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The NBA’s most talented individuals came together in Chicago, Illinois this year for the NBA All-Star Weekend. Like last year, this year’s festivities included the Celebrity Game, Rising Stars Challenge, Skills Challenge, 3-Point Contest, Slam Dunk Contest and the actual All-Star Game itself.

The Underground Nightclub hosted events all weekend long with a long list of star-studded celebrities! Check out those who came through our doors:

Shawn Marion
Chance the Rapper
2 Chainz
Tory Lanez
Trey Songz
Jadakiss
Khalil Mack
Don C
Shiggy
Carlos Boozer
Terrance J
Isaiah Thomas
Jhalil Okafor
Dave East
Stephen Jackson

Matt Barnes
Kenyan Martin
Ron Artest (Meta World Peace)
Lil Jon
James Possey
Shiggy
Justin Combs
Fabolus
Trinidad James
G Herbo
Dj Drama
Gunna
Vic Mensa
ASAP Ferg

Check out our official NBA All-Star Weekend recap video below!

It’s official – TimeOut dubs The Underground as one of “Best Nightclubs in Chicago for Dancing the Night Away”!

Here’s what they say: “VIPs flock to this River North nightclub, which is frequented by folks like Chance the Rapper as well as members of the Bears, Bulls and Cubs. Though it once sported an underground bunker theme, the subterranean space has been remodeled to reflect the tastes of its chic clientele. You’ll find DJs spinning electronic beats, tables sporting bottle service and—if you’re lucky—a famous face to take a selfie with.”

Check out the full article here.

USA Today names The Underground as one of  “Chicago’s Best Clubs”! Check out a small excerpt from the article: “The Underground nightclub takes its tenor of exclusivity seriously with an unmarked basement level entrance. Those who live for a see-and-be-seen atmosphere feel right at home here. Bottle service and celebrity sightings are de rigueur after accessing the cavernous bomb shelter entryway where DJs spin until the sun comes up and candlelit ammunition crates serve as tables to hold your top-shelf cocktails.”

For the full article, keep reading here!  

Marketers around the world are starting to harness the tremendous power of experiences as a way to market their brand. Nowadays, it’s harder than ever to get consumers’ attention. For that reason alone, it’s easy to see why brands are falling in love with experiential marketing. Between traditional marketing media and digital media, experiential marketing has a variety of mediums to compete with, but in terms of consumer satisfaction, engagement and brand loyalty, none compare to events. We’ve gathered the top essentials to keep in mind when creating experiential events.

Creating a FOMO Event

At its core, experiential marketing is all about immersing consumers in live experiences that are fun and unique. When your participants attend your event, they’ll share what they’re doing on their own social networks—Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or others—and do the event marketing for you in the process. Those who missed out on the event will generate a sense of FOMO, also know as Fear of Missing Out. This creates a stir in the digital world and those who didn’t attend will want to next time.

Tell a Story

Memorable moments, high-quality engagement, open conversation: are you seeing the fully painted picture? Experiential marketing is the perfect method to increase measurements of brand loyalty and consumer satisfaction. What makes experiential events so compelling and effective is precisely what can make that kind of advertisement ineffective—they’re living, breathing and immersive entities that tell your story in a way your event attendees won’t forget. When you create story for your audience, you leave a lasting memory rather than being lost in the competition.

Creating Memories

Whether it’s an Instagrammable brand activation or a participatory pop-up, your attendees are given the chance to be a part of your brand. When you experience something incredible, it will be ingrained in your memory for years to come thus creating lasting impact. A great experiential event is just like that—it’s something that people will remember and talk about days, weeks, even years after.

Experiential marketing is about building a relationship with your consumer to prove to them that you value them. It’s about storytelling, communicating, engaging honestly and openly, allowing your consumers to go out and find what they are looking for in your brand. Our event planners at the Underground are dedicated to creating memorable, experiential events that speak to a brand’s voice. Contact our event planners to start planning your unique event in Chicago!

As the horror genre continues through one of its most creatively robust periods, you might be asking yourself what you need to see and what you can skip. Let’s be honest, horror fans: A lot of the genre we love is garbage. But we patiently combed through the trash to find the hidden gems. We’ve put together a list of the perfect movies to watch this Halloween so you can get your Netflix and chills on!

The Witch (2015)

This 17th century period flick takes a new look at the devil genre by going back to the very origins of religion in America. When a small family moves out into the wilderness to pursue their conservative beliefs, strange happenings begin to occur, all tying back to the family’s mysterious black goat. What follows is 90 minutes of slow-burning terror as the core values of a small Puritan family are tested against the might of the devil himself.

Insidious (2010)

The first in a series of films, but the third chronologically, “Insidious” follows a young couple whose son enters a comatose state and becomes a vessel for ghosts who are trying to inhabit his body — a serious issue made even more serious when the film’s leads realize that it’s not just ghosts trying to take control.

As Above So Below (2014)

While on the hunt for Flamel’s Philosopher’s Stone — and the eternal life that supposedly comes with it — archaeologist Scarlett Marlowe (Perdita Weeks) enters the Parisian catacombs where she encounters some decidedly unscientific phenomena. Crazy cult magic and found footage all combine to make this film a spooky candidate for any horror viewing.

The Ritual (2017)

Fans of the outdoors be wary — this film follows four friends as they embark on a mountainous hike through Sweden where, in typical horror film fashion, they discover that they aren’t the only things hiking in the woods. Based on the 2011 novel of the same name, this horror flick takes a new look at the monster movie with some exciting tinges of Swedish mythology and cultish rituals.

Carrie (1976)

Stephen King has arguably never been bigger than he is in 2019 with films like Pet Sematary and It: Chapter Two, and a new book in the Fall. Use this Brian De Palma masterpiece to flash back to a time when King wasn’t yet a household name. Sissy Spacek gives one of her best performances as the title character, a bullied girl who discovers that she’s not your ordinary teenager. This is still one of the best King adaptations of all time.

Train to Busan (2016)

This South Korean zombie story is truly one of the best movies available to watch on Netflix, regardless of genre. It’s thrilling from start to finish, and the excellent, efficient character development means you feel like you have a stake in everyone involved. Imagine the self-contained maelstrom of Snowpiercer, but with raging undead.

The fashion industry in Chicago, although smaller than its coastal counterparts, is a thriving and innovative scene. The rising maker-entrepreneur movement has provided a home for emerging designers and apparel creatives to work on their wares. We sat down with one of those designers, Austin, of Saint Studios. Here’s what he had to say.

What prompted you to create Saint Studios?

I needed a way to express my thoughts into tangible objects.

What does Saint Studios mean to you?

What is second chances? What is trying to get better everyday? What is effort? What is growth? Those are the points that drive home to me when I think of the meaning.

Where do you draw inspiration for your designs from?

Real life. I get inspired easily, luckily. Beautiful things, beautiful people. My childhood, the environment I grew up in. It all shapes my imagination and my desire to create.

What do you hope to accomplish with Saint Studios that you haven’t seen from other brands?

Connection with consumer. Meditation groups, workshops. Different ways to build and connect with my peers who find synergy in the brand.

What has been the most difficult part of creating your own label?

Bringing an idea to life without diminishing the actual idea before it comes to form. Nobody wants to create a amusement park and settle for slides and swings.

How do you overcome these challenges?

By making growth and prosperity one of the main targets during this process. Read and study more and more until it all clicks. Listen to interviews of anyone in the field you’re pursuing, or audio in general of stories of other successful people. Be addicted to gaining new knowledge so you don’t make the same mistakes twice.

If you could collaborate with any other designer/brand, who would it be and why?

It would be my own Jordan. That shoe meant way too much to me growing up as a kid in Chicago. Hopefully I can speak that into existence.

Any advice for other designers hoping to start their own business?

Start. Be organic as possible to the things you believe in, and with the people around you. It’ll all start unfolding. But first things first, you have to start.

What are three hidden clothing gems in Chicago?

Not to say that people don’t know them because they do, but who deserves more spotlight. I like Brwn by Nikko, I like UGLY by Ugly Brandon, and Sheila The Designer has some fire.

In an effort to boost the local Chicago fashion scene, The Underground is excited to host a Fashion Show with Saint Studios Thursday, October 10th as a part of our For The Culture nights. Party starts at 10pm!

For adults, Halloween is a chance to spend a night as whoever you want to be, indulge in a few festive cocktails, and enjoy a bit of make-believe. As we’ve grown older, we’ve traded in trick-or-treat for costume parties & crazy themes. If you’re playing host this year: You’ll want to take note of a few Halloween party themes to take your spooky bash up a notch!

Hop In A Time Machine!

Get those flare jeans out of storage as they are back on the scene! This Halloween theme celebrates retro fashion, music and décor will bring a sense of nostalgia to your guests and be much appreciated. Need some ideas to make this theme come to life?

• Create a playlist with songs from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s or any decade of your choosing
• Seek out vintage candies like candy cigarettes or candy dots to create a sense of nostalgia
• Beverages like Coca Cola or Sprite in glassware is a great way to create a vintage feel
• Cocktails that are more revolved around Halloween include: Witches Brew, Monster Mash Margaritas, Maliboo, Spooky Mules or Bloody Mary Syringes
• Vintage décor and antique items are unique ways to transform your office or corporate space into the decade of your choosing

Murder Mystery!

A live action game of Clue anyone? Nothing says Halloween like a classic whodunit murder mystery party. Party people everywhere play live action games of Clue as it is a trending Halloween party theme! With groups big & small, murder mystery themes are an engaging way to keep your corporate team & co-workers having fun throughout the event! Here are some ideas to make this Halloween party really memorable:

• When decorating choose a murder mystery game with a clear set of rules to guide your party through the experience
• Decorate your office according to the circumstance of the crime
• Assign key players roles within the game & practice with them beforehand
• Provide costume accessories to get into character (Examples: Handheld magnifier, pocket watch, fedora hat, plastic cigar, 1920s feather headband, cigarette holder and a top-secret notebook)
• Cocktails ideas: Bee’s Knees, South Side, French 75, Whiskey Sour, Old Fashioned
• Proper use & placement of Crime scene décor is critical in making this theme work. (Examples: Caution tape, Clue Cards, an outline of a corpse in chalk, Mugshot backdrop, large shoe footprint decals, finger prints)

Ready, Set, Action!

Have a favorite movie you’ve alway dreamed of starring in? This is your time to go crazy. With so many great, iconic movies and tv shows out there, the options are endless! With timeless classics such as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Dazed and Confused or to current populars like Stranger Things or Euphoria, you can get as creative as you want.

• Setting the scene is key. Be sure to take note of all the props in the movie/show you’ve decided on. If Stranger Things is your choice, have the upside decor in one room and the alphabet lights in the living room!
• Turn up with volume! You’re in luck since most movies have soundtracks that come along with them to create the ultimate vibe.
• As for drinks, no need to get fancy creating new cocktails. Have a simple menu named after popular sayings from the film. If your choice is Dazed and Confused a great drink name would be “alright, alright, alright” (possibly infused with CBD as well!)

NYFW is officially over and we’re drooling over the hot Summer/Spring wear! Even though we’re approaching the colder months, it’s always important to stay ahead of the game for the warmer days to come. The top  trends we’ve spotlighted below are certainly not about blending in, but about standing up and standing out. From the fluorescent denim at Helmut Lang to the voluminous gowns at Marc Jacobs, the shades and silhouettes of Spring 2020 are uncompromising in their boldness.

Catch up on all the top trends that we saw on the runways!

Bright Colors!

From highlighter hues rendered in minimalist silhouettes to dressed up shades of safety orange, designers such as Helmut Lang and Marc Jacobs went bold. Whether it was monochromatic looks or color-blocking, spring/summer in 2020 is looking really bright!

Sharp Tailoring

The power suit has been around for decades and sure enough we saw the runways packed with ultra cool, urban takes on tailored suiting. Designers like Proenza Schouler took most of their inspiration from the women in their office and showcased boxy, edgy cuts in their fits. While Ryan Roche kept his suit looks minimalist and soft by pairing them with silk button-downs and touches of lace.

Turn Up the Volume

Fashion is obsessed with the generation of consumers that missed the ’80s — millennials and Gen Z — so why not show them all the sartorial thrills they didn’t get to experience first-hand? That is precisely what designers did this season when they offered up a plethora of big-shouldered suits, bold prints, high volume party dresses and textured jackets.

Playful Layering

We’re used to layering up in the winter, but New York designers want us to layer up for spring. Dresses over pants seem to be the season’s most directional silhouette, though some brands went a little crazy and piled it all on.

PartySlate names The Underground in “Luxury Fashion Shows That Wow with Unique Staging & Décor”! The article features our Ted Baker fashion show with reality TV star, James Kennedy!

Custom runway for the Ted Baker fashion show, featuring red carpet meet-and-greet / live performance by reality star James Kennedy of Bravo’s hit show ‘Vanderpump Rules’.
This event included a custom runway with logo decals, custom logos and graphics on our 40-ft LED, ‘red carpet’ step-and-repeat photo backdrop, and special A/V tech show.

See the full article here!

With 2020 just around the corner, we thought we’d spill some of this year’s greatest album releases that you may have missed. Here’s our unranked recap of the year’s most noteworthy drops.

Lana Del Rey: Norman Fucking Rockwell!

Our favorite femme fatale is back with a cocktail of the American dream, romance and danger in Norman Fucking Rockwell. By dropping a string of incredible singles throughout the year, the album comes together at a climactic point with lush melodies that transcends the listener to euphoria. Lana paints a picture of a strong woman with vulnerabilities that everyone can relate to such as love, sadness and lost dreams.

Press play on Lana’s ballad cover of Sublime’s “Doin’ Time” which plays tribute to the late Brad Nowell who passed just before the original song was released.

Young Thug: So Much Fun

Following Young Thug’s impressive mixtape releases, being featured on Camilla Cabello’s single ‘Havana’, and his help on writing Donald Glover’s ‘This Is America’, the rapper finally makes his debut with So Much Fun. Pushing new ground, the rapper keeps his sound fresh with collabs featuring his prodigy Lil Baby, Travis Scott, 21 Savage and more. In the midst of his superstar hour, Young Thus announced a joint North America tour with Machine Gun Kelly beginning late September.

Fire up the “Mannequin Challenge” track featuring Juice WRLD that celebrates the highs of rapper’s lifestyle.

Vampire Weekend: Father of the Bride

Six years since their last album release, Vampire Weekend strikes back hot with Father of the Bride. With the departure of founding member Rostam Batmanglij a few years ago, Father of the Bride is a new beginning for the band who take a bold step forward with an 18 track album. Exploring unfamiliar sounds, the group does pay homage to youthful exuberance but still keeps a level of maturity that foster more mellow, quarter-life crisis-like melodies.

Take a listen to “Bambina” which will bring back a wave of memories of underage drinking in college dorms and missing your exams.

Anderson .Paak: Ventura

Filled with eccentric R&B and future-funk Ventura is an ode to Anderson .Paak’s nostalgic soul. After his last underwhelming album, Oxnard, his newest drop is a polished and seamless package of warm vibes. Working closely with Dr. Dre, Anderson creates a whirlwind of high-velocity raps groovy percussion beats.

Kick it to his song “King James” which a is nickname of Lebron James and celebrates the basketball player’s community outreach.

Taylor Swift: Lover

After a couple years of downtime in the pop community, Taylor Swift breaks the silence with her newest flame Lover. The album is a brilliant collection of melancholy, bubbly and emotional mixing pot of melodies that are sure to bring you a wave of nostalgia. With appearances by the Dixie Chicks and Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco, Taylor Swift rises above her earlier years and offers a new level of maturity.

Be sure to check out “The Man” where Swift dives in on the topic of gender roles where is she questions how her role as a man would come into play in current times.