Politics
Remembering the unflappable Michael Scott
by Ben Joravsky
Tags: Politics , Michael Scott , John McDermott , Harold Washington , Jane Byrne , Richard M. Daley , Dion Scott , Collins High School , Ed Smith , Bernie Epton , Office of Special Events , Alderman Bill Henry , Eugene Sawyer , Chicago Park District , Chicago Public Schools , CPS , Regional Transportation Authority , RTA , Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority , McPier , Navy Pier , McCormick Place , Pat Hill , Arne Duncan , Rickey Hendon , Danny Davis , Edna's , Grady Jordan
Media
Foundation funding and collaboration, touted as the way forward for news, have their own pitfalls.
by Michael Miner
Tags: Media , Mother Jones , Wired , ProPublica , Grist , Slate , Steven Katz , San Francisco Chronicle , National Magazine Award for General Excellence , Assignment 2020: Reporting as if the Future Depended on It. , Chi-Town Daily News , Media Consortium , Tracy Van Slyke , In These Times , The Big Thaw , Tony Deifell
Savage Love
Why is this gay guy having sex with me?
Letters
The death of Gino Bartucci has been greatly miscalculated
Soundboard
Critics' Choices and other notable concerts: the Big Pink, the Jesus Lizard, Melt-Banana, the King Khan & BBQ Show, Municipal Waste, and more
by Peter Margasak, Miles Raymer, Monica Kendrick, Bill Meyer, Kevin Warwick and Ann Sterzinger
Tags: Soundboard , Axemen , the Big Pink , Crystal Antlers , Bottle Rockets , the Jesus Lizard , Guillermo Gregorio & the Madi Ensemble , Latino Music Festival , Rempis/Rosaly , Dave Rempis , Frank Rosaly , Melt-Banana , Melt-Banana Lite , the XX , Bebel Gilberto , the King Khan & BBQ Show , Mark Sultan , Arish Khan , Municipal Waste , Jason Stein , Locksmith Isidore
Music Review
Chicago house producer Traxx could make better music if he put less stock in 25-year-old production techniques.
by Steve Mizek
Tags: Music Review , Traxx , Faith , house music , Melvin Oliphant III , Jamal Moss , Daryl Cura , Hieroglyphic Being , Deecoy , Dirty Criminals , Tadd Mullinix , D'Marc Cantu , Frankie Knuckles , Ron Hardy , the Warehouse , the Music Box , Nancy Fortune , Theo Parrish , Omar-S , Fred Peterkin , Black Jazz Consortium , Todd Osborn , Steve "Silk" Hurley
The Arts
An expert in government subsidies for film production says it's a "race to the bottom."
Feature
In the view of a burgeoning number of outlaw bacon curers and sausage grinders, some rules are made to be broken.
by Mike Sula
Tags: Feature , North Pond , Frontera Grill , E & P Meats , Big Green Egg , Helge Pedersen , Laurence Mate , This Little Piggy , charcuterie , bacon , pulled pork , Calabrian salami , nduja , Chicago Department of Public Health , Upton Sinclair , Tim Hadac , Michael Pollan , Susan Mahnke Peery , Charles G. Reavis , Home Sausage Making , Kendall College , petit sale , Meat Week , Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
Food & Drink Column
Unusual sweets, exotic chips, and a secret congee menu at Ravenswood's Me Dee Cafe
Restaurant Reviews
Eleven good BYO Thai bets for neighborhood dining
by Kate Schmidt, Mike Sula, Laura Levy Shatkin, Michael Gebert, Anne Spiselman, Paul Schoenwetter and Nicholas Day
Tags: Restaurant Reviews , Dib Sushi Bar and Thai Cuisine , The Elephant , Grande Noodles and Sushi Bar , Indie Cafe , Kan Pou , Manee Thai #2 , Opart Thai House , Spoon Thai , Sticky Rice Thai , TAC Quick , Thai Pastry
Performing Arts Review
Thodos Dance Chicago's preservationist approach to Bob Fosse falls flat.
by Laura Molzahn
Tags: Performing Arts Review , Thodos Dance Chicago , Bob Fosse , Fosse Trilogy , Ann Reinking , Melissa Thodos , Jessica Miller Tomlinson , Mexican Breakfast , Brock Clawson , Ron De Jesus , Wade Schaaf , Mollie Mock , Jeremy Blair , Architecture: Splintered and Cracked , North Shore Center for the Performing Arts
Performing Arts Review
It takes a big man to make Charles Ludlam’s Irma Vep sing.
by Albert Williams
Tags: Performing Arts Review , Charles Ludlam , Ridiculous Theatrical Company , Sean Graney , Court Theatre , Erik Hellman , Chris Sullivan , The Mystery of Irma Vep , Jack Magaw , Heather Gilbert , Alison Siple , Michael Griggs
Performing Arts Feature
Northlight's Souvenir: Madame Flo was a hilariously awful singer. Plot it’s not.
Bleader
Local and fair-trade holiday shopping opportunities Tuesday and Wednesday.
by Heather Kenny
Tags: Style , RE Gift , Coco Irene , Love , Lulu Mae , Holiday Shopping Jubilee , Chic Gems , Shop in Chicago , Sophia Forero , Eclectica , Ms. Catwalk , Greenheart , World Shopee , Chicago shopping , holiday shopping
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Photographer Tanya Marcuse speaks as part of the SAIC Fashion Resource Center's "Behind the Seams" lecture series.
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Black Friday deals and other events from local designers and shops.
by Heather Kenny
Tags: Style , sales , shopping , Black Friday , Veruca Salt , Chii Clothing Couture , Anastasia Chatzka , City Soles , Cynthia Rowley , Clever Alice , Tula , Serpico , 2 Sisters , Gamma Player , Beta Boutique , Koros , Twentythirtyforty.net , Jlee Silver , Rock n Shop , Ering Gallagher Jewelry , Socks Appeal
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Chicago-style pronunciations substitute for authenticity in the Broadway version of A Steady Rain.
by Keith Griffith
Tags: Onstage , Performing Arts , Arts , Daniel Craig , Hugh Jackman , Keith Huff , Chicago Dramatists , Schoenfeld Theatre , Jess Platt , dialect coaching , Chicago accent , racist cops
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Lupe Fiasco records with Chris Brown for some reason.
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Good deeds for fast dogs
by Jessica Hopper
Tags: RE Gift , greyhound rescue , dogs , retired greyhounds , Dairyland , Wisconsin , Chicago , cute animals , good deeds , donation , pet adoption , Christmas , Hanukkah , charity gifts
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Whitney Young English teacher Brigid Pasulka reads from her new novel today at Barbara's (post includes excerpt).
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The Chicago Printers Guild hosts a show featuring limited-edition posters for some of Lincoln Hall's first events. 8 PM.
by Robyn Chang
Tags: RE Gift , Music , Visual Art , Free Shit , Swag , Chicago Printers Guild , Delicious Design League , Lincoln Hall , poster show , Christian Rylander , winterbureau , Phineas X. Jones , Spike Press , Keith Herzik , Alamo Igloo , Plural , Chad Kouri , Mike Schwindenhammer , DJ Misa , Kampfire Killaz
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Mayor Daley blows his parking-meter wad on one budget. Is he just trying to prove the Reader wrong?
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Sure, it might be kind of hard to wrap, but $100 for a mint table and paddles = best holiday score ever.
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Chicago Opera Vanguard stages a benefit performance of The Chicago AIDS Quilt Songbook 2009 for World AIDS Day.
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Part of "Corporeal," on display at River East Art Center
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The Chicago Department of Transportation has created a bike rack locator that can be sorted by ZIP code, community area, ward, or proximity to a train station (both CTA and Metra)
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The Crosley USB Tech Turntable
by Jessica Hopper
Tags: RE Gift , Music , Crosley Radio , 78 RPM turntables , tech gifts , music gifts , cheap turntables , mp3 players , iPod , Christmas , Hanukkah
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A memorial is planned for Lee Pelty, longtime Chicago actor known for his musical-theater roles.
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Part of "The Autumn Etchings," on display at Eyeporium
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The Opportunity Shop, a temporary community art space, opens in Hyde Park.
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As the mayor's $6.1 billion budget passed the City Council, alderman Tom Allen blasted the administration for misusing taxpayer money, and alderman Berny Stone accused Allen of being "brainwashed by the media."
by Mick Dumke
Tags: Politics , Clout City , Mayor Richard M. Daley , Chicago City Council , Chicago politics , 2010 budget , Tom Allen , Berny Stone , tax increment financing , TIFs , parking meter lease deal , parking meters , privatization
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Signs point to a so-so holiday retail season, except for one brand beloved of a certain White House occupant.
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A new coffee table book collects album art from independently released jazz LPs of the 60s and 70s.
by Peter Margasak
Tags: RE Gift , Music , Post No Bills , Freedom Rhythm and Sound , Gilles Peterson , Stuart Baker , jazz , album art , art books , ESP-Disk , Strata-East , Blue Note
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Part of "Soft Throat," on display at Monument 2 Gallery
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Vanessa Gould explores the art and science of origami in the documentary "Between the Folds," screening for free Saturday 11/28 at the Chicago Cultural Center.
by Ed M. Koziarski
Tags: Film , Visual Art , Free Shit , Swag , Between the Folds , origami , paper folding , Eric Joisel , Jean Mishima , Chicago Japanese American Historical Society , Chicago Cultural Center , Claudia Cassidy Theater , workshop , Vanessa Gould , Video
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The dueling obituaries of a transgender sportswriter.
by Amanda Hess
Tags: The Sexist , sports , Mike Penner , Los Angeles Times , transgender , LGBT , trans , detransition , gender transition , Christine Daniels , journalism , RIP
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Journalism: not any better or worse than usual.
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Part of "Redefining What's Possible," on display at Finestra
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Tonight from 6 to 8 PM, Nacional 27 offers free samples of organic drinks to celebrate writer Paul Abercrombie's new book, Organic, Shaken, and Stirred .
by Robyn Chang
Tags: Free Shit , Food & Drink , Food , Swag , Organic , Shaken , and Stirred , Paul Abercrombie , Nacional 27 , organic cocktails , free drinks
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Grunge nostalgia in fancy packages.
by Jessica Hopper
Tags: RE Gift , Music , Nirvana , grunge , nostalgia , Live at Reading , vinyl , re-issue , coffee table books , music books , Michael Lavine , Thurston Moore , Sonic Youth , photography , the 90s , DVDs , Kurt Cobain , Christmas , Hanukkah , gifts
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Headphone recommendations for the quasi-audiophile on your holiday list.
by Whet Moser
Tags: RE Gift , Chicagoland , Grado , Grado SR60 , Grado SR80 , Grado RS1i , Koss PortaPro , Koss KSC75 , Shure SE110 , Sansa Fuze , Sansa Clip , headphones , in-ear monitors
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Contemporary Japanese hand drawn and digital animation and experimental shorts screen in "New Nippon" Thursday 12/3 at the Gene Siskel Film Center.
by Ed M. Koziarski
Tags: Film , Gene Siskel Film Center , New Nippon , Contemporary Film and Video From Japan , School of the Art Institute of Chicago , SAIC , animation , experimental , Akino Kondoh , Ladybird's Requiem , Maya Yonesho's , Kyoto Remix , Tomonari Nishikawa , Sketch Films #3-5 , Naoyuki Tsuji , Zephyr , Wada Atsushi , Well That's Glasses , Joji Koyama , From Nose to Mouth , Hiroshi Kondo , Live Material 001 , Live Material 002 , Ryusuke Ito , Plate #43-44 (The Forked Tongues) , Stom Sogo , Try , Makino Takashi , Still in Cosmos , Video
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The Sweet Cobra guitarist has died of cancer.
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A plan for a columbarium at the Three Arts Club has been withdrawn.
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Cormac McCarthy's typewriter up for auction
by Jessica Hopper
Tags: RE Gift , Lit & Lectures , Books , Cormac McCarthy , charity auction , Christie's , Olivertti typewriter , Oprah , The Road , affordable typewriters , Luddite gifts , Christmas , Hanukkah
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The slow and fast times of sports radio legend Mike North.
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Gifts for people who genuinely wouldn't mind finding a jar of cumin under the tree.
by Jessica Hopper
Tags: RE Gift , Food Chain , Food & Drink , Food , spices , baking , bakers gift , BBQ gift , ethnic food , unique gift , inexpensive gift , salt , Indian food , fancy hot cocoa , spicy food , gifts for mom , gifts for dad , stocking stuffers , meat rubs , grilling , salt cream , french salt , sprinkles , spice house , local , foodie gifts , food snobs , Christmas , Hanukkah
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Bacon-scented laundry detergent?
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Emory Douglas talks about Black Panther graphics at Columbia College.
by Sam Adams
Tags: Visual Art , Politics , Free Shit , Swag , Clout City , Emory Douglas , Anchor Graphics , Black Panther Party , Columbia College , Ferguson Lecture Hall , 600 S. Michigan
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Tonight at 7 PM, the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington) hosts Chicago Sound Drops as part of the Third Coast International Audio Festival's Listening Room series.
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Vosges offers 15 percent off with a special code
by Jessica Hopper
Tags: RE Gift , Food Chain , Food & Drink , Food , Vosges Haut-Chocolat , chocolate , vegan , treats , sale , Chicago , gifts , Christmas , Hanukkah
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The A La Card restaurant-discount program returns for 2010
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Johnny Cash's boots on the block at Christie's
by Jessica Hopper
Tags: RE Gift , Music , Fashion , Johnny Cash , country music , men's boots , vintage shoes , Cavalli boots , vintage boots , Christie's , Christmas , Hanukkah
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A digest of reaction to President Obama's Afghanistan speech.
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DJ Khaled yells at you about the McCafe.
by Miles Raymer
Tags: Crickets , Music , DJ Khaled , hip-hop , the biz , yelling , McCafe , McDonald's , hot chocolate , whipped cream , no homo , Audio
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"The Murder of Fred Hampton" screens Wednesday 12/2 as part of "The Black Panther Party in Retrospect" conference at the University of Chicago.
by Ed M. Koziarski
Tags: Lit & Lectures , Film , Visual Art , Politics , Free Shit , Swag , Books , Clout City , Fred Hampton , Mark Clark , Bobby Rush , Deborah Johnson , Black Panther , Akua Njeri , Emory Douglas , Willie Calvin , Jeff Haas , Jane Rhodes , Ahmad Rahman , International House , University of Chicago , The Assassination of Fred Hampton , The Murder of Fred Hampton , Video
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Too Much Joy vs. the Warner Brothers bureaucracy
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by Whet Moser
Tags: Chicagoland , Film , Music , Food & Drink , Performing Arts , Arts , Food , Axemen , Rueben's Palace , Borinquen , Red Cliff , Chilam Balam , Best Restaurants of 2009 , Sing-a-Long Sound of Music , Julius Meinl Cafe , G.I.F.T. , warehouse compound , Fat Bitch! , Erica Watson , Chicago Center for the Performing Arts , Dining Room at Kendall College
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Elegant, nerdy ties from Cyberoptix Tie Lab.
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An interview with Ricky Jay, whose show "A Rogue's Gallery" runs through 12/6 at the Royal George Theatre Center.
by Whet Moser
Tags: Chicagoland , Performing Arts , Arts , Ricky Jay , A Rogue's Gallery , Ricky Jay: A Rogue's Gallery -- An Evening of Conversation and Performance , Royal George Theatre Center , Ward Hall , Jay Marshall , Ed Marlo , Magic Inc , Roy Huston , Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women , Jay's Journal of Anomalies , David Mamet , Mythbusters , Susan Boyle , Heba Haba Al , Matt Schulien , Schulien's , Chicago bar magic , sleight of hand , Video
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Tonight at 6:30 PM, the film building at Columbia College (1104 S. Wabash) hosts a showing of Fish Out of Water, a new documentary by Ky Dickens.
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by Whet Moser
Tags: Chicagoland , Food Chain , Film , Music , Food & Drink , Performing Arts , Arts , Food , Guillermo Gregorio & the Madi Ensemble , Cibo Matto , Dave Rempis , Frank Rosaly , Dave Rempis , Hungry Brain , Chicago Cultural Center , Turquoise Cafe , Coco Before Chanel , Wally and Agador's Gourmet Cafe , Michael Lachowicz , The Road , River East 21 , Pipers Alley , Sayat Nova , Mizu Yakitori & Sushi Lounge , Century 12 and CineArts 6 , Kansaku , Lunatic(a)s , Cafe Central , Redmoon Theater , Redmoon Winter Pageant , Mexique
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Panel on Chicago's future at Roosevelt University.
by Sam Adams
Tags: Lit & Lectures , Politics , Free Shit , Swag , Books , Clout City , Kevin Coval , Louder Than a Bomb , University of Chicago , Roosevelt University , Amisha Patel , the Grassroots Collaborative , Amy Skeen , Girls in the Game , Natalie Moore , WBEZ , The Public Square
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McDonald's is offering free Premium Roast coffee on Black Friday from midnight to noon.
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Lyric Opera Orchestra members will strike December 5 unless an agreement is reached.
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Kooky and functional imports from Kiosk
by Jessica Hopper
Tags: RE Gift , wooden toys , Portugal , art , European toys , Swedish gifts , unusual gifts , unique stocking stuffer , sleds , Swedish design , door knockers , decorative European gifts , cute donkeys , avant-garde watering cans
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The Sun-Times goes after Mayor Daley's TIF scam.
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Reader writer Jeff Felshman has passed away at 52.
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What's hot in local bookstores
by Jerome Ludwig
Tags: Lit & Lectures , Books , The Help , Kathryn Stockett , The Lacuna , Barbara Kingsolver , Gate at the Stairs , Lorrie Moore , Her Fearful Symmetry , Audrey Niffenegger , Wolf Hall , Hilary Mantel , SuperFreakonomics , Steven D. Levitt , Stephen J. Dubner , Going Rogue , Sarah Palin , Girl With the Dragon Tattoo , Stieg Larsson , Olive Kitteridge , Elizabeth Strout , Precious , Sapphire , Elegance of the Hedgehog , Muriel Barbery , Open , Andre Agassi , The Case for God , Karen Armstrong , You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas , Augusten Burroughs , The Piano Teacher , Janice Y.K. Lee , The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game , Michael Lewis , Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously , Julie Powell , I Am America (And So Can You!) , Stephen Colbert , Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth , Apostolos Doxiadis , The Wordy Shipmates , Sarah Vowell
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A wish book for midwestern getaways
by Jessica Hopper
Tags: RE Gift , road trip , weekend getaways , couples' getaways , family trips , Midwest , Chicago , UP , resorts , maps , Midwest siteseeing , Midwest wine tour , romantic , cheap trips
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The cookbook companion to the Soup and Bread series at the Hideout is available at holiday sales and online.
by Mike Sula
Tags: RE Gift , Food Chain , Food & Drink , Food , Soup and Bread , Martha Bayne , Sheila Sachs , cookbooks , food gifts , blogsherpa , Greater Chicago Food Depository , Hideout , holiday sales
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One of the best Web sites, ever.
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Lots of new shows go on sale this weekend, from King Sunny Ade and Tinariwen to Alice in Chains and Slayer.
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Chicago Film Archives brings your old home movies back to life.
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Locally made girl-group pop, horror soundtrack music, and hip-hop, as well as new music from Chicago expats, an interview with the Dutchess & the Duke, and more.
by Miles Raymer
Tags: Crickets , Music , Tough Shits , Hollows , Entrance Band , Rockie , the Dutchess and the Duke , Surfer Blood , Gatekeeper , Cale Parks , Box Elders , the Hood Internet , Chicago , garage rock , electronic music , indie rock , hip-hop , Sharp Darts Radio , podcast
