In another sign of spring, Ravinia announced its full music lineup for the season today. As in previous years, this year's schedule is a good balance of popular acts, jazz and classical music. The name acts are a mix of today's popular acts and your parents' nostalgia acts: Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, Maroon 5, Five for Fighting, Steely Dan, Tony Bennett's 85th birthday concert, Lyle Lovett, k d lang and Lynyrd Skynyrd are all on the schedule. The one we're penciling in is Robert Plant's June 16 concert, which has all the earmarks of selling out the fastest and seeing a rush to the lawn reminiscent of his 2008 Ravinia appearance with Allison Krauss or the benchmark for Ravinia lawn rushes, a 1998 Poi Dog Pondering concert. more ›

• The Blago jury requested and received a transcript of the testimony of former deputy governor Bradley Tusk.
• Authorities in Dolton are seeking a driver who killed a bike-riding teen in a hit-and-run accident as the driver fled police.
• Another lawsuit has been filed against the City's new handgun laws.

If you have no idea to whom this headline refers, ask your nearest Broadway fan. For the rest of you: Yes, this means what you think it means. Liza Minnelli, Audra McDonald and Patti LuPone are all coming to Chicago. Get ready for a summer of fabulous. more ›

Ravinia has unveiled its 2010 lineup and there's plenty to catch this summer. We've already told you about Sting and there's the slew of dates featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, classic rock combos, and AOR bands, but here are a few of the upcoming shows that caught our eye: more ›

We've know about this since yesterday, so sorry we waited to tell you, but we just really wanted to stretch out and enjoy this little piece of news to its fullest without any danger of releasing it all over the public before we were good and ready. Sting will be playing Ravinia on July 17 and 18 with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. That's a whole lot of people he has to please on one stage huh? No word on just how long he'll perform for, but we've been told he can last a reeeeaaaaallllly long time. more ›

• Mayor Daley has promised he'll look into reports that as many as one in five CPS teachers change grades.
• Cellist Phillip Blum, "the longest-serving member of the CSO," has passed away.
• WBEZ has an excellent report on the large amounts of money residents of the South Side spend outside of their communities each year and the lengths some are going to to change that trend.

This Saturday at Ravinia, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will perform two of Dmitri Shostakovich's most famous works, the Symphony No. 5 in D Minor and the Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor. The programming of these two pieces should satisfy Shostakovich fans, but it'll also serve as a concise introduction to two sides of the Russian great's music. more ›

Which Herbie Hancock do you prefer? The post-bopper from the revolutionary rhythm section of Miles Davis's 1960s quintet? The tripped-out, funky Head Hunters band leader? And how can you say no to "Rockit"? more ›

Goran Bregovic and his Wedding and Funeral Orchestra bring their raucous live show back to Chicago for a performance at Ravinia this Sunday at 7:00 p.m. more ›

In the battle of outdoor music venues, Millennium Park holds a commanding lead: it's free, the overhead weave of speakers ensures even sound throughout the lawn area, and the sightlines are good. It's on this last point that Ravinia was particularly lacking. We've spent more than one cabernet-addled evening facing the wrong direction or immersed in shrubs, having given up on trying to be involved with the performance. more ›

Believe it or not, in a few months it's going to be warm enough to stuff your backpack full of food and drink and Metra it up to Ravinia for a music-filled suburban vacation. more ›

An Arlington Heights man needed 15 stitches after a brawl at Ravinia last weekend. more ›

Since its release last October Raising Sand, the critically lauded collaboration of former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant and high priestess of bluegrass Allison Krauss, has become something of a phenomenon. Working in tandem with producer T Bone Burnett, who picked and arranged the songs, Raising Sand is a joy to the ears. Its emphasis on blues, country and old R&B is reminiscent of Bob Dylan's records of the past twenty years, while Burnett's production at times evokes the ethereal moods of Emmylou Harris' Wrecking Ball or Willie Nelson's Teatro. more ›

As if you needed reminding, it's Tax Day, one of the more stressful times of the year, especially with the economy in the toilet. But maybe you're lucky enough to get a half-decent refund from the Federal Government this year and feel like treating yourself to something nice. more ›

The mercury has cracked 50 degrees on consecutive days this week and that's had us thinking about Spring around here. We know, it's supposed to get cold again next week, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's time to start planning our summer excursions. Sure, Lollapalooza and the Pitchfork Music Fest made big headlines recently, but Ravinia's 2008 schedule was also released this week, meaning we can start incorporating trips to Highland Park into our plans. more ›