Youth football league founder, coach, says football should be played by adults only
Mike Oliver played football for a good portion of his life – youth football, then high school, where his Downers Grove South team was state runner-up…
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With the death of Brazil’s most wanted, residents can sleep soundly, but say work to restore country’s violent reputation must be undertaken
By Bob Chiarito (Brazil, July 1, 2021) The police shootout that claimed the life of the Brazil’s most-wanted murder suspect last week brought relief to many, but they say there…
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“Scream-Pop” duo blowing the doors off clubs in support of their second album
A REVIEW BY BOB CHIARITO Judging from the amount of attention GRLwood has received in only two years of existence, it won’t be long before fans long for the days where they are…
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10 years after being taken to Ghana and kidnapped, teen reunited with her mother
By Bob Chiarito (July 9, 2019) Ten long years after being kidnapped and taken to Ghana by her grandparents, 15-year-old Christina Gunn was reunited with her mother in Atlanta…
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Legendary Austin rocker Jon Dee Graham suffers cardiac arrest after show in Chicago
UPDATE: 7/8/2019. Jon Dee Graham is out of the hospital and back home in Texas, and he says he will play Wednesday night at his weekly gig at The Continental Club in Austin.…
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Marcella Raymond: A reporter speaking out about the effects of covering violence
Chicago’s violence has many casualties and the toll it takes on first-responders is not a new story. Dozens of stories were written in response to the six Chicago Police…
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No working-class hero in ‘Sweat,’ a powerful story of the working poor in a time of change
A review by Bob Chiarito The plight of the working poor has often been a subject in art, from the folk songs of Woody Guthrie to John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath and Bruce…
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Ruth Bader Ginsburg-inspired dramatic concert to be performed in Chicago
Acclaimed composer-soprano Patrice Michaels will perform songs from her album Notorious RBG in Song, inspired by her mother-in-law, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth…
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Award Winning Chicago-made short film on its way to Cannes
For the second year in a row, the winner of Chicago’s 48 Hour Film Project is going to Cannes. The project, Knockout, is a story about a young woman named Angel Tacaro (Melody…
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Alex Kotlowitz on An American Summer: Love and Death in Chicago
Alex Kotlowitz is back with his fourth book, newly released An American Summer, Love and Death in Chicago. The engrossing book focuses on one summer in Chicago and the individuals…
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Journalism largely failed in R.Kelly case, but Sun-Times reporters persisted
by Bob Chiarito This story originally appeared in Gateway Journalism Review Jim DeRogatis, a Chicago pop music critic with a hard news background, almost threw away a fax he…
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This is this: The Jussie Smollett case: Hoax or not, Chicago Police have some explaining to do
A column by Bob Chiarito. 2/17/19 For more than two weeks the public has read and watched news reports about the search for two men who attacked actor Jussie Smollett in the wee…
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This is This: Let me tell you about the time I went to one of the world’s greatest cities to see the hottest play in the country and came home talking about the shoe shine guy I met during a flight delay
A column by Bob Chiarito. Sometimes a short trip is a microcosm of life in general. You can plan, but sometimes things happen that are out of your control. And if you’re…
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William Calloway hoping to take his fight from the streets to an Aldermatic seat
Without serving a day in office and at only 29-years-old, 5th Ward Aldermanic candidate William “Will” Calloway has spurred more change to Chicago than most aldermen who have…
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For abstract painter Jill McLean, success comes from hard work, talent and gratitude
Jill McLean’s studio at the Zhou B Art Center in Bridgeport is a busy place these days. The abstract painter is usually there at least 8 hours a day, adding to her repertoire at…
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Jerry Vasilatos comes full-circle with 25th Anniversary restoration of his film ‘Solstice’
On Tuesday night, Chicagoans have the opportunity to see the 25th Anniversary restoration of ‘Solstice,” a film made by Jerry Vasilatos. It will be shown at the Music…
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New music collaboration highlights Chicago’s Americana history
While Chicago’s storied hub of hard work is well known for its hunger and heart, the town’s history is surely shaped as much by its music as its muscle. Late last year, a…
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With his one-man show, Ben Hollis takes us back to a time when Chicago was wild
Perhaps no show before or since captured the oddball characters and places of Chicago more than Wild Chicago, which ran on WTTW from 1989 to 2003. The show, much like many of the…
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Two Chicago music venues choose silence over hate rock Friday night
By Bob Chiarito November 17, 2018 Two Chicago area music venues are hoping their quiet stages Friday night send a loud message to bands with anti-Semitic ties: that they are not…
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This is this: Yes, I traveled 8,000 miles to see a band, and I’d do it again!
A column by Bob Chiarito. Perhaps nothing unites people from different countries, with different beliefs, languages and politics, more than music. It has a strong power, and it…
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Pussy Riot set at Riot Fest to go on despite allegations that Russian government poisoned one of its members
By Bob Chiarito Despite accusing the Russian government of poisoning one of its members days ago that has left him in grave condition, Russian punk protest group Pussy Riot will…
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Amara Enyia joins crowded field vying for Mayor Emanuel’s seat
The race for Mayor of Chicago just got more crowded as Amara Enyia is set to announce that she’s running, making her the 10th candidate for the city’s top post. Enyia, 35,…
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Chicago pothole mosaic artist Jim Bachor produces smiles and fills a need
Chicago has all types of street artists, but perhaps the most widely known active street artist is Jim Bachor, who is also a safe bet as the only artist fulfilling a public need…
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Daniel Torres bursts onto Chicago’s Art Scene with successful show
In 2015, while recovering from a heart-attack at St. Mary’s Hospital, artist Tony Fitzpatrick was told by his nurse about her best friend’s artist son, Danny Torres. They…
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Andy Warhol’s 1979 visit to Chicago documented and on display at Uptown gallery
In 1979, Andy Warhol spent two days in Chicago and although it wasn’t a secret trip, it may have been long forgotten if not for an 18-year-old fan from Northbrook. Raúl Niño,…
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Rus Bradburd on his book ‘All the Dreams We’ve Dreamed’ and the gun violence nightmare that continues in Chicago
Shawn Harrington, a former stand-out player at Marshall High School on Chicago’s West Side, did everything right and still ended up a victim of Chicago’s gun violence. He…
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Bradley Pontecore on his passion project, ‘Punk Band’ — a film that tells the story of every small band
Bradley Pontecore studied film and graduated from Columbia College in 1997, went on to study film production at the American Film Institute Conservatory and has wanted to make a…
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Dick Biondi ‘Super Fan’ set to release documentary about legendary DJ
A documentary on legendary DJ Dick Biondi is currently in post production, the fruition of a dream of one of his biggest fans-turned-filmmaker, Pamela Pulice. Pulice, who first…
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Former Marine Devon Colwell making the breach into the movie biz
After serving four years and two combat tours in the Marine Corps, there isn’t any challenge that Devon Colwell shies away from. He worked on the edges of the film industry…
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With ‘Hot Mess,’ Emily Belden may be Chicago’s next literary star
Chicagoan Emily Belden is getting a lot of well-deserved attention for her first novel, Hot Mess. Set in Chicago’s posh Randolph Street restaurant scene, Hot Mess is the story…
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Redlined – A fascinating first-person memoir of how a racist government policy affected West Garfield Park
A review by Bob Chiarito. Fifty years after the West Side riots that started after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., much of West Garfield Park has never recovered.…
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Company of Thieves set to steal more hearts second time around
Indie rockers Company of Thieves is making their third appearance in Chicago Friday since reuniting in May. The band, fronted by Chicago area natives Genevieve Schatz and Marc…
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Martin Atkins: Pioneering punk rocker, educator, reaping the benefits of not giving a f#&!k
Martin Atkins may be best known for his band Pigface and playing in Public Image Ltd. (PiL), the post-punk band fronted by Sex Pistols legend Johnny Rotten; as well as playing in…
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Cancer survivor Kayla Redig makes movie to give voice to overlooked young-adult cancer patients
At 24, Kayla Redig was like a lot of women her age. Single, early into a career, a competitive swimmer whose biggest concern was where she should be going to meet her friends on…
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Local author takes kids to Chicago neighborhoods via new children’s book
Kathleen Dragan first came to Chicago nine years ago and instantly fell in love with it. A year later, she moved to the South Loop with her husband, where they still live with…
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Seminal Chicago Punk band Pegboy turning up the volume with spate of shows
To become a legend in Punk rock, perhaps more than any other genre of music, integrity and credibility are essential. Record sales and fame, metrics for most other genres, are…
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Local writer, musicians bringing alt-rock musical ‘Unplugged’ to City Winery
Musician and writer Paul McComas has been in many bands and written many books over the years, but one character —Dayna Clay — has continued to talk back to him. The…
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Andy Davis left Chicago years ago, but Chicago never left Andy Davis
Andy Davis may have moved out of Chicago before making his first movie, but over the course of his career, he’s made more movies in Chicago than any other Hollywood director,…
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Fawzia Mirza wins the belt with ‘Signature Move’
Through her work in theater, in numerous web series, television and short-movie roles, most of which she created, Fawzia Mirza is an artist activist who is working to break down…
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Riot Fest 2017 recap – Still Chicago’s best music festival
This was the first year of Riot Fest without its co-founder Sean McKeough who passed away last November at the age of 42, but those left in charge would have made him proud. The…
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Hot Water Music’s Chuck Ragan on music, fly fishing and Pegboy
Chuck Ragan, lead singer of Hot Water Music, sat down with The Chicago Ambassador’s Bob Chiarito backstage at Riot Fest after putting on an electric set. Ragan, no stranger to…
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Tom Morello to rage at Riot Fest
Tom Morello continues to use music to rage against the man. The former lead guitarist of Rage Against the Machine, Morello is now the backbone of Prophets of Rage, a rap-rock…
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Lindsey Liss: An artist on the cusp
For most of her life, Lindsey Liss lived a conventional life while writing and taking photographs as a hobby. It wasn’t until middle age that she discovered her true passion and…
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Russian artist fights for creative freedom in visa request
By Connor Carynski In a tough atmosphere for immigrants in this country, Moscow native and 24-year-old artist, Yulia Kuznetsova is fighting for an O-1B visa, only given to those…
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Pioneering punk rocker and artist Tim Kerr the focus of a new art show starting Saturday
Tim Kerr, the 61-year-old co-founder of the Austin hardcore band Big Boys, has made a name for himself as a punk rock pioneer and also as a painter showing around the world. His…
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United Flight 232 to run again — A conversation with its director, Vanessa Stalling
Chicagoans who missed it the first time around are in for a treat. The House Theatre of Chicago is opening its 2017-18 season with a remounting of United Flight 232, the…
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Stuart Dybek, America’s best short-story writer and regular Chicago guy
Stuart Dybek is not only a Chicago treasure, he’s perhaps the best short-story writer in America. A youthful 75, Dybeck is a second-generation Polish American who grew up in…
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Kelsie Huff, Chicago’s finest stand-up comic
Sitting down with Kelsie Huff is a fun challenge because she often goes off on talents and hardly sits still. At a recent one-on-one meeting with a reporter in a low-key Lincoln…
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Chicago’s Bailiff rocks Taste of Chicago, converts more fans
If the album Chicago indie band Bailiff is working on is anything like their set Saturday at the Taste of Chicago, music lovers will be in for something special. It’s been three…
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“The Wheelchair Chronicles” advocate for disabled in popular media
By Connor Carynski Claiming people with disabilities are cast only as side characters, flat-out excluded or entirely misrepresented in the media, filmmaker and community worker…
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Wesley Willis artwork to be sold off Tuesday
Wesley Willis was a Chicago character who became well known in the 1990s for his solo music and his music with his band “The Wesley Willis Fiasco” and for his artwork, which…
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Psychotherapist Nicole Sachs bringing her drug-free chronic pain treatment to Chicago
Nicole Sachs suffered from chronic pain for several years in her 20s before discovering the work of the late Dr. John Sarno, a pioneer in mind-body medicine, which does not use…
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Black Pistol Fire hits the target at Riot Fest
Black Pistol Fire is a gritty rock and roll duo based out of Austin, Texas by way of Toronto, Canada. They played an afternoon set Saturday at Riot Fest and will be back in…
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Jason Narducy’s Split Single to play Taste of Chicago Saturday
Jason Narducy felt the calling for a career in music when he was 8-years-old after watching The Who’s “The Kids are Alright” for the first time. A year later he’d get his…
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Internet singing star Milck working on EP, album and major tour for Atlantic Records
Connie Lim, known as Milck, is the singer songwriter from Los Angeles whose song Quiet became the unofficial anthem for the Women’s March. The Chicago Ambassador caught up to…
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For Minita Gandhi, the journey to find ‘Muthaland’ is the destination
Minita Gandhi is a force. An actress, playwright and writer who was born in Mumbai, India and raised in California, Gandhi has been living and working in Chicago since getting her…
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A.V. Club picks up steam in new television series
By Connor Carynski Straying, but not too far, from its internet tethers, the A.V. Club entertainment site is extending their quota of smart and quirky content from your laptop to…
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Joe and Melissa Basilone, revitalizing a neighborhood one business at a time
Owners of resale shop, coffee house, book & record store, set to open a deli in the Northwest Side Irving & Austin corridor By Bob Chiarito Not long after moving from…
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Blues Fest pulls off move to Millennium Park without major hitches
By Connor Carynski The 34th annual Chicago Blues Festival maintained its title as the nation’s largest blues festival and its change of venue seemed to please most attendees and…
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2017 Chicago Blues Festival – In pictures
All Photos by Mary Rafferty. For additional images, click here Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter!
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This is this: Trump intimidating Comey shouldn’t be a hard pill to swallow
A column by Bob Chiarito. Whether or not President Donald Trump’s personal meetings and phone calls to former F.B.I. director James B. Comey constitute obstruction of justice…
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The Bard Prison Initiative to be featured at Printers Row Lit Fest
Talent, brains and the willingness to work hard can sometimes be found in the most unlikeliest of places, even the prison system. The difference between success and failure is…
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Amy Thompson — Chicago’s next sketch comedy gift to the country?
By Bob Chiarito It’s a hard challenge to articulate what makes someone funny. Some comedians stand out for obvious reasons – often physical appearance or a willingness to…
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Chuck Ragan: singer, songwriter, rocker and Southern gentleman
Chuck Ragan is a Southern gentleman. Though he lives in Grass Valley, California, he grew up in the Southern part of America, bouncing from Texas to Georgia, then Louisiana and…
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Bryan Wendorf – Ringleader of the Chicago Underground Film Festival
The Chicago Underground Film Festivall (CUFF) kicks off Wednesday night and runs through Sunday evening at the Logan Theatre in Logan Square. Now in its 24th year, the film fest…
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Chicago citizens receive resources to prevent unnecessary trauma losses
By Connor Carynski Inspired by the disproportionate distribution of trauma centers in Chicago, community groups Ujimaa Medics and the Northwestern Trauma and Surgical Initiative…
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Ai Weiwei and Henry Darger: Two exhibits that should be seen
Chicago is currently home of two exhibits that should not be missed, one of a Chinese dissident artist and the other of a local artist undiscovered until his death. Both share a…
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Oscar Lopez Rivera, one man’s freedom fighter and another man’s terrorist
Rivera returns to Humboldt Park, welcomed by many but opposed by few By Connor Carynski Some consider Puerto Rican nationalist, Oscar Lopez Rivera, a patriot and others a…
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Beverly art exhibit pushes forward a constant struggle of racial discussion
By Connor Carynski Addressing racism in any form has never been an easy conversation to have, and it certainly has never been a pretty one either, but an art exhibit in one of the…
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Englewood in focus and the focus of photographer Tonika Johnson
Chicago photographer Tonika Johnson has garnered a lot of attention for two projects that are both focused on the South Side neighborhood where she grew up, Englewood. To…
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The film about Chicago’s legendary Wax Trax! Records almost complete — a conversation with the filmmakers days before the first glimpse
The long-rumored and long-awaited documentary about legendary Chicago music store and record label Wax Trax! is coming to fruition, with two test screenings of “Industrial…
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‘Anonymous Women’ find voice though photographer Patty Carroll
Patty Carroll has been known for her highly intense, color saturated photos for four decades now. She’s gotten attention for several projects over the years, especially her…
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Currently running in Jefferson Park, ‘Unseen’ definitely should be seen
A REVIEW BY BOB CHIARITO What has been seen cannot be unseen. Perhaps that’s a cliche, but believing you can “un-see” something is the lie that the photojournalist in the…
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This is this: The story coming out of Worlds of Music slightly off-key
A column by Bob Chiarito. A Chicago couple that is planning on packing up their business and leaving Chicago because of what they say are threats, intimidation and bullying…
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A conversation with Joe Medeiros, the man behind the story of the little-known theft of the Mona Lisa, hours before its Chicago premiere
The story most people don’t know — that the Mona Lisa was stolen and missing for more than 2 years, will make its Chicago-area premiere tonight. Filmmaker Joe Medeiros…
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Two new Chicago plays tap into the high drama of the newspaper world
A REVIEW BY BOB CHIARITO Journalism is often a great source of intrigue and two new plays making their world premieres in Chicago use it well for high drama. The Columnist,…
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Kevin Coval: Chicago’s unofficial poet laureate makes no small plans
He’s been called Chicago’s poet laureate and for twenty years, Kevin Coval has been one of the loudest and most distinct voices in Chicago — through his poetry…
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The Rohingya in Chicago: A persecuted Muslim minority with a mission
By Bob Chiarito As a Muslim minority Rohingya in Myanmar (also known as Burma), 30-year-old Abdul Jabbar Amanullah was never a citizen of a country until he came to America in…
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Ben Blount’s art stirs things up
If you meet Ben Blount after seeing his art, you may be surprised to discover that he is a soft spoken man. Perhaps it’s because he doesn’t have to say much, his art speaks…
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Her song ‘Quiet’ making a loud impact, artist MILCK talks about taking over social media and supplying the anthem for a movement
What causes a video to go viral is unknown and is the goal of every corporation and advertising agency in the country. The best viral videos are usually grass roots, not…
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Chicago native and former Neo-Futurist Lusia Strus sounds off on the end of ‘Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind’
Chicago born and raised actor Lusia Strus, who currently stars in the TNT series “Good Behavior,” recently came back to her hometown of Chicago to see the last performance…
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Michael Bloomfield: The Rise and Fall of an American Guitar Hero
A book review by James Clarke. “Chicago musicians played the blues and all the other cats were imitators.” Michael Bloomfield I remember the first time I heard the…
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Maggie Meiners revisits Rockwell and goes from photographer to artist
When she has something to say, Maggie Meiners has always followed her heart and found a way to say it. In the early 2000’s, she visited a photography exhibit in London and was…
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Mitchell Fain responds to the end of The Santaland Diaries with new tell-all show
Although it played to sold-out audiences every year, The Santaland Diaries was never a traditional holiday show. Based on a short story by best-selling author and humorist David…
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A Chicago Cubs Game 7 World Series victory – in pictures
After 108 long seasons, the Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series. Of course, the series had to go seven heart-pounding games, and go into extra-innings in that final game to…
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Apart for 7 years against her will, a mother’s hope to get her daughter back from Ghana suffers a major setback after recent court action
By Bob Chiarito On the day many Chicagoans would celebrate a World Series for the Cubs, downtown in Cook County Circuit Court November 2 marked the day that a mother lost her best…
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Jane Saks harnesses art to take on social justice with Project&
Jane Saks is a lot of things. Author, writer, poet, activist, educator, and collaborator are just some of her titles. She has dedicated her life to advancing human rights and…
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Nicole Atkins: No ordinary Jersey girl, returns to Chicago Nov. 25
Nicole Atkins is a timeless artist whose songwriting and voice spans generations. Often compared to Roy Orbison, who she grew up admiring, Atkins burst onto the music scene in…
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Chicagoan David Singer talks about his full-length feature film, “Imperfections”
For David Singer, the path to directing his first full-length feature film was a circuitous one. About 20 years ago, Singer attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to…
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Chicago Blues Odyssey: Alan Harper’s Waiting for Buddy Guy
In 1979, twenty year old Alan Harper packed his bags, hopped a transatlantic flight from London to the US and by way of Newark, Manhattan and Bloomington, Illinois, made his way…
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Chicago, You Are Trying to Break My Heart
A Guest Essay from Katy Jacob A self-described “professional nerd,” Katy Jacob has lived in the Chicago area most of her life. She writes two blogs, KatyDid Cancer and Live…
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Reporter Mary Wisniewski continues the revival of Nelson Algren with a new biography
Chicago Tribune reporter Mary Wisniewski first discovered Nelson Algren when she was in college in search of a book about the seedy side of life. A friend recommended “The Man…
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New staging of ‘Bleacher Bums’ starts this week and promises to break new ground
The play Bleacher Bums is as synonymous with the Chicago Cubs as the ivy at Wrigley Field, the rooftops across from the ballpark on Sheffield and Waveland Avenues and waiting…
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Nino Arobelidze: Remember that name
In the intro on her Facebook page, there is a note that says “Pronounces name NEE-noh uh-ROH-buh-li-dzuh.” While many outside the local indie-music scene are just hearing of…
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Chicago playwright Rick Roberts sure to raise eyebrows and discussion with ‘Thee Trinity’
Religion and politics may be off limits for sensible cocktail party conversation, but it makes great fodder for satire. While Thee Trinity, a new play that takes on religion,…
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Chicago artist Krista Wortendyke uses her camera to speak about Chicago violence
Chicago artist Krista Wortendyke is one of several artists who has been inspired by Chicago violence. Her most known piece, “Killing Season Chicago,” was created in 2010 but…
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Lou Shields: A rambler, a rocker and an artist
If you met Lou Shields on the street, you might think that he just walked off the set of The Grapes of Wrath, until you saw his shoes. Decked out in an untucked buttoned-down…
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Kathleen Hanna refocuses the ‘riot’ to her own family with new album from The Julie Ruin
Kathleen Hanna has never been shy. As one of the founders of the Riot Grrrl movement, Hanna has been a leader in the third-wave feminism movement that continues to this day. She…
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37 years later, a new book tries to set the record straight on Disco Demolition
On July 12, 1979, an event billed as “Teen Night” took place in between two games of a double-header at Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox. Mention “Teen Night”…
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Jon Dee Graham’s Crown Jewel: Fitzgerald’s American Music Festival
“You’re about to see hard rockin’ John Dee tonight!’ one anxious Chicago-by-way-of-Austin fan explained as Jon Dee Graham and his band The Fighting Cocks (Veteran Austin…
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For former skinhead leader Christian Picciolini, the road to redemption has many tolls, but continues on
At 14, Christian Picciolini found himself at the intersection of Union and Division Streets in Blue Island, birthplace of the American white power skinhead movement and one of…
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American Grit: Mike Cooley of Drive By Truckers
Fans are used to seeing Mike Cooley trading off vocal duties on stage with Patterson Hood, his longtime band mate and co-founding member of Drive By Truckers. Anyone lucky enough…
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Al Scorch – Chicago’s newest musical gift to the world
Chicago has a long tradition of story tellers. From Nelson Algren in literature to Mike Royko in the newspaper, Studs Terkel on the radio, there is no shortage. And in the world…
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The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window should say ‘Pass’
A review by Bob Chiarito. The hypocrisy and folly of young liberal idealism seems to be a theme in two recent Chicago productions this season. Sitting in the Goodman Theatre’s…
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Bruce Iglauer – One of the last beacons of the blues still going strong
Chicago has long been home of the blues. It’s where musicians, largely from the Mississippi Delta, first plugged in their guitars (in a radical move) to create a new sound that…
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W. Kamau Bell makes people laugh and think, whatever their shade
W. Kamau Bell talks about race and politics a lot. And with a bit of salt creeping into his unkept hair, along with the goatee, one may think that he’s a trying to be a next…
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Having survived the temple of doom, Eileen Tull is aiming to find her lost ark.
On the cusp of turning 29, Eileen Tull has done more than artists twice her age. Performance artist, poet, storyteller, comedian, and feminist who has performed across the…
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Robin Slonina draws on her Chicago work ethic to take the Vegas art scene to a higher level
For more than a decade, Robin Slonina has worked to establish a respectable arts scene in Las Vegas. Originally from Chicago, Slonina is a star in the world of body painting,…
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Asra Nomani – A rebel with a cause
To many, Asra Nomani is a hero, a champion of women’s rights, a reporter, and an activist. To others, she’s an infidel, a self-hating Muslim, and delusional. What no one seems…
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Chef Bruno Abate has the appetite to fix a broken system and the recipe — a ‘Recipe For Change.’
For most chefs, owning a hotspot on Fulton Market and then following it up with an award-winning restaurant in Wicker Park would fulfill most desires. But for Chef Bruno Abate, a…
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Mark Bazer taking The Interview Show to WTTW
The Interview Show is one of Chicago’s longest running live variety shows. For the last 8 years, audiences at The Hideout on Chicago’s North Side have attended every first…
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Local historian bringing Sherlock Holmes back to where it started, 100 years later
From 1907 to 1913, Chicago was the movie capital of the world. Essanay Studios, located in Uptown, made silent films featuring stars such as Charlie Chaplin, Gloria Swanson, and…
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Tom Palazzolo: Chicago’s chronicler of the city’s foibles and its oddballs
Tom Palazzolo is a true Chicago original. Filmmaker, photographer and painter are just some descriptions of him. Chronicler of Chicago oddities and oddballs is another, as well as…
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This is this: Valentine’s Day ends on blue note for Chicago’s Jazz fans
A column by Bob Chiarito. February 14 turned out to be a cold and snowy day in Chicago, fitting for the death of a friend. On what was a bittersweet Valentine’s Day for…
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JC Brooks hoping to take his sound from Uptown to the top of the charts
JC Brooks of JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound has made it to the Grammy Awards this year, but won’t be winning any awards…yet. As the lead singer of a Chicago-based…
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South Side arts organization recruiting artists to urge state legislators to end budget impasse
By Bob Chiarito An arts organization on the far South Side of Chicago is in the process of recruiting artists to help raise awareness for an organization that helps kids…
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ISIS took his life, but the friends of James Foley have taken control of his story with new film that premieres on HBO tonight
James Foley was many things to many people. Son, friend, teacher, colleague, and reporter are only some of the labels that could describe him. Born in Evanston, Foley’s…
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Freakwater makes Bloodshot debut
Album review by James Clarke. Today marks the release of Scheherazade, Freakwater’s first album in ten years and the first on Chicago’s Bloodshot label. Scheherazade is a…
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This is This: U.S. State Department investigation into international child abduction of Chicago area girl, father’s incarceration for contempt, not enough for Chicago media to take notice
A column by Bob Chiarito. A few months ago I learned about an American girl who has been forced to live in Ghana with her father’s relatives, against the wishes of her…
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Alex Kotlowitz, Chicago’s most important storyteller
Alex Kotlowitz may be the most important storyteller in Chicago today. Best known for his 1991 best-selling There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up In The…
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This Is This: Chicago’s Super Heroes
A column by Bob Chiarito. Every year at this time, we read a lot of heartwarming stories. For at least a day, political differences are set aside. But Christmas comes and goes,…
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Magpies, Accordions and Outlaw Pianos: James Fearnley’s Memoir of a Pogue
For nearly thirty years, an unlikely candidate has appeared amongst favorite and greatest Christmas song lists. Pristine and profane, The Pogues’ classic ballad “Fairytale…
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Producer Robert Teitel keeps bringing Chicago stories to the big screen
Robert Teitel is a busy man. The producer of 21 films and television shows, including Soul Food, Men of Honor and the Barbershop franchise, his latest project —…
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Southern Belle of the Ball
The singing, songwriting, storytelling, boogie-woogie piano playing, long tall Marcia Ball makes her way back to Chicago this weekend for two shows—Friday, December 11th at…
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Daniel Martin Moore Brings Golden Age from the Commonwealth to the Windy City
A concert review. By James Clarke Kentucky singer-songwriter Daniel Martin Moore played an eclectic set Tuesday night at Schuba’s in support of his recently released album…
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Daniel Martin Moore – A man of soft spoken songs and strong convictions
Kentucky singer-songwriter Daniel Martin Moore will be performing at Schubas on Tuesday, December 8th in support of his most recent album Golden Age (Sofaburn…
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Renee Rosen – one of Chicago’s finest novelists
Born and raised in Ohio, Renee Rosen has been a resident of Chicago for the last 30 years. If that wasn’t enough to convince someone that she’s a true Chicagoan, her…
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The Santaland Diaries: Mitchell Fain kills again!
A Review by Ann Gabor. Spoiler alert: Some plot points of the show are discussed below. It’s that time of year again. The days are getting shorter. The temperatures are…
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Activist/Journalist responsible for the release of the Laquan McDonald video speaks out
Today’s indictment of Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke on a first-degree murder charge and the release of the video showing him shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16…
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George Klauba’s latest exhibit focuses on Cuba on the eve of Castro’s revolution
George Klauba was born in the Marquette Park neighborhood on Chicago’s Southwest Side 77 years ago. He currently lives in the Northwest Side neighborhood of North Center,…
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Suburban Chicago couple hopes to inspire other parents, near and far
Being a parent is arguably the hardest job in the world, and being the parent of a child with Cerebral Palsy presents an especially hard challenge. But Tony and Deanna Alfano of…
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Amy Guth Takes Aim at Internet Trolls and Harassers
Amy Guth is a hard person to describe. She’s a journalist, a novelist, an activist, a radio host and a huge fan of the band The Smiths. She’s also an adjunct faculty…
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Stephen Martin, the artist who chose to become homeless and used it as a muse
To describe an artist’s story as eccentric is sort of like naming the smartest member of MENSA, but Stephen Martin’s story does stand out in a scene full of unique…
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2nd Annual Beverly Art Walk to provide exposure for artists, boost for businesses
By Bob Chiarito If the posh and chic River North art galleries are quiet Saturday, it’s likely because the city’s art-community will be focused on the far South Side,…
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Assassination Theater Kills It!
A review by Bob Chiarito. The assassination of President John F. Kennedy may be the most studied crime in American history. Yet 52 years later, there is no definitive…
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Investigative Reporter Blames Chicago Outfit For Kennedy Assassination In New Play
Just as Chicago may never shake its reputation for organized crime, the Kennedy assassination may never be solved. The two have intersected in the new play “Assassination…
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Catherine De Orio’s Fried Chicken and Champagne Fest to raise scholarship money
“Check, Please!” host Catherine De Orio is bringing together some of the city’s finest chefs to participate in a Fried Chicken & Champagne Fest August 22 to…
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Raygun. Naked.
Legendary Chicago punk outfit gives The Chicago Ambassador more than a glimpse. Chicago has a huge musical tradition that runs from bluesmen like Willie Dixon and Buddy Guy to…
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Billy Dec, the hardest working man in Chicago
If a Chicago version of “Where’s Waldo?” was ever created, it likely would feature a middle-aged, baby-faced man with dimples who wears a hat and gym shoes…
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For those affected by colon cancer, Keven Stonewall has emerged as ‘Chicago Hope’
20-year-old Keven Stonewall just completed his sophomore year at the University of Wisconsin, but unlike most college kids, he’s been billed as the great hope to cure colon…
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Father in the center of a State Department child abduction investigation speaks out from jail
By Bob Chiarito Any hope that the 11-year-old daughter of Ivy Davis and Raymond C. Gunn will be returned to the U.S. by the next court date in the custody battle between divorced…
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State Department investigating child abduction case of a girl held in Ghana against a Cook County Judge’s Order
By Bob Chiarito The U.S. State Department Tuesday opened a child abduction investigation into the case of an American-born 11-year-old girl that has been living in Ghana for the…
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Lady D, Chicago’s very own first lady of House music
In the House music world, Darlene Jackson is royalty. Born and raised in the Washington Heights neighborhood on the South Side, Jackson, better known as “Lady D,” …
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Zainab Zeb Khan – Global women’s rights activist speaks loudest through her paintings
To describe Zainab Zeb Khan as an activist is just as limiting as to call her an artist. She is both, and also more than that. Born and raised in the Chicago area, with a father…
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Far South Side Art Exhibit to feature Bauhaus Chicago artist Jack Denst
By Bob Chiarito The Beverly Area Art Alliance‘s exhibit Friday night will feature work from several South Side artists, including one of the most prolific artists of the…
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Joe Shanahan, Chicago’s most influential music man
Any serious discussion about music in Chicago cannot take place without the mention of Joe Shanahan. At 58, he is the owner of both Metro and Smart Bar, along with being co-owner…
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The toughest girl I know
A column by Michael Lopez. I’m now aware. I. AM. AWARE! I’m aware of the triumph and the defeat, the ups and downs, the trials and tribulations and the non-stop cycle of…
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Kim Longinotto gives voice to Chicago’s voiceless with ‘Dreamcatcher’
Kim Longinotto is one of the most renowned filmmakers in the world. Known for making observational documentaries that reveal untold stories of women’s daily lives and…
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A conversation with rock icon Kelley Deal
When she’s not playing lead guitar in The Breeders, one of the seminal bands of the 90s, Kelley Deal is part of R.Ring, a two-piece band with Ampline guitarist Mike…
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Dream comes to fruition for playwright Todd Bauer
Chicagoan Todd Bauer didn’t start writing until after he graduated from college with a degree in accounting, and didn’t share his writing for more than a decade after…
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A conversation with emerging Chicago star Daniel Knox
Describing 34-year-old Daniel Knox’s music is a tall task. Antonyms like “gritty” and “beautiful” have been used to describe the sound. Adjectives…
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‘Chicago girl’ leads Syrian Revolution from Des Plaines to Damascus
By Bob Chiarito It was 2011 when news of the arrest, torture and murder of children in her native Syria snapped Alaa Basatneh out of her comfortable existence in northwest…
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John Maloof, the man who took Vivian Maier from the storage bin to the Academy Awards
John Maloof is less than two weeks away from going to the Academy Awards to see if his first film brings home the Oscar for Best Documentary — but he’s been so busy…
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Catherine De Orio, the embodiment of class, smarts and hard-work — and the best of Chicago.
As the host of “Check, Please!” — the highest rated show on WTTW, it wouldn’t be surprising to find Catherine De Orio dining at a swanky Randolph Street…
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With the MCA ‘Bowie Is’ exhibit over, fans can still get their fix in Jefferson Park
The “David Bowie Is” exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art may have ended Sunday, but for those looking for more of David Bowie, there is currently an exhibit of world…
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Steve Albini is really a good guy, trust us!
Since the early 1990s, Steve Albini has been one of the loudest voices in the music industry. Born in California, Albini grew up mostly in Montana. He moved to Evanston in 1980 to…
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Urge Overkill is back and ready to rock Wrigley in August
Urge Overkill was one of the biggest bands to ever come out of Chicago. Before the Smashing Pumpkins stole the local spotlight away, Urge ruled the 1990’s Chicago music…
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20 years later, Urge Overkill “Stalker” discusses her antics, still wants to drive the band crazy
In the early 1990’s Urge Overkill went from hometown band to national stars, despite the attempts by two local women to stop them. If you frequented the North Side during…
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Art Shay: Possessor of the eternal fire
Art Shay is a legend. And at 92, he’s still going strong. Originally from the Bronx, Shay moved to the Chicago area in 1949, a few years after World War II, during which he…
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Legendary newsman John “Bulldog” Drummond may be retired, but he’s still pounding the pavement
Legendary reporter John “Bulldog” Drummond worked at CBS 2 Chicago from 1969 until 1997. Known mostly for his crime coverage, especially of the Chicago Outfit,…
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Bowie’s music director quietly visits MCA exhibit
A member of David Bowie’s inner circle made an unannounced visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art Friday to see “David Bowie Is,” the exhibit focused on his…
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David Bowie Is….going fast!
The “David Bowie Is” exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art will end January 4 and while tickets are available, some weekend dates are selling out fast. The Chicago…
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Suzanne Vega, performing Friday in Evanston, continues to wear many hats
Suzanne Vega possesses one of the finest voices in American music and will be at Space in Evanston Friday for two shows to support her newest album “Tales From the Realm of…
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Two films from two Chicagoans shine the light on Nelson Algren
Nelson Algren has been dead for nearly 35 years and since then has been nearly forgotten by mainstream readers, despite being considered by some as one of the finest American…
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Are Chicago Fans Different?
A guest column by Nora Dunn. Let me say something right off. I am an ex-Cubs fan, and let me tell you why. Because I said so, and what I say goes. I am also a…
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St. Boniface, Our Lady of urban photography explorers
Saint Boniface is an abandoned Catholic Church in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood at the corner of Chestnut and Noble streets. Founded in 1864 as a home for Chicago’s…
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Hometown band Bailiff ready to take on the world
By Bob Chiarito Just as most forms of Rock and Roll can be traced back to the blues, music has always borrowed from and been influenced by what came before. Sometimes the…
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Marketa Irglova has found and is sharing her own separate peace with new album, tour
Best known for her co-starring role in the 2006 movie Once with singer Glen Hansard, along with their albums together as part of The Swell Season, Marketa Irglova recently…
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Despite doubters, the Windy City Rollers keep rolling along
By Bob Chiarito Chicago is a sports town. In the summer, we are divided over the Cubs and White Sox in baseball, and then the fall comes (when baseball is usually irrelevant in…
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Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza calls it as she sees it
Susana Mendoza is the City Clerk of Chicago and currently one of only two women in a city-wide post (City Treasurer Stephanie Neely being the other). Previously, Mendoza served 12…
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Blake Grigsby wants to give you a hug, and a smile
UPDATE, December 10, 2014: Blake Grisby was just at Christkindlmarket Chicago — the annual outdoor Christmas Market outside of Daley Center, where he unveiled his…
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Cameron Esposito – The now of comedy
Comedian Cameron Esposito has been in the local news a lot lately — with a recent return to Chicago’s Lincoln Hall for a gig. She may have grown up and made her name…
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The Midnight City leaves fans hoping the sun never sets on Fitzpatrick’s Chicago residency. Review & Q&A
A review by Bob Chiarito. Last winter was brutal enough to break any Chicagoan with the means to escape, and Tony Fitzpatrick is no exception. In his latest show — more of a…
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She’s Crafty rhymes the rhyme well
By Bob Chiarito Most “cover bands” are nothing more than mega-fans of the bands they adore, though with limited musical ability and ambition. “She’s…
This is this: To cause change, protesters must keep their eyes on the prize, and know what the prize is
A column by Bob Chiarito. I first laid eyes on Shirley Watkins outside the Wrigley Building and kept walking, but as I stepped onto the…
With the death of Brazil’s most wanted, residents can sleep soundly, but say work to restore country’s violent reputation must be undertaken
“Scream-Pop” duo blowing the doors off clubs in support of their second album
10 years after being taken to Ghana and kidnapped, teen reunited with her mother
Legendary Austin rocker Jon Dee Graham suffers cardiac arrest after show in Chicago
This Way Outta Santaland, Mitchell Fain’s new endeavor – Reviewed
A REVIEW BY BOB CHIARITO Going into “This Way Outta Santaland (and other Xmas miracles)” the biggest question I had was whether the audience would get…
Something different from the North Side
A column by Michael Lopez. Misery The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting a different outcome or something to that…
This Is This: A new Chicago folk hero is born?
A column by Bob Chiarito. Chicago is unique from other big cities in that we make folk heroes out of everyday people and a new one…
March Sadness
A column by Michael Lopez. Every March even the marginally informed college basketball observer like yours truly tries to predict the winners of all the games…
This Is This: My choice for Mayor of Chicago
A column by Bob Chiarito. It’s no secret that I am not a fan of Rahm Emanuel. The reasons go beyond the fact that he’s an…
Statement from Susana Mendoza on her endorsement of Rahm Emanuel
City Clerk Susana Mendoza was first interviewed by The Chicago Ambassador in October. In response to today’s column from Bob Chiarito, she wrote the following: I…
Awards and acclaim ensure Cristina Henríquez’s ‘Unknown Americans’ is forever known
Chicago-area writer Cristina Henríquez is a busy woman. The mother of two young children, she has been actively promoting her critically acclaimed novel “The Book of Unknown…
“Suicide is Painless”
A column by Michael Lopez. Despite the lyrics to the famous song, what I know now and what I believe now is that nothing about suicide…
The Chicago Ambassador 