Happy birthday, Marilyn Manson! We bet you have a great 2017 with the whole new administration based on fear and stuff. That’s gotta be good for your spooky business!
Also, tell all your friends to subscribe to the Chicago mailing list. We give away stuff.
We write stuff. Here’s some of that stuff from the last week that may be applicable to your preferences!
- Welcome to January. Have Your Best January.
- This is what’s keeping us sane.
- What in the fuck is a Bullet Journal?
- The Field Museum’s free today for Illinois residents! Hell yeah.
- Berlin Nightclub throwing a David Bowie themed blowout in celebration of our sweet man’s 70th birthday. Miss you, Dave.
- Experimental music heads Flux Bikes are joined by Will Faber for a headlining set at the Hideout, with guests Matchess and BANAL ANML.
- One last chance to see The King of Comedy on the big screen at the Music Box before they wrap up their Scorsese retrospective.
- The Hawks play the Buffalo Sabres at the United Center tonight, for all you hockey fans.
- Dead Feathers, Calliope, and Diagonal play the Empty Bottle.
- Chicago Sketch Fest is a big mess of hour long sketch comedy shows that range from pretty well done to absolutely horrifying and it’s hard to tell what’s good in advance but you sure can go check out some shows if you’re willing to take the risk!
- Micawber, Bloodleter, Withering Souls, and Tenebrism are all playing the Beat Kitchen, and if you can’t tell from the band names, this is a metal show.
- Very solid standup showcase Congrats on Your Success returns to Uncharted Books for another month of BYOB jokes and fun vibes.
- See Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel hold it down during a screening of the hugely excellent The Producers at the Logan Theatre.
- Nate Bargatze is real good at stand up comedy and appears at Zanies in Old Town tonight.
- The Hungry Brain’s weekly feelings-focused chat/variety show The Therapy Sessions has guests like Quinn Tsan, Matt Rowan, and Jane Beachy, speaking with host Seth Vanek about the topic of failure.
- Two newly-formed trios of scene vets come together to create some wild experimental jams at Elastic Arts tonight, catch Lamont/Tramposh/Rowe and Rempis/Maunu/Sudderberg.
- Comedian Lainie Lenertz hosts Good Girl/Bad Year, a new standup at @North celebrating loss, mistakes, and other fun topics!
- Celebration of all things rock and roll, local and beyond, Ian’s Party 2017 starts tonight, with bands like Fake Limbs, Absolutely Not, Ono, and A Giant Dog playing the Double Door.
- While at Subterranean, folks like Paper Mice, Swimsuit Addition, and Bleach Party play as a part of Ian’s Party.
- And folks like Canadian Rifle, Toys That Kill, and a band called Fuck You, Idiot, play Ian’s Party at Chop Shop.
- And then also Ian’s Party is presenting a comedy thing at The Flat Iron with standup comedy from nice talent like Stephanie Hasz, Nicholas Rouley, Nicky Martin, and more.
- Interview show The Interview Show features folks like Justin Kaufmann, Rodrick Dixon, and more chatting with host Mark Bazer.
- Bionic Caveman, Lil Tits, Plastic Crimewave Syndicate, and Los Black Dogs bring the nasty rock’n’roll to your Friday night at the Empty Bottle.
- Psych rockers San Andreas Fault and Dark Fog split a bill at the Hideout for the late show.
- See quality comedian Nate Bargatze at the Zanies tonight before hoofs it out to the ‘burbs for the rest of the weekend.
- Jantsen, Levitation Jones, Treepoh, and Elevated play an electro/EDM show at the Beat Kitchen because why the heck not.
- The Blackhawks are playing the Carolina Hurricanes tonight at the United Center. Big weekend for hockey. Lotta games.
- Radiant Devices, Lutheran, and M Sage play the Burlington tonight!
- Catch a midnight screening of South Korean zombie flick Train To Busan at the Music Box!
- VHS, a very good hybrid live standup comedy show and found footage film festival is back at @North!
- More Chicago Sketchfest at Stage 773, you’re on your own here mostly! Wish I could help more with recommendations!
- GRRRL Power Dance Party at the Beauty Bar, dance to lady jams all night long!
- Do some daytime stuff:
- The Empty Bottle’s got a nice afternoon art opening called Music Friendly Art (MFA) opening: Steven Husby’s “Glide Reflection.”
- Comedy party/open mic/brunch gathering Late Late Breakfast returns to the Hideout for another afternoon of fun.
- Drive-in exploitation classic Freaks is at the Music Box for a fun pre-noon screening. Kick your weekend off in a real weird way!
- Like being cold and running? Ok weirdo, here’s the Chicago Polar Dash.
- The 2nd Annual illumination of the 606, A Walk with Light, happens today starting at 4. Neat!
- Four Paws, a new animal shelter in Lombard, opens today and they’re throwing a big party to celebrate!
- Head to the Sideshow Gallery on Western for a damn Crystal Pop-up and celebration of all things cleansing and new-agey.
- Then, night stuff:
- Saturday of Ian’s Party means a buttload of stacked rock shows at gigs around Wicker Park. Chop Shop hosts Negative Scanner, The Brokedowns, Bust! & more.
- Double Door’s got The Cell Phones, Lucy Stoole & The Ladies of Fabitat, and more for their Ian’s Party thing.
- While Subterranean features Ian’s Party sets from Yeesh, SheWhoCorrupts, Den, and a bunch more!
- Ian’s Party Comedy has sets from Sammy Arechar, Steven King, Sarah Sherman, Kristen Toomey, and many more at Flat Iron! Good stuff.
- Shame comedy storytelling show We Still Like You happens after the Ian’s Party standup show at Flat Iron! What a night.
- More Sketchfest tonight.¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- Twista’s at Tailgaters Sports Bar in Rolingbrook, probably worth a trip out there!
- The Elbo Room pays tribute to George Michael with a special music video dance party.
- Pilsen art space AMFM throws its Grand Opening party.
- Blizzard Babies, Udusic, Peach Fuzz, and Goody Gel play a hard rocking, all local show that is very much worth your time.
- The Vulgar Boatmen and the Obleeks play Schubas tonight.
- Radio Free Honduras and The New Constellations play the Hideout this evening.
- Well loved late-night DJ night The Hideout Dance Party returns!
- Complex Theory, Vex The MC, Freaks for Geeks, and Walter J. Liveharder feat. Jed Sed all play the Beat Kitchen.
- Ezra Furman rules and is playing a special solo show at Space up in Evanston. Real good shit!
- Ian’s Party closing ceremonies at Double Door has bands like Melkbelly, Rad Payoff, and Meat Wave. Good stuff here!
- Liquid Gardens, Bunny, Lovejoy, and Not Lovely play an all local showcase of rock music at the Empty Bottle.
- Winterfest at Beat Kitchen is a family friendly daytime music fest with sets from Music For New People, Ice Cream Vendors, and The Young Stracke All-Stars. Coooooool.
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail screens at the Logan Theatre.
- I said before it’s a big weekend for hockey here and I wasn’t lying. Hawks play the Nashville Predators at the United Center tonight.
- Guitarist Jesse Langen plays an extended set of new music at Constellation.
- Hoo Ha Comedy, an all-lady comedy showcase at Schubas is back with another stacked as heck lineup.
- More sketch comedy fest at Chicago Sketch Fest.
- Head to the Peanut Gallery for The Internet Is A Walk In Closet, an immersive art show from Emily Kempf.
- Beauty Bar’s got a Jimmy Eat World tribute for their weekly Emo v. Pop Punk night.
- Crossing Borders Music presents a celebration of music from Syria and Egypt at the Chicago Cultural Center.
- The Chicago Athletic Association Hotel’s storytelling series kicks off their 2017 session with a discussion with Petra Bachmaier of Luftwerk.
