Radio Free Chicago

Putting the 'Public' back in NPR

Last night before spinning tunes for the ClothingChange Exchange, I got a chance to hear some insightful and innovative talk radio programming courtesy of NPR. (whoa! I never thought I'd say that!) No, I wasn't crankin' up Afternoon Edition to get pumped for my DJ set, but rather I was listening to a broadcast of Neighborhood Public Radio live at buddY.

Unlike the "other" NPR, which has seemingly become an outlet only for the affluent and upper class white communities, Neighborhood Public Radio is an organization that strives to give everyone in the community a voice and an outlet for news, arts and entertainment that is not available via mainstream media outlets. Here's their official statement from their website:

At few times in recent history has it been more imperative that communities find ways to make their voices heard. As the FCC attempts to make it easier for radio stations to be co-opted by large corporations, and as the Corporation that runs our one National "Public" radio outlet conspires to exclude all other voices from the left end of the radio dial, individuals in the Bay Area are making it known that they will not be restricted from accessing the airwaves that are rightfully their own property...

Our motto: If it is local and it makes noise .. we hope to feature it on NPR(Neighborhood Public Radio)

Neighborhood Public Radio will continue broadcasting through the rest of the weekend here in Chicago as a part of Version fest, which wraps up this Sunday in Bridgeport. Check out their website for more information, archived broadcasts and a link to their live stream at Version.

http://www.conceptualart.org/npr/

WHPK Pledge Drive

WHPK, The Pride of the South Side, is currently conducting their annual pledge drive, running now through May 8. Sorry PBS fans, there aren't any tote-bag giveways, but you can get other "premiums" at bargain prices. Here's the word from the 'HPK website:

For a contribution of at least $14.99, you'll receive a WHPK sticker and one year of WHPK program guides. For any donation of $15.00 to $24.99, we'll send you a WHPK mug, a WHPK sticker, and one year of WHPK program guides. For any donation of $25.00 or over, you'll get the mug, sticker, and program guides, as well as the fantastic new 2005 WHPK t-shirt. Ethan D'Ercole designed this year's shirt, and sizes from small to XXXL are available. Click here to see a sample version. Local businesses have graciously donated many other premiums available during on-air giveaways. Tune in to get the lowdown!

The premiums donated by local business are also a bargain. For example, for a $15 pledge you can get a $10 gift certificate to Hyde Park records. You practically get all of your money back while still contributing to a good cause! Tune into 88.5 FM on the South Side for more details or check out their website at http://whpk.uchicago.edu/.

(hold tight North Siders, word on the street is that WHPK will be soon be webcasting, so hopefully you'll soon be able to check out this hidden gem without traveling to Hyde Park)

RFC Night is Tonight!

Yes, that's right...tonight marks the second installment of Radio Free Chicago Night. The event returns once again to back room of aliveOne and this time we'll be celebrating the release of the new Stereolab box set, Oscillons from the Anti-Sun; a 3-CD set featuring 28 tracks previously unreleased in the US and a bonus DVD with rare videos and UK TV performances. After previewing tracks from the box set, WHPK and WLUW personalities will then take over the decks for live DJ sets. Here's the official line-up:

9-10p: Selections from Oscillons...
10p: DJ Damienone (Steve Damien)
10:20: DJ Rufo (Jeff from WHPK's Gap the Mind)
10:40: dj popscum (Jaclyn from WLUW)
11:00: DJ JuiceBoxx (Nicole from WLUW)
11:20: DJ Lucifer Sam (aka RFC's Brad K.)

High Life's are only $2.50 and 1 lucky winner will also walk away with a FREE copy of the new Stereolab box set. The event is also free, but you must be 21+ to attend.

aliveOne is located at 2683 N. Halsted, which is near the corner of Diversey and Halsted...once you're there, walk all the way to the rear of the bar to find the back party room.

New Releases Tuesday (4/26)

DJ Spooky vs. Dave Lombardo - Drums of Death (Thirsty Ear) Noted hip-hop producer DJ Spooky (aka "that subliminal kid") hooks up with the drummer from Slayer for some mad beats. (I'm not making this up!)

eels - Blinking Lights and Other Revelations (Vagrant)
Eels leader Mark Oliver Everett (better known simply as "E.") is a bit of a mad genius, but overall his albums have been a bit hit or miss. I thought Souljacker and Electro-Shock Blues were brilliant records, but the records that followed up each were really mediocre in my book. Hopefully this one will, in fact, be another "revelation." Features guest appearances by Peter Buck, Tom Waits and John Sebastian from the Lovin' Spoonful.

Lyrics Born - Same #$@! Different Day (Quannum)
Remixed version of the solid Later That Day album. Also includes a bonus remix of the classic Lyrics Born jam "I Changed My Mind."

New Order - Waiting for the Sirens' Call (Warner Bros.)
No, not yet another compilation with one or two Joy Division tracks thrown in, but an actual new album.

The Cure - Seventeen Seconds/Faith/Pornography (Rhino)
Latest batch of classic Cure albums reissued by Rhino. Each is a 2-disc set full of rarities/live tracks, etc. I'm sure Cure fans are drooling over these CD reissues, but I'd personally recommend finding a used copy of Pornography on record instead, it sounds so much better on vinyl.

Stereolab - Oscillons from the Anti Sun (Too Pure)
3-disc, 1 DVD box set featuring 28 previously unreleased tracks and rare videos. Coming soon to RFC night.

Listening Party-palooza

Tonight is a busy night for listening parties...here's the line-up:

New Order CD Release Party
SmartBar - 10pm

DJs Brad Owen and Heather spin New Order past and present including a pre-midnight preview of Waiting for the Sirens' Call, plus classic New Order video projections - the New Order Video, Pumped Full of Drugs, The New Order Story, Factory Records Documentary, Live in NYC 1981, Live at Finsbury Park and more. Plus, you can enter to win autographed posters, prizes and tickets for the New Order show at the Aragon on Tuesday May 3rd! Tower Records will on-hand to sell the new disc at midnight.

Reckless New Release Ping Pong Party VIII
Schubas - 9pm

The latest installment of Reckless' uniquely unorganized attempt to bring you cheap drinks, dates, ping pong tournaments and new releases will feature the aforementioned New Order release as well as previews of Mary Timony’s Ex Hex and the next batch of Cure reissue deluxe double discs; Seventeen Seconds, Faith and Pornography. And, naturally the Reckless staff will be bringing plenty of extra copies of these records for you to purchase at the end of the night. (though if you're a pro on the ping-pong table, you may be able to score some free swag as well)

Eels Listening Party
The Long Room - 9pm
Tower Records and The Onion present a preview of the latest release from The Eeels, Blinking Lights and Other Revelations. Free goodies are promised from The Onion, plus featured microbrews will put you back only $2.50.

Keep this man away from

Keep this man away from the DJ booth

Lollapalooza line-up announced

And the line-up for Lollapalooza '05 in Chicago is...

The Pixies
Widespread Panic
Weezer
The Killers
Dinosaur Jr.

Cake
Dashboard Confessional
Arcade Fire
Billy Idol
Death Cab for Cutie
Digible Planets

Liz Phair
G. Love and Special Sauce
Blonde Redhead
The Black Keys
Kasabian
Kaiser Chiefs
...Trail of Dead
The Bravery

The Walkmen
Louis XIV
Sound Tribe Sector 9
Z Trip
Los Amigos Invisibles
M83

The Dandy Warhols
The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Tegan & Sara
VHS or Beta
Soulive
Ambulance LTD

The Redwalls
Shout Out Louds
Blue Merle
DeSol
World Leader Pretend
The Changes

So Chicago...what are your thoughts on the much anticipated line-up?? Let's get a discussion thread going, click on "comments" or drop a line to rfceditor(at)hotmail.com.

Free threads!

Free threads!

Shameless Plug

One more note about Version '05...

Next Thursday (4/28), I'll be DJing the ClothingChange Exchange at buddY. Here's the 411 on the event:

Thursday April 28, 2005
buddY
1542 N. Milwaukee Ave 2nd floor
7-10p
Free!

The ClothingChange Exchange is a colorful touring event offering all-ages fun in a creative atmosphere. In the spirit of an international bazaar it attracts people from all walks of life to come together for trade. This is a bartering bazaar for traders to clean out their closets and bring their unwanted clothing to exchange. Items that defy mass manufacturing such as vintage, ethnic and homemade garments are especially welcome. However, the primary focus is to recycle used clothing in general.

Traders may bring as few or as many pieces of clothing as desired. These pieces are used as currency to barter for new clothing from other traders. Items do not have to be traded piece for piece, the value and worth of an item is determined by the engaged traders. There is one rule: No money may be exchanged.

Clothing left at the end of the Exchange can be taken back home or left at the event location. The remnants are bagged by volunteers and event organizers, then donated to a local charity. Our organizers prefer to donate to a local organization within the neighborhood of each event and try to steer clear of national organizations that might sell the clothing in bulk to overseas exporters.

To promote positive self- image and expression there is a for-kicks fashion show that everyone is encouraged to participate in. Participants construct their own creative outfit to model on their own body in a walk of confidence.

The ClothingChange Exchange is a playful event, but is driven as a vehicle for positive social change. Our main objectives are to create a fun event where people can practice the usuage of alternative currencies, sustainable living, fair trade, positive self-image, responsible consumption and resource conservation and preservation.

Version '05 starts Friday

An experiment in navigating emerging or sub cultures, the fourth annual Version fest kicks off this Friday. This year dubbed "Invisible Desire," the festival combines the visual and performing arts with activism and creative uses of new technologies. While the focus of Version is on "strategies and aesthetics of artistic intervention and political change," there are some notable music and media happenings of note that you might want to check out even if you've never fancied yourself as much of a political activist.

Here are some highlights:

Sunday, April 24
McKinley Park
35th and Archer(Orange line stop)
BBQ near 3700 S. Hoyne

Birds by Dan St. Clair: This performance for FM radio responds to pop culture’s saturation of our consciousness with bland and predictable melody. Birds re-injects the possibility for surprise into the radio landscape by synthesizing bird song to mimic the playlists of commercial music radio stations in real time. http://www.artic.edu/~dstcl

7pm Music in the park: The William Young: Chicago's premiere pirate band sings shanties to put sail to your seven seas. Ultimate Marching Warriors: Paul Velat (aka The Lord of the Yum Yum) transforms into a one-man marching band. Jitney is Hiphop, dance and noise. Occasional Detroit is extreme noise psychedelia on the mic.

Tuesday April 26, 2005
buddY
1542 N. Milwaukee Ave 2nd floor
9pm
$5

Politics and Popular Music: Strange gyrating singers, elusive sounds of mash up sensibilities, experimental action. Beverages served. Performances by:

We Can And Must Live Local podcasting pros will give a 30 - 40 minute lecture on podcasting basics and on its use of podcasting to transmit their particular form of electronic improvisation. A performance follows. We Can and We Must consists of Electronic Composer/Performers Jason Wampler and Ryan Ingebritsen.

Potter Belmar Labs Audio Visual collective.

Hong Kong Delight Art-rock/time-based art performance that includes video, text, performance, rock music and thought-provoking politics.

Lovely Little Girls Icky sticky drippings from Gregory Jacobsen's all-new band of misfits making its world premiere at Version>05.

Rotten Milk vs. Bubblegum Shitface Terry Plumming's deviant noise fiends eternally locked in battle - for no apparent reason.

Wednesday, April 27
Zhou B. Center
1029 W. 35th St (35th and Morgan), 2nd floor
10am-7pm
$5 donation

Terry Plumming summit program #2: 100 improvising musicians will perform in an 80' pentagram. 10 person typewriter chorus will record events, spoken and otherwise. There will be simultaneous lectures, a format consisting mainly of the rolling start and objection rounds go round. There will be famous summit photograph reenactments, presented in front of a beachscene backdrop. "Recency, begins at 10 a.m. with waiting around. Then at 2 p.m. one hundred improv musicians on five PAs inside a pentagram will invoke the maze after which objects will be produced which exploit magic sonic potentials." Beverages will be served, earplugs provided. For lists of participants, dates and times (constantly being updated), vist http://www.diabolical.org/summit/

Friday, April 29
Texas Ballroom & Diamonds on Archer
3012 S. Archer Ave., 1st and 3rd floors
10:30pm
Suggested donation $10

Community of the Future Opening AfterEvent: ZIbelline Epee is a 10-minute puppet show with appropriated and live music. Far Rad: NO RAVE. youloveitsodoit. Everyone Mutates (Ghost Arcade Ltd.): Minimal body wave. The Atari Star (Johann's Face): Lush, intimate and carefully crafted. DJs : Grady and Benn Flashbulb

Sunday, May 01
Zhou B. Center
1029 W. 35th St.
noon - 8pm

VERSION NFO EXPO-Chatroom Program

1pm Neighborhood Public Radio - DIY: The History and Future of Neighborhood Public Radio Years of broadcasting nomadically throughout the San Francisco Bay Area have taught ‘NPR’ a great deal about transmission methods, community organizing, the myth of PUBLIC radio, and attempts of corporate media to exclude localized voices. DIY is a presentation drawing upon this experience, relayed via conversation between a low power radio proponent and a low-level corporate radio hack. Followed by a hands-on workshop on how others might duplicate their methods.

Version '05 kicks off this Friday with a 3-floor opening party encompassing the Highschool, Heaven and buddY galleries(aka The Compound). For more info and a complete line-up of events, visit www.versionfest.org

New Releases Tuesday (4/19)

Local and related

Weird War - Illuminated by the Light (Drag City)
Third album from former Make-Up members Ian Svenonius and Michelle Mae. Former Weird War member Neil Michael Haggerty (Pussy Galore, Royal Trux) is out of line-up and the band is now a trio. In addition to new member Alex Minoff, Sebastian Thomson of the Fucking Champs is also featured on this album.

Neil Hamburger - Great Moments at Dipresa's Pizza House (Drag City)
According to the unofficial Neil Hamburger website, Drag City Records is planning a major marketing blitz for this album involving "special promotional balloons." Only the best for America's $1 funny man.

Other Notables

Autechre - Untilted (Warp)
Miss Kitten - Mixing Me (Astralwerks)
Roots Manuva - Awfully Deep (Ninja Tune)
Mary Timony - Ex Hex (Lookout!)