The Hideout will present the musical celebration "Of Great and Mortal Men: 43 Songs for 43 U.S. Presidencies" on Friday, July 3rd at The Hideout, and also in a free show on Saturday, July 4th from 12 noon to 3 pm at the Taste (South) Stage at the Taste of Chicago. Tim Tuten hosts.

The live show will feature approximately half of the songs from the album and will include the three principal songwriters of the album: J. Matthew Gerken, Christian Kiefer (both of Sacramento, CA) and Jefferson Pitcher (of Flesherton, ON). Joining Gerken, Kiefer, and Pitcher—and in keeping with the guest-heavy triple CD release -— both live shows will feature performances of Of Great and Mortal Men songs by many of Chicago’s most exciting live bands including The Singleman Affair, Jon Langford (Mekons), Steve Dawson (Dolly Varden), The Gunshy, Jeff Harms, Sin Ropas (with Tim Hurley of Red Red Meat), The Bitter Tears, and Tim Kinsella (Joan of Arc).

“We try to keep this project close to whatever community we’re performing it in and have been very selective of how and when we do these songs live,” noted Christian Kiefer. “We’ve done it locally in Sacramento with our friends in the local scene, and in Washington, D.C. with friends from the area (including Tim Fite, Nellie McKay, and These United States), and at SXSW with traveling bands from all over the world (including Guggenheim Grotto and Palomar). It seems a good fit to bring it to Chicago for Independence Day and we feel so fortunate to be joined by so many great Chicago musicians.”

The original triple CD was released in September by Standard Recording (Indianapolis) with a 100+ page full color book featuring specially commissioned portraits of each President. The release features a slew of special studio guests including Califone, Alan Sparhawk (Low), Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters, Sun Kil Moon), Bill Callahan (Smog), Denison Witmer, Tom Brosseau, Radar Bros., Rosie Thomas, Marla Hansen (Sufjan Stevens), Stephen Yerkey, Steve Dawson (Dolly Varden), Vince DiFiori (Cake), Monahans, Chris Grabau (Magnolia Summer), James and Jexie Toth (Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice), and Tom Carter (Charalambides).

The project initially came about as part of “February Album Writing Month” a website that challenges songwriters to write 14 songs in 28 days. The three songwriters behind the project, Christian Kiefer, J. Matthew Gerken, and Jefferson Pitcher wrote and recorded rough demos of the first 42 songs in February 2006 (leaving only George W. Bush for later). “Someone to Wake,” Kiefer’s song about Barack Obama, debuted on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered just a few days before the inauguration and is still available for free from the NPR website and from 43presidencies.com.

“I believe it’s important to be critical citizens,” Kiefer notes. “It’s an important aspect of American political life that is sometimes buried under the guise of patriotism. I hope this project might give some listeners an opportunity to ponder this nation’s leadership, perhaps in new and interesting ways.”

More information can be found at 43presidencies.com, christiankiefer.com, jeffpitcher.com, and nicemonstermusic.com.

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Yea Big + Kid Static is hip-hop for the stationarily challenged, the soundtrack for your next dance-off, the preamble to next your coup. Yea Big + Kid Static will overcome you like a band of parkour ninjas wearing jet packs leaping over your grandmother's privacy fence to steal a pie. Yea Big + Kid Static are one part short shorts, one part cybernetic organism, all parts awesome. Yea Big + Kid Static are a comic book style action figure for all ages, ready to destroy the plastic casing and blow up the spot with the power and skill of 47 stuntmen wearing mylar battle gear. Be prepared to duck.

When they're not blowing up spots, one travels the country jumping on to and flying off of buildings, while the other practices mind control techniques over a pack of designer breed dogs. Among the supporting cast of Yea Big + Kid Static is Brad "Freeck" Breeck of the Mae-Shi (Kill Rockstars/5RC), Hank Hofler of Oh Astro (Illegal Art), Gregory A. Odeneal, Manpreet Bedi, Stephen Ganser, Eric Lower, and Camm Rowland.

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Mar Caribe started when Tom McGettrick (banjo, ukelele) and Tom Santiago (guitar) began trading simple riffs and unfinished songs with one another while sitting on a rooftop underneath an airline flight path. Soon Cole Blodgett (bass) and Jason Eckerson (mandolin, clarinet) joined in with their creative inventions as professionally schooled musicians accelerating the style toward whatever destination it is presently headed. This collaboration yielded a four song demo produced by Crushed Red Records. The four band members continued to write and perform music that combined Spaghetti Western, gypsy jazz, and bluegrass with a mildly tropical twist. As the evolution of the troupe continues Bob Frech (trumpet, drums) has complimented the dynamic and further migrated the sound in a more Southwesterly direction.

Time Out Chicago Description: This local quartet plays what could only be called “soundtrack music.” Its repertoire basically sounds like dramatic background music indicating, say, the advent of a gunfight or the main characters' arrival in an exotic small town. And they do it with bluegrass instrumentation; Tom McGettrick's banjo takes all the lead lines. This is an interesting idea that the group should take farther.

Tune in each week for your favorite country & bluegrass bands from Chicago, including The Golden Horse Ranch Musical Band, The Lawrence Peters Outfit, Tangleweed, Blue Line Riders, and more. Yee haw!

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We’re back, with more free food

That’s right. It’s the summer event you’ve been waiting for!

VEGGIE BINGO!

Join us at the Hideout on Wednesday evenings from July 8 to September 9 for a friendly round (or six) of bingo to benefit Chicago’s community gardens. Each week we highlight a different local garden. Prizes range from jars of locally produced honey, bottles of hot sauce, and handmade soap to the grand prize of a box of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables, courtesy of the very generous folks at Irv and Shelly’s Fresh Picks.

Veggie Bingo runs from 6 to 8 PM every Wednesday for ten weeks. The actual bingo games start at 6:30, and run about an hour. Cards are $1 a pop, or six for $5, and can be purchased from your bartender. All proceeds benefit NeighborSpace, a nonprofit organization that acquires and preserves community open space in the city.

In addition to the veggies, we’ll also be loading up the grill with free hot dogs and tofu pups. Bingo games will be led by an all-star team of callers, starting with dapper country crooner Lawrence Peters on the 8th. See the Hideout website and this blog for upcoming celebrity callers as we book ‘em.

The particulars
What: Bingo!
Where: The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia
When: Wednesdays, 6-8 PM, from July 8-September 9
Who: The Hideout, NeighborSpace, and Irv and Shelly’s Fresh Picks
Why: To raise money to help Chicago’s gardens grow.

About our partners

NeighborSpace is a nonprofit urban land trust dedicated to preserving and sustaining community managed open spaces in Chicago. Their network of almost 70 gardens provide thousands of people the opportunity to grow fruits, vegetables and flowers; to restore habitats; and create unique gathering places in their own neighborhoods. NeighborSpace’s partners in the community can rest assured that the land will remain dedicated to conservation and their efforts will never be displaced. To volunteer in a community garden near you email info@neighbor-space.org or call 312-431-9406.

Irv & Shelly’s Fresh Picks offers year-round home delivery in the Chicago area of local and organic produce, meat, dairy, eggs, baked goods and more. We are partnering with sustainable farmers to grow the supply of local food in a way that protects our health and the environment. Come join us and make a difference One Bite at a Time!

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Tim said...
This is a residency that I have dreamed about for 10 years. Ken Vandermark, Mike Reed and friends are coming to the Hideout this Wednesday and every Wednesday forever. The Immediate Sound music series will bring guests from around town and around the world. Ken, Mike, and their friends will either be here at the Hideout, or curating the shows.

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We are soooo pumped to have Fiery Furnaces here at the Hideout with their new Thrill Jockey labelmates, Double Dagger, who will surely set the place on fire (figuratively).

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The inimitable Nina Nastasia returns to the Hideout for two nights to perform some classics and some songs never heard before. The concerts will be recorded for a live album to be released next year. Two stellar string players will join Nina onstage, and the whole affair will be filmed for posterity. Come be a part.

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In the Hideout's front yard, Bloodshot Records is bringing top shelf music as part of a nationwide series of fan appreciation Beer-B-Qs being held this summer in celebration of Bloodshot's 15 year anniversary!

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