HELP OUT: CLLAW XXXV Lady Arms Wrestlers Benefiting Sideshow Theatre Company & Girls Rock! Chicago

The Chicago League of Lady Arms Wrestlers Presents

CLLAW XXXV: Pageant of Champions

Saturday, February 8, 2020 at Logan Square Auditorium

(left to right) CLLAW 34 Co-Champs Shaydes and Cursula at The Chicago League of Lady Arm Wrestlers’ 34th match CLLAW XXXIV: Good vs. Evil at Logan Square Auditorium. 

All Photos by Trainman Photography.

Benefiting Sideshow Theatre Company & Girls Rock! Chicago

Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows, we love it when our friends play well together, especially when it's for a great cause. Sideshow Theatre Company & Girls Rock! Chicago are both long time favorites of ours. My daughter attended Girls Rock! Chicago summer camps for years, from age 9-12, and it was an incredible experience. She got to write music and learn to play bass and drums. She even got to perform on stage at legendary Chicago venues: The Metro, Thalia Hall, and Bottom Lounge twice.

As a theatre critic since 2010, I've seen numerous Sideshow Theatre Company productions as well, and they're a great asset to Chicago's vital storefront scene. Come on out February 8th and support both excellent organizations and have a lot of laughs and a great night out at the same time.  

CLLAW34-5 (left to right) Hot Babe-tato vs. The PRIDEator 

The Chicago League of Lady Arm Wrestlers (CLLAW) puts the “win” in winter with its 35th match CLLAW XXXV: Pageant of Champions on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at Logan Square Auditorium, 2539 N. Kedzie Ave. in Chicago. CLLAW’s benefit match will feature Chicago’s biggest, baddest lady arm wrestlers, live musical entertainment from funk band OD Jo and a cash bar. Doors open at 9 pm with the first match beginning at 9:30 pm. Tickets, priced at $25, are available in advance at www.cllaw.org or $30 at the door (the ladies will gladly take cash or credit at the door). The event is 21+.

(left to right) Cursula wins the final bout at The Chicago League of Lady Arm Wrestlers’ 34th match CLLAW XXXIV: Good vs. Evil at Logan Square Auditorium. Photo by Trainman Photography.

All proceeds from CLLAW XXXV will benefit Sideshow Theatre Company and Girls Rock! Chicago.

The Main Event 

Their names echo through the ages. They come from all corners of Chicago, united only by one dream: to elbow their way through the competition and wrestle their way to the top. Who will unseat reigning co-champions Shaydes and Cursula? Joined by CLLAW’s Mistress of Ceremonialisms Harry Scaray, referees Beau K and Dick Douchee and commentators Vallery Dolls and Shirley Blazen, the line-up of not-so-lady-like ladies in outrageous costumes volunteer their time to vie for that most cherished prize – the bedazzled CLLAW gloves. Who will leverage their way up the bracket? Or bribe their way to the top? All these questions and more will be answered, and all of Chicago is invited to bear witness.

(left to right) Sister Frida Rage vs. Taylor Fist 

CLLAWdience Participation and Prizes 

Not content to leave the fun in the arms of its competitors, CLLAW XXXV gets everyone in on the action. Audience members have the opportunity to purchase CLLAWBUX, the official currency of CLLAW, throughout the night. With their CLLAWBUX, onlookers can bet on their favorite wrestlers to prevail, and maybe slip a few to the referees to even the score. All CLLAWBUX purchased also go towards fantastic raffle prizes. Half-priced CLLAWBUX are available in advance.

CLLAW34-3 (left to right) Cousin Becky vs. Violent Beauregarde

All for a good CLLAWse

A portion of CLLAW XXXV proceeds will benefit Girls Rock! Chicago, committed to building socially just community with girls, transgender youth, and gender non-conforming youth by developing leadership, fostering self-esteem, and encouraging creative expression through music. For additional information, visit girlsrockchicago.org.

Proceeds also benefit CLLAW’s creator and producer, Sideshow Theatre Company. Since its first match in 2009, Sideshow’s CLLAW events have helped fundraise for numerous Chicago based non-profits including the GirlForward, Chicago Women's Health Center, {she crew}, The Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE), Barrel of Monkeys, C4 - Community Counseling Centers of Chicago, Girls Rock! Chicago, Marwen, Rock for Kids, About Face Youth Theatre, 826CHI, CAPE (Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education), Ayodele Drum and Dance, The Chicago Human Rhythm Project and others.

(left to right) Jigglybuff vs. Cursula 

EVENT DETAILS:

Title: CLLAW XXXV: Pageant of Champions 
Date: Saturday, February 8, 2020
Time: Doors open at 9 pm, first match begins at 9:30 pm   
Location: Logan Square Auditorium, 2539 N. Kedzie Ave., Chicago                     

Tickets: $25 in advance at www.cllaw.org or $30 at the door (cash or credit). Half-priced CLLAWBUX are available with advance ticket purchase: $30 includes 10 CLLAWBUX, $35 includes 20 CLLAWBUX. Cash and credit cards are accepted for tickets, CLLAWBUX and CLLAW merchandise. A cash-only bar is available.

Benefiting: Sideshow Theatre Company and Girls Rock! Chicago.

 (left to right) Sister Frida Rage vs. Aunt Nance

About Chicago CLLAW and CLAW USA
CLLAW is a member of CLAW USA, the national Collective of Lady Arm Wrestlers. It is the mission of CLAW USA to empower women and strengthen local communities through theatre, arm wrestling, and philanthropy. CLLAW includes a compendium of female-identified participants and seeks to create a safe space for all participants and audience. We seek to mirror the diversity of our greater society and welcome participation from people of diverse identities by age, race, class, ability and gender definition.

About Sideshow Theatre Company:
Sideshow Theatre Company: Theatre for the Curious. It is the mission of Sideshow Theatre Company to mine the collective unconscious of the world we live in with limitless curiosity, drawing inspiration from the familiar stories, memories and images we all share to spark new conversation and bring our audiences together as adventurers in a communal experience of exploration.

Over its 10+ year history, Sideshow is proud to have distinguished itself as a vital member of the Chicago theatre community. Sideshow was awarded the 2016 Broadway In Chicago Emerging Theatre Award by the League of Chicago Theatres. Sideshow is a multiple Jeff Award-winning theatre and has been listed on the “Best of” lists in 2012, 2013 and 2014 by Time Out Chicago and the Chicago Sun-Times. Sideshow continues its multi-year residency at Victory Gardens in the historic Biograph Theater in the 2019/20 season.

Sideshow is also the producer of Chicago League of Lady Arm Wrestlers (CLLAW), a wildly popular fundraiser held in benefit of Sideshow Theatre Company and other local community organizations. CLLAW has been featured in local and national press, including The Washington Post, Reuters and the Chicago Sun-Times and on WGN Morning News, ABC 7’s Windy City Live and CBS 2. For more information about CLLAW, visit cllaw.org.

For additional information on Sideshow Theatre Company, visit sideshowtheatre.org.

(left to right) Cousin Becky vs. Sister Vagina Dentata 

Family Fun at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo

Check out our original photos from C2E2 2012 Saturday above


 
R2D2?    No....C2E2!!!

Yeah, OK... maybe both.   R2D2 @ C2E2

 



Du-Jay & Sagezilla dug C2E2 and can't wait for 2013

 



It's bigger on the inside....



This year's Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) will be their biggest by far. Tickets are selling earlier and faster than ever.  As of the final week of February, VIP tickets are sold out; 1-Day ticket sales are up 65%; and 3-Day ticket sales are up 78%. This is an overall increase of 64% compared to last year! 



**Meanwhile, their exhibit space is also growing...at this point, they are 25% larger than last year.** 



This is great news as it means that the Midwest - and Chicago, in particular - is becoming a center for pop culture enthusiasts similar in scale to New York and San Diego. 



Have you gotten your tickets yet?   Don't miss out.   Click here and order your tickets as soon as possible.   ChiIL Mama will be there...will YOU?!   We'll have photo filled recaps, individual features, hot new releases, reviews, and free downloads for you.   So check back with ChiIL Mama/ ChiIL Live Shows like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often!!

C2E2 2013, April 26-28, 2013 at the West Building at McCormick Place.

Check out their main site here for special guests and more.
  
Our ultra favorite thing about C2E2 isn't one show or genre even...it's mash ups and context!   We swung by Micky D's on the way out and it was beyond amusing to see the comic book world superimposed on reality. It's all about context.  As realtors are fond of saying...location, location, location.



"Welcome to McDonalds, may I take your order?"
 


  

We also love to see the colorful mash ups that organically happen in the crowd as everyone's story lines intermingle.   

Steampunk was a growing presence at C2E2 12, and we bought a fabulous corset & a wooden mustache monocle.

 

We also bought a unique ocarina necklace & a "teacarina" musical, pottery tea cup/instrument among other finds.  






Sagezilla and Du-Jay enjoyed the show, and it's fairly family friendly.   There were a ton of kids of all ages there, and there was plenty for kids to see and do, particularly for tweens and teens.    


Kick Ass fam friendly fun at C2E2

Sure, there's a plethora of the usual comic book boobs n gore...so skip it with the littles if they're very young and easily freaked out, or if you're uber conservative.  Otherwise, dress up and come on down!



Of course we're suckers for any excuse to play dress up, and enjoy seeing adults who are reeeeeally into what they're into, and we dig comics, anime, Dr. Who and games.   That means C2E2 is right up our alley.








First time we ever quoted Mr. T around Sagezilla, she thought we said "I'm Winnie the Pooh", and used to repeat it in a booming Mr. T impression.  To this day I still can't hear "I pity the fool" without laughing.

 

We saw many fun freaks, and even derby zombies from The Outfit!

 

 There were loads of graphic artists, actors & writers about.

Promises...promises

We're a little bummed.   These Romanian artist guys took a steam punk photo of Sagezilla & Du-Jay and said they'd anime the kids and send us the sketch via e-mail after the show, and it never happened.    Was that supposed to read get your sketch a year from today?!

We're coming back to find you for C2E2 2013, so start sketching... long haired boy and tiny but mighty grrrrrl, or they'll kick you in the kneecaps!

You can even get inked up permanently, with some new scars, if you're brave & of age.   I do have 4 tattoos, but not from C2E2.   We just stuck with the kind of ink you turn the pages on!



We also saw another of our big favorites--Threadless--and stocked up on more, cool, artist designed t's!   They give back to the community and work with kids for free, at Girls Rock Chicago camps, 826Chi Writing Workshops and more.

Sage spent her "helpful works" cash on a bunch of seriously rockin' handmade fimo necklaces another kid had made.  They were one of a kind and one of the coolest thing we saw at the whole show because they were so creative.   She also bought a Shawnimal Ninja necklace.   



Du-Jay bought Activision Skylanders, one of his Wii favorites.

 

We also ran into one of our favorite author/artist duos... Kim & Dino, of Traegonia fame.  

We gave away a set of their excellent books to one of our lucky readers in December, as part of our huge Holidaze Giveaways.  





 The Traegonia books are a middle grade, eco-friendly fantasy series our family really digs!!  Highly recommended.   Check out their main site right here.



 

 

Come on out and play.   C2E2's a must see for geeks, gamers, pop culture enthusiasts, families and YOU!

Help Locally: Girls Rock! Chicago News

Here at ChiIL Mama we make a point to volunteer with great arts organizations and charities. And we're happy to publicly thank other individuals and businesses who step up and help locally, too.  Next week Sage will return for her 2nd year of Girls Rock! Chicago Camp.  They're an amazing, grrrrl centered, creative, empowering program.   They run on grrrl power and on volunteer power, and keep things sliding scale so nobody will be turned away for a lack of ability to pay! 

Want to help locally?   They're still looking for volunteers of time and money.   

Here are their upcoming events and a thank you list to those stepping up already.   Volunteering is good for your mind and soul!


Check out some of ChiIL Mama's Past Girls' Rock Coverage here:


GR!  Chicago benefit 2011-Minutemen cover band Econoline-photo filled recap


GR! Chicago upcoming benefit-Fugazi cover band 


Final Showcase at Metro--Flip Cam Recap of All 18 Bands-Session One

              

              

 UPCOMING EVENTS 

END-OF-CAMP EXTRAVAGANZA  

 

   Saturday, July 28th | Doors 1:30pm & Show 2pm

   Bottom Lounge: 1375 W. Lake St. | Chicago, IL

 
   All Ages! FREE for kids age 8 and under!

If you missed out on the phenomenal first session’s End-of-Camp Extravaganza, breathe a sigh of relief knowing July’s campers will be rocking Bottom Lounge on Saturday, July 28th. Session two of Girls Rock! Chicago summer camp 2012 will produce 18 camper bands who will spend the upcoming camp week turning original tracks into hours of entertainment for the showcase. Don’t miss out!  Doors open at 1:30pm and the rock stars of session two will take the Bottom Lounge stage at 2:00pm. Be sure to arrive on time to catch the carefully selected track lists of our newly minted camper DJs! Every great show should begin with a dance party!

As always, this event is ALL AGES and super family-friendly, so bring the whole crew.

CURRENT VOLUNTEER NEEDS

SESSION 2 CAMP WEEK! 

There are still volunteer roles available for next week's rock camp! If you know anyone interested in empowering our campers, point them toward our online application or contact Volunteer Coordinator, Molly (molly@girlsrockchicago.org) directly, to be sure we have everything we need in time for camp on Monday!

We're specifically seeking instrument teachers (bass & keys) and an on-call nurse or doctor who can make themselves available next week.

GRAB THE CARDBOARD BOXES: GR!C IS MOVING!

Between noon and 4pm this Saturday, July 18th, GR!C will be boxing up all merch’ and manilla folders and moving 'round the corner to a sunny little storefront at 2623 W. Armitage. We’re excited to occupy a new setting, but please keep sending us potential space suggestions. This move is only temporary as we'll continue searching for a space to accommodate year-round programming post-camp.

If you’re available to pack boxes or move a couple quick loads, please email joan@girlsrockchicago.org. We have the van, but we could always use an extra set of hands!

THANKS TO CAMP KICK-OFF & CAMP WEEK BANDS!

Our campers enjoyed quite the variety of music throughout session 1 as well as during the Camp Kick-Off event on June 23rd. From mariachi to hip-hop and ska—our guest performers got even the sleepiest campers tapping their toes throughout the afternoon live shows. Bands stuck around to sign autographs and even (as seen in the photo on the right with campers and The Wanton Looks) let campers test out their gear.

Special thanks to all our past camp performers and next week's session 2 performers for taking the time to entertain, inspire and motivate our campers:

CAMP KICK-OFF BANDS:

Mariachi Surprise // Heavy Manners // The Recruitment // The Locals  

CAMP WEEK 1 BANDS: 

Purple Apple // The Lucky Dutch // FM Supreme // The Wanton Looks

THANK YOU! 

GR!C has a super long list of thanks to shout-out to the masses after such a fun-filled first camp session for 2012! The first of many goes out to all our wonderfully talented volunteers, without whom rock camp could not happen. (Sweet sketch to the left courtesy of GR!C's Volunteer Coordinator, Molly Walsh, who says, "THANK YOU!"

.....................

[MORE THANKS!] SPACES, PLACES, POSTERS & TASTES

Our smooth first session can also be credited to the supportive administrative staff at Chicago Quest. One administrator at our host school, Jason, spent several hours moving and assembling gear, while Principal Michael coordinated all-hours school entry/exit logistics and Education Director Sybil came out to Bottom Lounge to speak and show our June rockers support—an amazing group all around. 

Thanks to the awesome folks at Guitar Center, Jason and our volunteers had plenty of gear to assemble! Because they generously addressed our gear needs prior to session one, we're plenty prepared for our session 2 campers! Special shout out to our new friends, Guitar Center's Carlos and Vic, who personally delivered several new drum kits and took the time to assemble each.

We're looking forward to our second End of Camp Extravaganza on July 28th when we'll reconnect with the Bottom Lounge crew for another successful showcase (thanks, BL!), and we're equally excited to head back into Wall2Wall Recording next Sunday for expert services courtesy of their staff and our engineer, Dominique.

GR!C was thrilled when Nick Butcher & Nadine Nakinishi of Sonnenzimmer studio agreed to design the posters for our June and July 2012 End of Camp Extravaganzas. The talented printmakers are known for producing hand-crafted posters that go beyond simply publicizing upcoming events. Instead, their works of art achieve a highly-coveted collectors’ item status as soon as they're lifted off the press. Each lucky GR!C camper receives their session’s 6-color screen print at the camp week’s end, but we certainly keep backstock available for the super fans who come out to shows and events for their own copy. If you’re as big a fan as we are, we recommend you visit the merch table during the 2nd session showcase at Bottom Lounge (July 28th) to claim your own one-of-a-kind Sonnenzimmer poster. 

Thanks, Nick & Nadine!

            

             

LET'S GET CONNECTED

HAVE YOU "LIKED" GR!Chicago ON FACEBOOK? PLEASE DO!...OH, AND TWITTER!

Check out GR!C on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/GirlsRockChicago) for all the latest rock camp news...and there's twitter for getting the immediate word out to the masses: @girlsrockchi