Local rock station Q101 may be just a memory, but the amazing music that poured out of the city in the ’90s still sounds great. Here’s 5 kickass albums by Chicago bands from the 1990s. Enjoy!

The rise and fall (and rise again) of Chicago’s very own Smashing Pumpkins. An epic love story by Gene Wagendorf.

Whatever your reason for loving this local music venue, the Metro is a great place to get introduced to Chicago’s music scene.

As much fun as it is to brag about knowing bands before your friends, the Tomorrow Never Knows festival also presents a great opportunity to expand your musical horizons across a few genres and borders. Check out our 2011 festival picks here.