The Verve Pipe play Complimentary Love LIVE at The James #Video

The Verve Pipe play Complimentary Love LIVE at The James Hotel VIR (very important rocker) Breakfast.  

The Verve Pipe-Worrisome One LIVE at The James #Video #Kidzapalooza

The Verve Pipe--Worrisome One--LIVE at The James Hotel VIR Breakfast  Kidzapalooza Pre-Party.   

Check out ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows in the coming weeks for loads of kindie music give aways, more live show clips, band video interviews, photo filled recaps and more.

The Verve Pipe-Wake Up LIVE at The James Hotel VIR Breakfast

The Verve Pipe-Wake Up LIVE at The James Hotel VIR Breakfast  Kidzapalooza Pre-Party

Tor Hyams, Co-Producer of Lollapalooza introduces them as MC

ChiIL Mama has been enjoying The Verve Pipe's music for adults and their first CD for kids.   Now they have another one in the works and are hoping to release in a few months, later this fall!    We'll have exclusive, original video interviews, still shots, and loads more original, live concert clips leading up to their new release.    We're even giving away another of their sweet CDs, paired up with 4 other rockin' kindie artists.    So check back like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often!!

Kindie Land: Laura Doherty-El Train-LIVE at The James Hotel #Kidzapalooza #LIVE video # $75 CD giveaway

Laura Doherty-El Train-LIVE at The James Hotel--Kidzapalooza pre-party VIR (very important rocker) Breakfast Sunday 8/5/12


It was our great pleasure to attend the VIR (very important rocker) Breakfast at The James Hotel for the 3rd year.  This 8:30am Sunday, pre-Kidzapalooza bash has become a sweet tradition.  VIR Breakfast is a free, intimate showcase with kindie bands from the Kidza lineup, and it always fills fast.

Local Chi-town, kindie musician, Laura Doherty led the lineup at The James and played the Kidza stage two days as well.   We'll have loads of her live show footage from Martyrs coming this fall, along with more sweet give aways.

For regular "Kindie Land" news, reviews, and give aways check back with ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.   

Between August 10th & September 10th, we'll rock the end of summer and send you singing into the fall and back to school season with 16 free kindie (kids' indie) CDs!!    

We've broken them into 4 winners--two will win 5 CDs each and 2 will win 3.   You have a month to spread the word and enter often.

Here's our first:
Click the links for our past coverage/CD info.   Full reviews on the new ones coming soon.

Enter here for your chance to win all 5 ($75 approx retail value!!) by Great Kindie (kids' indie) Artists!!

**Kidzapalooza Performer, Laura Doherty's CDs

Kids in the City & Shining Like a Star

*Big Bang Boom-Because I Said So (still unreleased!  Coming Sept 18th...be one of the first to hear it & have it.)   They rocked the Kidzapalooza Stage in 2011.



*Melissa Green-Sing Loud (new release 7/31)








*Recess Music-Someone Else's Shoes (new release 7/31)

"SOMEONE ELSE'S SHOES" - FEATURING GRAMMY WINNERS CATHY FINK & MARCY MARXER AND EMMY WINNER JAMIE BROZA - A RECESS MUSIC "BEST FOOT FORWARD" CD

*Wait for Rafflecopter to load up (if you've gone through RSS feed or are scrolling down the blog and don't see it, click on the actual page title and it should pop right up).  Entries accepted nationwide.   Enter like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.   Winning rocks! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ballad of a Salad-LIVE at Hideout-Chris (Sandman) Sand

ChiIL Live Shows/ChiIL Mama had a chance to catch Chris (Sandman) Sand and Tony Rogers at their recent Chicago show at Hideout.   Here's Ballad of a Salad live and the music video version, shot last summer in Tony's kitchen, below.    

*Check out our full video interview with both musicians here.


We'll have a shorter version of just the How Creatives Parents and How Parents Create excerpt here in the near future.

Kindie Land: 4 Free Tickets To Candy Band-Instant Win Contest

Candy Band sings their original, "I'm A Monkey" LIVE at Beat Kitchen in 2011

Original video by ChiIL Mama

Happy Earthday & Record Store Day!   We have a special, super speedy give away for our readers.   The first one to correctly name just ONE of Candy Band's 5 CDs in the comments section wins FOUR FREE TICKETS to see Candy Band LIVE at Beat Kitchen THIS SUNDAY at noon!!   If you have to ask...you can find the answer on their main site right here.

ChiIL Mama's stoked to be a sponsor of the awesome Beat Kitchen Concerts for Kids Series.   Check in like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often for loads of original live concert videos, band interviews, give aways, photo filled reviews and upcoming funky, fun events.

Candy Band is one of our all time favorite kindie bands.   We've seen them rock Kidzapalooza twice and it's a rare treat for them to come in from Detroit...Motor City and play here in Chi-Town.   Don't miss your chance to see these rockin' Punk Mamas!!   They do a mean cover of Ironman and Godzilla as well as punked up versions of classics like Pop Goes The Weasel, for your punk kin.  Highly recommended!!

Beat Kitchen Kids Shows are just $6 and infants are free.   Shows are all ages with parents and aimed at birth through 10.   

We have loads of live Candy Band show footage and two video interviews on our YouTube and Vimeo Channel with more new clips to come veeery soon.  Check it out here, then check 'em out live! 

Candy Band-Skip To My Lou from ChiIL Mama and our Candy Band video Interview on Vimeo.

Sunday, 4/22  Candy Band--noon at Beat Kitchen  (all ages-aimed at birth-10 with parents) Do NOT miss these awesome Detroit punk Mamas!   Check out ChiIL Mama's 2 video interviews with the band and live concert footage on our YouTube and Vimeo Channels.    

SAVE THE DATE:

Sunday, 4/29  Mary Macaroni--noon at Beat Kitchen

Beat Kitchen's Concerts for Kids are winding down for the summer outdoor fest season.   So get out to the last few shows and rock out with your littles.   Then we'll see y'all back in the fall. 

Chi-Town is Kindie Land this weekend:
Other great family friendly shows on our radar 

Little Miss Ann at The Hideout today at 3:30pm

Little Miss Ann

Future Hits

Sat, April 21, 2012

Doors: 3:00 pm / Show: 3:30 pm (event ends at 5:00 pm)

The Hideout

Chicago, IL

$5.00 - $10.00

Tickets Available at the Door

CircEsteem-HD Video--Pre Team's Pre Show Opener for Toys Take Over

Check out the next gen of up and coming CircEsteem performers with Pre-team's juggling pre-show!   ChiIL Mama's own Du-Jay and Sagezilla love learning from their mentors on team and were excited to be asked to open the Team Circus show yesterday.    For upcoming show dates, class info and more, check out CircEsteem's main site right here.

Kindie Land: Suzi Shelton-Video Interview & Live Tomboy in a Princess Dress

ChiIL Mama's original video interview 
with Suzi & her son, Sebastian 

First off, happy birthday to NY Kindie artist, Suzi Shelton, born March 7th.   My sister was March 4th, my son on the 11th, & my birthday is still coming March 31st, so you're in good company!   ChiIL Mama's birthday gift to Suzi is this sweet, original video interview and rockin' LIVE version of Tomboy in a Princess Dress, shot at Beat Kitchen Concerts for Kids in Chicago, with Little Miss Ann and their respective kids playing along, too.   Check 'em out!

ChiIL Mama's original video of Suzi, Miss Ann & their kids Tomboy in a Princess Dress 
LIVE at Beat Kitchen-Chicago

For Suzi's birthday, we also gave prezzies to one of our lucky readers!

This month, we just gave away over $60 in awesome kindie CDs & DVDs.   Congrats again to Melissa P. who won:

ChiIL Mama's ChiIL Kindie Collection featuring Suzi Shelton, Bari Koral, & Little Miss Ann!!    

This amazing set of 4 CDs and a DVD, includes 3 of the best women rockin' out for little kids today.   One lucky reader will be sent:

• Anna and the Cupcakes-Bari Koral's brand new CD-just released 2/14/12
  
• Walk With Me-Little Miss Ann's new CD-released 1-15-12
• Suzi Shelton's:  No Ordinary Day, Music for Kids, and DVD Suzi Shelton LIVE at Southpaw!!

*Click here for our ongoing giveaways.   

Later this week we'll be posting our next ChiIL Kindie Collection that will be open through April 15th.   We'll be featuring give aways including books/MP3s and a brand new CD by Caspar Babypants, Laura Viers new CD and The Okee Dokee Brothers!

We'll also be posting our original video interviews with Laura Viers, The Okee Dokee Brothers, and Ellis Paul and a review of all of their CDs plus a new DVD by Gustafer Yellowgold.   So check back with ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often, or better yet, follow us by e-mail or RSS feed (in the right side bar), and/or on Twitter and Facebook, so you don't miss something great.

More exciting news this week--Big congrats to Suzi, whose official music video for Tomboy in a Princess Dress just kicked booty on Wednesday on a Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl match up vs. The Bazillions, gaining 80% of the vote!   Check it out right here.   This is one of our fav Suzi tunes over at ChiIL Mama.   Princesses for the new millennium unite!

Like what you hear?    Check out Suzi Shelton's main site here and follow her on FB and Twitter for show updates, new release info and more.

Kindie: Little Miss Ann-Put Out Your Hand (Original Live Video)

ChiIL Mama shot this original, live show footage at Beat Kitchen at Miss Ann's CD release party on January 15th, 2012.    Walk With Me is her 3rd release.

Save the Date: Film is Dead: Edges of the Digital Frame Opening February 2nd

We are pleased to announce I Am Logan Square (IALS)'s first new media exhibition, Film Is Dead: Edges of the Digital Frame, a video exhibition that celebrates the new wave of underground cinema featuring works by Nelson Carvajal and Amir George. The exhibition's opening reception will be held on Thursday, February 2nd from 6 to 8:30 pm, at the I Am Logan Square Gallery, located at 2644 N. Milwaukee Avenue. To coincide with the opening of Film is Dead, IALS will also host an Industry night on Tuesday, January 31st at Cafe con Leche/D'Noche with esteemed professionals from the film sector.

Film is Dead: Edges of the Digital Frame will be on display through the end of February. The gallery will be open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, from noon to 6 pm and by appointment.


Film Is Dead: Edges of the Digital Frame

 A Radical Video Exhibition That Celebrates the New Wave of Underground Cinema
“Film Is Dead: Edges of The Digital Frame” is a radical video exhibition that celebrates the new wave of underground cinema. Incorporating aspects of video appropriation, off-kilter narratives and culturally conscious video mash-ups, the works of Nelson Carvajal and Amir George represent an underexposed avenue of truly independent filmmaking—one that steers clear of traditional “film school” tropes and textbook rhetoric.  

Film Is Dead: Edges of the Digital Frame, a video exhibition that celebrates the new wave of underground cinema, will open on Thursday, February 2nd from 6 to 8:30 pm, at the I Am Logan Square Gallery, located at 2644 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Revolution Brewing will be providing its signature bacon fat popcorn and seasonal beer for the reception accompanied by delicious treats by Paper Moon Pastry.

Carvajal, the exhibition’s curator and featured artist, helped launch Cinefile, a niche online networking platform for independent filmmakers. His handheld camera technique was a topic point in Jim Emerson’s (editor of RogertEbert.com) essay “Screw the Tripod” earlier this year. George is the head programmer behind the Cinema Culture. His festival platforms have included the likes of the Seen and Heard Music Video Showcase (in collaboration with Chicago Filmmakers) and guest curating a Salonathon video event for the Chicago Underground Film Festival.

Additionally, Carvajal will be a special guest at I Am Logan Square’s upcoming Industry Night on Tuesday, January 31st, centered around the film industry. The guest line-up will also include esteemed industry professionals Shayla Kloska, Marketing Director of the Logan Theater and David Schmüdde, Executive Producer of EarthCircle Films LLC and Associate Professor at the Illinois Institute of Art. IALS’s Industry Nights, designed to connect established and emerging arts professionals, take place the last Tuesday of every month from 6-8pm at Café con Leche/D’Noche, located at 2710 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Film Is Dead: Edges of the Digital Frame will be on display through the end of February. The gallery will be open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, from noon to 6 pm. IALS hosts monthly gallery exhibitions of works by local artists and accepts exhibition proposals on a rolling basis. Participating artists and/or curators must either live or work in Logan Square to exhibit their work and priority will be given to group or collaborative shows.

About I Am Logan Square
I Am Logan Square is a local, non-profit organization that promotes and increases awareness of the arts while enhancing cultural development in Chicago’s vibrant Logan Square neighborhood. In addition to serving as Chicago’s number one resource to discover and explore the ever-expanding arts offerings and events in the Logan Square neighborhood, I Am Logan Square presents a series of arts, networking, and other special programs including the annual Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, featuring curated art exhibitions in pop-up galleries and in establishments as well as arts activities, music, and performances along the Milwaukee Avenue corridor between California and Kimball in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood. The 2011 Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival was presented from July 29 to July 31 and dates for 2012 are presently to be determined.

Waltzing Matilda-Little Miss Ann & Suzi Shelton (live at Beat Kitchen)

Double click the slide show for full screen & other options

ChiIL Mama shot this original, live, show video at Beat Kitchen's Concerts for Kids Series in Chicago in November 2011. Waltzing Matilda is a folk song from Australia and appears on Miss Ann's 3rd CD, Walk With Me, slated for release January 15th, 2012.

Enter here through Friday midnight for your chance at 4 free tickets to Miss Ann's CD release party at Beat Kitchen this Sunday at noon!

Tech The Halls--PopCap Game Reviews (kid video)

The elves are swamped, so check in with Santa's expert in the 10 year old boy department--Tech Toy Tester, Dugan.   He'll tell you what's up with some of PopCap's best, award winning games like Plants Vs. Zombies, Bejeweled 3, Peggle & Peggle Nights and Bookworm Deluxe.

 


Plants vs. Zombies - Winner: 2011 Parents Choice Award.

 
Excellent fast-paced strategy game. A mob of fun-loving zombies is about to invade your home, and your only defense is an arsenal of zombie-zapping plants. Fun for the whole family – anyone age 5 to 105 can enjoy this game!

“Plants vs. Zombies leaps to the head of the tower defense pack by virtue of its polish, humor, simplicity and seductive strategic depth.”
-New York Times

“Lovingly made, so joyfully silly, and yet completely compelling.” 
-PC Magazine


 

Bookworm Adventures- Winner: 2011 National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval

Build words and battle monsters in this spelling sensation. Kids come away loving vocabulary and spelling!

“Bookworm Adventures Deluxe is a fantastic, family-friendly pick for word game fanatics.”
USAToday.com

“…I recommend the game wholeheartedly if you are a fan of word puzzles…you will quickly be racking your brain to come up with words that have x’s z’s or v’s in them and having a great time doing it.”
blogcritics.org

“…the perfect kids game with serious adult appeal.”
gamingwithchildren.com




Peggle- Winner: 2011 National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval

Each level of Peggle challenges the player to shoot a limited supply of balls at a field of colored pegs to clear out specifically marked pegs while attempting to achieve a high score through skilled shot planning.

“Peggle is a great game. It has a rhythmic, hypnotic quality not often found in other media.”
-NY Times

“Do yourself a favor and give Peggle a chance — it may not grab you by the lapels at first, but give it a few minutes and you won't be able to pry yourself away from the computer.”
-USA Today

Fans of other PopCap titles will likely recognize Peggle for what it truly is: a colorful, addictive game whose brilliant simplicity only adds to its charm and appeal.”
-Entertainment Weekly

 

Bejeweled 3 -(3 new platforms 11/15)

 
Fans of all ages have already logged 9 billion hours playing Bejeweled, and it’s on the road to complete gamer domination with one copy sold every 4.3 seconds.  Bejeweled 3, the hottest version of the most beloved match 3 game in history, was released for Xbox, Play Station 3 and Nintendo DS on November 15, 2011, just in time for the holidays. Price: $19.99

About PopCap Games:
 
PopCap Games is the leading global developer, publisher and operator of casual video games: fun, easy-to-learn, captivating games that appeal to all ages across PC, mobile, social and other platforms. Based in Seattle, Washington, PopCap was founded in 2000, was acquired by Electronic Arts in 2011, and has a worldwide staff of more than 500 people in Seattle, San Francisco, Vancouver, B.C., Dublin, Seoul, Shanghai and Tokyo. PopCap's games have been downloaded over 1.5 billion times by consumers worldwide, and its flagship franchise, Bejeweled®, has sold more than 50 million units.


All games available at major retailers including Best Buy, Sam’s Club, GameStop, Target, Amazon, Fry's, Comp USA, Walmart and online. Price: $2.99 to $14.99 depending on platform.

A Christmas Story The Musical: Ralphie to the Rescue Song & Interview With Ralphie & His Brother

Ralphie to the Rescue is one of our favorite songs in the whole show.  Our kids are already enthusiastically singing it, and we can't wait to see it on the big stage at The Chicago Theatre.  ChiIL Mama caught a rehearsal of A Christmas Story the musical in Chicago, exactly 2 months before Christmas and two weeks into the rehearsal process.  The rest of the country was counting down to Halloween, but the cast was in their own dual holiday version of A Nightmare Before Christmas, with A Christmas Story by day and Halloween decor by night. 
  
Since then, they've been on a 6 city tour and have come full circle, back to Chicago again.   A Christmas Story the musical is set to open at The Chicago Theatre tomorrow night!  It was such fun to catch a sneak peek, early in the production and interview Ralphie and his brother, a number of Chicago kids, Gene who plays Jean/the narrator, who is also a Chicago native, and the Tony Award winning director.

We'll be airing all of those interviews and another big song and dance number (hint:  it involves leg lamps!) today, as we count down to opening night 12/14/11!    We'll have a full review after tomorrow, but based on our sneak peek and reviews from the run so far, we're super stoked to see the show, and highly recommend getting your tickets before they sell out.

Check out our interview with two talented kids from Seattle who play brothers in the show.   This is the first touring show for both of them, and word is they're not only holding their own, but thoroughly entertaining and impressing audiences!

Interview With Ralphie-Clarke Hallum & his little brother-Matthew Lewis 

 

 

Joffrey Ballet-#1 Nutcracker Child Interviews and Video Show Footage

ChiIL Mama was elated to be invited to Joffrey's final dress rehearsal for The Nutcracker.  I shot the footage above during the final, afternoon run through before opening night.

Then we were lucky to catch a number of local Chi-Town ballerinas for a group interview below.  These talented kids have all been taking ballet since their toddler days and have put in numerous hours of practice and dedication to rise through the ranks to become mice and party guest in the #1 Nutcracker in the nation!   Check out their wise advice to other aspiring dancers, the ways they combat stage fright and more.



That evening we went back and saw the show.   We were absolutely enamored after seeing the opening night of Joffrey Ballet's Nutcracker.  It was Sage's first time to see a full, professional production of The Nutcracker, and Joffrey's was a wonder to behold.  The show absolutely earns the title of #1 Nutcracker in the nation.  Everything from the orchestra to the set design, costumes, and dancing was exquisite.

  
There was some buzz in the audience that the large cast made the stage a bit cluttered and the main action got a bit lost in the melee, and there's some truth to that.   I thought it was a fair trade off for the benefit of having 118 kids involved and inspired.  It was stunning to see so much color and action and so many kids in well choreographed chaos.  

The children in the audience certainly connected and engaged with the story more, with the excess of children involved.  And it's such a stellar opportunity for the cast kids to have the chance to work so closely with pros.  It's also a brilliant move on Joffrey's part, as all those choir kids and all those tiny dancers have family and friends eager to come see their own little shining stars.  Two casts rotate nights.

Yumelia Garcia was particularly stunning and accomplished as the Sugar Plum Fairy.  We also thoroughly enjoyed the darkly delightful portrayal of magical puppet master, Dr. Drosselmeyer, by Matthew Adamczyk.   Of course, all the tasty treats from around the world, 


the mice, the party children, the Snow Queen, King, and their snow consorts, Clara and the guests were all entertaining and amazing.  

 

It was purely magical to see it snow on stage on the first real day of snow we've had this winter.   And the giant, steaming tea pot and massive Mother Ginger and her Polichinelles were a delight.

Here's the scoop on the show details:

 

The world renowned Joffrey Ballet once again transforms the Auditorium Theatre into a winter wonderland full of magical toys and waltzing snowflakes during the annual production of Robert Joffrey’s The Nutcracker.  One of Chicago’s favorite holiday traditions, Robert Joffrey’s The Nutcracker has been delighting audiences both young and old since its first Chicago performance in 1996.  The Nutcracker is presented in 20 performances at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, December 9 – 27, 2011.

The curtains rose on The Joffrey Ballet’s The Nutcracker on December 10, 1987 at the Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa, with the production then embarking on a national tour.  Since then, The Joffrey Ballet has maintained the most Nutcracker tour dates of any major ballet company in the country, easily making it America’s #1 Nutcracker.  The year marks the launch of the 25th anniversary of Robert Joffrey’s The Nutcracker, culminating in 2012 with an official Silver Anniversary celebration.

When Robert Joffrey choreographed The Nutcracker with the help of his Co-Founder Gerald Arpino, he replaced the traditional European setting common in other Nutcracker productions with a 19th century American home, populating it with toys from his own childhood.  From there, familiar characters Clara and the mysterious Dr. Drosselmeyer embark on an adventure where toy soldiers battle legions of mice, the Snow King and Queen whisk them away to an enchanted forest, and the beautiful Sugar Plum Fairy delights them with an array of exotic confections.  The Joffrey Nutcracker maintains the classical purity of Robert Joffrey’s and Gerald Arpino’s original choreography while sparkling with elegant costumes, an extravagant set by Oliver Smith and a giant Mother Ginger puppet by Kermit Love.

The full Joffrey company is joined onstage by 118 young dancers from Chicago and beyond, dancing in the opening Party Scene and later as Mounted Mice, Toy Soldiers, Dolls, Snow Tree Angels and with Mother Ginger as Polichinelles.  This year saw a surge in interest from the Chicagoland community, as attendance at the Nutcracker children’s cast auditions, held September 18, rose by a double-digit percentage from last year.  In addition to the young dancers, young vocalists from five different local children’s choirs will perform the choral parts from the magical Snow Scene throughout the run of The Nutcracker.  They include the Barrington Children’s Choir, the British School of Chicago Choir, the Lake Bluff Middle School Choir, the Pro Musica Youth Chorus and the Providence-St. Mel School Choir.  The choirs will also delight audiences with popular seasonal selections in the Auditorium Theatre's main lobby one half-hour prior to curtain and during intermissions at every performance.  The Chicago Sinfonietta provides live accompaniment of the classic score by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky for every performance.

Performance Schedule and Pricing for The Nutcracker:
The 2011 performance schedule for The Nutcracker at the Auditorium Theatre is as follows:  Friday, Dec. 9, 7:00 pm; Saturday, Dec. 10, 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm; Sunday, Dec. 11, 2:00 pm; Thursday, Dec. 15, 7:00 pm; Friday, Dec. 16, 7:00 pm; Saturday, Dec. 17, 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm; Sunday, Dec. 18, 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm; Tuesday, Dec. 20, 7:00 pm; Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm; Thursday, Dec. 22, 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm; Friday, Dec. 23, 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm; Saturday, Dec. 24, 2:00 pm; Monday, Dec. 26, 2:00 pm; and Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2:00 pm
 

Single tickets, priced between $30 and $115, are available for purchase at The Joffrey Ballet’s official Box Office located in the lobby of Joffrey Tower, 10 E. Randolph Street, as well as the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University box office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, by telephone at (800) 982-2787 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.  

 

The Joffrey Ballet is grateful for the 2011-2012 Season Sponsors and Partners.  With special thanks to The Nutcracker Presenting Sponsor BMO Harris Bank and Production Sponsors, the Macy’s Foundation and Lexus; Abbott Fund and NIB Foundation, co-sponsors of the New Generation Season; United Airlines, Official & Exclusive Airline; Chicago Center for Orthopedics at Weiss, Official Healthcare Provider; and AthletiCo, Official Provider of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Services.  The Joffrey also acknowledges the New Generation Season Partners, UBS, Live Music Partner and Groupon.

The New Generation Season Continues:

For its winter engagement, The Joffrey Ballet presents “On the Threshold,” a mixed repertory program of three groundbreaking pieces by contemporary choreographers William Forsythe, Wayne McGregor and Christopher Wheeldon.  “On the Threshold” opens with Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, a Company Premiere for the Joffrey, originally created for the Paris Opera Ballet in 1987.  With music by Thom Willems in collaboration with Leslie Stuck, In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated is a purely abstract work that combines classical ballet lines with fresh, rapid-fire virtuosity and an air of cool detachment.  

The program continues with the return of Wheeldon’s After the Rain, a 2010 Company Premiere for the Joffrey that received unanimous critical acclaim, set to the minimalist, classical music of Arvo Pärt.  The winter engagement is completed by the U.S. Premiere of McGregor’s sumptuous work Infra, premiered by the Royal Ballet of London in 2008.  The Joffrey is the first company other than the Royal to perform this work.  Infra is set to an original score by Max Richter, a mix of mournful strings and calmly indifferent industrial sounds.  The set includes a 59-foot LED screen suspended above the stage displaying walking pedestrian animations by British artist Julian Opie.  Beneath it (“infra,” Latin meaning “below”), 12 dancers execute McGregor’s quick, intricate and hyper-articulate movement, displaying both the dancers’ strength and impressive flexibility.  Made just after the London Tube bombings of ’08, the work simmers with a vibrant emotional undercurrent, conjuring a poignant sense of the constant flux and hypnotic monotony intrinsic in urban life.
 

For more information on The Joffrey Ballet, please visit joffrey.org.

Mr. Singer & The Sharp Cookies Cover The Cramps-Goo Goo Muck, LIVE Concert Video & Photo Filled Redmoon Theatre Halloween Recap

We're huge fans of The Cramps and White Stripes, so we were stoked to hear Mr. Singer and The Sharp Cookies cover both at their Halloween Beat Kitchen show yesterday.   The show was so much fun!







We also had fun Friday at Redmoon Theatre's Halloween Party.   I'm a sucker for fire shows, so that was fun, and it was OK for what it was--basically a free dance party with DJ, cash bar and super short, very similar shows throughout the evening.   The shows were basically one opera singer, a musician on theremin/keyboard and fountains of fire.   We had a good time and ran into a lot of friends there.


However, drink lines were brutally long, the event wasn't kid friendly, and it wasn't the creative, interactive theatre spectacle of Halloweens past by a long shot.   Still, if they did it again and made clear what it was, I'd go again if they quadrupled the bar tenders and varied the entertainment a bit more.

Mr. Singer & The Sharp Cookies Halloween Show-Got A Monster In Me (LIVE video)-Punkin' Prom

 Mr. Singer & The Sharp Cookies Halloween Show at Beat Kitchen-Got A Monster In Me

Punkin' Prom
I'm tempted to print that Punkin' Prom's 2nd year at Lincoln Hall was terrible and tell everyone to stay away, but I can not tell a lie.   Despite the fear that our awesome little secret will be out, making this event overrun and crazy next year, it was awesome and deserves some kudos.    Thanks Miss Mia and Ratso for a fabulous free event.    We got HUGE pumpkins and kits to take home for a tiny little sum of $5.    The band, The Cell Phones, was a hoot!    And everyone had  a rockin' time with the dance party, costume contest and pumpkin carving/contest.    They shot footage for an upcoming Chic-A-Go-Go episode, so keep your eyes peeled.

Mr. Singer & The Sharp Cookies-LIVE Concert Video & Trick or Treat Roscoe Village and Clark Street Spooktacular

ChiIL Out with ChiIL Mama today.   We have loads of fun, Halloween themed footage from Mr. Singer's show at Beat Kitchen yesterday.   We'll be posting new clips all day, so check in like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.


We'll have photo filled recaps soon from Redmoon Theatre's Halloween Party Friday and Punkin' Prom at Lincoln Hall with Miss Mia, Ratso, and Chic-A-Go-Go Saturday.


In this post we're featuring Saturday's Spooktacular on Clark, and Sunday's Roscoe Village Trick or Treat.   



We got some fun shots at Clark Street's Spooktacular this year.   Check out the slide show above.   Sage shared her mad circus skills from CircEsteem with a street performer we happened upon, "Circus Boy".   And there were some creative costumes.


Unfortunately, Spooktacular wasn't so spectacular this year.   They've finally reached the critical mass point where it was uncomfortably crowded, more than half the merchants were out of candy two hours before the slated end of trick or treat time, and the costume contest was poorly run.   


The past two years, the contest was in a spacious, outdoor area.   This year someone had the boneheaded idea to move it into a storefront where everyone was standing on top of one another and the kids were crabby, hot and unhappy about long waits for the judging.   There were a huge number of entrants and the age categories were far too big with 6-10 year olds all lumped in together.   Even the awesome animal (the Muppet drummer) costume didn't even place in 1st-3rd!    We'll be skipping this one next year and can no longer recommend it in good conscience.


****Note to parents:   If you don't have a homemade costume, PLEASE skip entering costume contests (unless it's stated every entrant gets a consolation prize or there's some very compelling reason).   Sure that princess dress you dropped mega bucks on may be cute, but these contests are meant to reward creativity and originality and all the mediocre store bought costumes are gumming up the works with hundreds of kids with no hope of winning, and making these things drag on far too long!    





Roscoe Village Trick or Treat the Merchants & Mr. Singer's Halloween Show at Beat Kitchen With Hot Glue Gun DIY Dragon, Du-Jay, and Rock Star Ghost, Ember, Sagezilla.




Roscoe Village's trick or treat and costume parade was also well attended and crowded but run much better.    The Lane Tech marching band lent a joyous air to the festivities.   Check out Lane Tech's creative video here and vote as often as once a day through 11/7 to help them earn a grant to buy new instruments.   They've made a hilarious and heartfelt parody to the tune of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.   Lane Tech's entry in the Glee Give a Note Contest, "New Instrument Rhapsody", is super creative and well worth a look and a daily vote.


There were also quite a few merchants out of candy here, but I have a bit more sympathy for them after talking to our long time friend, Patty, who owns the funky, fun salon, Big Hair.   She said she spends $500 every year on candy for the event.   That's a serious investment!


Remember to check back in early and often for more live footage and holiday fun.   Happy ChiILoween.   Enjoy!

Happy Halloween-Mr. Singer Covers White Stripes Little Ghost

Here's some of our live footage from Mr. Singer & The Sharp Cookies rockin' Halloween Show.   Big congrats to their drummer, Maurius Mustard, whose wife Honey just gave birth to their 2nd child today!   Welcome baby Stella.   


ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama this Halloween week as we bring you loads more live Halloween show footage, photo filled features, and more.  We'll be bringing you a "Tech or Treat" feature, great video game give aways from Activision, new news from PopCap and 30Second Mom and so much more.


We'll have a grand tour of the new Wonder! store including a video tour and interview with the founder.   We'll have video interviews and live show clips from A Christmas Story the Musical.    


Remember to enter to win some great DVDs for adults/older kids.  Entries taken through midnight Halloween night.  Tomorrow we'll be posting a big "What We're Watching" recap and picking our winners.  If you love Iggy Pop, Jesus Lizard, and Elvis Costello, this one's for you!   All info stays confidential except the winner's first name/last initial and is never shared, sold or scrawled on bathroom walls.   Enter right here for your chance to win.

Laura Doherty-Live at Schubas-Music Video: The Hotdog Song

It was great to see so many of you at Martyrs today for Laura Doherty's CD release party!    ChiIL Mama will be posting that show footage in the coming weeks.    We'll also be reviewing and giving away 3 copies of Shining Like A Star, if you haven't gotten yours yet.   For now, here's some fun, live footage we shot at Laura's Schubas show earlier this year.


We hope to see many of you again tomorrow at noon at Beat Kitchen for some rockin', sockin' robot fun with Human Tim + Robot Tim.

Kindie: Laura Doherty LIVE at Schubas-I'm A Tree & El Train

Enjoy ChiIL Mama's Kindie Count Down to Laura Doherty's brand new CD release party this Saturday at noon at Martyrs.   Be there or be....a tree?  


We're posting 2, never before seen, LIVE concert videos every day this week, so come ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama and enjoy some fun folk tunes with your littles.