Everyone in the Chicago dance music scene knows the DJ crew Ghetto Division. If you don't, consider this a refresher on local music. Ghetto Division have been holding it down on the south side for a while now and in the last year or so they've cozied themselves into the minds of house heads all over the country. Trailblazers of house music, Ghetto Division's work slays dance floors, time and time again. The crew is very tight-nit and why wouldn't they be? They're family, after all. Made up of brothers, cousins and close friends, this family aspect has helped the crew's ascent to popularity. One of its integral members, Charlie Glitch, offers up mix No. 2 of Chicagoist Mix Series. more ›

Hauck's Just Desserts has seen success at Lincoln Hall, and this ninth incarnation stands as one of the best bills to date. Willy Joy has all but solidified himself as the city's top DJ, particularly due to his ability to command a crowd of any walk of life. He's also got a knack for producing quality tunes, the most recent of which have been released on the indie label Trouble & Bass. He'll be spinning at the Mad Decent Block Party earlier that day, so you have two chances to see this guy work his magic. Along Willy Joy are Charlie Glitch, Kid Color, Gemini Club, Just Desserts and Action/Adventure, who will spin everything from ghetto house to disco to indie rock to hip-hop to electro. It's not often nights can afford this much variety and a lineup to back it up, so this is a pick we especially suggest you not miss. more ›

This weekend our dance party of choice is jungle-house madman Congorock. His name is so meta it's almost paradoxical; his music, quite literally, sounds like rock from the Congo. Tonight Congorock stops in Chicago as a part of his More Fire Tour, bringing his funky jams to Smart Bar alongside Willy Joy and Charlie Glitch. It's gonna get messy, people. more ›

Nestled in the Archer Heights neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago existed a musical mecca where legends gathered and the aspiring came to be enlightened. Hot Jams Records, also known as Pink Machine Studio, was an outpost whose patrons revealed as much about the history of Chicago House as the stacks of records they purchased. From the late '90s through as recently as 2007, Hot Jams filled a role far more significant that sales. For area youth like the Ghetto Division collective, the walls of Hot Jams were a safe haven of late nights, forged friendships and daily inspiration. A few years and countless memories later, Ghetto Division carry the torch of Hot Jams, a group of DJs and producers who challenge the norms of Chicago nightlife and champion the cause of original music making. more ›