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Nicholas Blashill

ARTICLES: 52
Beer and wine, Food

Pairing Beer and Animal Sightseeing at Lincoln Park Zoo

The Lincoln Park Zoo recently played host to a unique event: a craft beer festival featuring more than 120 beers from more than 40 breweries. The heat did not keep […]

Nicholas Blashill /
Music, Reviews

Review: Everyone Loves Brandi Carlile

On Friday, Brandi Carlile performed before a sold-out crowd at the Chicago Theater. Her performance’s quality was no surprise; Carlile is an established singer-songwriter who has honed her stagecraft over […]

Nicholas Blashill /
Beer and wine, Food, Suburbs and exurbs

Three Takeaways from the Tri-City Craft Brew Festival

On Saturday morning, I climbed aboard an outbound Metra and headed west in search of friends and beer. An hour later I arrived in a strange, exurban land where the […]

Nicholas Blashill /
Folk and Bluegrass, Music, Reviews

Album Review: Trampled by Turtles’ Life is Good on the Open Road is Varied, Thoughtful

Duluth bluegrass sextet Trampled By Turtles will play back-to-back sold out nights at Thalia Hall this weekend, May 19th & 20th. The band’s timely visit provides fans the opportunity to […]

Nicholas Blashill /
Beer and wine, Food

Ranking the Summer’s Craft Beer Cruises

Throughout the summer, Entertainment Cruises/Brewfest Partners will host geographically themed craft beer and cider cruises on Lake Michigan. In addition to the chance to sample across three levels of tasting […]

Nicholas Blashill /
Folk and Bluegrass, Music, Previews, TCR Mixtape

TCR Mixtape No. 36: Spring Americana Concert Preview

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It’s a rare mixtape/preview crossover! This is the spot where you get a preview of this spring’s Americana slate coming to Chicago’s great music venues, alongside a nice playlist of […]

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Music, Reviews

Gang of Youths Brings Energetic Performance to Subterranean

Gang of Youths brought their big sound to a small Chicago venue on Friday night, as the award-winning Australian rock band played an energetic set at Subterranean. Their excellent 2017 […]

Nicholas Blashill /
Beyond, Event

Run Review: Five Reasons to Run the Shamrock Shuffle (And One Reason Not to Run)

On Sunday, I joined over 21,000 green-clad runners for the annual Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K in downtown Chicago. This being my first time participating in the event, I […]

Nicholas Blashill /
Music, Reviews

The Sheepdogs Played a Throwback Show at Lincoln Hall

The Sheepdogs, a southern rock band from north of the border, paid a visit to Lincoln Hall on Tuesday Night. They’re a throwback band that look and sound like a mix […]

Nicholas Blashill /
Music, Reviews

The Mowgli’s Joyful Vibes Filled Schubas

I first heard The Mowgli’s in 2012, when WXRT played “San Francisco” on a new music segment. I recall being struck by the song’s earnestness. It opened with the lyrics, […]

Nicholas Blashill /
Beer and wine, Food

Kinslahger Brewing Company: Come for the Lagers, Stay for the Kinship

Author’s note: I recently sat down with Keith Huizinga, co-owner of Kinslahger Brewing Company, to discuss the Oak Park brewery. As the brewery’s business lead, Keith spends his days telling […]

Nicholas Blashill /
Beyond, Museums

A Field Museum Docent’s Guide to Getting the Most From Your Museum Week Visit 

A note from the editor: Museum docents are formally trained volunteers who are stationed in museums to provide guided tours in the museum’s exhibition halls, and oftentimes have either a […]

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