January 22 - February 5, 2009

This Weekend's Highlights
Hydrate has an exciting weekend on tap as local DJ Brett Locascio spins his high-energy blend on Friday, January 23, followed by the one and only Ralphi Rosario on Saturday, January24. Away from Boystown, the city's super clubs will be busy hosting international superstar DJs: Qbert & Lego will be @ Zentra on Friday, January 23 while the next night finds Roger Sanchez @ Crobar and Sandy Rivera @ Smart Bar. Finishing the weekend back up in the neighborhood, Berlin hosts its monthly "Prince Night" on Sunday, January 25 with Cocktail continuing its debut of "Super Saver Sundays" w/ $1 drinks and DJ Pete Augusta. Also be sure to check out Cocktail's recently launched website: www.CocktailBarChicago.com .

January's Gone Already
The last weekend of the first month of the new year finds the folks at Circuit Night Club busy, busy, busy. The "Urbano: Hip-Hop For All" party, presented by Clubhouse Productions, takes place on Friday, January 30 and features DJs Corona & Kenae along with special guest DJ Boxx. The next night on Saturday, January 31 the monthly Nitro theme party returns with "Leather Masquerade." DJ Matthew Harvat is in the booth, beefed up dancers are on the boxes, Sal-E will be up on stage, and Miss Foozie as always plays host. Elsewhere this weekend, DJs Peter Bailey & Richie Santana bring their hot tribal vibe to Crobar on Friday, January 30, while Julius The Mad Thinker serves up house beats properly and soulfully @ Smart Bar on Thursday, January 29. The weekend concludes with "Madonna-rama" at Berlin on Sunday, February 1.

House Inspection
The home for house music in Boystown is without a doubt Cocktail. Featuring some of the city's best go-go boys, they shake it 5 night a week (T, Th, Fr, Sa, Su). The musical magic is provided by DJs Michael Serafini (Tuesdays), Timmy Loop (Thursdays), Freddie Bain (Friday, January 23), Dealer (Friday, January 29), DJ Dhanna (Saturday, January 24), and Miss Micheala (Saturday, January 31). Outside of Boystown, house music finds a friendly home in Andersonville during "Attic-tion Saturdays" @ Mary's Attic w/ DJ Plez; downtown @ Lumen's "Industry Tuesdays" (DJ Mark Grant on January 20); and on the South Side on Fridays @ Jeffrey's Pub w/ DJ Dana Powell. Of course, "Boom Boom Room" @ Green Dolphin Street w/ residents DJs Michael Serafini, Diz, JustJoey & Uncle Milty continues to be the crown jewel of house nights in the city with a slew of hosts that includes JoJo, Chi Town Ronnie, and Byrd Bardot. DJsGene Farris, Frique, and Lego join the festivities as guests on January 26.

The Epicenter
Unfortunately, the Roscoe's dance floor area is still closed, however, the rest of this Boystown institution is still functioning and is as popular and crowded as ever. Featured events include "You're The Star Karaoke" w/ Honey West takes place @ 10pm on Mondays, "Drag Race 2009" w/ Frida Lay @ 11pm on Tuesdays, and "Male Call" w/ Miss Foozie on @ 5pm on Sundays. The other long-time Boystown institution across the street from Roscoe's, the video bar Sidetrack, continues to expand and be a magnet to locals as well as out-of-town visitors. Their signature frozen slushie drinks have seemingly gotten stronger, making it that much mire fun to hang out for "Showtunes" on Mondays, "Comedy" clips on Thursdays, and "Energy Videos" on Fridays and Saturdays.

The two upstarts in the middle of Boystown continue to expand the nightlife options, bringing fresh ideas and fresh talent (i.e. cute boys) to the area on a nightly basis. Scarlet Bar's signature "First Ward Ball" party on Sundays w/ DJ Luis M has been joined on their calendar by "Frat House Thursdays" (featuring 40 oz. bottles of Colt 45) and the Saturday night party that now has Psycho-Bitch as the weekly resident DJ. Across the street @ Minibar, the cute and trendy crowd groove to a weekly line-up of events that includes "Power Hour Wednesdays" (DJ Jon Roberts), "Mystique Thursdays" (DJ Phil Da Beatz) and the ultra-fun "Theme Party Sundays" (DJ Jesse Seely).

Dancing Queens
On the late night after-hours front, Berlin is still quite popular with a fun line-up of parties that includes "Disco Obsession" on Wednesday, January 28, "Cosmix Fridays" w/ DJ Greg Haus, "Twisted Saturdays" w/ DJs Chester & Larissa, and "Stardust Thursdays" presented by Scott Cramer. Hi-energy beats can be had nightly during after-hours with the likes of DJs LuLu and Mixmaster F @ Charlie's on the weekend as well as on weeknights. Over at @ Hydrate there's DJ Jeanette on Sundays, DJ Laura B on Mondays, and DJ Greg Drescher on Thursdays. Up on the North Side DJ Oskar rocks Jackhammer on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

If you can't stay up too late, then dance earlier in the night at city's newest nightclub, Wild Pug in the Uptown neighborhood. There dancing as well at Big Chicks in the Salon every Friday anmd Saturday night and on Thursday, February 5, for the "Formerly Known As " progressive dance party "for transmen and women and their chasers, queers and allies., movers and shakers." There's no cover and the event is 9pm-2am. Down in Boystown Spin's has DJ Chris Eterno on Wednesdays and Fridays along with DJ Ron G on Thursdays.

Other Boystown Faves
On the northern end of Boystown, the sports bar North End hosts "Pulse," TPAN's poz-friendly bar night every Thursday. Next door neighbor Bobby Loves, a neighborhood drinkers' paradise, has Karaoke on Fridays. Kit Kat Lounge hosts a "Desperate Housewives" viewing party every Sunday while the men at Cell Block, Little Jim's and Bucks Saloon enjoy eyeing each other. Cornelia's and 3160 feature live cabaret entertainment while L.B.C. fills up with a pansexual mix of hip and cool 20-somethings.

Latino Flair
Weekly Latin pursuits at Circuit include "La Noche Loca" on Thursdays, featuring Miss Ketty's Latina Review, and "Noche Latina" with Veronica Zaid on Sundays. Other Latin hangouts includes Sundays @ Jackhammer, Tuesdays @ Hydrate, and on the weekend @ Club Chesterfield.

The Women!
After a busy first half of the month with several special events focused on lesbians, the ladies can rely on regularly scheduled pursuits to keep them entertained for the rest of January. On a nightly basis the fairer sex congregates at Closet in Boystown (before the boys join in for after-hours fun). Up north, Andersonville is home to several lesbian gathering places, including T's, Star Gaze, and Joi De Vine. Thursday nights @ Mary's Attic has the "Lipstick Club" w/ DJs Dragonfire & KT.

Take It Off
In Andersonville, @mosphere hosts strippers on "Hot Mess Thursdays" w/ DJ Chris Eterno, and on Fridays and Saturdays with DJs Eric Hall and Timmy Loop, respectively. Also in Andersonville, the bathhouse Man'sCountry has nude strippers leaving nothing to the imagination every Friday and Saturday night @ midnight. Stefan, Manuel and AJ.are on tap for Saturday, January 24; Geno, Zeno and London set for Friday, January 30; and Ricky Sinz headlining on Saturday, January 31. The Boystown bathhouse option, Steamworks, features a "Lights Out" party every Thursday night, an after-hours setting w/ DJ Dick on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, and DJ Jim B on Sunday afternoons. The "Bears, Bath & Beyond" play party will be held on Saturday, January 24 (1pm-6pm) and John Murges (Milwaukee) will be the guest DJ late night on Saturday, January 30.

Out in the suburbs, the Men of Sarabia appear regularly @ Club Krave in Blue Island on Fridays while Hideaway in Forest Park hosts the Chicago Beef dancers every Thursday and Saturday. Upping the suburban stripper ante, Hunters presents "Hunters Hunks" with Cody D, Fabion, Alex, and Paris on Thursday, January 29.

Beyond Halsted
Up in Andersonville, you'll find the Chicago Eagle leather bar as well as neighborhood outpost SoFo south of Foster Avenue, while north of this divider street sits the martini bar Marty's and the always fun Mary's Attic w/ Rogue DJ for "Feel Good Fridays" and Karaoke on Sundays and Wednesdays. Further north, the fetish community finds a home at Touché with "Hardcore Leather Cruisin' Night" on Tuesdays and the "Mr. Chicago Leather" contest the weekend of January 30.

The Uptown/Edgewater neighborhood is home to three bars with devoted clientele: Granville Anvil (which counts Loyola students as patrons); Big Chicks (and its popular comped Buffet on Sundays) and the sport bar Crew (with its "Karaoke Night" on Tuesdays). Scot's is a friendly gathering spot in the Ravenswood neighborhood while Manhandler sits as a gay oasis in the heart of Lincoln Park. Downtown, Second Story Bar is the only outpost left that serves office workers and shoppers alike while Davenport's piano bar entertains over in Wicker Park..

For an urban music vibe that includes hip-hop as well as house music, the Rails Marketing Group gets busy every Friday night @ The Prop House. Every Sunday night, the same musical blend gets served up during DJ Stoney's "Ear-Rotic" @ Mix Niteclub (2843 N. Halsted).

Outside the Windy City limits, Hunters Nightclub in Elk Grove Village features DJ Ron G on Wednesdays for the "MWM" party and DJ Laura B on Saturday night for "Just Dance." In Lake Station, Indiana, Encompass hosts "Karaoke" on Tuesdays and Fridays and the "Rush St. Revue Show" on Sundays.