Blackout Wednesday: The Origins of the Night Before Thanksgiving

November 22, 2017 | Eric

Welcome to Blackout Wednesday.  It’s also known as Black Wednesday, Drinksgiving, and Thanksgiving Eve.  So, how did we get here?

The first Google searches recorded for Blackout Wednesday date back to only 2014, but this celebration has been going on for years.  Think about it:  many people return home — (college aged especially)  — and it’s a chance to get together with old friends, avoid old family issues, or…BOTH, maybe?

According to this article from VinePair, 20% of the United States plan to head out to a watering hole tonight, making it the second busiest bar night of the year behind New Year’s Eve and ahead of Halloween.  But Chicago should be especially…umm…proud?  The Sun-Times reported in 2012 that in the suburbs, tonight usually finishes first over all others.  And Urban Dictionary says the origins of the “holiday” started right here — for whatever that is worth.

That same survey detailed what people’s drink of choice will be tonight:  43% go with beer, 33% choose cocktails, 29% go with wine, and 14% hit spirits straight from the bottle.

Tonight isn’t all fun and games either:  the Wall Street Journal reported in 2012 that tonight is one of the biggest nights for drinking and driving in some cities.

So, it goes without saying…don’t be stupid.  Don’t binge, & don’t drink and drive — go with public transportation, ride share, or designate a driver.   Set yourself up to enjoy life tonight.  — [eric]

 

Relive The Night ‘Max Headroom’ hijacked Chicago TV

November 22, 2017 | Kevin

Media student Charlie Curran,produced this documentary covering what happend on a crazy night in 1987

It is one of the weirdest and scariest things to ever happen in Chicago TV history and it took place on November 22nd, 1987: The Max Headroom Incident.

Thirty years ago today, someone interupted the broadcast transmissisons of WTTW Channel 11 and WGN Channel 9 several times while wearing a mask of 80’s scifi TV character Max Headroom, spouting off insults  towards a local news reporters, making fun of soda commercials, and giving the camera the bird. The whole vibe of it was sudden, and apparently clear to everyone watching that this was not a part of the regularly scheduled shows they were watching. The broadcast pirate appeared again to get smacked on the butt with a fly swater. This bizarre scene played out on TV screens across Chicagoland and northwest Indiana, but the person (or persons) behind have never been caught.

This is the first interruption which affected WGN during a news broadcast. Note, the hijacker on camera references WGN in a critical manner during the second intruption.

Here is video of the secondl broadcast takeover as viewers saw it in real time. It occurred first during an episode of ‘Dr. Who’ on WTTW. This one is must longer and you can actually hear his looney tirade throgh muffled audio.

In 2010, a post on Reddit was last known online discussion of who might have been behind this whole thing, but if you read through the thread you will see the lead grow cold.

Thanks to Riot Fest for reminding us about this incredibly odd story.

Happy Thanksgiving, Ya Filthy Animals! Riot Fest dates set for 2018, Pre-sale starts

November 22, 2017 | Kevin

Does this pre-sale ticket video from Riot Fest rule or what? Is there any clues here towards who could be on the 2018 lineup?

Riot Fest has set their dates for 2018 with September 14-16th in the calendar. This keeps the alt music festival and carnival in the great pocket between the summer and when people start treating ‘pumpkin spice’ like it’s a special thing.

The pre-sale tickets for RF2018 launches today at 10AM CST at this link. You know your fest is tops, when you can do pre-sale before you even announce a band.

Yes, this teaser is just like that one movie within the movie ‘Home Alone’ which stars Kevin McCallister who wishes his family away right before Christmas. I did something similar with 101WKQX the past two Christmases and it did not go well.

 

Linkin Park Kicked Out Of The AMAs

November 21, 2017 | <3 Lauren

Linkin Park was honored with the “Favorite Artist – Alternative Rock” award at the 2017 American Music Awards, which was held Sunday night (November 19) at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. They beat out other nominees in the category Imagine Dragons and Twenty One Pilots.

Linkin Park members Rob Bourdon, Mike Shinoda and Brad Delson took the stage to accept the award and honor frontman Chester Bennington, who passed away this summer.

“First of all, thank you so much to all the fans here and around the world who voted for the band, who have supported the band through thick and thin,” Shinoda said.

Acknowledging his fellow nominees, Shinoda added: I got a chance to talk to those guys … who said really wonderful things about Chester. And they were similar to the things that our fans said all around the world about him, and we wanna dedicate this award to him, to his memory, to his talent, to his sense of humor, to his joy. “Remember, you guys — all of you, tonight — whether you’re a fan or an artist, I want you guys to take a moment to appreciate what you’ve got and make Chester proud. Thank you guys so much,” he concluded.

Despite winning the award, the boys were eventually ejected from the awards ceremony. An apparent mix-up with artist credentials led the band to engaging in a cat and mouse game with venue security it would seem, as documented by  Mike Shinoda on his Instagram story:

Shinoda also made mention of the apparent issue while accepting the award for ‘Favorite Artist: Alternative Rock’, stating: “they didn’t know we were gonna be here you guys.”

I have the same issue EVERY YEAR with my Lollapalooza passes.  <3 @laurenoneil

Here’s the schedule for the CTA Holiday Train

November 21, 2017 | Kevin

 

The Chicago Transit Authority has released the scheduled for this year’s Holiday Train. The over-the-top decorated train will bring it’s blinking lights and cheer all around the city from Friday, November 24th to December 22nd.. Santa wiill ride the train as specific times as well with his elves, which is surprising since he has the flying reindeer to bring him around. The full schedule of the Holiday Train and the Holiday Bus with photo ops for Santa Claus are down below.

If you have never seen the Holiday Train, it’s quite spectacular to see a fairly industrial public train all dressed up inside and out in vivid decor.

CTA Holiday Train

Green Line: Saturday, Nov. 25*

Green Line and Orange Line: Tuesday, Nov. 28

Orange Line and Brown Line: Wednesday, Nov. 29

Orange Line and Brown Line: Thursday, Nov. 30

Orange Line and Brown Line: Friday, Dec. 1

Orange Line and Brown Line: Saturday, Dec. 2*

Pink Line: Tuesday, Dec. 5

Pink Line: Wednesday, Dec. 6

Blue Line: Thursday, Dec. 7

Blue Line: Friday, Dec. 8

Blue Line: Saturday, Dec. 9* (photo-only stop on Pink Line)

Red Line: Tuesday, Dec. 12

Purple Line: Wednesday, Dec. 13

Red Line: Thursday, Dec. 14

Purple Line: Friday, Dec. 15

Red Line and Purple Line: Saturday, Dec. 16*

Purple Line: Thursday, Dec. 21

Yellow Line: Friday, Dec. 22

*photo opp with Santa Claus, and Jewel Osco Elves’ Workshop Train will follow.

Holiday Bus

#56 Milwaukee: Tuesday, Nov. 28, Wednesday, Nov. 29*

#92 Foster, #91 Austin: Thursday, Nov. 30

#22 Clark: Friday, Dec. 1*

#22 Clark/#97 Skokie: Saturday, Dec. 2*

#66 Chicago: Tuesday Dec. 5*, Wednesday, Dec. 6

#126 Jackson: Thursday, Dec. 7*

#12 Roosevelt: Friday, Dec. 8*, Saturday, Dec. 9

#29 State: Wednesday, Dec. 13*, Thursday, Dec. 14

#28 Stony Island: Friday, Dec. 15*

#62 Archer: Saturday, Dec. 16*, Sunday, Dec. 17

#X49 Western Express: Wednesday, Dec. 20*

#79 79th: Thursday, Dec. 21*

#3 King Drive: Friday, Dec. 22, Saturday, Dec. 23*

* photo opp with Santa Claus

 

For The Last Time: Marilyn Manson DID NOT Die Yesterday

November 20, 2017 | Eric

No, Marilyn Manson did not die.  Yes, he took his name by using the first name of Marilyn Monroe…and the last name of the waste of a human being who actually bit the dust.

Apparently people have been confusing the two en masse on social media.

Now you know.    But you’re smarter than they are.  Or not an internet troll.  Either way, you rock.  Keep on being you.  — [eric]

10 Years Ago Today, “Rock Band” Came Into Our Lives

November 20, 2017 | Eric

On this day in 2007, Harmonix, EA and MTV Games released a game called Rock Band.

This profile from Kotaku remembers how much it was than a “$170-box-of-plastic-instruments.”  It felt like the first video game that you could play with friends that didn’t involve shooting things up.  In fact, I remember instead of trivia or karaoke at bar nights, people were actually having “Rock Band” competitions.

The song list from the original reads like a playlist at 101WKQX.  It had well-loved tunes from Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters and more.  But it also introduced people to groups like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Coheed & Cambria, and The Hives.  Green Day even got their own version of the game released in 2010.

So if it was so popular, what the hell happened?  The craze only last a few years…and a reboot in 2015 seemed like it came too late.  Call it too much of a good thing:  with tons of specialized Rock Band releases and copycats from the makers of Guitar Hero, people just got sick of it.

At least we can remember it fondly today.  — [eric]

Beer Makes You Speak Foreign Languages Better? Consider Me Fluent in Belarusian!

November 20, 2017 | Eric

Alcohol isn’t exactly known for making your brain work better.  In fact, it is usually quite the opposite.  Unless it comes to speaking a foreign language.

Now, full disclosure:  you actually have to be able to SPEAK the language first.  You aren’t just going to wake up and suddenly drip French off your tongue.

However, a university in the Netherlands did an experiment with bilingual students.  The control group had no alcohol.  The other group had a moderate amount of booze, that brought their BAC up to about 0.04.  Each gave an argument in a foreign language for two minutes.  And two impartial — and non inebriated — judges gave everyone marks on their ability to speak.

The people who boozed it up WON.  That seems counter-intuitive, but the scientists figured it had to do with the one thing alcohol does right:  it gave the speakers confidence and wiped away any nerves that non-native speakers usually feel speaking a different language.

Alcohol:  the world’s greatest confidence booster.  It’s science.  — [eric]

Watch Eric moan in pain as the Bears lose

November 20, 2017 | Kevin

Did the #Bears just lose or did @erickristensen just pass a kidney stone? – @kevkellam

A post shared by 101WKQX (@101wkqx) on

Our own Eric is a proud Chicago Bears fan, and though there has been solid highlights this season with a fresh face QB in Mitch Trubisky and the outstanding plays of Jordan Howard, but we all know it’s a crappy season. Yesterday last second field goal fail by the Bears after they gave up a lead is the cheery on a cake made of garbage. I was watching the game’s final moments this past weekend as Eric came in to do his show and I was heading out to do mine. I was able to accurately capture Bears fandom in 2017 in one single short video.

No, Eric is not in physical pain, just emotional pain. At first I thought he might be passing a kidney stone.

This audible gem was so good, I used it on air this morning. Poor Eric continued his sads on Twitter.

 

GoPro continues to record as red hot lava burns it up

November 19, 2017 | Kevin

See the point of view of molten hot lava burning towards you….yeah this is extreme.

This GoPro video footage comes from a tour guide in Hawaii who was given a tour of a volcanic area when lost his camera in this crevice of rock which got engulf by red hot flowing lava. Also who is just ok with walking around that close to lava?

Source: UPI 

Watch Queens of the Stone Age get villainous in the UK before TNWSC

November 19, 2017 | Kevin

Queens of the Stone Age are set to headline our SOLD-OUT Night 3 of the Nights We Stole Christmas on December 2nd at the Aragon, last night they kicked off their ‘Villains’ World Tour in the UK at the SSE Arena in London. The set featured Josh Homme tearing it up in true blue rock fashion. The videos from the show certainly wet our appetite for ‘Stole.

 

And check out this entrance music from the Skatt Brothers, it’s the perfect stomp and clap pump up jam before you walk out to a hyped crowd right?

NOTE: Josh Homme swears a lot here. NSFW language, heads up! 

“Sh*t, it’s Saturday night tonight, right? So much is going on, but the past is f***ing gone… Do everything you want to do!” – Homme

Check out QOTSA’s setlist from last night in London.

If I Had a Tail
Monsters in the Parasol
My God Is the Sun
Feet Don’t Fail Me
The Way You Used to Do
You Think I Ain’t Worth a Dollar, but I Feel Like a Millionaire
No One Knows
Avon
The Evil Has Landed
I Sat by the Ocean
Smooth Sailing
Domesticated Animals
Make It Wit Chu
I Appear Missing
Villains of Circumstance
Little Sister
Sick, Sick, Sick
Go With the Flow
Encore:
Head Like a Haunted House
Feel Good Hit of the Summer
A Song for the Dead

“Mr. Plow” Turns 25 Today; What The Episode Meant for ‘The Simpsons’

November 19, 2017 | Eric

On this day in 1992, The Simpsons released S4, E9:  “Mr. Plow”

In the many years of the long running animated series on Fox, this episode always stands out as one of the best — among both critics and fans alike.  So what exactly is the big deal with this episode?

For one, a cameo from Batman star Adam West that relaunched his career and made him relevant to an entirely new generation of fans.  For another, a classic joke about a radio dial saving the day by then-writer Conan O’Brian.  There was also risque one liners, including one about the sexual orientation of a Leave It To Beaver character….and, yes, even a bit of nudity.

Ryan Parker from The Hollywood Report does an excellent interview with the show’s creators & writers, Dan Castellaneta (whose voicing of Homer in this episode won him an Emmy), Conan O’Brian, and more.  Definitely worth the read for The Simpsons fan in all of us.  — [eric]

THE INCREDIBLES 2 TEASER IS A MUST-SEE

November 19, 2017 | Kevin

One of the most anticipated animated movies in years is coming in summer 2018 with Disney Pixar’s Incredibles 2. The super-hero comedy ‘Incredibles’ and vivid visuals delivered the charm that Pixar is known for  with a fresh twist story on the super-hero movie concept with a family team all getting powers. This week we got the first teaser for the sequel with a minute morsel of the new baby Incredible who gets into some lazer-beam-from-the-eyes mischief.

Beyond the Trailers breaks down this teaser and how it plays off the first film.

Foo Fighters Among Artists Remembering AC/DC’s Malcolm Young

November 19, 2017 | Eric

At last night’s show in Mexico City, Dave Grohl and crew ripped through the AC/DC staple “Let There Be Rock” in memory of AC/DC’s Malcolm Young, who passed away Saturday at the age of 64.

The choice in song was very personal for Dave, who explained in a post to Facebook:

Other artists associated with 101WKQX also shared their tributes to Young on social media:

— [eric]

Paramore walk through a sea of ‘Fake Happy’ in new video

November 17, 2017 | Kevin

Paramore dropped their new music video for the latest single off their ‘After Laughter’ album. In the visual for ‘Fake Happy’, singer Hayley Williams walks through a world of people putting on a happy face with real issues underneath. The golden glittery tears stream from her eyes, it’s beautiful and sad a the same time. Prepare for the feels everybody!

 

William Patrick Corgan Is Billy Again

November 17, 2017 | Marconi🍕

(from stereogum.com)

For over two years now, Billy Corgan has been fighting an uphill battle against being Billy Corgan. Although he originally released his recent solo album Ogilala under the name William Patrick Corgan, a very serious adult name for a very serious adult musician, Pitchforkreports that he’s finally given in and admitted that his name is and always will be Billy. Ogilala is now credited to Billy Corgan on Spotify, Apple Music, and every other streaming service, his Vevo account on YouTube has gone from WilliamPCorganVEVO to BillyCorganVEVO, and even the album’s cover art, which once proudly bore a WPC monogram, has been changed to reflect Billy’s once and future status as Billy (see below). William Patrick is dead, long live Billy!

(MORE HERE)

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David Bowie Documentary To Air On HBO in 2018

November 17, 2017 | Marconi🍕

(from diffuser.fm)

Earlier this year, Francis Whately’s documentary, David Bowie: The Last Five Years, premiered on the BBC. A month later, HBO acquired the U.S. rights and they will broadcast it next year.

Thew film chronicles the work Bowie spent on his last two albums, 2013’s The Next Day and 2016’s Blackstar, and the Lazarus off-Broadway musical. However, as Whately told Rolling Stone, he was unable to get an interview with the famously private star. “I had sleepless nights thinking, ‘How am I going to fill 90 minutes without any footage?’ ” Whately, who also made a documentary in 2013 called David Bowie: Five Years, said. “I was really worried.”

(MORE HERE)

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