February 19 ­ March 5, 2009

This Weekend
To get this weekend off to a proper start, head over to Smart Bar and check DJs Derrick Carter and Michael Serafini on Thursday, February 19. On Saturday, February 21 Circuit Night Club hosts the monthly "Amigo" party and the presentation of the "2nd Annual Fire & Ice" with music by DJ Ink and Super Alex. Two other significant events this weekend include DJ Brett Henrichsen @ Hydrate on Saturday and the legendary Judge Jules at Sound-Bar on Friday. The weekend concludes with the monthly "Prince Night" @ Berlin on Sunday, February 22.

Special Mid-Week Happenings
It's the last Wednesday of the month and that could only mean "Disco Night" at Berlin on February 25. Staying on topic, this last Thursday of the month has Roscoe's presenting its "Wet Boxer Contest" on February 26. Friday Lay hosts and there's $600 in prize money up for grabs. The following week on Wednesday, March 4, Smart Bar has a tremendous line-up of house DJs on tap with Gene farris, Diz, Lego, and Frique.

Next Weekend's Highlights
Provincetown drag icon Varla Jean Merman will be performing live @ Hydrate on Friday & Saturday, February 27 & 28. The shows start at 9pm and ticket are $20 and available at www.HydrateChicago.com.

The last weekend of the month has back-to-back events at Circuit. The "Urbano: Hip-Hop For All" party, takes place on Friday, February 27 and features DJs Kenae, Corona & Anton. The next night on Saturday, February 28 the monthly Nitro theme party returns with the annual "Ice Ball." DJs Hugo and Teri Bristol are in the booth while Josh, Sal-E, and Miss Foozie serve as hosts. Not to be outdone, Hydrate has two great nights planned this weekend as well: "Final Friday" with DJ Laura B and DJ Ralphi Rosario on Saturday.

On the mainstream front, international headliners Above & Beyond will be at Vision on Saturday, February 28. Househeads will get their collective swerves on at Smart Bar the same night with Colette and DJ Heather. Rounding out the weekend will be the ultra-fun "Madonna-rama" at Berlin on Sunday, March 1.

Boystown Bars ­ El Centro
Roscoe's featured weekly events include "You're The Star Karaoke" w/ Honey West @ 10pm on Mondays, "Drag Race 2009" w/ Frida Lay and Special Guest Performer Nicole Starr @ 11pm on Tuesdays, and "Male Call" w/ Miss Foozie on @ 5pm on Sundays. The 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.

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.

House-tastic
House music's Boystown home is most definitely 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 (Fridays), Dhanna (Saturday, February 21), and Carla Starla (Saturday, February 28). DJ Chris Eterno makes a guest appearance on Sunday, February 22, 8pm-11pm.

Outside of Boystown, house music gets a friendly reception 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. DJ Rush makes a guest appearance on March 2.

Dance Your Pants Off
When it comes to dancing early, the Wild Pug has DJ Steve Henderson on Friday nights, DJ Oskar for "Dorian Gray Night" on Saturdays, and VJ Steve Whitney for the Sunday afternoon "Tea Dance" (3pm-9pm). Hot rhythms and groovy beats are always the norm @ Spin with w/ DJ Chris Eterno on Wednesdays for "WTF $1 Drink Night," DJ Ron G on Thursdays for "Fierce Drag Cabaret" hosted by Lady Vera Parker, and DJ Luis M for the "Friday Dance Party."

For after-hours dancing, the always popular Berlin has "Cosmix Fridays" w/ DJ Greg Haus, "Twisted" w/ DJs Chester & Larissa on Saturdays, and "Stardust" on Thursdays. 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. 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.

The Fairer Sex
Circuit hosts the annual Chix Mix "Black Bra Party" on Friday, February 20. On a nightly and weekly basis the fairer sex meet up 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 Hangouts
On the southern end of Boystown, 3160 features darts on Mondays, "Open Mic Night" on Tuesdays, and "Pop Goes The Gio" on Fridays. On the northern end 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.

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 and on the weekend @ Club Chesterfield.

For an urban music vibe that includes hip-hop as well as house music, Clubhouse Productions and Loftwerks have begun a new collaborative night @ Shadow Bar. Called "Reunion," it features DJs Box, Shannon, and Kenae spinning hip-hop, reggaeton, and house. The Rails Marketing Group gets busy every Friday night @ The Prop House while Sunday night has the same urban musical blend getting served up at 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. The "Bears Bath & Beyond" play party with DJ Dexter is at 1pm on Saturday, February 21 while a special Mardi Gras party is planned for Tuesday, February 24 with DJ Man.

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 you'll find the Chicago Eagle leather bar as well as neighborhood outposts such as SoFo and the martini bar Marty's. Mary's Attic features Rogue DJ for "Feel Good Fridays" and Karaoke on Sundays and Wednesdays. The fetish community finds a home at Touché with "Hardcore Leather Cruisin' Night" on Tuesdays and hosts the "Onxy Club Meeting" on Friday, February 20. Further north in Rogers Park is the relatively new The Glenwood, a bar steadily growing in popularity.

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.

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.