February 5 - 19, 2009

Knockin' On The Door
This weekend it's The Flesh Hungry Dog Show's "The Love Show" on Friday, February 6, @ Jackhammer featuring synth-rock, 80s inspired The Nice Device (from Detroit), along with The Pussy Pirates, and Retardos De La Mour. Also in the mix: host Gary Airedale, DJ Sky, and "Bag of Fun" prize giveaways. $8 at the door or online at www.fleshhungrydog.com. Two other significant events this weekend (both on Saturday, February 7) include DJ David Knapp throwing down crazy club beats at Hydrate and Kaskade delighting house-heads @ Smart Bar.

Special Mid-Week Happenings
Circuit is again hosting the wildly fun and popular "Club Papi" on Thursday, February 12. Kat DeLuna ("Whine Up") will be performing, DJ Carlitos (SF) is flying in to spin, and there will be hot sexy dancers to add visual appeal. A limited number of VIP tickets are available and include a Meet & Greet w/ DeLuna, a free drink, and complimentary Club Papi CD.

That same Thursday night (7-10pm) Nerds at Heart presents its "Second Annual Love Fest" @ Holiday Club (4000 N. Sheridan Rd). The $20 advance/$25 door admission includes one drink, entertainment, and a chance to win theatre tickets. Registration: www.nerdsatheart.com or call 312.265.6085.

Next Weekend's Highlights
Start the weekend off right with superstar DJ Manny Lehman @ Hydrate on Friday, February 13. The "Fabulous Miss Foozie Variety Show" takes place at Circuit on Saturday, February 14. Presenting a "Valentine's Day Show," special guests include Paula SinClaire & Angelique Munro, w/ DJ Lulu free Pie Hole Pizza. The show starts @ 10:30pm. Later that night, the "UBU" hip-hop party takes over Circuit with its "Valentine's Party" and DJ Anton.

House-quake
The home for house music in Boystown is Cocktail, featuring its newly unveiled "Super Saver Sundays" with $1 well-drinks, Pate tending bar early (1pm-8pm) and DJ Pete Augusta spinning late (9pm-2am). In addition to the sexy go-go boys 5 nights a week, the DJ line-up includes Michael Serafini (Tuesdays), Timmy Loop (Thursdays), Freddie Bain (Friday, February 6), DJ Dhanna (Saturday, February 7), Dealer (Friday, February 13), and Tracy Tobey (Saturday, February 14).

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" w/ resident DJ JustJoey; and on the South Side on Fridays @ Jeffrey's Pub w/ DJ Dana Powell. "Boom Boom Room" @ Green Dolphin Street w/ resident 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. Luis M & Chris Eterno join the festivities as guest DJs on February 9.

Dance Your Pants Off
When it comes to dancing early in the night, groovy beats are always being produced @ Spin: w/ DJ Ron G on Thursdays for "Fierce Drag Cabaret" hosted by Lady Vera Parker; and w/ DJ Chris Eterno on Wednesdays for "WTF $1 Drink Night" and "Fridance" on Fridays. In Uptown the Wild Pug has DJ Steve Henderson electrifying the dance floor on Friday nights, DJ Oskar for "Dorian Gray Night" on Saturdays, and VJ Steve Whitney for the Sunday afternoon "Tea Dance" (3pm-9pm)

For after-hours dancing, Hydrate has "DJ Jeanette's Sunday Dance Party," DJ Laura B on Mondays for $1 drink night, the "girls" of "Hy-Drag" on Wednesdays, and lots of strippers and DJ Greg Drescher on Thursdays. The always popular Berlin has "Cosmix Fridays" w/ DJ Greg Haus, "Twisted" w/ DJs Chester & Larissa on Saturdays, and "Stardust" on Thursdays. Hi-energy beats can be had during after-hours with the likes of DJs LuLu and Mixmaster F @ Charlie's on the weekend as well as on weeknights while up on the North Side DJ Oskar rocks Jackhammer on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Smack In The Middle
The ever-growing video bar Sidetrack features signature potent frozen slushie drinks and a weekly line-up that includes "Showtunes" on Monday nights and early evening Sundays, "Comedy" clips on Thursdays, "Retro: 60s - 80s" on Sunday nights, and "Energy Videos" on Fridays and Saturdays. Across the street, Roscoe's featured weekly events include "You're The Star Karaoke" w/ Honey West @ 10pm on Mondays, "Drag Race 2009" w/ Frida Lay @ 11pm on Tuesdays, and "Male Call" w/ Miss Foozie on @ 5pm on Sundays.

Scarlet Bar's signature "First Ward Ball" party on Sundays has been joined on their calendar by "Frat House Thursdays" (featuring 40 oz. bottles of Colt 45) and resident DJ Psycho-Bitch on Saturday nights. 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 & Shawn Edwards) and the ultra-fun "Theme Party Sundays" (DJ Jesse Seely).

Just to the north a block or two sits two popular spots: Bucks Saloon and the "late night closing, early morning opening Little Jim's. Cornelia's features cabaret performances and L.B.C. fills up with a pansexual mix of hip and cool 20-somethings.

The Fairer Sex
Circuit hosts two ladies events the next two weekends. First up, it's the monthly "Girl Bar" on Saturday, February 7. Then "Lipstick & Lace" has its "Valentine's Day Party" on Friday, February 13 with music provided by DJ Lil John (spinning a mix of house, hip-hop, steppers classics, and reggae). On a nightly and weekly basis the fairer sex congregates at Closet in Boystown (before the boys join in for after-hours fun) and at several places in Andersonville, including T's and Joi De Vine. Star Gaze has "Salsa Night" and "Urban 80s & 90s" on alternating Fridays and DJ XL on Saturdays. Thursday nights @ Mary's Attic has the "Lipstick Club" w/ DJs Dragonfire & KT.

Other Boystown Faves
On the northern end of Boystown, the sports bar North End hosts a weekly darts tournament on Tuesdays, karaoke on Wednesdays, and TPAN's poz-friendly "Pulse" bar night every Thursday. Next door neighbor Bobby Loves is a friendly neighborhood drinkers' paradise with karaoke on Fridays. The popular Kit Kat Lounge has nightly performances by the Kit Kat Divas, half-price martinis on Sundays and Tuesdays, and hosts "Top Chef" and "Desperate Housewives" viewing parties every Wednesday and Sunday nights, respectively. On the opposite end of Boystown 3160 features darts on Mondays, "Open Mic Night" on Tuesdays, and "Pop Goes The Gio" on Fridays.

Que Pasa/What's Happening?
The weekly Latin pursuits at Circuit include "La Noche Loca" on Thursdays, featuring Miss Ketty's Latina Review, and "Noche Latina" with hostess Veronica Zaid and DJs Ink & Alex Perez on Sundays. Other Latin hangouts includes Sundays @ Jackhammer, Tuesdays @ Hydrate, and on the weekend @ Club Chesterfield.

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. Clubhouse Productions and Loftwerks have begun a new collaborative night @ Shadow Bar. Called "Reunion," it will feature DJs Box, Shannon, and Kenae spinning hip-hop, reggaeton, and house. Every Sunday night, the same urban musical blend gets served up during DJ Stoney's "Ear-Rotic" @ Mix Niteclub.

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. 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.

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" every Thursday.

Beyond Halsted
Up in Andersonville south of Foster Avenue, you'll find the Chicago Eagle leather bar as well as neighborhood outpost SoFo. North of Foster 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 "2009 Mr. Union Suit" contest on Friday, February 13. Further north in Rogers Park is the relatively new bar, The Glenwood.

The Uptown/Edgewater neighborhood is home to Granville Anvil (which counts Loyola students as patrons); Big Chicks (and its popular free buffet on Sundays) and the sports bar Crew ("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. The young, fun LGBTIQ crowd will be at the monthly "Chances Dances" party at Subterranean on Monday, February 16.

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.