Archive

Mike Reed has been a vital part of Chicago’s jazz and improvised music scenes for many years. Not only performing music, he has been presenting it as owner of two venues which showcase forward-thinking music of all sounds (The Hungry Brain, Constellation), as well as co-founding the Pitchfork Music Festival and serving as chair of Chicago Music Festiv...

In this Internet Age we find ourselves in, discovering new bands and songwriters you care about can be tough, and that’s why it feels so good to stumble upon a new favorite artist by chance. I happened upon a track from Asheville-based guitarist MJ Lenderman, and have been listening through his catalog ever since. Photo by Charlie Boss You may r...

Pitchfork Provides Portal to Sounds of Summer Music festivals used to offer a wide range of musical experiences, presenting talent representing multiple genres and even eras; some already with a loyal following, as well as lesser known and overlooked artists seeking to make a strong impression on the uninitiated. In recent years, too many festivals...

Highlighting some of the acts we’re most excited to see in Union Park, July 21-23. Pitchfork Fest has been a staple of the independent music community since its inception in 2006; bringing cutting edge, exciting acts to Chicago’s Union Park every summer. This year is no different: with headliners The Smile, Big Thief, and Bon Iver, ...

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...