Day 1: Lady Gaga, Mavis Staples, The Black Keys and more more ›

The guys from Harlem are so nonchalant they didn’t even bother to write a setlist for their show Saturday night at the Empty Bottle because, as they opened their set by saying, “We just don’t like to write setlists.” That’s just a part of the don’t-give-a-fuck charm of this lo-fi garage rock band. But that’s not to say the show wasn’t good - the trio managed to deliver a vibrant set while still maintaining the laid-back, happily stoned vibe we’ve come to know them for. more ›

Last week we were channel surfing and came across "The Harlem Globetrotters: A New Generation" on Channel 50. We watched it for a little bit and were caught up in both the athleticism of the new Globetrotters and the timeless entertainment of their gags. It reminded us of the days when ABC's "Wide World of Sports" would showcase the team seemingly every other month. more ›

In an attempt to save $50 million this year, the company is eliminating 40 newsroom jobs at the Sun-Times, 11 newsroom jobs at Pioneer Press papers throughout the suburbs, a three Northwest side Pioneer Press papers all together (the Jefferson Park/Portage Park/Belmont-Cragin Times, the Harlem-Irving Times, and the Edgebrook-Sauganash Times). more ›

Five observations about The Siddhartha Project, Collaboraction’s premiere adaptation of Herman Hesse’s coming-of-age classic, reinterpreted by 5 writers in 5 acts. 1 Staging Hesse’s tale of a gifted boy's self-discovery and spiritual enlightenment in Lumen, a fun, not terribly pretentious nightclub and creative space, seems stranger than locating said club down the block from a meatpacking plant. Commissioning five writers to reinterpret the tale in five eras is as risky as it is ambitious, as... more ›

This week, Phillyist saw the waters of a landmark fountain run red for a Showtime marketing stunt, the Phils pull ahead, and some serious nostalgia. They also got a chance to review an awesome tribute album, reminded folks to see the King and appreciated their beautiful skyline. Chicagoist knows what it's like to like the Cubs. But naming your kid Wrigley Fields? At least they can breathe a little easier now that Grossman's out... more ›

In case some of you may have forgotten, that's Emmy in the picture. Depending on the time of day she's the smartest mammal in our household. She's unusually happy today, because yesterday the City Council inched closer to allowing her the right to join us for meals at outdoor cafés, a notion that flies in the face of common sense, sanitary concerns, arguments posited by a former alderman and the director of food protection for... more ›

Seattlest has a talk with the photographer from last week's "Segway Mom" and then experiences some dissension in the ranks over the question of wine vs. beer. It's not West Side Story, but about as close as they'll get. They're also still waiting on some inbox relief after a spammer is arrested. As Chicagoist counts down the days to its third anniversary party, they found all-organic pizza to be underwhelming amidst the hoopla, tried... more ›

A weekend sampling of gobbling-induced madness: more ›

The novelty of YouTube has yet to wear off for us, and it’s helping make the day go by quickly. Chicagoist spent a lot of time as a kid propped up in front of the TV so the jingles for these old-school commercials are burned into our brains. This is the most complete version of the old Victory Auto Wreckers (710 East Green in Bensenville!) we’ve ever seen. Then there’s Aronson Furniture, the home... more ›

Seven-vehicle accidents that kill two people and shut down a freeway for six hours usually make big headlines. But when one of the victims was traveling in a car with $2 million in cash and checks and a bunch of unused credit cards and IDs, well that's when the feds get involved. The crash happened yesterday at about 1 PM on the southbound lanes of the Stevenson Expressway near the Harlem Avenue exit. Apparently a... more ›

Why, oh why, did we just spend $40 last night on two (two!) books? Okay, so we're suckers for the shiny covers and undented corners, but books are for reading. So we're planning to repent, and buy even more books this weekend when two (two!) book fairs hit the area. more ›

Soccer doesn't typically register too highly on the Chicago sports radar, but the sport seems to be all over the news lately. more ›

Buddhism is all over the news in Chicago this week. First, two Laotian monks have asked the courts to prevent their evicton from their monastery in rural Kane County. A circuit court judge set July 19 as the trial date to decide if Khen Kataviravong, 78, and Phenethong Keoviseth, 40, can continue to live at the monastery. The two were apparently involved in an attempt to oust the temple’s executive director, who has now accused them of having refrigerators and neglecting their spiritual duties. more ›

Chicagoist loves the Museum of Science and Industry, what with the submarine and the coalmine and all, and now that the MSI is branching out, we’re down with that too. Tonight, the museum hosts a reception and screening of Russell Simmons’s American Truth Series presentation of , a documentary featuring stories from the hip-hop magazine of the same name (which stands for “Finally Every Dimension of the Streets”). New Def Filmmaker Kwame Amoaku examines pit-bull training and fighting, gets a who’s who of South Central and Compton’s Bloods and Crips, interviews a Harlem kingpin, and chronicles the rise of the “unofficial street bible” F.E.D.S. magazine. Reception at 6:30, screening at 8, followed by a Q&A with Amoaku. more ›