Recurring events/nights/parties are a dime a dozen in Chicago. Check out a venue's website and there's surely a night this week on their event calendar that signifies some perpetual, self-described "very best, amazing, outrageous, balls-to-the-wall" party. So when I let you in on one of the newest ones, you might politely scroll past, tired of the same old. But don't. What I have for you is a little different; a little nostalgic and a little fresh at the same time. It goes by the name of Loose Change and its first night is this Thursday at The Continental in Humboldt Park. more ›

We first heard of Acrassicauda through a story on NPR, describing the trials and tribulations of these heavy metal band of Iraqi refugees. They were recently hunkered down in Damascus, but got out in the nick of time when Syria started ejecting all Iraqi refugees, and not the group is in Istanbul ... trying their damndest to keep from getting sent back to Bagdhad. more ›

We alluded to it earlier, but this is one hell of a weekend for music in our fair city. One of the upswings of the indiefication of America has been the steadily improving street festival bills, so we can at least enjoy good tunes with our processed meats and flat beer, and this weekend sees two of the best line-ups all summer unfortunately going head to head with each other. The inaugural Switchyard Festival is... more ›

We mentioned The Continental was putting together a little festival to give back to the community it calls home, and now we've got what seems to be a pretty full line-up along with a name for the event. Lots of Chicagoist favorites (a few who have even played showcases Chicagoist has organized in the past) dot the Switchyard Festival bill and it seems to be a pretty solid, locally based line-up. We're looking forward to... more ›

We’re not feeling bad about missing Coachella or Bonnaroo or Virgin or any of the other music festivals going on this year, because Chicago continues to be ground zero for ass-kicking musical fun in the summer sun. Continental, open barely a year and already the all-night hangout for hipsters all over the city (full disclosure: we spin there occasionally) is leveraging some of the goodwill they’ve formed with local DJs and bands to benefit a... more ›

Our resident jaunter had to up and leave town suddenly this weekend, but we will try our best to fill you in on happenings for today. Despite the January blahs, there's quite a bit of stuff going on. Fox & Obel, they of upscale food market fame, are holding a free chocolate tasting from 1-5 p.m. The chocolate in question is Schokinag, of which drinking chocolate will also be available (mm!). Strap on the feedbag... more ›

We’re sick of hearing about good people getting killed by hit and run drivers. Dan Parry was familiar to many as a cracking mod and soul DJ who tried to get everyone into the party. We didn’t realize that behind the scenes he was also traveling down to New Orleans post-Katrina to help people out, or that he had been an EMT, or that he was hoping to become a firefighter. Learning all those things,... more ›

“Sweet baby Jesus!” more ›