The A.V. Club - Daily

Comedy: Local Newswire: Bill Murray gets uncharacteristically candid on late Chicago comedy legend Del Close

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:00:00 -0500

In an interview with Esquire, homebred Chicagoan and unabashed Cubs fan Bill Murray discussed starring in Wes Anderson’s upcoming Moonrise Kingdom, fatherhood, and Bruce Willis, among other topics. When asked about former Second City mentor Del Close, Murray was uncharacteristically candid about Close, who died in 1999. “He had a whole lot of brain stuck inside of his skull. Beyond being gifted, he really engaged in life. He earned a lot. He made more of himself than he was given,” Murray said. “He taught lots and lots of people very effectively. He taught people to commit. Like: ‘Don’t ...

Arts & Culture: Local Newswire: New public art piece largest, trippiest in Chicago’s history

Fri, 25 May 2012 14:15:00 -0500

Starting Tuesday night, May 29, artist Jessica Stockholder will start work on Color Jam, the latest in a series of public art installations sponsored by the Chicago Loop Alliance’s Art Loop initiative. The piece is said to be the largest public art work in Chicago’s history, consisting of more than 76,000 sheets of colored vinyl, which will cover various streets and buildings at the intersection of State and Adams in Chicago’s loop. That’s roughly 50,000 vinyl records. The previous installments from Art Loop include Tony Tasset’s comparably sized EYE sculpture in Pritzker Park ...

City Life: Blog: The monster that wouldn't die: Chicago's Olympic hopes revived

Fri, 25 May 2012 13:50:00 -0500

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” —George Santayana That was the first thought that ran through my mind when I saw a certain tweet from NBC 5 this morning. Sure enough, a quick scan of major media outlets in Chicago revealed that the U.S. Olympic Committee had decided to once again bid on upcoming Olympics, possibly paving the way for Chicago to be included in the process again. The idea was that Chicago’s Olympic hopes would die with the exit of Mayor Daley. Now, it seems the Olympic fire is being rekindled here ...

City Life: News Net: The city owes—and is refusing to pay—$22 million in parking fines

Fri, 25 May 2012 13:35:00 -0500

Since sifting through dull newspapers, hyperbolic blogs, and overflowing RSS feeds for meaningful news can be an arduous process, News Net catches and compiles both the amusing and the significant reports that were overlooked throughout the week. Here are some things to think about as your weekend begins. • The parking meter kerfuffle continues as Chicago Parking Meters LLC demands another $22 million from the city to cover a year’s worth of free parking for disabled drivers. The tab is now around $50 million and Rahm Emanuel continues to refuse paying it. Good thing there’s only another 71 years ...

Film: Roll Call: The wide world of the walking dead

Fri, 25 May 2012 13:00:00 -0500

This Friday night, Lincoln Hall is having a zombie double feature. They'll be showing Zombieland and Shaun Of The Dead. On the auspicious occasion of this foray into the world of zombies, The A.V. Club thought it was high time to take a tour around the highlights of the wide world of the walking dead. Italy Apart from the United States, arguably no country has made as great a contribution to the zombie genre as Italy. That said, a huge percentage of the Italian zombie movies are terrible. There are some stone-cold classics, however. Lucio Fulci’s Zombie ...

Promotion: Contest: Win tickets to see Destroyer in Milwaukee, plus train passes to get there

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:00:00 -0500

Even before jamming in The New Pornographers, Vancouver, British Columbia’s Dan Bejar began creating toe-tappingly enjoyable indie tunes with his solo-act Destroyer. Bejar’s pet project has released nine albums and a myriad of EPs thus far in its 17-year lifespan. To shorten the distance between Chicago-area readers and Canada, The Onion and The A.V. Club are pleased to offer a pair of tickets to see Destroyer in Milwaukee. Plus, the train rides to get there. To win a pair of tickets to see Destroyer at Turner Hall Ballroom Wednesday, June 13, e-mail rsvpmilwaukee@theonion.com with “Destroyer ...

City Life: Recap: A marcher looks back at this past Sunday and Monday’s NATO protests

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:00:00 -0500

I’m on the train cursing myself for not buying sun block. My face is still charred from the Nurses rally. My body wasn’t built for heat, and the weather is predicted at 90s and sunny. I wonder what’s actually going on in the actual NATO summit venue, McCormick Place, where marchers will be heading today after a rally in Grant Park. I’ve seen the news reports showing all of the world leaders doing their best to appear formal, cordial, and dignified. I’m sure, when it’s all said and done, we’ll find out who ...

Music: Local Newswire: Summer Of Ska coming to North America

Fri, 25 May 2012 11:50:00 -0500

Get out your suspenders, Fishbone T-shirt, and Dr. Martens: On July 10, the Summer Of Ska tour is coming to Chicago’s House Of Blues. The skanksters of Reel Big Fish—on the heels of their eighth full-length album, Candy Coated Fury—and L.A. band Goldfinger will be co-headlining the tour from mid-June until Goldfinger drops off July 2. The Maxies will join in on the party after July 2, and Big D And The Kids Table and Suburban Legends will be supporting throughout. The Summer Of Ska will begin in Canada and work its way across the U ...

Music: Interview: Kelly Hogan

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Kelly Hogan was one of the Chicago alt-country scene’s brightest stars of the 1990s, and she has never stopped singing in the years since then—but she went a long time without releasing an album. Someone looking at a list of Hogan’s records might wonder whatever happened to her. For one thing, she’s been on the road a lot with Neko Case, singing back-up vocals for her good friend. Hogan’s also been working for another pal, Lynda Barry, scheduling the comic-book author’s classes on how to unlock the creative spirit. Meanwhile, Hogan commanded the stage ...

Theater: Local Newswire: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers burlesque is a thing now, because of course it is

Thu, 24 May 2012 15:25:00 -0500

Someone must have watched Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, gotten bored with giant robot dinosaurs, and wished Kimberly and Trini would kiss and take their shirts off, right? Surprisingly, this wish has come true. From the theater that brought audiences Boobs And Goombas: A Super Mario Burlesque and other nerdy burlesque parodies comes Go Go Power Rangers: A Mighty Morphin’ Burlesque Show. Every Friday from June 8 to July 27 (minus June 22), quirky Bucktown venue Gorilla Tango Theater promises, “to bring all of the hyper activeness of a children’s show into a late-night romp through equal comedy, dance, and ...

Film: Newswire: New Cult Canon returns to Music Box Theatre with Black Dynamite, feat. a Q&A with Scott Sanders plus an episode of the upcoming Adult Swim series

Thu, 24 May 2012 14:28:00 -0500

After I’m Gonna Git You Sucka and Undercover Brother, the world didn’t necessarily need another blaxploitation parody, but then, the world turned out to be wrong about that. With influences ranging from Black Belt Jones to the complete works of Rudy Ray Moore, Scott Sanders’ brilliant Black Dynamite gets all the details right—the afros, platform shoes, and pimp coats; the Z-grade incompetence of the filmmaking; the scripted street lingo; the air of hyper-masculinity; the half-hearted “revolutionary” bent—but it’s a far more wide-ranging comedy than that, with jokes ranging from silly Airplane!-style spoofery to wild ...

City Life: Local Newswire: Naked Bike Ride goes full-frontal in Chicago this June

Thu, 24 May 2012 13:30:00 -0500

Just in time for the hot summer weather and the increase of unflattering back sweat everywhere, the ninth annual Naked Bike Ride in Chicago will take place on June 9. According to its website, the ride’s mission is about “celebrating freedom from oil, and the beauty of people.” Participating cyclists and skaters are encouraged to wear a helmet and little else while they ride en masse around the city’s most visible, tourist-friendly areas, spreading the message of dropping oil-dependence as well as pants. Those afraid to go full nude can be rest assured that the event is “bare-as-you-dare ...

Music: Interview: Anthony ‘Shimby’ McCreery

Thu, 24 May 2012 12:20:00 -0500

An architectural acoustician by day, Anthony ‘Shimby’ McCreery records shows at the Empty Bottle and shares them on Bandcamp. The best performances are now showcased on Shimby Presents: Live At The Empty Bottle, a 14-track compilation featuring Best Coast, Black Lips, and Ty Segall, amongst many others. Before Shimby’s May 24 triple bill release show featuring locals Mark Sultan, Magic Milk, and comp participants Outer Minds at—where else?—the Empty Bottle, McCreery spoke to The A.V. Club about the compilation, its artwork, and the mystical qualities of garage rock. The A.V. Club: How did you end ...

Promotion: Contest: Win tickets to see Moonrise Kingdom early and for free

Thu, 24 May 2012 12:00:00 -0500

Continuing the trend of childlike characters in his films and a recent foray into an animated adaptation of a children’s novel, it seems inevitable that Wes Anderson’s next film, Moonrise Kingdom, stars 12-year-old runaways in love and a cast of bumbling but endearing adult characters. The kids flee to the woods on June 1, but readers of The A.V. Club readers can see them early at AMC River East May 31. Moonrise Kingdom features Anderson regulars Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman as part of a dizzying cast that also includes Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Frances McDormand, Tilda ...

Film: Local Newswire: Batmobiles to make appearance at Navy Pier

Thu, 24 May 2012 11:30:00 -0500

In The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan’s second in a trilogy of Batman films, The Joker manages to destroy the Batmobile with a rocket-propelled grenade. But that hasn’t stopped it from going on tour across North America. This week, two vehicles from the upcoming Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises, will pull into town as part of a cross-country promotional Tumbler Tour. Though the film doesn’t open until July 20, the tour gives die-hard fans a chance to explore the Batmobile (also known as the Bat Tumbler) and the Bat Pod—a sort of Bat-motorcycle—famous for its ...

Eat/Drink: Street Eat Beat: Nite Market is a moveable feast

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Last Spring, as a thesis project for her MFA in Designed Objects at the Art Institute Of Chicago, Natalie Pfister Riha debuted Nite Market, a moveable gathering of food-lovers. Nite Market, the bi-monthly gathering and marketplace, is a platform for home chefs, artisans, and hobbyists to sell treats that include everything from home-brewed beer with homemade pretzels, to cake pops, made-to-order doughnuts, and homemade hot cider at a private party, event-style atmosphere. Riha explains, “The Nite Market is an open venue for all the brilliant ideas in food that is being made in small kitchens in Chicago. It is a ...

Film: Newswire: Extra injured in Transformers filming receives $18.5 million settlement

Wed, 23 May 2012 16:45:00 -0500

A judge has approved an $18.5 million settlement for the woman who was seriously injured while working as an extra for Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, according to the Chicago Tribune. Gabriela Cedillo was reportedly struck in the head when a cable crashed through the windshield of the stunt car she was in, causing permanent brain damage and paralysis that has still only been partly dealt with, even after multiple surgeries. Cedillo’s lawyers argued during the lawsuit that Paramount and DreamWorks had been negligent in setting up for the stunt and did not have proper permits to be ...

Music: Local Newswire: Cursive, Lucero, and more headlining Wicker Park Fest

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:15:00 -0500

Street festivals have become, like tourists and humidity, an inevitable part of the Chicago summer experience. Wicker Park Fest, held annually near the intersection of Milwaukee, North, and Damen, has grown into one of the largest and most anticipated street festivals in the city. The Wicker Park Bucktown Insider’s Guide just announced the headliners to this year’s festival on July 28 and 29. Included are Omaha emotional rockers Cursive and alt-country punks Lucero. Also playing are Kill Hannah, The Drums, Budos Band, and Joe Pug. Cursive and Cymbals Eat Guitars cover Gin Blossoms Lucero covers David Bowie

Eat/Drink: Local Newswire: NATO summit cost restaurants big business, say Rick Bayless and others

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:30:00 -0500

Crain’s Chicago Business has a pretty interesting story up today on NATO’s impact on local restaurants over this past weekend. Turns out this would have been a great couple of days to try to get in to Frontera, if we’d even thought about going downtown. According to the story, business at restaurants around town was down anywhere from 10 to 70 percent, depending on the location and clientele. Rick Bayless told Crain’s that “that business at Xoco, Topolobampo, and Frontera Grill was down 15 to 20 percent in general, as tourists and residents stayed away.” On ...

TV: Local Newswire: Buy Oprah’s lakefront condo for a mere $2.8 million

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:45:00 -0500

Oprah fans can now own the ultimate fan item, right behind a clump of Winfrey’s hair and a vial of Stedman Graham’s semen. Oprah’s lakefront condo has just been listed for a mere $2.8 million, which is only about half of what she paid for it in 2006. Sure, she never lived there, but she owned it, and that’s all that matters, right? The 4,600-square-foot Streeterville co-op has three bedrooms, four baths, and is in a prestigious building that once housed John Candy. She was trying to rent it out for $15,000 a ...