April 16 ­ May 6, 2009

Tax Relief Plans
OK, you just got done sending in your tax payment to Uncle Sam earlier this week, so where should you go with those few duckets you still have? Well, you might want to check out the debut of the "Snow White & The 7 Drag Queens" show over at Hydrate. Written and directed by Tony Lewis and starring Madame X, the show will take place every Friday and Saturday night at 9pm through the first weekend of May for a wallet-friendly $10. Another option is the "I Love Porn" party over at Spin Nightclub on Friday, April 17, featuring Absolut drink specials and porn stars Ricky Sinz, Benjamin Bradley, and Roman Heart.

If you want to dance this weekend, Hydrate has an entertaining late night line-up of DJ Brett Locascio on Friday, April 17 and superstar DJ Tony Moran on Saturday, April 18. Circuit Night Club presents its monthly AMIGO party with "Chino Latino" featuring DJs Ink and Super Alex. Over on the mainstream front, it's a huge house music night with Chicago legends Mark Farina, Derrick Carter, and Heather taking over the DJ booth at Smart Bar on Saturday, April 18. That same night Dutch remixer/DJ Laidback Luke is at Crobar.

End Of The Month Fun
The monthly "Urbano" hip-hop party takes place on Friday, April 24 @ Circuit w/ DJs Kenae, Anton & Corona while Hydrate hosts local hero DJ Ralphi Rosario that same night. On Saturday, April 25 it's Nitro @ Circuit with the "Asian Invasion II" party featuring DJs Oskar, Timmy Loop and Nathan Fong. As always your hosts will be Miss Foozie, Sal-E, and Josh. Also on Saturday, Hydrate imports DJ Wayne G all the way from London. The weekend concludes with two monthlies on Sunday, April 26: "Prince Night" @ Berlin and "Rewound" w/ DJ Ralphi Rosario @ Hydrate.

Special Mid-Week Haps
Lots of birthdays seemingly on tap. Roscoe's has its "Anniversary Party" on Thursday, April 16, starting at 8pm, to celebrate 22 years in business. The following week, Cocktail blows out 13 candles on it's cake with its "Anniversary Party," featuring DJs Freddie Bain and Michael Serafini on Wednesday, April 22 Whether you go or not to the concert, you won't want to miss Spin's "Britney Spears Post-Concert Party" on Tuesday, April 28 with VJ Riley York playing any and all things Britney. The Britney-mania continues on Wednesday, April 29 with world famous Spears impersonator Derrick Barry set to perform @ Hydrate. There's no cover and the show begins at 11pm. That last Wednesday of the month is also "Disco Night" at Berlin. Then finally on April 30, Roscoe's presents its monthly "Wet Boxer Contest". Friday Lay hosts and there's $600 in prize money up for grabs.

Where Are The Menz
Roscoe's featured weekly events include "You're The Star Karaoke" w/ Honey West @ 10pm on Mondays. "Drag Race 2009" w/ Frida Lay starts @ 11pm on Tuesdays while "Male Call" w/ Miss Foozie starts deliveries @ 5pm on Sundays.. The video bar Sidetrack features signature potent frozen slushie drinks and a weekly line-up that includes "Showtunes" on Monday nights, "Comedy" clips on Thursdays, and "Energy Videos" on Fridays and Saturdays.

At Minibar, the cute and trendy crowd groove to weekly events such as "Mystique Thursdays" and "Theme Party Sundays" with a line-up of DJs that include DJ Jon Roberts, DJ Phil Da Beatz, DJ Shawn Edwards, and DJ Jesse Seely. Just a couple of blocks north sits two popular spots: Bucks Saloon and the "late night closing, early morning opening" Little Jim's.

Homes For House
House music's Boystown home is most definitely Cocktail, featuring its "Super Saver Sundays" with $1 well-drinks, Pate tending bar early (1pm-8pm) along with DJs Chris Eterno and Dealer, 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), Greg Haus (Wednesdays) Timmy Loop (Thursdays), Freddie Bain (Fridays), and a rotating cast of Diva DJs on Saturdays.

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. Also be on the lookout for house music on Sundays @ Wild Pug starting in May.

You Should Be Dancing
When it comes to dancing early in the night, groovy beats are always being produced @ Spin: w/ DJ Chris Eterno on Wednesdays for "WTF $1 Drink Night" and Luis M added to the line-up on Fridays and for the new "Foxy's Basement" on Sundays. In Uptown the Wild Pug features DJ Oskar on Saturdays and on Thursday, April 30 for the monthly "Gaysia" soiree.

For after-hours dancing, the always popular Berlin has "Cosmix Fridays" w/ DJ Greg Haus and "Stardust" on Thursdays. Hydrate has DJ Laura B on Mondays; DJR spinning on Tuesdays; the "girls" of "Hy-Drag" on Wednesdays; and lots of strippers, Cyon Flare and DJ Greg Drescher on Thursdays. Hi-energy beats can be had during after-hours @ Charlie's every night of the week, including "Resurrection Sundays" with DJ LuLu. Up on the North Side Jackhammer's dance floor grooves Thursdays ­ Sundays.

XX Chromosonal Crowd
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 and DJ Tim A on Saturdays. The popular Kit Kat Lounge has nightly performances by the Kit Kat Divas and half-price martinis on Sundays and Tuesdays.
The Minority Report
The weekly Latin pursuits at Circuit include "La Noche Loca" on Thursdays, featuring Miss Ketty's Latina Review and DJs Rock-O-Mix & Fast Freddy, and "Noche Latina" with hostess Veronica Zaid and DJs Ink & Alex Perez on Sundays. Other Latin hangouts include Sundays @ Jackhammer and on the weekend @ Club Chesterfield.

For an urban music vibe that includes hip-hop as well as house music, it's all about "Reunion" @ Shadow Bar on Saturdays w/ DJs Box, Shannon, and Kenae spinning hip-hop, reggaeton, and house. Club Escape also packs them in on Saturdays on the Southside. 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 w/ DJ Dexter is at 1pm on Saturday, April 25.
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 "Handballer Night" every Thursday"

The Uptown/Edgewater neighborhood is home to Granville Anvil; 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 in the heart of Lincoln Park. Downtown, Second Story Bar is the only outpost left 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, April 19.

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.