Upcoming Highlights
The last full weekend of October is highlighted by two of the biggest monthly parties in the city, both at Circuit Night Club. On Friday, October 24, the "Urbano" party features hip-hop, house, and reggaeton by DJs Anton, Kenae, and Corona. The following night on October 25, it's DJ Hugo headlining the annual "Bonehead" Nitro Party, featuring visuals and décor by Visuwil, opening DJ Phantom, hostess Miss Foozie, and appearances by Sal-E and Eddie Couture.

Also on tap for the weekend @ Hydrate is the Rodney Becker/Brett Locascio DJing duo on Friday and monthly resident DJ Scotty Thomson (NYC) on Saturday. On the southern end of the Halsted Strip, the weekend gets off to a wet and wild start with the "Shower Contest" @ Spin (the water starts to flow at Midnight). House- heads will be served well @ Zentra on Friday w/ DJs Stacy Kidd and Lego and @ Smart Bar on Saturday w/ Colette and DJ Heather. To finish off the weekend, head over to Berlin on Sunday, October 26 for "Prince Nite."

Back for another year, the "Carpenter's Halloween," presented by The Scooty & JoJo Show, finishes up its month-long run at Mary's Attic October 28 - 31. The hour long show begins @ 8pm each night and costs $15.

And Change Your Clocks
In addition to Halloween and time changing to Standard Time early in the morning on Sunday, November 2, next weekend features DJs Ralphi Rosario and Roland Belmares @ Hydrate on Friday, October 31 and Saturday, November 1, respectively. Over @ Circuit on Saturday it's the monthly "Girl Bar" event while deep house master Roy Davis, Jr. grooves on that same night @ Smart Bar. The ever popular "Madonna-Rama" w/ Riley York takes place on Sunday @ Berlin.

Re-Vampings
There have been some changes of note to weekly happenings around the city. Scarlet now boasts DJ Heather Doble, a Chicago favorite, in the booth on Wednesdays; DJs Nick Marquette and Scott Brandon on Fridays; and DJ Veritas in charge on Saturdays. Up in Andersonville, @mosphere has added "Hot Mess Thursdays" w/ DJ Chris Eterno and sexy go-go dancers to a schedule that already features DJs Eric Hall and Timmy Loop on Fridays and Saturdays, respectively. Across the street at Mary's Attic, Rogue DJ takes over the eclectic musical journey of "Feel Good Fridays" while DJ Plez continues with his global house music sets at "Attic-tion Saturdays."

Thursdays nights @ Berlin have been totally re-vamped and taken over by the Outdanced gang and is now called "Stardust." It will feature weekly guest DJs spinning vocal house, electro, underground, tech house, and blog house (Google it if you don't know what it is). Down the street @ Spin, the new Saturday line-up is as follows: 1st Saturday - "Pop Stars" w/ Riley York; 2nd Saturday - "Fish Tank" for the lesbians; 3rd Saturday - "Ear-Rotic" Hip-Hop & House party w/ DJ Stoney; and 4th Saturday - "Menz Party" w/ DJ Chris Eterno.

Gotta Have House Music
Cocktail is the home for house music in Boystown, featuring the Spank Go-Go Boys five nights a week and DJs Michael Serafini (Tuesdays), Timmy Loop (Thursdays), Freddie Bain (Fridays), and Pete Augusta (Sundays). Outside of Boystown, house music gets proper treatment on Fridays on the south side @ Jeffrey's Pub w/ DJ Dana Powell. Of course house music rules every Monday night at "Boom Boom Room" @ Green Dolphin Street w/ residents DJs Michael Serafini, Diz, JustJoey & Uncle Milty.

Dance Fever
While well known for its Tuesday night "Drag Race 2008" hosted by Frida Lay and Sunday evening "Male Call" w/ Miss Foozie, Roscoe's also has dancing each night of the week w/ DJs Kevy, Eddy, & Duane spinning an energetic commercial mix. On the late night front, Berlin serves up an eclectic blend of electro, underground and Chicago house featuring DJ Greg Haus for "Cosmix Fridays" and DJs Chester and Larissa in rotation for "Twisted Saturdays." Hydrate's big room club music sound includes national DJs on the weekend and local favorites during the week: DJ Laura B (Mondays), Greg Drescher (Thursdays), and Jeanette (Sundays).

Other late night dance options include Jackhammer in Andersonville w/ DJ Oscar on Wednesdays and Thursdays and the most diverse clientele in the city on the weekends. Charlie's schizophrenically fun schedule has country 2-step and line dancing early in the evening, followed by hi-energy club fare during nightly after-hours w/ DJs Lulu and Mixmaster F.

Where Everyone Knows Your Name
Starting on the northern end of Boystown there's the sports bar North End and its next door neighbor Bobby Loves, a neighborhood drinkers' paradise that packs them in for Karaoke on Fridays and DJ TimE on Saturdays. Across the street is Cell Block, the only leather/fetish bar in Boystown with its infamous Holding Cell that's open on Fridays and Saturdays.

South of Addison on Halsted, Little Jim's (which opens early and closes late) and Bucks Saloon are institutions that have been around for years as anchors in Boystown. Another neighborhood anchor, the video bar Sidetrack, is arguably the most popular watering hole in the country and is well known for its potent frozen slushy drinks, "Showtunes" videos on Mondays and "Comedy" clips on Thursdays.

Not yet an institution but very popular with the young and trendy is Minibar with its weekly line-up that includes "Power Hour Wednesdays" (DJ Jon Roberts), "Mystique Thursdays" (DJ Phil Da Beatz) and the ultra-fun "Theme Party Sundays" (DJ Chris Eterno). Further down the street, Spin continues its Wednesday "What The F%*k!" $1 drink night (aka "Night of the Chickens and The Chicken Hawks").

Neighborhood watering holes of note include Scot's in Ravenswood, Manhandler in Lincoln Park, Second Story Bar downtown, the Granville Anvil in Edgewater, and Marty's in Andersonville (with that cutie bartender Lucas). The Uptown section of the city offers the ever lively Big Chicks, with it's free "BBQ Buffet Brunch" on Sundays, and the sports bar Crew, which has a nightly "Happy Hour" w/ _-price appetizers Monday - Friday (4pm-6pm) and "Man The Mic Karaoke" w/ Adam LeBlanc on Tuesdays.

Take It Off
Steamworks, Boystown's full-service bath house, features a "Lights Out" party every Thursday an after-hours setting w/ DJ Dick on Friday and Saturday nights, and "Sunday Spin Cycle" w/ DJs Jim Belanger and Dick. On Saturday, October 25 the "Bears, Bath & Beyond" play party starts @ 1pm with DJ Dexter St. Jacques. The stripper shows @ Man's Country, Andersonville's bath house outpost, features the all-nude dancers every Friday and Saturday night. The line-up includes Fabion, Seth and Arman on Saturday, October 25 and Sean Paul and Giorgio on Friday, October 31. Not quite nude, the Lucky Horseshoe dancers prance and gyrate on the bar seven nights a week.

Diverse Diversions?
Many of the leathermen in the city hang out in Andersonville at the Chicago Eagle and also @ Touché, which has "Hardcore Cruisin' " on Tuesdays, "Handballer Night" on Thursdays and "Piercing Night" on Saturday, October 25. On the opposite end of the spectrum, cabaret entertainment has several showcases: at Davenport's in Wicker Park, Cornelia's and 3160 in Lakeview (w/ "Pop Goes The Gio" on Thursdays, and Gentry On State downtown.

When in Boystown, girls who like girls typically gather at the Closet early in the night before the boys and the testosterone levels kick up during after-hours. Up in Andersonville, you'll see the fairer sex everywhere, including T's in SoFo to Star Gaze further north to Joi De Vine further west near Ravenswood. The "Lipstick Club" @ Mary's Attic is still going strong on Thursday nights.

If you like the blend of bangin' hip-hop beats and track-y house cuts then Prop House on Friday nights is the place to be. If you're more interested in a Latino vibe, there are several options: on the south side @ Chesterfield Club on the weekends, Jackhammer on Sundays and Hydrate on Tuesdays. Circuit's two Latino gatherings feature hostess Veronica Zaid and DJs Fast Freddy & Alex Perez on Sundays and Miss Ketty's Latina Review on Thursdays.

Disturbia in Suburbia
Out in the suburbs, Hunters Nightclub features DJ Ron G on Wednesdays for the "MWM" party, Hunters Hunks Male Dancers on Thursdays, and DJ Laura B on Saturday, October 25 for inaugural "Let's Dance" w/ Rascal Video exclusive Benjamin Bradley. Hideaway in Forest Park has Chicago Beef dancers every Thursday and Saturday while farther afield in Lake Station, Indiana, Encompass hosts "Karaoke" on Tuesdays & Fridays and resident DJ Tiff on Saturdays. Club Krave in south suburban Blue Island hosts the Men of Sarabia dancers on Saturday, October 25.