Time Out Chicago news

With dark clouds looming overhead and thunderstorms dotting the radar, Pitchfork Music Festival's 13th year seemed to get off to an unlucky start. Dollar store ponchos were being hawked just outside the gates as crowds began to trickle into Union Park, setting an ominous mood that thankfully didn’t materialize into anything serious. Despite a few brief downpours throughout the day, there were no stage shutdowns or evacuations. RECOMMENDED: Our complete guide to Pitchfork Music FestivalThe early hours of Friday afternoon were mostly occupied by local performers, showcasing the increased presence of Chicago-based acts on the Pitchfork bill—more than have graced any previous lineup. Guests entering the fest early were treated to an eclectic set from DIY art-rockers the Curls and the raw percussive energy of noisy punk act Melkbelly. Later in the afternoon, one-time Chicagoan Julie Byrne was joined onstage by a harpist and violinist for a collection of delicate, soothing songs, while local jazz-scene veteran Joshua Abrams created a hypnotizing drone at the head of his avant-garde Natural Information Society ensemble. The afternoon’s slate of hip-hop acts was characterized by deeply personal narratives, beginning with Open Mike Eagle, who acted as his own DJ while digging into his memories of growing up in the now-demolished Robert Taylor Homes housing project on Chicago’s South Side. Across the field, West Side rapper Saba paced across a stage decorated with a fridge and a stov

It's been a little more than five years since bright-blue Divvy bikes started rolling through the streets of Chicago, and the bike-share service is marking the occasion with a day of free rides. Yogurt brand Noosa is sponsoring this year's Free Ride Day on Saturday, July 21, which allows anyone with the Divvy mobile app to pedal around the city free of charge.  To snag a free bike, you'll need to open the Divvy mobile app and enter the code NOOSA18—you'll score a free Explorer pass, which gives you unlimited Divvy rides during a three-hour period. That's more than enough time to cruise over to Union Park for Pitchfork Music Festival or take a leisurely ride along the Lakefront Trail after having a meal in Pilsen at the Tacos y Tamales Festival. Bring a helmet, have fun and please, we're begging you, don't ride your Divvy bike on Lake Shore Drive. Want more? Sign up here to stay in the know.

We curate a Chicago weekend itinerary of the city’s best concerts, culture and cuisine, every week, just for you. Friday Pitchfork Music Festival at Union ParkAussie psych-rockers Tame Impala headline the first night of Pitchfork Music Festival, kicking off a weekend that includes sets from R&B singer Ms. Lauryn Hill, indie-folk act Fleet Foxes and Chicago's own Chaka Khan. Tacos y Tamales Festival at 16th and Peoria StreetsTaqueria Los Comales, L’ Patron, La Cebollita Grill, Dia De Los Tamales, Don Pedro Carnitas and more of the city's best Mexican restaurants serve delicious dishes on the streets of Pilsen all weekend long, accompanied by live Latin music. Navy Pier Water Colors Jazz Series at Polk Bros ParkThe Chicago Jazz Orchestra headlines the latest installation of Navy Pier's summer jazz series, set on a lakefront stage in Polk Bros Park. Saturday Chance the Rapper at Usher at Huntington Bank PavilionHometown hero (and new owner of Chicagoist) Chance headlines a 50th-anniversary celebration for Special Olympics, joined by Usher, Smokey Robinson, OAR and Jason Mraz. Silver Room Block Party at Silver RoomDon't want to deal with the crowds in Union Park? Silver Room is hosting it annual block party in Hyde Park, setting up three outdoor stages and hosting performances at businesses throughout the neighborhood. Show up to see sets from local hip-hop producer the Twilite Tone, house DJ Ron Trent and more Chicago-bred talent.Sheffield Music Festival and Garden Walk

If you're anything like us, you're probably wondering where the hell the first half of 2018 went. Since this year shows no signs of slowing down, now feels like a good time to acknowledge the new restaurants and bars that have really blown us away. Though they're all recent additions to Chicago, these spots have burrowed their way into our hearts, becoming trusty standbys for special occasions and Saturday nights out. The majority of these restaurants opened just this year, but we couldn't resist sneaking in a few exceptional late bloomers from 2017 for good measure. These six restaurants are well on their way to becoming some of the best in Chicago. Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Bar Biscay: A self-described "cross between a Basque pinxto bar and a lively French brasserie," Bar Biscay proves that Chicagoans embrace restaurants that break the mold with funky flavors and boundary-pushing dishes. The West Town spot offers a superb wine list alongside a roster of knockout dishes including tender steak frites smothered in creamy sauce gribiche and a collection of enticing vegetable-packed plates. As an added bonus, the pink-lit interior is remarkably sexy, making it an ideal backdrop for date night or a night out with close friends.   Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas S.K.Y.: Earlier this year, Time Out Chicago critic Maggie Hennessy gave this Pilsen newcomer a perfect five-star review, noting that the dining experience "pulsates with warmth and generosity." For his first solo ven

There's a lot going on in Chicago this weekend, but music fans will be flocking to Pitchfork Music Festival, where some of the most exciting rock, hip-hop and electronic acts are slated to perform over the course of the three-day event. Organized by taste-making online publication Pitchfork, the festival is marking its 13th year in the city, bringing together a characteristically eclectic lineup of performers that range from legendary R&B singers to up-and-coming DIY rockers. Before you make your way over to Union Park, check out this handy primer that should impart everything you need to know about this year's Pitchfork Music Festival. RECOMMENDED: Our complete guide to Pitchfork Music Festival When is Pitchfork Music Festival? This year's festival begins on Friday, July 20 and runs through Sunday, July 22. Gates open at noon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and the festival shuts down at 10pm each night. Where is Pitchfork Music Festival? The festival takes place in Union Park, which is located at 1501 W Randolph Street on the West Side of the city. The main gates for the festival are located on Ashland Avenue, just south of Lake Street. A second gate is located at Washington Boulevard and Ogden Avenue on the east side of Union Park.  What's the best way to get to Pitchfork Music Festival? Thankfully, it's extremely easy to reach Union Park via public transportation. If you're coming from the north or south, catch the Ashland (9) bus and hop off at Lake Street. If y

Earlier this week, the Chicago Tribune published an interview with Chance the Rapper discussing the concert he's hosting on Saturday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Special Olympics. In the conversation, Chance seemed to reveal that he had completed a new album and planned on releasing it sometime this week, though he quickly walked back those remarks via a tweet that read, "Sorry no album this week, def been in the stu tho." Last night, Chance didn't release a new album, but he did drop four songs—as usual, you can listen to them for free on platforms like Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube (they're also embedded at the bottom of this post). The tracks mark the rapper's first new material of 2018 and touch on a laundry list of topics, including his recent engagement, his desire for Mayor Rahm Emanuel to resign and his distaste for product placement in music videos. The biggest revelation amid the lyrics of a song called “I Might Need Security” comes when Chance states that he recently purchased local news website Chicagoist, taking a shot at Chicago's media industry with the lyric “I bought the Chicagoist just to run you racist bitches out of business.” Chance's newly formed company Social Media LLC purchased Chicagoist's archives, domains and social media channels from New York public radio station WNYC, which took ownership of the publication earlier this year in the wake of billionaire (and Chicago Cubs owner) Joe Ricketts's decision to shut down the DNAInfo and G

File this under things we never asked for: As part of its "Tastes of America" campaign, Lay's will roll out eight new flavors that correspond with different regions of the country. As Chicagoans and Midwesterners, there are two varieties you need to know about—Deep Dish Pizza, which is inspired by the "Heartland & Mid-America," and Fried Pickles with Ranch, which is meant to embody the Midwest. The Deep Dish flavor is inspired by local pizza purveyor Giordano's, so we're expecting a touch of sweetness, notes of melty mozzarella and, most importantly, lots of saucy goodness. Of course, if they were going for authenticity, Lay's would have seasoned the crispy snack with bits of Italian sausage, mushrooms, green peppers and onions—but somehow we doubt there's that much science behind the creation.  The Fried Pickle appears to be tied to Midwestern state and county fairs and the Midwest's general affinity for slathering everything in batter and dunking it into a deep fryer. Take a look at the full list of new flavors, which are scheduled to land in a grocery store near you later this month.  Cajun Spice: Central Gulf Chile Con Queso: Southwest Chesapeake Bay Crab Spice: Mid-Atlantic Deep Dish Pizza: Heartland & Mid-America Fried Pickles with Ranch: Midwest New England Lobster Roll: Northeast Pimento Cheese: Southeast Thai Sweet Chili: Pacific Northwest Want more? Sign up here to stay in the know.

Last week, the Chicago Athletic Association debuted its latest pop-up bar in its Tank space, revealing a classy lounge that draws inspiration from the Art Institute's new exhibition, “John Singer Sargent and Chicago's Gilded Age.” The fleeting concept is called Dear Carmencita in honor of Sargent's famous portrait of Spanish dancer Carmen Dauset—you'll find a replica of the piece hanging above the bar. Organizers worked with West Town art gallery Johalla Projects and local designer Marina Kozak to transform the space into a ritzy parlor that might have existed in the city during the late 1800s. The space is filled with period-appropriate furniture, rugs, light fixtures and drapery, all sourced to match the landmarked historical elements in the rest of the hotel, which was established in 1890 during the height of the Gilded Age. Our favorite detail is miniature forced-perspective staircase behind the bar that functions as a liquor shelf. Land and Sea Dept. beverage director Paul McGee formulated the pop-up's cocktail menu, which features drinks like the La Carmencita, made with champagne, citron syrup, mint and seasonal berries, as well as the potent Street in Venice, with London dry gin, dry vermouth, maraschino and absinthe. Keeping with the art-inspired Gilded Age theme, the pop-up will host a series of events before if closes on August 5. Guests can paint a picture of their pets on July 20, sample dishes that were debuted at the 1983 World’s Columbian Exposition on July

Attention, rule-breaking Chicagoans: There's a new, guilt-free way to enjoy raw cookie dough. As first reported by Eater Chicago, Scooped Cookie Dough Bar is now open inside Water Tower Place, offering various flavors of safe-to-eat raw dough. According to its website, the San Antonio import uses "fresh ingredients, pasteurized eggs and heat-treated flour" to craft crave-worthy flavors like cake batter, coconut-chocolate, monster and oatmeal chocolate chip. The original location also pushes seasonal options like Lucky Charms, rocky road and cookie monster, though there's no word yet on what special flavors could grace the Chicago shop. Just like an ice cream shop, Scooped serves globes of dough showered in sprinkles, cookies and nuts in small dishes.  Though we're still not sure about the exact science behind what makes edible cookie dough... edible, the fad is going strong in New York, making this a delicious trend you'll have to try to believe.  Want more? Sign up here to stay in the know.

A few weeks ago, we learned that one of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirror Rooms will be on display in Chicago later this summer as part of a pop-up exhibition called wndr museum. Last night, organizers announced that tickets to the exhibit will go on sale today, ahead of the opening of wndr museum on August 17. Located in a warehouse at 1130 W Monroe Street in the West Loop, the exhibit will remain on display for a “limited, but undetermined, amount of time,” according to a press release. The Infinity Mirror Room included in the pop-up is on loan from a private art collector and is entitled “Let’s Survive Forever,” featuring a sea of metallic orbs that are suspended in midair and resting on the floor in a room surrounded by mirrors. The Kusama artwork will be the final part of the wndr museum experience, which features 10 additional installations that have been commissioned for this exhibition. Installations include a “zero-gravity ball pit” that uses helium balloons and fans to simulate a weightless version of the childhood attraction as well as a three-story-tall kinetic sculpture that attempts to depict the vastness of space. While there will be plenty of exciting things to see at wndr museum, your tastebuds will also be put to work through a series of “edible experiences” designed by Toronto's Future Food Studio (the company's founder, Dr. Irwin Adam Eydelnant, is one of wndr museum's creators) and Chef Richard Farina, the former executive chef at Chicago's