Frankly, whenever we read about record sales, digital rights management, and record companies, we usually switch off because the whole issue is stupid and always ends up more complicated than it should (iTunes or iTunes Plus?). The major record labels have always reminded us of our Drunk Uncle Pete; they're late to the party and only after our money, while indie labels have been distributing DRM-free music through retailers like eMusic for a while now.......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Chicagoist. Dewars Repeal Day, because you shouldn't take the right to have a drink for granted. Sony Card, because you'll get a free MP3 player if you apply. Love is a Mix Tape, Rob Sheffield's book about women, music, and love. American Express' Urban Adventures-- for information about shopping, dining, and entertainment. Homes for Working Families-- working to make housing affordable in......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Chicagoist. Dewars Repeal Day, because you shouldn't take the right to have a drink for granted. Sony Card, because you'll get a free MP3 player if you apply. Choice Hotels, because you can win a part to be in their next commercial! Busted Tees, where they're selling 12 shirts for $12 each. If you're interested in advertising on Chicagoist or any other......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Chicagoist. Dewars Repeal Day, because you shouldn't take the right to have a drink for granted. The Backroom, playing tonight at The Note. Homes for Working Families, because who hasn't been squeezed out of the housing market? Sony Card, because you'll get a free MP3 player if you apply. Choice Hotels, because you can win a part to be in their next......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Chicagoist. The Backroom, playing at The Note on 11/23. Homes for Working Families, because who hasn't been squeezed out of the housing market? Sony Card, because you'll get a free MP3 player if you apply. Choice Hotels, because you can win a part to be in their next commercial! Busted Tees, where you get free shipping with the purchase of three shirts.......

If you're chillin' at home and watching ABC7 (and you have decent reception), you're seeing clearer and more vibrant images. And if you have one of those new-fangled HD TV sets (33 million households now do), you're seeing ABC7's local newscasts in high-definition widescreen. Though they're the first Chicago channel to go high-def for local programming, all American networks are required by federal law to go completely HD by 2009. That's right: unless you buy......

Last Thursday evening Chicagoist had the chance to attend a special advance screening of the movie The Architect, which goes into release on December 15. We'll be reviewing the actual movie that week, but right now we'd like to talk about the screening itself. The movie was projected in Theater 1 at the Landmark Century using a brand-new Blu-ray DVD player. That is, there wasn't film running through a projector; instead, a Blu-ray DVD of......

Those of us at the Chicagoist offices enjoy video games as much as the next person. It's not that uncommon for us to go head-to-head in a round of Mario Kart while we're waiting for new stories to post. Why, last week, we were on the last lap of the 150cc dinosaur track when KFed became Fed-Ex. The losers in last place driving the Goomba Kart decided that we had to post that story right......

The latest in a string of new gadget peddlers will be making themselves a new home on Chicago's Magnificent Mile. In a press release released yesterday, GPS manufacturer Garmin announced that they too will be hawking their blinking wares on the north Michigan Avenue. This follows the recent stores opened by Nokia and Motorola in the area. Being gadget freaks, Chicagoist welcomes all the new vendors of overpriced toys for grownups. We fondly remember looking......

Chicago electronics company Motorola just received the okay from the Feds to produce and sell the RAZR's successor, the K1, a.k.a The Canary. We guess that this is exciting if you're one of the legion of RAZR owners, but as members of the Church of Sony-Ericcson, the thought of "the next RAZR" kind of frightens us. Here's the root of our RAZR-phobia - they're simply everywhere. (We sometimes think that it's likely we'll die......

Chicagoist is a huge fan of our own homegrown media industry. We like the original stuff that comes out of this city and telling our folks things like how we walk through Gotham City on our way to work and visit County General every time we have a boo-boo. So, as always, it was a lot of fun to sit in on last night's taping of "Wait! Wait! Don't Tell Me". Host Peter Sagal informed......

Apparently, size doesn’t matter…when it comes to music and movies. Though Oscar nominations won’t be announced until the end of the month, the Tribune’s Mark Caro is already proclaiming this the biggest year for indie films “since four of the five 1996 best picture nominees were non-studio offerings.” But what is indie anymore? The examples cited by Caro include Brokeback Mountain, Good Night and Good Luck, and Capote, which are all films that come from......

The Gene Siskel Film Center picked a helluva time roll out some excellent retrospectives. With the temps so low, all we want to do is roll ourselves up in blankets and watch our Tivo’ed episodes of Law and Order. But The Gene is tempting us to bundle up and head downtown for some great revivals and overlooked films of 2005. First up is "Merry Marilyn," a look at the films of Marilyn Monroe. Now: you......

There are a lot of reasons to go to see live shows. Maybe you want to keep up with what’s happening in music. Or perhaps your favorite band is in town. Or you might be a crazy-ass groupie/stalker. Whatever your reason, tonight you can feed your jones and help out a sick little kid at the same time. Tonight at Double Door, several hot-shit Chicago bands will take the stage for the first of three......

Chicago’s very own Dan Bakkedahl, formerly of Second City and Wrigleyville's IO Theater, has gone to the Big Apple to be the Daily Show’s newest correspondent. Dan made a name for himself here in Chicago with the comedy duo Zumpf (with Miles Stroth). He also brought the house down at Second City in the 2003-04 show “Doors Open on the Right.” The story has it that he left Second City over artistic differences; that is,......

Got an extra grand? Want to wear flannel? Want to help others? The perfect solution goes on sale Saturday at 10 am. Pearl Jam is playing a benefit concert at the House of Blues here in Chicago on October 5th to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina. All net proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, the New Orleans Musicians Clinic, and the Jazz Foundation of America. The last two charities......

The Loews Cineplex at 600 N. Michigan announced their list of free movies for this month as part of their Fan Favorites series. Again, we’re not sure what kind of person lists Open Water as one of his or her favorites but this month’s nautical theme does allow for some honest-to-goodness decent films like Master and Commander, A River Runs Through It and Whale Rider. Don’t forget to register for the free tickets before you......

Do you feel intimidated walking into Reckless Records? Did you cry soft tears of recognition during the “I Just Called To Say I Love You” scene in High Fidelity? Well sob no more, friend. This month’s Illinois Entertainer features an indie record label fakebook so you’ll never confuse Polyvinyl Records with Black Vinyl Records ever again (there’s a version of it posted online as well). We know there are a few labels around town they......