This Weekend's Highlights Let's start with the end of the weekend first as BOI Magazine welcomes Chicago's own international superstar DJ/remixer/producer Ralphi Rosario to Smart Bar on Sunday, October 12 for a 6-hour set (10pm-4am). It should be a blast of an evening with Ralphi's music and cheap drink specials, including $2 PBR cans, $3 Effen vodka cocktails, and $4 Heinekens. With Halloween just around the corner, it's time to get into the spirit of the season with the Pre-Halloween version of "Miss Foozie's Fabulous Variety Show" @ Circuit Night Club on Saturday, October 11. If features guest stars Paula Sinclaire & Monique Marquette, comedian Marc Peurye, announcer Bill Pritchard, & free pizza from Pie Hole. Seating @ 9:30pm; show starts @ 10:30pm. Mainstream dance fun to be had this weekend includes DJ Lego @ Zentra on October 10 for "Jack Fridays." Two global superstar DJs hit town on Saturday, October 11: Dutch trance master Ferry Corsten @ Vision and electro-tribal guru Robbie Rivera @ Crobar. If you're more interested in Boystown venues, DJ Kimberly S will bring her energetic club music sound to Hydrate on Saturday while the urban and hip-hop beats of "UBU" take center stage @ Circuit on Saturday, October 11. The October edition of "Dating for Queer Nerds" @ The Spot (4437 N. Broadway) takes place on Sunday, October 12. Admission ($20 advance/$25 door) includes a cocktail and a chance to win Broadway In Chicago tickets and other giveaways. Info & registration: www.nerdsatheart.com , 312.265.6085. Third Weekend Fun On Friday, October 17 "Lube Wrestling" returns to Hydrate w/ DJ Jeanette supplying the beats late into the night. The following night @ Hydrate on October 18, LA-based tribal house music master DJ Paulo hits town to please his many local fans. That same night the monthly "Amigo" party takes place at Circuit on Saturday, October 18 w/ DJ Rock-O-Mix behind the decks while Jackhammer hosts its "Underwear Party" with DJ Oskar. Out in Sawyer, Michigan the popular monthly "Swank" party is scheduled @ Fitzgerald's. To get to Fitzgerald's, take Exit 12 off of I-94 and proceed into town to 5875 Sawyer Road. Midweek Fun On Thursday, October 16 from 6pm-9pm, Cocktail presents a one night art show and benefit: "Pretty Paintings Please," a collection of painting by artist Robb Stone. The show will feature medium and large scale abstract oil paintings and various works on paper, all of which will be available for sale. 20% of the gross profits from any and all sales will be donated to the Annie Lennox sponsored Treatment Action Coalition (TAC). Ladies' Night Circuit hosts two big events this month for the lesbian set: "Lipstick & Lace" w/ Guest DJ Gavin T (Miami) and WGCI's DJ Phantom on Friday, October 10 and "Chix Mix: The Masquerade Ball" w/ DJs KT and Just Beth on Friday, October 17. riday of the month they flock to Circuit for dancing and prancing @ "Girl Bar." On a nightly and weekly basis the fairer sex congregates at Closet in Boystown and at several places in Andersonville, including T's, Star Gaze, Joi De Vine, and on Thursday nights @ Mary's Attic for "Lipstick Club" w/ DJ Shoshana. Shaking Their Money Makers Strippers of the professional variety strut their stuff further in Boystown @ Cocktail with DJs banging out the house music beats for the "Spank Go-Go Boys": Tuesdays (w/ DJ Michael Serafini); Thursdays (Timmy Loop); Fridays (Freddie Bain); Saturdays (Diva DJs); and Sundays (Pete Augusta & Heather Doble). Out in the suburbs, the Men of Sarabia will be @ Club Krave in Blue Island on Friday, October 17, while Hideaway in Forest Park hosts the Chicago Beef dancers every Thursday and Saturday. Upping the suburban stripper ante, Hunters will have Playgirl cover model Zack Vasquez along with Zsolt and Blue on stage on Thursday, October 16 for the "Hunters Hunks All Male Revue." And two days earlier they'll let the novices groove and move and vie for a $100 1st Prize in the "Amateur Male Stripper Contest." In Andersonville, @mosphere hosts strippers Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays with DJs Chris Eterno, Eric Hall, and Timmy Loop, respectively, supplying the music. Also in Andersonville, the bath house Man's Country has nude strippers leaving nothing to the imagination every Friday and Saturday night. Speaking of bath houses, the Boystown venue, Steamworks, features a "Lights Out" party every Thursday and an after-hours setting w/ DJ Dick on Friday and Saturday nights. Just a short walk to the south @ Spin, the monthly "Bear Shower Contest" will be conducted on Friday, October 17. Halsted Strip South At the epicenter of Boystown (the intersection of Halsted & Roscoe), Roscoe's Tavern features video in the front bar and a hi-energy dance floor in back. Large crowds are always on hand for "Drag Race 2008" hosted by Frida Lay on Tuesdays and "Male Call" w/ the effervescent Miss Foozie on Sundays. Across the street @ the video bar Sidetrack, potent frozen slushy drinks are the popular drink of choice for many as they enjoy "Showtunes" on Mondays, "Comedy" on Thursdays, and "Energy Videos" on Fridays and Saturdays. Their neighbor Minibar is popular with the cute and trendy crowd who groove to a weekly line-up of events that include "Power Hour Wednesdays" (DJ Jon Roberts), "Mystique Thursdays" (DJ Phil Da Beatz) and the ultra-fun "Theme Party Sundays" (DJ Chris Eterno). The relatively new kid on the block, Scarlet Bar, has quickly established itself as a place to hang out at, especially for the raucously fun "First Ward Ball" party on Sundays with DJ Luis M. takes place every Sunday. At the south end of the Halsted strip @ Belmont, the young and the fun call Spin home on Wednesday nights for their $1 drink night. Halsted Strip North Starting on the northern end of Boystown near the Broadway & Halsted intersection, there's the sports bar North End and its next door neighbor Bobby Loves, a neighborhood drinkers' paradise. The diversity of options continues with Cell Block (the only leather bar in Boystown), Kit Kat Lounge (featuring performances by the Kit Kat Divas), and Charlie's (the only gay country & western bar in the city). Further south men's bars Little Jim's and Bucks Saloon continue to be popular nightlife and social institutions in the community while Cornelia's features cabaret performances and L.B.C. fills up with a pansexual mix of hip and cool 20-somethings. Let's Dance When it comes to dancing, Berlin is still quite popular with an eclectic late-night line-up that includes "Cosmix Fridays" w/ DJ Greg Haus and "Tiwsted" w/ DJs Chester & Larissa. Hi-energy beats can be had during after-hours with the likes of DJ LuLu @ Charlie's on the weekend, DJ Greg Drescher @ Hydrate on Thursdays, DJ Oskar @ Jackhammer on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Dancing with a Latin flair is on tap every Thursday ("La Noche Loca") and Sunday ("Noche Latina") @ Circuit, Sundays @ Jackhammer, Tuesdays @ Hydrate, and on the weekend @ Club Chesterfield. As for hip-hop, check out the Prop House on Fridays and "Ear-Otic" @ Spin on Saturday, October 11. Beyond Boystown 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 always fun Mary's Attic and the martini bar Marty's. Further north, the fetish community finds a home at Touché with "Hardcore Leather" night on Tuesdays and "Onyx Club Night" set for Friday, October 17. The Uptown/Edgewater neighborhood is home to three bars with devoted clientele: Granville Anvil (which sometimes counts Loyola students as patrons); Big Chicks (and its popular BBQ Buffet on Sundays) and the sport bar Crew with its "Karaoke Night" on Tuesday 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, there are two outposts that serve officeworkers and shoppers alike: Gentry on State and Second Story Bar, both of which host terrifically fun Friday after-work crowds. Over on the West Side of town, while the sedate hang at the Davenport's piano bar, the party people congregate every Monday night at the long-running "Boom Boom Room" @ Green Dolphin Street with host Byrd Bardot and residents DJs Michael Serafini, Diz, JustJoey & Uncle Milty. Finally, 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 "Ascent." In Lake Station, Indiana, Encompass hosts "Karaoke" on Tuesdays and Fridays and resident DJ Tiff on Saturdays.