Special Events
Chicago Opera Vanguard presents Reagan's Children: An Opera-Oratorio by Eric Reda on Monday, February 18 @ 7:30pm. The event takes place at Martyr'a Pub (3855 N Lincoln Ave) with doors open at 6pm for a pre-opera ambient set by DJ Chris Widman. $20 General Admission / $10 Students.

Check out the staff of Roscoe's as they put on a show "Boyz II Women - The New Generation" to raise money for Direct Aid. Sponsored by Stoli the fun starts @ 9pm on Monday, February 18.

Homo Central
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.

Bubble Baths Not Available
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, February 16, and the "Bears Bath & Beyond" play party on Saturday, February 23. The all-nude stripper shows at Man's Country features the men of Sarabia, including Alexander, Manuel, Luciano and Jimmy D on Friday, February 15 and Kurtis, Martin, Geo and Blake on Saturday, February 23.

Late Night Dancing
The highlight of the late night dancing calendar is superstar DJ Peter Rauhofer headlining the "Ice Ball" Nitro party @ Circuit on Saturday, February 23. 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, February 25 and "Disco Obsession" on Wednesday, February 27. Jackhammer's late night dancing groove is programmed by DJ Oskar on Wednesday and Thursday nights and for the monthly "Underwear Party" on Saturday, February 16.

Hydrate's boasts a lively weeknight schedule with DJ Jeanette on Sundays, DJ Laura B on Mondays and Wednesdays, and DJ Greg Drescher on Thursdays. DJ Manny Lehman will be on hand Friday, February 15. Once the guys in cowboy hats and boots go home after an early night of 2-stepping and line dancing @ Charlie's on weekends, 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 President's Day event features Kevin Yost on February 21.

Strip Tease
When the bears (and cubs and otters and their admirers) come together, it's truly a party. The "Bear-y Shower Contest" takes place @ Spin on Friday, February 15 with DJ Chris Eterno supplying the beats. Across the street @ Lucky Horseshoe, strippers perform seven days a week strutting their stuff on the bars. In Andersonville, strippers are aplenty at @mosphere, especially on Friday and Saturday nights with DJs Eric Hall and Timmy Loop, respectively.

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 Shoshonna) and Saturdays (DJ Plez). Down in Lakeview, cheap $1 drinks and DJ Chris Eterno are a perfect combination on Wednesdays @ Spin while Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club pairs lip-synching drag divas with _-price martinis on Sundays and Tuesdays and free wine on Thursdays. You can add sports and karaoke to the mix at 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 newly named Club Krave with DJs Rockin' RC and Pervy on Fridays and Saturdays, respectively.

Diversity Training
When it comes to the hip-hop crowd, they usually end up at the Prop House on Fridays where DJ Ransom reigns supreme. DJs Anton & Kenae pump out the urban blend for "Xotik" on Saturdays @ Tokyo 21 and for "Penthouse" on Sundays @ Club 720. In Boystown, the hip-hop groove is featured at "Ear-Rotic" with DJ Stoney @ Spin on successive Saturdays, February 16 & 23.

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, February 16) 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).

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, February 15. 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.

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.