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Monday, September 23, 2013

ACT OUT OPENING: The Arts Before Entertainment Collective Presents a Double Feature: Two New Horror Plays Open October 2013 at Gorilla Tango Bucktown

The Arts Before Entertainment Collective (A.B.E.) presents an alternative to scary movies and haunted houses with double horror play feature Strokes Before the Coming of Midnight and Dead. Drunk. Girls. at Gorilla Tango Bucktown, 1919 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647. Production runs Thursdays at 7:30 pm from October 10 through October 31, 2013. Tickets are $18 general admission, $24 for onstage seating and complimentary beverages; tickets may be purchased at www.gorillatango.com or by calling 773-598-4549.  

One cast performs these two new plays, starting with Strokes Before the Coming of Midnight, a surreal psychological horror play based on a French myth. Deja vu, doppelgangers, and the demons that create them appear in the limbo between good and evil. Exploiting each other's fears and secrets, the cast of characters await the arrival of the devil himself, who is set to appear at the stroke of midnight. 
Dead. Drunk. Girls., featuring the same versatile cast, explores the pop culture horror stereotype of the tragically drunk girl. Through the experience of a bartender who's seen far too much, navigate through grind house suspense and cautionary tales of good nights gone bad. Don't forget to tip your bartender...


Matthew Defiore. Caption: "Worst case scenario in Strokes Before the Coming of Midnight." Photography by Tara Kline. 



Image 2 pictures actors Virginia Robinson and Nate Ross. Caption: "Cautionary tales don't get anyone very far in Dead. Drunk. Girls." Photography by Tara Kline. 

ABOUT THE ARTS BEFORE ENTERTAINMENT COLLECTIVE (A.B.E.)
The A.B.E. is an ensemble of Chicago-based artists who seek to advance live theatrical entertainment by collaborating across genre and involving audiences viscerally in the experience of live performance. A.B.E. includes Jysten West, Chicago director; designers Sean Stanford (sound) and Dalton Link (set). More information about upcoming collaborations can be found at theartsbefore.com.
For more information or to schedule a review, please contact Gwen Tulin at gwen@gorillatango.com or 773.798.9915. More information on Gorilla Tango Bucktown is available at info@gorillatango.com or 773.598.4549.

Gorilla Tango Bucktown is a year-round performance venue featuring an 80-seat black-box theater, rehearsal rooms, and co-producing contracts providing artists with marketing, box office, and front of house support as well as  strategic business advice for creating sustainable art.
Gorilla Tango Bucktown is conveniently located at the intersection of Western and Milwaukee in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. Easily accessible by public transportation, GT Bucktown is steps away from the Western Blue Line stop and the #49 Western, #56 Milwaukee, and #73 Armitage bus routes. Metered street parking is available on Milwaukee Avenue. Offering shows for a wide variety of audiences, Gorilla Tango Bucktown performances are listed in full on the website with descriptions and ratings similar to movie theater screenings. GT Bucktown now offers a selection of affordable beer and wine for purchase. Consult the website for rating information, tickets, and details about how to produce at this venue.


www.gorillatango.com
1919 N Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago IL 60647
773.598.4549

HELP LOCALLY: Cold Waves II Industrial, Metal, Cold Wave Benefit for Suicide Prevention at Metro

Cold Waves II is imminent this weekend at Metro.   Check it out.   A portion of this year's proceeds will benefit Hope for the Day, suicide prevention.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 & SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 28
18 & OVER / DOORS: 5:00 / SHOW: 6:00
PORTION OF PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT HOPE FOR THE DAY

SPECIAL LIMITED 2-DAY TICKET PACKAGE ($56)
LIMITED TO ONLY 400!

1-DAY TICKETS – GENERAL ADMISSION ($32)


FRIDAY LINEUP: PRONG, IRON LUNG CORP, 16 VOLT, SKREW, HATE DEPT, EVIL MOTHERS AND PLAGUE BRINGER.


SATURDAY LINEUP: COCKS MEMBERS, DOUGLAS J MCCARTHY (NITZER EBB), DIE WARZAU, ACUCRACK, THE CLAY PEOPLE, THE RABID WHOLE AND BILE.

http://coldwaves.net/festival-info/



HOPE FOR THE DAY
Hope For The Day is non-profit movement committed to educating youth, by using music and the arts as a defense mechanism against suicide. Our alternative approach strives to offer education, prevention and hope though creative expression.

Hope For The Day’s vision is to bring communities together in order to shed light on the unfortunate topics of depression and suicide. We wish to share the deeply personal connection creativity can have in fostering an environment of positive change to the suffering. We view art and music as a highway to the heart; two things that have allowed humanity to express our emotions for millennia. We wish to reduce suicide rates while inspiring and empowering the youth. Creating an awareness of suicide’s effects in Illinois with long term plans to go nationwide.





NEVER FORGET – JAMIE DUFFY
On June 21st, 2012 Jamie Duffy passed away in the early morning hours, leaving behind a legacy much greater than his known contributions to the industrial and metal genres. Even if you didn’t know Jamie Duffy, odds are that you still KNEW of Jamie Duffy and his work as he served as stage manager or as the soundman at many of your favorite Chicago venues such as the House of Blues, Cubby Bear, and Cabaret Metro amongst many others. He appeared on, mixed, produced, engineered, remixed or just plain influenced many of your favorite bands such as Chicago’s very own Ministry, Sister Machine Gun, Chris Connelly, Sister Soleil, Method Man, Lard and more.

In addition to being a sound engineer and producer, Jamie was also well known across Industrial Music’s landscape for his contributions as a member of the Coldwave/Metal hybrid band, Acumen Nation, and the Drum and Bass project, Dj? Acucrack not to mention his appearances on Pigface, Chemlab and Cyanotic albums.

Jamie Duffy’s contribution to the Metal and Industrial genres crossed over from releases on major record labels such as Warner Bros. Records and RCA records, to large independents such as WaxTrax!Records, to the smaller independent labels such as Invisible, Underground Inc, CrackNation records, WTII Records, Fifth Column and Metropolis records so it is more than likely that Jamie Duffy has touched you in some way even if you didn’t realize it at first.


Here’s a list of just some of Jamie Duffy’s musical credits, take a look, you may just realize that you know Jamie Duffy more than you think you do:

Chicago Artery's Debut Exhibition, He(Art): Art for Our Sake is a Call for Art, Action, and Solidarity in Chicago

Chicago Artery proposes a new world of possibility and promise for the city of Chicago through the arts in their debut exhibition, He(Art): Art for Our Sake. The fundraising exhibition will be open to the public from Saturday, October 5 through Saturday, October 26, 2013 with specific gallery and workshop hours available at gorillatango.com. Opening celebration is Sunday, October 6, 2013 from 5 to 9 pm at Gorilla Tango Bucktown, 1919 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago IL 60647. All events are free and open to the public. Artwork, wares, beer, and wine will be available for purchase. 


Photography by Ali Rigell. Caption: "Chris Hill puts the final touches on his headline poem/portrait of Chicago at a Chicago Artery workshop at The Center on Halsted."


He(Art): Art for Our Sake is both an exhibition and a creative call to action. Its purpose is to bring artists and citizens of Chicago together to celebrate and investigate the power and opportunity inherent in arts engagement, and to work together to discover how art can be used as a tool to contribute to the cultural development of Chicago's community. The exhibition will feature work created in Chicago Artery's free workshops as well as select works made by artists from all over Chicago. 20% of proceeds from artworks sold will go to Chicago Artery to facilitate future programming and expansion. 

Chicago Artery will host free art workshops at Gorilla Tango Bucktown throughout October. Workshops will be facilitated by leading Chicago arts educators and are appropriate for all ages and levels of experience. For details about workshops, docent hours, and how to participate, visit gorillatango.com

Photography by Chris Hill. Caption: "Teaching Artist Chris Hill demonstrates how to apply printing ink to his hand-carved linoleum block with a brayer at a printmaking workshop at The Center on Halsted."

ABOUT CHICAGO ARTERY
Chicago Artery is a group of artists, educators, and arts supporters committed to empowering and connecting Chicago citizens in progressive ways using art as the primary platform. Collaboration, shared learning, and individual expression are at the core of Chicago Artery's mission. Chicago Artery believes that art and its practice are essential to education and cultural growth and make all their events accessible to all, no matter their circumstance. Chicago Artery's free, public arts programming is now being held weekly at The Center on Halsted and the Lincoln Park Community Shelter. Interested community members or potential supporters can contact Chicago Artery at chicagoartery.org or visit Chicago Artery on Facebook.


Gorilla Tango Bucktown is a year-round performance venue featuring an 80-seat black-box theater, rehearsal rooms, and co-producing contracts providing artists with marketing, box office, and front of house support as well as  strategic business advice for creating sustainable art.

Gorilla Tango Bucktown is conveniently located at the intersection of Western and Milwaukee in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. Easily accessible by public transportation, GT Bucktown is steps away from the Western Blue Line stop and the #49 Western, #56 Milwaukee, and #73 Armitage bus routes. Metered street parking is available on Milwaukee Avenue. Offering shows for a wide variety of audiences, Gorilla Tango Bucktown performances are listed in full on the website with descriptions and ratings similar to movie theater screenings. GT Bucktown now offers a selection of affordable beer and wine for purchase. Consult the website for rating information, tickets, and details about how to produce at this venue.


www.gorillatango.com
1919 N Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago IL 60647
773.598.4549

Sunday, September 22, 2013

REVIEW: Original Photo Recap Savages at Metro #OriginalPhotos #review



London alternative, post punk band, Savages, are a genuine stand out in a sea of mediocrity.   They have a fantastic look, talent to back it, and a stage presence that belies their youth.  Their debut, Silence Yourself, has been garnering all kinds of acclaim, but they truly shine live.  They've been around since 2011 but are now gaining an international following.  On 9 December 2012, the BBC announced that the band had been nominated for the Sound of 2013 poll.  Their debut album hit #19 on the UK charts in May of 2013.  
Highly recommended!   

Savages are:

  • Jehnny Beth (vocals) - real name Camille Berthomier; previously part of the French indie rock duo John & Jehn.
  • Gemma Thompson (guitar)
  • Ayse Hassan (bass)
  • Fay Milton (drums)






Fay goes nuts on the drums with energy and passion reminiscent of her early garage band days.   







We caught their recent appearance at The Metro in Chicago and they truly killed it.   Their lyrics are some of the deepest, most insightful truths I've heard in a long while.  Their vocals and music are reminiscent of Siouxsie Sioux, Sonic Youth, PJ Harvey, Joy Division and Bauhaus, yet they retain a unique, new sound that keeps them from coming across as derivative. 





Not just boys fun.   This powerhouse band of women is androgynous, sexy and talented, with insight to spare.   We know the vibrato is not everyone's cup of tea, but we dig it!   Lead singer Jehnny Beth (given name: Camille Berthomier) is from France,  and the rest of the band is from England.  Their manager John Best also manages Sigur Ros.  



We highly recommend checking them out. Thousands of band, pitches and promos come across our screen every week, but it's been a long time since I was this jazzed about new talent.   They rocked Pitchfork and Coachella Music and Arts Fest 2013 and have been selling out venues throughout the US and Europe.


Check out a few of their videos here.






Their first release, Silence Yourself, is available now via Beth's own label Pop Noire and Matador Records (released on 6 May 2013),





We also think they're absolutely on track with Silence Your Phones and Silence Yourself.    There's no lack of information in society today, but people are losing the ability to be entirely, deeply in the moment, without the distractions of technology.

DEAR AUDIENCE
OUR GOAL IS TO ALWAYS DISCOVER BETTER WAYS OF LIVING AND EXPERIENCING MUSIC
WE BELIEVE THERE ARE STILL NEW WAYS TO BE FOUND
WE BELIEVE THE USE OF PHONES TO FILM AND TAKE PICTURES DURING A GIG PREVENTS ALL OF US FROM TOTALLY IMMERSING OURSELVES
ONLY WITH FULL EXPERIENCE WILL THE WORDS WE SPEAK BE TRUE
LET’S MAKE EACH EVENING SPECIAL
SILENCE YOUR PHONES


THE WOLRD USED TO BE SILENT
NOW IT HAS TOO MANY VOICES
AND THE NOISE IS A CONSTANT DISTRACTION
THEY MULTIPLY, INTENSIFY
THEY WILL DIVERT YOUR ATTENTION TO WHAT’S CONVENIENT
AND FORGET TO TELL YOU ABOUT YOURSELF
WE LIVE IN AN AGE OF MANY STIMULATIONS
IF YOU ARE FOCUSED YOU ARE HARDER TO REACH
IF YOU ARE DISTRACTED YOU ARE AVAILABLE
YOU ARE DISTRACTED
YOU ARE AVAILABLE
YOU WANT FLATTERY
ALWAYS LOOKING TO WHERE IT’S AT
YOU WANT TO TAKE PART IN EVERYTHING AND EVERYTHING TO BE A PART OF YOU
YOUR HEAD IS SPINNING FAST AT THE END OF YOUR SPINE UNTIL YOU HAVE NO FACEAT ALL
AND YET
IF THE WORLD WOULD SHUT UP
EVEN FOR A WHILE
PERHAPS
WE WOULD START HEARING THE DISTANT RHYTHM OF AN ANGRY YOUNG TUNE – AND RECOMPOSE OURSELVES
PERHAPS
HAVING DECONSTRUCTED EVERYTHING
WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT PUTTING EVERYTHING BACK TOGETHER
SILENCE YOURSELF



What They're about:


SAVAGES is not trying to give you something you didn’t have already, it is calling within yourself something you buried ages ago, it is an attempt to reveal and reconnect yourPHYSICAL and EMOTIONAL self and give you the urge to experience your life differently, your girlfriends, your husbands, your jobs, your erotic life and the place music occupies in your life. Because we must teach ourselves new ways of POSITIVE MANIPULATIONS, music and words are aiming to strike like lightning, like a punch in the face, a determination to understand the WILL and DESIRES of the self.

Check out Savages "manifestos" from their web site.


SAVAGES’ INTENTION IS TO CREATE A SOUND, INDESTRUCTIBLE, MUSICALLY SOLID,WRITTEN FOR THE STAGE AND DESIGNED WITH ENOUGH NUANCES TO PROVIDE AWIDE RANGE OF EMOTIONS. SAVAGES ARE A SELF-AFFIRMING VOICE TO HELP EXPERIENCE OUR GIRLFRIENDS DIFFERENTLY, OUR HUSBANDS, OUR JOBS, OUR EROTIC LIFE, AND THE PLACE MUSIC OCCUPIES INTO OUR LIVES. SAVAGES’ SONGS AIM TO REMIND US THAT HUMAN BEINGS HAVEN’T EVOLVED SO MUCH, THAT MUSIC CAN STILL BE STRAIGHT TO THE POINT, EFFICIENT AND EXCITING.

SAVAGES is not trying to give you something you didn’t have already, it is calling within yourself something you buried ages ago, it is an attempt to reveal and reconnect yourPHYSICAL and EMOTIONAL self and give you the urge to experience your life differently, your girlfriends, your husbands, your jobs, your erotic life and the place music occupies in your life. Because we must teach ourselves new ways of POSITIVE MANIPULATIONS, music and words are aiming to strike like lightning, like a punch in the face, a determination to understand the WILL and DESIRES of the self.
This album is to be played loud in the foreground.

IN OUR MODERN WORLD, MAN ASSIDUOUSLY ABANDONS HIS LIFE TO PRACTICAL NECESSITIES AND HIS IMAGINATION TO SLAVERY. MANIPULATIONS AND FEARS –MANIPULATION BY FEAR – ARE METED OUT TO YOUNG, INTELLIGENT AND RADICAL PEOPLE WHO YIELD TO THE PRESSURE OF ACCEPTED PRACTICES AND MANY AGE-OLD SERVITUDES. THE ELDER GENERATION HASN’T COME TO WARN THEM: EACH OF THEM CAME TO TELL ABOUT THEMSELVES. EACH ONE TO TELL HOW THEY HAD EATEN, HOW THEY HAD SLEPT, HOW THEY HAD IMPORTANT ORGASMS, IMPORTANT CHILDHOODS AND DREAMS. BECAUSE AN HONEST LIFE IS ADVERTISED AS A LIFE OF SILENCE, NORMALITY AND DULL CONCEIT. ART IS STULTIFIED. LOVE A PRIVILEGE. AND IN THE VICINITY OF OUR MOST SPLENDID CREATIVE YOUTH, IT IS STRONGLY ADVICE TO KEEP OUR MOUTH SHUT IF WE WANT TO SUCCEED.





Tuesday, September 17, 2013

HIRAX Delays Release of Immortal Legacy to 2014



Legendary Thrash Metal band HIRAX have to push back the release of the new studio album "Immortal Legacy" to 2014. 


Singer and mastermind Katon W. De Pena says: "We are sorry for the delays as we know that the fans are waiting desperately for the album, but we have had some unexpected delays in the studio and we do not want to release a half hearted album. Our fans deserve only the best, so watch out for one of the best thrash metal records released in a long time. We are also sorry that the Flotsam & Jetsam / Hirax European tour is cancelled, but due to circumstances beyond our control, we had to pull the plug. We are planning a full scale US tour in March, and have further plans to return to Europe. As a little compensation, we will release a digital single for the song "Hellion Rising" on November 22nd. Thanks for all your understanding and patience, and be sure that 2014 will be a killer year for Hirax. Horns Up!"

The album will be released now in Germany on February 21st, in Europe on February 24th and in the US/Canada on March 4th through SPV/Steamhammer as CD, gatefold coloured LP and download.

The new digital single "Hellion Rising" will be available worldwide on November 22nd.

The current line up of HIRAX consists of Katon W. DePena - Vocals, Lance Harrison - Lead guitars, Steve Harrison - Bass guitar and Jorge Iacobellis - Drums

The new album is produced by Bill Metoyer (Slayer, Armored Saint, W.A.S.P., Sacred Reich) and the cover was drawn by legendary artist Philip Lawvere (Kreator/Celtic Frost). It´s his first oil painting in 25 years since coming out of retirement. Guest guitar players on the album are Jim Durkin (Dark Angel), Juan Garcia (Agent Steel/Evildead) and Rocky George (Suicidal Tendencies/Fishbone). 

Tracklisting:

1.Hellion Rising
- The Conquests
- Thunder Roar
2. La Boca De La Bestia - Mouth of the Beast
3. Mass Hysteria
4. Tied to the Gallows Pole
5. Atlantis - Journey to Atlantis (instrumental)
6. Victims of the Dead
7. Black Smoke
8. Sign of the Wolf
9. Immortal Legacy
10. Violence of Action
11. Deceiver
12. Mephistopheles
13. Earthshaker (instrumental)
14. The World Will Burn (Suffer the World)

_______________________________________


INAUGURAL EXPO ART WEEK SURROUNDING EXPO CHICAGO NOW THROUGH SEPT 22

EXPO CHICAGO, Choose Chicago and Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Collaborate to Highlight Unique Programming and Special Events Surrounding Second Annual Exposition Sept. 19 – 22 

EXPO CHICAGO, The International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art, in conjunction with Choose Chicago and Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), present EXPO ART WEEK, a citywide celebration of arts and culture with over 100 special events, institutions, museums, galleries, theaters and restaurants participating, Sept. 16 – 22, 2013. For an entire list of EXPO ART WEEK events including Chicago gallery openings, visit expochicago.com/visitors/expo-art-week.


Launching the international fall arts season and as the centerpiece of EXPO ART WEEK, EXPO CHICAGO (Sept. 19 – 22) will join together with the city’s most prestigious cultural institutions to highlight the unique programming and special events offered throughout Chicago. Presenting both public and VIP events, EXPO ART WEEK invites collectors, dealers, art enthusiasts, tourists and residents to experience the artistic depth that is rooted in this city and what makes Chicago a true cultural destination.

“To see the city of Chicago and all of the leading cultural and entertainment institutions join together in an effort to showcase the city’s arts and culture during EXPO ART WEEK is truly extraordinary,” said EXPO CHICAGO President and Director Tony Karman. “We envision that the joint partnership with both the institutions aligned with Choose Chicago and DCASE will further enhance our efforts to attract the world’s leading collectors, curators and art enthusiasts to visit our city and attend EXPO CHICAGO during this exciting week.”

“EXPO CHICAGO is an important asset to the cultural fabric of our city. With the broader experience of EXPO ART WEEK, residents of Chicago as well as visitors from around the world can take advantage of the incredible talent and artistry on display,” said Commissioner, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Michelle T. Boone. Choose Chicago Vice President, Cultural Tourism & Neighborhoods Melissa Cherry added “Choose Chicago is proud to promote EXPO ART WEEK to national and international visitors and encourage them to experience EXPO CHICAGO and all the great events that are taking place at that time.”



EXPO ART WEEK PUBLIC EVENTS: 

EXPO CHICAGO has worked closely with both cultural and civic organizations in order to maximize the rich and vibrant culture on display during EXPO ART WEEK.  

To kick off EXPO ART WEEK, EXPO CHICAGO and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) join together for a celebration at the Civic Opera House (Green Roof, 20 N. Wacker Dr.) The evening also includes a reception at Cooper Technica, Inc., a vintage auto restoration company, where a special exhibition of rare Avion Voisins will be on display juxtaposed with work by Brice McCall presented by James Goodman Gallery. To conclude the celebratory evening, charity:water will host a public soiree at the W Lakeshore (172 W. Adams). Leaving New York for the first time, charity:water's "WaterWalk" raises money to provide clean water throughout the world. Join MC, Kevin Aeh and Chicago designer Jason Pickleman, who has created a signature piece for the event as guests walk down a runway to raise money for sanitation and water projects in Orissa, India.

The Fall season of “The Dinner Party” kicks off on Sept. 16th with NBC’s “Chicago Fire” and “Sex and the City” star, David Eigenberg, Artistic Director of The Goodman Theatre, Robert Falls and Second City’s Katie Rich. Chef Jason Vincent, voted one of Food and Wines best chefs for 2013, makes dinner for everyone, including the audience, while host Elysabeth Alfano engages in a cultural conversation.

“The Goodman Theatre is proud to be taking part in this year’s EXPO ART WEEK, one of this city’s hallmark events,” said Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Robert Falls.  “The scope and range of Chicago’s vibrant arts and cultural scene is truly amazing, and this citywide celebration of every facet of our artistic community reaffirms Chicago’s status as a world class arts center.”

On Tuesday, Sept. 16, a large-scale aluminum sculpture, “Complex Form #6,” by American artist Sol LeWitt (1928 – 2007), in association with Rosenthal Fine Art, will be installed at the home of EXPO CHICAGO, Navy Pier.

Performance artist and Chicago native Tony Orrico, represented by MARSO Gallery, will present “Penwald: 8: 12 by 12 on Knees” at the Chicago Cultural Center (77 E. Randolph St) on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Centralizing on themes of cyclic motion and the generation and regeneration of material, Orrico’s work draws on the tension between what is fleeting and what is captured.

That same evening at the Chicago Cultural Center, The Andy Warhol Museum and KIWI Arts Group present’s William John Kennedy's Signature "Warhol Holding the Marilyn Acetate" photograph to the Chicago Public Library.

The WAC Crawl is the latest development of the Wabash Arts Corridor. Featuring gallery openings, concerts, dance and street performances, multimedia demonstrations, chalk art, sidewalk sales, the unveiling of the Columbia College’s Papermaker’s Garden and a Joffrey Ballet rehearsal performance in the storied Auditorium Theatre, the event serves as a gateway to the South Loop along Wabash Avenue from Congress to Roosevelt.

Level,” a free, five-day (Sept. 18 – 22), annual architecture and art event showcasing site specific, experimental, interactive installations that embrace Chicago’s rich cultural landscape.  During EXPO ART WEEK, architects, designers and artists will transform four unique spaces along the Chicago River into destination places for visitors and locals alike.

The Chicago Public Library will host a special presentation featuring their Artist’s Month Artist-in-Residence, Chicago resident Tom Burtonwood, talking about his inspiration in creating his 3-D book “Orihon (3D Printed Accordion Book),” and demonstrating how it was produced. The event will take place simultaneously during the opening of EXPO CHICAGO on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 6 pm at the Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center
Innovation Lab (400 S. State Street, 3rd floor).

The Briar Street Theatre, home of the long-running Blue Man Group, will present a semi-permanent out-door art gallery featuring the work of six selected artists. 10’ by 10’ reproductions of each artist’s piece will be placed on the South exterior wall of the Briar Street Theatre in Lakeview (3133 N. Halsted St.) with the original pieces on display inside the lobby.  The unveiling will take place in conjunction with EXPO ART WEEK on Friday, Sept. 20 at 11:30 am.

Project Onward, which supports adult artists with mental and developmental disabilities, celebrates EXPO ART WEEK with the opening of their new facility at the Bridgeport Art Center and its inaugural gallery exhibition “Brothers for Life: Ricky and Wesley Willis.” Project Onward will also install site-specific artworks at EXPO CHICAGO, created by Ricky Willis.

The 15th Annual World Music Festival Chicago, presented by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, will take place during EXPO ART WEEK, featuring more than 70 international performances representing 34 countries from around the globe. Starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, Magic Carpet (World Jazz Fusion), Black Bear Combo (Balkan Brass Band), Las BomPleneras (Bomba & Plena) and Byzantine Time Machine (Ethno Dub) will perform during EXPO CHICAGO at the Landshark Beer Garden at Navy Pier.

Offering special promotions and discounted tickets to the general public during EXPO ART WEEK and kicking off the fall performance art season, are some of Chicago’s finest entertainment institutions.

“The fall season is an exciting time in the arts community, when some of the most vibrant and exciting work is shared and presented, setting the tone for the season ahead. It is our hope that in engaging with EXPO CHICAGO and this shared international audience, all Chicagoans will benefit from this extraordinary endeavor,” said Steppenwolf Theatre Company Artistic Director Martha Lavey. “Just as Lyric Opera aspires to provide a broad, deep cultural service to the city, EXPO ART WEEK provides international visitors and residents alike the chance to experience the diverse offerings of Chicago's vibrant arts institutions,” added General Director of the Lyric Opera Anthony Freud.

Institutions include Blue Man Group, Broadway in Chicago, Goodman Theatre, the Joffrey Ballet, Lookingglass Theatre, River North Dance Chicago and Steppenwolf Theatre. In addition, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will offer EXPO CHICAGO VIP’s premiere seating and the Lyric Opera of Chicago will offer EXPO CHICAGO VIP’s an exclusive backstage tour of one of Chicago’s staple buildings both from a performance and architectural standpoint.  Broadway in Chicago, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance and the Joffrey Ballet will also offer special discounts and experiences for VIP’s. For a full list of events contact Kathleen Rapp at k.rapp@expositionchicago.com

EXPO ART WEEK has also teamed with some of Chicago’s top restaurants as well as the Illinois Restaurant Association/Chicago Gourmet in order to highlight the culinary talents of the city. Blackbird, David Burke’s Steakhouse, Embeya, Grace, Longman &  Eagle, Masaki, MK, MOTO, NOMI, Pelago, Publican, Pump Room, Sepia, Spiaggia and Trencherman will provide special offers with proof of an EXPO CHICAGO ticket or EXPO ART WEEK official NewCity Guide.

In addition to EXPO CHICAGO, two satellite fairs will run during EXPO ART WEEK. EDITION Chicago connects new and established contemporary art collectors to galleries and organizations representing and promoting emerging artists from around the country. The fair is held at Chicago Artists Coalition (217 N. Carpenter St.) Sept. 20 – 22. Fountain Art Fair, celebrated as the first of a new influential generation of alternative fairs, aims to showcase the most progressive programming providing an accessible platform for artists, galleries and independent projects from Chicago and beyond. The fair will be held at the new Mana Contemporary, storage facility located at 2233 S. Throop St., Sept. 20 – 22.

Gallery Weekend Chicago will once again work in tandem with EXPO CHICAGO to highlight the city’s premier contemporary art galleries with viewings of new exhibitions and artist talks at Chicago’s top galleries. For more information visit www.galleryweekendchicago.com.

Concurrent exhibitions taking place during EXPO ART WEEK include:

The Art institute of Chicago’s “Tomoaki Suzuki,” “Impressionism, Fashion and Modernity,” “Zarina: Paper Like Skin,” “Isaac Julien, The Long Road to Mazatlán, 2000” and “Shomei Tomatsu: Island Life”
The Arts Club of Chicago’s “Josiah McElheny: Two Clubs at the Arts Club”
Butterflies & Buffalo: Tales of the American Culture, the world’s largest film camera in a monumental series of 24-foot portraits representing some of our nation’s most magnificent cultures located on the city’s Riverside Plaza
Chicago Cultural Center’s “Stephen Sagmeister: The Happy Show,” “SHIFT: New Media exhibit by Luftwerk” that incorporates three distinct, yet interconnected works to immerse viewers in a heightened experience of sight, color, and sound; and “the Chicago Music Summit;”
The DePaul Art Museum’s “HereStillNow: Photographs by Paul D’Amato”
Digitial to Analog at the W Lakeshore, a video screening in the living room and bar curated by Aspect Ratio gallery Director Jefferson Godard
The Dusable Museum of African American History’s “Kin Killin’ Kin” and “AfriCOBRA and Beyond (Art and Impact)”
Elmhurst Art Museum & Mies van der Rohe’s McCormick House’s “Inventory: EAM’s Collection”
Gallery 400 at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s “THE PROGRAM”
The Graham Foundation’s “Environments and counter Environments: The Experimental Media in Italy: The New Domestic Landscape, MoMA 1972”
Hyde Park Art Center’s “Amanda Gentry: Expanding” and “Light and the Unseen”
The International Beethoven Project’s “Beethoven Festival: LOVE 2013”
INTUIT: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art’s “Eddie Harris”
Loyola University Museum of Art’s “Andra Samelson: Cosmologies,” “Indira Johnson: Ten Thousand Ripples” and “Teresa Albor: All That Lies Beyond Us”
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago’s “MCA Plaza Project: Amanda Ross Ho;” “BMO Harris Bank Chicago Works: José Lerma;” “MCA DNA: Chicago Conceptual Abstraction, 1986 – 1995,” “Theaster Gates: 13th Ballad;” “Think First, Shoot Later: Photography from the MCA Collection;,” “Modern Cartoonist: The Art of Daniel Clowes,” “Homebodies” and “Paul Sietsema”
Museum of Contemporary Photography’s “Backstory: LaToya Ruby Frazier, Ron Jude and Guillaume Simoneau”
National Museum of Mexican Art’s “Annual Day of the Dead Exhibition”
Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park’s “Carts & Cocktails”
Renaissance Society’s “Suicide Narcissus”
Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts’ “Arts+ Public Life Artist Fellows Exhibition”
Richard H. Driehaus Museum’s “Louis Comfort Tiffany: Treasures from the Driehaus Collection”
The Rug Company’s “Demons, Yarns and Tales”
Smart Museum’s “Gigi Scaria: City Unclaimed”
Sullivan Galleries, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s “News from Nowhere: Chicago Laboratory”
threewalls “Community Supported Art Chicago: 2011 – 2013, special exhibition”
Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art’s Chicago’s Bauhaus Legacy”

Discounted airfare, hotel accommodations and travel arrangements can be made through Turon Travel, an agency dedicated to creating an expedient and fully accessible travel network for the global arts community. Guests may stay at any of EXPO CHICAGO’s partner hotels including the Conrad Chicago, James Hotel Chicago, The Langham Chicago, PUBLIC Chicago, the Park Hyatt and the W Lakeshore.

Shuttles, provided by Discover, will be available during EXPO CHICAGO (Sept. 19 – 22) to transport attendees from Navy Pier around the city to enjoy events, tours and lectures at the partnering arts organizations and institutions in partnership with “Chicago Gallery News.”

About Choose Chicago 
Choose Chicago is the official destination marketing organization for Chicago, Illinois whose mission is to bring regional, national and international business and leisure visitors to Chicago for the economic benefit of the City, the community and membership. Choose Chicago is a private, nonprofit organization that is responsible for marketing the greater Chicago area and is contracted by the City of Chicago and the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority to act as the official sales and marketing agency for McCormick Place and Chicago.

About Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is dedicated to promoting and supporting Chicago’s arts and culture sector. This includes, but is not limited to: fostering the development of Chicago’s nonprofit arts sector, independent working artists, and for-profit arts businesses; presenting high-quality, free or low-fee cultural programs accessible to residents and visitors; and marketing the City’s cultural assets to local, regional, and global audiences. DCASE produces nearly 2,000 public programs, events and support services annually, generating millions in economic benefits for the City of Chicago.

About EXPO CHICAGO
Art Expositions, LLC presents EXPO CHICAGO/2013, The International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art. Situated at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall (600 E. Grand Avenue), Sept. 19 – 22, this four-day art event features over 125 leading international galleries and offers diverse programming including /Dialogues, IN/SITU and EXPO VIDEO. Under the leadership of President and Director Tony Karman, EXPO CHICAGO draws upon the city’s rich history as a vibrant destination for arts and culture, helping to define the contemporary art community in Chicago while inspiring the city’s collector base. Vernissage, the opening night preview benefiting the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago takes place Thursday, Sept 19, 6 – 9 p.m. Tickets start at $100. For more information call 312.397.3868 or visit mcachicago.org/vernissage. General Admission to the exposition is Friday, Sept. 20 – Sunday, Sept. 22 (Fri. and Sat., 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.). EXPO ART WEEK takes place Monday, Sept 16 – Sunday, Sept. 20. For tickets to the exposition ($20 for one day, $30 for three day) or more information about EXPO CHICAGO and EXPO ART WEEK, visit www.expochicago.com.  Northern Trust is the Presenting Sponsor and United Airlines is the official airline of EXPO CHICAGO.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

REVIEW: Catch PigPen Theatre's Charming and Magical Production of The Old Man and The Old Moon at Writers Theatre

We caught opening night of The Old Man and The Old Moon and were completely charmed!   This is good, old fashioned, down home music and story telling at it's best.   The fantastical shadow puppet elements are particularly effective, as are the recycled art puppets.   I've never seen a plastic bottle and mop with so MUCH canine personality.   Utterly awesome!   I also adored the way the troupe rallied together to become THE BOAT.   Look out Redmoon.   You have some talented competition in town!



The original score is an integral and excellent part of the whole production, with the musicians playing an active role on stage instead of relegated to the wings. The writing is superb as well.   There were plenty of universal truths for the plot and characters to strike a chord... longing for adventure, comforts of a home base, fears and chaos of natural disasters.    It's easy to take someone you love for granted until they're gone.   And it's easy to let the minutia of work get in the way of having adventures, keeping promises and spending time with family.   We love the idea of the moon and letting its waxing and waning take its course instead of rushing to keep it full every day.   What a great analogy to following in life!

This show is aimed at adults but fine for all ages.  



Click here to check out our past coverage for full show details.   

Dates:              First performance: September 3, 2013
                                   
                       Closing performance: November 10, 2013
           
            Schedule:         Tuesdays: 7:30pm
                                   Wednesdays: 7:30pm (with select 2:00pm matinees)
                        Thursdays & Fridays: 8:00pm 
                                   Saturdays: 4:00pm and 8:00pm
                        Sundays: 2:00pm and 6:00pm
             
                        Location:          Writers Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe
                        Prices:              Prices for all performances range from $35 - $70
                                                Purchase early for best prices   
           
Box Office:       The Box Office is located at 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe;
                        847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org




Also, if you're 21+ check out PigPen Theatre Co. in residency at Schubas.   Click here our prior coverage on all the residency/album release details.


We got an advance press copy of their upcoming album and will be reviewing it right before the release.




Coinkidink alert:  We do love odd coincidences.   In the microcosm of the Chicago theatre world what are the odds of two productions playing simultaneously that feature dirigibles?!   

Check out the OTHER dirigible play, Babes With Blades' awesome Bo Thomas and the Case of the Sky Pirates.   Click here for ChiIL Live Shows' Review.

The cast interviews posted in the lobby were an amusing read and we found more than a few coinkidinks there, too.  Gotta love theatre peeps and improvisers.   They give creative, off the cuff answers!     

  • I've been to Chagrine Falls and know the falls of which they speak.  Much to my chagrine--they're tiny!   
  • Back in the day, my sister and I both went out with guys from Chagrine Falls that we met in Portland & Cincinnati respectively (who turned out to know each other).   They used to go over the falls on dares for fun as teen agers.

    • I'd just finished watching the "Princess Bride" movie with the kids right before I left for The Old Man and The Old Moon
    • a long time friend of mine who is now a college theatre prof/set designer is also an alum of this troupe's college, 

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