Can You Name That Bug?

5$ to the person who can tell me what this is. Found it on the stoop.

Manu Chao

I was able to go see a show last Sunday at the Aragon and it was a pretty cool experience. The person I went to see was Manu Chao. His band that plays behind him is called sound system. The Aragon was packed when we got there. Luckily we had tickets cause it was sold out and there was a line literally around the block. Manu Chao was born in Paris, France and after, forming a band, he moved to Madrid, Spain. That alone makes his music interesting, but over the years Manu has played with all sorts of different people - groups from Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Manu is very much influenced by the places he has been and therefore his music is very diverse. At any moment you will be listening to French, English, Arabic, Portuguese, but mostly he sings in Spanish. The concert was crowded, ridiculously hot with no AC, the sound was not the best (not to mention in Spanish most of the time) and yet this concert was one of the best I had ever been to. The atmosphere was unbelievable and it felt like at any moment the people in the crowd would run out into the streets singing his songs. The crowd felt as though they really were hanging onto every word that Manu Chao spoke. He would stop, say some words in Spanish ("papers for all") and the whole place would erupt into cheers with several different flags being flow in the air. Also, the music itself was like nothing I had ever heard before. He would go from a slow style of rock to reggae to what sounded like Rage Against the Machine all in the same song. Being down in the middle of the madness will not be forgotten. Once it was over and I was leaving with a shirt that was now completely covered in sweat and my ears ringing all I wanted to do was go out and by one of his CDs and if he is to come to Chicago again I will with out a doubt be there again.

The Patriot Games Part 4

Well it is almost time again for one of the greatest events of the summer, The Patriot Games 4th Annual at Oz Park (Webster & Larabie, Chicago, IL). This year it is being held on Saturday the 30th of June. As usual we are expecting a great crowd with some real competitive games going on. Hopefully this year we can exceed our numbers from last year because like last year we will be donating money for a cause. This year we will be giving much needed money to the children of Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (Our Little Brothers and Sisters), a home for orphaned and abandoned children in the south of Mexico. Ellie has been volunteering at this home for the past 5 months now and has come to know and love all these kids. As usual there will be tons of food and plenty of beer along with great people and a ridiculous time. Shirts and teams will be decided around 11:30 this year so get there on time. We are hoping for 80 plus people which would be a similar style tournament as last year, but we are expecting something more around 70 more like the second year. The cost this year is the same as last year, $35, with that you get a shirt, food, beer, an amazing day and also a donation. If you are going and can mail a check early it is always appreciated, 1848 W Henderson Chicago, IL 60657. I hope to see everyone there.

The Next Generation

Last Thursday I got to finally see The Next Generation and they were amazing. They are made up of Tommy Sullivan, Eddie O'Connor, Johnny Russo and Liz Sullivan. They also had a drummer but I don't know his name. The band played at one of my old suburban hang outs Tommy Nevins Pub in downtown Evanston. The concert showed a wide range of what this crew can do. They played I would say almost every song you would want them to from Wilco to the Grateful Dead and from Jurassic 5 to Irish Music. They have also written their own songs, which are all unbelievable. The band was made up of two guitars, a bass, a violin, a keyboard and drums - it was an impressive set up. The strange thing I heard over the weekend though is that Tommy Nevins stiffed them and they were not paid at all. They were told that the bar would collect a cover at the door that they would get and then any money the bar made over a certain amount they would get to split with the bar. Instead they didn't even collect a cover and they also didn't give them a cut of the bar money even though they made 300% over what they were supposed to. Anyways, whatever, bands life I guess. They are playing again real soon at the Irish Heritage center. I' ll try and figure out when.