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We like to think of Riot Fest as a rock-tinged forecast for fall fashion. Unlike other Chicago summer music festivals, where jerseys and crop tops are the norm, Riot Fest showcases an edgy lineup of more casual looks. This weekend, we saw plenty of fishnet tops, leather vests, patched denim, frayed nylons and punk-rock tees (not to mention some gravity-defying hairstyles) at the three-day festival in Douglas Park.  RECOMMENDED: See more photos from Riot Fest music festival Looking for an outfit that you can pair with a mohawk or a cool way to show off your extensive collection of patches and enamel pins? You're sure to find some inspiration in our photos of the best rocker-approved fashion looks we spotted at Riot Fest 2018.   Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Photogr

After weeks of speculation, rumors and lineup uncertainty, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary at this year's edition of Riot Fest, which brought droves of fans to Douglas Park. The fact that the festival only finalized its headlining acts a week prior and put single-day tickets on sale a few days before gates opened didn't seem to deter anyone from showing up and packing the fields—in terms of attendance alone, Riot Fest still seems to be thriving. RECOMMENDED: See more photos from Riot Fest music festival As usual, nostalgia reigned supreme at Riot Fest, where it was hard to find a band that didn't have a few beloved albums from a previous decade under it's belt. Headlining sets from Weezer and Beck stuck to the most familiar tracks from their respective catalogs, though both acts segued into some unexpected covers (of course, Rivers Cuomo sang Toto's “Africa”). Elder rockers Elvis Costello, Blondie and Jerry Lee Lewis showed that they can still (mostly) hang with the kids, and esteemed-yet-lesser-known bands such as the Jesus Lizard, Fear and Digable Planets delighted devoted fans—and probably gained a few new ones. While plenty of the usual suspects (Andrew WK, GWAR, Bad Religion, Alkaline Trip) showed up for Riot Fest, it was nice to see some new faces taking the stage. Acts like young garage rockers Calpurnia (fronted by Stranger Things actor Finn Wolfhard) and local indie pop outfit Beach Bunny proved that the unfamiliar can be a refreshing change of pace at Ri

The Chicago outpost of nightclub and restaurant hybrid Tao, which boasts locations in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York, will open its doors on Monday, September 17. Housed in a River North building that originally hosted the Chicago Historical Society—and was more recently used by nightclubs such as Excalibur and Castle—the space has been entirely overhauled and filled with Asian-inspired artwork and decor. Ahead of the concept's official opening, we got an exclusive sneak peek inside Tao's nightclub, a 7,000-square-foot space that resides on the building's second floor. Guests enter the club through a set of 100-year-old Chinese doors located in an alley adjacent to the building, before ascending to the second floor where they'll encounter the venue's “host wall,” lined with a series of lucky cat figurines that wave their arms. The 1,000-person capacity nightclub can operate as two separate rooms or be combined into one gigantic room via a removable wall. On one end of the space, you'll find private booths, a bar and a lounge area (complete with its own bar) that leads to the venue's restrooms. The other end of the space hosts Tao's dance floor and DJ booth, situated beneath a ten-foot Japanese bell outfitted with a disco ball as well as a towering 20-foot-tall mural created by British street artist Hush. Accents such as custom wall sconces and laced chandeliers accent some of the buildings original architecture, including arches (which have been adorned with LED light

Earlier this year when developers unveiled renderings of the Union Station redevelopment that depicted a seven-story building stacked on top of the historic station, the public's reaction wasn't positive. Rather than move forward with a design that was unpopular with the community, Riverside Investment & Development went back to the drawing board and presented the latest iteration of its plans for the West Loop building during a public meeting on Tuesday evening. Crain's shared the updated designs this morning and unveiled the major change in the project: The 404-unit apartment complex that would have sat atop the existing Union Station structure has been nixed by the developer. In its place, the proposal now calls for the construction of a single “penthouse” floor on top of the station that would increase the number of hotel rooms in the building. The presentation also revealed updated plans for an office building that is being planned south of that station. The latest renderings depict a 1.5 million-square-foot building with a 1.5-acre park public park that will be accessible via Jackson Boulevard and Clinton Street. According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, BMO Harris is in negotiations to anchor the new tower, consolidating its Chicago offices. The new plan will still need to win the approval of 42nd ward Alderman Brendan Reilly before it goes before City Council, but the developer's willingness to listen and adapt to public feedback and criticism is likely a ste

The city's parking lots are a bit safer this morning, as the Chicago Tribune reports that the Illinois Commerce Commission has voted unanimously to revoke the state license of Lincoln Towing. Did we mention that it's effective immediately? The ICC began investigating the Uptown-based towing company in 2016, looking into complaints that Lincoln Towing had been carting off legally parked vehicles to the city's impound lots. When the ICC presented evidence of 831 alleged violations of Illinois' towing law between July 2015 and March 2016 to an administrative law judge in July of this year, Lincoln Towing argued that the violations were merely a result of inconsistencies in its record-keeping. The judge ultimately recommended that Lincoln Towing retain its license. While the ICC's ruling puts Lincoln Towing out of commission for the time being, the company has the ability to appeal the decision—a course of action that it's likely to take if it wants to resume business. Lincoln Towing's history of unlawful practices—including towing legally parked cars and charging exorbitant fees—prompted 47th ward Alderman Ameya Pawar to pass a "Towing Bill of Rights" through city council, a document that outlined the rights of car owners in relation to towing companies. The shady reputation of Lincoln Towing isn't a recent development—the company inspired Chicago folk singer Steve Goodman (who is also responsible for "Go, Cubs, Go") to write a song called "Lincoln Park Pirates" in 1972. W

After four successful years in Bloomington, Indiana, the fifth annual Middle Coast Film Festival will move to Lincoln Square’s Davis Theatre later this month. The event promises local movie fans “loads of films, awesome parties and endless possibilities” between Friday, September 21 and Sunday, September 23. We recently spoke to festival director Jess Levandoski about what attendees can expect. What exactly is the Middle Coast Film Fest? How would you describe its identity and mission? Middle Coast’s goal is to provide an inclusive, uplifting, and affirming community to filmmakers and audience members alike. In other words, we like to say we've created a jerk-free zone. We want this festival to be the event in Chicago where filmmakers can let their hair down and just show us films that elicit emotions. This isn't a fest where you'll get a distribution deal, it's a fest where you'll get to have real talk about your projects and where audiences feel empowered to really connect with you. We want to build a huge family! Send us your all your misfits and loners, you've got a spot here right here next to the rest of us. You've had four successful years in Bloomington already. What necessitated the move to Chicago and did you find it daunting to put on a film festival in a city that already has so many? As the founder and director of the festival, I moved, so it had to move with me! We built a great fest in Bloomington, and it really is a special town, but we hit a limit with wh

After a last-minute shakeup in its lineup (subtracting Blink-182 and adding Weezer, Run the Jewels and Taking Back Sunday) Riot Fest has finally released the daily schedule, with just three days to spare until gates open in Douglas Park. Just like last year, performances will take place across five stages, with plenty of overlapping sets that will force attendees to make some tough decisions throughout the weekend (or sprint between stages). RECOMMENDED: Our complete guide to Riot Fest music festival Friday is mostly devoid of major conflicts, though it is a bit strange to see local alt-rock legend Liz Phair and Russian activist rockers Pussy Riot scheduled so early in the afternoon. Hip-hop fans will want to camp out at the Radicals Stage on Friday, where Digable Planets, Atmosphere and Cypress Hill will play back-to-back sets throughout the afternoon. The Saturday lineup presents some interesting decisions, most notably the simultaneous sets from Elvis Costello & the Imposters and Killing Joke—both are rare enough bookings that there's likely a large contingent of attendees (myself included) who were hoping to catch both sets in their entirety. The same goes for the post-hardcore act Jesus Lizard and original rock 'n' roller Jerry Lee Lewis, who play against one another later in the afternoon. While Beck headlines the Riot Stage, honorary Riot Fest mascot Andrew W.K. will be performing on a smaller stage across the park, but if you're the kind of person who wants to cap

Last week, we learned about the long list of inspiring people who will be coming to the city for Chicago Ideas Week—this week, the lineup for the fall edition of the equally exciting Chicago Humanities Festival has been unveiled. The series of events and conversations will take place from October 27 to November 11 at venues throughout the city and will revolve around the theme of “Graphic!,” exploring the capabilities of visual culture and the ways in which it is rapidly evolving. As usual, the Chicago Humanities Festival will welcome a lineup of notable guests, all of whom will be part of panels and discussions that will build on the “Graphic!” theme. Among this year's slate of guests are Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks, Broad City co-creator and star Abbi Jacobson, Two Dope Queens co-creator and podcast host Phoebe Robinson, Getty Images photographer John Moore and comic book artist Alex Ross. While there are plenty of nationally recognized names on the lineup, some of the Chicago Humanities Festival programming will shed a light on local talent, including a panel highlighting the work of photographer Tonika Johnson, whose Folded Map project examines Chicago's segregation by bringing together residents who live on opposite sides of the city. A portion of the programming is being presented as part of the year-long Art Design Chicago initiative, which seeks to cement Chicago’s art and design legacy—the festival will include seven panels related to this topic, includin

Kanye West's sudden appearance in Chicago at the end of August was treated with the requisite amount of celebrity fawning, as network affiliates stationed themselves in the Loop to catch a glimpse of the hip-hop superstar. In a brief interview with Fox 32, the Chicago-native revealed that he'd returned to his hometown from Los Angeles to work on music with Chance the Rapper. When asked why he comes back to Chicago, West replied, “It’s a super inspiring place that made me who I am, and I believe there’s some work that I can contribute to.” Thanks to a series of early morning tweets, we now have a better idea of what West has in mind. West's first announcement unveiled his plans to create a Chicago office for his Yeezy footwear and clothing brand, setting up a place for local creatives to contribute to his various lines. Earlier this year, he announced plans to open Yeezy offices in New York, Wyoming and London, though its unclear if any of the locations have actually opened.  Now that he holds an honorary degree from the School of the Art Institute, West is also making plans to join the world of academia. One of his tweets revealed his intention to teach a course at the Art Institute of Chicago as well as at the lesser-known American Academy of Art, a small private institution in the city that offers relatively affordable tuition and only enrolls 400 to 500 students. West ended his Chicago-related tweets with a pair of announcements that were seemingly inspired by a visit t

Earlier today, we wondered what the heck was going on with Riot Fest. This afternoon, we have an answer: Riot Fest is definitely happening next weekend, there are some new bands joining the lineup and one previously announced headlining act has been forced to cancel. RECOMMENDED: Our complete guide to Riot Fest music festival Organizers announced that Blink-182 canceled its appearance at Riot Fest, in addition to its remaining tour dates, due to drummer Travis Barker's continued illness. The pop-punk act was slated to headline an evening in Douglas Park, though it's unclear what night the band would have taken the stage as the festival has not yet released a schedule. According to a statement from Riot Fest founder Mike Petryshyn, Blink-182 will now headline next year's festival, which will mark the event's 15th anniversary. It's not all bad news, though. The post goes on to reveal that hip-hop duo Run the Jewels, pop-rock veterans Weezer and emo outfit Taking Back Sunday have joined the festival's lineup. The three acts were booked in a matter of hours after organizers received confirmation that Blink-182 would not be able to perform in Douglas Park. After thanking fans for their patience and support, Petryshyn confirmed that Riot Fest will be making another round of announcements—presumably including single-day lineups and tickets—on Friday, September 7 at 10am.    Thank you for being patient. Riot Fest is happening next weekend. We have bad news and good ne