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Hello, Block Clubbers,
And happy Riot Fest week!
It’s time to lace up your combat boots, find your best punk rock T-shirt and head to Douglass Park for one of the most iconic weekends of the year.
Riot returns this weekend starting Friday, and Block Club has all the info for you so that you can make the most of your time at the fest.
First, Riot vet Leen Yassine has a story on what to know before you head out — including details on the fest’s new official parking option.
Want to support some local bands while you’re there? Writer Lucia Preziosi carved out Chicago area acts and when they’re playing (Did you know Patti Smith was from Chicago? I did not!).
And of course, Block Club will be at the fest every day, with Leen, reporter Michael Liptrot and photographers Colin Boyle and Giacomo Cain on the ground to capture all the unforgettable Riot moments (and hopefully grab a word or two with Tom Skiling).
I will be there as well, and after careful deliberation, I have decided to wear my gray Block Club Chance the Snapper T-shirt. If you spot me, please say "hi!"
Be safe and have fun (and don’t forget sunscreen and earplugs). Who are you looking forward to checking out at Riot? Or are you headed somewhere else this weekend? Let us know by replying or emailing arts@blockclubchi.org.
See you in the mosh pit,
Gwen Ihnat
Arts & Culture Editor |
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To help you prepare for the fest, we’ve got details on the lineup, parking and transit options, as well as tips on what to wear and pack, and more. |
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Autumn exudes color as Michigan Avenue comes alive with art! Shop modern jewelry, bold sculpture and painting, elevated fashions and more. Cruise through with coffee, swing by while running errands or make it a date! This unique, only-in-Chicago experience is not to be missed. Enter to win an ArtFest Gift Card! |
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When We're Not Reporting, Here's What We're Checking Out |
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🔧 South Shore-area reporter Maxwell Evans watched (almost) 30 original plays Friday night as the Neo-Futurists in Andersonville presented its latest edition of "The Infinite Wrench." Favorites among the onslaught of absurd, sneakily profound performances included "REBIRTH," "Musical Chairs Simulator" and "sexy wet willy." The latter was exactly what the title suggests.
🎪 Senior Editor Dave Newbart wasn’t sure what to expect from the Goodman’s new show, “The Attic: Things I’ve Seen While Lying On My Back.” Shana Carroll’s production successfully merges her life story with a modern circus — with minimalist dialog, sets and costumes combined with pleasing music and world-class acrobatics to convey the extreme highs and lows (literally) of her life as a trapeze artist, choreographer, director and cancer survivor. He guarantees the show is not like anything you’ve seen before.
🎸 Arts & Culture Editor Gwen Ihnat is heading to a Riot Fest aftershow Friday night to check out the lovely pop stylings of New Zealand's The Beths at Concord Music Hall in Logan Square. She will have to take a disco nap first, though. |
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THEATER: Riveting dramas, hit musicals, campy comedies and more are in the lineup as Chicago kicks off its stacked fall theater season. |
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MUSIC: From rock legends like Patti Smith to up-and-coming neighborhood bands, Chicago talent is on display at this year’s Riot Fest. |
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THEATER: “The Princess Bride: The Musical” will open with a five-week run next summer at the James M. Nederlander Theatre. |
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ARTS: CXW runs through Sunday at 75 locations around the city. |
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THEATER: The troupe performs its unusual, dialogue-free circus on a “ramshackle raft.” It will host five family-friendly shows in the Chicago area starting Wednesday. |
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LINEUP DROP: Our third annual Block Club Block Party is Saturday, Oct. 3!
Free RSVP here.
Take your Block Party experience to the next level. Grab your VIP tickets now! |
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Top Picks This Week |
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“Signal to Noise: The Graphic Language of Chicago’s Underground Music Culture” opens Thursday at Low Pressure, 1002 W. 18th St. in Pilsen, featuring pre-digital art from the city’s punk, hardcore, industrial and goth scenes. Explore flyers, posters, xeroxes, handbills, zines and even record sleeves from the city’s iconic music landscapes. You can attend the opening Thursday night, with artist and exhibition markets Sunday as well as Sept. 27 and Oct. 3, the day the exhibit closes. More info here.
One of Block Club’s most popular stories will come to life Friday night at Chicago Story Fest at the Athenaeum Center, 2936 N. Southport Ave. in Lakeview. Last fall, investigative reporter Mina Bloom wrote a story about Carolina Carchi, the CPS student who taught her own chemistry class during a teacher shortage. Now, Mina and Carolina will take the stage together to tell their tale. Tickets available here.
Celebrate Chicago’s cultural diversity in the most delicious manner at the sixth annual World Dumpling Fest Saturday and Sunday, at Wrightwood Park, 2555 N. Ashland Ave., in Lincoln Park, hosted by the Chicago Cultural Alliance. The all-ages event will offer two days of cultural arts performances, hand-crafted items by local artists and no fewer than seventeen neighborhood vendors representing dumplings from Latin America, Poland, China, India, Japan and more. More info and tickets here.
Bill Leff is one of Chicago’s most beloved media personalities — he’s currently the Cartoon Curator on MeTV’s Toon In with Me and Nostalgiaferatu on the Svengoolie Sven Squad — and fans know he is a big TV enthusiast himself. You can see Bill Saturday at the Museum of Broadcast Communications, 440 W. Randolph St. in West Loop, talking about his favorite topic with TV historians Harry Castleman and Walter J. Podrazik. Tickets and more info here. |
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