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A skilled worker in the manufacturing industry can anticipate a lifetime of financial stability in a vibrant, in-demand field. But for many, getting the necessary training and education to launch a career in the trades can be daunting, and even cost prohibitive. The folks at Jane Addams Resource Corporation know there’s no time like the present to take your career—and your life—by the reins. 

Founded in 1985, as an economic development agency focused on preserving manufacturing jobs in and around the Ravenswood Industrial Corridor, Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC) has blossomed into one of Chicago’s most vital resources for unemployed and low-income workers seeking careers in the trades. 

JARC operates under the guiding principles that people who work should not live in poverty, and that focusing on careers can lead to lasting, substantive change. At their three locations in Austin, Ravenswood, and Chatham, they’ve provided free job training programs for thousands of Chicagoans, empowering them to transform their lives and support their families through well-paying jobs while helping to fill a void of highly skilled workers in the U.S. manufacturing space.

As a 501c3 nonprofit, JARC is mission driven, focused on alleviating poverty in Chicago and promoting gainful paths to employment that lead to family sustaining wages. During this season of giving you can support JARC by making a contribution on 11/29 for Giving Tuesday.

Getting started on a brand-new career path with JARC’s job training program is as easy as registering for one of the weekly application sessions, which are held in person on the first Wednesday of each month, and virtually every Wednesday in between. Applicants can choose between several different programs focusing on in-demand skills, which currently include: Manufacturing Bridge Program, Fundamentals of Manufacturing, Mechanical Assembly, CNC Operating, and Welding. (Courses run anywhere from ten to 20 weeks.) Rather than a traditional classroom setting with long lectures and copious amounts of homework, JARC’s training programs simulate a manufacturing workplace environment, adhering to strict attendance and safety protocols, while prioritizing peer learning, teamwork, and leadership development through hands-on, project-based lessons. 

JARC applies a holistic lens when working with students; this approach better addresses their needs beyond career training and education alone. Trainees can tap into an array of support services, such as financial education and coaching, legal aid, and help with applying for Medicaid, and other public benefits. These services are also available at no cost, and students may be eligible for further assistance, such as prepaid public transit cards to offset the cost of commuting to class or funds to help pay for costly but necessary safety gear.

As JARC students prepare to complete their programs and transition into their new professions, they can utilize the center’s resume-writing services, mock interviews, and job-placement opportunities.In fact, some students are able to find employment through JARC before they even finish their studies. 

So whether you’re launching your career for the first time, seeking a change, returning to the workforce, or interested in improving your English language and math skills while learning a lucrative, exciting trade, JARC could be the place for you. 

Support JARC for Giving Tuesday today. Visit JARC online at www.jane-addams.org today to learn more about its programs and sign up for a Wednesday application session. 

This content is sponsored by Jane Addams Resource Corporation.

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It’s the final week to catch the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s “SAIC Faculty Sabbatical Triennial” exhibition, which features work produced by 38 faculty members who completed a sabbatical or a similar paid leave during the last three academic years. Not only does this show represent the breadth of ideas and creative practices at an influential local arts institution, but it also demonstrates how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the artistic inquiries of these instructors. There’s some great Chicago history hidden in the show, including documentation of art historian Romi Crawford’s Black Arts Movement School Modality, which “explores the ideological structures that emerged in Chicago from the Black Arts Movement in the 1960s and 1970s.” New media artist Mary Patten debuts the video Hokey Sapp Does SPEW, which features Kate Schechter as the facetious media character Hokey Sapp interviewing people at SPEW: The Homographic Convergence, a zine convention hosted at Randolph Street Gallery in 1991. SPEW is recognized as a crucial connection point for midwestern queer culture in the 90s, including what led to the Homocore punk shows. Patten edited and shaped the piece this year using video footage that she shot with Schechter in 1991. The “SAIC Faculty Sabbatical Triennial” is on view at SAIC Galleries (33 E. Washington); open hours from 11 AM-6 PM today through Saturday 12/3. Saturday also offers a closing program and meet and greet with artist Ruth Margraff and other SAIC faculty from 4-6 PM. (MC)

If you’re a fan of French New Wave cinema—you know, the 60s experimental film movement heavy with jump cuts, mod style, and ennui—then you’ll want to check out Looking for Jean-Luc, an online-only panel discussion of director Jean-Luc Godard. Independent filmmakers Joël Akafou and Thavary Krouch, Chicago International Film Festival programmer Sam Flancher, and University of Chicago Cinema and Media Studies department chair Dan Morgan will gather to discuss the work of the director known for films such as Breathless and Weekend. Join them via Zoom at 6:30 PM. This event is organized by Alliance Française de Chicago. If you are not a student, or a member of Cinema/Chicago, the Gene Siskel Film Center, or Facets, Alliance Française kindly requests a $15 donation to support similar future programming. (MC)

Here are three music options for tonight:

Pianist and composer Robert Glasper starts a four night run at City Winery tonight, with two shows scheduled each evening. Unfortunately, all of the 7 PM shows are currently sold out, as is the 10:30 PM Friday show, but waiting list information as well as tickets for the remaining 10:30 PM shows are available at the venue’s website. (Today through Fri 12/2, 7 and 10:30 PM, 1200 W. Randolph, $55-$78, all-ages, tickets here)
British singer-songwriter Beabadoobee visits Riviera Theatre for an all-ages show; Lowertown opens. (7:30 PM, 4746 N. Racine, $30-$45, tickets at AXS)
A record release show for two improvisational ensembles, the Gilgamanians and Maku Sica (formerly Mako Sica) happens tonight at Elastic. More at Reader contributor Bill Meyer’s concert preview. (8 PM, 3429 W. Diversey, second floor, $15, all-ages, tickets at the door) (SCJ)

Previews begin tonight at 7:30 PM for Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol at Writers Theatre (325 Tudor Ct., Glencoe). The company originally created the piece as a live Zoom play during the pandemic, and now the story of Aunt Trudy, a grieving widow finding it hard to find holiday cheer, gets a full live production, featuring Manual Cinema’s usual array of puppetry, live music, and projections to give a contemporary twist to the Dickens classic. The show runs through 12/24 and is recommended for 6+; tickets are $35-$90 at writerstheatre.org. (KR)

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Sixteen years ago, Michael Columbia were one of Chicago’s most compelling bands, combining smooth jazz, twitchy progressive rock, the occasional wacky time signature, and sometimes even a pop-adjacent melody. Dave McDonnell (saxophone, keyboards, bass, vocals) and Dylan Ryan (drums) were cozy with several groups linked to local label Obey Your Brain and South Loop recording studio Shape Shoppe, including Icy Demons and Bablicon—and all of them enriched the world’s weirdo-rock quotient. Chris Kalis (guitar, synthesizers), who’d cofounded Chandeliers in 2005, joined the duo of McDonnell and Ryan the following year—after the recording of Stay Hard, to date the final Michael Columbia release. The band played the Pitchfork Music Festival in 2009 and broke up that summer, when McDonnell left town for Cincinnati (he now lives in Philadelphia) and Ryan split for Los Angeles. For a while they continued working together remotely, but that tailed off in 2010. After a 12-year hiatus, though, Michael Columbia are back. “The band will be recording at Jamdek studios and finishing a record of material that has been on the shelves for over a decade,” Kalis says. They’ll also reunite for a show at Co-Prosperity on Saturday, December 3, which will be livestreamed on Lumpen.TV; Oui Ennui headlines, and Courtesy and Chelsea Bridge open. Welcome back, fellas! 

Michael Columbia are rerecording this track for their upcoming album.

This Michael Columbia track, which appeared posthumously on a 2011 compilation, will also get redone.

In August, Gossip Wolf caught a set by local indie-rock quartet Shoulderbird at Golden Dagger, where the mellow, jazz-tinged phrasing of guitarist and vocalist Meredith Nesbitt made an immediate impression—as did her crackerjack band, which consists of guitarist Kyle Paul, bassist Miles Allen, and drummer Lily Finnegan. In November, Shoulderbird released the mini album Parade via Bandcamp, and its five songs are even better than this wolf remembered. They glisten with warm, spacious reverb and more than a touch of soulful Americana.

Guitarist and vocalist Meredith Nesbitt wrote all the material on Parade.

Local culture outlet These Days has been on this wolf’s reading list for years. Its twice-yearly feature “Chicago Artists to Watch” is always a must-read, and the fall/winter 2022 iteration came out in November. To celebrate, These Days will host two consecutive Schubas concerts featuring acts covered in this year’s two “Artists to Watch” roundups. Fingy, Godly the Ruler, and Cece Maravilla perform on Thursday, December 1; Pretty Liyah, CP, and Semiratruth hit the stage on Thursday, December 2. Tickets are $15 per night or $25 for both. The shows are 18 and up and begin at 8 PM.

These Days’ promo video for “Chicago Artists to Watch,” shot and edited by Audiotree Media

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A skilled worker in the manufacturing industry can anticipate a lifetime of financial stability in a vibrant, in-demand field. But for many, getting the necessary training and education to launch a career in the trades can be daunting, and even cost prohibitive. The folks at Jane Addams Resource Corporation know there’s no time like the present to take your career—and your life—by the reins. 

Founded in 1985, as an economic development agency focused on preserving manufacturing jobs in and around the Ravenswood Industrial Corridor, Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC) has blossomed into one of Chicago’s most vital resources for unemployed and low-income workers seeking careers in the trades. 

JARC operates under the guiding principles that people who work should not live in poverty, and that focusing on careers can lead to lasting, substantive change. At their three locations in Austin, Ravenswood, and Chatham, they’ve provided free job training programs for thousands of Chicagoans, empowering them to transform their lives and support their families through well-paying jobs while helping to fill a void of highly skilled workers in the U.S. manufacturing space.

As a 501c3 nonprofit, JARC is mission driven, focused on alleviating poverty in Chicago and promoting gainful paths to employment that lead to family sustaining wages. During this season of giving you can support JARC by making a contribution on 11/29 for Giving Tuesday.

Getting started on a brand-new career path with JARC’s job training program is as easy as registering for one of the weekly application sessions, which are held in person on the first Wednesday of each month, and virtually every Wednesday in between. Applicants can choose between several different programs focusing on in-demand skills, which currently include: Manufacturing Bridge Program, Fundamentals of Manufacturing, Mechanical Assembly, CNC Operating, and Welding. (Courses run anywhere from ten to 20 weeks.) Rather than a traditional classroom setting with long lectures and copious amounts of homework, JARC’s training programs simulate a manufacturing workplace environment, adhering to strict attendance and safety protocols, while prioritizing peer learning, teamwork, and leadership development through hands-on, project-based lessons. 

JARC applies a holistic lens when working with students; this approach better addresses their needs beyond career training and education alone. Trainees can tap into an array of support services, such as financial education and coaching, legal aid, and help with applying for Medicaid, and other public benefits. These services are also available at no cost, and students may be eligible for further assistance, such as prepaid public transit cards to offset the cost of commuting to class or funds to help pay for costly but necessary safety gear.

As JARC students prepare to complete their programs and transition into their new professions, they can utilize the center’s resume-writing services, mock interviews, and job-placement opportunities.In fact, some students are able to find employment through JARC before they even finish their studies. 

So whether you’re launching your career for the first time, seeking a change, returning to the workforce, or interested in improving your English language and math skills while learning a lucrative, exciting trade, JARC could be the place for you. 

Support JARC for Giving Tuesday today. Visit JARC online at www.jane-addams.org today to learn more about its programs and sign up for a Wednesday application session. 

This content is sponsored by Jane Addams Resource Corporation.

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Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky riffs on the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty, and interviews politicians, activists, journalists and other political know-it-alls. Presented by the Chicago Reader, the show is available by 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at chicagoreader.com/joravsky—or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss Oh, What a Week!–the Friday feature in which Ben & producer Dennis (aka, Dr. D.) review the week’s top stories. Also, bonus interviews drop on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. 

Chicago Reader podcasts are recorded on Shure microphones. Learn more at Shure.com.

Chicago Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky discusses the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty on The Ben Joravsky Show.

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The final Bandcamp Friday of the year arrives December 2. I’ve made a habit of rounding up music recommendations from recent Reader stories for each Bandcamp Friday, and since this is the 26th one, I hope it’s redundant to explain that for a 24-hour period, Bandcamp passes along its usual share of sales revenue to the independent artists and labels selling their wares on the platform. 

Because the Reader covers a lot of independent artists who use Bandcamp, these Fridays have presented me with the opportunity to remind our readers of the great writing we’ve recently published. Bandcamp has yet to announce any Bandcamp Friday dates beyond this one, but if it does, I might get off the bus—that is, I don’t know if these roundups are still necessary after more than two and a half years. I can tell you about the Reader’s music coverage in plenty of other ways, and Bandcamp certainly doesn’t need my help reminding people it exists. 

Without further ado, then, here’s my last Bandcamp Friday roundup of 2022, if not my last ever. My roundup for November includes a link to the previous month’s list, and you can follow that to get to all my other roundups. Happy listening!

Marisa Anderson, Still, Here

Black Cross Hotel, Hex

Brakence, “Fifthenigma” and “Fuckboy”

Brutus, Unison Life

Edith Judith, Bones and Structure

Elder, Innate Passage

Field Medic, Grow Your Hair Long If You’re Wanting to See Something That You Can Change

Ben LaMar Gay, Certain Reveries

Gilgamanians, Escape From Dark Matter

Late Nite Laundry, Late Nite Laundry

Maku Sica, Formless

Meat Wave, Malign Hex

Nour Mobarak, Father Fugue

Matt Muse featuring theMIND, “Rapport”

The O’My’s, Building Blocks andNo Swimming

The Opus, Earthwalkers

Orisun, Viscera!

Danielle Ponder, Some of Us Are Brave

Rubberoom, Architechnology and Gothic Architecture 

Smut, How the Light Felt

Special Interest, Endure

Sweet Cobra, Threes

Temp., Taking Notes

Tenci, A Swollen River, a Well Overflowing

They Are Gutting a Body of Water, Lucky Styles

Da Wei Wang and Tatsu Aoki, Yes Strings Attached

Read More

Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky riffs on the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty, and interviews politicians, activists, journalists and other political know-it-alls. Presented by the Chicago Reader, the show is available by 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at chicagoreader.com/joravsky—or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss Oh, What a Week!–the Friday feature in which Ben & producer Dennis (aka, Dr. D.) review the week’s top stories. Also, bonus interviews drop on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. 

Chicago Reader podcasts are recorded on Shure microphones. Learn more at Shure.com.

Chicago Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky discusses the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty on The Ben Joravsky Show.

Read More

The final Bandcamp Friday of the year arrives December 2. I’ve made a habit of rounding up music recommendations from recent Reader stories for each Bandcamp Friday, and since this is the 26th one, I hope it’s redundant to explain that for a 24-hour period, Bandcamp passes along its usual share of sales revenue to the independent artists and labels selling their wares on the platform. 

Because the Reader covers a lot of independent artists who use Bandcamp, these Fridays have presented me with the opportunity to remind our readers of the great writing we’ve recently published. Bandcamp has yet to announce any Bandcamp Friday dates beyond this one, but if it does, I might get off the bus—that is, I don’t know if these roundups are still necessary after more than two and a half years. I can tell you about the Reader’s music coverage in plenty of other ways, and Bandcamp certainly doesn’t need my help reminding people it exists. 

Without further ado, then, here’s my last Bandcamp Friday roundup of 2022, if not my last ever. My roundup for November includes a link to the previous month’s list, and you can follow that to get to all my other roundups. Happy listening!

Marisa Anderson, Still, Here

Black Cross Hotel, Hex

Brakence, “Fifthenigma” and “Fuckboy”

Brutus, Unison Life

Edith Judith, Bones and Structure

Elder, Innate Passage

Field Medic, Grow Your Hair Long If You’re Wanting to See Something That You Can Change

Ben LaMar Gay, Certain Reveries

Gilgamanians, Escape From Dark Matter

Late Nite Laundry, Late Nite Laundry

Maku Sica, Formless

Meat Wave, Malign Hex

Nour Mobarak, Father Fugue

Matt Muse featuring theMIND, “Rapport”

The O’My’s, Building Blocks andNo Swimming

The Opus, Earthwalkers

Orisun, Viscera!

Danielle Ponder, Some of Us Are Brave

Rubberoom, Architechnology and Gothic Architecture 

Smut, How the Light Felt

Special Interest, Endure

Sweet Cobra, Threes

Temp., Taking Notes

Tenci, A Swollen River, a Well Overflowing

They Are Gutting a Body of Water, Lucky Styles

Da Wei Wang and Tatsu Aoki, Yes Strings Attached

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Sixteen years ago, Michael Columbia were one of Chicago’s most compelling bands, combining smooth jazz, twitchy progressive rock, the occasional wacky time signature, and sometimes even a pop-adjacent melody. Dave McDonnell (saxophone, keyboards, bass, vocals) and Dylan Ryan (drums) were cozy with several groups linked to local label Obey Your Brain and South Loop recording studio Shape Shoppe, including Icy Demons and Bablicon—and all of them enriched the world’s weirdo-rock quotient. Chris Kalis (guitar, synthesizers), who’d cofounded Chandeliers in 2005, joined the duo of McDonnell and Ryan the following year—after the recording of Stay Hard, to date the final Michael Columbia release. The band played the Pitchfork Music Festival in 2009 and broke up that summer, when McDonnell left town for Cincinnati (he now lives in Philadelphia) and Ryan split for Los Angeles. For a while they continued working together remotely, but that tailed off in 2010. After a 12-year hiatus, though, Michael Columbia are back. “The band will be recording at Jamdek studios and finishing a record of material that has been on the shelves for over a decade,” Kalis says. They’ll also reunite for a show at Co-Prosperity on Saturday, December 3, which will be livestreamed on Lumpen.TV; Oui Ennui headlines, and Courtesy and Chelsea Bridge open. Welcome back, fellas! 

Michael Columbia are rerecording this track for their upcoming album.

This Michael Columbia track, which appeared posthumously on a 2011 compilation, will also get redone.

In August, Gossip Wolf caught a set by local indie-rock quartet Shoulderbird at Golden Dagger, where the mellow, jazz-tinged phrasing of guitarist and vocalist Meredith Nesbitt made an immediate impression—as did her crackerjack band, which consists of guitarist Kyle Paul, bassist Miles Allen, and drummer Lily Finnegan. In November, Shoulderbird released the mini album Parade via Bandcamp, and its five songs are even better than this wolf remembered. They glisten with warm, spacious reverb and more than a touch of soulful Americana.

Guitarist and vocalist Meredith Nesbitt wrote all the material on Parade.

Local culture outlet These Days has been on this wolf’s reading list for years. Its twice-yearly feature “Chicago Artists to Watch” is always a must-read, and the fall/winter 2022 iteration came out in November. To celebrate, These Days will host two consecutive Schubas concerts featuring acts covered in this year’s two “Artists to Watch” roundups. Fingy, Godly the Ruler, and Cece Maravilla perform on Thursday, December 1; Pretty Liyah, CP, and Semiratruth hit the stage on Thursday, December 2. Tickets are $15 per night or $25 for both. The shows are 18 and up and begin at 8 PM.

These Days’ promo video for “Chicago Artists to Watch,” shot and edited by Audiotree Media

Read More