Events

9:00 PM, Free

Hungry Brain
2319 W Belmont

Heavy Metal 101 featuring Michael Robbins and Keidra Chaney

Ever wonder what distinguishes Doom Metal from Black Metal? Keidra Chaney will walk us through a geneology of Heavy Metal including an editorial analysis of what makes “true” metal different than, you know, stuff you’ve probably heard. Poet Michael Robbins will give some personal musings on the value of Metal and talk about what its like to become a Metalhead later in life. Chicago Underground Film Festival Curator and Black Metal Junkie Bryan Wendorf will keep things loud before and after the lecture.

Michael Robbins’s first book of poems, Alien vs. Predator, will be published by Penguin in spring 2012. His poems have appeared in The New Yorker, Poetry, Fence, Boston Review, and several other journals. His book reviews appear regularly in London Review of Books and Poetry, his music reviews in the Village Voice. He is a doctoral candidate in English at the University of Chicago.

Keidra Chaney has written and edited for indie publications and blogs including Clamor Magazine, Colorlines, Bitch: Feminist Response to Pop Culture, ALARM Magazine, Chicagoist.com and others. She blogs at thelearnedfangirl .com and enjoyandexciting.com. She is a lifelong metalhead, music nerd, competent bass player and frustrated singer.

9:00 PM, $7 suggested

Elastic Arts
2830 N Milwaukee

Songwriter Showcase and Open Mic featuring Andy Rosenstein and Jeremy David Miller

Andy Rosenstein plays keyboard for Bumpus, and writes for and fronts Clip Art. Rosenstein’s songs draw inspiration from the pop music of the 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s. He avoids much of the cynicism of contemporary indie music. Instead, Rosenstein writes with an infectious exuberance and a playful naiveté. Even songs about breaking up bounce with optimism.

Jeremy David Miller writes songs in a blues rock or classic rock tradition, but with a punk anger and frustration. His songs are angry and confrontational, and his guitar lines rip. His grandmother showed him how to write songs when he was five, and he’s been writing ever since. He feels he’s gotten pretty good at it. Miller says this about his songwriting: "There are two things in life that can come so close to flying; they are swimming and singing. I sing much more than I swim. Yesterday at band practice, I thought, I’ve got to get loud to get high; I’ve got to get high to get loud. It worked.