Didn't think we'd leave ya without a new song before the end of the year, did ya? Taking things up a notch with this one 😵😵💫 "Dilemma" out everywhere NOWWW!!! https://t.co/AL2h2w0kPA
— Green Day (@GreenDay) December 7, 2023
'Saviors' is coming real fast on January 19th 🤯🤯🤯 https://t.co/WmyWSyJCgI pic.twitter.com/LWNHM8Q41w
Three Brigitte Calls Me Baby songs you need to know
Last night, Brigitte Calls Me Baby opened up the second night of Twisted XMAS for Lovejoy and White Reaper and quite frankly, they blew Brian, Kenzie, and myself (Case the Producer) away. Quickly, they have etched their name into the pantheon of great Chicago bands, simply based off of their excellent performance at the Aragon last night.
These are the three Brigitte Calls Me Baby songs that you need to know.
Brigitte Calls Me Baby – Impossibly Average
The band’s flagship single, “Impossibly Average” is a breathtaking three-minute foray into the world of Brigitte, even if the title of the song could not be any more misleading. The song is incredible. It’s unique. Nothing else in contemporary music sounds like it. It’s impossibly stunning and something that shouldn’t exist in modern times.
Brigitte Calls Me Baby – Eddie My Love
The strength of Chicago’s own Brigitte Calls Me Baby is their desire for romanticism. “Eddie My Love”, which sounds like a cut off Louder Than Bombs, sees the band at peak-yearning. In the chorus, frontman Wes Leavins bellows out “I thought I knew me but I didn’t know myself // You saw right through me and truth was I never fell // So hard”. Heartbreaking, introspective, and powerful, it’s easy to see the winning formula that Brigitte churns out with a track like this.
Brigitte Calls Me Baby – You Are Only Made of Dreams
With a voice like the one that frontman Wes Leavins possesses, it’s easy to talk about the crooners that predated Brigitte and how similar this Chicago-based band sounds to them. “You Are Only Made of Dreams” is the band stretching out their wings and taking the best parts of contemporary indie rock and lacing them with that soon-to-be-iconic voice. The band is simply “in the pocket”, operating at peak performance seemingly doing it effortlessly.
You can follow the band on X here.
We’ll see you all at the gig the next time they play in their hometown.
TWISTED XMAS
Aldi will make you do pushups to get the job
Despite cashiers being able to sit down, it turns out that getting a job at Aldi is harder than you might think.
A woman in a Facebook group discussed her interview process with the supermarket by telling people that instead of telling the hiring manager about herself, she was forced to do push-ups. She explained, “My relative recently interviewed for a position in-store and then later that day she was asked to partake in a Zoom meeting in her home and was asked to do push-ups, sit-ups, and starjumps to show her fitness level.”
A commentator added, “Started at ALDI a year ago now, and I had to do a Zoom medical assessment. Thought it was weird at the time, but now I realize how necessary it is. You definitely need a certain level of fitness to be competent in the job… Yep. Part of the process.”
Weezer jam in a new Netflix Christmas film
A spin on the film Freaky Friday, this Netflix film stars Jennifer Garner and Ed Helms along with the Weezer performing Santa Claus Is Coming To Town with Ed Helms’ character Bill Walker’s garage band Dad Or Alive.
Twisted Xmas critical info
All the plotting, and planning, and waiting and it’s finally here: HAPPY TWISTED XMAS WEEK! Four festive nights at the Aragon start tonight with The Black Keys, Local H and ALEXSUCKS. Doors at 6p and show starts at 7p each night, second band around 8p, third around 9:30p (to give you a rough idea, times subject to change). Don’t forget the FREE Twisted Xmas afterparty at the Cubby Bear Thursday with Deanna from Sincere Engineer DJing, and let me know if you need a letter to the boss Friday morning 😉 How many nights are we going to see you this year?! <3 Lauren
Bid on autographed posters to benefit Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago HERE.
The Black Keys — DJ Set at Empty Bottle
“Rizz” crowned Oxford Word of the Year
Gen Z has taken over, and “rizz” is another sign of their impending cultural dominance. The Oxford Dictionary has crowned rizz the word of the year, beating out words like “Swiftie”, “situationship”, and “prompt”.
Rizz, for those that don’t know, is a term used “to describe someone’s ability to attract or seduce another person.”
Rizz is believed to come from the middle of the word charisma, and can be used as a verb, as in to “rizz up,” or chat someone up, the publisher said.
Alkaline Trio release a heartfelt new song
Boy starts petition to get Apple to change ‘nerd’ glasses emoji
Teddy, a 10-year-old-boy from the UK, is fighting against Apple and one of their most prominent emojis. According to the boy, “Apple are making it absolutely horrible for people wearing glasses.” He continued, “They’re making people think we’re nerds and it’s absolutely horrible.”
Apple has not responded to the boy’s statement at this time.
12.3.2023 History Of Alternative
MGMT go 90’s grunge in new video for “Bubblegum Dog”
Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser pay homage to some classic ’90s videos here (Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy” the Smashing Pumpkins’ “Today,” STP’s “Interstate Love Song” Alice in Chains’ episode of MTV Unplugged and Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun.”)
MGMT’s new album Loss Of Life will be released on February 23rd.
11 great songs you may have missed this year
While Q101 remains the greatest source in the world for discovering new music, we only have so many hours in the day and occasionally some songs fall through the cracks. If your Spotify Wrapped results have you down, or you’re in desperate need of something new to listen to as we close out the final weeks of the year, these are 11 great songs that you may have missed this year. -Case the Producer
The Beaches – Blame Brett
The Beaches played at 1:15 on the opening day of Lollapalooza. 1:15. They were the first band to grace the Bud Light stage, which played host to the likes of Carly Rae Jepsen (my girl), The 1975, and Maggie Rogers throughout the weekend. Seemingly as they were on stage, “Blame Brett” began to blow up. If I may be forward for just a second, this song is annoying in all the right ways. Truly, that is a huge compliment. I could not get this song out of my head for an entire month after hearing it for the first time. The Canadian quartet exploded in popularity to “Blame Brett” this year. I can’t wait to see what’s next for them.
Bully – Days Move Slow
A few days ago, I was talking to a friend about how much I liked Bully’s fourth studio album, Lucky For You. Unfamiliar with the record, I told them Bully, Alicia Bognanno’s excellent indie rock band, sounds like “Sheryl Crow’s moody niece”. Of course, anyone who knows me knows how much I love Sheryl Crow, so I simply could not give a band a bigger compliment than being similar to Crow in any way. The standout track from Lucky For You is “Days Move Slow”, an indie rock belter that sounds like it washed ashore after being stowed away and recorded in 1996. It’s dirty, it’s catchy, and it’s everything right about indie rock.
Bully will be opening for Grouplove on March 16 at The Riv.
Citizen – When I Let You Down
I’m waiting on the day that Citizen is one of the most decorated rock bands in the world. I don’t even get Citizen all the time. A number of their hits have missed me entirely. That being said, having seen this band a number of times now, including twice in 2023, there is no denying the ardent fanbase that follows this band and has for over a decade now. A band known for always changing up their sound, this year they stepped up their game by stripping back their approach, abandoning the throat-bursting emo screams or dance-punk drum beats that have won them fans all over the world. “When I Let You Down”, a standout single on Calling the Dogs, is the band’s finest work to date. A catchy, infectious bark-and-response that could be played around the campfire or in an arena, Citizen have yet again proven that they are one of the most exciting bands in alt rock.
DRAIN – Evil Finds Light
Instinctually, I want to preface this with saying that DRAIN is “not for everyone”. But, they do seem to be good enough for Post Malone, a sold out crowd at the Metro, and a stage-invading crowd at Riot Fest, so maybe the gnarly vocals and heavy riffs of Sammy Ciaramitaro are more inviting than even I realize. Bottom line, DRAIN is one of the heaviest bands going today, but they are also one of the most fun bands going today. They radiate positive energy and good vibes, despite playing unforgiving thrash that sonically would have them linked up with Metallica and Slayer. On their Epitaph Records debut, DRAIN unearthed LIVING PROOF. Clocking in at 10 songs in 25 minutes, it’s one of the most relentless and engaging listens of the entire year. They shine their brightest on “Evil Finds Light”, an essential cut from 2023.
Check out their interview with me from earlier this year to learn more about why they might be banned from Riot Fest, how their first record deal was constructed at the merch table, and so much more.
The Front Bottoms – Outlook
Here’s the thing about The Front Bottoms: they are unabashedly my favorite band of all-time. I think they are brilliant. They will never get the credit they deserve for being some of the finest songwriters of the 21st century. THAT BEING SAID, 2023’s You Are Who You Hang Out With was not my favorite effort from the band. Much of the album is maligned by an aggressive autotune effect that drowns out the usually-charming voice of frontman Brian Sella. A confusing move, to say the least. What makes it worse is that the album’s lead single, “Outlook”, contained no such autotune and also happens to be one of the finest songs this band has ever recorded. If I could’ve slid any song into rotation at Q101 this year, “Outlook” would’ve been my pick.
LURK – Honey Hive
Chicago’s own LURK are destined for big things. The DEVO-meets-Ramones punks have spent the last few years making big noise in small rooms, and one can only hope that by this time next year, they’re making that same noise in front of more people. They’ve set those wheels in motion with the help of tracks like “Honey Hive”, an ode to the often defeating nature of the music industry. Sounding like a long-lost Pixies cut, they have once again proven that they are Chicago’s finest rock band.
Oh yes, I also talked to them this year about the wonders of Ozzfest, the struggles of being a touring band, and how their unique sound came to be.
Militarie Gun – Do It Faster
Last year when writing this very article, I wrote in regards to Militarie Gun and their song “Pressure Cooker”, “As far as I’m concerned, Militarie Gun currently holds the heavyweight championship around their waist when it comes to being the most exciting band in the world.”
I am happy to inform you that since then, they’ve only gotten better. LA’s finest melodic hardcore act is in the midst of a three-year run akin to Muhammad Ali in his prime. Each MG track on their first full-length, Life Under the Gun, hits hard like a heavyweight punch. If you catch them on their upcoming headlining tour, you will one day be able to brag about seeing them in a room that small.
Momma – Bang Bang
Also making their return to this list after an appearance last year, LA’s Momma have yet again brought forth a banger…this time by way of “Bang Bang”. The standalone single comes after a huge year, last year, with 2022’s Household Name. Light-hearted, warm, and a wry sense of humor, Momma continues to live up to the hype after being named one of Rolling Stone’s 2020 “Artist You Need to Know”.
Movements – I Hope You Choke!
Movements have become a confounding success story. After years of grinding away in underground emo and punk-adjacent scenes, the band stumbled into success thanks to TikTok taking ahold of the gut-wrenching “Daylily“, years after its release. Since then, the band has ridden a wave of momentum that includes a stellar set at Riot Fest 2022 and a sold-out show at Concord Music Hall fresh off the heels of 2023’s RUCKUS! “I Hope You Choke!” continues their trend of excellent shout-at-the-stars tracks that have made them one of the most buzzworthy bands in alternative.
Ratboys – Morning Zoo
Another Chicago band, I’ve long-championed Ratboys as one of this city’s finest exports. This year, they struck gold with The Window, a brilliant and beautiful record that Paste Magazine named the 5th best album of 2023. Frontwoman Julia Steiner’s voice cuts like a siren throughout The Window‘s 11 emotional and introspective songs. The highlight on one of the year’s best albums is “Morning Zoo”, which Steiner described as, “[an expression in] frustration and confusion that comes along with hanging out at a personal crossroads, where every day feels the same and the same big questions keep nagging at you from the back of your head.”
Ratboys come back home on December 22nd for a headlining show at Thalia Hall. Tickets are available here.
Spiritual Cramp – Better Off This Way
I would not describe myself as cool. Most things I like are not cool. Spiritual Cramp, however, are cool. They look cool, the music they make sounds cool, and they continue to churn out cool music videos. They are simply very, very cool. After years of churning out stellar EP’s, the Bay Area punks released a self-titled record this year, their first full-length. “Better Off This Way” is an explosive two-minute belter and another glimpse into the paranoid mind of eclectic frontman Michael Bingham.
They’ll join Militarie Gun at the Bottom Lounge on February 23.
For more insight into exciting, emerging artists, you can check out my litany of interviews with bands such as Beach Fossils, Code Orange, and High Vis on Q101’s YouTube channel.
The Weekend Q101
AAW Presents The Jim Lynam Memorial Tournament at the Berwyn Eagles Club (Friday)
Chicagoland’s premier independent wrestling promotion is back on Friday night with their most important event of the year. AAW honors Q101 alumni Jim Lynam with the Jim Lynam Memorial Tournament from the Berwyn Eagles Club. You can get up-close-and-personal to the action and witness some of the finest wrestlers in America, all while honoring a Chicago legend. Tickets are available here.
Pierce the Veil at the Aragon (Friday)
Pierce the Veil are back, baby! After an incredible performance at The Cubby Bear as a part of Q101’s Pop-Up series, we are proud to present Pierce the Veil at the Aragon Ballroom. Friday marks the second of two sold-out shows for the group. We can’t wait to see you there!
Angel Olsen at Thalia Hall (Friday-Sunday)
Angel Olsen, one of the premier indie singer-songwriters of the era, kicks off her triumphant three-day stay at Thalia Hall on Friday. If you’re a fan of the likes of boygenius or Noah Kahan, Angel Olsen could be your next obsession. Tickets are sold-out for all three shows.
Smoking Popes at Bottom Lounge (Friday)
Chicago legends, Smoking Popes, are back in their hometown for the first time since their rained-out Riot Fest set in September. This show is also sold out, but if you have a ticket, we recommend getting there in time to catch Sludgeworth.
Millenium Park Holiday Singalong (Friday)
There’s nothing stopping you from showing up in Millennium Park at any point during the year and belting out your favorite holiday songs, but you can do it with a crowd of like-minded exhibitionists at this annual series of winter concerts and sing-alongs. This year, the series takes place every Friday at 6:30pm from December 1-15, with a different local choral group leading attendees in song each week. Song books will be distributed at each event.
Winterland at Gallagher Way (Friday-Sunday)
Winterland at Gallagher Way is back and better than ever with family-friendly festivities both at Gallagher Way and inside historic Wrigley Field, including new experiences and returning favorites like the Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville and the Gallagher Ice Rink.
Holiday Trolly in Andersonville (Friday-Sunday)
Hop on and hop off, enjoy the sights and sounds of the holidays, shop for unique gifts at local stores, and savor seasonal treats along the way. Don’t miss this enchanting celebration that captures the spirit of the holidays in one of Chicago’s most vibrant neighborhoods!
Brookfield Zoo’s Holiday Magic (Saturday-Sunday)
Light up the festive season with family and friends at Brookfield Zoo’s 42nd annual Holiday Magic. Chicagoland’s longest-running lights festival returns from 3 to 9 p.m. More than two million LED lights transform the park into a winter wonderland. While strolling pathways, participants can gaze up at a 41-foot-tall lit tree choreographed to seasonal tunes, stop at the 20-foot-tall orb and 3D gingerbread house to take memorable photos, walk through the 600-foot-long “Tunnel of Lights,” and more.
The Suicide Machines at Bottom Lounge (Sunday)
Let me take you behind the scenes at Q101 to a conversation that Brian and I (Case the Producer) had on Thursday.
Brian: *told a really funny story about The Bloodhound Gang at Jamboree 2000*
Me: *looks up the Jamboree 2000 lineup, notes the inclusion of The Suicide Machines*
Brian: “you know, The Suicide Machines really had a moment. It was a small one, but it was a moment”
Cut to: today, you’re reading this, and The Suicide Machines are playing the Bottom Lounge on Sunday.
RIP Shane MacGowan of The Pogues
Dennis Rodman says Pearl Jam’s “Black” saved his life
The Worm. Dennis The Menace. Rodzilla. None of these nicknames suggest that Dennis Rodman would have any knowledge of Pearl Jam, let alone the idea of him being a huge fan of the iconic grunge band.
In an interview with Joe Buck, Rodman expanded on previous stories about feeling like his life was coming to an end during the 90’s. Rodman said, “I really don’t even think about that too much, but that was a life-changing experience for me. I think what saved me was Pearl Jam.”
Rodman got hooked on Pearl Jam in 1991 and deeply connected to the hit song “Black,” he told GQ in 2021. On the night he nearly killed himself, police found Rodman in his car with a rifle in his lap after he had fallen asleep listening to Pearl Jam.
He then told Buck, “I didn’t want to kill Dennis, I just wanted to kill who he is today. I just wanted to change my life a little bit.”
Die Hard IS a Christmas movie AND you can see it again in a movie theater
Die Hard takes place on Christmas Eve and features Bruce Willis as NYC police officer John McClane who is visiting his estranged wife in her LA office tower when a holiday party is interrupted by a group of terrorists. Clearly, a Christmas movie. Die Hard will be shown in theaters for one week only starting on Dec. 8, 2023.
Blackhawks continue to deny rumors that Corey Perry slept with Connor Bedard’s mom
Corey Perry, a veteran presence on the Chicago Blackhawks, has been let go from the team. The situation regarding his release is still very unclear and peculiar, but social media rumors continue to grow that Perry allegedly slept with prodigy Connor Bedard’s mom.
The Blackhawks released a statement on Tuesday:
“After an internal investigation, the Chicago Blackhawks have determined that Corey Perry has engaged in conduct that is unacceptable, and in violation of both the terms of his contract and the Blackhawks’ internal policies intended to promote professional and safe work environments…As such, Corey Perry has been placed on unconditional waivers. In the event Mr. Perry clears waivers, we intend to terminate his contract effective immediately.”
General Manager Kyle Davidson shot down social media rumors in a press conference yesterday.
Perry’s last game with Chicago was on November 19. He was a healthy scratch on November 22 and sat out again on November 24 before Davidson said he wouldn’t be returning any time soon.
Mom sues Hinsdale South after son, former all-conference player, is cut from basketball team
A Hinsdale South parent is suing her local school district, Hinsdale Township High School District, and several Hinsdale South employees over the fact that her son did not make the school’s basketball team. The lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleges that Hinsdale South boys basketball coach Michael Belcaster cut her son Brendan after tryouts in the fall in retaliation for the family filing a complaint against the previous coach, Michael Moretti.
Erin Savage, who filed the lawsuit, said that her children had been in varsity sports for 31 years and had never caused a fuss, but in relation to Moretti, she’s “never encountered [someone] who thinks he can do whatever he wants. That was [Moretti].’’
‘‘This is more than just about him being cut from the basketball team,’’ Savage’s lawyer, Steven Glink, told the Chicago Sun-Times. ‘‘This is about what I feel is retaliation of his First Amendment rights. He spoke out against the coach. They substantiated it. The coach got demoted. He tries out for the team, he’s all-conference as a sophomore and junior and now he doesn’t make the team as a senior? That doesn’t pass the smell test in my book.’’
Hinsdale South director of communications Chris Jasculca said the district doesn’t comment on legal matters.
