The nerdy, modern, tongue-in-cheek comedy trio Stella performs at the Vic.

The reunited 18th Dye—minimalist Danish-German design applied to classic aggro indie rock—headlines the Empty Bottle; Osker and Fingers Cut Machine vet Devon Williams opens.

Legendary tenor saxophonist Fred Anderson, who "continues to test himself as a player, varying his accompanists rather than settling into a rut," plays the Velvet Lounge tonight and tomorrow with his quartet.

The Festival of New French Cinema kicks off tonight at Facets.

Holiday Gift Guide
Ten inexpensive ideas
Just added: Locally made
By Heather Kenny

Our roundup of holiday arts & crafts sales includes this weekend's Renegade Craft Fair Holiday Sale and the Bucktown Holiday Art Show.

The Festival of New French Cinema at Facets

Search our movie listings or our archive of 20,000+ brief movie reviews

Whither the Album? Chuck Klosterman says Chinese Democracy is the format's last hurrah. Kanye proves him wrong.
Sharp Darts by Miles Raymer

Secret History of Chicago Music The Mauds
By Plastic Crimewave

The List This week's best live bets, including the Sadies, 18th Dye with Devon Williams, Hamell On Trial, Emeralds with Sun Circle and Bird Show, and more

Best of Chicago Readers' and the Reader's picks for best rock act, Best MC, best DJ, and more.

Early Warnings Buy tickets to upcoming concerts.

Search our music listings.

Transformations A Home on Devon for Hema's, "Comfortable Food" in Lincoln Square, and Deleece's New Sibling
By Martha Bayne and Anne Spiselman

Plus: Restaurants on Devon Avenue.

Eat Local Year-Round Our list of community-supported agriculture programs
By Sam Feldman

Best of Chicago Readers' and the Reader's picks for the best restaurants, bars & clubs, food and drink stores, and more.

See our guide to this year's farmers' markets.

Search the Reader Restaurant Finder.

Our Galleries & Museums page features works by Matthew Ryan Sharp and Judy Nata We offer the city's most comprehensive listings for galleries, gallery openings and receptions, museums, museum openings, and and special events

Best of Chicago Readers' and the Reader's picks for the best gallery, best emerging artist, and more.

Photo by BrianHagy

Visit our Flickr group or see our You Shoot page for more information and more of our favorite pictures.

Update: Why people are mad, and where the money's going.

Parking meters are going private. Mick Dumke recounts the Finance Committee's scandalously short debate and explains who's getting what for how long.

Did Corboy & Demetrio Blow It? After Melissa Pinnick was killed in a horrible crash, her family retained the high-powered law firm. Now that they're suing the lawyers for malpractice, the Pinnicks say they can't get a fair hearing in the Illinois Supreme Court.
By James L. Merriner

The Sports Page Ted Cox: The White Sox trim their payroll by ditching unpopular stars.
Thursday at 7:59 pm

Crickets Monica Kendrick: Get cozy with Phill Niblock's thick drones at Lampo on Saturday.
Thursday at 7:59 pm

Post No Bills Peter Margasak: Promising sound events by Seth Nehil and Jenny Gräf Sheppard close out this year's Outer Ear Festival of Sound.
Thursday at 7:44 pm

The Food Chain Julia Thiel: This week's talks, tastings, and events.
Thursday at 5:36 pm

Free Shit Justin Murphy: Friday: Death's Door vodka tasting in Rogers Park
Thursday at 4:39 pm

News Bites Michael Miner: Veteran reporting Charles Storch leads names as the Chicago Tribune lays off more journalists, with worse to come.
Thursday at 4:05 pm

Onstage Tony Adler: About Face Theatre's holiday party features an LGBTQ-friendly concert performance of My Fair Lady.
Thursday at 3:48 pm

Clout City Mick Dumke: The parking meter lease deal's in the books.
Thursday at 3:47 pm

On Film Pat Graham: An early year-end list of movies that didn't deliver.
Thursday at 3:46 pm

Chicagoland Whet Moser: Chicago's not the only big city with transit funding problems.
Thursday at 1:13 pm

How do female astronauts menstruate in space?
By Cecil Adams

First there was santorum; now we have to worry about tree splinters?
By Dan Savage

"When officers are found guilty in high-profile cases of misconduct and abuse, they more than likely get time off from their job but why don't they get fired?"

Send a letter to the editor.

This week’s crossword: Bear With Me (PDF)
By Ben Tausig

The issue of November 27, 2008

Readers' choices and the Reader's choices, in music, restaurants, bars, movies, and more

Barack Obama The Reader goes way back with Barack. Here's an archive of stories about or concerning him, including Hank De Zutter's 1995 profile.

Who Is Bill Ayers? Mike Miner discusses the company he keeps; Ben Joravsky's cover story on Ayers from 1990

Cheer Up, It's For the Shot-Put Property taxes going up? Here's a mini-omnibus of TIF and property tax info to clear things up.
By Whet Moser

Barack Obama The Reader goes way back with Barack. Here's an archive of stories about or concerning him, including Hank De Zutter's 1995 profile.

Latin School Soccer Field The Reader has been covering the Latin School's plan to build a soccer field in Lincoln Park since July of 2007.

Green Chicago A selection of stories on the environment, green technology, and food production

Property Taxes Wondering what your property tax assessment actually means for your next bill? Don't understand why your landlord just raised your rent again? Curious how you can be paying more taxes when all the politicians say they’re not raising them? Here's a free archive of Ben Joravsky’s illuminating property tax stories.

TIFs Reader columnist Ben Joravsky has written extensively on the issue of TIFs, or tax increment financing districts, their virtual lack of oversight, and their devastating effects on city services. A free archive of his TIF stories is here.

Police Torture Reader staff writer John Conroy was the first journalist to report that there was a pattern of police torture at Chicago's Area Two headquarters. A free archive of his stories on the subject is here.