TONIGHT: GWAR Rock Chicago at Riot Fest Confirmed to Wreak Havoc Down Under at the 2014 Soundwave Festival

Thankfully GWAR has a later Riot Fest slot for 2013 near dusk.   Seeing them in the afternoon sun was truly terrifying!   Nonetheless, we got some rockin' campy shots of their set and the crowd carnage after including some of our all time favs below.   ChiIL Live Shows will be there for the bloodbath tonight... will you?!   Bring on the camp n gore.   Click here for more of our photo filled Riot Fest recaps.

Fresh off their highly successful and best GWAR-B-Q yet, your lords and masters have announced that they will be conquering yet another festival.  That's right everyone's favorite Scumdogs GWAR will be returning to the land down under to wreak havoc and make sweet Kangaroo love with the locals.  The first show is Saturday February 22nd in Brisbane, followed by shows in Syndey, Melbourne and Adelaide before wrapping up Monday March 3rd in Perth.  A complete list of dates is below. "Considering it was twice as big as last year's 2012 GWAR-B-Q and about eight times as slaughter-ific, your Lords and Masters, the mighty GWAR, are semi-satisfied, said lead singer Oderus Urungus, who was contacted at this Antarctican fortress.  "The sheer amount of carnage influcted...I mean I saw whole families just wiped out in the savage glee of the Pit of the GWAR-B-Q, willingly screaming as their bodies were pulped by our giant meat grinder.  Every drop of GWAR Beer and GWAR B-Q Sauce was consumed, and all the bands ruled! And loyal bohab Goldmember repeated as Spew-O-Lympic champion it was far and away the greatest GWAR-B-Q yet." "Now on to our new album Battle Maximus, the new GWAR album, featuring the debut of new Scumdog Pustulus Maximus.  A new era of GWAR has begun.  Hail FLATTUS, Hail GWAR, tell all of your friends that missed the 2013 GWAR-B-Q that they fucked up!" On playing the Soundwave Festival Oderus said: "We can't wait to come back to Australia as part of the colossal Soundwave Festival.  Now if we could only figure out how to get there, if we swim, on Gor-Gor's back we should be able to decimate Asia nicely" GWAR recently announced the first leg of their massive "Madness at the Core of Time" world tour, in support of their new album, Battle Maximus.  The tour, which features a completely brand-new show full of slavering creatures and deserving victims, is set to kick off October 2nd in Columbus, Ohio and runs through November 17th in Washington, DC.  GWAR shall be joined by deathcore heavyweights and label-mates Whitechapel, Richmond, VA thrashers Iron Reagan (featuring Municipal Waste singer Tony Foresta) and A Band of Orcs (who are actually a band of Orcs). GWAR has teamed up with VICE to drop the next tasty morsel from Battle Maximus on your pointy little heads.  Head HERE, to read an exclusive interview with Oderus and to hear the premiere of the song "Bloodbath".

GWAR is set to release Battle Maximus their 13th studio album, and their first since legendary Scumdog Flattus Maximus returned to the stars to fulfill his cosmic destiny. The album will be available September 17^th via Metal Blade Records.  Check out the first track, "Madness at the Core of Time" and pre-order your copy of Battle Maximus HERE.

GWAR's Battle Maximus features twelve brand new tracks that not only honor their departed ally, but tells the story of GWAR's latest struggle against what may be their greatest enemy yet...the insidious "Mr. Perfect", who has travelled through time itself to steal the power of GWAR--the power of immortality, and use this power to mutate the human race into his twisted vision of what the "perfect" human should be. Once again GWAR finds themselves as the only thing standing between the human race and the latest super-powered shithead bent on the destruction of GWAR and the enslavement of their worshippers.

Tracklisting for Battle Maximus

1) Intro

2) Madness at the Core of Time

3) Bloodbath

4) Nothing Left Alive

5) They Swallowed the Sun

6) Torture

7) Raped at Birth

8) I, Bonesnapper

9) Mr. Perfect

10) Battle Maximus

11) Triumph of the Pig Children

12) Falling

13) Fly Now

GWAR Live:

Co-Headline Tour with Hatebreed

9/13: Chicago, IL @ Riot Fest*

9/14: Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls

9/15: Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom

"Madness at the Core of Time" Tour With Whitechapel, Iron Reagan and Band of Orcs:

10/2: Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall

10/3: Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave

10/4: Iowa City, IA @ Blue Moose Tap House

10/5: Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue

10/6: Winnipeg, MB @ The Garrick Centre

10/7: Saskatoon, SK @ Odeon Events Centre

10/8: Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall Ballroom

10/9: Edmonton, AB @ Union Hall

10/11: Seattle, WA @ Showbox SODO

10/12: Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Concert House

10/13: Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Concert House

10/14: Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom

10/15: Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater

10/16: Chico, CA @ Senator Theatre

10/17: Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory

10/18: West Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues

10/19: Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades

10/20: San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom

10/22: Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater

10/24: Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live

10/25: Ft. Worth, TX @ LaGrave Field

10/26: Austin, TX @ Emo's

10/28: Pensacola, FL @ Vinyl Music Hall

10/29: New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues

10/30: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade

10/31: Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall

11/1: Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel

11/2: Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa

11/4: Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution

11/5: Ybor City, FL @ The Ritz Ybor

11/7: Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart's

11/8: Detroit, MI @ Harpo's

11/9: Joliet, IL @ Mojoes

11/10: Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection

11/12: Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre

11/13: Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues

11/14: Clifton Park, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall

11/15: Worcester, MA @ The Palladium

11/16: Reading, PA @ Reverb

11/17: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL 2014

2/22/14: Soundwave Festival Brisbane

2/23/14: Soundwave Festival Sydney

2/28/14: Soundwave Festival Melbourne

3/1/14: Soundwave Festival Adelaide

3/3/14: Soundwave Festival Perth

CHECK OUT GWAR ON THE WEB
http://www.gwar.net
http://www.gwarbq.com
http://www.youtube.com/gwar
http://www.metalblade.tv/tv
http://www.facebook.com/gwar  
http://www.gwarjapan.net   

ODERUS: http://twitter.com/therealoderus
BALSAC:   https://twitter.com/BalSacJoD

GWAR OFFICIAL: https://twitter.com/GWARofficial

HELP LOCALLY: About Face Presents THE BLACK AND TAN SUPPER CLUB 10/11/13 Exclusive 'Speakeasy Throwback' at Mystery Venue

About Face Presents

THE BLACK AND TAN SUPPER CLUB

Friday, October 11, 2013

Exclusive 'Speakeasy Throwback' at Mystery Venue

For one exclusive night, step back into the golden age of underground society as About Face Presents THE BLACK AND TAN SUPPER CLUB on Friday, October 11 from 7 pm – 10 pm.  This magical throwback to Chicago’s “black and tan” nightclubs of the 1920s will take place at a secret venue revealed just one week prior to the event, creating a singular experience of mystery.

Guests will experience a captivating line-up of gender-bending performances celebrating About Face Theatre’s Season of Transformation and its commitment to exceptional, innovative and adventurous work, hosted by Artistic Associate Paul Oakley Stovall. Classic cocktails and fine dining by J&L Catering complete this limited-seating, speakeasy send-off.  Tickets for THE BLACK AND TAN SUPPER CLUB are available at www.aboutfacetheatre.com or by calling (773) 784-8565.

“Join us for an event that perfectly captures what About Face is all about and experience first-hand the theatre’s unique approach to entertainment that both challenges and enthralls,” comments Co-Chair Jim Andrews. “While this is sure to be an unforgettable evening, it’s also an opportunity to help support About Face in its mission to forge a new era of theatre and social change for the LGBTQA community,” adds Co-Chair Jason Held.

Proceeds from THE BLACK AND TAN SUPPER CLUB will support About Face Theatre programming, including its groundbreaking and acclaimed Youth Theatre, which creates a safe space for queer youth to tell their stories and create community.

Event:             About Face Presents THE BLACK AND TAN SUPPER CLUB

Date:               Friday, October 11 from 7 pm – 10 pm

Location:       Secret venue – to be disclosed to guests one week prior to event.

Details:           Exclusive one-of-a-kind benefit featuring gender-bending performances, fine dining, classic cocktails, and more.

Tickets:          $250 individual tickets. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. For tickets and information, visit www.aboutfacetheatre.com or call (773) 784-8565.

The BLACK AND TAN SUPPER CLUB Co-Chairs: Jim Andrews and Jason Held.

About Face Theatre is one of Chicago’s most acclaimed theatre companies, and is a national leader in the development of new work exploring gender and sexual identity.  Since its founding by Kyle Hall and Eric Rosen in 1995, the company has premiered more than 48 world premieres by writers and directors who have been recognized with several Tony Awards, The Pulitzer Prize for Drama, The MacArthur Fellowship and dozens of Joseph Jefferson Awards.

The About Face Youth Theatre (AFYT) was created in 1998 as a safe space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and allied young people to become activists and theatre-makers. Youth participants engage in a two-year process of sharing stories, conducting interviews, writing a script, and developing performances to create a full-length production that is produced in About Face Theatre’s mainstage season.

ACT OUT: ABOUT FACE THEATRE ANNOUNCES 2013-14 PROGRAMMING

New Book and Expanded Score!

The Return of the Hit Holiday Musical

WE THREE LIZAS

Book & Lyrics by Artistic Associate Scott Bradley

Music & Additional Lyrics by Alan Schmuckler

Directed by Artistic Associate Scott Ferguson

Music Direction by Aaron Benham

Choreography by Artistic Associate Patrick Andrews

The Chicago Premiere of

BRAHMAN/I

By Aditi Brennan Kapil

Directed by Artistic Director Andrew Volkoff

The World Premiere of

CHECKING BOXES

By The About Face Youth Theatre Ensemble

OUT FRONT Series

Featuring Year-Round Public Readings and Workshops of New Works by Bixby Elliot, 

Harrison David Rivers, Tanya Saracho, Paul Oakley Stovall and others

PRIDE CABARET Music Series

About Face Theatre is pleased to announce its 2013-14 programming, showcasing premiere productions and developmental works that explore gender and sexual identity.  AFT’s mainstage kicks-off this winter with the return of the hit holiday musical WE THREE LIZAS, featuring a new book and expanded score. In the spring, AFT presents the Chicago premiere of Aditi Brennan Kapil’s stand-up comedy play, BRAHMAN/I, exploring gender, culture, mythology and puberty all through the lens of a hijra, an Indian intersex person.  Next summer, About Face Youth Theatre investigates the intersection of immigration and queer identity in the world premiere of CHECKING BOXES. AFT’s 2013-14 offerings will also feature the OUT FRONT Series, a year-round line-up of workshops and readings of new and developmental works by LGBTQA playwrights, as well as a month-long PRIDE CABARET Music Series in June 2014.  For additional information on About Face Theatre’s 2013-14 programming, please visit www.aboutfacetheatre.com.

“AFT has always been a home for new LGBTQA work and, in my first year here, I want to honor that commitment to development that has long been at the core of the work we do,” comments Artistic Director Andrew Volkoff. “Our aim is to strengthen the tie between art, artist and organization through sharing the artistic process.  To that end, we’re making development our focus this year, showcasing work at every developmental level – from reading to premiere and of every genre – giving our audiences exciting, new opportunities to get inside the art, acquaint themselves with some new LGBTQA voices and re-engage with the organization. I’m thrilled to be taking the reins of About Face Theatre and am looking forward to bringing some great new work to Chicago,” adds Volkoff.

The About Face Theatre 2013–14 programming includes:

November 27, 2013 – January 5, 2014

The Return of the Hit Holiday Musical

WE THREE LIZAS

Book and Lyrics by AFT Artistic Associate Scott Bradley

Music & Additional Lyrics by Alan Schmuckler

Directed by AFT Artistic Associate Scott Ferguson

Musical Direction by Aaron Benham

Choreography by AFT Artistic Associate Patrick Andrews

Featuring AFT Artistic Associates Scott Duff and John Francisco with Sharriese Hamilton, Mark Kaplan, James Nedrud, Danielle Plisz (Jeff Award nominated), Bethany Thomas, Dana Tretta and Andrew Swan.

at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago

Fresh from a concert at Joe’s Pub in New York City with a revamped book and expanded score, last year’s sparkly, queer holiday hit is back… and better than ever!  Box maker Conrad Ticklebottom’s life has hit a block. Once, Conrad and his purple box ignited an entire movement in art and design, but now he finds himself alone, forgotten and teetering on ruin. The holidays bring three magical figures to his door – a trio of Liza Minnellis to escort him on a fabulous journey through what-was, what-could-be and what-the-f*?!, redeeming his lost promise and re-inventing a brand-new Conrad Ticklebottom.  A quirky holiday musical tale of hope, transformation… and the power of Liza!

March/April 2014

The Chicago Premiere of 
BRAHMAN/I

By Aditi Brennan Kapil

Directed by Collective Artistic Director Andrew Volkoff

Location TBA

This hilarious stand-up comedy routine/play takes on history, mythology, gender roles and high school through the distinct comic lens of Brahman/i, an Indian intersex person – a hijra – tethered by neither gender nor culture, and wildly curious and inventive in their examination of both.

Aditi Brennan Kapil is a writer, actress and director of Bulgarian and Indian descent. She was raised in Sweden and resides in Minneapolis, MN. She performs extensively around the country and her writing has been produced nationally to critical acclaim. Her play Love Person received the 2009 Stavis Playwriting Award, and her play, Agnes Under the Big Top, a tall tale, was selected as a Distinguished New Play Development project by the NEA as administered by Arena Stage.  Her most recent work is the “Displaced Hindu Gods Trilogy,” consisting of the plays Brahman/i, The Chronicles of Kalki and Shiv.  Aditi is currently working on commissions with Yale Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse and South Coast Repertory Theatre, and is a resident artist at Mixed Blood Theatre, an artistic associate at Park Square Theatre and a Core Writer at The Playwrights’ Center in Minneapolis.

About Face’s OUT FRONT Series

A year round line-up of workshops and readings of new and developmental works, including:

BILLIE AND BILLY by AFT Artistic Associate Paul Oakley Stovall

Saturday, November 9, 2013 and Sunday, November 10, 2013 Location TBA

The divide between different cultures and ethnicities, between men and women, between straight and gay in America can be a great one.  Using only two characters, Paul Oakley Stovall aims to present what seems to be a tiny little drama, set in a small city apartment and the empty flat across the hall.  As Billie and Billy form an unexpected bond, their lives begin to intersect in strange ways. The audience is invited to explore with them: our need for companionship, our desire to solve the mysteries of existence and the ways in which we see ourselves in the eyes of others.  Billie and Billy explores the similarities ignored, our common needs and desires and the mutual ground we walk upon.  

THE GOOD PRIVATE by AFT Artistic Associate Tanya Saracho, featuring songs by Tamara Roberts, directed by Wendy C. Goldberg

Friday, December 13, 2013 – Sunday, December 15, 2013 Location TBA

The Good Private is a fictionalized musical composite inspired by the real life of Civil War soldier Albert Cashier, who was born Jennie Hodgers but who enlisted as a male soldier in the 95th Illinois Infantry.  After being a prisoner of war for two years and serving his time in the field, Cashier went on to lead a quiet life as a male in Central Illinois, until he was discovered in his old age.  Due to lack of documentation of Cashier’s very private life, The Good Private is part reimagining of and part homage to a truly remarkable Illinoisian.

when last we flew by Harrison David Rivers

January/February 2014 Location TBA

Inspired by Tony Kushner’s Angels in America and a testament to the power of theatre, when last we flew is a moving and often humorous look at life in small town America from a contemporary teenage perspective.  After stealing his local library’s only copy of Angels in America, misfit teenager Paul locks himself in the bathroom to begin reading the landmark play. He soon finds that his life and the lives of those around him in his small Kansas town are about to take flight, and over the course of a seemingly ordinary day, extraordinary things start to happen…

ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS A FA**OT by Bixby Elliot

May 2014 Location TBA

A new play from the writer of last year’s hit show Girl You Know It’s True by Chicago’s Pavement Group.  A young boy, Cal, discovers information that may prove that Abraham Lincoln, our country’s most revered president, might be a homosexual and embarks on a journey to prove it to his family — and himself.  Cal’s story is juxtaposed with scenes from Abraham Lincoln’s life in the 1800s; along the way there is sex in a stovepipe hat, time travel, a road trip to the nation’s capital, budding high-school romance and a quadrille or two.  Abraham Lincoln was a Fa**ot is a play less about IF Abe was gay and more about WHY it would be important if he were.

June 2014

PRIDE CABARET SERIES

Location TBA

To commemorate Pride Month, every weekend in June, About Face Theatre will be hosting a series of cabaret performances celebrating every aspect of the LGBTQA community.  From showtunes and standards to comedy to new music to open mics, we’ll be serving up the fun as we invite our community to join with us in making Pride laugh, sing and sparkle!

July 2014

The World Premiere of

CHECKING BOXES

By the About Face Youth Theatre Ensemble

Location TBA

Every two years, About Face’s acclaimed Youth Theatre devises a play as the result of workshops, in depth interviews, theatre training and improvisation.  Working with a professional writer and director, they produce plays that tackle challenging topics ranging from anti-gay violence to safe spaces for youth in the LGBTQA community.  This year, AFYT turns its attention to an exploration of immigration in the queer community.  Building off the work that they created in this summer’s research filled Youth Intensive, they’ll be bringing this brand new play to Chicagoans in July 2014.

About Face Theatre (Andrew Volkoff, Artistic Director) is one of Chicago’s most acclaimed theatre companies, and is a national leader in the development of new work exploring gender and sexual identity.  Since its founding by Kyle Hall and Eric Rosen in 1995, the company has premiered more than 48 world premieres by writers and directors who have been recognized with several Tony Awards, The Pulitzer Prize for Drama, The MacArthur Fellowship and dozens of Joseph Jefferson Awards.

ACT OUT OPENING: UNWILLING AND HOSTILE INSTRUMENTS: 100 Years of Extraordinary Chicago Women

Theatre Seven of Chicago Presents the World Premiere of

UNWILLING AND HOSTILE INSTRUMENTS: 

100 Years of Extraordinary Chicago Women

Featuring Plays By Seth Bockley, Brian Golden, Ike Holter, Elaine Romero, Emily Schwartz, Carla Stillwell, Nick Ward, Travis Williams & Lauren Yee

Directed by Elly Green

October 1 – 27, 2013

Dynamic Stories of Jane Addams, Ann Landers, Ida B. Wells and others

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're very much looking forward to this one.   We'll have a full review for you shortly.

Theatre Seven of Chicago brings together nine talented Chicago’s playwrights to commemorate the 100th anniversary of suffrage in Illinois with the world premiere of UNWILLING AND HOSTILE INSTRUMENTS: 100 Years of Extraordinary Chicago Women.  Woven together into one full-length work are the incredible stories of Jane Addams, Myra Bradwell, Ann Landers, Mavis Staples, Cora Strayer, Maurine Watkins and Ida B. Wells, directed by Elly Green.  UNWILLING AND HOSTILE INSTRUMENTS plays October 1 – October 27, 2013 at American Theater Company, 1909 W. Byron St. in Chicago.  Tickets are available at www.theatreseven.org.

UNWILLING AND HOSTILE INSTRUMENTS is written by Seth Bockley (Maurine Watkins), Brian Golden (various), Ike Holter (Jane Addams, 2013), Elaine Romero (Jane Addams, 1889) Emily Schwartz (Cora Strayer), Carla Stillwell (Ida B. Wells), Nick Ward* (Myra Bradwell), Travis Williams* (Mavis Staples) and Lauren Yee (Ann Landers).

The production features Echaka Agba, Adithi Chandrashekar, Marsha Harman, Jaclyn Hennell, Tracey Kaplan*, Jessica London-Shields, Jake Szczepaniak, Brittney Love Smith and Joe Zarrow.

UNWILLING AND HOSTILE INSTRUMENTS brings together nine Chicago playwrights to pen a play that combines eight stories about extraordinary women from Chicago’s last hundred years to commemorate the 100th anniversary of suffrage in Illinois.  In 1913, a vocal opponent of the suffrage movement called women “nothing more than the unwilling and hostile instruments of creation.” This project turns that ignorant quote on its head, celebrating the accomplishments of Chicago’s greatest historical women and also asking relevant contemporary questions about gender and social equality.  After select performances, female bands, visual artists and actors will perform, creating an all-out festival honoring the accomplishments of Chicago women.

We begin our season with a production that celebrates Illinois’ leadership in the suffrage movement by telling dynamic stories about our city’s most extraordinary women,” comments Artistic Director Brian Golden. “But we're also digging a little deeper. In telling the story of ten Chicago actors trying to put on these new plays, we're using history and theatre to investigate the challenges and realities of race, gender and equality in Chicago today," adds Golden.

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title:  UNWILLING AND HOSTILE INSTRUMENTS: 100 Years of Extraordinary Chicago Women

Written by Seth Bockley (Maurine Watkins), Brian Golden (various), Ike Holter (Jane Addams, modern day), Elaine Romero (Jane Addams, 1889) Emily Schwartz (Cora Strayer), Carla Stillwell (Ida B. Wells), Nick Ward* (Myra Bradwell), Travis Williams* (Mavis Staples) and Lauren Yee (Ann Landers).

Director:  Elly Green

Featuring: Echaka Agba, Adithi Chandrashekar, Marsha Harman, Jaclyn Hennell, Tracey Kaplan*, Jessica London-Shields, Jake Szczepaniak, Brittney Love Smith and Joe Zarrow.

Production team: Kerith Parashak (scenic design), Brenda Winstead* (costume design), Mac Vaughey (lighting design), Joe Court (sound design), Joshua Hurley (props design) and Neal Ryan Shaw (dramaturg).

Location:  American Theater Company, 1909 W. Byron St., Chicago

Dates:  Previews: Tuesday, October 1 at 7:30 pm and Wednesday, October 2 at 7:30 pm

Press performances:  Thursday, October 3 at 7:30 pm

Regular run:  Friday, October 4 – Sunday, October 27, 2013.

Curtain Times: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm

Tickets: Previews: $10; Regular run: $20. Students, seniors and industry $16.  Single tickets for the 2013-14 season are available at www.theatreseven.org .

*Denotes Theatre Seven Company Members

About Theatre Seven of Chicago

Founded in 2007, Theatre Seven of Chicago’s mission is to transform the way Chicagoans engage with their city and to become the premiere center for the creation, development and showcase of theatrically-based Chicago stories. The company has earned nominations for four Jeff Awards and won the 2012 League of Chicago Theatres’ Emerging Theatre Award. The company’s noted world premieres include The Chicago Landmark Project, We Live Here and Diversey Harbor. Theatre Seven company also hosts a robust menu of auxiliary programming, including a free monthly reading series, Shikaakwa, featuring new looks at Chicago plays and one of the best post-show discussions in town.

ACT OUT OPENING: B-Side Studio at The Logan Center for the Arts

The Inconvenience, The New Colony & U of C’s Theater &

Performance Studies Program Present the World Premiere of

B-SIDE STUDIO

Co-Written by Ike Holter & Evan Linder 

Directed by Nicholas J. Caroll, 

Andrew Hobgood & Gus Menary

September 13 – October 12, 2013 

Uniquely Collaborative Event Blends The Best of Theater

 with the Charm of ‘70s Style TV Sitcoms

Join a live studio audience on the set of a ‘70s-style sitcom as The Inconvenience, The New Colony and the University of Chicago’s Theater and Performance Studies Program team up to co-produce the world premiere of B-SIDE STUDIO, co-written by Inconvenience Resident Writer Ike Holter and New Colony Co-Artistic Director Evan Linder and directed by Nicholas J. Carroll, Andrew Hobgood and Gus Menary.  B-SIDE STUDIO is performed on Fridays and Saturdays at 9/8c (that’s 8 pm in Chicago, meathead!) from September 13 – October 12, 2013 at The Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St. in Chicago.

B-SIDE STUDIO stars Daeshawna Cook, Missi Davis, Mikey Harnichar, Wes Needham, Brad Smith and Kevin Stangler.

Each week’s performances of B-SIDE STUDIO will feature a new episode performed in front of a live studio audience.  The Monday following each performance weekend, the most recently taped episode will be made available for online viewing at www.thenewcolony.org  and www.theinconvenience.org  - allowing audiences to stay current with the latest antics of their B-Side friends.  Season subscriptions for all four episodes of B-SIDE STUDIO are available at http://ticketsweb.uchicago.edu/subscriptions  or by calling 773.702.ARTS (2787). Tickets for individual episodes are available at http://ticketsweb.uchicago.edu  or by calling 773.702.ARTS (2787). 

The episodic story of B-SIDE STUDIO focuses on Gary and Felix McNamara and their failing Chicago recording studio. Despite Felix's get-rich-quick schemes, it seems that B-Side is never going to reach the heights of success that the once-promising McNamara brothers always dreamed of. When Felix decides to use the studio to record "Song Poems" with the help of their assistant Janice and in-house musicians Butch and Marvin, there might be hope yet to save the studio. They just have to convince Lady, the overbearing trophy wife of their absentee landlord. Tune in to find out what happens next at B-Side Studio. 

In a joint statement, co-writers Linder and Holter said "B-Side Studio has been a long time in the works, so we're excited to finally be working together. This blending of creative mediums comes naturally to all three artistic partners, allowing each group to play off their own strengths while working together to build a unique performance experience that harkens back to the sitcoms of the 1970s while simultaneously revealing a glimpse into the future of the arts.”

Both writers have seen recent success and accolades. Linder’s 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche made its move to the off-Broadway Soho Playhouse after taking home the Best Overall Production prize at the 2012 NYC International Fringe Festival. Similarly, Holter’s Hit The Wall received raves at the Steppenwolf Garage and played a subsequent run off-Broadway at New York’s Barrow Street Theater.

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title:  B-SIDE STUDIO

Co-written by: Ike Holter and Evan Linder

Directed by: Nicholas J. Carroll, Andrew Hobgood and Gus Menary

Cast:  Daeshawna Cook (Lady), Missi Davis (Janice), Mikey Harnichar (Marvin), Wes Needham (Gary), Brad Smith (Butch) and Kevin Stangler (Felix).

Location: The Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St., Chicago

Dates: Press performances: Friday, September 13 at 8 pm and Saturday, September 14 at 8 pm.

Regular run:  Friday, September 27 – Saturday, October 12, 2013 

Curtain Times:  Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm.  Please note: there will not be performances on Friday, September 20 and Saturday, September 21.

Tickets: Subscription pass $40/$20 students (all four episodes, one per week) Single episodes $20/$10 students.  Season subscriptions for all four episodes of B-SIDE STUDIO are available at www.ticketsweb.uchicago.edu/subscriptions  or by calling 773.702.ARTS (2787). Tickets for individual episodes are available at www.ticketsweb.uchicago.edu  or by calling 773.702.ARTS (2787). 

Production team: John Wilson (scenic designer), Nathan Rohrer (costume designer), Jeffrey Glass  (lighting designer), Jenny Pinson (props designer), John Cicora (music director), Kaylie Honkala (stage manager), Laura Scales Ashlock (unit production manager), Bobby Huggins (first assistant director), Cole Simon (director of photographer/camera operator), Adam Bialy and Sarah Giroux (camera operators), Adam Goron (audio finishing) and Wes Lambert (music recording engineer).

Sneak Peek” at the Summer Cubed Series

B-SIDE STUDIO will be featured in The Logan Center for the Arts’ “Summer Cubed Series,” a one-night event showcasing “media-inspired” works-in-progress from several companies on Tuesday, September 3 at 6:30 pm. Tickets are free. For tickets and the complete line-up, visit arts.uchicago.edu/summer-inc . 

About the Artists: 

Ike Holter’s (Co-Writer) work has been seen at The Steppenwolf Garage, LiveWire Chicago, Theater Seven, Nothing Without a Company, Route 66, Theater on The Lake and The Inconvenience, where he is a founding member and resident writer.  He's received commissions from The Goodman Theater and The Playwrights Center, and is the winner of three awards from The Kennedy Center's ACTF, including The Paula Vogel award.  His show, Hit The Wall, played Off-Broadway at The Barrow Street Theater in New York.  Jackalope Theater will produce his next play, Exit Strategy, this winter. 

Evan Linder (Co-Writer) is a founding member of The New Colony in Chicago where he also serves as Co-Artistic Director. A playwright, actor and director, Evan was recently listed on Chicago Magazine's 2013 Power List of Theater Scene Stealers. His first play produced in Chicago, Frat, was named as one of the best of 2009 in the Chicago Tribune, Windy City Times and Newcity. Other plays include 11:11, The Warriors, The Bear Suit of Happiness and 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche, which was named Best Overall Production at the 2012 NYC International Fringe Festival and is published by Samuel French. Since its debut in Chicago in 2011, 5 Lesbians has received productions in Kansas City, Omaha, Boulder, Louisville, Memphis, San Francisco and Charleston, SC, as well as a run Off-Broadway as part of the Soho Playhouse’s 2012-13 season. Evan also co-wrote the book to the glam-rock musical Rise of the Numberless, which was developed by The New Colony and Bailiwick Chicago in 2012 and most recently wrote The Bear Suit of Happiness, which premiered this year with The New Colony and was remounted as the opening show in Theater on the Lake’s 2013 season. He recently developed and directed Rewilding Genius at the University of Chicago, where he is an adjunct professor of theatre.

Nicholas J. Carroll (Director) is the Director of Films at The New Colony, where he directed the short film So Many Days and the short auto-documentary Script Comes Last. He is also the TAPS North Theater Manager at the University of Chicago, managing three theatrical spaces including the 140-seat Francis X. Kinahan Theater. Originally from Connecticut, Nick grew up working on his sister's indie film sets and there found his passion for storytelling through film. After moving to Chicago, he joined The New Colony as a company director in 2009.

Andrew Hobgood (Director) is the Founding Artistic Director of The New Colony, the Business Strategist for Vosges Chocolate, and an Adjunct Professor of Theater at the University of Chicago. His last play, 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche, won Outstanding Production at the 2012 New York International Fringe Festival before opening as an Off-Broadway production that Ben Brantley of the New York Times called "raw and magnetic dementia...destined to attract a cult following." 5 Lesbians has been performed in over ten cities since its premier, and is published with Samuel French. Hobgood's other work with The New Colony includes writing and directing the new musicals Tupperware: An American Musical Fable, That Sordid Little Story, and Rise of The Numberless as well as directing Amelia Earhart: Jungle Princess, the original and commercial productions of FRAT, and Hearts Full of Blood, which won Outstanding Script at the 2010 New York International Fringe Festival. In 2010 Newcity Magazine named him one of the 50 People Who Really Perform for Chicago; in 2011 he and The New Colony were honored with the Broadway in Chicago Emerging Theater Award; and in 2013 he and Co-Artistic Director Evan Linder were two of six people on Chicago Magazine's Cultural Power List of Theater Scene Stealers. His new play reWILDing Genius was commissioned by the University of Chicago, where it will also receive a workshop production this spring. When not directing, writing or acting, he can be found working in the Innovation Lab of Vosges Haut-Chocolat, or guest speaking and writing on the topics of devised/collaborative theater, the future of playwriting and theater, and the art of business/business of art.

Gus Menary (Director) is a company member and Director of Music Programming for the arts organization The Inconvenience. He's directed for many of their festivals, booked and coordinated over 20 concerts and created their summer block party BLOCKOUT. He is also a founding member of Jackalope Theatre Company where he's directed Shawn Reddy's My Name is Mudd, Andrew Burden Swanson's Moonshiner and co- directed Last Exodus of American Men also by Swanson. Most recently he directed Mickle Maher's Spirits to Enforce for Abraham Werewolf. He has worked with many other theatre companies in the Chicago area including Mary Arrchie, Pinebox and American Theatre Company.

About the Collaborators:

The Inconvenience, is a community of interdisciplinary artists who seek to create a new way of experiencing art through a collaboration of music, theatre, dance, fine art and celebration. We create, produce and curate work that challenges audience and artist perspectives and ignites social dialogue.

The New Colony, the 2011 recipient of the Broadway In Chicago Emerging Theater Award, strives to contribute original material to the American artistic canon and develop a new kind of theater going audience. Through collaboration with emerging artists of all disciplines, The New Colony continually develops new work and fresh perspectives. With the goal of exploring enticing subject matter and the common language of experience, The New Colony will cultivate the next generation of arts supporters.

This event takes place as a part of the Summer, Inc. Residencies with Theater and Performance Studies at The University of Chicago.

The Summer, Inc. program began out of a desire to extend the program’s nurturing environment to Chicago’s professional performance community. Recognizing the importance of hospitality, particularly in a moment when the arts are faced with acute economic challenges, when basic expenses make the creation of new work more of a conceptual wish than a pragmatic reality, UC Summer Inc. invites companies into our artistic home. Selected groups represent the city’s boldness in its artistic approaches which has been demonstrated through projects of solo performance, clown adaptations, dance, and multi-media work. All of the new work developed reflected the University’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaborations. 

Dirty Beaches Acclaimed double LP Drifters/Love Is The Devil & Remaining US Tour Dates

Did you catch them last night at Empty Bottle?!  Check back with ChiIL Live Shows like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often.   We will be reviewing Dirty Beaches' critically acclaimed double LP Drifters/Love Is The Devil shortly.

DIRTY BEACHES



Photo Credit: Anna Zelikova

Dirty Beaches' Drifters/Love Is The Devil has been one of the standout records of 2013 so far, receiving a Best New Music from Pitchfork and rave reviews across the board. The man behind the project, Alex Hung-Tai Chang, has asserted himself as one of the most dynamic and exciting artists making music at the moment.   

Now for the first time since the album's release on Zoo Music, he'll be touring North America with his full band. The show is electric and brings to life this complex and beautiful collection of songs as captured here in the recent video for Casino Lisboa.

Dirty Beaches has announced a full North American tour this fall in celebration of his acclaimed new double album, Drifters/Love Is The Devil, out now on ZOO MUSIC. He'll also be releasing a special, limited edition tape only version of the double record while on tour. Click Here To Stream Dirty Beaches' Interview on NPR's All Things Considered The solo project of Alex Huang Hungtai, Dirty Beaches has perhaps surprised his already familiar audience of fans with Drifters/Love Is The Devil, a double record that toes the line between his carefully refined rockabilly sound and one that leads more towards instrumental film scores, characterized by intensely beautiful and often melancholy emotion. The artist went on NPR recently to discuss the new double record and some of its influences and history, called "washy, dreamy rock music that often feels nostalgic."  Meanwhile, Pitchfork glowingly discussed the record in their Best New Music album review, calling it, "both sprawling and detailed, a sonic travelogue that takes the textural aspects of his work to impressionistic heights...Drifters/Love Is the Devil is more robust and eccentric than anything he's ever released before." Remaining North American Tour Dates 2013 / 09.12.13 - Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL #  09.13.13 - Firebird - St. Louis, MO # 09.14.13 - Exit In - Nashville, TN # 09.15.13 - Bottletree - Birmingham, AL # 09.17.13 - The Mohawk - Austin, TX # 09.19.13 - Rhythm Room - Phoenix, AZ # 09.20.13 - Echo - Los Angeles, CA # % 09.21.13 - The Void - San Diego, CA # % 09.22.13 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA # % 09.24.13 - Mississippi Studios - Portland, OR # % 09.25.13 - Barboza - Seattle, WA # % 09.26.13 - Biltmore Cabaret - Vancouver, BC # %  * with Heathered Pearls, Xray Eyeballs ^ with Heathered Pearls & Eola (collaboration), Porcelain Raft, Andy Boay # with Sisu % with Chasms Assets / Dirty Beaches Video for "Casino Lisboa" "Love Is The Devil" on Youtube "Casino Lisboa" on Soundcloud "Landscapes In The Mist" on Soundcloud Pitchfork Best New Music Album Review Feature Interview with Stereogum Dirty Beaches Interview on BULLETT Interview on NPR's All Things Considered Feature Interview with Impose Alex Zhang Hungtai, AKA Dirty Beaches, started off as a one man band in 2005 in Montreal. A trans-pacific nomad and genre hopping sound smith, his past releases include drone instrumentals, film scores and a fascination with dissecting popular american music like blues, rockabilly, soul, RNB, and hip hop, often rendering them to the point where its no longer recognizable. His latest release, Drifters/Love Is The Devil, is a double LP that chronicles the musician's life on the road over the past 2 years,  as we follow him down the rabbit hole through the labyrinths of Berlin, Belgrade, Paris, and many other cities through heartbreak, rebirth and masochistic existential self reflection. Recorded between Montreal and Berlin in the winter of 2012, the double LP is separated only by aesthetics, as they are tightly woven together thematically as one conceptual piece. If 2011's Badlands was an exercise in exorcising past ghosts in a semi-fictional world, then Drifters/Love Is The Devil is a reflection on the fragility of reality. One, of the surface world in which he explores the night life of bright neon temptations dwelling in hedonistic irresponsible values, and the other of the inner world, one of remorse and lovelorn tragedies. As stated by the artist himself, "the most honest piece of music I've ever written." Drifters/Love Is The Devil is out now on ZOO MUSIC. Drifters Tracklisting / 01. Night Walk 02. I Dream In Neon 03. Belgrade 04. Casino Lisboa 05. ELLI 06. Aurevoir Mon Visage 07. Mirage Hall 08. Landscapes In The Mist  Love Is The Devil Tracklisting / 01. Greyhound At Night 02. This Is Not My City 03. Woman 04. Love Is The Devil 05. Alone At The Danube River 06. I Don't Know How To Find My Way Back To You 07. Like The Ocean We Part 08. Berlin  Quotes / "Both sprawling and detailed, a sonic travelogue that takes the textural aspects of his work to impressionistic heights." Pitchfork "Washy, dreamy rock music that often feels nostalgic." NPR "Ambitious new double album, Drifters/Love Is The Devil, stylishly reflects the dislocation of the road more traveled, hovering on the edge of dread...the oblique confessionals and elegiac atmosphere belie a certain cinematic grandeur." Interview Magazine "A double album steeped in grainy nostalgia that ventures further into the heart of film noir...an Oscar-worthy soundtrack waiting to happen." NYLON "Drifters sees Hungtai dabble in spartan post-punk, rickety industrial and devil-at-the-crossroads blues. Love Is The Devil, meanwhile, is an instrumental song-suite, alternately redolent of Angelo Badalamenti and Forest Swords." FACT "This double album is really good, and Alex Zhang Hungtai rules." VICE "It's a demanding, damn good and rewarding listen, one that squeezes your heart and head through shaking fingers." Filter "Laying down a rattling, distortion-heavy foundation while the man spits semi-intelligible venom from a mouth that seems caught in a permanent rockabilly sneer. There are echoes of both Tonetta and Brian Eno, with hints of the utter nothing that awaits us at the end of this crushing existence." SPIN "Drifters/Love is the Devil is a pair of poignant records. Hungtai’s ideas swing rapidly from beautiful to chaotic to completely atonal...Fortunately, Hungtai has let us into his world, no matter what darkness we might find there." Consequence of Sound "The gloomy and beautiful tracks on Love is the Devil may be pointing a way forward for Dirty Beaches, they may have been conceived as a spiritual complement to Drifters, or they may just be a temporary detour; whatever their intent though, their presence is a welcome addition to the Dirty Beaches catalog." Paste Links / Dirty Beaches on Facebook Dirty Beaches on Twitter Dirty Beaches Official Website ZOO MUSIC

TONIGHT at Empty Bottle: SISU, Ell V Gore & Dirty Beaches

SISU and Ell V Gore are playing with Dirty Beaches at The Empty Bottle tonight (September 12th).  For SISU, Sandy Vu of The Dum Dum Girls steps out from behind the kit to showcase her shoegaze take on electro and dreamy vocals. SISU sounds like a mix between Chromatics, Karen O vocals and m b v reminiscent washes.  SISU are releasing their debut LP 'Blood Tears', September 17th on Mono Prism and just premiered their new track 'Harpoons' on Brooklyn Vegan.  Credit Steven Perlin Toronto's Ell V Gore is the project of 24 year old Ell V who has been playing in weirdo punk and no wave bands for the past decade. He is also a man known around town for throwing some of the freakiest underground parties in the city. Ell V Gore just released the 'Sex Static' EP on Ben Cook of Fucked Up's label, Bad Actors.You can check out his latest video for 'Her Vicious' on Brooklyn Vegan.  SISU Premiere 'Harpoons' On Brooklyn Vegan, Debut LP "Blood Tears" Out September 17th On Mono Prism Records On Fall Tour With Dirty Beaches "Blood Tears" Track Listing: 1. Counting Stars 2. Cut Me Off 3. Harpoons 4. Electronic 5. Sinking Feeling 6. Let Go 7. Return The Favor 8. Shotgun Running 9. Sharp Teeth 10. Blood Tears   Remaining Tour Dates: 09/12 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle # 09/13 - St. Louis, MO - Firebird # 09/14 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In # 09/15 - Birmingham, AL - Bottletree # 09/17 - Austin, TX - The Mohawk # 09/19 - Phoenix, AZ - Rhythm Room # 09/20 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echo #% 09/21 - San Diego, CA - The Void #% 09/22 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill #% 09/24 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios #% 09/25 - Seattle, WA - Barboza #% 09/26 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - Biltmore Cabaret #%   # with Dirty Beaches @ with Colleen Green ^ with Whirr, Nothing % with Chasms Praise For SISU: "Sandra Vu's band make gothy postpunk/shoegaze a la Lush or Slowdive (with a slinky dash of Siouxsie perhaps"-- Brooklyn Vegan "The Light Eyes EP's "Two Thousands Hands" channeled the dreary romance of Cocteau Twins, but this latest track hews closer to the post-punky rhythms and urgent pacing of the Cure's earlier output." -- Spin “Unleashing waves of dark, melodic rhythms and thudding percussion, SISU inject their warped aesthetic into the mold of ’80s synth-pop, resulting in a something more dense and evocative that still manages to maintain its carefree shimmer." -- Consequence Of Sound The dark-tinged, hazy shoegaze outfit sees Vu step out from behind the kit as the band's main songwriting force, building upon the Dum Dum Girls pop-base with layers of noise and abrasion." --Impose Magazine "combines mournful jangle pop of lead singer Sandra Vu’s other group Dum Dum Girls’ with some dance-ready goth-pop."--CMJ Ell V Gore Premieres 'Her Vicious' Video On Brooklyn Vegan, Announces Tour With Dirty Beaches "Sex Static" EP Out Now On Bad Actors (Founded By Ben Cook Of Fucked Up) Watch 'Lobotomy' Video On Pitchfork! Stream The "Sex Static" EP At Brooklyn Vegan! Tour With Dirty Beaches: 9/12 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle  9/13 - St. Louis, MO - Firebird 9/14 - Nashville, TN - Exit In 9/15 - Birmingham, AL - Bottletree Praise For Ell V Gore: "Surging out of the cave like the Birthday Party trying to cover Joy Division’s “Transmission”, [Lobotomy] strikes a masterful balance of barked psychosis and mechanistic precision, of primitive trash-can clang and synth-shocked futurism."--Pitchfork "Noisy, viciously catchy no wave from this wonderful Toronto weirdo" -- Noisey scuzzy, gothy post-punk you might expect given what you've read to this point. Fans of The Birthday Party, Wire, The Cramps and all things WIERD take note" -- Brooklyn Vegan "[Lobotomy's] a vicious single that sniffs the glue that built Ty Segall’s Melted and drills cascading rhythms into the back of your head" --Blare Magazine Photo Above Credit: Norman Wong Watch The 'Her Vicious' Video On Brooklyn Vegan! If Ell V Gore’s Sex Static sounds to you like it was made by four weirdos you’d meet at a pitch black, late night bizarre sex party beating their instruments half to death…well, that’s because it was. Toronto’s Ell V Gore is the project of 24 year old Ell V who has been playing in weirdo punk and no wave bands for the past decade. He is also a man known around town for throwing some of the freakiest late-night parties in the city (when he isn’t manning the microphone at strip clubs in between for cash).  Sex Static, their debut EP on Bad Actors, is an industrial punk rock beat-down. It is a visceral, dark, and loud late night album that sounds like Chairs Missing era Wire and The Birthday Party being filtered through a kaleidoscope of 90 shades of black and grey. Known around the city for their stunningly intense live show, the experience has translated well to record. The rhythm section is tight and malicious, the guitars and synthesizers scrape, scratch, and scream, and Ell V’s controlled Lux Interior-esque howl bounces off walls with the guttural intensity of Michael Gira. Weirdos, freaks, and late night delinquents – your party has begun. About Bad Actors: Bad Actors is a Toronto based boutique record label focused on bringing you the best from the next generation of the city’s best songwriters, bands, producers, and beat makers. The label is headed by Ben Cook aka Young Guv, a member of Fucked Up, and the brains behind several of Toronto’s most loved and respected musical acts including: No Warning, Yacht Club, Marvelous Darlings, and The Scuzz. His résumé also includes: starring in some of your favorite childhood TV shows, ghostwriting some of the catchiest songs amongst your most beloved guilty pleasures, and producing some of his city’s most promising musical acts. Needless to say, the Guv can bring the goods, and it was only a matter of time before he started his own label. Bad Actors will serve as a stepping-stone to bigger things for young acts, while offering them an opportunity to work closely with one of Toronto’s most creative and energetic musical forces. Upcoming releases on Bad Actors include records from industrial punk freaks Ell V Gore, guitar pop masterminds Actual Water, weirdo soul-goddess MCs Bizzarh, 17 year old producer extraordinaire Harrison and Cook’s own Yacht Club. Links: Ell V Gore Facebook Ell V Gore Tumbler Ell V Gore Twitter