Annie Baker’s captivating new play Circle Mirror Transformation continues this week and next at the Station Theatre in Urbana. The play follows five Vermont residents as they participate in a six-week Creative Drama class. As …
Hey, remember when we bugged you to take a survey at Spot.us and raise money to support Brenda Koenig’s recycling pieces? That worked out pretty well, so we’re trying it again. This time around, it’s …
Oh, hello there, C-U, Did you know that Smile Politely is not an elitist, dipshit organization of idiot writers and wanna-be novelists? Well, OK — maybe some of us — but on the whole, we’re …
Congrats to John Anderson for being nominated to be CMJ’s Specialty Music Director of the Year! If you’re headed to NYC with a CMJ badge, give John and WEFT some love and vote! http://prod1.cmj.com/articles/display_article.php?id=197548253
Living Downstream documentary film based upon Central Illinois Biologist’s book debuts at Art Theater on October 16th. Living Downstream is a feature-length documentary based on the book of the same name by Sandra Steingraber. Sandra …
Without using the terms “abysmal failure” or “tail between its legs” the DIA made a good, pragmatic change of direction this week — returning Illini Basketball’s kickoff event to the intimate confines of Huff After …
Hello SP.com readers — Just a quick note, for those who care. For the time being, we’re going to be modifying our publishing schedule. So, for those of you looking for The Overture, Listen Up, …
From an email from Champaign County Health Care Consumers: The 5th & Hill Neighborhood Rights Campaign is holding a special community meeting on Monday, October 4, 2010 featuring two environmental consultants that have been working …
From yesterday on the News-Gazette‘s site: URBANA – A 16-year-old Champaign youth said he was upset over being dumped by his girlfriend and having been bumped by a man whose face he slugged last week. …
Smile Politely crossed the 1,000-follower mark on Twitter this week, which isn’t bad considering our Twitter feed consists of extremely boring auto-generated article summaries. Thanks for the support. We’ll just take our inspiration from Mr. …
From Jennifer Selby at the City of Urbana: The cities of Urbana and Champaign have been working the past several months to produce a video to introduce the public to the bicycle infrastructure that is …
Time: Sunday, Oct. 3, 3:00–4:30 p.m.Location: Urbana Free Library We are happy to announce the release of Alice McGinty’s newest book, Eliza’s Kindergarten Pet. If you’re in Champaign-Urbana, we hope you’ll help celebrate by joining …
The Greater Community AIDS Project is hosting a 1 mile walk, 5K run, or 10 mile bike ride on October 9 at Burwash Park in Savoy, IL. That said, we really don’t care how fast …
Due to a series of unfortunate events (including a sick sister and confused music editors) this piece didn’t make it into our various festival wrap-ups. But it’s a nice review and many people around town …
Sunday, Oct. 3rd | 4 p.m. | Iron Post | Free HOBART and Smile Politely present: Stories & Beer, (Academic) Year 2 This is the first installment of the new academic year of what we …
A locally-based entertainment company is seeking investors for a unique social venue for downtown Champaign. Café Extraordinaire, a creation of Psychic Joker Entertainment, combines the hometown feeling of the local coffee shop with a sophisticated …
Album Tacos, the latest internet meme to captivate the googly eyed masses, was started by the dudes in Hood Internet. It’s a fun time-waster if you’re into album art or Taco Bell, as contributors (like, …
Time: Saturday, September 25, 11:00am – 9:00pm Location: Three Hierarchs Greek Orthodox Church, 2010 Three Hierarchs Court (West of Worden Martin on Devonshire Drive), Champaign, IL Free Admission – Food Pricing A La Carte – …
Due to the assless lace skirt which he wore for most of the show, Kevin Barnes now has the dubious distinction of being the first celebrity to appear on UIUC No Pants.
I had hoped to interview New-Jersey-by-way-of-Notre-Dame punk Ted Leo (oh, and maybe a Pharmacist or two) for a preview of his show Saturday night at Krannert, but alas, I cannot force his publicist to return …
Item: Last night after the Built to Spill show at the Highdive, Common Loon’s Robert Hirschfeld and Matt Campbell thought they had enticed BtS frontman Doug Martsch to continue the evening with a little roundball. …
25 years ago today, September 22, 1985, was the first Farm Aid concert, held at Memorial Stadium. According to the Farm Aid site: Farm Aid started as an idea at the Live Aid Concert when Bob Dylan …
VOICE Reading Series | Thursday | 7:30 p.m. | Krannert Art Museum The questions are simple. The answers are honest/snarky/awesome/nervous/humble/cocky (as most prose tends to be). Read on for all the reasons you need to …
Artist ReceptionFriday, September 24th7:00–10:00 p.m.7:00–9:00 p.m.: Blues and Jazz instrumentals by John Higgins & Jordan Cundiff9:00–10:00 p.m.: Year of the Bobcat Clothing Sample SaleFriday, Sept. 24, 7:00–10:00 p.m.Saturday, Sept. 25, 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. Click here …
Artist Reception Thursday, September 23rd6:00–9:00 p.m.Prints will be available for sale. Click here to RSVP Open Exhibit HoursMonday, September 27th 4:30–7:00 p.m.Tuesday, September 28th 4:30–7:00 p.m. Jillian Nickell primarily works in silk screened posters and …
Elsinore is offering nine remixes of songs from their album Yes Yes Yes at their bandcamp page. And they’re following the In Rainbows model by leaving the cost up to you. Here’s their explanation: Because …
Not quite news, but a nicely written bit of exposure leading up to the one year anniversary of the Kiwane Carrington shooting.
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/courts-police-and-fire/2010-09-17/wife-missing-ui-prof-issues-appeal-come-home.html
Goddamn she’s good — on sale at the festival booth starting next Wednesday at noon:
WDWS reported it yesterday, and from today’s News-Gazette: CHAMPAIGN – City Attorney Fred Stavins said Thursday that the city has reached a tentative agreement with the family of Kiwane Carrington. The wrongful-death settlement could result …
On tour in Charlottesville, the band spent the day jumping off of what can only be described as a big-ass cliff.
Bonnie recently received her MFA from the UIUC. More can be found about her newest group installation — “Groud Floor” featuring work from twenty recent art graduates from around Illinois.
Time: Sept. 15, 6:30–8:30 p.m.Location: Steps of the IMC On Wednesday, September 15th, President Barack Obama will issue a proclamation honoring the work of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered centers across the United States, communicating …
The City of Urbana is hosting an Open Mic Forum on Thursday, September 30th at 6:00 p.m. This forum is an opportunity for members of the community to present their ideas on how to improve …
During a stop at Whole Foods on Canal St., I was pleasantly surprised to find Prairie Fruits Farm chevre had made its way into the major market! Standing next to me happened to be the …
Rachel Storm is the founder and director of Four Walls and a Roof Project, a grassroots organization that seeks to establish the first battered women’s shelter in Cotacachi, Ecuador. Rachel has worked tirelessly to help …
I’d be the first to mumble terrible things under my breath about the Assembly Hall and their bookings — but credit is given where credit is due: this semester looks pretty badass from my viewpoint. …
In the midst of playing at film festivals across the country, including selling out screenings in NYC and at the 600-seat Directors Guild of America theater on Sunset Boulevard in LA, Leading Ladies is premiering …
From the band’s FB: [We] have been kindly nominated for The Deli Chicago’s Artist of the Month poll. What this means is that you should go to their site and throw your voice/cast you vote, …
Just minutes ago, this citizen journalist noticed workers painting long white lines along State Street—meaning that C-U drivers have a new place to get mad at bikers for obeying the laws. It’s all part of …
via www.gcapnow.com : 22st Annual “AIDS Walk for Life—All Walks of Life” 1st AIDS Walk, Run, Roll Saturday, October 9th 2010 9:00 am Burwash Park, Savoy IL Proceeds benefit the Greater Community AIDS Project Illinois …
Located at 28 E. Springfield, off of Water Street, The I.D.E.A. Store is a place where artists, educators, recyclers, and friends can find re-use materials for the projects that fill our lives. A place where …
That is all: http://jimmyjohnsworkers.org/news/201009/first-nation-jimmy-johns-sandwich-workers-join-union-increase-minimum-wage-pay
Did you grow up in a small mid-western town? Like Hoopeston? Then Growing Up Doughnut is a book you should read. On Friday, Sept. 3rd from 5:00–7:00 p.m. Jane Addams Book Shop welcomes Don Shields …
From the wire: BIG TEN NETWORK TO AIR ANNOUNCEMENT OF BIG TEN FOOTBALL DIVISIONSCommissioner Jim Delany to appear exclusively on 90-minute special CHICAGO – The Big Ten Network will air the official live announcement of …
Watch your back Savoy. Here’s the press release in full: Starting November 1, library patrons with cards from the Mahomet and Tolono public libraries will need to purchase a Champaign library card to check out …
Paul J. Hergenrother, a professor of chemistry at the UIUC and other researchers have identified a compound that causes cancer cells to self-destruct, Inspector Gadget style. The sooner they can figure out how to make …
That they reference our beloved little town and tremendous one-of-a-kind mailorder/record label is enough for us to mention it here. http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7854-the-top-200-tracks-of-the-1990s-200-151/5/
Peculiar behavior of Tim Johnson garners attention.
