Friday, 2/25 7:30-11pm- Monster Art Auction at the Anode Gallery (718 W 18th).
Sure, your broke ass maybe can't afford vintage picassos or even vintage playboys, but you can try your luck getting a piece of art at the Monster Art Aution, like or some other little cool art pieces & crafty things; if you know how to work an art show there's generally free wine, food, & swag in it, not to mention the free lookee-loo at awesome shit, like a nightmare installment planned by Samantha Larson that I won't spoil. Plus, you can get some more use out of an old Halloween costume and come dressed as a monster (hipsters, come ironically dressed as a republican!).
One of the artists is my good friend Ike Floor, who meticulously crafts wire creatures pushing through walls & winter-proof woolen mock pig & swamp thing facemasks. Also featuring: ET Chong, Kyle Futrell, Seth Gershberg, George Gabe Gonzalez, Kevn Tijerina.
And since Pilsen hasn't turned into Wicker Park quite yet (though we have seen cabs crawling through and condos going up), after the show you can go get a cheap taco & maybe a 40 oz and chill in the plaza if weather permits.
Sunday, 2/27 8:30-11pm- 3rd Annual Windy City Story Slam All-City Championship. $7 at the Double Door.
If you like stories, beer and yelling, this is the fucking show for you. Local writers vy for your affections as you cheer, boo, or drink quietly depending on your mood. Story Slam is a mash-up of Boxing & Poetry Slam rules created by Bill Hillman, with Crowd Noise as judge, (meaning, like in boxing, it can be fixed- by loading the crowd with adoring goons; but more importantly, that the fuckin crowd gets to pick the winner, not some lofty ivory tower jagoff), and boxer belts awarded to champs. This round is to crown the All-City Champ, who then goes on to the Nationals. Featuring readings by Tony Fitzpatrick & Joe Meno.
For the truly broke & desperate, here's a swindle tip: sometimes you can avoid door fees for shows by showing up super early or super late (and talking the bouncer into letting you in). Probably won't work at the hard-nosed Double Door, which has a no re-entry rule (with the exception of smoker's passes), but try your luck if you're a Scrooge (or an Artful Dodger). Me, Imma pay the mere $7 fee, cuz the Windy City Story Slam is the fucking shit, pumping the life blood into the lonely hall of literature. Where else can you boo a lame story, or cheer a kick-ass one? No English Lit class I know of.
By the way, last year I interviewed my friend Alex Bonner when he won Slam Champ
here . He'll be doing a probly hilarious presentation on "what it's like to be the champ". Hopefully with Powerpoint.
