We've been talking New Year's Eve for quite some time, and since the world didn't end last week, all the great shows and parties we told you about are still happening.

Refresh your memory below...

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"The Screaming Eagle of Soul" himself, Charles Bradley, will be visiting Chicago for a two-night stand at Lincoln Hall on December 30 & 31. Advance tickets are still available for both shows, and though his New Year's Eve performance will cost you twice as much as the 30th, you'll receive complimentary drink tickets, appetizers, and a Daptone Records drop card for a free digital sampler.

Speaking of Lincoln Hall, their sister venue Schubas will be hosting Maps & Atlases on December 30 & 31. Gypsyblood will act as main support on the 30th, Santah will open the show on New Year's Eve, and advance tickets for both shows are still available. There's also a two-show pass for sale.

Screeching Weasel are celebrating their 27th anniversary with a two-night run at Reggie's on December 30th & 31st. Though Night 1 (with The Queers, The Manges, and Vatican Junkies) is sold out, advance tickets for Night 2 (with The Queers, The Manges, and They Stay Dead) are still available.

Local H are playing the Beat Kitchen on December 30 (with State & Madison) & 31 (with All Eyes West). Their NYE show is sold out, but tickets are still available for their 12/30 performance.

Tilly and the Wall are yet another act that will be playing two Chicago shows during New Year's Eve weekend. You'll be able to find them at Subterranean on December 30 (with California Wives) & 31 (with My Gold Mask and DJ CC Rider). Advance tickets for both shows are still available.

Butch Walker and Dick Prall are also playing two nights in Chicago. They'll appear at the Double Door on December 30 and at the Bottom Lounge on December 31. Both shows are sold out.

The Eternals will be performing "the Espiritu Zombi Suite," a piece written for a larger group-version of the band, at the Hideout on New Year's Eve. As discussed, core members Damon Locks, Wayne Montana, and Areif Sless-Kitain will be joined by six additional musicians on vibes, coronet, flute, saxophone, and more. Chandeliers will act as main support and will also play a DJ set around midnight. Advance tickets are still available.

"The Queen of Rockabilly," Wanda Jackson, will be headlining the Double Door on New Year's Eve. JD Wilkes and the Dirt Daubers, Burlesque le' Moustache, and Soul Summit DJs will open the show. Advance tickets are still available.

Alejandro Escovedo and his band The Sensitive Boys are set to play SPACE in Evanston, IL on New Year's Eve. Nicholas Tremulis will open the show, and advance tickets are still available.

Naked Raygun and The Dwarves are playing the Cobra Lounge on New Year's Eve. Though advance tickets are sold out, there may be a small amount available for purchase at the door.

Denton, TX's The Marked Men are playing the Empty Bottle on December 31 with Bad Sports and Terrible Twos (tickets). As discussed, Marked Men side project Mind Spiders are playing the Bottle on December 29 with The Novice and Dumpster Babies (tickets).

Speaking of the Empty Bottle, they're also presenting Mucca Pazza, White Mystery, and Jon Drake & the Shakes at the Logan Square Auditorium on New Year's Eve (tickets). They're also doing "New Year's Eve: Two Thousand Turnteen" with The Hood Internet, Moon Boots, Only Children, and DJ Esquire at Beauty Bar (tickets).

JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound are set to play the final show of 2012 at Mayne Stage on December 31. Advance tickets for that show are still available.

The Airborne Toxic Event and On An On play Metro on New Year's Eve. Tickets are still available, and don't forget: Neurosis, Bloodiest, and The Atlas Moth play the venue on December 30 (tickets).

Magic Milk, Rabble Rabble, Vamos, Kodiak Farm Boys, The Electric Dollhouse Groove Buggy, Don't Forget Your Dinosaur, and The Sueves are ALL set to play Quenchers on New Year's Eve. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door.

Outer Minds, The Hello Hello, and Absolutely Not will be performing at The Burlington on December 31.

South Loop dive bar Cal's are closing on New Year's Day. They'll be throwing a farewell // New Year's Eve show, featuring performances by Mercy Mercy, Demerits, and Larroquettes.

Hannibal Buress is playing three shows at Zanies 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.

Perhaps you're looking for something a bit more electronic? Porter Robinson is coming to Chicago for a two-night stand at the Congress on December 30 & 31. Hardwell and Deniz Koyu will act as main support on the 30th, and Mat Zo and The M Machine will open the show on the 31. Advance tickets for both nights are still available. Paul Oakenfold is also playing Castle Nightclub (tickets).

ALSO: You'll be able to ride the CTA from 10PM - 4AM on New Year's Eve for 1¢. For more information on how that works visit the CTA's website.

What did we miss?

Heading to Austin or New York? We also have a list of shows that are happening in both of those cities.

Happy (almost) New Year!

photos by Grant MacAllister

Maps & Atlases at Lincoln Hall on 10.28.2012

As part of a recent Bonnaroo365-sponsored tour, local dudes Maps & Atlases hit the road with White Denim and a few different opening acts. That tour came through Chicago on October 28 for a performance at Lincoln Hall. More pictures of both White Denim and Maps & Atlases are in this post. And while we're well aware that far too much weight is put on New Year's Eve, we're here remind you that Maps play Schubas on both December 30 & 31. Gypsyblood open on the 30th, and tickets are still available for both performances. There's also a two-show pass for sale.

More pictures from the 10/28 show at Lincoln Hall continue below...

Continue reading "Maps & Atlases played Lincoln Hall with White Denim (pics); catch them at Schubas on NYE"

photos by Sarah Frankie Linder

Gypsyblood @ Do Division on 6/3/2012

Do Division 2012 finished off on Sunday (6/3) with a full lineup of live music including The Antlers, Murder By Death, Cory Chisel & the Wandering Sons, Teengirl Fantasy, and The Soft Pack. A full set of pictures from day three of the festival continue below...

Continue reading "Sunday of Do Division in pictures (The Soft Pack, Teengirl Fantasy, Gypsyblood, The People's Temple & more)"

With the addition of The Soft Pack, Gypsyblood, the Mutts, Young Jesus, and Magic Milk, the 2012 Do Division Street Festival has sealed its schedule. The free street fest (suggested donation of $5), taking place from June 1-3 in Wicker Park, also features a sidewalk sale from participating local shops and tons of food vendors.

Full lineup below...

Continue reading "Do Division finishes off lineup w/ The Soft Pack, Gypsyblood, the Mutts, Young Jesus & Magic Milk"

photos by Tim Griffin

Chicago band Gypsyblood are currently working on the follow-up to 2011's Cold In The Guestway and have scheduled an April 14th headlining show at the Cobra Lounge. Advance tickets are on sale. Hamburglars and Hammerdown will act as main support.

Gypsyblood were one of the many bands featured on our bvChicago stage at Hotel Vegan. Above are two new pictures from the Wednesday (March 14), day party. Check out a full set of all acts (including FIELDED, Maps & Atlases, JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound) HERE.

Gypsyblood song streams and videos below..

Continue reading "Gypsyblood announce show @ Cobra Lounge; here's a few more pics from bvChicago-SXSW"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound @ Hotel Vegan

"...Before we were able to bask in the glory, we were driving in MAD traffic to get across town to Hotel Vegas to play Brooklyn Vegan's "Hotel Vegan" party. We barely got to the stage in time, screeched up, lept out of the van like we were the A-Team. Set up. Go. 11 people in the room, tops. The big names are outside in the back. And then something clicked, we just continue to be locked in. I look up five songs later and the room is packed. Wall to wall hipsters, including friends from Gypsy Blood, The Pinstripes, and Kane Place Record Club. It was a riot. Like a real house party. Next thing I know, we're shaking hands and getting in cell phone pictures and some real cool guy from Chicago with a little city pride takes us all out to dinner..." [JC Brooks SXSW Tour Diary]

Special thanks to a Sailor Jerry, Brooklyn Brewery, HobNob Wines, and Honest Tea for providing refreshments. Thanks also to our backline partners Korg, Vox, and Blackstar Amplification for helping make the sound happen,

Thanks especially to everyone who stopped by and to the many artists who played. Check out more pictures from the whole day, below...

Continue reading "pics: Chicago represented @ Hotel Vegan in Austin (with JC Brooks, Maps & Atlases, Flosstradamus & many more)"

We're excited and pleased to announce BV Chicago's first-ever Austin event, a full stage of Chicago musicians along side TWO MORE BrooklynVegan-programmed stages, at Hotel 'Vegan' (aka Hotel Vegas & Volstead Lounge at1500 E. 6th Street) on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 from noon - 6PM. Hotel Vegan will be runing from Wednesday through Saturday during SXSW Music, and we're excited to be showcasing Chicago bands on one of the three stages, on the first of those four days.

Headlining the BV Chicago stage will be JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound (who just announced a big hometown show at Metro). Also on the bill: Flosstradamus (which one half of, J2K, performed at a recent BV Chicago event) with a special guest, The-Drum (who shared that bill with J2K), Maps & Atlases (who have a new album and big hometown show at Metro + tour coming up), White Mystery, FIELDED, Gypsyblood, and Minor Characters (who have a pre-SXSW show at Schubas).

It looks like this:

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 - bvChicago Stage at Hotel 'Vegan'
12:00PM - Minor Characters
12:35PM - Gypsyblood
01:15PM - FIELDED
02:00PM - White Mystery
02:45PM - Maps & Atlases
03:30PM - The-Drum
04:15PM - Flosstradamus
05:00PM - JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound

Thanks to our backline partners Korg, Vox, and Blackstar Amplification for providing the gear to make this party possible.

And stay tuned for the rest of the "Hotel Vegan" lineups soon!

UPDATE: Here's what another one of the Wednesday stages looks like.

The Twilight Sad @ SXSW 2011 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

today in Chicago
* Galactic @ Park West
* AWP party @ Hideout
* AWP party @ Lincoln Hall
* AWP party @ Double Door
* AWP party @ Stop Smiling Storefront
* Magic Slim & The Teardrops @ SPACE
* The Chieftains @ Chicago Symphony Center
* Dia Frampton, Andrew Allen @ Subterranean
* The Gunshy, Water Liars, Al Scorch @ Township
* Baby Teeth, Bobby Conn, Outer Minds @ Schubas
* The Hollywood Nightmares, Party Bat @ Stage Bar
* Gospel Gossip, Pony Trash, Circles @ The Burlington
* Gypsyblood, Heavy Times @ Lily Reid Holt Memorial Chapel
* The Twilight Sad, Young Prisms, Micah P. Hinson @ Empty Bottle
* Zeds Dead, Dillon Francis, AraabMUZIK, Midnight Conspiracy @ Congress Theater
* Brain Vacation, Heaving Mass, Backwoods Payback, The Turbo Vamps @ Ultra Lounge
* Banner Pilot, Dan Vapid And The Cheats, The Reaganomics, Kurt Baker @ Beat Kitchen
* Stalley, ProbCause, ShowYouSuck, Dave Coresh, and DJs Stefan Ponce, O-Zone @ Reggie's

Hear readings from Tim Kinsella and others at Lincoln Hall's AWP party. More readings and music from The-Drum, Supreme Cuts at the Stop Smiling storefront.

Gypsyblood and Heavy Times play a chapel.

The Twilight Sad are visiting from Scotland.

Nite Jewel has a new video for "One Second of Love." Check it out below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"

Gypsyblood

Chicago bands Gypsyblood and Heavy Times are set to play a FREE show this Friday (March 2), at the Lily Reid Holt Memorial Chapel on the campus of Lake Forest College. The event is being presented by the school's WMXM radio (89.9 FM) and seems to be open to the public.

In related (and unfortunate) news, Gypsyblood's van was stolen last week.

Gypsyblood's van

Carbon Tigers' van

In two unrelated events, the vans belonging to Chicago bands Gypsyblood and Carbon Tigers have been stolen.

Carbon Tigers' equipment was in their van, and they wrote a detailed list of all stolen equipment on their tumblr. Here is the info on the van: "Carbon Tigers' van is a dark green 1999 Dodge RAM License: L669821 If you have ANY information, please email."

It's unclear if Gypsyblood's equipment was in their van, but they wrote the van's info on their Facebook page: "L618836 is the plate numbers to our van that was stolen.... missing front grill, tape headlight, body damage, cream color with hitch. Holla at us if you have any clue! thanks!" [Chicagoist]

Sailor Jerry has just announced that they are hosting their own 3-day music festival at The Cobra Lounge in Chicago..the same weekend as the 2011 Pitchfork Music Festival.

Given that The Cobra Lounge, and Union Park are blocks away from each other..the weekend will be nothing short of interesting.

Sailor Jerry's '3 Days Of Music' is FREE w/ RSVP, and will feature White Mystery, Mannequin Men, and Gypsyblood as headliners.

Head below for the flyer.

Continue reading "Sailor Jerry to host a 3-day music festival @ Cobra Lounge (during P4K..)"

Paul Simon @ Town Hall in 2008 (more by Ryan Muir)

today in Chicago
* Paul Simon @ the Vic
* Jimmy Gnecco @ Schubas
* Warren Haynes Band @ Park West
* Cloudbirds, Angel Olsen @ The Whistler (CHIRP Radio Benefit)
* Company, Filmstrip, Animal City, Maribelle, Geoffey Geoffey @ Impala Gallery
* Panda Riot, Michael Lux & The Bad Sons, Gypsyblood @ Empty Bottle (Free Show)
* Raw Nerve, Boilerman here, Panzram, Escalator, Southside Stranglers @ Dunk Tank

Paul Simon will play The Chicago Theatre tomorrow night.

What else?

Cold War Kids @ Terminal 5 1/29/2010 (more by Bao Nguyen)

today in Chicago
* Diplo, Willy Joy @ The Mid
* Jonathan Richman @ Metro
* Cold War Kids, A Lull @ the Riv
* Richard Shindell @ SPACE (Early Show)
* Dick Prall, Rachele Eve @ SPACE (Late Show)
* Human Eye, Drugs Dragons, Birth @ Empty Bottle
* Suns, Bailiff, The Mutts, The Field Auxiliary @ Beat Kitchen
* Maps & Atlases, Light Pollution, Gypsyblood @ Lincoln Hall
* The Get Up Kids, Miniature Tigers, Brian Bonz @ Bottom Lounge
* Flogging Molly, Moneybrother, The Drowning Men @ Congress Theater
* Hüsker Düdes, Econoline, SSt DJs Bobby Burg & Matt Holland @ Hideout
* The Future Laureates, Kingsley Flood, How Far to Austin, Nelken @ Mayne Stage

What else?

The Get Up Kids @ Webster Hall 3/2/2011 (more by Andrew St. Clair)

Middle Brother

Alright Chicago, ahead of us is a weekend packed with amazing shows. This is the last weekend before SXSW, and it's almost overwhelming what we have going on in just three short nights.

FRIDAY NIGHT
We recently mentioned that The Get Up Kids were in town to play two shows this weekend. Friday night they'll be at the Bottom Lounge, and Saturday they'll play Lincoln Hall. Support on both dates comes from Miniature Tigers, and Brian Bonz.

Friday night at Lincoln Hall, is a really killer lineup of Maps & Atlases, Light Pollution, and Gypsyblood. All of the bands on the bill are Chicago based acts, who are not necessarily confined to just this city anymore.

Competing with those for your attention are singer/songwriter Jonathan Richman at Metro, and The Cold War Kids supported by local up-and-comers A Lull at the Riv.

SATURDAY NIGHT
Catch Obits at Empty Bottle along with Jaill, Loose Dudes, and The People's Temple.
Crystal Castles are playing at the Riv, along with Teen Girl Fantasy.
Middle Brother, Dawes, and Deer Tick are playing at Metro, and then we've also got The Get Up Kids for the second night in a row, this time at Lincoln Hall.

In the afternoon, Hideout is having a SXSW send off for a bunch of great Chicago based bands including: Chaperone, Rabble Rabble, and Joan of Arc.

SUNDAY NIGHT
Ice Cube will be headlining the Mid with support from Mikkey Halstead.