Review: Michael Shannon, Jason Narducy and Friends Tackle R.E.M. Classics at Metro
In the 21st century, it’s normally a matter of when, not if, a band that breaks up will reform. Some acts barely allow enough time to be missed when the […]
Anthony Cusumano is a comedy writer, performer, and producer based in Chicago. In 2023, he launched The DnA Sketch Show, a recurring variety show, and in 2024 he wrote and directed the critically acclaimed musical Miracle at Century High School.
Recap: Survivor 50 Episode 2: A Fifth Shot at a First Impression
They say you never get a second chance to make a great first impression. But how about a fifth? Though he’s long-beloved by much of the audience, Oscar “Ozzy” Lusth […]
Preview: The Onion Co-Founder Scott Dikkers Brings FunnyCon to Chicago
As a co-founder of the venerable satirical newspaper The Onion, Scott Dikkers is no stranger to launching comedy institutions. His latest endeavor is the biggest yet—the first annual FunnyCon, a […]
Recap: Survivor 50 Episode 1: A Reheated Rivalry for the Ages
After a quarter-century on the air, the only thing more familiar than Survivor itself is the biannual assortment of articles promoting its latest season, lauding the show’s longevity and how […]
Interview: Low Cut Connie’s Adam Weiner Tells How He’ll Get Intimate at City Winery
Fans of Low Cut Connie, the Philadelphia-based group led by Adam Weiner, know that the band’s high-energy shows are as much a spiritual experience as they are rock concerts. But […]
Interview: Langhorne Slim Is Dreamin' Big at Thalia Hall
Following last month’s release of his acclaimed new record, The Dreamin’ Kind, singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim is ready to rock Thalia Hall this Wednesday, February 25. We talked with Slim about […]
Review: Second City’s Black and Highly Flavored Celebrates Black Comedic Excellence
That sketch comedy tends to be a predominantly white art form is a bit of a “chicken and egg” situation—it took seven years before Bob Curry became the first Black […]
Interview: Save Ferris Brings a Much-Needed Ska Show to Park West
Ska lovers, rejoice—third wave fan favorites Save Ferris are keeping the torch alive. Best known for their 1997 cover of “Come On Eileen,” the band is currently prepping its first […]
Review: A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness Is a Smashing (Pumpkins) Success at Lyric Opera
Perhaps more than any other ’90s rock icon, Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan has remained unapologetically artistically adventurous three decades into his career—while the most recent Pearl Jam and Foo […]
The Witty City: Laura Hugg Says “I Don’t Want to Hug a Toilet Any More. I Want to Be On Stage”
This is the first in a series of articles spotlighting some of Chicago’s finest and funniest comedians worth watching. Though Laura Hugg has always loved comedy, it took many years […]
Review: An Evening With David Byrne Is An Evening to Remember at the Auditorium Theatre
It’s been 50 years since David Byrne first introduced his trademark brand of quirky pop-punk/world music fusion to audiences as the frontman of Talking Heads—note the lack of “the” in […]
Review: Kokandy’s Jekyll & Hyde Makes Its Captivating Return to the Chicago Stage
The definitive metaphor for the duality of mankind, the torrid tale of Jekyll and Hyde has been familiar to lovers of literature for nearly 140 years. Adapted for the stage […]