According to the Chicago Tribune:
Ne-Yo, Buddy Guy, Counting Crows and the Wallflowers are among the headliners scheduled for the Taste of Chicago main stage this summer, the city confirmed Monday.

Thoughts? More info here.

People said it after they showed up in an iPod commercial a few years ago, but now it's official: U2 is a sellout. At Soldier Field, that is.
Tickets for their September show in Chicago - the new tour's first stop in North America - sold out in a matter of minutes Monday. According to Greg Kott at the Trib all 65,000 tickets we gone just after the show went on sale at 10 AM. Of course with several different pre-sales - including one for Bears season ticket holders - and those evil ticket broker firms, it's debatable how many of those seats were gone even before they went on sale. Kott also added that "tickets for the first show were popping up on secondary ticket sites, selling for as high as $3,000."
Jim DeRogatis at the Sun-Times also has a take on this - and his comment board is none-to-pleased with the outcome.
But those left out in the cold will have another chance at tickets - or another opportunity to get screwed over, depending on how you look at it. The band has added a second show in Chicago. They will play again Sunday Sept 13, and tickets for that show go on sale (to the general public) at 10 AM Monday (April 6). Tickets are $250, $95, $55, $30. More info at U2.com

Get your shopping done, grab a bite to eat, and bump elbows with one of music's all-time legends. That could be your April 18th at the 900 Shops on Michigan Avenue. According to a press release, the public will get a chance to watch a "special Magnificent Mile arrival followed by an opportunity to see legendary music icon Frankie Valli and cast members from JERSEY BOYS share a special Italian feast."

The guys are going to be dining at Frankie's Scallopine & 5th Floor Pizzeria, also located inside the shops at 900 N. Michigan. Guests can make reservations now, they include Frankie’s four-course, “Four Seasons” menu at $19.63, with one Italian dish for every season of the year. All guests also receive a Jersey Boys gift.

I'm sure these reservations will go fast, you can make one by calling (312) 266-2500. I wouldn't expect Mr. Valli to be singing, however. Although I understand he's fairly good with a fork and spoon.

Maybe our dads were on to something when they would trudge downstairs in their underwear and tell us to turn off the damn lights. Then again... my Dad's wallet was the driving factor, not his eco-conscience.

Still, Earth Hour is this Saturday! By turning off the juice to your lamps for a mere 60 minutes, you can join the hopeful billion people around the world rooting for Mama Earth.

Don't know what to do for an hour? How about a great view of the dark, but green city, from C-view? Or dinner by candle light at Deleece?

The term “something for everyone” is a little played out, but that’s really what the musical adaptation of Mary Poppins has going for it. On one hand, how could Chicago not enjoy a good-looking, slightly smug, agent of change swooping in with her lessons in hope, ready to help bail out the Banks (family) from their world of doom and gloom. (ahem)

On the other, it’s pretty cool to watch them fly and dance upside down.

America's Most Recent Guilty Pleasure Obsession - uh, Top Model was in town yesterday holding tryouts for their next "cycle." No Tyra or Miss J but a lot of pretty faces hoping to make it big. Check out the video and photo galleries....see if you spot the next Jaslene!

More: Photo Gallery

Greetings from paradise! That's right, I'm writing this recap from the sunny shores of Cancun, Mexico! This easily makes me the most devoted Idol recaper alive. Thanks for reading.

Tonight the contestants will be singing the hits of Motown. Last week I pegged the bottom two correctly, although America once again got it wrong by sending Alexis Grace home and hanging on to Michael Sarver. Who will be going home tonight? Here we go!

March madness means more than just spending countless hours on your bar stool watching your office bracket picks FAIL. For all you out there who prefer high heel pumps to double pump fakes, you can get some serious shopping done. Wicker Park boutique Le Dress is offering huge savings, up to 90% off their winter merch!

And just in case your closet is stuffed, other neighborhood shops Anjenu, Ouest, Bonnie and Clyde’s, Pour Vous, and Strut are also offering deals on their goodies.

The sales are only this weekend, so you better hurry or you'll probably end up watching a bright orange ball on the tube instead!

So you think your band rocks? And we're not talking about plastic guitars.

Metromix is gearing up for its' annual Rock 'N' Vote concert and we need you to get your music in. We're looking for the best unsigned band in the city, and the top four bands will get to play a show at the soon to open LaSalle Power Co.

Click here for more info about the show and where to send your demos.

Just in case you're in the need for another fix of Lego-man hair, Blago is going to be seated in front of a microphone tomorrow.

The former governor will be the filling in for the Don Wade & Roma Morning Show on WLS starting at 7 a.m. We were wondering what Blago had planned to fill two hours of airtime.

Find out what we'll be listening for after the jump.

When he wanted to raise a chunk of change for a good cause, Eamon Daly turned to his fearsome facial hair to lift things -- and your spirit! For every $100 raised for his charity of choice - the Off The Street Club - the amateur stuntman adds another pound to his weekly beard-breaking lift. We caught up with Eamon at Wild Dogz in Evanston, where Lift 6 meant suspending 42 lbs of gyros meat from his face. Help him get to $5000 by donating at ThingsMyBeardCanLift.com.

Check out the photo gallery here... and tune in to "metromix" this Thursday for the full story!

Hi all... it's Jackie! Wanted to make sure you all peeped my new Eco-Maniac segment. Every week-ish, I'm giving you tips and tricks of the trade on how to live light on the Earth. From locally brewed beer, to a DIY green household cleaner... tune-in to keep Chica-Go Green...

A few recipes you can't burn! Karen Taira from the Evanston Ecology Center shows us how to whip up eco-friendly beauty products, using ingredients you'll find right in your kitchen...

Lip Balm
Ingredients:
4 tsp beeswax or soy wax (grated)
4 1/4 tsp jojoba oil
6-10 drops peppermint or citrus essential oil

To make:
Melt wax and jojoba oil in a double boiler (or microwave at 15 sec intervals until melted). Stir well and remove from heat. Add essential oil and mix well. Pour into container and let cool completely before using. About 24-48 hours.

More after the jump...

Crack open the shutters and dust off that last bit of winter -- I'll show you how to GREEN your Spring Clean.

Nothing says St. Patrick's Day like Randy Travis, right? What's a matter Idol producers, couldn't get Bono on the line? Randy was here (and looking a little upset) to try and teach our contestants how to put a little twang in their tune. My best, good, and just plain ugly singers....after the jump!

PODI founder/CEO Dave Curry was featured on this weekend's "metromix." He sells shoes with removable covers, so you can change the look and style of your feet in seconds. He's offering a deal for the first 200 people who order a new pair of PODI's after our CLTV airing. Details are at the end of the clip above. Enjoy!

Happy weekend everyone, or in case you plan on seeing "Last House On The Left" - Horrible, grief-stricken bloodlusty weekend everyone! Wes Craven's original 1972 film was shocking, appalling, mind-blowing, and just all kinds of blowing - why in the world would someone attempt to remake it? And could they succeed? My Leshock Value review.....

It's straight out of "Minority Report." The West Loop nightspot Madpoison Ultra Lounge is finally ready to open its doors and unveil its futuristic touch screen ordering system. The bar features a few different stations with the technology - one large menu screen that is sure to attract a line, and a few private touchscreen tabletops in the VIP booths. Rhon Deguro is the architect behind the madness (he built the software in his garage after studying computer engineering at Northern Illinois University), and he gave me a sneak peek before Chicago gets its dirty little hands all over it! Watch the video.....after the jump!

How to truly "Go Green" this St. Patty's Day? Put down the dyed beer and grab for something that'll make Mother Earth smile!

I was very excited to read about this on Deadline Hollywood Daily. "The Orphanage" director Juan Antonio Bayona has been tapped to helm the third installment of the "Twilight" series. I don't know how crazy I am about the books, but Bayona is a phenomenal talent. "The Orphange" was one of my favorite flicks of 2007, about a mother searching for her missing son in a creepy old orphanage.

U2 will be invading Soldier Field on September 12th, and they'll be setting up this ridiculous 360 degree stage. You can see an interactive version of it here. The one issue I have are the upper deck seats. If you land a ticket with one of those large beams right in your line of vision, you are out of luck. Hopefully they label those seats obstructed view. Otherwise it's pretty awesome, especially that outer ring where Bono can thrust his loins right into his fans' faces. Those tix will cost you extra!

U2 has always been known for its mind-blowing arena setups. I remember being at the "All That You Can't Leave Behind" tour at the United Center (they used the heart-themed stage seen above). It looked fairly bare-bones, but hid some neat extras in the scaffolding.

Do you have a favorite U2 backdrop? Maybe the Pop Tour? Zooropa? Let us know, leave a comment!

The hour that will "change the lives" of 13 people. Gag me. Let's live blog tonight's American Idol Results Show!

All day people have been buzzing about these "new rules" the judges are going to announce tonight. We know they're kicking off two contestants, but they're promising something even bigger. Let's break it down - here we go!

An unlucky number. A new stage. An embarrasing entrance for the judges. And the music of Michael Jackson. It was the first big night of American Idol (did I mention they have a new stage?). The Top 13 faced off and sang the difficult tunes of M.J.

"Will he come and help the contestants?" my wife asked.

"I think there might be some kind of law against that," I answered.

My best, good, bad, and just plain ugly after the jump!

If you're looking for a way to get your green on for St. Patty's Day...

Through the course of the week we receive numerous emails from viewers asking all kinds of questions. We answer them all, but I thought it appropriate to post some of the questions on the blog, in case you might have been wondering some of the same things! Maybe you saw something on the program and you can't remember it's name, or maybe you just want to find a great place to eat this weekend. The Metromix Mailbag has your answers! Today's first question is about all you can eat candy!

The blond that changed the definition of beauty reached 50 candles, and not a wrinkle on her face (though she is looking a little plastic lately, no?).

Happy Birthday Babs!

In case you haven't heard by now, director Michael Mann was in Chicagoland last summer filming his latest epic - a period piece about John Dillinger starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale.

The film opens this summer and the trailer has hit the internet.

I spotted the Great Hall at Union Station. Also the lobby at the Auditorium Theatre. Anybody else see any landmarks of note in the trailer?

Yesterday Billboard magazine broke the news that Soldier Field will once again be home to a concert, and it's a big one. The Chicago Tribune's Greg Kot says U2 will announce they are playing the stadium on September 12th. Because Soldier Field fits a lot of people, tickets will vary in price, from $30 all the way to $250. They'll go on sale later this month.

U2 will also be in town on Tuesday as part of a cross-country radio promotion for their new album No Line On The Horizon. They won't be performing, but the location of their top-secret appearance still remains, well, a secret. Rumors have indicated it could be at the Metro. Greg Kot is warning us not to "be surprised if you bump into Bono on Clark Street." And guess what street the Metro is on? Hmmmm.

But back to the Soldier Field show. I am excited about this one and hope I might get a chance to go. But did U2 really have to pick the home of my beloved Chicago Bears, right in the middle of their season? What will a mega-concert like that do to the natural turf? I mean, how good are Terrell Owens and T.J. Houshmandzadeh going to be when they can't even break the line of scrimmage without tearing a hamstring?

For more on any of these awesome West Town joints...

West Town Bikes
2418 W. North Avenue

Lovely, A Bake Shop
1130 N. Milwaukee Avenue

Alcala's Western Wear
1733 W. Chicago Avenue

Dovetail
1452 W. Chicago Avenue

A. Vision
910 N. Damen Avenue

City Soaps
2557 W. Chicago Avenue

Jane's Addiction, Depeche Mode & The Beastie Boys are expected to headline this years music extravaganza in Grant Park. Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot breaks the news today on his blog. Lollapalooza has yet to officially put these bands on the bill, but insiders, according to Kot say they "are a lock." Just read Greg's article for the low-down.

Watchmen is opening to huge crowds this weekend, which spurred a little discussion within the "metromix on CLTV" offices. What is the best superhero film of all time? I was up to the challenge. While it's too early to say if Watchmen can fit into my list, I have put together my pre-Watchmen Top 10 of the Best Superhero Movies of all time. We start with #10, after the jump......

We're number 6! We're number 6! Normally that kind of enthusiasm is reserved for gold, silver or bronze... but when it comes to Mother Earth, we'll take what we can get. Chicago was just ranked 6th on the Environmental Protection Agency's Top Ten list of green cities. That, combined with the estimated $60 billion of stimulus dough going towards the eco-ecomony, and we're at least pointed in the right direction.

Daylight Saving Time... the ultimate Catch 22! Yes, you get an extra hour of sunlight, but you must also give up an hour of zzzz's in the morning and 60 minutes of your well-deserved weekend. But, Arby's is trying to tip the scales in favor of this dubious convention with their CHANGE YOUR CLOCK, CHANGE YOUR BURGER promotion. On top of putting new batteries in the smoke detector this Sunday, spring forward and into any Arby's in Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana to try out their new Roastburger for FREE (with a drink purchase). And remember to tell them you want to "change your burger!"

Hey everybody, by now many of you have already bought your tickets to see Watchmen tonight at midnight. But for those of you who are still on the fence, check out my LeShock Value review!

I'm sorry y'all, but I'm coming down with a horrible cold and a raging fever, probably from the Watchmen screening I just sat through. Anyways, I will be back and STRONGER than ever next week, when if all goes well, my Emmy-nominated American Idol Video Recaps will return. *Cue Angelic Hum Sound.* See you then, *cough.*

A couple weeks ago on "Let's Eat" we checked out Topa Tavern & Grill in Elk Grove Village. We've gotten great feedback from the owners saying our viewers have turned out in droves to try the eclectic eats from Tony & Paul Diaz.

We're recommending checking out their monthly wine dinner. It goes down the last Thursday of every month @ 6:30. Tickets are $85 and the wine comes from different regions all over the world.

For a reservation call the restaurant 847.640.0440. And not to be cliché, but tell them Metromix on CLTV sent you.

Yes, you read that right. Illinois' impeached Governor Rod Blagojevich is writing a tell-all book, tentatively titled Governor. The Chicago Tribune's John Kass thinks that's a weak title, and we here at "metromix on CLTV" tend to agree. So John is running a contest, asking his readers to email him their best titles - you can read his article and enter the contest HERE. Never one to oversell, John says the winners will receive "a great prize, a fantastic prize, a marvelous prize."

Of course, we have a few suggestions.....

I'm sure this guy was FURIOUS The Dark Knight wasn't nominated for Best Picture. But at least we got this fun interactive dance-off game featuring the scar-faced Joker and Gotham's Dark Knight. Enjoy Batman VS. The Joker - BBOY style!

Hey there everyone, Marcus Leshock here. I want you all to know that I do read/listen to your thoughts about "metromix" getting out to the suburbs more. We've tried to do that over the last few months, but we hardly EVER get out this far. If you happen to be in the Richmond area this weekend, you might want to check out this humorous play about communication in relationships - "Let The Games Begin."

It's the first-ever show by local company Theater Underground and it is directed by Northern Illinois University alum Tim Mosbach. Tim and I went to Gradaute School together at NIU, and assuming he hasn't changed too much, the show should be fantastic. I'm hoping to get out there and catch it myself.

For information about the schedule and getting your hands on some $8 tickets (Theater Underground is also calling for auditions for MANY new plays) CLICK HERE!

If you caught last weekend's edition of "metromix," you saw my latest assault on my GI system. In the latest Fast Food Review, I took on the new waffle sandwich at Dunkin Donuts and the Burger Shots at Burger King. Special thanks to Garrard McClendon for his first cameo appearance on the Fast Food Review.