#Chicago blog

Green Music Fest announces initial lineup and bike powered stage

Posted by Zach Long on Apr 22, 2014 at 1:35pm

Wicker Park's Green Music Fest announced its first wave of bands this morning, confirming groups like Guided By Voices, the Features and the Soil & The Sun for the annual street festival on June 21 and 22. This year's fest will mark the debut of the Bicycle Powered Music Stage, where eight stationary bikes will provide the energy for amps, microphones and monitors. Does anyone else think that this sounds like a Portlandia sketch?

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4 Midwest distilleries team up to make a new whiskey

Posted by Amy Cavanaugh on Apr 21, 2014 at 7:24pm 

Whisky Fest is already sold out, but there are plenty of other whiskey tastings, dinners and events happening this week that you can still get in on. One of those is the release of Four Kings whiskey, a 600-bottle collaboration between Illinois's FEW Spirits, Michigan's Journeyman Distillery, Tennessee's Corsair Distillery and Iowa's Mississippi River Distilling Company.

Casting announced for Brigadoon at Goodman Theatre

Posted by Kris Vire on Apr 21, 2014 at 12:45pm

The Goodman Theatre has announced the complete cast for Rachel Rockwell's summer production of Lerner & Loewe's Brigadoon. Kevin Earley and Curt Bouril will star as Tommy Albright and Jeff Douglas, the tourists who discover the elusive village that appears only once every 100 years. Jennie Sophia will play Fiona MacLaren, the Brigadoon girl with whom Tommy falls in love. Brigadoon runs June 27–August 3; tickets are on sale now.

Photo of the week for Apr 18, 2014

Posted by Laura Baginski on Apr 18, 2014 at 12:27pm

Last week, we shared a photo of the skyline at sunset; this week, we see dawn reflected in the Trump Tower for our reader photo of the week. Taken yesterday at 7:18am from the Riverwalk, this shot by @old_school_artist convinces us we should get out and watch the sun rise more often.

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Neo-Futurists announce new season, new co-artistic director

Posted by Kris Vire on Apr 18, 2014 at 12:05pm

The Neo-Futurists have set the lineup for their 2014–15 primetime season. The company also revealed that ensemble member Kurt Chiang will join Bilal Dardai in the joint role of artistic director. Chiang replaces the departing Megan Mercier. The Neos' season begins with INFILTRATION, a preshow performance event ahead of Friday night's Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (August 8–September 24). Pseudo-Chum (October 16–November 22), Redletter (February 19–March 28) and Trust Us/Screw You (May 7–June 13) follow.

The cheapest and most expensive rentals in Logan Square

Posted by Laura Baginski on Apr 18, 2014 at 10:14am

There's no doubt gentrification has a firm grasp on Logan Square, but there's still quite a disparity between the haves and the have-nots. These two examples of Logan's most expensive and cheapest rentals, provided by real estate site Zumper, illustrate that gap quite nicely.

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606 Update: Ashland bridge moves to Western

Posted by Zach Long on Apr 17, 2014 at 1:45pm

A few weeks ago, crews removed a bride that ran over Ashland Avenue and carted it away to clean, repair and paint it (not with tags). That overpass will be finding a new home this weekend, replacing a bridge at Western Avenue and Bloomingdale Avenue that was demolished in early March. The bridge will be moved from Ashland to Western by way of North Avenue, beginning at 5am on Saturday.

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ACTIVATE turns Chicago alleys into galleries

Posted by Lydia DeCoud on Apr 17, 2014 at 1:25pm

This past winter (it's past, right?) forced many of us into dull environments as we avoided the outside. Summer is a saving grace leading to the revitalization of the explorer within, and ACTIVATE is prepared to get the party started as they transform alleys in downtown Chicago to an arts festival. For only five nights throughout summer, experience artwork, DJs and interactive light shows for an immersive, pop-up party.

Studs Terkel festival comes to University of Chicago

Posted by Herel Hughes on Apr 17, 2014 at 1:15pm

There are several names every Chicagoan should be familiar with: Al Capone, Harry Caray, Michael Jordan, Oprah and Studs Terkel. University of Chicago will host a three-day Studs Terkel fest, beginning May 9, in honor of the Pulitzer Prize winner. "Let's Get Working" will display the amazing work of Terkel, focusing on labor, faith, race and community; while showcasing modern writers and journalists who have been inspired through his work.

The 31 things we're looking forward to this summer

Posted by Laura Baginski on Apr 17, 2014 at 10:42am

Chicagoans, we have suffered the worst winter in history. And, save for a handful of above-60-degree days, spring has been fairly rude as well. The only remedy: making this the best summer ever. Start filling out your summer to-do list using our picks as a guide.

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American Theater Company establishes formal partnership with Araca Group

Posted by Kris Vire on Apr 17, 2014 at 9:48am

Seymour and Audrey are getting traded in for someone with green. Two weeks after announcing a 2014–15 season that would conclude with a production of the musical Little Shop of Horrors (albeit rights remained "pending" at the time of the announcement), American Theater Company has pulled the title as part of a newly disclosed formal partnership with commercial producers the Araca Group.

Taste Test: Domino's Specialty Chicken

Posted by Amy Cavanaugh on Apr 16, 2014 at 2:56pm

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The 27 ways you know it's finally spring in Chicago

Posted by Laura Baginski on Apr 16, 2014 at 2:33pm

1. Starry-eyed Bears fans are fantasizing about their first-round pick in the upcoming draft.

2. People are drinking margaritas on the patio at Big Star—in winter coats.

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Photo of the week for Apr 11, 2014

Posted by Laura Baginski on Apr 11, 2014 at 9:43am

A nice way to close the week: a stunning shot of our skyline at sunset by @chicagopics_ig. 

Want to be featured as Time Out Chicago's photo of the week? Tag your Instagram photos with #chigram and you may just become Internet famous. The photo of the week will be posted on the Time Out Chicago blog every Friday.

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The 10 things we don't want to see at the George Lucas Museum

Posted by Brent DiCrescenzo on Apr 10, 2014 at 4:22pm

Our city might be the future home of the Lucas Cultural Arts Museum. As in George Lucas. As in the billionaire that ruined your memories of childhood. In addition to Star Wars props and ephemera, such as the scale model of the Millennium Falcon, this "world class museum of the digital arts" would also house the blockbuster filmmaker's collection of wholesome Normal Rockwell paintings—because of course he has that.

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Divvy announces Divvy Week, puts more bikes on the streets

Posted by Zach Long on Apr 10, 2014 at 2:04pm

Divvy stations have been looking a little empty as of late, but they'll be fully stocked by the end of the week. Today, Chicago's bike-share program announced that it is getting ready for spring by releasing 700 bikes that were in storage during the winter back into its system. Divvy has been operating for nine months, but riders have already logged an estimated two million miles on the bright blue bikes.

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Profiles Theatre to mount Sharr White's 'Annapurna'

Posted by Kris Vire on Apr 9, 2014 at 1:25pm

Profiles Theatre has announced a new entry to close out its 2013–14 season. Sharr White'sAnnapurna will replace the previously announced Hunter Gatherers by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb. Profiles's Chicago premiere of White's two-hander about an estranged married couple will run June 6–July 20 at the company's Alley Stage. It comes close on the heels of the play's New York premiere, which begins performances next week starring Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman.

CHIRP Radio hosts its Record Fair this Saturday

Posted by Zach Long on Apr 9, 2014 at 11:31am

If you're a vinyl fan, you'll want to head to Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union Hall this Saturday for the 12th annual CHIRP Radio Record Fair & Other Delights. The event gives crate diggers an opportunity to browse through thousands of records provided by 60 regional vendors. Chicago-based labels like Hausu Mountain, Hozac and FPE Records will slinging their wares, while records stores such as Saki and Record Breakers also get in on the action.

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The most popular Chicago rappers by neighborhood

Posted by Brent DiCrescenzo on Apr 9, 2014 at 10:45am

A few weeks back, you might have seen a map of the United States displaying "the most distinctive" music acts by state. Sufjan Stevens was the representative of Illinois. So that got us thinking. Chance the Rapper, Kanye West and Chief Keef grab a bunch of headlines these days. Using Google Trends data, we looked at which neighborhoods and suburbs rank highest in search volume for our biggest local hip-hop stars. According to the heat maps, Homewood reps hard for Lupe and Yeezus. And despite all the hype, Chance the Rapper is largely a phenomenon in the posh near suburbs.

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18 punny Chicago signs

Posted by Laura Baginski on Apr 8, 2014 at 3:12pm

Here at Time Out, we love a good pun. Hell, we love a bad pun. And so do a lot of Chicago businesses. In fact, these hair salons, restaurants and pet shops love punnery so much they threw wordplay into their business's names—some to clever effect. And some not.