AVANT/CHICAGO

The Official Funeral Notice For Chicago Hipsters

Please Take Your Skinny Jeans To Suburban Goodwill Now

We are cultural know-it-alls. (and have a couple degrees and ego to prove it) We've been pointing out to our loyal readers for quite some time that the hipster fad is passed. (past) The low quality pic from our cell phone is a shot of the official funeral notice of the fad courtesy of the city of Chicago. This is an advertisement for home ownership - homes ranging from $150-400,000. Way out of a "hipsters" price range don't you think?  Your style and habits and even label have been hijacked by the man and even the city of Chicago. Time to move on to the next phase.

Your Weekend Can Be Better

Your Weekend Can Be Better

Baseball will be all over the place this weekend with the Cubs heading to LaLaLand on the brink of disaster and the Sox coming back to town. There's also Fashion Focus and Chicago Arts Month first days. Here's some other stuff -

• Beck/MGMT play 2nd show at Aragon on Friday
• EOTO Sat. at Portage Theater w/ Kang/Hollingsworth - basically SCI
• Bike the Boulevard from Logan Square to Garfield Park
• Chicago Gypsy Jazz Fest At Green Mill
• BassGoesBoom At Lava Friday

Declare Yourself - VOTE

Do Your Patriotic Duty

This should be filed under Painfully Obvious - but make sure to register so you can vote. The economy is in dire straights, foreign conflicts are crippling us, conservatives are always ready to take away our rights and we heard Sarah Palin likes to shoot baby seals in the head. So vote! State by State Info - Declare Yourself.

The Gay Beach in Chicago is Hollywood

Summer's Over, But...

This just in - the Gay beach in Chicago is Hollywood/Osterman Beach. Who knew?

Quickes

• Ralph Nader, the man oft blamed for giving us Bush over Gore has announced he's running again.  Note to all progressives and liberals - as tempting as it may be to vote for Nader, there's a good chance if you live in important swing states (FL, OH, PA, WI) a vote for Nader will become more of a vote for McCain. We're all for diverse politics and multi-parties, but keep in mind what your vote in going to accomplish. Always vote your beliefs, but also vote for a canidate that can get in office and make change.
• Canasta Redo album.
• Glad SNL is back. Show wasn't as funny as we'd thought, but sure their just getting the kinks out.  Also not sure what was more disturbing about the show - appearance by Mike Hickabee or Tina Fey's fawning for Clinton. Wilco is the musical guest next week as well.
• Off The Cuff (our film) editing is in full swing
• Crystal Castles At Abbey Pub Wed.

Continued Quick Thoughts

• Been hearing some of the new Snoop Dogg album and it sounds pretty poppy.
• Tom Petty's Superbowl half time show made seeing him this summer seem like a good choice. Opener is Steve Winwood which is cool too. Will try to make it happen based on ticket prices.
• Back in Cornfield, IN. this weekend we enjoyed lots of things with our mates, but cheap beer has to be right at the top.  $6 pitchers during the Superbowl and $2 bottles on a Saturday night - not bad pricing.
• Great article about the top 20 free music sites.
• Two shows coming up are set in Chicago. One is a drama on NBC called Quarterlife about a group of artists struggling to make it. It has been an Net show for a few months and with the writer's strike NBC needs new material. Note to producers - you could do this as a reality show on the same topic. We can hook you up with a more addictive cast then QL. Second is the Real World - yes, it's coming back to Chicago. Not sure what 'hood it will be set in (same with Quarterlife) but we pray it's not on the Westside. Put these cheeseballs in Wrigleyville where they belong.
• This band is making good music.
• Kot talks about why the Grammy's suck.

Office To Play Biograph Tonight

Openings This Weekend At Western Exhibitions

Cornmeal At Martyr's Tonight

The Snowangels are parts of Mannequin Men, Vee Dee and Johnny and the Limelites. They come together this time of year for a special show to put us all in the holiday spirit. (if that doesn't do it for you Delilah's has $3 Bushmillls Whiskey) All of this intertwined with DJ sets by Brian & Sara. Free.

For some, binge drinking is a sport.  And if that someone is you, here's a Friday night starter to get the night rolling.(and get you sauced for cheap) A Hamilton will buy you 3 hours of all the domestic beer you want plus food that is a small step up from what college kids usually make for dinner.  The bar is loud, the crowd preppy and the staff bitchey - that should help you keep the beer pounding steady.

In the early 90s the Whystore built up a grassroots following across the Midwest with their passionate, southern rock style performances.  Signing to a major label the band became one of the top grossing bands of 1996. But the pressure of success drove them apart.  Now frontman Chris Shaffer has reformed the band with an all new cast.  The sound is slightly different, a lo-fi version of the original band.  Also playing Katie Todd, Andrew Ripp and Kill The Alarm.   Martyr's on Friday.

Polvo "Basant" Screening Friday

Shellac Ready For Run Of Shows

ThreeWalls Holiday Party On Sat.

Breather.  4 events in 5 days.  More photos to come.  Apollo Sunshine/Dr. Dog was one of the better shows I've been to this year. (and I got the pix to show you)  Check out some of the old galleries to pass the time.  Occidental Dance Marathon with running testicles and Elvis Perkins/Brighton, MA. at Lakehshore Theater. Also bands, galleries, clubs and theaters - if you want me to do a shoot, get in touch and we can chat.