Worth Its Salt
An iconic site in the North Branch corridor becomes a new centerpiece of the city’s live music scene.
Custom Placements: Culture Lead 1
50 Years of Music in Chicago, Photographed
Paul Natkin tells the stories behind shooting world-renowned superstars as they played Chicago-area stages.
The Definitive Guide to Our Favorite Summer Playground
Southwest Michigan has long been Chicago’s favorite coast (other than our own, of course). But the draws — food, shops, and fun — are stronger than ever. Here’s how to get the most of out it.
Go: November Agenda
Top 10 reasons to fill up your calendar this month.
The Reading List: Big Fall Novels
New books from Jonathan Franzen, Nnedi Okorafor, and Dave Eggers to bookmark this autumn.
Lollapalooza 2021 Fashion: Our Favorite Looks
Attendees and performers alike are gracing this year’s music festival with bold, colorful, and classic trends.
Chicago, Comics Capital of the World
Two related exhibitions unspool a remarkable history of innovative cartooning
Check Out These Summer Art Installations From Genius Grant Winners
Over the next year, venues across the city will exhibit art by 29 recipients of the MacArthur Foundation’s ballyhooed grants, with 12 shows happening this summer.
The Complicated Record Exec Left Out of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
The Netflix adaptation (and August Wilson’s original play) track Rainey’s abuse at the hands of a white recording industry. But there was also a go-between: J. Mayo Williams, a Chicago talent scout and Paramount’s first Black A&R rep.
Children’s Theater With Bite
A puppet-filled play about a child navigating the COVID pandemic kicks off an initiative by Chicago Children’s Theatre to commission work from diverse writers.