Tom Lynch

A razor-thin young man dances with "Organic or Bust" painted on his bare back. He's naked.

Transamoeba on Wabash hosts a benefit party for chicagothong.org, an anti-biotech group determined to bring awareness to the possibilities of dependence on organic food sources. But the group also celebrates the human form, and as the DJ spins another "Me so horny" beat, nude men and women pounce around the dance floor. Topless Humans Organized for Natural Genetics (T.H.O.N.G., get it?) paint nude torsos with slogans and flowers as freshly squeezed juices--mixed with vodka, of course--pour out of the bar. Not everyone gets down and dirty--some simply watch as security checks IDs and collects the sliding-scale donation. The more you wear, the more you pay. The invitations went out before the election. The directions? Wear white if Bush loses, black if he wins.

"Wow, that guy is really naked," says a redhead as she enters the loft, staring down a totally nude man donning only a plastic Ronald Reagan mask. As he browses the scene, most people take two steps back. A few men walk around wearing only socks to cover their business. A woman goes shirtless, her torso painted pitch black. A topless woman dresses in a skirt with plastic baby arms dangling from the waist. Two men are in togas. Another topless woman shows off her tutu and dances on a ledge while a man who looks like an Asian Charles Manson watches the film projected on the wall-screen. "Osmosis Jones" plays on mounted televisions, but most eyes are on the floor.

Jerry, one of the event's organizers and a security guard for the night, wears a black sport coat and a thong. "We were all hoping to wear white tonight," he says, "but it didn't work out that way." A shirtless man plays the bongos to the beat that comes from the speakers. "It's hard to find people to get naked," Jerry says, though insisting that the nudity isn't what the group is all about. "But when you get them in a room with other naked people, it gets easier. Plus, if you get naked, you get hit on."

The band Magnus sets up its equipment in front of the projection screen, ready for the first rock performance of the evening. They play mostly covers of songs people know--a Franz Ferdinand hit, then the Stones' "Paint It Black." When the singer inserts a new line--"you went out and voted and you got fucking screwed!"--the crowd erupts. A girl who sits clothed in the corner quips, "There's another penis" to her friend.

Somebody's keeping track.

(2004-11-10)

Also by Tom Lynch

Tip of the Week
If rock's records are made to be broken, than let them be shattered by Black Francis, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago, and David Lovering
(2004-11-09)

Tip of the Week
The editors of "The Encyclopedia of Chicago," the new A-Z reference book detailing the history of everything Chicago, appear to discuss their process of compiling information that spans nearly two centuries
(2004-11-09)

Tip of the Week
Few writers boast a catalogue as daunting as Kushner's, and the Jewish playwright and author has had another monster year
(2004-11-03)

Tip of the Week
Corgan's "Blinking with Fists," his 96-page venture into poetry, falls fairly short of life-changing. Is it better than expected? Sure.
(2004-10-27)

Flip-flip
(2004-10-27)

The Dave Eggers short list
(2004-10-27)

Tip of the Week
(2004-10-20)

Tip of the Week
(2004-10-13)

Asian Invasion
(2004-10-13)

Tip of the Week
(2004-10-06)

Tip of the Week
(2004-09-29)

At the Drive-In
(2004-09-29)

about Newcitychicago | about Newcity magazine | advertising | privacy policy | FAQ | employment