Desispotting: June 2010

Desis starting off the summer right…

Human Rights Watch Film Festival @ Facets
Thursday, June 3 – June 10

Highlights include The Oath (6/3 @ Museum of Contemporary Art), Burma VJ (6/4, 6/10), and Afghan Star (6/5, 6/6). Check the website for full screening info.

Afghan Star

DhakFu @ Millennium Park
Saturday, June 5, 12 & 19 @ 8:00am

SAPACer Fuad Ahmad, AKA DhakFu, provides live music for Moksha Yoga’s summer classes (led by his partner, Becky Raines) on the Great Lawn of the Pritzker Pavilion.

Ramu Ramdev @ Art Institute ADDED 6/7
Sunday, June 6 – Saturday, June 12

Ramdev, a master miniature artist from Jaipur, will be in residence at the museum for a week and host demonstrations and classes for visitors.

Ami Saraiya @ Martyrs
Wednesday, June 9 @ 8:00pm

Singer-songwriter Ami Saraiya was named one of CD Baby’s Top 10 Indie Artists to Watch in 2010. On this night, she performs on a bill with a Tom Waits tribute band (performing Frank’s Wild Years in its entirety!!) and Rob Wilson.

Funkadesi @ Andersonville Midsommarfest ADDED 6/4
Saturday, June 12 @ 7:00pm

SAPAC favorites Funkadesi headline the first night of Midsommarfest at Balmoral and Clark. My favorite testimonial on their website comes from President Obama: “Funkadesi really knows how to get a crowd going. I can’t say enough how energizing this band is. There’s a lot of funk in that desi!” You can also catch the band on 6/19 at Takin’ It to the Streets, 6/20 at Taste of Randolph, and 6/22 at Loyola University’s World Refugee Day celebration.

Hindustani Classical Music @ Meadows Club
Sunday, June 13 @ 6:00pm

Pandit Jasraj, Pandita Tripti Mukherjee, Pandit Samir Chatterjee, and Pandit Suman Ghosh perform at the Rolling Meadows banquet hall.

Hemanta Mishra @ The Book Stall
Monday, June 14 @ 7:00pm

“Mishra, distinguished biologist and conservationist and author of the award-winning The Soul of the Rhino, talks about Bones of the Tiger, a fascinating story of one man’s quest to save the man-eating tigers of Nepal.”

Anoop Jain @ Jane Addams Hull-House Museum
Tuesday, June 15 @ 12:00pm

Jain joins Hull-House Museum’s weekly Re-Thinking Soup program to discuss The Community Kitchen Project, which will help provide free, nutritious, and traditional meals to Tibetan refugees.

Aziz Ansari @ Vic Theatre
Wednesday, June 16 & Thursday, June 17 @ 7 & 9:30pm

As if we needed to remind you that Ansari brings his Dangerously Delicious Tour to the second Just for Laughs comedy festival in Chicago. Have you heard he’s also hosting the MTV Movie Awards on June 6? I hear that gig can be good for your career.

Ashok Lal @ Hinsdale Community Center
Thursday, June 17 @ 6:30pm

Accompanied by Pandit Rakesh Sharma on tabla, Lal presents some of his own compositions along with some popular ghazals.

Megha Gupta @ No Coast ADDED 6/25
Friday, June 18 – Friday, July 9

Visions from the Burned Forest: New Works on Paper by Megha Gupta opened at No Coast Exhibitions and Editions on June 18, but the show is on view until July 9.

A.R. Rahman @ Sears Centre
Friday, June 18 @ 8:00pm

Rahman brings his Jai Ho: The Journey Home World Tour to Hoffman Estates’  Sears Centre.

Sonny Bhatt @ Jokes and Notes
Friday, June 18 @ 8:30pm

But wait! Ansari isn’t the only desi participating in Just for Laughs! Local comedian Bhatt performs as part of a showcase of breakout performers.

Gundecha Brothers @ Sri Balaji Temple
Saturday, June 18 @ 6:00pm

Umakant, Ramakant and Akhilesh Gundecha are prominent performers and teachers of the ancient classical vocal music of India called Dhrupad.

Stir Friday Night! @ Studio BE
Saturday, June 19 @ 7:00pm

Chicago’s favorite Asian American sketch comedy troupe shows off its skills in Just for Laughs’ Sketch-travaganza night. Less fortunate: the theme for its time slot is “Diversity”; other gems include “Ladies” and “?!?” Not exactly the creative titles one might expect from the organizers of a comedy festival. Still, it promises to be a fun night.

Russell Peters @ Rosemont Theatre
Saturday, June 19 @ 8:00pm

The last desi entry in the Just for Laughs festival, and a pretty good one to boot.

DJs Jimmy Love & Jimmy Singh @ Funky Buddha Lounge ADDED 6/23
Friday, June 25 @ 9:00pm

The popular DJs spin for a Bhangratheque night at FBL.

Voices of Resistance 9 Deadline for Entry!
Wednesday, June 30

Are you a South Asian artist looking for a platform to showcase your work? Then check out the Call for Artists for Voices of Resistance, SAPAC’s 9th annual political/performing arts showcase, to be held September 12 at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Get the details here.

Shilpa Bavikatte @ St. Andrews Inn
Sunday nights @ 7:00pm

SAPACer and chanteuse Bavikatte performs as part of her new Sunday night residency at the Edgewater pub-slash-comfort-food-haven.