A note to hepcat: yes, I was at the Minneapolis Elevation show, and Sula dragged me to a few U2 gatherings, so maybe that's where I know your name from. I haven't been around the forums much lately either (since the madness). I've mostly been lurking to get info on the new tour! Oh, and if you haven't been in touch with Sula lately, you may not know, but she is currently in Africa with the Peace Corps!
Apologies to everyone else for the digression.
OK, I have spent a LONG morning searching for cheap lodging. I am still not coming up with cheap hotels. Well, I am finding cheaper hotels in the suburbs, but by the time you factor in having to drive into the city and park, they're not saving much money.
However, I finally had the brilliant idea to look up the local hostels. For all you people not afraid to sleep in bunk beds in a room with strangers, and to use the bathroom down the hall, this is by far your cheapest option.
The largest and newest hostel in Chicago, and the only HI hostel, is the HI-Chicago. Web site is
www.hichicago.org. It's about $30/night. It looks clean, new, and pleasant. They also happily take group reservations. That's right, groups! (I am imagining a room full of PLEBANs...) Hostels do sometimes have private rooms, but I haven't figured out if they do or not. (I have to tell you, for thirty bucks a night, if I could be in a room with other Interferencers, maybe I could stand to be separated from my husband for a couple of nights!) Check out the website, there's lots of info.
There is also the Chicago International Hostel, and the Arlington House Hostel. Both of these received mixed reviews on tripadvisor.com, for what it's worth. These are a bit farther away; the Chicago International is near Loyola, and the Arlington seems to be in a very nice neighborhood.
I also looked at Fat Johnny's Last Resort Home Hostel, but it's not really my kind of place. (As Dave Barry would say, I am NOT making this up!)
I have a long list of hotels I am still sorting through, and will let you know what I find out.
-kyra
I am not very big on the patience thing, so I will probably look cranky while waiting in line 
