The Reader is free. Producing it isn’t. And without your support, we can't continue. So we need you to chip in, even if it’s ...

Frsh Waters from Chicago's Westside is a writer, performance artist, & community outreach coordinator for Chicago youth arts ...

The world of online swinging has never been more accessible, with an array of platforms catering to couples and singles ...

Jazz bassist Donald Rafael Garrett helped birth the AACM and appeared on some of Coltrane’s wildest albums, but he’s barely remembered today.

American Bulk by Emily Mester covers the upper-middle-class desire to consume or be consumed, via personal and critical essays.

Once upon a time, the idea of a “sugar momma” was met with raised eyebrows, whispered speculation, or outright dismissal. But ...

Chicago Record Report covers new local music that's caught the Reader's ear—including releases by Nestor Arriaga, Facs, Oux, ...

A state law changed the names of six weapons charges. Some say that can ease reentry for those convicted; others say the reforms don’t go far enough.

A clash between a grad student and the dean of a theater department takes center stage in Omer Abbas Salem's One Party ...

When you stop to think about it, it’s really remarkable how much technology has transformed the way we connect, date, and ...

If it wasn't for playing in bands and doing that for all those years," says Mikel Galati of Modest Merch, "I wouldn't have my ...

We asked, and you answered. The time has come to see who represents the Best of Chicago! This year, we received 539,626 votes ...