The 2012 edition of the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival is slated to take place this weekend (from July 20 - July 22) on, well, Milwaukee Avenue (between Kimball and California) in Logan Square. The street festival features over 100-artists performing on three stages, theater/dance/performance art, an art market, food from local restaurants/food trucks, and more.

The music lineup throughout the weekend includes Disappears, Ana Tijoux, the Yolks, the Runnies, the Mutts, Rabble Rabble, and more. Check out the full lineup below.

Admission is a suggested donation of $5 per day or you can purchase a $10 festival pass for the whole weekend, which is half off until tomorrow (aka you save $10).

There are also a few festival aftershows happening at the Empty Bottle. Disappears, Radar Eyes, and Population play on Friday (tickets). NOMO, The Eternals (trio), and Low Tide Dance play the venue on Saturday (tickets). And Ana Tijoux, Phero & Phillip Morris, Color Brown, and Soulphonetics (DJ set) play on Sunday (tickets).

The full MAAF music lineup and a trailer for the fest are below...

Continue reading "Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival happens this weekend (Disappears, Ana Tijoux, the Yolks, the Runnies & more)"

by Bill Pearis

Chicago's own Like Pioneers, a supergroup (well, we think so) featuring members of Bound Stems and Chin Up Chin Up, released their new album Oh, Magic this week which you can stream below. You can hear it -- or most of it, maybe all of it -- live tonight at the band's record release show at The Burlington Bar with The Runnies. $5 at the door, starts at 10PM.

The band will then pack up their gear and head east for their first ever NYC shows. Good luck! Album stream is below.

Continue reading "Like Pioneers released 'Oh, Magic' (stream), playing record release show tonight at The Burlington"

Japanther @ House of Vans warehouse in Brooklyn (more by Andrew St. Clair)

today in Chicago
* CIMMFest (Day 4)
* CHIRP Record Fair (Day 2)
* The Cave Singers, The Runnies @ Schubas
* Bassnectar, Vibesquad @ Congress Theater
* Julie Meckler, Christian William @ The Whistler
* The Naked and Famous, Vacationer, Now Now @ the Vic
* Across Tundras, Arriver, Restore, Lark's Tongue @ Ultra Lounge
* Daylight Robbery, Birthday Suits, Touched By Ghoul @ Empty Bottle
* Poor Elvis, Anna Vogelzang, Chasing Shade, Cyndy Fike @ Subterranean
* Waste Basket, She Likes Todd, Three Cents Short, Skankenstein @ Township
* Japanther, Sleepovers, Boys Who Say No, Little Dave Merriman @ Beat Kitchen

CIMMFest finishes off tonight. The CHIRP Record Fair does too.

The Runnies, who are playing our Record Store Day event at Saki, open for The Cave Singers at Schubas tonight.

Before hitting Coachella on Friday, the Arctic Monkeys visited Conan to play their track "R U Mine?." Check out the footage below.

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What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Sunday?"

As part of Record Store Day 2012 (Saturday, April 21), we're excited to announce that we've partnered up with our good friends at Saki Records in Logan Square to bring you a full day of in-store performances and MORE!

For those of you who will be searching for RSD's many exclusives, Saki will open up 9AM. The specific releases they'll be carrying can be found HERE. In-store performances will begin at 1PM and continue up until 9PM.

Here's what the day will look like:

1PM - Santah
2PM - Bare Mutants
3PM - Cains & Abels
4PM - Cross Record
5PM - Minor Characters
6PM - Hollows
7PM - Opposites
8PM - The Runnies

CHIRP Radio DJs will be spinning records between sets all day long.

We'll also have a ton of prizes to raffle off, including: passes for The Logan Theater, gift certificates for New Wave Coffee, LPs from Whistler Records, concert tickets and poster coupons for Metro, and more TBA.

Hang onto your Saki RSD receipt for exclusive deals from other local businesses, such as: $10 off labor at Shake Shop, One free PBR from The Burlington, 10% off at Bucket O' Blood Books & Records, One free small drip coffee from New Wave, and you guessed it.. more TBA.

Aside from DJing all day, CHIRP will also be running a Plinko-style game with prizes.

The Tamale Spaceship food truck will be parked outside all day, serving up delicious treats.

Stay tuned for even more info!