Tour an award-winning whiskey distillery and do something good for kids. more ›

Rock for Kids, a local non-profit organization that brings music classes to underprivileged and at risk children throughout Chicago, is competing in this month’s Pepsi Refresh Project to win a $50,000 grant to fund their free music education program. Realizing that music can be a positive motivator in a young person's life, Rock For Kids goes directly into the community to make classes like hip hop production, ethnic drumming, piano and guitar lessons easily accessible and free year-round for children in need. In order to win the grant, the organization needs to receive the most votes for their “idea” to help the community. Each month the Pepsi Refresh Project selects 1,000 ideas that will have a positive impact in the community from people, businesses, and non-profits and allows viewers to vote for their top 10 favorite ideas every day. Currently, Rock for Kids is ranked 149th. more ›

Bloodhsot has hijacked this year's Hideout Block Party to throw their 15th Anniversary Beer-B-Q! Bands playing include the reunited Blacks, Bobby Bare Jr., Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, The Deadstring Brothers, Alejandro Escovedo, and The Waco Brothers. And, as is tradition with the hideout Block Parties, the party also acts as a fundraiser and this year it benefits Rock For Kids and 826 Chicago. more ›

Andrew Bird will be playing an 18+ Rock For Kids benefit show at Schubas on August 6. Tickets go on sale at noon today and will run you $40 a piece, but after seeing Bird at Hideout earlier this year we consider that price to be well worth it. Some pre-registration is required so do that now. Good luck. more ›

This year’s Hideout Block Party had it all: blues, world music, stoner rock, deep country blues, puppet shows, political dissidents, robo-rock, the return of Neko Case in two guises, and a punk rock marching band. In-between all of this the organizers managed to mix in voter registration, political discussion, and a drunken spelling bee. The amazing thing about this whole package? Its whole purpose was to raise money for various community centers, primarily in the interest in improving the lives of area children, proving The Hideout truly is striving to create a sense of community through the arts. more ›