White Veil, Meet Green Thumbon July 24, 2020 at 9:45 pm
White Veil, Meet Green Thumbon July 24, 2020 at 9:45 pm Read More »
When you write about music for a living, your personal and professional lives often blur, forcing you to draw some difficult lines when it comes to which projects you cover and how. It’s not just a matter of journalistic ethics; it’s also a practical concern. The gig is to be as objective as possible, and you can’t be completely objective about an album made by, say, a close pal with whom you’ve collaborated on musical and media endeavors, who’s charmed the hell out of your mom, and who’s trusted you to babysit his kid.
So I’m not going to write much about Murder House, the 2019 debut full-length by Chicago trio Mexican Werewolf, though I’ve been listening to it a lot. I’m just going to share it, in case you also enjoy ridiculously fun Motorhead- and Misfits-inspired horror-movie rock ‘n’ roll. I’d hoped to have the chance post-COVID-19 to catch the band tearing through these songs at a local club.
But I am going to write about my friend Rick Linus, Mexican Werewolf’s vocalist and guitarist, who unexpectedly passed away this month. I met him a year or two before he launched the band in 2012 with his childhood buddies Nick Wright (bass) and Andrew Raucher (drums), and we quickly bonded over our shared musical obsessions. I’d been going through a rough patch in my personal life, but Rick always made me feel like family and gave me plenty of reasons to smile. It didn’t take long to realize he had that effect on practically everyone. Because I’d already spent years working in an industry where you can’t take openness and sincerity for granted, I found his genuine nature refreshing.
Rick matched his love of people with his unbridled enthusiasm for music and art, and that combination made him a mainstay in the local metal and hardcore scene for more than 20 years. He worked in various capacities in radio, merch fulfillment, design, and events (remember ManBQue?), as well as at record labels (specifically Sony and Victory). He helped run a booking and promotion collective called Unholy Empire, and when our paths first crossed it was in full force–its “Unholy Friday” shows at Cobra Lounge were the best heavy-music weekly in town. Among his other duties, Rick spun records in the perchlike booth overlooking Cobra’s front bar. If he saw you come in, he’d light up with a big smile, and by the end of the night he’d probably blast a tune he knew you loved. (Thanks for all the Disfear!)
When people describe indie venues as the heart of a community, it’s because local music champions like Rick help make them that way. And that spirit doesn’t depend on whether there are bands onstage–as long as people are bonding through music in a shared space, the attraction can be a DJ set, a gear swap, a fundraiser, a record sale, or just the good company. Rick definitely understood that. When he started a family in the mid-2010s, he transferred his nightlife skills into his wedding DJ business, Ten Twelve Entertainment, and continued to work with underground bands as cofounder of apparel company First Rodeo.
Rick’s family, bandmates, and the seemingly infinite number of people who considered him part of their inner circles would agree that music was just one side of him (and this story is just a small snapshot of that). But listening to Murder House reminds me that my life is better for having known Rick. Chicago’s heavy-music world was tremendously enriched by his presence and passion–not just in Mexican Werewolf but in everything he touched.
Rest in power, friend. v
The Listener is a weekly sampling of music Reader staffers love. Absolutely anything goes, and you can reach us at [email protected].
Few styles of music lift my spirits more than the drum- and marimba-driven chants born along Colombia’s Pacific coast. These ancestral grooves survived the travails of 16th-century colonization to become the musical heritage of the region’s enslaved persons who’d escaped captivity–and to my ears, they distill freedom and joy in every note. The members of Bogota trio Ghetto Kumbe are internationally recognized musicians who’ve each participated in projects that take the roots beats of Colombia into contemporary realms. Percussionist and vocalist Edgardo Garces, aka El Guajiro, is also the lead vocalist of hard salsa band La 33 and former singer of trailblazing Columbian fusion band Sidestepper; Juan Carlos Puello, aka Chongo, is a master percussionist who’s also played with Sidestepper and accompanied iconic Colombian diva Toto la Momposina; and Andres Mercado, aka Doctor Keyta, is a West African percussionist involved in dance companies such as Zarabanda Danza Afro. Ghetto Kumbe’s two EPs, 2015’s Kumbe and 2017’s Soy Selva, give a sense of the group’s mastery at framing classic West African rhythms such as lamban and soli with the bass-laden dance-floor pulse of UK bass–a modern genre in dialogue with those old rhythms’ Afro-Colombian descendants, including cumbia and bullerengue. Their new self-titled debut album lives up to their previous releases: each of its 11 relentlessly captivating tracks is totally irresistible. On “Tambo” the bandmates chant, “Tambo, sacame esta pena, aliviame el dolor” (“Drum, take this suffering out of me, relieve my pain”). I currently have that track on repeat; it’s become my way to find some sunshine during otherwise dark days. v
Chicago punk trio the Lawrence Arms formed in 1999, and they’re aging remarkably well. Rather than settle for the kind of navel-gazing that’s common among bands of their vintage–commemorating, say, the milestone anniversary of an old favorite album with a long tour–they’ve continued to evolve as they make new music. On their seventh album, Skeleton Coast (Epitaph), the Lawrence Arms transmute their rat-a-tat drive and sweet-but-tough melodies into bruised anthems; these ruddy, lived-in songs provide a perfect setting for the band’s two singers, guitarist Chris McCaughan and bassist Brendan Kelly, to survey our scorched-earth landscape and contemplate a better future. They’re realists who can find beauty in the muck, and this makes even tracks such as “Coyote Crown”–where McCaughan considers a world-burning apocalypse–feel quixotically hopeful. These days, every morning can bring a barrage of new signs that the end is nigh; the Lawrence Arms don’t spare us from the ugly truth, but Skeleton Coast at least makes the onrushing disaster seem like something we can survive together. v
After almost three decades in the tamale business, Claudio Velez, known lovingly across Chicago as the “Tamale Guy,” is making plans to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village. The establishment might open as early as August at 2018 W Chicago Ave according to Pierre Vega, Velez’s business partner.

In an interview with Block Club Chicago, Vega said “He’s been super, super excited… He’s just ready to get back to work, to start making tamales again. We’ll be able to feed all the hungry, hungry people some tamales.”
Pierre Vega had been a longtime customer of Velez’s tamales and said that the choice of going into business with Velez was to help him achieve his lifelong dream of having his own restaurant. The storefront was leased in July of this year and will replace Whisk, a brunch joint that was shut down earlier this year.

Need more cheese than a tamale can offer? View our list of the top 50 pizza restaurants in the city.
View the Best Pizza Places in Chicago
According to Vega, the restaurant doesn’t have a set name yet, but it will definitely include some iteration of “The Tamale Guy,” the namesake that Velez has come to be known by to hungry late-night bar patrons over the years. Velez, now 55, entered the tamale trade in Chicago when he was just 28.
Originally from the Acapulco region of Mexico, Velez began his tamale journey as a salesman for an older tamale maker in the city. Velez’s skill outmatched that of his counterparts very quickly. Other salespersons could only sell a couple dozen tamales in the time it would take Velez could sell a hundred dozen. Seeing his prowess, the older gentleman passed on his tamale recipe to Velez and, after three years, let Velez take over the business.

Velez is a legend among Chicagoans and bar patrons on the North Side who know him by his trademark red cooler and always warm tamales. With the coronavirus halting bar service across the city, Velez took a big hit to his income. To try and workaround the income deficit, Velez attempted to adapt his business model to home delivery, but in May, the city hit him with a cease-and-desist letter. To assist him, Chicagoans rallied together to raise more than $34,000 via a GoFundMe fundraiser, funds from which will allow him to open up the physical location.
The opening of the physical location hopefully spells an expansion for the tamale game at large, but at least for the partners. Vega’s wife, Kristin Vega, will manage the front of the house while Vega and Velez will focus on the back end. Pierre Vega is a pastry chef by trade and is experimenting with new tamale fillings to expand the choices for customers. Using strawberries and honey-infused cream, Vega hopes to create a sweet tamale. In a similar vein, Velez plans to import Costa Rican banana leaves in hopes of creating Oaxacan style tamales, tamales traditionally wrapped in banana leaves while cooking. Currently, there are no tamales of this style in Chicago, according to Velez.

Beyond tamales, Velez wants to bring traditional Acapulco dishes to the city, such as the braised beef taco recipe his mother used to make. With the inception of a brick and mortar establishment, Velez is also looking forward to catering large parties such as weddings and quinceaneras.
“I am very excited, especially with everyone who helped make this dream possible,” Velez said in Spanish. “This has always been my dream.”
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!
Featured Image Credit: Claudio Velez GoFundMe Page
It’s a question as old as the rivalry itself. Who is the better Chicago baseball team? Is it the Chicago Cubs, or the Chicago White Sox? Unfortunately, each of the team’s long-term history does very little to answer the question. Both teams have three World Series titles under their belt. And if you want to look at recent history, that answer might just slightly lean toward the Cubs. However, it wouldn’t tell the whole story. The Cubs won the World Series most recently in 2016, and the White Sox won it a little over a decade earlier in 2005. Is that enough to decide who the better team is? Baseball fans across the city would say it isn’t. And when it comes to sports, the phrase, “What have you done for me lately?” comes into play a lot when determining who’s better. So, after all the new moves in the offseason, is it finally time to say that the White Sox are better than the Cubs this year?
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A post shared by Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) on Jul 19, 2020 at 6:57pm PDT
It’s something that White Sox fans across the city have been waiting to be able to say for years. For the first time in a while, this year’s Chicago White Sox team might actually be better than the Chicago Cubs. And we’re not the only ones who think that way, given a recent poll from the Chicago Sun-Times. According to their poll, 66.2 percent of their 1,160 respondents had the White Sox over the Cubs in 2020. Keep in mind, we’re talking about the current rosters, not who’s been the better team for the last five to 10 years. If we were asking that question, it would most certainly go to the north side. Especially with their 2016 championship and all their star power on the team. But nonetheless, we’re talking about the present, and more specifically, the 2020 season and beyond. So how did the White Sox manage to become better than the Cubs?
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A post shared by Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) on Jul 19, 2020 at 8:25pm PDT
Ask anyone who’s been a fan of the Chicago White Sox recently, and they’d agree this has been a long time coming. For the better part of the past decade and a half, the Chicago Cubs have been Chicago’s better baseball team. But that isn’t the case this season.
There was plenty of buzz surrounding this Chicago White Sox team before the MLB suspended the start of their season back in March. It wasn’t until now that we got to see why all the hype existed in the first place. This past offseason, the White Sox took a huge step forward in their hopes to end the rebuild. Everything started with some big acquisitions the team made, which included signing big-time slugger Edwin Encarnacion, catcher Yasmani Grandal, and pitcher Dallas Keuchel. These moves combined with the momentum and growth from last season has the team primed to push things further in 2020, especially past the Cubs.
Over the course of the White Sox spring training, the Sox played the Cubs three times. In each of these games, the south side walked away with the victory, with scores of 6-3, 7-3, and 5-3. Some like to argue that these are meaningless games, which is definitely true in terms of regular-season standings. But as far as the battle for Chicago’s top baseball team, those games might be the nail in the coffin. After all of the offseason moves, last year’s growth, and spring training, the White Sox have overcome the Cubs for the 2020 season. Only time will tell if things pan out that way during the season, but things are definitely looking up for Chicago baseball!
At UrbanMatter, U Matter. And we think this matters.
Tell us what you think matters and what we should write about next in the comments below!
Featured Image Credit: Chicago White Sox Instagram
Are the White Sox Better Than the Cubs This Year?on July 27, 2020 at 2:56 pm Read More »
Chicago is a traveler’s paradise! The windy city is internationally praised for its distinctive cuisine (deep-dish, anyone?!), appealing architecture, bustling nightlife, and sports superfans. With so much to offer, a trip to Chicago can easily end up being a whirlwind of restaurants, bars, sights, sounds, and activities. We’ve put together this handy complete traveler’s guide to Chicago so you don’t miss any of the city’s must-dos.

Brunch: wake up with chicken and waffles, the perfect bridge between breakfast and lunch. Chicago has some excellent restaurants with their own take on this classic Southern dish:

Lunch has got to be pizza — deep dish or otherwise. Any of our top Chicago pizza places will keep you dreaming of Chicago long after your trip is over.

Head over to the West Loop for dinner. While there are tons of trendy and delicious spots on this side of town, we’re huge fans of these 14 restaurants:

Calling all tequila lovers and adventurous drinkers. Hit up these Chicago tequila bars to sip on delicious top-shelf tequilas from around the world.

Stay cool in the hot Chicago summer with a frozen drink! You can find plenty of boozy (and virgin) slushy goodness at these 10 bars:

You’ll have a great view of the city skyline while you sip on cocktails at any of these top rooftop bars:

Spend a day sightseeing, walking, or biking the length of the Chicago Riverwalk. You can see live music, observe the river, shop, boat, and swim in this multi-use Chicago attraction. Must-sees at the Riverwalk include:

Observe great art, animals, and historical artifacts at these iconic Chicago museums.

Fans of off-the-beaten-path movies and supporting local businesses will love taking in a show at one of Chicago’s indie movie theaters.

Those traveling with teens, or have youthful energy to spare, will love these 10 fun Chicago attractions:

You might also like to indulge in some Mary Jane while you’re here since it was legalized recreationally in January! Shop Chicago’s largest dispensary in River North. Here are a few more recreational marijuana dispensaries in the area:
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!
Featured Image Credit: Navy Pier
FOCO is known to be a leading manufacturer of sports and entertainment merchandise. Its product lines include apparel, accessories, toys, collectibles and novelty items, including properly-licensed products related to the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, MLS, Disney, Warner Bros/DC Comics, Nickelodeon, Sanrio, WWE, and over 100 colleges and universities.
Undoubtedly one of the first programs to have everyone talking during the COVID-19 pandemic was the ESPN docu-series The Last Dance. Telling the big picture story of Michael Jordan’s last season with the NBA’s Chicago Bulls, it helped many millions of people remember the unique life that Number 23 has lived both on and off the court for decades.
Beyond the 100 prominent individuals for The Last Dance, the miniseries — as co-produced by Netflix — included tons of never-before aired video footage from the 1997-98 NBA season. In turn, we saw lots of previously unseen video of legendary coach Phil Jackson and even a Jerry Seinfeld cameo. But The Last Dance also helped remind us of how many other important players were part of the Bulls organization in the 1990s beyond Michael Jordan.

For starters, Michael Jordan was not the only notable Bull that was part of the U.S. Olympic Gold Medal-winning squad known as “The Dream Team,” as teammate Scottie Pippen played on that team in both 1992 and 1996. Dennis Rodman is considered one of the best rebounders in basketball history. Horace Grace was an NBA All-Star who also won a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. Steve Kerr has held multiple NBA records related to shooting three-pointers.
Tying in The Last Dance with FOCO comes a line of fun Chicago Bulls bobbleheads. Beyond the players mentioned above, other notable Bulls who got the bobblehead treatment from FOCO are John Paxson, BJ Armstrong, and Bill Cartwright. Pippen has multiple editions, including a “dual” bobblehead alongside Rodman. And you crave further unique merchandising beyond bobbleheads, FOCO also has a Bulls light-up Bluetooth sweater, LEGO-esque statues, gaiter scarfs, COVID-19-friendly facemasks, straw hats and holiday ornaments of the Bulls variety on the market.
Naturally, the Chicago Bulls are not the only Chicago sports-related institution featured on the FOCO site. Baseball’s Cubs and White Sox, football’s Bears, hockey’s Blackhawks, and soccer’s Fire all have their own merchandising sections. And on the White Sox and Cubs ends, that includes pop-culture-themed merch, as both MLB teams have bobbleheads related to Stranger Things; Chicago teams also have themed swag related to Superman and Game Of Thrones to check out. On the college end, multiple Illinois institutions are also featured on the site.
FOCO had made the Chicago Sun-Times earlier in the year when it was announced that the Chicago Bears were getting their own Day Of The Dead-inspired bobblehead. Commented Matthew Katz, Senior Licensing Manager at FOCO: “We are very excited to introduce these new bobbleheads, inspired by traditional Day Of The Dead imagery. While Day Of The Dead festivities take place in late October, we think fans will be eager to get their hands on these colorful, unique bobbleheads all year round.” Thus, plenty more to look forward to from Chicagoland sports fans.
More on the aforementioned Chicago Bulls collectibles, which are currently available on pre-order for shipment in the coming months, can be found online.
Eid al-Adha, or the Feast (or Festival) of Sacrifice, is almost here! Beginning the evening of Thursday, July 30, and ending the following evening, the festival is the second of two Muslim holidays observed around the world each year (the first being Eid al-Fitr). Whether you’re in need of halal meat for your planned communal celebration of the day, or you’re hoping to share this specially-prepared meat with those in need, these trusted sellers of halal meats in Chicago are sure to have the items you’re looking for.
3922 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago IL 60625
Indo-Pak was established in 2010 according to 3 “pillars of success:” top quality products, affordable prices, and unmatched customer service. They also advertise their halal meat as the best in the Midwest.

2255 W Devon Ave, Chicago IL 60659
Many reviewers claim Farm City as their go-to for not just halal, but for all kinds of other meats. One customer, who mentioned having frequented the West Rogers Park butcher for the past 25 years, wrote, “They are always helpful and provide good fast service,” adding that “Khalid the manager is very friendly and always eager to help.”
4657 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago IL 60625
This meat market has garnered rave reviews from local meat-eaters, Muslim and otherwise. Yelp user Faiz K., who has been a customer of Lebanese Meat Market since childhood, claims to “always give our Eid al-Adha order” to this particular Albany Park meat purveyor.
2650 W Devon Ave, Chicago IL 60659
Also among the high concentration of halal meat butchers in West Rogers Park is Fresh Zabiha, which sits near Devon and Washtenaw. According to customers, Fresh Zabiha sells great quality halal meats at great prices.

4851 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago IL 60625
Along with a large selection of European, Middle Eastern, and South Asian products (including fresh-baked bread and boxes of sweets), you can find plenty of halal meats from which to choose at this Albany Park supermarket.
2434 W Devon Ave, Chicago IL 60659
This is a well-stocked, full-size grocery store which includes produce, a bakery, dairy, deli, and a meat department that guarantees 100-percent certified zabiha halal meats. The grocery items overall include large numbers of imported products that might be more difficult to find at other grocery stores.
2243 W Devon Ave, Chicago IL 60659
YaSeen (in West Rogers Park) has a number of devoted customers singing the praises of its fine halal meats. Reviewers mention fresh, quality meat, good prices, great service, and a tidy store.

2445 W Devon Ave, Chicago IL 60659
The 24-hour butcher shop not only sells fresh halal meats and other great quality food items, but reviewers mention great customer service and excellent prices in the time that they’ve shopped at Lasani.
We’ve talked non-stop about Lolla recently, especially considering that the summer banger won’t be happening in person this year, and while our Lolla survival guide might find more use next year, you and your friends can still enjoy the virtual experience with a viewing party. If you were on the fence about watching Lollapalooza 2020 virtually, the lineup is now here to help you make your decision. (And well, it’s also free to watch so you don’t lose much!)

Lolla2020 will span over a four-night free (yes, we must reiterate this again! Free!) broadcast starting Thursday, July 30th, starting at 5 pm CT. The event will be streamed exclusively on YouTube. The sets to be streamed for Lolla will include classic sets from the archives as well as brand new performances from over 135 artists spanning all genres and walks of music.
Some of the featured artists include Paul McCartney, Chance The Rapper, OutKast, Arcade Fire, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Metallica, Lorde, Kehlani, Alabama Shakes, Run The Jewels, LCD Soundsystem, H.E.R., Tenacious D, Tove Lo, Ellie Goulding, Vic Mensa, and Kaskade, to name a few. On the poster for the lineup, it’s made clear that Alison Wonderland is doing a live set. Whether they’re the only artist doing a live set is still unclear, but we imagine many other artists will take part in giving a live virtual performance.

Alongside the music, Lolla 2020 is partnering with three organizations to raise awareness for their causes. The Arts for Illinois Relief Fund aims to provide financial relief to organizations, venues, and workers in the creative industry who have been impacted by COVID-19. The Equal Justice Initiative is an organization committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, challenging racial and economic injustice, and protecting human rights for the most vulnerable in American society. When We All Vote is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization launched by Co-Chair Michelle Obama in 2018 to increase election participation. The organization’s mission is to change the voting culture and to close the race and age voting gap, ensuring every eligible voter is registered and ready to vote. For anyone donating using PayPal between July 27th and August 2nd, Lollapalooza will match up to $10,000 per organization.

In between sets, Lollapalooza 2020 will also feature conversations that are important to the Lollapalooza community from speakers such as Perry Farrell, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, LL COOL J, Selema Masekela, Common, Michelle Obama, and many others.

Decided that you want in on the virtual fun? Check out where you can watch Lolla2020 in the city.
View Where to Watch Lolla2020 in Chicago
While the line-up is currently available, the full schedule itself won’t be out until Wednesday, July 29th. To make sure you don’t miss a minute of the action, subscribe to Lollapalooza’s YouTube channel.
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!
Featured Image Credit: Lollapalooza
Virtual Lollapalooza 2020 Lineup Is Hereon July 27, 2020 at 5:43 pm Read More »