Since 2005, Autumn in Chicago means not only meant Football but music venues all over the city hosting the massive punk rock party known as Riot Fest.

This year, Riot Fest will undergo a transformation in to a three-day outdoor festival in Humboldt Park on September 14-16 and join the ranks of other Chicago destination festivals including Lollapalooza, Pitchfork Music Festival and North Coast Music Festival.

The initial lineup for the revamped Riot Fest includes headliners Rise Against, Iggy and the Stooges, The Offspring and Elvis Costello.

Continue Reading…

North Coast Music Festival, arguably the third largest and most popular Chicago fest following Lollapalooza and Pitchfork Music Fest, announced it’s initial lineup earlier this week.

The festival goes down in Union Park – the same park Pitchfork will take over a few weeks earlier – on Labor Day weekend, which is Friday, August 31, through Sunday, September 2.

The lineup was revealed via a Groupon on early Tuesday morning that offered a three-day pass for only $62 and promptly sold out.

Past lineups have leaned more towards the electronic, hip-hop and jam band territory, and this year so far appears no different.

Continue Reading…

After a two-week long guessing game, the lineup to the 2012 edition of Lollapalooza, now in it’s 21 year, has been revealed. And it’s an odd assortment of new, nostalgia and beyond nostalgia that will take over Grant Park this August 3 – 5.

Headliners include Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Black Keys, Jack White and Black Sabbath. The Chicago Tribune’s Greg Kot reports that C3 promises the full Sabbath lineup even though guitarist Tony Iommi is recovering from lymphoma and drummer Bill Ward isn’t fully signed on yet. Additionally, Kot writes that Swedish DJ Avicii and Justice make the leap to the headliner status and also close out the main stages.

Other notables include a newly reunited At The Drive-In, Florence + the Machine, Sigur Ros, The Afghan Whigs, Bloc Party, tUnE-yArDs, The Shins, M83, Die Antwoord and Childish Gambino.

Unfortunately, the lineup is short on are Chicago acts. The only local representation included is JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound, Empires, Kid Color and Orchard Lounge.

Check out the rest of the lineup after the jump.

Continue Reading…

The complete lineup for the 2012 edition of the Pitchfork Music Fest has been revealed. The fest once again goes down in Chicago’s Union Park on Friday, July 13 – Sunday, July 15.

As we previously reported, the headliners appear to be car commercial, afro-poppers Vampire Weekend, mellow pop songstress Feist, post-rockers Godspeed you! Black Emperor and British electro-pop outfit Hot Chip.

But today’s new additions are a slew of Pitchfork favorites. The biggest name is obviously Wild Flag followed by Real Estate and Beach House – both very recent P4K Fest alumni. More of the latest adds are post-hardcore outfit Chavez, Atlas Sound, Big K.R.I.T., Nicolas Jaar, Cults, Ty Segall, Oneohtrix Point Never, Youth Lagoon, Thee Oh Sees, King Krule, Lotus Plaza, Dirty Beaches, Lower Dens, Milk Music, the Psychic Paramount and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Also included, much to our delight, are Chicago’s own Outer Minds and A Lull!

Continue Reading…

And that’s a wrap! Lollapalooza 2011, its 20th anniversary no less, is history. Below is a recap of the the acts that we had a chance to catch on Sunday. Day three winners? The Joy Formidable, The Cool Kids and the Foo Fighters! So sit back, relax and relive on the final day of Lollapalooza 2011.

Continue Reading…

Lollapalooza 2011 Day Two is in the books. Below is a wrap up of the the acts that we had a chance to catch. Friday’s winners? Disappears, The Black Lips and Death From Above 1979. So sit back, relax and catch up on the Lollapalooza Saturday action. We’re doing it all again in an hour or so. Joy!

Continue Reading…

Lollapalooza 2011 Day One is in the books. Below is a wrap up of the the acts that we had a chance to catch. Friday’s winners? Le Butcherettes, The Kills and Ratatat. So sit back, relax and catch up on the Lollapalooza Friday action. We’re doing it all again in a few hours. Joy!

Continue Reading…