Late last month, Boston-born trio Krill dropped Commemorative Plaque, their first new release in ten yearsand their first piece of music as a Chicago band. Formed in 2010, Krill became an important band in New England indie rock, which at that time also produced Speedy Ortiz, Ovlov, and Pile. The terrifically knotty title track of […] The post The ...

In the project 60 wrd/min art critic, writer Lori Waxman explores how art writing can serve an expanded field of artistsincluding those incarcerated, trying to gain visas, working to establish themselves professionally, or just wanting feedback for a secret hobby. For this iteration, Waxman reviews the work of New York illustrator Morain An. Morain An […] ...

In the project 60 wrd/min art critic, writer Lori Waxman explores how art writing can serve an expanded field of artistsincluding those incarcerated, trying to gain visas, working to establish themselves professionally, or just wanting feedback for a secret hobby. For this iteration, Waxman reviews a recent exhibition by Chicago-based artist Xinlyu Wang. ...

In late July, musician and poet Cole Johnson Rockstar Hunt, cofounder of the band TV Buddha, hosted the first Nitro-a-Go-Go. This four-day DIY festival consisted of six shows at a variety of outdoor locations around Chicago. Hunt got the idea for the festival in October, after a three-day underground fest called Bread & Roses debuted […] The post ...

Editors note: The formatting of all written quotations obtained for this story has been preserved to reflect the sources styles. Earlier this year, we at the Reader celebrated the creation of Eyewash Video Magazine as one of the best things to happen in our city in 2025. In the Best of Chicago story, creator and […] The post Rise thru the concrete with ...

What is a friend How do you get a friend How do you keep a friend How come I dont have a friend? Dr. Steve Brule Friendship, this relation without dependence, without episode, yet into which all of the simplicity of life enters, passes by way of the recognition of the common strangeness that does […] The post On friendship appeared first on Chicago Reader.

Jill Scott Thu 8/20, Sat 8/22, and Sun 8/23 at the Chicago Theatre The post Jill Scott brings her timeless Black soul to the Chicago Theatre for a three-night stand appeared first on Chicago Reader.

Book of Wyrms Sat 8/22 at Reggies Music Joint The post Virginia band Book of Wyrms conjure vintage metal and fantasy vibes appeared first on Chicago Reader.

In the project 60 wrd/min art critic, writer Lori Waxman explores how art writing can serve an expanded field of artistsincluding those incarcerated, trying to gain visas, working to establish themselves professionally, or just wanting feedback for a secret hobby. For this iteration, Waxman reviews a recent MFA exhibition of Chicago-based artist Sascha ...

Perennial City" through 12/18 at Jane Addams Hull-House Museum The post City in a garden appeared first on Chicago Reader.

You may think you dont know the Mayor. But if you pay attention to restaurants, or cooking competitions, or pop-ups in Chicago, youve probably eaten his food, or eaten the food of some chef whose ass hes saved in one way or another. Like Batman, he keeps to the shadows; everywhere and nowhere at once. […] The post Out of the darkness comes the Knight, ...

The Moviegoer is the diary of a local film buff, collecting the best of what Chicagos independent and underground film scene has to offer. I want to bring attention to two Chicago-related short films released in the past few weeks that can be viewed online: Bill Morrisons Sawyer Avenue, Sunday Afternoon (2026), and The New […] The post Steel and ...

Oneida Wed 8/12 at Empty Bottle The post Oneida bring the Power of the O to the Empty Bottle appeared first on Chicago Reader.

Jeff Kimmel & Jack Langdon Thu 8/13 at Comfort Station The post Jeff Kimmel & Jack Langdons ambient sounds contain multitudes appeared first on Chicago Reader.

Consensus Madness Sat 8/15 at Empty Bottle The post Chicagos Consensus Madness invoke the beautiful bile of punks first wave appeared first on Chicago Reader.

Isaiah Sharkey Sat 8/15 at Garcia's The post Homegrown guitar phenom Isaiah Sharkey brings eclectic funk to Garcias appeared first on Chicago Reader.

American Football Fri 8/14 at Salt Shed The post American Football go against the grain to make their best album this century appeared first on Chicago Reader.

I developed an intermittent craving for durian after first trying it in Thailand a few years ago. One whiff of its sharp, unforgettable smell and one bite of its rich, creamy flesh was all it took to fall in love. Since then, Ive been pining for anything to satisfy this craving, with little success. Enter […] The post Durian massaman curry at Eat Fine ...

Today, mini golf is a vestigial limb of the built environment, relegated to undesirable plots near freeway off-ramps and awkward spaces at Punch Bowl Social. But it was once revolutionary, offering recreation to those excluded from the manicured expanses of its larger counterpart. Curators Molly Blumberg, Qiuchen Wu, and Alana Ferguson tap into that history ...

I Want Your Sex in limited release in theaters The post Review: I Want Your Sex appeared first on Chicago Reader.

My first exposure to Irish playwright Marina Carr was back in 1998, when I was living in San Francisco. The Magic Theatre produced a festival of plays by contemporary Irish women, including Marie Joness tragicomedy Stones in His Pockets, which went on to several regional productions in the U.S.  But the show that resonated the […] The post Irish ...

On May 14, Chicago indie band Fleshed Out played Flub a Dub Chubs in Lakeview. Its a hot-dog joint, and it doesnt usually host shows. Fleshed Out have released only a handful of songs, in part because founder and front man Chris Dunn is a bit of a perfectionist. They formed just before the pandemic […] The post Is the Internet panopticon going to ruin ...

Near the gazebo in Dvorak Park on a Monday evening in June, a group of about ten Pilsen residents gathered to paint cardboard and neon poster boards with phrases including Metal Madness and Sims Must Go! The group discussed their plans for a demonstration two days later, when more than 30 Chicagoans protested outside a […] The post Residents call on Sims ...

Ink & Outrage: 18th-Century Satirical Prints in London & Dublin" through 9/13 at the Driehaus Museum The post The lost art of public shaming appeared first on Chicago Reader.

Beloved but hard-as-nails music instructor Captain Walter Dyett has been a recurring figure in the Secret History of Chicago Music for more than 20 years. He nurtured so much talent at Bronzevilles DuSable High School during his long tenure there, from 1935 till 1962, that the musicians Ive covered have frequently been his former students. […] The post ...