Happenings: Buddy Wakefield

Moday Feb 28- Columbia Colleges rouge slam poetry group (teamed up with Silvertongue, rough flash fiction squad), is hosting slam champ Buddy Wakefield, at 7pm in 1104 Wabash. Teams of poets will team up against flash fictionists in a battle of words "to the death". or perhaps to the pain? if you're a columbia student you don't have to give a donation, if you're a nonstudent who can't figure out how to fake IDs or sneak into buildings through vents you have to fork over $5. There's an after party at WSSD ...after.

Happenings: Louder Than a Bomb

The famed all-city teen slam poetry fest hits the city like a motherfuckin whirlwind this week.

Happenings: 100 Foot Ride @ Happy Collab

2/26 (Sat) Happy Collaborationists Exhibition Space 1254 N. Noble St. 6 - 10 pm

"The Happy Collaborationists (in partnership with ACRE) present a looped 16mm film installation work by Chicago artist Alexander Stewart, 100 Foot Ride. Continuing a series of projects that use the 100-foot length of a roll of 16mm film as a formal constraint, 100 Foot Ride combines durational performance art with a Structural-film format. In this piece, the artist constructed a contraption with a loop of wire connecting a stationary bicycle with a 16mm Bolex camera. As the artist pedals the bicycle, the wire turns a handle, which cranks the film through the camera. While 100 feet is not traditionally a challenging distance for a bicyclist, the 100-foot length of the roll of film translates into a difficult task for the artist as he struggles with the physical task of pedaling while battling the entropy of his jury-rigged bike-camera contraption."

happycollab
ACRE
alexstew

(as cribbed from face-eating-book).

Happenings: WSSD Launch, Chi-exchange

West Side School for the Desperate, now located at 3608 w. Wrightwood, is celebrating the new digs with a reading Saturday, 2/26. Featuring Zach Green & Evan Collins.
"there will be an open mic with sign-up available the night of the show for those of you who like to get down. Per usual, there will be beverages at an extremely reasonable price (we ask that you do not b your own b).

$5 donation or pay-what-you-can (no one turned away for being broke). All proceeds go toward paying the performers, the space, and to fund future projects."

This is basically a house party so please respect the space.

The City is Yours! Chicago Exchange
Thursday 2/24th @ wicker well & Friday 2/25 @ multi kulti/Q4
the Fest promises a shit-ton of music, mural painting, poetry reading, they're gonna sell food, they're gonna have "dance collectives", it seems like the kinda show you can just kinda bring a djembe, a poem, or some cool pins to hustle. they want community involvement, give it to 'em; bring art supplies, perform a skit, wear something silly. donations at the door, refreshments in the back, respect the space. it's an undisclosed secret hideout visible only to wizards {floating somewhere around 1000 N Milwaukee) and has been host to story slams, jams, free expression & empanadas.
This event has an ambitious purpose: "There will be music from all over the world each day, and with your help we can create or awaken a new culture in Chicago."

*

Coming on the heels another round of The Bullshit Olympics, I dunno whether to laugh or cry reading that.... but that's something I hear all the time from mostly outtatowner kids traveling the city's artist underground. "we gotta build a community." I feel like we are building it, maybe based on nothing more than just a group of people united in being fucking wierdo loners, a segment of the hive, one of many tribes in the city. we trade with each other, we go to each other's shows, we have each other's backs. Multi Kulti doesn't need to panic; there is consistently a voice for people from diverse backgrounds on a stage in front of a pretty mixed group- it's not just white kids, it's not even just kids or just hippies; there is a strong Latino presence, poets and music people, friends of friends. it's just Chicago folks who are chill and like art. as far as I'm concerned, Multi Kulti already building a space that brings people together. Spaces like West Side School for the Desperate, a home for poets, are springing up all the time. There are many collectives hiding away in the city. I'm keen to see if these guys can wake Chicago outta hibernation. I'm sure they can manage it at least long enuf to put on a good show.

Happenings: Monster Art, Windy Slam

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.