What’s New

If you’ve ever strolled through Woodlawn Cemetery in suburban Forest Park (which, given the season, might apply to some of you) you might have happened upon a section that features five elephant-shaped monuments. That 750 plot section of the cemetery is commonly known as Showmen’s Rest, a section of burial land originally purchased for use by circus performers and their families by the Showmen’s League of America. But how did it all come about, and why in Forest Park? Learn more tonight from Chicago Movie Tours as they offer a free 20-minute online presentation on their Facebook page that will tell you more about the plots and their place in both Chicago and circus history. It starts at 7 PM. (SCJ)

Formed to add some “seasoning” to Chicago’s short- and long-form improv community, the three Black performers in Flava Flavor Flavour (Tysh Chrisp, Jason Tolliver, Warren Stokes) perform tonight at 8:30 PM at the Annoyance (851 W. Belmont). Among the promised segments are “an improvised Denzel Washington panel and a pun game set to the sound of 90s R&B.” They return on Tue 11/1 at 8:30 PM; tickets are $10 at theannoyance.com. (KR)

Looking to get a good scare on a school night? The Logan Theatre (2646 N. Milwaukee) gives you a few choices this week. The movie theater is screening the 2000 re-released version of William Friedkin’s 1973 thriller The Exorcist (tonight and tomorrow night at 7:45 and 10:30 PM; Thu 10/27 at 10:30 PM) as well as the classic 1963 Hitchcock film The Birds (tonight and tomorrow night at 11:10 PM; Thu 10/27 at 11 PM). Advance tickets are available at the theater’s website. (SCJ)

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If you’ve ever strolled through Woodlawn Cemetery in suburban Forest Park (which, given the season, might apply to some of you) you might have happened upon a section that features five elephant-shaped monuments. That 750 plot section of the cemetery is commonly known as Showmen’s Rest, a section of burial land originally purchased for use by circus performers and their families by the Showmen’s League of America. But how did it all come about, and why in Forest Park? Learn more tonight from Chicago Movie Tours as they offer a free 20-minute online presentation on their Facebook page that will tell you more about the plots and their place in both Chicago and circus history. It starts at 7 PM. (SCJ)

Formed to add some “seasoning” to Chicago’s short- and long-form improv community, the three Black performers in Flava Flavor Flavour (Tysh Chrisp, Jason Tolliver, Warren Stokes) perform tonight at 8:30 PM at the Annoyance (851 W. Belmont). Among the promised segments are “an improvised Denzel Washington panel and a pun game set to the sound of 90s R&B.” They return on Tue 11/1 at 8:30 PM; tickets are $10 at theannoyance.com. (KR)

Looking to get a good scare on a school night? The Logan Theatre (2646 N. Milwaukee) gives you a few choices this week. The movie theater is screening the 2000 re-released version of William Friedkin’s 1973 thriller The Exorcist (tonight and tomorrow night at 7:45 and 10:30 PM; Thu 10/27 at 10:30 PM) as well as the classic 1963 Hitchcock film The Birds (tonight and tomorrow night at 11:10 PM; Thu 10/27 at 11 PM). Advance tickets are available at the theater’s website. (SCJ)

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The Chicago Bears played a big-time Monday Night Football game this week and they defeated the New England Patriots by double digits. That’s right, in the year 2022, Chicago Bears defeated Bill Belichick by double digits with a run game and a second-year quarterback.

Things change a lot in the NFL but something that has always been constant was the fact that first and second-year quarterbacks were suffocated by Bill Belichick’s defenses. That wasn’t the case for Fields in his first try against him on Monday night.

He showed us something so great and that is that he has arrived in the NFL. That doesn’t mean that is going to be elite in every single game just yet but he has the ability to make big plays using his legs which makes his arm more of a threat.

Fields has the ability to change a game when he gets an opportunity. With each passing week, he seems to get much better. His offensive weaponry isn’t very good at all and he is still progressing as the season goes along.

The Chicago Bears are seeing incredible growth in Justin Fields this season.

Sure, it is nice to see that the team is incredibly well coached so far under Matt Eberflus and his staff. That much was evident since training camp. Once they add more talented players, the sky is the limit. That is especially true if Fields can keep this going.

Against this New England defense, Fields went 13/21 for 179 yards passing. He threw for one touchdown and had one interception. A lot of those passing plays were him finding his receivers on the move which makes him look even better.

Once this offensive line improves and he gets better receivers over the years, his numbers will continue to grow.

His legs, as mentioned before, were also equally if not more impressive. He ran the ball 14 times for 82 yards which led the Bears. He also had a touchdown via the run which is a result of both his ability and his willingness to make a play.

Having 261 yards of total offense and 2 total touchdowns while utilizing his running backs the right way against this Bill Belichick defense is really good for Fields. The fact that he has the potential to do even better than that is scary.

They are now 3-4 and look like one of the mediocre teams in the league with that record. However, this win over the Pats is anything but mediocre. Hopefully, Fields and the offense can keep it going as the year progresses starting with the Dallas Cowboys.

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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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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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Gossip Wolf can be a little fuzzy when it comes to math, but bassist and vocalist Jon “Necromancer” Woodring, guitarist “Carcass” Chris Svoboda, and drummer Joe “Apocalyptic Warlord” Schaeffer of local death-metal trio Bones have been raising an unholy ruckus together for decades. (Bones formed in 2011, and in the aughts they all played together in Usurper, a blackened thrash band that Woodring and Schaeffer joined in the 90s.) On Friday, October 28, Bones drop their fourth album, Vomit, via Indianapolis metal label Disorder Recordings. This wolf is happy to report that the record is chockablock with the kind of putrid vocals, gristly guitar tones, and sinewy, sludgy rhythms that can only be mastered by old hands who seriously know what the fuck they’re doing! On Saturday, October 29, Bones celebrate by opening for fellow death-metal legends Autopsy at Reggies Rock Club; also on the bill are local metal maniacs Cardiac Arrest and Molder as well as comedian Dave Hill.

Vomit opens with “Beware of Ghouls,” which is especially sensible advice this time of year.

Long-running annual underground hip-hop and beat-scene party Boombastic takes over the California Clipper on Sunday, October 30. “Boo!bastic” features DJ sets from Large Professor, Rude Onederful, Doc West, Supreme Court, Shon Dervis, and more! The free party starts at 8 PM, and Uprise skate shop sponsors a midnight costume contest.

Thursday, October 27, is the 40th birthday of Prince’s album 1999. To celebrate the same way people did when it came out, you’d have to party like it’s 2039, but luckily there’s a better option! That night, Metro’s new media and civic events producer, Jill Hopkins, teams up with music critic Jack Riedy (who’s written about the Purple One for the Reader, including a 2019 story about 1999 and house music) to DJ hours of Prince material at a free Gman Tavern night called “Life Is Just a Party.” It kicks off at 8 PM, and Gman will pour Purple Rain cocktails for the occasion.

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Gossip Wolf can be a little fuzzy when it comes to math, but bassist and vocalist Jon “Necromancer” Woodring, guitarist “Carcass” Chris Svoboda, and drummer Joe “Apocalyptic Warlord” Schaeffer of local death-metal trio Bones have been raising an unholy ruckus together for decades. (Bones formed in 2011, and in the aughts they all played together in Usurper, a blackened thrash band that Woodring and Schaeffer joined in the 90s.) On Friday, October 28, Bones drop their fourth album, Vomit, via Indianapolis metal label Disorder Recordings. This wolf is happy to report that the record is chockablock with the kind of putrid vocals, gristly guitar tones, and sinewy, sludgy rhythms that can only be mastered by old hands who seriously know what the fuck they’re doing! On Saturday, October 29, Bones celebrate by opening for fellow death-metal legends Autopsy at Reggies Rock Club; also on the bill are local metal maniacs Cardiac Arrest and Molder as well as comedian Dave Hill.

Vomit opens with “Beware of Ghouls,” which is especially sensible advice this time of year.

Long-running annual underground hip-hop and beat-scene party Boombastic takes over the California Clipper on Sunday, October 30. “Boo!bastic” features DJ sets from Large Professor, Rude Onederful, Doc West, Supreme Court, Shon Dervis, and more! The free party starts at 8 PM, and Uprise skate shop sponsors a midnight costume contest.

Thursday, October 27, is the 40th birthday of Prince’s album 1999. To celebrate the same way people did when it came out, you’d have to party like it’s 2039, but luckily there’s a better option! That night, Metro’s new media and civic events producer, Jill Hopkins, teams up with music critic Jack Riedy (who’s written about the Purple One for the Reader, including a 2019 story about 1999 and house music) to DJ hours of Prince material at a free Gman Tavern night called “Life Is Just a Party.” It kicks off at 8 PM, and Gman will pour Purple Rain cocktails for the occasion.

Read More

Gossip Wolf can be a little fuzzy when it comes to math, but bassist and vocalist Jon “Necromancer” Woodring, guitarist “Carcass” Chris Svoboda, and drummer Joe “Apocalyptic Warlord” Schaeffer of local death-metal trio Bones have been raising an unholy ruckus together for decades. (Bones formed in 2011, and in the aughts they all played together in Usurper, a blackened thrash band that Woodring and Schaeffer joined in the 90s.) On Friday, October 28, Bones drop their fourth album, Vomit, via Indianapolis metal label Disorder Recordings. This wolf is happy to report that the record is chockablock with the kind of putrid vocals, gristly guitar tones, and sinewy, sludgy rhythms that can only be mastered by old hands who seriously know what the fuck they’re doing! On Saturday, October 29, Bones celebrate by opening for fellow death-metal legends Autopsy at Reggies Rock Club; also on the bill are local metal maniacs Cardiac Arrest and Molder as well as comedian Dave Hill.

Vomit opens with “Beware of Ghouls,” which is especially sensible advice this time of year.

Long-running annual underground hip-hop and beat-scene party Boombastic takes over the California Clipper on Sunday, October 30. “Boo!bastic” features DJ sets from Large Professor, Rude Onederful, Doc West, Supreme Court, Shon Dervis, and more! The free party starts at 8 PM, and Uprise skate shop sponsors a midnight costume contest.

Thursday, October 27, is the 40th birthday of Prince’s album 1999. To celebrate the same way people did when it came out, you’d have to party like it’s 2039, but luckily there’s a better option! That night, Metro’s new media and civic events producer, Jill Hopkins, teams up with music critic Jack Riedy (who’s written about the Purple One for the Reader, including a 2019 story about 1999 and house music) to DJ hours of Prince material at a free Gman Tavern night called “Life Is Just a Party.” It kicks off at 8 PM, and Gman will pour Purple Rain cocktails for the occasion.

Read More

Gossip Wolf can be a little fuzzy when it comes to math, but bassist and vocalist Jon “Necromancer” Woodring, guitarist “Carcass” Chris Svoboda, and drummer Joe “Apocalyptic Warlord” Schaeffer of local death-metal trio Bones have been raising an unholy ruckus together for decades. (Bones formed in 2011, and in the aughts they all played together in Usurper, a blackened thrash band that Woodring and Schaeffer joined in the 90s.) On Friday, October 28, Bones drop their fourth album, Vomit, via Indianapolis metal label Disorder Recordings. This wolf is happy to report that the record is chockablock with the kind of putrid vocals, gristly guitar tones, and sinewy, sludgy rhythms that can only be mastered by old hands who seriously know what the fuck they’re doing! On Saturday, October 29, Bones celebrate by opening for fellow death-metal legends Autopsy at Reggies Rock Club; also on the bill are local metal maniacs Cardiac Arrest and Molder as well as comedian Dave Hill.

Vomit opens with “Beware of Ghouls,” which is especially sensible advice this time of year.

Long-running annual underground hip-hop and beat-scene party Boombastic takes over the California Clipper on Sunday, October 30. “Boo!bastic” features DJ sets from Large Professor, Rude Onederful, Doc West, Supreme Court, Shon Dervis, and more! The free party starts at 8 PM, and Uprise skate shop sponsors a midnight costume contest.

Thursday, October 27, is the 40th birthday of Prince’s album 1999. To celebrate the same way people did when it came out, you’d have to party like it’s 2039, but luckily there’s a better option! That night, Metro’s new media and civic events producer, Jill Hopkins, teams up with music critic Jack Riedy (who’s written about the Purple One for the Reader, including a 2019 story about 1999 and house music) to DJ hours of Prince material at a free Gman Tavern night called “Life Is Just a Party.” It kicks off at 8 PM, and Gman will pour Purple Rain cocktails for the occasion.

Read More

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