Music

Taylor Swift performs at Soldier Field, Friday, June 2, 2023.

Taylor Swift Chicago QR code mural links to 'Tortured Poets' YouTube short

When people scanned the code with their phone cameras, it took them to a 13 second YouTube short attached to Swift’s page.

By USA Today Network

Music

CBS to air Billy Joel's concert again, apologizes for cutting 'Piano Man' short

Things To Do

Things to Do in Chicago April 11-18: The Mix

Music

Aerosmith to resume farewell tour, including January show in Chicago

Entertainment and Culture

Cirque du Soleil's 'The Beatles Love' ending Las Vegas run after 18 years

Entertainment and Culture

Latino artists audition for casting directors in push to promote diversity on stage and screen

Participants in the open casting call in Chicago had three minutes to perform anything they wanted in front of representatives from local theater and talent agencies.

By Mitch Dudek

Music

Country star Morgan Wallen arrested, allegedly threw chair off Nashville bar roof

Wallen laughed about tossing chair, which landed near police below, witnesses told police.

By Associated Press

MAKELA-040524-8.jpg. Klaus Mäkelä conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra through Saul Zinovjev’s Batteria’ at the Symphony Center's Orchestra Hall on Thursday night. It was the maestro's first tur at the podium since being named music director of the CSO.

Music

Klaus Mäkelä gives Orchestra Hall audience an exciting dose of what's to come from the CSO

The newly appointed music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has a graceful style of conducting with easy-to-follow stick technique, using abundant facial expressions and subtle movements like leaning in and out and crouching to convey a point, but not to distraction.

By Kyle MacMillan - For the Sun-Times

Obituaries

Paul Phillips, Chicago Symphony Orchestra violinist for four decades, dies at 77

Mr. Phillips was always the first on stage warming up before performances at Orchestra Hall.

By Mitch Dudek

Education

Rhymefest announces he is running for a seat on Chicago’s new elected school board

The 10th District, where Che “Rhymefest” Smith is running, spans from Bronzeville through Hyde Park, South Shore and South Chicago to the southern border of the city. His opponent, Adam Parrott-Sheffer, a former principal and education consultant, was one of the first to file paperwork to run for the board.

By Sarah Karp | WBEZ

Marc Akinfolarin (from left), George Knapper, Mark Loveday, Ifan Gwilym-Jones and Cal T King are among the ensemble cast of "The Choir of Man." Michael Brosilow Photo.jpg

Theater

'Choir of Man' is a rollicking good time filled to the brim with song, suds and sentimentality

The atmosphere is part after-hours St. Patrick’s Day celebration, part frat party, and — once the music starts — part cover-band concert.

By Catey Sullivan | For the Sun-Times

Music

Chicago's 2024 House Music Festival and Conference to celebrate genre's 40th anniversary

Tony Touch, ANANÉ, Ash Lauryn and Karizma are scheduled to headline the Millennium Park concert lineup for the four-day festival. Also announced is the inaugural House Music Parade.

By Sun-Times staff

Things To Do

Things to do in Chicago April 4-10: The Mix

A Matthew Sweet concert, a one-man show about Chopin and exhibitions by Chicago artists Robert Earl Paige and Christina Ramberg are among the city’s entertainment highlights in the week ahead.

By Mary Houlihan - For the Sun-Times

Kirsten Corley and Chance the Rapper attend The 2021 Met Gala in New York City.

Celebrities

Chance the Rapper, Kirsten Corley divorcing after 5 years of marriage

“We came to this decision amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together,” Chance wrote in a statement.

By USA TODAY

Music

Klaus Mäkelä, 28, named music director of Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Succeeding Riccardo Muti, the Finnish conductor will be 31 when he begins the position in September 2027 with an initial contract of five years.

By Kyle MacMillan - For the Sun-Times

Music

A.J. Croce says 'I love you' in songs from his father Jim's repertoire

Playing hits including “Operator” and “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” connect the musician to his late, “complicated” dad.

By Selena Fragassi - For the Sun-Times

Music

Chicago's D.A. Got That Dope produced Beyoncé’s ‘Tyrant,' the violin-heavy banger on ‘Cowboy Carter’

It’s the latest success in a long list of milestones for David Doman, who got his start producing artists in Chicago’s underground music scene.

By Erica Thompson

Beyonce performs during Super Bowl 50 between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 7, 2016.

Music

Beyoncé's epic 'Act ll: Cowboy Carter' defies categorization, redefines American style

If the album, five years in the making, was inspired by the racist backlash she faced after performing at the 2016 CMAs with The Chicks, as many fans have theorized, she’s eclipsed it and then some. Tell Beyoncé she isn’t welcomed in your space; she’ll carve out a bigger one.

By Maria Sherman | AP

Music

Bad Bunny delivers thrilling Latin trap show full of throwbacks at United Center

The superstar opened a three-night, sold-out stand at the Chicago venue.

By Ambar Colón

Teresa Muta, left, and her daughter Carolina Muta, in a brown cowboy hat, wear leather jackets and scarves around their necks as they wait outside United Center for the Bad Bunny concert.

Music

'Trap meets Western': Bad Bunny inspires fans' fashions as his Most Wanted tour arrives in Chicago

Cowboy hats, bell-bottoms and boots were on full display Thursday night as fans lined up for the first of his three sold-out shows at the United Center.

By Cindy Hernandez

Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny performs at the Crypto.com Arena during his "Most Wanted" tour in Los Angeles, March 13, 2024. (Photo by Valerie Macon / AFP) (Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)

Things To Do

Things to do in Chicago March 28-April 3: The Mix

Bad Bunny in concert at the United Center, “Churchill,” the one-man show, Percival Everett in conversation about his new book, and the return of Chicago Architecture Center River Cruises are among the highlights in the week ahead.

By Mary Houlihan

Music

Ayanna Woods — part of a very musical Chicago family — is taking the classical world by storm

Woods will see the fruits of one of her longest-germinating projects when “FORCE! an opera in three acts” is staged at the Museum of Contemporary Art this week.

By Hannah Edgar | For WBEZ

Music

Ledisi celebrates her knows-no-bounds vocal prowess on latest album, tour

The singer brings her Good Life Tour, featuring special guest BJ the Chicago Kid, to the Chicago Theatre later this week.

By Erica Thompson

David Marienthal, son of George Marienthal, who was Mister Kelly's co-owner, looks at items in a glass case on the opening day of “A Night at Mister Kelly’s,” an exhibit that features photos and memorabilia from the jazz and comedy club that was popular from the 1950s to the 1970s, Thursday, March 21, 2024. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Entertainment and Culture

5 items to see at the Newberry exhibition celebrating Mister Kelly's

Open through July 20, the show features memorabilia from the iconic Chicago nightclub including a Vivian Maier photo and Lenny Bruce’s bar tab.

By Erica Thompson

Dan Smyers (left) and Shay Mooney, set to perform Friday at the United Center, are new judges on "The Voice."

Things To Do

Things to do in Chicago March 21-27: The Mix

A Dan + Shay concert, a new take on ‘Peter Pan’ and a stand-up show by Ali Wong are among the entertainment highlights of the week ahead.

By Mary Houlihan - For the Sun-Times