Two teens, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, were wounded by gunfire over the weekend as hundreds of teens descended on Millennium Park and caused chaos.
The crowd was trying to get into Millennium Park, but there are checkpoints around the perimeter and people under 21 are not allowed without an adult. The CTA said that services were partially disrupted through the downtown area on Saturday night because of police activity.
A family in Scottsdale, Arizona is reeling after they thought their daughter was being kidnapped. According to the mother, she got a call from her 15-year-old daughter while she was out of town on a ski trip and heard her sobbing on the other end of the line. A man appeared on the phone line and said, “Listen here. I’ve got your daughter. This is how it’s going to go down. You call the police, you call anybody, I’m going to pop her so full of drugs. I’m going to have my way with her and I’m going to drop her off in Mexico.”
The masculine voice first asked for $1 million, then later changed his ransom offer to $50,000.
It turned out all to be for not. In the midst of the commotion, the daughter was contacted and was confused at all of the chaos. She was perfectly safe. Someone had created an AI clone of her voice, which even matched her inflection points and crying.
The FBI is currently investigating this trend.
Blink 182 were added to Coachella last night, their first show back as the Mark, Tom and Travis show. Live stream below, Blink starts about 5:25 in (be warned, this is unedited) Can’t wait to see them in Chicago! Are you going to either show at the United Center? <3 Lauren
Yellowjackets is a Showtime series about a teenage girls soccer team stranded in the woods after a plane crash in 1996 and the events surrounding the survivors many years later. Listen to Alanis’ version of the theme song “No Return” here.
Finally, a sport we can get behind.
Please remember, the actions in this video are performed by professionals or supervised by professionals.
Everyone here at Q101 would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Captain Serious, Jonathon Toews, for being the face of the Blackhawks for the 14 seasons. A three-time Stanley Cup Champion with the Hawks, Toews has been a fearless leader, a positive influence, and an emotional rock for the city for a generation of diehard hockey fans.
Of course, #19 put one in the back of the net in his final game as a Blackhawk.
Toews has a lifetime worth of classic moments during his time leading the Blackhawks.
We love you, Captain. Thank you for everything.
Metallica – 72 Seasons
Metallica released their 11th studio album, ’72 Seasons’, at midnight. The band is gearing up for a world tour that is set to take them to Chicago in 2024 and they’ve unleashed “Sleepwalk My Life Away”, a seven-minute stomper, as the band’s newest single.
The National. ft. Phoebe Bridgers: Your Mind is Not Your Friend
The National have four upcoming sold out shows at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre and a new album on the way in two weeks. The band has released a new video featuring Taylor Swift’s bestie and indie-turned-pop star Phoebe Bridgers. “Your Mind is Not Your Friend” is a gut-wrenching, introspective take on the hardships the human brain faces.
Hippo Campus: Wasteland
Minnesota-based Hippo Campus are back with a new EP that features a slew of incredible tracks. Now nearly a decade into their career, the band still has the unavoidable, youthful charm that brought them to the dance, but they now sound like professionals ready to take over the world. “Kick in the Teeth” is the finest track the new EP has to offer, but you can’t go wrong with any of the 5 songs that came out today.
Post Malone: Chemical
Post Malone is back with his first new song of the year. “Chemical” is a clear departure from Malone’s early sound and lacks the influence of Malone’s grungy favorites. It’s a definitive shift on a pop direction, but it’s still Post, thus it is still all-too-catchy.
Hot Mulligan: Gans Media Retro Games
Hot Mulligan, who are joining the likes of Taking Back Sunday and Motion City Soundtrack on this year’s Sad Summer Fest at Northerly Island, are back with a new single and a visually-gripping music video. Like always, the Lansing, Michigan-based emo quarter has chosen an alienating song title (other options in their catalogue include “How Do You Know It’s Not Armadillo Shells?” and “I Fell In Love With Princess Peach”), but the song still rips.
Balance and Composure: Savior Mode
Balance and Composure were almost “A Band”. A band that people all across the world really loved and cared about. Not just a critical success, but a commercial success. Had the wind blown in another direction, perhaps they’d be sitting atop the alternative throne right now, but that’s not the reality that we’re living in. The reality is, however, that Balance & Composure is back with their first new song in six years and it’s stunning. The jangly guitars, infectious lyrics, and unrelenting emotion of B&C is back. “Savior Mode” receives the fullest recommendation from Brian & Justin.
Art on the Mart (April 14-July 5): At 8:30 on Friday, this year’s Art on the Mart kicks off. The art series began in 2018 as a series of photographs, works of art, and video projected on Chicago’s Merchandise Mart. Last year, the artwork and images of Chicago artist Nick Cave were featured as one of the 13 installations. Funtime Unicorn is part of a new public artwork at Navy Pier.
Expo Chicago (April 13-16): EXPO CHICAGO returns to Navy Pier’s Festival Hall this April 13—16 for the exposition’s tenth anniversary edition. This expo offers a world-renowned contemporary art fair that marks the highly anticipated opening of Chicago’s spring art season. You won’t want to miss this incredible week of global contemporary art, dynamic programming, and unforgettable events. More information can be found here.
Jagged Little Pill Musical (April 13-16): The exhilarating, fearless new musical based on the earth-shattering music of Alanis Morisette is now playing at Nederlander Theatre in Chicago. Tickets can be purchased here.
Marlon Wayans at Schaumburg Improv (April 13-16): Professional funny man Marlon Wayans is playing a ton of shows at the Schaumburg Improv this weekend. All of his performances this weekend are sold out, but limited tickets remain for his run of shows next weekend at the same venue.
Jerrod Carmichael at The Den Theater (April 13-16): Former SNL host and groundbreaking comedian Jerrod Carmichael heads to The Den Theater in Wicker Park for a run of shows this weekend. Ticketing information can be found on The Den Theater’s website.
John Melloncamp at The Chicago Theater (April 13-15): John Melloncamp continues his lengthy Live and In Person tour with a bevy of gigs at the enchanting Chicago Theater this weekend. Tickets for these shows sold out well ahead of time.
SPEED at Subterranean (April 14): Australian punk band SPEED makes their first ever stop in Chicago for a sold out show at Wicker Park’s SubT on Friday night. Say AHOY! to Case the Producer if you see him there.
Michigander at Lincoln Hall (April 14): Q101 Twisted Xmas alumni, Michigander, will greet a packed Lincoln Hall crowd on Friday evening. The band has long been a favorite of Brian & Justin, and although tickets for this event are long gone, they highly recommend checking out the band’s work.
Clothing Swap & Knit (April 14-16): The newly-opened Chicago Fair Trade Museum is hosting Chicago’s biggest community clothing swap this weekend. Bring any old clothes, shoes or accessories you no longer wear to the event and swap them for something that catches your eye. More information can be found here.
Sunny Day Real Estate at Metro (April 15): Emo legends Sunny Day Real Estate sold out the Metro will in advance for their Saturday night show in Wrigleyville. The band reunited at last year’s Riot Fest and have been on the road ever since. If you cannot make it into the building on Saturday, or if you cannot wait to hear your favorite songs, we highly recommend this superior version of SDRE’s recordings.
Margarita Fest at Hubbard Inn (April 15): Hubbard Inn will host a Margarita Fest, where guests can sample up to 15 cocktail tastings in an effort to kickstart your Cinco de Mayo celebration. Get all the dirty deets here.
Chicago Fire vs. Philadelphia Union (April 15): Eastern conference rivals clash on Sunday at Soldier Field in what should be a thrilling affair and a perfect way to close out the weekend.
The Friday (4/14) set will mark Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker’s first performance together in nearly 10 years.
Join Q101 and The Cubby Bear for a Q101 Pop-Up Performance with Pierce the Veil on Thursday, May 11!
This show is 21+.
Enter for your chance to win Guaranteed Entry on the Q101 Events Page.
In celebration of their new record, 72 Seasons, Metallica is premiering the album across movie theaters in Chicagoland tonight in a unique, visual experience. The band claims, “72 Seasons will play exclusively for cinema audiences around the globe, with every one of the new songs featuring its own music video along with witty, insightful (?!) commentary from us. Some fans will experience the music in Dolby Atmos®, a totally next-level audio experience that will immerse listeners with unparalleled clarity and depth.”
A full list of participating theaters can be found here.
We are going to let CBS Chicago take this one away.
Multiple schools in Chicago, Rockford, and Dixon received a series of phone calls yesterday claiming that there were active shooters on school grounds. No active shooters were confirmed in any of these instances. Police believe these calls to be so called “swatting” pranks.
Our thoughts are with those who were needlessly disrupted by these events.
Last night, the Bulls squeaked out a play-in tournament victory against the Toronto Raptors last night, winning 109-105. The deciding factor in this game was not incredible offense from Zach Lavine, tough defense from Patrick Beverley, or DeMar DeRozan’s clutch play, but rather Demar DeRozan’s daughter, who caused the Raptors to miss 18 free throws in what turned out to be a season-ending loss.
The Bulls will now play the Heat on Friday for the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Clear your schedule on April 5. ‘AIR: The Courting of a Legend’, starring Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Viola Davis, and others will hit theaters and tell the story of Nike and Air Jordan.
“AIR reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand. This moving story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time.”
Air is currently in theaters.
The owners of Palatine’s Durty Nellie’s, a popular bar and music venue, have announced that they plan on tearing down their establishment and doing something “entirely different”. Co-owner James Dolezal said, “We have loved the evolution of Durty Nellie’s in Palatine, from starting out on the east side of the downtown, to our current location – but our venue has become too large for what customers are looking for today…We have thought long and hard about this decision and taken it very seriously; this proposed new development will help us to stay in the community that we love to serve.”
Per NBC 5, “If approved by the village, the redevelopment plans for the property at 180-190 N. Smith St. would create a six-story, “mixed-use luxury apartment building with commercial uses on the ground floor and roof.” The 18,000-square-foot space would include 85 “high end residential units” and 10,000 square feet of commercial space, 3,500 of which would be dedicated to a new version of Durty Nellie’s, which would allow the business to continue “in a brand new format.”
It’s not a good time to be a White Sox fan…and it’s only April. The South Siders are now behind the 8-ball as the team’s biggest stars continue to suffer injuries. The latest causality is Tim Anderson, who will now be out 2-4 weeks with a sprained left knee.
Anderson will join Eloy Jimenez, Joe Kelly, and Yoan Moncada on the IL. Q101 wishes them all a speedy recovery.
Meanwhile, the Cubs came back from a 7 run deficit last night in front of a raucous home crowd last night.
In the ongoing battle for free speech, a major ruling was made in California that determined the new rules of the road. A woman on the west coast lost her battle with a traffic citation that cited her for “excessively honking”. Per the ruling of the courts, horns are not protected by free speech.
The woman filed a civil suit in 2018, claiming that she was forced to “censor herself by refraining from using her vehicle horn for expressive purposes, including but not limited to expressing support for political protests, rallies, or demonstrations.”
Even though the citation was dismissed due to the officer not showing up in court, the woman fought, and lost.
