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Best Chicago-Based Virtual Drag Shows to Watch This WeekendLindsey Congeron June 3, 2020 at 10:11 pm

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Bars might be closed around Chicago, but the show must go on! Drag queens have moved online to provide virtual entertainment to everyone cooped up at home, and Chicago has no shortage of entertainment. Here are a few virtual drag shows to watch during Pride Month.

Sophia Lucia Presents: Freak Show Cabaret!

Saturdays @ 4 pm

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This one-woman show has it all! Art, poems, stories, and music delivered to you by the insatiable Sophia Lucia. She has created her own style of theatrical anti-folk/funk/spoken-word/rock & roll music. Check out her drag queen show every Saturday from 4 – 4:30 pm.

Photo Credit: Flip Phone Facebook

Flip Phone

All Week Long

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Flip Phone hosts drag shows nearly every day, so you are sure to find something that piques your interest. You can check out dance parties, story hours, drag shows, and themed brunches at various days and times.

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Mini Matinee

Tuesdays & Saturdays @ 10 pm

Twice a week, you can watch a 30-minute drag show with some impressive guest stars, but with a heavy emphasis on Chicago residents. Each week will feature a rotating cast, so it will always be unique. The shows will be every Tuesday and Saturday at 10 – 10:30 pm on Twitch.

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Photo Credit: Illusions The Drag Queen Show Facebook

Illusions – The Drag Queen Show

Fridays & Saturdays @ 7 pm

This drag queen show combines burlesque dancing and comedy performances by some of your favorite impersonators and hosts from Chicago! You’ll see impersonations of Cher, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Cardi B, Adele, and Amy Winehouse. Dates are available all month long.

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homeWERK: A Drag and Comedy Show

Thursdays @ 9 pm

Once a week, you can join the hilarious line of drag queens as they perform a comedy show. Some of the entertainers include Calpernia Adams, Jewels, Allusia, and Melanie Vesey. They will be performing every Thursday at 9 pm.

Featured Image Credit: FlipPhone Instagram

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Best Chicago-Based Virtual Drag Shows to Watch This WeekendLindsey Congeron June 3, 2020 at 10:11 pm Read More »

10 Black-Owned Businesses to Support in ChicagoEmily Zale Comstockon June 4, 2020 at 5:57 pm

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With every sip of punch and every bite of home-style cooking, Chicago’s bars and restaurants bring people together. With snow on the ground, hunger in your stomach, and memories to be had, you’ll want to explore these black-owned bars, restaurants, and businesses throughout Chicago. Chicago’s food and bar scene fosters family across every nook and cranny of the city so you, too, can participate in your city’s home. Come for the friendship and live music, stay for the warm-family welcome and hearty portions.

black owned businesses
Photo Credit: The Delta

The Delta

1745 W North Ave

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Whether you frequent happy hours between 4 pm and 6 pm or you stay up for the late-night menu between 11 pm and 1 am, you’re sure to find the quintessential form of comfort and solace at The Delta. This Black-owned business and restaurant in Chicago offers inventive takes on classic dishes (did someone say vegan tamale?) all the while paying homage to the Civil Rights history of the Mississippi Delta region. With $3 sweet tea, craft beers, and smashing-cocktails (you won’t want to miss the daily specials), you’ll definitely want to be a regular The Delta. What’s more? This gem has Rotating DJs on Tuesdays and Bottomless Rosé on Wednesdays. The Delta gives a whole new meaning to dining out while maintaining its home-like ambiance.

black owned businesses
Photo Credit: Frontier Chicago

Frontier

1072 N Milwaukee Ave

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Go H.A.M. at Frontier in Wicker Park. This place has been known for its ambitious interpretation on large proteins (i.e. an entire pig) but did you also know that it offers pitchers of alcoholic punch, craft beer, and rustic yet classically inspired cocktails (don’t miss the Vieux Carre)? Perfect for large groups and yourself, Frontier manages to simultaneously create an unforgettable experience that will still make you feel welcomed and warm. In other words, Frontier has a knack for being inventive yet inviting. And that’s what makes this place a must for you. 

black owned businesses
Photo Credit: Mr. Brown’s Lounge

Mr. Brown’s Lounge

2301 W Chicago Ave

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Did someone say reggae? Is that a Jamaican-jerk chicken? Transport yourself to a warmer climate and your new happy place at this black-owned restaurant and business, Mr. Brown’s Lounge. Mr. Brown’s Lounge offers a change of pace for you and your friends for this winter in the city. With its bright, tropical-Caribbean vibe, soul-centric Friday events, and hearty portions, Mr. Brown’s Lounge brings you the perfect escape full of joy and happier times. Be sure to keep the vibe going by bringing their jerk sauce home with you!

Photo Credit: Soule Chicago

Soulé

1931 W Chicago Avenue

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If any song would inspire you to create an establishment, which song would it be? The founders and creators of Soulé felt inspired to create an establishment after Biggie Smalls “Juicy”. Located in West Town, Soulé is a place where family, friends, and everything in-between can gather, share, and join a community. Rekindle old friendships or create new ones and share a plate of fried chicken or cat-fish and enjoy the hum of conversations and joy.

* Note: Soulé is BYOB. Be sure to bring your beer from Vice District Brewing (Chicago) or 18th Street Brewery (Hammond, IN) — both of which are Black-owned and local.

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black owned businesses
Photo Credit: Eleven | Eleven

Eleven | Eleven

1111 W Lake St

It’s really a small world when you enter Eleven | Eleven. Honestly, this place single-handedly gathers Chicago around with versatile dishes (meat-eater and vegan alike), adventurous cocktails (try the Paper Plane; you won’t be disappointed), and Chicago-crafted artwork and music. Created and owned by Ahmed Braimah, a son of Ghanaian immigrants and a native to Chicago, Eleven | Eleven brings comfort from family-recipes into an elevated, eclectic space inspired by the community. 

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Photo Credit: Ja’ Grill Hyde Park

Ja’ Grill Hyde Park

1510 East Harper Court

Fancy live melodies of Jamaican music? How about jerk spice? With a variety of rum-centric cocktails and plenty of heat, Ja’ Grill in Hyde Park brings its authentic A-game to Chicago as a black-owned business and restaurant. Enjoy a plate of Jamaican cuisine (such as jerk chicken or spicy goat curry) with a Dark and Stormy (or a Red Stripe) at Ja’ Grill. Because of their authenticity and genuine kindness, Ja’ Grill is the perfect oasis for any chilled Chicagoan.

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black owned businesses
Photo Credit: Truth Italian Restaurant

Truth Italian Restaurant

56 E Pershing Rd

Truth be told: Truth Italian Restaurant will become your number one choice for upscale, comfort Italian-food in the city. Head to Bronzeville and you’ll instantly be transported to refined, comfort, Italian cuisine with classic cocktails. Walk through to the heated-back patio and you’ll discover the perfect ambiance for your pork-chops and Old-Fashioned or steak marsala and pinot. And, if you can’t get enough of Truth, be sure to come for brunch and breakfast! Served daily from 8 am – 3 pm you can explore their French-toast options or savor their classic ribeye steak and eggs. Dinner or breakfast — this Truth is truly a staple.

black-owned bars
Photo Credit: M Lounge

M Lounge

1520 S Wabash Ave

Live Jazz, Blues, R&B Music? Check. DJs on Fridays and Saturdays? Check. Martinis? Obvi. M Lounge puts the “M” in your magical mojo with its extensive calendar of events. With plenty of happy hours and live music, you’re sure to find your new and improved evening plans for the next week. Bring a friend or make a friend — either way works when you’re at M Lounge.

Photo Credit: Some Like It Black

Some Like It Black

810 E 43rd St

A staple in South Loop from its founding in 1999, Some Like It Black is a home-town hub for creatives and artists alike. With plates ranging from tacos to paninis, Some Like it Black gives you the space to be yourself without any form of judgment. Here, you’re inspired to honor your idiosyncrasies and artistic endeavors all the while savoring a tequila-based cocktail or non-alcoholic-fruit-packed smoothie.

Photo Credit: Norman’s Bistro

Norman’s Bistro

1001 E 43rd St

Do you hear something? That must be the live Sunday evening jazz at the bar in Norman’s Bistro. That’s right, Norman’s Bistro is a black-owned restaurant that brings you live music — from jazz on Sundays to DJs throughout the week — so you can get right at home with your martini and melodies. At Norman’s, you’re sure to find your groove and your dish. As your ears savor the smooth jazz and relax with R&B, Norman’s serves up Brazilian-inspired takes on classic Creole dishes. It’s a sure-fire way to satisfy your craving and gather with your newfound friends at this black-owned restaurant.

With this curated list of black-owned restaurants and bars in Chicago, you’re sure to find a place to call home and friends to call family. Make your way around the city and discover the shining and hidden gems in everything — from artistic bars and soul-food to live jazz and elevated Caribbean or Italian cuisine!

At UrbanMatter, U Matter. And we think this matters.

Tell us what you think matters in your neighborhood and what we should write about next in the comments below!

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This Friday’s ‘Bandcamp day’ benefits more than the artistsLeor Galilon June 4, 2020 at 3:40 am

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At the end of April, Bandcamp announced that it would waive its revenue share on the first Fridays in May, June, and July to help support the independent labels and artists who use the platform to sell their work. Bandcamp had already done this on March 20, just as COVID-19 cancellations began to disrupt the live-music ecosystem upon which so many artists rely; that day, Bandcamp sales totaled $4.3 million. When “Bandcamp day” returned on Friday, May 1, total sales increased to $7.1 million.

The third Bandcamp day is this Friday, June 5. But since the start of protests decrying the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, many musicians and labels who sell their music through Bandcamp have made pledges to donate this Friday’s Bandcamp earnings to Black and Brown community organizations–and Bandcamp’s own list of special releases includes dozens of examples.

Similar donations began even before the latest mass uprising against anti-Black policing and white supremacy. A couple weeks ago, for example, local hip-hop label and collective Why? Records released a pay-what-you-want Bandcamp compilation called Art Is Love Vol. 1 to benefit the Chicago Community Bond Fund.

Over the weekend, two Black female music executives, Jamila Thomas (a senior director of marketing for Atlantic) and Brianna Agyemang (a senior campaign manager for A&R company Platoon), launched a campaign called #TheShowMustBePaused to encourage “gatekeepers of the culture” to “disconnect from work and reconnect with the community.” The campaign included “Blackout Tuesday” on June 2, which asked industry professionals to refrain from self-promotion and take a stand.

Thomas and Agyemang wanted to start a conversation about how an industry built on exploiting Black labor and creativity could be held accountable for supporting and protecting Black people.
But those good intentions were quickly obscured as major labels and music-centric technology companies rolled out confusing and largely toothless messages of support in an attempt to rally around Blackout Tuesday. As the campaign spread beyond the music business, it became a hollow branding exercise on social media–even the San Francisco 49ers, who infamously cut quarterback Colin Kaepernick after he began protesting racial injustice in 2016, tweeted a black square.

On Monday, Bandcamp announced that it would donate 100 percent of its cut on Friday, June 19, to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The site promised to repeat the donation every subsequent Juneteenth, and pledged to spend an additional $30,000 annually to work with racial-justice organizations.

The work of fighting racial inequality will continue long after protesters leave the streets, and Bandcamp’s willingness to make an ongoing commitment to marginalized communities is one of many reasons I support the site. As I did last month, I’ve listed all recent Reader reviews of albums available on Bandcamp. I encourage you not only to find music that’s new to you but also to search out artists using their platforms to help community organizations–on Friday and on every day to come.

Big Silky, Big Silky Vol. 1

Black Dahlia Murder, Verminous

Buscabulla, Regresa

Cafe Racer, Shadow Talk

Damacy, Sun Spot EP

Danzig, Danzig Sings Elvis

Dark Fog, Escape Into This and Escape Into This 2

DJ Taye, Pyrot3k

Tashi Dorji & Tyler Damon, To Catch a Bird in a Net of Wind

Steve Earle & the Dukes, Ghosts of West Virginia

Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn, Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn

Kassel Jaeger & Jim O’Rourke, In Cobalt Aura Sleeps

Joshua Virtue, Jackie’s House

K-Rad, 127When

Gia Margaret, Mia Gargaret

Melenas, Dias Raros

Mother Nature, Portalz

Nation of Language, Introduction, Presence

No Age, Goons Be Gone

Okkultokrati, La Ilden Lyse

Options, Wind’s Gonna Blow

Paradise Lost, Obsidian

Dave Rempis, Joe McPhee, Tomeka Reid, Paal Nilssen-Love, and Brandon Lopez, Of Things Beyond Thule Vol. 2

Retirement Party, Runaway Dog

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, The Mosaic of Transformation

The Soft Pink Truth, Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase?

Sonic Boom, All Things Being Equal

Sugar High, Love Addict

TALsounds, Acquiesce

Pam Tillis, Looking for a Feeling

Umbra Vitae, Shadow of Life

Vandermark / Drake / Trovalusci / Ceccarelli, Open Border

Ric Wilson & Terrace Martin, They Call Me Disco

Xibalba, Anos en Infierno

Zango the Third, Aunt Ida’s Asteroid Mixtape v

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