Houdini Box-ChiIL Mama's Video Interview With Blair Thomas and Hannah Kohl

Houdini Box at Chicago Children's Theatre opened to rave reviews and critical acclaim.  ChiIL Mama had the great opportunity to interview director, Blair Thomas and book/lyrics writer, Hannah Kohl.  Catch this show while you can, before it performs a disappearing act worthy of the great magician himself.
   
Houdini Box is suitable for kids 5 and up, but all ages through adults will enjoy this magical production full of puppetry, excellent music, and a mysterious, creative storyline.    Houdini Box is playing in Chicago at The Mercury Theatre through March 4th, then rematerializing in Skokie from March 14th-25th.

*Check out ChiIL Mama's Houdini Box review and photo filled feature here.   

*Check out our interview with Oscar nominee, Brian Selznick, author of the original children's stories Houdini Box, the play, and Hugo, the movie, were based on!   He's joined by Mark "Mucca Pazza" Messing, one of our favorite musical masterminds who wrote the score to Houdini Box and the recently extended Hunchback Variations, also now playing!

Click here for tickets and further information.

Badfish & Scotty Don't Rock House of Blues Chicago 2/4/12 (photos)

Badfish and Scotty Don't rocked House of Blues Chicago, February 4th, 2012. Check back with ChiIL Live Shows like we vote in Chi, IL....early and often. We've got show video footage and CD reviews coming soon!

Midwest Hype Opens for Badfish at HOB Chicago 2/4/12 (photos)

We have a review of Midwest Hype's new CD and show videos soon to come.   So check in with ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.

Full Service Opens for Badfish-HOB Chicago (photos)

Here are ChiIL Live Shows original shots from The House of Blues-Chicago show on 2/4/2012.    It was our great pleasure to see Badfish and Scotty Don't live.    Local favorites, Midwest Hype, opened and we enjoyed a first listen to Full Service, pictured above.

It may still be winter in Chi-Town but all 4 bands made us want to dance barefoot and welcome the summer festival season in with a vengeance.    We had a chance to check out Full Service's self titled CD,  released in 2011, with 10 fun tracks including Lately, Coconuts, Hi Ho, Gymnasium, Ramona, Tasteless Gravy, Rocketships (LIVE), Hotter in the House, Trumpets & Hallways.    It may just make you wanna pack up the tent in a micro bus and hit the road!   Keep an ear out for these boys on the summer circuit.    They put on a sweet, live show.


Give them a listen at their main site, Full Service Music, here.

They're currently rockin' Austin, TX (their current home base) and just premiered their documentary, "TAKEOVER!", about their unique, determined underdog style of co-opting tours and scrambling their way up from the parking lot scene to the main stage!.   Check out the details on their Takeover!  Facebook page and website.


Home is Where The Yard Is Vol 1 is now available, too.   

ChiIL Live Shows will have HD videos from that night, from all 3 bands, coming soon.   So check back like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.   See you out there.

 

New REPTAR track today! #Free Download

Reptar has just announced that their debut full-length album, Body Faucet, will be released May 1st via Vagrant. Produced by Ben Allen (Animal Collective, Gnarls Barkley, Washed Out), the new record is the follow up to the group’s debut EP Oblangle Fizz Y’all. Grouplove support tour dates, Sasquatch and Bonnaroo announcements, and more.

To celebrate the announcement, they're asking fans to sign up for the band's mailing list to grab a free download of the lead track and first single from the record, "Sebastian."

Email For Download Code:


REPTAR

Facebook: http://facebook.com/reptarmusic

Twitter: http://twitter.com/reptarathens

Website (circa 1995!): http://reptarmusic.com/

ChiIL Live Shows Facebook Page #Free Give Away

ChiIL Live Shows has a brand spankin' new Facebook Page and we could use some like love.    We'll be running loads of free downloads, worldwide tour news, live Chi, IL show dates/features in the theatre and music scene, and new artists that will only appear on our FB page.

Then we'll run also run a feed from the blog with our original band video interviews, live show shots, give aways and reviews.    To kick things off right, we're giving away Colin Quinn's Long Story Short DVD to one of our random likers as soon as we hit the big 100, thanks to our friends over at MVD.   We're more than half way there!

Every time we hit a new 100 likes we're picking one winner from our followers for new DVDs, CDs & more. First up-this sweet DVD-Colin Quinn-Long Story Short ($19.99). 

 

Remember Colin Quinn-side kick on MTV's Remote Control?   He's nobody's sidekick now!!   We were front row, center on opening night, when he came through Chi-Town with his freakin' funny one man show.  Now he can be all yours, to play at will, without leaving the couch.   

 

His wise and wickedly witty take on humanity and history had us laughing out loud.  Even now, months later, his schtick is still stuck in my head.   I can't sit down to work without his rant about bloggers and cavemen coming to mind.   I'm a bit flattered, though.   He mostly lampoons people groups, and only a few professions made the cut.   Note to Colin...bloggers may have the cave man keyboard stance, but we're the cockroaches of the publishing world...surviving, thriving and multiplying while traditional media is dropping like the dinosaurs.

 

I know you WANT this DVD.

 

COLIN QUINN - Long Story Short
on DVD and Blu-ray 

The one-man show directed by Jerry Seinfeld
                                                         
"Hilarious!" New York Times

Nominated for a 2011 Emmy Award
 Taped before a live audience at the Helen Hayes Theatre in New York City, Colin Quinn: Long Story Short showcases the comedian's keen observations in the uproarious history of the world, juxtaposing modern-day human behavior with the rise and fall of empires.

Colin Quinn began his comic career in New York as a regular on the comedy show circuit. Colin made his television debut as co-host of MTV's popular game show "Remote Control". Quinn landed a spot on the legendary late-night show, "Saturday Night Live" where  he entertained audience for five seasons. After SNL, Quinn tackled societal issues on "Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn". Colin's first one-man show Sanctifying Grace, began off-Broadway in 1994 and was later produced as Colin Quinn - An Irish Wake and played at the Helen Hayes Theatre. Last summer, Colin appeared in the Adam Sandler comedy "Grown Ups". He can be seen in Sony's "Donny's Boy" opposite Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg, June 2012.

From his personification of Caesar as the original Italian mobster, to his complaints about Ancient Greece and Antigone giving way to Costco and Snooki, Quinn is at his satirical best, taking on the attitudes, appetites and bad habits that have toppled the world's most powerful nations.

First running on Broadway, then airing on HBO, the show's Broadway run was extended due to the popularity. Quinn has been touring Long Story Short throughout 2011 and took a show to the highly acclaimed Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal where it received tremendous accolades. Directed for the stage by Jerry Seinfeld, the Broadway show was produced by Eva Price and Richard Martini. 

Bonus Features:
- Commentary with Colin Quinn and director Jerry Seinfeld
- Behind-the-Scenes Footage
- Press Event Footage

Press:
"Quinn is a Master. A Polished Act." - Daily News
"Colin Quinn nails it.  State of the art." Time Magazine
"Brisk and Seinfeldian" New York Magazine


 
Click this link for more info

ABOUT VIDEO SERVICES CORP.
Founded in 1993 by former rock critic Jonathan Gross, Video Services Corp. is a leading independent DVD distributor with offices in Los Angeles and Toronto. With a vast catalogue strong in television, sports and comedy, some of VSC's releases include the Canadian hit Corner Gas, The Roller Derby Chronicles The Tom Green Show, The WHA Chronicles and Spectacle: Elvis Costello With.... VSC also owns the e-commerce websites sportonvideo.com, laffstock.com and jewishflicks.com.

ABOUT MVD ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
MVD Entertainment Group (previously known as Music Video Distributors, Inc) was founded in 1986 by Tom Seaman, an industry veteran of more than 40 years, whose background includes retailing stints with Record Hunter, Sam Goody, Musicland, CBS Retail, and wholesale experience with Jem Records. MVD initially acted primarily as a one-stop, buying all labels' music-related VHS releases and reselling to music and video stores. In the last 10 years, MVD has transitioned from being a one stop/wholesaler for music video to a corporation consisting of three major divisions: MVD Visual, MVD Audio, and MVD Distribution. Some of the artists MVD has worked with include Sublime, Pixies, Bad Brains, Devo, The New York Dolls, Iggy Pop, the MC5, Dead Kennedys, Danzig, Marillion, Ween, Shane MacGowan, Stryper, Johnny Winter, and much more. Since 1999, MVD has released over 1500 exclusive titles. For more information, visitwww.mvdb2b.com.
 

Brian Selznick Video Interview-Author of Hugo Cabret & Houdini Box

Article first published as Interview With Brian Selznick, author of Hugo Cabret & Houdini Box on Technorati.

Check out ChiIL Live Shows original interview with Brian Selznick & Mark Messing on opening day of The Houdini Box, theatrical adaptation, at Chicago Children's Theatre. I caught up with Brian and Mark hours before the first performance of this world premier. Hugo, the movie, adapted from Selznick's book and illustrations, was a huge hit in 2011 and has been nominated for 11 Oscars-the most of any film this year!

Hear how Brian first found out about the nominations, see him dabble in set painting, hear about his stage adaptation of Houdini Box, and get to know the man behind Scorsese's latest masterpiece. Hugo is one of our family's favorite films of all times. The Houdini Box play was also adapted from one of Selznick's original children's book. Mark Messing wrote the score.

Check out ChiIL Mama's prior photo filled Houdini Box coverage for show details.

If you haven't caught this one yet, we highly recommend it!   The Mercury Theater run ends March 4th.   Then the show moves to Skokie.   Catch Houdini Box before it magically disappears!