Well, I'm still reeling from this weekend's Record Store Day this past Saturday. Great conversations with friends new and old helped while waiting in extremely long lines to get some excellent records. I was lucky enough to get most of what I wanted (within my budget)! If you're still interested in the RSD exclusives, plenty of stores still have copies of some of the items, so don't hesitate and continue supporting local shops.
Now, looking ahead to the beginning of your week, there are some great events waiting for you including concerts, book discussions, comedy and more! So get out there and enjoy our city's offerings!
Let's give your week a fresh start!
MONDAY - WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23rd- 25th
International Pop Overthrow @ Heartland Cafe, 7006 N Glenwood Ave.,
WHAT: Tons of great bands sharing the stage over the span of a week!
SO WHAT: International Pop Overthrow is a pop music festival featuring some of the best pop bands from around the world. IPO is trying to bring pop music the attention it so richly deserves. This year, they will be taking over
Heartland Cafe with locals like
Bad Bad Meow (April 20th),
Sam Vicari (April 23th), and
Gal Gun (April 28th) and international acts including
Rose Cora Perry & The Truth Untold (April 21th) and
Dave Rave (April 28th).
Check their the full lineup and schedule on their website!
NOW WHAT: Admission for each day of the festival is $10.
MONDAY, APRIL 23rd
Option: Macie Stewart Solo; Macie Stewart & Julian Kirshner Duo @ Experimental Sound Studio, 5925 N Ravenswood Ave., 7:00pm - 10:00pm
WHAT: Violinist, pianist and vocalist Macie Stewart performs solo followed by a duo with drummer Julian Kirshner
SO WHAT: Macie Stewart is a multi-instrumentalist improviser and composer who embraces free improvisation as a way to make music outside of traditional norms, while combining her varied influences and interests. While her first set will be a solo performance, her second will feature Julian Kirshner a Chicago-based drummer primarily working in the context of jazz and improvised music. A percussionist since the age of 10, Kirshner also organizes the Improvised Music Series at Myopic Books, a weekly showcase of musicians playing uncharted music in a first-time context.
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $10 for this wonderful show.
Redacted: a live reading of The Rock @ Music Box Theatre Lounge, 3733 N Southport Ave., 8:00pm - 10:00pm
WHAT: "Winners go home and fuck the prom queen." A quote from this month's Redacted film
SO WHAT: is a series where funny people tear into a movie that they (and you) love with a hilarious staged reading. This time round the movie is Michael Bay directing Nicolas Cage in
The Rock! So get ready to watch a group of hilarious folks become rogue Marines, tourist hostages, a crazed FBI agent, and the only man to have escaped Alcatraz; all under the the unwritten guide of Elizabeth Bagby.
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $10 or pay what you can for this cool event.
TUESDAY, APRIL 24th
Sketchy Discussions #3: Shade the Changing Girl Vol. 1 @ Bucket O'Blood Books & Records, 3182 N Elston Ave., 9:00pm - 11:00pm
WHAT: Sketchy Discussions round 3: A chance to talk about comic in a cool store
SO WHAT: Bucket O’Blood Books & Records will be meeting to discuss volume 1 of
Shade the Changing Girl, published by DC Comics’ Young Animal imprint. A re-imagining of one of DC’s weirdest fourth-wall breaking characters (Shade, The Changing Man), this inventive new series by writer Cecil Castellucci and penciller Marley Zarcone has been earning rave reviews. It tells the story of Loma Shade, who travels interdimensionally through the power of her “madness coat” only to end up in the body of earth girl Megan Boyer, a bully who is miraculously cured of her brain damage by Loma’s arrival.
NOW WHAT: There is no cost to attend. Attendees are encouraged to bring snacks/drinks to share with the group.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25th
A Babely Bazaar @ Slippery Slope, 2357 N Milwaukee Ave., 8:00pm - 11:00pm, 21+
WHAT: Slippery Slope is showcasing some very talented local artists!
SO WHAT: Very talented local artists will have their fantastic creations on display for you to browse and buy! You can have a drink and purchase yourself a one of a kind gift. Each of these artists will have their own booth featuring a variety of unique and handmade items. The featured artists include Crystal Gravy, Store Vintage Furniture & Apparel, Genesis Maciel Rios, Corey Brown, Andrea Bell, Twinette Poterie, and Tarot Reading by Cristina Puzio
NOW WHAT: Entry is free! Just stop by and support local talent!
mc chris & Bitforce @ Schubas, 3159 N Southport Ave., 8:00pm, 21+
WHAT: Nerdy tunes for the masses
SO WHAT: Libertyville native
mc chris was one of the forefathers of nerdy hip hop, injecting his excellent rap flow with lines about Star Wars, Harry Potter, and more. Joining him will be the equally referential nerdcore band
Bitforce!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $22 for this menagerie of pop culture references
Helltrap Nightmare - Blood & Guts Tour @ The Hideout, 1354 W Wabansia Ave., 9:00pm, 21+
WHAT: the hell…is that the Grim Reaper wearing a vagina/asshole cloak and holding a bloody tampon scythe?
SO WHAT: You know what goes great with comedy? Horror and a huge gooey chunk of grossness. Join amazing comedians like Sarah Squirm, Shrimp Boys, Scott Egleston, Noah Prestwich, and Alex Grelle as they prove just how fun that odd concoction can be! There will be special guests, drop ins, and musical guest Ariel Zetina!
NOW WHAT: Let go of your understanding of reality and give in to the horror for only $7.
