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Zelda — Petraits Rescueon March 3, 2020 at 5:52 pm

Pets in need of homes

Zelda — Petraits Rescue

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Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara Receive the 2020 Pritzker Architecture Prizeon March 3, 2020 at 6:34 pm

Arch-X-Perience

Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara Receive the 2020 Pritzker Architecture Prize

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Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara Receive the 2020 Pritzker Architecture Prizeon March 3, 2020 at 6:34 pm Read More »

Vaginal Davis steps into the mainstream spotlighton March 3, 2020 at 6:00 pm

The goddess of queer punk Vaginal Davis burst onto the Los Angeles performance scene in the late 1970s as the front woman for the art-punk band Afro Sisters, then became an integral influence in drag performance and a matriarch for performance artists. Born intersex during a time when doctors performed medical interventions in order to assign gender, Davis’s mother refused. While her birth certificate stated male, her family used she/her pronouns. Honing in on her German, Jewish, Mexican, and French-creole heritage, she would go on to create fictional characters that were “multiracial and maxi-gendered.”

Davis has played a pivotal role in critiquing politics, white supremacy, identity, and sexuality. In her 1999 video piece, The White to be Angry, Davis is particularly focused on these themes. The 19-minute capsule of found footage, 90s commercials, and montages of televangelist Robert Tilton is on view in the modern wing of the Art Institute of Chicago. The video is set to a soundtrack by Davis’s band Pedro, Muriel & Esther (PME), which recorded their first full-length album, also titled The White to be Angry, in the mid-90s in Chicago. While in PME, Davis performed as Clarence, a white supremacist from Idaho. She even wore a ZZ Top beard.

Davis’s first solo exhibition didn’t happen until 2012 and commercial gallery representation didn’t open up for the artist until 2013. The Art Institute of Chicago is the first museum to collect Davis’s video work in a permanent collection. Davis told Dazed in a recent interview, “For someone who’s sort of an outsider artist
. . . well, it’s a big deal for somebody like me. A funky, funky person like me!”

Davis was a member of the subculture group Homocore, which hosted a queer punk night in the mid-90s that influenced the Riot Grrrl movement and featured bands including Sleater-Kinney, Los Crudos, Tribe 8, Bikini Kill, the Butchies, and more. The decade-long monthly queer night expanded to cities like Detriot, Minneapolis, and New York, and finally ended with Le Tigre’s Chicago debut in 2000. Davis was closely tied to the Queercore zine movement, where she published Fertile La Toyah Jackson from 1982 to 1991, which she turned into a video performance project. At Homocore events, Davis would share zines, present lo-fi films, and perform poetry.

The White to be Angry, shot on a Hi8 camcorder with virtually no budget, acts as a visual album for PME, following songs that reference directors (Woody Allen, Bruce LaBruce, and Clive Barker). Each segment includes an original song and footage that centers around a skinhead grappling with his sexuality, resulting in violent hate crimes. The lo-fi video piece feels especially current. We are experiencing a flare under the current cheese-puff administration similar to the queer punk revolution that sparked fire during the Reagan era. Featuring scenes of BDSM, violence, blow jobs, religion, and white supremacy, Davis incorporates dark humor to explicate complex themes still relevant to history and society. The film focuses on the othering of people and how society ruminates on that hatred until it explodes with dangerous and destructive violence.

Davis has always fit in-between the punk and the drag scenes. “Gay drag queens hated me,” she famously told Jose Esteban Munoz in the book The Feminism and Visual Culture Reader. “They didn’t understand it. I wasn’t really trying to alter myself to look like a real woman. I didn’t wear false eyelashes or fake breasts. It wasn’t about the realness of traditional drag–the perfect flawless makeup. I just put on a little lipstick, a little eyeshadow and a wig and went there.” Munoz, a queer writer and critic, was the first to coin the term “terrorist drag,” which was used to describe Davis’s work in particular. Davis focuses on the repulsive, the undesirable, the revolting reality of society and mirrors that in her performances as well.

Viewers of The White to be Angry are meant to feel discomfort, either from their own prejudices or the abhorrent honesty portrayed in the scenes. Images with Confederate flags, discussions using intolerant racist language, and crimes against the LGBTQ community are thrust onto the viewer. A young mother sitting next to me in the gallery softly left the space with her stroller midway through the video. A man giving a blow job flashed across the screen as she rounded the corner towards the exit. The couple to my left shifted uncomfortably in their seats. The roughness in the film is contextual but also applies to scenes cut from cable television coupled with the editing style that give this piece a “home project” feel that celebrates the weird, perverse, DIY, and outsider aesthetics. Davis’s voice, presence, and art have the unwavering power of remaining relevant for nearly five decades. Being born in the underground clubs of LA and traversing esteemed museums across the globe, Davis has proven that being your bona fide self is still the most punk rock thing you can do. v

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The Chicago Bulls did WHAT in February?on March 3, 2020 at 12:00 pm

Chicago Bulls (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Chicago Bulls (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

If you think the Chicago Bulls have had a rough season, you should see what they did in February.

The Chicago Bulls have been absolutely abysmal this season, but even still, it’s hard to wrap your head around the level of futility they put on display in February.

Let’s be real — the Bulls are a laughing stock. They have been for the last few years, but this season in particular. They have found new and inventive ways to embarrass themselves on and off the court.

Whether it’s calling a timeout down infinity points with 10 seconds left in the game, or inexplicably refusing to start Coby White after three consecutive 30+ points game (33, 33, and 35) against the Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards, and Oklahoma City Thunder, or even the level of contempt players have shown for their coach on and off the court, it’s been a disaster.

And while there have been season-long rumors of “changes” coming, the more details that come out, the more fans are left to feel like that change will be meaningless. Perhaps if things get cataclysmic over the course of the remaining six weeks or so, maybe they will make a real change.

Well, if February is any indication, they may be well on their way. Despite having an extra day in the month due to it being a leap year, the Bulls still only managed to win a grand total of — wait for it — one game! That was against the powerhouse aforementioned Wizards who sit at 22-37 overall. Go ahead and pop the champagne bottles, everyone!

Alright, sarcasm aside, that is tough to do. And I get that they have dealt with some injuries and that at this point, it is in their best interest to continue to lose (they currently hold the seventh overall pick AGAIN), but the problem is the way in which they have managed to accomplish this latest futile feat.

Next: Jim Boylen is the worst coach — maybe ever

They look like a team that has very little interest in being on the court and even less hope that things are likely to improve. Ironically, it wasn’t that long ago that I forewarned of the possibility of losing the players, and slowly but surely, that prognostication appears to be coming to fruition.

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Chicago Bears Draft: 5 receivers to replace Taylor Gabrielon March 3, 2020 at 1:00 pm

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Chicago Bears, Taylor Gabriel

Chicago Bears (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears are in need of pass-catchers, and a recent transaction might prove Chicago has a bigger issue at wide receiver than you think.

On February 21st, the Chicago Bears decided to release wide receiver, Taylor Gabriel. The 29-year old spent the last two seasons with the Bears organization, playing in 25 games with 18 total starts and accumulating 96 receptions for 1,041 yards and six total touchdowns.

By cutting the veteran, the Bears will be saving roughly $4.5 million in cap space. Gabriel was originally signed to bring a speed element to Matt Nagy’s offense. This was clearly something that Chicago was sorely lacking once Gabriel went down in the back half of the past season with concussion issues.

With that being said, the Windy City hopeful currently has the following receivers under contract entering the 2020 NFL season…

Excluding Return-Specialist, Cordarrelle Patterson, the Bears current receiving corps is full of route running specialists and “jump ball” receivers. The loss of Gabriel points to the Bears needing to add a receiver who can take the top off the defense.

Now, many may point to free agency as a valid pool to sign a deep-threat from, but this year’s NFL Draft Class is very deep at the receiving position, and it would be smart of the Bears to save cap space and draft a rookie to replace Taylor Gabriel. Here are five potential options that I think would be great fits for the Bears…

Next: Down South Speed…

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Chicago Blackhawks: Three players who need a strong finishon March 3, 2020 at 2:00 pm

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Chicago Blackhawks Jonathan Toews

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Chicago Blackhawks are already looking forward to next year but there are a few players who need to have a strong finish to this year first.

The Chicago Blackhawks are looking to have a strong finish to the season. They are currently six points out of the playoffs as March gets underway so there is still an outside chance they make it. Whether or not they do remains to be seen but it is unlikely. With that said, they might as well try. Guys like Patrick Kane, Dominik Kubalik, and Jonathan Toews are having really good years but in order for them to get back into the race, some other players are going to need to step it up.

They were already sellers at the deadline. They traded Robin Lehner to the Vegas Golden Knights and Erik Gustafsson to the Calgary Flames. That tells everyone that they are more worried about the future and that is the way it should be from an organizational standpoint. With that said, good luck getting the players to think about the future.

All of the players in this organization are fueled to be much better as a team. There are still some of the core players there from the teams that won the Stanley Cup three times in six years. Those guys know what it takes to win and you’d have to think that they preach that at the younger players. That should motivate the ones who are not champions to follow in their footsteps. If they were to make the playoffs this year, it would be a great story of resiliency.

They can go for it all they want. Whether they make it or not, the most important thing is building for the future. They have some key future pieces in place but they need to keep building. For them to keep building, these three players need to finish 2019-20 strong:

Next: Kirby Dach

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Chicago Bears: Trade packages for Trai Turneron March 3, 2020 at 3:00 pm

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Carolina Panthers, Trai Turner

Carolina Panthers (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears have a hole at the offensive guard position and the Carolina Panthers just put a 26-year old, Pro Bowler on the trade market.

Think of the Chicago Bears offensive line as a sinking ship. The Halas hopeful are currently taking on water at a rapid pace, and don’t seem to know if there are multiple holes within their vessel. What they do know? Is that former Pro Bowler, Kyle Long has decided to step away from the game of football.

What did this create? By far the biggest hole upon S.S. Halas. While General Manager Ryan Pace was expecting to have to tweak some things to stay afloat, it wasn’t obvious that there would be a Chicago Public Works sized pot-hole to fill.

As Ryan Pace tells those aboard to start filling buckets of water to toss overboard, a glimmer of hope arises from far out into the distance… Pace stretches out, grabs his binoculars, and it’s then that he lets out a sigh of relief. A plug-and-play offensive lineman has emerged from the depths of the east coast; just outside the City of Charleston. Ryan Pace smiles and starts to believe that he may just be able to get this ship to shore.

Storytime is always fun, but what does this all mean exactly? Well, the rebuilding Carolina Panthers are hoping to sell-high on the valuable assets that they still have under contract. According to multiple reports, the Carolina Panthers are trying to shop guard Trai Turner.

Turner has made five straight Pro Bowls, and currently has 2-years remaining on the 4-year, $45 million deal he signed with the Panthers back in 2017. Why does this matter for the Bears? Well, striking a deal with Carolina would help solidify Chicago’s biggest hole across the offensive line. With that being said, let us examine a couple of trade packages that I believe would make sense for both teams.

Next: Could “Flo” Go?

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10 Things to Do in Chicago This Mayon March 3, 2020 at 2:30 pm

We’ve got a pretty serious case of spring fever now that May has arrived. Luckily, this is the time of year when the city of Chicago really starts ramping up for the best outdoor events. Here are the best things to do in Chicago this May!

Chicago Beer Classic

may events chicago
Photo Credit: Chicago Beer Classic

May 2 | 12 – 4 pm OR 5 – 9 pm @ Soldier Field



Head to Soldier Field to enjoy endless samples of craft beer from breweries like Half Acre, Pollyanna Brewing Company, Abita, Brooklyn Brewery, and tons more. Tickets are selling fast, get a general admission ticket for $49. VIP tickets are $69 and extend each session by an hour.

Kids & Kites Festival

may events chicago



May 2 | 10 am – 4 pm @ Cricket Hill in Lincoln Park

The perfect spring event for families invites you to Cricket Hill in Lincoln Park for a day of kite flying. Don’t have a kite? You can build your own during the event. The best part is admission is free!



Cinco de Mayo Parade

may events chicago
Photo Credit: The DePaulia

May 5 | 12 pm @ Cermak Rd. & Damen Ave. to Marshall Blvd.

Kicking off at noon on Cermak and Damen, enjoy a festive parade in Little Village with live music, arts and crafts, and food and beverage that celebrates Mexican culture.



Lincoln Park Zoo Food Truck Social

may events chicago
Photo Credit: Todd Rosenberg Photography for Lincoln Park Zoo

May 9 | 7:30 – 10 pm @ Lincoln Park Zoo

Treat yourself to an after-hours event at the zoo with delicious meals on wheels, such as donuts, tacos, pierogis, and more. The food truck social welcomes all ages. Ticket entry is $10.



Night Nation Run

may events chicago
Photo Credit: Night Nation Run

May 16 | Gates Open 6 pm, Pre-party Begins 7 pm, Race Begins 8:30 pm @ Soldier Field

Join in on the world’s first running music festival storming Soldier Field. This 5k features live EDM music, lights, lasers, an illuminated race course, and a main stage after party with celebrity DJ performers. Early bird prices are only $29.99. Full registration is $49, so get your tickets as soon as possible!



Memorial Day Parade

may events chicago
Photo Credit: City of Chicago

May 23 | 12 pm @ State St. from Lake St. to Van Buren

This annual parade honoring fallen men and women of our nation’s armed forces is one of the largest in the country and is certainly a spectacle all should witness. The wreath-laying ceremony takes place at 11 am and the parade begins at noon.



Belmont-Sheffield Music Festival

may events chicago
Photo Credit: Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce

May 23 – 24 | 11 am – 10 pm @ Sheffield from Belmont to Roscoe

Here to welcome the warm weather is one of Chicago’s best neighborhood street fests. From noon to 10 pm, enjoy plenty of food, drinks, and live music by tribute bands on Sheffield from Belmont to Roscoe.

Bike the Drive

may events chicago
Photo Credit: Bike the Drive

May 24 | 5:30 – 10 am @ Lake Shore Drive

The month of May calls for a scenic bike ride down Lake Shore Drive, free of cars! Join others for this event that benefits the Active Transportation Alliance. Registration varies for members and non-members and will increase on the day of the event.

Mayfest

may events chicago
Photo Credit: Raney Images for Mayfest

May 29 – 31 | Fri 5 – 10 pm, Sat/Sun 12 – 10 pm @ 1000 W Armitage Ave

By now an annual Chicago tradition, Mayfest returns to bring live music, delicious food, and a great time to Lakeview. Hang out under the massive big-top tent, grab a drink from the beer garden, and kick back with your friends for only $10.

Do Division

Photo Credit: Do Division Facebook

May 29 – 31 | Fri 5 – 10 pm, Sat/Sun 12 – 10 pm @ Division St. from Damen to Leavitt

This area of West Town is famous for throwing a street fest to kick off summer all along Division Street. Thanks to local vendors providing delicious bites and beer along the way, you can travel from Empty Bottle to Subterranean while shopping independent stores.

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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Chicago Ranked #1 Best City for St. Patrick’s Day Celebrationson March 3, 2020 at 2:52 pm

St. Patrick's Day
Photo Credit: St. Patrick’s Day

It’s really no surprise, Chicago goes hard for St. Paddy’s day. Like really hard. And that is why as of 2020, for the second year in a row, Chicago is ranked as the Best City for St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations, according to WalletHub Reports.

With over half of America planning to celebrate St. Patrick’s day every year, spending an average of $40, and consuming, in general, a whopping 13 million pints of Guinness, it’s safe to say that this holiday brings in some serious revenue. In fact, besides New Year’s and Mardi Gras, St. Paddy’s Day is the third most popular drinking day and an estimated $5.6 billion is expected to be made this year. Over 400k Chicagoans watch 40lbs of green dye fill Lake Michigan and a 152 percent increase of beer is sold on this day. So, it only makes sense that the third largest city would have some leeway in St. Patrick’s Day festivities.



St. Patrick's Day
Photo Credit: daverubens Instagram

Chicago is ranked 1st place for being the Best City for St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations, Philadelphia coming in 2nd place, and Madison, Wisconsin following in 3rd. Other noteworthy ranks for the Windy City include 1st place in St. Patrick’s Day Parties and Festivals per Capita, 1st place for Irish Pubs and Restaurants per Capita, and 1st for Most St. Patrick’s Day Parties and Festivals per Capita. We came in 3rd for Lowest Average Beer Price, with only Rockford and Milwaukee beating us out. Our very own suburban Naperville, IL, came in 6th for overall Best Cities for St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations. Naperville also has the Highest Percentage of Irish Population in the United States. Check WalletHub Reports to see even more statistics.

st. patrick's day bar parties

The Best St. Patrick’s Day Bar Parties in Chicago

Looking for ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? We know the best bar parties to attend.



Originating from religious significance — known as the day Christianity was introduced to Ireland by Saint Patrick — St. Patrick’s Day has shifted to boozy times, festivals, parades, and a whole lot of greenery. Though it was originally a Christian feast day, commonly Lenten drinking and eating restrictions were halted on Paddy’s Day, boosting the heavy drinking tradition that holds now.



So, let the lit times roll. But with boozy celebration comes high rate car accidents, so please drink responsibly. Lyft and Uber are always a click away, but you can find parking easily when you use Chicago Parking Map. Check out our Ultimate St. Patrick’s Day Guide for all the boozy brunches, deals, parties, and festivals happening in Chicago.



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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MSI Chicago is Hosting the World’s Largest Marvel Comics Exhibit This Fallon March 3, 2020 at 4:48 pm

The world’s largest Marvel comics exhibit is coming to The Museum of Science + Industry in Chicago this fall and it’s everything we never knew we wanted.

marvel exhibit msi
Photo Credit: Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes

Tickets went on sale for Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes, opening on October 8, 2020, at MSI Chicago, during this past weekend’s C2E2, but they will soon be on sale for the public, as well. The exhibition will honor the history of Marvel Comics by placing over 300 artifacts on display, including original comic book pages, sculptures, interactive displays, and costumes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.



Previously on display at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, the Marvel exhibit sheds light on over 80 years of comic book tradition, starting with founder Martin Goodman. The company was initially named Timely Comics in 1939 until it became Atlas Comics in 1951. It wasn’t until 1961 that Marvel Comics officially released The Fantastic Four series, alongside other popular titles, bringing the likes of Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko into the comic book scene. Marvel has always played with history in a way that gives fictional characters truly deep backstories and helps them tackle messages of gender, race, and mental illness. Now you can see it all for yourself on display at MSI Chicago.

Photo Credit: Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes

Explore the origins of some of Marvel’s most beloved characters, including Black Panther, Spider-Man, Iron Man, The Hulk, Captain America, and Black Widow, all on display at the MSI exhibit. Guests will have a first look at the makings of these comic book creations as life-sized replicas loom around them, and they’ll even get to play the heroes themselves through interactive displays. Ever wanted to see Thanos’s Infinity Stone-laced gauntlet? Dying for a look at Captain Marvel’s patriotic suit? Eager to hear the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack directly from Star-Lord’s Walkman? It’s all at the MSI this fall during the versatile Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes exhibit.



While general admission to the MSI doesn’t include this special event, you can buy tickets when they become available directly on the MSI website and explore the rest of the museum while you’re there. The Marvel exhibit will be on display through April 2021, so you have plenty of time to enjoy the MCU when it arrives on October 8, 2020.

Here’s a sneak preview of what the exhibit looked like while in Seattle!



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