Chicago-based duo Hobbyist are no noobs when it comes to creating a weirdo sound of their own. They formed the strange electronica project, I Luv Luv Birds, back in '04 but dropped the name and started anew as Hobbyist. As a garage-y indie rock band, Holly Prindle sings and Marc Mozga provides the guitar, bass, melodica, and drum machine programming. They've just released their first full-length as Hobbyist, a self-titled, angsty ride that ... Read More

Today the Oscars producers released the final list of presenters and performers for the February 24th broadcast. Apparently there’s going to be a celebration of movie musicals featuring Jennifer Hudson from Dreamgirls, Catherine Zeta-Jones representing Chicago, and basically the entire cast of Les Misérables. As long as Anne Hathaway doesn’t debut her own tearful rendition of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not ... Read More

You thought your voting experience was painful? Check it: Galicia Malone, a 21-year-old from Dolton, Illinois, went into labor and somehow managed to vote before heading to the hospital. Her water had already broken by the time she reached her local polling station, according to Cook County Clerk David Orr.   “I wanted this to be a stepping-stone for my daughter,” Galicia, a first-time voter, said. Galicia, we salute you! ... Read More

Chicago-based artist and illustrator Lilli Carré creates magical characters in her comics and animations. Whether she’s telling the tale of a mythical singing sea monster, a stone-skipping woodsman, or a sister-run joke-writing business, she manages to create work that's altogether thought-provoking, sincere, and relatable. I was introduced to Carré’s work with her 2008 debut graphic novel The Lagoon, which also ... Read More

What do BUST and Chicago have in common? Sub Tropical! Ok, so it's not really like a hurricane or Atlantic weather pattern or anything, it's actually a monthly dance-fashion-art party hosted by Chicago natives, Medusa's Make-Up. Last Saturday BUST had the honor of sponsoring the event, which has been known to inspire creative makeup looks and fashion outfits, plus give out cool freebies such as lip gloss or fishnet arm bands all under one ... Read More