World’s Largest PJ Party

LeeAnn Trotter, NBC5 Street Team (Video)

Fergie blew through Chicago on Friday for Victoria’s Secret’s World Largest Pajama Party.

It seemed like every pubescent girl — and their mothers — from here to Gurnee descended on Northerly Island for the party and mini-concert. It seems like Pink would have been the logical choice to headline this event — and I’m sure the organizers tried to snag her — but Fergie ain’t too shabby for a headliner at all!

Fergie is really quite shy (at least around the media), and much shorter than I imagined. We had a chance to chat before the concert (and no, I didn’t wear my PJs). Check it out!

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Belushi’s Band Helps Kickstart New River North Lounge

Marcus Riley, NBC5 Street Team (video)

One of the biggest problems when attempting to enjoy Chicago’s nightlife scene is not finding something to do, but rather, trying to decide which place to pick among the many choices. Well, you can add one more hotspot to the list with the opening of Martini Park in the River North neighborhood (151 W. Erie).

Martini Park bills itself as an “upscale lounge featuring world class design.”

The lounge is extremely spacious, with a large stage that will feature local bands, a round bar in the middle and a patio bar. The entertainment will rotate every night between the bands and a DJ.

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Slideshow: Martini Park Grand Opening

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CEO Chris Barish told me the lounge will cater to party-goers in their late 20s and 30s, which is a demographic he feels is underserved in the local nightlife scene. Hear hear!

The food ranges from Crab Cake Corn Dogs, Buffalo Chicken Lollipops, Surf Or Turf Nachos, Mini Sliders and Mac & Cheese Sticks.

At last Thursday’s opening night event, Chicago’s own Jim Belushi provided the entertainment, along with his band the Sacred Hearts.

Just be sure to go early, because something tells me the lines are going to be pretty long for the rest of the summer.

Check out my interview with Chris Barish below, and log on to www.nudehippo.com in the next couple of weeks for my interview with Jim Belushi and footage from the concert.

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Another reason why Americans should like soccer

Rikki Greenberg, NBC5 Street Team

In an attempt for Americans to actually watch soccer, David Beckham,international superstar/professional soccer player/mega-billionaire/sex symbol, became an official member of the L.A. Galaxy (L.A. has a soccer team?) this past Friday.

Now I happen to like Mr. Beckham. Of course this is based on his devastatingly good looks and well, his looks, but I still don’t understand how he’s supposed to help Americans like soccer.

Lets face it, Americans like three sports: baseball, football and basketball. Chicago is no exception, as seen by the orange and blue explosion that took over the city this past February, not to mention the Sports Illustrated collector’s edition of the 2005 World Series Champs, otherwise known as the Chicago White Sox. Oh, I totally forgot about Micheal Jordan and the rest of the Chicago Bulls who won 6 NBA Championships.

But let’s get back to soccer. The only thing I know about soccer is that Brian McBride, who plays for the Columbus Crew (who?) graduated from my high school. I try to share this with as many people as possible but usually they are too drunk to care.

Obviously, David Beckham is more well-known than Brian McBride, which makes it so much easier when I tell people that he’s married to Victoria Beckham, a.k.a Posh Spice.

Maybe I should just stick to talking about Britney Spears.

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I Have A Crush On Obama Girl

Marcus Riley, NBC5 Street Team (video)

I guess it’s time to come clean. I like millions of other people am entranced with Obama Girl, the sultry model and actress who became a viral video star a few weeks ago when the song and video for “Crush On Obama” was unleashed on You Tube.

Obama Girl is actually Amber Lee Ettinger, a Pennsylvania native who now lives in NYC as she pursues her dreams of stardom. This video, which has racked up millions of hits on You Tube, is a great start. It only makes sense that during a period that some pundits are calling the presidential race the “You Tube Election,” that a video like this would garner so much attention.

Obama’s camp hasn’t really responded to the video — other than to say they weren’t behind it — but it’s safe to say that most political campaigns don’t get terribly upset about free publicity. The video has spawned some imitators, including Hot4Hill, a lesbian-themed video extolling the virtues of Hillary Clinton.

On Monday, BarelyPolitical.com, the group behind the Obama videos, is set to release a follow-up song, “Obama Girl vs. Guiliani Girl,” which is sort of like the old Michael Jackson “Beat It” video. Check out the preview trailer on their Web site.

Of course I felt it was my journalistic duty to seek out Obama Girl and get the real scoop. Obama Girl is as sweet on the phone as she is… umm… in her video. It’s days like this that I really hate going to work.

Interview With Obama Girl:

Crush On Obama

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Weekend Roadmap: July 13-15

LeeAnn Trotter, NBC5 Street Team (Video)

Looks like the weather will be unbeatable this weekend, so check out what’s going on around town. From wizards on the big screen, the Magnificent Mile Art Fair, plenty of laughs at Second City to the start of the race to Mackinac at Navy Pier and the Renaissance Faire. No matter what your taste, there’s plenty to do!

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Twice The Tool

Janelle Rominski, NBC5 Street Team (Video)

Tool recently played two shows in the area on two consecutive Wednesdays. Their first show was at the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates on June 27th and on Independence Day they played to a packed crowd at Summerfest’s Marcus Amphitheatre.

I enjoyed seeing both shows in different venue styles. Tool’s indoor arena performance at the Sears Center was amazing and their outdoor show at Marcus was great as well.

A Tool show has far more to offer than just the traditional rock show. It is a remarkable audio-visual experience, with colorful lasers filling every inch of their performance space, as well as amazing artwork from Alex Grey and Adam Jones displayed on a series of screens on and off stage.

The band is finishing up their North American tour and is preparing to headline a two-month tour in Europe that ends in Istanbul, Turkey.

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Slideshow: Hangin’ With Tool

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Tool actually has a local connection to the Chicago area. The guitarist, Adam Jones, grew up in Libertyville, Illinois, as did Tom Morello, the guitarist of Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave. In fact, Jones and Morello were in a high school band together called Electric Sheep. Not only have Jones and Morello jammed together, but Rolling Stone has named them as two of the Top 20 Guitar Gods in their February 22, 2007, issue.

I have followed Tool around the country to numerous shows since I was 15. Some of the cities I’ve seen the band play in are New Orleans, Houston and Detroit. I’ve been fortunate enough to get to know the band through Waukegan-based entertainment attorney, Alan Jones.

The first time I saw Tool perform was at Ozzfest ’98 when they opened for Ozzy Osbourne at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in Wisconsin. It was that show that has shaped me into the hard rock – heavy metal music lover that I am today.

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Janelle’s Previous Blogs:

Lupara’s Pity Video To Debut On MTV

The Metal Of Marazene

Kama Sutra Comes To Chicago

Delicious Monkey Dish

Vince Neil Rocks Austin’s in Libertyville

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You must go to ZED451!

Rikki Greenberg, NBC5 Street Team

As far as suburbs go, Schaumburg is my favorite! I can shop at Woodfield, eat at a five-star restaurant and go clubbing at any of the fabulous nightclubs that always guarantee a great time.

I wasn’t surprised when a new restaurant opened up a couple of weeks ago, two minutes away from one of my favorite summer hot spots, Alumni Club. I just had to see what it was all about.

I had the opportunity to experience one of the best meals I’ve ever had at ZED451. As soon as I walked through the glass doors, I was automatically greeted by friendly hostesses with big, bright smiles, who kept telling me that they hoped I brought my appetite. I didn’t really know what they meant by this, but I was dying to find out!

Since ZED451 is technically a steak house, I had to try the meat dishes. In order to do this, I would have to place a river stone at the end of my table and brace myself for the whirlwind of dishes that were about to come my way.

The coolest part about ZED451 is that as soon as I did this, it was like an explosion! The waiters, who are also culinary students, offered me bacon-wrapped filet mignon, lamb chops with goat cheese, and ribs that had been marinating for hours that they had prepared themselves!

I could go on and on about this restaurant, because not only was the food outstanding, the service was impeccable. I felt like I was dining with family, and I couldn’t help but be in utter bliss!!

If you or anybody you know has the opportunity to do anything in the suburbs, they must go to ZED451, located conveniently at 800 E. Algonquin Rd. in Schaumburg. I won’t even get started on the desserts, because you definitely should check it out for yourself. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!

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Dolphin Diss At The Door

Marcus Riley, NBC5 Street Team (video)

Anyone who’s tried to hit a club in Chicago has experienced the ridiculous game you sometimes have to play at the door. It’s something you expect when trying to get into some of the so-called “elite” spots in the city, where the amount of people jockeying to get inside the club is as indicative of that venue’s status as the drinks, music and decor on the inside.

That said, nothing surprises me anymore, but what I experienced at Green Dolphin Street Tuesday night was the height of ridiculousness. I have a couple of friends in town from London, who decided to stop through Chicago for a week after attending the Essense Music Festival. Anyone who’s tried to get their party on in Chicago on a Tuesday night, knows that things can be kind of slow, but the salsa and Latin jazz night at the Green Dolphin sounded promising.

As we approached the entrance, there was a bouncer outside the door and nobody else in line. The windows of the Green Dolphin were covered in curtains, so it was impossible to see what was going on inside. Not wanting to pay a $10 cover charge for each of us to enter a club that may be half-empty — or a scene not to our liking — we asked the bartender if we could poke our head inside to take a look. “Can’t do that,” he said. Well, can just one of us just go inside, take a quick look, and see if we want to come in? “No, we can’t do that either,” he said in a gruff voice. After a couple of similar exchanges, we decided to leave altogether, albeit with a bad taste in our mouth — not so much because of the policy, but for the rude manner in which it was handled.

Lingering questions: Isn’t the whole point of running a business to offer a product or a service that makes a customer happy? Why keep your product a secret, and therefore risk making your customers unhappy? Do you really think we were going to let that one person run rampant inside the club by herself and soak up as much free atmosphere as she could while we chilled on the sidewalk? Is your product that bad that you couldn’t risk someone getting a preview for fear that no one would come in? Why not take the risk that we might actually stay and make $40 minimum from us (before drinks), rather than the $0 you got? Why act a fool when that person in line could potentially be a writer for an entertainment blog?

Having gotten that off my chest, no, I don’t think every club in town should offer people in line a free preview of their club before letting them in. Especially if it’s a busy night with others in line. But like I said, it was a calm Tuesday night and nobody else was in line. Word of mouth can make or break a business, and sometime next week, it’ll be the Green Dolphin getting dissed on the streets of London.

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Go See Chrisette Michele TodayBorder’s State Street

Blagica Stefanovski, NBC5 Street Team (Video)

Old school class meets modern songstress, Ms. Chrisette Michele.

If you have time during your lunch break today, go to the Border’s on State and Randolph and watch as Chrisette makes you think Ms. Holiday is in the very room with everyone, but with an updated sound.

I’m not a fan of discovering new artists on morning talk shows, but I heard Chrisette this week on The Today Show. I just missed her performance with Musiq Soulchild and I’ll miss her lunchtime concert, but hopefully, some of you out there will be able to experience Ms. Michele live. Oh, all songs on Chrisette’s album were written by Chrisette. Bonus. She plays piano, too.

Now this is what I call young, talented and classy. This is what a musician is and should be.
Ms. Spears and Ms. Duff, please step aside, there’s a new gal in town that actually…sings.

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The ASIA Rock Show was Fantastic!

Ben Soldinger, NBC5 Street Team (video)

One forgets the wizardry of some musicians before you see them Live with your own eyes again. Asia, who has a new live cd out, came to perform some magic last Thursday night. I heard The Police concert was absolutely amazing as well. Did anyone see both bands? Who was better? (please post in comment section)

After the show, I ventured a couple of blocks west of the House of Blues onto Kinzie St. and into Pomme Rouge, the newest ‘Ultra Lounge’ Chicago has to offer in the old Sugar space. I ran into my old buddy, Mancow, and celebrated a great night with some frozen vodkas and caviar. Mancow is syndicated with around 30 markets around the world and you can catch his show every morning at this location – Cable Radio Network.

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Asia hits the House of Blues tonight!

Ben Soldinger, NBC5 Street Team (video)

Asia is the last of the great Classic Rock Bands that ever became commercially successful(Correct me in the comments section if I’m wrong). In 1980, at a time when commercial radio was changing its format from the great music of the seventies such as Styx, Heart, Yes, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Bad Company, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and so many others to a brand new generation of pop, rock, metal, and alternative music in the 80′s, Asia emerged and remained a progressive classic rock band in the ‘contemporary’ period of time. The ‘new’ scene was too much for a bunch of talented progressive musicians to weather the climate of what was to be promoted in the big record label/radio ‘business’. (By the way, I have a BIG problem with Chicago radio – we should be a national leader of free radio, yet Chicago is a boring follower in this industry – yet I digress).

After seventeen years from their last recording, Asia triumphantly returns to Chicago’s House of Blues tonight with all four of its original members: Steve Howe – lead guitar and member of the band Yes, Carl Palmer – drums and member of the band Emerson Lake & Palmer, Geoff Downes – keyboardist from the band The Buggles “Video Killed the Radio Star”, and John Wetton – vocals and bassist from King Crimson. Hello? Get ready to rock!

I can’t wait to hear songs from a worldly talented bunch that meant the world to me when I was 12 in summer camp. I’m sure I’ll feel like I’m back at Apachee Day Camp back in 1982 later on tonight.

Ben’s Blog Archives:

Tavern On Rush

Chicago – ‘Home of the Blues?’

PARLOR Restaurant

Wednesday Nights at Sushi Samba

Quiet Comfort Lounges

Guns N Roses

The Perfect Casual Italian Restaurant

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Panozzo’s Italian MarketThe South Loop Meets Italia!

Blagica Stefanovski, NBC5 Street Team (Video)

Yum. Woo Hoo. Bellissimo.

I’ve been a fan of the new neighborhood Italian market that opened in the South Loop a few months ago, Panozzo’s Italian Market. From fresh bread, pasta, REAL sauce, pastries and Italian ice, Panozzo’s is the perfect complement to the much-needed market space to the South Loop. One of the best features of Panozzo’s? A full service deli complete with cheeses, prosciutto and olives will make it difficult to make a decision.

Michael and I hit the Grant Park Fireworks fiesta and decided to pick up some sandwiches from Panozzo’s. We each ordered the mozzarella/pesto/prosciutto special. While our food was prepped, we watched a full line of customers waiting patiently for their turn. The deli also has prepared lasagna, calzones and any other Italian entrée you can imagine. One of my neighbors was picking up a massive deli platter he ordered ahead of time. The folks at Panozzo’s even sliced his baguette, returning the pieces to the original baguette bag.
Nice touch.

After a few minutes, the deli gal delivered our massive, well-packaged sandwiches ($7.99) each. Wow. Talk about a hefty size! I decided to eat half of my sandwich at the fireworks show and save the rest for today. When I unwrapped my treat, the mozzarella and prosciutto looked SO good, that I decided I had to eat everything in one day. I happily enjoyed half the sandwich in Grant Park and then the other half at home. I knew Michael was happy because he continued chomping on that bread and smiling. By the way, the bread Panozzo’s uses to surround the yummy stuffing is soft, yet not mushy.

The next time you are near Michigan and 13th, do yourself a favor. Walk into Panozzo’s Italian Market, look around, perhaps pick up some bread or Italian Ice and take in the smells. Trust me, you’ll be back for more!

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Summer Singles Fun @ Summer Lovin’

Erika and Monika Simmons, NBC5 Street Team,
(Video)

Last Friday, June 29th, Monika, our friend Doni and I kicked it with the city’s top notch singles in Chicago. Let the record show that although all 3 of us are technically single, I am the only “UNATTACHED” single, but I digress…….

Chicago magazine & the Auxiliary Board of Northwestern Hospital, sure know how to throw a party! The Summer Lovin’ Event, was a huge success with over 600 guests. The MCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) , is the perfect summer venue for this annual event!

A fabulous recap of the event was already done for me, so visit the Chicago magazine website to get a little insight about who attended the soiree’, what we wore and also to check out some great video footage and images of everyone having a great time!

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Face Off

Amy Tara Koch, NBC5 Street Team (Video)

Your face is sallow. Blackheads pepper your nose. You need some renewal. ASAP.

For those fearful of painful extractions, I have found the ultimate facial: Arcona’s signature facial at The Ruby Room. The one hour treatment utilizes natural, organic fruit enzymes to break down the dead layers of skin and encourage cellular renewal. Be prepared -— the pumpkin enzymes are hard core. They burn. To really challenge myself, I accepted a soupcon of glycolic acid to my face and neck mask.

The sensation was comparable to stage 1 of labor. I employed Lamaze breathing techniques to get through the 15-minute mask and tried to relax for a facial massage. I was sure that my face would be raw at the end of the hour, but — the joy of fruit enzymes is their gentle efficiency. All that was left was a radiant glow.

The hour long treatment is $100.

www.rubyroom.com

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Chicago Rap Foursome Goes Head-To-Head With CNN!

Jen Boyles, NBC5 Street Team

They were called the “next face of hip-hop” in URB Magazine’s seminal Next 100 issue this spring and recently appeared on NBC in their homebase of Chicago to respond to a reverend’s bold fleet of anti-rap billboards demanding that the city “Stop Listening To Trash!” It wasn’t too much of a surprise then, when CNN called the politically conscious gutter pop/street rap foursome Qualo to the Paula Zahn Show to debate an issue pressed most visibly of late by sovereign media matron Oprah Winfrey after radio show host Don Imus’ deafening faux pas earlier this year. The question has hovered over hip-hop’s head for years: Does rap need an overhaul and a hard lesson in manners when it comes to women? The topic’s been the elephant in the room since the inception of gangster rap in the early 90s, but no matter what side you’re on, there’s no denying that the genre’s use of using words like “bitch” and “ho” has set off a firey discourse that’s got everyone talking, from Saul Williams to Rev. Jesse Jackson to Snoop Dogg — and now, Qualo (even if our boys didn’t necessarily seek out the soapbox).

Shala exchanged heated words with CNN interviewer Roland Martin, who played a lyric from “Pockets,” Qualo’s tongue-in-cheek track getting radio play from top 40 stations around the country, Martin insisting the group must be no better than porn peddlers to write a song about the stripper industry, interjecting and cutting off Qualo’s well-spoken frontman at every juncture.

“We refer to people as they present themselves — that is America,” Shala tells CNN, adding that one of Qualo fans’ favorite songs is “Coco”, a track that celebrates the beauty of women of color. “We are only telling you what is so — let’s stop trying to attack rappers and talk about the culture of America and what creates this.”

After the interview, Shala reflects on the state of popular rap, saying it has become “so negative and shallow, like a cartoon of itself.”

“It’s mostly because only one side of rap is being exposed — there’s no balance,” Shala explains. “We praise and celebrate women on our song ‘Coco’ but radio won’t give it a chance. Martin targeted “Pockets”, a song that actually warns of dangers in dealing with women that present themselves in a degrading way. That demonstrates what the news media is really interested in and proves our point : this is what our generation has to do to be heard. Guess we kinda tricked ‘em into listening to our voice. It makes no sense that hip-hop is now stuck with the responsibility of raising a generation of kids that have been left to be raised by single-mothers and the streets. When did hip hop become the man of the house?”

To see the CNN interview that spurred the controversy, click HERE!

*** Heads up! NEW QUALO ALBUM DROPPING SOON ! ***

http://www.myspace.com/qualo
http://www.myspace.com/shalaesquire
http://www.donotfollow.com/

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Who’s Making The Grade?

Dave Carlson, Cubs Superfan

Dave Carlson is a contributor to the Cubs Superfan Blog. Postings from that blog will occasionally be featured here.

The series against Milwaikee this weekend was something of a roller coaster, and I happened to have tickets to the ugly Saturday affair. But the Cubs came away one game closer to the Brewers, which means Ramirez’s 9th inning heroics on Friday was the difference between a step forward and a step back.

We’ve capped the 13th of 26 weeks of baseball, which means it’s time to dish out the midterm grades…

Honor roll: Fontenot, Lee, Soriano, Ramirez, Marmol

Good work: Ward, Floyd, DeRosa, Pagan, Zambrano, Cherry, R. Hill, Wuertz, Dempster, Marshall, Guzman

Satisfactory: Theriot, Bowen, Marquis, Lilly, Howry, Ohman, Piniella

Needs Improvement: Izturis, Pie, Blanco, K. Hill, Petrick

Failing: Miller, Jones, Eyre

We’ll see what the next 13 weeks holds, but it goes without saying that the Cubs will need the Brewers to stumble at some point. 6.5 games back with a half season to go isn’t an insurmountable lead, but Milwaukee has seemed to kick that losing habit.

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Hysteria Under A Full Moon

Maureen Vana, NBC5 Street Team

Take one spinning 360 keyboard and one crowd diving front man, pour a little sugar on them and you have a recipe for rock and roll. Def Leppard’s Downstage Thrust Tour closed out the month of June under a full moon at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre. The legendary rockers brought along fellow veterans Styx and Foreigner to play to a heavily packed Tinley Park crowd.

Foreigner came out roaring and ready to go as the sun set and the venue lights kicked into gear. The group was fully energized and raced from side to side of the massive stage to ensure everyone got a view. Barely into the set, singer Kelly Hansen jumped off the stage and ran through the crowd stopping to sing with the fans before reentering the stage on the opposite side. The evening was turned on and would be consistently turned up all the way until the final encore hit its final beat.

Hometown heroes Styx followed up to a warm Chicago welcome from the crowd. Vocalist Tommy Shaw and guitarist James Young brought the solos and sing-a-longs to light up the night sky. Lawrence Gowan added some extra flare to the stage with his reflective keyboard stand that allowed him to spin 360 degrees. Fans old and new cheered on and revealed in the joy of watching three bands that know how to get the job done.

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Slideshow: See Photos From Def Leppard’s Downstage Thrust Tour

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The sky darkened to black and clouds dusted over the full moon as Def Leppard made their entrance. Front man Joe Elliot ran down the center thrust of the stage to greet the crowd and answer their waves of applause. Three giant screens hovered in back of the band highlighting close ups of Viviane Campbell and Phil Collen’s guitar work. The hour and 45min set allowed the group to play a significant amount of hits that have formed their solid rock career. “Love Bites”, “Armageddon It”, “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak”, “Hysteria”, and a cover of David Essex’s “Rock On” were just a few tracks they let loose.

Towards the end of the evening Joe Elliot, Viviane Campbell, and Phil Collen picked up their acoustics and made it down the center thrust of the stage. Surrounded by fans that now had an up close and personal view, the group played and acoustic version of “Two Steps Behind”. After a few more tracks, Def Leppard closed out the night with “Pour Some Sugar On Me” and an encore presentation of “Rock of Ages”. Elliot concluded a perfect rock and roll evening by saying goodnight and reassuring fans that “until next time… and there WILL be a next time”.

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Summerfest

Ben Soldinger, NBC5 Street Team (video)

Has anyone been heading up north yet to check out Summerfest in Milwaukee? Summerfest has two to five major headlining music acts per night which began Thursday June 28th and goes through Sunday July 8th. The Summerfest Complex has ten different musical venues happening simultaneously. The Complex also provides fantastic gourmet food outlets, and enough game stations that it creates a carnival-like atmosphere. Tonight, I’m going to see a sonic symphonic display from the living Legend, Roger Waters, Pink Floyd’s co-founder and chief song contributor, at the Marcus Ampitheater.

Here’s who else you can still see at Summerfest this week:
Tonight: Heart, Social Distortion
Tues July 3: John Mayer, Ben Folds, Buddy Guy, Weird Al Yankovic!
Wed July 4: The Black Crowes, Tool
Thurs July 5: Bon Jovi, Rusted Root
Fri July 6: Daughtry, Morris Day and the Time!, Peter Frampton
Sat July 7: The ‘New’ Cars, Panic at the Disco, Collective Soul, Papa Roach, Live
Sun July 8: Toby Keith, INXS

Put on your Chicago gear, head up north, and have a great time. Oh, by the way, they have some pretty good beer out there too;)

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