Clara de Asís is a Spanish-born, France-based multi-instrumentalist and sound artist who uses played and collected sounds as prompts to focus the power of the listener’s attention on the potentialities of the sound fields around them. The crackle of static and the decaying reverberations of struck metal on her new collaboration with Ryoko Akama, Sisbiosis (Erstwhile), are so involved that the presence of any traditional instrument would feel like a gauche intrusion. That’s not to say Asís doesn’t use such instruments, though—she employs them in her own performances as well as in her compositions for other players. On her 2018 solo album, Do Nothing (Another Timbre), the dissonant dialogue between her widely spaced guitar harmonics and a tolling Tibetan singing bowl generates enormous tension. And on Without (Elsewhere, 2018), performed by violinist Erik Carlson and percussionist Greg Stuart, discrete plucks and abrasions highlight the vast spaces that surround them. For her first Chicago appearance, de Asís will share the bill with local experimental ensemble Aperiodic. She will perform a solo piece for electronics and percussion, and then Aperiodic will play two of her pieces on a program that also presents works by Argentine composer Gabriela Areal. De Asís will spend the week following the concert collaborating with local sound artist Veronica Anne Salinas in a residency organized by the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain and Experimental Sound Studio.

Aperiodic, Clara de Asís Aperiodic performs music by Clara de Asís and Gabriela Areal; de Asís opens with a solo set. 8 PM, Elastic Arts, 3429 W. Diversey #208, all ages

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Clara de Asís is a Spanish-born, France-based multi-instrumentalist and sound artist who uses played and collected sounds as prompts to focus the power of the listener’s attention on the potentialities of the sound fields around them. The crackle of static and the decaying reverberations of struck metal on her new collaboration with Ryoko Akama, Sisbiosis (Erstwhile), are so involved that the presence of any traditional instrument would feel like a gauche intrusion. That’s not to say Asís doesn’t use such instruments, though—she employs them in her own performances as well as in her compositions for other players. On her 2018 solo album, Do Nothing (Another Timbre), the dissonant dialogue between her widely spaced guitar harmonics and a tolling Tibetan singing bowl generates enormous tension. And on Without (Elsewhere, 2018), performed by violinist Erik Carlson and percussionist Greg Stuart, discrete plucks and abrasions highlight the vast spaces that surround them. For her first Chicago appearance, de Asís will share the bill with local experimental ensemble Aperiodic. She will perform a solo piece for electronics and percussion, and then Aperiodic will play two of her pieces on a program that also presents works by Argentine composer Gabriela Areal. De Asís will spend the week following the concert collaborating with local sound artist Veronica Anne Salinas in a residency organized by the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain and Experimental Sound Studio.

Aperiodic, Clara de Asís Aperiodic performs music by Clara de Asís and Gabriela Areal; de Asís opens with a solo set. 8 PM, Elastic Arts, 3429 W. Diversey #208, all ages

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Gossip Wolf has been hip to Chicago rapper and singer Angelenah, aka Ashley Hart and Angel Davanport, ever since she released the 2018 EP Sore but Grateful. She’s been sharpening her skills in the years since, and last week she dropped I Don’t Regret a Thing, which showcases her flamboyant singing across six luscious R&B tunes. Her fiery performance on the humid, slow-boiling “Drama” pushes her clarion voice so hard it starts to fray. On Thursday, October 13, Angelenah celebrates her EP with a show at Golden Dagger; ShowYouSuck, GreenSllime, and DJ TeaWhy open. Tickets are $12, and the show starts at 8 PM.

The songs on I Don’t Regret a Thing are produced by Chason Rice, the BeatPlug, the O’My’s, and Budah Tye.

This wolf can’t think of a better source for Halloween-adjacent jams than former My Gold Mask multi-instrumentalist Jack Armondo. His darkwave project, Panic Priest, makes the kind of moody, soaring Peter Murphy-esque choruses and stomping electronic beats that would’ve kept the dance floor at Neo bumping till just before sunrise. The new Panic Priest album, Psychogoria, drops via Minneapolis label Midnight Mannequin next week, just in time for peak spooky season—and Armondo celebrates with a show at the Hideout on Thursday, October 20, with openers Iron Years and Clubdrugs plus sets by DJ Scary Lady Sarah; tickets are $12, and the show starts at 9:30 PM.

Psychogoria includes a cover of the 1984 hit “Self Control” by Italian singer Raf, also covered by Laura Branigan.

Otherpeace, the rootsy, meditative solo project of long-grinding Chicago rocker Matt Clark (Pinebender, White/Light), debuted earlier this year with the charming and immersive album Capitalism Blues. Last week, Otherpeace dropped Lose Your Illusion I (For L.A.), an EP of covers of songs about Los Angeles—its drawling version of Lana Del Rey’s “Mariners Apartment Complex” belongs on any fall playlist you’ve got! Otherpeace opens for the Deer at the Hideout on Thursday, October 13; tickets are $13, and the show starts at 9:30 PM.

No word yet on Lose Your Illusion II.

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Gossip Wolf has been hip to Chicago rapper and singer Angelenah, aka Ashley Hart and Angel Davanport, ever since she released the 2018 EP Sore but Grateful. She’s been sharpening her skills in the years since, and last week she dropped I Don’t Regret a Thing, which showcases her flamboyant singing across six luscious R&B tunes. Her fiery performance on the humid, slow-boiling “Drama” pushes her clarion voice so hard it starts to fray. On Thursday, October 13, Angelenah celebrates her EP with a show at Golden Dagger; ShowYouSuck, GreenSllime, and DJ TeaWhy open. Tickets are $12, and the show starts at 8 PM.

The songs on I Don’t Regret a Thing are produced by Chason Rice, the BeatPlug, the O’My’s, and Budah Tye.

This wolf can’t think of a better source for Halloween-adjacent jams than former My Gold Mask multi-instrumentalist Jack Armondo. His darkwave project, Panic Priest, makes the kind of moody, soaring Peter Murphy-esque choruses and stomping electronic beats that would’ve kept the dance floor at Neo bumping till just before sunrise. The new Panic Priest album, Psychogoria, drops via Minneapolis label Midnight Mannequin next week, just in time for peak spooky season—and Armondo celebrates with a show at the Hideout on Thursday, October 20, with openers Iron Years and Clubdrugs plus sets by DJ Scary Lady Sarah; tickets are $12, and the show starts at 9:30 PM.

Psychogoria includes a cover of the 1984 hit “Self Control” by Italian singer Raf, also covered by Laura Branigan.

Otherpeace, the rootsy, meditative solo project of long-grinding Chicago rocker Matt Clark (Pinebender, White/Light), debuted earlier this year with the charming and immersive album Capitalism Blues. Last week, Otherpeace dropped Lose Your Illusion I (For L.A.), an EP of covers of songs about Los Angeles—its drawling version of Lana Del Rey’s “Mariners Apartment Complex” belongs on any fall playlist you’ve got! Otherpeace opens for the Deer at the Hideout on Thursday, October 13; tickets are $13, and the show starts at 9:30 PM.

No word yet on Lose Your Illusion II.

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At the 2022 Major League Baseball trade deadline, the Chicago Cubs traded off a few of their relievers but were much quieter than everyone expected. It was thought that they were going to trade both Willson Contreras and Ian Happ.

Wildly, they didn’t trade either of them. They still have control of Happ beyond 2022 but Contreras is an unrestricted free agent. It is crazy that this team didn’t move him for assets when they had absolutely no chance of making it to the postseason.

Now, it sounds like they are going to lose Contreras in free agency for nothing. According to a report from Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Cubs have no interest in bringing him back for the 2023 season and beyond. He said this to MIke Bernan on NBC Sports Chicago.

The fact that Bob thinks that there is no chance that he returns is not the end all be all. He has been wrong about things plenty but it is not a good sign. He didn’t pull this opinion out of anywhere. It could also be a tactic by the Cubs to have him report this for their benefit.

The Chicago Cubs are potentially moving on from Willson Contreras in 2023.

It is a situation of pros and cons when it comes to re-signing him. He is an aging catcher that gets hurt every now and then. This is also a team that may be better in 2023 but nobody actually thinks they will be competing for a World Series anytime soon.

Even if they are active in free agency, it will still take time and the development of their young players for that to happen. Competing with the likes of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and New York Mets is still a long way away.

One of the big problems with letting him go, however, is losing a good player and leader in the short term. There is also the risk of him running off to sing with a team like the St. Louis Cardinals who could desperately use a catcher next year. It is definitely a big decision.

Contreras playing for a rival in 2023 would feel much better if the Cubs would have gotten something for him at the deadline.

They misplayed this whole thing. Contreras was left out to dry leading up to the deadline as he was clearly emotional about leaving and then he never did. Now, his future is as cloudy as ever.

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The Chicago Blackhawks just had a wild summer. It was one that clearly was about rebuilding the franchise into a contender again through the draft and developing prospects. They made three first-round picks when they were supposed to have zero a week prior.

They saw names like Alex DeBrincat, Kirby Dach, and Dominik Kubalik leave which is a lot of talent heading out the door. They still have guys like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Seth Jones playing for them but it is unclear how long they will be there.

It is obvious that the team has its sights set on the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery. Winning it would land them a generational talent like Connor Bedard but they would still get a great player near the top of the draft regardless because it is an outstanding draft class. All they need to do is be bad.

Well, based on their freshly dropped opening night roster, it is pretty obvious that they are going to be bad. This year is about developing the young guys in the NHL and other leagues that they are playing in around the world along with evaluating the veterans that they do have.

The 2022-23 Chicago Blackhawks are certainly going to have a tough season.

Forwards

Andreas AthanasiouColin BlackwellMax DomiJason Dickinson (VISA nonroster)Mackenzie EntwistleReese JohnsonTyler JohnsonPatrick KaneBoris Katchouk (IR)Jujhar KhairaPhilipp KurashevSam LaffertyJalen Luypen (IR non-roster)Taylor RaddyshBuddy RobinsonJonathan Toews

Defense

Jack JohnsonCaleb Jones (IR)Seth JonesJake McCabe (IR non-roster)Ian Mitchell (IR non-roster)Connor MurphyAlec RegulaFilip RoosJarred TinordiAlex Vlasic

Goalies

Petr MrazekAlex Stalock

This is a very interesting team. There are a lot of players that could be traded off around the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline. Andreas Athanasiou, Max Domi, and Petr Mrazek might all be people that garner some interest if they have solid years playing on this bad team.

As mentioned before, the futures of Kane, Jones, and Toews are very interesting. Toews and Jones are each hard to trade because of their contract numbers. Toews only has this year left which makes it a little bit easier but Jones is a more impactful player right now.

For Kane, he should be able to get the Hawks a huge haul because he is still a supreme offensive player. It is just a matter of the organization’s willingness to make that type of move. If they really want to enter “tank mode”, they will make a trade like this.

Jason Dickinson is dealing with VISA issues. There is a vacant roster spot available for him when that gets cleared up. He will join the team right when that happens. There are also, as you can see, some players that are starting the year on the Injured Reserve.

With the goalies that they have along with pretty bad skater depth, they might finish at or near the bottom of the NHL standings. That might be tough to watch during the season but it is something that would certainly help them in the future.

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