Archive

Makaya McCraven is a name synonymous with Chicago Jazz – at least, modern Chicago Jazz. The drummer and producer has made a name for himself over the last ten years, becoming a pillar of the Chicago jazz community, as well as branching out all over the world (check out his album Universal Beings, where instead of sides being labeled “A” or “...

If you’ve ever known the pleasure of eyeing a flash of cardinal red in the middle of a flurry of white snow you are already on track to appreciating the goodness that birdwatching in the winter can bring. Winter is a season for absorbing the world slowly, and birdwatching is a meditative activity that lends itself to the process of environmental immer...

The Uptown Theater on the city’s North Side is one of the most incredible buildings in the city, even though it’s sat waiting for its resurgence as Chicago’s leading music and entertainment venue. The Uptown Theater opened in August 1925. Its first marquee read, “ONE OF THE GREAT ART BUILDINGS OF THE WORLD – AN ACRE OF SEATS” and the building...

In the afternoon of Friday, January 12th in 1979, flurries began. By the late afternoon, more than 5 inches of new snow had fallen. Two days later when the blizzard finally stopped, more than 20 inches of snow had descended upon Chicago, and for the next week, the city didn’t move. The Chicago blizzard of 1979 is still one of the worst winter s...

‘Tis the season for watching flicks, and Chicago has a healthy variety of theatre options with interesting films that go beyond the expected Hollywood array. Read on to learn more about 3 theaters to check out in December including notable films and events to look forward to in the month ahead.  Music Box Theatre, 3733 N Southport Avenue  ...

Queer media is becoming more mainstream, but it can still feel like a treasure hunt when searching for a flick with nuanced representation. Enter Chicago’s 40th LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, serving up a bevy of full-feature and short films in-person and virtually all centered around LGBTQ+ experiences. The film festival, which started on Sep...

Take a funky 70’s-style lounge and combine it with a healthy dose of queer and you’ll get Dorothy Downstairs, the recently re-opened lesbian cocktail bar that is making a name for itself underneath Split-Rail in Chicago’s West Town. The world is better with more disco balls and is best when spaces exist that encourage the LGBTQ+ community to come and ...

Few bands are as synonymous with a certain scene than Built To Spill is with the ham-fisted catch-all genre of “Indie Rock”. Formed in the early 90s in unassuming Boise, Idaho, singer/guitarist/songwriter Doug Martsch led a rotating cast of musicians through a handful of now-classic records throughout the 90s – There’s Nothing Wrong With Love, P...

The possibilities of creation are endless and often the laundry list of things that need fixing around the house can feel that way too. Enter the Chicago Tool Library (CTL), a Bridgeport-based space where individuals can borrow equipment for a wide variety of purposes. From gardening to woodworking, the CTL allows you to borrow the things you need...

The air has a bite to it, the leaves are changing colors, and spooky decorations are increasing in numbers by the day. Halloween is fast approaching and scary stories are taking their rightful place at the helm of the seasonal zeitgeist. Illinois is the perfect home for haunted happenings as a midwest stronghold with a range of lore to hold down t...