Tis the season to open your wallet. Here are some great shows that are going on sale this week. more ›

In which two popular entertainers wield weighty instruments. more ›

Lilith Fair has already canceled ten of the dates of its "comeback," and now the Sun-Times reports Kelly Clarkson has pulled out of the tour, including the July 17 Chicago date. This leave sour stop looking pretty lean, with the only possible real excitement coming from the sleek Euro-pop of La Roux or the soulful gut-wrenchers that only Mary J. Blige can deliver. Sadly, since the show is stopping at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre (that's the World to most of you) there's little hope that even those two can conquer its cavernous stage and impersonal space. Add in the competition offered by the far superior Pitchfork Music Festival that weekend and we won't be at all surprised to see the Chicago stop (or even the entire tour) canceled within the week. more ›

She covered The Black Keys, The White Stripes, The Kings Of Leon, Alanis Morrisette, and Patsy Cline. She called the industry types at her record label "a bunch of assholes." When her voice cracked she used it as proof she didn't lip sync her act. Through 90 minutes at Rosemont Theatre Kelly Carkson reminded us why we love her; of all the pop divas she truly is the one we could sit down and have a beer with. And sing drunken karaoke with. more ›

• The WHO has declared the swine flu outbreak a global pandemic, the first in 41 years. One company who is benefiting is local company Baxter.
• The Supreme Court has turned down Conrad Black's request for release on bail pending his appeal.
• Mayor Daley surfaced long enough today to confirm layoff notices to city workers will be going out tomorrow.

Dear Kelly: more ›

Hotcha! The CTA says it's going to finish construction at the Belmont and Fullerton el stops by the end of 2008, six months earlier than expected. How will they accomplish such a feat? By uh...working faster. more ›

So if Thursday is the (not-so) new Friday, that got us to thinking; most of you are in our spot, sitting at your desk, with the mildest of hangovers, kind of wishing you were nursing a mimosa instead of yet another stale cup of office coffee. more ›

We don’t want to be stuck inside today, but there are no baseball games to sneak off to this afternoon. Instead, we will ponder where we could spend that paycheck besides the usual beer gardens and brothels. We haven’t seen Bumpus play live since Rachel Yamagata left to forge her own path. From the sound of things we need to get back on the funkwagon. Contriband, a Chicago experimental hip hop group, and Doko Benjo,... more ›

Some days it seems like the next time we have to interview for a job that the only way that will happen is on television. Of course, we’re not sure who would watch America’s Next Top Admin Assistant. It also seems like television is the top way for a band to get that next boost forward these days. Nashville Star is no American Idol in terms of ratings, but Evanston native, Meg Allison, has survived two episodes on the country music industry’s answer to AI. more ›

Chicagoist did our duty and tuned into the MTV Video Music Awards last night just in case anything Chicago related occurred. Or in case a giant tidal wave washed over Miami. Either way, it would’ve been cool with us. It had been a number of years since we last had cable and were able to watch this so count us as being rather surprised by just how much the rock and/or roll dominated the proceedings.... more ›

In addition to MOBFest, one of the other "big stories" in music this weekend might be the inaugural shows at Meig...er, Northerly Island. (That name still reminds us of when Gary Harbor was renamed Buffington Harbor before they put Trump’s gambling boat in the water over there). Chicago plays two shows on Friday and Saturday with Earth, Wind and Fire while Brian McKnight drops some Smoove B style on the lakefront this Sunday. Since the... more ›

The lack of flu shots this season is the proverbial chicken that is now coming home to roost; lots of people in the Chicagoist offices have been knocked out with various winter ailments. Events at The Oprah Winfrey Show this week proved that the famous and buxom are no more immune to illness than the anonymous and flat-chested. During an Oprah taping, Jessica Simpson became dehydrated due to a stomach virus. Thanks to the outstanding... more ›