There is an ivy colored brick building on 5638 S. Woodlawn Avenue in Hyde Park. Once a mansion in its glory days at the turn of the century, it has now been converted into a multi-purpose space for cultural and arts events. Inside, there are brightly colored walls and hardwood floors with a variety of resources, including a radio station, artist studios, and a community museum. Rechristened as the Southside Hub of Production (SHoP) and home to a collective of artists, educators, writers, film makers and beyond, the building recently held its grand opening at the beginning of October and has hosted a slew of events since. From film screenings to workshops, exhibitions of artwork to potluck dinners, SHoP caters to a variety of interests and to people of all ages.

Here’s a glimpse of upcoming events:

• Today (Thursday), from 8:00 to 10:00 pm, Origins, an art exhibition sponsored by Beats & Pieces, a community service organization run by University of Chicago students, will feature works, poems, and performances from students and artists from Chicago at large.
• David Drake, pottery maker and poet, will make his first visit to Chicago on Friday to discuss his art and his pieces, which are now found all over the country in museums and private collections.
• For those with a soft spot for cartoon figures and eastern European history, stop by at 6:30 on Saturday for an hour and a half of animated films created in the 1960s when the Berlin Wall still stood. Entitled Grafiky Soumraku: Eastern European Animated Films, this screening includes segments from different countries and different years.

Behind the scenes, SHoP is still developing some of its facilities and working hard to continue to bring a slew of interesting programs and events to the South Side community. To that end, SHoP is seeking yearlong sponsors to support its efforts to be a cornerstone of the art community and has launched an online Kickstarter campaign, lasting for the next twelve days to raise money. Even if you can’t make it to an event, you can still be a patron of the arts by helping SHoP reach its goal of $8000. In any case, no matter what you choose to do, there is plenty to see and do almost every day for anybody who has even a remote interest in the arts or beyond.

For a complete list of events and information about supporting SHoP, visit: http://southsidehub.org/

Courtesy of MAB

Do you enjoy crowds full of sweaty and overly-excited hipsters dancing to outrageously catchy beats? Do you love charismatic performers with a wholehearted appreciation for sweaty and overly-excited hipsters dancing to their outrageously catchy beats? Do you like being one of these perspiring kids at concerts? Do you like live music? Well, if you answered “yes” to any/all of these questions and attending a Matt & Kim concert tickles your fancy, then you, my friend, are in luck. The UofC’s own Major Activities Board (MAB) is proud to welcome the pop-punk duo to campus on Saturday, November 5 for its annual Fall Quarter Show. Opening for Matt & Kim will be Squat the Condos, a band comprised entirely of UofC undergrads.

Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, Matt & Kim are known not only for their organic music videos that accompany their equally organic sound, but also for their insanely energetic and “physical” live shows. The video (below) for one of my favorite songs, “Yea Yeah,” demonstrates how much fun and enthusiasm they have when they play. In regards to live shows, let’s just say that at last year’s Bamboozle in New Jersey, Matt climbed one of the metal towers on the side of the stage to the song “Lean Back (Westwood Mix).” Although Mandel Hall might not be the Meadowlands, Matt & Kim will certainly bring their “huge venue” craziness and turn Mandel into what the MAB would call a “pop-punk party.”

Video from mattandkim on YouTube

To help them in this festive mission is Squat the Condos. I can’t write about them as I have written about Matt & Kim since, frankly….I just discovered them. But thanks to the songs on their MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/squatthecondos) and YouTube videos of their performances, I have already become a fan. The song “Pretending” (below) is currently stuck in my head. This past March, Squat the Condos released their first EP, We Should Be Together. For an unsigned band to open for none other than Matt & Kim is pretty impressive.

Squat_the_Condos_-_Pretending

Ok so now that you’re excited. Here’s what you have to do:

• STEP 1: Buy a ticket. Advanced tickets go on sale on weekdays starting tomorrow, October 24, from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Reynolds Club. They are $5 for students with UCID, $10 for faculty members. Tickets bought the day of the event will be $5 more for students and faculty. Customers are only allowed two tickets per student ID.
• STEP 2: Check out both artists. You don’t want to be that person at the show who clearly doesn’t know anything about either band. Check out Matt & Kim (http://mattandkimmusic.com/) and Squat the Condos (http://squatthecondos.bandcamp.com/) at their respective websites.
• STEP 3: Show up. The concert is on Saturday, November 5 at Mandel Hall. Starts at 8:00 p.m., ends around 11:00 p.m., and doors open at 7:00 p.m. The earlier you are, the better.

Matt Montequin

On my way to Little Village on Saturday to cover Numero Group’s A.V. Club-hyped record sale, a mix-up in my bus transfer caused me to see more of the South Side than I had originally planned.  Walking along 55^th Street from Western to Kedzie to find the route I should have taken, I caught a glimpse of a few yard sales taking place on the lawns adorning the sidewalks.  My decision to sleep late that day had left me with less than an hour until the record sale was set to close—not enough time to browse anywhere else—so I passed them up and caught a bus north to the event as soon as I could.

What I arrived to was an apartment building that looked like all the others on Marshall Boulevard.  In front, a hodgepodge of LPs, old roller skates, and Jawbreaker t-shirts sat on tables and in cardboard boxes at what really didn’t appear much different from the yard sales I had passed by earlier.  Had I not known what was going on, I wouldn’t have expected to be looking at the face of a record label, let alone one that received a Grammy nomination this past year, falling short to The White Stripes for the award.  Then again, Numero Group isn’t the most expected label in the music industry.

An archival label dedicated to resurrecting forgotten music of the ’60s and ’70s, Numero Group is in large part the project of Ken Shipley, whom I met at the sale.  Shipley was working at the Rykodisc label when he decided to take things in a different direction, joining Tom Lunt and Rob Sevier to form Numero Group.  Since its start in 2003, the label has released over sixty titles, garnering national attention and critical acclaim from such outlets as CNN and Pitchfork, all while running most operations out of the group’s Little Village apartment.  Surprising?  I was told the group didn’t even have the full apartment until recently.

The sale on Saturday showcased most, if not all, of the label’s records.  Interested myself in what Numero Group had to offer, I asked Ken where a good starting place to the Numero canon would be.  He directed me to the label’s first issue, Numero 001, a compilation of “Eccentric Soul” coming out of Columbus, Ohio between 1967 and 1974.  The label that had originally released the music, Capsoul, had been defunct since the mid-70s, pushing most of the music into obscurity for decades until Numero tracked the music down for reissue in 2004.  Not knowing what to expect but aware that this was probably my only chance to get the album, I purchased it to support independent music on the South Side.  After a few listens, I couldn’t get “You’re All I Need To Make It” (below) out of my head.  Overall, it’s an album that has the substance of its Motown contemporaries blended with the complexities that marked some of the time period’s most innovative music.  As I was promised, it got me ready for more of the Numero collection.

Video from ossopalatino on YouTube

At the heart of the event, though, was the community spirit behind cleaning out the closets, putting up some signs, and having a yard sale.  Numero Group’s employees and associates had their own items out as part of the sale as well.  While resisting the urges typically associated with finding a $2 pair of shoes and a $20 Nintendo 64, I did walk away with three used CDs and a copy of David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest.  But maybe the most significant thing that I took back to the UofC campus was an assurance of why I am blogging for the Chicago Weekly this year: to absorb the less-written about culture that Numero Group and others contribute to the city, which I will be hopefully be covering more in the coming weeks.  I’d say experiencing that is definitely worth taking the wrong CTA directions here and there.

To learn more about Numero Group, check out this story we published about the label last year, their website at numerogroup.com, or their blog at numerogroup.wordpress.com.

Courtesy HHW

Just in time for the holidays, the Henry Hendricks Weddington School of the Performing Arts arts will be holding a special Thank You performance downtown this Tuesday December 21st.

HHW is a school without walls dedicated to three branches of performing arts: music, theater, and dance.  High quality instruction and talented performers make HHW groups some of the best in the city.  Jean Hendricks and the directors of HHW originally intended for the performance to be a fundraiser. After considering the immense contributions and support from the community, the group decided it would be most appropriate to use the event as a thank-you to their supporters. You can read more about HHW in our past coverage here.

Come and show your support and witness the talent of young Chicago performers, interact with the community, and nosh on some homemade goodies– either way, you will be in for a treat.

Gallery 37 Center for the Arts, 66 East Randolph Street, 5th floor.  December 21st, Tuesday 6:00-7:30 p.m. Free. Please RSVP at (312) 772-3449 or (312) 772-3449

Che “Rhymefest” Smith kicks off his campaign for alderman of the 20th ward tonight at the South Loop nightclub The Shrine. Already Kanye-endorsed, the rapper will be joined on stage tonight by Lupe Fiasco. But his campaign is already facing less glittery attention.

Two weeks ago, CW writer Tobi Haslett covered Rhymefest’s press conference announcing his intention to run, emphasizing the bizarre and potentially dangerous blur of Smith’s star status with the ambiguity of his political platform. Tonight’s show comes while Smith is still scrambling to limit the damage of recent media coverage of a 2001 guilty plea for misdemeanor domestic battery, and a 2005 conviction for a misdemeanor gun charge for firing shots in the air after an altercation with a real estate agent at his home near Indianapolis. Smith’s biggest opponent, the incumbent Willie Cochran, says he new about the charges but wanted to wait until closer to February’s election to bring them to voters attention. In a November 4th article, The Chicago News Cooperative (CNC) reported his sarcastic response. “That’s just what we need in an alderman.”

In the same article, Smith said he thinks voters will forgive his troubled past. “I’ve grown and evolved. I’ve learned to be a better man than where I come from. I come from a background that I call Poverty Incorporated. That’s no excuse for bad behavior, but that experience is why I’m here in my community, trying to make a difference.”

The wavy line between redeemed native son and ego tripping celebrity is getting harder to define by the week, and probably won’t get any clearer as February approaches. To be fair though, it isn’t limited to Rhymefest. Speaking to the CNC, the rapper at least showed he knows his environment. “Welcome to Chicago Politics.”

The official flier for the campaign kickoff

Last month we wrote about the Opportunity Shop, a temporary art and community space in Hyde Park that was supposed to last only through the end of April. It proved so popular, and the donations proved so plentiful, that the Op Shop was extended through the beginning of June. This Saturday night is the Op Shop’s second-to-last party, and they’ve booked a handful of local bands to play: Lakesigns, the Names that Spell, Jesus Crisis, and Squat the Condos. The show starts at 8, with doors opening a half hour before that. A $2 suggested donation will get you in, or a $5 suggested donation will get you admission and “a Dixie cup to fill with whatever you want (there will be fillings),” according to Lakesigns multi-instrumentalist Eric Mayer. And mark your calendars a week from Saturday for the art space’s closing event, the Op Shop Ball.

This Saturday, Shades, Yale University’s youngest a cappella group, is performing at the University of Chicago International House. Shades’ repertoire draws on many different musical backgrounds, but its focus is on African-American music, particularly R&B, gospel, jazz, pop, and traditional music.  Having attended several Shades performances, I can attest to the true talent of the group. And normally I am a music snob. But their tone is rich, and their harmonies are tight.  And it doesn’t hurt that the group is incredibly good-looking across the board.  Some of the songs they’ve showcased have ranged from Mary J. Blige’s “Real Love” to a traditional Caribbean mineworker song (adapted from “Sweet Honey in the Rock”). The performance is free, but donations are encouraged.

Shades will perform at the International House at 8pm on Saturday, March 13th. Catch a video of their recent performance in San Diego here.

Memphis garage-punk rocker Jay Reatard was found dead yesterday morning, cause unknown. When we covered him two years ago, before his show at Reggie’s Rock Club, he told us Chicago was his favorite place to play. Chicago will miss him today.

If you have a taste for unpredictable music yet aren’t brave enough to face this past week’s clarion call for a brutal Chicago winter, let WHPK’s Pure Hype challenge your ears while your body sits comfortably in your favorite armchair. This Friday at nine, California’s seasoned multi-instrumental experimental improviser Gino Robair brings his bag of squeals, creeks, and drones for an in-studio performance, supported by Andrew Royal on violin and Aaron Zartzutzki on electronics. If you do feel like venturing out, the Trio WAZ’s show Saturday at the Velvet Lounge should provide more surprises, as it pairs three respected Chicago musicians from disparate corners of jazz. Sax and clarinet player Edward Wilkerson has deep ties to the tradition of Chicago jazz as the former president of the AACM, while WAZ band mate Tatsu Aoki, on double bass, simultaneously investigates American jazz and traditional Asian music. Free improv master Michael Zerang, however, is known for his abstract use of the drum, which does away with nearly everything but the physical instrument itself. When it comes to rock, check out Alabama’s glammy goth punks Wizzard Sleeve, performing at the Mortville loft in Pilsen.

From the People's Atlas of Chicago project; AREA Chicago

A panel discussion on arts and activism in the Chicago, St. Louis, and Detroit will be held simultaneously from all three cities, linked via the internet this Thursday. In Chicago, Little Black Pearl in Kenwood is hosting the event. The event is part of the “Arts and Activism in the Midwest” series, which is part of the Chicago Calling Arts Festival, which is itself part of Chicago Artists Month. In Chicago, the panel is Lindsay Obermeyer, Carol Ng-He, Jennifer Karmin, Dan Godston, and at least one other artist. That may seem like a big panel already, but keep in mind St. Louis and Detroit also have four to five panelists each. It should be interesting to see how a 15-panelist, three-location discussion can take place without collapsing into chaos, let alone be productive. Still, they must know what they’re doing.

October 1, 7-9pm
Little Black Pearl
1060 East 47th Street

This Saturday, monochrome Canadian noisemaker the dead are those who have died headlines at the Mortville loft, and he’s bringing festive but equally abrasive pal Ptarmigan. Both share two major influences—the hoary-but-revered members of the noise canon like Boredoms, DNA, and the Dead C, and the young, fresh, and New York Times-approved acts like AIDS Wolf, Hair Police, and Black Dice. The weirdest bearded members of the noise-connoisseur message board chondriticsound.com aren’t fans, but I hear the kids like it. Also on the all-noise bill: Chicagoans piss piss piss moan moan moan.

Chicago Defender, December 2, 1933

Compiled by memory and with the help of  some found news clippings, University of Chicago alumnus Leon H. Lewis’s (A.B. ’28) Map of Chicago’s South Side Jazz Clubs ca. 1925-1940 from the Chicago Jazz Archives at the Special Collections Research Center at the University of Chicago is a real topographical gem.  Lewis, a musician himself, was active in the music scene at the UofC, performing the banjo at fraternity events and dances on campus during his undergraduate career.  It appears, since he compiled his map from memory at the age of 80, that he was also a true jazz connoisseur, frequenting the clubs himself and most likely watching jazz greats like Louis Armstrong perform at the Sunset Cafe at 315-317 E. 35th Street with Armstrong’s band, the Sunset Stompers.

Deborah Gillaspie, Curator of the Chicago Jazz Archive, writes about how popular Lewis’s original 11″ x 17″ map was in its original form, and laments the difficulty of making it available to researchers abroad. “There have been jazz maps over the years — Paul Eduard Miller’s map on the endpapers of the 1946 Esquire Jazz Book comes to mind — but nothing as complete as Mr. Lewis’s, nor anything concentrating on the South Side venues,” she writes.  The map, in its new format, provides an interactive feature, where numbered locations direct to individual pages that feature historical paraphernalia from its heyday.

The 11th annual World Music Festival: Chicago starts today and continues through September 24. Over the next week, 57 artists will perform at 21 venues across the city. Only 3 performances take place on the South Side, but they all look like winners:

• Irish folk singer Cara Dillon has been performing since she was 14, both solo and in folk bands. She’s currently touring in support of her fourth album, which was released in the U.S. on Tuesday. Dillon performs tonight, September 18, at 8pm at the World Music Company, 1808 W. 103rd St. $15.
• The Orchestra of Tétouan plays “Andalusian music,” a North African style that uses lutes, rebabs, zithers, goblet drums, and other instruments with fun names. They perform on Sunday, September 20 at 8pm at the University of Chicago’s International House, 1414 E. 59th St. $10, or $5 with student ID.
• Tambours sans Frontières is a Congolese group based around three drummers, two of whom play the senga n’goma. Formed in Brazzaville in 2000, they later moved to Mali, Senegal, and most recently Chicago. On September 23 at 6:30pm, the group brings its intricate, repetitive rhythms to the Washington Park fieldhouse, 5500 S. King Dr. Free.