Friday, February 3, 2012
Onstage, Performing Arts Mamet alert: Race runs on
Posted by Deanna Isaacs on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 5:49 PM
If you're a fan of Mamet-speak and you haven't yet made plans to see Race, here's some news: the Goodman Theatre announced today that it's adding two performances to the run, February 12 and 19. The play's not perfect—it needs a stronger ending and should run straight through without the momentum-busting intermission—but don't let that stop you: the first act of director Chuck Smith's terrific production is a rocket-fueled trip no Mamet aficionado should miss. Justin Hayford reviewed it for the Reader. A video montage of scenes from Race is posted after the jump.
Film Now playing: Chronicle
Posted by Ben Sachs on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 5:37 PM
Film Now showing: Big Miracle
Posted by J.R. Jones on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 5:10 PM
Crickets, Music It is time to watch the "Dance (A$$)" video
Posted by Miles Raymer on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 4:22 PM
For the past couple of days I've been in Michigan dealing with a family situation that's reasonably heavy. It was a hastily put-together trip, and neither my sister nor myself brought any CDs or iPod hookups; because my family lives in a rural area that requires a lot of driving around, I spent a lot of time listening to the radio. One of the highlights of the trip was the opportunity to spend some time with WJLB, "The D's Hip-Hop & R&B" and one of my favorite radio stations in the entire country. Right now they're playing Big Sean's "Dance (A$$)" remix with Nicki Minaj approximately every five minutes or so, which is great because that song is, along with Nicki's "Stupid Hoe", one of the funnest, raunchiest things in pop music right at the moment.
From what I've heard from my friends, a lot of cases of Early Onset Februaries have been diagnosed around town, despite the recent heat wave. Luckily there is a cure, which is to make that motherfucker Hammer Time and repeat as necessary. To that end I've provided the "Dance (A$$)" video after the jump.
Mudville, Sports 'In the rematch, bet on Goliath'
Posted by Ted Cox on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 4:01 PM
- Wikimedia Commons
- Bill Belichick
Onstage, Performing Arts Why didn't Bruce Norris play the game?
Posted by Tony Adler on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 3:28 PM
- Clybourne Park
- Michael Brosilow
Winning the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Clybourne Park may have been the worst thing that could've happened to former Chicagoan Bruce Norris. The 51-year-old playwright and actor had spent years designing a life that left him free to be as sharp-tongued, difficult, misanthropic, and iconoclastically brilliant as he wanted—and he clearly wanted, quite a bit. Thanks to the occasional role in a movie (The Sixth Sense) or TV series (Law and Order), Norris was able to maintain the economic independence he needed to write scabrous satires like The Pain and the Itch, which revolves around a four-year-old girl's genital rash. And he was nurtured, often in spite of himself, by a cadre of supporters at Steppenwolf Theatre. Artistic director Martha Lavey put her company's considerable resources and prestige behind him. Amy Morton directed two of his scripts there, including the world premiere of Clybourne Park. And another Steppenwolf director, Anna Shapiro, has finessed his tirades and tolerated his provocations through no less than five projects.
Music, Post No Bills A new direction for Viennese electronica kingpin Patrick Pulsinger
Posted by Peter Margasak on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 1:59 PM
In the 90s Patrick Pulsinger was a kingpin of the Austrian electronic-music scene, both as a producer (Sluts 'n' Strings & 909) and a label owner (Cheap), so I was surprised late last year to see his name on a new recording from contemporary classical label Col Legno. Besides Feldman captures a live performance during the Wien Modern 2010, a cutting-edge multi-arts festival in Vienna. The concert was part of a series called Feld(man) Forschung that Pulsinger curated. He assembled an unusual quartet to perform a piece that considers brilliant American composer Morton Feldman as a thinker and composer, without touching his actual music.
Food Chain, Food & Drink One Bite: Burmese pickled tea salad
Posted by Mike Sula on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 1:24 PM
- Mike Sula
- Junta-backed pickled tea salad
Until now.
Crickets, Music 12 O'Clock Track: Extra Life, "Righteous Seed"
Posted by Leor Galil on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 12:00 PM
Today's 12 O'Clock Track is "Righteous Seed," a thundering, boisterous, and slightly creepy cut from Extra Life's forthcoming third full-length, Dream Seeds. I'll have this song on repeat till the day Northern Spy releases the album.
Media, News Bites The Facebook paradox
Posted by Michael Miner on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 10:54 AM
Some 20 to 30 percent of Facebook users are "power users," according to a study by the Pew's Internet & American Life Project, done in collaboration with Facebook. This is the minority that partakes of at least one Facebook activity at a "much higher rate" than the rest of us. (About 5 percent do everything you can do on Facebook at a much higher rate.)
The result, says "Why most Facebook users get more than they give," which was released Friday, is the oddity expressed in the report's title. "The average Facebook user receives friend requests, receives personal messages, is tagged in photos, and receives feedback in terms of 'likes' at a higher frequency than they contribute."
