Expectations were high when the fourth annual Oddball Comedy Festival rolled through Chicago, bringing a hilarious lineup of comedians to the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park. From the evening’s host, Jeff Ross (right) – who regularly roasted the crowd with his handy-dandy Roast Cam – to headliner John Mulaney, who grew up in Chicago […]
Posted inColumns, Cycle Chic
Chicago on Becoming Bike Friendlier
Chicago has bike share programs, bike valets and a vast network of bike lanes leading to some pretty cool destinations. If you cycle for the workout, we’ve even got some things resembling hills on the lakefront. There are also many less-developed roads where cyclists basically hold their breath and pray. Still, we recently squeezed into […]
Posted inBooks, Reviews
‘Trials of the Earth: The True Story of a Pioneer Woman,’ by Mary Mann Hamilton
Trials of the Earth: The True Story of a Pioneer Woman by Mary Mann Hamilton c.2016, Little, Brown $27.00 / $32.50 Canada 319 pages Your toast was burnt this morning. It was the first in a tsunami of irritation you had to endure today: the house WiFi was down, your shirt got wrinkled, the cat […]
Posted inEditor Welcome
Back to School
We begin September by honoring teachers, those passionate and patient souls who are at the heart of our education system. As I write in the piece, I’m grateful to teachers and educators of all stripes “for all you do to empower young people and make the world a smarter, more thoughtful and more intellectually Rebellious […]
Posted inInterview
Interview: The Handsome Family’s Rennie Sparks Talks About Her Art
September is a big month for The Handsome Family. The musical husband-and-wife team also known as Brett and Rennie Sparks is releasing its 10th album, “Unseen,” nationwide and, in Chicago, they’re conducting a songwriting workshop and performing at the Old Town School of Folk Music on Sept. 18. If that’s not enough, the female half […]
Posted inRebellions
Rebelles of the Month: Teachers
As another academic year begins, we here at Rebellious Magazine salute the people powering our educational systems, from pre-K teacher’s assistants, to school librarians, to post-grad professors. All across Chicago Public Schools, surrounding districts, colleges, universities, community colleges, pre-Ks, child development centers – you name it – you’re helping to build and inspire the next […]
Posted inReviews
Poet Chinaka Hodge’s ‘Dated Emcees’ Explores Hip-Hop, Violence and Love
Writer and educator Chinaka Hodge has a rangy history with hip-hop and spoken word. She’s been involved with Youth Speaks/The Living Word Project for over a decade and is a co-founder of The Getback, a hip-hop ensemble that includes “Hamilton” star Daveed Diggs. “Dated Emcees” is Hodge’s second book of poetry. Catch Hodge reading from […]
Posted inMusic, Reviews
Review & Photos: Layne Treats Subterranean to Songs Off Their New EP
On Aug. 25 – the eve of the release of their debut EP “The Black Hills” – Layne took the stage at Chicago’s Subterranean for a short but satisfying set that gave fans a sneak peak at the new material. At once dreamy, vibrant and decidedly rock ‘n’ roll, Layne drew everyone in attendance into […]
Posted inRebellions
Why and How I Stopped Eating Meat Entirely
I was never a fan of meat. I dreaded dinner whenever my mom cooked filet mignon. At summer BBQs, I stayed away from hot dogs. In eighth grade, my close friend’s family and I ate at a steakhouse, and I protested the menu. (Luckily, her dad knew the chef personally, so he requested a plate […]
Posted inColumns, Uppity-Negro: In Memory of Aaron Hawkins
the things I never say
“Updates have become infrequent, and generally impersonal. Clearly, there’s not enough fucked-up shit in my life to write about these days. And who wants to read ill-informed political rants?” –-Aaron Hawkins, Uppity-Negro so first, a confession: at Final Stage at Brave New Voices in July, I had an emotional breakdown in the audience, the type […]