Entitled The Black Messiah, this entire album is amazing. No matter what race you are you need to hear this great work of art. The vocals, the instrumentals, and the production all come together perfectly. The message hits hard and must be heard right here, right now. This project was written for a Christmas like …
I coordinated volunteers and drove a long van (now deemed unsafe due to being prone to tip on its side) and a short bus to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, which is located near Chicago’s Midway airport. The present facility’s size will boggle your mind! Philanthropist Ann Lurie donated money to help construct the building, …
John Lomacang Delivers the Best Sermon Since the Sermon on the Mount. It is titled, “Shaken.” https://www.amazingfacts.org/
The Urban Dictionary has two definitions for Illannoy: 1) The innate ability of Illinois residents with a “better than thou” attitude to upset other Midwesterners; especially those from Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. 2) A state of mind of Wisconsin residents exacerbated when Illinois residents consider Wisconsin “Illinois’ State Park”. Illinois passed legislation so that on …
Good news! They can still rock in Chicago! And still make pizza! I lived my first 26 years near Kimball and Foster in Chicago. I was a child, a teenager, and an adult in Chicago. I have been thoroughly marked by all of the city’s idiosyncracies. One positive thing I still remember and miss was …
I have walked “Pulaski at Night” unarmed and alone and lived to tell about it. Curious, ever-changing, Chicago. On warm nights in September Pulaski could feel like this song that the Youtube algorithm picked out for me. And the algorithm made the perfect choice. Just listen.
Tomorrow, June 13th, Chicago White Sox will “commemorate” the 40th anniversary of Disco Demolition Night with a free T-shirt promotion. The announcement – during Pride month no less – has re-opened the discussion around the destruction of a Gay, Black, and Latinx art form at the hands of a primarily white mob led by white …
From Urbandictionary.com: “Waterboys are men or boys who willingly run errands for girls that they are interested in, however the girls are not interested in them. They do things such as taking her trash and disposing it. Buying and bringing her food. Getting her water. Whether she asks you or not. One key difference between a …
I have been an employee of the Federal government for over 25 years and never planted my arse in a Federally-owned building. Since that arrangement will change in a couple of weeks I have been purging my 10’x10′ cubicle of “institutional knowledge,” various reports, and documents I have not perused in over 15 years. Basically, …
Wife’s on a plane to Europe, kid is watching Fortnite videos on YouTube, I’m on my fourth glass of wine, and so sit down and listen to …. … Ultimate Manilow. I know I’ve been listening all week to Scott Walker (the recently deceased genius if morose musician,* not the other one), but this seems …
INDUSTRIΛL ΛCCIDENT from Wax Trax! Films on Vimeo. According to pitchfork.com, “a documentary about the influential Chicago label and store Wax Trax! Records has been announced. INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT was directed by Julia Nash—daughter of Wax Trax! co-founder Jim Nash and owner of Wax Trax! Films—and it features interviews with Steve Albini, Trent Reznor, Dave Grohl, Ian …
Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was a leader of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. He would have turned 90 years ago the other day had he not been assassinated. A Baptist minister, Dr. King championed nonviolence and civil disobedience as means to make society welcome …
At the not so tender age of 15, Bella Rios rocks the tools to be a multi-instrumentalist Singer and Songwriter residing in the insanely tough town of Chicago, Illinois. Having mastered the guitar, piano, bass and saxophone, all before lunch, Bella is no stranger to raw, open musical talent. Her newest superheated single, “Under The …
Beneath the Hollow is a four piece metal animal from Chicago, IL. With their sophomore album Nihilist, the band offers a dark, agressive and hauntingly melodic sonic landscape. I’d go see this band. The vocals on “Nihilist” and “Omens” from the new album sound similar to Corey Taylor of Slipknot, and that is a compliment. …
Today, Grayshot share their rendition of the beloved Holiday classic, “Christmas Time Is Here,” from the 1965 TV Special, A Charlie Brown Christmas. The timeless tune has been covered by so many incredible artists, Aaron Ankrum, one of the brothers who make up Grayshot says, “This song has been a foundational part of our Christmas …
My Alma Mater, North Park University (Chicago, IL), used to be a national powerhouse in Division III (non-scholarship) men’s basketball. North Park won national championships in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1985, and 1987. The hoops’ team fell on very hard times after the release of the head coach who guided the Viking ship to the last …
Heather O’Neill is a supremely gifted songwriter working out of Chicago. Take a listen to her Transmute EP. A few months ago she sent her amazing acoustic track “Red Roses for Lady Blue.” I loved it then and still do. As I said, the guitar playing on this track is haunting and tender and perfectly …
This is a beautiful, uplifting video shot on a CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) train. Thanks to Victor L. Cooper
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” ― Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities My wife and I recently spent some time in California. I was disturbed at the human conditions in San Francisco. I wrote to the San Francisco Chronicle (below) and even though my letter to the …
So I am obsessing over Chicago, I will admit. This all started when I noticed that much of the XTC catalogue had been upgraded and issued in terrific blueray/CD editions. I got a few, and they do sound fantastic. Much of the praise centered on one Steve Wilson, who remixed and remastered the albums and …
On March 6, 2018, Chicago’s fabled classic rock station, WLUP (97.9), announced it was being acquired by Educational Media Foundation (EMF). Since 2014 “The Loop” has been operated under a local agreement with Cumulus Media. However, as part of a bankruptcy filing last month, Cumulus withdrew plans to buy the station, and so the search …
Heather O’Neill is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Her first showbiz job was passing out flyers for an English band in Liverpool when she was 16. “I’ve had my share of interesting day jobs,” she says. “A barista in New York City, an extra in L.A., a record store employee in Chicago. Remember those?” Lately …
On April 4 I finally got to see Chicago’s Celtic punk rockers Flatfoot 56. I think it was 2009 when I saw them last opening for Street Dogs. That was the last time they played Seattle. I would have missed this show entirely if it weren’t for a bit of serendipity. I was sharing some …
K’Valentine will be opening for Talib Kweli on his Seven tour, coming through Portland on 1/26 at Wonder Ballroom. On a cold snowy day at a downtown Chicago hospital, K’Valentine made her entrance into this world. She served as an early Christmas gift for her mother. The news of her birth also excited her father, …
The Chicago Tribune has printed a four-part series on a subject I wrote about last year: https://www.eastportlandblog.com/2015/09/22/the-pope-pig-manure-and-minnesota-water-quality-by-mark-erickson/ Here’s one Tribune article regarding pig polluters: http://digitaledition.chicagotribune.com/launch.aspx?pbid=3e7227b1-e3b7-4fac-aa07-5f943e58b4c5 As I read the article that landed on my doorstep today I recall the book The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, which exposed the production and sale of meat and the …
On the eve of the Pitchfork Music Festival last month, I read the Chicago Tribune’s preview of the three day event. The article coded the entertainers by genre such as EDM, hip hop, indie, rock, etc. On day one, the first act was a rock band called Beach House. On day two, Brian Wilson was …
I keep my grandpa’s wooden box full of foreign coins and coins I find interesting. I hadn’t looked through it for a long time. I was dusting tonight and found this CTA token. What happy memories~thought you– and all of the Chicago diaspora nation– would enjoy seeing it. I don’t know if tokens like this …
Garrison Keillor has occasionally referenced the basement of a Lutheran church as well as a dinner entrée called a casserole (aka hotdish) during his successful, long-running radio show, A Prairie Home Companion. I was raised in a denomination, i.e., the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC), which is similar to Lutheran (two sacraments: baptism and communion). I …
Muddy Waters was interviewed countless times in his long career, often by people who had little knowledge of his life or his music. Pete Welding was a different case. He owned Testament Records, a Chicago Blues label that recorded many of Muddy’s contemporaries and friends. In this brief but illuminating interview, Welding knows the likely …
Recording artist Dreezy teams up with fellow Chicago native Jeremih for her first official single, “Body.” Produced by Blood Diamonds, this smooth sultry track is digitally available now. The spitfire rapper proves just how versatile her style is. She’s one of the game’s most promising artists so stay tuned for more to come in 2016.