Archive for 2019

SNL Reminds Us: "You Could've Had A Bad Bitch!"

SNL Reminds Us: "You Could've Had A Bad Bitch!"
“You could’ve had a bad bitch.” Exclamation point, or matter-of-fact-like with a period? No, like a statement. Like. A. Boss! Every once in awhile SNL nails it, and on this night, they straight up crushed it! Not that I pretend to know everything about dropout candidate Kamala Harris. Therein lies the problem, many of us... Read more »
By radstarr,
December 31, 2019 at 8:28 am • 

The Art Of Sage Francis

The Art Of Sage Francis
Sage Francis is a performance artist. A poet first, and a rapper second. Every rap song he writes is a mini-masterpiece or a hip hop Mona Lisa. Whether it be about politics, life, or death. “It’s times like these I freestyle biased opinions every other sentence,  My journalistic ethics slip when I pass them off... Read more »
By radstarr,
December 17, 2019 at 10:15 pm • 

Mexican Chocolate Takes The Cake At Dosvidanya Day 2019

Mexican Chocolate Takes The Cake At Dosvidanya Day 2019
Like a Russian Matryoshka or ‘nesting’ doll, the secret of Dosvidanya [doh svee-dah-nee-yah] Russian Imperial Stout lies locked deep within her mysterious & elaborate wooden layers. The hidden soul of this barrel-aged beer that we will say Dosvidanya or ‘goodbye’ too will be revealed on Dos Day. Dosvidanya is widely recognized as one of the best... Read more »
By radstarr,
December 3, 2019 at 8:35 am • 
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Ode To "Sticky Fat": A 2017 & 2018 Side-By-Side

Ode To "Sticky Fat": A 2017 & 2018 Side-By-Side
I was going to do three year vertical of Sticky Fat when it came out this year, but as I’ve previously written, Half Acre did not brew it. So, as an ode to the fallen beast, I did a side-by-side with my last two cans, a 2017 and a 2018. Both have been in my... Read more »
By radstarr,
November 21, 2019 at 1:39 pm • 

The Cut Out Kid Writes His 600th Post

The Cut Out Kid Writes His 600th Post
Congrats to “Me, Myself, and I!” That De La reference got hip hop heads feeling proud and nostalgic, just like I’m feeling after publishing my 600th post. Yep, I just wrote my 600th post as the Cut Out Kid, for the Tribune’s ChicagoNow blog site, and there’s no stopping now. These pictures above and below... Read more »
By radstarr,
November 19, 2019 at 2:37 pm • 

What Happened To Half Acre's "Sticky Fat?"

What Happened To Half Acre's "Sticky Fat?"
Half Acre did not brew Sticky Fat this year. There’s some serious disappointment going on in Chicago at the moment. So, what happened to that Fat Cat? It seems they brewed a different beer instead, a wet-hopped IPA called Gummy Chunk. First of all, for those that don’t know, and are wondering, “What the hell... Read more »
By radstarr,
November 18, 2019 at 1:42 pm • 
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LOWBAB: A Barrel-Aged Beer Festival With Friends

LOWBAB: A Barrel-Aged Beer Festival With Friends
We had our own private FOBAB party, but we called it LOBAB, after our friends, The Lowmillers, who acknowledged that paying $80 a ticket for Chicago’s annual FOBAB fest was entirely too much, especially for two people anymore. For those that don’t know, FOBAB stands for Festival of Barrel-Aged Beer. Every year in Chicago, for... Read more »
By radstarr,
November 15, 2019 at 10:49 am • 

Sirius Coffee House Tour Featuring Matt Costa 6/11/19

Sirius Coffee House Tour Featuring Matt Costa 6/11/19
I’m still trying to piece together what the hell happened at the City Winery in Chicago when the Sirius Coffee House tour came through. Matt Costa was supposed to be the headliner, but his set ended up being shorter than the uninspired second act, JD & The Straight Shot. Matt Hartke was the opener, and... Read more »
By radstarr,
November 13, 2019 at 9:05 am • 

That "El Camino" Scene: "Sharing The Night Together"

That "El Camino" Scene: "Sharing The Night Together"
Holy shit! I’ve never heard that song before! You know that scene from El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, where Jesse, Aaron Paul, is riding in the trunk with the dead housekeeper and Todd, Jesse Plemons, is singing the lyrics to Dr. Hooks’s “Sharing The Night Together.” How epic was that? Might have been the highlight... Read more »
By radstarr,
November 9, 2019 at 12:35 am • 
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A Night Of Nostalgia With The Ocean Blue, 11/3/19

A Night Of Nostalgia With The Ocean Blue, 11/3/19
Once you turn the clocks back in Chicago, and the weather drops below 40 degrees, leaving the house to do anything is painful, because it’s pitch black and cold. That’s why going out on a Sunday night to stand alone at a concert feels like Mission: Impossible. But, The Ocean Blue was playing one of... Read more »
By radstarr,
November 5, 2019 at 1:35 pm •