Check out all of ChiIL Mama's live show shots above. Monster Jam's sooo much fun to shoot. Double click on the slide show to get to SmugMug's easy sharing and more options.
Monster Jam is a car crushin', dirt throwin', tire spinnin', truck jumpin' fun for all.We
had a blast at opening night Friday! If you haven't gone yet,
today's the last day for Chicago, unless you want to wait till next
year. Final Chi-Town shows are Sunday at 2pm & 7:30pm at Allstate
Arena.
Helpful hint: Bring ear protection. Eh, what was that? I said, you'll be regretting not throwing in earplugs for everyone. What?! I can't hear you over the deafening roar of those powerful truck engines.
I SAID....BRING EARPLUGS! YOU CAN BUY SOME FUN TIRE SHAPED ONES ON
SITE FOR $20, BUT IF YOU'D RATHER SPEND THE CASH ON A COOL SHIRT YOU CAN
WEAR MORE OFTEN OR A CREEPY SNO CONE CUP, THEN BRING YOUR OWN EARPLUGS.
In the opening scene of This is a Damage Manual, the ensemble is in suspended animation, frozen in space and time, as the audience filters in. Take a good look, as this is one of the last moments of calm before a storm of political, passionate, intense dance. We adored this surreal look at damaged souls, making the best of an insane world. Damage Manual had the whole audience laughing and cringing in turn. The music was fantastic and the message right on target. This show is a must see for self help addicts, skeptics, and nonconformists. Is the message hitting a little too close to home? You can even duck out for a hypnotically suggested tranquilizer, in the form of a well stocked lobby bar, over intermission.
I was blown away by the excellent, multimedia presentation, and the way BONEdanse organically melds into the space. They made great use of the varying textures in The Wit walls, projecting giant images on the black cinder block back wall and throwing visually stunning shadow play across the brick and metal end walls. The voice overs of Earl Nightingale, self help guru, were even more disturbingly wonderful with the vintage scratch of a record running throughout. Atalee Judy and the ensemble take us on a vital journey through the eyes of a driven, unbalanced ballerina, an over medicated 50's houswife, a nazi, and more. The audience is propelled on a journey through dream treatment, tranquilizers, and other attempts to numb people into acquiescence in an unbalanced world.
Conceptually, this is an adult piece, or recommended for mature tweens and teens. Although there isn't anything objectionable or over the top, if you're considering bringing underagers.
Here are our post show shots. Be sure to stick around for snacks and a bit of shopping therapy after the show! The multifaceted women of BONEdanse not only choreograph, write, and kick butt on stage, but they design amazing, affordable eco-friendly clothes too!! Instead of a fundraiser, BONEdanse is selling Bone Ware. Damage Manual was drop dead delicious, but it's well worth the ticket price to get to the goodies. T's are only $5-$15. Fleeces are $15. One of a kind Upcycled T-Shirt dresses are $30-$40.
Check out photographer, Chrystyne, modeling one in our shots above. I snagged the awesome black & orange one with excellent text on the back "I will not be a victim...I will not be a perpetrator....above all I will not be a bystander & PEACE...it's what matters.
BONEdanse is
one of our favorite Chi-town dance troupes. Check out their creative
and ferocious theatre. These women are all about being smart AND
mighty, and they create some mighty fine, thought provoking pieces of
modern dance. We've been loving their weekly Danse Skitz. Check 'em all out on YouTube where Danse Skitz #1-10 are all archived. They were all shot around Chicago last June through August.
Don't miss the opportunity to see them live. This is a Damage Manual has just 6 performances left!
this is a DAMAGE MANUAL february 2-12, 2012 th/fri/sat 8pm, sun 3pm theater wit 1229 belmont tickets $15-$24
BONEdanse PRESENTS This
is a DAMAGE MANUAL THIS WINTER. WHERE THE SUB-TRASH PROPAGANDA OF THE
80S CLASHES WITH THE FEAR OF EVERYTHING 50S WHERE THERAPY PROMISES TO
HELP, BUT MORE OFTEN DESTROYS... WHAT’S YOUR DAMAGE?
BONEdanse’s (simplified from its former Breakbone DanceCo), evening length version of This is a Damage Manual premieres
this February; a satirical, witty, and humoured performance that offers
as many absurd questions about the idiosyncrasies of human behavior as
it answers.
With its title
sourced directly from the industrial post-punk music entity The Damage
Manual featuring 80s punk era icons Martin Atkins (Public Image Ltd
[Pil], Killing Joke), Chris Connelly (Murder, Inc), Geordie Walker
(Killing Joke) and Jah Wobble (PiL), BONEdanse’s Damage Manual, also
draws largely from the world of vintage instruction manuals and
self-help vinyl records to explore how universally damaged we all are
and how many of us stay that way.
Once again, here's the basics:
WHAT:
Damage Manual, a darkly comedic dance theater work examining vintage
self-help books and recordings through dynamic physicality.
WHO: BONEdanse. A solo created by guest choreographer Jyl
Fehrenkamp Choreography by Atalee Judy with performances by Janna Barta,
Anita Fillmore, Atalee Judy & Mindy Meyers. Lighting Design: Jacob
Snodgrass Costumes, Video, and Soundscore: A. Judy
WHEN: Thursdays-Sundays, February 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11 and 12;
Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 3: 00
pm
WHERE: Theater Wit is located at 1229 W Belmont, Chicago, 60657 in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood.
HOW: Ticket prices are Th/Fr $15, Sat $24, and Sunday matinee
$20. ALL tickets are available at walk-up or call-in box office:
773.975.8150 (no service fee online or by phone) www.theaterwit.org
Follow BONEdanse on Facebook and join their email list for exclusive
discount ticket offers at www.bonedanse.com
This is a Damage Manual & Punk Rock are both playing at Theater Wit!
Kid
alert-Punk Rock Contains Adult themes NOT suitable for kids. Damage
Manual is appropriate for all ages, but recommended for an adult night
out or possibly savvy tweens & teens--conceptually.
Political, passionate, accessible dance. This is a Damage Manual is a
must see! Stick around for the Bone Ware--awesome, affordable up
cycled clothes. We'll be seeing
and reviewing Punk Rock tomorrow.
Visiting Company Griffin Theatre
Punk Rock
By Simon Stephens
Directed by Jonathan Berry
Now playing through March 04, 2012
The American Premiere of Simon Stephens' powerful and critically
acclaimed drama about a group of high school age students preparing for
their final exams and nearing the end of their school lives. When the
whole world opens up before you, there’s a danger it’ll swallow you up,
there’s danger all around in this shattering new play that explores the
volatility of adolescent life.
*Strong Adult Content
There is no late seating available for this production.
****NOTE: If you loved This is a Damage Manual.....In a similar vein, check out Under The Gaslight, coming soon at Aloft.
The Aloft Student Ensemble Performance group presents a full length
contemporary circus show exploring the line between sane and "crazy".
Aloft's signature style of using traditional circus apparatus in new and
surprising ways, and spinning clear narrative through movement and risk
come alive again through this group of 10 up-coming acrobats, studying
at the Aloft Loft, the Midwest's premiere contemporary circus school.
Trained by some of the top instructors in the country, and directed by
Aloft's Artistic Director, Shayna Swanson, the performers have created a
show based in consensus building which questions weather mental illness
is just one tragedy away from everyone.
All proceeds from this
show will go into a new scholarship fund to assist current Aloft Loft
students who lose their incomes due to the economy in continuing their
acrobatic training. Some money will also be directed into mirco-grants
to help professional artists-in-residence at the Aloft Loft develop new
work.
Cirque du Soleil Quidam's Skipping Rope Artist, Adrienn Banhegyi's Video Interview With ChiIL Mama We had the great pleasure of chatting with Adrienn, a young skipping rope artist from Hungary, who will be in town with Quidam, starting February 8th. We can't wait to see her act in person opening night!
Quidam
will be at the Ford Centre in Hoffman Estates February 8-12th only.
So get your tickets today!! Congrats to our family 4 pack winner:
**All
our readers are winners! ChiIL Mama's also got a cool 25% off
discount on non-peak performances on all price levels using the promo
code “CHILL”. Non-peak performances are all performances except for
those on Friday and Saturday.
Here
is Adrienn in action. Come see her and all the world class circus
artists in Cirque du Soleil's Quidam. Recommended for families with
kids 5 and up. Quidam makes a great "date night" too!
It was our great pleasure to interview Jessica, Publicist for Cirque du Soleil's Quidam. Quidam is returning to play Hoffman Estates near Chicago February 8-12th only!
Jessica tells us about the arena Cirqe shows versus the big top
style, how Quidam is family friendly but also great "boyfriend points",
and how they get in and out of town "rock and roll" style. Check it
out here in our original interview.
Good for the opening night performance, February 8th at 7:30pm.Enter through Thursday 2/2 at midnight.
**All
our readers are winners! ChiIL Mama's also got a cool 25% off
discount on non-peak performances on all price levels using the promo
code “CHILL”. Non-peak performances are all performances except for
those on Friday and Saturday.
ChiIL Mama/ChiIL Live Shows are giving away a pair of FREE tickets (17+) to seeBadfish break out the Sublime and Midwest Hype funk it up at House of Blues THIS Saturday. If you've never seen Badfish and/or Scotty Don't live, you are in for a show! Enter at the bottom of this post.
Double
click on the slide show for more photo viewing/sharing options from
SmugMug. Non profit reposting with proper attribution is approved.
We just shot local boys, Midwest Hype's sold out CD release party at Schubas on the 5th and it was definitely a party! They've got a compelling blend of jazz, rock, hip hop and....sweet horns.
Here's the bio off their site: Midwest Hype defines urban garage jazz. Hip-hop
flow, unforgettable vocal melodies, punching horn lines, immaculate jazz
improvisation, dance floor mayhem, tight pocketed compositions, a
spectrum of all colors, a refreshing youthful breath in today's digital
world. A celebration and motivation to create a better life, make the
day glow.
Midwest Hype has had a string of successes recently. Starting with a
slot at Summer Camp 2010 they have played the Chicago Bluegrass and
Blues Fest, the Indianapolis 500, Green Music Festival, opened for the
Wailers and GIRL TALK, and performed at this year's North Coast Music
Festival with Thievery Corporation, Wiz Kalifa, David Guetta and more.
ChiIL Mama/ChiIL Live Shows also had a string of successes recently, scoring press passes to shoot Summer Camp Music Fest, Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Fest and North Coast the past two years (and Lollapalooza/Kidzapalooza). We plan to be there with camera in hand, again in 2012.
I don't play an instrument myself, but I love live shows. I got the writing and photography/art genes instead. My
sister and Grandfather both played sax and of all the genre's I cover,
write up and shoot, punk or metal with sax is my hands down fav. I've always had a soft spot for sax with a hard, fast edge. Can't wait to see these guys tear it up Saturday.
*speaking
of killer sax........we have some amazing shots of Yakuza front man,
Bruce Lamont, sans sax, as Robert Plant--in LZ2 at House of Blues from
earlier this month. We'll have a full set of show shots and a "best of" up
soon. We got some sweet
crowd shots, too. The fans even got into the whole 1975 retro vibe
and held up lighters, old school style, instead of a sea of cell phones.
Loved it!
For more about this
Saturday's Badfish/Scotty Don't/Full Service/Midwest Hype show, check
out the bands' sites or follow them on FB and Twitter. Badfish Midwest Hype Check out The House of Blues main site for complete show info. We
highly recommend getting your tickets in advance. When we shot Led
Zeppelin 2's sold out show at HOB earlier this month, there were a lot
of people turned away at the door, wishing they hadn't waited on
tickets. Saturday 02/04/2012
Doors: 07:00 PM
Show: 08:00 PM
Prices:
$23.00 - GA - Advanced
$25.00 - GA - Day Of
Ages: 17+
House of Blues Chicago
329 N. Dearborn
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 923-2000
Headlining Artist:
Badfish - A Tribute to Sublime
Other Artists at this Event:
• Scotty Don't
• Full Service
• Midwest Hype
*Wait for Rafflecopter
to load up right here (if you've gone through RSS feed or are
scrolling down the blog and don't see it, click on the actual page
title and it should pop right up).Entries are easy. Winning rocks!
Chicago's F.A.M.E. Benefit at Rockit Ranch is coming up soon on March 8th. The foundation is currently reviewing auditions for a few more performance slots in that show. The link is here : http://fame-chicago.org/3.html. The event is being promoted by Chicago's Billy Dec & Windy City Live, so it should be an amazing night!FAME has started up to raise money to provide grants and scholarships for Chicago children in the arts.
Steffan, a young Chicago actor, model, and musician was asked to be one of the performers at the Chicago's F.A.M.E. Benefit at Rockit Ranch on March 8th.
He has his roots in musical theatre, but last year he was pulled away
a bit from that when he was cast one of only five kids from thousands
of auditions from across the country to represent KidzBop.
We've
corresponded with his mom, via e-mail, and plan to do an in depth
feature soon. According to her, KidsBop has been an incredible
opportunity for him, but his true dream is to share his original work
as a solo artist one day. He is an incredible musician who reads &
writes music. He has six original songs in the copyright process
right now. Steffan actually plays six instruments -- guitar, piano,
cello, french horn, ukulele & percussion.
His mom
also acknowledged that some of our edgier readers are bound to consider
KidzBop "kind of mainstream fluff that sometimes gets a bad wrap."
However, she wisely states that those who would bash it are never the
people who it's created for. The idea is to take the mainstream music
that parents & older teen siblings are listening to, and make a
(non-swearing/non-negative) version of those songs that are more
appropriate for younger kids. She told us Steffan is really having a
blast with it. But, he has more of a personal edge for music. His all
time favorite band/singer is Christofer Drew - NeverShoutNever. You can check him out in action right here.
