We love Cobra Verde. We love Dinosaur Jr and pretty much everything J. Mascis' guitar touches. So when we heard about Sweet Apple -- combining singer / guitarist John Petkovic and guitarist Tim Parnin from Cobra Verde with Mascis and Dave Sweetapple, his bassist from Witch -- we had huge expectations. more ›

We raved about the last Dinosaur Jr album so it's pretty easy to see why we just can't get enough of this video. Dig it. more ›

In which we take a quick look at a few recent musical releases. more ›

The Pitchfork Music Festival rolled to a triumphant close yesterday with a much-delayed set by Cut Copy literally stealing the show from the headlining Spoon. A few scheduling changes led to minor confusion between crowds from time-to time, but the organizers did a good job of trying to constantly remind people where they should be and when from the various on-stage announcements delivered by either Tim Tuten or Damon Locks throughout the day. It was also the dryest and warmest day of the weekend, but folks were looking out for each other and helped each other cope with the bright heat that settled over Union Park. more ›

The Pitchfork Music Festival kicks off its 2008 edition this weekend at Union Park, and we've been highlighting some of the "can't miss" acts of the weekend on Chicagoist over the next few days. Today we'll tackle eight acts from the sold-out Sunday line-up. But before we do, you should know that Saturday and Sunday are completely sold out and there are only a few walk-up tickets that will be available for tomorrow's show. If you waited too long though, you can still catch a few of the acts -- Fleet Foxes, Extra Golden, Boban Markovic, and A Hawk and a Hacksaw -- for FREE starting at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. Now on to Sunday's highlights. more ›

The Pitchfork Music Festival kicks off its 2008 edition this weekend at Union Park, and we're going to highlight some of the "can't miss" acts of the weekend on Chicagoist over the next few days. Today we'll tackle the Friday night line-up, filled with nostalgia, brio, blood, sweat, tears, and louder than a Bomb Squad production. more ›

Well, Lou was already gonna be at The Pitchfork Music Festival (July 18-20) anyway since Dinosaur Jr is playing that Sunday, but now he'll be there opening night as well, leading Sebadoh through Bubble and Scrape! Other new additions are: The Hold Steady (squee!), Elf Power, Caribou, Icy Demons, Boban Markovic Orkestar, Titus Andronicus, Bon Iver, Times New Viking, HEALTH, High Places, and Mahjongg. more ›

Pitchfork announced another batch of acts appearing at its festival in Union Park this summer from July 18 - 20. The biggest hoopla surrounds the news that Mission Of Burma will be performing it's legendary Vs. album in it's entirety on Friday's bill. Other big names include Dinosaur Jr, Jarvis Cocker, and the team-up of Ghostface & Raekwon. more ›

It seems like yesterday that Chicagoist got an excited email from a fellow Dinosaur Jr fanatic, which bore the news that one of our fav formative-years bands would be playing a three-night stand at the Abbey Pub this spring. Like an 80-degree day after a weeks of 50’s, the time is nigh and the choppin’ starts tonight. more ›

Before we start celebrating St. Patrick’s Day or get too far in the zone on the NCAA action, there are a few shows going on sale that we would like to talk about. more ›

We swore My Chemical Romance just left town in a haze of mascara and Queenesque choruses, but the inclusion of MCR on so many year-end, best-of lists means there’s money to be made. So the black parade marches again with local heroes Rise Against who seem to be cast in the unfortunate role of second to bands for whom they’ve paved the way. Allstate Arena, March 1, 7:30 p.m., $30, all-ages. On sale tomorrow at... more ›

Celebrate Ben Franklin's 300th birthday with the Bikini Bandits and Phillyist! (NSFW). Speaking of Mr. Franklin, send in a picture of Ben (or Ed Rendell) with a red tongue and win a free t-shirt. And they might have the next YearlyKos in Philly. more ›

Don’t forget: today’s the last day to enter our Dinosaur Jr. contest. We’re giving away two pairs of tickets, one pair for each Metro show on November 29th and 30th. Each of the lucky winners and one of their friends will see Dinosaur Jr. take the Metro stage with Magic Markers and Chicago’s own Ponys. Check out this interview with Dinosaur Jr. frontman J. Mascis from Detroit’s answer to The Reader, the Metrotimes.... more ›

Dinosaur Jr. returns to Chicago next week and Chicagoist wants you to be there. more ›

Back in April, local band Riviera (who record for Glorious Noise Records) headed up to Detroit to take part in MC2, a northern version of South by Southwest. The band’s ultimately fruitless efforts to play a single show were detailed in an account posted to GLONO by Riviera band member Derek Phillips. Almost archetypical in its description of gross mismanagement by the organizers and the rampant rock star ego of the former lead singer of Sponge, we wondered if Riviera was experiencing some kind of karmic payback for the treatment of the MC5 by the Chicago police during the 1968 Democratic convention. more ›

Chicagoist cancelled its subscription to Jane Magazine a few months back after an article on How To Date Eight Guys At Once left us with nothing more than a weird rash. Maybe if we kept it then we’d be the ones with the early lowdown on the lineup for Lollapolooza and not Jim DeRogatis. The lengths that man will go to scoop the rest of the press! more ›