COVER STORY: GEEKS What ever happened to those geeks in high school? They’re raising the bar for the cutting edge technology that has become common place in our lives. They are creating controversial NFL video games for Midway Games, like the soon to be released Blitz: The League. Or, they are designing cell phones for Motorola like the Razr, or the yet-to-be-released drool worthy SLVR and PEBL at Motorola. Others are showing off their latest creation at Deadtech such as a beer-and-cigarette-fetching robot. The Garofalo Architects, who lent their talents to Millenium Park, are currently working on the Hyde Park Art Center creating an ever-changing experimental electronic façade that incorporates digital-projection capabilities. In other geek news, Web Behrens interviews Jim Lee, the inspiration for the film Batman Begins and creator of the new All-Star Batman and Robin comics. The graphic novelist will be the highlight of this weekend’s Wizard World convention along with his collaborator Frank Miller. Still thirsty for more? You can find an outlet for other obsession at quirky clubs such as Belly Dance Chicago, comprised of belly dancers seeking new techniques and costumes (Easy there boys!), and Drinking Liberally (Mixers: politics and alcohol; Republicans welcome). EAT OUT & DRINK UP Heather Shouse nabs out-of-towners before they enter national-chain restaurants Buca di Beppo, Red Lobster, and P.F. Chang’s, and give them a taste of Chicago originals instead. The Verdict: Chicago Originals! In addition, David Tamarkin shines the spotlight on his Mexican food experience at the Highland Park magnet, Pancho Viti’s. MUSIC Matthew Lurie speaks with Hasidic reggae artist Matisyahu, who also incorporates hip hop into his music. He alternates between a nasal, white-boy flow; a Jamaican patois; and a croon not so dissimilar from Sublime’s Brad Nowell. When he opens for his childhood hero Trey Anastasio on Wednesday 10, Matisyahu will be on his way to becoming the first Hasidic Jewish performer to reach mainstream America FILM Justine Elias interviews maverick, indie director, Jim Jarmusch about his latest film Broken Flowers. Bill Murray plays the role of a man who is driven to revisit his past by an anonymous letter from an old flame informing him that he’s the father of a 19-year-old son. Films reviewed: A Hole in One, Chrystal, Duma, The Edukators, Saraband, Secuestro Express, My Date with Drew, and Broken Flowers. BOOKS Peter Coco interviews Adam Langer, author of the new novel The Washington Story, which is set against Chicago as it was between Daley mayors: a heady time when Chicago elected its first woman mayor (Jane Byrne), then Washington, and both the Cubs and Sox came within a few games of the World Series. You can hear the admiration enter Adam Laner’s voice when he talks about Harold Washington, the former Chicago mayor whose legacy looms large in the author’s new novel. A must read for anyone living in Chicago in the mid 80’s. Book reviews include: Lydia Millet’s Oh Pure and Radiant Heart, Jan Jeong Trenka’s The Language of Blood, and Don Nace’s Drawn Out CHILL OUT Rose Spinelli interviews Christopher Carter a mentalist with a one-man show – Christopher Carter Messes with Your Mind. Carter’s show is a masterful blend of feats of illusion, hypnosis and mind control, sprinkled liberally with stories about the colorful 19th century characters who form the history of his craft. Spinelli was even able to persuade him to divulge the secret to the card trick in which he guesses the card you chose. AROUND TOWN Surprise! The great lakes are endowed with hundreds of the world’s best preserved shipwrecks. Martina Sheehan dove with novices and certified divers alike, exploring the Straits of Mackinac, a 200-foot-long, 70-year-old steam-powered car and passenger ferry, for only $80. Divers explore the ship’s deck, swim through a doorway and out a hole on the upper deck, while those who aren’t certified to enter the hull swim with the schools of perch that flutter around the wreck. ART & DESIGN Madeline Nusser challenges the readers to learn how to hear differently, stating that sound is political; and two weeks of solid 1 to 11 pm performances and roaming exhibitions prove just that. Open Source/Open Ear is a convergence (read: festival meets conference) of noise makers, musicians and artists. The work ranges from racket made by hardware hacking to melodies created through homemade instruments. It is a place where “improvisers roulette” is played, enabling musicians to exchange partners for impromptu performances. CLUBS John Dugan speaks to Kate Simko whose Wake Up! night seems to be closing ranks for once, rather than dividing into infinite subgenres the minimal-techno, IDM and even experimental scenes. COMEDY Mark Sinclair speaks with Fuzzy Gerdes who has taken improv off the stage and into the streets for the Neutrino Project. In the innovative show, the actors solicit suggestions from the audience, and ask for objects to incorporate into the scenes. Then, four teams race out into the streets and begin filming while a runner transports the tapes between scene locations and the theater. It’s a frantic race to produce two minutes of film every eight minutes. Neutrino uses the real world as a backdrop for a 50-minute movie which is filmed and screened in just over an hour. DANCE Asimina Chremos addresses the question of why dance performances aren’t as well attended as, say rock concerts or baseball games? One conclusion is to improve marketing campaigns. Chremos summarizes the controversial two-day seminar, “Marketing Boot Camp”, held last month at the Chicago Cultural Center, which examined a plethora of opinions concerning this issue. GAY & LESBIAN Jason Heidemann spotlights singer-songwriter, Melissa Ferrick, who is enjoying a second run of success and stardom that only add to her repertoire of ten albums. The last of which, “Drive” appeared on her last album. The erotically charged, six-minute anthem was an underground hit and mix-tape favorite, spawning legions of Grateful Dead and Phish style “Ferrickheads” who have subsequently taken to following her as she tours the U.S. like she’s the Pied Piper of Lesbian Rock.