Chicago Reader: The Blog: Free Shit

11/9 — Free "So You Think You Have Nerves of Steel" Kickoff at the Whistler

mail@chicagoreader.com (Robyn Chang) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:34:17 -0600

The first installment in what will be a regular monthly Monday series at the Whistler (2421 N. Milwaukee)—one featured writer a month riffs on the question "so you think you have nerves of steel?" in whatever manner he or she deems appropriate—starts this week.

Featuring host Harold Ray (aka ACM fiction editor Jacob Knabb), The2ndHand contributors Chris Bower and Jill Summers, and "literary stalker extraordinaire" Amanda Marbais.

Musical backing throughout will be provided by Nora Barton on cello, Eliza Bangert on clarinet and Allie Deaver on flute. Billie Howard of Paver assists.

Music starts at 8 PM, readings begin at 9 PM. Presented by The2ndHand.

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11/9—"Site Unseen" at the Chicago Cultural Center

mail@chicagoreader.com (Sam Adams) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:01:11 -0600

Monday from 6 to 9 PM the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington, wheelchair accessible entrance on Randolph) will host Site Unseen 2009: (Dis)abling Conditions, featuring "performances, installations, and video works consider[ing] issues around disability . . . created specifically for the rooms and architecture of the Chicago Cultural Center."

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11/9 — Free Facials at Macy's on State

mail@chicagoreader.com (Robyn Chang) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:35:00 -0600

The Fresh counter at Macy's on State (111 N. State) is offering free 30- to 45-minute facials by "facialist" Ezzat Gousheggir in a private, candle-lit room on Monday from 10 AM to 8 PM. Appointments are required; call 312-781-3699 to reserve a time.

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11/9 — Free White Mystery Show at the Empty Bottle

mail@chicagoreader.com (Robyn Chang) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:39:00 -0600

White Mystery bring their "gleeful (Billy) Childish-ness and swaggering Monks-y stomp" to the Empty Bottle for a show starting at 9:30 PM Monday. Opening are girl group Hollows (recently featured in the Reader) along with Bird Talk and DJ Emilie Fabulette.

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11/7-11/8—Free Shows at Reckless Records

mail@chicagoreader.com (Robyn Chang) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:14:00 -0600

"Fiery Iowa farm boy" William Elliot Whitmore gives a free in-store performance at 3 PM at the Reckless Records Wicker Park location (1532 N. Milwaukee) on Saturday.

And the next day Mount Eerie, whose sound Reader critic Miles Raymer describes as "epic, fascinating, and more than a little scary," plays at 1 PM at the Broadway location (3126 N. Broadway).

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Bold Pianists Kick off the Umbrella Music Festival Tonight

mail@chicagoreader.com (Peter Margasak) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:54:37 -0600

Achim Kaufmann

In this week’s paper I write about a couple of the international artists performing at the Chicago Cultural Center tonight as part of “European Jazz Meets Chicago,” the opening celebration of this year’s Umbrella Music Festival. But don’t take my focus on Liudas Mockunas and Martin Brandlmayr to mean the other musicians on the bill aren’t worthy. In fact, the two visiting pianists tonight would merit special attention any day of the year. (So would the other two guests, Swiss reedist Hans Koch and Swedish guitarist David Stackenas.)

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11/5—Film Screening at Loyola

mail@chicagoreader.com (Sam Adams) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:59:00 -0600

Tonight from 7 to 9 PM, Loyola University's Mundelein Auditorium (1020 W. Sheridan) hosts a free screening of Food, Inc., a 2008 documentary on the not-so-appetizing underbelly of America's corporate/government controlled food industry.

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11/4 — Free Yoga Classes in Logan Square

mail@chicagoreader.com (Robyn Chang) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:10:38 -0600

To celebrate the opening of its third location, Moksha Yoga Center is offering all classes at its new Logan Square location (2514/2528 W. Armitage, suite 202) free through November 7th. Classes are held daily and are fit for yogis of all levels. Find a complete schedule here.

(via Broke Hipster)

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Stare at goats a day early

mail@chicagoreader.com (Ed M. Koziarski) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:01:02 -0600

George Clooney in "The Men Who Stare at Goats"

The Men Who Stare at Goats officially opens in a midnight screening Thursday 11/5, but if you can't wait that long, Gen Art hosts a preview screening and after-party with hosted drinks, Wednesday 11/4.

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11/4 — Free Umbrella Music Festival Shows

mail@chicagoreader.com (Robyn Chang) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:32:00 -0600

As part of several satellite events surrounding the Umbrella Music Festival, reedist Hans Koch, whose work Reader critic Peter Margasak discusses here, will appear solo at the University of Chicago's Bond Chapel (1050 E. 59th) at 8 PM Wednesday and at Corbett vs. Dempsey (1120 N. Ashland) at 4 PM Friday.

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11/4 — Free Herb Adoption at Nacional 27

mail@chicagoreader.com (Robyn Chang) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:41:59 -0600

Nacional 27's cocktail hour Wednesday from 5:30 to 7 PM offers free potted herbs to take home, including basil, rosemary, and kaffir lime, as well as free tapas (the cocktails you'll have to pay for). "Parents" will receive an adoption certificate, herb care guide, and recipes for some of mixologist Adam Seger's signature cocktails. No reservations necessary; herbs will be offered on a "first-come, first-adopted" basis.

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11/2 — Free Screening of "Funeral Parade of Roses"

mail@chicagoreader.com (Robyn Chang) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:27:54 -0600

Tonight at 6:30 PM, Sonotheque presents a free screening of Toshio Matsumoto's experimental 1968 film Funeral Parade of Roses (Bara no Soretsu), a very loose adaptation of Oedipus Rex set in 1960's Tokyo that tells the story of a young transvestite actor.

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11/3 — Free Marble Sheep Show at the Whistler

mail@chicagoreader.com (Robyn Chang) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:46:18 -0600

Japanese band Marble Sheep play a free show Tuesday at 9 PM at the Whistler (2421 N. Milwaukee, Plastic Crimewave Sound and Great Society Mind Destroyers open); Reader critic Monica Kendrick describes their music as having developed from garage rock into "sinuous, dreamy space jams."

Or as the band itself describes the show: "It caused by the merry and energetic live performance which can flip out even full-grown-ups and can take every listeners to the Space World easily. So, eternal 21st Century boys & girls, We wanna be your SNAPPY TOYS!!!!"

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The Principal Story

mail@chicagoreader.com (Ed M. Koziarski) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:44:53 -0600

"The Principal Story"

"We're sinking all this money into the war and into pork barrel projects, it's unbelievable to me that we don't invest in our education system," local filmmaker Tod Lending told me in a 2008 interview, during production on his documentary The Principal Story. "That's where the culture grows out of."

The principals Lending and co-director David Mrazek follow in the film face problems originating far beyond their school walls, in the poverty, malnutrition, crime and family dysfunction of their surrounding communities. But their passion and commitment have allowed them to make progress in turning around struggling schools on the west side and in Springfield.

The Principal Story screens for free Tuesday 11/3 at No Exit Café.

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Soulico Brings Its International Flavor to the Empty Bottle Tonight

mail@chicagoreader.com (Peter Margasak) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:14:30 -0600

Soulico

A bunch of high-profile cameos festoon the U.S. debut album by the Israeli production crew Soulico—including Ghostface, Rye Rye, Lyrics Born, and Del the Funky Homosapien—but frankly, they really aren’t needed. The music on Exotic on the Speaker (JDub) traffics in club-oriented hip-hop bangers, with the Tel Aviv foursome liberally drawing upon samples of Middle Eastern sounds, you know, for that regional flavor. The various singers and MCs who have a connection to the Middle East—Balkan Beat Box front man Tomer Yosef, Oren Barzilay, and Axum, who’s performing with the group tonight in their cover-free Chicago debut at the Empty Bottle—pack the most punch, fitting in easily with Soulico’s Mediterranean party vibe.

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10/31 — Free Chipotle "Boo-rito"

mail@chicagoreader.com (Robyn Chang) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:26:04 -0500

On Halloween from 6 PM to closing time (10 PM at most locations) Chipotle is offering a free burrito to its customers. There is a catch: in order to receive the "boo-rito" you must come dressed as a Chipotle menu item. Whether you wrap yourself in tin foil or douse yourself in guacamole is up to you.

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Italian Film Festival in Stone Park

mail@chicagoreader.com (Sam Adams) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:25:00 -0500

The Italian Film Festival at Casa Italia in Stone Park culminates Friday at 7 PM with a free screening of Salvatore Maira's Valzer (The Waltz), a film released earlier this year that tells the story of an older man who believes he will meet his daughter after twenty years of absence and instead finds an unknown woman who has taken her identity.

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Free Things To Do On (Or Around) Halloween

mail@chicagoreader.com (Robyn Chang) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:44:01 -0500

Free Halloween events from a War of the Worlds tribute to a bike tour to "movieoke." For our complete roundup of Halloween events, click here.

James Walsh
North Halsted Halloween Parade 2008

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A Snapshot—Musical and Visual—of the South Side in the 70s

mail@chicagoreader.com (Peter Margasak) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:25:49 -0500

Chicago’s invaluable Numero Group label has always complemented its superb collections with beautiful packaging—thorough, fascinating liner notes, rare archival photographs, lovely slipcases. In fact, over the imprint’s history it seems as though the physical presentation of each release has become more important and more elaborate, which makes sense considering how easy it is for most folks to simply illegally download something for free. For the label’s next knockout release, Light: On the Southside, the music is actually a complement to the art: a stunning 12-by-12, 132-page hardbound book featuring gorgeous black-and-white photographs shot by Michael L. Abramson at a handful of south-side blues clubs and lounges between 1975 and 1977.

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10/30 — Free Performance of "Corpo/Illicito: The Post-Human Society #69"

mail@chicagoreader.com (Robyn Chang) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:51:56 -0500

La Pocha Nostra presents its new performance art piece Corpo/Illicito: The Post-Human Society #69, featuring Guillermo Gomez-Pena, Robert Sifuentes, and Violeta Luna, at Columbia College's Stage 2 (618 S. Michigan) at 7 PM Friday.

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10/28 — Free Vincent Price Films

mail@chicagoreader.com (Robyn Chang) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:01:57 -0500

In celebration of Edgar Allen Poe's birthday, Halloween, and all things horror, the Berwyn Arts Council will be screening vintage Vincent Price films at the 16th Street Theater in Berwyn on Wednesday, October 28th.

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10/28 — Free Lecture and Lifestyle Fair

mail@chicagoreader.com (Robyn Chang) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:52:07 -0500

Emanuel Kuntzelman discusses global shifts in thinking, collective karma, and personal growth in the fourth installment of his lecture series Shift Happens at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts at 6 PM Wednesday. Stick around for the complimentary cocktail reception and lifestyle fair, which includes free fair-trade wine, local treats, chair massages, and acupuncture from local presenters.

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10/23-11/1 — Free Days at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

mail@chicagoreader.com (Robyn Chang) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:26:27 -0500

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is celebrating its tenth anniversary with ten days of free admission, games, guest speakers, and other special events starting today.

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Free H1N1 Vaccinations

mail@chicagoreader.com (Julia Thiel) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:05:42 -0500

The city of Chicago will offer free H1N1 vaccinations to high-risk city residents at several locations starting Saturday and continuing Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, Chicago Breaking News reports.

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Tonight's readings and lectures: Sherman Alexie, Martha Nussbaum, John D'Agata

mail@chicagoreader.com (Whet Moser) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:53:31 -0500

* Sherman Alexie discusses his new story collection, War Dances, at Harold Washington Library. "Each piece asks a similar set of questions," writes Mick Dumke. "What's the point of all this? If there is a point, what's the point of that? And isn’t life really goddamn funny?

* University of Chicago law prof Martha Nussbaum discusses constitutional law and same-sex marriage at Center on Halsted.

* "An October Sort of City: Chicago Authors Talk Chicago" at Heartland Cafe features Joe Meno, Cristina Henriquez, Deb Olin Unferth, and Eula Biss (this one's not free, FYI).

* Essayist John D'Agata reads at Columbia College.

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