.

I remember getting that application back, and it was frightening. I was diagnosed with HIV in 2003, and I’m doing well, but if I were to be deported, I might have to travel an hour and a half to get my medication, or maybe it wouldn’t be available. I know one woman, her DACA got declined because she got arrested for protesting for LGBT rights.

How can you get deported for being an advocate? —AS TOLD TO ANNE FORD

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

SURE THINGS THURSDAY 3

FRIDAY 4

SATURDAY 5

SUNDAY 6

MONDAY 7

TUESDAY 8

WEDNESDAY 9

$ SOFA Chicago SOFA, the Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design Fair, is a pop-up exhibition produced

by Urban Expositions, dedicated to three-dimensional art and design. 11/3-11/6, Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand, 312-5957437, sofaexpo.com, $25.

{ C riminal Phoebe Judge and Lauren Spohrer record a live episode of their crime podcast. 9 PM, Thalia Hall, 1227 W. 18th, thaliahallchicago.com, $20.

& Charit able Chili Co ok-Off The Arts of Life hosts this cooking contest featuring all-you-can-eat chili, brews from Lagunitas, dessert from Black Dog Gelato, and music from the Arts of Life band. 5-8 PM, the Arts of Life, 2010 W. Carroll, artsoflife.org/chili, $25, $20 in advance, $25 chili entry.

& Strange Fo ods Festi va l Eat taditional ethnic cuisine from more than a dozen restaurants including Immm Rice & Beyond, KhaoLaam, and Shokran. Turn to page 44 for an interview with the fest’s founder. 1-4 PM, Moonlight Studios, 1446 W. Kinzie, instagram.com/ strangefoodschicago, $55.

ò Election Eve Bash Clandestina Chicago presents this party supporting Project Vote, an organization dedicated to diversifying the electorate. Sophia Bush and Monica Raymund host performances from DJ Samantha Ronson, the Fly Honeys, and DJ Sandra Suave. 7 PM, Thalia Hall, 1227 W. 18th, thaliahallchicago.com, $25-$35.

Ý Election Pa rty on Ma rs Someoddpilot hosts this intergalactic-themed dance party featuring drinks, snacks, survival kits, and a champagne toast when the results are announced. 6-11 PM, Someoddpilot, 1539 N. Damen, mars.someoddpilot. com. F

p Creati ng Shake speare Th rough Da nce Choreographers Venetia Stifler and Victor Alexander along with dancers from Ruth Page Center for the Arts reinterpret Ruth Page’s Shakespeare-inspired dances.

6 PM, Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton, newberry.org. F

NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 7

Read Ben Joravsky’s columns throughout the week at chicagoreader.com.

ELECTION PREVIEW

o GERALD HERBERT /AP

A

POLITICS

The Trump effect

How much will it cost Illinois Republicans to have the Donald head the ticket?

By BEN JORAVSKY

8 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

s this wretched excuse for a presidential election staggers to an end, the time has come for me to tally up the costs—both political and financial—of Donald Trump’s candidacy for Republicans in Illinois.

Not that I’m weeping over their woes. As far as I’m concerned, it’s been all downhill for the GOP since the days of Abraham Lincoln.

All in all, it looks as though Trump’s position at the head of the ticket will probably cost the party a Senate seat, the comptroller’s race, and millions and millions of Governor Bruce Rauner’s dollars.

I’m definitely not weeping for him. Good golly, the man’s got more money than Mammon. At least, it seems there’s no limit to the millions he and his antiunion pals will spend to prove that they have larger, uh, hands than Illinois house speaker Michael Madigan. As Trump might put it. But that price went up to counter what many are calling the Trump effect.

Before I dive in, a word or two on behalf of Trump. Yes, yes, get ready—I’m about to say something sort of nice about the Donald.

The party’s problems are not all his fault.

OK, so he’s a bigoted blowhard who alienated half the electorate with his “locker room” banter about pussy grabbing. Apparently, Trump didn’t realize that women got the right to vote in 1920.

And, yes, obviously, with all things being equal, many Illinois voters will instinctively vote for any down-the-ticket Democrat on the grounds that candidates with a D next to their name won’t be for Trump. So several Republicans may sink with the Trump ship—poor babies.

Beyond that, the problems of Illinois Republicans are largely of their own making. In short, they’re too wimpy. Afraid of agitating their rabid right-wing base, they cling to antediluvian policies and politics that frighten moderates and independents. (Curiously, the Clinton/Emanuel Democrats play a similar game in reverse, routinely alienating their lefty base by diluting their progressive policies in order to rake in corporate cash.)

As exhibit A in the Republican’s predicament, consider these recent remarks by Dan Proft in a revealing interview with reporter Kerry Lester of the Daily Herald.

Proft is a political strategist and conservative talk show host who’s emerged as Rauner’s go-to guy running key elections across the state.

“If the Republican Party is not the party of the suburbs, we will never be the majority party in the state again,” Proft told Lester. “We have got to reestablish our leadership in the suburbs.”

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ELECTION PREVIEW That makes sense.

But having said that, he goes on to say this about Senator Mark Kirk: “Kirk’s problem is he declared war on the conservative base of the party. When you basically tell conservatives if they disagree with you on the marriage issue then you’re a bigot, and if they disagree with you on the junk science behind climate change . . . that they’re Luddites . . . and down the line of issues, at some point you reach critical mass.”

Oh, brother. Look, I’m no fan of Kirk, who manages to insult someone almost every time he opens his mouth—most recently, his opponent Tammy Duckworth, with his snide comment about her being biracial. But it’s hard enough for a moderate to walk the party’s ideological tightrope without some guy like Proft jiggling the line.

Kirk certainly can’t pick up moderate or independent voters by opposing gay marriage and dismissing global warming as “junk science.”

Many of these coveted suburban voters support marriage equality and believe global warming’s for real. You can’t win them over by pretending they’re from rural Alabama. Not that there’s anything wrong with rural Alabama.

Kirk faces a similar dilemma with regard to Trump. No matter what he does, he’s going to agitate someone. So he waffles.

First he was for Trump. Then he was against him. He talked about writing in David Petraeus or Colin Powell. Now he says he doesn’t want to talk about the GOP nominee at all.

He’d have a hard time beating a war hero like Duckworth anyway. But the Trump effect makes it even more unlikely.

Meanwhile, state comptroller Leslie Munger faces a similar problem in her race against Chicago city clerk Susana Mendoza.

The comptroller’s main function is to disperse checks to state employees and vendors. Rauner appointed Munger to the job after the previous comptroller, Judy Barr Topinka, died in office in 2014. Mendoza and Munger are running in a special election to fill out the last two years of Topinka’s term.

This race, for a relatively obscure statewide office, has become yet another proxy battle in Rauner’s fight with Madigan.

That’s the fight in which Rauner won’t pass a budget unless Madigan passes union-busting legislation.

Munger jumped into the fray last spring when she announced that she wouldn’t disperse monthly paychecks to state legislators until they passed a budget.

Their connection to Trump may put Illinois Republicans at a disadvantage this year, but Rauner still has an advantage over Madigan. ’Cause, let’s face it: unions will never have as much disposable cash as billionaires.

As a result, legislators have only been paid twice since then. That’s not so bad for those who have second jobs, such as DuPage County Republican Jim Durkin. He’s a senior partner with the downtown law firm Arnstein & Lehr. (Durkin’s in the firm’s “municipal and government legal services” division, by the way, which, among other things, offers legal representation on tax increment financing, according to the firm’s website. Looks like Chicago Democrats aren’t the only ones feeding from the TIF trough.)

I’ll get back to Durkin in a minute. But as for Munger’s legislative paycheck thing, it’s been tough on northwest-side state rep Jaime Andrade. His main source of income comes from being a legislator, and since Munger cracked down on the legislators’ pay, Andrade’s been driving for Uber to make ends meet.

I guess you could say Andrade wouldn’t have to drive for Uber if he—and a few of his Democratic colleagues—just caved in to Rauner’s demands. But that’s like arguing if he wants to get paid, he’s got to sell out the unions.

It’s an interesting spin on pay-to-play politics—a great tradition in Illinois. But in this case, it’s get played to get paid.

Munger’s made her tough-on-legislators stance the cornerstone of her campaign— though Mendoza’s also vowing not to pay legislators until a budget’s passed. So if stiffing state legislators is your thing, it’s kind of a wash.

Instead, in search of an issue that might get voters to give a hoot about this race, Mendoza’s hammering Munger on Trump.

At the moment, Munger won’t say whom she supports in the presidential election. She says she’s too busy to even pay attention to Trump or Clinton.

“I’m really working very hard to stay out of the issues at the top of the ticket,” Munger said during the debate.

Oh, if she were only as tough on Trump as she is on poor Jaime Andrade.

Mendoza hasn’t been impressed with Munger’s explanations. “Let’s be honest,” Mendoza said during the recent comptroller’s debate.

“It takes half a nanosecond to know where you should be with Donald Trump.”

For his part, Rauner clearly views the comptroller’s office as a valuable chess piece in his fight with Madigan. Citizens for Rauner, the governor’s campaign fund-raising arm, donated $1 million to Munger’s campaign. And Bruce’s two political sidekicks—hedge fund magnate Ken Griffin and businessman Richard Uihlein—have donated $5 million and $2 million respectively.

In other words, Munger has raised more than $8.6 million for a relatively meaningless statewide position. Mendoza’s raised about $2.4 million, for a combined total of $11 million in this race.

“That’s an unprecedented amount for comptroller,” says Sarah Brune, executive director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, a watchdog group.

In 2014, Topinka and her Democratic opponent, Sheila Simon, only raised about $1.2 million combined, according to Brune.

It’s hard to say how much money Rauner and his cronies will spend in this election cycle, because they’re not done spending it.

The final disclosure statements won’t be released until January.

But the Tribune recently estimated that Rauner has already spent about $46 million of his own money—a staggering amount considering he’s not even on the ballot.

But, wait, I can hear you right now: You’re wondering, didn’t the state pass a campaign finance reform law that caps contributions?

Please, people. One more time—never use the word “reform” in relation to Illinois or Chicago politics.

Yes, the state passed a campaign finance law in 2009 that limits individual contributions to $5,400 a year. But the law’s riddled with loopholes.

For instance, a candidate can blow by the caps if he, she, or a relative wants to selffinance the campaign by loaning it more than $250,000. (The same applies to donations, but why donate your money when you can lend it to yourself and get paid back?)

Sure enough, Munger sidestepped the contribution cap in September, when her husband—John Munger, an attorney—lent $260,000 to her campaign.

Obviously, the Mungers don’t have to drive for Uber to make ends meet.

There are other clever ways to dodge the contribution cap—mostly having to do with political action committees.

This stuff is as convoluted and devious as any TIF scheme devised by Mayor Daley.

Take the machinations involving legislator Jim Durkin, for example—I told you I’d get back to him.

On October 5, Turnaround Illinois—a PAC affiliated with Rauner—reported that it had purchased about $101,000 worth of radio spots for Durkin, one of Rauner’s key statehouse allies.

Durkin’s running unopposed. So he doesn’t need radio spots, as it’s hard to lose when J

NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 9

ELECTION PREVIEW Jim Durkin, left, with Governor Bruce Rauner o SETH PERLMAN /AP

continued from 9 you have no opponent—even with Trump at the top of the ticket.

But by buying those radio spots, Turnaround Illinois took advantage of another loophole, in which caps on legislative campaigns are lifted if a PAC spends more than $100,000 on a candidate.

Sure enough, after that, the big money rolled in. On October 12, Citizens for Rauner donated $3 million to Durkin’s campaign. A few days later, Rauner and his wife, Diana, kicked in $9 million, and Griffin donated $3 million.

That’s $15 million worth of donations to a candidate who, just to remind you, has no opponent.

Why would the Republican Party do this?

Well, Durkin turned right around and donated $9 million to the House Republican Organization and $3 million to the Illinois Republican Party.

The Illinois Republican Party then donated $1.5 million to the Republican State Senate Campaign Committee.

And eventually, Republican house and senate organizations funneled money to Rauner’s legislative lackeys all over the state, some of whom are actually in contested races, unlike ol’ Durkin.

By financing their campaigns, Rauner pretty much controls their legislative votes. And they say Madigan runs a machine?

This money will be used for commercials and mailings that hail these legislators as heroes in the fight against Madigan—without, of course, mentioning that they come from the same party as Trump.

Even if these legislators lose, Rauner wins, sort of, ’cause his spending will force Dem-

10 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

ocrats to blow the money they raise, largely from unions.

Sure enough, a Democratic-affiliated PAC called Leading Illinois for Tomorrow has raised more than $6 million and spent about $3.2 million, largely on ads linking Rauner to Trump. That group gets much of its money from unions and wealthy Democratic donors.

Hey, the Democrats have a few too.

To fight back, Rauner will probably raise more money to buy more commercials linking various Democrats to Madigan.

Apparently, Madigan’s almost as horrifying to the Republican base as gay marriage and science.

It’s an arms race. Their connection to Trump may put Illinois Republicans at a disadvantage this year, but Rauner still has an advantage over Madigan. ’Cause, let’s face it: unions will never have as much disposable cash as billionaires.

And whatever happens in Illinois in 2016, it’s all just a prelude to the mother of all showdowns: 2018, when Rauner will run for reelection. Who knows how much money he’ll spend on that race—or how many campaign financing loopholes he’ll exploit?

As I write this, Hillary Clinton’s ahead in the polls, though her lead’s been shrinking, courtesy of the latest Anthony Weiner-related revelations in her e-mail saga. I know—just when you thought the presidential race couldn’t get any weirder.

Should she hang on for the win, look for state Republicans to blame their setbacks on Trump. Should he win, they’ll probably pretend they were with him all along. And so the tightrope walk continues. v

ß @joravben

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ELECTION PREVIEW CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Whatever happened to Kim Foxx?

The vocal reformer has been oddly quiet since sweeping the Democratic primary for Cook County state’s attorney.

K

im Foxx has been strangely quiet of late. The Democratic candidate for Cook County state’s attorney ran a high-profile campaign on a reformist platform earlier this year, which featured many media appearances, including a 5,000-word profile in the Reader in March. She was borne to victory amid near-daily street protests against incumbent Anita Alvarez, but has since remained conspicuously silent on a range of hot-button issues pertaining to prosecutors and police.

The candidate’s staff didn’t respond to the Reader’s requests for comment on our recent investigations into felony murder charges and civil asset forfeiture, for example. Nor was Foxx quoted in any media outlet after the fatal shooting of unarmed black teen Paul O’Neal

by CPD officers in August. Although we didn’t reach out to her for that story, Foxx didn’t wait for an invitation to speak on police shootings before the primary, releasing a passionate statement in an anticipation of the release of the Laquan McDonald video.

But Foxx, who spoke to the Reader by phone last week, denies having been missing in action.

“The ferocity of the campaign has continued even if the media hasn’t been paying attention,” she said. “Since the primary I’ve been talking quite frequently about these issues in gatherings that I’ve had with community groups and officials along the stump.” She lists a meeting with young African-American professionals at the Chicago Urban League and speeches at local universities as examples.

Nevertheless, we took advantage of the opportunity to check in with Foxx on issues that have come up—or persisted—since she won the primary, starting with police shootings.

Reformers have called on prosecutors to examine their cooperative—and some would say

conciliatory—relationship with police. Prosecutors rely on cops to bring and build their cases, and post-Laquan McDonald, Alvarez came under fire for not charging then CPD officer Jason Van Dyke for more than a year after the shooting, and more broadly for what many perceived as her office’s unwillingness to go after police officers accused of misconduct.

Throughout the primary Foxx reiterated that, if elected, she’d want a special prosecutor on all police shooting cases. But last week, during a WTTW debate with her Republican opponent, attorney Christopher Pfannkuche, she appeared to backpedal on the idea. When pressed by the moderator as to how the county could afford to pay for all these special prosecutors, she said, “To be clear, we’re talking about police-involved shootings, and we’re talking about those cases in which the person who was shot has been unarmed.”

Limiting special prosecutors to cases where the victim was unarmed would have excluded McDonald, who was holding a knife when Van Dyke shot him 16 times. A special prosecutor, Kane County state’s attorney Joseph McMahon, was appointed to that case by the trial judge in August.

But when we asked Foxx to explain her pivot, she denied it was one, insisting that she would want special prosecutors on “all police-involved shootings.” Then she went a step further, calling on the state legislature to create a new division of special investigators to be located outside the state’s attorney’s office, so that even the question of whether to charge an officer in the first place would be taken out of the office’s hands.

Chicago’s police union, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7, has resisted these kinds of sweeping changes, and has denied that misconduct and a code of silence are wide- J

o JEFFREY MARINI

By MAYA DUKMASOVA

NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 11

IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE WE URGE EVERYONE NOT TO VOTE TO RETAIN JUDGE KATHLEEN PANTLE Just like in the Klingon court in the Star Trek movie The Undiscovered Country Chicago Chancery Court Judge Kathleen Pantle has been engaging in malfeasance for years. This Judge is lawless and highly biased favoring the establishment parties before her and trampling upon the rights of the little people. She is regularly reversed and roundly criticized by the Appellate court and should be removed from the bench as a public service. This is a change election so please take this opportunity to stand up for your rights and vote NOT to re elect this Judge. Thank you For more information please read this online article in the Chicago Law Bulletin and reviews on the Robing Room website http://www.chicagolawbulletin.com/Archives/2016/08/10/CPD-assault-ďŹ red-appeal-8-10-16.aspx http://www.therobingroom.com/illinois/Judge.aspx?id=4546 Please support one of the victims now at the Social Justice Defense Fund crowd funding webpage https://www.crowdrise.com/social-justice-defense-fund

12 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

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ELECTION PREVIEW continued from TK spread problems. During the primary, FOP president Dean Angelo Sr. was vocal about feeling betrayed by the city’s establishment Democrats, and the union didn’t endorse any candidate for state’s attorney. It’s now supporting Pfannkuche, who’s virtually unknown to the public despite three decades as a prosecutor in the state’s attorney’s office.

Pfannkuche has said he wouldn’t call for special prosecutors in cases of police misconduct.

Still, as she prepares for the general election—and the possibility of having to work with the FOP—Foxx’s rhetoric regarding the police seems to have softened somewhat.

When pressed to explain how she’d work toward reform in the face of resistance from the FOP, she said, “I think the resistance to change is not exclusive to the FOP.” She later added that “it’s absolutely necessary for me to have a good working relationship with all the actors who we need to work with” in order to enact change.

Foxx also noted that reform efforts initiated from within the county could be moot if the U.S. Department of Justice’s ongoing investigation reveals patterns and practices of civil rights abuses within the police department.

If it does, the DOJ has the option of issuing a consent decree, which would give it oversight of the department.

“One would hope that reforms shouldn’t have to be done by mandate,” Foxx said, “but if that’s the point where we are in this county, then that’s where we are.”

During the conversation, we also asked Foxx to comment on the Reader’s two most recent police investigations, into civil forfeiture and felony murder.

“It is of grave concern that people are being stripped of their property rights in a process that’s not fair and without due process,” Foxx said of the CPD’s use of civil forfeiture, especially “how police officers are able to use the funding to continue to do [more] forfeitures.” She declined to be specific on how she might go about addressing the problem if elected, citing a lack of insider knowledge on how the process works.

And when asked about the state’s attorney’s office’s use of felony murder rules to charge arrestees with murders committed by cops in pursuit of suspects, Foxx was cautious, saying that the Reader’s investigation “highlighted what could appear to be a perversion of the intent of that law that requires further scrutiny.”

The intent of the felony murder law, as Foxx pointed out, is to allow prosecutors to charge someone with murder if, for example,

“The ferocity of the campaign has continued even if the media hasn’t been paying attention.”

—Kim Foxx, Democratic candidate for Cook County state’s attorney

a bystander dies as a result of a burglary that person was committing.

“If what we’re seeing, however, is that law is being used to aid other actors to defend other acts,” in particular, to protect cops from murder charges when they kill in the line of duty, as some experts suggested to the Reader, “that is a perversion of that intent,” Foxx said.

She said she could only speak theoretically, though, since the state’s attorney’s office hasn’t publicly explained how it uses the felony murder statute.

“This is why transparency in data matters,” Foxx said.

Indeed, transparency has been central to Foxx’s platform, so we asked how she’d go about improving it in the state’s attorney’s office, where questions from reporters frequently get no response. She promised “a regular forum where I’m able to present to the public what we’re doing,” and a focus on collecting data within the office that would then be made widely available.

Foxx’s previous reticence to speak over the past eight or so months may be a symptom of the political norms in heavily Democratic Cook County, where the primaries are basically the general election. Media interest and polling all but disappear in the months leading up to a general election; we couldn’t find any polls comparing Foxx’s and Pfannkuche’s popularity with voters. Many Democratic candidates opt to play it safe, while their counterparts on the opposite side of the aisle in effect give up the ghost before Election Day. Though the Reader made multiple attempts to reach Pfannkuche for comment, the Republican candidate didn’t respond. v

ß @mdoukmas NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 13

ELECTION PREVIEW The “lockbox” amendment would reserve money from gas taxes and the like exclusively for road repairs and other transportation needs. o SCOTT OLSON

TRANSPORTATION

Paved with good intentions?

The Safe Roads Amendment has a number of potholes.

By JOHN GREENFIELD

O

ne of the TV ads put out to promote the Safe Roads Amendment is downright terrifying.

“Thousands of bridges crumbling,” says the ominous-sounding narrator over grim footage of crumbling viaducts and potholed streets. “Roads in dangerous disrepair. We already pay to make them safe, but year after year Springfield raids the road fund for their pet projects.”

On the screen is a horrific image of the 2007 Minneapolis Interstate 35W bridge collapse, which killed 13 people and injured 145. “It’s not a matter of if disaster will strike,” the narrator warns gloomily, “but when.”

The proposed amendment to the Illinois constitution, which will be on the November 8 ballot, would require that all funds collected through gas taxes, tolls, driver’s license fees, and city stickers be captured in a “lockbox” to prevent them from being used for nontransportation purposes. The ballot question asks citizens if they support earmarking this revenue for “administering laws related to vehicles and transportation, costs for construction, reconstruction, maintenance, repair, and betterment of public highways, roads, streets, bridges, mass transit, intercity passenger rail, ports, airports, or other forms of transportation, and other statutory highway purposes.”

14 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

It’s no surprise that the binding referendum, which will pass only if 60 percent of voters support it, is mainly backed by the road-building industry, organized labor, and other entities that stand to profit if more money is funneled toward highway construction. The lobbying group Citizens to Protect Transportation Funding has raised $3.7 million in support of the measure—including $1 million from the Fight Back Fund, a political advocacy group headed by labor leader Marc Poulos that isn’t required to disclose its donors—and has already purchased some $1 million worth of TV ads.

Both the Tribune and the Sun-Times have urged readers to vote no on the measure, arguing that the campaign is fueled by cronyism, and that politicians shouldn’t need a constitutional amendment to force them into fiscal discipline. In September the Tribune ran an editorial blasting the amendment as “diabolical,” asserting that it would serve as a gravy train for the contractors and unions who make campaign donations to politicians.

“Nobody would be talking about lockboxes if our pathetic Legislature and governor would only come to terms on a new state budget that responsibly balances spending and revenue overall,” read a May Sun-Times editorial. “No one doubts that transportation projects are in a sorry state in Illinois. . . . But

the solution is a budget, not a shell game.”

The Tribune also argued that it would be bad to eliminate the option of using transportation money for other needs in case of real funding emergencies. Wisconsin, Maryland, and California, the three other states that have passed similar amendments, included a “safety valve” that eases the restriction in the event of a natural disaster or financial crisis.

On the other side, Chicago’s three most prom i nent su sta i nable-t ra n spor tat ion advocacy groups have previously endorsed the amendment, although one of them has since reversed its position. (More on that in a minute.) The Metropolitan Planning Council is one of the referendum’s official supporters, and the Active Transportation Alliance and the Center for Neighborhood Technology previously voiced their approval. They’ve argued that the lockbox would help grow the overall state transportation budget, including the relatively small portion that goes toward public transit, walking, and biking projects.

“The lockbox is one part of solving Illinois’ transportation investment needs,” said MPC spokeswoman Mandy Burrell in a statement.

“Our [transportation infrastructure is] suffering from a chronic lack of investment.” The civic group projects that an additional $43 billion is needed over the next ten years to

get our state’s transportation infrastructure in good shape again, and Burrell argued that the amendment would help bolster political support for new revenue sources for the purpose, such as a hike in the state gas tax, which has been stuck at 19 cents a gallon since 1991.

“We need to ensure people that the money they pay in transportation user fees will actually support transportation,” she said.

In September, after discussing the amendment with the three advocacy groups, I wrote a rebuttal to the Trib piece on Streetsblog, calling the lockbox amendment a “necessity.”

But after taking a closer look at the proposal’s language, as well as reading arguments from other organizations and progressive commentators, I realized I may have jumped to conclusions about the issue. It looks like enshrining this funding policy in the constitution could have some unintended negative consequences for Illinois’s future fiscal needs, among other things.

As my Streetsblog colleague Steven Vance pointed out in a subsequent opinion piece, some of the arguments made by Citizens are inaccurate or misleading. The group claims that $6.8 billion in transportation funding has been used for other needs since 2002.

However, the Civic Federation, a bipartisan watchdog group, did an independent analysis and found that the number is actually $519 million when you account for nondirect spending related to road construction, such as salaries for Illinois Department of Transportation employees and debt payment on bonds used to pay for the construction.

The federation also argued that requiring transportation-related revenue to be spent only on transportation projects could put more strain on state and local budgets, which could mean cuts to education and human services, and/or higher taxes.

In addition, although the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning hasn’t officially opposed the amendment, last month the agency issued a memorandum that detailed several reservations about the proposal.

CMAP noted that the language doesn’t specify that statewide and regional transporta-

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ELECTION PREVIEW tion planning is eligible for transportation funding. CMAP also noted that the amendment prioritizes highway work over public transportation, and doesn’t mention walking or biking at all. (Presumably the phrase “other forms of transportation” in the ballot question includes these modes, but that’s not a sure thing.)

Crain’s Chicago Business columnist Greg Hinz, a sustainable transportation booster, also cautioned against voting for the amendment in a recent op-ed. He quoted Chicago budget director Alex Holt as having concerns that the city might lose control over some $250 million annually in local taxes, plus another $49 million a year from state gas taxes.

This money is used for many civic needs, such as libraries. It’s also unclear whether the lockbox money could be used for snowplowing, streetlights, and other items not explicitly mentioned in the initiative.

When I ran these arguments by Active Trans director Ron Burke last week, he responded that the amendment aligns with his group’s mission by significantly increasing state funding for walking, biking, and transit at a time when cuts are a very real threat. In early 2015 Governor Bruce Rauner proposed slashing one-third of state funding for CTA, Metra, and Pace, although, partly due to pushback from Active Trans and other advocates, the cuts haven’t gone through. The lockbox would make this kind of doomsday scenario less likely, Burke argued.

He’s says he’s not worried that walking and biking projects won’t be eligible for funding

“When the Illinois constitution was approved [in 1970], there were no such devices as cell phones, electric or autonomous cars, nor even Segway.

How can we in the first quarter of the 21st Century anticipate the transportation modes over the horizon?”

—Jacky Grimshaw, the Center for Neighborhood Technology

under the amendment.

“We will have to fight for our share of the pie, as we do today, [but] the pie will get bigger—and that is key,” Burke says.

However, Burke did acknowledge that Active Trans has been unhappy with how car-centric the branding and advertising for the lockbox campaign has been—the logo for the initiative is a shield from an interstate sign with a checkmark in it. “We knew that they prioritize roads,” he says, “and this is another example of that.”

Likely as a result of Active Trans’ nudging, another Citizens ad features a guy riding a bike (albeit with his messenger bag on backward). The group has also tweeted messages stating that the amendment will protect funding for transit, walking, and biking, as well as driving.

Back in September, Center for Neighborhood Technology vice president for policy Jacky Grimshaw told me the lockbox was necessary to keep Springfield from diverting scarce transportation funds to other needs like colleges and day care. “The General Assembly should address funding those needs . . . not rob transportation dollars to fund them,” she said at the time.

But after I asked about the opposing arguments last week, Grimshaw told me she has changed her mind.

“After actually reading the amendment and considering not only some of the issues you cite, but also the denial of transportation funding [for Illinois Department of Natural Resources research on alternative energy],

I’ve concluded that this amendment is a bad idea.”

Last Friday Grimshaw laid out her new position in a blog post. “Ordinarily constitutional amendments emerge out of a broad civic discussion where their impacts can be evaluated from many perspectives and the wording revised to achieve the intended objective,” she wrote. “Not this amendment.

It was developed behind closed doors and released fully developed—along with an advertising campaign. Indeed, it could be called a ‘stealth amendment.’”

“And there is the future [to consider],” she noted. “When the Illinois constitution was approved [in 1970], there were no such devices as cell phones, electric or autonomous cars, nor even Segway. How can we in the first quarter of the 21st century anticipate the transportation modes over the horizon? It is uncertain if this amendment would allow for funding support.”

So what should we do at the voting booth next Tuesday? While there are compelling arguments on both sides, I’m probably going to vote no. The road-building lobby’s gusto for tying lawmakers’ hands on funding decisions reminds me too much of Richard M. Daley’s disastrous 2008 parking meter privatization deal, with its many unanticipated consequences. I’m thinking it’s better to be safe than sorry. v

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

NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 15

ELECTION PREVIEW

o SANTIAGO COVARRUBIAS/SUN-TIMES

For the last several decades, the 63-yearold Chicago native has worked as a human rights activist and a grassroots organizer, mostly in Atlanta. He currently lives in Washington, D.C., where he’s an associate fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies, a progressive think tank.

Baraka sat down with the Reader at the Green Party’s local headquarters in Wicker Park to talk about how his Chicago upbringing shaped his politics and why he thinks voting for Democrats like Emanuel, Obama, and Clinton is a terrible idea.

Q&A

Ajamu Baraka rejects the ‘lesser evil’ too

The Green Party vice presidential nominee and Chicago native says pushing Hillary to the left won’t work.

By RYAN SMITH

A

jamu Baraka is tired of the “lesser of two evils” argument frequently invoked during this presidential election to encourage support for Hillary Clinton as the only true alternative to Donald Trump. The Green Party vice presidential nominee sees the Democratic presidential nominee not as an antidote to Trumpism, but as a partial cause of it—a warmongering, corporate, right-winger who serves the “liberal bourgeoisie” instead of ordinary working people. He saves his

16 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

harshest words, however, for Barack Obama, whom he calls a “political hack” and a “moral disaster.”

Bold statements like these have generated a few diffuse headlines, but media attention for Baraka and his running mate, Jill Stein, has been nearly nonexistent in a raucous campaign season in which the two majorparty candidates—especially Trump—have sucked all the air out of the proverbial room.

As a result, Baraka remains a mystery to most mainstream voters.

Tell me about growing up on the south side.

The part that was probably most significant for me was when I lived on 43rd and Berkeley.

We were living in a building that was basically a tent in a slum. We had to live in fear of fires because the buildings were so close together, and they used to jerry-rig the gas lines. So that was really sort of a devastating experience for me.

How did those experiences in Chicago shape your politics?

I had a chance to get to understand racial discrimination, but also the complications of class. That helped to create the kind of political perspective that was a foundation for me, and helped me realize that while racial discrimination and oppression is really important, it didn’t tell the whole story. One had to have a class perspective as well.

What do you think of the way Trump has used Chicago to talk about race and violence?

Well, it’s typical. Issues of race, of connecting race to violence, is something many of these opportunistic politicians have used for quite some time, because it resonates. What is sad, though, is that you know it not only resonates with white voters, but also with black voters too. And what we see as part of that conversation, coming from both the right and left, is a suggestion that the only way the issue of violence can be dealt with is if there was some intervention on the part of the state.

I’m not sure what the interventions are supposed to do. Do we want to militarize the

communities? Bring in the National Guard?

Maybe search house to house and take all the guns out? So it’s a very dangerous conversation, you see, around this issue of violence.

It’s also interesting because Trump’s solution to fixing Chicago is “law and order” and implementing stop and frisk.

But Rahm’s solution isn’t that different— he’s hiring 1,000 more cops.

Exactly. I mean, honestly, I didn’t know that stop and frisk stopped in Chicago. When I was growing up that was like normal procedure.

You stand on the corner when you’re a young, black man, and the police would pull up and say, “Assume the position,” and you’d go and get on the wall.

Democrats calling for a thousand new police—that’s an incredible investment. As opposed to dealing with some of the real issues that undermine this violence, like the closure of schools. You can come up with all kinds of money for repression, but you claim there’s not money there for funding for the public education process? It’s backwards, but it also exposes the corruption of both of these parties, and in particular the Democrats.

What are your thoughts on the Emanuel administration as a whole?

I don’t get excited about this administration, because I grew up under Mayor [Richard J.] Daley. To me, it’s a continuation of the same politics as usual in Chicago. Rahm is winning elections, hook and crook, and this is what you get when you allow for these crooked, crooked Democratic politicians to basically control things. If people are concerned about the Democratic establishment, you have to organize yourself and throw them out.

“Neoliberal” is a word you and other critics on the left increasingly use to describe Rahm, Hillary, and the corporate Democratic establishment. Do you think a term like this is helpful in describing what you see as the problem?

I do, because when we examine and expose the class politics of the Democrats, it can only assist us in building an opposition. We talk about the 1 percent all the time, and billionaires. We’ve got to help people understand:

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ELECTION PREVIEW Both the Republicans and the Democrats are supporters of the 1 percent. They’re just two wings of the same bird.

But what I find really interesting in 2016 is that those members of the ruling elite that support the Republicans have abandoned the Republicans and are now coalescing with the Democrats. You’re seeing a new political realignment taking place. When Donald Trump says he’s going to transform the Republican party into a workers’ party [laughs], that’s a real concern for many of these elites, you know? And so they’re finding themselves uncomfortable with remaining in the Republican party.

So where does that then leave the rest of us? The line seems to be that we have no other choice but to align ourselves with this new right in the Democratic Party. You see these arguments that we need to defeat Trump, we get Hillary elected, and then we can push Hillary to the left—that’s absolute BS. Ask yourself a very simple question: How much pushing did you do under Barack Obama? The Hillary Clinton administration would be no

more than an extension of the Barack Obama administration—the same kind of neoliberal, trickle-down economics, the same politics.

And what is it you do? You went to sleep for eight years.

I expect the same thing under a Clinton administration. And I don’t believe that progressive politics can survive another eight years of demobilization, disengagement, and disempowerment.

How would you describe Obama’s presidency and what he’s done for progressive politics?

I think he’s been a political and moral disaster. Here was a young man who had the opportunity to be a great president. The country was looking for real change, they’re looking for some liberal reforms that could’ve been enacted. But Barack Obama turned out to be just another political hack. And he spent more time and energy protecting the interests of the liberal bourgeoisie than enacting, or at-

tempting to enact, progressive policies that would address the real needs of working- and middle-class people in this country—his expansion of militarism, his policies of invading Iraq, his inability to get the U.S. out of Afghanistan, giving a green light and supporting the attack on Libya, telling the intelligence agencies to basically destabilize Syria.

And it’s unfortunate, because it didn’t have to be like this. They had an opportunity to take this country in a new direction, but they’re more beholden to the interests of the 1 percent—the fantasy of everlasting U.S. global hegemony—and as a consequence, they have blundered their way into a situation where there is a real legitimacy crisis in this country. And you open up the door to more dangerous elements in the form of Trumpism.

I’m sure this is the question that you usually get—about taking votes away from Hillary, and what would happen if Trump wins by a small margin, and the

Green Party gets 5 percent of the vote.

I mean, there’s the whole Ralph Nader comparison. How do you deal with that question?

I say that if you are afraid of Donald Trump, if you are afraid of democracy, if you are looking for the protective comfort of the Democratic Party, then support the Democrats. But if you believe in democracy, if you believe in possibility of a new future in this country, if you believe that people have the ability to transform themselves and their conditions, if you are for a new kind of society, and a more peaceful foreign policy, if you believe in the possibility of racial justice, if you believe in the possibility of us living in harmony among ourselves and globally, then you have the responsibility to express that belief in your vote.

So I say, don’t succumb to that kind of unprincipled position that you have to support the lesser of two evils. You’re still supporting evil. v

ß @RyanSmithWriter

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Chicago NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 17

Read Derrick Clifton’s columns throughout the week at chicagoreader.com.

ELECTION PREVIEW A graphic that appeared on Medium last month made waves with its breakdown of possible election results by voters’ race. o STE KINNEY-FIELDS/ MEDIUM

IDENTITY & CULTURE

See change

Political parties need to get with the country’s changing demographics—or get left behind.

By DERRICK CLIFTON

A

lthough Donald Trump crept closer to Hillary Clinton in the polls this week, the most likely outcome of this year’s presidential race (i.e., a win for Clinton) can be largely explained by a few simple electoral maps. You’ve probably seen them making the rounds on social media.

Based on a recent data visualization that appeared on Medium (apparently made with tools from FiveThirtyEight), if only people of

18 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

color voted in the 2016 presidential election, every electoral vote would go toward a unanimous win for Clinton. Meanwhile, if only white voters went to the ballot box, regardless of gender or educational attainment, the election would be a landslide victory for Trump. It’s telling.

Demographers project that white people will form a plurality of U.S. citizens by 2055, making people of color collectively the majority. And last year, the U.S. Census Bureau

reported that, by the year 2020, more than half of all children under 18 will be part of some nonwhite racial group.

If these maps are to be believed, America’s shifting demographics will increasingly influence election outcomes. The party that adapts best, on the whole, will win presidential elections. And from the looks of these maps, so far the Democratic Party appears best poised to benefit from this sea change.

It didn’t happen overnight. For decades,

voters of color have supported Democrats in national elections, largely because the party made more progress on civil rights. But in the present political era, the roots of Democrats’ current gains go back to at least 2008, when President Obama’s first campaign effectively adapted and targeted his message to various underrepresented demographics, and boosted participation by young voters. The campaign’s website, promotional materials, messaging and policy proposals all had segments dedicated to addressing concerns of numerous marginalized groups—including LGBT people, women, and each voter segment of color.

Obama replicated that success in 2012. Although he won over just 39 percent of white voters compared to Mitt Romney’s 59 percent (a gap of approximately 18.6 million votes), combined with winning the overwhelming share of black, Hispanic, and Asian voters, Obama was still able to win both the electoral college and 51 percent of the popular vote.

Based on current polling models and projections, it appears that Clinton may emerge victorious in a similar way this year, winning enough white votes, but not the majority.

One would think this would prompt the Republican Party’s leadership to make more concerted efforts with voters of color. Yet with Trump’s emergence, the dissonance between what the GOP says about people of color and how the party acts on matters of policy has become even more obvious. On the whole, the party appears unwilling to change or rebuild, proceeding with appeals to its overwhelmingly white base.

But even among Democrats, the country’s changing demographics should be reason for concern. There’s a palpable sense among voters of color that the party takes them for granted. For example, various polls and reports have indicated that younger black voters are much less enthusiastic than their elders about the prospect of a Clinton presidency. Many of them remember her past missteps on key issues, such as her support for the 1994 crime bill. There’s also some mixed feelings among Latinos, given her past remarks on immigration, including her statement in 2014 that unaccompanied minors traveling to the U.S. without documentation should be sent back home.

The bottom line is that with demographics shifting, both parties must improve their standing amongst voters of color by showing—not just telling people—that they care.

Granted, Clinton and Trump’s platforms are virtually night and day when it comes to,

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ELECTION PREVIEW say, gun violence and economic disparities, just to name a few.

But perception also matters greatly, especially for many low-information voters who rely on sound bites and chance encounters with news to make their choices. And the perfunctory appeals made by both campaigns often left those voters underwhelmed.

In the primaries, the Clinton campaign’s initial efforts were often clumsy. For example, just before last Christmas, the campaign website released a listicle of “7 things Hillary Clinton has in common with your Abuela.”

The cringe-worthy excuse for outreach played on Clinton’s newborn grandchild, and bore a photo of the candidate and singer Marc Anthony as proof that “everyone loves abuela.” It was a massive flop that played into perceptions about pandering for votes, but not actually earning them.

As time went on, however, the campaign made some improvements to establish stronger ties with voters of color, making it clearer that improving their lives is part of Clinton’s vision for the country’s future. In one of her

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better moments, Clinton named systemic racism as a defining issue of our time, making a major address that introduced a related $125 billion policy agenda. And in a recently released ad featuring the Khans—the Muslim Gold Star family whose son died fighting for the United states in the Iraq War—Khizr Khan asks if his deceased son would’ve had a place in Trump’s vision of America.

As for Trump’s campaign?

We need not rehash the many ways he’s disparaged marginalized groups, or his decidedly horrific promises to build a wall and the like. We know his campaign has emboldened white nationalists and supremacist groups like the KKK. But his campaign’s appeals to voters of color were also reflective of this problem.

There was the laughable Cinco de Mayo taco boat incident, when he tweeted an image of himself eating the dish at his desk along with the message “I love Hispanics!” (Of course, this came full circle when the head of Latinos for Trump asserted that if Clinton won, there would be “taco trucks on every corner,”

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tive edge even with fewer votes from people of color. After all, he and many of his supporters don’t think he’s racist, just a man who speaks his mind.

But because Republicans have been complicit with Trump, Chicagoans can’t watch an hour of television without seeing ads with GOP officials such as Governor Bruce Rauner declaring they’ll support the Republican nominee without qualification. Similar ads have run in other states, in an attempt to sway competitive races.

The GOP’s refusal to renounce Trump signals that the party continues to be dominated by white men working overtime to maintain a firm grip on their power and privilege. Given the country’s changing demographics, this could backfire even more in the coming years.

This year’s election should be a wake-up call for both major parties. Neither of them will get much mileage in the future without fully, authentically embracing voters of color. v

ß @DerrickClifton

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spawning one of the campaign season’s more pleasant memes.) Trump also caused a furor following a meeting with Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto, when he falsely claimed that Nieto agreed to pay for a border wall.

Meanwhile, Trump has assumed that black people live only in urban areas, where they are uneducated, impoverished, and plagued by “war zone” conditions, and has persistently used Chicago as a dog whistle on this issue.

He’s asked black voters directly, “What do you have to lose?” by voting for him, and has limited his appearances in black communities to photo ops in a select few black churches. At an October 25 rally in Sanford, Florida, news reports highlighted that a woman—a white woman—held aloft a “Blacks for Trump” sign behind the candidate.

The campaign wouldn’t have to play these perception games if it wasn’t desperate to get its numbers up. Trump’s still polling in the low single digits among African-Americans.

It appears that Trump’s been banking on winning a much higher share of white votes than Romney did in 2012, getting a competi-

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NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 19

ARTS & CULTURE

Otto Ramstad and Olive Bieringa o SEAN SMUDA

Alfred H. Wilson, Willie B., Kelvin Roston Jr., and Tyla Abercrumbie o MICHAEL BROSILOW

THEATER

From gabfest to gunfire

By TONY ADLER

A

ugust Wilson definitely influenced my storytelling,” Eugene Lee remarks to dramaturg Reginald Edmund in the program notes for Lee’s East Texas Hot Links, running now at Writers Theatre. “He told me once that, ‘It’s alright to let them talk.’”

“Them” would be his characters, and there’s no question but that Lee took Wilson’s advice to heart. The little company of backwoods black folks Lee brings together in East Texas Hot Links spend most of the play’s 90-minute running time worrying their favorite topics to death as they sit around the Top O’ the Hill Cafe on a Friday evening in early summer, 1955. Roy recalls his glory days on a “colored” state championship basketball squad and comes on to Charlesetta, who owns the Top O’ the Hill. When she’s not rebuffing Roy (noting that he’s considered an unlucky lover since the widow Brookman died “underneath” him), Charlesetta remembers her dead dad’s unbusinesslike generosity with a mix of reverence and disapproval. Good-hearted Columbus shows up to josh about his wife’s cooking, old Adolph to philosophize on life, and youngblood Delmus to try and get his life started. Truculent XL, meanwhile, keeps busy bursting other people’s balloons while puffing up his own, bragging about his in with

20 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

Prescott Ebert, a local white honcho thought to have ties to the KKK. Mr. Ebert has plenty of work for XL to do.

And so it goes. All this banter is definitely headed somewhere. An ominous note is introduced with the mention of young black men who’ve disappeared, apparently while working on a road-paving project. Questions of racial solidarity, mortal fear, and the dumbfounding arrogance of white power in the Jim Crow south will kick in, setting up awful resonances for our current moment of Black Lives Matter resistance and alt-right reaction. There will be violence—a full-out paroxysm of it.

But Lee’s script is an awkward vehicle for both the drama and the issues it has to carry.

Yes, East Texas Hot Links was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize when it first appeared, in the early 1990s—yet even the positive reviews published then held out reservations, pointing to a first hour “or so” that, in the words of New York Times critic David Richards, “moseys along, seemingly content to sketch in the characters and record the lively talk” before heading toward a finish that’s “startling for all the wrong reasons.”

Ron OJ Parson’s Writers staging doesn’t solve that problem. The play still loses forward momentum during that long opening

stretch of banter. Worse, it gets tedious as the banter keeps bringing us back around to each character’s signature obsession. Delmus is all about getting out of the sticks. Charlesetta all about her father’s legacy. XL all about disdain. A blind poet straight out of Sophocles, Adolph finds a dozen ways to describe the eat-and-be-eaten nature of life. The Times’s Richards argues that the final conflagration comes as an abrupt surprise (“You can’t call it a deus ex machina, but a deus ex shotgun wouldn’t be far off the mark”). I disagree.

Given the constant underlining of preoccupations, it’s hard not to divine the general outline of the climax—or at least who’s going to be on which side of it—a good distance out.

Parson has a long history with East Texas Hot Links. He directed the celebrated 1995 Chicago premiere—mounted by a now-lost black company, Onyx Theatre Ensemble—and then an equally well-received 1998 remount.

In 2014 Sun-Times critic Hedy Weiss reported that Parson was working on reviving Onyx with still another production of the play. His intimacy with the material doesn’t seem to have sharpened his vision of it, though. To the contrary, certain key elements come through in soft focus, aestheticized, when they could use a harder edge. Namir Smallwood’s XL, in particular, doesn’t justify his reputation either for menace or weaseliness. Impressive in Philip Dawkins’s Charm last year, Smallwood may be keeping XL vague for logistical reasons; if so, I’d say the strategy does precisely what it’s meant to prevent. Similarly, both Tyla Abercrumbie’s Charlesetta and Adolph as performed by Willie B. (who played the same role for Onyx) could use some uglying up.

On the other hand, A.C. Smith’s Boochie Reed and Antoine Pierre Whitfield’s Buckshot can’t get any sharper. Both characters are late arrivals to the cafe gabfest, which may help account for their exceptional presence, but both also bring an intensity—a sense of real stakes, real danger, real being—that’s missing wherever else you look. v EAST TEXAS HOT LINKS Through 1/22: Wed-Fri 7:30 PM, Sat 3 and 7:30 PM, Sun 2 and 6 PM (except 11/13, 12/18, and 1/15, 2 PM only), Tue 7:30 PM, Writers Theatre, 325 Tudor Ct., Glencoe, 847-242-6000, writerstheatre.org, $75-$80.

DEVELOPED BY THE Minneapolis-based creative duo of Olive Bieringa and Otto Ramstad, Closer is like nothing so much as an interesting but sometimes awkward first date.

The idea is this: an audience and dancer come together for a one-on-one performance in a public setting—a nearby park, a municipal building, an abandoned industrial plant. You could just as easily wind up watching someone tumble across a grassy knoll as dangle from the wrought-iron beams of an old factory building.

All you know for sure is that whatever happens will never happen the same way twice.

In that sense, Closer often fills you with anxious anticipation—at least, when it’s not causing you weird, uncomfortable moments of self-awareness. Most of the time (and this is intentional) Closer links two strangers together while unwitting strangers look on. The line blurs between personal and impersonal, staged and improvised performance.

Closer comes packaged in two ways: “solo” and “group.” For the past week or so, at the Chicago Cultural Center, Hamlin Park, and other public locales, it’s been one solo after another as part of the fourth annual SpinOff Festival. The group portion culminates the show this weekend with “an expansive performance experience” followed by a dance party with music by DJ Jake Pickel and DJ Intel—perhaps the best opportunity to get to know your “dates” a little better than before.

—MATT DE LA PEÑA CLOSER (GROUP) Fri 11/4-

ß @taadler

Sat 11/5, Links Hall at Constellation, 3111 N. Western, 773-281-0824, linkshall.org. F

DANCE

The closeness of strangers

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R READER RECOMMENDED

b ALL AGES

F

G o RICK PROCTOR

COMEDY

A different world with Lena Waithe

By BRIANNA WELLEN

rowing up on the south side, writer and actress Lena Waithe looked to four pillars of television: The Cosby Show, Martin, Living Single, and A Different World: to this day the 32-year-old’s Twitter handle, @HillmanGrad, is homage to the fictional college attended by Denise Huxtable, Whitley Gilbert, and Dwayne Wayne.

“Look, regardless of what’s going on right now with the man, if you were a black kid in the 80s, you were watching The Cosby Show,” Waithe says. “There’s something about that show that’s magical, that’s still timeless, and it was revolutionary at the time. There were kids on that show that would talk to their parents the way I did, that dressed the way I did, that did their homework the way I did, that caused trouble the way I sometimes did.”

After seeing herself in these characters, Waithe decided when she was still very young that she would seek a career in television writing. She studied the craft at Columbia College Chicago, and then, after she graduat-

ARTS & CULTURE ed in 2006, moved to LA where she wrote for Bones, produced the film Dear White People, and created a pilot of her own with fellow Chicagoan Common. In 2015 Waithe moved to the front of the camera to speak to a new generation of young, black television watchers as Denise, Aziz Ansari’s wry, gay BFF on the Netflix comedy Master of None.

“I get a lot of people hitting me up on Twitter and Instagram and they message me telling me, ‘Hey, I’m queer and brown and see myself in you and that character,’ ” Waithe says. “It means a lot to me. I didn’t realize how revolutionary the character was.”

Denise was originally supposed to be a straight, white woman. But after Waithe met with Ansari and cocreator Alan Yang, they decided to switch things up and base the character on her, in keeping with the show’s vision of portraying diverse points of view. Season two (premiering in April 2017) will focus even more on Denise’s world, shedding light on the LGBT community in a way that Waithe says she

hasn’t yet seen in television.

But she’s not going to stop at sharing her personal experiences onscreen as an actress. The still-unnamed pilot she created with Common—it was commissioned by Showtime, and they’re still in talks with the network—is based on Waithe’s experiences growing up as a young black person in Chicago.

“What we’re dealing with is what it’s like to be in a city riddled with violence and how it affects you and how you walk the world,” Waithe says. “Even though they don’t come from a community that looks like yours, their lives are just as valid. My hope is that people can see the empathy and the humanity in these stories and not just another number.” v LENA WAITHE: CHICAGO’S RISING STAR Sun 11/6, 1 PM, Art Institute of Chicago, 230 S. Columbus, 312-494-9509, tickets.chicagohumanities.org, $12, $5 students and teachers.

ß @BriannaWellen

NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 21

2016

DADA chicago

ARTS & CULTURE ARCHITECTURE

The talk of the company town

By AIMEE LEVITT

Positioning Pullman is helping ease the south-side neighborhood’s transition into a national park.

Free & Open to the Public October 21-November

6

Friday, Saturday, Sunday 6-9 p.m.

Friday, November 4, 7pm 760Film N. Milwaukee, Chicago Dada event And later John Malarkey guitar (Chicago & Ogden) & song

Opening October Saturday, November21, 5 &6-9 p.m.

Sunday, November 6, 7pm Saturday, October 22, 7:30

Fabulous Steve Smith experimental DO IT YOURSELF DADA! and punk band

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS Friday, October 28, 8:00 John Malarkey Guitar and Penelope ROSEMONT, Bethsong GARON,

Saturday, 29, 7:30 Ken HIRTE,October Gale AHRENS, Paul GARON, Dada Improv featuring Ethan Burke, Joel WILLIAMS, Winston SMITH, Xerxes Flores & Lydia Howe Michael JAMES, Krista FRANKLIN, by the Annoyance Theater

Janina CIEZADLO, Sunday, October Alexandria 30, 7:30 EREGBU, J.J. MCLUCKY, RutiDan ECKSTEIN, Chicago Calling: Godston, Penelope Rosemont and others Dennis CUNNINGHAM, Devin CAIN,

Helene November SMITH-ROMER, Tom PALAZZOLO, Friday, 4, 7:30 “Marvelous Freedom,” film by Devin Cain Ron SAKOLSKY.

Also WorksNovember

by Artur do5,CRUZEIRO-SEXAS, Saturday, 7:30 John song CarlosMalarkey, CORTEZ,guitar Tristanand MEINECKE,

Jacinto MINOT, Franklin ROSEMONT, Sunday, November 6, 8:00 Do It Yourself SYLLA, Tatsuo Dada IKEDA,sculpture VENITA, & more.

Join

us as we celebrate 100 years of DADA — the imagination breaking free, dreams running rampant,

the mind on FIRE!

Organized by the Chicago Surrealist Group, the Friends of DADA, with other outstanding works and contributors.

www.dadachicago.com 22 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

B

ack in the 1880s, railroad magnate George Pullman became a pioneer urban planner of sorts when he decided to design and build a model town where his employees could live and build railway cars without having to face the crime and temptations of the city or a long commute. With the help of architect Solon Spencer Beman and landscape architect Nathan F. Barrett, he created an entire town from scratch on 300 acres near Lake Calumet, just south of what was then Chicago’s southern border.

Now, nearly 150 years later, Pullman, which has since been absorbed by the city of Chicago, continues to be a model for urban development.

In February 2015, President Obama designated the neighborhood a national monument and entrusted it to the National Park Service.

“Most large-scale spaces are already part of the National Park system and are receiving stewardship and care,” says Richard Wilson, the city design director at Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. “We’re realizing there are other things that are too important to be torn down. Those should become urban national parks. Pullman will be the first ever.”

Before the national monument designation, Pullman had about 15,000 visitors per year. In ten years, that number’s expected to rise to 300,000. “Right now it’s a working Chicago neighborhood,” Wilson says. “People are sitting in their kitchens and living rooms and tourists are walking down the street. Now it’s embraced, but if it’s not managed, that might change. For a south-side neighborhood with limited new industry and jobs, that’s a real question. There’s some optimism, but we need to ask what the national park designation means.”

Wilson is the leader of Positioning Pullman, a group of architects, engineers, landscape

o ADRIAN SMITH + GORDON GILL ARCHITECTURE

designers, city planners, economists, preservationists, and Pullman residents working together to ease the neighborhood’s transition into a national park without destroying it as a place to live. He’ll be discussing the project in a panel at the Chicago Humanities Festival on November 6 with Mark J. Bouman, Chicago region program director of the Field Museum’s Keller Science Action Center, and Lynn McClure, midwest director of the National Parks Conservation Association.

Pullman is a fine and well-preserved example of Victorian architecture and city planning, Wilson says, but what really makes it worthy of its national monument designation is its history. In 1894, it was the site of a major labor strike after Pullman reduced his workers’ wages without a comparable reduction in rents. A government injunction forced the laborers to go back to work, but as compensation (of sorts), Congress established Labor Day. Decades later, in 1937, A. Philip Randolph organized the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters there. It was the first African-American union.

A comprehensive city plan threatened to demolish Pullman in 1960 and turn the site into an industrial park. The residents fought back and saved their neighborhood. For 50 years now, they’ve continued to fight to preserve it.

“It’s a beautiful story,” Wilson says. Positioning Pullman wants to honor that history, not by freezing the neighborhood in the past, but by making it a living part of Chicago. So while its two-year strategic plan does involve historic preservation and restoration—some of it based on old photos of Pullman from its glory days as a company town—it also involves retail and industrial development, in addition to better integration of Pullman into the city’s public transportation system and the network

of bike and hiking trails that stretches from Bronzeville to the Indiana Dunes. The project has enlisted the cooperation of the Illinois, Indiana, and Chicago governments, as well as CTA and Metra.

Already Method soap has set up a factory near Pullman and intends to hire workers from the neighborhood; it also built, on its rooftop, the largest commercial greenhouse in the U.S., which it rents out to farmers. A Walmart has also opened in the neighborhood, and so has a Whole Foods distribution center that was lured away from Indiana.

Wilson hadn’t spent much time in Pullman before he joined the Positioning Pullman team, but he’s become one of its most vocal advocates. He worries he sometimes comes off as “goopy,” but his love and admiration for the neighborhood are apparent. “When I started to understand the story, I thought, ‘Oh, my God. We can’t tear down special places. We can’t tear down our history or heritage. If we do, what kind of people are we?’”

He acknowledges that Pullman’s location has been a definite advantage; had it been located on the north side or closer to downtown, it might not be here today. He also recognizes that it can be a model for civic policy and preservation for the rest of the country.

“Pullman has planted the seed for industrial innovation and growth throughout the Illinois-northwest Indiana corridor,” he continues. “There’s a heartbeat down there, an environmentally conscious, work-oriented heartbeat.” v“PULLMAN: PAST AND FUTURE” Sun 11/6, 11 AM, VenueSix10, 610 S. Michigan, 312494-9509, tickets.chicagohumanities.org, $12, $5 students and teachers.

ß @aimeelevitt

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ARTS & CULTURE Ian Bogost o COURTESY THE AUTHOR

LIT

Better living through Tetris

By RYAN SMITH

M

ary Poppins was an excellent nanny but a shitty philosopher. Her oft-quoted ditty about how a “spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down” is the wrong way to approach everyday tasks people associate with drudgery: brewing coffee, mowing the lawn, taking a trip to the store. Instead of rose-colored self-deception, humans should embrace the underappreciated wonder of tedious chores and engage them through acts of deliberate and focused “play.” With the right perspective, every medicine has always tasted like sugar.

That’s the gist of Play Anything—a knotty manual of contemporary self-help from Ian Bogost, a professor of interactive computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology and a contributing editor at the Atlantic. Bogost has frequently written about the transformative power of the complex, virtual worlds of video games. Now he’s turning that idea inside out: Play Anything wants readers to approach real life like they might a game of Tetris. The way to do so is by submitting to the constraints of tedious tasks and fully immersing yourself in the experience, no matter how small and ridiculous it might seem.

“Playing Tetris is this dumb action of moving geometric objects and it’s bizarrely compelling,” Bogost says. “The power of games lies not in their capacity to deliver rewards or careless enjoyment but in the structured constraint of their design that opens abundant possible spaces for play. What if we treated everything like Tetris? To take something—

anything—on its own terms and treat it as if existence was reasonable.”

Bogost cites making coffee every day as a potentially overlooked recreational activity.

Experimenting with new equipment and techniques can add to the brewer’s sense of understanding or mastery. Use a kitchen scale to measure grounds one day, and then estimate those measurements by eyesight on the next. Try a unique blend or tinker with varying temperatures for a new taste.

“Fun comes from the attention and care you bring to something that imposes arbitrary, often boring, even cruel limitations on what you—or anyone—can do with them,” Bogost says.

Learning how to be in the moment and appreciate the quotidian might sound a lot like the practice of mindfulness, or perpetually focusing one’s awareness on the present. But Bogost says there’s a key distinction: instead of centering inward on your own thoughts and feelings, direct your energies outward to understand a person, place, or a thing. It’s worldfulness, not mindfulness.

Mindfulness “is a narcissistic practice where you’re attuned to your own desires,” Bogost says. “The first step to enjoying playgrounds is to stop worrying about our own possible roles within them and instead to allow lawns and malls and soccer pitches to show us their desires.”

Bogost’s idea of playfulness is also a reaction to the video-game-inspired idea of gamification—adding an artificial layer of rewards and feedback to regular tasks to trick the brain into thinking those activities are fun.

The Fitbits of the world don’t actually enhance interest in an activity over the long term, they simply add a slight and temporary novelty—a spoonful of Mary Poppins’s sugar for the digital age.

Still, a transition away from self-obsession and toward a kind of hyperattention to the real seems like wishful thinking in an era of ever-present technology built to flatter, distract, and persuade. Sometimes it’s more tempting to simply fire up the automatic coffeemaker and play Tetris on a smartphone. v IAN BOGOST: PLAY ANYTHING Sun 11/6, 1:30 PM, Venue Six10, Feinberg Theater, 610 S. Michigan, tickets.chicagohumanities.org, $12, $5 students and teachers.

ß @RyanSmithWriter NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 23

ARTS & CULTURE

Installation view of “It Took a Village,” Clay Hickson’s solo show at Johalla Projects

VISUAL ART

Counterculture vulture

By ISABEL OCHOA GOLD

T

here are those particular places—in my case, the house belonging to my grandmother—that in many ways have never left the 1970s. When you step into this sort of place, your feet might sink into a beige shag carpet. You find yourself in a kind of alternate universe, pristine if somewhat dusty. This universe is not quite hermetically sealed—there weren’t televisions glowing with DVR’d episodes of Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday in the 70s—but what matters is that it is sealed enough. A plush, globular Ziggy and his plush, globular nose lay limply on the mantelpiece. A wood laminate bookshelf leans against a pale stucco wall that looks like cottage cheese. The bookshelf holds nothing but the complete set of the

24 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

1968 World Book Encyclopedia. Sometimes, while sipping milk from a Snoopy frosted glass, you flip through their yellowed pages permeated with a faint but distinct smell; there, you might find a photo of girls sitting in a patch of grass, in pageboy haircuts, each brandishing their own rag doll. “Playing with dolls,” the caption might read, “encourages children to use their imagination.”

Illustrator Clay Hickson knows this world well. Sure, the floors of his solo exhibition at Johalla Projects, “It Took A Village,” aren’t lined with a beige shag carpet. But they might as well be. (Not for nothing did the Reader tap Hickson to lend his stoney aesthetic to the Marijuana Issue last April.) The works displayed are all a particular rusted brown—the

brown of your father’s Thunderbird, or perhaps a once-beloved leisure suit. Watercolor daisies, poppies, and polka-dot butterflies overlap pasted photographs of contemplative men and women in flared pants and turtlenecks. The photographs all come from the Fairburn System books, a revered reference guide for artists and illustrators in the 70s. All of the photographs, that is, save the couple that were cut out from the reference guide Naked Yoga.

Accompanying the exhibition is a publication printed by Hickson’s Tan & Loose Press.

The spiral-bound volume is just as happily brown, and feels less like something sold at an art gallery and more like something buried deep in an antique store, abandoned in the dusty drawer of a creaking secretary’s

desk. Hickson wanted to evoke the untrained confidence and looseness of certain hippie collectives that restlessly created pamphlets and booklets with titles like How to Live in a Commune. For his own manual, he has created a character of an author, one who finds as much delight in a diner Belgian waffle adorned with a blueberry-and-whipped-cream smile as he finds depth in the French phrase chacun à son goût, or “to each his own taste.”

Hickson captures this weird, liminal world just as defined by suburban domesticity as it is by the hippie proclivity to roll in the grass, look for the grinning spiders, and find some sort of oneness with the universe. v R “IT TOOK A VILLAGE” Through 11/27, Johalla Projects, 1821 W. Hubbard, johallaprojects.com.

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TOWER ssss Directed by Keith Maitland.

82 min. Music Box, 3733 N. Southport, 773871-6604, musicboxtheatre.com, $11.

DO NOT RESIST sss Directed by Craig Atkinson. 72 min. Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State, 312-846-2600, siskelfilmcenter.org, $11.

Do Not Resist o NICOLA DOVE

MOVIES

Bringing it all back home

Two new documentaries ponder the thin line between civil society and armed warfare.

By J.R. JONES

T

his summer was the hottest on record, and the scorching temperatures coincided with an endless succession of violent tragedies across the U.S. In June a 29-year-old security guard gunned down more than a hundred people in a gay nightclub in Orlando, 49 of whom died, before police stormed the building and killed the perpetrator in a shootout. Less than a month later, at a Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas, a 25-year-old army veteran killed five cops and wounded 11 other people, holing up in a community college building for a few hours before he was taken out by a stateof-the-art robot armed with plastic explosives (his death marked the first time a police robot had killed a suspect in the U.S.). And here in Chicago, homicides on the south and west sides spiked, the annual murder rate soaring past 500 people by Labor Day weekend. More than ever our cities seem like battlegrounds, swept this way and that by fear of terrorism and growing outrage over law enforcement abuses in black communities.

Two new documentaries opening Friday reflect on the fragility of civil society, though they record events that happened nearly a half censsss EXCELLENT

sss GOOD

tury apart. Tower, directed by Keith Maitland, combines talking-head interviews, archival footage, and rotoscope animation to re-create the August 1966 sniper massacre in which Charles Whitman, a former marine, killed 14 people and wounded 32 others from the observation deck of the Main Building that towers 307 feet above the University of Texas campus in Austin. The incident stunned and terrified Americans, though the movie might make you nostalgic for an era when there was more of a peace to be preserved.

By contrast, Craig Atkinson’s Do Not Resist opens in August 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri, as local law enforcement officers brace themselves for rioting over the controversial police shooting of Michael Brown. Yet Atkinson’s true focus is the militarization of local police forces by the Department of Homeland Security and the culture of so-called “warrior cops” who take their cues from the battlefield.

Animation has come to play a greater role in documentaries, and it dominates the action of Tower to powerful dramatic effect. Maitland interviewed surviving eyewitnesses, cast actors to read their words on the soundtrack, and brings those voices to life with clean, minimally drawn characters that are sometimes

ss AVERAGE

s POOR

•

ARTS & CULTURE set against black-and-white archival footage from the 96-minute siege on the university mall. The movie tells us nothing about the killer, but there’s plenty about the people whose lives he ended or upended, among them Claire Wilson (Violett Beane), a pregnant 18-yearold who was walking with her fiance when Whitman’s first shot entered her abdomen and killed her unborn child; John “Ardly” Fox (Séamus Bolivar-Ochoa), who rushed to the scene and, with a friend, risked his life to carry Wilson to safety; and Ramiro Martinez (Louie Arnette) and Houston McCoy (Blair Jackson), Austin city cops who made their way to the tower upon hearing the first radio reports and took the initiative to mount a courageous armed assault against Whitman.

Despite the grim topic, Tower offers moments of genuine hope in the acts of bravery and kindness that took place during the siege.

Wilson lay bleeding on the hot pavement for many minutes, her fiance dead beside her, but at one point another student named Rita Starpattern (who died in 1996) rushed out and lay down beside her, making conversation to keep her conscious. Allen Crum (Chris Doubek), who worked at the university co-op, raced to the tower and joined the assault team with McCoy, Martinez, and a third cop, Jerry Day (Jeremy Brown). Ardly Fox remembers being inexorably pulled toward the mall when he and his friend heard about the shooting on the radio, then cowering in the bushes for some time before Wilson’s plight became too much for them and they bolted from cover to rescue her. When the real Fox shows up onscreen at the end of the movie, he’s still traumatized: “One of the truths I learned is that there are monsters that walk among us. There are people out there that think unthinkable thoughts and then do unthinkable things.”

Whether or not Whitman was a monster, he was definitely a soldier, and his military training had as significant an impact on the planning and execution of his attack as the military gear in Do Not Resist has on civil life here in America. Whitman’s attack was the first modern gun massacre, and like so many subsequent massacres it was carried out with paramilitary discipline. He had distinguished himself as a marksman in the U.S. Marine Corps, and he assembled a full arsenal for the tower assault: three handguns, three rifles, and a 12-gauge shotgun. He never fired on any of his victims more than once, leading some to believe he was following corps tradition. The

Austin police department was so slow to grasp the situation that, before it could establish a command at the scene, radio reports drew armed vigilantes to campus, who took up positions in a nearby building and fired back on the sniper. For a while the greensward of the university mall became a civil battlefront, a visible indication that any city can become a war zone at a moment’s notice.

Tower is a thoughtful film, but the climactic assault on the tower is also genuinely gripping.

Officer Ramirez hears about the shootings on TV, promises his wife that he’s going to campus only to direct traffic, but then finds himself alone on an elevator with his .38 police revolver drawn, praying aloud as the car ascends toward the observation deck. Once he and the other three men, all armed with rifles, have broken out onto the deck, they split up, Crum and Day going one direction and Ramirez and McCoy the other, to corner Whitman. The weapons involved seem so fundamental now, nothing compared to the computer-age gear in Do Not Resist. But then, Whitman’s greatest weapon was his audacity: before him, no one in American had ever dreamed of doing such a thing.

Now plenty of people dream of it, and as Do Not Resist argues with force and clarity, police departments nationwide are responding to the threat of domestic terror by morphing into semimilitary operations. Craig Atkinson, a cinematographer directing his first documentary feature, opens with a horizon shot straight out of a John Ford western: National Guardsmen stand along a sidewalk, lightning flickering in the clouds behind them, as protesters with placards enter the frame and stream past; parked in the background are two giant black armored vehicles. A midnight curfew arrives, but protesters won’t go home, and police in black riot gear arrive on the scene. After repeated verbal warnings, a policeman fires tear gas from the roof of an armored vehicle into the crowd, dispersing the protesters; vehicles roll through the streets flanked by cops, who clear the sidewalks and burst into a department store in search of looters. One young woman involved in the protest sums up the movie’s theme: “They need to stop giving these boys these toys, ’cause they don’t know how to handle it.”

According to the movie, Homeland Security has given local law enforcement $34 billion in grants for military gear since 9/11, in addition to another $5 billion from the Department of Defense. A staple of this largesse has been the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) J

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vehicle, designed to withstand improvised explosive devices in warfare but now standard gear for local municipalities. Atkinson attends a city council meeting in Concord, New Hampshire, where concerned citizen after concerned citizen testifies to the folly of the city buying a BearCat-brand armored personnel carrier, before cutting to a closed-door session in which the council votes 11 to 4 to move forward with the purchase. At the same time, Atkinson asserts, SWAT deployments are skyrocketing across the U.S., from about 3,000 a year in the 1980s to as many as 80,000 now. He rides along on one such drug raid in which officers pile out of a van and smash their way into someone’s home, their overwhelming show of force turning up nothing except a few loose grams of pot in the bottom of the suspect’s book bag.

Atkinson tracks the bureaucracy that surrounds this domestic military buildup, dropping in on a Senate hearing where Democrat Claire McCaskill and Republicans Rand Paul and Tom Coburn try to pin down slippery officials from Homeland Security and the Department of Defense. But Do Not Resist also opens out to consider the gung-ho philosophy turning our police departments into armies. “You fight violence,” declares Dave Grossman, a retired military man and author of On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society, as he lectures military and law enforcement personnel. “What do you fight it with?

Superior violence, righteous violence, yeah?

Violence is your tool, violence is your enemy,

violence is the realm we operate in. You are men and women of violence. You must master it, or it will destroy you—yeah?” Later Atkinson visits a SWAT training camp where a veteran recalls his jubilation the first time he rode in an armored vehicle. He always watches new recruits to see their reaction: “They’re just smiling ear to ear, they feel like they’re on top of the world.”

By the end of Do Not Resist, Atkinson has widened his scope even further, reviewing such state-of-the-art law enforcement tools as facial-recognition systems, aerial surveillance programs, CCTV and social media monitoring centers, computer software that forecasts a person’s level of criminality, and even drones.

Addressing the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference, FBI director James Comey opens with an anecdote about telling his young children that monsters aren’t real and they should go to sleep. “Monsters are real,” Comey declares, correcting himself.

“Monsters are barricaded inside apartments waiting for law enforcement to respond, so they can fire rounds that will pierce a ballistic vest. Because of that reality, because monsters are real, we need a range of weapons and equipment to respond and protect our fellow citizens and protect ourselves.” Outside on the sales floor, a sign advertises the Avatar III robot, a little brother to the military robot that killed the Dallas gunman. The problem of civil violence gets worse and worse, but the toys get better and better. v

ß @JR_Jones

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POLISH FILM FESTIVAL IN AMERICA

Sat 11/5-Sun 11/20, Rosemont 18, 9701 Bryn Mawr, Rosemont, and Society for Arts, 1112 N. Milwaukee, 773.486.9612, pffamerica.com, dramatic features $15, documentaries $10, seven-screening pass $75.

ARTS & CULTURE Pentecostalism. In Polish with subtitles. —ANDREA GRONVALL 75 min.

Tue 11/8, 8:45 PM, and Mon 11/14, 7 PM. Society for Arts

Afterimage

MOVIES

Andrzej Wajda’s final film screens at the Polish Film Festival in America

F

ounded in 1989, the Polish Film Festival in America drew its commercial strength from the city’s giant Polish-American population, but more than a generation later, the fest has found a more comfortable home at the suburban Rosemont 18 multiplex, where most of its big programs take place. This year the festival has even foregone its usual shows at Facets Cinematheque, leaving the Society for Arts in Jefferson Park as its sole remaining Chicago venue.

The good news for Chicagoans is that the Society for Arts programs, heavy with shorts and TV documentaries, dig deeper into contemporary Polish culture than some of the prestige movies out in Rosemont. The festival runs through Sunday, November 20; for a full schedule visit pffamerica.org. —J.R. JONES

R

Afterimage Andrzej Wajda, one of Poland’s greatest filmmakers, closed out his long career with this unusually personal and despairing biopic of the avant-garde painter Wladyslaw Strzeminski. Missing his left arm and right leg, Strzeminski (Boguslaw Linda) is adored by his young students at the State Higher School of Visual Arts in Lodz, but his life and career begin to fall apart in 1950 after the communist ministry of culture announces a campaign in favor of pro-Soviet social realism and against “formalistic and cynical art.” Of course, Wajda spent the first four decades of his career trying to make art under communist rule, which gives this story an emotional edge lacking in some of the director’s more recent outings. One

striking scene shows Strzeminski wrestling to get his ideas onto a canvas when the entire room goes red: outside his window, party officials have dropped a giant banner for a patriotic demonstration. The painter’s last two years were a slow, merciless degradation, and Wajda, to his credit, follows Strzeminski all the way down. In Polish with subtitles. —J.R. JONES 98 min. Tickets for this special screening are $20.

Sun 11/13, 3 PM. Rosemont 18 The Battle With Satan Alternately harrowing and sardonic, this 2015 documentary from HBO Europe looks at the revival of exorcism in the Polish Catholic Church. Aside from one early scene in which a young man talks about his demonic possession, director Konrad

Szołajski focuses primarily on three nubile women whose troubling behavioral disorders spring from tension between their sexuality and the prevailing religious culture.

The first is a lesbian, the second is a buxom brunette whose superstitious mother believes the devil is at work whenever the Internet goes out, and the third is a teenage atheist for whom exorcism is clearly no more than community-sanctioned bullying. Amid the howlers— one interviewee cites Hello Kitty as a satanic lure—there are moments of rational discourse: a priest and clinical psychologist debunks the phenomenon of demonic possession, and an anthropologist speculates that, in embracing exorcism, the Catholic clergy may only be responding to the global rise of

Jarocin, Rock for Freedom This documentary about the Jarocin Festival, Poland’s major alternative-rock event, is slow and stodgy, failing to conjure the excitement and inspiration that visibly fuels the crowds in archival footage.

Founded in 1980 and named after the small town that continues to host it, the festival became a safe haven for people to defy Poland’s communist regime, and though often compared to Woodstock, it appears to be both more transgressive and more politically successful.

Considering the festivalgoers’ hardcore aesthetic (mohawks, safety pins, and nudity shocked the more conservative townspeople back in the day) and the music itself (with its explicit calls for individual freedom), it makes sense that some credit the festival for helping topple the Berlin Wall in 1989. If only this plodding account, which leans on such genre conventions as split screens and talking heads, could generate the same enthusiasm. Marek Gajczak and Leszek Gnoinski directed. In Polish with subtitles. —LEAH PICKETT 109 min. Sat 11/12 and Thu 11/17, 8:45 PM. Society for Arts Klezmer Echoes of Samuel Beckett drift through this nearly plotless 2015 drama, which is set during the Nazi occupation of Poland and—like Paweł Pawlikowski’s Ida (2013) and Agnieszka Holland’s In Darkness (2011)—explores the Polish people’s role in the Holocaust. Foraging peasants discover a half-dead Jewish musician who escaped a Nazi roundup, and lengthy sequences show them carrying their mute captive through the forest as they debate whether to save him or turn him in to the Germans for a reward. Writer-director Piotr Chrzan portrays the characters’ lives with a bleakness and futility that verge on nihilism, mitigated only by his treatment of the unfortunate Jew as a Christ figure and by the luminous imagery of cinematographer Sylwester Kazmierczak. The film is commendable for its hardnosed realism, but when Chrzan suggests that the ignorant poor are primarily to blame for Polish anti-Semitism, he proves that the nation’s self-examination has only begun. —ANDREA GRONVALL 95 min. Sun 11/13 and Sun 11/20, 7 PM. Society for Arts v

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NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 27

Why little rappers still believe in big radio

The Internet has eroded commercial radio’s usefulness for music discovery, but DJs like Nehpets at Power 92 have stayed connected enough to their communities to break up-andcoming local artists on the air.

By TIFFANY WALDEN

DJ Nehpets joined Power 92 as an on-air personality in 2015, after 12 years of guest mixing for the station. o MORGAN ELISE JOHNSON

28 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

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t began with an unsolicited e-mail—the kind of Hail Mary that artists send to radio DJs hoping for feedback or, God willing, a little airplay. In 2012 an 18-year-old south-side MC rhyming as Dreezy attached her new Mikey Dollaz collab, “Break a Band,” to a message addressed to Power 92 on-air personality DJ Nehpets.

Nehpets couldn’t deny the track’s catchy hook or Dreezy’s microphone prowess—she crushes Dollaz with tireless speed and bravado. The same day Nehpets heard it for the first time, he added it to his Power 92 mix. The song became Dreezy’s breakout track, establishing her name and launching her career—she’s followed it with the popular 2014 mixtape Schizo, a monster remix of Nicki Minaj’s “Chi-Raq,” and the Billboard-charting jam “Body” from her debut album, No Hard Feelings, released this summer by Interscope.

“I was the first one to play Dreezy on the radio. That’s why I call her my baby,” Nehpets says. “That’s what Power 92 is. We’re the station that takes people to the next level.”

The sort of overture Dreezy made wasn’t uncommon then and isn’t now. Lots of hopeful hip-hop artists reach out to Nehpets, aka Stephen Giddens—he’s one of the hottest radio DJs in Chicago, with deep roots in the local scene and a reputation for supporting local talent. He’s been making his own music for decades: in the mid- to late 90s, he produced juke and ghetto-house tracks for the influential Dance Mania label, which relaunched in 2013.

Nehpets became an on-air personality for Power 92 in 2015, after 12 years of guest mixing for the station with DJ Pharris and contributing juke-infused hip-hop and R&B mixes.

He’s on the air weekdays with a morning mix from 9 till 9:30 AM, again with his own show from 7 till 10 PM, and lastly during the latenight block Real Radio with DJ Pharris and Paris Taylor, which runs from 10 PM till 2 AM. Nehpets receives 100 or so e-mails a day from rappers and singers looking for a break.

“A hundred a day is a lot,” he says. But of those messages, maybe ten are from artists in or around Chicago. “It should be more local artists that should be sending in. I think they’re scared. People think no one is going to respond or see it, but that’s not true.”

Commercial radio can seem impossibly inaccessible to emerging artists, and its tightly circumscribed playlists hardly make it feel like a welcome place for new acts. In the age of the Internet—with its proliferation of outlets, platforms, and niche services specializing in all sorts of music—the tedious

and expensive art of courting radio rotation can feel not just futile but also unnecessary.

Other ways of getting exposure and building an audience are likely to look more sensible to up-and-comers.

With little but a Macbook Pro running FL Studio, anyone can drop an EP for free via social media or music-discovery services like Soundcloud. Popular mixtape-hosting sites such as Datpiff and Audiomack can also be free (in most cases, the better site placement you want, the more you pay), but uploading music to another leading service, Livemixtapes, requires more effort—new artists have to get their accounts approved, and that can be difficult without a cosign from an already approved artist. But even the most restrictive hosting site is still more accessible than commercial radio.

This summer Chicago’s own rapping poet Noname released her debut mixtape, Telefone, through a Soundcloud embed on her website, and with just a low-key PR campaign and no commercial radio play, it earned an 8.0 from Pitchfork. Save Money MC Joey Purp dropped his free tape iiiDrops in May via a handful of streaming services, and in June it made Complex magazine’s list of the 40 best albums of the year so far—a list that also includes projects by Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Beyoncé, and Chance the Rapper. Like Chance, both Noname and Joey Purp are unsigned.

College radio is also popular with independent artists, according to Chicago MC Rich Jones, founder of the concert series All Smiles—audiences there are smaller, but it’s generally easier to get airtime. “I’ve never had the funds nor the connections to really go after, like, a Power 92 or ’GCI,” Jones says.

His go-to stations include Vocalo 91.1 FM and Loyola’s WLUW 88.7 FM. “Luckily, we’re at a point where, as much as [radio stations] are important as traditional pillars of music breaking, the Internet really is just so wonderful,” he says. “If people want to hear my song, they can play it ten times in a row on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Spotify, or Apple Music.”

Hip-hop artists have valid reasons to be skeptical of commercial radio—not least the fact that “urban” radio (the category that includes Power 92 as well as its main competitor, WGCI) has declined slightly in market share in Chicago this year. But the format still has numbers that are hard to beat: according to a 2016 report by the Pew Research Center, 91 percent of Americans ages 12 or older still tune in to terrestrial radio at least weekly, and online listening continues to grow, more J

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NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 29

MUSIC Rap radio continued from 29

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than doubling since 2010 to reach 57 percent of that same population.

Local artist Bekoe, who’s promoting his September mixtape Sumthn Diffrnt with the help of a small team of friends and family, recognizes that radio has its problems, but he hasn’t given up on it. He has a song with Dreezy out now, “Uncle Sam,” that he’s trying to push to radio. He’s also working social media hard, and to generate buzz he’s playing at the Wire in Berwyn on November 6. “Apple Music exists. Spotify exists. Soundcloud is killing. It’s so many streaming services to find music to the point people don’t even go to radio anymore,” he says. “Everything is political, but I feel if a record is good, it should be played. There shouldn’t be politics behind it.”

By “politics,” he means the hurdles that most independent artists have to clear to get a shot at radio play—the playing field is anything but level. One of those hurdles, according to Bekoe, is that aspiring acts need a budget—the more money they have, the more opportunities they can pay for.

The west-side native got his first at-bat on radio in fall 2014 with the single “Aw Yeah.”

The path he took included paying for subscriptions to several record pools. These digital services, such as VirDiKO and MP3Waxx, distribute new songs to DJs who are members of the pool. It can cost anywhere from $200 to $2,000 for an artist subscription, Bekoe adds.

“Pricing goes off of promotion. If you want a $200 package, they’re only going to give you a little promotion,” he says. Promotion can include e-mail blasts sent to pool members and longer placement on the pool’s homepage.

“The more money you spend, the more promotion comes with it.”

Artists look at radio as a way to instantly build a fan base, but they often need a fan base to be taken seriously by radio. The last thing programmers want is for listeners to change the station because they’re put off by a mediocre song from an unknown.

“We try to pick what the listeners want, as long as the listeners are picking out stuff that’s good—because sometimes they be asking for their cousin’s stuff,” Nehpets jokes. “And their cousin’s stuff ain’t all that great. They need a little bit more work. But we’ll tell them that too—like, ‘Nah, go back to the drawing board.’”

Bekoe says he applied himself on both fronts—building his fan base and promoting his music via record pools—for about a year before he saw any results. In late 2014, DJ

AllStyle from Power 92 played “Aw Yeah” during the weekend-night mix set aside for club bangers.

“If you’re attacking radio and you’re trying to grow your audience, you have to get good rotation,” Bekoe says. “That 10 PM and 3 AM [time], nobody’s really listening—and if they are listening, it’s not going to be the response you want. I definitely feel like it’s a waste of time, even if you do make the cut and they do play your music.”

Nehpets disagrees. “Early adopters listen to what we play at night after 7 PM,” he says.

“All times are important. If you get your record played at any time on the radio, that’s a privilege. Your record got past thousands of records that got considered for play.”

Ishon Cherry, aka DJ Shon, insists on the importance of developing an audience before trying to break into radio. He started off by booking and scheduling saucy Chicago rapper Famous Dex, helping him build a fan base, and now he works as Dex’s tour DJ, performing at colleges and other venues around the country.

Cherry says that before he reached out to Nehpets in fall 2015 to play Dex’s tune “Drip From My Walk,” the video already had about a million YouTube views. Once it became a radio smash, entering rotation at Power 92 and later WGCI, that count soared, and now stands at nearly 11 million.

“You can push radio once it becomes time.

When your song gets hot, yeah, you gotta do radio,” Cherry says. “But to get a buzz, you don’t need radio, man.” Famous Dex just re-

Local MC Bekoe, who’s currently pushing a Dreezy collaboration called “Uncle Sam,” wishes radio were a more level playing field. o MINDSET MUSIC

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leased the DJ Shon-hosted mixtape Different, but Cherry says WGCI will no longer play Dex’s music because in September a video surfaced online that purportedly shows the rapper beating his girlfriend. (Representatives at WGCI parent company IHeartMedia did not reply to an e-mail requesting comment.)

When Nehpets began his run with Power 92 in 2003, he focused on juke music. At the time, he says, no one was playing it on the radio. “So I had to convert hip-hop and R&B music into juke music.” With roots in house and ghetto house, he paved his own path at the station by making juke remixes to hits such as R. Kelly’s “Snake.” DJ Boolumaster, a station giant at the time, put Nehpets’s tracks into his mix.

“Juke is my lane, and I would create [the music], send the stuff up there, and they played it,” Nehpets recalls. “Over time, that’s what they knew me for.” From that point forward, he occasionally came to the station’s offices in Hammond, Indiana, to work alongside DJ Pharris on Tuesday and Sunday nights, and last year he landed his present job.

Around 2009, Nehpets began playing more hip-hop tracks as the demand declined for house, ghetto house, and juke on commercial radio. He and the other DJs on Power 92 also had the freedom to play more local music—a departure from what he saw as the norm in Chicago radio at the time. “If it wasn’t Kanye, Common, or R. Kelly, someone like that, no love,” Nehpets says. “I thank our program director

for giving us a chance to try to support regular artists. I would contact artists and be like, ‘Yo, I like your stuff. Send me a clean version.’”

Nehpets definitely has a soft spot for the underdog. “My whole thing is about giving an artist courage. For a lot of these kids out here, that’s all they got. All they got is that little studio time,” he says. “We, as DJs, want to see them do better. They don’t have to do the shit they talk about in their raps. They can make some money and get out the fucking hood.”

One of Nehpet’s current favorites is a westside rapper named Monop. In March 2013, Monop opened for Miami rap goddess Trina at Adrianna’s in Markham. Nehpets happened to be there and caught Monop’s performance of his single “Real Life.”

Monop remembers that show well. “I ripped the stage down,” he says. “Long story short, the song was so dope, Nehpets told me to get back onstage and perform it again.” Not long after that show, the song found its way to Power 92.

Monop says he then spent two years in Cook County Jail fighting two drug cases—he was convicted on one case at trial and took a plea on the other. The judge sentenced him to time served, and Monop was released on February 18, 2016. He’s now back on the radio with the single “Wait Till I Get Me Some Money,” which dropped in September.

“Power 92 is the only one playing my song right now. It would be a blessing to get over at ’GCI. That would be my next goal,” Monop

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MUSIC

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URBAN RIVERS KICKSTARTER KICKOFF SAT, 11/5 - 9:30

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JOHN KADLECIK BAND SUN, 11/13 - 77 BEATS AFTERPARTY - NO COVER

SIDEWALK CHALK, DJ MWELWA 32 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

EXPO ‘76

In The SideBar - MORAL HAZARD

Rap radio continued from 31

BILL KIRCHEN BAND

says. “Radio is most definitely helping, [but] it’s basically the people, man. It’s what the people want to hear. If you can get someone to request your song, that’s love. But it’s hard.”

Dreezy’s tour DJ, Nick Watts (aka DJ Hoop Dreams), doubts Chicago artists would ever get the recognition they deserve if it weren’t for radio DJs—though he knows they also get help from DJs in clubs and on the road.

“I run into people all the time, and they don’t know who Dreezy is. But when I say the song, they’re like, ‘Oh, I heard that on the radio,’” Watts says. When he opens for Dreezy or spins at one of the college parties he hosts around the country in his downtime, he always has “Faneto” by Chief Keef, “Kill Shit” by G Herbo and Lil Bibby, and “Wife Er” by Spenzo in the mix.

“I get hit up all the time for Chicago records from Atlanta DJs,” Watts says. “Once, I got hit up from an Atlanta DJ for a Lud Foe record, and it was a long time ago too, so that’s when I knew, yeah, Chicago is really out here.”

(Until recently west-side rapper Lud Foe was unambiguously an underground artist—he began picking up steam this year with “Cuttin Up” and “What’s the Issue” and just dropped his debut mixtape, No Hooks.)

Watts credits Chicago radio DJs for helping to nurture the local hip-hop scene and connect it to audiences outside the city. “Mainly I would say DJ Pharris and DJ Nehpets and,

featuring AUSTIN de LONE

In The SideBar - PAUL SANCHEZ

WDCB Big Band Sundays * Open Mic Every Tuesday TUE

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ELECTION NIGHT WATCH PARTY IN THE CLUB - BIG SCREEN!

In The VOICEBOX Storytelling Night SideBar Musical Improv by CATHY RICHARDSON

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TUE, 11/8

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ZIMMERMEN Tribute to “THE LAST WALTZ”

with guests Matt Spiegel, Michael McDermott, LoJazz, Grant Tye, Brian Hilligoss SAT

12

Nick Watts, who tours with Dreezy as DJ Hoop Dreams, credits radio with getting Chicago artists broader recognition—but he’d still like to see programming devoted entirely to locals. o J VISUALS

CD Release ShowFor “You Belong Here”

ANNA FERMIN’S TRIGGER GOSPEL

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11/17 - JD McPherson 11/18 - Alejandro Escovedo 11/18 - James McCandless Tribute (SideBar0 11/19 - Jason Isbell / Robbie Fulks / Black Lillies (SOLD OUT) 11/23 - Fat Babies / Jake Sanders Trio / Reginald Robinson 11/25 - Bad Examples 11/26 - Vanesaa Davis Band

like, Jamal Smallz [at WGCI]. I feel like when I listen to the radio, they definitely go out of their way to play Chicago artists,” Watts says.

But though he realizes he’s out of town on tour too much to be the best judge, he thinks local radio could still do better. “Other than that, nah, I don’t really hear too many Chicago artists on the radio, especially local artists. That is something that definitely could help local artists out more.”

Watts suggests that radio stations create programming blocks devoted solely to locals.

“From there, maybe [listeners] can vote on what their favorite song from that segment was,” he says. WGCI already has a section on its website called HomeTurf, which is supposedly dedicated to Chicago artists—but clicking the button to submit music takes you to the station’s contests page.

Nehpets likes to think of radio DJs as a filter.

Unlike the Internet, where any musician can post anything, the radio is at least supposed to have professional people who sift through the bad stuff to highlight good records.

“The Internet is flood city. It’s spam now,” Nehpets says. “People hear what we’re doing.

We’re playing for clubs. We play in the house parties. We play in the car. We’re the filter to the Internet. If the DJ is playing your music, they’ve filtered through a lot of craziness to get you the best stuff.” v

ß @Waldens_Block

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A Reader staffer shares three musical obsessions, then asks someone (who asks someone else) to take a turn.

bottom lounge ONSALE NOW

wild nothing

small black

UPCOMING SHOWS 93XRT BIG BEAT WELCOMES

11.03 JAGWAR MA KLANGSTOF

11.05 SET YOUR GOALS

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11.06 NIGHT RIOTS / THE HUNNA / THE SHELTERS 11.07 THE LIVING END COUNTERPUNCH / RYAN’S HOPE

Grazhdanskaya Oborona (“Civil Defense”) o VIA MYSPACE

The cover of Kashif’s 1983 self-titled debut

11.10 NAPALM DEATH / THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER MISERY INDEX / ABNORMALITY

CHIRP WELCOMES AN EVENING WITH

Reader music critic

LEOR GALIL

Publicist for Metro and Smart Bar

SHANNON SHREIBAK

STEVE REIDELL Producer in the Hood

Jace Clayton, Uproot: Travels in 21stCentury Music and Digital Culture I knew I’d like this book of essays by Jace Clayton, better known as DJ/Rupture, but I didn’t know just how much. His writing, which threads regional voices from far-flung locales together with Western musical narratives already well-documented elsewhere, has allowed me to rethink the way I experience music. Clayton is an expert who’s aware of his blind spots, and that helps him introduce readers to foreign worlds—his enthusiasm for the unfamiliar is contagious, and he leaves his audience room to establish their own relationships with the scenes in which he immerses himself.

Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt’s Oblique Strategies If shattering your worldview one sentence at a time tickles your fancy, then I highly recommend finding a deck of these creative prompts. Subtitled “Over one hundred worthwhile dilemmas” by its creators (Eno and British artist Peter Schmidt), Oblique Strategies is a deck of cards whose one-liners pack a philosophical sucker punch (example: “Trust in the you of now”) designed to defeat creative blocks and encourage lateral thinking. Thanks to these babies, I’m now indebted to Eno for more than teaching me how to feel one Roxy Music song at a time.

Kashif, Kashif In the (mini-)van on the first run of Air Credits shows, Showyousuck played Whitney Houston’s “Thinking About You,” which is a great song—an incredible-sounding jam. We looked up the producer on Spotify, and it’s this dude Kashif. We didn’t know! He just died in September—RIP. Kashif had been in B.T. Express and worked with the likes of Whitney, George Benson, and Al Jarreau.

He was a total one-man band, playing every instrument, engineering, and superproducing.

His self-titled 1983 debut is the one that’s been on repeat—expert-level pop/funk songs.

D.R.A.M. featuring Lil Yachty, “Broccoli” D.R.A.M.’s playful hook can transform the energy of a room in seconds. This summer anthem continues to smolder months later.

Library Excavations #2: The ABCs of the Chicago Reader Touring Musicians Publicity Photos Collection Marc Fischer, founder of Public Collectors, spent the summer and early fall digging through niche collections in the Harold Washington Library’s vast archives, and he recently emerged with four “Library Excavations” zines focused on (among other things) business periodicals and ads aimed at prison administrators. I picked up the one assembled from the Reader’s old collection of music-publicity photos, because if anyone was its target audience, it had to be me. Fischer’s explorations of forgotten marginalia—and the collections he’s assembled while pursuing them—are worthy of their own examination.

Grazhdanskaya Oborona (“Civil Defense”) I recently visited the Art Institute’s Humanism + Dynamite exhibit of Aleksandr Zhitomirsky’s photomontages, and I’ve been falling down a rabbit hole of Soviet culture ever since. It’s plunged me into the folk-inflected punk of Grazhdanskaya Oborona (“Civil Defense”), who persevered through KGB persecution, mental institutionalization, and compulsory military service to forge a fierce legacy that’s as much a lesson in Soviet politics as it is a hook-laden protest of power.

Lala Lala, “Anyway” This local trio dominated the soundtrack to my summer with their bleary-eyed grunge lean, and this slow jam is a standout. Lillie West’s rasp mows through a rockabye riff, delivering an apology that sounds better suited to a whiskey-wetted twilight than a basement-show stage. This song makes me spout off wistful bullshit like that last sentence, and that’s perfectly all right.

Internet and Air Credits

Beyond Yacht Rock podcast The main guys from the Yacht Rock webseries invent a new subgenre every week, then count down the top ten of whatever fits into it. They don’t restrict themselves to smooth jams, though they do dip into them for episodes such as “Women of Yacht” or “Yacht or Nyacht” (and for one “bone throw” each week to the genre they made famous). The dudes are super funny and super informative about the music on their lists. Standout themes: “Camaro Summer,” “Divorcecore,” and “Cookout Jazz.”

Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared Each episode in this series of short films by UK artists Becky Sloan and Joseph Pelling contains a would-be educational song dripping with varying levels of satire, performed mostly by puppets.

The songwriting and production are so good that we jam these in the van at least once per run of shows. And Sloan and Pelling’s visual approach (or “digital style,” if you will) is astounding. So beautifully done.

11.11 SLOAN 11.13 CROWN THE EMPIRE

BLESSTHEFALL / NEW YEARS DAY / TOO CLOSE TO TOUCH / LIGHT UP THE SKY

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IZZY BIZU / SUNDARA KARMA

11.25 ANIMALS AS LEADERS INTERVALS / PLINI

SILVER WRAPPER PRESENTS

11.26 THE FUNK HUNTERS CHALI 2NA

12.03 GIRAFFE TONGUE ORCHESTRA 12.04 HANDS LIKE HOUSES / OUR LAST NIGHT THE COLOR MORALE / OUT CAME THE WOLVES SILVER WRAPPER PRESENTS

12.10 DOPAPOD

PIGEONS PLAYING PING PONG IN OUR BONES WORLD TOUR

12.14 AGAINST THE CURRENT BEACH WEATHER / CRUISR

12.15 FOR TODAY

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12.17 MAIN SQUEEZE 01.28 P.O.S 02.07 J BOOG JEMERE MORGAN

03.04 AJR www.bottomlounge.com 1375 w lake st 312.666.6775

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Recommended and notable shows, and critics’ insights for the week of November 3

MUSIC

b ALL AGES F

PICK OF THE WEEK

Survive’s mastery of the dark synthetic arts extends well beyond Stranger Things

Max Johnson o SCOTT FRIEDLANDER

THURSDAY3 Max Johnson 9 PM, Elastic, 3429 W. Diversey, $10 suggested donation. b

o DYLAN O’CONOR

SURVIVE, MAJEURE

Sun 11/6, 9 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, $12.

YOU LOVE STRANGER THINGS. Everybody you know loves Stranger Things. The Netflix buddy-adventure/80s-horror throwback series is so ingrained in 2016 pop culture that to not love it would be un-American. A huge part of what makes the show’s nostalgia rush so epic is its soundtrack comprising chilly, eerie synthesizer homages to John Carpenter. Its composers, Texans Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, are also part of four-piece Survive, and if you loved the sounds they conjured up for Stranger Things,

you’ll drool over their brand-new LP RR7349 (Relapse). Retro, sweeping, and cinematic, these synth-based instrumental-rock pieces combine a creeping, sinister Tales From the Darkside vibe with the over-the-top triumph of “Chariots of Fire.” Survive came together in 2008, and their stream of releases since proves they’ve long been masters of the dark synthetic arts. But the band enter a new realm on RR7349, summoning a majesty you can completely submerge yourself in. —LUCA CIMARUSTI

New York bassist Max Johnson has established himself as one of the more versatile figures in jazz and improvised music, a leader with a strong, woody tone who shows himself capable whether playing tunes with a swinging drive or exploring abstract terrain with a texture-oriented approach (he’s also an in-demand bluegrass musician). His superb trio with cornetist Kirk Knuffke and drummer Ziv Ravitz has released a couple of terrific albums, including last year’s Something Familiar (Fresh Sound New Talent), a collection of brisk, tuneful pieces that shows off his sense of time and ease with changes as he and Ravitz allow the horn player generous space while creating a springy energy. But Johnson’s 2014 quartet album The Prisoner (No Business) captures a much different side of his personality. He wrote all seven of its pieces, and the simultaneously quicksilver and slow-moving execution by tenor saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, violist Mat Maneri, and drummer Tomas Fujiwara brings out a totally different complexion in his music, patient arco lines forming a viscous ooze with the bowing of Maneri while fast, itchy pizzicato adds a controlled yet driving vigor to the proceedings. Tonight Johnson debuts a new midwestern trio with drummer Tim Daisy and trumpeter Russ Johnson—a player who’s as lyric as Knuffke, but who also likes to take things into less structured settings—playing all-improvised music.

For the second set saxophonist Dave Rempis will join the group. —PETER MARGASAK

Dim Lighting Tony Barba opens. 8:30 PM, Constellation, 3111 N. Western, $10. 18+

When I wrote about the first album by guitar trio Dim Lighting I lamented the fact that just about every piece moved at a crawl. Guitarist Andrew Trim, bassist Kurt Schweitz, and drummer Devin Drobka created richly atmospheric, patient pieces—touching on the wide-open Americana of Bill Frisell here and the vibe of a Morricone score J

NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 35

MUSIC

Find more music listings at chicagoreader.com/soundboard.

Ensemble Pamplemousse o ANDREW MUNSEY

continued from 35

there—but they seemed unwilling to switch into a higher gear. That’s no longer the case with their terrific second album, Your Miniature Motion (Off), which explores a much broader range of moods and attacks as Dim Lighting settle into a sound of their own. Some of the turbulent ballads, such as “Man Cole,” make me wonder if the “motion” in the album title is a wink to the playing of drummer Paul Motian, but the hurtling title track—where Trim toggles between twangy ambience, crushing power chords, and single-note splatter worthy of Sonny Sharrock—argues against that supposition. The watery reverb of his tone on “Tributaries” is gorgeous as he delivers blurry melodic outlines occasionally punctured by the metallic splash of Drobka’s cymbals, while on “Face/Fate” Schweitz generates a furious barrage of notes a la William Parker, grounding the guitarist’s most sprawling, hard-rocking performance and the drummer’s most walloping one. The Ornette-ish “Donmai!” is a tune previously recorded by Trim’s Hanami Quartet, but here he swaps out the free-jazz explosion of that combo for a series of changing, celebratory grooves.

—PETER MARGASAK

crusty, palpitating “As We Speak” injects Talk to You Soon with high-voltage frisson through black-metal wails and feedback, though for most of the record Ray stacks featherlike instrumentation—even the modest percussion feels lighter than air—so that even the most subtle changes quake. He anchors the new single “Fucking to Songs on Radios” with a pitch-shifted vocal that repeats the title, and the jittery edges of Ray’s affected singing linger as the tune transitions through its elegiac melodies. It’s a reminder of how a great song can take residence in our heads and grow (or fester) long after the electric moment has passed. —LEOR GALIL

Ricky Eat Acid Kitty and Jonah Baseball open. 9 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, $12, $10 in advance.

Maryland musician Sam Ray’s creative restlessness has led him to juggle several bands at once, but it never impedes his ability to craft structurally sound songs that can make body organs quiver. Still, fond as I am of his work in mumbling indie-rock group Julia Brown and emo-leaning punk outfit Teen Suicide, Ray’s ever-evolving solo project Ricky Eat Acid has the strongest field of gravity in my book. On the new Talk to You Soon (Terrible Records) he deconstructs the spectral ambient force of 2014’s Three Love Songs only to recombine those sounds in ways that build on the otherworldly serenity while at the same time pushing it to the breaking point. The

36 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

Ricky Eat Acid o ALEX LOCATER

FRIDAY4 Air Credits Sims headlines. 10 PM, Schubas, 3159 N. Southport, $14.

Amid this fall’s deluge of great local hip-hop tracks, Air Credits’ “No Water” has burrowed into my brain

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MUSIC better than most, and on more than a few occasions I’ve found myself quietly repeating the triumphant hook: “Air Credits don’t come cheap / Air Credits don’t come cheap / Broke boys ain’t breathing like me.” Rapper ShowYouSuck and mashup maestros Hood Internet announced the formation of Air Credits earlier this year, but they seeded the band back in 2012 when ShowYouSuck appeared on Hood Internet’s studio debut, Feat. The MC and production duo do more than complement each other on the new self-released debut full-length Broadcasted; together they show they understand just how a healthy dose of humor, a deep affection for pop culture, and an innate sense of pop euphoria can enrich a song. And their skill at juggling genres is apparent in their stylistic switcharoos—squiggly G-funk synths, xylophonic New Orleans bounce percussion, and big-footed boom-bap all pinball off one another. Meanwhile ShowYouSuck weaves a loose dystopian narrative in which a Trump presidency leads to a nuclear fallout and survivors have to pay for oxygen via, well, air credits. It’s a nightmare that feels a little too plausible as Election Day nears, but even in the darkness Air Credits find a way of making life worthy of affirmation.

—LEOR GALIL

ple, a recent single released on Demdike Stare’s DDS imprint, invokes the minimalist spirit of vintage Basic Channel with twitchy, throbbing beats scuffed by stingy clicking analog bleeps as floor-rumbling globules dance across the sound field like beads of mercury; I would never have guessed it was made

by Lowe, but the trance-inducing qualities are certainly of a piece with his previous work. Thought Withdrawal, a limited-edition record released by Oakland art space Land and Sea, is also mesmerizing, but in an entirely different fashion. Here a chilly electronic pitch flanges slowly over what sounds like funereal cello drones on one side, while more disjointed, floating stringlike electronic tones—and, toward the end, his own disembodied, ethereal voice—bounce around the ether on the flip. Considering these recent excursions, I’m excited about what Lowe will come up with on this visit. He performs in conjunction with the Renaissance Society exhibition “Urth,” which features the work of British filmmaker and artist Ben Rivers, his sometime collaborator. —PETER MARGASAK

Ensemble Pamplemousse & Mocrep 8:30 PM, Constellation, 3111 N. Western, $15, $10 in advance. 18+ Ensemble Pamplemousse started out 13 years ago as a new-music ensemble, but you can’t cram them into that box anymore. The Brooklyn-based sextet’s forthcoming self-released USB-drive album . . . This Is the Uplifting Part is a sequence of videos that mix together music and visual content in contradictory ways—often what’s onscreen has nothing to do with what you hear. Band members play interlocking electric-keyboard grooves and angular string constructions while reciting cooking tips deadpan; then the footage cuts to them miming, or to bright color fields. Pamplemousse don’t seem concerned with making material cohere, but instead revel in disjunction—something the ensemble will likely emphasize even more tonight, when they’ll play a 50-minute-long sequence of collaboratively developed music they characterize as “an exquisite corpse of exquisite corpses.” Members of the ensemble will also join openers Mocrep, a local group that shares their intermedia inclinations, to play a program including Neele Hülcker’s “Crackles,” a new piece by Mocrep member Zach Moore, and another worked out by the entire group during their ongoing residence at the Mana Contemporary Chicago art center in Pilsen. —BILL MEYER

Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe 8 PM, Bond Chapel, University of Chicago, 1025 E. 58th. F b The records former Chicagoan Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe has dropped this year chronicle a subtle, fascinating shift in his work. For a while now Lowe has developed and honed a hypnotic practice built around gorgeous, aqueous vocal chants and spell-casting, texturally varied modular synthesizer excursions. Cognition/Observation, for exam-

TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS JA N UA R Y 1 1 T H - 1 5 T H • W W W.T N K F E S T. C O M

SCHUBAS - LINCOLN HALL - THE HIDEOUT - METRO - SMARTBAR

BADBADNOTGOOD + Tortoise Title Fight + CEREMONY JEFF The Brotherhood + Ezra Furman WAND + Big Thief Foxtrott + Open Mike Eagle IAN SWEET + Sam Evian + Mattson 2 Acid Dad + Chastity + Negative Scanner In Tall Buildings + Muuy Biien + Flaural Monobody + Campdogzz + Dream Version Joe Bordenaro & the Late Bloomers + HOGG Special Performance by: Sons Of The Silent Age performing David Bowie’s Low COMEDY AT THE HIDEOUT

Phoebe Robinson + Beth Stelling + Michelle Wolf Helltrap Nightmare Birthday Funeral Wee Trio o JENNI FAE

Wee Trio See also Saturday. 9 PM, Green Mill, 4802 N. Broadway, $15.

PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

In recent years the Wee Trio have applied the concision and melodic impact of pop music to smallgroup jazz. The Bad Plus have had great success doing something similar—though their music deploys bolder, more interesting structural imperatives—but Wee Trio are certainly the only group doing so that’s built around vibraphone (played by James Westfall). On the new Wee + 3 (Bionic) they take a step back toward their jazz roots, engaging in collaborations with pianist Fabian Almazán, trumpeter Nicholas Payton, and guitarist Nir Felder, each of whom plays on three tracks apiece, conveying an easy rapport with the trio. But as illustrated by J

NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 37

MUSIC continued from 37

the two tracks without guests—one a tightly coiled spin on Meshell Ndegeocello’s moody “Lola,” the other a lean, stuttering original by drummer Jared Schonig called “Sound Evidence”—Wee Trio are better without the help. Here their personality is flattened, making them sound like just another modern-jazz group. Thankfully, they’re on their own this weekend. —PETER MARGASAK

Find more music listings at chicagoreader.com/soundboard.

den, coagulating noise rock that sounds monstrous and triumphant by comparison and fits in alongside skull-shaking contemporaries like KEN Mode and Whores. Indeed Constantly Off is the Fight Amp’s biggest and best record to date—but unfortunately their final one for now. This tour marks the trio’s last hurrah before front man Mike McGinnis and dudes go on an indefinite hiatus. Get out and give ’em their due. —KEVIN WARWICK

Wee Trio See Friday. 8 PM, Green Mill, 4802 N. Broadway, $15.

SUNDAY6 Survive See Pick of the Week on page 35. Majeure open. 9 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, $12.

Wayfarer Anicon, Withering Soul, and Vukari open. 9 PM, Reggies Music Joint, 2105 S. State, $12, $8 in advance.

Fight Amp o STEVE PERRONG

SATURDAY5

Fight Amp Ribbonhead, These Beasts, and Mine Collapse open. 8:30 PM, Township, 2200 N. California, $10. 18+

The whirring grind of Fight Amp’s 2015 six-song LP Constantly Off (Brutal Panda)—sonically similar to what it might sound like to force a pair of Doc Martens down a garbage disposal—feels synonymous with the Philly band’s longtime slog and road-dog mentality. Eternally underrated, Fight Amp (formerly Fight Amputation) have been compiling their catalog since the mid-2000s, shifting from a grimy hardcore-punk sound that would fit snuggly into a basement filled with back patches to grunge-rid-

I first heard the singing of Indian vocalist Amirtha Kidambi harmonizing on the bizarre modern madrigals of songwriter-composer Charlie Looker in the wonderful Seaven Teares. A performer with a serious contemporary-classical background, she was also part of the quartet of voices that saxophonist Darius Jones used for his peculiar Oversoul Manual projects. But Holy Science (Northern Spy), the gripping debut by her quartet Elder Ones, puts her where her artistic heart currently resides, mixing fearless improvisation and ideas from Carnatic music. On “Sathya-Yuga” she plays a droning, bellowing chord on harmonium while singing a relatively simple, wordless melody akin to an alap, the melodic improvisation that opens a raja—at least until the groove kicks in. She then elaborates on her melodies using seven syllables, each assigned to different parts of her vocal range, as she improvises within each extended composition. Her concept taps into the exploratory music of Alice Coltrane, and the strong, elastic, shape-shifting circular grooves sketched out by bassist Brandon Lopez and drummer Max Jaffe give her unlimited vistas to explore. At the same time her singing is complemented by the sometimes slaloming, sometimes exploding improvised soprano saxophone lines of

Matt Nelson (Battle Trance), underlining the Coltrane influence. The pieces aren’t static—instruments drop out, emphasis shifts, rhythms mutate— but the quartet’s conviction and power never falter. The saxophone duo of Mars Williams and Dave Rempis opens. —PETER MARGASAK

WEDNESDAY9 Nicolas Jaar 9 PM, Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport, sold out. 17+ These days I don’t pretend to have much investment in electronic music that’s primarily geared to the dance floor, but when I hear something that successfully uses tools of the trade to aim higher, I appreciate it. In the past I’ve been superimpressed

by Darkside, the collaboration between guitarist Dave Harrington and electronic-music producer Nicolas Jaar, who built a reputation by slowing down or entirely erasing clubby beats, favoring instead wildly mutating, richly textured atmospheric sounds and going well beyond the usual EDM journey. Now, with Sirens (Other People), Jaar bril- J

This Denver-based atmospheric black-metal quartet released their third album (counting a 2012 demo), Old Souls, on Prosthetic Records in June. Though they lean heavily on a pretty reliable formula of rising-and-falling dynamics, you’ve got to admire their commitment to the ideas that develop during each long track—and the whirling, slightly vertigo-inducing soundscapes they create with churning riffs and well-placed folkish interludes. Convincing listeners to forget that they’re surrounded by humans making human noises might take some doing, but really, who doesn’t love a theme that involves nature triumphing over mankind and humans seeking isolation in lonely places? And Wayfarer can sometimes manage to lure you into getting lost beyond return.

—MONICA KENDRICK

MONDAY7 Amirtha Kidambi’s Elder Ones Dave Rempis & Mars Williams open. 9 PM, Elastic, 3429 W. Diversey, $10 suggested donation. b

Amirtha Kidambi’s Elder Ones o CHIRS WEISS

No experience necessary.

No experience like it.

LINCOLN SQUARE • LINCOLN PARK

38 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

Sign up for guitar classes at oldtownschool.org

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MUSIC Nicolas Jaar o BRIXTON/FLICKR

EARLY WARNINGS NEVER MISS A SHOW AGAIN

CHICAGOREADER.COM/EARLY

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, NOV. 3............ SMILING BOBBY AND THE CLEMTONES FRIDAY, NOV. 4 ................. SKIPPIN ROCK SATURDAY, NOV. 5 ............ 37TH STREET BLUES BAND SUNDAY, NOV. 6 ............... MIKE FELTON TUESDAY, NOV. 8 .............. FLABBY HOFFMAN SHOW WEDNESDAY, NOV. 9......... ELIZABETH HARPER’S LITTLE THING THURSDAY, NOV. 10.......... FLABBY HOFFMAN SHOW FRIDAY, NOV. 11 ............... ARTIFACTS SATURDAY, NOV. 12 .......... SLINK MOSS AND THE FLYING ACES SUNDAY, NOV. 13 ............. HEISENBERG UNCERTAINTY PLAYERS EVERY MONDAY AT 9PM CHRIS SHUTTLEWORTH QUINTET EVERY TUESDAY AT 8PM OPEN MIC HOSTED BY JIMI JON AMERICA

liantly transfers his brand of ghostly ambience into art-pop songs of his own design, employing indelible melodies crooned in his tender falsetto to create a kind of prog-rock record. The moody opener, “Killing Time,” sounds like he’s been inhaling early Pink Floyd, but the touch is light and the dynamics are sharp as Jaar deploys silence and fragility against grandeur and power—beauty trumps the

FEATURING

beats across the entire record. On “The Governor” Jaar channels rockabilly a la Suicide, piling on chaotic beats and briefly interrupting the flow with rheumy clarinet squawks, while “History Lesson” dabbles in doo-wop-style R&B. Ultimately the striking thing is the way he weaves it all together into a big sprawling universe of sound that’s hard to leave.

—PETER MARGASAK v

PERFOR M ANCES

BY

MORRY SOCHAT AND THE SPECIAL 20S + DJ INTEL FRIDAY— NOVEMBER

11

7 P M – 11 P M

BENEFITING NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS (NAMI) CHICAGO

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sipsbits

S P O N S O R E D

N E I G H B O R H O O D

C O N T E N T

Chicago has always been a city of distinct neighborhoods with their own sense of identity and tradition — and each with stand-out bars and restaurants that are worthy of a haul on the El or bucking up for parking. Explore some local faves here, then head out for a taste of the real thing!

LINCOLN HALL // LINCOLN PARK $8 Modelo Especial Tallboy + shot of tequila

REGGIES // SOUTH LOOP Wednesday $4 Stoli/Absolut and Soco Cocktails

MONTI’S // LINCOLN SQUARE Monday: $1 off Beers, Friday: $5 Martinis

L H - S T. C O M

REGGIESLIVE.COM

I LOV E M O NTI S .CO M

ALIVEONE // LINCOLN PARK Wednesday: 1/2 price aliveOne signature cocktails

DISTILLED CHICAGO // LINCOLN PARK Saturday Brunch (11am-2pm) Bottomless Bloodies & Mimosas

SCHUBAS // LAKEVIEW $7 Modelo Especial + Don Julio shot

ALIVEONE .COM

D I STI LLE DC H I CAG O.CO M

L H - S T. C O M

FITZGERALDS // BERWYN Everyday: $6 Firestone Walker Opal pints

MOTOR ROW BREWING // NEAR SOUTHSIDE Thu, Fri, Tue, Wed: Happy Hour noon-6pm, $2 off all beers

PHYLILIS’ MUSICAL INN // WICKER PARK Everyday: $3.75 Moosehead pints and $2.50 Hamms cans

FITZGERALDSNIGHTCLUB .COM

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7 7 3 . 4 8 6 .9 8 62

LINCOLN SQUARE

MONTI’S // 4 75 7 N TA L M A N // I LOV E M O N T I S.C O M

FAVE > AUTHENTIC PHILLY CHEESESTEAK

Like every good Husband and Wife Team, Chef James Gottwald and Jennifer Monti negotiated when they created their dream restaurant together. Monti’s Chef James wanted a place where he could relax with a beer and a cheesesteak while watching a game. Jennifer wanted someplace stylish but not too stuffy, where she could share a cheese plate and some wine with friends. They agreed on some “Philly-flare” showing their hometown roots — a casual vibe and menu featuring Authentic Philly Cheesesteaks, Pizza, Hoagies and more!

“. . . stuff this in your hole as fast as possible.”

40 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

— MIKE SULA / CHICAGO READER

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FOOD & DRINK

THE LITTLE BEET TABLE | $$$

845 N. State 312-549-8600 thelittlebeettable.com/chicago

NEW REVIEW

You might leave the Little Beet Table before you finish your vegetables

The New York import perpetuates the cliche that healthy food is dull and boring.

By MIKE SULA

S

A kabocha squash soup arrives without any taste of the ginger and miso that might separate it from baby food. o JAMIE RAMSAY

ufferers of phantom gluten intolerance, and those with legitimate celiac disease, had cause for excitement this fall when a New York-based restaurant landed in the Gold Coast promising to feed them free of that maligned mixture of proteins. The Little Beet Table is the formal offspring of a small fast-casual chain slinging healthy, vegetable-dominant food for people with any number of the usual assortment of dietary restrictions that can make the act of eating a lot of tedious work.

The more evolved concept is promising: letting meat play a secondary role, putting the emphasis on the creative presentation of verdure. We’ve seen some of this already with Jason Vincent’s menu at Giant and at the new Bad Hunter from Heisler Hospitality, and in general it’s a good thing. We should all eat more plant life.

It’s particularly exciting in the hands of someone like Vincent, whose flavors can make you taste familiar vegetables in a way you never have before. When one regards the menu of the Little Beet Table for the first time, it’s possible to summon some anticipation that it might perform similarly. A section of eight vegetarian dishes headlines small plates, salads, and mains, where the meat begins to creep in.

Cauliflower seems to be a vegetal panacea for the low-carb, gluten-free set, and with good reason. It’s a great vegetable, delicious in so many ways, which is why Little Beet Table’s version is so perplexing. They seemed to J

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ERDINNER

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Cavatelli with a dull tomato sauce are perhaps accidentally boosted with sheep’s milk feta. ! JAMIE RAMSAY

continued from 41 have found the one unappealing method of preparing the lovable crucifer: hummus posing as Vegenaise. Showered with popcorn and pepitas and served with thick wedges of bread, it’s a grayish-tan slick of something you’d take a wide berth from if you saw it on the sidewalk.

It also illustrates one of two fatal flaws across LBT’s menu: portion sizes are way too big, making even the best dishes intolerable by the halfway point. But the kitchen compounds that problem with a seemingly hostile resistance to seasoning, issuing a mound of overcooked and undercaramelized brussels sprouts with barely a hint of the lemon gremolata or sea salt it was said to contain. Same goes for three jumbo sweet-potato halves that seem to have escaped any seasoning whatso-

ever. Even the most seemingly complicated dish on the menu, a kabocha squash soup, arrives without any taste of the ginger and miso that might separate it from baby food. At least a large plate of broccoli draped with a carrot remoulade carries a hint of heat, and a pea guacamole is sweet enough. But if you plan to let vegetables stand on their own, they’d better be perfect. These are not.

That’s what makes the enormous, virtually undressed arugula salad such a burden, and that’s setting aside the piece of packing cardboard I found it hidden within. That’s echoed in the roasted shrimp and romaine, which forced me to hunt like a starving squirrel for the promised quinoa and raisins. And how does one make a classic chicken Caesar salad more veg-forward without taking away J

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STRANGE FOODS FESTIVAL

FOOD & DRINK

Sun 11/6, 1-4 PM, Moonlight Studios, 6 W. Kinzie, $55.

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continued from 43 the protein surge of boneless, skinless chicken breast folks are accustomed to?

Take a whole split head of grilled romaine and sprinkle it with hard, undercooked chickpeas. Chickpea Caesar—sounds like chicken, I guess.

Things improve only marginally among small plates and mains. A wild shrimp curry with more of those undercooked garbanzos tastes like it’s haunted by the ghost of a masala. Short cavatelli are surprisingly firm and well made, and their dull tomato sauce is perhaps accidentally boosted by sheep’s milk feta. The roasted chicken is a juicy if workmanlike effort, and while a black sea bass cooked in parchment with parsley jus is moist and crispy, you’ll likely destroy it following the needlessly aggravating process of removing it from its paper prison.

Perhaps the most absurd thing in this comedy of errors is a trio of tacos bulging with chipotle pork carnitas, apple kimchi, squash, black beans, and avocado crema.

The most expert hands would be hardpressed to turn this combination into a reasonable bite of food. It’s as if the person who conceived it had never experienced a taco before.

But the cruelest joke of all is that the only time salt makes an entrance at the Little Beet Table is at dessert, in the form of a salted chocolate cookie crumbled over a sundae, which resembles a toddler’s modeling project built with chocolate mousse and Grinch-colored mint ice cream. If you’ve made it this far you deserve it.

Among the crass overgeneralizations about healthful dining that come true at Little Beet is that restaurants that cater to people looking for a healthy meal don’t put much thought into the drinks menu, which explains feeble cocktails like the whiskey-f lavored water I expected to be a manhattan, or the margarita that could’ve been poured from the Skinnygirl profile.

Another canard is that people who care about eating healthier don’t know how to cook—and won’t know any better. And if health is a primary focus, everything else, like aesthetics, flavor, and joy, aren’t really important. Maybe the folks behind the Little Beet Table do believe those things, but I don’t know many diners who do. v

ß @MikeSula 44 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

Strange Foods Festival coproducers Keng Sisavath and Jed Swartz

EVENTS

Keng Sisavath wants you to eat stranger things

By JULIA THIEL

T

he upcoming Strange Foods Festival started with an Instagram account.

A year and a half ago Keng Sisavath, a 36-year-old dental technician, launched @strangefoodschicago to “introduce the food of my motherland,” he says. Sisavath, who was born in a refugee camp on the border of Thailand and Laos, came to the U.S. as a toddler and was raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin, by Lao relatives. The problem with trying to photograph Lao food in the Chicago area, according to Sisavath, is that there isn’t much: unlike Green Bay, Chicago doesn’t have a significant Lao population. “When a Lao opens up a restaurant [in Chicago] they have to put the name Thai on it because people don’t know about Lao food,” he says. “The food isn’t mainstream. I want to change that.”

As Sisavath’s Instagram account gained popularity (currently it has more than 37,000 followers), he documented food from ethnic restaurants all over Chicago and into the suburbs, “strange” and not so. Of course, what might be considered strange in North American culture is perfectly normal in others, a fact that Sisavath recognizes and readily admits.

The goal of the festival, which he’s coproducing with Jed Swartz (who runs the Instagram account @chicagofoodevents), isn’t to shock people with weird food—quite the opposite, in

fact. “I want people to know that the food isn’t that strange, it’s actually good,” Sisavath says.

“And then the next time it can get really crazy, really authentic.”

Sisavath worries that as Chicago neighborhoods gentrify, traditional foods will die out.

“I like classic, simple food,” he says. “Tacos— they’ve changed. People are throwing everything in tacos.” Jarabe Mexican Street Food used to sell eyeball tacos at Maxwell Street Market, Sisavath says, but stopped after realizing younger generations weren’t particularly interested. Jarabe will, however, be serving the tacos at the Strange Foods Festival. Other cuisines that will be represented among the 15-odd restaurants include Thai, Cambodian, Georgian, Malaysian, Japanese, Moroccan, and Lao—though for the last one Sisavath had to invite Atlanta’s KhaoLaam, because there aren’t any local Lao restaurants he considers authentic. White Pearl in Elgin has transitioned to an Americanized menu, and Spicy Lao Thai in Burbank hasn’t measured up to his expectations. “They’re afraid to serve the true flavors,” he says. “That is why they don’t come” to the festival.

Sisavath has more than a passing knowledge of most of the restaurants he did invite to the festival: he says he’s eaten at about 90 percent of them—in many cases, dozens of times. He estimates that he’s eaten more than

200 meals at Dancen, a Korean bar that he says is his favorite restaurant in Chicago. Most of the places he likes to eat are small and family run, and along the way he’s developed relationships with the owners. Without those relationships, Sisavath says, the festival would probably never have happened. “It’s about trust. It’s hard to get these restaurants. But I love a challenge.”

As for the places he goes back to over and over, Sisavath puts Immm Rice & Beyond near the top of the list. “I like everything there—all the dishes are my favorite,” he says. Saigon Bistro has some of the best Cajun crawfish in town, according to Sisavath, and he considers the Hainanese chicken (poached chicken with rice) at Serai, a Malaysian restaurant, top-notch.

For other restaurants, though, Sisavath is hard-pressed to name a favorite dish because he usually tries to order off-menu or from the “secret,” usually untranslated, menus that many ethnic restaurants have. “I always ask for the underground food. Sometimes they’ll be afraid to serve it to me because they don’t know me at these ethnic restaurants. They’ll say they don’t have it. But they do. You have to build a relationship with them and finally they’ll give it to you. It’s like a secret club.” v

ß @juliathiel

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JOBS

SALES & MARKETING TELE-FUNDRAISING: FOR VETERANS DAY. American Veterans helping Veterans.

interfaces w/ BW syst & writing funct specif for BW reports; data convers loads interfaces for SAP APO & PP modules; develp trng mater for end-users; develp funct/ tech specif, & test plans & ASAP/ RunSAP method. Domes & Intl trvl reqd up to 25% . Apply online at: http://www.tateandlyle. com/careers/Pages/Careers.aspx

Felons need not apply per Illinois Attorney General regulations. Start ASAP, Call 312-256-5035

food & drink PASTA COOK & DELIVERY DRIVER NEEDED for busy Italian

restaurant. FT/PT hours available.

Text (312)504-6129/email: nancy. beidleman@gmail.com to set up interview. Can start right person today.

THE PARK WEST/ Riv/ Vic. We

are hiring waitstaff and bartenders.

Please come in to fill out an application at the Park West, 322 West Armitage, Chicago, IL, 60614. MondayFriday, 10:30am to 4:00pm.

CHEMISTRY INSTRUCTOR Postsecondary (Rolling Meadows, IL). Teach General Chemistry I & II, Organic Chemistry I & II, Biochemistry I & II and other postsecondary courses. Teach assigned classes, manage classroom, prepare lessons, develop syllabus, maintain lessons, assign grades, hold office hours, serve as a student advisor, provide tutoring, attend faculty meetings. Participate in required professional development activities.

Applicants must have 6 months of experience as a Chemistry Teacher, Instructor, TA/GA and hold a Master’s Degree in Chemistry. Mail your resume to Attn: Mohammad AliNiazee, Northwest Suburban College.5999 S New Wilke Road Bldg 5 Rolling Meadows IL 60008.

NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE seeks Application

Analysts Sr. for Chicago, IL to lead the design & implementation of health info. tech. sw solutions. Master’s in Comp. Sci. or Comp./ Electrical/Electronics Eng. +2yrs exp.

OR Bachelor’s in Comp. Sci. or Comp. /Electrical/Electronics Eng. +5yrs prog. exp. req’d. Exp. must incl.

PeopleSoft performance tuning, server architecture design, admin. & module integration (ELM, FSCM, HCM), PT upgrades, PS app upgrades, PUM, Oracle, Phire, Shell Scripting, AIX. Apply online: http:// jobseeker.nm.org/ Requisition ID: 0015901 EOE

NUTS ON CLARK Popcorn Stores

SYSTEMS ANALYST & SUPPORT ENGINEER

Zensar Technologies, Inc. has openings in Oak Brook , IL. All positions may be assigned to various, unanticipated sites throughout the US. Job Code: USOBIL112 Computer Systems Analyst (SCM): analyses, user stories & solutions.Job Code: US-OBIL 113 Technical Support Engineer/ Specialist: support & trainings.Mail resume to: Prasun Maharatna, 2107 North First Street, Suite 100, San Jose, CA 95131. Include job code & full job title/s of interest + recruitment source in cover letter.

EOE

General (Hoffman Estates, IL) Tate & Lyle Americas LLC seeks SAP Functional Analyst – SCM w/ Bach or for equiv deg in CS, Eng, Bus, Fin, Logis or rel fld & 7 yrs progr exp in job offer or SAP APO & SAP PP module incl Demand Plan, Supply Netwrk Plan & Prod Plan & Detail Sched for manuf ind, incl exp conduct blue prntg wrkshops to gather reqs from bus end users in SAP APO & PP modules; 2+ full life-cycle implem incl post Go-Live sup or doing equiv in sup, rollout & upgrade/ enhance proj; SAP PP & SAP APO config & how these interact w/ other SAP modules such as S D/CRM/FI/COPA/MM; develp fun ct/techn specif, test plans & cutover plan for go-live; SAP APO

EDUCATION: ASSISTANT

PROFESSOR - Loyola University, Chicago, IL. Duties include: Teaching graduate courses in international higher education, leadership, student development, social justice, history of higher education, education abroad, policy analysis and comparative education. Supervise master’s theses and doctoral dissertations and conduct an active research and publication program. Requires Ph.D. in Higher Ed or related field of study.

Apply by mail to: Terri Pigott, Loyola University, 820 N. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611.

hiring for new location: Sales, cooks, stock, paid training. Starts immediately when working with a team.

Apply in person @ corp. office, 3830 N. Clark St. Chicago 9 am to 10 am Mon Thru Fri. Must bring ID’s to apply

GENERAL TRUCK AND trailer

mechanic. Full- and part-time. Uniforms provided. Opportunity for advancement. Chicago. Call 630-2040502.

REAL ESTATE RENTALS

SENIOR ASSOCIATE, DATA & ANALYTICS (MULT. POS.),

PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services LLC, Chicago, IL. Assist clients with defining their info strategy, architecture & governance.

Obtain the most value from bus. intelligence (BI) & analytics. Req. Bach’s deg or foreign equiv. in Comp Sci, Comp Engg, Info Sys Mgmt, Bus Admin, or rel. + 3 yrs rel. exp.; OR a Master’s deg or foreign equiv. in Comp Sci, Comp Engg, Info Sys Mgmt, Bus Admin, or rel. + 1 yr rel. exp. Travel up to 80% req. Apply by mail, referencing Job Code IL1024, Attn: HR SSC/Talent Management, 4040 W. Boy Scout Blvd, Tampa, FL 33607.

R&D AND FIELD Engineering Director: Responsible for cutting edge innovation including Energy Efficient Shrink Tunnel Technology, mechanical/pneumatic & electrical solutions for leading packaging machine manufacturer in Schiller Park, IL. Requires Bachelor’s in mechanical eng + 7 years packaging machine exp at least 2 of which are as R&D Director for packaging machine company or any equivalent combo of education training or experience. Extensive travel required.

Mail resume to Fitzgerald, ARPAC, LLC 9555 W. Irving Park Rd, Schiller Park, IL 60176

STUDIO $500-$599 Chicago, Beverly/Cal Park/Blue Island Studio $575 & up, 1BR $665 & up, 2BR $885 & up. Heat, Appls, Balcony, Carpet, Laundry, Prkg.

708-388-0170

STUDIO $600-$699 CHICAGO, HYDE PARK Arms

Hotel, 5316 S. Harper, maid, phone, cable ready, fridge, private facilities, laundry avail. Start at $160/wk Call 773-493-3500

ROGERS

PARK! 7455 N .

Greenview. Studios starting at $675 $695 including heat. It’s a newly remodeled vintage elevator building with on-site laundry, wood floors, new kitchens and baths, some units have balconies, etc. No security deposit! For a showing please contact Samir 773-627-4894 Hunter Properties 773-477-7070 www. hunterprop.com EDGEWATER!

1061 W. Rose-

mont. Studios starting at $695 to $725, All Utilities included! Elevator building! Close to CTA red line train, restaurants, shopping, blocks to the lakefront, beaches and bike trails, laundry onsite, remodeled, etc. For a showing please contact Jay 773835-1864 Hunter Properties, Inc. 773-477-7070 www.hunterprop.com

STUDIO $700-$899 ROGERS PARK STUDIOS Clse to

Public Trans & Lake. Updatd Kitchns.

Hrdwd flrs. Heat Incl. 1Yr Lease $350.

Move-in Fee. $700. 773-562-6878

STUDIO OTHER LARGE SUNNY ROOM w/fridge & microwave. Near Oak Park, Green Line & Buses. 24 hr Desk, Parking Lot $101/week & Up. (773)378-8888 CHICAGO - HYDE PARK 5401 S. Ellis.

1BR. $600/mo.

Call 773-955-5106 CROSSROADS HOTEL SRO SINGLE RMS Private bath, PHONE,

CABLE & MAIDS. 1 Block to Orange Line 5300 S. Pulaski 773-581-1188

Ashland Hotel nice clean rms.

24 hr desk/maid/TV/laundry/air.

Low rates daily/weekly/monthly.

South Side. Call 773-376-5200

1 BR UNDER $700 Nr 71st/Marshfield.

3 rooms, 1BR, decor, hdwd flrs, heat incl, nr trans & shops. $625/mo. No Security.

Brown Realty Inc. 773-2399566 QUALITY

APARTMENTS,

Great Prices! Studios-4BR, from $450. Newly rehabbed. Appliances included. Low Move-in Fees. Hardwood floors. Pangea - Chicago’s South, Southwest & West Neighborhoods. 312-985-0556

Retail

Newly remod 1BR & Studios starting at $500. No sec dep, move in fee or app fee. Free heat /hot water. 1155 W. 83rd St., 773-619-0204

Binny’s Beverage Depot is the Midwest’s largest upscale retailer of fine wines, spirits, beers and cigars, and due to our continued growth, we now have the following retail opportunities available in multiple locations to qualified persons over 21 years of age:

STORE ASSOCIATES

Lakeview * Lincoln Park * Grand Ave/Downtown * South Loop Skokie * Lincolnwood * Elmwood Park * River Grove We are seeking energetic, customer-oriented individuals to perform a variety of store functions.

Qualified persons must be able to lift 40-50 lbs. and be available to work flexible hours.

Previous retail experience a plus, with cashier or stock experience preferred. Candidates must be able to work nights & weekends.These are part-time positions with potential for full-time.

WINE SALES

Lincoln Park * South Loop * Logan Square Candidates will have good working knowledge of wine varieties, countries and regions. Qualified persons must be able to taste wines in a professional manner as allowed for educational purposes, as well as continue to develop knowledge of wine and other products.

DELIVERY DRIVER/STORE ASSOCIATE

FALL SPECIAL: STUDIOS starting at $499 incls utilities. 1BR $550, 2BR $599, 3BR $699. With approved credit. No Security Deposit for Sec 8 Tenants. South Shore & Southside. Call 312-4463333 7022 S. SHORE DRIVE Impecca-

bly Clean Highrise STUDIOS, 1 & 2 BEDROOMS Facing Lake & Park.

Laundry & Security on Premises.

Parking & Apts. Are Subject to Availability. TOWNHOUSE APARTMENTS 773-288-1030

MIDWAY AREA/63RD KEDZIE Deluxe Studio 1 & 2 BRs. All

modern oak floors, appliances, Security system, on site maint. clean & quiet, Nr. transp. From $445. 773582-1985 (espanol)

CHICAGO SOUTH - YOU’VE tried the rest, we are the best.

Apartments & Homes for rent, city & suburb. No credit checks.

773-221-7490, 773-221-7493 CHATHAM 80TH & St. Lawrence. Lrg studio $525, 1BR $585-$630. 113th & Indiana, XL 1BR heat incl. $640.

773-660-9305 CHICAGO: 67TH & Clyde 3BR apts hdwd floors, fpl, laundry facilities, $900; 77th & Bishop, 3BR apt, hdwd flrs, $900. Sec 8 Welc.

(773) 429-0988 FALL SPECIAL $500 Toward

Rent Beautiful Studios 1, 2, 3 & 4 BR Sect. 8 Welc. Westside Loc, Must qualify. 773-287-4500 www.wjmngmt.com

CLEAN ROOM W/FRIDGE & micro, Near Oak Park, Food -4Less, Walmart, Walgreens, Buses & Metra, Laundry. $115/wk & up.

773-637-5957

CALUMET CITY - Comfortable

1 bedroom, heat, A/C, appliances & carpet included, $670/month + security, 708-957-2043

WEST PULLMAN (INDIANA

Ave) Nice,lrg 1BR $575; 2BR $650 & 1 3BR $850, balcony, Sec. Dep.req’d.

Sec 8 Welc. 773-995-6950

1BR, 84TH & PAULINA, $620/ mo + sec dep. Newly decorated, hdwd flrs, stove & fridge incl. You control your heat. 773-852-5463 SECTION 8 WELCOME 3BR. 77 Ridgeland $850. Heat incl, Laundry on site.

773-874-9637 or 773-493-5359

85TH & PAULINA - 1BR, 2nd flr Apt, $600/mo + $600 sec dep & ref check. Quiet Bldg, Incl heat & fridge. Avail now. 773-297-8575.

CHICAGO, 82ND & JUSTINE. 1BR. near transportation. $650$695 /mo. 1 month rent + 1 month Security. Heat is incl. 773-873-1591 $725/MO. LARGE 2BR 75th & Union. Near public trans, schools and shopping, appl incl.

Sect 8 Welc. 708-334-5188 û NO SEC DEP û

6829 S. Perry. 1BR. $520/mo.

1431 W. 78th St. 2BR. $605/mo.

HEAT INCL 773-955-5106

SOUTH SHORE 1 & 2BR apts. $575 & $700/mo. Heat incl. $300 Move-in Fee. Showing on Saturday. Call 773-620-1136 BRONZEVILLE

4950 S Prairie.

1BR. Heat, cooking gas, appl incl. Sec 8 ok. Lndry on site, prkg. $680 & up.

Z 773-406-4841 NICE ROOM w/stove, fridge & bath Near Aldi, Walgreens, Beach, Red Line & Buses. Elevator & Laundry. $130/wk & up. 773-275-4442 BIG ROOM with stove, fridge, bath & nice wood floors. Near Red Line & Buses. Elevator & Laundry, Shopping. $121/wk + up. 773-561-4970

76TH & PHILLIPS 2BR $750$800.

Remodeled, Appliances available. FREE Heat. 312-2865678

1 BR $700-$799 HUMBOLDT PARK. ONE bed-

room apartment for rent. Newly remodeled. Next door to food store. $750 per month plus security deposit. Near shopping area. Monica, 773592-2989.

ALSIP: LARGE 1BR, $695/MO & 2BR, 1.5BA, $875/MO. BALCONY, APPLIANCES, LAUNDRY & STORAGE. CALL 708268-3762

Chicago - 1BR Apts Near North & Cicero $770/incl heat/water No sec dep $300 move in fee 877.350.5055 Crestwood Spacious 1BR carpeted, ALL appls, Heat Incl & convenient loc. $720/mo; 708422-8801

1 BR $800-$899 LAKESIDE TOWER, 910 W

Lawrence. 1 bedrooms starting at $875-$925 include heat and gas, laundry in building. Great view! Close to CTA Red Line, bus, stores, restaurants, lake, etc. To schedule a showing please contact Celio 773-3961575, Hunter Properties 773-4777070, www.hunterprop.com

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South Loop

We are seeking an energetic, customer-oriented individual to perform a variety of store and delivery functions. Qualified person must be able to lift 40-50 lbs. and be available to work flexible hours including evenings, weekends and holidays. Valid IL driver’s license with a clean driving record is essential.

In return for your skills, we offer growth opportunities and attractive compensation.

Please apply online at www.binnys.com/careers

CHICAGOREADER.COM

EOE

NOVEMBER 3, 2016 | CHICAGO READER 45

AUSTIN AREA 1-2BR Apts, stove & fridge incl. $850-$1000/mo. near Green Line. Sect 8 OK. Call 708-386-2594 or 773-216-2240

1 BR $900-$1099 LARGE ONE BEDROOM apart-

ment near Loyola Park. 1341 W Estes.

Hardwood floors. Heat included. Cats OK. Laundry in building. Available 12/ 1. $925/ month. Small one bedroom apartment available for $750/ month.

773-761-4318, www. lakefrontmgt.com

LARGE ONE BEDROOM apart-

ment near Red Line. 6822 N Wayne.

Hardwood floors. Pets OK. Laundry in building. $900-$925/ month. Heat included. Available 12/1. 773-7614318, www.lakefrontmgt.com

ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT

near Warren Park and Metra, 6802 N Wolcott. Hardwood floors. Heat included. Laundry in building. Cats OK. $900/ month. Available 12/1. 773761-4318, www.lakefrontmgt.com

HYDE PARK 1BR. $975/MO + sec dep. Newly

decor, hdwd flrs, stove, fridge, free heat & hot water, laundry facilities, Free Credit Check. 773-667-6477 or 312-802-7301

1 BR $1100 AND OVER 515 W WRIGHTWOOD , Chicago, 1 bedroom, top floor, newly painted, heat included, no pets, available now $1200/mo. 773-6106025 or 262-857-7063

AVAILABLe NOW SENior citizENS 62+ yEarS Section 8 Eligibility-Low Rents 1 Br & Studio aptS 3939 S Calumet Ave 773-373-8480 or 373-8482 6225 S Drexel Ave 773-955-6603 or 955-7162 Offering Quality services for Senior Citizens 62 years and older • Wellmaintained, secure-gated parking • Close to shopping, restaurants, public transportation • On-site Internet center • Computer training • Movies • Arts & Crafts classes • Bible classes • free weekly transportation for grocery shopping • Coin-operated laundry machines • Vending machines • Secure mail system and more Get more information at the website: www.trinityseniorapartments.com

1 BR OTHER APTS. FOR RENT PARK MGMT & INV. Ltd. IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN! OUR UNITS INCLUDE HEAT, HW & CG Plenty of parking 1Bdr From $750.00 2Bdr From $925.00 3 Bdr/2 Full Bath From $1200 **1-(773)-476-6000***

APTS. FOR RENT PARK MGMT & INV. Ltd. TIME TO TURN THE FURNANCE ON!!!

Most units Include..

HEAT & HOT WTR Studios From $545.00 1Bdr From $575.00 2Bdr From $745.00 3 Bdr/2 Full Bath From $1200 **1-(773)-476-6000** HYDE PARK Large 2.5 Room Studio, $850 /mo.

Large 1.5 Room Studio, $750 /mo.

Newly decorated, carpeted, stove, fridge, all utils incl., elevator, laundry facilities. FREE credit check. No application fee.

773-493-2401 or 312-8027301 CHICAGO, CHATHAM NO SECURITY DEPOSIT Spacious updated 1BR from $600 with great closet space.

Incl: stove/fridge, hdwd flrs, blinds, heat & more!!!

LIMITED INVENTORY ** Call (773) 271-7100 ** ROUND LAKE BEACH, IL Cedar Villas is accepting applications for subsidized 1BR apts. for seniors 62 years or older and the disabled.

Rent is based on 30% of annual income. For details, call us at 847-546-1899 ∫

3BR, LR, DR, hardwood

floors, very clean, enclosed back porch, sun room, heat incl. $1200/mo.

Edward 773-875-7263

ONE OF THE BEST M & N MGMT, 1BR, 7727 Colfax ** 2 Lrg BR, 6754 Crandon ** 2 & 3BR, 2BA, 6216 Eberhart ** Completely rehabbed.

You deserve the best ** 773-9478572 or 312-613-4427 CALUMET CITY 158TH & PAXTON SANDRIDGE APTS 1 & 2 BEDROOM UNITS MODELS OPEN M-F, 9AM-5:30PM *** 708-841-5450 *** 70TH & CALIFORNIA, 1 & 2BR, modern kitchen & bath, dining room. Starting at $65 0/mo & up. Section 8 Welcome. 847-909-1538 SPACIOUS-SAFE 773-4235727. BRONZEVILLE, 3BR, heat included. Englewood, 1,2 & 3BR, heat incl. Dolton, 2BR, Gated Parking.

FREE HEAT No Sec Dep/ Move-in fee!

Sec 8 ok. 1, 2 & 3 BR. Elev bldg, laundry, pkg. 6531 S. Lowe.

Call Gina 773-874-0100 126 EMERALD 5 & 2, fin bsmt

$1425.

142 Lowe 3 & 1, fin bsmt, $1125.

144 Emerald 3 & 2 + $1190. Appts 773.619.4395 Charlie 818.679.1175

Auburn Gresham, Beautiful 2 flat building, newly decorated 3BR $875 & 1BR $575. Hdwd flrs, heat incl, security deposit. 708510-3405 READY TO MOVE? REMODELED 1, 2 , 3 & 4 BR Apts.

Heat & Appls incl. South Side locations only. Call 773-593-4357

SUBURBS, RENT TO OW N! Buy with No closing costs and get help with your credit. Call 708868-2422 or visit www.nhba.com CHICAGO, RENT TO OWN! Buy with no closing costs and get help with your credit. Call 708868-2422 or visit www.nhba.com

CHICAGO - BEVERLY, large 2 room Studio, 1 & 2BR Apts. Carpet, A/C, laundry, near transportation, $650-$975/mo. Call 773-233-4939

MOVE IN SPECIAL B4 the N of this MO. & MOVE IN 4 $99.00 (773) 874-3400 ROYALTON HOTEL, Kitchenette $135 & up wk. Free WiFi. 1810 W. Jackson 312-226-4678

2 BR UNDER $900 2 BEDROOM APARTMENT in Calumet City, nice neighborhood, quiet building, newly remodeled, heat, gas & water included. Security deposit required. $850/mo.

708-288-5358 CHICAGO-Chatham Area, xtra lrg 2 bedrooms, newly remod, lndry fac. Clean/quiet/well maint bldg.

Starting $850/mo. incl. heat. Sect 8 welcome. 773-510-9290 LOGAN

SQUARE 2 bedroom apartment, 2-flat building, modern kitchen & bath, balcony, washer & dryer. $800/mo. Near Blue Line.

773-235-1066 OAK PARK - Lg 2BR, hdwd flrs,

decorative fire place, granite kitchen, D/W, close to trans. Heat Incl. $1295+. 708-359-1440

CHICAGO SOUTH 66 Winchester, Clean 2.5 BR, Sec 8 ok, No Pets. $875/mo + sec dep. Please call 708-439-3652 Apt. 4 Rent, 2BR, 2nd fl, heat included, 7240 S Evans, $800 per month + security, Section 8 Welcome. Ron 773-405-6481 THIS IS IT! Garden 2BR.

7830 S. Colfax. Start $850. 3BR. 3rd flr. 7820 S. Constance. Start $995.

Sec 8 ok. Pete, 312.770.0589

CHICAGO SOUTH SIDE Beauti-

5708 S. HONORE. 2BR, 2nd flr, hdwd flrs, encl heated back porch. $675/mo.

773-742-6248

ACACIA SRO HOTEL Men Preferred! Rooms for Rent. Weekly & Monthly Rates. 312-421-4597

VICINITY 65TH AND St. Lawrence, modern, tenant heated, 2BR Unit. $725/mo. No Sec Deposit Agent Owned, 312-671-3795

ful Studios, 1,2,3 & 4 BR’s, Sec 8 ok. $500 gift certificate for Sec 8 tenants. 773-287-9999/312-446-3333

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EARLY WARNINGS

WEEKLY E-BLAST GET UP TO DATE. SIGN UP NOW. CHICAGOREADER.COM

AUSTIN AREA, Best deal, 2BR. $650-$695. Credit check required.

6 N. Lockwoood Call 708-204-8600 CHICAGO

2 BR $1300-$1499

AUSTINWESTSIDE OF CHICAGO,

2 BR/5 rm apt. $1,000 + 1 mo security. heat incl Hdwd flrs throughout, lg bathroom compliment this newly renovated & decorated apt. 773-261-4415

LOVELY 2 BEDROOM in Austin Area, 5237 West Hirsch, 1st floor, hardwood floors, C /A, rent is $1000, 1 month security, utilities not included. No pets. 773-501-5799 DLX 1ST FLR, 2.5BR, hdwd flrs, ceiling fans, lg LR/DR & ktchen, 3 car gar. 83rd & Maryland. $850, Free heat & appl incl. Sec 8 welc. 773412-0541

7906 3B S Wabash Lrg 2BR, 1BA, hrdwd flrs, free heat, remod. kitc., close to transp., prkg. $900/ mo. $0 appl fee & 1/2 off 3rd mo rent. Pam Gore 312-208-1771 90TH/LOOMIS 2nd flr, 2.5BR, DR, LR, appls, hdwd flrs & carpet, big nice back yard, tenant pays utils. $900+ one mo sec 773-2596963 85TH & HERMITAGE 2BR, $1000, separate dr. 93rd & Woodlawn, 4BR house $1400, newly remod.Section 8 ok 708-794-6485 92ND & ADA, 2 bdrm, lg & spa-

cious w/ DR, hardwood flrs, sunporch, fireplace, heat/appls incl, sec 8 ok $975/mo + sec 773-4156914 Modern, 2BR apt, A/C, Dining rm, hdwd flrs & more! $925/mo + 1 mo sec. Section 8 OK. 773-610-9114

WICKER PARK: 1958 W. Evergreen, beautiful, 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment, 2nd floor, immediate occupancy, $1600 + utilities and security deposit. No pets. 708650-2044

2 BR OTHER

PILSEN AREA - R E M O D ELED Large 2 Bdrm, 2 Bath

Split level. Hardwood floors in Lv Rm & Dn Rm. Carpet in Bedrooms.

AC & ceiling fans thru out. One Bdrm & Bath on 2nd Fl, One Bdrm & Bath in 3rd Fl with separate exit.

Great for roommates. Pet friendly.

Unit has its own furnace. Laundry & Storage room on 3rd Fl. Art Gallery on 1st fl. Electric, garbage, water & laundry facilities included.

Rent $1,450/mo plus securities AVL immediately. Lease. Call Karly @ 574-806-1049

BEAUTIFUL NEW APT! 62nd and King Dr. 2BDRM 72nd and Evans. 3BDRM 6150 S. Vernon. 4BDRM Stainless Steel!! Appliances!!

Hdwd flrs!! Marble bath!!

Laundry on site!!

Sec 8 OK. 773- 404- 8926 CHICAGO, PRINCETON PARK HOMES. Spacious 2-3 BR Townhomes, Inclu: Prvt entry, full bsmt, lndry hook-ups. Ample prkg. Close to trans & schls. Starts at $844/ mo. w w w . p p k h o m e s . com;773-264-3005 ROUND LAKE BEACH, IL Cedar

Villas is accepting applications for Subsidized 2 and 3 bedroom apt waiting list. Rent is based on 30% of annual income for qualified applicants. Contact us at 847-546-1899 for details

Studio, 1 BR, 2 BR & 3BR’s avail, Section 8 & Veteran Welcome South & West side locations for more info call Mario 773-4477947

2 BR $1500 AND OVER

LARGE TWO BEDROOM, two

bathroom apartment, 3820 N Fremont. Near Wrigley Field. Hardwood floors. Cats OK. Laundry in building.

Available 12/1. $1595/ month. Parking available. $150/ month for single parking space. $250/ month for tandem parking space. 773-761-4318, w ww.lakefrontmgt.com

84TH AND MARYLAND. Quiet

ADULT SERVICES

MATTESON, 2BR, $990$1050; 3BR, $1250-$1400.

Move In Special is 1 Month’s Rent & $99 Sec Dep. Sect 8 Welc. 708-748-4169

Huge 3BR, Austin Area near Oakpark IL, w/d hookup, near major transportation, tenant pays utilities $1150/mo plus sec 708931-5555

ADULT SERVICES

WEST AUSTIN AREA. 2BR, 2nd

floor, living/dining/laundry room, heat incl. secure building, $1,000/mo.

Donnell. 773-584-1833

2 BR $1100-$1299 EAST ROGERS PARK, steps to

the beach at 1240 West Jarvis, five rooms, two bedrooms, two baths, dishwasher, ac, heat and gas included. Carpeted, cable, laundry facility, elevator building, parking available, and no pets. Non-smoking. Price is $1200/mo. Call 773-764-9824.

7600 S Essex 2BR $599, 3BR $699, 4BR $799 w/apprvd credit, no sec dep. Sect 8 Ok! 773287-9999 /312-446-3333

CHATHAM BEAUTIFUL REMOD 2 & 3BR, hdwd flrs, custom

Newly decorated, 2BR Townhouse, $640/mo. Section 8 Welcome.

773-873-4321, 8am-5pm

CHICAGO, FAR SOUTH SIDE,

73RD & DORCHESTER, 2BR, carpet, $1210; 119th & Calumet, 3BR, 2BA, carpet, $1350. No Sec Dep. Sec 8 ok. 773-684-1166.

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cabinets, avail now. $1100-$1200/mo + sec. 773-905-8487 Sec 8 Ok

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2 BR $900-$1099

COLLEGE GIRL BODY RUBS $40 w/AD 24/7

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134TH & BRANDON, 2BR Apt for Rent. Avail Now. Rent & sec dep negotiable. All utils paid by landlord, no pets. 708-986-8123 RECENTLY REHABBED 2-3

Bdr apts for rent. No SecDep. Section 8 Welcome. Heat included for apartments. Call 708-979-3852.

FAR SOUTH CHICAGO -around

128th and Sangamon. Ranch Style 2BR, no basement. Please call: 312-720-1264

CHICAGO, 4019 W. Arlington, 3BR, 2nd flr, tenant pays all utilities, back porch, $995/mo. Price Neg. 773-966-4821 RIVERDALE 3BR, QUIET

neighborhood, heated, near Bus line, Section 8 & Social Security welcome. $1,125. 708-288-9096

SECTION 8 WELCOME. No Security Deposit. 7721 S Peoria, 3BR apt, appls incl. $1050/mo.

708-288-4510 BRONZEVILLE: SEC. 8 Wel-

3 BR OR MORE UNDER $1200

come. No security dep. 4841 S Michigan, 4BR apt, appls incl, $1300/mo.

61ST/LANGLEY. 3BR/1BA. 1ST flr of 2 unit bldg. Avail Now. Sect 8 ok. Beaut apt, New kitchen, W/D in bsmt. Hdwd flrs. Nr Trans, 1 blk from schl. $1000/mo.

312-464-2222

newly rehab, 61st/Bishop, $1000 / mo. Sect 8 ok. Pets ok. Top flr of 2 unit bldg. 312-953-1232

1300 W. 68TH, Newly remod.

Lrg 3BR, hdwd flrs, appls. Sect 8 OK. 1 & 2BR Voucher welc. $800/ mo + utils. 773-895-9495 3BR, 115TH & HALSTED, n i c e 2nd flr in 2 flat bldg, stove, ten pays utils. No sec. $950.

Crdt chck. 1/2 off 1st Mo. rent. 773-405-3472 Chicago, 3BR Apartment, 1.5BA, 80th & Wolcott, Section 8 Welcome.

No Pets. Available Now! Call 773-

209-5075

CHATHAM 80TH EBERHART,

3br, 2ba, newly decorated, $975/mo + 1 Mo sec, no pets. AVAIL NOW, 773-766-7039. Leave Msg.

90TH & JUSTINE - Available

now. 2nd floor, 3bedroom, hardwood, $1100/heat not included +security Sec 8 Ok. 773-476-7335

Austin Area, 7 rms, 3BR, 2BA, quiet bldg, 5532 W Jackson $950+ sec 1BR 5124 W Kinzie, $550+ security 708-865-8903 CHICAGO HEIGHTS 3 bdrm

708-288-4510

ENGLEWOOD 4BR, 1BA,

BEAUTIFUL 3BR, new decor,

non smoking, heat incl, Nr Kennedy King College & trans. $800/mo. 773-960-8465 leave msg

SOUTHSIDE: 68th & Hermitage 3BR$800/mo, 68th & Emerald 5BR, 2BA $1050/ mo, 3BR, 1BA $800/mo 847-977-3552 80th/Phillips , Beautiful, lrg newly renovated 3BR, 1.5BA, hdwd flrs & appls inc. quiet apt. $900 & up 312-818-0236

3 BR OR MORE $1200-$1499

Area 3BR 2 bath, Carpeted, $950/mo + 1 month Security deposit Please Call 773-947-9391

FOR SALE

HYDE PARK 53rd/ Greenwood, Quiet building on quiet block, 4-5BR, 3BA, hdwd flrs, sunny, lrg yard, lndry, new kit, heat incl, garage too. $2750.

312-464-2222 VERY LARGE 5BR, 2BA house, Austin Area @ Jackson & Cicero, w/d hookup, tenant pays util, $15 85/mo plus security 708-9315555

LIVE ON THE northern shores of

Lake Michigan in the Upper Pennisula. In a a beautiful 6,000 sq ft home with 250 feet of lake frontage.

Built in 1999 on almost 2 acre lot.

Easy access to local airport. Could be a B&B if desired. Priced to sell at $650,000. Large master bedroom on 1st floor and 3 bedrooms with full baths upstairs. Unfinished full basement which could have more bedrooms. Owner selling. Call for info at 906-789-1245

7432 S MARYLAND, 3BR, 1st floor, hrdwd floors, Sec. 8 ok. 3 or 2 BR Voucher ok. Call 847-9260625.

NEAR 63RD AND RHODES.

CHICAGO S: Newly renovated, Large 3-5BR. In unit laundry, hardwood flrs, very clean, No Deposit!

Available Now! 708-655-1397

Newly Remod 3-4BR, new appls. $1200-$1500/mo. Sec 8 Welcome.

Call 708-955-7795

SECT 8 OK, 2 story, 4br/2ba w/ bsmt. New decor, crpt & hdwds, ceiling fans, stove/fridge, $1465.

11243 S. Eggleston, 773-443-5397

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NORTH LAWNDALE - Beautiful

non-residential

SELF-STORAGE CENTERS. T W O locations to serve you. All

units fully heated and humidity controlled with ac available. North: Knox Avenue.

773-685-6868.

South: Pershing Avenue. 773-523-6868.

RETAIL/OFFICE NEAR HIP

Mall 1100, 2200 sf, walk-in cooler, stove, exhaust hood. Profitable.

Unlimited Options Joe 847-640-9490

NEAR 83RD & Yates. 5BR, 2BA, hdwd flrs, fin basement, stove & fridge furn. Heat incl. $1600 + 1 mo sec. Sect 8 ok. 773-978-6134

roommates

CHICAGO HOUSES FOR rent.

Section 8 Ok, w/app credit $500 gift certificate 3, 4 & 5 BR houses avail.

312-446-3333 or 708-752-3812

CHICAGO, 11537 S. HARVARD, Male Preferred.

Use of kitchen and bath. $350/ month. No Security. Call 773791-1443

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1 WEEK FREE. 96th & Halsted &

other locations. Large Rooms, shared kitchen & bath. $100/week and up.

Call 773-848-4020

SOUTHSIDE - 55TH & Ashland, Clean Rooms, use of kitchen and bath. Available Now. Call 773-434-4046

CHICAGO 118TH SANGAMON ($396), 71st Sangamon ($400) Quiet, Furnished Rooms, Share Kit & Ba, Call 773-895-5454

3 BR OR MORE OTHER

PULLMAN AREA, Newly remodeled 111th St., East of King Dr. $450-$550. Close to shopping & 1/4 block to metra. 773-468-1432

SHARED APT, private bedroom, Mature adult pref, No drugs or alcohol, 7300 block of S. Vernon, Chicago, IL, 60619. 773-580-4141

OAK PARK 3 bedroom, 2 bath plus sunroom, heat, parking, laundry, yard, $1800/mo.

Call 773-818-0307

PHOENIX near 153rd and 5th Ave. 4BR, 2BA, excellent condition.

Pets OK.$1200/mo + sec.

773-615-5698

block of Langley, Sec 8 Ok. $1160/ Mo. Mr. Johnson 630-424-1403

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3 BR OR MORE $1800-$2499

CHICAGO AUSTIN, WEST Garfield & East Garfield. All new! 1, 2, 3 BR, new kit., bath.

All credit cons. Good rental history req. Sec. 8 welcome.

773-295-1846

8WELCOME NICE BIG HOUSE 3bdrm/2bth/full bsmt w/xtra bdrms&bthrm.Fenced yard.Appliances incl. 116&Sangamon. Call Alice 773.744.7411 CHICAGO 8727 S ELIZABETH. Spacious bungalow in great location.4BD/2BA. $1350 + heat.

Sec 8 welcome. Fred 773-443-0175

SEC

CHATHAM-3BR 1.5BA, REF/ HEAT incl, laundry in bsmt, 7900

2 FLAT QUIET building, 3BR, 2nd floor, SS appl. 5723 S. Michigan Ave. $900/mo. + sec. Tenant pays util.

773-858-3163

West Lawn: 6609 S Kilpatrick, Beaut. rehab 3BR 2BA house, granite ctrs, SS appls, cac, fin bsmt, 2 car gar, $1600/mo 708288-4510

GENERAL

1BR CO-OP UNIT in Historic Hyde Park/Kenwood area.

6 room, 3BR apt, C/A, W/D. Sec 8 Ok. 800sqft., hardwood floors; new Also Avail . 2BR Garden Apt appliances, quiet, well-maintained Furnished. Call 847-962-4416 highrise building, 24-hr security.

Monthly assessment $685. Includes cac, gas, cable. Cash sale CHICAGO HEIGHTS 3BR, 1BA, price $20,000. Near lakefront/UC NEWLY REMODELED, APPLS INCL campus. 312-480-9983. , SECTION 8 OK. NO SEC. DEPOSIT. 708-822-4450

house for rent, exc cond, available now. $1050/Mo, 1st mo + sec dep.

Tenants pay all utils. 708-343-8629

SOUTH SHORE 7731 S. Yates,

3 BR OR MORE $1500-$1799

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CLASSICS WANTED ANY CLASSIC CARS IN ANY CONDITION. ’20S, ’30S, ’40S, ’50S, ’60S & ’70S. HOTRODS & EXOTICS! TOP DOLLAR PAID! COLLECTOR. CALL JAMES, 630-201-8122 MASSAGE TABLES, NEW and used. Large selection of professional high quality massage equipment at a very low price. Visit us at www. bestmassage.com or call us, 773764-6542.

GREAT COMFY, LIKE new, large couch available. Olive green.

7’ wide, about 3 1/2’ deep, approx.

2 1/2’ high, Lakeview. $150. Call 773-549-0569.

HEALTH & WELLNESS FULL BODY MASSAGE. hotel, house calls welcome $90

special. Russian, Polish, Ukrainain girls. Northbrook and Schaumburg locations. 10% discount for new customers.

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INSTRUCTION ESL TUTOR. TOEFL and conver-

sation. Downtown + Wrigleyville office and via phone. "Top Tutor 2016" award from the Literacy Chicago. Dennis A. Jose 312-371-4301

MUSIC & ARTS GNR REPORT. HOLLYWOOD

Rose (Tracy Guns) is wild. I like Aerosmith, M Crue, Sabbath, La G, Britney S is hot. Love, Guns N Roses, 773-481-7429.

NOTICES

EDUCATION SLOWS INTERRACIAL. tinasmallrobertapedon.

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legal notices STATE OF ILLINOIS County of Cook In The Circuit Court For Cook County, Illinois In The Matter of the Petition of Shani Francis Case# 16M2003658 For Change of Name. Notice of Publication Public Notice is hereby given that on November 30, 2016 at 9:00 AM being one of the return days in the Circuit Court of the County of Cook, I will file my petition in said court praying for the change of my name from Shani Francis to that of Shani Francis-Alim, pursuant to the statute in such case made and provided. Dated at Evanston, Illinois, October 17, 2016.

Signature of Petitioner: Shani Francis. October 20, 27 & November 3 NOTICE IS HEREBY given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County.

Registration Number: D16148418 on October 12, 2016 Under the Assumed Business Name of MEAN LITTLE ELF with the business located at: 3640 N. CHRISTIANA AVE., CHICAGO, IL 60618. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner (s)/ partner(s) is: STEVEN HOLMQUIST, 3640 N. CHRISTIANA AVE., CHICAGO, IL 60618, USA NOTICE IS HEREBY given, pur-

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suant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: D16148371 on October 6, 2016 Under the Assumed Business Name of MUSIC ALIVE! with the business located at: 2477 W MONTROSE AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60618. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner (s)/partner(s) is: LAURA OHMS, 2477 W MONTROSE AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60618, USA

about the University in preparation for its periodic evaluation by its regional accrediting agency. Visit ResU. edu for more information and to submit comments.

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NOTICE IS HEREBY given, pur-

RESURRECTION UNIVERSITY IS seeking comments from the public

suant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: D16148537 on October 25, 2016, Under the Assumed Business Name of CULTURED LIFESTYLE with the business located at: 4151 N. SHERIDAN RD. 1N, CHICAGO, IL 60613. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner (s)/partner(s) is: JAMES BARRA 4151 N. SHERIDAN RD. 1N, CHICAGO, IL 60613, USA

UKRAINIAN MASSAGE. CALLS in/ out. Chicago and sub-

NOTICE IS HEREBY given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County.

Registration Number: D16148417 on October 12, 2016 Under the Assumed Business Name of T & Z ELECTRICAL with the business located at: 2957 N ELSTON AVE., CHICAGO, IL 60618. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: JOSEPH SARPY, 2957 N ELSTON AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60618, USA

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NOVEMBER 3, 2016 | CHICAGO READER 47

STRAIGHT DOPE

By Cecil Adams Q : Thinking about current events, I often

A : I know it’s easy to see humanity in an

Find hundreds of Readerrecommended restaurants, exclusive video features, and sign up for weekly news chicagoreader.com/ food.

48 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

unflattering light these days. But you’re hardly the first to suspect that our species is slaloming downhill into a genetic sewage tank.

Barely had the scientific community accepted evolution in the first place when some of its leading lights started worrying that natural selection might cease to affect humans, or even throw us into reverse gear. Their concern, though, was needless—just like yours is.

Let’s back up to review Darwinian theory at its most basic. If you, an organism, are the lucky possessor of some inheritable trait that boosts your relative chances of thriving in the environment you occupy, that trait will tend to be passed along to your fortunate offspring, and to theirs and to theirs. But, the Lees of the world have long worried, what if humans have made our environment so uniquely cozy for ourselves that basically everyone thrives?

What if, thanks to advanced medicine and other forms of coddling, all the negative traits that once led to genetic dead ends no longer lower our likelihood of surviving and spawning? Surely that points to a future of sluggish dullards communicating solely in emoji, right?

Hardly. Natural selection is still affecting human development—very slowly. We mammals take our own sweet time evolving compared to fish or lizards, and humans average a leisurely 20 years between generations, Still, even within recent history (evolutionarily speaking), our genes have adapted to our changing circumstances, particularly to the advent of agriculture and animal husbandry, not to mention the discovery of fire. In the past ten millennia, our skulls have rounded, our facial features have thinned, and our jaws, adjusting to the softer food we eat, have shrunk. There have been downsides— the changes in our jaw and larynx structure beginning 300,000 years ago may have led to sleep apnea. But if you can drink a milk shake without doubling over in gut pain, thank natural selection—lactose tolerance is a late addition to humanity’s bag of digestive tricks.

Our brains, it seems, continue to evolve: key variants of two genes that influence brain size, MCPH1 and ASPM, showed up in our pool only about 37,000 and 5,800

SLUG SIGNORINO

wonder: Is it possible that our species has entered a stage of devolution, or at least that we stopped evolving thousands of years ago? —LEE WILLIAMS

years ago respectively, and they continue to spread through humanity. And though “Should I eat this berry?” is hardly the lifeor-death question it used to be, other environmental factors remain in play, particularly among specific populations: Tibetans’ lungs and blood have adapted to the low-oxygen atmosphere of the Himalayas, while a genetic resistance to malaria may be developing in sub-Saharan Africa.

In fact, more than two dozen human genes—including ones linked to speech, cognition, and defense against disease— have been identified as still evolving today.

Humans may already be developing resistance to HIV and other viruses. And women may be evolving more significantly than men.

Working from almost 60 years of data from a major multigenerational study of cardiovascular disease, the authors of a 2009 paper project that the next generation of women in the study population will be slightly shorter and stouter on average than the preceding cohort, with lower cholesterol levels and systolic blood pressure, and an increased period of fertility—starting about a half a month earlier and ending a month later. Not as flashy as growing wings or tusks, certainly, but remarkable nonetheless.

Evolution isn’t the only force at work on how humans develop, though. We’re not just a species that reshapes its environment—through medical science, we’ve also become a species that controls how it adapts to that environment. If we haven’t quite conquered death, we’ve lowered infant mortality rates drastically and continue to extend age expectancy.

And every year researchers redraw the frontiers of prosthetic and implant technology: the average healthy denizen of 2316 could well be tricked out with so many nifty cyborg accessories that our current conception of the human body may no longer apply. But I’m confident that doomsayers will still find cause to complain that this new generation of posthumans is the dumbest bunch yet. v Send questions to Cecil via straightdope.com or write him c/o Chicago Reader, 350 N. Orleans, Chicago 60654.

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SAVAGE LOVE

By Dan Savage

Cuckolds unite against the alt-right A special election edition Q : I’m a 41-year-old male

who looks like the tall, strong, professional, alphamale type on the outside.

On the inside, though, I would like to find a strong, confident woman who wants a cuckolding relationship— she sleeps with other men, while I am faithful and submissive to her. There must be women out there who would love to have a loving, doting boyfriend or husband waiting at home while they go out with other men, but I tend to attract women who want the alphamale type. What can I do to find—or attract—the kind of woman I’m interested in?

Or should I go in for vanilla dating and then have a discussion about cuckolding after we’ve started having sex? —ANOTHER LAD PURSUING HUMILIATING ACTION

A : “Most women, even dominant women, are still looking for guys who look like they ‘kick ass and take names’ in every other aspect of their lives,” said FleeMarket (u/flee_market), one of the moderators of r/ cuckold on Reddit.

But before we get to some practical advice for ALPHA, a quick word about the term “cuck.” While it has long been an affectionate/horny term embraced by self-identified cuckold fetishists, the altright has attempted to turn “cuck” into a term of abuse, hurling it at any straight white man who gives a shit about racial justice, police brutality, and the plight of undocumented immigrants. In an effort to wrest “cuck” back from the bigots, and to mark the waning days of the Trump campaign, I’m dedicating this week’s column to “cuck” as properly understood: a guy who wants his partner to sleep with other men.

So, ALPHA, how can you attract a woman who wants a cuck?

“What’s worked for me is using the Internet not to find people but to find kinky events where dominant women gather in real life,” said FleeMarket. “The events are usually listed on FetLife, and you usually have to attend a munch first to demonstrate that you’re not a dingus who can’t follow the rules or a psycho who doesn’t care about them.”

You’ll find a lot of advice for wannabe cucks on r/cuckold, most offered in response to men trying to talk their vanilla wives or girlfriends into cuckolding them. But you’re as likely to read stories of failure (she said no, absolutely not, never) as you are to read success stories.

“As much effort and time as getting into the kinky community takes, it’s still easier than trying to turn a vanilla woman kinky,” said FleeMarket. “He shouldn’t ‘lead with his kink.’ If a woman asks him what his interests are, mention it, but dial down the excitement level. Basically: be in the right place, treat the women there with respect, and get to know them as people first.”

Q : My ex-three-exes-ago

was a cuckold. I swore I’d never date another cuckold after he blew up at me for not cheating on him juuuuuust right. I was just a prop, and I came to hate him. I also hated you, Dan, because he raised the subject by giving me some of your columns to read. Fastforward five years, and my brand-new boyfriend tells me being cuckolded is his ultimate fantasy. I literally started to cry. He held me, he apologized on behalf of all cuckolds everywhere, we laughed, and then

he dropped it. He didn’t pressure me, and about a year later, we gave it a try on his birthday. It turns out my boyfriend—fiance now—is much better at this kink than my ex was. He’s open and honest, he communicates constructively, and he was willing to step outside his comfort zone to accommodate my needs. I have a regular thing with an ex-FWB, and sex with my cuck is frequent and hot.

Things couldn’t be better. So I’m not mad at you anymore, Dan! All is forgiven!

—CHEATING HAPPILY EVER AFTER, THANKS!

A : Congrats on your

upcoming wedding, CHEAT! And ALPHA? It would appear some vanilla women can be turned.

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Q : I just came across the word “wittol.” It means “a man who knows, condones, and even encourages his wife’s enjoyment of coitus with another man or men; a contented cuckold.”

Considering the frequency with which cuckolding comes up and your influence on language, I thought you might want to know.

—HE’S EXPANDING LEXICON PERPETUALLY

A : Discontent is a big part of

the cuckolding kink, HELP, as cuckolds get off on feeling humiliated and jealous. So I’m not sure “wittol” quite works. If the alt-right white supremacists succeed in making “cuck” synonymous with “race traitor,” maybe cucks will switch to “wittol.”

But don’t give up without a fight, cucks! v Send letters to mail@ savagelove.net. Download the Savage Lovecast every Tuesday at thestranger.com. ß @fakedansavage

NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 49

Sleaford Mods o COURTESY ROUGH TRADE RECORDS

NEW

J.D. Allen Trio 12/16, 8:30 PM, Constellation, 18+ Alter Bridge 1/25, 7:30 PM, Riviera Theatre, on sale Fri 11/4, 10 AM, 18+ Badxchannels, Colours 11/20, 5 PM, Bottom Lounge b Holly Bowling 2/9, 8 PM, City Winery, on sale Thu 11/3, noon b Marc Broussard 12/19, 8 PM, City Winery, on sale Thu 11/3, noon b Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds 6/16, 8 PM, Auditorium Theatre Cherry Glazerr 1/28, 7 PM, Subterranean, on sale Fri 11/4, 10 AM b Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Brownout 12/9, 9 PM, Park West, 18+ Francesco D’Orazio 12/11, 8:30 PM, Constellation, 18+ Evergrey 5/26, 8 PM, Reggie’s Rock Club, 17+ Great Good Fine OK 1/12, 7 PM, Thalia Hall, on sale Fri 11/4, 10 AM b Hippo Campus 4/7, 7:30 PM, Metro, on sale Fri 11/4, 10 AM b I Fight Dragons 12/30, 9 PM, Lincoln Hall, on sale Fri 11/4, noon, 18+ Freddie Jackson 1/13, 8 PM, City Winery, on sale Thu 11/3, noon b Morgan James 4/19, 8 PM, City Winery, on sale Thu 11/3, noon b Valerie June 2/20, 8 PM, Park West, 18+ Stephen Kellogg, Humming House 2/17, 8 PM, Park West, on sale Fri 11/4, 10 AM, 18+ Lemuria, Mikey Erg 2/7, 8:30 PM, Subterranean, on sale Fri 11/4, 10 AM, 17+

Methyl Ethel 4/13, 9 PM, Empty Bottle, on sale Fri 11/4, 11 AM Moon Duo 4/21, 9 PM, Empty Bottle, on sale Fri 11/4, 10 AM Other Colors 11/20, 9 PM, Hideout Poi Dog Pondering 12/26-30, 8 PM, City Winery, on sale Thu 11/3, noon b Priests 2/9, 7 PM, Beat Kitchen, on sale Fri 11/4, 10 AM b Charlie Puth, James Bay 12/3, 7:30 PM, Chicago Theatre, on sale Fri 11/4, 9 AM Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats 12/7, 7:30 PM, Chicago Theatre, on sale Fri 11/4, 10 AM Run the Jewels, Gaslamp Killer, Spark Master Tape 2/17, 8 PM, Riviera Theatre, on sale Fri 11/4, 10 AM, 18+ Sleaford Mods 4/3, 8 PM, Double Door, on sale Fri 11/4, noon, 18+ Regina Spektor 3/24, 7:30 PM, Chicago Theatre, on sale Sat 11/5, 10 AM Susto 2/4, 7 PM, Schubas, on sale Fri 11/4, noon Tennis 3/9, 7:30 PM, Thalia Hall, on sale Fri 11/4, 10 AM b Tribal Seeds 2/16, 8 PM, Lincoln Hall, on sale Fri 11/4, noon, 18+ 20 Bands of Christmas with Jonny Craig, Color Morale, Like Moths to Flames, Rookie of the Year, To Speak of Wolves, and more 12/16-18, Wire, Berwyn b Vulgar Boatmen 1/7, 7 PM, Schubas, on sale Fri 11/4, noon Waco Brothers 12/29, 8 PM, Schubas, on sale Fri 11/4, noon The Weeknd 5/23, 7:30 PM, Allstate Arena, Rosemont, on sale Fri 11/4, noon Pete Yorn 12/8, 8 PM, Park West, on sale Fri 11/4, 10 AM, 18+

50 CHICAGO READER - NOVEMBER 3, 2016

UPCOMING Adam Ant 1/31, 8 PM, the Vic, 18+ Joseph Arthur 11/25, 8 PM, City Winery b Ashanti 11/19, 7 PM, Portage Theater Atmosphere, Brother Ali 11/21-22, 7 PM, Concord Music Hall, 17+ Bad Bad Hats, Flint Eastwood 12/9, 9 PM, Beat Kitchen Band of Horses 11/16, 7:30 PM, Aragon Ballroom b Bastille 4/3, 7:30 PM, Aragon Ballroom Big Bad Voodoo Daddy 11/27, 5 and 8 PM, City Winery b Bouncing Souls 11/17-18, 7 PM, Double Door Brave Combo 12/17, 9 PM, FitzGerald’s, Berwyn Joe Budden 11/22, 8:30 PM, the Promontory, 18+ Cage the Elephant, Catfish & the Bottlemen 12/2, 7 PM, Aragon Ballroom Casualties 12/11, 7 PM, Reggie’s Rock Club, 18+ Ceremony, Negative Scanner 1/14, 9 PM, Schubas, part of Tomorrow Never Knows, 18+ Cloud Nothings 2/10, 8:30 PM, Thalia Hall, 18+ Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven 1/7, 9 PM, Lincoln Hall Daya 3/26, 7:30 PM, House of Blues b The Devil Makes Three 1/21, 9 PM, Riviera Theatre, 18+ Diiv, Moon King 11/10, 8:30 PM, Thalia Hall, 17+ Dirkschneider 1/13, 8 PM, Concord Music Hall, 17+ DZ Deathrays, Dune Rats 11/17, 9 PM, Empty Bottle Earthless, Ruby the Hatchet 12/2, 9 PM, Empty Bottle Felly 1/7, 6 PM, Portage Theater b

b FIDLAR 11/17, 7 PM, Metro, 18+ Fitz & the Tantrums, Grouplove, Switchfoot 12/3, 7 PM, Aragon Ballroom William Fitzsimmons, Laura Burhenn 12/4, 7:30 PM, SPACE, Evanston b Flatlanders 11/18, 8 PM, Maurer Hall, Old Town School of Folk Music b Helen Money 12/9, 8:30 PM, Constellation, 18+ Amy Helm & the Handsome Strangers 11/10, 8 PM, SPACE, Evanston b Helmet, Local H 12/16, 9 PM, Bottom Lounge, 18+ Michael Henderson 2/11, 7 and 9:30 PM, The Promontory b Here Come the Mummies 2/18, 8:30 PM, House of Blues, 17+ Kristin Hersh 12/10, 7 PM, SPACE, Evanston b Robyn Hitchcock, Emma Swift 11/17, 8 PM, City Winery b Peter Hook & the Light 11/10, 8 PM, Metro Hoops 11/17, 9 PM, Hideout Hot Chip (DJ set) 11/18, 10 PM, Smart Bar Hot Club of Cowtown 1/19, 8 PM, City Winery b Mark Hummel’s Golden StateLone Star Revue 11/17, 8 PM, SPACE, Evanston b Frank Iero & the Patience 11/19, 6:30 PM, Bottom Lounge b In Flames, Hellyeah 11/30, 7:30 PM, House of Blues, 17+ J Boog 2/7, 8 PM, Bottom Lounge, 17+ Ja Rule 12/16, 8 PM, Portage Theater, 18+ Gavin James 11/17, 7:30 PM, Subterranean b Jim James, Twin Limb 11/26, 8 PM, Riviera Theatre, 18+ Lydia Loveless 11/19, 9 PM, Metro, 18+ Lumineers, Andrew Bird 1/20, 7 PM, Allstate Arena, Rosemont Lydia 11/16, 8 PM, Lincoln Hall, 18+ Lera Lynn 11/12, 8 PM, Maurer Hall, Old Town School of Folk Music b Mac Sabbath 3/11, 8 PM, Reggie’s Rock Club, 17+ Macabre 12/23, 6:30 PM, Reggie’s Rock Club, 17+ Pigface 11/25, 9 PM, House of Blues, 17+ Pop Evil 2/10, 8 PM, House of Blues, 17+ Pretty Reckless 11/11, 7 PM, House of Blues b Queensryche 12/9, 8 PM, Concord Music Hall, 17+ Radkey 12/13, 6 PM, Cobra Lounge b Idan Raichel 3/20-21, 8 PM, City Winery b Isaiah Rashad 1/20, 8 PM, Double Door Rdgldgrn 11/21, 7 PM, Reggie’s Rock Club, 18+ Real Friends, Knuckle Puck, Mat Kerekes 1/7, 3 PM, Concord Music Hall b

ALL AGES

WOLF BY KEITH HERZIK

EARLY WARNINGS

CHICAGO SHOWS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IN THE WEEKS TO COME

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Red Fang 12/10, 8 PM, Metro Remember Jones 12/2, 9 PM, Schubas Tim Reynolds 12/16, 8 PM, SPACE, Evanston b The Soil & the Sun 11/18, 8:30 PM, Beat Kitchen, 17+ SoMo 11/15, 5 PM, House of Blues b True Widow 11/19, 9 PM, Empty Bottle Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls 1/23, 6:30 PM, House of Blues, 17+ Ultimate Painting 12/2, 9:30 PM, Hideout Uniform 11/12, 9 PM, Empty Bottle Vamps, Citizen Zero 11/15, 7 PM, Bottom Lounge b Sander Van Doorn 12/24, 10 PM, the Mid Liz Vice 11/30, 7:30 PM, SPACE, Evanston Xeno & Oaklander 1/28, 9 PM, Empty Bottle Yarn/Wire 11/11, 8:30 PM, Constellation, 18+ Dan Zanes 12/11, 11 AM, City Winery b Zombies 4/13, 8 PM, Thalia Hall, 17+

SOLD OUT Brendan Bayliss & Jake Cinninger 12/10, 8 PM, Park West, 18+ Andrew Bird 12/14-16, 8 PM, Fourth Presbyterian Church b Lukas Graham 1/17, 7 PM, House of Blues b Highly Suspect 11/18, 8 PM, Bottom Lounge b Jason Isbell 11/18, 7:30 PM, Thalia Hall and 11/19, 7 PM, FitzGerald’s, Berwyn Johnnyswim 11/12, 8 PM, Thalia Hall b Kiiara 11/14, 7 PM, Bottom Lounge b Louis the Child 11/25-26, 9 PM, Metro, 18+ Marshmello 11/25-27, 8 PM, Concord Music Hall, 18+ Mr. T Experience, Nobodys 12/9, 7 PM, Reggie’s Music Joint, 17+ Conor Oberst 11/26, 8:30 PM and 11/27, 8 PM, Thalia Hall, 17+ Amanda Palmer 11/13, 7:30 PM, Thalia Hall b Pup, Meat Wave 11/12, 7:30 PM, Bottom Lounge b Thee Oh Sees 11/19, 8:30 PM, Thalia Hall, 17+ Whitney 12/3-4, 8:30 PM, Thalia Hall, 17+ v

GOSSIP WOLF A furry ear to the ground of the local music scene IF YOU’VE read Leah Pietrusiak’s 2011 Reader story on the Arts of Life Band, then you know that the group—a project of Chicago nonprofit the Arts of Life—includes members with developmental disabilities who are also kick-ass rock stars. This wolf has seen them play, and they rule! On Saturday, November 5, they host their annual Charitable Chili Cook-Off at the Arts of Life headquarters, judged by the likes of Hot Doug’s founder Doug Sohn and Chicago Fire star Doug Eigenberg. Your ticket gets you unlimited chili, gelato from Black Dog, and two Lagunitas beers. The Arts of Life Band are also accepting Indiegogo donations to fund the pressing of their first album— please give if you can, because this wolf would love to see it in local shops!

Since releasing a three-song single for this Valentine’s Day, local postpunks Ganser have been on a tear—last month they toured with glitchy Memphis industrialists the Pop Ritual, and on Tuesday, November 15, they drop a tight new EP, This Feels Like Living, full of spidery guitars and enough heartbreaking melodies to make any Cure fan’s eyeliner run! On Thursday, November 10, they play the Empty Bottle with Lightfoils and Dead Leaf Echo.

Eager to check out a DJ night that’s out of the norm? Well, you’re in luck, because this week Moritat guitarist-bassist and 78 RPM fanatic Konstantin Jace starts a Thursday-night November residency at the bar of the Peninsula hotel (108 E. Superior), where he’ll spin shellac. Jace says he’ll play all genres—provided they existed between 1901 and 1959.

Chicago’s hip-hop scene recently lost two vibrant players. Bryan Snow Jr. (aka producer Space Snow), who wrote for Lyrical Lemonade and worked with Young Chicago Authors, died in a car crash last weekend. And Fake Shore Drive reports that Izerrick Aigbokhan, aka Smylez (producer of King Louie’s “Live & Die in Chicago”), passed away last week of a brain aneurysm. —J.R. NELSON AND LEOR GALIL Got a tip? Tweet @Gossip_Wolf or e-mail gossipwolf@chicagoreader.com.

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CRAIG FERGUSON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6

SEBASTIAN MANISCALCO

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27

THE FRAY

WITH SPECIAL GUEST AMERICAN AUTHORS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11

RUDOLPH THE REDNOSED REINDEER: THE MUSICAL

JERRY SEINFELD

ARETHA FRANKLIN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9 TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE FOR DECEMBER 8TH AT 9:30PM

NOVEMBER 17 - 20

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17

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CHASE PREFERRED

SEATING

AVAILABLE TO CHASE CREDIT AND DEBIT CARDMEMBERS.

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M A RQ U EE PA R T N ER O F T H E C H I CAGO T H E AT R E ®

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NOVEMBER 3, 2016 - CHICAGO READER 51

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