What’s New

It turns out when Summerfest revealed about 100 headliners for 2021 in May, they were just getting started.

In subsequent weeks, the largest music festival in the United States has added Megan Thee Stallion, Dave Chappelle, Twenty One Pilots, Motley Crue’s Vince Neil and more to the lineup.

Now the Milwaukee-based music festival — taking place Sept. 1 to 4, 8 to 11 and 15 to 18 — has unveiled more than 30 new headliners, and released the complete schedule Tuesday.

Among the new additions: reggae artist Shaggy; singer-songwriter Yola; pop artist Betty Who; rapper (and Chance The Rapper’s brother) Taylor Bennett; rock bands Falling in Reverse and Manchester Orchestra; and a comedy show headlined by Michael Winslow from “Police Academy.”

There also are multiple new headliners from or based in Milwaukee, including R&B artist Grace Weber; country musician Nora Collins; singer and rapper Klassik; and Beatles and Metallica mash-up band Beatallica.

Nevertheless, Summerfest still isn’t done announcing headliners for 2021. Liz Phair last week canceled her fall tour plans, and a Summerfest headlining spot on Sept. 16 that has yet to be filled, and two more closing-night headliners, on the Uline Warehouse and Miller Lite Oasis stages, have yet to be announced.

General-admission tickets ($23 per adult) are available at summerfest.com. Multi-day general-admission passes are $57 (three days), $75 (six days) and $100 (nine days).

Tickets for the amphitheater shows, and for the front five sections of headliner shows for the BMO Harris Pavilion, are priced individually, with prices ranging per concert. Each ticket covers Summerfest general admission on the day of the show or includes a bonus general-admission ticket.

While the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the live music industry — taking tours off the road in March 2020, only to begin returning in larger numbers this summer — at this juncture, Summerfest should largely look and feel like it did in 2019. Social distancing will not be enforced and masks will not be required, Don Smiley, CEO for Summerfest parent company Milwaukee World Festival Inc., confirmed with the Journal Sentinel.

Summerfest this year was postponed to September for the first time to allow more time for the vaccine rollout, after canceling for the first time in its 53-year history in 2020 because of the pandemic.

On Friday, Milwaukee World Festival will host the first huge concert in the city since March 2020, with the Foo Fighters at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater. It’s also a grand reopening for the 24,000-person-capacity venue, which completed a $51.3 million renovation last year.

Ahead of the show, Milwaukee World Festival is doing a week of promotions it’s calling “Live Music at the Lakefront,” including buy one, get one tickets available Thursday for Little Big Town at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater on Aug. 13; and a limited number of $25 tickets (fees and taxes included) for eight Summerfest amphitheater headliners — including the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus and Luke Bryan — available beginning at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

• Vixen (6 p.m. Sept. 2, BMO Harris Pavilion)
• Almost Monday (6 p.m. Sept. 2, Generac Power Stage)
• Unusual Demont (6 p.m. Sept. 2, UScellular Connection Stage)
• Yola (4 p.m. Sept. 3, BMO Harris Pavilion)
• Sky McCreery (6 p.m. Sept. 3, BMO Harris Pavilion)
• Grace Weber (3:30 p.m. Sept. 3, Miller Lite Oasis)
• Taylor Bennett (5 p.m. Sept. 3, Miller Lite Oasis)
• DJ Stevie J (6:30 p.m. Sept. 3, Miller Lite Oasis)
• Falling in Reverse (10 p.m. Sept. 3, Generac Power Stage)
• Tenille Arts (4 p.m. Sept. 3, UScellular Connection Stage)
• Cannons (4 p.m. Sept. 4, Miller Lite Oasis)
• Shaggy (10 p.m. Sept. 4, Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard)
• Armchair Boogie (3 p.m. Sept. 9, Uline Warehouse)
• Kentucky Headhunters (4 p.m. Sept. 9, UScellular Connection Stage)
• Niko Rubio (5:45 p.m. Sept. 9, Generac Power Stage)
• CalenRaps (4 p.m. Sept. 10, Generac Power Stage)
• Sophia Messa (6 p.m. Sept. 10, Generac Power Stage)
• Kids of Comedy with Michael Winslow, Marc Price, Mindy Rickles and Camilla Cleese (6:30 p.m. Sept. 10, Uline Warehouse)
• Betty Who (4 p.m. Sept. 11, BMO Harris Pavilion)
• Frederic Yonnet (6 p.m. Sept. 11, BMO Harris Pavilion)
• REYNA (8 p.m. Sept. 11, BMO Harris Pavilion)
• Iya Terra (6 p.m. Sept. 11, Generac Power Stage)
• Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band (4 p.m. Sept. 11, UScellular Connection Stage)
• Klassik (6:45 p.m. Sept. 11, Johnson Controls World Sound Stage)
• Daydream Masi (6 p.m. Sept. 16, Miller Lite Oasis)
• Reignwolf (8 p.m. Sept. 16, BMO Harris Pavilion)
• Joan (6 p.m. Sept. 17, Miller Lite Oasis)
• Nora Collins (6 p.m. Sept. 17, UScellular Connection Stage)
• Ekoh (6 p.m. Sept. 17, Generac Power Stage)
• Velvet Starlings (6:30 p.m. Sept. 17, Uline Warehouse)
• 5 Card Studs (8 p.m. Sept. 17, Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard)
• JEFF the Brotherhood (6 p.m. Sept. 18, Generac Power Stage)
• Beatallica (8 p.m. Sept. 18, UScellular Connection Stage)

Read more at usatoday.com

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Throughout the week leading into the 2012 Big Ten championship game, Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema had a fine feeling in his gut. Nebraska had what it had — not a bad team at all — but the Badgers were stacked. Even though his team had blown a 17-point second-half lead at Nebraska in a maddening September defeat, Bielema thought about all the pieces he had to play with, particularly in the running game, and thought: This is going to be very good.

In Indianapolis, the tables turned on the Huskers almost obscenely. Riding an incomparable trio of running backs — Montee Ball, James White and Melvin Gordon — the Badgers piled up 539 yards on the ground alone, steamrolled to a 42-10 lead at the half and won 70-31.

“I remember at halftime I thought it was almost too lopsided, that it was going to work against us,” said Bielema, clad in a Cubs jersey — with his name and the No. 91, his digits as a player at Iowa, on the back — Sunday in the press box at Wrigley Field, where he led the seventh-inning stretch. “But our guys kept putting our foot down.”

It was Bielema’s last game at Wisconsin before he left for an ill-fated turn at Arkansas. Nine years later — and four years since his last season as a college coach — Bielema is counting down the days until his Illinois debut on Aug. 28 at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. The opponent: Nebraska.

“I’m excited,” he said. “I really am. It’s just a very exciting time.”

Bielema’s confidence in the Illini will need some time to develop. Training camp opens Sunday at a school that hasn’t seen a winning season since 2011. Even though they won 41-23 at Nebraska in 2020 — probably their best performance of the Lovie Smith era — the Illini are 8-point underdogs in the opener.

“The thing you don’t know is the unforeseen,” Bielema said. “A turnover, a caused fumble, something that changes the momentum of the game. That’s what you prepare for and try to be ready for. But I have a pretty good feeling [that] we’re going to play well.”

The Illini were picked to bring up the rear in seventh place in the West division in Cleveland.com’s annual media poll — I picked them fifth — but they do have a not-so-secret weapon, and that’s being the oldest team in any of the Power Five conferences. They have 22 “super seniors,” the moniker given to players who returned from a pandemic season for an extra year of eligibility, and 18 other traditional seniors. The “super” list includes quarterback Brandon Peters and the team’s top three offensive linemen, center Doug Kramer and tackles Alex Palczewski and Vederian Lowe.

Old dudes just want to win.

“Veteran players make veteran decisions,” Bielema said. “Obviously, they haven’t won a lot of games, right? That’s why there was transition [from Smith]. But they’ve been through a lot of experiences, been through a lot of ups and downs. I think they’re hungry and motivated to have success. That’s a very fun environment.”

Bielema was a bit taken aback by what he saw during spring practices. Frankly, he expected less in the talent department.

“Lovie left a lot of really good players,” he said.

Now, it’s about getting ready to pull off some surprises. The 2012 Badgers were at the height of their powers. The 2021 Illini will have to follow the old dudes and sneak up on some people.

JUST SAYIN’

“Root, root, root for the Cubbies …”

Anybody can sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” but did Bielema really mean it? Yes. The Prophetstown, Ill., native grew up a Cubs fan. His father, Arnie Bielema, played baseball at Illinois, though not for long.

“Thankfully, I guess, he left Illinois because he was in love with a young woman by the name of Marilyn, who became my mom,” Bielema said. “So I’m glad he left. Otherwise, I might not be here.”

One would imagine not.

o In case you were wondering about Northwestern: The Wildcats were picked third in the West, behind Wisconsin and Iowa, in the aforementioned media poll. And that’s exactly how my top three looked. Look, at least wait until Pat Fitzgerald and company make it back to Indy before you yell at me.

o Just a thought: Maybe USA Basketball should put a coach in charge of the men’s team who doesn’t have a full-time gig in college or the NBA.

It’s called taking it seriously, folks. Unless, that is, everybody is OK with a bunch of NBA stars going out there with next to no plan and — win or lose — putting on a barely watchable show.

It sure doesn’t appear that Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is spending many sleepless nights trying to get this Olympic thing all the way right. The snoozy performance by his team in an 83-76 opening loss to France wasn’t the end of the world — some players had just arrived in Tokyo, after all — but this isn’t slalom canoeing we’re talking about. Or is it canoe slaloming?

“I think it’s just a little bit of hubris if you think the Americans are supposed to just roll out the ball and win,” Popovich said.

Hubris? Please.

Now go win gold. Chop-chop, Pop!

o A day before American gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from Olympic team competition, The Wall Street Journal ran a story claiming the 4-8 marvel rises so high on her tumbling passes that she could — and try to stay with me here — dunk a basketball with her feet.

In case anyone was wondering if expectations of the best athlete in the world were a little outsized.

o The latest craze among college football coaches — especially in the South — is not publicly disclosing whether or not they’re vaccinated.

Guess what: They’re all vaccinated. They have too many millions of dollars to lose not to be.

Some of them just don’t have the courage to say it out loud. Which is presposterously stupid, but here we are.

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A federal judge handed a one-year prison sentence Tuesday to a man caught downtown during the May 2020 riots with a hammer and a loaded gun he was not legally allowed to have.

Though prosecutors said they had no evidence Brandon Pegues caused any damage in the city, they said his crime was also symbolic of the gun problem plaguing Chicago.

And in handing down her sentence, U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall said people who chose to loot and riot in late May 2020 discredited the people who were peacefully protesting the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

That’s because “uninformed individuals would clump them together,” Kendall said.

Before the judge sentenced him, Pegues told her “I take full responsibility for my actions.” He said he has started a landscaping business and said “I would like you to take into account everything I am and not just the person who made an awful decision.”

But the judge also pointed to allegations of domestic battery that surfaced against Pegues earlier this year, telling him, “The aggressive and violent abuse of women is never tolerated in our society.”

Pegues, who turns 30 on Wednesday, pleaded guilty in March to illegal possession of a firearm. Chicago police said they spotted him a little after 12:30 a.m. May 31, 2020, in the 800 block of South Financial Place, where they arrived “in response to mass crowds and multiple reported ongoing crimes, including criminal damage to property,” court records show.

Officers said they saw four men running south on South Financial, and some were carrying hammers. When officers saw Pegues, they said he looked at them, adjusted his waistband, and fled. Police said they ran after him, and Pegues eventually stumbled and fell.

Police said they saw a gun fall to the ground, and they said they saw Pegues push what turned out to be a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol under a nearby vehicle. Prosecutors said Pegues was also carrying a hammer and more than $2,200 cash when he was arrested.

The feds filed charges against Pegues on June 1, 2020. Pegues had previously been convicted of residential burglary, a felony, in January 2010, court records show.

The sentencing of Pegues, one of the first people to face federal criminal charges in the wake of the May 2020 riots, comes as related cases continue to work their way through the court system.

Records show authorities this week arrested Jose Valdovinos, who was charged in June with setting fire to a Walgreens, in the 4000 block of West 59th Street on June 1, 2020.

And earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman gave three years of probation to Jacob Fagundo, who admitted he set fire to a Chicago police SUV during the May 2020 riots downtown.

Also sentenced last March was D Angelo D. Chester, who was caught with a gun he was not legally allowed to possess on the South Side on June 3, 2020. Chester had been out past the curfew implemented by Mayor Lori Lightfoot as a result of the rioting, authorities said.

U.S. District Judge John Blakey gave Chester more than three years in prison, citing a criminal history that increased the risk Chester would commit another crime.

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Lollapalooza is set to welcome hundreds of thousands of people this week in Grant Park for the first time since the pandemic, and with the return of Chicago’s biggest music festival comes strict COVID-19 protocols.

Despite a rise in COVID-19 cases in Chicago and Illinois and growing concern about the Delta variant of the virus, city officials have insisted Lollapalooza will be safe and Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said he’ll attend the festival himself.

Concert-goers will be required to present a COVID-19 vaccination card or a negative COVID-19 test at the entrances to the park at Michigan Avenue and Ida B. Wells Drive or at Columbus Drive and Monroe Street.

For people not fully vaccinated, a negative test result must be obtained within 72 hours of attending Lollapalooza, according to the festival’s website. Those individuals are also required to wear a face mask while at the festival. Masks will be provided at entry gates, guest services and medical tents.

The festival is asking people to comply with the Lollapalooza Fan Health Pledge, which asks patrons to not attend the festival if they have tested positive or been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within 14 days; if they’ve had a fever or any symptoms of COVID-19 within 48 hours of attending the festival; or if they have traveled to any foreign countries subject to travel or quarantine advisories due to COVID-19.

The festival will have increased hand sanitizer stations on-site and will have crews cleaning high-touch areas.

Other advice from the Chicago Department of Public Health includes staying away from crowds if you’re unvaccinated or at high risk for severe COVID-19; activating your wristband and registering for cashless transactions to make purchases at the festival; avoiding physical contact with those outside your party; washing or sanitizing your hands frequently; and limiting consumption of substances to ensure you follow safety measures.

The festival kicks off Thursday and wraps up Sunday.

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Chicago’s top doctor on Tuesday acknowledged that she expects “some cases” of COVID-19 to spring up among crushes of music fans in Grant Park later this week, but she stood by the city’s decision to host Lollapalooza as infections jump across the nation.

City Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said she’s confident in organizers’ plan to check for concertgoers’ proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test — and insisted that despite concerning case numbers, Chicago remains in relatively good shape heading into the massive outdoor festival.

“Here in Chicago, we remain actually in quite good control for COVID, but that is not the case around the country,” Arwady said at a City Hall news conference.

“I would not feel comfortable moving ahead with Lollapalooza without COVID protocols in place. I don’t think I would feel comfortable if this were an indoor event, either, and I frankly don’t think I would feel comfortable if we were sitting in Louisiana right now.”

That’s one of 14 states spanning most of the South and Southwest that are now back on the city’s travel quarantine advisory list, as the more infectious Delta variant of the virus takes hold in less vaccinated areas.

Some critics, including the University of Chicago’s top epidemiologist, have said that surge should make the city reconsider its decision to cram 400,000 people downtown over the course of the four-day festival. Arwady maintained that “we’re being a lot more responsible than many other settings that are just as large” elsewhere in the country.

“I can’t promise that there won’t be any COVID cases associated with Lolla. When you’re having this many folks who are coming through, almost certainly there will be some cases. But I’m confident that the combination of what we know about limited risk in outdoor settings, pairing that with vaccination and/or testing — and ideally mostly vaccination, which is what we expect — as well as all the other mitigation factors, you know, I’m certainly hopeful that we won’t see a significant problem.”

Arwady also pointed to the festival’s mask requirement for unvaccinated attendees. She said that citywide “we are not at a point where we’re needing to recommend [indoor masking] for the whole population because we remain at lower risk,” but said her agency would review new guidelines set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC is now recommending masks even for vaccinated people in areas of “substantial” or “high” risk, which includes most southern and central Illinois counties with low vaccination rates.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Statewide, the virus is spreading at the fastest rate seen in over three months. The seven-day average case positivity rate is at 3.7%, multiplying by a factor of six since June 25.

The worst flare-ups have been concentrated in areas of southern Illinois bordering Missouri, where average positivity rates have soared past 9% — troubling metrics that would have triggered “mitigations” like indoor dining closures from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office before the state fully reopened June 11.

For now, with nearly 72% of all eligible residents at least partially vaccinated, Pritzker is leaving potential restrictions up to local governments.

Positivity rates hovered close to 20% in the worst days of the pandemic. Chicago is at 2.6%, but that’s doubled since last week.

Graph not displaying properly? Click here.

Still, the city has gone a full week without reporting a COVID-19 death. And while statewide hospitalizations are up more than 40% since the start of the month, that burden is still less than an eighth of what hospitals faced at the peak of the crisis. Hospitalizations are up only about 5% in Chicago over the last week, with about seven people being admitted each day.

But experts say rising cases lead to more hospitalizations and deaths — a predictable pattern that has already played out across the state three times previously.

Arwady said city officials “certainly are concerned” about the spike that she expects to keep increasing, “but I don’t want there to be unnecessary panic at this point. I just want to make sure people get vaccinated.”

The city expanded appointment hours for its in-home vaccination program, which is available to all residents by calling (312) 746-4835.

For help finding a shot in suburban Cook County, visit cookcountypublichealth.org or call (833) 308-1988. To find other Illinois providers, visit coronavirus.illinois.gov or call (833) 621-1284.

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Marc-Andre Fleury — the defending Vezina Trophy winner — is now part of the Blackhawks.

But it’s unclear if Fleury, whom many expected to retire if ever traded by the Golden Knights, will actually play for the Hawks.

The Hawks acquired the 36-year-old goaltender from the Knights on Tuesday, taking on Fleury’s contract with one year left at a $7 million cap hit. The only official return was minor-league forward Mikael Hakkarainen, who will nonetheless continue playing in the Hawks’ system next season.

It’s the third massive trade splash that Hawks general manager Stan Bowman, quickly abandoning his patient youth movement, has made in the past two weeks.

The Duncan Keith trade to the Oilers, along with Brent Seabrook and Andrew Shaw’s functional retirements earlier this year, made the Fleury acquisition financially doable. And the Seth Jones trade from the Blue Jackets shifted the Hawks into win-now mode again, making the Fleury acquisition logical.

“The opportunity to acquire a Vezina-winning goaltender is rare and one you cannot pass up,” Bowman said in a statement. “Marc-Andre…will have a huge impact on the overall development of the Blackhawks.”

Yet there’s a decent chance Fleury may retire in the coming weeks, not wanting to leave Nevada at this stage of his career after settling down there with his wife and his three young kids. Fleury’s exact thoughts on the trade are difficult to nail down, because he didn’t speak to the media Tuesday — as most traded players do — and other sources gave conflicting reports on his mentality.

Fleury’s often outspoken agent, Allan Walsh, tweeted Tuesday that Fleury “will be taking time to discuss his situation with his family and seriously evaluate his hockey future,” adding that Fleury wasn’t notified by either the Knights or Hawks and learned of the trade through Twitter.

Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon, conversely, said he’d been in regular contact with Fleury since their exit meeting June 29. McCrimmon said he notified Fleury on July 12 of the Hawks’ interest and updated his “representatives” as recently as Saturday.

“Marc-Andre wanted to play in Vegas, that never changed…[but] this is a player that is at the very top of his game,” McCrimmon said. “I should think that he’ll play this year.”

The unusual situation of trying to woo an already-acquired player was reflected in Bowman’s statement, which went above and beyond its normal praise of new players.

“Having a goaltender like this on our team will put the talent we currently have on our roster in a better position to achieve sustained success,” Bowman’s statement continued. “The entire organization is thrilled to have this future Hall of Famer on our team and his reputation of being an excellent teammate on and off the ice precedes him.”

If Fleury does come to Chicago, the Hawks’ goalie duo of him and young Kevin Lankinen would become one of the league’s best.

Fleury went 26-10-0 with a .928 save percentage last season en route to the Vezina. He’s 492-276-82 (a 103-point annual pace) with a .913 save percentage and three Stanley Cup championships in his 17-year career, making him one of the most accomplished goalies of the cap era.

The Hawks would have to be creative to fit Fleury’s huge cap hit, moving Seabrook and Shaw’s contracts to long-term injured reserve and potentially making other trades. One or both of Malcolm Subban or Collin Delia could be jettisoned in the goalie crunch.

If Fleury retires, however, the Hawks won’t lose anything: his cap hit would be completely wiped from the books in that scenario. Fleury could also potentially request a trade to the Penguins.

The biggest issue will be waiting indefinitely for Fleury’s decision, unsure how much money to set aside and how to manage the suddenly crowded goalie room, while other crucial free-agent negotiations take place. The free-agent market opens Wednesday morning.

But the Hawks consider that, understandably, a risk worth taking.

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It’s hard to imagine a coach coming across as confidently and comfortably as Matt Nagy did Tuesday after surviving two seasons of tumult and swirling pressure on the Bears to fire him. He plunged from Coach of the Year to the hot seat and saw his offense dwindle to the point where he conceded that someone else should be calling the plays.

But surviving all that is exactly why Nagy feels so emboldened going into this season. For all that’s gone wrong, he’s still here.

“We’ve been through a lot,” Nagy said as players reported for training camp. “I’ve failed in a lot of different ways in my first three years as a head coach — I shouldn’t say fail, but I’ve learned things. So for me, with those setbacks or those failures or those chances for me to learn, I’m trying to make myself better and learn from those.”

The accountability was genuine, a refreshing change from coaches who say “put it on me” as a diversionary tactic when things go wrong without really meaning it.

The Bears hired Nagy as a first-time head coach at 39, with just two seasons at the coordinator level, and there were sure to be some stumbles.

Errors were masked in part by an elite defense in 2018, when the Bears went 12-4, but glared as Nagy went 16-16 over the next two seasons and presided over an offense that scored the seventh-fewest points, rushed for the seventh-fewest yards per carry and posted the ninth-worst passer rating.

Everything the Bears hired him to fix is still broken.

But he knows that. Rather than denying reality or shifting blame, Nagy accepts that he has played a part in this disappointment. That’s a significant step toward turning the Bears around. He spent the last seven months analyzing what’s wrong with his scheme, his play calls and his personnel.

He also adjusted the tone he wants to set. The goal going into this season is that there isn’t one. Nagy isn’t giving players a rah-rah speech about the Super Bowl, the playoffs, a winning record or any other ambition. Taking the big picture out of the conversation simplifies life for a team that has a mountain of work to do.

“Our message for our team is about being in the moment,” Nagy said. “In ’18, no one knew what they didn’t know. We had some success. Came in the next year, had some higher expectations, didn’t do well.

“Every year that goes by, you start worrying about, ‘How’s it gonna go this year?’ Let’s just… not worry about what could happen in the future. I think we’re in a really good place right now.”

Staying in the moment is tough after drafting Justin Fields at No. 11 overall and tilted everyone’s attention to 2022, when he’ll be the full-time starter. But if Nagy wants to last long enough to see that era begin, he has to make this season worthwhile.

It’ll be a tough job. Nagy must simultaneously attempt to revive quarterback Andy Dalton at 33 and steer Fields toward his eventual takeover. He has to assemble an offensive line that could feature rookies at both tackles. He will sift through a host of skill players to ascertain which ones can legitimately contribute.

And that’s just on offense. He’ll mostly leave it to new coordinator Sean Desai to reverse the decline of the Bears defense.

With all of that unsettled, this is no time to talk about the playoffs. Every day of practice will test the structural integrity of general manager Ryan Pace’s roster and Nagy’s plan. That will be a lot of pressure, but Nagy doesn’t seem to mind.

“Anybody that you ask who’s come through our building in the last four months, there’s a really positive vibe right now,” Nagy said. “It’s healthy.”

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Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.

This afternoon will be sunny with a high near 89 degrees. Tonight will be partly cloudy with a low around 74. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny with a slight chance of showers, a high near 92 and heat index values as high as 97.

Top story

Lollapalooza 2021: From Miley to Megan, 10 must-see acts to catch this weekend

Thirty years ago, in the summer of 1991, Lollapalooza got its start as a touring event, originally intended as founder Perry Farrell’s way of bidding adieu to his rock act Jane’s Addiction. Yet, it soon proved successful and became one of the early American models for the thriving and popular festivals that have now become a cornerstone of contemporary culture across the globe.

In the past two years, the event has shown its resiliency and innovative spirit, quickly vaulting to a comprehensive virtual model amid a global pandemic in 2020, and returning this summer as one of the first major music festival events hosted in Chicago (and the country for that matter).

Though a few things have changed this year — no Kidzapalooza stage and strict, new COVID-19 guidelines to be aware of before heading to the park — the stacked four-day lineup is an impressive feat to have pulled off in record time.

Here are the 10 acts people will be buzzing about when the weekend wraps:

Coming out of her kid star shell over the course of the past decade, Miley Cyrus has been experimenting with her self image and music image in that time span, but where she’s landed recently with the glam rock album “Plastic Hearts” is a great place for that ballsy energy and unique voice. Cyrus’ constant state of flux also means anything goes in this set. Will she unleash her latest Metallica cover? Will former collaborators The Flaming Lips join her for a hamster ball ‘palooza? Will she do a duet with dad Billy Ray? Cyrus no doubt will bring the surprises in this festival opening night finale. (8:45 p.m. Thursday, T-Mobile Stage)

Click here to read about nine other must-see acts coming to Grant Park later this week.

More news you need

1. A man caught downtown during the May 2020 protests with a hammer and a gun he wasn’t legally allowed to possess has been sentenced to one year in prison. Prosecutors said they have no evidence the man caused any damage, but he committed a crime that’s symbolic of a gun problem in Chicago.
2. Police reform advocates made their case for more sweeping search warrant reforms during a hearing today on an ordinance championed by several aldermen. The ordinance is aimed at preventing a repeat of the 2019 botched raid on Anjanette Young’s home.
3. The CDC backpedaled today on its masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people wear masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging. The new guidance comes as national COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have increased, especially in the South.
4. A new PBS documentary centering on Buddy Guy tells the story of the blues icon’s career and his deep ties to Chicago. In his review of “Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase the Blues Away,” Richard Roeper calls it a great American story of a great American life.

A bright one

Netflix reveals the man behind ‘Chicago Party Aunt’ Twitter account, announces series

The person behind the famed Twitter account “Chicago Party Aunt” was revealed today.

He’s 38-year-old Chris Witaske, a Los Angeles-based actor and comedian best known for his role on Netflix’s “Love.” He’s been running the Twitter account, which parodies a party-loving, middle-aged woman from Chicago.

The grand reveal came today along with news that Netflix is turning “Chicago Party Aunt” into an adult animated comedy premiering Sept. 17.

Courtesy of Netflix

Witaske, who grew up in St. Charles, previously lived in Chicago where he performed at Second City and iO.

He has appeared on several series including his role as Chris Czajkowski on “Love.” Other television credits include “Arrested Development,” “Teachers” and “Lady Bird.”

“Chicago Party Aunt” will feature Witaske as well as RuPaul Charles, Ike Barinholtz, Jon Barinholtz, Katie Rich and others.

However, Witaske won’t be voicing the title character. That role goes to Lauren Ash, who will voice Diane Dunbrowski, otherwise known as the Chicago Party Aunt.

Katelyn Haas has more on the new show here.

From the press box

Your daily question ?

Say you’ve been tasked with writing a show set in Chicago — who’s the main character? What parts of the city will be featured?

Reply to this email (please include your first name and where you live) and we might feature your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Yesterday, we asked you: the National Sports Collectors Convention is in town this week. Do you collect anything? What and why? Here’s what some of you said…

“I’ve collected all the hats worn in the locker room after each Chicago Bulls NBA championship game. Never worn and the tags are still on them! I collected them because I realized it was a historic period in Bulls team history. The Bulls dominated the 1990s decade in basketball — Michael, Scottie and the guys. It was great.” — Charles Woods

“I collect sports cards and am planning to go the National this weekend. I collected as a kid and got back into the hobby 2 years ago. It’s fun opening up a box of cards, because you never know what you’re going to get. The people who are in the hobby are great as well. I go to my local card shop frequently and always learn something new or debate a card’s worth with people who enjoy the hobby as well.” — Art Olvera Jr.

“Vinyl records because I enjoy listening to music.” — Mike Guido

“Angels. I had a near-death experience 35 years ago. When I woke up, I was attracted to stories about angels — books, ceramic angels, etc. At one time, I had a collection of over 100 Angels.” — Genevieve Williams

Thanks for reading the Chicago Afternoon Edition. Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.

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Last year’s Lollapalooza was virtual, but the iconic music festival in Grant Park is back in person this summer and will take place at its usual place. Kicking off this Thursday, the four-day event will feature headlining sets from the Foo Fighters, Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, and Tyler, the Creator. If you join the crowds of 100,000+ people that flock to the fest each day, you’ll also be able to see Megan Thee Stallion, Journey, Brockhampton, and more than 150 other artists.

For all of UrbanMatter’s coverage of Lollapalooza you can check out these links on everything from the best acts to see, where the aftershows are at, and what restaurants are running specials surrounding the festival. 

The huge crowds gather at stages at Grant Park—though you’ll need to be fully vaccinated (or get a negative COVID-19 test within 24 hours of entry) in order to attend. And in preparation for the event, you’ll need to know exactly how you’ll get to and from the lakefront this weekend. That’s where we come in. 

Many will choose public transportation to and from the festival, however, with COVID still very much an issue, shared spaces are still a worry for some people—especially indoors on a crowded train or bus. If you’re looking for more information on the CTA and Metra services, head to the bottom of this article. 

With that being said, many festival goers will opt to drive to Grant Park and to do that, you’ll need the best, most up-to-date information about accessible garages, navigating street closures, and ways to obtain the cheapest parking possible. 

Sites such as Chicago Parking Map are great resource for finding parking throughout the entire city. It puts all city operators and their apps such as iParkit in one place for you to get a real-time update on what’s available near the festival. Parking garages can become expensive, so if you are looking to save a couple of bucks, I would suggest utilizing the iParkit app on one of the streets and garages below: 

Please also keep in mind that the streets below will have closures:

• Balbo Drive from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive closed through Friday, August 6; Balbo closure continues to Michigan Avenue on Monday, July 26 at 8 p.m. and will be closed through Monday, August 2.
• Jackson Drive from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive is closed through Friday, August 6; Jackson closure extended to Michigan Avenue on Monday, July 26 at 8 p.m. and remains closed through Monday, August 2.
• Columbus from Monroe to Roosevelt will be closed Monday, July 26 at 8 p.m. through Monday, August 2; the closure on Columbus is extended to Randolph Street on Monday, July 26 at 8 p.m. and continues through Monday, August 2. Additional northbound center lanes on Columbus from 13th Street to Roosevelt Road will be closed on Monday, July 26 at 8 p.m. and the closure continues through August 2.
• Ida B. Wells/Circle is closed from Michigan to Columbus on Monday, July 26 at 8 p.m. and remains closed through Monday, August 2.
• Monroe Street from Michigan to DuSable Lake Shore Drive is closed Wednesday, July 28 at 8 p.m. and remains closed through 6:30 a.m. on Monday, August 2.

In preparation for Lolla, CTA and Metra are both expanding capacity from July 29 to August 1 with extra trains and adjusted schedules, and with bus routes added to provide connections from Union Station or Ogilvie Transportation Center to Grant Park. For attendees traveling from Union Station, the #126 Jackson bus will provide transit to the Lollapalooza site. From the Ogilvie Transportation Center, the #J14 Jeffery Jump will provide transit to Grant Park.

CTA is also offering reduced rates for Lollapalooza, with a one-day ticket costing just $5, with a 3-day pass costing $15, and a week-long pass costing $20.

Metra is offering a $10 All-Day Pass on weekdays that can provide unlimited rides on all Metra lines, costing less than two one-way fares on most lines. Riders are able to choose the $7 Saturday or Sunday day pass for the weekends, allowing unlimited travel on each day. A $10 weekend pass is also offered. Concertgoers are highly encouraged to use the Ventra app to speed up the process and avoid delays. 

Photo by KE ATLAS on Unsplash

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