To quote our own 2012 post:

If you weren't aware, Turquoise Jeep, the YouTube rap crew behind viral hit, "Lemme Smang It," actually play shows (like the New Year's Eve show with Big Freedia in Austin this past December).

Have you incorporated the phrase "lemme smang it" into your vocabulary yet? If so, you'll be psyched to hear that the group Turquoise Jeep, who have an Internet hit of the same name, are currently on tour throughout the US. You can smash, bang, and/or smang it with the crew-- whose tour vehicle had better be a turquoise-colored Jeep....

Continue reading "Turquoise Jeep want pie, on tour (HighDive tonight, Lincoln Hall Tuesday)"

Demetri Martin is gearing up for the release of his second book, Point Your Face at This, which is due out on March 19. Unlike 2011's This Is a Book, Point Your Face at This is "devoted entirely to his trademark one-liners and drawings, as well as short prose and poetry, leaving the longer-form material for his next hardcover." You can preorder the book via his website.

Martin will be going on a spring US tour in support of his forthcoming book. That tour includes a performance at UP Comedy Club on April 1. Advance tickets for the Chicago show are on sale now.

All Demetri Martin tour dates and a few videos are below...

Continue reading "Demetri Martin releasing new book, playing UP Comedy Club on tour"

photos by Stan Golovchuk

Todd Barry @ Schubas on 1.23.2013

NYC comedian Todd Barry likes to riff on and banter with the audience. As part of his current US tour, dubbed the Crowd Work Tour, he's doing a whole lot of that. Barry hit Schubas on Wednesday night (1/23) for his first of two sold-out shows with support from C.J. Toledano. Were you there? How was it? A set of pictures from the show are in this post. More below...

Continue reading "Todd Barry brought his Crowd Work Tour to Schubas ------- (night 1 pics)"

Buddy Guy @ World Financial Center, July 2012 (more by Dana (Distortion) Yavin)

today in Chicago
* Buddy Guy, Mike Wheeler @ Buddy Guy's Legends
* Conductive Alliance, Big Colour, Killer Moon @ Schubas
* The Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival @ Stage 773 (Night 1)
* Brute Heart, Names Divine, Big Forever Family Band @ The Burlington
* Le Yikes Surf Club, The Bad Doctors, Kangaroo, The Ransom @ Township
* Magas, Jeremy Lemos and Peter Speer, Andy Ortmann, Matt Zivich (DJ set) @ Empty Bottle

Buddy Guy is playing a lot of shows at his Chicago club Legends this month. He kicks off his "residency" tonight.

The Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival begins at Stage 773 tonight.

Angel Olsen has new videos for both "Tiniest Seed" and "Sweet Dreams." Both were shot with 16mm film, and you can watch them below.

Follow @bvChicago on Twitter, "Like" us on Facebook.

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What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

Hannibal Buress @ the Bell House in Brooklyn, 2011 (more by David Andrako)

Though funnyman Hannibal Buress left Chicago for New York City a few years ago, we're not holding it against him. He visits often, and is set to again this weekend, for a trio of Chicagoland shows. Buress will play both an early and late show at Zanies in Rosemont, IL on December 29 (tickets), Zanies' St. Charles location on December 30 (tickets), and three shows at Zanies in Chicago on New Year's Eve. Advance tickets for his three NYE shows in Chicago are sold out, but the Zanies box office might be holding onto some.

All known Hannibal Buress tour dates and some videos are below...

Continue reading "Hannibal Buress playing Chicagoland shows this weekend"

Fred Armisen @ Petty Fest 2012 (more by David Andrako)

Fred Armisen, of SNL and Portlandia fame (and oh yeah, the Simpsons), is one of the many performers taking part in the "Letters to Santa" benefit tonight (12/18), and has been keeping super busy. In addition to visiting his former home Chicago to tell jokes and filming TV shows, Fred recently opened for and then played with Yo La Tengo in NJ, played as part of "Petty Fest", played with Dinosaur Jr, and took the time to tell us his favorite LPs of 2012.

The Second City are gearing up for their annual Letters to Santa Benefit, which will be taking place at their home base from December 18-19. Folks like Jeff Tweedy, Steve Albini with Nate Silver, Kim Deal (The Breeders are working on a reissue package and tour), Fred Armisen, and more are set to participate in the 24-hour improv comedy and music event. There will also be some great auction items up for grabs, including a private living room show from Jeff Tweedy and tickets to Saturday Night Live. Tickets for the all ages event will be for sale at the door starting at 6PM on December 18. Letters to Santa will also be streaming live, for free via both their website and Gigity.TV.

Check out the full schedule of events (with set times) below...

Continue reading "Jeff Tweedy, Steve Albini with Nate Silver, Kim Deal & more @ The Second City's Letters to Santa Benefit"

Rob Delaney

today in Chicago
* Erykah Badu (DJ set) @ The Mid
* Mike Cooley @ Hideout (Night 2)
* Rob Delaney @ Athenaeum Theater
* The Coup, Japanther @ Mayne Stage
* DEN, Toture Love, Freedom Hawk @ The Burlington
* The Who, Vintage Trouble @ Allstate Arena (Night 2)
* Lamb Of God, In Flames, Hellyeah, Sylosis @ Congress Theater
* Pujol, Animal City, The Dirty Pigeons, Eggs, Dan Lastick @ Ace Bar
* Treasure Fleet, The Brokedowns, Audacity, Big Eyes @ Subterranean
* Qwel & Maker, Scheme, Epilec & Robkilla, The Palmer Squares @ Abbey Pub
* Nobunny, The Goblins, Party Bat, Rhythm Chicken, Ratso and the Rabbits @ Bottom Lounge

Rob Delaney plays the Athenaeum Theater tonight.

Pujol headline Ace Bar.

Sanford Parker told us what his favorite records of 2012 are.

A.C. Newman has a new video for "I'm Not Talking." Check it out below.

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Follow bvChicago on Instagram.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"

Todd Barry @ the Bell House in September (more by David Andrako)

NYC-based dry humor favorite Todd Barry is getting ready to celebrate 25-years in comedy this December (congratulations, Todd!). To ring in the anniversary, he'll be playing a show at Brooklyn's the Bell House with guests Janeane Garofalo, Ted Alexandro, Jim Gaffigan, and Eugene Mirman. If you just so happen to be in the area, go.

Barry is also beginning to reveal a winter tour, dubbed the "Crowd Work Tour." That tour currently includes dates in Brooklyn, Milwaukee, and Chicago. As far as Chicago goes, he'll pay us a visit on January 23 & 24 for a two-night stand at Schubas. Tickets for both shows go on sale this Friday (11/30) at noon CST; stay tuned for a direct ticket link.

All known tour dates and a couple of videos are below...

Continue reading "Todd Barry is celebrating 25-years in comedy, revealing tour, playing two nights at Schubas"

Joe's relatives' house in Brick, New Jersey

A couple weeks ago Hurricane Sandy completely destroyed the home of my aunt, uncle and two cousins. There's a picture of what it did to their place up there. I'm putting on a benefit show to help raise some money for them on Friday, November 16th at Saki Records. Saki is kind of my comedy home lately, and the people there have been incredible with helping me out, and they are really good at putting on fun shows.

If you can make it to the show, it would mean a lot, but if you can't and still want to contribute, I've added a donate button to the top left of the page here. 100% of any money received will go to my family for the purpose of helping them get back on their feet. Feel free to donate what you can, any amount is a massive help right now. [Joe McAdam]