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- City Life, Shop Local Feb 2, 2021
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Lending a hand
Chicago Tool Library has proven to be a much-needed lifeline for locals sprucing up spaces while quarantining.
- Music, Music Feature Oct 28, 2020
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The life and death of Rancho Huevos
A Bridgeport DIY house that nurtured an antiauthoritarian community for nearly two decades stands vacant and slated for demolition.
- Music, Gossip Wolf Oct 27, 2020
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Beloved DIY space Situations signs off with a Halloween livestream
Plus: Angel Marcloid of Fire-Toolz drops an album of fizzy jazz fusion as Nonlocal Forecast.
- Music, Gig Poster of the Week May 20, 2020
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Godzilla can't stop the music on the (fantasy) gig poster of the week
This week’s featured gig poster was created by Chicago artist Jon Natzke.
- Music, Music Feature Apr 14, 2020
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Nnamdï grows up on Brat
The prolific musical polymath uses his new solo album to teach himself something about work-life balance.
- City Life, Community Mar 23, 2020
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Take your self-isolation to the sewing machine
Here’s how DIY face masks can help our local hospitals
- Arts & Culture, Art Review Mar 3, 2020
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Vaginal Davis steps into the mainstream spotlight
Nearly five decades after her career began, the pioneer performance artist, musician, and activist is now a permanent fixture at the Art Institute.
- Music, Music Feature Feb 11, 2020
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Beach Bunny jump straight to the championship round
Lili Trifilio and her indie-punk band have climbed from Chicago's DIY scene to stages most musicians never reach, and their first studio album, Honeymoon, comes out just this week.
- Arts & Culture, Valentine's Day Feb 11, 2020
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Taking heartbreak seriously
A journalist turns her breakup into art and politics with a breakup zine.
- Music, Concert Preview Jan 18, 2020
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Experienced punks reintroduce themselves as Canal Irreal
- Arts & Culture, Art Feature Jan 14, 2020
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Blood, ink, and tears
Tattooing is still dominated by white men, but women, nonbinary people, and people of color are making their mark.
- Music, Music Feature Jun 26, 2019
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Rap that asks the right questions
The fledgling Why? Records crew—Davis, Malci, Joshua Virtue, and Ruby Watson—are already making some of the city’s most compelling and idiosyncratic hip-hop.
- Arts & Culture, Art Feature Oct 16, 2018
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Time Being Tattoo brings its founders’ DIY spirit to a professional setting
“We want people to feel like their existence is respected.”
- Music, Pitchfork Jul 17, 2018
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From basement shows to Pitchfork stages
Veterans of Chicago’s multifaceted DIY scene talk about the community that shaped them.
- Blogs, Bleader May 24, 2018
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DIY designer Joe Freshgoods takes Chicago streetwear out of town with McDonald’s partnership
Free clothes with your fries.
- Arts & Culture, Architecture May 15, 2018
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The blog Two Flat: Remade chronicles one family’s ten-year struggle to rehab a roach-infested fixer-upper in Logan Square
In the process, it’s become a reference for other Chicago DIYers.
- Blogs, Bleader Apr 24, 2018
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Jeff Rosenstock talks about his notorious Pitchfork set and how he’s sticking to his DIY punk principles
This Thursday, April 26, Jeff Rosenstock plays at Logan Square Auditorium—it's all ages, of course, and tickets cost $15.
- Music, Music Feature Apr 18, 2018
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Jessica Risker sharpens her sweet songs on a hazy new album
I See You Among the Stars is the Deadbeat front woman’s first solo record under her own name—and her most confident and consistent effort yet.
- Music, Gossip Wolf Apr 10, 2018
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La Armada return with an overdue album of Dominican-born hardcore
Plus: Awesomely trashy Indiana punks the Fritz celebrate their debut full-length, and CHIRP holds its 16th annual record fair.
- Blogs, Bleader Oct 26, 2017
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Toastamania: Halloween Havok collides rowdy bands and gonzo wrestling for the wildest show of the season
Chicago thrash band Texas Toast Chainsaw Massacre headline the latest of their Toastamania debacles this Saturday in Pilsen.
- Music, Music Feature Oct 11, 2017
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Let’s put it in writing: Melkbelly are Chicago’s most exciting rock band
On the new Nothing Valley, the Pilsen four-piece have found a tense balance between delicate melody and frantic noise.
- Blogs, Bleader Oct 6, 2017
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See what updated normcore looks like
Visual artist and B-boy keeps it basic yet contemporary with oversize pants he altered himself and fastened with a cord.
- Music, In Rotation Oct 3, 2017
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Strawberry Jacuzzi’s Shannon Candy on bratty punks who love drag and snacks
Plus: Rahim Salaam of the What About Chicago?! podcast on three labels documenting the city’s diverse DIY scene, Reader staff writer Leor Galil on the music magazine he wants for his birthday, and more
- Music, Music Feature Sep 12, 2017
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Punk’s not dead, and neither is publishing
Riot Fest launches an online magazine—because sometimes Twitter just isn’t enough.
- Blogs, Bleader Aug 25, 2017
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Stranger Things dance party the Upside Down, and more of the best things to do in Chicago this weekend
Hyde Park Flea Market, the 100th birthday of Jack "King" Kirby, and other happenings from August 25-27
