The Weekend Q101

Friko at Metro (Friday) 

One of the newest and hottest bands in Chicago, Friko, comes to the Metro on Friday night for a celebration of their new album, Where We’ve Been, Where We Go From Here. The trio’s music combines the franticness of early Modest Mouse with the sweet sounds of Belle & Sebastian. A brilliant band that will only get better, this is your chance to see them before they play much bigger venues. Get your tickets here!

Lauren at Dave & Buster’s (Friday)

Join Lauren and the Q101 Crew for the Grand Opening celebration at the DAVE & BUSTER’S located at 601 North Matingale Rd in Schaumburg on Friday, March 1st from 6pm – 9pm. Stop by the Q101 table and enter to win tickets to amazing concerts from Bush, Alkaline Trio or All Time Low! Play games to win Q101 apparel and swag!

Bulls host the Bucks (Friday) 

In a genuinely bizarre move, this Bulls game tips off at 9pm on Friday night. In a rare Bulls nationally televised appearance, the middling Bulls will host the Bucks at The UC.

Brigitte Calls Me Baby at Schubas (Saturday) 

For the first time since Twisted XMAS, Chicago’s own Brigitte Calls Me Baby returns home for an intimate gathering at Schubas. After tearing up the East Coast for the first part of the year, which included a three-song set on CBS Saturday Morning, Chicago is welcoming them back with a show that a show has been sold out since the day it went on-sale.

The Bollweevils at The Burlington Bar (Saturday) 

Punk legends The Bollweevils return to the stage at The Burlington Bar on Saturday night! Get there early, dance hard, and have fun!

Empire Venue Fundraiser Party (Saturday)

Head to the Fireside Bowl on Saturday night for a fundraiser for Empire Venue, a mainstay in DIY booking in Chicago. Open bowling, refreshments, silent auctions of rare merch, records, fest passes, concert tickets, and more! Tons of gift card raffles too!

Blackhawks host the Blue Jackets (Saturday) 

Both teams are very, very bad at hockey, which means the Blackhawks have a chance. See you at the Madhouse on Saturday, folks!

Chicago Fire host FC Cincinnati (Saturday)  

Yes, MLS season is here. I’m as shocked as you are. The Fire drew the Philadelphia Union in their first match of the season, so they’ll be looking for a victory in their home opener against Cincinnati this weekend.

Brewsology Beer Fest (Saturday) 

Hopheads, grab tickets to Brewsology Beer Fest at the Museum of Science and Industry, where dozens of breweries and cideries (Two Brothers, Revolution, Three Floyds and Right Bee among them) will offer samples of their brews. Wander around with a beer in hand, chat with brewery reps and feel free to check out the museum’s exhibits.

Forest Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade (Saturday) 

Get the St. Patrick’s Day festivities started early with Forest Park’s annual parade. The march will proceed down Madison Street starting at 1pm and feature over 65 entrants, including bagpipers, marching bands, Irish dancers, local businesses and more.

The Price is Right Live! At The Chicago Theater (Saturday) 

“Come on down” for this touring, non-televised edition of the long-running game show The Price is Right. Randomly-selected contestants will have the chance to win appliances, vacations and more by playing favorite games like Plinko, Cliffhangers, the Big Wheel and the Showcase. A celebrity presenter (sorry, no Drew Carey) will be on hosting duties, and all audience members can take home prizes even if they’re not called on stage.

Glitterer at Beat Kitchen (Sunday) 

If you yearn for the days of Title Fight, fear not, because frontman Ned Russin is continuing to make his mark. His newest venture, Glitterer, returns to Beat Kitchen on Sunday night. Glitterer’s distinct style of short, electro-punk songs should blast throughout the intimate venue. This is a show worth grabbing a ticket to.

Katy Kirby at Lincoln Hall (Sunday) 

Indie singer-songwriter Katy Kirby is back in Chicago on Sunday for what should be a gorgeous show. Kirby’s combination of intricate songwriting and heartfelt vocals have made her a standout among the recent crop of singer-songwriters.

Chicago Polar Plunge (Sunday) 

Brave the cold and head to North Avenue Beach this March for the Chicago Polar Plunge, which sends thousands of shivering participants into the icy waters of Lake Michigan to raise money for the Special Olympics Chicago. Can’t make it to North Avenue this year? The fundraiser is also offering a virtual edition, giving you some creative freedom to jump into a snowbank, a cold shower or pour a bucket of water over your head as you support Chicago’s Special Olympians.

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New Music Friday: Liam Gallagher, Twenty One Pilots, & more!

Every Friday, Case the Producer rounds up the most exciting new tunes in music and serves them up in one easy-to-find blog for you, the Q101 Crew Members.

Faye Webster: Underdressed at the Symphony

The elegant Faye Webster is back with her fifth studio album and her first since 2021’s head-turning I Know I’m Funny haha. Webster is one of many incredible singer-songwriters who seems to be thriving at this current moment in time. There’s a strong chance that Underdressed at the Symphony is one of the strongest records of the year.

Liam Gallagher & John Squire: Liam Gallagher & John Squire 

It’s mad, innit? Liam Gallagher [Oasis] and John Squire [The Stone Roses], two legends of BritPop, have teamed up for an epic album. The duo collaborated once in 1997, but not to this magnitude. Gallagher’s voice, matured and aged, sounds crisp and full-of-heart. Squire’s guitar has never sounded better.We can only hope that Chicago is graced with these two legends at some point in 2024.

Pissed Jeans: Half Divorced

Pissed Jeans are pissed off. The Pennsylvania-based quarter are working through their issues on Half Divorced, the first album from the group since 2017. Tracks like “Cling to a Poisoned Dream” and “Sixty-Two Thousand Dollars in Debt” don’t hold back with their aggression, but the clear standout on the record is “Moving On”, a thumping, unforgiving track about forging new beginnings.

Twenty One Pilots: Overcompensate

In case you’ve been living under a rock, TØP are back and they’re back in a big way. Q101 premiered “Overcompensate” on Thursday to a roaring ovation. Clancy, the band’s latest record, will be out on May 17.

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New Album, New Song and New Tour for Cage The Elephant

Neon Pill, the band’s sixth full-length album, arrives on May 17th. The 12 song album was recorded following a series of traumatic events for the band, including the death of Matt and Brad Shultz’s father.

Tom DeLonge has co-written a new sci-fi novel

“This story takes place around a seminal UFO event that I believe happened,” DeLonge says of the book, which will be released June 11 through his To the Stars Media company and distributed by Simon & Schuster. “Although the location may have been changed, the importance of what I believe transpired remains. AJ and I wanted to capture a sense of what it was like to be in this pivotal moment in American culture in 1962: the cars, the space race, the beginnings of social change, but also under the pressures of Vietnam, the Cold War and a new skepticism about government secrecy.”

Kellogg CEO faces backlash after suggesting that poor people eat cereal for dinner to “save money”

Just weeks after the Pop-Tarts CEO has died, Kellogg’s has made a massive misstep.

In an interview with CNBC, Kellogg’s CEO Gary Pilnick suggested that poor people eat cereal for dinner to save money. He said, “When we think about our consumer under pressure, there’s things that we can do, but most importantly, what this category can do. The cereal category has always been quite affordable and it tends to be a great destination when consumers are under pressure. So, some of the things that we’re doing is first, messaging. You’ve got to reach the consumer where they are, so we’re advertising about ‘cereal for dinner,’” Pilnick said. 

Pilnick claimed that many people are actually already eating cereal during dinner time and that it’s a growing trend among American families. 

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J.B. Pritzker “really reluctant” to commit state money to new White Sox ballpark

J.B. Pritzker may become a roadblock for the White Sox move to the South Loop.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Pritzker said that “taxpayer dollars are precious,” and that he’s choosing to remain cautious as the team begins its push for public financing. He continued by noting that he’s “really reluctant”, but also claimed that he is “rooting for” teams to succeed in business in the state.

The White Sox are locked into a lease at Guaranteed Rate Field through 2028, and have begun the process of designing a ballpark and surrounding amenities at a site in the South Loop known as “The 78.”

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PJ Harvey announces first North American tour in 7 years

Patrick Kane breaks the hearts of Blackhawks fans in an OT-thriller

Showtime put on a show one last time at the United Center.

On a night in which Chicago came together to remember the career of Chris Chelios, it was Patrick Kane who had people talking by the time people left the building.

The Kane-related festivities began after the first timeout when the Blackhawks played a tear-jerking tribute video on the Jumbotron. It hit us all then just how many great memories we’ve had with Kane over the years.

Then, while the game was 2-2 in OT, Kane found the puck all alone on the breakaway and put one in the back of the net.

The Blackhawks are now 15-39-5 on the season.

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2.25.2024 History Of Alternative

Hour 1

  • Midnight Oil – King Of The Mountain
  • Incubus – Talk Shows On Mute
  • Jane’s Addiction – Been Caught Stealing
  • The English Beat – Mirror In The Bathroom
  • Alanis Morissette – Ironic
  • Brand New – Sic Transit Gloria…Glory Fades
  • INXS – Don’t Change
  • Smashing Pumpkins – Mayonaise
  • Weezer – Pork And Beans
  • Alphaville – Big In Japan
  • Veruca Salt – Volcano Girls
  • Queens Of The Stone Age – 3s and 7s
  • R.E.M. – Bang And Blame

Hour 2

  • U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday
  • 311 – I’ll Be Here Awhile
  • Green Day – Still Breathing
  • Bow Wow Wow – I Want Candy
  • Jimmy Eat World – A Praise Chorus
  • Soho – Hippychick
  • Nirvana – Plateau (MTV Unplugged)
  • The Afghan Whigs – Debonair
  • Beastie Boys – Make Some Noise
  • Talking Heads – Once In A Lifetime
  • Kings Of Leon – Molly’s Chambers
  • Luscious Jackson – Naked Eye
  • The Smiths – This Charming Man
  • Royal Blood – Figure It Out

Hour 3

  • PJ Harvey – Down By The Water
  • The Cult – She Sells Sanctuary
  • Pearl Jam – Corduroy
  • Echo And The Bunnymen – The Cutter
  • Garbage – I Think I’m Paranoid
  • Spacehog – In The Meantime
  • Violent Femmes – Gone Daddy Gone
  • Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby
  • Soundgarden – My Wave
  • Adam Ant – Strip
  • Live – Selling The Drama
  • St. Vincent – Los Ageless
  • Blink-182 – What’s My Age Again?

Hour 4

  • The White Stripes – The Denial Twist
  • Love And Rockets – So Alive
  • Rancid – Ruby Soho
  • Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants To Rule The World
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers – Dark Necessities
  • L7 – Pretend We’re Dead
  • Depeche Mode – World In My Eyes
  • Silversun Pickups – The Royal We
  • Porno For Pyros – Pets
  • The Cure – Fascination Street
  • Avril Lavigne – Sk8er Boi
  • The Rentals – Friends of P

Jimmy Eat World will release a live recording of Clarity for the album’s 25th anniversary

Jimmy Eat World are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their third studio album, Clarity, by releasing a 2021 live recording on vinyl. The limited edition 2xLP will arrive on May 24th.

The Weekend Q101

MagicCon (Friday-Sunday) 

Celebrate all things Magic: The Gathering at this fan convention that takes over McCormick Place Lakeside Center. The three-day gathering will include on-demand and ticketed play events, panels, meet and greets, vendors and plenty of cosplayers. Keep the fun going with an after-hours party at the House of Blues on February 23, featuring a set by Grumgully and karaoking.

Cold War Kids at The Salt Shed (Friday) 

Cold War Kids are back in Chicago for the first time since playing PIQNIQ in 2022. This time around, the band is taking a rightful victory lap as they celebrate 20 years of existence. This also comes as the indoor section of The Salt Shed just passed their first anniversary. Needless to say, it will be a night of celebration at The Salt Shed.

Lit at Silver Creek Event Center at Four Winds Casino New Buffalo (Friday)

Lit is ready to party. The 90’s standouts are bringing the fun to the Silver Creek Event Center in New Buffalo on Friday night for what should be an epic, feel-good evening. Tickets are available here.

Local H at Empty Bottle (Friday) 

Our friends Local H will be playing at Empty Bottle on Friday night for an intimate evening of loud music and fun. This event is sold out.

Militarie Gun at Bottom Lounge (Friday) 

OOH OOH! Militarie Gun, one of the fastest rising bands in alternative, will be playing a sold-out show at Bottom Lounge on Friday night…after they play Q101’s Lounge in the afternoon. Militarie Gun has opened for Limp Bizkit, been touted by Post Malone, and was recently featured in a Taco Bell commercial. Your favorite band’s favorite band is probably Militarie Gun right now. This event is sold out. If you’re going, get there early for the wonder that is Spiritual Cramp.

Blackhawks host the Jets (Friday) 

This is a huge weekend for the Blackhawks, but not because of this matchup. The Jets are very good. The Hawks…are not. We’ll see what happens.

Static-X & Sevendust at Radius (Saturday) 

Can I get a hell yeah for Static-X and Sevendust at Radius? Tickets can be purchased here.

Cupid’s Undie Run (Saturday) 

This annual tradition challenges participants to jog a chilly mile through Wrigleyville in their skivvies—all in the name of raising money for neurofibromatosis research—before retiring to Slugger’s for some scantily-clad drinking. Those who don’t want to run can donate to the cause instead. Cheers to that!

Mac & Cheese Crawl (Saturday) 

Get your fill of cheesy noodles at the Mac & Cheese Crawl happening in Wrigleyville. The event will feature stops at some of the neighborhood’s most popular bars, and tickets include seven mac and cheese tastings and access to drink specials and giveaways.

Blackhawks host the Red Wings (Sunday) 

The hottest ticket for the Blackhawks in years is Sunday as the Blackhawks host the Red Wings and honor the great Chris Chelios. A full rundown of the festivities can be found here.

Neck Deep at The Salt Shed (Sunday) 

Pop-punk standouts Neck Deep and hardcore world-beaters DRAIN are headed to The Salt Shed on Sunday evening for what should be an absolutely insane event. Tickets can be purchased here.

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New Music Friday: Bleachers, Linkin Park, MGMT, and more!

Every Friday, Case the Producer rounds up the most exciting new tunes in music and serves them up in one easy-to-find blog for you, the Q101 Crew Members.

Bleachers: Me Before You

Bleachers never slowed down after their epic performance at Twisted XMAS last December. Frontman Jack Antonoff racked up another GRAMMY for Producer of the Year in the midst of the rollout for Bleachers’ upcoming self-titled album. This week, they gifted us “Me Before You”, a track detailing a lonelier point in the frontman’s life. Bleachers is due out March 8.

Glitterer: Rationale 

Ned Russin is an underground icon. He spent the 2010’s fronting Title Fight, a band that paved the way for the overwhelming success of acts like Militarie Gun and Turnstile. Since 2017, his time has been spent as the driving force behind Glitterer, a simplistic, albeit noisy project that will release their fourth full length record on Friday. Russin proved with this project that his songwriting skills are just as sharp as ever.

Grouplove: Chances

Our friends in Grouplove are gearing up for their upcoming date at The Riv with a new single in “Chances”, a feisty, aggressive number from the band who packed The Cubby Bear last year for a Q101 Pop-Up Performance.

iDKHOW: Gloom Division 

iDKHOW haven’t released a full length album since 2020, which is far too long for a band that rocks as hard as they do. They have a chance to turn heads, just as they did at Twisted XMAS 2019 with Cage the Elephant and Angels & Airwaves, with Gloom Division.

Linkin Park: Friendly Fire

Linkin Park is back with another new track from their archives. Today, the band has unearthed “Friendly Fire”, a song from 2017’s One More Light sessions. Talking to Consequences, guitarist Brad Delson said, “Friendly Fire’ was always one of our favorite songs from the One More Light sessions. Something about it wasn’t quite right so as close as it got to the finish line, we chose to set it aside for later. When we started looking for an unreleased track to include on our greatest hits collection, I was blown away by the power of the song, the power of the storytelling, the power of the vocal, the sonic landscape and I actually thought that it was closer than maybe we had realized at the time.”

Linkin Park have announced their new career-spanning greatest hits album, Papercuts (Singles Collection 2000-2023), out April 12th via Warner Records.

MGMT: Loss of Life 

February 9, 2018 was the last time that MGMT gave us a new record. The wait is finally over. After a slew of excellent singles, the big enchilada is here with Loss of Life, the group’s fifth studio album. It simply doesn’t get better than this.

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