Introducing Divvy – The City of Chicago’s Bike Sharing System

Bike the Drive

by Andrew DeCanniere

In late April, I learned of the City of Chicago’s plans to launch a new bike share program called Divvy. Aware of how this kind of system has already taken off in other major cities around the world, I was eager to learn more about how the program will work here in the city, as well as the design of the bikes themselves. Recently I had the opportunity to speak with Scott Kubly of the Chicago Department of Transportation about this new system, all set to launch this month. Read on to learn more about what the City of Chicago has already done to make Chicago an even more bike-friendly town, what projects are already underway, plans for future improvements and, of course, to learn all about Divvy.

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Festival Season Fashion | Dos and Don'ts of 2013

Alessandra Ambrosio doing festival fashion right! (via Babble.com)

by Laine Pepp

Festival season is in full swing. Whether a street fest, block party or huge festival like Spring Awakening, Pitchfork, or Lollapalooza, you will see a huge mix of aesthetics and styles.

We women always put a huge emphasis on what to wear, and if you are one of the many that aren’t sure how to dress for a festival, here are a few DOs and DON'Ts.

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The Chicago Green Office Challenge: Encouraging Sustainability in Business

Chicago Green Office Challenge logo

by Andrew DeCanniere

Earlier this month I found out about the City of Chicago's "Chicago Green Office Challenge," designed to engage the City of Chicago's business community and encourage them to consider what they could do to operate in a more environmentally conscious manner. Last week I had a chance to speak with Alex Moree of the Delta Institute, to learn more about the program.

Andrew DeCanniere: I just recently learned of the “Chicago Green Office Challenge” myself, and I’m sure that there are many other people who haven’t heard of it, or perhaps — like myself — just learned of its existence. Perhaps you could give us a bit of background. What is it? How did it come to be? And, for that matter, what’s the City’s motivation for putting this kind of a program in place?

Alex Moree: I would say it has a little bit of a fun and funny history. It began in 2008, as a City of Chicago program. The Department of Environment and the City of Chicago were working on it with a non-profit called ICLEI. They previously had an office in Chicago, and I actually used to work for them. They are headquartered in California and closed their Chicago office. They are an environmentally focused non-profit that works specifically with local governments — so cities and counties and some rural areas — on sustainability programs. They were talking with the City of Chicago about ways to engage commercial offices, because the City didn’t previously have a really robust program for that, and they wanted to develop one.

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Deanna Devore

by Lindsey Shaw

I stand with my pen and paper on the venue floor, having carved out an area for one. There are fleeting moments in the beginning of the set I’m reviewing where I get a little self-conscious about not having an entourage of fellow fans and friends standing by. There are groups around me — they’ve ostensibly purchased show tickets weeks in advance after coordinating the outing through a string of e-mails. But why let my lack of camaraderie spoil a show? After all, I'm not a 15-year-old that worries about such things.

Shortly before Deanna Devore sings, I’m hit on by another solo attendee, and he chats me up until he sees the headliner walk by and implores my pardon as he ditches our encounter to chase another, perhaps more celebrity-worthy, tryst. Men. Alone once again, I hear Deanna croon, "If you’ve had a change of heart," in a sultry voice to an upbeat, electro-pop tune, "and now someone else gets the best of you." One may assume such love lyrics are soaked in whatever broke the musician’s heart, but this is not the case when it comes to an artist like Deanna Devore.

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SONS OF THE SILENT AGE: Interview With Chris Connelly

Written and interviewed by: Neil Miller, Jr.

Chris Connelly has remained an enigmatic presence in the music world for over 20 years now. Here in modern-day Chicago, we know him as a head honcho at Reckless Records and an avant-garde, jack-of-all-trades musician who can toy with any genre he'd like and end up with beyond stellar results. But in his past, we remember him most as one of the core members of Chicago's own Ministry and Revolting Cocks. Both were projects helmed by frontman Al Jourgenson, but Connelly was just as much of an integral part of both bands, their respective side projects PTP and Acid Horse, and the industrial music scene in general (he did sing lead on Ministry's "So What," which is arguably the most popular favorite amongst hardcore fans). He's released work on the seminal Wax Trax! label and worked with other artists such as KMFDM, Pigface, The Damage Manual, and released an enrapturing collaboration with Bill Rieflin (if you haven't heard Largo, you should get on that). Beyond this, he also penned a memoir of his time in the music industry: Concrete, Bulletproof, Invisible, and Fried: My Life As A Revolting Cock.

A busy guy he may be, but not so much that he can't partner up with friend and collaborator Matt Walker and Garbage vocalist Shirley Manson to get together and play a night full of David Bowie songs at the Metro on January 11th. Billed as The Sons of the Silent Age (the title of one of the best songs from Bowie's Heroes), this collective will be performing on this particular night to benefit The Pablove Foundation: an organization whose mission is to "fund pediatric cancer research and advances in treatment, educate and empower cancer families, and improve the quality of life for children living with cancer through hospital play, music and arts programs."

We had a quick email chat with Chris about the event and his affinity for Bowie (which we at UR Chicago share whole-heartedly), which you can read below.

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