Where The Bois Are
The center of Boystown nightlife is at the corner Halsted and Roscoe with its variety of party options. The video bar SIDETRACK is well known for their potent slushy drinks as well as the popular "Showtunes" night on Mondays and "Comedy" night on Thursdays. Next door is COCKTAIL with its house music groove (DJs Michael Serafini on Tuesdays, Freddie Bain on Fridays, and Pete Augusta on Sundays) and the oh-so hot Spank Go-Go Boys. Staying on the east side of the street, MINIBAR caters to the stylish and trendy with DJs Oskar and Chris Eterno kicking funky club beats on Fridays and Sundays, respectively.

The western side of Halsted is anchored by ROSCOE'S with its video bar upfront and dance floor in the back. Popular nights include "Drag Race 2008" w/ Frida Lay on Tuesdays and "Male Call" w/ Miss Foozie on Sundays. In the next block south the relatively new SCARLET is gaining in popularity with DJs such as Carla Starla and AJ Dubbz on the weekends.

Fresh Towels?
STEAMWORKS, the full-service all-male club, gym, and sauna, features a "Lights Out" party every Thursday, the "Boys With Balls" jock play party on Saturday, January 19. The all-nude stripper shows at MAN'S COUNTRY features the men of Sarabia, including Martin, Ricky Sinz, Don Juan and Sean Taylor on Friday, January 19 and Manuel, Luciano on Saturday, January 26.

Late Night Dancing
The highlight of the late night dancing calendar is DJ Joe Gauthreaux headlining the "Asian Invasion" Nitro party @ CIRCUIT on Saturday, January 26. The event will be hosted by Miss Foozie, include a performance by Cyon Flare, and of course be gorgeously decorated by Visuwil.

BERLIN's popularity is still going strong after all these years with a line-up that includes "Elevated" on Thursdays (DJ Heather Doble), "Cosmix" on Fridays (DJ Greg Haus), and monthly events such as "Prince Night" on Sunday, January 27 and "Disco Obsession" on Wednesday, January 30. JACKHAMMER's late night dancing groove is programmed by DJ Oskar on Wednesday and Thursday nights and for the monthly "Underwear Party" on Saturday, January 19.

HYDRATE's Sunday night resident DJ Jeanette will be pulling prime time duty on Friday, January 18 while long-time Chicago favorite DJ Mark Pichiotti takes over the booth on Friday, January 25. Once the guys in cowboy hats and boots go home after an early night of 2-stepping and line dancing @ CHARLIE'S, DJ Lulu's wicked hi-NRG beats heat up the dance floor while the nitrogen blast cools off the hot bois.

"Boom Boom Room" @ GREEN DOLPHIN STREET continues its legendary Monday night house music parties featuring resident DJs Michael Serafini, Diz, JustJoey, and Uncle Milty. The special MLK holiday event features Stacy Kidd on January 21.

Bears In The Woods
When the bears (and cubs and otters and their admirers) come together, it's truly a party. The "Bear-y Shower Contest" happens @ SPIN on Friday, January 18 followed the next night by "Bear Night" @ THE EAGLE on January 19. The next weekend STEAMWORKS hosts the "Bears, Bath & Beyond" play party with DJ Dexter Jacques on January 26, 1pm-6pm.

Drinks, Merriment & Music
When the music is just right, cocktails always seem tastier and conversation that much more interesting. That's especially the case in Andersonville at MARY'S ATTIC on Fridays (DJ Shoshona) and Saturdays (DJ Plez) and at @MOSPHERE on Saturdays (DJ Timmy Loop). Down in Lakeview, cheap $1 drinks and DJ Chris Eterno are a perfect combination on Wednesdays @ COCKTAIL while KIT KAT LOUNGE & SUPPER CLUB pairs lip-synching drag divas with CREW with its "Man The Mic Karaoke" on Tuesdays w/ host Adam LeBlanc.

On the cabaret music front, GENTRY ON STATE has been delighting downtown patrons for years while other crowded outposts include DAVENPORT'S in Wicker Park, 3160 in Lakeview and CORNELIA'S in the heart of Boystown.

Suburbanites north do their dancing and drinking at HUNTERS with DJs Laura B on the weekends and Ron G for Wednesday night's "MWM." Folks living in the southern suburbs find happiness at THE EDGE BAR with DJs Rockin' RC and Pervy on Fridays and Saturdays, respectively.

Target Markets
The monthly 'Urbano" gathering takes place on Friday, January 25 @ CIRCUIT with its sexy crowd and even sexier go-go dancers. The hip-hop crowd will bump and grind their carnal intentions at "Ear-Rotic" with DJ Stoney @ SPIN on Saturdays, January 19 & 26. DJs Anton & Kenae pump out the urban blend for "Xotik" on Saturdays @ TOYKO 21 and for "Penthouse" on Sundays @ CLUB 720. The Rails continue their long-running Friday night party at the PROP HOUSE with hip-hop in one room and house music in the other.

Latin heat gets sparked throughout the weekend on the southside at CHESTERFIELD CLUB, where pick-up lines are uttered in English and Spanish. This bi-lingual cruising also takes place on the northside at CIRCUIT NIGHTCLUB (every Thursday and Sunday and at the monthly "AMIGO" party on Saturday, January 19) as well as at JACKHAMMER (on Sundays). And for those out in the southwest suburbs, a new Latino night called "Boom Boom Room" has popped up on weekends at La Quinta de los Reyes, 6739 W. Ogden Ave. in Berwyn.

Leather & Probably No Lace
The center of the fetish community in Chicago is TOUCHÉ, which hosts a "Hardcore Leather Night" on Tuesdays, "Handballer Night" on Thursdays, and the monthly "Onyx Club Night" on Friday, January 19. The leathermen also hang out at CELL BLOCK in Boystown and at the CHICAGO EAGLE, which has a dress code for its Club Room on Fridays, Saturdays, and Tuesdays. Many in the leather community will be heading to Iowa the weekend of February 8-10 for the "CornHOLED" party during Iowa Leather Weekend in Des Moines.

Tried & True
Venues become institutions when they deliver the goods for a prolonged period of time. That's exactly what Boystown bars BUCK'S (open until 2am) and LITTLE JIM'S (open until the wee hours of the morning) have been doing for years. Further north on North Halsted Street, pool and dart players have given THE NORTH END institutional status while professional drinkers have certified such status upon BOBBY LOVES.

Outside of Boystown, gay male nightlife institutions include the GRANVILLE ANVIL on the far northside, BIG CHICKS in Uptown, SCOT'S in the Ravenswood neighborhood, MANHANDLER in Lincoln Park, and JEFFREY PUB on the southside. As for lesbians, their legendary hangouts include CLOSET in Lakeview and STAR GAZE in Andersonville.