Chicago Happenings

[Say_hello_for_me]

and fwiw, tickets are already on sale online at the lallapalooza site. $85.00 for the two days.

2000 advance tickets sold out in 80 minutes a month ago... before the lineup was announced???

It'll be interesting to see if this sells out before the city officially approves the concert, but I wouldn't be surprised.

And that whole estimate of 30K-50K per day sounds, er, a bit low.

Hello

Oh, and did I mention that there are rumors that maybe Beck will be there? Holey Geezus!

[Say_hello_for_me]

A few days ago, the Feds indict 14 mobsters, including well-known mob leaders and others who have been the center of speculation for years.

The Chicago Tribune, two days in a row, runs different pictures of different purported "mobsters" who are in fact regular joes.

The first one filed suit for 1M. He's a retired businessman with the same name as one of the indictees, and the Tribune pulled his photo from its archives (he had his picture in the paper several years ago for a business-related story).

Then, yesterday, they run a picture of the purported former leader Joey "The Clown" Lombardo, 75 yoa, riding a bike down Grand Avenue and smoking a cigar. They even ran a cutesy story about how the picture was taken by an art student back-when, and she had no idea! that he was a big mobster! Turns out he's just another random old guy.

The second retraction in two days is in this link:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...l=chi-news-hed

No word if the second guy has a lawyer yet.

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me
A few days ago, the Feds indict 14 mobsters, including well-known mob leaders and others who have been the center of speculation for years.

Besides the Trib. defamation problems, my favorite part of the story was the mob guy the feds went to pick up at a hotel in Richmond, IL and found him dead of natural causes. Apparently he'd been living at the hotel off and on, paying cash. Found like $90 grand in cash and checks in his room.

Best was the night clerk who used to joke with the guy... the poor schmuck told the guy he looked like a mafia hit man to his face... lo and behold he was. The clerk sounded terrified in the news stories... "I can't believe I called a mafia hit man a mafia hit man to his face!". Funny stuff.

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entert...l=chi-news-hed

Chicago suddenly seems like the best place to be on Earth this summer. In the second major, major music announcement, Lollapalooza (only available in Chicago) announces:

Liz Phair, the Pixies, Widespread Panic, the Killers, the Bravery, Kaiser Chiefs, Death Cab for Cutie, Weezer, Dashboard Confessional, Dinosaur Jr., Billy Idol, Cake, Arcade Fire, Ambulance LTD, Kasabian, Los Amigos Invisibles, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Z-Trip, M83 and more (70 acts or more altogether).

See http://www.chicagotribune.com/entert...l=chi-news-hed

or www.lollapalooza.com.

Just saw that Drive-By Truckers, Ben Kweller and ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead have been added to the bill.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Aloha Mr. Learned Hand
Just saw that Drive-By Truckers, Ben Kweller and ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead have been added to the bill.

I may have to go to Chicago this summer.

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
I may have to go to Chicago this summer.

You're more than welcome... I guess the same people that put on ACL are doing this. Be nice if they start allowing big concerts in Grant Park on a regular basis.

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by Aloha Mr. Learned Hand
You're more than welcome... I guess the same people that put on ACL are doing this. Be nice if they start allowing big concerts in Grant Park on a regular basis.

I can't believe this isn't sold out yet, if only based on the possibility of signing additional headliners like Oasis now. Personally, I'd love to see Bob Mould added. I'd love to see the guy from Death Cab for Cutie and that chick from whatever-band play as the Postal Service. Beck would be cool. And Oasis would be cool for a little while.

Turns out most of my family is going 'cept the preggo sister. The teenage step-niece likes Dashboard Confessional (ed. note: who???), and the preteen niece likes the Killers.

But they are still adding bands.

The Pixies? Weezer? Woo hoo!

From the relatively "unknown" bands, anybody have a recommendation on who is worth checking out in advance? All I know about Ambulance LTD is that Bob Mould said they were one of his 5 favorite new bands of last year, and they are playing Austin and Chicago.

As for the Grant Park thing, I agree within limits. No way should they allow Dead shows, death metal shows, gangster rap shows, or anything else unsavory in the city's front yard. But "festivals" seem like a perfect format for Grant Park. So within limits, I agree.

Hello

[NotFromHere]

Originally posted by Aloha Mr. Learned Hand
People gather under a Kennedy Expressway overpass and block traffic to pray before a rust stain that they think looks like the Virgin Mary.



Great googly moogly...

WTF is wrong with these people?

And yet, you shouldn't have written on it.

CHICAGO - A man was arrested for allegedly scrawling “Big Lie” over a stain on an expressway underpass that some believed was an image of the Virgin Mary.

Banks said witnesses told police they saw a man on a bicycle writing on the image around 11:35 p.m. Thursday.

eta - why am I here?

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by NotFromHere
And yet, you shouldn't have written on it.

CHICAGO - A man was arrested for allegedly scrawling “Big Lie” over a stain on an expressway underpass that some believed was an image of the Virgin Mary.

Banks said witnesses told police they saw a man on a bicycle writing on the image around 11:35 p.m. Thursday.

eta - why am I here?

Wasn't me.

Now the Highway Dept. painted over it, and people are claiming the image is bleeding through again. No it's not a miracle, it just needs two coats.

[NotFromHere]

Originally posted by Aloha Mr. Learned Hand
Wasn't me.

Now the Highway Dept. painted over it, and people are claiming the image is bleeding through again. No it's not a miracle, it just needs two coats.

Or maybe patch that hole and get rid of the water leak.

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Anyone coming into Chicago for the ABA Annual Meeting who might need hotel/restaurant information please feel free to ask.

Also, feel free to let me know you are coming to town (via PM or otherwise) and we'll see if the Chicago contingent can't roll out the red carpet for you...

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Aloha Mr. Learned Hand
Anyone coming into Chicago for the ABA Annual Meeting who might need hotel/restaurant information please feel free to ask.

Also, feel free to let me know you are coming to town (via PM or otherwise) and we'll see if the Chicago contingent can't roll out the red carpet for you...

Not for the ABA meeting, but I'm most likely coming to town for Lollapalooza. I'll probably get there that Friday and leave early Monday morning.

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Not for the ABA meeting, but I'm most likely coming to town for Lollapalooza. I'll probably get there that Friday and leave early Monday morning.

Great. As I recall I'm pretty swamped that weekend (can't go to Lollapalooza as a result), but perhaps we could arrange something for Friday for you.

Still able to help out with the hotels/restaurants thing.

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Not for the ABA meeting, but I'm most likely coming to town for Lollapalooza. I'll probably get there that Friday and leave early Monday morning.

If you in fact do, I'd be happy to introduce myself to you and buy you a beer. I'll be there with a 9 year old niece (mummy will be severely preggo), a 15 year old stepniece (stepmummy will be severely preggo) and a friend of the 15 year old stepniece (mummy/stepmummy preggo status unknown). Also, one brother and one friend who is one of Chicago's sluttiest playas and a friend-of-the-slutty-playa-friend who is yet to be named.

No politics, no religion.

Most likely to hit Pixies, Dashboard Confessional, Killers, Billy Idol, and Death Cab for Cutie (off the top of my head).

OTOH, you might want to just run in the other direction when you see the 3 or 4 old guys hanging out with the 2 teen and 1 preteen girls.

ETA, and Liz Phair and Ambulance LTD, plus whatever else the chilluns demand.

Hello

[Say_hello_for_me]

What a bunch of bullshit this was. One of em admits she was "buzzed". Numerous witnesses say they were acting drunk. But the judge says the police didn't do enough to prove they were intoxicated. Not guilty on whatever charge req'd that she be drunk. Yup, breathalyze the children of Democratic politicians next time you arrest them for anything in Chicago!

Than there is the damage to property. Kicking out windows of police cars probably occurs once a week in Chicago, and its usually mentally disturbed people who do it. This is the first time I've ever heard of someone being found not guilty of the charge despite admitting she did it.

Hit the PO? Hey, no problem. He admitted he called you a "bitch" at some time during the confrontation, so it must have been self defense right?

Talked to friends/family in the CPD today, and they are livid over this.

I doubt this judge is so easy on the "drop" cases, or even the disorderly conducts. Total, utter and complete bullshit.

Hello