I got an email earlier today stating that the Chicago's Promoter Ordinance, which was tabled last May after an outcry from opponents who said that its passing would result in certain disaster for Chicago's music scene, was going to be pushed "for a second attempt...through legislation" by the Chicago City Council.
That email, on the behalf of the 4themusic organization, was based upon initial reports from the Sun-Times.
However, Jim DeRogatis, who broke the news initially, is now reporting that that Ald. Gene Schulter, who was allegedly behind the second push, is denying that the measure is moving forward.
Robert Rawls, communications director for license committee chairman, told DeRog via email that "The Promoters Ordinance is not on the agenda for the March 11th meeting of the Committee on License and Consumer Protection. At this point, [Alderman Schulter]...does not know when this issue will be brought before the committee for a public hearing."
We'll have to wait and see about that public hearing business, as the city likes to pass legislation behind closed doors--a practice utterly anti-democratic (small d or otherwise).
To read the email in full, and catch up on your Ordinance backstory, go here and here, respectively.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Videos: Chicago Journalism Town Hall
(Chicago Journalism Town Hall - "Snarking is cheap, but investigative reporting is expensive")
Anyone with even the most modest of journalistic aspirations should watch the entire Chicago Journalism Town Hall, uploaded by the town hall's YouTube Page. The panel touches on most of the touchstone issues surrounding journalism in the 21st Century, including whether or not newspapers have/even need the resources to do in-depth reporting, and if Google can truly help websites. I've embedded those two videos at the top, and bottom, of the post. Watch the rest of the discussion over here.
(Chicago Journalism Town Hall - "Google's the answer. No-Google is dumb.)"
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Local Community Radio Act Reintroduced Into House
Via:
Let's all contact our Congress-people, yes?
The bill that will help the Chicago Independent Radio Project secure a broadcast frequency has been reintroduced in the House of Representatives. This time around, it’s H.B. 1147, still called the Local Community Radio Act.
Let's all contact our Congress-people, yes?
Wilco Reveal General Release Date of Their New Album, Tour
In addition to releasing a new DVD exclusively to independent record stores, Chicago-based eclectics Wilco have been teasing listeners with the prospect of a new record for quite some time. Those who are looking forward to 2007's Sky Blue Sky follow-up can have their anticipation further heightened. By way of a newsletter (later picked up by New Musical Express), the band said that they were "major progress on the upcoming soon-to-be-titled LP," hunkering down in their famous loft with producer/engineer Jim Scott, and that they've got a "calendar for release in June" in mind. The band/NME advises listeners to pay close attention to the band's website in the coming weeks for new album news.
Of course, no new album would be complete without a tour to support it, and Wilco have announced a handful of new dates for the Spring.
Tour Dates (via):
Burlington, VT Higher Ground (March 26)
Northampton, MA Calvin Theatre (27)
Beacon, NY Beacon Hight Auditorium
Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theater (April 14, 15)
Bloomington, IN IU Auditorum (16)
Athens, OH (17)
Knoxville, TN Tennessee Theatre (18)
Athens, GA Classic Center (20)
Ahseville, NC Thomas Wolfe Auditorium (21)
Birmingam, AL Sloss Furnaces (22)
Oxford, MS Lyric Oxford (23)
New Orleans, LA Jazz & Heritage Festival (25)
Manchester, TN Bonnaroo (June 11-14)
Detroit Lakes, MN 10,000 Lakes Festival (July 22-25)
Wilco MySpace Page
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Tours: Elvis Perkins in Dearland
Download: Elvis Perkins in Dearland - "Shampoo"
April 02 Paris, FR La Maroquinerie
April 03 Amsterdam, NL Paradiso
April 04 Brussels BE AB Club
April 06 London UK ICA
April 07 Madrid ES Sala Sol
April 23 Northampton Iron Horse Music Hall
April 24 Providence Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
April 25 Burlington VT Higher Ground
April 27 Il Motore Montreal QC
April 29 Toronto ONT Horseshoe Tavern
April 30 Chicago IL Schubas Tavern
May 01 Madison WI Memorial Union Terrace
May 02 Minneapolis MN 400 Bar
May 03 Davenport IA The Redstone Room
May 05 Lawrence KS Jackpot Music Hall
May 06 Omaha NE The Waiting Room
May 08 Denver CO Hi-Dive
May 09 Boulder CO B Side Lounge
May 11 Austin TX The Parish
May 12 Dallas TX Pontiac Garage at HOB
May 13 Houston TX Walters on Washington
May 14 Hattiesburg, MS Thirsty Hippo
May 15 Birmingham AL Bottletree
May 19 Arlington VA IOTA Club & Cafe
May 20 Brooklyn NY Bell House
June 11-14 Manchester TN 2009 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
* w/ Tim Eriksen Shape-Note Extravaganza
Elvis Perkins in Dearland MySpace Page
Elvis prepares to head out into the real world like a good boy would by scheduling a series of dates in the late Spring months. Perkins and his Nashville Skyline-era Dylan-isms (the end result being that he's a thinking man's Jack Johnson. Hold your tongue.) will be settling into Schuba's Tavern on April 30th.
Jim DeRogatis Recaps Ticketmaster/Live Nation Merger Hearing
Say what you want about Jim DeRogatis' musical tastes, but homeboy has got it absolutely covered when it comes to bringing us the deets surrounding the Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger/end of independent music as we know it. Yesterday, he live blogged the Senate hearing, and you can read his recap of it here. For my money, this is the key passage of why the Ticketmaster/Live Nation is bad news for music fans:
Read the rest here
Washington, D.C. concert promoter Seth Hurwitz, co-owner of the legendary 9:30 Club, added, "How much control is too much? You can't blame Live Nation at this point [for wanting more] any more than you can blame a shark for eating people."
The hearing ended with Chairman Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) noting that the committee has urged the Justice Department "to examine [the merger] closely" before granting its approval. Beltway observers say this ruling will be the first significant test of the Obama administration's stance on antitrust issues."
Read the rest here
Video: Kanye West - "Stronger" (Live on VH1 Storytellers)
(Via)
Of all the albums from last year that could've been on MFR's "Top Albums We'd Like To Hear Audio Commentaries For," Kanye West's 808s and Heartbreak is at the absolute top. After all, to have an entire album of sadness, woe, and regret from one of the cockiest bastards in the business (face the facts, that's why we love him) is fascinating--especially given the heartbreaking circumstances of the album's creation.
Luckily, we've got VH1's "Storytellers", a program that I didn't even know was in existence still, covering that beat for us. Kanye's one of the artists playing the show, and his segment will air on Saturday. In the meantime, Stereogum has got video of Kanye performing Graduation's Daft Punk-sampling "Stronger". Watch it at the top of the post.
Here's 'Ye's setlist:
"Nightmare"
"Robocop"
"Flashing Lights"
"Amazing"
"Say You Will"
"Stronger"
"Good Life"
"Heartless"
"Touch the Sky"
Kanye West MySpace Page
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