If you're having trouble fitting into those hip-huggers, ladies, you might want to lay off the Jaeger bombs and vodka/Red Bulls for a while (one of many reasons you should). This Gannett News Service story - which also ran in yesterday's Sun-Times - states that the Food and Drug Administration has no guidelines to define an energy drink. Nutritionists interviewed for the article state that the energy these drinks give consumers comes mainly from carbohydrates... more ›

An article in The Chicago Journal last week detailed the efforts of a Japanese television crew that sought to document the last vestiges of the Maxwell Street blues scene. The authenticity of the current scene could most charitably be described as “in question” (if for no other reason but its presence on Canal Street rather than Maxwell Street. Fortunately, the flag for Chicago blues is still carried nightly by an army of local musicians in... more ›

It’s been three years since third wave ska band Blue Meanies has been on active duty in Chicago. Anticipating the re-release of their classic Full Throttle album on Thick Records, they’re playing a pair of shows tonight and tomorrow. It’s bad enough that we’re near broke and still trying to get some last-minute Christmas shopping done, but trying to scrape up the cash to make it to both shows is killing us. Sorry Grandma:... more ›