Latest news on the Chicago Music Awards: A new and improved Chicago Music Awards ceremony seems set for March 10 at Metro. The event, now in its third year, has operated thus far under the auspices of the Illinois Entertainer, which did a rather ragged job the first year and a fairly defensible one the second, when the Smashing Pumpkins and their album Gish took home most of the trophies. A 1993 version scheduled for last fall was postponed after Metro owner Joe Shanahan and WXRT program director Norm Winer got in on it, and now it seems likely to be a pretty creditable affair. Biggest headache: coordinating the event with the complex schedules of likely winners the Pumpkins, Urge Overkill, and Liz Phair. Thus far, the organizers have received assurances that Billy Corgan and company will at least attend the show, though there’s no commitment at this point to a performance.
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How are the awards chosen? The magazine polled critics (Hitsville included) and industry people for likely nominees, editor Michael Harris says. The top five in a variety of categories (along with a space for write-ins) were put before IE readers. Those ballots have been tabulated already, though Harris isn’t vouchsafing any results. The Entertainer will also be polling those critics and industry types again for a lineup of critics’ awards to accompany the readers’ choices. Hitsville has one suggestion: pay attention to the music industry around town as well as the artists. What’s wrong with a best producer award, or best local music video?
What would you pay? Tickets to John Hiatt’s fourth Chicago show–a benefit gig at Schubas February 26–were auctioned off by WXRT late last week. Even after Hiatt sold 2,300 tickets for the Riviera, 750 for the Park West, and 350 for Lounge Ax, fans still bid up to $1,000 a pair to see him do an acoustic show in cozy Schubas. (The lowest qualifying bids were $400 a pair.) Seating was held to 100; ‘XRT marketing director Teri Gidwitz says the show raised more than $22,000 for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless.
