Honorable Mansion

Theatre Review (Musical)
Grey Gardens
Northlight Theatre
Skokie, IL
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Much as when I saw the original Broadway production last year, Northlight's rendition of Grey Gardens was an impressive production of a solid musical with an interesting story featuring an excellent leading lady. But due to the music itself being workable yet not particularly memorable, the show, as in New York, fell short of being outstanding.

Based on a 1975 documentary of the same name, Grey Gardens tells the story of Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edie, the aunt and cousin of Jackie Onassis, who wound up living in filth in their once glorious but fallen into disrepair East Hampton mansion named Grey Gardens.

The first act of the musical shows the Beales when they were ostensibly high-on-the-hog yet still somewhat delusional, about to celebrate Edie's engagement to Joe Kennedy in 1941. I won't reveal plot details, but the fact that Act II showcases their lives in 1973, shared with 52 cats--luckily not onstage, as I'm allergic--should indicate that not everything went as planned.

Noted Chicago actress Hollis Resnik plays Edith in Act I and Edie in Act II, and while not quite on par with Broadway star Christine Ebersole, she is very good. As are all her castmates. And just as an introduction to a historical side show of sorts, on both the highest and lowest levels, the show is worth seeing. For what it is, it is well done, and I'd give the performance itself @@@@1/2. But a performance is always at the mercy of its source material, and it's quite unlikely you'll come away humming any songs or seeking out the original cast recording.

So as an evening of theatre, it gets my vote. But to describe it as a truly great musical, well the cats' got my tongue.

A Forgettable Bond; An Enriching Experience

Movie Reviews:
Quantum of Solace @@1/2
Slumdog Millionaire @@@@1/2

I saw two extremely disparate movies this weekend, in terms of content and quality.

Quantum of Solace, the new James Bond movie, was eminently watchable due to a lot of action and Daniel Craig, who is a very good Bond. But its story line was lacking and I expect, so too will be its lasting impact. Quantum is ostensibly a sequel to Casino Royale, the first Craig as Bond film, which while not quite awesome, was thoroughly enjoyable, in part due to the relationship between Bond and Vesper Lynd, played by the fabulous Eva Green. STOP READING HERE if you don’t want to know that Vesper died at the end of Casino Royale, and supposedly Quantum is about Bond getting revenge. But just how the bad guys are connected with the past circumstances is tenuously explained at best. Especially without Eva Green around, even in flashbacks, they should’ve just started over with a whole new premise. New Bond girls Olga Kurylenko and Gemma Arterton are attractive but eminently bland. Basically, Quantum—surprisingly directed by Marc Forster, whose body of work is much more unique and impressive than what he did here—is a decent “popcorn movie” and not the worst way to spend 2 hours, but the premise, plot, villains and women all fell far short of fabulous, and as some critics have argued, the action sequences may have been far too extensive for what Bond is supposed to be. Craig may have resurrected the Bond franchise, and even my interest, but whereas Carly Simon once sang “Nobody Does it Better” about James Bond, for my money, Jason Bourne now does.

Quite different, and considerably better, was Slumdog Millionaire, a limited-release gem from acclaimed English director Danny Boyle depicting life in the slums of India. Thoroughly original, engaging and eye-opening, Slumdog Millionaire opens with Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) about to win 20 million rupees on the Indian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” but instead is arrested and tortured on suspicion of cheating. In telling the police how he came to know the answers, Jamal describes his life on the outskirts of society and how he made his was through as something of a Dickensesque urchin, driven by a desire to save his childhood friend Latika, who upon adulthood—as played by Freida Pinto—is about as attractive a woman as you will ever see. Some reviewers have complained that she is too beautiful for the purpose of the story, and there does seem to be a bit of contrivance to the whole thing, but in the age of ubiquitous hyper-action blockbusters (i.e. Quantum of Solace) and other stupid pedestrian fare, Slumdog Millionaire is far different—and better—than almost anything else you can see these days. It’s being listed as a favorite for a Best Picture Oscar nomination, and deservedly so.

What the Boss has been working on

It certainly isn't Springsteen's greatest song, but I still like it. As the title tune of his new album, due out January 27, Working on a Dream (which you can listen to by clicking) fits in well with the hopes for a better tomorrobama.

Smashingly Surprising, almost in full (with a twist)

Concert Review
Smashing Pumpkins
November 21, 2008
Auditorium Theatre - Chicago
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Having attended Wednesday's "Night 2" Smashing Pumpkins concert at the Chicago Theatre (see post below) and being highly impressed until it went off the rails, but also having read about Tuesday's "Night 1" show which was seemingly likewise a solid show marred by a late barrage of musical droning and Billy Corgan's berating of the crowd, I went into the Night 1 show at the Auditorium with both anticipation and trepidation.

What I got was a surprisingly good show throughout, that never really went off the rails, albeit by accident.

I won't go on again about the propriety of the current semi-reconstituted Smashing Pumpkins, and taking the music simply at face value, for a big fan of their best music, getting to hear stellar versions of Tonight Tonight, Today, Bullet with Butterfly Wings, Siva, Mayonnaise and even the new Tarantula and G.L.O.W. was undeniably enjoyable (though I still say original SP guitarist James Iha brought something to the sound that is now lacking).

Even when the Pumpkins went into long instrumental passages, they were largely rocking and/or melodic, not indulgent droning as in Wednesday's show. But according to the reviews of Tuesday's show, the worst came in the encore. So when the Pumpkins ended their standard Night 1 setlist with their long, droning cover of Pink Floyd's "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun," it provided a nice bathroom break after 2 hours of solidly enjoyable music.

And while I was kind of looking forward to witnessing the largely pre-planned, show closing Billy meltdown for myself, Billy did something even more shocking. He walked off the stage and didn't come back for an encore, despite fans screaming for one for 15 minutes with the house lights up.

As it turns out, I guess he was sick, or vocally exhausted, as the Night 2 show on Saturday (which I was not planning to attend) was postponed. He hadn't really taken the criticism from Tuesday night (and other tour stops) to heart and decided to stop the show before he descended into madness and pissed off some of his adoring fans.

But while not happy that Corgan became ill, and curious about what I didn't get to witness, I'm actually glad it ended when it did. Billy didn't have the chance to diminish an otherwise excellent show; he should end there all the time.

Surprisingly Smashing, but only in Half

Concert Review
Smashing Pumpkins
November 19, 2008
Chicago Theatre
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I have been a big Smashing Pumpkins fan for a long time and have seen them more live than any other artist except for Bruce Springsteen. And though I frequently find head Pumpkin Billy Corgan to be confounding, even maddening, I also think he is enormously talented—even underrated—as a songwriter and guitarist. So while I don’t know if I quite get or fully endorse how Billy and drummer Jimmy Chamberlain—minus the other two founding Pumpkins, plus seven additional musicians—can legitimately sell the notion of a reunited Smashing Pumpkins (Billy & Jimmy also were the core members of Zwan, which they created after the Pumpkins broke up in 2000), I like the music they used to create and even their recent output enough not to care too closely.

But while Billy can seemingly endlessly write enjoyable 4 minute songs, he, Jimmy and—likely without much say in the matter—their current hired hands also seem to have a great affinity for what I’ll call “sonic tornados.” Though they officially begin as songs, they really aren’t recognizable as such, nor are they really jams or solos, and singing is virtually non-existent. These sonic tornados can best be described as swirling blasts of music that go on for 10 minutes or more. Due to Billy & Jimmy’s formidable craftsmanship on their instruments, the tornados can be enjoyable in moderation and even phenomenal in spurts, but they now tend to take over at least half of a reconstituted Pumpkins show, last night being my 3rd since 2007.

And depending on one’s own comfort level at a given show, sitting through an hour or more of these sonic tornados can range from tolerable to tedious to interminable, especially if accompanied by angry rants from Corgan, as I read about happening at Tuesday night’s show. Given that, as well as the fact that when I saw the Pumpkins this past August in Hammond, IN and also last year at the Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans they were only truly great for about 40 of 120+ minutes, I was somewhat leery about what I would discover at Wednesday night’s show (featuring a White Crosses setlist; the first night is Black Sunshine).

Well, what I found was that for the first 90 minutes, the Smashing Pumpkins (as they now exist) were excellent. Billy seemed relaxed and almost amiable, and even with a number of unfamiliar acoustic songs in the setlist, everything sounded good. Though especially for the harder tunes, like Cherub Rock, Zero and I of the Mourning, the sound could’ve been much louder. And while the 9-piece band was solid, all could have been replaced by machines for all the stage presence the brought to the show. Although Ginger Reyes did fill Billy’s requirement of always having an attractive female bassist to his right. And while not a huge loss, I did miss James Iha a bit; he used to add great guitar fills that went underappreciated.

Anyway, if after 90 minutes, the band played one more major hit and walked off-stage, it would’ve been a great show. But rather, after announcing that he had a cold, chatting aimlessly about the Cubs & White Sox (he's a Cubs fan) and doing a nice version of Disarm, Billy and the Pumpkins went on to play another 80 minutes, primarily filled with sonic tornados, any 10 minutes of which would’ve been fine, but in sum was way too much. The more they played, the more they diminished, rather than enhanced, what was shaping up as a triumphant performance.

Of course, just as I could not stay away from the Pumpkins as they played in Chicago for the first time since 2000, I am also going to see them on Friday night, the first night of a 2-night stand, still in Chicago, but at the Auditorium Theatre. I’ll get a completely different setlist than last night, and out of nearly 6 hours of music, I’ll theoretically will have seen 3 hours that were wonderful.

And then, after 15 Smashing Pumpkins shows and another 7 Corgan/Zwan performances, I think I can move on. But don't hold me to it.

I Guess One Year is All It Takes

What do Ryan Dempster, Ted Lilly, Carlos Zambrano, Mark Prior, Jon Lieber, Kevin Tapani, Mike Bielecki and Rick Sutcliffe have in common?

Well sure, they've all pitched for the Cubs, but they're also all pitchers who, over the past 25 years, won at least 17 games in a season for the Cubs. Once. (Greg Maddux did so 3 times)

So on the one hand I understand the Cubs desire to resign Dempster, as announced today, to a 4-year, $52 million contract. He had a great season, going 17-6, with a 2.96 ERA, and though he flopped in the playoffs, such pitching campaigns clearly aren't an every-year occurrence for the Cubs. And as a Free Agent, he probably got from the Cubs what he would've gotten elsewhere.

On the other hand, based on history, he's probably not likely to repeat himself. Though I realize, he's seemingly now fully recovered from a devastating arm injury that derailed his career--at least as a successful starter--several years ago. And he's still only 31.

But like any sensible Cubs fan, I will assume the worst until proven otherwise.

Little Ditty about John and Barack...

In light of their meeting yesterday, the Chicago Sun-Times is having a caption contest based on the above photo.

This was my entry:

"Now tell me, Sarah Palin, what was that really about?"

I know, kind of obvious. But the one I wanted to use is unfortunately about 15 years too old:

"So did you see the one where Beavis lights Butthead's hair on fire? Heh-heh, heh-heh."

Got any better suggestions?

I I Think Think It It Was Was Good Good

As another stop on my ongoing quest to appreciate others’ brilliance, on Saturday afternoon I saw acclaimed Chinese pianist Lang Lang at Orchestra Hall. Since it was special “family” performance—a bit more talking than normal, only 1:15 in length—of what was already a non-traditional program mostly highlighting Chinese music, I won’t give it a formal review but I enjoyed it very much. And while not well-qualified to judge the relative merits of a concert pianist, from what I can tell Lang Lang—who has garnered both glowing and scathing critiques, according to his Wikipedia article—was outstanding.

But then, so was Kate Liu, a 14-year old Chicago-area piano student who won an audition to accompany Lang Lang on a piece by Schubert (the only Western composer featured). And so too, at least in her own realm, was Soyoung Kee, another area pianist who gave a recital at the Skokie Public Library yesterday. Her past credits, while impressive (doctorate in piano, seemingly noted as a local teacher, some performances worthy of mention but not with any major symphonies) pale in comparison to someone like Lang Lang, and to my untrained ear, his playing was significantly superior, but perhaps that was as much due to the choice of pieces than the performances itself.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that unlike rock and roll and even Broadway, where my familiarity with various artists/composers is pretty vast, when it comes to other art forms that I’m still dabbling in exploring—classical, opera, jazz, even some forms of dance—all I know is what I like, and typically my exposure is primarily to performers who have already been highly acclaimed. You wouldn’t be on the stage at Orchestra Hall unless you were great, at least to some level, but if and when critics degrade Lang Lang, I’m almost certain to have no comprehension as to what they’re critiquing. Plus unlike popular music, where I can somewhat appreciate nuance and texture, generally in the less familiar modes, the faster and louder it is, the more I like it. And that sort of judgment probably isn't fair to the performers or the art forms.

What should I be listening for to better appreciate just how good (or even not so good) someone is?

A Wonderful Night at the Beach

Concert Review:
Brian Wilson
November 16, 2008
Chicago Theatre
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Lest anyone forget that Brian Wilson may be America’s greatest living pop music composer—though I didn’t realize that he rarely wrote the lyrics to his songs—Sunday’s performance at the Chicago Theatre was a forceful reminder. And not just because of the hour-and-a-half of Beach Boys classics, half of which were not of the super famous (or even familiar to me) variety; these included Girl Don’t Tell Me, Salt Lake City, All Summer Long, Please Let Me Wonder and more, in addition to California Girls, I Get Around, God Only Knows, Good Vibrations and other pure chestnuts (setlist here).

With the childlike Wilson sitting behind a keyboard he rarely touched and never seriously played, all the Beach Boys stuff sounded great, thanks to Wilson’s still fine voice and an excellent backing band of 14 strong (including a string section). But while not quite as good as his ’60s touchstones, Wilson and his band’s performance of his new album, That Lucky Old Sun, in its entirely, was extremely enjoyable and demonstrated that even at 66 years of age, after 40+ years of mental illness and difficulties that derailed his creative output in its prime, Wilson still knows his way around a melody better than most people who have ever lived.

Unlike his last release, Smile, which was the resurrection of one of rock’s most mythical lost albums—though to me, not nearly on par with Pet Sounds, nor Sgt. Pepper’s—TLOS (as the album is referenced in the setlist) is entirely new and written with one of his much younger current bandmates (interesting story behind it here). And while not representing the sonic genius and sheer creativity of Smile—which per a documentary I watched after getting home last night, didn’t go over well with the other Beach Boys, got scrapped and contributed to and/or coincided with Wilson’s descent into depression—for pure listening pleasure, That Lucky Old Sun is more accessible and enjoyable.

It’s a shame that from the late-60s to mid-90s, Brian Wilson was largely “missing” in terms of extending a superlative creative legacy that was pretty much halted at age 24. But even earlier in his days with the Beach Boys, Wilson had stopped performing live, and it seems for whatever reason—legacy, therapy, enjoyment—he has significantly resumed doing so over the past 10 years.

I’m glad he has and I’m glad I went to see him. He not only did his stature proud, he truly put on a completely enjoyable show that demonstrated that, at least in part, he still is what he once was: a musical genius.

The North and South of Modern American Music

Concert Review
Drive-By Truckers @@@1/2
The Hold Steady @@@1/2
November 14, 2008
Riviera Theatre Chicago

Two acclaimed modern American rock bands sharing a co-headlining double bill called "Rock and Roll Means Well." Just $26.50 ($40 after all the Ticketmaster insanity) in a relatively small venue, but one where I could sit comfortably all night. One band currently based in Brooklyn, The Hold Steady, and the other from Athens, GA, Drive-By Truckers, both--as you can see from the links to All Music Guide--with several highly-rated albums, the two most recent of each band I have and like. Both with a solid reputation as live acts (I had seen the DBTs in an opening slot once before and enjoyed them).

So you'd think it would be an absolutely wonderful evening, right? Well in one regard, sure, it was highly enjoyable. The bands combined to play for 3 hours, both seemed to genuinely love what they were doing, both had unquestioned integrity, both were very good and were rabidly received by the sold-out crowd. So just as an evening of music, a good time so to speak, I'd give it a big thumbs up.

But the problem was, much as I wanted to, I couldn't call either band truly great. Drive-by Truckers were solid, occasionally inspired, but in the end, somewhat lacking in "oh wow!" moments. The Hold Steady were highly energetic with a number of fun, crowd-pleasing songs. But honestly, a half-hour would have been enough. Lead singer Craig Finn's spastic, even dorky, rock moves, unique voice and quirky songs grew tiresome after awhile (Here's a YouTube video from a recent show, not Chicago, that may give you an idea of what I mean. Especially if you watch it and others for over an hour).

OK, so it was a good show, but not awesome. Going in, would I have expected it to match or top other concerts I've enjoyed this year, by Springsteen, REM, AC/DC, The Cure, Van Halen, Ray Davies, Steely Dan or The Eagles? Probably not, so what's the problem?

Well, as someone who cares about the state of rock and roll, even specifically the state of American rock and roll, and even at 40 would love to keep seeing rock shows as long as I comfortably can (which typically means in places with at least some seats), I've been wondering who's going to replace the geezers like those mentioned above.

And if the Hold Steady and Drive-By Truckers, who openly cite Springsteen and the Replacements as influences, who are already 4 and 8 acclaimed albums into their careers and who I generally like, are--by a great distance--subpar as live acts to bands whose members are all well over 50--and even getting long-in-the-tooth grunge-era remnants like Pearl Jam, Radiohead and Foo Fighters--it seems that rock and roll as I know and like it, may soon be dead.

And that, much more than this specific show in itself, is very disappointing.

My only hope is that the Guitar Hero phenomenon, which clearly explains the number of kids under 12 at the recent AC/DC show, will forment a new wave of bands that may ultimately resurrect American rock and roll.

Kerry Wood Out the Door

Yesterday it was announced that the Chicago Cubs had decided to part ways with Kerry Wood after 11 seasons. Wood was the longest tenure current Cub and at least since the 1930s, the only Northsider to make 4 trips to the postseason.

I primarily liked Kerry, but due the perpetual injuries that dissipated--and all but devasted--what could have been a truly historic career, it was difficult to sustain much of a positive fervor for him.

Although I didn't see it live (even on TV, though I did see a replay), I remember his 20 strikeout game in just his 5th major league start as perhaps the greatest pitching performance I've ever seen. Perhaps that anyone has ever seen. His curveball just made hitters look stupid.

I remember getting his autograph on a baseball at an appearance at Marshall Field's in Skokie soon thereafter (sadly, and somewhat ironically, his signature--with a Sharpie--has almost faded away).

I remember how he came back from injury, perhaps unwisely, to pitch in Game 3 of the 1998 NLDS, and how he wound up missing the entire 1999 season.

I attended his comeback game in 2000 and remember him winning, though I forgot he also homered in his first at bat until I read about it this morning.

I remember his solid 2003 season, in which he led the league in strikeouts, won 2 games in the NLDS--including Game 5 which I attended in Atlanta--and homered in Game 7 of the NLCS after the Game 6 implosion, but eventually failed to hold the lead and put the Cubs in the World Series.

I remember him being generally a good and stand-up guy, but also part of the silly baby 2004 Cubs who berated their announcers for speaking the truth. And I remember when in 2005 he mocked Steve Stone's now proven correct suggestion that he and Mark Prior needed to adjust their deliveries or be forever doomed to injuries.

I remember year-after-year of "wait until Wood and Prior" come back.

I remember being glad this year when he accepted the closer's role and stayed healthy, and got the last outs of the division clincher.

I remember a guy who should've won more than 77 games, but never for lack of wanting to.

I also remember, though everyone else seems to have forgotten, that he was once reported to have a hole in his heart that could eventually be life-threatening. I certainly hope that that issue never resurfaces.

It's a shame injuries did what they did to Kerry Wood, and to whatever extent the Cubs, their managers, the desperation of the fans and even Kerry himself were culpable.

But somewhat amazingly, he's still only 31 and part of the reason for his leaving is because he can get far more money, for longer, than the Cubs are willing to give.

So with a bit of wistfulness, but without real sadness, anger or questioning of the decision, I wish Kerry Wood well and appreciate all--if not enough--of the great moments he provided.

Worth Discussing Over T

I think John Kass' column in today's Tribune is pretty interesting. It's about a 14-year-old girl from Oak Park who wore a self-made "McCain Girl" t-shirt to her school, which was largely liberal and Obama-supporting. The girl is the daughter of a liberal Mom and conservative Dad, and wore the shirt as a test; the next day she wore "Obama Girl."

On the day she wore the McCain shirt, her classmates were cruel to her, not only telling her she was stupid but even that she should die. Even a teacher expressed her disappointment.

Interesting world we live in. I guess tolerance isn't always a two-way street. And I'm not absolving myself; believe me, when I see a car with a McCain bumper sticker, or worse, Bush, I can't help but have negative thoughts. Though in my defense, I never really consider running them off the road or even flipping the bird. It's one thing to disagree and another to be a dick.

Not a perfect transition, but a couple interesting remembrances come to mind. One is of talking to a colleague when I lived in LA in the early '90s -- Mark Vallen, a great guy and extraordinary artist who has a great website called Art-for-a-Change. As you can see on the site, Mark was an avid follower and artistic chronicler of the emergent LA Punk Scene in the late '70s. Though when we worked together Mark's appearance was pretty straightforward, he told me that back in the day, he had a mohawk and otherwise punk fashions. I once asked him, "What if I had showed up in a punk club with a regular haircut, no leather, etc., while still fully appreciative of the music and scene?" And he essentially told me that "they" would have kicked my ass and/or kicked me out; at the very least I would've been ostracized. So basically, the archetype anti-conformists were in actuality, completely insistent on conformity.

Somewhat similarly, my friend Steve grew up in the midst of Amish Country in Northern Indiana, though he is not Amish. Years ago, relatively soon after I returned to Chicago after abhorring the excessively crass materialism I witnessed in LA, I visited his parents' home and initially thought something like, "it's kind of cool, even beautifully quaint, that the Amish are doing their own thing, outside of what America expects, devoid of superficiality and materialism." Steve and his folks soon clued me into the reality that the Amish were quite judgmental about who was high-Amish vs. low-Amish, who had a newer, larger buggy, who was physically attractive, etc. Maybe they didn't drive Mercedes or own Gucci handbags, but they really weren't all that different from the rest of us.

I'm also occasionally reminded that some of the people who hate Jews the most are indeed other Jews, as the more Orthodox often have devout disdain for those who aren't as religious. And are vocal about it.

It's great to believe you're right, but it's almost never healthy to believe you're superior. Even having too many people (in power or otherwise) who think like me begins to scare me. Democrats can be dolts too; just look at the Blagojevich administration.

Can't we all just get along?

Extraordinary Feet

Performance Review
Savion Glover and Bare Soundz (Tap dance trio)
11/11/08 - Naperville, IL
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As someone who avidly admires people who define brilliance in a given field -- and typically warrant the "genius" label -- the past few days have been especially enjoyable as I have savored the culinary creations of Grant Achatz, arguably one of the world's premier chefs, and witnessed the heroics of Lebron James, probably the best basketball player on the planet right now.

Last night, I saw another performance by someone else easily worthy of elite acclaim: Savion Glover, who, if not the world's best tap dancer, is almost certainly the best known. I know I can't name any others--except a few who dance alongside him in his shows, and even then momentarily--and from what I saw last night (the 4th time I've seen him), it's hard to imagine anyone being any better. Perhaps at anything.

Glover--probably best known for Bring In The Noise, Bring In Da Funk and appearances on Sesame Street--is currently touring with a production called Bare Soundz. It primarily features him and two other dancers, Marshall Davis Jr. and Maurice Chestnut (no, I wouldn't have known them without a program and still don't know which was which); last night there were also two guest dancers.

Rather than dancing to music, Bare Soundz essentially features the three dancers--sometimes in unison, sometimes solo--making music through their tapping. It was thoroughly enjoyable throughout and everyone on stage was great, but even amongst other tap dancers seemingly in the same league, Savion Glover was mind-blowingly phenomenal. Apart from the quality of what he can do, just the physicality and endurance to do it, almost effortlessly, for close to 2 hours is hard to conceive.

Though not from last night's performance--Glover nearly berated a fan he thought was "YouTubing" him--below are a couple of clips I found. The first (a link, since embedding was disabled) shows what Bare Soundz is like; the other is a bit more traditional Savion. Again, these don't nearly do him justice, as like the Energizer bunny, he keeps going and going (yet each number is distinctive enough that it doesn't become boring).

Enjoy, and if you get the chance to see him live, don't miss it. He's that good.

Bare Soundz in KC (link to You Tube)

Saluting Our Veterans

One of the arguments that annoys me most in our polarized country is when people say, “If you speak out against the war, how do you think that makes our troops feel?”

What I hope the brave men and women serving in the military, especially in a war zone and specifically in Iraq would understand, is that my opposition to the war is primarily because I don’t want anyone to have to sacrifice their life or well-being for a war that at best isn’t essential and at worst is duplicitous. Although I’m not big on bumper sticker logic, I think “Support Our Troops, Bring Them Home” says it pretty well.

So on Veteran’s Day, let me state how much I personally admire the bravery, courage and conviction of everyone who has ever served in the U.S. Armed Forces (excepting those with ill intent) and appreciate their dedication and sacrifices. For anyone who is presently stationed in harm’s way, as well as their families at home, along with my thanks, I offer my strongest wishes for a safe and speedy return.

Below are a few pictures I took this past Memorial Day of war memorials in Washington, DC: the Vietnam Wall, World War II Memorial, Women’s Memorial and Korean War Memorial.

Who's More Popular - George in the U.S. or Rex in Chicago?

I just saw a story on CNN.com that says President Bush -- who finally has a reason to get out of bed in the morning thanks to today's White House meeting with Obama -- has the lowest approval rating of any president since such ratings have been ascertained.

But sadly, my guess is that if George were running for re-election today against a candidate who openly supported gay marriage or professed to be an agnostic or athiest, he would win anyway. We're moving forward in this country, but not all that far.

Happy Birthday Mom!

A Few Flurries, but Nothing That Really Sticks

Album Review:
Snow Patrol
A Hundred Million Suns

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If you're reading this blog, you likely already know that I have an affinity for bands from the British Isles whose success at home far exceeds their renown in the U.S. With their new CD debuting at #9 on the Billboard Album Chart, Snow Patrol can no longer be considered an American secret, although having sold out Chicago's Aragon Ballroom on their last tour was still just a fraction of their 'multiple nights at Wembley Stadium' success in the UK.

On A Hundred Million Suns, the Northern Ireland quintet follows a pattern basically set with their first four albums, especially the last two. With their usual quotient of overtly anthemic if a bit mushy tracks -- a la past hits "Run" and "Chasing Cars" -- mixed with a few harder-driving rockers, the album sounds good at first blush or as music playing in the background. But a number of plays in the car revealed several ponderous, "hit skip" songs and even the better tunes don't seem to say much or define themselves as essential listening. 

The album opens relatively strong with "If There's A Rocket Tie Me To It," "Crack the Shutters" and "Take Back the City" all sure to sound good in concert and on an eventual Best Of set. But the remaining 8 songs are largely hit or miss, including the 16 minute final track which is both. "Please Take These Photos from My Hands" and "Disaster Button" are also worth mention.

In sum, if you're already a Snow Patrol fan, this is a worthwhile if unspectacular addition. If you don't like SP, this album won't convert you. And if you have no clue who Snow Patrol is, this probably isn't the best place to start. Or at best, just download tracks 1, 2, 3, 6 and 10.

Cavalierly Amazing

Went to see the Bulls play Lebron James tonight. And lose. Sure, officially the ticket said Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, but not only was Lebron the reason for my attendance, but as far as I could tell, the Cavs have no other players. It's basically Lebron and a bunch of nobodies. Of the top 4 scorers in the game, 3 were Bulls, who actually played pretty well and held the lead at halftime and going into the 4th quarter. But Lebron led a 15-0 Cavs run to open the 4th and just as the Bulls were again making it close late, James--still not a great outside shooter--casually drained two three-pointers to lock it up for the Cavs.

Now, it's easy to make comparisons between James and Michael Jordan based on how spectacular Lebron is, but where I saw the comparisons tonight was in how unspectacular he was.

Sure, he had some spectacular moves and a couple of dunks, but without doing all that much particularly mindblowing for much of the game, he just wound up with 41 points and 13 points and again, without much help from his teammates, did what was needed to ensure his team won. Like drop two straight 3's in crunch time.

What is mind-blowing is that Lebron James is still only 23 years old. And he's seemingly developing the 'let the game come to you' poise and almost casual brilliance that defined MJ in the later stages of his career, when he was leading the Bulls to 6 championships. If only he had some players around him.

As for the Bulls #1 pick Derrick Rose, he looked good, but like Bulls top scorer Ben Gordon, his relative lack of height may keep him from being a true go-to guy in crunch time, like MJ, Kobe, Lebron and other greats. And until the Bulls know who will be "the guy" when the game's on the line, and that guy can come through with regularity, they're not going to do much. Put Rose and Lebron together, now then you'd have something.

A Meal of Gastronomical Proportions

Alinea

Restaurant Review

@@@@@

Last night, as yet another mutual celebration of our 70th and 40th birthdays, my Mom and I went to Alinea, a Chicago fine-dining restaurant that is recognized as one of the best in the world by several publications, including Restaurant magazine in its annual top 50 list. It's owner and chef, Grant Achatz has also gotten considerable press, not only for such culinary excellence while only in his mid-30's, but for his battle with tongue cancer that in addition to threatening his life, in a Beethovenesque twist, threatened to rob his sense of taste.

Fortunately, his cancer is reported to be in full remission and he works at Alinea, still his only restaurant, almost every night. Except of course, last night. We were told he was in New York for some events, including a joint dinner he's preparing with Thomas Keller, a famed chef of The French Laundry in Napa Valley and NYC's Per Se.

Obviously, he left the place in good hands, because the meal was as phenomenal as advertised. There is no ordering your food at Alinea; they serve a prix fixe meal of either 12 courses (tasting) for $145 or 24 (tour) for $225. We both went with the tasting menu, and though offered a full wine accompaniment for 3/4 the food cost, my 1 glass of white wine was the only extra we got. Our total cost was $400.

Was it worth it? Who's to say. Certainly, I could eat a cherished Char-Chedder Polish, fries and Diet Coke at Poochie's for about $6, and if ever offered a last meal, would likely choose it over what I got at Alinea (although running 3 hours, the Alinea meal would keep me alive longer;). But far more than I probably even appreciate, eating at this level is about far more than flavor and getting full (though neither disappointed, I assure you). It's about creativity, artistry, originality, food science, presentation and much more.

And except for a visit to Chicago's equally famed Charlie Trotter's in 2005 -- which I recall enjoying but not quite to this extent -- of all the meals I've eaten over 14,634 days, this was easily the most unique, was completely delicious and offered flavors and textures I have tasted before. So that's gotta be worth something, and if the tab is $200, so be it.

So what did we eat? This will give you the full rundown and I'll provide some pictures and descriptions below. Beyond my pix, which are underlit because I couldn't use a flash, check out Alinea's gallery.

We started with what they call Trout Roe, but to me was just a shot glass of airy fuzzy stuff with incredible flavors underneath (I didn't take a picture). In one bite, I knew we were in for something special. Then came Califlower, though unlike any califlower I've seen or eaten. There were 3 cubes or creamy califlower with various coatings, in some kind of soup. Might not look like much, but it was great.

Next came Lobster, or what could better be described (as the waiter said) as the dish about butter. There was butter, a dish long ribbon of liquified popcorn, lobster and much else. A bit different than a cheddar Polish or piece of steak.

Then came Rabbit, a piece of rabbit meat wrapped in tempura. I could say this about several of the course, but it might have been the most tasty single thing I've ever eaten. As you can see, it was attached to a stem; you just picked it up and ate it in a bite or two.

After Rabbit, came Turbot, a piece of fish in an incredibly artful presentation with a bunch of acoutrements.

Then we got Wagyu Beef, a piece of almost raw Japanese beef that supposedly puts Kobe Beef to shame. It was great, but I recall the flavor of the mushroom it sat on to be even more incredible.

Next, we merrily had a little Lamb. The most tender cubes imaginable, accompanied by some other tasty (albeit a bit weirdly squishy) stuff.

That we learned, was the end of dinner. The rest was dessert. It was by then to get good pictures of much of it, but below is a piece of Pumpkin and a Chocolate concoction that was incredible when it all worked together. We also had a few other dessert items, including an eyeball-looking thing in a shot glass that broke apart in your mouth into a symphony of flavors and powdered Caramel that congealed in your mouth.

All in all it was truly scrumptious and perhaps surprisingly, quite filling. I don't think I could have handled the 24-course Tour, even if my bank account could. Three hours were long enough, though the chairs were incredibly comfortable.

The only thing that wasn't magnificent was the appearance and disposition of the servers and other staff we dealt with. There was nothing really wrong with the service--everything was well-explained and nothing particularly diminished our pleasure--but from a purely critical point of view, the visuals and temperments were a bit lacking for a place of this stature. I know this sounds weird, and believe me, I'm a liberal all in favor of individuality, but there were guys with weird mustaches, bad hair and a decided lack of affable elegance, such as I've encounted in the few other high-class restaurants I've visited. The place itself was beautiful, as was the hostess, and the service was nothing to downgrade the experience, it just didn't elevate it. Maybe we were just in the wrong room, and perhaps it's the economy, but there was an empty table next to us all night.

I don't know if I would've been able to talk to or get a picture with Grant Achatz even if he were there (I got one with Charlie Trotter), but a shot of the lobby and kitchen (downstairs, the dining room was upstairs) is below.

Pretty Dumb (but Kinda Fun)

Get Smart
Movie Review
@@1/2

Was this a great movie? No. Was it particularly funny or suspenseful? No. Was it enriching or memorable? No. Will it make anyone who remembers the Get Smart TV show forget it? No. But was it worth $1 for a RedBox rental and 2 hours on a Saturday morning? Sure, why not.

Thanks to a good cast, including Steve Carrell, Anne Hathaway (admittedly the impetus for my rental), Dwayne Johnson (formerly known at The Rock), Alan Arkin (no relation) and Terence Stamp (I wouldn't know the name either, but he's been in tons of stuff), Get Smart was entirely watchable and not nearly as bad as the reviews made me think it would be when it was released in theaters this summer (though shockingly, as I just discovered, Roger Ebert gave it 3-1/2 stars (out of 4); that's a bit generous).

The quirky Carrell as Maxwell Smart and the beauteous Hathaway as Agent 99 had a fun banter if not particular chemistry; Arkin was great as always in a supporting role (as the Chief). Nothing you particularly need to see, but not bad as a "why not" rental, especially if like me, you see Hathaway evolving into (almost) a modern day Audrey Hepburn.

In Moving Forward, I Re-Verse

Back in my younger, more idealistic days when I wrote poetry (or at least rhyming verses), I penned this poem on the day after Bill Clinton defeated George Bush the First in 1992. I don't know that it holds up as particularly good poetry, but the sentiment pretty much remains the same. So instead of writing anew or revising, I merely reprint. So to speak.


11/4/92

I see arrival
A bright new dawn
I see departure
A black cloud gone

I’m no fool expecting
Miracles to occur
But it’s cool rejecting
The way things were

Some may be glad
Some may be pissed
Under what we had
Not all seemed to exist

The United States
Has been divided too long
How can you keep people weak
While you strive to be strong

America found
It was time for a change
Let’s tear things down
And rearrange

Who knows what I’ll say
Four years from now
But my hope of today
The past wouldn’t allow

So bye bye GOP
So long Mr. Bush
Yes, mine were two of the feet
Kicking your tush

Can he move in today?

Given today's news about the highest unemployment in 14 years and gigantic losses for GM and Ford, do we really need W playing out the string? January 20 can't come soon enough.

Theater Review: A House With No Walls

Rating: @@@
Location: Timeline Theatre - Chicago
Author: Thomas Gibbons
Link: A House With No Walls

A few years ago, I saw Thomas Gibbons’ play, Permanent Collection, and still view it as one of the best plays I’ve seen. It centered around a fictionalized version of the Barnes Foundation, a phenomenal privately-endowed art museum just outside Philadelphia, and controversial decisions by a new African-American museum director. It provided a great debate, and much post-show thought, over the “race question” and was really well done.

So I was very much looking forward to seeing A House With No Walls, Gibbons’ third in his race trilogy (Bee-Luther-Hatchee was the first; I haven’t seen it. FYI: Gibbons is white), especially because Timeline, which utilizes an old church on Wellington as its performance space always puts on stellar shows and provides a lot of interesting backstory in its lobby displays and programs.

A House With No Walls also concerns itself with another real-life, Philadelphia racial controversy that developed over the discovery that the new Liberty Bell Center was being built on ground that once held a house in which George Washington lived while President, and more pointedly, his slave quarters (see more here). The play juxtaposes a somewhat fictionalized modern day argument over proper commemoration—between a liberal black activist (a la Jesse Jackson) and a conservative black academic on the center’s advisory panel—with the story of Oney Judge, one of Washington’s slaves who escaped to freedom.

The play was very well staged and performed, but I felt that the sheer polarization of the central characters was a bit too contrived and didn’t provide the palpable tension that I recalled with Permanent Collection. It was good, worth seeing (for just $16.60 through HotTix) and valuable for what I learned, but ultimately a good bit short of great.

I Believe in the Promised Land

Though I really do respect people with different viewpoints -- so long as they're not morons -- it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that most of my friends & family share my political views, as do many of the performers I admire.

So here's a picture I really like of Bruce Springsteen meeting Barack Obama's family, particularly his younger daughter Sasha, and below, video of R.E.M. celebrating the election results during a concert in Santiago, Chile and performing their song "I Believe."

Tuesday in the Park with Barack

Being an avid Obama support, as well as a (suburban) Chicagoan and longtime Democrat, it was thrilling to be at Grant Park on Election Night to witness his victory (via CNN on a big screen), his acceptance speech and the throngs of people there to share in the celebration.

Although I was fortunate to get a ticket and being the exclusive (to 70,000 people) ticket-holders area, as you can see, I was still quite far from the stage. I was glad to get a spot up on a ridge on the NW side of the field, from where I (and my sister Allison) could see the stage--being vertically-challenged, this wouldn't have been possible from within the throng itself--and even lean up against a railing for the 4 hours I was there. And as this time lapse video shows, even if we had gotten there way early, we couldn't have really gotten up close to the stage.

Although highly appreciative of the opportunity simply to witness such a historic moment, I think I would have liked a bit more of an overt celebration, perhaps somewhat similar to what I witnessed at the Stevie Wonder show at Taste of Chicago in June. With Obama capturing key states so early in the night, and winning far earlier than most elections are decided, the whole event seemed over and done a bit too quickly; a Cubs World Series celebration would've gone all night.

But a colleague made a great point; this was Chicago's (i.e. Mayor Daley's) opportunity to show the world (i.e. Olympic committee) that we could handle an event of this magnitude without incident. Thus, no alcohol (a good thing), no live music (some may have been fun) and no big celebration after Obama spoke.

Anyway, though you can obviously find a complete, and much closer up, version elsewhere, here is the video I shot of Obama's Acceptance Speech. I edited out about 10 minutes in the middle to fit it on YouTube, but despite the distance, you'll see that the sound was good.

Getting Ready for Europe

I hope to post here from afar. Just making sure it still works.

Great (Pumpkin) Expectations

There isn't anyone I can think of -- other than perhaps Bono -- that constantly makes me cringe, yet simultaneously commands my attention and admiration like Billy Corgan. Even to those who only pay scant attention, but especially to longtime observers like myself, the Great Pumpkin is obviously an emotional train wreck. To really get a sense of his embarrassing need to be beloved and admired you'd have to read interviews or hear some of his stage patter, but this is a man who published (non-sensical if ya ask me) Bible-length serialized internet prose about the hidden meaning behind the Smashing Pumpkins' last official album (Machina: The Machines of God), who shares the "rock stars who unnecessarily feel the need to publish books of poetry" category with Jewel and who undermined the release of his first solo album by on the same day taking out full-page newspaper ads stating his desire to resurrect the Pumpkins (despite, at that time, seemingly not having discussed it with any of the other members). By the way, his solo album, which wasn't good, but not that bad, tanked. It sold just 67,000 copies. By comparison, the talentless Rob Thomas sold 4 times that many copies of his debut solo album in the first week alone.

Certainly, Billy's got some problems. But in my opinion, he's also the most talented rock 'n roll musician Chicago has ever produced. Despite moments of wincing, I truly loved the Pumpkins and even Zwan; all told, in his various incarnations, I have seen Billy Corgan live about 18 times, second only to Bruce Springsteen. And despite the Pumpkins' success, casual observers never even realized quite how gifted and prodigious a songwriter Billy was. He would put out albums, even double albums, and still have 40 album-quality B-sides besides.

After Gallaghering the Smashing Pumpkins in 2000, supposedly because of differences with bandmates -- but in my estimation, at least partly because Billy's ego couldn't handle the band's shrunken popularity. Though masked a bit in their hometown of Chicago, nationally the Pumpkins had gone from selling out basketball arenas in 1996 to playing, and often not filling, 2,000 seat venues. Plus, Machina sold poorly and their record company didn't even want to release a follow-up, prompting Billy to release Machina II (also with some great songs) for free on the Internet -- Billy Corgan now wants to put the Pumpkins back together. Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlain, who was Billy's closest friend in the band and a co-member of Zwan, is supposedly back in the fold, but there has yet to be any word of interest from guitarist James Iha or bassist D'Arcy Wretzky, the latter having actually quit the band prior to 2000.

So where do I stand on this? I can't deny how much the Pumpkins' songs -- and particular Billy's guitar playing, and yes, pun intended -- strike a chord, and it would be great to hear them again, let alone new tunes in the Pumpkins style. But part of me feels kind of queasy about it all. And there are even purists who would say that without Iha and D'Arcy, it's not really the Pumpkins. But who are they kidding; if Pete and Roger can still be The Who, Billy and Jimmy (who's one of the best drummers you'll ever hear) can be the Pumpkins.

And so, artistic purity be damned when personal enjoyment is at stake, I've decided to be Pumped. The train wreck will assuredly continue, and often be disturbing to watch, but Billy's still in his 30's and has proven time and again he can create great music. I don't care if the Pumpkins can't sell out Soldier Field anymore; I'd be happy to see them play the Metro forever. If Billy can live with that, and not act too stupid, strike up the band. I'm in.

Shut Up and Cheer

I am very happy this morning, because for the first time in my life -- and I just turned 37 on Saturday -- I will get to witness a World Series in which a Chicago team is participating. I am thrilled the White Sox got there, admiring of the way they have played most of the season and in the playoffs, eager to attend a game if economically feasible, non-conflicted in my intent to root strongly for them to win and ready to celebrate when they do.

Perhaps this shouldn’t be the case, because I am also -- and even more so -- a Cubs fan. And according to the great arbiters of all things, this is blasphemy. If you are a Cubs fan, you should hate the White Sox, want them to lose and despise their fans. Well, I don’t. Although I have always been a pretty major sports fan, I have never been -- and even less so as time goes on -- too vigilant about it. Watching sports brings enjoyment to my life and at times I get as rapt up in a team’s fortunes as anyone, but it’s not life or death and I don’t treat it as such. I always am bemused when a world tragedy or an athlete’s untimely death -- such as Jason Collier’s this weekend -- causes players, managers, announcers and fans to say, “This really puts everything in perspective; it’s just a game.” And then, a full 4 seconds later we once again lose perspective.

So you can call me a frontrunner, a bandwagon jumper, a waffle, a fair weather fan, etc. OK, I am. Shoot me dead. But I root for anyone I enjoy rooting for and damn the contradictions. I’ll never deny that there are far more devout White Sox fans -- who deserve and will enjoy their current success far more than I -- and even more devout Cubs fans. When the two teams play, I typically root for the Cubs and would certainly rather have them win a World Series than the Sox. But the Cubs have been embarrassing on and off the field the last couple years and haven’t really been a team that makes you want to root for them. And while the White Sox have always existed in the shadow of the Cubs -- for me, the city and the national perspective -- it’s not like I didn’t root for the South Side Hit Men in 1977, or attend the first game of the Carlton Fisk/Greg Luzinski era in 1981, or buy a Winning Ugly T-shirt in 1983 or watch every playoff game they’ve been in during my lifetime, in ’83, ’93 and 2000.

I’ve never much cared what other people think and I really don’t now. It’s not like anyone is trying to stop me from rooting for the White Sox. But even as reflected on local sports talk radio and Internet message boards this glorious morning, the ardor with which people ascribe the purity of being a Cubs fan or a Sox fan is ridiculous to me. I didn’t go to the University of Illinois, and neither did a lot of other people who were rooting for them during their basketball team’s incredible run this year. Without pretending that I’m “diehard” I’ll avidly follow any local team that’s worth following, be it the Blackhawks, Northwestern, DePaul, etc. And while pretty solely devoted to the Bears and Bulls within their sports, too often team management in Chicago -- and resultant suckage -- has made it hard to unconditionally cheer for anyone at all times. And again, this isn’t life or death. I remember mentioning to a hardcore Bears fan a few years back that back when the Green Bay Packers were in the Super Bowl in the mid-90s, I rooted for them to win and admired Brett Favre. You’d have thought I insulted his Mother.

Relax folks and enjoy it. Chicago has a World Series for the first time in 46 years, and just the second time in 60. And that’s good enough for me. Go Sox. Go Go Sox!

My 100 Favorite Artists (Painters)

1. Van Gogh, Vincent
2. Picasso, Pablo
3. Raphael
4. Seurat, Georges
5. El Greco
6. Monet, Claude
7. Botticelli, Sandro
8. Caravaggio
9. Michaelangelo
10. Renoir, Auguste
11. Magritte, Rene
12. Hopper, Edward
13. Vermeer, Jan
14. Pissaro, Camille
15. Goya, Francisco de
16. Matisse, Henri
17. Rembrandt van Rijn
18. Murillo, Bartolome Esteban
19. Dali, Salvador
20. Manet, Edward
21. Caillebotte, Gustave
22. Kandinsky, Wasily
23. Bonnard, Pierre
24. Modigliani, Amadeo
25. da Vinci, Leonardo
26. Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri
27. Gerome, Jean-Leon
28. Ribera, Jusepe de
29. Bronzino, Agnolo
30. Velasquez, Diego
31. van Dongen, Kees
32. Cezanne, Paul
33. Tissot, James
34. Miro, Joan
35. Chagall, Marc
36. Rubens, Peter Paul
37. Hassam, Childe
38. Vuillard, Edouard
39. Klimt, Gustav
40. David, Jacques-Louis
41. de Chirico, Giorgio
42. Davis, Stuart
43. Liechtenstein, Roy
44. Cassatt, Mary
45. O’Keefe, Georgia
46. Bougereau, William
47. Jawlensky, Alexei
48. Romney, George
49. Sisley, Albert
50. Leger, Ferdinand
51. DeKooning, Willem
52. Munch, Edward
53. Zurburan, Francisco de
54. Gauguin, Paul
55. Klee, Paul
56. Derain, Andre
57. Frieseke, Frederick
58. Close, Chuck
59. Warhol, Andy
60. Wood, Grant
61. Albright, Ivan
62. Escher, MC
63. Kahlo, Frida
64. Utrillo, Maurice
65. Titian
66. Soutine, Chaim
67. Signac, Paul
68. Vigee-LeBrun, Elizabeth
69. Rousseau, Henri
70. Steen, Jan
71. Benton, Thomas Hart
72. Rivera, Diego
73. Canaletto
74. Mondrian, Piet
75. Reynolds, Joshua
76. Bellows, George
77. Braque, George
78. Pollock, Jackson
79. Kirchner, Ernst
80. Remington, Frederic
81. Prendergast, Maurice
82. del Sarto, Andrea
83. Delvaux, Paul
84. Boucher, Frederic
85. Fragonard, Jean-Honore
86. Ernst, Max
87. Lippi, Fillipino
88. van der Weyden, Roger
89. Sargent, John Singer
90. Gris, Juan
91. Rockwell, Norman
92. Johns, Jasper
93. Van Dyck, Anthony
94. Jordaens, Jacob
95. Kokoschka, Oscar
96. Freud, Lucien
97. Leighton, Frederic
98. Archimboldo, Giuseppe
99. Glackens, William
100. Beckmann, Max

Chicago's Seven Wonders

The Chicago Tribune is running a survey, asking for people to submit their 7 Chicago Wonders. Here is my submission:

Seven Chicago Wonders

1. The Art Institute - I’ve been to art museums around the world, and ours is truly one of the very best.
2. Wrigley Field - Likewise, I’ve been to virtually every major league ballpark, and old or new, none compares to Wrigley. If only we had a team worth watching there.
3. Millennium Park - Beyond the striking features (i.e. Pritzker Pavilion, Cloud Gate, the face fountain), this new, still somewhat-in-progress park has become a remarkable communal setting for Chicagoans and tourists alike
4. The Theatre Scene - Goodman, Steppenwolf, the touring Broadway shows & now Wicked’s long run are awesome, but what really sets Chicago apart from everywhere else are all the small, often storefront theatre companies that provide something good to see on almost any night
5. The Legendary Pizza Places - Gino’s East, Pizzaria Uno & Due and Lou Malnati’s all serve pizza that is better than anything the rest of the world has to offer
6. The Skyline - Growing up in Skokie, the southbound view, with Hancock on left, Sears on right is quintessential. But northbound, especially from the Planetarium, is also amazing. Much better than New York’s; more balanced & not as crowded.
7. Forest Avenue, Oak Park - Brigadoon for admirers of the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright
8. (Hey, this is Chicago. We get extra votes.) Bahai Temple - One of the most beautiful structures in the United States, with almost equally spectacular gardens

My All-Time 100 Favorite Artists of Popular Music

1. Bruce Springsteen
2. The Beatles
3. R.E.M.
4. Nirvana
5. Led Zeppelin
6. The Rolling Stones
7. U2
8. The Jam
9. The Who
10. Smashing Pumpkins
11. The Kinks
12. Pearl Jam
13. Radiohead
14. David Bowie
15. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
16. The Replacements
17. Midnight Oil
18. Cheap Trick
19. Stereophonics
20. Dinosaur Jr.
21. The Wildhearts
22. Green Day
23. Elvis Costello
24. Bob Dylan
25. Foo Fighters
26. Pink Floyd
27. The Clash
28. AC/DC
29. Talking Heads
30. Rush
31. Aerosmith
32. Bob Segar
33. Jimi Hendrix
34. Neil Young
35. John Lennon
36. The Waterboys
37. Liz Phair
38. John Mellencamp
39. Johnny Cash
40. Guns ‘n Roses
41. The Police
42. Alejandro Escovedo
43. Peter Gabriel
44. The Ramones
45. Queen
46. Van Halen
47. Creedence Clearwater Revival
48. Husker Du/Bob Mould/Sugar
49. Simon & Garfunkel
50. The Flaming Lips
51. Paul McCartney
52. Eric Clapton/Cream/DerekDom
53. Elton John
54. Garbage
55. BoDeans
56. The Doors
57. Ash
58. The Cure
59. Def Leppard
60. Eagles
61. Billy Joel
62. Nine Inch Nails
63. Zombies
64. Metallica
65. Depeche Mode
66. Social Distortion
67. Dire Straits
68. Warren Zevon
69. Jason & the Scorchers
70. Van Morrison
71. George Harrison
72. Material Issue
73. Soundgarden
74. The Byrds
75. The Pixies
76. Red Hot Chili Peppers
77. The Smoking Popes
78. Wilco
79. The White Stripes
80. Elvis Presley
81. Bad Religion
82. Prince
83. Beck
84. Coldplay
85. Blondie
86. Jackson Browne
87. Santana
88. Stevie Ray Vaughan
89. Ozzy Osbourne
90. The Smiths
91. Muse
92. Love
93. Velvet Underground/Lou Reed
94. Jane’s Addiction
95. The Wallflowers
96. The Darkness
97. Counting Crows
98. Graham Parker
99. Buddy Holly
100. ZZ Top

All The City's A Stage (Weekend Reviews)

One of the truly great things about Chicago is the constant abundance of live theater. Far beyond the Loop -- where two of the biggest and best musical spectacles of recent years, Wicked and The Lion King will run all summer and at least in Wicked's case, much longer -- north, south, east (relatively east, at least) and west, you can almost always find something worthwhile to see. With the help of the wonderfully useful HotTix, I saw all three of the shows below -- all world premieres -- for a total of $35, or less than a nose-bleed seat to The Lion King. And while the lack of air conditioning in a couple cases made for creature discomfort and none of the shows was truly fantastic, each was well worth taking a look at, certainly for the price.

Dave Davinci Saves The Universe
Viaduct Theatre
@@@
Unfortunately, it was so hot in this out of the way theatre on Western, just south of Belmont, that I could not fully appreciate the merits of this inventive story and staging as sweat cascaded down my back. The show was somewhat confusing and perhaps not worth the effort or discomfort, but overall I would give it a thumbs up just for attempting something unique.

Martin Furey's Shot
TimeLine Theatre
@@@@
Inspired by real-life photojournalists covering strife, and armed conflict, in South Africa just prior to Nelson Mandela's election in 1994, the interesting subject matter of this play was a bit better than the writing itself, but I liked it quite a bit. There was very interesting background material to read in the lobby and while the theatre was quite warm, compared to the night before, it felt almost breezy.

Red Light Winter
Steppenwolf Garage Theatre
@@1/2
Probably the most high-profile of the three plays, this world premiere by Adam Rapp -- who wrote the insanely intriguing Blackbird -- had an interesting premise, some sharp, culturally-savvy dialogue and strong performances, but was just too long and somewhat misguided. Two mismatched friends are in Amsterdam where they interact with a prostitute. Despite the length, it was highly watchable, but while many great plays are somewhat ambiguous, I'm not sure what Rapp was trying to say.

The Power & The Glory (and the Ego)

U2
5.12.05 United Center Chicago
@@@@1/2

Kings of Leon (opening act) @@@@

Able to instantly sell every ticket they put on sale everywhere in the world, in the same year as their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, U2 is seemingly a band with nothing to prove. But I've been a fan since the early-'80s and going into last night's show, I genuinely wondered if within the corporation that U2 has become, there still beat the heart of a great rock 'n roll band. For if Bono's ego hadn't been insufferable enough in the past, his recent high profile humanitarian efforts -- while genuinely admirable on their own -- have not been artfully integrated into the band's music, despite repeated attempts. Most notably, their new CD, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, is chock full of songs that proselytize, but fail to connect. Or rock.

Well, last night's show reiterated that U2 is a band that can reach heights few others can. Phenomenal from the outset, the show had me planning my exuberant @@@@@ review midway through, until Pope Bono couldn't help but show up. Early highlights included the rightful show opener Vertigo (although past setlists reveal this to be the first show at which it was) and an amazing rendition of 1981's Gloria. And even if the band becomes a leisure-suited lounge act, the staccato drumbeat opening of Sunday Bloody Sunday will never fail to excite me. Despite several new songs that I still don't much love, even the pacing and vibe were dead on. But when Bono led into a beautiful rendition of Running to Stand Still by saluting the men & women of the U.S. military, I couldn't help but cringe at what seemed like rote, pre-scripted pandering. At the end of 'Running,' a song about heroin addiction, a video screen ran text from 1948's Declaration of Human Rights with some narration about how torturing people is bad. This may have been fitting had it led into Walk On, The Unforgettable Fire or if Bono had a twisted sense of humor, So Cruel. But the song that followed was the new City of Blinding Lights, accompanied by the most extensive lights and video display of the show.

During Pride, a song everyone knows is about MLK, Bono of course had to speak his praises rather than just sing them, and this lead into a speech about eliminating African poverty, with Bono actually (I'm pretty sure) singing Kum-Ba-Ya over the glorious build up of Where the Streets Have No Name, during which the video screens rotated African flags. Hey, I'm sure he's well-intentioned about noble causes, but do you really have to smack me in the eyeballs? More Bonoesque blather actually diminished the power of One rather than enhance it.

Then came the encore. Would Bruce, in town the night before, show up?

No.

Without the Boss, three Actung Baby songs led off the encore, including the unnecessary (for me) Mysterious Ways, followed by a great rendition of With or Without You. Offstage, then back on, for an acoustic Yahweh (from the new album). From the past setlists, I expected '40' to close the show as it had way back in the 80s. But surprisingly, U2 went into an amazing version of Bad, which almost redeemed Bono wrecking the feel & pacing of the set and included the "how long to sing this song" section of 40.

Great band -- thank goodness for Edge, Adam & Larry, solid pros forever -- and a great show that should've been phenomenal. If only Bono could help himself.

Oh, and the Kings of Leon, who opened the show, were excellent, putting on a rocking 45 minute set that connected even in the 3rd deck.

U2 setlist: Vertigo, All Because Of You, Elevation, Gloria, The Ocean, Beautiful Day, Miracle Drug, Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, Love and Peace or Else, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Bullet the Blue Sky - When Johnny Comes Marching Home, Running to Stand Still, City of Blinding Lights, Original of the Species, Pride, Where the Streets Have No Name, One

Encore: Until the End of the World, The Fly, Mysterious Ways, With or Without - Strangers in the Night, Yahweh, Bad - Norwegian Wood - Sexual Healing - 40

A Perfectly Low-Key Boss

Bruce Springsteen
5.11.05 Rosemont Theatre
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I've now seen Bruce Springsteen live on stage 22 times, but last night was the first time I've seen him by himself. No E Street Band, no accompanying musicians, not even an appearance by his wife (and E Streeter) Patti. And while I figured with U2 having an off night during their Chicago stand Bono was bound to show up, no sign of him either. Just Bruce, for 2 hours & 15 minutes of acoustic guitar, pump organ and piano, centered around songs from his new, low-key Devils & Dust album. While the show didn't compare to the buoncy of a typical hard-rocking Bruce & E Street greatest hits inclusive affair (and really, nothing does) for a fan like me, it offered an ideal complement.

While the storytelling, short on melody nature of a number of his song selections made for quiet appreciation rather than overt enjoyment, the pacing was never boring as Bruce mixed up his instrumental & vocal stylings, and made several revelatory introductory explanations to his songs. To be honest, an appearance by Bono would have been way too grandiose for this admirably low-key affair. Though I can't deny that despite my appreciation for the Devils & Dust songs, it was solo piano renditions of Incident on 57th St. and The River (old Bruce songs) that really felt special.

Pain and Validation

Stereophonics
5.9.05 Cabaret Metro Chicago
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It's sad to say, but I'm old. And decrepit. For standing at a concert, which I have done hundreds of times in my life, now brings pain and discomfort to my legs after about an hour. Which means my days of going to shows at the Metro, Aragon, Eagles Ballroom (in Milwaukee) and other venues without seating may be over.

Which would be a damn shame, because I'd miss out on (suffering through) shows like last night's excellent Stereophonics show at the Metro. For the first time in six tries, the Stereophonics gave me a show that truly justified my affinity for them. And I had to go get a beer in the middle of it, I was in so much pain.

But Kelly Jones was nice to the crowd for a change, the setlist was heavy on the new album, which came alive live, but also featured favorites like A Thousand Trees, The Bartender and the Thief and Local Boy in the Photograph.

Why this band can't "break" in America I'll never know. But I'll keep supporting them, at least as long as my legs support me.

Where Have I Been?

On Sunday, April 24, I left on a trip to Spain, fully intending to blog along the way. I even knew of an Internet cafe around the corner from my hotel in Madrid. And from the get-go, I had blog-worthy material, in my head at least. But the EasyInternetCafe in Madrid was no longer in business and between not finding computers to use and being too exhausted to seek one out, well I never did any Spain Bloggin.'

I have now been back for nearly a week, and while this somehow seems unnecessary, for history's sake I'm going to recap my trip as best as I remember.

On the morning Monday, April 25, I arrived in Madrid. Upon arriving at my hotel -- Hotel Europa at the Puerto del Sol, a central area in the city, kind of like a Times Square or Picadilly Circus -- and checking in, I went to the attached cafeteria and saw Rick Steves, the guy who writes the tour books that I utilize. I chatted with him briefly and went on my way. On the first day, still kind of groggy, I went to two art museums and a palace. One real highlight was seeing Picasso's Guernica at the Reina Sofia Museum.

Tuesday was a day trip from Madrid to Toledo, a beautifully preserved city with lots of El Greco paintings. I must've seen over 50.

Wedneday began with the Prado in Madrid, a truly miraculous art museum, followed by another one. I went to a dance concert at night just to see the Teatro Real. Nice theatre, but boy was it boring. Afterward, I went to Cafe Botin, supposedly the oldest restaurant in the world (from 1752) and said to be a favorite of Hemingway's. The specialty of the house is roast suckling pig, which of course, I had to try.

Thursday, an opulently decorated old convent and a bullfighting museum. Then a flight to Bilbao. Just walking around along the river at night, seeing Gehry's Guggenheim, Calatrava's bridge and more may have been the most enjoyable time of my whole trip. The city just seemed vibrant and alive.

Friday, I actually went to the Guggenheim, where the collection paled in comparison to the building itself. Then another museum in Bilbao and more exploring.

Saturday to Barcelona. First some strolling through the big park, then to the Picasso museum. Then across town and up Montjuic to see the Miro museum and the Olympic area from 1992. My first visit to Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's masterful unfinished church, came that night. Pretty amazing.

Sunday I went back to Sagrada Familia and climbed the stairs as high as you can. Then to two other Gaudi masterpieces, Casa Mila and Casa Battlo.

Monday, walking down the Ramblas, walking along the beach and going to Gaudi's Park Guell. At night, a concert by a group called Madredeus, who played sleepy guitar music with vocals. Got to see the spectacular Catalan Music Hall.

Tuesday, a flight to London. Got there mid-Afternoon. Caught an hour of a Caravaggio exhibit at the National Gallery, then saw a stage version of Mary Poppins, the hot show in London at the moment.

Wednesday, fly home.

Following Tuesday, here I am.

Weekend Reviews

Weekend Reviews

Floyd & Clea Under The Western Sky
A Musical at Goodman Theatre
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It's really pretty shocking that this turned out to be the best event of the 3 this weekend, yet this world premiere country/western musical was a sweet little gem. With just two people, and all the music performed on stage, it felt more like a play with music than a traditional musical, and while it was not particularly deep, much of its charm came from the subtle, rather than overtly maudlin, way it treated its subject matter. The show's creator, David Cale, stars as Floyd a down on his luck country singer befriended by Clea, an aspiring star half his age. Even without the bargain basement, in previews, HotTix price of $7.40 that I paid, this one is well worth your time and money.

Paul Westerberg
Concert - 4.15.05 - Riviera Theatre
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The Replacements were, and remain, one of my favorite bands, with Westerberg's brilliant songwriting at their core. For some reason, however, the singer has never been able to match that brilliance in his solo career which has now has outlasted the Replacements duration (a flaw he shares with his namesakes, Mssrs. McCartney and Weller, and plenty of others). Nonetheless, I own everything he has released, including albums under his Grandpaboy pseudonym, and could put together a 15-song or so compilation of worthy solo material. But Friday's show at the Riv was a sad showcase of how far from glory he has fallen. It was still a true pleasure hearing some great old Mats' (short for Place Mats, a nickname of the Replacements) songs, like Little Mascara, Left of the Dial, Alex Chilton and Merry Go Round. But much of the non-Mats stuff bored me, and toward the end he got embarrassingly sloppy, like a drunk poet screaming on a street corner. Bad covers played half-way through, smashing stuff on stage like someone half his age, etc.

Lost Land
Play at Steppenwolf Theatre
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'Seeing John Malkovich' would've been a more apt title for this world premiere by British playwright Stephen Jeffreys, for the on-stage reappearance of Steppenwolf's most famous, and arguaby best, actor was admittedly what brought me to buy a full-price advance ticket. And while I stipulate that perhaps there was a subtle artistry to this work about people in Hungary during WWI that I couldn't appreciate, other than the chance to see Malkovich, this play really didn't do much for me.

Weekend Reviews

It's been a busy few days; here are my thoughts with reviews based on a @@@@@ system.

Oleanna
A play by David Mamet
Produced by the Inspirare Theatre at the Glen Ellyn Civic Center
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This 1992 2-person Mamet play, inspired by the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill sexual harassment case, is certainly worthwhile material. Performed in an old classroom, which was appropriate per the script, this was the inaugural performance by a new theatre group called Inspirare. For just $7 for Thursday night performances, you can't go wrong, though the performance by the actress playing the female student was weaker than the one of the male professor. Yet given the story, that imbalance was almost fine.

Ash & The Bravery
Two bands in concert, 4.8.05 at Cabaret Metro
Ash @@@@
The Bravery @@
I went to this concert strictly for Ash, an hard-driving yet melodic Irish rock band that I've liked for some time. While certainly not brilliant, I have found Ash consistently enjoyable and their hour-long set at the Metro didn't disappoint. While seemingly receiving top billing, they played before a new band called The Bravery, which blends a bunch of influences (The Smiths, Duran Duran & other 80's bands) into a contemporary Dance Rock style (a la The Killers, Franz Ferdinand) that's pleasantly derivative, but not distinctive.

Sin City
Movie
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Novel & brilliant moviemaking yet short of a wonderful movie.

The Diary of Anne Frank
Play - Chicago Jewish Theatre
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Very well acted version of the Frank family's period of hiding from the Nazi's in WWII Amsterdam. The story is too real to be artfully dramatic, but strong performances made it quite worthwhile.

Randy Travis
Country/Gospel Performance
Willow Creek Community Church
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Yes, I went to a church, though it seemed more like a performing arts venue, with a brand new 7,000 seat auditorium. Fortunately, for this Jew, it was 95% singing and just 5% preaching, though Travis' selection of songs were mostly spiritual in nature. I've never followed his music before, but found him to be a likable performer with a good voice & style. Probably would've enjoyed a straightforward country performance better, but this was a good introduction.

Take Me Out
A Play by Richard Greenberg
Steppenwolf Theatre
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I left my apartment just before Tiger Woods' miracle chip shot on 16, and eventual Master's win, so that just added to my disappointment with a show I was looking forward to seeing. About, or perhaps more correctly, centered around a baseball star's announcement that he is gay, this first Chicago production of a recent Tony Award winning play didn't quite strike out, but it was certainly no home run either. It seemed meandering rather than pointed, and even at 2 hours, felt long.

Disappointing But Not A Disappointment

Perhaps it's uncouth to admit it, but I listen to sports talk radio quite a bit. But at some of the most seemingly appropos times, I avoid it like the plague. Like today. I'm relatively certain that there are any number of hosts, reporters, analysts, experts and fans dissecting the Illinois loss last night to North Carolina in the NCAA Championship game. I'm sure people are ripping on James Augustine for his foul problem, lamenting Luther Head's errant pass near the end, questioning the team's poor first half, rueing the crucial late misses by Head and Deron Williams, poking at Coach Bruce Weber's strategy for guarding Sean May, and even perhaps without criticizing, whining about the team's failure to win it all.

Screw that, I say (unsure about the profanity regulations of this blog site). Like any Illini fan -- including unquestionably millions more devoted than me, whether U of I students, alumni, etc. -- I watched, and rooted, and hoped they won. And showing amazing heart and resilence, they almost did. Between them, Head and Williams had great looks at four 3-point shots that could have put the Illini in the lead, or at least tied the game near the end. Unlike earlier shots that brought the Illini back from a 15 point deficit, all four shots hit the rim and bounced out.

That's, literally, the way the ball bounces sometimes. You take your best shot, and hope it goes in. The fact that it didn't doesn't diminish from the accomplishments of, and enjoyment provided by, a team of 19-21 year old men who won 37 of 39 games this season, equalling the most any college team has ever won.

It would've been great had they won, but it's not a great loss that they didn't. As some great philosopher must have once said: Enjoyment is in the experience, not the outcome.

Go Cubs.