Few producers have bridged the gap between the UK's underground bass scene and North American popularity. The most obvious of these producers is James Blake, whose minimal electronic soundscapes have maintained a certain accessibility, most likely attributed to his mature, soulful voice and boyish good looks. Second to "The Prince of Dubstep", though, might be SBTRKT, whose more pop approach to bass music has landed him a considerable amount of success when compared to his contemporaries. A highlight of this year's North Coast Music Festival, SBTRKT will yet again hit Chicago, this time for a live show with collaborator Sampha at Bottom Lounge. more ›

Though we would’ve loved to have seen the free Cro-Mags shows at either Reggie's or Cobra Lounge or wound our weekend down with the Smoking Popes, our aging punk rock bodies could really only keep focused on one thing - The Descendents. more ›

Bike commuters, fixie enthusiasts, racehounds and general fans of two-wheeled transportation can rejoice as tomorrow kicks off the Chicago stop of the five day 2009 Bicycle Film Fest. Pump up your tires, grab your U-lock and get ready to cycle the city in the name of film and fun. more ›

Lykke Li sells out every Chicago show she books and Peter, Bjorn and John are rumored to return to Lollapalooza this August, so it appears Swedish pop is quickly becoming the new Brit pop. more ›

Wheel of Fortune is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and the gang is heading to Pat Sajak’s hometown, Chicago, to tape three weeks of shows. Shows will be taped afternoons and evenings at Navy Pier during March 7, 8, and 9. Request your tickets now. more ›

Since our hipster cred went down the drain last night when we saw The Police at Wrigley, we decided to just join the ranks of our parents and give up. The on-sale listings from Ticketmaster confirmed this for us when all we found were shows at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora. Shows that would have excited us about forty years ago, but who's to say grandpa and grandma don't deserve a great night out. The... more ›

The Midnight Shows are one of those bands trying to revive soul music and give it back its original edge. We're talking about dark alley, drug-deal gone bad, miniskirt riding up the ass kind of soul. We're talking about songs filled with grit, burnishing the edges off a crowd as they work up a sweat. more ›

Okay, so last night after a rousing episode of “Lost” (oooh, it’s getting so good again), we sat down to watch “Thank God You’re Here”. The show originally aired in Australia where it was the most successful new show in 2006. Parts of it were painful to watch and parts of it – well – parts of it weren’t so bad. We thought Chelsea Handler was okay, taking the easy way out sometimes with her... more ›

They’re less sophisticated than the big box stores but their merchandise is much more compelling, Chicago’s art shops and fairs are wasting no time hawking their wares. We could use some help after last year’s gift debacle (what were we thinking?), so we’ll be checking out the holiday art show circuit: This weekend’s DEPART-ment converts the Open End Gallery to a temporary shop of unique, locally produced, hand-crafted gifts. From oven mitts to hoodies to... more ›

If you’re a local musician and you’re not already taking advantage of the Musicians at Work forums offered through the Chicago Music Commission, Chicagoist recommends you start this Monday with “Marketing Music – Part I: DIY Reaching the Public.” And not just because one of our writers will be speaking there. Thanks to MySpace, podcasts and e-mail, it’s easier and less expensive than ever to market your band. Yet technology is only as good as... more ›

If you're a big MySpace fan or peeped the back of the RedEye this morning, you've undoubtedly heard about the free Lupe Fiasco show at Metro tonight. But we've heard some rumors that the show will be cancelled tonight due to Mr. Fiasco being quite under the weather. more ›

Chicagoist never gets the last word. Shows run long after we’ve weighed in, discussions evolve beyond our ramblings, companies grow, companies fold, artists work hard to make a living or to make the next news cycle. For our curious and attention-deficient readers, some quick updates on previously reported stories. Art Fairs and Festivals At the eleventh hour, the Merch Mart saved Art Chicago 2006. Soon after the exhibitors packed up came word that Merchandise Mart... more ›

"National Flirting Expert"* Susan Bradley is coming to town to "make dating fun again." She'll be conducting classes for the lovelorn June 23 - 26 at the Discovery Center on Lincoln Ave. There will be 6 classes total, covering topics such as Love, Flirting, and Relationships. more ›

Which Chicago female news anchor would you like to get your news from? A lovable Robin Baumgarten? The always-professional Diann Burns? Did you SEE the rack on Rebecca Romijn NOStamos? Question answered. more ›

Because we Americans don't spend enough time sealed-off from one another in our caves, a number of companies have developed technology that will allow you to watch TV on your cell phone. Apparently the technology has been available in South Korea for years and now Verizon is getting on board here in the States and will launch the cellular TV service VCAST on February 1st. A number of companies unveiled their plans for cellular TV programming at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Sprint has offered a video service since 2003. However, according to the AP, while the audio transmits clearly, the video plays more like a slide show. more ›