Or at least they were, until Tennessee state health officials found out about them. more ›

Did you miss your senior prom? Or was it the greatest night of your life, that you want to live over and over and over again? Either way, consider buying a ticket for Prom in the loft at Fizz. For $70, you get an open, all-you-can drink bar and an appetizer package, and the chance to relive your teenage years without a time machine - what a bargain! more ›

At the other end of the spectrum from yesterday's low key New Year's Eve dinner, today we cater to the high rollers. Want to really impress your foodie friends? Rent out the party room at Blackbird. Sure, it's pricy, but it's a party you will remember for the rest of your life. more ›

We aren't big New Year's Eve partiers. For us, New Year's Eve is a time for friends, family and reflection about what has happened over the last 365 days, not a crazy drunken party. Don't worry, we will have plenty of the best crazy drunken parties in town featured in these pages, but for today, let's stick to a quieter option. Intimate, low-key events are hard to find at this time of year, but West Town Tavern, our perennial favorite, comes through as usual. more ›

We're less than two months away from the insanity that is Three Floyds' Dark Lord Day. The implementation of "golden tickets" was a wonderful idea to ensure those who wanted to purchase the hotly anticipated Russian Imperial Stout actually could, while raising money for the Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society in the process. While some golden ticket holders still took to Craigslist and ebay to sell extras, the combination of the tickets and bad weather made last year's version of DLD manageable and much more enjoyable. more ›

If you're one of the thousands of music fans heading south to Austin next month for the annual SXSW music party / conference / drunkfest, Transmission has done a really good job of rounding up where and when Chicago related bands and parties are taking place. more ›

The holidays mean parties, and (if you're smart) parties mean a punchbowl. As a host, who wants to spend the latter part of the evening rooting around in the pantry trying to figure out how to make a palatable drink from the vodka, peppermint schnapps and diet tonic water that are leftover after the "good stuff" is gone? Not us. No sir, a punchbowl is the way to go. It requires a little setup time, but once it's prepared you can back away and concentrate on mingling. more ›

Paper Magazine has announced its nominations for its Fifth Annual Nightlife Awards, and Chicago's own Rehab is in the running for America's Best Party. Considering Rehab is on a Monday night, moved from one space to another, and has still managed to consistently book solid, fun, unpretentious line-ups that appeal to fans across all music genres, we stand behind their nomination. Show some local support and vote for them if you feel so inclined. more ›

Holy free beer, Batman! Make like a caped crusader and head to Challengers Comics this Saturday for their one-year anniversary party. Battling the demons of a deep recession, Challengers will have dollar back issues from DC, Marvel, Dark Horse et al. Also, our Spidey sense tells us they’ll have complimentary food and drinks to say thanks to all past and future patrons. more ›

Who wants an ice-cold cocktail when temps are this bone-chilling? Not us. And certainly not your party guests, should you be throwing a holiday party over the next few weeks. Place a warm mug full of something high-octane in their frost-bitten hands as soon as their coats have come off and they'll be toasty in no time. more ›

Artropolis takes over the Merchandise Mart this weekend with five shows, dozens of special events, and thousands of visitors roaming the halls for a dose (or overdose) of culture. Two years ago, Art Chicago made an eleventh hour deal with the Mart to stave off cancellation. Last year, the partnership was formalized and Bridge Art Fair, Artist Project, Intuit Show, and Antiques Fair happily coexisted with the big show by the river. Actually, Bridge’s organizers weren’t so happy after all. Bridge guru Michael Workman told the Reader he didn’t want his enterprise to be Art Chicago's “reject show.” more ›

Maybe it's just that we're ready for the weekend (and ready for this site to say "yes"), but it seems like this whole day is just a jerk. Time: Move faster! Weather: Be a little nicer! World: Be more fair! Especially Illinois. more ›

It was just announced Sonic Youth will headline the Pitchfork Music Festival's opening night, July 13, with a performance of Daydream Nation in its entirety. Holy shit, is that awesome or what? more ›

Whew! We made it through all the familial obligations of the holiday season. It’s a dead week at work and that means we need some stuff to do at night. This week offers a lot of possibilities for getting together for a pint or two before we even hit New Year’s Eve. If the Christmas hangover is gone, head over to the Hideout tonight for a Boxing Day Show with Kelly Hogan and Scott Ligon.... more ›

Jagshemash! Borat is a hit. It's getting rave reviews, grossing millions, and definitely the most quotable thing we've seen in ages. But Borat seems to have missed most of the -ist cities, and we were all wondering how the film would have been different if he'd made his way around the world on the -ist tour. In Shanghai, Borat would be observing Inane Learnings of Penis Photos for Make Benefit Glorious Flat World of... more ›

Remember when Modest Mouse rocked? Oh wait, that never happened. Well then, remember when they were interesting and you would think, “Wow, do I wish Modest Mouse would just rock the fuck out?” We do. In the years since we’ve gotten many promo packages from bands promising to bridge that mythical gap, but it wasn’t until a friend of ours turned us on to Oxford Collapse that we believed it was possible. more ›

Touch & Go finally released the set-times for this year's big ol' anniversary show/Hideout Block Party. Saturday is THE day to go, but all three days have got stellar acts. Come to think of it, while Saturday hosts the heavy-hitting legendary bands, Friday night is the one to don the ol' dancing shoes and get your groove on. We are so psyched for this. Friday, September 8 9:00pm !!! 8:00pm Ted Leo + Pharmacists 7:00pm... more ›

As if 130 bands, overpriced food, kids’ shows, an art exhibit, and people watching weren’t enough, Lollapalooza 2006 will serve up afternoons of interactive entertainment on the Mindfield Stage. Good to see three local comedy offerings on the bill but, with all due respect, they’re pretty much the opening act everyone’s sitting through to get to the headliner. To any of our readers coughing up $60 or more just to see Chicago comedy in Grant... more ›

Chicagoist will be the first to admit that we often prefer a quiet night with a book or magazine over a rollicking party where we have to, like, interact with real people. We comfort ourselves with the notion that the partiers are missing out on our glorious literary knowledge, but might we be missing out on something ourselves? Well, for those of us book nerds who never get out, and those of you crazy party... more ›

It's that time of year fondly known as "Spring Break" when the kids head to the tropical sandy beaches of... Chicago?! This year, our freezing city plays host to an alternative spring break for gay youth, ages 13 to 23. more ›