Paul Johnson Archives - Chicago Reader

The Chicago House Party levels up to ‘music festival’ for 2018

The Chicago House Party levels up to ‘music festival’ for 2018, Andy Ortmann spends government money on subversive noise, and more.

New activist group Activate:Chi wants to make political engagement easy, and it’s getting started with a party at the Virgin Hotel.

Subterranean hosts a benefit show for Mucho Culo, which was based out of a studio destroyed in a July fire.

Magical Beautiful signs off with one last album and a big merch giveaway, Smith Westerns spin-off Whitney drops a debut single, and more.

Prepare for the free show with Strut Records’ second compilation of material from the local label that birthed ghetto house.

Johnson’s “Feel My M.F. Bass” is the kind of raw, raunchy house music that’ll get you on the dance floor.

The armies of Napoleon enthusiasts include cops, stockbrokers, historians—and a certain local rock critic.

Dance Mania Records helped birth ghetto house, juke, and footwork music—now it’s back to court the EDM crowd.

Chicago house music is the sound of global pop today. In the 90s, though, it was on life support—until a new wave of producers got its groove back.