“And having answered so I turn once more to those who sneer at this my city, and I give them back the sneer” Judge Ellis today not only denounced the Trump administration’s immigration action, but had biting remarks on its clumsy views of Chicago itself UPDATE: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/06/o...

The fact that the United Center is anywhere near this list makes the whole enterprise suss. Not that “a music critic’s favorite venues” is terribly useful in the first place!

Federal agents in Chicago are aggressive everywhere but they elevate this in the SW Side. They don’t just snatch people and leave. They linger longer, march down streets with guns, interrupt traffic flows. The attacks feel concerted to instill as much fear & display power over immigrant mhoods.

A real gyro

Holy shit

Since 2022, Horsegirl, Lifeguard, and Friko have gone global—but what happened with the teen scene they grew out of? I talked to 18 different people about the Hallogallo scene now chicagoreader.com/music/music-...

new: at least 26 unhoused chicagoans have been abducted since the start of "operation midway blitz." the full scope of people disappeared is likely much larger but is obscured by heavy criminalization, social stigma, and fewer eyes and phones around to bear witness. via @katieprout.bsky.social

that this happened at a healthcare event is just A+, no notes

I've spent the week having a bunch of very fun getting-to-know you meetings with prospective authors, so I thought I'd share a bit of info about what I do & what I'm looking for. To start: I'm an acquisitions editor at @illinoispress.bsky.social, in charge of what's called our "regional trade list."

why does ross dou that

I wrote about why I can't sleep at night: the devaluation of so many things (critical thinking, creativity) I thought were paramount. lithub.com/when-we-deva...

They are turning guys who voted for Rahm Emanuel twice into the Weather Underground

The ADL has decided to treat fascists as allies and progressives as enemies. For a group that is tasked with protecting American Jews, that is a world historic fuck up. I will never forgive these people for their moral decrepitude.

If the sandwich don’t split, you must acquit

Horrifying and cruel

That’s right!

in this week's make it make it sense, the @chicagoreader.com's weekly news column: 1/ state lawmakers rounded out the 2025 legislative session with a last-minute deal to fund chicago-area public transit. i've got the deets on that and some other key proposals approved during the fall veto session:

kerry cardoza wrote this piece about yoko ono's retrospective - the only u.s. appearance scheduled so far - with an ono-like voice, and it's so beautiful

“What if you make the choice to visit this show with a spirit of openness, with the desire to have a little fun? When you’re through, you might just feel a little mental clarity. You might feel a little lighter.”

New Gossip Wolf here: -Elastic hosts the 30th annual Chicago Asian American Jazz Festival! -a new teen scene supergroup emerges! -Twilite Tone gets back together with Common! -Bobby Conn celebrates his new album! -Your Stepdad (the rapper, not your actual stepdad) moves the #newchicago scene further

Last night was wonderful, but I'm watching what happens in two federal courtrooms in Chicago today. This morning, a critical hearing on the unconstitutional tactics of federal officers in "Operation Midway Blitz." chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

local elections matter. never ever forget.

Mamdani: "We believe in standing up for those we love. Whether you are an immigrant, a member of the trans community, one of the many Black women that Donald Trump has fired from a federal job ... your struggle is ours too."

SNL cold open

That’s right

For some visual context on today's federal court case about the inhumane conditions in ICE's Broadview facility, this is a rare glimpse inside. In the background, you can see men in one of the holding cells.

goes to a sporting event no times

A perfect video to post today

At what point will Conde “fold” every other publication into, idk, the new yorker

“The agent’s flustered description of the incident apparently sparked confusion among dispatch and police officers. It also conflicted with eyewitness accounts from bystanders and a security guard that were previously reported by The TRiiBE…”

Now in Judge Gettleman's courtroom in Chicago, waiting for the morning hearing on this case - which alleges the Broadview, IL ICE facility is a "black hole" where detainees are deprived of legal counsel and subject to inhumane treatment - to begin.

This is how the ostensibly philosemitic wing of the party is going to reconcile itself with the openly antisemitic wing. “We tried to help you, we really did, but you wouldn’t let us.”

apparently a previously unreleased misfits recording hit the web over the weekend

adamn killa appearance mentioned no times

This magazine just fired all of their politics staffers

[Chicago music writer voice] I wrote about Tortoise

Someone who is good at math tell me how many salaries this could cover

raffi’s “you brush your teeth” is anti-sleep propaganda

In Netflix’s “A House of Dynamite,” Chicago is the target of a nuclear attack In real life, Chicago is also home to Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, founded in 1945 by people involved in the Manhattan Project to warn us about these very risks I talked with them about the movie’s themes Gift 🔗

I find it immensely heartening that so many normal people are seeing and defying the obscenity of what ICE/CBP is trying to do in Chicago, but stories like this also make clear how much more disciplined those people are than the state violence worker guys. www.reuters.com/world/us/wer...

our neighbor got abducted the other day and the neighborhood is raising money to help out his wife and kids until he gets free. Any help/shares are appreciated gofund.me/7c2338d40

what’s the best song that references daylight savings time and why is it “the bad touch” by the bloodhound gang

A Minecraft Movie (2025, dir: Jared Hess)

this guy’s enemies list is just “something i saw on tv”

I lack the adequate language to describe what I think of every person in power that’s responsible for this, never mind the people carrying it out

Unsurprisingly I enjoy these a lot!

kristi noem promised federal agents would continue to terrorize chicagoland—and that’s exactly what they’re doing. border patrol/ice currently rolling through the city’s northwest side. reports of abductions in albany park earlier this morning.

At Least 2 People — Including A Citizen — Detained By Immigration Agents In Albany Park Friday blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/31/a...

This rules. I wish I had gone to Riot Fest to ask people watching a version of The Beach Boys led by MAGA-lover Mike Love what they think of ICE’s assault on the city

is that good