Wed. January 29, 2014
Chicago, IL -
The Chicago History Museum is kicking off its 2014 Out at CHM series Thursday by transforming the iconic venue into a club, blasting house music in honor of Chicago's LGBT roots in music.
Now in its eleventh season, Out at CHM introduces The House that Chicago Built as the first in a series of events lined up this year that explore LGBT issues. The event is slated to start at 5:30 p.m. with an open-bar cocktail reception and live set by DJ Alan King, a member of Chicago's legendary DJ crew "The Chosen Few."
King will be joined by Executive Director of Columbia College's Center for Black Music Research Monica Hairston O'Connell and Brown University historian Micah Salkind to discuss house music's continuous transformation, specifically in regard to the LGBT community.
"To see this music that's always been sort of thriving underground be recognized in a historical museum of this significance, it's a very important day," King told DNAinfo. "...They were really pushing a more underground, more soulful form of disco music. The LGBT roots are very, very strong and important."
King added that Electronic Dance Music, or EDM, has been growing in popularity in recent years, which is just another form of house music. While many are aware of its new mainstream acceptance, few know about the large role the gay community played in its development.
The panel of music experts will lead a discussion on diversity in house music, the progression and impact of the genre, as well as the music community in Chicago. They'll be joined by special guests Robert Williams, founder of The Warehouse, and Derrick Carter, American house producer and DJ.
But the dance party won't stop there. Organizers say they plan to continue throwing out house beats after the discussion until 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 and $15 for history museum members and students.
The House that Chicago Built is just the first in a series of upcoming LGBT-focused events at the Chicago History Museum. It will be followed by Dangerously Explicit: painting the Gay Male Experience on March 27, and Lesbianography: Lesbians and Sex on May 8.
The program began in 2004 and is supported by gifts from Robert Kohl, Clark Pellett, and Dr. Raymond Crossman, with additional support from River North Beverages.
Calendar: The House that Chicago Built, Jan. 30
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