We have some new categories this year! Check out our new nightlife options. Are you a drag or burlesque performer? Register as a nominee and ask your community to nominate you as well! The nominations open Oct 6. Learn more at chicagoreader.com/best

The Joffrey’s U.S. premiere of Liam Scarlett’s retelling of Bizet doesn’t pass the taste test. https://bit.ly/48HeA9s

The life and loves of Ava Gardner come to the Studebaker in Elizabeth McGovern’s first play. https://bit.ly/4pNhCiQ

The goal of Pretty Good Fest is to get some form of art into everybody’s hands. https://bit.ly/4gCU3oy

Andrea Carlson: A Constant Sky compiles 20 years of the artist’s paintings. https://bit.ly/4gHq8M1

In this week's Gossip Wolf, Chicago indie musicians write an open letter urging others to pull their music from Spotify, Indie rockers Wide Orbit open for Oracle Sisters, the 19th annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival lights up the neighborhood and more! https://bit.ly/4gMtAFh

Eat these words. https://bit.ly/4mDmyDY

Working on a story for @chicagoreader.com about the nocturnal animals that roam Chicago. Seen anything especially beautiful, scary, or strange? Let me know—[email protected]. 🦇🦝🐺👽🌙

In this week's Make it Make Sense, the community speaks out against violent ICE arrests, CPD's second in command steps down, Northwestern students boycott mandatory "antibias" training and more. https://bit.ly/3IDzT1c

Like so many things we love about Chicago, this spectacular ten-day string of free concerts is under threat from Trump’s xenophobia and racism. https://bit.ly/3IjXjsu

The goal of Pretty Good Fest is to get some form of art into everybody’s hands. https://bit.ly/4gCU3oy

New issue drop! On the cover: Fall books preview. 🎨 Book Season, a letterpress print by Jen Farrell of Starshaped Press, altered with permission. Pick yours up in person tomorrow or read the PDF now! https://bit.ly/4nkLDEQ

The Best of Chicago award season is just around the corner! We open our nominations period Oct 6, so now is the time to start thinking about who you believe deserves recognition in your community. Those interested in being nominated should register as a nominee. Learn more at chicagoreader.com/best

Nearly six dozen Chicago musical acts have signed onto this boycott campaign / open letter urging other local musicians to pull their music from Spotify. More on this in my @chicagoreader.com story chicagoreader.com/music/gossip...

In “Flaming Memory,” the artist embraces paint as a volatile, volcanic material. | ✍️ Alan Pocaro https://bit.ly/47RGGyF

hi y’all 👋 i’ve gotten a ton of new followers over the past few weeks (seriously, it’s wild), so i thought i’d reintroduce myself. i’m a journalist + editor in chicago. i write about policing + surveillance + prisons + courts. i work for the @chicagoreader.com. here’s some of my work:

We spoke with @chicagoreader.com @thetriibe.com and @unraveledpress.com about the lessons and strategies they learned from media in L.A. and D.C. for their coverage. By @afroxander.bsky.social Find the story (sans paywall) here: lataco.com/chicago-ice-...

The TRiiBE is working in collaboration with indie investigative newsroom @unraveledpress.com and alt-weekly @chicagoreader.com to bring you confirmed sightings of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agents in the Chicago area. thetriibe.com/2025/09/live...

Federal agents use excessive force against protestors outside Broadview ICE facility. https://bit.ly/4nhXF1W

Bethany Collins’s “Dusk” is a provocative exhibition rendered in graphite gray. https://bit.ly/47RYWbc

This Chicagoan’s sweet, supple singing—in English and Portuguese—fueled the U.S. bossa nova boom in the late 60s. https://bit.ly/4nfUCY6

The beloved Chicago director and writer leaves a deep legacy as a theatermaker, advocate, and friend. https://bit.ly/4pBIkuM

The beloved Chicago director and writer leaves a deep legacy as a theatermaker, advocate, and friend. https://bit.ly/4pBIkuM

This week's Gossip Wolf is chock full of local music news! Namely, the music running club Albums Run celebrates it's 25th run, Sullivan Davis starts as Color Club’s head booker, Refining the Third Ear explores psychoacoustic phantasmagoria, and more. https://bit.ly/3K6ZgZI

This Chicagoan’s sweet, supple singing—in English and Portuguese—fueled the U.S. bossa nova boom in the late 60s. https://bit.ly/4nfUCY6

Bethany Collins’s “Dusk” is a provocative exhibition rendered in graphite gray. https://bit.ly/47RYWbc

at least twice now, this federal agent has come out of the broadview ice facility with his sidearm drawn. last friday, an ice agent shot and killed a man during a traffic stop nearby in franklin park, illinois.

The TRiiBE is working in collaboration with indie investigative newsroom @unraveledpress.com and alt-weekly @chicagoreader.com to bring you confirmed sightings of ICE and other federal agents in the Chicago area. thetriibe.com/2025/09/live...

outside the detention/“processing” facility in broadview, illinois: a crowd of protesters, some of whom showed up before 5 am, is heckling ice agents arriving to work. a few minutes ago, special response team agents came out to push protesters away from the driveway. pepper balls already flying.

After a decade apart, Lstreetz has reunited with Shawnna for a joint album that proves the power of women working together in Chicago rap. https://bit.ly/3K86exG

A Reader writer’s top picks for the 43rd iteration of Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, starting tomorrow. https://bit.ly/3KduHl0

The TRiiBE is working in collaboration with indie investigative newsroom @unraveledpress.com and alt-weekly @chicagoreader.com to bring you confirmed sightings of ICE and other federal agents in the Chicago area. thetriibe.com/2025/09/live...

ICE activity as reported by our news editor Shawn Mulcahy. CW: police violence

Chicago playwright James Sherman's "The First Lady of Television" at Northlight is set in 1950 and is the timeliest show in town right now. Here's my @chicagoreader.com review. chicagoreader.com/performing-a...

An immigration agent shot and killed an unarmed 38-year-old father outside Chicago on Friday—and their initial narrative of events was quickly disproven by videos captured by witnesses. https://bit.ly/3IbeDjf

This week's Gossip Wolf is chock full of local music news! Namely, the music running club Albums Run celebrates it's 25th run, Sullivan Davis starts as Color Club’s head booker, Refining the Third Ear explores psychoacoustic phantasmagoria, and more. https://bit.ly/3K6ZgZI

Donald Trump’s deployment of federal agents to cities is based on the disproven claim that immigrants commit a disproportionate number of violent crimes. | ✍️ Rita Oceguera for @thetrace.org https://bit.ly/42tKD93

Making lamps is both metaphor and meditation for artist Alessandra Norman. https://bit.ly/3K2WiFH

New issue drop! On the cover: Lstreetz runs it back with an old mentor The Chicago rapper reunites with Shawnna for a joint album. By Joshua Eferighe Pick yours up in person tomorrow or read the PDF now! chicagoreader.com/tag/vol-54-n...

Independent journalism is the lifeblood of the Chicago Reader. That work has never been more important. The Reader needs a new Editor in Chief who can meet this moment and lead the publication into its next chapter. Think that's you? Apply before Sept 30. https://bit.ly/4n0IFW2

Served with your choice of breakfast taters, fresh fruit, or french fries, the Monte Cristo at Hamburger Mary's is the perfect balance between sweet and savory. https://bit.ly/4phH8MK

An immigration agent shot and killed an unarmed 38-year-old father outside Chicago on Friday—and their initial narrative of events was quickly disproven by videos captured by witnesses. https://bit.ly/3IbeDjf

For news and alerts on ICE in Chicago & Chicago area, follow The TRiiBE, Unraveled, Chicago Reader: @thetriibe.com @unraveledpress.com @chicagoreader.com

There’s no unifying mood to be found in “Pure Moods,” but maybe that’s the point. https://chicagoreader.com/visual-arts/art-review/pure-moods-junior-gallery/?utm_campaign=&utm_content=There%E2%80%99s+no+unifying+mood+&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reader-bluesky

The History of Sound’s melancholy snuffs out whatever fire might have flared in this slow-burning queer love story. https://bit.ly/4malbwx

Victoria Martinez matches the passion and complexity of Magda Portal at the Poetry Foundation. https://bit.ly/42d1VYb

The Conjuring: Last Rites isn’t phenomenal, but it’s a mostly fitting curtain call to the franchise. https://bit.ly/3ImLFNl

Jay Villalobos’s Spectacular Optical Corporation film festival features experimental, microbudget digital shorts. https://bit.ly/41NELaC

The film adaptation of Stephen King’s powerful first novel is not quite revelatory. https://bit.ly/48gIyB5

The History of Sound’s melancholy snuffs out whatever fire might have flared in this slow-burning queer love story. https://bit.ly/4malbwx