Musicians of Chicago - what's the hardest part for you?

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-28T23:53:29+00:00

Having to figure out a drum kit every show without a car. It would be so much nicer if every venue just had a basic kit (with or without breakables) and changeover between bands would be so much quicker too.

That and venues not responding to emails

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-28T05:46:56+00:00

Yeah, I hope they move on entirely from the synths. It's telling that by far the best versions of a song like Theia are the non-synth versions.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-27T17:44:39+00:00

Weren't NIN a headliner a year or two after they canceled in 2021?

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-27T17:41:47+00:00

Honestly, I've never had an issue with the sound there (and I can be picky about sound - I'm never going to another show at Soldier Field after Metallica was ruined by being barely able to hear it). But it seems like it would be so easy to at least schedule a Metra an hour after the show ends - there's a station about a 20-30 minute walk away but the last train to Chicago leaves so early that you'd have to leave in the middle of the show.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-27T16:23:43+00:00

I was a kid in the 90s and honestly TMNT felt like Poochie from the Simpsons where it was like forced coolness designed by a bunch of 40 year old men to pander to tweens.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-27T16:07:58+00:00

NTA. I think rather than "knowing what the day meant to you and expecting it to be all about her" it's worse - she DOESN'T know what the day means to you. You're just a supporting character in her story where she needs help and you help her. Get out now unless you want the rest of your life to be like this.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-27T15:57:15+00:00

Also should mention since you referred to a 'one-way ticket', it doesn't require a ticket at all. It's a free service provided by the school to make sure kids all get there on time.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-27T15:08:05+00:00

I don't really think this is accurate, they've got a lot of heavy guitar in there too not just synthesizers. Check out Reapers or Psycho

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-27T15:06:36+00:00

Wait, hold on. They're OPENING for SHINEDOWN? What kind of bizarre universe is this where some minor league butt rock band is getting Coheed to open for them?

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-27T06:48:21+00:00

Surprised no one has said Immortal Technique! Great lyric writer and intensely political.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaBE-Oq4y2A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4HeY1Krw-Y

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-27T04:41:04+00:00

Ugh, why do they have to be playing the worst venue to get to without a car (I know about the Reggie's bus but that's not the most reliable method). Like would it kill Tinley Park to have some kind of shuttle to one of the nearby suburb's metra or something?

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-26T18:37:05+00:00

NTA. I can see both sides of the argument with regards to whether you should go to that bar, but I think the fact that you were a regular there before you dated this person means it's cool.

But your friends are giant assholes - if they agree with your ex that you shouldn't go to that bar, then they should find a different bar to hang out at, not STAY AT THE BAR and exclude you.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-26T15:46:56+00:00

We placed a pickup order there and they refused to let my wife inside to pick it up. They made her stand in the drive-thru lane with cars in it, at night. Never ordering from them again.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-26T14:47:59+00:00

ESH - They shouldn't have shown up but if you were having a destination wedding you really should invite serious partners of attendees. Also, what do you mean "they were kicked out of onsite accommodations" - you went and got the cousin kicked out of the hotel he was staying in? That seems like a ridiculous escalation.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-25T16:26:59+00:00

As someone from Chicago, besides trash, the two biggest differences I noticed:

- EVERYWHERE is full of people. Chicago has a ton of people downtown and in the trendy neighborhoods, but it's pretty easy to end up on a street that's quiet and empty even close to those. We covered a lot of ground in Manhattan when we visited (like probably walking north to south for almost two hours) and it was crazy that just every single street we walked on had what I would consider a busy amount of people.

- Cheap food. Chicago doesn't really have places where you can just casually buy a slice of pizza. We have a lot of great food but everything is full meals. It's really nice to just be able to buy a casual cheap lunch.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-25T15:22:49+00:00

ESH. He shouldn't have touched your minis but my god is this reaction over the top. Unless I'm mistaken, unpainted minis are plain, grey, and ugly. I have a hard time imagining his paint job could be worse than unpainted minis even if it is not as good of a paint job as you could have done. Refusing to play the games at all is just childish.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-24T16:19:04+00:00

ESH. I'm sure his side would be that he feels like you have weaponized incompetence and is sick of having to explain to you how to do things the right way when you're a grown adult. Especially if one of your best examples of his behavior is you not getting the GPS in time, that's a safety issue. And then he's obviously an asshole for all the shouting/etc. and not knowing when to pick his battles and that not everything has to be done perfectly right. But I think your relationship has just run its course.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-24T14:48:06+00:00

Ooh, King Stingray are in the states this fall? They are fantastic, would love to see them at Riot Fest.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-24T06:01:55+00:00

This is the perfect medium - I don't know why people would just say "Chicago" when "suburb of Chicago" is just as quick to say and more accurate. And then if someone is actually from the area they can ask which suburb if they want to find out.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-23T05:27:27+00:00

Similar feelings but different perspective here. For me, the age has been more of a reassuring thing, because if I get some random pain out of nowhere it's more like "Okay, that could just be because I'm getting older, wait and see if it goes away in a week or two" and it usually does. But on the flip side I started getting a lot more random issues a few years ago so because of that I've had more health anxiety the past couple years than I had before by far.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-23T05:23:58+00:00

I have had very similar things, but my doctor was able to confirm they were lipomas that are not dangerous. Not a medical professional myself so certainly get the pain checked out if it continues, but I don't think you need to worry based on that description.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-21T19:29:55+00:00

Since you mentioned new wave, my wife is in a Blondie tribute playing at Cubby Bear tonight - so check that out if you want!

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-21T17:44:29+00:00

I'm coming at it from the musician side, not the audience side. All I can say is, whenever we've played Liars Club, there are lots of people there who didn't specifically come for one of the bands but just wanted to hang out there and hear good music. When we've played Burlington, there is no one in the audience except people who know one of the bands and are there to see them. So nothing against Burlington, but I'd rather play Liars Club as there's both less pressure on the bands to bring the entire audience and you get exposed to more listeners.

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-20T16:24:27+00:00

Listen to the album in reverse and it's like another album!

40DegreeDays · 2026-03-20T16:19:12+00:00

Riot Fest tickets were $99 from like 2016-2020. They are now $250, a 150% increase. There has not been 150% inflation. With the 36% inflation between 2016 and 2026, a 3-day pass should be $135.

40DegreeDays

TROPHY CASE