It’s here and it’s going to be spectacular. The eclipse is here and it’s time to celebrate with capitalistic goodness. The following companies are offering deals, such as:
Dippin’ Dots
You can save 25% off of online orders for Dippin’ Dots online by using the code eclipse25…because apparently you can order Dippin’ Dots online. Who knew!
Insomnia Cookies
Nothing says “eclipse” like some big-ass cookies. Today at Insomnia, you can get a free classic cookie if you spend more than $5 in the store.
Pizza Hut
Finally, there’s Pizza Hut’s “Total Eclipse of the Hut” promotion: Get any large pizza for just $12.
Sonic
To quench your thirst as you ponder a natural phenomenon, head to Sonic and order a Blackout Slush Float, available at participating stores through May 5. It comes with a free pair of solar eclipse viewing glasses, so it’s both practical and refreshing. The sweet, cotton candy and dragon fruit flavored concoction is topped with vanilla soft serve and garnished with blue and purple out-of-this-world sprinkles.
Shohei Ohtani comes to town as the NL-favorite Dodgers spend their weekend at The Friendly Confines. If you’re there on Friday, be sure to look for Case the Producer, who will be there…alone.
Dozin’ With Dinos (Friday-Saturday)
See the Field Museum in a whole new light! Families and groups with kids ages 6 to 12 can spend the night at the museum during Dozin’ with the Dinos. Stay up late with museum scientists and enjoy activities like dissecting owl pellets and learning the steps of Egyptian mummification. Then, switch on your flashlight and explore your favorite exhibitions, including the Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet, like never before. You’ll also have a chance to see some of the Field’s special exhibitions open during your session.
Marc Maron at The Vic (Friday)
Standup legend and OG podcaster Marc Maron heads to The Vic on Friday night for what should be a hilarious night of comedy. This event is sold out.
Bulls host the Knicks (Friday)
The Bulls need to win to make sure they find a spot in NBA Play-In Tournament! This isn’t exactly Jordan vs. Ewing, but we should all be excited about the possibility of Coby White crossing up Jalen Brunson.
Blackhawks host the Stars (Saturday)
The Blackhawks are limping to the end of the season, and unfortunately for them, they have to host the Dallas Stars on Saturday night. The Stars are one of the best teams in all of hockey, so this could end very poorly for the Blackhawks.
Chicago Fire host Houston Dynamo (Saturday)
The Chicago Fire have gotten off to a hot start this year! They will look to continue that on Saturday against Houston. The match begins at 7:30.
Greek Heritage Parade in Greektown (Sunday)
During this parade celebration, visitors can see colorful traditional costumes, experience traditional Greek music and dance troupe performances, and watch as the community officially celebrates Greek Independence.
Blackhawks host the Wild (Sunday)
The Minnesota Wild are not as good as the Dallas Stars, but they’re still much better than the Blackhawks. Chicago’s weekend back-to-back ends on Sunday as they host Minnesota for a matinee.
The Black Keys are back with their twelfth studio album, this time knocking it out of the park with an homage to their home stage in Ohio Players. The 14 song record spans nearly 45 minutes as the Twisted XMAS alumni get back to their roots with a simple, straight-forward rock & roll record.
The Black Keys return to the United Center on November 7.
DREAMCAR: Dream
DREAMCAR, the supergroup made up of members of AFI and No Doubt, is back with an EP to follow-up their debut album released in 2017. The delightful thing about DREAMCAR is that it sounds exactly like if AFI had taken up floral shirts and new wave haircuts. The No Doubt influence is clear and it combines beautifully into a unique sound.
Glass Animals: Creatures in Heaven
It’s been too long since we’ve gotten a new tune from Glass Animals. After riding the wave of “Heat Waves” for years, these Englanders are back with new music. “Creatures in Heaven”, which you heard first with Lauren on Q101, is another exciting release from one of the most prolific bands in the world.
You have your chance to win tickets to Glass Animals next week with Brian & Kenzie on Q101.
Imagine Dragons: Eyes Closed
They’re back! After a quiet 2023, Imagine Dragons have returned with a fresh track for us all. “Eyes Closed” is the most Imagine Dragons song that has ever Imagine Dragons’ed, which we’re all for. Rarely do you hear a song for the first time and immediately envision it being played of 60,000 people, but you have no other choice with “Eyes Closed”. It sounds humungous.
Lizzy McAlpine: Older
If Imagine Dragons is not your speed, Lizzy McAlpine could not be farther on the opposite end of the spectrum. The Lollapalooza artist has been turning heads for years with her subtle, yet beautiful folk tunes for the last few years. She’s gone from playing the Metro to playing The Riv to now being a name near the top of the Lollapalooza 2024 poster. Older, McAlpine’s third album since her debut in 2020, broaches on the subjects that you’d expect them to given the name of the record. When it’s all said and done, Older will be one of the best records of 2024.
Vampire Weekend: Only God Was Above Us
How is Father of the Bride five years old? How is Contra nearly 15 years old? How is Vampire Weekend approaching 20 years of indie rock dominance? Anyone still thinking that Vampire Weekend is merely a flash in the pan should be directed to Only God Was Above Us, the band’s fifth studio album. Daring, expansive, and beautiful, the Ezra Koenig has once again proven that he is one of the finest frontmen in all of music. Vampire Weekend has done it again with this album.
Vampire Weekend will be in town for a set of shows in late July.
On September 22, Chicago will experience something that they haven’t since the early days of the 20th century. Swimmers will begin at the Clark and Dearborn streets. Swimmers will go east to Wabash and then circle back to Wolf Point.
They hope the swim will not only be a celebration of the riverfront’s renaissance, but also serve as a fundraiser for ALS research, a cause near and dear to McConnell’s heart and at the heart of all the events he organizes.
Participants must have a history of open swimming. This creates a problem for Brian, who desperately wants to do it. If anyone can get Brian a bootleg open swim certificate, please let us know.
Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard is no stranger to controversy. On Monday night, however, Henyard raised the bar to heights not seen before. A regularly scheduled board meeting began an hour late following what police called a credible threat. Specifics of what the threat entailed and who it was made by weren’t immediately released.
This chaos comes in part due to Henyard’s recent move to veto an investigation into her spending habits, which is simply an incredible amount of power to have.
Dolton residents have expressed support for the village board and their call for an investigation into the mayor.
This fall, we're teaming up with Boys Like Girls and @tayloracorn for an unforgettable tour! Saints & Sailors fan club presale and VIP available today at 12pm ET. Public on sale this Friday at 10am local. https://t.co/QTMd0Q6al6pic.twitter.com/PXeZ9Y0nhN
— Dashboard Confessional (@dashboardmusic) April 2, 2024
A recent survey from Cash App Taxes shows that 1 in 4 Gen Zers are in need of desperate help after tax season. Specifically, that they’ll need therapy. Another 54% said filing taxes has either brought them to tears in the past or expect it to this year.
We recommend the Better Help app, or…not filing your taxes.
Youngsters Ax & the Hatchetmen storm Thalia Hall on Friday night for a homecoming show full of fun and festivities. Tickets can be purchased here.
An Evening of Mariachi (Saturday)
The Sor Juana Festival presents a festive night honoring women in Mariachi music at the National Museum of Mexican Art. Enjoy an enchanting evening filled with the soul-stirring melodies of Mariachi Sirenas, Chicago’s first all-women mariachi band.
Windy City Bulls Dog Day (Saturday)
Bring your pup to NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates for Dog Day with the Windy City Bulls. Both dogs and their owners alike will get to watch the Bulls tip off against the Wisconsin Herd from a special 200-level section. A dog photo station, on-court dog race and a dog costume contest will all take place during the event. Each pup pass also comes with a collapsible dog bowl.
Margarita Fest at Hubbard Inn (Saturday)
Margarita lovers, assemble! Hubbard Inn will host Margarita Fest, where guests can sample up to 15 cocktail tastings and have plenty of photo ops. So get your Cinco de Mayo festivities started a little early this year with three hours of tequila-based drinks on March 30.
Post Sex Nachos at SubT (Saturday)
Before playing Lollapalooza, the beautifully titled Post Sex Nachos play SubT on Saturday night. This show is sold out, so if you didn’t get tickets, your next chance to see them will be in Grant Park this summer.
White Sox host the Tigers (Saturday-Sunday)
The White Sox season started horribly. Let’s see if it gets any better this weekend (it won’t).
Nashville’s Kings of Leon are back with a new single, a follow-up to the excellent, new “Mustang”. The band brings an exciting 80s vibe to the traditional Southern style that the band has brought to the table for two decades right now.
Kings of Leon come to Northerly Island on September 28.
Lorde: Take Me to the River
Lorde is back with a take on Talking Head’s “Take Me to the River”. This is a part of the upcoming Talking Heads tribute album, released by the A24 film studio, which features the likes of Miley Cyrus, Paramore, and of course, Lorde. This is a marvelous rendition on an iconic song.
Sum 41: Heaven x Hell
The final Sum 41 album is here! Heaven x Hell is a double album that caps off the Sum 41 career in a remarkable way. This album not only features the standout single, “Landmines”, as well as excellent tracks like “Waiting On a Twist of Fate” and “Dopamine”.
Twenty One Pilots: Next Semester
They’re baaaaaack. Twenty One Pilots have followed up on their brilliant single “Overcompensate” with “Next Semester”, a genuine thumper. This feels like a return to a more classic tøp sound, and that is something that we’re going to eat up time and time again.
Brian & Kenzie will have Twenty One Pilots tickets every day next week at 8:00am.
Vampire Weekend: Mary Boone
Naming a song after an art dealer? Extremely on brand for Vampire Weekend. They’re back with a scorching new single “Mary Boone”. This sounds like a natural evolution of a band that has continued to grow and evolve over the last decade-and-a-half.
.@Lorde puts her spin on "Take Me to the River," the @AlGreen song that Talking Heads also covered for Stop Making Sense. Hear it now ↓ https://t.co/BNqINX2HNY
The march towards 162 begins today as the White Sox host the Detroit Tigers at 3:00pm today. For the Sox, the expectations are low, but if anything, that leaves room to grow. The White Sox will kick off the action today with Garrett Crochet, the bullpen stalwart-turned-starter.
As a special treat for fans, the parking lot will open three hours before first pitch and gates will open two hours before first pitch. Tailgating is permitted in parking lots. Fans have the option to purchase reserved tailgating spaces in Lot E, which includes a dedicated tailgate space, early access to Lot E and close proximity to Gate 2.
The White Sox’ bag policy for the 2024 season permits clear single compartment tote bags (12 x 12 x 6 inches or smaller), clutch purses (9 x 5 x 2 inches or smaller) and diaper bags when an infant is present. Backpacks and all other bags are prohibited.
As for the Cubs, their home opener comes Monday as they begin a homestand against the Colorado Rockies. If you are looking for something to do beforehand in Wrigleyville, Brian & Kenzie will be broadcasting live from Almost Home Tavern & Grill from 6am-10am. Attendees will have a chance to win tickets to Green Day, Twenty One Pilots, and more at the broadcast. Get all the info you need here.
An Internet rumor has caught fire claiming that ALDI is manufacturing bacon in a lab. After a lot of Internet bickering and half-assed research, the grocer spoke out and denied the claims.
ALDI, the popular grocery chain, clarified to The Associated Press that its Appleton Farms products, including bacon, “are not produced through cultivated lab practices.” So where did this confusion come from?
But fear not, bacon lovers. ALDI’s bacon is the real deal, sourced from pigs, not petri dishes.
