During my infancy at the Reader some seven years ago, I got to know Jessica Hopper through her writing. Although she was a regular freelancer for the paper, she was rarely if at all seen in the office. Instead, Hopper was part of a nomadic bunch of music-journo idealists who took obvious pleasure both in the freedom of the freelance life and in the writing itself.
There’s also some serious journalism. An in-depth 2013 interview with Jim DeRogatis about his coverage of the R. Kelly sexual-assault scandal in the late 90s reveals that the former Sun-Times pop-music critic still struggles with the details he uncovered in his reporting. And Hopper’s incredible 2009 Reader profile of Pedro the Lion’s David Bazan details a front man’s battle with his faith (or lack thereof) as he returns to perform at the Christian music festival Cornerstone, four years after being exiled for getting wasted on the festival grounds.
By Jessica Hopper (Featherproof) Reading Fri 5/29, 7 PM Quimby’s 1854 W. North 773-342-0910quimbys.com Free
