Stony Island Park native Recoechi’s assertive bars carry a positive message.
Tag: south side
Katie Got Bandz at UniverSoul Circus, a Stevie Nicks night, and more
The UniverSoul Circus returned to Washington Park this year after a break during the initial COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in 2020, to the delight of families looking for a fun excursion. The organization features many BIPOC performers and offers clowns, motorcyclists, dance troupes, contortionists, aerial ballerinas, and plenty of interactive moments with the audience members so […]
Ableton demos, Sweeney Todd, and more
Hey electronic artists, wanna level up your Ableton game? Join Penthouse Audio Group at Hush (311 W. Chicago), where you can get track feedback from professionals. Ableton-certified program trainers Orville Kline, Basura Boyz, and Cofresi will present some production techniques. There will also be a beat battle (for prizes) and raffles. This is happening from […]
An Unacquainted Orchestra, Tasting India, and tea
Update as of Mon 8/15/22 at 11:30 AM: Unfortunately Monday Night Foodball has been canceled tonight due to illness. Next Foodball is still on for Mon 8/22, and future dates are available here. The Chicago Black Artist Union is a grouping of Black Chicago creatives from several disciplines who joined together to share their artistry […]
A rally, a concert, a podcast, a reading
At noon, KAN-WIN, a local nonprofit focused on eradicating gender-based violence, especially for women and children across Asian American communities, is holding a rally outside of the Wrigley Building (400 N. Michigan) as part of a global day of action for “comfort women”–Asian survivors of sexual slavery at the hands of the Japanese military leading […]
The extraordinary tragedy of daily life
Wolfgang Amadeus Aleksandr “Aleks” Fa has a lot of baggage. The protagonist of Joe Meno’s new novel Book of Extraordinary Tragedies has that name, after all—which also serves as a clue about what burdens the young man. Born into a perfectionist but impoverished Bosnian/Croat/Polish family in Evergreen Park on the border with Chicago’s south side, […]
Desire, sneakers, disc brakes, soccer
While everyone’s distracted by that big downtown music festival, sneak in a leisurely stroll at the Art Institute of Chicago (111. S Michigan). Today is one of the final days to catch Igshaan Adams’s exhibition “Desire Lines.” In this show, Adams takes over a room with fiber art installations ranging from sculptures to wall hangings […]
It’s quiet around here until it’s not
“It’s always quiet around here until it’s not,” said my neighbor from down the street, petting her big dog’s head. Her dog was sitting contentedly in the grass near the lagoon in Sherman Park, near my house in Back of the Yards. It’s often silent there, unless there’s a flock of geese fighting—or unless a […]
Photos: opening reception for Brandon Breaux at Blanc
Our contributor Isa Giallorenzo attended an opening reception in April for artist Brandon Breaux’s solo exhibition “BIG WORDS,” which is on view at Blanc Gallery in Bronzeville through May 27. She reports, “A beautiful, stylish, and lively crowd attended . . . the gallery has a cozy outdoor space that could accommodate a large number of guests. […]
‘Chicago is a funny-ass town’
The Reader caught up with Kerman to talk about what connects South Side and Bust Down, being reasonable in an insane world, and working with Freddie Gibbs.
A theft hidden in plain sight for decades
The greater Englewood area has been subject to land theft for over 80 years. It’s apparent when you see boarded-up windows and overgrown weeds that cover the community. Empty houses abound, a legacy of the impact that racism has had on the area for years, vacant lots indicating opportunities withheld from aspiring Black homeowners. It’s […]
P.S. Studios, where a musician recorded musicians
Paul Serrano, founder of P.S. Studios, was a south-sider at his core. Once a student of Captain Walter Dyett’s famed music program at DuSable High School, he forged a path as a young trumpeter in New York before settling back in Chicago and playing on sessions up and down the city’s storied Record Row. By […]
Expanding the universe of South Side
It’s been over two years since South Side debuted on Comedy Central and made many Black Chicagoans from the city laugh in a way that felt personal. Amongst the many dramas centering the violence and real disadvantages many south-siders face on television, South Side screened with a refreshing perspective that many folks from the south […]
Race, fate, and sisterhood on the south side
“My earliest memory of myself is of my sister. My earliest understanding of my world comes from three women—my mother, grandmother, and aunt.” In her new memoir Three Girls From Bronzeville: A Uniquely American Story of Race, Fate, and Sisterhood, Dawn Turner turns her journalistic eye toward her own story, one she weaves as inextricable […]
Breaking the cycle
For three decades, the city has failed to cope with the loss of mental health clinics. The pandemic revealed the wounds of this disinvestment.