“We can’t turn down the music. Let the Beatles speak for us. Anything they have to say, we have to say.” These are the words of the founding fathers of Go-Go Town, a contemporary loft venue at 3117 S. Morgan Street. Read the rest of this entry »

I say “accordion,” you say what? “Polka!” “That girl in the Decemberists!” “Lederhosen!” Associations abound, but one would be hard pressed to find anyone who, upon mention of this quirky instrument, would automatically blurt out “Classical music!” Teodoro Anzellotti is aiming to change that, however, and by the look of things, he just might get his way. Read the rest of this entry »

By Rachel Berkowitz & Deborah Peña

“In Chicago, the pretense is to have no pretense.” Lincoln Schatz leans back from one of the many drafting tables in his large, unadorned downtown studio. Dressed in a button-down shirt and jeans, the artist exudes an easy, laid-back manner that is oddly consistent with the rough-hewn, industrial aesthetic of his workspace. Unadorned and strictly functional, Schatz’s studio lacks the overwrought signifiers typically associated with creative lifestyles; there are no dripping buckets of paint or half finished sculptures, nobody has overdosed in the bathroom, and as far as we can tell, Schatz has showered today. Read the rest of this entry »

As a musician-turned-painter, Robert “Baabe” Irving III is in famous, if not necessarily good, company. A foray into the visual arts seems to be the cool thing for past-their-prime rockers and strummers to do nowadays—Bob Dylan just had his first public exhibition of prints and sketches, Lou Reed’s second photography book was published not so long ago, and even Paul McCartney is contributing to the art market with a collection of lithographs. Talent among these men spans the spectrum, but Irving’s work falls nicely in the middle, as displayed by his show “Generations of Jazz Dreamscapes” at the eta Creative Arts Foundation. Read the rest of this entry »

Celebrities are consumer goods. Reading gossip in the press or on trashy blogs and fantasizing over new babies, new outfits, juicy breakups, and emotional breakdowns is a form of escapism. The allure is obvious: celebrities embody some of our culture’s dominant desires—for wealth, status, beauty, exposure, mobility, access, and glamorous lifestyles. Like all consumer goods, celebs are manufactured. An entire celebrity industry populated by advertisers, event planners, paparazzi swarms, and a slice of the media dutifully fabricates images of these people and of the worlds they inhabit, images framed to appease and reinforce these desires. But what happens to a person in the media spotlight? What happens to an inner life or a family life constantly bombarded by the glare of the cameras and the public? Read the rest of this entry »

The South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC) is like one of those half-forgotten, yet deeply comforting places found in dreams: walking along a Bronzeville city street, you suddenly find yourself at an old, worn Edwardian house that seems to tower over the surrounding buildings. Opening the door of the distinctive little castle, you come upon a large gallery of shiny oak parquet. With luck, there may be a crowd of locals gossiping inside the main gallery, and perhaps even a man at the piano playing “When the Saints Come Marching In,” with an impromptu chorus. In short, this gallery is quite warming, memorable, and intimate. Read the rest of this entry »

Listening to the University of Chicago’s Middle East Music Ensemble, it’s hard to believe not all of the members have a lifetime of experience in Middle Eastern music. In fact, many have only recently begun playing it. Students at the UofC make up most of the group. No experience with Middle Eastern instruments—as long as they can play an instrument—is necessary to join the ensemble, which auditions new members in September of each school year. Guitar, piano, and clarinet players, among many others, can use their skills to learn the ‘ud (similar to a lute), qanun (a box zither), or baglama (also similar to a lute). The ensemble also uses Western string instruments and even accordion on certain songs. Although the singers are native Arabic speakers for authenticity’s sake, the rest of the ensemble is as diverse as any student orchestra. The Middle East Music Ensemble is led by renowned Palestinian-born composer and ‘ud player Issa Boulos. He believes that the group’s diversity improves their performance, and even makes it competitive with similar ensembles in the Middle East. Read the rest of this entry »

Save the kale flaxseed tofu stew for another night. Instead, head for Maxwell Street Depot and ask for extra onion garnish on that cheeseburger or polish sausage to fill your veggie quota. The organic-obsessed or calorie-conscious would be wise to venture to Depot only after numerous glasses of sulfite-free wine. They’ll have company: come twilight, after Bridgeport bars close and Sox games end, gaggles of tipsy friends gravitate like zombies towards Depot. And if your beef concerns “local” food, take comfort in Depot’s offering of polish sausages, fresh from Cicero Avenue. Read the rest of this entry »