Ahead of their headlining Riot Fest set on Saturday September 16, Death Cab for Cutie is out with a new track called “An Arrow In the Wall”. “‘An Arrow In the Wall’ is about the warning signs all around us in the 21st century that society-at-large is in decay,” said vocalist and guitarist Ben Gibbard in a press statement. “The arrow lodged in the wall might have missed this time, but it would be naive to assume the next one won’t also.”
Fiddlehead: Death Is Nothing to Us
Boston punks Fiddlehead are back with their third record, Death Is Nothing to Us. At 12 songs, the album is chalked full of emotional tracks about death and loss. Fiddlehead tries to tackle the unanswerable questions of life, and the beyond. Fiddlehead heads to the Metro on September 29.
Green Day: Unreleased Dookie Demos
Ahead of Dookie’s 30th Anniversary, Green Day has dropped a handful of unreleased demos from their iconic record. While each demo is worth digging through, especially for hardcore Green Day fans, we recommend starting things with “Basket Case”, which features totally different lyrics than what we’ve all come to know and love.
Hozier: Unreal Unearth
Just before his sold-out show at Northerly Island, Hozier is back with his third studio album, Unreal Unearth. The release is a return to form for the standout singer-songwriter. Sam Eeckhout of Paste stated that the album is “packed full of poetic lyricism, heavyhearted remorse, hopeful anticipation and an honest expression of the joys and sorrow of being a human” and has “a sharp balance” that makes it “never top-heavy” nor “ever stagnant”.
Movements: RUCKUS!
Orange County emo-up-and-comers Movements are back with their first record since 2020’s No Good Life to Give. RUCKUS! is an exciting step forward for a band that is rapidly gaining momentum. Loud, abrasive, and emotional, RUCKUS! is an album worth checking out.
Desperately needing to pack on the wins, the Cubs host a three-game series at home against one of the worst teams in baseball this weekend. Go Cubs, go!
Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest (Friday-Sunday)
For over twenty years, The Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest (GAAF) has presented a free, weekend-long arts festival featuring over 100 artist booths, open studios, and live entertainment on outdoor stages. Attendees view and purchase handmade artworks directly from the creators. The Fest brings free live music, performances and art demonstrations, along with street food and craft beer from local merchants on the cobblestone streets of the Glenwood Avenue Arts District in Chicago’s historic Rogers Park neighborhood.
23rd Annual Rib Fest (Friday-Sunday)
Buckle up, baby. Rib Fest is back and it’s huge this year. Ribfest Chicago invites all Chicagoland restaurant BBQ masters to compete for the title of “Best Ribs” and “People’s Choice.” Ribs are not the only thing on the menu, as the festival proudly boasts two indie music stages. Get all the info you need here.
glavie at Metro (Friday)
Electro-alt standout glavie heads to Wrigleyville’s Metro on Friday night for what should be a thrilling night of music. Get there early to check out Oso Oso, who plays Riot Fest this year. Tickets are available on the Metro’s website.
Chance the Rapper: 10 Years of Acid Rap at United Center (Saturday)
Celebrating one of the most iconic Chicago records of all-time, Chance the Rapper headlines The Madhouse this weekend. Although this is not within the confines of the usual Q101 rotation, we would like to congratulate Chance on making this city proud and for putting out a record that sounds truly like “us”.
Tim Allen at the Genesee Theater (Saturday)
If Chance the Rapper isn’t your thing, there’s a good chance that Tim Allen is. The Home Improvement star heads to Waukegan for a sold-out show at the Genesse Theater this Saturday.
Neal Brennan at The Vic (Saturday, two shows)
Funny man Neal Brennan, one of the minds behind Chapelle’s Show, has two shows this Saturday at the prestigious Vic Theater. Tickets are still available for the later of the two performances.
The Great American Lobster Fest at Navy Pier (Saturday)
Enjoy live lobster flown in fresh from the cold waters off the East Coast, live music performances, unique craft shopping, and cold beverages. Get more information here.
Chicago Air & Water Show (Saturday, Sunday)
Chicago’s best event is back. Nothing tops this. Get there. Check out their website for any information that you could possibly need.
Sangria Festival in Humboldt Park (Saturday, Sunday)
Humboldt Park transforms into an outdoor tapas bar during this boozy bash, which pairs bites from local restaurants with pitchers of red wine and chopped fruit. Learn more about this laid back and lovely event here.
Bulls Fest (Saturday-Sunday)
The Chicago Bulls are back for a second year of Bulls Fest, bringing a 3v3 basketball tournament, food trucks, dunking competitions, live music, an art show and more basketball-themed programming to the United Center campus. This also kicks off the United Center’s partnership with Pepsi.
Chicago Fire host Orlando FC (Sunday)
The struggling fire host the always-tough Orlando FC this Sunday at Soldier Field.
Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra (Sunday)
Yes, that Jeff Goldblum. His jazz piano-based act heads to The Vic Theater on Sunday night for an intimate evening of soothing tunes. Tickets are available here.
Green Day will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Dookie with a new collection containing unreleased demos, outtakes, live recordings from Woodstock ’94 and more. The Dookie boxset will be out September 29th.
Sometimes you take a gamble and luck's on your side. Back in the summer of '93 Green Day went into the studio to record Dookie and had no idea what their destiny would be. They were young, rebellious, and absolutely scared shitless. There was no telling if they were about to… pic.twitter.com/IfpsdGV7WP
Raising Cane’s announced that they are donating 15% of profits Thursday to aid a Maui-based shelter. The chicken conglomerate will be sending funds to the Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center (KHAKO).
At press time, over 100 casualties have been recorded from the wildfires.
Despite Alec Baldwin insisting for two years that he did not pull the trigger in the tragic shooting on the set of the film Rust. Per NBC 5, prosecutors have received a second expert analysis of the revolver fired in the shooting. The new gun analysis from experts in ballistics and forensic testing based in Arizona and New Mexico relied on replacement parts to reassemble the gun fired by Baldwin, after parts of the pistol were broken during earlier testing by the FBI. The new report examines the gun and markings it left on a spent cartridge to conclude that the trigger had to have been pulled or depressed.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey said in an email Tuesday that a formal announcement on whether to refile any charges against Baldwin is forthcoming but didn’t say how soon.
The Bones Of What You Believe 10th Anniversary Edition is out 13 Oct. ❌
Containing 4 unreleased songs originally recorded for the album plus 5 live tracks from 2013 at AB Brussels, you can pre-order on vinyl, CD, and digitally here: https://t.co/Rl5fKcvDMLpic.twitter.com/EnZAB0x2y8
If you live in Mundelein, your life is about to change. The Mundelein Board pushed the proposal forward earlier this week, but struck down one part of it and people will not be required to put up signs that say they have chickens.
‘The Blind Side’ is forever cursed. After news broke that the “based on a true story” was not a true story, fans are now outraged that Sandra Bullock is holding onto her Academy Award for her performance in the film.
they need to take away Sandra Bullock's oscar like they took Reggie Bush's heisman for this https://t.co/D2hCXYfMhU
So Sandra Bullock should have to give back her Oscar right, and man do we need to start checking these good feeling stories. The parents blocked $300 in earnings the movie from him getting any of it and gave the money to their real children? WOOOOOOOW! #michaeloher
— VEEJAY VERNON HUSKEY ENTERTAINMENT,LLC (@BigVanillaFunny) August 14, 2023
Should Bullock relinquish her award? The conversation lives on Facebook!
After five years of misery brought on by the Double Doink, there’s a chance that the Chicago Bears are back. Yes, in 2020, they snuck into the playoffs, and last year, despite a 3-14 record, they were a lot of fun to watch, but it’s been quite awhile since the Bears were both fun and good. That could change in 2023.
The combination of Justin Fields and newly acquired wide receiver DJ Moore did exactly what you’d want them to do on their first connection of the game.
Tiffany Gomas, the woman who went viral after having a breakdown on a plane and claimed that a man “wasn’t real”, has finally spoken out. In a video published over the weekend, Gomas noted that while she has enjoyed the memes about her situation, she is ready to move on from the incident.
🔥🚨DEVELOPING: Tiffany Gomas ‘TMINR Plane Lady’ has finally issued a public statement. pic.twitter.com/d5v3VJuns1
— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) August 13, 2023
There are questions, however, that this is not actually the woman from the plane.
Chicago’s longest-running fan convention returns to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont to celebrate pop culture with a lineup of guests that include celebrities, voice actors and comic creators. Highlights of this year’s lineup include Michael J. Fox, Giancarlo Esposito and Chevy Chase. Show up to shop the floor, meet a celeb or simply admire all the creative costumes that attendees show up in.
White Sox host the Brewers (Friday-Sunday)
The White Sox look to do the Cubs a favor by taking down the evil Brewers in a three-game home-stand this weekend. If the South Siders do well, it could greatly help the Cubs in their playoff push.
Bruce Springsteen at Wrigley Field (Friday)
The Boss plays his second of two shows at Wrigley Field on Friday evening. This show is obviously sold out, but there’s still time for your dad to get tickets on the secondary market.
P!nk at Wrigley Field (Saturday)
P!nk, who puts on one of the best live shows of any performer, heads to Wrigley Field on Saturday night and she’ll be joined by our friends, Grouplove. Tickets to this show are sold out, but you can check out footage of Grouplove’s performance from The Lounge on Q101’s social media.
Temple of Angels at Sleeping Village (Saturday)
Into bands like The Cure, Echo & the Bunnymen, or The Psychedelic Furs? Temple of Angles might be your new favorite band. This new group turned back the clock to deliver an authentic and engaging “new wave” sound on their first LP, Endless Pursuit. You can get a ticket here.
Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias: Two Shows at The Horseshoe in Hammond (Saturday)
Funny man, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, storms into Hammond this weekend for what should be a spectacular show. A handful of tickets are still available.
Edison Park Fest (Friday-Sunday)
This far Northwest Side neighborhood gets in on street festival season fun with a three-day affair packed with live music, activities for the kids and delicious food. Stop by to see a host of performances or show off your skills in a bags tournament before digging into grub served by local vendors.
Northalsted Market Days (Saturday, Sunday)
The 41st Northalsted Market Days® is a weekend long live music street festival celebrating community in Chicago’s landmark Northalsted/Lakeview district. This summer festival features all-day lineups of live music on 5 stages, 200+ unique vendors, arts, crafts, food and drink, DJs/dancing!
Michael Cera Palin at Sleeping Village (Sunday)
Indie-emo outfit Michael Cera Palin, best known for their cover of Sheryl Crow’s “If It Makes You Happy”, is headed to Logan Square’s intimate Sleeping Village on Sunday night. Grab a ticket here.
LL Cool J at United Center (Sunday)
LL Cool J celebrates 40 years of hip-hop at the United Center alongside Rakim, The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and more. This should surely be one of the best events of the summer. Snag a ticket here.
Running back-turned-actor O.J. Simpson took to his social media yesterday to complain about the ruling of Henry Ruggs, a former wide receiver who was sentenced 3-10 years after a fatal DUI crash that killed a woman and her dog. The Smoking Gun actor, who was put in prison for a possible 33 years for a memorabilia heist gone wrong, says that math just isn’t adding up.
