‘Tis the season for hip-hop and waffles—or at least it is at Jerry’s in Wicker Park. Next week the restaurant, bar, and venue hosts two events with the city’s preeminent breakfast-food-obsessed rap squad, Waffle Gang! On Saturday, December 19, Waffle Gang leader Shawn Childress (aka rapper, singer, and producer Awdazcate) celebrates his 40th birthday as part of the weekly rap-karaoke party at Jerry’s (with music by Encyclopedia Brown). It’s Native Tongues night, so come ready to bust out some Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, or A Tribe Called Quest; the fun starts at 9 PM, and there’s no cover. Then on Wednesday, December 23, Waffle Gang returns to Jerry’s for Kwistmas, a holiday hip-hop jamboree featuring live sets by Mack Nito, Al Tamper, the $hoots, Monsoon, and Spqher. Chris Ill will spin a Biggie vs. Tupac set; it’s also at 9 PM, and cover is $5.
Even if Christmas music makes you want to claw your eyes out, you’re probably willing to tolerate a few holiday tunes—the ones that don’t sound like they were manufactured to be piped into a Starbucks. At 9 PM on Thursday, December 17, Logan Arcade hosts Holiday Obscura at 45 RPM, its second annual Christmas party, which features DJs Andy Cirzan and John Soss, whose stashes of seven-inches include lesser-known (and higher-quality) seasonal jams. Admission is free.
Last week newish Chicago shoegaze band Lazy Legs dropped a simmering, hazy new single called “Ghost” via Bandcamp, and after a few listens this wolf is totally haunted by its ethereal tones! The trio includes guitarist Michael Tenzer of Gossip Wolf psych-gaze faves Savage Sister, and they plan to release a cassette EP on local label Wild Patterns in January. v
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