Here are some things to do this evening to consider bringing your voter receipt. more ›

No, we are not referring to post-Super Bowl craziness. We're talking about the Midwest Independent Film Festival, whose 2007 season begins tomorrow night at 7:30 at the Landmark Century. It's the only festival dedicated solely to work from the Midwest (thus the name) and best of all, it's year-round! Take that, Sundance! It's always the first Tuesday of each month. The fact that it's at the ultra-comfy Century is like icing on the cake (or marshmallows in the cocoa; choose your own metaphor). more ›

Recently, music geeks and fans of funny shit on the Internet were saddened to hear that Channel 101’s Yacht Rock series had come to an end. Over the past year, the show quasi-fictionally chronicled the lives of artists like Michael McDonald, Hall and Oates, Toto and Christopher Cross. They ruled the FM airwaves in the 70s and 80s with an iron fist, wrapped in a velvet glove. more ›

Toots L’Amour performs locally with the Lavender Cabaret and was the subject of a Chicagoist interview once upon a time. And speaking of once upon a time, L’Amour took to the NBC stage last night dressed, temporarily, as Snow White before beginning a burlesque striptease routine that would make a bulldog hug a hound. more ›

Yesterday local record label Touch and Go announced its plans for a "This Is Your Life"-style 25th Anniversary show that will coincide with the Hideout’s tenth anniversary and its annual block party in September. From September 8th through September 10th, 25 past and present Touch and Go artists will play at the Hideout. So far, nine artists have been announced including Didjits and Scratch Acid (each with all their original members), Enon, Shellac, Calexico and... more ›

So you're planning to: drive drunk, sell drugs, use a gun, pick up a hooker, drag race, fake a car registration, break curfew, play loud music, dump an old sofa in the alley, and buy fireworks. How does a busybody like you get around to do all these things? Easy, you rent a car. more ›

With Apple’s new version of iTunes making it even easier to tune into podcasts, some Chicagoans are seeing their own profiles rising. more ›

Chicagoist is a fan of the John Hughes-ian film genre wherein there’s a totally hot girl that no one else seems to notice is totally hot. Said girl frets and worries that she will not be asked to the prom/dance/concert by poorly coifed 80’s band by whomever has been cast as the movie’s anti-hero/stud. So, to compensate, she tries all kinds of goofy stunts to become what she thinks the guy will like only to discover that in the end she’s most likable just being herself. more ›

Chicagoist has often wondered who would play ourselves in the movie version of our life (we're hoping our life looks more like fleshbot.com than i-am-bored.com). Sure, there's temporary fame to be found on TV by eating bat dung or inviting Mary Poppins to live with you, but we're shooting for historical permanence here and that requires the big screen treatment. Several films in the city this week provide looks at the famous, the anonymous and...the... more ›

If you missed Buster Keaton’s The General back in December, you could head down to your local Blockbuster, ask for a copy, and get a blank stare in return. Or you could stop in at your local independent and suffer through a poorly transferred print. So why not do the smart thing and head over to Block Cinema and see a nice, clean, 35 mm print this Saturday night at 8 PM? Need another reason? How about accompaniment by Quasar Wut-Wut from Glorious Noise Records? Plain ol’ piano is sooooo early 20th century. more ›

In addition to their Annual Christmas Show, the Music Box continues its Cary Grant Centennial Celebration and wraps up its Bergman Directs! series this weekend (What’s with that exclamation point? Does this mean we can expect Bogart Acts! or Janusz Kaminski Cinematographizes! sometime soon?). Both events feature perfect films for those who enjoy romance pictures that are just a little off-kilter. more ›

Wouldn't the title of this post make for the best children's book ever? more ›

We couldn't be more jazzed up for this weekend, with some of our favorite folks hosting events. Let's get this party started, fools. more ›

First lady of Chicago blogdom Claire Zulkey will be on Eight Forty-Eight Wednesday morning as the latest installment of their series "Chicago's Web Sites, Blogs, E-mags, and Zines." Turn your dials to 91.5 FM from 9:35 to 11 a.m. to catch some of Ms. Zulkey's saucy wisdom. more ›

Everyone's favorite CTA story website, This Is Grand, has announced a photo contest. Get to it, shutterbugs! Considering the first photo essay on the site (go ahead, click through it, we'll wait), the editors probably have pretty high standards, but if you win, think of what it will do for your artsy cred and internet stardom. Hot damn. more ›

PISTIL's motto is "Put Your Petal to the Metal," which Chicagoist will admit, we didn't get. But lo and behold, a pistil is the "female reproductive order around which the other flower parts are arranged." Good to know. more ›