Read More

Despite its experimental environment, Chicago’s drag world entered the pandemic with a lack of labor protections. COVID-19 exacerbated economic hardships, especially for queer performers of color who have dealt with the discriminatory practices of club culture. With Asian drag performers often left out of conversations about representation, forming a labor union may improve the city’s drag scene.

“I feel like Asian Americans aren’t really desired,” says Markiki Jones, a rising Filipino American queen from Skokie. 

To establish a stable career in the city, Jones says she’s trying to book as many shows as she can. But she says she feels Asian performers “don’t fit the beauty standard within the gay community.” 

Some performers are pointing to the lack of Asian American queer spaces. “I need people to blatantly know what they’re not doing,” says Laotian American queen Lo•ti•on (LOH ty-awn).

Lo•ti•on was born in Wisconsin, lived in Humboldt Park for seven years, and moved to Austin, Texas, two weeks ago. She started performing nearly ten years ago. But she says she still struggles to book consistent shows because “there’s no union.” She questions whether show producers are only booking their friends, rather than providing more opportunities for diverse faces. 

Since the Asian drag community is growing, Lo•ti•on says, “I need something for us to network more and get to know each other and support each other.”

Abhijeet is a Chicago-based queen from Mumbai who hosts Dim Sum & Drag brunches at Uptown’s Furama Restaurant to elevate Asian performers. She started this monthly event after noticing a need to celebrate Asian diversity in the drag world. 

Many issues manifest in microaggressions, Abhijeet says. Drag show hosts “would often be like, ‘You should rethink your song choices,’ if you’re performing music in a different language.”

Abhijeet sees merit in a union because “it’s much easier to advocate for workplace mistreatment or inequality if you are represented by a group.” But with drag shows expanding to hotels and restaurants, she says conversations about workers’ rights should be had with the venues. “How does having a drag union translate to places that aren’t even familiar with drag?” Abhijeet says.

Issues like pay inequity and marginalization impact all queens and kings of color. Because of the gig-to-gig work style, performers are left without health insurance or paid sick leave. 

“What do you do when you hurt your foot and then you can’t perform? There goes your income, but then you also can’t go to the doctor,” says Luv Ami, a drag king from Lakeview who is Black and Vietnamese American.

According to a 2020 report by the Economic Policy Institute, 94 percent of union workers have access to job-related health coverage; only 68 percent of nonunion workers have access to similar health care benefits. Considering union contracts also prevent employers from dismissing workers for reasons unrelated to performance, they can help reduce racial disparities.

Union workers also earn $191 more per week than nonunion workers, according to the American Federation of Labor.

Some performers have noticed differences in tips. “Drag queens get tipped a lot more than kings,” Luv Ami says. 

When performing at clubs, “a lot of people don’t know etiquette when it comes to being at a drag show, especially when it comes to consent and touching,” Luv Ami says. Before getting top surgery, they sometimes performed in a bra and a pair of pants. “People just felt like they could come up and touch my boobs without asking permission,” Luv Ami says. 

Many bars and nightclubs also underpay their performers, says Chicago-born Filipino American drag king Mac K. Roni. For a two-number show, he says he gets paid between $100-$175, excluding tips, which aren’t always guaranteed.

“If you’re doing full-time drag, you should absolutely be able to access health insurance, you should have all these benefits,” Mac K. Roni says. “You should be able to have regular bookings instead of fighting for a spot.” 

But despite unstable wages, Mac K. Roni says he’s noticing a positive progression towards diverse representation. He attributes the increase in opportunities for performers of color to the departure of T Rex, a former drag host who was dropped by Berlin Nightclub and Roscoe’s Tavern in 2020 after several Black performers accused her of discriminatory abuse, pay inequity, and unfair hiring, as reported by the Reader.

Her dismissal was prompted by a virtual town hall meeting organized by the Chicago Black Drag Council (CBDC), where performers recounted experiences that revealed a lingering, anti-Blackness culture in Northhalsted’s drag scene.

CBDC is a Black, LGBTQ+ community organization “motivated by fostering a sense of togetherness, as well as identifying and completing actionable steps towards restorative justice,” according to their mission statement. 

Though CBDC supports all community members, its focus is on Black performers. Asian performers don’t have a drag council geared toward their specific needs.  

The Black Drag Council is on hiatus while they determine what the drag scene now looks like after bars and nightclubs reopened last summer, says Luv Ami, who is a cofounder of CBDC. 

Luv Ami says the council has talked about a possible labor union, but “it is a lot of work to do, especially a lot of unpaid labor.”

Read More

Despite its experimental environment, Chicago’s drag world entered the pandemic with a lack of labor protections. COVID-19 exacerbated economic hardships, especially for queer performers of color who have dealt with the discriminatory practices of club culture. With Asian drag performers often left out of conversations about representation, forming a labor union may improve the city’s drag scene.

“I feel like Asian Americans aren’t really desired,” says Markiki Jones, a rising Filipino American queen from Skokie. 

To establish a stable career in the city, Jones says she’s trying to book as many shows as she can. But she says she feels Asian performers “don’t fit the beauty standard within the gay community.” 

Some performers are pointing to the lack of Asian American queer spaces. “I need people to blatantly know what they’re not doing,” says Laotian American queen Lo•ti•on (LOH ty-awn).

Lo•ti•on was born in Wisconsin, lived in Humboldt Park for seven years, and moved to Austin, Texas, two weeks ago. She started performing nearly ten years ago. But she says she still struggles to book consistent shows because “there’s no union.” She questions whether show producers are only booking their friends, rather than providing more opportunities for diverse faces. 

Since the Asian drag community is growing, Lo•ti•on says, “I need something for us to network more and get to know each other and support each other.”

Abhijeet is a Chicago-based queen from Mumbai who hosts Dim Sum & Drag brunches at Uptown’s Furama Restaurant to elevate Asian performers. She started this monthly event after noticing a need to celebrate Asian diversity in the drag world. 

Many issues manifest in microaggressions, Abhijeet says. Drag show hosts “would often be like, ‘You should rethink your song choices,’ if you’re performing music in a different language.”

Abhijeet sees merit in a union because “it’s much easier to advocate for workplace mistreatment or inequality if you are represented by a group.” But with drag shows expanding to hotels and restaurants, she says conversations about workers’ rights should be had with the venues. “How does having a drag union translate to places that aren’t even familiar with drag?” Abhijeet says.

Issues like pay inequity and marginalization impact all queens and kings of color. Because of the gig-to-gig work style, performers are left without health insurance or paid sick leave. 

“What do you do when you hurt your foot and then you can’t perform? There goes your income, but then you also can’t go to the doctor,” says Luv Ami, a drag king from Lakeview who is Black and Vietnamese American.

According to a 2020 report by the Economic Policy Institute, 94 percent of union workers have access to job-related health coverage; only 68 percent of nonunion workers have access to similar health care benefits. Considering union contracts also prevent employers from dismissing workers for reasons unrelated to performance, they can help reduce racial disparities.

Union workers also earn $191 more per week than nonunion workers, according to the American Federation of Labor.

Some performers have noticed differences in tips. “Drag queens get tipped a lot more than kings,” Luv Ami says. 

When performing at clubs, “a lot of people don’t know etiquette when it comes to being at a drag show, especially when it comes to consent and touching,” Luv Ami says. Before getting top surgery, they sometimes performed in a bra and a pair of pants. “People just felt like they could come up and touch my boobs without asking permission,” Luv Ami says. 

Many bars and nightclubs also underpay their performers, says Chicago-born Filipino American drag king Mac K. Roni. For a two-number show, he says he gets paid between $100-$175, excluding tips, which aren’t always guaranteed.

“If you’re doing full-time drag, you should absolutely be able to access health insurance, you should have all these benefits,” Mac K. Roni says. “You should be able to have regular bookings instead of fighting for a spot.” 

But despite unstable wages, Mac K. Roni says he’s noticing a positive progression towards diverse representation. He attributes the increase in opportunities for performers of color to the departure of T Rex, a former drag host who was dropped by Berlin Nightclub and Roscoe’s Tavern in 2020 after several Black performers accused her of discriminatory abuse, pay inequity, and unfair hiring, as reported by the Reader.

Her dismissal was prompted by a virtual town hall meeting organized by the Chicago Black Drag Council (CBDC), where performers recounted experiences that revealed a lingering, anti-Blackness culture in Northhalsted’s drag scene.

CBDC is a Black, LGBTQ+ community organization “motivated by fostering a sense of togetherness, as well as identifying and completing actionable steps towards restorative justice,” according to their mission statement. 

Though CBDC supports all community members, its focus is on Black performers. Asian performers don’t have a drag council geared toward their specific needs.  

The Black Drag Council is on hiatus while they determine what the drag scene now looks like after bars and nightclubs reopened last summer, says Luv Ami, who is a cofounder of CBDC. 

Luv Ami says the council has talked about a possible labor union, but “it is a lot of work to do, especially a lot of unpaid labor.”

Read More

Father’s Day is right around the corner and you want to show how much you appreciate the hard work, love, and dedication your dad gives for his family…and his city. We’re not talking another tie, a gift card to Menard’s or bottle of his favorite bourbon (though there is nothing wrong with any of these things). No, you want to give dad something a little more personal this year. Use this list as an inspiration for Chicago-themed Father’s Day gifts perfect for your dad, father-figure, or most important man in your life. 

Credit: Wolfpoint Watches

Wolfpoint is the boutique Chicago-based watch brand built for the modern Chicago dad. On his off days from screaming DA BEARS! and downing copious deep dish pizza, dad likes to clean up a little. He works hard and you want to show him how much you appreciate those 7am Metra commutes to the Loop to earn for the family and there is no better way to do that than with a brand new timepiece from Wolfpoint Watches.

But wait! UrbanMatter Chicago has teamed up with Wolfpoint to give your dad a Father’s Day to remember. Together, we are giving one (1) Chicago dad a brand new Wolfpoint timepiece and two (2) tickets to the Chicago Cubs game against the Atlanta Braves on June 19th!

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO GIVE DAD THE FATHER’S DAY HE DESERVES FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW! 

Photo Credit: Etsy

Even though the NFL season might be in jeopardy, fans will continue to support the Chicago Bears no matter what. This personalized decanter set is the perfect way for your dad to show off his support for his hometown team.

Photo Credit: Etsy

With the new series, “The Last Dance,” Michael Jordan is back in mainstream media again. Remind your father of the good-ole-days with this MJ-themed t-shirt.

Photo Credit: Dark Matter Coffee

Shop local and buy your dad some coffee beans from Dark Matter Coffee. You can also sign him up from a coffee subscription, for the gift that keeps on giving.

Photo Credit: Koval Distillery

Refill your father’s liquor cabinet with a bottle (or two) of whiskey from Koval Distillery. If your dad isn’t a whiskey fan, they also sell gin and liqueurs like coffee or ginger liqueur.

Photo Credit: Reckless Records

Reckless Records is one of the most iconic record stores in Chicago. The Wicker Park store is filled with old and new treasures alike, ensuring you’ll find something that your father-figure will love.

Photo Credit: Etsy

The wall hanging is decorated with roughly 20 Chicago Bears authentic cards that have been placed behind the Bear’s logo. The cards vary, but ten to range from the 80’s to the present day. You can even request specific players if your dad has a favorite!

Photo Credit: MLB Shop

This phone case is available in multiple sizes and for multiple types of phones—perfect for a Cubs fan that wants to keep his phone safe.

Photo Credit: Kohl’s

For the fathers who are fans of White Sox and grilling, this toolset will be a welcome addition this summer.

Photo Credit: Revolutionary Brewing

If your dad is a brewer, get him a Chicago-themed tap handle to round out his collection. Add his favorite six-pack to make it an unforgettable gift.

Photo Credit: Etsy

These coasters are for serious Blackhawks fans only and are filled with the greatest Blackhawks plays ever, including the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals Game 6 goal in overtime.

Photo Credit: Savory Spice Shop

Add a little flavor to your dad’s life with fresh spices from this Lincoln Square boutique shop. You can choose between dips and dressings, bbq and grilling spices, world flavors, and chiles.

Photo Credit: The Book Cellar Instagram

The Book Cellar has tons of options available for you to peruse. If you can’t decide what book to get your dad, you can sign him up for their subscription program, and the Book Cellar staff will do the hard work for you and send your dad a book a month.

Image Credit: The Blackstone

A Stay at The Blackstone

Do you have a sports dad? Book the “Chicago Fire’d Up” package that includes luxury accommodations with a view of Lake Michigan, two match tickets to watch Chicago Fire FC at Soldier Field, two team jerseys and a food and beverage credit to savor bites and libations at Mercat a la Planxa. Guests will also receive access to The Midway, which provides an exclusive game day experience with the players and coaches.

For dads obsessed with histories, book the “Soulful Chicago” package and experience the city like a modern-day mobster. The package features a 2-3 hour tour with Private Tours Chicago where guests will visit live music venues, iconic locations that attracted racketeers and gangsters from around the country and hear stories filled with corruption, gin, and organized crime.

Image Credit: Chicago Electric Boat Company

This year, skip the steaks and instead gather the family for a one-of-a-kind adventure on the Chicago River. Whether dad dreams of living out his James Bond fantasy on a 1950s Retro Boat, casually captaining a classic all-weather Duffy boat, or taking in the sights on a round 360-degree view Donut boat, Chicago Electric Boat Company has got him covered. Each boat can fit parties of four to 12, so they’re perfect for intimate family gatherings out on the water, and you can even bring dad’s favorite drinks and snacks with their BYOB set-up, plus blast his favorite bands through the on-board Bluetooth sound system.

Image Credit: CFBT

Navy Veterans, Captains, and fellow Dads Erich & Ray have the best Father’s Day experience for the #1 guy in your life…a ride on a piece of floating Chicago history! On Sunday, June 19, enjoy Historical & Architectural Tours (12 & 3 pm) or a Sunset Cruise (7:30 pm) with your Dad’s favorite libation…what a great way to spend the day! Please let me know if you’re interested in including in any Father’s Day round-up stories about Things to Do for Father’s Day or Gift Guides…what Dad wouldn’t want a ticket to ride on a 1937 fire boat filled with artifacts, historical photos and more?!

Read More

Read More

Formed in Seattle by former members of technical hardcore powerhouse Botch and mathy indie-rock outfit Kill Sadie, These Arms Are Snakes defined an era and a movement of thinking person’s heavy music during their initial run from 2002 to 2009. Injecting the knotty complexity of their previous bands with a swing and throb befitting the most propulsive noise-rock acts of Touch and Go’s early-90s heyday, the music of These Arms Are Snakes became the platonic ideal of early-aughts posthardcore: tough yet fun, sassy and provocative, challenging but catchy. After delivering three albums of aggressive, genre-bending songs rife with fuzzed-out bass, alien synths, confrontational vocals, and lush walls of guitar, the band split and its members all went on to other projects; drummer Chris Common works as a record producer, and bassist Brian Cook has continued to build one of the most prolific resumés in heavy music, holding down the low end in Russian Circles and Sumac, contributing session work to Mammifer and Mouth of the Architect, and maintaining the solo project Torment & Glory. Last August, These Arms Are Snakes came together for a weekend of hometown reunion shows, and this April they released Duct Tape & Shivering Crows via Suicide Squeeze. A compilation of non-album tracks and early demo recordings, the record sheds light on their humble beginnings and proves they still had gas in the tank when they parted ways. When the full-blown These Arms Are Snakes reunion tour hits Lincoln Hall (with Louisville trio Young Widows opening), you can see how the years have treated their angular sounds—and the unhinged, self-destructive performances of vocalist Steve Snere.

These Arms are Snakes,Young Widows, Thu 6/16, 8 PM, Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln, $25, 18+

Read More

The Chicago White Sox somehow snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in the series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The White Sox were cruising along with a 4-0 lead heading into the fifth inning. That is when everything fell apart.

Read More

Formed in Seattle by former members of technical hardcore powerhouse Botch and mathy indie-rock outfit Kill Sadie, These Arms Are Snakes defined an era and a movement of thinking person’s heavy music during their initial run from 2002 to 2009. Injecting the knotty complexity of their previous bands with a swing and throb befitting the most propulsive noise-rock acts of Touch and Go’s early-90s heyday, the music of These Arms Are Snakes became the platonic ideal of early-aughts posthardcore: tough yet fun, sassy and provocative, challenging but catchy. After delivering three albums of aggressive, genre-bending songs rife with fuzzed-out bass, alien synths, confrontational vocals, and lush walls of guitar, the band split and its members all went on to other projects; drummer Chris Common works as a record producer, and bassist Brian Cook has continued to build one of the most prolific resumés in heavy music, holding down the low end in Russian Circles and Sumac, contributing session work to Mammifer and Mouth of the Architect, and maintaining the solo project Torment & Glory. Last August, These Arms Are Snakes came together for a weekend of hometown reunion shows, and this April they released Duct Tape & Shivering Crows via Suicide Squeeze. A compilation of non-album tracks and early demo recordings, the record sheds light on their humble beginnings and proves they still had gas in the tank when they parted ways. When the full-blown These Arms Are Snakes reunion tour hits Lincoln Hall (with Louisville trio Young Widows opening), you can see how the years have treated their angular sounds—and the unhinged, self-destructive performances of vocalist Steve Snere.

These Arms are Snakes,Young Widows, Thu 6/16, 8 PM, Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln, $25, 18+

Read More

Read More

White Sox manager Tony La Russa said that while Max Muncy did break open the game with a three-run homer in the sixth inning after he ordered an intentional walk to Trea Turner with a 1-2 count in Chicago’s 11-9 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday, he defended the thinking behind the call.

Down 6-5 after Freddie Freeman hit an RBI single in the sixth off left-hander Bennett Sousa, who then bounced an 0-2 slider for a wild pitch that allowed Freeman to take second, La Russa ordered the intentional walk to the right-handed-hitting Turner, who had singled in a run in the fifth.

“He’s got two strikes, Tony!” a fan yelled.

Muncy, whose two-run double off Dylan Cease put the Dodgers ahead 5-4 in the fifth, worked the count to 2-2 and sliced a slider to the opposite field and into the left-field seats, his fourth home run this season.

La Russa said after the game that he doesn’t think he did anything wrong.

“Is there some question about whether that was good move or not?” La Russa, a 77-year-old Hall of Famer, said. “Do you know what (Turner) hits against left-handed pitching with 0-1 or two strikes? Do you know what Muncy hits with two strikes against a left-handed pitcher? Is that really a question? We had an open base and Muncy happened to be the guy behind him and that’s a better matchup.

“Somebody disagrees, that’s the beauty of this game, they’re welcome to it. But that wasn’t a tough call.”

Muncy, who had five RBIs in his return after missing 11 games with left elbow inflammation, entered hitting .150 to Turner’s .303.

“The baseball mind in me gets it,” Muncy said. “Obviously, my year has sucked up to this point. Trea’s been really good.”

“At the moment, I was animated and I’ll just leave it at that,” Muncy added. “But at the same time, I don’t know if walking someone with two strikes is ever the right move.

“It kind of gave me something that I really haven’t had a lot of this year. In the past I’ve always been the guy who very fiery and had a lot of edge. To kind of get that back felt really good, to be honest.”

Turner, for his part, said he was thrown off by La Russa’s unorthodox decision to walk him on a two-strike count.

“I was just confused,” Turner said. “I didn’t know if I should go to first or not, but I guess they liked the matchup.”

Chicago closed late with two runs against Daniel Hudson, who needed 35 pitches to get through the ninth, but it wasn’t enough for the White Sox to avoid defeat against the Dodgers. With two on and one out, Yasmani Grandal popped out, and pinch hitter Gavin Sheets followed with a game-ending strikeout.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Read More