Perhaps on a spring day, when the falling water draws out the musky smell of earth and everything seems to be coming alive, or maybe in the fall, when the cold shards of rain feel more menacing than welcome—no matter the season, there’s no better place to be than a record store on a rainy […]
Tag: Vol. 51 No. 11
Issue of March 3, 2022
Best of Chicago 2021
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Posted inBest of Chicago
Best new west-side arts space
To activist Glen Kehrein, it was appalling that Austin lacked a center for fine and performing arts to showcase the neighborhood’s homegrown talent. His dream was to convert the unused auditorium in the former Siena High School expansion—one of the city’s finest remaining examples of midcentury modern architecture—into a professionally equipped community arts center. Kehrein’s […]
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Best fat daddy dom bitch on TV
Minxxx shows brightly with the kinky creativity, intention, and DIY spirit so unique to the Windy City’s gay underground.
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Best R&B artist on a hot streak
Since 2018, Chicago singer-rapper Jean Deaux has released at least an EP or full-length every year, and there’s hardly a bum note in her growing discography. She harnesses the enticing aesthetics of R&B, reaching for the sublime with whispery percussion, lithe and steamy guitar melodies, supple keyboards in plush, downy drifts, and smokily smoldering vocals […]
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Best entry in a long-running science fiction saga by a power-metal band
In a world where doorstop science-fiction and fantasy novels have become gold mines for networks and nearly every comic book aspires to be a movie treatment, it’s such a delight to come across genre work that has zero interest in becoming anyone else’s intellectual property. Batavia trio Mechina have been reliably putting out entries in […]
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Arts & Culture poll winners
The people, places, and things voted Chicago’s best—and runners-up: street artist, mural, museum, comics illustrator, comics writer, zine, independent book publisher, poet, new poetry collection by a Chicagoan, poetry organization, nonfiction writer, new nonfiction book by a Chicagoan, novelist, new novel by a Chicagoan, reading series, lecture series, storytelling series, open mike, dance production, original digital content (dance), dance studio or training program, dance troupe, dancer, choreographer, venue for dance, new local opera production, opera company, performing arts festival, drag performer, venue to see drag, stand-up comic, venue for stand-up, comedian (non standup), sketch/improv troupe, venue for improv, filmmaker, film festival, movie theater, movie theater bar, film programming, drive-in movie programming, theater production, original digital content (theater), new play, virtual play, musical, new theater company, established theater company, off-Loop theater company, theater training program, stage actor, stage director, playwright, theater designer (sets, light, sound, etc.), venue for theater, theater bar or lobby, and more
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City Life poll winners
The people, places, and things voted Chicago’s best—and runners-up: activist, advocacy organization, alderperson, elected official in Chicago, elected official in Cook County, state elected official, federal officer holder from Illinois, charity, HVAC maintenance or repair, home construction or remodeler, lawyer, co-working space, hotel, overall radio station, radio DJ, podcast, blog, email newsletter, local TV broadcast news, doctor (general or primary care), dentist, chiropractor, ob-gyn, public mental health care clinic, Chicago Instagram account to follow, Chicagoan to follow on Twitter, tour, south side neighborhood, west side neighborhood, north side neighborhood, suburb, block club, and more
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Sports & Recreation poll winners
The people, places, and things voted Chicago’s best—and runners-up: professional women’s sports team, professional men’s sports team, sports facility, athlete, sports TV or radio announcer, lake swimming spot, canoe or kayak rentals, neighborhood park, dog park, and more
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Music & Nightlife poll winners
The people, places, and things voted Chicago’s best—and runners-up: music festival, streaming concert series, emerging band, emerging local label, local label, local album of the year, recording studio, music podcast, gig poster designer, blues band, individual blues musician, venue for blues music, R&B artist, classical ensemble, non-orchestra classical ensemble, classical music event, venue for classical music, hip-hop group, individual hip-hop artist, hip-hop DJ, hip-hop party, hip-hop producer, venue for hip-hop, house music DJ, venue for dance music, jazz ensemble, individual jazz musician, venue for jazz, singer-songwriter, country band, international or world music act, pop artist, metal band, punk band, rock band, venue for rock music, venue for magic shows, suburban music venue, music venue, music venue bartender, LGBTQ party, new bar, established bar, lesbian bar, gay bar, neighborhood bar, dive bar, 4 AM bar, hotel bar, and more
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Food & Drink poll winners
The people, places, and things voted Chicago’s best—and runners-up: socially distanced dining, outdoor dining, beer garden, food relief effort, local grocer, gourmet market, cheesemonger, butcher shop, meal kits, online cooking instruction, local food product, preserves, farmers market, local farmer, urban farm, home garden supply, Caribbean restaurant, Chinese restaurant, Chinese takeout or delivery, Greek restaurant, Indian restaurant, Italian beef sandwich, Italian restaurant, Korean restaurant, Mexican restaurant, Middle Eastern restaurant, Polish restaurant, Thai restaurant, Vietnamese restaurant, soul food restaurant, seafood restaurant, vegetarian restaurant, vegan restaurant, steak house, fried chicken shack, pizza, pizza by the slice, pizza delivery, gluten-free pizza, sandwich, banh mi, burger, quesabirria or birria de res tacos, taqueria, barbecue, hot dog, falafel, pierogi, soup, ramen, sushi, food truck, new pop-up, pandemic pivot from a restaurant, overall restaurant, place worth a wait, bang for your buck, restaurant group, chef, up-and-coming chef, cannabis chef, new food trend, bread, sourdough, bagels, doughnuts, bakery, desserts, paleteria, ice cream, coffee roaster, barista, local spirit, local distillery, cocktail, carryout or delivery cocktails, liquor store, local beer, local brewery, beer shop, wine bar, wine list, wine shop, and more
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Buy Local poll winners
The people, places, and things voted Chicago’s best—and runners-up: apartment finder, real estate agent, real estate company, bicycle shop, motorcycle shop, auto dealership, auto repair shop, comics shop, independent bookstore, record store, financial institution or bank, financial planner, florist, garden store, landscape company, jewelry store, tattoo artist, tattoo shop, barbershop, hair salon, pet adoption or animal shelter, pet store, veterinarian, picture framing store, place to buy local wares, home furnishings, resale shop, vintage store, kids clothing, place to buy gender-neutral clothing, place to buy women’s clothing, place to buy men’s clothing, T-shirt shop, streetwear brand, local clothing designer, shoe store, dancewear shop, sex toy shop, place to get married, recovery center, and more
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Cannabis poll winners
The people, places, and things voted Chicago’s best—and runners-up: “adult use” dispensary, “adult use” (rec) budtender, medical cannabis dispensary, medical budtender or patient care rep, clinic to get certified for a medical card, infused chocolate, infused gummies, infused beverage (drink, drop, syrup, tea), consumable, other (mint, tablet, snack food, etc.), product for increased libido, strain or consumable product for pain relief (include producer), strain or product for relief of anxiety (include producer), strain or product for sleep (include producer), topical, vape concentrate (strain & brand/producer), non-vape concentrate (strain & brand/producer), cannabis accessory selection in a dispensary, cannabis accessory boutique (non-dispensary), cannabis supper club, home chef, or caterer, local CBD source (local non-dispensary shop or brand), pet CBD product, cannabis advocacy or restorative justice organization, grow support resource, home grow supply shop, and more
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Best of Chicago 2021
We couldn’t have made this without you: the proud, opinionated, ballot-stuffing people of Chicago. Thank you for nominating and voting for your favorites. We get to celebrate what we love about living here. Of course there are also folks who are left out of the voting process, a gap that Reader staff and freelancers fill with impassioned essays.
Posted inArts & Culture
Temp check
Interviewees: Alma Weiser, director of Heaven Gallery; Janet Dees, Steven and Lisa Munster Tananbaum curator of modern and contemporary art at the Block Museum of Art; Asha Iman Veal, associate curator at the Museum of Contemporary Photography; Teresa Silva, executive and artistic director of the Chicago Artists Coalition; Edra Soto, artist and codirector of the […]
Posted inPerforming Arts Feature
How the hell did Lesley Nicol get to Chicago?
Most Americans know British actor Lesley Nicol as Mrs. Patmore, the plainspoken cook who presided over the kitchen at Downton Abbey through six seasons and two films. (The newest film in the series, Downton Abbey: A New Era, opens in May.) But before finding international success as the downstairs doyenne in Julian Fellowes’s portrait of […]