Yesterday was yet another tough day to be a Bears fan, although the suffering was reserved for the last few minutes of the game, rather than the entirety. Chicago led through three quarters and appeared to have enough left in the tank to outlast the injury-prone Browns. Then, the Bears happened.
After a deep pass to tight-end David Njoku, the Browns drilled a field goal for the go-ahead points.
With a chance to either tie or win the game, the Bears marched down the field and on the final play of the game, nearly completed a Hail Mary that would’ve put the Bears in playoff contention. Instead, wide receiver Darnell Mooney caught the ball and then fumbled it in the endzone.
Fall Out Boy are celebrating the 15th anniversary of their ‘Folie à Deux’ album by revisiting an old demo from those sessions. ‘Pavlove’ was originally a part of the deluxe CD edition of the album back in 2008. The band gave the song its live debut during their US headline run earlier this year.
Emo up-and-comers Hot Mulligan come to the Aragon Ballroom on Friday for a six band lineup featuring Heart Attack Man, Free Throw, Spanish Love Songs, Bogues, and Ben Quad. If you miss the chaotic frenzy of the Warped Tour, Hot Mulligan have become flag-bearers for a new generation of emo bands. This show is nearly sold out. Buy tickets here.
Brookfield Zoo’s Holiday Magic (Thursday-Sunday)
Light up the festive season with family and friends at Brookfield Zoo’s 42nd annual Holiday Magic®. Chicagoland’s longest-running lights festival returns from 3 to 9 p.m. More than two million LED lights transform the park into a winter wonderland. While strolling pathways, zoogoers can gaze up at a 41-foot-tall lit tree choreographed to seasonal tunes, stop at the 20-foot-tall orb and 3D gingerbread house to take memorable photos, walk through the 600-foot-long “Tunnel of Lights,” and more.
Winterland at Gallagher Way (Friday-Sunday)
Winterland at Gallagher Way is back and better than ever with family-friendly festivities both at Gallagher Way and inside historic Wrigley Field, including new experiences and returning favorites like the Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville and the Gallagher Ice Rink.
‘Twas the Night Before… by Cirque du Soleil (Friday-Sunday)
A thrilling interpretation of the well-known Christmas classic, this joyful show about the virtues of generosity and friendship promises to leave a lasting impression on families this holiday season. ‘Twas the Night Before…, Cirque du Soleil’s first-ever holiday production, is a whirlwind of love, holiday cheer, riotous fun, and adorably endearing characters that will establish a new tradition for families to treasure.
Join Q101 and Miller Lite for the “Not So Silent Night” Ugly Sweater Competition! (Friday)
Join Lauren, the Q101 crew and Miller Lite for an event filled with holiday cheer and an Ugly Christmas Sweater Competition offering a chance to win a $500 prize! Hosted by Q101 and Miller Lite, the event will take place on Friday, December 15th, from 7pm -10pm at Fatpour Tap Works in Wicker Park located at 2005 W Division St in Chicago. Get more information here!
Millenium Park Holiday Singalong (Friday)
There’s nothing stopping you from showing up in Millennium Park at any point during the year and belting out your favorite holiday songs, but you can do it with a crowd of like-minded exhibitionists at this annual series of winter concerts and sing-alongs. This year, the series takes place every Friday at 6:30pm from December 1-15, with a different local choral group leading attendees in song each week. Song books will be distributed at each event.
Braid at Cobra Lounge (Saturday)
Chicago-based Braid, longtime emo-stalwarts, head to the Cobra Lounge for a sold-out show on Saturday night, only a few months removed from their stellar set at Riot Fest 2023.
Lucky Boys Confusion at Concord Music Hall (Saturday)
Hometown heroes Lucky Boys Confusion head to Concord Music Hall on Saturday night for a night of fun and excellent music. Tickets are still available for this show.
Hot Mulligan at House of Blues (Saturday)
After headlining the Aragon Ballroom on Friday, Hot Mulligan head to the intimate confines of the House of Blues on Saturday for an encore performance. This show has been sold out since the day it went on sale.
The Armed at Metro (Saturday)
Experimental punks The Armed are back in Chicago as they take their act to Wrigleyville’s Metro on Saturday night for what could end up being one of the best gigs of 2023. Limited tickets are available here.
Ugly Dog Sweater Christmas Party at Cody’s Public House (Saturday)
Celebrate the holidays with your pooch at Cody’s Public House. The Lakeview bar has teamed up with Second City Canine Rescue for a series of fundraising events throughout December. Bring your four-legged BFF in on Thursday, December 14, for photos with Santa, as well as a Tito’s ornament making station. On Saturday, December 16, Cody’s will host an Ugly Dog Sweater Party, with prizes for the best dressed humans and dogs. There will also be a complimentary Tito’s custom dog tag station and a pup cup station. $1 from every sale of a cocktail on the Santa-Paws Sippers menu will be donated to Second City Canine Rescue.
Blackhawks host the Vancouver Canucks (Sunday)
The Blackhawks aren’t any good. The Canucks are very good. Sunday afternoon, the puck drops and it could get ugly!
Not everyone marries their soulmate. In fact, nearly half of marriages in this country end with hatred. The odds are not strongly in your favor. The good news is that if you’re reading this and you’re looking to call it quits, Illinois is one of the best places to get divorced in the entire country. Whereas places like California, New York, and Oregon make getting separated a pricey endeavor, Illinois ranks 39th in the country when it comes to the price of divorce.
A man in Cincinnati was shot in the testicles by his ex-girlfriend while they were attempting to go for a walk.
Charlie Glenn said that, “[She] wanted me to take a walk with her, and I found out she had a pistol with her,” Glenn claims. “She said it was a pellet gun, and I said, ‘Let me see it because I’m not going anywhere with you if you got a gun,’ and she pulled it out and shot me.’”
He continued, “I still to this day love her, and if she ever gets better, well…”
Twisted XMAS with Young the Giant & The Gaslight Anthem (Friday)
It comes to a close tonight. After three incredible nights at the Aragon Ballroom, we bring things home with Young the Giant and The Gaslight Anthem. Tickets are still available here.
Pete Davidson at The Riv (Saturday, Sunday)
Funny man Pete Davidson comes to The Riv this weekend for a set of intimate shows that should be nothing short of spectacular. Tickets can still be purchased.
Brookfield Zoo’s Holiday Magic (Thursday-Sunday)
Light up the festive season with family and friends at Brookfield Zoo’s 42nd annual Holiday Magic®. Chicagoland’s longest-running lights festival returns from 3 to 9 p.m. More than two million LED lights transform the park into a winter wonderland. While strolling pathways, zoogoers can gaze up at a 41-foot-tall lit tree choreographed to seasonal tunes, stop at the 20-foot-tall orb and 3D gingerbread house to take memorable photos, walk through the 600-foot-long “Tunnel of Lights,” and more.
‘Twas the Night Before… by Cirque du Soleil (begins Friday)
A thrilling interpretation of the well-known Christmas classic, this joyful show about the virtues of generosity and friendship promises to leave a lasting impression on families this holiday season. ‘Twas the Night Before…, Cirque du Soleil’s first-ever holiday production, is a whirlwind of love, holiday cheer, riotous fun, and adorably endearing characters that will establish a new tradition for families to treasure.
Home Alone in Concert (Friday)
Relive John Hughes’ hilarious and heartwarming tale about 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), who is left to defend his home against a pair of dimwitted burglars when his family departs for Christmas vacation without him. The 1990 comedy yielded one of John Williams’ most delightful scores. Now hear it performed live by members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Millenium Park Holiday Singalong (Friday)
There’s nothing stopping you from showing up in Millennium Park at any point during the year and belting out your favorite holiday songs, but you can do it with a crowd of like-minded exhibitionists at this annual series of winter concerts and sing-alongs. This year, the series takes place every Friday at 6:30pm from December 1-15, with a different local choral group leading attendees in song each week. Song books will be distributed at each event.
Winterland at Gallagher Way (Friday-Sunday)
Winterland at Gallagher Way is back and better than ever with family-friendly festivities both at Gallagher Way and inside historic Wrigley Field, including new experiences and returning favorites like the Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville and the Gallagher Ice Rink.
Didn't think we'd leave ya without a new song before the end of the year, did ya? Taking things up a notch with this one 😵😵💫 "Dilemma" out everywhere NOWWW!!! https://t.co/AL2h2w0kPA
Last night, Brigitte Calls Me Baby opened up the second night of Twisted XMAS for Lovejoy and White Reaper and quite frankly, they blew Brian, Kenzie, and myself (Case the Producer) away. Quickly, they have etched their name into the pantheon of great Chicago bands, simply based off of their excellent performance at the Aragon last night.
These are the three Brigitte Calls Me Baby songs that you need to know.
Brigitte Calls Me Baby – Impossibly Average
The band’s flagship single, “Impossibly Average” is a breathtaking three-minute foray into the world of Brigitte, even if the title of the song could not be any more misleading. The song is incredible. It’s unique. Nothing else in contemporary music sounds like it. It’s impossibly stunning and something that shouldn’t exist in modern times.
Brigitte Calls Me Baby – Eddie My Love
The strength of Chicago’s own Brigitte Calls Me Baby is their desire for romanticism. “Eddie My Love”, which sounds like a cut off Louder Than Bombs, sees the band at peak-yearning. In the chorus, frontman Wes Leavins bellows out “I thought I knew me but I didn’t know myself // You saw right through me and truth was I never fell // So hard”. Heartbreaking, introspective, and powerful, it’s easy to see the winning formula that Brigitte churns out with a track like this.
Brigitte Calls Me Baby – You Are Only Made of Dreams
With a voice like the one that frontman Wes Leavins possesses, it’s easy to talk about the crooners that predated Brigitte and how similar this Chicago-based band sounds to them. “You Are Only Made of Dreams” is the band stretching out their wings and taking the best parts of contemporary indie rock and lacing them with that soon-to-be-iconic voice. The band is simply “in the pocket”, operating at peak performance seemingly doing it effortlessly.
Despite cashiers being able to sit down, it turns out that getting a job at Aldi is harder than you might think.
A woman in a Facebook group discussed her interview process with the supermarket by telling people that instead of telling the hiring manager about herself, she was forced to do push-ups. She explained, “My relative recently interviewed for a position in-store and then later that day she was asked to partake in a Zoom meeting in her home and was asked to do push-ups, sit-ups, and starjumps to show her fitness level.”
A commentator added, “Started at ALDI a year ago now, and I had to do a Zoom medical assessment. Thought it was weird at the time, but now I realize how necessary it is. You definitely need a certain level of fitness to be competent in the job… Yep. Part of the process.”
A spin on the film Freaky Friday, this Netflix film stars Jennifer Garner and Ed Helms along with the Weezer performing Santa Claus Is Coming To Town with Ed Helms’ character Bill Walker’s garage band Dad Or Alive.
